Two Hyōrinmaru

The next day, before the morning mist had fully cleared from the Seireitei, news like a thunderclap tore through its usual calm at an astonishing speed.

It exploded through every corner of the divisions, Rukongai, and even Shin'ō Academy, causing unprecedented shock and heated discussion.

"Did you hear? At Shin'ō Academy! Two geniuses! Identical Zanpakuto!"

"Hyōrinmaru! The Hyōrinmaru known as the strongest ice-type Zanpakuto!"

"How is that possible?! Aren't Zanpakuto supposed to be one of a kind?!"

"It's absolutely true! One is named Toshiro Hitsugaya, and the other is Sojiro Kusaka!"

"Nothing like this has ever happened in Soul Society's history!"

Whispers, shocked cries, and incredulous questions spread like a plague.

The uniqueness of a Zanpakuto was ironclad common knowledge in Soul Society, a symbol of the unique nature of every Soul Reaper's soul.

Yet that ironclad rule had been forcibly shattered—and by two Hyōrinmaru, both hailed as the "strongest." The impact was no less than a storm of Spirit Particles.

The news naturally reached the Kido Corps as well. Liu Chuan held a cup of freshly brewed tea and listened to his colleagues' hushed yet barely contained excited discussion. His expression remained calm, but a glint of thought flickered deep in his eyes.

Toshiro Hitsugaya... Liu Chuan was no stranger to that name. Because of Momo Hinamori, he had met the white-haired boy several times.

In his memory, he was a child with an immature face but eyes wise beyond his years, carrying a calmness and pride that did not match his age.

Whenever Momo Hinamori mentioned him, her tone was always filled with trust and a touch of admiration. She called him "Shiro-chan," saying he was an undisputed genius whose Spiritual Power grew at an astonishing rate.

He had not expected that this young genius would awaken Hyōrinmaru. Nor had he expected that someone else would awaken the exact same Zanpakuto.

Sojiro Kusaka... Liu Chuan had little impression of that name. Perhaps he had not been among the most dazzling of his peers, but anyone capable of awakening Hyōrinmaru could not possibly possess ordinary talent or soul traits.

"Two Hyōrinmaru..." This was anything but an ordinary event.

A Zanpakuto's "name" and "form" originated from the essence, experiences, and will of a Soul Reaper's soul.

In theory, completely identical ones could never exist.

Just as there were no two identical leaves in the world, there were no two identical souls.

Then there were only several possibilities for these "Twin Hyorinmaru."

First, one of them was a counterfeit, an exceptionally sophisticated imitation.

But a top-tier Zanpakuto like Hyōrinmaru contained rules and power on an extremely high level. The difficulty of imitating it was beyond imagination, much less passing it off as genuine from the moment of awakening and deceiving Shin'ō Academy's monitoring systems and the senses of countless Soul Reapers. The possibility was extremely low.

Second, some form of "resonance" or "division" that surpassed current understanding and involved the origin of souls or the level of rules.

Perhaps there was some astonishing similarity or special connection deep within the souls of Toshiro Hitsugaya and Sojiro Kusaka, something even they themselves had not noticed.

It had triggered some exceedingly rare "loophole" or "exception" in Soul Society's rules, causing the "name" that symbolized the "ultimate ice" to answer two souls at once.

It sounded absurd, but to Liu Chuan, it was slightly more likely than a perfect imitation.

After all, the world was vast and full of wonders, especially when it came to souls, the most profound of all domains.

Third, outside interference—a power strong enough to distort the rules governing a Zanpakuto's awakening had intervened.

Who would do such a thing? And for what purpose? Liu Chuan's first thought was of the Soul King Palace he would soon visit, and of the unfathomable Ichibē Hyōsube.

But he dismissed the thought almost immediately. What benefit could there be for the Soul King Palace, which maintained the balance of the Three Worlds, in so openly breaking a fundamental rule?

It made no sense. Other possibilities... Hueco Mundo, perhaps, or certain existences hidden in the shadows of history? There was too little information to judge.

No matter the cause, this incident alone had dealt a tremendous blow to Soul Society's established understanding of the world.

It was foreseeable that the Central 46 Chambers, the upper ranks of the Gotei 13, and even the Research and Development Institute were probably already arguing themselves hoarse.

How should the holders of these two "Hyōrinmaru" be handled? Should they be regarded as auspicious signs or hidden dangers? Should they be cultivated as priorities, or isolated and investigated? The debates and decisions surrounding them would inevitably be accompanied by surging undercurrents.

"Toshiro Hitsugaya..." Liu Chuan set down his teacup and lightly tapped his fingertips against the table.

Given what he knew of Momo Hinamori, that girl was surely full of worry right now—proud of her childhood friend's displayed talent, yet concerned about the trouble this unprecedented "twin" phenomenon might bring.

And Hitsugaya himself, that proud young genius, had suddenly been thrust into the eye of the storm. His feelings were likely even more complicated and difficult to put into words.

As for the other person involved, Sojiro Kusaka, his situation might be even more delicate.

"The rules have been broken..." Liu Chuan murmured, the interest of a researcher growing ever stronger in his eyes.

This incident was like a suddenly appearing "abnormal data point." To him, someone attempting to understand this world's power system, it held immense observational value.

The secret behind it made him itch with curiosity.

Unfortunately, he would soon be heading to the Soul King Palace. He would likely have no chance to closely follow and study how this incident developed.

Head-Captain Yamamoto and the many high-ranking officials were surely paying close attention to the matter as well. They might even have already intervened.

"Looks like the Seireitei is going to be lively for a while." Liu Chuan looked out the window, as if he could feel the unusual restlessness and tension permeating the air.

The rise of geniuses and exceptions to the rules were often accompanied by turmoil and change.

He withdrew his gaze and returned to the latest calculation draft on the Spirit Particle Stable-State Barrier spread out before him.

Whether it was the miracle of the Twin Hyorinmaru or the mysteries of the Soul King Palace, both were, in essence, manifestations and challenges of the world's rules on different levels.

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