"Here already?"
A calm voice rang out. Kurosaki Ichigo looked toward it and only then noticed a small figure sitting at the edge of the arena. When he saw the figure's face clearly, he could not help but freeze.
Because this person... or perhaps it could not be called a "person" at all. It had only one eye, set in the middle of its forehead. Despite its short stature, it emanated a terrifying aura, its muscles bulging beneath its skin.
"Was it you who captured my father?"
Kurosaki Ichigo turned around, setting aside his confusion over where Urahara Kisuke and the others had gone, and stared coldly at the humanoid creature.
"Father?"
The small monster rose from the arena and looked calmly at Kurosaki Ichigo—or at least, that was what Ichigo thought. It seemed rather difficult to read any other emotion from that face.
"The first person captured was your father?" As it spoke, a cold gleam flashed in the small monster's eye. "Although Lord Bogeku said to preserve the samples as much as possible, still..."
Its tone abruptly changed, becoming thick with murderous intent. The temperature throughout the entire space seemed to drop. "If I tear you into pieces, that should count as a sample too!"
"Lastly, be honored, lowly race. The one killing you is Bu Yuanluo, one of the Five War Generals under Lord Bogeku, a Dragon-class powerhouse!"
Its calm voice lingered in the air as Bu Yuanluo vanished.
A black flash crossed Kurosaki Ichigo's face as a Hollow Mask appeared. The already-released Tensa Zangetsu suddenly slashed out, colliding precisely with the opponent's dark purple fist.
Invisible force exploded outward with a boom.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The two traded blows at incredible speed, invisible bursts of force continuously exploding between blade and fist.
Kurosaki Ichigo's expression grew