New Powers, New Issues, New Peoples

Darkness.

I felt like I fell into a pit of pitch-black darkness.

I couldn't see anything but I could feel... well, everything! 

I was momentarily overwhelmed by information.

New memories that weren't mine rushed into my head.

Experience that wasn't mine reshaped my body.

Powers that weren't mine filled my soul.

I felt like I was going through a massive transformation.

I didn't know how long it took since I couldn't make out the passage of time.

I didn't panic nor was I celebrating more than necessary.

Eventually, I came back to normal, or at least what seemed like it.

Looking around, I was still standing in the same place I was before, nothing different.

Well, something was different... Me.

And sure enough, It was proven to me by the next series of notifications. 

To not miss anything, I focused on it more than necessary.

[Your body has attained its current limits.]

[To synchronize further, please adapt to your new powers.]

[Your synchronization rate has been changed to "Low"]

[Your class has been changed to "Sorcerer"]

[Your mana will be converted into spiritual power/Cursed Energy]

[Your spiritual prowesses have been massively strengthened]

[Your physical Prowesses have been massively strengthened]

[Your mental Prowesses has been massively strengthened]

[You have obtained New skills.]

["Tenacity" has been created.]

["Quicksilver" has been created.]

["Detoxification" has been created.]

["Bloodlust" has been created.]

["Stealth" has been created.]

["Shortswords Mastery" has been created.]

["Mutilate" has been created.]

[Note: The level of the skill depends on the synchronization rate.]

I knew all of those already, but the last note was indeed good to know and it was also fair in a way.

Though I was disappointed to not have obtained the true deals which were the true abilities of the shadow monarch, I knew it was only a matter of time. 

The skills I had currently were probably enough for me to survive... probably.

[Stealth: This ability hides all traces of the user at the cost of spiritual energy. The skill will automatically deactivate the moment an attack is performed.]

While not omnipotent, It would still help me greatly in getting in and out of places quickly and effectively and more importantly, undetected.

"What is this?" It was the moment I stopped hyper-focusing that I realized with my new senses that something was wrong.

Chill... I felt chill in my whole body, something was looking at me I knew it, and it was not a human.

Something dangerous was behind me, and it seemed to be ready to strike, my current heightened senses couldn't be wrong.

In a moment of realization and pure instinct, I jumped backward and instinctively extended my hands for my storage, trying to retrieve some daggers.

Only to realize that I didn't have any at the moment. 

Not the best situation... but I should stay calm.

I looked ahead and my gaze met that of a monster. Humanoid in nature, three times the size of a normal human. It had a big white mask as a face with eyes, nose, and mouth-shaped holes in it, and also most noticeably a big hole in the chest.

This, I couldn't be wrong, this is a...

"Hollow?" I muttered under my breath, only loud enough for me to hear it.

Me noticing it seemed to be the precursor of its actions as it rushed toward me with its clawed hands, trying to rip to shred.

Its speed was impressive, nothing a regular human could hope to match, but... I was currently no ordinary human.

[Quicksilver: This skill increases your overall speed by 30%]

I wasn't going to flee, I was confident to be able to defend myself, plus I wanted to test out my new powers. 

But before I could try to put up a fight, I heard the sound of running steps as a man dotted in a suit and wearing glasses suddenly rushed between me and the Hollow.

"Be careful." He told me while pushing me back a little bit. His other hand was covered by what I believed was the necktie of his suit deflected away the attack of the hollow.

He took a step forward and closed in before kicking one of the legs of the monster, forcing it to kneel before him.

"We already have our hands full with Cursed spirit, now we also have to handle those guys' job? I really dislike working overtime." He said as he gathered what I supposed to be a large amount of cursed energy into his hand. 

"Here is the spot." He then proceeded to jump and punch the Hollow right in the stomach, knocking him several meters away while giving the monster another hole to work with.

I saw the monster trying to get up only for it to be kicked in the face, cracking the mask a little bit and at the same time sending the hollow into a state of fear.

Then the blond man took out from somewhere something looking like a...?

Is that a Pokeball or am I tweaking? 

Sure enough, he just opened it and started chanting something.

"Reside within the darkness, cast away all intention. Rest unbothered and unmoving." 

After which the perceived Pokeball opened and grew in size large enough to fit the Hollow before swallowing it whole, closing and returning back to its original size.

Wait, the fuck, that was really a Pokeball!

"Now, you." The man walked toward me. I wasn't nervous or anything, if he wanted to hurt me he wouldn't have "saved" me in the first place.

"That, what is that?" I curiously asked just to be sure.

"That? A sealing tool. Nothing much, but what's up with you." 

"A sealing tool? Yeah, sounds like a Pokeball to me, can I have one?" I tried my luck.

"I would prefer you do not set your sight on getting one." He shook his head.

I was disappointed but, you know, we will see that later.

"As for who I am... Well, just a random passerby that got caught in a mess." I sighed.

He looked at me for a good moment before speaking.

"A random passerby with as much cursed energy as a first-grade sorcerer like me? Hard to believe." He said as he untied the tie around his hand.

"Cursed energy? what is that?" I was genuinely surprised, this was my first time hearing that term, is that another way to call Reishi or something? Aren't we in bleach? 

To my question, he didn't directly answer, instead, he seemed to be pondering over something.

"Although hard to believe it's still a possibility... tho-" He cut himself out before asking me something.

"What is your name?"

I pondered for a moment, I couldn't go by my former name, this was my new life, plus I looked Asian, more Korean than Japanese but still Asian, so I guess I should go for a Japanese name.

"Shun Mizushino. That's my name." I don't know why, I just felt like this was a good one.

[Your name has been changed to "Shun Mizushino"]

"Then, Mizushino-san please follow me. I will have to follow the procedure." The man said as he finished styling his suit.

"Where are we going?" I didn't have anywhere to go, so might as well follow him. 

It could be dangerous? Yes, but he didn't really strike me as the type. 

I trusted my instincts.

"To a coffee shop." He answered.

"Huh?" I let out in surprise, since he said "procedure" I was expecting something... more.

"Are you surprised? I understand, but before telling you anything consequent, you would need to make a choice. So rather talk around a cup of coffee."