Facing Dark Rukia's attack, Yoshio didn't engage but dodged backward.
The red scythe sliced through the void.
Yoshio shrugged, "Alright, stop playing. I have a strong helper here."
He stood next to Starrk again, looking like he had a powerful enforcer.
"Ha!" Dark Rukia laughed loudly, "Senior Yoshio, I didn't expect you to get involved with Hollows—this is practically a heinous crime!"
Yoshio couldn't help but chuckle lightly and said: "Of course, I'm associating with Hollows—after all, I'm often with you."
He could tell that this "Dark Rukia" wasn't "Hollow White"; this should be "Hollow White" influencing "Rukia," or perhaps some kind of fusion between the two, awakening a "second personality."
So, she didn't have Hollow White's memories; her memories should come from Rukia Kuchiki, which is why she didn't know Yoshio's true identity.
And the reason Yoshio said that was because the current Dark Rukia wasn't a Shinigami, but...
A Hollow!
There was a hole in Dark Rukia's lower abdomen, which her white clothes couldn't cover.
In other words, in this state, Rukia was a Hollow!
If Yoshio was with Rukia, then naturally he was with a Hollow.
"Interesting, you discovered my existence a long time ago?" Dark Rukia said, "By the way, you seem to be in cahoots with that Bull-Head Hollow. What exactly did you do to me?"
"No, this isn't something I did to you—it's something you did to yourself."
Yoshio said gravely.
"?" Dark Rukia furrowed her brows, somewhat puzzled.
At this point, Yoshio had roughly figured some things out and spoke: "Inside your body, a special item has been implanted. We call it the 'Hōgyoku'."
"Hōgyoku?" Dark Rukia's brows furrowed even more. She had never heard of such a thing.
"Simply put, it's a very special device. Its ability is to 'read the thoughts of surrounding objects and realize them.' I've said this much—you should understand, right?"
Yoshio said gravely: "Because you... should know your own thoughts best."
Read thoughts and then realize them?
Dark Rukia immediately understood.
When she was in the Thirteenth Division, Rukia truly hated her own powerlessness.
Once, while gazing at the graceful Shiba Miyako, and another time during Shiba Kaien and Jūshirō Ukitake's battle with the Bull-Head Hollow.
The first time, she longed to become a strong woman like Shiba Miyako.
The second time, she hated her own weakness and inability to help.
If, under these circumstances, the "Hōgyoku" in her body could read her thoughts, then...
The Hōgyoku would make her stronger!
And the way to realize it was to transfer the Bull-Head Hollow into her body, forming a stronger personality—that is, herself!
"Interesting."
Dark Rukia's lips curved upward slightly as she said: "Was the Hōgyoku created by you too?"
"Of course not by me." Yoshio shrugged and said: "It seems the Hōgyoku did make you stronger, but the price of that strength is losing your ability to survive in the Seireitei. So, are you interested in joining us?"
The way she became stronger was by gaining Hollow powers, and such behavior is something the Seireitei cannot tolerate—at least not now.
So, once exposed, she would inevitably be seen as an enemy by the Seireitei.
Moreover, "Dark Rukia" was ultimately just a part of "Rukia," at most a "second personality."
She could usually only be suppressed in the depths of the soul, unable to appear unless under special circumstances.
So, after hearing Yoshio's words, she seriously considered it.
"Join you? How?"
Dark Rukia said: "I'm part of this idiot. If she doesn't join you, my joining is useless."
"Unless you can help me become the primary personality or allow me to exist independently from the main body!"
"I think that's possible." Yoshio thought for a moment and then said: "But not now."
Upon hearing this, Dark Rukia also thought for a bit, then put away the scythe in her hand, letting her arms hang naturally, her tone relaxing a little: "Anyway, I have nowhere to go. Being with you seems more interesting."
"Whether I can become independent doesn't matter. After all, I'm part of this body. That idiot is still an idiot, but in the end, she's me. Abandoning her like this would be a pity for her." Dark Rukia muttered.
"..."
That sounded so tsundere? Yoshio was momentarily stunned.
Well, it seemed that aside from her thinking being more Hollow-like, Dark Rukia's personality wasn't much different from the real Rukia's.
"We're just planning to form a Hollow army. Interested in joining?"
Yoshio asked again.
"A Hollow legion? These guys actually gather together?" Dark Rukia looked at Starrk in some surprise, "Speaking of which, this guy is pretty strong."
She had once seen Starrk fighting two Captains from the depths of Rukia's soul.
At this moment, she couldn't help but become serious.
Even someone as strong as Starrk was serving Yoshio? Who exactly was this guy?
Behind him...
Who was it?
Yoshio was the Lieutenant of the Fifth Division, so behind him...
Could it be Fifth Division Captain Aizen Sōsuke?
That man who wore glasses and had a gentle face?
No matter how you looked at it, Aizen didn't seem like a schemer.
Compared to Aizen, the always-smiling Yoshio looked more like a villain.
Whatever, she'd meet the person behind Yoshio sooner or later.
"Joining you is fine, but I feel like I'll be suppressed by my primary personality soon. My primary personality won't 'collude' with you."
"Don't worry, your primary personality is still suited to being a flower in a greenhouse—at least for now, she can't adapt to such a cruel world."
As Yoshio spoke, he looked at Dark Rukia's Soul Ability again.
Rukia Kuchiki's Soul Ability was "Stars," but after transforming into Dark Rukia, her Soul Ability had changed as well.
Her current Soul Ability was named ['Mind-Cleaving Blade.']
[ Mind-Cleaving Blade: Generates a spiritual blade. Anyone killed by this spiritual blade will give birth to an existence completely opposite to themselves.]
This ability doesn't split a person into two parts, like Rukia and Dark Rukia; it can't separate the two of them.
If this ability were used to cut Rukia, it would only create an existence completely opposite to her.