Dare to Steal My Head?
A few days passed quickly.
Shiraishi had grown familiar with the surroundings of Lichun in West District 10, finding it a quiet and pleasant place.
Within seven days, including the one just passed, he had slain three Hollows. That earned him 1,500 kan—enough to repay his debt to the owner of the Pepsi Shop.
He swung his Zanpakutō with a flourish before smoothly sheathing it. The small Hollow before him crumbled into dark spiritual particles, dissolving into the air.
Shiraishi pulled up his attribute panel, curious to see how much experience this Hollow had given him.
Since reaching level nine, minor Hollows no longer posed a challenge. A single Forward Slash followed by a Steel Flash was enough to dispatch them cleanly.
That made it difficult to gauge their exact value. Sometimes the gains were slightly above expectations, sometimes a little below. Too much, and he welcomed it. Too little, and he grumbled.
The panel appeared before his eyes:
Hero: Shiraishi
Level: 9 (1130/1350)
Reiatsu: 6,200
Zanpakutō: Infinite — chance to critically strike, doubling the power of the next attack or skill.
Passive: Way of the Rurouni
Unyielding: As a wanderer, you accumulate sword intent while moving. At peak, incoming attacks are partially neutralized by the shield of your intent.
Death Face: Death is like the wind, always at your side. In desperate moments, Infinite grants you a guaranteed critical strike.
Skills
Steel Flash (Lv. 3): On hit, generates a Whirlwind Slash for 6 seconds. Two stacks create a whirlwind that launches enemies.
Wind Barrier (Lv. 2): Forms a wall of air that blocks ranged attacks for 4 seconds.
Forward Slash (Lv. 3): Dash forward like the wind, piercing enemies. If chained into Steel Flash, the attack arcs outward in a circular slash.
Fresh Breath (Lv. 1): Mid-air strike that suspends enemies for 1 second longer. On landing, instantly maxes sword intent, resets Steel Flash charges, and for 15 seconds gives a 50% chance to bypass defenses.
Shiraishi smirked. The Hollow had granted 23 experience points, stronger than expected. Only 220 more to reach the next level—about eleven small Hollows or five larger ones.
Unfortunately, larger Hollows were rare in Soul Society. The truly dangerous ones—Gillian and above—preferred Hueco Mundo, where they devoured one another rather than wander for prey.
Shiraishi had once considered raiding Hueco Mundo. Entering was simple: injure a Hollow, let it retreat, and follow through the Garganta. But leaving was another matter.
Hueco Mundo was vast, nothing but endless white sand and dead stone trees. Unless he encountered a Hollow opening a Garganta back that same day, he'd be trapped.
And unlike Hollows, he couldn't survive on cannibalism. Without food or water, he would die long before finding a way out. That risk had been enough to kill his ambition—for now.
Instead, he hunted steadily in Soul Society, leveling up one kill at a time.
He turned, cutting through the woods, and headed back toward Mi Village twenty kilometers away. He still owed Yagyū Ichirō 1,200 kan for the Hollows. That left only 300, barely enough for food in the coming days.
The Heshang family provided free meals only when a Hollow was slain. On quiet days, food had to be purchased. Shiraishi had insisted on this arrangement—he didn't want to owe Kawakami Saburō favors. Debts of money could be repaid. Debts of gratitude were heavier.
"Big brother!" a child below called, spotting his shadow overhead. The boy tipped onto his toes, waving chubby hands. "Come play with us!"
"No, I need to see if the elders have work. Adults can't just spin tops all day," Shiraishi replied, leaping down without using Forward Slash.
The children crowded him, their games forgotten. "Were you fighting a Hollow just now?" one asked.
"What do Hollows look like?" another demanded. "I heard they eat kids who don't behave!"
"Idiot, that's just what adults say to scare us."
Before Shiraishi could scold them for nagging, a shrill beep-beep-beep echoed from his messenger device.
A Hollow?!
Two in one day—rare luck indeed.
He pulled the small, boxy communicator from his robes. It resembled an old flip phone, its tiny screen good for little more than short text.
Coordinates: 18 miles south of Beizhu Village, Lichun.
He pictured the map of the district, locating the area instantly. "I'm going to work. I'll play with you later."
With that, he vanished in a gust, Forward Slashing toward the target.
The moment he arrived, a crushing pressure weighed down from above.
Not a small Hollow. Not even close.
The sky itself split, rippling with dark cracks like shattered glass. A massive hooked nose thrust through, followed by a towering white mask.
The rift widened, black cloak billowing.
"A Gillian…" Shiraishi whispered, eyes gleaming with excitement. He stomped forward, sword ready.
Snap.
Blue-white light sparked across the air, and a hole burst open on the Gillian's forehead. Its colossal mask shattered, body dissolving into particles before it could even roar.
Shiraishi froze, his grin turning into a scowl.
"Who the hell stole my kill?!"
He whipped his gaze northwest. The land was empty, save for a mountain veiled in mist. No reiatsu—whoever it was, they were at least three kilometers away.
Gritting his teeth, he resolved to find out.
It was his first time encountering a Gillian. If someone dared to snatch that away from him, he wouldn't be able to sleep without knowing who.