The Balance is There (2)

10 advanced chapters on my Patreon: Fiction Haven

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"Kurosaki Ichigo is planning to go to Hueco Mundo alone?"

Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni, the general of Gotei 13 had a frown marring his wizened visage. He couldn't believe what he had just heard from one of his captains. At the other end of the call, Tōshirō could only smile wryly. He omitted some facts and told Yamamoto that Ichigo wanted to train. Naturally, it didn't sit well with Yamamoto.

He was not technically lying, but he felt slightly guilty for not telling the entire truth. of course, he kept his face stoic. If the news about Ichigo wanting to train in Hueco Mundo was already enough to elicit such strong opposition from Yamamoto, he wouldn't be pleased to hear that Ichigo would go there to train his Hollow power.

"Urahara Kisuke is usually a sensible person. Why does he think that young Kurosaki will be able to fend for himself alone in a world filled with Hollows?"

"Kurosaki Ichigo is strong. If we compare his strength to the current captains, he easily sits in the top 5. This is considering the amount of power he currently has. He told us that he hadn't mastered his Shikai yet, so I am sure he would be a force to reckon with when he achieves Bankai."

"I know young Kurosaki is strong. That is why I don't want him to go there," Yamamoto stated solemnly. "If we somehow lose him because of his rash decision, we will have a hard time against Aizen."

Are you planning to depend on Kurosaki Ichigo to defeat Aizen?

That question bugged Tōshirō, but he didn't say it. He was starting to see why Ichigo wasn't fond of Soul Society. Yamamoto treated Ichigo as if he was part of his men. The contract Ichigo had established with Soul Society stated that they had no right to control his actions as long they didn't harm Soul Society. Yamamoto had agreed to it, but he ironically did just that.

"If he wants a place to train, tell him to come to Soul Society. Rukongai has a lot of places that can withstand his monstrous power," Yamamoto grunted. "Very well, then, I will contact you soon, Captain Hitsugaya."

The call ended and the oversized monitor screen turned black. Tōshirō ran a hand through his hair and sighed. He didn't know how he should break the news to Ichigo. He was sure the young Substitute Shinigami wouldn't heed his words or overreact; however, the news would surely put a strain on their relationship. It was a mess.

On the other side of Karakura Town, Ichigo was training with the Visored. Retsu had been quite insistent to follow him. Luckily, he had Rukia to distract her. Asking her to help Rukia settle in his house, he managed to get her off his back.

"You are best buddies with Soul Society now, huh!?" Hiyori shouted with a distorted voice.

Clang!

Her Zanpakutō was easily blocked by Ichigo. She clicked her tongue in displeasure and then retreated, allowing Lisa to have her turn. Lisa delivered a flurry of thrusts to Ichigo, which he easily parried, before switching with Mashiro. Frustration was evident from her body gestures. It had been ten minutes and they had yet managed to force Ichigo to draw his mask.

"This doesn't seem to be training for Ichigo," Shinji remarked as he watched the fight a distance away.

"That kid is a monster for taking those three without his mask," Kensei admitted. "They are the most agile fighters we have."

"Hiyori is not necessarily agile, but she is hyperactive, all right," Shinji grinned.

"Why does he want to put a handicap on himself, by the way?"

"He said that his Hollow power grows faster when his life is threatened. He is still determined to learn Descorrer."

When Ichigo said that he already had a way to open Garganta, he didn't tell Kisuke the full truth. He still couldn't open a Garganta, but he knew he was close to mastering it. His fight with Grimmjow had stimulated his Hollow power. He concluded that fighting with Arrancar or those who possessed the same power would bring him faster to his goal.

It was why he had told Mashiro, Hiyori, and Lisa to go all out. He was having a hard time against them. They were skilled to begin with, so their masks, which enhanced their strength, made a great difference. He kept getting nicked and cut here and there. It was annoying, but he could feel his Hollow power rising. It was worth it.

"Hadō #4: Byakurai!"

A pale lightning bolt shot at Hiyori, prompting her to dodge to the side. As soon as she did, the air buzzed and Ichigo appeared beside her, foot mere centimeters away from hitting her stomach. Knowing she couldn't block it; she poured as much Reiryoku into her abdomen and received the kick.

Bam!

She shot into the air like a bullet.

"It's bad to hit a girl, Berry-tan!" Mashiro exclaimed, dropping from the air. "Mashiro Kick!"

Ichigo poured his Reiatsu into his forearm and raised it. The kick collided with his Hierro, producing an air blast. Mashiro retreated with a start. She felt like her feet had just collided with concrete. Ichigo's forearm was steaming but suffered from no damage. It upset her greatly.

"Behind you."

Swish!

Ichigo stepped aside, allowing Lisa's spear which had taken the form of a spear to whizz past him.

"You should have kept quiet."

Lisa widened her eyes when she heard Ichigo's voice from behind. She abruptly spun on her heel and delivered a nasty swing to Ichigo. He blocked the staff of her Zanpakutō easily. She immediately gave up on countering him and retreated with Shunpō. When she sensed Ichigo coming from behind, she dropped to the ground and avoided Ichigo's swing.

Pushing her body off the ground with her hands, she did a handstand and then spun on her hands. Her legs failed to land a hit, but they succeeded in making him retreat. She immediately got back on her feet and assumed her offensive stance. Her Zanpakutō was pointed at Ichigo who was a few meters before her.

"Pink-striped panties? That is a little bit childish, but I am not judging," Ichigo said with a teasing grin.

Lisa thanked her luck that she was wearing her mask. Despite being an open degenerate, she sometimes got embarrassed when someone pointed out her degeneracy.

"Berry-tan, it's not nice to peek under a girl's skirt! Mashiro Dropkick!"

Ichigo looked up before crossing his Zanpakutō to block Mashiro's devastating kick. The ground under him cratered upon impact. He sweated a little, wondering if Mashiro was genuinely mad at him. He admitted he was wrong for calling out a girl for her panties choice, but he didn't deliberately try to see it. Lisa was the one presenting it to him.

Talking about Lisa; she was coming at him at a high speed. The distance between them was short enough to make dodging impossible. Ichigo didn't panic, but his urgency of survival peaked. His Hollow power was stimulated more than it had ever been, forcing him to use it.

Clank!

Sparks flew off as Lisa's Zanpakutō clashed with Ichigo's stomach. It failed to pierce it. The crater under them got deeper and wider. It was a testament to how much power she had put on her attack. She couldn't believe what she had just witnessed.

Boom!

The oppressive power Ichigo was radiating made Lisa and Mashiro instinctively retreat. Even other Visored who had been watching prepared themselves to hold Ichigo down. They observed Ichigo, taking in his features. He was now donning his Hollow mask. The first thing they noticed was that the horns had grown. The markings on his mask had also changed from red to black.

Ichigo stared at them coldly with his golden eyes. The entire place was silent, anticipating what he was about to do next. Ichigo raised his Zanpakutō and pointed it to the side. Its tip sparked and the air was torn open, revealing the dark void hiding behind.

"Garganta…"

"I am ready to go to Hueco Mundo."

The Visored instinctively shivered upon hearing Ichigo's distorted voice. It was different from the one they had heard the last time he had spoken while wearing his mask. He was genuinely terrifying. It reminded them of the time they were assigned to exterminate Hollows for the first time.

"You won't go alone," someone exclaimed, startling the people in the Study Chamber.

Turning to the owner of the voice, they found Yoruichi with a frown marring her face. Ichigo tilted his head and wondered why she was there as everyone did.

"I am here to take you to Soul Society," Yoruichi stated.

"Have they finally decided to make me their enemy?" Ichigo wondered with a threatening tone.

Slightly perturbed by his voice, she shook her head. "Even though I am going to go with you, I can't just let you go to Hueco Mundo without the necessary skills given what you are going to do. I will train you in Soul Society until you are ready."

"Redundant."

"I get that you are powerful, but you can't always rely on raw power, can you?"

Ichigo hummed in contemplation, making him sound like he was growling. A few seconds later, he shrugged and closed the Garganta he had opened.

Dematerializing his mask, he stared at Yoruichi seriously. "If this is an attempt to keep me there, I will consider our friendship ends. No one can tell me what I can or can't do. I am not a tool for everyone to use and then cast when I have served my purpose."

"I am on your side," Yoruichi reassured him with a smile on her face.

Ichigo didn't like that his plan was forced to be altered but found the logic behind Yoruichi's reasoning. With a sigh, he walked to Yoruichi who promptly led him outside.