Did anything change because I was reborn as a human?
No. Nothing changed.
I didn't suddenly gain a finite lifespan, nor did I lose my strength.
I didn't lose my status, and I didn't die as a god.
Then what was the point of my choice? If I say it means nothing, I'll probably get cursed out, right?
But truly, there isn't much meaning to it. I simply shifted my perspective from 'the world' to 'myself.'
How should I influence the world? How should the world exist? What must I do for the world? What kind of life should I lead as a part of the world? What even is the world?
Despite all my babbling about 'The Hymn of Humanity' and existentialism, I never actually took care of myself.
Yes, in the end, it's just self-satisfaction. But what of it? If you're a god, act like a god? What do I gain by acting that way?
Is it selfish? Fine. Gods are naturally selfish. After all, gods are beings born from the human heart.
In that sense, me being a god without ever having even been human was like a castle floating in the void without a foundation.
If I've said this much, you probably have a rough idea of what I'm getting at.
Yes. By being reborn as a human, I have finally been perfected as a god.
I am no longer an unstable floating fortress; I am a castle built upon a solid foundation.
I have gained conviction within myself, finding answers from within rather than from the outside.
Of course, sometimes those answers might be wrong. If so, I simply have to take responsibility.
I have gained my own justice, a resolve that won't be shaken by anyone else's words.
Essentially, I lost nothing and gained everything.
I even ended up obtaining something I thought I would never hold in my hands….
"So, this is Spiritual Power."
Yes. After a million years, I finally obtained Spiritual Power with its own unique color.
Insane physical prowess, sensory abilities, and now even Spiritual Power? I've truly become an inescapable disaster.
Contrary to those worries, however, I found myself wanting to try casting the Kido I had always secretly envied.
What am I talking about, after being so damn serious just a second ago?
Look, I spent a million years using 'pseudo-spiritual power' without ever hitting the pity rate on a pull, and I finally just pulled Spiritual Power from a limited-time banner. How could I not use it?
Enlightenment be damned, right now my Spiritual Power is more important, f*ck.
"If I use it here, it'll cause a mess."
Unable to wait any longer, I tore through the boundary and entered the Dangai.
As soon as I entered the Dangai, I felt the Kototsu detect my presence and charge toward me.
A long time ago, I was curious about what would happen if I got swallowed, so I let it happen. It felt like being buried inside a giant blob of slime.
Lukewarm and sticky, to boot.
Of course, if you pass through that, there's an empty space, but that place felt a bit….
The time there is distorted, so the vibe is off.
"Well, I came here for an experiment anyway. Should I give it a shot? Even if this place breaks, it'll just reform later."
Grasping the flow of Spiritual Power wasn't difficult.
It felt similar to the flow of blood, but it felt like it was being drawn up continuously from my lower dantian.
It was a sensation close to 'Qi' from those martial arts novels.
Which one would be best…. Let's start with the most basic one.
Rumble….
Hearing the growing sound, I turned my head to see a bright light rushing toward me at an incredible speed from afar.
The guardian of the Dangai… no, rather than a being, it was more like a law of nature. The Kototsu.
How did Jomon chant it back then…?
"Hado Number One."
Is this the old-fashioned way? I'm not sure.
Whatever.
The Spiritual Power boiling within me began to infringe upon the world.
The light that served as the Kototsu's eye flickered rapidly as its speed increased even further.
"Sho!"
The front of the Kototsu buckled for a split second before exploding completely.
I thought that was the end of it, but….
―――!!!
For a moment, I couldn't hear a thing, as if I'd gone deaf.
I'll have to wait for this to heal.
Wait, come to think of it, I can use Kaido now, can't I?
After using Kaido to fix my muffled ears, I walked over to where the Kototsu had been.
"Yikes…. This is worse than I thought…."
From the point of impact, everything behind where the Kototsu had been was completely annihilated.
…I need to exercise self-restraint.
It only ended like this because it happened in the Dangai. If I had pulled this in the World of the Living or the Soul Society, things would have gotten really ugly.
I'll have to master controlling my Spiritual Power first once I get back.
"Shall I head back?"
As I tore through the boundary and returned to the Soul Society, I felt for the first time that I truly belonged in this world.
My senses were far clearer than usual, and I even felt like I could do anything.
Ah…. But all my senses were too clear, and it was actually unpleasant.
It felt like being in a space with high brightness and saturation for too long, making you feel nauseous.
Yeah, that's it.
It's like looking around while wearing glasses with a prescription that's way too strong.
Honestly? I feel like I'm going to puke.
"Ugh…!"
Ugh…. I don't need to feel every single rustle of a leaf or the flutter of a Hell Butterfly's wing….
Wait, before that. Why are those Quincy bastards living under the Seireitei? Are they moles or something?
"Oh, hell. I can't take this."
I couldn't move another step, so I sat under a nearby tree to kill some time.
As I was wondering if I should suppress my senses, a massive Spiritual Pressure suddenly dropped in front of me.
To my surprise, I didn't just have a vague idea of who it was; I could vividly sense everything from a single strand of hair to the flow of Spirit Particles around them.
"It's you, Genryusai. It's been a while since I've seen you like this."
"Just what on earth were you doing in the World of the Living?"
"I was reflecting on my long existence… no, my life. I went to find the meaning of my existence and organize my thoughts. That was about it. Why?"
"I came because your Spiritual Pressure caused several Captains and subordinates within the Seireitei to lose consciousness. The duties of the Gotei 13 have ground to a complete halt. Just what did you eat out there to return with such immense Spiritual Pressure within you?"
I thought about Genryusai's words for a moment and then smirked.
"I didn't 'bring' it back. I found it and pulled it out."
"Found it and pulled it out?"
"I learned a few things this time. I'd love to tell you right now, but I feel too sick…. Urgh!"
"Sigh…. Truly…. First, retract your Spiritual Power. If you keep venting it like that, those who fainted will never wake up."
I scratched my head as Genryusai scolded me for not retracting it yet.
At my reaction, Genryusai's eyebrows twitched.
"Why are you making such a foolish face? Surely you aren't going to tell me you don't know how to handle Spiritual Power?"
"No. It's just, well, sorry, but I've been retracting it this whole time."
I was absorbing and absorbing, pulling it back inside and packing it down, but it just wouldn't end.
I suppose it's because I've been accumulating it for a million years and had absorbed it from so many different sources.
Among those I've absorbed Spiritual Power from were the ancestors of the Four Great Noble Families, Yhwach, Ikomikidomoe, countless other souls… and the Soul King himself.
The lineup was ridiculous, so it was only natural that my power—having sucked them dry—would be monstrous.
"If I start pulling it in at full power now, I think I'll be done in about an hour. Just wait a bit."
"…You are a walking disaster."
Look who's talking.
I felt a bit offended, but now wasn't the time to dwell on it, so I sat cross-legged and focused entirely on retracting my Spiritual Power.
"Just what did you seek such enlightenment for?"
"A marital spat."
"What?"
To be precise, it was the contemplation that started because of a marital spat.
And even if you call it enlightenment, it's nothing much. Just things like: How shall I live? What do I want to do…?
Simple life philosophy.
Honestly, I probably spent more time agonizing over what to name myself than over that simple philosophy.
"Well, it's nothing too grand to explain. I just changed my perspective on the world. And while I was at it, I decided on a name to use while living as a human."
"Hmph. Have you abandoned the Throne of God?"
"That's not something you can just throw away. Becoming a human simply means I've built a foundation for my existence; it doesn't mean I cease to be a god. Besides, even if I call myself a human, would that change the fact that you lot see me as a god?"
I chuckled, and Genryusai let out a low laugh, nodding in agreement.
"I see. Then, could you tell me your name once more?"
"Tenjin Shaku."
"To unravel the root of heaven…. No, 'to release'…. Could it be…!"
"Hey now, that's an over-interpretation. It can also mean 'to interpret.'"
Though that was the ultimate goal, I hadn't necessarily picked the name with that specifically in mind.
"Anyway, that's how it is. I look forward to working with you, Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni."
Having finished retracting my Spiritual Power, I stood up and reached out a hand to Genryusai.
Genryusai stared at my hand for a moment before smirking and grasping it.
"That is all well and good…. But please, do not give an old man such heart-stopping surprises. I ask this of you."
"I got it. Oh, and don't tell Unohana I'm back yet. It's a bit awkward to see her right this second."
"Even if I hide it, it will be meaningless. She surely noticed the moment that Spiritual Pressure erupted."
Ah, right.
Instead of preparing a gift, I should have prepared my heart first.
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