A night passed.
Yoruichi watched as Ichigo barely managed to climb to his feet. *Was he already approaching his limit?*
This wasn't the limit of Ichigo's growth, but the limit of his physical body. Moreover, Yoruichi had no way to gauge Ichigo's progress in learning Bankai through the Tenshintai training.
From the perspective of combat technique, Ichigo was indeed growing at an astonishing rate. Even by Yoruichi's experienced standards, his speed was outstanding.
However, from the perspective of Reiatsu, while there was growth, it wasn't enough. At the very least, it wasn't the terrifying speed required to condense decades of bitter training into a mere three days.
But even if his Reiatsu growth rate satisfied her, it still wouldn't be enough. What she needed was a captain capable of wielding Bankai, not just a captain who knew how to fight.
The situation with the Tenshintai was exactly as Urahara had described. The trial presented by each materialized Zanpakutō was entirely different. Even Urahara, who had created and was the sole person to have successfully used it, couldn't provide a standard metric for progress.
Take Ichigo's Zangetsu as an example. Among the thousands of different Zanpakutō currently scattered across the arena, only one was the real Zangetsu. Ichigo had to find the true blade before the materialized Zangetsu killed him.
Testing them one by one might barely be feasible within three days, but Yoruichi had just noticed that the swords previously shattered by Zangetsu were silently reappearing.
According to Zangetsu, these were actually fragments of Ichigo's spirit. If Ichigo wanted to escape, he would pick up a sword representing escape.
But what kind of attitude would make Zangetsu submit? Yoruichi didn't know, Ichigo didn't know, and perhaps even the currently materialized Zangetsu didn't know either.
Therefore, this trial ultimately came down to gaining Zangetsu's acknowledgment, which made it even harder to evaluate.
No wonder Urahara had said that even with the Tenshintai, an outsider couldn't subdue the materialized Zanpakutō on behalf of the user.
In less than a minute and a half, the axe-like sword Ichigo held was shattered by Zangetsu once again, leaving him sprawled on the ground, his limbs trembling uncontrollably.
"Let's stop here for now!" Yoruichi shouted. The materialized Zangetsu once again reverted to the humanoid dummy form of the Tenshintai. Although she couldn't train Bankai for Ichigo, she could still intervene and call a halt to the session.
"I can still keep going, Yoruichi-san. We only have three days. I don't have time to rest."
Once again, he found himself slung over Yoruichi's shoulder. The difference was that this time, Ichigo remained conscious. But what remained exactly the same was his stubborn mouth!
"You indeed don't have time to rest, but you've long since run out of stamina. Pushing yourself any further would just be a waste of time." Yoruichi arrived at a hot spring and tossed Ichigo straight in.
*Glug, glug glug, glug glug glug.* More and more bubbles burst on the water's surface as Ichigo struggled to sit up. "Cough, cough! You jerk, are you trying to kill me?!"
*Huh?* Just after cursing, Ichigo realized something was off. He repeatedly clenched and unclenched his fists. The irresistible, aching soreness that had plagued his body was almost imperceptible now. Even stranger, his wounds were healing at a visible rate.
"This hot spring?"
"Its healing properties are second to none, even in the Seireitei."
"Yoruichi-san..." Before Ichigo could express his gratitude, Yoruichi cut him off.
"Save your thanks. Don't think you'll recover to perfect condition, either. Once you're good enough, get your ass back to training!"
The closer one was to their absolute limit, the more pronounced their growth became. This was why she had made Ichigo start his training while still injured.
"I understand." Ichigo nodded. The relief of his physical strain also cleared his head considerably. He proceeded to ask the question lingering in his mind. "But isn't training with the Tenshintai supposed to be uninterrupted?"
When explaining the Tenshintai, Yoruichi had explicitly told him that it could only be maintained for three days, and exceeding that time limit would supposedly exact a terribly heavy price.
"Who told you the Tenshintai has stopped? Take a good look around. The swords Zangetsu left behind are still there. I merely temporarily dispelled Zangetsu's materialization."
"If you fail to subdue your Zanpakutō within three days, it will become completely independent through the Tenshintai. Based on the protective mechanism Urahara installed, the Tenshintai will self-destruct, and you will permanently lose your Zanpakutō." Yoruichi spoke these lies with a sincere tone, appropriately adding another layer of invisible pressure onto Ichigo.
But applying pressure alone wasn't enough; she also needed Ichigo to keep a cool head. "Therefore, the less time you spend lying on the ground like you just did, the better. Understood?"
"Understood. I won't act recklessly again, Yoruichi-san."
Ichigo leaned back against the small artificial rockery behind him and let out a long sigh, hoping to ease his tension this way.
However, the effect wasn't very noticeable. It seemed he needed something else to distract himself. "Who exactly are you, Yoruichi-san? Earlier, Kuchiki Byakuya and the others seemed to know you."
Such a question surely wouldn't get an answer. Just as Ichigo thought this, Yoruichi actually replied, "Former Captain of Squad 2 and Commander-in-Chief of the Executive Militia."
"What!"
"And that guy Urahara is the former Captain of Squad 12, as well as the founder and first President of the Department of Research and Development." Yoruichi looked at Ichigo's dumbfounded expression and teased him with a knowing look. "Scared you, kid?"
Ichigo nodded blankly. He had figured Urahara and Yoruichi were connected to the Seireitei, but he hadn't expected this. Captains? Two of them? So he had been surrounded by such terrifying people all along!
"Then, were you guys kicked out of the Seireitei too?"
"Hmm? Do we not look like we retired normally?" Yoruichi joked. "Or did you assume that because of Byakuya's attitude toward me?"
"Not really, it's just..." Ichigo thought of Rukia and Renji, speaking in an uncertain tone. "I just feel like it's a place that easily disappoints people."
*Disappoints people?* Yoruichi had heard similar words a long time ago. But the years before that were the most relaxed and joyful time of her life.
Being born in the World of the Living was truly fortunate, but getting involved with people like her was probably the greatest misfortune.
"Are you that interested in my past?" Yoruichi suddenly crouched down, resting her chin on one hand, and smiled. "You haven't fallen for me, have you, kid?"
"Wh-what nonsense are you spouting?! I-I..."
"But I have no interest in you."
"I was just a little curious, that's all!" Ichigo shouted, turning his head away. "It's not like I just fall for any random woman."
"You have the free time to be curious? Looks like you've recovered quite well. Then hurry up and get out to continue your training!"
"Oh!" Ichigo stood up with a look of utter displeasure. Just as he was about to step out of the hot spring, Yoruichi added, "Once your training is over, I might just satisfy your curiosity." This caused his foot to slip, nearly sending him tumbling back into the water.
"Damn it! I'm not curious at all anymore, not at all!!"
Looking at Ichigo's blatant denial, Yoruichi couldn't help but laugh out loud. Kids sure had boundless curiosity. That was a good thing.
*Keep that curiosity and become one of them. Only, when that time comes, you'll realize you were right, Ichigo. This place truly is a disappointing one.*
*So complicated that it brings disappointment.*