Chapter 4

Whoosh! Two men dashed through the streets of Soul Society. "It's thought to be remnants of Ywach's energy, but the Reiatsu is coming from the West 55th Block. That's the final area under reconstruction that connects directly to Squad 13's barracks."

"Kuchiki!"

One of the men glanced back, and saw a relatively petite woman with grey eyes and shoulder length black hair with a long wavy ponytail. She wore a traditional Shinigami captain's uniform with a sleeveless haori and a yellow obi tied around her waist, as well as long black arm bands. She also wore traditional Chinese shoes with ordinary white socks. "Do you think Squad 13's Captain knows, he wasn't at the meeting..." the woman asked Byakuya.

"I hope not. That man's been through so much already. He shouldn't have to deal with this. That's why I shall handle it personally."

Upon arrival, alone stood a man with an appearance that had a skeletal look to it with a skull-like visage. His face was painted to resemble a white-and-black mask, with the white portion circling his forehead and covering his upper lip and nose, while the black portions consist of his lower lip, chin, and most of his forehead as well as the area around his eyes which were a honey-gold colour and he constantly bared his teeth giving the appearance of him constantly smiling. He wore a large golden headpiece resembling a pair of ram's horns curling backward behind his head. His fingernails were blue and, with the exception of the fingernail on his right middle finger, were all short. The one long fingernail was as long as the finger itself. He also wore a large purple scarf around his neck, his hands were white as well, suggesting his whole body was painted.

"How peculiar." The man turned his attention to the two individuals. "I don't recall informing anyone of this incident."

"You'd be wise not to underestimate our espionage and information network." The woman snapped back, prompting Byakuya to intercede. "Since you're here, I'll assume the information we received was accurate." The man with the horns scoffed. "Accurate...? Whether it was right or wrong..." he peeked behind him. "... You're about to find out with your very own eyes..." that moment, dark energy with eyes warped and distorted right before them.

The energy reeled back, seemingly with the intent to strike. "Here it comes!! Get back!" the woman warned her subordinates.

"GRAN REY CERO-GETSUGA TENSHŌ!!!" a massive slashing attack engulfed the dark energy, pushing back everyone in the nearby vicinity. As the dust cleared, it revealed Ichigo, his left eye inverted in colour with a black sclera and yellow iris, he had dark marks running down his face and along his neck, and a long, forward-pointing horn on the left side of his head. While his skin was completely white. He carried with him a blade in the form of a Khyber knife variation; a smaller black blade comprised the inner part of the sword and had the handle fixed to it, while the base of the sword was slanted and the blade continued with a section jutting out from the underside as a guard, with a chain attached to it that looped over the top and attached right before the point of the blade.

Everyone scanned the area for any further signs of danger, but there was none, all was still, and all was quiet. "My, my, seems as though you've made an even bigger mess than before, Kurosaki Ichigo..." the black and white man commented.

No-one paid him any mind as the 6th Division Captain walked up to the Saviour Of Soul Society. "The assistance is appreciated Captain Kurosaki, but I believe your tactics to have been overly excessive." He sheathed his Zanpakuto. "Excessive?" There was a harshness to the Hollowfied Shinigami's voice. "Have you already forgotten what him and his army did Byakuya?" black Spiritual Energy emanated from the orange-haired man. "How they slaughtered us, duped us... And BROKE US!!!" the energy burst from him with the force of a Getsuga Tenshō. Fortunately the other captains were all capable of withstanding such Spiritual Pressure, but their subordinates were not so fortunate, as they got blown away in their numbers.

Closer inspection of Ichigo's features revealed something that fascinated the captain with the horns, and simultaneously forced Byakuya and the female captain into action.

The next instant was a blur, the young captain now had a katana pressed to his neck, and a black and gold gauntlet, with a small chain linking it to a stinger-like blade on the middle finger pointed at his nape. The "stinger" was about twice as long as the normal length of the other fingers. The colours and pattern resembled those of a hornet. "You may be in distress Kurosaki, but I will not hesitate to cut you down if you do not contain yourself." Ichigo was confused, till he followed Kuchiki's gaze. Cautiously, as not to provoke his comrades, he raised his arm up to his face.

What!

Shocked, he felt a row of large teeth where a part of his mouth should have been. Zangetsu!? He began to panic, fear gripping his heart as he tried to pry the jaw off his face. "RAWWRRR!!!" not hesitating, Byakuya made a motion to slit Kurosaki's throat, whilst the petite woman thrust her gauntlet at his lower neck. Both Captain's eyes widened as they observed a faint blue pattern tracing the veins beneath the surface of the orange-haired man's skin, which was visible on the afflicted areas they had struck. The Hollowfied Shinigami retaliated with a clawed hand to the 6th Division Captain and a swing of his massive Zanpakuto at the female captain, who both Flash-Stepped out of the way with time to spare.

The painted captain chuckled. "Fortunately you are two of the fastest in Soul Society, or that could've been messy." He grinned maniacally.

"Why didn't our attacks penetrate him!?" she practically barked at the golden horned man, who did not look amused, bared teeth side. "RAWWRRR!!!" seeing the young captain double over in what looked like sheer agony, still attempting to detach the anomaly on his face. "Well, if you must know, that was a Quincy ability, Blut Vene, the defensive form of Blut, which grants the user inhuman durability." The three captains sensed multiple entities coming towards them, and looked to see Rukia and Renji, with a plethora of familiar faces accompanying them. At the forefront was Orihime, a look of horror and disbelief on her face.

"K...K... Kurosaki-kun...?"