Bleach 221

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Fanning: I will ascend the throne! Just as white blade lunges forward ----

(Anti-Ichigo notices his own hands blackening, just as Ichigo grasps the blade in his torso.)

Bleach c221 - Let's Eat The World's End

(Ichigo opens his eyes, and sees before him the familiar scenery of his own Inner World.)

Ichigo：...Where the --？...Here...？

(Ichigo tries to rise, but barely has time to dodge a sword thrusted at his face.)

Ichigo：Uoooooah!?

Kenpachi：Finally, looks like your eyeballs snapped back into focus.

Ichigo：Kenpachi...!? Why are you here...? What on earth is this...hey!?

(Kenpachi flings up his sword onto his shoulder.)

Kenpachi："Kenpachi," eh...? What is that...? Why, I'm just... murdering bastard simply looking for my next kill!!

(At that, Kenpachi shakes loose the sword in Ichigo's gut and tries to cut downward. Ichigo catches the blade.)

Ichigo：Wh...What...what in the hell!?

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Translator's Note: What in the hell, indeed. It seems that during his duel with Anti-Ichigo, he blacked out after he began reconverting the Zanpakutou in his stomach back to a Shinigami power base. This entire sequence is an account of what Ichigo's experiencing during that momentary blackout. Apparently when Anti-Ichigo brought up the idea of a killer instinct, Ichigo appropriately recalled and is reliving his experience with Zaraki, who fought with similar ideals in mind.
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(Ichigo removes the sword and puts some distance between them.)

Ichigo：What are you talking about?!! Aren't you Kenpachi!? Didn't our fight end well enough for you?!!

Kenpachi：... it ended? Well, I guess it did. The fight itself may have been great, but the fact is that both of us are still alive.

Ichigo：Every time we fight, we need a reason to do so!!

Kenpachi：Reason, for this? This is a brawl... all you need are good conditions, Ichigo. That's all a fight-seeking bastard needs.

Ichigo：...The hell...is this...?

Kenpachi：You're a power-hungry freak! Isn't that what people say, Ichigo!? Out of all those seeking more power, there isn't a single person who hasn't turned down picking fights! Don't you need combat in order to increase your ability!? Don't you need greater levels of skill to keep fighting!? That's how it's always been understood to be!
　　　
Kenpachi：This is the one concept you must understand, we were born with this attached to us, it has shaped itself into our calling in life!! You have to keep searching out more battles! Ichigo!! Use that instinct inside yourself to find them, you dumb bastard. There's no other way to seek out and obtain more power.
　　　
Kenpachi：Fight on, Ichigo!! Obtain the power which that thing now controls, take up your sword, and cut it down! This is the only path you can take, the only one you should ever know, Ichigo!!!

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Translator's Note: It's interesting to note that Zaraki is speaking for what Zangetsu stood for in the past. The illusion's words are more vulgar than the old man's, but the message at the end is parallel to Zangetsu's when Ichigo first gained his powers. Maybe... this is Zangetsu's spirit speaking through an appropriate mouthpiece, a visage of Zaraki?
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(Kenpachi's words on fighting instinct becomes louder and louder. The kanji for "battle" fills the subsequent panels.)

(Eventually, Ichigo's consciousness returns to his current situation with the his hand grasping his stomach. Ichigo pulls out the now totally black sword and looks up at it in respect with eyes glowing white with power. He then turns to face Anti-Ichigo.)

Anti-Ichigo：Che.

(Instantly, Ichigo's sword penetrates through Anti-Ichigo's stomach.)

Anti-Ichigo：--...Damn...somehow it looks like the freak...had a little bit more left in the tank... You did have the instinct in ya, to see this fight out...

(Anti-Ichigo's attire changes from white to black.)

Anti-Ichigo：...Well in hindsight, I at least got to knock you on your ass... For the time being, I'll have to recognize you as the king around here. ...But never forget, that both of us just have as much claim over who gets to be the king and who gets to be the horse. If there's even the smallest of openings, I'm gonna be seeing your sorry face again, and next time I'm going to take your skull and crush it underfoot!!

(As he begins to dissolve, Anti-Ichigo places one last grasp on the sword.)

Anti-Ichigo ：...Consider this as a bit of forewarning. If you still don't have what it takes to truly harness my power, the next time I show up... your death is most definitely assured!!!

(At that, Anti-Ichigo explodes in a cloud of energy.)

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Translator's Note: Did anyone else think this was a lame way for the Hollow to bow out of the fight?
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(The scene returns to the real world.)

(A crack opens up on Masked Ichigo's left shoulder, and the limb explodes in a similar fashion. It opens its eyes and sees Hirako and the others' countenances.)

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Translator's Note: No word if Ichigo's arm returned to being a Shinigami limb or not. Presumably, it's a now a stump.
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Fanning: What does the conclusion of this internal strugle portend!?

End of c221