[AN-1.I know that simply seeing an killing a pup is not enough to make Ichigo want to protect everyone, but I couldn't simply kill someone from his family just to make him realise.
2. Ichigo's thought process is a little bit too mature for his age, I know that a six years old kid could never reach those conclusions, but it's necessary for character development
3.Those strange occurrences around Ichigo didn't begin because his spirit got awakened, they were always been there, but as I couldn't write a chapter to describe how he fell from a tree, instinctively activated either hierro or blut vene around the impact area and was left unnoticed because he was wearing a long sleeve shirt
4.'Ichigo'- regular speech
"Ichigo"- thoughts -End AN]
Aiko P.O.V
"His spirit is definitively strange, even though it's a fire spirit it doesn't set anything on fire."Thought Aiko as she looked at Ichigo's spirit.
"And that strange feeling is still present, it seems stronger but it may be just my imagination."
'Aiko, I did it, I actually did it, I've managed to make this rock warm' said Ichigo with enthusiasm.
'Very good Ichigo, let me hold it to see your progress'
"It's warm indeed, but it's still quite strange, why now that he managed to warm this rock that strange feeling subsided."'It's very good Ichigo, now until I send you a proper cultivation method don't try anything more than this. Also you should start training your body.'
' But Aiko, why do I need to train my body when I have my spirit ?'
' Well, because your spirit uses an unusually high amount if energy it can't be properly used until you reach the third mortal stage. As for training your body, dad will surely have some sort of body refining technique.'
'Do you really have to leave today sis ?'
'I do Ichigo, you see being an student at a school takes most of my time and leaves me very few free days, so you'll probably see me again in several months.'said Aiko
'But I want to train more with you, it was fun'
'We'll train again when I get back' said Aiko, but after noticing Ichigo's downcast eyes she tried to change the subject.
'So how's the bracelet I gave you Ichigo?'
'Ohh...I think I broke it' said Ichigo embarrassed 'I didn't tell you about it because I thought you will get mad at me' said Ichigo scratching the back of his head
'WHAT, how diy it broke, did you get attacked by something, are you alright' said Aiko panicked
'Ahhh, no ? two of the beads lost their glowing'
'That's impossible Ichigo it must be your imagin...' she got interrupted by Ichigo showing the bracelet
"Impossible, the energy stored inside the beads disappeared, he obviously didn't get attacked if he did the beads would have been broken, something absorbed the energy that were fueling the runes"
'Did you left the bracelet somewhere unsupervised ?'
'No, I was always wearing it, is there a problem.'
'Well not really it's just that your silly sister bought an defective product, now give me that bracelet and when I get back home I'll come with a new one'
'Fine' said Ichigo pouting
"Sigh, I'm sorry Ichigo, I don't like lying to you but whatever you did to this bracelet was considered impossible, until now, and I don't think that your spirit is the cause this time."'Sigh.. Let's go eat Ichigo'
'Are you mad at me sis ?'
'Of course not, it's just that I should have noticed the bracelet earlier.' "And probably many other things."
Scene Break
"It disappeared, whatever that kid did to me it's effects seems to be over, at least i can sleep without having to take sleeping pills, and most importantly I won't see that damned mask grin every time I close my eyes" thought happily Alchemists Laoafterfinally sleeping without needing outside help.
"Anyway, now that I actually managed to rest I can see something clearly, the mask itself wasn't so scary it did look like a human skull without a nose and an overly large grin but that wasn't really a problem. Anyone who saw and killed several desolate beasts wouldn't be intimidated by it's appearance, it's that feeling of dread, the feeling that you were in the front of your imminent death that was truly scary. Sigh, I'll do you a service kid and I'll hide some of this from the higher ups and as long as you manage to enter a decent school or sect it's gonna be worth it."
'Alchemist Lao Mào, the regional guild leader will want an report in hour' said a voice breaking Alchemist Lao form his thought
'Very well Alchemist Hui' said Alchemist Lao a tinge of respect in his voice
'Lao, an interesting rumor has reached my ears, something about an kid Kurosaki I believe was the name, awakening an incomplete fire spirit. The rumor also said that as soon as you saw it you left the ceremony of awakening. I believe you contacted this kid, am I right, now tell me what did you learn about his spirit' said a powerful deep voice
'Yes guild maste..'
' How many times did I tell you Lao that there is no need for formalities, our purpose is the same, reaching the peak of alchemy and becoming immortals' said guild master in the same powerful voice.
'I'm sorry guild master but I cannot possibly address someone of your level without the proper form of respect' said Alchemist Lao
'Sigh, continue please' said the guild master
'This boy Ichigo Kurosaki awaken a incomplete fire spirit and gave it the name of Hollow Fire'
' Hollow Fire ? Quite a strange naming sense if I say so myself '
' I thought so myself at tht time but after trying to analyze his spirit I found that the a better name couldn't possibly be given '
' Ohh, why is that ?'
' There are two particular things related to this kid's spirit, the first us that while it was obviously missing something like any other incomplete spirit, in his case it was on an deeper level and I believe his incomplete spirit can absorb more than one other spirit.' Alchemist Lao took a break to analyze the guild master reaction.
"An mutated incomplete fire spirit" thought the guild master stunned "Lao isn't a fool and since he didn't announced this directly something must have happened, maybe it's related to this second particularly, anyway we must do something to win this kid's trust, so Lao's decision wasn't really bad"
Continue please' said the guild master after regaining his bearings
' Yes, I tried to delve deeper but I was stopped by the second particularly, i'm sorry guild leader but I insist you take a place as what I'm about to say is quite shocking '
'Sigh, if you say so' said the leader, not really believing that something can be more surprising than an mutated incomplete fire spirit.
'Huh, as soon as I tried to reach deeper something, I believe a second spirit launched an soul attack managing to kick me out'
'WHAT, an soul attack' said the leader almost falling from his chair
"That, how can it be, spirits capable of soul attacks are extremely rare, i believe that there are currently about 12 of them in the entire world, well 12 registered, but that doesn't change the fact that we have an small monster with two extremely rare powers, Lao's decision is obviously for the best, as long as we slowly gain his trust we will have an invaluable ally but first..."
'Lao, just how strong was the soul attack ?'
' Well it wasn't really that impressive, it did managed to give me some nightmares but nothing major, a pill furnace exploding in my face, failing to advance to spirit level things like this ' said Alchemist Lao
'Given that it was an freshly awakened spirit is already quite strong, affecting you a peak level mortal is no small feat. Considering his age we must approach carefully and since you interacted with him before, it's going to be a little easier contacting him when he comes to pick his school or sect' said the leader thoughtfully
' Well now that we sorted this out let's go for a drink, I'll pay of course'
Scene Break
"Ichigo, now I see why your sister was concerned about your spirit" thought Isamu as he picked a small branch from the group." Whatever you did to this poor branch definitively wasn't fire related.
And Aiko knew something was up even before your got awakened, usually she would be the first to jump at you when coming home, but this time when she saw your pale skin she changed her mind. I believe it's safe to assume that she can feel something we don't, and given that the Fire Temple isn't allover us, probably only she can feel whatever Ichigo's spirit is.'
Dad ? What are you doing ' a voice sounded behind Isamu's back
Turning around he saw his youngest child.
'Nothing my dear Kohaku, just thinking about what I'm going to teach Ichigo.'
'Oooo, and where is Ichi ?'
' Well, he should probably be with his friends at Old Ling.'
'Ichi's not home ? Then you play with me.' said Kohaku happily.
Scene Break
Ichigo' said Diao Chan
' Diao what are you doing ?' another voice sounded, a boy slightly taller than Ichigo with blue hair, small eyes, and a crooked nose
'Xiao Bai' said trying to find the name for that particular face
' Diao why are you talking with Trash fire Ichigo ?' said the now named Xiao Bai
'What did you say ?' jumped Ichigo
' Ohh isn't that true ? I did heard that your spirit is rare but useless so Thrash Fire is a fitting name, compared to my Nefarious Fire spirit your's is simply not worth mentioning '
'Xiao Bai , the only thing special about your spirit is it's name, frr what I heard it's just a variant of the common fifire spirit so it's just slightly stronger' said Diao Chan defending Ichigo's spirit
'So what ? Even so my spirit is far superior to his, and given that the only thing he can do is hiding behind a gir..' Xiao Bai didn't get to finish his sentence as a fist connected to his face
' You punched me' sai Xiao Bai genuinely surprised
' Yea obviously ' responded Ichigo
' You're finished ' jumped Xiao Bai while summoning his spirit
' What are you doing ' screamed Diao Chan noticing the orange flame on Xiao's hand.
Once she saw that she won't receive an answer she tried to interfere only fot a hand to tap on her shoulder stopping her.
' I'll be fine, believe me ' said Ichigo full of confidence, summoning his spirit with his left hand
' You really think that your pathetic spirit can challenge mine, dream on' said Xiao Bai launching the hand holding his spirit towards Ichigo's face'
"Fast" thought Ichigo "No, I can see him"
just as he thought that he raised his left hand intercepting the attacking spirit
The two spirits touched and for a second nothing happened, then a force forcibly separated the two kids fight breaking the contact between spirit.
' What did you brats did just now was so stupid it's unbelievable ' old Ling sounded ' A fight between spirits is not something you wish to start now when both your roots and spirits are trying to remove the energy from the one that helped you awaken your spirits. Why do you think is the reason for the two years pause between awakening your spirits and joining a school is.' said old Ling calmly
'Fights between cultivators are quite normal, but no one is usually so stupid to force their spirit to fight several days after the awakening, I'm very disappointed in you Ichigo Kurosaki, you as well Xiao Bai you have nothing more than a variant of an common spirit and think that everyone is beneath your notice. Now go home and think about what you just did.' said old Ling watching how the kids left with downcast expressions
"Xiao Bai, you have no idea just how close you were to crippling your spirit, Ichigo spirit is something that even I at my peak would want. An mutated incomplete fire spirit this is really could be either a blessing or a curse, and judging by his reaction he knows something about his spirit, that girl Diao Chan knows as well. There really aren't many organizations or people that know the true power of this kind of spirit thr only one in the area is the Heavenly Pill Association so it isn't really a problem if they knew."thought old Ling as he headed for his hhouse
"But his spirit is even more abnormal that I originally thought, in that short fight Ichigo's spirit actually managed to absorb some of Xiao's spirit power. Unusual very unusual, and there is also that purple glow, it was searching for something inside Xiao's spirit...This kid is simply a way too mysterious." ended
Scene Break
Deep inside Ichigo's soul an small marble looking orb with thousands of small cracks is waiting. At one point in time it's patience rewarded it with some sort of new energy. It tried to absorb it but unfortunately couldn't really finished as it absorbed two and a half out of five energy signatures the energy source was removed from it's host. Not that it really mattered as those cracks didn't let it accumulate power as soon as an certain amount of energy was reached the rest no matter how much it tried to take just slipped through those cracks.But today was a good day as it's host was getting in some kind of stupid fight the orb entered in contact with another type of power, similar to reiatsu the only difference was that it felt alive. As it reached for that new power the orb only managed to take a small part of it as something disconnected it from it's source.
As the orb absorb and processed this new power one of the countless cracks mended itself.
The Hogyoku survived.
