For us to return to being ordinary humans,
it is necessary for you to regain your Soul Reaper powers.
That’s not the answer I want to hear.
What?
I want to know what’s happening to me and my friends.
Whether I regain my Soul Reaper powers or not,
is beside the point.
You’re okay with letting him leave like that?
Yeah…
We told him out of the blue to become a Soul Reaper again—
an immediate answer would be asking too much.
You of all people should understand.
Becoming a Soul Reaper again was never on his mind.
But he thought we might know something
regarding the incidents that suddenly began happening around him.
Even so, he decided to approach us.
We’ve made great progress.
We can’t afford to fail.
We can’t let this chance slip by.
Is that really so?
I don’t think that guy is worth all the trouble.
Besides,
wanting to restore his powers for your personal reasons
and whether he can actually be of help to us are two different things.
Then again, it seems like some of us are already interested in him,
so in that regard, I might be different from you guys.
Huh?!
What, were you referring to me?!
She didn’t say that.
I don’t think he’s worth all the risk either!
But we do need his powers, don’t we?
So says the one who is all hyper after seeing him in person.
Shush!
I’m always hyper!
Now, now…
Then what do you guys think?!
Well, Yukio?!
Don’t care…
Don’t care? And you, Giriko?!
It’s clear that…
we do need him.
You’ll pay for this!
Oh, good…
The Soul Reapers haven’t found you yet…
Who the hell…are you?!
It must be agonizing to carry such a grudge…
I will free you.
In exchange…
Will you do as I ask? Please?
See you tomorrow!
I came because you asked me to, but what is all of this?
Shh!
Not so loud! He’ll hear us!
We’re going to confirm with our own eyes whether or not
that guy is really somebody we need!
You’re totally into this guy.
That’s not so!
He’ll hear you.
He turned the corner. Let’s go!
I don’t think so.
Count me out.
Come in.
Hi…
Inoue?
I came to see how you’re doing.
What’s this?
I figured you’ve got a lot of free time in the hospital,
so I chose some DVD’s featuring young entertainers
who might have a breakout in another two years…
Uh…Thanks…
How’re you feeling?
I’m doing good.
It still hurts, though…
If it’s that bad, shall I heal you?
Thanks, but that’s okay…
I have my reasons.
So? You didn’t come just to see how I was, did you?
When they found you collapsed,
you weren’t very far from Kurosaki’s home, right?
I was wondering why you were there…
Could it have been because,
like me, you sensed something going on around Kurosaki, and…
No, it was just a coincidence.
It’s true that I did sense
some kind of Spiritual Pressure around Kurosaki,
but it had nothing to do with the guy who attacked me.
Really?
Yeah…
More importantly…
Was that a?!
It’s a Hollow! And it’s nearby!
You mustn’t, Ishida!
I’ll go and take a look!
You, Inoue?!
I’ll be fine!
I won’t do anything dangerous!
I’ll be back!
Okay…
She’s right, a Hollow like this should be no problem…
But…
what worries me is…
He startled me! Why’d he suddenly…
What’s this presence I feel?!
Kurosaki!
Inoue?
What’s wrong? Why’re you so flustered?
Hey!
Don’t move!
Is it a Hollow?!
Huh?
Must’ve been my imagination.
Is it always like this for you?
Of course not!
I usually let Ishida and Sado take care of it.
Really!
Inoue…
Anyway, what were you doing here, Kurosaki?
Oh, you know…
-But what about you, Inoue?
-Who is she?!
-Huh, me?!
Thanks for walking me back.
Bye.
Yeah, see you tomorrow.
I don’t like clinging to the past…
So you’re saying you don’t want your Soul Reaper powers?
I’m not asking for an immediate answer.
I’ll wait until tomorrow for your reply.
Think it over tonight.
Okay...
It’s true that the way I am now, I can’t protect anyone…
But I did it knowing the consequences.
Hey Yuzu, Brother Ichi says he doesn’t want dinner.
All right.
Geez…
And here you prepared his favorites.
I don’t care anymore!
I think I’ll go and take a bath.
It appears he won’t be coming.
Looks like you figured wrong.
Won’t it become more difficult the more you insist?
Here. You get to eat what you didn’t have yesterday.
Oh, it looks delicious.
By the way, Brother Ichi…
Were you expecting someone last night?
Last night?
Did something happen?
I felt someone was in front of the house, but…
When I went outside, there was no one there.
It was probably your imagination.
I’ll wait until tomorrow for your reply.
Think it over tonight.
Chad…
What’re you doing here?
By any chance, were you at my place last night?
No…I didn’t.
Then I guess it was him?
Ichigo…
Got a minute?
What about school?
You haven’t been coming at all lately…
Do you remember…the promise we made in middle school?
Back then, you protected something very important to me.
If you’re going to stake your life to protect it,
then I’ll stake my life to protect it, too.
It’s a promise.
From that day on, you and I have fought together,
and I’ve continued to follow you in my own way.
Yeah…
Ichigo.
You might be trying to hide it,
but to tell you the truth,
it’s been unbearable to watch you since you lost your powers.
I know you want to fight!
It’s agonizing to be unable to
protect everyone with your own powers, isn’t it?!
You don’t have to hide it, Ichigo…
Those feelings are who you are.
Ichigo!
We’ll be late for class…
So, what now?
There really isn’t anything we can do.
I went to see him, but he gave me no indication…
Ginjo!
Why didn’t you meet with Ichigo last night?
Last night?
You went to Ichigo’s place, didn’t you?
What’re you talking about?
I never went there.
I see.
Then who…
What’s going on?
Ichigo’s younger sister sensed the presence of someone around their home.
It’s simple.
What is?
Could it mean that someone besides us
is trying to make contact with Kurosaki?
Go! Go!
Now that you mention it!
I might’ve sensed…
A strange presence near him.
It’s him!
Hey!
By the way, Brother Ichi…
Were you expecting someone last night?
Could that have been!
Hey!
Damn it…
Is that you, Brother?
I knew it!
Yuzu!
What’re you doing here?
You’re all right.
All right?
Uh…it’s nothing.
I was just on my way
to buy groceries for tonight’s dinner—
would you come with me to carry the packages?
Sure…I don’t mind.
What was that breeze just now?
Brother?
What?!
Yuzu!
Brother!
Brother…
Something’s pulling me.
Stop it.
It’s a Hollow…no doubt about it!
Let Yuzu…go!
Bro…ther…
Damn it…
Why can’t I see it?!
Bro…ther…
Run.
Stop it!
Damn it!
Yuzu!
That hurt, you bastard!
Ginjo!
You hung in there well…
Let’s go for some ramen noodles,
after I take care of this guy.
Bastard...why’d you go after this girl?!
Yuzu!
Hey!
Yuzu, hang in there!
Thank you.
I owe you…big time.
Hell with that.
I didn’t come to make you indebted to me.
We can’t afford to have you die.
And besides…
It sucks to have the door slammed shut on us
because we didn’t protect something we could have protected.
You what?!
Are you a moron?!
You saved him and just came back here?
If we need Ichigo Kurosaki’s powers,
why didn’t you tell him, “I’ll save you if you cooperate with us” and make a deal?!
Sounds like you’re all for welcoming Ichigo Kurosaki.
Sure does.
No, I’m not!
I’m not getting why you’re hanging everything
on that tacky guy with orange hair!
I’m not tacky!
Ichigo Kurosaki!
Is your sister okay?
Yeah…
What?
Don’t get the wrong idea.
Huh?
I didn’t come because I owe you.
I want my powers back so I can protect everyone.
That’s all.
You still won’t admit it, huh.
This is…my…
That’s the symbol of your power, right?
Keep it secure.
I will.
No one told me he’d be joining us!
What? Stop picking on me just because you’re happy.
No one said I’m happy or anything!
Or that he’s my type…
Or that he has a sexy voice… Or that he has a cute smile…
I’m not thinking any of that, okay?!
You just explained it yourself.
Don’t toss that away again.
I won’t.
But where’d you find this?
Well…
I looked where the river flowed,
followed the Kuroshio Current
and set out on the vast open ocean
through stormy seas
until at last, on a southern island,
I found it.
Don’t toss that away again.
Stop lying!