That evening, when Kurosaki Ichigo returned home, only his two younger sisters were there.
Yuzu and Karin were sitting in the living room.
As for their parents, neither Kurosaki Isshin nor Kurosaki Masaki was home.
According to their explanation, their sixteenth wedding anniversary was approaching.
Since they rarely found time to themselves, they had decided to spend the evening together and look around Karakura Town for somewhere interesting to celebrate.
Ichigo found the excuse ridiculous.
After so many years of marriage, they still acted like newlyweds.
It was honestly embarrassing.
Fortunately, Yuzu and Karin were both mature for their age.
Yuzu was especially responsible around the house, while Karin was independent enough not to require constant supervision.
With Ichigo at home as well, there was little to worry about.
If their parents wanted to enjoy themselves for an evening, then so be it.
After all, they had sacrificed a great deal for the family over the years.
Although Ichigo often complained about their behavior, deep down he appreciated them more than he admitted.
After dinner, he helped clean up.
Then he took a shower and returned to his room.
Lying on his bed, he found himself thinking about the events of that afternoon.
The first thing that came to mind was the white masked monster.
The Hollow.
"What exactly was that thing?"
The creature reminded him of the monster he had encountered six years earlier near the river.
The day he and his mother had nearly died.
Even now, he could not remember everything that had happened.
But the fear remained vivid.
That feeling of helplessness.
That overwhelming pressure.
The Hollow he saw today had evoked the same sensation.
Then his thoughts shifted to the girl in black robes.
The mysterious swordswoman who had appeared out of nowhere.
The one who had drawn her blade and driven the Hollow away.
Afterward, she had chased the creature into the distance.
Ichigo wondered what had happened.
Had she defeated it?
Who exactly was she?
According to what he had witnessed, she seemed to specialize in hunting those monsters.
Perhaps the creature that attacked him and his mother years ago had also been eliminated by someone like her.
The more he thought about it, the more questions appeared.
Ichigo was not foolish.
Despite his rough appearance and bad reputation, he was one of the top students in his grade.
Naturally, he tried to make sense of everything he had seen.
Then
A familiar sensation suddenly washed over him.
His eyes narrowed.
Someone was outside his window.
Because it was summer, he had left the window open to let in the evening breeze.
What he did not expect was for a figure to casually climb through it.
The newcomer entered his room as though it belonged to her.
Then she glanced around and appeared ready to make herself comfortable.
The figure was none other than Kuchiki Rukia.
Having only recently arrived in the Human World, she was still unfamiliar with modern living arrangements.
This was her first long-term assignment.
Night had already fallen, and she had yet to find suitable accommodations.
Since ordinary humans could not see her spiritual body, she had simply decided to spend the night in an empty-looking room.
Coincidentally, the room belonged to the boy she had encountered earlier that day.
Rukia found the coincidence mildly amusing.
But she did not think much of it.
She was just about to settle down when a voice suddenly rang out behind her.
"Who are you?"
"And why are you climbing into my room?"
Rukia froze.
Slowly, she turned around.
Ichigo was staring directly at her.
Not in her direction.
Not through her.
At her.
For the first time since arriving in the Human World, Rukia was genuinely startled.
He could see her.
Only humans possessing unusually high spiritual awareness could perceive a Shinigami.
Immediately, she remembered another important fact.
Humans with strong spiritual power naturally attracted Hollows.
To them, such souls were like beacons in the darkness.
Without hesitation, Rukia raised her hand.
"Bakudō #1 Sai."
Spiritual energy wrapped around Ichigo's arms.
His body instantly froze.
Although he remained standing, he could no longer move freely.
Rukia exhaled in relief.
Her first priority was preventing unnecessary complications.
Once everything was settled, she could use Soul Society's memory-modification tools to erase the boy's recollection of the encounter.
After all, exposing ordinary humans to Shinigami affairs violated protocol.
Fortunately, she had not sealed his mouth.
As a result, Ichigo immediately began firing questions at her.
Who was she?
What were those monsters?
Why could he see them?
What exactly was going on?
Since she planned to erase his memory anyway, Rukia saw little harm in answering.
Thus, she briefly explained the basics.
The role of a Shinigami.
The existence of Pluses.
The nature of Hollows.
The process of Konsō.
The balance maintained between the Human World and Soul Society.
As Ichigo listened, the pieces slowly began falling into place.
The mysterious girl was a Shinigami.
The white monster was a Hollow.
The spirits he had seen throughout his life were wandering souls.
Many mysteries suddenly made sense.
Just as he was about to ask another question
A terrible feeling struck him.
His heart skipped a beat.
The same feeling he had experienced earlier that afternoon.
At the same time, Rukia's expression changed.
She sensed it too.
A Hollow.
And it was approaching rapidly.
Rukia immediately looked toward Ichigo.
A spiritually aware human like him was exactly the sort of prey Hollows loved.
Its appearance here was no coincidence.
Before she could react further
CRASH!
A deafening sound erupted from downstairs.
Immediately afterward came two familiar cries.
"Yuzu!"
"Karin!"
Ichigo's face turned pale.
Those were his sisters.
After learning what Hollows were, he instantly understood the danger.
Without hesitation, he struggled against Sai.
Rukia moved to stop him.
Then her eyes widened.
The Bakudō shattered.
Ichigo forcibly broke free.
For a brief moment, even Rukia forgot to breathe.
A human had broken one of her binding spells through sheer force of will.
There was no time to dwell on it.
Ichigo was already sprinting downstairs.
Rukia hurried after him.
Moments later, they burst into the front yard.
There they saw it.
A massive Hollow towered over the property.
Its bone mask gleamed beneath the moonlight.
Its spiritual pressure far exceeded that of the Hollow from earlier.
Nearby lay Karin and Yuzu, both unconscious.
The Hollow's attention was fixed entirely upon them.
"Get away from them!"
Ichigo roared.
Ignoring the danger, he charged forward.
The result was immediate.
The Hollow casually swung one enormous claw.
Ichigo was thrown across the yard like a rag doll.
The difference in power was overwhelming.
At the last second, Rukia intervened.
Drawing her Zanpakutō, she attacked.
Steel clashed against claw.
The battle erupted instantly.
Yet almost immediately, Rukia realized something was wrong.
This Hollow was far stronger than she had anticipated.
Far stronger than the ordinary Hollows she was accustomed to purifying.
The fight became increasingly difficult.
Again and again, she exchanged blows with the monster.
Again and again, she was driven backward.
Finally
A devastating strike landed.
Rukia was hurled through the air and crashed heavily to the ground.
Blood stained her black Shihakushō.
Her injuries were severe.
The Hollow advanced relentlessly.
Behind it were Yuzu and Karin.
Nearby was the wounded Ichigo.
And she herself could barely stand.
For the first time since arriving in Karakura Town, Rukia found herself cornered.
If nothing changed, all four of them would die.
As the Hollow approached, desperation forced a decision.
A dangerous idea surfaced in her mind.
An idea forbidden under normal circumstances.
She turned toward Ichigo.
Toward the boy who could see spirits.
Toward the human who had shattered her Bakudō.
Toward the young man whose spiritual power far exceeded that of ordinary humans.
And in that critical moment
Kuchiki Rukia made her choice.
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