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Chapter - 4: Fast Adaptation
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I found myself in an elevated position, where I could observe the entire city. The evening breeze brushed against my face, but my attention was entirely focused on locating the Reiatsu I was searching for, or at least, I was trying to.
Even after a long day spent testing my abilities, I didn't feel tired at all. In fact, I could feel the energy flowing within me, every fiber of my body vibrating with power, which only made me feel more alive.
'Whitebeard and Artoria...' I thought about the Templates I had chosen for my new life. 'My physical body is much stronger and more resilient than it should be at this point,' I concluded with satisfaction.
Once again, I found myself smiling, pleased with the choice I had made. Both Templates had proven to be perfect tools, an incredible harmony between realms and powers that rarely intersect.
Artoria might seem like a redundant choice, especially compared to the immense raw power Ichigo already possessed by the end of the series, as he was a solid T10 who could easily wipe out any opponent.
But there was something that she had from the very beginning, something that Ichigo had only reached at the end of his story, and it is precisely in this that Artoria excelled. She was not limited to overwhelming strength, but she was able to channel all her power into her small figure, with extraordinary talent.
Ichigo had to overcome his fear and learn to rely on his Quincy abilities to orient himself on the right path, while Artoria already had full control over her power, demonstrating a mastery that Ichigo had only acquired over time.
And I needed exactly this harmony to reach my final goal, hoping to obtain that form which would unite and perfect all my powers into a single being.
"Alright, let's see if it works..." I whispered, bending down on my knees. This time, however, I didn't just use my spiritual energy. I focused on that part of my soul I had begun to explore recently, trying to use a specific Quincy ability:
"Shadow." I felt my shadow pulse in response, wrapping around the lamppost I was standing on. The shadows welcomed me as though they were an extension of my own body, taking the shape of a cross, and I let myself sink into them.
An instant later, I emerged from the shadow between a lamppost and the ground, an entire block ahead. I shuddered, struggling to resist the cold sensation that enveloped me. "Success," I hissed, satisfied. "Now I need to get better at withstanding this cold feeling every time I step through the dimensional doors."
I stood up, fully emerging from the my shadow.
The Templates were undoubtedly the key to my success. Just before, I had tested another of their abilities: I had snuck into the school's pool, preparing in case things didn't go as planned.
I jumped into the water, and I discovered an interesting truth: the "company" that had provided the Templates had eliminated the most debilitating weaknesses of the abilities, even the original ones.
According to what was written in the Terms and Conditions of the Company, my powers were safe from attempts to copy, steal, or nullify. Not bad for a system created by entities capable of bending even omnipotent gods to their will.
So yeah, screw you, Ywach. You can try, but you won't succeed.
However, not everything was perfect. For example, I couldn't change races with the Templates (unless I had a power that allowed me to). I was still left with a dragon core/factor, even though I had the "framework" of Artoria's abilities.
I still had to test the limits of these abilities. For instance, even though I didn't have weaknesses to attacks targeting my spiritual core, I knew I couldn't lose my enhancements under certain conditions. Furthermore, if I died, I wouldn't be able to use Alaya to make a contract to continue living.
Then there were the Devil Fruits. Even though I didn't suffer from their weaknesses, I could only have one. If I tried to eat another or obtain a Template with a different Fruit, the previous one would be overwritten.
A clear and understandable restriction, not that I intended to abuse it. I was already more than satisfied with the Tremor Fruit. I could've chosen Blackbeard and gained two powers, but that seemed unnecessary in the long run. With all the techniques and abilities tied to my bloodlines that I still had to master, relying on the power of shadows seemed like a waste of time.
Moreover, as if that wasn't enough, in this world, there was him, who controlled everything that was black. I had no intention of giving him an advantage in combat just for the sake of a whim or to appear as the Edgy Lord of the situation.
Back to the present. "It's in that direction," I thought, easily sensing the Reiatsu I was interested in. I was getting used to my new powers, and every step I took made them feel more natural.
With a fluid motion, I descended to the ground. Before me stretched a thread of soul, dark and thin, guiding me precisely toward my target. The scent in the air was unmistakable, and I knew exactly where it was leading me.
It was the perfect opportunity to test my strength. Facing an opponent would put my current abilities to the test, and that incident might even give me the chance to get closer to my dark-skinned goddess.
I just had to make myself noticeable enough to attract her attention, so she would come to me on her own. That way, I could start my training much sooner than expected, grow stronger, and at the same time, I would have the chance to gradually approach her and seduce her.
[Interlude]
Third Person Pov
A Hollow wandered through the dark streets of the city, its massive and imposing figure resembling that of a bear. Every step it took caused the ground to vibrate slightly, and its fangs jutted out, gleaming under the faint light of the street lamps.
Its scaly skin, like a natural armor, seemed almost indestructible if not for the hole in its chest, while its long, curved claws moved, searching for prey.
Yet, there was something strange. If one looked closely, they could notice an unsettling detail: the shadow near the Hollow seemed alive, shifting unnaturally, as though animated by its own will.
The Hollow stopped, its vacant eyes behind the white mask scanning the surrounding darkness. Then, suddenly, it leapt away with a jump, narrowly avoiding an attack that struck the exact spot where it had been only a moment before.
From nowhere, another figure emerged from the shadow that had just seemed to belong to the Hollow. The young man advanced, standing up calmly, his face serious as he observed the Hollow that had moved several meters ahead.
"How did you dodge that?" he muttered to himself, a note of perplexity in his voice. He looked at his own hand, as if reflecting on what had just happened. "Did I make a mistake with the technique? No… that's not very likely."
A spark of awareness crossed his mind. "It was a mix of your instinct… and my large amount of spiritual energy, wasn't it?" His voice lowered, almost speaking to the emptiness, but his tone was calm, as though he had already accepted the answer.
He took a step forward, the sound of his shoes against the asphalt echoing in the silence of the night. The darkness seemed to follow him, enveloping his movements with the same fluid grace of a tide.
"Interesting..." Ichigo added, offering a faint smile as he took another step forward, letting the darkness around him shift like restless waves. His gaze was fixed on the Hollow, which continued to emit low growls, its predatory instinct on high alert.
"Alright, let's try this again. What do you think?" he said in a calm but firm tone. A confident smile appeared on his face as he activated Shadow once more. The shadows around his feet expanded rapidly, connecting to those in front of the Hollow.
In an instant, he disappeared, blending into the darkness itself. The Hollow looked around, confused. It couldn't sense his presence. Its movements grew more frantic, the growls becoming louder, accompanied by random strikes at the air.
It was clear that the Hollow was losing patience. Then, without warning, a punch covered in glowing blue lines struck its back with devastating force. The blow sent the Hollow crashing into a wall, creating a deep crack in the cement surface.
"See? Much better, right?" the young man said, slowly emerging from the shadow directly behind the Hollow. His tone was calm, almost sarcastic, as he shook his fist, as if brushing off the dust.
The Hollow roared in anger, shaking its head as it freed itself from the debris of the wall. Its red eyes burned with fury as it lunged into attack, its clawed paws ready to rip him apart.
"Blut Vene," Ichigo murmured, his tone barely audible. The blue veins on his skin glowed intensely, absorbing the impact of the Hollow's claws with little difficulty.
Ichigo didn't move an inch, remaining still as the creature's attack bounced off his defense as if it had struck an invisible barrier.
"Is that all?" Ichigo asked, raising an eyebrow. "I thought Hollows were more dangerous." With a quick movement, he grabbed one of the creature's claws and squeezed tightly, preventing it from moving.
The Hollow struggled to break free, but the grip was ironclad. Realizing its attempts were futile, it roared furiously and attacked with its other claw. The strike collided with Ichigo's, creating only a shower of sparks, as if it had hit an iron wall.
Before the Hollow could retract its arm, Ichigo grabbed its wrist, twisting it forcefully. The claw creaked, and a roar of pain erupted from the creature. With a brutal yank, Ichigo pulled it toward him, landing a straight punch to its face. The blow staggered the Hollow, a dull sound echoing through the air.
Small cracks formed on its mask, but the creature didn't stop. With a sudden lunge, it attempted to strike with its other claw, but the young man swiftly dodged downward, leaving only a faint blurred motion behind him.
"Too slow," he said, reappearing at the creature's side. Before it could react, his fists came crashing down with incredible speed. "You've got to try harder if you don't want this battle to end quickly."
The first punch hit the Hollow's ribcage, pushing it backward. The second, a direct strike to the face, shattered part of the mask, revealing a dark distortion beneath it.
The creature screamed in rage and pain, desperately trying to retaliate, but Ichigo gave it no respite. Another punch, followed by another. Each blow was powerful, generating an explosion of energy visible along the veins in his arms.
The arteries in his forearms pulsed with a bluish light, spreading with every movement. Each punch became progressively more devastating, a clear sign that he had activated Blut Arteries, using it to enhance the power of his attacks.
The Hollow collapsed to the ground, gasping. It tried to rise, but another punch struck it in the middle of its back, slamming it to the floor. Ichigo positioned himself above it, grabbing its head with both hands and slammed the creature's skull into the ground, causing the mask to shatter into a thousand pieces.
The Hollow twisted once, then its body slowly dissolved into an evanescent shadow, leaving only silence in the surrounding area and the damage caused by their battle.
Ichigo stood up, watching the veins return to their normal pulse. "Disappointing," he muttered, turning with his hands in his pockets, as if the entire battle had been a game to him.
He didn't pay attention to the presences watching him. He had noticed them, of course, but there was nothing to fear, since he clearly knew they were there. And certainly, his purpose hadn't changed—grow every day—and what had happened was just another step toward his goal.
With one last glance at the fallen Hollow, Ichigo turned and moved with confident steps, his head held high. In the silence that followed, two figures observed the whole scene, each in their own way, with their thoughts, not in a hurry but with careful attention.
In Ichigo's room, the shadows moved unnaturally, and his figure emerged from them. He was already getting used to using this technique, and it was honestly too convenient to move quickly without being noticed.
His gaze turned toward the room where Yuzu and Karin were sleeping peacefully, unaware of what had just happened. A sweet, but fleeting smile appeared on his lips.
Without making a sound, he headed toward the bathroom to freshen up, to erase any trace of what had occurred. The night unfolded as he had expected. With every step, with every movement, he felt more accustomed to his new body, his new strength, the abilities he was learning.
It was only a matter of time before he could fully use his Shinigami powers, but for now, Ichigo would settle for a nice soft bed to sleep in. He thought this to himself as his eyes slowly closed, the mental exhaustion of the day finally taking over.
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Marvel: I'm Spider-Man in this Damn Reincarnation: 3 advanced chapters
Osmosian Sorcerer?: 2 advanced chapters
Hybrid Man (Ichigo Si/WC Fic) 2 advanced chapters
Son of Li Qiye?: 3 advanced chapters
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Chapter - 14: Symbionte - Chapter - 15: White Tiger -
Chapter - 17: Onmyoji - Chapter - 18: The Power of Bao
Chapter - 5: Forging Strength - Chapter - 6: Character Growth
Chapter - 7: Hobby - Chapter - 8: New Hunt - Chapter - 9: Past unknown
On the other hand, if you want to see something specific in the next chapters, or even just have some good advice for the story as a whole, I am always willing to read a comment if it is constructive criticism.
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