Renji grinned, his teeth flashing under the moonlight. His fingers flexed around his zanpakutō's hilt, and in one smooth motion, he swung the blade over his shoulder.

"Well, well," he muttered, cracking his neck. "You're not just some random human, are you?"

Y/N's grip on his trident tightened, the water floating around him shifting in response to his growing rage.

"Shut up and fight."

Renji's grin widened. "Gladly."

He lunged.

Y/N barely had time to react before the air between them split.

Renji's blade came down in a brutal downward arc, the force behind it sending a burst of wind roaring through the street. Y/N instinctively raised his trident, blocking the strike just in time, but the impact rattled his arms.

Renji pushed harder, his muscles tensing as his spiritual pressure flared around him.

Y/N grit his teeth. He wouldn't win a contest of strength—not like this.

He shifted his weight, twisting his trident to redirect the force. The second Renji's zanpakutō slid off the edge, Y/N countered, swinging his trident sideways.

Renji ducked under it, sliding across the ground before kicking off the pavement and lunging again.

Their weapons clashed, sparks flying.

Y/N barely managed to keep up, each of Renji's swings relentless, his attacks flowing into one another like an endless barrage. Y/N deflected them as best he could, stepping back with each impact, trying to find an opening—

And then—

Renji's grin widened.

"Too slow."

He twisted mid-air, bringing his zanpakutō down at an angle that Y/N didn't expect.

The blade tore across his side.

Pain flared through his ribs.

Y/N staggered, his breath catching in his throat as warm blood seeped into his clothes.

Renji landed a few feet away, rolling his shoulders.

"What's the matter?" he taunted. "I thought you were stronger than this."

Y/N exhaled sharply, pressing a hand against his side. The wound wasn't deep, but it was enough to piss him off.

He straightened, eyes narrowing.

Fine.

If Renji wanted to fight dirty—

Then he'd drown him.

The air shifted.

The moisture around them thickened, coalescing into shimmering orbs of water. They hung in the air like tiny planets, orbiting Y/N's trident as his reiatsu surged.

Renji's smirk faltered slightly.

Y/N exhaled.

"Hope you can swim."

He thrust his trident forward—

And the water moved.

A massive wave erupted from the ground, rushing toward Renji like a tidal force.

Renji's eyes widened as he jumped backward, narrowly avoiding the surge of water that slammed into the pavement where he had just been standing.

But Y/N wasn't finished.

The orbs of water around his trident shifted, condensing into razor-thin blades that spun like saws.

He launched them.

Renji barely had time to react before one of the spinning blades slashed across his shoulder, slicing through his sleeve.

"Tch—" He landed on a rooftop, gripping his zanpakutō.

His crimson eyes flickered with something sharper now—no more amusement.

Y/N rolled his shoulders.

"Not so cocky now, huh?"

Renji chuckled darkly. "Alright, fine. I'll take you seriously."

His grip tightened around his sword.

"Roar, Zabimaru!"

The air exploded.

Renji's zanpakutō shifted in his hands, the blade extending outward, breaking into segmented pieces connected by an invisible force. The jagged edges gleamed under the moonlight, curling in the air like a predator preparing to strike.

Y/N's body tensed.

This was bad.

Renji snapped his wrist—

And Zabimaru lunged.

Y/N barely had time to react before the segmented blade shot forward like a whip, ripping through the air with terrifying speed.

He dodged—just barely.

The sword crashed into the ground where he had been standing, carving a deep scar into the pavement before snapping back toward Renji's hand.

Y/N exhaled sharply.

Renji smirked. "What's the matter? Never fought a real Shinigami before?"

Y/N didn't answer.

He moved.

Water coiled around his legs, propelling him forward at inhuman speed. He twisted mid-air, raising his trident, the moisture solidifying into a long, sharpened lance.

Renji swung Zabimaru again.

But this time—

Y/N anticipated it.

He ducked under the strike, his body skimming over the wet pavement before slamming his trident toward Renji's side.

Renji twisted just in time, Zabimaru shifting back into a solid blade to block the attack. The impact sent a shockwave bursting outward, water and spiritual pressure colliding with violent force.

Y/N grinned.

"Nice reaction time," he muttered.

Renji scoffed. "Not bad yourself."

Then he pushed forward, forcing Y/N back.

The battle had only just begun

Renji cracked his neck, rolling his shoulders as he held Zabimaru over his back, the jagged segments of his released blade gleaming under the moonlight. His crimson eyes flickered with amusement and something sharper—anticipation.

"Tch." Renji smirked. "I'll admit, you're fast. But speed alone won't save you."

Y/N exhaled sharply.

"I don't need speed," he muttered, twirling his trident. "I need you to shut up."

Without another word, he moved.

The air exploded with moisture as the water around Y/N solidified, launching him forward at an inhuman speed.

Renji barely had time to react before Y/N was on him.

The first strike came fast—too fast.

Y/N's trident spun in his grip, the shaft smashing into Renji's ribs before the blade followed in a sharp, precise thrust.

Renji twisted, narrowly avoiding the lethal hit, but Y/N didn't let up.

The water orbs floating around him suddenly shifted.

Instead of staying in orbit, they shot forward like piercing projectiles—

Renji barely dodged the first two, but the third sliced across his arm, drawing blood.

His eyes widened slightly.

Y/N didn't give him time to breathe.

With a flick of his wrist, the spheres reformed—no longer solid, but fluid, twisting into razor-thin whips that lashed out in multiple directions at once.

Renji snarled, blocking one with Zabimaru while dodging another—

But then—

One of the whips morphed mid-air, suddenly shifting into a solid spike aimed directly at his throat.

Renji's body reacted instinctively.

His hand shot up—

CLANG!

The spike shattered against his zanpakutō, but the sheer force of the impact sent him skidding back across the pavement.

Renji's grip on Zabimaru tightened. "You little—"

Y/N was already moving again.

Water condensed under his feet, propelling him forward like a tidal wave. His trident spun, the water shifting into jagged spears, forming in the air around him before they launched toward Renji at terrifying speed.

Renji barely dodged, flipping backward—

SNAP!

"Roar, Zabimaru!"

The blade extended, whipping through the air toward Y/N.

Y/N twisted his trident—

And in an instant, the water transformed, creating a shield that absorbed the impact before turning into liquid once more.

Renji's eyes widened.

This guy's adapting too fast.

But Renji wasn't done.

He lunged forward, shifting his blade's segments in unpredictable angles, forcing Y/N to stay on the defensive.

Y/N dodged, his water shields forming and dissolving rapidly, blocking just enough to keep him from getting slashed in half.

Renji grinned. "Not bad, but you're losing ground."

Y/N hated that he was right.

Despite his relentless attacks, Renji was pushing him back.

Y/N gritted his teeth, flipping his trident in his grip. He needed to think—adapt faster.

His eyes flicked toward his surroundings—

Then he saw it.

He lunged backward toward a fire hydrant—

And with a flick of his wrist—

CRACK!

His trident sliced through the metal—

WATER EXPLODED INTO THE AIR.

The sudden rush of moisture hit him like a wave, raw energy filling his veins.

Y/N grinned.

"Thanks for the assist."

The water shifted, forming a massive whirlpool around him. The liquid danced at his command, coiling and twisting into massive tendrils.

Renji scowled. "Tch. Annoying bastard."

Y/N raised his trident, his eyes gleaming. "Come and get me, then."

Renji didn't hesitate.

"ROAR, ZABIMARU!"

His blade lashed out, splitting into jagged segments as he swung.

Y/N moved in an instant—

The water tendrils twisted mid-air, catching the segmented sword, redirecting its path.

Renji's attack missed by an inch.

His eyes widened—

But Y/N was already countering.

The whirlpool around him solidified into dozens of spikes, launching forward at once.

Renji barely had time to block.

He slashed through the first few, but the sheer volume forced him to retreat.

But then—

Renji saw an opening.

Y/N had left his right side exposed for just a moment.

Renji's grin returned.

"Gotcha."

He whipped Zabimaru forward—

And it rushed toward Y/N's blind spot.

There was no time to dodge.

Y/N's eyes widened—

And then—

CLANG!

Renji's attack was deflected.

Not by Y/N.

By Ichigo.

The moment Ichigo's sword collided with Zabimaru, a shockwave erupted through the battlefield.

Renji staggered back, his eyes narrowing.

Y/N barely had time to react before—

WHAM.

Ichigo's fist collided with his cheek.

Y/N's head snapped to the side as pain exploded across his face.

For a second, the battlefield went silent.

Y/N blinked, stunned.

Ichigo stood in front of him, her eyes burning with rage.

She was pissed.

Y/N touched his cheek. "...The hell was that for?!"

Ichigo's glare intensified. "You know damn well what that was for!"

Y/N scowled. "I don't."

Ichigo's nostrils flared. "You left me behind again, you reckless moron!"

Y/N opened his mouth—

"Shut up!" Ichigo snapped.

Y/N shut up.

Ichigo exhaled, her grip tightening on Zangetsu.

"We'll talk about this later," she muttered.

Then, she turned toward Renji.

"But you—" She lifted her blade, her spiritual pressure flaring.

Renji cracked his neck. "Heh. Finally. I was wondering when you'd show up."

Ichigo scowled. "You want a fight?"

Renji grinned.

"Hell yeah."

And with that—

The battle shifted.

The air grew heavy as Ichigo's reiatsu surged, the night trembling from the sheer power radiating off her.

Y/N exhaled, stepping back slightly.

Ichigo wasn't playing around.

Renji's smirk widened.

"Alright, girl" he said, raising Zabimaru.

"Let's see what you've got."

Ichigo cracked her neck.

And then—

She charged.

The street was cracked and broken, steam rising from the ground as Ichigo and Y/N stood side by side, their bodies tense, weapons raised. Across from them, Renji Abarai wiped blood from his mouth, his expression shifting between frustration and exhilaration.

"Heh," Renji muttered, rolling his shoulders. "I'll admit it... You two are better than I expected."

Y/N twirled his trident, the water spheres shifting around him, hovering like silent sentinels. "You talk too much."

Ichigo cracked her neck. "You getting tired, Red?"

Renji smirked. "Tired? No. Annoyed? Definitely."

He lunged.

Ichigo and Y/N moved as one.

CLASH!

Ichigo's Zangetsu met Zabimaru's jagged edge, sparks flying as their blades locked.

At the same time, Y/N twisted his trident and the **water around him morphed, becoming a wall of spikes launching toward Renji's exposed side.

Renji barely dodged, twisting his body—

But Y/N was already ahead of him.

The spikes shifted mid-air, transforming into liquid chains that snapped forward, coiling around Zabimaru's segments, stopping Renji's next attack before it could even begin.

Renji's eyes widened. "What the—?!"

Y/N smirked. "Too slow."

He yanked.

Renji's body lurched forward—

Right into Ichigo's strike.

"Gotcha!" Ichigo twisted mid-air, slashing downward.

Renji barely got his blade up in time, blocking, but the sheer force of Ichigo's attack sent him flying back, his feet skidding against the pavement, leaving a deep groove in the ground.

His breath came ragged. His arms shook.

Ichigo and Y/N didn't let up.

They moved forward together, pressing him back with a relentless barrage of attacks.

Y/N's water became unpredictable, shifting between solid and liquid at will, turning into blades, whips, lances, attacking from all angles.

Renji was struggling.

His attacks became sloppy, his breath coming too fast.

His mind raced. I can't—

And then—

Ichigo's voice rang out.

"Time to end this!"

She dropped down from above, Zangetsu raised high for a finishing blow—

And Renji realized—

I can't dodge.

His eyes widened.

Then—

Everything stopped.

A shadow moved.

The air shifted.

And in a single instant—

Ichigo was gone.

Y/N's body froze as Ichigo's figure suddenly vanished, her form disappearing in a blur of movement.

Then—

CRASH!

Ichigo hit the ground hard.

Blood splattered across the pavement as she skidded violently, her sword ripping out of her grasp as she came to a stop, motionless.

Y/N's heart stopped.

"...Ichigo?"

She didn't move.

A deep cut ran across her chest, her uniform soaked in red, her breath coming in ragged, broken gasps.

"Ichigo!" Y/N moved toward her instinctively—

Then Poseidon's voice roared in his mind.

"MOVE."

Y/N barely twisted his body—

And then—

A blade whispered past his throat, missing him by a hair's breadth.

Y/N's breath hitched.

He turned—

And his blood ran cold.

Standing a few feet away, his hand casually gripping the hilt of his zanpakutō, his expression unreadable—

Was a man who looked so much like Rukia.

Byakuya Kuchiki.

Y/N's stomach dropped.

Byakuya barely spared him a glance. His eyes, cold and empty, shifted to Ichigo's motionless form.

"You are not dead yet," he observed. "You will be soon."

Y/N's rage boiled over.

He flipped his trident, the moisture in the air exploding, shifting into countless spikes, tendrils, and blades, forming a barrier around himself.

His instincts screamed.

Defense first.

Byakuya's eyes barely moved.

Then—

He disappeared.

Y/N's eyes widened. "Shit—"

A tap landed on his shoulder.

His blood ran ice-cold.

"He's behind me—"

A single whispered movement.

And then—

PAIN.

Y/N let out a scream, his body exploding with agony as something sliced through him faster than he could register.

His vision blurred, his body collapsing as blood sprayed from his wounds.

He hit the ground, his limbs unresponsive.

Everything felt numb.

How—?

How had Byakuya—?

How had he moved so fast?

Y/N's vision swam, the world tilting. His chest heaved, but every breath hurt.

He tried to push himself up—

But his limbs wouldn't listen.

He was bleeding too much.

His hands trembled, his trident slipping from his grasp.

Byakuya turned away from him, disinterested.

Y/N's stomach twisted.

"No. No, no, no, no—"

This wasn't supposed to happen.

This wasn't how it was supposed to go.

They had been winning.

They had almost won.

But then—

Byakuya had moved once—

The pain was unbearable.

Y/N could barely breathe, his body burning from the inside out. Blood pooled beneath him, soaking the shattered pavement, mixing with the rain that poured heavily from the sky.

His fingers twitched, but his limbs refused to move.

His vision blurred, his heartbeat sluggish.

The world around him was fading—

No.

He couldn't die here.

But as he tried to inhale, an awful, wet gurgling sound echoed in his chest.

Blood filled his lungs.

His body shook violently.

I can't breathe.

His mind screamed, but he couldn't even force the words from his mouth.

A sharp, bitter taste crawled up his throat, coppery and thick.

My heart... my lungs...

He was dying.

And he could do nothing about it.

"Y/N!!"

The voice cut through the chaos, through the sound of rain crashing against the ruined battlefield.

Y/N's eyelids fluttered open just enough.

Through his blurry vision, he saw her—

Rukia.

She was running toward him, her violet eyes wide with terror, tears streaming down her face.

Her entire body trembled, her breath coming in ragged sobs as she pushed forward, ignoring everything else.

She had never felt fear like this before.

Not even when she was facing death herself.

Not even when she had been caught by Soul Society.

This was different.

Because this was him.

This was Y/N.

The one who had stood beside her, the one who had risked everything, the one who had never hesitated to fight.

And now—

He was dying because of her.

Her heart twisted painfully, but she didn't stop running.

She had to get to him.

She had to—

A shadow appeared in front of her.

Byakuya.

His presence froze her in place.

Rukia staggered, nearly slipping on the wet ground.

Her breath hitched, her body trembling as her mind screamed at her to keep going—

But she couldn't move.

Byakuya's cold gaze settled on her, his expression unreadable beneath the heavy downpour.

"Do not disgrace yourself further," he said, his voice calm, detached.

Rukia's body shook violently, her hands clenching into fists.

"Move," she pleaded, her voice breaking. "Please—"

Byakuya said nothing.

She felt the weight of his spiritual pressure, pressing against her like an unmovable force.

She couldn't get past him.

No matter how much she wanted to run, her body wouldn't disobey.

And she hated it.

"Damn you..." she whispered, her vision blurring with fresh tears.

Byakuya did not respond.

Rukia turned toward Y/N, her heart aching.

He was still breathing, but barely.

Blood pooled around him too fast, his skin turning pale, his lips slightly parted, as if he were trying to say something.

But he couldn't.

He couldn't even speak anymore.

She felt something break inside of her.

She had to let go.

Even though it hurt.

Even though it felt like she was ripping out her own soul.

"Don't come after me," she whispered.

Y/N's fingers twitched.

His chest heaved painfully, blood still bubbling in his throat.

"Don't try to save me," Rukia continued, her voice shaking violently.

Tears streamed down her face, mixing with the rain.

She turned toward Ichigo, who still lay motionless, her orange hair soaked and stained with blood.

"Ichigo," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Stay put... and live just a little longer."

Y/N tried to move, but his body refused.

The pain in his chest was unbearable.

Every breath felt like knives stabbing into him, as if his own body was rejecting him.

His vision blurred further, but he still saw her—

Turning away from