After one punch followed by another, Chad was focused on Tsukishima, and he didn't let him rest. When Tsukishima stepped back, he charged his arm and then stepped forward with his right arm as he threw his punch, creating a big wave. Tsukishima raised his bookmark sword in defense, but Chad closed the gap and straight-punched him below his breastbone.
Tsukishima, for a moment, couldn't breathe or balance himself. Taking the opportunity, Chad threw more jabs at him; finally, he threw a strong punch at his head, and Tsukishima crashed down.
Chad gazed down, checking on Tsukishima. To his surprise, Tsukishima stood up, clapping his hands. "Well done, Sado Yasutora. You grew stronger since last time, and I acknowledge that." He said in a calm tone.
Chad felt a chill in his body; he knew the way Tsukishima talked meant that he didn't give his all. "Tsukishima, why didn't you go all out? Did you underestimate me?" He asked.
"I'm sorry, I didn't underestimate you. I was saving my energy for a certain person, and even so, he is a bit introverted and isolated; in fights, he loves fighting others while they are uninjured." He said with a smirk. "So, I hope you understand."
Chad immediately picked up who Tsukishima was referring to. "Yuru-Kun." He whispered. "Tsukishima, why are you interested in Yuru-Kun? Weren't you interested in Ichigo? So why the change?" He asked.
"I'm not the one who is focused on him; there is another person who is interested in him, and he wants me to test him."
"Test him? Who is that person? And what does he test him for?!" Chad shouted.
"You are asking too many questions, Chad." Tsukishima looked coldly at Chad. "How about you focus on the fight rather than questioning me?" he said coldly, gathered reishi on his feet, and jumped at Chad, leaving green sparks.
Chad raised his armored arm, but Tsukishima appeared behind him and swung down his bookmark blade, cutting him from his shoulder to his chest, then pulled out. Chad collapsed to the ground, spreading blood around him.
"Sado-Kun/San!!" Ishida and Orihime shouted out, horrified by the unfolding scene. Orihime ran to Chad, fear on her face. Tsukishima swung his blade at her, stopping her in her tracks.
Ishida shot at Tsukishima, but the Fullbringer easily blocked it. His calm gaze went to Quincy. "I wouldn't recommend shooting me; I did this to Chad to motivate Hoshito." He spoke.
Then a scream rang out, and as Ishida turned around, he saw a wave of Hollows chasing someone. Ishida was stunned and speechless at the same time because the one the Hollows were chasing was Hoshito. Orihime and Tsukishima saw that, and they were surprised.
Hoshito was running out of breath, and his face twisted with tiredness. As he drew closer to them, he grabbed Orihime's hand, jumped high, and shouted at Ishida. "OI, ISHIDA!! GRAB CHAD AND GET OUT OF THE WAY!!!"
Ishida couldn't catch why he told him that until he sensed something. "This is..! Yuru-San, don't tell me you are planning to—" He used Hirenkyaku to grab Chad's body and moved out.
Tsukishima, on the other hand, didn't understand what was getting into Hoshito's head. At first, he thought the young man would use Cero like before, but a voice shouted in the opposite direction from Hollows and him.
"Tsugi no mai, Hakuren!" (次の舞・白漣, second Dance, White Ripple)
He turned his head toward the voice, and to his shock, a large ice avalanche launched at him. He pulled Reichi to his feet to boost his jump and barely escape from the attack, while the Hollows couldn't escape it and were killed.
"Well, that was surprising." Tsukishima complimented them, and with a swift motion, he turned and blocked an attack from a segment blade that was about to hit him. "I didn't think you guys would team up and surprise attack me."
"And I couldn't believe a corpse like you came to take revenge like this." The red-haired Shinigami spoke in an angry tone.
"This isn't the way your leader taught you, Shukuro Tsukishima." The violet-eyed Shinigami complained to the Fullbringer.
"Kuchiki-San! Abarai-Kun!" Orihime was glad to see Rukia and Renji come to rescue them. "Thank God! You both are okay!"
Hoshito landed with Orihime beside Rukia, and soon Ishida joined them while holding Chad. "You two! How did you know where we are?" Ishida asked, putting Chad down on the ground.
Orihime quickly started healing Chad. Rukia's gaze turned to Hoshito. "We bumped into Yuru-San while purifying Hollows, and he told us his plan." Ishida turned to Hoshito, a surprised look on his face.
"Don't… say… anything… let's just… beat Shu… up and end… this…" Hoshito pulled out the words while catching some air.
Meanwhile, Tsukishima descended to the land; his mischievous smirk didn't fade. Renji was standing with an annoyed expression. "Oi, Fullbringer bastard, why did you gather these Hollows and attack Karakura Town? It can't be just for revenge on Ichigo?"
Tsukishima chuckled, speaking in a teasing tone. "Oh, it is for revenge on him, but I wasn't the one who gathered these Hollows, Another—"
"It was the Mastermind who gave these Hollows to you and instructed you to attack Ichigo in the shopping district." Hoshito cut Tsukishima off. "Sorry, Shu, but I figured out most of what's going on. Want me to spill it out?" The young man asked, his eyes cold.
"You don't need to tell me, or others, if you already figured it out." The Fullbringer shook his head.
"The hell was that?! Oi, tell us already what's going on?!" Renji shouted out. Rukia looked at Hoshito and Tsukishima; tension hung around them, and she understood neither wanted to tell the other.
She turned to Renji and told him. "Renji! Let Hoshito fight him."
Renji was shocked by Rukia's suggestion. Letting an inexperienced person fight an opponent who had fought so well against her brother seemed insane to him. "Rukia! Are you serious?!" But he noticed the determination in Hoshito's eyes. He recognized those eyes; they were the eyes he had when he determined to save Rukia when she was sentenced to execution, and the same eyes Ichigo had then.
He accepted it and stepped back.
***
Meanwhile, in one of the shops, the black-cloaked man stood watching the scene unfold. His eyes were detached from any emotion, and he was focused to the point that he didn't hear footsteps coming from behind him.
"What do you think? Did he catch on to what you planned to do to him?" a young man asked him. The young man had white, silver hair and fox-like eyes.
"Ichimaru Naoya, what are you doing here?" The man asked.
"I was just shopping and found people asleep. May I assume that was your doing?" Naoya asked in a teasing tone.
The man ignored the question and spoke. "A fox like you came to shopping? Is that a joke?" the man asked coldly as his cold eyes gazed at the young man.
"Whoa, take it easy, I didn't come to fight." Naoya raised his hands.
He gazed back at the scene and spoke. "It doesn't matter. Let's enjoy the show."
'This guy… I can see him, but why? I can't see ghosts; that means he is human or… Naoya thought until the man spoke again. "Ichimaru-Dono, I suggest you not think stuff unnecessarily and enjoy the show. Don't make me repeat myself."
The young man flinched and could only watch. Wondering what was going to happen now.
Hello, everyone!
I hope you're enjoying the story! I just wanted to apologize for not posting another chapter in October. Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be able to post one this month either because midterms have started. Because of that, I'll be putting the fanfic on hiatus for a while.
While I'm away, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the story and find out which characters you like the most.
That's all for now. See you when I return!