Chapter 33: The Blade that Cuts Fate and the Scholar's Fury part- 1
The large hacker, Daru, shifted his chair slightly to the left, completely blocking the doorway.
"You aren't going anywhere, noob," Daru said, sipping a diet soda.
Kurisu stood up. She cracked her knuckles. "I have a few questions about your 'physics', sir. And I expect peer-reviewed answers."
She cornered the terrified Transmigrator.
Okabe watched, his lab coat fluttering in the breeze from the air conditioner.
(Nice work, Kyouma,) Ethan chuckled. (You out-nerded him.)
"Of course," Okabe muttered, adjusting his glasses. "No one out-crazies me. This is the choice of Steins Gate."
He looked at Kurisu, who was currently berating the villain with scientific jargon. He smiled. She wasn't going anywhere.
[Incident Report: World 15][Target: Okabe Rintaro & Kurisu Makise.][Status: Lab Members United. Villain Exposed as a Fake Geek.][Reward: 1100 System Points.]
(Alright, who is next? I am on a roll.)
[System Alert: Final Anomaly for this Sector.][World Designation: World 16 - The World of Shinigami (Bleach Universe).][Host: Ichigo Kurosaki.][Target: Orihime Inoue.][Villain: "The Soul King's Cousin" (Transmigrator).]
(Ichigo? The guy with the big sword and the frown? Let us go wrap this up.)
World 16: The World of Shinigami (Bleach Universe - University Setting)
Ethan floated in the inner world of Ichigo Kurosaki. It was usually a sideways skyscraper city, but right now, it was raining. It always rained when Ichigo was depressed.
(Ichigo! Stop moping! The rain is going to rust my virtual circuits!)
Ichigo sat on the side of a building, his giant sword, Zangetsu, resting beside him. "It is no use," Ichigo sighed. "Kenji... he showed me the 'Red String of Fate'. It connects him to Orihime. I saw it with my own eyes. I am just interfering with destiny."
(You saw a hologram! Kenji is a Transmigrator with the 'Fate Weaver' System! He bought that red string effect for 50 points in a discount bin! It is a glorified laser pointer!)
Ethan was frustrated. The villain, "Kenji the Soul King's Cousin" (a ridiculous title he made up), was currently at the University Cafe with Orihime. He was using his cheat ability to make a glowing red string appear between his pinky finger and hers, convincing the sweet, gullible Orihime that they were soulmates reborn.
(Ichigo, listen to me. Destiny isn't a string. It is what you fight for. You fought Aizen. You fought Yhwach. And you are going to let a guy wearing too much cologne steal your girl because of a laser show?)
Ichigo gripped Zangetsu. "But... what if she believes him?"
(Then we break the illusion. I am buying a new item. 'The Scissors of Reality'. It allows the user to cut through visual illusions and sever fake karmic bonds. Cost: 600 Points. It is expensive, so you better use it well.)
A pair of spectral, glowing blue scissors appeared in Ichigo's hand. They felt heavy. Real.
"Scissors?" Ichigo asked.
(Go to the cafe. When he waves his pinky around, cut the string. Then... Bankai his face. Metaphorically. Or literally. I am flexible.)
.........…
Location: Karakura University Cafe.
Orihime Inoue stared at her pinky finger. A faint, glowing red thread extended from it, leading directly to Kenji's hand across the table.
Kenji, a man with silver hair and a robe that looked vaguely like a Captain's haori but with more gold trim, smiled benevolently.
"You see, Orihime?" Kenji said softly. "The string does not lie. We were lovers in a past life. The Soul Society tries to keep us apart, but our love is eternal. You must leave Ichigo. He is a warrior of death; I am a being of destiny."
Orihime looked sad. "But... Kurosaki-kun..."
"He holds you back," Kenji insisted. "Come with me to my private estate in the Soul King's Palace (which was actually a rented apartment). We will fulfill the prophecy."
He reached out to hold her hand.
SNIP.
A loud, metallic shearing sound echoed through the spiritual plane.
The red string didn't just fade; it snapped violently, whipping back and smacking Kenji in the eye.
"Ow!" Kenji yelled, covering his face.
Standing next to the table was Ichigo Kurosaki. He wasn't wearing his Shinigami robes; he was in jeans and a t-shirt, but the spiritual pressure radiating from him was heavy enough to crack the pavement outside. In his hand, he held the spectral blue scissors.
"Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime gasped.
"That string looked like a tripping hazard," Ichigo said, his scowl deeper than usual.
Kenji stood up, one eye watering. "You! You dare sever the Thread of Fate? Do you know the karmic backlash you have unleashed?"
"I don't care about karma," Ichigo said. He dropped the scissors (which vanished) and grabbed the Substitute Shinigami Badge from his pocket. He slammed it against his chest.
BOOM.
Smoke and spirit energy exploded. When it cleared, Ichigo stood in his Shinigami form, Zangetsu resting on his shoulder.
"I am the guy who cuts things," Ichigo stated flatly. "And today, I am cutting your nonsense."
Kenji panicked. "System! Activate 'Soul Pressure Suppression'!"
(System Counter: Activate 'Getsuga Tensho to the Face' Protocol. Do it, Ichigo!)
"Getsuga..." Ichigo raised his blade. Black and red energy began to swirl, screaming like a banshee.
The other students in the cafe (who couldn't see spirits) just felt a sudden drop in temperature and an overwhelming sense of dread.
Kenji's eyes bugged out. "Wait! Not here! Collateral damage!"
"Then run," Ichigo suggested.
Kenji didn't need telling twice. He Flash-Stepped away, fleeing toward the window.
"...Tensho!"
Ichigo swung. He held back—mostly. The blast of energy shattered the window and chased Kenji into the sky, blasting him halfway to the next town.
Ichigo sheathed his sword and reverted to human form in a puff of smoke. He sat down in the chair Kenji had vacated.
He looked at Orihime. She was staring at him with wide, teary eyes.
"Kurosaki-kun," she sniffled. "You cut the fate string."
"It was fake, Inoue," Ichigo said, looking away, blushing slightly. "Besides... even if it was real... I would have cut it."
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