Hearing Isshin's self-deprecating words, Masaki quickly walked over to him and comforted, "Please don't think that way, Mr. Shinigami! Even though I saved you earlier, weren't you just about to risk your life to save me too? So we're even, it cancels out. As for being saved by your subordinate, aren't you comrades? Isn't it natural for comrades to help each other?"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah..." Isshin felt both amused and exasperated. He hadn't really been thinking that way… he was just mocking himself for ending up in such a pathetic state. He never expected this girl to take it so seriously and show such concern.
"Um... Let me treat you. Please don't move for now," Masaki offered proactively.
"Alright... But I never expected you to be able to handle that thing alone... So... who exactly are you, miss?" Isshin asked, his tone a mix of curiosity and hesitation.
Upon hearing this, Masaki's heart tightened, and her pupils constricted slightly.
'What should I do?! How should I answer?!'
Masaki hesitated internally.
'If he knows I'm a Quincy, what will this Shinigami do?'
Sometimes, the saying 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend' isn't necessarily correct. Although Shinigami and Quincy are both factions that fight Hollows, they are far from friendly with each other… no, they could even be considered hostile. So, if this Shinigami tried to kill her immediately upon learning she was a Quincy, Masaki wouldn't be surprised.
However, Masaki had always hoped for mutual understanding and peaceful coexistence between Quincies and Shinigami. After a fierce internal struggle, she decided… to tell the truth!
"My name is Kurosaki Masaki!"
"I am a Quincy!"
After uttering these two sentences, Masaki immediately watched Isshin nervously, wanting to see his reaction.
When Isshin heard Masaki was a Quincy, he was indeed surprised for a moment. But then, he smiled nonchalantly. "—So you're a Quincy! This is my first time seeing one in person! Wow, seeing a living Quincy feels kind of... like I've hit the jackpot!"
Masaki, however, was stunned by his response. Isshin showed no hostility upon learning she was a Quincy, which greatly exceeded her expectations. In her view, it would have been good enough if he didn't attack her, let alone be completely indifferent to her Quincy identity.
Masaki couldn't help but think to herself: 'What should I say... Is this person... like this? Are all other Shinigami like this too?'
'If only that were true...'
'Then surely, Ryuken, Auntie, and everyone... could all—'
A string of glistening droplets rolled down Masaki's face. It was unclear if they were raindrops or tears of emotion and joy.
Masaki was undoubtedly a kind and gentle person who had always hoped for mutual understanding and friendly relations between Quincies and Shinigami. Seeing Isshin's reaction touched her deeply, making her feel that her long-held convictions might finally have a chance of realization. It felt like the day Shinigami and Quincy could coexist peacefully might truly come.
Seeing Masaki's expression, Toshiro, standing nearby, couldn't help but sigh inwardly. 'What a kind and pure-hearted woman... such a pity...'
Regarding Masaki's fate, it was truly a regrettable matter. She died before the main storyline began. While Toshiro deeply sympathized with her and wanted to change her fate, unfortunately, he couldn't. Because although it seemed Masaki died trying to save Ichigo from a Hollow, that was only the surface reason.
The real reason was that Yhwach performed the Auswählen, taking the powers of all mixed-blood Quincies, including Masaki. Otherwise, with Masaki's strength, she wouldn't have died at the hands of a mere Hollow. Even if Toshiro killed the Hollow that ended her life, it would be useless because Quincies who lost their powers to Yhwach's Auswählen would ultimately die. There was no way to save them.
If Toshiro had arrived just a little earlier, before Masaki was injured while trying to kill White, perhaps she wouldn't have died later. Because Masaki was originally a pure-blood Quincy.
But after being wounded by White and contaminated by its power, her Quincy lineage was no longer pure, turning her into a mixed-blood Quincy. The target of Yhwach's later Auswählen was mixed-blood Quincies. If her bloodline hadn't been contaminated by White's power, Masaki might have escaped that fate.
Unfortunately, fate played a cruel joke. There weren't that many 'ifs'. But dwelling on it now was pointless, and Toshiro stopped obsessing over it.
"Hey, Captain, you really are the type to forget your friends for a pretty face. I came all the way from the Soul Society to save you, and you're busy flirting with a beauty, not even caring about me," Toshiro complained, seeing Isshin and Masaki talking as if no one else was around.
The two had just met for the first time, but Toshiro could already see they had taken a liking to each other and were shamelessly showing PDa without regard for anyone else.
"Toshiro, don't talk nonsense. I was just expressing my gratitude to Ms. Kurosaki. As for you, we know each other so well, there's nothing to say right now. I'll properly thank you once we get back," Isshin explained.
Masaki also apologized sheepishly, "I'm really sorry for neglecting you. May I ask your name?"
"Hitsugaya. Hitsugaya Toshiro," Toshiro replied.
"Mr. Hitsugaya, thank you so much for blocking the Hollow's explosion for us earlier. Otherwise, who knows what would have happened..." Masaki expressed her gratitude.
Although Isshin had intended to shield Masaki with his body, without Toshiro's intervention, even with Isshin's protection, Masaki might not have emerged unscathed.
"No need to be so polite," Toshiro said dismissively.
Masaki would eventually become Isshin's wife, and Toshiro and Isshin were close friends. So, Masaki was like a sister-in-law to Toshiro… they were all on the same side.
'Hmm, by that logic, wouldn't that make Kurosaki Ichigo have to call me Uncle in the future?' Toshiro suddenly thought.
'Uncle Hitsugaya... hehehe... that doesn't sound too bad.'
Thinking this, Toshiro couldn't help but feel a sense of delight.