Chapter 5: Hot-Blooded Protagonist Ichigo Kurosaki, Arriving in Style!
Mo Yu realized he couldn't keep going on like this. With a single thought, the screen split into another perspective. This new camera took flight, streaking across the sky at high speed in search of the female lead, Rukia Kuchiki.
As a modern city, Karakura Town was densely populated. Finding a specific person was no easy task, but Mo Yu trusted his Divine Authority. Although restricted within the Bleach World Bubble, simply locating someone shouldn't be a problem.
Indeed, following his intuition, the flying perspective soon found the missing heroine several blocks away.
To his surprise, Rukia was not in a good state. She was already injured and surrounded by three Hollows. She was struggling to break through their encirclement, but her strength was failing. If this continued, Rukia would soon lose her status as the female lead and transition from a Soul Reaper to a corpse.
Seeing this, Mo Yu frowned and muttered:
"Aizen, what are you doing? Haven't you already arranged the meeting between the hero and heroine? They haven't even met yet and Rukia is about to die. Making such a huge blunder... Aizen, do you even deserve your professional title as a mastermind?"
Sosuke Aizen, Captain of the 5th Division of the Gotei 13. His public persona was that of a gentle, caring man, but his true nature was exceptionally arrogant and calculating. Possessing Peerless talent, immense willpower, and execution, he was the world's top time-management master. While other Soul Reapers were busy slacking off, Aizen worked 24/7 without holidays, cultivating and plotting. In the business of "hustling" and "grinding," he was second to none—an ambitious pragmatist dedicated to changing the world order.
Aizen's specialty was delivering dialogue full of "coolness." In this world, combat power was proportional to one's "coolness factor." When your "coolness" was high, you were invincible; lose it, and you'd be a loser immediately. Since before Ichigo was born, Aizen had kept an eye on the Kurosaki family. After Ichigo's mother died, that attention shifted to Ichigo himself. Rukia's arrival in the World of the Living and her encounter with Ichigo were all silently manipulated by him from behind the scenes.
This was why Mo Yu had told Ichigo that a certain trash-talking mastermind considered him a son.
Aside from her beauty, Rukia's background was prestigious; she was the adoptive younger sister of the current head of the Kuchiki Clan, one of the Four Noble Families. Her own potential was also great; once she reached the stage of Bankai, she would be one of the top combat powers in the Soul Society. On paper, Rukia was the ultimate "rich, beautiful lady" of the Three Worlds—in a Wuxia setting, she'd be a top-tier Saintess or Fairy.
Not every mastermind is kind enough to arrange a heroine of this caliber for the protagonist. Furthermore, in the future plot, Aizen would quietly arrange "elite fodder" for the newly awakened Ichigo to gain experience. Once Ichigo reached a certain level, Aizen would personally craft a heavyweight main storyline, guiding him step-by-step to the peak. Being this considerate, calling him "Father" wasn't even an exaggeration.
But that was the original plot. Now, Aizen's layout was clearly showing signs of spiraling out of control.
Rukia was being mobbed and was on the verge of death. By the time the still-mortal Ichigo ran several blocks over, he'd only be able to offer flowers at her funeral.
Though he had the "Time Reversal" as a safety net, it wasn't time to admit defeat yet. While Mo Yu slid his mouse to deliver relentless Divine Slaps to the Hollow attacking Ichigo, he spoke to the boy:
"Ichigo Kurosaki, it seems there's a bug in the plans of that trash-talking mastermind who views you as his son. According to his arrangement, today you were supposed to have a blind date—er, a meeting—with the heroine who would open your path to the supernatural. But right now, this heroine is being beaten by three monsters and is on the brink of death. What are your thoughts? Will you act as if nothing is wrong and go to school, waiting for the mastermind to arrange 'Heroine Number Two' for you? Or will you try to do something, save 'Heroine Number One,' and reclaim your path of destiny?"
"How bored is that mastermind? Does he really think I'm his son?! Arranging a blind date with a woman I've never met?!" Ichigo was stunned. He clearly took Mo Yu's teasing literally. However, he quickly recovered from the shock, and after a moment of silence, countless thoughts crossed his mind. Finally, he said:
"Even if I want to... right now, I can't do anything..."
These words revealed Ichigo's true feelings. As a hot-blooded protagonist, he couldn't stand by while someone was in danger, even if he had never met them. But after personally feeling the terror of a Hollow, that feeling of helplessness was vivid.
"The 'I can't do anything' line... it feels familiar. Though I want to make a joke about you having the right password but the wrong account, you probably wouldn't get it. So, I'll stop. What I truly want to tell you is... Ichigo Kurosaki, do you think too little of me as an observer, and of yourself who is being observed by me?"
Ichigo was puzzled. Then, Mo Yu's laughter echoed in his ears, rising from a low chuckle to a loud proclaim:
"In a certain parallel world, a weak and incompetent boy relied on the power of 'Save/Load' after death to overcome every hardship time and time again..."
"In a world invaded by aliens, a man piloted a mecha through hundreds, thousands of time loops, defeating an alien army single-handedly to save the world..."
"In a world surrounded by Demon Gods, a spiky-haired boy, through sheer willpower, crossed hundreds of millions of deaths to defeat all and redeem everyone..."
The holy voice from beyond became increasingly grand and majestic, like a decree of Heaven:
"In the infinite worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, Time is the cruelest ruler, but also the womb of the greatest miracles. Ichigo Kurosaki, you who are watched by me are the Anointed One, blessed by the River of Time. If you wish to advance, put on the Crown I bestow upon you, and there shall be no enemy in this world you cannot defeat. If you are willing to try, mount the White Horse I grant you, and all paths paved by possibility shall be at your feet. If you so desire, you shall win victory after victory until the world is filled with your Glory..."
The passionate, holy voice gradually returned to peace, ending in a whisper:
"The only thing that can stop you is your own resolve."
If anyone else had said this, it would only draw ridicule. But to Ichigo, who had personally experienced time reversal, it ignited his blood. His eyes turned determined, his stance instinctively adjusted into something "cool," and even his voice took on the steady, magnetic charm of a true man:
"Then what are we waiting for? Keeping a girl waiting for a blind date isn't what a man does!"
Mo Yu stroked his chin. He knew that in anime, "gag characters" could go from sketchy drawings to handsome warriors in a second. Bleach was a world where "coolness" equaled power—the stronger the character, the higher the "coolness factor." Still, seeing Ichigo's art style suddenly "evolve" and his demeanor become so stylish surprised Mo Yu.
But those were minor details. Mo Yu said: "Since you've decided to attend this fated blind date, let me give you a push!"
By now, the Hollow attacking Ichigo had been slapped to death by the "Divine Palm." Mo Yu swiped his mouse violently. An invisible hand of God flew behind Ichigo, grabbed him by the torso, and in the next instant, the stylish and handsome Ichigo was launched into the sky like a rocket. He let out a tragic, ghostly scream as he soared toward the distance at high speed.
In a secret, dark chamber within the Soul Society, rows of 3D projections made of Reishi flickered, bringing color to the lightless gloom. Three cloaked figures watched the screen. After a moment, a voice spoke:
"Captain Aizen, it seems the little cutie you arranged isn't being very obedient."
The voice was slithering like a fox—lazy, cunning, and cold. Responding to him was a gentle, steady voice, seemingly smiling:
"Gin, there is no need to worry. Compared to those insignificant pawns, the incredible phenomenon of time reversing in the World of the Living is far more worthy of our attention."
The leader of the trio lifted his head. Beneath the cloak, his handsome and gentle face wore a matching smile, but the eyes hidden behind thick-rimmed glasses flashed with an indescribable sharpness.
The Reishi screen reflected the scene of Rukia being besieged.
As a competent mastermind, even though Aizen was in the Soul Society, he maintained surveillance over the World of the Living. Although this surveillance wasn't incredibly powerful due to the barrier between worlds, it was quite thorough for core pawns like Rukia.
For his plan, Aizen had indeed intended to lure some Hollows to attack Rukia, but he did not intend for her to die. At least, he didn't want her dead until her utility was exhausted. After all, a pawn with Rukia's specific background wasn't easy to find.
Originally, Aizen had arranged for a "trash-tier" Hollow to be the catalyst for Rukia and Ichigo's meeting in the morning. In the evening, a slightly stronger Hollow would attack Ichigo's house.
That Hollow was to be Ichigo's test—a trial to force his awakening. Perhaps out of "fatherly kindness" or pity for a "rare specimen," Aizen hadn't made the test too harsh. Rukia was supposed to act as the insurance.
To Aizen, those low-level Hollows were just disposable tools. He had ordered them to enter a state of dormancy in the World of the Living, intending to send a subordinate to give them a one-time command at the right moment before retreating back to Hueco Mundo to maintain total secrecy.
However, he hadn't expected a time reversal to sweep across the world. The subordinate's arrival and command were "overwritten" by the reversal. The trash Hollows, lacking guidance and unable to suppress their hunger, followed their instincts to hunt the life-form with the highest spiritual power. Thus, Rukia, as a Soul Reaper, was mobbed.
Watching the screen, Aizen's expression was calm. Even though his plan had hit a snag, he wasn't discouraged. He simply thought about how to salvage the situation or use the turn of events to further his goals.
There was no shortage of female Soul Reapers. If Rukia, the "rich lady," was gone, replacing her with another wasn't unacceptable.
Why did it have to be a female Soul Reaper? The reason was simple: a busy mastermind like Aizen wanted every move to yield multiple benefits. He wanted Ichigo to produce offspring as soon as possible—the more rare samples, the better.
Aizen's thoughts began to drift toward his database of female Soul Reapers—which ones were good-looking, had a good temperament, and were "fertile" enough to enter a "one birth per year" lifestyle with Ichigo. This would allow him to enjoy a happy life with so many specimens he could use them and throw them away.
But Aizen quickly caught his drifting thoughts and focused on the present. He said calmly:
"Kaname Tosen. The time reversal in the World of the Living won't escape the monitors of the 12th Division. The Captain-Commander will likely find out soon and issue orders. Try to secure the mission to investigate the truth of this event personally. As for now..."
Aizen could save Rukia if he was willing to pay a price, but after weighing the pros and cons, he felt it wasn't necessary. There were too many "meddling rats" like Kisuke Urahara in the World of the Living; showing his hand now might lead to complications.
Aizen fixed his gaze on the screen, a cold, ruthless whisper escaping his lips:
"Let us quietly watch the end of the Kuchiki Clan's daughter. I hope her death is as brilliant as a white plum blossom, worthy of the Kuchiki name... Eh?"
The cold whisper was replaced by surprise. On the projection, a figure carrying a deafening roar descended from the sky like a superhero, intervening in the crisis of the three Hollows attacking Rukia!
Rewinding time slightly, Rukia, besieged by the Hollows, felt the premonition of death filling her heart as her injuries piled up.
"Is it finally my turn to die? Yes... it seems this is my moment of atonement..."
A flash of guilt and relief appeared in Rukia's eyes. Looking back at her past, the regret and guilt of personally killing someone she admired had tightly bound her kind nature. Now, it was finally time for it to end. With this thought, she slightly loosened her grip on her Zanpakuto.
This wasn't giving up; she intended to erupt all her spiritual power in a moment to cast a Kido spell and take the enemies with her. This was the final pride of a Soul Reaper and a member of the Kuchiki family!
A Hollow swung a massive hand. Rukia didn't dodge, clashing with it head-on. She was blown back, crashing into a nearby building. The three Hollows lunged simultaneously. Rukia spat out a mouthful of blood, but her eyes were brighter than ever as she yelled in her heart:
"Come on!"
At that exact moment, a figure with a deafening roar descended like a flaming meteor, slamming into one of the Hollows and blowing it away!
Then, a holy, mysterious voice suddenly rang out from the sky, as if reciting poetry:
"One night the blade is drawn, severing the path of Yin and Yang! With a mask upon his face, he is unrivaled in the Three Worlds! Never absent in the heroine's hour of need, never yielding, never giving up—the invincible, hot-blooded protagonist, Ichigo Kurosaki, has arrived in style!"
Rukia was currently too weak to wonder where the voice came from. She only opened her beautiful eyes, staring blankly at the figure who had landed—and was now twitching violently on the ground next to her.
End of Chapter
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