Bang!
Ryuken roughly pushed open Kanae's door and strode in.
"Katagiri!!" Ryuken pinned Kanae against the wall in a 'kabe-don'.
"Why?! Why did you tell Mother?!"
"I told you nothing happened that night, so there was no need to tell Mother anything!" Ryuken said angrily.
"Of course there was a problem!" Kanae retorted.
"What?" Ryuken was taken aback, it was the first time Kanae had openly contradicted him.
Kanae explained, "Masaki-sama was injured by the Hollow's attack. Without formal Quincy treatment techniques performed by Master or Mistress..."
"...there's a risk the Ishida Family's bloodline could be contaminated!!" Kanae mustered the courage to shout.
But Ryuken dismissed it. "For that reason?"
"For that reason?!" Kanae countered.
"That reason is everything, isn't it?! Didn't you say that yourself, Young Master?!"
"'I will marry Masaki-sama'… wasn't that also for the future of the Quincies?!" Kanae shouted boldly.
"I..." Faced with Kanae's interrogation, Ryuken had no rebuttal.
"Damn it!!" Ryuken punched the wall in frustration, then turned and walked out helplessly.
Returning to the hall, Ryuken called out, "Mother! Please wait!!"
"Ryuken!"
"Ryuken!"
Both Izumi and Masaki turned to look at him.
Ryuken defended Masaki. "That incident wasn't Masaki's fault! Masaki, she—"
However, Masaki, not wanting a rift between Ryuken and his mother, interrupted. "It's fine, Ryuken. It's my fault for upsetting Auntie."
Ryuken insisted, "That's not your fault... Never mind that for now. How's your body? Katagiri said—"
"I'm fine, I'm fine. Don't worry, Ryuken, my body—"
Thud!
Before Masaki could finish, she suddenly collapsed to the floor.
"Masaki!!" After a stunned moment, Ryuken shouted.
He rushed to Masaki's side, concerned. "What's wrong, Masaki?! Are you in pain somewhere—?"
Masaki lay on the floor, frowning, sweating profusely, clearly in great pain. As Ryuken tried to help her up, he froze, as if seeing something unbelievable.
"How can this be?!" Ryuken said incredulously.
Izumi also reacted with disbelief. "What..."
"Is that... a Hollow hole?"
Beneath Masaki's neck, a 'hole' had appeared… identical to the holes on Hollows.
After the initial shock, Ryuken picked up Masaki and headed outside.
"What are you planning to do, Ryuken?!" Izumi demanded.
"Where's Father? I need to find him!" Ryuken asked.
Izumi replied irritably, "I don't know! I'm trying to contact him now. Just wait here!"
Ignoring her, Ryuken ran out, still carrying Masaki.
"Ryuken!!" Izumi shouted.
"Stop! Being near that unknown entity puts you in danger too!!"
"Stop, Ryuken!!"
"Come back, come back..."
"Please come back, Ryuken!!!"
But Ryuken paid no heed, continuing outside until he vanished from Izumi's sight.
…
At the same time, Soul Society.
"Captain, Toshiro—!"
Rangiku, carrying a stack of documents, entered the Captain's office.
"Um... Toshiro, and Captain, I have an urgent task and need to go to the dango shop, so these documents are entrusted to you—"
"Ah?"
Rangiku looked around but found neither Isshin nor Toshiro present.
"That's strange," Rangiku wondered.
If only Isshin was absent, it wouldn't be odd, as he and Rangiku were similarly lazy, often sneaking out. But Toshiro usually handled division affairs in the office. If Toshiro also neglected duties, the 10th Division would surely fall apart.
"Hmm?"
Rangiku noticed a note on the desk. It read: Rangiku, the Captain and I are going to the Living World. Please come up with a good excuse to placate Captain-Commander. Also, division work is temporarily in your hands.
The signature was Toshiro's.
"Are you kidding me?!" Rangiku tore the note to shreds.
"You got lucky last time and weren't punished. Now you're going to the Living World again? Are you two idiots?!" She yelled at the empty air.
"And dumping all the division work on me?! That's so irresponsible!!" This was the main reason for Rangiku's anger, though she hardly had the right to say so.
Here's what happened: Earlier, Isshin wanted to go to the Living World and approached Toshiro, asking him to cover for him with Captain-Commander.
Upon hearing Isshin's plan, Toshiro insisted on going along. Although Toshiro's stated reason was concern that the mastermind might target Isshin again, his real motive was knowing that this trip might be Isshin's last… if Isshin decided to stay in the Living World, Toshiro needed to have a serious talk with him.
…
Living World.
Ryuken was running while carrying Masaki.
'What on earth is happening?'
'What's happening to Masaki's body?'
'And what is this Hollow-like hole?'
Preoccupied with thoughts about Masaki, Ryuken failed to notice his surroundings.
"Roar!"
A roar echoed as a large Hollow suddenly appeared, opening its maw wide to bite Ryuken.
"What?!" Lost in thought, Ryuken was caught completely off guard by the sudden attack.