Chapter 45: Arrival of the Hollow King

Present, 4 Days Before Execution, Hueco Mundo

A lone figure stands atop an exceedingly tall spire, which seemingly touches the very sky of Hueco Mundo. The cloaked figure has their hood down, revealing a tan face with purple hair with a crimson tint, who wears a slight smile on their face.

The figure, a mysterious being known as Athena Plateado, hums, as she looks intently off in the distance, "I see… so you've chosen to spare him, have you, boy? I suppose I shouldn't be surprised; you do after all resemble that man quite closely, especially without your mask…"

The woman narrows her eyes, stating distantly, "I can only pray that you do not foolheartedly take all that blood lust with you to that place… nothing good will come of that, for you or the people of Hueco Mundo… for if you do take it, war will no longer be avoidable."

Athena closes her eyes, sighing deeply, "And you were so close to leaving them well enough alone. Ah well, I suppose that's what fate has dictated the existence of Hollows must always be… one of strife… just be careful, not to get yourself killed so soon after becoming King, boy…"

Meanwhile, Arena Above Canopy, Las Noches

Aizen takes in the scene of the enraged, newly-born Arrancar before him, raising a brow, "That was easy… reading you Shibas is as easy as stealing candy from a baby."

The man, rubbing his neck, gives the boy a light smile, "Well, it may please you to know that while you and the rest of the Hollows in Las Noches fought each other, I was already making the necessary preparations, including procuring our means of escape—Aaroniero, if you would."

Suddenly, a lanky figure, clad in white, appears to the left of the captain, holding a larger, completely white, unique-looking Vasto Lorde in his grasp.

Sora widens his eyes in recognition of the captured Hollow, "W-Wonderweiss?!"

The Hollow looks weakly at the man for a moment before widening his eyes as well, "S-serpent…?"

Aizen cocks his head, raising a brow, "Oh, so you two already know each other. That must mean you know of his unique ability to summon the Negacion."

The brown-haired Arrancar narrows his eyes, "You mean Hooler?"

The captain cocks his brow in mild fascination, "Is that the creature's name? Fascinating…"

It's at this time that Ichigo, having a better hold on his rage, manages to speak, while putting on the white clothing Nelliel handed to him, "Why do we need this Negacion, anyway? What's wrong with a Garganta?"

Aizen shifts his gaze on the younger Hollow as Nelliel hands clothing to Ulquiorra and Sora as well, "As I'm sure your friend is aware, the creature, Hooler, is able to produce a golden light that can pierce through the realms, engulfing its allies. This light is an invisible barrier that no one, no matter how mighty can pierce. This creates a special kind of Garganta that pulls the individual in, guaranteeing a one hundred percent safe escape. You can see why this would be necessary, given we are about to step onto a battlefield."

Ichigo nods, understanding the explanation, "I think I get it. It'll definitely be helpful…"

The captain cocks a brow as the clothing on Ichigo warps slightly, leaving the white, trench coat-like Gi to end at the bottom of his legs in a unique torn, worn fashion, with black highlights. The red fur around his neck hugs against the collar of the Gi, which splits into a V-shape to his shoulders, exposing his bare, ghostly white upper chest, as well as his Hollow hole that stands in the center. The long sleeves of the Gi are snug against his arms, revealing a bit of the muscle that he's built up, before ending at his wrists, snug against the red fur occupying them. Further, black, armor-like bands form over the sleeves on his forearms, binding the fabric in place as they fit the form of his arms. The clothes of his lower body are identical to the Shinigami's, although inversed as the pants are white, held up by a black sash, before ending with black socks and gray sandals on his feet.

Sora and Ulquiorra wear similar outfits, the major differences being the exclusion of the armbands and the torn ends of their overcoats, which instead end in a normal, untorn manner, although still with a black outline. The serpent combs his long locks back with his hands before tying them into a ponytail with a black hair tie.

Aizen nods in approval at Ichigo's new appearance, "It would seem your will is unique… the clothing has altered itself to suit the properties of your soul…"

The dragon shrugs, not really caring about Aizen's comment as he approaches the Vasto Lorde, "Hey… Wonderweiss, right? Do you think your friend, Hooler, would be willing to help us out?"

The captain furrows his brows, "Why's he asking…? He could just force him to help…"

Wonderweiss, now released from the Espada's hold, looks briefly between Sora and Ichigo before nodding, "You… friend with serpent… we… help…"

Ichigo bows, graciously, "Thanks!"

Ulquiorra, meanwhile, furrows his brows at Aaroniero, "Your name is Aaroniero…? But I thought Stark defeated an Espada by that name, earlier. Yet, your Reiatsu is completely different from the one he fought…"

This earns the attention of the others, who all look at the Espada for an explanation, who, in turn, shifts his gaze on Aizen, uttering with a distorted, echoed voice, "Was this your doing, My Lord?"

The others now look at the captain, who nods with an apologetic smile, "It was… I had to convince the other Espadas, especially Barragan, that you were still in Las Noches, battle-ready for the invaders. Another Arrancar fought in your place, wearing your clothes, and I… tampered with the Espada's perception of his Reiatsu, making it seem to them that it was you."

The Espada nods his head in understanding, "I see… that makes sense."

Nelliel, meanwhile, trembles slightly, a sight not missed by Ichigo and Sora, "Y-you used it…? W-when?"

Aizen shakes his head, sighing, "My dear, it's not whenever I have used it, but whenever I haven't. That is all."

Sora cocks a brow, put off, "Nel… what's he talking about?"

The woman purses her lips before opening her mouth to explain, but Ichigo cuts her off, "It doesn't matter. If he tries anything funny from here on out, I'll kill him before he can even draw his Zanpakuto."

Sora and Nelliel flinch under the Arrancar's cold, ominous words, which only serve to make the captain smirk wildly, "That's a good mentality to have, Ichigo Kurosaki. It will serve you well on the battlefield we're about to step on. My preparations are complete. We can leave whenever you wish."

Ichigo nods, beginning to perform some kind of warm-up stretch, "Alright. It'll just be the two of us, I take it?"

Before the captain can respond, Ichigo is hit hard on the back of the head by two different fists, causing his eyes to extend a bit comically out of his sockets, "OW!"

The dragon snaps at the two who assaulted him—Sora and Nelliel, "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?!"

Sora hisses at the boy, "You little punk! You think we'd just leave you alone with that guy during such an important mission?"

The teenage hollow widens his eyes, "Wait… but you don't have to…"

Nelliel huffs, wearing a slight smile, "Dummy… of course, we'd come to help you save your sister. That's what friends are for, right?"

Ichigo is silent, staring in awe at the sight of the two other Arrancars as Nelliel shifts her friendly gaze towards Ulquiorra, "And you're coming to, right… um… erm… sorry, what was your name again?"

The bat responds with an emotionless expression, "Ulquiorra…!"

The black-haired Arrancar instinctively tenses up as the woman bounds over to him, grabbing his hands between her own before shaking them rapidly, "It's good to meet you Ulquiorra, I'm Nelliel—but you can call me Nel for short!"

Ulquiorra, with somewhat confused widened eyes, sweat drops as he looks up at the woman's face, "O-ok… nice to meet you too, I suppose…"

Aizen takes this as his opportunity to realign the focus of the conversation, "Then it's settled. For extra insurance, Aaroniero will be coming along with us, as well. But that should be all, we don't want to bring along too many allies as this isn't a full-scale invasion, merely a rescue mission, and a time-sensitive one, at that. It would be best if Wonderweiss and Kukkapuro stayed behind, as they would likely get in the way. I suggest… asking Roka to tether a mental link to Wonderweiss. We can contact her when we're ready to retreat."

The orange-haired Arrancar nods before closing his eyes, "Did you get all of that Roka? Tell the others I'm taking a small group with me for the Soul Society for a personal mission. While I'm gone, Barragan's in charge."

From the other end, a soft, feminine voice responds, "As you wish, Your Majesty. Is there anything else?"

Ichigo opens his eyes, his gaze intent, "Yeah… have the Infirmary ready for when we get back."

Within Garganta

As the group, all wearing the black, Reishi-dampening cloaks Aizen appeared with, travels through the distorted passageway, Ichigo, Nelliel, and Sora all stare at Aizen with widened eyes from behind.

The orange-haired Arrancar stutters, "Yuzu and Mom being these Quincies, I can see… but… but… Dad and Karin are… Shinigami…? They never…"

Aizen continues walking with his back turned on the young Hollow, "Your father's power only returned after your death. The circumstances surrounding your birth seemingly required a seal to be placed on the original artificial hollow White, whom I created and against my wishes attacked your mother. Shortly after, your father came out of exile, his powers returning, bringing his daughter with him into the dangerous world of the Shinigami, where she is currently being groomed to become like the rest of them. Their goal is to destroy you…"

Ichigo furrows his brows, his pace slowing as his gaze shifts somewhat downward.

Nelliel looks at Aizen in disapproval before reminding Ichigo, with a hopeful look in her eyes, "He said they don't realize it's you. So maybe—"

The captain brutally cuts her off, his words masterfully convincing, "You think that'd matter? No. If anything, that would only make it worse. A man of Isshin Shiba's caliber, who was born and raised as a Noble of the Soul Society, even becoming a captain, would never accept that his son's soul has been trapped in a body of a hollow, his sworn enemy. It would be one thing if they were Quincies, like the young Yuzu Kurosaki, because then their only recourse would be to destroy Ichigo entirely, which is obviously not an option. No, they seek to destroy, or as they call it, 'purify' the Ichigo you see before you with their blades. So long as he is a Hollow, they will reject your right to exist."

Nelliel and the rest are quiet at this, the group's pace now halted as Ichigo trembles, "Maybe… after Yuzu's saved… that wouldn't be… the worst thing… I do deserve it, after all…"

Aizen glares at the boy, "However, you shouldn't let that feeble, traditional mindset impede you, oh, Lord of Hollows. You have your new kingdom and the people in it, depending on you, to think of. I am sure, with enough convincing, Karin may not feel the same way as your father. But you must remember that we will not have time for that on this particular trip. Our objectives are the rescue of Yuzu Kurosaki, currently locked within the large white tower, known as the Senzaikyu, and the procurement of Kisuke Urahara's Hogyoku from the secret vault miles below the Central 46."

Sora cocks his head, "You mean that device that'll make us stronger?"

The captain nods before eyeing Ichigo, who seems to be developing a second wind, "Fortunately, both Isshin and Karin will be far from the battlefield, as they've been constrained, or rather, are ignorant to what is happening in Karin's case. So, most likely, you won't even need to bother interacting with either of them. More importantly…"

Ichigo eyes the captain with a raised brow, a smirk gracing the bi-speckled man's features, "…you should know about the ones who orchestrated the execution and who no doubt will eventually turn their gazes on the rest of your family as well… the Tsunayashiro Clan."

Secret Bunker Beneath the Squad 5 Barracks

The group exits the Garganta, entering a small, dimly-lit room—a bunker far beneath the Squad 5 Barracks.

Ichigo, wears an expression of cool rage as he exits, regarding the captain, "Thanks for telling me…"

Sora, Ulquiorra, and Nelliel look at the teenage Hollow with various, somewhat conflicted expressions.

Aizen glances passively at Ichigo for a moment before closing his eyes, "Just remember to make it quick… the timing has to match up for the plan to succeed smoothly…"

Ichigo's face is hidden beneath the hood of his cloak as he murmurs darkly, "You don't need to worry about that…"

The teen walks across the room, beginning to scale a set of stairs, prompting Aizen to regard the other, undirected Hollows, "Remember your orders—spread out and hide until he gives the signal. Your cloaks will make it easy to move around undetected. No one will know you are there until after you attack."

The Arrancars all nod, some more begrudgingly than others, before dispersing, disappearing with the distorted noise of Sonido. Shortly after, Ichigo does the same, leaving Aizen with a satisfied smirk on his face.

Squad 8 Barracks

As the sun rises on the Seireitei, Kyoraku sits himself upright in his office, stretching briefly before glancing at his surroundings.

The man narrows his eyes, "Something's… off…"

Kyoraku doesn't get much time to think about it, his eyes widening slightly as his Vice-Captain walks into the room, "Captain, the troops have set up a barrier around the Barracks."

The man nods, placing a hand on his straw hat, "Very good Nanao. Is that all?"

The woman shakes her head before adding, "Despite your odd request, I saw fit to also set up a Kido spell around the Barracks which cuts off our communication and Reiatsu from the rest of the Seireitei."

Kyoraku flinches, furrowing his brows as he looks upon his Vice-Captain, "What are you talking about? I never requested anything of the sort…"

Nanao furrows her brows in turn, "Really? Because I could've sworn, Shu told me—"

Both Kyoraku and Nanao widen their eyes as she says this, the woman staggering somewhat as she rests a hand on her head, wearing a pained expression, "Wait… no, he's a Ryoka… but…!"

Something moves in the rafters above Kyoraku, causing him to immediately unsheathe his swords, holding them defensively above his head, just in time to catch the blade of another individual descending upon him—Shukuro Tsukishima.

Tsukishima narrows his eyes slightly before backing off with Bringer's Light, reappearing a distance away from the man, "Nanao sure is a mouthy one, isn't she…?"

Kyoraku levels a death glare at the other man, "What have you done to her?"

The Fullbringer cocks his head to the side, raising a brow, "Me? Nothing. Nanao and I have always been good friends, haven't we?"

Nanao nods slowly, her expression still somewhat disoriented and confused, "Y-yes… Shu is… a friend. He helped me through my mother's death…"

Kyoraku's eyes widen as he stares back at Nanao in horror, all the while Tsukishima smiles softly, "That's right… as her uncle, you of all people should remember all that I've done for her. Or could it be that you're starting to go senile already, Lord Kyoraku?"

The captain levels a cold gaze on the Fullbringer, "So your powers mess with people's memories… you're playing a dangerous game here, boy…"

Kyorkau begins to adjust the hold on his blades before Tsukishima wags his finger in front of him, "I wouldn't do that if I were you. After all, Katen Kyokotsu doesn't 'play' nice with so many allies around~."

Kyoraku widens his eyes as the walls around his office come crashing down, leagues of Shinigami rushing at him with drawn Zanpakutos, which are slammed on the ground where the captain was previously. The veteran captain was easily able to dodge his men with Flash Step, now in the air above the Barracks.

However, the captain widens his eyes as Tsukishima appears in the air right next to him, preparing his blade for a strike, "He's fast!"

Kyoraku holds his dual blades defensively in front of him, blocking the strike, before exerting more force into them, pushing the Fullbringer back. He goes in for a follow-up attack as Tsukishima staggers somewhat, however, he widens his eyes as a red light starts forming from below him.

The captain stares down as Nanao, and several others from his Squad, all charge a red beam in their hands, chanting, "Hado Number 31: Shakkaho!"

The sky is lit red as Kyoraku is forced to back away from the Fullbringer to avoid the blasts. Shortly after, several Shinigami join the duo in the air, surrounding the captain and creating a sort of barrier around Tsukishima.

Nanao appears in the air, once more leveling her red Kido at her captain, wearing a strained expression, "I know he's a Ryoka, but why are you treating Shu so callously, captain? After all he's done for us!"

Kyoraku narrows his eyes at her before glancing over his men and then finally at Tsukishima himself, who wears a casual smile on his face, "Attacking him outright is no good, my men will just attack me again or take the hit… and I hate to admit it, but he's right about my Shikai. If I used it now, the risk of accidentally cutting down Nanao and the rest of my men is too high. Unfortunately, he's a bit too quick on his feet for me to catch off guard, at least not with all these men here. And finally, calling for help isn't an option either, since Nanao set up that barrier jamming our communication."

Kyoraku lays a hand on the edge of his hat, tilting it down to hide his eyes as he smiles dejectedly, "I'm impressed, young man. You've really put me in quite the pinch. There's no way I can beat you without running the serious risk of attacking my own men. Quite underhanded, I must say."

Tsukishima, for the first time since the battle started, frowns deeply, "You Shinigami are in no position to speak about a fair fight or morality. Not now, when you're putting an innocent child to death, nor back then, when you so cruelly and brutally butchered my friends—MY FAMILY!"

The captain's brow twitches slightly, before he sighs, "That aside… I've pretty much lost the battle, wouldn't you say? Those powers of yours are quite scary… I don't suppose you'll just let me off the hook, though?"

The Shinigami around Kyoraku and Tsukishima seem confused by the conversation as the captain muses to himself, "It seems like they don't lose their overall memories and personality… that's something, at least…"

Tsukishima raises a brow before smirking, "Oh…? Well, you aren't wrong. The situation is quite hopeless unless you're willing to trade lives to stop me from proceeding, and I can tell based on what I know about you that you're not willing to do that. Thanks to Nanao, I know what you and Ukitake are planning, so I can at least promise that I won't kill you. Further, I don't see any harm in explaining my powers…"

Tsukishima then pulls out a book from his pocket, with small green flames briefly coming off it, "Book of the End. It allows me to 'insert' myself into other people's memories when I 'cut' them with my 'bookmark', as you'll soon find out."

Kyoraku smirks, "Just because I've admitted the battle is lost, doesn't mean I've given up altogether. I can still hold you off and dodge your strikes."

Tsukishima returns the smirk, "That's fine by me—I have time. My 'partners' have already safely passed through this area and are well on their way to the Senzaikyu as we speak."

The bearded man smiles, jovially, retrieving a jug of Sake that he somehow fit into his Gi, "Well if you have time, why not enjoy some Sake with me? Neither of us want to kill each other, so we can take a seat down there while the men take a load off!"

Tsukishima raises a brow as the men and women around him begin to relax their features, some of them muttering with a chuckle, "Now that's Captain Kyoraku!"

Near Senzaikyu, Seireitei

Yukio, with Kon still on his shoulder, runs through the streets of the Seireitei, closing in on the Senzaikyu.

The boy suddenly skids to a halt before quickly taking cover against the wall as a group of Shinigami run past the intersection, missing him, "I heard there was a Ryoka sighted in this direction!"

The boy exhales, "That was too close… but I definitely can't afford to get caught now… not when we're so close…!"

Noble District, Seireitei

Ichigo, covered in the Reishi-suppressing cloak he got from Aizen, sneaks around the noble district, undetected by the various Shinigami of Squad 6 posted there.

A group of Shinigami pass the set of bushes he's currently kneeling behind, speaking about something that gets the Hollow's attention, "I heard Captain Kuchiki finally woke up from his coma today! Dr. Yamada said he'll be back on his feet in a couple of hours!"

Another responds, "Really?! That's great! With him back in action, these Ryoka are gonna be in for a world of hurt!"

The original Shinigami responds, chuckling, "You can say that again! Still… I can't believe these Ryoka were able to take down two captains. I didn't know humans could get so strong!"

The Shinigami continue their discussion, leaving Ichigo to ponder what they just spoke about, "Captain Kuchiki? Was he that captain that Ulquiorra and I fought with Kenpachi? And 'Ryoka'? Aizen didn't mention them… they're from the World of the Living…?"

Ichigo's eyes widen beneath his cloak, "Wait… could they be…?!"

Suddenly, the Hollow hears the Shinigami abruptly cease their conversation before standing fully at attention, "Good afternoon, Lord Tsunayashiro, sir!"

Ichigo shifts attention towards a bearded, old man in tan robes, flanked by what appear to be bodyguards.

The hollow narrows his eyes hatefully as he quickly regards a photo from under his cloak which matches the appearance of the man, recalling Aizen's words, "This man is the current Head of the Tsunayashiro Clan. He is the one who orchestrated your sister's execution."

The photo burns into ash as Ichigo holds it under his cloak, unnoticed by the man who casually addresses the Shinigami, "I overheard what you men were talking about. Is it true that Captain Kuchiki has awoken?"

One of the Shinigami nods, "Yes, sir. I was there when Dr. Yamada informed Vice-Captain Abarai, just this morning."

The elder clicks his tongue, not noticing the air shift behind him, nor the way his bodyguards are struck by some seemingly invisible force, knocking them out, "Curse that Seinosuke! I had told him to keep Kuchiki impaired for at least another week! Does he have a death wish?! Is this your doing, Tokinada?! You'll pay dearly for this, as well, if so!"

It is then that the elder notices the Shinigami in front of him trembling, their mouths agape as they point behind him. The elder raises a brow, before looking behind him, immediately widening his eyes as his throat is held in a vice grip by a ghostly white hand with red fur around the wrist.

Ichigo, now with his cloak completely removed, exposing him to everyone present, eyes the gagging noble ominously, stating darkly, "Time to learn the price for messing with my family, Tsunayashiro."

Cavern Beneath the Sogyoku Hill

Chad shifts awkwardly as he opens his eyes, feeling a warm feeling surrounding his body from every direction.

Slowly, his vision and hearing become unclouded, as he hears bubbles and sees the steam associated with hot water, eventually realizing, "I'm… in a hot spring…?"

"About time you woke up, boy. I was starting to think that you'd sleep through the rest of the mission.", a feminine voice calls to him from nearby.

Chad cocks his brow before his eyes widen in complete embarrassment as he lays them upon a beautiful, dark-skinned young woman with yellow, cat-like eyes and dark purple hair, who just so happens to be in the hot spring with him, completely nude.

The boy quickly averts his gaze, his face beat red from embarrassment, "I-I don't believe we've met, Miss! Why am I sharing a bath with you?!"

The woman snickers playfully, "Aw, come now, boy, we've met quite a few times before! I came here with you, after all. Although, I was in my animal form."

Chad widens his eyes, having to stop himself from looking back at the woman, "Y-Yoruichi…?"

The woman, now revealed to be Yoruichi in her true form, makes a slight purr sound, causing Chad to flinch, as she confirms, "Bullseye. Now, as for why you are here—you pushed your body to its limits fighting Captain Komamura. It needed rest. So, I picked up your body after you fainted and brought it to Kisuke and I's old hideout. As you can tell, this place is well insulated from the rest of the Seireitei, so it's a good place to hide, not to mention the hot springs with special healing properties like the one we're sitting in that we've set up."

Chad nods, still averting his gaze slightly, "I got it. Thanks for getting me out of there, Yoruichi."

Yoruichi nods before suddenly wearing a serious expression and rising to her feet, fully exposing her body which causes the boy to flinch once more, "You could do with a bit more training, Chad. This place is also a great place for that. Given that you are a brawler, there are quite a few techniques I'd like to teach you, as a hand-to-hand specialist myself."

The boy, now with a hand covering his eyes, responds, "That's all well and good, but… do you think you could put some clothes on first?"

The woman widens her eyes, briefly gazing down before wearing a knowing smile, "Sure, Chad. I think I could do that. I left your clothes by that rock over there. You can put those on before we train too if you'd like."

The woman starts putting on a black, long-sleeved shirt that tightly hugs her skin, as well as equally black leggings.

She walks a distance away from the hot spring, leaving the boy a blushing mess, her thoughts serious, "Based on the patrolling I've done in my cat form, none of the others have yet to be captured. The Gotei 13 is currently down four captains, although Aizen and Byakuya seem to be coming out of recovery. Byakuya I can deal with, but Aizen…"

The woman grits her teeth, her face one of rage, "Damnit, I wish I could beat him into the ground for all that he's done, but I know if I get close to him, I'm a goner! His Zanpakuto is one thing, but that monstrous Reiatsu and total mastery of Kido each alone would make him more than a match for the average captain…"

Yoruichi sighs before glancing upwards, "So long as nothing goes horribly wrong, at our current pace we should be able to save Yuzu with time to spare. Once we get her out of her cell, we'll make a run for it. I'm sorry Kisuke, Tessai, but at this point, that's the best we can do…"

Yoruichi narrows her eyes, her expression becoming dejected, "Even if I was still the Head of the Shihoin Clan, I would not be able to enter Muken…"

Near Squad 9 Barracks, Seireitei

Tatsuki and Riruka, hiding behind a set of bushes alongside a wall, narrowly evade a run-in with Shinigami, who rush past hastily.

The karate girl grunts, "You know, we'd go a lot faster if you'd just let me clobber these guys…"

Riruka squawks at the other girl, "Hey, we've avoided at least two Vice-Captains and one captain thanks to hiding. We wouldn't have gotten this far if we had to fight all of those!"

Tatsuki rubs the top of her head, admitting, "Yeah, I hear you… but still, I can't help but get impatient while we're this close."

Once the Shinigami have cleared the area, the two girls continue down the street a distance before Tatsuki suddenly halts and widens her eyes.

Riruka raises a brow, questioning this, "Why'd you stop? The Shinigami are gone, we've gotta go!"

The karate girl ignores her companion, her expression fearful, "W-what… what is this pressure I feel? It's… soul-crushing…!"

Tatsuki flinches as she hears a rugged voice speak, seemingly from right behind her, "Are you the one?"

The girl immediately turns on her heel, finding a figure sitting at the top of a nearby tower, peering down at her ominously, "Can you give me a good fight?"

Tatsuki opens her mouth, struggling to get out an answer before she gasps as the sensation of a sword plunging itself through her back causes her to stagger.

She looks down at her chest, confused to find nothing there, "I was just stabbed, wasn't I? What was that?!"

Suddenly, the voice sounds from behind her, causing her to once more spin on her heel to regard it, "You are the girl who beat Ikkaku, aren't you?"

Riruka, finally noticing the man as well, squeals somewhat fearfully, "When did he—?!"

Kenpachi Zaraki frowns at the pig-tailed girl, "I didn't come to fight you…"

The look in his eye backs up his instinctual warning, or rather, promise, "…stay out of this. I'm not interested in weaklings."

Riruka gulps, taking an instinctual step back.

Tatsuki, meanwhile, somehow finds it within herself to relay a steeled expression, "I did defeat the man known as Ikkaku Madarame… I take it you are his captain, then? The one known as Kenpachi?"

Kenpachi's expression briefly becomes unreadable before he wears a vicious smirk, "That's odd. Ikkaku didn't mention that he gave you my name…"

The captain now regards the other girl, who is continuing to back away, however, freezes under his gaze, "…so you were the one who defeated Yumichika? In that case, it might be worth fighting you after all. After I've had my fun with her, it's your turn…"

Riruka trembles, unable to let out more than a gasp under the captain's intense Reiatsu.

Tatsuki, forcing up whatever bravado she can, assumes an offensive stance with a smirk of her own, "Not so fast, Kenpachi. What makes you think I'll lose? Underestimate me and I'll make your head spin like that 3rd-seat of yours."

Kenpachi's smirk widens as he regards the karate girl, "Oh…? Tell ya what…"

The man, still without his sword drawn, grabs the collar of his Gi, tugging it outward such that it exposes his bandaged, upper chest, "…since I like your moxie so much, I'll give you some freebies. Hit me with your strongest attacks."

Tatsuki narrows her eyes, scowling, "I told you not to underestimate me…"

Kenpachi's eye twitches, his face still full of excitement, "If you feel that passionately about it, then quit yappin and ATTACK!"

Without needing any further prompting, Tatsuki disappears with a green flash before reappearing behind Kenpachi's head and landing a devastating, flaming green kick directly to the side of his head. Kenpachi staggers slightly as his head shifts to the side, blood trickling from his mouth.

Tatsuki backs away slightly with narrowed eyes, which suddenly widen as she takes in the captain, "Not bad…"

Kenpachi places his left hand on the side of his neck before cracking it, righting the orientation of his head before seemingly chewing something and spitting blood on the ground and smirking, "…not bad at all. I can see how you defeated Ikkaku so easily."

Tatsuki stares at the captain in disbelief, "Orihime and I trained like hell to master that technique! Even Mr. Muguruma said it could knock an unprepared captain out! I even reinforced it with my Fullbring! What is this guy?!"

Kenpachi then grabs for his sword, causing the karate girl to wear an expression of fear once more, "What's with that look? Don't tell me that's all you've got?"

Tatsuki begins to tremble as she manages to right her stance, despite knowing fighting is futile, as the captain fully unsheathes his blade, the bloodlust practically screaming at her.

Kenpachi smirks madly, continuing, "Surely you'll show me more under the threat of death—!"

The captain widens his left eye and shifts his gaze towards his right, towards the Squad 5 Barracks in the distance.

His smirk widens as his expression turns crazed, "Looks like it's your lucky day… I think it's time for another rematch!"

After the captain disappears with a flash, Tatsuki and Riruka both fall to their knees, exhaling in relief, the latter uttering, "Thank goodness! We were totally just going to die!"

The karate girl exhales before staring off in the distance intently, "Yeah… but the question is… why'd he leave?"

Squad 5 Barracks

Momo walks along the wooden walkway leading to the captain's quarters in the Squad 5 Barracks, humming lightly with a smile on her face, "Captain Unohana said that Captain Aizen was feeling all better! Thank goodness! I'm sure our luck with the Ryoka will turn around with him back in action!"

The woman stops in front of a set of doors before knocking lightly on them, "Captain Aizen, are you here?"

There is no reply, which prompts the girl to furrow her brows.

Another member of Squad 5 passes the woman on the walkway, eyeing her knowingly, "You just missed him, Vice-Captain Hinamori."

The woman turns around, regarding her fellow Shinigami with interest, "Did he say where he was going?"

The Shinigami shakes his head, "I'm not sure, but he did look like he was in a hurry. He set off in that direction."

The Shinigami points behind Momo, down the path to the left of the door.

The Vice-Captain nods in appreciation, "Thank you!"

Before the other Shinigami has a chance to respond, the young woman rushes hurriedly down the walkway. She continues through a narrow path, which hangs above municipal buildings before leading her to a large open overpass, constructed between two white towers.

Momo pauses, taking a break to catch her breath as she briefly glances at the tower in front of her, as well as the two splitting paths before her, which she's been led to, "They… weren't kidding. Captain Aizen must've really been in a hurry if I can't catch him at this point…"

The woman, simply to continue checking her surroundings, turns her head to regard the area behind her, which causes her eyes to widen in horror. Her pupils begin to shake violently as tears form in the corners of her eyes. Without further delay, she screams out, loudly, attracting the attention of nearby Shinigami.

Running onto the scene is a man with long blonde hair, Vice-Captain of Squad 3, Izuru Kira, followed by a busty woman with long blonde hair, the Vice-Captain of Squad 10, Rangiku Matsumoto. They both let out shocked gasps at the sight; Sosuke Aizen, run through the chest and pinned to a wall with a sword, blood gushing freely from his chest. His eyes are lifeless as his head hangs limply on his shoulders. Arriving shortly after their Vice-Captains are Gin and Toshiro, who each look at the captain in apparent shock.

The younger captain gasps, "What the hell?!"

Gin, meanwhile, cocks his head at the sight, wearing a frown, "So, I suppose you're able to move now, after all… maybe I should've killed you when I had the chance… Hmm, no, it wasn't the right time. After all…"

The Squad 3 captain regards the crying, distraught form of Momo, "She was right there…"

Momo continues screaming, her tears streaming freely down her cheeks as she falls to her knees, "I-I thought h-he was all b-b-better…?! Why? WHO?!"

A figure standing on the tower Aizen's body is pinned to steps forward, revealing their form to the Shinigami below, shouting, "Take this as but a preview of what is to come, Shinigami!"

The Shinigami look up at the being, clad in a white Gi, currently holding the beaten and bloodied body of a fearful old man by the neck in his hand. Long, orange hair flows in the wing behind him as his right eye glows a furious gold with black sclera. The Shinigami beside Momo all raise brows, taking in the creature, unsure of what it is, however, the woman herself trembles, immediately recognizing the individual.

Toshiro soon widens his eyes, recognizing the man that the orange-haired creature is holding, "T-that's Lord Tsunayashiro!"

The Vice-Captains, save for Momo, gasp, both realizing the magnitude of the situation.

Toshiro reaches for the hilt of his blade, but immediately pauses as Momo screams at him, "SHIRO, STOP! HE'LL KILL YOU TOO!"

The young captain and two other Vice-Captains flinch as Momo continues, eyeing the forward-facing horn sprouting from the right side of the creature's head, "He… he's White!"

The other Shinigami all widen their eyes, the white-haired captain gasping, "A Hollow? Here? How?!"

The Shinigami are dragged away from their questions as the Hollow, rather, Arrancar, still holding the elder by the neck in his right hand, raises his left hand towards the elder's chest causing him to squirm and gag out desperately for dear life. The teen begins to charge a red blast in his hand and, without further delay, releases a cero that coats the sky in a pale red light, completely disintegrating the Tsunayashiro's body below the neck.

The Arrancar tsks in disgust as he crushes the remains of the head in his right hand, causing blood to spew everywhere, "Pathetic, down to your dying breath."

Ichigo tosses the disfigured head to the side, falling into a shaded area, whereupon it is quickly devoured by a large, purple tentacle-like appendage, which retracts back to a lanky, masked figure wearing all white, similar to Ichigo. The sight causes the Shinigami to recoil slightly, Izuru in particular looking ready to hurl.

Shortly after this, in three different locations in the Seireitei, the streets explode with intense lights being green, pink, and red signifying the Ceros of the three Arrancars Ichigo brought with him. The cries of Shinigami can be heard as smoke begins to rise from the ruins left in the wake of the Arrancars. Ichigo then grabs the hilt of his sword tied to his sash, unsheathing the uniquely shaped weapon with ridges on the blunt side and raising it skyward.

The Lord of Hollows looks down at the Shinigami with a fierce gaze, scowling profusely and roaring with all his might, "LOOK AT THE DESTRUCTION WE BRING WITH US AND DON'T FORGET IT, SHINIGAMI! THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU MESS WITH MY FAMILY! BUT THIS IS ONLY THE START! YOU ALL WILL KNOW TRUE DESPAIR BY THE TIME WE ARE DONE! PRAY TO WHATEVER GOD YOU BELIEVE IN, BECAUSE WE WILL SEND YOU TO THEM SOON!"

Repentance Cell, Senzaikyu, Soul Society

Yuzu immediately perks up in her cell, her tear-stained eyes now holding a glimmer of hope as she feels the distant Reiatsu, which she had felt for the first time only recently. Despite this, she knows exactly who it belongs to, it even having a somewhat nostalgic feeling for her.

The girl can't help herself, as tears of joy and relief fall from her eyes, "I-Ichigo…!"

Squad 1 Barracks

Meanwhile, Isshin sits slumped over in his cell, a downcast, dejected look on his face as he furrows his brows. The guard behind him can't help it as his legs tremble, feeling the distant, monstrous Reiatsu of the Arrancars.

The Shiba scowls somewhat, his eyes holding an almost saddened look, "So you've come… 'White'…"

Author's Note:

Happy 2024!

I got the new Ichigo on Brave Souls on my first multi, he must've known I was bringing him back for this new chapter lol!

Anyway, shit has officially hit the fan now that the Hollow Crew has arrived! Things will only continue to escalate with the addition of this third faction in the coming chapters. Now that the arc is moving into its second phase, feel free to let me in on your thoughts on the first part of this Invasion/Rescue Arc in the reviews.

REMINDER: The next update will be sometime later in January or early February, as I will be shifting to monthly updates due to real lift stuff. Let me know what you all would like to see in the coming chapters, as the development and writing of them are loose and may undergo some revisions before I release them. I have individual fights for Ichigo, Sora, Ulquiorra, and Nel planned already, as well as other characters who have not had a chance to shine yet.