In the empty garganta between dimensions, Unohana Retsu and Kurosaki Ichigo moved forward cautiously, heads down in concentration as they traversed the dangerous void.

Kurosaki Ichigo was trying his best to pave a road with Reishi particles in front of them, his face scrunched in concentration. However, the Reishi road he constructed was noticeably crooked and uneven—some sections were wide and stable, while others narrowed dangerously, threatening to collapse under their weight.

Using Reiatsu to control Reishi particles to establish footholds is considered a basic skill for Shinigami, taught in the first year at the academy. But Ichigo, despite his raw power, was clearly not adept at this fundamental technique.

Kurosaki Ichigo assumed it was because he wasn't in peak condition after his battles in Hueco Mundo. In fact, his problem stemmed from a deeper source—the same issue plaguing "the prince of the konoha village," as both had "someone else" residing within their hearts.

Coincidentally, both of them had a father figure and a strange internal entity within their souls. Monkey D. Luffy was far less complicated by comparison—he had only "freedom" in his heart, and his mind was remarkably uncluttered.

It's just that their respective father figures played different roles—one was a biological father, while the other was an "adoptive father" of sorts. Both fathers helped suppress the monsters lurking in their hearts, preventing complete takeover.

Because of these complicated power dynamics within their souls, their control ability over external energy was severely compromised. One was practically a "Kido idiot" when it came to Reishi manipulation, making paving a stable dimensional road extremely difficult; the other was a "ninjutsu failure," who couldn't even master the most basic clone technique and nearly failed to graduate from the ninja academy.

When the Reishi road began to wobble dangerously and showed signs of imminent collapse, Unohana Retsu said without hesitation: "Let me go in front!"

Although she was quietly pleased that this young man was sensible enough to take the initiative with the difficult task, she could see that his technical ability was simply inadequate for their current circumstances.

After all, he was not "professionally trained" in the traditional sense and had not received formal education at the Shin'ō Academy of Spiritual Arts. His abilities, while impressive in raw power, lacked comprehensiveness and showed serious imbalances in foundational techniques.

With his current level of Reishi control, they would inevitably fall into the chaotic Dangai—the Precipice World—without Aizen's intervention, and their whereabouts would become unknown, possibly trapping them between dimensions forever.

Unohana Retsu, now walking point, effortlessly paved a wide, straight, and impeccably solid Reishi road before them. Her centuries of experience made the complex task seem as simple as breathing.

Feeling somewhat emasculated by the implicit critique of his abilities, Kurosaki Ichigo pointed defensively at his damaged Bankai outfit and explained:

"I can't control my Reishi properly because my Reiatsu hasn't fully recovered yet. Once I'm back to normal, everything will be easy." His pride wouldn't allow him to simply accept that he lacked fundamental skills.

As a purely self-taught, "wild" Shinigami, he didn't fully comprehend that his Zanpakutō, Shinigami powers, and Bankai were all fundamentally different from the norm. His abilities were completely distinct from those of other Shinigami—they weren't even truly Shinigami abilities in the traditional sense.

Just like his attempts at Hollow training, the entire operation was more psychological comfort than practical technique. Unlike Hirako, Mashiro, and the other Visoreds, the Hollow power within him wasn't an external invader to be suppressed—it was an integral part of his own soul and power.

Therefore, his power structure was fundamentally different from that of Shinigami, Hollows, and Arrancar. He existed in his own unique category.

However, Ichigo Kurosaki had never truly realized this crucial fact. Until now, he still genuinely believed that Old Man Zangetsu was his true Zanpakutō spirit, and that his inner Hollow was merely a villain seeking to steal his body. The truth was considerably more complex.

"You're talking as if your Reiatsu can simply be strengthened like a muscle!" Unohana Retsu responded with uncharacteristic sharpness, though her voice maintained its melodious quality:

"Moreover, even if your Reiatsu becomes stronger, it will not automatically improve your control ability. On the contrary, because excessive Reiatsu often creates interference patterns, it might actually make the Reishi more difficult to control."

She didn't know the complete details about Ichigo Kurosaki's unusual strength. But in terms of raw Reiatsu, the current Ichigo Kurosaki was far from weak—he already surpassed the average captain in spiritual pressure.

With this substantial level of Reiatsu, it was somewhat alarming to consider that he could grow even stronger. A substitute Shinigami should not possess such overwhelming spiritual energy—it defied everything she understood about soul development.

This assessment made by Unohana Retsu based on her first impressions was entirely reasonable, given her extensive experience. But it still didn't capture the full truth of Ichigo's situation.

Ichigo Kurosaki pointed again to his damaged outfit—the tattered edges of his Bankai coat fluttering in the dimensional winds—and said with earnest seriousness:

"What I said is true... The Tensa Zangetsu form is part of my Bankai, and it's directly connected to my Reiatsu levels. This time, because I rushed here so quickly, Inoue didn't have enough time to help me fully recover my spiritual energy. That's why the damaged parts of my Bankai haven't been completely restored. Right now, my Reiatsu is only about half of what it usually is."

As a "pure-hearted but somewhat stubborn high school boy," he naturally had his pride to maintain, especially when facing a gentle and respected elder sister figure like Unohana.

"It seems you're actually right," Unohana Retsu admitted after carefully sensing his spiritual signature. This substitute Shinigami's black outfit truly was an integral part of his Bankai manifestation, a physical embodiment of his Reiatsu.

If fully restored to peak condition, his Reiatsu would indeed be formidable. With the power amplification provided by his Bankai, it might genuinely be possible for him to pose a threat to Aizen.

The critical prerequisite, of course, was that Ichigo Kurosaki remained unaffected by Kyōka Suigetsu's complete hypnosis—a unique advantage in their current situation.

Thinking of this crucial tactical advantage, she seemed to realize something important and immediately asked:

"You've confronted Aizen before—what impression did you form of him?"

"I don't know if that brief encounter even counts as a fight," Kurosaki Ichigo said with helpless frustration evident in his voice. "To be honest, I don't have a good understanding of his true capabilities. He cut me down after barely a moment of face-to-face interaction. He made just one move, and I was on the ground bleeding out. My strength was completely inadequate—I posed absolutely no threat to him."

Reflecting on the battles he had fought since entering this spiritual world, he felt a creeping sense of inadequacy about his own power. When he first stormed into Soul Society to rescue Rukia, he was brimming with vigor and fearlessness, feeling as though he could accomplish anything through sheer determination.

But after the harrowing expedition to Hueco Mundo, he had been emotionally and physically drained. He had suffered devastating blows to his body, his confidence, and his understanding of his own capabilities. The gap between his potential and his control had never been more apparent.