Chapter 42: The Origin of the Zanpakuto

The Next Morning

As Makoto slowly opened his eyes, a yearning for life and peace shone within them… alongside a trace of unbearable exhaustion.

He truly couldn't move anymore. His spirit was utterly drained.

One night… nine times!

Last night, Shinro Bansho seemed to have gone completely berserk, leaving Makoto utterly defeated after nine rounds of intense combat within a single evening.

At this rate, if things continued, Shinro Bansho might just evolve into a terrifyingly relentless entity—a pure essence extractor!

Ordinarily, due to the necessity of concealing his strength, Makoto could only rely on these battles to accumulate combat experience, familiarize himself with Shinro Bansho's abilities, and gradually attempt to dominate the blade, forcing it to submit. This was the critical step to fully unlocking its Bankai.

Makoto understood that for most captains in the Soul Society, mastering the Bankai of their Zanpakuto often took decades or even centuries of arduous effort to completely subjugate the spirit within the blade.

Barring a few extraordinary geniuses or those with unnatural advantages, it was exceedingly rare for a Shinigami to achieve Bankai within a few short years.

But this frequency and intensity from Shinro Bansho… is this even reasonable? Makoto thought, his brow furrowing. Moreover, it seemed almost impossible for him to overpower Shinro Bansho through sheer strength, at least for now.

His mind wandered to Shinro Bansho's cryptic mention of its "true power," which stirred a hint of doubt in him.

That phrase left Makoto uneasy, as though he'd fundamentally misunderstood something about Shinro Bansho.

Could it be… I've interpreted the name Shinro Bansho incorrectly?

Shinro Bansho… Could it possibly mean something absurd, like "Deep, Playful, Fragrant Blossom"?

"I hate cryptic types who talk halfway," Makoto grumbled, his voice laced with frustration. "They're just as annoying as those novel authors who end chapters on cliffhangers—They all deserve to be buried alive!"

With that, he smacked the hilt of Shinro Bansho a few times, as though trying to vent the helplessness and frustration built up after the relentless trials of the previous night.

He then rose, stretched his body to shake off the stiffness, and opened the door. Heading toward the usual breakfast spot, he turned a corner and spotted Unohana and Shihoin Yoruichi deep in conversation. Behind Yoruichi stood Soi Fon, her head lowered as she followed closely behind.

Despite the seemingly harmonious and friendly atmosphere between Unohana and Yoruichi, their laughter occasionally drifting over to his ears, Makoto instinctively felt that staying away might be the best choice right now.

Shihoin Yoruichi was not someone to be trifled with—not even in her current state, let alone compared to the still-inexperienced Soi Fon.

Avoid them…

Makoto quickly leaned back against the wall, staying hidden until the sounds of their conversation completely faded. Only then did he step out, feigning nonchalance.

Unohana, noticing his arrival, showed no inclination to reveal what the earlier conversation was about. She simply said, "You're awake? Then let's set off."

"Yes, sensei," Makoto replied respectfully, falling into step behind her.

Unohana gently unsheathed a segment of her Zanpakutō, and in the next moment, its blade transformed into a massive green one-eyed manta ray floating mid-air—Minazuki.

No release command was uttered; the Shikai activation occurred instantly.

Witnessing this, Makoto, who had only just endured the torment of trying to subdue Shinro Bansho last night, couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy in his gaze. After all, only Shinigami who had mastered their Zanpakutō's Bankai could bypass the release command and directly activate their Shikai.

"The day you finally submit to me, Shinro Bansho, you'll understand the error of your ways!"

Makoto silently vowed to himself before leaping onto Minazuki's back alongside Unohana. Following her command, Minazuki soared toward the Seireitei's western gate, Hakutōmon.

Although Captain-level Shinigami were allowed to freely enter and exit the Seireitei, the entire area was shielded by a protective barrier known as the Shakonmaku. Therefore, any entry or exit had to go through one of the four main gates—east, west, south, or north—where gatekeepers verified and logged their identities.

This marked Makoto's first departure from the Seireitei since joining the Gotei 13. Observing the meticulous procedures, he couldn't help but admire the thoroughness of it all.

At the very least, such measures prevented the Shinigami from recklessly entering Rukongai to abuse their power, thereby reducing the chances of unchecked killings of Rukongai residents.

As they left the Seireitei behind, a vast expanse of Rukongai came into view beneath Makoto, who sat atop Minazuki as it glided through the air.

Ruined, chaotic, lifeless…

The districts closest to the Seireitei were still in decent condition, but the further away they traveled, the more deplorable the scenery became. It was as though Rukongai and the Seireitei, standing tall at the center of the Soul Society, were entirely separate worlds.

Though Makoto himself hailed from Rukongai, seeing it from above filled him with a profound sense of shock.

Just then, a delicately prepared lunchbox was presented in front of him, revealing an exquisitely crafted rice ball.

Unohana's gentle voice sounded beside him. "Makoto, you haven't had breakfast yet, have you? Eat something. Today is likely to be a busy day."

"Thank you, Sensei."

Makoto quickly suppressed his unsettling thoughts, gratefully accepting the rice ball and taking a bite.

He had to admit, while interacting with pure-hearted girls like Soi Fon and Risa was relaxing—free from any scheming—there was something irreplaceable about the tender, meticulous care of someone as graceful and warm as Unohana Retsu.

"How delightful!" Makoto exclaimed internally, savoring the rice ball before asking, "Sensei, was there something Aoki Fifth Seat missed yesterday that requires your personal attention?"

Seated elegantly on Minazuki's back, Unohana softly explained, "Aoki's judgment suggested that the residents had varying degrees of soul fragment losses. However, there might be a shared underlying factor—the missing portions of their souls seem to contain intense emotions, which has resulted in significant emotional deficiencies among the affected residents."

"Emotional… deficiencies?" Makoto echoed, puzzled.

Unohana turned to Makoto, her serene gaze locking onto his as she gently inquired, "Makoto, where do you think the strength, thoughts, and personality of a Zanpakutō originate?"

Makoto's eyes narrowed as he replied confidently, "From the Shinigami… themselves!"

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