Bankai Training Begins Again (Six)

When the towering pillar of light finally dissipated and the training ground was once again illuminated by normal lighting, the members of the Visored remained in a state of near-numb shock. They had witnessed a battle beyond conventional understanding, and witnessed the birth of a power never before recorded in the history of Soul Society.

In the center of the training field, Liu Ziyun lay on his back, motionless. His breathing was weak and steady, and the fatal wound on his chest had disappeared without a trace, leaving only a faint, almost invisible scar. But what was more striking was his right hand— the Zanpakuto he gripped tightly in his hand.

The knife lay quietly in Liu Ziyun's hand, without any fluctuation or pressure, like the most ordinary ornament. But everyone knew—this was anything but ordinary.

Just minutes before, this knife had unleashed a terrifying force that nearly destroyed the entire Barrier.

"Just now... he looked so terrifying." Mashiro Kuna was the first to break the silence, her voice still trembling slightly, "That crazed aura... it was just like a real Hollow, no, even more terrifying than a Hollow."

Lisa Yadōmaru took a few steps forward, but didn't get too close. Her eyes were fixed on the sword in Liu Ziyun's hand, her expression unusually solemn. "Seeing the way his Zanpakuto looked just now, I felt an indescribable fear. The power contained in that sword has completely exceeded the scope of a regular Zanpakuto."

She turned to the others, her tone unusually serious. "I think... why don't we take this opportunity to kill him? Otherwise, if his Zanpakuto goes completely out of control, I feel it will bring unimaginable trouble to the Three Worlds."

These words instantly made the atmosphere even more tense.

Hiyori Sarugaki paused for a moment, then almost instinctively echoed, "Yes, yes, yes! Let's take him down! That annoying bald guy, always so arrogant, is finally in our hands! Otherwise, we'll never have another chance!"

Although her tone was angry, her eyes showed even more fear— Liu Ziyun's almost destructive aura had clearly left a deep psychological scar on her.

Shinji Hirako stepped between the two, a signature languid smile on his face, but his eyes were unusually sharp. "Oh dear... what a difficult choice. On one side are former comrades, on the other, a being that could threaten the Three Worlds... what should we do?"

His tone was joking, but everyone could hear the seriousness in it.

Kisuke Urahara covered his mouth with his signature fan, revealing only a pair of eyes that gleamed with a complex light. "Well, it's a tough choice indeed. But... if we provoke him to unleash his Zanpakuto here, it seems we won't be able to handle it. That level of power just now, if we hadn't set up multiple layers of defense beforehand, the entire Karakura Town might have already disappeared from the map."

These words silenced everyone.

Indeed, the battle within the Barrier just now had exceeded their capabilities. Even with the entire Visored plus Kisuke Urahara, Tessai Tsukabishi, Hachigen Ushōda, they might not be able to suppress Liu Ziyun and his Zanpakuto when they were fully unleashed.

Kensei Muguruma walked over to Liu Ziyun, squatted down, and carefully examined his condition. The former Captain of the Ninth Division had an unusually serious expression, but there was no killing intent in his eyes, only deep worry.

"Alright, stop fooling around." Kensei Muguruma stood up and looked around at everyone. "Yuaki, come and treat his external injuries. We'll decide what to do after he wakes up."

He paused, then added, "At least for now... he's alive, and doesn't seem to be spiraling out of control. We shouldn't make decisions we might regret while our partner is unconscious."

These words eased the tension somewhat.

Hachigen Ushōda stepped forward, knelt beside Liu Ziyun, and began to form hand seals. Pale green healing light emanated from his palms, covering Liu Ziyun's body. Although the wounds from before had healed, Liu Ziyun's body had clearly endured a great burden and needed treatment to recover.

"His Reiatsu is stable... although weak, there's no sign of him going berserk," said Hachigen Ushōda while treating him. "And I can sense that his soul structure... has undergone some changes. It's a more stable, more complete structure, completely different from before."

"Changes?" Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi asked, frowning. "What changes?"

"It's hard to explain..." Hachigen Ushōda shook his head, "It's like... his original soul was broken and fragmented, but now it has been reintegrated. And the integration is so perfect, without any flaws."

Love Aikawa looked thoughtfully at the unconscious Liu Ziyun: "So... he succeeded? That Bankai, it really was completed?"

"It seems so." Kisuke Urahara closed his fan, his expression turning serious. "But it's a Bankai we've never seen before... perhaps even a Bankai that's never appeared in the history of Soul Society. The power contained within that sword has transcended the ordinary."

The group looked at each other, but ultimately came to no conclusion.

Under Kensei Muguruma's command, the group worked together to Liu Ziyun out of the training ground and place him in a relatively clean room within the base. Hachigen Ushōda continued to treat him, while the others dispersed, each carrying a heavy burden in their hearts.