Baishin's eyes narrowed as he assessed the newcomer, his lips curling into a smirk of amusement at her boldness.
Soi Fon's expression remained impassive as she readied herself for battle, her gaze steady and unwavering. Without further ado, Soi Fon launched herself forward, her speed matching Baishin's as she closed the distance between them in the blink of an eye. Baishin grinned, a glint of excitement flashing in his eyes as he welcomed the challenge.
With lightning-fast reflexes, Baishin extended his arms, unleashing a barrage of razor-sharp blades in all directions. The projectiles sliced through the air with deadly precision, tearing through buildings and structures in their path as they sought to distract Soi Fon.
Soi Fon swiftly dodged and weaved through the onslaught, her movements fluid and precise as she avoided the deadly blades with practiced skill.
Nemu who watched everything from a certain distance, moved quickly and with a series of swift strikes, she deflected the incoming projectiles, redirecting them away from Ichigo and innocent bystanders and minimizing the destruction caused by Baishin's attack.
As Baishin continued to rain down blades upon the captain, Soi Fon remained focused, her determination unyielding as she maintained her pursuit. With each passing moment, she drew closer to her target, her resolve unwavering despite the formidable challenge before her.
When the rain of blades momentarily blocked the captain's vision, Baishin seized the opportunity to retreat, utilizing Shunpō to vanish from the scene in a blur of motion. Soi Fon's eyes narrowed in frustration as she watched him disappear.
With Baishin's disappearance, the tension in the air eased slightly, allowing Nemu to approach Ichigo, who was still recovering from the ordeal. She offered him a hand, assisting him in getting back on his feet as they surveyed the aftermath of the battle.
Nemu: "Are you alright, Ichigo-san?"
Ichigo nodded weakly, offering a grateful smile to Nemu as he steadied himself with her support.
Ichigo: "Yeah, thanks to you and Soi Fon. That was a close one."
As they spoke, Soi Fon approached them, her expression cold and calculating as she surveyed Ichigo with a critical gaze.
Soi Fon: "I must say, Ichigo Kurosaki, I expected more from someone who defeated Byakuya Kuchiki."
Her words carried a sharp edge of disdain, a subtle mockery underlying her tone as she addressed Ichigo.
Ichigo's brows furrowed in frustration at Soi Fon's condescending remark.
Ichigo: "Yeah, well, I would've done better if you hadn't let Baishin slip away."
His frustration was palpable as he voiced his annoyance, his tone tinged with irritation at Soi Fon's perceived failure to apprehend their target.
Soi Fon's gaze remained cold and unwavering, unaffected by Ichigo's frustration as she responded in a measured tone with an air of indifference.
Soi Fon: "I allowed Baishin to escape. The Homōnka embedded in his arm will only disappear if and when I decide."
Ichigo: "That butterfly mark?" - He inquired still catching his breath.
Nemu: "I see. So you'll be able to trace him by following the reiatsu you left."
Ichigo: "If that's the case, let's cut the chatter and go after Baishin right away." - He leaned on Nemu for support.
Soi Fon: "You're just dead weight now and you'll only get in my way. I'll go after Baishin, and you stay here." - She replied brusquely.
Soi Fon's words cut through the air like a blade, her tone cold and dismissive as she made it clear that she had no intention of allowing Ichigo to accompany her any further. Without waiting for a response, she turned on her heel and swiftly vanished from the scene, leaving Ichigo and Nemu behind.
Ichigo's frustration boiled to the surface at Soi Fon's dismissive attitude, his jaw clenching in frustration as he watched her disappear into the distance.
Ichigo: "Hey, wait a minute! You can't just leave us here!"
But his protests fell on deaf ears as Soi Fon disappeared from sight, her form disappearing in a blur of speed as she utilized Shunpō to pursue Baishin.
As Ichigo and Nemu pondered their next move, the sound of rapid footsteps approached. Tatsuki arrived at the scene, concern etching her features as she assessed Ichigo's condition.
Tatsuki: "Ichigo! Are you okay?!"
Ichigo managed a weary smile, appreciating Tatsuki's genuine worry.
Ichigo: "Yeah...Baishin showed up, and Soi Fon let him get away. Now she's off chasing him alone."
Tatsuki's eyes narrowed at the revelation, a mix of frustration and determination coloring her expression.
Tatsuki: "Seriously? What's her problem? We should go help her."
Ichigo nodded in agreement, but before they could formulate a plan, Rukia and Chad arrived on the scene, having used Shunpō to reach them swiftly.
Rukia: "What's going on? We felt another surge of reiatsu. Is everyone alright?"
Ichigo sighed, briefly recounting the encounter with Baishin and Soi Fon's actions. Rukia's expression grew serious as she processed the information.
Rukia: "So, Baishin's capable of absorbing others' reiatsu... And Captain Soi Fon is pursuing Baishin alone?"
Nemu: "Yes, unfortunately. Due to our oversight, he absorbed quite a bit of Ichigo-san's reiatsu." - She explained, her tone laced with regret.
Ichigo: "I'll be fine. Just need a few minutes..." - He assured them, though his voice was strained from the recent ordeal.
Nemu: "By the way, Rukia-san." - She turned to the petite shinigami, her expression earnest. - "How's Yasakani-sama holding up? Is he okay?"
Rukia: "I left him with Inoue and Ishida. Inoue should have finished healing him by now, so they're probably still on the hunt for clues about the Bounts." - She spoke, a flicker of concern evident in her eyes.
Tatsuki: "Anyway, we better not waste time. Let's go after Soi Fon-senpai and make sure this Baishin doesn't absorb anyone else's reiatsu." - She spoke with determination, her eyes reflecting her resolve.
Rukia: "Absolutely. The sooner we wrap this up, the better. We can't forget that we're on our own for now."
Chad and Ichigo nodded in agreement, their expressions serious yet determined.
# Meanwhile #
Yato, Orihime, Uryū, and the two mod-souls Ririn and Kurōdo continued their search for the whereabouts of the Bounts. The teens walked through Karakura without any sign of an attack or suspicious movement.
Uryū: "Can't you detect anything?" - He asked the plush bird on his shoulder.
Ririn: "No... no more traces of the Bounts... so frustrating!" - The plush bird flapped around on Quincy's shoulder.
Kurōdo: "Unfortunately, it seems the Bounts have gone far away." - The plush rabbit being carried by Inoue spoke in a disappointed tone.
Yato: "So all we've got is that there's more than one Bount, and one of them still values human life, apparently." - He commented while scratching his neck.
Ririn: "Value human life?! They're out there consuming souls! How can you think they're valuing anyone else's soul?!" - The stuffed bird protested. - "And I'm still mad at you!" - She suddenly blurted out.
Yato: "Mad at me? Why?" - He asked, confused.
Ririn: "Because of you, Urahara decided it would be useless to train you guys!!! I had so many fun ideas planned, like mysterious phone calls, making you run all over town... but you ruined everything!!"
Orihime couldn't help but let out a laugh at Ririn's spirited outburst, finding her antics quite amusing. Meanwhile, Uryū attempted to maintain his composure, but Ririn's close proximity and loud voice made it challenging for him to ignore her, especially with her tirade directed near his ear.
Yato, feeling a bit sulky, muttered under his breath, expressing his frustration with Urahara's apparent focus on him rather than attending to other matters.
Yato: "Urahara needs to quit keeping an eye on me and focus on his own business." - He grumbled, his tone tinged with annoyance. - "And what I was trying to say earlier is that one of those Bounts decided to leave their victim alive. So... if we take Urahara's word for it, these Bounts need to keep sucking up souls because... that's their lifeline, you know? So, it's not unthinkable that this Bount... isn't exactly thrilled about the idea of kicking the bucket. I mean, if he left someone breathing, then there's a chance he's still got a bit of a conscience left."
The group trudged on in silence for a while longer, the weight of their fruitless search hanging heavy in the air. Suddenly, Yato came to a halt, his shoulders slumping in defeat as he let out an exasperated sigh.
Yato: "This is just a waste of time." - He grumbled.
Orihime: "What do you mean, Yasakani-kun?" - She furrowed her brow in confusion.
Yato: "There are already enough people out there on the hunt for these Bounts. They're not gonna show their faces anytime soon. And if Ririn and Kurōdo aren't picking up anything, then there's no point in us wandering around aimlessly."
Uryū: "Indeed..."
Yato: "By the way, Ishida-san, how are your powers coming along? Any progress?" - He asked suddenly, his tone shifting from casual to curious.
The Quincy raised an eyebrow, caught off guard by the question. He adjusted his glasses, contemplating his response.
Uryū: "I'm not completely powerless. As you can see, I can still see spirits without any issue." - He replied, his voice steady, betraying no hint of frustration.
Yato nodded thoughtfully, scratching his chin as he mulled over Uryū's words. Just as he was about to respond, a distant roar pierced the air, interrupting their conversation.
Uryū: "A Hollow? Right now?" - His brow furrowed in concern, his gaze scanning the horizon for any signs of danger.
Orihime and Uryū exchanged worried glances, silently communicating their apprehension about the sudden disturbance. Meanwhile, Yato's expression remained unreadable, his eyes flickering with a hint of anticipation.
Ōkagetsu: 'I sense something unusual coming from that Hollow...' - Yato's zanpakutō whispered in his mind, her voice tinged with caution.
Cheshire: 'What a coincidence... I do too... So it's not just an ordinary Hollow...' - The feline's voice echoed in Yato's thoughts, devoid of worry but tinged with intrigue.
Yato's mind raced with possibilities, his instincts urging him to seize the moment. He pondered the significance of the unexpected Hollow appearance, wondering if it could be a ploy orchestrated by Aizen himself.
Yato: 'For both of you to sound the alarm... could it be a gift from Aizen?' - He mused inwardly, his eyes narrowing with determination. - 'Either way... here's a good opportunity...'