Ichigo frowned. Could it be... Orihime awakened her ability in a life-or-death situation? And that ability was to summon Inoue Sora to her side? Or maybe... summon a fake Inoue Sora?
He scratched his head. No, that sounds way too much like a Stand user from JoJo...
But for now, this was how Kurosaki Ichigo understood Inoue's power.
Orihime, unaware of Ichigo's thoughts, said quietly:
"My brother taught me to use my ability for a few days before letting me come back. After I returned, Tatsuki asked what happened yesterday. That's when I found out someone was impersonating me."
Ichigo nodded.
"The other party has the ability to disguise. He already tricked me once by turning into Nezuko."
"She also transformed into Nezuko to deceive me."
Suddenly, a mature woman's voice interrupted them.
"Kurosaki, Inoue, what are you two doing here?"
Ichigo turned around and saw his English teacher approaching. Both he and Orihime stiffened, replying nervously,
"N-nothing! We're just discussing homework!"
Their English teacher and homeroom teacher, Isabella, stood before them—a true foreigner with long blonde hair and emerald eyes, instantly recognizable as European.
It was rare to have a foreigner as a homeroom teacher, but Ms. Isabella was said to be an excellent educator from a prestigious university. School had only just started, but she already left a positive impression.
Isabella:
"I heard you two had a fight yesterday, Kurosaki, Inoue. You're both excellent students—I've seen your middle school grades. Don't give up just because you're in high school now."
Orihime:
"Teacher, please don't worry, we didn't fight."
Isabella:
"That's good. Class is about to start, and I have a transfer student to introduce. Please head back to the classroom."
Ichigo & Orihime:
"Okay."
They exchanged glances, deciding to continue their conversation later. Transfer student? Ichigo wondered. What does that mean? No one mentioned anything about this!
But when he returned to the classroom and saw the "student" walking in, Ichigo nearly shot up from his seat.
Ichigo:
"Ru... Rukia?!"
He blurted out her name instinctively.
Isabella:
"Kurosaki, do you know Kuchiki-san?"
That's right—the so-called "transfer student" was Rukia!
She bowed gracefully at the podium.
Rukia:
"Hello everyone. My name is Rukia Kuchiki."
Ichigo's friends stared at him, stunned.
Friend 1:
"Ichigo! How do you know such a cute girl?!"
Friend 2:
"Why are there so many beautiful girls around you?!"
Are you the protagonist of some harem anime?! It made sense to know Tatsuki and Nezuko since childhood, but somehow, Ichigo had become close with Orihime in high school, and now there was another familiar, adorable girl.
But Ichigo had a headache. The looks from male classmates grew hostile, but he mostly watched Ishida's reaction. He knew Ishida harbored resentment toward Shinigami.
Sure enough, when Ishida Uryū saw Rukia, a cold glint flickered in his eyes.
After Rukia's introduction, the teacher assigned her to an empty seat. Due to her height, she should have been in the front row, but with time running short, she ended up in the back—right beside Ichigo.
He leaned over in a whisper.
Ichigo:
"What are you doing? Why are you at school?"
Rukia:
"Can't I come to school?" She glared.
Ichigo:
"No, but if you're here, who'll handle the Hollows and souls in Karakura Town?"
Rukia:
"Don't worry. Captain-Commander Yamamoto has arrived from Soul Society. Not just Captain Hitsugaya, but the Captains and Lieutenants of the Second and Eighth Divisions too."
Ichigo:
"Huh? With so many Captains in Karakura Town, won't Seireitei have problems?"
Rukia:
"It'll still be safer than Karakura. I'm here to facilitate communication between the two sides."
Ichigo:
"Facilitate communication...?" He didn't quite get it.
Before Rukia could explain, Isabella's stern gaze silenced them.
…
After class, Rukia finally spoke.
Rukia:
"Soul Society thought it over. Since they already accepted me, a Shinigami with Hollowfication, and allowed you, who also has Hollowfication, to be a Substitute Shinigami... it seems Captain-Commander Yamamoto has accepted Hollow powers."
Even as she said it, Rukia still found it unbelievable. Captain-Commander Yamamoto had always been rigid. Was it Kisuke Urahara's persuasion? Soul Society was, after all, in peril.
Ichigo:
"And then?"
Rukia:
"You don't know, but in Soul Society's history, there was a 'Mass Hollowfication Incident.' Captain Urahara was exiled for that event. Those Hollowfied Captains were to be executed, but they hid in the Human World with Urahara. Now the laws have changed, so Hollowfied Shinigami can return to Soul Society."
"But they hold a grudge. Though both sides agreed to cooperate against Aizen, they made one condition."
Ichigo:
"A condition?"
Rukia:
"Yes. You and I. They think we're Shinigami who can Hollowfy, so they want us to join them."
Ichigo:
"?! How is that possible! Why should I join them?"
Rukia:
"They can help us master the Hollow power. Ichigo, you know how painful Hollowfication is. You lose control, even when you're conscious, the Hollow's nature pushes you to destroy and kill."
Ichigo grew silent. He had Hollowfied twice, or three times if he counted Urahara's training. Each time, he'd lost himself to the Hollow's will.
Rukia:
"They've endured for centuries. To fight Aizen, we need more power. The Division allowed me to train with them. You need it too, Ichigo."
Ichigo still didn't feel urgency. He was always like that—unless the fire was at his back, he couldn't get motivated.
Rukia, knowing Ichigo's personality, softened her tone.
Rukia:
"This isn't just for Soul Society... but for Karakura Town, too. According to our investigation, Aizen's goal is likely to destroy Karakura Town."
Ichigo's eyes widened, but Rukia shushed him.
Rukia:
"After school, I'll take you to the Visoreds' location."
Ichigo wanted answers, but for now, he could only suppress his doubts.
The whole morning passed in a daze.
After school, Ichigo left with Rukia.
…
Ichigo:
"Rukia, you said Aizen's target is Karakura Town. Why?"
Rukia:
"Aizen went to the Daireishokairō before he left—Soul Society's special archive, which records everything. He searched for materials on the 'King's Key'."
Ichigo:
"King's Key?"
Rukia:
"Yes. It's the key to the Soul King's Palace."
Ichigo:
"Huh? Soul Society has a king?"
Rukia:
"Yes, but the Soul King gave control to Central 46, making them his eyes, nose, ears, and hands. Normally, the Soul King stays in the Palace, a space isolated from Soul Society. Even Captains can't enter unless summoned."
Ichigo:
"So... Aizen wants to use the King's Key to enter the Soul King Palace?"
Rukia:
"Exactly. He wants to assassinate the King. But the key issue isn't that. What's important is the 'method of creating the King's Key'... or rather, the required materials."
At the mention of "materials," Ichigo felt a chill.
Rukia:
"The materials needed are a Concentrated Spirit Zone with a radius of one reishi, and... one hundred thousand souls!"
Ichigo's pupils contracted.
Karakura Town itself was a Concentrated Spirit Zone, but its reishi density had increased, making it a unique "Super Concentrated Spirit Zone." Its population had grown; for Aizen, Karakura Town was the perfect material.
Ichigo:
"How much time is left?!"
Rukia:
"Urahara estimates two months at most, but with Aizen's abilities, maybe only one month."
Ichigo:
"Then I'll go with you to the Visoreds!"
Rukia smiled, about to say more—but her expression suddenly changed.
Both of them suddenly felt a surge of killing intent.
Ishida Uryū appeared from around the corner, glasses glinting.
Ishida:
"Where are you two going? Kuchiki? Kurosaki?"
Ichigo:
"Ishida... You're not going to..."
Ishida:
"That's right."
He raised his hand, a reishi bow forming.
Ishida:
"Kurosaki, I'm disappointed. I thought you'd stand with us."
Rukia was shocked.
Rukia:
"You're a Quincy?!"
Ishida:
"Surprised? That there are still Quincies alive, even though your Shinigami supposedly annihilated us."
Rukia was silent for a moment, then spoke.
Rukia:
"Is there any need to fight? The Shinigami have re-established an alliance with the Quincies. Our enemy now is Aizen Sōsuke and the Menos Grandes in Las Noches."
Ishida looked surprised.
Ishida:
"What... did you say?"
Rukia:
"Soul Society has allied with the Quincies. You didn't know?"
She took out a Quincy badge.
Rukia:
"This should be yours, right? The past is the past. For now, we have a common enemy. Everything else can wait until Aizen and the Hollows are dealt with."
Ichigo wanted to say something, but Ishida put away his bow and took out something like a pill.
Ishida:
"Then how about a competition? I don't know who Aizen Sōsuke is, so let's compete with Hollows. You say you want to fight together, so you won't refuse."
Ichigo:
"What do you want to do?"
Ishida:
"This is Hollow bait. It attracts Hollows, but don't worry, not the powerful ones. Let's see who can kill more. If I win, the Shinigami go back to Soul Society. If you win, I'll help you with the Hollows."
Rukia:
"No need. I'll compete with you alone."
In the past, Rukia wouldn't have bothered. But now, orders were to handle relations with the Quincies as smoothly as possible.
Ichigo:
"Sigh... You two are acting like kids..."
Ishida threw the Hollow bait into the sky.
But something unexpected happened.
In an instant, the Hollow bait in the sky attracted something terrifying.
All three looked up—and saw a giant gate appear in the sky!
The gate was black, but quickly turned red.
With the gate's arrival, the sky itself changed.
Ichigo:
"What's happening?!"
Rukia's pupils shrank.
Daylight still shone—it wasn't yet four in the afternoon—but suddenly, the sky turned dark. This wasn't Heavenly Phenomenon Descent, which only changes a part of the sky into one's domain.
This was something far beyond that.
It was "Stealing Heaven and Changing the Sun!"
The entire sky suddenly darkened, as if the sun had vanished. Darkness replaced light, and in the gloom, it felt like countless demons were dancing across the heavens.
At that moment, everyone—humans, Shinigami, Quincies, even Kisuke Urahara in his shop and the Visoreds within their barrier—looked up at the sky.
Above the dense darkness, the great sun was dyed pitch-black, then turned crimson.
A fiery red eye gazed down like the eye of a wrathful god.
Ichigo:
"What... is this?"
A shiver ran through Ichigo's soul. The feeling was dreadful. And most importantly...
He had seen this scene before.
As a child, when the Three Realms trembled, he'd somehow entered a world of white sand—and there, he'd seen a Menos Grande.
And in that sky, a blood-red moon had hung.
Now, upon seeing the crimson moon, Ichigo's dormant memories began to stir.
What... is this? How could it suddenly appear?!
Ishida:
"...What's that?"
Even Ishida Uryū was stunned, soul trembling as he stared up at the crimson moon.
…