The woman standing before Kurotsuki Renyahad long violet hair tied into twin ponytails, bangs covering her forehead, and striking crimson eyes. A small, stylish beret sat atop her head, giving her a distinctly modern appearance.
Renya recognized her instantly.
Yukio Hans Vorarlberna.
A Fullbringer.
Fullbringers were humans who possessed fragments of Hollow power within their souls, usually inherited from mothers who had been attacked by Hollows during pregnancy. By forming a bond with an object they deeply cherished, they could draw out the "soul" of that object and manifest it as a unique ability.
Yukio was one of them.
Renya frowned slightly.
Why is she here?
At this point in time, the Fullbringers should not yet be openly active. The conflict surrounding them had not begun.
Yet here she was.
"You noticed me already?" Yukio smiled lightly, walking closer. "You two really are observant."
Soi Fon narrowed her eyes.
"You were following us."
Yukio shrugged casually.
"Yeah. Hard not to notice two Shinigami wandering around in gigai. Especially when one of them keeps winning prizes like it's nothing."
Renya said calmly, "What do you want?"
Yukio glanced at him, eyes filled with curiosity.
"I just wanted to confirm something. You two… you're Shinigami, right?"
Soi Fon didn't deny it.
"That's correct."
Yukio's eyes sparkled with interest.
"Figures. I noticed it the moment you moved. Humans don't move like that."
She paused, then smiled faintly.
"Come with me."
Soi Fon frowned.
"And why would we do that?"
Before she could finish her sentence, Yukio suddenly vanished.
In the next instant
Boom!
She reappeared directly in front of Soi Fon, fist already thrown forward.
Soi Fon crossed her arms instinctively.
The impact sent her sliding backward several steps across the pavement.
She stopped herself, eyes narrowing.
"That speed…" she muttered.
It wasn't Shunpo.
It wasn't Sonído.
It was something else entirely.
Renya watched carefully.
"She's using Fullbring. Drawing power from the ground itself."
Indeed, Yukio had extracted the "soul" of the pavement beneath her feet, using it to enhance her mobility. The principle was similar to how Fullbringers manipulated objects they were attached to—just on a more refined level.
Still, her power was nowhere near the level of a captain or even a lieutenant.
Yukio smirked.
"So? Surprised?"
Soi Fon straightened, her expression turning cold.
"That was barely worth noticing."
Yukio laughed.
"Confident, aren't you? But don't worry—I don't want to fight. I just want you two to come with me."
Renya crossed his arms.
"And if we refuse?"
Yukio tilted her head.
"Then I'll keep asking until you don't."
Soi Fon's hand twitched toward her blade, but Renya stopped her with a gesture.
"We'll go," he said calmly.
Soi Fon turned to him.
"Renya?"
He gave a slight nod.
"She's not trying to kill us. Let's hear what they want."
Yukio smiled.
"Smart choice."
She turned and walked away.
Renya and Soi Fon followed her through several back streets until they reached an old apartment complex in Naruki City. The building looked abandoned, its paint peeling and windows dark.
They entered, and Yukio led them into an elevator, pressing the button for the third floor.
The doors slid open.
She swiped a black card, unlocking a reinforced door.
Inside was a large, dimly lit room.
Several figures were already waiting.
A tall man with a scar across his face leaned casually against the wall.
Another man with sharp eyes and a composed expression sat on a sofa.
A third figure sat silently in the shadows.
Renya's eyes narrowed.
He recognized them.
Kūgo Ginjō.
Shūkurō Tsukishima.
Moe Shishigawara.
The Fullbringers.
Yukio turned back and smiled.
"I brought them."
Ginjō looked at Renya with interest.
"So these are the Shinigami kids you mentioned."
Renya met his gaze calmly.
Ginjō continued,
"We were just talking about the Substitute Shinigami. You wouldn't happen to know anything about Kurosaki Ichigo, would you?"
Renya's expression remained neutral.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Ginjō smiled faintly.
"That's fine. We'll find out eventually."
He stood up and walked closer, his presence heavy.
"But since you're here… maybe you can help us instead."
Soi Fon's hand hovered near her zanpakutō.
"What do you want?"
Ginjō's eyes gleamed.
"Information."
The air in the room grew tense.
Renya remained silent, observing every movement, every shift in pressure.
This was no longer a casual encounter.
The Fullbringers had made their move.
And the game had begun.