Ichigo Kurosaki vs. Shrieker

 is a battle between Ichigo Kurosaki and the Hollow Shrieker which occurs after Yasutora Sado acquires a cursed cockatiel whose previous owners have all died horrible deaths (the bird actually being the container for the spirit of a dead child, placed there by Shrieker as bait).

Prelude
The battle with Shrieker is already underway before Ichigo arrives. Though Rukia Kuchiki and Yasutora Sado initially fend off the Hollow, the situation changes when Shrieker, taking Shibata hostage, forces Rukia to run around so he can hunt her. Shrieker injures Rukia with his Targets in the process before Ichigo, arriving, stamps on its head, telling Rukia to not try to act cool when she is beaten up. Introducing himself to Shrieker, he tells him he is the one whom he should be fighting.

Battle
Commenting on how tasty Ichigo's smell is, stating he should have come after Ichigo first, Shrieker strikes at Ichigo with his Leeches. As Rukia releases Ichigo from his body, he, stating Shrieker is too slow, injures Shrieker's shoulder while Rukia takes care of his body. Chuckling, Shrieker notes Ichigo is now in his true form. Noting the small creatures nearby, Ichigo states he had seen them carrying Sado's birdcage, and he is glad he killed them. When Rukia tells him the small creatures spit out explosive leeches, Ichigo states the leeches must have been why Sado stopped the way he did, and why Rukia was running around by herself. Frustrated, he tells Shrieker how terrible he is for making his sister, Karin Kurosaki, cry, taking hostages, and attacking a passive woman without hesitation. As Shrieker states he will be the one to eat Ichigo, Sado, arriving with Shibata's cage, is confused to see Ichigo's body lying on the ground. Rukia tells him to step back and take Ichigo's body away because Ichigo is currently fighting against Shrieker.

As Ichigo slices the creatures which jump at him, the leeches they contain spill out. Shrieker tells Ichigo he moves very well, but he has misunderstood one thing: even though the leeches are spilling out, they are still bombs. Making a noise with his tongue, Shrieker, detonating the leeches, laughs at what he believes is a successful attack. Emerging from the smoke, Ichigo surprises Shrieker by hitting him. Before continuing to attack, Ichigo asks Shrieker if he was the one who killed the child's parents, which he confirms. Both Rukia and Sado hear from Shibata how he was tricked by Shrieker into thinking his mother could be brought back to life.

Shrieker tells Ichigo how he had been a well-known serial killer when he was alive four or five years ago. Shibata's mother was his last victim. Commenting on how fantastic his murdering of Shibata's mother was, he laments how he was unable to kill his victim's child before dying because he died just as he was about to give the final blow to Shibata's mother. To get revenge against Shibata for unintentionally killing him, he forced Shibata's soul into a parakeet, telling the boy if he was able to run away from him in three months, he would resurrect Shibata's mother. Surprised at Shrieker's statement, Ichigo seems to believe Shrieker before Shrieker tells him he obviously was lying, but it was completely effective. Shrieker reveals the highlight of the game was him killing all the humans who tried to protect Shibata, and how Shibata would continue for the chance to see his mother again.

After listening to Shrieker's explanation, a disturbed Ichigo attacks. Pushing his sword away, Shrieker, throwing more of his Targets at him, laughs at how he has won because the leeches have hit him. Catching some of them, Ichigo, surprising Shrieker by slamming them into Shrieker's mouth, tells him he is returning his bombs. Imploring the Hollow to detonate the bombs, for this is what Shrieker said he would do, Ichigo, seeing Shrieker take no action, rips out his tongue.

As Ichigo stabs his sword into Shrieker's leg, Shrieker screams in pain. When Ichigo asks him how it feels to be unable to move or fight, and if he can savor what it is like to be murdered, Shrieker, ripping his leg off, tries to escape by flying away. Mocking him on how scared he is to have to rip his own leg off to escape, Ichigo jumps up to Shrieker, telling him to never forget this terror and disappear, and slashes Shrieker's head.

Aftermath
When the gates of Hell emerge from Shrieker's wound, As Ichigo asks what these gates are, Rukia, explaining to Ichigo about Hell, tells him how a Zanpakutō can only purify the sins a soul committed while a Hollow - because Shrieker committed great sins as a Human before becoming a Hollow, he is not purified completely, and cannot go to Soul Society, so instead of being purified completely, Shrieker's soul is doomed to Hell. As the gates open, Shrieker is dragged inside. As the Gates close, the entire structure, cracking, crumbles into nothing.

Later, Rukia finds Shibata's Chain of Fate has already disconnected, with no traces of it left, and too much time has passed. When she concludes it is impossible for him to return to his body, Shibata is surprised at this revelation. Rukia tries to comfort the Plus by telling him Soul Society is a place where he will have no worries. Questioning just how great Soul Society is since Rukia is "freeloading" off him, Ichigo tells Shibata he might be able to see his mother there. Comforted by this, Shibata tells them he is ready to go to Soul Society. Turning towards Sado, Shibata thanks him for carrying him around and not letting him get hurt. As Shibata's soul begins to manifest out of the parakeet's body, Sado asks if he could carry him around again when he goes to Soul Society. Smiling, Shibata tells him he can. As Ichigo performs Konsō, Shibata's soul is sent off to Soul Society.