As all the Shinigamis' Zanpakuto are struggling fighting a Sword Fiend we flash back a day before to the events that lead to this battle. Kazeshini is battling with a Sword Fiend who has been corned by 9th division, as they get separated Kazeshini is about to give the fatal blow the Sword Fiend turns back to a regular sword. Later on when Kazeshini, Zabimaru, H... zukimaru and Fuji Kujaku (Ruriiro Kujaku) gather together they discuss how they found "that Sword Fiend". They discuss how the Sword Fiend from early turn back because he had lost so much reiatsu. We learn how the Zanpakuto only so much reiatsu that they receive, when the gained their physical forms and once they lose all that reiatsu they turn back to swords. "That Sword Fiend" apparently can steal other Zanpakutos reiatsu and that he has surpassed his masters strength. The Shinigamis' Zanpakuto then decided to take care of "that Sword Fiend" so as not to put their masters at risk.
From creator Tite Kubo, comes the story of a world where passing lurks impalpable to an everyday human's eyes. Ichigo Kurosaki helps run a local clinic with his family but Ichigo has the unusual ability to see poltergeists but rather than react with surprise he merely sees it as an annoyance. Ichigo helps those when he cares but can't bring himself to care enough... until one fateful day. A small, mysterious woman appears on duty inside his room, a Soul Reaper known as Rukia. Soon enough Ichigo and Rukia get formal in the oddest of ways and in such an untimely matter the losses begin. The Kurosaki family is soon attacked. This leads Ichigo on his first step to accepting the roles and responsibility's a Soul Reaper must uphold.