Chapter 26

"Captain Aizen really is 'merciful,' isn't he? Is he going to make Ukitake watch one of his squad members die right in front of him for a second time?" Gin Ichimaru remarked.

But what Aizen hadn't expected was that Miyako Amamiya wasn't going to the World of the Living to keep Kisuke Urahara occupied...

At night, Rukia Kuchiki walked alone down the street.

Rukia was growing anxious. Although Ichigo Kurosaki had taken care of most of the Hollows in Karakura Town, the Reiryoku she had given him still hadn't recovered. In fact, she felt as though she had less and less of it.

Rukia couldn't stay in the World of the Living forever, but until her Soul Reaper powers recovered, she had no choice but to remain in this Gigai. Otherwise, being in the World of the Living would be extremely dangerous.

"Damn it... Why hasn't it recovered yet?" Rukia gritted her teeth. "This can't go on."

"You're right. This can't go on." A familiar voice suddenly came from behind Rukia, and she hurriedly turned around.

"Why have you stayed in the World of the Living for so long, Rukia?" Renji Abarai descended from high above and demanded an answer.

"Renji?" Rukia stared at him in surprise, wondering why he was here.

"Have you spent so long in the World of the Living that you've even let your guard down?" Renji Abarai said. If he had wanted to ambush her just now, he surely would have succeeded.

"Tell me, Rukia. Where's the person who stole your powers?" Renji Abarai hoped Rukia would admit that her Reiryoku had been stolen, rather than given to a human of her own accord.

"Y-you... What are you talking about? I may be using a Gigai, but that doesn't mean my powers were stolen..." Rukia still wanted to keep Ichigo Kurosaki a secret, or at least prevent him from being implicated.

"It was a human. The Stealth Force has already investigated everything. Do you think you can still hide it?" Renji Abarai sounded a little anxious.

"What...?" Rukia hadn't known that the Stealth Force had discovered her and Ichigo Kurosaki long ago.

"Transferring a Soul Reaper's powers to a human is a serious crime. They've already been merciful enough by sending the two of us to arrest you instead of leaving it to the Execution Corps."

"Two? Don't tell me..." Rukia Kuchiki searched her surroundings and finally found another familiar figure behind her.

"Rukia..." Byakuya Kuchiki's voice was very quiet, but his emotions were in turmoil.

"Byakuya... brother." Rukia's eyes widened. She couldn't believe they had sent someone of Captain-level, much less her adoptive brother.

Renji Abarai swung his sword at Rukia, but she barely managed to dodge.

"You know, don't you, Rukia? That strike was just a test. You could barely dodge a swing at that speed, so don't resist."

"And hurry up and tell me who the human who stole your powers is. The Captain and I are going to capture him, maybe even kill him. Stop protecting him."

Rukia was in a complete panic. At this rate, they wouldn't stop until they found Ichigo Kurosaki.

Miyako Amamiya also slowly stepped out from around the corner and said to Rukia, "Rukia, don't resist, and stop protecting that human. It'll be better for everyone."

"Miyako, even you..." Rukia grew even more flustered when she saw Miyako Amamiya.

"Rukia, stop resisting and tell us already!" Seeing Rukia hesitate, Renji Abarai couldn't help stepping forward to grab her.

The moment he reached out, however, a blue-white arrow came flying from a distance. Renji Abarai noticed it and moved away from Rukia to dodge.

"Three grown men with weapons bullying an unarmed girl. I can't stand by and watch." The person who stepped out from around the corner was Uryū Ishida. Both his hands were wrapped in bandages, and he held a convenience store bag in one hand and a blue-white Spirit Bow in the other.

"I really hate... this sort of thing." Uryū Ishida pushed up his glasses as he spoke to them.

"A bow and arrow like Miyako's? Who are you?" Anxious as he was, Renji Abarai couldn't help demanding an answer when he saw someone interfere.

"I'm just her classmate, someone who hates Soul Reapers."

Uryū Ishida gave an ambiguous answer to his question, so Renji Abarai decided to beat him down first.

Miyako Amamiya stopped him. "Leave him to me, Renji. I've been wanting to fight a real Quincy." Miyako's words were an excuse, of course. It was better to handle this himself so Uryū Ishida would suffer less.

Byakuya Kuchiki stood to one side without making a move. Even at the sight of a Quincy, a people he had only read about, he remained unmoved.

"A Quincy? That race that only exists in records?" Renji Abarai hadn't recognized what Uryū Ishida was at first.

"Yeah. Renji, you've seen my Shikai too, so you should know why I want you to leave him to me."

"...I understand."

"Oh? So you recognized what I am." Uryū Ishida was unconcerned. "But it doesn't matter. You'll all fall to me."

Uryū Ishida didn't know how strong the three Soul Reapers before him really were, but he was confident nonetheless.

You really are stubborn, Miyako Amamiya thought helplessly.

Uryū Ishida put down the convenience store bag and quickly shot an arrow at Miyako Amamiya. Miyako didn't move from his spot, merely tilting his head slightly to dodge it.

Uryū Ishida's arrows were nowhere near as fast as his father's. For Miyako Amamiya, there was no need to even focus on arrows like these.

"Kid, is that all the speed your arrows have?" Miyako Amamiya taunted.

Uryū Ishida frowned and fired faster, but Miyako Amamiya still dodged every arrow.

Damn it... Uryū Ishida didn't dare be careless. He began jumping backward as he fired arrow after arrow.

"Feeble arrows." Miyako Amamiya drew a sword and casually knocked away every arrow flying at him as he slowly approached Uryū Ishida.

Uryū Ishida didn't stop firing, but Miyako Amamiya drew steadily closer, making him break out in a cold sweat.

Damn it, what's with this Soul Reaper? He's nothing like Kurosaki.

Just as Uryū Ishida prepared to use one of his Quincy techniques, Miyako Amamiya suddenly vanished from sight.

"Lie still for a while." Miyako Amamiya's voice came from beside his ear. "Hadō #4, Byakurai."

Miyako Amamiya pointed his outstretched fingertip at Uryū Ishida from point-blank range. The instant Byakurai was unleashed, it paralyzed Uryū Ishida's entire body, leaving him unable to move. He crumpled to the ground.

Damn it! Uryū Ishida was still conscious, but his body no longer obeyed him.

Miyako Amamiya had increased Byakurai's power. The resulting paralysis should be enough to keep him down for a while.

"How merciful, Miyako. If I'd fought him, he wouldn't have gotten off with just being knocked down." Renji Abarai looked at Uryū Ishida on the ground and taunted him.

"Besides, his arrows can't compare to yours at all. Is that all a Quincy amounts to?"

Miyako Amamiya said nothing, carefully sensing the Reiatsu rapidly approaching.

"Here he comes," Miyako Amamiya said.

"What?" Renji Abarai asked in confusion. Byakuya Kuchiki had also noticed, but he didn't warn him.

Miyako Amamiya quickly moved away, and the next instant, the ground where he had stood shattered.

Looking at the orange-haired man in Soul Reaper robes, wielding a massive Zanpakuto, Renji Abarai couldn't help asking, "Who are you now?"

After seeing the incomprehensible letter Rukia had left behind, Ichigo Kurosaki had been extremely worried about her safety.

With Kisuke Urahara's help, he had managed to find Rukia in his Soul Reaper form.

But when Ichigo Kurosaki saw Uryū Ishida collapsed on the ground, he immediately slashed at Miyako Amamiya, who was closest to him.

Hearing Renji Abarai's question, Ichigo Kurosaki said without a change in expression, "Ichigo Kurosaki. I'm also the one who's going to defeat you. Nice to meet you."

Only then did he see Miyako Amamiya's face, and he couldn't help shouting, "Ah, it's you! That Soul Reaper from before."

Renji Abarai looked at Miyako Amamiya and asked, "Miyako, do you know him?"

"There are some humans with Reiryoku in Karakura Town. The Technology Development Bureau's Memory-Changing Device can't erase their memories."

"I happened to meet him once before. I couldn't erase his memory, so I left," Miyako Amamiya said casually.

"Is that so? I see." Renji Abarai stared intently at Ichigo Kurosaki. He now knew that Ichigo had been an ordinary human with Reiryoku before, but now...

"You're the human who stole Rukia's powers!"

"So what if I am?" Ichigo Kurosaki admitted it openly.

"I'm going to kill you!" Renji Abarai was filled with killing intent toward Ichigo Kurosaki. He drew his sword and quickly closed in.

Ichigo Kurosaki gripped his sword in both hands, ready for the attack.

"Wait, Renji..." Rukia wanted to step forward and stop them, but Miyako Amamiya held her back.

"Miyako, why are you stopping me? This has nothing to do with Ichigo. It was all me..."

"Rukia!" Miyako Amamiya hurriedly called out to stop her from saying any more.

"Listen, Rukia, I'll keep this brief." Miyako Amamiya stared at him. "The Thirteenth Division sent me to investigate why you lost your Reiryoku. The Sixth Division came to arrest you and take you back to Soul Society."

"So I'll be staying in the World of the Living for a while longer, but you can't stay here anymore. Listen to me, there are too many strange things about what's happened to you. Not just that boy, but also the fact that your Reiryoku hasn't recovered."

"So you must return to Soul Society obediently now. Don't resist. As for those two over there, don't worry. Soul Society hasn't given orders to kill them, and with me here, they'll be fine."

After hearing Miyako Amamiya out, Rukia felt dizzy. There was too much information, and she didn't know where to begin asking questions.

"Miyako, I..." Rukia looked at Miyako Amamiya, wanting to ask something more.

"Don't say any more, Rukia." Miyako Amamiya shook his head at him. "If you return to Soul Society now, there's still room to do something about this."

Elsewhere, the fight between Ichigo Kurosaki and Renji Abarai was nearing its end.

Although Renji Abarai had severely wounded Ichigo Kurosaki, Ichigo still had enough strength to fight back. He had even managed to wound Renji after Renji released his Shikai.

Byakuya Kuchiki, watching from the side, didn't want to waste any more time. He used Shunpo, snapped the blade of Ichigo Kurosaki's sword with his bare hand, and then appeared behind him.

How is that possible...? Ichigo Kurosaki stared at the wound on his chest, unable to believe what had happened. In just an instant, he fell.

"Ichigo!" Rukia couldn't help shouting at the sight.

Miyako Amamiya held her back once again and shook his head at her.

"Captain Kuchiki, Lieutenant Abarai, please arrest Rukia and take her back to Soul Society," Miyako Amamiya said.

Hearing Miyako Amamiya, the two didn't continue their attack. But Renji Abarai still asked, "What about these two? Don't we need to deal with them, especially this guy?" Renji Abarai looked at Ichigo Kurosaki's battered form.

"It doesn't matter. I've destroyed his Saketsu and Hakusui. He'll die within half an hour. Even if he survives, his powers will vanish. Not just his Soul Reaper powers, but all of his Reiryoku as well," Byakuya Kuchiki said calmly.

"In that case, please return ahead of me. I still need to continue investigating here for a while." Miyako Amamiya said his farewells to them.

Renji Abarai opened a Senkaimon with his Zanpakuto and led Rukia inside. Before entering, Rukia gave Miyako Amamiya a pleading look, and he nodded to her.

Before entering, Byakuya Kuchiki noticed the small exchange between them, but he didn't stop it. He merely gave Miyako Amamiya a long look before walking into the Senkaimon.

Under the night sky, only the two lying on the ground and Miyako Amamiya, standing, remained. Miyako looked at Ichigo Kurosaki. With injuries like these, his Kaido was no longer enough to heal him completely.

But he would keep Ichigo alive until Kisuke Urahara arrived.

Miyako Amamiya went over to Ichigo Kurosaki and gave him some basic treatment with Kaido.

"What's the meaning of this?" Uryū Ishida, who had collapsed, had recovered by now. Seeing Miyako Amamiya treating Ichigo Kurosaki, he couldn't help asking.

"He's already lost his Soul Reaper powers, but I still have questions for him, so I can't let him die so easily," Miyako Amamiya said casually.

"What about you? Do you still want to keep fighting me?"

"..." Uryū Ishida didn't answer. Too much had happened that night, and he didn't know how to deal with it all at once.

"If you're worried about him, don't be. His life isn't in danger. I'll find a professional to treat him, and you should see him alive and kicking tomorrow."

When Uryū Ishida didn't leave, Miyako Amamiya didn't drive him away. Instead, he took out the communication device Kisuke Urahara had once given him in the World of the Living.

But shortly after Miyako Amamiya contacted him, he and Uryū Ishida heard a ringtone nearby.

Miyako Amamiya sighed. Kisuke Urahara had indeed been keeping watch nearby, but Miyako hadn't detected any fluctuations in his Reiatsu. Had he concealed himself again?

"Well, well, if it isn't young Mr. Amamiya and Mr. Ishida." Kisuke Urahara emerged awkwardly from the shadows of an alley and greeted them.

"Oh? Isn't that Mr. Kurosaki? How did he end up lying on the ground with such serious injuries?" Kisuke Urahara continued playing dumb.

"Cut the nonsense, Kisuke Urahara. Take Ichigo Kurosaki back for treatment first." Miyako Amamiya stared at Kisuke Urahara. He was still playing dumb even now, so naturally, Miyako didn't look at him kindly.

Uryū Ishida frowned at Kisuke Urahara. He had seen him during his earlier contest with Ichigo Kurosaki, and since he could deal with Hollows so easily, he presumably wasn't anyone ordinary.

Seeing this, Uryū Ishida turned to leave. It looked like Ichigo Kurosaki would be all right. As for himself...

Miyako Amamiya didn't ask him to stay. He and Uryū Ishida would meet again before long, and Miyako also intended to take the opportunity to see his father again.

"There are some things I want to ask you. Let's meet again after you've gotten Kurosaki settled," Miyako Amamiya said to Kisuke Urahara.

Miyako Amamiya didn't accompany Kisuke Urahara. The two of them lacked mutual trust, and the fact that Kisuke Urahara hadn't invited Miyako to come to his place showed that he was wary of him.

Miyako Amamiya took the hint and didn't intend to follow him. But in his heart, he had already decided to pay him a visit.

The next day, Miyako Amamiya went to Karakura General Hospital to look for Ryūken Ishida.