The Jibakurei snarled as Don Kanonji stepped forward, his gaudy outfit glittering under the stage lights.

"AND WHO DARES STAND BEFORE ME?!" the spirit bellowed, chains rattling violently. "ANOTHER ONE WHO SEEKS TO STEAL MY EMPIRE?! YOU HAVE SOME NERVE—AND THAT HAT?! HIDEOUS!"

Ichigo, despite the intensity of the situation, snorted.

"Okay, I kinda like this guy," Y/N muttered.

"Why do ghosts always have the worst priorities?" Ichigo added.

Before any of them could react, Don Kanonji suddenly lifted his staff, his face serious for the first time since arriving.

"FEAR NOT, POOR SOUL! I SHALL PURIFY YOU!"

Rukia's eyes widened in horror.

"Wait—NO!"

Too late.

Don Kanonji jabbed the end of his Super Spirits Stick directly into the hole in the Jibakurei's chest.

The reaction was instantaneous.

The spirit's agonized wail pierced the air, its body convulsing violently as the hole in its chest began to expand.

The audience cheered wildly.

The spirit wasn't being purified.

It was being turned into a Hollow.

Chaos Breaks Loose "What the hell is he doing?!" Ichigo shouted, stepping forward.

Rukia's expression was grim. "He's speeding up the transformation! The Jibakurei is about to—"

Before she could finish, the spirit let out a monstrous howl, its voice deepening as its form began to distort.

It was no longer a Jibakurei.

It was becoming a Hollow.

Ichigo snapped.

She lunged forward, leaping over the barricade. "STOP IT, YOU MORON!"

Immediately, security guards tackled her, pinning her down.

"LET ME GO!" she yelled, struggling against them.

Behind her, Rukia tried to rush forward but was tackled by another set of guards.

Y/N, however, had no intention of getting caught.

As Ichigo and Rukia were forcibly restrained, Y/N calmly stepped past the clueless guards, hands in his pockets.

One of the security members reached for him.

"Hey, you can't—"

Before he could finish, Y/N sidestepped effortlessly, flashing a mocking grin.

"Oops—" he twisted past another guard—"Slipped through—" He spun away from another grab—"Man, you guys are terrible at this."

The guards fumbled, colliding into each other as Y/N vanished into the shadows.

Security rushed after him.

Too bad.

By the time they even looked his way, Y/N was gone.

Back in the main area, the Jibakurei's chains began snapping apart one by one, each break echoing through the air.

Rukia's stomach dropped.

"The chains—!"

The final link shattered, releasing a wave of dark energy that sent Don Kanonji staggering backward.

The crowd cheered louder, oblivious to the horror unfolding before them.

Ichigo gritted her teeth.

"I'M GONNA KILL THAT STUPID—"

Suddenly—

BAM!

A cane jabbed her in the chest.

Before she could react, her soul was forcefully ejected from her body.

Ichigo hit the ground, stunned.

"What the hell—?!"

A slow, amused voice chuckled nearby.

"My, my," a man in a striped hat mused, standing beside a massive figure with a square jaw. "That was quite a reckless stunt, Kurosaki-san."

Ichigo looked up, eyes widening.

"Kisuke Urahara?!"

As Ichigo tried to process Urahara's sudden appearance, a gust of wind blew through the area.

Y/N had arrived.

His clothes had shifted, his spear resting lazily on his shoulder.

He took one look at the Jibakurei's now-mutated form, then at Don Kanonji—

Then he sighed deeply.

"Yeah, this is a mess."

Urahara grinned. "It sure is."

Y/N turned toward Ichigo.

"You ready?"

Ichigo cracked her knuckles.

"Let's fix this."

The cheers of the crowd rang through the night air, oblivious to the true horror unfolding above them. Their focus was solely on Don Kanonji, who stood proudly, basking in the thunderous applause as the so-called "evil spirit" had seemingly been vanquished.

"SMELLS LIKE BAD SPIRITS—BANISHED!" Don declared triumphantly, striking his infamous pose once more. The crowd roared with excitement.

Down below, Keigo sobbed with joy, gripping Mizuiro by the shoulders. "DO YOU SEE THAT?! A TRUE HERO OF JUSTICE! A LIVING LEGEND!"

Mizuiro sighed. "Honestly, I'm more impressed that he still has a fanbase."

Yuzu clapped excitedly next to her father, who was dramatically wiping his tears.

"My daughters, THIS MAN IS A TREASURE!" Isshin proclaimed. "Witness true bravery! TRUE MANLINESS!"

Ichigo, however, was anything but impressed. Her fists were clenched so tightly that her knuckles had turned white.

She turned, scowling at Kanonji. "You absolute moron! That wasn't purification! You just made it worse!"

Kanji blinked in confusion. "Eh? I—"

Before he could say another word, Y/N's expression shifted. His senses flared. Something was wrong.

A chilling spiritual pressure surged into the air—

"Move!"

Y/N's instincts screamed. He lunged forward, just as a massive claw of darkness came crashing down—aimed directly at Ichigo.

With a swift motion, Y/N twisted his body, his spear appearing in his hand in an instant. He slammed it against the incoming strike, a shockwave rippling through the rooftop.

The force sent him skidding backward, boots scraping against the stone, but he held firm.

Ichigo, caught off guard, stumbled back.

Rukia's voice rang in their ears.

"Above us! The Demi-Hollow—"

Both Ichigo and Y/N snapped their heads upward."Shit—this thing's got some weight to it."

Ichigo gritted her teeth, gripping her Zanpakutō.

"Move, dumbass! I got this!"

Y/N grinned, his legs bending slightly.

"Your funeral."

With a sudden burst of strength, he spun away, disengaging from the Hollow's attack just as Ichigo lunged forward.

Her sword met the Hollow's outstretched limb, sparks flying as she slashed through its flesh.

The Demi-Hollow screeched, its body twisting violently in the air.

"Tch—It's not going down that easily, huh?" Ichigo muttered.

Rukia called out. "Hollows that have lingered this long before transformation are usually much stronger than the normal ones! Be careful!"

Y/N smirked, rolling his shoulders. "You hear that, Ichigo? Maybe try hitting it harder."

Ichigo shot him a glare. "How about you try shutting up?"

The Crowd Sees Nothing Down below, the cheering continued.

From their perspective, nothing was happening.

Keigo was hopping up and down.

"Wait, wait, wait! Did Don Kanonji just—DID HE MAKE THE GHOST COMPLETELY VANISH?!"

Mizuiro, eating a snack, shrugged. "Guess so. That's kinda neat."

"NEAT?!" Keigo gasped. "THAT'S GODDAMN MAGIC!"

Meanwhile, Yuzu and Isshin were completely losing their minds.

"I LOVE THIS MAN!" Isshin cried out. "Yuzu, take a picture with your phone! THIS WILL BE HISTORIC!"

Yuzu, beaming, held up her phone. "Already ahead of you, Dad!"

Back on the Rooftop – A Relentless Battle "It's moving again!" Rukia shouted.

The Demi-Hollow, injured but not defeated, twisted its form once more.

Its arms retracted, and in their place, dozens of grotesque tendrils sprouted out from its back.

Each whipped violently, reaching toward Ichigo and Y/N.

"Alright, that's just cheating." Y/N scoffed.

Ichigo, dodging swiftly, rolled her eyes. "Shut up and cut them!"

Y/N gripped his spear tightly.

"With pleasure."

His form blurred, his movements fluid as he darted between the thrashing tendrils. With each precise thrust of his trident, he pierced through the Hollow's limbs, severing them one by one.

Ichigo, matching his pace, danced around the attacks, her Zanpakutō flashing with each strike.

They moved in sync, their coordination unspoken but natural.

The Demi-Hollow let out a pained screech, its form buckling under their combined assault.

Rukia, watching from the sidelines, couldn't help but be impressed.

"They actually work well together... when they're not bickering."

The moonlight bathed the rooftop in an eerie glow as the Demi-Hollow twisted and screeched, its elongated limbs snapping unnaturally as it lunged toward Ichigo and Y/N.

Y/N barely had time to parry as a clawed limb came crashing down, his trident clashing against its grotesque form. Sparks of blue energy rippled from the point of impact, and Y/N gritted his teeth, skidding backward from the force.

Ichigo, her Zanpakutō raised, darted to the side and swung her blade in a clean arc, slicing through one of the Hollow's limbs.

But it didn't even flinch.

Instead, the severed appendage twisted mid-air, forming into another grotesque claw, reaching out to swipe at Ichigo's side.

"Oh, come on!" Ichigo growled, twisting her body just in time to avoid being sliced in half.

Y/N clicked his tongue. "Well, that's new."

It lunged forward, tendrils whipping toward them, forcing Y/N and Ichigo to move in sync, dodging and countering in tandem.

Y/N twirled his spear, the azure energy building up as he threw it forward like a javelin. The weapon pierced through the Hollow's shoulder, sending a burst of pressurized water surging through the wound.

The Demi-Hollow shrieked, but before Y/N could capitalize on his attack, the creature's twisted head snapped toward him, its mouth unhinging unnaturally.

A beam of dark green energy shot forth from its mouth.

"Tch! Not happening!"

Y/N raised his hand, summoning a water barrier, but the blast still knocked him back, sending him skidding across the rooftop.

Ichigo rushed in, her blade flashing in the moonlight. She swung down, but before her attack could land, the Demi-Hollow regenerated its missing limb in an instant.

With an inhuman speed, it lashed out, its claws catching Ichigo in the side.

Blood splattered onto the rooftop.

"Damn it!" Ichigo hissed, staggering back.

Y/N growled, pushing himself back onto his feet. "Alright, no more messing around."

Y/N's eyes glowed as Poseidon's voice echoed in his mind.

"You're holding back, boy! Use it properly!"

Taking a deep breath, Y/N closed his eyes for a moment, focusing on the energy flowing within him.

Then—he moved.

With a burst of speed, Y/N spun his trident, channeling the full force of the ocean's might.

"Teardrop!"

A sharp burst of concentrated water shot forward, striking the Demi-Hollow in the center of its chest.

The creature let out a hideous screech, its form buckling under the sheer force of the attack.

"Nice shot!" Ichigo called out, but there was no time to celebrate.

Despite the gaping hole in its torso, the Demi-Hollow was not finished yet.

Instead, it twisted violently, its mask shifting into something even more grotesque.

"I WON'T GO BACK!" it bellowed, its body bulging outward with a surge of black energy.

The air around them shifted.

Rukia's eyes widened in horror. "It's trying to self-destruct!"

Ichigo rushed forward, gripping her sword with both hands.

"You're not taking us with you!"

She leaped into the air, spinning her body, and slammed her blade downward with all her might.

Y/N, standing at a distance, gritted his teeth as Poseidon's voice once again rang in his ears.

"Finish it now, boy!"

With a flick of his wrist, Y/N twirled his trident one last time before hurling it forward with everything he had.

The weapon spun through the air, colliding with Ichigo's sword at the exact moment her blade met the Hollow's mask.

An explosion of blue and orange light erupted, illuminating the night sky.

The Demi-Hollow let out a final, agonized scream.

Then, it was over.

The Hollow's body dissipated, revealing the Jibakurei lying on the ground beneath them.

The Aftermath – A Hard Truth Ichigo panted heavily, wiping sweat from her forehead as she stared at the now dissipating Soul.

Y/N, resting his hands on his knees, let out a deep sigh.

"I hate these things."

Don Kanonji ran over, ecstatic.

"Magnificent! A battle of the ages! You two were simply... UNSTOPPABLE!"

Y/N blinked. "Huh?"

Ichigo, not in the mood, scowled. "Dude, shut up for a sec."

Don Kanonji's cheerful expression faded as he looked down and saw the Jibakurei beneath them.

The realization hit him.

"What... what is this?" he whispered, his voice trembling.

Ichigo, her expression serious, looked at him.

"That was the same soul you 'purified.'"

Don Kanonji's face fell.

Ichigo continued, her voice firm but not unkind.

"A Hollow is a monster without a conscience. It's what happens when a lost Soul has its Chain of Fate severed and a hole forms in its chest."

Don Kanonji took a step back.

The weight of what he had done crashed over him like a tidal wave.

"I... I created this monster..."

For the first time, the charismatic, over-the-top showman was silent.

Tears welled in his eyes as he fell to his knees.

"I... I thought I was saving them. But all this time... I've just been... making it worse?"

From the crowd below, cheers erupted once more.

Oblivious to what had truly happened, the audience was celebrating his 'victory.'

Don Kanonji, still kneeling, didn't move.

Ichigo, looking down at him, crossed her arms.

Then, in a softer voice, she said—

"Don't cry."

He blinked up at her.

She nodded toward the crowd.

"Your fans are waiting."

Don Kanonji, shaken, turned and saw the people cheering for him.

For a long moment, he just stared.

Then, slowly, he rose to his feet.

He walked to the railing, his hands still trembling.

The announcer's voice boomed through the speakers.

"THE SOUL PURIFICATION IS COMPLETE!"

Don Kanonji, taking a deep breath, forced himself to smile.

Then, with one final, grand motion, he threw his arms out.

"MISSION COMPLETE!"

The crowd roared in excitement.

"My Number One Pupil!" As Ichigo and Y/N turned to leave, Don Kanonji spun toward them with dramatic flair.

"Such courage! Such might! Such youthful vigor!"

Ichigo and Y/N blinked.

Then, with a shining grin, Don Kanonji pointed dramatically at Ichigo.

"From this day forth—you shall be my NUMBER ONE PUPIL!"

Ichigo froze.

Her eye twitched.

Y/N, seeing the sheer horror on her face, promptly burst into laughter.

"Oh man, this is the best thing that's happened all night!"

Ichigo's scream of frustration echoed through Karakura Town

The principal's office was uncomfortably warm, the air thick with tension as Kagine glared at the students standing before him. Ichigo, arms crossed, looked utterly unbothered. Rukia, standing beside her, had the perfect mask of innocence, hands folded as she stared down, shoulders slightly shaking as if holding back tears.

And then there was Y/N—leaning lazily against the wall, his attention solely on his nails, looking as if he hadn't heard a single word Kagine had said.

Kagine's vein twitched at their attitudes.

"DO YOU THREE HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU'VE DONE?!" he bellowed, slamming his hand on the desk.

Behind him, a massive screen flickered to life, displaying a paused frame of last night's broadcast from Don Kanonji's disastrous show. The image showed Ichigo mid-shove as Don Kanonji tumbled backward, his dramatic pose frozen in time.

Y/N snorted softly. "Damn, they got the worst angle on that."

Kagine snapped toward him. "You think this is funny, Y/L/N?! This was NATIONAL TELEVISION! Do you know how much damage this has done to our school's reputation?!"

Ichigo, rolling her eyes, muttered, "Yeah, because this school was super prestigious before we showed up on TV."

Tatsuki's Escape Plan Before Kagine could explode further, Tatsuki stepped in with a huff, arms folded.

"Okay, look, I get why Ichigo and Rukia are here, but why am I here?"

Kagine blinked, caught off guard. "You were at the scene of the incident!"

"Yeah, so was half of Karakura Town, but you don't see them in here." Tatsuki raised an eyebrow.

Ichigo smirked. "She's got a point."

Tatsuki turned on her heel, grabbed Orihime's hand, and dragged her toward the door. "C'mon, Orihime. We're leaving."

Orihime, still confused, bowed politely before hurrying after Tatsuki. "Good luck, guys! Try not to get expelled!"

Ichigo narrowed her eyes. "Wow, thanks. Really supportive."

Keigo, seeing an opportunity, attempted to slip out with them.

Big mistake.

Kagine yanked him back by the collar.

"AND WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING, ASANO?!"

Keigo gasped like a fish out of water. "W-Well, I thought—"

"THINK AGAIN!" Kagine bellowed.

Mizuiro, always the calm and collected one, stepped slightly away, clearly happy not to be noticed.

Kagine was red in the face, his anger barely contained—until Rukia's soft sniffles filled the room.

The principal, Kagine, and even Keigo froze as Rukia clutched the hem of her uniform, her eyes glistening.

"I-I tried..." she whispered, voice trembling. "I really tried to stop Ichigo, but she... she just wanted to be on television so badly!"

Keigo gasped dramatically.

Ichigo's jaw dropped. "Excuse me?!"

Kagine, taken aback, stepped closer, his expression softening. "You... you did?"

Rukia nodded solemnly. "Yes. I tried my best. But Ichigo is just so stubborn, and then Y/N was egging her on—"

Y/N, who had been completely tuned out, looked up. "Wait, what? How did I get dragged into this?"

Kagine sighed heavily, releasing Keigo. "I see... so this was all Kurosaki's doing."

Ichigo pointed accusingly at Rukia. "You little snake!"

Rukia dabbed at imaginary tears. "I hope you can forgive her, sir... I know deep down, she never meant to hurt the school's reputation."

"I absolutely meant to!" Ichigo yelled.

Kagine rubbed his temples. "Alright, alright... I suppose we can be lenient..."

That was the cue.

The moment Kagine's guard was down, Ichigo and the rest of the gang were already moving.

Mizuiro was the first to casually slip toward the window. Sado and Keigo followed suit, and Ichigo, with one last glare at Rukia, sprinted after them.

"HEY! GET BACK HERE!" Kagine roared.

But it was too late—they were already halfway down the courtyard.

Rukia, still in her spot, took one last sniffle before—POOF!

She, too, was gone.

Kagine whirled around to the principal, seething. "What do we do about them?!"

The principal merely sipped his tea, looking entirely unbothered.

"Let them go."

Kagine gawked at him. "You can't be serious!"

Misato Ochi, watching from the corner, grinned at the whole ordeal.

Kagine, nearly pulling his hair out, collapsed into the chair behind him.

"I can't believe the faculty is letting this slide..."

The group strolled through the campus, laughing at their successful getaway.

"That was too close!" Keigo panted, placing his hands on his knees.

Ichigo, still fuming, turned to Rukia. "You really tried to sell me out!"

Rukia shrugged elegantly. "It was an act. If I hadn't done that, you wouldn't have gotten away."

Tatsuki, walking past, smirked. "Technically, she's right."

Rukia flipped her hair. "See? All part of my genius plan."

Ichigo grumbled. "Genius, my ass."

Meanwhile, Y/N had remained entirely