"Who are you? I've never heard the name Tsuna in the Seireitei."
Rukia looked at him with clear caution. Toward this suddenly appearing Sawada Tsunayoshi, she naturally remained on guard.
"There's plenty you don't know," Tsuna replied calmly.
"Do you expect me to tell you that among us there's even a former captain of the Gotei 13?"
Isshin immediately choked on his water and hurried into the bathroom.
He and Masaki had just finished acting out that story—if Tsuna casually exposed everything now, their entire performance would collapse.
Tsuna honestly didn't understand what the Kurosaki couple were trying to hide.
Wouldn't it be simpler to just kick Ichigo back to the Shiba Clan and let him inherit the family legacy?
Perhaps Isshin simply felt guilty about leaving without a word back then.
Since Isshin clearly didn't want to reveal his identity yet, Tsuna decided to shift Rukia's attention.
"I know quite a few captains. I'll introduce you someday."
Captains?
Several of them?
In the Human World?
Rukia's mind nearly stopped working.
She had never heard of captains abandoning their posts in Soul Society.
Still half-skeptical, she finally explained the truth.
"It's not that I don't want to release Shikai… I simply can't."
"That Zanpakutō… isn't mine."
Tsuna suddenly used Shunpo, appearing in front of Ichigo.
Putting on his gloves, he punched Ichigo's body.
Ichigo's soul was instantly knocked out of his body.
"Hey! Tsuna, what the hell are you doing?!"
Ichigo rubbed his head angrily.
If it had been anyone else, he would've already swung his sword.
"Strange… Ichigo's Reiatsu really does come from you."
Tsuna circled around Ichigo, carefully observing him.
The faint Reiatsu fluctuations around Ichigo clearly belonged to Rukia.
"The Reiatsu is mine, and the Zanpakutō was formed from my Reiatsu—but it's not Sode no Shirayuki."
Rukia said firmly.
When she tried to call out to Sode no Shirayuki earlier, there had been no response at all.
When the blade pierced Ichigo, both the sword and her Reiatsu were absorbed together.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have ended up in such a miserable state.
"Interesting."
If Tsuna's guess was correct—
The mastermind behind this entire incident had created a sword using Rukia's Reiatsu, then secretly replaced her Zanpakutō.
As for the reason…
Perhaps it was to ensure that Rukia's Reiatsu would be injected perfectly into someone's masterpiece—
Kurosaki Ichigo.
"You're not in a condition to move around right now," Tsuna said as he stood up.
"I'll take you to the shopkeeper and get you a Reigai body to use."
"My purpose here is finished anyway."
"The shopkeeper?"
"The former Captain of the 12th Division… Urahara Kisuke."
Urahara Shop
After changing into a Reigai, Kuchiki Rukia respectfully bowed to Tsuna and Urahara.
"Thank you both for your help. I'm truly grateful."
"Now's not really the time to thank us," Urahara said seriously—something rare for him.
"Miss Kuchiki… do you know the consequences of giving Shinigami power to a human?"
"The Sōkyoku Hill prison?"
Rukia shook her head lightly.
"I had no choice."
She had already accepted the possibility that she would be judged and punished by the Seireitei.
"At the very least, before Soul Society sends someone… I plan to train Ichigo into a proper Shinigami."
Even now, Rukia still cared about the duty she had been assigned in Karakura Town.
She wanted Kurosaki Ichigo, who had absorbed her Reiatsu, to carry out her mission.
"Ichigo doesn't lack combat experience," Tsuna said thoughtfully.
"At most, he'll get used to Shinigami duties within two days."
Then he added,
"But a Shinigami who doesn't know the true name of his Zanpakutō—can he really be called a true Shinigami?"
Rukia immediately understood.
"Is my Reiatsu interfering?"
"So tomorrow," Tsuna said, "please take Ichigo and let him familiarize himself with Shinigami duties."
"The day after tomorrow, I'll help him find his own Shinigami power."
Two Days Later — After School
Just like the original timeline, Rukia transferred into Ichigo's school.
Within only one day, she had already taught Ichigo how to perform Konsō (Soul Burial).
As for fighting Hollows—
Ichigo didn't need any lessons at all.
With his enormous Zanpakutō, he simply cut them down one after another.
Gradually, Ichigo's expression began to grow more and more smug.
"Tsuna, I heard you're going to train me."
He grinned widely.
"Be careful. I might just cut you down with one swing."
Only when facing Tsuna did Ichigo show such arrogant confidence.
"Heh."
"If you can land even a single hit on me," Tsuna replied dismissively,
"I'll do whatever you want."
"Deal."
Ichigo grinned even wider.
"When I hit you, you have to tell me everything about my parents."
Ichigo had already sensed that Isshin and Masaki hadn't told him the full truth.
"Fine."
"Meet at Urahara Shop."
Ichigo's classmates with spiritual powers gathered beneath Urahara Shop.
As soon as they entered the underground training area, Ichigo voluntarily took a punch from Rukia.
His soul popped out of his body again.
Now in Shinigami form, Ichigo rested his huge sword on his shoulder and pointed it arrogantly at Tsuna.
"Come on, Tsuna. I've been waiting to fight you."
Ichigo had wanted this fight for a long time.
Before, he had only three attack opportunities with his Fullbring bow, so he never dared challenge Tsuna.
But now—
His Zanpakutō had no such limit.
In his mind, this would be an exhilarating battle.
"Do you really need to be this excited?" Tsuna said calmly.
At Ichigo's current level, Tsuna barely felt interested.
"Stop talking and draw your sword!"
Ichigo couldn't contain his excitement anymore.
"Actually—never mind!"
"Take this!"
Ichigo leapt high into the air.
Without waiting for Tsuna to prepare, he attacked immediately.
Deep down, Ichigo knew he probably couldn't defeat Tsuna.
So he decided to seize the initiative.
His massive blade descended with tremendous force.
Clang!
But it was blocked by—
A short blade no longer than a palm.
Beside that blade, Tsuna held two more identical ones.
At his waist hung a long sword.
This was Asari Ugetsu's Variant Four Blades—Tsuna's Rain-attribute Fullbring weapon.
It consisted of one long blade and three short blades, modeled after the weapon of the First Vongola Rain Guardian.
Ichigo's hands trembled.
No matter how much strength he used, he couldn't move the sword even an inch further.
Had the gap between them really been this huge?
"It's not over yet!"
Ichigo stepped back.
Using a method he had learned over the past two days, he wrapped Reiatsu around his Zanpakutō and attacked again.
Tsuna's fingers spun the two short blades effortlessly.
One blocked Ichigo's strike.
The other flipped and knocked Ichigo's Zanpakutō flying.
The moment the sword left his hand, Ichigo flipped backward.
A black spirit bow appeared in his hand.
Midair, he fired an arrow straight at Tsuna.
Now that he possessed Shinigami power, he no longer needed to conserve his Fullbring attacks.
Tsuna raised an eyebrow.
Ichigo's combat instincts were impressive.
That attack was unexpected.
But it wasn't enough to trouble Tsuna.
He flicked a short blade forward.
Blue Rain-attribute flames covered its edge.
Dodging the arrow gracefully, Tsuna placed the blade against the arrow's shaft.
As the blade slid along it, the Rain flames spread across the entire arrow.
The arrow simply froze in midair beside Tsuna.
With a light flick, Tsuna sent it away.
It exploded harmlessly nearby.
But when Tsuna looked back at Ichigo—
He was surprised.
Ichigo had placed his Zanpakutō on his Fullbring bow.
The Reiatsu of the arrow wrapped around the blade, transforming the sword into a gigantic arrow.
Meeting Tsuna's gaze—
Ichigo released the bowstring.
His strongest attack shot toward Tsuna.
"Not bad."
Tsuna tossed out all three short blades.
Then he drew the long sword from his waist and unleashed a surge of Rain flames.
The flames covered the blades, forming several dragon-shaped streams of energy that rushed toward Ichigo's arrow.
Nine-Headed Dragon — Crushing River!
Over the years, Tsuna had perfected the techniques originally created by Asari Ugetsu.
Nine blue dragon heads clamped onto Ichigo's arrow.
Under the calming property of Rain flames, the terrifying arrow instantly lost all momentum.
It dropped to the ground.
But it wasn't over yet.
Under the dragons' suppression, frost began forming across the surface of Ichigo's Zanpakutō.
Soon the blade would be completely frozen.
If things continued like this—
Ichigo's challenge would end in defeat.
But Ichigo refused to accept that.
With a roar, he burst forward and grabbed the sword's hilt.
Relying purely on brute strength, he ripped the blade free.
Roaring angrily, he swung at Tsuna again.
Unfortunately—
Tsuna wasn't someone Ichigo could defeat through sheer determination.
In the blink of an eye, Tsuna used Shunpo to appear behind him.
He calmly shook the rain droplets from his blade and dismissed his Fullbring weapon.
Behind him—
Ichigo stood frozen.
The Zanpakutō in his hands split in two.
A thin line appeared across his chest.
Blood sprayed outward.
"Ichigo-kun!"
Seeing him gravely injured, Orihime rushed forward.
Sōten Kisshun was already forming.
Tsuna shot her a single glance.
The figure beside her immediately understood and stepped forward to block her.
"Tatsuki, what are you doing?! Ichigo-kun is hurt!"
Orihime tried to run past her.
Only when Ichigo was in danger did Orihime ever resist Tatsuki.
"Orihime," Tatsuki said calmly.
"I've known Ichigo longer than anyone except Tsuna."
"Neither of us would ever hurt him."
"Trust Tsuna."
"And trust Ichigo."
Nearby, Ishida Uryū quietly stepped in front of Sado Yasutora (Chad) as well.
If Chad moved, Uryū would stop him.
Ichigo lay on the ground, staring blankly at Tsuna kneeling before him.
Tsuna spoke calmly, directly exposing Ichigo's thoughts.
"You're wondering why the gap between us is so large."
"Why a borrowed power isn't as strong as someone else's."
"Your power lies within your heart."
"Find it."
"And learn its name."
With a sharp clang, Tsuna cut through a chain attached to Ichigo.
"Your Chain of Fate has been severed."
"If you don't want to become a Hollow, find your Zanpakutō."
"Think about Aunt Masaki… Uncle Isshin… Yuzu… Karin…"
Under Tsuna's almost hypnotic voice—
Ichigo slowly sank into deep unconsciousness.
Inside his Inner World, sunlight shone brightly…
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