"But I'm not good enough! I don't have the power of my master yet, I haven't learned how to Sōdō, and I can't even Shikai my own Zanpakuto. I'm not happy!"
"Speaking of this," Chun explained his views on the Shikai of Zanpakuto.
There are two types of Shikai for Zanpakuto: the release of the primordial soul and the release of the soul itself, which depends on the specific needs. This was explained in the chapter on pure Shikai, so I won't go into detail here.
So, after finishing his explanation, Jun asked, "What Shikai do you want, Aozumi? To be precise, what kind of Zanpakuto does the Kuchiki Clan use?"
"Eh? This!" Aozumi finally realized, "The Kuchiki Clan's Shikai Senbonzakura is the Zanpakuto they need? So our family has been suppressing our true selves all along! No wonder my older brother is always so unhappy, and my father is like Dolls, it's all because of this inheritance, right!? Is that right, Master?"
"Hmm~ Maybe we can look at it from two perspectives."
"Both sides?"
Why is it that your family's tradition is always the Senbonzakura)?
"This is the requirement."
Jun shook his head. "No, before you've heard me explain this, would you really understand that the Shikai of Zanpakuto is just a matter of need?"
This is the key point. Without such a rebellious existence in the eyes of Soul Society, without this act of uprooting Soul Society, who dares to say that Shikai can actually have whatever one wants?
If this understanding is lacking, why does the Kuchiki Clan always have Senbonzakura? This is different from the Shiba Clan. In the Isshin Shiba lineage, Getsuga Tenshō is just a skill, which only became Ichigo technique inherent to Zanpakuto. But in reality, the Zanpakuto wasn't passed down. Although both have the character "Tsuki" (moon) in their names, Engetsu and Zangetsu are definitely different and not similar.
The main branch of the Shiba family, and later Kaien Shiba's Zanpakuto, belongs to the water element. While their attack method is indeed high-intensity Reiatsu slashes, it's primarily used in close combat. Therefore, the branch family's Zanpakuto actually inherits the fire element.
The Shihoin Family's Hakuda techniques, including the "Shō-kō" (or "Shunkō" ) and the more advanced "Shō-kō" (or "Divine Roar" ), are all inherited. In fact, even if Shihoin did use Zanpakuto, his Shikai and Kai would essentially be these two things; this is inevitable.
So why?
"Is it because of your acceptance of the family?" Kōga touched the Kenseikan on his hair, the same triangular headband that Byakuya also wore.
Aozumi touched the floral veil on his shoulder, a unique decoration of the Kuchiki Clan, the same white scarf Byakuya wore. "Approval? Ugh~"
"Aozumi, you're still too resistant to your family."
"Is this it? Anyway, I'll never like my father again."
"What about your brother? Sōjun is a good older brother."
"My brother is alright, I guess... passable."
"So you still have some sense of belonging to your family," Chun clapped his hands. "I think the Kuchiki Clan's long-standing tradition is really related to this understanding of family honor and heritage. Not only the Kuchiki, but the other four or Five Great Noble Clans are the same, including the Shiba Clan, which has now been dismissed."
"This kind of inheritance has a huge impact on Zanpakuto. As long as you identify with this family and this inheritance, your Zanpakuto's Shikai and Kai won't deviate too much."
"For example, the Kuchiki Clan's cherry blossom style, the Shiba main family's flower style (which is actually water flower style), the branch family's fire style, the Tachikawa Family's Vajra style, the Teru Clan I don't know about), Shihoin Family's Hakuda style."
Aozumi noticed a problem, "Why is it cherry blossom style and not Senbonzakura style?"
"I was just saying, but doesn't your Kuchiki Clan genealogy record mention the existence of other branch families? I think they probably have different cherry blossoms, which is why your main family only has the Senbonzakura?"
"After all, Senbonzakura means a tree-lined path filled with cherry blossoms, right?"
"What other cherry blossoms are there, Master?"
What else? I was really confused. Actually, I did look up the real meaning of Senbonzakura before, and later when I played the game, I found a girl named Yae Sakura, so I looked her up too.
In Japan, or in the Chinese translation, the format "xx Sakura" really only has two types that are not cherry blossoms. One is to describe the appearance of cherry blossoms, and the other is to refer to a person's name.
Yae Sakura isn't a complete person's name; it refers to a woman named Niijima Yae, arguably the most famous modern woman of the Meiji Restoration in Japan. Later, Yae Sakura came to symbolize independent and self-reliant modern women.
Furthermore, Yae Sakura is also the name of a cherry blossom variety; basically, xx cherry blossoms are all cherry blossom variety names.
But this is only the Edo period, several hundred years before the Meiji Restoration. Where are we supposed to find Yae Sakura? As for the cherry blossom varieties from later generations, I don't really know many. The only one I can remember that sounds nice is the Kanhizakura.
"How about I go to the World of the Living and ask around for you?"
"Huh? No?"
Jun felt he couldn't lose face in front of his female apprentice, so he told her the story of Yae no Sakura, changing the era and making Yae no Sakura a retainer's wife from the Shimazu Clan.
Lady Yae originally came from a family of arquebusier forgers, a family that forged flintlock muskets. In earlier times, arquebuses represented matchlock muskets. During the Edo period wars, she personally forged arquebuses and cannons to support the army, and even led troops.
In Jun's story, she becomes a female warrior who helps the Shimazu Clan forge iron cannons.
Lady Yae's era spanned from the late Edo period to the Meiji Restoration. After the Restoration, Lady Yae, now middle-aged, was exposed to new ideas. She then spent all her wealth to build girls' schools, teaching nursing skills and actively guiding the West thought into Japan. She was a remarkable woman of her time.
In Jun's story, Lady Yae Sakura became a pioneer in the introduction of the West thought. Unfortunately, the Shimazu Clan was extremely stubborn, and after the establishment of the shogunate, they rejected the West ideas. However, this heroine persisted, actively seeking the welfare of the people and fighting against the times during a difficult period.
"Oh my god! I have to see Lady Yae! I want to be Yae Sakura!"
"!!" Jun realized he'd blown his tongue. This was the era Jun was talking about—where was he supposed to find this Lady Yae Sakura?! Was he supposed to go to another Plane and train one decades earlier?
She's dead.
"Huh?"
"Uh, she was human. She died a few years ago."
"Then I'd like to visit her grave and pay my respects."
"Uh, it's gone."
"What?"
"Because those ideas of hers were discovered, everything was overthrown; even her grave was dug up, her body burned, and her ashes thrown into the sea." Jun almost cried. Damn, I'm so sorry to Lady Yae; you've suffered so much.
However, Chun didn't cry, Aozumi, Isuzu, Kōga, Muramasa, Clear Rain, Thunder Charge all wept uncontrollably, lamenting the injustice of the world. Such a good heroine had ended up having her grave dug up and her body burned, dying without a burial place.
"Then I want to go too! I want to pay my respects to the sea where the lady threw herself; it's sacred!"
"Uh, in the Chikuzen Province."
"Okay, I've got it!"
Chun is now filled with guilt. Oh no, please don't let this slip!
I want to become a woman like Yae Sakura!
What reassured Chun was that Aozumi didn't rush to the temple to pay his respects with shouts and screams, but instead chose to first set his goals.
"The idea is good, but don't end up like her." Jun couldn't help but admire his own wit. Wasn't promoting new ideas in the Soul Society just courting death? Luckily, the story was brilliantly crafted!
"Yes!" Aozumi nodded vigorously. "Since I can't be too obvious, I will infuse her into my sword, into my Shikai! Lady Yae Sakura, if you can hear my words, please let me get closer to you!"
To everyone's astonishment, Aozumi's blade truly trembled, and the surges of Spiritual Power were indeed present. These fluctuations and synchronizations of Spiritual Power became increasingly frequent, and then...
Aozumi transformed; her sword became another sword, and that wasn't all—she also carried an iron cannon on her back.
The headgear is the kind Japan women wore when going to war, and the clothing is a white short-sleeved outfit. You can find characters wearing this when creating a female character in the Sengoku Musou game; it's a type of cloth clothing, and the feet are definitely wearing wooden clogs.
"Huh?" Aozumi froze for a few seconds, then jumped up suddenly, "Yay! I did it!!"
"Yes, but one sword and one spear? Is this considered the Shikai of dual weapons?"
"Yes, Muramasa, let me see my Lady Yae!"
Hi! Excuse me.
This question was quickly answered by Muramasa's abilities; indeed, there were two people, wielding dual weapons.
One of the women was dressed similarly to Aozumi before, while the other woman was dressed in the attire of a blacksmith, wearing only a bodice and holding a thin, woman-style pipe.
"Yūna" "Tomoko"
"Greetings to all of you."
"Wow~!" Aozumi shouted and pounced on her. Both of her weapons liked her very much and quickly caught their little master.
Yūna is the one wearing the women's dress; she represents a sword and symbolizes Lady Yae's battlefield career in the first half of her life, representing martial prowess.
Tomoko is the blacksmith in his blacksmith's attire, smoking a pipe; she represents the arquebus, symbolizing Lady Yae's origins and her later independence and autonomy.
Chun felt a surge of anger and slammed her hand into Aozumi's head with a chop. "So, you think showing your chest wrap and smoking a pipe is all it takes to be independent and self-reliant?!"
"Waaaaah, isn't it? Daring to wear the same things as men, daring to smoke a pipe, how cool is that!"
Tomoko slapped her forehead and exclaimed, "I think I should go back to the drawing board and start over!"
"Hehe," Yūna quickly hugged her partner, "Don't worry, maybe it'll be fine soon."
"Sigh~ If it weren't for that chance to get help, I'd really want to go back to school and start all over again, I'm not kidding."
"Oh~ please don't~", Aozumi felt like he had really done something wrong, and quickly went up to apologize.
"No, Master~ You'll have to make good use of us from now on," Yūna said, hugging Aozumi.
Before Aozumi could even nod, Tomoko snorted coldly, "That's you, not me. I haven't acknowledged this little guy yet. Tomoko's independence and autonomy are not as simple as you think. Only when you truly understand these things can you use me."
"Huh~?"
"First, get rid of this spoiled habit," Tomoko exhaled a smoke ring. "Of course, I don't mean you can't be spoiled anymore, but rather, get rid of that mindset of always resorting to pleading when things happen!"
Hi~ I'm so sorry~
Jun smiled slightly. It seemed that the first trouble this seemingly carefree female disciple encountered was her own sword. Her troubles were similar to Renji's in the original work—failing to gain the sword's approval. That was quite interesting.