Meanwhile, within the Inner World—
"Friend! Don't act rashly!"
Having lost his Shinigami powers, Fūjin Taichi shouted urgently toward Wind Demon · Yone in the sky:
"We are in the Soul Society; there are Shinigami everywhere! if you Hollowfy now, you'll get us both killed!!"
"Taichi!" Wind Demon · Yone let out a low snort and said coldly:
"What you fear is laughably insignificant in my eyes.
The problems you run from are nothing but emptiness and triviality to me!
You, who cling to life at any cost… are unworthy of wielding a Zanpakutō—
Now, let the heavenly fires consume the plains!"
Before the words had even finished, Yone swung his blade with his left hand and slashed toward the ground. A blade of condensed purple flame tore through the sky, streaking straight toward Fūjin Taichi—
"Holy crap?! Are you trying to murder your own master?!
Damn it, I seriously want to spray a mouthful of salty soda all over you, you bastard!!"
Seeing the enormous slash racing toward him, Fūjin Taichi cursed at the top of his lungs.
"BOOM!"
The entire wasteland was instantly cleaved apart, the ground splitting into countless fragments. Dirt and dust exploded outward as a torrential "rain of rocks" came crashing down.
"WHOOSH!"
The seawater that had long been hidden beneath the land surged upward, swallowing the shattered earth whole—
In the blink of an eye, the entire Inner World was submerged beneath a vast blue ocean…
…
"Yu… Jin…"
"Wh—who's calling my name?"
After an unknown amount of time, Fūjin Taichi awoke from unconsciousness. When he opened his eyes, he was stunned to find himself sinking slowly through a gray, murky undersea world—
"Where is this? Why am I here?!"
"Glug—glug—"
He opened his mouth to shout, but only long streams of bubbles escaped, drifting upward as his body continued to sink…
"Idiot! This is your sea of consciousness—don't tell me you still haven't found him?!" The same voice echoed once more through the empty seabed.
"What?! What am I supposed to find? Can you at least give me a hint first?!"
Still sinking, Fūjin Taichi flailed his limbs wildly, screaming silently in his heart.
"Jin… look around you—
A world drowned in seawater,
Muted, gloomy colors,
And your endlessly falling state…
All of it is a reflection of your true inner self!"
"What?"
"Idiot! Do you still not understand?
Jin… you're surrounded by too much fear—that's why your Zanpakutō is so weak!"
"Hah! You're just a sword spirit—what the hell do you know about Zanpakutō?!"
Fūjin Taichi struggled to steady himself in the water, glaring into the endless sea as he shouted:
"I'm afraid because I lack power!
And because I'm afraid, I can't gain power!
If you were even half-decent, I wouldn't have gotten absolutely destroyed by your big brother... or sister, or whatever Yone is!"
Clenching his teeth, he stared into the cold, dark depths:
"Since you already know my name, then you should also know what I fear!
Before I had strength, the only way to survive was to live like a stray dog—
That was the only way to stay alive under that man's watchful eyes!!"
"Just as I thought, Yujin…"
The voice sighed softly.
"Even now, you still dare not speak that person's name aloud…
Even now, you refuse to acknowledge where your true power comes from…
Even now, you cannot believe that you possess the strength to rival him…"
"Tch!"
Fūjin Taichi snorted, his voice dropping low:
"You think I want to hide like a quail in a filthy doghouse?
You think I want to be beaten like a dog by Wind Demon · Yone?
You think I wanted to come to this world—
To become some so-called Shinigami?!"
There was no reply.
It was as if the voice had vanished entirely—yet the icy seawater surrounding him reminded Fūjin Taichi every moment that this was no dream.
"Yasuo!
At the end of the day, your power just isn't enough!
I'm not happy at all right now!!"
He roared into the depths, desperately paddling his arms, fighting to keep himself afloat.
Then, as he looked around—
He suddenly noticed something glowing brilliantly beneath the point where he had been sinking.
A dazzling green light.
It looked like a green orb sealed inside a red container, emitting a faint emerald glow—yet so blinding it felt like the midday sun itself.
What is that?
Is this what Wind God · Yasuo wanted me to find?
But… isn't that color a bit too "healthy"?
Why do I always have to be entangled with green of all things?!
"Splash!"
As the red box drew closer and closer, Fūjin Taichi hardened his resolve and reached out with both hands, pulling it into his embrace. Instantly, he felt himself seized by the green light, bound so tightly that he couldn't break free no matter how hard he struggled!
"BOOM!"
Then something even more unbelievable happened—
The green ord of light, as if it were a living creature, suddenly swallowed Fūjin Taichi whole.
Only at that moment did he realize that although the green light was blinding on the outside, its interior was as gentle as spring itself—like bathing in warm spring sunlight…
He could feel his internal organs soaking in a warm, comfortable hot spring. Every pore in his body slowly opened, and an indescribable wave of bliss spread through every inch of his skin…
Comfortable—truly comfortable!
Eyes closed, Fūjin Taichi savored the sensation and couldn't help but let out a soft groan.
Even the oppression he had accumulated over decades in the Soul Society was released completely in that single instant…
After an unknown amount of time, Fūjin Taichi finally opened his eyes to find that the green orb enveloping him had vanished.
His body was no longer sinking. Wrapped in a layer of green energy, he floated in the seawater like a fish…
This feeling… it's like spiritual power…
Could it be that I've regained my Shinigami powers?
Fūjin Taichi stared blankly at his right hand. Resting in his palm was a dagger-like short blade, with streaks of vivid green spiritual energy flickering along its edge!
"You can finally see me... Yujin!" Wind God · Yasuo floated before him and spoke in a low voice.
" Yasuo… you're my true Zanpakutō—Ichi (One), aren't you?!"
Fūjin Taichi noticed that Yasuo seemed a little taller than before—perhaps because his own strength had grown significantly…
"What I'm called doesn't matter," Yasuo said, hands clasped behind his back like an enlightened sage. "What matters is what you choose to do after gaining Shinigami power."
"Heh. Kid, stop pretending to be so mature," Fūjin Taichi laughed. "How about I introduce Yachiru to you as a girlfriend someday? You're both Zanpakutō spirits anyway!"
Having confirmed that Wind God · Yasuo before him was his true Zanpakutō manifestation, an immense sense of confidence surged within Fūjin Taichi.
"Yujin… the danger outside hasn't been resolved yet," Yasuo said, rolling his eyes. "Use this power to conquer Yone."
"Yeah! Right now I feel like a phoenix reborn, soaring through the heavens—my whole body is overflowing with magical girl energy!!"
With his Shinigami power restored, Fūjin Taichi's familiar confidence returned at once, his words brimming with strength and momentum.
"Hmph… this is no time for idle chatter," Yasuo said coldly. "Jin, go finish what you left undone.
Remember… no matter if the entire world stands against you, I will always stand at your side."
With that, Yasuo extended a finger and gently tapped Fūjin Taichi's forehead.
"Remember—my name is Wind God · Yasuo."
"BOOM!"
The instant his finger made contact, a massive torrent of information flooded into Fūjin Taichi's mind, violently shaking his consciousness.
A dazzling light exploded within his thoughts, rapidly stripping away his ability to think—
Then, a flash of purple light passed through his pitch-black pupils as he spoke solemnly and firmly:
"Thank you, Ichi! I... will not fear anyone ever again!! Now... if you want a war, I'll give you one! With the sword in my heart, I listen to the wind's hum.
Bankai: Blade-Master Wind-God—Twenty-Four Celestial Kings!!!"