Bleach: Watch Closely, This Is How You Use a Zanpakutō

Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto's body suddenly trembled. He felt a light tap on his shoulder.

He turned his head—and saw a familiar figure.

That brat… What's he doing here?

"Ma... Masatsuki!"

Yamamoto's eyes widened in shock as he stared at his grinning apprentice.

He never expected to see him here—Masatsuki should've been enjoying a peaceful life in the Soul King Palace.

Did he sense the danger and escape early?

Even so, this wasn't the place to come. The timing was all wrong!

In his flustered state, Yamamoto even forgot the pain coursing through his body.

He hurriedly said, "I'll try to buy some time—get the others out of here, now!"

That was Zanka no Tachi, a Zanpakutō capable of destroying the world!

He had used his Bankai earlier, confident in his victory. He'd let himself show off, unleashing every technique Zanka no Tachi had.

Now the space around them was collapsing. In less than thirty seconds, everything would be annihilated.

He and Shunsui Kyōraku, who was running over from not far away, didn't matter. They could die.

They were just a dying old man and a washed-up soldier. If they died, so be it.

But Masatsuki Aozaki was stronger than he was. He might be able to defeat Yhwach. He was the future of the Soul Society—he absolutely couldn't die here!

But Masatsuki Aozaki reached out, hoisted Yamamoto onto his shoulder, and smiled.

"Old man, you're way too old to be spouting cool lines like that. Leave this kind of thing to the younger ones."

His tone was light, as if the crisis meant nothing to him.

Yamamoto opened his mouth to warn him not to act tough.

But before he could speak, he saw Masatsuki casually wave his hand—shattering the barrier that Yamamoto himself couldn't move.

As the formation vanished, Zanka no Tachi slowly faded, and the searing heat in the air disappeared.

Yamamoto was dumbfounded. The words stuck in his throat.

"Well? Didn't make you lose face, did I?"

Masatsuki grinned, full of pride.

Seeing him do something he couldn't, Yamamoto did want to praise him.

But the moment he saw that smug face, the urge vanished. He even instinctively felt like punching him.

Yamamoto's old mouth opened slightly. After a moment, he grumbled,

"...Not bad."

RUMBLE!!!

Suddenly, cracks split across the sky—space itself was about to shatter.

"Masatsuki!!!"

—A woman's joyful shout.

He turned his head. Shunsui Kyōraku was leading a group toward them. The one who had called out was Mashiro Kuna.

"Masatsuki!"

"Aozaki!"

"Boss!"

"Captain!"

"Captain Masatsuki!"

Everyone rushed over and surrounded Masatsuki Aozaki and Yamamoto, voices filled with excitement.

They had just seen Masatsuki defeat the unkillable giant—and it looked like he had even extinguished the stolen Bankai of the Captain-Commander.

It was nothing short of a miracle!

"This isn't the time to celebrate."

The crisis wasn't over. Shunsui Kyōraku, Retsu Unohana, and Gin Ichimaru remained the calmest.

"We need to find a way out."

"This shadow space won't hold for long."

"Even the Technology Development Bureau's tools don't work anymore."

One after another, they laid out the current situation.

Masatsuki Aozaki glanced around, waved his hand, and drew the Zanpakutō at his waist.

"Amenominaka." (Heavenly Ancestral Heart)

...

After Masatsuki Aozaki left, Yahweh sat alone in the grand hall, surrounded by silence.

The atmosphere was exceptionally quiet.

Then, the doors slowly opened, and a bald man stepped inside.

It was Ichibē Hyōsube, who had supposedly "died" earlier.

His steps were light and unhurried.

Upon entering, he showed none of the deference expected of a vassal greeting his sovereign. Instead, like an old friend, he casually sat down beside Yahweh.

"Soul King, that kid didn't even say goodbye before leaving?"

Ichibē Hyōsube asked with a grin.

Yahweh gave a slight nod, answering plainly in just four words:

"Yes, he left."

"Well, it's probably for the best. Otherwise, I would've had to teach that brat a lesson. Went way too hard on me—sparring shouldn't almost cost me my life,"

Ichibē said with a chuckle.

Then, with a sigh of relief, he added,

"Good thing he held back a bit and didn't destroy my Zero Division Riden. Otherwise, I wouldn't have made it back to see Your Majesty."

He let out a hearty laugh, as if completely unfazed by the fact that he'd just died once.

Yahweh looked at him helplessly, shook his head, and said,

"Who told you to go provoke him?"

"Hahaha… Well, it was such a big deal—I couldn't feel at ease without testing him myself!"

Ichibē scratched his head as he laughed.

"How did it feel, fighting him?"

Yahweh smiled warmly as he asked.

"He has the makings of a Soul King."

"Is that so…"

Yahweh nodded, unsurprised by the answer.

Ichibē grumbled,

"You already knew what I was going to say, so why bother asking?"

Yahweh replied calmly,

"Because if I didn't ask, you wouldn't have said it—right?"

"Ugh… You've got me there."

Ichibē fell silent for a moment.

"But still… to leave me completely helpless like that."

"Even putting aside the Hōgyoku and your organs, that kid himself is terrifying."

Ichibē paused, sighed deeply, then continued,

"But Soul King, are you really going to choose him? I remember you once said there were other ways, weren't there?"

Yahweh gave a soft chuckle and answered honestly,

"Yes. In fact, my original plan… was to become human."

"Become human?"

Ichibē stroked his chin, a flicker of confusion in his eyes.

The great Soul King, wanting to become such a frail lifeform—no one would believe that.

But he could tell from Yahweh's tone—he wasn't joking.

Yahweh gently rested his hand on his throne—the massive crystal that bound his body—and spoke slowly:

"That's right, become human."

"Humans are born of Kishi and bring Reishi into the world."

"They are the foundation of existence—the most unique beings across the Three Realms, holding the greatest potential."

"To confront Hell, my current power simply isn't enough. Or rather, it's precisely because I am who I am… that I can't."

"I was born of the world and possess its power—but that means I must also abide by its rules."

"From the moment the world came into being, Hell has preyed upon it—a force more ravenous than Hollows."

"If things go on like this, eventually, the world will be consumed."

"I can destroy Hollows, but I can't destroy Hell, because Hell devours the world…"

"That is a rule embedded in the very birth of this world—its truth!"

"As the one who represents the world, I cannot interfere. I'm not allowed to."

"Becoming human… is the only way to break that chain."

"Then if that path exists, why abandon it?" Ichibē asked urgently.

"Because humans are still part of the world. No matter how great their potential, there's no guarantee they could overcome Hell."

Yahweh looked at him calmly, his gaze carrying a quiet, comforting strength.

"Are you really so sure he can succeed?"

Ichibē gradually calmed down.

Yahweh shook his head.

"No, I'm not sure at all. But among all the possibilities I've considered—he offers the greatest hope."

"What kind of person is he, to earn your faith like that?"

"I don't know. Just a guess… maybe he's the Creator."

"The Creator? You've got to be kidding—that kid isn't even a fraction of my age!"

Yahweh said nothing, quietly watching the sunset in the sky—just like any ordinary middle-aged man in the world.

...

(40 Chapters Ahead)

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