18 The New Weapon – One-Hit Killer: Murasame
This can also be considered my trump card!
I can't actually use these Zanpakutō in Soul Society. But there are no such restrictions within my inner world!
Casting aside his thoughts, Ailin stretched out his right hand and began forging a new weapon.
"Analyzing design concept..."
Murasame is a blade of certain death. Any enemy cut by Murasame, even if it's just a scratch, will die.
"Envisioning basic framework..."
A slender blade, sharp edges. In the center of the crimson hilt lies a conspicuous white line.
"Replicating constituent materials..."
Murasame's materials consist mainly of ultra-dangerous poisons and the among the strongest of metals.
"Imitating production techniques..."
The ones forging Murasame are the highest tier craftsmen from that world. Each possesses the utmost mastery, utilizing numerous lost secret arts.
"Resonating accumulated experience..."
After Murasame's completion, it has undergone use by countless powerful swordsmen, every one of whom made a grand name for themselves.
"Reliving years of tempering..."
The battle experiences of these wielders, honed through endless years, have made Murasame all the more formidable.
Especially within Ailin's memories, where that black-haired, crimson-eyed girl had defeated the world's so-called "strongest" great general...
Massive spiritual power converged in Ailin's hands as azure lines spread across the entirety of the blade.
Two strands of black Reiatsu flew over from the sword hill, fusing into these lines, slowly spreading to coat the entire sword. These two black Reiatsu strands represented Suzumebachi's ability "Two Hit Certain Kill".
By integrating them into this sword as well, Murasame gained the means for "One Hit Certain Kill".
Everything was ready—
"Complete transcending the many undertakings..."
When the azure radiance faded away, within Ailin's hands lay a sword longer than the average Zanpakutō.
One Hit Certain Kill: Murasame!
Ailin flung this longsword, it spun rapidly with a shrill hum, carving out an arc in midair before finally embedding itself atop the sword hill. Observing its position, it stood even higher than Suzumebachi.
***
"What? We can go out?"
Within the Second Division captain's office, Ailin gazed at Shaolin Fon in shock.
"Of course. Our Second Division has never prohibited personnel leaves." Shaolin Fon looked at Ailin in astonishment as she exaggeratedly asked, "Could it be that after joining our division for so long, aside from missions you haven't left even once?"
"No one told me about this." Ailin gave a wry laugh.
Ever since joining Second Division, because of its nature, any Shinigami who didn't arrive at the designated assembly point by the stated time or accept their mission during emergency summons would be charged with dereliction of duty and thrown into the Maggot's Nest.
Thus, in these past thirty-odd years, aside from missions Ailin had always remained within the barracks, fearing that he might miss a summoning order someday.
He hadn't expected to learn today from Shaolin Fon about the method for freely leaving the grounds.
"Hahaha, I heard before there was some idiot who stayed in his division for over ten years without exiting once. Never thought I'd personally see one who lasted over thirty years today, hahaha... This is too amusing..."
"Alright, go ahead and laugh if you want. I'm heading out." Ailin rolled his eyes at Shaolin Fon bending over in laughter before getting up to leave the captain's office.
This time, Ailin didn't return to the barracks. Instead, he walked straight out of Second Division.
Three years had passed since Shaolin Fon challenged Marenoshin Ōmaeda for his position.
After losing to Shaolin Fon, Marenoshin Ōmaeda chose retirement over continuing as 4th seat. However, he did get his son Marechiyo Ōmaeda into Second Division to learn under Ailin.
"The scent of freedom..."
Stepping past Second Division's gates, Ailin felt his heart and lungs expand tremendously. Who knows how he survived all these years. Nonetheless, caution was still warranted for his first venture outside. Ailin swiftly estimated the time within his mind, flickering away after a few Shunpo steps.
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Emergency summons lasted one minute. Second Division's rule was to assemble before emergency summons ended. Thus, those who stayed in Second Division for a period generally knew some loopholes for leaving the grounds.
Usually, everyone would test how far they could Shunpo at full speed within one minute. This distance was the range they could freely move about outside Second Division. The faster one's Shunpo, the greater their range of activity.
Take for example Second Division's Captain Yoruichi Shihōin. With her Shunpo, one minute easily allowed crossing Soul Society forth and back. If she used Shunkō as well, practically all of Soul Society, even parts of Rukongai, would be "safe" for Yoruichi.
Of course, as Second Division's Captain, unless Central 46 or the Captain-Commander personally assigned Yoruichi missions, her occasional absences generally posed no problems. Ailin and the others could handle the regular tasks anyway.
This sort of loophole for leaving the grounds would be learned by most after two to three years in Second Division.
Since everyone interacted daily, occasional group outings outside weren't rare happenings. After a few times, even without explicit mention, the matter's subtleties were implicitly understood.
Only Ailin, due to poorer aptitude initially, had devoted himself wholly towards training to enhance his strength and alleviate his sense of danger.
By the time Ailin grew powerful, as Second Division's Vice-Captain and someone who stayed over thirty years in the division, everyone assumed Ailin already knew about this trick.
Coupled with Ailin's constant seclusion aside from missions, no one bothered to tell him either. If not for today's idle chatter with Shaolin Fon inside the captain's office, who knows how much longer it'd have taken Ailin to find out.
Whoosh!
Ailin's figure appeared atop a small mountain's peak. "Fifty paces, this distance should be fine."
Although his maximum was sixty paces, Ailin didn't actually utilize the full sixty paces as his everyday range of activity. Leaving ten paces worth as buffer for unexpected situations.
Glancing back from this peak, Ailin finally noticed his radius, with Second Division as center, practically encompassed half of Soul Society already.
"Very good. Like this, I can move freely within this radius. As long as I encounter four to five captain-level experts within this range, I can breakthrough into the captain-level Reiatsu realm."
Currently, Ailin's Reiatsu was almost the same as Marenoshin Ōmaeda's after releasing his Zanpakutō.
He only needed to forge four more captain-class Zanpakutō for his Reiatsu to thoroughly advance into the captain-level. By then, Ailin's innate realm "Unlimited Blade Works" could truly be unleashed by him.
