After his Shikai was awakened.
Ichigo felt very powerful yet he also felt vulnerable at the same time.
It was a new feeling for him.
"I really don't like this feeling."
Ichigo sheathed Harusame into the scabbard.
The rain then stopped and everything had gone back to the way it was before.
Ichigo closed his eyes and he tried to feel the connection he had with Harusame.
He could feel that he had become one with Harusame.
He could control it at will.
"I must become stronger as fast as I can."
Next was to achieve Bankai which he thought wasn't that hard as he had already become one with his Zanpakuto.
He could feel that if he wanted to. He could release Bankai but it would be devastating as he couldn't precisely control his power right now.
His Bankai shouldn't be something as big as his Shikai.
It should be condensed and refined.
"New life—I have to live in it as much as I can"
Ichigo thought of himself in the past.
He was so miserable.
If Mikasa and Armin were to see him right there, They would be very sad.
"I need to move on and make everything right. But time is cruel. I can't change everything as I pleased or the consequences of messing with time would be enormous."
Ichigo must make a plan that would not impact himself in the past.
Or else his existence might be erased.
His past-self must pass through pain and miserable life to the point he gave up on his life so he would be sent here.
The wish that Armin gave him wasn't without a price.
He must have made a deal with a god or goddess in exchange for him to cross to this world.
And what the deal was. Ichigo couldn't have known because Armin was already dead.
But he would know about it when he saved Armin when the time was right.
"I need to go back right now. A lot of time should have passed since I came inside the ruin."
Ichigo called Hana back to his inner world then he exited the ruin.
With the help of the Grandpa of the world. He could find the exit easily.
And if he wanted to come back here. He could come back through his inner world.
When he exited the ruin. He found that something had happened to Las Noches but it wasn't his business.
"Ulquiorra works fast. I can't sense Barragan at all but somehow I know that he isn't dead yet."
Ichigo could tell that the old Vasto Lorde should have a hidden card that let him live to see another day.
But with what cost he didn't know.
…
"How long has he been absent?"
Rukia had now arrived at the place where the second division base in Hueco Mundo would be.
All the Shinigami and Onmitsukido that she had brought with her had finished making a base of operation.
She really wanted to know where Ichigo was.
It wasn't just because she wanted to see him but it was also because she needed him to assign her a position.
In this base. Ichigo's authority was higher than her.
So she needed his permission to do her work more proficiently.
"It's been a week since he had gone to the ruin. But Rukai-fukutaicho didn't have to worry about his safety because he said he would be back around this time."
Miyako said to Rukia, seeing her pretty concern about his safety.
"Did he tell you why he had to go inside the ruin?"
Rukia asked curiously.
She wanted to know why Ichigo wanted to go inside the ruin.
Was it because he needed more merit to marry her?
But she had read the report about his achievement that her big brother gave to her.
He already had high enough to marry her or even the other princesses.
So she wanted to know why.
"I don't know much about the details. You should ask her instead."
Miyako pointed to a blonde-haired woman who wore a strange tight outfit.
"Anne Leonhart? She claimed that she was a titan slayer. Maybe she came from Olympus or something."
Rukia looked at Anne. She had the same stature as the westerner.
So, she thought that she might come from the western factions like Olympus.
They also had Titans but no one wanted to deal with them.
To claim that she was a titan slayer if they knew about it they might be very angry and want them to hand her over to them.
"No, she didn't come from Olympus or any western factions but from another world."
Miyako said with uncertainty. She really didn't know much detail as she had said before.
"She's from another world? What does it mean that she comes from another world?"
Rukia was curious.
Miyako thought about it a little bit then explained to her where she had come from.
She couldn't explain in much detail though. She only tell her what Ichigo had told her.
"So, it was like that. Who would have thought that Hueco Mundo would connect to many worlds through the void. Sosuke-taicho might not go back to Soul Society anytime soon."
Rukia knew that Aizen had been working with Khaos Brigade to solve the mystery of the void.
And Hueco Mundo was like a treasure trope to him.
Miyako nodded her head. She had seen him working all the time with a smirk on his face.
That man should have many plans in his head. As to whether it was good plans or bad plans she didn't know.
As they were talking with each other. They then heard Rangiku speak roundly.
"He is back!"
Ichigo had come back from the ruins inside the lord of death territory.
He came back with so much power that everyone could feel it even though he tried to control it.
It wasn't easy at all.
"Is that his Zanpakuto? Don't tell me he finally achieved Shikai?"
Rukia was very happy. She knew that achieving Shikai was very hard for anyone but for someone like Ichigo.
He should have been able to achieve it a long time ago.
Ichigo looked at Rukai who was very happy to see him.
It had been quite some time since he last saw her.
Rukia didn't know how to respond to his appearance.
He was so handsome and powerful that it shook her to the very soul.
The Hana effect didn't help it either.
She must have done it on purpose. She liked her papa to be so handsome!
'What a good daughter he had there.'
…
Ichigo greeted Rukai with a charming smile.
He could feel that his emotion had returned after he made a promise to Eren.
With his emotion returned. He had noticed many more things that he missed the entire time.
That was how beautiful the women around him were.
He couldn't help but find Rukia very cute to tease.
Her face went red just by seeing him.
"I have returned, Wife."
"W–wife…"
"You are going to be my wife soon. So I need to familiarize myself with such a title, don't you think? And you should call me husband."
Rukia was speechless. Where did the old Ichigo go? But she didn't say anything about it as she liked this version more.
It made her feel like her love for him was reciprocated.
"Eh–Eh… Welcome—back husb–and…"
Rukia was completely messed up. Her face went even more red. She tried to hide her face but Ichigo lifted her chin up so he could see her more clearly.
He couldn't help but capture every moment.
'Wow, Is this the feeling I should have? I felt really good.'
"Eh–Ehhh—"
Rukia's eyes swirl. She felt like fainting. How could he become so bold like this!
It was really bad for her heart!
Currently chapter 265 on www.p@treon.com/phelio