"Captain-Commander…"
"I know this request is a little abrupt…"
"But I want to visit the Great Spiritual Library Corridor!"
Facing Yamamoto—and the gazes of every captain—Bai Chen answered without hesitation.
This wasn't a spur-of-the-moment whim.
It was because—
"Ding!"
"New sign-in mission released!"
"No time limit. Proceed to the Great Spiritual Library Corridor and sign in!"
"After completion, you will receive a special reward: Eye Power Unsealed! Awaken the Three-Tomoe Sharingan (gain mastery of genjutsu)!"
Just moments ago, the long-silent system notification had finally returned.
But the sign-in location shocked Bai Chen:
The Great Spiritual Library Corridor—a massive, automated archive that recorded Soul Society's greatest events and deepest secrets from ancient times to the present.
Its position was uniquely sensitive.
It lay beneath one of Soul Society's forbidden zones—
directly under the Central Underground Council Hall, where the members of the Central 46 worked.
Because of that, under normal circumstances, no one could enter without special authorization—
not even captains.
In the original history, for nearly a hundred years, only Aizen had managed to exploit the place—using a "fake death" window and the slaughter of the Central 46 to hide within the underground chamber and the Library Corridor, digging into Kisuke Urahara's past and extracting crucial techniques.
That alone proved one thing:
Bai Chen's request… should have been rejected instantly.
But this time, it was different.
"Hm?"
At the head of the hall, Yamamoto's first reaction was to knit his brows.
He had expected a different request—
a promotion, a reassignment, personal instruction, perhaps even training in legendary Kidō…
But instead, Bai Chen wanted access to the most secret, most heavily guarded place in Soul Society.
"That place…"
"Even I cannot enter freely without reason."
Yamamoto lowered his gaze and spoke in a deep voice.
With his status and power, there was no place he couldn't reach—
but as the maker of rules, he had always set the example:
he obeyed the system overseen by the Central 46.
After thinking carefully, Yamamoto rested both hands on his staff and finally agreed with a decisive tone:
"This matter is significant."
"First, it must be reported to the Central 46."
"Second… you should understand that the ones who oversee the Great Spiritual Library Corridor are the Tsunayashiro clan."
The meaning was clear:
With Yamamoto backing it, Bai Chen would be approved—
but there would be resistance, so it wouldn't happen instantly.
Then Yamamoto looked Bai Chen in the eye and made a public promise before all captains:
"I guarantee you this…"
"No more than one week."
"This proposal will be approved."
"And you will be permitted to enter the Great Spiritual Library Corridor."
By custom, Yamamoto should have demanded Bai Chen's purpose in detail.
But he didn't.
Because he trusted Bai Chen—
and because Bai Chen's achievements in the purification incident were simply too dazzling to question.
Bai Chen bowed again.
"I understand."
"Then I'll leave it to you, Captain-Commander."
Inside, he finally relaxed.
He'd feared rejection.
After all, the Great Spiritual Library Corridor was one of Seireitei's most important forbidden zones—
and the Tsunayashiro were its custodians.
Given Bai Chen's prior conflict with Tsunayashiro Tokinada, if Tokinada chose to obstruct him, even Yamamoto would face friction.
But Yamamoto had already promised it aloud.
So for the next few days, Bai Chen could do one thing:
wait.
And that meant—
once he signed in and awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan…
his final weakness would be filled:
genjutsu.
And more importantly…
the one ability he had always treated with real caution—
Kyōka Suigetsu's "perfect hypnosis"—
would lose its threat entirely.
From that moment on, whenever Bai Chen faced Aizen head-on—
all he would need to do was activate the Three-Tomoe Sharingan.
With overwhelming ocular power, he could pierce illusions and break any hypnosis.
If Aizen's biggest trump card failed—
Bai Chen had absolute confidence he could crush him in a straight battle of force.
Bai Chen didn't notice—
in the left-side captain formation…
the moment Yamamoto publicly guaranteed his entry—
a faint, abnormal glint flickered behind Aizen's thick black frames.
It wasn't just surprise.
It was envy.
And a cold edge of hostility.
The death of two Espada—and Yammy's erasure—meant nothing to Aizen.
Hueco Mundo, Espada, Arrancar…
were just pieces.
He didn't mourn pawns.
But the Great Spiritual Library Corridor?
That was different.
Aizen knew exactly what kind of treasure trove it was.
Under different conditions, he could slaughter the Central 46 and stroll into it with Kyōka Suigetsu.
But the timing wasn't right.
He still hadn't found the Hōgyoku that Urahara had hidden.
And now—
with Bai Chen becoming a dangerous variable—
Aizen could no longer be certain he would control everything as effortlessly as before.
For the first time in a long time…
Aizen genuinely envied Bai Chen.
And Bai Chen became, in his mind, even more troublesome—more dangerous.
The reward meeting ended.
The captain's assembly—held specifically because of Bai Chen—concluded with Bai Chen's wish granted.
And with that, he was about to experience another stage of explosive growth.
One Week Later
No surprises.
Yamamoto's promise was fulfilled.
At the entrance of the Central Underground Council Hall—
Yamamoto, Sasakibe Chōjirō, Kyōraku Shunsui, and others stood present…
along with an oppressive formation of Onmitsukidō, Kidō Corps, and Squad One members.
The perimeter security was maxed out.
"Bai Chen…"
"Due to my position…"
"I will not enter with you this time."
In front of countless subordinates, Yamamoto spoke with deliberate weight.
Then he angled his eyes toward Kyōraku and Sasakibe.
"To prevent any boundary-crossing once you enter…"
"By the Central 46's strict demand…"
Sasakibe and Kyōraku will accompany you inside.
Bai Chen had expected this.
He nodded calmly.
"I understand."
Yamamoto continued:
"Once inside, aside from the permitted zone…"
"do not wander."
After his final warning, he stepped forward.
Boom!
The heavy, seki-seki stone doors—normally sealed—opened.
Dust rose in waves.
With everything arranged to avoid disturbing the Central 46, and under the surveillance and escort of the Onmitsukidō and Kidō Corps…
the group descended through dark, silent corridors, passing multiple barriers—
until they arrived at the final entrance.
"Bai Chen…"
"Once the custodians open the barrier gate…"
"we'll officially enter the Great Spiritual Library Corridor."
Kyōraku smiled lightly as he spoke, then nodded toward the Tsunayashiro guards ahead.
Bai Chen returned the nod—
but his eyes couldn't hide his anticipation.
Because—
"Ding!"
"Host detected within the sign-in range…"
"Sign in now?"
The system prompt rang out.
Even though they hadn't entered fully—
Bai Chen could sign in right now, through the barrier.
His timing was perfect.
Once the Three-Tomoe Sharingan awakened—
its enhanced perception and piercing insight—
combined with the system's boosted ocular power—
would let him "see" far more than what rules allowed.
Even if he was restricted to a designated area…
Bai Chen had absolute confidence:
without anyone noticing—
he could observe, memorize, and perfectly copy any document or record he wanted.
And his first target—
was something that only existed in remote antiquity—
something that, in modern times, only the leader of Squad Zero, Ichibē Hyōsube, was said to possess:
the Kidō forbidden art—Legendary Secret Kidō.
◇ I'll drop one bonus chapter for every 10 reviews (leave a review/comment!)
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ Read 60 chapters ahead on P@treon: patreon.com/KageNaruto