Shikai? Ryujin Jakka

He could only watch helplessly as his energy reserves neared depletion.

The energy within his body was draining away frantically.

Lu Chongwei's once-ruddy complexion had turned deathly pale.

It felt as if a dam had burst, with a flood pouring out for miles, completely beyond his control.

The source of it all was the Asauchi gripped tightly in his hand—or rather, the Zanpakuto on the verge of awakening.

What on earth is happening...

Lu Chongwei gritted his teeth, fine beads of cold sweat seeping from his forehead, sliding down his cheeks to drip onto the dry ground.

He could feel that special energy, which had only just settled down inside him, being ravenously plundered by the blade in his hand.

Although a constant stream of energy from the outside world seemed to be pouring into his body at the same time, attempting to fill the void, the rate of replenishment could not keep pace with the rate of loss.

This was nothing short of a bottomless pit.

After only a moment, Lu Chongwei felt a wave of intense palpitations—a sign that his life force was being overdrawn.

His vision began to blur.

His legs grew weak, and he nearly collapsed to his knees.

Am I going to be drained dry by a sword?

An absurd and desperate thought surged through Lu Chongwei's mind, yet his fingers were too stiff to release the hilt.

Just a second before he felt his internal energy was about to be completely exhausted and his consciousness was on the verge of slipping into darkness, that terrifying suction stopped as abruptly as it had begun.

Thump.

His heart gave a heavy beat.

The world seemed to fall silent in that instant.

Immediately following, an indescribable sensation of scorching heat surged back from the hilt into his body, rushing straight to his brain.

An ancient, majestic chant, seemingly containing the fundamental truths of heaven and earth, exploded deep within his soul.

"All things in the universe, turn to ashes—"

The voice paused briefly, then, with a domineering intensity that threatened to incinerate everything, it spat out the final four words.

"—Ryujin Jakka!"

Lu Chongwei snapped his eyes open.

Deep within his originally pitch-black pupils, a flicker of dark red fire seemed to flash and vanish.

He looked down at the long sword in his hand once more.

The appearance of the blade had not undergone any massive changes, but he could clearly perceive that this sword had "come alive."

A feeling of being connected by blood welled up within him.

It was no longer a cold piece of iron, but an extension of his own limbs, an embodiment of his will.

Lu Chongwei tentatively channeled the remaining special energy within his body into the blade.

Hum!

The air trembled slightly.

A visible wave of heat rippled out from him as the center, causing even the grass beneath his feet to instantly curl and wither.

"So that's how it is..."

Lu Chongwei exhaled a long, stale breath, a look of relief washing over his face.

Though he did not understand why his energy as an outsider could substitute for a Shinigami's spiritual pressure, nor why this blade, known as the strongest fire-type Zanpakuto, had chosen him, the facts were right before his eyes.

He could wield it.

That was enough.

In this strange world, delving into the principles behind it held little meaning; mastering power was the foundation of survival.

Lu Chongwei sheathed the sword, tucking it neatly into his waistband with a practiced motion.

Grumble—

Just then, an embarrassing sound emanated from his abdomen.

The thrilling tug-of-war with his energy just now had completely drained his physical strength.

Hunger surged like a tide, burning in his stomach.

"Starving to death."

Lu Chongwei rubbed his stomach with a bitter expression, his gaze sweeping toward the ground nearby.

Several pieces of flying fish meat, left over from earlier, still lay there.

Although the creature looked bizarre and even had wings, it was meat nonetheless.

Forget it.

Lu Chongwei picked up some dry branches and skillfully started a campfire.

He hacked the flying fish meat into rough chunks, skewered them on a branch, and set them over the fire to roast.

Before long, the surface of the meat turned golden brown, and the fat began to sizzle.

Even without any seasoning, for Lu Chongwei at this moment, it was a rare delicacy.

"Dig in!"

He couldn't wait to grab a skewer, ignoring the heat, and took a massive bite.

The next second.

Lu Chongwei froze.

His entire face scrunched up instantly, contorted in extreme agony.

"Ugh—"

An indescribable flavor exploded in his mouth.

It was fishy, bitter, and laced with a strange stench reminiscent of rotting seaweed.

Lu Chongwei fought the urge to vomit, tears welling up in his eyes.

"This is way too disgusting!"

He struggled to swallow the mangled mess of meat, feeling his throat protest every inch of the way.

Is this the price of survival in this forest?

Lu Chongwei looked at the half-eaten skewer in his hand, sinking into deep conflict and despair.

At the same time.

In the distant Fiore Kingdom.

Magnolia City.

Here stood the most prestigious and rowdiest mage guild in the country—Fairy Tail.

Inside the guild hall, the noise was deafening.

The clinking of beer mugs, loud shouting, and even the sounds of tables and chairs being smashed in a brawl all blended together.

Amidst this chaotic environment, a tall figure stood before the request board on the second floor.

He was a middle-aged man with orange hair slicked back and a dark green cloak draped over his shoulders.

His face was covered in stubble, giving him the appearance of a down-and-out uncle, yet his eyes were deep and sharp.

Gildarts Clive.

The strongest mage of the Fairy Tail guild and the only monster capable of undertaking the Century Quest.

At this moment, his gaze was fixed on a request slip with slightly yellowed edges.

"Hmm?"

Gildarts reached out with a rough hand and peeled the request slip off the board.

He read the contents aloud, his voice low and magnetic.

"S-Class Request: A massive, unexplained fire has broken out in the depths of the West Wild Forest. No signs of human arson have been found; an unknown demon or high-level magical beast is suspected to be present. Requesting an investigation and the elimination of the threat."

"The West Wild Forest, huh..."

Gildarts rubbed the stubble on his chin, a playful smile spreading across his face.

That place was a famous no-man's-land where even magical beasts were rarely seen; to think there would be a large-scale fire like this?

Interesting.

"Master, I'm taking this job."

Holding the request slip, Gildarts turned and waved at the short old man who was drinking heavily downstairs.

Master Makarov set down his massive beer mug and looked up with bleary, drunken eyes.

Seeing it was Gildarts, the old man let out a hiccup and shouted back.

"Oh! It's Gildarts! Go on then, go on! Just come back soon and try not to destroy the whole forest!"

Gildarts laughed heartily and tucked the request slip into his coat.

"Don't worry, I'm just going to investigate, not start a war."

With that, he strode forward, pushed open the guild doors, and walked out with long, purposeful strides.

The sunlight spilled over his back, casting a long shadow behind him.