Rukia Kuchiki & Yasutora Sado vs. Shrieker

 is a battle that initially takes place between depowered Shinigami Rukia Kuchiki and the Hollow Shrieker, with Yasutora Sado joining later, over the fate of Yūichi Shibata, a young boy whose soul is trapped in a parakeet, during The Death Trilogy Overture.

Prelude
After Yasutora Sado goes missing while recovering from a severe Hollow-inflicted injury in the Kurosaki Clinic, Ichigo Kurosaki is unable to find him at Karakura High School and so begins looking around town. As he runs through the streets, Ichigo is met by Rukia Kuchiki, who leaps down off a wall as she asks him if he has found any clues regarding Sado's whereabouts.

When Ichigo denies this, Rukia admits that she has not either and explains how Soul Society cannot detect Hollows until they show up in the Human World to pursue Souls, as until that time they hide in a space between the two worlds, which is why they wait for orders from Soul Society to hunt them. Noting with frustration that Sado is in serious danger and they cannot wait for the Hollow to attack him, Ichigo asks if they can use Sado's parakeet to detect the Hollow's presence, which Rukia claims is impossible.

However, Ichigo begins to concentrate and focus his spiritual perception, leading a shocked Rukia to realize Ichigo is actually homing in on Yūichi's soul despite it being weak, far away, and partially eclipsed by the parakeet's soul as dozens of Reiraku suddenly appear around them. Grabbing onto one of the ribbons, Ichigo declares that he has found Yūichi and runs off, with Rukia following as she notes that technique is usually reserved for veteran Shinigami and wonders if Ichigo is really developing this quickly. Elsewhere, in an abandoned warehouse, Sado sits under a tarp with Yūichi as he notes that they managed to ditch "him".

When Yūichi tells him that he is in danger, Sado assures him that he is very sturdy before quickly leaping away with Yūichi as a rafter suddenly crashes into where he was sitting. Realizing that they have been found, Sado tells Yūichi that they will make it and promises to save his mother. As he runs onto the street, Sado is seen by Ichigo and Rukia, who run toward him as he swiftly changes direction and begins fleeing them. Ichigo tells Sado to stop running because he needs Ichigo's help, only to stop when a fatigued Karin calls out to him while leaning on a nearby telephone pole.

Expressing concern over Karin's appearance, Ichigo is shocked when she collapses, which prompts Rukia to order him to take her home while she keeps pursuing Sado. When Ichigo protests, Rukia points out that Ichigo will be worrying about her when fighting the Hollow if they leave her here, which will get both of them eaten, and Ichigo acknowledges this before reminding Rukia that she cannot take any chances because she does not have the strength to fight a Hollow by herself at the moment. Promising that a veteran Shinigami never takes risks, Rukia runs off to catch up with Sado as Ichigo picks up Karin and begins running home with her in his arms.

As Rukia catches up to Sado, a shadowy presence appears behind her. While running after Sado and Yūichi, an out-of-breath Rukia angrily curses the weakness of her Gigai for lacking the muscle and flight capabilities needed to catch up to Sado while making a mental note to confront Research and Development over this Suddenly, Shrieker appears behind her and declares that Rukia smells like lunch before deciding to eat her soul, prompting Rukia to realize she forgot to watch her back as Shrieker attacks her.

Battle
Rukia is sent flying away by Shrieker's attack, but quickly recovers and gets back on her feet, prompting a surprised Shrieker to note that she is tougher than she looks and can see him before asking what she is. Rukia responds by kneeing Shrieker in the jaw, flipping onto his back, and reciting the incantation for '''Hadō #33. Sōkatsui''' before firing it point-blank at the back of his head, which leads her to believe that her powers have finally returned. However, Shrieker withstands the explosion unscathed, shocking Rukia as she barely dodges a bite from him and sustains a scratch on her arm. Shrieker reveals that he recognizes that spell and identifies Rukia as a Shinigami before mocking her as being weak, leading Rukia to mentally note that she can use her Kidō spells but not put any strength into them.

When Shrieker reveals that he has already consumed two Shinigami who tried to send Yūichi to Soul Society, a surprised Rukia to ask why he is pursuing Yūichi so relentlessly, and Shrieker promises to tell her if she lets him have a bite, to her disgust. Elsewhere, Sado hears the ongoing battle and wonders what is happening, prompting Yūichi to inform him that Shrieker is attacking Rukia and will hurt her as well. Placing Yūichi's cage on the ground, Sado tells him to wait here and prepares to go help Rukia. When Yūichi tries to warn him against going, Sado moves his cage to the top of a nearby fence and runs off as a concerned Yūichi reminds him that he cannot even see Shrieker. Meanwhile, as he pins Rukia against a wall, Shrieker mocks her low fighting capability.

While Shrieker asks Rukia why she does not exit her Gigai to fight more effectively, Sado suddenly runs up and punch him in the face, freeing Rukia from his grasp. As Sado notes that he got him, a surprised Rukia wonders if he can see Shrieker, only to realize he cannot upon seeing Sado punching the empty air nearby. Shrieker admits that he was briefly scared by Sado's attack and scoffs at him for being unable to see Hollows, only for Sado to punch him solidly in the face once more, sending Shrieker flying back. Watching this, a stunned Rukia notes that normal Humans cannot touch, see, or even hear Hollows before wondering if Sado has any fear in attacking a deadly enemy that he cannot perceive.

Angered by this, Shrieker spreads his wings and takes to the sky while daring Sado to hit him now, and Rukia frantically tells Sado to run because of this, prompting him to ask in surprise if she can see ghosts. Rukia claims that this is not the time to talk, but Sado merely asks her where Shrieker is in the air, confusing Rukia, who wonders why this matters. While Shrieker gloatingly wonders how he should strike next, Sado walks over to a nearby telephone pole and breaks it off at the base with his arms, to the shock of both Shrieker and Rukia. As Rukia confirms that Shrieker is directly in front of him, Sado slams the telephone pole down into Shrieker, who crashes into the ground.

As Shrieker hits the ground, Rukia tells him to give up and wait for another Shinigami to arrive and purify him. However, Shrieker merely chuckles in response, and when Rukia wonders what is so funny, Shrieker asks if she is not curious how he managed to eat two Shinigami before declaring that this is why he is able to do so as dozens of Targets suddenly surround Rukia and Sado. The Targets quickly latch onto Rukia and Sado and force them to the ground as Shrieker declares this to be a reversal of fortune while pointing out how they never suspected he might have allies. As Shrieker ponders who to eat first and decides Rukia will be dessert, a yelling Sado shoves all the Targets off his body with a flex of his muscles.

A shocked Shrieker call Sado crazy for believing he can win with muscle alone before narrowly dodging a punch from him. With an unnerved Shrieker commenting on Sado's luck, Rukia tells Sado to kick above her, prompting Sado to kick off the Targets pinning her down. After giving some instructions to his Targets, Shrieker takes to the air once again while Rukia informs Sado, who is punching at the air again, of this development. Revealing that she has an idea, Rukia has Sado pick her up and prepare to throw her like a projectile. When Sado asks if she is sure about this, Rukia claims that they need to combine his strength and her senses, prompting a slightly embarrassed Sado to note that this does not seem very mature.

Rukia sarcastically takes note of this and gives Sado the position of Shrieker, who mocks them as being unable to hit him with anymore telephone poles, before giving the order to launch her as Sado throws Rukia directly at Shrieker, who is surprised by this course of attack and claims that he gives up. However, Shrieker quickly drops this act and reveals a Target sitting on his shoulder that launches dozens of leeches at Rukia, who is knocked out of the sky. Catching Rukia, Sado asks her what happened while Rukia, admitting she was caught off-guard, tries to pull the leeches off her body.

Shrieker lands before them and states that the leeches do not come off easily before declaring that they have other talents as his tongue vibrates, causing the leeches on Rukia's head to explode. As a stunned Rukia bleeds from her head, Shrieker explains that the leeches are bombs triggered by the sound his tongue makes and mocks them for thinking his ability to fly was his greatest asset. Shrieker moves aside to reveal one of his Targets holding Yūichi's cage with him in it, prompting Rukia to realize he sent the Target away to retrieve it. As Sado asks why Yūichi is here, Yūichi apologizes and tells Sado that Shrieker caught him, shocking Sado, while a laughing Shrieker says Sado is not as dumb as he looks before telling Rukia to run so he can have the pleasure of chasing her down.

The Target leans over Yūichi's cage and readies itself to drop a leech onto it, prompting Rukia to order Sado to not move in order to avoid Shrieker blowing up Yūichi. Promising to defeat Shrieker, Rukia begins running and avoids streams of leeches from two Targets running alongside her before being hit by a third stream from a Target sitting on a fence next to her. As Rukia lands with leeches on her arm, Shrieker detonates them with his tongue, which ruptures her arm. With Rukia continuing to run from him, Shrieker proclaims that watching her do so while dripping blood gets him off before throwing a Target at her that splatters against a telephone pole near her head. When Shrieker points out that she could attack instead of run, Rukia stops in her tracks, prompting a confused Shrieker to ask if she is giving up.

Aftermath
However, Rukia simply says that there is no longer a reason for her to run and points out how Shrieker said she could attack before declaring that she will do so as Ichigo arrives and lands on Shrieker's head. Ichigo berates Rukia for being a bloody mess despite promising not to take unnecessary risks, prompting Rukia to claim that she had to say this and that they were not unnecessary, and leaps off of an annoyed Shrieker's head before introducing himself and challenging Shrieker, who curses him.