Bleach:Zangetsu

The sky stretched endlessly, an abyss of inky black, a reflection of the barren land beneath. A single crescent moon hovered, its light cold and distant. Floating in the stillness, a man stood—long orange hair swaying in the wind like flames. His torn Shinigami outfit barely clung to his form, ragged and stained, with red fur patches around his wrists, ankles, and neck. A bone mask covered his face, two horns jutting forward like the remnants of a beast's skull.

"Protect." The word echoed in the emptiness of his soul, a final command from a king long lost. Zangetsu's body stiffened, the mask concealing the quiet rage beneath. It was all he had left—this single, echoing wish that Kept him in this world, it was the only thing that kept this dead body moving.

The air was thick with the embers of his cero, the wind biting cold against his skin. The king was dead, and in his absence, a void that swallowed Zangetsu's very existence. The emptiness was suffocating.

He had warned him—told him not to get himself killed. Yet, here they were. The king, reckless, foolish, brash... and now, it had cost him everything.

Zangetsu's grip tightened around Tensa Zangetsu. Cold rage enveloped the blade, seeping into his very being.

All because of him.

The hollow thought, eyes locked on the remains of the one who had killed his king.

With a swift motion, he swung his arm, casting the bat-like Hollow aside as if it were nothing more than a ragdoll. Ulquiorra's body skidded across the ground, utterly broken.

The Vasto Lorde strode forward, his steps deliberate, as he neared the half-dead Hollow. His killing intent boiled over and All could feel it. Zangetsu eyes locked to the weak embers of the bat like hollow.

"Protect."

Zanpakuto Died with their master and Zanpakuto were the essence of the wielder's soul and yet, Zangetsu remained. He remained.

But there was no Ichigo anymore.

Only him.

 Zangetsu didn't know how to feel about it, He felt… different.

He felt the coldness seep into him, the absence of a soul that had once burned with life. Ichigo's spirit had been the fire that had given him form, purpose, and now it was snuffed out. What was a blade without its wielder? What was a sword when there was no hand to wield it?

What now?

Zangetsu stood over the half-dead body, his blade raised to end the Hollow's existence. He knew the creature was only pretending to be dead—the remnants of Ichigo's memories still resonated within him. The Hollow wasn't finished. To truly end it, he would have to destroy its head, Destroying its soul completely.

As Zangetsu prepared to strike, a hand gripped his wrist.

"That's enough, Kurosaki."

His voice was soft, almost pleading. Zangetsu's yellow eyes locked onto the human who dared to stop him. This was the same human who had fought beside Ichigo, who had witnessed everything. How could he spare the one who had taken the king's life? How could this fragile mortal not understand the weight of the loss Zangetsu was feeling?.

The hollow growled silently, the sound low and menacing. Zangetsu's grip on Tensa Zangetsu tightened, forcing its blade downward. But the human's hand only tightened around his wrist in response, stopping him from finishing the Hollow.

What right does he have to stop me?

"Didn't you hear me, Kurosaki?" The human's voice cut through the air, his grip tightening on The hollow's wrist. "If you do this, you'll truly cease to be human!"

Zangetsu's gaze remained unblinking, his yellow eyes as cold and hollow as the void within. "Annoying..." he muttered, a low growl vibrating in his chest.

Without hesitation, Zangetsu swung his blade toward the human, sending the body crashing several feet away, slamming into boulders. His gaze followed the impact, the emotionless mask of his face betraying no trace of remorse.

Uryu's head hung low, Eyes wide with shock as blood poured from his lips. He looked down to see Ichigo blade pieced straight through him. He looked up to see the hollow standing with his arm outstretched." Ku-rosaki?" he muttered weakly while Orihime Screamed his name as she tried to run to him But the sheer spiritual pressure of Zangetsu forced her to the ground.

"I..." Zangetsu's voice was distant, cold as his soul. His task had been clear, but the confusion still lingered in the air, thick like the aftermath of a battle. "I don't care anymore..." His thoughts were clouded with a sharp pain—the loss of the one who had been his king. His reason for existence was crumbling. Ichigo was dead.

He had fulfilled his purpose. He had protected.

Everything after that was... unnecessary. The hollow part of him churned a thirst for Revenge now mingling with confusion.

The orange-haired girl screamed his name, her voice a desperate plea. "Kurosaki!"

Her cry echoed in the silence around him, but it fell on deaf ears. Zangetsu's attention was focused on his next target—the human in his path. He would finish them all. Anyone who was even remotely aligned with the king's enemies would be eradicated. There would be no Mercy.

A pulse of energy flared in the Centre of his horns, a crimson Cero crackling to life with raw power. It would end here. It had to.

"Kurosaki!" The girl's voice shattered through again, more desperate, more urgent. "This isn't you!!"

Zangetsu's hand began to pull the Cero into form, his expression still blank beneath the hollow mask, unreadable "Me...?" His thoughts faltered, He had been the blade—Ichigo's will was his only purpose. He could no longer remember what it felt like to live for more than that.

"Protect..." the word rose in the back of his mind, Yes he would protect the kings wish by killing everyone who got in that wish's way. Like this human and then that Bat. But Zangetsu felt like he was missing something. Something important to the kings Wish.

The word hung there, heavy in the air, like the faintest ghost of Ichigo's wish. Protect.

The hollow's mind slowed as fragments of the kings memories flashed before the hollows mind. The Cero flickered in his horns, growing weaker as his focus wavered. "Protect…" The words gnawed at him triggering a memory he couldn't quite place.

Zangetsu faltered, his grip on the Cero loosening.

His eyes drifted to the girl, tears streaming down her face as she reached out to him. Zangetsu's mind reeled with confusion—should he finish this human? was he not protecting her? Or was this word—this last command of the king—something more?

Protect. It was his king's last wish, and the only thing Zangetsu could do now was... try to understand what it meant.

For the first time since his king's death, Zangetsu hesitated.

His instincts flared as he tried to turn around, but it was already too late. The bat-like hollow struck with brutal Slash across his mask leaving the hollow roaring in pain. The impact shattered his mask, the energy from the blast overwhelming him.

His body crashed hard against the ground, a deafening roar of pain escaping him as the power of the cero tore through him. The blast was so fierce that it obliterated the entire rooftop of Los Noches.

"Damn..." Zangetsu muttered as he fell face first to the cold floor, The kings body refused to move, and he could feel himself fading but he refused not when he need to finish what the king started. He struggled to rise, blood dripping from his wounds. no matter how much he will to move, his body remained unresponsive.

'Get up'

"Kurosaki!!!" Orihime screamed, her voice full of panic as she rushed to the fallen body of Ichigo. Her hands hovered over his limp form, trembling with the fear that she couldn't undo what had happened.

'Get up'

Ulquiorra, watching from a distance, stood still with an air of cold observation. His green cero spear glowed faintly in his hand, but he made no move to attack. He understood the finality of the situation as he observed himself and sighed and stared into the distance of hueco mundo.

'Get up'

'Its no use the hollow had destroyed his core, his mask,' Hollows had varying degrees of regeneration along as the mask and core of their essence was unharmed, they would always come back no matter how close to death they were.

'Get up'

Unfortunately it seemed that death wanted him. he could already feel his consciousness fading away and his body slowly losing functions "And just when I was beginning to understand the human heart" he muttered bitterly as he observed this girl try and try to heal the corpse but to no avail.

'Get up!!!!'

"Give it up, girl. That boy is dead." Ulquiorra's voice was devoid of emotion, the truth of it clear in his eyes. Yet, even as he spoke, something caught his attention. The corpse's body—began to stir.

"Impossible…" Ulquiorra whispered in disbelief. He watched as Zangetsu's body, though damaged, started to heal rapidly, wounds closing with unnatural speed.

"High-speed regeneration…" Ulquiorra muttered, realization setting in. This boy shouldn't be alive. And yet, here it was, healing itself as if it had never been harmed. 

Orihime's voice broke through the chaos, her breath shaking. "Kurosaki?" she said softly, her eyes locking onto the cold, hollow gaze of the creature that had once been her friend. it Scared her to the core.

Zangetsu's gaze lingered on her for a moment, but he turned away, uninterested. She was weak, fragile—nothing more. His focus shifted back to the hollow before him, the one who had killed his king.

His outstretched his hand, and he willed the black blade to come forth in a smooth, controlled motion. "Interesting…" Ulquiorra's voice was laced with curiosity as he observed Zangetsu's transformation. "Kurosaki… you've become more hollow-like. So what does that make you now? An Arrancar? Or…"

Zangetsu remained silent. His cold eyes locked with Ulquiorra's, and a heavy stillness filled the air as the two stood facing one another, each calculating their next move. It was clear that one of them was going to die. Ulquiorria's dull green eyes Sensed the emptiness of Ichigo's spiritual pressure.it was hollower then Shinigami. 'So that it huh?'

Ulquiorra seemed to understand that this creature was no longer the Ichigo he had known. "Finish me, Hollow," he said, his voice tinged with frost. "I am already dead."

Zangetsu didn't answer. He didn't need to. His body was already in motion, the speed of his flash step closing the distance between them. His blade swung with precision, an unstoppable force aimed directly at Ulquiorra, decapitating the hollow. Zangetsu stood coldly as the bat hollow began to deform into dark particles.

)