True Power

"Me?"

Chiba Makoto looked at All Things in Nature in confusion.

"Wandering and worry..."

All Things in Nature touched Chiba Makoto's cheek with one hand and said, "What exactly is Jam Jam Master worried about?"

Chiba Makoto was slightly taken aback. He had not expected All Things in Nature, who was always fooling around, to say something like that.

Even so, Chiba Makoto instinctively remained wary of All Things in Nature. As though she were a replica of some aspect of his personality, All Things in Nature had fully inherited his two-faced nature.

"It's nothing. Just a minor matter in the outside world," Chiba Makoto answered.

"Is that so? But the whole world has fallen into autumn along with Jam Jam Master's wandering and worries. That really puts me in a difficult position..." All Things in Nature said.

Hearing that, Chiba Makoto swept his gaze across the spiritual space and was startled to find occasional yellowing tips among the once lush green grass.

Chiba Makoto thought for a moment, then raised an eyebrow. An expression like that of an old man preparing to scoop goldfish unconsciously appeared on his face.

"Since All Things in Nature wants to share her master's worries, I suppose that's not impossible..."

"Eh?"

All Things in Nature, who was only palm-sized, put a finger in her mouth and said, "Jam Jam Master, forbidden things are no good. In a sense, I can be considered another you."

???

Chiba Makoto.

What did she mean by forbidden things? Please explain clearly?!

Besides, if she was another him, wouldn't that make him feel even less guilty?

With other creatures, he would still have to worry about whether he ought to take responsibility. But with himself, there was absolutely no need to consider that.

No, I'm not some pervert. How could I possibly do anything to All Things in Nature?

At that thought, Chiba Makoto's expression darkened slightly, though he still kept his tone as gentle as possible.

"It's the name! All Things in Nature, how about telling your master the name of your Bankai? All of your master's wandering and worries stem from insufficient firepower and strength. As long as I know the name of your Bankai, my troubles will naturally lessen by a great deal~"

By the end, Chiba Makoto inexplicably felt something strange, as though he were coaxing some innocent little girl into doing something she should not do.

One could not... at the very least, one should not!

Oh? I died long ago. I'm a Soul Reaper now, so it probably isn't a big problem. Besides, I'm tricking myself...

Tricking myself... wasn't really some immoral and forbidden act, was it?

At that thought, Chiba Makoto's gaze at All Things in Nature became increasingly sincere. He stared fixedly at her little mouth, hoping she would say something useful.

All Things in Nature's expression first showed hesitation, then, beneath Chiba Makoto's gaze, became conflicted and wavering...

Could it be... that I can really conquer a Zanpakuto this way, make it submit, and fulfill the conditions for Bankai release?

Although Chiba Makoto felt that his approach was somehow not quite right, his gaze at All Things in Nature grew more and more expectant.

However, in the next instant, All Things in Nature crossed her hands in an X before her chest and sweetly answered.

"No good, no good, no good~ Jam Jam Master, I'm not the kind of sweet innocent girl who falls for you before being truly conquered. If you want to know everything about me, then you must rely on your strength to make me completely submit~"

?!

Chiba Makoto's mouth... could not help but twitch.

She could have simply refused or retorted, yet she had forcibly given him a little hope first, hesitated for a long while... and in the end, even made her refusal sound incomparably lovely.

That awful style and reaction had quite an authentic flavor to it.

That's right, All Things in Nature was indeed full of my flavor. She was definitely a Zanpakuto separated from my own soul!

For the first time, Chiba Makoto felt that it was better for him to be a little more pure and kind, lest he lead his Zanpakuto astray.

"Is there really no room for negotiation? For example, tell me part of the name first. Don't worry, you know what kind of person I am—I always keep my promises!"

Chiba Makoto swore solemnly.

"I'll absolutely only rub against the outside of the Bankai a little and borrow a bit of power. I won't delude myself into obtaining all of the Bankai's power at once. If I'm supposed to conquer you slowly, then I'll definitely conquer you slowly until you submit."

All Things in Nature blinked her large, doll-like eyes, then broke into a smile and sweetly replied.

"No, Jam Jam Master. If you do that, you'll definitely obtain the wrong Bankai, and you'll never be able to truly turn back again."

The wrong... Bankai?

Chiba Makoto looked at All Things in Nature in surprise. I already think your Shikai form looks pretty wrong. That shouldn't be it...

Yet All Things in Nature's expression gradually turned serious as she spoke.

"Jam Jam Master, before you realize what true power is, it will be absolutely impossible for you to achieve Bankai. And I will never submit to you, either."

Chiba Makoto's heart stirred as he asked, "What is true power?"

All Things in Nature smiled faintly, opening her mouth as she spoke.

"Actually... I've told Jam Jam Master countless times already. It's just that Jam Jam Master has always ignored my hints, or perhaps Jam Jam Master has always been pretending not to hear..."

Yet the voice that finally reached Chiba Makoto's ears grew softer and softer, until he seemed unable to hear it clearly.

For a moment, Chiba Makoto's face was full of confusion. He had no idea what useful information All Things in Nature had ever told him.

Ever since Chiba Makoto had heard his Zanpakuto's Shikai name around two years ago and successfully achieved Shikai, All Things in Nature had never taught him any specific techniques or powers. He could only rely on his understanding of similar forms of power from his previous life to figure out how to use it.

Even the development of the "Seed of the Forest" had been entirely Chiba Makoto's own work, taking him a full year as he tried to compensate for his severe lack of Reiryoku and spiritual pressure.

Other than that, most of the exchanges between All Things in Nature and Chiba Makoto seemed utterly meaningless. It was always calling him "Jam Jam Master," then constantly teasing or brutally killing him in battle.

Just then, that drama queen, All Things in Nature, once again let out a frantic and aggrieved cry.

"Hahaha, that despicable and filthy Jam Jam Master must be thinking of something awful again..."

The next instant, countless giant trees burst from the endless grassland, transforming into a towering sea of trees that swept toward Chiba Makoto, as though determined to crush him into jam once more.

"Again?! All Things in Nature, you..."

Chiba Makoto gritted his teeth and shouted, only to be instantly crushed beneath the sea of trees formed by countless dragon-like trunks.

"Jaaam~"