anime worlds: I'll get stronger by drawing cards!

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"ROAR!!!"

The black shadow, seeing its first strike fail, let out a furious roar and lunged at Chiba Akira once more.

Under the moonlight, its true form was finally revealed.

It was a creature with a bone-like mask covering its face and a hollow hole in its chest—a monster known in the Bleach world as a Hollow.

This Hollow clearly lacked intelligence, behaving more like a wild beast.

Which made sense—if it were smarter, it wouldn't have dared to attack after witnessing what had just happened.

"Swish! Swish! Swish!"

The Hollow's attacks were crude. As it pounced at Akira, it wildly swung its claws, trying to tear him apart.

Akira, however, remained calm. Raising his right hand, he pointed a finger at the approaching creature, his expression utterly serene.

"Consider yourself lucky."

"You'll be the first Hollow in this world to experience the power of the Ice-Ice Fruit."

With a snap of his fingers, Akira's words fell.

This simple motion sent a chill of terror coursing through the Hollow, its instincts screaming of impending doom.

"ROAR!!"

The Hollow tried to halt its advance, but it was too late.

In the instant Akira snapped his fingers, a wave of cold energy radiated outward from him.

What followed was a spectacle even more astonishing than before.

Everything in the cold wave's path froze instantly.

The Hollow didn't even have time to react before it was encased in ice, transformed into a glistening statue.

With a heavy crack, the frozen creature toppled to the ground, shattering into fragments of ice.

Satisfied with his display of power, Akira continued training in the park for another half hour. He ensured his control over the Ice-Ice Fruit's abilities was refined enough to avoid friendly fire in combat. Only then did he leave the frost-covered park.

Lawson Convenience Store

Lawson, one of Japan's many convenience store chains, operates 24/7, making life easier for late-night cravings.

And Akira was hungry.

Stopping by the store before heading home, he picked up ingredients for a midnight snack—specifically, a trendy dish popular among girls, one he'd learned from Orihime.

Known as the Mark Special, it consisted of instant ramen with crab sticks, rice cakes, cheese, rice balls, and soft-boiled eggs.

Having gathered everything he needed, Akira brought his meal to the store's outdoor seating area.

Just as he sat down, he felt a gaze upon him.

Looking up, he saw a petite figure dressed in black robes with a sword at her waist—a shihakushō and a zanpakutō.

It was none other than the Bleach heroine, Rukia Kuchiki.

Seemingly unfamiliar with such a dish and thinking no one could see her, Rukia stared directly at Akira's food with undisguised curiosity.

Akira was stunned.

Wait, that's Rukia?

Is the story finally beginning?

"Would you like to try some?" he asked instinctively, sliding the dish toward her.

"Ah, thank you!" Rukia replied reflexively, reaching for the chopsticks. She was about to take a bite when realization struck.

She froze, turning to stare at Akira with wide eyes.

"Wait—!"

"You… can see me???"

Ten Minutes Later

"There are two types of souls in this world!"

"The first is known as Plus, which are ordinary souls. The second is Hollows, evil spirits that consume both the living and the dead."

"My duty as a Soul Reaper..."

Rukia was explaining the basics of her world to Akira. Meanwhile, he was focused on his food—the gooey cheese blending perfectly with the noodles, rice cakes, and rice balls, creating a delightful aroma.

Taking a big bite, Akira couldn't help but smile with satisfaction, completely ignoring the heated glare directed his way.

"Hey, brat!"

"Are you even listening to me?!"

After explaining for so long, Rukia was exasperated. If not for the fact that she had already taken a bite of his food, she might have blasted him with a spell.

"Mmhmm~," Akira hummed as he finished his meal.

Putting down his chopsticks, he replied calmly:

"I heard everything. You're a Soul Reaper stationed in Karakura Town, tasked with sending souls to the afterlife and purifying Hollows."

Rukia blinked, surprised.

In just a few short sentences, Akira had accurately summarized her explanation.

"I've always been able to see spirits," he added casually. "I've even seen Soul Reapers purifying Hollows before."

That made sense.

Rukia nodded, her curiosity satisfied. She turned serious again.

"Since you're aware of Hollows, you should head home quickly. There's a Hollow nearby, and I was tracking its spiritual pressure until it suddenly vanished."

Wait.

That sounds familiar.

Akira paused, his mind racing.

Isn't this exactly what happened when she first met Ichigo in the story?

Before he could process the thought further, a sudden disturbance shattered the air.

Ripples appeared beside them, and a massive black hand emerged, striking toward them both!