Zanpakuto Classifications

A Zanpakuto's form and abilities were forged with the Shinigami's own soul as their template.

This was the most basic definition of a Zanpakuto recorded in the textbooks of Shin'ō Academy.

However, after Chiba Makoto became a true Shinigami and gained a deeper understanding of Shinigami spiritual bodies through Kaido and Medical Skills, he had summarized further patterns regarding Zanpakuto.

As for the classification system of Zanpakuto themselves, Soul Society ostensibly divided them into two major categories according to their abilities: Kidō-type and Direct Attack-type.

The Kidō-type contained three subcategories: Hadō-type, Bakudō-type, and Special Creature-type.

The Direct Attack-type, meanwhile, had two subcategories: Straight Slash-type and Projectile-type.

Among them, Unohana Retsu's Zanpakuto, "Minazuki," which seemingly summoned a strange, giant one-eyed manta ray, belonged to the Special Creature-type.

As for Chiba Makoto's "All Things in Nature," although it had yet to display any offensive properties, it had been classified at Shin'ō Academy as a special Wood-type within the Hadō-type.

Bakudō-type Zanpakuto included those like Aizen Sōsuke's, Thirteen Divisions Captain Ukitake Jūshirō's, and Ayasegawa Yumichika's, whose abilities leaned more toward rules, powerful restraint, and interference.

Among Direct Attack-type Zanpakuto, the Straight Slash-type, exclusive to reckless brutes, was the most simple and direct. The Projectile-type included abilities like Senbonzakura and Haineko, which dispersed the Zanpakuto into all manner of flying projectiles.

Yet as Chiba Makoto categorized Zanpakuto abilities, combining it with his memories of Zanpakuto from his previous life, he discovered that beyond the horizontal division into those two major categories, Zanpakuto seemed to possess another kind of vertical division—the division between Shikai and Bankai.

Enhancement or mutation.

For the vast majority of Zanpakuto abilities, Shikai and Bankai were related through enhancement. For example, Captain-Commander Yamamoto of the Thirteen Divisions' Ryūjin Jakka: its Shikai and Bankai were nearly identical in essence and nature, only amplified to a terrifying degree in strength.

However, there were also a small number of Zanpakuto whose Shikai and Bankai appeared to be completely unrelated.

For example, the future Second Division captain, Soi Fon. Her Zanpakuto, "Suzumebachi," was clearly a Bakudō-type within the Kidō-type in Shikai, possessing the terrifying ability known as "Two-Hit Kill." Yet after reaching Bankai, "Jakuhō Raikōben" had conspicuously crossed categories into the Projectile-type within the Direct Attack-type.

As Chiba Makoto secretly sifted through a vast amount of material concerning Zanpakuto, he found that almost none of it explained the reason for such cases.

If a Zanpakuto's abilities had already been formed from one's soul at birth, then situations like this—like something growing crooked—should not have appeared.

This situation was plainly rather unreasonable. And if it had gone unnoticed throughout Seireitei's thousand-year history, that was even more suspicious.

The only explanation was that, for some reason, Seireitei had deliberately ignored this piece of common knowledge in order to conceal something.

Wait...

Chiba Makoto frowned, suddenly noticing a small detail in his conversation with Aizen Sōsuke.

The first time Aizen Sōsuke had asked, his question had been: "Is there any way to separate a Zanpakuto from a spiritual body?"

The second time, it had become: "A complete separation—meaning to extract Shinigami powers from an ordinary spiritual body!"

So Aizen Sōsuke's conclusion was that the true, tangible manifestation of Shinigami powers was... a Zanpakuto?!

Still, while this was enough to support Chiba Makoto's judgment of Zanpakuto abilities and confirm that their abilities were not entirely fixed from the beginning, it was highly likely that during the process of a Zanpakuto awakening its abilities, the Shinigami's own desires and will influenced the Zanpakuto, thereby shaping the true Shinigami powers.

Yet Chiba Makoto's brow furrowed tighter and tighter as he muttered in a low voice.

"Was that information leaked inadvertently? Or did he deliberately tell me this conclusion? Or is he trying to use it to guide me into doing something, or test something? Aizen Sōsuke!"

"If you're going to completely separate the Shinigami powers from a spiritual body, what exactly are you planning to do?"

Thinking of this, Chiba Makoto could not help rubbing his temples again, feeling his head swell.

Dealing with a man like Aizen Sōsuke, who could effortlessly toy with the entire Soul Society in the palm of his hand, was simply too exhausting. Every tiny detail could conceal information that might easily be overlooked.

At that moment, Chiba Makoto instead inexplicably wished his brain were as simply packed with muscles as Madarame Ikkaku's. Then he would have far fewer worries and concerns.

I envy you, Ikkaku...

Thinking that, Chiba Makoto gazed at the night sky beyond his office window and could not help missing his days at Shin'ō Academy.

Back then, everyone had still been simple. He, too, would relax and lower his intelligence and thought processes to Madarame Ikkaku's level, then spend every day cheerfully muddling through.

At this time, Ikkaku is probably figuring out who to fight tomorrow again, isn't he?

Meanwhile, in the Eleventh Division barracks, Madarame Ikkaku listened to the news Ayasegawa Yumichika had brought back. His entire face went blank with shock as he said incredulously, "Y-you said what? Chiba is in the Gynecology Department??"

Ayasegawa Yumichika nodded. "Yes. I was also extremely surprised when I heard the news. Later, I even contacted members of the Fourth Division to confirm it. The news... is true. And over the past two months, Chiba hasn't treated a single patient!"

The corner of Madarame Ikkaku's mouth twitched a few times. Then he slapped the table and burst into laughter.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!"

For a time, Madarame Ikkaku's exaggerated laughter echoed through nearly half of the Eleventh Division barracks.

Watching Madarame Ikkaku roll around laughing in front of him, Ayasegawa Yumichika was left rather speechless. "Ikkaku, after going through something so utterly unglamorous, Chiba must be feeling awful right now. Isn't it a little inappropriate to laugh at him like that?"

Madarame Ikkaku's face turned red as his mouth twitched, desperately trying to hold it in. In the end, he failed miserably.

"S-sorry, but I... HAHAHAHA... I really can't help it!!"

Ayasegawa Yumichika helplessly pressed a hand to his forehead, having no idea what to say.

Yet as Ayasegawa Yumichika imagined Chiba Makoto's ordinarily gentle, composed, handsome features possibly being surrounded by a crowd of troublesome women in the future, wearing an expression as bitter as a melon, the corners of his own mouth could not help curling upward.

No... no, that's not right. How could I be such a heartless person who laughs at his friend? I must have been infected by Ikkaku...

Thinking that, Ayasegawa Yumichika viciously kicked Madarame Ikkaku and said, "That's enough. We should think of a way to help Chiba."

"Fine!"

Madarame Ikkaku finally managed to sit upright again. Nodding with a grave, serious expression, he said, "This time, it looks like I'll have to personally lead some men to the Gynecology Department and back him up!"