Echoes Beyond Death

The morning sunlight streamed into Ichigo Kurosaki's room, revealing the disarray left behind from the previous night's events. Ichigo sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the massive Zanpakutō resting against the wall. His thoughts were a whirlwind of confusion and disbelief.

Across the room, Rukia Kuchiki, now wearing a plain school uniform, sat cross-legged on the floor. Her calm demeanor contrasted sharply with Ichigo's bewildered expression.

"You don't have time to mope," Rukia said, her voice matter-of-fact. "Being a Soul Raper isn't just about wielding a sword. You have responsibilities now."

Ichigo shot her a glare. "Responsibilities? You dumped this job on me without asking!"

Rukia didn't flinch. "And yet, you're alive, and your family is safe. You're welcome."

Ichigo groaned, running a hand through his hair. "Fine. What do I have to do?"

Rukia reached into her pocket and pulled out a strange, mechanical-looking phone. "This is a Soul Pager. It alerts you to Hollows and wandering souls, also known as Pluses, in your area. Your job is to purify Hollows and send Pluses to the Soul Society using a Konsō—this." She handed him a small, decorative stamp.

Ichigo inspected it with a frown. "And how exactly am I supposed to balance this with my regular life?"

Rukia smirked. "That's for you to figure out. But don't worry, I'll be here to guide you."

Ichigo sighed, muttering under his breath. "Lucky me."

The first day of Ichigo's new life as a Substitute Soul Reaper was far from smooth. Rukia accompanied him to school, her presence drawing stares from his classmates. She introduced herself as a transfer student, much to Ichigo's dismay, and immediately began barking orders at him during breaks.

"Stop slouching," she whispered during a lecture. "You're a Soul Reaper now. Act like it."

"Would you shut up?" Ichigo hissed back, earning a glare from their teacher.

The day dragged on, and by the time the final bell rang, Ichigo was ready to collapse. Unfortunately, his reprieve was short-lived. As they walked home, the Soul Pager in Rukia's pocket beeped loudly.

"Hollow," Rukia announced, her tone serious.

Ichigo's heart sank. "Already?"

"Yes. And it's close," she said, pulling him into an alley. "Here, take this." She handed him a small, candy-like object.

"What's this?" Ichigo asked, suspicious. 

"A Gikongan. It ejects your soul from your body so you can fight as a Soul Reaper," Rukia explained impatiently. "Eat it."

Ichigo hesitated but eventually popped the candy into his mouth. Instantly, his body collapsed to the ground, leaving his spirit form standing in its place, clad in the black robes of a Soul Reaper.

The Hollow's presence was suffocating as they approached the Kurosaki Clinic. Ichigo's eyes widened in horror as he saw the massive creature looming near the entrance.

"It's after my family again!" he shouted, gripping his Zanpakutō tightly.

"Stay calm," Rukia instructed. "You can't protect them if you lose your head."

Ichigo didn't respond. Instead, he charged at the Hollow, his sword slicing through the air. The creature dodged with surprising agility, swiping at him with one of its massive claws.

The fight was chaotic. Ichigo's swings were wild and unrefined, his inexperience glaringly obvious. Despite Rukia's shouts of advice, he struggled to land a decisive blow.

The Hollow roared, its attention suddenly shifting toward a familiar figure—Orihime Inoue, standing frozen in the doorway of her house across the street.

"No!" Ichigo yelled, rushing to intercept.

The Hollow's claws grazed Orihime, sending her sprawling to the ground. Ichigo swung his Zanpakutō with all his strength, slicing through the Hollow's arm and forcing it to retreat.

Rukia appeared behind Orihime, checking her injuries. "She's alive, but we need to finish this quickly."

The Hollow roared again, its voice filled with rage. Ichigo narrowed his eyes, noticing something strange. A faint, glowing chain dangled from the Hollow's chest. Following the chain with his gaze, he saw it led to a ghostly figure—Orihime's brother, Sora.

Ichigo froze. "It's connected to her... What's going on?"

Rukia expression darkened. "That Hollow used to be her brother. His soul must have been corrupted and turned into this monstrosity."

Ichigo clenched his fits. "Then I'll save him. No one deserves to become a monster like that." 

The Hollow lunged at him again, but this time, Ichigo was ready. He sidestepped its attack and slashed through its mask with a single, decisive strike.

The creature let out a final, mournful wail before dissolving into particles of light. The chain connecting it to Sora's ghost snapped, and the spirited returned to its original form.

After the battle, Ichigo performed a Konsō, gently pressing the decorative stamp to Sora's forehead. The ghost smiled faintly before disappearing in a swirl of light.

Orihime, still shaken but unharmed, looked at Ichigo with tearful eyes. "Thank you... for saving me and my brother."

Ichigo didn't respond. He turned away, his thoughts heavy.

"You did well," Rukia said as they walked away from the scene.

Ichigo scoffed. "It doesn't feel like it."

Rukia placed a hand on his shoulder. "Get used to it, Substitute Soul Reaper. This is only the beginning."

Hey guys hope you enjoy this chapter. I'm going to try my hardest to stick to the original story but be warned that there might be a few changes. Anyways please leave power stones with that good morning, evening, and good night. Good bye :D.