R

(Ryoto's pov)

I opened my eyes only to see my inner world, although it slightly differed from what I remembered. For one, the sky was cracking like the world was ending. The last thing I recall before getting here was talking with Soi Fon as my strength slowly failed me.

I'm dying.

There's no other way around, and it's probably for good this time. I don't count on waking up in my bed or another body altogether and seeing an unfamiliar ceiling, but it doesn't mean I don't have any regrets. I said as much to Soi Fon. Maybe if I was younger, I would say something stupid as my last words, but I needed to say everything I could before... Well, I couldn't.

I looked around to find either or, hopefully, both of my Zanpakuto spirits before this world crumbled away and we, with it. Surprisingly, I couldn't see them, which I felt was unnatural. I would think that they would approach me as soon as they sensed that I was here. Maybe they just don't have enough energy to materialize here anymore. It would be a shame to die alone, but I can't do anything about it.

Surprisingly, the sky that was slowly cracking stopped doing that and even started repairing itself. But before it closed all the cracks, the process stopped, leaving some of the portions broken. It raised a few questions, but, as I still couldn't do anything about it so I decided to look around.

I walked a bit inside my world until I could see the pole that appeared when I met either Soul King or Mimihagi. I'm still not sure who it was but I guess it doesn't matter anymore. It will be an unanswered mystery in a story called my life.

I was close to it enough to touch it, so I did just that. Call it a last effort to uncover its secret, and it seemed to be the right move. The moment my hand was in contact with it, it glowed, and in front of it was an ethereal form of a man. I couldn't see his features at all, but the feeling it gave me was unmistakably the same as when he grabbed my consciousness to take a closer look years ago.

"You narrowly avoided death by virtue of your beloved, but as we speak, your life is slowly slipping through your fingers. Nevertheless, there is still a chance for you to survive. I can grant you a letter that will allow you to perverse your existence. However, it won't be enough for you to mend all of your wounds. I only wish, of you, for one thing in return..."

Hearing what he wanted me to do, I widened my eyes in shock. To be honest, it would be a huge and difficult favor to do, but at the same time, with his help, it may be doable. It helps that I planned on doing that before, just maybe not that way, and possibly it wouldn't end up with what he asked me of. And it's not like I can't empathize with his wish.

"*Sigh* Fine, I would rather do something stupidly dangerous with a chance of surviving than die here without even trying."

At first, I sounded fatigued after everything that happened today. Still, with every word, with every moment, my determination grew, and it was clearly seen in my eyes, and it seemed to satisfy the being in front of me as he nodded. Next, he materialized a small cup, which he filled with his blood after cutting his hand with a blade made of Reishi. Then he moved the cup to me, and his intentions were clear, so I took it out of his hand.

I looked down at the cup filled with blood. My resolve didn't waver as I put it to my mouth and drank it.

"I bestow upon you with a letter R, Ryoto Yuuki. I'm giving you everything that I can to restore all the powers that were sealed within you to increase your chances to the highest extent. Usually, you would assume that access to these abilities wouldn't be available to you no matter what without outside influence. Fortunately, I am an outside influence, and your powers are similar enough that I can recreate some of them while allowing you to wield the ones that I couldn't. You already somehow forced this before during your so-called Hollowfication, but by inscribing a letter upon you, the process will be much easier... I wish you luck, and for accepting my request, my gratitude towards you is immeasurable."

With these words, he concluded his farewell as his form started disappearing. Soon after, my vision started to get blurry until all went black.

(3rd's pov)

As the trio of Soi Fon, Ren, and Aizen looked at the vanishing crosses of Reishi, they suddenly felt pressure. It wasn't like anything they felt before. It wasn't the feeling of a strong Reiatsu crashing into you, nor was it the killing intent of someone ready to tear you apart. It was like your will was tested, and if you failed, you would crumble. What was most surprising was that this feeling came from none other than almost-dead Ryoto. The surprise didn't end there, however, as the blood recently coming out of his body upon hitting the ground burned through it until the blood itself burned itself out. Soon after, the wounds closed by themselves, although the closing was very shallow, so the injuries received weren't healed, just closed. The positive in this was that Ryoto's bleeding stopped, so at least he wouldn't lose any more blood.

The man who had gathered everyone's attention slowly opened his eyes, and to the delight of the two present ladies, they were glowing as they tend to do. They were about to ask how he was feeling, but as soon as he got a sense of the situation thanks to his Reiatsu sensing and Observation Haki, his expression turned even more serious as he turned to both of his companions.

"Get me to Unohana. Quick! There isn't much time to explain."

He then turned to Aizen but didn't say anything, but there was a small understanding between them. Their fight will be on hold for now as a bigger adversary has appeared.

Now, they hurried to reach Unohana before worse came to worse.

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END

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