In that instant, Hitsugaya Tōshirō was panting heavily.
The ice flowers behind him were steadily withering away. Maintaining his Bankai for such a long time was, without question, draining his stamina at an alarming rate.
First of all, killing a captain was not something that could be done so easily.
Second, if a captain was really killed, it would definitely draw intense attention from the Gotei 13. It would never be just one or two captains coming down to Karakura Town to investigate.
The Gotei 13 would undoubtedly tighten their guard afterwards, but at most they'd send one more captain. If it was only two captains on the field, he was confident he could still manage.
Tokinada Tsunayashiro knew the Soul Society like the back of his hand. He had already predicted how they would react once he made certain moves.
This wasn't because the Gotei 13 were incompetent, but because the fools of Central 46 were far too easy to read—their logic and behavioral patterns were painfully predictable.
Third, in this god-forsaken place, besides Hitsugaya Tōshirō, there was another captain: Kurotsuchi Mayuri. Though he had never once revealed himself, Tokinada Tsunayashiro was certain that Mayuri was observing everything from the shadows.
He must be waiting for me to go all out so he can analyze me.
So how could Tokinada possibly let things go his way?
…Of course, unless he could be eliminated as easily as at the very beginning.
But after his first assassination plan failed, Tokinada Tsunayashiro simply switched tactics and started stalling for time.
Another Cero shot out from the tip of his blade. Hitsugaya, who was charging in, was forced to dodge, and Tokinada smiled.
"Well then, my beloved little Captain, let's meet again next time."
"Damn it, don't even think about running!" Hitsugaya roared. After slipping past the Cero, he rushed at Tokinada Tsunayashiro, trailing an icy dragon behind him.
But Tsunayashiro blurred, then vanished.
He first used a combination of Shunpo and Sonído to open up some distance, then reached out and traced a black void in the air.
So he can even use these suspicious techniques now…
Hitsugaya's heart sank. If this guy was going to Hollowfy as well… no, it didn't feel like that.
He didn't blame Nemu for not coming to his aid.
The shinigami stationed in Karakura were here to garrison the town, and Nemu's job was correction and supervision.
"Captain!"
Just then, Rukia rushed over as well, looking a bit disheveled. It was obvious that her own opponent hadn't been a pushover.
The two quickly regrouped, then split up again, combing through the entire Karakura area and starting to search for whatever traps their enemies had secretly laid.
…
Sora hurried home.
He'd made a promise with Kurosaki Ichigo, but after the battle Ichigo had passed out, and a cocoon had formed around his body.
Sora hadn't noticed any of these changes at all, nor did he know when it would end. Overwhelmed with anxiety, the only thing he could do was go back home to check on things.
He also knew that nothing would happen just because he went home.
Orihime couldn't see him, and just like that frog-like monster, he couldn't interfere with the outside world.
At that moment, Orihime herself was also extremely anxious.
She'd taken two months off in one go, and the excuse she'd given was highly convincing: her older brother, an employee of Brainleaf, had to go on a business trip abroad and would be taking her along as his private tutor.
All the required documents and proofs had been taken care of through her brother's connections.
Outside, it was gradually getting dark.
Today, night had fallen earlier than usual. It was also bitterly cold—so cold it seeped into the bones.
Inoue's parents had reached the limit of their patience. The man grumbled, "What a shitty place! It's already this dark and it's freezing. If you ask me, we should sell this dump and move somewhere more comfortable."
"We can't!"
Orihime said firmly, "This house was a gift from Mr. Yoshio to my brother and me. We plan to repay that kindness through our work in the future. We will never leave!"
Just then, the phone rang.
Orihime turned her cell back on; the caller was one of her brother's colleagues. Learning that there was finally news from Sora, she was overjoyed.
But what she heard from the other end of the line plunged her straight into despair…
"Are you Sora's little sister? Get to First Hospital immediately. Sora was in a traffic accident!"
"Huh… A traffic accident!?" Orihime was stunned for a moment, then quickly said, "Got it, I'll be right there!"
After hanging up, Orihime immediately tried to rush out, but her mother suddenly grabbed her by the hair.
Orihime winced in pain and shouted, "What are you doing!?"
"The contract…" Inoue's mother said coldly.
"Contract…?" Orihime yelped in shock. "What contract?"
"Don't worry about it, just sign!" her father snapped. He took a contract out of his bag and handed it to her. His face had gone icy. "Hurry up and bring your seal. You're signing this. Now."
Orihime didn't respond and simply bolted for the door. She had no intention of signing anything—she had to go see her brother!
But how could she outrun her father?
While she struggled, Inoue's mother quickly regained full control of her body. Inoue's father rushed to her with the contract and brought out three seals.
The moment she saw the three seals, Orihime's expression changed drastically. "How did you find those!?" she screamed.
Signatures and fingerprints weren't as common. Most contracts and procedures relied on seals.
There were three types of personal seals: the official registered seal, the bank seal, and an everyday seal sometimes also used for formal paperwork. However, since this wasn't a forum about Tokyo bureaucratic procedures, we'll skip the detailed explanation. What matters is: they're the seals used for contracts and formal processes.
Her father chuckled darkly. "I told you, did you really think you could fight me? When Inoue was alive, I held back because I was wary of Brainleaf standing behind him. Now that he's dead, you'll just come along with us quietly and stop struggling."
"Let go!!"
Orihime's eyes were bright red, tears streaming down her face as she struggled violently. Her mother, enraged by her resistance, slapped Orihime full across the face.
"Forget this house—your body and your life are ours to take!"
And all of this…
At that very moment, Sora was overcome with extreme anxiety. Watching his sister weeping and being assaulted by these two demons, he tried desperately to attack them—but its utterly useless!
He had no means to interfere with the physical world!
As the female monster continued to punch and kick Orihime, curled up in the corner, Sora's bloodshot eyes suddenly widened. He thought of that frog-like Hollow from before!
Damn it! I can't worry about anything else now!
Sora roared in fury.
If only he could become that kind of monster, he would be able to interfere with the material world!
He had to rip it out—no matter what it cost him!
Even if it meant tearing his own heart apart!
Sora grabbed the chain on his chest with all his might and pulled, screaming in agony from the excruciating pain!
"Aaahhh—!!"
The moment he yanked on the chain, it reacted as if triggered. It began to move on its own, and in the next second, flames erupted from one end!
Seeing this, Sora was overjoyed. He remembered that this had been exactly what happened to that cold-blooded thief before he transformed into a monster.
It was as if the pain had ceased to matter. Sora watched as the chain gradually burned away, inch by inch, finally reaching his chest—piercing straight into his very soul.
He had to destroy that black hole! Only by destroying it could he transform into that frog-like monster and gain the power to interfere with the outside world!
In the physical world, Orihime screamed.
In the spirit world, Sora roared!
As the black hole was torn wider and wider, Sora's spirit body trembled. In the next instant, his soul vanished from the room entirely!
When he appeared again, Sora found a mask-like, strange substance growing across his face. A bizarre power was remodeling his soul!
A thunderous roar rang out!
His consciousness started to blur; in his mind, only one thought remained:
Kill! Kill!
With the body of a serpentine monster, Sora rushed toward home in an instant—
When a soul turns into a Hollow, it is as if it is disassembled and then reorganized by the power of Hueco Mundo. At first it disappears, then it randomly manifests again somewhere nearby.
Back at the apartment, Inoue's parents were grinning as they bound Orihime up and prepared to drag her away.
In the very next second, Sora appeared right in front of them.
But they didn't see him at all. All they felt was a sudden, icy wind.
It was already freezing outside, and that gust of cold wind made them shiver uncontrollably. Yet in the next instant…
A sharp tail pierced both their necks, stringing them together like gourds…
…
"Big bro… Big Bro?!"
Seeing him regain consciousness, Yuzu, who was nearby, said excitedly, "Big Bro's awake!"
Hearing the commotion inside, Isshin rushed in from outside.
"Ichigo!"
"Karin… what about her…?"
"That cold-blooded thief took her hostage and escaped," Isshin said, his tone now serious and mature.
Ichigo paused for a moment, then his memories came back in a rush. He abruptly sat up in bed. "No way! I already saved Karin!"
The last thing he remembered was himself swinging his sword, unleashing a golden shockwave that had cleaved open the frog-like monster's back.
Could it be…?
That frog-like monster was still alive?
Then what happened to Karin…?
"The sewers," Isshin replied straightforwardly. "When the police arrived, they only found you unconscious. There was no trace of Karin anywhere."
"That's impossible! Karin was right there!" Ichigo couldn't accept it. In pain, he muttered, "I clearly…"
"Ichigo, tell us what happened down there," Isshin said in a low voice. "According to the police, there were horrifying traces left around that well. What exactly went on?"
"..."
Forcing himself to calm down, Ichigo ignored Isshin's question and jumped straight off the bed. "I'll explain when I get back. There's something I have to do right now!"
"Ichigo!"
"Bro!"
Watching Ichigo dash off, Yuzu and Isshin both called out after him in worry. Then Isshin said, "Yuzu, you'll be on your own here. Now that Ichigo's awake, I'm going out to help him look for Karin."
"I want to go too!"
"No. Karin's already been through enough. We can't let her go through anything else," Isshin replied. After a brief hesitation, he added, "Tell you what, I'll take you somewhere safe to rest quietly for a while."
…
Ichigo sprinted as fast as he could toward the location Sora had mentioned earlier.
He knew that if he wanted to find Karin, he had to rely on Sora.
Sora was a spirit. For him, finding someone was far easier than searching for himself.
Moreover, Ichigo had already promised him that he'd go save his little sister.
Just as Sora had empathized with him, Ichigo also resonated with Sora's desire to protect his sister.
At this moment, Ichigo felt that he was Sora, and Orihime was Karin!
"Please… please let nothing have happened to them!"
Ichigo's heart was wracked with pain.
Ever since Masaki died, he had sworn never to let anything happen to his family again.
But now, Karin's fate was unknown, and Ichigo was forced to endure a deep sense of helplessness and torment.
"Inoue!"
He kept running, and finally arrived at the place Sora had told him about. It was a ten-story apartment building. But as soon as he reached the target floor, he froze.
Because right in front of the Inoue home, two bodies were hanging.
They were suspended in the corridor, bound by something, blood dripping from the punctures in their necks, staining the floor around the entryway.
What… happened here?
Ichigo stared at the door in front of him. The apartment now felt like a demon's lair.
From inside came sounds of agonized suffering, like someone being deep-fried in boiling oil—sounds that sent a chill straight through Ichigo.
He took in a sharp breath at the sight of the two hanging corpses, but still gathered his courage and stepped inside.
To enter, he had to pass between the two hanging bodies. A drop of blood slid from a torn throat and fell onto Ichigo's hair.
He felt a cold shiver run down his spine. He had faced that frog-like monster before, but the fear from back then was nothing compared to what he felt now.
And then, the scene in the living room made his blood run cold.
A monster with a human head and snake tail was coiled in the center of the room. Its tail was wrapped around a man, constricting him tightly. One hand gripped a woman, while the other twisted her head upward, as if trying to tear it straight off.
Hearing footsteps, the girl raised her head and saw Ichigo.
She looked stunned, staring blankly at Ichigo. In contrast, Ichigo was staring in disbelief at Sora, who'd transformed into a monster.
Hearing her voice, Sora turned as well. Still wearing that white mask, he looked over gently. "Oh, Ichigo. You're late."
"How did… how did it come to this…?"
"Isn't it great?" Sora chuckled. "I feel amazing. I've got endless energy. Even these two demons can't stand up to me. I'm going to crush them, make them taste the ultimate pain!"
"You…" Hearing his words, Ichigo involuntarily took a step back—especially when he looked into Sora's scarlet eyes, which seemed to hold limitless madness and chaos.
In that moment, Ichigo realized—
"Stop it! You've become a monster!"
"Kurosaki Ichigo, get out! I don't need you anymore. You couldn't even protect your own sister, you coward!"
—!
Those words stabbed deep into Ichigo's heart.
"I'm not like you!" Sora shouted. "I'll protect Orihime forever!"
From that one exchange of glances, Ichigo knew Sora had already fallen into a demon's den.
Meanwhile, Orihime looked on in confusion at "Ichigo talking to himself," and gently asked, "Um… are you talking to my brother?"
"Yes…" Ichigo smiled faintly. "You're Orihime, right? I'm your brother Sora's friend. Could you step aside for a moment? I'd like to talk to your brother alone."
But those words seemed to trigger a backlash within Sora.
"No one is ever going to separate me and Orihime again!" he roared.
He suddenly clenched his hand, nearly crushing the woman within to pulp, then unleashed a savage punch at Ichigo!
Ichigo hadn't expected Sora to attack so suddenly. He rolled to the side at once, barely dodging the blow.
But in the next instant, the snake tail smashed into him like a speeding truck, sending Ichigo flying and slamming him hard into the floor.
"Huh?"
In Orihime's world, all she saw was Ichigo suddenly flying backward on his own. She quickly understood—
"Big brother!"
"Orihime, it hurts…" Sora murmured bitterly when he heard her cry. "Why can't you see me? Why can't you hear me? I'm right here, right beside you…"
"I get it, I get it!"
Sora's emotions surged again. "If I kill you too, then you'll be able to see me!"
?!
Ichigo's pupils shrank. He forced himself up and shouted, "You idiot, what the hell are you thinking!? Calm down!"
They hadn't known each other for long, but Ichigo had felt the tenderness Sora held toward his sister. Yet now, he had just heard that same man say he wanted to kill his sister…
What the hell was this monster? It felt like its heart had been completely devoured, leaving behind nothing but boundless madness and evil!
"Orihime, come with me!" Sora bellowed. "Then we'll never be lonely again!"
He thrust his sharp claws toward Orihime's body!
But at the critical moment, Ichigo rushed in. The sword in his hand materialized again and swung down, cleaving straight through Sora's outstretched arm!
"Aaahhh!!"
So that frog monster really hadn't died? Ichigo thought, shaken. My last strike didn't finish it off… did it just escape thanks to regeneration?
Damn it, what's happening to Karin right now?
Sora had once felt firsthand the power of Ichigo's blade. But now, he wasn't afraid anymore. He'd already shattered the souls of these two scumbags and devoured them entirely, hearing their final desperate screams.
Unable to endure the pain, Sora knocked Ichigo flying again.
And in the same motion, another stab pierced straight through Orihime's body.
Splat.
Orihime's body slumped lifelessly to the ground and her soul slipped free. Only then did she truly understand what had been happening in this room.
"...A monster…"
"All I have is love!" Sora shouted. "I love Orihime, and Orihime loves me. So what's wrong with us always being together?! What right does an outsider like you have to criticize that!?"
Hearing this, Orihime finally realized that the serpentine creature before her was her own brother. Terror flickered across her face. "Brother…? What happened to you!?"
"Don't be afraid, Orihime…" This time, Sora's voice actually softened. "We can be together again."
"Your brother turned into a monster!" Ichigo shouted. "Be careful!"
Sora's rage exploded again. "Kurosaki! I'll kill you!"
He suddenly dropped Orihime and lunged at Ichigo like a giant serpent.
All Ichigo could do was raise his sword to meet him. But Sora's strength was overwhelming; he sent Ichigo flying once more.
This time, Ichigo crashed into the glass, shattering it and nearly tumbling out of the building.
He rolled across the floor again and again, his entire body bloody and broken, his organs feeling as though they might burst.
Still, gasping for breath, Ichigo forced himself to stand. "I'll never let you hurt your sister again!"
At that moment, Sora said nothing more. He simply charged straight at Ichigo.
His snake tail seemed to be his weak spot—it was especially unguarded.
When Ichigo slashed down and finally severed the tail, a sharp pain seared through Sora's body, forcing a tortured howl from his throat.
At that moment, Orihime rushed downstairs and shouted, "Brother, have you forgotten? You were the one who told me never to hurt people! Do you want to become just like those two?"
"Those two" obviously referred to their parents.
"Orihime…"
Sora was stunned by her words. The crushing force in his grip slackened noticeably. Ichigo seized the opening and yelled, "Inoue! Wake up!"
Sora let out a furious, anguished scream. "Orihime! I'm so sad! You don't understand me at all! I just want to be with you! Don't you want to be with me?!"
"Of course I want to be with my brother…" Orihime burst out. "But I don't want you to become a demon because of me! Have you forgotten? We both hate demons more than anything!"
—!
Previously, Ichigo's blade had failed to pierce Sora's heart. But now, with just a few words, Orihime shattered the wall around Sora's heart.
Same words, different speaker—very different effect.
Compared to Orihime's, Ichigo's words were far weaker.
"Did I really… kill Orihime…?"
"I…"
Sora covered his face, then looked at Ichigo as if in a daze. "I'm sorry, Kurosaki."
"Inoue, you're awake?" Ichigo breathed a sigh of relief.
"Yeah… Thank you, everyone," Sora said, choking on his words. "If this goes on, sooner or later I'll just end up hurting Orihime again, won't I…?"
In the next instant, Sora suddenly shattered his own mask.
As it crumbled away, his face was revealed once more—and a golden light seemed to shine forth from his soul.
"Of course…" Ichigo looked at Sora's current state and suddenly sensed something. "Where are you going?"
"I don't know. I just feel like something is calling me," Sora replied.
"I might be going to Hell. I won't be able to take care of Orihime anymore, or help you find your sister. That's what I regret the most."
He reached out his hand, and that golden light slowly descended into Orihime's soul.
In the next second, Orihime felt a strange connection form between her soul and her body. Her spirit began drifting back unconsciously.
"Brother!" Orihime cried. But Sora turned his back to her and no longer looked in her direction. His body slowly faded away, turning into countless nodes of light that disappeared somewhere unknown.
"..." Ichigo watched as Sora vanished and murmured softly, "Don't worry. I won't let anyone hurt your sister again."
"Brother!"
Orihime sat bolt upright—only to find that she had returned to her body. Her eyes widened as she took in the wrecked room around her. Only then did she realize that everything she'd just experienced wasn't a dream.
"My name is Kurosaki Ichigo." The boy from earlier walked over and said calmly, "You could say I was a friend of your brother's. If you ever need anything from now on, you can call this number. I'll definitely help you."
He took a business card from his pocket and handed it to Orihime.
"Time-type abilities…"
"Is that… another power from the domain of God?"