[741] : You Think My Zanpakuto is Weak?

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Kyōraku Shunsui had been insisting on finding Captain Unohana, but Jūshirō Ukitake's single warning that interrupting her might get him killed was enough to shut him down.

"Hahaha, you know, I think the other members of the 4th Division are excellent healers too."

Kyōraku let out a loud, not-at-all-awkward laugh, then leaned in to whisper to Ukitake.

"Jūshirō, what do you think? Are Captain Unohana and Shin really a couple? They're so close, and I heard she was the one who brought him to the Seireitei from the Rukongai in the first place."

"Kyōraku, we're in the 4th Division. If you value your life, I suggest you keep your voice down. If someone overhears you gossiping here, things won't end well for you."

Ukitake gave his friend a well-intentioned warning.

Kyōraku flinched and quickly glanced around, only to see a 4th Division member staring at them with wide eyes.

"Don't worry, I didn't see a thing! I know nothing about... your relationship!"

After blurting that out, the 4th Division member fled as if his life depended on it.

Kyōraku and Ukitake exchanged a puzzled look, then realized they were standing a little too close.

Had they been misunderstood??

"It's over. My reputation is in tatters," Kyōraku wailed dramatically, collapsing to the ground in mock despair. "I'll never find a beautiful woman to share a drink with again."

Ukitake remained stone-faced. 'If anyone's reputation is on the line here, it's mine.'

'Right, I should probably keep my distance from Kyōraku from now on. I can't afford these kinds of rumors,' Ukitake thought to himself.

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Shin had no idea what was happening on their end. Kyōraku's guess, however, had been spot on—Unohana was indeed still in the 4th Division barracks. She had simply given orders not to be disturbed, leaving the healing to others, which was why her squad members had claimed she wasn't there.

"That ten-kilometer stretch of scorched desert earlier—that was your doing, wasn't it?" Unohana asked Shin.

"Yeah. I ran into three Adjuchas. Unfortunately, I killed them too quickly to get any information about the Vasto Lordes."

Shin wore an expression of genuine regret. If he hadn't finished them off so fast, he could have learned more about the highest class of Hollows.

"..."

"Only you could sound disappointed after single-handedly dealing with three Adjuchas," Unohana remarked. Even she would have had to put in some effort to take down three at once.

"By the way, was your Zanpakuto really in its Shikai state??" Unohana asked, a question she had been meaning to ask for a while.

"No."

Shin drew his Zanpakuto, a standard Asauchi, and set it down. The red patterns that had appeared on it vanished instantly. Unohana picked it up and examined it—it was just an ordinary, unreleased blade.

"I copied Captain-Commander Yamamoto's power. That includes his Zanpakuto."

Shin was tempted to demonstrate, but considering they were in the 4th Division barracks, he thought better of it. If he really unleashed Ryujin Jakka, its terrifying power would probably reduce the entire compound to ashes. And that was just the Shikai—if he used Zanka no Tachi, the consequences would be unthinkable, and the disturbance impossible to hide.

"You… YOU COPIED CAPTAIN-COMMANDER YAMAMOTO'S ZANPAKUTO?" Unohana's face was a mask of shock.

As one of the oldest Soul Reapers, she was one of the few who knew the true power of Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni's Bankai.

"It seems I no longer need to worry about your safety."

Unohana was now completely at ease. With a copy of the old man's power, Shin could tear through Hueco Mundo without any trouble.

"However, you should keep this ability to copy others a secret. It could bring you a great deal of trouble if it gets out," Unohana advised.

"It's fine. As long as I'm strong enough, no one can touch me."

Shin's expression was calm. He wasn't afraid of others finding out. With his strength, he had no fear of anyone scheming against him. It would just be a bit of a nuisance.

"By the way, did you copy my power?" Unohana asked with a curious smile.

"No, I haven't." Shin shook his head.

Unohana's smile remained, but her voice was laced with a chilling sweetness. "Why not? You think my Zanpakuto is weak?"

Despite the gentle smile on her face, Shin felt a sudden cold dread.

"Not at all. Your Zanpakuto is quite strong..."

He wasn't about to call her blade weak. Its Shikai could kill an enemy with a single cut, and its Bankai was the strongest healing-type ability in existence. It just wasn't something Shin was desperate to have, especially since it would cost him a Divine Replication Card.

"Then why not? Do you think I'm beneath you?" Unohana was still smiling, but Shin could feel the full weight of her unspoken threat.

Shin was speechless. 'Shouldn't this be a good thing for you? Who actually wants someone else to have their exact same power?' He knew that if two Soul Reapers manifested the same Zanpakuto, only one was allowed to live.

It was rare, but it happened, like with Toshiro Hitsugaya and Sojiro Kusaka, who both possessed Hyorinmaru. Kusaka, a tragic figure, was secretly executed after losing a duel to Hitsugaya, only to be resurrected as a Hollow and defeated by him again.

"Copying an ability isn't something I can do on a whim. There are… conditions," Shin explained, knowing he had to de-escalate.

"Is that so." Unohana nodded. Of course, copying someone's power wouldn't come without a price.

After chatting for a while longer, Shin left the 4th Division and returned to the 2nd Division barracks. Since the mission in Hueco Mundo was under the 2nd Division's jurisdiction, he couldn't just abandon his post as Vice-Captain. He took his responsibilities seriously.

"Shin, tomorrow we're leaving the barracks and advancing toward the Forest of Menos. Our primary objective is to clear out the Hollows there," Kiyotaka Shīhōin informed Shin as soon as he returned.

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