Asakura Yoh, who should have been enjoying a carefree walk home listening to music, took off his headphones and turned to look at Ishida Uryu, who had been following him for over ten minutes.
He paused and removed his headphones, looking thoroughly annoyed.
"That's my line."
Ishida Uryu stood stiffly, the sheer persistence in his eyes making Asakura Yoh feel like he was in for some trouble.
"As a Quincy like me, you not only associate with Soul Reapers, but you even keep a Hollow by your side. What exactly are you thinking?"
"I've told you plenty of times, I'm not a Quincy. I couldn't care less about the feuds between Quincies, Soul Reapers, or Hollows."
Yoh scratched his head, emphasizing the point for what felt like the hundredth time.
Ever since Ishida Uryu saw him use Furyoku to shoot a Hollow three years ago, he seemed convinced that Yoh was a surviving Quincy descendant just like himself.
But Yoh knew for a fact he wasn't one. Simply put, a Quincy's power was the ability to absorb, manipulate, and reconstruct Reishi. That ability came from the bloodline of the Quincy progenitor, Yhwach.
His own power only looked similar because it was a customized version he had developed alongside Kurosaki Masaki, who was a Quincy.
It was merely a specific application of Furyoku.
As for why he knew Uryu, it was because he would often let Kurosaki Masaki possess him so she could visit her family at the Kurosaki house, and he would occasionally take her to see Ishida Ryuken—Uryu's father.
Naturally, Uryu, Ichigo, Yuzu, and Karin were all kept in the dark about this.
"Then what about Kurosaki Ichigo? Why did someone who only had slightly higher spiritual pressure than average suddenly become a Soul Reaper?"
"And don't think I haven't seen through Kuchiki Rukia's true identity."
"What was that snake-like Hollow that came out of you this morning!? Soul Reapers are one thing, but have you really fallen so far as to collaborate with Hollows!?"
Yoh held his hands up, keeping Uryu's face from getting any closer.
"Hey, ask Ichigo and Kuchiki about their own business. Why are you asking me? As for the Hollow..."
"Sora, come out for a bit."
As a massive silhouette manifested, Ishida Uryu instantly leaped back to create distance, dropping into a combat stance.
"Don't be so jumpy. You can feel it, right? He doesn't have the scent of a Hollow."
Yoh pointed at Inoue Sora's harmless face. Sora smiled along, though it looked a bit strained.
Uryu didn't argue. He had noticed it that morning, or he would have already moved to kill Inoue Sora.
"You're right, but it's not about the scent. It's... I can't even sense the slightest trace of Reishi from him..."
"Exactly. He's not a Hollow anymore, and he's certainly not human. By the rules of this world, you can't even call him a soul."
Yoh's tone was casual, ignoring just how world-shaking his words were to Uryu.
"Then what the hell is he!?"
"Well, if I had to put a name to it..." Yoh paused. He hadn't actually given it much thought.
"A soul made of Reishi is a Konpaku, so a soul made of Furyoku is a 'Furyo-Soul.' How does that sound?"
Yoh seemed quite pleased with his sudden stroke of inspiration, but his flippant attitude only served to incense Uryu further.
A spirit bow manifested in Uryu's left hand. He drew back his right as Reishi arrows began to coalesce, aiming straight at Inoue Sora.
"I don't know how you're keeping him sane, but a Hollow is a Hollow. Can you really guarantee he'll stay this way forever?"
Uryu's words were harsh, but they hit on an undeniable truth. Unlike the case with Kurosaki Masaki, using his own Furyoku to fill the void in a Hollow's soul to restore their heart was something he was doing for the first time.
While the results were promising, he couldn't rule out the possibility of Sora going berserk.
"So what? You want to eliminate him like any other Hollow? Use your Quincy powers to erase him from existence entirely?"
Yoh narrowed his eyes, throwing the question back.
"Do you think I shouldn't?"
"That's for you to decide. But let me ask you this: if the souls of your own dead relatives became Hollows, would you use your Quincy powers on them too?"
"Unlike Soul Reapers who use a Zanpakuto to turn a Hollow back into a Plus so they can pass on to the Soul Society, you know a Quincy's power results in total destruction."
"You seem to kill Hollows without a shred of guilt because you think you're saving people. But have you ever thought about the fact that those Hollows were once human? They had families, friends, and lovers."
"Since you can wipe them out so easily, I assume you wouldn't hesitate to do the same to your own family... right?"
Yoh's words were like a succession of stabs to the heart, gutting Uryu's wavering conviction.
He wanted to retort, but the words wouldn't come. In truth, even he had felt more than once that the Quincy were a legacy that should have ended.
The spirit bow and arrow faded away, but Uryu's fists were clenched so hard his knuckles were white.
"I haven't introduced him properly. His name is Inoue Sora."
"Inoue...?"
"Yeah. Inoue Orihime's big brother. You and Inoue are in the same club, aren't you? That handicrafts club."
"Inoue-san's brother..."
Uryu looked down at his hands, his expression becoming lost.
'Was I... really about to kill a classmate's brother?'
While Uryu was drowning in his inner conflict, Sora perked up at the mention of his sister's clubmate. He floated over to Uryu and gave a friendly nod.
"Thank you for looking after Orihime. Please keep being a good friend to her."
"Huh? Oh... yeah..."
Facing Sora's completely non-threatening smile, Uryu's mind spun even faster.
"Sora, let's go. Let him brood on his own for a bit."
Yoh ignored Uryu's state, walking off and beckoning Sora back.
'Heh, you wanted to annoy me? Let's see how a sensitive guy like you handles a little guilt trip.'
A wicked grin crossed Yoh's face. Sora, catching a glimpse of it, was so spooked he immediately dove back into Yoh's shadow.