After witnessing the substantial boost in his Three Forms of Haki from dueling both Vasco Shot and the Crescent Moon Hunter, Rosen cast a brief glance at Zephyr. He immediately caught the complicated look in his mentor's eyes—pride, frustration, perhaps even helplessness.
Rosen thought of saying something to comfort him.
But before the words could even form, the world in front of him began to blur.
The dark, sunless landscape of Infinite Hell dissolved like smoke, replaced by clear skies and drifting clouds. Beneath his feet, he saw vast, towering buildings, each one ancient, sacred — brimming with spiritual pressure.
The Soul Society.
Rosen instantly recognized it.
He had seen this place once in his previous life, through the glowing screen of a Bleach episode.
And now, in this world, he had seen it again.
— When he visualized his Zanpakutō.
— When he developed his Arms-Arms Fruit.
— When he glimpsed the depths of power through extraordinary comprehension.
At the same time, he noticed two figures locked in confrontation among the rooftops.
One wore a white captain's haori, calm and poised.
The other stood wild and battle-ready, wielding a monstrous skeletal snake.
Renji Abarai.
Byakuya Kuchiki.
That meant only one thing.
This was the moment when both unleashed their Bankai — for the very first time.
Sure enough, Byakuya raised his hand.
"Bakudō #61: Six Rods Light Restraint."
Six pillars of golden light shot through the air, sealing Renji in place.
Byakuya's voice was calm, cold, and sharp.
"Put your blade away and surrender."
"Do you truly believe…"
"…that you can defeat me?"
"Did you forget? I too… possess Bankai."
The color drained from Renji's face. Still, without a word, he turned his blade downward and let it fall.
"Bankai."
Byakuya's voice was soft, but it echoed across the rooftops.
The Zanpakutō did not clatter as it hit the ground. Instead, it rippled through the stone like water.
In the next moment, the earth itself began to shimmer — like a lake under moonlight.
One after another, massive swords surged upward, piercing the sky like skyscrapers. Each was a towering monolith, so enormous that in the world of pirates, only giants could wield them.
Byakuya stood alone among the blades, proud as ever.
"Senbonzakura Kageyoshi."
With that single command, the blades shimmered and exploded into a sea of petals — glimmering, razor-sharp cherry blossom blades that whirled into the sky, billions upon billions, enough to eclipse the sun and swallow the sky.
Renji could only stare, eyes wide.
Trapped. Silent.
The sky fell upon him.
Snap.
The golden seals of Bakudō shattered.
Renji's Zanpakutō and skeletal beast shattered.
And so too did the illusion.
Crack!
The entire world fractured — like broken glass peeling from reality — and Rosen found himself once more back in Infinite Hell.
Only this time, something new surged in his mind.
A whisper from the system he now knew better than his own heartbeat.
…
[Your comprehension is extraordinary. Through repeated application of the Arms-Arms Fruit and relentless combat within Impel Down, you have elevated its power to a higher realm. Through visualization and realization, you have awakened the exclusive skill: Senbonzakura Kageyoshi.]
[Senbonzakura Kageyoshi — Exclusive Skill. Your extraordinary comprehension has fused your Zanpakutō understanding with the Arms-Arms Fruit. Three evolving forms: Annihilation, Pulse, Final.]
(Requires: Arms-Arms Fruit.)
…
At a single thought, blades bloom into Billions.
A sea of steel, falling like cherry blossoms, cloaking the sky and swallowing all.
Rosen's eyes gleamed.
He was already satisfied that the growth of his Haki had returned to double-digit progress. But now—this?
This was joy beyond expectation.
His Conqueror's Haki advanced—but so too had his fruit.
Over these past two weeks of war in Impel Down, his Arms-Arms Fruit—merged with the genius of extraordinary comprehension—had quietly advanced to a higher realm.
Bankai.
He hadn't awakened the Arms-Arms Fruit completely…
But now, through visualization alone, he has forged a Bankai into existence.
That's right.
Forged Bankai.
And this one was Senbonzakura Kageyoshi.
These past days, Rosen had tried several times to visualize and manifest his Bankai using hand-forging methods. But no matter how many times he tried, it had always fallen short.
Clearly, the fruit's development had not yet met the threshold.
So, he'd shelved the idea.
Use Shikai first. Polish it with Haki. Refine with battle. Then break through.
With his comprehension, he had faith the problem would solve itself.
Now it has.
Half a month.
That was all it took.
The first true hand-Forge Bankai was born.
Senbonzakura Kageyoshi.
It was fitting.
It had been his first visualization after arriving in the pirate world. His first epiphany after eating the Arms-Arms Fruit.
His first Zanpakutō.
"…Something wrong, junior?"
Borsalino's lazy voice broke through the silence.
He had clearly noticed that Rosen's expression had gone distant, as though lost in thought.
"No. Nothing."
Rosen shook his head, casually dismissing it. He didn't explain how his fruit had just ascended to the next realm.
There was no need.
Borsalino was here every day. Watching. Observing.
He would see the truth soon enough.
At that moment, Rosen caught a flicker of movement in the corner of his eye.
Catarina Devon.
The terror that had gripped her earlier seemed to have faded. Her eyes no longer brimmed with dread or despair.
Instead, she wore the faintest trace of… delight.
Survivor's joy.
After all, aside from the frozen corpse of Vasco Shot, Catarina was now the only prisoner who had faced Rosen and lived—without being crippled.
Rosen narrowed his eyes, then turned to speak.
"I'll leave the cleanup to you, Captain Shiryu."
"Breaking the ice. Re-detaining the prisoners."
"Shouldn't be too difficult."
He paused, then said lightly—
"I'm sure they'll be more than willing to return to their cages on their own."
He didn't even look back at her.
"Right, Crescent Moon Hunter?"
Behind him, Catarina Devon's face twisted.
Her fists clenched involuntarily.
She wasn't frozen by Haki now—no. It was furious.
Humiliation.
If she'd been knocked out and dragged back to her cell, that would've been one thing. Defeat, plain and simple.
But to walk back on her own?
To willingly return to the cage?
Like some mutt who gets scolded, whimpers, then wags its tail and trots home?
Unforgivable.
Her pride screamed.
The shame was a blade twisting in her heart.
...
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