His breath came steady, his movements light yet powerful.
He had been fighting for hours now, but exhaustion never crossed his mind.
This was what he lived for—the thrill of battle, the clash of blades, and the satisfaction of cutting down his enemies.
Asta's black greatsword gleamed under the pale moonlight, its edges humming with absorbed Reiryoku. All around him, the remains of Hollows faded into nothingness, their monstrous forms dissolving as their spiritual energy was consumed by Gyakuten.
He rolled his shoulders, exhaling sharply.
"Man… that was a workout."
The battlefield stretched behind him, a wasteland of destruction left in his wake. The night had been long, the onslaught of Hollows relentless, yet Asta had cut through them all without hesitation.
Not just because it was his duty.
But because he loved it.
Asta wiped his brow, finally feeling the weight of the battle settle in.
It was time to head back.
He turned, sheathing Gyakuten onto his back, and took his first step toward the Seireitei.
The silence was almost unsettling.
After hours of relentless battle, the sudden absence of Hollow roars and the clash of blades left Asta in an eerie calm. The wind whispered through the ruined battlefield, carrying the faint scent of blood and Hollow decay.
His uniform was torn, blackened with dirt, and dried streaks of Hollow essence, but he barely noticed. His body still thrummed with the aftershock of combat, his heartbeat steady and controlled.
Asta tightened his grip on Gyakuten's hilt.
That fight had been different.
It wasn't just the sheer number of Hollows. It was that Adjuchas—the way it had fought, its movements sharp, calculated, almost… human.
He thought back to the moment he had activated his Shikai. The rush of power, the feeling of Gyakuten pulling in the Hollow's Reiryoku—it had been overwhelming.
A weapon that consumes spirit energy…
Even now, he could feel it—deep inside his blade, lingering traces of the Hollows he had defeated. The thought sent a strange shiver down his spine.
I'll need to train with this.
With a deep breath, he pressed forward. The sooner he reached the Seireitei, the sooner he could figure out exactly what his Zanpakutō had become.
The tall, white walls of the Seireitei finally came into view, standing like an unshakable fortress under the moonlit sky.
Asta exhaled, rolling his shoulders.
The road back had taken longer than expected. His body ached now that the adrenaline had worn off, his arms sore from wielding his massive sword for so long. He had pushed himself harder than ever before—and he had loved every second of it.
As he neared the entrance, a familiar voice called out.
"Oi! You finally decided to show up, huh?"
Asta stopped mid-step, turning toward the voice with a smirk.
Standing near the entrance, arms crossed, was Renji Abarai.
The red-haired Shinigami had his usual cocky grin, though his sharp eyes flicked over Asta's bruises and torn uniform.
"Damn, you look like hell."
Asta laughed, stretching. "What, you were waiting for me? Didn't know you cared that much, Renji."
Renji scoffed. "Yeah, yeah. Don't get ahead of yourself, dumbass. Word got around that you were out there alone, and knowing you, I figured you'd bite off more than you could chew."
Asta grinned wider. "Pfft! Come on, man! You think a bunch of Hollows could take me down?"
Renji studied him for a moment, his expression unreadable. "…Guess not."
Before Asta could gloat, another voice chimed in.
"Glad to see you in one piece, Asta."
Asta turned to see Kaien Hisato approaching, his usual friendly demeanor intact.
Kaien's gaze lingered on Asta's sword. "So… that's your Zanpakutō's true form, huh?"
Asta instinctively patted the massive greatsword on his back. "Yep! Ain't she a beauty? She can even absorb Reiryoku."
Kaien chuckled. "I gotta say, it suits you. It's not every day a Shinigami gets a Zanpakutō that absorbs Reiryoku."
Renji raised an eyebrow. "Wait—it does what?"
Asta's grin turned mischievous. "Oh yeah. You should've seen it, Renji. That Adjuchas never stood a chance!"
Renji's expression darkened slightly. "An Adjuchas, huh? You don't do things halfway."
Kaien nodded in agreement. "Taking on an Adjuchas solo is no joke, Asta. You're lucky you made it back in one piece."
Asta just laughed, stretching his arms. "Lucky? Nah! That was pure skill, baby!"
Renji rolled his eyes. "Tch. You're impossible."
Kaien smiled. "Either way, you should report in. Your trial's over, and I'm sure your instructors will want to hear about that Shikai of yours."
Asta nodded, but there was something… different about him now.
His journey was far from over.
But with his Zanpakutō awakened, his strength growing, and friends waiting for him—
He was ready for whatever came next.