The Origin of Zanpakuto

The next morning.

As Chiba Makoto slowly opened his eyes, his gaze revealed a longing for life and peace... along with a few traces of exhaustion from being pushed beyond his limits.

Really... I can't move anymore. I'm completely spent...

Nine times... in one night!

All Things in Nature had seemed to go completely crazy last night, turning Chiba Makoto into "sauce" nine times in a single night.

If this kept going, All Things in Nature might turn into some horrifying, pure sauce-squeezing princess!

Still, because Chiba Makoto had to conceal his strength, he could only accumulate combat experience and familiarize himself with All Things in Nature's abilities this way. At the same time, he was slowly trying to conquer All Things in Nature and make it submit, so that he could further master his Zanpakuto's Bankai.

Yet Chiba Makoto also understood that for the vast majority of captain-class Soul Reapers, mastering their Zanpakuto's Bankai often took decades, or even centuries, as they slowly made their Zanpakuto submit completely.

Other than a very small number of geniuses or cheaters, it was rare for a Soul Reaper to master Bankai in just a few short years under normal circumstances.

'But is All Things in Nature's astonishing frequency and combat ability... really reasonable? And for now, I can't see any possibility of making it submit through sheer strength...'

A trace of doubt flashed through Chiba Makoto's mind. What All Things in Nature had called its "true power" also bothered him somewhat...

The way it said that made Chiba Makoto feel as if he had made some fundamental mistake in his understanding of All Things in Nature.

Could it be that he had interpreted the name All Things in Nature incorrectly?

All Things in Nature? It couldn't possibly mean deep, radish, play, fragrance, could it?

"I hate people who only say half of what they mean, just like I hate novel authors who love cutting chapters off at the best part. They should all be dragged out and buried in the ground..."

Chiba Makoto could not help muttering as he heavily slapped Zanpakuto - All Things in Nature several times, as though venting the helplessness and frustration of being turned into sauce nine times last night.

Then, Chiba Makoto got up and stretched his body before opening the door and heading toward the place where he usually ate breakfast. As he rounded a corner, he spotted Unohana Retsu and Yoruichi Shihoin talking in the distance, while Shaolin Fon followed beside Yoruichi Shihoin with her head lowered.

Although... the atmosphere between Unohana Retsu and Yoruichi Shihoin appeared quite harmonious and friendly, with both of them wearing smiling expressions and bursts of hearty laughter occasionally drifting into Chiba Makoto's ears.

For some reason, however, Chiba Makoto felt that not getting any closer... would be a very good choice.

Yoruichi Shihoin was not a woman whom Shaolin Fon, still at the peak of her half-loli phase, could compare to.

'Stay away...'

Chiba Makoto pulled his head back around the corner and simply pressed himself against the wall without showing his face. Only after the sounds of their conversation had completely faded did he walk out as if nothing had happened.

When Unohana Retsu saw Chiba Makoto appear, she seemed to have no intention of telling him what they had discussed. She simply said, "You're up? Then let's set out."

"Yes, Teacher."

Chiba Makoto answered, then watched Unohana Retsu draw her Zanpakuto partway from its sheath. The blade immediately transformed into a massive green, one-eyed manta ray floating in midair—Minazuki.

Without a release command, she directly activated Shikai...

Seeing this, Chiba Makoto—who had been tormented half to death by the sauce-squeezing princess All Things in Nature last night—could not help feeling a flash of envy. After all, only Soul Reapers who had mastered their Zanpakuto's Bankai could skip the release command and directly activate Shikai.

'The day you submit completely, All Things in Nature... you'll know you were wrong!'

Chiba Makoto silently declared, then followed Unohana Retsu in jumping onto Minazuki's back. At Unohana Retsu's command, Minazuki flew toward Hakutōmon, the western gate of the Seireitei.

Although captain-class Soul Reapers could enter and leave the Seireitei freely without restriction, the entire Seireitei was covered by a protective barrier known as the Soul-Covering Membrane. Therefore, normal entry and exit could only be made through one of the four gates to the east, south, west, and north, with the gate guards confirming and recording one's identity.

This was also Chiba Makoto's first time leaving the Seireitei since joining the Thirteen Divisions. Watching the entire process, he found it quite rigorous.

At the very least, it could somewhat prevent Soul Reapers who possessed power from entering Rukongai at will and maliciously killing its residents without fear of being discovered.

As they left the Seireitei's territory, vast stretches of Rukongai came into the view of Chiba Makoto, who sat high in the air atop Minazuki.

Dilapidated, chaotic, lifeless...

The first few districts of Rukongai near the Seireitei were still fairly decent, but the farther they traveled from the Seireitei, the more unbearable the sights of Rukongai became. It was as though it belonged to an entirely different world from the Seireitei standing at the center of the Soul Society.

Although Chiba Makoto had been born in Rukongai, looking down at it from above still gave him a deeply shocking feeling.

Just then, an exquisite lunchbox was held out before Chiba Makoto. Inside was a rice ball that looked quite delicate.

Then Unohana Retsu's gentle voice sounded beside him. "Makoto, you haven't had breakfast yet, have you? Eat something. We may be busy all day today."

"Thank you, Teacher."

Coming back to his senses, Chiba Makoto suppressed the strange feelings in his heart and hurriedly accepted the rice ball, taking a bite.

It had to be said that although Chiba Makoto found it quite relaxing to be around innocent girls like Shaolin Fon and Aoki Risa, without needing to worry about schemes or anything of the sort, the meticulous care of a perfect, gentle mature older woman like Unohana Retsu was also...

"So good!"

As he bit into the rice ball, Chiba Makoto sincerely exclaimed before asking, "Teacher, did Fifth Seat Aoki overlook something yesterday that requires you to personally confirm it?"

Kneeling elegantly atop Minazuki's back, Unohana Retsu softly explained.

"Fifth Seat Aoki judged that the degree of soul loss among those residents varied, but there was likely a common point hidden within it. That is, the missing fragments of their souls all contained intense emotions, which was why those residents displayed such significant emotional deficiencies."

"Emotional... deficiencies?" Chiba Makoto asked.

Unohana Retsu turned to look at Chiba Makoto and gently asked, "Makoto, where do you believe a Zanpakuto's power, thoughts, and personality originate?"

Chiba Makoto narrowed his eyes and answered, "From the Soul Reaper... himself!"