"One last time!"
Tatsuki's breathing became rapid.
"Since you gave me swordsmanship, might as well go all the way."
"Give me a damn sword!"
The wheel seemed to respond to his roar.
The pointer on the final spin was so fast it left afterimages. Finally, it gradually slowed, passing the blue zone, passing the purple zone and stopped on a deep, light-devouring... black zone.
"Huh? Black? What's this?" Tatsuki was stunned.
The next second, that pitch-black segment violently erupted with a darkness that seemed to devour all light!
[Ding! Great Success! Breaking the Dimensional Wall!]
[Congratulations, Host! Obtained: Zanpakuto: Zangetsu (Bleach World, Kurosaki Ichigo's Exclusive Sword, Bankai Form)!]
A slender, ink-black katana appeared in Tatsuki's hand.
Unlike the famous swords of the One Piece world with their flashy tsuba or patterns, it was entirely black, the blade slender like a shadow, the guard a black "swastika" character, and connected to the end of the hilt was a broken black chain that made a crisp "clinking" sound with Tatsuki's movements.
Simple, pure, full of aesthetic beauty in slaughter.
[Note: This weapon has undergone localization rule adaptation.]
[Tensa Zangetsu: Permanent Bankai Form.]
[Ability 1. Black Blade: Blade hardness, strength, and sharpness surpass the "Twelve Supreme Grade Swords."]
[Ability 2. Getsuga Tenshō: No Reiatsu required. Driven by Haki, the blade compresses the user's Haki and Devil Fruit power into ultra-high-density slashes.]
[Ability 3. Extreme Speed: Wielding this blade grants the user an extreme boost to attack and movement speed!]
"Tensa... Zangetsu."
Tatsuki gently grasped the hilt. In that instant, he felt a cold, sharp will transmit from the blade, resonating perfectly with the Great Swordsman insights he had just acquired in his mind.
He could even feel the sword was "hungry."
It craved Haki!
"Want to eat? Then eat your fill."
With a thought, Tatsuki poured his Armament Haki unreservedly into the blade.
Boom!
The pitch-black blade instantly ignited with a tangible black flame. Black-red lightning danced wildly along the edge, emanating a suffocating aura of destruction.
"So strong..."
Looking at the black blade trembling with excitement in his hand, the green light in Tatsuki's eyes was frighteningly bright.
Combined with the speed of the Storm-Storm Fruit, the boost from Tensa Zangetsu, and Armament Haki Coating...
If he were to land a slash on someone, tsk tsk, that scene would be too beautiful to imagine.
Tatsuki lovingly stroked the matte-black blade of Zangetsu, feeling its cold, familiar power.
He only had one thought now.
Find someone, test the blade!
—
Tatsuki was alone in his spacious office, toying with the entirely black katana. After a long while, he finally put it back into his system space with satisfaction.
"Perfect."
Promotion, wealth, and divine equipment acquired.
He stretched his limbs, and his joints crackled loudly.
"I should have a good meal to celebrate, and by the way, find a durable punching bag to test my sword."
He pushed open the door and walked towards Marineford's First Mess Hall in high spirits.
...
The First Mess Hall was bustling with people during the lunch rush.
When Tatsuki appeared with a luxurious lunch piled high like a small mountain, the entire mess hall's commotion came to a halt. Countless gazes instantly focused on him, especially those female Marines, whose eyes lit up and cheeks flushed.
"Look! It's Rear Admiral Tatsuki!"
"Oh my god, he's even more handsome in person than in the den den mushi... that figure, I'd go for that."
Tatsuki was already immune to the surrounding gazes. He calmly chose a window seat and was about to dig in when a slightly nervous, clear female voice sounded by the table.
"Um... Rear Admiral Tatsuki, can I... sit here?"
Tatsuki looked up.
A beautiful girl with long black hair was standing gracefully with her meal tray.
It was Gion.
She hadn't changed out of her New Recruit uniform yet. The white shirt was stretched into astonishing curves by her tight figure, and her usually heroic face was now as red as a ripe apple.
A hint of a smile flashed in Tatsuki's eyes.
A potential stock!
While she's still a naive little rookie, now is the best time to build up goodwill and cultivate her into a loyal subordinate.
"It's you."
Tatsuki showed his signature gentle smile, like the warm sun in winter.
"Just now in the plaza, your gaze was excellent, Miss Swordsman."
He naturally stood up and pulled out the opposite chair for Gion.
This gentlemanly gesture instantly ignited envious, distorted gasps from the surrounding female Marines.
"Th-thank you."
Gion was flattered, feeling like she didn't know where to put her hands and feet.
"Don't be so formal, just call me Tatsuki in private." Tatsuki's voice was gentle and extremely magnetic.
He casually pushed the untouched special caramel pudding from his own tray towards Gion.
"This dessert tastes good, freshly baked. Girls should like it."
Critical hit!
Gion felt her heart skip a beat. Her idol not only remembered her, but was also so gentle and considerate, even inviting her to eat pudding.
"This... this dessert is too precious, I can't..."
Tatsuki propped his chin with one hand, gazing at her with a smile. "Compared to its value, I prefer to see the expression on a beautiful lady's face when she eats."
Gion's brain buzzed, instantly crashing and going blank. A wave of scalding heat spread from her slender neck, instantly reaching her earlobes.
Her usual heroic demeanor vanished, and she could only frantically avoid Tatsuki's deep, smiling eyes, her hands nervously intertwining under the table, her voice barely a whisper. "Th-then... I... I won't be polite."
But this warm scene of a handsome man and beautiful woman, enjoying a peaceful moment, was more unbearable for Tokikake in a corner of the mess hall than being stabbed with a sword.
Bang!
A rough hand slammed heavily on the table, making the pudding in the plate jiggle three times.
The mess hall instantly fell silent.
Everyone stopped what they were doing, their gazes uniformly turning towards the source of the sound.
Tokikake's face was dark, his features almost twisted into a knot, his iconic sleazy top hat askew, and his whole body exuded the sour smell of aged vinegar.
He stared intently at Tatsuki, then at the shy Gion, his lungs about to burst with rage.
"Rear Admiral Tatsuki."
These words were practically squeezed through his teeth.
Tatsuki slowly swallowed a mouthful of rice and looked up at Tokikake.
"Is something wrong, soldier?" His tone remained gentle.
"I challenge you!" Tokikake practically roared the words, spittle flying.
"If you lose, stay away from Gion!"