Chapter 39: Training Ichigo II
(3rd Person POV)
1. Week of training:
Ichigo had to slowly get used to fighting with the weights on all his limbs and the heavy Zanpakuto. After one day of training like that, Toji deemed him too slow and added the blindfold again. He said that if he focused so much on his eyes, he would lose all the gains he got after surviving against Zangetsu while blindfolded.
So from the second day onwards ... Ichigo was blindfolded AND had all that weight on his body. It was a massive drop in performance. Ichigo would have died, over and over and over again, had Toji not healed him. Toji saw this as a problem and tried to motivate him.
"Listen here Ichigo. Power comes from inside as much as it comes from your body. I'm sure Zangetsu or ... the old man, told you what happens to your inner world when you are sad or depressed."
"Yeah, he said that ... It starts to rain."
"Indeed. Your tears, the tears of your soul fall in your inner world. Your heart is what is important Ichigo. No matter what, if you get depressed, sad or in despair, your power weakens. That is the truth of the matter. And you see, no matter how much it is your wish to protect everyone you hold dear ... you are still only 15 years old. That is very young and for such a young man to have to carry such heavy burdens ... can cause you to fall into despair.
What is important now, is that you never ever, forget why you are doing all of this. Why are you fighting? Why are you training? What is your goal in this life? Tell me Ichigo. What is it that you want?", Toji asked.
"I ... I want ... to protect everyone!!", Ichigo screamed.
"Yes. And for that goal, you will need strength. You need to be stronger than those who you want to protect against. You have to become stronger than all those who could stand against you. So stand up! Stop wasting time and focus on your goal. Use that goal as fuel to push through this pain and depression you are feeling right now!"
.
This managed to motivate Ichigo again. Toji was doing this on purpose. He gave Ichigo hard and nearly impossible tasks to challenge not only his body but also his mind and mentality. He was building character here and Ichigo was sadly forced to grow up in a short amount of time. That was not something that Toji was happy about, but it had to be done.
Toji would have Ichigo fight against Zangetsu for days. Ichigo finally adapted to the weights after a week and Toji added something else. He saturated the air with very dense Reishi and made it hard for Ichigo to move. Breathing, walking and fighting ... it was all nigh impossible, but that was what Toji wanted. What he didn't want however was that Zangetsu was affected by it as well.
So Toji did the only thing he could ... he let them both adapt to this and waited for them to slowly get used to it. And then after this time, he took over Ichigo's training himself. Fighting without any idea or form, was only so good and it was important to have the basics down at least.
They took two days to get used to this. Toji didn't slack when it came to something he was committed to. And this training, he was committed to. He was going to train Ichigo to be the best he could be without a real Zanpakuto. He was going to drop hints about the things he still didn't know but that was it. He was not Ichigo's father, that was not his job.
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"Alright, you two. It seems like you can finally move now. That's good because your training continues now. And that training is called ... one day break!"
"What?", Ichigo asks confused.
"You see after stressing the soul that much, you must take a break. Otherwise, you will not grow but regress and that is not what we want. So today, you are free to go and spend the day with your friends. Have fun and stock up on that motivation, because you will need it."
"I see ... well then see you tomorrow.", Ichigo said and then left. Zangetsu returned to his inner space.
Toji was now thinking about the message he had gotten. It was from Yamamoto and he was not liking where this was going. He could see that this was something that concerned him and either the noble clans or ... the Zero Division. Toji knew that he would have a problem with Ichibe Hyosube sooner or later.
That was also why he didn't want to expose his powers like he did. Someone who was seemingly weak was not dangerous and would not have to be observed. But now that he was openly strong, he was on the radar of not only Aizen and Yhwach but also Ichibe Hyosube.
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(Toji POV)
I open a Senkaimon and walk through. I then make my way to the 1st Division headquarters to see Yama-ji. The walk doesn't take long and I am let into Yama-ji's study. He is going over some paperwork and seems to be waiting for me to arrive.
"Good you're here.", he says and stands up. He walks over to the small table where a set of cups and a steaming teapot are waiting for them. Both I and Yama-ji enjoy tea over sake. It just seems to calm me down more than alcohol could. I don't mind alcohol as it doesn't affect me if I don't want to, but tea is just something I learned to come to love.
"How are things in the World of the Living?", Yama-ji asks me.
"Good ... for now. I am busy training Ichigo and showing him what he doesn't know yet.", I tell him.
"Are you using velvet gloves again, Toji?", he asks me with one raised eyebrow.
"... not this time. He might be a minor and I regret that, but he needs to grow up a bit more before he can fully shoulder all his dreams. His burning desire to protect is what Urahara Kisuke took advantage of and what Aizen will also take advantage of.
I am trying to make him at least think before he just rushes into battle. I doubt that Ichigo will ever truly change as that is what he is, but I believe with my training he will begin to learn how to question things more and become more aware."
"And he will also grow more powerful? Do you think that is wise?"
"Ichigo would never do the same as the weakling Ginjo. I agree that we should have been more open in what we do and like him despise the noble clans for doing what they do, but he was weak to resolve to the life he did. Ichigo won't ever do that. He only lives to fulfil a promise he made to himself and tries to do better than the day his mother died. He still blames himself for that.
I won't tell him the truth as I am not his father, but sooner or later, he will have to know what truly happened. His strength will skyrocket then. But he can already become very powerful right now. And I plan on making it happen."
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"I see ... well I trust your judgement. But that is not the reason why I called you here today. Something has come to my attention.", Yama-ji said.
"That's what I thought. So who is it? Central 46? The noble clans? Or is it ... Osho?"
"As perceptive as always Toji, truly. It is indeed Osho who contacted me. He tells me that Reiso has taken an interest in you and your power. I assume he means your Zanpakuto and what you did to Tousen Kaname ... It is indeed impressive and I can understand Reio's interest.
In all my years, I have never seen anything like your 'Jūtai no Utagaki' and we probably never will. The position of Head Captain would be yours long ago, would you want it, but I know that that is not the case. I guess that Osho only wants to tell me that he is keeping an eye on you."
"So because I have not yet done something like the other four that shaped the Soul Society or invented something, I am not yet a candidate for the Zero Divison?", I ask him.
"That is also my guess. But there have been cases before when someone was invited to the Zero Divison, without inventing or creating something. The late Kenpachi Kuruyashiki was invited to join the Zero Division but declined the invitation."
"Ah yes. I remember that. It was funny because his Bankai was forbidden in the Seireitei and that was probably the reason why he lost to Sōya Azashiro."
"Indeed. Kuruyashiki had a powerful Bankai."
"So what do you think I should do now? Should I continue with what we had planned or tune the awesomeness down?", I asked Yama-ji with a smirk.
"You little rascal! Of course, you continue with what you wish to do. That is what you always do and that is what you should. Just because Reio is interested in you doesn't mean you should worry all of a sudden.
You are to return to the World of the Living and continue to do what I told you. Train Kurosaki Ichigo and keep an eye on Karakura Town."
"Alright. I can do that."
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3. Week of training:
Toji was once again training with Ichigo after he returned to the World of the Living the next day. He saw the fire and refreshment in Ichigo's eyes. It seemed like he used his day off, to visit all his friends and understand why he is fighting and why he needs strength. That was exactly what Toji hoped would happen. Because this week would be hell for Ichigo.
"All right you noob, let us commence the ultimate training arc. If you thought the last two weeks of training were hard, then you were wrong. I will once again simulate really dense Reishi in the environment. This will pressure your soul and mind as well as your body. It is the best way to grow more powerful in short amounts of time.
But don't worry, I will make sure that you survive ...", I told him. It was not time to get to work and that would be intense.
"So am I going to spar with Zangetsu again?", Ichigo asked.
"No my naive friend. You will be facing me. The real deal has arrived and you will have to begin to show whether or not the things I taught you stuck or if we have to do it all over again. I showed you the basics of Zanjutsu. What you don't have now, is experience. And that is only gained ..."
"... while fighting. *Sigh* I'm going to die, aren't I?", Ichigo said.
"Well ... that is indeed the most likely scenario. You must show me that you have what it takes to survive and grow strong enough to keep up with ... me when I'm holding back."
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And then they began. Toji was the one to initiate the attack. Unlike what was normal, he didn't use his Zanpakuto. He used a wooden stick. That would hurt just as much in the hands of Toji but made their respective spars ... a bit longer.
Toji attacked with slow speeds ... for his standards. For Ichigo, it was like he was and ant fighting a freight truck or a french TGV. He was overwhelmed from the start. But that was what Toji wanted. He wanted to pressure Ichigo more and more until he was forced to use not only 'his' strength but also his Hollows/Zanpakuto's.
The Reishi concentration in the air was nauseating and would kill many a Shinigami if they were there at the moment. The Vizards weren't there anymore as they didn't dare fight Toji anymore. He had this presence that was like looking at Mount Everest from the bottom. Immovable and unreachable.
So that was the way Toji trained Ichigo for two weeks until something interesting happened.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone