Crossover Anime: Starting with Bankai from Demon Slayer

Chapter 270 The Butterfly Eighteen Years Behind Enemy Lines

Why do you say that?

"Because..." Rukia looked at Shinobu's calm gaze and tentatively began, "These past few days, whenever prison guards or other visitors mention the humans who stole the power of the Shinigami... or that I'm about to be executed..."

""

"Their reactions included anger, disdain, or curiosity, but you, Sister Ren, were different."

"When I mentioned Ichigo's name a few days ago, we were chatting about how we met..."

'

"Your eyes... seem so matter-of-fact, as if you've never been surprised."

Rukia hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Do you... know Ichigo?"

Shinobu Kocho remained silent for a moment, then gently placed the instrument back into the medicine box, her movements as tender as ever.

The smile on her face slowly faded, and her eyes, which were always curved into crescent shapes, slowly opened, revealing a deep and complex light.

"A woman's intuition...it's terrifying, Rukia-chan."

She did not deny it.

Because that is indeed the case.

She not only knew Ichigo Kurosaki, but she even knew of the boy's existence before Rukia did.

It all started on a night eighteen years ago.

Eighteen years ago, in the present world, after the disaster in Fuyuki City.

The moment when Asuka was swept into the spacetime rift in order to break free from the shackles of the Heaven's Cup.

Shinobu Kocho felt as if half of her world had collapsed.

Like a puppet who had lost her soul, she was forcibly taken back to Soul Society by Matsumoto Rangiku.

During that time, she frantically searched for any information about other worlds or parallel universes.

He even disregarded the Fourth Division's ban and repeatedly sneaked into the Great Spirit Book Corridor.

But nothing was gained.

One month later, late one night, a black hell butterfly quietly drifted down onto her windowsill.

That was a message from Kisuke Urahara.

If you want to know if there's any chance of saving him, come find me in the real world.

That night, Shinobu Kocho defied the rules of Soul Society without hesitation.

Using the connections she had built up within the Fourth Division, she forged a permit for an investigation in the real world and secretly crossed the interdimensional gate.

Karakura Town, Urahara Shoten.

Underground training ground.

"You've arrived, Miss Butterfly."

Kisuke Urahara lowered the brim of his hat, his expression unusually serious.

"Where is he?" Shinobu Kocho asked bluntly. "You can find him, right?"

"Unfortunately, I can't actually pinpoint his coordinates." Urahara shook his head and said frankly, "That magic circle exists in another world."

"Based on our previous experience at Zhangzhi Hill..."

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"It's highly likely that Asuka-kun has traveled to a similar world, or is drifting in a gap between time and space."

.

Lost in time and space? The butterfly sat down on the ground, utterly exhausted.

Seeing Shinobu's face turn ashen, Urahara added, "But if he can come once, he can come a second time."

"I've started to figure out a pattern. I've been focusing on monitoring the areas where abnormal spiritual particle reactions have occurred recently."

"I suspect the next rift to open will be either in Shibuya or Sarayashiki."

He turned to the side and showed Shinobu Kocho the strange-looking devices behind him, each emitting a buzzing electronic sound.

"Since he made a promise, I believe that man will definitely come back."

"Besides, I called you here not just to say that..."

'

Kisuke Urahara led Shinobu Kocho out of the shop and onto an ordinary street in Karakura Town.

That's the entrance to Kurosaki Clinic.

"That's..." Shinobu Kocho's pupils suddenly contracted as she looked at the bearded man with a silly grin who was busy in the clinic.

Isshin Shiba?!

The captain of the 10th Division who's been missing for months?!

"Shh." Urahara held up a finger: "Right now, he's Kurosaki Isshin, an ordinary doctor, a human preparing to fall in love with a Quincy."

"Queensman? Human?" Shinobu's mind was in complete chaos.

She had been in Soul Society for some time and was naturally aware of the feud between Quincy and Shinigami.

I never expected that the missing guy would actually be here...

"He gave up his Shinigami powers to save that Quincy girl who had been Hollowfied." Urahara pointed at Masaki Kurosaki in the clinic, his expression turning serious.

"The union of a Shinigami and a Quincy... the future of their child is destined to be extraordinary."

"Why did you specifically tell me this?"

"Because of Asuka's final warning." Urahara turned around and looked directly into Shinobu's eyes: "Remember? Watch out for Aizen Sousuke."

Mentioning that name made Shinobu Kocho's body tremble involuntarily.

The Fifth Division Captain who was always gentle and kind, and even cared deeply for her and the Ubuyashiki family...

It was someone Asuka specifically instructed to mention... What on earth happened...?

Therefore, she has been avoiding Aizen these days, afraid that he will discover something amiss.

"I spent some time doing some research."

Urahara said in a deep voice, "Although there is no direct evidence, the Hollow incident that caused Isshin to lose his power... must be the work of that man."

"He is conducting some kind of experiment, an experiment to break down the boundary between death and the void."

He made a similar attempt decades ago.

As he spoke, he told Shinobu Kocho a long-buried and even more terrifying story from the past.

She had heard about this matter.

Former 3rd Division Captain Rojuro Otohashi, 5th Division Captain Shinji Hirako, 7th Division Captain Rabu Aikawa, 9th Division Captain Kensei Muguruma...

And former 8th Division Lieutenant Risa Yadomaru, 9th Division Lieutenant Shiro Kuminami, and 12th Division Lieutenant Hiyori Sarugaki.

The deputy head of the Ghost Dao, Hachigen Yushōda, was also reduced to a Hollow due to an extremely evil "Hollowfication Experiment".

In accordance with the judgment of the Central 46th Bureau, those who had become virtual were executed according to the standards for dealing with virtuality.

I never imagined that Aizen was behind this too...

"Luckily, Yoruichi used his Covert Maneuver privileges to bypass the Soul Society's barrier and patrols, which allowed me to get them out of Soul Society. Otherwise, they would all have died there..." Urahara recalled with lingering fear.

"So, Miss Butterfly, the bird's warning stems from this."

"Although I don't know what grudge he has against Aizen, it's clear that he's one of the few people who know the guy's true colors."

Urahara stroked his beard, a hint of worry in his voice, and said, "I'm a little worried. Asuka and you... you've probably already come into Aizen's sights..."

""

"He must be very interested in you... and his interest often means danger."

That night, in Karakura Town, Shinobu Kocho and Kisuke Urahara made a secret pact.

"I will stay in Soul Society, in the Fourth Division." Shinobu Kocho's eyes changed from confusion to determination.

She didn't know what had happened to Asuka, but it must have been immense hatred that drove him to desperately remind her at the last moment.

The enemy of the bird is my enemy.

A protective flame burned in her eyes: "I will become your eyes, watching Aizen's every move... In return, you must tell me about any discoveries regarding Asuka immediately."

"If Aizen is really plotting something... I will be on guard and wait for the moment he bares his fangs."

"For the birds, and for everyone."

From then on, Shinobu Kocho became Kisuke Urahara's deepest informant in Soul Society.

She watched silently as Aizen continued to play the perfect captain, smiling more sincerely than anyone else in front of him, burying his murderous intent deep in his heart.

But strangely enough, this guy seemed genuinely and wholeheartedly committed to being a good person.

In recent years, besides lecturing, I've mostly been handling official business in the barracks...

What exactly is he plotting...?

Years later, she learned of Ichigo Kurosaki's birth and sent a congratulatory gift to the Kurosaki family.

However, his good fortune was short-lived. His mother, Masaki, was ambushed and killed by a Hollow when he was nine years old.

She watched as Ichigo Kurosaki grew up little by little.

I also learned from Urahara about the recent events that had happened to the boy.

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