"Hey, Toshiro, I definitely want to become a Shinigami and strive for the Soul Society."
"..."
"Toshiro, you're first place! That's amazing! You really are a genius!"
"Tch, it's just first place. What does that have to do with being a genius or not?"
"Haha... what are you talking about? You obviously look happy. But... next time, I'll surpass you, Toshiro!"
"Toshiro, we'll be friends forever... right?"
Sojiro felt as if he had lived another life in a different world.
In that world, Sojiro and Toshiro met at the Shin'o Academy, became classmates, and became best friends. They trained hard, talked about everything, and freely discussed life and ideals.
However, fate played a cruel trick on them. They awakened the same Zanpakuto at the same time...
Then the Central 46 interfered...
"We will now announce the resolution of the Central 46!"
"The Soul Society does not permit two people to possess the same Zanpakuto!"
"Therefore, the two of you must engage in a life-or-death duel to select the true owner of Hyorinmaru!"
"You're telling me to let Sojiro and me kill each other?"
"Silence! Orthodox qualifications, corresponding abilities… Hyorinmaru possesses such extraordinary power. Consider it an honor!"
"I refuse! If I have to duel Sojiro, I'd rather give up Hyorinmaru!"
"Out of the question!"
"Unacceptable!"
"Not allowed!"
"Why can't we have the same Zanpakuto?"
"Not allowed is not allowed. This is an unchangeable, ironclad rule that has been passed down since ancient times!"
"Thou shalt not violate!"
"Thou shalt not doubt!"
"Fight to the death!"
In that other world, the Soul Society forced them to duel. The victor would possess Hyorinmaru, while the loser would die, left with nothing.
Faced with the Central 46's coercion, Toshiro would rather give up Hyorinmaru than duel Sojiro.
However, Sojiro...
"Toshiro! I... I want Hyorinmaru!"
"Sojiro, I..."
Under the pressure of the Central 46 and the temptation of possessing Hyorinmaru, Sojiro chose to compromise and proactively attacked Toshiro, who had no choice but to defend himself.
The result of the duel... was undoubtedly a victory for the 'prodigy' Toshiro.
Defeated, Sojiro lay weakly on the ground. The victorious 'Hitsugaya Toshiro' suddenly walked over to him and grabbed him by the throat.
"..."
Choked by 'Hitsugaya Toshiro', Sojiro struggled in pain.
"I... I actually proactively attacked the Captain for the sake of the Zanpakuto?"
"Unforgivable... I am truly unforgivable..."
"Maybe I should just die like this, as atonement to the Captain..."
So, choked by 'Toshiro', Sojiro completely gave up struggling and closed his eyes, waiting for death.
Nukui, who had appeared in this world at some point, stood not far away, smirking coldly at the scene.
"It's over, Kusaka Sojiro. People like you cannot compare to us who walk the path of killing. So you will be the one to die in this battle!" Nukui murmured to himself.
However, the next scene greatly shocked Nukui, who had thought victory was certain.
"No... No!"
Sojiro suddenly seemed to think of something, abruptly opened his eyes, and struggled again!
"Aaaah!!"
Sojiro roared and forcefully pried open the hand of 'Hitsugaya Toshiro' that was choking him.
Then Sojiro picked up his Zanpakuto from the ground.
"Toshiro... Captain..." Sojiro looked at the 'Hitsugaya Toshiro' before him with a complicated expression.
Squelch!
Sojiro suddenly and mercilessly thrust his sword through 'Hitsugaya Toshiro's' body.
'Hitsugaya Toshiro' looked at him in disbelief.
Meeting 'Toshiro's' gaze, Sojiro roared angrily: "Toshiro is not the kind of person who would kill a friend without mercy!"
"Even... even if I really attacked Toshiro first because of the Central 46's orders and my greed for Hyorinmaru's power, Captain... Captain wouldn't kill me!!"
"So... die! You fake, this imposter pretending to be Captain!!"
Sojiro angrily slashed at 'Hitsugaya Toshiro' again, and under his attack, 'Hitsugaya Toshiro' completely vanished into nothingness.
"How... how is this possible?! How could you escape my illusion?!" Nukui exclaimed in shock.
Hearing the voice, Sojiro suddenly turned to look at Nukui.
"You bastard... how dare... how dare you use such an illusion to deceive me!!" Sojiro was beside himself with rage, his eyes seeming to spit fire as he glared at Nukui.
Sojiro felt this was the angriest he had ever been since birth. In his eyes, Toshiro was his savior, the person he had sworn to follow for life. Toshiro's life was even more important than his own!
And Nukui had used that kind of illusion to deceive him, to sow discord between him and Toshiro. This was absolutely unforgivable.
As the saying goes, a dragon has its reverse scale… touch it, and you die!
And Nukui's actions just now had undoubtedly touched Sojiro's reverse scale, which was why he was so angry.
"What is your name?" Sojiro looked at Nukui with an icy expression.
Nukui replied solemnly: "Nukui Hanza, leader of the Kasumioji Clan's assassination squad!"
"Very well, Nukui Hanza, is it? I will remember you. You are the first person to make me this angry." Sojiro laughed in extreme rage.
"Die, Nukui Hanza!!"
Boom!
Sojiro threw aside all restraint. His Captain-level Reiatsu erupted without limit.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
Under Sojiro's Reiatsu, cracks began to appear throughout the illusory space.
"Bankai! Kyokuhyoen!!"
Sojiro shouted loudly and directly activated Bankai!
Sojiro's Reiatsu transformed into ice-blue flames, sweeping across the entire illusory space.
The ice-blue flames looked breathtakingly beautiful, but sometimes, the more beautiful something is, the more dangerous it is.
The ice-blue flames formed after Sojiro's Bankai were not hot at all… on the contrary, they were bone-chillingly cold.
Because the ability of the ice-blue flames formed after his Bankai was to use thermal energy as fuel, burning the 'thermal energy' of all matter.
This was undoubtedly an extremely powerful ability. All matter possesses 'thermal energy', and without it, many substances, including people, cannot exist.
Crack, crack… boom!
Under the burning of Sojiro's ice-blue flames, the entire illusory space was frozen and then shattered with a bang!