Two years later, Masaki Kurosaki graduated from high school and held a small wedding with Shiba Isshin. In the end, Yamabuki Chidori was the only friend or family member who attended.
Afterward, Shiba Isshin married into the Kurosaki Family and changed his name to Isshin Kurosaki.
Another year passed, and the two had a healthy boy. They named him Kurosaki Ichigo.
The wheels of fate began to turn.
Yamabuki Chidori had been in this world for a thousand years. At last, she had seen what its protagonist looked like.
Yamabuki Chidori was not the only one curious about Kurosaki Ichigo. Aizen was fascinated by the child, too.
For the past thousand years, Yamabuki Chidori had seemed indifferent to nearly everything, yet she had gone to any lengths to ensure this child was born. Aizen suspected she was plotting something enormous.
On the night Kurosaki Ichigo was born, Aizen came to the hospital alone.
Masaki Kurosaki had just given birth and lay asleep in her hospital bed.
Isshin Kurosaki had gone out to buy food, leaving only mother and son in the room.
Aizen silently drew his Zanpakuto.
The newborn Kurosaki Ichigo saw Aizen and smiled up at him, eyes wide.
Aizen smiled back. "I don't know what your birth means, but I've spent five hundred years pursuing my ultimate goal... Shatter, Kyōka Suigetsu."
And just like that, Kurosaki Ichigo fell under Kyōka Suigetsu's hypnosis while he was still an infant.
Footsteps sounded outside. Isshin Kurosaki was returning with an armful of food.
But Aizen had already vanished.
Isshin Kurosaki had lost his Soul Reaper powers, so Aizen had nothing to fear even if they met face-to-face. He mainly wanted to avoid alarming his teacher.
Isshin Kurosaki had no idea his son had caught the final boss's attention on the day