Shutara Senjumaru had served within the Royal Guard Zero Division for longer than most Shinigami could even comprehend. Ever since she had been elevated to the Royal Palace, she had stood among those entrusted with safeguarding the very foundation of Soul Society. Naturally, she was privy to secrets that never reached Seireitei, let alone the Gotei 13.
If nothing else, matters concerning Zanpakutō alone were enough to answer the question Gosuke Shigure had just posed.
Senjumaru's gaze shifted toward him, a trace of surprise flickering in her otherwise composed expression. His train of thought had leapt abruptly, but such unpredictability was nothing new. His mind had always moved in sharp, disjointed turns yet every question he asked carried intent.
After a brief pause, she spoke.
"Regarding your question… after I joined the Royal Guard, I was permitted access to certain archives within the Royal Palace."
Her voice remained calm, yet deliberate.
"In those records, I found relevant notes written personally by Ōetsu Nimaiya."
At the mention of that name, the weight of her words became unmistakable.
Ōetsu Nimaiya the man who forged all Zanpakutō. The origin of every Asauchi.
"In those writings," Senjumaru continued, "one principle is stated without exception."
"There are no two identical Zanpakutō in this world."
Her tone was firm, leaving no room for interpretation.
Had it been anyone else, Shigure might have doubted such an absolute claim. But coming from Senjumaru and sourced directly from Nimaiya himself it carried undeniable authority.
Shigure's eyes narrowed slightly, curiosity sharpening.
Senjumaru continued her explanation.
"Even if a Zanpakutō's wielder perishes, and the blade reverts to an Asauchi-like state before being passed on, it does not retain its former identity."
"When a new Shinigami imprints their soul upon it, the blade is reborn. Its name, its abilities, even its essence are reshaped entirely."
She paused briefly before concluding,
"A Zanpakutō is not merely a weapon. It is the manifestation of a Shinigami's soul."
"And since no two souls are identical… no two Zanpakutō can ever be identical."
Her eyes locked onto Shigure's.
"If something appears identical, then one of them is false."
To clarify further, she added,
"It is no different from a reflection in a mirror. It may appear indistinguishable from the original, but it lacks true substance. It is not real."
Only after finishing her explanation did she ask,
"Now then… why raise such a question?"
Gosuke Shigure smiled faintly.
"I had a reason," he replied. "This comes from something that happened recently at the Shin'ō Academy."
At that, Senjumaru's interest was immediately piqued.
Life within the Royal Palace was long and unchanging. Moments of contact with Seireitei and the events unfolding within it were rare diversions.
And this… was far from ordinary.
Shigure continued,
"In recent years, the Shin'ō Academy has produced quite a number of promising students. Among them, several stand out as true prodigies."
He paused slightly, then spoke with emphasis.
"One in particular awakened a Zanpakutō recognized as the strongest of the ice-type Hyōrinmaru."
"The strongest ice-type…?" Senjumaru repeated softly.
Though her combat style did not rely heavily on a Zanpakutō, she fully understood the weight behind such a title.
A "strongest-type" Zanpakutō was exceedingly rare.
Across the long history of Soul Society, only a handful had ever been acknowledged as the pinnacle of their respective element.
And those who wielded them were, without exception, extraordinary.
At present, only one such figure stood at the absolute apex
Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13.
His Ryūjin Jakka was the oldest and most powerful fire-type Zanpakutō.
For another "strongest" to emerge this time aligned with ice was no trivial matter.
Senjumaru's gaze sharpened.
If properly nurtured, such a Shinigami might one day reach heights rivaling the upper echelons of the Gotei 13.
Shigure nodded.
"Exactly. Because of Hyōrinmaru, Central 46 has already begun closely observing that student."
He then continued, his tone lowering slightly.
"But the real problem appeared just before graduation."
"The student's roommate… also awakened a Zanpakutō."
Shigure's eyes met Senjumaru's directly.
"And that Zanpakutō is identical."
He spoke each word clearly.
"It is also called Hyōrinmaru."
The moment the name was spoken, Senjumaru responded without hesitation.
"One of them is not genuine."
Her answer was immediate, decisive, and unwavering.
Shigure tilted his head slightly.
"You're certain?"
Senjumaru explained calmly,
"When students enroll in the Shin'ō Academy, each is issued an Asauchi."
"Through prolonged contact training, meditation, and constant proximity they imprint their own reiryoku and soul onto that blade."
"That process is what gives birth to a Zanpakutō."
Her sleeves shifted slightly as she folded her arms.
"If one of them truly wields Hyōrinmaru the strongest ice-type then even in an immature state, its reiatsu would not remain fully contained."
"It would inevitably influence its surroundings."
She continued,
"Temperature fluctuations, condensation of moisture, even subtle changes in the atmosphere these are natural byproducts of such power."
Her gaze grew more intent.
"If the two students are roommates, living in constant proximity, then their Asauchi would also remain close at all times."
"In such conditions, it is entirely possible for one Asauchi to resonate with the leaking reiatsu of Hyōrinmaru…"
"And undergo a false or incomplete awakening."
She concluded with quiet certainty,
"In other words, one of them has not truly awakened their own Zanpakutō."
"Their blade has merely been influenced forced into mimicking Hyōrinmaru's form and name through resonance."
A brief silence followed.
Then Senjumaru added, her tone absolute,
"A true Zanpakutō cannot be duplicated."
WE ARE CURRENTLY ON CHAPTER 323
ON PATREON.
JOIN MY PATREON TO READ ADVANCED CHAPTERS BEFORE PUBLIC RELEASE OR PURCHASE THE BOOK FOR LIFETIME ACCESS!
Patreon.com/HACKDWORLD