Ichigo took a step back, gripping the Bokken tightly as he eyed another tree nearby. He had proven that Reiatsu could enhance his strikes, but now he wanted to refine it—make his attacks more efficient rather than just relying on brute force.
'That last strike worked, but it took a lot of energy. If I was in a real fight, I can't afford to waste that much just to cut down one target,' he thought, rolling his shoulders as he took a deep breath.
He steadied himself, adjusting his stance. This time, instead of recklessly pouring Reiatsu into the Bokken, he tried to focus, letting it flow more naturally along the length of the weapon. He visualized the blade of a real katana, its edge honed to perfection, slicing through flesh and bone without resistance.
Raising the Bokken again, Ichigo exhaled, tightening his grip before bringing it down in a sharp diagonal slash.
Shing!
The tree shook violently as his strike connected, a deep, clean gash appearing along its surface. The difference was immediate—the cut was precise, yet the tree still stood, barely holding itself together.
'That's better. The energy wasn't wasted this time… I controlled it instead of just dumping it all at once,' he thought, a smirk forming.
Ichigo took a few steps back, wiping a bit of sweat from his forehead. He was starting to get the hang of it, but he still had a long way to go.
'This is just the beginning. If I keep training like this, then by the time Rukia arrives, I won't be some clueless rookie swinging blindly. I'll be ready.'
With that in mind, he resumed his training, striking again and again, refining his technique as the sun slowly began to set.
When the sun had completely set, Ichigo sat beneath the last tree in this part of the woods, the fading light casting long shadows across the ground. The forest around him had been cleared—every single tree chopped down, leaving only this lone sentinel standing. He could almost feel the emptiness, a quiet reminder of what had been lost.
His breathing was labored, each inhale and exhale a struggle as he tried to calm his spiritual energy. His limbs burned from the exertion of the day's training, and the drain on his Reiatsu left him feeling vulnerable. In his current state, facing a Hollow was the last thing he needed.
' Yeah, I really pushed myself today. My arms burn, and my spiritual energy... it's like a hollow pain inside, a deep, gnawing feeling. I naturally have a lot of Reiatsu, but using so much all at once... it hurts. ' he thought, trying to regain his focus, but the fatigue weighed heavy on him.
Ichigo wiped the sweat from his brow, the cool night air brushing against his damp skin. He stood, his knees slightly buckling under the weight of his exhaustion, but he forced himself to move. His gaze landed on the battered bokken in his hands, the wood singed and cracked from the day's strain. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. Infusing it with Reiatsu had made the weapon surprisingly durable, even though it looked like it could fall apart at any moment. He had pushed both himself and the bokken to their limits—and they hadn't broken yet.
It was time to go home.
As Ichigo began walking through the deserted playground, the quiet of the night was almost too much. The hollow emptiness of the place felt wrong now, even more so with the weight of his drained energy. In his weariness, he forgot the basics—he forgot to mask his spiritual energy.
Suddenly, a dark, oppressive force seemed to press in on him from behind. The evil energy washed over him like a suffocating wave.
' Dammit!' he thought sharply, a spike of panic hitting him as his senses screamed to act.
His body responded instantly, and he leapt forward with a burst of speed, putting as much distance between him and the Hollow as he could.
He spun around mid-air, his heart racing. There, standing at the edge of the playground, was the thing he had been trying to avoid.
The Hollow towered over him, massive, easily the size of a bear, its massive form casting a terrifying shadow in the moonlight. Its white mask, smooth and almost featureless except for the jagged cracks running across it, seemed to glow in the dim light. The mask looked almost pristine in its smoothness, but the gaping black cracks that marred it told a different story. There was something unsettling about the starkness of its face—almost lifeless, but full of hunger.
The Hollow's body was twisted and grotesque. Its skin was a patchwork of decaying flesh, stretched over an unnatural frame, parts of it twitching in a way that made Ichigo's skin crawl. The most disturbing feature, however, was its chest.
A massive hole was carved through the center, the edges jagged and torn, like the Hollow's very soul had been gutted and left to rot. From the wound, black smoke seemed to seep out in thick, curling tendrils, the stench of death so powerful it almost choked the air around them.
' Fuck, I should've been more careful,' Ichigo thought, his heart hammering in his chest as the Hollow slowly stepped toward him, its presence crushing.
The air grew heavier, colder. The oppressive pressure radiating from the beast only made his already shaky Reiatsu feel weaker. He couldn't afford to hold back now.
Ichigo stood tall, but his body was already protesting. His muscles ached, his breath was shallow, and his Reiatsu felt like a flickering candle in a storm. The Hollow towered before him, its massive form only growing more imposing with every passing second. The shadows seemed to grow longer, stretching out like tendrils of darkness, wrapping around him.
Thud.
The ground shook as the Hollow took another step forward, its enormous claws scraping the earth with an unnerving screech. Ichigo's heart raced, every instinct screaming at him to run, but he gritted his teeth and stood his ground. He didn't have that option anymore.
"Come on, Ichigo," he muttered to himself, tightening his grip on the bokken. "I can do this."
The Hollow screeched, its arms lunging toward him with unnatural speed. Ichigo barely dodged to the side, but the claws slashed through the air beside him, missing by inches. The wind from its swipe knocked him off balance, and he stumbled, catching himself just in time.
Crack!
The Hollow's massive fist crashed down beside him, sending a shockwave through the air that rattled his bones. Ichigo's eyes widened as the sheer force of the impact sent dirt and debris flying. He barely managed to backpedal, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he tried to recover.
'Shit, I can't keep dodging like this,' Ichigo thought, panic starting to seep into his mind. 'I need to be faster, more precise. I can't let it keep getting these hits in.'
With a growl of frustration, Ichigo swung his bokken upward, putting as much Reiatsu into it as he could muster. The wooden blade crackled with energy, glowing faintly as it collided with the Hollow's extended claw.
Clang!
The force of the impact reverberated through his arms, sending a jolt of pain up his spine. Ichigo gritted his teeth, trying not to flinch as the Hollow pushed against his bokken, its strength overwhelming his own.
"You're kidding me…" he muttered under his breath, struggling to keep his footing. The Hollow grinned through the jagged cracks in its mask, savoring the struggle.
Ichigo's pulse hammered in his ears. He was running out of options, running out of time. The Hollow pushed forward with a twisted screech, its claws aiming for his chest.
Whoosh!
Ichigo barely managed to twist his body in time, the claws grazing his shoulder and tearing through his sleeve, leaving a trail of pain. He staggered back, biting down on the sharp sting as the Hollow advanced.
'Focus,' Ichigo forced himself to think. 'I can't lose control now. I can't.'
His heart pounded in his chest as he took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a split second to center himself. He could feel the Hollow's presence pressing down on him, but this time he pushed it aside. He needed precision, not power.
With a quick motion, he shifted his stance, lifting the bokken in a diagonal arc, channeling his Reiatsu into the blade.
Shing!
He swung with all his might, cutting through the air with a sharp, slicing motion. The sound of wood against air was almost deafening as the bokken connected with the Hollow's mask. For a moment, Ichigo thought he had missed.
Then—
Crack!
A jagged fissure split the Hollow's mask, the force of the blow sending shockwaves through its form. The Hollow howled in rage, stumbling backward, its eerie wail rattling the air around them. But it didn't fall. It didn't stop.
Thud!
The Hollow slammed its claws down onto the ground, using its immense strength to push itself upright. Ichigo had barely a second to react before the Hollow charged again, its claws outstretched like the jaws of a massive beast.
His breath caught in his throat, but his body moved before he could think.
Bang!
The Hollow's claws collided with the bokken once more, and Ichigo could feel the sheer force of the blow rattle his teeth. His arms felt numb, and for a moment, he thought his weapon might snap under the pressure. Sweat poured down his forehead as the Hollow's raw power pushed him back step by step.
"Dammit…" Ichigo grunted, his legs straining as he held the bokken steady. He had to end this quickly. He couldn't keep up with the Hollow's strength for much longer.
'Focus on the strike,' he reminded himself. 'Precision, not force.'
Ichigo's eyes narrowed as the Hollow reared back for another strike, its claws gleaming in the moonlight. This time, he was ready. As the Hollow lunged forward, Ichigo sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the crushing blow. In one fluid motion, he swung his bokken once more.
Shing!
This time, the bokken connected with the Hollow's mask at an angle, striking with enough force to send the Hollow stumbling back, its monstrous body shaking with the impact. Ichigo's vision blurred at the edges from the effort, but he didn't let up. He couldn't. He had one shot.
He gathered every last bit of Reiatsu he had left, pushing it into the bokken. He swung downward, aiming straight for the Hollow's chest, where the jagged hole in its body was. The air around him seemed to crackle with energy.
Whoosh!
With a final cry, the bokken crashed down.
CRACK!
The Hollow let out an agonized screech, the sound of its pain echoing through the night. The wooden blade shattered through the remnants of its mask and the hole in its chest, splitting the Hollow's very essence. The beast's body shuddered violently, then exploded into a cloud of black smoke, vanishing into the air with a final, desperate wail.
Ichigo stood there, breathing heavily, his legs buckling slightly as the adrenaline drained from his body. The world around him felt hazy, the sounds of the battle lingering in his ears. He barely had the strength to keep standing, but he couldn't afford to fall here.
'That… that was too close,' Ichigo thought, his head spinning. 'I've got to get stronger, and fast.'
The night was still, the only sound the ragged breaths escaping his lungs as he stood amidst the wreckage of the battle. His bokken was cracked, his body was drained, but he was alive. Barely.
'Next time… I'll be ready,' he thought, before stumbling off toward home.
TO BE CONTINUED