Explaining the Relationship Between Their Powers

Shinji Hirako led Ichigo Kurosaki through the central area of Underground Space to a more secluded Training Ground. The walls here were made of hard rock, and the ground bore the marks of battle—deep trenches and huge craters, all telling the story of the fierce duel that had taken place here.

Shinji Hirako sat down against a rock and gestured for Ichigo Kurosaki to sit down as well. He took off his glasses, wiped them, and put them back on, his expression becoming serious.

"Ichigo, before we begin our training, I need to explain the power relationship between Hollows and Soul Reaper." He paused, seemingly organizing his thoughts, "According to Ziyun's speculation, the power of Hollows and the power of Soul Reaper are essentially the same thing."

Ichigo Kurosaki was stunned. "The same thing? But they're clearly..."

"They are clearly opposites and mutually exclusive, aren't they?" Shinji Hirako continued, "But you must understand that opposition and repulsion do not mean they are fundamentally different. Water and fire are also opposites, but they are essentially both forms of energy. The same is true for Hollows and Soul Reaper."

He continued, "When a soul loses its heart and is consumed by despair, anger, and hatred, the power within it goes berserk and transforms into nothingness. Soul Reaper, on the other hand, without losing its heart, guides the power within its body through cultivation and exploration. The source is the same; only the manifestation is different."

Ichigo Kurosaki nodded thoughtfully, then asked, "So, the Hollow within me is actually part of my Soul Reaper power?"

Shinji Hirako gave him an approving look. "That's right. The Hollow within you is another manifestation of your Soul Reaper power. But..." He changed the subject, "Your situation is a little different from ours."

He stood up and paced back and forth in the Training Ground: "We were all forcibly injected with Hollow power by Aizen. So the original Soul Reaper Power and the Hollow Power that were later injected into our bodies are two different forces. They repel each other and fight each other. It took us a long time to barely make them coexist."

He stopped and looked at Ichigo Kurosaki: "But you're different. You should be able to feel it; whenever you're in danger, the Hollows within you always come to your rescue, right?"

Ichigo Kurosaki nodded. He recalled those critical moments—when his life was threatened, when his comrades were in dire straits, a figure wearing Ox-Bone Mask would always burst forth from within him, turning the tide of battle with overwhelming power.

"That's the key." Shinji Hirako's gaze sharpened. "The Hollow within you saved you because it is a part of you. It's not an outsider, not an intruder, but another manifestation of your power. But why is it usually suppressed, only appearing in times of crisis?"

Ichigo Kurosaki shook his head; this was a question that had always puzzled him.

Shinji Hirako slowly explained, "This is because there is a power within you that is suppressing your Soul Reaper Power. When the Soul Reaper Power is suppressed, your power has no choice but to break free in the form of a Hollow. Simply put, your total power is fixed; when a portion is suppressed, another portion will go berserk. The Hollows within you are the product of that suppressed power breaking free from its restraints."

Ichigo Kurosaki listened, his heart pounding. "That... what exactly is that power that's suppressing my Soul Reaper Power?"

Shinji Hirako shook his head. "I don't know either. Your power system is far more complex than ours; we can only see the surface, not the essence. But—" He patted Ichigo Kurosaki on the shoulder, "Ziyun said that all those powers are yours, no matter what form they take, no matter how ferocious or dangerous they appear. Ultimately, they are a part of your soul. Only when you open your heart to accept them can they be used to your advantage."

Ichigo Kurosaki fell silent. Accept those powers? Accept that violent, bloodthirsty Hollow that always tried to take control of his body? It sounded like a complete fantasy.

Shinji Hirako seemed to see through his thoughts and smiled slightly, "I know what you're thinking. You see the Hollow within you as an enemy, a threat, something that needs to be eliminated. But Ichigo, you must understand that the reason it appears so dangerous is precisely because you've always rejected it, always suppressed it. You treat it as an enemy, and it truly becomes an enemy."

He walked up to Ichigo Kurosaki, knelt down, and looked him in the eye. "We were once just like you. When that Hollow power first awakened within us, we were afraid, we resisted, and we desperately tried to suppress it. But what was the result? The result was that it grew stronger and more violent, almost devouring us. Later we realized that only by accepting it, understanding it, and coexisting with it could we truly control it."

Ichigo Kurosaki looked up, a complex light flickering in his eyes. "Then what should I do? How... do I accept it?"

Shinji Hirako stood up, a smile appearing on his face, "First, you must overcome it. Does that sound contradictory? To accept it, you must first overcome it. But you must understand that 'overcome' here does not mean annihilation, but conquest. You must make it understand that you are the master of the body, you are the leader. Only by establishing this can you have an equal dialogue with it, and only then can you truly accept it."

He pointed to the depths of the Training Ground: "Currently, you cannot communicate with it. Your Reiatsu is not strong enough, your will is not firm enough, and your physique is not resilient enough. Therefore, you need to train yourself first. Try to increase your Reiatsu, temper your physique, and make your foundation more solid. Next, you can begin training according to our method."

Kurosaki Ichigo stood up and took a deep breath. He knew the road ahead wouldn't be smooth, but to protect those he cared about, and to prevent anyone from being hurt because of his powerlessness, he had to keep going.

Shinji Hirako clapped his hands, drawing the attention of everyone present. "Alright everyone, the new kid is about to begin his training. Who would like to give him a demonstration?"