NOTAKING
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Chapter 27
🕑 Added 2025-04-07 05:17:14 +0000 UTCIchigo laid on his bed at night, staring at the ceiling as he let out a quiet sigh. He knew Chad was going to leave, and yet, he did nothing to stop him. There was no point. Chad was stubborn, and when he made up his mind, nothing could change it. But that didn't mean Ichigo had to like it.
'I won't drag killing the Hollow though, can't have Karin suffering. After this arc, what happens again? Oh, it's the Grand Fisher one,' he thought, exhaling sharply through his nose.
That was an arc he never liked in the anime. It was one of the saddest moments, and the fact that Ichigo couldn't finish the fight made it even worse. That feeling of helplessness had always stuck with him.
'But I guess dad will finish him off for me. Oh, I almost forgot about Uryuu,' he mused, shifting onto his side. His mind wandered as he thought about everything that was about to happen, his memories of the series overlapping with his current reality. It was strange—knowing what was coming yet still experiencing it firsthand.
...
The next morning, the house was lively as usual. Everyone was gathered around the table, eating breakfast and chatting, the warm aroma of food filling the air. It was a rare moment of peace, one Ichigo didn't take for granted.
That peace, however, was short-lived.
The door slammed open with a loud bang, and Isshin stormed into the room, his face a mixture of exaggerated panic and concern.
"Chad ran away!" he shouted, flailing his arms dramatically as if the world was ending.
Ichigo didn't need to hear anything else. He abandoned his half-eaten breakfast, pushed his chair back, and ran upstairs without a word. He burst into Rukia's room, finding her already half-dressed in her school uniform. She looked at him, eyes sharp, already understanding the situation without needing an explanation.
She gave a single nod, and that was all the confirmation he needed. Without wasting another second, they both rushed out of the house, Ichigo leading the way.
He knew exactly where Chad was, so there was no hesitation in his steps. His feet pounded against the pavement as he sprinted through the streets, the wind rushing past him. This time, he wouldn't waste a second.
The Hollow let out a deep, guttural laugh, its long, jagged claws flexing as it crouched low. Then, with a sudden burst of speed, it lunged, its massive arms swinging down toward Ichigo.
Whoosh!
Ichigo sidestepped at the last second, the force of the attack splitting the pavement where he’d stood. Without hesitation, he countered—his sword slicing in a clean arc toward the Hollow’s torso.
Shing!
The blade cut deep, black mist hissing from the wound. The Hollow howled in pain, staggering back as it clutched its chest.
“You damn Soul Reaper—!” it snarled, but Ichigo was already moving.
He kicked off the ground, closing the distance instantly. The Hollow barely had time to react before—
Thud!
Ichigo’s foot slammed into its mask, cracking it as the creature stumbled backward. It roared in fury, swinging wildly in desperation.
Clang!
Ichigo parried the attack with ease, his sword locking against the Hollow’s talons for a brief moment before he pushed forward, breaking its stance completely.
He didn’t plan to drag this out.
Raising his sword high, he brought it down in a swift, final strike—
Shing!
The Hollow’s mask split in two, its body freezing as a deep, hellish glow erupted from its wounds. Suddenly, massive chains shot up from the ground, wrapping tightly around the creature.
“No—! No, this isn’t—!”
A giant black gate materialized behind it, its intricate patterns glowing with eerie red light. The Hollow screamed, thrashing as the chains dragged it backward. As the doors slowly creaked open, skeletal hands emerged, gripping its body and pulling it inside.
The last thing Ichigo saw was the Hollow’s terrified face before—
SLAM!
The doors shut with a resounding boom, then vanished into thin air.
Ichigo exhaled, lowering his sword.
“That settles that,” he muttered before turning toward Chad, who stood frozen, gripping the birdcage tightly.
“Yo, Chad,” Ichigo called, stepping forward as the dust settled.
He paused, realizing something. ‘Oh, right. He can’t see me like this,’ he thought, shifting his attention to the birdcage in Chad’s hands.
Before he could say anything, Chad’s voice cut through the silence.
“I can see you, Ichigo,” he said, his expression unreadable. “What’s with that get-up?”
Ichigo blinked, momentarily caught off guard. Then, a small smirk tugged at his lips. “Oh, you’ll understand one day,” he replied casually before turning his attention back to the parakeet.
The bird fluttered slightly inside the cage, its tiny voice trembling with gratitude. “Thank you, Ichigo. You saved me."
Ichigo’s smirk softened into a small smile. “No need to thank me,” he said. His gaze turned gentle. “I think it’s time for you to meet your mom on the other side. I heard she’s waiting for you.”
The parakeet chirped, almost like a sigh of relief, as Ichigo raised the hilt of his sword.
With a swift yet delicate motion, he performed Konso. A soft glow surrounded the bird, and in the next moment, its spirit emerged, taking the form of a young boy. The boy gave Ichigo one last grateful look to Chad before vanishing in a stream of light, heading toward the Soul Society.
Ichigo exhaled, watching as the glow faded.
A familiar presence approached from behind. He turned to see Rukia walking over, carrying his limp body. She placed it carefully on the ground, nodding at him before he stepped back inside.
As soon as he was back in his own body, he stretched his arms. “Man, that always feels weird,” he muttered.
Rukia, meanwhile, turned to Chad, raising her hand. Before he could react, she erased his memories of the event.
Just like that, everything returned to normal.
A few days passed.
Ichigo had barely gotten the chance to breathe before the madness of his life continued. This time, it came in the form of Kon, the annoying little mod soul. But after dealing with that mess, things finally settled down enough for a normal day.
The festival had arrived.
Ichigo didn’t think much of it—it wasn’t anything grand, just a small local festival. He dressed normally, wearing a simple black T-shirt and jeans. Nothing flashy.
Orihime and Tatsuki, on the other hand, had gone all out, both dressed in elegant yukatas.
When Ichigo saw them, he gave a simple nod. “You two look good,” he said.
Both girls blinked before blushing slightly, Orihime smiling brightly while Tatsuki looked away, rubbing the back of her head.
Ichigo raised an eyebrow, confused by their reactions. “What?”
Orihime giggled. “Nothing, nothing!”
With that, the group began their night at the festival, the warm glow of lanterns lighting up the streets as the sounds of laughter and fireworks filled the air.
[A/N: I skipped Kons arc]
TO BE CONTINUED
