In the Human World, inside Class 3, Year 1 at Karakura First High School.
Ichigo Kurosaki sat at his desk, staring blankly at the sky outside. His mind was filled with memories of the battles he had experienced during the recent invasion of the Soul Society, leaving him with no interest in whatever the English teacher at the front of the classroom was saying.
In fact, he was not the only one. Yasutora Sado, Orihime Inoue, and Uryu Ishida, who had taken part in the invasion of the Seireitei with him, were in much the same state.
Uryu Ishida in particular, having completely lost his Quincy powers during his battle with Mayuri Kurotsuchi, looked utterly gloomy.
After all, for boys and girls of fifteen or sixteen, at the age when they were full of fantasies, how could they possibly forget the truth of the world after learning it for the first time, then willingly return to an ordinary life?
Whenever Ichigo Kurosaki closed his eyes now, he could see the terrifying Reiatsu Kenpachi Zaraki had unleashed during their battle, along with the wildly uneven duel between Allen and his opponent before the Sōkyoku.
Several times, he had even thought he would die in that unfamiliar place.
Yet now, he had ultimately returned alive.
Even if the outcome was not as perfect as he had imagined at first...
Amid his wild thoughts, the morning classes quickly came to an end.
As usual, Ichigo Kurosaki prepared to head to the rooftop atop the school building for lunch with a few of his close friends.
Suddenly!
A massive black rift tore open in the sky. Two human-shaped Hollows stepped out from within, each wearing a completely different mask. The Reiatsu they unconsciously released alone was enough to make many teachers and students across