Rumble!!!
The abandoned building collapsed with a deafening roar.
It had been split right down the middle by a single slash.
Bricks and rubble clattered down, raising a storm of dust so thick it blotted out half the sky.
The massive noise startled the students in the classroom. They all stared wide-eyed at the windows.
"What happened?"
"Did they finally demolish that old building?"
"No… it looked like something sliced it apart!"
"Don't be ridiculous, that's gotta be demolition explosives. What could cut a whole building in half?"
"…."
The students chattered in confusion.
Rukia and Ichigo stared in shock. Why had Cole destroyed that entire structure?
Did he… buy an apartment in there too?
"Wait—was there a Hollow inside?"
Rukia suddenly realized, and she hurried out of the classroom. Ichigo quickly followed.
Both entered shinigami form and rushed toward the ruins.
"Cole, did you find a Hollow?"
Rukia looked nervously at the dust-choked wreckage.
She could hardly believe it. Even her scanner hadn't picked up a Hollow—so how had Cole?
Had he mastered reiraku already? And even if he had, how could he surpass her?
Ichigo, on the other hand, trusted him completely. He unsheathed his zanpakuto, watching the dust cloud warily.
"Cole, is there really a Hollow in there?"
Cole nodded slightly. "Faint, but it's there. Most likely lying in ambush."
"Then we should be careful going in."
Rukia raised her right hand, ready to cast a kido at any moment.
Ichigo tightened his grip on his blade.
Cole glanced at them… then hefted his eighty-meter zanpakuto.
"Why go in?"
Before they could react, he swung his massive blade down with wild laughter.
"Just kill the building and the Hollow together!"
RUMMMBLE!!!
The thunderous crashes shook the air as the already ruined structure shattered further. Thick cracks carved seven to eight meters deep tore through the ground.
Dust and rubble exploded outward.
Within seconds, the hiding Hollow couldn't take it anymore. It burst out, roaring with a twisted face:
"Damn shinigami, are you insane!?"
Shuuh!
Silver light flashed across its body.
In the next instant, the Hollow split neatly in two. Its last words became its dying gasp.
And then—
The sky split open.
A massive gate appeared, carved with crimson skeletal reliefs. From its darkness thrust a blade that impaled the Hollow's body.
Instead of dissolving into reishi, the Hollow shrieked as the blade dragged it inside.
The gates slowly closed with a dreadful finality.
Ichigo swallowed hard, trembling. "Rukia… that was—"
Rukia inhaled deeply, her tone grim.
"You've heard of Hell, haven't you?"
She didn't wait for an answer.
"When souls become Hollows, no matter their sins, being slain by a shinigami purifies them—returning them to the cycle of life."
"But humans who committed unforgivable crimes while alive… are dragged to Hell instead."
"Hell is an eternal prison, a place without death or end, where sinners suffer forever."
Ichigo's blood ran cold. So besides Soul Society, there was also such a terrifying place.
Cole, however, wasn't surprised. He just raised an eyebrow at Rukia.
"I just made a scene big enough for half the town to see. And you're not yelling at me?"
Normally, she'd be stomping and raging by now.
Rukia's face twisted strangely. "You won't believe this, but… yesterday, some 'good Samaritans' came to me. They said they'd handle modifying human memories."
Cole blinked. Who the hell were these suckers?
At that very moment—
Near Orihime's home.
Urahara Kisuke, Tessai, Jinta, and Ururu were drenched in sweat, working tirelessly with memory-altering sprays.
Tessai wiped his forehead with a relieved smile. "Shopkeeper, we're almost done!"
They had been working nonstop since yesterday—an entire day and night cleaning up eyewitnesses.
Jinta ground his teeth. "It's all that damn human's fault! Over a thousand slashes—didn't he get tired!?"
Even quiet Ururu pouted angrily, punching her tiny fist. "That guy really is too much…"
Urahara chuckled weakly. "Don't be angry. Captain Kurosaki personally asked us. We can't refuse, right? At least it's almost over—"
His words died.
A new tremor boomed from the direction of Karakura First High School.
Urahara's face darkened as his reiraku spread to confirm it.
The shopkeeper's smile vanished, veins bulging on his temple.
"Are those brats trying to kill us!?"
He hadn't even finished cleaning one mess—
And now another disaster already began.
…
Later, back at school, Cole and the others explained everything to Chad.
The soul inside the parrot finally understood.
After apologizing tearfully to Chad, it was sent to Soul Society by Rukia's konso.
"Well then…"
Rukia sprayed the memory-eraser mist in Chad's face.
At the same time—
Soul Society, Twelfth Division's Technology Bureau.
In a chamber filled with enormous machines, crimson alarms flashed. White-clad researchers scrambled frantically, adjusting instruments.
"Confirmed!" one shouted. "An unrecorded reiatsu—between Captain and Lieutenant level!"
Another cried, "And a second unknown reiatsu… about Seventh Seat level!"
Moments later, another added: "The location is Karakura Town in the World of the Living!"
Hearing the reports, Akon of the Twelfth Division stormed toward the exit, face grim.
"Karakura Town… again. Just who dares provoke Soul Society there!?"
......…
.........
(End of Chapter)
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