"This Shore, That Shore…"
The teacher in charge of recording murmured the name as he wrote it down, then chuckled. "Sounds like the name of two blades."
"And the ability?" the other teacher pressed on.
Shinichi paused as if in thought before offering a light smile. "I haven't figured out all the specifics yet, but… I'd say it's probably a healing-type Zanpakutō."
[This Shore, That Shore (Partial Shikai)]
[Rule-Type]
It really was the name of two blades—This Shore as a katana, and That Shore as a wakizashi.
In Buddhism, "this shore" represents the mortal world of birth, aging, illness, and death. "That shore" refers to Nirvana—the state of enlightenment and transcendence.
Shinichi's Zanpakutō was different from those of most Shinigami. It wasn't forged from an Asauchi, but instead was a blade forged entirely from his own spiritual pressure.
"Healing-type?"
All three teachers present, including Professor Nanada Hidezawa, were visibly stunned.
That was because healing-type Zanpakutō were exceedingly rare. The only widely known one was Minazuki, the blade of Captain Unohana Retsu from the 4th Division. Even within the 4th Division, the healing corps of the Gotei 13, Zanpakutō with healing abilities were exceptionally rare.
What shocked Hidezawa even more was that Shinichi's Kaido—healing arts—was ironically the weakest of all his subjects.
Of course, that was relative. Shinichi's performance in Kaido was still excellent compared to his peers—just not as overwhelmingly superior as he was in everything else.
A trace of worry crept into Hidezawa's eyes. He feared that Shinichi's Zanpakutō might limit his future. After all, his swordsmanship was at a genius level…
"Can you give us a demonstration?" asked the teacher with the notebook.
Shinichi nodded.
He'd called it a healing-type simply because that felt like the most appropriate category.
Without hesitation, he unsheathed the black blade in his hands and, under the watchful gaze of the three instructors, deliberately cut into his own palm.
Blood immediately began to spill.
Then, the blade shimmered with spiritual light—and the wound on Shinichi's palm vanished in an instant, leaving no trace it had ever been there.
"This…"
"Incredible healing ability!"
One of the teachers couldn't help but praise it. There wasn't even a scar left on Shinichi's palm. That level of healing required advanced Kaido. If this power could be developed further, it would become a truly exceptional healing technique.
And the fact that it belonged to a genius like Tachikawa Shinichi? That was a blessing for the entire Soul Society.
The two teachers asked many more questions in succession, and requested several more demonstrations. Whenever Shinichi didn't have a prepared answer, he simply claimed that he had only just awakened his Zanpakutō and was still unfamiliar with its powers.
Once everything had been recorded, the two instructors finally left.
Shinichi let out a deep breath and slumped into Professor Nanada's chair. "That was a pain."
Then he looked toward Hidezawa. "What's wrong, Professor? You still don't look very happy."
Hidezawa stared at him intently. "Shinichi, do you know what your Zanpakutō's ability means for your future?"
Shinichi laughed softly. "What?"
"Now that it's been officially registered, all the divisions will be notified. When you graduate, you'll almost certainly be assigned to the 4th Division—actually, there's no doubt about it."
Healing-type Zanpakutō were that rare. One in a thousand Shinigami, if that.
The Soul Society had no shortage of powerful warriors. But a healer who could save lives? That was far more valuable.
"What's wrong with the 4th Division?" Shinichi countered with a grin.
Hidezawa paused. He spoke with heartfelt concern, "Your swordsmanship, Kido, Hakuda, and Shunpo are all top-tier among your peers. Especially your kenjutsu. In all my years of teaching, I've never seen a more gifted swordsman. You have the potential to become a Vice-Captain, even a Captain. Being assigned to the 4th Division… would be a waste of your future."
Shinichi leaned back lazily in the chair. "But this is the Zanpakutō I've got, so what can I do? You're speaking as if my path has already been set in stone, Professor."
Hidezawa could only sigh. It wasn't that he looked down on medics. He simply thought Shinichi's exceptional swordsmanship would be wasted in the medical corps.
"Alright, alright, I appreciate your concern for my future," Shinichi said with a smile. "But I'm not in a rush. No one really knows what the future holds, do they?"
He rose from the seat.
"Well then, I'll be off. Thanks again, Professor Hidezawa."
He took the black blade with him as he left, thinking that he really ought to mark it somehow. If he accidentally mixed it up with one of the countless similar blades in the armory, that would be a disaster.
Outside the dormitory, Kani Zawa and Hisasagi Shūhei were waiting for him.
"Yo! Waiting for me?" Shinichi greeted them with a bright grin as he walked over.
Both of them were focused on the sword he carried. As he approached, Shinichi handed it over for them to inspect.
"Shinichi, your Zanpakutō… looks kinda ordinary. Doesn't look any different from a regular Asauchi," Shūhei remarked.
Shinichi rolled his eyes. That's because it is one of the regular Asauchi—at least in appearance.
Kani asked quietly, "What's it called?"
"This Shore, That Shore."
"This Shore, That Shore…" Kani ran his fingers along the blade, his eyes filled with thought. "Nice name."
Zanpakutō were still a novelty to most academy students. The two stared at Shinichi's sword for quite a while, trying to glean some insight—anything that might help them awaken their own.
But it was all in vain.
No matter how closely they examined it, it looked exactly like a standard issue Asauchi. There were dozens of identical blades in the storage room.
"Shinichi, you're pulling farther and farther ahead…" Shūhei muttered.
Shinichi laughed. "Aren't I right here with you?"
Shūhei smiled in return.
"Well, just don't fall too far behind. I'd hate to leave you in the dust."
The Next Morning
Student Council Headquarters
The first-year recruits for the student council had all arrived early, faces lit with excitement. Today marked their official first day as members, and every one of them was eager.
Shinichi arrived a bit late—but thankfully, not too late. As soon as he stepped into the room, he was met with a chorus of "Good morning, President!" which helped shake off the last of his sleepiness.
Hisasagi Shūhei stepped forward to deliver the opening speech in his place. "Welcome, everyone, to the Student Council. We serve as the bridge between the academy and the student body…"
"Now, we will begin announcing the departments each first-year recruit has been assigned to. I hope all of you take your roles seriously. Don't betray the trust the academy and your fellow students have placed in you. Wear your responsibilities with pride."