Ichigo stood in front of the exam rankings pinned to the bulletin board, her eyes narrowing as she traced the names with her finger. Her scowl deepened when she reached the top. "Ametatsu Ishida... who the hell is that?"

Orihime, standing nearby with Tatsuki, tilted her head. "Oh, you mean Uryū Ishida? He's in our class, you know."

Ichigo blinked, glancing at her. "Wait. What?"

Tatsuki sighed, shaking her head. "You're seriously the worst at remembering people's names."

"I remember plenty of people!" Ichigo defended herself, though it was clear from her confused expression that she still had no idea who Uryū Ishida was. Before she could dwell on it, Tatsuki was already pulling Orihime away, leaving Ichigo to stare back at the rankings in annoyance.

Y/N, standing beside her, looked unimpressed as he lazily glanced at the board. "Honestly, I'm more surprised you even bothered looking at the rankings at all. Didn't think you cared."

"I don't," Ichigo huffed, crossing her arms. "But when some random guy I don't even remember exists suddenly has the top spot, it's kinda weird."

"Or maybe you just suck at paying attention?" Y/N teased, grinning when she shot him a glare.

Before Ichigo could retort, Rukia stormed past them, staring at her Denreishinki as it repeatedly beeped. Frustration was evident in her expression as she held it up against the wall, her fingers tapping against it impatiently.

"Damn it, Urahara, pick up for once!" she muttered under her breath. "You always show up when I don't need you, but the second I actually want to ask you something, you vanish."

Y/N raised an eyebrow. "You're talking to yourself, you know."

"Shut up," Rukia snapped before sighing heavily. "I was going to ask him if this stupid thing is broken."

Ichigo tilted her head. "Still giving false alarms?"

As if on cue, the Denreishinki blared again, and Rukia's eyes widened. Without hesitation, she grabbed Ichigo's wrist and started pulling her away. "Come on, let's go!"

"Oi, at least warn me first!" Ichigo protested, stumbling slightly as she was dragged along. Y/N followed behind at a more casual pace, hands in his pockets as he smirked at the scene.

Keigo, watching from a distance, let out a low whistle. "Damn. She's aggressive."

Mizuiro hummed. "I think they really are dating."

As they rushed down the hallway, Ichigo barely had time to register someone stepping into her path before she bumped into them. She turned her head slightly, muttering a quick, "Sorry," before continuing forward.

Uryū Ishida, the very person she had just learned about, adjusted his glasses and watched them go, his expression unreadable. Then, with a slight shake of his head, he turned and walked in the opposite direction.

That night, Ichigo stood in the middle of the street, arms crossed and tapping her foot impatiently. Dressed in her Shinigami uniform, she glanced around the empty surroundings before sighing heavily. "Nothing. Again."

Rukia, standing beside her and checking her Denreishinki once more, furrowed her brows. "There was supposed to be a Hollow here."

Y/N leaned against a lamppost, twirling his medallion between his fingers. "You sure that thing's not just busted? We've been getting sent on a bunch of wild goose chases lately."

Rukia shot him a glare. "It's not broken. At least... I don't think it is."

Ichigo groaned, running a hand through her hair. "We ran all the way here, and for what?" She turned toward her lifeless body, which was slumped awkwardly against the wall. "This is getting real old."

"Oh, quit whining and just get back in your body," Rukia scolded, waving her hand dismissively.

Y/N snickered. "You do look kinda dead like that."

"No shit, genius," Ichigo grumbled as she walked over and crouched next to her unconscious form. Just as she was about to return to her body, her gaze flickered to Rukia. "You said this was supposed to be a purification order, right?"

Rukia nodded. "That's what the Denreishinki said. But there's no Hollow here."

Ichigo frowned. "Then what the hell is going on?"

Rukia, still staring at the Denreishinki in deep thought, finally sighed. "Fine. We'll head back for now. But I swear, if this thing starts beeping again the second we leave, I'm breaking it."

Rukia shot her an annoyed glare. "Oh, because I just love listening to this thing beep for no reason. Obviously, I'm trying to fix it!"

Before Y/N could quip back, a smooth, unfamiliar voice cut through the night. "Are you two breaking up?"

The three of them turned sharply, Ichigo and Rukia's eyes widening slightly as a boy with sharp features and thin-rimmed glasses stepped into view. His white uniform was pristine, standing out starkly under the dim streetlights.

Ichigo narrowed her eyes. "Who the hell are you?"

The boy adjusted his glasses, his gaze moving between them with a bored expression. "You don't know my name? Hmph. I suppose that's expected of a substitute Shinigami with no real knowledge of the world." He turned his attention to Rukia. "And you, an actual Shinigami, still haven't taught her properly. How disappointing."

Ichigo bristled instantly. "Alright, first of all—who even are you? And second, why do you know who I am?"

The boy smirked, lifting his wrist slightly. A silver cross attached to a thin band gleamed against his pale skin. "My name is Uryū Ishida. I am a Quincy, and I know who you are because you Shinigami have never been discreet."

Y/N raised an eyebrow. "Quincy? Never heard of 'em."

Ishida turned his sharp gaze on him, looking him up and down as if analyzing every aspect of him. "And you are an anomaly. Not quite a Shinigami, yet possessing powers that shouldn't exist in this realm. Interesting."

Y/N chuckled. "You're acting like I'm some kinda lab experiment. Let's dial it down, four-eyes."

Before Ishida could respond, Rukia's Denreishinki beeped more urgently, and she glanced down at it. "A Hollow just appeared nearby."

"It's heading that way," Ichigo muttered, pointing in the direction the signal indicated.

Ishida, without missing a beat, simply lifted his arm and aimed his fingers down the street. The cross on his wrist flared with blue Reishi, forming a bow of pure energy. Before Ichigo or Y/N could react, Ishida loosed a single glowing arrow. The projectile streaked through the air in a perfect arc before piercing through the skull of an emerging Hollow before it could even set foot in the Human World. The beast disintegrated immediately.

Ichigo stared, dumbfounded. "What the hell was that?"

Rukia's eyes were wide as she checked her Denreishinki. The purification order had disappeared. "He... destroyed it before it even fully formed..."

Ishida lowered his bow, adjusting his glasses. "That is the power of a Quincy."

Ichigo's fists clenched. "Okay, you know what? Screw that. What's your problem with me? I don't even know you, and yet you're acting like you hate my guts."

Ishida scoffed. "Because I do. I despise all Shinigami, and that includes you."

Y/N let out a low whistle. "Wow. That's a pretty bold statement to say to someone who could kick your ass."

Ishida smirked. "Oh? Care to test that theory?"

Before Ichigo could react, Rukia stepped between them. "Enough! We don't have time for this nonsense. A Hollow alert just went off, and you're here having a pissing contest. Focus."

Ichigo clicked her tongue in irritation but relented, turning away. "Fine. But this conversation isn't over."

The next day at school, Ichigo was still fuming, her thoughts swirling with irritation over Ishida's arrogance.

"Who the hell does he think he is, anyway? Walking around acting all superior," she muttered under her breath as she stalked through the hallways.

Y/N walked beside her, hands shoved in his pockets. "You're still on about that? Damn, Ichi, let it go."

Ichigo shot him a glare. "I will not let it go."

Y/N leaned against the school rooftop railing, watching Ichigo with a sly smirk. "So, Orihime," he started, twirling a pen between his fingers, "you seem to know our dear Ishida pretty well. Should I be jealous?" His voice dripped with teasing amusement, making Orihime blink in surprise before blushing lightly.

"Eh? Oh, no, it's not like that!" Orihime waved her hands, flustered. "We're just in the same handicrafts club! He's really good at sewing!"

Ichigo scoffed, crossing her arms. "I still can't believe he's actually in the handicrafts club. Doesn't exactly scream 'badass warrior' to me."

Y/N nudged her playfully with his elbow. "Well, maybe you should take some lessons. I could totally see you making a cute little plushie of me."

"In your dreams," Ichigo muttered, though the slight tinge of pink on her cheeks didn't go unnoticed.

Orihime, oblivious to the underlying tension, continued excitedly. "You should see him in action! He fixed Michiru's stuffed doll in, like, two seconds flat!" She gestured animatedly toward the classroom window, where Uryū was tossing the now-repaired plush back to its owner with cool indifference.

Ichigo narrowed her eyes. "Weird guy."

Y/N chuckled. "Yeah, but admit it—you're kinda curious now."

Later that day, Ichigo, feeling the weight of her growing frustration, decided to confront Ishida. Y/N, ever entertained by the situation, followed along just to watch the show.

"So, you've been tailing me all day," Uryū stated as he stopped at the top of the stairwell, adjusting his glasses. "Did you finally work up the courage to challenge me?"

Y/N sighed dramatically. "Oh, great. What, are you gonna challenge us to a sewing contest? Because Ichigo would lose."

"Would you shut up?" Ichigo hissed.

Uryū ignored Y/N entirely. "A duel," he said, locking eyes with Ichigo.

Ichigo blinked, then scoffed. "Are you kidding me? That's ridiculous."

Uryū frowned slightly. "You're refusing?"

"Duh." Ichigo gestured vaguely. "Why the hell would I agree to some dumb rivalry you made up in your head? I don't even know you."

Uryū's frown deepened. "Because you are a Shinigami."

Ichigo shrugged. "Yeah, so? You've got some beef with Shinigami? Take it up with the actual Soul Reapers, not me."

Y/N leaned in again, lowering his voice. "Ooo, Ichi's being all logical for once. Must be a full moon."

Ichigo elbowed him in the ribs, and he wheezed, stumbling back with a chuckle.

Uryū remained expressionless, but his tone turned sharper. "I thought you would at least have a sense of duty, but I see now that you are nothing more than a Substitute Shinigami with borrowed power."

Ichigo stopped, her stance shifting slightly. "What did you just say?"

Uryū adjusted his glasses again. "Your powers are not your own. You received them from Kuchiki Rukia, did you not? You cannot even act without her say-so."

Ichigo's grip on her sleeve tightened. Y/N immediately noticed the shift in her posture. "Hey," he muttered, expression losing its amusement. "Don't let him get to you."

Uryū's lips curled into the faintest smirk. "Did I strike a nerve?"

Ichigo exhaled sharply and turned back to him, jaw clenched. "If you think I'm some weak wannabe who can't fight without permission, you're dead wrong."

Uryū raised a brow. "Then prove it."

Ichigo was silent for a moment before Y/N let out a sigh. "Well, guess we're doing this."

Ichigo shot him a look. "You're not helping."

"I wasn't trying to." Y/N stretched his arms over his head. "Just saying, if you're gonna get baited into a fight, at least make it entertaining."

Ichigo groaned, rubbing her temples. "I hate you."

"Love you too, Ichi."

Uryū cleared his throat. "Meet me at the old warehouse at sunset. If you truly have the strength of a Shinigami, show me."

Ichigo narrowed her eyes but finally nodded. "Fine."

Y/N clapped his hands together. "Ooo, a dramatic sunset duel? Classic." He turned to Ichigo with a grin. "So, should I bring popcorn?"

"I swear to god, Y/N."

Ichigo sighed, reaching into her backpack and pulling out a small, round dispenser. With a flick of her thumb, the cap popped open, revealing a single green pill inside.

"Alright, Kon, do your thing," she muttered before tossing the gikongan into her mouth and swallowing it.

A split second later, her body lurched forward as her soul was forcibly ejected. Now clad in her Soul Reaper uniform, Ichigo stretched her arms, rolling her shoulders as if shaking off the weight of her physical form. Meanwhile, her empty body fell backward—only to immediately spring to life again as Kon took control.

"Awww yeah! The king is BACK, baby!" Kon declared, stretching dramatically before striking a ridiculous pose. "Ahh, it's been too long since I've had legs! I feel so—"

Before he could finish, Kon attempted to take a step forward, only to trip over himself and faceplant into the pavement.

Y/N burst out laughing, arms crossed as they shook their head. "Oh man, I forgot how much of a dork you are."

Kon groaned, pushing himself up while dramatically dusting off Ichigo's body. "Hey! A little respect, please! I'm a noble soul, not some sideshow act!"

"Could've fooled me," Y/N chuckled.

Uryū, who had been watching the spectacle in unimpressed silence, adjusted his glasses with a sharp glint in his eyes. "Enough of this nonsense. We're here for a duel, not a comedy routine." He reached into his Quincy uniform and pulled out a small metallic capsule, holding it up between his fingers.

"This," he stated, "is Hollow Bait."

At the mere mention of the name, the air around them seemed to shift. Y/N felt a strange pressure creep along their skin, as if something unseen had just turned its gaze toward them.

Uryū smirked. "This will summon every Hollow in the area, forcing them to converge on our location. It's the perfect way to prove which of us is the superior fighter. Unless, of course, you're afraid of a real challenge?"

Ichigo's expression darkened. "You reckless idiot—"

Before she could finish, Uryū crushed the capsule between his fingers.

A piercing, otherworldly wail filled the air, echoing across Karakura Town. From all directions, deep, guttural roars followed in response. The sky above twisted, and multiple black ripples formed as the fabric between worlds began to tear.

Y/N's smirk vanished, their body tensing as they felt an overwhelming presence flood their senses. It was different from before—not just a general unease, but a distinct voice whispering at the back of their mind.

"Be on your guard."

Poseidon's voice was calm, yet edged with something Y/N had rarely heard from the sea god—concern.

A cold shiver ran down their spine. Their fingers twitched slightly as they instinctively reached for their weapon.

"I hope you know what you just started, Uryū," Y/N muttered, their gaze sharp as they scanned the sky. "Because it looks like we're about to have company

Hollows poured in from all directions, their howls shaking the streets of Karakura Town. The sky above rippled with the distortion of multiple Garganta, black rifts tearing open as more creatures clawed their way through. The air felt suffocating, thick with malevolent spiritual pressure.

Ichigo grit her teeth. "Uryū, you really know how to piss me off."

Uryū barely glanced at her as he pulled back the glowing string of his Quincy bow, an arrow forming in an instant. "Complaining won't change anything. Either fight or stay out of my way." He loosed the arrow before the Hollow charging him could react, the projectile piercing clean through its mask. It disintegrated into nothing.

Y/N let out a slow breath, adjusting his stance. His fingers twitched on the hilt of his weapon as Poseidon's voice rumbled in his mind.

"They come in numbers, but one among them is different. A predator."

He felt it too—something deeper in the chaos, something that watched. But there was no time to dwell on it. A massive Hollow lunged toward him, its grotesque limbs stretching unnaturally as its jagged mask split open into a gaping maw.

Y/N dodged, twisting just out of reach before slashing across its side. The blade tore through its flesh with ease, black blood spraying onto the cracked pavement. The Hollow shrieked, flailing wildly, but Y/N was already moving again. He turned just in time to see another one leaping at him from behind.

Ichigo intercepted it mid-air, her zanpakutō cleaving through its mask in a single downward strike. The Hollow's body crumbled into spirit particles. Landing next to Y/N, she shot him a quick glance. "You good?"

He gave a curt nod. "Yeah. You?"

"Annoyed," she muttered, already turning to face the next threat.

More and more Hollows swarmed, their monstrous forms converging in waves. Uryū remained composed, firing arrows in rapid succession, each shot eliminating a target with surgical precision. Ichigo carved through them with brute force, her strikes fast and efficient.

Y/N moved fluidly, weaving between enemies, his attacks measured and deliberate. But that feeling—that presence—hadn't faded. If anything, it was getting closer.

Then, a heavy pressure crashed over them.

The battlefield seemed to pause for a fraction of a second. Even the Hollows hesitated as the air vibrated with a low, distorted growl. A deep, bone-chilling hum resonated from above.

Something massive emerged from a newly opened Garganta.

It was taller than the rest, nearly fifteen feet in height, its form wrapped in sleek, black armor-like plating. Unlike the other Hollows, it stood upright, humanoid in shape, but undeniably monstrous. Its mask was smooth and angular, its eye sockets glowing an eerie blue. A set of long, clawed fingers flexed at its sides as it stepped forward.

It was staring directly at Y/N.

His grip on his weapon tightened.

The creature tilted its head slightly, as if amused. Then, without warning, it vanished.

A blur—too fast.

Y/N barely had time to react before an iron grip closed around his throat. His vision blurred as he was lifted off the ground, air forced from his lungs. He struggled, gripping the Hollow's wrist, but its strength was immense.

"Y/N!" Ichigo's voice cut through the chaos, but before she could move, the Hollow threw him.

The world spun violently. His back slammed into a concrete wall, the force splintering the surface on impact. Dust and debris rained around him as pain exploded through his body.

Poseidon's voice echoed in his mind, sharper this time.

"Stand. Now."

Y/N gritted his teeth, forcing himself up just as Ichigo rushed in. She slashed down at the Hollow with all her strength—but it caught her blade.

With one hand.

Ichigo's eyes widened.

The Hollow's grip tightened around the blade, then with a flick of its wrist, it sent her flying backward. She crashed into the pavement with a harsh grunt, skidding across the ground before coming to a stop.

Uryū wasted no time, unleashing a flurry of Quincy arrows. They shot toward the Hollow at blinding speed—only for it to vanish again.

A static boom.

The creature reappeared beside Uryū in an instant. Before he could react, it struck. A single backhanded blow sent him sprawling across the battlefield, his bow flickering from the damage.

Y/N exhaled sharply, forcing himself to steady his breathing. The Hollow turned back to him, that eerie grin still lingering in its stance.

"You reek of divinity,"