Black Rebirth – Asta’s Journey in Soul Society

A deep, guttural howl echoed through the empty streets as Grand Fisher clutched his wounded arm, thick black liquid dripping onto the pavement. His monstrous form trembled, his beady yellow eyes darting between the black-clad boy wielding an oversized Zanpakutō and the weakened Shinigami struggling to stay on her feet.

This was not how it was supposed to go.

For years, he had hunted with ease, toying with his victims before consuming them. He had never once been in danger. But now, he had miscalculated—badly. The human standing before him wasn't just any human. The moment he took that girl's power, everything changed.

That brat is dangerous…!

Grand Fisher took a step back, a swirling black void beginning to open behind him. The Garganta hummed with unstable energy, ready to take him away before he could be finished off.

"You're running?" the orange-haired boy said, his grip on his sword tightening. His voice was calm, but his spiritual pressure burned with barely restrained anger.

Grand Fisher let out a bitter laugh. "Tch. I'll admit it, kid—you caught me off guard. But don't think this is over." His remaining claws flexed. "Next time, I'll be the one feasting on your soul!"

The human lunged forward, swinging his massive sword in a final attempt to end it—

But he was too slow.

The Garganta snapped shut just as the blade cut through empty air.

The streets of Karakura Town were eerily silent. The night air carried the faint scent of rain, and the dim glow of streetlights barely reached the alleyway where Asta stood, his breath heavy. His grip on his sword tightened as he stared at the place where Grand Fisher had escaped. His heartbeat pounded in his ears.

That Hollow—he should've cut it down.

But more than that, his eyes flicked to Rukia.

She was barely standing, her breaths shallow and uneven. Sweat clung to her skin, her once strong presence now reduced to nothing. The sight of her this weak sent a wave of frustration and concern crashing over him.

"Rukia!" Asta was at her side in an instant, placing a steady hand on her shoulder. He could feel how weak she had become. It was like the very essence of her power had been drained from her body. "What the hell happened to you? Where's your spiritual energy?"

Rukia's legs trembled, and she barely managed to stay upright. "I… had no choice," she whispered. "To defeat Grand Fisher… I had to give my power to him."

Asta's eyes widened. "Wait… what?"

It was only then that he finally turned his attention to the human standing beside her. The boy was gripping an enormous Zanpakutō, his expression tense. His spiritual pressure was wild, untamed, but unmistakably strong.

Asta pieced it together immediately.

Rukia… had given her power to this guy.

His hands curled into fists. He wanted to yell, to demand why she'd done something so reckless, but instead, he forced himself to take a deep breath. This wasn't about getting mad—it was about making sure she was okay.

Asta turned back to Rukia, eyes filled with concern. "You shouldn't have done that…" His voice was softer now, more serious. "You could've died."

Rukia managed a weak smile. "If I hadn't, I would have."

Asta clenched his teeth. He understood her logic, but that didn't make it any easier to accept. "You always act like you have to handle everything on your own…" He sighed, shaking his head. "You don't have to, y'know. You have me."

Rukia's eyes widened slightly, but she didn't say anything.

The human boy finally spoke up, his tone irritated. "I don't know who you are, but she made her choice. I didn't ask for this power."

Asta looked at him, his expression unreadable. "Yeah? Well, now you have it." He exhaled sharply before offering his hand to Rukia. "Come on. We need to get you somewhere safe."

Rukia hesitated before nodding. Just as she reached for Asta's hand, her knees buckled.

Asta moved without thinking, catching her before she could fall. He felt just how light she had become, how weak she was.

He gritted his teeth.

She had lost everything.

"Rukia…" His voice was barely above a whisper. "You're gonna be okay, alright?"

She looked up at him, and for a moment, Asta could see just how tired she really was. But she still managed a small nod. "Yeah…"

Asta crossed his arms, his golden eyes flicking between Ichigo and Rukia. Ichigo still seemed to be processing everything—the fight, his newfound power, and the bizarre circumstances he had been thrown into. His grip on his oversized Zanpakutō was still tight, knuckles white with tension.

"So, what now?" Ichigo asked, his voice laced with frustration. "This isn't some game. That thing is still out there, and if it attacks again—"

Asta held up a hand, cutting him off. "We'll deal with it. But first, we need to focus on something more important." His gaze shifted to Rukia.

She was barely standing, her body trembling from exhaustion. Even with her usual sharp demeanor, she looked fragile, drained. Asta felt a pit of frustration settle in his stomach. She had pushed herself too far.

"Rukia," Asta said, his voice softer. "You need rest."

Rukia shook her head. "There's no time—"

Asta frowned. "No. You're in no shape to fight. Your power is gone and until you can gain it back someone needs to train this guy." He motioned to Ichigo. "That means we need to figure out what happens next."

Rukia hesitated, then sighed. "…I know."

Ichigo shifted uncomfortably, looking down at the sword in his hands. "So, what? I just keep this thing now? Am I supposed to do something with it?"

Rukia straightened up, her expression regaining some of its usual sharpness. "If I'm going to remain in the World of the Living, I need a way to stay close to Ichigo. I have to train him."

Ichigo raised an eyebrow. "Train me?"

Rukia nodded. "You have my power now. That means you're responsible for protecting this town from Hollows."

Ichigo scoffed. "You say that like it's my fault."

Rukia ignored Ichigo's bickering and focused on the problem at hand. "I need a place to stay," she muttered.

Asta tilted his head. "You're not gonna just camp outside, are you?"

Rukia sighed. "No, but I need to stay close to Ichigo."

Ichigo ran a hand through his hair. "You're seriously saying you want to stay at my place?"

Asta snickered. "Hope you've got a spare futon."

Ichigo groaned. "This is insane."

Asta patted him on the back. "Welcome to our world."

Rukia smirked slightly before turning serious. "I'll find a way to blend in."

Asta nodded, his expression firm. "Good. But we need to be careful. If Soul Society finds out about this… it won't end well."

A tense silence settled between them.

Ichigo exhaled sharply. "Fine. You can stay. But don't do anything weird."

Rukia rolled her eyes. "I wouldn't dream of it."

Asta grinned. "This is gonna be fun."

As they made their way out of the alley, Asta couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning. They had won this battle, but the war was far from over.

And he was ready for whatever came next.