Cherreads

Chapter 15 - Chapter - 12

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Chapter - 12: Kisuke Urahara

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I waited on a bench for Yoruichi to arrive, trying to pass the time by observing the people around me. The constant flow of passersby was a good distraction, but I couldn't help but notice how some girls were throwing glances my way—far from subtle ones.

Some were bolder than others, offering small smirks or lingering stares, as if trying to gauge my reaction. Not that I minded—quite the opposite.

A little attention never hurt, especially considering that many of them were clearly older than me. Maybe my "delinquent" look was more attractive than I had expected…

I smirked to myself, looking down at the cross in my hand while contemplating how I could accelerate my growth.

According to Ginjo, Fullbring goes through various stages of development until it reaches full maturity. For example, Ichigo experienced three different forms before fully completing his Fullbring.

Currently, I'm only at the first stage of my Fullbring, which means I still have plenty of room to grow and improve, even without unlocking my Shinigami powers.

I knew Fullbring had multiple stages of evolution, and if mine was anything like Ichigo's, then my progress would naturally follow a similar path until completion.

Initial Activation: Ichigo begins awakening his Fullbring through the use of his Substitute Shinigami Badge. In this stage, he can manipulate the soul of the badge to create energy attacks similar to a Getsuga Tenshō.

Armor Evolution: As his control improves, his Fullbring evolves into an incomplete Mugetsu-like form, covering a larger portion of his body and enhancing both his offensive and defensive capabilities.

Fullbring Complete Form: Once fully mastered, Ichigo's Fullbring takes on its final form, transforming into a bone-like armor reminiscent of the original White.

So, essentially, Ichigo's Fullbring—or rather, mine—is based on the idea of "wearing" one's power, physically manifesting it through clothing, but not only that. My appearance also changes depending on the power I am using, a direct reflection of my very soul.

In a way, it was quite similar to Magia Erebea, originally developed by Evangeline A.K. McDowell.

This technique allows the user to absorb offensive magic, fusing it into their own body to the point where it merges with their very soul. In this way, it becomes possible to acquire the properties of the absorbed spell.

Hmh. Interesting. Something to consider for the future.

Anyway, since I had chosen to use a Quincy Cross as the core of my Fullbring, combined with my desire to unleash my full potential without restrictions, it was inevitable that the awakened form of my Fullbring would take on a shape so similar to the wings of the Soul King before his fall.

It was certainly no coincidence, but rather the most logical response that my own power had chosen for me. After all, everything begins and ends with him—with the very origin of this world.

As I clenched the Quincy Cross between my fingers, I felt the energy pulsing in sync with my heartbeat. It was a strange sensation, as if my power was alive, as if it had a will of its own, trying to guide me down a path.

But did that mean I was destined to follow it?

No.

It didn't matter where my power came from, nor what its original purpose was. I am myself. I will not follow a predetermined path set by someone else—not even if it's my own power.

If my Fullbring took on that image, then I would make it my own. I would take that power and mold it into something unique, something that was completely and absolutely mine, something that adapted to my identity as a hybrid.

And if that meant breaking every rule, every limit imposed by this world… then I would do it without hesitation.

Back to the point— to reach the second stage, I needed to transform my wings into some kind of armor, or rather, into a true Vollständig, expanding the concept of "wearing my power" until it became a direct extension of my body.

The problem was figuring out the exact method to force this change. I needed a catalyst, something that would push me past my limits—

And then, all of a sudden, my thoughts were interrupted when I felt something press against my back.

Two things, to be precise.

They were soft, round, and very large, and no matter how hard I tried, I wouldn't have been able to ignore them even if I wanted to.

A crystal-clear laugh reached my ears before my brain could even piece everything together.

I turned my head just in time to see her materializing in front of me—in her human form, clad in that tight orange outfit that accentuated every curve of her athletic body.

Her usual mischievous smile played on her lips.

"Don't tell me you're already making conquests. And here I thought I was special to you," a familiar voice teased from behind me.

Yoruichi. Finally.

I turned around slowly, finding myself face-to-face with her usual mischievous smile and those golden eyes filled with amusement. "What can I say? It's not my fault if some girls find me handsome."

She laughed, crossing her arms in a way that accentuated her figure, a playful smirk on her lips. "Oh? And here I thought I had left an unforgettable impression. Maybe I just need to put in a little more effort."

"Well," I murmured, locking eyes with hers, a hint of challenge in my gaze. "Maybe you should, considering I'm sure you still have plenty of things that could surprise me."

"Indeed," she replied, pausing for a moment as she studied me with an expression that left no room for doubt. "Kisuke advised me not to overdo the exposure... but where would the fun be in that?" Her tone was provocative, as if she was daring me, testing how far I was willing to go.

"Kisuke?" I asked, feigning confusion. "Who's that?"

Yoruichi smirked with that enigmatic air I had come to know all too well. "You'll see... we'll talk more about it later, and in the meantime, I'll answer any questions you have along the way."

After a long and boring conversation about the fundamentals of this universe, we finally arrived in front of a modest-looking shop. I wasn't surprised in the slightest, though I made sure not to show it.

And as soon as we stepped inside, there he was: Kisuke Urahara, the greatest manipulator in this world. The genius who had orchestrated the entire plan to save Rukia, forcing Aizen to reveal himself. The man who had dragged Ichigo into all that mess, hiding the Hōgyoku inside Rukia's gigai.

Ichigo had to go through so much shit because of him…

If I really thought about it, almost everything that had happened to Ichigo was a consequence of someone else's schemes. 90% of the time, he had been manipulated or kept in the dark by his own mentors.

Urahara used him like a pawn, Isshin never told him the truth about his mother, and even Old Man Zangetsu… he wasn't anything more than a manifestation of Yhwach's will—the very enemy Ichigo was meant to fight.

And yet, despite everything, Ichigo never stopped moving forward. Did he break? Yes. Did he doubt himself? Absolutely. But in the end, he always found the strength to get back up.

Maybe, deep down, that was the true nature of power. It wasn't just about strength or skill—it was about the will to keep fighting, even when everything seemed hopeless.

And me? I intended to do the same.

But unlike Ichigo, I wouldn't allow anyone to pull my strings like a puppet just because no one had the decency to give me a proper explanation of the whole situation.

Kisuke was a tall man with fair skin and messy blonde hair. He wore some kind of fisherman's hat and a samue with a black haori draped over it.

And that strange smile on his face… it gave the impression that he knew something others didn't, like he was always playing a much bigger game.

"Pleasure to meet you," he said, extending his hand while bowing his head slightly, a strange glint in his eyes. "I'm Kisuke Urahara."

"Kurosaki Ichigo," I replied, shaking his hand with apparent indifference. In reality, I was trying to gauge his strength, wondering just how much trouble I could give him in a fight using my Fullbring.

Kisuke waved his fan nonchalantly. "Oh, of course, you are. I bet you've heard nothing but good things about me from Yoruichi, right?"

"Yeah, sure." Yoruichi responded, leaning casually against the wall. "I only gave him some basic information since we were busy talking about something else."

Kisuke narrowed his eyes with a satisfied smirk. "Oh? If the fundamentals have already been covered, that means I have free rein on where to take the conversation."

He made himself comfortable, looking at me with interest, but I kept my expression unreadable. "Well, that's convenient…" he continued, idly playing with his fan. "But first of all, I'd say we let Kurosaki-san ask his questions."

I sat across from him, trying to maintain the appearance of someone who knew nothing—even though, honestly, I already knew exactly where this was going. In the end, he would train me, make me stronger so I could defeat Aizen.

"So?" Yoruichi chimed in. "Do you have any questions?"

I sighed theatrically, crossing my arms. "Yeah, I've got one." Tilting my head slightly, I locked eyes with Kisuke. "Why me?"

I asked it with just the right amount of hesitation, as if I were truly confused. "I assume there's a reason we're here. I can't believe this is just a coincidence."

Kisuke smiled, snapping his fan shut. "Oh, that one's easy." He took a moment before continuing in his usual relaxed tone. "You're special. That's a fact, and after last night's little spectacle, you proved it quite clearly. I figured working together could be mutually beneficial. You could learn a lot from me and her, gain a certain level of protection, and as for me…"

He paused, letting the mystery settle. "Well, I might have a use for someone with your abilities in the future."

I stared at him for a few seconds, letting the silence stretch between us before raising an eyebrow. "That last part isn't really an answer, Urahara."

"It says a lot and nothing at the same time, doesn't it?" he chuckled, watching my reaction. "But I understand your perspective."

I sighed, feigning impatience. "Alright then, tell me: what kind of 'abilities' are we talking about? And more importantly, what exactly do you need me for?"

Kisuke took a moment before answering, tilting his head slightly. "Well… that's a bit more complicated."

I ran a hand through my hair, scoffing. "In other words, you don't trust me enough to tell me?"

"It's not as dramatic as it sounds," Kisuke smiled, but this time, there was a flicker of seriousness in his eyes. "Let's put it this way: imagine there's a Hollow that needs to be eliminated, but no Shinigami is available to take care of it."

I nodded slowly, pretending to follow his reasoning.

Kisuke tossed me a phone, which I caught without effort. The screen lit up with an interface that looked like some kind of radar. "With this, you can track them," Kisuke explained. "You take them out, and whenever you have free time, you come here to train. Simple, right?"

I glanced at the screen with fake skepticism, then looked around. "Training? Here?" I made a face. "No offense, but this place doesn't exactly scream 'ideal training ground.'"

Kisuke's smile widened, as if he had been waiting for that reaction all along. He stood up abruptly. "Follow me." He moved with surprising speed, and even though I already knew what to expect, I pretended to hesitate for a moment before following him.

...

"Wow, practically the dream of any Shonen character," I muttered, standing in the middle of a training field so vast that I couldn't even see its end.

"This is what I like to call the 'Urahara Shop Training Chamber.' Pretty impressive, right?" Urahara said, making some sort of exaggerated hand motion while swinging a cane.

"Yeah, it's incredible," I agreed, looking around as I basked in the landscape. "The name sucks, though. It could use a bit of tweaking."

The terrain was a desolate land, large enough to contain hills and a few trees. From here, I could even spot some walls, painted to resemble a fake cloudy sky, just like the ceiling.

But the most impressive thing of all was that this was beneath a small, mediocre-looking shop.

"Oh, we can work on the name in the future," Urahara reassured me as I turned to face him. He held his cane in his right hand, his voice calm, but with a hint of amusement I couldn't ignore. "If you really want to get involved with us, of course. But I can assure you it won't be as simple as you think."

He was challenging me—I knew it. "Clever Kisuke," I thought to myself, a bit sarcastically. He was pushing me more and more toward the idea of working with them, but he was doing it in a sneaky way.

I didn't have many options, and he knew that very well. Plus, he was using Yoruichi to his advantage, exploiting the fact that I was a teenager in the middle of puberty.

"Are you kidding?" I asked, unable to hold back a smile at the man's antics. After all, he was offering me a discreet place to train with Yoruichi. "I'm in, of course."

"Oh... one last thing." The man raised a finger, making me look at him. "I said I could provide some training, right? So how about a little spar?"

"You want to fight me...?" I asked, a bit doubtful as I looked the man up and down.

"I wouldn't go so far as to call it a fight," Urahara waved his hand, smiling as he took a step toward me. "I need to see where you stand in terms of power."

I glanced to the side for a second—Yoruichi had remained silent for most of our conversation, but now she seemed interested in our match.

"Well, I'm in," I replied, raising my fists and staring at him. He was observing me calmly, almost as if he didn't care at all, as if he had no real intention of fighting.

Yeah, he was clearly underestimating me, and soon he would regret it.

"Oh? You're not planning to use the power Yoruichi told me about, are you?" he asked, with that smile of someone who knew he could win without even trying, but with the expression of someone who, deep down, was testing how I would react.

"At least not at the start, no. Where would the fun be otherwise?" I answered, keeping a confident smile. I didn't want to seem uncertain—on the contrary, I intended to make him realize I was much more special than he could even imagine. "Shall we begin, then?"

I didn't know how much strength he planned to show, nor if he really intended to go all out. But staring at him without acting wouldn't change anything.

I took a step forward, feeling my breath slow as I made a decision. Then, without hesitation, I let the green light gather around my feet.

Kisuke Urahara watched me with interest, his usual relaxed expression giving no hint as to what he was thinking. "Well, well... let's see what you're capable of."

I smiled. I had no intention of holding back.

And in a flash, I launched my attack.

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Chapter- 16: Shocker - Chapter- 17 (Incoming)

Chapter - 13: Quincy Potential

 Chapter - 7: Hobby - Chapter - 8: New Hunt - Chapter - 9: Past unknown

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