章 75: Chapter 75
{Forgot to put a pic of the MC so here.}
I blinked at her, tilting my head slightly. "What?"
Rukia blinked back, a bit thrown off. Ichigo smacked her on the back of the head, earning him a sharp glare in return. He looked at me with an apologetic expression. "Sorry, she's… not really a people person."
I studied his face for a second, then nodded, turning back to Rukia. "I'm not sure what you mean, but I'm guessing it's something to do with my scars and missing limbs?"
Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and she nodded. I shifted my focus back to the noodles, taking my first bite with the fork Ichigo had handed me. "I was in a gang for a while, got caught up in some pretty bad gang wars, and ended up like this."
Everyone except Rukia frowned at that. Ichigo sat down beside me, digging into his own meal. "Why are you in Karakura Town, if you don't mind me asking?"
I looked down at the broth, mulling over my answer. 'Honestly, I don't even know if the pendant will recharge before my time runs out. It's going to be a close call.' I sighed. "I don't have long left, so I thought I'd travel a bit and find a nice tree to sit under while I still can."
The silence was thick until Orihime spoke up, her worry breaking through her initial shock. "Are you okay? Is there anything we can do to help?"
I snorted, finishing off the broth and tossing the container in the bin without getting up. Wobbling a bit, I pushed myself to my feet and limped toward the door. "Unless you're a miracle worker, no. And why would you want to help anyway? We only just met."
I gave Tessai a nod and exited the store. 'Hope nobody swiped my things from the alley.'
Thankfully, everything I'd left stashed away nearby was untouched. Securing the box with Eri back onto my back took some effort, but it wasn't enough to test my patience. I tucked my Odachi in its wrappings between the box and myself, then turned on the phone I'd borrowed to look up places to stay.
Manipulating anyone here just for healing didn't sit right with me, I had tried manipulating Issei before and looking back on it I hated doing it. Pride and honor were things I had grown to have, despite everything.
Maybe I could offer help in return, if they had a way to bring me back to my prime, maybe I could lend a hand. While Muramasa had healed some of the damage from my past sacrifices, it hadn't fixed the wounds left by the divine powers from Zeus and Heracles, or that's what I believed in why it didn't heal the wounds.
Finding a place to stay, I paid for a few nights. Once I got settled, I carefully set the box beside the bed and placed my weapons within arm's reach. Lying down, I stared at the ceiling, letting my thoughts drift. 'I have to find a way to prove my intentions here are good, and maybe they'll help…'
If the pendant charged before I managed to get healed, I'd leave. There might be ways to extend my life back home, I'd make that my last bet. I sighed, closing my eyes and letting the exhaustion from the day finally pull me into sleep.
I woke up to a rough meowing sound and found myself instinctively pressing my Wakizashi against a soft, furry neck. Blinking, I realized I had a black cat pinned under my blade, yellow eyes unblinking as they stared at me. I coughed, feeling the pain flare up along my right side where my wound was, and lowered my sword, easing back as the cat tilted its head. Trying to push myself up to the left, I lost my balance and tumbled back down, getting another annoyed meow in response.
Looking toward the window, I muttered. "How the hell did a feral cat get in here? And what time is it?" Groaning, I rolled over to my right, only to find those same yellow eyes glaring at me again. The cat let out another curt meow. "I don't have any food for you." I sighed, patting its head absently. Then it dawned on me, and I tilted my head. "Why am I talking to a cat?"
A possibility crept into my mind as I squinted at the cat. 'This isn't… Shihōin Yoruichi, is it?' With a resigned sigh, I got up stretching the best I could, then checked inside Eri's box to ensure she was safe. Satisfied, I closed it and slung it over my shoulder. The Odachi I left on the bed, figuring it might attract more unwanted attention than I already had.
When I glanced back, the cat was gone. 'So it was Yoruichi…' I decided not to think too hard on it. 'If she's planning to out me, it'll happen sooner or later anyway. Better to deal with it head-on.' I limped my way out of the room, my mind shifting to the day ahead and whatever mess was about to unfold. Returning to Urahara Shōten was my next stop since it had cheap food, even if it meant another day full of strange encounters.
The walk to the store was grating. Everywhere I went, people stared. I could feel the itch to release a controlled wave of bloodlust to clear them out, but I held back, knowing it would do more harm than good. By the time I stepped into Urahara Shōten, I was already on edge. Inside, I was greeted by a man with messy light-blonde hair under a striped green and white bucket hat—Urahara Kisuke himself. He gave me a disarming smile, his gray eyes sharp as he observed me.
"You must be Ryou-kun. Tessai mentioned you yesterday." he greeted as I limped toward the shelves, grabbing a cup of instant noodles like the day before.
'Of course, he did.' I thought, suppressing a sigh. "Hope it was all good things?" I asked, making my way toward the register with Kisuke following close behind.
He laughed lightly, giving me a wink. "He didn't mention how good-looking you were."
I stopped, blinking in surprise before raising an eyebrow. "No offense, but I don't swing that way."
He chuckled, waving his hand dismissively as I reached the register. "No offense taken."
Just as I was about to pull out my wallet, I felt someone brush close to the box on my back. Instinctively I turned, catching Tessai just as he froze, his hand outstretched toward the box. Meeting his gaze, I let out a low warning. "You know it's rude to touch someone else's things without asking."
In one swift motion, I jumped back, narrowly dodging Kisuke's foot as he tried to kick me while leaping over the counter himself. "Pretty good reflexes for someone with a wooden leg." he remarked, an amused glint in his eye.
'What the hell's with my luck today?'
週次パワーステータス
-- 推薦
ランキング 
-- 推薦
チケット