Bleach: New Generation

Chapter 54: Into the Fire

Kazui's POV:

"We're finally here! Home sweet home!"

"Yeah...this does not feel homely at all..."

It was exactly as I said. Nothing about this forge was homely at all. Living inside a place with the beasts of Hell crawling all over the place, scorching flames burning into your skin, and a hooded Sinner talking away is the furthest from homely.

As I walked into the crumbling black building, I felt a wave of nostalgia rush through my body. Even if it didn't feel homely there was a sense of familiarity I felt from this place. I had been here before.

The drug that Kurotsuchi gave me may have returned all of my memories, but the thing is it's hard to actually remember correctly. You know when you're having a dream, wake up, and then forget about it? Yeah, that's what it felt like. And like scrolling for pictures on a phone, it's going to take a long time for me to recognise every small detail. The only thing keeping me centred with all of this chaos was my soul itself. The familiarity of this place was the only thing that calmed me down.

"So, first question, how are you?", Kurokane sat down on the floor, pouring himself a cup of whatever unknown substance was in that pitcher.

"Uh, I'm feeling great, thanks...", I followed, sitting in front of him, "So how'd you find me anyway?"

"I followed your Spiritual Pressure, naturally. I can recognise it from a long distance. When I felt that you're reiatsu weakened and you were dropping down into Hell, I rushed to you right away. I was surprised at first, but I got over it easily"

"Right..."

I glanced around the room that I was in. The walls were made out of crumbling black bricks, looking like it could collapse at any time. I could even see the outside of this building where the larger Hell Hollows wandered around aimlessly. But the thing, or should I say a lot of things, caught my attention. Many swords, daggers, hammers and other weapons were displayed on every single wall. Even as I was entering I saw the huge number of weapons that were scattered around the house.

"So, blacksmith huh? I can see that"

The Sinner grinned, "Thanks! I've been doing this for a long while now after you left-"

"What...exactly did I do to you so that you could rescue me? What could I have done so that you'll give me hospitality and safety", I locked eyes with him as I interrupted with a serious tone.

"Ah, so you really don't remember. I can't blame you. You were still kinda young when all of that Hell business happened", he tapped his finger on his chin, "Luckily, compared to you, I can remember everything. After all, you are my hero"

"Huh?"

"During the Hell incident, I was still mixed up with all of the Sinners. Though the thing is I didn't do anything wrong. You may not know this, but over hundreds, maybe thousands of years ago, I was the first Shinigami to receive Konso Reisai. Since I had a high level of reiatsu, it was too dense for the soil of the Soul Society to break down, hence why I had to receive that ritual. Somehow, I ended up becoming a Sinner even though I didn't do anything wrong"

"Damn, that sucks pretty badly..."

He nodded, keeping a light-hearted tone while sipping his cup, "Yeah, really sucks. All of the reiatsu and spiritual energy that I had was depleted almost instantly, taken over by the other Sinners who had found me. And there I was, alone and weak. I kept being killed by the Kushanada over and over again. And then...you saved me. With all of the people who were suffering, you were the one who saved me. Thanks to you and the other Soul Reapers, I was cut free of that cycle of pain. I restarted my life, or should I stay death, altogether. I took up the name of a blacksmith even though I had no such skills. But I pushed onwards to become stronger, so one day I can assist you again.