Reclaim! Power and Truth!
[A/N: Refer to Bleach wiki for words that are show-specific if you don't know about them.]
[A/N: I've placed several OST recommendations to listen to when you read a specific interaction. Try doing it and see if it works for you.]
'Where am I?... It feels so warm… Is this what it feels to be dead?', Ryuji thought to himself as soothing warmth engulfed him.
"Please…", A voice reached his ears.
'Whose voice is that? It feels so…warm and feminine.', Ryuji thought to himself as he turned in its direction.
"Hold on!", A masculine voice called out to him.
'What is going on? Why should I hold on?', Ryuji asked himself in his mind.
"Don't do this!", Another masculine voice, wavering like a crying man's, reached his ears.
'I shouldn't do what?', Ryuji asked himself again with no answers.
"Please…Don't leave us! Don't leave me! Sasuke-kun!", The female voice begged as it was the woman was crying.
'I shouldn't leave where… Why are you crying?... Who are you?... Who is Sasuke?', Ryuji asked himself again.
"Kurosaki-san…Kurosaki-san…KUROSAKI-SAN!", Another voice called out to him, causing the surroundings to blind him with light.
Unknown place,
'What the?... Where am I?... What is going on?...', Ryuji opened his eyes, with his vision clearing up to see a man wearing a striped dark green hat.
"Woah…You woke up! ", The man exclaimed with his fan covering his face.
"Where am I? This is not my father's clinic. Argh!", Ryuji asked as tried to get up, which made him feel pain in his back.
"Now, now. You shouldn't be up, Kurosaki-san. Your wounds haven't healed up. You'll die if you move around too much.", The man told him.
"You are that guy, who helped Ichigo out of his body…", Ryuji said as he recognized the man.
"How rude of me. I'm Urahara Kisuke, the owner of this shop. Pleased to meet you.", The man introduced himself.
"I'll take it that you know who and what I am…", Ryuji said with a skeptical look.
"Yes…and I am very much interested in knowing how gained and lost your Shinigami powers.", Urahara asked him.
"…", Ryuji went silent as some latent memories surfaced.
"Kurosaki-san?", Urahara asked Ryuji.
"Yes?", Ryuji asked, snapping out of it.
"You haven't given me any answers.", Urahara replied sitting down, while a black cat with bright yellow eyes walked in.
"I would prefer not to answer.", Ryuji stated bluntly, looking Urahara straight in the eye.
"Well, I guess it can't be helped…", Urahara said as he got up.
"Hey…", Ryuji called him.
"What?", Urahara asked him.
"Was Ichigo here?", Ryuji asked him.
"H-How would you know that?", Urahara asked him surprised.
"His watch is right near the corner. If I was normal, I'll think that was a poor cover-up. But, I am not dumb to not know that you placed it there for me to notice and ask you about him. So, what's with Ichigo?", Ryuji finished with a question.
"Congratulations! You have found it out!", Urahara exclaimed while opening his fan which had 'Congratulations' on it.
"I'd suggest you answer the question.", Ryuji told him, not wanting to entertain Urahara.
"You're such a humorless kid.", Urahara commented with a sigh.
"Answer the question.", Ryuji pushed again.
"Yesterday, when two Shinigami from…", Urahara narrated what happened to Ichigo with a sigh.
"So, the two Shinigami destroyed his powers like mine is?", Ryuji asked Urahara.
"Yes.", Urahara replied while nodding.
"And Rukia will be taken for execution in about 30 days?", Ryuji asked Urahara.
"Yes.", Urahara replied.
"And you are training Ichigo to become a Shinigami again.", Ryuji continued.
"Yes.", Urahara replied again.
"And you informed me this because you want me to become Shinigami again.", Ryuji finished.
"Only if you wished for it. 10 days of training, 7 days to open the gate to soul society, and 13 days to get to Soul Society. I'll have more than enough time to push you around.", Urahara told Ryuji.
"…", Ryuji listened silently.
"How about it? Are you ready to play a game of life and death with me for 10 days?", Urahara asked Ryuji, looking intensely.
"Game on.", Ryuji replied with the same intensity, making Urahara and the cat smirk.
The Next Day, Morning,
Images…Millions of them flashed in front of the eye. The man with the red eyes appeared in front of Ryuji…His words of deep wisdom and his actions of great sacrifice flashed so fast that Ryuji didn't realize the vision ended…
'What the hell was that?', Ryuji thought to himself as he woke up from that vision.
Evening,
The air around Ryuji was glum. He was healed of his physical injuries, but the psychological and emotional injury of Senjumaru's betrayal made him into this. Ichigo being depressed and sad remembering the forgotten Rukia added more sadness to Ryuji. Before Urahara could start training Ichigo, Ryuji should get his training started. That was why he was standing in Urahara's shop after school just ended.
'I have to get back my Shinigami powers before Ichigo starts or at least make sure that our training doesn't overlap. The only way to do that is by starting at the earliest namely now.', Ryuji thought to himself as he walked down a secret tunnel under the shop, led by Urahara.
"We've reached the place, Kurosaki-san.", Urahara told Ryuji as they reached a large underground cavern beneath his shop.
"…", Ryuji stood there without a reaction.
"Huh?! What is this?! Imagine that! A huge underground cavern was under the shop!", Urahara exclaimed in mock surprise.
"Wow! How surprised I am by finding an underground cavern under the shop of a guy like Urahara?!", Ryuji exclaimed sarcastically, mocking Urahara.
"Well, you seem to be in a great mood.", Urahara commented.
"Can we start?", Ryuji asked with an uninterested face.
"All right, as you wish.", Urahara replied, pushing Ryuji's soul out of the body with his Gokon Tekkō cane.
"Grah!", Ryuji grunted as he fell on his knees as a soul, with a chain extended from his chest connected to his body. "You could have warned me, damn it!", Ryuji yelled before finding it hard to breathe.
"When you're in the form of a soul, it's hard to breathe, isn't it?", Urahara asked Ryuji.
"Yeah…", Ryuji answered, struggling to breathe.
"Right now, your Hakusui, which is the wellspring of your Reiryoku, and the Saketsu, the booster, have been destroyed.", Urahara explained.
"Ugh…", Ryuji grunted, struggling to breathe.
"In other words, your soul is like that of an average person who has no spiritual power. So to start, we must restore the Reiryoku that has been lost.", Urahara completed.
"And how do I do that?", Ryuji asked him with a serious expression.
"Well, rather than to explain, why don't we just do it?", Urahara asked Ryuji with a smirk before calling out to Ururu, asking if she was ready.
"Nice to meet you.", Ururu greeted while carrying some equipment in her skirt.
"Lesson One. Please fight her.", Urahara told Ryuji.
"Huh? Come again?", Ryuji asked Urahara.
"Lesson One will be over once either one of you be rendered immobile. Please knock her out.", Urahara explained.
"You want me to fight a child?", Ryuji asked with his expression asking 'Seriously?'.
"I think it will be quite difficult.", Urahara stated.
"Please put those on properly. Otherwise, you'll die.", Ururu told Ryuji, placing some protective gear in front of him while wearing one herself.
"…Fine.", Ryuji said with a sigh and wore the gear.
Suddenly, Ururu sprints up to Ryuji and punches him, catching Ryuji off guard, and creating a large explosion of force. The dust was so large and widespread that they couldn't see what had transpired.
"See? Don't say I didn't warn you.", Urahara said as he watched Ururu come out of the dust.
"He isn't coming out.", Jinta commented.
"Did he die?", Tessai asked Urahara.
"I wonder.", Urahara replied.
Ryuji came out of the dust rolling and kipped up. He turned around to look at Ururu with a look of shock. Taking a breath, he ran towards Ururu.
"He is running towards her.", Jinta commented as he watched Ryuji.
"Hmm…", Tessai watched as Ryuji ran past Ururu.
"He ran past her.", Jinta commented as Ryuji kept on moving as Ururu punched and crashes into the path he took.
"Does this crap even work?", Ryuji asked Urahara while he continues to run away from Ururu's attacks.
"That was hurtful.", Urahara commented, offended by his question.
"Tch. Come at me.", Ryuji's lips twitched as he turned around to face Ururu.
"…", Ururu's eyes widened at Ryuji's change of pace, and punched him.
"…", Ryuji moved his body a little to the lift, dodging her punch.
"Oh?", Jinta was surprised.
"Hmm…", Urahara smirked while Tessai looked at them seriously.
"…", Ryuji took off and landed a couple of steps behind.
"…", Ururu came at him with a punch again.
"Hmm…", Ryuji dodged the punch with a triumphant smirk and punched at Ururu, scraping and wounding her cheek.
Ururu stared coldly at Ryuji as her eyes dilate and stepped on top of his outstretched arm before delivering a powerful kick to his head, sending him crashing into a nearby rock.
"Safe!", Urahara commented as he caught Ururu's leg during the kick and Tessai caught Ryuji before crashing into the rock.
"Hmm… I want to fight again.", Ryuji told Urahara, getting up to his feet.
"Congratulations! Lesson One is cleared!", Urahara congratulated Ryuji.
"But I lost to her.", Ryuji stated.
"Oh, I didn't say a thing about knocking out Ururu to clear Lesson One.", Urahara informed Ryuji.
"Huh?", Ryuji asked.
"After all, she has the fighting skills to counter Shinigami. There's no way a human soul can beat her.", Urahara explained.
"Hmpf…", Ryuji sighed.
"By the way, are you still having trouble breathing?", Urahara asked him.
"I can…Does this mean my Reiryoku is restored?", Ryuji asked in realization.
"Yes, this lesson's point was a one-shot battle. Whether you can dodge the first punch or not. Reiryoku increases the fastest when the soul is in danger of being destroyed. If you can raise your Reiryoku sufficiently, you can dodge the punch and it's all good!", Urahara explained.
"And if I didn't, I'd have died?", Ryuji guessed.
"Yes!", Urahara replied with a smile.
"…", Ryuji gave Urahara 'the look'.
"I had faith…that you'd succeed.", Urahara told Ryuji.
"Now then, your Reiryoku is back. So…let's celebrate and…Go straight into Lesson Two.", Urahara informed Ryuji as Tessai cut his soul chain with an axe.
"Huh?!", Ryuji was taken aback at Tessai cutting his chain, making him fall on his chest and sitting on top of his back, rendering him immobile.
"…", Tessai sat on Ryuji's back without any emotion.
"I'm going to die…", Ryuji said, struggling under Tessai's weight.
"Precisely, once the Chain of Fate is broken, you can longer return back to your physical body. You'll just die.", Urahara explained.
"Woah! I never knew that this would happen! Why did you do this?!", Ryuji exclaimed sarcastically.
"Let me tell you something interesting. The chain will begin the Encroachment at the point of severance. And when it reaches your chest, you will become a hollow…and it will be the end.", Urahara explained to Ryuji.
"So, If I don't want to end up as a hollow, I have to become a Shinigami?", Ryuji asked Urahara, making Urahara respond with a nod.
"Once you clear Lesson Two, you will regain the powers of a Shinigami. So, what do you choose?", Urahara finished with the question.
"Like I have a choice…", Ryuji commented with a smirk.
"Okay! Then let's do it. Go!", Urahara exclaimed and the ground under Ryuji disappeared, revealing a deep hole.
"WOAH!", Ryuji yelled in surprise and he fell into a deep hole with Tessai on top of his back.
Down the Hole,
"Guh! What are these?!", Ryuji winced in pain and asked himself when he notices that his arms were bound.
"Bakudo #99, Part 1 - Restrict! It was bold of me, but until this lesson is over, your hands shall remain bound.", Tessai said with his fingers crossed in position.
"Kurosaki-san! Climb back up here in that state. That is the lesson…also known as the Shattered Shaft", Urahara told from the top of the hole.
"Am I supposed to grow wings and fly out?", Ryuji asked sarcastically.
"I don't think you have the time to be sarcastic…", Urahara told Ryuji, prompting Ryuji to notice the tip of his soul chain grow mouths and eat itself.
"ARGH!", Ryuji screamed as he felt the pain.
"At the bottom of the Shattered Shaft, you have 72 hours, or three days, before the chain is completely encroached. You must come back up here as a Shinigami before the time is up. Otherwise, we'll have to kill the hollow that you will become.", Urahara explained and finished the last sentence with on a serious note.
Days later,
While Ichigo was trying to clear Lesson One, Ryuji was still struggling to climb up the hole. He tries everything he could think of. He tries using his speed to bypass the low friction and gravity to climb up. It had failed just like every other method he tried. He had also tried breaking out of the Kido but was unable to do it as his human soul is not that strong yet.
'What should I do? I timed it every time I tried to climb up and failed. How do I get up there? I only have 2 hours left!', Ryuji was asking himself in his mind before noticing someone sliding down the hole.
"I brought you some food. I figured you'd start feeling hungry.", Jinta told Ryuji with a smirk carrying a plate full of fruits.
"I have two more hours and a few more of my chains left…", Ryuji replied to him.
"I guess it can't be helped. The Final Encroachment is the like the ones before.", Jinta warned Ryuji with a serious look.
"Huh?! What the? All of the chains?! Stop! Stop- RAAAWWWRRRR!", Ryuji yelled as all the remaining links on his Chain of Fate grow tiny mouths, devouring each other and the base of the chain on his chest, leaving Ryuji with a medium-sized hole in his chest, after which, a white fluid begins leaking from his eyes and bursting out of his mouth, causing him to scream while a mask starts forming itself over the right side of his face.
"Hey, hey! This is bad! He's going to become a hollow!", Jinta exclaimed in fear as he climbed up the hole.
"I'm going into rescue mode!", Ururu said as she extended her left arm.
"Hold it.", Urahara told her.
"Kisuke-san…", Ururu called as she stopped what she was about to do.
"Watch him carefully. Usually, when a Plus becomes a Hollow…its spiritual body bursts first and then reforms. But in his case, the order's all mixed up. The body is still a Plus, while the mask is being created first. This is proof that he is resisting. There's still a possibility that he will become a Shinigami again. Let's just observe for a little longer… And see if he truly becomes a Hollow.", Urahara explained to the two while Ryuji was resisting his reformation to a hollow.
[A/N: Nothing Can Be Explained (Vocal Version) for this interaction with the spirit]
In a familiar place,
"Heh? Where am I?", Ryuji asked himself as he woke in a familiar but unknown place.
"Here…", A voice reached his ear.
'Who was that?', Ryuji asked himself as he turned around to see his Zanpakuto spirit.
"I didn't think we'd meet again at this time…", The spirit commented standing on a pole.
"I as well…We have no time, I need to find a way to stop becoming a Hollow.", Ryuji informed the spirit as it changed its standing position.
"I know that…But I'm surprised that you can sit there without falling.", The spirit replied showing that it was standing on the side of a pole.
"Huh? Woah!", Ryuji yelled as he realized he was perpendicularly standing on the wall, fell, and screamed while the spirit followed him down.
"If you can scream, you have time to spare. Quite a good sign. Do not worry. Shinigami rule death. They control many spiritual beings.", The spirit told him as it was falling right next to Ryuji.
"I'm…not…a Shinigami now.", Ryuji told the spirit.
"Remember! The Shinigami power Senjumaru Shutara snuffed out of you was the power she gave you. Of course! It was all she was after. She thought that by destroying that, she could end this! She was careless! She overlooked the fact that you have Shinigami powers of your own.", The spirit explained to Ryuji.
"My own? Shinigami powers?", Ryuji asked in realization.
"That's right! The power that was awakened by Senjumaru's power hid in the depths of your soul before Senjumaru could land her strike.", The spirit told Ryuji, making him surprised.
"…", Ryuji kept falling down without a response.
"Now find it! If there was ever a time when you could find the hidden power of the Shinigami…that time is now. As this world has begun to collapse. There are countless spheres falling down and one of them is your Shinigami power. Find it!", The spirit told Ryuji as the world around him collapsed into medium-sized white spheres.
"Are you kidding me?!", Ryuji asked in frustration.
"I will not abide any excuses. There is no time. Before this whole world is completely destroyed, find it. Or you will become a Hollow.", The spirit informed Ryuji with a serious face as Ryuji fell into deep waters with the spheres.
'What should I do? How can pick the correct sphere out of the millions in front of me?', Ryuji thought to himself observing everything around him.
The image of Senjumaru passed through his mind….
'Why the hell am I thinking about her?', Ryuji asked himself.
The image became a conversing scene…
'Wait! I know this memory. This was right after I asked Senjumaru to teach me the basics of Hollow hunting.', Ryuji remembered.
Senjumaru's words seeped in a little….
'Red?', Ryuji asked himself.
"Do you know that the Shinigami spirit ribbon color is red?", Senjumaru told him in the memory.
'Yes…That's it!', Ryuji smirked as he remembered what she said and summoned the spirit ribbons.
Countless spirit ribbons from each sphere came towards him.
'There it is!', Ryuji said as he got hold of the ribbon and swam towards the sphere it originated from.
Reaching the sphere, Ryuji took hold of it to find a tomoe symbol on it. Ryuji opened the top of the sphere…
"A Zanpakuto's handle?", Ryuji asked as he found a Zanpakuto in the sphere.
"You've done well finding it. I hope that next time, you will be able to hear my name.", The spirit told him.
"Hmm…", Ryuji nodded at the spirit before pulling out the spirit.
In the Real world,
Urahara, Jinta, and Ururu continue to watch the mask form on Ryuji's face as he screams. When the iron shafts pinning the fabric to Ryuji's arms burst out behind him.
"We're at the limit, Boss! I'm switching to suppression mode. Bakudo #99 Part – 2, Bankin!", Tessai chanted plunging his hands into the ground, which caused a white mass to burst from the point of contact.
"AAARRRGGGHHH!", Ryuji continued to yell with a Hollow mask covering his face.
"First Incantation: Bandage!", Tessai chanted making the white mass wrap itself around Ryuji in the form of long strips of fabric.
"Second Incantation: Hundred Dead Bolts!", Tessai chanted making Ryuji get subsequently punctured by numerous metal bolts around the head and shoulders.
"Hey Tessai! If you do that, he'll die!", Jinta yelled from the top of the hole.
"There is no other way! I can't hold him down any longer! I must destroy him before he becomes a Hollow! Final Incantation: Bankin Fatal Seal!", Tessai said before chanting and summoning a gigantic iron cube, which hurtled downward onto Ryuji.
However, as the cube reached Ryuji, the fabric covering his chest and face is destroyed, revealing a Hollow mask underneath, and Urahara pushes Jinta and Ururu to the ground in order to shield them with his body while a torrent of golden-yellow Reiatsu erupts from the Shattered Shaft.
"W-What? Something's coming out! What the heck is that?!", Jinta exclaimed as something burst out of the Reiatsu torrent and bounces off the ceiling multiple times before crashing into the ground nearby.
"…", Urahara looked at the crash only to find dust flying all over.
"Hey! Is that you? Answer, Raven Head! If you're alive, answer me!", Jinta asked as he walked near it a bit.
"Huh?", Jinta was shocked upon seeing a pair of glowing red eyes staring back at him, then revealed to be a figure with Ryuji's raven hair standing with both a shihakusho and a Hollow mask.
"Shihakusho…and a mask? Is he a Hollow? Or a Shinigami?", Jinta asked looking at the masked figure drawing his half-broken Zanpakuto from the sheath on his back.
"Don't underestimate us! Come at us if you want!", Jinta exclaimed agitatedly as he stood ready with Ururu.
"…", The figure pushed its mask aside to reveal Ryuji with his attractive coal-black eyes.
"You didn't become a Hollow?", Jinta asked in surprise, relaxing a little with Ururu.
"Hmm…", Ryuji let out a sigh as he contracted and relaxed his hand and other muscles.
*clap**clap**clap**clap**clap**clap**clap**clap**clap**clap**clap**clap**clap*
"Congratulations! You went and became a Shinigami again! Well done! You've cleared Lesson Two!", Urahara said in a cheerful tone.
"Shut up!", Ryuji said as he hit Urahara's face with the hilt of his Zanpakuto.
"Owww!", Urahara reeled to the ground in pain.
"Now that I came out alive, I'm so going to rip you apart!", Ryuji exclaimed with a smirk, anger evident in his eyes.
"Perfect timing. With that spirit, we'll go right Lesson Three.", Urahara said after he got up.
"Hmm…", Ryuji listened with a sigh.
"Lesson Three has no time limit at all! If you can use your Zanpakuto to knock my hat off, the lesson will be complete.", Urahara told Ryuji pointing to the hat on Urahara's head.
"Like that?", Ryuji asked with a smirk as he delivered a powerful upward slash with his Zanpakuto directly in front of Urahara, who observed his hat receiving a small cut on the brim from the force of the attack.
"Not bad, considering your Zanpakuto is broken.", Urahara commented.
"I am not wasting time on knocking your hat off. Let's end this thing in 4 minutes.", Ryuji told Urahara, pointing his half-broken blade at him.
"Sounds good. Four minutes…and we'll end this, huh?", Urahara repeated as he drew his own blade out of his cane.
"Hmph!", Ryuji took off at great speed toward Urahara.
"Good…", Urahara blocked the attack and slipped out.
"Hmph!", Ryuji turned around and attacked Urahara again.
"Woah…", Urahara dodged the attack and was surprised to find that Ryuji's blade graced his hat and would've knocked it off without Urahara's speed.
"If you're going to fight like that, it's going to be an easy win for me.", Ryuji told Urahara with an uninterested face.
"Wake up! Benihime…", Urahara called out and his blade changed into a Zanpakuto. "It's not going to be an 'easy win' anymore.", Urahara stated as he held his Zanpakuto in its true form.
"The Zanpakuto's name…", Ryuji said in realization.
"Yes…Each Zanpakuto has a name. And this is… her name. Let's go…Benihime.", Urahara explained before attacking Ryuji, sending him crashing to the rock.
"Grah!", Ryuji managed to minimize the effect of the attack just in time to block Urahara's next strike.
"I commend you for not running and countering my sword with your broken one. That's some courage. However, Benihime isn't so kind that she'd let a sword like that stop her.", Urahara complimented Ryuji before cutting through his blade.
"Damn it!", Ryuji cursed as he slashed at Urahara with the remaining blade, which Urahara dodges.
"Weren't you told? Your sword's just big. That's all. There's no concentration of Reiryoku in it. It's just distended and holds its shape. That's why I can…cut it easily like that.", Urahara told Ryuji before cutting his blade again, leaving only a small part of the blade and its handle.
"Grrr!", Ryuji growled out as he looked at his Zanpakuto.
"Now that your sword isn't that sharp enough… will you still attack me with that? C'mon, you just have to knock off my hat. You can do it with that remaining part. However, it won't be just courage or guts that's necessary.", Urahara told Ryuji.
"Grrrr!", Ryuji growled out more in anger.
"Let me warn you... if you still wish to face with that you…I will kill you!", Urahara stated exerting his Reiatsu.
"Hmph!", Ryuji attacked Urahara again, prompting him to dodge.
'Why is it this way?', Ryuji was knocked over by Urahara's slash, which he recovered from.
'Why can't I fight him?', Ryuji threw his Zanpakuto at Urahara's head, which Urahara knocked off.
'Is the end of my desire to accomplish my goal?', Ryuji took off at insane speed, trying to lock Urahara's neck, which Urahara slipped out of.
'I am so…', Ryuji picked up his Zanpakuto and slashed at Urahara, which Urahara dodges.
"Foolish…", A voice told Ryuji.
"You…", Ryuji said as he saw his Zanpakuto spirit.
"Why are you agitated, Ryuji? It's because you haven't called me yet. Look ahead, Ryuji. You should be able to hear it by now. Your anger is the only thing that is making you shut your ears off. ", The spirit told Ryuji, engulfing him back into Ryuji's inner world, making Ryuji stop in his tracks.
"Hmm…", Urahara stopped his attacks as he noticed Ryuji had stopped on his track.
"You are one and the enemy is one. What is there to be agitated about?" The spirit told Ryuji.
"…", Urahara set his Benihime for another attack.
[A/N: Shiro Sagasu's Number One (Vocal Version)]
"Abandon your worries!", The spirit said as Ryuji extended his blade.
"Look Ahead! Go Forward!", The spirit told Ryuji as he set his blade near his left leg with Reiatsu building up around him.
"Never Stop! If you withdraw, you'll become old. If you Ire, you'll die.", The spirit told Ryuji while Reiatsu kept increasing.
"Call it out! My Name is-!", The spirit told Ryuji its name.
"Raijin Kurogetsu!", Ryuji called out as he let out a torrent of powerful energy that Urahara dodged, leaving carves on the ground as it bolted through.
"W-what was that?!", Jinta exclaimed in shock at the power let out by Ryuji.
"Hmm…", Urahara held onto his cap and the dust revolving around Ryuji cleared up, revealing Ryuji holding a broadsword shaped like a Yanagiba with blue decorative wrapping and the hilt had a grey tassel. The most distinguishing feature of the blade was that the handle had a red circle with a black dot in its centre.
"What's with that Zanpakuto? It's got a strange red circle on the handle. It's not even shaped like a proper sword. The other one was better.", Jinta commented at the Zanpakuto while Tessai looked shocked at the Zanpakuto's power, its shape, and most importantly, the way Ryuji stood with absolute dominance.
"Hmm…", Ryuji picked up his Zanpakuto and observed it keenly.
"Well now… Now that you have your Zanpakuto, shall we start Lesson Three at the earliest?", Urahara asked Ryuji with an excited tone.
"Urahara…I have to get used to doing this. So…make sure not to die!", Ryuji said as he increased his reiatsu pushed off the remaining binding on his shoulder, and held his blade up with both hands for an attack.
"Wake up! Benihime!", Urahara called out to his Zanpakuto to shield himself from Ryuji's attack.
"RRRRAAAWWWRRRR!", Ryuji growled out and he swung his blade down, letting out a torrent of lightning that bolted through Urahara, causing dust to come up and leave craters behind him.
"Without these blood shields, I'd have lost an arm.", Urahara commented without the hat as the three shields that he had summoned fell down in pieces.
"…", Ryuji stood there with his eyes closed.
"Oh boy…my hat's damaged too. But…I didn't think you'd do it in one swing. Kurosaki-san, you are one vengeful child.", Urahara said as he found his hat wrecked from the lightning and wore it after getting it back to shape a little before looking at Ryuji who was looking at the sky.
[A/N: Nothing Can Be Explained OST (Instrumental Version) in here]
Ryuji's Inner World,
"…", Ryuji stood right in front of Raijin Kurogetsu and kept staring.
"…", Raijin Kurogetsu stared back at him.
"You know why I am here, don't you?", Ryuji asked his spirit.
"Yes... About the visions of a man with the same red eyes as you.", Raijin Kurogetsu replied.
"Also, the same face as you.", Ryuji stated.
"Yes…My appearance does resemble his. But, that is what you wanted to ask, is it?", Raijin Kurogetsu accepted the fact.
"Who is that man in my visions who looks like you? Why does my heart hurt every time I see a vision? Is it really a vision? Or a memory? If it was…then who am I?", Ryuji asked all of his questions in one go.
"The Questions are many but the answer is one. Know who you are everything will reveal itself.", Raijin Kurogetsu replied to Ryuji.
"I am asking you because I don't know.", Ryuji told the spirit.
"Do you not know or have you not tried to know?", The spirit asked Ryuji, sending Ryuji into deep thought.
"What should I do?", Ryuji asked after thinking deeply.
"Close your eyes…", Raijin Kurogetsu said and Ryuji closed his eyes.
The world in front of Ryuji was a dark mess…
"Relax…", The spirit told Ryuji, making Ryuji's nerves calm.
The mess cleared up, giving clarity in the darkness…
"Retrace yourself to that memory…", The spirit continued.
He found himself on the road where he met that man who had the same eyes as him…
"Allow it flow in and flow out…", The spirit finished.
Various memories flooded in…
"You were…", Raijin Kurogetsu started.
Various memories flooded in…
"One of the world's greatest Shinobi!", Raijin Kurogetsu stated.
The Shinobi world and their lifestyle made sense to Ryuji…
"Born in the Shinobi village of Konoha!", Raijin Kurogetsu stated again.
Memories and information about the village revealed themselves to Ryuji…
"The Scion of the Uchiha!", Raijin Kurogetsu stated again.
From its fan to its massacre/genocide revealed themselves to Ryuji…
"Uchiha Sasuke!", Raijin Kurogetsu called out.
Below Urahara's shop, the cavern,
"Huh?! What was that?! Why is his reiatsu flaring up?!", Jinta asked as he and Ururu were shielded by Tessai from Ryuji's intense.
"Huh?!", Urahara stood in shock at Ryuji's Reiatsu flaring up exponentially, stirring up dust around Ryuji, rendering Urahara and the others blind towards him.
"…", Ryuji stood there without a movement.
"Guh!", Urahara tried to keep his hat from flying away in the Reiatsu's magnitude before it became stable.
"What is going on?!", Jinta asked again.
"…", Ryuji opened his eyes slowly, revealing red eyes filled with two black tomoe and a central black circle in each eye.
End of Chapter - 7