"I trained so desperately to become a Shinigami... managed to pass the Shin'o Academy's entrance exam... was so close to realizing my dream... it's so unfair!"
As the Hollow drew closer, the young man felt no fear, only overwhelming frustration.
Seeing the Hollow's claw swipe towards him, the young man could do nothing but await his fate.
"Yare yare, young people these days. They finally become Shin'o Academy's students, are on the verge of fulfilling their dreams, and yet give up so easily. That's not very good, you know."
A voice suddenly rang out.
Swish!
The young man only saw a flash of blade light before his eyes. The Hollow in front of him was cleanly sliced in two, and a petite figure appeared before him.
The newcomer was none other than Toshiro, who had rushed over at high speed.
Shing!
Toshiro sheathed his Zanpakuto at his back.
"Hey, you alright?" Toshiro extended a hand to the young man lying on the ground.
"I-I'm fine." The young man was momentarily stunned by the hand offered to him.
Then he reached out his own hand and was pulled to his feet by Toshiro.
The young man bowed to Toshiro. "Thank you for saving me."
"No need to be so polite. It's my duty." Toshiro waved it off.
"Um... are you a Shinigami of the Gotei 13?" The young man asked hesitantly.
Although Toshiro was wearing Shihakusho and dressed as a Shinigami, he was simply too young. Hearing the comment about 'young people these days', the young man had thought the speaker was much older.
Toshiro said somewhat annoyed, "What, doesn't it look like it?"
"No, no, no! It's just... becoming a Shinigami at such a young age feels a bit unbelievable." The young man waved his hands frantically.
"Anyway, thanks to you, I was saved. Otherwise, I wouldn't have escaped death just now." The young man thanked Toshiro again.
"Alright, alright, no need to be so polite. It's my responsibility." Toshiro said indifferently.
Looking at the young man before him, Toshiro couldn't shake the feeling that he looked familiar, as if he'd seen him somewhere before.
'Could this person be a character from the anime?' Toshiro wondered to himself.
The original Toshiro had few friends besides Momo. The current Toshiro had a few more, but this young man clearly wasn't one of them. So, if he felt familiar, it must be someone who appeared in the anime.
Thinking this, Toshiro couldn't help but ask, "You look like a new student who passed the academy's entrance exam this year. What's your name?"
"Oh, how rude of me! I haven't even introduced myself to my savior." The young man said apologetically.
He patted the dust off his clothes and said with a serious expression, "Hello, my name is Kusaka Sojiro! A man who has sworn loyalty to Soul Society."
"Oh, Kusaka Sojiro? A good name... Wait, what?!" Toshiro suddenly exclaimed in shock.
'It's actually him!' Toshiro hadn't recognized Sojiro at first.
Although Toshiro had watched Bleach in his previous life, Sojiro was only a character from a movie. Toshiro had seen that movie, but only once, a long time ago. He only remembered the general plot.
"What's wrong?" The young man, Sojiro, looked puzzled at Toshiro's strong reaction.
"N-no, it's nothing. I'm just a bit surprised by your vow." Toshiro said.
Sojiro said somewhat sheepishly, "Dedicating myself to Soul Society is my ideal. But people often mock me for it."
As he spoke, Sojiro's expression grew resolute. "However, no matter how much others ridicule me, I will stick to my ideal. Soul Society is where we live. To protect it, I will devote everything I have."
Sojiro, like a passionate youth, enthusiastically shared his ideals with Toshiro, his whole being radiating the happiness of striving for his dream.
'Poor kid. You probably don't know that the Soul Society you've sworn to serve will betray you one day.' Toshiro thought to himself.
Toshiro looked at Sojiro Kusaka with complex emotions. This was the man who swore loyalty to Soul Society yet was betrayed by it… in the original work, he's Toshiro's best friend, who later became an enemy.
He never thought Sojiro actually existed.
Movie content was non-canon, and it didn't appear in the manga.
Kusaka Sojiro is a character from the Bleach Movie: The DiamondDust Rebellion: Another Hyorinmaru. In the original story, he was Toshiro's classmate after entering Shin'o Academy and his best friend.
He swore loyalty to Soul Society. After entering the academy, he trained hard, hoping to serve Soul Society one day.
But fate was cruel. Both Sojiro and Toshiro awakened the Zanpakuto, Hyorinmaru. According to Central 46's law, two identical Zanpakuto could not exist.
Therefore, they ordered Toshiro and Sojiro to duel. The winner would possess Hyorinmaru, while the loser would be executed.
As the saying goes, the pitiful often have their own flaws. Sojiro was also a pitiful and detestable person.
Pitiful because he was full of passion, swore loyalty to Soul Society, and trained desperately every day to protect it in the future. Yet, tragically, he was betrayed by Soul Society and ordered executed by Central 46.
Detestable because after Central 46 ordered Toshiro and Sojiro to duel, Toshiro, unwilling to fight his friend, was even willing to voluntarily give up Hyorinmaru.
Although Central 46 didn't allow it, Toshiro's attitude showed how much he valued their friendship, even willing to abandon the most important thing for a Shinigami… his Zanpakuto.
However, Sojiro, caught between friendship and power, chose power. He attacked Toshiro but was defeated. When being executed by the Onmitsukido, he was reborn in Hueco Mundo due to the power of the Oin (King's Seal).
Reborn in Hueco Mundo, Sojiro harbored deep hatred for Soul Society and sought to steal the King's Seal to use its power for revenge.
In the end, he was defeated by the Gotei 13 and Ichigo. Before his death, he seemed to have a moment of awakening.
His life could be considered tragic and lamentable.
Sojiro now looked at Toshiro with gratitude. "May I know your name, my savior? I will definitely repay you in the future."
"My name is Hitsugaya. Hitsugaya Toshiro."