Rukia!
Rukia!
"Wake up, Rukia!"
Rukia Kuchiki heard a series of shouts in her ears.
Who... is calling me?
With her eyes tightly closed and her consciousness hazy, Rukia's mind suddenly stirred slightly upon hearing the shouts beside her.
" Rukia, wake up! We don't have much time left..."
The anxious, urgent voice rang incessantly in Rukia's ears, calling out to Rukia and reminding Rukia.
"That voice sounds so familiar?!"
"Who... is it?"
"It should be someone I know..."
Rukia's mind raced, and her consciousness grew clearer. Gradually, Rukia finally realized who the voice belonged to...
"Black..."
Rukia unconscious on the ground, suddenly opened her eyes and looked at the man who had been guarding her side.
"... Renji?!"
Rukia looked at the man with deep red hair, a few specks of dust on his cheeks, and ripped clothes, who, despite his disheveled appearance, still greeted her with the most radiant smile. Her eyes flickered...
"By the way, after Ichigo Kurosaki rescued me from the casket, he threw me onto Renji on the ground, and then... and then... what happened?"
Rukia was stunned for a moment before she could recall what had happened. But... as Rukia recalled what had happened little by little, she suddenly realized that there was a blank in her mind, as if she had forgotten something. Moreover, as she explored the memories of that blank period, her brain felt like it was being pricked with needles, causing her unbearable pain.
"Hateful..."
Rukia clutched her head and collapsed to the ground. Her face was contorted in pain, her body trembled slightly, and her forehead was covered in glistening beads of sweat from the throbbing pain in her brain.
" Rukia, are you alright?"
Seeing Rukia's pained expression, Renji quickly sat down beside her with Rukia.
"N-nothing... it's just that something seems to be missing from my memory. Whenever I try to figure out what I've forgotten, my brain keeps throbbing with pain, which is almost unbearable."
Rukia Kuchiki waved to Renji, indicating that she was alright.
"Since you can't remember right now, don't force yourself. Your body hasn't fully recovered, so these kinds of problems are inevitable..."
Renji Abarai looked at Rukia Kuchiki Rukia Kuchiki concern, worried that she might be hurt again.
"Well... that's the only way."
I'm sorry I worried you.
After hearing Renji Abarai's words, Rukia Kuchiki sighed helplessly and gave a bitter smile.
Although she didn't intend to give up on finding out what she had forgotten, each time she tried to explore that memory, she was blocked and backfired by her brain, forcing her to temporarily abandon her plans to continue exploring. Just as Renji Abarai said, since her body hadn't fully recovered, she was bound to encounter all sorts of situations. Faced with these unexpected situations, the best choice was to focus on getting better first, and then solve all these problems one by one once she recovered.
"I'm so happy to see you again, Rukia."
Renji Abarai sat beside Rukia Kuchiki, his hand gently stroking Rukia cheek, his eyes tender and gentle, as if he were holding a priceless treasure, afraid it would melt in his mouth or break in his hands...
"Lian... Renji..."
Rukia Kuchiki's gaze, without her noticing, met Renji Abarai's gentle, watery eyes.
In an instant... a flush of red rose from Rukia Kuchiki's snow-white cheeks...
"Idiot... Renji..."
Rukia instinctively hugged herself into a ball. For some reason, looking at Renji Abarai's eyes, she felt flustered and particularly insecure.
" Rukia..."
Renji Abarai looked at Rukia, who was huddled up to him, and showed no sign of backing down. He took off his black Shihakusho, revealing a white undershirt underneath, and then draped the Shihakusho over Rukia's shoulders.
" Rukia... it's alright now, you've been successfully rescued..."
So... you no longer need to be afraid!
"This time, no matter who the enemy is, I will never back down!"
Renji Abarai looked at the petite beauty beneath him and spoke earnestly.
"Huh?!"
"Eh..."
Rukia Kuchiki's cheeks had never felt so hot. She never imagined that this silly guy would say something like that to her at a time like this. He was so... cunning... Anyone would think he was confessing his feelings!
"So... Rukia!"
Please promise me, promise me!
"Please never leave my side again, okay?"
Renji Abarai held Rukia's hand tightly, knelt on one knee, and looked at Rukia Kuchiki with deep affection in his eyes.
Is this... a marriage proposal?
"So fast?"
What should I do? What should I do now?
Rukia Kuchiki was completely stunned. Her mind went blank, as if it had been cleared. She stood there dumbfounded. If you had to describe Rukia Kuchiki in four words, it would be... utterly dumbfounded! Stunned! And, scared to death!
Renji Abarai's sudden offensive shocked Rukia Kuchiki for a hundred years...
Today's performance was Rukia Kuchiki had never imagined, so for a moment, she couldn't accept it.
" Rukia... do you really hate being with me that much?"
Renji Abarai held Rukia Kuchiki's hand, his eyes filled with sadness and helplessness.
"I..."
Rukia Kuchiki listened to Renji Abarai's words, her expression somewhat dazed. Renji Abarai's question was simply too much; what did he mean by "dislike"?! If she replied that she didn't dislike him now... wouldn't that be tantamount to indirectly accepting Renji Abarai? But... she and Renji were far from reaching that point...
Rukia Kuchiki is a woman with strong opinions and who follows tradition. She always makes choices after careful consideration. Faced with this situation that suddenly disrupts her rhythm, as if an invisible hand is leading her by the nose, she secretly groans. This passive feeling makes her feel powerless.
"I... um..."
Rukia Kuchiki's eyes darted around, and finally she noticed something.
" Renji... have you noticed that something's off about our surroundings? Don't you think there's a lot of fog around us?"
Rukia Kuchiki was trying to distract Renji Abarai in this way, so that he would stop pursuing the Renji questions.
Don't worry, Rukia!
"No matter what happens, I will protect you."
Taking advantage of Rukia's question, Renji Abarai Rukia Kuchiki into his arms. He gently touched Rukia's small earlobe, blowing a warm breeze that made one feel a tingling sensation, and spoke softly.
"I... I..."
Rukia Kuchiki's chest pounded wildly as she was Renji Abarai's combination of punches, as if a deer were fluttering in her heart...
The warm atmosphere, the humid air, and the intensely charismatic Renji Abarai made Rukia Kuchiki feel somewhat overwhelmed. She had no recollection of Renji Abarai as this person. What had Renji Abarai gone through during the decades they had trained separately? This Renji Abarai Rukia Kuchiki with a mixture of unease and curiosity...
" Rukia, you don't need to answer any of my questions now."
I know... there's a huge gap in our current social standing.
"Wait for me... After I successfully become a squad leader, I will personally propose marriage to the Kuchiki Clan."
Renji Abarai held Rukia Kuchiki tightly in his arms. His brows were furrowed, and his eyes were firm, revealing the seriousness and sincerity in Renji Abarai gaze.
"Proposing marriage?"
What on earth is all this?
Rukia Kuchiki covered her flushed cheeks, completely bewildered as to why the topic of marriage had suddenly come up... when nothing had even started yet!
"Don't worry, Rukia!"
"I will definitely defeat Byakuya Kuchiki in a head-on confrontation, leaving everyone speechless."
Renji Abarai frowned, his eyes showing a hint of anxiety, as if it were because of Rukia Kuchiki's mental instability or something else.
"Defeat the eldest brother?"
After hearing Renji Abarai's words, Rukia Kuchiki was suddenly taken aback. As she gradually calmed down, she suddenly sensed that something was amiss.
Yeah~
"Only by defeating Byakuya Kuchiki will others acknowledge our strength."
Renji Abarai nodded slightly, his attitude resolute.
"..."
Rukia Kuchiki looked at Renji Abarai with a hint of suspicion in her eyes. Renji Abarai did indeed consider Byakuya Kuchiki a target he had to defeat, but... it wasn't for some trivial reason like marrying her. It was a kind of motivation—to see someone you admire as a rival, to set a goal you had to surpass, and to spur yourself on to keep striving forward... But now, Renji Abarai was saying that he wanted to defeat Byakuya Kuchiki because of their relationship, which made Rukia Kuchiki begin to have doubts.
"Found it~"
Just as Rukia Kuchiki was pondering, Renji Abarai, who had been frowning, suddenly relaxed his brows and revealed a relieved smile.
"Found it?"
Rukia Kuchiki heard what Renji Abarai said, but she couldn't understand what he meant by "Renji Abarai found"...
"Found it!"
"I've finally found you Rukia! Are you alright?!"
Just as Rukia Kuchiki was feeling puzzled, the fog that had been blocking her view suddenly thinned out considerably, and a disheveled young man wearing tattered Shihakusho and with long, flowing red hair suddenly appeared in front of Rukia Kuchiki, excitedly calling out Rukia's name.
" Renji?!"
Rukia Kuchiki stared, stunned, at the young man who had emerged from the clouds and stood before her. She was suddenly bewildered; she didn't understand why there were two Renji...
" Rukia? Who's that person next to you?"
Renji had just appeared, also noticed himself standing behind Rukia, hugging Rukia. To be honest, he was completely dumbfounded when he saw himself hugging Rukia.
"Who... is it?"
Rukia was confused. The person holding her from behind was Renji, but the person standing in front of her now was undoubtedly Renji as well. So who was Renji? If the person who suddenly appeared in front of her was Renji, then... who was the person standing behind her, holding her the whole time?
Rukia immediately got goosebumps all over her body.
Yeah~
"How strange~"
"If... this clumsy brat who suddenly appears before me is Renji Abarai, then who am I? Rukia..."
Just as Rukia felt a chill rise in her heart, even though she was wearing the Shihakusho that Renji Abarai had given her from behind, she still felt incredibly cold, as if she were naked and in the Arctic. At that Renji Abarai behind Rukia revealed a gentle smile. He leaned close to Rukia's ear and asked in an incredibly gentle voice, like spring rain.
" Rukia! Get away from him!"
Having already realized what was happening, Renji Abarai, who had just arrived, anxiously called out to Rukia Kuchiki.
"I..."
Rukia wanted to say something, but it was too late...
"Pfft..."
With a sound like a sharp object piercing her body, Rukia saw a white hand pass straight through her back into her chest. Inside that hand was a bright blue bead that emitted a soft glow and sparkled.
"I'm sorry, Rukia ~"
"Because even I'm not sure exactly where that genius Kisuke Urahara will put this thing on your body, that's why I said those rude things and acted so indecently just now. I sincerely apologize to you and express my deepest remorse."
Renji Abarai, who had been standing behind Rukia Kuchiki, tightly gripped the jewel he had extracted from Rukia body. His expression shifted from agitation to one of strategic brilliance. He was explaining his actions to Rukia Kuchiki: his constant Rukia and touching of Rukia body was merely a tactic to determine where Kisuke Urahara had hidden the object in his hand...
"Finally, thank you, Rukia."
Renji Abarai, who had been standing behind Rukia Kuchiki, thanked Rukia Kuchiki and then gently withdrew his hand from her Rukia, who had fainted due to his violent actions, Rukia Rukia no longer of any use to him.
" Rukia, are you alright?"
"Wake up, Rukia!"
"That despicable bastard, how could he do that to Rukia?!"
Renji Abarai, who had just arrived, picked up Rukia Kuchiki Rukia Kuchiki from the ground and began to examine her wounds.
Don't worry!
"I used special powers to take this bead from Rukia Kuchiki's body, so Rukia Kuchiki shouldn't have been harmed at all."
"She just fainted because she was too tired."
Renji Abarai had removed the jewel from Rukia's body, spoke softly to Renji Abarai, who was squatting on the ground, holding Rukia Kuchiki and looking pained.
"Damn it! Who... who are you?"
Renji Abarai's eyes were bloodshot. He looked at the man in front of him who looked exactly like him with incomprehension. He roared angrily, wishing he could tear this person who looked exactly like him to pieces right now.
"Um?!"
"Um... sorry~sorry~"
"Look at me, I've completely forgotten to untangle my interference in your life."
Renji Abarai, who was holding the jewel, showed a hint of apology on his face after hearing Renji's angry roar while holding Rukia, and kept apologizing...
The very next second, Renji, who was holding the jewel, suddenly turned into countless fragments, and in his place appeared a tall man with a gentle face and short brown hair, wearing Captain's Haori.
"You... you are..."
Renji Abarai looked at the man standing in front of him, his breathing became rapid, and his expression was full of shock.
"Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Sōsuke Aizen."
The brown-haired man smiled faintly at Renji Abarai's surprised expression.
" Aizen... this... is impossible..."
Renji Abarai was at a loss for words. The dead had suddenly come back to life, and they seemed to be enemies of Soul Society... This made Renji Abarai's arms, which were holding Rukia, tremble.
"Nothing is impossible..."
The facts are right in front of you.
Aizen, with his usual warm smile, used his magnetic voice to help Renji Abarai come to terms with the truth.
"Get out of the way, Renji!"
"Crescent Moon Sky..."
Just as Renji Abarai was stunned and unable to move, a voice that Renji Abarai very well exploded between Aizen and Renji. An orange-haired boy wearing a black trench coat and holding a katana rushed out and slashed at Aizen.
Children shouldn't play with knives.
Faced with Ichigo Kurosaki's sharp katana, Aizen extended two fingers and gently pinched the blade Ichigo Kurosaki.
"What?"
Ichigo Kurosaki was stunned to see Aizen block his attack. This was the first time he had seen someone, apart from Sōgo Shihoin, who could block his Bankai so easily.
"Bump!"
Just as Ichigo Kurosaki was stunned, Aizen punched him in the abdomen, instantly reverting Ichigo Kurosaki Bankai to his Shikai state. Ichigo Kurosaki then lay on the ground, clutching his abdomen and convulsing.
Aizen didn't even draw his Zanpakuto during his fight with Ichigo Kurosaki...
" Hyōrinmaru!"
Just as Ichigo Kurosaki lay on the ground, an ice dragon descended from the sky, heading straight for Aizen.
"Boring..."
Aizen didn't even bother to dodge the ice Aizen that descended from the sky; he just stood there, letting the ice dragon bombard him!
"Null!"
With a Aizen roar, the ice dragon, unable to even break through Aizen's Spiritual Pressure, transformed into countless beautiful ice crystals that drifted in the wind...
"Whoosh!"
Just as Aizen broke through the ice crystals, accompanied by a whooshing sound, Byakuya Kuchiki, wearing Captain's Haori, a hair accessory called " Kenseikan " and a scarf called " Silver-White Ginpakukazahana no Uzuginu -Byakuya Kuchiki " around his neck, suddenly appeared in front of Aizen Aizen, less than a meter away.
" Byakurai..."
Byakuya Kuchiki started with his most proficient Kidō.
"Um?!"
Aizen's eyes narrowed as he faced Byakuya Kuchiki's Byakurai. He stretched out one hand to block it. Unlike when he dealt with Tōshirō Hitsugaya 'Byakuya Ice Dragon, he did not let Byakuya bombard him.
"Boom!"
A white lightning bolt, resembling a Hollow Cero, instantly illuminated the entire space, engulfing Aizen.
"Good."
The next second, after the lightning dissipated, Aizen appeared unharmed with a smile in front of everyone. Even Byakuya Kuchiki's attack could not harm him in the slightest.
"Boom..."
Facing the seemingly invincible Aizen, Byakuya Kuchiki's eyes remained completely calm. Countless cherry blossom petals appeared around him and Ichigo Kurosaki without them noticing, engulfing them in the next instant.
After the petals dissipated, everyone in front of Sōsuke Aizen had vanished.
"So that's how it is... Your attack on me was just a cover for your escape?"
"I must say, Byakuya Kuchiki, you are indeed quite good."
Perhaps because Sōsuke Aizen in a good mood, he lavishly praised Byakuya Kuchiki, who should have been his enemy.
So... you're my enemy?
Just as Aizen was evaluating Byakuya Kuchiki, a tall figure suddenly appeared beside Aizen. That beast-like figure grinned and swung his Zanpakuto at Aizen.
" Kenpachi Zaraki?"
Even when facing a combined attack from Ichigo Kurosaki, Tōshirō Hitsugaya, and Sōsuke Aizen, Byakuya Kuchiki remained standing still. When faced with Kenpachi Zaraki's attack, he didn't take the risk of taking it head-on. Instead, he easily dodged Byakuya Kuchiki's attack with a quick movement.
You knocked Ichigo Kurosaki!
"In that case, I have no choice but to make you my opponent."
Kenpachi Zaraki looked at Sōsuke Aizen and spoke with some eagerness.
"Forget it! Kenpachi Zaraki! I have no intention of fighting you."
After hearing Kenpachi Zaraki's words, Sōsuke Aizen shook his head and smiled gently.
"That's not your turn..."
Kenpachi Zaraki clearly had no intention of letting Sōsuke Aizen; his eyes gleamed with excitement, eager to try his luck.
"Yeah?"
After hearing Kenpachi Zaraki's words, Sōsuke Aizen smiled slightly, and the next second... two men wearing Captain's Haori appeared beside him, as well as a person wearing Kidō Chief.
"Calm down, Kenpachi Zaraki! You're no match for us!"
The newly arrived Kaname Tōsen faced Kenpachi Zaraki and spoke without any politeness.
"Wow~ How scary~ Kenpachi Zaraki ~"
Gin Ichimaru chuckled, still looking rather nonchalant.
"Speaking of which, Gotei 13 should have realized it by now, right?"
Gosuke, the Kidō Chief Daoist Priest, looked around at the misty surroundings, raised an eyebrow, and asked.
"Boom!"
Just as Gosuke finished speaking, a strong gust of wind blew away all the fog from the execution ground.
Appearing before Aizen and the others, standing less than a hundred meters away, were Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai, the captain of the First Division, wielding a scepter; Shunsui Kyōraku, wielding twin swords; Jūshirō Ukitake Kaien Shiba and Kūkaku Shiba, standing ready for battle; and Hachisho Shaoling Fon, toying with her ' Death in Two Steps ' Shikai Suzumebachi...
The last day of the seven-day holiday, this chapter is 6,000 words~ Wishing everyone a smooth workday tomorrow~
(End of this chapter)