Fivefold Rashomon.
It was a summoning-type technique.
Once the jutsu was activated, it could instantly call forth five enormous iron gates, each shaped like a demonic face—walls that symbolized death and hell.
Back in the Valley of the End, the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, used Fivefold Rashomon to withstand the shockwave trajectory created after Susanoo merged with a broken blade—preventing the land from being blasted into shattered ruin.
And it wasn't just near-"absolute defense."
Each of those different demon faces looked like it was mocking the opponent, and the gates could also serve as intimidation and psychological pressure—a built-in "taunt."
In the world of Shinigami, verbal provocation and sarcasm were practically part of combat etiquette.
So once Bai Chen mastered Fivefold Rashomon, whether it was attitude or trash talk, he wouldn't be afraid of anyone anymore.
"If I remember right…"
"The Repentance Palace should be south of the Gotei 13 barracks—on that more remote high ground…"
"It should be right beside Sōkyoku Hill…"
Leaving the division grounds, Bai Chen recalled what he'd seen about a month earlier when he'd signed in at the base of Sōkyoku Hill. He'd glimpsed, from afar, a white tower-like structure.
If he wasn't mistaken—
That was the Repentance Palace.
A place inside Seireitei used to detain major criminals.
In the original story, after Kuchiki Rukia was taken back to Soul Society, she was imprisoned in the Repentance Palace's "Fourth Deep Prison."
Soon enough, following the long corridor and his memory—and using swift Shunpo—Bai Chen reached his destination.
The Repentance Palace.
He immediately began the sign-in.
Sign-In
"I will now begin the sign-in…"
"Sign-in duration: five seconds. Leaving midway will be counted as failure…"
It had been a while since his last sign-in, so hearing that familiar system prompt made Bai Chen's mood rise.
He knew one thing for sure:
Every skill he obtained through sign-ins—after being strengthened and "localized" by the system—would be converted into a form compatible with this world's spirit particles.
Which meant…
Fivefold Rashomon's durability would scale directly with his spiritual pressure.
In practical terms, it was like releasing five unbreakable Kidō barriers at once, all formed from Bai Chen's own Reiryoku.
So once the countdown ended, his Kidō toolkit would take another massive leap forward.
Five seconds passed.
The reward came exactly as expected.
"Congratulations, Host. Sign-in successful!"
"Sign-in reward: Fivefold Rashomon (can be fused with Zanpakutō power)!"
Bai Chen's eyes lit up the moment he read the last line.
"It can fuse with Wooden Dragon?"
"Then that means I can combine it with Wood Release…"
His gaze turned hot with excitement.
Originally, Fivefold Rashomon was essentially a forbidden-tier defensive barrier—insane defense, but fundamentally passive.
But if it could merge with Zanpakutō: Wooden Dragon…
Then each gate could defend and counterattack with Wood Release.
It would evolve into a massive, area-wide killing technique that was both offense and defense.
If you classified it under Kidō…
This upgraded Fivefold Rashomon was basically a top-tier, "ridiculous" level spell.
"Nice."
"The system really never disappoints."
Bai Chen smiled, satisfied.
His first thought was the future Thousand-Year Blood War.
When the Wandenreich invaded…
If he wanted to wipe out large numbers of trash-tier pure-blood Quincy in one go, he could simply drop Fivefold Rashomon inside the barracks and clear an entire area effortlessly.
"Alright."
"Now that the sign-in is done, it's time to head back."
"While I'm still new and have more free time…"
"I can focus on studying that Kidō training log the Head Captain gave me."
He gathered his thoughts and turned to leave—
When suddenly—
Clap. Clap. Clap.
A burst of applause echoed from the far end of the corridor—an area that should have been deserted.
"Who is it…?"
Bai Chen frowned and turned toward the sound.
In his line of sight, a figure approached across the suspension bridge that led toward Sōkyoku Hill.
The man wore conspicuous noble attire and a luxurious green outer cloak.
A face Bai Chen had never seen in person—
Yet recognized instantly.
"You are…"
"Tsunayashiro Tokinada?!"
After only a few glances, Bai Chen confirmed it.
The same man who, after the Thousand-Year Blood War, would use the Tsunayashiro clan's privileges and inherited authority—after learning the secrets linking the five great noble clans and the Soul King—to commit a long string of villainous acts.
Tsunayashiro Tokinada.
"So you actually know me?"
Tokinada narrowed his long eyes and smiled faintly—half amusement, half something colder.
Behind him followed a group of attendants.
Each wore black cloth over their faces and the uniform of Tsunayashiro household servants.
But by spiritual pressure alone, Bai Chen immediately sensed the truth:
They were former Shinigami—
elite personnel from the Kidō Corps or the Onmitsukidō.
Every single one carried the aura of a strong fighter.
"Interesting…"
"So you've been watching me."
"And the moment I stepped outside the division grounds, you used your 'great noble' status to show up and flex power."
Bai Chen met his gaze without the slightest ripple of emotion, then asked coldly:
"Tokinada."
"I don't recall us ever having any connection."
"What exactly do you want?"
Bai Chen wasn't naïve.
Knowing exactly what kind of person Tokinada was, he didn't believe for a second this was a friendly greeting.
Tokinada had come with a purpose.
"Heh…"
"You're right. We've never met."
"But I've heard plenty about you, Bai Chen… enough to make your name thunder in my ears."
A shadow of greed flickered in Tokinada's eyes.
Then his gaze slid downward—
past Bai Chen's face—
to his waist.
To the Zanpakutō.
Wooden Dragon.
"So that's it."
"You're here for my Wooden Dragon."
Bai Chen read him instantly.
Somewhere out of sight, long before today…
Tokinada had already fixed his ambition on Bai Chen.
"Bai Chen…"
"No need to be so guarded."
"Yes—I came for your Zanpakutō."
"But not with hostility. I want to negotiate."
Tokinada kept walking forward.
Behind him, his attendants fanned out deliberately after crossing the bridge—
forming a loose encirclement, sealing off the area.
"Negotiate what?"
Bai Chen laughed coldly.
He watched the former Kidō Corps and Onmitsukidō elites take positions like they were stage props.
To him, it looked like clowns setting up a circus.
"I want to see your Zanpakutō up close."
"That request isn't too much, is it?"
Tokinada got straight to it.
If he weren't wary of Bai Chen's strength, he would've acted like he did in the past—
using Tsunayashiro authority to simply order a seizure.
He wouldn't have bothered with patience at all.
"So that's all?"
"I thought you were going to ask for something else."
"If it's just 'looking,' that's not difficult to agree to."
Bai Chen's smile turned playful as he spoke loudly—deliberately letting Tokinada's greedy gaze latch on.
"So…"
"You're agreeing?"
Tokinada froze, then joy surged through him.
If he could just get close—
if he could touch Wooden Dragon—
then he could activate Enrakyōten and perfectly copy its power.
His plan would be complete.
But as Tokinada's anticipation shot upward—
Bai Chen's next words poured ice water straight down his spine.
"Agree?"
"Sorry—no."
"My Zanpakutō, Wooden Dragon, isn't something just anyone…"
"has the right to touch or admire."
"You, Tsunayashiro Tokinada…"
"aren't worthy."
Bai Chen's grin sharpened.
He didn't soften his words, didn't respect Tokinada's noble status in the slightest—
he rejected him coldly, to his face, and mocked him openly.
Tokinada's earlier delight vanished instantly.
His features twisted, turning ugly with humiliation and rage.
In that moment—
Tokinada snapped.
And the air across the high plateau around them—
instantly thickened with the smell of gunpowder.
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