Hello everyone. No, this is not an April Fools' Day prank. You are getting an unexpected chapter released. I was able to get this one done and midway done with chapter 91 when Waroyer123, reminded me of Broken Dream's 8 year anniversary... yes this story is that old and I am no where done with this fanfic. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this unexpected chapter.
The following is a fan-based parody.
Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo, TV Tokyo, Viz Media, and Studio Pierrot.
Naruto is owned by Masashi Kisimoto, Shusisha, Vis Media, TV Tokyo, and Shonen Jump.
All other ideas belong to their original sources. Please support the official Style.
"Hello." – Normal talking.
"Hello." – Normal thoughts.
"Hello." – Zanpakutō speaking.
"Hello." – Zanpakutō thoughts.
Ichigo spent the next few days with his family and visited the residents of Wǔxīng Lóng, Evernight, and Gigantes. The Dragons from Wǔxīng Lóng and Drow from Evernight were extremely excited to see him. They worshiped him as one of their gods. Ichigo was forced to accept their worship, but he managed to adjust their depictions of him a little, making them more realistic. After that, Ichigo returned to his throne room and summoned the black stick Death-Ankou gave him. He could see the unknown black wooden stick with the number 1041999 engraved on it. Taking a deep breath, Ichigo snapped the stick and suddenly disappeared from his throne room.
Scene Change: Universe 1041999
Ichigo opened his eyes to see an unfamiliar ceiling. Sitting up, he realized he was in an unfamiliar room, minimalistic and small, reminiscent of a small apartment.
"Where am I?" Ichigo thought as he felt something in his fist. Pulling his hand up, he found a piece of paper and a pill. Opening the paper, he read, "Hello, Ichigo, and welcome to Universe 1041999. In this universe, it will be harder for you to magically appear, so I created a copy of your soul and had it live here as you until you entered this universe. You would also notice a black pill in your hand. That is a pill containing all the memories from the copy. Swallowing the pill will allow you to see all the memories." After Ichigo finished reading the note, the paper disintegrated. He looked at the black pill and swallowed it, feeling the memories rush in.
Ichigo was an orphan from Yugakure, located in the Land of Hot Water. When he was 6, he joined Yugakure's Shinobi Academy. Graduating at 12, he became a Genin and began accepting missions. By 15, he was a Chūnin, but when he turned 16, the Yugakure Shinobi program disbanded. Jobless, he became a roaming bounty hunter, traveling to other hidden villages.
During one of his trips to Yugakure, Ichigo found Chinoike Chino, the sole survivor of the Chinoike Clan, and decided to take her in as his apprentice. On the edge of the Land of Sound, he found an injured girl named Guren, a victim of Orochimaru's experiments, whom he also took along his journey, making her his second apprentice. On the edge of Shimogakure, he found an abandoned girl in the snow named Byakushiki Setsura [Snow White Expression], originally from Kirigakure but had to escape from a mob. He decided to take her as well, making her his third apprentice.
Deciding to go to the largest hidden village, Konohagakure, Ichigo showed proof of being a Chūnin from Yugakure and his bounty hunter records to the Third Hokage, who allowed him in as a Jōnin. He enrolled Chino, Guren, and Setsura into Konoha's Shinobi Academy. Due to his training, they quickly passed the Academy's exams. Today is their graduation. Taking a deep breath, Ichigo felt the Chakra in his body.
"According to the lectures on Chakra, it is a mixture of physical energy and spiritual energy… but that is wrong," Ichigo said as he could feel his physical energy and a different type of energy fusing to create Chakra.
"I think the other energy is Mana." Hōgyoku identified.
"Yeah, this is Mana." Mysteria chimed in.
"But why did they label it as spiritual energy?" Ichigo thought to himself.
"Maybe they labeled it spiritual to complement with physical energy?" Hōgyoku replied.
"Sure. As long as I'm able to generate Chakra to use any of those jutsu." Ichigo thought as he got out of bed. He looked at a nearby mirror to get a closer look at himself. Ichigo's long orange hair now reached near his neck, reminding him of his high school years. He wore a matching dark blue long-sleeve turtleneck shirt and long-sleeve pants, along with a faded green flak jacket, metal braces around his wrists and ankles, and black shinobi sandals. Beside his futon lay a pair of black katanas, which he tied around his waist. After that, he stepped out of his room to find three girls sitting around a table, eating breakfast.
Chino stood about 152.4 cm (5ft) tall, with light skin and neck-length spiky light-blonde hair. Two thick strands reached onto her rosy cheeks, and she had violet eyes with small eyebrows. Chino wore a black high-collared sleeveless undershirt, a sleeveless pink kimono-like shirt, long light grey pants, black fingerless gloves reaching her upper arm, a brown pouch wrapped around her waist, white bandages wrapped up to her knees on both legs, a brown belt, and black shinobi sandals.
Guren stood about 160 cm (5.25ft) tall, with fair skin, black eyes, red lipstick, and light blue hair tied in a spiky ponytail with long strands framing her face. Her outfit consisted of a green short-sleeved modified kimono with a white, fluffy collar, ending around her knee. Underneath her kimono was a red one-piece suit, and she wore calf-length shinobi boots.
Setsura stood about 157 cm (5.15ft) tall, with healthy pale skin, blueish-purple eyes, and long silver-purple hair tied in a bun with bangs. She wore an icy blue long-sleeved modified kimono, which ended around her knee, and a white belt with a pouch to the side, along with black shinobi sandals (1).
"Ah, Sensei," Chino said, while Guren and Setsura turned to Ichigo.
"Good morning, Sensei." Guren and Setsura chimed in immediately.
"Good morning, everyone," Ichigo greeted as he joined them at the table. Ichigo told them to call him Sensei since he didn't want to try and replace their parents who had tried their best to take care of them. Today was a special day for all of them as they would be graduating from the Shinobi Academy and officially becoming Genin. After breakfast, they all walked to Hokage Mountain. In the distance, they could see a large multistoried building with a giant red 'fire' kanji on it. They entered the academy, and Ichigo waved at the girls as they went to their homeroom. Ichigo walked down a hallway before arriving at the auditorium, where the ceremony was being hosted. He quickly found his seat and waited. Slowly, the auditorium filled with people. Right as the clock hit 10 o'clock, they heard someone walk on stage. She was a fair-skinned slender woman with a curvaceous frame, brown eyes, and straight blonde hair that parted above her forehead. Her hair had shoulder-length bangs framing her face, and the rest reached her lower back. She wore a grey, kimono-style blouse with no sleeves, held closed by a broad, dark bluish-grey obi that matched her pants. Her blouse was closed quite low, revealing her sizeable cleavage and noticeably large breasts. She also wore a grass-green haori top. Everyone began to whisper among themselves.
"It's Tsunade-sama." someone whispered.
"The Fifth Hokage." someone whispered. "I heard she's the granddaughter of the First Hokage." Another whispered.
"Ahem," Tsunade said, silencing the audience. "Good morning, everyone. Thank you for attending this year's Shinobi Academy Graduation," she began. The graduating academy students descended from the ceiling, startling all the civilian parents, though the experienced shinobi had already noticed them there. "Thank you, Graduating Class, for the demonstration. Please take your seats," Tsunade said, and all the students sat in front. "Today is not the end of the road, but rather the beginning of a new one," Tsunade paused as she pulled out a forehead protector with Konoha's symbol engraved on it. "Shinobi before you have sat where you are today. They fought for this village. They have defended this village. They have died for this village. Their blood, tears, and sweat formed the path you all walked on. Remember that every time you look at your forehead protector."
Another shinobi walked on stage, pushing a cart. She was a fair-skinned woman of average height and slender build with onyx eyes and jet-black hair, straight and shoulder-length, with bangs that covered her ears and framed her face. She wore the standard Konoha shinobi outfit.
"That's Shizune-sama, Tsunade-sama's personal assistant," someone whispered. Tsunade called the first student on the list, who stood up and walked on stage. Shizune handed the forehead protector to the students, who either put it on or held it in their hands. Afterward, they took a photo with Tsunade and returned to their seat. This repeated with the rest of the students. Soon the last student received their forehead protector and returned to their seat. "Now then, I would be the first to welcome this year's new batch of Genin of Konoha!" Tsunade clapped, and Shizune quickly followed behind her, as did everyone else. Soon all the clapping died down. "Genin, after you spend some time with your family, you are to report to the courtyard for your team assignments," Tsunade said as she walked off stage, followed by Shizune. Ichigo nudged his head to the side. Chino, Guren, and Setsura nodded their heads as they discreetly left the auditorium, meeting in the courtyard.
"How does it feel to be a Genin?" Ichigo asked.
"Just another step on the road," Guren replied coldly.
"Guren, don't be like that," Chino replied, while Setsura silently shook her head, used to this.
"Guren is very task-oriented and pushes herself because she wants to kill Orochimaru, who killed her family and tried to brainwash her. Chino is a sweet and timid girl. Setsura is a quiet observer, who rarely speaks unless needed." Ichigo recalled from his other self's memories.
"Sensei, are you our team leader?" Setsura asked, and Chino and Guren looked at Ichigo.
"I am," Ichigo admitted.
"Yay, that means we don't need to worry about being separated!" Chino said with joy. "But," Ichigo interrupted, "It doesn't mean that I accepted you into Team 15," Ichigo said, trying his best to ignore the bad pun. "It will be a three-on-one fight," Ichigo began as he untied his katanas and placed them on the ground behind him. "Your mission is to grab both of the katanas," Ichigo explained as he took a few steps forward. "You have until sunset to complete this mission. You have five minutes to formulate a plan," Ichigo lay down on the ground. "Your five minutes start now," Chino, Setsura, and Guren quickly put their heads together and began to formulate a plan. Tsunade and Shizune appeared, hidden in a tree.
"Tsunade-sama, you planned to have them train under him?" Shizune asked.
"I do," Tsunade replied. "Those three are strong enough to take the Chūnin exam," she said. "But they were blocked due to not being native to Konoha."
"Time's up!" Ichigo shouted as he jumped to his feet. Guren clapped her hands together and moved them out. A red crystal spear formed in her hands, and she charged toward Ichigo. Calmly, Ichigo pushed Guren's spear aside with his left hand and punched her with his right hand. She quickly let go of her spear and jumped back, barely avoiding the attack. Suddenly, Chino charged toward Ichigo. Her eyes glowed with bright red sclera, dark red irises, and light purple pupils shaped as vertical rectangles (2). Her arms were covered in dark red claws as she tried to slash Ichigo. He took a few steps back to avoid her strikes. Suddenly, Ichigo jumped to the left, causing Chino to collide with Setsura, who also had her own set of ice claws.
"That was close," Ichigo thought. Suddenly, a dome of brown crystals formed around him.
"Looks like that worked," Guren said as she ran towards Ichigo's katanas. Ichigo smirked.
"Good plan," he complimented. Raising his fist, Ichigo punched the crystal wall, shattering it. He grabbed fragments and threw them at the girls. Guren slammed her hands to the ground, creating a wall of crystal in front of them, protecting them from the attacks. Ichigo used the teleportation jutsu to appear beside Guren and kicked her back. Chino and Setsura caught Guren while Ichigo returned to his original position. Guren slammed her hands into the ground, emerging with a set of crystal claws. All the girls lunged toward Ichigo, who smirked as he fought them off.
"Their skills are impressive," Shizune admitted.
"Those girls are already an excellent team," Tsunade replied.
"Not only that, but he's also able to fight them all off with just taijutsu," Shizune said. Tsunade chuckled, and Shizune looked at her.
"He isn't using his chakra. That's all his own strength," Tsunade said. Shizune stared at Ichigo, who shattered Setsura's ice as he grabbed her hand and threw her at Chino. Ichigo took advantage of their distracted state, and punched Chino in the face, embedding her into the ground. Guren changed tactics, firing crystal bullets at Ichigo. He grabbed Setsura and threw her at the incoming crystals, using the opening to punch Guren into the ground. Ichigo walked back to his spot.
"Come on, is that all you got?" Ichigo asked. Chino and Guren pulled themselves out of the ground, while Setsura stood back up. Chino waved her hand, and all the blood on the ground moved toward her.
"What is she doing?" Shizune asked.
"I'm not sure," Tsunade replied. Chino waved her hands again, splitting the blood into two balls that pushed themselves into Setsura's and Guren's bodies. Tsunade's eyes widened "She's using the blood to restore their chakra, heal their wounds, and regain their stamina."
"Amazing," Shizune said. "All three of them have their own roles in addition to being the main attacker."
"Chino could also act as either a scout or a supporter. Setsura could also act as a scout or long-range fighter. Guren can act as a tank or long-range fighter." Tsunade observed.
"All their unique fighting styles and abilities work well with each other," Shizune said.
"Do you think my idea has some merit now?" Tsunade asked.
"Fine, you do have some good ideas, once in a while," Shizune admitted.
"Does that mean our performance satisfied both of you?" Ichigo suddenly interjected. They noticed Ichigo was looking at them while he blocked another of Guren's attacks.
"Huh?" Chino and Guren said.
"Didn't expect to see us," Tsunade said as she jumped down from her hiding spot. Shizune sighed as she followed behind Tsunade.
"Hello, Hokage-sama. Shizune-sama." Ichigo greeted.
"Hello, Hokage-sama. Shizune-sama." Guren, Setsura, and Chino said after Ichigo.
"Hello, Team 15," Tsunade replied. She glanced at Ichigo. "You have accepted them as part of your team, right?" Guren, Setsura, and Chino looked at Ichigo.
"I mean, the mission is supposed to end at sundown," Ichigo said. They looked to see the katanas still on the ground. They quickly ran towards the katanas. Suddenly the ground below them exploded, knocking them back.
"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk," Ichigo said as he shook his head. He walked over to the girls. "Don't you remember to be careful of your surroundings?" Ichigo asked.
"Now!" Guren yelled as she slammed her hands to the ground. Two crystal pillars shot Chino and Setsura forward in the air. They both tried to reach the katanas. Ichigo broke the crystal pillars Guren created. Chino and Setsura leaped forward as they tried to get closer to the katanas. Ichigo grabbed the crystal pillars and threw them at Chino and Setsura. The pillars slammed into them and caused them to fly past the katanas. Ichigo walked over to the katanas and picked them up. Suddenly Guren charged toward Ichigo. He raised both his arms as he prepared for the incoming attack. Suddenly she tackled Ichigo and hugged his lower body.
"NOW!" Guren yelled again as crystals formed around them, further immobilizing him. Setsura and Chino stood up and lunged toward Ichigo. Ichigo cracked a smile as the girls hugged him, their hands touching the katanas.
"Guess you pass," Ichigo said.
"Yes!" The girls cheered. Ichigo casually broke free of the crystal trap. The girls let go of him as Ichigo walked back to Tsunade and Shizune.
"Now that is settled. I have a request for you, Ichigo." Tsunade said.
"A request? Not an order?" Ichigo asked.
"Correct. This is a request," Tsunade replied.
"What is it?" Ichigo asked.
"I have two Genin that I want to assign under your care for the foreseeable future," she said. Shizune pulled out two folders and handed them to Ichigo. All the girls stepped back, allowing Ichigo to grab the folders and begin to read them.
'Tenten. Orphan. On October 10th, she was found outside Konoha Orphanage. There was no note of any kind on the child. The caretaker named her Tenten due to the date. She was raised in the orphanage since then. When she graduated from Konoha Academy, she was assigned to Team 9, also known as Team Guy. Tenten has expressed interest in becoming a medical-nin but was rejected due to a lack of needed chakra control. According to Jōnin Might Guy, Tenten has potential towards fūinjutsu and weaponry combat. Jōnin Might Guy has admitted that he lacked knowledge in those fields, and will allow a team transfer to allow Tenten to grow.'
"From what I can remember, fūinjutsu is extremely similar to the seals that Tamamo and Yasaka use." Ichigo thought as he opened the other file.
'Hinata Hyūga. Former Heiress of the Hyūga Clan. Hinata Hyūga lost her status as heiress due to her underwhelming talent and unwillingness to fight. It is confirmed that she has the Byakugan. When she graduated from Konoha Academy, she was assigned to Team 9, under the leadership of Jōnin Kurenai Yūhi. Jōnin Kurenai Yūhi has admitted that she wants Genin Hinata Hyūga to grow into an amazing kunoichi but is uncertain how to push her to grow. Those who could assist Genin Hinata Hyūga fear retaliation from the Hyūga Clan.' Ichigo paused as he noticed a loose sheet of paper. Ichigo pulled that sheet out.
'Due to Hinata's low performance, she is likely to be kicked out of the shinobi program. She would likely be branded with the Caged Bird Cursed Seal. A special seal is normally applied to branch members of the Hyūga. This is to ensure loyalty to the clan and is also a failsafe. When a Hyūga member dies, the Byakugan is sealed away. Destroy this note after reading.'
"This is a potential political bomb," Ichigo thought as he destroyed the note. "The current Lord Hyūga and possibly the current heiress doesn't want Hinata to grow. I wouldn't be surprised if those who could help her didn't due to fear of retaliation from the Hyūga Clan." Ichigo thought. "The other problem is that Hinata doesn't want to fight," Ichigo turned to Tsunade.
"I wish to see them before I accept them," Ichigo said. Tsunade nodded her head.
"I will order them now," Tsunade replied. Shizune nodded her head and disappeared.
"Guren. Setsura." Ichigo called. The aforementioned girls walked over to Ichigo. "I need both of you to spar with two girls." Guren and Setsura nodded their heads. Soon Shizune returned with two girls.
Tenten has grey eyes and black hair styled in a pair of Chinese-style buns on her head with short fringe bangs framing her face. She wore her forehead protector over her forehead. She wore a pink sleeveless qipao-style blouse with red sleeve trimmings and yellow fastening buttons and dark green pants. A pouch is adjusted to her thigh. She wore a pair of standard blue shinobi sandals.
Hinata is a slender girl of fair complexion with featureless whiteish lavender eyes. She has dark blue hair that she keeps in a hime-cut just above her forehead akin to a bowl-cut with chin-length strands framing her face. She wore her forehead protector loosely around her neck, like a neck guard. Hinata wore a cream-colored hooded jacket with a fire symbol on the upper sleeves and fur around the cuffs and hem. She also wears navy blue pants and a pair of standard blue shinobi sandals.
"Genin Hinata Hyūga reporting as ordered," Hinata said in a quiet tone.
"Genin Tenten, reporting as ordered," Tenten said in her regular voice. Tsunade nodded her head.
"Genin, based on the reports from your team leader, both of you would likely be demoted back to Academy students," Tsunade said.
"What? Is it because I failed to be a medical-nin?" Tenten asked.
"Genin, remember whom you are talking to," Shizune interjected.
"Sorry, Hokage-sama," Tenten quickly added.
"No worries," Tsunade replied. "From what I've seen, if both of you remain in your current team, you will fail to become a Chūnin." Ichigo could see Tenten and Hinata getting nervous. "I have decided to ask Jōnin Ichigo Kurosaki if he is willing to accept both of you into his team." Ichigo took a step forward.
"Genin Tenten, why did you decide to become a shinobi?" Ichigo asked.
"I want to repay those who took care of me," Tenten admitted.
"By being a great shinobi?" Ichigo asked.
"Yes," Tenten replied, glancing at Tsunade. "I heard a lot of stories about Tsunade-sama and I wanted to be like her."
"Which is why you wanted to be a medical-nin?" Ichigo suggested.
"Correct," Tenten affirmed.
"But now?" Ichigo inquired.
"I still want to be a great kunoichi like her," Tenten affirmed. Ichigo turned to Hinata.
"What about you?" He asked.
"I also want to be a great shinobi," she said.
"Why?" Ichigo probed.
"So my father notices me," Hinata mumbled.
"What if your father never notices you or continues to ignore you?" Ichigo asked. Hinata looked at him with a long blank stare, as if she had never considered her father doing that to her. "Hinata," Ichigo called. She continued to look at him with a blank stare. "Genin!" Ichigo raised his voice, snapping her back to attention.
"Sorry," she meekly replied.
"Anyways," Ichigo continued. "Both of you will spar with one of the Genin on my team. The loser will be sent back to the academy," Ichigo said. Tenten and Hinata glanced at Tsunade, trying to see if she objected. Tsunade nodded her head. "Any questions?" Ichigo asked.
"How long will the fight last?" Hinata asked.
"Until someone is knocked out or admits defeat," Ichigo replied. "Any other questions?" No one replied. "Guren. Tenten." Ichigo said. Guren and Tenten stepped forward. Tenten pulled out a scroll and unraveled it. She placed her palm on the scroll, summoning a wooden spear with a metal spear tip on either side.
"That's a three-part spear." Ichigo immediately recognized it.
"Crystal Style: Crystal Spear," Guren said as she clapped her hands together before moving them away. A crystal spear formed in her hand. Both girls got into a fighting stance, pointing their spears at each other.
"Three… Two… One… Fight!" Ichigo declared.
"Spear: Piercing Wind," Tenten shouted as she charged towards Guren. The tip of her spear was surrounded by wind as she stabbed Guren, launching a compressed blast of wind toward her.
"Crystal Style: Crystal Wall," Guren said as she stomped on the ground. A wall made of red crystal shot out of the ground, blocking all of Tenten's attacks. "Crystal Style: Shuriken," she said once Tenten stopped her attack. Parts of the crystal wall transformed into shuriken and were launched toward Tenten.
"Spear: Swirling Wind," Tenten shouted as she spun her spear in front of her, forming a circular barrier to intercept the incoming shuriken.
"Dammit," Tenten thought as she continued to block Guren's attacks. "She's not giving me a moment to switch my weapon. I guess I need to do this then."
"Spear: Swirling Cyclone!" Tenten yelled. Her circular barrier transformed into a large cyclone and spun towards Guren.
"Crystal Style: Crystal Tower!" Guren yelled as she slammed her hand to the ground. Four walls of crystals formed around Tenten's attack. As Guren stood her ground, Tenten pulled out her scroll and swapped her weapon. Now wielding a large sledgehammer, Tenten charged towards Guren's Crystal Tower. At this point, Tenten's cyclone attack faded away.
"Crystal Style: Shuriken Wild Dance," Guren said as she transformed the walls of Crystal Tower into more shuriken and launched them toward the incoming Tenten.
"Sledgehammer: Earth Mixer!" Tenten yelled as she began to spin like a top, moving towards Guren while smashing all the incoming crystal shuriken. Guren stopped her attack.
"Crystal Style: Crossed Crystal Prison." Guren cast. The ground shook as a long stream of sharp blue crystals shot out toward Tenten. Tenten did her best to break the crystals, but she was gradually slowing down.
"Crystal Style: Hexagon Crystal Wall." Guren cast. The ground shook as six crystal walls formed around Tenten in the shape of a hexagon, trapping her inside. More crystals formed inside the hexagon. Slowly, Tenten stopped spinning and was trapped in the Hexagon Crystal Wall. Guren watched the frozen Tenten for a few moments before glancing at Ichigo.
"The battle is over. The winner is Guren!" Ichigo announced. Guren snapped her fingers, causing the crystal walls to dissipate back into chakra. Tsunade walked over to Tenten and began to heal her.
"Hinata. Setsura." Ichigo called. Hinata and Setsura stepped forward. Hinata got into a fighting stance.
"Ice Style: Frozen Claws," Setsura whispered. Ice covered her hands, forming a pair of claws.
"Three… Two… One… Fight!" Ichigo declared. Setsura charged towards Hinata and swung down with her Frozen Claws. Hinata instinctively blocked the incoming attack with her bare hands. Her eyes widened as her hands suddenly felt cold. She looked down and noticed her hands, which blocked Setsura's Frozen Claws, were encased in ice. Setsura continued to attack Hinata, who tried her best to dodge Setsura's assault.
"Fire Style: Gentle Fiery Fists," Hinata said. Fire chakra began to flow out of her fists, beginning to melt the ice.
"Ice Style: Snow Clones," Setsura said, not giving Hinata a chance to finish melting the ice. Two copies of Setsura emerged from the ice. All three of them continued to attack Hinata. Hinata slammed her hands into the ground, shattering the remaining ice. Her fists were engulfed in red flames. Hinata activated her Byakugan as she began to counterattack Setsura and the ice clones. With the Byakugan, Hinata was able to keep track of all of them.
"Ice Style: Frost Mist." Setsura cast. An icy mist began to release from Setsura's and the ice clones' backs. Hinata could see the mist.
"Are they trying to use the Frost Mist to freeze me?" Hinata thought as she attempted to evade Setsura. Setsura and the ice clones continued their pursuit, spreading the Frost Mist throughout the area.
"Ice Style: Frozen Prison." Setsura cast. Suddenly, four walls of ice formed around Hinata, trapping her with the Ice Clones, while Setsura remained safely outside. "Ice Style: Blizzard Explosion." The Ice Clones suddenly exploded, freezing the entire prison. Setsura turned to Ichigo.
"The battle is over. The winner is Setsura." Ichigo announced. Setsura snapped her fingers, causing all the ice to disappear. Tsunade walked over and quickly healed Hinata. A few minutes later, Tenten and Hinata stood in front of Ichigo with a somber expression.
"What have you decided?" Tsunade asked.
"Before I respond to Hokage-sama, I'd like to ask them some questions," Ichigo began, turning to Tenten. "Tenten, do you realize why you lost?" he inquired.
"I think so," Tenten replied. "I lost because it takes me a while to change weapons and adapt to new situations."
"What else?" Ichigo prompted.
"Um… I lack fighting experience," she admitted.
"That as well." Ichigo acknowledged.
"I don't know what else," Tenten confessed.
Ichigo nodded before turning to Hinata. "And you?"
"I also lack fighting experience," Hinata admitted.
"And what else?" Ichigo inquired.
"Um? Other Jutsu?" Hinata suggested.
"Anything else?" Ichigo prodded. Hinata shook her head.
"Well done on recognizing most of your weaknesses. Many of those things can be rectified with instruction." Ichigo remarked before turning to Tsunade.
"I'll accept them into Team 15," Ichigo decided.
"Very well." Tsunade turned to Tenten and Hinata. "Both of you will have one year to prepare for the Chūnin Exam. If you fail, both of you will be out of the program." Tsunade stated.
"Yes, Hokage-sama," they responded. Tsunade then turned to Ichigo.
"Let Shizune know if you need anything," Tsunade instructed as she disappeared, likely returning to her office. Ichigo turned to Tenten and Hinata.
"As of right now, you will address me as either Sir or Sensei. Do you understand?" Ichigo asked.
"Yes, Sensei," they replied in unison.
"Good. You have thirty minutes to gather any important belongings and enough clothes for a week." Ichigo instructed.
"Yes, Sensei," they replied as they left. Ichigo turned to Shizune.
"I will be taking them out of the village for six months," Ichigo informed.
"Very well." Shizune acknowledged as she noted it down.
"Do we have any information regarding different types of fūinjutsu?" Ichigo inquired.
"I can look into it," she replied.
"I'll come back in a month to collect it," Ichigo stated.
"I should have everything gathered by then," Shizune assured. "Anything else?"
"Not at the moment," Ichigo replied.
"See you then," Shizune said before disappearing. Ichigo then turned to the remaining girls.
"Collect all your necessary belongings, head out to the clearing, and set up camp. It should be ready by the time I arrive," Ichigo instructed.
"Yes, Sensei." Guren, Chino, and Setsura acknowledged as they departed. Ichigo waited for ten minutes before heading home. Upon arrival, he found the house empty. He packed a week's worth of clothes and essential supplies before returning to the courtyard, where he saw Hinata and Tenten running towards him with backpacks containing their belongings. They arrived out of breath.
"Drop your bags and stand here. Place your hands behind your head and focus on breathing," Ichigo directed. Hinata and Tenten followed his instructions and recovered after a few minutes.
"For the next six months, we'll be living in the forest," Ichigo began, and they nodded in understanding. "We'll start with a slow jog. The aim is to see how long you can sustain it without using chakra. Once you can't continue, use a bit of your chakra to keep up." After clarifying, he asked if they had any questions.
"No, Sensei," they replied.
"Good. Stay behind me," Ichigo ordered. As they jogged, he periodically checked on them to ensure they kept pace. After ten minutes, he increased the speed, prompting Hinata and Tenten to use their chakra to keep up.
"Yes, Sensei!" they exclaimed as they adjusted their pace. Eventually, they reached a clearing in the forest, where Hinata and Tenten collapsed from exhaustion. Ichigo helped them up and instructed them to walk and control their breathing.
"Yes, Sensei," they complied as they slowly regained their composure. Meanwhile, Ichigo noticed six small houses made of reinforced clay with crystal shingles as roofs.
"Excellent work, Guren," Ichigo praised.
"Thank you, Sensei.." she responded. Ichigo inquired about Chino and Setsura's activities.
"They're still out hunting," Setsura replied as they returned with deer. They greeted Ichigo cheerfully, and Chino began butchering the deer while Setsura handled the skinning and meat preparation, freezing it in crystal containers made by Guren. Ichigo then turned to Hinata and Tenten, who had recovered from their run.
"Hinata, once Chino is done, you're going with her. Practice each of your techniques on a tree. Repeat each technique 100 times on each side of your body without using chakra." Ichigo instructed.
"W-why?" Hinata asked.
"Good, keep asking questions," Ichigo encouraged. "These exercises help strengthen your bones, reducing the need for chakra to reinforce them."
"I see..." Hinata acknowledged.
"Don't worry, I can heal any injuries," Chino reassured as she guided Hinata toward a tree.
"That's not what I'm worried about," Hinata whispered as she followed Chino. Ichigo then turned to Tenten.
"Tenten, show me all the weapons you use." Ichigo requested.
"Yes, Sensei," Tenten replied, unfurling a scroll. She bit her finger and let a drop of blood fall onto the seal, causing a weapon to materialize.
"That's her three-part spear," Ichigo noted. The next weapon was a metal sphere with kunai welded onto it, along with a hidden explosive tag. After that came the large sledgehammer she used in the spar. Ichigo watched as she summoned a Kama, a Katar, a Kusarigama, a Katana, a Tantō, a set of standard kunai, and a set of standard shuriken.
"Is this all?" Ichigo inquired.
"Yes, it is," Tenten confirmed.
"What's your goal with all these weapons?" Ichigo probed.
"Goal?" Tenten echoed.
"Do you plan to be proficient with all of them but not Sensei any, or do you aim to Sensei a specific weapon?" Ichigo clarified.
"I'm not sure," Tenten admitted.
"What kind of weapon do you want then?" Ichigo asked, retrieving a sheet of paper and a pen.
"I want a pair of weapons," Tenten began. "I want something I can strike, stab, and hook with minimal risk to my hands."
"Let me see..." Ichigo said, sketching a design. He showed Tenten a pair of swords with two short, curved blades and a hook-shaped protrusion near the hilt. The blades were double-edged, and the hilt featured a crescent guard.
"Wow," Tenten exclaimed.
"Sounds like you like it," Ichigo remarked.
"I do," Tenten confirmed. "What are these?"
"They're called hook swords," Ichigo explained.
"Interesting. How do we get a pair?" Tenten inquired.
"I'll ask Muramasa," Ichigo replied.
"You mean Senji Muramasa, the best blacksmith in Konoha?" Tenten clarified.
"That's the one," Ichigo confirmed
"I've always wanted to get a custom blade from him, but his swords are too expensive and the waitlist is already over three months," Tenten remarked.
"I think I can help with that," Ichigo said, catching Tenten off guard.
"But Sensei, Muramasa-sama doesn't allow anyone to cut his queue." Tenten protested.
"Don't worry about it.," Ichigo reassured her.
"But I heard the Third Hokage had to wait in line." Tenten persisted.
"Guren, I need your artistry skills," Ichigo interjected, addressing Guren, who had just finished storing all the meat.
"Yes, Sensei?" Guren responded.
"I need you to make these hook swords, but keep all the edges dull," Ichigo instructed, showing her the image of the hook swords. Guren nodded and closed her eyes.
"Crystal Style: Crystal Swords." she invoked as she clapped her hands together. Two long sticks of crystal formed, gradually taking the shape of hook swords.
"Thank you, Guren." Ichigo expressed his gratitude as he took hold of the crystal hook swords.
"No problem, Sensei." Guren responded.
"Both of you, follow me," Ichigo directed, leading them to a nearby tree. "Watch me carefully." Ichigo demonstrated a few basic strikes with the crystal hook swords before handing them to Tenten to practice.
"Good," Ichigo commended. "Guren will occasionally watch you while she does her speed drills."
"Ok." Tenten acknowledged as she continued practicing the strikes. Ichigo then approached Chino, who was circulating the blood around Hinata's body, healing her injuries.
"Hello, Sersei!" Chino greeted.
"Hello, Sensei." Hinata chimed in.
"How did Hinata do?" Ichigo inquired.
"She did the first set fine," Chino reported. "After I healed her, I had her do another set." Chino lowered her hands.
"So she finished two sets." Ichigo clarified.
"Yep!" Chino confirmed. Ichigo turned his attention to Hinata.
"What's next, Sensei?" she asked.
"Watch what I do with your Byakugan," Ichigo instructed. Hinata nodded, activating her Byakugan. She observed as Ichigo gathered energy toward his fist and gently tapped the tree, allowing the energy to flow into it before exploding outwards.
"What was that?" Hinata asked in wonder.
"You're using your chakra to enter your opponent's body and using it to destroy them from the inside out," Ichigo explained. Hinata's eyes widened in amazement as she deactivated her Byakugan.
"Now, imagine the damage you can do if you combine this with the Byakugan." Ichigo encouraged.
"I-I don't know if I should learn this." Hinata hesitated.
"Why?" Chino interjected, drawing Hinata's attention.
"This is a powerful technique," Hinata began to explain.
"So? Sensei's job is to guide us to be the best we can," Chino interrupted. "If Sensei didn't believe you could learn it, he wouldn't have shown you." Hinata looked at Ichigo, admiration gleaming in her eyes.
"You believe in me?" she asked.
"I do," Ichigo affirmed, causing Hinata's eyes to light up.
"Take your time in practicing that technique," Ichigo advised. Hinata nodded, focusing her chakra on her fingers. She stabbed a nearby tree with her fingers and forced the energy into the tree, causing an explosion.
"Ah!" Hinata screamed as parts of her finger were missing. Chino quickly began to heal the damage.
"Hinata, did you notice what happened?" Ichigo inquired.
"T-the chakra exploded," she said.
"Correct. Do you know why?" Ichigo prompted. Hinata shook her head. Once Chino finished healing Hinata's finger, she moved away.
"That's because you forced the chakra out of your finger," Ichigo explained. "You need to let it flow out. You can guide it, but don't force it." Ichigo demonstrated the technique again. Hinata, using her Byakugan, observed closely. She saw that the chakra didn't resist Ichigo; it only began to fight once it was inside the tree, causing it to explode from the inside out. Hinata carefully raised her healed finger and gathered her chakra toward it. She let it flow into the tree, which exploded similarly to when Ichigo used the technique.
"I-I did it," she said, examining her hands.
"Good," Ichigo praised. "Continue to practice the technique. Once you feel confident, try doing it without using your Byakugan."
"Ok." Hinata acknowledged as she resumed practicing the technique. Ichigo then approached Guren.
"Keep an eye on everything while I'm gone," Ichigo instructed.
"Yes, Sensei," Guren replied. Ichigo hurried back to Konoha, checking in with the shinobi at the front gate. As a member of Konoha, he didn't have to pay the toll to enter the village. Making his way to the market district, Ichigo stopped in front of a simple-looking building bearing a sign with a hammer and anvil engraved on it. He entered the building, where he saw a man arguing with a woman.
"Two-month wait time!?" the man yelled.
"I am sorry, sir," the woman replied. "Muramasa-sama has a lot of orders, and each of them takes time for him to handcraft." The man, discontent, pulled out a checkbook and signed a check, placing it on the counter. The woman took the check and wrote a receipt.
"Tsuki-sama, this is the receipt for your payment. Please keep this receipt safe. Now, please let me know your address so we can deliver your weapon when it is done."
"I can be found in the Land of the Moon." the man replied as he took his receipt.
"Thank you, and have a nice day." the woman said as she bowed to the customer. The man grunted before leaving the shop, almost running into Ichigo, who was just outside.
"Busy day, Onui?" Ichigo inquired.
"Ah, Ichigo-sama," Onui said, bowing to Ichigo, though not as deeply as she did to the customer.
"You know you don't need to bow to me." Ichigo reminded her.
"I know, but I must," Onui replied as she straightened up. "What can I do for you, Ichigo-sama?" she asked.
"I was planning to place two custom orders if possible," Ichigo explained.
"Sure." Onui retrieved a pad and a charcoal pencil. Ichigo showed her his drawings. "Let me take this to Muramasa-sama to see if he's able to forge them," she said.
"Go ahead." Ichigo agreed. Onui took the drawings and disappeared into the back. A few moments later, she returned with an older man. He had short grayish-white hair and golden-brown eyes, and he wore dark leather coveralls and boots, clearly a seasoned blacksmith.
"Ichigo." Muramasa greeted.
"Muramasa." Ichigo replied.
"Both of these requests are interesting," Muramasa remarked.
"Will you squeeze them into your busy schedule?" Ichigo inquired.
"These aren't for you," Muramasa stated.
"They are for two new Genin I took in." Ichigo clarified. Muramasa nodded in understanding.
"When will you be back?" Muramasa asked.
"If nothing goes wrong, in a month," Ichigo replied. Muramasa nodded in agreement.
"I'll have it done by then," he assured.
"Great. How much is it going to cost?" Ichigo asked.
"Nothing," Muramasa replied. "These weapons will be an interesting experience." Ichigo sighed, accepting the gesture.
"Okay. See you in a month then." Ichigo bid farewell. Muramasa nodded and returned to his forge.
"Bye, Ichigo-sama," Onui said as Ichigo left the smithy.
Ichigo sprinted out of Konoha, sensing a group of people trailing behind him in the distance. He altered his course and observed that they continued to follow. "Great," Ichigo muttered in his mind to himself. With swift movement, Ichigo shunpō'ed behind the pursuers and incapacitated them before they could react. Five shinobi were wearing dark green full-body suits with matching forehead protectors. Ichigo removed the forehead protectors, revealing a black manji with a shepherd's hook on each side. "Even better, they are shinobi from the Hyūga Clan," Ichigo noted as he summoned a scroll. Placing it on the ground, he rolled the unconscious shinobi onto it, their chests atop the scroll. Ichigo bit his finger, causing a drop of blood, and pressed his palm down on the open edge of the scroll.
"Seal," Ichigo commanded. The scroll glowed as the bodies were drawn into it, leaving a black seal in their place. Ichigo rolled up the scroll and returned to Konoha, where the guards allowed him entry. He hastened towards the Hokage's office and was greeted by a receptionist. In the corners of the room lurked four ANBU shinobi.
"Name?" the receptionist calmly inquired.
"Jōnin Kurosaki Ichigo. I need to speak with the Hokage.." Ichigo declared.
"One moment," the receptionist replied. She stood up, walked to the door behind her, and slipped in. After a few minutes, the receptionist returned. "The Hokage will see you now. Please follow me." She escorted Ichigo to another door, pushed it open, and Ichigo entered the room. Tsunade was engrossed in paperwork while Shizune organized a stack of documents.
"Ichigo, what do you need?" Tsunade inquired.
"I found five shinobi from the Hyūga Clan, they wore plain dark green forehead protectors," Ichigo reported.
"Have you interrogated them?" Tsunade asked.
"Not yet," Ichigo replied. "I planned to do that once we figured out a way to avoid the Hyūga Clan from trying to incriminate me."
"Smart," Tsunade remarked. "Shizune!"
"Yes, Tsunade-sama?" Shizune responded as she hurried back into the office.
"Where are today's accountability reports from our shinobi teams?" Tsunade questioned.
"They should be on your desk," Shizune said, walking over to the pile of unfinished paperwork and taking a third of it off the pile. Tsunade skimmed through the sheets, looking for something, while Shizune reorganized the sheets. It didn't take long before Tsunade finished skimming the pile.
"Well, none of the Hyūga clan members from our shinobi teams were recalled," Tsunade began. "This means all of them were likely members of the Hyūga Clan's private force."
"Is that good or bad?" Ichigo asked.
"For you, it's good because I'm not obligated to investigate their disappearance, even if Lord Hyūga tries to get me to look into it," Tsunade explained.
"I see… Thank you for the assistance." Ichigo replied.
"Ichigo," Shizune called. Ichigo turned to see Shizune, who handed him a book. "These are the fūinjutsu notes that I am allowed to give to you."
"Thank you," Ichigo expressed as he left their office. On his way out of the village, Ichigo made sure no one was following him, maintaining his pace while running the long way toward their base camp. It was evening when Ichigo arrived at the village and saw Guren cooking dinner for everyone.
"Welcome back, Sensei." Guren, Setsura, and Chino greeted him as soon as they noticed him.
"Good evening, Sensei." Hinata and Tenten added.
"Good evening, everyone," Ichigo replied as he joined them for dinner. Unsurprisingly, they ate in silence. After finishing dinner and cleaning up, Ichigo gathered everyone around him.
"As you may have known, I headed back to Konoha to make some arrangements with Hinata's and Tenten's weapons," Ichigo began, recounting what happened earlier. Ichigo took out the scroll. "Hinata, I want you to identify anyone you recognize," Ichigo instructed.
"Okay," Hinata replied. Ichigo unrolled the scroll and activated the seal, resulting in five puffs of smoke as the bodies appeared on top of the scroll. Hinata examined each of them. "I don't recognize anyone," she reported. Ichigo nodded as he stored the other bodies. Ichigo grabbed the first prisoner and slammed him into the ground, forcibly waking him.
"Gah!" he coughed. "W-where am I?" he mumbled, attempting to move but realizing he was pinned down.
"Who do you serve?" Ichigo demanded.
"I w-" Ichigo slammed him into the ground again, causing him to cough up blood.
"I will not ask again," Ichigo stated firmly.
"L-lord Hyūga." the prisoner mumbled.
"Good," Ichigo acknowledged. "What did he order you to do?"
"H-he ordered us to c-capture the target and k-kill the rest of Team 15." the prisoner answered.
"Why?" Hinata interjected, but the prisoner remained silent.
"Answer Hinata's question," Ichigo commanded.
"W-what was the question?" the prisoner asked.
"Did he tell you why he wants you to capture Hinata?" Ichigo clarified.
"No." the prisoner replied. Ichigo struck the back of the prisoner's neck, rendering them unconscious. He stored the first prisoner and summoned the second.
During the interrogation of the next prisoner, when Hinata posed her question, the prisoner ignored it. However, the second prisoner responded to Hinata's question when Ichigo asked it.
"Why do you not acknowledge any question from Hinata?" Ichigo inquired.
"Lord Hyūga ordered us to not acknowledge any statement from the target, including using the target's name." the second prisoner explained.
"I see…" Ichigo acknowledged as he concluded the interrogation of the second prisoner. He proceeded to question the third and fourth prisoners, both of whom provided the same information as before. The final prisoner was able to answer Hinata's question.
"Lord Hyūga planned to brand the target with a modified version of the Caged Bird Cursed Seal, making the target obedient to Lord Hyūga. From there, Lord Hyūga will use the target to assist in establishing allies with other clans." the fifth prisoner disclosed.
"Doesn't he see me as his daughter?" Hinata asked, her voice trembling.
"He doesn't," Ichigo confirmed, as he knocked the fifth prisoner unconscious. He rose to his feet and knelt in front of Hinata. "No matter what you do, he will not see you as his daughter," Ichigo observed Hinata beginning to cry. "But are you going to quit training and accept his decision?"
"What do you mean?" Hinata looked at Ichigo, wiping the tears from her face.
"Instead of training to impress your father, your goal should be to become stronger than him. Imagine entering the Hyūga compound and defeating your sister. Right when your father decides to grant you the heiress title back, you throw it in his face and leave the clan."
"B-but," Hinata mumbled.
"Hinata," Ichigo said, standing up and extending his hand to her. "Decide your fate. Will you submit to him or fight against him?"
"I." Hinata grabbed Ichigo's hand. "I will fight," she declared.
"Shout it. Let everyone hear your desire," Ichigo urged.
"I will fight!" Hinata screamed.
"Good," Ichigo said as he stored the prisoner back into the scroll. "Remember that desire." He sealed the scroll. "Rest tonight. The training will be much more brutal than before." Ichigo turned to everyone. "This applies to all of you."
"Yes, Sensei." Chino, Setsura, and Guren affirmed.
"Yes, Sensei." Tenten and Hinata replied. Soon, everyone went to rest, except for Ichigo. He remained awake, watching over the camp.
"Kyōka," Ichigo called.
"Yes, Ichigo?" Kyōka responded.
"Can you remove their Byakugan?" Ichigo requested.
"You plan to give them to your students?" Kyōka questioned.
"Eventually," Ichigo admitted.
"The operation shouldn't take me too long," Kyōka assured as she appeared beside Ichigo. He handed her the scroll. She silently walked away to begin the operation.
"Death-Ankou is right about one thing. This mission is much more complicated compared to the other two." Ichigo reflected.
Time Skip: Five months later
Ichigo stood calmly in the middle of a clearing, flanked by Tenten on his left and Hinata on his right. Chino, Setsura, and Guren stood beside him. Tenten gripped a pair of black hook swords, aimed toward Hinata, who wore black gloves and met Tenten's gaze with determination. Both girls assumed fighting stances.
"Fight!" Ichigo declared. Tenten and Hinata charged toward each other. Tenten utilized the length of her hook swords, aiming a downward swing at Hinata. Anticipating the attack, Hinata deflected Tenten's sword with her left hand and attempted to stab Tenten's arm with her right knife-hand. Tenten, in turn, hooked her sword around Hinata's right arm, pulling her closer. Hinata seized the opportunity, grabbing Tenten's hook sword and pulling her in. With a precise strike, Hinata targeted nerve clusters in Tenten's left shoulder, causing her arm to relax and drop the hook sword.
"Arg," Tenten grunted, her left arm rendered momentarily useless. As Hinata moved to strike again, Tenten released her remaining hook sword, stepping back and twisting her hips to gain momentum. She flung her left arm forward, aiming to distract Hinata. Hinata blocked the incoming limb, allowing Tenten to grab the other hook sword from the ground. Despite her injured shoulder, Tenten resumed her fighting stance, ready to defend.
Hinata, discarding the other hook sword, charged toward Tenten. Tenten swung her hook sword, keeping Hinata at bay. Hinata attempted to maneuver behind Tenten, exploiting blind spots. However, Tenten adapted, sweeping her hook sword in a circular motion. The intense exchange continued until Hinata suddenly changed direction, catching Tenten off guard. With a precise strike to Tenten's hip, Hinata briefly immobilized her, then swept Tenten's feet, bringing her to the ground. Hinata pressed her knee against Tenten's neck, signaling the end of the fight.
"Fight's over," Ichigo announced. Hinata released Tenten and allowed her to move freely again by using her healing touch.
"Good fight." Tenten acknowledged.
"Same," Hinata replied.
"Good job, both of you," Ichigo commented. "Everyone, get ready for a slow jog back to Konoha."
"Yes, Sensei!" they all shouted. Throughout their training, Hinata and Tenten now referred to Ichigo as their Sensei.
Ichigo positioned himself at the head of the formation, with Chino and Setsura behind him, followed by Hinata and Tenten, and Guren at the rear. Each carried logs on their shoulders. After they were prepared, they began the jog back to Konoha. An hour later, they reached the gates.
"Halt!" Ichigo commanded. The girls stopped in unison as Ichigo approached the guards.
"Welcome back, Ichigo," one of the guards greeted. "And I see you have your team with you?"
"Yes, this is Team 15," Ichigo confirmed.
"Ah, I see," the guard chuckled, understanding the jest. He filled out the necessary forms. "You're all checked in." Ichigo turned to Team 15.
"We will be staying in Konoha for a few days. After that, we will be doing missions until it is time for the next year's Chūnin Exam," Ichigo stated. Everyone nodded in understanding. "Hinata, be careful. We don't know if he would try to do anything."
"Yes, Sensei." Hinata acknowledged. All the girls left, leaving Ichigo alone. He made his way toward the Hokage's office. The secretary promptly escorted Ichigo into the Hokage's office, where he found Tsunade sitting behind her desk with Shizune standing behind her.
"Team 15 has completed internal training and is ready to receive their missions," Ichigo reported.
"Good," Tsunade responded. "How are Hinata and Tenten?"
"They have shown significant progress during the past few months," Ichigo remarked.
"Good. Do you believe they will be able to pass next year's Chūnin exam?" Tsunade inquired.
"They will," Ichigo affirmed. "Any trouble from Lord Hyūga?"
"Not at the moment," Tsunade replied. "Though that may change once Hinata passes the Chūnin exam."
"What actions could he take?" Ichigo asked.
"Publicly, he is limited. However, reinstating her as his heir would grant him more leverage." Tsunade explained.
"I see… But doing so would require him to admit his misjudgment and failures." Ichigo pointed out.
"Which he is unlikely to do," Tsunade remarked. "Hiashi is both proud and cunning. Admitting his errors would tarnish his reputation and weaken his standing within the clan."
"He might resort to putting a bounty on us," Ichigo suggested.
"He could, but it would come at a high cost." Tsunade acknowledged.
"I will remind my team to remain vigilant," Ichigo assured her.
"Very well," Tsunade said, producing a scroll. "This is a mission to investigate the Land of Sound, formerly known as the Land of Rice Fields."
Ichigo accepted the scroll and unrolled it, revealing the details of the mission. After reading it, he wrote down the necessary information and prepared to depart.
"The mission will commence tomorrow morning." Tsunade declared.
"Yes, Hokage-sama," Ichigo acknowledged before leaving her office. Outside, he sensed the locations of his students throughout Konoha. Setsura was at home, while Chino, Guren, Hinata, and Tenten were at a department store. Ichigo entered to find Guren assisting Hinata and Tenten with clothing choices.
"Welcome, Sensei." Chino greeted him.
"Hello, Sensei," Guren added.
"Hello," Ichigo responded. "Lunch will be at home, where I will brief all of you on our mission."
"Understood," Chino responded with a salute.
"I'll inform them," Guren replied. Ichigo nodded as he left the department store. He inventoried the team's gear, restocking any necessary items before returning home. Setsura was quietly cooking dinner when Ichigo arrived.
"Hello, Sensei." Setsura greeted softly.
"Hello, Setsura. We'll be having lunch with everyone, followed by a briefing about our mission tomorrow." Ichigo informed her.
"Yes, Sensei," she replied. Ichigo headed to his room and sat down, reflecting on his time in the village.
"To think I've been here for over five months," Ichigo pondered. "At least Orochimaru is one of my potential leads." Summoning a small journal from his mindscape, he reviewed his current information.
"According to a witness report, Orochimaru used a jutsu to bring forth clones of the First Hokage and Second Hokage, which were able to fight toe-to-toe with the late Third Hokage," he noted. Below that report, he had his personal comments, 'Possibly not a clone but forcibly pulling the soul back to a clone body.' He closed the journal as he sensed the others returning, sending it back to his mindscape before leaving his room.
Guren and Chino were setting up the table, while Hinata and Tenten sat quietly.
"Hello, Sensei." Hinata greeted him warmly upon seeing him.
"Hello, Sensei!" Chino chimed in energetically.
"Hello, Sensei." Guren and Tenten followed suit.
"Hello," Ichigo replied. "Let's enjoy lunch first, then discuss the mission." Everyone nodded as Setsura brought over the food. They ate in silence, savoring the meal. After lunch, the table was cleared, and Ichigo unrolled a scroll, revealing a black seal painted on it. Injecting his mana into the scroll, he formed a privacy barrier around them.
"Tomorrow morning, we'll head towards the Land of Rice Fields. Many small Shinobi Clans there have mysteriously disappeared, believed to be the work of Orochimaru." Ichigo explained, noticing Guren's chakra beginning to flare. Chino quickly smacked Guren on the back of the head.
"Ow!" Guren yelped, turning to Ichigo. "Sorry," she mumbled.
"I understand the reaction," Ichigo reassured her. "Since this is an official mission, we all need to wear the Konoha headband before we leave." Everyone understood.
"Will we continue wearing our weighted suits?" Guren inquired.
"Yes," Ichigo confirmed. As part of their five months of training, he had made enchanted body suits for everyone, capable of manipulating gravity. "You'll keep your suits at two times gravity, and we won't increase it," he added.
"Will we use our new weapons?" Tenten asked.
"Yes, bring your new weapons," Ichigo instructed. "Any other questions?" There were none. "Then use the rest of the time to ensure everything you need for the mission is ready. Otherwise, you're free to do as you please for the rest of the night." Ichigo deactivated the privacy field, everyone dispersed to prepare and do their own thing.
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. In case you forgot this take place after Naruto and Sasuke left the village aka at the end of the original Naruto. The 'backstory' for Ichigo was inspired by AizenTheGoat's Unexpected Visit, which is one of the few Ichigo-centric Bleach x Naruto crossover story out there. Ichigo used that as a basic explaination for his skills in the Narutoverse. For those who are curious about Ichigo's current states, I uploaded the latest stats as of Arc 16. Anyways see you in May!
Author Notes 90:
1) Setsura is an OC that I added.
2) According to Naruto Canon, Ketsuryūgan should have horizontal rectangles for pupils but I changed them to vertical to make them resemble dragon eyes instead of frog eyes.
