Chapter 19: The Prototype of the Strongest Creature on Earth
In truth, Isshin Kurosaki had been somewhat hesitant about teaching Ichigo the family's secret techniques.
As a member of the Shiba Clan, Isshin was a genuine long-lived being. Though he looked like a middle-aged man, he was likely older than the city of Karakura Town itself. If possible, Isshin truly hoped Ichigo could lead a normal life—marry, have children, and spend a peaceful life surrounded by grandchildren—rather than being dragged back into the karma of his bloodline and the affairs of the Soul Society.
The Shiba Clan was indeed one of the Five Great Noble Families, but their stance favored the Soul King, placing them at odds with the other four families. Over the eons, they had been suppressed and marginalized, paying a heavy price in blood through a series of "accidents."
The main branch of the Shiba house produced a Lieutenant who died at the hands of Rukia Kuchiki in an "accident." The branch family produced Isshin, a Captain, who also ended up stranded in the World of the Living due to an "accident"—listed in the Soul Society's records as a mysterious disappearance.
These were not isolated cases, but a history of tears and blood etched into the Shiba name. Survival was possible only in obscurity; if one tried to do anything, there was no telling if tomorrow or another "accident" would arrive first. This was why Isshin had previously told Ichigo nothing.
But now, Ichigo's awakening was set in stone. His talent was breathtaking—just two days after awakening, he had independently tapped into the power of Getsuga Tensho through his bloodline. Isshin felt he could no longer stand by.
"Getsuga Tensho is the power bestowed upon us by the King in the Primeval Era. It is the proof of our bloodline's glory—a brilliant blade symbolizing the power to shatter the Great Authority of Night. You don't need to know who that King was; it's a taboo that shouldn't be mentioned. I don't know much myself, so I'm just going to read to you what the family records say!"
Whether he truly knew little or was simply choosing to remain cryptic was hard to say. Regardless, Isshin gave Ichigo a crash course on the origins of Getsuga Tensho. Ichigo listened, dazed, until Isshin transitioned into the practical application.
The most basic level of Getsuga Tensho involves compressing spiritual power and releasing it as a slash—or more simply, a blast of "blade qi." Given Ichigo's current style, it could also be called "fist qi." This stage is commonly known as [External Release].
Even this basic stage is highly nuanced. Any Soul Reaper can compress and release spiritual energy, but that alone doesn't make it "strong." The core secret of the Shiba Clan's Getsuga Tensho is that their bloodline possesses a massive affinity for compression, allowing them to form high-density streams of spiritual power. A Getsuga Tensho fired by a Shiba is several—even dozens—of times denser, sharper, and more lethal than one fired by any other Soul Reaper.
This bloodline talent defies logic. Furthermore, because the energy is compressed, the overall capacity for spiritual reserves increases. Every awakened Shiba descendant possesses a massive energy energy pool. Where other Soul Reapers might use a spiritual blast as a "Finisher," a Shiba can use Getsuga Tensho as a basic attack. It is pure, unadulterated dominance—starting one or two tiers above other Soul Reapers in raw combat power.
Ichigo had managed to use Getsuga Tensho, but his method was wrong. He was relying on absorbing external Reishi to force his bloodline to wake up. That "dilute" Getsuga was worlds apart from the real thing.
The true Getsuga Tensho is an invisible blade rooted in the body, constantly hammered, compressed, and tempered by the Shiba bloodline every second of every day.
This is the cultivation process for Shiba descendants—a theoretically endless forging process. The more it is tempered and compressed, the more terrifying it becomes. Of course, theory is one thing; the individual's potential is the ultimate ceiling. Within the clan, some possessed better techniques for tempering or knowledge on how to expand the bloodline's limits. These were the "unwritten secrets" passed down orally from father to son.
These were the secrets Isshin was now imparting to Ichigo. Isshin paused, looking at his focused son with a strange expression. There were some things he didn't say.
Ichigo had never tempered his own Getsuga properly, yet his first instinctive use possessed such extraordinary power. In a sense, it was perverted. When Isshin first awakened his bloodline, his Getsuga had only managed to leave a palm-sized scratch on a tree trunk. He kept this to himself to prevent Ichigo from becoming arrogant.
Isshin had once been arrogant enough to think he could take on the world, but after the "accident" that left him in the human world, he realized the scariest thing isn't the blade you see, but the treachery you don't.
Getsuga Tensho evolves. After mastering [External Release], one naturally enters the [Materialization] stage. In this stage, the energy can be condensed into a physical form. If the first stage is a forty-meter blade blast that travels uncontrollably, the second stage is a forty-meter physical sword under total control—massively increasing lethality and tactical options.
The third stage is [Variation]. The form and nature of Getsuga Tensho can change at will. It can be a hundred-meter spear, a rope that pulls everything within a kilometer into range, or a storm of blades covering several kilometers to shred the enemy. Its use depends entirely on the user's comprehension. If used well, it is unpredictable; used poorly, it is just flashy.
Release, Materialize, Vary—these three make a complete Getsuga Tensho. Isshin hesitated at this point, but looking at his son's determined face, he sighed and added:
"Beyond that, there is a hidden, ultimate power... but that move is intended for mutual destruction with the enemy. You just need to know it exists for now; don't try to learn it. If you meet an enemy you can't beat, come back and tell your old man. There's no shame in it. If I can't beat them, I'll find a way to call in reinforcements. If our family didn't have at least that much adaptability, we'd have been wiped out long ago!"
After handing over the core inheritance, Isshin left, leaving Ichigo to his thoughts.
Ichigo was already in the process of revising his combat style, so the Shiba inheritance arrived at the perfect time. The only drawback was that Getsuga Tensho was a Soul Reaper technique, whereas Ichigo had awakened his Quincy bloodline. To truly master it, he needed to make specific adjustments—something even Isshin couldn't help him with.
Ichigo didn't see it as a hassle. He also needed to figure out the "Absolute Realm" power Fisher used. Luckily, he didn't lack "friends" to help him train!
The afternoon sun was brilliant. Ichigo walked down the street with his hands in his pockets. Though his frame was slender, he radiated an indescribable presence. A passerby on the phone suddenly stopped, turning pale, and scurried away, dripping with cold sweat.
Faced with the extreme Purity flowing from Ichigo's bones, even regular people instinctively perceived him as a "Monster" walking through the city and felt a primal urge to flee.
Orihime had returned to school to ask for leave, as she knew she had to step away while Isshin taught the family secrets. Thinking of Orihime's crush on him, Ichigo felt complicated. As a martial artist, he had immense Purity now, but could Purity solve matters of the heart?
Then again... Ichigo thought: If I haven't tried, how do I know Purity can't solve it? Real Purity is not such an inconvenient thing.
As he approached a vending machine, a ragged martial artist—the "Slime Vagrant"—leapt from a corner to ambush him. The attack was fierce, fingers hooked like a venomous snake. This wasn't just a style; black poisonous gas erupted from the fighter's fingertips.
"Slime Vagrant... you again?"
Ichigo didn't even lift an eyelid. One hand came out of his pocket, catching the vagrant's wrist mid-air. He twisted, using the wrist as a fulcrum to hoist the man up and slam him into the ground.
"This move (Center-of-Gravity Traction Destruction)—you used it on me last time. I've absorbed it. This time you turned your 'Qi' into poison? Creative..."
The vagrant lay on the ground but started laughing. "Then will this 'Venomous Kiss' be enough to kill you?"
Ichigo let go and looked at his hand. A black toxic stain was spreading across his skin. It looked terrifying, but Ichigo was unfazed. He let his arm hang loosely; his muscles suddenly bunched and rippled, and the poison was physically expelled from his pores.
The vagrant's eyes widened in disbelief. "Your Purity... it's reached such a level?! Even toxins invading your body are being 'beaten out' by your muscle cells!?"
Ichigo sneered. "Idiot. This is just the Quincy power of purification. But even without Quincy blood, such a boring technique has no value!"
He turned to leave. The vagrant, enraged, tried to stand up, but his insides suddenly felt like a bomb had gone off. He vomited blood and collapsed. A miniature Getsuga Tensho had been planted in him during the brief contact—a delayed explosion. It was a far more sinister technique than the "Venomous Kiss."
Ichigo didn't mention one thing: the vagrant was right. He had used the Purity in his muscles to expel the poison. He only used the "bloodline" excuse to give the man a shred of dignity. He didn't kill the vagrant because he knew the man would grow from this experience and return stronger—becoming even better nourishment for Ichigo's growth.
Between martial artists, it is always a clash of Purity. The one with higher Purity devours all.
A dreamlike joy rose in Ichigo's heart. He used to think Karakura Town was savage; now, he saw it as a beautiful orchard filled with "green fruit." Once they ripened, they would rush to him to offer their accumulated nourishment so he could grow. Nature was truly miraculous.
But to truly claim this orchard, one obstacle remained.
Ichigo looked up. With his increased Purity, he could sense Grand Fisher from across the city. The man was wandering with his chrysanthemums and Vaseline, looking for Uryu, but his presence was like a mountain. No other martial artist dared approach him. Fisher was a black hole that devoured everything from flesh to soul.
Ichigo had a strong premonition: one of them must fall. It was a whisper in his blood. Not just for revenge, but because in this orchard, there can only be one "Strongest."
Across the city, Grand Fisher sensed the gaze. He smiled and brushed his face; a phantom bone mask flickered. A savage power erupted from him, severing Ichigo's sensory link. Ichigo was knocked back a step by the mental blow. He stood in silence, understanding Fisher's intent.
Fisher had shown his power as a "reward" for Ichigo's growth. You've taken another step toward facing me. Good. Here is a prize.
It was the same arrogance as always.
Ichigo realized Fisher viewed him as a fruit to be ripened before consumption.
"Fisher... just you wait. Soon, I'll blast you into dust!"
Suddenly, Urahara appeared with a strange expression. "Kurosaki-kun. Have you noticed how much you've changed since this morning? You were a 'sweet little cake' then. Now you have the face of a 'Strongest Creature on Earth' iron-blood warrior. Have you wondered if something is... influencing you?"
Ichigo was well aware of the change. When he tried to smile at Orihime and saw her body tremble in fear, he knew he was different. Old Ichigo might have been afraid. Now, he didn't care.
The beast that has tasted the joy of the slaughter and the sweetness of blood cannot—and will not—turn back. He can only move forward to devour everything: the enemy... or the world itself.
End of Chapter
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