Chapter 4

Rukia walked along the path to the kido training grounds whistling a tune with a grin on her face. She was in
such a good mood because of Ichigo's recent gift of training and was happy for him for being able to sharpen
his skills. Also he provided a good laugh when he screwed up.

"Hey Rukia"

She turned to see Renji walking up to her and then beside her to the training grounds.

"Hey Renji. Coming to laugh at Ichigo too?"

"Heck yeah. I wouldn't pass this up for anything. It's hilarious to watch him trying to master kido. He keeps
blowing himself up."

"Like a certain somebody with red hair for every 4th Hado spell he casts?" Rukia said with a grin on her face as
Renji turned as red as his hair.

"Ha-ha. Very funny. In any case how's Ichigo's training going?" At that exact moment there was a small
explosion followed by a yell that sounded like a wounded bear.

"Sounds like not to well."

They came to the grounds to find Ichigo stomping out the fire set to his robes while Hachi standing on the edge
of the 10 foot crater Ichigo's spell had caused. Hachi was a very large and rotund man. He wore his usual attire
of an olive-green tuxedo with a yellow bow tie. He had golden eyes, a pink mustache and pink hair with a black
cross-bone design in the center.

"DAMMIT! I ALMOST HAD THAT ONE!" Ichigo yelled as he finally put out his robes.

"You're doing very well overall. You have only had 2 days of training and yet have mastered Hado and Bakudō
up to level 70, your healing is above an average healer, and you have much better finesse and control of your
sword. Your growth is nothing short of extraordinary by any terms." Ichigo looked a little proud of himself,
though it was a trick since his robes smelled like smoke and his face slightly black from soot and dirt.

"And the explosions you make always make for a great laugh." Rukia managed as she and Renji were rolling
on the ground laughing while holding their sides in pain.

"All right." Ichigo muttered. "If you like the explosions then you going to love this dangerous little spell I've
mastered."

He got into a stance, raised his fist with the index finger pointing upward, and began to chant. "Seeping crest
of turbidity. Arrogant vessel of lunacy! Boil forth…" the rest was muttered as a black fog began to drift from
where Ichigo stood.

Rukia and Renji stopped laughing and quickly stood up as they felt a dark and violent energy behind the spell.

"WHAT THE HELL IS HE DOING? HACHI, WHAT'S GOING ON?" Renji yelled. He felt the power and
malicious aura behind the spell taking place.

Hachi himself was a little stunned. "That stance and power… it resembles…..OH CRAP!"

"RUN! IT HADO #90 Kurohitsugi (Black coffin)! GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!"

Everyone looked at Ichigo in horror as black boxes formed and began to move forward.

"SHIT!" that was the collective word as they all used flash step and every sane creature at the training fields
ran in sheer terror.

"Hehe. Suckers." Ichigo chuckled as he dispersed the spell with a thought. He had learned this spell from the
one time Azien had used it to try and kill him.

"Always did learn faster when someone was trying to kill me. Thanks Azien." He felt a little gratitude for the
Ex-Captain teaching him this, even if unintentionally.

And that was how the next week was spent. By the end of said week he had mastered every single spell there
was, became a healer just below Unohana herself and the old man taught him how to properly use his sword to
the fullest potential. And he could keep up with Yoruichi going at full speed. And the next day when he was
called to talk to the commander he was given a mission that would send him and his friends to the heart of what
was now being called NEW YORK ZERO.