[A/N: I will be honest. With all the comments I've been receiving. It's hard for me to continue writing. I'm thinking of dropping this series. So yeah, Thank you to everyone who supported me. Peace ✌]
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Tessai nodded, gesturing toward the back of the shop. "He should be inside. Let me take you to him."
They walked through the shop, and Kisuke was at the counter, casually sorting through some paperwork. He noticed Rukia's approach and flashed her a grin. "Oh, Rukia, welcome!" he said in his usual laid-back manner.
But Rukia wasn't in the mood for pleasantries. Without warning, she pulled out her phone and threw it straight at Kisuke's face.
Thud!
The phone hit Kisuke square in the face, and he stumbled back in surprise. "Ow!" he yelped dramatically, raising his hands in defense. "What was that for?!"
"I tried calling you a hundred times, and you never responded!" she snapped, crossing her arms and glaring at him. "You call that customer service?"
Kisuke quickly regained his composure and gave her an apologetic smile. "Ah, sorry about that, Rukia. We've been pretty busy around here. You must've called when we were out."
Rukia just stared at him for a moment, clearly unimpressed with his casual attitude. "I don't care if you're busy, Kisuke. It's not an excuse for ignoring calls."
Meanwhile, Jinta, now recovering from his earlier reprimanding, couldn't help but add his own commentary. "Hey, where's that guy with the orangutan hair? Isn't he your boyfriend?" he asked, his grin mischievous and teasing.
Rukia froze, her face flushing bright red at the unexpected question. She quickly responded, her voice flustered, "No! He isn't my boyfriend!" She waved her hands in front of her as though trying to ward off the suggestion.
Jinta, clearly enjoying her reaction, chuckled. "Good, 'cause I can't stand that guy."
Rukia, still blushing, ignored Jinta's comment and finally refocused on the reason she came. Her expression grew serious again as she faced Kisuke.
"There's something I need to ask you," she said, her tone no longer teasing.
Kisuke, sensing the shift in her mood, looked at her more seriously now, his playful smile fading into a more neutral expression. "What is it?" he asked, his voice calm and focused.
Rukia took a breath, knowing the conversation was about to take a more serious turn. She stepped forward, ready to ask the question that had been on her mind for some time.
Kisuke, for his part, waited patiently, fully aware that this conversation was not going to be about trivial matters.
"Quincy," Kisuke repeated slowly, his hand tapping his chin thoughtfully. "I haven't heard that word in a long time," he mused aloud, as if reminiscing about something long forgotten.
Rukia's patience was running thin. "You know what it means?" she asked, trying to hide the irritation creeping into her voice.
Kisuke glanced at her with an amused smirk, clearly enjoying her frustration. "They didn't teach you that?" he teased, raising an eyebrow, a playful glint in his eyes.
Rukia crossed her arms and scowled. "Just tell me, okay?" she demanded, her voice rising in frustration. She was done with the games and wanted answers.
Before Kisuke could respond, Tessai, who had been silently standing by the door, spoke up in a deep, rumbling voice that immediately commanded attention. "It brings back memories," he said, his tone laced with a hint of nostalgia. He shifted slightly, placing a hand on the doorframe as his gaze turned distant, as though lost in a memory from long ago. "Let's see, it's been two hundred years since I last heard that word."
Rukia blinked, taken aback by Tessai's comment. "Two hundred years?" she echoed, her voice full of disbelief. "Why? What exactly is a Quincy?"
Kisuke's expression shifted then, no longer playful but serious. He looked Rukia in the eye, his demeanor more sober now. "A Quincy is a human who possesses the ability to sense and combat Hollows," he began, his tone gravely serious. "But they don't fight them in the same way Soul Reapers do." He paused for a moment, gauging her reaction, before continuing, "Quincies use their own unique spiritual energy to kill Hollows. They don't purify them; they destroy them completely."
Rukia listened closely, her brow furrowing as she processed the information. "So they're like Soul Reapers, but they kill them in a different way?" she asked.
Kisuke nodded slowly. "In a sense. But there's more to it. Quincies are, or at least were, a very proud and ancient group. The problem is, their methods of dealing with Hollows led to them causing a massive imbalance in the world. Their spiritual energy annihilated the Hollow, but it also disrupted the flow of souls, causing damage to the balance between the living world and the Soul Society."
Tessai, standing beside the door, spoke again, his voice filled with a weight of experience. "The Quincy are a dangerous group, Rukia," he warned. "They can be incredibly powerful, but their power comes with consequences. That's why they were hunted down and nearly wiped out."
Rukia blinked in shock. "Wait... so the Soul Society... wiped them out?" she asked, her voice small.
Kisuke's face darkened for a brief moment, as if recalling painful memories. "Yes, or at least, that's what they tried to do," he confirmed grimly. "The Quincies were declared a threat to the balance of the world, and a war broke out between them and the Soul Reapers. The Soul Society eventually came out on top, but at great cost."
Rukia was quiet for a moment, trying to digest the information. "But if the Quincies were destroyed... how is Uryuu still alive?"
Kisuke's eyes softened slightly. "It's not the same Quincy group you're familiar with," he explained gently. "There are still a few left, scattered and hiding in the shadows. Uryuu Ishida is one of them."
Rukia's thoughts swirled as she pieced everything together. "So Uryuu is...?" she started, her voice tinged with disbelief.
"Yes," Kisuke interrupted. "He's a Quincy, though he may not know everything about his heritage. The Quincy bloodline runs deep in his family, but they're a fading race. Uryuu's pride and determination to carry on that legacy is what makes him so dangerous."
Tessai, who had been silent for a moment, added, "And you should know, Rukia, the Quincy will not stop at just being a few survivors. There are some among them who wish to revive their race's former glory... and that's something you should be prepared for."
Rukia looked between the two men, a deep sense of foreboding settling in her chest. "So, what now?" she asked, her voice calm but serious.
Kisuke gave her a small, thoughtful smile. "Now, we wait and see. Uryuu will likely try to challenge Kurosaki, and you'll need to be ready for whatever comes next. The Quincies may have disappeared for now, but they've never truly gone away." He paused for a moment, letting the gravity of his words settle. "And when they come back, it'll be a much bigger problem than just Uryuu."
As Uryuu and Ichigo stood facing each other, the tension in the air was palpable. The wind rustled the leaves around them as they prepared for what was to come. Ichigo reached into his bag and pulled out Kon, the small, plush toy that was actually a soul in disguise. Without a second thought, Ichigo opened his mouth and quickly swallowed the small soul ball, feeling Kon's familiar energy surge through him as his soul left his body.
In an instant, Ichigo's body was now motionless, a blank shell without its original soul. Kon's soul, now in control, stood tall and gave a quick nod to Ichigo's instructions.
"Kon, run to Rukia," Ichigo's voice echoed inside the plush body as he spoke, his presence firmly in control despite Kon's form.
Kon, still adjusting to his temporary body, quickly nodded. "Got it!" he said, before sprinting off toward Rukia's direction, his tiny feet kicking up dust as he disappeared into the distance.
Ichigo, now completely aware of his surroundings, refocused on Uryuu. The Quincy stood still, his eyes narrowed, seemingly unfazed by the whole scene. He calmly reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, mysterious vial. With a swift motion, Uryuu sprinkled the Hollow bait into the air, and the scent immediately began to spread, drawing the attention of nearby Hollows.
Suddenly, a crack split the sky above them, like the sound of a thunderclap, and from the rift emerged the menacing shape of a Hollow, its grotesque form writhing and snarling as it materialized into the world.
Uryuu didn't waste a moment. He raised his bow, the Quincy cross glinting in the light as his spiritual energy flared. With the speed and precision of a trained archer, he fired.
WSSHHH
The sharp, blue beam of spiritual energy sliced through the air, hitting the Hollow squarely in the forehead. The creature let out a horrific screech before crumbling into dust, its mask shattered in a single, clean shot.
"That's one," Uryuu said coolly, lowering his bow, his eyes scanning the area for the next threat.
Ichigo, however, was already a step ahead. With his senses sharpened, he immediately detected another Hollow not far behind. Without waiting for Uryuu's next move, Ichigo grinned, his eyes glinting with excitement.
In a blur of motion, Ichigo activated Flash Step, the ground beneath him crackling as his feet pushed off the earth with explosive speed.
WOOSH
He appeared before the Hollow in an instant, his blade already drawn. The Hollow barely had time to react before Ichigo sliced through its mask with a swift, powerful strike. The creature evaporated into nothingness with a soft whoosh, leaving only the faintest echo of its defeat.
Uryuu's eyes widened in surprise, though he quickly masked his reaction, tightening his grip on his bow. "Tch, you're fast," he muttered under his breath, clearly impressed but trying not to show it.
Ichigo stood tall, a smirk forming on his face as he turned to Uryuu. "Let's see who's faster," he said, his voice dripping with confidence. His posture was relaxed, but there was an undeniable energy radiating from him. He was eager for the challenge.
TO BE CONTINUED
[A/N: "Enjoying the story? Get early access to extra chapters by supporting me on Patreon! Right Now Ichigo is about to learn his Bankai ]