When Yan Si opened his eyes, he was still in that shattered Inner world.
The sky was an eerie dark red, the clouds thick as congealed clots of blood.
Cracks in the ground spread in every direction like a spiderweb, cutting the entire world into countless irregular fragments.
He stood there, raised his head, and swept his gaze around.
There was a volcano in the distance, or at least, there had once been one.
Now, the entire mountain was covered in a thick layer of ice. Its surface was filled with cracks, yet it remained solid.
Hyorinmaru was coiled atop the mountain.
Its massive body was curled up, its head resting on its crossed foreclaws. Its eyes were closed, and fine ice crystals billowed from its breath, condensing into frosty mist in the air.
As if sensing Yan Si's arrival, Hyorinmaru slowly opened its eyes.
Those eyes were a pure, deep blue, reflecting Yan Si's figure within them.
"It has already been so long," Hyorinmaru said, its voice low and carrying the rasp of grinding ice. "Still haven't found one?"
Yan Si did not answer immediately.
He continued scanning the Inner world, his gaze passing over each shattered region as he searched for a possible Zanpakuto.
But aside from Hyorinmaru, this place was still empty and chaotic. There were no other souls.
"It'll be born soon enough," he replied casually, his eyes still wandering.
"And there will be two of them. When the time comes, just pick one."
"Two?" Hyorinmaru exhaled two streams of cold air through its nostrils. They condensed into tiny icicles in midair and clattered onto the ground. "Impossible."
It was the strongest ice-and-snow-type Zanpakuto. It knew that much clearly.
To earn its recognition, one first needed to be born with an exceptionally strong affinity for ice-and-snow