Ichigo woke to the sound of thunder. Dark clouds filled the dark sky.. It is a very gloomy day... Wait! What am I... Ichigo looked around and found himself still on the roof of his house. He scrambled to his feet,"Oh man. Oh man! I wonder what my family is thinking." Ichigo lowered himself back into his room, cautious not to slip and fall. He perched on the window sill and was about to slip inside when his sister, Yuzu, walked into his room.

   "Ichi! What are you doing?", Yuzu screamed. Ichigo was so startled that he wobbled and almost fell out the window. "You could have hurt yourself, Ichi," she said. Ichigo stepped off the window sill and slammed the window shut behind him.

   "I wasn't about to fall until you came in here and screamed at me!" Ichigo shouted at her," Next time, knock before you come in my room!" Ichigo was about to yell at her again, but he heard heavy footsteps coming down the hall.

   His dad jumped at him," Good morning!" His dad tried to kick him in mid-air, but Ichigo sidestepped and clotheslined him. Isshin collapsed on floor," Good job, son. I have taught you well. I have never been more proud of you!" This again, Ichigo thought as his dad got to his feet. Isshin tried to attack him again, only to get kicked in the stomach. Isshin landed in the hallway and Yuzu ran over to help him.

   Ichigo slammed his door shut. Every day, it is like this. Ichigo furiously threw on his school clothes. He ran to the bathroom and brushed his teeth and tidied himself up. Ichigo rushed downstairs and grabbed his school bag before bolting out the front door. I hope I'm not late for class!

   By the time he made it to school, he was out of breath. He put his hands on his knees and bent over while he steadied his breathing.

   Orihime walked up and saw Ichigo bent over. "What are you doing, Kurosaki-kun?" she asked.

   "I'm just catching my breath. I woke up late, so I had to run so I could get here on time," Ichigo said. He looked at Orihime and straightened up.

   "You look tired," Orihime said," Did you stay up late?" Ichigo rubbed the back of his neck. Inoue is always worried about my safety, he thought.

   "I had an order last night. Two Hollows," he replied. She nodded her head. "Is it just me, or have there been more Hollows lately?" Ichigo asked.

   "I don't think it is just you. There have been more Hollows ever since..." Orihime froze. Is she spacing out again? Ichigo looked out across the schoolyard to where she was staring. A large Hollow had appeared. It was larger than a normal Hollow, and its reiatsu was extremely powerful. Ichigo had felt a similar reiatsu in the Menos Forest. This was not an ordinary Hollow, this was an Adjuchas.

   The Adjuchas are more rare than the Gillian and definitely stronger and more intelligent. I heard that there are fewer of them. Why is it my luck that I run into one on the way to school? "Hey, Orihime. I can handle this one on my own this time," Ichigo said. She tried to protest, but Ichigo stopped her," It's okay, I won't die." He smiled at her before he ran off to face the Hollow.

   "I will trust you Kurosaki-kun," Orihime said, even though he had ran off," Just come back..."

   Ichigo got out of his human body and unsheathed his Zanpakuto. "What do you plan on doing?" Ichigo shouted at the Adjuchas. He replied with an agitated roar.

   "Cursed Shinigami. While I am here, I guess I should eat your soul too!" the Adjuchas bellowed. He turned around and Ichigo got a good look at him. He was about 8 meters tall and had a hole in the center of his long torso. His skin was silver and was covered in hard scales. He had long arms that swung at his side, and long legs similar to a cat. Each hand had five spindly fingers, each with a hooked claw. On the Hollow's feet were four gnarled, serrated talons. A long tail trailed behind him and had a spade-shaped spike at the end. Thin spines trailed from the Hollow's neck to the tip of the tail, also on the sides of the legs and arms, and were linked together by a film of red skin. The Hollow was truly incredible, but frightening all the same.

   The scariest thing was the Hollow's mask. It had a long snout and a mouth filled with sharp teeth, and a red tongue flicked in and out of the mouth. A horn protruded from the top of the snout and two more at the back of the mask like a bull. Another pair of horns were at the back of the mask, but faced the opposite direction and pointed toward the ground. More spines adorned the back of the mask. The eyes were on either sides of his head and were set under a thick brow.

   "Kurosaki Ichigo", Ichigo said to the Hollow as he raised Zangetsu. The Hollow snorted and sneered.

   "Why do you tell me your name, Shinigami?" the Hollow asked. Ichigo laughed.

   "I thought that I should tell you the name," Ichigo said as his reiatsu increased," of the person who is going to kill you!" The Hollow was unappalled at this statement.

   "You underestimate me, Kurosaki," he growled," I shall tell you, nevertheless. I am Shibō Kasai Niyari. Hear my name and tremble in fear!" Shibō grinned wildly," You think a low-life like you could kill me, Kurosaki?" Ichigo laughed at the statement. Shibō's grin disappeared," Why do you laugh?"

   Ichigo laughed maniacally," You don't understand. This, is the low-life that is going to kill you!" Ichigo screamed as he charged the Hollow. Once he had gotten in close, Ichigo swung Zangetsu at Shibō's leg. Zangetsu sliced through the air, but never found its target. Did he just...dodge my attack? He's so big, how is that possible? Ichigo whipped around and found himself face to face with the huge Hollow. Shibō's growl rumbled and shook the ground.

   "You underestimated me again, Kurosaki! Do not put me in the same class," Shibō warned," as the weakling Hollows you have faced before me!" Shibō struck at Ichigo using his tail. The spade-shaped spike make a thin slash across his shoulder as he tried to dodge. H-He actually cut me. He's fast! Ichigo grabbed his shoulder and wiped off the blood. "Foolish boy," Shibō said condescendingly," You are too arrogant to fight me. You are still too young."

   Too young... Those were the words the Grand Fisher had said to Ichigo. Anger sparked within Ichigo's heart, an anger that had not been stirred in a long time. Ichigo screamed and charged Shibō. He gripped Zangetsu in both hands and swung at the Hollow's chest. His blade connected, but bounced off harmlessly. Sweat rolled down Ichigo's face. What in the...

   Shibō struck out at Ichigo and cut him across the chest with his long claws. Ichigo dropped to his knees as his wounds bled. Ichigo thought back at his fight with the Grand Fisher. You're young, therefore you are quick to anger. You're angry, therefore your heart is shaken. Your heart in shaken, therefore your blade is dull.

   "I had hoped you would put up more of a fight," Shibō shook his head," What a pity. You give up so easily." Ichigo tried to get to his feet, but he collapsed from the pain of his wound. What am I doing? I promised Orihime I would come back, so I cannot die like this! I will win! Ichigo pushed himself off the ground with a groan and hefted his Zanpakuto. "You still have the strength to fight? Do tell." Shibō said.

   Ichigo looked up at him," I have formed my resolve. I will not die, not here! I made a promise." Ichigo gathered his reiatsu and shouted," Bankai!" Dust billowed from the ground at the sudden release of reiatsu. Shibō was surprised by Ichigo's spiritual energy. Ichigo swung Tenza Zangetsu and cleared the dust.

   Shibō smiled," This time you are giving it all that you got. I would be disappointed if you gave me anything less." Ichigo used his shunpo to confuse the Hollow, similar to the time he fought with Byakuya. Shibō struck at him, only to find him in a different place. Ichigo sliced at the Hollow's shoulder. It made a small cut, but it gave Ichigo reassurance.

   Shibō sneered," Kurosaki, what a puny cut you have inflicted upon me, it has shamed me to face such a weakling!" Ichigo stood motionless and stared at the ground. Shibō slashed his claws out at Ichigo. Ichigo quickly lifted Tenza Zangetsu and stopped the Hollow's claws before they could pierce him. Shibō drew back his paw which was now bleeding. Ichigo looked up at the Hollow with a smile.

   "That puny cut," Ichigo said," was only the beginning. Now I know that I can cut you, so there is no possible way for you to win!" Shibō roared and delivered Ichigo a series of quick blows, but Ichigo blocked them easily. Shibō sliced at Ichigo with his sharp claws, but Ichigo blocked them again with Tenza Zangetsu. Ichigo pushed his Zanpakuto against the Hollow's claws, while the Hollow pushed against his sword with equal strength. Ichigo began to gain the upper hand.

   Ichigo tried to push harder, but something had pierced through his back. Shibō's tail had pierced Ichigo's back. The tip of the tail dug into Ichigo's body. Shibō withdrew his tail and Ichigo collapsed onto the ground. I had forgotten about the tail. I am an idiot... The Hollow flicked the blood from his tail.

   "You are finished, Kurosaki," Shibō said," I warned you. I suppose I should put you out of your misery." Ichigo's vision began to fade. Thunder rolled and lightning crackled overhead. Raindrops fell on his skin. The ground below him shook as the Hollow walked towards him. Even the sky is weeping...

   The Hollow raised its paw, ready to deal the final blow. Ichigo sighed and closed his eyes. It seemed like an eternity waiting for the claws to rip into him, but the pain never came. He opened his eyes and saw someone standing in front of him. They wore a black robe, a Shinigami's robe, and had a pure white Zanpakuto. The Shinigami blocked the blow and turned around to look at him. Rukia... Ichigo's vision went black.

   The rain, has finally stopped...