Mimicry Zanpakuto Appears

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The Shikai Weapon Project is, in essence, the Mimicry Zanpakuto Project.

As previously mentioned, the Shikai of a Zanpakuto consists of two steps: the release of spiritual pressure and the manifestation of the Zanpakuto's innate abilities.

Regarding the release of spiritual pressure, Ichiro, having already achieved Shikai, has already grasped the fundamentals. With a bit more time to refine the process, he will be able to release his spiritual pressure independently, without relying on his Zanpakuto.

What he is currently undertaking is the imitation of the second element of Shikai: the manifestation of a weapon's abilities.

Zanpakuto are categorized into several major types: Kido-type, Healing-type, Illusion-type, Rule-type, and Enhancement-type. However, since Kido-type and Healing-type can be grouped together, there are effectively four categories.

Yet, this is the classification used by the Soul Society. In Ichiro's understanding, there is only one type: the Kido-type!

Regardless of the Zanpakuto, they all seem to rely on different Kido incantations to achieve one miraculous effect after another. Therefore, if one's Kido proficiency is high enough, Ichiro believes he might even be able to forge the most mysterious Rule-type Zanpakuto!

Unfortunately, at his current level, he can only forge weapons outside of the Rule-type, and the effects of these blades are relatively weak.

Take the Illusion-type, for example. A simple Illusion-type Zanpakuto is merely the refraction of light and shadow, which is relatively easy to construct. But the strongest Illusion-type Zanpakuto Ichiro knows of, Kyoka Suigetsu, which exerts absolute control over the five senses, is impossible to replicate. How could he possibly mimic that?

Strictly speaking, that falls into the realm of the Rule-type; calling it an Illusion-type is a joke!

Fortunately, Ichiro's ambitions aren't that high right now. He only intends to forge a Kido-type Zanpakuto. It doesn't need to be overwhelmingly powerful; he just needs an experimental subject to verify his theories.

This experiment is crucial for his current research.

At this stage, Ichiro seems to be researching a chaotic array of things: Kaido, alchemy, Kido techniques, mimicry Shikai, Mimicry Zanpakuto, elixir development, and so on. While it appears complex, it actually boils down to two main lines of inquiry.

The first is the organization and optimization of alchemy from his past and present lives, governed by Reishi Alchemy. The second is the research and development of Kido techniques and Kaido incantations, centered on Kido knowledge.

These are the two true main threads; everything else is merely a byproduct derived from them. For instance, the upcoming Mimicry Zanpakuto experiment will verify Ichiro's achievements in Kido theory and Kaido incantations. Once these theories are validated, his progress in both advanced Kido technique development and the formal composition of Kaido incantations will be greatly accelerated.

Therefore, Ichiro must complete this experiment before the Zanpakuto World turns against him!

Yes, he must act before the Zanpakuto World changes its tune!

Previously, a major obstacle to this plan was his own Zanpakuto. To complete this experiment, he had to perform a more thorough analysis of his Zanpakuto, and he had always feared that this would anger the Zanpakuto World. After all, in Ichiro's eyes, a Zanpakuto is not a tool, but a living person—a close and dear friend.

Because of this, many of Ichiro's previous experiments regarding his Zanpakuto were restrained. But for some reason, after he fell unconscious and entered his Mental World again, the Zanpakuto World had become surprisingly accommodating.

Not only did it agree to many of his experiments, but it even disclosed a vast amount of data regarding various Zanpakuto. He had no doubt that as soon as his spiritual pressure reached the required level, he would be able to achieve Bankai immediately!

His three-day stay in the Mental World was largely due to this.

Ichiro took a rough look at that data and found that it vaguely pointed toward wind-based Kido. This reminded him of the lieutenant-level extra he had fought previously, whose Zanpakuto was wind-based.

Ichiro formed a hypothesis: if he were to fight a Soul Reaper wielding a Rule-type Zanpakuto while holding his own Shikai-capable Zanpakuto, would the world provide him with data on the Rule-type?

It wasn't impossible!

Unfortunately, it was a little too late; there wasn't much time left now.

As these thoughts surged, Ichiro sighed slightly and sprinted toward the underground base built by Urahara and Yoruichi. Along the way, it was evident that the tension among the people had eased significantly. Clearly, after three days, the final remnants of the chaos had been suppressed.

With good news coming one after another, a faint smile played on Ichiro's lips as he quickly arrived at the underground cavern.

After entering, Ichiro took a quick glance around. Seeing no movement, he headed toward his testing grounds. Urahara and Yoruichi likely had other matters to attend to and were not in the base, so he didn't need to go out of his way to greet them and headed straight to the site.

Upon arrival, Ichiro skillfully raised a Kido barrier and moved a large boulder aside, revealing the transmutation circle that had been half-carved underneath.

Ichiro contemplated the circle for a moment before beginning to modify and supplement it, further refining the design. Fortunately, he had already calculated most of the data in his Mental World, so he only needed to adjust a few positions in practice.

Soon, after a dozen minutes, a complete and complex transmutation circle appeared on the ground.

"Yosh! Done!" Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Ichiro ignored the white smudge on his face and quickly pulled an Asauchi from the pile of cluttered items behind him, placing it in the center of the circle.

In truth, an Asauchi wasn't strictly necessary. Was the Reishi Alchemy he had spent so much effort researching really so inconvenient?

The entire transmutation process could actually be completed using only Reishi, but Ichiro had to consider two issues: future mass production and the possibility of alchemy disappearing!

He could manipulate Reishi directly, but others couldn't. It would be impossible for him to forge every single Mimicry Zanpakuto himself; he didn't have that kind of time.

The other factor was that Ichiro considered what would happen if the entire process relied solely on Reishi Alchemy. If he were to lose his alchemy in the future, wouldn't he be back to square one?

Therefore, based on these two factors, all of Ichiro's inventions could be completed even without the condition of alchemy, albeit with more complexity.

So, for this step, Ichiro chose to use an Asauchi. This would save a few transmutation steps and increase the success rate!

After placing the Asauchi in the center of the circle, Ichiro took a deep breath, placed his hands on the ground, closed his eyes, and began to focus his mind to activate his alchemy!

As Ichiro's mental energy poured in, the transmutation circle began to emit a faint white light.

Reishi structure analysis: Complete!

Reishi structure addition: Complete!

Kido incantation construction: Complete!

Kido incantation infusion...

Ichiro frowned, a bead of cold sweat slowly sliding down. He had encountered a problem, but fortunately, it was within his expectations.

Kido incantation modification: Complete!

Kido incantation infusion...

Kido incantation modification: Complete!

Kido incantation...

After repeating this process dozens of times, the eighty-third attempt arrived.

Kido formula filling complete!

Kido formula encapsulation complete!

Kido incantation analysis complete!

Once the most difficult Kido formula filling was finished, the subsequent steps were a mere trifle, and progress surged forward!

Finally.

Mimicry Zanpakuto, construction complete!

As the white light dissipated, a brand-new Zanpakuto lay quietly in the center of the transmutation circle. It looked exactly the same as it had before the transmutation, but sensing the vastly different power within, Ichiro knew his experiment was a success!

He was only one step away from that goal!

"Hahahahahahahaha~~~"

Ichiro's laughter echoed through the empty underground space. He collapsed onto the ground, laughing, as tears of excitement welled up in his eyes. After so many years of hard work, he had finally drawn near to that goal.

As Ichiro fell, a light breeze stirred, flipping open his personal notebook and revealing some of the contents recorded within.

Zanpakuto Anthropomorphic Transformation

Human Transmutation

Fullbring Cultivation