As Shimo's release command rang out, a terrifying wave of spiritual pressure suddenly swept through the entire underground chamber.
Centered around Shimo, a strange, void-like power exploded outward in an instant—distorting space with its eerie silence.
The crimson light arrows from Urahara's Blood-Mist Shield were less than half an inch from striking Shimo…
But they froze midair—suspended like someone had pressed the pause button on reality itself.
For the first time, Urahara's calm and composed face showed a flicker of fear.
Before he could finish his sentence, the flow of time itself within the entire underground chamber had been stopped.
At that moment, the Zanpakutō in Shimo's hand had transformed completely.
A warped, ethereal force—seemingly born from nothingness—wrapped around a translucent blade. Its length had stretched and a faint blood-red glow pulsed along its surface.
The hilt had turned jet-black, exuding an aura of mysterious, undefined energy.
Where once the metallic blade edge gleamed, there now sat a twisted clock face. Its hour, minute, and second hands still moved—but only within the sword itself.
Shimo looked down at his transformed Zanpakutō with clear satisfaction.
It wasn't yet a perfect release, but the results were more than enough for now.
The name of his Zanpakutō: Akatsuki.
"Akatsuki"—meaning Dawn or Daybreak—symbolized the morning time itself. It was a name that perfectly suits this intriguing zanpakuto.
Upon releasing his Shikai, Shimo could freeze time within a small area centered around himself, lasting up to three seconds, depending on his spiritual pressure output.
Three seconds may sound brief—but in a battle between captain-level combatants, even a single second could shift the tide.
Of course, the more powerful the ability, the harsher the limitations.
The stronger the opponent caught in the time stop, the faster they could break free.
Just like the man standing before him—Urahara Kisuke.
Shimo used Shunpo to move instantly to his position—and by the time he stopped in front of Urahara…
…the man had already shaken off the power of time.
Looking at Shimo's sudden appearance, Urahara let out a wry smile.
"So that's your power…"
"No wonder you chose not to activate your Shikai in Seireitei."
A power —if poorly controlled—could throw all of Soul Society into chaos.
"Time… disappearing? The Seireitei… frozen?"
Countless horrific what-if scenarios raced through Urahara's mind.
But at the same time, he understood Shimo's intent.
Their goals were similar: hide true strength until the moment it was truly needed.
Shimo released the Shikai form, and his Zanpakutō returned to its standard asauchi appearance as he slid it calmly back into the sheath.
"If I'd done that in Seireitei, it would've drawn far too much attention."
Shimo shrugged, smiling wryly. "I'm not exactly looking to become everyone's target."
Urahara was momentarily stunned—then asked:
"Then what about your squad assignment?"
"Fourth Division!" Shimo beamed, flashing pristine white teeth.
"I made that decision long ago."
Seeing his confidence, Urahara said nothing more.
Because of all the time they had spent discussing and sparring, Shimo had almost failed to complete his Soul Burial test.
Fortunately, Urahara helped him locate several Plus souls just in time, allowing Shimo to finish the mission.
In addition, with the successful activation of his Shikai, his check-in mission was also completed.
As a result, Shimo's Hakuda proficiency had skyrocketed.
While he wasn't yet on par with captain-level specialists like Yoruichi, his skill was definitely within average captain-tier range.
Led by Ise Nanao, Shimo and the other trainees returned to the Soul Society.
With his practical assessment finished, he was now eligible to submit a graduation application.
But before that, a far more important matter awaited him.
Kuchiki Manor – Noble Senkaimon Gate
Byakuya stood before the gate with clear tension on his usually stoic face, giving final instructions:
"Shimo… we'll entrust everything to you."
Beside him, the once-aloof noble was now nothing but a worried husband standing before his wife.
Shimo thumped his chest in reassurance, then helped the frail Hisana toward the gate.
Several days passed before Shimo returned once again to the Urahara Shop.
But by now, Hisana's condition had worsened.
"Urahara-san… how is she?" Shimo asked.
Urahara's expression was heavy as he analyzed the readings.
"Miss Hisana's spiritual body is dangerously weak. We'll need a custom spiritual stabilizer to keep her intact."
"And during the procedure, I'll need your help."
Shimo blinked in surprise. "But… I'm not exactly trained in Kaidō."
Before he could finish, Urahara raised a hand to cut him off.
"It's not your healing I need."
"I need one second of frozen time."
Then Urahara explained his surgical approach.
"This medicine—my latest invention—is a Soul Stabilization Pellet. It can reinforce the spiritual cohesion of a Plus soul…"
"…but inserting it requires placing it directly into the core of the soul."
"Hisana's condition is already beyond critical. If we tried to operate through normal means, the force alone could destroy her entirely."
Shimo absorbed the explanation, then nodded slowly.
"So, you want to use my Shikai… to freeze her soul in place just long enough for the procedure."
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