Baby seals

(3rd Person POV)

"Getsuga Tenshō!"

Ichigo attacked Grimmjow as they were locking swords with each other. The explosion was stronger than the one he had when he used to do it in Bankai. He has gotten way more powerful. His battle instincts were so much higher and more refined now than they were before. Ichigo could see openings and also exploit them when he wouldn't have seen them before the one month of training.

The attack wounds Grimmjow greatly and he bleeds from different wounds on his body. He is however not finished yet. His tenacity and anatomy as an Arrancar made sure that he didn't die right there. However ... Toji knew that the attack was not a full-powered Getsuga Tenshō. Had Ichigo been in full health, he would have killed him right there.

But this was another lesson for Ichigo. Toji knew that this fight was pretty much over at this point. If he did win, it would be luck. The Espada would be ready now so the same could no longer be achieved. It was not time for Ichigo to show the fruits of his labour. His Zanjutus was leagues better than it was before. 

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"This power ... what is this strange power? It doesn't feel like a true Shinigami. How did you get so powerful? Just what did you do in the past month?!", Grimmjow asked while he was huffing and puffing.

Ichigo didn't answer the Hollow. He knew as well as Toji, that he was nowhere near 100% right now and he had to finish this fast. He fired another Getsuga Tenshō at Grimmjow. The Arrancar managed to block it and was pushed backwards. 

Ichigo used this chance to appear behind Grimmjow and then fired another even bigger Getsuga Tenshō at him, effectively trapping him and sending him flying. 

The Hollow was falling to the ground. His consciousness was about to slip but he managed to catch himself and prepared to fire a Cero. He gathered the spirit energy in his hand and a red Cero formed. He then aimed and fired it at the approaching Ichigo.

"Damn you!"

The Cero is fired towards Ichigo who sees it just in the last possible second to not have to defend ... but attack. Just like Toji told him, attack is often a good way to defend and still keep the pressure on your opponent. 

Ichigo grabbed the cloth of Zangetsu and very quickly began to spin it. He didn't have much time, because the Cero was coming closer. Then Ichigo brought Zangetsu down and sliced through the Cero with one clean cut. 

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(Toji POV)

I watched the fight between my student and the jaguar unfold. I find it hilarious that the end result might just be the same as it was in the story. But I still want to see Ichigo when he is completely exhausted. That is normally the moment when he pulls the smallest drops of strength and manages to do something with it. 

The way he just spun the sword and cut through the Cero was a stroke of genius. Slicing through a Cero was always the best choice in my opinion. Not only could you defend that way, but you could also advance and keep the pressure on the enemy. Very well done. But he doesn't have the stamina anymore to capitalise on his success.

The Arrancar appeared behind Ichigo, but thanks to the speed of how he dealt with the Cero, Ichigo saw where he went clearly and turned around. He swung Zangetsu around and clashed with the Hollow's sword. I am impressed with the strength he still manages to use in his state. 

I saw the way Ichigo managed to use less energy and strength than his adversary. But that was not enough. Ichigo tried one last ditch effort and outmanoeuvred the Hollow. He struck out and cut a deep wound spanning from his shoulder to the hip. 

However, he was completely out of breath after that and wasn't able to dodge the next attack from the Arrancar. He managed to block the strike but shot to the ground.

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Ichigo was on his knees and was having problems with breathing. Grimmjow flashed next to him and kicked him in the stomach. After that, only boring things happened. I watched as the Hollow bragged and instead of killing Ichigo, he stabbed his sword into both of Ichigo's arms and pinned them to the ground. 

"Don't worry. This is a Cero at close range. I'll wipe away that stupid orange head of yours!", the Hollow says and begins to charge up his Cero. Before he can fire though, his hand is suddenly encased in ice. 

Rukia Kuchiki has arrived and has her Shikai activated. 

"Tsugi no mai ... Hakuren."

Rukia fires a big blast of ice at Grimmjow, encasing him in ice and freezing him for the moment. Rukia ran towards Ichigo, committing the dumbest mistake that you can make when fighting someone. She didn't double tap.

"Ichigo ..." 

"That was some incredible power.", Ichigo says as she tries to take out the sword from his arms. 

"When did you--?"

"Don't speak. It's difficult to get you free as it is. You'll just make things worse. You seem to have grown more powerful, Ichigo ... but why didn't you use your Bankai? You're barely in one piece."

That is when a hand frees itself from the ice and Grimmjow grabs Rukia's head.

"Don't underestimate me, Shinigami. Did you think such a thin sheet of ice would kill me? Think again!!", Grimmjow says and his hand that's gripping her head begins to gather energy for a Cero. 

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"I think this is enough now.", I say as I approach the three. 

However, he doesn't stop. So I point my finger at him and then say the word.

"Shō."

A small ball of energy is dispelled from the tip of my index finger. As it hits the Arrancar, suddenly a considerable amount of kinetic force thrust at him, which is pushes him back a few hundred feet. This man shot back like a rocket. It was so fast that in one moment it seemed that he was there and in the next, he wasn't. 

I walked to Ichigo and Rukia and looked down at them. I have a neutral face so Ichigo feels like he disappointed me. 

"Sensei.."

"You did good Ichigo ... for an IDIOT THAT IS!!! What did I tell you about rushing into battle? I train you for a month and the first thing you do when you have to fight some enemies is you rush off like a headless chicken! That is the only reason you lost just now. 

You just come from a 24-hour training session straight. And it wasn't the casual fitness training ... we were sparing for that long!!! You are beyond tired that is why you couldn't finish him. That guy is a joke to you right now. So take this as a lesson.", I said.

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(3rd Person POV)

Toji pulled out the sword and tossed it away. That is also the moment when Grimmjow chose to make yet another appearance. His appearance is even worse now than it was before. He must have flown through many houses on his way. He looks pissed and all of his focus is on Toji right now. 

"You!!! ... Who are you?!"

"How does that matter? Are you going to grab that sword or not? I threw it there for you after all...", Toji said uninterested. 

"You ... I'LL KILL YOU!!!", Grimmjow screamed and picked up his sword. He attacked Toji with a powerful swing. But ... that it wasn't meant to be. Toji just looked at Grimmjow and ... before anything could happen, a hand grabbed Grimmjow's sword handle. 

"Ulquiorra!", Grimmjow says.

"Our mission is complete. We're leaving.", the new Arrancar, called Ulquiorra tells Grimmjow. As he finishes speaking a Garganta opens above them and a Negación shines down on them. Similar to the time when Aizen left Soul Society. 

But who do they think they are? Did Toji allow them to leave? The answer is obvious. No ... he did not.

"Leaving the party so soon? I don't remember allowing something like that.", Toji says and puts one hand on his Zanpakuto handle. The other hand he holds his hands in a similar position as if he wanted to use Hado #90 - Kurohitsugi. But instead of a Hado, something else happens. 

"I can't imagine you leaving here without some cuts ... 

... Cleave!"

In the next moment, all limbs of the two Arrancar were cut into thousands of pieces, leaving only the stumps similar to the Soul King. They fall down but still float upwards due to the Negación which pulls them. There is a gross amount of blood, but not as much as with Tosen ... 

"How many arms and legs do you think we're up to? ... I think we're up to 16 ... well I guess that's that for today. Let me give you a piece of advice you two Baby seals ... don't mess with drunken sailors from now on. Cheerio."

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As the Arrancar ... who had all of their limbs cut off, arrived in Las Noches ... Aizen knew immediately what was going on. He even had a slight smile on his face, since he knew what this meant. 

"It seems you had an encounter with Toji Fushiguro ... quite unfortunate. But I believe that some of you will be able to heal by themselves. As for the others ... well you are fortunate that our guest will be able to help you."

'Toji Fushiguro ... I have understood your power ... it all works out as I planned. I am glad that there is someone who can make this interesting. But I wonder how you'll react ... when you see what I have prepared for you...'

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In the World of the Living, the group of Shinigami undergoes their healing procedures. Most of them are badly injured and the situation puts a lot of stress on them. Ichigo as well, because he wanted to see the fruits of his labour. Toji told him that he was not mad at him or disappointed. He just didn't like the fact that he simply ran off.

Toji complimented Ichigo on his progress over the last month and told him that he was far stronger than the Arrancar which they saw. 

"Are you sure? They didn't even activate their swords.", Ichido said.

"It doesn't matter. You also didn't use either your Bankai or your Hollow mask and I can tell you that you are far stronger with both of them. Your Bankai gives you a boost of 10x your original power and if we add your Hollow mask, then we easily reach 2x that as well ... maybe a bit more.

So don't worry about that fight today. If you take anything from this, then the fact that you shouldn't rush into battle. You are strong Ichigo and you only grow stronger the older you get and the more you fight and train. So lift your head up and look forward.", Toji told him.

This seemed to help Ichigo a bit and he didn't look as down as before. The fact that Toji was taking the time to help him grow. He wasn't just helping him get more powerful, but also growing up. Toji wasn't happy with the way this was. He thought that this was the job of Ichigo's father, Isshin.

But that guy was a no-show... Toji would have to have a talk with the man sooner or later. But this was not going to work out. Ichigo had to learn the full truth. Otherwise, he was never going to reach his full potential. 

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Toji managed to do what was asked of him by Yama-ji and protected everyone. But that was not really what he did. He trained Ichigo, but never the others. Rangiku was already that strong before he came to Karakura Town. 

What did bother him though was the cat that was watching him all the time now. He tried to get away but she somehow always found him. That nose was quite powerful.