The Nature of the Serpent
In the world of blurred black and white, the blue light rings that Seiya saw emanated from the unique ability of his zanpakutō.
He saw four versions of himself.
Just like standing at a crossroads, frozen in indecision…
Seiya took his first steps into the unknown.
The first version charged head-on, holding his blade with both hands, attempting a frontal assault on Kiganjō.
He was immediately cleaved in two, both blade and body, by Kiganjō's overwhelming strike.
The second version tried a flanking maneuver but was intercepted before making his move. Kiganjō grabbed his head and slammed it mercilessly into the ground.
The third…
The fourth…
Every attempt to break through head-on ended in failure. Seiya watched as the blue apparitions faded from deep to shallow, eventually vanishing completely.
He arrived at a conclusion.
A direct assault was futile. A new strategy was needed.
Snap.
It was as if he snapped his fingers in his mind, and the familiar crossroads appeared once more.
This was the essence of his zanpakutō's ability: simulation.
By gathering data about himself and his opponent, Seiya's zanpakutō locked these details into a fixed state. It infused them with spiritual energy, interpreting and analyzing every facet.
Then…
The labyrinth known as Kiganjō would be reconstructed, mapped out in Seiya's mind.
The crossroads symbolized four distinct paths.
By consciously steering his choices, Seiya could clearly "foresee" the outcomes of his actions.
Being cut down.
Having his head crushed.
His body broken.
His eyes gouged out…
The possibilities were endless.
And so, he had to continually "reset."
If a frontal assault wasn't viable, he had to evade, retreat, or even defend passively.
Though it sounded complicated, in practice, it wasn't difficult to grasp.
It was a life-or-death game.
Every crossroads was a search for survival.
And when every attempt failed, as it had now, Seiya could abandon that iteration, adjust his thinking, and try again.
His previous dodges had relied on this method to identify fleeting chances for survival.
Kiganjō's sense of unease was entirely justified.
After all, statistically speaking, the odds were slim—thousands, perhaps tens of thousands to one.
Using a base of four options, Seiya had already run countless simulations in his mind.
So, whether his actions seemed clumsy or desperate, as long as he could find a way out, he would choose that path without hesitation.
Like a rat navigating a maze.
Like a snake trapped in an infinite Möbius strip.
A bowstring as a garment, the nature of the serpent.
Yes.
This was an ouroboros, a serpent devouring its own tail.
It was the essence of Seiya's soul and the embodiment of his innate talent—turning the four fundamental actions into the very core of his being.
Transforming impossibilities into chaos.
Then using his power to untangle the chaos and…
Find the singular thread that made the impossible possible.
In theory, this ability was guaranteed to identify a path to victory.
After all, probability is never absolute. It is rife with chaos and unknowns, which means infinite possibilities…
Like giving a typewriter to a monkey.
With enough time and attempts, the monkey might one day produce a masterpiece like Hamlet.
But reality was never that simple.
Seiya's spiritual pressure was finite.
And as his zanpakutō operated, all his energy funneled into his brain.
Like an overclocked computer, this level of output caused Seiya's consciousness to blur uncontrollably.
The iterations were too numerous.
Using four base paths, Seiya had already repeated the process hundreds of times in just a few seconds.
Attack, defend, dodge, even beg for mercy…
Through every imaginable method, Seiya had yet to find a definitive answer.
The oppressive force of Kiganjō's spiritual energy was extraordinary. The labyrinth created from his presence alone felt insurmountable.
After only a few steps, Seiya was already overwhelmed by the pressure.
Perhaps, when his strength grew, Ouroboros's abilities would also improve, allowing for more precise projections of the future.
But for now, this was all Seiya could manage.
How much farther must I go to find the end?
How many more attempts must I make to find an exit?
There was no time to dwell on these questions.
Because Seiya could see the faint blue glow around him starting to fracture like glass, shattering and fading away.
Countless futures were denied.
Simultaneously, his dimmed vision began to return to its original clarity.
This isn't good… Once my vision fully resets, time will start flowing again.
Before that happens…
Before Kiganjō makes his next move, I must find a way to survive.
The next crossroads.
The next turning point. Where was it?!
With his stamina dwindling and Kiganjō's relentless attacks intensifying, Seiya's situation was deteriorating rapidly.
Yet it was not the time to give up.
Seiya gritted his teeth and tensed every muscle in his body, veins bulging visibly on his temples.
Pop.
A faint sound echoed in his mind, reverberating gently.
What was that?
Before he could investigate, Seiya felt a warm sensation in his nostrils.
Something wet dripped down.
Looking down, he realized blood was flowing freely from his nose.
Overexertion of my brain… This is a physiological warning, my body crying out in protest.
But at the same time, Seiya couldn't afford to stop.
This was a battle where failure meant death.
Taking a deep breath, he tightened his grip on his zanpakutō.
He unleashed his remaining spiritual energy without reservation…
Countless indistinct, chaotic streams of blue light began to surge wildly around him.
Come on.
Would his body and spirit collapse under the weight of Kiganjō's overwhelming force, like a serpent choking itself in its coils?
Or would he find the elusive escape route within the labyrinth, breaking free from the endless cycle?
In the aftermath of chaos, clarity would emerge.
Author's Note: This ability was designed with future connections to the Bankai in mind, so it has quite a few limitations. Please understand—it's only a Shikai for now!