White sand trembled faintly, though there was no wind. Souga stood before the man. Pale blue light flickered weakly from both his hands. His legs were shaking. His entire body was battered. The marks where spiritual pressure had been forced into his arms still burned hot. Yet he remained standing. Behind him, sand exploded. Two heavy footsteps thundered across the desert. "[angry]Sorry I'm late——!!" Souga turned around. From the sand cloud, Ichigo emerged in his black shihakusho. 183 centimeters tall. A massive Zangetsu strapped to his back. Sharp orange eyes fixed directly on him. Half a step behind, Rukia followed. Her short purple hair was disheveled. The bandage on her right shoulder was stained with sand. He almost cried. If he was being honest, he did. But he gritted his teeth against the surge of emotion and instead lifted the corner of his lips slightly. He wasn't sure if it looked like a proper smile. "[serious]……You came" Rukia stopped and quickly assessed Souga fro