"R-run! Fucking run!" The Shinigami who screamed is hurled into a wall, smashing through it and creating a large smokescreen. The Shinigami running through the path are knocked through the next wall by the force behind the Shinigami that had been hit.
"Tsubaki! Koten Zanshun! I-I reject!" Orihime's shout rings out before her attack flies towards five Shinigami. She frowns slightly when they easily bat him away, only for Tsubaki to hit the wall behind them. The Shinigami shout out curses as they are somewhat crushed by the debris.
"You're a pacifist who can't even defend yourself properly without feeling awful." Orihime scowls at the memory of that stupid man and his correct assumption. Her hands ball up into fists as Tsubaki comes back in the form of one of her hairpin petals.
"Inoue," Chad speaks up, standing behind the orange haired teenager. She glances back and forces a smile on her face.
"Ah, Sado-kun! Finished already?" Orihime asks brightly before glancing at her shoulder when she feels a sudden weight.
"You must get better at fighting against opponents, Orihime," Yoruichi berates, making Orihime's face twitch. She sighs quietly and presses a trembling hand to one of her hairpins.
"Hurting people... is wrong. I..." Orihime opens and closes her mouth, struggling to find the words to defend herself.
She has gotten better, with that Iwasa's horrible training, but she can't fight seriously. She won't. She doesn't want to hurt people! Not when... not when it would break her promise to Onīchan...
"Inoue, fighting to protect is different from fighting to fight," Chad speaks up, agreeing with the cat, but reassuring his pacifist friend. "You'll figure it out. Ichigo wouldn't have taken you if he didn't think you were incapable of fighting."
Orihime gives the tall teenager a watery smile before snapping her head up when she hears multiple shouts. She grabs Chad's wrist and starts running the opposite direction.
"Let's go! Yoruichi-san says that Kuchiki-chan is in the big tower!" Orihime exclaims brightly, back to her bubbly and determined self.
Fighting to protect... just like what she did when that one Hollow had attacked her, Tatsuki-chan, and Chizuru-chan. Orihime clenches her still trembling hands. She has to try... she has to try, for Kurosaki-kun and for Kuchiki-chan.
Ikkaku stares up at the ryoka who beat him, dressed his wounds, and stayed to gain information, watching that damned blank expression form as the ryoka processes what he had told him. It made his skin crawl and made his instincts scream. Such a blank expression didn't belong on the ryoka's face, Ikkaku could tell.
Ikkaku keeps his own face blank as that damned smile flickers back into place on Kurosaki Ichigo's face. The mask is somehow worse. Ikkaku idly wonders why such a warrior hides his bloodlust beneath such a mask and a butterfly haori.
"His name?" Kurosaki Ichigo asks, unsurprised and unmoved. His reiatsu crawls across Ikkaku's skin like thousands of rough leaves stinging him. Ikkaku can't even feel any worry or trepidation from the ryoka.
"Zaraki Kenpachi."
Ikkaku doesn't even blink as the damned mad scientist blows a hole in his room in the 4th Division. He keeps his head turned towards the wall even as Captain Kurotsuchi Mayuri chuckles.
"Are you sure you have nothing to say...? Huh? Madarame-kun?" Captain Kurotsuchi asks as if his attempt at intimidation would work on someone from the 11th Division.
"P-please don't, captain!" The nurse attending Ikkaku shouts from the doorway, clearly terrified. "Fighting isn't allowed here–"
"Be quiet!" Mayuri barks, shooting an attack towards the nurse.
"Mayuri-sama–" Kurotsuchi Nemu, the Lieutenant of the 12th Division and the unfortunate daughter of Captain Kurotsuchi, speaks up blankly.
"You too, Nemu! Do you want me to cut you up again?!" Captain Kurotsuchi roars in his anger.
Ikkaku watches Nemu shut herself even further down while bowing her head. "No... I'm sorry..."
Damn that monster and damn his own heart. Needless violence against family is revolting.
"It's not that I don't want to talk..." Ikkaku cuts in and distracts the insane captain before he can harm his own daughter. "I really don't know anything. Not the ryoka's goal, nor their destination. Nothing."
A complete lie. Kurosaki Ichigo told him everything without saying anything despite asking four questions. He's invading Soul Society just to save the Kuchiki criminal.
"What then? You didn't get any info. You simply lost the fight and came back?" Captain Kurotsuchi asks, clearly getting annoyed.
Ikkaku turns his head again just in case he couldn't quite hide his smirk. "Correct. By the way, I don't even remember what the enemies look or sound like. So I really have no information for you whatsoever."
"Too bad then! You will now receive the punishment for failure!" Captain Kurotsuchi raises his hand, clearly throwing a fit that he won't get the information he desired. His hand is caught by the wrist before he could do anything.
"I'm surprised. Since when do you have the authority over the members of another division? Kurotsuchi," Captain Zaraki Kenpachi of the 11th Division speaks up in a calmness he rarely ever uses.
"Zaraki!" Captain Kurotsuchi hisses angrily before ripping his wrist out of Captain Kenpachi's grasp. "Since your captain is here... I will take my leave. Let's go, Nemu!"
Captain Kurotsuchi turns around with a sneer. "Hurry up!"
"Yes!" Nemu gracefully hurries after her captain, leaving Ikkaku alone with his.
"Captain..." Ikkaku trails off before a sudden head of pink hair peaks out from Captain Kenpachi's shoulder.
"Yaho!"
"Ah... the lieutenant is here too." Ikkaku doesn't even know why he's surprised.
"Are you okay?? I was soooo worried, Baldy!" Lieutenant of the 11th Division, Kusajishi Yachiru, asks with wide eyes and a childlike bubbliness.
"I told you already! Stop calling me that, Shortie!" Ikkaku shouts loudly at the nickname. He isn't bald! Just shaven.
"...I heard that... you lost a fight..." Captain Kenpachi states calmly.
"...I'm very sorry." Ikkaku genuinely is. "I know that failure is unacceptable, but I came back anyways..."
"...is he strong?"
"Extremely so. He has orange hair held in a butterfly clip and wears a butterfly haori. His sword is taller than him and he has another on his hip. He's heading towards the Senzaikyū," Ikkaku describes the ryoka that defeated him so easily.
Orange hair that took the very color of the sunset. Tawny brown eyes that almost glittered like gold from the gold speckles inside, yet were dark with determination and anger. Pale skin, freckled and fair yet a large scar marred his sharp face, completely out of place on a boy so young, but shows how much of a warrior he truly was. All of it appears so gentle and friendly with the black and scarlet orange butterfly haori draped over his shihakushō and the blue butterfly clip that held up his hair in a yakai-maki bun with strands falling out.
"So, he wants to rescue that criminal..." Kenpachi murmurs, making Ikkaku nod once.
"I told him what you looked like and to watch out for you. If he remembers what I said, it will be a great battle when you two meet," Ikkaku states, unperturbed by the large maniacal grin that starts to split his captain's face in half. He clenches his hands beneath the blanket. He hates to admit it, but...
"He's incredibly strong and I can tell he'll only get stronger... by the time you meet... I don't know who will win," Ikkaku continues honestly.
Kenpachi grins even wider at the statement. "Is that so... What's his name?"
"K-Kurosaki-san–"
"Call me Ichigo, Hanatarō-san!" Ichigo interrupts brightly, leaning forward to slightly hover in the healer's face.
Hanatarō swallows his trepidation as he leans back, smiling nervously. "I-Ichigo-san... how do you plan to save Rukia-san?"
"Break her out of the Senzaikyū, of course! Possibly fighting our way out, while hopefully not killing anyone, and then going back to the human world!" Ichigo explains cheerfully. "Maybe I'll help expose her framing and help figure out what else is going on if I have the time in between running for our lives and fighting for our lives."
"Should that not be your first plan to help your friend?" Both Hanatarō and Ganju think at the same time with a sweatdrop.
"W-well... I don't think that's a good idea. Since Rukia-san has been moved there, it'll be guarded heavily..."
Ichigo hums in thought, finally leaning back to tap his chin. He tilts his head up with that blank smile of his.
"What do you think I should do then, hm?" Ichigo asks curiously.
"Wh-what?" What does the ryoka want him to do?
"You say the Senzaikyū will be heavily guarded. Do you have any other suggestions for me?" Ichigo asks while tilting his head.
Hanatarō swallows nervously, fidgeting with the strap of his medical backpack. Suggestions? No–his opinion? Oh, he's getting in too deep... he never–he never should have...
"If... if that's what you w-want to do..." Hanatarō clenches his fists while staring down at the floor, "I-I only wanted to–to tell you... you have two captains on your side."
"...two...captains...on my... side...?" The words are repeated slowly and blankly.
"Ichigo...?" The other ryoka trails off nervously with a step forward.
Hanatarō slowly looks up, only to freeze.
Runrunrunrunrunrunrunrunrun.
Caramel eyes stare down at the Shinigami, wide and blank. The flickering glow of the sewer lamps made them almost depthless with a haunting gleam.
Hanatarō twitches when pinpricks of pain zap through his hands. He quickly relaxes his hands, feeling the blood from his palms start to drip down. He takes a shaky breath and doesn't even move his eyes away from Ichigo's.
"R-Rukia–Rukia-san... she–she... she had me send–a message. They–they believe–they–" Hanatarō swallows down a whimper and desperately forces back the tears from falling.
Ichigo tilts his head even more, almost like a bird, before slowly blinking. "Take me to them. Now, please, Hanatarō."
What? He–he wants to meet the captains? Ukitake-taichō and Kyōraku-taichō? But that's–
Hanatarō flinches back and almost falls back into the sewer sludge when long fingers wrap around his arm. He snaps his head up, not even able to breathe when he suddenly sees haunting brown eyes nearly four inches away from his washed out blue eyes.
"Hanatarō. I need you to take us to one of these... captains," Ichigo orders gently; Hanatarō almost cries right there with how terrified he was.
"I should–I should have never looked for any of the ryoka. Should I have? Should I–I should run, right? I should–I should..." Hanatarō mentally panics, at a complete loss for what to do. Hanatarō tries to breathe in, hyperventilating in his mounting terror.
"R-Rukia-san... Rukia-san. I have–I have to do this for her... I-Ichigo-san is doing this for–for Rukia-san," Hanatarō rambles in his thoughts as he breathes deeply.
He slowly nods his head... still staring with wide eyes into Ichigo's haunting stare. "U-U-Ukitake–Ukitake-taichō–he–he's resting. At–at–I'll t-take you."
Ichigo smiles with all of his teeth and with those haunting dead eyes. He steps back, releasing his terrifyingly gentle grip on Hanatarō's arm.
"Lead the way then, Hanatarō-san."
"From the 11th Division, Madarame Ikkaku-sama, the 3rd Seat, and... the 5th Seat Ayasegawa Yumichika-sama... The above seated Shinigami have left the front line due to severe injuries!" Iemura Yasuchika lists off the most updated list of casualties. "Each division is reporting minor injuries, however... the 11th Division... was reported to have been completely wiped out."
Renji tenses at the information, almost shocked. The 11th Division... has been completely wiped out?
"Damn that kid..." Renji swallows down the incredulous laugh that almost escapes him.
To think he survived against Ichimaru-taichō... and to think he managed to successfully invade Seireitei. Kuchiki-taichō will have thought so too...
"There are confirmations from witnesses for five ryoka... two of them had suddenly disappeared and have yet to be found again. Two members of the 11th Division are in critical condition from two other ryoka."
Renji freezes when a stinging sensation passes over him. He glances off to the side with a scowl as it disappears just as quickly. Renji silently jumps out of the room through the window. He immediately starts using shunpo to follow the direction of the stinging reiatsu.
With Ukitake-taichō's plan–with Rukia's plan, whatever it will be, he has to make sure that kid won't do anything that could possibly ruin it. Even if that means he's got to beat his ass and take him to Ukitake-taichō.
While Renji doesn't like it, Kurosaki Ichigo is probably the only one who will succeed in saving Rukia.
Pale violet eyes slowly blink open. They wince at the blinding sun rays before a pale hand shades them.
Shion heaves quietly as he sits up, lowering his hand to take in his surroundings. Crowded, decrepit, seedy.
"Oyakata-sama, I've made it... Okāsan, are you still here?" Shion thinks with his age-old longing to meet the kind woman who died before he could truly know.
"Oh? A new soul," Shion whirls around at the silvery voice with a hand reaching for a sword he did not have anymore, "and a pretty one at that."
Charcoal eyes stared down at the slayer soul with bemused intrigue. Silky black hair framed a pale painted face in a princess cut and fell down delicate shoulders of soft pinks and bright greens. Rosy red lips stretched into a mysterious smile as the woman leaned closer despite the fact that Shion had almost attacked in his surprise.
"Hello, pretty. My name is Saitō Erika," The woman introduces herself, making Shion narrow his eyes.
"...where am I?"
"When alive, most people call it heaven. The actual name is Soul Society‒specifically we are in the North Rukongai, District 34," Erika answers gently with a smile meant to be reassuring. Shion hums quietly and looks around one more time.
The streets were filled with people, most dressed in slightly ragged yukata and kimono, but more than a few were dressed fancier with bright colors that stood out against white painted skin. Courtesans; this is a red-light district.
Colorful lanterns lined the opened second-story engawa with women and men leaning over, calling and flirting with the crowds below. Smoke billowed out from the opened shoji doors and fragrance smothered the heavy scent of sex and decay.
"I didn't think Soul Society would look like this," Shion states quietly.
Erika raises an eyebrow as she hides her mouth behind the long sleeve of her kimono. "You are taking this well for a soul who just passed."
"I am on a mission. My master had told me about Soul Society before I came here." Shion almost stands up, but pauses when he notices his different outfit from when he had sought out the exiled reaper.
Instead of the old demon slayer uniform, he wore a mofuku kimono with black and grey striped hakama pants and black zōri. His mother's haori was still draped over his shoulders and he quickly noticed his hair had been pulled back into his aunt's yakai-maki bun. Hm.
"Oh? What a strange statement," Erika comments softly before she lowers her hand towards the young man. Shion looks up and stares at the pale painted hand with a blank expression.
"You are still new, pretty. You will be protected with me guiding you. Madame Rhoswen will wish to see you," The courtesan speaks gently. Shion blinks before he slowly reaches up for the hand.
"Thanks, Saitō-san," Shion speaks politely. Erika raises an eyebrow as her smile widens into a ghost of a genuine one.
"No need to thank me, pretty. Ending up in Flower Green Crossing is not a blessing." Erika helps the demon slayer up with an incredibly deceptive grace.
Shion blinks again as he hides his hands in his haori. "Kochō Shion."
"What a pretty name for a pretty face... unfortunately you'll fit in well here, Shion-chan. The universe truly wanted you here," Erika states with a wry smile. Shion smiles back with a slight incline of his head.
"Thank you, Saitō-san."
Ichigo glances around the dark sewer system with a keen eye and a blank expression. Ganju walked quietly next to him as they followed Hanatarō through the complex maze. Ichigo doesn't bother to reassure the man. There was too much he had to think about, especially now that he had time to think about it all.
One: did Rukia truly get two captains on her side to help him save her? Logically, this was likely a trap. Ichigo knows Rukia could do something like this; gain allies in the very military organization that wishes her dead to help her saviors. But, captains? The leaders of the said military organization? It's more than likely one of them is Rukia's captain, yes... but Ichigo does not know about the other... and he does not know if this is a trap that even Hanatarō is unaware of.
Two: why is this entire situation so incredibly easy? Is he truly just being paranoid? Is there nothing more sinister going on? Impossible! That one captain, the fox face looking one, he knew Ichigo's name. He knew what Ichigo was here for. He had known about him and had known about Rukia helping during those two months. This was too easy... much too easy. Even for Ichigo–especially for Ichigo.
Three: who the hell are the Shiba? Why do his baby sisters look so similar to both of them? Why does Goat Face look so similar to them... why does he look so similar to them? Honestly, Ichigo isn't even surprised. His father‒directly born in Soul Society? Ichigo is more surprised that man has been able to hide this little tidbit for so fucking long. God dammit!
"I-Ichigo-san..." Ichigo looks up when he hears Hanatarō's hesitant voice.
"Hanatarō-san," Ichigo greets casually, making the timid Shinigami jump.
"Ichigo-san... what is a demon slayer?" The black haired Shinigami asks quietly. Ichigo blinks and stays silent as he contemplates answering.
On one hand, it will give the Shinigami forewarning if Oyakata-sama's omen happens sooner rather than later. On the other, if Ichigo is not able to stay on good terms‒after he successfully saves Rukia and escapes Soul Society, of course‒with the Gotei 13... they could use it as a way to try and hurt him, and Rukia, and the other demon slayers.
"Y-yeah. What the hell were you goin' on about, kid?" Ganju adds onto Hanatarō's question, jumping at the chance to ease the tense silence.
Ichigo sighs quietly as he hides his hands inside his shihakushō sleeves. "Just over a thousand years ago by our records, a man by the name of Kibutsuji Muzan had appeared, but he was no man. He craved the flesh and blood of humans and gained an inhuman strength and superhuman abilities... but he could not walk in the sunlight. He grew mad with the desire to walk during the day again... and started to create others like him. They were aptly named demons. For over a thousand years, an organization, created by humans and named the Demon Slayer Corps, has fought these demons and fought Kibutsuji to both protect humanity and keep the world from being ruled by that damn monster."
Ichigo looks down at the white hilt of Rukia's nichirin sword and sighs. He smiles and gently shakes his head. He will save her, at the very least to give her the honor of being granted a nichirin blade.
"I am a demon slayer, specifically one of the Hashira. You could probably compare the Hashira to your captains," Ichigo continues thoughtfully. "Of course, that is if you wish to believe me or not."
"Th-that sounds really scary... I can't believe Soul Society has never heard of it..." Hanatarō laughs nervously, clearly terrified.
Ichigo chuckles lightheartedly before humming. "Ara, ara! You believe me so quickly... I should probably give you the same courtesy, Hanatarō-san. And I question it myself sometimes... not even Rukia-san had even heard of the name demon when we first met. It's quite strange, but the majority of humanity still has no idea of the proven existence of demons, so it isn't quite that surprising in the grand scheme of things."
"Oh! We're here!" Hanatarō stops walking beside one of the many ladders leading up to different parts of Seireitei. "We sh-should be a few buildings down from Ukitake-taichō's division. Let‒let me check first... I‒u-um... I didn't really tell anyone I was g-going to s-seek you out... hehehe."
"Ara, ara! That is quite worrying to hear, Hanatarō-san... don't take too long!" Ichigo exclaims brightly, making Hanatarō gulp in his terror. He tries to give the two invaders a smile before he scrambles up the ladder as if the Devil was on his heels.
"You're fucking scary," Ganju comments bluntly, making Ichigo smile tightly.
"And you're a fucking idiot, Gandhi-san~!" Ichigo retorts without hesitation.
"You're the idiot! The name is Gan-ju! Ganju! Shiba Ganju!"
Ichigo continues to smile even though it dims into something strained. He glances over at the irate man before he begins to fidget with his haori sleeves.
"Besides your sister, and your late brother... do you have any other family? Elder-san back at the gate seems to know the Shiba name well. Is it a clan?" Ichigo asks quietly and softly in a way that even the most oblivious person can tell he won't push if the question is too close for comfort.
He was able to push it off yesterday. They had to get to work and train. They had to infiltrate Seireitei successfully. He had no time to think about it. Now... there is a lull, however temporary. His thoughts aren't listening to his attempts at ignoring them. He has to ask; at the very least to gain some confirmation.
"Yeah... even if it doesn't mean anything anymore," Ganju mutters bitterly before he crosses his arms. "Most Shibas have scattered throughout the Rukongai after... well, after Isshin-ojisan had been pronounced dead."
It takes Ichigo every ounce of his self-control to keep his face from flinching at the same exact name of his father and the completely nostalgic look Ganju gives him... as if he reminded the man of someone.
A cold hand wraps around the back of his neck as a rumbling purr reverberates through his mind. Ichigo clenches his fists inside his haori sleeves.
"Isshin-ojisan was already the Clan Head of one of the Shiba Clan's branches, but had become the temporary main branch Clan Head after Onīsama died. Onēsama is the Clan Head now." Ganju continues to shatter every shred and morsel of cracked hope Ichigo had naively kept for his father. He feels faint and wants the ground to swallow him whole.
Clan... Head? Oh, Kami-sama... this was so, so, so much worse than Ichigo had suspected. The Shiba is clearly a noble clan–one that had been exiled or cast out of Seireitei, or something similar–and Goat Face had been a branch Clan Head, as well as the main branch head, for some time before he likely faked his own death to be with Mama.
Isshin. Kurosaki Isshin; Ichigo's fucking father... this... this can't be fucking possible... he... the girls... they... they are... Goat Face is a fucking fool.
"It's okay, Ichigo. Everything is okay. Everything will be okay. Don't think about that now," Mirai speaks calmly as he continues to comfort the panicked slayer.
Ichigo takes in a silent breath, trying to calm his horrified panic. He doesn't notice Ganju's side glance, nor the tense concern in his expression.
Ganju uncrosses his arms. "Ichigo–"
"I-Ichigo-san! Ganju-san! It's all clear! Hurry!" Hanatarō speaks up nervously from the top of the ladder. Ichigo immediately steps forward with a wide smile plastered on his face.
"Ah, perfect timing! We're on our way!" Ichigo calls out cheerfully as he starts to climb up the ladder. Ganju stays on the ground for a few moments before slowly following after the orange haired teenager.
Ichigo pokes his head out from the opened tile and hums brightly. Sunlight peaked through spotted white clouds and a flourishing forest filled his vision. Sleek white buildings, the same as all of the others, filled his peripherals.
"Ara, ara... what an interesting choice..." He murmurs to himself as he climbs out of the somewhat secret sewer entrance.
Well, he can't really say anything about the choices of the division's set up. His Butterfly Estate appears more like a conservatory of both butterflies and flowers rather than a hospital and laboratory.
"Which division is Rukia-san a part of?" Ichigo questions in genuine curiosity. With such expansive nature, untouched and lush, it must be a peaceful area compared to the heavily urbanized areas Ichigo had quite literally barreled his way through earlier.
"A-ah, you don't know?" Hanatarō asks with a sweatdrop unseen by the tall teenager. "Rukia-san is a part of the 13th Division, l-led by Ukitake Jūshirō."
"Hm." Ichigo inclines his head before he turns around to face the constructed buildings his back had faced. He tilts his head when howling winds of feral and wild hot summers sear burn his exposed skin.
"Wait‒did you just say‒"
Ichigo leaps backwards, the tip of a blade barely grazing his eyelashes as it misses before he flips in the air and lands on a tree branch. The tree doesn't even creak from his weight in his silent landing.
Dust and dirt explodes out from where the sword, that almost sliced open Ichigo's face, had slammed into instead.
"Ichigo-san!" Hanatarō shouts in shock and fear.
"Huh. You've got some decent reflexes... you damn bastard," A familiar voice speaks up through the clouds of dust. Hanatarō gasps in fear and almost falls back onto his butt.
"Eh?! Hanatarō?! What's gotten into you?!" Ganju exclaims, keeping the cowardly Shinigami from collapsing in his terror.
"N-no way... th-that's... that's‒"
Ichigo grins with his teeth partially bared as the dust clears. "Ara, ara! To think I'd find a familiar face so soon... well, one I had originally expected. Moshi, moshi... Abarai Renji-san!"
"That's... Abarai Renji. F-fukutaichō of the 6th Division!" Hanatarō exclaims in a trembling voice.
"Oh? Now, that's interesting." Ichigo grabs the hilt of his zanpakutō, grinning even wider. "That's Rukia-san's brother's division... No wonder you had gone to wrongfully arrest her with him, Pineapple-san."
Dark eyes glare up at Ichigo as a wild grin of his own grows on Abarai Renji's face. "It seems you aren't dead, Kurosaki Ichigo. I'm surprised a dumb kid like you could survive against Ichimaru-taichō."
"I'm surprised a dumb cunt like you could survive without the help of your fucker of a captain!" Ichigo retorts almost immediately and with way too much cheer in his tone. Hanatarō chokes on his spit at the vulgar insults while Ganju just stares at the teenager as if he grew a second head.
"Ha! You have a mouth on you... and to think I was worried I'd have to play around and find a reason to beat your fucking ass without getting in trouble with Rukia, Kurosaki," Renji sneers as he points his zanpakutō towards Ichigo.
"Oh?" Ichigo stands up on the tree branch. "Do you not already have a reason to fight me? I am invading your little Soul Society to save a wrongfully convicted criminal you arrested."
Renji grins wider at the reminder, his sword starting to shake in his tightening grip. He barks out a harsh laugh while lowering his zanpakutō.
"I let her go. All those years ago... when she had first been adopted into the Kuchiki Clan. We had been through hell together. We had each other's backs... and I was the one to let her go. And now she's about to be executed. Because I let Rukia become a Kuchiki... because of you," Renji speaks with a disdain Ichigo hasn't had aimed towards him in years.
Ara, ara. Hopefully blaming all mistakes and flaws onto others instead of themselves won't become a trend in Shinigami.
"I should have said something from the beginning. I should have tried to defend Rukia, my own life be damned."
Ichigo narrows his eyes at the implication. A change of heart...? Or a ruse in case he was more naive to trust an old friend of Rukia's? He can't see any signs of the man lying... is he truly wishing to help Rukia?
Renji raises his zanpakutō and slides his hand across the blade. "Howl, Zabimaru!"
"Ara, ara... you're actually going to take me seriously this time around, Pineapple-san?" Ichigo questions brightly before he slowly unsheathes Zangetsu.
"Make 'im bleed! Make 'im bleed! Do it! Do it!" Kazuki cackles loudly in Ichigo's mind, making the teenager's grin widen just a bit. He can even feel Mirai's silent desire for this Shinigami's blood. How delightful!
"When lieutenants and higher go to the Living World, in order not to cause unnecessary disturbances to the souls in the Living World, our powers are suppressed." Renji widens his stance with a derisive grin marring his face. "Right now, my power is five times stronger than when we last fought, Kurosaki Ichigo. You are Rukia's hope and if you can't beat me... you better wish I kill you here before you're killed by the eleven other lieutenants and thirteen captains."
"What a... delightful turn of events!" Ichigo giggles loudly, slowly holding Zangetsu in front of his stomach.
"Ara, ara... you call me Rukia-san's hope... and yet you don't believe in me. Alright then. That just means..." Flower Breathing. Fourth Form: Crimson Hanagoromo!
Renji barely has time to hold up his zanpakutō to block the vertical slash. He almost drops his sword from the amount of force bearing down on his person.
"I'll just have to prove my resolve to you... and don't worry, Renji-san!" Ichigo uses one of his feet to hook around Renji's thigh and spins to the left. "I promise I won't maim you too horribly!"
Hey! I hope you all like the new chapter! I have returned after, literally, two months. No, seriously. As I write this, it is September 23rd 2023, lmao.
Anyways, I'm sorry for the extremely slow and sporadic updates. Things have been pretty busy for me, and during the time that I was actually going to finish this chapter only a few weeks ago, I got sick. I'm back to full health though! So everything's going good!
And I know I ended on a cliffhanger, but don't worry. Next chapter I fully intend to write out the fight that is about to happen... a lot of interesting things are currently being planned to be written and I'm hoping you all will enjoy it!
I hope you all are enjoying the story so far! Bye.
WhovianWhoudini