"That's right..."
Unohana nodded lightly, then elegantly reached up to smooth her hair, continuing with her explanation.
"Zanpakutō—it's something both incredibly complex and yet remarkably simple. It is born from the soul of a Shinigami, the true embodiment and conceptualization of their power."
"Generally speaking, the power represented by a Zanpakutō is present from the moment a Shinigami is born. That's why, among many of the large noble families in the Seireitei, for example, the Zanpakutō abilities of blood relatives often show striking similarities. This is due to the innate spiritual characteristics they share..."
"However, no matter how close the relationship—whether between father and son or brothers—there will never be two exactly identical Zanpakutō. Do you know why?"
Makoto shook his head, his eyes wide with pure curiosity, eagerly awaiting Unohana's next words.
As a disciple, it was his place to listen, not to make reckless guesses that might disrupt his teacher's explanation...
In his role as a respectful student, Makoto simply needed to inwardly cheer her on, maintaining a strong sense of curiosity to encourage her to speak further.
Unohana seemed completely unconcerned by the secretive nature of this knowledge within the Seireitei, continuing to speak softly.
"Because, in addition to the spiritual characteristics and strength influencing the formation of a Zanpakutō, the Shinigami's will, thoughts, emotions, and so on, also lead to subtle variations in the Zanpakutō. These changes can even affect the initial release and Bankai abilities."
"Mm-hmm~"
Makoto nodded enthusiastically. In some ways, this explanation aligned with his previous guesses.
For example, Soi Fon's "Suzumebachi" was likely a cross-disciplinary ability born from a misdirected developmental path after being abandoned by Yoruichi, right?
At the initial release stage, Suzumebachi was merely a hidden blade under the care of Shihouin Yoruichi, embodying the "Double Strike Finisher" technique.
But after being coldly abandoned, emotions began to warp, creating a shift.
Furthermore, Soi Fon needed to rise to the position of 2nd Division Captain, stepping into the spotlight, which resulted in her Bankai transforming into the "Jakuho Raikoben(Hornet Thunder Whip)"—an ability with conflicting traits in terms of its power system, yet still serving as an alternative "one-hit kill" Zanpakutō.
Beyond that, the most obvious example would be Unohana herself, right?
Her initial release was a harmless flying creature combined with a healing pack, but her Bankai seemed to morph into a power purely geared for destruction—an entirely different nature compared to the connection between most Zanpakutō's initial releases and their Bankai forms.
'Then… what about my Zanpakutō, the one that seems entirely fixated on tormenting its master?'
Makoto's lips twitched as an uneasy thought crossed his mind.
'Is my Bankai path some sort of divergence, where the essence of Shinro Basho is purely destructive, while my own heart is one of healing and purity, leading to an internal conflict?'
'But then again, I don't think my true inner thoughts are as pure and healing as I try to make them seem…'
"So... has it reversed?"
Makoto blinked, feeling that this situation was undeniably a bit complex.
However, the concept of Shinro Bansho... seemed far simpler than his own Zanpakuto, which was birthed from a tangled web of racial relations, an ultimate mess of complexity.
After all, he still considered himself quite pure; his soul had simply crossed over without any of the miscellaneous influences that could result in bizarre creations or strange entities inside him.
Different races were... what was the word again?
No, no...
Makoto slapped his head, suddenly realizing that he'd been around Shinro Bansho too much lately, picking up some rather odd phrases.
Seeing this, Unohana observed with mild curiosity and asked, "Do you have any questions?"
Makoto seemed to recall something and asked, "Teacher, what if two identical Zanpakuto really existed?"
Unohana pondered for a moment before responding, not dismissing Senju Makoto's far-reaching idea immediately. She appeared to be deep in thought, then said:
"As far as the history of the Soul Society goes, no such occurrence has been recorded. The only two Zanpakuto that are 'twin blades' have very unique reasons for their existence. But if you're suggesting that two completely identical Zanpakuto could exist in the hands of different Shinigami..."
She paused, her gaze shifting towards Makoto.
"Either one party has stolen or copied the other Shinigami's Zanpakuto power, or, it could only happen if some forbidden experiment led to the replication of a Shinigami's very essence. This is why the Soul Society forbids the existence of identical Zanpakuto."
"I see..."
As a disciple, Makoto displayed a look of sudden realization, making Unohana Retsu subconsciously feel a sense of accomplishment in her mentoring.
Then, Makoto seemed to think of something and asked, "Teacher, so do you suspect that the missing soul parts of those residents might contain the power of a Zanpakuto?"
Unohana narrowed her eyes slightly before responding, "It's possible. Awakening a Zanpakuto is not a necessary condition, so it's not impossible for the residents of Rukongai to possess a Zanpakuto's power."
"If all the missing souls in Rukongai have lost significant portions of their emotions, it might mean someone is secretly attempting to strip the powers of the Shinigami on a large scale. If so, this would be a very serious malignant event."
Makoto blinked, listening intently to Unohana's suspicions and guesses, his determination to cling to her growing even stronger.
Just from a few scattered pieces of information, Unohana had deduced so much—truly deserving of her reputation as the only one in the Soul Society to pierce through the "Mirror Flower, Water Moon" with nothing but her wisdom and attention to detail!
As the saying goes, "The older the woman, the more precious the gold bricks." Unohana had lived for over a thousand years—wasn't she an endlessly valuable treasure?
"Burp~"
At that moment, after finishing the rice ball, Makoto inadvertently let out a contented burp.
"Full?"
"Yes, thank you, Teacher. This rice ball is very soft and fragrant," Makoto praised sincerely.
Unohana smiled gently, taking the lunchbox from his hands. She then casually tossed it towards Minazuki, who naturally swallowed it whole.
In an instant, Makoto's expression changed.
Before, Unohana Retsu wouldn't have taken advantage of him by retrieving the rice box from Minazuki stomach when he wasn't looking, would she? Would she??
Temperature retention +11111…
Appetite reduction -99999…
For a moment, Makoto felt that Unohana's rice ball… was definitely not as easy to swallow as it seemed.
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