Bai Zhu opened his eyes and found himself standing in a warped white space.
There was no ground beneath his feet, no sky overhead, only shifting light and shadow all around him.
The light and shadow resembled shattered glass, each shard reflecting a different scene.
Some people were running, some were crying, some were screaming.
They were all strangers' dreams.
"Fuck."
Bai Zhu swore under his breath and reached for his Zanpakuto.
His hand found nothing.
He looked down. There was nothing at his waist, and trying to access his system inventory got him nowhere.
He couldn't even bring his sword into this damn place.
He tried to muster his Reiatsu, and a faint light glimmered at his fingertips.
"Hado #4: Byakurai."
A bolt of lightning shot out, abruptly twisted in midair, and turned into a swarm of silver butterflies that fluttered away.
Bai Zhu froze.
He tried again.
This time, the lightning flew straight back at him and nearly struck him.
"What the hell..."
He forced himself to calm down.
Attacks don't work. Then I shouldn't waste any more Reiatsu.
He turned and surveyed his surroundings. More and more shattered dream scenes appeared, as though something were pouring them into this place.
No.
They aren't pouring in. They're leaking out.
Bai Zhu suddenly understood.
He was inside the core, and the core was spiraling out of control.
Outside.
Ging stared fixedly at the sphere, veins bulging on his forehead.
Bai Zhu's hand was pressed against its surface. His entire body seemed welded to it, and they couldn't pull him away.
Worse still, Bai Zhu's Reiatsu was being drained at a terrifying rate.
The energy visibly streamed from his body, turning into silvery-white rays that poured into the depths of the sphere.
"Razor!"
Ging roared.
Without a word, Razor