The walls shattered as Y/N crashed through Orihime's house, his azure axe gleaming under the moonlight.

The massive Hollow loomed over the room, its ghastly mask twisted into a grotesque expression, its serpentine body coiling as it lashed toward Orihime—

CLANG!

Y/N blocked the attack effortlessly, his axe absorbing the full impact before he shifted it into a massive, reinforced shield, planting himself firmly between Orihime and the monster.

"You bastard!" Y/N growled, holding his stance, his teeth clenched in fury. "If you want to get Orihime, you'll have to get past me first!"

His body tensed, muscles coiled like a spring, preparing to strike again before the Hollow could regroup.

Then—

"Hey! I knew it! It's you, isn't it, Y/N?! And Ichigo's with you too!"

Y/N flinched. His grip on his weapon tightened as he snapped his head toward the source of the voice.

There, sitting beside her closet, completely unbothered by the chaos surrounding her—was Orihime.

Her cheery expression was as bright as ever, as if she hadn't just narrowly avoided getting killed.

Y/N blinked. What...?

Even Ichigo, who had just burst through the window, skidding into the room, hesitated.

"Orihime?!" Ichigo barked, clearly stunned.

And then Orihime, completely unaware of the gravity of the situation, tilted her head.

"How can you see us?" Y/N asked, his voice strained, his instincts already screaming at him.

"Eh? How?" Orihime blinked. "Oh! Are we playing Marco Polo?! Oh, in that case—" She quickly clapped her hands over her eyes. "I'll close my eyes!"

"Isn't it obvious?!" Rukia's voice cut through the tension, her tone grim as she landed beside them.

"She's a spirit!"

Y/N's blood ran cold.

His stomach twisted violently.

No...

His instincts roared in warning, but he had no time to process it.

The Hollow lunged.

Y/N barely had time to raise his shield before a massive, clawed strike slammed against him, the force nearly buckling his legs.

"She's already DEAD!"

The words hit him harder than the Hollow's attack.

His eyes widened, and as the shield cracked slightly under the weight of the Hollow's power, Y/N turned his gaze back to Orihime.

She was smiling.

Completely unaware of what she had become.

Y/N and Ichigo charged forward, weapons raised, their blades aimed directly at the Hollow's core.

CLANG!

The sound of metal scraping against unyielding scales rang through the air as their weapons barely made a dent in the Hollow's armor-like body.

"Tch!" Y/N gritted his teeth, pushing harder, but it was no use. The Hollow's serpent-like form allowed it to twist effortlessly, redirecting their attacks before they could even reach a weak spot.

"Pathetic!" the Hollow laughed, its voice booming. "You two are weak! Flailing your weapons like children, thinking you can harm me?!"

Y/N growled, his anger boiling.

"Boy, you're wasting energy," Poseidon's voice cut through his frustration.

"Shut up, old man," Y/N muttered under his breath.

"No, YOU shut up and listen for once," Poseidon snapped, his tone sharp. "If you keep swinging like an idiot, you'll get nowhere. Collect your energy. Use 'Teardrop'."

A vision flashed in Y/N's mind—a single, precise stab, cutting through the Hollow like water piercing through rock.

His grip on his sword tightened.

"That's it. Form the sword and—"

Before he could manifest his weapon, the Hollow lunged, twisting its massive body around Y/N, blocking him from summoning another blade.

"Dammit!" Y/N cursed, stumbling back.

Ichigo leaped forward, attempting to strike while the Hollow was focused on Y/N, but it coiled its body like a whip, twisting mid-air and slamming into them both.

"URGH!"

The impact sent them rolling back violently, their bodies crashing onto the floor.

Both of them were clearly injured, bruises forming along their arms as they struggled to push themselves back up.

The Hollow chuckled darkly, taking its opportunity.

In a blur, it lashed out and grabbed Orihime, wrapping its massive clawed fingers around her.

"NO!" Ichigo and Y/N shouted at the same time.

Orihime shrieked, struggling against its grip. "L-Let me go! Ichigo! Y/N! You're hurt!"

The Hollow's twisted expression darkened as it held her up. "Tell me, girl—do you recognize me?"

Orihime's eyes widened, confusion washing over her face. "R-Recognize you?"

A cold shiver ran down her spine.

Then, realization struck.

Her breath hitched.

"...Sora?"

The Hollow let out a distorted laugh, its grin stretching unnaturally.

"Yes, Orihime... it's me."

Her body trembled, her mind racing.

Meanwhile, Ichigo stumbled toward Y/N, her hand grabbing his shoulder.

"Y/N! Get up!"

But he wasn't responding.

Y/N's body remained still, his eyes shut, his breath ragged.

Then, suddenly—

Poseidon's spirit emerged from the medallion, the small blue sprite-like form hovering above them.

Ichigo stiffened, stepping back. "What the—?!"

Poseidon's eyes narrowed, his voice commanding. "Move, girl."

Ichigo's fists clenched. "Like hell I'm backing down!"

"You don't have a choice, child!" Poseidon barked. "I'll be temporarily oversurging his body!."

Ichigo hesitated, but Rukia's voice cut through the tension.

"Ichigo, back up! A massive spiritual pressure is incoming!"

Ichigo barely had time to react before—

BOOM!

Y/N's body jerked violently, and his eyes shot open, glowing bright azure.

The ground beneath them cracked from the sheer force of spiritual energy surging from his body.

Ichigo smirked slightly, glancing at Orihime, who was watching in amazement.

"Do you know why older siblings are born first?" Ichigo spoke, stepping forward, her grip tightening on her sword.

Orihime's eyes widened.

"It's to protect the little ones who come after them!"

Ichigo turned her gaze toward the enraged Hollow, her expression hardening.

"What kind of brother says he'll kill his own sister?! Even a monster shouldn't say that!"

"Ichigo..."

Orihime whispered, her lips trembling—her eyes brimming with emotions she couldn't place.

The Hollow screeched, its voice filled with fury.

"WHY DO YOU STAND IN MY WAY, ICHIGO KUROSAKI?! I RAISED ORIHIME! I PROTECTED HER! NOBODY CAN TAKE HER AWAY FROM ME!"

It lunged, its massive mouth opening wide, aiming to swallow Ichigo whole.

But Ichigo met its charge head-on, swinging her Zanpakutō upward.

"AS IF! CAPTAIN OVERBITE! THAT GIRL DOESN'T BELONG TO ANYONE!"

The Hollow shrieked, but its voice turned even more twisted.

"SHE'S MINE! HER SOUL IS MINE! I LIVED FOR HER, BUT SHE WON'T LIVE FOR ME! THEN SHE WILL DIE FOR ME!"

The Hollow's jaws stretched open wider, snapping toward Orihime.

But—

Y/N appeared in a flash.

Before anyone could process what happened—

He threw himself in front of Orihime.

"Y-Y/N?!"

Orihime's voice cracked as the Hollow's massive teeth sunk into his shoulder.

Blood splattered onto the floor.

Y/N's breath hitched, his face contorted in pain, but his expression remained steady as he stood his ground.

His body trembled, his vision blurred, but his eyes never left Orihime.

"Don't worry about me."

Orihime's throat tightened.

"Y-You're hurt!"

"Better me than you."

Y/N's breath was ragged, his knees barely holding up, but he kept standing.

"Speak to him, Orihime."

His words were firm, filled with something stronger than pain.

Orihime's lips quivered, her hands shaking as she reached out—placing them gently against the Hollow's mask.

"...Sora."

Her voice was softer this time, and the Hollow froze, its body twitching as if suddenly unsure.

"I'm sorry..."

Orihime's voice was thick with emotion, her gaze filled with sorrow.

"I wanted to share them with you... fun things at school... the happy stuff... the people I liked."

The Hollow's body trembled.

"At first... all I did was pray for you every day. But I thought that was wrong. I didn't want you to see my sadness. I didn't want you to feel my pain."

Tears began streaming down her cheeks.

"So I hid it from you."

Her fingers gently traced his mask, her voice cracking.

"I only shared my happiness with you, so you wouldn't suffer for me."

The Hollow's red eyes widened, its hold on Y/N loosening.

Y/N collapsed onto his knees, his vision dimming, the pain almost unbearable.

"Y/N!" Ichigo rushed forward, kneeling beside him.

She grabbed his shoulders, checking his wound.

"Stay awake, idiot!"

Y/N groaned weakly, a smirk barely forming.

"Can it, Ginger... you're giving me a headache."

Orihime fell to her knees, her chest heaving with sobs.

The only thing she wanted was to talk to her brother one last time.

And now...

She finally had.

The air around them felt different—lighter, as if the very weight of sorrow had lifted, even if just for a moment.

The monstrous form of the Hollow no longer twisted in rage or hunger. Instead, it stilled, as if it had regained some lost sense of self.

Sora's glowing red eyes dimmed, his massive, once-violent form shrinking inward, his body lowering until he was at eye level with his sister.

"If I stayed as I am..." the Hollow—no, Sora—murmured, his voice no longer monstrous, but human, regretful.

"I would have done nothing but hurt her."

Y/N, still kneeling on the ground, clutching his shoulder wound, could only watch in silence.

Rukia, standing beside him, lowered her sword slightly, her gaze softening just a fraction.

"He's right, Y/N," she said, her voice gentle but firm. "It's best to let him pass on rather than remain a Hollow."

Ichigo remained quiet, her fingers tightening around her own weapon, her chest rising and falling steadily as she watched.

Rukia continued, explaining for Orihime's sake, but her words felt like they were meant for all of them.

"To reap Hollows is not truly to kill them," she said, her gaze flickering to the fading monster in front of them. "It merely means freeing them of their sin. The Zanpakutō cleanses them so they can enter the Soul Society."

Orihime's breath hitched, her tear-streaked face looking up at her brother—no longer afraid.

Sora leaned down, kneeling beside Orihime's small frame. His twisted mask began to crack, revealing the faint image of the man he once was.

He gave her a bittersweet smile.

This would really be goodbye.

Even if he wanted to say sorry, even if he wanted to say something more—he knew that it was better this way.

He couldn't leave her behind with more burdens to carry.

She had already carried enough.

Orihime sniffled, her lips trembling, but she smiled through her tears, placing a gentle hand against what remained of his face.

Hate her older brother?

That thought had never crossed her mind.

And that's what made her Orihime.

"Sora..." she whispered.

Sora's form began to glow, the Hollow energy fading away, leaving only his soul behind.

For the first time in a long time, he felt at peace.

His lips parted, but instead of anything grand, anything poetic—he only said what felt right.

"Have a nice day."

And with that—he was gone.

The next day, the world felt like nothing had changed.

The students were lounging in their chairs, they chattered about completely normal things—as if last night hadn't been a battle between life, death, and Hollow corruption.

Ichigo, Y/N, and Rukia sat idly listening as their classmates bantered, watching as Orihime animatedly told yet another wild story.

"And then—BOOM!" Orihime threw her hands up dramatically. "A sumo wrestler shot a bazooka at my wall!"

Tatsuki, Mizuiro, and Keigo all stared at her blankly before bursting into laughter.

"Yeah, sure he did, Orihime!" Tatsuki chuckled, shaking her head.

"Did he do a flying elbow drop next?" Keigo grinned, barely able to contain his amusement.

"Was the bazooka made out of sushi?" Mizuiro added dryly, making Keigo cackle.

Orihime puffed up her cheeks, clearly offended. "I'm serious! It happened!"

Ichigo and Y/N exchanged a side glance, neither of them bothering to comment.

Rukia, sitting nearby, placed a finger on her chin. "Looks like the memory-altering Kikanshiki worked," she murmured, watching as Orihime continued to defend her 'truth'.

Y/N let out a quiet exhale, relieved. "Good... it's better that way."

Orihime didn't remember what had happened.

She didn't remember Sora or the pain of realizing what he had become.

That was... for the best.

Still, the classroom felt stuffy, and Y/N felt like he needed space.

"I'm gonna step out for a bit," he muttered, pushing his chair back and standing up.

Ichigo blinked, tilting her head slightly. "Want me to come with?"

Y/N waved her off, offering a small smile. "Nah, I just need a little peace for now."

Ichigo studied him for a moment, but eventually nodded, leaning back in her seat. "Alright. Just don't disappear."

Y/N chuckled. "No promises."

With that, he exited the classroom, his footsteps echoing lightly in the hallway.

The air outside was cool and crisp, the gentle rustling of leaves providing a calm contrast to the noise of the school.

Y/N wandered toward the small park nearby, his hands stuffed into his pockets, his mind drifting to last night's events.

Sora...

Even though things had ended peacefully, a part of him still felt uneasy.

Why did everything suddenly start happening now?

His thoughts paused when he noticed something nearby.

Sitting on a bench, licking its paw with a strangely refined air, was a black cat.

Y/N slowed his steps, watching as the cat paused mid-motion, its golden eyes flickering toward him.

Y/N approached the black cat cautiously, but it didn't shy away. Instead, it stared up at him, golden eyes glimmering with an unusual intelligence.

He hesitated for a second before reaching out, gently patting its head.

To his surprise, the cat responded well, pressing into his palm with a soft nuzzle. A low, rhythmic purring filled the air, and Y/N couldn't help but smile.

"Not bad, little guy," he murmured, scratching behind its ears.

The cat arched into his touch, completely content.

Y/N instinctively checked his pockets, wondering if he had any food on him, but—nothing.

"Tch," he muttered, frowning. "Figures."

Not wanting to leave it empty-stomached, Y/N did the next best thing—he picked up the cat, carefully cradling it in his arms.

The feline purred even louder, nestling into his warmth as if it had decided then and there that Y/N belonged to it.

Chuckling, Y/N adjusted his grip and made his way to the nearest retail store.

Inside the store, the cashier gave him a strange look as he walked in, still holding the black cat in his arms.

Y/N ignored them, scanning the shelves before grabbing the most expensive can of tuna he could find.

Because if he was feeding a cat, he was doing it right.

After paying (and earning another weird look from the cashier), he stepped outside, cracking the can open.

"Alright, little dude, feast away."

He gently set the cat down before placing the can on the bench.

Without hesitation, the cat dug in, lapping up the tuna with silent enthusiasm.

Y/N sat beside it, resting his elbows on his knees as he watched.

For some reason, this felt... relaxing.

After a few bites, the cat suddenly turned, licking his cheek affectionately.

"Pfft—ugh, tuna breath!" Y/N laughed, but he didn't push the cat away.

Instead, his smile softened as he scratched its chin, letting the feline nuzzle into his touch.

Strangely enough, its fur smelled oddly nice—not like an alley cat's at all.

There was a faint scent of thunder and a sweet summer rain, refreshing and electric.

Y/N blinked, slightly surprised by it.

But he didn't mind.

With a content sigh, he leaned back against the bench, watching the cat enjoy its meal.

At least, for now—things were peaceful.