A Captain-Commander's Pride and Regret

Ōetsu Nimaiya, controlled by Lu Li, immediately opened the doors to the training grounds and let Ichigo out.

"Great-Grandmaster, I can still keep going. Just give me a little more time..."

Ichigo wanted to say that he was about to find the trick and would definitely defeat those Asauchi, but Lu Li cut him off before he could finish.

"What we lack most right now is time."

As Lu Li spoke, he raised a hand and tore open the void. A pitch-black rift opened. "Go home first. Talk to your father. In your current state, you can't reforge your Zanpakuto."

Lu Li could have told Ichigo about his origins himself, but it likely would not have left as deep an impression as hearing it from his father.

Besides, whether Ichigo could awaken a new Zanpakuto was not merely a matter of his origins. It was more a matter of his state of mind.

Lu Li believed Ichigo needed to walk around the world where he had lived and see it for himself, so he could further strengthen his resolve to protect it.

"At a time like this, I..."

Ichigo still wanted to argue, but when he saw the stern look in his great-grandmaster's eyes, he could only swallow his words.

"Kurosaki-kun, let's go back first. Your great-grandmaster must have his reasons for doing this."

Orihime also tried to persuade him from the side. After everything that had happened, she had come to see Kurosaki's great-grandmaster as invincible. At a time like this, the two of them could not really help much. They might as well return first.

"Inoue..."

Ichigo hesitated, then broke into a bright smile. "I'm just glad you're okay. Let's go back first."

Once it was settled, Lu Li directly sent the two of them into a Yomotsu