The moment the panel lit up before Fujimiya Makoto's eyes, he could clearly feel a strange reaction within his body, mind, nerves, and perception.
The sharpness that had been recklessly unleashed like a drawn blade gradually retracted, and the surging battle intent followed, sinking deep into his heart.
But it wasn't extinguished.
Instead, like the art of iaijutsu and sword concealment, this sharpness was sheathed, accumulating steadily.
Ukitake-sensei seemed to sense something as well, her gaze unconsciously brightening as she looked at him.
Indeed, this is Makoto.
Fully immersed in battle, every second brings continuous self-improvement. Each strike differs from the last, as if no bottleneck or obstacle could ever hold him back.
Precisely because of this, he's so… captivating!
Ukitake Senkemaru's emotions intensified, her smile growing warmer.
"Makoto's shikai shouldn't be limited to this, right?"
"I still remember what you said before."
Ukitake-sensei stepped forward slowly, her voice gentle: "'As long as I reach the threshold of third-class reiryoku, even Genryusai could be held back…' That's what you said, right?"
"If it's only what you showed just now, it's far from enough."
Fujimiya Makoto's expression seemed oddly peculiar as he looked at Ukitake-sensei.
Even his words seemed hesitant.
He sighed helplessly: "If possible, I'd rather not use that move."
It wasn't a life-or-death battle, nor a blood feud demanding immediate vengeance.
Yet, it risked social death!
No matter how you look at it, it's not worth it.
The only silver lining was that after achieving the complete shikai, his control over his Zanpakutō's abilities had risen to a new level, offering slightly more options.
"Is it really okay, Ukitake-sensei?"
Ukitake Senkemaru, however, looked at him, revealing a smile filled with hidden meaning, and said gently:
"For Makoto to be so worried, it seems this teacher of yours is truly inadequate."
"Then… shall we make a bet?"
At the first half of her words, Fujimiya Makoto's body couldn't help but tremble.
But as the latter half landed:
"A bet?"
Ukitake Senkemaru's smile gradually faded, her originally gentle features turning cold, radiating a chilling aura of killing intent. Her eyes seemed to hold a sea of blood formed from countless lives, her voice becoming calm and deep.
"Sensei bets… that Makoto can't cut me."
"Then I have no choice, do I?"
Fujimiya Makoto chuckled, his hand already resting on the narrow blade of Gogyo no Asobi.
[Yūsei · Jiyū Sekai]
The corresponding words appeared before him in a form nearly identical to the system panel.
But unlike before.
The words 'Pleasure World' had transformed into 'Freedom World'.
Correspondingly, the 'Current Script' once forcibly decided by the broken sword now offered different options.
[Teaching Until Dawn.avi]
[My Tutor is Too Lewd, I Can't Study Properly]
[Secret Dojo]
[Hypnosis Academy!]
Like pop-up windows, these scenes flashed continuously before Fujimiya Makoto's eyes.
He could clearly feel that he could choose, through his own will, which familiar world to enter today.
Unfortunately, none of them were decent.
At the same time, these illusory worlds no longer existed solely in the minds of the two but were projected into the real world.
The only relief was that these 'scripts' could only be seen by them.
As the controller, Fujimiya Makoto could clearly sense the gradual changes in his Zanpakutō.
Whether it was the change in the number of scripts, the shift from unselectable to selectable, or from Pleasure World to Freedom World.
All of this indicated one thing—Fujimiya Makoto's 'permissions' were increasing.
Meanwhile, if the initial 'scripts' were bluntly described as personal delusions, merely altering the imaginary, illusory world within his mind.
Then, with the emergence of [Shinjitsu Teigi] and [In'nen Gyaku] Fujimiya Makoto had gradually gained the ability to turn 'scripts' into a form of 'reality'.
He could clearly feel it.
Though due to his current insufficient strength, these scenes could only be presented to a limited, affected audience.
But if his strength were to grow…
These seemingly absurd, entirely imaginary scripts could likely be imbued with the concept of the world, allowing him to distort 'reality' at will.
"World intrusion…?"
"And it's all lewd worlds, give me a break."
Fujimiya Makoto sighed softly, his fingertip already selecting one of the scripts.
This is… the most suitable place for him and Ukitake-sensei to duel.
Almost the moment his fingertip touched it, the broken sword's cute, childish voice echoed in both their ears.
[Freedom World: Secret · Dojo]
[Theme: Open! Free! Explore!]
[Background: The undefeated dojo master, once again attracts a female swordsman who comes knocking.]
[Rules: You can choose to win first, then go further, or go further first, then win.]
[Note: The broken sword is concerned about your kidneys!]
Ukitake Senkemaru quietly observed everything unfolding before her.
Though, from the very beginning, when Makoto first touched the power of 'shikai', she had imagined countless times in her mind what this child's world might look like, even exaggerating it as much as possible.
But seeing the abrupt appearance of everything before her, Ukitake Senkemaru realized her imagination and creativity still needed development.
The dojo gates opened inward, Fujimiya Makoto standing in the center of the wooden floor, eyes slightly closed, expressionless.
However, on both sides of the dojo where he stood, were figures bound and suspended in various strange ways by dark red ropes.
Most of these figures had exaggerated expressions, rolled eyes, and disheveled hair, fixed in bizarre poses, seemingly to emphasize their failure. Only their bodies occasionally twitched faintly with instinct, the floor beneath them bearing remnants of dried traces.
At their feet were notes indicating the challenge time and the number of moves before failure.
Ukitake Senkemaru glanced at the feet of a woman beside her.
[Seventh Challenger · Akasaki Rika]
[Osaka Meijin-ryū Licensed Master]
[Challenge Time: September 5th, XXXX]
[16 Moves]
As if to flaunt the dojo master's prowess through this stark contrast.
Ukitake seemed to glance casually, but her gaze toward Fujimiya Makoto carried a subtle, piercing emotion.
"Truly astonishing, Makoto."
"In every sense."
"..."