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Chapter - 6: Character Growth
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Keeping a tight stance with my guard up, I continuously hit the heavy bag fixed to the ceiling in front of me, mimicking the training I remembered from old boxing anime.
After all, if I have an anime body, I'll do training montages that are familiar to me to make my physical body stronger, since I planned to rely on my Quincy abilities at least in the beginning.
Right now, I was at a popular public gym in the city. The smell of sweat filled the air as rhythmic punches echoed from the heavy bags. The walls were covered with posters of fighters, who, honestly, I didn't really recognize.
"Rotate your hips! Don't tense your shoulders. Relax and let the punch flow," my instructor called out, a sturdy man in his thirties, watching me carefully as I executed a combination of punches against the bag.
"Yes!" During the lesson, I focused on every movement, trying to perfectly mimic the basic techniques he had shown me at the start, relying solely on my instincts.
Things were finally taking an interesting turn. My pay as a contractor was proving incredibly useful for pushing my plans forward, as with the initial deposit of 10k and the first monthly check I'd just received, I now had enough funds to start investing seriously in my training.
Not that I needed money to train, but having resources available opened up new possibilities, especially since making over six figures a year for doing nothing seemed generous to me.
I didn't just want to learn combat techniques, but also improve my self-control, since it was a fundamental component if I truly wanted to achieve a hybrid form.
It wasn't enough to be strong; I had to master every detail, turning brute strength into absolute precision. After an hour of intensive practice, the instructor pointed out some corrections.
I continued my task of torturing my knuckles, keeping my Blut active beneath my clothes to activate it unconsciously, since I didn't have "Zangetsu" to help me at the moment.
I experimented with how Blut actually worked. Whether I had to constantly drain Reishi to keep it active, or if it worked like those magic abilities in games, where a certain amount is spent to keep it active for a set time.
I found out that it's a bit of both. Yes, I spend more during the initial use and then lose a bit more Reishi only after surpassing a certain threshold to maintain either the defensive or offensive function, depending on what I choose to do.
Additionally, I also spend a small amount of Reishi to perform specific actions, like positioning the Blut in different parts of my body or extending it outside. However, every time I reactivated the technique, it seemed like the Reishi consumption progressively decreased—or rather, my control improved with each use—which clearly signified my progress with this bloodline ability.
And with my Reiryoku reserves constantly increasing, maintaining Blut active has become not only easier but also much more efficient compared to before. Honestly, it's surprising how much my ability to manipulate Reishi has improved, even during challenging battles against Hollows.
This is more than Ichigo could do in canon, and even in the Light Novel, I believe. Now, as for my Quincy techniques, I'm happy to say that I can, or at least see myself in the future, mastering all of them.
I discovered I have a certain talent for Blut; it was almost like breathing or moving a muscle, and I couldn't help but wonder if, in the future, I would be able to do much more, given all the ideas I had in mind.
It's a shame that most of the things I can't do are due to the lack of a Quincy Cross. When I have it in my hands, with it... the true potential of my Quincy powers will emerge.
And let me admit that trying to compress the Reiryoku within my body is incredibly difficult. I thought it would be easier, but I was terribly wrong, considering how much more challenging this exercise turned out to be compared to everything I've faced so far.
Maybe the problem is that I have too much Reiryoku. It's almost ironic, considering that most of my power is still sealed, and I also have my Shinigami and Hollow potential, which I haven't fully awakened yet.
Unfortunately, there was no one who could help me at the moment. Not that I wanted any kind of help, considering it would be useful for future me when my powers become stronger.
Manipulating Reiryoku and the ambient Reishi is like letting water flow from a faucet: intuitive and pretty easy to control. Using Artoria's mana, on the other hand, is like trying to tame a raging river with bare hands.
Maybe it's because of the completely different nature of mana, or the level of power that Artoria possesses. Whatever the cause, managing it is incredibly complicated, and for that reason, I set it aside for now.
After all, shouldn't I focus more on my strongest potential Template? After practicing with different power systems and energies, I'm confident I can find an effective method to harness it. Worst case, I could even buy a partner to train me in the best way to use mana.
Maybe I'll end up like Garou: a monster, even before literally transforming into one. Actually, thinking about it, it might be interesting to see some of them achieve similar models. Tatsuki, for example, would be really fun with a model like that.
Leaving the gym, I felt more focused, but it still wasn't enough. I had planned to visit two more dojos today, each with a different focus, making the most of my martial arts talent.
The next stop was a judo dojo.
I thought about how important it is to have a solid foundation. A beginner in martial arts finds it harder to learn than someone who has already developed skills in another discipline or even a sport.
It always comes back to the fundamentals: after all, a healthy soul... dwells in a healthy mind and a healthy body. And this is what I train every single day to be able to respect this absolute rule.
I felt that if I could surpass a certain threshold in my physical strength, the level of my Whitebeard Template would naturally increase, and perhaps even the Template of Artoria, and certainly a possibility I couldn't ignore.
That's why every day I test my limits, pushing myself beyond what I thought was possible. I can feel it clearly: I'm becoming physically stronger at an impressive rate.
The most interesting thing? No one expects a brute like me to be so good at martial arts. And this will be one of my greatest weapons.
After changing, I joined the lesson. The instructor showed us some basic holds and explained how to balance the body to maximize effectiveness. I tried several times, throwing my practice partner onto the tatami.
After two intense hours, I was tired but satisfied. My body was starting to feel the build-up of fatigue, but I wasn't planning on stopping. The last stop of the day was a dojo specialized in Muay Thai. I chose this discipline for its direct and aggressive approach, a perfect counterpoint to the more traditional techniques I had already explored up to this point.
He greeted me with a smile and immediately had me get in the ring to test my abilities. I had never practiced Muay Thai before, but my experience with other types of combat helped me maintain some composure.
I spent the next hour working on kicks, elbows, and knees. Each strike was direct, powerful, and designed to inflict maximum damage. It was a raw type of fighting, but extremely effective. When the training ended, I was exhausted, sweaty, and covered in bruises, but I felt more alive than ever.
Heading home that evening, I reflected on everything I had learned. Each discipline had added something unique to my arsenal. Kendo had taught me precision, judo control, and Muay Thai aggression.
But there was still much to be done. I planned to explore other disciplines in the coming days, from Brazilian jiu-jitsu to traditional kung fu. After all, it wasn't just about getting stronger; it was about becoming complete, a fighter capable of facing any opponent and any situation.
And with my salary at my disposal, nothing would stop me. This was only the beginning of a long journey, but I was ready to give it my all. As I lay in bed, my muscles sore but satisfied, a thought crossed my mind: no matter how difficult the path would be, I knew it would be worth it in the long run.
...
"I'm surprised you asked to train with me, considering that after you beat me, you left the dojo, not wanting to spar with me anymore," Tatsuki mocked, but I could easily tell she was secretly pleased by what I had done.
I remained silent at first, dodging her kick by stepping sideways to avoid the blow and maintain my distance. But for a martial genius like her, it was easy to be back on top of me.
And as I blocked a punch aimed at my face, I found the right moment. With a quick, decisive movement, I took advantage of her brief distraction to grab her and pull her into an unexpected hug.
Tatsuki froze, surprised. Her body stiffened in my arms, and for a moment, silence fell between us. "W-what the hell do you think you're doing?!" she finally snapped, her voice betraying a mix of indignation and embarrassment.
"Tatsuki... I'm sorry for being so cold with you lately. You don't deserve that," I said sincerely, letting go of the breath I had been holding, after all, these were Ichigo's true feelings that he'd never wanted to admit.
"..." I felt her body relax slightly in my embrace until I felt her head rest against my chest. I was taller than her, even though I hadn't had my growth spurt yet, my chin grazing her ear.
"It's not your fault. I've just been stupid trying to push away my best friend, I didn't want you to get hurt by my actions. But I realized I was doing something dumb, and it was embarrassing to act like nothing happened… It wouldn't have been right without apologizing, but it took me too long to find the courage to do it." I pulled her closer, my hands caressing her stomach and hips, and activated [Sticky Fingers] to make sure the conversation went the way I wanted.
"Why this sudden change?" she asked in a trembling voice, but I could see her usual tough-girl demeanor slowly start to crack.
Now it was time for my [Communication Talent] to come into play. My voice became more persuasive, and it was easier to find the words for what I wanted to say. "Well, do you remember when my mom died?" I can't tell her that I'm not the same Ichigo from her memories, and that my goal is to live a better life than the original.
She nodded, trembling, holding me tighter, as if fearing that by talking about it, I might pull away from her. I felt her uneven breathing against my chest, and I knew these words had reopened deep wounds.
But it was necessary.
"It was a tough time for me," I started, trying to keep my tone calm and reassuring, even though I could feel the tension rising. "I tried to handle everything on my own, thinking it was the best thing to do. But now I realize I made a mistake… I pushed away one of the people who means the most to me: you."
She suddenly lifted her head, looking at me with teary eyes, her face flushing brightly from her cheeks to her ears, making her even cuter. "Why did you decide to apologize now?" she asked, her voice trembling but full of curiosity and something that seemed like hope.
I sighed, searching for the right words. "My body is getting stronger, and I didn't want to risk hurting you, either physically or mentally. I thought pushing you away was the right thing to do, but... I was wrong. By doing that, I just ended up hurting you even more."
Tatsuki lowered her gaze, and silence fell between us like an unbearable weight. Then, with a barely audible voice, she asked, "So... you don't think I'm useless? Or is this just another excuse to keep me away?"
Her words hit me, but they were right. I had to show her I was sincere, not just with words but with actions. I held her even tighter, as if I could transfer everything I felt through that contact.
"You're not useless, Tatsuki, don't ever say that again or I'll get really mad!" I said firmly, my voice unwavering. "You're my best friend, and I never want to lose you."
She stayed still for a few seconds, then lightly punched my chest. "You're an idiot, Ichigo." Finally, she smiled and hugged me back. Of course, I returned the hug, my hands wandering a bit too close to her backside.
We stayed like that for a while because I saw nothing wrong with it. "Hng~" A soft moan escaped her lips, and I admitted in my mind that tomboys really are the best.
"Tatsuki?" I called her name with a curious tone as I slightly pulled away from her, trying to hold back the smile that threatened to spread across my face; the more I saw her in this state, the more I wanted to tease her.
"N-Nothing!" she exclaimed, clearly embarrassed, pulling away from me, freeing herself from my embrace, but she couldn't completely hide the slight blush that had made its way across her cheeks.
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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 - 16 (Incoming)
Chapter - 17: Onmyoji - Chapter - 18: The Power of Bao
Chapter - 7: Satori Sado - Chapter - 8: Interlude (Incoming)
Chapter - 7: Hobby - Chapter - 8: New Hunt - Chapter - 9: Past unknown
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