"Ding! First trial initiated. Host, please prepare."
As the system's voice faded, a flash of white light streaked across Xiu's vision. In an instant, he found himself standing in a vast, pure white space.
"Welcome to the Trial Space. Please select a battle environment."
"So this is… the Trial Space?"
Xiu scanned his surroundings. Everything was blank, stretching endlessly in all directions, with no clear sense of up, down, left, or right.
He lowered his head, looked at his body, and clenched his fists.
"System, what state am I in right now?"
"Spiritual form."
Xiu raised an eyebrow.
"So as long as I activate the Trial Space, my consciousness is pulled in here. Then what happens to my body outside?"
"Please rest assured. If anyone approaches your body, an alert system will activate."
Xiu nodded slightly, satisfied for now. Still, next time he would choose a safer location before entering.
"What environments are available?"
"Deserted island, deep mountains, open sea, Marineford before the war, Marineford after the war, Sabaody Archipelago, Foosha Village, Shimotsuki Village…"
Xiu couldn't help but twitch.
"Aren't these all places I've been before?"
After thinking for a moment, he made his choice.
"Deserted island."
That place was his starting point. Everything had begun there. It was where he met Sengoku, where he first unlocked his Shikai. It carried meaning.
As soon as he confirmed, the white space beneath his feet began to shift. The blank world transformed rapidly, reshaping itself into the familiar island from his memories.
Xiu raised a brow.
"So it just spawns directly from memory…"
He stamped his foot lightly against the ground. It felt solid.
A salty sea breeze brushed past him, carrying the scent of the ocean. In the distance, he could even hear seagulls.
He exhaled slowly.
"The system really is something else…"
Everything felt indistinguishable from reality.
At that moment, the system spoke again.
"Please prepare. First Inheritance: Yamamoto Genryusai will arrive in thirty seconds."
Xiu rubbed his forehead.
"What is this, some kind of game…"
Still, he didn't waste time. He adjusted his breathing, focusing himself.
Thirty seconds passed in a blink.
Ding.
Xiu opened his crimson eyes.
Standing before him was an old man leaning on a cane, quietly observing him.
A cross-shaped scar marked the right side of his head. His long silver beard reached his waist, tied with a purple cord. He wore a black kimono beneath a white captain's haori, with a bold "One" emblazoned on the back.
Both hands rested on his cane. His narrow eyes gleamed sharply.
The man before him was none other than the founder of the Shin'ō Academy.
The strongest Shinigami of Soul Society.
Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13.
The man who defeated Yhwach a thousand years ago.
Yamamoto Genryusai.
Despite being the oldest among the captains, his mastery of Hakuda, Shunpo, and his flame-type Zanpakuto was terrifying beyond measure.
His mere presence could overwhelm vice-captain-level fighters into unconsciousness.
Even his Shikai rivaled the Bankai of other captains. Once his power was fully released, his spiritual pressure could be felt across all of Seireitei.
In the Thousand-Year Blood War, after Chojiro's death, his spiritual pressure spread across the entire Soul Society.
Shunsui and Jushiro once described their teacher like this:
As deep and unfathomable as the ocean. Even the two of us combined cannot bridge the gap.
And more importantly, a thousand years ago, he was a man who would do anything to win. Ruthless, unyielding. Even his subordinates were treated as expendable.
A man once called the Demon of the Sword.
"Elara D. Xiu… so you are the one who inherited my power?"
Yamamoto's voice broke the silence.
Xiu raised an eyebrow, a thought flashing through his mind.
"So even his thoughts are replicated… or is this actually him?"
"Ding! This is Yamamoto Genryusai himself."
Xiu inhaled sharply.
"You actually brought the real one here?"
"Insufficient permissions. Please explore further."
It was the first time the system refused to answer him.
So it could evolve as well…
Interesting.
But now wasn't the time to dwell on it.
Xiu's gaze sharpened as he looked at the old man before him.
"Captain-Commander, I've long heard of your name."
He paused briefly before asking,
"Do you know where you are?"
Yamamoto's eyes narrowed slightly.
"I do. And I know what must be done."
His voice was calm, yet carried unquestionable authority.
"Come, boy. Show me how much of my power you have inherited."
A faint smile formed on Xiu's lips. His crimson eyes gleamed.
"So a fight is inevitable… Good. That works for me."
As he spoke, he slowly drew the blade at his waist.
Ryujin Jakka.
"In that case, I won't hold back."
In an instant, his figure vanished.
A flash of movement.
Xiu appeared directly in front of Yamamoto, his blade already descending without hesitation.