Reincarnated As Uryū Ishida

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Chapter 3: Bonds of the Quincy

The days in the Ishida household were a quiet blend of discipline and reflection. For Uryū, time had felt like a blur ever since he began his training under Sōken Ishida. Each day brought new challenges, and with them, a growing sense of identity—not just as the reincarnated soul of Akihiro Tanaka, the Bleach fan from Earth, but as Uryū Ishida, heir to the Quincy legacy.

He wasn't there yet, though. His past life lingered in his mind like an unfinished chapter, and no matter how hard he trained or how much Sōken's words resonated, part of him still felt like an outsider.

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Morning Meditation and a Revelation

"Uryū," Sōken's calm voice cut through the morning stillness.

They were seated in the garden, the early light of dawn casting long shadows. The air was crisp, the faint scent of dew clinging to the grass.

"How old are you?" Sōken asked, his eyes closed, his expression serene.

The question pulled Uryū out of his focus. He opened his eyes, blinking in confusion. "How old?" he repeated.

"Yes," Sōken said, a small smile playing on his lips. "Do you know how many years have passed since you entered this world?"

Uryū hesitated. The memories of his past life clouded his thoughts. How old had he been as Akihiro? In truth, he'd never stopped to calculate the passage of time in this new world.

"I… I'm not sure," he admitted, his voice quieter than he intended.

Sōken opened his eyes, his gaze steady and patient. "You were born on March 6th, correct?"

Uryū nodded. He knew that much. It was one of the few details about this life that had become familiar to him.

"That makes you ten years old," Sōken said with a soft chuckle. "Ten years, Uryū. It feels like only yesterday you were a small child stumbling through the garden, and now you stand on the threshold of becoming a Quincy."

The revelation struck Uryū like a jolt. Ten years. A decade had passed since his reincarnation. He had lived as Uryū Ishida for so long, yet parts of his old self still clung to him.

"I don't feel ten," Uryū murmured. His voice was almost drowned out by the sound of a passing breeze.

Sōken smiled, the kind of smile that carried both wisdom and understanding. "Perhaps your soul carries wisdom far beyond your years. But do not rush to grow up, Uryū. There is value in every stage of life, and every moment has its lessons."

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Reflections on Progress

As the day progressed, Uryū found himself lost in thought. Ten years. He could hardly believe it. For so long, he had focused on reconciling the memories of his past life with the present, unsure of where one identity ended and the other began.

When he first began his training with Sōken, he had treated it as a distraction—a way to cope with the overwhelming strangeness of being reincarnated into the body of a fictional character. But over time, something had shifted. The training no longer felt like a task to be completed. It felt like a calling.

He remembered the first time he had successfully summoned his Quincy bow. It had been a small victory, but the look of pride in Sōken's eyes had made it feel monumental.

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Training with Sōken

Later that afternoon, Sōken led Uryū to the familiar clearing in the woods behind their home. The tall trees formed a natural barrier, their branches swaying gently in the breeze. At the far end of the clearing stood a line of wooden targets, each one etched with Quincy glyphs that glowed faintly in the sunlight.

"Today's focus is precision," Sōken said, his tone calm but firm. "Power without control is meaningless. A true Quincy wastes neither energy nor effort. Every arrow must have purpose."

Uryū nodded, stepping forward. He raised his hand, focusing on the spiritual particles around him. The Reishi felt like tiny sparks in the air, invisible to the naked eye but vibrant in his senses. Slowly, he gathered the particles, forming his bow.

His first shot veered off course, missing the target entirely.

"Relax," Sōken instructed, his voice steady. "You are still trying to command the Reishi. Instead, guide it. Let it flow naturally, like a stream finding its path."

Uryū closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He reached out again, this time allowing the Reishi to gather at its own pace. When he formed the bow again, it felt more stable, more responsive. He nocked an arrow and took aim.

The arrow struck the target, though it missed the glowing glyph by several inches.

"Better," Sōken said with an approving nod. "But remember, Uryū, the Reishi responds to your intent. If your mind wavers, so will your shot."

With each attempt, Uryū's aim improved. His focus sharpened, and the weight of his past life seemed to fade into the background. Finally, after what felt like hours, he released an arrow that struck the glyph dead center.

Sōken's smile was filled with quiet pride. "Well done. You are progressing faster than I expected. At this rate, you may surpass even me one day."

The compliment filled Uryū with both pride and a sense of responsibility. For the first time, he felt like he truly belonged to this world.

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An Encounter with a Hollow

As twilight descended, casting long shadows across the clearing, Uryū lingered behind to practice a few more shots. The world around him was quiet, the sounds of the forest muted.

Then he felt it—a sudden shift in the air, like a ripple across the surface of a still pond. A faint, malevolent energy prickled at his senses, growing stronger with each passing moment.

He froze, his instincts on high alert. Then he saw it—a Hollow emerging from the shadows, its grotesque mask gleaming in the fading light.

The creature lunged at him with a guttural roar, its claws slicing through the air. Uryū barely managed to dodge, rolling to the side as he summoned his bow. His heart pounded in his chest, but he forced himself to stay calm.

This was no training exercise.

The Hollow attacked again, its movements wild and unpredictable. Uryū nocked an arrow and fired, but the shot went wide.

Focus, he told himself, his grandfather's words echoing in his mind. Let the Reishi flow naturally.

The next arrow struck the Hollow's mask, cracking it with a burst of light. The creature let out a final roar before dissolving into spiritual particles.

Panting, Uryū lowered his bow. The encounter had been brief, but it left him shaken.

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A Quiet Reflection

When Uryū returned home, he recounted the incident to Sōken. His grandfather listened intently, his expression a mix of pride and concern.

"You handled yourself well," Sōken said, placing a reassuring hand on Uryū's shoulder. "But remember, strength is not just about defeating your enemy. It is about protecting those who cannot protect themselves. Never lose sight of that."

Uryū nodded, the weight of his grandfather's words settling deeply in his heart.

That night, as he lay in bed, he stared at the Quincy cross hanging on his wall.

"Ten years," he whispered to himself. "I've been Uryū Ishida for ten years."

For the first time, the thought didn't feel strange or foreign. It felt like a part of him—a part he was ready to embrace.

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