Ichigo Kurosaki vs. Shrieker is a fight between Substitute Shinigami Ichigo Kurosaki and the Hollow Shrieker during The Death Trilogy Overture, taking place after Ichigo interrupts Shrieker's conflict with Rukia Kuchiki and Yasutora Sado over a parakeet harboring the soul of a young boy, Yūichi Shibata.
Prelude[]
Rukia Kuchiki stops running from Shrieker, who assumes she is giving up on escaping from him.
After preventing Yasutora Sado from attacking him further by threatening to blow up Yūichi Shibata with his leeches, Shrieker has Rukia Kuchiki begin running away so he can give chase. After fleeing from several blocks and being injured further by Shrieker's Targets and exploding leeches, Rukia suddenly stops, leading a confused Shrieker to ask her if she is giving up on escaping from him.[2]
Ichigo Kurosaki arrives and confronts Shrieker.
Rukia simply says that there is no longer a reason for her to run and points out how Shrieker said she could attack before declaring that she will do so as Ichigo Kurosaki arrives and lands on Shrieker's head. Ichigo berates Rukia for being a bloody mess despite promising not to take unnecessary risks, prompting Rukia to claim that she had to say this and that they were not unnecessary, and leaps off of an annoyed Shrieker's head before introducing himself and challenging Shrieker, who curses him.[3] Noting Ichigo's identification of himself as a Substitute Shinigami, Shrieker claims his soul smells good and realizes that he should have gone after Ichigo first when he and Rukia split up before moving to attack them.[4]
Battle[]
Ichigo slashes Shrieker's shoulder with his Zanpakutō.
As she puts on her Gokon Tekkō, Rukia pushes Ichigo out of his body while Shrieker's Targets fire streams of leeches at them. However, Ichigo swiftly evades them and lands on top of Shrieker with Rukia and his body in tow before slashing Shrieker's shoulder with his Zanpakutō. While Ichigo and Rukia land further away, a chuckling Shrieker notes Ichigo is a real Shinigami while Ichigo details to Rukia how he got rid of the Targets on Yūichi Shibata's birdcage on the way over here since he figured they belonged to Shrieker. When Rukia explains how the leeches spit out by the Targets are bombs, Ichigo realizes this is why Yasutora Sado would not move.[5]
Ichigo corners Shrieker and inquires about Yūichi.
Ichigo declares that Shrieker is a piece of garbage for his actions against his friends, which Shrieker takes as a compliment. Shortly afterward, Ichigo cuts apart three Targets, causing them to spill out the leeches in their bodies, and Shrieker commends the logic of this action before pointing out that the leeches are still bombs regardless of whether they are fired. As Shrieker vibrates his tongue once more, the leeches erupt in a sizable explosion, leading him to declare victory before being taken aback and screaming in fright when Ichigo emerges from the smoke only lightly damaged and swings his Zanpakutō at him. However, Ichigo stops his swing at Shrieker's neck and demands to know if he killed Yūichi's parents.[6]
Shrieker recounts how he targeted Yūichi's mother as a Human.
Shrieker confirms he did kill Yūichi's mother and reveals that five years ago, as a Human, he was a serial killer who murdered eight people and his last victim was Yūichi's mother, who continued to protect her son even after he stabbed her a dozen times. Shrieker goes on to detail how after he chased her onto the balcony and killed her, Yūichi grabbed his shoelaces, which caused him to lose his balance and fall through the nearby railing to his death. Declaring this spoiled the moment for him because Yūichi killed him instead of the other way around, Shrieker explains how he decided to make Yūichi suffer by ripping out his soul and putting it in a parakeet.[7]
Shrieker pushes Ichigo's Zanpakutō aside.
As Shrieker details how he promised to bring Yūichi's mother back to life if Yūichi could evade him for three months, a stunned Ichigo asks if it is possible for him to revive Yūichi's mother, but Shrieker gleefully asserts that it is not and that he only told Yūichi this so he would go along with it before recounting how he killed everyone who tried to help Yūichi and repeatedly convinced him to keep going by claiming that his mother was counting on him. Seeing Ichigo seemingly waver, Shrieker pushes his Zanpakutō away and declares that Ichigo's defense is pitiful before throwing two of his Targets at Ichigo, who blocks one with his hand, causing the leeches within to spill out.[8]
Shrieker slashes Shrieker across his mask.
Shrieker sticks out his tongue and attempts to detonate them, but Ichigo shoves the leeches through his teeth and inside his mouth, to Shrieker's surprise. Asking Shrieker if he is not going to use his tongue now, Ichigo angrily declares it is now his and rips Shrieker's tongue out of his mouth,[9] causing Shrieker to crash into the ground and curse him for ripping out his tongue as Ichigo leaps forward and drives his Zanpakutō into Shrieker's leg. While Shrieker screams in pain, Ichigo notes he is now helpless before proclaiming this is what his victims felt. When Shrieker severs his injured leg and begins to fly away, Ichigo asserts fear is a terrible thing that drives people to go to such lengths and leaps into the air after him. After telling Shrieker to drive this fear deep into his brain and disappear, Ichigo slashes him across his mask, only to be surprised when energy begins crackling out of Shrieker's wound.[10]
Aftermath[]
Shrieker is condemned to Hell as punishment for his sins.
As Shrieker begs for his life, two large gates with skeletons on the doors appear behind him, and Rukia identifies these as the Gates of Hell. Rukia elaborates that a Zanpakutō cleanses a Hollow of its crimes so it can enter Soul Society, but it does not cleanse them of crimes that they committed while alive, and Hollows who committed atrocities in life are handed over to Hell for punishment. As the Gates of Hell swing open, Shrieker screams in agony before being impaled on an enormous blade, which is wielded by a tattooed monster that laughs ominously as it pulls Shrieker inside before the Gates of Hell close and shatter into small pieces as Ichigo and Rukia watch, with Ichigo musing on this being Hell.[11]
Yūichi thanks Sado for protecting him.
That night, Ichigo, Rukia, and Sado stand around Yūichi as Rukia confirms Yūichi's Chain of Fate is completely gone and it is too late to return Yūichi's soul to his body. When Yūichi expresses sadness at this, Rukia assures him Soul Society is a nice place where he will be happy and never go hungry, which Ichigo notes sounds like a sales pitch. Ichigo promises Yūichi he can see his mother if he goes to Soul Society and she really is waiting for him this time, which cheers him up. As Ichigo prepares to perform Konsō, Yūichi thanks Sado for saving him, only for Sado to claim it was nothing. However, as a somewhat disappointed Yūichi prepares to go, Sado asks if he can carry Yūichi around one more time when he dies and goes to Soul Society, which Yūichi happily agrees to. Smiling at this, Ichigo performs Konsō on Yūichi.[12]
References[]
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 35, page 16
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 9, pages 12-17
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 9, pages 17-19
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 11, page 1
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 11, pages 2-6
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 11, pages 6 & 8-11
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 11, pages 12-15
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 11, pages 15-17
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 11, pages 17-19
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 12, pages 1-8
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 12, pages 8-13
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 12, pages 14-19