First, there was her personality. Rukia didn't know why, but every so often she would suddenly become irritable, nothing like her usual self.
It only lasted for a fleeting moment, but even so, it left Rukia breaking out in a cold sweat.
Then there was her fighting ability. Rukia felt that it was improving by leaps and bounds.
She hadn't been particularly skilled in swordsmanship before, and had mainly specialized in Kidō. But now her swordsmanship was improving rapidly. During training, she instinctively knew how she should swing her blade next.
These changes weren't obvious, but over time, Rukia had still noticed them.
So this question had always been on her mind...
Had the Hollow White really left back then?
Could he have...
Escaped somewhere? Somewhere... very close to her, yet somewhere she would never discover?
At the thought that this might be possible, Rukia felt uneasy. Worse, she felt guilty, as though she were doubting Gaoyu, the man who had saved her life.
Only now had she finally worked up the courage to bring it up in front of Gaoyu.
Seeing how serious Rukia was, Gaoyu was about to speak when a Hell Butterfly drifted in from outside.
It flew up to Gaoyu, and he held out his hand, letting it land on his finger.
The next moment, a message entered Gaoyu's mind.
Gaoyu sent the Hell Butterfly on its way, then looked at Rukia, whose serious expression was tinged with confusion. "You want to know the answer to this question, right?"
"Then this message should clear up your doubts."
"...What?" Rukia looked at Gaoyu in confusion.
Gaoyu's expression grew grave. "The Hollow expedition team found the Minotaur Hollow from back then, and then..."
"They were wiped out."
?!
"What?!" Rukia sprang to her feet, undisguised shock in her