As the last traces of twilight faded and the fiery sky gave way to darkness, a wisp of ethereal blackness rose into the sky, merging seamlessly with the night.
"Whoa!" Tatsuki Arisawa clung tightly to Rukia Kuchiki's arm, gasping as the ground rushed away beneath them.
"This is amazing!" Orihime Inoue grabbed Rukia's other arm, her eyes sparkling as she watched the city gradually light up below.
The swirling Spirit Ink, combined with their ability to walk on air, formed a black cloud capable of carrying all four of them as it lifted into the sky.
Muten Natsu and Rukia Kuchiki could already walk on air by gathering Reishi beneath their feet, but with Orihime Inoue and Tatsuki Arisawa along for the ride, they needed the support of this ink cloud.
Muten Natsu gripped the hilt of Bokukō, adjusted its angle, and steered the ink cloud toward the area where the fireworks were about to launch.
Since they were high above, and the ink cloud, structured like a Gigai, was black, they didn't need to worry about being spotted.
A chilly breeze brushed against their faces. Tatsuki Arisawa finally calmed down a bit, gradually adapting to the sensation of soaring freely through the air, and a new sense of exhilaration welled up inside her.
"Over there!" Orihime Inoue pointed excitedly. "It's starting!"
"Hold on tight." Muten Natsu pushed Bokukō forward. "I'm going to accelerate!"
"Accelerate?" Tatsuki Arisawa felt a twinge of unease. "Can't we just watch from here, Waaah!"
Just as she was beginning to get used to flying, Muten Natsu suddenly sped up, propelling the ink cloud toward the rising burst of light on the ground.
Tatsuki Arisawa watched helplessly as the fiery streak split into countless sparks in the air. With Muten Natsu accelerating, the display drew ever closer. Boom!
She instinctively squinted, hearing the fireworks explode.
Then…
Brilliant points of light scattered across the sky, streaking past her, first white, then dazzling red, and finally radiant gold, blooming layer upon layer like flowers, flying past and vanishing into the night.
The interwoven brilliance lit up the sky, reflecting in her eyes.
It was breathtaking.
Another burst of fire rose on the opposite side. Just as Tatsuki Arisawa looked toward it, the ink cloud beneath them shifted direction, heading straight for it.
Boom!
Tiny golden sparks traced streaks in the air, mingling with bright red fireballs that surged from the center of the smoke. Against the backdrop of the illuminated city, they painted a stunning display of sparks.
The ink cloud arced through the sky, and Orihime Inoue clearly saw spherical fireworks scatter and fall, their multicolored lights twinkling and spinning.
"Over there! Over there!" Rukia Kuchiki shouted, her excitement bubbling. "Chase it!"
A fireball even brighter than the previous ones rose, and Muten Natsu maneuvered the ink cloud after it.
At its peak, the fireball exploded in the smoke, sending billions of sparks shooting in all directions, tracing lines of dazzling light.
Where these lines intersected, clusters of tiny sparks blossomed like bubbles, dissipating among the red streams of light, which in turn gave rise to new bubble-like sparks, coalescing into larger clusters of light.
The four of them weaved through the display, brushing past this fleeting spectacle. Arcing sparks, crimson streams, and bubble-like bursts of radiance bloomed and danced around them.
More fireworks ascended, bursting beside them and blooming beneath their feet.
Blue fireworks shone like gemstones, flickering with mesmerizing brilliance.
Golden fireworks shot upward like fiery trees, illuminating the sky.
Silver-white fireworks cascaded like waterfalls, drifting down as gently as feathers.
Whirling fireworks scattered specks of golden light, whistling as they circled among the streams of radiance.
A chain of fireworks rose from the ground, reflecting in Orihime Inoue's eyes, They looked more like raindrops falling toward the sky, breaking apart in midair before reaching its edge, scattering into a dazzling display across the heavens.
Even for a dream, it was far too magical.
"Wow!!!" Orihime Inoue couldn't contain her excitement, cheering amid the dazzling display.
The beautiful fireworks blazed right before her eyes.
The person she loved was right beside her.
Rukia Kuchiki's wide eyes shimmered, capturing every ounce of this beauty deep in her heart.
Muten Natsu guided the ink cloud as it wove through the brilliance, the girls' delighted shouts ringing in his ears.
The fireworks burst gloriously, then quietly faded away.
Yet the splendor of this moment would remain forever in their memories.
As the fireworks show ended, the ink cloud descended into a deserted spot.
The instant her feet touched the ground, Tatsuki Arisawa felt her legs weaken and nearly collapsed.
Orihime Inoue reached out just in time to steady her, but they both tumbled onto the grass together.
Rukia Kuchiki, disregarding her short dress, spread her arms and lay back, breathing heavily as she gazed up at the now-quiet sky.
Her heart lingered in restless awe.
The three girls exchanged glances and laughed in unison.
Perhaps they should have said something to capture the beauty they had just witnessed.
Yet no words came.
Only their bright eyes and joyful laughter spoke for them, faithfully reflecting their emotions.
The contracting ink cloud enveloped Muten Natsu, forming a figure resembling a Gigai, drawing Reishi from the air to replenish what he had expended.
A Gigai is essentially a high-density Reishi body.
Its difficulty lies in solidifying the Reishi at high density while achieving perfect compatibility with a Shinigami's soul.
For Muten Natsu, neither was a problem.
With his Soul Essence Stealing ability and Myōki's precise calculations, he could shape the spiritual ink into his exact likeness.
Since the ink was his own creation, compatibility was naturally perfect.
Enhanced by Raku Zetsu's bindings, everything unfolded exactly as Myōki predicted, giving birth to the Bokukō Gigai, capable of absorbing even more Reishi.
Layers of black bandages appeared and vanished on Muten Natsu's body, revealing his previous casual attire.
Raku Zetsu is a special form of Kidō originally developed by Retsu Unohana to save him.
It converts spiritual energy leaking from the body into binding cords, restraining himself and preventing internal energy from overflowing.
Muten Natsu had studied it for a long time but never fully mastered it.
It wasn't until Retsu Unohana passed the technique to 8th Division Lieutenant Nanao Ise for refinement that Muten Natsu finally succeeded.
By using Raku Zetsu to further condense the spiritual ink, the Bokukō Gigai was completed.
Compared to ordinary Gigai, the Bokukō Gigai eliminates the separation process entirely; it allows him to transform directly into a Shinigami without the Gokon Tekkō or Gikon Pill.
Moreover, the Bokukō Gigai amplifies his Soul Essence Stealing, increasing the rate of Reishi absorption.
As Muten Natsu moves using the Bokukō Gigai, he leaves trails of spiritual ink, laying the foundation for his Bankai.
Maintaining the Bokukō Gigai does consume energy, but the cost is minor compared to its advantages.