Near the beach in Karakura Town, a mother and son were leisurely strolling along the sand, the tide having recently receded, leaving behind
Near the beach in Karakura Town, a mother and son were leisurely strolling along the sand, the tide having recently receded, leaving behind a wide expanse of wet sand.
The time was late afternoon; the remaining rays of the setting sun bathed the mother and son in a warm, harmonious light, creating a picturesque scene.
This mother and son were Masaki Kurosaki and Ichigo Kurosaki, a seemingly idyllic family moment.
Masaki Kurosaki appeared far more mature than nine years prior. Her vibrant orange hair was neatly braided at the back of her head, her beautiful face lightly made up, and she was dressed in a professional business woman's outfit, a stylish and sophisticated ensemble.
Ichigo Kurosaki, inheriting his mother's striking hair color, sported a head of bright orange short hair, standing up energetically and neatly styled.
Due to his innate possession of exceptionally powerful spiritual energy, Ichigo Kurosaki could perceive various strange and unusual phenomena, some of which were the lingering spirits of the deceased, while others were Hollows wandering the Human World.
This inherent ability, however, also presented a significant danger. Because of his heightened spiritual sensitivity, Ichigo Kurosaki occasionally attracted Hollows that utilized consumption as a means of evolution, resulting in frequent attacks by these malevolent creatures.
Whenever he found himself in perilous situations alone, a peculiar crow would miraculously appear to assist him, driving off the terrifying monsters and saving him from certain death on numerous occasions. This mysterious crow was a constant, unexpected ally.
He affectionately referred to this crow as "Mr. Crow," and in his young mind, he considered this crow to be his personal guardian spirit, a benevolent protector against the darkness.
At this moment, neither Masaki Kurosaki nor Ichigo Kurosaki were aware that an immense and imminent danger was silently closing in on them, a threat that would forever alter their lives.
"Mom, tomorrow's a holiday; let's go on an outing!" Ichigo Kurosaki said, looking up at his mother, his voice full of youthful enthusiasm.
Masaki Kurosaki smiled gently, her eyes full of love and affection. "That's a wonderful idea, Ichigo. We'll ask Dad to prepare everything tonight."
At that very moment, Masaki Kurosaki suddenly detected unusual spiritual pressure emanating from her immediate surroundings, rapidly approaching her and her son.
Relying on her innate, highly sensitive Quincy perception abilities, she instantly identified the nature of this approaching spiritual pressure as Hollows. Her senses were acutely attuned to the presence of such malevolent entities.
"Ichigo, stay right here and don't move. Some monsters are coming; Mom will drive them all away," Masaki Kurosaki softly instructed Ichigo Kurosaki, her voice calm but firm, reassuring her son while preparing for battle.
At that instant, a spiritual bow and arrow materialized in her hand, a weapon formed from pure spiritual energy. Her expression turned serious and resolute as she carefully scanned her surroundings, assessing the situation.
Suddenly, more than a dozen Hollows materialized around them, their eyes gleaming with predatory hunger. These Hollows exhibited a wide variety of forms and appearances; none possessed a humanoid form, clearly indicating that they were relatively low-level Hollows with correspondingly low intelligence and limited strategic capabilities.
They had merely sensed the unusually high levels of spiritual energy emanating from Masaki Kurosaki and Ichigo Kurosaki, failing to recognize the significant disparity in power; Masaki Kurosaki's spiritual energy far surpassed theirs, making their attack a foolish endeavor.
However, lurking unseen behind these lesser Hollows, concealed within the shadows, was a Gillian—a Hollow that had attained a level of intelligence far beyond that of its brethren. This Gillian, a rare exception capable of evolving to this stage in the Human World through the consumption of other spiritual entities, was named Grand Fisher.
Grand Fisher's form was that of an obese, monstrous creature possessing limbs vaguely resembling those of a human. Its body was covered in thick, gray fur, its feet resembled those of an avian creature, while its hands were similar to human hands, though its skin was a disturbing bright red color.
Its head was exceptionally large, bearing an equally enormous, grotesque, and cunning bone mask, and atop its head was a structure that resembled a bird's nest, a curious and unsettling feature.
Its ability to evolve from a low-level Hollow to a Gillian in the Human World, despite its initially inferior capabilities, wasn't due to raw power, but to its intelligence—an intellect far surpassing that of typical Hollows. It was a cunning and strategic predator.
Grand Fisher was exceptionally cunning; it recognized that Masaki Kurosaki would be a difficult opponent. Therefore, its true target was the boy standing beside her, Ichigo Kurosaki.
Although Ichigo Kurosaki's spiritual energy was significantly less potent than his mother's, Grand Fisher had a premonition that consuming this young boy would lead to an unimaginable increase in its own power, a power far exceeding its current capabilities.
Grand Fisher possessed an almost preternatural ability to sense potential, an uncanny talent for recognizing those with latent power. If Ichigo Kurosaki were indeed consumed, its abilities would undergo an unimaginable enhancement, potentially even transferring the latent power of Vizard White from Ichigo Kurosaki's body into its own.
Masaki Kurosaki had already begun to dispatch the Hollows attacking them, her hand swiftly drawing back her spiritual bow, unleashing a volley of Heilig Pfeil—sacred arrows of destruction—that flew towards the enemy with incredible speed and precision.
Although she was no longer a pure-blooded Quincy, her innate talent remained exceptional. Given her ability to subdue Vizard White, dealing with these weaker Hollows presented little difficulty. The only challenge was the sheer number of Hollows. It was a matter of time before she could eliminate them all.
Seeing that Masaki Kurosaki's attention was fully engaged by her immediate attackers, Grand Fisher revealed a cunning smile, a predatory expression of malicious intent.
A green tentacle extended from the bird's nest-like structure atop its head; the tip of the tentacle had transformed into a small, seemingly innocent girl, her eyes filled with tears of sadness. This was a deceptive and manipulative tactic.
This was one of Grand Fisher's abilities: the capacity to transform its tentacle-like appendages into the forms of spiritual entities it had previously consumed, thereby luring in unsuspecting victims. It was a master of deception and manipulation.
At that moment, Ichigo Kurosaki, patiently awaiting his mother's return, noticed a small girl crying in the shadows. His kind and compassionate nature immediately compelled him to approach her, offering his assistance. He was a naturally empathetic child.
However, as he drew closer, he discovered that lurking behind the seemingly innocent girl, concealed within the shadows, was a monstrous, gaping maw—a terrifying Hollow face far larger than his own body, its eyes filled with predatory hunger.
"Got you!" Grand Fisher roared, its voice a chilling blend of triumph and malice, its large mouth splitting into a grotesque grin.
Ichigo Kurosaki attempted to flee, but as a nine-year-old child, escape was impossible at such close proximity. He was trapped.
Masaki Kurosaki, noticing her son's absence, immediately looked around anxiously, her eyes darting across the scene. She saw the enormous, humanoid Hollow's hand gripping Ichigo Kurosaki within its grasp.
"Let him go, or I'll kill you!" Masaki Kurosaki said coldly, her voice laced with the steel of unwavering determination.
With her son's life hanging in the balance, the gentle tenderness in her beautiful eyes vanished, replaced by the fierce, unwavering resolve of a mother prepared to protect her child at any cost. Her love for her son fueled her determination.
Grand Fisher had been preparing to retreat, but it hesitated upon being locked onto by Masaki Kurosaki's spiritual arrows.
Although the radiant spiritual arrows hadn't yet struck it, Grand Fisher sensed the immense destructive power contained within them. A direct hit would result in its immediate and complete annihilation.
Looking at the captured Ichigo Kurosaki, and then at Masaki Kurosaki, who was glaring intently at it, Grand Fisher found itself caught in a moment of indecision, caught between retreat and the potential rewards of its prey.
Just as the situation reached a tense stalemate, a thick layer of clouds in the sky suddenly split open, as if something immense and powerful was about to descend from the heavens.
Masaki Kurosaki instinctively sensed an overwhelming aura of mortal danger. A brilliant white light erupted from the opening in the clouds, hurtling downwards towards the beach below.
And the target of this descending white light was Masaki Kurosaki herself. She was about to face a threat far greater than any Hollow.
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