"Finally… ten hours felt like a damn eternity."
Yun Che exhaled as consciousness returned to his physical body. "I wonder what Jasmine is doing right now…"
He was about to open his eyes—
but a soft, unfamiliar voice reached him first.
"Milord? Are you awake? My lord, please… answer me."
Yun Che froze.
Milord?
Whose voice was that?
Jasmine was the only one normally inside his inner world—and if she ever called him "My Lord," he would gladly let Zangetsu shove a foot up his ass. Jasmine's voice was sharp, arrogant, youthful. This one… was soothing. Feminine. Mature. And cold—eerily cold—like winter wind wrapped in silk.
As he tried to place the voice, another one echoed beside it.
"Calm yourself, my lady. His connection to our souls has finally been restored. He will awaken soon."
Yun Che's eyes twitched.
Old Zangetsu?!
Why the hell was he hearing Zangetsu outside the inner world? Where even was he—his inner world? The sky? The void?
Before he could make sense of it, a third voice intruded—loud, abrasive, and painfully familiar.
"Hmph… this bastard. Let me smack him around a few times. A couple slaps and kicks will definitely wake him up."
Yun Che nearly cried.
Oh great. That's him… Hollow Me. Hoyuu.
If Hoyuu was here, trouble was guaranteed.
But then—something pressed against his face.
Soft.
Warm.
Squishy.
Very squishy.
Before he could process the sensation, a pair of arms wrapped around his head possessively. The soothing voice from earlier flared with icy indignation.
"No. Don't you dare touch him! He'll wake soon—I can feel his emotions resonating with us again."
It sounded like a fight was about to break out.
Hoyuu scoffed.
"Tch. Relax. One slap. That's all I need."
"You! You might share Milord's face, but that doesn't give you the right to strike him!"
"Oh yeah? Watch me—!"
"Both of you, be quiet."
A fourth voice cut through their bickering like a blade—cold, regal, irritated.
Jasmine.
"The disciple of this princess isn't going to die so easily. If he does, I'll drag him out of the afterlife and kill him myself."
Silence followed.
Yun Che's thoughts spiraled.
Wait. Jasmine? Talking with them?
Is she… arguing with my Zanpakutō spirits?
How the hell… can she even hear them?
What in the world happened during those ten hours?
And more importantly—
Why were all three of them gathered around his unconscious body…?
He had many questions and wouldn't play dead for much longer as he heard those Zanpakuto spirits of his were going to start a rumble. Good thing it was far from him. "All right, now the time to wake up before Hoyuu slaps the living hell of me."
Yun Che waited until the chaotic voices faded, until the spiritual pressure around him stabilized. Only then did he let out a low grunt—half annoyance, half exhaustion—as though waking from a ten-hour coma.
His eyes fluttered open.
And the very first thing he saw was Jasmine.
She stood directly before him, arms crossed, her crimson eyes fixed upon him with a mixture of scrutiny and irritation. But what froze Yun Che in place wasn't her expression—
—it was her outfit.
Jasmine wore a snow-blue kimono, elegant and flowing, with a vibrant red sash tied tightly around her waist. Her long scarlet hair cascaded over the gentle blue fabric like a river of fire over ice.
Yun Che's mind blanked.
She was beautiful.
Not the cold, untouchable beauty she normally radiated, but something softer, quieter, more breathtaking.
For a moment, he genuinely wondered if he was still dreaming.
"J-Jasmine…?" he muttered, dumbfounded.
Seeing her like this wasn't something he ever expected. Certainly not daily. But now that she had formally become his master…
…well, maybe he'd get lucky.
At least it was better than her usual blood-soaked attire.
Jasmine narrowed her eyes at his staring.
"Hmph. About time you woke up." She flicked a sleeve. "This princess nearly died of boredom after waiting ten hours. I assume the process is complete?"
Yun Che groaned as he sat up, muscles still buzzing from the internal reconstruction."Yeah… it's done. But… do you happen to know the license plate of the truck that hit me?"
Jasmine blinked slowly.
"…The what?"
Yun Che waved his hand. "Never mind."
She tilted her head. "This world changed a lot while you were unconscious. What happened inside your inner world?"
"You tell me," he shot back.
Because when he checked his inner world… everything was different.
The sky—once split into two subtle layers—was now divided into three distinct colors:
Red, pulsing like molten lava.
Green, glowing with serene vitality.
Blue, deep and vast like an endless ocean.
The air shimmered with countless stars, more brilliant than before.
Yun Che instinctively understood what each sky represented:
Red — The source of his Heretic power.
Green — The essence of the Sky Poison Pearl.
Blue — His Soul Powers: Shinigami, Quincy, Hollow.
Cloud formations expanded across the horizon like rolling nebulae. The System Core, floating high above, had grown larger—brighter—almost like a newborn star.
The entire landscape reminded him of Sovngarde from Skyrim—
ethereal, majestic, unreachable by mortal means.
His floating island had expanded too, now the size of two football fields. And at its center stood a massive spiritual tree, towering above him like an ancient guardian.
It had no leaves.
No flowers.
Only a colossal trunk and endless branches reaching toward the tri-colored sky.
Yet the power it emitted was overwhelming—profound, bottomless, alive.
Jasmine had mentioned it appeared during his hibernation, growing from the land itself.
Yun Che placed a hand against the bark.
Profound Spirit Force…
"Could this tree represent my cultivation…?" he murmured.
The timing made sense.The successive fusion of his power sources—Heretic God, Soul, Quincy, Hollow, Uchiha—must have given birth to it.
But Yun Che forced himself to refocus on the present—and on Jasmine.His eyes drifted back to the elegant snow-blue kimono she wore.
He had never bought her anything Japanese.The last time he saw her, she was drenched in the blood of the little beauty she rescued.
So… how?
"Jasmine," he asked, brows furrowing, "where did you get those clothes?"
Before she could respond—
"Milord!!! You're awake—finally! I was so worried!"
A blur of white sprinted across the island with surprising speed.
Before Yun Che could react, she tackled him to the ground.
"—Ugh?!"
He landed flat on his back, and something soft—no, impossibly soft—pressed against his face.
Cold.
Soft.
Heavenly.
Not now. Focus, you idiot, he scolded himself internally.
But when he finally managed to lift his head and look at the person who "assaulted" him, his breath hitched.
She was beautiful.
Not just beautiful—
heavenly.
A pale-skinned young woman with icy blue eyes.
Long, pale lavender hair tied in a graceful bun, with strands falling past her shoulders.
A single lock framed her face, adorned with a delicate blue star-shaped hair clip.
She wore a flowing white kimono, sleeves oversized and elegant, a pale yellow-green obi tied around her waist with a large pale-purple bow at her back. Her entire presence radiated purity, cold, and ethereal grace.
A beauty equal to Jasmine.
In a completely different way.
"You are…"
Yun Che whispered, recognition dawning.
The white kimono.
The icy aura.
The lavender hair.
She wasn't just any woman.
She was—
"Sode no Shirayuki…"
At the sound of her name, the heavenly beauty froze—and then her eyes filled with tears.
"Milord… you recognize me? Even though you've never met me before?"
Her voice trembled with sincerity.
"I—I'm so happy!"
Before Yun Che could respond, she crushed him in another hug—this one even tighter, leaving him gasping.
For a Zanpakutō spirit, being recognized by their master was the highest form of acknowledgment. Not to mention, recognized by her master before they even properly introduced. A Zanpakuto would be extremely happy if such things happened.
Of course Yun Che knew her—she was Rukia Kuchiki's Zanpakutō spirit, central to the Zanpakutō Rebellion arc.
He had never imagined she would appear like this—with so much emotion.
"Hmph."
A cold snort cut through the emotional atmosphere.
Hoyuu—the hollow version of himself—leaned back with a wicked grin, arms crossed.
"It's about damn time you woke up. One more second and I was this close to shoving my foot down your throat."
Sode no Shirayuki stiffened, tightening her arms protectively around Yun Che.Her icy gaze sharpened, practically freezing Hoyuu in place.
"You! You may share Milord's face, but that gives you no right to threaten him!"
Hoyuu smirked, unbothered.
"Oh? Feisty. I like you."
Yun Che sighed and palmed his face—well, as much as he could with her still hugging him.
"Nice to see you too, Hoyuu," he said dryly, matching the hollow's grin.
Hoyuu grinned wider, teeth sharp and amused."Hah! That's the bastard I know."
==============
[Ding…affinity with Hoyuu increased by 5]
[Ding…affinity with Sode No Shirayuki increased by 15]
==============
Affinity—
A simple word, but a vital one.
These points reflected the bond between Yun Che and his Zanpakutō spirits.
Zero was the coldest distance.
One hundred was absolute trust.
For male Zanpakutō like Zangetsu, one hundred signified a close brotherhood.
Female Zanpakutō… were a different story altogether.
Before he could dwell on that dangerous thought, a familiar deep voice resonated behind him.
"Looks like you've grown stronger, boy."
Old Man Zangetsu stepped forward, his coat fluttering in an invisible breeze. His presence alone brought Yun Che a sense of calm.
But the peace lasted exactly two seconds.
"Strong? Hah! Heretic Arts, huh?" Hoyuu cracked his knuckles with a predatory grin. "I'm gonna enjoy using your new tricks to beat your sorry ass later."
Yun Che sweatdropped.
Right.
He forgot—if he learned it, then Hoyuu learned it too.
Meaning this lunatic hollow now had access to Heretic Berserk Arts.
Yeah… future Yun Che is so screwed. Wait, I am Yun Che.... so I am screwed!
"Haha… yeah. 'Stronger.' Sort of."
He hid his level for now. If they knew he nerfed half his soul? Hoyuu might actually beat him senseless immediately.
"Ara~~~ hissssss… your aura truly has grown, Master."
A sultry, alluring voice slid into his ears like warm honey.
Yun Che froze.
That voice…
A white snake slithered beside him—snow white scales, ruby red eyes. It swayed with elegant menace, like an aristocrat descending a staircase.
"The hell—?! A talking snake? Did I die? Am I hallucinating?" Yun Che asked the group, pointing dramatically.
The snake developed a tick mark on its forehead.
"Hey! That's rude! Hisssss!"
"The snake talks!!" Yun Che gasped again, clutching his chest in exaggerated shock.
"YOU—hisssss—ARE—hsssss—ASKING FOR A BEATING!"
The snake lifted its tail, ready to smack divine sense out of him.
"Okay, okay! I'm sorry!" Yun Che raised his hands in surrender, laughing nervously.
"I've never seen a talking snake before. Let me guess—you're Zabimaru?"
The snake huffed but nodded proudly.
"In the flesh. Well… part of me. Hssss… Originally I should also have a baboon form, but for some reason I only have my serpent form right now. Odd. Hsss… My human form will only appear once you master my Bankai."
"One day. I promise," Yun Che assured him.
Then he frowned.
"But how are all of you here? I thought you couldn't enter my inner world?"
The group instantly went silent.
Even Hoyuu looked away, scratching his cheek awkwardly.
Unexpectedly, it was Sode no Shirayuki who answered.
"Milord…" she began softly, her icy voice trembling. "When the connection between us faded, we—" she squeezed her hands, "—I mean we feared the worst."
Yun Che felt a tightening in his chest.
She continued, voice fragile.
"It was as if… a terrible past was repeating itself. We panicked. All of us."
Her hands clutched the sleeves of her kimono.
"So… we forcefully manifested ourselves in your inner world, taking these forms again. It's been so long since I've had a human form. The last time was…"
Her voice cracked.
She shook her head and continued.
"When we entered your world, we saw a young lady kneeling before you. Her clothes soaked in blood. We thought she had harmed you."
Sode no Shirayuki paused, lowering her head.
"But… she had no malice. None. So we didn't attack. Instead, we… we stood guard. All of us."
Shirayuki's voice wavered.
"We stayed by your side. Waiting. Protecting you. For ten hours… we didn't move."
drip.
Something warm landed on the back of Yun Che's hand.
A tear.
Sode no Shirayuki was crying silently—her shoulders trembling, eyelashes glistening, eyes filled with a mixture of relief, fear, and devotion.
Yun Che's heart clenched.
She wasn't crying because she was weak.
She was crying because she feared losing him.
Because to a Zanpakutō spirit…
their master was everything.
And she had nearly lost him.
"Please… don't ever sever the connection again."
Sode no Shirayuki's voice trembled as she wrapped her arms tightly around Yun Che.
"The feeling… it was too much to bear."
She clung to him desperately, crying softly against his chest. The coldness of her aura contrasted painfully with the warmth of her sorrow.
Her old master.
Yun Che hesitated. Then, gently, he asked:
"Shirayuki… what happened to your previous master?"
She stiffened. Shame, grief, and fear flickered through her eyes. For a moment, she hesitated—then softened. He was her new master now. She couldn't hide from him.
"I… I don't know," she whispered. "We Zanpakutō are supposed to die when our masters die. But when that time came… we didn't."
She swallowed hard, voice trembling.
"Instead, all of us—every Zanpakutō spirit—were suddenly cast out. Severed from our masters. Thrown into another world. We were still alive, but everything else…"
Her hands trembled.
"…everything we knew was gone."
Yun Che's breathing slowed.
"We lost our masters.
Our swords.
Our powers.
Our purpose."
Her voice cracked painfully.
"Some spirits tried to return… but the world we once belonged to—it had ceased to exist. The paths were gone. The realm was… dead."
Yun Che's eyes widened.
What happened to the Bleach world?
Before he could ask, she continued, a whisper of despair:
"So we slept. Thousands upon thousands of years. Waiting. Hoping. For a master—a Shinigami—to call us again."
Then she raised her tear-filled eyes.
"And then, one day… I was summoned. I felt the presence of a master again. After so long… I was alive."
A small smile trembled on her lips.
"I was so happy. So relieved. So excited to meet you…"
Her voice broke completely.
"Then—your life was extinguished again. Immediately. After I waited so long…"
Her grip tightened as she cried openly.
"I'm not going back to that slumber. I refuse. If you perish again… then let me—let us—perish alongside you."
Old Man Zangetsu stepped forward, nodding gravely. "Well said. Jasmine explained everything to us. Hoyuu almost went full Hollow before she calmed him. The moment you died right after being resurrected… things nearly got violent."
Hoyuu snorted, pointing his sword at Yun Che's face.
"You're my king. But being a whiny bitch isn't my style. If that red-haired brat didn't explain things, I'd have obliterated your corpse."
Yun Che pushed the blade aside with a sigh.
Then he placed one hand gently atop Shirayuki's head, stroking her hair comfortingly.
"I'm sorry," he said sincerely. "The reconstruction process demanded complete silence. I didn't mean to disappear on all of you. This will be the first and last time—I promise."
Shirayuki sniffled quietly, looking up with watery eyes.
Yun Che continued, voice firm:
"I don't know what happened to your previous masters or their world. But hear me—each of you is my Zanpakutō now. My spirits. My companions."
His voice deepened.
"You will live and die alongside me. I won't ever abandon you."
Zabimaru flicked his tail. "It better be that way. I'm not going back to that empty place."
"Hmph," old Zangetsu grunted approvingly. "Good."
Hoyuu twirled his sword.
"Do it again, bastard. I'll beat your ass for fun."
Yun Che chuckled softly.
Despite his brutality, Hoyuu was the one who protected him the most fiercely.
"Promise me, Milord…"
Shirayuki whispered, clutching his robe.
"Promise you'll never leave us like that again?"
Yun Che wrapped his arms around her gently.
"I promise."
She relaxed into his embrace, her sobs fading into quiet breaths.
They had waited thousands of years—helpless, abandoned, forgotten.
Now they finally had a master again.
Someone who acknowledged them.
Someone who cherished them.
Yun Che would treasure them.
Always.
From the side, Jasmine watched the scene with narrowed eyes.
A beautiful sword spirit hugging her disciple with such raw emotion…
A strange discomfort twisted in her chest.
She immediately shook her head, refusing to dwell on it.
"Yuuki, aren't you forgetting something?"
Jasmine's flat tone cut through the warm, emotional atmosphere.
Yun Che blinked.
"…Forgetting what?"
Jasmine didn't bother answering.
Instead, she simply lifted a finger and pointed behind him—toward the massive spirit tree at the center of his inner world.
Yun Che followed her gesture.
Two glowing green eyes peeked from behind the trunk.
He stared.
The eyes stared back.
Then—
"Onii-chaaaaan!!"
Two high-pitched voices shrieked in unison.
Before Yun Che could react, two small shadows launched toward him like twin missiles.
"Wh—WAIT—!"
BAM!
Yun Che hit the ground with a painful grunt as two soft, child-sized bodies slammed into his torso.
Sode no Shirayuki wisely backed away before the impact, watching from a safe distance like someone who had experienced this chaos before.
Dizzy, Yun Che blinked rapidly until the world came into focus.
And then he froze.
Two adorable girls—twins—were sitting on his stomach, staring down at him with sparkling emerald eyes. They wore traditional Miko outfits: white tops with red linings and red skirts, complete with white socks and red sandals. Both had long, flowing silver hair that spilled like moonlight down their backs.
If heaven had children, they would look exactly like this.
Yun Che gasped softly.
"This aura… Sōgyo no Kotowari?"
But—
They looked nothing like their original male counterparts in Bleach.
The original Sōgyo no Kotowari manifested as twin boys with green eyes, silver hair tied in ponytails, blue hats, blue robes…
Yet here they were—
twin girls, cute enough to give diabetes, dressed like shrine maidens.
Why the change?
Why Zabimaru's missing baboon form?
Why only Shirayuki appeared exactly as her canon self?
Too many questions.
No answers.
Before he could process any of it—
"Nii-chan! Nii-chan! You're okay!"
One twin squealed, bouncing excitedly on his chest.
"Nii-chan, are you hurt? That pretty nee-chan said you went to heaven just now!"
The other tugged his robe anxiously.
"Did you bring us candy from heaven?"
Yun Che's lips twitched.
Kids. Even as Zanpakutō spirits—they were still kids.
"I'm okay, see? As strong as ever."
He gently pat their heads, treating them with the same tenderness he would real children.
Both twins puffed their cheeks in worry.
"Nii-chan… are you going to heaven again?"
"Don't go, okay? We can't feel you when you go. It hurts… it hurts a lot…"
Their voices wavered.
Their green eyes shimmered with tears.
Sode no Shirayuki approached silently, kneeling beside them.
She wrapped both girls in a protective embrace—they shivered, clinging to her as though still traumatized.
Yun Che's chest tightened.
He always had a soft spot for children…
but seeing his own spirits, these tiny girls, crying because they thought they lost him—
It hit him deeper than he expected.
He sat up slowly, placing one hand on each of their heads.
"No… no… not again. Nii-chan isn't going anywhere," he said softly, offering them his warmest smile.
"I'm staying. Right here. With all of you."
The twins sniffled.
"Really?"
"Really really?"
Yun Che nodded firmly.
"Really really. I promise."
The girls threw their arms around him with relief, burying their small faces against his chest.
From a few steps away, Jasmine watched the scene, her expression unreadable.
But deep in her eyes…
something uneasy flickered.
A feeling she didn't recognize.
And didn't like.
She quickly shook it off before it grew.
"Really? Nii-chan is really staying with us?"
The twin girls' voices sparkled with pure joy.
"Yeah," Yun Che said with a warm smile. "Nii-chan is staying. Always."
The twins brightened and began running excited circles around him, their laughter echoing like tiny silver bells across the inner world. Jasmine had only told them that he passed out—that the connection faded temporarily. It took her time to calm the terrified children.
It made her recall her own little sisters back in the God Realm.The softness.The innocence.The attachment.
She found herself watching the scene with a faint, complicated expression.
"It's getting lively in here," she murmured. "Never expected your spirits to care for you this much."
"They do," Yun Che replied quietly. "And I won't let them feel that kind of loss again."
At those words, Sode no Shirayuki stepped forward, her expression solemn. She bowed deeply.
The twin girls followed suit, eyes shimmering with devotion. Zabimaru dipped its head respectfully. Hoyuu and Old Zangetsu remained at the side, but the appreciation in their eyes was unmistakable.
"My lord," Shirayuki whispered. "Thank you… for summoning us. For freeing us from that empty, decaying world. For giving us a master again. Please… promise you won't leave us."
Yun Che stepped toward them, voice steady.
"You girls are my precious spirits. Of course I won't leave you."He placed a hand over his heart."From this moment on, I—Yukihira Yuuki—acknowledge all of you… Shirayuki, Sogyo no Kotowari, Zabimaru, Old Zangetsu, and Hoyuu… as my Zanpakutō. Please guide me, protect me, and grow stronger with me."
Shirayuki's cheeks flushed faintly.This was her first time having a male master—and her heart fluttered in ways she did not fully understand.
"Hai~ Please take care of us, Yuuki-sama."She bowed elegantly.
"Likewise, King," Hoyuu said, leaning on the tree with arms crossed.
Old Zangetsu simply nodded, leaning on the trunk of the spirit tree like a patient guardian.
After a long round of reassurances and affectionate farewells, Yun Che gently sent his Zanpakutō spirits back to their individual realms—after promising to visit soon.
"Nii-chan, you better come play with us later!"The twins tugged and pulled his cheeks one last time.
"I will, I will. After this, I'll come and play with you girls," Yun Che chuckled, ruffling their hair before they vanished in twin streaks of light.
"Hsssss… boy…" Zabimaru slithered closer, tail flicking. "I'll be waiting for the day you give me a human form… as you promised. And maybe… I'll get a little taste of your new powers. Hssss~."
Zabimaru winked.
Yun Che froze.
"…Did I just get hit on by a snake?"
His voice cracked. Sweat slid down his forehead.
There was something terrifyingly seductive about the sassy snake spirit—and he didn't know how to feel about it.
Finally, Shirayuki stepped forward. Her bow was graceful, her eyes warm.
"Milord Yuuki… I look forward to the day you wield me to your heart's content."
Then she vanished into a gentle swirl of snowflakes.
Yun Che nearly choked.
"That… can really cause misunderstandings, you know."
He turned to Jasmine.
She looked at him, face neutral, eyes unreadable.
Then she said one single word before turning on her heel:
"…Disgusting."
And left.
Yun Che felt his soul leave his body for a moment.
It's not my fault… These spirits will get me killed someday…
He sighed, rubbing his temple.
But now that everyone was safely back in their respective realms, there was work to do.
He exhaled deeply and clenched his fists.
"Time to start training…
I'll master every last one of my Zanpakutō."