Training begins

Early the next morning.

Ichigo Kurosaki followed Yoriichi Tsugikuni to the Urahara Shop.

The two had just pushed open the door when a small figure charged out, brandishing an enormous iron club.

"Take this!"

Jinta Hanakari swung the iron club down hard.

Yoriichi did not break stride. He merely turned slightly sideways, and the iron club brushed past the hem of his clothes before smashing into the floor.

Bang!

"Jinta, you shouldn't attack customers for no reason," Ururu Tsumugiya reminded him quietly from behind.

"Shut up! I was just testing them!"

Jinta's face flushed red as he struggled to pull the iron club out of the floor.

Ichigo glanced at him, the corner of his mouth twitching.

Was this shop really reliable?

Behind the counter, Kisuke Urahara waved a paper fan, his usual smile on his face. Tessai Tsukabishi stood beside him, while Yoruichi, in her black cat form, crouched on the counter, her golden eyes calmly watching the pair.

"You're right on time, Mr. Kurosaki."

Kisuke Urahara closed his paper fan, his tone growing a little more serious.

"For the next ten days, you must stay here for intensive training in seclusion."

"Ten days?"

"That's right."

Kisuke Urahara raised one finger and said, "Within ten days, you must regain your own Soul Reaper powers, learn to communicate with your Zanpakuto, discover its name, and achieve Shikai."

Ichigo frowned.

Just ten days. It sounded utterly impossible.

But Rukia did not have time to wait for him to grow stronger at his own pace.

"After that, I'll need another seven days to construct a passage through the Dangai. Under Soul Society's rules, Miss Rukia originally had twenty-five days before her execution."

Kisuke Urahara paused.

"By the time we enter Soul Society, there should be about thirteen days left."

"Will that be enough?"

"As long as you can reach Sōkyoku Hill alive, of course it will."

Ichigo clenched his fists, his nails almost digging into his palms.

"Then let's get started."

Kisuke Urahara looked at him without acting right away.

"You could die during training, you know."

"Cut the crap."

"Excellent. Such enthusiasm."

Kisuke Urahara smiled again, then explained the arrangements.

Ichigo's physical body would remain in the shop, controlled by the Modified Soul, Kon. Orihime Inoue and Yasutora Sado would also arrive later, and Yoruichi would guide them in developing their own powers.

As for Uryū Ishida, he needed to recover from his injuries first and would join them toward the end of the training.

"One last thing."

Kisuke Urahara pointed his paper fan at Yoriichi.

"From here on, young Yoriichi will be in charge of your combat training."

Ichigo turned to look at him.

Yoriichi stood quietly by the door, his hand resting on his sword hilt, his face expressionless.

For some reason, Ichigo suddenly felt he would be better off having Urahara do it himself.

Before long, everyone arrived beneath the shop.

Ichigo fell silent at the sight of the rocky training ground stretching farther than he could see.

He looked up, then back at the passage.

"Why do you have a place like this under your shop?"

Kisuke Urahara hid half his face behind his fan.

"It's necessary for running the shop."

"What kind of shop needs an underground wasteland?!"

No one answered him.

Kisuke Urahara walked behind Ichigo and lightly tapped his back with his cane. Ichigo's soul immediately left his body, stumbling two steps forward.

Kon promptly entered the body and rolled his shoulders.

"I'm finally free again!"

Smack!

Tessai planted a hand on his head and dragged him aside.

Kisuke Urahara looked at Yoriichi and explained, "For Mr. Kurosaki to regain his true power, we must first destroy his Saketsu and Hakusui to clear away the Reiatsu Miss Rukia left inside him."

Ichigo's expression changed.

"Wait, what do you mean, destroy?"

Kisuke Urahara was about to explain.

Yoriichi had already drawn his sword.

A blade flashed.

Before Ichigo even felt any pain, blood burst from his chest and back at the same time.

"Hey..."

His legs gave out, and he fell flat on the ground.

Kisuke Urahara's paper fan froze in midair.

That fast?

He had been planning to explain where the Saketsu and Hakusui were, as well as the level of Reiatsu needed to destroy them safely.

Now, it seemed that was entirely unnecessary.

"Tessai, prepare to treat him."

"No need."

Yoriichi crouched beside Ichigo and placed both hands over his wounds. A soft green light shone, and the disordered Reishi rapidly stabilized.

Tessai Tsukabishi adjusted his sunglasses.

The smile on Kisuke Urahara's face stiffened as well.

"You know healing arts too, young Yoriichi?"

"I saw Rukia use them before."

"Then I knew how."

Kisuke Urahara fell silent for a moment, then quietly opened his paper fan to hide his face.

What an absurd talent.

A few minutes later, the wound in Ichigo's chest stabilized. He pushed himself off the ground and stood, his expression still rather grim.

"Could you warn me before you do that next time?"

"Yes."

"Then why didn't you say anything just now?"

"Mr. Urahara told me to do it."

Ichigo opened his mouth, but for a moment, he could find no way to argue.

Kisuke Urahara tapped the ground with his cane.

A chain extended from Ichigo's chest, its other end connected to the physical body upstairs.

Ichigo looked down and grabbed the chain, asking with a frown, "What do I do now?"

"That's enough chatting. Next, Mr. Kurosaki, you'll use this spirit body to attack young Yoriichi with everything you have, until you can no longer move."

"Just what I wanted."

Ichigo picked up a wooden training sword and charged straight at Yoriichi.

Gripping the sword in both hands, he brought it down hard at Yoriichi's shoulder.

Yoriichi sidestepped and lightly tapped Ichigo's wrist with his scabbard.

The wooden sword flew out of his hands.

"Your grip is too tight, and you're tensing your shoulders."

Ichigo gritted his teeth, grabbed the wooden sword, and charged again.

A horizontal slash missed.

A thrust missed.

Through more than a dozen consecutive attacks, Yoriichi remained where he stood, his feet never moving so much as half a step.

"Don't just watch my sword."

Yoriichi deflected the wooden sword with his scabbard and said calmly, "Watch the shoulders, the waist, the feet. Before an attack begins, the body has already given you the answer."

"Easy for you to say!"

Ichigo roared, his Reiatsu erupting as he brought the wooden sword crashing down head-on.

This time, Yoriichi raised his scabbard.

Bang!

The wooden sword snapped in two.

Ichigo froze in place, still holding his swinging stance.

Yoriichi looked at the scabbard in his hand.

"Too much force."

"That's my fault too?"

The training continued.

Ichigo charged again and again, only to be knocked down each time. Yoriichi never actually drew his sword, using only his scabbard to correct Ichigo's movements.

When his footwork grew too erratic, a strike hit his calf.

When his center of gravity was too high, a strike hit his side.

When his gaze strayed, the scabbard stopped in front of his throat.

From beginning to end, Ichigo never even touched the hem of Yoriichi's clothes.

Several hours later.

Ichigo lay on his back, his fingers unable to move, his chest heaving.

"Monster..."

Yoriichi stood beside him, his breathing still steady.

Kisuke Urahara strolled over.

"It looks like the first stage went smoothly."

Ichigo lifted his head with difficulty.

"That was only the first stage?"

Kisuke Urahara did not answer. He merely nodded to Tessai.

Carrying an axe, Tessai Tsukabishi walked over to the chain and reached out to grab the Chain of Fate extending from Ichigo's chest.

Ichigo suddenly had a bad feeling.

"Wait, what are you doing?"

Tessai raised the axe and chopped down hard.

Crack.

The chain snapped, leaving most of its length hanging from the chest of Ichigo's spirit body. Tiny, closely packed teeth immediately emerged from the broken end and began gnawing inward along the chain.

Kisuke Urahara crouched beside him and said with a smile, "Now, the real training begins."