1,506Hello, everyone. ThunderReborn from 2025. This chapter has originally been edited by TM11 when this chapter was originally released. On April 1st, 2020, this chapter was edited again by Darklord331. Finally, in April 2025, this chapter was edited again by my current beta reader, Waroyer123. Thank you and I hope you enjoy the story.
The following is a fan-based parody.
Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo, TV Tokyo, Viz Media, Studio Pierrot... and other people.
All other references of characters or abilities are not mine.
Please support the official release.
"Hello." -Normal talking
'Hello.' –Ichigo's thoughts.
"Hello." – Zanpakutō speaking
"Hello." – Zanpakutō thoughts.
Kon'nichiwa [Translation of Hello]
Chapter 1: Step One of A Thousand
Ichigo stood over the barren wasteland on the outskirts of Karakura Town, breathing lightly. The dust settled around Aizen's remains, revealing his bisected form. Ichigo's breath hitched as the white skin on Aizen's back stitched together in a web of goo, regenerating his body as if Ichigo's final attack had been useless.
"Was the Final Getsuga Tenshō not enough?" It couldn't be possible. Holding his breath, Ichigo used Shunpo to descend into the valley with the remnants of his power. Even that much was difficult.
The madman's form had reverted close to its normal state. He no longer looked like a butterfly monster but was still not quite human or Shinigami. Only white skin and fragments of a Hollow-like mask were left of his transformation.
"You have lost, Kurosaki Ichigo!" Aizen declared as he slowly stood up. Ichigo could only stare, unable to retort, unable to comprehend how Aizen had survived the attack and still had enough reiatsu to heal himself. The Final Getsuga Tenshō should have been an attack dimensions higher than Aizen's comprehension, yet he took it head-on and lived—impossible.
Ichigo's remaining powers over darkness faded away, and he slumped forward. He palmed the dusty ground for support, breathless from the shock of the sudden drop in his reiatsu, now barely on the level of a lieutenant. Part of him wanted to chuckle. At this moment, even Renji would be more useful. He couldn't do a thing now, and no one else could either.
"Behold, my Zanpakutō is vanishing," Aizen said, holding up his crumbling Zanpakutō. "Surely you, of all people, understand what this means." Ichigo glared in response. He understood perfectly well; everyone would die if Aizen wasn't stopped. Everyone would die because Ichigo had failed despite giving it his all. Was his best still not good enough? Aizen grinned maniacally as if he could read Ichigo's mind.
"Yuzu, Karin, Chad, Orihime, Uryū, Goat-chin, everyone… I'm sorry," Ichigo thought as he slowly lost hope. In contrast, Aizen's expression turned into one of ecstatic triumph.
"The Hōgyoku has decided that I do not need a Zanpakutō! You became one with your Zanpakutō and its powers, and now I am the same. No… Now that you've lost that power, I will ascend to heights far above you." Ichigo tried to get up, but he just couldn't—half because of his own weakness and loss of hope, and the rest from Aizen's beyond captain-level reiatsu pinning him down like the weight of his flooded inner world.
"Aizen," Ichigo mumbled as he once again tried to push himself up. His despair boiled into hatred, burning through his core. He gathered his fading reiatsu to summon Zangetsu. He growled, clawing into the dirt, refusing to let this be the end. His reiatsu only further slipped away, leaving him with only glimmers of his previous power.
"This is the end, Kurosaki Ichigo!" Aizen roared. He moved to finish Ichigo off but was abruptly halted by a crimson nail of reiatsu erupting from his chest. To Ichigo's surprise, this wasn't part of another transformation, and for several seconds, he remained still, speechless at the development.
"What is this? Kidō!?" Aizen yelled in shock. Several more crimson nails then erupted from his torso. "Arrrrhhhh!" Aizen screamed as he attempted to remove these red nails.
This was Ichigo's chance. He gritted his teeth, pushing against the ground with every strand of reiatsu left in his soul, clawing at the dirt until his nails throbbed in pain. It wasn't enough to even stand—nowhere near enough. He could only watch as Aizen convulsed under the growing daggers. The red energy resembled Kidō or a Zanpakutō ability. It wasn't Ichigo's technique, he was sure of that unless Zangetsu had something planned the whole time. That was unlikely since Ichigo himself didn't even know any damn Kidō. There were only a few people he knew who could do such a thing, and they were all lying unconscious—defeated.
"When did something like this—" Aizen began but was cut off by a newcomer that Ichigo spied out of the corner of his eye. Blond hair, green cloak, and clogs.
"Urahara!"
"It appears to have finally activated," the shopkeeper emotionlessly stated, his hat and fan nowhere to be seen. Aizen spun his head to the blonde, still convulsing under the effects of the Kidō.
"Urahara Kisuke! This is your doing?!" the brunette demanded, scowling enough to reveal his gums. Urahara walked up to him, appearing to measure each step with precision.
"Yes. Before you achieved complete transfiguration, in your most unguarded moment, I fired that Kidō into your body on the back of another Kidō," Urahara explained, pausing as the Kidō daggers grew. A heavy weight lifted off Ichigo's shoulders. Aizen was finished. His sacrifice was worth it. The carrot top let out a long breath and relaxed into the dirt, able to sit up straight again. Even the spiritual pressure was starting to lift now.
Urahara continued with his explanation, his voice stoic.
"It's a seal. I thought that if you fused with the Hōgyoku, you would most likely become all but impossible to kill. So, I developed a Kidō for sealing you away." Of course, he did. He was Urahara, the shopkeeper with a multitude of plans and backup plans.
"What…" Aizen asked with a glare, wrinkling his nose. "That's impossible." Urahara considered him with an unchanging expression as the seal grew, not showing a glimmer of worry or hesitation. The white shell of Aizen's form shattered, and the brunette raised his hand, examining himself with widening eyes. "Wha—What is this…?"
Ichigo looked at him blankly, struggling to understand how he hadn't realized sooner or at least noticed his reduced levels of reiatsu. Something else must be going on at the same time internally. Something that had to do with what he had felt in the madman's blade when he caught it during their battle. "Pain… Loneliness… And despair," Ichigo thought as he recalled the emotions he felt when he held Kyōka Suigetsu for that moment. Urahara then continued with his explanation, breaking Ichigo from his thoughts.
"This is the will of the Hōgyoku," the blonde stated, gesturing to the swirling purple orb in Aizen's chest. "The reason the seal I fired at you before has finally activated is because your power has weakened."
"Weakened from Mugetsu, that much was obvious, although…" Ichigo furrowed his brow, unsure what to make of that revelation. He disagreed with Urahara's explanation. To him, it felt like Aizen wanted to lose his power as if it was part of his plan. Lost in thought, Ichigo didn't notice a purple thread floating in the air, slowly and swiftly sneaking toward him.
"H-how?" Aizen stuttered, and Ichigo glared at his words, and his demeanor. Something was off. Unnoticed by Ichigo, the purple thread reached its goal and touched the carrot top.
"The Hōgyoku is saying... that it does not recognize you as its mast-"
"HHHHHHHAAAAA!" Ichigo interrupted Urahara with a yell as a purple and green light shot out of Aizen and hit him. Shortly after, Ichigo collapsed, and Aizen began to break down into blue particles.
"So... the Hōgyoku did choose a new master. Good luck, Ichigo," Aizen whispered before his entire body disintegrated into reishi. Urahara grabbed the unconscious hero and took him to the Fourth Division.
Scene Change: Mindscape
"Where am I?" Ichigo thought. Looking around, he quickly realized that he was in his mindscape, but this time, the world looked completely different. No longer was it the underwater Karakura Town he had seen the last time he came here. Instead, the skyscrapers were right-side-up, and there were trees and mountains all over the place. "What the..." Ichigo pondered.
"Welcome back, Ichigo," Tensa Zangetsu stated. He was still in his fusion form from when Ichigo learned the Final Getsuga Tenshō.
"Tensa Zangetsu, what happened here?" Ichigo asked.
"Well, that question should be addressed to them," Tensa Zangetsu replied, pointing off into the distance. Looking where his partner was pointing, Ichigo saw two other beings walking toward them. One was a female about 5 feet 11 inches tall with green eyes and long green shoulder-length hair. She was wearing a traditional green kimono with blue waves decorating the bottom, tied up with an obi that accentuated her amazing curves. The other woman looked like a mirror copy of the first, but her eyes and hair were purple instead of green. Her kimono was also purple and decorated with white butterflies.
"Who are you, ladies? How did you get here?" Ichigo questioned.
"You're a silly boy. Understandably, you do not recognize us," the lady with the purple hair replied.
"Unfortunately, we were just used by your recent foe," the lady in green stated.
"Wait... used by my recent foe... you're Kyōka Suigetsu," Ichigo concluded as he looked at the lady in green. "And you must be the Hōgyoku," he added, looking at the lady in purple.
"You're smarter than I believed. That's a surprise," Kyōka taunted.
"So, how did you two end up here?" Ichigo asked, ignoring Kyōka's comment.
"Well, when Aizen was hit by your attack, I realized that he did not deserve my power, so I decided to leave him. I then saw that Kyōka's bond with him was severed and asked her if she wanted to come with me," Hōgyoku explained.
"And I said yes," Kyōka added.
"Okay," Ichigo sighed. "Now then, what is going to happen?"
"Well, you are still going to temporarily lose your Shinigami powers, just as planned. However, all of us are going to retrain you for three years. During that time, no one will be able to sense your reiatsu at all," Hōgyoku stated.
"Wait, if I don't have any reiatsu, how will I talk to you?" Ichigo asked.
"Normally, that is true; you should not be able to talk to us. But when have you ever been normal? Additionally, you will also be able to train here, in your mindscape," Hōgyoku explained.
"Ichigo, we want you to tell no one that this is happening," Tensa Zangetsu asked of his King.
"Why, Tensa?" Ichigo asked.
"There are many reasons," Tensa began. "The first is that, when the Shinigami find out that you still have your powers, they might capture you or, worse, kill you. The next reason is that no Shinigami has ever had two different Zanpakutō spirits. If Soul Society finds out that you have two different Zanpakutō spirits, they will do whatever it takes to capture you, especially if the other Zanpakutō is Kyōka Suigetsu." Ichigo's eyes widened at Tensa Zangetsu's words. "It would get even worse if they discovered that you possess the Hōgyoku as well. Finally, if anyone else discovers your heritage, they will order your destruction," Tensa concluded.
"Wait, WHAT!?" Ichigo yelled in shock. "EXPLAIN!" Tensa Zangetsu then slowly separated into the younger version of Zangetsu and the bleached version of Ichigo.
"Ichigo, please allow me to fully explain before you ask any questions," Tensa Zangetsu requested before continuing. "Your heritage is special; it's practically a miracle that you're still alive considering what you are. As you have seen earlier, your father was a Shinigami, a Taichō whose family can be traced back to the founding of Soul Society. Your mother, on the other hand, was a pureblood Quincy. Yes, Ichigo, you are related to your friend Uryū." Tensa revealed, much to Ichigo's further shock. "Your mother was attacked by a Hollow named White and got infected with Hollow reiatsu. It was killing her, so your father stepped in and stopped it from killing her. However, when you were born, it was passed down to you. You, Ichigo, are the perfect hybrid of Shinigami, Quincy, and Hollow," Tensa Zangetsu finished.
"So... if you are not Zangetsu, then who are you, and where is the real Zangetsu?" Ichigo asked.
"Silly King. Who do you think is Zangetsu?" Ichigo heard behind him. He turned and saw his Hollow.
"What do you mean?" he questioned.
"Remember what I told you when we first met, King!" The Hollow yelled. Ichigo stood there as he recalled what his Hollow had told him long ago.
"That 'Zangetsu' thing you're talking about... aren't you holding it right there? Or maybe... could it possibly be the one... that I have here?... I am... Zangetsu."
"So, during all those times, you have been trying to tell me that you are my real Zanpakutō. So, if you're Zangetsu, then who are you?" Ichigo asked 'Tensa'.
"Well, Ichigo, I am the manifestation of your Quincy powers. My name is Yhwach. I will teach you the ways of the Quincy since it is your heritage," the newly dubbed Yhwach stated.
"We'll talk more later, Ichigo. You are needed back outside, now," Kyōka said.
"All right, then. I'll talk to you all later," Ichigo promised.
Scene Change: Outside
When Ichigo collapsed, Urahara quickly grabbed his body and brought him to the Fourth Division for medical care. The healers swiftly treated all physical injuries, but Ichigo ended up in a coma-like state. Once the healers confirmed it was safe to visit, many people came to see the Hero of the Winter War.
Ichigo remained in that state for about two days, after which Urahara informed the Shinigami that the teen needed to return to the human world. He explained that Ichigo was slowly losing his reiatsu due to the Final Getsuga Tenshō. They transported him back to Urahara Shōten, and a few hours later, Ichigo woke up.
"Did we win?" was the first question Ichigo asked.
"Yes, Ichigo, we won. Aizen is dead," Urahara answered with a smile.
"I see. Are we still in Soul Society?"
"No, we brought you back to the human world."
"All right. How long until I lose all of my reiatsu, then?" Ichigo asked with a frown.
"Well… according to my calculations, you have a few hours left before you lose it all," Urahara replied, frowning as well.
"All right then," Ichigo nodded. "Who is here right now?"
"Your human friends, Kuchiki-san, and Abarai-san—they're all here."
"Can I talk to them?" Ichigo asked as he sat up on his futon.
"Sure, I'll call them in," Urahara agreed, getting up and leaving the room. A few moments later, Rukia, Chad, Orihime, Renji, Uryū, Tatsuki, Chizuru, Keigo, Mizuiro, Yuzu, Karin, and his father walked in.
"Hello everyone, as you know, I have a few hours left, so I want to tell you everything that happened in these past few months." Ichigo then began recounting his journey as a Substitute Shinigami, rescuing Rukia, later Orihime, and the battle with Aizen. "All right then, is the—HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Ichigo suddenly screamed in pain.
"What's going on!?" Yuzu and Karin asked, shocked and worried about their older brother.
"It's finally happening. Ichigo is losing all of his remaining reiatsu," Isshin said.
"Everyone, thank you for your support and help throughout this journey," Ichigo told them before the pain overtook him, and he fell unconscious.
Scene change: One Month Later
Ichigo woke up a few days later, and Urahara quickly explained that, due to using the Final Getsuga Tenshō, he had lost all of his reiatsu. The shopkeeper then returned Ichigo to his body and placed his soul back in it. In the following days, Ichigo finally lost his reiatsu and the ability to see spirits.
Now, a month has passed since the end of the Winter War, and Ichigo has already noticed a significant change in his relationships with his friends. When Ichigo asked to talk to Chad, Orihime, or Uryū, they would make excuses to avoid him. Ichigo soon realized that his former friends either believed he couldn't handle not associating with spirits or no longer wanted to associate with him.
This sudden change in attitude from his friends made Ichigo doubt their friendship. The feeling only worsened when he was told that even when he regained access to his powers, no one would be able to sense his reiatsu.
"Hey, Hōgyoku, it's been a month. Can you finally explain to me why no one can feel my reiatsu?" Ichigo asked the purple-haired beauty. However, it was Kyōka who answered him.
"Well, Ichigo-kun, the reason is very simple. Your reiatsu is completely different from all of your friends and family," Kyōka explained. "It's composed of Shinigami, Hollow, and Quincy reiatsu all working in harmony."
"What do you mean by 'working in harmony'?" Ichigo asked.
"Ichigo-kun, think of it as a three-way scale." A picture of a scale with a Y shape appeared. "The upper left side represents your Shinigami side, the upper right is your Hollow side, and the lower central side is your Quincy side. Do you understand now?"
"Yes, Kyōka," Ichigo replied.
"Good. Now, when you first started using your powers, you mainly used your Shinigami reiatsu," Kyōka began, and Ichigo saw that the scale dramatically tilted to the upper left side. "As time went on, you gradually used your Hollow reiatsu as well." The upper right side began to lower itself to about halfway, where the upper left side was. "When you used the Final Getsuga Tenshō, that's when your Shinigami and Hollow reiatsu officially synchronized, while your Quincy reiatsu unofficially synchronized. But now, you have officially accepted all three types of reiatsu, balancing them out." Kyōka finished, and the scale's plates were perfectly balanced.
"That explains how strong my reiatsu can become, but how could I sense Aizen's reiatsu while he couldn't sense mine?" Ichigo inquired.
"Well, think of all this as a hierarchy from the Dark Ages. The three individual races and all imbalanced beings are like slaves. The beings with a balance between two of the three races—for instance, Aizen and natural Arrancars—are the nobles. While you, Ichigo, now have a balance of all three races, making you the king," Kyōka explained in detail.
"Wait, if the Vizards and unnatural Arrancars find real balance, would they be on the same level as Aizen?" Ichigo asked.
"Yes, King. The Arrancars could, theoretically, find balance and become at the same level as Aizen. But for the Vizards, their Hollow is unnatural since Aizen inserted it into them after their souls were already dead," Zangetsu answered.
"So, from now on, no one will be able to detect my reiatsu?" Ichigo asked for clarification.
"Yes, Ichigo. Even if you touch your badge, Soul Society will not be able to detect your reiatsu," Kyōka assured him.
"What do you mean by that?" Ichigo asked.
"Urahara didn't tell you?" Kyōka asked in response.
"Tell me what?"
"The badge that Soul Society gave you is a surveillance device for Soul Society. It absorbs, analyzes, and controls the user's reiatsu. It also functions as a communication device with Soul Society, either one-way or two-way," Kyōka revealed.
"So, all this time, Soul Society was spying on me and listening to private discussions?" Ichigo asked with an angry frown.
"Yes," Kyōka answered.
"Thinking back, it does make sense, even though I don't like it," Ichigo concluded with a sigh. "Is there anything else you want to talk about?"
"Well, Ichigo, I think you should rejoin karate," Yhwach suggested to the teen.
"Why?"
"Karate will help you with Hakuda and possibly Hohō," Yhwach explained. "It would also explain why you're getting physically stronger."
"What do you mean?" Ichigo asked.
"Ichigo, haven't you noticed that Hōgyoku hasn't shown up or said anything since we all first met you?" Kyōka inquired.
"Now that you mention it, I haven't seen her since then. How come?"
"She is currently modifying your body not only to handle all the extra reiatsu but also to allow you to use most of your powers without destroying yourself," Kyōka explained.
"I see," Ichigo said.
"Now, back to my explanation," Yhwach redirected the conversation. "While your reiatsu is reforming, doing these things will help when we train you in your mindscape. Also, I want you to spend some time looking up various weapons." Yhwach stated.
"Why?" Ichigo asked.
"Well, Ichigo, for the last three months, what do you think you've been using as a weapon?" Yhwach asked.
"A Zanpakutō?" Ichigo guessed.
"Wrong. That sword you wield was made from me manipulating the reishi in the atmosphere and combining it with your reiryoku to create that sword," Yhwach revealed.
"So, you want me to use this technique to make other weapons when I fight?" Ichigo guessed.
"Yes," Yhwach answered.
"Don't Quincies only use bows and arrows?" Ichigo questioned.
"The only limitations for a Quincy are creativity and how much reiryoku they can produce," Yhwach told him.
"So, modernize the Quincy weaponry? What about the other stuff that Ishida has?"
"Well… yes. I want you to modernize the Quincy weaponry. But items such as Seele Schneider and Gintō, I believe, will not be needed. Also, I will teach you other techniques that Quincies have available, such as Hirenkyaku, Blut Vene, and possibly even Vollständig," Yhwach said.
"On the topic of teaching, I will also teach you everything Aizen knew. Even though he was a psychotic mastermind, he knew how to teach. You will learn everything and then some, Ichigo," Kyōka added.
"And from me, King, you will master all the Hollow techniques I have to offer—firing Ceros, a few Gran Rey Cero, opening Gargantas, High-Speed Regeneration for all wounds, Hierro to prevent damage, Sonído, Pesquisa, and even Resurrección," Zangetsu added.
"Shit… That's a lot of things to learn, and on top of going to school," Ichigo grimaced.
"Ichigo, I can manipulate your mindscape so that it acts like the Dangai," Hōgyoku began. "The time dilation will be one hour outside, equaling two months in your mindscape."
"What will my new schedule look like?" the teen asked.
"Look at this paper we made for you," Hōgyoku said and handed a piece of paper to Ichigo.
[FRONT SIDE]
05:00 to 05:15 - Wake up and warm-up
05:15 to 06:00 - Running
06:00 to 06:15 - Cool down stretches
06:15 to 06:30 - Shower and get ready for school
06:30 to 07:30 - Eat breakfast/ get to school
07:30 to 08:00 - Homeroom
08:00 to 08:50 - First period
08:50 to 09:00 - Transition
09:00 to 09:50 - Second period
09:50 to 10:00 - Transition
10:00 to 10:50 - Third period
10:50 to 11:00 - Transition
11:00 to 11:50 - Fourth period
11:50 to 12:50 - Lunch
12:50 to 13:00 - Transition
13:00 to 13:50 - Fifth period
13:50 to 14:00 - Transition
14:00 to 14:50 - Sixth period
14:50 to 17:00 - Extra activities
17:00 to 18:00 - Homework
18:00 to 18:30 - Dinner
18:30 to 21:00 - Free time
21:00 to 22:00 - Mindscape training (Look at the backside)
22:00 to 05:00 - Sleep
[BACK SIDE]
Week 1: Hakuda
Week 2: Kidō
Week 3: Zanjutsu
Week 4: Hohō
Week 5: Zanpakutō training
Week 6: Hollow training
Week 7: Quincy training
Week 8: Miscellaneous training
"Wow, this is going to be a lot," Ichigo said, a bit shocked at how busy he would be from now on. "Wait, what's going to be in miscellaneous training?"
"Good of you to ask, Ichigo. Miscellaneous training includes a lot of things. Some of them involve studying different languages, the history of all three species, legends of other species, cooking, and more. You, Ichigo, will become the strongest, most powerful, and most elegant war machine," Kyōka said.
"All right then. Let's get this started," Ichigo said, knowing it was going to be hell.
Scene change: Next Day
Following the suggestion from his spirits, Ichigo decided to confront Tatsuki about rejoining Furin Hall (1) that day at school.
"Hey, Tatsuki. Can I talk to you privately?" Ichigo asked his childhood friend during lunchtime.
"Sure, Ichigo," Tatsuki replied, hiding the questionable thoughts in her mind. The two soon walked to the empty roof.
"So, what do you want to ask me about?" Tatsuki inquired.
"Well, I was wondering if you still go to Furin Hall. You know, the dojo we went to when we were younger?" Ichigo asked.
"Why?" Tatsuki asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Tatsuki, do you still go to Furin Hall?" Ichigo repeated.
"I do, why?"
"I was wondering if I could join you there," the 'former' Shinigami inquired.
"WHAT!?" Tatsuki shouted in surprise, absolutely astonished at the question. She hadn't expected Ichigo to ask her about something like this. "Why?"
"Well, mainly for some closure," Ichigo began. "Out of the four of us, I'm the only one who doesn't have anything to reconnect me back to society. Look at the others: Chad has his music, Orihime has her cooking, and Ishida has his sewing. But all I have, all I know how to do, is fight." Ichigo explained, turning towards the city and holding onto the railing. "I decided that if the only thing reconnecting me back from the spiritual world is fighting, I might as well use it to my advantage," he concluded.
"I… see," Tatsuki said. "Well, yes, I still go to Furin Hall. If you're interested in coming back, go there on the weekends from 9:00 to 12:00."
"Why?" Ichigo asked. "If I remember right, there are two classes during the week, each about an hour and a half."
"Those classes are for general students from white to red belts (2). The weekend classes are for black belts or special people with recommendations. I am a Black Belt Instructor who teaches most of the classes. However, on the weekends, I can spar," she explained.
"Ok. Thanks. Also, after school, can you ask the captains of each school club to meet me here on the roof?" Ichigo asked.
"Why?"
"Well, you see, before all the Shinigami stuff happened, many of them were willing to pay for my services to their teams. I've recently decided to work with them to plan a schedule to rent my services to the teams," Ichigo explained.
"What? Why?" Tatsuki asked.
"I want to do this for two reasons. One, for the extra money. I don't want to depend on my dad for my stuff. Two, doing all of this will likely get me positive publicity and might even get me a few college scholarships. Three, it gives me fewer reasons to get involved with Soul Society if I ever get my powers back," Ichigo explained, and Tatsuki gave it some thought.
"The first two reasons are logical. The sports clubs did ask Ichigo for assistance before. And the third is something I agree with. Dragging a 15-year-old to war is not something I like."
"Ok, Ichigo, I will help you with that," Tatsuki agreed.
"Thanks," Ichigo said, and they both returned to class.
Scene change: Same day: Afternoon
"Hey, do you know why Arisawa-san called us up here?" Tetsuo Momohara asked. He has black hair, thick eyebrows, and a small plaster on his forehead. He was currently wearing a white gi with a black belt tied around his waist.
"I don't know. All she told me was that if we wanted Kurosaki's help, we had to meet up on the roof after school," Satoda Natsui (3) said. He has short brown hair and brown eyes and is dressed in the standard Karakura High School uniform.
"Well, if he doesn't show up in a few minutes, I'm leaving," Mizuho Asano stated. She has long brown hair tied up in a ponytail with a purple hairpiece and long bangs on both sides of her face. She has slightly thick eyebrows and brown eyes and wore the female version of the Karakura High School Uniform.
"Asano, calm down, or you'll get wrinkles," Shizuka Nanami (4) teased. She has long reddish-orange hair that reaches her waist, with several strands next to her head sticking out in a spiky manner. Her short bangs were clipped together by several hairpins to frame her face. Shizuka also has brown eyes and, like wore the same uniform as the majority of them.
Ryō Kunieda was sitting on the floor, reading her book instead of talking like the other captains. She has long black hair and a mole under her left eye. She too wore the same uniform as Nanami and Asano.
"All of you, shut up. Kurosaki is here," Ichirō Shinjō (4) stated. He has long, curly blonde hair and blue eyes. Like the others, he wore his Karakura High School uniform, with the addition of a pair of purple-brown gloves. At his statement, everyone looked at the stairs to see Ichigo walking up with a small notebook in hand.
"Thank you all for showing up. I apologize for my lateness," Ichigo began. "Now, all of you are here because you need my services at various sports events. Is that correct?"
"Yes," the members of the sports teams confirmed.
"Very well. I've recently decided to loan my services to you all. You will need to inform me of every game one week in advance so I can incorporate it into my schedule. For sports that involve a single round, such as soccer, the price for one game is 2,000 yen. For sports with multiple rounds, such as karate, archery, boxing, kendo, and track & field, the price will be at least 2,000 yen and no more than 3,500 yen," Ichigo explained. "I will accept the payment in full after the event is over or the day after. If you cannot pay at that time, tell me a set day when you will pay. Are there any questions?"
"Will you attend practice?" Momohara asked.
"And you are?" Ichigo inquired.
"I'm Momohara Tetsuo. I am the current Vice-Captain for the Karate Class," the brunette introduced himself.
"Well, Momohara, I do not see the need for me to show up to practice since it is mostly independent," Ichigo replied.
"What about soccer?" Natsui asked.
"And you are?" Ichigo questioned.
"I am Satoda Natsui. I am the Vice-Captain of the Soccer Team and the older sister to Mahana Natsui," Natsui replied.
"Ok, that explains why you look familiar. To answer your question, I will only attend the practice before the game, and it will cost you an additional 500 yen," Ichigo said. He then passed around his notebook for everyone to sign a copy of the agreement and take their copy. After the agreements were signed, Ichigo asked them for the date of the first competition for each game. They all told him the dates, and Ichigo noted which ones overlapped with each other and his schedule.
Once everything was scheduled, all the captains left, leaving Ichigo alone on the roof. The carrot-top teen looked at the planner and smiled a bit. Each sport landed perfectly in the open two hours he had on the weekdays. As for karate, the tournaments were once a month on Saturday, so he would miss one day with Tatsuki at Furin Hall. Ichigo closed his book and went home, having told the captains he would start tomorrow.
Scene change: Same day: Evening
"Tadaima [I'm home," Ichigo stated as he opened the door.
"Okaerinasai, Onii-san [Welcome home, older brother," Yuzu yelled from the kitchen.
"Are Karin or Goat-Chin home?" Ichigo asked.
"No, Tou-san left somewhere, and Karin said she was going to a friend's house," Yuzu replied.
"Ok. Well, if you need me, Yuzu, I'll be in my room doing homework," Ichigo told his sister as he climbed up the stairs and went to his room. He sat down at his desk and opened his notebook before writing down his updated schedule:
The first week, Monday of the month: Track & Field Competition
The first week, Thursday of the month: Soccer Game
The second week, Tuesday of the month: Boxing Tournaments
The third week, Wednesday of the month: Archery Competition
Extra practice is available every day except weekends from 15:00 to 16:00
The third week, Friday of the month: Kendo Tournaments
Extra practice is available every day except weekends from 16:00 to 17:00
The fourth week, Saturday of the month: Karate Tournaments
Saturdays and Sundays from 9:00 to 12:00 at Furin Hall
"Don't know how I got so lucky with this schedule," Ichigo thought.
"Yes, you did, Ichigo," Yhwach agreed.
"I agree with Yhwach. The best thing about this is that these sports will help with your training. Archery will allow you to practice your aim and teach you how to use a bow. Kendo will also serve as practice for Zanjutsu," Kyōka added.
"Well, let's get this party started," Ichigo thought.
Scene change: Two Months Later
The next two months went by in a blur for Ichigo, but overall, everything was going well. Many of Ichigo's former friends were surprised by his new lifestyle, and when they tried to confront him, he simply told them, "It's none of your business."
Around town, many of the citizens of Karakura began to see Ichigo not as a delinquent, but as something else. With Ichigo participating in these sports clubs, Karakura High School started to gain more recognition, and other sports captains from Tennis, Swimming, Basketball, and Baseball also asked Ichigo for his assistance.
He agreed, but unlike the first contract with Karate, Kendo, Soccer, Boxing, Archery, and Track & Field clubs, their contract was 4,000 yen for his assistance. Their sports would also be his second priority since they didn't respond when Ichigo first called them.
Many students at Karakura High School came to like the new Ichigo, as he helped the school overall. One by one, students who had been bullied began to share their stories. They all mentioned one key detail: Ichigo intervened and defended them from the bullies.
By the end of that week, Ichigo's fame reached new heights, and by the end of the school year, he was considered the most popular person in the entire town, thanks to his amazing sports skills and heroic actions against bullies! The police also noticed that crime rates had dropped to an all-time low since Ichigo's middle school years. Many people credited Ichigo for this, much to his surprise.
Lastly, there were his grades. Even with everything going on and how busy he was all the time, Ichigo somehow managed to go neck and neck with Uryū for first place in the entire grade.
Now, on March 17th, Ichigo climbed out of his window and sat outside on the roof to stare at the moon.
"These have been some long six months," Ichigo thought as he stared at the moon.
"It has," Yhwach agreed, appearing beside him while drinking some whiskey and also staring at the moon.
"And to think we've come this far since the moment Rukia stabbed me with her sword," Ichigo thought.
"Yes," Yhwach replied.
"But amidst all this…" Kyōka appeared and cuddled up to Ichigo's left side.
"You have done well," Hōgyoku added, appearing on his right side and cuddling up to him as well. Ichigo immediately put his arms around them and brought them closer.
"I have. Zangetsu, you can come out if you want." With that, Zangetsu also appeared and lay down a few feet away from his king.
"I agree. I may be the embodiment of your instincts, but I do agree that this is nice," Zangetsu said. Everyone continued to stare at the moon, with Ichigo reflecting on how much his life had changed in the past six months.
"It all started on July 10th, 2004 (5), when Rukia came to my room, and my family and I were attacked by a Hollow. That was the night I first awakened my powers. Then, on August 1st, I lost my temporary powers and began the training to awaken my true powers. On August 10th, we began the rescue mission to save Rukia. From October 1st to 15th, we dealt with those vampire rip-offs called Bounts. After that came the Kasumioji incident, where we had to deal with politics for another few weeks. Then Senna came, and we dealt with her for a week. Then Toshiro crashed here because his old friend, Sōjirō Kusaka, came back for revenge.
On November 20th, Muramasa and his Zanpakutō rebellion occurred. On the 30th, Yammy and Ulquiorra came, followed later by Grimmjow, whom I fought. Then, I had to deal with the Vizards. Stupid Aizen used psychological warfare with Orihime. After that, we faced him and the remaining Espada attacking Karakura Town. And finally, on January 21st, 2005, I killed Aizen," Ichigo recalled everything he had been involved in over the past six months.
Ichigo eventually fell asleep in the arms of Kyōka and Hōgyoku. The two ladies gently lifted their master back to his room and placed him on his bed. They both stole a quick peck on his cheeks before returning to his mindscape.
"Yes, more blackmail," Zangetsu remarked with a smirk. Yhwach then came up behind him and slammed his empty glass on Zangetsu's head.
"Shut up," Yhwach said.
"Fine, you killjoy," Zangetsu replied before retreating back into Ichigo's mindscape.
"Rest well, Ichigo," Yhwach wished as he pulled the blanket over Ichigo's body before also returning to the mindscape.
Scene change: Next Morning
"BEEP! BEEP!" Ichigo's alarm rang at 5 in the morning. He turned it off and began changing into a T-shirt and running shorts. At 5:15, he saw both Yuzu and Karin coming down, dressed in sports tops and shorts. They all then left the house and began jogging around Karakura Town.
After the first few weeks, Yuzu and Karin had asked if they could join their brother on his runs around the town. Ichigo allowed them to but told them to maintain a slower pace. Over time, Yuzu and Karin were able to keep up with Ichigo when he wasn't sprinting or running at a fast pace. Ten minutes into their run, Tatsuki joined the group, and they all ran around the town, waving hello to the other early risers.
Soon, 6 o'clock came around, and Tatsuki ran back to her house while the siblings returned home. They did their cool-down stretches and took showers before Ichigo headed to the kitchen to make breakfast, as it was his turn. Due to his desire to learn how to cook, Ichigo and Yuzu had agreed to take turns making breakfast.
By 7:30, Ichigo was walking out of the house. He greeted various neighbors and other people working as he made his way toward school, heading to his homeroom as soon as he arrived.
Since today was the last day of school before summer break, everyone would have a half-day, and one of the highlights was the announcement of who had the highest grades in each class, as well as the highest grade in the entire section. Many people had been placing bets on who would be on top, with most bets on Uryū and Ichigo. Even the teachers got involved in the action.
For final exams, once the students finished, the teachers sealed the exams in boxes, which were then randomly shipped to another high school. That high school would grade the exams and box the results before sending them back to the original school.
As soon as Ichigo sat down, the bell rang for class to begin. Ochi-sensei came in and stood by the podium. The students stood up, went to attention, bowed to the teacher, and sat down.
"Morning, everyone," Ochi-sensei greeted.
"Morning, Ochi-sensei," everyone replied.
"All right then. I know everyone is betting on either Kurosaki or Ishida for who got the highest score," Ochi-sensei said, pulling out an envelope before unsealing it and taking out a piece of paper. "Now then, this year's student with the highest grades on the exams is… Keigo Asano!" Ochi-sensei yelled.
"NAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNIIIIIIIIIIIIII!" everyone screamed in shock and disbelief. A loud click was then heard, and everyone focused on Ochi-sensei, who had her phone out and was laughing.
"Oh my god! You should all see your faces!" Ochi-sensei laughed out loud, everyone glaring at her until she stopped. "Okay, okay. Here are the real results." Ochi-sensei pulled out another envelope and unsealed it.
"This year's student with the highest grades on the exams is… Kurosaki Ichigo!" she announced, causing Ichigo to smile. Ishida, hearing the results, walked over to Ichigo's desk, causing everyone to stop what they were doing and look at them.
"Well, Kurosaki, congratulations on getting it this year," Uryū congratulated his estranged friend.
"Thanks. Maybe you'll have better luck next year," Ichigo said and raised his hand for a handshake.
"I do not need your luck. I'll keep mine," Uryū replied but accepted the handshake nonetheless, causing the class to cheer at the sportsmanship between the two smartest students in their grade.
Scene change: Later at Noon
Soon, the bell rang, signaling the end of another school year. Ichigo was walking out of the school gate when he noticed someone staring at him. The man appeared to be middle-aged and wore thin, frameless glasses and a plain grey suit with a light blue shirt and a tie adorned with Quincy crosses. He had narrow blue eyes, fair skin, and white hair. For a second, Ichigo thought he looked like an older version of Uryū.
"Hello, Ichigo," the man greeted.
"Who are you?" Ichigo asked the stranger.
"My name is Ishida Ryūken," the albino introduced himself.
"So, you're Uryū's dad?" Ichigo guessed.
"You're way smarter than your father, it seems," Ryūken complimented.
"You know my father?" Ichigo questioned.
"I do. Do you want to go to a café to talk about this?" Ryūken suggested.
"Sure," Ichigo agreed and got into the car with Uryū's dad. They soon drove to a café and sat at a booth away from most of the other customers. A waitress came by to take their order, and Ichigo asked for tea while Ryūken ordered a black coffee.
"So, how much has your father told you about your mother?" Ryūken asked.
"Nothing, um, Ishida-san," Ichigo answered, questioning his formality with this man.
"Call me Oji-san. Oji is fine too," the newly dubbed Oji-san stated.
"Oji-san?" Ichigo questioned.
"Yes. You see, your mother and I were among the few Pureblood Quincies left. My mother, your grandmother, adopted Masaki to be my wife to keep the bloodline pure," Ryūken started. "However, one day, she saw your father fighting another hollow."
"Due to the immense amount of reiatsu their battle caused, it attracted Masaki's attention, and she left to join the fight."
"The Hollow they fought was almost entirely black, with a white mask and light-colored hair that reached down to the middle of its back. It also had two long, forward-pointing horns protruding from the sides of its head, and its Hollow hole, located in its upper chest, was filled in. Another interesting aspect of the Hollow was that it had blades in place of its forearms," Ryūken described, making Ichigo recall the masked Zangetsu he had fought in Bankai.
"Masaki saw Isshin struggling, so she intervened when the Hollow was about to deliver the final blow. She fired a Heilig Pfeil at the Hollow, which stopped attacking your father and charged at her instead. She tried to shoot it down with more Heilig Pfeil, but it dodged them all. Masaki concluded that the Hollow was too fast, so she allowed it to bite her hand before shooting another Heilig Pfeil straight at its head, successfully killing it," Ryūken described the fight, causing Ichigo to grimace at the part where his mother allowed the Hollow to bite her.
"A few days later, Masaki began to develop a Hollow hole in her chest. I quickly grabbed her and ran off. While carrying Masaki in my arms, another Hollow appeared and was about to attack. Fortunately, Isshin was there to kill it. Urahara then showed up and took us to his shop, where he explained that Masaki was experiencing Soul Suicide. Fortunately, he had already invented a way to stop it. It required a human and a Shinigami soul to balance out the Hollow and Quincy souls. Isshin entered a Gigai, which stopped Masaki from going through Soul Suicide at the cost of his Shinigami powers," Ryūken finished.
"I see…" Ichigo said, having finished his tea by the end of the story. He stood up to leave, but Ryūken pulled him back to his seat.
"Wait." Ryūken handed Ichigo a small white case with the Quincy Cross on it. "When your mother passed away, Isshin gave me Masaki's Quincy Cross. I decided that you should have it. Your mother would have wanted you to have it." Ryūken handed the box to Ichigo. When Ichigo opened it, he had flashbacks of seeing this cross on his mother's neck when he was younger.
"Thank you, Oji-san," Ichigo said gratefully.
"You're welcome. Masaki also asked me to commission two bracelets for Yuzu and Karin when they were born. I have them right here," Ryūken said, bringing out two more white boxes. "Please give these to them. You may share the same story I told you if you wish," Ryūken added, handing the boxes to Ichigo.
"I will, Oji-san," Ichigo replied, standing up again. He reached for his wallet to pay for the drinks, but Ryūken waved him off.
"No need," the albino said. "I've already paid." With a small smile, Ichigo left the café.
As he walked home, Ichigo stared at the pendant in his hand.
"Mom's Quincy Cross… Hey, everyone," Ichigo called out to his spirits.
"Yes, Ichigo?" the spirits replied.
"I need something to act as a medium to use my powers, right?" Ichigo asked.
"That is correct. Why?" Yhwach inquired.
"Well, a Quincy Cross is made from soul-synthesized silver, right?" Ichigo questioned.
"Yes…" Yhwach confirmed.
'How is soul-synthesized silver made?' Ichigo asked.
"Soul-synthesized silver is created by exposing silver to a large amount of pure reishi and reiatsu," Yhwach explained.
"What if I find two katanas and expose them to my reiatsu? Would doing so turn them into Asauchi?" Ichigo asked.
"Well…" Kyōka trailed off, uncertain of the idea.
"We could try it," Hōgyoku suggested. "Not only that, but we could also try bringing physical objects, like your body, into your mindscape. That way, we wouldn't need to worry about your physical body lying around."
"Also, Yhwach, if I turn the Quincy Cross into a ring, will it still work?" Ichigo asked.
"Work in what way?" Yhwach asked.
"Well, I thought I could use the Quincy Cross like the Green Lantern Ring from that movie we saw a while ago," Ichigo suggested.
"That is… a pretty good idea," Yhwach replied.
"Right? It would allow me to use the ring as a medium to create whatever I need—a shield to block, a gun for long-range attacks, or even a train to transport many things," Ichigo listed the various ways he could use his 'Quincy Ring' as he arrived back home.
"Tadaima," Ichigo greeted as he walked inside.
"Okaerinasai, Onii-san!" Yuzu called out from the kitchen.
"Are Karin or Goat-Chin home?" Ichigo asked.
"Yes, Ichi-Nii!" Karin called from the living room.
"Yuzu, are you free right now?" Ichigo asked.
"Give me a few minutes. Why?" Yuzu replied.
"I have something I want to talk to you and Karin about," Ichigo said. A few minutes later, the twins sat on one side of the couch while Ichigo sat on the other.
"How much do you know about the spiritual world right now?" Ichigo asked.
"We know a summary of what you've been doing with your powers over the past few months," Karin answered.
"Okay, that's good. Now then, I want to tell you something I just found out about Okā-san [Mom," Ichigo said.
"What?" Yuzu and Karin asked together.
"Well… you know who Uryū is and what he is, right?" Ichigo asked.
"A Quincy," they replied.
"Well, it turns out Mom was a Quincy," Ichigo told them.
"Really?" they responded, astonished by the news.
"Yes. Earlier today, I found out that we have an Oji-san from Mom's side named Ishida Ryūken. He's Uryū's father. Mom was his adopted sister at the time. One day, she sensed Goat-Chin fighting a Hollow, so she left to join the battle. She saw how Goat-Chin was struggling and intervened when the Hollow was about to kill him. The Hollow stopped attacking Goat-Chin and went after her instead. She tried to shoot it down with her Quincy arrows, but it dodged them all. Mom concluded that the Hollow was too fast, so she let it bite her hand. With the Hollow directly in front of her and no way for it to dodge, she shot another Quincy arrow straight at its head, successfully killing it," Ichigo explained, with the twins listening intently.
"A few days later, Mom started to develop a Hollow hole in her chest. Oji-san quickly grabbed her and ran off in search of help. While he was carrying her, a Hollow appeared and was about to attack, but Goat-Chin intervened and killed it. Urahara also showed up and took the three of them to his shop, where he explained that Mom was experiencing Soul Suicide. Fortunately, Urahara had invented a way to stop it, but it required a human and Shinigami soul to balance out the Hollow and Quincy souls. With that, Goat-Chin entered the Gigai and prevented Mom from going through Soul Suicide at the cost of his Shinigami powers," Ichigo finished the tale.
"Wow…" was all the twins could say in response.
"Yep. Also, Oji-san asked me to give you these." Ichigo took out the other two white boxes. "Kaa-san commissioned these two to be made for you. She was planning to give them to you when she thought you were ready," Ichigo told his sisters, handing them the boxes. They each opened their respective box to find Quincy Crosses inside.
"What about you, Ichi-nii?" Karin asked once she stopped admiring the craftsmanship of her cross.
"Oji-san gave me Mom's Quincy Cross," Ichigo answered, showing them the object. "I'm not going to hide this from you," Ichigo told them. "Keep them as mementos, or ask Uryū to teach you if you're interested and he has the time." With that, Ichigo stood up and put his shoes back on.
"Where are you going, Ichi-nii?" Karin asked.
"I want to go see Mom's shrine for a bit."
"Okay, Ichi-nii. Come back soon; it's almost dinner time," Yuzu reminded him.
"Sure, Yuzu," Ichigo agreed before leaving the house. On the way to his mother's shrine, some guy pushed Ichigo aside as he passed him.
"Hey, stop! Give me back my bag, you asshole!" the owner, Ichigo assumed, yelled. Seeing this, Ichigo quickly ran after the thief and punched him in the face. The thief fell to the ground, but after getting back up, he attempted to stab Ichigo with a knife. Ichigo caught the knife between his fingers and punched the thief with his other hand. Thinking better of it, the thief ran away, but Ichigo grabbed the bag and returned it to its owner.
"Holy shit, man! That was awesome! Thanks!" the owner thanked Ichigo for returning his bag.
"No problem," Ichigo replied.
"You hungry? I'll treat you to some ramen or something as thanks. How about it?" the bag's owner offered.
"No thanks," Ichigo waved off the offer before continuing on his way to his mother's shrine.
"You're a lot more careful than I thought, Kurosaki Ichigo," the bag's owner said to himself. From his bag dropped a badge, shaped like a pentagon with an 'X' and a skull in the center.
Author's note:
Furin Hall is the Karate Dojo in Canon. Look at the Bleach Wiki
Using my Tae Kwon Do rank structure. The rank structure should be similar
Satoda does not have another name and I decided to give her Mahama's last name since they kinda look similar.
From Beelzebub.
2004 was the year the Anime aired.