191 Chapter 166 - Hats and Fans.
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Goals and rewards of the week.
TOP 1 = Three double releases.
TOP 2 = Two double releases.
TOP 3 = One double release.
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[Third Person. POV.]
[A Handsome Shopkeeper!]
The old, cobbled streets of Karakura Town echoed softly with the mundane sounds of the afternoon. Birds chirped merrily, children laughed in the distance, and the gentle hum of life carried on. Yet in its midst, a figure out of place stood still, catching the attention of the very few who could perceive him.
Kisuke Urahara, clad in his signature green-striped hat and clogs, walked with casual confidence. His ever-watchful eyes scanned the town, always alert to the spiritual energies that pulsed around him.
As he strolled, his sharp senses caught onto something, causing him to halt abruptly, something new had entered the town, something powerful. A few meters away, amidst the shadows of an alleyway, he turned, finding an injured man. He was sprawled out, his clothing torn and stained with dirt and blood.
What caught Urahara's attention wasn't just the man's injured state, but the raw, unbridled spiritual energy emanating from him – an energy that seemed immeasurable.
"Hm, not anyone I know," Urahara muttered, carefully inspecting the man from afar. "How... odd."
Curiosity piqued, Urahara approached the man. The sheer intensity of the spiritual energy made the air thicken, and Urahara's footsteps grew cautious. Bending down, he examined the stranger. His breath was shallow, the life within him waning rapidly.
Urahara frowned, scratching his chin. "How did someone with this much spiritual energy end up here, and in such a condition?"
Not only that, how could a human have this much spiritual energy for that matter. It wasn't uncommon for humans to develop spiritual abilities, but not to this extent, no human body could withstand this much power, not without tearing itself apart that is.
The spiritual energy this man was emitting was dense, too dense. Captain Level dense, maybe even more than that.
He pondered the situation, knowing that leaving the man in his current state was not an option. Not only for the stranger's sake but also for the safety of the town. An energy this great could attract unwanted attention.
Decision made, Urahara carefully hoisted the man onto his shoulder. The stranger's energy flared momentarily, causing a gust of wind to pick up, rustling Urahara's cloak. The shopkeeper's eyes narrowed in thought. "Just who are you?" he murmured to the unconscious man. "I guess my store just got its newest employee, hehe."
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[Adam C. POV.]
Every breath was an agony, the weight of an unseen burden crushing me.
A sharp pain lanced through my temples, making me wince. I felt as though I was being torn apart from the inside out. I was drowning in darkness, waiting for my end, but with one last gasp, I opened my eyes.
"What...?" I rasped, my voice barely above a whisper.
The world around me was a blur, and my surroundings remained unfamiliar. I tried to move, but every muscle in my body screamed in protest.
I was alive?
I scanned the room, moving as much as I could, finding myself staring up at a beautiful wooden ceiling, adorned with intricate carvings of clouds and cranes. Soft light filtered through the paper walls, casting a gentle glow across the room.
The smell of tatami mats and fresh wooden panels filled my nostrils.
...
Was heaven Japanese?
I gingerly pushed myself up, confirming that I was sleeping on a traditional Japanese futon. The room was sparsely decorated, with sliding paper doors and a single painted scroll hanging on the wall. It felt like I had been transported back in time, or maybe to a completely different world altogether.
"Just where am I?" I whispered to myself; my voice barely audible.
Before I could begin to piece together my thoughts, there was a loud, dramatic crashing sound outside the room. The sliding door was flung open, revealing a man with messy, straw-colored hair, dressed in a green and white kimono. He held a folding fan in one hand and had a pair of wooden clogs on his feet.
"Good morning! Or should I say afternoon? Or maybe evening? Time is nowadays" he declared, waving his fan flamboyantly.
My eyes widened in recognition.
KISUKE URAHARA?!
The man chuckled at my expression, striking a pose as though he was expecting applause. "I know what you're thinking, and yes, it is I! The magnificent shop owner, as fabulous as ever! And I must say, you've woken up in quite a peculiar situation."
...
What is going on?!
This shouldn't be possible.
I should be dead.
He shouldn't be here!
"What... where am I?" I asked, my voice hoarse and weak.
Kisuke tilted his head, looking amused. "Ah, questions, questions. People are always so curious."
"Kisuke, leave the brat alone," Interrupted a stern voice from the doorway. A black cat with piercing yellow eyes stood there, its tail flicking impatiently.
"Yoruichi!" Kisuke exclaimed, his eyes lighting up. "You're just in time. Our newest employee just woke up!"
Yoruichi!?
She's here as well?!
Wait a moment, did he say newest employee?
Never mind that. Just how am I still alive?
My Bankai should've killed me. But... somehow my condition seems stable.
Zanryuzuki!
I could feel her close, but... I couldn't see her.
Kisuke chuckled, sensing my inner turmoil. "It seems you have many questions," he remarked with a glint in his eyes. "But first, allow me to formally welcome you to the Urahara Shop. We deal with all things supernatural, and apparently, miraculous recoveries from life-threatening conditions."
He had... healed me?
"I know that look, and the answer is no," Kisuke said, shaking his head as though he could read my thoughts. "I didn't heal you. I just... slowed your peculiar condition, with a little help from some spiritual pressure stabilizers."
I'm... in the Bleach Universe now?
But... how?
The last thing I remember is killing Acnologia.
Erza.
Cana.
Mavis.
Just... What the hell happened?
As my mind entered a state of panic, Urahara's playful demeanor suddenly shifted. The glint in his eyes transformed from mischief to a deep, calculating intensity. The atmosphere in the room grew tense.
I could feel a heavy pressure on my shoulders. A level of strength I had never felt before. Something that far outclassed the likes of Acnologia.
His voice was now a serious, deep undertone, "Your abilities and energy aren't common, even among the most potent of spiritual beings. Not to mention..." He paused, casting a glance at the corner of the room where Zanryuzuki lay, sheated. "Your blade. Tell me, who are you? How does a human possess such a weapon?"
I.. I had failed to see her there?
No..
It was more like... I couldn't see her until he mentioned her.
"Don't pay attention to Kisuke, he likes to pretend he's scary," Yoruichi interjected, stretching like a cat would before laying down at the door. "He's not."
"Yoruichi! Don't be mean!" Kisuke chuckled, his demeanor returning to its playful nature. "Oh well, questions for later. Now rest my unpaid employee, and let your handsome boss take care of you, free of charge."
As soon as he said those words, I felt my eyes grow heavy, my body succumbing to exhaustion, and before I knew it, I had fallen into a deep sleep, my mind still reeling from the shock of what had just happened.
