"Cole… turned into a Menos-class Hollow!?"
Hachigen stared in shock.
He couldn't help glancing toward Cole. Over there, Cole was vigorously mussing Yoruichi's hair; her purple locks had been teased into a bird's nest. He bore Hollow traits, and his temperament had swung wildly—but he didn't look like a mindless mass of malice at all.
Scratching his head, Kisuke explained to Hachigen, "You probably haven't seen an Adjuchas-class upper Hollow. At that tier, a Hollow already has complete intelligence. And above that, the Vasto Lorde shows only faint Hollow traits—the body looks fully human. You can't tell by appearance alone whether it's an upper Hollow. Also, because they're born from negative desires, their emotions are prone to extremes…"
He cut a sideways look at Cole. "Don't you feel Cole's personality is… slightly extreme?"
Hachigen hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah. He does seem a lot more arrogant."
Kisuke sighed and rubbed his temples. "At this point I don't know if it's Cole's problem or the Hōgyoku's. Why does this kid come with so many problems!?"
If Cole had become a Hollow, then why had he previously reverted to Shinigami—and human?
If he hadn't become a Hollow, then why did every change mirror Hollowification?
After a long moment, Hachigen asked, "So what do we do now?"
"What else? We wait." Kisuke sounded testy. Even for the "greatest genius," Cole's condition was a head-scratcher.
…
Two days and two nights slipped by.
At last, right when Cole had Yoruichi pinned again—twisting her hair into a rope braid and laughing as he ordered her to cosplay Raiden Shogun—clarity snapped into his mind. He blinked, then stared blankly at the furious Yoruichi beneath him.
"Yoruichi-san!??"
The memories of the last two days washed over him—his scalp tingled.
What on earth had he done?
Punch the South Mountain retirement home.
Stomp the North Sea kindergarten.
He'd basically thrashed the Visoreds and everyone at Kisuke's shop. Right—Ichigo hadn't escaped either. He'd bullied nearly everyone into wishing for death.
While Cole was grimacing at the recollection, Yoruichi let out a chilling laugh and glared up at him. "Brat, you finally subdued the Hollow inside you?"
Cole went quiet, then suddenly bared a wicked grin. "Stupid woman, hurry and stuff your zanpakuto into my arms, then pull it out from your chest and say you're the Raiden Shogun's shadow who crossed over—"
"Shadow your big bald head!"
Yoruichi saw through the act at once and scowled. "Get off me. Now."
Cole sprang up and coughed. "That wasn't me just now. It was the big Hollow inside me doing dumb things."
He had to distance himself fast—or risk another group beatdown.
But the moment he said it, inside and outside the barrier, all the Shinigami lying around in heaps opened blazing eyes—and fixed them all on Cole.
"So you finally came back."
"Do you know what I've been through these two days?"
"Get ready to pay up!"
"Even a background mob like me deserves payback!"
"…"
"Get him!!!"
"…"
At Shinji's roar, the Shinigami surged in a wave. They didn't care who'd thrown the first punch. Whoever had, they were still going to pound Cole.
Bang! Bang! Bang—…
After a solid round of boots and fists, Cole touched his face—swollen on both sides—and sighed. "You guys hit way too hard. My cheeks feel like balloons."
Kensei's mouth twitched; he smacked his right thigh. "This leg got broken six times in two days. If not for Captain Retsu, I wouldn't be standing."
The others rattled off Cole's "crimes."
Cole coughed. "I just… didn't expect you still couldn't beat me, even with your zanpakuto released."
That only made the crowd angrier. For two days, Cole had basically been a walking artillery turret, flinging Cero like they cost nothing—he'd nearly given them Cero PTSD. They'd wanted to use Bankai to block—but they couldn't block at all.
Tattered and frazzled, Kisuke walked up, eyes unfriendly. "Cole-kun, would you mind telling me why you tried to 'control the Hollow within' without letting any Hollow show up at all?"
Because there isn't one inside… Cole thought silently.
He'd only strengthened Hollow power. There was no so-called big Hollow inside. Coming back to a Shinigami state just meant suppressing the Hollow energy and reclaiming Shinigami emotions.
Hachigen waved. "Cole, questions later—try switching fully back to Shinigami first."
Cole nodded. With a thought, the Hollow power within him shrank. The white-and-crimson mask shard at his eye cracked and fell away; the hole in his chest sealed; the black-red reiatsu faded back to blue.
In a blink, he shifted from Hollow to Shinigami again.
Kisuke gaped—he'd watched every motion but hadn't actually seen how Cole did it.
The others didn't care. They cracked their knuckles and closed in for a second round.
Right then, everyone frowned at once.
"Senkaimon!?" Shinji looked up, puzzled. "Who's coming now?"
In the spiritual network, an ancient-looking gate bloomed over Karakura Town—and black silhouettes stepped out.
"Rukia!"
Cole's face changed. He didn't bother with the door; he vaulted skyward and brought his golden staff down—smashing space itself into a rift. In the next instant, he vanished into the tear.
Kisuke forgot the barrier entirely and sprinted after him. "What's going on? Why would Rukia come here with wounds that bad? What happened in Soul Society?"
He hadn't received any messages for days. He'd assumed Captain Kyōraku had been warned off by the Head Captain—but it looked worse than that.
…
"Rukia—you can't run."
High above, a zanpakuto spirit formed entirely of blades stared coldly at Rukia. He raised his right hand—and countless flying knives shot out like spring swallows. "Spread your wings and soar, Hiu!"
Knives slashed across Rukia, drawing fresh lines of blood.
"Cole…" Teeth clenched, Rukia stepped through the air and ran on—but she'd lost too much blood. Her face was pale; her body swayed.
The instant she was about to fall, Cole wrapped her in his arms.
"Rukia!"
He called her name, then lifted a glacial gaze to Hiu. "You did this?"
The blade-man laughed, flicking his hand to send dozens more knives. "Cole, which do you want—your life, or that woman's?"
As the Seventh Division's Fourth Seat, he knew plenty about Cole. He just didn't care.
The knives neared—then Rukia and Cole vanished as if plucked from reality.
"Where—?" Hiu's eyes bulged.
"Behind you," came the chill reply.
The golden staff hammered down, smashing across Hiu's surface. Blades shattered in unison; crisp cracking rang out in waves. Under one blow, the living bundle of blades burst apart and clattered to the ground. Even a manifested zanpakuto spirit was finished.
Cole snorted and turned away, focus returning to the girl in his arms. "Rukia, I'm taking you for treatment."
Rukia finally exhaled in relief, but she clutched Cole's shirt with weak hands. "Be careful… our zanpakuto suddenly rebelled. Every one of them looks just like that one…"
"Zanpakuto rebellion…"
Cole frowned in surprise—
A golden streak flashed overhead. A tiny fairy like a queen bee streaked toward Rukia at terrifying speed.
"Danku (Severing Void)!" Cole snapped the words.
With a boom, the little "queen bee" slammed nose-first into the invisible wall.
"Suzumebachi (Hornet)" whined, hands on hips. "Hey! Rotten Cole, why'd you stop me? That woman is our enemy—we have to kill her!"
Cole's face darkened. "Even if you say that, Rukia is my friend."
He extended an index finger and flicked Suzumebachi lightly on the forehead, sending the sprite pinwheeling away. When she finally stopped, little spirals spun in her eyes. "Rotten Cole, I won't forgive you—Sode no Shirayuki (Sleeve of White Snow), hurry and come teach this jerk a lesson…"
Muramasa had sent three zanpakuto to hunt Rukia: Suzumebachi, Hiu, and Sode no Shirayuki. Hiu had been smashed in one hit. Sode no Shirayuki, though… was nowhere to be seen.
A few seconds later, a soft, embarrassed voice drifted out. "Some no mai, Tsukishiro (First Dance: Moon White)."
A pure-white circle blossomed at Cole's feet. Killing cold surged up, threatening to freeze and raise a pillar to the heavens.
Cole didn't flinch. He actually brightened, eyes sliding toward the source. "Sode no Shirayuki—you manifested too!?"
Like a snow maiden, Sode no Shirayuki hid behind a utility pole. Caught, she looked a little flustered. "Cole, don't call me so intimately. We're enemies right now…"
Cole's lips quirked. He muttered under his breath, "That's rude of you. Don't forget last time—you called me—"
"Cole, shut up!!"
Face pink, Sode no Shirayuki drove her pure-white blade down—ice-cold pressure flared. "Tsugi no mai, Hakuren (Next Dance: White Ripple)!"
The ground froze forward in a torrent, a pure-white path rushing out to encase everything ahead in ice.
Cole, of course, wasn't going to be buried by that. He just tapped the golden staff to the ground; unseen pressure expanded around him and halted the cold's advance.
"Cole…" In his arms, Rukia looked up, puzzled. "What are you and Sode no Shirayuki talking about?"
Though she was Sode no Shirayuki's wielder, she couldn't understand a word of their exchange—as if the two shared some secret.
Sode no Shirayuki's cheeks stayed pink. Entirely unbefitting an ice-type zanpakuto spirit, she glared daggers at Cole. Go on and say it—see if I don't fight you to the death.
"It's nothing…" Cole chuckled and ruffled Rukia's hair. "Your injuries are too severe. I'll have Hana-nee treat you. Don't worry—now that you're here, you're safe."
Rukia nodded, cheeks faintly red. Of course she trusted Cole; otherwise she wouldn't have fled to the World of the Living first. In truth, the moment she saw him, a whirlpool-warm sense of safety wrapped her heart.
Then, abruptly, sweat beaded on her brow. "Cole-dono, why are you lifting me up? Shouldn't you be carrying me to the healer?"
"The thing is… there's no time!"
Cole laughed—and hurled Rukia hard toward the Visoreds' hideout.
"Ahhh!!!" Tears flew from Rukia's eyes as the ground rushed up. "Cole—I hate you!!!"
A gentle voice sounded an instant before impact. "Minazuki (Flesh Purging)."
A flat, green, one-eyed manta ray unfurled in midair, mouth yawning to catch Rukia.
Thump!
Rukia landed inside the moist mouth; slick saliva soaked her uniform in a heartbeat. "S-so sticky…"
She looked on the verge of tears at the writhing tongue and pulsing walls. She'd hoped Orihime would treat her…
Meanwhile, high above, golden Suzumebachi streaked toward Minazuki like a meteor.
Cole moved to intercept—but Sode no Shirayuki's cool voice drifted in. "Give it up, Cole. I won't let you stop Suzumebachi. Besides… right now, you might not defeat me."
She stepped forward; with each step, a blossom of ice bloomed beneath her toes.
"Bankai."
"Hakka no Togame (White Haze Reprimand)."
(End of Chapter)
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