Itachi Rebirth: A Shinigami Tale

"With all due respect, that is enough Captain Kuchiki." Itachi said, still grabbing onto Byakuya's wrist.

"Lieutenant Uchiha!" Rukia exclaimed, surprised but also happy to see him there.

Byakuya quickly freed himself and flash stepped away from Itachi. He reappeared a small distance away.

Byakuya was surprised to see the person who had actually stopped him but he quickly reverted to his calm state.

"I am surprised to see that you actually stopped me. Iit seems you've hid your strength quite well." Byakuya commented as he didn't expect Itachi to catch him like that.

"I am afraid you are wrong, Captain Kuchiki. It is not that I hid my strength. There was simply never a situation in which I was forced to use my full strength." Itachi calmly replied.

"Hmm, I suppose. But do not think stopping me once means we are at the same level." Byakuya said as the two of them continued to stare at each other.

"You can't stop me, Uchiha. You're only a lieutenant." Byakuya said, breaking the silence.. "This invader will die. If you continue standing in my way, I shall also treat you as an enemy that must be eliminated." Byakuya said before flashing in front of Itachi and placing his fingers in front of Itachi's ċhėst.

"Hado 4: Byakurai." Byakuya said as he casted his kido.

A stream of lightning shoots into Itachi's ċhėst and exits out the other side of his back.However, just as Byakuya finishes firing, Itachi's figure suddenly dematerializes into crows and he reappears behind Byakuya. Byakuya quickly turns around as Itachi delivers a solid kick, aiming at his head. Byakuya blocks the kick with his free arm but gets sent sliding back a few feet.

'What was that... Is that his shikai? No...he hasn't drawn his blade yet." He thought as he readjusted himself.

"It seems that I have underestimated you. Very well" Byakuya said as he held his sword up in front of him.

"Scatter, Senbonzakura" Byakuya said. With the handle of his zanpakuto pointing in Itachi's direction. A stream of flower petals launches towards Itachi.However, Before the petals have a chance to make contact with Itachi, Itachi vanishes from his spot and reappears behind Byakuya. Byakuya turns around and redirects the petals back at Itachi, only for Itachi to dodge again and reappear back in front of Byakuya. 'He's dodging my attacks so easily...in that case…' Byakuya points his zanpakuto handle in Itachi's direction.

Byakuya puts even more force into his swing as a large stream of petals come together forming an orb that flies towards Itachi. Itachi quickly weaves a sign with his hand and inhales.

"Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu!" He exhales a large sphere of fire that crashes with the petals. The fire completely shatters the attack forcing the petals to scatter.

'Crows...Fire…? What are his abilities? His sword has remained the same. And he hasn't called anything out.' Byakuya thinks to himself as he prepares his next attack. He points his palm towards Itachi.

Hado 33: Sokatsui." Byakuya said, releasing a large blue wave of energy at Itachi who didn't even flinch at the coming attack.

"Bakudo 81: Danku." Itachi with his sharingan, read's Byakuya's movements and managed to cast Danku at the same time Byakuya casted Sokatsui, causing the large blue wave of energy to be stopped by a sturdy transparent barrier. Byakuya's eyes widened upon seeing Itachi block his attack. 'He's able to cast Bakudo in the 80s without an Incantation.?!' Byakuya thought as he jumped back after his attack failed.

"Try all the kido you wish, but my eyes will see through all of them." Itachi said as he and Byakuya met eyes in a moment of silence.

"Do you not care about your own sister?" Itachi asked, breaking the silence. "I understand she is not of your flesh and blood, but as her older brother, you should be protecting her, no matter what happens."

'Uchiha, you would not understand as you are not of nobility. The Kuchiki Clan is one of the four noble houses that set the standard for other shinigami. Rukia has broken the law and it is my duty to uphold it." Byakuya replied.

"You nobility are all the same. No wonder Daiki and Akemi ended up the way they were." Itachi said, remembering his days in the academy with them years ago. "You people have lost sight of what is important in your own fog of ignorance."

"Do not compare me to them Uchiha. I am at a level they can only dream of achieving… But you've certainly grown, Uchiha, more than I expected." Byakuya commented as flower petals began to swarm around his blade, reforming it to its original state. "But if you're really going to side with the invaders, I will no longer hold back." Byakuya holds his blade out in front of him facing the ground but a figure suddenly appears behind him, grabbing his shoulder.

"Captain Kuchiki, I believe that should be enough for now right?"

"Captain Ukitake. Why are you interfering?" Byakuya asked as he looked behind him, surprised to see Ukitake was also here to stop him. Before Ukitake has a chance to answer, a massive reiatsu is felt approaching them from above.

Byakuya and Ukitake look up to the sky where the reiatsu was coming from. Itachi also looked up and immediately recognized who was approaching.

"It's about time, Kurosaki Ichigo." Itachi said as Ichigo landed. Ukitake looked surprised upon seeing Ichigo's face. 'Kaien…?!'

Ichigo runs past Rukia momentarily and checks up on Hanataro and Ganju before going back to her. "I came to save you, Rukia."

Rukia did not respond but continued to look at him with dreary eyes.

"Why are you making that face for? I came to rescue you so you should be happy!" Ichigo exclaimed.

"Dummy...I told you not to come...I forbade you…" Rukia replied, beginning to tear up. "Now you're wounded everywhere...you dummy."

"Get mad however you like later…" Ichigo responded. He turns around and faces Byakuya. "After I defeat him!"

Itachi and Ukitake stand back as they prepare to watch Ichigo fight Byakuya. Ichigo notices Itachi and looks at him but Itachi shakes his head.

"You're not ready to fight him yet, Kurosaki." Itachi said. Ichigo looked back at Itachi.

"I told you before, I'm not running away! I'm going to defeat Byakuya and drag Rukia out of here!" Ichigo yelled. He turns around and faces Rukia briefly. "I'm not going to listen to what you say so don't bother, idiot!" Ichigo said, pointing a finger at Rukia.

"So you're just going to ignore the rescuee's opinion?! What kind of rescue attempt is this?!" Rukia retorted.

"Shut up! You're being rescued so stop babbling!" Ichigo yelled back. Rukia calmed down and regained her composure.

"You're still the same, ignoring everything I say…" Rukia said.

"Of course! You nag and worry about me when you should be worrying about yourself!" Ichigo turned back around and faced Byakuya again.

"So this is the guy you told me about..." Ukitake whispered, leaning in towards Itachi. Itachi replied with a nod and continued watching as Byakuya flared his reiatsu at Ichigo while walking towards him.

'He won't listen to reason. It's best to let him try. I will step in if needed.' Itachi thought.

"Not even a budge? It seems you've grown stronger. I don't know how you've acquired the power of a shinigami, but you should have returned to your life as a human...but now you're throwing your life away." Byakuya commented as he walked towards Ichigo.

"I'm not throwing my life away. I'm going to defeat you, and then go home!" Ichigo declared.

Without another word, Byakuya vanished and reappeared behind Ichigo. As he draws his blade out to stab Ichigo from the back, Ichigo reacts in time and blocks it.

"I saw that, Kuchiki Byakuya!" Ichigo grinned.

"I see...you've improved much more than I thought. So let me show you the difference in our strength!" Byakuya raised his blade straight up in front of him.

"Scatter -" Byakuya is interrupted as his sword becomes wrapped in cloth. Everyone except Itachi is shocked when a slender, dark skinned woman appears in front of Byakuya.

"So that really was her you met!" Ukitake commented, remembering the briefing Itachi had given him prior to coming here.

"You…!" Byakuya looked at the woman in front of him surprised.

"Yoruichi."