Chapter 16: Ichigo Kurosaki Gradually Understands the Meaning of Purity
Looking at the dejection written all over Ichigo Kurosaki's face, Kisuke Urahara narrowed his eyes, recalling some of the conversation he had with that voice from beyond the heavens the previous night.
"Mr. Urahara, although I cannot explain the specific reasons to you, I bear no ill will toward this boy, Ichigo Kurosaki. Currently, he is still too green—far from being able to carry the mission he is destined to shoulder. I need him to grow up as quickly as possible. To that end, I have arranged some trials and 'plot points' for him. If you are interested in participating, Mr. Urahara, you are welcome to do so. However, please do not attempt to stop me. Do not misunderstand—this is not a threat, but a request and a warning."
The voice had been gentle, but it contained a hidden edge. The warning was potent; until he could identify the true nature of that voice, Urahara—the smartest man in the Three Worlds—was in no hurry to act.
However, Urahara conceded one point: the current Ichigo Kurosaki was indeed too "green."
Stroking his chin, Urahara spoke thoughtfully: "As for the so-called 'Purity' of those martial artists, I'm not entirely sure. However, Kurosaki-kun, in my view, you are a bit too 'sweet' (naive)."
Ichigo blinked in confusion. "Sweet?"
Urahara clapped his hands and smiled. "Yes. Just like a cake. Fluffy, sweet, with a decent amount of calories. One look at you gives people a sense of warmth and satisfaction, making them full of expectations..."
Ichigo still didn't understand the metaphor. Urahara's smile vanished as he continued: "And so, when faced with an iron fist, you get smashed into crumbs instantly. Because you are just a piece of sweet, soft cake. If you still don't get it, let me be blunt: the opponents you met this morning were mostly weaker than you. Yet, you were the one who got thrashed. The only reason is that they are martial artists, and you are not."
Battle-hardened and vastly experienced, Urahara easily saw through Ichigo's problem.
Ichigo was a gentle person. Because of that gentleness, he walked the path of protecting everything. But because of that same gentleness, he faced issues in combat.
(In the original plot, the battle-crazed Kenpachi Zaraki once critiqued Ichigo for this. When you try to cut someone, you instinctively hold back and shrink away at the moment of contact. With a blade like that, who can you hope to kill?)
Urahara didn't think Ichigo needed to become a heartless iron warrior, but now that he had awakened his power, this "sweet" mindset was a liability.
Under Urahara's guidance, Ichigo finally understood the root of the problem. However, this wasn't something that could be fixed just by muttering a few affirmations. If anything, Ichigo became even more lost.
At that moment, Rukia appeared. Having overheard Urahara, she added:
"Ichigo, this isn't uncommon in the Soul Society. Many new Soul Reapers fresh out of the Academy face similar mindset issues when hunting Hollows. The Soul Society's solution is to throw them into battle until they harden over time. But that method won't work for you. You must find your own way."
Ichigo went silent for a long time. Finally, he stood up abruptly. "I've got it!"
With that, he dashed out the door. Urahara shook his head at the impulsive boy, then turned to Rukia, who was standing stoically to the side. He wore a playful grin:
"Early this morning, the legendary 'Supreme Chief Justice of the Fighting World, Demon Muscle Man' mysteriously appeared and turned into a violent beast, slaughtering Hollows all over Karakura Town. Then, many Hollows vanished, and mysterious martial artists appeared out of nowhere, turning our town into a savage capital of fighters. Rukia... do you have any clues about this?"
Rukia turned her head away, refusing to look at the fox-like Urahara. She spoke in a detached, cool tone: "If you want to know about such things, go ask the Demon Muscle Man. As a noble lady of the Kuchiki family, I spent the morning sleeping in with perfect decorum. So, don't ask me. I know nothing..."
Looking at Rukia, who was clearly showing signs of escaping reality, even the wicked Urahara couldn't help but feel a trace of pity. But he said nothing.
If the voice from beyond was indeed "that" being—as he secretly suspected—then there was likely no saving Rukia from her fate. Even Byakuya Kuchiki, the head of her house, would likely view it as a glory rather than a disgrace. Of course, this was still a guess, so Urahara kept quiet.
Ichigo's solution was simple. After a quick phone call, he charged straight to the home of Yasutora "Chad" Sado.
Chad, with his messy brown hair, was only sixteen but looked like a thirty-six-year-old man. Possessing Mestizo heritage and a massive physique, he was Ichigo's best friend. His home was small and crowded, modified with various gym equipment and boxing facilities.
"Chad, listen to me..."
Ichigo started rambling before even taking a sip of water. The habitually silent Chad listened patiently, nodding occasionally.
Eventually, Chad summarized: "For some strange reason, you got caught in a battle involving the underworld. You awakened power and agreed to a script from a mysterious entity to play the lead role. But the villain is so strong and perverted that you can't continue filming. You haven't given up, so you're doing 'RPG-style' martial arts training to protect Uryu Ishida's virtue. However, because your 'Purity' is too low, you can't even beat Slime-tier mobs, so you've come to ask me how to increase your Purity as a fighter?"
Ichigo nodded frantically. Chad fell silent for a long time before asking, "What is 'Purity'?"
"I don't know either! That's why I'm asking you. You've been training for years; you must know more than me."
"I haven't done 'martial arts training.' I just learned some boxing. Fine... I understand. Follow me." Chad stood up and led Ichigo to the boxing ring, tossing him a pair of gloves.
"Teaching me through actual combat? No problem. To be honest, I've never actually fought you before," Ichigo said confidently, putting on a clumsy boxing stance. Chad said nothing. He raised his hands in a guard and rushed forward with a crisp jab.
Thanks to his dynamic vision, Ichigo dodged by a hair and said, "Chad, don't hold back, I'm fine..."
Before he could finish, a flurry of combination punches swarmed him. The assault was like a gale. Ichigo struggled to block and tried to counter, but Chad ducked and vanished from his front, launching an attack from a blind spot. Soon, Ichigo took several heavy hits to the face. Once he had the advantage, Chad didn't stop; he grew more aggressive.
In Ichigo's vision, Chad's figure seemed to vanish, replaced by a lone old wolf prowling a dark forest. It used expert hunting skills to blend with the night, wearing down its prey through continuous testing and strikes until the target collapsed. Throughout this, the wolf's green eyes flickered with a lethal ferocity.
When the session ended, Ichigo collapsed onto the floor. Panting, Chad regulated his breathing and shook his aching wrists. He said calmly:
"Ichigo... I don't know what Purity is, nor do I know what power you've awakened—my hands hurt from just hitting you. What I can tell you is that boxing is a very simple, even primitive, martial art. It's just a few basic movements. But every movement requires eons of practice until it is etched into your instinct. When I fight, my mind is blank; I merely pilot the techniques carved into my body to attack you. Ichigo..."
Chad paused. "I've noticed that when you fight, you think too much. Your reactions are slower than you think. Every move you make feels like you're being held back by a thousand strings. This prevents your strength and technique from truly coming out."
Chad emphasized the word technique.
The friendship between Chad and Ichigo began through fighting punks. They had stood side-by-side many times. Chad knew that while Ichigo appeared to fight wildly using only his reflexes, the reality was different. Ichigo possessed a terrifying combat instinct. Without training, his body naturally found the best angle for force and the best stance for attack. He would even instinctively use footwork to adjust the enemy's position, turning a lynch mob into a series of one-on-one fights. This instinct was the ultimate state many martial arts masters dreamed of.
Lying on the floor staring at the ceiling, Ichigo finally understood. He didn't even stand up, just muttering: "I see..."
At that moment, the holy voice from beyond the heavens descended:
"It seems you are beginning to understand what 'Purity' means. Many people attach reasons to fighting—to protect, to destroy. Those things aren't unimportant, but they aren't the foundation. When all other methods fail, the fight itself is the meaning. You don't fight because you want to win; you fight because standing here, you have no choice but to win."
As God, Mo Yu was quite fond of his first lead actor. He took time out of his busy schedule to offer a word of encouragement.
Ichigo didn't react much; he was used to a mysterious person stalking him 24/7. Chad, however, hearing the majestic voice for the first time, stared at the air in shock before instinctively kneeling and crossing himself.
Mo Yu realized that under the influence of his grandfather, Chad was a believer. Out of affection, Mo Yu said to him: "Not bad, kid. I see potential in you. Interested in working for me? No health insurance or pension, but I can grant some reasonable wishes. And the retirement benefits are unique—after you retire, whether you want to bathe in milk with seventy-two muscular boxers or drink honey tea with seventy-two sumo wrestlers, it's no problem!"
(While Mo Yu's Heaven was still primitive, he felt that with a little effort, he could easily achieve the stereotypical "land of milk and honey" aesthetic.)
Chad was stunned. He clearly thought of the legendary "going to Heaven," but he didn't expect the local culture of Paradise to be so violent and filled with martial artists. Ichigo, used to Mo Yu's nonsense, rolled his eyes and said:
"Alright, stop lying to Chad. Why are you here? Speak!"
Mo Yu shrugged. "My lead actor is struggling to get into character; naturally, I'm worried. If this continues, when you face Fisher, I don't know who's going to get the 'exit' treatment. So, I've decided to help with your training, and I've put in quite a bit of effort!"
At this point, the number of perspectives in the video had reached 99+. This was proof of Mo Yu's "hard work."
Although Urahara was helping, Ichigo secretly trusted the Observer. He asked: "How do you plan to train me?"
Mo Yu introduced his results with a cheerful tone: "It's like this. I found your 'mob-grinding' experience was too low, so I specifically increased the experience value of every martial artist. Of course, their strength increased as well. To speed up your leveling efficiency, I've flagged you with a 'Red Name.' You don't need to find enemies; the enemies will find you. I've also increased the spawn rate and added several 'leveling optimizations'..."
"Wait, what the hell are you talking about?! Are you sure you're training me and not trying to kill me?!"
Ichigo was aghast. Before he could process it, Chad's front door was kicked open. A group of burly, muscular martial artists filed in. Seeing Ichigo, their eyes filled with killing intent as they roared:
"Kid! You dare claim you want to be the 'Strongest Creature on Earth'? Let us see if your Purity is enough to match such an arrogant thought!"
Some days later, Chad—sitting in a café—accepted an interview from a mysterious person. Chad waved his hands, describing the scene with great emotion:
"As a regular boxing enthusiast, I had never seen so many martial artists. Every one of them had such high 'Purity' that they radiated a thick, tangible bloodlust and 'Battle Qi.' One look and I understood the gap between an amateur and a pro..."
"I checked my front door afterward. Can you imagine? A 3cm stainless steel anti-theft door was kicked off its hinges. To those high-purity fighters, steel is probably no different from mud. Truly enviable power..."
"What about Ichigo? To be honest, I didn't see clearly. My memory is of Ichigo being swarmed and pummeled by the crowd, fighting and fleeing all the way out of the house. They were so fast that by the time I got outside, I couldn't even see his back..."
"My takeaway? I think being able to witness, as a best friend, Ichigo's journey from a normal person to the 'Strongest Creature on Earth' is a form of happiness. I want to specifically thank Mr. Observer for giving me the chance to participate and help Ichigo on his path to the top!"
"What? You say the last sentence sounded forced? No, no, friend... the Lord is always watching you. You wouldn't want to accidentally end up on the Lord's blacklist—or rather, the 'Heaven Visitor Registration List,' would you?"
But that was an interlude. Back in the present, after being punched out of Chad's house, Ichigo was running for his life with all his might. Behind him, a massive crowd of fighters chased him, yelling lines like "Where is your Purity?!" and "Show us your Purity!"
As he fled, Ichigo saw a large billboard on a commercial building flickering with a strange advertisement.
A half-body shot of Ichigo was displayed with a speech bubble: [I am the Strongest Creature on Earth. Fighters who disagree, come and let me see your strength!] Below the photo, it read: [The 1st Karakura Town Strongest No-Rules Street Fighting Tournament is now underway! Those interested in signing up must meet the Purity standard. Contact the Chief Justice of the Fighting World, the Demon Muscle Man, to register.]
"Observer, you bastard... I'll remember this!" Ichigo screamed with gritted teeth.
There was no more running. No matter where he went, fighters would find him.
Battle. Endless battle. Not a single second could be wasted.
In this life-and-death, high-density combat, Ichigo's mind was forced into a total void. Slowly, he began to understand... what Purity truly was!
End of Chapter
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