My name is Riku Shiroyoku. There's not a lot to say about me—I'm just a simple guy trying to survive the tenth grade.

  Right now, I'm taking a stroll around my neighborhood. I know I shouldn't be out this te, but I just needed to clear my head.

  I know this might sound strange, but I can see dead people—wandering souls lost in the world of the living. I can even see creatures—monsters that shouldn't be real, that shouldn't exist.

  Ever since I was little, I've seen strange things—things a child was never meant to see. It got so bad that my parents took me to psychologists, trying to figure out what was wrong with me. They couldn't put me in a mental asylum since all the tests showed I was sane.

  In the end, they shipped me off to Karakura to live with my grandfather. That was five years ago, and I haven't heard from them since. To make matters worse, my grandfather is dying. He's been sick for a while now, and I've tried calling my dad to expin what's happening, but he never answers.

  He still sends money, but it's not enough—not enough to pay rent, put food on the table, or cover Gramps's hospital bills.

  I kept walking through the quiet town. It was midnight, and the moon hung high, casting long shadows on the empty streets. A chilly breeze brushed against my bare arms, but I didn't mind. The cold felt good—calm, almost comforting.

  Until...

  The ground beneath me suddenly rumbled, a low, vibrating tremor that sent a shiver up my spine. It felt like something massive was about to break free beneath the earth. "What the fuc—!" I shouted, my voice barely audible over the growing roar.

  BOOM!

  The air around me seemed to warp, and my eyes widened as everything blurred in an instant, moving too fast for me to comprehend fully. The concrete beneath my feet splintered, cracking open like spiderwebs spreading in every direction. The force of the explosion sent debris and rubble flying through the air, filling the sky with gss shards and dust. Storefront windows, car windshields, and apartment gss exploded all at once, the sound deafening.

  I threw my arms over my head, instinctively shielding myself from the hail of gss and debris, my face stinging from the wind that had gone from eerily calm to an all-out hurricane. It howled and whipped around me, each gust violent enough to knock me off bance. I struggled to stay on my feet as the ground continued to tremble, unsure of what was happening or what would come next.

  Then, through the chaos, my eyes caught something that didn't belong.

  A figure, standing calmly amidst the madness. He was wearing a simple bck gi, the fabric flowing slightly in the wind, and in his hand, he gripped a katana. At first gnce, the sword and the man seemed entirely ordinary—nothing special about them at all. But there was something off. Something that made my stomach tighten, an unsettling presence that stood in stark contrast to the violent storm around us.

  And that creature... those monsters! I see them every day, feeding on the innocent—preying on the dead. The man, average in build, was drenched in sweat, exhausted from the battle. His body was covered in bruises, his right arm bleeding. He looked less like a person and more like a ragged meat sack, so badly injured it was hard to believe he was still standing.

  I was terrified. I'd seen weird things before—things like that monster—but this... this gave me chills. My instincts screamed at me to stop staring, to run, to get as far away as possible.

  "Damn it... This creature is too strong. At least my team is safe. Even if I die, I know Captain Komamura will avenge me," said the man who was fighting back against the monster.

  The creature, with its Hollow-like face, was poised to tear the man apart. Its upper body resembled that of a man, but its lower body twisted into that of a serpent. A rge orange bde protruded from its left arm, yet it stopped. Why? I wondered, confusion and disorientation clouding my thoughts.

  The creature slowly turned toward me, its bck eyes locking onto mine. They were like voids—empty, devoid of sanity, filled only with an endless hunger.

  Unbeknownst to me at the time, I was unconsciously releasing my Reiatsu—intense and unrestrained.

  The man's face, as he fought the beast, twisted in horror. His mouth opened in a scream— a scream so filled with terror, it sounded as if the world were about to end.

  "KID, RUN!"

  My legs moved on their own, no thought, no rationality—just pure instinct. Every fiber in my body screamed at me to keep going, not to stop. Keep moving, no matter what.

  The guy fought with everything he had, trying to hold off the monster, giving me just enough time to find somewhere to hide. But I couldn't go home. What if that thing followed me there? I'd be putting Gramps in danger.

  Fuck!

  I arrived at Karakura High School, the only pce that felt like it could offer me any kind of safety. My heart was still racing, adrenaline coursing through me, but I couldn't stop now. I had to keep moving. Without thinking, I sprinted toward the school gates, my legs carrying me faster than I ever thought possible.

  I didn't waste any time. With a quick gnce over my shoulder, I jumped, flipping over the gates in one smooth motion. The cold metal bars scraped against my palms, but I didn't feel the pain. I nded on the other side, my shoes skidding on the ground.

  I paused for a second, catching my breath. The air was thick with tension, but Karakura High, at least for the moment, felt like a haven.

  Stepping into the school, darkness enveloped me like a heavy cloak. I flicked on my phone's fshlight, its beam slicing through the eerie stillness. Taking a steadying breath, I began to walk through the empty halls.

  I couldn't call anyone—no one would believe me. They'd think I was out of my mind. "Should I wait until morning?" I muttered to myself, frustration bubbling up. "Damn, how am I going to expin this if a teacher sees me? I'm screwed."

  Walking in a straight line, I passed by the cssrooms. The building was quiet—eerily so—not a single sound echoed through the halls.

  Suddenly, a shatter.

  My eyes snapped to the source just in time to see a person come flying through the window. My eyes widened as I recognized the same guy from before—only this time, he looked even worse. He coughed up blood—so much blood—and lifted his head weakly.

  Taking a closer look at him, I realized he wasn't just some average guy. There was something about his dazed, unwavering gaze that hinted at more—a sense of purpose, a weight behind his presence. This man was more than just a simple soldier.

  He gave me a weak smile, his teeth stained with blood. "I'm sorry, kid. I couldn't hold it back... And I doubt my team will find us in time," the dying man rasped, coughing up more blood.

  "Don't push yourself, man!" I excimed, reaching out to help him up. But he shoved me away, his hand trembling yet firm.

  "N-No! You need to go before it co—" His words cut off abruptly, his eyes widening in pure terror as he stared past me.

  I didn't even have time to turn around. A sharp, searing pain pierced through my chest, and the world seemed to tilt around me. My breath hitched, and I looked down in disbelief, seeing crimson blooming on my shirt. My mind struggled to make sense of the pain, but I couldn't move, couldn't scream.

  The man's horrified gaze stayed fixed on me as his lips trembled, trying to form words. My vision blurred, and darkness started creeping in from the edges.

  When I fell onto the cold, hard floor, the sharp scent of bleach and cleaning products filled my nose. My body ached, and my vision swam, but I saw it—the beast from before.

  Its bde-like arm glistened with fresh blood—my blood. A wicked smile twisted its grotesque face, and thick, stringy saliva dripped from its mouth, threatening to spill onto the floor. It looked at me with ravenous hunger, like it wanted to eat me—devour me whole!

  Everything went bck. That's when I heard it—a noise, deep within my soul. Something that had been sleeping... now awakening.

  Do you want to die?

  "No, of course not!"

  Then devour—devour everything!

  "W-What are you talking about?!"

  If you don't... you will die.

  "I don't want to die! I want to live!"

  THEN DEVOUR!

  In the pitch-bck darkness of my consciousness, a beast with golden, slit-pupil eyes howled.

  Fragments of memories surfaced—moments I thought were long forgotten... A girl? Who is she? And that neckce—the one currently around my neck—she gave it to me. It's a strange pendant depicting a dog devouring the moon, but when flipped around, it shows the dog devouring the sun.

  After that, everything was silent....

  My eyes snap open, a fsh of panic surging through me. I gasp for air, my chest heaving as if I've just resurfaced from underwater. Sweat clings to my skin, cold and cmmy, while my heart races, thundering in my chest. My hand shoots instinctively to my chest, searching for the gash I remember— the wound that should be there.

  But there's nothing.

  I blink, disoriented, struggling to make sense of what's happening. Slowly, I push myself up, each movement sluggish, like I'm still half-dreaming. My body feels heavy, reluctant to wake. I swing my legs off the bed and pnt my feet on the floor, the coolness of it grounding me in the moment.

  I stumble toward the mirror, disbelief clouding my mind. The face staring back at me is... mine. My raven-bck hair, messy as always, falls in a tangled heap. My azure eyes—bright and wide—show no trace of the pain I remember feeling. My skin, once pale and worn, now seems... almost too healthy.

  I reach up to touch my face, my arms, as if confirming that this body belongs to me. Did I dream the whole thing?

  The thought cws at me, but something deeper stirs inside—an unsettling certainty that something happened, something I can't expin. There's no way I should be alive. I should be dead.

  Shaking off the doubt, I decide to check on Gramps, needing to know if he's okay.

  I tiptoe to his room, my hand reaching for the door. The soft glow of the nightlight spills over his frail form as he sleeps, the faint hum of machines filling the air. My heart tightens when I see him—hooked up to those needles and tubes, looking so fragile. Too fragile.

  "Fuck," I mutter under my breath, the words thick with emotion. Seeing him like this is unbearable. He doesn't deserve this—he doesn't deserve to be in so much pain. He should be surrounded by family, by love, not lying alone in a hospital bed, wires snaking into him like he's some kind of experiment.

  His once bright blue eyes—just like mine—are closed now, his face ghostly pale, his skin etched with deep wrinkles of age. Even his hair, once thick and full, has thinned, barely clinging to his scalp.

  The shrill sound of my arm yanked me from my thoughts, and I scrambled to my feet, rushing back to my room. I spped the snooze button with a little too much force, making sure it wouldn't wake up Gramps. My eyes shot to the clock, and my heart skipped a beat.

  "Shit! I'm going to be te for school," I muttered, panic setting in.

  In a rush of movement that could've belonged in a cartoon, I tossed on my school uniform—grey scks, a crisp white dress shirt, and my bzer. I wasn't a fan of the bzer, so I left it on the bed, slipping instead into my bck jacket for comfort. Last, I grabbed the neckce that had once belonged to a dear friend, the one that always seemed to weigh heavier with each passing day. I fastened it around my neck, the familiar weight grounding me even as I raced out the door.

  As I approached the entrance of Karakura High School, I froze. A massive crowd of students had gathered, huddled together in one chaotic mob. Yellow caution tape stretched across the entrance like a barricade, cutting the campus off from the outside world.

  Over a dozen police officers were scattered around the area, keeping the students back. Their serious expressions and the low murmur of their radios made my stomach drop. Something bad had happened.

  I tried to get closer, curiosity driving me forward, but a firm hand on my shoulder stopped me in my tracks. Turning around, I came face to face with two familiar figures—Chad and Ichigo, both looking pale.

  Before I could say anything, Ichigo yanked me into a headlock. "You son of a bitch! Do you know how to answer your damn phone? We were worried sick about you!" he shouted.

  Grunting, I managed to break free from his grip, gring at him. "What the hell, Ichigo? Are you trying to choke me to death?" I coughed out, rubbing my neck.

  "And I should've strangled you harder! Man, you've been acting weird tely—is something wrong?" Ichigo asked, his face showing genuine concern.

  Seeing the worry on his face, I closed my eyes and scratched the back of my head—a bad habit of mine, usually when I feel guilty. "Look, man, after I got home and checked on Gramps, I kinda just passed out. That's why I haven't been answering," I said.

  Ichigo just nodded, and Chad, who had been quiet the whole time, gave a small grunt of acknowledgment. "Oh, alright. But you might wanna watch your back today... I heard from Orihime that Tatsuki's been blowing up your phone nonstop."

  Silence. The only sound was the wind whipping through the air.

  I knew I was screwed. Royally.

  Quickly pulling out my phone with a sense of urgency, I scrolled through the missed calls. Ichigo had called five times, and Chad the same. Even Orihime had tried a couple of times... but Tatsuki? Twelve missed calls?!

  Tatsuki Arisawa—she's a childhood friend of mine. The same goes for Ichigo and Chad. And did I mention I have a massive crush on her? She's beautiful and easy to talk to, but there's one thing... her temper.

  I quickly called her back. The phone barely rang before she picked it up, but just as I opened my mouth to say something, I froze when I heard her voice. "I'm right here."

  I turned around, and there she was—Tatsuki, standing with her hands on her hips. The look on her face made it clear she was furious. The cold air that I feared was even worse than the nightmare from st night.

  "Expin. Now!" she demanded.

  "That's what happened. Like I told Ichigo and Chad, I'm sorry that I worried you guys," I said, walking up the stairs to our cssroom.

  Tatsuki snarled, gring at me. "If you think a simple apology is going to fix this, you're sadly mistaken, bud."

  A tick mark appeared on my forehead, and I forced a smile. "I said sorry, and what more do you want?"

  Tatsuki smirked. "Oh, you think that's enough? Nah. You've gotta take all of us out this weekend. I'm talking entertainment, lunch, a movie, and dinner. All of us!"

  "Oh, that's amazing! That's a wonderful idea, Tatsuki!" Orihime cheered, her face lighting up with excitement. "I think we should go to the amusement park first, then we can see that new action movie that just came out, and afterward, we should have ramen for dinner!"

  Tatsuki grinned mischievously before saying, "That sounds like a pn to me." She giggled when she saw my downcast expression. 'Money, so much money down the drain,' I thought, desperately trying to figure out how to get out of this mess. I gnced at Ichigo, giving him my best puppy-dog eyes, hoping for some kind of rescue.

  He smiled and said, "If you were hoping for me to come to the rescue, think again. Plus, you can always use the Nintendo Switch 2 money you've been saving up," Ichigo said, his smile turning devious.

  At that moment, I lost all hope in humanity. My friends were truly heartless monsters. Even Chad showed a slight smile on his face.

  "I hate you all. You know that?" I said, with anime tears streaming down my face.

  They all gave me evil grins and, in unison, replied, "We love you too, Riku."

  About to retort, but everything changed. As I reached my cssroom, I froze. Yellow tape blocked the doorway, and my eyes widened, fear and dread flooding my chest. That window—the same one from st night—was shattered.

  It had to be a coincidence, I told myself. There had to be a rational expnation for this. But no matter how much I tried to convince myself, memories of that night began to resurface.

  The stabbing... the guy fighting that creature... He was a soul reaper, and the creature—a Hollow.

  Wait. How did I know that!? Those memories—they weren't mine.

  What is going on with me!?

  All I could do was stare at that spot... The spot where I died. Yes, I actually died; it wasn't a dream. Everything that happened yesterday was real—the creature, the man—it wasn't a dream. It was reality.

  A chill breeze from the shattered window cooled my now-sweating face. Dread seeped into my bones—the kind that creeps up your spine, makes your skin crawl, and leaves you frozen in pce.

  "HEY!" I turned around, fear still in my eyes. Standing before me were my friends, all wearing concerned expressions. Tatsuki called out my name gently—something I rarely heard from her. Tatsuki usually had a rambunctious personality, often mistaken for a tomboy. But deep down, she liked girly things—things she preferred to hide, especially her caring side.

  "Riku-kun, what's going on?" Tatsuki's gaze was serious, though there was a yer of concern there too. Ichigo had his hands stuffed in his pockets, looking slightly annoyed but still worried. Chad stood with his arms crossed, his expression unsettled. Even Orihime, the clumsiest of us, wore a worried look on her face.

  "Well, spit it out," Tatsuki said, a little impatiently. She reached out and grabbed me by the colr. I didn't look into her eyes. Instead, I focused on the ground, unable to meet her gaze. This broke Tatsuki's heart. She immediately let go of my colr, her eyes softening.

  Next, Ichigo pced a hand on my shoulder. "Look, dude. If you're in any type of trouble, just tell us. We've been best friends since we were five. You, me, Tatsuki, and Chad. We're friends, right?" Ichigo's voice had a slight frown, his concern barely hidden behind his usual tough guy exterior.

  Before I could protest, I heard Chad's voice. That was rare in itself.

  "Riku, we've got your back," Chad said, his friendly smile comforting me despite the chaos in my mind.

  I swallowed nervously, feeling a tightness in my throat. I opened my mouth to speak but hesitated when I noticed someone else—someone new. Someone I had only recently become acquainted with.

  She had short bck hair that framed her face, with onyx-bck eyes that held an unreadable depth. Her expression was stoic, distant even. Her skin was pale, almost ivory, giving her an ethereal quality. This was Rukia Kuchiki.

  "Guys! Sensei told me to come fetch you. She said that css B would be using one of the empty freshmen csses for the foreseeable future. So come on, or we will be te, said Rukia. Seeing this was the perfect time to escape, I agreed with Kuchiki-san.

  "Kuchiki-san is right. We should head to css; we don't want to be te. You know how she can get," I said with a fake smile on my face. I was the first to leave, and everyone else began to follow, except for Rukia and Ichigo. I wondered what those two were talking about.

  Ichigo crossed his arms and leaned back against the wall. With one eye half-open, he stared at Rukia and asked, "So, what do you want to talk about? You think this was caused by a Hollow?"

  Rukia closed her eyes, her arms folding across her chest. "Yes. It involved a Soul Reaper. There was a battle... I'm not sure which division they belonged to. Unfortunately, by the time I arrived, the Soul Reaper was already... dead."

  "What!?" Ichigo's voice shot up with concern, his eyes widening. "Do you have any idea how dangerous that is? Are you out of your mind? How the hell did you even manage to take down the Hollow? You must've used some kind of trick or—"

  "NO!... It wasn't me. I can't expin how he did it, it was all so unreal, said Rukia she was horrified of what?

  "Who?!" Excmiend Ichigo. Rukia frowned but took in a deep breath.

  "It was your friend, Shiroyoku-san..." Rukia's voice faltered. "He turned into a massive white beast. He sughtered the Hollow effortlessly... then he devoured it. But what's worse, he also consumed the Soul Reaper. He was completely out of control, and I couldn't stop him. Then, just like that, he reverted back to normal. It was terrifying."

  "Riku... No, it can't be," Ichigo said, his voice full of disbelief. "But the way he acted, how he stared at that shattered window... Now that I think about it, it makes sense."

  Rukia nodded, her expression grave. "Yes, he's simir to you, Ichigo. Shiroyoku-san has an incredibly strong Reiatsu. I'm not sure what that creature was, so I went to Urahara-san for answers. He doesn't have any leads yet, but once he does, he'll share the information with us."

  Ichigo twitched slightly, then asked a question he'd been dreading. "The Soul Society... Do they know anything about this?" he asked seriously.

  Rukia shook her head. "No, not that I'm aware of... To them, he's just another Soul Reaper who died in battle." She paused, her expression growing more serious. "But that's not what I'm worried about. What concerns me is your friend. He feels... like a Soul Reaper. I can't expin it. It's as if, whatever form he took st night, he somehow stole that Soul Reaper's powers."

  "So, he's just like me, then? Is he a Soul Reaper now?" Ichigo asked, his voice tinged with disbelief.

  Rukia didn't respond right away. She honestly didn't know how to expin it. This hadn't been seen before in the long history of the Soul Society.

  "Rukia!?" Ichigo excimed, his frustration mounting.

  "I HAVE NO CLUE, OK!?" she snapped. "But I do know one thing. If that Soul Reaper's colleagues, squads, or even captains feel your friend's spiritual pressure, then who knows what could happen. Right now, we need to monitor Shiroyoku-san and see more about these weird abilities and that form he transforms into.

  "I see... so what do we do now?" Ichigo asked.

  Rukia sighed. "Like I said... we watch and observe."

  The rest of my day was pretty normal—definitely better than dealing with giant creatures and samurai wielding magical katanas. Anyway, csses ended early due to the attack—which was partially my fault. I felt like crap. Memories of someone else kept invading my mind—things no human should know.

  The spiritual realm... or better yet, the Soul Society, Hueco Mundo, and even Hell.

  TO BE CONTINUED ??

  I hope you all enjoyed the story! Any feedback would be appreciated. I'm sorry; I just felt the urge to write a Bleach fanfic, and I hope you liked it. I know there are many unanswered questions and a lot of information that has been dropped.