Zero Division Candidate

Captain Unohana frowned in exasperation again and said, "What nonsense are you talking about? Anyway, as long as you have this, no one but the Soul King can give you trouble. The Soul King has already approved your Mimicry Zanpakuto technique and acknowledged you as a 'Person of Soul Society History.' Once you're strong enough, you can choose to join Zero Division."

"Wait, 'choose' means I don't have to go? I can stay in Squad 4?"

"Do you really want to stay in Squad 4 that badly? You won't be able to become a captain here." She said it like that, but she still smiled with relief.

Ichiro snapped to attention and said solemnly, "I'm devoted to Captain Unohana! I absolutely won't join Zero Division!"

The captain chuckled and shook her head, then waved him off. "You can go now. Although your status as a Zero Division candidate will protect you, you still need to be careful lately. As for the school, stick with the original plan and take your time. Try not to cause so much trouble."

"Yes, Captain!" With that, Ichiro turned and left the office.

After Ichiro left, the captain picked up the document he'd just read. Her smile faded, and her expression grew serious.

Making this widely available was certainly not as simple as Ichiro had claimed. Even Zero Division couldn't completely escape the influence of the nobles. Otherwise, where had their retainers gotten their Zanpakuto?

But since Ichiro was determined to make this available to everyone, she would naturally do all she could to help. It was just as Ichiro had said: the time wasn't right yet. They would have to wait.

If I plan this carefully, perhaps it could strengthen the common people. After considering it, the captain shook her head, giving up on idle speculation. She picked up the document and stood, preparing to head to the First Division. A major matter like this was better left to the Head Captain to handle. He was the more scheming one; her strengths had always been cutting people down and saving them.

Meanwhile, Ichiro greeted the members of Squad 4 as he made his way out of the barracks. Along the way, he spotted someone he hadn't expected to see: Tencheng Shiro.

He was the sixth-year student who had stood up for Sugou, only for Ichiro to take him down in an instant. He looked burly and rough, so Ichiro hadn't expected him to join Squad 4 after graduating. You really couldn't judge a book by its cover.

But the two didn't talk much. They just smiled and walked past each other. Being schoolmates didn't mean much here; everyone in the squad had gone to the same school. Only those who'd been in the same class were particularly close.

Before long, Ichiro reached his dorm. But he'd barely warmed his seat when he got a message from Urahara, telling him to hurry to the base—he needed Ichiro's help with something important.

"Man, word travels fast." With a sigh, Ichiro got up and headed for the base's secret entrance.

"I've only just finished, and you already know. Word travels fast." With both hands tucked into the pockets of his modified school uniform, Ichiro strolled over to Urahara and Yoruichi, who were sitting on a rock.

"Of course. Do you even know who I am?" Yoruichi lifted her chin proudly.

Urahara, meanwhile, stared strangely at the three swords at Ichiro's waist. "You've got more and more swords. How are you going to carry a third one? Hold it in your mouth? Are your teeth even that strong?"

"Mind your own business." Ichiro rolled his eyes, then continued, "World, come say hello."

"Hm? World? I thought that was your Zanpakuto—holy crap! How did she turn into a person?" Urahara stared in shock at the woman in court dress standing beside Ichiro.

"Hello. My name is Tianxin World, and I am Lord Ichiro's Zanpakuto." With that, World bowed to the two of them.

"..." X2

After a moment of silence, Yoruichi and Urahara stepped back in perfect sync and gave Ichiro a look of disgust. Urahara said, "So that's what you've been researching all this time—how to turn a Zanpakuto into a beautiful girl? And you actually succeeded? We've known each other for so long, and I never expected you, Tenshin Ichiro, to be this kind of person! I'm so envious—cough! I mean, ashamed!"

"Were you serious about taking half a step back?" Ichiro muttered, then continued, "To me, World isn't a Zanpakuto. As the manifestation of a part of my inner self, she's the person who understands me best. She's my lifelong friend! So don't project your filthy thoughts onto me!"

"Heh. If World were a man instead of a woman, would you still have been so devoted to this research?"

Ichiro: "..."

Urahara's question struck straight to the heart and left Ichiro speechless. Come to think of it, if he hadn't seen what World looked like in the Mental World, he might—possibly, probably, perhaps—have been less determined to carry out the experiment.

"Heh. Men." Yoruichi snorted disdainfully from the side.

"Ahem. Yoruichi, that's the wrong way to put it. I'm a man too. You should say Ichiro—use his name directly. Otherwise, that's too broad a generalization."

Yoruichi glanced at Urahara. "I know."

Urahara: "..."

"Enough of that. Tell me, why did you call me over in such a hurry?" Ichiro leaned against a protruding rock nearby and asked curiously.

"Two things. First, this is for you." Urahara handed Ichiro a jade pendant. "This is the Second Reiryoku Source I made for you. I've given it an initial enhancement; you'll need to keep working on it yourself after this, or it won't harmonize well with your Reiryoku."

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it. Now for the second thing: I've successfully developed the Tenshintai!" Urahara said calmly.

At that, Ichiro immediately straightened up. "The Tenshintai? So you're going to achieve Bankai? Now?"

"Yeah. According to our 'Aquarius' theory, the sooner you achieve Shikai and Bankai, the better. Although that means the boost in spiritual pressure from your Zanpakuto will be smaller, you can attune yourself to it sooner. It also minimizes the impact that changes in your Zanpakuto's form can have on your combat strength."

"Right. So you called me here to stand guard for you?"

"'Stand guard'—that's an interesting way to put it. More or less. But once I succeed and prove this thing works, you can use it too."

"Heh." Ichiro scoffed and glanced at World standing beside him. "Do you think I need something like that? Could you mere mortals ever understand the bond between World and me? As long as my spiritual pressure is high enough, I can achieve Bankai right now!"

"..." X 2

Damn, comparing yourself to others was infuriating!

Who would've thought there were still Zanpakuto that threw themselves at their wielders?

And that a Soul Reaper would actually accept shamelessly! Where was his Soul Reaper pride?

It was enough to make anyone envious—cough! Ashamed!

Heh! X 2

After fooling around for a while, Yoruichi and Ichiro stepped aside and watched as Urahara began using the Tenshintai.

"Lord Ichiro, what is the Tenshintai?"

"A Zanpakuto's true form originally exists only in a Soul Reaper's Mental World. Even the true form of a Zanpakuto with a living being's form is different from how it appears externally. Only a few Zanpakuto abilities or Kido techniques can reveal a Zanpakuto's true appearance so that others can see it too.

"The Tenshintai works on this principle. It forcibly manifests the Zanpakuto in the World of the Living, then you defeat it to master Bankai."

"Oh, so it forcibly brings forward a battle that would normally be decided by the Zanpakuto?"

"Yeah."

As the two spoke, the scene before them began to change. The wooden doll in the middle of the clearing had transformed into a graceful woman, as gentle and refined as a Yamato Nadeshiko.