The Mask Is Me - Chapter 3 - SecondsPrior (2024)

Chapter Text

The Mask Is Me

Chapter Three: "Signs of War"

The grand tour of the fortress felt like an endless expedition, consuming nearly two hours of Ichigo's time. Over the course of that elapsed period, the orange-haired protector came to learn many important details. For one, he discovered that the distance from one side of Las Noches to the other spanned approximately one hundred and forty-two miles - a diameter nearly four times larger than that of Karakura Town. Upon learning this, Ichigo nearly had a meltdown. Not because the extensive distances were beyond his capability to traverse, but rather because this revelation had made his plans for restoring the fortress significantly more demanding.

How was he expected to redesign every aspect of Las Noches when the range of its expanse was nearly four times larger than his hometown? When he thought about it, he couldn't help an exasperated groan from sounding, his mind reeling from the devastating reality. Nonetheless, he concluded he would never give up until he found a way to solve the dilemma. He doubted Urahara's technique of generating underground caverns would prove useful so he deemed it irrelevant and expelled the thought altogether.

In addition to the immense scale of Las Noches, Ichigo also learned that each of the Espada possessed their own living quarters. However, upon observing these locations, he noted that a majority of the spaces were either entirely dismantled or utterly desolate. While the dismantling aspect did not surprise him, the desolation was somewhat strange. Ichigo reasoned that the rooms could have always been in that condition, considering he was dealing with Hollows who possessed little to no reasoning capacity. After all, would such creatures truly keep anything of personal value? The more he pondered this, the less bizarre it became. Most Hollows simply do not find anything worthy of sentimental attachment, and consequently care little to maintain anything beyond the bare essentials.

On another note, when Harribel showed Ichigo her personal living quarters, he was slightly impressed by the differing atmosphere. Unlike the other Espada's desolate rooms, Harribel's chambers - which more closely resembled a palace - featured an opening that led to the outside. Despite the dreary scenery of the world, the calming winds resonating through the corridors served to snuff away the melancholic eeriness one typically felt while traversing the fortress's empty halls.

Nevertheless, even Harribel's palace-like quarters were not without their shortcomings. The walls shared the same tall, grayish-white aesthetic as the rest of Las Noches, and the polished marble floors were only slightly different in coloring from the fortress's common areas. Ichigo could only speculate as to the full appearance of Harribel's living space, as he had only been able to observe the patio and catch brief glimpses of the interior. From these limited glimpses, he surmised that there were at least five doors leading to what were likely the individual rooms of her Fracción. This seemed a reasonable prediction, all things considered.

Aside from the immense scale of Las Noches and Harribel's living quarters, Ichigo made a few other interesting discoveries. Firstly, he came across several laboratories, all of which were in a state of complete disrepair, covered in debris. He speculated that this destruction was the handiwork of Mayuri Kurotsuchi, as the labs themselves were completely empty - the sort of thing only that eccentric madman would bother looting. Given the recent revelation of Squad 12 spying on him through his combat pass, this theory did not surprise him in the slightest.

Another discovery that piqued Ichigo's interest was an underground training ground, which Harribel informed him was specifically designated for Espada ranked fifth and below. The higher-ranking Espada, one through four, were not permitted to train there due to the vast difference in their power levels. If they wished to train, they would have to venture outside the canopy to avoid destroying the entire fortress. For once, Ichigo understood the logic behind Aizen's decision to restrict the higher-ranked Espada from training in the underground facility. He recognized the immense risk of allowing Espada with power on the level of Ulquiorra Cifer's Segunda Etapa to unleash their full reiatsu within the confines of Las Noches.

While Ichigo was the only one who knew of Ulquiorra's secondary transformation, he could not say with certainty if the other top-tier Espada possessed similar reiatsu reserves. He knew Harribel's base power was nowhere near Ulquiorra's second form, but her own reiatsu output still exceeded that of the former Fourth's base. If any of the top three Espada could achieve a comparable released state, they would be even more formidable than Ulquiorra had been. The mere thought of facing opponents of that caliber sent a chill down Ichigo's spine. However, it was not out of fear or trepidation. Ichigo remained confident in his ability to handle any challenge, just as he had done time and time again. No, the goosebumps were a remnant of the memories of his battle against Ulquiorra.

There has never been a battle in his entire life that was as intense as that one. His fight with Aizen was most definitely on another level, however, the intensity was lackluster — the entire showdown fully engulfed by his desire to protect everyone, along with his overbearing sadness of knowing he was going to sacrifice his spirits. To him, that wasn't a fight, it was a comedy farce from start to end.

'It would appear that not even a comedy is capable of staying itself,' Ichigo mused sadly.

His thoughts lingered towards how such a comedy, as he put it, could turn into such a disastrous tragedy. Losing his inner spirits had just been the beginning. From there, he lost his powers, allies, friends, family, and then his own life. And to make matters worse, his friends watched as he died… but…

'... Orihime was crying, wasn't she?' His thoughts would've been whispers if they were voiced.

Ichigo could see that she had been crying, but that only raised more questions. If that was the case, why had she abandoned him to die? Why had she walked away from his crumbling body? Surely her Shun Shun Rikka should have been able to break through any false memories imposed by Tsukishima's ability. Had the Book of the End somehow prevented her from intervening?

Ichigo's left hand clenched in frustration as his thoughts spiraled. Should he blame his friends, even though they had effectively been Tsukishima's puppets? Would that offer any solace, or would it merely compound his anguish? Perhaps the morally right path was to forgive them, since the fault lay not with their actions, but with Tsukishima's manipulations. But how would Ichigo have reacted if he had been the one subjected to those false memories? Given his protective nature, he likely would have lashed out at anyone who threatened those he cared for. Ichigo tried to convince himself that he would never have been influenced to the same extent as his friends. He was certain he would never have stood by and watched as an innocent person bled to death. Yet as he clung to that belief, he was forced to confront a troubling realization - neither Orihime nor Chad were the type to do such a thing either. Just what had happened to them? Had Apacci been right - had Orihime truly changed?

Ichigo's troubled thoughts were interrupted by the warm touch of Harribel's hand on his shoulder. His body instinctively shivered, as if escaping a downpour and finding salvation in her comforting presence. Slowly, he turned his head to the right, his gaze meeting Harribel's with a look of confusion.

"Don't take the words of Apacci too seriously," Harribel spoke softly, offering a slight smile to convey her sincerity. "What she said earlier was a bit out of line. If I had to guess, she really didn't like what happened to you. She resonated with your suffering since you're a good person. Don't misunderstand, Orihime Inoue has changed, but was it of her own volition? That's the question you should seek the answers for."

Ichigo was shocked. How did she know what was bothering him? Was he that easy to read? He couldn't do anything besides stare dumbly. "H-How?"

She smirked. "Well, to be honest, I wasn't actually certain, but your reaction to my words was more than enough evidence. Also…" she paused. "... I analyzed your reiatsu and felt nothing but sadness. I figured your emotions must've been related to your human friend since that was the last subject we talked about."

He gave a hesitant nod, a faint smile appearing. "Ah, so you were sensing my emotions through my reiatsu…"

She was absolutely right. He should be asking why she changed instead of judging her without knowing all the details. If the Book of the End influenced her to that degree, he needed to crush the wielder as soon as possible. From there, he would determine if his friends still viewed him in the same light. For his sanity's sake, he dearly hoped they did. He may be sad, even depressed, but he knew he couldn't let his emotions overwhelm the vast canvass of possibilities. If there was even a sliver of hope that his friends hadn't changed, he would grasp the strings ahead of himself until victory was his. He would wallow in his misery by himself, but he wouldn't allow his friends to suffer the same way he has. He would be better than the Soul Society. He had to be.

"You're right. I need to figure out the truth for myself before I start making assumptions. Thank you, Harribel," Ichigo gratefully stated.

Her warmth vanished from his body, her hand pulling back to her side. "There's no need to thank me. It's the least I can do for the one that defeated Aizen. He was a heartless monster that shouldn't have been walking around freely. Because of your selfless sacrifices, you saved all worlds from a fate far worse than death."

He didn't care much about being held on a pedestal for his heroic deeds. He was never the type to get giddy over obtaining fame, glory, or anything that'd increase his vanity. But hearing Harribel speak highly of him did make him feel happy. After losing everything, just knowing there was someone looking out for him felt nice. She may not have been looking out for him in the traditional sense, however, she was looking upon him with admiration, something that made him feel prideful about his accomplishments.

"It was nothing. If I had failed to defeat him, I'm sure there would've been someone else to take my place," he nonchalantly waved off her compliment.

She gave a skeptical stare. "Surely that was a joke, right? If it wasn't, you shouldn't speak humility without honesty. If you hadn't sacrificed everything, there wouldn't have been anyone left to oppose him. You said so yourself. You said he reached a level of power that could only be sensed by yourself. What would the others hope to achieve? An honorable death?"

His eyes met hers and he turned away shyly. "Yeah, sorry about that. I'm still giving the Soul Society more credit than they deserve. I don't have an ounce of respect for them, that's a guaranteed truth," he paused momentarily, gathering the words he wanted to say. "What I did have was a foolish hope that someone would've shown up to fix the problem that wasn't mine to bear. I guess I was merely projecting those wishes through my words."

Harribel began to walk, her smile vanishing, albeit still content. She knew he was telling the truth, he always seemed to do just that. She stayed silent in response, acknowledging his testament of honesty. He didn't know what to make of her silence, but by the content satisfaction displayed by her calmness, he assumed she understood his words and didn't find the need to say anything more.

Just like the last two hours, they walked for a few more minutes, occasionally flickering about with high speed movement to cross the vast distances quicker. The further they traversed, the more he wondered where they were headed. Hadn't the tour ended? He saw everything that was worth seeing which was just about everything. After another two or so minutes, he decided he would finally ask the question. Just as he was about to, their movement was grounded, and they were back at Harribel's living quarters.

"Uh… what are we doing here? Didn't you show me this place earlier?" Ichigo asked, a tinge of weariness leaking from the final syllables.

She turned towards him, tilting her head confused. "You don't know? I could've sworn I saw you taking a few glances inside earlier," she hummed, the corner of her lip lifting slightly. "Well, if you didn't see the inside, I'll explain it so you understand."

His face reddened at having been caught sneaking glances inside her living area. It's not like he was weird about it or anything! He just wanted to see the inside of the building. The more information he knew, the better.

"There are many extra rooms behind these walls," she gestured towards the palace. "Only four of the dozen rooms are inhabited. As you can already guess, my fracción and myself each occupy separate rooms. That leaves many of the unoccupied rooms as a choice for yourself. Enjoy choosing."

He froze, rigidly snapping his neck towards Harribel. "W-What? You want me to stay here?! But isn't that a bit… uh…–"

"A bit what?" Harribel pressed passively, her tone layered in thick curiosity, yet its potency was drowning in a hidden suggestion, one that wasn't pleasant for him. He figured he must've unintentionally insulted her by sounding appalled at the idea of having to share a living space with her.

He wasn't trying to insult her, he was just baffled that she wanted him to be there, especially knowing that he was a male. The idea of sharing a living space was already uncomfortable, top that with your roommates being of the opposite gender, and complete strangers… it was a recipe for anxiety. He knew that she wouldn't be sleeping in the same room, nor would there be any uncomfortable moments. Despite that, the situation was still unnerving. It was comparable to dorming at a college, but getting placed on the female side instead of the male one. Then again, Rukia did live within his closet for a few months, so was it really that odd?

A bead of sweat formed on his forehead. "Ah, nevermind. I'll accept one of the rooms. Ha-ha."

"Not so easy. What were you going to say?" She demanded, narrowing her eyes.

He innerly died. He knew he could just deny her and sleep elsewhere, but he figured that would be rude, especially considering that she just gave him a tour. "Fine. I was going to say that's unnecessary. There's an entire fortress that spans the distance of almost four of my hometowns and you want me to stay here? Secondly, I'm a male and you're all female, won't that be uncomfortable? Especially considering that we're strangers?" Ichigo questioned, his nervousness vanishing as his curiosity overthrew such feeble emotions

She stopped to register his words, a slight reddening of her cheeks implying she finally understood what he meant. His question was logical, dare say spot on. Never in a million years would she ever allow a male near her vicinity, they were all brutish monsters that prayed on the weak. So then why? Why did she invite Ichigo to stay here?

"I-I see your point," she started, her face slightly more warm than before. "But there's a logical explanation for each of those questions."

He raised an eyebrow in interest. "Oh?"

She placed a hand on her hip, her other hand pointing outside. "Why would I have you live elsewhere when the training grounds are close by? You'd have to travel extensive distances each time you desired to train. That's inefficient considering you plan to train extensively," she pointed out.

He understood her perspective. After all, he was planning to train non-stop at the training grounds, regardless if there were rules restricting him or not. If the area collapsed on him, he'd just leave the canopy to train. Reaching the canopy during his battle with Ulquiorra didn't take too much time, so it wouldn't be an issue.

"As for the issue regarding your gender, I believe you are trustworthy. You are unlike any other male I've had the displeasure of meeting," she straightened her body, exuding an almost overconfident stature. "Everyone here is well-minded unlike a majority of the humans from the world of the living. There's no need to worry about your privacy being disturbed," Harribel concluded, her face wrinkling in disgust at the mention of human behavior. He couldn't blame her. There were a lot of questionable humans out there.

He casually walked past her, entering the palace for the first time. He spoke over his shoulder while continuing his march onwards. "Okay, I believe you, trust me. But since I'll be staying here for now on, mind showing me which rooms are taken? I would hate to go snooping inside Apacci's room. Even if it was an accident, I'd surely be found hanged the next morning."

"Of course, follow me," Harribel agreed with a chuckle, walking past Ichigo. He followed her a couple of steps from behind, their bodies coming to a stop upon reaching a set of five doors, the same ones he had seen when he peeked into the building earlier. "These five rooms are vacant. They've never held occupants whatsoever."

He was slightly confused. "Wait, these rooms are vacant? I was under the impression that out of these five rooms, four would've been occupied by the four of you."

"Fair assumption. There are many rooms within this palace. These five are only a few amongst hundreds. If you look to your right and left, you'll understand what I mean."

Not replying, he turned towards the right. To his surprise, there was an expansive hallway littered with dozens of doors, the end of the path leading to even more doors. He didn't understand why there were so many rooms when no one occupied them. Not wasting his time, he turned towards the other side, its appearance a replica of the right one.

"I see. There are quite a lot of rooms within this place. When you were showing me around earlier, I noticed that there were a gross amount of rooms everywhere else as well. This must've been a built-in feature of Las Noches, one that allows it to hold many lifeforms. I wonder why it was designed that way," Ichigo pondered aloud.

'I wonder if Aizen had larger motives or a potential backup plan. The amount of rooms here is clearly overabundant in every way possible,' Ichigo thought, his mind yet again jotting another piece of information to the back of his mind.

"I thought the same thing. This place has way too many rooms. It's unsightly. For that reason, I'm willing to work in conjunction with you to find the solution to remodeling the entirety of Las Noches. Even before you showed up, I realized that this place needed to be changed. After Aizen's fall, it was seen as nothing but a Shinigami's failure. Such a vision will be changed, it's the key to restoring balance within Hueco Mundo," Harribel announced, her body turning to walk away. "Anyways, get settled in and we'll discuss further details tomorrow. Make sure to get rest since there are some important matters to talk over. Bye for now, Ichigo Kurosaki."

Before he could reply she vanished from her spot, his head pulsing in annoyance from having not been able to say his final words. He huffed, returning his attention to the five doors, his eyes not seeing a single difference from either one. There wasn't a single distinguishable scratch, scrape, or sign of aging that set them apart. He glanced between the five doors for a while longer before making up his mind, grabbing the handle of the middle door. Upon opening the door, his flat expression morphed into a scowl, the sight of the bland room not surprising him in the slightest. He stepped in, closing the door behind himself before walking to the center. Zipping his head around, he surveyed everything that could be spotted in plain sight. There was a grayish white table, a pitch white couch, a regal-like crimson mat, and a king size mattress that was a shade blander than the couch, but brighter than the table.

Completing the room was a barred window, the shape rectangular with a rounded top. The moment he had walked into the room, he knew there must've been some sort of window because there was a gentle breeze rushing about, a feature that actually pleased him. Inhaling a deep breath, his right hand rummaged through his shihakushō, pulling out the reishashīru. Not caring in the slightest, he tossed it onto the table, somehow landing perfectly on its side as he collapsed onto the bed.

'Ah, this is more like it! The rest I deserve!' Ichigo joyfully cheered, his eyes closing tightly, the sensation of the breeze coaxing him further into unconsciousness. Unfortunately for him, the night was only just beginning. The feeling of the breeze vanished as if it never existed, the sensation of his body being submerged causing his eyes to snap open. He was in disbelief, he found himself floating around sunken skyscrapers, an anomalous phenomena that only existed within his inner world.

"Morning King!" Zangetsu shouted, his words followed by a delighted cackle. "Aren't ya glad to see me again? It's been a few hours since I saved you with my Hollowfication so I would only assume you do."

Ichigo scoffed, descending from his levitating position as he landed on top of one of the smaller sized buildings, his eyes meeting Zangetsu's. "Why am I here?"

The pale zanpakuto gave a prolonged stare, a smirk conveying his humor as he held out his arm, a black khyber knife — his true zanpakuto — appearing in all its glory. Ichigo stared at the blade, contemplating how such a weapon would feel when he's finally capable of wielding it. His curiosity grew, wondering if his new zanpakuto, specifically the Shinigami one, would look like the one Zangetsu is currently holding when he calls forth his Shikai for the first time. He knows his current zanpakutos are projections, not capable of withstanding his true power, thus he was unsure if they'd be identical to the ones in his inner world.

"Don't tell me you forgot already. I told you that you'd have to rest to restore your imbalanced soul. As in, you'd have to enter sleep mode so you would be capable of entering your inner world to begin your restoration," Zangetsu paused, a look of realization hitting him. "Wait, don't tell me you thought sleeping would be enough to restore your soul. You didn't actually think that, right? Right?!"

Ichigo blushed, looking away. "Of course I didn't, dumbass! Who do you think I am?!"

"You did, didn't you?" No answer. "That's pretty dumb even for you, Ichigo," Zangetsu feigned a disappointed sigh, his shoulders slumping.

"I GET IT. Now get to the point!" Ichigo shouted, irritated.

The false air of disappointment disappeared from Zangetsu. "You're no fun, Ichigo~! But I suppose you're right. All of this talking is starting to become a bore so let me explain what is going to happen," Zangetsu began, sitting on the ground crisscrossed, the black blade laying on top of his legs. He motioned for Ichigo to sit in front of him, something he obliged to immediately, the idea of restoring himself way too tempting to push off.

After sitting down, he tilted his head. "Why are you sitting like that? If I am remembering correctly, that seated position is a meditative method called Jinzen. My father taught me it before my Dangai training so I could enter my inner world. Though, since we are already within this world, what use does it have here?"

"You're correct. Jinzen is a meditative method to enter one's own inner world, however, it can also be utilized to gain control over your power. With your spiritual body containing many variations of differing reiryoku, you'll have to obtain absolute control of each of those energies. In order to master your reiatsu output, you must first master the process of molding your reiryoku. By doing so, you can turn a mere getsuga into a GETSUGA. Ya understand me?" Zangetsu explained, exaggerating the last part with his arms raised high.

Regardless of Zangetsu's shenanigans, Ichigo knew exactly what he meant. "You mentioned earlier that my instincts are what sealed my new zanpakutos. If I were to release my Shikai or Bankai, there's the likely possibility that I wouldn't be capable of resealing them again without the assistance from my instincts. This method of training would allow me to keep my swords in a permanent state of sealing, no?"

"Yep. Not just that either. You'd also be capable of learning techniques whether it be Hollow, Quincy, or Shinigami with relative ease. That's why it's the most important area to master before we move onto anything combat wise."

Ichigo's face lit up in excitement. "That's… actually genius. If I master my control, I could learn combat arts from each of my reiryoku sources. That means I'd finally be able to learn kidō without having it blow up on me!"

"I'm glad you're realizing how smart I am. It's just who I am, ya know?" Zangetsu confidently boasted, an action the orange haired protector didn't reply to. "If your restrained getsuga was nearly enough to kill that doggy captain, you'll have to practice restraint after you master controlling your powers. If you don't, even getsugas from your base state will kill your opponents."

A prideful smirk lifted onto Ichigo's face, but a faint crestfallen tug ached his heart, his smirk reverting into a scowl. "Yeah, that needs to be worked on. I don't want to kill any of them. Even if they are morally evil, it would be the incorrect way to solve things unless they decided to attack either my friends, family, or myself first. If that happens, nothing is off the table."

"So far you are getting along with those Arrancar. What if they were to get attacked? With them around, the ocean here has gotten more shallow, if only by a little. Because of that, I'd imagine you'd want to help them the same way you would your friends," Zangetsu questioned, ending with his speculative hypothesis.

Ichigo didn't want to admit that he was already a bit fond of the rambunctious Arrancars. If he admitted that, it would make him appear like a needy person that was willing to accept any act of kindness as a show of friendship. That in itself wasn't such a bad thing. On the other hand, when it always led him to downfall, the decision to befriend a person became something close to a sin.

"I'll know that answer eventually. They may have rubbed off on me a little, but if I sense any sign of deceit, they'll be nothing to me," he answered with an overpowering coldness, his eyes even more downcast than before.

Zangetsu frowned, coming to understand how much more Ichigo's despair could sink the inner world if he were pushed. "Let's begin your training. To start…" Zangetsu snapped his fingers, a replica of the black khyber zanpakuto appearing on Ichigo's lap. "... we'll begin by separating the energies within yourself. Since I am your zanpakuto, I'm incapable of controlling those energies until you learn to control them yourself. In face of that, I still have the knowledge regarding how you can go about that. The zanpakuto side of me instinctively comes with that knowledge, and the rest of the information — believe it or not — was told to me by the old man."

"Hm, the old man was telling you such information? Everything about him is sort of suspicious if you ask me. Why was he holding me back yet still assisting my ability to fight regardless of that? He linked you to the remainder of his current power so you'd be capable of manifesting my swords. That added along with the fact that he was telling you information about stuff that could potentially bolster my capabilities. Something isn't adding up."

"There's something fishy happening, King. But we won't know the truth until we can reawaken his spiritual presence. Through this training, we'll be one step closer to achieving that goal," Zangetsu proclaimed, his voice echoing throughout the vast ocean. "Thus I'll relay what I know so you can master this training as soon as possible. You won't be leaving this world until you've mastered control over your reiryoku sources. Now if you will, place your hands on your zanpakuto, it'll help you locate the cores of your power."

He wouldn't be allowed to leave his inner world until he figured out how to control his energies completely?! He could barely control even a sliver of his power, if that wasn't evident enough by his multiple failures to properly stabilize the reishukaku. If he lacked the control to even maintain a sphere, how was he going to manipulate his entire energy source?

"What?! That's impossible! I'll die here before that ever happens!" Ichigo fumed.

Zangetsu groaned. "Shut up. Place your hands on the sword or you'll be here for the rest of your damn life."

Ichigo mumbled a few things about how Zangetsu was an unreasonable psychopath, but he inevitably conceded as he moved his hands to the khyber blade. This was just another obstacle he would have to overcome. This would be a walk in the park. He trained nonstop to achieve Bankai in three days. He mastered his Hollow mask training and defeated the Espada. And to top that off, he trained within the Dangai for three months straight without food, water, sleep, or anything for that matter. Only to then defeat the strongest opponent he's ever fought, Aizen. He could do this. He had no other choice. He closed his eyes, breathing calmly as his hands made contact with the black zanpakuto. A sharp jolt swept over his body, a surge of power running throughout his very veins. He gripped the zanpakuto with a bit more strength.

"Good. I can see you're feeling the power. Right now, both your Hollow and Shinigami reiryoku are surging throughout your body. Even though you have separate zanpakuto for each of your powers, that particular blade is a merge of both of them. Obviously, the merging of those powers is only possible within your inner world since your energies are separated on the outside, but once you master control - and obtain an asauchi - you'll be capable of merging them once more. After you master your reiryoku control, your reiatsu training will be vastly more simple," Zangetsu informed, the surge of power continuing to build throughout Ichigo's body.

Ichigo nodded affirmatively, realizing that wielding black getsugas would be a lot more difficult now since his powers were split on the outside. All the same, he knew he could still manifest those types of getsugas if he held both of his zanpakuto at the same time. By accomplishing that, he would be capable of surging both his energies simultaneously, successfully forging his signature getsuga. Then again, even if he struggled with forming his black getsugas for a while, his new getsuga jūjishō ability would prove a suitable replacement.

"Don't lose focus. Calm your mind and visualize two oceans within yourself. As you already know, the color of your reiryoku is red-ish black when your Hollow and Shinigami powers are combined. When they're separated, your Shinigami energy is yellow and the Hollow energy is a magenta purple mix. The two oceans you manifest must pull on every ounce of energy per the reiryoku type, hence you need to break apart the mixing energies so you can redistribute them."

Ichigo didn't give any indication of listening, but deep down, he was processing every piece of information with immense concentration. His meditative state grew to another level, his consciousness drifting deeper into his soul as he visualized endless oceans of bright yellow and dark magenta. The harder he visualized those pools, the more potent their forms became, each of the vast sources multicolored due to mixing for so long.

Zangetsu smirked proudly. "Excellent Ichigo, I'd expect nothing less! Push your mind deeper and imagine thousands of threads. To successfully redistribute the mixed energies, you have to channel the energies from those threads so you can direct them towards the proper locations. The purpose of having so many threads is to prevent pulling the wrong type of energy when you are extracting the oddities."

His consciousness drifted between the vast pools, his hands held up high as he focused on creating threads of energy, specifically thousands of them. His body broke out in a sweat, his muscles cramping violently. He winced, a line of blood dripping from his nose. He focused his concentration with a tunnel vision approach, threads starting to shoot out from his body as they pierced the pools. With the threads continuing to expel outwards, the mixed energy of the pools began to separate, getting absorbed into the threads before being placed back into the proper locations.

"You need to expel more threads. This will take forever if you can't manage that," Zangetsu explained, his tone akin to a teacher's instead of the usual rowdy sarcastic one.

The threads pulsated with energy, each one gushing into the proper pools like hoses would. Hundreds of more threads continued to rush out from his spiritual consciousness, a few drops of blood splattering against his hands. Each time a thread released energy into the proper pool, a sense of empowerment increased his strength, his resolve becoming stronger by the second. Undeterred by the pain, he felt a sense of peace that he hadn't ever experienced before, one that surpassed his enlightenment from his Dangai training. His spectral form within his consciousness held its arms higher, hundreds of more threads shooting towards the pools with immense speed. He watched in fascination, the pools of energy beginning to dwindle, the mixed colors vanishing faster than one could follow.

"HELL YEAH! You aren't the amateur you used to be! This is my wielder when he's given the opportunity to realize himself!" Zangetsu proclaimed loudly, pride and excitement smothering his words.

A few more moments passed, the rest of the energy completely filtering until there were only two limitless oceans of bright and dark energies. On one side, his Shinigami energy illuminated everything in his imaginative space, a brilliant yellow glow warming everything. Contrasting the lively summery light, his Hollow energy was a shadowy amalgamation of melancholic magenta mixed with cosmic purple, a forbidding brisk sentiment glooming everything it was near. Ichigo admired the pools ahead of himself, appeased that he was capable of completing the first step towards controlling his reiryoku. Filtering was most definitely tedious, however, reiryoku molding, shaping, and concentration would be another story. He was somewhat efficient at each of those categories already, but only for his getsuga creation; a technique he knew he could uplift to new heights, as Zangetsu mentioned earlier.

Opening his eyes, he blinked a few times, feeling streams of blood leaking from his nose and mouth. The blood had dripped from his face and splattered his hands, lap, and the zanpakuto itself. He rubbed the blood with his hand, squinting his eyes at the sight of crimson.

"Don't worry about that. Your soul was merely pushing itself to extreme limits since this was your first time filtering your reiryoku. In a way, you can call that form of injury a soul bruise," Zangetsu divulged, his eyes shifting to the zanpakuto. "And no need to bother cleaning that blade."

A snap of the zanpakuto's fingers and the blade was restored, all signs of blood missing. If Ichigo was surprised, he didn't show it. Standing up, he held the blade tightly, its handle a perfect size for him to hold. Everything about the blade was absolutely stunning. From the size, weight, color, and appearance, it was simply awe-striking.

He stood up, looking down at Zangetsu. "What's next?"

An eerie silence reigned supreme across the sunken space, Zangetsu slowly looking up with a cold expression.

"What do you think is next?"

Answers were unnecessary, Ichigo knew exactly what was next. He relaxed his body, the corner of his eye catching Zangetsu vanish from his spot, a static noise appearing behind him a split second later. Not holding back, he raised his sword behind himself, blocking Zangetsu's blade in a similar fashion to when he blocked the Sōkyoku. They shared a glance, one of complete focus and thrill.

His real training was just beginning.

Seireitei - Captains' Meeting

The minute the captains returned from the execution mission, or purification mission to some, Soi Fon had immediately relayed the report of their failure. At the mention of failure, Yamamoto opened his eyes by the slightest amount, gripping his cane with a heavy disappointment. He was severely displeased that three Gotei 13 captains had failed to complete one measly objective. That human boy, Ichigo Kurosaki, doesn't possess the power to beat all of them. Perhaps when he had defeated Sōsuke Aizen, but at the current moment, his level of power shouldn't be anywhere near the level to pose a threat to multiple captains. Of course, he was basing that off the reiatsu spike he witnessed from the 12th Division's presentation, nonetheless, he didn't believe the boy could reach an even higher level than that so quickly.

His thoughts turned away from the human, his finger tapping against the bulb of his cane. He wasn't only disappointed at the fact that multiple captains had failed, he was also irritated because he had sent Shunsui with the others to ensure absolute success. How he failed was beyond him, however, he would soon learn what transpired. He ordered Soi Fon to notify all the captains of another meeting, one that would be held immediately. He also mentioned not sending summons for any of the lieutenants as he didn't need individuals like Rukia Kuchiki, Renji Abarai, or anyone else complicating matters. She agreed wholeheartedly, vanishing away in shunpo. In a matter of minutes, the meeting room was full with almost every captain, the exceptions consisting of Jushiro Ukitake, Sajin Komamura, and Retsu Unohana.

Many of the room's occupants were a bit troubled that neither Unohana or Komamura were present yet. After all, they were typically some of the first captains to make it to an adjourned meeting. On the other hand, no one was nervous about the third late captain, Ukitake. Due to his soul tuberculosis, he sometimes showed up late, occasionally not appearing at all. The absence of a few captains, along with the intensity formed by the situation, caused anxious behavior to run rampant. Many glances were shuffled around the room, a collective thought shared amongst everyone except for those who were present for the execution. Was the mission a success or was it a failure? Was Ichigo Kurosaki dead? Or was he alive?

The longer the silence persisted, the more everyone became aware that something bad must've happened. This was speculated from many concurring factors. The largest, most noticeable one was the sight of an irritated Yamamoto, an emotion he hardly expressed openly unless he received sour news. Another worrying observation was the slightly, almost unnoticeable, disheveled appearances of the captains who had been assigned to the execution mission. There wasn't much, but dirt and slight scorch marks could be seen on their clothing. Even Shunsui, one of the pinnacles of the Gotei 13, had similar markings across his attire.

Footsteps alerted everyone of an approaching person, an ill-looking Jushiro Ukitake walking in the room a moment later with a gentle smile on his features. This relaxed a few, namely Toshiro, others were less caring though, not even bothering to look in his direction. Taking his place, Jushiro stood beside Shunsui, each exchanging a head nod, an understanding instantly shared between both of them. A few more minutes passed before even more footsteps could be heard. Walking through the door was a sight that seemed to paralyze, many knowing something wasn't right, yet were incapable of understanding why. The only one who could tell that something had definitely changed was Yamamoto, his expression taken aback, albeit not visually potent enough for others to realize. Both Jushiro and Shunsui knew something was up too, but they didn't understand as much as Yamamoto did.

Carrying her usual calmness was a cheerful Unohana, nothing changing about her besides a slightly larger smile. She had contemplated untangling her hair, however, she deemed she would go about that when someone strong enough pushed her to fight seriously. At the current time, the only one with that type of potential was Ichigo Kurosaki. So she would bide her time and wait. Strolling to the center of the room, she politely announced. "Pardon my tardiness, I was preoccupied with healing Captain Komamura's injuries. I left my lieutenant, Isane, in charge of his recovery until I returned from this meeting. As you can suspect, Captain Komamura won't be attending this meeting due to his grave injuries. It would be ludicrous for him to walk around in his current condition."

Her words shocked many.

"Captain Komamura was injured?!" Toshiro exclaimed, following his question with another. "How did this come to happen?!"

He already knew the answer, however, answers needed to be learned instead of assumed. He wouldn't blame anyone without concrete evidence. Before any more words could be said, the resounding slam of Yamamoto's cane could be heard.

"The news of Captain Komamura's injuries is most unfortunate, but we cannot waste anymore time with small talk. With everyone now present, we'll initiate this meeting by calling forth the captains who undertook the mission to execute Ichigo Kurosaki," Yamamoto sternly proclaimed.

Wary of angering the Head Captain, Soi Fon, Byakuya, and Shunsui moved to the center of the room, while Unohana stepped aside, claiming a spot between where the Onmitsukidō Commander and the noble had stood moments before. All the onlookers watched with trepidation, a bothersome itching tearing through their curiosity, satisfaction only to be earned through the action of learning.

"Captain of the 2nd Division, Soi Fon," Yamamoto spoke, his leg resting over his other before demanding, "Report what transpired in the World of the Living."

Nodding her head, she spoke proudly. "Upon arriving in the world of the living, Hollow residue resided everywhere. Initially we were under the assumption that Hollows were causing the surrounding area to be plagued by reiatsu, but after reaching the site where the ryoka's signature had been caught, the sight that befell us was that of our greatest suspicion."

She paused for a second, an inkling of regret pulsing her heart as she knew she was only going to make Yoruichi-sama even more disappointed in her.

"As we predicted, Ichigo Kurosaki had Hollowfied. It wasn't the typical Hollowfication that he's displayed in the past. His transformation was that of a true Hollow. He even possessed a Hollow hole on the center of his upper chest," Soi Fon revealed, her conviction wavering from high to low repeatedly.

The reactions were spontaneous. The usually composed Toshiro, turned away, his expression etched with a disheartened frown at the devastating news. While he may not have been close to Ichigo, Toshiro knew he was a good person. During his many visits to the World of the Living, he had the chance to meet Ichigo's sister, Karin. She, just like her brother, was a strong-willed protector who would stop at nothing to keep her loved ones from harm. They were just like their father, Isshin Shiba, his former captain.

Similar to Toshiro, Jushiro also displayed an open sadness, his lips tugging downwards as his gaze fell to the ground. Despite his long years of experience, every time someone with a good heart perished, Jushiro could only silently tolerate it, unable to do anything. It was true that he and Shunsui had stepped in to assist Ichigo during Rukia's execution, but if Ichigo hadn't made the first move, she would have been lost. To simply accept the world's judgment - was that truly the life he wanted to lead? Was that the right thing to accept? For to accept the world's judgment was the same as accepting its justice. And if the world's judgment reflected its justice, Jushiro found himself unsure whether he could continue to tolerate it.

The other captains, however, displayed completely different responses to the revelation concerning Ichigo. For starters, Mayuri did not seem the least bit phased by Ichigo's transformation. From the moment he laid eyes on the report, he had already known of Ichigo's fate. And since then, he had been diligently making preparations for his future experiments. So instead of feeling any sense of sadness, Mayuri was positively delighted to have the confirmation of Ichigo's transformation. This news was all the consent he needed to actualize his plans.

Then there was Kenpachi. Of all the captains, his reaction was perhaps the most puzzling. He appeared thrilled at the prospect of fighting a Hollowfied Ichigo, but there was also a lingering dissatisfaction that he would not be facing the same version of Ichigo who had defeated him years ago. Because of this unfulfilled feeling, Kenpachi found himself at an impasse, his hunger for combat in conflict. He concluded that he would have to see Ichigo in person before deciding if the battle would truly measure up to the rematch he had envisioned.

Among the captains, Unohana appeared to be the most content with the situation. Her relaxed state stemmed largely from the fact that she had been briefed on certain details earlier. This slight prior knowledge was more than sufficient for her to deduce that Ichigo had Hollowfied. To Unohana, it mattered little whether he was human, Hollow, Shinigami, or something else entirely. As long as he possessed the raw power and will to match his bite, she would be satisfied. She could never quite fathom why everyone else became embroiled in such petty squabbles, when one could simply fight for the sake of fighting.

Continuing her recounted observations, Soi Fon spoke. "When we arrived at the scene, Ichigo Kurosaki wasn't the only person present. With him were Kisuke Urahara, Yoruichi Shihouin, and Isshin Shiba!"

In the span of a heartbeat, disbelief and shock rippled through the room. While the younger captains remained paralyzed by the revelation, their elder counterparts expressed a solemn understanding. For them, the pieces had suddenly fallen into place - the myriad unanswered questions that had long buzzed around them like an annoying fly, finally finding resolution. Some of these queries had centered on Ichigo's eerie parallels to the late Kaien Shiba. Others had grappled with the nature of Ichigo's dual powers - for how could a mere human possess not only Shinigami abilities, but Hollow ones as well? Even the likes of Mayuri had been perplexed by this anomaly. But with the revelation of Isshin Shiba, the dense smokescreen that once shielded Ichigo's existence was now becoming unearthed. The answer to most of their questions was cast upon them by one simple understanding.

Isshin Shiba, the former Captain of the 10th Division, was Ichigo's father.

Suddenly, a cough pierced the tense silence. "If this is true," Jushiro began, "then my speculations have been correct all along. The reason Ichigo bears such a resemblance to my late lieutenant, Kaien Shiba, is because he is the son of Isshin Shiba. The truth has been staring us in the face this entire time. We were simply too blind or too ignorant to unveil it."

Byakuya found this revelation to be quite shocking. After all, it meant Ichigo Kurosaki was also a noble, one who undoubtedly did not comport himself as such. Furthermore, this tied Ichigo's very existence even closer to his sister Rukia's. As if the words were just stated, Byakuya recalled the words Shunsui had spoken to him.

But what will you do when your sister runs off to his side?

Tightening his fist, Byakuya closed his eyes, breathing slowly to calm his anxious thoughts. Yet he was far from the most disturbed in that moment. Beside him, Toshiro was inwardly panicking, beads of sweat trailing down his cheek. After their initial visit to Karakura Town, Toshiro and Rangiku had instantly realized that Isshin was Ichigo's father. They had kept this knowledge to themselves out of respect for their former captain. But now, with Isshin's identity exposed, Toshiro dreaded the impending response from the Head Captain.

The eyes of Yamamoto peered open, a flicker of conflict evident in his gaze. His wrinkled yet strong hand gripped the pommel of his cane tightly. Then, to the surprise of those present, an amused chuckle escaped his lips. Yamamoto knew how unpredictable Isshin could be, as well as how powerful and talented he was. While deeply annoyed that Ichigo Kurosaki had managed to live, Yamamoto realized that with Isshin still alive, luring the boy out might prove easier than expected. And if things proceeded smoothly, a traditional cleansing could purify the young man, sending him to the Rukongai where Yamamoto could then oversee his training personally.

"I see. This news is rather alarming. Nonetheless, Captain Ukitake is likely correct. The uncanny similarities between Ichigo Kurosaki and Kaien Shiba are undoubtedly the result of being the son of Isshin Shiba. Fortunately, this information reveals itself at an opportune moment. After this meeting has concluded, Captain Ukitake and Captain Kyoraku will head to the world of the living to summon Isshin Shiba. He'll be the key to luring out the boy."

At the mention of his name, Shunsui stepped forward. "Are you certain this is the right approach, old man Yama? From what I can recall, Captain Shiba was always… a bit stubborn. He'll likely refuse to oblige the summons." Before anyone else could add onto that statement, the petite bee captain stepped forward in annoyance, pointing a finger at Shunsui.

"If you don't remember, that ryoka attacked that traitorous captain upon seeing him! If anything, it's his responsibility whether he wants it to be or not to heed this summons!" Soi Fon interjected, snarling out in annoyance. This comment caught the attention of many of the room's occupants. Ichigo Kurosaki, the boy that was all about protecting his family, attacked his own father?

"That simply can't be true. We all know that Ichigo would never attack his own family!" Toshiro defensively brought forth.

Opening his eyes, the young noble finally decided to speak. "Captain Soi Fon is telling the truth. When we arrived at the scene, Ichigo Kurosaki was conversing with the trio. To avoid a direct confrontation, Captain Kyoraku ambushed him from behind, piercing him through the chest. Unaware of Ichigo's advanced Hollowfication, the attack was quickly healed before he lashed out, first attacking Urahara Kisuke and then unleashing a powerful getsuga tenshō at former captain Isshin Shiba. From this, I would hypothesize that Ichigo does not yet have full control over his transformed state, causing him to aggressively retaliate against anyone. Regardless, there's no denying that the newfound powers he has obtained are truly unnatural."

Soi Fon was prepared to rebut Captain Hitsugaya's blatant disregard for her words, but she relaxed after hearing Captain Kuchiki's defense. However, Byakuya's response only seemed to exacerbate Toshiro's distress, his confusion evident in the slight lowering of his head.

"Unnatural you say?" Unohana questioned, her expression as unreadable as beautiful. "If you wouldn't mind, could you explain what you mean, Captain Kuchiki?"

Concurring with that statement, Mayuri decided to add onto the question. "Yes, that's a fascinating proclamation! How would you define this unnaturalness? Don't withhold information now, this is very important research intel!"

Byakuya remained stoic, his lips nearly twitching from the almost commanding tone of Mayuri Kurotsuchi. Nonetheless, he stabilized his irritation, recalling the events that had previously occurred in the World of the Living. Explaining in more detail than he had earlier, he described Ichigo's second zanpakuto, the specifics of his visual transformation, his new getsuga jūjishō attack and how it had eviscerated Captain Komamura, as well as how he had managed to both fire off a cero and open a garganta to make his escape.

The captains were left largely speechless by the detailed account provided. Ichigo was portrayed as a dreadfully unstoppable force, capable of overpowering multiple captains simultaneously without even resorting to his Bankai. Furthermore, the details surrounding Ichigo's dual-wielded zanpakuto were deeply concerning. Zanpakuto were not known to evolve in such a manner under normal circ*mstances. As far as was widely understood, dual-wielded zanpakuto have only manifested in wielders who either possess a secondary zanpakuto spirit or… through other unusual circ*mstances.

After weighing various speculations, Shunsui went on to explain the theory posited by Kisuke Urahara. As he recounted, the shopkeeper believed Ichigo's advanced Hollowfication was the key factor behind the manifestation of his second zanpakuto. Urahara drew a parallel between Ichigo's transformation and that of an Arrancar, where their primal Hollow form is embodied within a sword, allowing them to unleash a resurrección - the equivalent of a Shinigami's Bankai. Ever the scientist, Mayuri had formulated a similar theory of his own. However, he refrained from voicing it aloud, wary of being perceived as merely echoing Urahara's theories. As a genius in his own right, Mayuri was loath to have his accomplishments be seen as derivative of the shopkeeper's.

Amid the flurry of theories, arguments and discussions, Unohana continued to revel in her intense desire to witness Ichigo's newfound capabilities. Though she knew Ichigo would lack the mastery she had attained - having honed every blade and fighting style imaginable to the utmost degree. With her guidance, Ichigo could become more than merely her rival; properly trained, he would be without peer. Unohana fought back a smile, one that would have appeared absolutely bloodthirsty if unleashed, for her obsession had never burned more fervently. Unbidden, her hand gingerly grasped the handle of her zanpakuto, her grip adjusting with a poetic fluidity, though never tightening. As the commotion began to subside, she realized her unconscious action, calmly disengaging her grasp to once more appear the picture of benevolence.

"The ryoka is clearly too much of a threat to overlook!" Soi Fon snapped. "As Captain Kuchiki has clearly explained, that ryoka was capable of easily debilitating Captain Komamura! I recommend sending myself and a few other captains to Hueco Mundo immediately! We can solve the rising threat before it becomes an issue!"

Shunsui tilted his hat, idly toying with the rim as he exaggerated a sigh. A second later, he mumbled, "Oh boy, the energy of these young ones always ceases to amaze me."

A vein bulged from Soi Fon's forehead, her rage about to be shot towards the lax senior captain until the concerned voice of Toshiro echoed out.

"Head Captain, you mentioned sending Captain Kyoraku and Captain Ukitake to request Captain Shiba's presence. But," he paused, his voice dropping a bit. "What about his daughters? They have no understanding of these matters so I believe it should remain that way. Humans shouldn't be this involved with the actions of us Shinigami anyways."

This sentiment was shared amongst many of the captains, specifically Byakuya, Jushiro, Kyoraku, and even Soi Fon. Reasonably, Yamamoto also agreed, but he was also skeptical about their potential influence on other humans. Similar to Ichigo Kurosaki, if they managed to awaken their Shinigami powers, they'd be impacting the lives of anyone they frequently neared. For now, he reasoned leaving them alone was tolerable. But if they began altering the World of the Living with their reiatsu, assuming said reiatsu develops, actions would have to be taken to suppress their powers.

Everyone nodded at the logic, the booming sound of Yamamoto's cane slamming against the waxed flooring a moment later.

"This meeting is concluded. Each of you is to return to your duties. And Captain Kyoraku and Captain Ukitake, you two are to head to the World of the Living to summon Isshin Shiba, immediately! You're all dismissed."

After a few departing words, each of the captains vanished in a flash. As for Kyoraku and Jushiro, they shunpoed away, appearing on a grassy field where they were planning to open the senkaimon at.

"Shunsui," Jushiro voiced raspily, his sleeve covering his mouth to mute out a barrage of painful sounding coughs. "You… you managed to sneak the reishashīru to Ichigo without any of the others noticing, right?"

To that question, Shunsui nodded. "What do you take me for, a novice?" He plunged the longer of his Katen Kyokotsus into the air, turning it slowly as the senkaimon materialized.

"Will… Ichigo be alright? I fear he might find out about the combat pass. It was never my intention to deceive him… just as I never intended to deceive Ginjo many years ago. If only I hadn't listened to Tokinada's words, things would be very different now."

Shunsui placed his free hand on Jushiro's shoulder, patting it. "Ichigo will be perfectly fine. If his display of power was anything to go off of, he'll be vastly stronger the next time we see him. Regarding the combat pass, he'll uncover that truth himself. When we confronted Ichigo earlier, Captain Soi Fon revealed that the 12th Division had detected Ichigo's transformation. We both know Ichigo is naive, but stupid is something he's not."

A solemn aura washed over Jushiro, a hesitant, yet somewhat relieved expression appearing on his features. This relief stemmed from the fact that he wouldn't have to hide this secret any longer. It was as if an ocean's worth of weight was cast off his shoulders, the sins of his actions remaining, but not continuously nagging him whenever his thoughts turned to Ichigo.

"Do you think he will forgive me?"

After a moment of silence, the gates of the senkaimon slipped open, a bright light ephemeral, only to then get drowned by the passage of darkness within. They both walked forwards, the light behind them cast into oblivion as they stepped into the void. Before the doors slammed shut, resoundingly at that, a final response was spoken.

"Knowing Ichigo, he'll be pissed, upset, and disheartened, but as long as his heart doesn't dilute, I believe he'll ultimately forgive you…- no, he'll forgive us."

Fleeting was the moment. And as if they were never there, the doors that once slid open vanished along with the void.

Karakura Town - Urahara Shoten

Back at the shop, Urahara whistled casually as he poured three cups of tea, placing each one upon the chabudai table. Predictably, Yoruichi and Isshin were impatiently waiting while the shopkeeper continued his mundane pouring, his free hand waving his folding fan enthusiastically. Minutes passed before each of them were positioned around the table. Sipping his tea, Urahara relished the flavor, the waving of his fan stopping, but remaining stagnant regardless of its paused utility. Peering from atop, Urahara's meticulously shadowed eyes watched the annoyed expressions of his guests, a twinkle of amusem*nt foreshadowing his thoughts.

"My my, this tea is sure something else, huh?" Urahara playfully queried, the sound of his sipping cutting through the background noise. Yoruichi's eyes closed as her hand twitched passively. The silence persisted, the shopkeeper's body leaning a bit more forward as he sipped once again. This time, and without warning, Yoruichi grabbed the cup of tea presented before her before shouting, "Take your tea and shove it where the sun doesn't shine!"

Ducking, Urahara managed to dodge the cup of tea that would have undoubtedly burned his perfect shopkeeper face.

"Ha, you missed!"

But just as Urahara thought he had defended himself from one measly cup of tea, he shouldn't have let his guard down. With perfect timing, a second cup of tea, supplied by Isshin, collided with Urahara's face.

"HOT! HOT! HOT!" He shouted, standing up momentarily to run around in a circle. This action could most definitely have been mistaken as an act from the circus. "My... My handsome face! You've damaged my looks! What will I do now?!"

Yoruichi smiled at his apparent suffering, but immediately composed herself. "We aren't here to play games. Explain what happened with Ichigo!"

"Yes, Kisuke, we've waited long enough. What's going on?" Isshin asked, anxiety clearly evident in his voice.

Urahara wiped away the tea and snapped his fan shut. He then pulled his striped hat from his head to check for any tea stains. Relief flashed across his features before masking it altogether. Being able to sense the intensity from the others, the aura around Urahara also transformed to match their own, as he once more found a seated position.

"Ah, yes," Urahara started, his gaze shifting between the ex-captains. "To start, let me ask you both a question. Would Ichigo ever attack someone without a reason?"

"Of course he wouldn't. But... but was that really Ichigo? Couldn't his inner Hollow have returned after he became a... Hollow?"

Urahara's shadowed eyes stared at Isshin, his head tilting slightly.

"Don't be silly, Isshin. You've fought powerful Hollows before. You should be capable of seeing the differences between someone who is clearly controlled and someone who isn't. Apart from us three, only Ryuken and Aizen know of Ichigo's heritage. There's simply no feasible way Ichigo could have lost control," Urahara said, his tone tempered as he pressed the point. "What do you think happened to the Hollow from Masaki's soul? Do you think it merely attached itself to Ichigo's soul and remained that way?"

The mention of Masaki made Isshin's head lower sadly, but he knew Urahara was only trying to explain his point. Yoruichi's eyes lit up with a clear understanding of where Kisuke was going with his explanation. A part of her felt shame for not catching on instantly. However, from the very start, she knew there was more to Ichigo's actions than meets the eye, and it wasn't as if she completely flipped the script upon seeing his actions.

"That Hollow merged itself with Ichigo's innate Shinigami powers, which means," Urahara started, "Ichigo's zanpakuto is in fact his Hollow. While the zanpakuto spirit that trained with Ichigo to achieve his Bankai in three days is the representation..."

Isshin cut in. "...of his Quincy powers."

"Precisely. If you don't understand yet, it's impossible for Ichigo to have lost control at that moment. His Hollow, or zanpakuto as it were, was the one that prevented his soul from self-destructing," Urahara concluded, his tone potent with analytical seriousness.

"Now, the real reason Ichigo attacked us is actually quite clever. When I understood his intent, I was thoroughly impressed. Ichigo knew that if he pulled us into his conflict, not only would we be in the crosshairs of the Soul Society, but his family and friends would be as well. To prevent that from becoming a reality, he feigned hostility to trick them into believing we were against him."

Yoruichi, who had already solved the puzzle, was somber. At the same time, she was also relieved to know that Ichigo hadn't backstabbed them. The fact that such an idea even popped into her mind made her experience immense shame. Why would Ichigo of all people attack them? She was the previous Onmitsukidō Commander and couldn't even see past such a simple farce. Shaking her head, she promised that she would help Ichigo as much as she could from this moment onwards.

Unlike the newly resolved Yoruichi, Isshin was devastated by the truth. He was so blinded by his fear of losing anyone else that he completely dismissed the idea of Ichigo attacking them to save them. As a father, he was deeply ashamed of himself. What would Masaki have thought of him if she were still alive? The corner of his eyes burned, threatening to burst into tears. But with a deep breath, he realized he couldn't be weak right now. He needed to be the strong father that he was supposed to be. That's what Masaki and Ichigo would want of him. Not to mention his daughters, Yuzu and Karin.

Behind his hat, Urahara observed the reactions of both his friends. After mild observations of both, he hummed thoughtfully, not surprised by either of their conflicts. A deafening silence filled the room, only to be broken by the emergence of an opening senkaimon just outside the shop doors. Each of them shared a look of alertness, understanding, and readiness to face adversity. The signatures of the entities were instantly recognized, and based on everyone else's expressions, they also recognized who they were. Without delay, Urahara walked to the shop doors, where he found both Kyoraku and Ukitake waiting. Normal of Ukitake, he gave a warm smile, waving his hand with an assuring gesture. Beside him, Kyoraku tilted his hat, his voice emerging from the shadows.

"Howdy, it's nice to see ya again," the kimono-wearing captain amusedly spoke, his eyes seemingly looking past the shopkeeper to inspect the area.

Noticing Kyoraku's passive inspection, Urahara clicked his tongue knowingly. "The feeling is mutual. Though, we both know you aren't here for a cup of tea. What is it that the Soul Society wants of me?"

"Straight to business as usual. I expected nothing less from the former Captain of the 12th Division. Perhaps this can be discussed over a cup of tea? Particularly over in that room?" Shunsui motioned towards the room where Urahara was sitting moments prior. Realization dawned on Urahara's features, his eyes darkening slightly. Recognizing the look, Shunsui held up his hands. "Yeah, yeah. Relax now. I am not here to start trouble. In fact, I am certain we can… come to an understanding."

To diffuse the tension, Jushiro spoke up. "The Soul Society has discovered who Ichigo's father is," he began, the eyes of Urahara widening considerably before sharpening. "And despite orders to summon Isshin Shiba, we were actually hoping to assist Ichigo."

Still visibly shocked, the shopkeeper could only pull out his fan, waving it slowly as he listened to their words. He hesitatingly nodded, his spare hand motioning for Jushiro to continue.

"Shunsui already explained to me what happened. He told me how Ichigo feigned an attack against you to remove suspicion off your shoulders," revealed Jushiro, having only learned that tidbit of information while traversing through the senkaimon. Because they had been summoned to the captains' meeting immediately, Shunsui hadn't found the time to explain everything to Jushiro. The moment Shunsui had shared a look with him at the meeting, he knew everything was going accordingly, and that his friend would explain things to him afterwards. While they were traversing through the senkaimon, he explained the true version of events, not the one Byakuya had outlined.

Even while still shocked, Urahara wasn't surprised that Captain Kyoraku had been able to see through Ichigo's feint. In fact, he was certain if it wasn't Ichigo who had played the role of martyr, Yoruichi would've also seen through the charade. But because it was Ichigo, the shock and confusion must've overwhelmed her natural observation skills, preventing her from seeing the evident truth.

"I see," the crafty shopkeeper replied. "And how am I supposed to trust your words? Surely you can prove your sincerity. After all, stabbing him through the chest didn't seem very friendly to me."

The senior captains looked to each other before nodding affirmatively. Shunsui moved his hand to the inside of his captains' haori, pulling out what appeared to be a small cube. The moment the object was observed, Urahara recognized it as the reishashīru, an object created from reishi to prevent outsiders from intercepting messages. During his time as a part of the Onmitsukidō, the reishashīru had been an item carried by most personnel, capable of passing on concealed messages with great success. His familiarity with the object made him pause for a second, as thousands of theories surfaced before everything fell into place.

"Ah, I should've known. I knew something was off when you stabbed Ichigo through the chest earlier. When you stabbed him, you sealed the reishashīru within his chest. That's why you gestured when Ichigo escaped through the garganta. I'm surprised it took me until now to see that."

Shrugging his shoulders, Shunsui dryly chuckled. "Thankfully you're perceptive enough that I don't have to explain everything. As I recommended earlier, why don't we continue this conversation in the next room? To make things simple, it would be easier to speak with Captain Shiba present."

Staring long at the duo, Urahara eventually conceded, turning his back to them as he walked towards the room. There was no need to vocalize his permission - his actions of pulling the sliding doors apart to reveal both Yoruichi and Isshin still sitting spoke for themselves. Truthfully, they had only just returned to their seats, previously having been at different locations in case the situation turned sour. After listening to the preceding conversation, Yoruichi and Isshin were definitely shocked, but there were only so many surprises one could hear before it became the norm. As the elder captains walked into the room, their eyes locked onto Isshin. Knowing he wasn't going to get out of this, Isshin turned to the pair. Though, almost comically, Shunsui was already upon the unsuspecting father, walking circles around him with exaggerated emphasis.

"Oh wow, you've really aged, Captain Shiba. I remember when you were just a young duck. How the days have mistreated you~!" Shunsui feigned a melodramatic sadness, fake tears almost ready to spill.

Yoruichi and Urahara were instantly huddled off to the side, quietly laughing at Isshin as they occasionally glanced over at him. Regardless of the humor, Isshin ignored them all as his attention solely focused on Jushiro. Long ago, he had learned about Kaien's death, a loss that he had never quite registered due to his family life. Now that he could see Jushiro once again, it was as if a dam of memories had flooded his head. He remembered the Shiba household, Kukaku and Ganju, his division, and so much more. Without a doubt, he doesn't regret choosing the family life. There's nothing in any world he would choose over the path he picked. Marrying Masaki and raising three kids was easily the happiest he's ever been. Then again, there was still immense regret over knowing he had basically abandoned the Shiba clan. Indisputably, he knew the life of a human wasn't as lengthy compared to the extensive lifespans of Shinigami. Because of that, his departure wouldn't be permanent as some might think. He had always planned to return to the Soul Society after his family had grown up to live their own lives. Of course, that wasn't the case before Masaki's death, but it certainly was after learning of her passing, and acknowledging Ichigo's pull towards spirit-related affiliations. However, after witnessing the Shinigami's betrayal of his son, he wasn't sure he would ever return to the Soul Society - at least not to the Seireitei.

Breaking the silence, Jushiro spoke first. "Isshin, it's been many years since I've last seen you. I must thank you for welcoming Rukia into your household. She and Ichigo have developed an unshatterable bond ever since that fateful day they met."

"It was nothing. I'm sure you would've done the same. I'm not certain about the rest of the captains, as they seem so keen on destroying my son, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt..."

Jushiro frowned. He knew Isshin was upset with the Soul Society, and he couldn't blame him for it. If it was Kyoraku, Rukia, or anyone else he cherished, he was quite certain he wouldn't sit back and allow a bad fate to befall them. He was ashamed to even remember his dissonance towards saving Rukia or waiting to see if the ryoka, Ichigo, would do it for him. Ever since that event, he had inwardly pledged to strive towards upholding his sense of justice.

The justice of the world, of the Soul Society, was plainly wrong.

"Yeah, yeah. No need to be grouchy, Isshin. Apparently they are here to help Ichigo... so let's hear them out," Urahara calmly chastised.

Isshin's face remained cold, but then he suddenly lowered his head, clear sadness and depression etched on his features. "Let's hear it then. How exactly do they intend to help? If I heard correctly," he paused, shifting his attention back to Jushiro. "Jushiro here mentioned that they were under orders to summon me. If their plan involves me going back, they can get lost right now. I'm not assisting the very same people who led to my son's transformation into a Hollow!"

Uncertain of their plans, Urahara and Yoruichi turned to the pair, awaiting what they would suggest. Noticing the pressure in the room increasing, and realizing they would be here for quite some time, they both took seats on the opposite side of the table. Swerving his hand through his attire, Shunsui pulled out a bottle of sake, the looks of absolute disappointment shared from each of the present individuals, including Jushiro.

"What? Can't an old man like myself get prepared? A few sips, that's all!"

From that line alone, the room's occupants realized this was going to be a lengthy discussion.

Naruki City - Unknown Location

"You said you would share his power with us!" The voice of Yukio bellowed, his finger pointing at the middle-aged man ahead of him. This earned an exaggerated eye roll, the man's hand digging out his combat pass before gripping it. Without saying anything, he twisted his wrist, and three untraceable slashes ripped through the semi-bar-like room.

The eyes of Yukio, Jackie, and Giriko lit up before mini shockwaves rippled from each of them. In a matter of seconds, each of the individuals were showcasing new attributes. With Yukio, his game tech was greatly enhanced, a pair of futuristic sleeves adorned with various buttons now visible. Moving over to Giriko, his headband - the one that covered his lost eye - obtained many yellow rings across its expanse. Adding to that, his attire, once prepared for bar business, was now possessing white armor plating on many areas of his body. Lastly, Jackie, who personally didn't care about receiving more power, garnered exhaust pipes on her right shoulder and left thigh, each capable of revving when her boots become dirtier.

To the side, Tsukishima was sitting down, his eyes looking over the top of his book to witness the transformations. He wasn't really interested or impressed, though he was mildly amused. Why? Because he wasn't sure if Ginjo was actually going to share Ichigo's stolen powers or not. The fact that he did meant he was planning to keep them around for when they inevitably sought out the Shinigami, killing each of them due to their treachery. From what he understood, Ginjo's main target was Jushiro. After Jushiro had betrayed him and got his Fullbring friends killed, he would never forgive him, not even after he was dead. Behind Tsukishima, Moe Shishigawara watched the transformations too. He was a bit jealous that the other Fullbringers were obtaining new powers and not himself; however, he wouldn't voice those thoughts. He didn't want to piss off Mr. Tsukishima and figured - if not coping - his powers were strong enough. Rationalizing that thought, he forced himself to believe that Tsukishima viewed him as stronger than the others, and thus a power increase was unnecessary.

"Wow!" Yukio exclaimed, his eyes shining with stars as he overlooked his new upgrades. "This is sick! I wonder what my Invaders Must Die can do now..."

Echoing similar thoughts, Giriko nodded his head, satisfied that his capabilities had become much, much stronger. He wondered if his powers were even stronger than Ginjo's now. Deep down, his mind was screaming that they were, but if he ever acted on those thoughts, they'd likely be the last thoughts he experienced.

Unlike those two, Jackie blankly stared at her upgrades, her mind racing with various thoughts that clouded her emotions. From the very start, she never wanted these powers - she really didn't. After playing a part in Ginjo's scheme, she wasn't sure if she deserved to throw these powers away. She had suffered the most when she wielded these powers. For her crimes against Ichigo, perhaps she should suffer longer? Deactivating her Dirty Boots, she sat at the bar stool, pouring herself some alcohol in order to run away from her thoughts.

Noticing the particular absence of a little someone, Ginjo turned towards Tsukishima, who had his nose buried in a book, eyes scanning the pages. "Where is Riruka?"

"Oh? You only just realized?" Tsukishima sarcastically inquired, flipping another page as he gave a quick glance towards the man he viewed as an older brother. "After you killed Ichigo, brutally if I might add, she ran off in some random direction. Though, with Ichigo dead, she likely won't ever show her face near Naruki or Karakura again. She can simply be forgotten."

Ginjo's face scrunched up a bit at the wording Tsukishima used. "Don't try to make me feel guilty for Ichigo's death. He was nothing like me at all. If he had known the truth, he would've sided with those treacherous Shinigami! That was a future I wasn't going to allow! Anyhow, you were the one who pushed me to silence him, so don't chastise me."

"You misunderstand me, Ginjo. I am not chastising you in the slightest. I am actually complimenting your accomplishment. While the sentencing was a bit ruthless, it had to be done to prevent his remaining powers from being stolen by the Shinigami. But while we're on the topic, we should discuss what their fates should be," Tsukishima motioned, his free hand pointing towards Orihime and Chad - both of whom were leaning against the walls, their hands gripping their heads as their nails scratched at their skin.

Ginjo calmed down, his stare shifting to the two outsiders with contemplation. "You overwhelmed their memories with too many falsities. Now their minds are on the brink of destruction. I warned you about not overexerting your Book of the End, did I not?"

"You're right. But if I hadn't, they would've realized that their memories were false, and that Ichigo was actually their true ally. In a way, it's rather heartbreaking," rambled the raven-haired book reader, his hand closing his book with an effortless squeeze. "Anyway, we aren't monsters, as you always say. We have no need for their powers - they are inconsequential compared to the enemies we'll have to fight. I recommend knocking them out for a few days so their minds can heal. After that, I will remove the effects of my abilities from Ichigo's friends and family. He might've been a threat, but we can at least do that much for a former substitute Shinigami, no?"

Pleasantly surprised, Ginjo chuckled almost sadly, his gaze dropping a bit. "That's why I keep you around. You're the only person who can recenter my thoughts," he mumbled, his hand moving to his neck to reattach his combat pass. "Like usual, you're absolutely right. Knock them out and put them in the spare rooms."

While that was happening, Orihime was breaking down, tears rolling down her face as she was beyond confused. Her breathing was rapid, constantly overwhelmed by her state of hyperventilation. For the life of her, she couldn't understand anything. NOTHING!

"W-Why... why... WHY?!" she cried out, her hands gripping her lengthy hair with barely enough restraint to prevent her hair from being ripped out. "W-Why did I-I leave... I-Ichigo-kun?! I-... it's not MY FAULT! I SWEAR it's NOT! He... He was going to..."

Similarly, but without tears, Chad was breathing heavily too, sweat drenching his body as he gripped his chest. "W-What have I done? B-But... he was... g-going to hurt Tsukishima! I-I only protected TSUKISHIMA!"

Before any more words could be incoherently spilled, the hand of Tsukishima collided with both of their necks, enough force put to instantly knock out both of them. Around the room, a few eyes gazed over curiously, though that only lasted a moment before each of them returned to their own activities - Yukio playing video games, Giriko tidying up behind the bar, and Jackie drinking herself to slumber. And Moe... well, he minded his own business. If Mr. Tsukishima didn't permit him to speak, he wouldn't. It was as simple as that.

Dragging the two knocked-out figures by the back of their collars, Tsukishima flickered away, leaving a trail of green - courtesy of Bringer's Light - only to return seconds later. Clapping his hands, which was actually a gesture of cleaning the filth from his hands, he returned to sitting down. This time, he sat on the couch, his slim fingers once again flipping the pages of his book. Being the only outlier left, Ginjo decided to grab a bottle of whiskey along with a glass, his body finding a seat beside Tsukishima before treating himself to a night's worth of drinking. After everything that had transpired, he sure as hell needed it.

Hueco Mundo - Unknown Location (Hours Later)

The sound of ticking rang out, a dark, abyssal gateway - one reminiscent of the darkest shadows imaginable - manifesting on the sandy dunes. From the shadows, two sets of white-clad boots emerged, each one stepping foot onto the grainy ground as they observed the surrounding area with immense boredom.

"Jeez, I hate this gloomy, stupid world! Why are we continuously sent here?! There's nothing to see, UGH!" the voice of a black-haired female shouted, her arms dramatically flailing before slumping forwards. "If only this was the beach instead. Yes, that would be so much better than this miserable world!"

"Stop whining, Bambi. These were orders directly prompted by His Majesty," a younger, blonde female informed, her tone monotone as well as her expression.

Stumbling forward with a depressing aura, Bambietta huffed, acting like she was dying. "This is awful! Horrible! I hate it here! It should've been Candy that was sent instead! Or perhaps that bitch, Giselle!" Stomping the ground, she marched forward, irritated, her white hat nearly slipping from her head.

Not replying, the blonde walked beside her angry comrade, her hand magically pulling forth a bag of chips. "Want some?"

Snapping her neck towards the blonde, Bambietta once again huffed, the flames of her rage lighting her dissatisfaction even more. For a split second, it looked like Bambietta's rage was about to explode; however, she managed to calm the ignition of her wrath, begrudgingly nodding her head. "I- you-...okay. I will have some, Liltotto."

"Cool," Liltotto yawned, peeling the bag open diligently as she snagged a chip nonchalantly. Biting into the chip, mild satisfaction emanated from her, her arm extending to hold the bag towards her fierce ally. Bambietta's face scrunched as she read the labels on the bag, the numbers related to calories and carbohydrates sticking out the most - not to mention the amount of servings. There was no way Bambietta was going to allow herself to become fat. Her blood boiled just thinking about becoming some type of fatso. A moment later, after having read the labels, she deduced that she would be okay with eating a few of the chips. The servings were low, meaning that the quantity per measurement was more than less. She plucked a chip from the bag, her brown irises scanning the surface before biting down. Humming uncaringly, she voiced her opinion:

"These aren't salty enough. Though, I suppose they'll suffice," she opined rudely, her tongue licking her lips before grabbing another chip. "His Majesty sent us here to recruit Arrancars to his side, no? But from what I can see, there aren't even normal Hollows anywhere in sight! A few Arrancars have already been recruited... albeit not by choice, however, those were likely the last above-average Hollows left. And that's not saying much as they are beyond weak!"

Liltotto stood frozen for a second, her mind puzzled by Bambietta's rude statement regarding the flavor of the chips. She believed the amount of salt was near excellent - not too much nor too little, a delicate blend. She snapped away from her puzzlement, continuing to walk across the endless landscape of sand and wavering winds. As she was about to answer, her eyes caught something moving in the far distance: the forms of three figures; a thin beetle-esque Hollow, a hefty round Hollow with black polka dots, and finally a small - almost human-like - child with green hair.

"Well, there seems to be three Hollows over there. We can start with them. If they are strong, we can drag them back to the Wandenreich," Liltotto matter-of-factly addressed, her hand moving for another chip until it was met with thin air. Her heart sank, her worst nightmare becoming a reality as the chip bag deflated, a satisfied sigh leaving Bambietta, implying she was the cause.

"There are Hollows over there!" Bambietta announced excitedly, "You should focus more, Liltotto. If it weren't for me, we might've overlooked them!"

Without giving her a moment to comprehend those words, Bambietta blasted off towards the three figures in the distance, a few blinks fluttering from Liltotto as realization dawned on her. "Dammit, she really is a bitch!" Her stomach growled hungrily, the corner of her mouth sagging a bit to expose her razor-sharp teeth.

No other option, she shot off from her position, following Bambietta towards the Hollows.

Hueco Mundo - Unknown Hollows

"TAG! YOU'RE IT! HE-HE-HE!" The small green-haired Hollow giggled joyously, running away from the now-seekers of eternal tag. The two Hollows looked at each other, exhaustion present, but their willpower to not upset the girl never higher. Continuing to giggle, she ran even faster, her short legs occasionally sinking into the malleable sands, only to break free seconds later to repeat the endless cycle.

"I AM THO FATHT! THEY'LL NEVER CATTH ME!" She lisped exuberantly, her head turning back to see the panicked faces of the seekers.

The beetle-looking Hollow held his hands up and shouted, "Nel! Get out of the way! There's a Shinigami!"

From the distance she was at, she couldn't hear what Pesche was saying. Not understanding, and believing he was trying to make excuses as to why they couldn't continue, she pulled the bottom of her eyelids and shot a mocking expression. "ATH IF I WOULD QUIT NOW! CATTH ME IF YOU CA-" Slamming against something, she fell onto the grainy ground, dizziness preventing her from seeing what was above her. Staring down at the fallen child, Bambietta sneered, her boots now full of sand due to Nel kicking some up when she was falling. Her rage soared upon realizing what that goofy-looking Hollow had called her.

"Did'ya just call me... a damn Shinigami?! How... HOW DARE YOU! Me, a Shinigami?! Ridiculous!" Bambietta spat venomously, her boot kicking the green-haired Hollow who hadn't registered her predicament, her frail body flying across the terrain before colliding with a sandstone boulder. Upon collision, her eyes shot open painfully, once again falling to the ground without a hush. At this, Pesche and Dondochakka ran forward, their anger maximized at witnessing Nelliel get roughly kicked. From Dondochakka's mouth, yellow reiryoku charged up. And from Pesche, not having enough time to activate his resurrección, opted to jump on top of Dondochakka's head, yellow reiryoku charging from his palm. Not having mastered this, but having no other choice, a line of yellow orbs connected the dual charges, each levitating forwards to merge into a singular sphere of energy.

Bambietta stood unwavering, her hand prying off each of her boots separately to shake the sand from their confines. She wasn't impressed or even remotely entertained by what those Hollows were planning. Because of that, she ignored them completely, muttering to herself about how such a clumsy dumb Hollow was capable of ruining her boots.

"DIE YOU MONSTER!Cero Sincrético!" Both the Hollows simultaneously yelled, a devastatingly critical accumulation of energy ripped through the air - the uninterested Bambietta still shaking her boots clean despite the tangent threat. Scorching the fields of sand, melting into pathways of glass, the raven-haired girl remained disinterested. Both the Hollows smirked, having hoped that the person before them would remain so blind and disillusioned that they would completely ignore them. They were sick and tired of being treated like weak, helpless fodder. To save Nelliel, they would disintegrate this entity without a morsel of their ashes left to the wind.

"Heilig Pfeil."

Faster than lightning could strike, a statement that shouldn't be expressed near Candice, a blue arrow pierced the approaching Cero, completely dissipating it within mere inches from Bambietta. Stepping out from the ephemeral smokescreen, Liltotto shook her head slowly, glaring at Bambietta from over her shoulder. Held in her hands was a blue bow, its presentation oddly similar to a bear trap. Expressing immense shock, and visible fear, Dondochakka and Pesche stepped backwards, their hands trembling.

"N-No way! Not even Szayelaporro was capable of facing that attack straight on! He had to hit its weak point to disable it," Pesche whimpered, the glowing yellow of his pupils dilating upon glancing at the glowing bow. "W-Wait... you're a Quincy like Uryu!"

Both the Quincies turned towards the Hollow, slight shock present. How does a mere Hollow, one that is only adjuchas-level, know of Uryu Ishida? Thinking back, hadn't the Daten detailed a strange group of Hollows that followed the humans from Karakura Town during their invasion of Hueco Mundo? Could these be those same Hollows? Or...?

"What if we are?! You know what, I am getting tired of your babbling! DIE!" Bambietta snapped, dozens of blue orbs manifesting around herself. Holding her hand back, she roared, "Turn to ashes and die by my EXPLOSION!"

Flinging her wrist forwards, similar to a wand, the orbs swarmed the empty skies, beaming downwards faster than the two low-classed Hollows could follow. Waking up, the blurry eyes of Nelliel watched the situation in horror, her lips trembling as tears poured down her innocent face. What was happening? Why were her friends about to be killed?! Despairing, there was only one thing she could think of, a thought that she would express with all her heart!

"ITSIGO... PLEASE HELP!"

Dozens of explosions detonated, a chaining, never-ending barrage of blasts repeatedly going off. The noise was deafening, the light from the attacks blinding. Closing her eyes tightly, not working to stem her tears one bit, she attempted to curl into a ball - truly and utterly mortified by what she just witnessed. Though, when she tried to curl, she found herself incapable of acting on that defense mechanism, her teary eyes squinting open to see herself on someone's back. Slowly scanning the back of the person, her eyes tearfully widened as shimmering streaks of divine-orange embraced her field of sight, the face of heaven-splitting determination cemented on the person's features. Sniveling, and with large tears still gushing from her round eyes, she hugged Ichigo's neck, her tears smearing against his milky pale skin.

"I-ITSIGO… I-IT'S W-WEALLY YOU," she spoke through tears, "NEL'S C-COMWADS… T-THEY… THEY ARE GONE!"

The face of Ichigo remained still, his determination and rage both building. Placing one of his hands on her head, he ruffled her hair assuredly. "You think I would let them die, Nel? As I've promised before, I don't let the ones I care about suffer. Take a look behind us." Fluttering her eyes, the tears of her pain slowly ceasing, she turned her head and saw the unconscious bodies of Dondochakka and Pesche - both mildly burnt - but nothing that they couldn't recover from.

"Who the hell do you think you are?! Another weak Hollow?! Just great!" Bambietta's voice screeched, interrupting the reunion. Beside the rambling Quincy, Liltotto overviewed the mystery entity, a creeping, unignorable instinct telling her that she knows this person. Whether she knows them personally or not, she knows she has seen them somewhere before. But where?!

Removing his hand from Nel's head, he smiled, warming her heart instantly which caused her tears to stop. Picking her off his back, he held her in front of himself, looking into her eyes with a pleading yet strong resolve. "Nel... I will deal with these two. For me, keep your eyes closed, okay?" She hesitantly nodded, being let down as she hid behind the boulder she had collided with earlier, the unconscious bodies of Dondochakka and Pesche resting against the sides of said obstruction.

"YOU, ANSWER ME! Who are you?! Do you know you're in a world of asskick soon?" Bambietta spouted her foul threats, the aura around Ichigo shifting as he turned towards both of them. Facing the Quincies, his nose wrinkled in disgust, a potent hatred rolling from his very essence as he detached his zanpakutos from his waist - his right hand holding the black sword while his left hand held the white one. Bambietta, getting a proper look at him, blushed a bit. Despite her plans to maul and torture this ignorant fool, she found his looks to be quite charming, if not alluring. Perhaps she would chain him up and keep him as a pet instead? Amusem*nt returned to her mask, her anger still present, but concealed.

On the other hand, Liltotto was sweating, her gut churning anxiously. 'No, no, no! Something is wrong here! I know it! Think Liltotto, think!'

"Who am I, you ask? Who's asking, you? Or perhaps your leader, whoever they are..." answered Ichigo with his own questions, his voice dropping a few decibels at the mention of a possible leader.

"Heh, you're kind of amusing. Almost like some kind of jester. How about we come to an agreement? I'll leave your little weak Hollow friends alive, and in exchange, you'll become my obedient pet. Sounds fair, right? I am pretty generous when I want to be. HAHAHA!" Bambietta sad*stically grinned, giving herself a pat on the shoulder for her generosity.

Ichigo ignored her remarks, gazing over at the oddly silent Quincy that was beside the foul-mouthed one. When their eyes connected, she took a step backwards, her mouth dropping open in a mix of shock and panic. "No, t-this can't be! BAMBI, we have to leave now! That's one of the Special War Powers, Ichigo Kurosaki!"

The moment their eyes connected, Liltotto had instantly recognized who the man was. Honestly, she was disappointed that she didn't recognize him immediately! From the Daten, his picture was clearly displayed for all to see. However, due to recent events, she was under the assumption that Ichigo Kurosaki had died. At least that was what was reported by Ebern, one of the Arrancar soldiers responsible for spying on Karakura Town. She figured that Ebern had overlooked the situation with half-assed attention, assuming Ichigo had died instead of confirming it as a fact.

'When His Majesty hears about this...' Liltotto began.

Pausing, a single drop of sweat glided down the left side of Bambietta's temple, her posture stiffening a bit even though her arrogance was still skyrocketing. She continued to smirk, even if the threat before her was immense. After remembering what Ichigo Kurosaki's Special War Power designation was, a rush of confidence returned.

'Latent power,' Bambietta trailed off. 'Yes, latent power. He possesses immense potential due to his hybrid makeup, a potential that could prove the deadliest of all the war threats. According to the Daten, he is part Quincy, Shinigami, and Hollow. However, due to recent events, his Quincy powers may have been lost when his human body died. Even without his Quincy powers, he's stated to possess one of the highest reiatsu outputs among all the Gotei 13 Captains. Then again, if his Quincy powers haven't vanished, the Daten mentioned that his total latent power, including his Quincy heritage, would pose the utmost threat—even more so if merged with his Hollow and Shinigami powers. Needless to say, from observation alone, he hasn't displayed anything that would suggest that his Quincy powers have awakened. Meaning...'

"Haha, as if there is any reason to run away. Can't you see it, Liltotto? He's weak! His potential hasn't yet been unlocked, which means he's nothing more than a weakling for me to thrash!" She exclaimed, blue orbs manifesting around herself as excitement built within her mind. If everything went her way, she would thrash this handsome idiot, drag him back to the Wandenreich to be either willingly or forcibly recruited, and then she'd make him her exclusive pet. Her grin stretched deviously, her teeth baring ferociously.

Not fully buying her words, Liltotto calmed her mind, her stature straightening to halt the panic she was enduring. She knew if she panicked, they would surely perish. Out of all the Quincies she prided herself on being one of the most rational, always deducing the threats and chances of victory. A part of her, at this very moment, agreed with the words of Bambi. Ichigo Kurosaki, a supposed War Power, hasn't achieved what his designation spoke of. Furthermore, he hasn't awakened his Quincy powers nor has he transcended like he had against the former Shinigami captain, Sōsuke Aizen. At the same time, she noted his second zanpakuto, a detail that wasn't written about within the Daten. She could tell that his sword wasn't fueled by Quincy powers, but it was almost as if the sword was shrouded by Quincy power instead. That by itself wasn't worth panicking over, however, she couldn't help her overthinking nature.

Nodding slightly, Liltotto finally agreed. She was definitely a bit startled, as would almost any other Quincy if they met this particular War Power. In spite of that, she realized that this moment could be pivotal towards defeating the Shinigami. If they could defeat Ichigo Kurosaki, right here and now, they could drag him back to the Wandenreich to be recruited. They would also be highly honored, bringing pride to the Quincies. None the wiser, Ichigo was confused by all they were saying. Special War Power? His potential? What the hell are they talking about?!

'Is there always some ridiculous plot revolving around me?' At that thought, his mind finally processed what the short-blonde Quincy was holding. "A-A... Quincy bow?!"

Hearing the words of the carrot top, Bambietta took a step forward. "Yes, I almost forgot. You are friends with Uryu Ishida, aren't ya? That explains why you're capable of pointing out a Heilig Bogen. Unfortunately for you, your pal is only a Gemischt Quincy. A half-breed like him isn't capable of wielding the true powers of a Quincy like us Echt Quincies can. You have no idea what type of danger you're getting yourself into."

'Though, His Majesty seems to think otherwise…' she tossed out, not putting much thought to that specific detail.

Similar to Bambietta, Ichigo took a step forward, replicating her action. "How do you know Uryu?!" he demanded, his jaw tightening angrily as his hands gripped the handles of his zanpakutos painfully.

"Mhm, you can come closer if you'd like~!" She teased, her devious grin shining brighter. "But to answer your question, does it really matter? To me, he's just another wannabe nobody! Though, I can't say everyone shares that same opinion," she added dismissively.

An arrow shot past Bambietta, its target obviously Ichigo. Without effort, he swatted it away with the back of his hand, his zanpakuto still held despite it not being used to deflect the attack. Sighing, Ichigo turned his body towards the blonde once more, her expression a lot more confident than before. Nonetheless, laced behind the confidence of her stance, there was a slight hint of shock from witnessing him swat away her attack with only his bare hand. She would admit, she was impressed, though she would never say that aloud.

"I see. So you know about my friends but refuse to answer," he started in a low, threatening voice, his reiatsu flaring as it slammed against the two Quincies. Their eyes widened, their shoulders slumping from the overwhelming pressure. "You also know about me, labeling me as some type of Special War Power. From this alone, I've concluded that you two are too much of a danger to be left roaming around. You're obviously a threat to my friends and to the residents of Hueco Mundo. Before I beat both of your asses, how about you tell me your names? That way I know how to label your ashes afterwards."

Wiping away the sweat from her brow, Liltotto forced a nervous smile. "Liltotto Lamperd, also known as Sternritter G, the Glutton."

"Tch," Bambietta growled at the threat, her lips twitching with barely contained rage. "You're dreaming if you think you hold a candle to us Quincies! For you, I will reveal my name because it will be the name of your soon-to-be master! I am Bambietta Basterbine, the Sternritter representing the letter E, the EXPLODE!"

The introductions served their purpose, the resonating boom provided by 'the EXPLODE' signaling the conflict's initialization. Near instantly, a myriad of pulsating orbs were upon Ichigo, his expression remaining empty despite the multidirectional threat. Raising his head, a sphere of red started to form from his singular horn, its expanse massive in comparison to the incoming attacks.

"Cero."

Shattering the sound barrier, the ever-growing source of red shifted to an even brighter hue, blasting outwards as it recolored the sands to a deep laterite. The seemingly all-consuming shade blanketed everything, swallowing the dozens upon dozens of vibrant blue orbs - disintegrating them on contact. This shocked Bambietta, the shadows of her hat becoming more prevalent as the light from the cero increasingly pushed onwards. The closer the cero cleared distance, the more Bambietta's expression morphed. It started as overconfident, then shifted to confused, then shocked, and now she was something else. Something else entirely different. She was grinning from ear to ear, overconfident and gleeful!

"You idiot! You thought you could destroy my attacks that easily! Try to survive this!" Bambietta shouted, dozens of orbs phasing through the cero a second later. This development caught Ichigo off guard, the energy orbs mere centimeters from his body as his left foot stepped backwards instinctively. A static boom echoed out, the signature call of sonido allowing him to escape the massive detonation. He thought he had escaped the barrage completely unscathed until his eyes snapped to attention, noticing multiple blue orbs sticking to his left arm.

"What the-" Ichigo started, the orbs glowing brightly before exploding abruptly. As for Bambietta, the cero Ichigo had shot off was still hurtling towards her, only twenty feet away before collision. Sensing the potency behind the attack, a bit weakened due to not having been fired off completely, Bambietta motioned her arm upwards. She isn't the best at this technique, however, she knew the cero would dissipate if targeted accurately.

"Sklaveri!"

Upon muttering that word, reishi gathered at her palm, disintegrating the approaching blast by ripping the reishi from the cero. She figured fully dematerializing the attack would be impossible with the time given. In an attempt to rectify that, she peeled the reishi layers from the middle, the cero splitting in half and going completely around the two stationary Quincies. From the clouded smoke where Ichigo stood, he emerged, his left arm charred as he winced painfully.

Liltotto was genuinely surprised that Ichigo had been injured. Was he not a Special War Power? How could an attack from Bambietta of all people injure him?

"How was that, jackass? Are you going to cry? Like I said before, you could always concede now and I'll make sure to treat you nicely. Well, maybe..." Bambietta arrogantly offered, whispering the 'Well, maybe' part to herself.

Ichigo chuckled, his charred skin instantly repairing itself within seconds. He eyed the spot where he had been burnt, his sleeve completely missing from having been evaporated. Well, it wasn't technically evaporated, it was...

"I see. I understand now. Those orbs are not bombs created of reishi. They're instead orbs of reishi that turn whatever they touch into a bomb. That's why your attacks phased through my cero and attached to my sleeve - turning it into a bomb. These tricky types of opponents are always tedious, but this should be easier than I expected, thankfully."

Bambietta glared quietly, a vein on her forehead pulsating violently as she ground her teeth together. "You... you... YOU! Do you think I'm going to be easy to defeat?! Are you f*cking screwing with me right now?!"

Unlike her overreactive comrade, Liltotto could only stare coldly, trying everything she could to decipher any form of weakness from the hybrid. Holding her bow, she took a few steps away from Bambietta, viewing the scene from a different angle. Ichigo buckled his zanpakutos to his waist. Taking a moment to double-check, he made sure that Nel hadn't moved. When he felt her signature, he subtly smiled, glad to know that she trusted him completely.

"I am talking to you! I asked you if you think I'm going-" She continued, only to have her face grabbed by Ichigo, her body being dragged across the sandy dunes ruthlessly. Liltotto was frozen in place, her eyes blinking as she hadn't registered his body blitzing past her to grab her caught-off-guard comrade.

Flying through the air, Ichigo held her face tighter, the air around them whistling from the immense velocity. Bambietta tried to manifest her reishi orbs, but the speed and violent dragging was disabling her concentration, preventing her from pulling reishi from the surrounding area.

"L-Let... me," she struggled breathlessly, "GO!"

Ever the gentleman he was, what was he supposed to do when a damsel in distress asks him a question so lovingly? Pulling his arm back, his smirk lifting, he whipped her towards the ground, a sandstorm of dust kicking up when her body collided with the dunes. Ichigo dropped from the sky as Liltotto finally caught up to the scene, a clear anger showing through her masked blankness. An exact copy of what Bambietta had activated earlier, Liltotto monotonously mumbled, "Sklaverei."

Unlike Bambietta's variation, a vast amount of reishi funneled towards her, a yellow dome of energy exploding in all directions as a tower of golden light pierced the heavens. At the very top of this pillar, a splitting star suddenly manifested. And no more than a moment later, a second tower rose, the color deep red, and located from where Ichigo had tossed Bambietta. The surge of power was very clear, with shockwaves of energy rippling across the plains as sand was blown everywhere.

From within those pillars, two voices spoke, each stating something different.

"Quincy: Vollständig, Gagael," Liltotto's voice breached the building winds, her tone still monotone, but now possessing a refined edge. With her pillar slowly disintegrating, many changes were becoming visible. From her wrists and ankles, yellow reishi bracelets, shaped as bear traps, were now worn. And from her back, a pair of chomping bear trap wings sprang to life. Lastly, levitating above her head was a Heiligenschein in the shape of a star-like Quincy Zeichen.

"Quincy: Vollständig, Zofiel," Bambietta shouted through immense rage, a blast of energy exploding from where she stood as her power of the explosion turned everything around her into nothingness. Emerging from the deep-red pillar, she wore a large pair of red reishi wings that held many levitating spheres. Above her head, just like Liltotto's, there was a Heiligenschein in the shape of a star-like Quincy Zeichen.

'Earlier, it looked like that Sklaverei technique of theirs was only an advanced form of collecting reishi. While that's still the case, I didn't know that activating that technique allowed them to accumulate such vast amounts of power so quickly. Just by feeling alone, their power is on another level than Komamura and Soi Fon. And if I am understanding this correctly, they absorbed the reishi around themselves to fuel those transformations. They announced the transformations as Vollständig.. it must be the Quincy equivalent of Bankai,' Ichigo cautiously deduced, his hands once again detaching his dual zanpakutos as he rationalized the seriousness of their transformations.

The pillars crumbled away, revealing the flying forms of each of the Vollständig-powered Quincy, their illuminated forms soaring towards him rapidly - the anger of having been disrespected fueling Bambietta. A shockwave rocketed from around her as she was seething with a desire to humiliate Ichigo. Following closely behind, Liltotto held her arms ahead of herself, her glowing bracelets shining before drawling, "Spork."

Even faster than the wrathful Bambietta, a large bear trap obstruct beamed towards the now alert Ichigo. He dodged just in time as the attack chewed through the ground and exposed an underground ravine. Kicking off the ground, he propelled himself upwards, the energy orbs from Bambietta gunning towards him like a machine gun. His body twisted and turned as he broke through all available openings. Not letting up, Liltotto unfolded one of her glowing bracelets, flying backwards a couple of meters as blasts from Bambietta perpetually triggered. The battlefield within the skies became entrenched in endless vaporizing explosions. If the spectacle was viewed from below, the fight would seem nothing more than a grand fireworks display.

"Spife."

Whipping the unwound bracelet, Liltotto snapped the unraveled bear trap towards Ichigo. His white blade held upwards, the whip sawed across the blade's surface, yellow sparks emitting everywhere as the whip ground to a halt. Swinging his arm, the ragged whip was repelled, reforming into a bracelet as she bit her lip, annoyed.

Charging from the tip of his black zanpakuto, bright yellow reiryoku swirled around the blade. His body dodged a few explosions before bursting forwards unexpectedly. Bambietta pulled back, shocked, her surprise palpable as she attempted to fly away. Reishi orbs from her wings shot out randomly in all directions, detonating everything in the vicinity, including where Ichigo was just standing. Believing she had managed to strike Ichigo, she rained countless explosions from where he was last seen, large blue blasts ringing out loudly. Breathing heavily, she shot a few more explosions into the smoke, making sure that her victory was assured. Beneath the smoke, Liltotto pressed her wrists together, her bracelets dislodging as they merged together and slammed against the ground.

"Golden Crunch."

Manifesting from where the bracelets were slammed, a massive multi-building sized bear trap sprung upwards, its jaws opening as it swallowed the entire smoke cloud. Similar to the jaws of a shark, the maw sealed shut, a thunderous snapping blaring finality.

"Yeah! What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Bambietta hissed, her finger pointing downwards at Liltotto. "That better not have killed him, you hear?! Not only will he bestow us glory, he'll make a suitable plaything for me! His anguished face... oh, I will relish it, that's a certainty~!"

Liltotto deadpanned, not caring about Bambi's twisted games. "Oh, shut up. You know I'm not stupid like the others! I applied just enough pressure where his limbs would be skewered, but he would still survive just barely. This will make dragging him back to the Wandenreich that much eas-"

"GETSUGA-"

Their eyes widened. From within the sealed jaws, bright yellow and purple energy surged violently, the crevices of the clamped teeth straining as wisps of reiatsu escaped the cage. Absolute disbelief was plastered on the features of both Liltotto and Bambietta, each vastly unprepared for what was about to happen.

"JŪJISHŌ!"

As if the giant jaws were never there, it disintegrated instantly, a double-crossed getsuga tenshō charging from where it once stood. Compared to his cero, this attack proved vastly more powerful and quick, the crossed beam already feet away from Bambietta - the shadows of her form completely vanishing due to how bright the energy was. She opened her mouth to shout, however, the arc of energy was already upon her. Rattling the entire battlefield, a wide-ranging, crescent-shaped curvature of raw reiryoku expanded across the skies as it bellowed harshly. A pulsing shockwave cleared all surrounding smokescreens, the sands from below kicking up intensely despite the battle happening hundreds of feet in the air.

Attempting to defuse the attack, Liltotto went to activate Sklaverei again, but the wind pressure from the shockwave sent her flying downwards, colliding with the sandy depths. Stepping out from where the yellow-hued jaws were, Ichigo lowered his weapons, his body uninjured from the previous barrage of assaults. Nonetheless, he would admit that he had nearly lost an arm when that surprise jaw cage almost got the jump on him. If it wasn't for his sturdy hierro and reactive nature, he would've had his arm chomped off. Naturally, he could have regenerated from that, but the point is that it would have hurt.

Narrowing his eyes, he stepped on the air and ascended further into the sky, the riveting arch of energy slowly diffusing. When the final flickers of the energy dissolved, a pocket of emptiness pulled the shockwaves inward, acting as an unstoppable torrent that planned to vacuum all particles in sight. In the midst of that torrential emptiness, Bambietta's smoking form fell from the sky, her left arm severed and falling closely behind her. Her other arm, the right one, was severely burned from defending against his scorching energy. As he watched her fall, a part of him felt bad for the woman. She clearly had a vendetta to torture and beat him... for whatever reason. But at the same time, he could see her eyes flickering open helplessly, incapable of stopping her irreversible descent to her inevitable conclusion. Pinching the bridge of his nose, a headache started to develop, he sighed. He once again looked at the falling Bambietta, his heartstrings pulling at his innermost conflicts.

Knowing it was now or never, he clasped his weapons to his waist and sonidoed down to Bambietta. The distance from the sky to the ground was increasingly approaching, so he pushed his speed to the maximum - at least within his base state - and barely managed to grab her wrist before she could slam against the ground. His spare hand caught her detached arm, his stomach twisting at the sight, and even more at the sensation of holding it. A frown formed on his pale complexion, as his regret started to boil. Why was he only starting to feel regret now? Hadn't he been fully ready to turn these opponents to ashes? His eyes were downcast as his feet touched the ground, the cool texture of the sand pulling him from his thoughts, which prompted him to look at Bambietta.

With her remaining energy, she angrily tried to break free from Ichigo's hold, her numb face managing a snarl. "Y-y-you," she sputtered painfully, steadying her breathing. "L-Let me go... you f-f*cking asshat!"

"Shut up! I am putting you down so keep that laugh track of yours zipped," he barked back sarcastically, gingerly placing her onto the sandy ground. When he placed her down, he made sure to keep the severed part of her arm resting on her Quincy cape, attempting to lessen the chances of infection. From behind himself, he sensed the presence of Liltotto arriving, her face enraged by the sight of her comrade's mutilated arm. Looking over his shoulder, he saw her anger, despair, sense of loss, and sadness. These responses were all directly caused by the injuries of her comrade, and a solemn smile grew on his face at the realization.

'Just like the Espada,' his thoughts started. 'Amongst a group of rotten apples, there are always a few who care about their comrades. I... I will let them go this time. If they return again to hurt anyone I care about, I will destroy them.'

"Get away from Bambi or else you'll regret it!" Liltotto spoke with the most emotion she's displayed yet. To show she was serious, the corner of her mouth sagged, jagged teeth visible as she silently promised to showcase why she's called the Glutton if he refuses.

Seeing her teeth, he visibly began to sweat. 'What the hell are those?! That's the kind of thing you would see from a horror movie! Crawling underneath your bed... only to pop their head out a second later to jump scare you.'

Wiping the sweat away, he prepared to take a step away. Though, before he could, something happened. From beside Liltotto, a black shadow manifested, the sound of clockwork ringing out as a regal blonde man stepped out from the apparent portal. The moment they had walked within this realm, they didn't seem shocked in the slightest. In fact, they remained entirely composed, a hint of understanding spontaneously sparking from their emerald green eyes. Carrying themselves with elegance, their white trench coat, which was covered by the same signature hooded-cloak that the other two Quincies wore, swayed gracefully with each step they took.

"H-Haschwalth?!" Liltotto stuttered, her eyes wide like saucers. All anger that was previously present had instantly vanished, her emotions transforming into something that was shocked, worried, yet also immensely calmed. "W-Why are you here?!"

He stared at her without any reaction, his gaze sweeping over to the injured, but still alive Bambietta. And beside her stood... Ichigo Kurosaki.

"I see. His Majesty's speculations were accurate after all," Haschwalth announced stoically, walking past Liltotto as his hand grabbed the handle of his sword, pulling it slowly from its sheath. "Just as he predicted, he concluded that Ebern's reports were inaccurate compared to the Shinigamis' reports within the Seireitei. Because of that, he ordered me to go to Hueco Mundo to look for Ichigo Kurosaki to see if the reports held any merit."

Sensing the danger, Ichigo jumped back, a thin layer of goosebumps warning him that he was in serious danger. If it weren't for his instincts, he would've rushed in without hesitation, only to be defeated before he could even release his powers. He knew he had to remain calm, only striking when the moment presented itself. Grabbing his swords, he twisted his wrists, turning the curves of his blades towards the slowly approaching figure. A rising anger built within Ichigo's gut, his knuckles turning white. "Who... WHO ARE YOU GUYS?! I am GROWING tired of random people trying to exploit me! If I were you, I would think your actions through before you make an enemy of the wrong person! I've been screwed over more times this week alone than most people experience in their entire life!"

"We are Quincies. We serve as His Majesty's sword, striking down all who oppose him. What this means for you," he paused, his movement halting as his sword was delicately slid from its sheath, "could mean many things. Take for instance, if you were to willingly concede and follow us back to the Wandenreich, that would prevent conflict; the very thing His Majesty despises the most. On the other hand, if you refuse, that very sword would be aimed at the object that opposes His Majesty."

"Who exactly is this 'His Majesty' you keep referring to?!" Ichigo demanded, his swords lifting even higher, the points glistening sharply.

Simply smiling, Haschwalth lifted his sword, holding it in front of himself. "These questions will all be answered after you stand at attention before His Majesty. Now, what will it be? Will you stand against the testament of His Majesty's blade? Or will you bring forth misfortune by refusing?"

"That isn't enough information for me to trust your intentions. Each of you have been overly secretive. What I learned from my strongest opponent ever is that if someone has too many secrets, it's probably because they have something to hide. Instead, I have a proposition for you. Get your goons and turn tail. Or get the same amount of ass-kicking those two experienced from yours truly. What will it be?" Ichigo proposed, shaking his head opposingly.

Off to the side, Liltotto stood nervously, the brewing tension causing her stomach to ache. 'I should've brought more snacks... my belly hurts.'

"I figured that would be your answer. Though, as all things necessitate, there will be balance," he proclaimed, his arm rotating his sword, causing Ichigo to grip his weapons tighter. Surprisingly though, he slid the sword back into its sheath, confusing Ichigo more than he already was. A chill ran down his back, his body going numb as he collapsed to a knee, his hands pressing against the sand. He breathed heavily, his vision flickering as he broke out into a sweat, a searing burning sensation scorching his entire body. "W-What... i-is happening...? I c-can't..."

He moved to speak again, but the oxygen left his lungs, and immense pain shot across his entire body - especially his arms. Through his flickering vision, his numb face widened considerably when he realized the immense pain from his left arm was because he was missing his arm! And to make matters worse, his other arm was completely fried, making it impossible for him to feel anything. Collapsing onto his back, he gazed at the empty sky, a sickening feeling consuming his entire soul as he attempted to pull himself upright. His resistance was met with a ruthless punt to the stomach, blood pooling from his mouth from the impact. Reeling from the pain, he attempted to speak again, finding his voice mute as a shadow stood atop him. If he could express shock, he certainly would, but at the moment, that was impossible. Standing above him was a smirking Bambietta, all of her wounds spontaneously gone. That's when everything clicked for him.

"Are you finally understanding? It was rather fortunate that you were capable of defeating two Sternritter at the same time. It was also fortunate of you that you thought it wise to decline His Majesty's invitation. But as mentioned, there will be balance," Haschwalth echoed steadily. "And the imbalance of your fortune was balanced with the misfortune you personally bestowed."

He couldn't respond. Not a single word. Despite that, he understood what was being explained to him. Simply put, this person somehow transferred the injuries from Bambietta over to himself. Additionally, because of his so-called fortune, the amount of misfortune was doubled, preventing him from regenerating.

'S-sh*t.. I can't move a muscle! This can't be it!' Ichigo mentally cursed, his hands barely able to bend his fingers as Bambietta stepped on his chest with her boot.

"Heh, it looks like you'll be coming back with us after all, huh? What should I call you from now on?" Bambietta asked, feigning a thinking posture. "Oh, how about Bambi's bitch? That has a ring to it, doesn't it?"

'GRRRR, SHE'S DEAD!' Ichigo snapped, his ears beginning to ring painfully. 'This is my fault for leaving her aliv-'

'ICHIGO!' Zangetsu roared, his voice full of anger and disappointment. 'What in the living hell are you doing?! Have you forgotten about your training? Have you forsaken what I said about not being afraid? Was all of that talk about protecting your friends mere hyperbole?! Where is your DAMN RESOLVE?!'

The world around Ichigo spiraled out of control, another kick planting against his gut as his only arm - the right one - barely held the handle of his zanpakuto. Since his left arm had been dismembered, his white zanpakuto was separated from him.

"My training... My friends... My resolve," Ichigo whispered as that was all he could muster. A building pressure was steadily growing, his fingers twitching excessively at the reminder that had been spoken to him.

'Remember your training! Don't fear your own strength! Don't sway from the consequences of your ascension! Don't be afraid and unleash your powers! It's now or never!'

Through immense numbness and pain, Ichigo formed a smile, his eyes shining with profound strength and resolve.

"I-I warned you guys… to n-not screw with me," he spat out. Bambietta raised an eyebrow, bending down as she mockingly cupped her hand around her ear.

"You're gonna have to speak up, strawberry," she jested, slightly teasing. "You warned us about what exactly?"

A powerful gush of reiatsu slammed down on everyone, including Haschwalth, the weight of its presence surprising each of the Quincy. From Ichigo's body, his reiatsu disintegrated a part of Bambietta's boot, her face scrunching in pain as she hastily retreated backwards, landing next to the still Vollständig-amped Liltotto.

"This…reiatsu goes beyond what His Majesty suggested. It seems I will have to dirty my hands a bit to make this tantrumed boy understand," Haschwalth asserted, a shield beginning to manifest on his left arm as he once again drew his sword with his other.

From the reiatsu storm expelling from Ichigo, his body slowly propelled from the floor, his shoulders hunched over, and his bangs covering his shadowed eyes. The pressure from his power provoked a calamitous excess of wind, thrusting his single zanpakuto forwards with confidence and bravado - the signature stance of his Bankai.

But something was different.

Flashback - Inner World ~

Sparks of yellow spewed out with punctual luminescence, the vast turbulent waters rippling about as two black blades collided. The resonating CLANGS sent powerful ripples throughout the ocean, the existence of the endless, forever-expanding depths proving to be a fountain of misery and despair. The deeper the ocean descended, the more aggressive the two fighters became, constant flickering sparks trailing their conflict across the ocean's expanse. The intensity of the fight ascended to new heights, blurs swooshing across the sunken terrain as their swords collided even more impactfully, their bodies ducking and turning as they zipped across and threw water-engulfed skyscrapers. Remnant debris littered the area, chunks of buildings sinking into the murky, bottomless pit. As if natural, the soon-to-be-forgotten remains would be used as landing pads, propelling themselves off the obstructs just before they plunged into the inky nothingness.

"GETSUGA TENSHŌ!" Zangetsu's muffled voice bellowed across the eerily void landscape, his arm raised high as deep purple-black reiryoku propelled across the liquid space, its target Ichigo. Reacting just barely, Ichigo held up his blade, his body extremely sore from the brutal fight that has been ongoing for hours. Crimson blood shed from all corners of his body, leaking from his torn open chest, cleaved apart back, and bandage-covered arms - only to seep into the cold water as vivid streaks danced with evanescent sadness.

Swinging with all his might, the sword met the attack straight on, the pulsing dark crescent-wave pushing him backwards, his torn and battered muscles straining immensely. He grit his teeth, yellow and blue energy flickering from his zanpakuto, the waves engulfing his comparatively miniscule form starting to stir up vigorously. Wordlessly, an arc of energy expelled from his own weapon, the two energies pressing back against one another imperatively. For a moment, the reciprocating equalization held back the strengthening opposition, but it was for naught as it pressed onwards, persistently pushing back the overwhelmed Ichigo. Slowly chipping away his attack, the surging power radiated against his battered skin, blisters squelching open from the immense power.

The orange-haired hybrid winced, puss and blood drizzling down his fingers, the rate of his breath hitching as he forcibly stepped forward. Extending his reach, his reiatsu spiked furiously, his emotions soaring. Another step was taken, swirls of reiatsu hugging the outlines of his arms as he opened his mouth, shouting, "GETSUGA TENSHŌ!"

With immense effort, he pierced the wall of power opposing him, dismantling the pitless force that had deteriorated his fighting condition. Heaving tiredly, he scowled at Zangetsu from across motionless waters, all movement terminating, the only change discernible being the torpid swishing of both their clothes.

"Zangetsu! This has been going on for hours! You have refused to talk since we began! What am I supposed to be learning?!" Ichigo shouted, his breath caught in his throat. "Wasn't I supposed to control my powers? Rather than that, you've been trying to kill me! Answer me!" Ichigo raged vehemently, bubbles levitating as air pockets formed. With a blank face, very reminiscent of the old man, Zangetsu did nothing aside from stare. The motionless facade finally desisted a short pause later, his wrist bending as he instantly appeared in front of Ichigo - his sword swinging once again - without a vocal answer. Their blades connected, the force from Zangetsu's swing blasting Ichigo backwards, propelling him into multiple buildings. Each collision lessened his hold over his sword, his lips parting hurtfully from the confusion, betrayal, pain, and so much more.

Securing his hold on his zanpakuto, he spun in the air, stabbing the sword into the side of a building, the blade dragging across the surface like someone's finger would while performing glissando. The intent was to break off his free fall, barely managing to stop his movement just as Zangetsu reappeared, his sword once again held. Parrying the blow, Ichigo pressed against the blade, sparks illuminating both of their faces; Ichigo's full of confusion and anger; and Zangetu's of emptiness and… disappointment?

"ANSWER ME!" Ichigo demanded, his blood swirling into the clear water, his skin mildly numb from the cold temperatures. Not receiving a response, he broke the deadlock, boosting forwards as he took the initiative, swinging at Zangetsu with stride and purpose. Like two shooting stars dancing throughout the midnight sky, blue and purple glided across the deep ocean, their speeds augmenting greatly as geometric patterns were left in the wake. Clash upon clash and sparks upon sparks. Each clash was a reason to keep moving forward. One strike before the next reverberating echoes across the sunken realm, underwater buildings shaking before ultimately collapsing. While the fight perpetuated to blinding heights, their momentum climbing each time they collided swords, Ichigo felt a disturbance; a familiar signature. They were distressed. They were hurting. They needed him!

'That's… Nel! She's... she's in danger! I have to end this!' he thought panicked, his sword illuminated bright, deep black emerging for the first time since his conversion into becoming a Hollow. "I am SICK of THIS game! If you're not going to answer me, then I will make you submit like the many times I have in the past. I can't afford to play around when Nel is in danger!"

He could feel it. Nel was about to perish. Her reiatsu has diminished to almost nothing. Almost snarling, he rose his zanpakuto, thick arcs of black expelling outwards as they rushed towards the semi-surprised Zangetsu, the first displays of emotion he's shown since the start of this childish farce. Explosions rang out, the tides of the water rushing in all directions as Ichigo too was met by black energy attacks. He leaned forwards, a shockwave propelling from where he was just standing as he blasted off with blinding intention. Slashing like a madman, he canceled out the energy attacks with his own, his reflexes heightening as he evaded the ones he missed. Spinning and twisting, he soared as if his life depended on it - when in actuality - the life of someone he cares about greatly was at risk. Gripping his handle with a new intensity, a chain within himself crumbled to dust, a flame lighting anew.

A feeling of calm washed over his rage, his breathing steadying as he observed the unmoving Zangetsu, a glimmer shining in his eye. At this sight, Ichigo's heart panged, understanding the lesson he had missed from the very start. This was the same realization he had understood when he was training to learn the Final Getsuga Tenshō.

'What an idiot I am… from the very beginning,' he quietly started, surging ahead like a lightning bolt, his sword pointed to pierce. 'It was never a fight against Zangetsu. It never was.'

The chains that anchored his feet to the ground, and the ropes that bound his wings from flying, they both vanished; a visible blue glowing from his eyes. Trust. Hope. The power to protect. Resolve. These were the things that were being held back from him. No longer would he allow the people he cares about to be harmed. No longer would he be tormented by the shadows of those that have yet to attack. It was his way or no way.

Driving forwards with a rush of understanding and a sense of melancholy, his body flickered before booming, vanishing from his spot through his fastest speed feat to date; unconsciously merging both shunpo and sonido to create something new. With this new elevation, he was instantly in front of Zangetsu, his sword sinking into his chest like a sword to a sheath. Silence reigned across the dying down waves, everything coming to a halt as even the movement of the water froze. Raising his head, Zangetsu stared at Ichigo, immense joy and pride etched onto his features. The sword that was plunged into his chest began to dissolve, and the sword Zangetsu held, merged into it. From the reforming mass of power, energy lashed outwards, the potency raw and refined.

"This wasn't about controlling your powers," Zangetsu started, his voice lower than usual. "While this will certainly help you, it was unrealistic to say you would stay within your inner world until you mastered your powers. From the very beginning, this was about..."

"... learning to stop fearing my own powers. To stop fearing what could become of me if I were to unleash my true strength. By stabbing you, just like what happened to me during my Dangai training, I've come to learn that my powers trust in me. They trust me to wield my powers to their fullest without fearing the consequences."

Nodding, Zangetsu smiled. "Yes. That was the point all along. During your Dangai training, you learned to trust us. This time, you were shown that your spirits trust in you. Remember this lesson well and never forget."

Ichigo smiled back, his head nodding despite a bittersweet feeling consuming him, his emotions feeling sort of numb, if he could describe it that way. Breaking from his pensive feelings, the blob of energy ahead of himself rang out, a glowing warmth blowing from the amalgamation.

"Accept it. That's the secret release to your Shikai," Zangetsu revealed. "You're were capable of releasing it without the command release, but remember this rule. A Shinigami's Shikai release is stronger when they announce it aloud. Now go! Save your friend!"

With nothing else to say, he extended his arm forward, his fingers touching the pool of energy before…

Flashback End - Hueco Mundo ~

"Split the Heavens Asunder, ZANGETSU!"

A vortex of energy pillared to the heavens, expulsions from the tornado-like vortex tossing the three Quincies away. Out of the three, only Haschwalth was capable of landing on his feet, both Liltotto and Bambietta getting flung into the sand as the pressure from the immense reiatsu was bearing down on them.

"W-What t-the hell?! How..." Bambietta stammered, regathering her breath to prevent herself from suffocating. "...does he h-have this much power?!"

At a matching sand dune, Liltotto was thinking the same. 'D-Damn, that strawberry sure is tough! No wonder His Majesty put him at the top of the Special War Powers. H-He never gives up when he really should!'

Standing off to the side, Haschwalth withstood the immense pressure, his expression remaining mostly passive except for the occasional lifting of his blonde eyelashes. Narrowing his emerald eyes, he witnessed a shadow leave the cataclysmic wind-storm of reiatsu, their hand holding an odd-shaped sword. The blade took the distinctive shape of a khyber knife, with a broad, curved design similar to a kitchen knife - albeit completely black. The grip was positioned at the base of the blade, and a long handle extended back from this, roughly the length of the person's forearm. Running throughout the center of the blade, from top to bottom, was a thin, hollowed-out portion. A design that seemed to suggest that something was missing from the equation.

Stepping out from that torrential tornado of power, Ichigo stared at his newly formed Shikai, warmth and determination visible within his gaze.

'Isn't that neat? I always wondered if my true Shikai would look similar to the one that's been shown in my inner world,' Ichigo recalled pleasantly, his hand gripping the long handle to test its physical feel compared to the metaphysical one of his inner world. The sword was only slightly different, the grip being slightly shorter, and the blade somewhat thinner. He speculated that the differences were because his powers weren't technically merged like they were within his inner world, thus the appearance was difference. Regardless of any the differences, he was still extremely content with his new Shikai. It was truly marvelous.

Appeased, he turned his head to his severed left arm, a grimace manifesting on his face as a thin branching membrane sprouted from where he had been sundered. Like clockwork, his cells regenerated; from his bones and muscles to his skin and nails, it all reformed effortlessly. Similar to how he tested his new blade's handle, he clenched his new hand, nodding his head approvingly. Sparing not a second more towards adjusting, he bent down and peeled his second zanpakuto from his old arm - making sure to evaporate the arm with his energy - before standing once more.

"I see that your new power-up has made you arrogant," Haschwalth interrupted. "But fear not, I will make sure to teach you a lesson that you won't forget. After this lesson, let's hope your cooperation will be more... aligned with His Majesty."

The vortex from Ichigo's transformation finally died out, a few last gusts launching outwards as sand wisped around messily, polluting the breathing air. Motioning his steps carefully, the protector crunched across the grainy ground, each step calculated. Speaking through the sandy film, Ichigo quipped, "Is that so? Are you sure you won't end up with your face pulverized into the sand like those two?"

Two figures lightning-bolted from the dunes, their forms landing a few feet away from Haschwalth. From each of them, sand crumbled from their wrinkled clothes, said particles clouding the air as they swatted their hands carelessly to dispel the obnoxious gathering. The comical swatting of their hands only served to irritate them more as the rough grains gravitated towards their boots. Bambietta was furious, her hair covered with sand, while her face twitched and roiled with indignation. When Ichigo looked at her, her anger magnified, the crystal-clear lividness of her emotions showing through her unmanageable pouting.

'I HATE THAT STUPID IDIOT!' She internally shouted, her toes cringing and curling from the pestilent encroaching sand. 'WHEN I AM DONE WITH HIM, I WILL MAKE SURE HIS BOOTS ARE FULL OF SAND TOO! I WILL... I WILL...- wait, he doesn't have any footwear on! Damnit! What a damn weirdo! I HATE HIM!'

Beside Bambietta, a fully illuminated and composed Liltotto stood. She shook the sand from her clothes, muttering to herself incoherently. The moment she made eye contact with Ichigo, she didn't have a mini fit like Bambietta. While annoyed, a part of her was conflicted and confused. She didn't really understand why Ichigo hadn't killed Bambietta. He very well could have, but decided against it. At the time when he could have, her emotions had gotten the better of her, having completely overlooked the fact that Ichigo had saved Bambi from a certain death fall. Not only that, he had also tended to her arm wound.

'The Daten did mention that he was rather naive and would fight tooth and nail to protect what he cares about. But isn't this a bit too much? To save the enemy doesn't make sense at all. Unless he had a reason that wasn't clearly projected,' Liltotto questioned absentmindedly, her golden wings thrumming methodically.

"We WEREN'T PULVERIZED!" Bambietta rebuked, her teeth grinding. "It'll be your face that's bashed in soon! Are you hearing me?"

Ichigo rubbed his temple, his watchful stare still trailing Haschwalth. "Pfft, are you like some sort of rabid animal? You keep talking all this nonsense, yet you're still over there and not in front of me attacking. Hurry up and reactivate your Vollständig or whatever you call it. I don't have all day."

Her rage looked to be at the precipice of insanity, a seething trigger moments away from being detonated. Obliging his request, her lunacy began to unstably rise, the reishi from the world being ripped away as it accumulated rapidly. However, at the height of the intensifying reishi, an eerie ticking noise chimed and whooshed, black shadows manifesting around the three Quincies.

Haschwalth momentarily expressed surprise, the corner of his eyes peering backwards as if disappointed in himself. "With so many of us away from Silbern, it would appear that our time limit has expired faster than anticipated."

Liltotto was just as surprised. And Bambietta, well, she was outraged.

"You were lucky this time, Ichigo Kurosaki. But next time, you won't have the luxury of time on your side, and when we meet again, you'll be dragged by your collar to answer before His Majesty," Haschwalth admonished, his eyes half-closed as he turned away from Ichigo. "Then again, there's always the possibility that His Majesty might find the time to visit this realm himself. Try to prepare yourself all you want, however, the outcome will be the same."

At the mention of a possible visit, Ichigo froze, his mind racing as he held up his zanpakutos, his jaw tightening. After hearing such a threat, he was not going to allow them to escape! He would strike Haschwalth down before he knew what happened. He had to be quick. A lightbulb went off within his head at the word "quick," a memory from his training resurfacing. He wasn't sure how he did it, but just like when he had done it before, he would allow his instincts to guide him to the conclusion. Sand blasted backwards, the dunes beneath him caving inwards as he ricocheted off the conforming ground. He breathed, tracing the outline of the retreating blonde man before flickering silently, only to be followed by a suppressed boom. Just as he had with Zangetsu, he found himself instantly behind his target, a single leap provided by the merging of sonido and shunpo proving vastly superior. Driving his blade forward, he laced the point of the sword with black reiryoku, its threatening presence mere inches from the unmoving Haschwalth.

'STOP ICHIGO!' Zangetsu shouted urgently, blatantly conveying the significance of his words. He was too late, though, the blade within Ichigo's hand stabbing forwards as it pierced Haschwalth's chest like butter. Even before he could comprehend Zangetsu's warning, he found himself flying backwards like a bullet, his legs and arms suspended ahead of himself as he couldn't stop the momentum of the blow. Crashing against a sandstone boulder, he fell to his knees, blood gushing from his chest as he held it. He wheezed, spurts of crimson spilling out the more his breath became unstable, the blood seeping through the cracks of his fingers without stop. This time around, he was capable of regenerating, but the amount of blood loss was starting to chip away at his consciousness.

'You idiot! Did you already forget what he did to you before? Were you not listening? He practically told you what his ability was, and you ignored it!' Zangetsu patronized harshly.

'sh*t, you're right!' Ichigo sourly admitted, pressing his hand harder against his chest to stem the flow of blood. 'He said he balanced his misfortune with my fortune... to reach a balance. Because I stabbed him...'

'...he used the misfortune of running out of time, and of being stabbed, to replace his injuries onto you. By the looks of it, he somehow doubled the damage as well,' Zangetsu disclosed, interrupting Ichigo.

"The reports about your hotheadedness were more true than I imagined. I have to say our first meeting was rather intriguing," Haschwalth's voice rang out from afar, his body disappearing into the shadows. "Until we meet again, Ichigo Kurosaki."

The last particles of the disappearing shadowy portals brought forth a cold, bitter silence. The winds of the empty landscape proved to be the only sign that life was still moving on. Minutes that felt like hours passed by, the final touches of regeneration patching Ichigo's injuries, his labored breathing finding it difficult to find a median. As expected, even more minutes passed after that, his breathing finally normalizing, and his excessively blurry vision regaining its clarity. Standing up with a wobble, he deactivated his Shikai, a task that was only possible because of his brief reiryoku balance training within his inner world. Attaching the blades to his waist, he walked across the sands, the moonlight from above calming his immense confusion, stress, and annoyance. He didn't know what to think about these Quincies.

Based on what Uryu had told him, they were all killed by the Shinigami two hundred years ago or something like that. The survivors, Uryu's grandfather in particular, were tortured and killed by the 12th Division's Captain. No, by the Shinigami! It was the same with any organization. By keeping someone who's clearly a nutjob, they are in turn encouraging their behavior by not punishing it. In spite of torturing the Quincies, the Shinigami turned a blind eye to it, pretending it didn't even happen. The more he thought about it, the more he wondered why Uryu wasn't more pissed. He had always spoken to Uryu's better nature, so perhaps because of his attitude towards complacency, Uryu followed his example. His thoughts trailed off to other issues the Shinigami ignored, such as the Rukongai Districts. The Soul Society was supposed to be a form of heaven, yet each of the districts were trashy, poor, and essentially stricken with poverty, famine, homelessness, and much more.

How could that be described as heaven? To him, heaven should be a place where no one has to worry about starvation, where they will sleep, how to earn enough money to not die, and embarrassingly enough, how to hide from an occasional Hollow that should not even be an issue, as the Shinigami should be eliminating them. If it wasn't for him knowing there were some good within their ranks, he would honestly believe they are the villains. Especially after they abandoned him, left him to die, attempted to kill him, and secretly tracked him via the combat pass. He then thought about what Aizen had done to Central 46. He killed them all after manipulating their actions. The fact that they carried that much power when they weren't involved with the matters of Shinigami was beyond nonsensical.

Shaking his head, he silenced the raging conflict, agreeing with himself that he would return to those matters another time. For now, he turned to the topic regarding the Quincies, his confusion extremely apparent.

'I wonder if the old man knows anything about the Quincies. He's the manifestation of my Quincy powers, so it's reasonable to believe he might know something,' Ichigo mused, his feet dragging across the terrain. 'Even if he does know something though, it's not like I can talk to him until I figure out how to pull him forth. There must be something else I can do.'

'Why don't ya talk to the weird shopkeeper? I'm sure you can sneak back into Karakura Town for a few minutes. Better yet, you could talk to Uryu and-' Zangetsu paused, remembering what had happened to Uryu.

Ichigo stopped walking, his eyes widening. 'Uryu... he was slashed by Tsukishima's Book of the End. Oddly enough, I don't remember seeing Tsukishima or Ginjo carrying Uryu with them when they left me to die. That doesn't explain why I don't recall seeing Uryu's body after I had transformed. If he wasn't kidnapped by Xcution, and the Shinigami didn't arrive until after I had died, then does that mean Uryu simply walked away? He was slashed by the Book of the End, so he could've just left me to die, thinking I was the irredeemable monster that they painted me as. But he could've been kidnapped by Xcution, and I was simply unconscious when it happened.'

Zangetsu remained quiet as Ichigo continued to overthink.

Kicking his foot into the sand aggressively, he vented his stress. Realizing that he had wasted more than enough time, he decided he would return to Nel. She was likely panicking, a thought that twisted his heart. The smartest thing he could do for now is regain his strength and talk to Harribel about this situation, after bringing Nel with him, of course. If answers couldn't be found, he would return to Karakura Town without the training he had planned to accomplish. He needed answers, and if he could talk to Urahara or find Uryu, he would without hesitation. Nodding his head, he turned in the direction of where he could sense Nel's reiatsu signature, smiling warmly when he realized she hadn't moved from her spot. Taking a step forwards, his leg muscles flexing from pushing against the ground, he whooshed away in a flash, a suppressed boom echoing silently as he had successfully merged shunpo and sonido once again. Since this was the third time he had managed to activate his new technique, he decided he would name the technique, as he was the founder. A moment passed, his mind thinking up a list of ideas. When he thought of one particular name, he knew it was the one. Once more, his body vanished, followed by a whoosh and a muted boom.

Seiteppu.