I was very satisfied with the final result of all this. A mark at the beginning of my journey.
The blade in my hand was familiar and, at the same time, unknown. I knew it was just a copy, but until I can wield the original, I will be content with this one.
To test my new strength, I approached one of the trees in the forest. Taking a deep breath and positioning myself as best I could, I focused my attention on the trunk and delivered a clean, horizontal strike.
But...
CRACK
The blade broke.
Shards flew in all directions. One nearly sliced my cheek, barely missing, but still managed to pull a strand from my reddish-orange hair.
I watched the strands of that lock fall slowly, my expression perplexed.
I stumbled and fell to the ground.
"Thank Heiō... I didn't lose an eye."
Crossing my arms, I began to analyze why it had ended that way.
With the rustling leaves and the cold night breeze, a hypothesis formed in my mind.
To test it, I created two more blades.
Repeating the same motion, I struck the tree again. This time, the sword didn't break, but it didn't cut the tree either, it held firm.
Bringing it closer to my face, I noticed its sharp edge was full of chips.
"Tch…"
I dispelled the fragile blade and recovered the energy spent. Now, I gripped the third blade more firmly.
"Haaa!"
The sword didn't break, but it didn't cut the tree either.
Did I manage it?
That's when the blade started emitting a strange energy.
CRACK
'Not again…'
BOOM
It trembled. A blue spark glowed. Then, everything exploded in a deafening flash that threw me like a leaf in the wind.
Lying on the ground, gasping, my chest heaved frantically. I had concentrated half of my Reiryoku reserves and some Reishi in forming the blade.
Control. That was the problem.
Things to work on? Everything.
...
Hurt, tired, and dirty, I took the path home.
Hands in my pockets, I walked calmly down the sidewalk.
Karakura was never such a dangerous place, but it was never perfect either. Every now and then, the morning news showed something like a robbery or, in worst cases, murders.
I was getting close to a park when I heard something that made my whole body freeze.
"Meow~"
I turned around mechanically and saw what was behind me. I couldn't help but comment:
"Wow, kitty! You almost gave me a heart attack."
It was just a white cat, or rather, its soul.
Squatting down near the animal, I began to stroke its soft fur.
"Heh... Life isn't easy for anyone, huh?"
Giving it a quick once-over, like anyone would do with a random cat found on the street, I nodded in agreement.
"A girl, huh?"
The cat purred as she curled up in my hand, revealing the chain of fate resting on her chest.
A sudden thought crossed my mind:
'The animals of this world... do they go to the beast dimension, reincarnate, or become pure Reishi?'
There are countless mysteries that fill this world.
Stopping the stroking, I stood up and resumed walking, waving to the little creature that just stayed still, wagging its tail.
...
On top of a building near the park where Ichigo was, a man and a cat sat.
The man had a simple appearance, wearing a black trench coat, while the cat was a plain black cat with golden eyes.
"He's growing up." Surprisingly, the one who said those words was the cat, with a deep voice.
They were following Ichigo, jumping from building to building, tracking his steps.
The man nodded in agreement. With a tired sigh, he admitted in a hoarse voice:
"His mother wouldn't like this one bit. Looks like we'll have to start playing 'save a castle with the strawberry.'"
"Hmm... But he awakened his mother's powers, wouldn't it be more complicated dealing with him? It would be so much easier if he were a Shinigami." The cat concluded.
Rubbing his chin thoughtfully, an idea formed in his mind:
"Maybe we should kill—!"
THWACK
He couldn't finish his thought when a feline paw struck his face and, with supernatural strength, threw him to the ground, leaving a smoke mark where he was hit.
"Kisuke Urahara, of all your brilliantly stupid ideas, that was the worst I've ever heard!" The cat couldn't help but complain to the man, now known to be Kisuke Urahara.
He would later be known as a war potential, if you will, the Batman of Soul Society.
Rubbing his cheek, Urahara continued:
"I was just joking, but that doesn't change the fact that we need to get closer to him somehow. Isn't that right, Yoruichi?"
Yoruichi stayed silent and watched Ichigo arrive at his home while climbing the front of it and opening his bedroom window.
A smile formed on her feline face when a certain person came to her mind.
"His friend does karate, right?"
Urahara also smiled, understanding his four-legged friend's reasoning.
"That's a believable way to start things. You really like that master-and-student archetype? Don't you remember last time it went a bit wrong? The news spreads fast~"
Clenching her teeth, Yoruichi banged her paw on the ground with clear displeasure.
"Shut up, you failed failed-business owner!"
"It's not bankrupt, just strategically undervalued in the market!"
"..."
Yoruichi just watched with a poker face.
"Okay... maybe a little bankrupt. But still charming."