The night passed slowly, the hours slipping away as Ichigo sat in deep concentration, honing his control over his Reiatsu. Every pulse, every shift in energy, he carefully reeled it in, ensuring not a single ripple escaped beyond his body. The last thing he needed was a Hollow showing up in the middle of the night. By the time he finally allowed himself to rest, it was nearly morning.
When his alarm went off, he groaned, rubbing his face. His body felt sluggish—heavy from the lack of sleep. He had barely gotten any rest, but there was no time to dwell on it.
Yawning, he dragged himself out of bed, stepping into the bathroom. The moment the hot water hit his skin, he sighed in relief, letting the warmth wash away the stiffness in his muscles.
'Today, I'll begin my sword training. Might have to steal a wooden sword from the Kendo class… Oh, I could just buy one. Yeah, I should probably do that,' he thought, running a hand through his damp hair as he stepped out of the shower.
After drying off, he quickly got dressed, throwing on his uniform with practiced ease before heading downstairs. The house was quiet—his family still fast asleep.
Seeing an opportunity, Ichigo decided to do something rare—actually be a good brother for once. Moving through the kitchen, he grabbed some eggs, rice, and miso paste, working swiftly. The sound of sizzling filled the air as he prepared breakfast for everyone, his movements steady despite his exhaustion.
Once done, he set the plates on the table, jotting down a quick note:
Had to leave early. Don't let Dad steal my portion. See you later.
With that, he grabbed his bag and stepped out into the cool morning air, his mind already set on what lay ahead. He wanted to get some training in before school. After all, controlling spiritual energy was only part of the equation. If he was going to be a proper Soul Reaper one day, his sword skills needed to be just as sharp.
As he walked, his thoughts drifted to another lingering question. 'How do I unlock my Quincy powers, though? I genuinely do not know.'
That part of his heritage remained a mystery, something buried deep within him. But if he could figure it out, it would give him another edge. One step at a time, though—first, sword training. Then, he'd start digging into his Quincy side.
Ichigo walked at a steady pace, his steps unhurried as he focused inward, channeling his spiritual energy with precision. The second he did, the world around him sharpened. He could feel everything—the gentle sway of the trees, the faint energy of passing humans, and, more importantly, the distant presence of Hollows lurking in the city.
Some were nearby, prowling for prey, but they didn't react to his energy. His control had improved—his presence was barely noticeable to them.
He smirked slightly, glancing in their direction for a brief moment before moving on. 'I could probably kill one. Just need a sword… which is what I'm going to get today,' he thought.
Soon, he arrived at a small general store that sold all sorts of goods. Stepping inside, he scanned the shelves, his eyes moving past old trinkets, books, and random sports equipment until he found what he was looking for—a wooden sword.
Or in other words a Bokken.
'Nice. I'll put it in my locker at school,' he thought as he grabbed it and paid at the counter before stepping out into the morning air.
The streets were still quiet by the time he made it to school. He slipped inside unnoticed, heading straight for his locker. After tucking the wooden sword inside, he closed it with a click before walking down the empty hallways, making his way toward his form class.
His thoughts drifted as he walked.
'I plan on making a harem. So many beautiful women in this story, and I can't choose. It'll mostly be the canon women that play a role, not those random side girls that hang around Orihime and Tatsuki. As for the antagonists…'
That part would be tricky. Some villains he'd never even meet if things played out the way they originally did. And even if he did, convincing them to like him would be an entirely different challenge.
'But I'll find a way, somehow,' he thought with confidence.
Soon, the class began filling up. Keigo and Mizuiro arrived, chatting as they walked in. Upon spotting Ichigo sitting there early, they both looked surprised.
"Yo, Ichigo… you got here before us?" Keigo asked, blinking as he leaned forward on his desk.
Ichigo ignored him, his attention elsewhere. He was waiting for Orihime and Tatsuki to arrive. He had a plan—one that involved getting Tatsuki to see him in a different light. He knew it wouldn't be easy, but he understood her personality well enough to know what might work.
'Jealousy might be the easiest way to bag her now that I think about it. I should do that,' he thought, his eyes flicking toward the door.
Finally, Orihime and Tatsuki arrived. Ichigo stood by the window, leaning against the frame, looking as nonchalant as ever.
"Ichigo! Wow, you're early today," Orihime said brightly, walking toward him with a cheerful smile.
He turned to her, a small, casual smirk forming on his lips. "Yeah, I guess i am?" he said smoothly.
Orihime's cheeks tinged pink, caught off guard by his smile.
Ichigo then turned his attention to Tatsuki, who was deliberately looking the other way, seemingly uninterested.
"Hey," he greeted her, his tone warm—calm, without the usual sharpness.
Tatsuki turned to him in surprise. She had expected him to throw some teasing remark or provoke her somehow, but instead, he had greeted her… normally.
"Oh. Hi," she replied, her voice lacking its usual edge.
Ichigo smiled.
Orihime, watching the exchange, beamed. She had always wanted them to get along, and now, for the first time in a while, it seemed like they were.
'My two favorite people are getting along… If I had to choose between Ichigo and Tatsuki, who would I choose?' Orihime wondered, her face heating up as the answer became obvious to her.
With the tension gone, the conversation between them flowed much easier. Tatsuki still found it odd—not arguing with Ichigo was weird. But at the same time… it wasn't bad. In fact, it was nice.
'Did he read my thoughts yesterday?' she wondered, stealing a glance at him.
For the first time, Tatsuki began to see Ichigo differently. She had always known he was strong—she had seen him grow firsthand—but now, for some reason, she was noticing him in a way she never had before.
A slight blush flashed across her face.
'He really is handsome,' she thought, looking away before anyone could catch her expression.
Soon, the bell rang, signaling the start of class. Ichigo returned to his seat, his expression neutral, but inside, he was smirking from ear to ear.
'Well, that went surprisingly well. Didn't think she'd be this calm when talking to me. I'll let this go on for some time… until she starts to like me. God knows how long that's gonna take,' he thought, amused by how smoothly things were going so far.
TO BE CONTINUED