The voice within (fourth update!!!!)

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The morning classes had just ended.

Ichigo Kurosaki lay slumped over his desk and raised a hand to rub between his brows. He looked somewhat pale, and a thin sheen of sweat still lingered on his forehead.

Yoriichi Tsugikuni closed his textbook and turned to look at him.

Over the past few days, Ichigo had been using his Soul Reaper power noticeably more often.

The Hollows appearing in Karakura Town were not particularly strong, but every time Ichigo returned, the Reiatsu inside him grew more chaotic. Even the breathing method Yoriichi had taught him before could not be maintained for long.

"Ichigo, what's been going on lately? You've been listless all the time," Yoriichi asked.

"Nothing. I didn't sleep well last night."

Ichigo waved a hand and sat up straight.

Yet the Reiatsu swirling around him was nowhere near as calm as he appeared.

The world in Yoriichi's eyes gradually changed.

The bones, blood, and flowing Reiatsu inside Ichigo all appeared clearly in his vision. Soul Reaper power circulated continuously through his spirit channels, mixed with two other entirely different powers.

The most troublesome was the savage white Reiatsu deep within his chest.

It had not quieted down.

Whenever Ichigo channeled his Soul Reaper power, that Reiatsu stirred along with it, constantly battering his consciousness.

"Ichigo, come with me."

Yoriichi stood and headed out of the classroom.

Ichigo froze for a moment.

"Where?"

"The roof."

"What can't you say here?"

Yoriichi glanced back at him.

Ichigo fell silent for two seconds, but stood up anyway.

The school building's rooftop.

Yoriichi shut the iron door, walked over to the fence, and stopped.

With both hands in his pockets, Ichigo leaned against the wall and asked, "What exactly is going on?"

"I should be asking you that."

Yoriichi looked at him and said calmly, "What's happened lately? The powers inside you are a mess."

Some of the impatience faded from Ichigo's face.

He lowered his head and only spoke after a while.

"I don't know either."

"Every time I turn into a Soul Reaper, a voice starts speaking in my head. That guy keeps telling me to let down my guard and hand my body over to him."

Ichigo clenched his fists.

"His voice is full of killing intent. Just hearing it makes me want to hack apart everything in front of me."

"Have you ever tried to understand the powers inside you?"

"Huh?"

Ichigo raised his head, looking somewhat bewildered.

"What's there to understand? If you've got power, just use it. Isn't that enough?"

Yoriichi looked at him and fell silent for a few seconds.

His stare made Ichigo a little uncomfortable.

"What's that look supposed to mean?"

"I was just thinking that it really hasn't been easy for you to survive this long."

"Hey!"

Yoriichi ignored his displeasure.

"Have you never once thought about truly mastering your own power?"

Ichigo frowned.

"Why think so much about it? Power ultimately depends on the person using it. As long as this power helps me kill Hollows and protect the people around me, that's enough."

"What if you're no longer the one using that power?"

Ichigo froze.

"What do you mean?"

"That thing inside you is taking over your body."

The rooftop suddenly fell silent.

The expression on Ichigo's face gradually froze.

"What's inside me?"

"You should have seen him."

Yoriichi's gaze settled on Ichigo's chest.

"That personality living deep within your heart, who looks exactly like you."

Ichigo jerked his head up.

Scenes from Soul Society surfaced in his mind again.

During his battle with Byakuya Kuchiki, a white mask had covered his face. Then that snow-white version of himself had forcibly seized his body and easily overpowered Byakuya.

If Ichigo had not regained consciousness in time, even he did not know what would have happened afterward.

"Keeping him suppressed is already taking up most of your energy."

Yoriichi continued, "Everything you're experiencing now is because of him."

"Disrupted breathing, Reiatsu running out of control."

Ichigo gritted his teeth.

"I can keep him down."

Those words clearly lacked conviction.

Yoriichi did not call him out.

That was just how Ichigo was.

No matter how serious the problem, as long as it might involve his companions, he would instinctively choose to shoulder it alone. Even when he could barely hold on, he would not ask for help.

"You can't solve every problem through willpower."

"I know."

"No, you don't."

A vein twitched on Ichigo's forehead.

But this time, he did not argue.

Yoriichi walked past him and reached out to open the rooftop's iron door.

"Come find me if there's a problem."

With his back to him, Ichigo said nothing.

Yoriichi paused for a moment.

"Stop trying to shoulder everything alone."

The iron door closed again.

Ichigo stood alone on the rooftop, looking down at his palm.

Deep in his mind, that irritating laughter faintly rang out again.

Want power?

Then hand over your body.

"Shut up."

Ichigo clenched his fists, his nails digging deep into his palms.

The laughter gradually faded.

But he knew very well that sooner or later, he would have to face the problem head-on.

Yoriichi returned to the classroom and sat in his seat to continue reading.

Before long, Ichigo came in as well.

Keigo Asano was just about to approach him, only to be driven back by a glare from Ichigo.

"What's with him? Why's he so pissed off?"

Keigo muttered a complaint and wisely returned to his seat.

For once, Ichigo did not sleep through the afternoon classes.

He kept staring out the window, clearly taking in little of the lessons.

When the dismissal bell rang, he picked up his schoolbag and left the classroom alone.

Orihime Inoue watched him leave, worry appearing on her face.

"Tsugikuni-kun, what's wrong with Kurosaki-kun?"

Chad and Uryū Ishida came over as well.

"He went up to the roof with you, and he's been acting strange ever since he came back," Uryū said.

"It's nothing."

Yoriichi put his textbooks into his schoolbag.

"There are just some things he hasn't figured out yet."

Orihime hesitated.

"Is he really okay?"

"He'll be fine. Have faith in Ichigo."

Hearing that answer, none of them pressed further.

They merely exchanged glances, quietly taking note of Ichigo's unusual behavior that day.

Elsewhere.

Ichigo walked home alone, failing to notice the figure high above him.

A slender, lean figure with a short, pale-blond bob and thick, blunt bangs floated upside down in midair, wearing a white shirt, a dark tie, and dress pants.

He looked strange and laid-back.

He raised his drink and took a sip with some effort, an expression of distaste immediately appearing on his face.

"Sure enough, drinking upside down is a pain."

He flipped himself over and stood in midair again.

The Hollow presence inside Ichigo was already more agitated than expected.

If left unchecked, it would sooner or later spiral completely out of control.

Staring at Ichigo's receding figure, he pulled a transfer application form from his pocket.

"Looks like I'll have to report to school tomorrow."