Life is as fragile as glass.
Like morning dew beneath the first light of dawn, or a fleeting flower that blooms and vanishes in an instant.
Perhaps it was simply because the memories of "Number Six of Project Nemuri" were still vivid,
or perhaps, deep down, Arima Shinya had always been a somewhat sentimental person.
Even after leaving the Department of Technological Development, the expression on his face remained strangely hard to describe — something between melancholy and confusion.
"Shinya-kun? Shinya-kun?"
Only when he heard Aizen's voice close to his ear did Arima abruptly awaken from his thoughts.
"Ah… yes!"
It was the evening of the following day.
As arranged, he met Aizen inside the school building.
As usual, the two of them met in front of the small shop on the first floor — the same place as always.
Aizen looked at Arima Shinya with a mildly concerned expression.
"You seem distracted. Did something happen that's bothering you?"
Instinctively, Shinya wanted to reply with some vague excuse.
"It's nothing worth mentioning…"
But as the words reached his lips, they turned into something else.
After all, Aizen understood far more about the Soul Society's studies than he did,
and besides, Mayuri Kurotsuchi's research was already well-known within the Department of Technological Development.
Therefore, trying to hide something at that moment would only seem petty and foolish.
"It's just… something related to Captain Mayuri."
The explanation was brief and simple, easy to understand.
Aizen listened attentively, and at the end merely murmured softly, pushing his glasses up slightly.
"I see… so Project Nemuri has made progress once again. That's truly good news.
To have the courage to explore the unknown — that, in itself, is a kind of greatness."
"In the Soul Society, there are few who still dare to try something new.
The fact that Mayuri has gone so far is already clear proof of his talent."
"But tell me, Shinya-kun… are you perhaps feeling… pity for the disappearance of Number Six?"
Arima hesitated, unsure of what to say.
His eyes lowered, and his hands slowly intertwined in front of his body.
"Maybe a little… but not too much."
"There's no need to be ashamed of that, Shinya-kun. It's natural for us to feel sorrow when we lose something akin to ourselves.
After all, that empathy symbolizes our very nature as beings of awareness."
Aizen sat beside him, calm, and with a gentle smile placed a hand on the young man's shoulder.
"Though I've said before that those who wield a blade must never hesitate…
that doesn't mean we are mere executioners."
"To understand the value of life, to recognize the weight of existence — that, too, is part of the essence of living."
"So there's no shame in feeling compassion, Shinya-kun.
Even one who kills can do so with mercy and nobility."
There was no denying it — Aizen's words carried a subtle, soothing power.
Arima took a deep breath, feeling a little more at ease with his own thoughts.
Beside him, Aizen adjusted his glasses again and commented in a reflective tone:
"In any case, Shinya-kun, it's only natural that you would think this way."
"…Hm? What do you mean?"
Aizen's smile deepened slightly.
He looked at Shinya, and with a calmness that bordered on unsettling, continued:
"Do you remember what I said before? That a zanpakutō is the materialization of a shinigami's heart."
"No matter how warm or kind it may seem on the outside, inside it remains cold and distant.
And what is born from such a heart… could hardly be something pure or virtuous."
"Yes… no matter how perfectly or rigidly we try to mask it —
inside, we remain bound to the same essence as always."
"Many cannot accept this, even after releasing their zanpakutō.
But regardless, that is the truth: the form of the soul, the manifestation of the heart."
"Shinya-kun… in the end, a person can never truly deceive themselves."
The words were somewhat abstract, but after spending so much time with Aizen,
Arima already knew that he never spoke without purpose.
And in this case, his "reflections" sounded more like an indirect warning.
"Professor Aizen… are you saying there's something wrong with my zanpakutō?"
"I didn't say it so bluntly… but tell me, Shinya-kun:
deep down, haven't you already suspected it yourself?"
Aizen chuckled softly. His gaze seemed to pierce through Arima's body, as though seeing directly into his heart.
"You've released your zanpakutō, but… from what you've told me, you still haven't encountered the spirit of your blade, correct?
Though each case is different, there's one thing I can state with absolute certainty."
"A release process without contact with the sword's spirit is… abnormal.
No matter how unique, the spirit of the blade must exist."
"And if you managed to release your zanpakutō without ever touching your own heart…
then, Shinya-kun, your case is truly special."
In other words…
"You said your zanpakutō's name is Yumi Iori, didn't you? An interesting name, indeed.
But have you ever wondered if that's truly its real name?"
"…"
Arima remained silent.
He lowered his gaze, staring at the sheath at his waist.
Its name…
Isn't Yumi Iori…?
"Of course, this is merely a simple, irresponsible hypothesis on my part."
"As I said before, one's preferences, traits, and personality are all reflected in the form of their zanpakutō.
Everything we are is abstracted and transformed into the soul of the blade."
"But… perhaps there truly exists a case like yours — someone whose inner reflection simply doesn't exist."
Though Aizen presented two hypotheses, the second sounded almost like an attempt at consolation.
Arima, on the other hand, could think of nothing else.
He simply stared fixedly at the sword's hilt and silently asked within himself:
Then… what is your true name?
No answer came.
In return, Aizen spoke again — this time in a more analytical tone.
"In my view, Shinya-kun, your abilities are extremely peculiar.
The more prepared you are, the clearer the results become."
"With enough information, your strength becomes formidable.
But on the other hand, you avoid fighting when you're unprepared —
which also reveals a certain caution, or perhaps… fear."
"This trait of yours… could it not be, in truth, a simple refusal to fight?"
Aizen's eyes gleamed, and a faint smile appeared on his lips.
Yes.
That was exactly it.
So sensitive and empathetic — a young man who had yet to realize the true nature of his own heart.
"Shinya-kun, perhaps the very feeling you try to ignore…
is what's preventing you from unleashing the full power of your zanpakutō."
⸻
(End of Chapter)
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