Bleach: Cero Devastador

New day, new beginnings.

I hadn't slept at all training my Shunpo all night.

Rather than demotivate me, getting trashed by Shitsutora fired me up. It would have hurt my pride if I had been defeated while our strengths were semi-equal. But she was on a completely different level compared to me, Kurayami or anyone I had ever fought. 

It only motivated me to step onto that level. 

Amid the battle, I realised that rather than a devastating difference in power, she vastly outstriped me in speed. I won't be able to accurately gauge how much stronger she is than me if I cannot even see her with my eyes or reach her with my sword. 

Naturally, compared to Kurayami, she could also use all of her Shikai's capabilities. 

Learning Shunpo was a complex process that involved re-inventing the wheel. I could have gone to the academy to learn the basics, but those would have been their basics, not mine. It was a matter of understanding Reiryoku (soul force) and how to apply it in a practical environment. So far, I have only been using it unconsciously. I have a superhuman strength that's not common in this world and an exceptional capability to sense it, which is a plus. 

However, given the exceptional characteristics of my body, it is also likely that my learning curve will be completely different from the standard Shinigami.

'Reiryoku is a form of energy compatible with nature. Nature affects the soul, and the soul affects nature. Here in the Soul Society, it is even more so... your Reiryoku is also unique. Hollow's reiryoku is impure and dark as they are maddened souls without reasoning capabilities driven by instinct; those impurities render them unable to wield a Zampakutō. Yours is neither impure nor neutral; yours is extremely pure, Ryōma. Although this may give you an advantage in regards to your Zampakutō when it comes to kidō...'

"Shouldn't my Kidō be stronger if my Reiryoku is more pure than average?".

'It is not just 'more pure than average' If had to describe it, it is as if you were never alive to begin with. From the beginning of your existence, which should have been primordial given this purity; you were always a wandering soul or in your case, a Hollow from the start. It is true should be stronger but it also means the way your body employs Reiryoku is different, so standard Kidō which is accurately gauged in power, may not be available to you given how explosive your output is'.

"That is not possible. I have memories of my previous life, I am a man in my thirties, not a primordial ancient being like you".

'D-Do you?'.

"There is no use hiding this from you. I have memories, what reasoning do you find in that?".

'None, once your soul is 'reaped' by a Shinigami and you are sent to the Soul Society, or when you become a Hollow, or when you are sent to hell. In all cases, you are ridden off your memories and become a new individual having slight flashbacks and most, for those whose spirit is stronger. Did you do anything special during your time on earth? Were you an evildoer?'.

"I was not someone who would be sent to heaven if it were to exist" I sighed, I wasn't exactly a role model, I killed plenty of people... it doesn't matter if they were good or bad, killing is killing, right?

'Boy, the soul society is the equivalent of heaven. If you were an evil bastard you would have been thrown to hell. When a soul dies in the human world there are only three outcomes for it. The Soul Society, Hell... or to become hollows'.

"Then isn't that my case? I transformed into a hollow–".

'You do not understand. Souls who turn into hollows gain a horrid appearance and a mask. They behave like monsters and naturally travel to their home, Hueco Mundo. They also constantly travel to the world of the living to hunt for clean souls. Not only that, they're (in their majority) vastly weaker than you. Hollows would feed on other hollows to become stronger and evolve from gillians to adjuchas and to vasto lorde in rare cases. That is most definitely not your case!'

"..."

'In resume. Hollows don't look like you, they can't wield a Zampakutō, they have a massive hole in their chest area and a mask, they don't smell like you, taste like you, behave like you or talk shit like you–'.

"Shitsutora..."

'What? I'm telling the truth~ Hollows are also unable to naturally enter the soul society. So your presence here can only mean that either somebody mistakenly or deliberately placed you here, or you are an unprecedented anomaly. There have been scarce cases of hollows invading Soul Society, but that was through them following a Shinigami into the Senkaimon and miraculously managing to reach here, those would be hunted in a heartbeat, but due to your odd nature, no one knows you are a hollow'.

"This is complicated..."

'The path to grow stronger is attached to the affirmation of your true nature, Ryōma. That must be the reason why it may seem like you have more compatibility with me than you do with that snake. I merely rejoice on your pure Reiryoku, but until realise your true nature, you and the snake won't achieve the first Release. In the same way, you are an anomaly as a Shinigami, she is also an anomaly as a Zampakutō as she is a byproduct of you'.

"Should I travel to Hueco Mundo then? How can I do that?" I thought perhaps wandering alongside some hollows would help me realise a thing or two.

'Hueco Mundo exists in a different spiritual dimension; Shinigamis have many ways to reach it, but they're all secluded. Hollows have the ability known as Garganta which allows them to travel between the world of the living and Hueco Mundo. If my deductions are correct, you must have this ability'.

"How do you know I am a hollow when others can't through Reiryoku?".

'Your flesh. I had hints when Kurayami fought with you, I confirmed them when you got me. Your flesh is that of a hollow without a doubt. Your capability to regenerate faster is one of its qualities... moreover, your skin is also tougher than natural. You should come to this inner world more often to meditate around your nature, fight me too while you're at it'.

"Uh-huh, sure..."

'Come on, don't be scared... even if you lose again and I were to slice your chinpo in this world, it wouldn't affect you outside~'

As much as I don't care about pain, that is not the type of pain I want to suffer in this life or any other. 

**

**

Sakuya and Mikoto woke up quite late, they were dead exhausted after yesterday's training. They found Ryoma sitting in the living room playing with Ryōta and Ryōsuke. Rather than coming out straight away, Sakuya peeked into a corner with stars in her eyes while Mikoto staggered behind, wondering what she was looking at. 

"What do you kids want to do when you grow up?" He asked them while having his 'improvised meal'.

Both boys looked at each other and smiled confidently, "We don't want to grow up!".

*Pft!*

Mikoto's suppressed laugh caught Ryoma's attention, exposing the two who awkwardly came out to sit on the table.

"Good morning, Ryōma" Sakuya greeted. 

"Good morning, Sensei!" Mikoto cheered. 

"It is nice you're both in a good mood" Ryoma went to the kitchen and picked up two more plates, then placed them in front of both, "Because we're going to resume your training after this".

Both ladies countenances went green but they reluctantly nodded nonetheless.

"By the way big brother, what is this that you cooked?" Ryōta asked, looking at the two pieces of bread with chicken, lettuce and onion in the middle. 

"This is a chicken burger".

"But it looks very similar to the chicken sandwich from yesterday–"

"A burger is a burger and a sandwich is a sandwich, boy... to grow up is to realise this".

"H-Hai..."

While they were having their meal Sakuya came back to reality and noticed that Murasaki was nowhere to be seen, she worried instantaneously but her worries were pacified when Murasaki arrived soon after, staggering and smelling like perfume. He apologised for being late and headed straight into his room, leaving a dumbfounded family and a smirking Ryōma. 

"The brat is out there enjoying himself, huh?".

"W-Where was he?" Mikoto asked. 

"You don't want to know" Ryōma and Sakuya answered simultaneously, the latter looked at the former and blushed. 

"Is it okay for him to be going out like that? what if–"

"Let him be.

...

After their meal finished Sakuya promised the kids that they would have a 'proper meal' for the evening and then the trio went to the courtyard once more where the training resumed. Sakuya's hands shivered upon picking up that wooden sword once more, while Mikoto found that Ryoma had carved another bokken last night for her to use.

"Give it a try".

Sakuya and Mikoto both struck the tree simultaneously with all their strength and realised to their dismay and hope that there was certainly pain still in the equation. The numbness sensation and slight pain hadn't lessened one bit, however... they found themselves unexpectedly eager to keep sticking. 

"It has become more bearable, hasn't it?" Ryōma smirked.

"Yes, somehow..."

"Lock your wrist and keep your hips steady then strike in this position," Ryoma took the bokken from Sakuya and taught them two basic slicing motions. From top to bottom and bottom to top with a basic stance. He corrected their posture until they were doing it perfectly. 

"Do it a hundred times. After a hundred strikes, you can take a half-hour break and then continue, I'll be checking and correcting your stance as you go..."

Rather than being disobedient, both girls nodded enthusiastically to begin their training. In just one day they understood what wielding the blade was about: to inflict pain and death, either to you... or to someone else. 

And so the day continued with nothing but the thunderous noises of wood meeting wood and ladies moaning. Those outside the manor wondered what was going on inside, those that tried to crawl would be met with a small stone to the face.

...

Mikoto and Sakuya were on their second break, all sweaty in their kimono and with their buttcheeks slightly swollen from how many times a scabbard had hit them to correct their posture. Thankfully, after enough times, their bodies picked up and Ryoma no longer had to correct them. 

"Big brother we have visitors!" Ryōsuke and Ryōta yelled from within the mansion at noon. Shortly after two slender silhouettes walked in. It was Kukaku Shiba coming alongside somebody else. 

Ryōma immediately frowned, then smirked. 

*WHOOSH!*

*WHOOSH!*

Two gusts of wind later, those two figures were gone from the courtyard before eyes could even pry on their bodies.

"As expected they went straight into it, huh?" Kukaku sighed," I told her to take it easy since she hasn't completely recovered and yet–"

"She has a huge debt to pay back, Kukaku-san, I suggest we let her be and hope for the best" Another individual spoke, she came in a bit later than the other two and looked at the distance with interest as if she could see beyond what others could.

Mikoto and Sakuya stared at this person and immediately felt fear. She was a beautiful lady, compassionate looking yet wearing a Shikahushō with a white haori that made her status obvious: a captain. 

"I am the captain of the fourth division. My name is Unohana Retsu, nice to meet you~".