4 Training Powers & Date (1/2)

Ichigo stirred from his slumber, blinking away the remnants of sleep as he found himself lying on a futon within Squad 4's residence.

The soft light filtering through the room indicated that it was morning, though the events of the previous day felt like a distant dream.

As he sat up, his gaze fell upon Isane Kotetsu, the Vice Captain of Captain Unohana, who stood nearby with a tray of water and food. She offered him a warm smile, her demeanor gentle and caring as she extended the refreshments towards him.

"Good morning, Ichigo," Isane greeted softly, her voice soothing in the quiet of the room. "I hope you slept well. You must be hungry."

Ichigo accepted the offerings with a nod of thanks, feeling a sense of gratitude towards Isane and the members of Squad 4 who had tended to him during his time of need. "Thank you," he said sincerely. "I didn't get a chance to properly thank you last night for healing me."

Isane's smile widened at his words, a hint of relief evident in her expression. "It was nothing, Ichigo. Helping others is what we do here in Squad 4." she replied humbly.

"How are you feeling today?" she asked, her concern evident in her voice.

"I feel good," Ichigo replied with a nod, appreciating her genuine concern for his well-being. "Better than I have in a long time, actually."

He was being honest too, for the past 7 years he was always living somewhere shabby or on the run, not to mention he rarely felt any warmth from anyone.

So a change of scenery to waking up to a pretty women, serving you food, couldn't help but let Ichigo simply enjoy it.

As he took a sip of water, he pondered his next move. He already found his target, and if it wasn't obvious enough, it was Isane.

Her submissive demeanor and shy demeanor made her an ideal target for his Lust System. Plus, he couldn't deny the allure of her curvaceous figure hidden beneath her Soul Reaper uniform.

"Hey, Isane," Ichigo spoke up, interrupting her thoughts. "How about we grab something to eat together later tonight?"

Isane's eyes widened in surprise, "Eh!?", her cheeks tinged with a faint blush.

She had never been asked out before, always feeling self-conscious about her height. But Ichigo's casual invitation caught her off guard, filling her with a mix of excitement, and nervousness, 'Would Captain Unohana allow such a thing?' 

Ichigo himself was surprised at his bluntness, nonetheless he knows he needs more power, so he has to take the initiation in situations like this, and if he could enjoy the warmth of women while at it, so be it.

Isane still seemed lost in thought as she was in a daze, but breaking out of her thoughts, she notices Ichigo's brown eyes staring at her determinedly, causing her to speak.

"We just met each other, not to mention I just found out your name. W-Would such a thing be appropriate?" She asked hesitantly, seemingly inexperienced in such aspects of life.

Ichigo swiftly replied, unperturbed, "That's how it usually is, we're supposed to get to know each other through going out together... So what do you say?"

After a few seconds of being nervous, her eyes finally sparkled with resolve, 'I need to be brave!'

"Um, sure, Ichigo," Isane finally replied, her voice tinged with shyness. "I'd like that."

As Ichigo watched her shy smile, he couldn't help but feel a surge of satisfaction.

It seemed his plan was working perfectly.

And as Isane nervously accepted his invitation, her worried thoughts about Captain Unohana's reaction faded into the background. After all, what harm could a simple dinner between friends do?

With that, she left his room after they discussed where to meet up.

After confirming he was alone, Ichigo sat in a meditative position.

Closing his eyes, he delved into his Inner World, anticipating the familiar surroundings he had grown accustomed to.

However, when he opened his eyes, he found himself standing on a small plot of sand in the middle of the ocean.

Looking around in astonishment, Ichigo spotted White Zangetsu lounging on a beach chair, clad in orange shorts and a Hawaiian shirt, with a coconut in hand. Zangetsu noticed Ichigo's presence and greeted him with a smile.

"Ah! If it isn't the king!" Zangetsu exclaimed, raising his hands in the air. "Welcome to Paradise!"

Ichigo felt perturbed by the unfamiliar inner world, "This is different," He remarked, a hint of confusion in his voice.

Zangetsu chuckled. "Indeed it is, Ichigo. Your soul has fully assimilated, transforming your inner world. I'm rather fond of this new setup, aren't you?"

Ichigo looked around, taking in the sunny surroundings. "It's... different, but I suppose it's not bad." he admitted with a shrug.

As they casually settled into their beach chairs, Ichigo couldn't help but ask about his access to his hollow powers. "Zangetsu, do I have access to my hollow powers?"

His white-counterpart nodded, "Yes, you do. You can use a partial hollow mask for about three minutes."

Perplexed, Ichigo furrowed his brows. "What do you mean by 'partial' mask?"

Zangetsu leaned forward, a thoughtful expression on his face. "You see, Ichigo, you still have room to grow. After your first encounter with a girl in the Lust System, you'll likely unlock Bankai immediately afterward and gain access to your full hollow mask, albeit for a similar duration of about three minutes."

Understanding the task ahead, Ichigo nodded slowly. "I see... I guess I have some training to do."

With a wave, he bid Zangetsu farewell, who responded with a casual "see you later" before diving into the crystal-clear water.

As Ichigo awoke once again, he swiftly left Squad 4's barracks, venturing deep into the forests of the Rukon district.

Nodding with satisfaction, he declared, "Time to get started,"

Starting with his Shunpo mastery, Ichigo focused on honing his speed and agility.

With each rapid movement, he felt the exhilaration of his increased potential coursing through him.

As he darted between trees, he couldn't help but marvel at the fluidity of his movements. "So this is what it feels like to move at such speeds," he mused, impressed by his progress.

His figure would vanish and reappear dozens of meters farther.

Next, he shifted his focus to strength and physical conditioning. Engaging in rigorous exercises, he pushed his body to its limits, determined to reach new heights of power.

With each push-up and squat, he felt his muscles straining and his endurance building. "I assumed I'd have to rely on my Zanpakuto for strength," he thought, "but now, it seems my own body is becoming a weapon."

Moving on to his Getsuga Tensho, Ichigo practiced channeling his spiritual energy into a devastating wave of energy.

With each attempt, he carefully controlled the intensity, wary of unleashing his full power. As he watched the trees crumble before him, he couldn't help but feel a sense of awe. "This is just the beginning," he realized, "and already, I feel unstoppable."

But Ichigo wasn't foolish, he was aware that currently he was just high on power, and compared to the actually strong people, he was quite weak, so he was far from satisfied.

Nevertheless, it was finally time to test out his partial hollow mask.

With a deep breath, Ichigo spoke inwardly to Zangetsu, instructing him to keep his spiritual pressure contained.

[Sure, no problem], Zangetsu responded, his voice echoing in Ichigo's mind.

Placing his palm on his face, Ichigo activated his hollow mask, feeling the surge of power coursing through him.

Bringing his sword back in anticipation, he called out,

"Getsuga!"

 Then with mighty force he swung forward,

"Tensho!"

A wave of black energy burst out of his sword in a wave, destroying all the trees ahead of him for hundreds of meters, he couldn't help but marvele at the destructive force at his command.

"Incredible," he whispered, awestruck by the extent of his newfound abilities.

Ichigo continued this for hours, making sure he was assimilated with his powers and could control them properly.

He took a moment to reflect on his progress, feeling a sense of satisfaction knowing that he was getting closer to unlocking his full potential. 

It was already dark as his training was eventually complete, with renewed confidence, he headed back to Squad 4's barracks, eager to continue his journey towards mastery.

Sneaking past the Seiretei guards at the large Gates, he returned to his temporary residence and found neatly wrapped clothes left by Isane beside his bed.

Chuckling to himself, Ichigo remarked, "She really got me some clothes to wear in consideration that I'm dirt poor."

Shaking his head in amusement, he quickly changed into the clothes and left the building, ready for his date.

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