Slime Soul (Tensura x Bleach Crossover) (Patreon)

Chapter 26: The King’s Shadow

Karakura Town

A small black streak could barely be seen as it leapt between rooftops at a steady pace, going unnoticed by almost everyone below.

If one looked closer, or possessed enhanced senses, they might blink in curiosity at what appeared to be an ordinary black cat with golden eyes being responsible.

The cat moved with unnatural speed and grace, its eyes far too knowledgeable for that of a regular animal as it continued forward before eventually dropping down into the street, landing in front of a small shop where two kids were sweeping outside.

It walked forward calmly, giving the two a small nod as it passed, earning respectful nods in return, even from the delinquent-looking redheaded teen.

Before the cat could reach the door, it slid open, revealing a blonde-haired man wearing a green and black outfit along with a strange striped green-and-white hat.

“Ah, Yoruichi-san~ Back already, I see. Can I offer you some milk?” the blonde, none other than Kisuke Urahara, asked in a jovial tone, hiding his face behind a paper fan.

“Cut the crap, Kisuke. We need to talk.” A distinctly male voice came from the cat, despite its form, revealing her to be none other than the former Captain of the Second Division, Yoruichi Shihoin.

Snapping his fan shut, Kisuke’s smile faded as he nodded and gestured for her to go inside. “I thought that might be the case. I already had Tessai-san prepare some tea and snacks.”

They walked in silence until they reached a room with a table in the center, already set with a pot of tea and various snacks.

Yoruichi continued into the adjacent room, disappearing for a moment. Urahara took a seat, and Tessai, who was already present, quietly served him tea.

Moments later, Yoruichi returned in her human form, now fully dressed, and took a seat across from Urahara, thanking Tessai as she was served her own cup.

Silence lingered as Yoruichi took a sip before setting the cup down and letting out a small sigh, causing Urahara to raise a brow.

“Well, now you’ve got me curious, Yoruichi-san. What did you find out to make you sigh like that?” Urahara asked lightly.

“Shut up or I’ll hit you,” Yoruichi shot back, irritation clear in her tone, making him raise his hands in mock surrender.

“I’m sure you’re already aware of Ichigo regaining his powers?” she continued.

“Hard not to,” Urahara nodded calmly, opening his fan once more. “Kurosaki-san is still quite young and hasn’t learned to control his reiatsu properly. At this point, I’m sure his friends have noticed as well.”

“Though, it seems my little project has been completely ruined now that he has his powers back,” he added.

“The bastard didn’t even bother to hide his presence when he approached Ichigo, even though several reports say he can perfectly mask his reiatsu,” Yoruichi said with a small frown. “It was almost like he was mocking us, like he was telling us there’s nothing we can do about it.”

“Yes, from my brief encounter with him, I wasn’t able to sense anything from him even after he devoured Aizen along with the Hōgyoku,” Urahara said with a small nod. “Were you able to follow him?”

“Tsk, of course not. The bastard knew I was coming and even mockingly waved at me before grabbing Ichigo and disappearing from my senses,” Yoruichi said with a huff, a faint pout crossing her face.

“Huhuhu. My, my, Yoruichi-san, it seems you’re a bit upset at finding someone who could give you the slip so easily~” Urahara teased, only to be promptly smacked in the head by her slipper, sending him onto his back.

“Shut up or I’ll hit you again,” Yoruichi snapped, her skin darkening slightly, showing he had struck a nerve. “Anyway, I searched for them all over the city, and just as I was about to give up, I found something strange.”

Sitting back up as if nothing had happened, Urahara adjusted his hat slightly, revealing eyes now sharp with interest.

“Strange how?”

“There was this building that looked normal at first, but something felt off. It took me a moment to figure it out, the building is supposed to be a 20-story hotel, but the top floor was completely missing.”

She paused briefly before continuing.

“The strange part is, it didn’t look destroyed or anything. The building seemed perfectly intact… just missing the top floor.”

At her words, Urahara fell into thought before blinking, as if recalling something.

“Hmm… I recall Kurosaki-san mentioning that when he exited the Dangai, he wasn’t able to sense Aizen or Caius-san at all for a few moments. In his own words, it was as if they weren’t in Soul Society at all.”

Yoruichi frowned slightly as he continued.

“Then, as if a veil had been lifted, he was suddenly able to sense Aizen again.”

“So, some kind of barrier that hides all reiatsu?” Yoruichi asked.

“No,” Urahara denied immediately, shaking his head. “At that point, Kurosaki-san should have been able to sense them through any barrier we know of. The only explanation that makes sense… is that they weren’t in Soul Society at all during that time.”

Yoruichi’s frown deepened, confusion clear on her face, until Tessai let out a quiet gasp.

“That’s what I’m thinking as well, Tessai-san,” Urahara nodded seriously.

Yoruichi’s eyes narrowed. “Well? Spit it out already.”

“It’s only a theory,” Urahara said, his tone turning serious, “but it seems Caius-san can either create barriers that isolate an area into a separate dimension… or he can travel between dimensions freely.”

Yoruichi’s eyes widened. “T-That’s ridiculous!”

“Huhuhu… trust me, Yoruichi-san. I’ve found myself thinking along similar lines the more I learn about Kurosaki-san’s mysterious friend,” Urahara chuckled, though there was little humor behind it.

“If even you’re stumped, then I guess I shouldn’t feel too bad,” Yoruichi muttered with a sigh before looking back at him.

“There’s more. I saw him holding an Asauchi when he returned Ichigo home.”

Urahara froze for the briefest moment before resuming his fanning.

“…I see. That does complicate things,” he said quietly, his expression hidden.

“Caius Aurelius…” Yoruichi muttered. “How does he know so much about Ichigo?”

Seeing Urahara fall silent and lower his head, Yoruichi narrowed her eyes. “What do you know, Kisuke?”

“…Haah. Like before, it’s nothing more than a few theories for now, but…” Urahara trailed off, his expression turning solemn. “They’re not good, if Caius-san turns out to be hostile.”

“…Well?” Yoruichi pressed impatiently.

“The first theory is the one I’m hoping is true. It’s actually quite simple, Aizen had plenty of information on Kurosaki-san stored in Las Noches. With his death, there’s a possibility Caius-san got his hands on it.”

“There are even reports I managed to obtain from Soul Society stating that most of Las Noches looked ransacked of anything valuable,” Urahara added.

Yoruichi and Tessai both nodded slightly.

“And your other theory?” Yoruichi asked, eyes narrowing further. “We both know things are never that simple. So what did you actually find?”

Urahara remained silent for a moment before lowering his head slightly, his hat casting a shadow over his face.

“My other theory… is that Caius-san gained that knowledge when he devoured Aizen.”

That immediately caught their full attention.

“Ever since Aizen’s defeat, I’ve been gathering information about what happened in Hueco Mundo, the battle here in the fake Karakura Town, and in Soul Society,” Urahara continued. “And the picture it paints is… troubling.”

“Did you know that no bodies of any Espada were ever recovered? That includes those defeated in the Fake Karakura Town, and their subordinates as well.”

He let that sink in before continuing.

“If Caius-san was able to devour Aizen along with the Hōgyoku… what’s to say he didn’t do the same to the others?”

Yoruichi and Tessai’s expressions shifted as realization began to dawn.

Urahara pressed on, his tone growing heavier.

“What if…” he paused, raising his head to meet their eyes directly, his expression deadly serious.

“What if Caius-san can gain the abilities and power of those he devours… and more importantly, what if he inherits their memories as well?”

Silence fell over the room.

Yoruichi and Tessai stared at him, eyes wide at the implications.

“I-If that’s true, then…” Yoruichi began, only for Urahara to finish for her.

“Then Caius-san, after devouring all those strong Espada, possibly Gin Ichimaru, Aizen, and the Hōgyoku, may already be the strongest being in this world. Possibly even beyond the Royal Guard.”

“…What does he want with Ichigo?” Yoruichi asked quietly.

At that, Urahara exhaled and leaned back slightly, his usual smile returning, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“I honestly don’t know,” he admitted. “But Kurosaki-san is a good judge of character… so let’s hope he’s managed to befriend someone like that.”

Silence was his only answer.

And for once, even Urahara didn’t try to fill it, his thoughts still on the last line he had heard from the man about needing the Hōgyoku for something.

‘Let’s hope I’m just overthinking things.’

=====

Following Day — Caius POV

Walking down the streets of Karakura Town without a care in the world, heading toward Karakura High School, I quietly reflected on what I had revealed to Ichigo yesterday.

‘Hopefully his inner spirits finally spilled the beans about everything… especially his Quincy heritage from his mother’s side,’ I thought calmly. ‘It’ll make training him much easier that way.’

I was pulled from my thoughts when I felt a tug on my sleeve. Looking down, I saw Riruka, who was walking beside me along with Nelliel, staring up at me with pleading eyes.

“Caius~ Can we get some donuts before we pick up Ichigo?” Riruka asked sweetly.

“Ooh~ Donuts do sound good,” Nelliel added from my other side, a bit of drool forming at the corner of her lips.

“Hey! Get your own! I asked first,” Riruka huffed, crossing her arms and pouting at Nelliel.

“Why can’t we share?” Nelliel asked, tilting her head in confusion.

“It’s alright, you two. We can just get several boxes. I’m sure the others would appreciate it too,” I said calmly, stepping in before things escalated.

Thankfully, that seemed to do the trick. Both of them nodded contently, and Riruka immediately grabbed my hand, dragging me toward the nearest donut shop.

It took us a few minutes, mostly because Nelliel couldn’t decide which donuts she wanted, something I completely understood, before we resumed our walk.

Chatting happily among ourselves and ignoring the occasional stares from passing pedestrians and students, likely drawn by our… rather exotic looks, we eventually reached the school.

Not wanting to make a scene, we waited outside for the Strawberry, once again ignoring the whispers around us while enjoying the donuts we had just bought.

“You know we’re being watched, right?” Nelliel suddenly said casually, holding two donuts and alternating bites between them.

“Huh?! Since when?” Riruka choked slightly, quickly looking around in a panic as she tried to sense anything.

“Yep,” I said, not even bothering to look up from my donut. “I sensed her just before we entered the shop. Don’t worry though, that kitty won’t try anything out in the open. She’s sensible like that.”

“Kitty? What are you talking about!?” Riruka asked, now even more confused before pouting at me. “Mou, don’t leave me in the dark, Caius.”

“Hmhmhm, sorry Riruka,” I chuckled, patting her head. She instantly melted into my hand, her pout gone as a blush replaced it. “I’m talking about one of Ichigo’s former mentors, Yoruichi Shihoin, a Shinigami.”

“I-I see. Thank you for answering. Though aren’t you worried she might report back to Soul Society and they’ll come after us?” Riruka asked curiously as she looked up at me.

“Not really. She’s a fugitive from Soul Society, and even if she did, we’d be long gone by the time they decided to act,” I said with a small shrug.

“That, and most Shinigami are probably terrified of Caius since he was the one to defeat Aizen, someone their entire military couldn’t handle,” Nelliel added with an amused smile.

“That too,” I nodded with a small grin.

“Hmph, I guess it’s to be expected. No one is stronger than Mr. Slime after all~” Riruka puffed out her chest proudly, reverting to my nickname.

“Thank you for your confidence, Riruka,” I said with a smile, earning a blush from her before my expression softened slightly. “But you’re overstating my abilities.”

“While that might be true in this world, there are still countless beings stronger than me out there in the wider universe. I’m not arrogant enough to believe I’ve reached the level of the true monsters out there,” I added with a small sigh.

At the mention of other worlds, Riruka went quiet for a moment before glancing to the side, holding her arm shyly.

“Speaking of other worlds… I can still come with you when you leave, right?” she asked, her last words coming out softer.

Smiling down at her, I pulled her into a side hug, earning a small squeak.

“As long as you’ve thought it through properly and that’s still your wish, then I’d be happy to bring you with us, Riruka.”

She didn’t respond verbally, only nodding against me as her grip tightened slightly.

“That’s right! I’m sure everyone feels the same. You’re already one of us after all~” Nelliel chimed in happily, joining the hug from my other side.

Being the tsundere that she was, Riruka immediately pulled away, turning around with her arms crossed as she huffed, trying—and failing—to hide her flushed face.

“W-Whatever. What’s taking that idiot Kurosaki so long anyway?” she muttered, clearly changing the subject.

As if on cue, Ichigo walked out of the school with his friends, only to pause when he noticed us.

I simply raised a hand and waved.

Orihime and Sado, who were walking beside Ichigo, blinked when they saw me but quickly waved back.

Ichigo, on the other hand, walked straight up to me, skipping any greeting.

“Inoue, Sado. Nice to see you again. How have you guys been?” I asked with a smile, as if we were back in Hueco Mundo, which seemed to throw them off a bit.

“U-Umm, I’m good. Thank you for asking, Aurelius-san,” Orihime said, bowing once she recovered, while Sado simply gave me a small nod.

“Anyway, you already know Nel here,” I continued, gesturing to the green-haired woman, who happily waved at them. Then I placed a hand on Riruka’s shoulder. “And this is Riruka. She’s a little shy, so please treat her well.”

At that, Riruka immediately flushed and crossed her arms with a huff.

“I’m not shy! And I can introduce myself just fine,” she snapped before giving Orihime and Sado a slightly narrowed look, puffing out her chest.

“I’m Riruka Dokugamine. Be glad I even introduced myself to you.”

Before either of them could respond, Ichigo stepped forward, eyes locked on me.

“Caius, I was wondering if—”

“If your friends could come along too, right?” I cut in with a smile, making him blink in surprise along with the others. “Don’t worry about it. I expected as much. Let’s go, we can talk once we’re somewhere safer.”

Without another word, I turned and began walking, Nelliel and Riruka following immediately, with Ichigo and his friends trailing behind us.

I led us into an alley before turning back to them.

“You guys ready?” I asked with a small grin.

They all nodded.

“See you later, Catwoman~”

Smirking, I tilted my head up and gave a lazy two-finger salute to the black cat watching from above.

With a snap of my fingers, a teleportation circle formed beneath us, and in the next instant, we were gone.

We reappeared moments later inside our private suite.

Clapping my hands once to get everyone’s attention, I grinned.

“Alright, any questions before we begin your next few months of tr—ahem—training?”

My grin widened slightly as I noticed Sado and Orihime subtly stiffen.

“Did you know I was part Quincy?” Ichigo asked immediately, stepping forward with a serious expression.

His friends gasped behind him.

I raised a brow.

‘So he hasn’t told them yet,’ I noted before focusing back on him, my smirk fading.

“Yes. Since the beginning. Why do you think I kept calling you a mutt?” I replied simply.

Ichigo went silent for a moment before nodding in acceptance.

“…What about the Quincy King? What do you know about Yhwach?” he asked, his expression growing even more serious.

‘Well, well… looks like they told him more than I expected,’ I thought, slightly impressed.

‘This should make things interesting. I wonder how that mustache bastard will react when he realizes Ichigo is far stronger than he foresaw?’