"What? You want to fight me? Who do you think you are to deserve fighting me?"
Grand Fisher said disdainfully.
"Ah, sorry, sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. I am..."
"Kurosaki Isshin!"
"What?!"
On the other side, Ichigo and Shinji both exclaimed in shock as they felt Isshin's Reiatsu.
"Wh-What immense Reiatsu! Is this Reiatsu coming from a Hollow?"
Ichigo broke out in a cold sweat.
Ichigo didn't even know his father was a Shinigami, so he naturally didn't recognize Isshin's Reiatsu.
"He can't even tell the difference between a Hollow's and a Shinigami's Reiatsu? This kid is hopeless."
Shinji muttered to himself.
Although Ichigo's power had skyrocketed to Captain-level in a short time after obtaining his Shinigami powers, he was completely unskilled in basic knowledge, Reiatsu Control, sensing, and such.
'But this Shinigami's Reiatsu feels very unfamiliar. Who could it be? Could be a rising star from the Soul Society?'
Shinji had left the Soul Society over a hundred years ago. If it were someone already famous back then, he would naturally recognize them.
In his view, this person must have grown up after he left the Soul Society.
'Could it be a new Captain of the Gotei 13 who emerged after I left?'
"Ah? Ichigo! Where are you going!!"
Shinji was pondering the identity of the newly appeared Shinigami in Karakura Town when he looked up and saw Ichigo running away!
"Hey! Ichigo, you stop right there!"
Shinji shouted.
"That's enough, Hirako. I'm not interested in anything you have to say. I'm not joining any 'Vizard' or whatever! Because..."
"I am a Shinigami! I'm no kindred spirit of the 'Vizard'!!"
Ichigo declared solemnly.
With that, Ichigo ignored Shinji and sped off towards the source of Isshin's Reiatsu.
"Well, well, it's not easy to convince you..."
Shinji sighed helplessly, then took out his phone and made a call. "Moshi moshi, is this Sarugaki-san? It's Hirako. Sorry, the plan failed..."
...
"Kurosaki... then you are Ichigo's..."
"Dad."
Before Grand Fisher could finish, Isshin answered proactively.
Then, Isshin bent down, picked up the fallen charm, and tossed it to Kon.
"Here! Take good care of this, Kon. This charm was made specifically for you from the beginning."
Isshin said.
"He even knows my name..."
Kon was surprised.
"Um... when did you realize I wasn't Ichigo?"
Although unsure how to address Isshin, Kon hesitated and asked.
"I knew you weren't Ichigo from the very start."
Isshin replied.
"Ah?"
Kon was clearly taken aback.
Isshin spoke again: "Haven't you noticed? Since the day at the grave, when you first entered Ichigo's body, I never called you 'Ichigo' again."
Bang!
The ignored Grand Fisher punched the ground, instantly shattering it and drawing Isshin and Kon's attention back.
"So even Kurosaki Ichigo's dad is a Shinigami. No wonder you seem quite strong. But, Kurosaki Isshin, even if you are a Shinigami, I'm not interested in you. Tonight, I came to eliminate Kurosaki Ichigo!"
Grand Fisher looked down on Isshin.
"Since you're Kurosaki Ichigo's father, you must know where he is, right? If you know, speak up. I'll let you die quickly!"
Grand Fisher said coldly.
"Well, Mr. Hollow, although you're not interested in me, I came here to cut you down! How can you not exchange a few blows with me?"
Isshin's lips curled into a cold smile.
"You came to cut me down? Hmph! How dare a mere Shinigami be so arrogant! Do you mistake me for an ordinary Hollow?!"
"Take a good look! This is my true form!!"
"Boom!"
A powerful Reiatsu erupted from Grand Fisher. His body, already as large as a small mountain, grew even bigger. The half-mask that had covered his face vanished, revealing a face similar to a human's.
Kon sat on the ground, drenched in cold sweat. "So... so big! Just like the Menos Grande I've seen before, or even..."
"Menos Grande? Hmph!"
Grand Fisher snorted disdainfully. "How can those things called Menos Grande be compared to me? I am..."
"An Arrancar!"
Isshin suddenly spoke. "A Hollow that removes its mask and gains Shinigami powers. That's what you call an [Arrancar], right?"
"Not bad. You know quite a bit. But if that's the case..."
Grand Fisher reached behind him and grasped his Zanpakuto. "You should know very well that you're no match for this sword!"
Clang—
The Zanpakuto, proportionate to his massive size, was slowly drawn from its sheath.
"S-Such a huge Zanpakuto! That's insane!"
Kon trembled at the sight of Grand Fisher's 'forty-meter-long great sword'.
"Can you match me?!"
Grand Fisher looked proudly at Isshin.
"Is that so? Then why don't we give it a try!"
Isshin smiled enigmatically.
"Hmph, what a foolish and ignorant fool. I'll take pity on you and fight you!"
Grand Fisher looked at him with a condescending air.
"Heh, then I'll make my move."
With that, Isshin's figure flickered and vanished from sight.
"What!"
Grand Fisher exclaimed in shock. He hadn't even seen Isshin's movement.
Swoosh
A brilliant, dazzling flash of a blade suddenly illuminated the scene.
Then, Grand Fisher's pupils dilated, and his eyes gradually lost their luster.
Clang!
Isshin appeared behind Grand Fisher, standing back to back with the fallen Arrancar, and sheathed his sword.
Spurt!
A torrent of blood gushed from Grand Fisher's body like a fountain.
"Idiot. It's true that generally, the larger a Zanpakuto, the stronger the Reiryoku. But Captain-class Shinigami can freely control the size of their Zanpakuto. Otherwise, wouldn't they all have to swing around building-sized swords like you? So, you absolutely cannot judge an opponent's strength solely by the size of their Zanpakuto."
"Not knowing even this, don't come discussing Shinigami matter with me."
"You're not worthy!"
Thud!
Grand Fisher's mountain-like body, split in two from the center of his forehead, crashed to the ground.
"No... no way..."
Burning with intense regret, Grand Fisher dissipated into Reishi and vanished into the world.
The night wind was slightly cool, rustling Isshin's clothes.
Although he had avenged half of his wife's death, Isshin's silhouette in the night exuded a sense of loneliness and desolation.