After the dust had settled in Soul Society and Aizen had escaped with Gin and Tosen, a relative peace returned.
The captains regrouped, the wounded were tended to, and the dark truth of Aizen's betrayal was quietly sealed away from the general public. Rukia recovered under Captain Unohana's careful watch, and the Soul Society's Council of 46 was to be restructured from the ground up—with new checks and balances to prevent such manipulation again.
Ichigo, Orihime, Chad, Uryu, and Ganju were exonerated of all charges and thanked for their role in stopping the execution. They were escorted back to the World of the Living.
As they stepped through the Senkaimon, Urahara Kisuke was there waiting, his cane tapping the concrete.
He tipped his hat slightly. "Welcome back."
Ichigo looked at him with suspicion. "You knew all of this, didn't you?"
Urahara's usually mischievous smile faded. He bowed deeply.
"I apologize… Ichigo. I should have told you the truth—that I once served in the Gotei 13. That I helped create the Hōgyoku… and that you would be drawn into this conflict because of it."
Ichigo looked surprised. He hadn't expected an honest apology.
After a long pause, he just muttered, "Next time… just tell me. No more secrets."
Urahara smiled again, but it was tinged with guilt. "Of course."
Back in Soul Society: Squad 10 Headquarters
Mohit had been cleared of all accusations. His reinstatement as Captain of Squad 10 was met with both celebration and curiosity. The man who had fought and outwitted Aizen was now back in command.
But when he walked into his office for the first time…
"CAPTAIN!" came the slurred shout of Rangiku Matsumoto, his lieutenant. She was half-asleep with a sake bottle on her chest, snoring softly on the couch she had pushed up against the bookshelf.
Mohit sighed, rubbing his temple. "First day back and this woman's turned my office into a damn izakaya…"
He approached her and poked her forehead.
"Lieutenant Matsumoto, the war's over. That doesn't mean Happy Hour is eternal."
Rangiku groaned. "Come on, Captain! Just one bottle for old times' sake. We survived Aizen… that deserves at least a drink."
Mohit chuckled. "Surviving you is what deserves a drink."
In the World of the Living
Ichigo resumed his normal life—or what passed for normal.
He was issued a Substitute Soul Reaper Badge, a small emblem that let him separate from his body at will. The only catch: hollow appearances had increased drastically.
Ichigo barely had time to study. Each night, he'd fight two or three hollows across Karakura Town.
What he didn't know was… he was being watched.
A blonde-haired boy with a strange presence had been tracking him—floating high in the sky, out of sight. For five days straight, he observed Ichigo silently. His eyes glowed faintly, and he recorded every movement, every attack pattern.
A Month Later – Karakura High School
"Good morning, class," said a deep, booming voice.
The students stared in awe.
Standing at the front of the room was an incredibly tall, broad-shouldered man with piercing blue eyes, dressed in a sharp grey suit.
"I am Arthur Karlsefni. Your new English teacher."
Ichigo leaned toward Chad. "Man, this guy looks like he bench-presses lions…"
At the same time, a new student stood at the door.
The teacher gestured. "Also joining us today is a transfer student from Tokyo. Please welcome—"
"Shinji Hirako," the boy said, stepping in.
Ichigo stared. There was something strange about this guy… the smirk on his face, the way he carried himself—it didn't feel normal.
Ichigo blinked.
"Why do I feel like this guy is trouble?"
That Night – Karakura Cemetery
Ichigo sensed a powerful hollow signature. Two of them.
He dashed toward the source and dispatched them quickly—until…
CLANG!
A sword clashed against his from behind.
He turned and saw Shinji—smiling coldly.
"You shouldn't let your guard down, Kurosaki."
Ichigo staggered back. "Shinji?! What the hell are you doing?!"
From above, Arthur hovered in the sky—standing midair. His spiritual pressure was oppressive.
"You've been interesting to watch, Ichigo," he said. "Let's see how you handle true chaos."
Ichigo gritted his teeth. "Are you with Aizen?!"
Shinji leapt forward, clashing blades with him again. "No… I'm something else."
As they fought, Ichigo was pushed back. Shinji's swordsmanship was precise, unpredictable.
Then Shinji took a step back and placed his fingers on his face.
Ichigo watched in horror as a white hollow mask formed over Shinji's features.
"I am one of the Visoreds," Shinji said, his voice distorted. "Those who embraced the hollow within."
Ichigo's eyes widened. "What… are you?"
Shinji's reiatsu burst out, a mixture of Shinigami and Hollow power.
"You'll learn soon enough. But first, survive."
Arthur smirked from above, his arms crossed.
This was just the beginning.
clash between Ichigo and Shinji echoed on the rooftop.
Blades struck. Sparks danced. And yet, amid the heat of combat—
Ichigo suddenly froze.
His eyes widened.
A wave of reiatsu… heavy and suffocating… crashed into him from afar.
"That… that's not a regular Hollow. It feels like… a Menos?"
His instincts flared. He flash-stepped away, leaving Shinji behind mid-fight.
From the rooftop, Shinji sighed and scratched the back of his head.
"Geez… kids these days. Can't even finish a fight before running off."
He gave a relaxed smirk. "He'll come around. They always do."
Five Minutes Earlier – Karakura Town Streets
Kon, still inhabiting Ichigo's body, was aimlessly strolling with his hands in his pockets, licking a caramel lollipop.
"Ahh~ What a peaceful night. No hollows, no yelling, no soul reapers. This body has great reflexes too, I might go play some baseball after—"
BOOM.
The ground cracked beneath an enormous claw.
A massive shadow loomed behind him.
Kon turned slowly, eyes shaking.
A towering Hollow stood there—but not just any Hollow.
It was different. Armored plates. Partial mask. Human eyes. A Half-Arrancar.
"Today, I finish what I started, Ichigo Kurosaki!" the monster bellowed, its claw cocking back for a fatal strike.
Kon screamed. "WHAT?! I'M NOT ICHIGO—!"
Just then—
A blur of black and white intercepted the claw mid-swing.
SLASH!
In one motion, the Hollow's arm was severed. The beast screeched in agony.
Kon's eyes widened.
Standing there, zanpakutō in hand, wearing a Soul Reaper uniform—was Isshin Kurosaki.
His expression was calm, unreadable, like a man who had shed his human mask.
The Hollow snarled. "You—who are—?"
Isshin didn't reply. He simply vanished and reappeared behind the Hollow, blade already mid-swing.
"One slash is enough."
SCHK!
A perfect diagonal cut. The Hollow dissolved in midair, shrieking.
From the shadows, Urahara stepped out, tapping his cane and folding his fan with a soft clack.
"Well, well. If it isn't Lieutenant Isshin Shiba. Long time no see."
Isshin didn't look at him. "You've been watching me, haven't you, Kisuke?"
"I always keep an eye on ticking bombs."
Isshin finally turned. His eyes were tired. "My powers… they started coming back. After Masaki died, something awakened."
Urahara nodded gravely. "And now they're targeting Ichigo. That Hollow was part Arrancar. It wasn't acting on instinct—it was sent."
Kon, still in shock, stammered, "Y-You're a Soul Reaper?! What is going on?!"
Isshin knelt and grabbed Kon by the collar.
"You listen to me, Kon. You will NOT tell Ichigo what happened here tonight."
Kon gulped. "O-Okay…"
Next Day – Karakura High
The morning sun bathed the school in golden light.
Ichigo dragged himself to class, still distracted from last night.
As soon as he stepped in—
"Yo!" Shinji grinned, waving like nothing happened.
Ichigo walked up to him, grabbed his collar, and pulled him aside.
"Enough games. Who are you, and what the hell do you want from me?"
Shinji sighed. "I already told you. I'm like you. And I want you to join us—the Visoreds."
"Visoreds…?"
Shinji nodded. "You've been holding back lately, haven't you? I know why. You're scared… scared that if you fight at full strength, the Hollow inside you will take over."
Ichigo's eyes widened slightly—but he stayed silent.
Shinji patted his shoulder.
"You won't last long like this, Ichigo. When you're ready… come find us."
He walked away with a relaxed wave.
Ichigo stood there, fists clenched, his thoughts a storm of doubt and confusion.
After School – Streets of Karakura
Shinji walked home alone, the sky a burning orange.
Suddenly—
"HEY! Did you manage to recruit him?!"
A sharp voice rang out.
Shinji groaned. "You're too loud, Hiyori…"
Standing nearby was a short girl in a red tracksuit, frowning with impatience.
"This Ichigo kid is hard to crack," Shinji said. "He's got trust issues and Hollow problems. Classic combo."
Then they heard a gasp.
Both turned.
Orihime and Chad stood nearby, having overheard them.
"What do you want from Ichigo?" Orihime asked, her voice firm.
Hiyori stepped forward, hands on hips. "Name's Hiyori. Now who the hell are you two?"
After brief introductions, Hiyori reached for her zanpakutō. "Might as well eliminate distractions."
But before she could unsheathe it—
"HEY!"
Shinji quickly picked her up, one arm under her arms and the other under her legs like a sack of rice.
"Sorry about her! She's a little high-strung!"
"PUT ME DOWN, YOU DUMBASS!"
"Sorry! Sorry! Let's go!" he shouted, flash-stepping away.
Orihime and Chad stood in silence, more confused than ever.
Scene Shift – Soul Society, Squad 12 Barracks
Akon frowned, eyes glued to a massive monitor.
"Warning issued," he said. "Two high-level Hollow signatures detected in Karakura Town."
Mayuri appeared behind him, intrigued.
"Identifiers?"
"Still scanning… Wait. No… it can't be."
Akon turned pale.
"Their spiritual patterns match… Espada-level."
Karakura Town – Night
Ichigo stood on his rooftop, still replaying Shinji's words.
Then he felt it.
A surge of power. Two of them. One monstrous. One cold and suffocating.
He looked toward the horizon.
Two shadows descended from a Garganta above the city—
Yammy Llargo and Ulquiorra Schiffer.
"Target: Ichigo Kurosaki," Ulquiorra said.
"Time to test the strength of the Shinigami with a Hollow inside."