Another day passed at the grand Shin'o Academy. The air was filled with the sound of swords clashing during training, the voices of instructors echoing as they taught the fundamentals of Zanjutsu, and the incessant murmur of students sharing their ambitions and frustrations. Cheon Jin, however, was oblivious to all of it. He had always been different from the others, and on that day, his restlessness was palpable.
As soon as the classes ended, Jin, who rarely drew attention, avoided the academy's bustling areas and slipped away quietly. His steps were quick and silent, moving like a shadow among the buildings. It wasn't the first time he had snuck off to explore beyond the academy's boundaries, but there was something special about that day. Perhaps it was the monotony of routine pushing him out, or the desire to find something more—something that the safety and predictability of Shin'o couldn't offer.
As he passed through the gates marking the academy's border, Jin felt a strange sense of freedom wash over him. The air outside seemed different, heavier yet somehow more real. He had ventured out into the Rukongai, the district surrounding the spiritual capital, where life was far less glamorous and much more raw.
The Rukongai was a stark contrast to the Shin'o Academy. While the academy symbolized order and discipline, the Rukongai radiated a pulsing chaos. Jin walked along dirt roads, observing the simple—and often harsh—lives of the souls who lived there. Barefoot children ran around, laughing and playing amidst the dust, while vendors shouted their deals at makeshift stalls. The air was filled with the smell of cheap food, burning wood, and sweat.
Jin passed by a group of men arguing loudly, their voices heavy with tension. Further ahead, an elderly woman was handing out bowls of thin soup to some hungry children. Each scene was a reminder that, outside the walls of the academy, the world was a very different place, where the struggle for survival was constant.
He knew he shouldn't be there. The instructors at Shin'o always warned students about the dangers of the Rukongai, especially for those still in training. But Jin didn't care. For him, it was more than just an escape; it was a chance to better understand the world he was preparing for. After all, the Rukongai was the heart of the Soul Society, the place where the real stories happened, far from the idealized order of the academy.
As he explored, Jin came across a small stream running through a quieter area of the district. He sat by the water's edge, watching the gentle waves reflect the sunlight. For a moment, he allowed his thoughts to wander. The peace he felt there was something he couldn't find within the academy walls.
But he knew he couldn't stay long. The sharp eyes of the instructors wouldn't take long to notice his absence. With a sigh, Jin stood up, taking one last look at the Rukongai before turning back toward the path home.
As Jin was about to leave the Rukongai, a peculiar sensation invaded his mind, an unexpected alert that made his relaxed posture vanish in an instant.
[Warning! A pulsating spiritual energy breaking through space has been detected!]
Nano's voice rang clear and precise in his mind, like a blade cutting through the silence. Jin narrowed his eyes, his gaze hardening as he processed the information. Pulsating spiritual energy breaking through space. The words echoed in his mind as he tried to discern the nature of the threat.
'Breaking through space? he thought, his muscles tensing. 'Could it be Hollows opening a Garganta'
His heart quickened slightly. He knew that anything capable of distorting space like that was not something to be ignored. The mere mention of a possible Garganta put him on high alert. Hollows in the Rukongai posed a serious threat, and Jin knew that if that were the case, he couldn't afford to hesitate.
"Tsk!" He clicked his tongue in irritation. It wasn't as if he was looking for trouble, but trouble always seemed to find him. In one fluid motion, he adjusted his posture and concentrated his spiritual power into his legs.
In the blink of an eye, Jin shot toward the source of the spatial distortion. Using Shunpo, he became a blur of black and red, racing across the Rukongai at incredible speed. The people around barely had time to notice his passage; to them, it felt as if a gust of wind had swept through the area.
The world around him became a blur of shapes and colors as he advanced. Wooden stalls, people, and buildings passed by like indistinct shadows, unable to keep up with the speed of his movements. With each step in Shunpo, Jin felt the pulse of that spiritual energy growing stronger, denser. It was like a deafening drumbeat in his senses, guiding him straight to the breaking point.
His gaze was sharp, fixed on the horizon. He didn't know exactly what awaited him, but it didn't matter. Hollows, spiritual distortions, or something even more dangerous — Jin was prepared. After all, he had left the academy in search of something beyond routine, and now destiny seemed to have placed the opportunity directly in his hands.
As he approached the source of the distortion, he felt the air around him grow heavier, charged with an energy that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. The distance between him and the critical point shrank rapidly, and with each step, he mentally prepared himself for whatever he might face.
Suddenly, a deafening roar tore through the air, making Jin's eyes widen. His mind, sharp as a blade, immediately went into a state of maximum alert. He quickly turned his head to the right, only to be met with a terrifying sight: several enormous Hollows emerged from the shadows, their white masks gleaming in the daylight as they descended toward him, ready to devour him.
Jin felt the overwhelming spiritual pressure emanating from the creatures. Each of their steps made the ground tremble, and the air seemed to vibrate with the malevolent energy they exuded. But he did not retreat. Instead, a cold gleam overtook his eyes.
With a swift and precise motion, he extended his right hand, concentrating his spiritual energy into his palm. Within seconds, particles of Reishi began gathering around him, dancing like glowing sparks before condensing into a sword. The blade's radiance was nearly blinding—a katana made entirely of pure light, its aura exuding an overwhelming sense of power.
Jin gripped the weapon firmly, feeling the familiar weight in his hand. His words, filled with determination, echoed across the battlefield:
"Heavenly Demonic Sword Art – First Form."
With a fluid movement, he brandished the sword with superhuman speed, launching himself directly at the Hollows. His silhouette became a blur of spiritual energy as he moved between the monsters, each swing of his blade leaving a trail of light in the air.
A Hollow advanced with a massive claw, attempting to grab him, but Jin gracefully spun in the air, narrowly dodging the attack. The light katana shone as he wielded it in a horizontal slash, splitting the Hollow in half with a single strike. The monster disappeared in an explosion of black particles, its roar of agony echoing briefly before vanishing completely.
Another Hollow tried to attack him from behind, but Jin was already one step ahead. He leaped with agility, stepping on the air using the Shinigami technique, as he swiftly changed position. From above, he descended like a lightning bolt, cutting the Hollow in a perfect diagonal line.
The battlefield was a chaotic mix of spiritual energy, monstrous screams, and flashes of bright light. Jin moved with lethal grace, each step and strike seeming like part of a deadly dance. He felt the flow of the battle as an extension of himself, and the Hollows, despite their raw strength, were unable to keep up with his speed and precision.
A third Hollow tried to take advantage of a gap while Jin faced two others. It opened its grotesque mouth, gathering a sphere of spiritual energy to fire a Cero. Jin sensed the threat at the last moment and quickly turned around.
Without hesitation, he gathered his spiritual energy into the blade and swung it forcefully, releasing a wave of cutting light that sliced through the air and collided with the Cero. The impact caused an explosion that shook the environment, raising dust and soot. When the smoke cleared, Jin was unharmed, his stance unwavering.
"Do you think you can stop me?" he murmured, his voice heavy with confidence. His eyes gleamed with a mixture of determination and pure challenge. "Try again."
The remaining Hollows hesitated for a brief moment, but hunger and savagery quickly drove them to attack once more.
"Animals," Jin murmured, his voice laced with disdain as he watched the frantic madness of the Hueco Mundo creatures. His cold, piercing eyes captured every wild movement of the Hollows, as though he were analyzing and judging them. To him, they were mindless beasts, driven only by the instinct to destroy and consume.
In the face of that vision, Jin adjusted his stance. He raised the katana made of pure light, its glow seeming to intensify, almost as if reacting to his master's determination. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes for a brief moment, concentrating all of his spiritual energy.
His words sounded like a divine command, reverberating through the air around him. Jin took a thrusting pose, his sword pointing straight ahead. The air seemed to freeze as he gathered all his spiritual power into his right arm and the radiant blade. A faint tremor ran through the ground, the tension in the environment growing almost unbearable.
The Hollows advanced, their grotesque mouths emitting war cries as they prepared to attack Jin. However, before they could even approach, he vanished.
With a single step, Jin activated Shunpo, becoming a blur of black and red light that crossed the battlefield at high speed. To any observer, it would have seemed as if he simply dematerialized, leaving only a bright trail behind him.
The Hollows stopped, confused. What had once been a clear target now seemed to have become part of the wind. However, before they could process what was happening, something changed.
An instant later, Jin reappeared standing at the far end of the battlefield, with his back to the monsters. His sword was raised to shoulder height, and a single drop of liquid light dripped down the blade before vanishing into the air.
For a brief moment, silence took over the place. The Hollows stood motionless, as if time had stopped for them. But then, in the blink of an eye, everything changed.
Huge holes began to form in the creatures' bodies. First, a line of light shone across their torsos, expanding rapidly until the cuts became visible. Each Hollow was pierced by a series of precise strikes, made with such speed and force that their massive bodies began to collapse, disintegrating into black particles of spiritual energy.
"Normal Stab."
The agonizing roars of the monsters echoed through Rokungai as they vanished, unable to comprehend how they were defeated so quickly.
Jin remained still, breathing deeply as the spiritual energy around him slowly dissipated. He glanced over his shoulder, watching the last remnants of the Hollows disappear into the wind.
"Without intelligence, without strategy. Just meat to be cut." He murmured with disdain, spinning the spiritual katana in his hand before dissipating it. The blade's light flickered one last time before vanishing completely, returning to the flow of Reishi.
Crack!
A shrill sound echoed through the area, like glass breaking, and the space in front of Cheon Jin began to shatter. The cracks spread through the air like a spider's web, until, in an instant, the invisible fragments ruptured, revealing a deep and sinister void.
From that darkness, a monstrous figure emerged. The first thing that stood out was the white facet, its grotesque mask with piercing red eyes and a long, threatening nose. The Hollow that emerged from the void was gigantic, an intimidating presence that made even the air feel heavier.
With a height ranging from two to six stories, the creature loomed like a living tower of terror. Its body was entirely covered by a sort of black cloak that moved with an evil air, resembling a cape that concealed what lay beneath. Around its neck, a row of thin white spikes stood out, like an infernal collar. Its legs were large and pointed, wrapped in white bandages, and its arms, mostly hidden, gave only glimpses of enormous white hands with long, sharp claws that seemed capable of cutting through space itself.
Jin looked up, calmly assessing the creature. "A Gillian?" he murmured, immediately recognizing the Hollow's class.
This was no ordinary opponent – Gillians were Menos Grandes, monsters that, though the lowest level of their class, were powerful enough to destroy everything around them with ease.
The giant Hollow turned its head toward Jin, its red eyes glowing with malice. Then, it roared – a deafening sound that made the nearby buildings shake. The sound seemed to reverberate directly in Jin's bones, but he remained still, his gaze steady and focused.
Then, an intense red glow began to form near the creature's mouth. Jin narrowed his eyes, instantly recognizing the attack. "A Cero."
The glow rapidly intensified, pulsing with destructive, concentrated energy. Before Jin could make any move, the Hollow fired the energy beam.
Boom!
The Cero exploded with devastating force, hitting the spot where Jin had been just moments before. The impact completely destroyed the area, sending a shockwave that scattered debris and dust in every direction. A massive crater formed in the ground, and the air was thick with smoke and residual energy.
However, when the dust began to settle, Jin's figure was not there.
Floating above the chaos, Jin watched the scene from above, his expression serious yet slightly provocative. He hovered in the air effortlessly, his relaxed posture contrasting with the destruction below. He had used the Sky Domain Art, a technique that allowed him to fly freely by manipulating his spiritual energy. Now that his energy had grown significantly, he could maintain flight with impressive ease.
"So... a Cero more powerful than that other Hollow's?" Jin murmured, analyzing the attack. He shook his head, his eyes glowing with determination. "No, this wasn't an attempt like before. This time, it's for real."
The Gillian roared again, frustrated with its failure to hit Jin. The creature raised its head, watching him in the sky as if challenging him to come down. The energy around the Hollow began to pulse once more, signs that it was preparing another devastating attack.
Jin narrowed his eyes, sensing the creature's spiritual pressure intensify. But instead of being intimidated, he clenched his fist, and his light katana reappeared in his hand, shining brightly like a star.
"Let's see if you're worthy of my next form," he said softly, a slight, provocative smile appearing on his lips as he prepared to strike the next blow.