Ch-17: Confronting the Menos Grande

The students were all staring at me, their eyes wide with a mix of awe and disbelief. It was like they couldn't quite believe what they had just witnessed. Even though they couldn't see the hollows, my epic Kido spell had left them all dumbfounded.

Then, out of the blue, our class teacher, Misato, stepped forward through the crowd. She cleared her throat and dropped a bombshell, "Hey, Ridhiro, your test results have been published. Come tomorrow to collect them."

I was completely taken aback. Seriously? Didn't she see me just save everyone from that nasty hollow's control? I mean, sure, she couldn't see the hollows, but she had to see my awesome Kido spell in action, right? The look of shock on the students' faces matched my own disbelief.

Trying to keep my composure, I replied as politely as I could, "Okay, Madam."

Misato, our quirky teacher, then cracked a joke that seemed completely out of place given the circumstances, "Hey, I guess everyone is here from my class, uhm... except those two troublemakers. But don't worry, they don't count as they are bad students."

Her attempt at humor got a few weak laughs from the students. It was like the weird and terrifying events of the past few minutes had just vanished into thin air, and everything was back to normal. Oh, high school life, you never cease to amaze me.

So, after that whole crazy scene with the hollow and the mind-controlled students, we were all heading back to our classrooms. I was about to slip away for some more hollow-hunting action when, out of the blue, here comes Misato madam rushing towards me like a whirlwind. Before I could even react, she wraps her arms around me in a tight hug.

I'm standing there, totally gobsmacked, not sure what to do with my arms and all. Misato madam, who's usually got that quirky personality of hers, just went and hugged me like we're in some dramatic movie or something. It was seriously unexpected.

Then, she pulls back just a bit, and her eyes are filled with genuine gratitude. She starts talking, saying, "Thank you, Ridhiro, for saving our lives. When that monster attacked, I was ready to sacrifice my life to protect the students. But because of your help, I can now go home and see my parents waiting for me. I don't know what you're getting yourself into, but I bless you for your future endeavors. Now go, as there may be others who need your help."

Man, those words hit me right in the feels. I didn't know what to say, but it felt good to be recognized and appreciated for doing something good for once. It wasn't the big hero celebration I had daydreamed about, but it was real and heartfelt.

With a smile, I nodded back at her, my emotions all tangled up. Then, without saying a word, I turned around and walked away, leaving behind a teacher who had just shown me a whole different side of herself – one filled with genuine warmth and gratitude.

The ground beneath us started shaking like crazy, and my heart sank as I saw a massive crack tear through the sky. This couldn't be good – it had to be the Menos Grande. Without a second thought, I hightailed it over there as fast as I could.

When I reached the scene, I found Ichigo, Ishida, Rukia, and, no surprises here, Urahara. Ishida was looking worse than a day-old sandwich, with injuries all over. The Menos Grande towered above us, and it looked even worse up close. But here's the kicker – it wasn't just your run-of-the-mill Menos like in the anime. Nope, this one had a little something extra in store for us. It let out a deafening roar, and what seemed like thousands upon thousands of hollows started pouring out of it.

Yeah, you heard me right. It was like a full-on hollow army marching our way, and it was enough to send shivers down anyone's spine. Even Rukia, who usually keeps her cool, looked downright horrified. And when Urahara starts looking serious, you know you're in deep trouble.

So, I did what any half-decent hero would do – I rushed to the front lines. With my heart pounding and the weight of the world on my shoulders, I unleashed my secret weapon, Hado #8 Genjitsu.

<System > Hado #8 Genjitsu: It distorts reality, creating a powerful illusion that conceals the user and those behind them from their surroundings. It acts like a protective veil, allowing the concealed individuals to remain hidden and unaffected by external threats.

It was like a magic trick. The whole place started warping and distorting, like we were hiding behind a curtain of reality itself.

Everyone behind me breathed a sigh of relief. It was like we'd disappeared from plain sight, and that horde of hollows couldn't see us anymore. We wasted no time, quickly tending to Ishida, who was out cold and in bad shape.

And just when things seemed hopeless, Sado and Orihime showed up, charging into the fray. I couldn't believe my eyes. How could they not see that gigantic Menos? But their courage and determination knew no bounds as they jumped right into the chaos, with Orihime using her Shun Shun Rikka to heal Ishida.

Caught up in the moment, I couldn't resist trying another spell, so I yelled, "Bakudo #2 Tsunagi!" I was hoping for something spectacular, but to my surprise, it seemed like nothing happened. I scratched my head, wondering if I had botched it somehow.

Then, out of the blue, I heard a faint sound – it was Ishida. But he was still out cold. Was he some kind of ghost now? I started to freak out a bit and quickly read the system notification that popped up.

<System >Bakudo #2 Tsunagi: It creates a subtle but powerful bond between the caster and any target. This bond allows for telepathic communication, ensuring that important messages can be conveyed even when the target is unconscious or unable to speak.

Thankfully, it turned out that Ishida was just communicating with me telepathically.

He quipped, "Who are you calling a ghost?" I almost jumped out of my skin again. This was way weirder than anything I'd encountered before.

Ishida added, "I just need some water. Tell them not to shake me; I'll wake up eventually." I couldn't help but laugh. Well, Bakudo #2 Tsunagi might not have been the flashiest spell, but it sure had its moments.