Chapter 10 ⥤ Jinzen, Asauchi, Communication
From the glory of the royal family to the rise of the Five Noble Houses, to the establishment of the Gotei 13, he even mentioned the war between the Shinigami and the Quincy clan hundreds of years ago. Even to this day, Quincies still wandered in the world of the living.
Below the podium, a rather peculiar scene unfolded.
Ninety-nine percent of the students sat neatly at the front, attentively listening to the teacher's lecture. At the back of the classroom, however, several rows of seats were empty, with two slightly thin figures sitting at separate desks.
One of them listened attentively, no different from the other students. The other had his head buried in the crook of his arm, seemingly in a state of hibernation.
The teacher on the podium noticed this scene and, hesitating to speak, could only vent his pent-up frustration by raising his voice by several notches.
However, this commotion was like a lullaby to Akira. When the strong and forceful voice reached his ears… he fell into an even deeper sleep.
Aizen glanced sideways at his troublesome friend, a hint of helplessness flashing in his eyes. Perhaps this was a true portrayal of "interest is the best teacher".
Ever since Akira had sent Uruoi flying with one sword strike in the Zanjutsu class, his quality of life had been on a straight upward trajectory. Countless elite students, having witnessed his true strength, developed a deep-seated awe for him.
No matter where, the strong are always respected. The Shin'ō Academy was no exception.
This news spread like wildfire, quickly circulating throughout the entire academy. Whether teachers, students, or even the principal, everyone knew that a true genius had emerged in Class 1-A.
In just a few months since entering the academy, he was already capable of overwhelming teachers, and his Reiatsu even surpassed that of an average Shinigami squad member.
An undisputed genius, Akira Kisaragi.
Yet this guy didn't play by the rules at all. Although he chose to listen attentively in classes like Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hohō, and even practical combat courses, when it came to cultural classes, he would start snoring away, showing not a hint of the pride or attitude a genius should have.
He spent his days fooling around, occasionally coming up with unexpected ideas. These included night raids on the Shin'ō Academy cafeteria, tampering with disciplinary notices, or offering to "exorcise and consecrate" female classmates, and so on.
The key was that if he were doing these things alone, it would be fine, but every time he prepared to cause mischief, he would drag along his friend.
In Akira's words, "Good brothers should share in the joys, while you alone bear the hardships". Although it's unclear where he heard such a twisted saying, he always strictly adhered to it.
"That's all for today's lesson." The history teacher announced from the podium, his expression serious.
The genius and handsome pupil stirred from his slumber…
"Is class over?" Akira mumbled, bleary-eyed and disoriented.
"Our final exams are in a month." The teacher continued, "Although practical skills are the most important course for Shinigami, cultural classes cannot be neglected either. For this exam, any student who fails to pass will be given a major demerit of probation!"
At the word "demerit", Akira suddenly perked up, turning to look pitifully at Aizen beside him.
"Sōsuke, we're good brothers, right?"
Aizen remained silent.
"You surely can't bear to see me fail the exam, right? You see, during the exam..." Akira had somehow slid next to Aizen, familiarly draping himself over the other's shoulder, already brainstorming his usual mischievous ideas.
"The next class is Jinzen." Aizen said, standing up from his seat, "You should first think about how to complete the most basic meditation. If I remember correctly, as of last night, you still couldn't complete the first step of Sword Zen. Failing cultural classes is one thing, but if you can't obtain your own Zanpakutō, even if you graduate smoothly, you won't be able to join the Gotei 13. Perhaps your only choice will be the Kidō Corps..."
Akira was stunned, his good brother's sudden backstab leaving him momentarily heartbroken.
But at this point, he could only grit his teeth and push on. Although he wasn't sure of the exact reason, it seemed he was naturally incompatible with his Zanpakutō.
From the initial choice of Asauchi to the current understanding of Jinzen, even the worst students could vaguely sense the power of their swords. Yet he couldn't even complete the most basic Sword Zen, let alone unleash the power of his Zanpakutō.
Wasn't it said that Zanpakutō were forged based on a Shinigami's soul? So why was he naturally incompatible with his own soul? Could it be that he was just purely stubborn (or dumb…)?
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With hearts filled with trepidation and doubt, Akira and Aizen arrived at the Jinzen dojo.
The spacious room exuded a zen-like tranquility. A faint fragrance lingered in the air, inducing a dreamy state that made one feel as if floating on clouds.
This was the special Reishi incense of the Jinzen dojo, used to help new Zanpakutō wielders enter the state of Sword Zen more quickly, facilitating smooth communication with their swords.
Of course, this Reishi incense had little effect on those with strong willpower — like Akira and Aizen.
The two sat cross-legged on cushions, assuming meditative postures, and began their meditation.
Like the other students around them, Aizen quickly entered the state of Jinzen. Only Akira fidgeted, scratching his ears and face as if covered in lice.
He couldn't understand why, even though he had followed the teacher's instructions and received Aizen's guidance, he still couldn't complete the most basic Sword Zen.
He stared blankly at the blade placed neatly across his knees. The shape, abilities, and state of a Zanpakutō are all forged based on the Shinigami's soul. Shinigami gain power by knowing the name given to their Zanpakutō and engaging in spiritual dialogue with it.
To be precise, the blade before him now couldn't be called a Zanpakutō, but rather an Asauchi. Shinigami need to live and breathe with their Asauchi, constantly honing it, imprinting the essence of their soul into it, thus creating their own Zanpakutō.
However, Akira understood the theory. The problem was, how to imprint the essence of his soul into the Zanpakutō?
It was like knowing that beyond the door lay the Shin'ō Academy cafeteria and women's dormitory; if he could just open the door and walk in, he could enjoy endless happiness. But how to open the door??
{T/N: The FBI knows how. They always know…}
The conventional methods of Jinzen were completely ineffective for him. He folded his arms, furrowing his brow as he stared at his Asauchi, countless thoughts flashing through his mind.
"Damn, even Mimihagi isn't as hard to communicate with as you..." Akira muttered angrily. But just then, a flash of inspiration struck him like lightning, "Wait a minute! What if I try to communicate with the Zanpakutō using the method for communicating with deities?!"
With this thought, his gaze towards the blade on his knees filled with fiery enthusiasm!
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Zanpakutō — Soul Slayer
Jinzen — Sword Zen or Sword Meditation
Asauchi — Nameless Zanpakutō
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