Disclaimer: I own not Bleach nor Devil May Cry. Though I like to watch Bleach and I do own some games.


Ichigo stood there silently, neither him nor Urahara and the others making a move. Suddenly, he took what remained of his sword and smashed the mask that was upon his face, surprising them.

"He… He didn't become a Hollow!" exclaimed Jinta, making no attempt to hide his surprise.

Ichigo stared at his hand, closing it and opening it several times before he heard clapping.

"Congratulations! You returned to being a shinigami just in the nick of time!" Urahara said, holding his green and white fan in front of his face. "Lesson Two clear!"

"Shut the hell up!" Ichigo yelled, hitting the shopkeeper in the face with the hilt of his broken sword. "The second I came back to life was the second your luck ran out!"

Ichigo stood over the squatting Urahara with crossed arms and an evil smile on his face. "I swore that if I got out of the hole," he said, pointing at hat-and-clogs, "that I'd kill you dead!"

Urahara looked at him with a surprised look on his face, before smiling. "I see. Than let us commence lesson three!" he told Ichigo. "Lesson three has no time limit. Knock my hat off with your Zanpakutoh and the lesson is clear!"

Ichigo immediately swiped at Urahara, only nicking his hat. "Impressive. Such an attack with a broken Zanpakutoh."

Ichigo smirked. "Of course. If I get serious, I've got plenty of more where that came from! Forget that laid back 'no time-limit' crap! Let's finish this in five minutes!"

"Yes, well… Alright, in five minutes… let's settle it," Urahara stated, accepting Ichigo's offer, drawing a sword from his cane.

Urahara chased after Ichigo, swinging his sword at him. Ichigo ran, almost comically.

'Wait… Wait, wait, WAIT! Ain't Zanpakutoh's supposed to be the only thing that can cut Shinigami and Hollows?' Ichigo thought to himself. 'That sword is just something that he pulled from his cane, there's no way it could be a Zanpakutoh! Why the hell am I running away?!'

Ichigo turned towards Urahara, only for the remains of his mask to be knocked off his head, making the orange-haired teen's eyes widen.

"You let your guard down, Ichigo," Urahara said, no longer smiling. " 'It belongs to a guy who's not a Shinigami, so that sword can't be a Zanpakutoh… so it doesn't matter if he cuts me,' eh? How naïve… Awaken, Benihime."

Ichigo's eyes widened as he saw Urahara's sword transform. "She's 100% genuine Zanpakutoh, this girl."

"A Zanpakutoh's… name?"

"That's right, Ichigo. Zanpakutoh's each have their own name. And this is her name. Let's go, Benihime!" Urahara swung his sword at Ichigo, causing to him go tumbling backwards.

Ichigo panicked and raised his stump of a sword, blocking a strike from Urahara that surely would've taken his head off.

"I'll praise you for not running and blocking my blade with a broke sword. You've got some big cahones. But… Benihime isn't so sweet that you could block her completely," he told Ichigo, confirming this by slicing through his blade, causing the strawberry haired Shinigami to jump back.

Ichigo ran in a panic. 'You've got to be kidding me! He friggin' sliced through my sword!'

"He told you, didn't he?" Ichigo heard from behind him. "Your sword is just big that's all."

Ichigo swiped at Urahara's hat, which was easily dodged. "There's no spirit energy stuffed in it. It's just a swollen and fluffy object in the shape of a sword. That's why…" Urahara slashed the guard of the remains of Ichigo's Zanpakutoh, effectively breaking it, save for the hilt. "It breaks so easily like that."

Ichigo just stared at the handle of his former sword in disbelief. "Are you still gonna come after me?" Urahara asked. "Don't worry, it's just knocking off my hat. It's not impossible, even for just a hilt of a sword."

The shopkeeper stared at Ichigo. "But… it's no longer a question of bravery or courage, so I'll tell you up front. If you still intend to come at me with that toy, I'll kill you," he warned him, glowing with red energy. Ichigo ran away, thoroughly scared for his life.

'I'm gonna die! I'm gonna get killed… for real!' Ichigo turned his head, narrowly dodging a death blow from Urahara, managing to get nicked on the head. 'This is pathetic. What is wrong with me? Is this all I have? Why am I running?'

'Pathetic! I'm a pathetic coward!' Ichigo yelled to himself.

---

What are you doing?

Ichigo widened his eyes in surprise. He was back here again. He looked around, taking in his surroundings. It was twilight, just like last time. There was a slight breeze, causing the ankle-high grass to sway in the wind. In front of him was a large and foreboding castle. In front of him was his Zanpakutoh spirit.

He wore a purple trench coat and clothes that made him look like an English lord from the medieval ages. He had a monocle over his left eye and slicked back, pure white hair.

"Old man," Ichigo was surprised.

Why are you running, Ichigo? the man asked. You're better than this.

"Urahara's too strong!" Ichigo exclaimed. "I need to know your name so I can become stronger! I need to win!"

I cannot tell you my true name until you reach Bankai…

"Bankai?" he questioned.

The man ignored him. For now, I will tell you the name of your Shikai:

---

Urahara looked at the still teenager that stood before him. Suddenly, Ichigo turned and slashed at Urahara, no longer holding just a hilt, but a western broadsword with its pommel shaped like a skull. He knocked Urahara's hat off.

Ichigo stared at the shopkeeper.

"Force Edge."


Another story, but don't expect updates from me often. I don't like the name Spirit, so if you got any names tell me please!