"What… was that voice?" Ichigo blinked in confusion, but this was no time to space out. Losing focus now would be no different from suicide.
"Tch! Dodged it? Then take this!"
The monster roared and charged again, hooves pounding the pavement like thunder.
But this time… before it even reached halfway—
CRASH!
Something black and small dropped from the sky like a bolt of lightning and stomped straight through the Hollow's white mask.
"W-what… impossible—!"
The creature only had time to utter one shocked cry before it disintegrated into ash and scattered on the wind.
Ichigo stood frozen. What the hell… just happened?
That terrifying beast, charging with murderous intent just seconds ago— wiped out by a cat?
A tiny black cat with one kick?
Is this some kind of joke?
But the moment the black cat started walking toward him, Ichigo tensed up again. If something could destroy that monster in one strike… he definitely didn't want to fight it.
Yet his fears were unnecessary.
The cat simply padded up to him and—faster than lightning—threw something into his face.
Ichigo's world spun.
He felt drowsy, vision blurring… and the last thing he heard was a woman's voice, clear and graceful:
"Strange… why would a Hollow appear so close to the Kurosaki household?"
Ichigo, however, had only one frantic thought:
The cat's going to eat me! I'm done for!
When Ichigo woke up, he was back in his own bed.
He sat up with a start, patting himself all over. No injuries. Nothing missing.
Outside the window, the sun had set—it was already nighttime.
He let out a breath. "Was it a dream?"
But no… it wasn't. The events were burned clearly into his memory.
"No. That was real."
"How did I get back? And that black cat… what the hell was that thing? And what's a Hollow?"
So many questions throbbed in his skull, giving him a headache.
Just then, his stomach growled.
Snapping out of it, Ichigo checked the time. 8 PM.
He opened his door and headed downstairs. "Hope Yuzu saved me something to eat…"
But just as he hit the bottom step—
"Surprise attack!"
A foot flew toward his face.
Ichigo, purely on instinct, countered with a spinning kick of his own.
WHAM. One clean hit, knocking the assailant back.
"Too slow, old man," Ichigo muttered, unfazed.
Of course—it was none other than his overdramatic father, Kurosaki Isshin.
Flat on the ground, Isshin immediately began whining. "Hmph! Ichigo, you brat! Sleeping for six hours straight—did you go on a secret date with a beautiful girl or something?!"
Ichigo twitched. Before he could say a word—
A small head peeked out from the kitchen, eyes wide.
"What?! Onii-chan went on a date?! With a beautiful girl?!"
Yep. That was Kurosaki Yuzu, his adorably nosy little sister.
"Yuzu! Don't believe that idiot!" Ichigo shouted, exasperated. "He's just making things up!"
But before he could finish defending himself, Isshin suddenly collapsed in front of a large, cheerful family photo hanging on the wall, bawling dramatically.
"My dear wife! Our son has entered his rebellious phase! He lies to his own father now!"
"Seriously?! Will someone take that ridiculous photo down already?! Who uses that as a memorial portrait?!"
Ichigo gave up. No use arguing with his lunatic dad.
Turning to Yuzu, he asked, "By the way, where's Karin?"
"Oh, she's out at a class gathering. Won't be back till later," Yuzu replied cheerfully while stirring a pot.
Ichigo nodded. After dinner—prepared with love by his doting little sister—he claimed he was tired and returned to his room.
So many mysteries.
Hollows. Shadows. Talking cats. The voice he'd heard in his head.
"Use my power."
Who had said that?
Ichigo lay back, restless and frustrated.
Suddenly, he heard it again.
"Ichigo…"
"Ichigo…"
A whisper, calling his name.
"Who's there?!" Ichigo snapped his eyes open—
And found himself somewhere else entirely.
Gone was his bedroom.
He was now standing—no, stuck—to the side of a glass skyscraper, upright against its smooth wall as if gravity didn't apply.
Standing not far from him, calmly gazing over the city, was a man.
Long black hair. Black trench coat. Semi-transparent glasses.
He looked about Isshin's age.
For some reason, Ichigo felt an inexplicable sense of trust toward this man.
Relaxing slightly, Ichigo asked, "Are you the one calling my name? Who are you?"
The man inwardly sighed in frustration.
He wasn't a stranger—he was Ichigo's Quincy power, manifesting itself inside Ichigo's inner world.
And the only reason he had shown up now was because the Shinigami powers inside Ichigo had suddenly flared up.
All thanks to that unlucky transmigrator who tried to possess him. That fool had delivered a massive spiritual boost to Ichigo's dormant Shinigami energy, awakening it prematurely!
Still, trying to maintain an air of mystery, the Quincy spirit spoke:
"Yes. I'm the one calling your name. I am… your power."
"…My power?" Ichigo echoed in confusion.
He'd never thought of himself as special.
But then… he remembered something.
All his life, he could see ghosts—clearly.
As a child, the images were blurry.
But by now, he could see them as plainly as he saw the living.
Wasn't that already abnormal?
(End of Chapter)
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