Road to Redemption

Chapter 22: Sleep, Warrior

A/N: Happy Anniversary! On this day a year ago I posted the first chapter of this fic, and today we're at the halfway point! I want to thank you all for reading this fic for so long and for all your comments. It really means the world to me. I'll be posting the first chapter of the prequel next week. Once again. Thanks for all your support and encouragement. Love you guys. Hope you enjoy! 😘

© Bleach and it's characters don't belong to me. They belong to Shounen Jump and Tite Kubo. Only Anna, Shizuka, Cerberus and Jeanne belong to me

Chapter 22: Sleep, Warrior

According to the laws of thermodynamics, matter cannot be created nor destroyed, it could only be transformed. As such, whenever Anna used her shikai, she could change her solid state to gas, or to liquid, and what better way to use that power than under the pouring rain.

"Keep your guards up, she could be anywhere," Urahara told them. As if on cue, Ulquiorra felt a deep cut on his shoulder, the same thing happened to Yoruichi.

"Soten Kisshun, I reject!" Orihime's Rikka covered them both with a shield as she healed the injuries. Taking the opportunity, Ulquiorra used his Pesquisa ability to spot Anna. She was looming near Urahara as a ghost of mist.

"Urahara, behind you!" He warned the man, who quickly turned around and grabbed Anna's katana with his bare hands.

"It's not nice to sneak up on people." He told her with his usual goofy grin.

"Funny since you were going to try the same thing with me."

Isshin was about to sneak up behind Anna, but he was blocked by Cerberus, who tossed him away with his paw.

'I didn't think she'd create him with the ability to use sonido.' While Ulquiorra was aware that Anna's hollows were usually very advanced, this prototype seemed to be even more powerful than her usual creations.

His wounds had healed and so had Yoruichi's. So they returned to the battlefield. "Shihonin-San, the move Cerberus just executed shouldn't be easy for a hollow of his caliber. Do you think Anna might've done something unusual?"

The shinigami nodded. "Yes, Kisuke and I were just discussing that. A three-headed Cerberus might be too heavy to execute a proper sonido, but if you were to break said hollow into three separate parts then it might be plausible."

"Then it is just as I suspected. There are two more of those things running around town."

"No. We've only detected one. The location of the other two remains a mystery."

***

Ichigo almost felt like fainting when he arrived at the Urahara Shop. Kannoji, Chizuru and Keigo were all being patched up by Tessai, he was being assisted by the mod souls, Jinta and Ururu. Tatsuki was sitting there waiting for them to heal with a worried expression on her face.

"What the hell happened?!" Ichigo couldn't contain his voice.

He didn't have time to think, as he felt Tatsuki holding onto him tightly. "Thank goodness you're ok!"

He returned the hug. "I'm fine. I was home with the girls and Shizuka warned me to bring them here."

"We were ambushed. The east pilar was taken down, Kannoji and the others got stabbed." Tatsuki explained.

"Was it Anna?"

She bit her lip, looking away from him. "No, it wasn't her."

"From what Arisawa-San has told me, it's safe to assume the attacker was fullbringer. Most likely Kugo Ginjo." Tessai answered since Tatsuki was unable to.