NOTAKING
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Chapter 34
🕑 Added 2025-04-09 18:33:09 +0000 UTCIchigo’s thoughts were a blur as he walked alongside Rukia, the weight of the evening settling in his mind. The chill in the air seemed to cling to his skin, his body still buzzing with the adrenaline from the battle.
He knew that Uryuu, with his arrogance and pride, wouldn’t let their confrontation go unresolved. The Quincy was itching for a fight, and Ichigo knew it.
' Tomorrow, this dumb fuck will wanna bet with me, Ichigo mused inwardly, a slight scowl tugging at his lips. Gotta be ready for the Hollow hunt and of course, the menos...'
....
The next day at school, the air was thick with excitement as the students gathered around to check their results. Orihime and Tatsuki stood in front of the top 50 list, both radiating pride and joy. Orihime’s name, sitting at number 3, stood out among the crowd.
"Wow, number 3! You're always awesome," Tatsuki said, her voice full of admiration and teasing. She clapped Orihime on the back with a grin.
Orihime beamed, a soft blush creeping up her cheeks. "Thank you, Tatsuki! I guess I really surprised myself too!" Her happiness was genuine, her eyes sparkling with the excitement of her achievement.
As the two friends shared the moment, Michiru, another one of their classmates, approached with wide eyes, a surprised laugh escaping her lips. "Wow, I didn’t know you were that smart, Orihime?!"
Orihime giggled, a little embarrassed by the attention but clearly pleased. Tatsuki quickly chimed in, her voice warm and teasing, "What do you mean? She's always been pretty and smart."
Orihime’s smile grew even wider, and she shyly thanked Tatsuki, her happiness evident as she squeezed her friend's arm.
Elsewhere, Keigo and Mizuiro stood, staring at the list with dismay. When they saw Ichigo's name at number 6, both of their faces fell. Their mood shifted instantly from carefree chatter to exaggerated despair.
"Don’t look, Sergeant Ojima!! Reality is brutish and ugly!! It can only pollute our pure hearts!" Keigo cried, covering Mizuiro’s eyes with both hands, as if shielding him from a horrible truth.
Mizuiro let out an exaggerated sigh and followed along, "Yes, sir! Captain Asano!" His tone was mock-serious, but his eyes still betrayed a trace of disbelief.
Keigo shook his head dramatically, turning away from Ichigo with a hand held up in a mock solemn gesture. "We reject you, Ichigo! We’ll never let you hang out with us again!" He paused for dramatic effect and turned to Chad, who was standing nearby, his expression unreadable. "Right, Chad?!"
Chad, however, wasn't paying attention to Keigo. His gaze was locked onto the list, his eyes wide in surprise. The realization hit him hard when he saw his name at number 12. His entire demeanor shifted, a quiet panic settling in. Keigo and Mizuiro noticed the change and were struck with even greater horror. Their souls seemed to leave their bodies as if floating in the air.
"Stay away from us!! You’re possessed by smart, dead, evil spirits!! Deceivers!!" Keigo shouted, backing away from Chad, pulling Mizuiro along with him as they bolted down the hall, their footsteps echoing off the walls in a frenzied retreat.
Ichigo could only shake his head with a bemused smile. He wasn’t bothered by their childish antics, especially since he’d already grown used to their over-the-top reactions.
The school day dragged on, and Ichigo couldn’t focus on anything but what was coming next. He slipped out of the classroom after the final bell, following Uryuu at a comfortable distance, knowing Rukia had already gone to visit Urahara. As he walked, he let his spiritual energy ripple freely around him, unbothered by the fact that he was essentially broadcasting his presence. He wasn’t hiding from anyone.
Eventually, Uryuu came to a sudden stop, and Ichigo almost walked right into him.
"You’re going to follow me all the way home, Ichigo Kurosaki?" Uryuu asked, his voice sharp with mild irritation, his eyes glinting with a mixture of disbelief and challenge.
Ichigo stepped back slightly, his hands in his pockets as he smirked. "Not really. I was waiting for you to say something."
Uryuu’s lips tightened, clearly irritated at the blatant lack of subtlety. "You aren’t discreet at all. You allow your spiritual energy to radiate with foolish abandon. Any psychic could notice you." He turned sharply, crossing his arms, his Quincy cross pendant flickering in the dim light.
Ichigo shrugged nonchalantly, his smirk never wavering. "So what? Not like I'm trying to hide it. You’re not exactly the stealthiest guy either."
Uryuu’s eyes narrowed. "I’ve known your unusual aura the moment I arrived at this school. I also knew that you became a Soul Reaper back in mid-May. And I’m well aware of Rukia Kuchiki’s true identity."
Uryuu raised a hand, and as he did, a Reiraku Spirit Ribbon manifested around him, a blood-red ribbon appearing like a silent warning. Uryuu tugged it slightly, and the air around them seemed to hum with tension.
"Do you even know that a Soul Reaper’s Reiraku is a different color? It’s red. I am a Quincy. I have the power to kill Hollows. Would you like to play a game, Kurosaki? To see who’s superior—a Soul Reaper or a Quincy?"
Ichigo raised an eyebrow, his smirk turning into a more genuine expression of interest. "And how do you plan to do that?"
Uryuu’s eyes locked with Ichigo’s, cold and confident. "You’ll know once you accept. I’ll show you how worthless Soul Reapers are."
The challenge hung heavy in the air between them, the unspoken tension palpable as the two stared each other down. It was clear this wouldn’t be just another petty rivalry. This was something deeper, something that would test both of their limits.
For the first time in a while, Ichigo felt a spark of true excitement ignite in his chest.
He then remembered what this would also stary' Orihime and Chad will awaken their powers today. Okay let's do it. ' he thought.
...
At Urahara’s shop, the usual chaos was unfolding in the front area. Ururu and Jinta were playing Rock, Paper, Scissors. Ururu, despite her quiet nature, was unexpectedly skilled at the game, winning each round with a calm, confident smile. Jinta, on the other hand, was growing increasingly frustrated with each defeat.
"Not fair!" Jinta grumbled, his face scrunched in annoyance. "You always pick Rock, huh?!"
Ururu merely blinked, her face impassive as she calmly reached for another hand gesture to play.
"Ah, you’re just mad because I’m better at this game" Ururu teased, though her tone remained soft and pleasant.
Jinta huffed in irritation, his hands clenched into fists. He suddenly reached over and grabbed Ururu by the head, giving her a playful noogie. "Gotcha! That’s what you get for beating me!"
Ururu, looking slightly flustered but still calm, tried to wiggle away from his grip, but it was no use. Jinta held her there with a proud grin plastered on his face.
"Stop it, Jinta!" she protested, though there wasn’t much force behind her words.
The commotion caught the attention of Tessai, who walked over from the side with a calm, stern expression on his face. He immediately grabbed Jinta by the collar with surprising ease, stopping him mid-noogie.
"Jinta, enough, now apologize" Tessai said in a low, authoritative voice.
Jinta, still somewhat in shock from being lifted off the ground, quickly let go of Ururu and muttered an apology, scratching the back of his head awkwardly.
"Sorry, Ururu," he mumbled, backing away and rubbing his sore head from Tessai’s grip.
Just then, the door to the shop opened, and Rukia entered. She looked over at the scene with an amused smile, clearly entertained by Jinta’s defeat at the hands of Tessai.
"That’s one way to keep him in line," Rukia commented, her smile widening slightly.
Tessai turned to face her with a polite bow. "Miss Kuchiki, how can we assist you today?"
Rukia paused, then cleared her throat, realizing she had something more serious to address. "Where’s Kisuke?" she asked, her tone shifting to something more focused.
TO BE CONTINUED
