A Purple Blade Appears by the Bedside, Ryūjin Jakka!

Over there.

At some point, something had appeared.

It was a blade.

A long blade.

It lay there quietly, its entire body a primitive, deep shade of purple.

The scabbard was exquisitely crafted, engraved with strange, intricate patterns.

The hilt was gold, wrapped in deep purple silk ribbons, exuding an aura that was both noble and dangerous.

"Where... did this come from?"

Lu Chongwei's face was full of bewilderment, his mind flooded with questions.

It definitely wasn't there before he went to sleep last night.

Could someone have snuck in and placed it there while he was asleep?

Impossible!

If someone had entered, given his level of vigilance, it was impossible for him not to have reacted at all.

Unless the intruder's strength was infinitely greater than his own.

Lu Chongwei swallowed hard, cautiously reaching out his hand to grip the golden hilt.

A cold sensation traveled from the palm of his hand.

The very moment his hand touched the long blade:

"Ding!"

A cold, emotionless, synthesized mechanical voice suddenly exploded in his mind.

Lu Chongwei shuddered violently, nearly dropping the blade in fright.

"Who? Who's talking?"

He looked around in a panic.

But the cave was completely empty.

The mechanical voice ignored his panic, continuing to broadcast coldly:

"Ding, detected that the host's subconscious feels their own strength is too weak, and has sleepwalked to another world overnight to steal 'Ryujin Jakka'!"

"..."

The air seemed to freeze at that moment.

Lu Chongwei's mouth hung open, his face full of disbelief.

What had he just heard?

Sleepwalking?

To another world?

Stole... Ryujin Jakka?!

"Sys... system?"

Lu Chongwei tentatively called out in his mind.

However, only silence answered him.

The mechanical voice seemed to have only come to deliver a notification before vanishing completely; no matter how he called out, there was no response at all.

Lu Chongwei sat dazed on the bed, clutching the long blade tightly in his hand.

Slowly, the shock faded, replaced by a surge of wild joy.

Ryujin Jakka!

As a seasoned otaku in his past life (albeit a fake one), how could he not know this name?

That was the Zanpakuto of Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto, Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13 from the anime Bleach!

It was known as the strongest and oldest fire-type Zanpakuto.

In its Shikai, it possessed the temperature of the sun's surface.

In its Bankai, it could reach the temperature of the sun's core, capable of turning everything in the world to ash.

"I'm rich! I'm really rich this time!"

Lu Chongwei was so excited that his hands were trembling.

With this blade, any Tyrannosaurus rex or energy-infused tiger would be nothing but a little brother!

He couldn't wait to draw this divine artifact and see its true form.

"Clang..."

The long blade slid half an inch out of its scabbard.

Although it was not yet fully unsheathed, a scorching heat already rushed toward his face.

Merely revealing a small section of the blade caused the surrounding temperature to rise sharply.

Lu Chongwei hurriedly shoved the blade back into its scabbard.

He took a few deep breaths, struggling to calm his racing heart.

Calm down, calm down.

He patted his own cheeks.

"I need the Shikai incantation to release the power of a Zanpakuto."

Lu Chongwei frowned, struggling to recall clips from the anime he had watched in his past life.

However, an awkward situation unfolded.

In his past life, he had been busy as a dog just trying to make a living, and he had only watched anime sporadically for the spectacle.

He only knew that this sword was incredibly badass and was called Ryujin Jakka.

But what exactly was the Shikai incantation again?

"All things in the universe... turn to ashes?"

Lu Chongwei tentatively shouted at the long sword.

There was no reaction.

The long sword lay quietly in his hands, as if mocking his ignorance.

"No, that's not it. Maybe it's... All things in the universe?"

He shouted again.

Still, there was no reaction.

Lu Chongwei was so anxious he was scratching his head and ears.

"Damn it! If only I hadn't skipped through the episodes back then!"

He punched the bed frame in frustration.

This was the consequence of not watching the show properly!

To have a divine artifact in hand but be unable to use it because he didn't know the password—this was truly the greatest torture in the world.

"No, I can't give up."

Lu Chongwei forced himself to calm down.

Since the system said I stole this... no, since this sword acknowledged me (perhaps), then there must be a way for me to use it.

Since I don't know the incantation, I'll try to communicate with it.

He remembered the anime mentioning that Zanpakuto have souls.

As long as he could gain the acknowledgment of the sword's spirit, perhaps he could learn its name and release command.

With no other choice, Lu Chongwei sat cross-legged on the stone bed.

He placed Ryujin Jakka horizontally across his knees and gently stroked the blade with both hands.

"Ryujin Jakka, oh Ryujin Jakka, I know you are strong, and I know I am weak."

Lu Chongwei closed his eyes and settled his mind, attempting to sense the soul within the blade.

"But I have a heart that yearns to grow stronger. I want to survive, and I want to walk out of this forest."

"If you can hear my voice, please respond to me."

Time ticked away, second by second.

The cave was deathly silent.

Lu Chongwei maintained his posture, motionless, as if he were an old monk in deep meditation.

The first attempt failed.

His mind remained a void, and he could sense nothing.

The second attempt also failed.

But he did not lose heart.

He tried again and again, adjusting his breathing and focusing his spirit.

He slowly channeled the mysterious energy within his body into the blade, attempting to use it as a bridge for communication.

The tenth time...

The fifteenth time...

Sweat gathered on his forehead, and his face grew somewhat pale.

The intense mental focus and the output of energy left him feeling extremely exhausted.

Yet, he gritted his teeth and persisted.

Finally.

On his twenty-first attempt.

A sudden change occurred.

The previously dormant Ryūjin Jakka suddenly shuddered.

"Hum!"

A clear, resonant blade-hum echoed within Lu Chongwei's mind.

Immediately following, a red light erupted from the body of the blade.

The light was not blinding, yet it carried an indescribable sense of majesty and scorching heat.

The radiance spread rapidly, instantly engulfing Lu Chongwei's entire body.

Lu Chongwei felt his vision blur.

His consciousness seemed to be pulled into a world filled with flames.

In this world, he sensed an ancient and powerful will.

It was the soul of Ryūjin Jakka!

He was engaged in a wondrous communion with his Zanpakutō.

No language was needed, merely a collision of intent.

However, at the same time.

In the real world, Lu Chongwei's body was trembling violently.

The special energy he had accumulated over the past month was draining away at an astonishing speed.

Like a burst dam, it surged frantically into the long blade resting across his knees.

In just a few seconds, he felt as though more than half of his body had been hollowed out.

Yet, this suction showed no signs of stopping.

Lu Chongwei was struck with alarm.

Damn it! This blade is draining my energy!

If this continued, he feared he would be sucked dry before he could even complete the connection!

But he was currently trapped in a predicament; his consciousness was locked within that world of fire, and he was completely unable to sever the link.