Changing Zaraki and Yachiru's Fates (3)

Liu Ziyun opened his eyes, a sharp glint flashing within them. His Reiatsu was steady and deep, like a bottomless pool of water. The Life-Taker Tulu trembled slightly on his knees, as if it too was excited for the moment to come.

"I will now attempt to use my power to make you independent." His voice was calm yet firm, each word clear as if etched into the air. "That way, when needed, Captain Zaraki can merge with the Little Deer; and in normal times, the Little Deer can separate, and daily life will not be affected."

Kenpachi Zaraki remained silent for a moment, his gaze lingering on Yachiru Kusajishi. A complex light flashed in his sharp eyes—expectation, worry, and a deep, almost resolute determination. Then, he slowly nodded.

Yachiru Kusajishi looked at Liu Ziyun, her large eyes sparkling with expectation and trust. Her voice was clear and firm. "That's fine! That way, Little Kenpachi and I won't have to be separated."

Kenpachi Zaraki looked at her, a hint of tenderness flashing in his eyes, then turned to Liu Ziyun, his voice low and hoarse. "As long as Yachiru's existence can be guaranteed, that's enough."

Liu Ziyun nodded, then closed his eyes. He raised the Life-Taker Tulu, its blade gleaming faintly in the pale blue light. His fingers gently traced the blade, feeling the familiar yet strange power within it.

"Shikai" (Shikai).

His voice was deep and calm, as if calling an old friend. The Life-Taker Tulu began to change—the blade became longer, the edge sharper, and exquisite patterns appeared on the hilt. The golden dragon and the red phoenix emerged from the blade, swirling and coiling in the eerie blue light, lifelike.

Liu Ziyun closed his eyes, focusing intently on the Life-Taker Tulu. He could feel that power surging from the blade, flowing along his arm, into his body, and into his soul.

That power was strong and profound, like a bottomless abyss, like an endless starry sky. His mind drifted with that power, as if he were about to lose himself in endless darkness.

Just then, an even more powerful force erupted from the Life-Taker Tulu. That force surged like a tsunami, raged like a volcano, and instantly engulfed Liu Ziyun's mind. His consciousness began to blur, his senses began to distort, and his body began to spiral out of control—

Then, a voice resounded from the depths of his heart. The voice was gentle and clear, like the tinkling of a mountain spring, like the soft chiming of a wind chime, yet it carried an aura of majesty that compelled one to submit.

"Watch closely... how I use my power."

Liu Ziyun's body was no longer under his control. He raised the Life-Taker Tulu, its blade gleaming eerily in the ghostly blue light. He moved, his body spinning, and with two consecutive strikes, he slashed into the bodies of Kenpachi Zaraki and Yachiru Kusajishi.

The moment the blade pierced their bodies, there was no blood, no wound. Only a strange power surged from the blade, seeping into their bodies, into their souls, into the invisible thread that bound them together.

Kenpachi Zaraki's body jolted violently, his eyes widening in shock. Yachiru Kusajishi's small face also showed surprise; she could feel something being stripped from her body and something else being injected into her.

Then, a woman's voice came from Liu Ziyun's mouth. The voice was not his, but belonged to the woman who ruled his Inner World —cold and majestic, like the will of a god.

"All Things Return to Origin, Fate Rewritten."

As the voice rang out, Kenpachi Zaraki and Yachiru Kusajishi began to emit a dazzling light. The light was so bright and dazzling, as blinding as the sun, that it was impossible to look directly at them. Within the light, their powers began to intertwine—golden Reiatsu and pink Reiatsu entwined, swirled, and merged, like a pair of twin stars dancing in the sky.

Liu Ziyun's body moved again. He raised the Life-Taker Tulu, the blade drawing a strange arc in the air before slashing into the intertwined forces. Wherever the blade passed, the intertwined forces began to separate—like a ribbon being cut by an invisible pair of scissors, split in two, yet still connected by a thread.

"One Origin, Two Fates; One Soul, Two Bodies."

As the voice rang out, the intertwined forces began to separate rapidly. The golden Reiatsu surged towards Kenpachi Zaraki, while the pink Reiatsu surged towards Yachiru Kusajishi.

But during their separation, a faint glimmer of light always connected the two—an invisible thread, a thread that tightly bound their fates together, a thread that could bring them together when needed and separate them when not.

The ray of light grew thinner and fainter, until finally—it disappeared. Not vanished, but hidden. It still existed, still connected the two, but was no longer visible, no longer tangible, only appearing when they needed it.

As the light faded, the power attached to Liu Ziyun began to flow back. That powerful, godlike force was drawn from Liu Ziyun's body, flowing along his arm back to the Life-Taker Tulu. The light on the blade gradually dissipated, the dragon and phoenix quieted down again, the Shikai release was dispelled, and the Life-Taker Tulu returned to its normal form.

The Reiatsu Liu Ziyun plummeted to its lowest point in that instant. His face was as pale as paper, fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, his breathing was rapid and erratic, and he swayed precariously, as if he would collapse at any moment. He struggled to steady himself, planting the Life-Taker Tulu Spear in the ground to support himself and prevent himself from falling.

"Now..." His voice was hoarse and weak, tinged with weariness and relief, "There should be no problem."

Kenpachi Zaraki did not answer. He looked down at his hands, feeling the power within him. He could sense that the power was different from before—purer, more solid, and more controllable.

He felt his power become whole and stable within him. At the same time, he could feel that connection—that invisible connection with Yachiru Kusajishi. He could feel her presence, her emotions, her heartbeat. They were one, yet independent; they could unite, yet separate.

"Yachiru," his voice was low and hoarse, tinged with a mixture of nervousness and anticipation, "How do you feel?"

Yachiru Kusajishi looked down at her little hands, wiggled her fingers, then looked up at Kenpachi Zaraki. Her big eyes sparkled with joy, and her little face was full of smiles.

"I just feel... more fulfilled." Her voice was clear and soft, tinged with excitement. "Other than that, I don't feel anything special!"

Kenpachi Zaraki let out a long breath, his heart finally settling down. A rare smile appeared on his lips—a very faint smile, almost invisible, but it was definitely there.

He turned to look at Liu Ziyun, a hint of worry flashing in his sharp eyes. "You don't seem to be in good shape. So... when can our battle begin?"

Liu Ziyun struggled to his feet, pulled the Life-Taker Tulu from the ground, and sheathed it. His face was still pale, but his eyes had regained their clarity. His voice was still hoarse, but with a hint of determination. "Once I've recovered, I'll be ready to fight at any time. Then... I will fulfill your wish."

Kenpachi Zaraki nodded, a glint of anticipation flashing in his sharp eyes. "Alright. It's been a long time since I've had a proper fight."

Liu Ziyun smiled slightly, a smile tinged with both emotion and relief, "Me too. It's been a long time since I've had a proper fight. The battle with Aizen, although it allowed me to unleash my full power, didn't give me complete satisfaction. Because when fighting him, you have to be extremely careful... otherwise, it's easy to cause other problems."

He paused, his gaze deepening as if recalling that thrilling battle. "I hope this fight with you will be satisfying."

Kenpachi Zaraki looked at him, a similar expectation and longing flashing in his sharp eyes. A near-mad smile spread across his lips, a smile brimming with the desire to fight and the wildness of a beast.

Me too... I'm really looking forward to it.

Their gazes clashed in mid-air, an invisible fighting spirit surging through the air as if it were tangible. Muken blue light flickered between them, seemingly excited for the impending duel. Yachiru Kusajishi sat to the side, her hands supporting her chin, her small face beaming with anticipation, her large eyes gleaming with excitement.

She waited—waited for the impending battle, waited for the two strongest men to clash and create dazzling sparks. She knew it would be an unprecedented battle, a battle worthy of being recorded in the annals of Soul Society, a battle that no one would ever forget.

Before that, they needed to wait. Wait for Liu Ziyun recover, wait for the time to come, wait for—fate to take its course.