Bleach: From the moment I was invited by Squad Zero

The deep, dark light clashed and repelled fiercely with the pale golden spiritual light in the surrounding environment, yet at a deeper level, it formed a delicate balance.

The rain continued to fall, icy cold, but I could no longer get close.

Upon contact with the rain, the vapor evaporated into wisps of black mist, swirling around Liu Chuan, making his figure appear even more hazy in the rain, exuding an eerie and awe-inspiring majesty.

He started walking again.

Once the first step is taken, the mud beneath your feet is no longer just a simple obstacle.

The magic extended along the magical circuit to the soles of the feet, actively "interfering" with the soil it touched.

The paradox of "the further you go, the farther the destination seems" is forcibly analyzed and dismantled under the unique perception of magic.

The second step, the third step... the steps became more and more steady.

Each time the bare soles of my feet touched the wet, cold mud, they made a sound that seemed to shake the earth.

Liu Chuan's eyes, deep within which flowed a dark, demonic light, calmly gazed ahead.

All the pain, exhaustion, and anxiety about the unknown were transformed into the purest will to move forward.

The full activation of his magic not only brought about a qualitative change in his power, but also put his mind into an almost absolutely rational "overclocked" state.

All external information—the trajectory of raindrops, the refraction of light, changes in pressure, and the trajectory of spatial particles—was processed and analyzed at high speed, transformed into precise instructions for the next action.

He was like a nascent demon king walking in his own domain.

No, perhaps "Demon King" is not accurate. He has no desire for destruction or conquest, only the purest exploration and conquest of the "path" itself.

Wherever he went, the muddy path trembled slightly, and the blue fluorescent lights floating in the air scattered in fear.

The luminous plants on both sides seemed to sense a completely different, higher level of pressure, and their light became flickering.

Within the body, the spiritual pressure that had been passively increasing under pressure and was almost bursting the container was now undergoing an even more astonishing change under the "guidance" and "forging" of magic.

Spiritual power and magical power, two fundamentally different forces, did not simply merge within this body that was on the verge of its limit yet forcibly forging a new path.

Instead, under the "framework" of the magical circuit and the "forging" of extreme external pressure, a peculiar, spiraling state of "symbiosis" and "mutual stimulation" was formed.

The magic constantly "vibrates" and "analyzes" the structure of spiritual energy, eliminating the last trace of impurity and redundancy, compressing and purifying it to a near-essential crystalline state.

The highly condensed spiritual energy, in turn, provides a more stable and surging "foundation" and "fuel" for the operation of magic, making the light of the magic circuit more solid.

The two are interdependent and mutually causal, and on this dead end, they are both frantically climbing toward some unknown, higher critical point!

One step, another step.

Liuchuan's advance was not fast, but it carried an unstoppable momentum.

The black magical energy emanating from his body grew stronger and stronger, almost bursting through him, creating a stark yet strangely harmonious contrast with the spiritual light of the surrounding environment.

The power flowing within his body grew stronger and more condensed. Under this extreme tempering and nourishment of dual power, his soul seemed to shed layer after layer of its "shell".

It has become more translucent and more resilient.

finally--

Click...click...

A faint, yet seemingly resounding, cracking sound emanated from within Yanagawa's body!

That was neither a broken bone nor a collapse of the spiritual energy network.

That is... some kind of invisible "barrier" that defines the upper limit of the power of the "Grim Reaper".

Cracks appear when magic and spiritual power spiral up to a certain extreme peak under the continuous impact of internal and external forces and wills!

Then came the second, the third... Cracks spread like a spider web, instantly covering the invisible "boundary".

boom--!!!

An indescribable roar exploded simultaneously within Liuchuan's soul and body!

The "Shinigami Limit," which has troubled countless Shinigami and is considered an insurmountable barrier, lies within this "path of non-entry."

Utterly shattered!

It was as if a dam had collapsed, and the river had overflowed!

The spiritual and magical power within his body, which had already reached an unbelievable level, surged in all directions like a flood bursting its banks, at an unimaginable speed and scale!

The soul seemed to break free of heavy shackles, becoming incredibly light and clear.

The limits of death have been broken.

It wasn't a clever breakthrough achieved by relying on the identity of "King Key" bestowed by the power of the Spirit King, but rather by forcefully breaking open that tightly closed door in the most domineering way!

The moment the breakthrough was completed, the scene before Liu Chuan's eyes suddenly changed.

We've reached the finish line.

Liu Chuan stopped and stood before the finish line. The powerful magic and spiritual energy returned to Liu Chuan's body, and the magic loop dissipated.

He slowly lowered his head, looked at his perfectly sculpted upper body, and then clenched his fist.

Feel the boundless, surging power within my body.

He took one last look at the path behind him that he had conquered step by step, and then, without hesitation, took his final step toward the shimmering exit.

The figure disappeared into the light.

At this moment, outside...

The five members of Squad Zero are waiting patiently.

hum...

The silent entrance ahead suddenly trembled very slightly, instantly triggering a reaction from everyone.

Hyosube Ichibei's tightly closed eyes suddenly opened!

Almost simultaneously, Kirinji Tenjiro sprang up from the rock he was leaning against, his body brimming with healing spiritual energy ready to be unleashed.

Immediately afterward, under the watchful eyes of the five people, the central point of light rapidly expanded the entrance to the "Path of No Entry" and reopened!

Then, a figure stepped out from the light; it was Liu Chuan.

His bare upper body had lost the magic circuits that had previously appeared, and his skin had returned to its normal color.

Only a faint glimmer of crystalline luster could be seen, as if it had been heated at high temperatures and then cooled down again.

What was most striking were his eyes. Those eyes, which were always calm and still, now seemed to have become even more profound, as if they had undergone this trial.

He simply stood there calmly, without deliberately releasing his spiritual pressure, yet he naturally exuded an aura of power.

That was something no captain-level Shinigami could possess, and it was even subtly different from the aura emanating from the Zero Division members due to their "King Key" bodies.

"Boy...you really..." Kirinji Tenjiro's throat moved, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he only managed to squeeze out a few words through his teeth.

He stared at Liu Chuan with a complex expression, his gaze like the most sophisticated scanner, scanning him up and down to assess his condition.

"Ha! You're out! I knew you were tough!"

Nimaiya Wang Yue slapped his thigh hard, letting out a loud laugh. His eyes behind his sunglasses gleamed, filled with undisguised excitement and curiosity.

"How was it? Was it fun inside? Did you see any interesting 'materials'?"

Only Hyosube Ichibei remained seated, his gaze calmly fixed on Yanagawa, his wise eyes catching the lingering echo of the limit barrier that Yanagawa had just broken.

His face showed neither joy nor sorrow; he simply nodded slowly.

Facing the gazes and greetings of the crowd, Liu Chuan showed little excitement, simply addressing them...

"I'm sorry to have kept you all waiting. I... am back."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Kirinji Tenjiro, who could no longer contain himself, had already appeared beside Yanagawa like a ghost.

He didn't give Liu Chuan much time to react, and completely ignored the faint pressure emanating from Liu Chuan.

He reached out and grabbed Liu Chuan's wrist, while his other hand produced a simple, flat, stretcher-like object that emitted a soft white light and placed it on the ground.

"Stop talking nonsense! Lie down!" Kirinji Tenjiro's tone was still that of an unquestionable, domineering doctor, but his movements were as fast as lightning, revealing an unquestionable urgency.

Faced with Kirinji Tenjiro's kindness, Yanagawa readily lay down on the makeshift stretcher.

"Tenjiro! Be gentle!" Kiryuu couldn't help but say.

"A medical check-up is the priority!" Kirinji Tenjiro didn't even turn his head. He was already squatting down next to the stretcher, his ten fingers as skillful as the most nimble musical instruments.

With a faint crimson healing spiritual energy, the Returning Dao technique was used to rapidly press and probe various acupoints and spiritual nodes on Liu Chuan's naked upper body, limbs, and even head.

At the same time, he was muttering to himself, as if he were talking to himself, or perhaps giving a simultaneous "diagnosis" to others:

"There are no obvious open wounds on the body surface, but there are multiple areas of subcutaneous spiritual particle accumulation and microscopic spiritual network tears caused by high-intensity pressure... Hmm, it is rapidly repairing itself, at an abnormally fast speed..."

"The width and resilience of the energy network... have increased at least three times! And the operating efficiency... is unbelievable..."

As he checked, he quickly took out several different tools and medicines from the first-aid kit that had been prepared at his feet.

He gently pierced a spiritual node in Liu Chuan's arm with a thin probe, the tip of which was inlaid with tiny crystals. The crystals immediately flashed with a complex spectrum of spiritual particles.

He dripped a few drops of a small bottle of pale golden liquid, which emitted a refreshing fragrance, onto Liu Chuan's forehead. The liquid quickly seeped into his skin and spread out as wisps of cool spiritual energy.

He even took out a spirit particle detector that resembled a stethoscope but had a more complex structure, and placed it on Yanagawa's chest and abdomen, listening carefully to something.

Yanagawa lay calmly on the stretcher, letting Kirinji Tenjiro do as he pleased.

He could sense that beneath the other person's seemingly rough movements lay an extremely precise and efficient examination.

The spiritual particles and medicines that entered his body carried powerful healing and detection effects, but they did not cause his own power to reject them at all. On the contrary, they seemed to be helping him calm the surging power in his body after his breakthrough.

He closed his eyes, adjusted his breathing accordingly, and looked inward at himself, adapting to and assessing this brand-new body that had broken through his limits.

Nimaiya Oetsu curiously moved closer, seemingly very interested in Kirinji Tenjiro's tools and Yanagawa's physical data.

Shutara Senjumaru's aura silently "watched". Hyosube Ichibei also slowly stood up, walked closer, and observed in silence.

About fifteen minutes later, Kirinji Tenjiro finally stopped what he was doing and put away his tools.

He let out a long breath, and his usually impatient face showed a rare hint of relief, as well as... an undisguised astonishment.

"How is it, Tenshiro?" Hikifune Kiryu asked eagerly.

Kirinji Tenjiro didn't answer immediately. Instead, he carefully examined Yanagawa's calm face, as if confirming something, before slowly speaking, his voice carrying the solemnity of a physician announcing a major discovery:

"Physically... I'm basically fine. Aside from the deep exhaustion caused by excessive consumption of spiritual energy and mental strength, which requires rest and recovery, there's no damage that threatens my very existence. No, not just fine..."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd before finally settling on Hyōsuke Ichibei's face, and said, word by word:

"His body has undergone a complete transformation, far exceeding the theoretical limits of the category of 'Death God'."

He didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear.

Liu Chuan successfully passed the "path of not entering the temple," and without relying on the power of the Spirit King, he truly broke the limit of the Grim Reaper on his own!

The open space was silent. Only the eternal radiance of the Spirit King's Palace quietly shone on the young man on the stretcher, who was resting with his eyes closed but had already undergone a complete transformation.

Hyosube Ichibei slowly revealed a smile, a smile that contained approval, expectation, and a deeper glimmer of light, as if he had seen some interesting future.

"Yanagawa, welcome to Squad Zero! Now, go and rest."

Before this, even though he was personally "named" by the Soul King, even though he demonstrated his ability and wisdom in resolving the "Twin Hyōrinmaru" incident, even though he was wearing this Zero Division haori.

In the eyes of these five true members of the Zero Division, he was perhaps more like a "special junior favored by the Soul King".

After all, the honor and responsibility of the Zero Squad are built upon "irreplaceable creation" and absolute strength. Without corresponding achievements and proof, simply being "chosen" is not enough to convince the public.

But now, things are different.

The result of "not entering the path of enlightenment" is the most irrefutable proof.

He proved the "hardness" of his strength, the "tenacity" of his will, and the "path" he chose, demonstrating the potential and value to be on par with the Zero Division, or even to open up new possibilities.

This is no longer an identity "given" to us, but a qualification "obtained through our own strength".

Weariness overwhelmed him completely, like a tidal wave.

He fell asleep, not in a light sleep, not in a breath-regulating state, but in a deep sleep of complete relaxation.

Every cell in the body, every wisp of consciousness in the soul, is immersed in the deepest repair and rest.

The newly awakened and surging power within his body was slowly calming and settling in this absolute tranquility, undergoing the most thorough fusion with his mind and body.