Disclaimer : I do not own anything from Bleach. I wish I owned Hyōrinmaru to survive the summer...

I have decided to inform the differences between canon and my story at the start of the chapter, including Chapter 1 to 4. Thanks for the suggestion, Antex-The Legendary Zoroark!

(2021-05-25) The pairing is now IchigoXMulti with Giselle being the main. The other pairings are Meninas, Candice, and Bambietta.

1. There won't be a Still Silver in this story. I absolutely hated that part from the plot. I don't really think Kubo wanted to end the story like that if I'm being honest about it.

Main Pairing IchigoXGiselle, IchigoXMulti

Sternritter Kurosaki Ichigo

Sternritter Training Grounds, Silbern

Ichigo frowned as he kicked Jugram's Freund Schild to put some distance between them. It was exactly after three days, when Jugram started to use his shield during their training. Ichigo learned that any wound he caused to Jugram would be redirected into the shield, making him basically immune to any kind of damage during their spar. He thought of it to be what Jugram's Schrift was at first, but soon realized that it wasn't... Or rather a part of his Schrift to be precise. Just what kind of ability did his Schrift with the letter 'B' held, if it was capable of something like that? Ichigo was almost dying to know about it at this point.

Another three whole days, but Ichigo wasn't able to find a way to get through such absolute defense without resorting to his Hollow powers. He would receive his Schrift tonight, which meant the intense full week of training has come to an end. Ichigo was determined to see Jugram's Schrift before today's training was over.

"Is there any limit to the damage that shield can absorb, Haschwalt? I'm seriously tempted to test out my Cero at this point. I didn't want to admit it at first, but I can't get through your defense if I don't bring up more destructive techniques, rather than restricting myself to the use of my reishi sword." Ichigo admitted in defeat.

"It seems that you have forgotten the very purpose of our training, Kurosaki. You have far exceeded my expectations on your progress of your swordsmanship. You do not have any reason to be so disappointed by the fact that you couldn't overcome my defense while restricting yourself from the use of other means at your disposal. Furthermore, had you used your more destructive techniques as you put it... I would've had to resort to using my Schrift without a doubt." Jugram chuckled, which wasn't really surprising to Ichigo at this point, since Jugram started to show some of his emotions more openly as their training progressed. Ichigo had to admit that Jugram was probably the best teacher he had been given the liberty of learning from. It really was no contest between him and the other teachers he had been under the tutelage of, as the progress in his skills weren't remotely compared to Urahara or even Yoruichi's training. If the Ichigo of today had a fight with the Ichigo from a week ago, he knew that its result would be a one-sided match. He had improved that much, just by learning proper swordsmanship from Jugram.

"I guess, I think I just wanted to push you to the point where you actually had to use your Schrift." Ichigo muttered, somewhat embarrassed at Jugram's words of praise.

"The Freund Schild is a part of my Schrift, so wouldn't that count?" Jugram noticed Ichigo's annoyed look at his words. "I guess not."

Ichigo shifted his stance to continue the training, not expecting Jugram to sheathe his sword.

"My Schrift is 'The Balance', Kurosaki. It can take the misfortune that occurs in my sphere of influence, and disperse it to those who had the luck of experiencing good fortune. If you were to give me a fatal wound it could count as a misfortune to me, while a good fortune to you. I can redirect it to you, who experienced the good fortune of succeeding to wound me. That is basically how my Schrift works, maintaining the balance of the world." Jugram explained his Schrift, causing Ichigo's eyes widen at the absurdity of his Schrift. It didn't take all that long for Ichigo to realize the very nature of his Schrift.

"Wait a minute, if your shield is a part of your Schrift... Your shield essentially absorbs the misfortune that occurred on your body?" Ichigo could easily connect the dots. If what he guessed was true, Jugram's Schrift was truly a fearsome ability.

"What you're guessing is true. And if I use my 'The Balance'..."

Ichigo felt cuts and gashes opening up all over his body, not that it was fatal to him. It didn't take more than five seconds to heal completely with his instant regeneration, but it was more than enough to understand how Jugram's Schrift worked.

"Are all the Sternritter's Schrifts this... ridiculous? No, never mind. I already know the answer, which only makes me to look forward to receive mine. At this point, I really doubt the Shinigami's chances of winning this war. The Gotei 13 would be completely annihilated within days, from what I know of their capabilities." Ichigo didn't really expect Jugram to tell him otherwise.

"It wouldn't do you any good if you underestimate the enemy, as there is only a very fine line between confidence and arrogance. Always expect the unexpected, Kurosaki. Remember, our final goal isn't just defeating the Soul Society." Ichigo nodded at Jugram's words. If Jugram could stay level-headed with a powerful Schrift like that, he himself really shouldn't have any problems with it.

"Although, it has been quite some time since I had the chance to use my Schrift to this degree. Fatal wounds are fatal for a reason, after all. Even then, you didn't seem to be surprised at receiving such wounds." Jugram remarked dryly, hiding his surprise at Ichigo being able to keep his calm even when receiving such wounds.

"I already knew what would happen when I figured out how your shield works, Haschwalt. Besides, I trust you enough to think that you know what you're doing. I wanted to see how your Schrift works, and you showed me how. It's just simple as that. Although I would've appreciated it if it didn't dirty my shirt..." Ichigo stated, taking off his shirt which was all bloodied due to the wounds. He grabbed a towel from the bench near him, which was used to clean his blood instead of sweat like usual.

"I suppose..." Jugram trailed off.

Ichigo started to stretch his body, while noticing how another familiar Sternritter was approaching him in a leisurely manner with his hands stuck in the pocket of his trousers.

"Phew! Now where did all your wounds disappear, Kurosaki? You sure are full of surprises!"

"Oh, hello Bazz-B... If you're looking for a spar, you better wait until the ceremony is over. Preferably tomorrow if you will, since I think we barely have an hour left..." Ichigo greeted the Sternritter with a faint grin.

"Nah... I'm gonna wait 'til you get used to your Schrift, Kurosaki. It's no fun when I have to hold back my Schrift. I've trained it for a long time, so it just doesn't feel right." Bazz-B shook his head. Ichigo understood where he was coming from, since Bazz-B was one of the Sternritters that went through the first war. The fact that Jugram and Bazz-B who didn't look above their mid-twenties were actually over a thousand-years old was something Ichigo had trouble getting used to.

During the week, he had gotten acquainted with a lot of the Ritters. He found himself accepted to them surprisingly easy, considering how he was pretty much on the enemy's side until recently. He could only guess that it had something to do with how the girls reacted in outrage at the Shinigami's actions regarding his mother. It was an awkward experience, but still somewhat heartwarming at the same time. He wasn't all that surprised when the most visually furious girl was actually Bambietta. They had struck a form of friendship after their first fight, and it only tightened as they had their second, third, and many more fights after that. Her sadistic personality bothered him sometimes, but he could see that she cared greatly for her friends... or subordinates as she puts it. He honestly saw no problem in befriending her, when he had already come to terms with Giselle's personality.

Bazz-B was one of the few Sternritters he had immediately formed a friendship with. He was a cocky, hot-headed, and a nasty bastard(quoting Liltotto) if he were to be honest, but he found it surprisingly easy to get along with him. Seriously, all it took was a compliment to his hairstyle and that was saying something about him.

'The Superstar' Mask De Masculine, and 'The Iron' Cang Du were the other two he was comfortable with the idea of hanging out. Mask was a fun guy, although it was a bit hard to follow his exaggerated demeanor from time to time. Ichigo had to admit that one of the reasons he liked Mask was the way he phrased the Shinigami as Villains. Really, he couldn't help but agree whenever he said that. Cang held a similar atmosphere to Jugram around himself, which was fine by him. Compared to the less pleasant members of the Sternritter, he was pretty much a godsend if Ichigo was being honest about it.

The others... Well, describing them as weird would be an understatement to them. Äs Nödt suited his epithet 'The Fear' really well in his opinion, since he did have a pretty menacing look with his spiked mask and all. He seemed to respect his majesty greatly, and fear him for some reason at the same time. Even so, he wasn't overly unpleasant to have a conversation with. It was just his looks that kind of made him feel uncomfortable to be around Äs Nödt.

'The Overkill' Driscoll Berci was basically a Quincy version of Zaraki Kenpachi personality-wise, except the fact that he enjoyed the act of killing instead of fighting. Thankfully, it meant that Ichigo didn't need to deal with him unnecessarily since there really was no reason for Driscoll to seek him out, when Zaraki would've pestered him for a fight. He was somewhat glad that there wasn't another Kenpachi he had to deal with in Silbern. The fact that he had come to terms with his own nature, didn't mean he wanted someone to bother him all the time trying to fight him.

Ichigo found out on the third day, that the only Sternritter he thought to be unpleasant enough to ignore completely was 'The Love' PePe Waccabrada.

Meninas found PePe to be creepy, which Ichigo agreed to wholeheartedly. Honestly, as if his attire wasn't repulsive enough, his behavior was even more disgusting in addition to that. The way he thought himself to be a godsend to everyone, and makes them want to love him... 'Ugh. Absolutely disgusting.' Ichigo just went out of his way and ignored him all the time, which turned out to be the best action he could take concerning PePe.

The most surprising person was Askin, as Ichigo didn't really know what to think of him. He was annoying one second, pleasant the next, arrogant after that, and so on. If Ichigo were to describe him in one word, it would most likely be 'eccentric'. Maybe he could get used to him over time, or not...

Bazz-B tilted his head and asked Ichigo a question, which instantly gained the other two Quincies' attention. "So... What are you expecting from your Schrift? Although I'm sure it won't be as hot as my 'The Heat', I reckon yours would be pretty cool enough."

"It wounds my pride to admit, but my thoughts were along the same lines as him..." Jugram closed his eyes to ignore Bazz-B's smug look which would no doubt be painting his face.

"Well... I honestly have no idea what it would be like, or even what letter it would be. I mean, I know that the only letter left without a Sternritter is the 'A'... But I've heard that the letter is basically his majesty's." Ichigo scratched the back of his head.

"Yes... His majesty does hold the letter 'A', as it is the only fitting letter for his ability 'The Almighty'." Jugram nodded in an affirmative manner.

"The Almighty?"

"The Almighty... It holds the ability to foresee the future. There really isn't a better fitting designation for it, wouldn't you agree?" Ichigo's eyes widened in shock. An ability to foresee the future? "Although, he cannot use it at its fullest until the time when his power is fully restored, which would be a little more than a year from now. Even so, he can see glimpses of the future from time to time."

"Huh... If that's the case, it really does deserve to be called 'The Almighty'... Anyway, I have absolutely no idea what my Schrift would be like. Weren't the other Sternritters the same?"

"As far as I know, one's Schrift should either be in relation to the personality or desires of the one who is bestowed the Schrift. In Bazz-B or my case, it is the personality that affected our Schrifts... while some like Giselle and Liltotto, Lille's Schrift would be the desire of the said person which became their Schrifts."

"Oh, I just became a lot more uncertain about it. I mean, my personality was a lot like Bambietta except for her sadistic nature when I was a Substitute Shinigami... but now, I'm not really sure about it. And my desires... It would've been something like protect the people close to me back then, but I'd say it's a lot closer to vengeance towards the Shinigami who wronged my mom at this point... So knowing that doesn't really help." Ichigo replied while frowning.

"Ah, what's the point in thinking that hard about it when we'll get to know about it soon? Besides, I think your girlfriends are here... Ah, why isn't there a hot girl who appreciates my hot hair in Silbern?" Bazz-B teased Ichigo, somewhat envious of his popularity among the female Sternritters, except Berenice. Ichigo had to admit that Bazz-B was unique in his own way, with him being a hell lot more immature compared to Haschwalt.

"They aren't my girlfriends, Bazz-B..." Ichigo sighed, even though he knew that it could become the truth if he wanted...

He had initially thought that Meninas was joking about how she and Candice both wanted to date him at the same time. He had never considered the idea of them actually being serious about it. He also knew that Giselle was on the edge with them because of it, and he needed to make a choice about the matter be it sooner or later. Seriously, he hadn't even thought of dating a girl until he met Giselle, since most of the girls in his age group didn't really interest him all that much.

He found Meninas to be a sweet person with how much she cared about him and her friends, although it was probably a common trait in their group... Including even Liltotto and Bambietta. She held a comfortable atmosphere around her, and knew exactly where his line of feeling uncomfortable with their flirting lied. Her personality was positively endearing, somewhat similar to Orihime but a little more... mature? He wasn't really sure about how to put it, but he couldn't deny that he was attracted to her... more and more as time went by.

Candice on the other hand, he wasn't really all that comfortable to be around at first with her revealing attire and constant attempts of flirting. Even though she did try to keep her flirty nature under control, it just seemed to come naturally with her. And then her personality... In his opinion, Candice was probably the middle ground of Meninas and Bambietta. She had her own temper, albeit less volatile compared to Bambietta... unless someone happens to ruins her hair. Apparently, she cared about her hairstyle above almost everything else, seeing how she actually woke up at least an hour earlier than the other girls, just to keep her hair in the style she wanted. He really was curious about whether she'd blow up at his majesty or not, if he actually ruined her hair. Somehow, he could imagine it happening... Anyways, Ichigo wasn't all that sure about her character yet, but he kept Meninas' words about Candice in his mind. There was also Giselle's antagonistic behavior towards Candice, which she had no idea of how it came to be. If just the thought of him getting together with Candice made Giselle all worked up, there must be an important reason for her to act like that.

Giselle was someone he admitted to having a crush on, both in looks and the positive side of her personality... He'd rather not think of the negative side most of the time, since just because he had come to terms with it didn't mean that he liked it. Giselle was obviously attracted to him if her possessive behavior towards him was any indication of it, and he secretly found her possessiveness cute and alluring at the same time. Ichigo could easily see himself in a relationship with Giselle in the near future, and was fine with the idea. But why was he hesitating...?

"Hello, Ichi-chan!" Ichigo was interrupted from his thoughts as Giselle clung to his back, her arms linked around his neck. "Hi, Gigi." Ichigo didn't miss Bazz-B's wary look at Giselle as he greeted her. One of the things he learned during the week, was that most of the Ritters tried to avoid Giselle while the soldats feared her. Hell, even some of the Sternritter seemed to be afraid of her too. It really was no wonder that Giselle broke down in front of him when he put her insecurities to rest.

"Hi, sweetie~" Candice blew him a hand-kiss with a wink, making Ichigo blush like he always did when Candice flirted with him. Ichigo couldn't see Giselle's expression at the moment, but he figured that she was most likely sending a murderous glare directed to Candice.

"How are you feeling, Ichigo? In my case, I hardly caught any sleep the day before I received my Schrift in anticipation. It was a little anticlimactic if I'm being honest about it..." Ichigo sighed as he heard Giselle's growl when Meninas clung to his arm, while Candice took the other. He didn't even need to look at Bazz-B to know how he was giving him the 'not your girlfriends my ass' look.

"Whores..." Liltotto muttered, while Bambietta merely smirked at Ichigo's look of discomfort. It was fun to see her new friend in an uncomfortable position like that, although she felt her stomach aching for some unknown reason.

"Well... I am excited at the thought, if I'm being honest about it. And I need to change my clothes and all, if you three ladies don't mind...?" Ichigo almost choked at their following words.

"I don't really think you need to wear anything..." Meninas sighed dreamily.

"I agree wholeheartedly with Meni. Maybe you should stay like this all the time...? For us...?" Candice purred in his ears, her hands roaming around his bicep, knowing from experience that touching his torso would only freak him out.

Giselle didn't even bother answering the question, completely enamored with Ichigo's scent.

"You bitches really should let him go and get himself ready for his ceremony. His majesty most certainly wouldn't appreciate him appearing half naked you know." Ichigo sent a look of gratitude to Liltotto, as Meninas and Candice hesitantly stepped back from him.

"Fine..." Giselle grumbled, although Liltotto knew that mentioning the emperor would work instantly on making Giselle release her embrace on Ichigo. She was after all, one of the most loyal Sternritter in Silbern.

"We'll see you after the ceremony... Sternritter Kurosaki." Bambietta teased Ichigo with a sly grin.

"Not yet, Sternritter Basterbine. Not yet..." Ichigo chuckled.

-line break-

The Assembly Hall, Silbern

"My children, we have a new addition to our ranks of the Sternritter. An Echt Quincy from the World of the Living, proven by his demonstration of Blut on his own immediately after awakening his Quincy Blood. The Number One Special War Power, who has come to pledge his loyalty to us. Step forward, my son born in darkness... Kurosaki Ichigo." Ichigo approached the Quincy monarch and knelt down on one of his knees, showing his allegiance and respect towards the emperor.

"Grandmaster, if you would." Jugram handed over a basin filled with red liquid to Ichigo at Yhwach's orders. Ichigo already knew that it was Yhwach's blood from the information Old-man Zangetsu revealed to him. Although how he actually forgot to mention about Yhwach's 'The Almighty' was disconcerting to him, as it really wasn't like him to do so. Ichigo understood that by drinking his blood, he receives a part of Yhwach's soul. He also knew that Old-man Zangetsu was confident about him being able to absorb that piece of soul and make it a part of him. Essentially, Ichigo had nothing to lose from this process even if Yhwach decided to discard him, not that Ichigo expected the emperor to do so.

"May I, your majesty?" Ichigo asked Yhwach, raising the basin to his lips.

"You may, Kurosaki Ichigo." Yhwach nodded in an affirmative manner, and Ichigo drank the blood without hesitation. Ichigo dropped the basin at the burning sensation that spread all over his body, and clutched his fists. Ichigo felt a new found power awakening inside of him, and knew what kind of possibility it held instantly. He couldn't use all of it yet, but knew that it wouldn't take him long before he could use his Schrift like it was his own. Ichigo couldn't stop the smirk forming on his lips as the power of his Quincy side pulsed through out his senses.

"Rise, Kurosaki Ichigo... You are to join the Sternritter, as the Sternritter 'A'." Yhwach declared with satisfaction clearly showing on his face, his sword resting on Ichigo's left shoulder in its sheathed state. He knew that the part of his soul in Ichigo lost connection with him immediately. He hadn't foreseen this, but Kurosaki Ichigo exceeded his expectations. Yes, he would serve as a crucial role in his plan.

"Sternritter 'A', Kurosaki Ichigo... 'The Amnesia' at your service. I am most honored at being given the very letter that belongs to you. I shall not disappoint, your majesty." Ichigo bowed his head, as many of the Sternritters blinked in surprise at his epithet. They were expecting something more... flashy or explosive from his personality they had read from the Daten, but it seemed that they were wrong about the matter. If its designation was any indication, it was most likely an extremely powerful Schrift. It really was fitting for the Sternritter 'A', who was a Special War Power at that.

Askin was the first to snap out from his thoughts, and clapped his hands in approval. A few more Ritters followed suit, which caused the soldats to do the same, although their's were more out of respect.

"Yes... I can see why you have awakened such a marvelous Schrift, and there is an information you might've been expecting since your arrival. Your Grandmaster will inform the specifics to you at a later time." Ichigo's head perked up at Yhwach's words. He knew that it had something to do with the very first person in his life that he had sworn vengeance to.

"I am most grateful, your majesty." Ichigo bowed once more in gratitude to the emperor, for upholding his promise about providing aid in his situation a week ago. Tsukishima had slipped through his mind at the revelation of his mother's suffering at the hands of the Shinigami, but the very reason that pushed him to join the Wandenreich came from Tsukishima. It was most likely why he had come to receive his 'The Amnesia', as a means to an end to his unfinished business in the World of the Living. The very ability that should be capable of reversing Tsukishima's 'Book of the End' by making them forget the existence of Tsukishima. But would it be the best for him to do it now, with the risk of compromising the existence of the Wandenreich? Ichigo now belonged to the Wandenreich, and he served his majesty like the other Sternritter did. Of course his past ties were personally important to him, but it really wasn't appropriate for a Sternritter to put it over the future of the Wandenreich... He had a lot to think about, but taking his revenge on Tsukishima wouldn't prove to be a problem if his majesty decided to disclose the information about it... right?

-line break-

One of the towers in Silbern

"So... Ichi-chan, is there a reason you're taking me with you to see Jugram? I mean, you seemed to be enjoying yourself with Meninas and Candice, and... Ichi-chan?" Ichigo stopped in his footsteps when he noticed how Giselle dropped the use of Meninas and Candice's pet names.

"Gigi, before I came here... They were your best friends, right?" Ichigo asked Giselle, who nodded with a little hesitation and uncertainty at his question. "I think my indecisiveness is getting in between your friendship with them, Gigi. You didn't even refer to them as Meni and Candi like you always did. Am I hurting you because I agreed to Meni about giving them a chance?" Giselle bit her lower lip, as she didn't even notice the fact that she had called her friends by their names.

"I... I'm not as good looking as Candi, or..." Giselle waved her hands over her body. "I'm nowhere near well developed like them. Friend or not, I have my insecurities Ichi-chan... I was scared that you would go for their better looks instead of me..." Ichigo sighed and took her into his arms. He should've known better than to lead her on. She was the first girl he was even remotely interested in, and he had hurt her even if it wasn't his intention to do so. It wasn't like he had any experience with a situation like this.

"Will you go out with me, Gigi?" Ichigo whispered lovingly in Giselle's ears, and her eyes widened in shock at hearing those words from him. The very words that she wanted to hear, but wasn't sure if she would get to hear from Ichigo. Giselle stared at his eyes, only to find out that he actually seemed to be serious about it.

"But... but I'm nowhere near..." Giselle didn't get to finish her words as Ichigo leaned down and caught her lips with his own, effectively silencing her. It wasn't perfect, as it was Ichigo's first kiss while Giselle was no different. Giselle wrapped her arms tightly around Ichigo's neck, intent on never letting this moment to come to an end. Ichigo's hands roamed around her back, occasionally caressing her long smooth hair. Ichigo instinctively nibbled on her lips, causing Giselle to break the kiss in surprise. Neither spoke a word in the comfortable silence, their eyes completely focused on each other.

Giselle licked her lips once, twice, and pulled Ichigo down into another kiss. She brushed her tongue against his lips, noticing how it was less awkward than the first one. She knew than and there, that her favorite activity from now on would be sharing moments like this with her Ichi-chan. Ichigo seemed to understand what she wanted, and parted his lips in response. Giselle's tongue invaded his mouth as soon as he granted access, desperate to conquer everything within her reach. Her hands were now tangled with Ichigo's hair, enjoying the sensation that exploded whenever their tongues brushed against each other. It didn't take long before they started to wrestle with their tongue, completely unaware of their surroundings. They weren't even sure about how much time has passed since their first kiss, which lead to a longer second. When they eventually broke from their lip-lock, Giselle let out a sigh in disappointment. Ichigo gave her a soft smile, and pecked her lips to show his affection for her once more.

"It was my first kiss... And it was better than I could've ever imagined..." Giselle said, burying her head into Ichigo's chest as she drank in his scent.

"The same for me, Gigi... I've never wanted to kiss someone so badly until now. You really don't have to be so insecure about yourself, Gigi. I'm not going to lie that I don't find the other girls attractive. It would be rude of me to do so. But if I were to choose between you and them, it would be you. I wasn't lying when I told you that you were the light that saved me. I started crushing on you the moment we met, you know? You actually had to kiss me on the cheek to make me come back to my senses... Your eyes were so beautiful back then... And they still are." Ichigo let out a chuckle at the memory of him being completely lost at her beautiful eyes. Giselle blushed at his compliment, while smiling slyly.

"Well... Had I known that our first kiss would be something like this, it wouldn't have been an innocent kiss on your cheek..." Ichigo rolled his eyes at her comment.

"So... I didn't hear an answer about my question...? Should I inform the other girls that we decided to go official? Or should I take it as a no and inform them that I'm interested in their offer?" Ichigo teased Giselle, which made her pull him in another short kiss.

"No way, Ichi-chan! You're mine... Well, I suppose I'm yours too in that manner."

"As much as I would like to continue this, Haschwalt should be waiting for me..." Ichigo ran his hand down her hair, only to be interrupted by another voice.

"There's no need to worry about me. I see that you two were busy, barely a few steps away from my quarters at that... Although I do have a request, if you two don't mind. Please refrain from having children until the war is over..." Jugram deadpanned, although he thought that their relationship would be a good influence for both of them. Giselle almost froze in shock as they were caught in the act by Jugram.

"Ah... Haschwalt, or am I supposed to call you Grandmaster now since I'm a Sternritter?" Ichigo joked back, spotting the faint smile that lasted for barely a second.

"Hello, Jugo... How much did you see...?" Giselle greeted Jugram in an unusually embarrassed manner for someone like her.

"Enough to know that he is your first kiss... And no, Sternritter Kurosaki. You may call me Jugram if you want. Just never call me Jugo like her or Bazz-B and we won't have any problems." Jugram replied dryly. "I guess, in that case you should just call me Ichigo. I had enough experience of a life time with a Quincy who called me Kurosaki all the time, anyway."

They made their way into Jugram's quarters, and Ichigo noticed that it was really plain which wasn't all that surprising to see from a room that belonged to Jugram. Jugram lead them to a small table, and poured each of them a cup of black tea.

"Thanks. It has a nice scent... I'm not that much of a tea person, but I think could enjoy something like this." Ichigo commented and took a sip.

"It's Earl Grey... Anyway, I expected you to come alone, but I can see why you brought her along. You wanted to take her with you, in case you are allowed to leave for the World of the Living... Am I correct in my assumption?" Ichigo nodded at Jugram's question.

Jugram picked up a metal tablet from a desk, which was the Daten that he had heard about so many times until he actually laid his hands on one.

"This information came from the reports of the Onmitsukidō. Apparently they have been keeping track of Tsukishima Shūkurō's location due to the potential danger his Fullbring holds. His current location is in a small city, about fifty miles north from Karakura Town. And there is an Onmitsukidō squad consisting of ten scattered over the vicinity of the city. His majesty permitted you the access to the World of the Living to uphold his promise regarding your recruitment. He also allowed you to take another Sternritter with you if you requested, so you need not ask for permission." Jugram pointed at Giselle's direction who looked giddy at the thought of having their 'first date'.

"I see... And would it be right for me to presume that under no circumstances we are to compromise our existence to the Onmitsukidō?" Ichigo asked.

"You will be given a cloak that conceals not only your reiatsu, but also your looks as you are a known factor to them. Furthermore, your disappearance has been discussed in today's Captain's meeting which means they will be searching for you as well. If you are discovered, you may use your Hollow reiryoku to eliminate them." Jugram replied, only to be confused at Ichigo's response.

"Am I allowed to use my Schrift in that case?"

"Hmm...? Ah, your 'The Amnesia...' We do not know the exact capability of your Schrift, so for what reason are you asking permission for the use of your Schrift?"

"I can easily make them forget ever seeing me with my Schrift if I am spotted. Wouldn't it cause less suspicion on our part rather than make them look like they were killed by Hollows? And I'm unsure if they have any information about my Hollow reiatsu. It wouldn't be a good idea if they actually did." Ichigo voiced his opinion, which made Jugram consider which was the better course of action Ichigo could take.

"Maybe you're right on the matter, so I shall leave it to your decision." Jugram concluded. "Also, if your Schrift is capable of solving the problem that concerns your friends and family... You are allowed to visit Karakura..."

"No, I won't ask for that. There is a high chance of exposing the Wandenreich with how there are more than at least three Captain-level former-Shinigami in the area... I don't really think they would have any reason to be involved in the upcoming war if their memories aren't corrected. I think I can wait until the war is over." Ichigo said with a steely resolve evident in his eyes. He had thought about the situation, and decided that it would be best if he kept them away from the war. Giselle took his hand in hers to comfort him, as she knew how much it hurt him to leave her sisters in their current state.

"I see..." Jugram's eyes widened in shock at the level of Ichigo's loyalty to the Wandenreich. The amount of respect he held towards the Sternritter grew ten fold at how he placed the future of the Wandenreich over even his past ties.

"So... When can we leave for this?" Ichigo asked in anticipation of finally getting his well-deserved revenge on Tsukishima. He had made him go through the very worst experience of his life, even overshadowing the shock of his mother's death. He had promised to kill him, and make his death the most painful one that ever happens in this world. Ichigo was going to keep his word on making Tsukishima regret ever approaching him, although he was somewhat disappointed that Ginjō was going to be executed by the Shinigami... 'Well, one is better than none I suppose.'

"You can leave immediately if you wish, as the cloak is already prepared for use. You cannot use the Gate of the Sun, as it will most likely alert the Onmitsukidō. Since you have yet to learn how to access the Schatten Bereich to travel through the shadows, let Giselle do the job in your stead. There is a limit to the time you have outside the shadows, so finish everything before your time is up. Also, be prepared for your most important training when you return." Jugram replied, handing Ichigo the cloak he needed to use. Ichigo put it on himself immediately, eager to take his leave. He noticed that the cloak was covered with black from head to toe, a deep hood attached to it for the purpose of covering the upper part of his face. Ichigo noted to think about Jugram's mention of training later.

"Well, then I guess we should make it quick... Do you want to go Gigi?" Ichigo asked out of courtesy, already knowing that she would agree immediately.

"You obviously know my answer, Ichi-chan..." Giselle attached herself to Ichigo's back, with her arms locked over his neck like usual. "Good bye, Jugo! See you later!"

Jugram rubbed his eyes in annoyance, as the two disappeared through the shadows.

"His majesty would be satisfied greatly when he hears about just how loyal to the Wandenreich Kurosaki... Ichigo is." Jugram stood up and draped the Sternritter cloak around himself, and left from his quarters. It was the time for him to take the 'Mask of the Ruler'.

-line break-

The World of the Living

Ichigo emerged from the shadows in an empty alley with Giselle attached to his back. He couldn't help but notice the lack of the freezing cold he experienced during his first shadow travel. It was only a week since he left, but Ichigo had to admit that he didn't miss Karakura Town as much as he thought he would. The girls were surprisingly fun to hang out, even more so than his friends from Karakura Town. He still missed his sisters though.

Giselle gave Ichigo a peck on his cheek and whispered in his ear. "I'll search for the unusual reiatsu around the city... Just head to the direction I point to."

Ichigo couldn't help but think that the situation held too much similarity to Kenpachi and Yachiru, and sincerely hoped that Giselle knew where she was going. Giselle pointed her finger towards their left a few seconds later, and Ichigo just prayed while walking towards where she pointed. Ichigo walked through the city filled with people heading home from work or school, and mused to himself that he was basically skiving off from school. Not that it really mattered to him that much anymore. When they win the war, maybe he could use a little self-study?

"Mommy, that guy's scary... He looks like a reaper!"

"Oh! Sweetie, it's just his clothes. There's no such thing as a reaper..."

Ichigo couldn't help but chuckle at the little boy and his mother's conversation. If only they knew...

As they walked along the streets, Ichigo noticed that a lot of people sent wary glances at him since they weren't in their Soul form which meant they were visible to them. He was a Quincy now, so there wasn't any need for him to take his Soul form... But wearing a pitch black cloak in a populated city seemed like a dumb idea, especially when he had a girl who was wearing a white military uniform on his back. They stood out among the crowd like a sore thumb. He could only hope that they just thought of him as a cosplayer or something along the lines of it, and not a criminal.

After about twenty minutes of following her navigation, he came to the realization that Giselle was exactly like Yachiru. He let out a sigh and was about to say that he would try to find him, when Giselle pointed to another direction. "Found it. Does that one match the person you're searching for?"

Ichigo froze in his steps as he noticed the person she was pointing at. His height was a free giveaway, as Ichigo found himself glaring at the familiar face of Tsukishima Shūkurō. He quickly caught Giselle's outstretched arm and gently brought it down, while stepping back into the shadows of an alley. Ichigo inwardly apologized about comparing Giselle to Yachiru.

"It's him."

"Good. Let's follow him until we reach a less populated area!" Giselle grinned evilly, as she knew that she would most likely enjoy what would happen after they had him where they want.

They kept track of Tsukishima's reiatsu and followed it while staying out of his sight for another twenty minutes. They soon found themselves at the entrance of an abandoned building, and Ichigo deduced that either they were somehow caught tailing him, or he had some kind of business here. Ichigo kept his guard up and walked into the building, which was completely empty. It didn't take long until they arrived at the seventh floor, which was the last one.

Ichigo immediately gathered the reishi under his feet and used Flugbildschritt to move a few steps away as Tsukishima slashed the space he was in a second ago.

"So you two weren't normal humans, and I know what you used... was it Hirenkyaku? Just Who the hell are you, and why are you following me?" Tsukishima asked while tilting his sword. Ichigo wondered about how he knew about the technique, since he didn't think that Uryū ever explained anything about Hirenkyaku to him. But it wasn't that important right now, as he had Tsukishima right where he wanted. Ichigo disappeared with a buzzing sound, causing Tsukishima to step back in alarm, only to stumble into Ichigo who appeared right behind him via Sonido.

"You aren't the one who is supposed to be asking questions, you know... Not that I'm going to ask you any questions in the first place."

Tsukishima's eyes widened in alarm as he recognized the technique as an Arrancar's Sonido, and also the familiarity of the voice. He tried to move, only to find out that his arms and legs were already bound tightly with metal chains.

"Reishi manipulation really is a godsend, you know... Uryū probably never knew that it could be used like this, since I heard that the Ishida's were firm supporters of Quincy traditions."

"Kurosaki Ichigo..." Tsukishima gritted his teeth, as he had never expected to see him out of all people again.

"Oh, you actually remember my name! That's a shame since I would've just killed you and be done with it, if you didn't... But you do remember!" Ichigo punched Tsukishima's stomach and brought him down to his knees. It took a lot of effort on his part to keep his Blut from becoming active on its own, as he might just kill him accidentally if he used his Blut Arterie on Tsukishima.

"So, you really did come to take your revenge... Too bad for you that Ginjō isn't here. That sucks, right...?" Ichigo chuckled at Tsukishima's mention of Ginjō. Did he really think that he was doing this because they stole his powers?

"No, Tsukishima. It's rather too bad for you that Ginjō isn't here to share your upcoming painful experience. At least Ginjō is going to be executed, which would be a much less painful death compared to what you'll get... I promised to make your death extremely painful, didn't I? And I'm doing this because of what you did to me with your Fullbring, Tsukishima. You dug your grave, and I'm going to help you lie in it. It really is quite nice of me, wouldn't you agree?" Tsukishima spitted at Ichigo as a show of defiance. It really was too bad for him that Ichigo easily avoided being hit by it.

"Well, it's not like you can make what you're going to experience any more painful... Although I should thank you for letting me find the place where I really belong. I wouldn't have met Giselle on friendly terms if it wasn't for you, so I think I can thank you for that." Ichigo said in a mocking manner.

"Aww, maybe I should thank you too for giving me the chance to have Ichi-chan all to myself... Ichi-chan, can I make him one of my collection to show my gratitude for him?" Giselle giggled at the thought, and looked at Ichigo expectantly.

"I suppose I could give him to you when I'm done..." Ichigo replied with a smirk.

"Thank you, Ichi-chan!"

"You two are crazy..." Tsukishima muttered, only to be answered by Ichigo's laughter. "Well guess what? You made me like this! Shouldn't you be so proud... about the fact that your Fullbring actually succeeded in breaking the poor naive idiot that night, hmm? I wanted to kill you so badly, for what you did to my family... But after a few days, I wanted to kill you... because you were the one who made me suffer through that week of torture! When I learned about all the shit in my life that I didn't even know about until barely a week ago, I knew that I could never go back to what I once was if I get my hands on you. And you know what? I'm all for it!"

Ichigo brought up a finger and placed it right in front of Tsukishima's forehead. Tsukishima wasn't all that worried about what Ichigo could do to him at first. Seriously, as if a kid like him could torture him or something like that. His thoughts disappeared instantly as a red flame-like orb formed in front of Ichigo's finger.

"Do you know what this is, Tsukishima?" Ichigo asked with a gleeful expression evident even on his hooded-face. "A Cero..."

"You got that right, Tsukishima! Did you know that the most painful experience someone could go through, is being burned to death alive?" Tsukishima's mind shut down instantly as Ichigo's Cero came into contact with his skin, and let out a bloodcurdling scream which instantly caused goosebumps all over Giselle's arms. She stared at Ichigo intensely, almost getting aroused at the sight of the more dangerous side of Ichigo.

"It wouldn't be as much as painful compared to the real experience of being burned to death, since I know how it feels like when you get hit by a Cero... But it's the closest thing you could get without dying for real. Does it make you wonder if getting burned to death could be actually more painful than this? And besides, my insides burned like this when my own sisters turned their back on me because of you! They were everything to me! I...!" Ichigo lifted his hand from Tsukishima in all of a sudden, and shot three arrows as soon as his blue Heilig Bogen formed in his hands. The form of a masked Onmitsukidō agent slumped down from one of the windows, surprisingly not injured in the slightest. "He won't remember anything that happened in the span of about five minute's time, and sleep through the whole night." Giselle's eyes sparkled with mirth at Ichigo's words, as all the possibilities of his Schrift passed through her head.

Ichigo stared at the Shinigami's vulnerable form, and thought that killing someone seemed surprisingly easy... He could've chosen to shoot a Heilig Pfeil that could easily pierce the man's body, or even completely destroy it by using his Hollow Heilig Bogen. Not that he would've done it and revealed the existence of another Quincy other than Uryū, and take the risk of potentially alerting the Head-Captain of his majesty's survival. But he was now certain that he wouldn't hesitate when the time comes. Was he really that hateful of the Shinigami, or was it something else?

"Ah, shit... I shouldn't have used a Cero in an area where a whole squad of Onmitsukidō is on their guard... I guess I got a little carried away when I saw him... Let's go, Gigi! We're leaving now." Ichigo scratched his head in annoyance at himself. He should've kept his cool, but it really wasn't easy when he had the very person he hated the most in the world right in front of him.

Tsukishima's eyes glimmered with hope at Ichigo's words, only to be crushed a few seconds later. "Oh, please... Don't get your hopes up, Tsukishima. You're obviously going with us. Did you expect me to just leave you here? Please, I really doubt that you'd be that naive... A word like naive exists for me from two weeks ago, who actually thought that you would listen to my plea if I just threw away my pride." Ichigo mocked Tsukishima, signalling Gigi to wait for a second.

"Gigi, I think should go out and take out the other Onmitsukidō agents lest they get suspicious, and alert the Soul Society. Keep an eye on him for me, okay?" Ichigo said while tracking down the reiatsu of the Shinigami near the vicinity. They wouldn't find what he did to one of their own as something unworthy of reporting, after all.

"Of course, Ichi-chan! Can I have... some fun with him while I wait?" Giselle asked, her dopey smile giving Tsukishima the creeps. "Sure, why not? Just remember to heal him... Oh, there isn't a body you can use. Hmm, I guess you should keep it down a bit until we return. And don't let your guard down." Ichigo replied, and planted a chaste kiss firmly on her lips.

"Fine... I will." Giselle mock-pouted for a second, and leaned in to steal another kiss. "Feel free to take your time, Ichi-chan~"

Ichigo chuckled and whispered to Tsukishima before leaving with another buzz of sound to hunt down the other Onmitsukidō agents before they take their leave. "I don't like to think about what she can do in a situation like this, 'cuz it bothers me a lot... even if I care about her deeply. You have a long day ahead of you, not that we'll just let you die that early..."

Tsukishima's eyes shook at his words, unsure of what this seemingly harmless girl could do to him that would bother even Ichigo. Suddenly, he thought that Giselle's smile seemed a hell lot more scary than before.

"I'm not a sadistic person... Or that's what I usually say, when I hurt my zombies for fun. Since I can't use the soldats anymore... you'll have to do. Just, keep it down a little please? It wouldn't be nice for us to wake up the whole neighborhood." Giselle eyes widened as she spoke each word, and her dopey smile turned into a grin that gave her a crazed look.

Giselle fished out a metal box from her pocket, which held something that actually freaked him out. "No! Don't you dare! I'll kill you if you bring it anywhere near my body! Kurosaki isn't here anymore, so don't test me!"

"Oh... and how are you going to kill me? Just so you know... I can easily make you one of my collections, just by giving you some of my blood. I don't need Ichi-chan to protect myself... not that I don't want him to. And besides, you are no match for me. Did you think that you're so special because of your Fullbring? Any competent Shinigami Lieutenant would be able to kill you easily, and I'm above that level." Giselle pulled out a long needle from her box, which was filled with the same thing. "You can't even break Ichi-chan's chains. Well, I guess comparing your strength to him would be a joke which isn't even funny. Although it wouldn't hurt to add some more to keep you from squirming...?" Giselle formed a few more chains of her own, and bound Tsukishima tightly, effectively stopping him from moving too much to ruin her fun. Despite being weaker than Ichigo's chains, it was more than enough to do its job.

"Now... Let's begin with the fun!" Giselle giggled and gave a long cut to his arm, dragging the tip of her needle down his skin. Tsukishima bit his lips as he felt the blood trickling down his arm. When she reached his hand, she stabbed the needle right under his thumbnail, and almost wet herself while hearing Tsukishima's scream of agony. It was said that the people who lived near the area couldn't sleep well for days, the pained screams of Tsukishima haunting them throughout the following nights.

-line break-

'Well, it seems like Gigi is having her time... Although I really don't mind if the person she's doing that to is Tsukishima...' Ichigo mused to himself as he could hear Tsukishima's screaming from the distance, albeit faintly. He really had it coming after all.

Ichigo used Sonido to his last target, the other nine Onmitsukidō agents including the first already taken care of. It was a fairly easy task, which wasn't something he expected from the members of the stealth force. They weren't all that good at concealing their presence, although he had to give credit to his spiritual awareness that came from awakening his Quincy blood, which was way higher than the time when he had only his Shinigami and Hollow powers.

As Ichigo slashed his reishi sword through his target, he felt the presence of a Captain level Shinigami right behind his back, a Wakizashi-like Zanpakutō held at his neck. Ichigo sighed at his misfortune, as it wasn't all that surprising that the Captain of the 2nd Division slipped through their information. Even his heightened spiritual awareness wasn't enough to detect the Commander in Chief of the Onmitsukidō, and he had only felt her presence at the last moment. It would've been enough to avoid an attack meant to harm him, but he didn't really bother as her intentions were as clear as day. She wanted to question him alive, and for that she would need to subdue him. It seemed that his decision to form his reishi sword to resemble Bambietta's rather than his Daitō was a good decision after all...

"Stay still, as you are at my mercy... One wrong move and you'll find your head in front of your feet. What is your purpose of hunting down my men in the World of the Living, Arrancar? I'll let you know, that if you dare to lie... I'll just kill you and be done with." Ichigo wanted to scoff at the Captain's words as he knew that she wanted to take him in... preferably alive for the real interrogation, and not this child's play. Was she underestimating him because of the fact that she couldn't sense his reiatsu due to the cloak?

Ichigo disappeared without a word, Sui-Fēng's Zanpakutō slashing through the empty space in a matter of milliseconds. Her reflexes were quite impressive, he noted to himself. Ichigo stood across the Captain, still having his hood on which thankfully kept his identity from being revealed.

"You could've just asked... instead of threatening me. It's not like your Zanpakutō could've cut through my Hierro in your restrained state after all." Ichigo smirked, as he started to take off his hood. Sui-Fēng's steely expression turned into a one of shock at his knowledge of the Gentei Reīn, although it couldn't compare to the one she had on her face when she saw what was under the hood.

"You, you aren't an Arrancar... A Vasto Lorde...?"

"Hmm... There's no need to get all worked up when I'm not going to kill you today, you know. Oh, and don't even bother to release your seal. It's not like you'll be a match for me with or without your seal, and you'll just die by my hands before your seal is lifted completely." Ichigo said to Sui-Fēng in his distorted voice, who knew that the Hollow was merely stating the truth of the situation. The massive reiatsu that started pressuring the whole area upon the Hollow's removal of his hood basically told her to keep her calm if she wanted to leave this situation alive.

"If you aren't going to kill me... Why did you kill my agents? I can't sense any of their reiatsu. Just what did you do to them..." Sui-Fēng gritted her teeth at the overwhelming reiatsu that forced her to behave. She alone won't be able to stop him in this sealed state, and she had no way to request the release of her seal, much less releasing it on her own.

"Ah, there's no need to worry! Your seal is already released, Captain Sui-Fēng! We heard everything you said, Hollow... The 12th Division isn't a group of idiots that are stupid enough to not prepare fail-safes for a situation like this. Captain, do you require us to send reinforcements?"

"No. I have the situation in my hands. Sting all enemies to death, Suzumebachi!" Sui-Fēng's eyes sent a murderous glare to the Hollow as she released her Shikai. The Hollow would regret not killing her when he had the chance.

Ichigo let out a sigh at the situation that fell into his hands. At least both his identity, and affiliation weren't revealed today... And Giselle would've ceased to have her 'fun' and concealed her reiatsu as soon as he brought out his Hollow form. 'Should I just eliminate her before the war even starts? But what would happen if I actually did? Would the Soul Society become truly weakened as the result, or more prepared for the future threats? One less Captain level Shinigami is a great advantage to us... And Yoruichi would probably never forgive me if I did... huh.' Ichigo stifled a chuckle at the thought as it was rather hard to think of her as an enemy. Cats were hard to hate after all. 'Should I just fake my death and make her forget about this whole situation? No.. It would be a waste of an opportunity and probably hard to pull.'

As Ichigo weighed his options, he came to a simple conclusion. 'Subdue and capture her, but make it look like she got KIA to the Soul Society. If they were listening in to our conversation, I could use this as an advantage on my part. If only I could find out what they're using to communicate with each other, I might be able to pull this off...'

"Ah... I wasn't really expecting something like this when I decided to take a stroll out here. It's not like I need to eat human souls to keep my existence, you know? I'm actually curious to how your friends seem to be listening to our friendly chat." Ichigo started to act, thankful for the first time at his mask's feature of distorting his voice. His voice really was a giveaway, and could be easily recognized by someone like Sui-Fēng.

"What kind of Hollow you are isn't the matter of importance, Hollow. You harmed my subordinates, and I fully intend to make you pay for it. And did you really expect me to answer that question?" Sui-Fēng disappeared with a step of Shunpo, only to be surprised when Ichigo caught her wrist, preventing her from stabbing her Zanpakutō to his body.

"It's not like I really did anything harmful to them... I just put them to a short sleep, that's all. And..." Ichigo pulled Sui-Fēng's arm, and whispered in a menacing tone, not that he needed to make it sound menacing when he had his mask on. "Didn't I tell you that your seal wouldn't matter to me? As I said, you're no match for me with or without your seal...?"

Ichigo blinked his eyes at the Captain's Haori held in his hands, the Captain herself nowhere to be seen. He remembered this technique, probably from Yoruichi... he thought to himself.

"Way of Onmitsu, 3rd of the Shihō... Utsusemi." Sui-Fēng whispered from behind, stabbing her Zanpakutō at Ichigo's back, only to notice that he was also gone when she thought that her attack succeeded in leaving a Hōmonka.

"It was really nice of you to give me a present like this. Should I wear it with pride?" Ichigo mocked the Captain as he appeared once more, right in front of her. Sui-Fēng gritted her teeth, and took another stab at him, only to be surprised herself when Ichigo actually received a hit. A Hōmonka appeared right above where Ichigo's heart was located.

"You don't really have to be so feisty, you know? That hardly stung a little anyway. Are you sure that your Zanpakutō could actually sting your enemy to death with this...?" Ichigo riled up the Captain a little more to his liking, only to be interrupted with the sound of a Senkaimon. He cursed to himself as he sensed a familiar reiatsu exiting it.

"Well, hello there Captain Sui-Fēng? You seem to be having a bad day... And you... Hollow...?" The blonde haired Captain's eyes widened in disbelief as he felt the familiar reiatsu that came from the Vasto Lorde. "What the... hell...?" Shinji gasped as Ichigo's reishi sword pierced his stomach, losing his consciousness immediately. 'We'll be seeing each other again, Shinji. Sorry for doing this to you.' Ichigo sighed as he felt Sui-Fēng's Zanpakutō making contact with the Hōmonka he had received barely a minute ago.

"This is the end for you, Hollow. You see, my Zanpakutō Suzumebachi's ability is the perfect Zanpakutō for an assassin like me... Nigeki Kessatsu. Once you receive two strikes at the same spot, your life is forfeit. It seems that you were all... words...?" Sui-Fēng gasped as she felt a short trench knife leaving a shallow cut across her chest. It wasn't the pain that bothered her, but an unusual feeling that she couldn't get a grasp of.

"Your Zanpakutō's ability is indeed fearsome... But I'm not the type to die all alone, Shinigami. If I am going to die, you're going to accompany me to my deathbed!" Ichigo smirked as he fired out a Cero at the sky with one hand, while he reached his other hand and fished out the Denreishinki that was strapped to her obi sash. Ichigo let out a sigh after he crushed it, his mask disintegrating into reishi. He then checked Shinji's unconscious form, only to be surprised that he had somehow stabbed through Shinji's Denreishinki when he made Shinji forget about everything that happened after he exited the Senkaimon. It was a lucky hit on his part. But why did he have a bad feeling? Jugram did say that if you experience good luck, it will be evened out with an equal amount of misfortune...

"You... Kurosaki Ichigo...? How did you survive...?" Sui-Fēng muttered in surprise and annoyance as she realized that her Nigeki Kessatsu has failed.

"Oh? I guess it shouldn't be all that surprising that the first thing you'd ask is about how your Zanpakutō's ability failed. I simply made my body forget the fact that it received the first hit, effectively making your second strike as the first instead. It's such a good thing that I read about all the current Captain's listed in the Daten, since I already thought up a counter for your Zanpakutō. I was a little surprised when they sent reinforcement even when you told them that you didn't need it... And it just happened to be Shinji who recognized the reiatsu of my Hollow." Ichigo sighed once more at the close call. It was only thanks to Shinji being too shocked by his presence that he was able to take care of him before the situation got out of hand.

"You recovered your powers... on your own?"

"Well, that would be both yes and no, but enough with the questions. You're coming with me, whether you like it or not. Just know that I'm only sparing you because I owe Yoruichi that much." Ichigo formed the same chains he used on Tsukishima, and took the bound form of Sui-Fēng over his shoulder who was surprised that she was saved by Lady Yoruichi once more, whether she was aware of it or not. "I most certainly wasn't expecting this when I came here... but I guess everything turned out for the best... If what I did to you works properly... You can come out now, Gigi. Let's go home before something unexpected happens again..."

"Sure thing, Ichi-chan! I can already see Jugo's expression getting all messed up when you show up with a Captain as a captive!" Giselle giggled and took Ichigo's hand into her's while preparing the shadows for them, only to be interrupted by the second captive's panicked voice.

"I, I cancelled my Fullbring as you wanted Kurosaki! At least kill me without the torture... with her! Please... I beg of you!" Ichigo froze at Tsukishima's words, and sighed in annoyance as not everything turned out for the best... He really shouldn't tempt the fates by saying words like that in the future.

"Tsukishima... You're going to become her toy she can use whenever she wants for what you just did. Whoever said I wanted you to cancel your Fullbring? I suppose I should do a favor for Gigi..." Ichigo let go of Giselle's hand which made her want to pout, but his mention of a favor for her stopped her from doing so. Ichigo formed his trench knife-like reishi sword once more and stabbed Tsukishima, resulting in him to forget about the thought of killing himself no matter how much pain his future held. "He doesn't know what the word death means anymore. I thought it would be a good present for you." Giselle let out a squeal and hugged Ichigo, and the two Quincies with their two respective captives soon disappeared from the city without a trace.

-line break-

Throne Room, Silbern

It was the next day when Yhwach found Ichigo kneeling on one knee in front of him. He was greatly satisfied at his newest Sternritter who actually put his loyalty to the empire above his past ties, including his family. He understood that the act itself was intended to keep them out of the upcoming conflict, but it was a commendable act nevertheless.

"Your majesty, I have come to report the events that occurred last night. Sternritter Gewelle and I tracked down our target under a hour's time, but a mistake on my part revealed our presence to the Onmitsukidō squad in the vicinity. The target is held in Sternritter Gewelle's quarters. It did not take long to take them all down and remove their memories of the night, but there was an unexpected event that occurred. The Captain of the 2nd Division happened to be there last night for unknown reasons, and is currently held captive in my quarters. There was also the Captain of the 5th Division who was sent as a reinforcement, but I took care of him by surprise before he could prove to be a problem. The Soul Society does not know about the existence of the empire, as I took the measures to stage the whole situation under the guise of a rogue Vasto Lorde Hollow to make it look like the Captain was KIA by the Vasto Lorde. I have also ordered the soldats on surveillance duty to keep their attention focused on the 12th Division, and the 1st Division Barracks. That would be all, your majesty." As Ichigo concluded the report, Yhwach couldn't help but admire his Sternritter's performance. It seemed that the decision to send Sternritter 'Z' to recruit Ichigo was the best war preparation done on their part.

"I see. Is there a reason the said Captain is held captive in your quarters? You could've easily killed her, if you staged the events as you informed."

"About the matter, I personally wish to keep her alive as my captive for the time being as it concerns the debt I owe to her master, Shihōin Yoruichi. For safety measures, her loyalty to the Gotei 13 has been removed... May I ask for your permission, your majesty?"

Yhwach considered his options, and decided that it wouldn't be a problem for him to approve of it.

"If I deny your request and order you to kill her immediately?" Yhwach asked, knowing full well the answer that was to come.

"I am yours to command, your majesty." Ichigo said played along the emperor's game, as he knew that his request was already approved.

"Your request is granted, Sternritter Kurosaki. I see great promise in you, and expect more from the future. You are dismissed."

Ichigo bowed his head in gratitude and exited the throne room. Yhwach laughed, as he could see the expression on Yamamoto's face when this event was revealed at their inevitable confrontation.

Next chapter will be an interlude about the events that occur during the time skip.

Was it a bit anticlimactic that Ichigo's Schrift was formed to counter Tsukishima's Fullbring, only for him to cancel it on his own?

I had this event in my mind when I decided what Schrift I'll give to Ichigo. It was to bring in Ichigo's friends in the story as a willing participant, so I needed that to happen. They'll have their confrontation with Ichigo when the TYBW arc comes in.

Ichigo considers himself to be in debt of Yoruichi, unlike Kisuke who Ichigo thinks of as someone who used him for his own reasons. I personally think that even Ichigo in this story won't be all hateful of Yoruichi. She really is a character who is hard to hate.

I already decided what Schrift I'll give to Ichigo before I started to write this story. It was either 'A' or 'L' as no one would really mind if I just remove PePe from the story. But I think I read at least three stories that gave Ichigo 'The Light' as his Schrift, so I stuck with the 'A'. Most of the Sternritter's Schrift are ridiculous, so I thought 'why not?' and decided to give 'The Amnesia' which is basically about making the subject 'forget' about something. About its limit, PePe's 'The Love' works on Zanpakutōs. You can probably guess what Ichigo's Schrift will be capable of, such as 'Hirako Shinji will forget to stay conscious for five minutes'. There is a reason it is 'The Amnesia' instead of 'The Memory'. It is an ability based on the keyword FORGET.

It had a pretty good enough reasoning on why that became Ichigo's Schrift, in my opinion.

Sui-Fēng was something I didn't really have in my mind until recently, but I had a thought. Since this story is a Sternritter Ichigo fic, and a Good Yhwach at that... It is basically a guaranteed win to the Wandenreich. So I wanted to give some more twists to the story, and I just took the chance when I saw it.

About Giselle and Ichigo's relationship. IchigoXGiselle is the main pairing, so it's only natural that this was to happen sooner or later, multi pairing or not. I'll make my decision concerning the pairings during the interlude chapter. And, no. I was tempted a little with Sui-Fēng, but she won't be a part of the pairing in this story. Maybe I'll decide to write one with her as the main in the future, but I make no promises.

Oh, Tsukishima will have some more coming to him, and he's going to become one of Giselle's zombies anyway.

Thanks for reading this story, and stay safe during these hard times!