Not long after—
inside the vast, open laboratory—
the release chant of Bai Chen's Zanpakutō echoed through the entire space:
"Wood that pierces the heavens! Roots that shake the earth! Tempest of nature! Forest that stirs the clouds!"
"Unleash the power of nature… Wood Dragon!"
The moment the name was called—
a brilliant emerald glow burst forth like a surging ocean of green, roaring out alongside his spiritual pressure.
In an instant, it filled every corner of the laboratory.
Everything within—
the instruments on the control panels, the machinery, even Akon and Mayuri—
were enveloped by that jade-like energy,
bringing with it a vivid sense of vitality that invigorated both body and mind.
Under Bai Chen's control,
those glass-like streams of green spiritual pressure began to coil around the large-scale dimensional device.
Then—
through every seam and microscopic gap—
they seeped into it completely.
In barely a moment—
the originally metallic structure of the device took on a faint green hue.
This was the result of Wood Dragon's spiritual pressure stabilizing itself across its surface.
The machine—
which originally required massive amounts of energy to function—
had now temporarily gained the properties of Bai Chen's Wood Style techniques.
Which meant—
from this moment onward—
once the device was activated,
Mayuri would no longer need to worry about energy consumption.
With the power of Wood Dragon infused within it,
the machine would continuously absorb reishi from the surrounding environment—
nonstop.
And the rate of absorption—
would be more than enough to sustain long-term operation.
"It's done."
Bai Chen withdrew his Zanpakutō, a faint smile on his face.
"If you're still unsure, you can test it as many times as you like until you're completely satisfied."
"Heh… there's no need."
Mayuri let out a cold chuckle.
"You've already altered the device at a fundamental level."
"If I still doubted it now…"
"…I'd just be slapping myself in the face."
Bai Chen's gaze sharpened slightly.
"So—"
"The thing I want…"
"Your research data. It's time to hand it over."
The reason Bai Chen had agreed so quickly earlier—
was simple.
He genuinely valued the ability to:
Control the GargantaMove freely within the Dangai
Because for him—
after suppressing Aizen in Karakura Town—
and proving himself before all the captains—
the Soul Society no longer held any real threats.
Unless Aizen made another move—
there would be no worthy opponents for a long time.
But—
once he mastered control over the Garganta—
and could move freely through the Dangai—
then everything would change.
He would be able to leave Soul Society at any time.
Travel freely between realms:
The Human WorldHueco MundoAnd even…
the hidden domain of the Quincy—
the Shadow Realm of the Wandenreich.
That was why—
Bai Chen was eager.
Extremely eager.
Even though he wasn't skilled in research—
he had the Three-Tomoe Sharingan.
As long as Mayuri handed over the data—
one glance would be enough.
His ocular power would automatically analyze everything—
allowing him to fully comprehend all of Mayuri's knowledge in an instant.
"Heh… give me a moment."
"I'll hand over everything—no reservations."
"But whether you can truly understand it…"
"…depends on your talent."
"Though for someone called the 'strongest genius'…"
"I doubt that will be a problem."
Mayuri, despite his reputation as a mad scientist—
never broke his word.
Soon—
he returned with all of his accumulated research on dimensional traversal
and placed it entirely before Bai Chen.
"Sharingan… copy."
Without hesitation—
Bai Chen activated his eyes.
In an instant—
countless streams of information flooded into his mind.
"I have to admit…"
"In terms of research…"
"You're a genius."
At that moment—
Bai Chen felt it clearly.
If he wanted—
he could now tear open space just like an Arrancar.
At any time.
Anywhere.
And travel freely across dimensions.
"Now that I've mastered this power…"
"Now that I can freely move through the Garganta…"
Bai Chen lifted his gaze toward the window.
His eyes settled on the vast stretch of shadows cast by the Research Institute building.
"It's about time…"
"…to find the right opportunity…"
"…and step into the Shadow Realm."
"…and meet the true-blood Quincy of the Wandenreich."
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