"It's still the same question — what's your real goal?" Ichigo stared at Urahara Kisuke, his voice unwavering.
Urahara looked at Ichigo, feeling a little surprised.
He had watched Ichigo grow up — when did the boy become so calm?
According to Urahara's expectations, Ichigo should be crying and screaming by now, desperate to rush into Soul Society to save Rukia.
How did it end up like this instead?
"I have no conditions," Urahara said with a smile. "Just consider it compensation... since it's because of me that Miss Rukia got dragged into this."
"How long do you need to prepare?" Ichigo asked.
"Ten days.
Sneaking into Soul Society isn't an easy matter.
At minimum, I'll need ten days to open a Senkaimon to Soul Society," Urahara said, folding his fan with a snap.
On this point, he wasn't lying.
"Fine. I'll come find you in ten days. Give me your address — I'll be there," Ichigo said, turning to leave.
"Wait, Ichigo-san.
With your current strength, rescuing Miss Rukia would be almost impossible.
Would you like me to be your sparring partner for the next ten days?" Urahara offered.
"No need.
Just heal Ishida Uryū.
Ten days from now, in the morning, I'll be there," Ichigo said without looking back, then vanished with shunpo.
Watching Ichigo leave, Urahara sighed.
"Store Manager, is this really okay?" Tessai asked beside him.
"The speed at which Ichigo is growing has already exceeded all our predictions," Urahara said with a bitter smile.
"Clearly, Ichigo now views us with extreme caution.
If we keep forcing ourselves on him, it'll only backfire.
We'll take it step by step."
Clever people hated situations like this — what kind?
Situations that went completely beyond their expectations!
Back home, Ichigo lay on his bed, unable to sleep.
He kept thinking about every moment he had shared with Rukia, about her final smile before she left.
He forced himself to close his eyes and entered his inner world.
Inside his mind, the sky was thick with dark clouds, as if rain could fall at any moment.
"Ichigo, what happened?" the old man Zangetsu asked as soon as Ichigo appeared.
"Zangetsu-san... I think I made a mistake.
I watched my friend being taken away... and I did nothing," Ichigo said bitterly.
"Ichigo, the root of the problem is still the same — your strength isn't enough," Zangetsu said bluntly.
"If your power was strong enough to resist Soul Society, strong enough to protect everyone, none of this would have happened."
"Yeah... I know, Zangetsu-san.
That's why I'm ready now.
I'm here... for the exam!" Ichigo said, full of determination.
Zangetsu nodded.
Beneath his black cloak, White Ichigo took form again.
"Are you ready, Ichigo?" White Ichigo grinned.
Ichigo nodded and faced the two of them.
"Whatever the trial is — bring it on!"
Seeing Ichigo's burning fighting spirit, Zangetsu and White Ichigo both shook their heads slightly.
"Ichigo, Bankai cannot be completed inside your inner world," Zangetsu said seriously.
"We need a real space in the physical world."
"A real space?" Ichigo asked, confused.
White Ichigo explained,
"Bankai means materializing your zanpakutō in the real world, defeating it, and forcing it to submit."
"Ichigo, you'll need to defeat both of us — one after the other — to fully obtain Bankai," Zangetsu added.
"Defeat both of you?" Ichigo swallowed hard.
His battle skills had been taught entirely by these two.
Defeating them would be unimaginably difficult!
But Ichigo didn't lose confidence.
Instead, his fighting spirit burned even stronger.
"Tomorrow's the last day of school before summer vacation.
I'll find a place to take the Bankai exam soon!" he said.
Both Zangetsu and White Ichigo nodded as they watched him leave.
After Ichigo exited his inner world, White Ichigo turned to Zangetsu.
"With Ichigo's Shinigami powers growing stronger, you can't completely suppress my strength anymore," White Ichigo said coldly.
"After all... I'm the real zanpakutō."
Zangetsu glared at him coldly.
"Your power is too dangerous.
I don't want Ichigo to fall into danger because of it."
White Ichigo sneered.
"What are you talking about?
My power, your power — aren't they both just Ichigo's own strength?"
This sentence made Zangetsu fall silent.
White Ichigo continued,
"Even if you wanted to, you can't fully suppress my power anymore.
From now on, the ratio of control over Ichigo's power will shift — from ninety-ten... to fifty-fifty."
"You won't be able to suppress me forever!
And I'll be waiting — waiting for the day Ichigo realizes the truth."
With a mocking laugh, White Ichigo shattered into fragments and disappeared.
Unlike before, Ichigo hadn't immediately treated White Ichigo as a threat.
Instead, he now recognized White Ichigo as another teacher — an existence equal to Zangetsu.
Because of that... Ichigo's power was now balanced.
Zangetsu could no longer suppress the force that White Ichigo represented.
This — would forge an even stronger Ichigo!
The next morning.
Ichigo woke up.
He looked at the wardrobe across the room.
He couldn't help but wish that the girl who used to jump out from there every morning... could still come out, eat breakfast with him, and walk to school together.
Habit... was truly a terrifying thing.
Without that girl, Ichigo felt restless — as if something essential was missing from his life.
Mechanically, he finished breakfast and went to school.
He quickly realized that none of his classmates or teachers remembered Rukia at all.
It was as if Rukia had never even existed.
Ishida Uryū didn't come today either — probably still recovering from his injuries.
Ichigo just laid on his desk, absent-minded, thinking of Rukia.
Finally, after what felt like forever, the teacher announced the start of summer vacation.
Ichigo sighed and packed up to leave.
But he was grabbed by Tatsuki and dragged up to the school rooftop.
Orihime was already waiting there.
As for Chad, he hadn't shown up either — still injured.
After Tatsuki closed the rooftop door, Orihime finally asked,
"Ichigo-kun... where's Rukia-chan?"
(End of Chapter)
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