Chapter 52: Subduing Yi Ji Si Yi Ba, and First‑Rank Spiritual Might!!

When the monk tossed Yi Ji Si Yi Ba and Araki's Soul‑Cutting Blade made contact, in an instant crystal‑blue radiance illuminated the entire 'True‑Name‑Calling Monk's' palace…

Sss!

The fake monk, faced with the overwhelming crystal‑blue light before him, paled and retreated, then thrust the nearby 'Sword God' and the two Wang Yue forward, shielding the all‑covering brilliance.

Hey hey hey! Not you like that…

Wang Yue protested.

Haha, you know! This thing is terrifying for me; I must defend against it!

The monk forced an awkward smile; his compatibility with Araki's Soul‑Cutting Blade was truly terrible.

Haha, I remember! I remember everything!

On the other side, in a crystal‑blue pure land, a gigantic white Great Void the size of 'Everest' suddenly burst into a manic laugh, his laughter filled with his inner joy.

I'm not called Yi Ji Si Yi Ba! I damn well am not called Yi Ji Si Yi Ba! My real name is…

Yi Ji Si Yi Ba opened his massive mouth, sounding like a great bell, intending to proclaim his true name to the world.

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz…

Yet as Yi Ji Si Yi Ba roared, one ancient bell tone after another suddenly rang by his ear.

Who's ringing the bell?!

Yi Ji Si Yi Ba, furious, looked around and shouted in anger.

The bell sound made his mind restless! A surge of brutal emotion rose within him.

Fool! You've become attached!

While Yi Ji Si Yi Ba searched, a Holy King radiating endless sunrise light, its whole body crystal, had silently taken a seat on a lotus platform and appeared before him.

Little one, don't get in my way…

Yi Ji Si Yi Ba looked at the tiny ant‑like being before him, his expression instantly laced with disdain.

Fool, since you've seen me, why not convert to my Buddha?!

The Holy King, seeing Yi Ji Si Yi Ba's stubbornness, helplessly urged.

Buddha? Where is the Buddha?!

Yi Ji Si Yi Ba looked around; he did not see the Buddha the Holy King spoke of.

…

The Holy King, hearing that, did not answer Yi Ji Si Yi Ba's question, but extended a finger straight toward the sky.

Hm?!

Yi Ji Si Yi Ba followed the Holy King's finger, gazing at the sky, his pupils flickering slightly.

In the boundless sky, a Formless Buddha sat upright; it was not the world embracing the Buddha, but the Buddha holding up the world with his hand…

Yi Ji Si Yi Ba's proud stature, compared to that Formless Buddha, was like a grain of sand in the ocean, even the sand at the bottom of the Ganges seemed larger.

Impossible! Absolutely impossible! How can such a colossal being exist in this world!

At that moment, Yi Ji Si Yi Ba felt endless inferiority; his most prized size was far too tiny before that boundless, formless existence, a gap not between man and ant but between dimensions, not even a single tier.

Roar!!

Restored with his name and power, Yi Ji Si Yi Ba roared at the sky‑Buddha, and a red flash gathered from his mouth, the innate skill of every Great Void—the Void Flash!

To Yi Ji Si Yi Ba, it was merely an illusion; such boundless things do not exist in this world!

Boom!!

Facing Yi Ji Si Yi Ba's attack, the Buddha's face showed neither joy nor sorrow, only solemn dignity; he slowly raised his hand, which seemed to pinch a flower, and struck down toward Yi Ji Si Yi Ba.

Boom—rumble!!

Accompanied by a series of thunderous crashes, as if the heavens were tilting!

Ah!!!

Yi Ji Si Yi Ba stared at the massive crystal‑blue palm, continuously roaring at the sky, he gave his all and pushed toward that palm, but it was as futile as a mayfly shaking a tree or a mantis trying to stop a chariot!

Boom!!

With endless booming, beneath the Buddha's palm Yi Ji Si Yi Ba crawled on the ground, no longer the arrogant being he once was.

I bestow upon you the name—Gong Pi Luo!

When Yi Ji Si Yi Ba reined in his arrogance, a sound like a massive bell yet infinitely ethereal entered his ears.

I shall faithfully obey the Holy Sovereign's command.

Yi Ji Si Yi Ba said, and a pig‑crown appeared atop his head.

Thus, even to the end Yi Ji Si Yi Ba could not utter his true name, but that seemed irrelevant now; from today onward his true name is Gong Pi Luo.

Outside…

The blade housing Yi Ji Si Yi Ba, which the monk had thrown onto the Medicine Master Luminous Glass, suddenly ceased moving, causing the monk's pupils to narrow slightly as he exchanged glances with the two Wang Yue beside him.

What terrifying power! Though it has no master, it still exerts such immense strength; this blade is far stronger than I imagined…

The monk stared at the Soul‑Cutting Blade before him, sweat beading his forehead.

Suddenly the monk's heart thumped; if Araki became stronger, he might not first challenge You Habahé, but instead use the Medicine Master Luminous Glass to transcend him! Then would he convert? Or convert?!

Thinking this, the monk muttered, "Not good!"

Then he turned to the two Wang Yue beside him and said, "Wang Yue, I leave this to you! I'll withdraw for now! If Araki appears, tell him I have gone to serve the Spirit King inside the Great Inner Palace! A hundred years—no, a thousand years—I don't intend to see anyone!"

The fake monk said that, and his figure vanished from the spot.

Ah…

Wang Yue watched the fleeing fake monk, his eyelid twitching slightly, "No way, brother! You have the skill to trap others, but not the ability to take responsibility?!"

At the moment the fake monk seized his chance to flee, a transformation unfolded within Araki's body; as the fake monk had said, the Spirit King's power could help him reshape his internal strength. With the true All‑Knowing Omnipotent Spirit King's aid, Araki's Armament‑Color Haki, Conqueror‑Color Haki, and Spiritual Pressure gradually merged…

Then came Observation‑Color Haki; the three‑color Haki granted Araki's Spiritual Pressure the traits of 'Future Prediction', 'Internal Destruction', and 'Observation Killing', while also enhancing the inherent 'Oppression' and 'Deterrence' against foes, and bolstering his own 'Defense' and 'Attack' abilities.

"Not enough yet!"

However, even the power of the advanced Triple‑color Haki was still insufficient to raise Araki's spiritual pressure from Second Rank to First Rank; the reward he obtained after defeating Youhabah, as well as the Second‑Rank experience pack he received upon becoming captain, at this moment all turned into power, pouring into Araki and thrusting him toward a higher level.

Yet it still fell short…

At this moment Araki's Zanpakuto "Medicine Master Glass Light" activated! The power within the Yiji Siji Ba he had subjugated now continuously flowed into Araki!

Yiji Siji Ba, to be precise, is now called Gongpira—what a mess!

Nevertheless, after much effort there was a result; with the combined "Spiritual Pressure", "Experience", and "Haki" and the help of the wool pulled from Yiji Siji Ba by Medicine Master Glass Light, Araki's spiritual pressure finally seemed to have been achieved!

At this moment, the attribute in the "Spiritual Pressure" column of Araki's character panel boldly reads — First‑Rank Spiritual Might!

According to what everyone says, we should minimize the pirate's attributes, and later the spiritual pressure will have the effect of Triple‑color Haki! Capturing Yiji Siji Ba after the finish wasn't done blindly; it was planned from the start when perfecting the Bankai. In short, although it came a bit late, it's finally here—three more offered! The Zero Squad chapter is about to conclude, and next we begin the Void Circle Layout chapter! Finally… since I've worked so hard, please throw some votes my way!

(End of chapter)