[Spiritual Cases Arc] Part 106: I'm a Blade

As both shinigamis dashed through the streets of Karakura Town, Rukia's mind raced with questions and concerns. She clutched Yato's unconscious form tightly to her chest, her heart pounding with a mixture of fear and determination.

Rukia: "Hang in there, Yato... We'll get you help, I promise." - Her voice was a whispered reassurance, barely audible.

Nemu: "We must find a safe place to assess Yasakani-sama's condition and determine the best course of action." - Her voice was calm yet resolute, her gaze focused ahead.

**

A strange sensation washed over Yato as he drifted in and out of consciousness. His surroundings shifted and blurred until all he could see were the infinite red threads that stretched out before him, weaving a tangled web.

Yato blinked in confusion, his mind reeling as he tried to make sense of his surroundings. The threads pulsed and shimmered with a strange energy, their movements mesmerizing yet disorienting.

Just then, a mocking voice echoed through the void, cutting through the silence like a blade.

Cheshire: "Well, well, well... What do we have here? Are you trying to kill yourself?"

Yato became aware that once again his consciousness had been drawn into the inner realm of his Fullbring. From the taunting tone of the feline, he sensed that something was off.

Yato: "Did I screw up...?" - He asked tentatively, perplexed by his current state.

Cheshire: "Who knows... did you~?" - The cat's grin widened, exuding a mischievous air.

Yato: "But I don't get it... when I used my powers to become a shinigami, I didn't have so much trouble learning things. I expected the same to happen with Quincy powers... since it's a similar ability to Fullbringers... am I forgetting something?" - Yato furrowed his brow in frustration, grappling with the unsettling situation.

Yato furrowed his brows, deep in thought, trying to discern any abnormality that had caused enough damage to his body for Cheshire to drag him into his inner world.

The young man knew that using the true power of his Fullbring sometimes came with a high cost, so he had come to the conclusion that, to withstand these powers, he would gradually become a hybrid, leveraging certain races' advantages to control his Fullbring more easily. The problem was that, for some reason, his Quincy powers refused to work.

Yato: "But why specifically the Quincy powers?" - He glanced at Cheshire quickly, hoping for some insight. - "What exactly would happen if I kept trying to use the Quincy powers?"

Cheshire: "Soul Suicide~" - He responded, his voice carrying a haunting melody.

Yato's eyes widened in realization. He knew all too well what Soul Suicide entailed. It was a catastrophic outcome where the original soul became entangled with another type of soul, leading to a disruption not only in the boundary between souls but also within the soul itself and its connection to the external world, ultimately resulting in self-destruction, regardless of the soul's will.

His eyes narrowed with suspicion. The concept of Soul Suicide sounded too extreme, especially for someone like him who had already undergone complex spiritual transformations.

Yato: "Soul Suicide? That doesn't make sense. I'm a hybrid of human, shinigami, and quincy. If there's some instability, it has to be related to something else, not just my quincy powers." - He spoke with a firm conviction, refusing to accept the dire outcome presented by Cheshire.

Cheshire's grin widened as if amused by Yato's defiance.

**

Back in the physical world, Rukia and Nemu found themselves faced with an unexpected turn of events. As they hurried through the streets, their senses on high alert, Nemu's keen perception picked up on the growing presence of Reiatsu, accompanied by an unsettling aura of instability.

Nemu: "Rukia-san, I'll stay behind to confront our pursuer. You need to find a safe location and continue to tend to Yasakani-sama's condition." - Her voice was calm yet resolute, her eyes scanning their surroundings for any sign of danger.

Rukia's heart clenched with worry at Nemu's words, but she knew they had to divide their efforts to ensure Yato's safety.

Rukia: "Be careful, Lieutenant Kurotsuchi. I'll do everything I can to keep Yato safe." - Her voice was filled with determination as she pressed onward, her pace quickening with urgency.

As Rukia dashed through the streets, Nemu turned to face the approaching threat, her posture poised and alert. A figure emerged from the shadows, his Reiatsu crackling with unrestrained power.

Suddenly, a middle aged man with grey-hair, beard and blades growing out of his shoulders appeared in front of Nemu. He had two red marks on his forehead and was wearing the tradicional shinigami hakama.

Nemu's eyes narrowed as she recognized the face of the approaching shinigami. Memories from the Soul Society's archives flooded her mind, and she identified the figure as none other than Baishin.

Nemu: "Baishin..." - Her voice was barely a whisper, but her expression remained steely.

Baishin's lips curled into a sinister smirk as he met Nemu's gaze, his eyes gleaming with malicious intent. Without uttering a word, he extended his arm, and blades sprouted from his hands and arms.

With lightning speed, Baishin launched himself at Nemu, his movements fluid and deadly. Blades whistled through the air, aimed with deadly precision at their target.

Nemu evaded Baishin's onslaught, her movements graceful yet calculated. She danced through the barrage of blades.

Baishin's attacks grew more relentless with each passing moment, but Nemu remained unfazed, her focus unwavering as she analyzed her opponent's movements, searching for an opening.

With a swift movement, Nemu seized an opportunity and launched a counterattack, her movements fluid and precise. She aimed for Baishin's exposed flank.

But Baishin was no ordinary opponent. With a flick of his wrist, he deflected Nemu's blows with ease, his laughter ringing in her ears like a taunt.

Nemu gritted her teeth in frustration, her determination unwavering despite the odds stacked against her. She knew she had to find a way to subdue Baishin and buy Rukia the time she needed to get Yato to safety.

As Nemu's hand transformed into a spinning drill-like appendage, she lunged forward with determined ferocity, aiming to strike Baishin with all her might. But Baishin was quicker than anticipated. With an effortless motion, he seized Nemu's wrist in a vice-like grip, halting her attack mid-motion.

A cruel grin twisted Baishin's features as he tightened his hold on Nemu's wrist, his grip unyielding. In a swift motion, he delivered a punishing blow to her stomach, the force of the impact knocking the wind out of her. Nemu staggered backward, gasping for breath as pain radiated through her body.

Before she could regain her footing, Baishin's arm erupted into a flurry of gleaming blades. With chilling precision, he launched the blades towards Nemu.

Caught off guard by the sudden onslaught, Nemu barely had time to react. She twisted and turned, attempting to evade the lethal barrage of blades. But despite her efforts, several blades found their mark, piercing through her defenses and slicing through her flesh with brutal efficiency.

Baishin: "I'm a blade." - He declared suddenly. - "Your reiatsu is strange... and it's not the one I'm looking for." Baishin said as he glanced in the direction where Rukia had dashed off. - "There's a strong yet unstable reiatsu being carried by a considerably weak one..." - A mischievous grin spreading across his face, before swiftly disappearing using Shunpō.

Nemu's eyes widened in alarm as the realization dawned on her that Baishin's target was none other than Yato.

Despite her injuries, Nemu swiftly turned on her heel, determination etched across her features as she resolved to pursue Baishin without hesitation.