"Hello, Mr. Hawking. I'd heard Ichigo mention you long ago, but I never expected to meet you only today."
Looking at the young man before him, from whom he could not sense even the slightest Spiritual Pressure, Kisuke Urahara's eyes flashed with surprise.
More than two months ago, Ichigo Kurosaki had told him about Hawking. He had also conducted a thorough examination of Ichigo Kurosaki's body, yet he had found no trace whatsoever of Hawking's existence.
Later, Ichigo Kurosaki said Hawking had appeared several more times, but each time he disappeared again before long. After examining him, Urahara still found nothing unusual.
If Ichigo Kurosaki had not insisted so adamantly, he would have suspected that Ichigo Kurosaki was hallucinating.
But now, he had truly seen this person. Moreover, the other man had used his own Spiritual Pressure to release the Spiritual Pressure within Ichigo Kurosaki's body. That made Urahara even less able to fathom his true nature.
Could another world really exist? Or was this some special ability of a Zanpakuto?
Like Aizen's Kyoka Suigetsu, which could hypnotize people.
And Hawking had actually restored Ichigo Kurosaki's power using his Spiritual Pressure alone. Just how terrifying was his Spiritual Pressure, or had he used some special technique?
"Ichigo's friend? How come I didn't know about him?"
Isshin Kurosaki looked at Hawking and could not help scratching the back of his head. There was actually a friend of his son's whom he did not know. It seemed he had not been paying enough attention lately.
"How embarrassing. Without me around, you actually became this useless!"
While the three of them were exchanging greetings here, Rukia Kuchiki had already kicked Ichigo Kurosaki flying. The two began roughhousing over there.
"So Shinigami from the Soul Society had arrived. No wonder they were so strong."