Chapter 79
"...and so I returned ahead of schedule."
"I see, I see." His mother, Masaki's voice rang in the speaker of his phone, "That was unfortunate. So you're on the way home already? There is no one but me here now."
"Should I buy something on the way back then?"
"No need. I will buy it myself. More importantly, Shirou..."
"Yeah, mom?" Shirou answered, standing in front of the ticket gate at Narita International Airport. People were coming in and out from his vision, minding their own business and paying him no attention.
"There is someone I'd like you to meet later." She informed him. Her tone sounded a bit off, a little higher than normal and somewhat more cheerful than usual.
It must be something important that she didn't want him to decline, and so she used this time to inform him beforehand.
"Hm?"
"You must be having some trouble using Blut or other Quincy techniques. This someone might be able to help you learn, so... Do you want to meet him? You can refuse if you don't want to. It's just a suggestion after all."
Someone who could help him to learn Quincy technique?
So far he only knew about Blut, Hirenkyaku, and Spirit Weapon. Among them, he only used Hirenkyaku and was unable to use the first. Spirit Weapon was also unsuited for him, so he didn't even bother to learn.
However, his mastery with Hirenkyaku wasn't that good. He could perform it, yes. But he couldn't cover a lot of distance with his current mastery over the technique.
He lacked a mentor who could teach him how to properly utilize this ability. That's why, if there was someone who could help him improve...
"I will meet him."
"That's good. Let's talk about it more when you come home. Be careful on the way." His mother said with a happy voice. "I love you."
"Yeah, me too. See you later."
Shirou then ended the phone call and pocketed the device inside his pocket before walking to his gate and waited to be called for boarding.
'Quincy technique, huh?'
Maybe it would allow him to get slightly stronger. A useful power to learn when the traitor makes his move.
'Then, I have no choice but to master them quickly.'
If he wanted to protect his family, then he should have power for that. His current state was far from ideal.
Stronger yet also weak. He didn't have a proper power to call his own.
It was a dilemma for Shirou, and one that would haunt him until the day he died.
***
Masaki ended the call with her son and looked at the person in front of her.
He sipped tea in an elegant manner while keeping his expression as calm as possible. His glasses reflected the sunlight that seeped through the window of the office.
Smell of medicine lingered in the room, and the noise outside of the office was audible for them. A sign that this hospital was in a bustling area. The sound of a siren and car passing could be heard clearly from outside the clinic.
"So..."
Ishida Ryuken, the Director of Karakura Hospital, put his cup down on the table before crossing his arms over his chest.
"Just as you've heard. I am counting on you to teach my son, Ryuken."
"What a selfish request." He scoffed, his lips curved into a thin smirk. "I have never taught my own son, so what makes you think that I will agree to teach yours, Masaki?"
"Come on, Ryuken! We're both adults here and I believe in your sense of duty." The mother of three pouted, "You didn't teach Uryu because you don't want him to get involved with the future. But Shirou is different."
Yes, that boy was different.
When he awakened his power years ago, her husband had a serious talk with the boy. He explained everything regarding their world and what he needed to do now. The boy was surprisingly accepting of it all, even though it must be difficult for him.
The problem was that the boy was too kind. He didn't even hesitate when he said he would protect them all.
And Isshin didn't have the heart to tell the boy to just give up and run, nor did Masaki. She had tried, but the words just died on her lips when she looked at the child's determination.
They had a lot of discussion, and in the end they agreed to let Shirou train under Urahara, a person who knew their situation and might be the only one who could guide the boy who awakened a strange power.
Masaki would like to teach him by herself. About Quincy, their history, and their power.
Alas, she lost her power and had to go into hiding. She knew what the cause was and she didn't want to be hunted by the King.
For the same reason, Ryuken didn't want to teach Uryu how to get strong and wanted to end the generations of Quincies.
It was the same reasoning behind it.
And it made sense. The loss of his wife was the cause of the Ryuken's hatred.
That man was too prideful.
"No matter what he did, Shirou got the attention of a dangerous man. And so is Ichigo. The latter is fine because there are many people who can teach him about Shinigami power, but Shirou has none."
"..." Ryuken stayed silent, mulling over her words carefully.
"He needs to learn more than what he has right now."
Masaki's expression turned grim as she continued to speak, "We're expecting something to happen, Ryuken. It might be something dangerous for them, but they need to protect themselves too. Don't be too selfish and think of the danger of being weak, Ryuken. Even if only a bit."
Silence.
It took a few minutes before Quincy finally answered.
"I understand what weakness is." He said coldly. His eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "Do you think the returned King will just leave them alone? I have heard of your son from Uryu. He's the only mixed blood that didn't lose his power from Auswählen."
The Quincy's blue eyes were hard, but there was an edge of concern to them as well. A sign that the man was actually worried.
"..." Masaki couldn't say anything, because she knew what he meant.
Shirou's existence would attract unwanted attention, and the King would know sooner or later. And the only way to deal with the king is by getting stronger, which means that Shirou had to learn how to fight.
Seeing her determined gaze, Ryuken couldn't help but feel frustrated.
"... I will think about it." He sighed in resignation.
Masaki beamed at this. "That's great! Thanks a lot, Ryuken! I owe you one."
"Then repay me by making that brat learn faster." The doctor replied with a scowl on his face, annoyed by her cheerful tone of voice.
He would hate it if he had to meet Kurosaki more often from now on.
Chapter 80
"I am home."
"Shiiiiroouuuu!"
Isshin rushed toward his oldest son as soon as he saw Shirou entered the house and hugged the poor boy with all his might.
The sight of him running was enough to make Shirou dodge the hug, making Isshin hit the wall with his face.
"Ugh!" He moaned in pain, clutching his broken nose, "That hurts... That was a bit mean, you know."
"You reap what you sow, dad. Don't suddenly jump on people." Shirou said with a deadpan look. "I have had my share of that."
Getting jumped on so suddenly was not a pleasant feeling. Not only that, but it also gave him a scare.
He was jumped by other people so many times in the past.
One time when he was unprepared, his heart was impaled by a spear. So he always dodged or avoided people suddenly lunging on him, because it was dangerous.
"Where is mom?" He asked as Isshi rose from his position and dusted off the dirt from his clothes. The wall had a slight crack from the impact, but it didn't crumble.
This was a good wall, it seemed.
"Shopping. She should be back soon." Isshin said while massaging his aching head.
"I see. And Ichigo?"
"Probably hunting hollows. He ran out of his room earlier." Isshin said, grinning like an idiot, "More importantly, how is your trip? Did you find a cute girl there? Did you have a romantic encounter?"
"..."
Shirou sighed at the question and proceeded to ignore the father, walking to his room. Isshin followed behind him, trying to get an answer.
But he got nothing. Shirou only entered his room and threw his luggage on the bed.
"You can talk with me if something happens. You can't keep it all by yourself. Do you understand, son?" Isshin asked, "You can tell your father everything!"
"Yes, I understand. I have to unpack my clothes, dad. Get out if you don't want to help."
"Ah, so cold..." Isshin dramatically held his hand on his chest, pretending to be hurt. He looked like he was about to cry and fall on the ground, but he quickly composed himself. "I am just worried about you. You have to know that."
"Dad..." Shirou turned to him with a gentle smile on his face. "Do you want to help me unpack my belongings that badly?"
Isshin twitched his mouth and said with a smile, "You know what, I should just leave. Do you need me for anything?"
"I'm good."
And so the father left.
Shirou didn't need his help and could do things himself anyway.
He opened the bag and took out some clothes from it. His hands reached inside the bag to pull out more things from the bag, but he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his finger.
"Huh?" He pulled his hand out of the bag to check what it was, only to find out that there was something that cut him in the bag.
"What is it..."
Something he didn't pack, for sure. Maybe it was from the hotel or he brought something with him from Reverse London by mistake.
Either way, it would be troublesome if it wasn't his.
So Shirou searched for the object.
And he found it.
Inside his bag, a small coin lay at the bottom.
Taking it in his hand, he inspected it closely. It looked new and shiny, with WB etched on the surface. He had no idea why this was here.
Maybe he put this in his bag accidentally.
But no matter where or when this thing ended up in his bag, Shirou didn't have any intention to throw it away.
Because this coin was the one he used to return to Front London from the Reverse London. One thing he was supposed to return but forgot to.
"Let's keep it as memorabilia, I guess." He decided to keep the coin as a memorabilia of his visit to the magical land called Reverse London.
Maybe it could be useful in the future.
"Anyway..." Shirou muttered, looking at the clock. It showed that the time was already 4 PM, meaning that he should start cooking for dinner now. "Let's make Yuzu and Karin happy with the new curry recipe!"
With a smile, Shirou went downstairs and into the kitchen, where he found Yuzu and Karin on the couch. They looked up at him and the former beamed into a smile.
"Shirou-nii! When did you arrive?"
"Just now. Did you not hear dad crashing into the wall earlier?"
"Ah, we thought he was doing something stupid again."
"I see." Shirou chuckled and took the apron on the kitchen's hanger, "Anyway, do you two want to try the new curry recipe I learned in London? It's called chicken tikka masala."
"Chicken what?"
"Tikka masala."
"That sounds good!"
"Is it delicious?" Karin raised her head from her game and asked.
"Yeah." Shirou answered while smiling at her. "Do you want to taste it?"
"Yeah! I want to eat it!"
"Great. Then help me make the ingredients, okay?" Shirou asked her with a smile on his face. She nodded eagerly at him before getting off the sofa.
And so the three siblings prepared the ingredients.
They started by cleaning the chicken, then chopping vegetables.
Cooking together has always been fun. Shirou also didn't mind teaching his little sisters about cooking, as he enjoyed doing things with them. He could spend time together and talk to them at the same time, and they could bond even closer with each other.
A few minutes later, the ingredients were fully prepared.
At the same time, Ichigo returned home from the window and walked downstairs because he heard about the commotion in the kitchen.
"Oh, you're back?" He exclaimed when he saw Shirou.
He never expected him to return so soon. Usually it was around two weeks.
"Yeah, just got home."
"That's nice. Did you enjoy your vacation?" He asked with a grin.
"I did, I guess." Shirou answered, shrugging, "There's a lot to see there. Including some unusual stuff."
"Good for you then."
They chatted with each other as Shirou cooked, talking about all sorts of things that happened in their life during his absence. It seemed like nothing much happened while Shirou was away, except for the appearance of the new kind of Hollow.
"A new hollow?" Shirou asked after he was sure Yuzu and Karin returned to the dining room to watch television. His eyes narrowed slightly in concern. "How's that?"
"Some kind of stronger hollow. I need to use Getsuga Tenshou to kill one." Ichigo explained, leaning against the table and watching his oldest brother stirring the curry, "That was the first time I couldn't kill a hollow with a simple sword swing since we returned from Soul Society."
Ichigo had gotten way stronger than before with his training. A normal hollow was no longer a match for him.
So a new type of hollow...
Shirou hummed, "Did they say something weird? Or did they look different from usual?"
"Well, yeah. Their masks are a bit unusual. Like part of their mask has been taken off. But they still act like normal hollows." He scratched the back of his head, thinking, "Maybe it's just a random mutation?"
"Hm... Maybe. We can only hope they are just a mutation. Have you asked Urahara-san about it?"
"Not really, but he was the one who informed me about them." Ichigo shook his head. "He said I only need to be more careful. That was it. You know how useless Hat and Clog are in this kind of situation."
Shirou laughed wryly.
Indeed, Urahara had always been that mysterious person. Never really giving them a direct answer, and letting them figure out everything on their own.
Not only that, he always had a plan in his sleeve, no matter what happened. And the fact that he never told Ichigo the truth unless he had no other choice made it hard to trust the man completely.
Even so, they trusted him. Shirou knew that man wouldn't put them in danger without any reason.
And if Urahara Kisuke couldn't be trusted, Shirou believed Isshin would never introduce him when he was a kid. So he could just trust the shady shopkeeper.
At least until he showed a clear hostility toward them, which he hoped never came. The shopkeeper had helped them too many times.
So this was a problem that they needed to solve themselves.
"Then let's hope for the best."
"Yeah."
They couldn't really do anything until they knew what was going on, anyway. Ichigo then moved on to another topic.
"So, what was the unusual thing that you said you found?"
"A dragon." Shirou answered so casually as if it was a normal thing.
Ichigo stared blankly at his brother's back for a second.
"What?"
"I said, I met a dragon." He repeated without turning around. "You heard it, right? It's a dragon."
Ichigo didn't know whether to laugh at him or just keep quiet.
His oldest brother was a serious person, not to mention the most normal among them. He would never lie, nor did he joke.
If he told Ichigo he had met a dragon, then he was not lying. However, the idea of a dragon still seemed too surreal.
"Umm..."
Shirou chuckled when he saw his little brother's expression. He put down his knife before looking up and smiling.
"Did you know there is something like Soul Society in London? It's called the Reversed World. There are wizards and witches there. And dragons. Lots of them."
"What...?"
"Well, I accidentally encountered them in my vacation. And the tour guide was a Witch." He said with an amused tone, "Quite unbelievable, but that's true. I even have proof."
He then told his little brother the tale of the Reverse London, including his first encounter with Noel and his tour around Reverse London, his short trip to Glastonbury to see King Arthur's grave, and finally showing the coin that he could use to enter the Reverse London.
Looking at the coin, Ichigo still couldn't believe what Shirou had said, but he had to accept it. Because there's no way that his oldest brother was lying to him.
Not to mention, he showed him the proof that it existed.
"... I won't even be surprised if you said that you encountered King Arthur directly and that he's actually a woman."
At that strange statement, Shirou couldn't help but laugh loudly.
How ridiculous. To think that his crazy guess hit on point, it's hilarious. Shirou couldn't stop laughing, clutching his stomach as he laughed.
"What?" The orange-haired brow raised his eyebrows as he saw his brother laughing at his statement, "Is it that funny?"
After calming down, Shirou wiped off his tears and grinned widely at him, "Well, your imagination is amusing." He said, "Come on. Help me plate this curry. Mom will return soon."
***
Just as Shirou had guessed, Masaki returned home just a few minutes later.
He knew that she wouldn't really take a long time outside because of the earlier phone call. She had someone to introduce to Shirou, a Quincy mentor that could teach him how to use their power.
The first person who came into his mind was someone from Ishida's family.
Out of everyone, they were the only Quincy family his mother had connection to. Not to mention, Quincy had already been eradicated, leaving only few left in the world. The chances were high that she had contacted someone in Ishida's family to teach him.
And his guess was spot on, it seemed.
After the meal, Masaki gave Shirou a paper.
"Unfortunately the person himself doesn't want to come here, so you have to go meet him."
His mother explained, handing over the address and smiling at Shirou, "I've already contacted him. So just show up and talk to him tomorrow."
Taking the paper and looking at the address, Shirou frowned as he thought, "This is..."
It's the Karakura hospital's address.
"He's your friend's father. But that person doesn't really have the same idea about teaching you, but I managed to convince him." The mother explained with a smug smile. "You should be able to handle the rest. Good luck."
She then went back to her seat and continued to eat.
Shirou stared at the paper for a few moments before putting it inside his pocket. His gaze shifted toward the direction where Karakura Hospital was located before sighing quietly.
'Looks like I have a place to visit tomorrow.'
The next day came, and Shirou visited the address.
Chapter 81
"Is it here?" He looked at the hospital's building in front of him and then checked the address written on the paper his mother gave to him last night, making sure that it matched with this one.
It's correct, then.
Shirou then sighed. He wasn't nervous, only felt a bit awkward that he would meet a classmate's father for a training instead of normal things.
Well, not that he could change anything.
Shirou then entered the hospital.
As soon as he walked inside, the smell of disinfectants greeted his nostrils, causing him to wrinkle his nose slightly.
It's the same old scent, the one that made him remember the incident in the past.
It was a bad memory, bringing him back to the day after the incident.
At the same time, hospital was where Kiritsugu offered him to be his adopted son, changing Shirou's life. He could still remember the moment clearly, a day he could never forget.
Shaking his head, he decided to ask the receptionist about Ishida's office and headed to that location.
Arriving there, Shirou took a deep breath, before knocking on the door and saying.
"Excuse me. I am Kurosaki Shirou. May I enter?"
"Please do."
"Thank you." Shirou said and opened the door. His eyes were immediately drawn toward a handsome middle-aged man sitting behind the desk.
Unlike Isshin, this man looked serious and stoic. He was holding a document and fixing his glasses.
If Shirou had to describe the man, then he looked like the older and more serious version of Ishida Uryu, his Quincy classmate. He couldn't help but see the resemblance between these two.
He was sure this person was Uryu's father.
And Shirou could easily guess that this person was strict in the past, causing their strained relationship.
"You are Masaki's son, I presume." Ishida Ryuken said without even glancing up to Shirou, "Take a seat, I have something to ask you before we begin."
Shirou nodded and took the offered seat, waiting for Ryuken to speak up.
"You wanted to learn Quincy's technique? Why?"
A normal question. If Ryuken refused to teach his own son about Quincy technique, it would be a waste to teach someone else about it, not to mention an outsider.
The only reason Ryuken was willing to meet him and consider teaching him was because of his mixed heritage and Masaki's request.
But he needed to hear Shirou's resolve. He wanted to know why he would be interested in learning Quincy's technique. Or why Masaki reached out to him first in order to teach her son.
And so Shirou answered honestly.
"At first I was not interested at all." He said, "But after returning from Soul Society, I realize that there are more dangers than just the normal hollow that we face every day. So, I thought I need to be prepared for whatever would come."
Hearing that, Ryuken glanced up to the boy. "Getting stronger means having more people to notice and target you. Don't you think it's wise to just have enough strength and hide the rest? You can just leave whatever danger you encounter to other people or your little brother."
"Maybe. I don't really think I will be strong enough to face those who would target me." He said with a small chuckle, "But what about my family? Ichigo is strong and he can protect himself and others, but he can't be at many places at once."
"That's foolish. Staying low would keep you and your family safe." The Director of the Karakura Hospital argued.
"It might be, but that's how it is. It doesn't matter how I think about my actions, because I can't really change my way of life. And I don't even think I am doing the right thing." Shirou closed his eyes, "It's just my selfish decision, nothing more."
Even when he had no power, danger could come to him.
Better be prepared rather than taken off guard like in his previous life. A half-assed power wouldn't cut it against an opponent that aimed to kill.
And in this life, it was the same. He couldn't be as weak as in his previous life. It's impossible for him to just let someone take his place, not again.
His words and conviction were enough to make Ishida Ryuken hum in interest.
"I see. So that's your resolve. You're different from Uryu who wanted to get stronger just to avenge his grandfather." Ryuken said, his expression changed to an interested one.
His gaze was now focused solely on the boy sitting before him.
"Very well, then. Let's start your lesson, but be warned, I will not go easy on you."
Shirou smiled, "I won't complain."
The older man smirked, "That's good. But first, I will have you to learn about Quincy's history. This is pretty important, as it will definitely arrive to the point that you will learn about our ideology. And this will help you know more about our kind."
Saying so, he took out an old book from the bookshelf behind him and handed it over to Shirou.
"Read this while I work. We will begin when you're done. I will explain the difficult part to you." The man said while glancing back to his document, "You may use that sofa to read. Take your time and ask me if there's something you don't understand. And I expect you to finish that in 3 hours."
"Yes, thank you."
With that, the first day of the lesson started. Shirou read the book that was handed over to him while Ryuken worked, ignoring him in favor of working.
It's not really an ideal situation for a mentor and a disciple. However, this kind of teaching was also not bad for Shirou who always learned by himself.
No one really taught him anything before, after all.
Silence enveloped the room as Shirou read the book.
The book explained the whole history of Quincy and the origin of their power.
King of Quincy, the father of all Quincy and the origin of their power, Yhwach was the first one to gain the ability to absorb reishi into himself. And the blood that flowed through his vein was what granted other people this power.
Every Quincy in the world was his descendant.
He's the one that created the very foundation of the Quincy power, and he was the one who could take them away.
A poem was written in the book.
"The confined Quincy King...
Regains his pulse after 900 years.
His mind after 90 years.
His strength after 9 years."
9 years...
Auswählen, a ritual where Yhwach sacrificed Quincy to regain his strength.
That happened a few years ago, when Shirou was 9 years old.
Learning about this, his eyes widened a little bit.
Was that the reason why his mother lost her power? Because it was taken by the Quincy King?
Was he also a target? But he still had his power, so what was the meaning of that?
What happened at that time, and why did Shirou regain his power when many Quincy lost theirs? He couldn't make any head or tail of this information.
Shirou had to ask Ryuken about it, but the Director didn't even bother to answer.
"What's written in that book is the truth. Just read more."
He only said that without giving him a satisfying answer.
It's obvious he didn't have the heart to answer him about it, maybe because he was the one who survived when other Quincies died from Auswählen.
Then how did his mother survive? It was said that those who underwent the ritual were almost all dead. But Masaki was still alive.
Shirou would need to learn about this by himself, it seemed. There's a chance Ryuken refused to answer.
So he turned the page to read more.
The history of the war between Soul Society and Quincy, and how they were eradicated.
How the Quincies used the power to eradicate hollows rather than sending them to the afterlife like what the Shinigami did.
Shirou frowned as he remembered his own ideology. The Quincies destroyed souls without giving them salvation, which was against what Shirou had in mind.
But at the same time, this method could be the fastest way to get rid of the hollow before they did more damage. He couldn't deny that.
The idea to save everyone was just an ideal, and couldn't be reached.
That's if he hadn't met Shinigami yet. The balance of the world was pretty much very fragile. Hunting too many hollows and eradicating their soul could tilt that balance and destroy the cycle.
In the end, nothing was correct. Everything had pros and cons, so to decide which one was the best, he had to see from his point of view.
"Done with reading? It's been three hours."
Ryuken finally spoke after a while, pulling Shirou out from the thought and his reading.
Shirou looked at the clock, it's indeed been three hours since he began the reading.
"You have a good concentration. Not many people can stay focused on their reading for that long."
"Thanks. So, how should we continue?" The boy said while closing the book.
"We will start your practice now. Come with me."
Shirou nodded, following him outside.
He thought that Ryuken would lead him somewhere, but instead the man stopped right outside of his office and faced him.
"Do you have a Quincy Cross yet?" He asked with a serious face, his eyes looking at the boy intensely.
"I don't need one. My... technique allows me to create my own weapon without using it."
"I see. Then show me how you activate your power."
"Like this." Shirou raised his hand and traced a nameless sword.
A blue fire came to life and the weapon formed in his hand. The heatless fire then turned into the cold blade, the tip pointing at the ground.
It's a plain-looking sword. A long, straight, double-edged blade.
No marking, nor any sign that would make it stand out from the rest. It was the plainest, the simplest, and the most normal sword anyone would see.
"This is how I make my weapon."
Chapter 82
Ryuken watched him closely as the sword materialized. His eyes widened when Shirou finished making the sword, and the cold blade gleamed under the sun.
"What a strange way of weapon creation." He muttered, "But it doesn't matter. The construct feels similar to most of our Quincy weapons."
Shirou nodded. It might be similar but the nature was different.
He knew that.
But he couldn't really say it aloud because it was a dangerous topic. He didn't want anyone to know his real power. It would bring him unwanted attention, and he couldn't let that happen.
And it's not like anyone could learn about it from his creation anyway. They would just think that it was just the normal Quincy technique.
Save for a few individuals, like Urahara Kisuke for example. Shirou was sure that man secretly analyzed his power a few years ago.
Anyway, he should just go along with whatever the man told him. Shirou would be the one to decide which advice was useful for him or not.
"So what should I do?" He asked, his voice was calm. He let go of his weapon and made it disappear from sight.
Ryuken pushed his glasses upward, turned around, and said.
"Follow me. We will go to my private shooting range. I need to see your proficiency at shooting first. Then, I will proceed to teach you how to control your reishi to use Blut."
"I will be in your care." Shirou smiled and followed the man.
***
At the edge of Karakura Town, a small mountain stood in the distance, and a vast forest covered its surroundings. People seldom entered this area due to dangerous animals roaming around, like a bear and a pack of wolves.
And this place was the private shooting ground of the Quincy Director.
"Is it okay for us to be here?"
"It's fine. We own this area. I will teach you something and you can use this place to train. Unfortunately, I am a busy person so I can only see you on weekends."
"I see." Shirou said and glanced at the vast space in front of him, "It's enough, thank you for giving me this chance."
"Masaki was the one who begged me, so just repay her." Ryuken answered while taking a stance and materializing a small crossbow in his hand.
Ryuken's reiatsu was weak compared to Shirou. The amount of his spiritual power was also quite low, even for a Quincy.
It was a sign that he had given up his power for some reason. He couldn't fully utilize Quincy's ability, even when he's a pure-blooded one. A strange phenomenon.
"Let me show you how we use the bow."
The older man pointed at a tree that was 100 meters away from him. He took a stance and fired a shot of reishi at it, creating a hole through the tree.
"This is how we do it." He said, "Did you notice me form the arrow with the surrounding Reishi? Unlike how you form your weapon with Reiryoku."
"Yeah. It's not really that hard, to be honest. I know the principle of our power." Shirou said, his eyes staring at the tree, "It's about gathering energy around us to use. Not much different from how I gather my Reiryoku."
"Is that so?" Ryuken asked, raising his eyebrow in question, "Then do the same for Blut. Make the Reishi flow into your blood vessel, don't reject it. It's hard to do for a hybrid, so take your time to practice."
He didn't even ask about the boy's understanding, because it would just make his life complicated if he asked more than necessary.
Even teaching Shirou was just a favor he gave Masaki. This should be enough to repay her, as long as the boy has a brain and motivation, he would get stronger.
"I see. I will try then."
With a deep breath, Shirou calmed down and tried to gather reishi into his blood vessels, imagining the flow of reishi inside his blood. However, it was a hard thing to do. He failed, feeling like he's being pushed back.
"This is hard."
"That's how Blut is. I will leave now, meet me again next week."
With that, Ryuken turned around and left. His spirit weapon dispersed and he walked down the mountain with a stoic face.
Shirou looked at his hand.
"Okay. Let's try it again..."
This time, Shirou took a different approach. Instead of absorbing the reishi into his body, he would make it flow inside him. It's like using a different pipe to transport the energy into himself, rather than mixing two water inside a bowl.
In his previous life, his magical circuits were too low, and so he had to compensate by using his blood vessels as magical circuits. But in this new world, the concept was changed.
He's not a Magus anymore, and so the amount of reiryoku was far greater than the amount of magical energy from the past. And he could control the Reishi in the air, making him able to maintain his projection almost permanently if he wanted to.
Of course it would take a toll on his body if he used too much, but at least it was far better than what he had in the past.
So, this time, he would make his blood vessel into a path for his Reishi. He also had this idea before but the pain he felt every time he used too much forced him to abandon it.
But if that's what's needed to learn this technique then he would do it.
"Trace... on."
Muttering his aria, he used the reishi around him to form a path that would connect to his heart. Particles of reishi flowed inside his blood vessel, and his hand glowed blue as the energy flowed inside him.
Circuit-like glow ran across his right hand, blinking like an electric lamp. Shirou gritted his teeth, enduring the pain as he kept the energy from flowing to other parts of his body.
"It's painful... but it works."
He could use more power, but not that much.
Still, this was just a small progress, an important one. The next step was to spread this flow across his whole body, to enhance his physical prowess.
"Then I have to do that. But not now." He sighed, "It will take some time."
Shirou stopped the flow and the circuits disappeared. He couldn't maintain it for a long time yet, it was too painful and useless. He felt like it would break with just one attack.
It was not strong enough. Shirou still had to learn to control the Reishi better and create more powerful veins, but at least it was a good start.
He would train more when he was free. There was still a lot of things he had to learn.
'That was Blut Vene for defense. As for Blut Arterie... I can use Reinforcement just fine.'
Clenching and opening his fist, Shirou marveled at the sensation from earlier. At last, he gained a defensive technique other than his Rho Aias.
All he needed was just someone who knew how to use it. His mother's explanation was... not exactly the best. He was glad Ryuken was such a good teacher despite being cold and aloof. Not that he had anything to complain about.
His gaze shifted toward the sky.
Training under such a clear sky felt different from Urahara's underground area.
While the Reishi in that place was higher than this mountain, mainly due to Urahara's tools, he still liked the feeling of being out in the open.
'Let's train a bit more, I guess.'
Thinking so, he looked at the tree with the hole on it. The same spot that Ryuken destroyed with his arrow.
Spirit Weapon was fascinating but the power was way less than Noble Phantasm. However, it could be an alternative that uses lower reiryoku.
Or not.
Tracing Kanshou and Bakuya was way better because of his fighting style. Not to mention, his usual bow had enough strength to kill hollow in one shot.
Every weapon in his reality marble, ready to be called, was better than Ryuken's spirit weapon.
So he should focus on what he couldn't do before. Which was training Blut Vene to the point he could at least defend against one attack from Zanpakutou's ability.
And he spent no time starting his practice.
Chapter 83
Ishida Uryu couldn't believe his eyes at who he found in his usual training ground.
He had a frown on his face when he saw his classmate, Shirou Emiya.
'What is he doing here?!'
The raven haired teen took a moment to observe him. Shirou was standing there, shooting a strange blue arrow that resembled Quincy's Heilig Pfeil before narrowing his own eyes, seemingly dissatisfied.
It would look normal to other people's eyes, but to a Quincy like Uryu it was a dangerous thing to see.
'He's using Reishi too recklessly.'
No even minding about his own safety. It's like he didn't care if he ended up overtaxing his body, as long as he achieved his goal. It's not normal for anyone to use that much power.
Uryu watched him shoot more and more arrows, never faltering, never tiring, and his accuracy was increasing with every shot. The concentration he had was also commendable.
And what he was using was also not the normal Heilig Bogen that all Quincies used.
No... He didn't even use Quincy Cross to create it. He purely used his own body to create that arrow and knocked it on his black bow. And Uryu could see the strain on the other boy's face as he did so.
'He's overdoing it...'
Clicking his tongue, Uryu couldn't stay silent when seeing someone, another Quincy like himself, pushing his body that hard.
Uryu stepped out of the bushes where he hid himself. "You're too reckless."
The voice caused the archer to turn his head, surprised. But he relaxed after seeing who it was.
"Ishida." Shirou said with a slight surprise in his voice, lowering his bow and the arrow dissipated into light, "What a surprise, meeting you here."
"I was the one who should say that." The boy pushed his glasses and crossed his arms, "What are you doing?"
"Well..." Shirou scratched his cheek and answered truthfully, "Practicing my Quincy power. I want to try creating a spirit weapon like Quincy does."
Uryu narrowed his eyes upon hearing that.
Creating a Spirit Weapon like Quincy does?
Then why didn't he use Quincy Cross like normal people would do? Uryu didn't like this one bit, but he had to admit that Shirou had a skill for that.
Quincy Cross was used to focus the Reishi in one spot, making the Spirit Weapon stable and easy to control. Without it, they wouldn't be able to form any weapon.
Not even Uryu was an exception. And he's sure his father and grandfather, his mentor, would also need a Cross to create a weapon.
Yet this person was capable of doing that without a Quincy Cross, relying solely on his own power and control.
'How did he do that?'
While the result was an unstable arrow, the power behind it didn't lose against a perfectly formed spirit weapon. It's just that he couldn't keep it for too long, making it impossible for him to actually fight.
But it's still an impressive skill, especially for a hybrid.
"You're doing it the wrong way. I don't know how you can make an arrow without using the Quincy Cross, but it won't be stable."
"Like I thought. That's why it's weaker than my usual arrow." Shirou nodded and hummed in understanding, "Then, do you mind teaching me the right way?"
"Huh?"
He was surprised. His mind had a hard time processing what the hybrid had just said, "What did you say?"
"Teaching me the way of using Quincy's technique, Ishida." He repeated with a smile, "Do you want to? You seem to have more experience with it."
"Of course. My skill is leagues higher than yours. I am the last pureblooded Quincy alive, after all."
"Then will you teach me?" Shirou smiled and asked politely.
"I am not sure why you are trying to learn how to create a Spirit Weapon, why you can create that bow and arrow without any help." He said with a slight suspicion in his voice, but still he accepted, "But fine, if you really want to. I will teach you."
"Great!" Shirou smiled brightly at this.
The boy didn't seem like a bad person, and Uryu was willing to help his friend if it didn't cause him trouble. Teaching a technique that he was proficient in was not hard either.
Besides, he was also a Quincy and his father had a close relationship with the Kurosaki's. They're not exactly enemies. If anything, it would be beneficial to have another Quincy to fight Hollow, especially with his high proficiency with bow.
And if the auburn-haired teen could create his own Spirit Weapon without using the cross then it was not really a problem to teach him the way of the Quincy.
He just had to teach him to control the Reishi and make a stable Spirit Weapon, not the opposite.
Yes, they were friends not enemies.
"Look here." Ishida said, showing Shirou a cross on a chain around his waist.
It was the traditional Quincy's cross that was usually used as a medium to control the reishi around them. All Quincies used the cross to make their Spirit Weapon.
"This is Quincy Cross, the medium to create Spirit Weapon. You NEED to have this if you want to be a Quincy, so I suggest you have one yourself." Ishida explained.
"Well... I already saw it before but I don't think that fits me." Shirou raised his black bow, "I prefer to use my own bow and not the Spirit Weapon created from Reishi."
"That's a foolish thing. Why would you want to use that weak bow instead of a proper one?"
Shirou smiled at that, "Just my preference."
Ishida Uryu didn't say anything, because he knew it's not like he could change his mind.
He just sighed.
"Whatever, just do whatever you want. If it's just creating the arrow, you just need to gather the reishi around the bowstring, not the whole arrow. It should be enough. Try to do it like what you did before but concentrate on it."
Shirou nodded and tried to do it again. He pulled the bowstring and focused the reishi there. It formed a blue arrowhead, glowing in blue.
"Yes. Don't put too much reishi there or it will be unstable. Your bow isn't made by Quincy Cross so it might not withstand the power."
"Don't worry about the bow. It's pretty durable." Shirou said and concentrated. "I will shoot."
Taking a deep breath, he aimed at the tree in the distance. His vision narrowed to only that spot.
When a wind blows, carrying a scent of leaves and grass with it. Shirou's mind was clear from everything, except the target.
Silence filled the air, only broken by a loud and resounding twang of a string as the arrow was released, piercing the leaf and embedded itself on the tree behind it before disappearing into motes of blue light.
Ishida stared at that in silence before he looked at the smiling Shirou who was grinning like he just found the world's secret.
"Not bad, but not good either." Shirou commented after seeing the result. "A physical arrow is more destructive."
"That's because you didn't focus enough. But I will give you credit for that shot." He pushed his glasses upward. "You are talented in archery."
"Thanks for the compliment. Should I keep practicing then?"
"It's up to you. I am going to train on my own."
Uryu pushed his glasses and turned around to leave. He wanted to keep this training ground a secret but it's not really possible anymore.
"Let's meet here again tomorrow then."
"I have no reason to teach you anymore." He replied without turning his head, "If you still can't do it properly, then you're not that talented."
Hearing that he wasn't that talented, Shirou could only smile wryly. He knew that fully well. Talent wasn't something he was blessed with since his previous life.
"Okay, then I will try to master this before our next meeting."
With that, Uryu disappeared into the bushes.
'Well, that's quite a development.' Shirou mused.
Having another Quincy to teach him about Reishi Control was a great thing, especially if he was better at using the power. Shirou would be a fool to not take the offer.
And what he said earlier still stands.
'Using a physical arrow will generate more power.'
Since he could use Reinforcement and turn them into broken phantasms. The power behind them would increase more than tenfold.
He traced a normal arrow in his hand, and placed it on the bow.
The image of the leaf entered his vision.
And Shirou let go of the arrow.
The projectile cut through the air and pierced the tree with a hole, making him able to see the other side.
Indeed, his black arrow was more powerful than the Reishi arrow. However, the speed of creating the Reishi arrow was slightly faster. Not to mention, he used less energy when using it.
There was still a long way before he could truly utilize the power to the maximum level.
'Let's practice more then.'
Chapter 84
After the practice, Shirou returned to the house. He was pretty satisfied with what he learned that day.
Learning a bit of Blut and creating Spirit Weapon using the principle of Quincy's was a great result. It would help him greatly in the future. Especially since his defense wasn't exactly the strongest.
Blut Vene was an important thing he would need to have.
The blue sky had turned orange, and Shirou had already finished his training and was on his way home. His step was slow and he was enjoying the sight of the sky above.
White cloud was moving at a fast pace and he felt relaxed after the training session.
When he was walking, his stomach suddenly rumbled, causing Shirou to remember that he had skipped lunch.
'Now I'm hungry.' He muttered, 'But I think we don't have ingredients at home...'
Shirou just remembered that his mother and father probably went out together today. It was that time of the week, after all. Where they would go on a date and come back at night.
Which meant today's dinner was on him too.
He'd like to relax for a while after his training, but it seemed like it would not be that easy.
Not that he would complain. Cooking was one of the few things that made him relax, anyway.
"Let's buy some groceries..."
With a sigh, he went to a supermarket. It was pretty crowded and the smell of food was everywhere.
Shirou stared at the ingredients on the shelf, wondering what to buy. Maybe bread and some vegetables? He would need to cook something quick so it could fit into the refrigerator.
Yes, a sandwich seems to be a good choice for today. It's light and easy to eat. He would have them for tomorrow's lunch too. Shirou then grabbed a basket and began to pick out ingredients.
'Cheese, tomato, mayonnaise... oh, ham too. Yeah. Let's get some lettuce.'
As Shirou picked out the ingredients, someone suddenly bumped into him.
"Ah, sorry– Inoue?"
"Ah!"
Turning around, he saw Orihime holding a basket full of bread. Melon bread, yakisoba bread, and even curry bread. She exclaimed in surprise.
"Shirou-kun! It's a coincidence, hahaha."
Shirou couldn't help but sweatdropped when he saw the basket full of unhealthy foods.
"Well, yeah. Are you... shopping?"
"Yep, I'm going to have a bread party! Tatsuki-chan will come too." She grinned widely.
"Bread... Party?"
"Yeah, bread party!"
Shirou stared at the bread, thinking about how unhealthy it was.
Nothing in that basket could even pass for a proper meal. It was full of unhealthy foods that could only fill the stomach for a moment. And even if he ignored that, Orihime should have bought at least something green.
Like a salad or something.
"Are you sure you're going to eat... those breads?"
"Yes! It will be fun." Orihime grinned.
"Oh... Well... I can't really stop you. But you should eat a proper meal. What about your health?" Shirou said with a concerned face, "I think it's not healthy."
"Hmm? I am okay though." She said, "I will eat some rice balls tomorrow, or something. And bread is healthy. It's made from wheat and wheat is a plant! See?"
She puffed her chest and smiled smugly, like she had found a great answer.
However, that made Shirou even more worried. If she was a stranger and wasn't a close friend to him, he might ignore it, but...
As expected, he couldn't stay silent about the matter. So, Shirou decided to speak up and try to convince her to change her diet.
"Listen. Why don't you and Tatsuki join our dinner tonight? Our parents aren't home so the two of you can join us. It's better than just eating bread, right?"
"Eh?! Is that okay? I don't want to intrude-"
"We have a Kurosaki special sandwich."
"But-"
"Delicious filling between two soft breads, with tomato and lettuce as decoration, the sauce was made from our special ingredient." Shirou explained the menu with a mischievous smile.
"H-How could you...!" She was surprised, "I-I can't-"
"It's going to be really delicious. And we can get a red bean paste as dessert too. What do you think, Inoue? Ichigo will be happy if you join us too."
Hearing that, Orihime's face reddened.
She was tempted by his offer. Not to mention, the mention of Ichigo's name made it impossible to decline.
And Shirou knew it, that was the reason he invited them for dinner. He was sure that Orihime would agree if she heard about Ichigo.
Because from his observation, he knew this girl had feelings for his brother.
"You are really evil, Shirou-kun. How could you do that?" Orihime said and pouted at him, "I... will join. But I need to get Tatsuki first since she's waiting in my home."
"Let's go together then. It's almost night, so it will be dangerous to go home alone." The red haired boy said, "And let's go to the cashier first, I think I have everything I need here."
"Umm... Okay then. But I will buy my own bread, it's not like I am going to waste this."
And so they went to the cashier together and Shirou carried her bags.
It's a gentleman thing to do even though he knew Orihime was strong enough to carry them alone. The walk was a short one, and Shirou could easily find their destination because of his ability.
When they arrived at Orihime's home, Shirou waited outside.
Entering a girl's home was something he would not do without her permission. And so he decided to just wait outside.
And soon, a black-haired girl exited the house. Arisawa Tatsuki, another friend of Shirou.
She looked at him with her sharp eyes, and Shirou could feel that she was scanning him from top to bottom.
"Arisawa. Good evening."
"Yeah." She greeted him back, "Why are you here?"
"Well, Tatsuki..." Orihime explained the situation and made the black haired girl smile.
She put her hands on her hips and looked at Shirou mischievously.
"Ohhh, I see. You want to feed us with your delicious foods." Tatsuki grinned and teased him. She got closer to him and whispered, "Are you trying to become a wingman? I will help you then."
"Ha-hahaha... Well, I just met Inoue by coincidence and saw her buying so many kinds of bread without any vegetables or meat..." Shirou trailed off, feeling like he's saying something that he should not.
"So you're just worried." She nodded in understanding and grinned at him, "I understand. You are indeed a nice guy."
She patted him on his shoulder and walked beside Orihime. "Well then, let's go to your house. I am looking forward to eating the famous Shirou's food."
"It's not like it's famous."
"But Ichigo always eats it with a satisfied face." Tatsuki argued.
"Then that's because Ichigo is just easy to satisfy. I know that he eats everything you gave to him. Even when you are just playing a prank and give him an expired bread."
"Oooi!" Tatsuki exclaimed, "That was one time!"
Shirou could only laugh in response, while Orihime was laughing too.
Their small group walked toward the Kurosaki clinic, chatting and laughing along the way.
The sun had already set as they walked along the quiet street, their shadows cast by the fading light danced on the ground behind them. Streetlight had come alive, and the moon had already appeared in the sky.
The three of them continued their conversation, with Orihime asking questions about school or other random things that popped up in her mind, while Shirou answered them.
It was a pleasant chat that made Shirou forget his exhaustion from earlier.
Karakura Town was not a very big town, so it's not a long trip.
Just two more crossroads and they would reach their destination. The three of them walked at a steady pace, Shirou and Tatsuki following behind the excited and cheerful Orihime.
And then, Shirou suddenly felt their presence. An uncomfortable reiatsu that made his stomach churn and his skin crawl. It was a feeling of uneasiness that could only be caused by one thing.
A large Hollow's Reiatsu.