Ichigo "Strawberry" Kurosaki was born with the ability to see ghosts. When his family is attacked by a Hollow - a malevolent lost soul - Ichigo becomes a Soul Reaper, dedicating his life to protecting the innocent and helping the tortured spirits themselves find peace. During a bloody confrontation with a sadistic Soul Reaper, Uryc chooses a path that will temporarily grant him enormous power, at great personal cost. Meanwhile, Ichigo races to master a powerful technique that will help him fight Byakuya and, hopefully, save Rukia from execution.