Ashido nodded and said, "I see. By the way, why did you come here?"
"I'm here to find someone," Toshiro replied.
"Find someone? Coming to a place like this to find someone?" Ashido asked curiously.
"Mm, the person I'm looking for is probably you," Toshiro said, looking at Ashido.
"Me?" Ashido exclaimed in surprise.
"The person I'm looking for is named Ashido. Didn't you just say your name is Ashido?" Toshiro explained.
"The person you're looking for is also named Ashido? Maybe it's just a coincidence. The person you're looking for isn't me," Ashido denied.
In Ashido's view, he had been here for several hundred years. The Soul Society probably didn't even remember him anymore, so naturally, they wouldn't send someone to find him now.
"Don't rush to deny it yet. I haven't told you about my other identity," Toshiro said.
"Another identity? Oh, right, you mentioned earlier that you're the Third Seat of the 10th Division. But why would someone from the 10th Division come to Hueco Mundo to find someone?" Ashido asked, puzzled.
"Because besides being the 10th Division's Third Seat, I am also the current commander of the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force," Toshiro said, carefully observing Ashido's expression.
"Commander of the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force!" Ashido immediately exclaimed in shock.
"Oh? Seems your reaction indicates you have an unusual relationship with the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force?" Toshiro said meaningfully.
Judging by Ashido's reaction, his connection to the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force was definitely extraordinary.
If so, Ashido might very well be the one Kyoraku asked Toshiro to find.
Ashido looked at Toshiro with a complex expression, then slowly began, "Actually, I was the first commander of the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force."
"Is that so? Then the person I'm looking for is indeed you," Toshiro said, also somewhat surprised.
When Toshiro watched the anime in his previous life, he knew there was a Shinigami named Ashido in the Forest of Menos. But he never expected this Ashido to be the same person Kyoraku asked him to find.
Initially, Toshiro wasn't even sure if there was a Shinigami named Ashido in the Forest of Menos. After all, Ashido was anime-original, not existing in the manga. Toshiro came here just to try his luck. Even if there was no such person, Toshiro wouldn't have minded much.
But not only did Ashido truly exist, his real identity turned out to be the first commander of the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force.
This point differed from the anime. Although the anime didn't specify which division Ashido was from or his duties, based on the scenes shown, Ashido didn't seem related to the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force.
In the anime, Ashido and his comrades dealt with Hollows invading the Soul Society, then pursued them, following the Hollows into Hueco Mundo through a Garganta. That had nothing to do with the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force.
'It seems this world has some differences from the anime and manga,' Toshiro thought to himself.
Although the overall plot development was roughly the same, some minor details were different. Like Ashido… in the anime's original story, his identity was probably just a Shinigami from the Gotei 13. But his true identity now was the first commander of the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force.
Toshiro found a rock to sit on, then looked at Ashido and said, "Tell me about yourself."
Seeing this, Ashido also sat down beside Toshiro, removed the Hollow mask he always wore, revealing his true face.
"Hmm, quite handsome," Toshiro couldn't help but mentally compliment Ashido's appearance.
'But not as handsome as my adult version,' Toshiro then added mentally.
Ashido had no idea about the random thoughts in Toshiro's mind. A hint of nostalgia flashed across his face. "That was several hundred years ago. I can't remember the exact year anymore."
"I just remember back then I was a member of the 11th Division. At that time, the Hollow population in Hueco Mundo was rapidly increasing. If left unchecked, it would affect the balance between Hueco Mundo and the Soul Society. So, after discussions, the Soul Society decided to form the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force to campaign in Hueco Mundo, eliminate a portion of the Hollows, and control the population within a certain range."
"After discussions, the Gotei 13 decided to appoint me as the first commander of the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force."
"Afterwards, I led the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force to operate in Hueco Mundo. But once, while leading the expeditionary force in pursuing Hollows, I got too engrossed. By the time I realized, we were already in the Forest of Menos. Then, under the assault of countless Hollows, everyone... everyone..." At this point, Ashido's voice choked slightly.
"I see," Toshiro also couldn't help but feel a bit somber.
After a while, Ashido recovered from his sadness and said somewhat apologetically, "Sorry, I made a fool of myself."
"No, it's nothing. Those fallen Shinigami are all admirable heroes," Toshiro said with a serious expression.
"Thank you for your praise. I think if my deceased comrades heard that, they would be very grateful for your acknowledgment," Ashido said gratefully.
"Have you been staying here ever since?" Toshiro asked.
"Yes, after all my comrades died in battle, I stayed here alone," Ashido replied.
"Why not try to find a way out?" Toshiro asked.
If Toshiro had to stay alone in such a place for several hundred years, he would definitely go insane, even have a mental breakdown.
"Because I led everyone to their deaths here, I wanted to do something. And eight or nine out of ten Hollows in the Living World originate from here. As long as the Hollows here decrease, the threat to the Living World decreases accordingly. So, I decided to fight Hollows here," Ashido said with some guilt.
"And also, to protect human souls, to honor the promise I made with the comrades I fought alongside here, I've continued fighting until today," Ashido said.
"You are a true Shinigami," Toshiro said after a moment of silence.
"By the way, who exactly asked you to find me? It's been several hundred years. Does the Soul Society still remember me?" Ashido asked curiously.
"It was Captain Kyoraku Shunsui of the 8th Division. When I became Commander of the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force and came to Hueco Mundo, he said if possible, I should look for a Shinigami named Ashido in Hueco Mundo," Toshiro answered.
"Captain Kyoraku?" Ashido said, somewhat puzzled.
Although Ashido did know Kyoraku, their relationship wasn't so close that after several hundred years, he would still have someone search for him in Hueco Mundo.