Jinzen

Shin'ō Academy, training dojo.

Morning sunlight streamed through the high windows onto the polished wooden floor, and a faint scent of incense filled the air.

Dozens of fifth-year students sat cross-legged, each with an Asauchi lying across their lap.

Wang Xun sat among them, his Asauchi likewise resting quietly across his lap.

Sunlight fell on its silver-white scabbard, reflecting a warm sheen.

Today's lesson was Jinzen.

At the front of the dojo stood a stern-faced, middle-aged Soul Reaper teacher. He swept his gaze over the students and explained the essence of Jinzen in a steady voice.

"A Zanpakuto is not an inanimate object. It is an extension of your soul, a manifestation of the power within you."

"Jinzen is a method of communicating deeply with your Zanpakuto and entering your inner world."

"By concentrating and immersing yourselves completely in your connection with your Asauchi, you will have a chance to see your Zanpakuto, speak with it, and understand its nature."

"This is a crucial step toward achieving Shikai."

The students listened attentively, especially Nanao, though this knowledge was already deeply etched in her mind.

Unfortunately, theory alone was not enough to accomplish it.

"Of course, achieving a Zanpakuto's Shikai isn't something that can be done overnight. Don't rush for results."

The teacher's voice rang out at just the right moment.

"Communicating with your Zanpakuto requires patience and sincerity."

"If you can't enter your inner world today, don't be discouraged. It often takes multiple attempts, or a particular opportunity."

"Just like a romance, it can't be forced."

A few stifled chuckles sounded in the dojo.

The solemn atmosphere eased a little.

Wang Xun turned to look at Nanao beside him.

She was holding her breath and concentrating, both hands pressed tightly against the Asauchi on her lap. Her little face was taut, giving her a rather solemn, almost saintly look.

As if sensing Wang Xun's gaze, Nanao turned and glared at him, silently mouthing a word.

"Focus."

Wang Xun smiled, then turned his attention to his own Asauchi.

After the improvements he had gained from picking up fragments over this period, the system showed that his resonance with his Zanpakuto had reached 99%.

He could also feel his connection to his Zanpakuto.

One step further, and he would reach Shikai.

"Now, everyone, close your eyes and focus your attention on your blades."

The teacher's voice echoed through the dojo.

"Concentrate, feel the connection between you and your Zanpakuto, and begin attempting Jinzen."

Wang Xun closed his eyes as instructed.

The moment his palm touched the blade, he could clearly feel a faint response from within it.

It felt vast and distant, like a blank canvas waiting for him to fill it with color.

He tried reaching into it with his consciousness.

Without encountering any resistance, he successfully entered his inner world.

Wang Xun opened his eyes, and heaven and earth had changed.

The sky and the ground were clean as mirrors, and the boundless space stretched into the distance with no end in sight.

So this is... my inner world?

Wang Xun looked around. There was nothing there.

"Hello? Anyone there?"

Wang Xun called into the distance. His voice echoed far and wide, but there was no answer.

Just as he was beginning to wonder, a familiar little tune from his hometown drifted over from afar.

"Hakimi, Hakimi, Hakimi~"

"Oi! You white-haired brat over there."

"Are you my master?"

Wang Xun turned toward the voice, then lowered his gaze.

A short, blonde loli in an oversized kimono stood there with her hands on her hips. The ahoge on her head swayed back and forth, and her emerald-green eyes sparkled with pride.

The familiar appearance made Wang Xun's eyes widen at once.

She looked exactly like a certain character in his memories, except she was a loli version.

"Saber?"

"Artoria Pendragon?"

Wang Xun was losing his mind over all the questions in his head.

Is this still Soul Society?

The blonde loli reached out a little hand and dug in her ear.

"What are you babbling about? I can't understand you, meow."

"No, you're not..."

"What do you mean, what am I? I'm your Zanpakuto, kuso."

She flicked her fingertips, looking utterly speechless.

"Oh, oh, a Zanpakuto."

Understanding dawned on Wang Xun.

You scared me. So it's just a character design overlap. Never mind, then.

"But what's with that strange way you talk?"

"What do you mean, what's with it? Didn't you instill all of that in me bit by bit, you small-fry master?"

She then slumped onto the ground, her pale calves poking out from beneath her kimono, and raised a long sleeve to wipe away nonexistent tears from the corners of her eyes.

"When your big Reiatsu was entering my body over and over again, didn't you think to clean out the garbage that shouldn't have been left behind?"

Wang Xun's head buzzed. It felt as though something had rolled over his face.

Then Wang Xun understood that she was talking about the process of the soul becoming compatible with the Asauchi.

Damn it...

"That's enough. I still don't know your name or your abilities. Can you say something useful?"

"Hmph, what an impatient man, even skipping the foreplay."

She raised her little hand and looked at her palm.

"Speaking of that, thanks to your system, my name and my abilities have both changed."

"Originally, I was supposed to belong entirely to you, but your system got involved too, and that made me different."

"Would this count as a kind of NTR?"

She poked her chin with a finger, pondering the question seriously.

Although her outrageous remarks earlier had raised Wang Xun's threshold considerably,

he was still a little surprised when she mentioned the system.

The next moment, she suddenly raised her head and stared straight at Wang Xun.

"But my will and my existence are both bound to you."

"If you die, I will also dissipate. If you grow stronger, I will grow stronger with you."

"No matter what I become or what form I'm remade into, that won't change."

"In short, the stronger you are, the stronger I am! And as long as I get stronger, you'll get stronger too, meow!"

After putting her hands on her hips and delivering that somewhat outrageous, hot-blooded, nested declaration,

she slowly knelt down, placed both hands on her knees, and looked at Wang Xun with her emerald-green eyes.

"When you need me, please call my name."

"Chains without end, all laws fall silent. My name is..."

"Shackle Lotus."

The moment the words fell, the entire world began to crack and shatter, turning into a skyful of luminous dust.

The dust recombined and condensed in the air, finally taking the shape of a sword.

The sword as a whole had not changed much from the Asauchi, but its guard had become an openwork circle engraved with a lotus pattern.

A silver-white chain extended from the end of the hilt. When Wang Xun looked closely, he could make out specks of golden light flashing within it, flowing like stars.

Wang Xun instinctively raised his hand and grasped the hilt, and the chain automatically wound around his wrist.

Shackle Lotus stood to the side, watching Wang Xun grasp the sword. Her tone returned to its earlier casualness.

"Now then, I'll tell you about my abilities, meow."