Ichigo Kurosaki & Tōshirō Hitsugaya vs. Hollow Tōjū

 is a fight which takes place during the Tōjū Campaign. It focuses upon Substitute Shinigami Ichigo Kurosaki and 10th Division Captain Tōshirō Hitsugaya's fight against a Tōjū which merged with a Hollow.

Prelude
In Karakura Town, a red light, emanating from the sky, crashes down in a nearby construction site. Alerted to the loud noise, several workers dismiss it as being due to their vivid imaginations. In a cordoned off section of the site, a clothed figure, emerging from the rubble, pants heavily. Meanwhile, Ichigo, staring off into the sky, is interrupted Keigo Asano, who asks him if he sensed something spiritual taking place.

Noting he is joking, Ichigo states it is possible. Bawling about invisible objects, Keigo runs off into the distance, leaving Ichigo confused. As a klaxon alarm blares, the figure, wielding a sword, wanders through Karakura Town. Stopping as a truck drives past, he notices Ichigo Kurosaki standing before him. As Ichigo states his assumption was correct, the figure, stating he tracked him down, charges at Ichigo.

The Real World Arrival
Clashing with the figure, Ichigo notices he is bleeding heavily from his right shoulder. When the figure moves in for another attack, Ichigo, grabbing his weapon, points Zangetsu at his throat. When he asks the being what he is, the figure asks where his master is. Surprised at this, Ichigo realizes he is a Zanpakutō spirit. As Captain Hitsugaya comes on the scene, the Zanpakutō attempts to flee from them. When he is unable to stop him from leaving, Ichigo asks what he means.

When Ichigo states he thought the conflict was already resolved, Hitsugaya says his role was to inform him of the situation. At the Urahara Shop, Kisuke Urahara asks the young captain whether repairs have already begun. When he says a new problem has resurfaced, Ririn, stating she heard Muramasa was betrayed by his master, sympathizes with his plight, but Kurōdo reaffirms the damage he caused to Soul Society will take a long time to repair.

When Ichigo is surprised at the mention of the Tōjū, Hitsugaya states they are Zanpakutō which have lost their Shinigami masters. He states they cannot be allowed to run rampant any longer, and they have already started to appear in the Human World. As Urahara comments upon the dangerous situation they are in, Hitsugaya states it is all they know of at the current time. Ichigo states this is not very helpful, as they have no idea how many Tōjū exist.

Before they can continue, their conversation is interrupted by an argument between Haineko and Ririn, which Lieutenant Rangiku Matsumoto unsuccessfully tries to break up. As they enter the main room, Hitsugaya tells her never to follow him. When Rangiku states they arrived because Haineko desired to see the real world, Hitsugaya berates his lieutenant. As Hainako, showing postcard pictures of the two of them to Urahara and Ichigo, attempts to sway Ichigo into looking at the pictures, Hitsugaya, losing his cool, shouts at the two of them.

The Metamorphosis
Back in Karakura Town, as the traffic begins to pile up, the lost Tōjū, calling for its master in a dark alleyway, resolves himself to find his master. As enormous Reiatsu ripples throughout the area, shocking him, he, turning around, notices the presence of a large Hollow, which attacks him. As the Tōjū flees from the Hollow, it, releasing its sucker-like tongue, consumes him. It throws him into the air, his sword clattering to the ground.

On top of the Karakura Bridge, Hitsugaya and Hyōrinmaru momentarily sense the presence of a Tōjū. As Hitsugaya wonders what transpired, Hyōrinmaru asks his master if he should bring Haineko and the others. Hitsugaya tells him not to, as they will only cause them more trouble than good. Back at Orihime Inoue's apartment, she comments upon the cuteness of Haineko's Gigai outfit. When Orihime asks Rangiku how the Shinigami managed to free the Zanpakutō from their brainwashing, she begins to explain it to her.

Hyōrinmaru reveals to Hitsugaya the bond between a Shinigami and a Zanpakutō is realized once the Shinigami calls out its name, allowing them to resonate and fight together. As Lieutenant Nanao Ise explains to Captain Shunsui Kyōraku about Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi's reverse-engineered this concept in order to bring them back to normal, Mayuri states all released Zanpakutō were unstable in this regard, and all he had to do was stabilize them. Revealing this to Lieutenant Momo Hinamori, Tobiume states Muramasa exploited the doubt within their hearts, causing them to lose control.

As Shunsui states he understood Mayuri's methodology, Nanao stifles a laugh. As he asks her what is so funny, his face is strewn with ink marks. Appearing before her with his Zanpakutō, Captain Jūshirō Ukitake asks if the Tōjū can be regenerated in the same fashion as their Zanpakutō. Tasking his lieutenant with going to the S.R.D.I in order to research this on his behalf, Shunsui reminds her to take candy with her. She pleads with Mayuri to take on this investigation, which he believes to be uninteresting.

He states that, though he was able to do it to the Shinigami's Zanpakutō, doing the same to the Tōjū would not interest him at all. As Nanao tries to plead her case once more, Mayuri directs her to the door. Apologizing to her, Lieutenant Nemu Kurotsuchi states he is not feeling well. Opening the candy box, Mayuri states it cannot be helped. Feeling Sympathy towards Muramasa, Sode no Shirayuki states any Zanpakutō could become like him. She believes the incident involving Muramasa taught everyone they must be wary of such events occurring.

As Orihime joins Rangiku and Haineko in their photo shoot, dark clouds, rolling in, blanket the sky of Karakura Town. Stating Orihime is very knowledgeable in regards to fashion shoots, Rangiku stops in her tracks, prompting Orihime to ask what is wrong. As Rangiku states she can sense a Tōjū's Reiatsu nearby, Haineko is surprised she was looking for it the whole time. Stating she still has to uphold her obligations as a lieutenant, Rangiku states its Reiatsu is different.

When Haineko asks what she means, Rangiku states she is unsure, as a lot of the information concerning the Tōjū is still unknown. She asks Haineko how she feels about the Tōjū, prompting her to reveal her sympathy for them. As it begins to rain, Rangiku states they should hurry. Meanwhile, Ichigo moves out. As the three come across a deserted construction site, Rangiku, sensing his Reiatsu again, states he is nearby, saying it feels like a Tōjū's Reiatsu, but something is unusual about it.

Battle
Pointing to the construction site, Haineko motions towards a figure standing upon a metal plank. Observing this, Ichigo wonders if it is a Hollow. Telling Orihime to stand back, Rangiku prepares to use her Gigai. As the Tōjū slashes at the wiring hoisting the planks into the air, Haineko pushes Rangiku away, causing her to lose her Gikon. Running in the wake of the collapsing planks, they, overcome by the multitude of falling objects, are immersed in clouds of dust.

Saving them with Santen Kesshun, Orihime asks if they were injured. As they both state they are fine, the Tōjū appears before the group. As they realize he has the features of a Hollow, Rangiku states she cannot assist them in her current form. As Haineko states she will fight on her master's behalf, the Tōjū, catching her by surprise, pins her to the wall. Screaming at her, the Tōjū asks Haineko to bring his master back, prompting her to wonder what he is talking about.

Repeating his question, the Tōjū prepares to cut down Haineko. Intervening, Ichigo, injuring the Tōjū, rescues Haineko in the process, surprising Rangiku and Orihime. As he questions what the being is, it flees to the upper structure. Handing Haineko back to Rangiku, he pursues the Hollow Tōjū. As Ichigo scales the structure, he is surprised to see the Tōjū deploying debris from above him. Cutting away the metal planks with his sword, he charges at the Tōjū.

Clashing with the Tōjū, he forces it out from the construction area. As the Tōjū turns around, Ichigo appears behind him, much to its surprise. While they stand upon the crane, Ichigo, stating he cannot evade his movements, tells him to finish things here. Appearing before Ichigo, Zangetsu reveals this is the Zanpakutō they fought earlier, much to Ichigo's surprise. When he states it looks completely different, Zangetsu speculates it merged with another being.

As Ichigo agrees with his observation, the Tōjū charges at him. Swinging his sword up, Ichigo knocks the Tōjū's Zanpakutō out of his grasp, sending it crashing to the ground below. Apologizing, Ichigo, stating he has no other option, but to kill him, prepares to fire off a Getsuga Tenshō at the Tōjū. Retaliating, it, charging up a Cero within its mouth, fires it at a surprised Ichigo. Taking the attack head-on, Ichigo comments upon the raw strength the Tōjū possesses.

Intervening in their fight, Hitsugaya releases his Shikai. Striking at the Tōjū with his blade, Hyōrinmaru encases it in ice.

Aftermath
Calling out to Hitsugaya after the attack, Ichigo stares intently at the ice formation. As the formation cracks and disperses, it reveals splintering fragments of the Tōjū's Zanpakutō. After the incident is resolved, they all meet up together. When Ichigo reveals the Tōjū was far stronger than he had expected, Hitsugaya, speculating they can achieve stronger forms by merging with other beings, warns them to remain vigilant if they wind up encountering a Tōjū.