Chapter Text
Rukongai
A black-haired woman wearing white bandages on her head, as well as a white cape, stands at the edge of the Seireitei, glancing up to regard the giant gatekeeper with a slight smirk, “Do you think you can let us in, Jidonbo…?”
Jidonbo looks down at the Shiba woman and then at the group behind her, sweating as he gives a slight, nervous nod, “Y-yes, Lady Kukaku! B-but are you sure? It’s quite dangerous right now…”
Kukaku’s smirk widens as she confirms, “We’ve got people to save, so I’d appreciate it if you’d hurry up!”
The giant immediately turns around and begins lifting the gate, not wanting to earn the woman’s ire.
As he does this, Kukaku turns around to regard the group, “Remember—my cousins come first! We can worry about Urahara later!”
Behind Kukaku are Shinji and his group of exiled, visored Shinigami, all looking more than ready for a fight.
Shinji smirks as the group walks through the gate, commenting, “And bonus points for anyone who can kill that rat bastard, Sosuke Aizen…”
As the group enters, Kukaku regards another, white-haired individual, “Are you just gonna stand there…?”
Ryuken, wearing traditional-looking white armor exhales a stream of smoke from the cigarette he is holding before tossing it on the ground and stomping on it.
He then begins following Kukaku into the Seireitei as his eyes, for the first time in years, burn with the desire to fight, “I pray we are not too late…”
With Yuzu, Seireitei
Yuzu watches helplessly with widened eyes as Yamamoto quickly and precisely slashes the green-haired Arrancar woman across her chest with the ancient lance in his grasp, sending her to the ground, defeated. The Head Captain’s gaze remains ever cold and resolute as he continues to approach her and her friends slowly. The tall suspender wearing Fullbringer to her left charges at the living legend, a desperate expression on his face as he attempts to cut him with his blade. Despite his sudden attack, Yamamoto doesn’t so much as flinch as he sidesteps to evade while simultaneously striking the Fullbringer down with a second stroke of the lance.
Yuzu’s breath hitches as her body begins to tremble, spurring on a distorted voice from within her, “Are you just going to sit by and watch, Queen?!”
The girl is too astonished to respond as she then watches Riruka and Kon vainly stand between her and the Head Captain, the strained expressions on their faces a sign that they know their actions mean death. Yamamoto, however, doesn’t even deem them worthy of staining his blade as he instead merely glares coldly at them, his Reiatsu raining down intensely. Upon experiencing the legend’s monstrous Reiatsu, both of their bodies buckle, seemingly forced to the ground and losing consciousness on the spot, unable to handle the sheer gulf in power. To Yuzu’s left, Nozomi similarly buckles, falling to her knees as her eyes become whitened, losing consciousness.
Tears begin to form in the girl’s eyes as she watches Tatsuki too, to her right, finally give in to her exhaustion, falling to the ground and unable to move, “…h-he’s too strong… I can’t—!"
Yuzu gasps as she hears a labored voice call out to her immediate left, “Fullbring Evolution: Invaders Must Die, Hell’s Cradle!”
Suddenly, the air around Yamamoto begins to distort, causing him to pause as he is completely swallowed up in a blackened, glitch-like miasma. Yuzu flinches as Yukio grabs her left hand in his right and begins to lead her away from the battlefield. The girl’s eyes are full of concern as she notes the trails of blood leaking from the boy’s eyes, as well as how his veins seem to bulge from his body, suggesting he is over-exerting himself to a fatal degree. The duo does not get far, both widening their eyes as the glitch-like miasma explodes with flames. Yukio and Yuzu look behind them yet fail to find Yamamoto. Although, Yukio’s face becomes shocked as he raises his left arm, finding a cauterized stump in place of his hand.
Yuzu’s expression is full of horror, tears now streaming down her cheeks as she holds the boy’s bisected right hand in her left, “N-No…!”
In the next moment, blood spurts from a new, diagonal wound across Yukio’s chest, prompting his body to spasm before he too falls to the ground, motionless. Yuzu’s eyes shift downward, her pupils contracting as her mouth hangs slightly open. She slowly and unconsciously drops the boy’s hand, as feelings of blood lust begin to swell within her.
Yamamoto, standing behind the downed form of Yukio, grunts, not paying a great deal of attention to the girl, as he starts, “Now, it is time for your execution—!"
The Head Captain widens his eyes to find Yuzu suddenly before him with a golden blade of Reishi held above her head, “That’s a—!"
Yamamoto doesn’t finish his thought as Yuzu slams the blade down against the lance held defensively before him. The golden Reishi of the blade seemingly shatters, showing the Sokyoku is superior, however, the force of the blow manages to knock the lance toward the ground, away from the girl.
The Head Captain, still seemingly shocked by the Reishi blade, provides an opening that the Quincy girl takes without hesitation, planting her left foot on the Sokyoku and beginning to slam a barrage of punches, coated in Blut Vene, onto the captain’s face and chest. Yamamoto’s body jerks slightly as Yuzu’s punches continue to assault him, her teeth gritted in a wrathful scowl all the while. The Quincy girl suddenly reels back her right fist, which crackles with furious golden lightning as she slams it into the legend’s stomach. Yamamoto coughs as his body skids back slightly, now wearing a furious scowl of his own.
Yuzu begins to follow up with a left hook, although Yamamoto’s own, right fist slams suddenly against her face, still coated in Blut Vene, sending her crashing into the ground. The impact causes a small crater to form beneath the girl, who now groans slightly in slight pain from the attack. Yamamoto shifts his grip on the Sokyoku, pointing the bladed end down at the girl as he raises it with both hands. The lance suddenly transforms into a giant, fiery phoenix, which reels back in preparation to kill the girl before it.
As soon as the firebird lunges, however, ropes loop around its neck, restricting its movement as poles connecting the ropes are planted into the ground on both sides behind the Head Captain. Yamamoto hisses as he looks back, seeing Kyoraku, with a black eyepatch over his right eye, to his right, and Ukitake, currently wielding a large shield, to his left. Ukitake slams the shield into the ground between himself and the other captain, prompting the two to immediately slash down vertically along the shield with their Zanpakutos.
The ropes containing the firebird begin to light up as energy rushes through them, towards the bird’s neck. Yamamoto growls, thinking fast as he unsheathes the Zanpakuto on his waist, using it to quickly cut the rope to his right and allowing the phoenix to slightly break free before the energy can reach its neck.
Kyoraku curses as the Head Captain glares at the duo, “You two disappoint me… NO MERE SHIELD WILL IMPEDE ME—!"
The Head Captain cuts himself off as his expression becomes urgent upon hearing a buzz. He looks over to find the bruised and battered form of Sora, now back in his base, humanoid form, with the cut rope wrapped around his right and currently only arm and with the hilt of his Zanpakuto held in his mouth.
Time seems to slow somewhat as Sora’s eyes are contracted, staring at the living legend, “I don’t know anything about this rope, but I do know that if I pour Reiatsu into it, this guy will…”
Sora’s gaze becomes much fiercer as he jerks his head, stabbing his blade into the rope and allowing his energy to pour into it, “EAT sh*t!!!”
The Arrancar’s energy flows through the rope, which is once more tightened around the phoenix’s neck before the entirety of the rope lights up with Reishi. In the next moment, the firebird explodes in a bright orange, fiery explosion, catching the roaring form of Yamamoto in the blast as Yuzu simultaneously shields herself with Blut Vene.
Sora skids across the ground as he lands, releasing his hold on the rope as he does. He eyes the smoke where the Head Captain still surely is briefly before his eyes widen, in both shock and horror, which Ukitake and Kyoraku do as well.
As the smoke clears, Yamamoto, whose body is now slightly scorched, raises the cracked and breaking form of the Sokyoku above his head in his left hand. The Head Captain glares down upon Yuzu’s somewhat scorched form as he suddenly brings the lance down upon her.
However, as the captain brings down the lance, a young, feminine voice calls out, “SANTEN KESSHUN, I REJECT!!”
A light gold shield forms between the lance and Yuzu, causing the weapon to bounce off, easily repelling the weapon in its damaged state.
Yamamoto flinches as he hears yet another buzz to his left, glancing to find an individual run a black, ridged blade across their pale white left palm, drawing blood. The Head Captain watches as the blade’s owner allows this blood to seemingly mix with a furious, blackened red aura, causing it to turn a blackened purple.
Yamamoto widens his eyes in recognition as Ichigo, with rage in his eyes, brings his blazing, blackened Zanpakuto crashing against the lance, crying, “GETSUGA TENSHOU!!!”
In the next moment, the damaged lance snaps under the stress of the attack, no longer able to parry something as mighty as a Gran Rey Cero stacked on top of Ichigo’s Getsuga Tenshou. The blackened attack continues toward Yamamoto, but the captain ducks, allowing the attack to streak across the sky, missing him entirely. Ichigo saw this coming, so immediately follows up with a left hook into the captain’s jaw, sending him flying backward, a distance away from anyone else on the battlefield.
Yamamoto growls lowly as he lands, “So even you fight to preserve this girl’s life, do you White? Or should I say…”
The captain narrows his eyes as he regards Ichigo, whose hair and Gi flow in the ashen wind, standing protectively in front of Yuzu, “…Ichigo Kurosaki.”
Ukitake and Kyoraku widen their eyes upon hearing this, the former verbalizing his shock, “W-WHAT?! WHITE IS ISSHIN’S SON?!”
Kyoraku, meanwhile, tilts his hat, remarking in a solemn tone, “Well, now it all makes sense… why this Hollow would attack us so fiercely without warning…”
This causes the white-haired captain to tilt down his head in guilt, “None of this would’ve happened if we refused to put her to death…”
As the captains react to the new information, Yuzu stares at Ichigo’s back, tears streaming down her face, “I-Ichigo! H-he k-killed…!"
The Arrancar sighs lightly, explaining calmly as he still faces Yamamoto, “Both you and your friends will be alright, Yuzu. I’m here to make sure of that, and so are they…”
He tilts his head back slightly, regarding the group that arrived with him, “…right?”
Yuzu follows her brother’s gaze to find many familiar faces. In front is Chad, who holds his hand in a thumbs up, assuring her that Ichigo speaks the truth. Behind him is the enthusiastic face of Orihime, smiling gently at the girl. Ginjo and Uryu appear somewhat less enthusiastic, suggesting their cynical stances on the situation, although the girl can still tell they will do whatever it takes to bring everyone home safely. Behind them is a Shinigami and a plush peaco*ck, neither of whom she recognizes.
Yuzu scrunches her brows and purses her lips as her tears continue to fall, becoming emotional in light of everyone who had come and risked their lives for the sake of hers.
Ichigo regards the group once more, asserting, “Those who can’t fight, help the wounded. Once everyone’s safe, get out of the Soul Society as fast as you can. I’ll keep him busy…”
Nearly everyone in the group nods before moving to assist those who Yamamoto struck down earlier, including Uryu, albeit begrudgingly.
Yumichika, however, doesn’t agree with this as he questions Hanataro next to him, “B-but what about my body?”
Hanataro frowns slightly as he scratches his head, “Um… well, I think we’ll just have to worry about that later…”
The peaco*ck sulks slightly as he follows the Kaido master, who prepares to heal the wounded as requested. Yuzu widens her eyes as she watches Orihime and Hanataro, assisted by Uryu, begin to heal her allies, the former being the only one able to heal those inflicted by the Sokyoku.
This makes Hanataro huff in mild frustration, “W-why can’t I heal those wounds, but you can? I-is my Kaido not good enough…?”
Orihime shrugs, a smile on her face as she attempts to preserve the boy’s confidence in his field, “N-no, I’m sure it’s just something about how they were hurt!”
Ukitake, still a distance away, widens his eyes in shock at Orihime’s display, “How can she heal wounds from the Sokyoku?! Who—wait, I think I’ve seen her before…!”
Ichigo and Yamamoto continue to stare each other down as Sora walks past the Hollow King, toward the others, with a nervous look in his eye.
Ichigo doesn’t miss this look despite only seeing it in the corner of his eye, asserting quietly, “You should know your sister enough to know she will forgive you for what you did back then… face her.”
Sora’s gaze softens slightly, “Thanks, brother…”
Orihime finishes healing Yukio’s arm as she notes Sora’s approach, causing her to purse her lips, a nervous look on her face to match her brother. The one-armed Arrancar frowns slightly before letting out a light huff, sitting on the ground next to the girl.
Orihime widens her eyes as she is forced to regard the cauterized wound where the Arrancar’s left arm used to be as he asserts, “We can talk properly later, Orihime. But for right now, we need to focus on getting out of here safely like Ichigo said. Can you hold out until then?”
The auburn-haired girl nods slowly, light tears falling from her eyes as she chants, “Soten Kishun, I reject.”
Sora looks away slightly in guilt, not fully able to see the girl’s face as her shield begins to heal his arm.
His attention is grabbed when he hears her regard him further, “Big brother…”
Sora widens his eyes as he looks at Orihime’s tear-filled, yet smiling face, “…no matter what happens, I’m glad I could see you again!”
The man softens his gaze slightly as he can’t help but shed a tear as well, returning her smile, “Me too…”
Ichigo and Yuzu each smile slightly as they hear the other pair of siblings reunite, however, the girl widens her eyes as she hears someone regard her, “Kurosaki: catch!”
Yuzu turns towards the origin of the voice, catching her Quincy Cross as she does. She immediately feels her body readjust to the Cross’s presence, feeling all the much more powerful because of it.
She looks to find Chad and Ginjo standing a small distance away, “G-Ginjo?! Where did you…?”
Ginjo sends a brief and somewhat awkward look at Ukitake before rubbing the back of his neck, “Don’t worry about it…”
Yamamoto, meanwhile, sends a brief, angered look at the white-haired captain, causing him to tense slightly. Yet, the Head Captain doesn’t comment on it, instead turning his gaze back on Ichigo.
The Hollow King frowns, regarding the legend with a raised brow, “How come you haven’t attacked, old man? Did you suddenly decide to not kill my sister or something?”
Yamamoto scowls, “My orders were to slay Yuzu Kurosaki with the Sokyoku. You foolishly destroyed it, which will have severe consequences on both the Soul Society and Hueco Mundo!”
Ichigo scrunches his brows, shivering slightly at the Head Captain’s ominous warning, “What does he mean? Could that blade be connected to Hueco Mundo…? Don’t tell me that feeling I had has any truth to it…”
The young Hollow is pulled from his thoughts as the Head Captain concludes, pointing his Zanpakuto at both Ichigo and Yuzu, “This day has shown me that both of you are too dangerous for even myself to take lightly! As such, I cannot afford to act with anything less than my true power!”
Intense flames begin to coat Yamamato’s blade as he declares, “All things in this world turn to ashes, Ryujin Jakka!”
Everyone present and conscious immediately tenses as intense, flaming Reiatsu rains down on them. It is suffocating and intense, causing those present to feel the wetness leave their mouths as well as the heat threatening to burn away their skin just by being close to it.
Yuzu trembles as she feels the captain’s seemingly bottomless Reiatsu, however, widens her eyes as she notes the look of confidence in her brother’s eyes.
Ichigo returns the favor, pointing his blade at the Head Captain and declaring, “Protect, Zangetsu!”
Yuzu’s mouth hangs open as she feels Ichigo’s Reiatsu rains down and nullify the effect Yamamoto has on her. This is something that applies to everyone else, too, as they seemingly relax somewhat, the command the young Hollow used applying in a literal sense. The Quincy girl still can’t believe the sensation of the Reiatsu, feeling that it is definitely stronger and more refined than even what it was as a Vasto Lorde. All eyes shift on Ichigo now, taking in his appearance which is similar to when he was a Vasto Lorde, dawning his full, horned mask with two golden, blackened eyes underneath once more. He has regained his white armor as well, and there is the addition of a tail and a blackened Gi beneath it.
Without wasting any further time, Ichigo’s red Reishi wings sprout from his back, igniting and propelling him at the Head Captain at impressive speeds. Yamamoto swings his blade at the incoming Hollow, burning away at his skin. The Hollow fights through the pain, however, as his flying and smoking body tackles the captain to the ground with such force that they bounce across the earth like a pebble across the water. As the two regain their bearings, they immediately resume their intense clash, sending shockwaves across the battlefield as their blades connect.
Ukitake watches the clash, conflicted, “We should help him, shouldn’t we…?”
Kyoraku tilts his hat slightly, hiding his eye from his friend, “I’d say so… even if he is helping to save Isshin’s daughter, it wouldn’t bode well to leave him as a Hollow, especially given how strong he is. If we help purify him, maybe we can talk some sense into old man Yama… but…”
The two captains frown slightly as they regard Chad and Ginjo standing before them, looking ready for a fight.
Kyoraku sighs as he finishes, “…it looks like you two are going to stop us from doing that…”
Ukitake immediately follows up, a strained expression as he regards Ginjo in particular, “Step out of the way, Kugo! If we don’t purify him, Ichigo’s soul will never know peace!”
Ginjo scowls as he raises a brow, “Well, it looks to me like he’s already found his peace. And, honestly, I don’t care if he did—I just won’t let you strike him down in front of his sister.”
The white-haired captain looks away slightly, perhaps in guilt.
Another shockwave booms across the battlefield as Kyoraku then regards Chad in mild interest, “And what about you?”
Chad’s expression is as stern as ever as he raises his fists in front of him, offering a simple explanation, “Anyone who seeks to harm Ichigo or his family is my enemy.”
Kyoraku sighs as both he and Ukitake somewhat begrudgingly draw their blades, preparing to clash with the Fullbringers, “It seems negotiations are over, then…”
Meanwhile, Squad 1 Barracks
Toshiro and Gin continue their clash, the younger Shinigami wearing a look of frustration as his Bankai struggles against the captain, “He’s not even using his Bankai, yet I can’t strike him down?! I always thought we were more equal than this!”
The combatants break off from a clash, causing them to skid back a distance along the hallway. Gin notices the battle between Rangiku and Sasakibe behind Toshiro, his eyes widening slightly as he feels the latter’s Reiatsu begin to rain down.
Sasakibe points his rapier skyward, an angered expression on his face as he declares, “Enough of this farce! BANKAI: KOKO GONRYO RIKYU!”
A storm cloud forms in the air above the vice-captain before sparking down and striking his blade. The lightning then extends to form a dome of lightning bolts that stand in the air before him, awaiting their summoner’s cue to attack. Rangiku flinches at the sight, backpedaling slightly as Sasakibe begins to run his blade against the bolts, causing them to all collect at the tip of the rapier.
Gin’s Reiatsu begins to maliciously pour fourth as well, making Toshiro widen his eyes and buckle under the strain as the captain likewise calls, “Bankai: Kamishini no Yari…”
Sasakibe lunges at Rangiku while Toshiro braces himself for impact, fully expecting Gin’s Bankai to strike at any moment. However, and unexpected to the young Shinigami, Gin’s strike flies right past him and directly at Sasakibe without warning, cutting through the man’s right wrist and sending his blade and hand to the ground faster than anyone can blink. Everyone in the hall looks at Gin with widened eyes, confused as to what just happened. Before Sasakibe can so much as register the pain, Gin’s Bankai shoots at him at rapid fire, faster than anyone else in the room can perceive. Sasakibe’s body is riddled with wounds and cuts from Gin’s rapidly elongating and retracting blade, leaving blood to spew forth, at this point drenching his body in it. The captain suddenly stops his onslaught as the pupils leave the vice-captain’s eyes before he promptly falls to the floor, a bleeding mess.
Rangiku and Toshiro continue to wear shocked looks as Gin places his Zanpakuto in his sheath and casually walks along the hall, approaching the downed vice-captain. The silver-haired man bends over, stealing something from Sasakibe, before standing upright, spinning a ring of keys around his finger. Gin smirks as he tosses the keys to Toshiro, who catches them and stares at them in confusion.
As the captain begins to leave, he gives the pair a wave and remarks, “You’d better let him out quick…~”
Toshiro frowns and begins to call after the man, “Ichimaru, wait—!"
The young Shinigami widens his eyes as Rangiku puts her arm in front of him, blocking his path.
The boy looks up questioningly as the woman merely urges, “Let him go. We have more important things to worry about right now.”
Toshiro’s gaze softens slightly before he gives a nod and rushes into the room where Isshin is being held.
The blonde woman looks at Gin’s back briefly, her own eyes softening, “I just… don’t understand you…”
Without any further thought, the woman follows after the younger, white-haired Shinigami, leading her to a prison cell. Currently, Toshiro kneels down, hastily attempting to undo the shackles on the older middle-aged-looking man.
Isshin barks at the boy, “Why are you helping me, you dumbasses? Don’t you know what they’ll do to you?!”
Toshiro momentarily ignores the man as he regards Rangiku, “Matsumoto, his Zanpakuto should be over there.”
Rangiku nods before approaching a shelf at the edge of the room and retrieving Isshin’s Engetsu.
It’s at this point that the Shiba man notices the missing attire on both Rangiku and Toshiro, “…wait… where’s your captain’s Haori and vice-captain’s badge…?”
Toshiro hisses, poison lacing his words, “We don’t need them anymore. Now hold still so I can let you free!”
Isshin does as requested, a serious look on his face as Rangiku approaches with his Zanpakuto, “You two didn’t have to do this for me…”
An angered tick mark forms on Rangiku’s head before she bends over and yells at him, “What the hell?! I’d expect you to be more grateful—!"
The white-haired boy sternly cuts her off, “That’s enough Matsumoto!”
The woman frowns before looking away, crossing her arms as she pouts quietly.
Toshiro continues to undo Isshin’s bindings as he elaborates, “I owe you a debt… You saved my life and taught me everything I needed to know to be an upstanding captain of the Gotei 13… That we ought to continue fighting for the greater good—for the good of all who occupy the world. Yet…”
The boy trembles slightly as Isshin closes his eyes, knowing where he is going with this.
Toshiro grits his teeth, a look of genuine frustration and perhaps hurt on his face as he states, “How is putting an innocent girl to death possibly for the greater good?! I refuse to accept it could be!”
The trio of former Squad 10 Shinigami remain in silence as the boy undoes the final binding, causing Isshin’s Reiatsu to begin raining down with great intensity. As the man rises to his feet, he takes his Zanpakuto from Rangiku and fastens it to his belt.
He lets out a brief sigh as he turns away from the duo, “Thank you… I won’t forget this…”
Toshiro and Rangiku don’t reply, leaving Isshin’s expression to become serious and blood-lusted as a fiery aura coats his body. Without further delay, the man draws his sword with great speed, causing the wall before him to collapse before he lunges through it at speeds that the other two Shinigami cannot follow.
With his eyes set on the battle in the distance, Isshin’s thoughts are resolute, “Sit tight, Yuzu… Dad’s on his way…”
With Kenpachi, Seireitei
Kenpachi sits on a pile of rubble, letting his Zanpakuto rest against his still bleeding chest as Yachiru sits next to him, kicking her legs out in front of her as she hums. A bored look rests on the man’s face as he looks off distantly, all in all, unsatisfied with the way things have been playing out for him. The captain perks up as he hears footsteps approaching, turning to find a bald Shinigami stumbling towards him.
Ikakku has a light blush on his face as he leans against a wall, looking ready to hurl, yet still keeping himself together enough to speak with his captain, “Captain… I won…”
Kenpachi raises a brow as he hears the man hiccup before looking away and snorting, “Good for you…”
The bald man blinks, his expression becoming more serious despite his drunken state, “D-did you win?”
The captain grits his teeth, a frustrated look now on his face as he barks, “That damned beast man left before it could even become a proper fight to the death! Something about helping the old man…”
Ikakku looks off in the distance, particularly at the fire in the skies, “Damn… I wouldn’t want to get in the middle of that…”
Ichigo vs Yamamoto, Seireitei
Ichigo and Yamamoto’s clash leaves streaks of blackened red and orange fire across the skies of the Seireitei, the raw power shaking those who witness the battle to their cores. Ichigo’s wings flash bright red as he pushes his black, blade fists further into Yamamoto’s blade, the Reishi from his wings also leaving reddened streaks across the sky.
The Arrancar opens his mouth to roar as his blades are once more coated in blackened red flames, “GETSUGA—!”
The Hollow King is cut short as the Head Captain chops him on the neck, causing the younger being to gasp as his attack disperses somewhat. Yamamoto wastes little time in swinging his flaming blade downward, engulfing the Hollow in a sea of hellfire. Ichigo screams in pain as his skin burns away, leaving charred and exposed muscles behind. Yamamoto notices the Arrancar’s skin beginning to heal, so brings his Zanpakuto back up, catching the Hollow in the flaming dance of his slashes, burning away more and more of Ichigo with every slash, even going as far as melting his white bone armor.
Uryu, on the ground below, coldly ignores the events in the skies as he approaches Yuzu, barking, “Yuzu, get over here! We have to go!”
Yuzu doesn’t hear her cousin as she looks up at the battle with widened eyes, hearing her brother’s screams while sensing his plummeting Reiastu. Around her, the other Ryoka look away somewhat dejectedly as most of the wounded appear to have been healed, as well as having regained their consciousness. Of particular note, Orihime has tears in her eyes as she looks away and leans into the now-standing form of Tatsuki. The Karate girl herself winces, only just now discovering that Ichigo is still around, albeit as a Hollow. Meanwhile, Sora and Nelliel, still appearing quite tired, look ready to enter the fight, but pause as they notice golden particles float through the air around them, toward Yuzu.
Uryu frowns, his brows scrunching as he looks upon the girl, “Yuzu?! What are you…?”
The girl’s left hand, with her mother’s Quincy Cross around her wrist, raises to point toward the sky. Uryu widens his eyes in realization as the golden light particles form into a radiant bow, which shines as brightly as the sun itself. The Quincy girl’s eyes lock on the Head Captain, currently barbequing her brother, as they contract, and she pulls back on the bowstring.
The girl’s focus is unbreakable as she gets a clear shot, declaring, “LICHT REGEN!!!”
An intense shockwave occurs as the girl’s attack launches into the sky, breaking into thousands of bolts, all aimed at the Head Captain. The sheer intensity of the light alone forces Yamamoto to look away from Ichigo for a moment, pausing his onslaught of flames. The old captain growls as he swings his fire sword at the bolts of light, causing them to disperse against his wall of flames.
Rain droplets begin to fall from the sky, sizzling as they hit Ichigo’s smoking body. The young Hollow’s right arm is a charred mess, having been nearly completely burnt away, while his white armor and mask have melted to become disfigured, seemingly having glued to his face and torso. Despite this, his Reishi wings are still bright red, keeping him afloat as his gold and black eyes shine with desperate determination.
As the Head Captain turns to regard the disfigured Hollow, he is met by Ichigo’s smoking left blade fist, which cuts the captain deeply across the face, making a distinct ‘rip’ sound before blood gushes freely. Yamamoto howls in pain as Ichigo’s right, disfigured fist begins to heal itself and holds a crackling, unstable red Cero within it. Ichigo suddenly slams his fist with the Cero in it into the Head Captain’s face, knocking his head back slightly, before then wrapping both of his arms around his torso and rocketing downward. Yamamoto growls as he headbutts the Hollow, causing his mask to completely break off, although still leaving the forward-facing horns. Ichigo’s hold on the captain breaks but he is still able to throw hands with the captain. The duo strike at each other viciously with their fists, blades, and horns; both once more fully intent on killing the other as they plummet toward the ground, the rain following them.
Yamamoto suddenly grabs Ichigo harshly on the shoulder with his left hand before flipping through the air and sending the Hollow crashing into the ground in front of Yuzu, creating a crater. Ichigo gets up slightly from the crater as both he and Yuzu look up to find the Head Captain with his raging fire sword held above his head, clearly intent on making his next attack incinerate both of them.
Time seems to freeze as the Ryoka, including Chad and Ginjo currently holding off Kyoraku and Ukitake, stare in horror at the incoming attack, knowing they are powerless to stop it. Because everyone had been so focused on the battle before them, they neglected to notice a particular girl wearing a black Gi arrive with the rain. This new arrival wields two blades coated in a fluid-like, blue aura. She strikes the air in front of her in a horizontal manner with a short, black knife-like blade in her left hand, causing a blue slash to float in the air momentarily. In the next moment, she brings a longer, blue blade down vertically to cut it, sending the attack off in the shape of a cross.
It is as the girl does this that people notice, as she roars the attack’s name, “GETSUGA JUJISHO!!!”
All present stare in awe as the attack crashes into Yamamoto’s flames, seemingly holding it back for just a moment as the attacks collide before quickly being overcome by the hellfire. That moment, however, was all Ichigo needed, as he regains his bearings, briefly charges a Cero between his horns, and fires it off, causing it to cancel out the remainder of the Head Captain’s attack.
Yamamoto lands on the ground shortly after as he, and everyone else, stares at the Shinigami girl, the Head Captain growling in disgust, “Karin Shiba…”
Ukitake stares in awe and confusion at the girl, “KARIN?! She’s supposed to be with Rukia! And are those two Zanpakutos?!”
Karin stands defiantly, her breath somewhat labored and her eyes puffy and bloodshot from crying earlier. She begins to make her way toward her siblings as everyone else watches quietly, wondering how this will play out. Karin looks at Yuzu as they are close, scrunching her brows as she takes in her sister’s rather different appearance from the last time they saw each other. Yuzu likewise widens her eyes at the sight of her sister, looking upon her for the first time in over a year, unable to properly word how she feels about it.
Ichigo, however, hisses as he turns to regard the Shinigami girl, “What are you doing here?! I TOLD YOU TO GO THE f*ck HOME!”
Karin grits her teeth before snapping back at the Arrancar, thoroughly pissed, “YOU DON’T GET TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO, HOLLOW! IF YOU THINK I’M JUST GOING TO LEAVE LIKE A COWARD WHEN MY SISTER NEEDS ME, THEN YOU ARE MORE OF A DUMBASS THAN I THOUGHT!”
An angry tick mark forms on Ichigo’s head as he growls lowly, an angry smirk and twitching brow gracing his features, “Dumbass, huh? Takes one to know one, brat…”
The scarred girl looks ready to say something more, but stops as she hears light giggling, turning to look upon her sister, “What’s so funny…?”
Yuzu wears a wide smile as she wipes a tear from her eye, “It’s just… I can’t help but think, despite the situation, this is just like how it was back then… when everything was normal.”
Both Ichigo and Karin soften their expressions slightly, realizing that the girl is referencing how ‘lively’ it used to be in their household, before the events that split them apart.
Their moment, however, is interrupted as another wall of flames is sent toward them. As if acting on instinct, Yuzu launches a golden arrow as Ichigo and Karin launch respective blackened red and blue Getsugas at the fire. The siblings’ combined attacks fight against the flames of the Shikai for a moment, before starting to get overcome. Ichigo clicks his tongue before suddenly grabbing Yuzu and Karin around their waists and using Sonido to retreat slightly, avoiding the remnants of Yamamoto’s flames. Ichigo places his sisters back on their feet before they all look at the Head Captain with disdain.
Yamamoto scowls as he regards the battle-hardened gazes of the Shinigami, Hollow, and Quincy before him, asserting, “I expected more of you, Karin Shiba! You have furthered the disgrace your father brought to the Shiba Clan by siding with Hollows and Quincies!”
Karin’s frown deepens as she declares adamantly, echoing the words of a certain captain, “I HAVE CHOSEN TO PURSUE MY OWN JUSTICE! The honor of the Soul Society holds no meaning to me!”
The Head Captain narrows his eyes as she points her knife-like blade at Ichigo, “But don’t worry, I’ll cut him down right after we’re done with you!”
The girl’s comment causes Yuzu to snap at her sister and wear a disapproving frown, “KARIN! That’s a horrible thing to say!”
The scarred girl shrugs as she clarifies, “Let’s get this straight, Yuzu. He might be Ichigo, but he’s still a Hollow. Take one look at him and tell me you honestly think he’s found peace in the afterlife! Can you say he has?!”
Yuzu widens her eyes slightly as she regards her battle-worn brother, his form still somewhat disfigured and bloodied despite his high-speed regeneration. She notes in particular the strained look in his eyes, which seem to relay that he refuses to fall until he has seen the captain before him destroyed.
The Quincy girl purses her lips and looks away, “I…”
Ichigo, despite himself, smiles as he suddenly decides to ruffle Karin’s hair, causing her to blush and scowl as she knocks his hand away, “W-what are you doing?! DON’T TOUCH ME!”
The Hollow chuckles, “At least you think I’m me now! I’ll take what I can get!”
Karin huffs, a blush still on her face as she looks away slightly, “Whatever…”
Ichigo then sighs and asserts, “In any case, you both need to get out of here. I’ll hold him off myself while you escape.”
The black-haired girl looks somewhat indifferent to this as Yuzu, with tears in her eyes, pouts with great passion, “NO! I’m done letting people get hurt or risk their lives for me! I’m helping you whether you like it or not!”
Karin meanwhile shrugs, sighing, “You know how stubborn she is. When she’s like this, there’s no changing her mind, so might as well let us help. You suck too much to fight him by yourself, anyway. He’d catch up real quick…”
Karin’s jab shakes Ichigo to his core, irritating him profusely as he growls, his back turned on the two, “FINE! If you two want to risk your lives like a couple of dumbasses, I can’t stop you! But don’t you DARE slow me down or get yourselves hurt!”
Yuzu’s expression lightens somewhat as the Shinigami girl smirks knowingly, stating, “We’ll also take what we can get—"
Karin is cut off as the siblings are forced to address the foe before them again, his roar echoing across the battlefield as his flaming energy erupts, “ENOUGH! ALL OF YOU FOOLISH WHELPS WILL DIE!”
Yamamoto launches himself at the trio, his fire blade drawn back to strike. Ichigo’s mask seems to suddenly regrow itself, clamping over his face as he lets out his own roar, his flaming black blade fists intercepting the Head Captain’s blows, producing a shockwave. Yuzu and Karin buckle under the Reiatsu of their brother and the legend, however, still wear resolute and defiant looks, following after Ichigo to join the clash.
Yamamoto slashes Ichigo across the chest, causing the Hollow to howl in pain as the flames burn away at his guts. The Head Captain ferociously proceeds to grab the Hollow by one of his horns before flipping him over his head and slamming him into the ground. Ichigo bounces off the ground slightly, looking at Yama with widened eyes as the captain prepares to bring his blade down.
However, a golden bolt of light strikes the captain in the back, causing him to stagger forward slightly and growl as he looks at Yuzu. Yamamoto widens his eyes as he is met by an aqua-blue blade slashing at his neck, which he narrowly avoids by tilting his head back. Karin, now before the captain, isn’t done as she brings her shorter black blade, held in a reverse grip, at the captain, flaming with blackened blue energy. Yamamoto adjusts the hold on his blade, readying to bring it upward to cut the girl in half, as her attacks are far slower than any of his. Unfortunately for the legend, Ichigo quickly rolls onto his hands before launching his feet directly into the Head Captain’s back, completely throwing off his stance.
Karin jabs her blade at Yamamoto, however, her attack seems currently unable to pierce his skin to any meaningful extent, the gulf in their Reiatsu too large. Despite this, the girl’s determination only increases as her right eye becomes golden with black sclera, allowing her blazing blue blade to cut deeper into the legend’s chest. It is still not enough, however, as Yamamoto’s blade blazes more itself, prepared to cut the girl down. This is when Yuzu acts again, focusing on Karin’s blade, and firing another golden arrow at the blue gem at the bottom of the hilt. The force of the arrow pushes Karin’s blade deeper into Yamamoto’s chest, causing his body to briefly seize as Karin’s Reiatsu pours out intensely, the rain simultaneously coming down harder.
“GETSUGA TENSHOU!!”, the Shinigami girl calls as she cuts diagonally across the man’s chest, blowing him back at Ichigo.
The Hollow King has a vicious look in his gaze as he slams his fist, with the red energy of Cero coating it, into the Head Captain’s back, causing him to further lose his balance. Ichigo goes in for another attack, this time with a blade fist, however, is forced to use Sonido to dodge as Yamamoto swings his blazing hellfire blade back at him, scorching the very earth itself.
The rain sizzles as it hits the battlefield and Yamamoto uses his flames to cauterize the wound across his chest, staring angrily at the three siblings before him—a Shinigami, Hollow, and Quincy. Ichigo’s sisters flank him once more as they ready their weapons and begin to charge in once more, re-engaging the living legend.
As the siblings continue to engage Yamamoto in combat with great synergy, Sora can’t help it as tears stream down his face at the sight, “You’re doing it, brother…!”
Meanwhile, Nelliel and Tatsuki frown, looking ready to intervene. To their confusion and annoyance, Sora and Orihime stand in front of them, causing them to stop in their tracks.
Nelliel raises a brow, “Why are you stopping us? Shouldn’t we—?!"
The woman cuts herself off as she notices Sora’s crying before he shakes his head and crosses his arms, “No… This is their fight!”
Tatsuki tilts her head to the side, thrown off by the man’s tears, “But… why? Won’t their chances be much higher of winning if we help?”
Sora’s words become passionate as his tears subside somewhat, “We’d only get in the way of their synergy—their bond!”
Orihime nods her head with great vigor, mimicking her brother as she crosses her arms and elaborates comically, “You see, despite not seeing each other in over a year, their synergy is flawless! You of all people should understand what’s happening, Tatsuki! They are all in what athletes like to call ‘The Zone’. If we were to throw them off their game now, they might make a critical mistake! It’s better if we go and help them when it is clear that they need it.”
The serpent Arrancar snaps his fingers as he wears a proud expression, “Precisely, little sister! Couldn’t have put it better myself!”
Orihime smiles widely as she sheepishly rubs the back of her head, “T-thanks…!”
Tatsuki deadpans, her brow twitching slightly, “You two numbskulls really are siblings…”
Nelliel, meanwhile, reacts with a wide smile of her own as she clasps her hands together, “Well I think it’s great!”
Behind the Arrancars is the remainder of the group, watching the battle in muted silence, unable to contribute much for their Reiryoku is low. Yumichika, back in his normal body, doesn’t seem to pay the battle much mind as he seems to act like his old smug self in front of Riruka. The man is quick to behave himself, however, as the pig-tailed girl seems to threaten him by holding up the peaco*ck plushie again.
As this occurs, Yukio in particular weakly looks on in interest, “Beyond Orihime’s explanation, it’s also like a team boost in RPGs… I think… either way, Yuzu and her sister’s ‘stats’ are definitely increasing by fighting with their brother… they’re catching up with him…”
Ichigo, Yuzu, and Karin vs Yamamoto
Ichigo’s black blades strike at Yamamoto again and again, each blow laced with killing intent. Despite this, the Head Captain easily evades and backpedals, having no trouble dealing with the Hollow’s attacks. What does prove troublesome, however, is the addition of Yuzu, constantly providing cover fire with her arrows, and Karin, assisting Ichigo in close quarters.
The Head Captain shifts his focus on Karin, knowing she cannot dodge his blows, but this proves futile as Ichigo is always there to parry all blows directed at the young Shinigami. This further permits Karin with opportunities to slash at the captain herself—her blows being noticeably weaker than Ichigo’s, but still able to prove problematic for Yamamoto if she can consistently attack him. Indeed, surface-level wounds from Yuzu and Karin’s attacks riddle Yamamoto’s body, which cauterize nearly as soon as they appear due to the heat of his Shikai. Yamamoto roars as he slashes his fire blade in front of him, forcing Ichigo to grab Karin and retreat slightly via Sonido, appearing next to Yuzu a distance away.
Yamamoto’s breath is somewhat heavy, suggesting his light exhaustion with having to deal with three prodigies at the same time, whose powers only grow as the fight goes on.
He suddenly decides on a slight change in tactics, flicking back his left index finger and firing off a red blast, “HADO NUMBER 31: SHAKKAHO!”
The blast flies off, directly at Karin, only allowing her with enough time to catch the attack with both of her blades, held defensively in a cross in front of her, before being blasted off into a building in the distance as the red Kido explodes.
Ichigo and Yuzu momentarily look back in worry, both shouting, “KARIN!”
Due to this, the Hollow is unable to properly react as Yamamoto appears before him in a flash, slashing down at him with his flaming Zanpakuto, cutting off his right arm. Ichigo staggers backward before Yamamoto roundhouse kicks him in the head, sending him slamming into the ground. As this happens, Yuzu gets up close to Yamamoto, holding a golden dagger in her right hand which she uses to cut at the captain on his unguarded side. Yamamoto expertly grabs the girl around her wrist, halting her attack, before bringing her in and chopping her in the neck with the pommel of his Zanpakuto. Normally such an attack would knock her out, but in this case, Yuzu has blocked it with her Blut Vene, allowing her to maintain consciousness.
Yamamoto grunts before swinging the girl through the air and slamming her into the ground, kicking up a puddle of water and further drenching her clothes due to the rain. The Head Captain wastes no further time in going for a killing blow, plunging his fire blade directly at the downed Quincy.
His momentum is halted as white, freshly regenerated clawed hands desperately hold back his arm, buckling as they struggle due to the difference in strength. Yamamoto’s scowl deepens as he then sends his palm slamming into Ichigo’s face, causing it to jerk backward, although the teen Hollow still maintains his grasp. Yuzu hastily repositions her body through the wet mud before sending her leg, smeared with blood and mud and coated in Blut Vene, knocking against the back of the Head Captain’s leg, breaking his stance somewhat.
Yamamoto growls before slamming his fist down on Ichigo’s head with such force that his eyes roll into the back of his head and his grip loosens. The Head Captain attempts to swing his sword at Ichigo, however, Yuzu acts quickly, running from her position on the ground, planting a golden lance into the ground, and grabbing onto it to spin her body through the air, sending her feet, blazing with a furious golden and blue aura, slamming into Yamamoto’s back.
Yamamoto’s body lurches forward slightly, allowing his blade to miss the staggering form of Ichigo as he glares at the Quincy behind him. Suddenly, however, there is a flash in front of the captain, forcing him to turn his gaze to meet the battered and somewhat scorched form of Karin, holding an unstable crackling red ball of energy in front of her.
Yamamoto widens his eyes as Karin smirks viciously with bloodshot eyes, “Now it’s my turn—HADO NUMBER 31: SHAKKAHO!!!”
Karin and Yamamoto are both engulfed in a reddened explosion, which causes a small shockwave to flow across the battlefield.
As the battle between the siblings and Head Captain rages on, Ginjo and Chad are now joined by Tsukishima and continue to hold off Ukitake and Kyoraku, who are both using their Shikais.
The two captains look at the battle with worried expressions, causing Ginjo to comment, “You two ought to focus on yourselves before worrying about him…”
Ukitake’s frown deepens as he warns, “Please, Kugo. If this goes on any longer, Sir Genryusai will be pressured into using his Bankai against them! If that happens, both Karin and Yuzu will have no chance of getting out of here alive.”
Ginjo doesn’t respond, prompting Chad to warn in turn, “You both should be able to feel that Reiatsu approaching… I don’t know how strong that guy’s Bankai is, but I’m confident that Mr. Kurosaki is not in any mood to hold back, either. When Mr. Kurosaki joins the fight, I’d say your Head Captain will be the one with little chance of surviving, considering all the damage he’s taken thus far…”
The white-haired captain furrows his brows, remaining quiet as Kyoraku hides his nervous gaze under his hat, his thoughts equally uncertain, “The boy’s right… old man Yama won’t lose to those kids, but if Isshin is there helping them…”
The man narrows his eyes slightly, “…they might just have a shot…”
Ichigo, Yuzu, and Karin vs Yamamoto
Ichigo and Karin, both battered and with a focused look in their eyes, swing their dual blades, charged with the blazing energy of Getsuga Tenshou, directly at Yamamoto, slamming four energy beams into him. The attacks knock the captain back into a distant building, causing the structure to begin collapsing. The siblings stare at the sight briefly with narrowed eyes as Yuzu begins to knock back her bow, swirling with golden and blue Reishi.
The remnants of the building suddenly burst forth in brilliant flames, reducing it to ash, and prompting Yuzu to release her attack, calling once more, “LICHT REGEN!!”
Arrows of gold and blue color rain down on Yamamoto, along with the rain itself, as he rushes at the siblings in the distance. The Head Captain evades the arrows with great speed, appearing as a flash of orange fire streaking across the Seireitei. Ichigo growls at the sight, the blackened red aura coating his blades as he rushes off, causing a shockwave that makes Karin and Yuzu slightly lose their footing as he rushes to meet the captain.
Streaks of blackened red and orange flames clash once more as the Head Captain and Hollow King attempt to slaughter each other. Ichigo jumps above the captain, slashing at him from the back of the neck, only to have it parried by the captain’s flaming Zanpakuto, sending the Hollow skidding back a slight distance. Ichigo regains his bearings and shifts his right hand back into its usual, clawed state, charging a blackened red Cero at the tip of his finger. Karin meanwhile approaches, her own blades having a blackened blue aura raging across them as Yuzu continues to distract the captain under a volley of Heilig Pfeil.
Ichigo charges at the captain, throwing his right hand behind him and sending the blackened Cero in the distance, out of sight from Yamamoto. The Hollow King takes a page from Barragan’s book, proving his advanced proficiency in Cero control by continuing to control its trajectory, the blast whipping in a circle around the battlefield, even as he joins Karin to occupy the captain in close quarters.
Karin and Ichigo force Yamamoto to backpedal as the trio leaps across the battlefield, continuing to exchange attacks. The Head Captain once more lets his flaming Reiatsu erupt as he swings his sword before him, leading to Karin and Ichigo dropping to the ground, doing the splits to narrowly avoid the strike. In the next moment, the Head Captain is suddenly struck from behind by the blackened red Cero, forcing him to move more of his flames around his body in hopes of lessening the damage. Yamamoto staggers, his body smoking and somewhat charred under the blast. Karin and Ichigo both adjust their position such that their hands are planted on the ground before sending devasting kicks to each side of the Head Captain’s exposed throat. Yamamoto’s breath hitches as he grabs his throat, temporarily unable to breathe correctly as he continues to stagger.
Ichigo and Karin rise to their feet, preparing their blades to continue laying into the captain, however, both widen their eyes as Yamamoto, despite his seemingly vulnerable condition, swings his sword at Karin. This forces Ichigo to parry, the shockwave caused by the clash knocking Karin back a distance.
Ichigo and Yamamoto break their clash as the Head Captain backs away slightly, holding his blade next to his left side, roaring, “ENOUGH—JOKAKU ENJO!”
The Hollow King widens his eyes as Yamamoto sends a wall of fire at him, which works to completely engulf his form, cutting him off from the rest of the battlefield.
Ichigo roars, slamming flaming black blades down onto the fire, “GESTUGA TENSHOU!!”
Despite the ferocity and power behind the young Hollow’s attacks, they do nothing against the fire, leaving him to realize he has been imprisoned.
“NO!”, the Arrancar hisses as he continues to desperately slam his attacks against the fortress of flames holding him captive.
Outside of the wall of flames, Karin stares with widened eyes, realizing that Ichigo has been taken out of the fight. Before she can so much as move, Yamamoto appears beside her and immediately slams his left fist into the side of her head, instantly knocking her out and sending her crashing into the side of a wall, causing it to crumble under the impact. The Shinigami girl lays in the pile of rubble unconscious and defeated, the black and gold now having left her right eye.
Ichigo hears his sister’s defeat, causing him to roar as his aura swirls with a multitude of colors, summoning upon dormant powers he never knew he had, “I’LL KILL YOU!!”
Ichigo’s attempts still ultimately prove fruitless, as the Head Captain turns his cold gaze on Yuzu a distance away, causing those witnessing the battle to begin to panic. Sora, Nelliel, Uryu, Tatsuki, and Orihime begin to rush to Yuzu’s side, however, are cut off as a massive blade cuts through the ground before them. This makes the groups look upon the forms of Sajin Komamura and his massive Bankai with disdain, the Arrancars drawing their blades.
Ichigo continues to assault the flaming prison as Yamamoto approaches Yuzu’s now somewhat trembling form, prompting her to shoot another volley of arrows at him. The Head Captain easily dodges the arrows as he suddenly appears before the girl in a flash with his sword held behind him.
Yuzu, as well as everyone who came to save her, watch with horrified, widened eyes as time seems to slow. The girl’s skin is coated in Blut Vene; however, she knows it will not be enough to defend herself—that she will die.
This prompts an urgent voice to call to her at the last moment, “MY NAME—SAY IT NOW!”
Yamamoto swings his sword at the girl, roaring, “TAIMATSU!!”
As the captain brings the most intense flames that he has produced in the battle so far onto Yuzu, she instinctually cries out, “SHINE DOWN, KŌGETSU!”
A radiant golden katana with golden yellow fur at the guard and a primarily white hilt with black underneath forms in the girl’s hands as the flames begin to consume her. The light from her blade desperately fights back against the flames, although it is in vain as Yamamoto’s hellfire is simply too powerful. Yuzu’s light is engulfed as the fire begins to burn away at her skin, causing her to cry in pain as her Reiatsu plummets.
Ichigo hears this from a distance away, causing his eyes to dilate as he briefly, for one moment, summons upon every ounce of power he has—dormant or otherwise, causing his Getsugas to become pitch-black as he easily cleaves through the fiery prison, causing it to disperse.
The Hollow King immediately leaps at the Head Captain, roaring in fury, “YAMAMOTO!!!”
The living legend turns to swing his sword at the incoming form of Ichigo, spewing hellfire on the teen once more. Ichigo, despite feeling his body beginning to melt, completely ignores the pain as he continues through and slams his white, smoking, clawed fist into the captain’s face, sending him off with a shockwave, bouncing across the Seireitei and leaving craters as he does.
As this happens, Yuzu can feel her life beginning to slip away, her Reiatsu nearly completely gone as she accepts death. It is at this precise moment that a dark, distorted shadow forms directly below her, out of sight and untraceable to anyone present due to being within Yamamoto’s attack. A pair of two hands in white gloves wrap around the girl and pull her into the shadow before it disappears entirely, leaving no trace that such a thing occurred.
This leaves Ichigo to look back on the flames as they disperse, leaving nothing but ashes. The rain continues to fall, beginning to pick up and increase in intensity as everyone stares quietly in wide-eyed horror.
As the rain soaks his long hair and trickles down his mask, Ichigo’s mouth hangs open and his eyes contract, his look one of utter despair as he utters, “Yuzu…?”
