Too bright.
Too dazzling.
A tornado of flames wrapped around a mushroom cloud, soaring into the sky.
The surrounding trees, rocks, birds, and beasts melted in an instant, as if they had never belonged to this world in the first place. In the vast expanse of heaven and earth, all traces of them had vanished.
*Thud!* At the Ubuyashiki clan estate, Kiriya, who had been led indoors by Amane under Ubuyashiki Kagaya's orders, was peeking through the window. Suddenly, the blinding light pierced his eyes with a sharp pain, causing him to fall flat on his rear. The young boy had heard the conversation between his father and Kyojuro, and it was exactly as the two adults had said...
A battle involving Lord Eiichiro was no longer something ordinary people like them could ever hope to comprehend.
'Just like those trees and rocks caught in the blast, if I were there, I would definitely be melted in an instant too...'
His heart pounded wildly. Cold sweat poured down his forehead. As the boy thought this, much like everyone else in the world, he couldn't help but shiver uncontrollably in the midst of his profound shock and horror.
"Kyojuro..." a faint voice drifted through the courtyard.
With his back to Kiriya, who was still peeking from inside, Ubuyashiki Kagaya imitated Rengoku Kyojuro by coating his pupils with a layer of Nen. Activating [Gyo], he looked up at the flame-wreathed mushroom cloud as it scattered the moonlight, shattered the night wind, and slowly bloomed across the horizon.
He turned his head to look at the young man whose flame-like yellow hair swayed gently in the breeze. Seeing that Kyojuro was equally entranced, Kagaya asked meaningfully, "Are you sure... fifty times is enough?!"
There was a distinct difference between the [Mortal] and [Nen]. Having had his Aura Nodes opened with Roy's help and having begun to learn the [Four Major Principles], the man was well aware of the terrifying power of Nen. It could be said that the gap between an ordinary person and someone who had awakened Nen was like the difference between heaven and earth. However...
Even with a gap as vast as a heavenly chasm, it was nowhere near as terrifying or astonishing as the clash between Roy and Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni!
Just as he had said earlier, he could forget about ever hoping to "understand this battle" in his lifetime... It was simply despair-inducing!
*Inhale... Exhale...* Rengoku Kyojuro's breathing actually grew erratic for a moment. For a Hashira who had been immersed in the [Breathing Style] for years, this was something almost impossible...
The young man with flowing yellow hair fell into a rare silence. Always responsive and cheerful, Rengoku Kyojuro never ignored a question. Since childhood, he had always presented himself as a warm, dependable older brother figure. But... fifty times... it really wasn't enough. In fact... it wasn't even close. Not even close.
He lowered his head in shame. After a moment of silence, he reflected on himself and admitted, "I was wrong."
Looking up again, his eyes locked onto the horizon. He took a deep breath and said, "Whether it is Lord Eiichiro or the one fighting him, I am not even a ten-thousandth of their equal!"
A gentle breeze blew past, carrying a faint trace of scorching heat. The courtyard fell silent once more. Accompanying the two was Gyomei Himejima, who had forcefully torn down his iron chains with a loud clatter and violently pinned them beneath him.
The monk pressed his hands together in prayer. His tear-streaked eyes witnessed the tornado of flames and the mushroom cloud sweeping across the world. He was so utterly astounded that his tears abruptly stopped for a moment.
By the time he recovered and tried to thumb his prayer beads as usual,
The Buddhist heart he had maintained for years through constant chanting suddenly cracked with a sharp snap, and in an instant... it shattered!
Gyomei Himejima was undoubtedly a proud man.
In the original timeline, as the strongest Hashira, he could be considered the number one figure in the Demon Slayer Corps over the past thousand years, ever since Yoriichi Tsugikuni and Kokushibo left the ranks!
Especially after opening his Aura Nodes and rapidly mastering [Ten], [Zetsu], and [Gyo]—even completing half of his training in [Ren] to surpass Rengoku Kyojuro, who had converted first—Gyomei Himejima had believed more than once that, one day, he might be able to spar with Roy.
After all, strictly speaking, he had only started practicing Nen a little later than the boy. His so-called "shortcomings" were merely a lack of time and experience.
But looking at it now, Gyomei Himejima silently chanted "Praise the Sun" in deep shame. In that moment, he felt like a frog at the bottom of a well, completely ignorant of the world's vastness. He had broken the three Buddhist precepts of greed, ignorance, and anger!
*Whoosh!* Another gust of hot wind blew past.
The tornado of flames collided with the mushroom cloud. Under the impact of the aftershocks, it showed no signs of stopping.
At the very center of the explosion,
Two figures stood in silence, their blades pressed against each other. One had his eyes closed in a hazy, eerie state, seemingly still immersed in the epiphany of deeply visualizing the [Sun].
The other had released his Shikai and clearly held the upper hand. He was even handling the clash with ease, fully capable of taking advantage of this opening to deliver another fatal slash to the boy.
He could have used [Jōkaku Enjō],
Or [Ennetsu Jigoku].
Even if he discarded his sword and relied solely on his fists, a single [Ikkotsu] or [Sokotsu] would be enough to pound the boy into dust.
And yet,
Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni merely observed the boy's current state in silence. His heart, which had remained frozen and unshaken for nearly two thousand years, experienced a momentary, rapid palpitation following the slash Roy had just unleashed!
This kind of heartbeat was something he hadn't felt in a very long time... It symbolized danger and served as a warning!
Could it be that a boy not even fifteen years old actually posed a threat to him—the wielder of the oldest and most powerful fire-type Zanpakuto, the greatest Soul Reaper in history?
Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni narrowed his aged eyes into slits, studying Roy intently. For the first time in his life, his absolute certainty in the premise that a [Soul Reaper] was superior to a [Human]... began to waver!
It had to be known that in the world of Bleach, a [Soul Reaper] and a [Human] were two entirely different species.
It wasn't as if a human automatically became a Soul Reaper upon death.
In fact, if someone died in the World of the Living, they would only become the lowest class of wandering soul in the Rukongai, the outskirts of the Seireitei. They were existences so lowly that even Sosuke Aizen would disdain using them for his Hollowfication experiments...
Not to mention, a [Soul Reaper] possessed a natural spiritual body, a long lifespan, and immense Spiritual Pressure. Even someone a hundred years old like Toshiro Hitsugaya was still considered a mere child in Soul Reaper years. Let alone...
Roy.
His bone age was less than fourteen.
Placed in the world of Bleach, he would easily be classified in the infant category, without a single voice of doubt.
*Sizzle!* The flames burned fiercely. The high temperature, accompanied by immense pressure, crushed downward, forming a strong gale that made one's skin pull taut.
With his consciousness immersed in the visualization of the [Sun], losing all sense of time... Roy went from becoming a single atom, to undergoing fusion with other atoms, to exploding and losing his sense of self... He repeatedly cycled through this drastic transformation. After a very, very long time, finally...
At a certain moment, the instant he fully grasped the fusion process, he regained his sense of self. He felt his limbs, his heartbeat, his breathing... Under Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni's astonished gaze, he slowly opened his eyes.
"Is there more?" the old man asked.
"No more," the boy smiled bitterly.
Roy could clearly feel that the bones and muscles in his limbs were completely exhausted. His Nen had been drained dry, making it difficult to even maintain the [Gate of Cognition]. He simply tossed [Solar Eclipse] into his [Sumeru Mustard Seed], spread his arms and legs wide, and sprawled out like a salted fish, completely giving up.
*Whoosh...* Overhead, the tornado of flames carrying the mushroom cloud flew higher and higher, growing increasingly faint.
Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni's figure suddenly flickered. As Roy's Nen was depleted, it was obvious he could no longer maintain the [Gate of Cognition], and the old man's form began to fade.
Sensing this, the old man knew it was time to return.
He looked down deeply at the boy lying at his feet, who was slacking off to recover his Nen, and said to Roy word by word, "Among all the youths I have known,"
"I, Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni, am willing to call you the one with the greatest talent."
"Is that an acknowledgment?" Roy asked. "It's a pity. In the end, I couldn't even touch a corner of your clothes, old man."
"You cannot touch me now." Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni lightly tapped Ryujin Jakka against the ground, returning it to the appearance of an ordinary wooden walking stick. Stroking his long beard proudly, he added, "But as for the future you... can I look forward to it?"
Roy grinned, revealing a mouthful of white teeth. "As long as you're not afraid of being hacked to death, look forward to it all you want."
*Ho ho ho...* A sudden gleam of divine light flashed through the slits of Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni's eyes. On his majestic and sharp face, a rare smile appeared... The smile was very faint and fleeting. If Sasakibe Chōjirō, who knew him well, had seen it, he would probably have dropped his watering can in shock, suspecting that someone had possessed the Captain-Commander!
After all, having followed Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni for nearly two thousand years, he had never seen him smile at anyone. It was truly... a rare sight!
"Young man, you are truly arrogant..." His figure clearly faded another degree. The old man struck the ground with Ryujin Jakka and said softly, "I will be waiting for you!"
With one last look, not waiting for the [Gate of Cognition] to force him away,
Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni actively sought out the flashing rift. Following Roy's mental command, he drifted through the [Gate of the Soul Reaper], which overflowed with Nen light and hazily obscured one's consciousness, vanishing in an instant...
A familiar sensation of falling washed over him.
His consciousness plummeted.
When Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni slowly opened his eyes, he had completely detached from the Demon Slayer World and returned to the world of Bleach.
Before him was the familiar small garden. Under the corridor, a chubby orange cat and a calico cat were chasing and playing with each other. Glancing to his side, he saw Sasakibe Chōjirō dressed in a refined suit, a rapier hanging at his waist. With his platinum slit-like pupils, Chōjirō looked over the moment Yamamoto returned, eagerly awaiting... an answer.
Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni carefully recalled the Demon Slayer World he had just witnessed while clashing with Roy. After a long silence, he softly shared his thoughts. "Chōjirō, perhaps we have been trapped by our own foolish rigidity."
Sitting cross-legged on the wooden veranda, with Ryujin Jakka—now back to its ordinary walking stick form—resting on his lap, Yamamoto looked up at the sun radiating intense heat and light in the sky. Under Sasakibe Chōjirō's confused gaze, he continued, "Like a frog trapped at the bottom of a well, we believed the sky was only as large as the opening above us. Little did we know,"
"The vastness of heaven and earth is far more complex than just the [Three Realms and One Hell]."
[Three Realms and One Hell]: The world order constructed by the original Soul King, maintained fundamentally by the Soul King's body.
It was simply divided into: the [World of the Living] inhabited by humans,
The [Soul Society] governed by Soul Reapers,
The [Hueco Mundo] roamed by fallen souls, also known as Hollows,
And... the final resting place of souls... symbolizing the "end"... Hell!
*Pit... Pat...*
*Meow!* In the courtyard, the playful orange and calico cats accidentally knocked over a watering can resting on a wooden stand, causing a fine spray of water to spill and soak a large patch of grass.
Silence filled the small courtyard at this moment.
Sasakibe Chōjirō stared blankly at Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni. He seemed to be in shock, his brain working in overdrive as he desperately tried to digest this astonishing news. Furrowing his brows, he swallowed hard with a *gulp*. "So, what exactly did you see?"
"The sun and a boy."
"?"
"A human boy... who exists outside the Three Realms, walking toward the sun..."
Outside the Three Realms... A human... Sasakibe Chōjirō recalled the bizarre "void portal" that Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni could enter, but he could not—he couldn't even see it. It seemed as though everything in the unseen world was testifying to Yamamoto's words.
This Lieutenant of the First Division, the wielder of the lightning-type Zanpakuto [Gonryōmaru]—the man who, in the Thousand-Year Blood War, would tragically have his [Bankai] stolen and be fatally wounded by the Sternritter Driscoll Berci, successfully unleashing Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni's fury—
Having followed Yamamoto for nearly two thousand years, he had never once doubted the man's words. Visibly silent for a long while, he finally snapped back to reality. With a solemn expression, he said, "If it is true, I wish it were false. If it is false, I actually wish it were true."
Sasakibe Chōjirō looked seriously at Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni. "Eijisai, you know very well that the Soul Society cannot fall into chaos. But if... the Soul King Palace finds out,"
Chōjirō paused, his golden eyes suddenly narrowing. "Under the collapse of faith, order will cease to exist!"
It was a known fact that the existence and relative balance of the Three Realms and One Hell relied entirely on the power of the "Soul King."
The members of the Zero Division in the Soul King Palace took it as their duty, their pride, and their faith to protect the "corpse of the Soul King," and by extension, the Three Realms and One Hell.
Therefore, if they were to learn that the so-called Three Realms and One Hell were nothing more than the "well" Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni spoke of, Sasakibe Chōjirō could almost imagine the insane actions the Zero Division would take in their delirium once their faith and pride crumbled!
First and foremost, interrogating the Captain and old friend sitting beside him was an absolute certainty!
Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni, draped in a pristine white haori over his pitch-black Shihakusho, sat cross-legged on the wooden veranda. His gray beard, carefully braided, coiled into a circle on the floor. Hearing this, he remained silent.
He understood the underlying meaning of Sasakibe Chōjirō's words, catching the "warning" and "worry" within them. In fact... even without Chōjirō's reminder, he had already thought deeply about this issue. This was exactly why the various Soul Reapers, Captains, and Lieutenants had often seen him spacing out during meetings recently.
However,
"What is meant to come cannot be avoided."
"What is meant to leave cannot be kept."
The old man leaned against the First Division barracks, suppressing the Muken beneath his seat. Squinting at the sun as it freely radiated light and heat, he faintly envisioned the youthful image of Roy, his fiery red hair fluttering in the wind. Under Sasakibe Chōjirō's dumbfounded gaze, the corners of his weathered mouth slowly curled upward, forming a shallow arc. "If a problem truly arises,"
"I will simply cut it down with my sword."
Sasakibe Chōjirō: "..."