Seeing this, Kurosaki Ichigo's eyes nearly burst with rage, and his inner monologue echoed:
"My name is Ichigo. Dad said it means 'to protect one thing'!"
"So I decided to protect Mom. Mom was gentle, sunny, kind, the center of our family!"
"Unfortunately, such a mother ultimately disappeared!"
With Kurosaki Ichigo's inner thoughts, Ichigo, including the live stream viewers, were instantly transported into Kurosaki Ichigo's memories, to that rainy night six years ago!
Little Ichigo and gentle Masaki were walking home after karate practice.
A car sped by, splashing muddy water onto little Ichigo.
Only nine years old, little Ichigo's lips trembled as the mud splashed him.
Seeing this, Masaki took out a handkerchief and wiped little Ichigo's face clean, speaking softly: "Ara, Ichigo, maybe Mom should walk in front?"
Hearing this, little Ichigo quickly strengthened his resolve. "No, I want to protect Mom! And I have a raincoat, it's fine!"
Then, little Ichigo continued walking ahead of Masaki!
Just this short fragment was enough for anyone seeing it to understand what a wonderful mother Masaki was.
But something happened to this good mother.
Just as little Ichigo and Masaki were passing by the river, little Ichigo suddenly saw a woman wrapped entirely in a white cloak about to jump into the river!
That was exactly Grand Fisher's current mimicked form!
Seeing this, everyone could guess what would happen next.
Sure enough, upon seeing Grand Fisher, the kind-hearted little Ichigo rushed forward without hesitation.
"Ichigo!" Behind little Ichigo, Masaki was caught off guard.
Coincidentally, a truck was passing, preventing Masaki from stopping Ichigo.
Running ahead alone, little Ichigo was about to touch Grand Fisher!
But the moment he rushed forward, little Ichigo lost consciousness.
When he woke up, he only saw Masaki, who had been pierced through the back by something, lying protectively in front of him!
Ichigo's inner monologue sounded again!
"I promised to protect Mom forever, but I ended up causing her death!"
"From then on, the center of the family disappeared!"
A family photo flashed before everyone's eyes. In the photo, the Kurosaki Family was all smiling brightly.
But immediately, Masaki vanished, and everyone's smiles disappeared with her!
Yuzu stopped crying, no matter what, she always maintained a calm demeanor. The petite Karin forced herself to take on the household chores that Masaki used to handle!
The originally somewhat mature and reliable Kurosaki Isshin could only use his goofy ways to keep the house lively!
Clearly, Masaki's death had caused irreversible damage to the Kurosaki Family!
With the game's perfect rendering of the memories, everyone in the live stream felt it deeply as well!
"Damn, got something in my eye again!"
"Damn it, when you get older, you just can't stand seeing these things!"
"Kill it, kill that Hollow, avenge the mother!"
Such comments appeared continuously!
Ichigo, who was currently Kurosaki Ichigo, felt it most intensely!
Simultaneously, a box, visible only to him and the live stream viewers, popped up before his eyes.
[Player Ichigo has triggered an Awakening Mission: Kill Grand Fisher, the murderer of Kurosaki Ichigo's mother. Reward: Reiatsu increased to Lieutenant-level. Accept?]
"Yes!" Ichigo confirmed without hesitation!
"Something like this, even if you didn't say it, I would accomplish it!!!" Ichigo growled.
"Don't worry, Ichigo. Leave it to me. I won't let you down."
Faintly, Ichigo seemed to hear a soft 'okay'.
Then, his ejected consciousness instantly descended, returning once more to his body!
Returning this time, Ichigo even felt his control over the body had improved further!
Ichigo's eyes closed and then opened!
The next moment, the person was the same person, the Reiatsu was still at the 5th Seat-level, unchanged.
But the sharpness emanating from within felt like a blade pressed against the necks of all the Hollows present!
Looking at Ichigo, Grand Fisher realized, "I see. The anger in your heart has transformed you, hasn't it?"
"But you see, I've always believed that anger only dulls the blade. Losing a calm heart is a necessary condition for defeat!"
"Heh!" Facing Grand Fisher's words, Ichigo didn't say much.
Because from the moment he returned, a faint call had been coming from his sword!
He originally thought it wasn't time yet, or that he could force it when needed.
But he didn't expect that after returning to Ichigo's body, he had already met the conditions for Shikai!
'In that case!'
Ichigo closed his eyes.