Ichigo Kurosaki vs. Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez

 is a fight taking place during the Arrancar Invasion between Substitute Shinigami Ichigo Kurosaki and Espada #6. Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez, acting as the first of multiple confrontations between the two.

Prelude
Following Ichigo Kurosaki and his allies' brutal encounter with Ulquiorra Cifer and Yammy Llargo in Karakura Town, Rukia Kuchiki is selected to join a Strike Force headed by 6th Division Lieutenant Renji Abarai, meant to assist Ichigo and his friends in the new conflict, because she knows Ichigo the best. Upon reuniting with Ichigo at Karakura High School, Rukia forces him to confront his fears about his inner Hollow and promise Orihime Inoue that he will never fail to protect her again in order to improve the spirits of both of them.

Simultaneously, Ulquiorra returns to Las Noches and relays his confrontation to Aizen and the other Arrancar through Solita Vista, where they learn that Ulquiorra determined Ichigo was not worth killing and thus left him alive. Though Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez criticizes him for this since it presents the risk of Ichigo growing too strong to kill later, Aizen determines that Ulquiorra did nothing wrong, to Grimmjow's frustration. That night, Grimmjow comes to Karakura Town himself and is joined by Di Roy Rinker and the rest of his Fracción once the sun sets. When Shawlong Koufang notes that he sensed several different strong Reiatsu on their way here, Grimmjow has them utilize Pesquisa in order to accurately determine how many combatants are nearby, and once they are all detected, Grimmjow orders his Fracción to kill anyone with Reiatsu.

Meanwhile, at the Kurosaki Clinic where she has gained permission to stay, Rukia is perplexed to find that Ichigo's family has put her bed with those of Karin Kurosaki and Yuzu Kurosaki, which Ichigo dryly notes is the normal thing to do. When Rukia protests that she was going to sleep in Ichigo's closet and had brought furniture to brighten it up, Ichigo rejects this notion and takes offense at her calling his closet dirty. However, upon sensing the Reiatsu of Grimmjow and his Fracción when they move out, Ichigo realizes it is like that of Ulquiorra and Yammy, which he alerts Rukia to.

Seeing six marks on the screen of her Denreishinki, Rukia is aghast at how many Arrancar are here, and when Ichigo asks her if they are coming this way, Rukia observes that they seem to just be probing for Reiatsu at this point, but warns Ichigo that this means they are making a list to kill everyone with even a hint of Reiatsu. Mortified by this and grabbing his Substitute Shinigami Badge, Ichigo recalls that Uryū Ishida has none right now and inquires about Orihime and Yasutora Sado, prompting Rukia to assure him that Hitsugaya and Rangiku will be able to protect Orihime prior to informing Ichigo that one of the Arrancar is headed toward Sado.

Elsewhere, Sado sits up on the floor while Shun'ō and Ayame fly away from his restored arm, which he inspects. Despite Shun'ō warning him that he is not fully healed, Sado assures him and Ayame that he is okay and that they can return to Orihime's apartment in order to heal her. When Sado runs outside with his Fullbring, Brazo Derecha de Gigante, manifested, Di Roy expresses disappointment at him not being a Shinigami and attempts to stab his left hand into a surprised Sado's chest, only for Ichigo to arrive in his Shinigami form and grab Di Roy's left hand before he can complete his attack while criticizing him for evaluating his attack before he has won the fight, which a chuckling Di Roy accepts. However, Di Roy decides instead to kill Ichigo and his friends, then tell the other Arrancar that none of them were any good.

With Di Roy freeing himself from Ichigo's grasp, a stunned Sado stands behind the latter and mentally observes that Di Roy would have killed him with his strike had Ichigo not shown up when he did, due to the stopped attack still puncturing Sado's skin. When told by Ichigo to stand back, Sado protests that his arm was healed by Shun'ō and Ayame, but Ichigo insists that Sado let him handle this, leading Sado to recall Yammy mangling Brazo Derecha de Gigante and agree to Ichigo's request before running off and ignoring Rukia when she encounters him in the street and inquires about his wellbeing, which leaves her confused. As he continues to run, Sado wonders if Ichigo does not trust Sado to watch his back anymore.

Back outside the house Sado was resting in, a grinning Di Roy questions how he should kill Ichigo, who rips the bandage off his head and notices Rukia approaching him from behind. After confirming her identity, Rukia asks Ichigo what he told Sado, and when a sweating Ichigo states that he just told Sado to stay back and let him handle this, Rukia requests that he step back as well, to Ichigo's astonishment. However, Ichigo is left further shocked upon seeing Rukia holding a Chappy Gikongan dispenser as Rukia asserts that she should handle this since Ichigo is too tense and pops the Gikongan into her mouth, causing a release of energy that swirls around her. Warning Ichigo that he could get himself killed fighting like this, Rukia stands in front of her Chappy-controlled Gigai in her proper Shinigami form with her Zanpakutō at her hip. When Ichigo expresses surprise at Rukia having gotten her powers back, Rukia explains that she could not get her powers back before due to being in Kisuke Urahara's Gigai and that she regained her Reiryoku with ease once she discarded that Gigai and lived in the Reishi-rich Soul Society.

Suddenly, Chappy leaps toward a startled Ichigo and repeats Rukia's instructions for him to step back, leaving Ichigo irritated and perplexed by who she is supposed to be. Rukia informs him that this is Chappy, the Gikongan most popular with female Shinigami whom she was trying to purchase before when she ended up with Kon instead, and with Ichigo expressing disbelief at Chappy potentially inhabiting his own body instead and relief that Kon does instead, Chappy takes issue with this as Ichigo discovers her surprising strength when she wrestles him to the ground prior to Di Roy attacking Rukia, who moves elsewhere to engage him.

After Rukia kills Di Roy, Chappy continues to restrain Ichigo by holding his arm behind his back while pinning him to the ground and promises to force him to remain still if he does not do so on his own. Despite Ichigo protesting that he cannot remain still when she is hurting him like this, Chappy responds to him threatening to beat her up if she does not stop by asserting that she will kill him before he can kill her, visibly unnerving Ichigo by exceeding her orders to simply hold him down, and wrenches his arm further behind his back as Rukia approaches them and questions what they are doing. Upon seeing Rukia, a startled Ichigo frantically asks her if she is okay and if she won.

In response, Rukia points out that she obviously did since she is still here while Ichigo notices Sode no Shirayuki, prompting Chappy to inform Ichigo that Sode no Shirayuki is currently regarded as the most beautiful Zanpakutō in all of Soul Society due to its blade, guard, and hilt all being completely white, though Ichigo admonishes her for ruining the mood when she finishes her sentence by making a hopping noise, and explain that Rukia has the potential to be a seated officer, but the increased danger that seated officers face compared to regular Shinigami led a certain person who did not want her to be exposed to peril to pull some strings and have her removed from seated officer candidacy, which Chappy reveals was Byakuya Kuchiki.

When Chappy concludes this by making a hopping noise once more, an unimpressed Ichigo determines that exposition is not her forte and requests that Chappy get off of him, only for Chappy to wrench his arm once again while an exasperated Rukia tells them to stop this. Suddenly, Ichigo and Rukia experience a powerful Reiatsu as Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez stands in the air above them and comments on Di Roy's death meaning that he will simply have to kill them both himself before introducing himself to an intimidated Ichigo. As a smiling Grimmjow lands on the street several meters away from them while Rukia recognizes his Reiatsu as being that of an Arrancar.

With Rukia mentally expressing fright at how incredibly strong it is, Grimmjow inquires about which one of them is stronger, leading a startled Rukia to warn Ichigo to retreat before Grimmjow stabs his right hand into her abdomen and observes that it is not her, which he expected. While a disgusted Rukia is thrown to the ground by Grimmjow, a shocked Ichigo rushes toward Grimmjow, who grins over his shoulder at Ichigo.

Battle
When Ichigo reaches and furiously attacks him, Grimmjow blocks the blade of Ichigo's Shikai, Zangetsu, with his bare hand and sends Ichigo flying into the air with a flick of his wrist that releases a burst of Reiatsu. Unimpressed by this, Grimmjow reminds Ichigo that he did not come here to butcher defenseless lambs and that he is currently holding back prior to instructing Ichigo to activate his Bankai so he does not end up full of holes like Rukia currently is. In response, an angered Ichigo activates his Bankai, Tensa Zangetsu, pleasing Grimmjow. Shortly afterward, Grimmjow casually leaps to the side to avoid a downward stab from Ichigo's sword.

When Grimmjow responds to Ichigo slashing at him by grabbing his sword by the blade and throwing Ichigo into the air, Ichigo is sent hurtling down the street and crashing through the road by this before springing off the ground high into the air to find Grimmjow throwing a punch at his face, through he manages to move behind Grimmjow and slash upward. However, a ferociously grinning Grimmjow easily blocks the blade of Tensa Zangetsu with his forearm and kicks Ichigo in the side of the head, stunning him long enough for Grimmjow to deliver multiple blows and finish with a downward stomp that slams Ichigo back into the ground below. Unimpressed by Tensa Zangetsu for only granting Ichigo average speed, a bored Grimmjow questions if this is all that Ichigo has got to display in this fight.

Suddenly, Grimmjow is shocked when the dust below clears to reveal Ichigo charging and firing a black Getsuga Tenshō that slams into Grimmjow as he holds his arms defensively in front of his face, creating a powerful explosion. In the aftermath, Grimmjow stands in midair with a huge gash running diagonally from his left shoulder to his right leg, with his left wrist and forearm having been damaged as well, and expresses intrigue at Ichigo having used such a potent move that was not in Ulquiorra's report. Though he cockily inquires if Grimmjow is still disappointed, Ichigo clutches his left eye as the sclera begins to turn black and urges his inner Hollow to leave him be since the fight is almost over. From behind a nearby wall, Tatsuki Arisawa watches with concern as Kaname Tōsen appears in a Garganta behind her and moves out to find Grimmjow, who laughs maniacally at Ichigo having demonstrated his power and declares that the latter is finally worth killing now.

Internally, Ichigo expresses frustration at how even the full force of the Getsuga Tenshō only left shallow cuts on Grimmjow's body and ruminates on how the technique being his inner Hollow's means that he can only use it two or three more times while still remaining in control of his body, only to snap out of this when Grimmjow warns Ichigo that it would be unwise to continue standing there since he is about to begin his own attack. Suddenly, as Grimmjow begins to draw his Zanpakutō, Tōsen appears behind him and places his hand on Grimmjow's shoulder, shocking both him and Ichigo, while ordering Grimmjow to sheathe his sword.

Aftermath
With Ichigo recognizing Tōsen as one of the captains who defected alongside Aizen, Grimmjow demands to know why Tōsen is here, only for Tōsen to counter that Grimmjow knows he invaded the Human World without permission and mobilized five Arrancar without permission, which are serious offenses that Aizen is not pleased by. With Tōsen concluding that they will leave so Grimmjow's punishment can be decided in Hueco Mundo, an annoyed Grimmjow complies with this, but Ichigo frantically questions where they are going. In response, while Tōsen opens another Garganta, Grimmjow tells Ichigo that they are returning to Hueco Mundo, but an incredulous Ichigo refuses to let him simply leave after attacking him and his friends.

When Ichigo claims that they are not finished yet, Grimmjow asserts with irritation that Tōsen just saved his life and points out how the black Getsuga Tenshō obviously takes a toll on Ichigo to the point that he would be lucky if he could perform it three more times before claiming that not even a hundred of them could defeat him while he is in his released state, stunning Ichigo. After warning Ichigo to not forget his name and to pray that he never hears it again, Grimmjow introduces himself again and promises that Ichigo will die the next time he hears it as the Garganta closes around him and Tōsen. Following this, a wounded Renji approaches a motionless Ichigo from behind and assumes that he won since the Arrancar returned to Hueco Mundo, only for Ichigo to bluntly state that he lost.

Though Renji observes that he won if he is alive, Ichigo reminds him that he would feel the same way if he were Ichigo and insists that he did not protect anyone and could not defeat their enemies. With Ichigo concluding that this means he lost to Grimmjow, the latter returns to Las Noches with a grin. Tōsen and Grimmjow enter Aizen's throne room, where Aizen welcomes Grimmjow back. With Grimmjow remaining unresponsive, Tōsen wonders if he is going to apologize and is angered when Grimmjow refuses to do so. Despite this, Aizen assures Tōsen that he is not angry and is interpreting Grimmjow's actions as an overzealous display of loyalty, which Grimmjow confirms when asked about it by Aizen. In response, Tōsen furiously grabs Grimmjow's collar, to the latter's confusion, and requests that Aizen allow him to execute Grimmjow, which Aizen is exasperated by as Grimmjow asserts that this is personal and that Tōsen simply does not like him.

With Grimmjow observing that this is unbecoming for a commander, Tōsen counters that he believes anyone who disrupts the peace should be. When Grimmjow mocks him for hiding behind his cause, Tōsen affirms that the cause is most important and states that Grimmjow's raid lacked purpose. Explaining that killing without purpose is simply murder and that killing with purpose is justice, Tōsen draws his Zanpakutō and severs a stunned Grimmjow's left arm at the shoulder, leaving Grimmjow screaming in pain while Tōsen incinerates the severed arm with '''Hadō #54. Haien'''. Though an enraged Grimmjow promises to make Tōsen pay for this and moves his remaining hand to his chest, Aizen warns Grimmjow that he will be forced to reprimand the latter should he attack Tōsen, prompting Grimmjow to reluctantly leave in contempt.

Back in Karakura Town, after Orihime finishes healing Rukia, Renji is shocked by her swift recovery, which causes Rukia to observe how incredibly fast it was and thank Orihime while Chappy tearfully hugs her. When told by Rukia that she is getting stronger all the time, Orihime begins to deny this, but Ichigo interrupts by asking Orihime if she finished healing Rukia. Upon seeing the solemn look on Ichigo's face, Rukia wonders if he feels responsible for her injuries and demands that he stop sulking since her injuries were her own fault and she does not need him to protect her. With Ichigo accepting this, Rukia suggests he talk to Kisuke Urahara about his inner Hollow because he might know something about it after training Ichigo.

However, Ichigo explains that Urahara already knows about it and would have said something before they went to Soul Society if he knew how to fix it, which means that he probably does not know how to suppress it either, before concluding that he is grateful for Urahara training him and does not want to bother him with any more problems. The next morning, Yuzu Kurosaki goes to Ichigo's bedroom to wake him up, only to discover that he is not in his bed or anywhere else in the room, though she does almost find a terrified Kon under the sheets before informing Isshin Kurosaki that Ichigo is not in the house, which leads him to question if Rukia is. In response, Rukia comes out and inquires if something is wrong, prompting Isshin to note that she is alright and a concerned Yuzu to ask her if she knows where Ichigo is since he is missing. During this, Ichigo returns to the park where he confronted Ulquiorra and Yammy. Upon remembering his confrontation with Grimmjow, Ichigo's left sclera begins to turn black as he realizes that it cannot go on like this. Shortly afterward, Ichigo enters a warehouse in an empty area of Karakura Town, where Shinji Hirako admits that he is surprised Ichigo found the Visored so easily and observes that Ichigo has finally decided to join them as he stands with Hiyori Sarugaki, Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi, Love Aikawa, Kensei Muguruma, Mashiro Kuna, Lisa Yadōmaru, and Hachigen Ushōda on multiple broken floors before him.