Shigure took a deep breath, slowly calming himself.
It seemed that the massive dragon before him was indeed the manifestation of his Zanpakutō's true form.
However, the name of the dragon did not appear in his mind.
"So, the reward for the so-called Perfect Zanpakutō is merely the potential for future development. It doesn't grant me complete mastery over it."
"To unleash the power of my Zanpakutō, I still have to do it myself..."
"But what exactly does 'perfection' mean?"
As Shigure carefully observed the dragon before him, he pondered deeply.
The form of this dragon bore some resemblance to the ice dragon of Hyōrinmaru, the strongest ice-type Zanpakutō wielded by Tōshirō Hitsugaya.
Yet, it was completely different at the same time.
Hyōrinmaru embodied the pure and ultimate power of ice.
However, the dragon standing before him possessed two entirely opposing forces.
Its left eye, tightly shut, symbolized storm.
Its right eye, wide open, symbolized lightning.
The two forces intertwined, immensely powerful yet not interfering with one another.
"Could it be... that this is the meaning of perfection?!"
A glimmer of realization flashed in Shigure's eyes as a bold idea struck him.
His Zanpakutō... might very well possess two completely distinct powers simultaneously!
Unlike Ryūjin Jakka or Hyōrinmaru, which represented the pinnacle of a single elemental attribute, his Zanpakutō seemed to embody dual attributes: storm and lightning.
This was fundamentally different from other Zanpakutō, which might have various forms in Shikai or Bankai.
What he had here was unprecedented in the history of the Soul Society—a Zanpakutō that simultaneously wielded two entirely unrelated powers!
As this thought settled in, Shigure's heart raced with excitement.
From the term perfection, he could vaguely sense that the "storm" and "lightning" of his Zanpakutō might each represent the pinnacle of their respective elements!
However, amidst this excitement, a trace of disappointment crept into Shigure's heart.
He had initially hoped to gain some kind of rule-defying, conceptual ability.
Although this dual-attribute power was impressive, elemental attacks inherently had their limits.
Just as this thought crossed his mind, the system's voice suddenly chimed in, startling him.
"Friendly reminder to the host: The Perfect Zanpakutō is merely the most basic power granted by the system."
"Future missions will reward the host with special supplementary abilities for the Zanpakutō. Please stay tuned!"
Hearing this, Shigure's eyes lit up once again.
Supplementary abilities...
After exiting the Zanpakutō's inner world, Shigure pulled an Asauchi from the frozen lake and held it in his hand, glancing around.
The other academy students were still making their selections.
The supervising instructor noticed that Shigure was the first to choose an Asauchi. His eyebrows raised slightly—he was well aware of Shigure's identity.
Curious, he walked over and asked, "Segawa, you've made your decision so quickly?"
Shigure smiled and nodded. "Yes, I've decided."
The instructor was momentarily stunned by Shigure's confident expression but soon smiled. "Very well. I'll escort you out. Once a student has chosen an Asauchi, they are not allowed to remain in the liminal space. That's the rule."
"Understood. I'll leave it to you." Shigure gave a slight bow.
The instructor nodded and began chanting an incantation. A doorway appeared on one side of the frozen lake.
Stepping through the doorway, Shigure found himself back at Shinō Academy, outside the liminal space.
This special Kido technique was a one-way transportation gate that could only be used within the liminal space.
Back in the academy, Shigure exhaled softly. He had thought the system might announce a new mission immediately, but there was no response for a while.
"Looks like the system's missions won't come one after another without pause..."
As he mused over this, the instructor waiting outside approached.
"Impressive as always, Segawa. In previous years, students would stay in the liminal space until the very last moment before reluctantly making their choice and leaving."
Shigure smiled calmly. "I simply followed my instincts."
The instructor nodded approvingly. "Please proceed to the adjacent 'Sheath Room' to select a standard scabbard for your Asauchi."
"Understood." Shigure nodded and left.
An Asauchi was an unawakened Zanpakutō, and its shape was uniform. The scabbards were also mass-produced and identical in design.
Entering the Sheath Room, Shigure casually picked one without much thought.
Only after earning a position among the top ten seats of the Gotei 13 would a swordsmith craft a unique and ornate scabbard for a Soul Reaper.
With everything settled, Shigure didn't linger. He headed straight back to the kendo dojo.
Before entering the liminal space, the instructor had informed them that the first lesson after obtaining an Asauchi would be swordsmanship training.
When Shigure arrived at the dojo, even the kendo instructor hadn't arrived yet.
It seemed the instructor hadn't expected anyone to leave the liminal space early.
Unbothered, Shigure sat cross-legged on the tatami mat, placing the Asauchi horizontally across his knees. One hand rested on the end of the scabbard, while the other held the tsuba. He closed his eyes.
This was the practice of Sword Meditation.
Through focused meditation, he could synchronize his thoughts with the Zanpakutō, facilitating communication with its spirit.
Moments later, he successfully re-entered the fractured landscape of the Zanpakutō's inner world.
But this time, unlike when he first received the system's reward, the massive dragon charged straight at him!
Shigure had anticipated this to some extent.
After all, this was an unyielding Zanpakutō spirit. Entering its inner world uninvited almost guaranteed a battle.
As the dragon soared toward him, Shigure's pupils contracted slightly. For the first time, he could see the dragon's full form.
It had the slender, serpentine body of an Eastern dragon, adorned with majestic horns and sharp claws. Its scales shimmered with a rugged brilliance.
Yet, its back was lined with two massive wings—a hallmark of Western dragons.
"ROOOAAARRR!!!"
A deafening roar shook the air as the dragon flapped its enormous wings, hurtling toward him.
In its wake, gray storms and golden lightning intertwined chaotically, amplifying the overwhelming force of its attack!
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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