Trials of the Shattered Shaft

Trials of the Shattered Shaft is an event marking the end of The Death Trilogy Overture: Death & The Strawberry and leading up to the Ryoka Invasion. During this event Ichigo first converses with his Zanpakutō, Zangetsu but is also burdened with an inner Hollow who threatens to take control of his soul.

Prelude
When Rukia Kuchiki failed to return to Soul Society in due time two high ranking Shinigami were sent to retrieve her. Ichigo went for her defense but was eventually defeated by Rukia's adoptive older brother, Byakuya Kuchiki. Rukia was subsequently taken back to Soul Society by Byakuya and his lieutenant, Renji Abarai. During the fight Byakuya sliced Ichigo's Zanpakutō into a mere stump and cut his Chain of Fate so that whatever Shinigami powers he had would be removed. Ichigo was found on the brink of death by Kisuke Urahara and taken to the Urahara Shop where his wounds were dressed. Urahara tells Ichigo that there is a way for him to reach the Soul Society and save Rukia but says he'll only reaveal what it is under one condition: Ichigo is to train for ten days under Urahara's tutelage. Ichigo is reluctant at first, saying he has no time for training. Urahara knocks Ichigo down with his cane and holds it against his face, giving Ichigo the uneasy feeling that he is facing the point of a sword. Urahara tells him that if he goes into Soul Society in his present condition, he will die. He says the Soul Society usually allows a one month grace period. Ten days of training plus seven more days to open a passageway to Soul Society would leave Ichigo 13 days to try and rescue Rukia. Ichigo agrees to try, seen as if he won't do it, no one else would.

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The next day Ichigo returns to school for the last day of the school year and finds that Rukia's seat occupied by another student, Tetsuo Momohara. Urahara provided him with a bottle of pills, instructing him to take one every hour. The pills should heal his wounds by supper time; which will be the time Ichigo's training will commence. Ichigo is somewhat skeptic about the pills - as there is a skull on the label - but they indeed heal him at an incredible rate. However, Ichigo finds it even more incredible that nobody in class remembers anything about Rukia. When the school day concludes Keigo pulls Ichigo into a game of "Find the Watermelon", but instead Ichigo finds Keigo's head. Later on Keigo tries to lure the others to a 10 day trip to the ocean, however one by one his friends turn him down, much to his chagrin.

As the introverted Ichigo makes his way to the Urahara Shop he encounters Orihime who has been waiting for him. She surprises him by asking where Rukia is and why all the others seemed oblivious to her absence. After Ichigo tells Rukia's story to Orihime she asks him if he will be going off to save Rukia now. When Ichigo confirms it Orihime asks if Ichigo believes going to Soul Society, Rukia's home world where her friends and family live, and dragging her back to the Human World is the best course of action. Before he can reply Orihime changes her tune and reveals that she knew, even before she asked, that Ichigo's mind was made up. Impersonating Ichigo she says, "as long as you're alive you can always meet your family. Once you're dead it's all over". She encourages Ichigo to go and save Rukia. Ichigo thanks her and rushes off to the Urahara Shop. Orihime asks him to be careful but after he's gone she phones Chad and starts making plans to join Ichigo in his mission so she can make sure he is safe.

When Ichigo arrives at the Urahara Shop, Urahara asks him if his wounds have properly healed. Ichigo exposes his torso to reveal all his injuries from the previous night have scarred up. Before they begin Ichigo bows before Urahara, asking him to train him well. The surprised shopkeeper asks if there is anything wrong, and Ichigo replies that all is well. Summer vacation has begun.

Lesson 1: One Strike
Over at Seireitei, Renji - on a day off - goes to the 6th Division's detention center to visit Rukia, his childhood friend. She is guarded by Rikichi, one of Renji's subordinates, who informs him that the prisoner has been sitting in her chair motionless since she's been brought there the night before. Renji tries to tell Rukia she should eat to keep her strength up, but she claims she's simply not hungry and proceeds to give him grief about his recent appointment as a lieutenant. She then settles down and asks Renji if he thinks she would truly be executed. Renji replies that they probably wouldn't even wait before killing her, but when Rukia agrees with him he explains that he was joking and that Byakuya surely wouldn't allow her to die. Rukia insists that she knows Byakuya well and that he would kill her without hesitation. She says Byakuya has not truly looked at her even once since her adoption, 40 years ago.

The Urahara Shop has been closed for the day as Urahara shows off his secret training ground to Ichigo. Ichigo is impressed with the facility, but finds the bragging annoying. He urges Urahara to begin the training. Urahara concurs and separates Ichigo's soul from his body with the tip of his cane. Ichigo's soul is now a normal Plus linked by a Chain of Fate to his body. When he tries to confront with Urahara he immediately staggers and falls on one knee. Urahara explains that since Byakuya destroyed Ichigo's power boost, the Saketsu, and his power source, the Hakusui, he no longer has Shinigami powers and must learn how to move freely in the form of a Plus; when he has regained his freedom of mobility as a Plus, it would be a tell tale sign that his Hakusui has healed. Ichigo doesn't understand and asks what exactly it is that Urahara wants him to do. Urahara replies that instead of explaining, he will demonstrate and calls upon his employees to get ready.

Ichigo finds himself facing Ururu Tsumugiya who curtsies and greets him. To Ichigo's astonishment Urahara says fighting with Ururu would be his first test. The rules are: the moment one of the fighters can no longer move, the session is over. Ichigo protests, saying he cannot fight a little girl. However, Urahara says he would find it quite difficult in his current state. Ururu drops protective headgear and gloves on the ground for Ichigo as she puts on her own gear. She asks him to make sure he puts them on, otherwise he would die. Before Ichigo can properly respond to any of it, Ururu attacks. She reaches him within an instant and punches him into the ground.

In the dust cloud that emerges from the attack Urahara, Tessai and Jinta who are standing nearby watching, wonder if Ichigo survived the attack. After a few seconds though Ichigo rolls out of the cloud, gets up and runs back towards Ururu, except he does not attack and instead picks up the protective headgear. He frantically asks Urahara how to put on the headgear. Urahara motions to him to put it on his forehead and then shouts to him that he must chant the following incantation: Take this! The powers of justice! Justice armor, justice headband! Attack! Ichigo initially refuses, sensing a hoax, but when Ururu takes another swing at him and misses Urahara manages to persuade him. However, Ichigo's instincts prove to be correct, as the incantation does nothing.

Ichigo nonetheless dons the protective gear and immediately feels worlds better about his condition as he turns over to face Ururu. He challenges the young girl to attack, but when she does he promptly finds himself on the run again. Suddenly it dawns on Ichigo that if he is able to outrun Ururu and dodge her attacks he must be able to counter attack as well. With this he stops and waits for an attack. Once Ichigo dodges Ururu's first punch he moves on the offensive, throwing a series of blows which Ururu evades. Ichigo tries desperately to avoid hurting Ururu, aiming his blows at her headgear, however when he lands a hit, his fist connects with her face and grazes her cheek. The hit really isn't very serious but is enough to send Ururu into her genocide mode and she jumps onto Ichigo's hand and kicks him with all her might.

Ichigo is sent tumbling, despite the fact that Urahara blocked most of Ururu's thrust. The burly Tessai catches Ichigo and prevents him from crashing into a cliff side. Ichigo believes he had lost and asks for another round, but Urahara refuses, saying Ichigo has passed his first lesson. He explains the object of the lesson was to hit Ururu before she hits him and that at his present condition he had no hope of winning. Urahara then points out that Ichigo no longer has problems to breathe or move in the Plus form; he explains that Ichigo was able to raise his Reiryoku, which allowed him to dodge the blow and pass the lesson. Next, Urahara suggests that to celebrate they should proceed to the second lesson, as Tessai cuts Ichigo's Chain of Fate with a large axe. Meanwhile Yoruichi approaches Orihime and Chad and informs them that they must train with her if they want to travel to Soul Society.

Lesson 2: Shattered Shaft
Uryū Ishida, travels to the secluded area where he used to train with his master, believing no one would bother him there, so that he could focus on his training. However, as soon as he finishes this thought Orihime and Chad arrive to pay him a visit, accompanied by Yoruichi. They inform Uryū about their plans of training before going to the Soul Society, and they have come to invite him to join them. Uryū says that he noticed their Reiryoku suddenly increased, but wonders who their master would be. Yoruichi catches Uryū by surprise when she speaks to him, identifying herself as the aforementioned master. Uryū is somewhat freaked out by the presence of a talking cat, but quickly regains his composure. Orihime suggests Uryū joins them in training under Yoruichi's tutelage. Uryū declines, saying that he wishes to be alone as he trains and that he isn't training in order to rescue Rukia but because he cannot stand the fact that he lost to a Shinigami. Hearing this Yoruichi decides to leave, taking her disciples with her, however before leaving, Orihime tells the Quincy that if he changes his mind he should tell her at any time. Once the three have left Uryū apologizes to Orihime and says the training he is about to undergo cannot be seen by anyone. As he opens the box he brought with him he turns to the spirit of his master for guidance.

Ichigo is pinned to the ground by Tessai's weight as he angrily laments his Chain of Fate being severed. Urahara annoys him even further when he calmly announces he knew this would be the outcome of cutting the chain and that Ichigo can no longer return to his body and is sure to die. Urahara continues to explain that once the Chain of Fate is broken, the remaining links will undergo a process known as Encroachment, at the end of which a hole will form in Ichigo's chest and he would turn into a Hollow. However, there is one way in which Ichigo can avoid becoming a Hollow and continue living - becoming a Shinigami. Ichigo's second lesson would be to reclaim his Shinigami powers, the name of the lesson is "Shattered Shaft". As Urahara points forward and gives the command "go", a great hole pries underneath Ichigo and Tessai and they both fall to its bottom. When Ichigo tries to collect himself after the long drop he finds that Tessai used a powerful Kidō to bind his hands behind his back. Urahara informs him that his trial in this lesson would be to climb out of the shaft. Ichigo tries to protest, saying climbing with the restraints on is impossible. Urahara replies that Ichigo is in no position to protest and turns his attention to the fact that the Encroachment already begun.

In his panic, Ichigo tries to stop the Encroachment by crushing the links beneath his body, however all he achieves is some nasty bites delivered to his stomach by the links. He begs Urahara to stop the process but the shop owner says if he tried to stop the Encroachment he too would be eaten alive. Urahara explains that the Encroachment usually lasts months or even years, but that the bottom of the Shattered Shaft is filled with a gas that speeds up the process until it would last only 72 hours. Ichigo has but three days to transform into a Shinigami and climb out of the shaft. If he does not he would transform into a Hollow instead at which point Urahara and his crew would be forced to kill him.

Chad and Orihime's training isn't going very well, as they attempt to access their abilities by overworking their vocal cords. Yoruichi is less than pleased. She tells them this way of training is useless and adds that if they don't manage to summon their powers at will, going to the Soul Society would be suicide. Summoning the powers should not be very difficult, all they need to do is remember what prompted the release of their powers and build from there; the beginning for anyone is the urge to protect something. Thinking back, Orihime recalls she felt the need to save Tatsuki. For Chad it was the need to save Karin Kurosaki, but since he doesn't remember her face clearly he imagines Ichigo's face with Karin's hair, and is forced to shut down the image. He then notices Orihime's hairpin glowing. Yoruichi asks Orihime why she wants to go to Soul Society and Orihime replies that she wants to protect Ichigo. Having said that her hairpins break apart and turn into the Shun Shun Rikka. Her joy at seeing the fairies again is cut short when Tsubaki attacks her for summoning them without a reason. Yoruichi commends her and says the next step is learning how to control her powers. Yoruichi then turns to Chad and asks him what's his reason for going to the Soul Society.

Down in the Shattered Shaft, the fifth cycle of Encroachment is finished and they seem to come at fixed intervals. The Encroachment cycles are far too painful for Ichigo to even move and he can only try to climb between one cycle and the next. Ichigo gets to his feet and attempts to run up the shaft's wall, but fails and falls to the bottom. Jinta and Ururu are not impressed by his method of climbing. Jinta asks Ichigo if he is hungry, but Ichigo says since he is now in Soul form, he is incapable of feeling hunger. Jinta says snidely that if Ichigo does ever feel hunger in the Soul form, it means the Encroachment is about to end, but if he is only thirsty, it's still alright, since he can drink Jinta's drool. With this Jinta proceeds to drool down the opening of the hole and onto Ichigo, ordering Ururu to join him, which she willingly does.

Several hours later Jinta drops down to visit Ichigo at the bottom of the shaft. He bring him a basket of fruit, thinking Ichigo must be hungry. Ichigo denies that he is and says the Chain of Fate is still quite long. Jinta sets the food down and tells Ichigo he's already spent 70 hours in the shaft, so he should start his Hollow transformation soon. He adds that the last cycle of Encroachment is much stronger than those before. To Ichigo's horror, all the remaining links in the chain undergo the Encroachment and after a few seconds it reaches the link to Ichigo's chest and opens the Hollow hole beneath it. Ichigo screams in pain as a Hollow mask begins to form over his face.