The Monk's words rang through Asano Kiyoshi's heart like a thunderclap. He had actually considered this question before.
Strictly speaking, he did not truly belong to the world of Shinigami. So could the Monk really know the true name of his soul—of his Zanpakuto?
But ever since his last visit to Zero Division, when the Monk had not come looking for him, Asano Kiyoshi had assumed that the Monk knew his Zanpakuto.
After all, if a Zanpakuto that had never existed before appeared before him—a Zanpakuto whose true name even he could not know—there was no reason for the Monk to let him leave.
Yet unexpectedly, the Monk had not only said nothing, but had not even stopped Kirio Hikifune from giving him food.
But now, the Monk's sudden words seemed to overturn Asano Kiyoshi's previous conclusion. Though he felt confused and uneasy, he did not show it. He merely put on a puzzled expression and repeated the Monk's words.
"My Zanpakuto? Is there something wrong with it?"
Seeing this, the Monk merely smiled. Then he drained the tea before him in one gulp, wiped his beard, which was still damp with a little tea, and pointed at Ōetsu Nimaiya.
"All Asauchi in Soul Society are forged by Ōetsu Nimaiya. Before him, Shinigami were actually very, very weak. Or rather, before Ōetsu Nimaiya forged Zanpakuto, Shinigami had extremely limited and difficult means of developing the power hidden within them."
As the Monk said this, Asano Kiyoshi thought of Toshiro Hitsugaya from the original work. When he had been young, he had been unable to control his immense spiritual pressure, causing cold air to leak out and freeze those around him. And at that time, Toshiro Hitsugaya had not possessed an Asauchi.
All of his abilities had come from himself. This