Bleach: From the moment I was invited by Squad Zero

After the two left the Spirit King's Palace.

Just then, Hyosube Ichibei, who was walking in front, suddenly stopped, turned around, and faced Yanagawa.

His rugged face, which always carried a gentle smile, was now serious, with a formal scrutiny and questioning in his eyes.

"Yanagawa boy," he began, his voice regaining its usual grandeur and composure, but with an added touch of solemnity, as if handling "official business."

"You have officially passed the 'Path of Non-Entry', your strength has been recognized, and you have also learned the most core secrets of the Spirit King Palace and the Zero Division."

As is customary, each member of Squad Zero, in addition to their real name and duties, also has a unique 'codename'.

This codename is both a symbol of identity and, to some extent, represents the area of ​​authority, the nature of one's power, or one's unique position within the Zero Squad.

He cited examples as if they were his own treasures:

"Hikifune Kiryu, whose code name is 'Tani no Ou', and Nimaiya Oetsu, who is in charge of forging all forms of Zanpakuto, are code names 'Sword God'."

He paused, then pointed to himself: "I am in charge of 'name' and 'eye,' observing, recording, and guarding the gate. My code name is 'Eye Monk,' also known as 'True Name Calling Monk.'"

After the introductions were finished, Hyosube Ichibei looked at Yanagawa with a questioning gaze:

"So, Yanagawa, now that you've become a full member of Squad Zero, have you thought about what kind of 'codename' you'd like to choose? This codename will accompany you throughout your time in Squad Zero, so you need to be careful."

Code name?

Liu Chuan was slightly taken aback. This was a detail he hadn't considered in detail.

He knew the codenames of the Zero Squad members; each one was highly distinctive and pointed directly to the core. So, what about himself?

Who is he? A soul from another world, a stranger with the power of death and unique "magic".

Suddenly, a word, like a flash of lightning in the darkness, struck his thoughts.

"Demon King." Yanagawa uttered these two words clearly, meeting Hyosube Ichibei's questioning gaze, without much hesitation.

"..."

Hyosube Ichibei looked puzzled; clearly, the answer was completely unexpected.

"The Demon...King?" Hyosube Ichibei repeated, his tone filled with undisguised confusion and bewilderment.

"This name... I have heard of it before. It seems to be a fictional name for a leader representing evil and chaos in some folk tales and legends circulating in the lower realms."

Usually, they appear as villains who need to be defeated by heroes.

"Liuchuan, why did you choose this as your code name? This name... doesn't seem to suit you at all."

His confusion was genuine. In the orthodox culture and understanding of Soul Society, the word "Demon Lord" does indeed carry a strong, unrefined, fictional, and negative connotation.

Using it as the code name for the members of Squad Zero—the highest military force that protects the balance of the three realms and represents the will of the Soul King—feels a bit strange.

Seeing Hyosube Ichibei's undisguised confusion, Yanagawa understood.

He simply shook his head calmly, his tone carrying an unyielding indifference:

"It's not about becoming a 'villain' or pursuing evil. It's just that I feel the word 'Demon King' represents my own path."

As for the impressions left by the storybooks and legends, let others interpret them as they see fit; a code name is just a designation after all.

Hyosube Ichibei silently watched Yanagawa. From Yanagawa's calm words, he could hear an unquestionable persistence, a unique understanding and declaration of his own existence and path.

He recalled the scene when he first met Yanagawa, when he openly made conditions in response to the invitation from the Zero Division, and later resolved the Hyōrinmaru incident in an unexpected way.

This was followed by his "confidence" when he refused the power of the Spirit King, and the unusual aura he exuded when he stepped out of the "Path of Non-Entry".

Perhaps this seemingly bizarre code name is one of the most accurate portrayals of Liuchuan, this "outlier".

He was different from others from the start; his path and his strength were destined to defy conventional measurement.

After a moment of thought, the confusion on Hyosube Ichibei's face slowly faded, and he regained his gentle, all-encompassing smile, only now with a hint of profound understanding.

"I see. Since it was your own choice, and it has its own reasons, I will not ask any further questions."

"The codenames of the members of Squad Zero are decided by the individuals themselves. As long as they do not violate the fundamental principles of the Spirit King Palace or disrespect their duties, they are acceptable. 'Demon King'... then let it be 'Demon King'."

He paused, as if to completely bind this codename to the person before him, and then clearly stated again: "Therefore, from this day forward, the sixth member of Squad Zero, Yanagawa, will have the codename—"

"Demon King".

Just as Yanagawa and Hyosube Ichibei were finalizing the code name "Demon King" in the temple of the monk Yanagi.

Inside the Spirit King's Palace, suspended in the center of a massive blue crystal, lies the incomplete figure of the Spirit King Adnes, seemingly in eternal slumber and missing limbs and many organs.

Those tightly closed eyes...

It trembled very slightly.

Then, slowly, it opened its eyes.

Those eyes, like a deep starry sky containing the long river of time, quietly "looked" ahead.

It pierced through the blue crystal barrier, through the many barriers and dimensions of the Spirit King's Palace, and was projected into an extremely distant "future".

a few days later.

Beside the Heavenly Pillar Carriage was the entrance to the Spirit King Palace where Liu Chuan had previously arrived.

Liu Chuan wore the Zero Division haori, with "Tenjho" hanging from his waist, his aura restrained.

Kiryu Hikifune, Tenjiro Kirinji, Oetsu Nimaiya, Senjumaru Shutara, and Ichibei Hyosube—all five members of the Zero Squad—were present to see him off.

"Yanagawa-kun, please keep this safe," said Hikifune Kiryu.

"This is a communication tool specially made by the Spirit King Palace. It can be used for emergency contact and to send short messages."

"Although you'll be living downstairs mainly from now on, we welcome you back anytime. It's okay if you don't have 'Wang Jian'; we'll just come down and pick you up."

Liu Chuan took the communicator. It felt slightly heavy in his hand, and he could sense the intricate and complex spiritual particle structure inside, as well as a special fluctuation that was faintly connected to the Spirit King Palace.

He nodded solemnly: "Thank you very much, Kiryu-senpai. I will keep in touch."

Kirinji Tenjiro stood to the side with his arms crossed, still looking impatient, and said in a harsh tone:

"Kid, behave yourself down there, but don't be too cowardly. Remember, you're now part of Squad Zero, so don't embarrass us!"

He paused, slightly raised his chin, and revealed a confidence unique to members of the Zero Squad:

"You know, the people in our Zero Squad may seem carefree at times, but when it comes to actual combat strength, they're stronger than the entire Gotei 13 combined! Don't let us come running back in a sorry state after losing a fight, leaving you to clean up our mess! Do you hear me?"

Their fighting strength is greater than the combined strength of the Gotei 13?

Upon hearing this, Yanagawa realized that the tone of those words was indeed astonishingly arrogant. The Gotei 13 was the strongest military force in Soul Society, possessing an unfathomable Captain-Commander like Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni, as well as a group of powerful captains with diverse abilities.

While the Zero Division members are all legends who have broken the limits of the Shinigami, Yanagawa has reservations about saying that their combined strength is greater than that of the thirteen divisions.

At least, Yanagawa had witnessed and heard of the records of Captain-Commander Yamamoto's "Ryujin Jakka" and its power to incinerate everything.

However, he did not refute Kirinji Tenjiro's words, but simply nodded calmly.

Nimei House's Wang Yue squeezed through, his eyes sparkling behind his sunglasses. He rubbed his hands together, looking expectant.

"Once you're down there, if you encounter any strange or unusual 'materials,' or if there are any new changes to your 'Skyquake,' remember to tell me using that communicator! Maybe I can give you some advice!"

Finally, Hyosube Ichibei stepped forward.

He spoke slowly and solemnly, "Young Liuchuan, the gates of the Spirit King Palace will always be open for you. Your path lies below, but remember, wherever you go, the Spirit King Palace will always be your support."

"Yes, Lord Hyosubu. Take care, everyone." Liuchuan waved goodbye to the five people.

Without further hesitation, he stepped into the Heavenly Pillar Carriage.

After a moment of silence, the massive pillar of the Heavenly Pillar Chariot began to emit a deep and steady hum.

The enormous pillar pierced the sky, rapidly shrank, and finally disappeared into the clouds below.

The five members of Squad Zero remained standing, watching the direction in which the Heavenly Pillar Chariot disappeared.

"They're gone." Kiryuu sighed softly.

"Hmph, kid, don't let us down," Kirinji Tenjiro muttered.