Red Eyes Awakening
A day after Takashi's 'extermination', Karakura Highschool rooftop,
"I can't believe that my healed up in a day.", Ichigo told Rukia while rubbing his forehead where Acidwire/Sora Inoue had injured him.
"Surprised? I was among the best in my Kido class. That was a piece of cake.", Rukia replied with pride.
"Class? So…Shinigami's go to school?", Ichigo asked her.
"Huh? Well yes…But Ichigo…How do you drink this?", Rukia asked as she held up a juice box after answering his question.
"Huh? You just poke a straw in it and drink.", Ichigo replied.
"Straw?", Rukia asked him confused.
"Hey, you're together again.", Mizuiro said as walked in with Ryuji carrying lunch.
"Huh?", Ichigo said as he noticed the two walk in.
"You guys are pretty friendly, huh?", Mizuiro commented on him and Rukia.
"Mizuiro…Fool! Do we look like friends?", Ichigo scolded in realization.
"Am I wrong? Oh well, if you say so. Ichigo, you should be more aware of what people will think.", Mizuiro stated as he stood next to them.
"Stupid, if I cared about what people thought, I'd have dyed my hair black.", Ichigo responded as he opened his juice box.
"And that would have not ended well.", Ryuji added.
"That's true.", Mizuiro agreed.
"So this is how!", Rukia said out loud, finally getting the straw out of its cover.
"Huh?", Mizuiro said as he noticed her and smiled.
"But where do I poke this?", Rukia asked herself and inspected the juice box.
"Hello Kuchiki!", Mizuiro wished her.
'How should I plan my 100 hollow exterminations?', Ryuji cut himself off from the other three and went into his mind space to think.
After School,
Skating through the routes, Ryuji made it to the desired location. It was an old warehouse that had large windows with dust-layered glass. Ryuji walked next to the shutter and opened it to reveal Senjumaru, observing the whole structure from the inside. There were only less times did he notice how the golden moon-shaped ornament on her long black hair make her look beautiful. That tall and slender figure of hers with her mature personality is his ideal type of woman.
"Please come in, Ryuji-kun.", Senjumaru called him, turning around.
"Why did you call me here?", Ryuji asked as walked in.
"To train you.", She replied.
"On Kido?", Ryuji asked instinctively.
"And Zanjutsu.", She added.
"Okay…How do we start?", Ryuji asked her.
"First, get out of your body.", Senjumaru said as she pushed him out.
"…You love pushing me out without a warning, don't you?", Ryuji asked as he stood as his Shinigami-self.
"Let's start with a Kido lesson.", Senjumaru told him after giving a short smile of mischief.
"How?", Ryuji asked her.
"Bakudo #1: Sai!", Senjumaru said as she pointed her index and middle finger at Ryuji.
"Argh!", Ryuji growled as his arms here locked behind his back.
"That will be our first spell.", Senjumaru told him.
"Rargh!", Ryuji growled out as he broke the Kido and got his arms apart.
'Unbelievable…To break that Kido in mere seconds. His soul must be stronger than I anticipated.', Senjumaru thought to herself.
"What now?", Ryuji asked her.
"Use it on me.", She told him.
"Bakudo #1: Sai!", Ryuji said as he used that spell on Senjumaru, which yielded zero results.
"Try it a few more times.", She advised him.
After sometime,
"Something's not right…", Ryuji told her as he just failed another attempt.
"Why do you say that?", She asked him.
"This is the 70th time and yet, no effect.", Ryuji told her.
"This is Shinigami Dark Arts. It's not something you can learn just like that. That's why souls go through proper training in the Shinigami academy.", Senjumaru told him.
"Can we resume this after Zanjutsu training?", Ryuji asked her.
"I had thought so too.", Senjumaru replied bringing out one of her soldiers.
"How do we do this?", Ryuji asked drawing his blade.
"Having us spar will yield minimal results as you must refine your Zanjutsu skills a lot to reach my level. But-" Senjumaru explained before suddenly making the Soldier attack him with a sword.
"What the-", Ryuji asked in surprise as he blocked the sword and jumped back.
'It got blurry for a second', Ryuji thought to himself.
"Having you fight in an actual battle against one of my Soldiers…will be more effective!", Senjumaru completed.
"Hmph.", Ryuji took off towards the Soldier.
"It's not that easy!", Senjumaru stated as the Soldier slashed at him.
"Hmph!", Ryuji blocked it with his Zanpakuto.
"You need to learn to defend yourself or you'll die, Ryuji-kun!", Senjumaru told him after the Soldier continued his assault.
Ryuji backed away a few meters as he found his vision blurry again. As he landed, he found the Soldier next to him. The Soldier slashed his sword at him, which he barely dodged as he was mildly hurt on the shoulder. The Soldier then suddenly disappeared and appeared at many places around him, making Ryuji lose focus. As he kept track of the Soldier, Ryuji realized that the Soldier had appeared behind him and turned around to intercept an attack but failed, earning a slash on his back.
"ARGH!", Ryuji growled in pain, blood coming out of the wound.
"Be serious! Or you will die!", Senjumaru warned him.
'How do I fight him? He is so fast as if he disappears and appears in places!', Ryuji thought to himself as he barely dodged another attack.
"Here we go!", Senjumaru said as the Soldier took off toward Sasuke at an insane speed.
"Grrh!", Ryuji growled as he brought his blade up to intercept it, which yielded negative results as he was slashed on his chest.
"Ryuji-kun!", Senjumaru called out in concern.
"Damn it!", Ryuji cursed as he felt blood gushing out of his chest.
'Concentrate! See everything!', Ryuji told himself as the Soldier started to disappear and appear in many places yet again.
'This is the final blow! I might have to withdraw the Soldier after this.', Senjumaru thought to herself as she saw how the Soldier use his power.
'Hmph!', Ryuji's eyes dilated as he moved when the Soldier attacked him through the front.
"What?! Unbelievable!", Senjumaru asked out loud as she witnessed Ryuji dodge the slash at insane speed with his eyes closed.
"Shall we end this?", Ryuji asked them as he opened his eyes.
"What is that?!", Senjumaru asked herself in shock as she sensed the rise in his reiatsu and noticed his red eyes with two Tomoes on the right eye and one Tomoe on the left eye.
"…", The Soldier began to repeat the same technique.
"…", Ryuji stood there silently, observing the Soldier.
"Amazing! He is following every of movement of the Soldier…", Senjumaru noted impressed as she noticed his eye movements, rivaling the Soldiers.
"…", The Soldier swung his blade at Ryuji from the side.
"Hmm…", Ryuji smirked before disappearing.
"Huh?!", Senjumaru gasped in surprise as Ryuji appeared behind the Soldier.
"HMPH!", Ryuji swung his blade at the Soldier, leaving a fatal slash on its back.
'He replicated the movement of the Soldier by just seeing it a couple of times. That's the chosen one for you.', Senjumaru thought to herself as she summoned the Soldier back to rest.
"What's next?", Ryuji asked her.
"Defeat them.", Senjumaru told him as she summoned a couple of other Soldiers.
"Hmm…", Ryuji smirked as the battle continued.
Time skip,
On a long, wide road covered with traditional Japanese houses on both sides with a fan imprinted on its walls, Ryuji found himself standing there, looking at someone. He felt himself to be younger, and weaker and have tears flowing down his eyes.
"You have the potential to become my opponent.", The man who stood in front of Ryuji said.
He was a fairly tall man of fair complexion. He had black eyes, under which were long, pronounced tear troughs. He had jet-black hair that was pulled back in a ponytail extending to his waist and his face was framed with center-parted bangs that extended to his neck.
"You are someone who could be able to use ******** ********* like me. However, on one condition…you must kill your closest friend. Just like I did…", The man told Ryuji.
"That was…your doing? Big Brother, you…killed ******?", Ryuji asked the man.
"That's right…and because of that I obtained these eyes.", The man told him, shocking Ryuji.
"If you have attained these eyes, you will be the third to utilize it.", The man continued.
'Why?! Why would he do this?!', Ryuji asked himself for reasons that passed him.
"However…at present… You are not worth killing.", The man said as he turned around.
'Why? Why? WHY?!', Ryuji found himself being made to ask that question to himself.
"And one day, when you have the same eyes as I do…come and stand before me!", The man told him with his eyes turning red with a strange pattern in them.
"Ugh…", Ryuji felt heavy and fell unconscious.
"Ryuji! Ryuji! RRRRYYYUUUUJIIII!", A voice called out to him.
Ryuji's room,
'What was that?', Ryuji asked himself as he woke up from sleep with tears falling down his face.
"Good Morning, Ryuji!", Isshin said with excitement as he entered the room.
"What?", Ryuji asked as he noticed Isshin jump on the bed and kicked him to the wall.
"Y-you're good!", Isshin commented after getting up from that kick.
"Why did you wake me up?", Ryuji asked him, going back to bed.
"Come and help me put a poster on the wall.", Isshin told him with an excited smile.
"A poster? Was that your reason to wake me up?", Ryuji asked him in a grumpy tone.
"Danger!", Isshin said in realization as he watched Ryuji get up like a demon.
"Hahahah!", Ryuji gave out a sinister laugh.
"HAAAA!", Isshin ran out of the room screaming.
'4:00 AM…Let's start our routine.', Ryuji thought to himself after noticing the clock.
After 4 and a half hours,
"I'm taking off!", Ryuji told Yuzu and walked out.
On the streets,
"Just a few more minutes.", Ryuji noted, looking at his watch
"Excited to go to school, are we?", a voice asked him from behind.
"Who the hell are you?", Ryuji asked as he turned around to find a fox-like hollow.
"You don't recognize me…That's bad…So bad!", The hollow said as it threw a punch at him.
'That voice-', Ryuji thought to himself as he rolled out.
"Not going to happen.", the hollow said as it punched him again.
"That voice…you're that mafia man who killed Junichi.", Ryuji noted in realization as he dodged the punch.
"Haha! It's so great that you recognize me. Now, be my prey!", The hollow said with a laugh before spewing some liquid out of its body with a vine-like hose that extended from his head to Ryuji.
"Damn!", Ryuji cursed when a little of the liquid caught on to him as he backed away and started to run.
"Don't think I'll let you go!", The hollow growled as it followed him like a predator.
'Where is Senjumaru? I need her to get me out of this body.', Ryuji thought to himself as kept running.
"Why are you running?! Stand and fight me like a man!", The hollow taunted as followed Ryuji like a predator.
"You give me no choice.", Ryuji stopped on his track and turned around.
"Now, we're talking!", The hollow stated in excitement.
"Bakudo #1: Sai!", Ryuji cast the technique, binding the hollows arms behind its back.
"What the hell!", The hollow cursed as it fell face first on the ground.
"What next, Mr. Predator?", Ryuji asked in a mocking tone with a smirk.
"Teme! Let me out!", The hollow scowled at him.
"Just wait until a Shinigami comes to kill you. Bye!", Ryuji told him and started walking off.
"Hey kid!", The hollow called out to him.
"Hmm?", Ryuji asked as he turned around to find the hollow smirking.
"I was not done.", The hollow told him with a sadistic look.
"What?", Ryuji asked as he noticed a spark flow out of the hollow's tongue.
"BURN!", The hollow screamed at him insanely as the liquid on Ryuji began to get ignited.
"What the- Argh!", Ryuji growled in pain as the flames took him by surprise and vanished, leaving various burns behind.
"Let me consume you!", The hollow screamed as it ran over to him, not breaking out of the Kido.
"Damn it!", Ryuji cursed out as he rolled away, throwing away his burnt shirt.
"It seems that your shirt took most of the damage…Don't worry, I'll make sure to drown you this time.", The hollow screamed as it threw a lot of that liquid out of the hose.
"Bakudo #39: Enkosen!", Ryuji cast, generating a dull yellow energy, which took the form of a large spinning disk of condensed Reiatsu, in front of Ryuji, blocking the liquid.
"BURN!", The hollow screamed as it let out sparks that ignited the liquid.
"Damn it!", Ryuji said as he felt his wounds take their toll on him.
"It's over no-", The hollow announced before getting punched in the face by Senjumaru.
"Ryuji-kun! Are you alright?", Senjumaru asked him.
"I'm fine.", Ryuji answered.
"Pretty impressive of you to hold on your own till now. Time to level the playing field.", Senjumaru told him.
"No matter how many people come, your spirit energy is mine!", The hollow growled out as it charged toward the two at an insane speed.
'Did I get him?', The hollow asked itself in its mind.
"You didn't…", Ryuji replied with a smirk, the hollow's blood dripping from Ryuji's long Zanpakuto.
"What?! AAARRGGGHHH!", The hollow asked in surprise and screamed in pain when its arm fell off.
"Seems you're still the little weakling, even when you are a hollow.", Ryuji stated, with his red eyes spinning around.
"B**tard! Where are you?!", The hollow growled as it was about to spew the liquid at Ryuji but found that Ryuji disappeared and looked around for him.
"Here.", Ryuji said as he appeared before the hollow in an instant and shoved the liquid-spewing hose into the hollow's mouth.
"Ugh!", The hollow groaned as it felt an arm shoved inside his mouth and his liquid go down his throat.
"Well, ignite it.", Ryuji asked the hollow, which stood in fear.
"I-I-I", The hollow couldn't speak a word in fear.
"Then, you don't need that tongue.", Ryuji stated as he pulled out its tongue.
"ARGH!", The hollow screamed out in pain and ran away in fear.
"Hmph.", Ryuji disappeared and appeared in front of the hollow.
"ARGH!", The hollow ran away again in fear.
"Hmph.", Ryuji did the same again with a sadistic smirk on his face.
"ARGH!", The hollow could only scream at this point, when it is made into the prey for the Ryuji, the predator, who was toying with him until evening.
"Die.", Ryuji said as he appeared in front of the hollow and slashed off its head.
"AAARRRGGGGHHHH!", The hollow screamed out as it began to disintegrate.
Suddenly, the hollow's wound begins spewing a torrent of energy as a large set of gates with the upper torsos of skeletons sticking out of the center of each door appears behind him.
"Is that hell?", Ryuji asked out loud.
"Those are the Gates of Hell. It is the reserved place for souls and hollows that has committed sins as a human as a Zanpakuto only cleanses the hollow of its sins committed as a hollow.", Senjumaru explained to Ryuji as the chains on the gates break apart, the gates open to reveal a red void within, and the hollow screams as its mask is torn apart before a large arm, wielding an equally large blade, impaled the hollow from behind, causing the gates to close and shatter.
"Thank you for coming in time…", Ryuji said as he fell, passing out.
"Ryuji-kun…Take rest…", Senjumaru wished with a smile filled with love after she caught him and carried him home.
End of Chapter – 3.