Honestly, whenever Asuka pedaled this clanking, rusty old bicycle, he inwardly cursed that profiteer, Kisuke Urahara.
Under the scorching sun, his work uniform was already half-soaked with sweat.
The physical feedback from this Gigai was so realistic it felt absurd.
He had long been accustomed to regulating his body temperature through Breathing Styles, or using his radiating Spiritual Pressure to insulate himself from the outside heat and cold.
But now, none of those methods worked in this Gigai. He was just a deliveryman, parched by the sun and forced to pedal with all his might.
Asuka slowed down and stopped in the shade of some trees.
He watched the crowd hurrying across the crosswalk. They wore strange clothes he had never seen before, rushing toward their respective destinations with hurried expressions.
This world moved too fast.
People held black squares called "mobile phones" in their hands, walking briskly across the crosswalks with their heads down. The boxes known as "televisions" broadcasted bizarre images.
Giant billboards flashed with glaring neon lights in the night, illuminating the sky like a never-ending fireworks festival.
The honking of cars, the blaring of advertisements from giant electronic screens, and the faint hum of the intricate power lines vibrating at high frequencies overhead assaulted his senses at every moment.
"Modern society..." Asuka muttered, chewing on the words before setting off once more.
These days, he was being forced to integrate into this era in the clumsiest way possible.
He had learned to read traffic lights, to discern the intentions of those tin-can-like cars, and how to survive in this world devoid of Demons.
Yet, he still felt like an outsider. Every day, he pondered how to restore the spiritual power within him, trying to break free from this body as soon as possible.
The bicycle stopped in front of a residence bearing the nameplate Hasegawa. Asuka picked up a package and skillfully rang the doorbell.
"Coming, please wait a moment!"
Brisk footsteps echoed from inside before a woman dressed as a housewife opened the door.
"Ah, from the Urahara Shop. Thanks for your hard work, young man."
Although she didn't recognize Asuka, she recognized the four large characters for "Urahara Shop" on his chest.
Peddling "spirit-repelling" products to the citizens as a side business was Urahara's most important source of income.
Asuka bowed slightly and handed over the receipt. "Your package. Please verify it."
"Ah, thank you. Karakura Town hasn't been very peaceful lately. I often hear strange noises at night. You should be careful when delivering goods, Mr. Clerk," the housewife casually complained as she signed.
'Not very peaceful...' Asuka didn't reply, silently taking back the receipt.
His gaze swept toward the green belt at the corner of the street.
Behind the carefully pruned bushes, a translucent figure was wandering.
It was a boy who looked no older than seven or eight. He was covered in rags, and a severed, rust-stained Chain of Fate dangled from his chest.
The severed end of the chain had already begun to exhibit an unstable tremor—a sign that the soul was on the verge of mutating.
The boy wore a nervous expression, staring blankly at the bustling street.
To those ordinary people, his existence was nothing more than non-existent air.
A man in a suit walked right through his body. The boy stumbled from the faint biological airflow, looking even more aggrieved.
Asuka didn't move, nor did he go up to strike up a conversation. In this city called Karakura Town, Pluses like this were everywhere. Although his Spiritual Sight to perceive souls hadn't disappeared, without spiritual power, Asuka could do nothing for these helpless wandering souls.
Clank, clank.
Asuka pedaled the bicycle once more, letting the wind brush past his face.
He could only pretend not to see, praying inwardly for the boy, hoping a Soul Reaper would arrive soon to guide his soul.
But before he even rode past the next intersection, the temperature in the air suddenly dropped a few degrees.
Asuka's back suddenly tensed. A Spiritual Pressure filled with greed and brutality was vibrating in the surroundings.
"This uncomfortable feeling..."
He slowly turned his head and looked behind him.
The originally calm void seemed to be torn apart by a pair of invisible claws, and a black rift quietly emerged.
Immediately after, a bloated monster wearing a bone mask squeezed out from the rift.
It let out a low roar, saliva dripping from its mouth onto the concrete ground, looking incredibly hideous.
It was a Hollow.
The Hollow's target was clearly the soul of the boy from earlier.
The boy seemed to sense the danger as well, letting out a terrified scream.
He began to run frantically down the street, trying to cry out for help to the pedestrians, but mortals couldn't hear his voice at all.
Pedestrian after pedestrian walked right through his translucent body; no one stopped.
The Hollow's massive body bounded across walls and rooftops, kicking up gusts of cold wind as it continuously closed in on him.
Asuka stopped his bicycle.
Standing beside the kickstand, his hand instinctively reached for his waist.
He had forgotten—it was completely empty.
"Forget it, don't be a busybody. I can't manage this kind of thing anyway," Asuka muttered, turning around and stepping on the pedals again.
Judging by the physical functions displayed by this Gigai, he was no different from an ordinary shut-in. It was safe to say he had no means of self-defense.
Rushing over there would be meaningless, other than offering the Hollow an extra snack.
Moreover, Kisuke Urahara had repeatedly warned him—
He absolutely must not expose his existence.
'Kid, just consider yourself unlucky. I hope you die quickly...'
"Help!! Can someone save me!!"
'Tch.'
Bang!!
"Huh?"
The Hollow had already opened its giant, razor-toothed maw, biting down toward the boy who had collapsed on the ground.
But it suddenly felt something smash against the back of its head.
It turned its head in bewilderment, only to find a black-haired young man wearing a pale green apron glaring at it warily.
'This human? He can see me?'
"Run!" Asuka shouted loudly, leaving the surrounding pedestrians feeling somewhat baffled.
He didn't foolishly charge over; he had merely thrown the clay pot Kisuke Urahara prepared for customers at the Hollow to attract its attention.
'Saying it can ward off evil and avoid disasters... It's just a scam item anyway, might as well use it to do a good deed.'
Before the Hollow could react, Asuka immediately dashed to the boy's side. Regardless of whether the other party could understand him, he grabbed the boy's arm and forcefully hauled up the spirit, which had gone stiff from fear.
The boy was stunned. He clearly hadn't expected that someone could actually see him, let alone grab him.
"Don't just stand there! Come with me!"
Asuka didn't waste any words.
Carrying the boy, he swiftly ducked into the intricate gaps between the nearby residential buildings.
Utilizing the narrow, cluttered alleys and low walls, Asuka constantly changed directions.
The Hollow roared furiously behind them.
Its massive size became a hindrance in these narrow spaces. The sound of shattering bricks and stones echoed endlessly as it brutally closed in on the two of them.
Moreover, after only a short burst of high-intensity running, this body was already sounding the alarm.
His breathing was heavy, his muscles ached, and his heart pounded wildly.
"That damn profiteer! Couldn't he have built a combat-ready Gigai?!"
After all, he was no longer the swordsman who could fight continuously at high intensity without rest or sleep.
Under the Hollow's pursuit, he made a sharp turn, only to rush into a dead end.
"Mister... it's a dead end!" the little boy cried out.
"Who are you calling mister?"
In their moment of panic, the Hollow finally smashed through a wall and blocked their path.
Terrified, the boy collapsed at Asuka's feet, trembling uncontrollably.
Asuka panted heavily, looking around.
There were no weapons here, nor was there any terrain he could use to his advantage.
'Nugata, if you two don't come out now, we're really doomed,' he growled inwardly.
The Hollow let out a mocking snort, seemingly ridiculing this overconfident food.
It slowly lowered its head, its giant shadow enveloping the two of them.
Just as Asuka prepared to make a final stand, a crisp chime rippled through the air.
"[ Bakudo #4: Hainawa]!"
A glowing, golden rope of light suddenly appeared, instantly locking down the Hollow's movements.
The Hollow let out a pained and startled shriek, but no matter how it struggled, the rope of light wouldn't budge.
Asuka's eyes narrowed, his body growing even more tense.
'This is... a Soul Reaper is here!'