A suffocating darkness stretched endlessly around him, thick and oppressive, like ink swirling in water. Shinichi stood in the void, his feet sinking slightly into an unseen surface that felt neither solid nor liquid. A faint, eerie mist coiled around his legs, moving as if it had a mind of its own. The air was heavy, charged with an unsettling stillness that made his skin prickle. He could hear the distant echo of something dripping—slow, rhythmic, and maddeningly deliberate.
Then, cutting through the silence like a blade, a woman's voice slithered into his ears.
"You are so weak… makes me want to puke."
The voice was smooth, dripping with seductive malice, yet there was an undeniable elegance to it. It sounded young, no older than a woman in her twenties, but it carried an air of absolute authority.
Shinichi stiffened, his breath hitching as his eyes darted around the abyss. The voice felt disturbingly close, almost as if the speaker were whispering directly into his ear.
"W-Who is this?" he stammered, his voice barely above a whisper.
A slow, lilting laugh echoed in the darkness, sending a shiver down his spine. It wasn't the kind of laughter that mocked—it was the kind that promised amusement at his expense.
"Get stronger and you'll soon find out…"
As soon as the words left her lips, a deafening flurry of wings erupted around him. A swarm of black bats, their eyes glowing crimson, burst from the shadows and rushed toward him like a tidal wave. The sheer force of it made him throw up his arms instinctively.
"Shit!" he shouted.
Then—
He jolted awake.
Waking Up in Chaos
Shinichi gasped for breath, his heart hammering against his ribs. Beads of sweat clung to his forehead as he blinked rapidly, trying to ground himself in reality.
Just a dream…?
A dull, throbbing pain shot through his body, making him wince. His muscles felt like they had been put through a blender and left out to dry. He groaned and muttered under his breath, "Man, my body feels like it lost a bet with a freight train."
Despite the discomfort, a more serious thought pushed its way into his mind.
Only four days left until Ichigo gains his Shinigami powers… I need to get stronger. I can't let myself be in this pathetic state again.
Gritting his teeth, he tried to sit up—only for a fresh wave of pain to slam into him. His body protested every movement, and he collapsed back onto the futon with a sigh.
"...Yeah, no, this isn't it," he muttered. "If I move too much, I might actually die a second time."
Just then, the door to the room flew open with an enthusiastic BANG!
A blur of white shot toward him.
"WAKE UP, MY DEAR PATIENT!"
Shinichi's survival instincts kicked in—barely. He twisted his upper body just enough to avoid the incoming attack, only to feel a sharp pang in his ribs.
"AH, DAMN IT—!"
The figure that had just attempted to deck him in the face landed gracefully beside the futon, arms crossed, a satisfied smirk on his face.
It was none other than Isshin Kurosaki—wearing a white doctor's coat, but radiating the energy of a man who absolutely should not have a medical license.
"Amazing! You dodged!" Isshin declared, rubbing his chin. "Your reflexes are still sharp, I see. That means you're healthy!"
Shinichi glared at him, still clutching his ribs. "What the hell kind of diagnosis is that?!"
Isshin ignored him completely. Instead, he took a deep breath and struck a dramatic pose, one arm raised toward the ceiling. "In the great art of medicine, one must test a patient's reaction speed! If they move, they live! If they don't—"
"Then they get a lawsuit," Shinichi deadpanned.
Isshin gasped. "You wound me, boy!" He wiped a nonexistent tear from his eye. "And here I thought we had a bond—"
The door slammed open again.
"DAAAAAD!"
Ichigo stood there, his face already twisted in irritation. "What the hell are you doing?!"
Isshin turned to his son with the most innocent expression possible. "Why, I was just checking on our guest's health! He passed the test, by the way."
Ichigo pinched the bridge of his nose. "Just get out. Now."
"But I—"
"OUT!"
With a dramatic wail, Isshin threw himself out of the room, clutching his chest like he had been mortally wounded.
'Damn.. who would've even thought that idiot is an ex-captain of the Gotei 13..' Shinichi thought to himself with a nervous smile.
As the door finally shut, Ichigo turned to Shinichi with a tired sigh.
"You good?"
Shinichi nodded, finally sitting up properly. "Yeah. Thanks for that. I was about to have a second near-death experience just now."
Ichigo scoffed. "If he gets too annoying, just punch him. It's what I do."
Shinichi chuckled. "Noted."
As he swung his legs off the futon, he grabbed his bag and slung it over his shoulder.
"You leaving already?" Ichigo asked.
"Yeah. Gotta get back home."
Ichigo studied him for a moment before saying, "Take care. And if those guys come back, call me."
Shinichi didn't like that—relying on someone else. He gave a half-hearted "Sure," before stepping out the door.
Shinichi stepped out of the Kurosaki Clinic, inhaling the crisp night air. His body ached, every muscle screaming in protest, but he ignored it. He couldn't afford to waste any time.
'Four days… Just four days before Ichigo gets his Shinigami powers. I have to get stronger before that happens.'
He took a deep breath, shaking off the thoughts. Right now, he needed to move.
With a determined grunt, he broke into a run.
The moment his feet hit the pavement, a sharp jolt of pain coursed through his body. His injuries protested violently, but he gritted his teeth and pushed forward. The rhythmic pounding of his footsteps filled the quiet streets as he made his way home.
By the time Shinichi reached his house, the soreness in his body had dulled to a manageable ache. Without hesitation, he changed into his workout clothes—a black sleeveless compression shirt, perfectly snug against his torso, and a pair of dark grey sweatpants that allowed for maximum movement. He tied the laces of his worn-out running shoes tightly, preparing himself for the grueling session ahead.
Before starting, he checked his progress.
And then—
He noticed something peculiar.
[Survive a Near-Death Situation]
[Progress: 10%]
Shinichi blinked. "Wait, it actually counted?"
A slow grin spread across his face. "Hah! At this rate, I should throw myself in front of more attacks."
The system beeped in warning.
[Please refrain from being an idiot.]
Shinichi snorted. "Relax, it's called a joke."
Then, shaking off his fatigue, he started his run.
Pain was an old friend now. Each breath burned in his lungs, each step sent shockwaves through his legs. Sweat dripped from his chin, soaking into his shirt, but he didn't stop.
Faster… Stronger…
His heartbeat pounded in his ears as he continued sprinting, each stride eating away at the distance ahead. He wasn't just running. He was breaking himself down, testing the limits of his endurance.
By the time he reached his house again, his vision blurred. He collapsed onto his bed, muscles twitching from sheer exhaustion.
With a weary sigh, he glanced at his stats one last time before drifting off.
[Physical Training: 10% → Level 12]
A tired smile crept onto his face before sleep claimed him.
The Next Day
Shinichi didn't go to school.
His absence didn't go unnoticed.
Back in class, Orihime fiddled with her fingers, a small frown on her face. "Do you think he's okay?" she asked, looking at Ichigo.
Ichigo glanced down for a moment, then scoffed. "That idiot? He'll be fine. I can't imagine him getting all depressed or something."
Chad nodded in silent agreement. Tatsuki, on the other hand, crossed her arms, clearly unconvinced.
However, The reason why Shinichi Skipped school was because he had something much more important he wanted to work on.
Back at home, Shinichi was pushing past his limits each and every moment, determined to get stronger. Turns out one night in the Kurosaki Clinic was enough to tell him where he stood in this world, he was weaker than Ichigo who doesn't even have his powers yet.
Sweat poured down his back as he pushed through his workout.
His shirtless torso gleamed under the dim light of his room, muscles taut with exertion. His breath came out in heavy pants as he forced his arms to move.
97… 98… 99…
As he pushed up for the 100th time, his arms gave out. He fell face-first onto the floor, chest heaving.
"Haa…haa…"
His lungs burned, but a sense of accomplishment settled in.
Three days ago, I couldn't even do 20 of these.
The system's voice chimed in, clearly amused.
[Wow, look at you. Not even 20 push-ups before, and now you're doing 100. I'm so proud.]
Shinichi rolled onto his back, glaring at the floating text. "Oh? So you actually know how to say something nice for once?"
[I mean, yeah. I just don't do it often. Gotta keep you motivated.]
Shinichi let out a tired chuckle. "You're such a pain in the ass…"
But he didn't hate it.
He checked his stats.
[Physical Training: 14% → Level 16]
He'd made good progress, but there was more to do.
His gaze shifted to another quest—Spiritual Awareness.
Shinichi crossed his legs and took a deep breath. He began meditating, focusing entirely on his surroundings.
A minute passed.
Then another.
Then—
[Spiritual Awareness +1%]
Shinichi frowned.
"…Five minutes just for one percent?"
At this rate, it would take forever.
Then, an idea struck him.
"What if I…?"
He turned to the system. "Hey, using my Spiritual Perception, can I spike my reiatsu?"
The system hesitated.
[Hmm… No idea. But hey, won't hurt to try.]
Shinichi smirked. "That's what I was thinking."
Taking a deep breath, he focused inward. His reiatsu, usually hidden, flared up slightly. Not enough to alert any nearby Hollows, but just enough to enhance his perception.
Immediately, he noticed a difference.
His senses sharpened, the spiritual energies around him became clearer. And the progress?
[Spiritual Awareness +1% every 2 minutes]
Shinichi grinned.
"This… this is way better."
He continued meditating, fully immersed in the process.
[After 100 minutes, the quest would reach 100%.]
After roughly more than an hour and half of complete focus, a notification chimed in
[Quest Complete: Spiritual Awareness (100%)]
A notification popped up.
[Reward: Gold Ring]
Shinichi's eyes twitched.
"…A gold ring? Seriously?"
The system chuckled.
[Oh, you'll like this one. Put it on.]
A shimmering golden ring materialized before him. Shinichi eyed it suspiciously before slipping it onto his finger.
The moment he did—
It vanished.
A golden screen flickered in front of him.
[New Ability Acquired: PREDATION]
[Description: By placing his hand on an incapacitated opponent, Shinichi can absorb up to 50% of their remaining reiatsu, enhancing his physical strength, speed, and overall power. WARNING: Absorbing too much can cause physical strain.]
Shinichi's eyes widened.
"…Whoa."
This ability… it was incredible.
For once, he actually felt grateful to the system.
"I take back all the insults—"
He tried to hug the system window. He fell right through it.
The system burst into laughter.
[PFFT—HAHAHAHA, OH MY GOD, YOU REALLY TRIED IT—]
Shinichi lay on the floor, face burning. "…I hate you."
Still, he couldn't suppress his grin.
Later that day,
Shinichi went for another run, he was slowly but surely starting to enjoy running around the town because he had only seen it in the manga and the anime, seeing it up close he was truly mesmerized.
Shinichi wiped the sweat off his forehead as he slowed his pace, his legs aching from the relentless training session. He exhaled sharply, rolling his shoulders as he walked down the familiar streets of Karakura. The sun was beginning to set, casting a warm golden hue over the buildings.
Just as he turned a corner, a familiar voice rang out.
"Shinichi!"
He looked up to see Tatsuki and Orihime walking toward him. Tatsuki's arms were crossed, and her brows were furrowed in clear annoyance, while Orihime smiled softly, tilting her head as she studied him.
Shinichi immediately knew he was in trouble.
"Yo," he greeted, raising a hand casually. "Nice evening, huh?"
Tatsuki didn't slow down. The moment she got close—
Smack!
"OW! The hell was that for?!" Shinichi yelped, rubbing his shoulder where Tatsuki had just punched him.
"You know damn well what that was for!" Tatsuki snapped. "You skipped school!"
"Ah." Shinichi blinked. "That's what this is about?"
"OF COURSE THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ABOUT!" Tatsuki threw her hands up in frustration. "You just disappeared! No calls, no messages—nothing! Do you know how worried Everyone was, even Orihime?!"
Shinichi glanced at Orihime, who was staring at him with wide eyes. Unlike Tatsuki, she didn't seem angry—just concerned.
"…You were worried about me?" he asked, tilting his head, confused as he hadn't had many interactions with her, but he guessed that's just how Orihime is, caring about everyone.
Orihime nodded. "Well, yeah! You've been acting a little different lately, and then you just stopped coming to class…" She clasped her hands together. "I thought maybe you got sick or—"
Tatsuki cut in. "I thought maybe you finally got hit by a car with the way you run around like a lunatic every night."
Shinichi scoffed. "I'd dodge it."
Tatsuki's eye twitched. "That's not the point!"
Shinichi sighed, running a hand through his damp hair. "Okay, okay. I get it. Sorry for making you guys worry. I just… needed some time off."
Tatsuki narrowed her eyes. "To do what?"
"…Personal training."
Tatsuki's expression flattened. "Personal training?"
"Yep."
"For what?"
"To fight ghosts."
There was a long silence.
Then—
Tatsuki slapped him upside the head.
"OW! DAMMIT, WOMAN!"
"You absolute moron," she growled. "Do you really expect me to buy that crap?!"
Shinichi rubbed his head. "Well, it's technically not a lie…"
Orihime suddenly giggled.
She smiled at him. "You're always working hard. It's inspiring, you know?"
Shinichi scratched his cheek, looking away. "Tch… Don't say embarrassing things so casually."
Tatsuki clicked her tongue. "You better start showing up to school again, dumbass. You're already bad enough at math—do you really wanna fail the semester?"
"…I mean, maybe."
"SHINICHI—"
Orihime giggled again, and even Tatsuki let out a reluctant chuckle.
For a moment, the three of them just stood there, enjoying the sunset's warmth. It was a rare moment of peace.
But then—
A sudden spike of malicious reiatsu shattered the tranquility.
Shinichi's body stiffened instantly. The pressure was overwhelming—like a knife pressing against his skin. His head snapped toward the direction of the disturbance, his senses going into overdrive.
A Hollow?
His eyes narrowed. No, this wasn't just any Hollow. This one was close—too close to his house.
'But how? I am pretty sure I kept my reiatsu low using Spiritual Perception!' Shinichi thought to himself
The system's familiar voice chimed in.
[Oops. I accidentally turned off Spiritual Perception. My bad.]
Shinichi's eye twitched.
"…You did that on purpose, didn't you?"
[Hehehe.]
He clenched his fists. Damn system…
But this wasn't the time to argue.
Tatsuki and Orihime didn't seem to notice anything, which meant the reiatsu wasn't affecting normal humans. That meant it wasn't strong enough to break through Karakura's natural spiritual resistance—yet.
But if I don't deal with it now…
Orihime blinked at him. "Shinichi?"
His expression had turned dead serious.
"…Sorry, I gotta go," he muttered, already turning on his heel.
Tatsuki frowned. "Huh? Go where? We were just—"
"I'll explain later," he called over his shoulder. "Don't wait up for me."
And with that, he took off, disappearing into the streets.
As Shinichi sprinted toward his house, he muttered under his breath, "I'll just wait for the Hollow to leave or let Rukia take care of it. It's just a low-level one anyway."
He was still processing his options when a bright blue notification window popped up in his vision.
[New Quest Available!]
Quest: Defeat the Hollow.
Reward: +6 Levels and 1 Silver Ring.
Penalty: All Progress Will Be Lost.
Shinichi's eye twitched. "…Oh, you gotta be kidding me."
[Oh wow, what a crazy coincidence! Just as you decided to chicken out, a quest appeared! Guess you have no choice now. Hehehe.]
Shinichi groaned, clenching his fists. "You made that up just now! You cheating bastard!"
[Cheating? Me? Nooo. That would be wrong.]
The system's tone was dripping with mock innocence.
[Now go fight, you little coward. Or do you want to lose all that precious progress?]
Shinichi wanted to punch something. Preferably the system. Instead, he sucked in a breath, shaking his head as he ran toward the battlefield. "Tch. Fine. But what if Rukia senses the Hollow and comes to deal with it? What then, smartass?"
[Oh, don't worry. I already thought of that.]
Before Shinichi could question what that meant, a faint hum of energy filled the air. His eyes widened as a translucent blue barrier suddenly materialized around him and the Hollow, sealing them off from outside spiritual perception. Another notification window popped up.
[Everything sorted. Now fight, you pussy.]
Shinichi stared at the message. His expression darkened. "…Are you serious?"
The system didn't respond, but he could practically feel the smugness radiating off it.
Before he could complain further, a deep, guttural roar echoed through the air as the Hollow finally turned its attention to him. Its glowing yellow eyes locked onto him hungrily, and its claws scraped against the ground with an unsettling screech.
Shinichi let out a slow breath, rolling his shoulders. As much as he really didn't want to deal with this, a part of him—the stubborn, battle-hungry part—was itching to see how much stronger he had gotten. And to test out his new ability.
"…Fine," he muttered, exhaling as he steadied his stance. His lips curled into a smirk.
"Come at me!"
To be continued...