The System's level recognition wasn't just a label—it was a kind of reality-defying enhancement. It didn't merely describe power; it transformed it. Even the most ordinary skill or artifact, once assigned a system grade, could become legendary.
That principle held especially true for the Infinity Gems.
When classified as SR-ranked, the gem didn't just retain its power from the Marvel Universe—it evolved beyond it. It adapted to the laws of the new world, gaining resonance and synergy with the spiritual framework of Bleach.
Here, in a reality governed by Reiatsu, Zanpakutō, and soul resonance, the Mind Gem didn't just retain its original identity—it grew stronger. Its very presence distorted spiritual perception. To mortals, it was divine; to Shinigami, a god-tier anomaly; and to monsters like Aizen or Yhwach, it was a dangerous unknown.
In the Marvel Universe, each Infinity Stone was one of the foundational building blocks of existence. The Mind Stone defined willpower, consciousness, perception, and insight—one of the most crucial pieces in holding together a universe's narrative structure. They were conceptual weapons, safeguarding reality from unraveling.
Even someone as ancient and powerful as the Ancient One clung to the Time Stone to protect the balance of her realm. Her initial refusal to surrender the stone to Bruce Banner—"Smart Hulk"—stemmed from this instinctual fear of cosmic imbalance.
Only when she heard, "Strange gave it willingly," did she relent.
Because if Doctor Strange had willingly given up the stone, it meant he had seen something. A future. A path. A survival beyond annihilation.
Such was the magnitude of the Infinity Gems.
To hold one was to cradle a star in the palm of your hand.
To master one?
Was to redefine reality.
And Uehara Shiroha—in his usual laid-back, overpowered fashion—was doing just that.
He wasn't merely using the Mind Gem like a borrowed weapon. He was integrating it, reshaping it, synchronizing it with his core power: Shunkyō.
While others would have treated the Mind Gem as an external tool, Shiroha had chosen a different path.
Assimilation. Fusion. Unity.
Over the years, the Shunkyō World—his inner realm, forged from the soul and tempered through battle—had absorbed the power of the Mind Gem, harmonizing with it on every level.
The result?
His Zanpakutō, Shunkyō, had long transcended the traditional mold.
It was no longer just a sword.
It was a world.
Other captains, no matter how powerful—Yamamoto, Aizen, Ichibē—still relied on the physical medium of their Zanpakutō to channel their abilities.
Their sword spirits, while fused with them in battle, remained separate entities.
If their blades were stolen or broken, their combat power would plummet.
Even the strongest techniques were bound to the presence of steel in hand.
But Uehara Shiroha?
He didn't need a blade.
The external form of Shunkyō—the physical sword—was just a cosmetic accessory at this point. He didn't rely on it. He didn't even particularly care if it got broken or sealed.
Because the true Shunkyō lived within him.
His soul was the sword. And the sword was his soul.
This was the true unity of man and blade.
A state that most Shinigami dreamed of—but never achieved.
Even Ichigo Kurosaki, whose very essence was Zanpakutō, couldn't fully claim that. Though Zangetsu was a part of him, a fusion of Quincy, Hollow, Fullbring and Shinigami powers, he still feared for his Bankai being stolen by Yhwach.
If his blade shattered, so did his morale.
But Uehara?
"Bankai stolen? Oh no, anyway—I'll just respawn one from Unlimited Blade Works."
That was the difference.
He didn't just have power.
He had redundancy.
UNLIMITAD BLADE WORKS wasn't just a Reality Marble—it was a database of existence.
If his sword was taken? He'd manifest it again.
If his skill was sealed? He'd deploy a clone with a workaround.
If someone copied his technique? He'd switch strategies and drop another overpowered ability like it was loot from a vending machine.
And at the center of this unbeatable loadout was the Mind Gem.
A gem that, in this world, might very well exceed the power of even Yhwach after absorbing the Soul King.
Why?
Because mental power was the cornerstone of Bleach's system.
Spiritual beings fought with will, imagination, instinct, and desire. A blade was only as sharp as the soul wielding it.
The Mind Gem didn't need to resist physical attacks—it overwrote thought. It altered perception. It turned resolve into puppetry.
No Reiatsu manipulation, no Bankai theft, no fate-defying vision could overcome direct control of the mental plane.
The Almighty Eyes?
Powerful.
But mental domination trumps prediction.
You can't see the future when you no longer have agency over your mind.
That was why Uehara didn't flinch at the idea of fighting Yhwach, even after he fused with the Soul King.
And if that wasn't enough...
The Mind Gem wasn't just conceptually powerful—it held narrative power.
It was the last gem obtained by Thanos, the keystone in the Infinity Gauntlet, and the one most closely tied to characters' wills and personalities in Marvel's metaphysics.
It was the core of Vision's consciousness.
The symbol of strategic dominance.
If the Space Stone symbolized movement, and the Power Stone symbolized brute force, then the Mind Stone symbolized control.
Not just control over others.
But over fate.
Over the plot.
When placed into Uehara's arsenal, the Mind Gem didn't just amplify his power—it destabilized the very hierarchy of the Bleach world.
Shinigami, Hollows, Quincy, Fullbringers… none were immune to mental manipulation.
Because the entire system of spiritual warfare relied on willpower and focus.
Even a minor influence from the Mind Gem could tip a Bankai clash or tilt a High-Speed Regeneration battle.
This was a cheat code disguised as a core mechanic.
And Uehara had already unlocked it.
Of course, such power had its limits—on paper.
The Infinity Stones were volatile. Misuse could destroy the user. Improper resonance could warp reality. Each gem demanded its own tax:
The Space Stone could teleport you into the abyss.
The Reality Stone bled you dry.
The Time Stone fractured timelines.
The Soul Stone demanded sacrifice.
The Power Stone killed without mercy.
The Mind Gem?
Subtle. Slower. But just as dangerous.
Most beings lacked the cognitive depth to develop it.
But Uehara Shiroha had Shunkyō—a Zanpakutō that represented conscious creation, a mirror of the soul's intent.
And he had Unlimited Blade Works, which allowed him to manifest not just weapons—but concepts.
Together?
They elevated the Mind Gem from artifact to law.
He didn't just use the Mind Gem.
He breathed it.
What others viewed as their peak ability—what they strove lifetimes to achieve—was just another building block in Uehara's kit.
"Why max out one stat," he thought, "when you can cheat and max out everything?"
This was the philosophy of a system-blessed genius.
He didn't go all in on one route. He diversified.
His sword was his soul.
His Stand controlled the battlefield.
His clone army learned everything while he napped.
His Zanpakutō rewrote spiritual causality.
His system ensured exponential growth with minimal effort.
And his enemies?
Still believed in the power of training arcs.
That was why before anyone realized it, he had already surpassed them.
Not gradually.
Not with struggle.
But with a sleepy yawn and a tap of the system panel.
He hadn't needed to fight Yhwach to prove his worth.
He didn't need Aizen's monologues.
He was already a boss they couldn't comprehend.
And he wasn't done yet.
Because the Mind Gem... was only just beginning to awaken.
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