"Tsukishima. Ginjō. So this was your plan all along?"
Ichigo sneered, feeling the Fullbring power within him being forcibly drained away.
"What's wrong?" Ginjō smirked. "Did you really think you could fight me without your powers?"
Ichigo slowly shook his head.
"You're way too confident. Do you really think that power was all I had?"
Just as he finished speaking—two figures appeared beside him: Kurosaki Isshin and Urahara Kisuke!
But the situation was still dire.
Chad, Orihime, and Tatsuki—manipulated by Tsukishima's ability—now believed Ichigo was their enemy.
Ichigo looked at his three confused friends with a heavy heart.
Then—
"Oi, Ichigo, don't tell me this was your plan?"
Rukia appeared behind him and smacked him on the back of the head, exasperated.
"What a strange ability. I wonder if it'll work on me?"
Nozomi stepped out from the side, her gaze on the Fullbringers floating above.
"As expected, Ichigo's still such a blockhead. Getting his Fullbring stolen? How lame."
Hiyori clicked her tongue and folded her arms.
"But to alter the past itself… that's one twisted ability," she muttered. Even as a Vice-Captain of Squad 10 now, she had to admit—it was terrifying.
Even they couldn't guarantee they'd be unaffected if Tsukishima struck them.
Except—
"Relax. Leave him to me."
Hiyori smiled, stepping forward. "I dare him to try and rewrite my past."
After all, Hiyori wasn't normal.
Her Spirit Bead of Reminiscence held the memories of countless individuals.
Tsukishima could try inserting memories, but in her sea of recollections, they'd be like drops in an ocean—completely meaningless.
She was, frankly, Tsukishima's worst possible matchup.
And then—
A massive red Senkaimon tore through the sky.
The reinforcements from Soul Society had arrived!
Captain Byakuya of Squad 6.
Captain Hitsugaya of Squad 10.
Captain Kenpachi of Squad 11.
Vice-Captains Renji Abarai and Rangiku Matsumoto.
Third Seat Ikkaku Madarame.
"Hmph. Even with all of you here, it changes nothing," Ginjō sneered. "Ichigo's already lost his powers!"
Ichigo shook his head.
"Ginjō Kūgo, haven't you noticed yet? I've been talking to Rukia and the others this whole time. You really think someone without powers can see Soul Reapers?"
Ginjō's eyes widened.
A monstrous surge of spiritual pressure exploded from Ichigo's body!
His black shihakushō reappeared.
His Zanpakutō returned to his waist.
Only now—his body was marked by black veins resembling Blut Vene, due to his combined Quincy and Fullbring powers.
Rukia circled him, smiling. "Yup. This is the Ichigo I know. Best look he's got."
Seeing Ichigo transformed back into a Soul Reaper, Ginjō snapped.
"Impossible! You shouldn't have your powers!"
"Oh please," Ichigo deadpanned. "You seriously fell for that? That was the whole point of the act, dumbass."
The overwhelming pressure crushed everyone on the field.
"I was expecting some genius-level scheme. This is what you came up with?"
Ichigo flew forward—and with a single swing, sent Ginjō flying!
Then, with a gentle flick of his blade, a beam of light shot straight at Ginjō.
Ginjō barely dodged by using all his strength, laughing nervously.
"Ha… haha! Sure, your power's grown, but your Getsuga Tenshō still can't hit me!"
Ichigo flash-stepped behind him.
"Who said that was a Getsuga Tenshō? That was just plain sword pressure."
Ginjō froze.
"Now this is Getsuga Tenshō."
"Getsuga... Tenshō!!"
A black blast, like a missile, erupted into the sky!
Clouds parted. The once-dark night sky was now crystal clear.
Ginjō turned and saw the building behind him had been split clean in two.
And Ichigo hadn't even aimed to kill—just enough to mess with his head.
A little taste of what Ichigo had endured—wasn't that fair?
Freaked out, Ginjō turned to run.
Too bad for him—Ichigo was always faster.
He caught Ginjō mid-air and slammed him to the ground.
Ginjō fired off a desperate green slash—but Ichigo raised one hand and completely neutralized the energy.
Then came another Getsuga Tenshō—this time, unrestrained.
The black blast engulfed Ginjō, exploding with terrifying force.
"Gah! Don't think this is enough to kill me!"
Cornered, Ginjō was forced to unleash his true power.
A towering purple reiatsu shot into the sky.
He emerged unscathed—wearing a new form: black Soul Reaper robes entwined with white skeletal armor.
"This is the Fullbring I stole from you, Ichigo!" he declared. "With this armor, I can withstand even your Getsuga Tenshō!"
Ichigo remained calm.
To him, Fullbring still felt far too weak.
At that moment, Orihime, Chad, and Tatsuki ran toward them.
To them, Tsukishima was their savior—the one who had defeated Aizen and saved both worlds.
The power to rewrite memories was beyond disgusting.
Thankfully, Urahara and Isshin knocked all three unconscious before they could cause further trouble.
With the hostage situation resolved, the other Fullbringers turned hostile—they wanted Ichigo's power too.
That was the real reason they helped Tsukishima and Ginjō.
All except one.
Riruka.
Even after her memories returned, she didn't see Ichigo as an enemy. Empowered by Ginjō, she leapt to Ichigo's side.
"Riruka?" Ichigo looked at her, surprised.
"I'm not fighting you," she said firmly.
"Riruka! You'd betray me?!" Ginjō roared.
Riruka said nothing. She simply stood beside Ichigo.
Hitsugaya quipped, "Figures. You even snag a girl mid-battle."
Ichigo just sighed.
Elsewhere, Yukio activated his power—splitting the battlefield into multiple one-on-one arenas:
Hitsugaya vs. Yukio
Renji vs. Jackie Tristan
Kenpachi vs. Giriko
Originally, Byakuya was supposed to face Tsukishima.
But Hiyori stepped forward.
She wanted to end him personally.
That ability was far too dangerous to ignore.
Sure, someone like Byakuya or Aizen could resist it. But her friends? They were vulnerable.
Insert memories into her mind?
Good luck.
Hiyori's memory was so massive—so overwhelming—that Tsukishima had no way to pinpoint where or how to "insert."
It was impossible.
In the end, she pierced his chest with Mirokumaru—killing him instantly.
"N-No… I'm your savior… why…?" Tsukishima gasped.
Hiyori didn't even blink.
Meanwhile, Kenpachi effortlessly obliterated Giriko. The man was simply too weak.
He'd wanted to fight Tsukishima himself—but oh well.
Giriko's soul returned to Soul Society, and Kenpachi became the first to exit his barrier arena.
Renji easily defeated Jackie without even drawing his blade.
Her ability made her stronger the dirtier she got, but Renji's fists were enough.
Hitsugaya also captured Yukio without issue.
Compared to the past Soul Society invasions, Xcution—aside from Tsukishima and Ginjō—was incredibly underwhelming.
Ikkaku's battle against Shishigawara was chaotic and explosive as always—complete with "ORA ORA ORA" energy.
In the end, brute strength won again.
But the highlight?
Hiyori vs. Tsukishima.
Unlike the others, she had only one goal: kill him.
And in the end, that's exactly what she did.
(End of Chapter)