In the cafeteria of the Shin'ō Spiritual Arts Academy, Natsuro stared at the food in front of him, which looked indistinguishable from food in the living world, and fell into deep thought.
First of all, souls definitely didn't require the same kind of food as humans did. He could sense that these meals were, in fact, composed of spiritual particles.
Which raised a question... If he could absorb spirit particles from the air, why did he still feel hungry?
He paused for a moment, then quickly understood. The spirit particles he had absorbed so far weren't enough to meet the full needs of his body, so it wasn't prioritizing the sensation of hunger.
In other words, if he ate freely, it would also serve as a means to accumulate spiritual energy.
With that in mind, he took a bite of the dorayaki in his hand, and his eyes lit up.The flavor was exactly as he remembered.
So even if it was made from spirit particles, could the taste be perfectly replicated?
As he ate, he kept thinking. Everything in the Soul Society was composed of spirit particles. The walls, the ground, the food…
So did that mean that for soul bodies, eating dirt was basically the same as eating food?
Curious, Natsuro turned to ask Renji whether any souls in the Soul Society had ever starved to death.
Renji fell silent.
So did Rukia, sitting beside him.
"Did I ask something I shouldn't have?" Natsuro raised an eyebrow.
"I'll answer," Kira Izuru sighed. "You must've just recently arrived in the Soul Society, right?"
Natsuro nodded.
"Lucky you. To be able to enroll in the Shin'ō Academy right after arriving…" Kira said, a bit envious. He continued, "To answer your question: yes. Starvation is a very real issue. For those of us who grew up in the outer districts, starving to death was common. I had companions who died from hunger. I imagine it was the same for the other two."
Renji's face darkened, but he nodded, confirming Kira's words.
"I see… I'm sorry. I didn't know." Natsuro apologized, realizing he had touched on a painful memory.
"It's fine. It's all in the past now," Rukia said softly.
Natsuro nodded, then looked at Renji's sturdy build. He didn't look malnourished at all. And from what he had observed over the past few days, Renji didn't strike him as the kind of person who would selfishly hoard food while his friends starved.
It was clear, both Renji and Rukia had the talent to become Shinigami. They were able to absorb spiritual particles from the environment, which helped alleviate their hunger.
So, starvation likely only affected the truly destitute, those who couldn't absorb spiritual energy at all.
Before starving, such people probably tried to eat anything, even things that weren't food.
That suggested Natsuro's earlier assumption wasn't entirely valid. In the Soul Society, food and dirt were not equivalent.
Now he was curious, what was the actual difference? They were both made from spirit particles, but perhaps the ones forming walls were more stable, while those in food were easier to absorb?
More importantly, could the reverse be done?
If he could absorb spirit particles, could he also use them to create food, walls, soil, or even other things?
If he could master this, could he become someone who could create anything in the Soul Society from spiritual energy alone?
Of course, that was just a passing idea. Right now, with his limited understanding of spirit energy, it wouldn't be wise to waste time on something like that. Maybe he'd experiment during his downtime.
As he felt the food's spiritual energy being converted into a sense of satiety, he tried replicating that sensation using the spiritual energy he absorbed directly.
Soon, his hunger faded.
As expected. Which meant that for those with the aptitude to become Shinigami, eating wasn't strictly necessary, it was more about satisfying cravings.
With that, he began eating rapidly. Even if he wasn't hungry, food could still help him accumulate spiritual energy. For him, it all served the same purpose.
When he finally snapped out of his thoughts, he noticed the three others sitting nearby staring at him in shock.
Because, without realizing it, Natsuro had gone back and forth multiple times fetching huge amounts of food each trip.
"Umm… even though the food's free and all-you-can-eat, it's probably best not to overdo it," Renji said cautiously.
"Uh, yeah… I just digest quickly. But I'm done now," Natsuro replied sheepishly, cheeks flushing a bit. He quickly finished off his final plate of dorayaki.
After breakfast, the group headed to their first class.
As newcomers, the first lesson was about introducing their future life at the academy, and more importantly, this was the class where they would receive a crucial weapon, the Asauchi which was the proto-form of the Zanpakutō.
Naturally, Natsuro and his three companions sat in the same row. As expected, Renji looked half-asleep during the lecture on theory.
The other two were much more attentive.
But for Natsuro, the teacher's words weren't all that useful. Most of it was already covered in the basic books he had read.The class was likely for those who hadn't bothered to read them.
Eventually, the unimportant material ended, and the teacher finally got to the topic he was actually interested in, the Zanpakutō.
At that moment, the teacher picked up a plain katana and said,"This is an Asauchi, the weapon you'll be bonded with throughout your time here.
Your goal from now on is simple: to learn your Asauchi's true name, and call it forth.
Once you can call out its true name…You will have achieved your Zanpakutō's Shikai."
As he spoke, the teacher picked up his own Zanpakutō and performed a demonstration of his Shikai in front of the entire class.
All the students widened their eyes as they watched the previously ordinary katana suddenly transform into a whip.
Those unfamiliar with the Zanpakutō were puzzled, why would a katana turn into a whip upon Shikai (initial release)?
But those who understood the concept were filled with envy at the power of a true Shikai. If they could achieve their own, then becoming a full-fledged Shinigami would practically be guaranteed.
Holding the whip, the teacher explained, "Each person's Zanpakutō is unique. It is said that its form and ability are shaped by your inner self and your capabilities.
For instance, when mine releases into Shikai, it becomes a whip. I won't explain its ability to you, some Zanpakutō take the form of spears, swords, and other weapons. Each has its own power."
Next to Natsuro, Renji, who had been dozing through the earlier theory, suddenly lit up, eyes sparkling as he stared at the scene.
He too wanted a Zanpakutō of his own.
Natsuro, however, had a strange look on his face, because he had just heard a concept that sounded very familiar.
A weapon that reflects one's soul and abilities? In Naruto, the Mangekyō Sharingan was called the "eye that reflects the heart." So was the Zanpakutō… the "blade that reflects the heart"?
As for it matching the wielder's abilities, of course it should. What good would a power be if the user couldn't wield it?
He began wondering, based on his own spirit and abilities, what would his Zanpakutō look like?
His mind immediately turned to the Ink Blade, a sword he used back in the Naruto world.
Unlike a katana, it had no curve. Though single-edged, it was longer than most standard swords.
That was his favorite formm, a weapon he was long used to. It made sense that his Zanpakutō, once released, would resemble it.
As for its ability, he reflected on his past. His greatest strength had always been spiritual perception, a skill born from his powerful soul. In early Naruto, this was his main advantage.
It was thanks to his spiritual sensitivity that he passed the Flying Thunder God aptitude test so quickly.
Of course, mastering the technique took much longer, but his ability to pass the entry test was all thanks to his keen perception.
Here in Bleach, it was the same. He could easily sense the flow of spirit energy within his soul body and control it.
So his Zanpakutō's power would likely be related to sensing or perception.
Having speculated both the form and function of his future Zanpakutō, he returned his focus to the lecture.
The teacher continued, "Don't underestimate Shikai. Among all the Shinigami, those who can achieve it are still a minority.
In fact, if you can reach Shikai, you'd likely be appointed as a seated officer in the Gotei 13, rather than just a regular foot soldier."
That one comment made things clear to him. Even not all Shinigami had achieved Shikai and as for rankings—seated officers, unseated officers, plus the lieutenants and captains he vaguely remembered from the anime…
That probably summed up the organizational structure. Though in terms of true power, only the captain level seemed worth paying attention to.
"Teacher!" Renji suddenly raised his hand.
"Yes, what's your question?" the teacher called on him.
"Is there a power even stronger than Shikai!?" Renji asked, eyes sparkling.
"Hmm, well," the teacher said with a knowing smile, "I advise you not to get too far ahead of yourselves.
As students, just mastering Shikai is enough to fast-track your way into the Gotei 13."
"I see…" Renji scratched his head.
"But I suppose there's no harm in mentioning it," the teacher added. "The power beyond Shikai is called Bankai.
It's said to be the second stage of Zanpakutō release, allowing even deeper and more complete control over the weapon's power."
He was clearly just reciting from the textbook, because he didn't have Bankai himself. If he did, he wouldn't be teaching here.
"How do you achieve Bankai then?" Renji asked excitedly. The name alone sounded amazing.
"That… I don't know," the teacher admitted with a chuckle.
"I've only reached Shikai myself. If you awaken Bankai, you're qualified to become a captain in the Gotei 13."
"Not even the teacher has it?" Renji looked shocked.
The teacher laughed, then said, "Of course not. Very few ever achieve Bankai. Out of thousands of Shinigami in each generation, only a handful ever do.
Once you reach Bankai, your name is permanently recorded in the history of the Soul Society."
"That hard, huh…" Renji finally felt the pressure.
"Exactly. So don't aim too high too soon. For now, just focus on Shikai," the teacher said.
"Alright, take your seat. There are a few more things we need to cover. After that, you'll finally be able to borrow your long-awaited Asauchi."
"Remember, these Asauchi are only loaned to you. If you fail to join the Gotei 13 or the Kidō Corps, you'll have to return them."
That made the whole class quiet down. No one wanted to lose their Zanpakutō.
Natsuro wasn't worried about that, though. He was simply curious how long it would take for him to reach Shikai.
Soon, class ended and it was finally time to distribute the Asauchi.
Natsuro didn't rush. As a Shin'ō Academy student, it was guaranteed that he'd get one, no need to compete.
Once most students had picked up theirs, he calmly approached the front and received a standard Asauchi.
All Asauchi looked identical, they were mass-produced and lacking distinct features.
The moment Natsuro gripped the hilt, he paused.
"Student?" the teacher called, noticing him freeze.
"Sorry, sir. Just… a little excited," Natsuro said with a small smile.
"Understandable," the teacher replied with a friendly nod.
Natsuro quietly sheathed the blade and returned to his seatm, though his face looked a bit serious.
Because when he first touched the Asauchi… He felt as if something, or someone, was watching him.
Who was it?
Was there something wrong with the Zanpakutō?
Natsuro shook his head.No matter what, Zanpakutō were essential to this world's power system. There was no avoiding them, he had to learn how to wield one.
As for that feeling of being watched, he'd look into it later.
He looked down at the blade in his hands and sensed the power, and the conscious will hiding inside it.
A faint smile formed on his lips. At this rate, he figured his Shikai probably wouldn't take long.
After all, with his extraordinary perception, the spirit hiding inside the Asauchi had nowhere to hide.
That said, there were still more classes ahead, like Kidō and Hohō, so he didn't rush to pour his spiritual energy into the Asauchi and start bonding with it.
Natsuro simply secured it to his waist and caught up with the other three.
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Currently on Chapter 466 - The Great Spirit Book Corridor