.
STAIN
Disclaimer: Bleach belongs entirely to Tite Kubo; this fanfic is created solely for entertainment purposes.
'I-Inoue is a Shinigami?' Ichigo was still stunned as he saw Orihime looking at him with a confused expression.
Ichigo grew even more shocked when he noticed the wounds on Orihime and the fact that she appeared exhausted.
'Inoue... she's really fighting,' Ichigo's eyes widened in disbelief at the sight of Orihime injured like that.
"Inoue, are you..." Ichigo murmured.
Orihime's eyes widened as she caught sight of a flash of light shooting toward her.
BOOM!
A massive explosion erupted where Orihime and Ichigo stood.
'It hurts... What happened?' Ichigo found himself lying quite a distance away from the blast.
He spotted the thick cloud of dust rising from the explosion's origin. As he swept his vision to the opposite direction from the crater, he saw Orihime beside him. Her right arm injured from the blast.
"O-Oi, Inoue! Your arm!" Ichigo quickly got up and reached toward Orihime.
"Huh? Ah... you're right. Are you... okay?" Orihime's face grew even paler as she responded softly.
Ichigo's chest tightened painfully at the sight before him.
'Inoue... how in the earth do you have to fight like this?' Ichigo thought in disbelief.
Orihime controlled her breathing, her face visibly fatigued. Slowly, the golden light that had previously enveloped her reappeared, wrapping her entire body.
At the same time, Ichigo's gaze remained fixated on the light, a spark of hope igniting within him.
'That light... could it be...'
"Ayame, Shuno, Soten Kisshun. I reject," Orihime chanted softly as the golden barrier began to heal her wounds.
Ichigo's eyes widened in astonishment as he witnessed the familiar power. A wave of relief washed over him.
'Shun-Shun Rikka... Besides her Shinigami powers, she still has this ability?' Ichigo thought, frozen in awe.
Before long, Orihime finished healing herself. Although minor wounds remained, she decided to halt the process and stood up.
"Hm, you ... please, you should leave this place. It's dangerous here, and I don't know what will happen if you stay," Orihime said gently.
Ichigo snapped out of his daze. Despite her words striking a painful chord, he couldn't deny the truth in them. Anger boiled inside him at his own helplessness.
'Inoue ... even you had to tell me that,' Ichigo thought as he clenched his fists tightly.
His heart weighed heavy with disappointment in himself.
'But... she's right. If I stay here like this, I'll only get in the way,' Ichigo admitted to himself as he glanced at Orihime's wounds. Swallowing his ego to stay, he slowly stood up.
"Head that way immediately," Orihime instructed, pointing to the path behind Ichigo.
Ichigo remained still, his head lowered. After a brief pause, he nodded.
"Alright then ... I'll go. Please, be careful when you run over there," Orihime urged as she prepared to leap upward.
'Run?' Ichigo thought, puzzled.
Ichigo clenched his teeth tightly. He muttered something before turning and running away.
Orihime was surprised to hear Ichigo's faint words. She turned toward the man.
'Damn it!' Ichigo thought, his mind filled with frustration.
'If only I wasn't a burden. If only I could fight. If only I could transform...'
Ichigo's thoughts drifted back to the moment he saved Orihime from the Hollow attack by her brother, Sora. He now felt as though their positions had reversed—it was Orihime saving him. The image of himself protecting Orihime had shattered. All that remained in his mind was the sight of a wounded, suffering Orihime.
'I can't protect her!' Ichigo cursed himself as he continued running forward till he disappeared into the darkness.
"That man... There's no doubt he said that thing," Orihime thought as she gazed in the direction where Ichigo had vanished.
She turned back, preparing to face Grand Fisher once again.
"I'm certain I didn't mishear him."
'Please, don't suffer anymore, Inoue!' Ichigo's words echoed faintly in Orihime's memory before he turned and ran away.
"He … who is he? How does he know my name? And... most the most important thing is … why does he …" Orihime murmured softly, still perplexed by Ichigo's identity.
"UWAHH!"
Grand Fisher's roar echoed loudly through the night, snapping Orihime back to the present. She quickly approached the source of the sound.
"WHERE ARE YOU, YOU DAMN GIRL? SHOW YOURSELF!" Grand Fisher bellowed in rage.
Hearing this, Orihime took a step forward.
'For the meantime, it is better for me to on the situation at hand,' Orihime thought as she scanned the area carefully and moved toward Grand Fisher.
Grand Fisher had been waiting for some time, but he found nothing in his field of vision.
"Tch, that damn girl! After enduring so much pain to achieve this form... HOW DARE SHE RUN AWAY WHEN I'M ABOUT TO GET MY REVENGE?!" Grand Fisher growled.
"When she reappears... I'll tear her beautiful face apart until it turns ugly and disgusting!" he sneered with a twisted grin.
"And then I'll... I'll—hm?" Grand Fisher's eyes caught a glimpse of a yellow light above him.
BOOM!
Orihime struck from above, releasing a slash from her black sword that shot directly at Grand Fisher.
She observed the creature through the rising smoke.
'He vanished again. I didn't expect him to return with such enhanced strength. More importantly ... how can he transform like that? What kind of form that is?' Orihime wondered as she studied her opponent.
There were no signs of him reappearing. Orihime kept her senses sharp, trying to detect the Hollow's reiatsu.
From behind, sharp eyes fixed on Orihime, who remained focused on the ground below.
'Hmph, foolish girl! How long will you plan to be trapped in my snare?'
Grand Fisher began forming a small, dense Cero. The concentrated energy gave the Cero tremendous explosive power.
'You're dead, you damn girl!'
WHOOSH!
The Cero streaked toward Orihime who still faced the opposite direction.
BOOM!
The explosion generated a thick cloud of smoke.
"WAHAHAHAH! TAKE THAT YOU—"
WHOOSH!
An orange light suddenly shot through the air, traveling as fast as the Cero had. It pierced Grand Fisher's right shoulder, snapping one of the horns on his shoulder.
Grand Fisher froze in disbelief at the unexpected counterattack. As the smoke cleared, Orihime remained standing with her back to him, shielded by a glowing yellow barrier.
"Hinagiku, Baigon, Lily, Tsubaki, Shiten Koshun," Orihime calmly declared without turning around.
"UWAAAHHHH!" Grand Fisher howled in agony, clutching his injured shoulder as his body writhed in pain. The attack disrupted his reiatsu, causing him to lose balance and plummet toward the ground.
Orihime turned to survey the scene, her expression still calm and composed.
"I need to finish this quickly... if I don't..." Orihime murmured, glancing at her slightly trembling hand.
She began channeling her reiatsu into her sword. Slowly, a golden aura gathered and enveloped the blade.
"Ge—"
THUD!
A surge of immense reiatsu suddenly filled the air, disrupting Orihime's focus just as she was about to unleash her attack.
A sudden whirlwind emerged, forcing Orihime to retreat to a safer position.
'What... is happening?' Orihime thought, feeling increasingly cornered.
The pressure of the reiatsu came from below—a force greater than anything Orihime had sensed earlier.
"Looking for me?" a chilling voice whispered from a dark silhouette behind Orihime.
SLASH!
A powerful strike slashed across Orihime's back. She tried to turn, but no one was there.
SLASH!
Another strike cut into her shoulder.
Orihime, who was cornered from the assault, backed away carefully.
'How ... how does he attack me?' Orihime thought.
A figure briefly chased her within the shadows.
Orihime stopped and tried to sense the reiatsu of the creature. An ominous feeling crept up beside her.
SLASH!
She quickly drew her sword and deflected the incoming attack.
Orihime leaped backward again, but the figure's slashes relentlessly pursued her. The barrage of attacks came one after another, yet she managed to keep up with the movement of the strikes.
Suddenly, a massive sword thrust appeared from behind. Just before it reached her shoulder, Orihime managed to activate her shield, halting the attack.
Her face paled as she felt an overwhelming surge of reiatsu radiating from behind. The killing intent from the figure was palpable.
"Before I kill you, I'll graciously explain a little about my power."
Orihime slowly turned around. Her eyes widened in shock as she beheld Grand Fisher, now twice as large as his previous form.
His massive mask from his Hollow days had returned, though his human mouth remained exposed. Long tusks jutted from both sides of his mask, and atop his head was an antenna glowing with a bright light. His body had become even more covered in fur, with claws extending from his hands and feet. Behind him, three pairs of tentacles protruded from his back.
At the same time, a giant red sphere of energy began to form. The Cero gathered atop Grand Fisher's antenna, aided by his three tentacles.
"This is... Resurrección," the figure added.
Orihime's expression grew even more ashen. She was stunned by how rapidly the Cero had formed. An invasive fear gnawed at her heart.
"Now, go to hell, you little brat!"
BOOM!
Grand Fisher unleashed the powerful Cero toward Orihime. She was immediately blasted through several buildings before crashing into a park.
"UGH!" Orihime coughed up blood.
She had managed to maintain Santen Kesshun as a shield, though it could not entirely block the attack. The shield was cracked and slowly disintegrating.
'I-I can't move,' Orihime thought.
Grand Fisher hovered slowly toward her, irritation etched on his face.
"Tch! Why won't you just die already!?" he spat venomously.
Gasping for breath, Orihime reached for her sword.
"What's this? You still think you can defeat me? DEFEAT ME AGAIN!?" Grand Fisher growled, launching one of his tentacles toward her.
WHOOSH!
"AAAHH!" Orihime screamed in pain as the tentacle pierced her body.
"You think just because you defeated me at your brother's grave, you can defeat me again!? DON'T BE RIDICULOUS!" Grand Fisher yanked his tentacle back cruelly.
Orihime cried out in agony, but her gaze remained fixed and unwavering on Grand Fisher.
He noticed her resolute stare.
"Oh, I see now. You don't like it when I talk about your weakling brother that I killed so easily, huh? Wahahaha!"
Orihime's glare sharpened.
"In that case, before I kill you, let's revisit that moment!"
Orihime flinched slightly at his words, clutching her wounded stomach.
"That's right … it felt like yesterday ... I was wandering around the city when I found a weak man walking alone. I picked him as my plaything because of course! I'm bored!" Grand Fisher sneered.
Suddenly, another tentacle shot toward her.
"AAAAH!" Orihime cried out as the tentacle pierced her shoulder.
"As my fun almost reached my satisfaction, alas... how disappointed I was..." Grand Fisher muttered mockingly.
Orihime's anxiety grew more intense.
"How sad and pitiful it was that he died so easily! I overestimated him ... He was so weak... although I was just twisting his legs and arms, he couldn't let himself live long enough!"
Another tentacle stabbed into her thigh.
"AAARGGH!" Orihime howled in pain. Even so, her gaze was rather furious.
"Hey! Don't look at me like that! I was sad too, you know! Sad that he died so easily when I was still bored! WAHAHAHA!"
Orihime gasped for air, struggling against the agony.
"And whose fault is it? He was stupid enough to fall for the image of that old woman I created. What a fool! THAT'S THE FATE OF THE WEAK AND STUPID!"
Grand Fisher lashed out with two more tentacles.
CLANG!
His attack was blocked by Orihime's Santen Kesshun. With labored breaths, she poured all her remaining strength into maintaining the shield.
Grand Fisher's frustration grew.
"Why won't you just die already!?"
WHOOSH!
He launched all his tentacles at her shield.
Orihime gritted her teeth, pushing herself to the limit to hold the barrier.
"AND YOU KNOW WHAT'S EVEN FUNNIER!? IN HIS FINAL MOMENTS, HE KEPT CALLING OUT 'HIME,' 'HIME'! HOW PATHETIC IS THAT FOR SUCH A WEAK, STUPID MAN?!"
Orihime's chest tightened with unbearable pain. Her shield cracked further under the relentless assault.
Grand Fisher paused briefly, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.
"And there's one thing I forgot to mention during our last fight," he murmured.
Orihime froze in place.
"His soul... was tasted disgusting!"
Orihime's eyes widened in shock. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out—only tears welled up, streaming down her face.
"HUAHAHAHA! Well then, I think this is enough. Time for you to die," Grand Fisher declared, swiftly forming another Cero.
Orihime lay helpless, her battered body refusing to move.
'Forgive me... brother...' she thought, closing her eyes.
BOOM!
The massive blast surged toward Orihime.
Grand Fisher descended to inspect his handiwork, lingering in silence.
"Hm?" His eyes suddenly caught a figure standing near the explosion's aftermath.
A young man with orange hair, cradling Orihime protectively in his arms.
Orihime's heart pounded with disbelief. As her mind swam through the darkness of her pain, she was pulled back into reality. Her eyes widened as she recognized the person before her.
'Wh-why did he come back?' she wondered.
Ichigo held Orihime tightly, his gaze lowered and his teeth clenched. His grip on her body grew more secure as he witnessed her in grievous wounds.
"I'm sorry... Maybe you don't know me, Inoue... But... I'm sorry I couldn't do anything to stop this," Ichigo whispered.
Orihime's heart stirred at his words.
'He's... suffering,' she thought, seeing the torment in his eyes.
"W-why... did you come back...? Why... did you save me?" Orihime asked weakly.
Ichigo's hands tightened around her shoulders.
"Of course..." Slowly, his reiatsu began to swell around him.
Orihime gasped, feeling the weight of his spiritual energy.
'His reiatsu... Who is this person?' she wondered.
"To protect you."
WHOOSH!
A surge of dark energy enveloped Ichigo as his attire shifted into a shihakusho. Black energy swirled around him, and now, two swords appeared on his waist.
Orihime's eyes widened at the sight of Ichigo in his Shinigami form. Yet, deep in her heart, she felt a strange sense of comfort.
Gently, Ichigo put Orihime to the ground.
"Inoue, use Shun-Shun Rikka to heal yourself. Even if your strength is nearly gone, focus on the most critical wounds," Ichigo instructed.
'He... How does he know about that ability?' Orihime wondered in awe.
"Do you understand?" Ichigo asked.
Orihime nodded faintly.
"Good. I'll be right back," he said with a soft smile before turning toward Grand Fisher.
Orihime watched as Ichigo walked away, his back to her.
'Protect me...?'
Ichigo walked toward Grand Fisher calmly. Grand Fisher felt deeply insulted seeing some random Shinigami interrupting his fun.
"Tch! Where do you come from, Shinigami!? How dare you interrupt my enjoyment!"
Ichigo ignored Grand Fisher and continued approaching him.
'...This creature,' Ichigo's gaze grew sharper.
For a moment, his mind flashed back to the last time his mother protected him from this Hollow's attack. The memory of guilt remained on her mind, haunted him to this day.
Ichigo kept walking, showing no signs of preparing an attack.
"Alright! I've decided! After this, I'll torture you both and won't let you die so easily—" Grand Fisher froze when he saw Ichigo vanish before his eyes.
"Eh? Where did he go?" he muttered, looking around in confusion.
"Your right arm," Ichigo's voice came from behind him.
Grand Fisher turned to look back.
"What is it? You're hiding behind me? How cowardly. Fine, time to—"
"I said, your right arm," Ichigo repeated coldly, his eyes icy and sharp.
Grand Fisher lifted his right arm.
"What are you talking about, brat—" Grand Fisher's words trailed off as he realized something was wrong.
"UWAHHH! YOU BASTARD!" he screamed as his right arm detached, blood spurting everywhere.
"DAMN YOU! I'LL—"
SLASH!
Ichigo appeared behind him again.
"Your legs and your left arm," Ichigo stated flatly.
Grand Fisher's eyes widened in horror. Moments later, his legs and left arm were severed, causing him to cry out in agony.
"HYAHHH! Ah... Ah, you damn Shinigami!" Grand Fisher gathered a Cero at his antenna with his tentacles helping to channel his reiatsu.
"With this... I'll destroy you—"
Grand Fisher froze as Ichigo traced a horizontal and vertical line in the air with his reiatsu.
"Getsuga..."
Grand Fisher's eyes widened in fear.
'What... who is this guy!?' he thought, panicking as he rushed to finish charging his Cero.
'Damn it! I don't care anymore! I have to strike him immediately!'
Grand Fisher fired his half-formed Cero at Ichigo.
BOOM!
The Cero exploded, creating a cloud of smoke.
"Did it work!?"
Grand Fisher's hope shattered as the yellow light shone even brighter, revealing Ichigo standing unharmed.
"Hey! Wait! Let's talk this out—"
Ichigo remained unmoved, his sharp gaze fixed on Grand Fisher.
In that instant, Grand Fisher's body trembled with fear.
'He's... so strong ...'
"JUJISHO!" Ichigo unleashed his attack.
In the blink of an eye, the strike pierced through Grand Fisher, splitting his body into four parts. His form collapsed, and his reiatsu faded into nothing.
Ichigo stood still for a moment.
'Getsuga Tensho should have been enough... but,' his eyes shifted to Orihime.
He saw her, and her wounds were beginning to heal.
Ichigo let out a quiet sigh of relief.
'Now,' he thought as he approached the remains of Grand Fisher.
He stopped, taking a deep breath.
Silence filled the air. Ichigo raised Zangetsu above his head, gathering reiatsu once again.
As he concentrated, he sensed something peculiar.
Still, there was silence.
"Getsuga—"
"WAIT!" a voice cried out.
Ichigo turned his gaze toward one of Grand Fisher's severed parts.
Something moved, revealing a new form of Grand Fisher. This time, his appearance was more human-like with a massive build. His Hollow mask only covered his lower jaw, and he wore a white robe. His body was covered in linear tattoos running down across his Hollow hole at the center of his chest.
What kind of form is that again?' Ichigo thought.
Grand Fisher trembled under Ichigo's gaze.
'His reiatsu... I've never felt anything like it before, but one thing is clear...'
The sheer killing intent in Ichigo's eyes made Grand Fisher shiver uncontrollably.
'He's terrifying,' Grand Fisher thought, unable to break eye contact.
Ichigo stood still, watching him without saying a word.
"Of course, I didn't forget your ability to transfer yourself to other parts of your body," Ichigo said, his reiatsu still rising.
"Wait! Please! I was forced to attack that girl!" Grand Fisher pleaded.
Ichigo hesitated slightly.
"A Shinigami... a Shinigami turned me into this with a strange object and ordered me to kill her! SO PLEASE, DON'T KILL ME!"
Ichigo's eyes widened at this revelation.
'A Shinigami turned him into an Arrancar?' he pondered.
Grand Fisher's words lingered in his mind.
"Of course..." Ichigo began.
"AH! Good choice—"
"Of course, I don't believe you! GETSUGA TENSHO!"
Ichigo fired a final attack directly at Grand Fisher, slicing his body in half.
Ichigo stood there silently, recalling his first battle against Grand Fisher in his own world.
'Back then, he managed to escape, and I never fought him again. But now...'
Somehow, a weight he had carried in his heart seemed to lift as he gazed at the defeated Grand Fisher.
He looked up at the night sky.
The stars shone brightly, mirroring the night he last saw his mother, Kurosaki Masaki, lying weakly in the hospital. It was the darkest and longest night of his life.
Ichigo closed his eyes briefly, overwhelmed by a complex wave of emotions.
'Kaa-san ... may your rest be more peaceful,' he thought.
When he opened his eyes, the stars still sparkled against the deep night sky.
His legs trembled. His knees weakened, and he fell to the ground. Slowly, his Shinigami powers began to fade.
'A moment ago, what exactly happened? ... somehow, I managed to summon my power and transform...'
Ichigo remembered the moment he leaped to save Orihime. Seeing her attacked stirred an overwhelming surge of emotions within him.
'Was it anger? Anger at myself and that bastard for hurting Inoue so badly? In that moment, I could use my powers as naturally as breathing. But now...'
He looked at his hands, his face pale and breath heavy.
'It seems I'm still far from regaining my full control on my power. But at least... I was able to protect Inoue,' Ichigo thought as he struggled to his feet and turned toward Orihime.
Grand Fisher's body disintegrated into dust. Ichigo paid no mind and kept walking forward.
'And besides... what did he mean by a Shinigami turning him into an Arrancar?'
His thoughts drifted back to Aizen.
'Aizen... but so far, he hasn't shown any strange behavior... still...' Ichigo thought, still lost in the puzzle at hand.
"Ano! Are you okay?"
Ichigo heard Orihime's voice, still struggling to speak.
Ichigo felt relieved as he saw Orihime was no longer severely injured. At that moment, Orihime was trying to stand up and walk toward Ichigo.
Ichigo smiled slightly, feeling comforted by the sight.
'Thank goodness, she's okay—'
As Ichigo looked ahead, the world seemed to freeze for a moment.
In a split second, he saw a large figure above him.
Ichigo spotted Grand Fisher leaping over him from above.
Instinctively, Ichigo followed the direction of the creature's initial jump, and he caught a glimpse of a large sack inside Grand Fisher's body, still intact among the other body parts that had turned to dust.
'He... split into more than one?!'
Ichigo quickly turned his gaze back toward Orihime.
Orihime, too, froze when she saw Grand Fisher leaping toward her.
"INOUE!"
Orihime tried to lift her sword, preparing for the incoming attack. Grand Fisher, in his humanoid form with a mask under his jaw, was ready to strike Orihime.
"URAAA!"
CRACK!
Suddenly, everything fell silent. No sound could be heard. Ichigo stood frozen, processing what had just happened. The temperature around him dropped. Grand Fisher before him had instantly turned into an ice statue.
Ichigo's eyes widened in shock, while Orihime weakly observed the scene before her.
"Geez, Ichigo, you should always be prepared for the worst. If you knew he could split, you should've destroyed all his remaining bodies!" Rukia's voice rang out clearly.
Ichigo quickly turned toward the source of the voice.
Rukia stood with her hand raised toward Grand Fisher.
She looked different. Her hair had turned white, crowned by a half-circlet around the back of her head. She wore a white unitard-like outfit with a semi-armor bustier accented with light blue. In the center of her bustier, a pale blue gemstone with a five-petal flower motif gleamed. A short, split blue skirt draped over her hips as she moved.
Ichigo's taken aback at the sight of Rukia's transformed appearance.
'I-Is that Rukia's Fullbring?' he wondered.
Rukia glanced at the frozen Grand Fisher. Cracks began to form, and soon, Grand Fisher shattered into countless fragments that fell to the ground.
Rukia quietly surveyed the area. At the same time, the scattered remains of Grand Fisher dissolved into dust.
Her form slowly reverted. Her hair returned to black, and the Fullbring attire sublimated into the air.
She then turned her attention to Orihime.
"Yo! Half-Shinigami, what's really going on?" Rukia asked.
Orihime, startled, smiled faintly at Rukia.
"Rukia-san, I... I—" Before she could finish, Orihime lost consciousness and collapsed to the ground. Rukia remained unfazed by this.
Rukia knelt to examine her, while Ichigo approached them both.
She emitted a soft green aura from her hand, directing it toward Orihime's injuries.
Ichigo was taken aback.
'Kaido? Rukia can use Kaido?' he thought.
Rukia carefully channeled the healing energy to several points on Orihime's body.
After a few minutes, she deactivated her ability.
"Alright, this should do for now. Ichigo, carry her. We need to find the place where she first transformed," Rukia ordered.
"Eh? Why not just take her to the clinic?" Ichigo asked while lifting Orihime onto his back.
"Hah? Are you stupid? Unlike you, who can become a Shinigami while staying in your physical body, she still needs to separate her soul from her body," Rukia retorted.
Ichigo fell silent, realizing the difference between Orihime and himself.
"Ah... you're right," Ichigo agreed.
Slowly, a thought struck him.
"Wait, how do you know I can transform without leaving my physical body? Did you see what happened earlier?" Ichigo questioned.
Rukia paused briefly.
"After what I saw, I'm now convinced that you're really from another world and indeed a Substitute Shinigami. Now, let's go find her body! You don't want her condition to get worse, do you?" Rukia said firmly.
Ichigo glanced at Orihime, who was visibly in pain. He adjusted her on his back to ensure she was secure.
"Alright, let's go," Ichigo replied as Rukia walked ahead.
Ichigo observed Rukia closely. At that moment, a nagging question lingered in his mind that he had to confirm.
'What exactly is happening here?'
He glanced at Rukia and noticed something.
"Oi, where's Renji?" Ichigo asked.
Rukia cast a brief glance his way before turning her face forward again.
"We split up earlier. Don't worry about him. Stop asking so many questions. Hurry up, Ichigo," Rukia said coolly.
Ichigo nodded.
Although he understood Rukia's reasoning, the true questions swirling in his mind remained unanswered, especially given the complexity of the current situation.
"Rukia... how do you know Inoue? Why is she a Shinigami? What exactly is going on here?" Ichigo asked.
Rukia halted in her tracks, giving Ichigo a weary look.
"Ichigo, your questions make me want to ask you some of my own. Since you've caught my attention, I'll answer them. But not here. Now hurry up, we need to find Inoue's body," Rukia said.
Ichigo was humbled by her response. He knew Orihime's safety should be the priority. He lowered his head, regretting his impatience.
"You're right... I'm sorry," Ichigo said quietly, following Rukia.
The two of them continued walking through the deserted city streets.
In the distance, a silhouette stood atop an electric pole, watching them from afar.
-stain-
Orihime stood on a barren, desolate land. She found herself in her Shinigami form. Looking around, she saw no one.
"Isn't this...," Orihime murmured, realizing where she was.
A woman's voice echoed.
Orihime immediately turned toward the source. She recognized the voice. When their eyes met, her assumption was correct, but it did not bring her joy.
A woman in a sleeveless shihakusho stood before her. Her dark brown skin was partially concealed by her long purple hair, casting a shadow over her eyes. She muttered something that caught Orihime's attention.
Orihime swallowed hard. She stood frozen, staring at the figure.
"Inoue Orihime," the woman addressed her coldly.
Orihime's eyes widened slightly.
"Yoruichi-san...," Orihime replied.
A brief pause followed, though it felt like an eternity.
"Heh, look at you now. It seems what you once said no longer holds true, does it?" Yoruichi chuckled with a cynical tone.
Orihime's pupils dilated. She remained silent, unmoving.
"You wanted to save others from suffering, but look at yourself. Do you really think you're prepared for that?" Yoruichi added, her voice flat and calm.
Orihime clenched her fists, unable to refute those words.
"I told you this before, didn't I? You must remember," Yoruichi continued.
Orihime lowered her gaze, silent. Yoruichi did not continue, seemingly waiting for Orihime's response.
Moments later, Yoruichi turned and walked away, leaving Orihime behind.
Orihime realized she was leaving and wanted to call out to her,. However, a great hesitation prevented her doing so.
The words were on the tip of her tongue. But Yoruichi's statement was too difficult to deny.
She couldn't bring herself to call out.
Orihime watched as Yoruichi walked away. The sky around her darkened, and the ground beneath her disappeared, leaving behind a black abyss. Everything faded into an overwhelming darkness.
She shut her eyes.
Slowly, she opened them again.
'...Was I dreaming just now?' Orihime wondered.
She glanced around and found herself lying in a hospital bed. The room was familiar.
"This is... Aizen-san's clinic?" Orihime murmured.
She attempted to move her hand but suddenly winced in pain. Looking down, she noticed her arms and body wrapped in bandages.
She moved slowly.
Now sitting up, she held her head with her other hand. Her eyes carried a somber expression as she reflected on her dream.
'Was I really not prepared enough?' Orihime questioned herself.
"Oh! You're awake, Orihime-san?" Renji's voice broke her thoughts.
Renji approached her bed.
"Renji-kun? Ah! It's been a while. I'm sorry for coming here suddenly and causing trouble," Orihime said, bowing slightly.
"No, no, of course not, Orihime-san. This is a clinic, afterall. Also, it's only been two weeks since we last met," Renji replied with a smile. He grabbed a pillow from under the bed.
He placed it behind Orihime so she could lean back comfortably.
"Here you go," Renji said.
"Ah! Thank you, Renji-kun."
"As for your condition, you're allowed to go home today. However, Aizen-sensei suggested you wait until your pain subsides," Renji informed her.
"I see," Orihime nodded.
"Actually, you could heal yourself right now – one of the reasons your wounds were treated well yesterday was because of your abilities. However, Aizen-sensei recommended that you wait until you're spiritual power stabilizes if you want to heal yourself," Renji explained.
"I—Akh!" Orihime winced as pain shot through her arm when she instinctively tried to move.
Renji quickly stepped closer.
"Please, Orihime-san, don't push yourself too hard. You shouldn't be fighting right now... Especially... especially since it's only been two weeks since Soul Society. Please take care of yourself," Renji pleaded, concern evident in his voice.
"O-Of course, Renji-kun. Thank you for your concern," Orihime smiled at him.
She leaned back into her bed with Renji's help. His words brought back memories of two weeks ago. The fact that she was back in this clinic felt almost surreal.
Her thoughts drifted back to her battle with a certain Shinigami. Their words still lingered in her mind.
Orihime reflected deeply.
"For now, just focus on resting," Renji said as he prepared to leave.
"Thank you, Renji-kun—Ah! Wait!"
Renji turned back, curiosity in his expression.
"Ano, sorry to ask this, but... do you know the man who saved me yesterday?" Orihime asked hesitantly.
"Ah! You mean Ichigo-san? Of course, I know him. He was here up until two hours ago," Renji answered.
'Ah, so his name is Ichigo?' Orihime thought to herself.
"Eh? Where did he go?"
"Well... actually, he went somewhere with Sensei. I-I can't tell you the exact location, sorry," Renji scratched his head and slightly bowed apologetically.
"I-It's okay, Renji-kun. Thank you for answering me," Orihime replied softly.
"I think he'll be back tonight. If you want, I can pass on a message for you."
"Thank you, Renji-kun. I'll let you know if I have something to say," Orihime replied with a gentle smile.
"Of course, anytime. Well then, I'll head to the storage for a bit. If you need anything, you can press the bell right there," Renji said, pointing to the button beside Orihime's bed.
Renji then excused himself and left the room, leaving Orihime deep in thought.
'Ichigo… san, huh…' Orihime mused, remembering Ichigo.
'Why does he go to such lengths to protect me?'
Her mind replayed the moment when the mysterious man had saved her from Grand Fisher's attack. She hadn't expected him to return and assist her despite her urging him to take cover. But what shocked her the most was the fact that this man could transform into a Shinigami.
Orihime clenched her blanket.
'When he arrived, despite never having met him before, for a brief moment, I could feel his emotions so clearly,' Orihime thought, closing her eyes.
'A burning desire to protect.'
She opened her eyes and gazed at the window.
'I have to meet him.'
She watched as the sunlight filtered through the clinic window.
'But still, something feels off. What did Grand Fisher mean when he spoke to Ichigo-san?' she wondered.
Her thoughts drifted back to when Ichigo had prepared to strike Grand Fisher. She had overheard Grand Fisher mention something about a Shinigami transforming him into that monstrous form. More importantly, there was something else.
'A Shinigami ordered him to target me… what does that mean?'
Her mind continued to spiral back to the last moments she and her friends had in Soul Society.
"Hahaha. An impressive move. Very well… it's fine, I'll let you all go this time. But be prepared for what's to come," the words of an old man echoed clearly in her memory.
'Could this be what he meant back then? But that doesn't make sense… especially considering his position and actions at the time…' she pondered, shaking herself out of her thoughts.
For a moment, someone came to mind.
Orihime bit her thumb, picturing a certain purple-haired woman.
'No way.'
Before she could dwell further, the sound of the clinic door opening snapped her out of her thoughts. She turned her gaze toward the entrance and saw a familiar girl.
"Oh, Orihime, you're awake?" Rukia called as she entered.
"Yes, Rukia-san. And… thank you for saving me earlier," Orihime said, bowing her head.
"Yeah, sure, I accept your gratitude," Rukia responded as she stood before Orihime's bed.
Orihime smiled amusedly at Rukia's bluntness. At the same time, she quickly noticed the way Rukia was silently staring at her.
"Ano… Rukia-san?"
"What exactly were you thinking? Why did you engage the enemy when Danna explicitly told you to avoid using large amounts of spiritual energy till at least the next month?" Rukia questioned with a flat yet serious expression.
Orihime flinched at Rukia's words, guilt creeping into her heart.
"I'm sorry, Rukia-san… but I couldn't just run if I was attacked first," Orihime replied hesitantly.
Rukia remained silent, not moving or showing any expression.
Orihime felt a tense awkward atmosphere.
"Ah!" Rukia suddenly exclaimed, as if realizing something.
"You're right. Considering how that Hollow tried to stab you before its death, I suppose it's not surprising that you had no choice but to fight back," Rukia muttered, appearing slightly enlightened as she tapped her chin, eyes glancing upward.
Rukia then observed Orihime, who was waiting for her to continue speaking.
"Then, why weren't you with your friends? If things were as dangerous as they were yesterday, shouldn't you have contacted at least one of them?"
Orihime hesitated before responding.
"About that… Rukia-san, I just didn't want to trouble them—"
"More importantly, where is that Shinigami?" Rukia interrupted.
Orihime froze, unable to answer. In her mind, she genuinely couldn't speak on behalf of the questioned one.
"I'm sorry, Rukia-san, but I haven'got any news about that since a week ago," Orihime admitted regretfully.
Rukia studied her for a moment before responding.
"I see. Well, that's that," Rukia said as she walked over to a chair beside Orihime's bed.
Orihime wondered about Rukia's sudden shift in demeanor.
"For now, you shouldn't go around with your power for a while. As much as I hate to say it, just leave things to the Shinigami stationed in this area. You should also be aware of how Soul Society considers you right now," Rukia advised.
Her words struck a chord in Orihime's heart, guilt washing over her again as she recalled that night.
Orihime was blocking a massive blade while a Shinigami cowered on the ground nearby. Next to that Shinigami, two others lay in pools of blood, their bodies gruesomely maimed.
A small flicker of disappointment burned inside her. That night only reinforced the doubts she had always harbored.
Orihime slowly turned her gaze toward Rukia. Rukia was a bit surprised to see Orihime's mixed expression – she was smiling, but at the same time, a presence of sadness was too strong to be unnoticed.
"Uhm, alright, Rukia-san. I'll be more careful from now on. Thank you for your concern," Orihime said softly.
Rukia scanned Orihime's face, trying to look for the meaning behind that expression.
"Alright, then. I just wanted to make sure you understood. Now, I'm going to change out of my uniform," Rukia said, standing up.
"Of course, Rukia-san."
Rukia turned and began walking away, but she glanced at the door briefly before continuing toward the staff room.
"Oh, one more thing. I just came from the hospital. Your friends are being treated there," Rukia said matter-of-factly.
Orihime felt as if she had been struck by lightning.
Her pupils shrank, her complexion paled, and she instinctively tried to get up.
"What do you mean—ugh!" Orihime winced as pain shot through her body the moment she moved.
She groaned, clutching her side.
Rukia remained unfazed, exhaling before walking back to Orihime's bedside.
"Like I said, they were injured. But don't overreact. They're fine now," Rukia reassured her, helping Orihime lean back against the bed.
Orihime gradually felt the panic subside.
"Really? Rukia-san?"
"Yes, that's right."
"Thank goodness…" Orihime sighed in relief.
"Actually, you can ask them yourself. Look," Rukia pointed toward the door.
Orihime followed her direction. Moments later, the door swung open.
Two silhouettes stepped inside.
"INOUE! WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU!?" shouted a male voice as they rushed toward her.
-stain-
A surge of reiatsu erupted from an old warehouse at the port. The reiatsu felt slightly different from what was common in this world.
Inside the warehouse, a hidden underground chamber emitted a soft glow. Within it was a brightly lit room with wooden floors and walls, resembling a traditional dojo. Two figures stood facing each other—Ichigo and Aizen, both wearing white t-shirts, sharing the same space.
"Hah... hah... hah..." Ichigo panted heavily, sweat dripping down his face as he knelt on one knee. He gripped a bokken in his right hand, his body clad in a training gear.
Across from him, Aizen, now without his glasses, stood firmly with his own bokken. A hint of surprise crossed his face at the situation unfolding before him.
'He's truly skilled. He can keep up with my movements—at least, my current ones,' Aizen thought, carefully observing Ichigo.
He glanced at his bokken, now nearly shattered, while Ichigo's remained intact.
'He's exceeding my expectations. Interesting,' Aizen mused while smiling.
Ichigo struggled to stand.
"Kurosaki-san, let's conclude today's training here," Aizen declared as he stepped aside to place his bokken down. He reached for two towels, using one for himself and offering the other.
"Here, Kurosaki-san."
Ichigo eyed the towel, then glanced at Aizen. After a brief pause, he accepted it and wiped his sweat.
"Ah... thanks," Ichigo muttered.
"I must admit, you've surpassed my expectations. This training is progressing quickly thanks to your ability to adjust to portions of training," Aizen noted.
Ichigo cast a brief glance at him.
'It was tough at first, but compared to my training at Squad Zero, this is nothing,' Ichigo thought.
He recalled his time training with Ichibei to restore his Bankai.
'Even so, I shouldn't mention that just yet,' he decided.
'Besides... like he mentioned earlier, this is all thanks to what happened last night,' Ichigo reflected on Aizen's words at the start of their training.
'It's like my body broke past its limits, adapting drastically yet efficiently.'
'But the cost was my physical condition. After carrying Inoue's body, I collapsed and was unconscious for hours.'
He recalled the events of the previous night, when he and Rukia had managed to bring Orihime's body to Aizen's clinic.
'Even Aizen thinks my current condition is unnatural.'
Aizen, still beside him, observed Ichigo lost in thought.
"Don't worry, Kurosaki-san. Seeing your progress, I believe you won't have trouble regaining your powers... at least for an adequate amount. Even so, we'll find a way to keep the capacity up," Aizen reassured.
"Ah, alright," Ichigo replied shortly.
Ichigo got up and moved to the side of the training area, and Aizen continued analyzing him.
'Even if I don't want to believe it, based on his words and Rukia-kun's report, the sudden power surge he displayed last night was unprecedented and seemingly spontaneous. But his reiatsu shows the evidence crystal clear,' Aizen thought.
He observed the significant change—Ichigo's reiatsu radiated much stronger than the day before.
'A brief surge of power... and it happened when he fought the Hollow last night. Moreover... that Hollow's form was unmistakable. It must be connected to that object.'
Aizen recalled Rukia's report from the previous night—about a Hollow carrying a katana.
'Even so, I don't believe that alone triggered his power. If his strength was purely driven by battle instincts, he should've been able to do the same against me. Could it be...?' Aizen glanced at Ichigo, who was drinking water.
"Kurosaki-san, by any chance, are you dating Inoue-san in your world?"
Ichigo suddenly burst out the water on his mouth and then coughed violently as his throat burned.
Aizen remained unfazed, patiently waiting for Ichigo's response.
Ichigo turned to Aizen, disbelief etched across his face.
"O-Oi! Where the hell did that come from?!" Ichigo exclaimed.
"Ah, I see. So you two aren't in a good relationship in your world? My apologies—"
"No! I never said our relationship wasn't good!" Ichigo interrupted, yelling.
"Ah, I see, you two know each other? Then what exactly is your relationship?"
Ichigo hesitated for a moment, seemingly unsure how to respond.
"Well... Inoue and I are just classmates and comrades. Something like that," he answered, averting his gaze.
Aizen placed a finger on his chin, deep in thought.
"I see... that could also be a variable. A strong friendship triggering such a response, huh? I'll consider it," Aizen murmured to himself.
Ichigo furrowed his brows.
"Oi, what does any of this have to do with Inoue?"
Aizen turned back to him.
"Ah, right. I apologize for prying into personal matters. The truth is, I suspect your power surge is linked to Inoue-san."
Ichigo's eyes widened at Aizen's words. He found himself agreeing.
'He's right... now that I think about it, my power activated the moment I saw Orihime gravely injured,' Ichigo realized.
At that moment, he had felt an overwhelming rush of adrenaline and spiritual energy surging through him.
'Without realizing it, I was able to wield my power as naturally as breathing,' he thought.
"Although that's true, I can't say for sure just yet—especially since I've never witnessed it firsthand. For now, we can assume your strength manifests when you feel a strong desire to protect someone you care about," Aizen continued.
Ichigo was taken aback.
'To protect, huh?'
"To protect you."
That moment replayed in his mind like a turning point.
Aizen adjusted his glasses.
"Alright, training is over for now. We should head back," Aizen concluded with a smile.
Ichigo nodded, watching as Aizen exited the area.
'After this, I need to talk to Inoue about a few things,' Ichigo thought.
He followed Aizen out, determination settling in his eyes.
-stain-
Ichigo and Aizen walked under the night sky. They walked side by side in complete silence. Ichigo, walking beside Aizen, stole a glance to his side.
'This guy... I never imagined I'd be walking normally beside him like this,' Ichigo thought.
Meanwhile, Aizen simply smiled as he strolled leisurely, his gaze fixed straight ahead.
'Honestly, I still can't bring myself to fully trust him. Yet... seeing so many differences in this world makes me hesitate to be suspicious of him.'
He clenched his fist.
'More importantly, he's the only one who can help me with my powers right now and...'
Ichigo paused momentarily, recalling his conversation with his friends at school.
'Help me find my way home,' Ichigo thought, lowering his gaze slightly.
When Ichigo glanced to the side again, Aizen was no longer there. Turning around, he saw Aizen standing still, rummaging through his pocket.
"Oi, what is it?" Ichigo asked.
Aizen glanced up, the reflection from his glasses obscuring his eyes.
"Ah, it's nothing, Kurosaki-san. It seems that I..." Aizen said with an extremely serious expression.
Ichigo looked at him, feeling slightly uneasy about what Aizen was about to say.
"I think I left my room key at the training ground... as well as my house key," Aizen admitted, scratching his head.
Ichigo froze, his mouth slightly agape at hearing something so... uncharacteristically Aizen.
"Ah... I see," Ichigo replied reflexively, unable to think of anything else to say.
"Well, it can't be helped. We've already come this far. For tonight, we can just sneak in through the bathroom window—"
"Absolutely not! Let's just go back and get them!" Ichigo cut him off immediately.
"Eh? Are you sure?"
Ichigo was momentarily stunned by Aizen's response. He hadn't expected Aizen to actually ask for his opinion.
"Honestly, I hate having to walk all the way back, but we don't have much choice, do we?" Ichigo said, folding his arms.
"Ah, I see," Aizen mused, falling silent for a moment as he thought.
"In that case, how about this? Kurosaki-san, you wait here for a bit. I'll go back alone. Don't worry, even in form like this, I can still use shunpo," Aizen suggested.
Ichigo was taken aback, but he realized it was a good idea rather than both of them having to go back.
"Ah, alright then. I'll wait here," Ichigo agreed.
"Alright, in that case, please wait here for a moment," Aizen said with a smile before vanishing from sight.
Ichigo stood there, contemplating the situation.
"Wait... did he do that because he didn't want me to have to walk all the way back?" Ichigo muttered, trying to analyze Aizen's behavior.
"Ah! Why am I even thinking about this? Ugh, this world is so peculiar," he groaned under the streetlight.
Ichigo leaned against a wall, his thoughts drifting once more to this unfamiliar world.
'This world... at first glance, nothing seems different, but it hides so many unexpected surprises.'
He watched as moths fluttered around the streetlamp.
As he observed them, a flicker of light streaked across the sky.
At first, Ichigo ignored it, but then the flicker appeared again. It was moving even faster.
Ichigo's eyes widened as he noticed it.
'What is that?'
The flickering light seemed to be descending, moving rapidly toward the east.
Ichigo followed its trajectory, jogging slightly to keep up.
Gradually, he began to hear faint sounds.
Ichigo hid behind a wall, peeking around its edge toward the source of the flickering light at the end of the street.
In the air, he saw two individuals clashing swords, while another person stood below, watching.
'Th-those guys? Shinigami? What are they doing here?' Ichigo wondered as he observed the scene.
It appeared to be a duel between the two airborne fighters. Ichigo carefully examined the situation.
One of them wielded a red energy staff, while the other carried a type of spear. Their movements were equally fast, but the spear-wielding man seemed to have the upper hand.
The man with the red energy staff struggled to block his opponent's relentless attacks. Every time he tried to retreat, the spear-wielding man closed in instantly, forcing him to stay on the defensive rather than counterattack.
Then, in an instant, the spear-wielding man pressed his weapon down against the staff-wielder's defense. Without warning, he kicked his opponent backward, sending him flying.
The red-staff wielder groaned, quickly trying to reorient himself, but his opponent had disappeared.
"UP HERE!" the spear-wielding man shouted from above. He dove downward, spear raised for a powerful strike.
DUAR!
The red-staff wielder was sent hurtling through the air.
Ichigo tracked his trajectory, shocked by the sheer force of the attack.
'That's a strong hit!' Ichigo thought.
The spear-wielding man landed beside his companion below, and the two began conversing.
'I don't quite understand, but are they really Shinigami? The guy they fought clearly wasn't a Hollow, so what was this battle for?' Ichigo pondered.
Then, suddenly, the man who had been standing below all this time turned slightly toward Ichigo's hiding place behind the wall.
He stopped speaking and started walking in Ichigo's direction.
'Crap! Did he notice me?' Ichigo panicked.
The sound of footsteps drew closer.
Ichigo's eyes widened.
'Damn! Looks like they know I'm here! What should I do?' Ichigo thought frantically.
He tried channeling his Shinigami powers by absorbing reiatsu from his surroundings.
'Tch, still not used to this?!'
Ichigo struggled to absorb reiatsu, feeling how sluggish it was.
'Damn it! Outside of Aizen's modified space, I'm still having trouble drawing in reiatsu. Not to mention, I don't have the absorption equipment I used earlier...'
Unlike the underground training room Aizen had created, the reiatsu in the outside world wasn't as concentrated. The underground space had been modified to produce dense reiatsu similar to that of Soul Society. Another important thing, without the reiatsu absorption gear he had used during training, his ability to draw in energy was even slower.
The footsteps grew louder.
'DAMN!'
Ichigo was running out of options. He hesitated for a moment, scrambling for an idea.
At the last second, something came to mind.
The two men reached the wall, but when they checked behind it—
There was no one there.
They stepped forward, moving into the streetlight's glow.
"What the hell exactly did you sense?" asked the spear-wielding man. Now, his muscular, bald figure was clearly visible.
"Just a hunch, but for a moment, I sensed someone's reiatsu around here," replied the shoulder-length black-haired man with dyed eyebrows.
"Come on, seriously, Yumichika! If we stick around here too long, we'll lose track of that fugitive!" said the bald man impatiently.
"Wait a moment, Ikkaku," Yumichika placed his hand on his ear.
He heard the sound of footsteps at the three-way junction ahead.
'That way?' Yumichika jogged lightly forward.
When he glanced down the road, his eyes locked onto something.
"Found you! Ah—?" Yumichika gasped.
He spotted Ichigo walking toward him, staring at his phone.
"Geez, I can't believe I'm lost again. Where do I go now?" Ichigo grumbled to himself while checking his phone.
He continued walking, completely ignoring Yumichika, who was slightly stunned by the sight of him.
'If I pretend I can't see them, just like when I usually pretended not to see ghosts—which usually makes them stop following or questioning me—I might get away without raising suspicion,' Ichigo thought.
He walked past Yumichika, glancing left and right before turning right.
"Oi! What are you still checking for?! I told you, he's just a civilian! Let's hurry and catch that fugitive!" Ikkaku snapped, now standing beside him.
"Ah..." Yumichika flinched slightly, agreeing with Ikkaku while still observing Ichigo.
'Isn't that Yumichika and Ikkaku? Why are they attacking someone who's not a Hollow?' Ichigo tried his best to maintain a neutral expression.
'What's that guy doing here? Was he here all the time? Is he really just a passerby?' Yumichika wondered, narrowing his eyes as Ichigo walked past without acknowledging them.
'Tch, I mustn't look back!' Ichigo thought, clenching his fists.
After a pause, Yumichika sighed. "You're right, Ikkaku. We should hurry."
"Told you! Now let's—"
"Let's change targets. We're going after the orange-haired woman and her friends!" Yumichika declared.
Ichigo stiffened at those words.
'Orange-haired woman? Could they mean Inoue?' he thought, alarmed.
"Huh? What are you talking about, Yumichika?! Why are you suddenly making decisions on your own?!" Ikkaku snapped, irritated.
Yumichika shot him a glance before turning his eyes back to Ichigo, who continued walking.
"Do I need a reason to kill a fugitive? Come on, I already found the location of the woman with that Shinigami powers," Yumichika said, voice calm but pointed.
Ichigo's heart pounded as he heard that.
'Shinigami powers?! It has to be Inoue! But what do they mean by 'fugitive'?' his mind raced.
Ikkaku grunted, clearly debating whether to follow Yumichika's lead.
"Tch, what a wishy washy, fine. But if you're so eager, you deal with her. I have no interest in fighting half-Shinigami humans," Ikkaku muttered dismissively.
"Besides, the fugitive's presence has already faded thanks to you dragging things out. Let's move if you know where she is," Ikkaku added, now impatient.
"Okay," Yumichika responded affirmatively.
With that, both of them vanished.
'Their reiatsu were gone,' Ichigo noted, feeling the reiatsu fade away.
The street grew eerily quiet again.
Ichigo halted, unease gnawing at his chest. Especially with what Yumichika had said.
'Inoue... a fugitive? And what did Grand Fisher mean by that other Shinigami who changed him?'
Ichigo recalled Grand Fisher's words:
"A Shinigami... a Shinigami turned me into this with a strange object and ordered me to kill her!"
Strings of related events began forming in his mind.
'Could it all be related?'
The thought grew heavier, particularly as Ichigo remembered the killing intent radiating from Yumichika and Ikkaku.
'If they're really after Inoue, I need to warn her—fast!'
He took off running toward the intersection. Turning left, Ichigo suddenly froze in his tracks.
His breath hitched as he saw two familiar figures waiting for him a few meters ahead.
'Damn it! ... It's them,' Ichigo cursed inwardly.
Yumichika chuckled softly, clearly amused by Ichigo's shock. Ikkaku, meanwhile, smiled with his eyes closed.
"A random civilian conveniently appears when we found the fugitive. Then, out of blue, the civilian who find his way ran in a rush. Especially, he did it after overhearing us talking about a topic that, even if one overheard, might not be easily related due to its common nature. And yet, he ran in a hurry as if it were something personal and couldn't be ignored. If a civilian like that exists, doesn't he need to be suspected, Ikkaku?" Yumichika mused aloud.
Ichigo's fists clenched. 'They baited me?'
Ikkaku snickered and chuckled. "Yeah... sounds about right for me."
Ikakku walked toward Ichigo.
Ichigo growled inwardly. 'They tricked me by mentioning Inoue on purpose.'
He tried a different tactic.
"Ah! S-sorry! The truth is, I can see ghosts. Honestly, I was genuinely lost when I spotted you two. However, I had to pretend not to see because I was afraid of being followed by ghosts. That's why I decided to run my way so I wouldn't need to see any ghosts again!" Ichigo blurted, hoping to play the fool.
'Damn it, that's all I got,' Ichigo thought as he scanned Ikkaku and Yumichika.
Ikkaku paused, glancing at Yumichika for confirmation. Yumichika hesitated briefly.
'Clever kid,' Yumichika mused.
"Ah, is that so? My apologies for the misunderstanding," Yumichika smiled politely and began walking forward.
Ikkaku scratched his head, apparently buying the excuse. On the other hand, Ichigo remained silent.
"After all, things like this do tend to happen—"
Without warning, Yumichika lunged at Ichigo, slashing his sword toward his neck.
Ichigo barely managed to dodge, leaping backward into a defensive stance.
'He's really trying to kill me?!' Ichigo's eyes widened in disbelief. Had he late for a moment, his neck would be severed.
"Oi, oi, how could you try to attack a human? Aren't you guys Shinigami?" Ichigo infuriatedly shouted.
Yumichika smirked. "Indeed, a Shinigami wouldn't attack humans ... however, it doesn't apply to a human who could dodge my attack."
Ichigo's heart pounded in his chest. He kept his guard on despite the considerable distance between them.
'This is bad. I can't fight back like this,' he thought.
"Besides," Yumichika continued, raising his blade, "even if we're wrong, it's not a big deal if we accidently kill a human, right?" said Yumichika intimidatingly while excitedly smiling.
"W-what?!"
THUD!
Minutes hadn't passed as he received Yumichika's answer, Ichigo's senses flared as a powerful killing intent suddenly descended from above.
He looked up just in time to see Ikkaku plummeting down toward him, spear aimed to strike.
BOOM!
A cloud of dust erupted from the impact.
Yumichika anti-pathetically wiped the dirt from his garment.
"You came back... fugitive," Yumichika sneered while smiling in satisfaction.
Emerging from the dust cloud was Ikkaku, his spear locked against a glowing red energy rod.
"Are you okay?" a familiar voice called out to Ichigo.
Ichigo's eyes widened in shock as he recognized the voice.
"ISHIDA!?" Ichigo's eyes widened as he saw the figure in front of him blocking Ikkaku's spear with a red energy rod.
Uryu looked slightly surprised to hear Ichigo as he struggled to hold back Ikkaku's strength.
"You... how do you know my name?" Uryu muttered, his arms trembling under the weight of Ikkaku's spear.
"AHA! Didn't I tell you, Ikkaku? This guy knows something about the fugitives we're after!" Yumichika shouted gleefully.
"This is just between me and you two! Yumichika-san! Ikkaku-san! He has nothing to do with any of this!"
Suddenly, the pressure from Ikkaku's spear increased.
"OI! OI! IF YOU'RE IN A FIGHT, STOP TALKING AND SWING YOUR WEAPON PROPERLY!" Ikkaku yelled. He rotated his body and delivered a swift and powerful strike, sending both Uryu and Ichigo flying backward.
The two of them crashed onto the ground.
Ichigo, sprawled on the ground, looked ahead and saw Uryu quickly getting to his feet and adopting a combat stance.
"Tch, damn it! What the hell is happening now?! Ishida...," Ichigo cursed internally as he struggled to rise.
"You are a fugitive of the Shinigami?!"
TO BE CONTINUED...
Do not wish for a sun to the night,
You might not know better what should be hidden out of light,
Outside all kinds of painful feeling,
Don't you know darkness conceals suffering.
Inside all kinds of desiring curiosity,
Don't you know shadow restrains the burden of responsibility.
Do not wish for a sun to the night,
You might get the light but be prepared for the eternal plight.