"I told you—I can see you, so get the hell out!"
It was the first week of April in Karakura Town.
As usual, the Kurosaki household—a family of spiritual mediums—was loud. The source of the noise was a young girl currently raging in the bathtub. She was shouting at the empty air, frantically spraying a suspicious-looking repellent labeled "Sekirei X." She wasn't insane; she was simply the youngest daughter of the family, born with a spiritual awareness far stronger than most, cursed with seeing things that should remain unseen.
"Hey, Karin! You're in middle school now, quit splashing around in the bath!" her brother shouted from the hallway.
"I'm not playing! This guy is...!"
Karin Kurosaki bit back her explanation. She wanted to tell her brother that his bathwater was being invaded, but she settled for a sullen apology. These days, spiritual matters were a delicate subject she chose to avoid for the sake of her family. It was better to keep her mouth shut.
Glaring at the invisible entity she had just driven off, the girl quickly changed and left the bathroom.
I really hate ghosts.
Later that night, Karin sensed a foul presence. Just before bed, she let out a sigh, slipped out of her covers, and exited the house. She was careful to climb out the window so as to not alert her family.
It had been a year and a half since her older brother, Ichigo Kurosaki, had lost the power known as Spiritual Pressure as the price for a battle no one else knew about. Karin, who had been an elementary student back then, had successfully moved on to her first year of middle school.
Ever since she was attacked by a monster on the sixth anniversary of her mother's death, Karin had often teamed up with a couple of local brats to hunt down evil spirits. As her own spiritual powers grew with age, she had thrown herself into the fight to protect her family and the town in her brother's stead.
Of course, she wasn't alone. Just as her brother had his group of classmates, Karin had her own troublesome partners in the trade.
"Che! A girl shouldn't be staying up this late. Go back home!"
As she ran through the night streets, two children appeared, leaping across the rooftops alongside her. Irritated, Karin used her own spiritual energy to vault onto a roof to match them.
"Shut up! I only came out because I don't trust you to handle this alone!"
"I thought we were moving pretty fast, though..."
"Wait, I wasn't talking about you, Ururu! I meant this blockhead over here is unreliable!"
"Don't call me a blockhead, you violent woman!"
The group consisted of Ururu Tsumugiya, a quiet black-haired girl lugging a massive cannon-like cylinder, and Jinta Hanakari, a loudmouthed red-headed boy wielding a rugged iron club. Their strange relationship had begun after an incident with a certain shady celebrity medium; though they bickered constantly, they were comrades who shared a genuine level of trust.
The enemies the three fought were fallen, man-eating spirits—monsters known as Hollows.
"Ugh, enough! My entrance ceremony is tomorrow and I have to wake up early, so let's finish this quick!"
"I have my opening ceremony too, Jinta. Let's use the usual," Ururu said softly.
"Don't you two start giving me orders! Let's go, Partner! The Legendary..."
Jinta Homerun!
The boy swung his weapon with all his might, launching a shell of spiritual energy at the monster that was lazily searching for prey. His aim had improved lately; the blast tore the enemy's body to shreds in a single hit.
"Ah, crap."
...But his follow-through was as sloppy as ever.
"See?! If I leave it to you, the whole town gets collateral damage, you idiot!"
"Karin, please handle the fragments on the right! I'll take the left... Fire!"
Thousand-Soul Killing Cannon!
Ururu's attack soared through the sky to intercept the massive, flying chunks of the Hollow's limbs. Her rocket launcher was as reliable as always. Karin, refusing to be outdone, formed two orbs of spiritual energy beneath her feet and dove into the fray with everything she had.
"Leave it to me!"
Karin-Style Fatal Double-Back!
Thanks to the trio's efforts, the Hollow vanished, and peace returned to Karakura Town. While Karin felt a bit embarrassed playing hero now that she was a middle schooler, her chest swelled with pride when she thought of her brother, who had protected the family from the shadows every single day.
This time, I'll be the one to protect Ichigo...
"It's not very admirable for children in compulsory education to be out this late."
A voice called out from the darkness of the midnight street. The three turned around and cracked wry smiles when they saw the young man standing there.
"Good evening, you three. That was impressive work, but Hollow hunting duties are supposed to be divided by district. You can't just go breaking the rules."
"Gah, it's Ishida..."
"G-Good evening."
The young man approaching them, his glasses reflecting the neon glow of the streetlights, was Uryu Ishida. He was a friend of Karin's brother and a rather nitpicky colleague in the business of spirit hunting.
"W-We only stepped in because you were taking too long! You've got no right to lecture us!" Jinta barked.
"I was holding back because you three showed up right as I was about to strike. You need to pay more attention to the spiritual signatures around you. Besides, Karin, don't you have your important entrance ceremony tomorrow? What if you got hurt?"
"Ugh..."
Karin looked away, unable to argue when he hit her with the undeniable truth: "Kurosaki would be worried."
"Honestly, I don't know why Mr. Urahara lets you kids out here when he's already asked me to handle the Hollows..."
"The shopkeeper has been really busy since the war with the Arrancars ended. I think he just hasn't noticed," Ururu offered.
"Yeah, if we bother him while he's researching, he gets mad. Besides, small-fry Hollows like that are no problem for us!" Jinta bragged.
Hearing the red-headed brat's boast, Karin suddenly remembered she had run out of anti-ghost gear during the commotion in the bathroom earlier that evening. She made a mental note to stop by that shady convenience store tomorrow and stock up.
Sensing a long lecture coming, Jinta bolted, with Ururu chasing after him. Karin was left alone to endure the nagging of the high school student council president.
Still, Uryu was a kind person at heart. When he offered to walk her home, she couldn't bring herself to refuse. After struggling through the awkward silence of being alone with her brother's friend, she finally found herself standing before the familiar sign of the Kurosaki Clinic.
"Um... hey!"
"Yes? What is it?"
As they were about to part ways, Karin stopped him impulsively.
"...How is... my brother doing at school? Is he... okay?"
She knew she was being an overprotective sister, but it was Ichigo's fault for always acting tough and pushing himself too hard. She had always wondered how Ichigo was acting when he was away from his sisters' watchful eyes now that he had lost his powers. Uryu gave her a gentle smile.
"You can rest easy. He isn't as cocky as he was two years ago, but he's just as loud and rowdy as ever."
Watching the young man wave a small "goodnight" and walk away, Karin breathed a sigh of relief.
He was kind, cool, and the perfect family-oriented brother. While she wasn't as clingy as her twin sister, Yuzu, Karin loved her brother dearly. Fighting the Hollows that threatened the peace of the town only reinforced that feeling.
Whether it was out of male pride or his dignity as an older brother, Ichigo had seemed listless ever since he lost his powers—even though Karin wanted nothing more than for him to be safe. But if he could find even a small amount of happiness in a normal student life, she was willing to dive into any battle, no matter how brutal, to protect that happiness for him.
Karin Kurosaki never would have dreamed, not even at the very end, that her pure resolve and the bond she shared with her brother were being desecrated by a cowardly, invisible hand.
+++
The cherry blossom season had arrived for the second time since then.
As he walked absentmindedly along the path to Karakura First High School amidst the dancing petals, the towering young man—Yasutora "Chad" Sado—recalled memories that felt both near and distant.
"Yo, Chad!"
A hand slapped his shoulder, and Chad turned around. Seeing the shock of bright orange hair, he offered a brief reply.
"...Mm. Ichigo."
"Man, being a third-year doesn't even feel real. ...Wait, whoa! What's with that face!? Did you grow a goatee?"
His best friend, Ichigo Kurosaki, recoiled slightly, muttering about how rugged he looked. Swallowing the urge to point out that Ichigo's own flashy hair was far more "rugged," Chad searched for a casual topic of conversation.
"...How was yesterday?"
"Yesterday? Did I even do anything besides roll around at home?"
"Orihime said she wanted to have a... 'Clearance Bread Eating Contest' with you on the last day of spring break? No, never mind."
"What the heck is that...?"
Judging by the half-lidded, exasperated look on his best friend's face, it seemed her date plan had remained a mere fantasy in her own head. Chad looked up at the sky, wondering if the day would ever come when the unrequited love of their second companion—Orihime Inoue, whose advances were strangely creative despite her shyness—would finally be rewarded.
"Anyway, she always seems so busy lately. Tatsuki said she was lonely."
Ichigo scratched his head, complaining about their friend's poor social attendance. Chad felt a wave of discomfort, knowing exactly why she was so "busy."
After Ichigo lost his powers following that final battle, the relationship between the four classmates had shifted. Chad himself struggled to find the right distance; despite being best friends, he found himself choosing his words too carefully. Orihime seemed to harbor a similar sense of awkwardness toward him.
Perhaps it was inevitable. The strongest among them, the one with the most leadership, had suddenly become a powerless human. When the worlds you live in diverge, the way you interact naturally changes.
Orihime had been moving tirelessly to protect Ichigo.
Almost every night, her spiritual pressure would vanish into the air, only to return before dawn. Judging by the Arrancar spiritual pressure Chad occasionally sensed, she was likely going to Hueco Mundo to train with the help of Nelliel and the others. When he asked, she would only say "Sorry" and refuse to share the details.
Among their changed circle of friends, only one person—Uryu Ishida—continued to trade barbs and insults with Ichigo as if nothing had changed. Perhaps it was because Uryu had also once lost his powers in the Soul Society and understood the feeling. Chad was honestly a bit envious of their relationship—a bond of non-judgmental kinship and a stubborn, prickly friendship.
"...What's up, Chad? You're quiet."
"Mm..."
As they continued down the path, Chad remained lost in thought.
Both Orihime and Uryu were walking their own paths. But he had yet to find his. For a man as clumsy as Chad, whose primary bond had always been standing back-to-back with Ichigo since middle school, finding another path was difficult. Moreover, considering Ichigo's feelings, he hesitated to move forward.
He saw the complicated expression on Ichigo's face as he watched his friends leave the classroom to hunt Hollows. He saw the way Ichigo looked into the distance whenever Keigo and the others talked about the Soul Society or Soul Reapers. The fire that once filled his eyes had dimmed, and he lived his days in a state of lethargy.
Ichigo would tell everyone—and himself—that this was the "normal life he always wanted," but the sight was too painful to watch.
Is Ichigo going to stay powerless forever? Can't he get his powers back? More importantly, even if he could, would taking away his peaceful days really be for his sake?
Unable to reach a conclusion on what was right, Chad had spent the last year and a half in a state of helpless stagnation.
"...!"
As he walked, he suddenly felt a spiritual pressure that pricked at his skin. It was the presence of a Hollow, the evil spirits that appeared almost daily.
"...Sorry, Ichigo. Go on ahead. I have to stop by the faculty office."
"Huh? Oh, sure. Don't let Mr. Kanine chew you out for being late."
"Yeah. See you at school."
Faking an excuse, Chad sprinted up the slope of the school path, apologizing to Ichigo in his heart.
By the request of their ally, Kisuke Urahara, it was decided that Uryu would be the first responder, but Chad always rushed to provide backup to minimize the damage.
Whether that impulse was a stroke of luck or a curse remained to be seen. But at the scene he arrived at, his fate was violently twisted.
"You're late, Yasutora Sado."
Chad gasped as he entered a deserted alleyway, following the scent of the spirit. Standing there was a figure that made his breath catch.
He had long, deep-black hair that looked perpetually damp. He was nearly two meters tall, matching Chad's own height. And in his right hand, he held an eerie blade.
The young man, possessing eyes so dark they were chilling, stood calmly before the dissolving remains of a Hollow.
"...Who are you? Are you human?"
"'Who am I?' That's a good question..."
The man put a hand to his chin, pretending to consider the question. A moment later, he nodded and said, "Yeah, I've decided."
...Before Chad knew it, the man's blade had pierced through his chest from behind.
I suppose I'm the benefactor of you and your Abuelo.
†††
Shukuro Tsukishima was the man who had saved Yasutora Sado's grandfather, Oscar Joaquin de la Rosa.
Chad, who had lost his parents at a young age and lived under Oscar's care in Central America, had been bullied by the neighborhood children for being biracial.
The verbal and physical abuse was a daily occurrence. Even though he was a skilled fighter due to his size, he was no match for a crowd or grown adults. Eventually, that malice reached his grandfather—his only ally.
The situation escalated until it became a life-threatening incident.
"Threatening an old man and a child who won't fight back with a firearm... you guys are quite the cowards, aren't you?"
In an instant, Tsukishima had neutralized the slum thugs, saving Oscar and Chad from their predicament. While tending to their wounds, he became a part of their family—a surrogate older brother to the young Chad.
"Shu... I don't have long left. Please, look after Yasutora..."
"You're the only one who can stop Yasutora's tears. Please watch over him from God's side, Grandfather."
Shortly after Oscar passed away, Yasutora was taken in by relatives and returned to Japan. To the boy who was saddened by their parting, Tsukishima gave a simple coin necklace as a farewell gift.
"This is proof of our meeting and our bond. If you're ever in trouble, I will definitely come to save you."
"...Will I really see you again, Tsukishima?"
"Of course. Because I was entrusted with you by your Abuelo... I'm your big brother, right?"
With those words, Tsukishima and Chad parted ways in that memorable foreign land.
But fortunately, the opportunity for their reunion came sooner than expected.
It's been a long time, Yasutora.
Two years later. Hearing from a comrade in Naruki City that his "little brother" Chad had become involved in a conflict with Soul Reapers, Tsukishima rushed to his side to fulfill his promise.
He learned that the Soul Reaper who was a benefactor to Chad's friend, Ichigo Kurosaki, was about to be executed in the Soul Society. A friend of Chad's was a friend of his. Tsukishima immediately offered his help and dove into the spiritual realm to rescue Rukia Kuchiki.
"I never imagined you had special powers like us, Tsukishima..."
"You were just a normal human back then, Yasutora. It pained me, but I had to keep it a secret."
The battle was a success, with Tsukishima fighting like a demon so that not a single person was lost in the rescue of Rukia.
In the battle against the Captain of the Eighth Squad, Shunsui Kyoraku, he and Chad withdrew without a scratch. He rescued the captured Uryu and Orihime, and together with Yoruichi Shihoin, Hanataro Yamada, and Ganju Shiba, everyone managed to escape their respective crises thanks to Tsukishima's support.
But the final battle they faced was merely a piece on the board of a massive conspiracy shaking the three realms.
The group, toyed with by the traitor Sosuke Aizen and the aftermath of Kisuke Urahara's schemes, could do nothing but look up from outside the Negacion at the three enemies ascending to Hueco Mundo and the girl being taken away.
However, as they grit their teeth in humiliation, their pride was protected by the resolute back of the one man who had stood his ground against Aizen: Tsukishima.
Facing the Demon King who possessed overwhelming power, he boasted, "I'll make you regret not killing me here." He was a dependable, powerful man whom everyone admired.
...It was then.
The moment...
...that Tsukishima's eyes...
...met hers.
***
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