Night fell.
As darkness descended, the noise and excitement of the day gradually faded into silence.
At this time—
On the northern side of Shinō Academy,
inside the dormitory building for first-year students—
Within one of the rooms, Bai Chen sat cross-legged on a cushion, his zanpakutō laid flat before him.
Once again, he assumed the posture of Jinzen.
Very soon, as his thoughts fully immersed themselves in meditation,
his will began to synchronize with the blade.
As his consciousness blurred, he successfully entered his inner world once more.
"?!"
"Something's wrong… This time, the environment inside my inner world is clearly different from before."
When Bai Chen opened his eyes—
What greeted him at first glance was still the familiar blue sky, drifting clouds, and the Final Valley with its towering waterfall in the distance.
However—
Unlike last time,
The path leading toward the Final Valley was no longer smooth.
Instead, it had become rugged and treacherous—
filled with razor-sharp thorns, tangled brambles, and towering ancient trees that reached into the clouds.
Clearly—
All of this existed for a single purpose: to stop him from advancing.
"As expected…"
"Gaining power is one thing—but to truly wield it, I first need my zanpakutō's acknowledgment."
The surprise in Bai Chen's eyes vanished quickly.
He wasn't startled—if anything, he had already anticipated this.
After all—
Geniuses like Byakuya Kuchiki and Tōshirō Hitsugaya had spent decades refining and understanding their blades, step by step—
Only then reaching their peak during the Thousand-Year Blood War.
So—
As a newcomer who had held a asauchi for less than three days,
Bai Chen fully accepted this trial.
"It seems…"
"If I want to reach the Final Valley again—and stand before those two statues—I'll have to force my way through these obstacles."
Just as that thought formed—
Without warning—
A thunderous boom echoed through the endless forest!
The ground beneath his feet began to shake violently,
at a frequency no ordinary being could endure.
Seeing this,
Bai Chen didn't hesitate.
With a single thought, he released his reiatsu at full power!
BOOM—!!!
Reiatsu glowing with emerald light erupted from his body, instantly kicking up a massive wave of dust and pressure!
Then—
With his absolute control over reiatsu—
Bai Chen wrapped tangible reiatsu around his body, forming a state similar to a chakra cloak.
Next—
He stomped down hard!
In an instant, the violent tremors of the earth were completely suppressed.
But—
Before he could even take a breath—
The soil ahead began to churn violently.
At the same time, the surrounding giant trees surged together, converging as if drawn by an unseen will.
Finally—
Before Bai Chen's stunned eyes,
A colossal wooden dragon burst violently from the forest floor!
"This is…"
"One of Hashirama Senju's signature Wood Release techniques—
a massive dragon born from reiatsu infused into giant trees!"
Looking up at the sky,
Bai Chen could clearly feel the pressure radiating from the wooden dragon—
along with unmistakable hostility.
Clearly—
Once born, the dragon intended to attack immediately.
Sure enough—
ROOOAR—!!!
The wooden dragon let out a deafening roar.
Its enormous body coiled and surged forward, lunging straight toward Bai Chen!
As it charged—
The immense life essence it carried caused lush vegetation to erupt from the ground along its path,
continuously draining nutrients and energy from the earth.
"So that's it…"
"Once entangled by this dragon, my reiatsu would be continuously absorbed."
"Eventually, I'd be drained dry and forced out of the inner world."
"I suppose… that's its true purpose."
Despite the chaos—
Despite the massive dragon rapidly filling his vision—
Bai Chen remained calm.
Standing in place, he analyzed the situation coolly.
Then—
He released his reiatsu without restraint!
Vast, surging spiritual pressure—
overflowing with boundless life energy—burst forth from Bai Chen!
In an instant,
It took the form of dragon-shaped reiatsu, equally massive, blazing with dazzling green light!
"There's no denying it…"
"As the source of life—the foundation of the earth itself—
the power of a Wood-type zanpakutō is incredibly difficult to control."
"But don't forget…"
"I am the master of this inner world!"
Bai Chen's eyes shone with absolute confidence.
At his command, countless dragon-shaped reiatsu constructs surged forward—
Crashing head-on into the wooden dragon!
They struck with overwhelming force—
Sending the dragon plummeting from the sky!
BOOOOM—!!!
The wooden dragon smashed into the ground, flattening vast stretches of forest!
The earth split open, forming a deep, pitch-black chasm.
Yet—
Under Bai Chen's continuous suppression—
The dragon did not resist further.
Instead, it lay prostrate upon the ground,
its emerald eyes fixed steadily on him.
"Huh…"
"That hostility is gone…"
"Does this mean it's completely submitted?"
Sensing no trace of malice, Bai Chen walked forward.
But the moment he approached—
An unexpected change occurred once again!
WHOOSH—WHOOSH—WHOOSH!!!
The wooden dragon slowly closed its eyes.
Its massive body began to dissolve into green spiritual particles,
streaming endlessly into Bai Chen's body!
In that instant—
What Bai Chen had long sought—
A deeper fusion with his zanpakutō—
Was finally achieved.
"So…"
"It seems I've earned this Wood-type zanpakutō's recognition."
Anticipation filled Bai Chen's gaze.
At the same time, a vast, resounding voice echoed within his mind:
"Wood that pierces the heavens!
Earth that shakes the land!
Winds of nature!
Forests that move the clouds!"
"Release the power of nature… Wood Dragon!!!"
In that moment—
The release command of the zanpakutō thundered across the living green world!
And—
When the final trace of green spiritual particles merged into Bai Chen—
Spiritual pressure condensed in his hand, forming the Thorned Blade in his hand, gleaming with lethal intent!
This marked—
The complete awakening of his zanpakutō.
From this moment on—
Bai Chen had truly gained mastery over Wood Release,
and could finally wield its power in full.
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