Mastering Complete Shikai (III)

The entire dark world was illuminated, and Liu Ziyun's consciousness was forcibly pulled back to the battlefield. He found himself gripping the blade of the Life-Taker Tulu Blade with one hand, his thumb and forefinger split open, blood streaming down his face. His right hand—which had been broken at some point—was still holding the knife, but he could no longer lift it.

His entire body was covered in exposed wounds. His clothes were ripped to shreds, and blood composed of Reishi seeped from countless wounds, turning him into a blood-soaked figure.

Her state of mind Life-Taker Tulu was hardly any better. She had a deep, bone-revealing knife wound on her left shoulder and several penetrating wounds in her abdomen. But her eyes, radiating a brocade-like light, remained sharp and crazed.

In a fraction of a second, Liu Ziyun unconsciously murmured a word: "Change Fate."

There were no Release Phrase, no complicated incantations, just a simple word.

But this very word triggered an incredible change.

A burst of white mist instantly rose from his body. This mist was not water vapor, but highly concentrated Reiatsu. Under the influence of the white mist, all the wounds on Liu Ziyun's body began to heal at a speed visible to the naked eye—not healed, but "reversed." It was as if time had flowed backward, the wounds disappeared, the blood flowed back, and the broken bones rejoined.

Even the tattered clothes were restored to their original state in the white mist.

A hint of surprise flashed in Life-Taker Tulu's eyes, but the attack did not stop. She raised her left hand, and a red-black light mixed with gold condensed in her palm. That light was different from the crimson of Cero, and also different from the multicolored light of the Kidō; it was a more primal, more essential power.

A beam of light shot out, aiming straight for Liu Ziyun's face.

Liu Ziyun loosened his grip on the blade and casually swatted it away—a movement as casual as swatting away a fly. But with that casual swatting, the light that was powerful enough to destroy mountains was directly scattered, turning into specks of Reishi that dissipated into the void.

Then, he moved.

There was no Shunpo, no afterimage; it was just the simplest and most direct step, and the sword in his hand fell in a swift motion.

The Life-Taker Tulu tried to block, but the blade was too fast. Just as she raised her sword, Liu Ziyun's blade had already struck her shoulder. It wasn't a glancing blow or a cut; it pierced solidly into the bone, worsening her already existing injury.

The Life-Taker Tulu grunted and staggered backward.

Liu Ziyun did not pursue, but instead raised his hands to form a hand seal. "Bakudō #61, Six Rods Prison of Light."

Six beams of light appeared out of thin air, locking onto the Life-Taker Tulu. Liu Ziyun cast the spell while rapidly thinking in his mind:

[How exactly can I awaken the Life-Taker Tulu? I don't even know how I suddenly came back to my senses.]

However, with a single, forceful Life-Taker Tulu, the Six Rods Prison of Light shattered. She charged forward again, her madness only intensifying.

Just as the blades were about to clash again, Liu Ziyun remembered that light.

He didn't use his eyes to see, nor his mind to think, but rather his whole being to feel. He felt a warm power flowing within him, a power that came from the depths of his soul, from that interwoven golden, red, and black light.

He channeled that power into the blade in his hand.

The blade began to glow—not the dazzling light of Life-Taker Tulu, but a softer, more restrained interplay of three colors. Gold represented fate, red represented life, and black represented death. The three forces achieved a perfect balance on the blade.

This time, when the Life-Taker Tulu blade came slashing down, Liu Ziyun neither blocked nor dodged, but instead met the attack head-on.

The two swords crossed paths in mid-air.

The Life-Taker Tulu blade sliced across Liu Ziyun's chest, spraying blood everywhere.

Liu Ziyun's knife plunged straight into the abdomen of the man who Life-Taker Tulu.

The moment it pierced through, the three-colored light on the blade suddenly erupted, transforming into beams of light that spread out from the body of the Life-Taker Tulu. The beams of light were gentle yet irresistible, gently pushing Liu Ziyun away.

The Life-Taker Tulu stood rooted to the spot, looking down at the blade embedded in his abdomen, the madness on his face gradually fading. The bloodlust in his eyes began to disappear, and the brocade light gradually dimmed.

The light lasted for a moment, then slowly faded away.

When the light completely disappeared, Life-Taker Tulu raised his head, revealing a smile that Liu Ziyun had never seen before, a smile that truly belonged to a "human being".

"Congratulations, Ziyun." Her voice regained its dual tone, but it was no longer cold; instead, it was full of warmth. "You have finally gained Complete Shikai."

Liu Ziyun drew his sword, staring blankly at the three-colored light still lingering on its blade. "I... succeeded?"

"You succeeded." Life-Taker Tulu nodded. "The true meaning of Complete Shikai is not the increase in power, but the recognition and control of one's own essence. You have found that light and regained your sanity. From today onwards, 'madness' is no longer your enemy, but a power you can control."

She paused, then continued, "As for the specific abilities that Complete Shikai grants you... that's beyond what I can teach you. You need to explore and understand it yourself. Because it's a power unique to you, a manifestation of the essence of your soul."

After speaking, the figure of the Life-Taker Tulu began to dissipate, turning into specks of light. The light split and recombine, eventually becoming the two independent entities of Life-Taker and Tulu again.

The two looked at Liu Ziyun with relieved smiles on their faces.

"Well done," Tulu rarely praised, "Although the process was dangerous, the result was excellent."

The Life-Taker gently reminded him, "But don't let your guard down. Complete Shikai is just the beginning; you need time to familiarize yourself with this power. And... your physical body in reality probably needs some proper treatment."

Liu Ziyun then remembered the reality of his situation and his heart skipped a beat. "My body..."

"The injuries are quite severe," the Life-Taker said frankly. "The damage to your soul has manifested in your physical body. You'll need to use the Kaidō to heal properly, and it may take some time to recover."

Liu Ziyun nodded, and his consciousness began to withdraw from his Inner World.

When he opened his eyes, he found himself still in the Underground Training Ground. He was in excruciating pain all over his body, and his clothes were soaked in blood. Looking down, he saw that his body was covered with a dense network of wounds, which were healing slowly, but it was clear that they would not be fully healed in a short time.

He struggled to sit up and began Kaidō healing energy. A green healing light enveloped his entire body, and his wounds began to heal faster.

But Liu Ziyun could sense that this injury was extraordinary. Not only his body, but even his soul had been shaken. The awakening of Complete Shikai came at a greater cost than he had imagined.

However, it was all worth it.

Because he could feel a brand new power within him—a power interwoven with gold, red, and black—slowly circulating. It wasn't a power of Life-Taker Tulu, but rather the power of his own fully awakened Zanpakuto.

"Change Fate..." Liu Ziyun murmured the word, feeling the response of the power, "Is this the power of Complete Shikai? The power to change fate?"

He didn't know the answer.

But he knew that from this day forward, his Silent Blade had finally been fully drawn.

And the impending storm has finally been dealt with, giving us the means to withstand it.

Moonlight streamed in through the ventilation shaft of the Training Ground, casting cool, dappled patterns on the blood-stained floor. Liu Ziyun against the wall, feeling the tingling, itchy sensation of his healing wounds, and a long-lost, genuine smile appeared on his face.

The road ahead remains arduous, but at least he is no longer a passive bystander who can only wait.

The butterfly's wings are powerful enough.

It's time to stir up the storm that will change everything.