Zanpakuto? There's One Right Here, Isn't There?

Yuko's words acted like a sedative, slightly relaxing Masaki's taut nerves.

She took a deep breath and nodded, but the worry in her eyes did not completely fade. Even after losing her Quincy powers, her instinct for danger remained sharp.

Masaki said softly, "Was it a coincidence? Or has that child Ichigo's spiritual pressure grown enough to attract Hollows?"

Under normal circumstances, Hollows would not attack ordinary people. There was little point in devouring the souls of people without spiritual power.

In most cases, Hollows simply wandered around looking for souls with high concentrations of spirit particles. They would drag unrelated people into the incident, which could basically be called an innocent disaster.

So Masaki immediately guessed the truth.

Yuko came to the window and looked down at the street by the front entrance without turning around. "That's probably it. This guy seems to have picked up Ichigo's scent, along with that Soul Reaper's."

Masaki had been immersed in reacting to the danger and only now remembered. "A Soul Reaper? You mean Ichigo can now..."

"Mm. He can already see Soul Reapers and Hollows."

When Ichigo was nine, he encountered that disguised Hollow. He should not have been able to see it. Although he could see ordinary souls, the strength of a Hollow's spirit particles was on an entirely different level from that of an ordinary soul.

The Hollow had disguised itself, weakening the spirit-particle strength of the disguised part. That was why Ichigo could see it.

Masaki clenched her fist against her chest. "I see. As expected, that child inherited his father's talents."

Bang!!!

"Ah!"

At that moment, a tremendous crash came from downstairs, as though the entire building had shaken. It was immediately followed by Karin's painful wail.

"Karin!"

Masaki's heart tightened, and she hurried toward the window.