She told him the process, and although he knew very well what was about to happen, Ichigo made his decision. He was ready. His heart pounded in his chest, adrenaline coursing through his veins as he stood there, silently accepting his fate.
Rukia's voice was steady, yet there was an underlying concern that didn't escape Ichigo's attention.
"Ready?" she asked, her hand gripping the hilt of her sword tightly, her stance tense.
Ichigo's eyes locked onto hers, determination in his gaze. "Yeah," he answered firmly, though his pulse quickened.
In the split second after his response, Rukia drove the tip of her sword into his chest. The blade pierced through his skin with a sickening sound, like tearing cloth. He winced at the sharp pain, but he didn't flinch. His body tensed as the blade went deeper, but then…
Boom!!
The moment the sword sank into Ichigo's chest, a massive surge of energy erupted between them. A shockwave of light burst from the collision, blinding both the Hollow and Rukia, filling the room with a deafening roar. The air seemed to vibrate with power, and the ground shook beneath their feet.
The Hollow recoiled, screeching as it covered its eyes in an attempt to shield itself from the blinding light. But the intense wave of spiritual energy was too much, and it staggered backward, its form twisting as the light began to subside.
Slowly, the explosion began to fade, the room coming back into view. And there, amidst the dissipating smoke and dust, a tall figure began to materialize. The outline of Ichigo's new form slowly became clear.
When the light finally faded, Ichigo stood there, a towering figure cloaked in Soul Reaper robes. His zanpakuto was at his side, and his spiritual energy pulsed in the air like a heavy storm cloud, the intensity of it almost suffocating. The Hollow stood frozen in shock, its monstrous eyes widening at the sight of the human transformed into a Soul Reaper.
Ichigo grinned slightly, his breath steady but his body filled with an unfamiliar power. He could feel the weight of his new abilities, the sword on his back, and the immense flow of spiritual energy coursing through him.
'This is… unbelievable,' Ichigo thought, his senses more heightened than ever before.
Without another word, he flashed forward. The Hollow didn't even have time to react. In an instant, Ichigo was standing before it, his movements a blur. The sound of air rushing past him filled the room, a whooshing swish as his feet left the ground.
Rukia's eyes widened in disbelief. 'Flash step?' she thought, watching the entire scene unfold in front of her. She couldn't even follow his movements—he had moved that fast. Ichigo was no longer the same person. The change was palpable.
Ichigo raised his zanpakuto, its enormous size seeming almost comical in his grip, but he wielded it like it was weightless. The sword was massive, its dark blade gleaming with lethal intent as he swung it down with precision.
Shink!
The Hollow's arm was cleaved clean off in one smooth motion. The sound of metal meeting flesh was sharp, followed by the sickening splatter of the Hollow's blood as it sprayed against the walls. The Hollow let out a guttural, shocked screech as its severed arm hit the floor with a heavy thud.
Before the creature could even react, Ichigo raised his sword again, moving with brutal efficiency.
Swish—THUD!!
Ichigo brought the blade down with such force that it split the Hollow's body in half. The Hollow's blood sprayed out like a broken dam, splattering against the walls and floor in sickening splashes. The creature's screech was cut short, the life leaving its monstrous form in an instant.
It crumpled to the ground, as it vanished away.
Ichigo stood there, his breath steady, his spiritual energy crackling in the air around him like an electric storm. His eyes never left the dead Hollow as its remains pooled in a bloody mess on the floor.
He turned to face Rukia, his expression unreadable, but there was something in his eyes—something that had changed in him.
'Man, I am in love with this feeling,' Ichigo thought, his voice barely a whisper in his own mind. He took a step forward, his movements confident and smooth, like he had been born to wield this power.
Rukia, still processing everything that had just happened, stood frozen, her mouth slightly agape as she looked at him. She could feel the weight of Ichigo's spiritual energy, and it was like nothing she had ever encountered before. His presence was overwhelming, suffocating even. She couldn't ignore it. He wasn't just a Soul Reaper—he was something else entirely.
'I lost all my powers… And this sensation…' Rukia thought, her mind racing. She struggled to make sense of what she was feeling, but it wasn't just the overwhelming energy surrounding him. It was something deeper. 'I couldn't sense the Hollow's presence. My senses were being jammed. By him.'
Her eyes widened in realization. 'He's the source of it. The room is full of spiritual energy from him. That's what was confusing my senses.' She had never experienced anything like this before, and for the first time, she was unsure of what to make of the human standing before her.
Rukia's thoughts spiraled, her confusion mounting. 'Never have I ever heard of a human that could see a Soul Reaper. Never have I seen a human break a Binding Spell so easily. And his zanpakuto… it's huge. It responds to dark forces by changing shape. This is something else…'
As Ichigo took another step toward her, Rukia instinctively took a small step back, still trying to piece together everything that had just happened. She had no idea how this human was able to do what he had, but one thing was certain—Ichigo Kurosaki was no ordinary Soul Reaper.
....
The next day, Ichigo woke up, rubbing his eyes as he glanced around the room. A soft sigh escaped his lips.
'What a weird dream. Jk. Man, that was insane. I'm a Soul Reaper now,' he thought, a small smirk tugging at his lips as he stared at his hands, still trying to process everything that had happened.
Suddenly, his dad's voice echoed through the house, "ICHIGOOO!" Isshin burst through the door, his usual over-the-top energy filling the room.
Ichigo rolled his eyes and quickly moved out of the way, watching his father sail past him and jump right out the window, much to his surprise. He couldn't help but chuckle as Isshin disappeared, leaving only the sound of wind rushing through the open space.
Ichigo shook his head as he walked downstairs, glancing at the massive hole in the wall. 'Oh yeah, all those spells and none of them can fix a wall,' he thought, a wry smile crossing his face as he passed it by.
At school, the day had already started. His friends sat around, murmuring quietly, all wondering where Ichigo was.
"He's never late," Orihime said, leaning back against the wall, concern written all over her face.
"Yeah, something must be holding him up," Tatsuki agreed, her arms crossed as she glanced at the door.
Mizuiro overheard their conversation and chimed in, "A truck crashed into Ichigo's house."
The girls' eyes widened, their expressions shifting to worry. For a moment, they considered the worst-case scenario, but before they could voice their concerns, Ichigo walked through the door, looking as nonchalant as ever.
Orihime and Tatsuki both let out a relieved sigh, the tension in the air dissipating instantly. 'He had us there in the first half,' Tatsuki thought, a small smile tugging at her lips.
"Good morning, Ichigo," Orihime greeted him, her voice a little lighter as she approached him.
Ichigo shot her a casual grin. "Hey, Hime. What's up?"
Her heart fluttered at the smoothness in his tone, her cheeks flushing slightly. 'He called me Hime' she thought to herself.
"Nothing much, you're late today. But Mizuiro explained what happened," she said, a small blush coloring her face.
Ichigo gave a nonchalant shrug. "Yeah, that was some very unexpected," he replied, turning his head slightly to acknowledge Tatsuki, who gave him a knowing nod.
As he scanned the room, his eyes locked onto Rukia, who sat at her desk, looking as if she was trying her best to blend in.
'Wow, she really blends in,' Ichigo thought to himself, slightly amused.
TO BE CONTINUED