Hi, below is the first version of this novel, from before I realized my mistakes and decided to rewrite the thing from scratch. While I recommend just reading the new one I should already have started working on by the time you're reading this, it's okay if you want to take a look at my progress since the first chapter. Enjoy.

Chapter 1 - Snow, with surprise trucks forecast

There was a peaceful quiet, broken only by the gentle rustling of tree leaves along the neatly arranged sidewalk, the distant chirping of cicadas, and occasional passing cars. Winter had settled in; if you looked closely, you could spot snowflakes catching the light of the yellow street lamps, standing out against the dark night.

Hardly anyone was out at this late hour. Most had already headed home to their families or to unwind after a long day.

Against the chilly breeze, a man in a disheveled black suit walked home. He looked tired, with his tie loose and his gait unsteady. He carried a peculiar black case over his shoulder and a large navy backpack. Despite the cold, he seemed unfazed, not really worried about his tired appearance and clothing that offered little warmth.

"Almost there... I wonder if there's anything in the fridge. Probably not," he muttered with a wry smile. "Maybe that's for the best." Anything inside would likely either poison him or confine him to the bathroom for days.

It had been a long day, and he didn't feel up to cooking. "At least it's the weekend," he sighed, finding solace in that thought.

He reached an aging six-story apartment building and took the elevator to the fifth floor. Standing before apartment 506, he set down his black case momentarily to fish out his keys. Finally inside, he almost left the case outside before remembering. "Ugh..."

Once he had everything inside, he looked around his home with a hint of nostalgia in his eyes.

"Home sweet bunker," he chuckled to himself, though there was no one around to hear. It looked exactly as he'd left it before his trip two weeks ago.

The apartment was decent, popular among young singles and couples in this part of the city, though the rent was a bit steep. It had a living room, kitchen, one bathroom, two small bedrooms, and a balcony. He slept in one room and used the other as a home studio.

"It took longer than expected, but it's good to be back," he sighed.

Suddenly, his stomach growled. "Easy there, buddy. I'm too lazy to cook right now, so water will have to do." He poured himself several cups from the kitchen filter, hoping to appease the little "Jormungand" in his belly.

Leaving his belongings on the couch, he took a hot shower and crawled into bed, conveniently ignoring the mess around him and leaving it for his future self to deal with as he drifted off to sleep.

...

Beep~ Beep~ Beep~ Beep~

"Argh! It's 6:30 on a Saturday, shut up already!" Renn bashed the nearby alarm clock until it relented, narrowly saving it from tumbling off the cupboard. "Whew... such a nice dream. That beautiful redhead was right there, and you had to ruin it!" He punched the clock again with a mock glare, wondering if it would apologize if he kept hitting it.

As he sat up, squinting at the sunlight filtering through the curtains, memories of yesterday brought a smile to his face.

Renn Walsh, a recent musical composition graduate, was currently working as a substitute professor at the university where he had earned his degree.

He had just returned from a large-scale convention on the other side of the country. Invited to conduct an orchestra and choir totaling nearly six hundred members, he had also arranged for them to perform his compositions in exchange for leading the entire event. It was a significant opportunity, and he had organized a trip for his students to accompany him, hoping they would find inspiration in the performances.

This proactive approach was one reason Renn was respected among his peers. He was known for his dedication to helping others, especially his students. Proudly, he claimed never to have given up on a single student since he started teaching at 15, when he took a substitute teaching job at a private music school to earn money for a new instrument. Within two years, impressed by his talent, the school offered him a permanent position—a job Renn gladly accepted for its stability, at least for a few years.

Driven by a desire to improve his teaching methods, personal technique, and theoretical knowledge, Renn had achieved mastery on his main instrument and had begun exploring others with the aim of becoming a versatile specialist in both strings and winds. He soon realized this goal was daunting and would take decades, but this realization only fueled his determination.

Balancing his social life as a high school student and teacher, Renn graduated and pursued a bachelor's degree in musical composition at a prestigious university in a nearby big city, where he had lived for the past five years.

Thanks to his students' connections, he had secured numerous performance opportunities, leading to his recent appointment as a professor at the same university—a remarkable achievement considering he was only 23 and had just started his master's degree.

Recently, Renn had become involved in a community project teaching basic music theory and an instrument of choice to orphaned children. He was drawn to the project not just for its merit but also because of a redhead violinist who taught there as a hobby. They had become close over the past few months, and Renn planned to ask her out soon.

His thoughts were interrupted by his phone ringing—an anime opening chorus.

"CHANGE! Nabikanai nagasarenai yo, Ima kanjiru koto ni sunao de itai no~"

"Chan-! Oops, let me check who's calling," he said, almost singing along before answering.

"What's up, Renn! It's Henry. I heard you're finally back. Is it true?" Henry's voice crackled through the phone.

"Yeah, I'm back. How did you know?" Renn wondered, realizing he hadn't told anyone yet.

"I ran into one of your students yesterday after they got back to the project building. Didn't see you there, though," Henry explained. He was a good friend and fellow participant in the community project.

"That makes sense. I was too tired after saying goodbye to them and asked the bus driver to drop me off near my apartment." Renn responded, recalling his exhausting journey home after getting off the bus. "Why are you calling so early on a Saturday morning? I was having a great dream, and now it's ruined," he teased Henry, blaming him for the alarm clock's untimely sacrifice.

"It probably wasn't important anyway. Don't be salty, man. Besides, who better than me to whisper sweet nothings in your ear on this lovely morning, hm?" Henry teased back, attempting a playful tone that sent a shiver down Renn's spine.

"Who's salty, you jerk! Are you into guys now or something?" Renn fired back, then his tone softened with concern. "Wait, don't tell me... Henry, did Fred finally bang you while I was away these two weeks? Sorry, bro, I couldn't protect your anal virginity from miles away," he joked, pretending to wipe a tear.

"F**k you! My ass is off-limits, it's intact and it's staying that way!" Henry retorted sharply, then took a moment to calm down. "Anyway, now that you're up, let's grab something to eat at our usual spot. I'll fill you in on what's been happening around here while you were gone."

Renn smiled slightly, agreeing, "Sure, I'll meet you there by 9 am."

After tidying up the mess he had left behind, Renn got ready to leave, wondering what news Henry had. Surely, not much could have happened in just a few days.

...

Renn left his apartment dressed in a stylish combination of white sneakers, gray pants, and a light gray turtleneck sweater, with a brown leather jacket adding a touch of sophistication. He headed towards a nearby family restaurant where he often met Henry.

The two enjoyed the varied cuisine there whenever Renn could afford it, since despite his monthly earnings being more than sufficient in most cases, his penchant for investing in high-quality tools and instruments, as well as sponsoring his students and community events, coupled with rent payments for his apartment, usually left him with just enough to get by.

Even so, he had a soft spot for the owner's daughter, Anna, a beautiful brunette with all the curves in the right places, as Henry would say, and didn't mind sacrificing some cash for a noble cause. She always treated him kindly, showing genuine interest in his travels and musical achievements. Renn appreciated her enthusiasm and often shared stories with her, sometimes even bringing along an instrument to play together.

As he opened the door to the restaurant Renn heard a voice from his right and saw Anna approaching with a smile "Renn, you're back! It's so good to see you again!" And giving him a hug, which surprised Renn a bit, but he hugged her back for a few seconds before separating. She normally wore tight or slightly revealing clothing, much to her father's anger and the customer's happiness, but she didn't really care about it that much.

"It's good to be back, and also great to see you too. I swear you are getting more beautiful every time I come. Whoever woos you will be a happy man, I'm sure." He said and then felt a glare on his back and saw the girl's father staring daggers at them. She noticed this and laughed "If they manage to get pops approval, that is... hehe"

Renn had a wry smile on his face as he jokingly prayed "May they rest in peace." He saw Anna as a little sister of sorts, and could imagine the likely demise of anyone deemed "unworthy" of her.

After a little small talk, Renn asked "By the way, have you seen Henry? I'm supposed to meet him here today."

"Oh, he's right there, by that table. I have a few orders to take, so I will leave you now, ok?." Anna pointed as she walked away to get the next set of orders from a nearby table.

After hearing her words, Renn's attention was drawn to Henry lounging at a nearby table. As he approached, he overheard Henry lamenting about not having someone like Anna to hug him, which elicited a smirk from Renn.

"Someone like Anna would be too much for you to handle," Renn teased as he sat down. "Now, what's with the serious look? You had me worried from across the room."

Henry, usually jovial with his medium-long blonde hair and a perpetual smile, looked uncharacteristically grave. He hesitated before speaking, his expression sobering further.

"You... need to leave town for a while. At least a few weeks," Henry finally said, his tone serious.

Renn's frown deepened. "What? Why would I suddenly need to leave? I just got back yesterday."

"This guy named Rosario Sivori is looking for you," Henry explained, his voice low. "He's connected to the Italian mafia, and from what I've heard, he's not here for a friendly chat."

Renn scoffed dismissively. "Rosario Sivori? Some small-time thug looking to cause trouble? I can handle a couple of guys if it comes to that. Besides, I have protection if things get out of hand."

"Actually, he's not just some thug," Henry interjected gravely. "He's a renowned violinist, quite famous, and he managed to convince the university board to revoke your professorship based on your unfinished master's degree. He's even offered to take your place."

"What?!" Renn exclaimed loudly, slamming his hand on the table, drawing startled looks from nearby patrons. He quickly composed himself but continued in disbelief, "Is this some sick joke? Why would someone like him target me?"

His mind raced, trying to make sense of the situation. "I've been to Italy before, but everything was fine. How could I have possibly angered some mafia guy there?"

"Bro, he's Melissa Bertucci's fiancé," Henry dropped the bombshell.

"What?!" Renn was stunned. Melissa was the woman he planned to ask out, someone he had grown close to through the community project. They had agreed to go on another date upon his return, and now he was learning she was engaged to this random guy all of a sudden.

"I have to go," Renn declared abruptly, pushing back from the table. Ignoring Henry's and Anna's calls after him, he rushed out of the restaurant and hurried towards Melissa's house, determined to get answers.

...

...

Arriving in front of a small villa, Renn saw five men dressed in black suits. Among them, a tall man with auburn hair in his late twenties stood out, dressed in expensive attire.

"You still won't come back after this mess!? You shameless whore! You have no idea how much damage this has caused to my reputation. I will have your family handle you properly this time, so you better come up with a good explanation by then!" . He looked furious as he yelled at a red-haired woman in front of him.

The girl remained silent, glaring at him with cold hatred in her eyes.

Annoyed by her attitude, the man, Rosario Sivori, slapped her across the face. "Fine. If you want to remain so stubborn, I'll show you your place." He looked at one of his bodyguards and demanded "Give me your knife. Maybe having to hide a pretty scar will do the job to convince our friend here."

The bodyguard gave his combat knife to Rosario, and he was about to give Melissa's left arm a nice mark before his instincts kicked in and he tilted his body slightly.

Suddenly, the man heard a loud bang and felt a sharp pain in his shoulder. He touched it, only to see his own blood on his hands. "Aargh! Who shot me!? Find out who did this and get the car ready!" He turned around and saw his bodyguards chasing a figure who was dragging the girl he had been holding earlier, the very man he had been looking for.

Pressing his injured shoulder, Rosario approached angrily. "You got yourself into something you shouldn't have by touching my woman. Since you fired first, don't blame me." He grabbed a weapon from one of his men and pursued Renn, fury in his eyes as he ignored his wound.

Rosario didn't have to chase for long, however, as moments later, a loud crash echoed around him as he found the two figures on the ground. One was in shock, and the other was sprawled several meters away near a truck and the sidewalk. It took him a moment to grasp the situation as he moved closer.

"Well, well. Is this your lover?" Rosario laughed as he approached Melissa, who looked distraught, to examine the chaotic scene. "I'll spare you the scar this time, but now you should understand the consequences of your reckless affair. A decent man, ruined like this because you couldn't accept your own responsibilities."

"Boss, you're bleeding. The car is ready. We need to get you to the hospital fast," one of the bodyguards advised.

"I haven't been hit in any vital spots, so I'll probably be okay. Let's go. And you," Rosario said to Melissa, "wait at home until we get there." Not sparing her another glance, he got into the car, and they sped off to the nearest hospital, leaving the mess behind for his men to clean up.

All that remained were a lifeless body, a blood-streaked truck, and a red-haired girl in dirty clothes, gazing sadly and regretfully at the ground.

"I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let you get involved... I j-just..." Melissa couldn't finish her words and fled, unable to face "Renn" any longer.

With nowhere else to go, she realized it might be time to accept her fate and return home...

.....

I felt an impact, and a sudden bout of weightlessness.

Then came pain.

'Aaargh'

I could feel my skin rupturing, my muscles snapping and my bones breaking.

I felt excruciating pain.

It was instantaneous and sharp, but it ranked as the second worst pain I've ever endured.

Then came the worst, as if my brain had finally caught up with my injuries. I could feel everything happening to me, and it was beyond anything I ever wanted to experience. My body seemed to settle after rolling on the ground and after not much long I started to feel my still unruptured organs fail as I gasped for air with caved lungs, punctured in multiple places by my own broken ribs.

Blinded, I sensed my body failing to sustain life in its mangled state. I couldn't feel my legs; maybe my spine was irreparably damaged.

Cold air seeped into countless wounds, and blood drained warmth from my body, pooling around me.

Suddenly, everything ceased.

The pain, the sensations, the cold concrete beneath me, the voices of bystanders—everything fell silent. Only my thoughts echoed in the void.

"So I'm dead now... what a foolish way to die. Anna will be devastated..."

I pondered my choices. Not attempting to save the girl I cared about wasn't an option, but a different approach might have led to a different outcome.

"If only I had been calmer, handled things differently... But it's too late."

Perhaps not missing the shot, trying to negotiate, or simply looking both ways before crossing the street. Maybe something could have worked.

"There's no use in regretting it now."

Renn Walsh is dead. There's no point in crying over spilled milk.

"Although I'll miss my friends and students, I must accept it. At least I still have my collection..."

Then, realizing something from my previous thoughts, I screamed out, getting up "Nooo! My babies!"

As I mourned the loss of my cherished collection of rare instruments from around the world, a strange feeling crept over me.

"Huh?"

Confusion clouded my mind.

"Is... this... heaven?"

Chapter 2 - When life throws you lemons, wash them with bleach

Renn found himself standing alone in an unfamiliar room.

Its was decently large, and in two of its corners sat wide beds, with a low table in the center of the carpet, littered with books and snacks, suggesting someone was studying here. Only one of the beds saw any recent use, apparently, since the other one had a guitar, a few CDs and books on top, and its sheets had a thin layer of dust on top, almost unnoticeable.

On the bedside table near one of the beds lay an old laptop and a cell phone, both models seeming outdated to him. Near the foot of each bed was a small desk with writing utensils and a few books neatly arranged in one, while the other did not look as organized.

A 44" TV by one of the walls played a news program, its sound blending with the surreal atmosphere.

Near the door was a large wooden wardrobe embedded in the wall, with a gray school blazer hanging on a door handle. A sliding glass door led to a balcony between the two beds, but the darkness outside obscured any view through the gray curtains

"I'm not dead. Since I was hit by a truck, this must be... an isekai!" Renn rubbed his eyes with a smile, amused at his situation. It was the only explanation that made sense to him right now.

"This isn't so bad! Maybe I'll get to learn magic! There's so much I could do—wait a sec."

He scrutinized his surroundings more closely. The news anchor sounded like a character from an anime, and the books on the low table were filled with small symbols that gradually became familiar the longer he stared at them, had titles like "Modern English Vol. 2 - Edward Tanaka," and "Math", with a mix of english words and symbols he now recognized as japanese kanji.

"Is this Japan? But everything here looks like something I would have used many years ago and... my voice sounds kinda different."

Renn picked up the outdated smartphone from the bedside table. He felt some nostalgia looking at it, since it looked quite ancient compared to his previous modern Android 13 device.

"Hm?"

He saw his reflection in the phone's —a younger appearance with shorter hair framing his face—, quite unlike his usual sleek look with swept-back black hair.

"It's like I've gone back in time! But I didn't look like this seven years ago."

Renn took a moment to examine his "new body," feeling slightly disappointed by the lack of muscle compared to his previous self. He attempted a few flexing poses and sighed at the minimal response, mentally resolving himself to start training in the future.

He was dressed in a white shirt and gray pants, matching the blazer hanging on the wardrobe door. Renn checked its pockets and found a wallet with coins and a few documents.

"Ashikawa Ren, 15 years old, born on May 4th. At least the birthday is the same, but the name has one 'n' less..."

There was a small photo of a young man with aquamarine eyes, crimson short hair, and pale skin, bearing a slight resemblance to his previous self, but closer to some idol from any random K-pop group. Above read "Karakura High School" in red font.

"I'm looking better than ever! Maybe even Anna's dad wouldn't be able to resist my charm and would ask me to take care of her ..." He smiled smugly, but then released a melancholic sigh and shook his head. There was no point dwelling in the past now.

"I shouldn't bother about the past for now. I've washed my regrets along with the pain of death," Renn said to himself, trying to find resolve in his own words as he remembered the last sensations of his previous life.

He didn't know where he was now or if there was any way back. Understanding his current situation was more crucial at the moment.

"Grandpa used to say a great man remains calm during stressful moments. I have a second chance at life now, so I'll enjoy it the best I can."

It was sad to have lost his precious collection of instruments, but he could start building it again too, it seemed. He looked at the guitar on the bed in the opposite side of the room. It was a start.

Pushing away the curtains, Renn dragged open the glass door behind and stepped onto the balcony.

"It looks just like the towns in anime. This must be the upper floor of the house."

He could see a few similar houses across the street, surrounded by walls that anyone could climb with some effort.

An orange hue on the horizon indicated the sun would rise in a few minutes, fading the stars from the night sky.

Renn enjoyed the sight for a moment before returning to the room.

The calendar on the high table by the wall had days marked with a red line up to February 11th, a Monday, three weeks after classes started, based on the scribbles over other dates. Glancing at the alarm clock on the bedside table, he saw it was still a bit before five.

"I should find out where this school is located and its schedule later, but for now... I'm hungry," mused Renn as he walked out of his new room, taking the laptop from the bedside table.

[...]

Now it was around 5:50. Renn sat on the couch in the living room, staring at the laptop he had taken from his room earlier, munching on a piece of bread.

Earlier, he had walked around the house and the neighborhood to get a better sense of his surroundings. After gaining access to the files on his PC—somehow knowing the password after staring at the input box for a while— he spent his time browsing the internet and gathering information about his current identity and whereabouts. He compiled everything in a text document and was currently checking what he organized there.

His house was in the Minamikawase district of Karakura, near the Karasu River that ran through the town. It had a living room and kitchen separated by a counter, with a small closet under the stairs near the only bathroom in the house. Upstairs, there was a small study and a large room, the latter being where Renn previously was.

There was no one else at home, which left Ren feeling both confused and relieved. The furniture and other small things around the house indicated the existence of a second person

Apparently, he was a first-year student at Karakura High School on the other side of town, in the Gakuenchou district. He had ranked third in the entrance exam, indicating he was quite smart.

Ren had been adopted at the age of three after losing his parents in a tragic explosion caused by a gas leak in their store, while he was at daycare. With no other relatives, he was taken in by Ashikawa Teruo and his wife Louise.

From the photos and social media posts, it was clear they had a good relationship with him. He also got along well with their daughter, Ella, who was half-Japanese with blonde hair and inherited her German mother's purple eyes, five years older than him.

In the town registry, both Teruo and Louise were listed as deceased. Further searching revealed they had died in a landslide during a trip for their wedding anniversary a year ago. Ella, still young, had inherited her father's successful business.

After that they had moved together to Karakura town to the house Renn was currently inside.

"Let's review what I've figured out so far: two sets of dead parents, sister's away for some reason I don't understand yet, and I'm supposed to be in school in half an hour. No magic, no system, no mysterious superpower to help me fight evil or anything."

Renn initially felt disappointed, but then he noticed a detail he hadn't paid much attention to until now. His mind finally started connecting the dots.

"Karakura Town, Karakura High School, gray school uniform, Japan... and isekai..."

His eyes widened in shock as realization dawned on him. "This is 'Bleach!'"

[...]

Ren, now missing an 'n' in his name, paced around the living room of his new house. He was checking the time as the minutes until 6:00 dwindled away—the limit he had to leave if he wanted to be on time for class. His plan was to follow someone in the same uniform to find the best route.

"This is 'Bleach'! It makes too much sense not to be true." he mused as the clock ticked.

It seemed the truck had really isekai'd him, as funny as it sounded. Analyzing the information he had gathered so far, it seemed a plausible explanation for the oddities he noticed—like the names of the town and school, and being in Japan able to read and understand the language while technology seemed 'regressed'.

'Bleach' wasn't an unfamiliar anime to Ren; it was actually one of his favorites. Although it had been a few years since he last watched it from start to finish, he still enjoyed revisiting specific arcs or simply appreciating the music. In fact, the orchestral arrangements he had proposed during his trip were his own adaptations of the anime's music.

Ren remembered the sleepless nights before high school, binge-watching episode after episode until his mom scolded him for breaking curfew. He loved the universe, the story, and the characters, each development tugging at his emotions scene by scene.

"It would be awesome to be friends with Ichigo, Sado, Ishida, and everyone else, but let's be real—the girls are one of the best parts of 'Bleach'! Even the side characters were cute," Ren said excitedly, suddenly hopeful for a happy romantic life in this new world.

His previous life hadn't ended well, but now he saw a chance for a fresh start. "There are so many good people worth getting to know here. I hope I can make it happen," Ren thought, feeling less burdened by his past.

If he could build meaningful relationships here, then even if he couldn't return or resolve his past grievances, Ren would be okay. He still had a sister he would meet eventually. Now, he just needed to start over and embrace the excitement of this new life.

Thinking this far, Ren started to calm down, but a bad feeling crept into his chest. "But if this theory is true, and I'm in the world of 'Bleach', the future won't be easy..." He shivered at the thought of the potential challenges ahead.

The problem was, the world of 'Bleach' was incredibly dangerous!

The power dynamics were intense, surpassing most other fictional universes from anime and beyond. Any random Shinigami or Hollow could wipe the floor with him, the latter potentially devouring his soul afterward—a fate he dreaded to imagine. The strongest could level entire districts or even towns with a single attack.

Then there were the Gotei 13, Bounts, Quincys, Arrancars, Espadas, Visoreds, and Fullbringers—each posing a real threat to his life if antagonized thoughtlessly. While some could be reasoned with or even befriended, others required caution or confrontation to ensure any semblance of a peaceful life.

To survive here, Ren needed power he wasn't sure he possessed or could acquire.

"Being a normal human here is as fragile as it gets, especially without power or potential," Ren lamented. Even pets seemed to have it easier, considering there was a dangerous black cat roaming around town.

Then there were hidden threats, scheming in the shadows for an opportunity. Aizen was the first to come to mind, but even the Bounts and the supposedly extinct Quincy King posed substantial risks. 

On the flip side, if one was powerful enough, not much could easily kill them—unless they were completely outmatched or in a precarious situation.

"First things first, I need to figure out if the canon events have started and plan accordingly. I can't afford to be caught off guard or inadvertently involved in a way that leads to an untimely demise," Ren vowed to himself.

"Since I died before coming here, maybe my spiritual energy awakened in the process. That's something worth exploring. If I can develop it enough to see Pluses or sense Hollows, I'll at least have a chance to evade danger. As thrilling as this situation is, I don't want to die again, especially not as some random bystander here. It would probably hurt like hell too..." Ren mused as he headed upstairs to fetch his bag and school uniform.

Having washed his face and eaten, it was time to prepare for his first day in this new life.

"Still, I can't confirm anything yet. Since I have to attend Karakura High School, the easiest way would be to meet with someone from the original cast. But if I live in Minamikawase district, I shouldn't be too far from most of them."

"If I had more time, the first thing would be to check if there's a 'Kurosaki Clinic'. I can confirm that after I return home later," Ren thought, leaving the house towards the river.

On the other side of the Karasu River was a bus stop where he could catch a bus to Gakuenchou after a few stops, as he had learned from his internet research. It beat walking the entire way and risking being late.

As fate would have it, the moment he left the gate and looked left, a conspicuously large sign stood a few houses over, reading "Kurosaki Clinic," with opening hours and other details. How he missed such a prominent sign earlier was probably a miracle in itself.

"Now I feel like an idiot. It was right there, and I didn't see it..." Ren sighed, continuing in the opposite direction. "Whatever, if I say I stumbled upon it on my way home today, no one can argue with me..." he reassured himself, for some reason.

Soon, Ren spotted other students in uniform heading in the same direction. Some intended to walk while others would likely join him at the bus stop.

Arriving at the bus stop, Ren waited for ten minutes before realizing his mistake: there was no bus in sight, much to the amusement of the other waiting passengers. Apparently, this wasn't the first time a student had been stranded here after misjudging the bus schedule.

Grumbling to himself, Ren muttered, "What a way to start the day..."

_____________________

Extra title: "No lemons, only bleach, and it doesn't taste that good."

Chapter 3 - Local tomato turns into a damsel in distress

Another five minutes passed and the bus finally arrived, quite late in relation to its normal schedule Ren read about before leaving.

Ren let out a sigh of relief while he positioned himself close to where he believed it would stop, wanting to get on the bus faster, only to make a dumbfounded expression moments after.

The bus didn't stop, ignoring Ren and the other people waving as the driver passed by without a care in the world.

Ren gritted his teeth in frustration as he watched the bus he had been waiting for vanish as it turned in the distance.

"Forget it." he muttered to himself, resigned to the fact that walking would be faster than waiting for another unreliable bus, else he would be late.

Ren got up and made his way out of the bus stop, following a map in his phone's screen as he failed to notice a small butterfly, flying slowly in the sky a distance from him, its wings and body shrouded in black.

[...]

On the flat top of a light pole nearby, someone gracefully landed, completely still. If any passerby saw this they would believe it was a movie shooting or something similar, because the figure in question was remaining in perfect balance many meters above ground, on a surface that did not have enough area for it to stand with both feet.

"I felt a strong reiryoku in this region and came to check, but there doesn't seem to be any Hollow around..."

A soft voice traveled through the air as the figure, clad in black attire, looked over the people and buildings below, with the left hand lying on top of a katana strapped to their waist.

"Hm? That way..." The mysterious figure looked towards somewhere in the distance.

Doing a last scan of the area and not finding anything out of the ordinary, whoever it was, resumed their search, vanishing from that spot in an instant as if it was not even there in the first place.

[...]

During the walk, Ren once again started to worry if he would be late by the time he arrived. He started looking for a shortcut on the map in his hands.

He didn't want to stand out the first time he saw his new classmates, as he was more inclined to observing things for a few days before deciding on a course of action.

There was already a risk of someone thinking he was behaving unlike his previous self used to. Though classes started only a few weeks ago, Ren expected groups and cliques to have already started forming and people being more familiar to each other.

With each step, he mulled over the information he could remember. "Souls of the deceased, Spiritual powers, Shinigami and Hollows... How am I supposed to navigate all this?" Ren pondered.

While he knew how the story would flow, it was impossible to remember every single detail about a show he didn't watch for years. Many details were a blur, especially in the later arcs, since he hadn't rewatched them.

Ren liked the earlier arcs more, though he also enjoyed the parts in hueco mundo. As for the later events in the anime when the visoreds and fullbringer appeared, he didn't remember much about them.

This posed quite a problem for Ren, since he couldn't rely on his knowledge of the story for long, and it would get even more troublesome if things changed in a direction he didn't predict.

He considered the possibility of keeping a low profile, avoiding entanglements with the characters and the main plot. But deep down, he knew the allure of exploring this world, not as a fan but one of the people living in it, able to meet the characters he only knew through a screen, and coming in contact with the powers and mysteries not as fictional things, but as something he could possibly understand and use himself. The pull was very strong for his curious mind.

Ren disliked being restrained by things he wasn't able to influence, and was considering whether he should try to play an active role in what was about to come or not. He didn't know if it would be a boon or spell disaster for him in the future.

While he hoped to have some sort of power, by influence of his status as a reincarnated being, Ren had no way of knowing about it yet.

"Something feels... wrong."

As he made his way towards Karakura High School, Ren couldn't shake the strange feeling of being watched. Arriving at a crossroads, he turned around and looked at the people going about their own business as he didn't find anything amiss at first.

Ren almost gave up before he caught sight of a shadow zooming gracefully between rooftops. He rubbed his eyes and looked again, not noticing anything out of the ordinary anymore.

"I hope it was only my imagination." Ren thought, dismissing the eerie sensation as his nerves being prickly from the unfamiliar environment.

He resumed his path towards Gakuenchou and entered an area with almost no people nearby. It was eerily silent.

A sudden chill ran down Ren's spine. He halted mid-step, scanning his surroundings warily. "What's happening?" he whispered to himself, heart pounding. He never had such a bad premonition before, and his instincts were telling him someone or something very dangerous was approaching his current location, though he couldn't pinpoint its direction.

Before he could do so, however, a guttural growl echoed through the alley he was in. An oval portal appeared on the wall a few meters in front of him and something that looked like a face emerged, completely white, its forever fixed expression grotesque and hungry as an arm lunged out from the shadows towards Ren.

Ren's eyes widened in terror as he stumbled backward, narrowly avoiding a swipe that tore through his sleeve and grazed his arm. Not meeting their target, the claws continued towards a nearby light pole, completely destroying it as it penetrated the wall behind.

Holding his left arm and feeling a sticky sensation, Ren walked back slowly as he looked towards the portal on the wall and couldn't see anything beyond it, while something at least 3 times his size made its way out. He sometimes could see the rest of the street behind as the giant's appearance seemed to shift, occasionally becoming transparent, though it was still possible to discern some of its form by the light distortion it caused.

As if annoyed by this puny prey's arrogance in escaping its grasp, the giant Ren could only describe as a monster roared in anger. It had green, slimy skin, its color similar to seaweed with a few patches of dark purple in certain places, and webbed feet that looked like a mix between a frog's and a human's. The arms ended in sharp claws that gleamed with a cold light in the shadows of the alley, while the face and head looked to be completely surrounded by a hard, white mask, with oval openings for the eyes and perfectly aligned teeth forming a creepy smile. When its mouth opened, Ren could see a second row white teeth underneath, with everything else around completely black.

The monster had a giant, gaping hole in its chest, but there was no blood inside or around its edges. Ren could perfectly see through the other side of the hole as he started to feel some pain in his left arm where he was holding. When the creature howled earlier, he felt suppressed, as if something heavy was pressing his soul to the ground.

"Tha-that is a Hollow!! I have to run away!" A cold shiver ran through his spine as he realized the monster's identity.

As if the pain had awakened him from his shock, adrenaline surged through Ren as he immediately turned on his feet and sprinted in the opposite direction, the Hollow's unearthly shrieks ringing in his ears. He darted into alleys and made sharp turns, hoping for the creature to lose sight of him in this labyrinth.

Blood pounded Ren's ears as he pushed himself to the limit, desperate to escape as the Hollow destroyed everything in it's path while giving chase to its prey, Each second felt like an eternity as he mustered every ounce of strength he had, using his map to change directions as he narrowly avoided the Hollow's attacks.

But the Hollow was relentless as it used its webbed feet to lunge forward, its unnatural speed closing the gap between them as the sharp claws approached Ren's school uniform. Suddenly feeling danger, his instincts screamed as he dodged to the left with all his might. He landed on top of his injured left arm and his phone flew off his hand, sliding on the concrete ground.

"Aargh! F**ck, I need my map!" Ren screamed in pain, but used this brief moment to get up and scrambled towards his phone, as the monster got out from the hole it made after his "successful" escape. Looking at the screen, Ren's face turned aghast.

"A dead end..." Ren muttered in disbelief amidst his ragged breaths.

He had dodged in the opposite direction from his next turn. "Damn it!" he cursed, scanning the walls and buildings for any chance of escape. Looking towards the way he came, Ren saw the Hollow separate from the wall, its perpetual grin making it look amused at the situation, mocking the futile efforts of his prey.

Ren stepped back as his mind reeled and he racked his brain for an answer, but he couldn't find a solution to his current situation. He refused to believe his end was coming so soon.

He had already died once a few hours ago, and after miraculously getting a second chance, he was now close to death for the second time. The pain was still vivid in his mind, and he didn't want to go through that again. 

Coming to some sort of resolve, Ren grabbed a nearby glass bottle and hit it onto the ground, shattering its lower half and forming many sharp protrusions. He knew the glass would make a sharp blade if broken, and this was the best shot he had at creating an opportunity to escape.

For some reason, the Hollow's figure was no longer becoming transparent, so he felt like this might work.

"I'm not dying like some random dog! I'll take you with me, bitch!" He shouted, glaring at the Hollow and did what he would later remember as a perfect throw, totally skill based and not a coincidence, of course. The bottle whizzed through the air, spinning toward the hole in the white mask's left eye, its sharp edges aligning perfectly and minimizing wind resistance.

Ren put his strength into his legs so he could try and break through around the giant looming ahead, allowing him to flee in the direction previously shown on the map. The second the bottle's spikes approached the white mask's left eye, his heart surged in anticipation, only for his hopes to be dashed when the bottle was destroyed with a swipe of the thing's claws, no mark remaining after the fact.

...

Silence reigned in as Ren and the Hollow looked at each other. He seemed surprised at the gall of his meal's disrespect, thinking he would have been affected by such a thing.

"Well, that was anticlimactic. You could at least pretend it hurt." Ren tried to use humor to calm his mind as the realization set in that he no longer had a way out of this situation.

The Hollow seemed to have lost its patience and lunged forward in a burst of speed, its claws in. It enjoyed chasing his prey before impaling them with its claws and devouring their konpaku.

As soon as the Hollow's claws closed in on him, a flash of black and white streaked from above—a blur of movement intercepted the Hollow's attack. Ren stumbled back, watching in awe as a figure in a black kimono landed in front of him with its back facing his way, wielding a sword with deadly grace.

It was a petite girl, with glossy black hair flowing down her shoulders. She wore a black kimono with sleeves reaching up to her forearm and an equally black hakama that stretched down to her ankles, with a white sash enveloping her thin waist. Between the sleeve and the arms, it was possible to see a piece of white cloth from the shitagi that was worn underneath her kimono and hakama. Around her feet were white tabi with a pair of straw sandals separating them from the floor.

Though short in stature, the girl didn't look weak as she held off the Hollow's attack, unfazed. The sword held in her small hands felt like it could cut through anything in her way, regardless of what it was. 

She put a bit of strength and easily dismissed the monster's fairly long claws, and swiped her katana upwards. Moments after, he could hear a low sound as an arm fell to the ground, followed by a shriek that didn't match with Ren's previous impression of the thing trying to kill him for quite a while now.

The Hollow was enraged, using the remaining arm to attack the hateful enemy preventing it from getting to its prey.

With no unnecessary movements, the girl parried the oncoming attack and jumped as the monster stumbled forward from the pull of its own strike. Ren could almost see her flying a few meters through the air as she cut down following the momentum of her fall, slicing cleanly through the Hollow's mask and body.

Chapter 4 - The first day in school is always exciting

The Hollow's two halves disintegrated into thousands of black particles before vanishing completely, only the damage done to the walls and buildings remaining as proof of what just happened.

Ren watched as the girl shook her blade, as if to clean any blood, before slowly putting it back in the sheath held by her sash. 

She took out a flip phone, something even he hadn't seen in a while, staring at its screen for a few seconds before putting it back inside her clothes as she turned around.

The girl had short eyebrows and round, purple eyes, a glint of curiosity passing through them as she looked at him. Her skin was fair, which matched well with the color of the hair framing her face, with a long bang between her eyes, stretching down a little above her mouth.

For a brief moment, Ren stood still, stunned, looking at her, a million thoughts racing through his mind. The last events had happened too fast, and he was still processing the situation.

Feeling her gaze lock with his for a few seconds, Ren seemed to come to his senses as he started to feel nervous about the awkward silence. He decided it was better to say something first, before it was too late.

"Th-thank you!" Ren sincerely spoke. He didn't expect to meet with a Hollow so soon, much less being saved from one, but he still felt grateful to the petite girl in front of him.

...

Silence. Complete silence.

She had completely ignored him! And was still staring, silently... Maybe there was something on his face, he thought.

"Umm... hi?" Ren felt very awkward right now. If she continued staring like this he might really start suspecting she couldn't see him, just like that Hollow from when Chad tried to team up with the very same person in front of him, during one of the first episodes of the anime.

Before he could say anything else, however, the girl turned away.

"Hey!" He called out to her, but was completely ignored once more, as she jumped a lot higher in the air, landing perfectly atop a light pole a few meters in front of them, before jumping away, vanishing into the distance.

Ren remained there, stunned, and this time he was the one in silence trying to comprehend what had just happened. Was he the air? Some random tree? There weren't any around though...

In the alley, slightly dark since the buildings around blocked the sunlight from entering, a voice sounded after a few seconds.

"Am I actually invisible?" Maybe his powers finally awakened, he thought.

[...]

"That was Rukia. It was actually Rukia..."

Ren had resumed his way towards the school, and had just entered the Gakuenchou district. He needed to get there as soon as possible, since the homeroom class should be starting soon.

As he walked, no longer having enough energy to run, he thought about the events that had transpired earlier.

He had severely underestimated the threat of the Hollows, and that is him being kind with himself already. 

They were dangerous. And very deadly.

Ren remembered the size, speed and strength of the one that chased him earlier. A casual attack would leave marks dozens of centimeters deep in the ground, with its size the reach was longer which, coupled up with speed that made him need to give his all just to narrowly evade death, and even then he was still hurt.

Whenever it attacked more seriously, almost nothing could block the Hollow, even if for a few seconds. Any obstacle would be torn and destroyed in its wake.

He now understood he was too arrogant before, thinking it was possible to easily deal with those abominations. That wasn't something he felt was possible anytime soon with his current situation.

"Throughout the chase, the Hollow's figure slowly stopped getting transparent, and after I did that perfect and awesome throw, it never got transparent any longer." Ren noted.

"If I remember correctly, being able to see a Hollow's true form was related to the awakening and the strength of one's spiritual energy. Maybe that happened to me."

"The amount and density of spiritual energy should be closely related with one's determination and willpower, and there's a saying that its only when in life or death situations that true determination is able to flourish."

"I don't feel much different right now, but it's worth checking in the way back if I can see any ghosts, and let's hope they are exclusively of the Plus variety."

"I can't afford to be reckless." Ren realized, his hands trembling slightly.

The encounter served as a stark reminder of his vulnerability in this world of spiritual beings.

He was very lucky to be saved, as the result would have been very different had Rukia arrived a few seconds later. It would be certain death, that was for sure, and since Hollows devoured souls, no truck could save him this time by sending him to another isekai.

It's not like he was sure of it, but it certainly was not a theory he would like to confirm himself.

Ren straightened himself, steeling his resolve as he continued on his way to school.

[...]

Ren trudged through the streets of the school district, each step feeling heavier than the last.

The adrenaline from his encounter with the Hollow had worn off, leaving him drained and aching. His left arm throbbed with a dull pain, and he could feel the blood still oozing from the cut, though it wasn't severe enough to reach the bone. While not irreparably damaged, his school uniform was torn and dirtied in several places from the chase, making him look as though he'd been through a battle, which, in a way, he had.

Soon, he saw up ahead a sign with the words "Karakura High School", stuck to a set of long walls that stretched in both directions for a few blocks, indicating the size of the grounds inside, though slightly obfuscated by foliage rising above the walls, the leaves rustling with the wind. Near the sign was a large iron gate, a few figures able to be discerned making their way inside.

As he approached the school gates, Ren noticed they were still open. He made his way through, the sight of the school grounds bringing a small sense of relief. He had never been so happy to see the mundane setting of a school before. His goal was clear: get to his classroom before homeroom ended.

He saw a few students making their way through the path between grass patches filled with trees, as they walked inside the main building via a set of transparent doors, which led to an area filled with metal lockers, a little lower than the previous ground level. There were several rows of them, with wooden planks separating the lockers from the normal floor. 

Some of the students could be seen taking off their shoes and putting them inside the lockers, only to take out a pair of white ones from the box.

Ren reached the shoe lockers, his mind still in a haze. He fumbled for a moment, trying to find his shoe box. His tired gaze and panting breaths drew a few curious glances from students lingering in the hallway, but he paid them no mind. All he could think about was finding his classroom and sitting down. After a bit of searching, he found his shoe box, changed into the indoor slippers, and started making his way to where he believed the classrooms were located.

He could feel the eyes on him as he walked through the hallways. The cuts and bruises on his face and body, the torn uniform, and the blood-soaked sleeve were hard to miss. Murmurs followed him, but he was too exhausted to care or even notice. He just wanted to reach class 1-3.

[...]

Inside a classroom on the third floor of the school's main building, many students could be seen, some standing while others sat down, talking with each other or hanging on the hook to the right of their tables a black school suitcase. A few were also outside in the corridor, looking down at something through the windows as they conversed about various topics.

A little later, the teacher strode in. A young woman with rounded glasses and long brown hair tied back in a ponytail. If Ren was here, he would have recognized her as Ochi Misato, the homeroom teacher for class 1-3.

"Okay everyone, sit down. Let's start the homeroom." She spoke towards the class and waited as everyone got inside and sat by their respective tables, after closing the classroom doors. "First let's do the roll call. Asano Keigo!" A young man with medium-long brown hair answered right after. "Yes~"

"Aso Shunya." "Yes."

"Arisawa Tatsuki." "Yes." A tomboyish girl with short black hair and brown eyes answered.

"Ishida Uryuu" "Yes." A tall and bespectacled young man with blue eyes responded. He had straight, chin-length black hair framing both sides of his face.

"Orihime Inoue" "Yes~" The energetic voice of a girl answered. She had brown eyes and long, waist-length, burnt orange hair, with full fringes adorned by a pair of light blue hairpins. Her slender but curvaceous figure was quite the sight, especially her large chest.

"Ooshima Reiichi." No one answered. "Anyone know about Ooshima?"

"Haven't seen him yet, sensei." Another student answered.

"That hoodlum should probably be lazing about somewhere in the campus. He'll show up later." Someone else said.

"That's fine then. If anyone sees him, tell him to pay more attention to his roll call attendance in the future. " The teacher dismissed it then noted it down. "Absent."

"Ogawa Michiru." "Here."

...

The teacher proceeded to call the names of the students and mark attendance on a sheet of paper she held. Among them were many names Ren would probably recognize, including Kurosaki Ichigo and Yasutora Sado, also known as Chad.

Ichigo's most distinguishing feature was his spiky orange hair, a trait he has been ridiculed about for years on end. He was a fairly tall, lean-built young man with peach skin and brown eyes. As for Chad, he was a teenager half-mexican and japanese, with dark skin and pronounced cheek-bones. He had wavy brown hair with bangs hanging over his brown eyes and was extremely tall and muscular, appearing much older than he actually was.

"Ashikawa Ren."

Not receiving an answer, Ms. Ochi called again. "Ashikawa Ren! Is he not here today? That's a first..."

As if to answer her question, the door at the front of the classroom suddenly snapped open as a figure made his way inside. Maybe it was because too much force was used, but the door made a loud bang that echoed briefly through the class as everyone turned their attention to the person who was standing in the doorway.

A young man was currently leaning with his right forearm on the door frame. It seemed he had lost his footing after slamming the door earlier. He had slightly above average height and a slim build with fair skin.

He possessed sharp facial features, with thin eyebrows that matched the crimson tone of his glossy, currently a little disheveled hair as he panted heavily with ragged breaths, many cuts and bruises adorning his face and clothes. Though slightly obscured by his bangs since he was leaning down a little, its was possible to see the tired look in his greenish aquamarine eyes as he looked around through them at his class teacher.

Ren stepped into the room, his voice hoarse as he spoke. "Here... I'm here."

His uniform had several bloody smudges from his previous scuffle, even torn in a few places, and though he had swept off the dirtied spots in the way here, it didn't do much.

The most serious thing however was in the upper part of his left arm. There was a gruesome slash that appeared to have cut a few centimeters into the muscle, and had started bleeding slightly again from the moment he used his left hand to open the door earlier while, his mind in a light daze at that moment.

The sleeve of his gray blazer was soaked red as blood flowed down his arm to his hand, a few drops finding their way towards the floor.

His sorry figure elicited a few gasps from the girls in the class, some of them covering their mouths in disbelief, and, as if awakened by Ren's voice, Ms. Ochi's eyes widened in shock as she took in Ren's appearance, her face aghast. "Oh my god, what happened to you?"

Ren tried to muster a reassuring smile but failed miserably. "Just... had a rough morning," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

The classroom was abuzz with whispers and concerned looks. Ren scanned the room, his tired eyes landing on a few familiar yet unfamiliar faces. Ichigo Kurosaki, with his trademark scowl, was looking at him, his widened eyes betraying his usual demeanor. Orihime Inoue had her hands clasped together, a worried expression on her face. Chad and Ishida were glancing towards him, their faces stoic but attentive.

The teacher quickly regained some of her composure and spoke with concern clearly visible in her eyes. "Ren, you should go to the infirmary. You need to get those wounds looked at."

Ren shook his head slightly, his exhaustion evident. "I'll be fine. I just... I just need to sit down."

"H-how are you fine?! That arm of yours is bleeding, and you are battered all over the place. This is no joke." Misato, the teacher, initially stuttered, but continued to speak with a sterner tone. She was known to be an easy going person, but this was obviously too much for her to ignore.

"Its okay... I-" Ren's words were cut short as he tried to take another step forward when his head felt light all of a sudden.

Everything went dark as he lost his balance and collapsed to the ground, cries ringing across the classroom.

Chapter 5 - Red bunny narrowly escapes his natural predator

Ren awoke to a muted hum. The faint smell of antiseptic filled the air, mingling with the lingering scent of sweat clinging to his skin. His head was heavy, and as he blinked his eyes open, he realized he was lying on a stiff, narrow bed surrounded by privacy curtains.

"This should be the school infirmary…" Though it was his first time here, the environment indicates it was likely the case.

He tried to sit up, but a sharp pain shot through his left arm, forcing him to lie back down with a groan. His fatigue had lessened somewhat, but every muscle in his body ached, protesting even the slightest movement at the moment. Sighing, he glanced around and noticed his clothes and belongings neatly placed on a metal table beside the bed, while another one nearby had a few balls of cotton, some alcohol and a few long strips of bloodied bandages huddled together. The familiar weight of his phone was conspicuously absent as he lay shirtless in bed, a thin blanket covering up to half of his torso with a few wrinkles from his previous movement.

Ren's eyes fell on his left arm, now bandaged and feeling numb. It seemed his bandages had been recently replaced with proper clean ones, and although the pain had dulled, he still felt the cut throb with every heartbeat. He took a deep breath and stretched out his right hand towards the table, trying to grab his phone. His fingers brushed the edge, but it slipped from his grasp and clattered to the floor.

The noise seemed to echo louder than it should have, breaking the quiet of the infirmary. Almost immediately, the shadows outside the curtains grew larger, indicating someone's approach. The curtains were drawn apart by a soft hand, revealing a woman with brown eyes and blonde hair fixed in a bun with a pen, a professional yet concerned expression on her face, adorned with a small beauty mark below her left eye. She wore an white lab coat, unbuttoned, a casual black shirt underneath failing to hide her prominent cleavage, with a dark gray skirt around her thighs and dark brown stockings lining her long legs, ending in black high heels. Ren gulped as her eyes scanned his exposed body, relief evident on her face despite the worry that lingered in her eyes.

"You're awake," she said, her voice gentle but firm. "How are you feeling?"

Ren tried to sit up again, managing only a slight shift in his position before giving up. "I've been better," he replied, his voice hoarse. "What happened?"

The nurse moved closer, picking up his phone from the floor and placing it back on the table within his reach. "You passed out in your classroom," she explained, her tone softening. "Your classmates brought you here. You're lucky they did; that arm of yours needed immediate attention."

Ren nodded slowly, his mind still hazy. "Thanks," he murmured as he averted his gaze from her curvy figure, glancing down at his bandaged arm. "How bad is it?"

She pulled up a stool and sat beside his bed with a serious expression, crossing her legs. "You've got a deep cut on your left arm. It's been properly cleaned and dressed, but you need to avoid making any big movements for a while, and immediately go to a hospital if it gets worse. The rest of your injuries are mostly superficial—bruises and minor cuts. Those should heal up fine with some rest."

Ren sighed, closing his eyes for a moment. The memory of the Hollow attack replayed in his mind, and he shuddered involuntarily. "It was... an accident," he lied as he felt her inquisitive stare, knowing he couldn't exactly explain the truth.

She gave him a knowing look and sighed, clearly not convinced but choosing not to press the issue. "Just make sure to take it easy." she advised. "You're in no shape to be running around. I'll let your teacher know you're awake. She was very worried, you know? Some of your classmates also came here a while ago to ask about your injuries."

"Thanks," Ren repeated, feeling a mixture of embarrassment and gratitude. "I appreciate it." He said with a smile.

The nurse stood up, giving him a reassuring smile of her own. "Get some rest. If you need anything, just call for me. I'll be right outside."

"But I still have class-" Ren didn't know how much time had passed and didn't want to let any rumors start distorting the situation, but as he spoke he suddenly felt a chill looking at the nurse's face.

"Rest." Her eyes narrowed slightly as she said slowly, the tone in her voice leaving no room for argument.

He gulped loudly and made a small nod and she smiled again before turning back, intending to leave and let him rest, only to be called once more by Ren as he seemed to notice something and spoke. "I'm sorry, I forgot to ask for your name." A touch of red on his cheeks.

She faced him again, one of her eyebrows rising briefly after hearing Ren's question, a glint of understanding flashing across her face. Her eyes narrowed slightly again with a seductive look as her left hand rose to her cheeks, a mischievous smile on her lips. "Ara~, aren't you a cute one? I'm Hirase Aki, the school nurse/doctor. How curious, did you not know me yet?" A soft voice sounded in his ears.

Ren shook his head after a small delay, blushing at her words. 'It seems my body's reactions aren't the same anymore… ', he thought, trying to maintain a poker face.

"Well, I hope our next meeting doesn't involve you bleeding profusely in an unconscious state. It was the first time I've seen something like this on a student." She explained.

Looking at his face, she donned a mischievous smirk before playfully stating. "I normally don't do this but I'll let you call me Aki-sensei, brat. Your expressions are quite honest, you know~ Quite refreshing compared to the usual hoodlums who carry their beaten asses here." 

"Wha-" Ren was caught off guard, his poker face broken as the blush on his cheeks spread.

"Oh my, look at your face~" She chuckled with squinted eyes before turning around and walking towards the white curtains. "That was good. Thanks for the meal."

As the blonde nurse left, closing the curtains around him. "Don't be stubborn and rest properly. If it heals as it should, you can come to me to remove the stitches later, or go to a hospital and get them to do it, though I would be sad~"

Ren laid back against the pillows as he stared up at the ceiling, feeling wronged, having no energy left for a rebuttal after the fourth 'thrilling' encounter of his day. Or was it the fifth? He didn't know anymore. 

He vowed to one day get back at Aki-sensei and avenge this humiliation.

[...]

After a few minutes, the pain in his arm had dulled to a manageable throb, and the room's quiet provided a strange sense of peace. His thoughts drifted to Rukia and the Hollow, and he worried about how he would explain his injuries to his classmates, especially Ichigo and the others, should they start asking questions.

He sighed heavily, feeling a mix of frustration and anxiety. The attack had been a harsh reminder of the reality he now faced. The excitement of his new life had quickly been overshadowed by the harsh truth of the dangers lurking in this world. His mind replayed the moment he collapsed in front of his new classmates, the look of shock on their faces, and the concerned cries that echoed in his ears. He had wanted to make a good impression, to blend in and observe quietly, but instead, he had made a dramatic and alarming entrance.

"Great first day," he muttered to himself, the sarcasm in his voice barely masking his disappointment.

Ren reached for his phone again, carefully this time, and managed to grasp it without dropping it. He turned it on, the bright screen hurting his eyes for a moment as they adjusted to the light. The time displayed on the screen made his heart sink. It was already the start of the fourth period of the morning classes; the break had long since ended. A few hours had passed since he had fainted in the classroom.

"Wonderful," he thought bitterly. "I'm sure everyone is talking about the guy who stumbled in looking like he survived a war by now."

He closed his eyes, trying to block out the image of his classmates' faces. He had wanted to be inconspicuous, to get a feel for his new environment without drawing attention to himself as he found out the current timeline of events and planned his actions. But his dramatic entrance had ensured that he was the center of attention, at least for the foreseeable future. Any hope of laying low and blending in had been shattered the moment he collapsed in front of everyone.

The realization filled him with a mixture of embarrassment and frustration. He had envisioned a different start to his new life—a smooth, uneventful transition into Karakura High School. Instead, he had managed to attract attention in the worst possible way. His classmates would undoubtedly be curious about him, and he dreaded the questions and stares that awaited him when he returned to class.

Ren's thoughts drifted to the encounter with the Hollow. The size and strength of the thing, the fear he felt, the desperation to survive, and the sudden appearance of Rukia—it all seemed like a blur now. He knew he couldn't ignore the dangers that lurked in this world, but that was completely outside his expectations. The attack was proof he was grossly unprepared, both physically and mentally.

But right now, lying in the infirmary, all he could do was wait and recover. He had to find a way to navigate this new reality, to balance his normal life with the looming threats of the spiritual world. And now, somehow, he had to figure out in advance a way to explain all of this without revealing too much.

As he lay there, Ren's resolve hardened. He couldn't change what had happened, but he could control how he responded moving forward. He would need to be cautious, to learn and adapt quickly. His new life in this new world was far from what he had expected, but he was determined to face it head-on.

For now, he will rest...

[Previously...]

The classroom was filled with gasps and cries of alarm as Ren collapsed to the floor. Misato, the homeroom teacher, rushed to his side, her face pale with shock and worry. 

Soon after Ren's body hit the ground, a high pitched scream sounded from a girl sitting close. "Kyaaaa! It's a corpse!"

"H-he just died!" Someone shouted in shock a few desks away. It was Ichigo's friend, Asano Keigo.

"Keigo, are you an idiot? How could he have just died! He was clearly dead after opening the door, c-couldn't you see?!" A bespectacled young man reprimanded in panic from a different seat.

"You dumb fuck! How can someone possibly speak if they were already dead? It's obvious he died from shock after hearing Misato-chan's questions!" Kojima Mizuiro yelled at the one who just spoke, breaking character.

"He didn't die! C-calm down guys…" Orihime suddenly shouted loudly, only to meekly continue her words as she noticed people looking ahead after getting surprised by her outburst.

Tatsuki got up with her hands atop her desk. "Orihime's right! Ren is not dead, he just fell down. You're too panicked!"

While chaos ensued in the class, the teacher arrived at Ren's location.

"Oh my god! He's out cold!" she shouted, her voice trembling as she knelt beside Ren, assessing his condition. "He needs to get help as soon as possible! Does anyone know where the infirmary's doctor is?!"

"Hirase-sensei should have already arrived at the school by now." Honshou Chizuru said out loud.

"I'll look for her. Someone help get him to the infirmary!" Said Misato, the teacher, as she looked at the class.

Ichigo sprang into action, getting up as he said. "Chad! Lend me a hand!" A huge figure immediately rose from the back, both of them running between the desks towards the front of the class.

Arriving at his destination, Ichigo was about to grab the body on the ground as Sado arrived and put Ren on his shoulders in one fell swoop, carrying him like a sack of potatoes. Ren's injured arm pressed on his chest, staining Chad's uniform with blood as they left through the front door.

Ichigo, now not having much to do, grabbed Ren's bag from the ground and followed behind, looking intently at Ren's state. The students watched in silence, their expressions a mix of fear and shock. Ren's pale face and blood-soaked sleeve left a lasting impression on everyone present. 

Tatsuki's gaze hovered at the door following Ichigo and Chad's departure, while the other student's faces had various expressions, many etched with worry and concern. Orihime's hands were clasped tightly together, as if in prayer.

As they wheeled Ren out of the classroom, Ms. Ochi turned to the class, her voice calm but strained. "Please remain seated and try to stay calm. We'll continue shortly after I get back."

"We need help, there is an emergency! A student has collapsed and is badly injured! If you see her, tell Aki-chan to meet them at the infirmary" Misato had a phone to her ear as she said urgently to someone, leaving the class to call for the nurse as well, since she didn't answer yet.

The door closed behind the teacher, leaving the classroom in an uneasy silence. Whispers began to circulate, students speculating about what had happened to Ren. The mood was somber, the usual energy and excitement of the first day overshadowed by the morning's events.

[...]

Chad and Ichigo soon arrived inside the infirmary, putting Ren on one of the vacant beds. They looked at the unconscious young man in front of them with concern.

Within moments, Ms. Hirase burst into the room, her blonde hair tied back in a neat bun. She quickly took charge, her professional demeanor bringing a sense of order to the chaotic scene.

"Everyone, please step back and give us some space," she instructed firmly, her eyes scanning Ren's injuries. "I'll take it from here."

They nodded and left the room, glancing at each other briefly before making their way back.

[...]

The classroom buzzed with activity during the break between the third and fourth periods. Students chatted animatedly, laughter and conversations filling the air. Some were gathered in small groups, discussing the latest gossip or sharing stories from their morning classes. Others were at their desks, munching on snacks or hurriedly finishing homework.

At the center of the room, Orihime Inoue was surrounded by a few friends, including Tatsuki, her cheerful demeanor a stark contrast to the tense atmosphere that had gripped the class earlier. Her voice, always energetic and filled with warmth, was a soothing presence, although her eyes betrayed a lingering concern from the events that had transpired.

Ichigo Kurosaki leaned against his desk, arms crossed and a thoughtful expression on his face. His friends, Chad, Kojima Mizuiro and Asano Keigo, stood nearby, their usual banter subdued. The memory of Ren's dramatic entrance and subsequent collapse weighed heavily on their minds.

"Do you think he's okay, Kurosaki-kun?" Orihime turned and asked Ichigo, her brows furrowing with worry.

"Your house's a Clinic, right? Since you guys helped carry him, you were able to see him from up close, so what do you think?" One of her friends, a redhead with purple eyes and red framed glasses named Honshou Chizuru asked as well.

"I hope so," Ichigo replied, his gaze distant. "He looked pretty beat up. That wound on his left arm was pretty serious."

Chad nodded in agreement, his stoic expression softening slightly. "He was in bad shape. It's a good thing the nurse had just arrived when we brought him inside the infirmary."

Ishida sat a few desks ahead, adjusting his glasses, his analytical mind trying to piece together some puzzle. 

Ichigo frowned, a sense of unease settling in his chest. 'Those injuries... they were too severe.'

As the bell rang, signaling the end of the break, the students began to return to their seats, the lively chatter gradually fading. The mood in the room shifted, a collective tension hanging in the air as they prepared for the next lesson. The teacher's arrival brought a semblance of normalcy, but the memory of Ren's collapse lingered in their minds, proof that their classmate's arrival had been anything but ordinary.

Chapter 6 - Local Tomato Terrorizes Taxi Driver

Ren woke up with a start, blinking groggily at the infirmary's beige ceiling. The sun had lined up to the windows, with the late afternoon light filtering through the curtains. He had no idea how long he had been asleep, but judging by the shadows stretching across the room, it had been more than a few hours. 

Feeling significantly less tired, Ren sat up and noticed his bandages had been changed again, the new pile of bloodied strips on the same table nearby confirming it. He swung his legs over the side of the bed, wincing slightly as his feet touched the cold floor. The pain and discomfort preventing his movement had reduced to a much more bearable extent, though his left arm still throbbed every few moments.

He felt a lot less tired now, having slept for what seemed to be half the day already, which helped since he believed the previous Ren had stayed overnight studying, contributing to his earlier fatigue.

Getting up from the bed, he realized that most students would have gone home or to their after-school clubs by now. As he was about to grab his clothes, lost in thought, the curtains parted, and Aki-sensei entered, her figure illuminated by the light from outside.

"Oh my, sorry about that~" she said with a smirk, not sounding that apologetic despite her words as her eyes scanned Ren's body before nodding in approval. "You're looking good now."

Ren wasn't sure if she was referring to his injuries or his physique, but he decided to brush it off. "Are classes already over?" he asked, reaching for his shirt and grimacing slightly when he moved his left shoulder.

"Hm, they ended a while ago. Let me help you with that," Aki-sensei replied, stepping closer to assist him in putting his white shirt back on. 

"Thanks," Ren mumbled, feeling a bit embarrassed by the proximity. He could faintly smell a sweet fragrance coming from her body, which almost got him in a daze again if not for the blood rushing to his face. (A/N: I bet it rushed to many places (⁄ ⁄>⁄ ▽ ⁄<⁄ ⁄). )

"I don't mind, ufufu~" she chuckled.

Once he was dressed, Aki-sensei inspected his arm with a concerned look. "Don't put the blazer on. Can you manage your way home in your current state? Want me to call a taxi?"

Ren considered it for a moment before nodding with a smile. "If it's not an inconvenience for you, I would like that." Walking home in his current condition didn't seem wise, especially with the risk of another attack or collapsing again.

Aki-sensei smiled warmly. "Sure." She stepped out of the curtains, saying, "While I call one, grab your things and come to my desk. I'll give you some medicine for today, and a prescription so you can get more from a drugstore later."

Ren gathered his belongings, taking care not to strain his injured arm, and made his way to her desk. Aki-sensei handed him a piece of paper with a list of medications. "Here you go. Remember to follow it properly and rest. The driver is already at the gates. Let's go, I'll help you inside."

He followed her out of the infirmary, feeling grateful for her assistance. As they walked through the deserted hallways, the sound of their footsteps echoed softly. They reached the school gates, where a taxi was waiting. Aki-sensei helped Ren into the back seat, making sure he was comfortable before closing the door.

"Thank you for everything, Aki-sensei," Ren said sincerely. "I mean it."

She gave him a reassuring smile. "Take care, brat. Remember to rest and follow the instructions on the prescription. If you need anything, I left my number on the back of the prescription I handed you."

Ren nodded, feeling a mixture of gratitude and embarrassment. As the taxi pulled away from the school, he leaned back against the seat, staring out the window. The day's events replayed in his mind, from suddenly finding he was not dead and trying to understand what was happening, then finding out he was in the world of 'Bleach' and had a sister somewhere, leaving the house and "missing" the bus, getting attacked —and saved— on the way, to his dramatic collapse in class and now this unexpected kindness from Aki-sensei.

'Huh, what an eventful first day. So chaotic.' Ren thought to himself, watching the streets whiz by from the window. 

'I ended up not getting back to class at all. My chance to remain in the sidelines discreetly was completely blown up by this… but-' His thoughts stopped briefly as he came to a realization. 'Now I'm starting to think this is actually for the better...'

'I'm too weak. If I remained lowkey for God knows how long, would it make any difference?' His thoughts swirled, making sense of his position. 'No. I would most likely remain powerless, and it would be difficult to befriend the people who are key players in this world if I wanted to, at least to any meaningful degree.'

'Even if I somehow managed to do that, the problem is that I would become a burden, and though those guys would never say it to me or be bothered by it, considering what I remember from the anime, can I allow that?' Ren felt ashamed even while imagining the situation. 'Never… I would never be able to live with myself, especially if something bad happened because of me.'

'At the end of the day, I have to get stronger. Strong enough to handle myself at the very least. The question is how…' Ren pondered in silence.

As they passed by an isolated area, he noticed it was where the Hollow had chased him in the morning, now with many people shocked at the destruction caused.

Remembering the monster's appearance, Ren noticed a few details he didn't pay much mind before 'In the beginning, I couldn't see that thing's appearance, but as time went on it stopped flickering and getting transparent. By the time I threw the bottle at its eye, I never saw the Hollow become transparent again.'

'This should be related to an increase in spiritual energy or reiryoku, if I remember correctly. I believe it has to do with life or death situations increasing one's reserves.' As if he had finally grasped something useful, Ren smiled excitedly. 'Orihime and Chad awakened their powers when their souls got strong enough. Maybe I'll awaken one of my own sometime.'

Ren's expression suddenly became pale 'Shit! Since my soul has gotten stronger, I'll be targeted a lot more in the future!'

'I need to learn how to control and use my spiritual power. I don't know if I'm even leaking anything right now!' He became focused, trying to remember anything from the anime that could help his situation. Suddenly, he heard a loud growl from his stomach, interrupting his thoughts.

'Well… I can think at home too…' Concluded Ren with a wry smile. He knew he had a lot to learn and adapt to in this new world, but for now, he was hungry. The taxi ride home and the night to come were a brief respite, a moment of calm before he had to face whatever came next.

Ren's thoughts drifted to his classmates, wondering what they were thinking after witnessing his collapse. He had wanted to lay low, but now he was on everyone's radar. He sighed, accepting that his new life was far from what he had envisioned. As the taxi approached his home, Ren resolved to take things one step at a time. He would heal, learn how to get stronger, and find a way to navigate this new reality.

Meanwhile, the taxi driver was disturbed, trying to maintain his composure after seeing Ren's expressions changing back and forth for most of the ride, while the culprit was blissfully unaware. 'That lady who called was a doctor, he must have hit his head quite heavily, poor thing…' There was a glint of pity in his eyes as he adjusted the rear view mirror.

[...]

Ren's thoughts were still swirling as the taxi turned right into the street his house was located in. Seeing the familiar sign reading "Internal Medicine - Pediatrics, Kurosaki Clinic" passing by, he thought. 'I can probably get more medicine from there later, considering I'm their neighbor and also a classmate of Ichigo's, though I bet he has told them what happened. I wonder if me or my sister had already met them before today…' They had moved in just before the school had started, so there was a chance.

Thinking about this new sister of his as the taxi stopped in front of his home, Ren thanked the driver, who gave him a look filled with a mixture of pity and curiosity, and then carefully exited the vehicle, taking care not to strain his left arm too much.

The sun was starting to set, casting an orange glow over the quiet neighborhood. Ren's house stood modestly among similar structures, a place that was familiar yet now felt different, given the events of the day. He made his way to the front door, fumbling slightly with his keys due to his throbbing arm.

Inside, the house was silent. Ren sighed in relief, grateful for the calm after such a chaotic day. He made his way to the kitchen, his stomach growling again as a reminder of his hunger. Ren quickly prepared a simple meal, his mind still running through the details of what he needed to do next.

As he ate, Ren contemplated his new reality. The potential danger of being targeted by Hollows, the need to control his spiritual power, and the importance of becoming stronger weighed heavily on his mind. He knew he couldn't tackle everything at once, he needed a plan. 

"Since Rukia still had her powers, I can conclude the main plot hasn't started yet. That's good, I have more time to prepare." Ren muttered, organizing his thoughts. He remembered calling her several times and remaining ignored 'til the end. A small vein popped up in his forehead, but he shook his head. "She probably thought I couldn't see her. That would make sense." He hoped it was the case...

"Anyway, if I remember correctly, Ichigo was 15 when the story started with the Hollow Fishbone's appearance. Then there were around two months, maybe three, before Byakuya and Renji came to take Rukia to her execution, starting the whole Soul Society arc." He pondered. "The last straw was the Menos Grande that appeared after Ishida's tantrum. If I know Ichigo's birthday, it would be possible to approximate a time limit for when things will start moving."

Ren made a decision "I will write everything I can still remember from the story tonight. If I delay this, it would get less useful as time went on. If I have it on my phone, I could check things on the go and not have to rely on memory so much. Jotting it down should refresh my memory too and make remembering things easier later."

"Then there's the matter of my own situation and the growth of my spiritual power. I could try meditating and see if it has any effect, but since this is a real world, maybe I can find something useful in a library." The reality of the situation was starting to settle in.

"I'll buy some equipment for training my body later too. It would be horrible if I collapsed after every single battle or encounter with danger. On my previous self's notes was a bank account made for me by my sister Ella, so I can use that." He could start with running and stretching to build some stamina and flexibility.

Thinking about Ella, Ren felt a mix of emotions. He was happy to know he had family in this world, but felt weird knowing that she was around him for years while his current self knew nothing about her apart from what he found previously. He didn't even know where and what she was doing at the moment. It looked like she was already away for a few weeks at least.

"I feel like I am ignoring something important, but whatever. It'll come eventually anyway." Ren shook his head and resumed his humble meal, which consisted of rice and fried chicken, along with some shoyu he found in the fridge and a small jar of orange juice. 

After finishing his meal, Ren cleaned up. He took a bath, being careful not to wet the bandages on his left arm, and headed to his room. He changed into some comfortable clothes and sat on his bed, pulling out the prescription Aki-sensei had given him along with the medicine. Turning it over, he saw her phone number scribbled on the back, bringing a small smile to his face. Despite her teasing, she genuinely cared about his well-being.

Ren decided to focus on recovery first. He took the medication as prescribed, then grabbed a notebook and started jotting down everything he could remember from the anime. A few hours later, satisfied with the many pages filled with letters, he scanned them and sent the document from his phone to his laptop. He then proceeded to make a list of his current priorities:

 —

- Rest and Heal: Give his body time to recover from the injuries. Getting more medicine from the Kurosaki Clinic was worth the try.

- Survive tomorrow: The next day in school was bound to be very hectic. He would have to weather through it wisely.

- Research Spiritual Power: Find anything that could give him a hint on spiritual power control. He would go to a library tomorrow to see if there was anything useful.

- Build Stamina: Gradually increase his physical and spiritual endurance. Flexibility is also important.

- Reconnect with Classmates: Avoid drawing more unnecessary attention while building relationships. If possible, he should try to establish friendships with the main characters of the show, since they were in the same class.

- Find when canon begins: This was a work in progress, depending on how well he could do the previous thing.

- Locate his Sister: Investigate the whereabouts of his sister Ella, a potentially crucial link to his new life.

 —

The list helped clear his mind, providing a sense of direction. Ren felt a renewed determination. He might not have chosen this path, but he was thankful for being still alive, and he would do his best.

As the evening deepened into night, Ren lay back on his bed, staring at the ceiling. His body ached, but it was a manageable pain. He knew he had a long way to go, but for now, he allowed himself to rest, the soft hum of the night outside lulling him into a peaceful sleep, only to be suddenly startled and almost fall from the bed by his phone ringing loudly, this time not with an opening from 'Bleach', but a different tune.

He scrambled out of the bed and grabbed the phone, looking at the caller's name and picture.

Ren had a shocked expression before facepalming. "O-of course, how didn't I think of that! Hahaha..." There was a picture of a blonde woman with purple eyes, hugging a slightly younger version of himself and smiling at the camera.

It was his sister, Ella.