Ichigo leaves and takes up residence in Soul Society!

Especially since it was so deathly silent.

There was no wind, no insects, a completely desolate place, as if everything here had been drained of life by the mushroom-shaped creation. Even so, the creation itself had no vitality; it was clearly a withered, lifeless thing.

The Four Palaces Lord slowly remembered.

I was cultivating myself, but suddenly I found myself here.

Appeared in...

One's own inner world.

"You don't seem very happy... Well, that's true, the scenery here isn't that beautiful."

The clear voice made it difficult to distinguish between male and female at first glance, and instead, it instantly reminded one of a proud eagle that cries out naturally.

And the sound did indeed come from the sky.

The Fourth Palace Master slightly raised his eyelids, and a figure slowly floated down from the previously murky and dizzying sky.

She had flowing long hair, was wrapped in a white, mottled cloak, and had an unusually large mushroom-shaped cap on her head, making it hard to tell if it was a hat or just growing on her head.

High concentrations of spiritual blue light filled the inside of the umbrella canopy and the inside of the cloak.

Her black hair was highlighted with blue highlights, and a sapphire-like central hub was embedded in her chest.

A pair of bright blue eyes shone, far more striking than her exquisite feminine appearance.

Beneath the cloak, her legs were clad in black boots, which accentuated her snow-white skin.

A section of her calf was visible in the middle, with faint blue lines emerging.

This woman, dressed in an extremely strange yet beautiful way, floated in mid-air with a haughty smile, looking down at the Four Palaces Lord.

Its demeanor is more like that of a master of this world.

...No, to be precise, it's "God".

“I have never thought of myself as particularly wonderful, nor have I been unhappy. I don’t care what my inner world is like. Given my circumstances, it’s not surprising no matter how bizarre it is.”

The four palaces showed no sign of surprise, speaking as if they were speaking matter-of-factly to acquaintances.

"But I'm very unhappy, trapped in such a world, unable to get out."

The mushroom-shaped woman tilted her head, her smile revealing no sign of anger.

Do you really want to go out?

"Of course, who would want to be trapped in such a world?"

"I've heard that powerful Zanpakuto can see their masters as a burden. Are you that type too?"

"What do you say?"

I said you're not.

"no?"

"No."

The four palace masters' firm answer made the mushroom woman smile brightly. She spun and danced in mid-air and finally came to her master like cherry blossoms falling.

The two were less than a meter apart, their eyes met, and they saw only each other; even the world itself seemed superfluous.

“A Zanpakuto is the power of its master. There are only fools who are consumed by desire, not masters who will be betrayed by their Zanpakuto. I once wavered between these two options, but now you have made the choice for me.”

"Mushroom Girl said softly."

The four palace officials frowned in displeasure.

“I don’t like hearing that. It makes me sound like a fool who was always about to be consumed by desire.”

"do not you?"

"No."

"Haha~ That's definitely not it. It can't be described as mere 'desire'. It's the kind of normalcy that only someone in a position of power, more exaggerated than a god, could have."

Is there anything wrong with having a calm and normal mindset?

"No, even if it existed before, it will disappear as long as I am here."

The mushroom woman leaned forward and pressed her forehead against the forehead of the Four Palace Lord, enveloping his figure under the huge umbrella, making the two seem to merge into one.

"On the contrary, if you want to use me, you need this kind of calm mindset."

"So call me softly, like now, whisper it to another version of yourself in your heart."

"Then I will become you, and you will become me, and together we will... wipe out all the unpleasant things outside, leaving none behind...!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the Fourth Palace Master's vision blurred, and he was suddenly brought back to reality.

The ghost power restored everything inside the room to normal, except for the mushroom woman's violent, clear voice still echoing in his ears.

"..."

The Four Palaces Lord glanced down at the ashy sword at his waist.

There have been some changes since I first received it.

The hilt turned blue, and the guard was both square and rectangular, echoing the shape of the umbrella on the mushroom woman's head.

He slowly drew his sword from its sheath, gazing at the gleaming blade. His lips moved slightly, as if he felt an urge to speak out.

But Shinomiya no Mikoto suppressed this impulse.

If the clarion call were made here, this ghost power recovery room and even the surrounding buildings would most likely be reduced to ashes in an instant—he had this clear premonition.

"Shinomiya-kun, is your training over? It's time to eat."

At that moment, a clear-eyed girl appeared before Shinomiya-sama.

His identity is easily recognizable from the adjutant's armband he wears on his shoulder.

It was Hinamori Momo, the vice-captain of the Fifth Division.

Because they frequently used the Demon Power Recovery Room, and even Aizen himself, Shinomiya and Ichigo inevitably came into contact with this vice-captain.

And the relationship gradually improved over time.

Shinomiya-sama could sense that the smile on the other person's face was much more genuine than at the beginning.

They will still notify us when it's mealtime, just like they do now.

“Using Captain Aizen’s method puts a lot of strain on your body. Don’t push yourself too hard. With Shinomiya’s willpower, he’ll definitely catch up to me if he perseveres for a few more years.”

It's hard to say whether Hinamori Momo's words were encouragement or boasting, but they sounded quite heartwarming. Even if she was showing off her current mastery of Kido, it wouldn't be offensive; it was more like a little girl's modest pride.

"Although it was very hard, I can only say that she truly deserves to be called a teacher."

Shinomiya-no-Tsurugi didn't care and simply picked up his Zanpakuto to show it off.

"They said that studying calligraphy would be helpful for the ways of ghosts and swordsmanship, but I didn't expect to see results so quickly."

"..."

Hinamori Momo was slightly stunned. She had an excellent memory, and although she had only glanced at it briefly, she remembered it very clearly. Shinomiya no Mikoto's sword did not originally look like this.

This change only proves one thing.

"Shinomiya-kun... has mastered Shikai?"

"Yes, it's faster than I expected. I thought it would take several more months."

"..."

Even if it takes a few more months to process, it would still be incredibly fast.

Since the establishment of the Spirit Arts Academy, how many people have mastered the release of their Zanpakuto during their first reincarnation?

Based on this efficiency and spiritual power level, I estimate that I can reach the ultimate secret of Zanpakuto tactics—Bankai—before graduation!

"Now I understand Captain Aizen's feelings. Such a genius really can't be left unattended..."

Looking at the handsome young man, Hinamori Momo felt both envious and frustrated.

Chapter Eleven: It wasn't Aizen who did it? That's even worse.

The Spirit Arts Academy, Special Class, also known as Class One.

Ba Ba Yuan nudged the back of the Fourth Palace Master and whispered:

"Ichigo looks terrible. Did he have a nightmare about Hollows last night?"

"Maybe so, but with his guts, to scare him, you'd have to at least have your girlfriend stolen away, then get a beating and a perforated heart."

"Hey! I heard you!"

The veins on Ichigo's forehead bulged as he sat next to him.

"So what if you heard it? Want to fight?"

"..."

Faced with such blatant provocation from the Four Palace Masters, there was no reason for them to back down, nor was there any possibility of them being afraid just because the other party was strong, or even stronger than themselves.

But Ichigo held back.

This situation made Hachihara's eyes widen in surprise.

"Ichigo, you...you really had a nightmare about your girlfriend being stolen away by a Hollow?"

【? 】

Renrindo slowly typed a question mark, expressing his concern for the members of his living group.

"Don't listen to that bastard's nonsense!"

Ichigo was furious, then glared at Shinomiya-sensei with annoyance.

"Don't think I don't know you're using this fight as an opportunity to show off your Shikai. I won't give you that chance."

"Who said I wanted to show off? I saw that you envied me for mastering Shikai faster than you and not giving you a chance to catch up, so I wanted to broaden your horizons and help you improve. It's really disheartening that you misunderstood me so deeply, Brother Kurosaki."

The four palace officials shook their heads and sighed.

"I'm too lazy to argue with you. Anyway, I've already mastered the basics of 'Returning to the Path.' In terms of technical difficulty alone, my Ghost Path is on par with yours, hehe."

"That's really amazing."

"..."

Seeing the Fourth Prince give a thumbs-up, his admiration seemed genuine, and Ichigo's expression froze. Whether it was mockery or sincerity, it was quite frustrating.

To be honest, Shinomiya-sama was telling the truth.

With Aizen's careful guidance, Ichigo not only "returned to the path" and entered the realm of spiritual cultivation, but his foundation also became more solid, and his rapidly increasing spiritual pressure showed no signs of getting out of control.

Obviously,

The ability to manipulate spirit particles, as a Quincy, began to shine.

He didn't miss out on the techniques of slashing, hand-to-hand combat, or instant step.

In a normal sparring match, even the three seats of the Fifth Division would be no match for them.

Graduating early is a certainty.

Saying "amazing" would be too conservative.

Of course, the Four Palaces are not to be outdone.

The Slash Fist is no weaker than Ichigo's, and its power is comparable to, if not stronger. Even without chanting, a technique like the "Red Fire Cannon" can retain half of its power, which is ridiculous even for an ordinary genius like Hachiyahara.

After the last class, Daiyu Naihara Yan Wulang suddenly came to the classroom. As the homeroom teacher of Class 1, he had many responsibilities, but none of them were as important as personal safety.

Now, that bottom line has been crossed.

"I'll take up a little of your time. On behalf of the Academy of Spiritual Arts, I'm issuing an urgent notice."

Daiyu Naihara Gengoro's expression was grave.

Everyone had a bad feeling at that moment.

"It has just been confirmed that one student from Class 1 and one student from Class 2 have gone missing without cause in the Kuo Wai District, Run Lin An. If anyone has any information, please report it to me immediately. Also, I do not recommend that you leave Seireitei before the investigation is completed."

After saying that, Daiyu Naihara Gengoro hurriedly left.