Nadegiri

Morning - Office of the Feimou Corps

Xitang sat at his desk in the Office Area, with Hu's reports from the past two weeks spread out in front of him.

Reiatsu data, station contact records, and attendance device placement confirmation—the format is neat and the content is complete. Turn to the page for Karakura Town.

His brow furrowed.

The Reishi concentration in Karakura Town continues to rise, and the frequency of Hollow appearances has almost doubled compared to last month. Even more strangely, the Reiatsu data recorded by Rukia Kuchiki, the Soul Reaper stationed there, was extremely weak, almost only 20-30% of its normal level.

How could a Shinigami (Soul Reaper) have such low Reiatsu? He must be injured or something else must have happened.

Thinking of this, Xitang stood up, picked up his straw hat, and decided to go and see the situation in Karakura Town himself. Just then, a member of the Inner Court Corps) hurriedly walked into the Office Area.

"The Feimou Corps, Xitang, has received an emergency deployment order."

Xitang took the messenger token and glanced at it.

"Rukia Kuchiki's stay in the World of the Living has been extended by a week. It's deduced that an anomaly has occurred World of the Living. The Feimou Corps has been dispatched to the site by Xitang to confirm her current situation. If there are no unforeseen circumstances, she will be brought back to Soul Society."

Xitang was silent for a moment, then tugged at his straw hat. "The Rien Corps has come to deliver a message. It seems that Rukia Kuchiki is in some unusual situation..."

"Understood." He then packed his things and left the Office Area. As he passed Amber's empty seat, he glanced at her—that kid seemed to have a good relationship with Rukia Kuchiki; hopefully, he hadn't been tricked.

Xitang walked alone toward the Senkaimon.

It's raining in Karakura Town.

The rain was light, a fine drizzle, carrying the muggy heat typical of June. Xitang emerged from the Senkaimon, umbrella in hand, and walked towards the Cemetery. The message from the Inner Court Corps said Rukia was in the vicinity today.

As he reached the entrance to the Cemetery, he saw an orange-haired boy Cemetery with his family. The boy's head was down, and his expression was obscured. Standing next to him was a short-haired girl with black hair—it Rukia Kuchiki.

Xitang did not go forward immediately. He stood at a distance and waited until the boy's family had gone far away before walking over.

"Rukia Kuchiki."

Rukia turned her head and saw Xitang. Her expression didn't change, but her fingers tightened slightly.

"I am Xitang, from the Feimou Corps." Xitang stood before her. "Your deployment has been extended by a week. The Inner Court Corps sent me to take over. Is there a problem in the World of the Living?"

Rukia shook her head. "Everything is normal, there's nothing wrong."

"Normal?" Xitang's voice was calm. "Each time you input Reiatsu, it's only two or three tenths of the normal level. This can't be explained by normal energy expenditure."

Rukia was silent for a moment. "... I've encountered quite a few battles in the World of the Living. My Reiatsu needs time to recover."

Xitang looked at her. "Your lies might fool my interns, but they won't fool me. Reiatsu recovery takes time, and battles do take their toll, but your data doesn't match the frequency of Hollow occurrences in Karakura Town at all. It's as if someone is dealing with these Hollows for you, while you're recovering from serious injuries..." Xitang's tone turned gloomy. He was increasingly convinced that Rukia was like that, but he had no proof.

"In any case, you've been stationed here for quite a while. Unless there are unforeseen circumstances, you'll come back with me this time."

Rukia was about to speak, a scream came from afar.

Xitang and Rukia turned their heads at the same time.

Reiatsu —turbid and cold, as if seeping from the bottom of water. It is emptiness.

The two rushed towards the direction of the Reiatsu.

Meanwhile, in Soul Society, Amber had just finished packing her bags and was preparing to head to Karakura Town: "Where did Xitang -senpai go today? I wonder if there's anything that needs revising in the reports from the past two weeks. I hope not."

The Senkaimon opened, and Amber stepped through Senkaimon herself...

And the World of the Living at this time

Ichigo saved Yuzu, but Shari was still caught by the Hollow's tentacles, and a little girl was standing nearby.

Ichigo had already positioned himself in front of Yuzu, his Zanpakuto in his hand, alert.

"Aren't you the little girl by the river six years ago?! What are you doing here!"

Grand Fisher didn't answer, he just laughed. The "little girl's" head split open, revealing its bony core. Tentacles extended, the girl's skin peeled off, and the core attached itself to Grand Fisher. The little girl was just bait, a disguise Grand Fisher used to lure his prey.

Rukia then reveals Grand Fisher's true identity to Ichigo: "This Hollow's codename is 'Grand Fisher.' He can conceal his form, using a decoy head to disguise himself as a human, specifically attracting people with high spiritual energy levels, and then devouring them. His favorite targets are women."

After hearing Ichigo, Ichigo realized that his mother was Grand Fisher's target back then, and he trembled all over, his eyes burning with rage.

"It was you... you killed my mother six years ago!"

He rushed forward.

Blinded by rage, Ichigo launched a reckless attack on Grand Fisher. Grand Fisher easily dodged his attacks and repeatedly wounded Ichigo with his extended fur and claws.

Grand Fisher dodged while taunting, "You're the youngest, most impulsive, and also the worst Soul Reaper I've ever encountered!"

Grand Fisher's fur surrounded and bound Ichigo. Rukia attempted to bind Grand Fisher with Kidō "Bakudō No. 9: Strike," but Grand Fisher easily broke free and used his fur to send Rukia flying.

Ichigo firmly told Rukia, "Rukia, you're not allowed to interfere! This battle is for my mother's revenge, it's my battle!"

But Grand Fisher was completely at ease with Ichigo, even saying to Ichigo, "Watch closely, Ichigo, I'm going to eat Karin!"

To save Karin, Xitang acted decisively, severing the hand that Grand Fisher was holding Karin, thus saving her.

Ichigo Shari freed, Ichigo intensified his attacks, but to no avail. Grand Fisher continued to stab Ichigo with his extended claws. Grand Fisher said, "Fighting requires strategy, brat." He wasn't in a hurry to kill Ichigo, but rather reveled in torturing and mocking him.

Grand Fisher launched a surprise attack on Karin, who had just been rescued by Xitang, intending to Ichigo Karin by killing her.

Even Xitang was caught off guard. While protecting Karin, his body was pierced, and his hat was knocked off. Seeing Ichigo's unprepared state, Xitang didn't care about Soul Reaper's background as Ichigo anymore; he only hoped Ichigo could defeat the enemy before him. Dragging his wounded body, he slowly said, "As Soul Reaper, the most important duty is to protect humanity and eliminate Hollows..."

He then fainted due to the severe injury he had suffered.

"Xitang--!" Amber's voice, who had just arrived, came from afar.

Xitang lay motionless on the ground. Blood seeped from beneath him, mingling with the rainwater and flowing down the ground.

Hu's mind went completely blank.

He recalled how Xitang taught him to handle paperwork, familiarized him with field operations, helped him integrate into the Feimou Corps's work, and guided him in carrying out the first Konsō...

Even though the Feimou Corps was only responsible for liaison, Xitang would always try his best to deal with the virtual world and carry out Konsō when he came to the World of the Living. He was a very gentle person, and now, Xitang is lying there.

"No..." Hu's voice trembled.

He knew about the Grand Fisher incident, but he couldn't remember what Xitang's ending was in the anime, since Xitang only appeared once and never again.

He hadn't paid attention to the date in the World of the Living. He had forgotten that Grand Fisher would appear today. If Xitang died, then it was his own fault!

Amber clenched his fist. His Reiatsu surged, and he activated his full Concentration. His eyes flashed blue, and a tuft of black hair on his forehead gradually turned white...

In order to completely break Ichigo's spirit, Grand Fisher changed the decoy's appearance from the little girl to Ichigo's mother, Masaki Kurosaki, and spoke to Ichigo in Masaki's voice, "Ichigo... Ichigo... don't you recognize your mother?"

Enraged, Ichigo raised his sword to strike. But just as the sword was about to fall, Grand Fisher used the mimicry of "Mother" as a shield. Ichigo was forced to stop, leaving a near-fatal opening.

Taking advantage of the moment, Grand Fisher pierced Ichigo's shoulder with his tentacle, causing blood to splatter everywhere.

Just as Grand Fisher was about to deliver the fatal blow to Ichigo, the mimicry on his head suddenly emitted a blue light and began to change uncontrollably.

It turns out that when Masaki was killed six years ago, her dying thoughts were unintentionally captured by Grand Fisher and remained in the bait. Now, this thought was activated after sensing Ichigo's presence and was transmitted into her son's heart.

The mimic spoke in Masaki's real voice, soft and calm. "Ichigo... don't be afraid... Mom is here."

"Ichigo, I'm proud of you all... Live well..."

Ichigo his mother's voice, Ichigo's tears fell. He gripped his Zanpakuto tightly, forcefully pulled out the tentacle piercing his shoulder, and leaped into the air.

Shouting: "Ahhh--!"

Ichigo unleashed a powerful slash, the blade striking Grand Fisher's true form. His mask shattered, and Grand Fisher screamed as he staggered backward, his tentacles flailing wildly. Sensing danger, Grand Fisher abandoned his previous arrogance and began to run, attempting to create a passage to Hueco Mundo to escape. However, the heavily injured Ichigo lacked the strength to give chase.

At that very moment!

"Ichigo, get out of the way!"

Amber's voice came from behind. Ichigo instinctively turned to the side, and Amber had already rushed in front of Grand Fisher.

He held the Phantom Blade in his left hand, wielding it with one hand. Despite his extreme anger, Amber's heart became unusually calm. For some reason, he recalled the scene from yesterday where the old man gently stroked the sweet potato but then cut it open.

He suddenly realized that the old man's method of cutting the sweet potato was not just a simple training of self-control; this simple action concealed a sword technique.

Although Amber can't yet create a sharp blade out of thin air using only Reiatsu, he now possesses the Phantom Blade!

He concentrated almost all of his available Reiatsu onto the blade of the Phantom Blade, the edge of Phantom Blade gleamed with a calm and restrained white light.

--Gently, Amber swung the Phantom Blade.

The blade sliced through Grand Fisher's body as easily as cutting tofu, entering from one side and exiting from the other.

Grand Fisher's body was propelled forward by the momentum. Looking down, it saw its waist had been cleanly severed. "What... is this...?"

"Nadegiri!"

Amber sheathed her Phantom Blade and stood in the rain.

Grand Fisher's upper body used the momentum from before to fall into the rift leading to Hueco Mundo, while his lower body remained in place, gradually Reishi. The rift closed, and his upper body disappeared on the other side.

The riverbank was quiet.

Ichigo knelt on the ground, panting heavily. Rukia supported him, and they stared in the direction where Grand Fisher had disappeared, remaining silent for a long time.

Hu turned around and walked to Xitang's side. He squatted down, his hands trembling.

"Senior Xitang..."

Xitang's finger twitched.

Upon seeing this, Amber exclaimed with delight, "Xitang!"

Xitang slowly opened his eyes and sat up, supporting himself on the ground. He touched the wounds on his body, looked at the blood on his hands, and then looked at Hu's slightly red eyes.

"... You cried?"

Hu wiped her face and realized it was completely wet; she didn't even know if she had cried or not.

"I didn't cry."

Xitang stood up, supporting himself on Hu's shoulders, and stretched his neck.

"What about the void one?"

"He got away." Hu's voice was a little hoarse. "Even though only his upper body was left, he still managed to escape."

Xitang was silent for a moment. "Alright."

Hu looked at Xitang and suddenly smiled.

"What are you laughing at?" Xitang glared at him.

"It's nothing. I'm just glad you're still alive."

Xitang snorted and draped his arm over Hu's shoulder. "Let's go. Go back and write the report."

"Senior Xitang, you're injured. Let me carry you."

"No need, it's not that bad."

"Then I'll help you up."

Hu helped Xitang walk towards the Senkaimon. The rain was still falling, but it had lessened considerably.

Ichigo and Rukia stood by the river, watching their retreating figures.

"That guy, Amber... is he...?" Ichigo began.

"Yes," Rukia said, "He seems to have gotten stronger again."

"Speaking of which, the other Soul Reaper, I heard Amber call him 'senpai,' is he also from the Feimou Corps? What does he want with you?"

Rukia did not answer.

The light from the Senkaimon brightened, and Hu helped Xitang walk inside.

The passage was quiet, with only the sound of Reishi flowing through it.

"Senior Xitang."

"Um."

"You just now... I thought you were dead."

Xitang was silent for a moment. "I won't die? Do you think I've been the Soul Reaper for years? This little thing won't kill me?"

Hu smiled.

The halo of light behind the door dissipated, and they stood on the land of Seireitei.

"Alright, I can walk by myself."

"Senior Xitang, it's best not to push yourself too hard."

"It's nothing... Hiss!... Amber, let's take a detour and go to the Fourth Division..."

The rain stopped, and sunlight streamed through gaps in the clouds, falling on the two of them...