Hitokiri Battosai (Sword drawing manslayer)

"We'll rest here for tonight. Tomorrow we'll continue our journey back to the Seireitei.." Standing before a rather fancy inn, the blonde voluptuous Vice Captain turned towards the two youngsters behind her and smiled. After rushing non stop for hours on their journey, they'd finally reached the first District of the North Rukongai.

Now, while Rukongai was generally poor and was divided into four sections, not all districts shared the same conditions. Districts that were close to the Seireitei enjoyed certain privileges, making life easier there compared to those far from the Seireitei.

And District 1 being the closest to the Seireitei, it certainly was the most advanced and developed amongst all of the districts in the North.

"Why do we have to stop here? Can't we just continue the journey and rest when we're there?"

The first to utter his displeasure was Toshiro, who chuckled in annoyance.

"Women like Momo and I, need to bathe twice daily, eat well, and rest well in order to maintain our beauty and our figures. Certainly, a boring youth like you wouldn't understand the affairs of women.."

Toshiro snorted, understanding the underlying meaning behind Rangiku's words, while Momo blushed.

As the three of them stood before the inn and waited, a figure suddenly rushed out and embraced Rangiku, who hugged the figure back fiercely.

"It's so nice to see you, Rangiku."

"It's been a while, Megumi.."

The two ladies hugged each other fiercely, and as Momo looked on with a smile, Toshiro rolled his eyes.

The second lady revealed herself to be a beautiful woman in a black robe. With an extremely beautiful face and nice figure, she was almost as tall as Rangiku herself, however her hair was dark and long, unbound by no restraint.

"Let's go inside..."

Smiling, she ushered them into her inn, as the three travellers entered, following behind her.

"You know, I really thought you'd never come back here again, Rangiku. After all an important official such as yourself should not stoop so low right.."

As she led them through the inn, she spoke, her voice laced with a tinge of bitterness.

"Oi, come on Megumi don't be like that. The reason why I haven't had time to visit is because I've been busy with a lot in the last few years. Quite a lot has happened, in the last 60 years, I'm sure you must've heard.."

Rangiku laughed while the woman called Megumi sighed and shook her head.

"Anyway, this is your room. It has a large hall, with three separate bedrooms. I have a lot to do, so make yourself comfortable. Dinner will be provided soon.."

Leading them to a large room, she smiled, gestured to the room and then left, while Rangiku sighed as she walked away.

"I'll take the room in the middle."

Upon entering the room, Toshiro walked to the second room and pointed to it without hesitation.

"Smart kid..."

Rangiku laughed, while Toshiro turned his head to the side in embarrassment.

"Anyway, go take a bath, I brought new clothes for you, Shinigami robes. After that join me here for dinner."

She spoke, and brought out a bag, revealing a couple of black robes within, before she clapped her hands and smiled.

After about an hour, the three of them sat before a rather sumptuous meal and began to eat.

"Oi, Matsumoto. You said quite a lot had happened in the last 60 years. Tell me more.."

Toshiro suddenly spoke, addressing the Vice Captain by her surname.

"Shiro-chan, Show some respect for the vice captain.."

Momo turned to him with a frown, however he ignored and continued eating.

"Its alright Momo. Besides, I'll be happy to tell you all about it. With your talent, I do believe you'll someday become a Vice Captain like me, or even a Captain, Toshiro."

Rangiku laughed it off, as Momo calmed herself down.

"About 50 years ago, The Gotei 13 finally apprehended the most wanted and dangerous criminal, the wanderer, and executed him. However, 10 years later, another rose and took his place. A person whose crimes even overshadowed the wanderer himself, the one known as the Hitokiri Battosai.

Singlehandedly, he nearly eradicated two of the four Noble Clans by himself, with the number of Shinigami dead by his hands, reaching nearly tens of thousands.

He was ruthless, sparing not even women and children in his genocides. He was a bloodthirsty devil, even going as far as to kill Captains by himself and many more Vice Captain and Seats.

Dealing with him was extremely tricky because he was able to appear and then disappear whenever he wanted, like a ghost. No one knew of his identity and those who previously had did not live to tell the tale.

Most importantly, he was well versed in hiding his reiatsu. The only Captain who had encountered him alone and survived was Captain Unohana Retsu of the 4th Division. She claimed that he had a method of hiding his reiatsu because even she who is known to possess one of the keenest senses had not sensed him until the last moment.

However, their battle was interrupted by the Captain Commandant, Yamamoto Shigekuni, as well as multiple other Captains.

In the end, Battosai was eradicated by the Captain Commandant's flames."

The moment she finished her words the entire room descended into silence.

"How do you know he was eradicated?"

Toshiro asked with a frown on his face.

"Because, I witnessed it myself."

Rangiku smiled while Toshiro frowned even deeper.

"So you mean to tell me that, if the Battosai wasn't dead, none of you Captains would have a means to detect his true identity? That's quiet irresponsible of you. He could very well be among the people of Rukongai or even a shinigami for all we know.."

Toshiro's words caused Rangiku to pause for a moment before she sighed.

He was right, and every Captain in the Gotei 13 knew of this. If the Battosai was even truly alive, would they even be able to find him? The Captain Commandant had mentioned that night, that without shikai and Bankai, none of them would be a match for the serial killer..Although deep down it did hurt their pride, it was the truth and they knew it.

If he ever was to come back, without the Captain Commandant, who knows what would happen.

"Besides, I think that first criminal you executed, what was his name? The runner or something, he seems to be related to this Battosai."

Toshiro spoke, pulling the blonde haired Shinigami from her chain of thoughts.

"Anyway, the Battosai is the least of our problems right now. Sigh. Twenty years ago, In just one night, we lost 5 of our Captains including our Kido Corps' Chief."

As she spoke, Toshiro and Momo widened their eyes in shock.

"How is that possible?!"

Toshiro asked, however Rangiku remained silent.

"It's hard to talk about it. Let's just continue our dinner in peace. Maybe you'll get to know when the time is right.."

Trying her best to smile in the circumstance, she quickly went back to her food and began slowly eating, as the others followed suit.

∆°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°∆

A figure slowly walked towards an inn with a dejected expression. Holding his straw hat in his hand, and the other hand on his blade, he walked through the night slowly, with each step announcing his emotions.

Entering the inn, he ignored everyone around him and walked to his room. Without even bothering to take off his clothes, he sat at a corner, by the window, hugging his sword, as he leaned his head against the wall.

As he remained in deep thought, a distant memory slowly flashed within his mind.

'Amidst ruins and destruction that spanned several miles, a middle aged man lying in a pool of blood held onto the hand of a younger version of himself.

"You are not the Battosai, my boy. At least not anymore. Your hands are soiled with the blood of thousands, however with those same hands you can save millions. I know in my heart, Kenshin that you would one day become a beacon of hope for this world....

This is my Sakabato...a blade meant for the Gods. I want you to have it, my boy. I hope that with it, you will usher the Soul Society into an era of Peace, without bloodshed.

As the man spoke, he handed over a blade wrapped in sackcloth to the boy whom all of his hopes rested on.

After that, he picked up a small dagger on the ground, and made a cut on the boy's left cheek, crossing the straight and already healed scar, forming something like a cross.

"You gained this scar during your years as Battosai, and now I bestow into you this scar, ending the era of the killer, and sealing the demon within you. Let it remind you, that you, my boy, are a new man, and that you alone can usher this world into a new Era..."

Clearing his head and bringing himself back to reality, he gently unsheathed a part of the blade, watching it intently with his violet irises.