When Dark Rukia attacked, Gaoyu didn't try to block her. Instead, he dodged backward.
The red scythe cut through empty air.
Gaoyu shrugged and said, "All right, that's enough playing around. I've got a powerful ally on my side."
He moved back to Stark's side, looking very much like someone with a powerful henchman at his beck and call.
"Ha!" Dark Rukia laughed. "Senior Gaoyu, I never thought you'd be hanging out with Hollows. That's a heinous crime!"
Gaoyu couldn't help laughing too. "Of course I hang out with Hollows. After all, I spend a lot of time with you."
He could tell that this Dark Rukia wasn't White. White's influence must have affected Rukia, or perhaps the two of them had fused in some way, awakening a kind of "second personality."
So she didn't have White's memories. Her memories must have come from Kuchiki Rukia, which meant she didn't know Gaoyu's true identity.
And Gaoyu had said that because Dark Rukia wasn't a Soul Reaper right now. She was...
A Hollow!
There was a Hollow hole in Dark Rukia's abdomen, completely uncovered by her white clothes.
In other words, in this state, Rukia was a Hollow!
Since Gaoyu was with Rukia, he was naturally hanging out with a Hollow.
"Interesting. Did you discover my existence a long time ago?" Dark Rukia asked. "Now that I think about it, you and that Minotaur Hollow are working together. What did you do to me?"
"No. I didn't do anything to you. You brought this on yourself."
Gaoyu spoke in a low voice.
"?" Dark Rukia frowned, confused.
By now, Gaoyu had more or less figured some things out. He spoke up. "A special item has been implanted in your body. We call it the Hogyoku."
"The Hogyoku?" Dark Rukia furrowed her