10 advanced chapters on my Patreon: Fiction Haven
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When morning came, Retsu found Ichigo sitting on the bed with a hollow look. He was staring at something that she couldn't see in front of him. A bitter smile adorned his face. It hurt her sensing the feeling it was exuding. She had been a doctor for a long time, so she knew what happened. Silently, she embraced him and rubbed his back soothingly.
She couldn't tell how much it helped him, but it did dispel his gloominess. Everything went back to normal. He lovingly prepared breakfast with Yuzu and conversed brightly with Karin during breakfast. 'Maybe, it was just a nightmare,' she concluded. However, she couldn't erase the visage he had shown earlier. He looked so broken and empty.
"I will see you at school, Ichigo-kun." Retsu stood up, causing Ichigo to look at her.
"See you at school, Retsu," he said with a smile, hiding no pain from her.
She wanted to inquire about it but held herself. "Very well."
"Take care."
With a sigh, she chucked the worry she had to the back of her mind. Her ironclad resolution toward her job returned when she reached school. Everyone greeted her amiably upon her arrival. Only the female teachers dared to approach her. The male teachers only smiled from afar, obeying their instinct to stay away.
When the bell rang, she walked to her class. She felt a few presences that she was familiar with heading toward Ichigo's class. She wouldn't teach Ichigo's class until the third period, so she could only wonder how the Shinigami in disguise would bother Ichigo. She hoped they wouldn't disturb the class much.
In his class, Ichigo wondered if Soul Society didn't have a more subtle way to disguise their Shinigami. Renji, Rukia, Rangiku, and Tōshirō entered the class unannounced, startling their homeroom teacher, Misato.
"Huh… another troublesome group, eh?" Ichigo heard Misato mutter under her breath. Turning to her class, she announced, "Well, we have Kuchiki Rukia back and three transfer students. Kuchiki, you can take your seat. As for the three of you, please, introduce yourselves."
"Thank you, Ochi-sensei," Rukia nodded respectfully.
She walked to the empty seat beside Ichigo and cast a glance at him who only nodded at her with a smile. When she properly sat on her seat, her partners introduced themselves. The majority of the class was wary of Renji because of his delinquent look. In contrast to that, the girls cooed when Tōshirō introduced himself. The young captain didn't like it at all. When Rangiku introduced herself, most eyes went to her chest which was slightly exposed.
"All right, that is enough. Sit down; the three of you."
The three walked to where Ichigo was seated and told those who sat nearby to move out of their seats. They gave their seats willingly and Misato didn't even bother to reprimand them. Ichigo wondered why they wanted to sit nearby but shrugged it off as it didn't change a thing. Alas, he was wrong. Two minutes into the lesson, he felt pokes from three different directions. The reason why Tōshirō didn't bother him was that he sat in front of him.
Ring!
When lunchtime came, the Shinigami in disguise stood up. Ichigo motioned for them to follow him and they obliged silently. He preferred Rangiku not trapping his arm between her chest, though. Not only did it make Orihime send him a veiled accusing look but also riled the class up. A sigh escaped his mouth as he wondered why Shinigami liked to garner attention.
When they reached the rooftop, they immediately sat in a circle. Rangiku sat on his right and Orihime on his left. Rukia wanted to sit beside him but gave it up when she saw the eager look that Orihime gave to the spot on his left. In the end, she sat beside Renji, right across from Ichigo.
"So—"
Click!
"You don't mind us joining, do you?"
Rukia was cut when Retsu joined them at the rooftop with the stiff Ikkaku and Yumichika. They had spent the last two periods lectured by Retsu, so it drained any of their disregard for rules.
"Captain Unohana," Tōshirō greeted with a nod.
"Hello, Captain Hitsugaya," Retsu returned.
She walked toward Ichigo and stopped on his right. Rangiku didn't even want to contest against the kind captain, so she immediately made a spot. Everyone but Ichigo watched as Retsu sat down. They noticed the lack of distance between her and Ichigo but didn't say anything. She looked around with her serene smile, causing them to straighten up.
"I guess we need to brief Ichigo-kun here about what we are going to do," Retsu said, causing them to nod.
"I will do the honor," Tōshirō declared. "We are here to assist you in facing the threats that have recently attacked Karakura. These entities are what we call Arrancar. They are creatures that defy nature—Hollows that gain Shinigami power by removing their masks."
Everything that came out of Tōshirō's mouth was something that Ichigo already knew, but he didn't stop the Captain. He might not like the way Soul Society worked, but he wasn't an asshole who disregarded someone who respected him.
"With that said, we are going to need a place to stay until we deem Karakura safe," Tōshirō finished.
"I will take Rukia with me. Karin won't mind sleeping in Yuzu's room, so Rukia can have her room to herself," Ichigo stated.
"Rangiku-san can stay with me," Orihime said with a smile.
"Awh, thank you, Orihime-chan!" Rangiku cooed. "Can Captain stay with us also? I assure you he is a good boy."
"I am not a kid!"
"Of course, Rangiku-san."
Tōshirō grumbled about how easily everyone disrespected him. Everyone but Ichigo ignored him. No one sympathized with him, though. It was hard to believe he was not a kid given his appearance.
"Then, what about us?" Ikkaku asked, causing Renji and Yumichika to nod.
"What about staying at a hotel?" Ichigo suggested.
"Tch. You don't even offer us to stay at your house, huh?" Renji grumbled.
"There is no way in hell I will let dangerous men get close to my sisters."
"Oy, what do you take me for?" Renji retorted indignantly.
Ichigo turned to Rukia, confusing her in the process, and casually said, "You might like little girls. Who knows?"
"Oy! You are slandering my name!"
Everyone was amused but also disgusted at the same time. As such, they couldn't chuckle. It was not so much a secret that the red-haired Shinigami bore feelings toward the petite Shinigami sitting beside him. The only one who didn't know about it was the said petite Shinigami.
Renji could feel the judging eyes. He was about to lunge at Ichigo for the slander when they felt six malicious Reiatsu appearing in Karakura. Orihime's eyes widened in terror as she cowered slightly. The touch on her shoulder was the one calming her down. Looking up to see the owner of the hand, she found Ichigo in his spiritual form.
"Chad, stay with Orihime and make sure none of the bastards gets here," Ichigo instructed.
"No problem," the giant replied as he stood up.
Orihime wanted to protest but stopped herself when Ichigo ruffled her head. A smile slowly crept up her face as he saw his smile. In the blink of an eye, Ichigo disappeared. The others immediately caught up, leaving her with Chad and Retsu.
"I will make sure the two of you are all right. Ichigo-kun won't like it if you get hurt."
Retsu's words made their face soured. Orihime lowered her head in shame meanwhile Chad felt useless for his weakness.
On the other side of Karakura, the Sixth Espada, Grimmjow Jaegerjacques and his Fracción used Pesquisa to look for his target. Grimmjow had a mix of a scowl and a grin as he registered the strong presence rushing toward him. Recalling how Ichigo had fought Ulquiorra the day before made him question Ulquiorra's sanity for letting him live.
"I will kill the bastard," he grinned. Turning to his Fracción, he barked, "Go distract the trash. I will take care of the big guy."
"Understood."
With that, the five Arrancar who served him scattered. The clump of Shinigami Reiatsu that he sensed immediately branched out, heading to his Fracción. His scowl deepened when Ichigo's Reiatsu disappeared. Just as his other Fracción encountered the Shinigami, one of his Fracción's Reiatsu disappeared. At the same time, Ichigo's Reiatsu reappeared.
Roughly fifteen seconds later, Ichigo appeared in front of him, carrying the severed head of a grey-haired Arrancar in his right hand. He nonchalantly tossed it to Grimmjow before shaking his hand as if he were disgusted by what he had just touched.
"I wonder if your Fracción mimics your behavior. They have a big head for someone insignificant."
"Don't lump me with them. I am leagues above them," Grimmjow growled. "Why don't we see how far your confidence translates into your ability." Unsheathing his Zanpakutō, he held it up and then raked the blade with his right hand. "Grind, Pantera!"
The Zanpakutō glowed in blue before a torrent of Reiryoku covered his entire being. When the Reiryoku settled down, his new form was revealed. He was covered with white full-body armor that revealed part of his chest like an unbuttoned shirt. His hair, held up by a crown-like apparatus, had grown to reach his waist.
Noting the intense Reiatsu, Ichigo concluded that he would need to sacrifice a few milliliters of his blood to defeat Grimmjow in his current state. So, he clawed at his face.
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Honorary Mention:
Venerable Immortal Adan Smith
Venerable Immortal Andne
Venerable Immortal B0mbaCl0ckBob
Venerable Immortal Colorblind
Venerable Immortal Haider Alkefaji
Venerable Immortal Jack Wright
Venerable Immortal Rollo
Venerable Immortal Star Dragon Bahamut
Venerable Immortal TOKA?
Venerable Immortal Wilfrid Calixte Killian