Few months after Yon's encounter with the Shinigami who attacked his parents. He decided to go back to karakura town since the two Shinigami who became his subordinates had returned to soul society.
Yon chose to travel at night since no one would be able to see him fly through the skies using his spirit sword.
July 15, 2000
Nighttime, Karakura Town
Kurosaki Household
Everyone was pretty tired after celebrating Ichigo's birthday. The twins were already sleeping soundly in their room while Ichigo was lying on his bed wondering when his friend Yon will come back. It's already been more than a year since he left but the guy hasn't returned yet.
Meanwhile Isshin and Masaki were in the living room talking about the same person their son was thinking of.
"It's already been more than a year since they left. Tokisawa Chouji san must have passed away already." Isshin said.
"I'm more worried about the kid. Although I know he's strong but loosing the only family he has must have been hard for him." Masaki added.
A few moments ago, the house was of joy while they celebrated Ichigo's birthday. Now however the atmosphere was a bit depressing because of a certain person.
Ding dong!
[Doorbell dings]
Masaki unhurriedly went to check who would visit them this time since Ichigo's birthday party was already over. Even Orihime and Tatsuki who was here a while ago have both gone back home already.
Upon opening the door, what Masaki saw next was a young boy with long black hair until his shoulders. His eyes were not something you'd normally found from an innocent child, no.
It was the eyes of someone who's been through a great deal of hardship. Someone who's been in a great deal of pain and was able to surpass them.
"Aunt Masaki! It's nice to see you again!" Yon greeted with a smile.
But Masaki who was unable to held herself ran towards Yon and hugged him.
"Yon kun! we were so worried you won't come back." Masaki said while crying. Isshin obviously heard this and immediately ran out to take a look.
And yes, there he was. The kid that saved both his wife and son.
"Welcome back Yon. And welcome to the family." He said.
"Huh? Oh right. You'll really be adopting me huh?" Yon commented as if not bothered nor affected by it.
"That's right! Although we have arranged your surname to be changed. You can still keep your surname if you want to." Masaki said this time after hugging Yon.
"No, I would like to change it. Besides, Kurosaki Yon doesn't sound too bad for me." Isshin and Masaki could only smile at Yon's decision.
"Yon you bastard! You finally came back!" Shouted Ichigo who came running when he heard the commotion and was surprised to see Yon. He doesn't know why his mom was hugging Yon but as soon as that was done, he came running at him ready to swing his fist.
"Let's fight to see who's stronger!" Ichigo threw a front lunge punch as fast as he could using his momentum from the run. To another kid like him probably Tatsuki, all of this would have been fast but in Yon's eyes.
It was like watching Ichigo performing a slow-motion dance. He got all the time in the world to dodge his attack.
Pack!
Yon didn't bother dodging and caught Ichigo's fist. "Heh, I didn't go to the mountains to have a vacation you know. But I got to say, you at least improved a bit." Yon commented but Ichigo wasn't done, his other hand was already in motion for a straight punch.
Yon simply tilted his to the side enough to dodge the punch. He then gripped Ichigo's fist which he caught earlier and used the momentum of tilting his head to throw Ichigo on the ground.
The latter used his feet as a spring to land. With the built-up momentum upon landing, he sprung up and did a standard upper cut.
"Woah!" Yon stepped back to dodge the upper cut.
"Why don't you show me what you've learned from your training then?" Ichigo suggested
"I'm afraid I can't." Yon replied with regret.
"Why not?" Asked Ichigo curiously
"You won't last a second if I did. Besides, who says you can take the seat of being the best forever? I'm taking it back this instance."
"Bring it!"
Bang!
Bang!
Before they could continue, both of them were already down on the floor headfirst.
"How dare you both ignore my presence. Ichigo, go and seep already. You still have school tomorrow. And you, young man." Masaki punched both of them and lectured afterwards.
"Go and wash yourself first. I'll prepare you a meal before you rest."
"Yes Mom." Ichigo unconvincingly answered.
"Yes, Aunt Masaki." Followed by Yon.
"By the way Yon. What are those on your back?" asked Isshin by the side. On his back wrapped in clothing was the Asauchi left by the Shinigami he killed few months ago.
"Oh this? It's just a shinai for training Kendo. Jisan left it for me." Said Yon only as an excuse but seemed to have soured the mood.
"Oh yeah, Where's grandpa Chouji by the way?" Asked Ichigo who doesn't know what happened.
"Ichigo you dimwit!" Isshin face palmed himself.
"Sorry Yon he doesn't know what happened yet." Masaki apologized.
"It's okay." Yon said.
"Huh? Why? What's going on?" Ichigo obviously confused.
"It's nothing Ichigo. It's just that Jisan already passed away." Ichigo was shocked to hear the news. Now he understood why his parents were acting weird when he asked about Yon's grandfather.
"I- I'm sorry Yon." He apologized immediately.
"It's okay. You didn't know anyway. Why don't we all go inside and have a dinner. I'm starving!" Yon tried to fix the mood right away.
"Good Idea! I'll go ahead and prepare your meal but please clean yourself first." Masaki added
"Yes, Aunt Masaki." Yon replied.
"Ara, you should start calling me mom since we have adopted you already." Masaki implied.
"Yes, mom." 'So, I guess I have a new family now huh. I wonder where my real parents are now. Are they still alive?'
Few months flash back
Yon was supposed to go back to Karakura Town today since it's already been a few weeks since his grandfather's passing. Some people are probably waiting for him. Even his two new subordinates have gone back to soul society.
But that's no longer going to happen, not after Yon touched one of the Asauchi and he felt something from it. It was as if someone was calling out to him.
"What's going on?" Yon asked in confusion to no one.
"Only Shinigami should be able to feel something upon touching an Asauchi. I only tried since these swords must have been empty already, considering that their owner died."
"Could it be that their Zanpakuto still lives inside after they died?" Yon still held the Asauchi in his hand while wondering. He then looked at the other two and held them too.
But he didn't feel anything this time. But when he tried to hold the first one, he felt the same feeling. Yon analyzed for a long time but didn't get an answer.
"What if I try that?" Yon suddenly remembered how Soul reapers were able to have a conversation with their zanpakuto.
Yon then sat down and placed the sword on his lap. He tried to do the same thing he's been doing which was to meditate.
A few moments later when his mind was cleared, he heard a voice.
"Master!"
"Master, follow my voice!"
"Master!"
Yon's vision blurred then suddenly he was in a different place or was it a world? Yon was standing on water with darkness all around.
The only thing that's different would be the throne in front of him and a boy dressed in a black armor exuding a dark spiritual energy.
"You've arrived master." Said the boy.
"Who are you?"
"I am Black Dragon. Your martial spirit, or shall we say in this case. Your new Zanpakuto." Answered the boy mischievously.
"Huh? Martial spirit? And now a zanpakuto?" Yon asked in confusion.
"Let me explain so you understand."
"Back when you started cultivating, I was formed but was not awakened. So even though you inherited the martial talent from me, you could not hear my voice since I was not awakened. Even as you've progressed to the second realm of your power, you haven't heard me" says the boy sadly.
"Sorry about that, I did hear a growl though. Was that you?"
"huh?! So you did hear me but you didn't listen!?" The boy was now mad at him.
"Hehe, I didn't even know I had to awaken you? And I thought I already did? Jisan did mention something along those lines."
"That was only you awakening your exorcist powers. But not me, your martial spirit. Well, former martial spirit. Haven't you remembered in the novels you've read that before they started cultivating, they had their martial spirit awakened first, and why are you following their terms of cultivation? Don't you have a sense of originality?"
"Huh? How do you know all of that?" Yon asked.
"I'm a part of you, you dimwit of a master. Sigh."
"Oh, so you know that I'm not from this world?" The boy nodded with a slight smug on his face.
"Wait, so if I couldn't hear you before. Then why can I hear you now?"
"That was before I was just your martial spirit and couldn't reach you since I didn't awaken. Right now, I am your new Zanpakuto. When you held that empty Asauchi, I your martial spirit was able to awaken and take this form."
"So, you have a different form?"
"Weren't you listening when I said my name?"
"You said your name was black dragon---- Huh!!! No way? Please show me your other form! Please please please?" Yon bombarded his zanpakuto with request. The anime addict side of Yon was in full swing suddenly.
"Sigh. I knew this would happen." Black Dragon who was part of Yon not just as a zanpakuto but also as his former martial spirit understood this part of him.
Complying to his master's request, he transformed to his martial spirit form. Black dragon scales slowly formed from his armor as his body elongated and grew bigger. His hands and feet grew sharp nails as his face grew bigger and formed a dragon's head.
Two horns protruded from his head like a corral reef and two whiskers grew from below his nose. If he were longer and colored green, you could mistake him for shen long of Dragon Ball. But he was black in color and his size wasn't the same as that of shen long.
"So cool.!" Yon exclaimed while stars shine bright from his eyes. He started running towards Black dragon wanting to hug or ride him?
"Master please get a hold of yourself. Technically speaking you should be older now." Black dragon reprimanded. Yon immediately stopped and pretended to cough.
"So, you were saying you didn't awaken before but when I held the Asauchi earlier you didn't just awaken but became my zanpakuto as well?"
"Correct!"
"Does that mean I am now Shinigami?"
"No."
"But I have you as Zanpakuto, so why not?"
"You have the power of a Shinigami but your still human. Correction, a human immortal. Both your powers as a Shinigami and Exorcist are what we can categorize in a game sense as a sub class."
"Ohh." Yon's reaction as if understanding Black Dragon who by now has reverted to his human form and sat on his throne.
"By the way, why are you telling me all this? Zanpakutos normally doesn't willingly accept their owners, right?"
"Look at this place." Black Dragon said while crossing both his arms in front of him. Yon was getting a feeling that he's about to get it.
"Uhm, What about this place?" Yon asked nervously.
"Because you have always been a loner! Your inner world is so gloomy! There's nothing here but pure gloominess and darkness!!! Can't you change it to something much more pleasant?!!!" And Yon did get it. He suddenly went to a corner, if there was one, and started drawing in circles on the ground or water in this case.
"You didn't have to emphasize that I was a loner and gloomy." He mumbled. Black Dragon could only sigh.
While all of this was happening inside his mindscape, the sword on his lap has long since change. Its handle and scabbard looked like it was covered in dragon scales.
On its hilt hung two black strings an inch long with a small bell attached to its end. The blade itself was pure black and the guard has fire like pattern the same as Kyojuro Rengoku's from Demon Slayer but instead of a flame shape it was circular.
Yon and Black dragon talked a lot. By the end, Yon was able to improve his inner world for Black dragon. The water was replaced by mountains and the darkness was replaced by dusk. Still dark but better than just pure darkness.
End of chapter 10
Volume 2: Exorcist Arc
Tokisawa Yon's current cultivation in comparison to shinigami (Update of realm term), I agree that Houtian and Xiantian are very hard to understand but it should be obvious that the former is the first realm while the latter is the second. But, for a better term I've decided to change them starting next chapter. I will also be adjusting it's power level comparison too.
Houtian Realm > Human Warrior Realm 100 years life span
Xiantian Realm > Grandmaster Realm 100 - 1000 years life span
Saint Realm (Not yet reached) 1000 - 10,000 years life span
God Realm (Not yet reached) 50,000 years life span (Bleach World)
1st to 10th order Human warrior Realm = Student level Soul Reaper to ordinary Soul Reaper Class
1st to 10th order Grandmaster Realm = Seated officer to Low level Captain Class
1st to 5th order Saint = Mid level to High level Captain
5th to 10th order Saint = Captain Commander starting point to Captain Commander max potential
(...)
Author: Feel free to give a comment about it. It helps.