Chapter 22: Shikai and Bankai?

"So, how did you meet them?" Yun Che asked her.

Jasmine recalled where they met her after he went into his slumber due to an upgrade. She was shocked because there were others able to enter his inner world. At that time, Jasmine was positive that the new occupants could tear her a new one since they saw her with bloodied clothes and a fainted Yun Che. Now that the system is sealing her strength, she is fragile as glass. Instead, what she expected would happen didn't happen. That snowwoman Shirayuki just asked about her condition instead of unleashing her full power against Jasmine. Not what she expected, but she breathed a breath of relief, knowing she could live another day. The system tortured her, and she was not ready to give her life.

When they asked her, she just introduced herself as his master. As for them, they just introduced themselves as his spirits or his powers. During the ten hours, Shirayuki gave one of her kimonos to Jasmine after seeing her bloodied state. Jasmine told them that Yun Che rescued her, earning him a hero point from the spirits.

Due to the spirit's immense powers, she won't dare to be haughty as she used to be. Despite all that, Jasmine got along with Shirayuki pretty well. Sogyo No Kotowori treated her like a sister, even calling her 'pretty sister.' Zabimaru just teased about her body all the time. She even gets along with old Zangetsu. But she was not able to get along that well with Hoyuu. One part of it was that Hoyuu was Yun Che's spitting image, which was only vile and had a trash mouth.

"That brat is so full of herself. How did you get this one as a master, king? You sure she's not just a prisoner?" Hoyuu asked Yun Che.

"Brat??!!? This princess is not a brat. This princess is his master, and I'll have you know this one is the Heavenly Star God. Someone who is realms above you," Jasmine defended herself.

"Brat is a brat it is. You don't even have breasts on your chest." Hoyuu was striking her where it hurt.

"You…" and they started to bicker with one another. Good thing Jasmine doesn't have her strength, or this world might be toast already. Seeing them getting along, Yun Che steps into the middle of the two of them before looking toward Hoyuu. He won the bicker as he smirked, and Jasmine was almost blowing her top.

"All right, Hoyuu. Ossan. I'll see you after this." Yun Che sends his spirit into their world. Before he leaves, Hoyuu gestures a middle finger towards Jasmine, and she glares at him for doing so. Not that she knows what it means. As for Yun Che, he instead keeps what it means under wraps or risks her wrath on him instead.

"You get along just fine." Yun Che smirked after seeing her

"Humphh, if that thing isn't one of your powers, this princess might kill him already." She said with a haughty tone.

"Yeah, good luck with that. Hoyuu is the one even I need to be wary of. If that guy goes full power, this planet might get blown off already." Yun Che said quietly in his heart.

"They said they are your spirits, and you mention them being Zanpakutos. What are they?" Jasmine asked him once more. It appears her curious mode was on. These terms from his world started to bug her somehow, and she somehow wanted to know more about them.

At first, Yuuki or Yun Che thought twice about entrusting his secrets to Jasmine, but since she gave him the Blood of the Heretic God, he owes her this much. Moreover, she's a trustworthy character in the novel.

Finally deciding on her stand with him, Yun Che trusted her with his secrets. "They are my soul slayer swords. They represented my powers and my comrades. When Soul Reapers are born, they are born with special powers in their soul and manifest them into a sword. Each Soul Reaper usually has one spirit inside them. They were able to fight together as one during battles. These spirits are manifested into the world."

"Then, you can use them to fight in the real world? How is that possible? That Shirayuki from before had powers beyond my understanding." Jasmine replied as she slowly sat down on the soft grasses of his inner world.

Yun Che decided to do so as well before he continued. "To use their powers, soul reapers needed to use 'Shikai' or first release. This form usually displays the spirit's elemental powers. When a first release is used, the reaper's weapon will transform into a different weapon. Remember when I transformed before? I have that Khyber-shaped sword with me. That's Zangetsu's Shikai." Yun Che recalled showing Zangetsu to her and his little stunt during the wedding.

"Shikai, it means every one of them has Shikai? Even that foul-mouth version of you?"

"That foul-mouth version of me has mastered Bankai, though. He and Old Zangetsu taught me. Believe it or not, that foul-mouthed me's name is Zangetsu."

"The same as Old Zangetsu?"

"Yeah… but I rather call him Hoyuu instead of Zangetsu as it stands for Hollow Yuuki. Not the name that I am proud of." Jasmine nodded her head, but someone didn't ask questions about hollows. Since there are no hollows in this world, save the reason to tell her.

Little that he knows.

"Wait, you said something about Hoyuu mastering Bankai? What is that?" Jasmine wondered.

"When a soul reaper manifests it. They will have to train to bring Zanpakuto Spirit into the physical world. When they can do that, they master the final release. This release is known as 'Bankai.' It is the spirit's full power. The power that can change the balance of the fight should it be unleashed."

"Then, have you mastered their Bankai?" Jasmine looked at him thoughtfully.

"No, only Zangetsu's. The rest? I just got them today." Yun Che revealed a fun fact to her.

"Today? You said one soul reaper has one spirit power, but you have four?" Jasmine said with a shocked expression. How did this disciple of hers obtain four Zanpakuto spirits, each having different powers from another?

Yun Che just shrugged and pointed toward the system; Jasmine's expression was priceless. She kept the thought to herself. It is unfair. The heavens and the system are unfair, and this Yun Che is unfair. How in the world a person like this is blessed so much? She might need a while to digest this information.

"Can you show me? Zangetsu's Bankai?" Jasmine asked him. Her curiosity and anticipation were evident, but Yun Che turned her down.

"No, sorry. I can't do so because of circumstances." Yun Che is still wondering about his reaitsu and level. It was not enough to initiate Bankai. He wasn't sure his current level was enough to sustain Bankai.

"What circumstances?" she asked again.

Yun Che started to recall his powers as the successor of the Heretic God. He added a story where he gained another control in the Evil God's blood, known as the Evil God's Sharingan or Copy Wheel Eye. He didn't want to fill on the origin. It's enough that she knows about the gist of it. He told her about his levels' halving and his currently weak body.

"Beginner's Profound Realm? It is the first time this princess has heard about a certain realm underneath the Elementary Profound Realm. You are even weaker than those who started cultivation but hold many advantages if you enter Elementary Profound Realm."

"Kind of. Since my levels were halved, I entered Elementary Profound Realm and Nasrcent Profound Realm with the basics of a Beginner. So, I have the entire realm's power strength within me without using Shinigami or even the Heretic God's power." Yun Che smirked, but Jasmine's eyes widened for a while. It means his disciple of hers had an enormous realm of power at his disposal. If combined with his Heretic God Legacy, he can achieve more than his current level. If he uses his Zanpakutos...

Somehow, Jasmine stupefied herself but with these kinds of powers. He'll be the center of attention; those up there could stop him before he develops.

Her expression turned serious as she turned towards him and reassured him. "Yun Che, you promised me you hide the fact about all of these Shinigami, Evil God, Copy Wheel Eyes, and any other secret you have. If this power leaks to the Realm of The Gods, it will spite greed from the highest realms. They might not target you, but they might harm those closest to you. I promised to train you until you reached Sovereign Profound Realm or beyond. You need to have powers to protect yourself."

Yun Che was silent. He knows the nature of man. It is not the modern world where everything can be settled with politics. This world is where the strong devour the weak. He'll make sure he will be the one who devours.

"Then, let's get started." Yun Che made his resolve.

"I will get stronger so I can step on those bastards from the Realm of the Gods," he murmured. However, Jasmine heard him clearly, and a faint smile was seen on her lips. Maybe taking this one as a disciple the best decision she made and an investment of a long time.