DGW Ch. 13

I have realized that I suck at talking about time, so I will say how much time has passed at the end of each chapter.

Also WARNING!

Beware, this chapter contains minor graphic content.

Such as the R-Letters-E.

It's just a skim-through, nothing too in-depth.

You have been WARNED.

Anyway, as always, thanks for reading!

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(?.)

In a remote village on the outskirts, a mother and her son lived in a humble house built from clay and hay. They were always away from the prying eyes of the villagers, and the only possession they owned was a wooden bucket that contained meager food rations provided by the village elder.

Every day, they would venture into the forest to collect herbs, mushrooms, berries, and water from the river. Their survival depended on whatever food they could gather, and the villagers' scornful looks constantly reminded them of their low status. However, the two never complained as they were always happy in each other's company and were content with their simple lives.

One day, as the boy gathered berries in a forest near their village, he stumbled upon a beautiful white flower. It was unlike any he had seen before, and his heart leaped joyfully. As he picked it up, he was consumed with an inexplicable excitement and anticipation.

Filled with excitement, he decided to take the flower back home and show it to his mother. But as he returned, he heard a sudden rustle in the bushes. His heart racing, he turned towards the sound, only to find himself face-to-face with a wild wolf. The beast bared its fangs and growled menacingly, its yellow eyes glowing with bloodlust. The boy trembled in fear, frozen in place, as the wolf slowly approached him.

Suddenly, a loud howl echoed through the forest, causing the wolf to perk up its ears and turn its attention toward the noise. Moments later, a second wolf emerged from the shadows and stood next to the first one.

The two wolves exchanged a few growls and barks, then began to chase the boy. The youngster ran as fast as he could, his legs burning from exhaustion. However, the two beasts were much faster, and soon, they were hot on his heels.

The boy continued to run, his lungs burning and his heart pounding furiously, but the wolves were gaining ground. Desperate, the boy glanced around and noticed a large tree root protruding from the ground. He quickly dashed towards the root and jumped onto it, clinging to it with all his might.

The wolves lunged at him, their claws scratching against the wood. With a burst of adrenaline, the boy climbed onto a higher branch, narrowly escaping the beast's fangs. The wolves stared up at him, their eyes filled with rage and hunger, as they circled the tree.

At that moment, the boy felt hopeless and alone. He believed his life was not worth living and had no future or hope. But then his mother's words flashed through his mind: "Never give up." These words filled him with determination, and he decided he would not let the wolves take his life.

"I won't die!" the boy screamed as he leaped from the tree branch and landed on the wolves' backs.

The beasts released a howl of surprise and pain, falling to the ground. The boy quickly jumped off their backs and began running once more. However, the wolves were quick to recover and resumed their chase.

"I won't let you eat me!" the boy cried, his legs aching with exhaustion.

He continued to run, his heart racing with fear and desperation. But then, the boy saw an opening and took a chance, dashing towards it. The wolves, seeing his sudden change in direction, followed suit. As the boy ran towards the opening, he noticed a rock in his path. He quickly swerved, avoiding it. However, the wolves were not as lucky and tripped over the rock, falling to the ground. The boy took this opportunity to run towards the nearest cave.

After a long and tiring journey, the boy finally reached the cave, knowing he was safe. However, the two wolves were not deterred and continued to pursue him. They ran after the boy, their claws scratching against the rocks, for an hour before they eventually gave up and left him alone.

The boy returned to his village as night fell, clutching the slightly damaged white flower in his hand. He felt excited, eager to show his mother his discovery. However, upon reaching his home, he was met with a sight that no child, especially him, should ever have to witness. His mother was not there to greet him. Instead, he stumbled upon something that left him shaken to the core.

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(Ichigo.)

Ichigo had traveled worldwide for several days, tirelessly searching for souls trapped on Earth. Every day was the same, and he no longer needed food or sleep. He remained focused on his mission, but the constant solitude was beginning to take its toll, and he could not help but feel somewhat lonely. Despite this, he continued exploring the prehistoric world, traveling across vast plains, mountains, and forests, determined to find the souls he sought.

As days passed, Ichigo's search proved fruitless, and he began to lose hope. That was until he felt the cold sand beneath his feet and sensed a change in the air. A small figure emerged behind a rock, and Ichigo knew his search had finally ended.

To his surprise, a young girl on the brink of death appeared. She was frail, covered in dirt and grime, and her clothes were tattered. Ichigo felt a wave of pity wash over him as he approached the girl, kneeling before her with a solemn expression.

Ichigo felt a wave of pity wash over him. He had seen many horrors throughout his lifetime, but seeing a child in such a state was difficult to bear. He approached the girl and kneeled before her, his expression solemn.

"Hey, little one. My name is Ichigo. Can you tell me yours?"

The girl stared at him, her eyes filled with pain and sorrow. She tried to speak, but no words came out. She tried again, her voice raspy and broken."A... A... Anzu."

Her voice was barely audible, and her breaths were ragged and shallow. Ichigo's expression softened, and he smiled gently.

"Anzu, huh? That's a pretty name. You know, Anzu, I'm here to help you. I'm here to take your pain away and give you peace."

The girl's eyes widened in shock, and she tried to back away. However, her frail body refused to cooperate, and she ended up falling over.

"P-Please don't hurt me."

She whimpered, her body trembling with fear. Ichigo frowned and shook his head.

"I would never hurt you, Anzu. I'm here to help you. Would you like that?"

The girl nodded slowly, her expression hopeful.

"Okay, then. I'm going to take your hand now. I promise I won't hurt you."

He extended his hand, waiting for the girl to accept his help. She hesitated for a moment before placing her tiny hand in his. Ichigo closed his eyes, focusing his power, and Anzu's body began to glow with a golden light. A moment later, the glow faded, and Anzu's physical body disappeared, leaving behind a pure soul.

Ichigo was stunned by the sudden disappearance of her physical form. It had been long since he had seen a human's soul. The girl's spirit stood before him, and she looked just like her physical self.

"Thank you," the young girl said, her voice soft and melodic.

Ichigo smiled sadly.

"You're welcome, Anzu. I'm glad I was able to help."

The young girl thanked Ichigo, and he smiled sadly, glad that he could help. He was just about to perform Konsō and send her to the Soul Society when she suddenly vanished into thin air, leaving behind a trail of golden dust.

Ichigo watched in confusion as the dust sparkled in the air, eventually dissipating. He was left with unanswered questions, wondering where she had gone and whether he had done something wrong. As he pondered, a paper appeared on the ground where the girl was standing, adding to his confusion.

Dear Ichigo,

It is not my usual practice to provide information without some form of compensation, so please consider this the last time. As for the matter, I can confirm that the girl named Anzu is safe and sound. She has been taken to a place where she is protected, and no harm can come to her.

You did the right thing by making her physical body disappear, as it has allowed her to rest peacefully for eternity. It is worth noting that Anzu's soul was connected to one of the many existing pantheons, which means she was not a lost soul. If you are searching for lost souls, you should focus on those not tethered to any pantheon.

I have high hopes for you.

Sincerely, Khaos.

Ichigo sighed with relief, and his worries subsided. He had done the right thing and helped a lost soul, and that was what mattered. Still, he couldn't help but wonder if there was more he could have done.

"Well, at least she's safe now."

He said to himself and then turned around, ready to continue his journey.

"I guess I have a lot to learn about the new world. I wonder how things will change in the future."

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Ichigo's journey continued, taking him across a vast and varied landscape with diverse settlements and communities. His mission was to help individuals on the brink of death transition smoothly into the afterlife. As he performed this noble task, he noticed a peculiar pattern - some bodies would vanish into the ether, while others remained behind even after he had removed the soul from them. This phenomenon left Ichigo puzzled and curious, wondering if it had a deeper meaning.

Despite this mystery, Ichigo remained grateful for the guidance and support offered by Khaos, which allowed him to fulfill his purpose in this realm. Over time, he realized that all the people he had come across were on the verge of dying and could see him. However, when he came across his first village, he realized that the living humans here couldn't see him, and only the dying ones could.

Ichigo's days followed a similar routine. He would travel from place to place, finding lost souls and guiding them to their afterlife. However, something had changed in his life. The reaper noticed a shift in the air, a subtle but distinct change. Near Ichigo, he felt a small but reasonably strong spiritual energy emanating from a specific location.

With a swift Flash step, he disappeared and reappeared in the air, where he felt the energy. He searched for the energy source, curious about what he might discover. In front of him, he could see a village, but this wasn't the first one he had encountered, so he didn't think anything of it. But then, He looked towards the energy.

As Ichigo walked through the forest, he noticed a small mud-made hut on the woods' outskirts. The hut had a rudimentary structure with a roof made of dried grass. As he approached the hut, he saw a boy standing outside who couldn't be more than twelve years old.

The boy had short black hair, and his face was scratched. The boy had not eaten well in a long time, as his bones were visible through his pale skin. But what caught Ichigo's attention was what the boy was looking at. As Ichigo followed the boy's gaze, he felt a chill run down his spine.

There were three people in the hut: a woman and two men. The woman was lying on her back, and both her hands were bound by their hand. One man had a hand over her mouth, keeping her from screaming, and the other had his pants down and was thrusting inside her.

"No..."

The word came out in a whisper as the reaper tried to process what was happening. His hands clenched into fists, and his jaw tightened. He could feel anger rising in his chest, and his body trembled.

"I won't let you do this anymore," he said, his voice filled with resolve.

"You bastards," he hissed as he landed beside the boy.

The boy was startled and jumped.

In a flash, Ichigo was beside the men. He grabbed them by the throat and lifted them into the air, his strength far beyond anything the mortals could have imagined. Unable to comprehend what was happening, the rapists could not scream as they were too terrified to speak.

"You won't be touching anyone else," he said, his voice filled with anger.

With his sheer control over his Spiritual power, he erased their bodies and souls from the universe; not even a spec of their existence could be found.

He then looked at the woman; a closer look, he realized the fate of the woman, her throat slit and her body bruised. She was dead, but her soul had not yet departed. Her soul was lost; it appeared that she was not a believer of religion, for her soul remained in the world of the living.

As Ichigo was about to approach the woman's soul, the boy, who he presumed to be her son, approached his mother's dead body in pure despair and anger. The boy could not see Ichigo or his mother's soul in his state of mind, but the boy was special; his spirit was strong and attracted Ichigo to the place.

The boy began screaming and crying, begging his mother to return. Ichigo watched as the boy's spirit became erratic, unable to contain itself. His soul was filled with grief and despair, and his mind could not process his mother's loss.

The reaper took a step forward, intending to comfort the boy. But as soon as he did, he felt a strange sensation in the air. A pressure descended, and he felt a powerful spiritual pressure radiating from the boy. Ichigo could feel the boy's raw emotions, desires, anguish, and rage.

Although weak to Ichigo, the amount of power radiating off could harm the weak and unconscious form of his mother's soul, so he moved quickly and knocked the boy unconscious.

The reaper gently placed the boy beside his mother's dead body and approached her soul. The woman's soul was pure, and she strongly desired to live. She wanted to see her son grow up and be happy. But as Ichigo stood before her, he knew his duty was to send her to the one place she could go, the Soul Society.

He grabbed his Zanpakutō and directed the pommel of his sword towards the woman's forehead. The woman's forehead now showed a glowing mark as Ichigo removed the pommel from her forehead to be judged by Aylward, the gatekeeper of the Soul Society.

"Konso," Ichigo whispered.

In a flash of light, the woman's soul vanished. She was finally at peace, and her spirit soon reached the Soul Society.

Ichigo then turned to the boy, his heart heavy with sadness. The boy's grief was so great that it had awakened a tremendous spiritual power within him. However, such power was dangerous, and if the boy did not learn how to control it, he could end up causing great destruction.

The reaper could not leave the boy here, not in his current state. His power would cause havoc, and Ichigo couldn't risk the boy hurting someone else. So, he scooped the unconscious boy in his arms and was about to disappear into the night.

He stopped. He almost accidentally left the boy's mother's body behind, so he buried her first. He carried the boy back to the village and laid him in front of his home, a humble shack. After laying the boy's mother beside him, he buried her corpse.

It took him no time; the soft dirt allowed him to dig her grave quickly. He then placed the mother's corpse into the shallow grave and covered her with the dirt. He did not want the boy to know his mother's dead body was left outside to rot.

Once the burial was complete, Ichigo took the unconscious boy with him and traveled across the vast and varied landscape. It had only taken Ichigo mere minutes with his speed; finally, having seen enough, he returned to the Soul Society with a student in tow.

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A/N

Total time passed in this chapter - 1 month World of the living

Reviews are also appreciated. Do you all like how I talk about everything in the story, like good details and decent world-building?

Also, do you think Ichigo should appear differently to different people? Leave a review, and if so, How?