The next day, before the morning mist had completely dispersed in Seireitei, a piece of news like a thunderclap tore through the usual tranquility with astonishing speed.
It exploded in every corner of the various divisions, the Rukongai, and even the Shin’ō Academy, triggering unprecedented shock and heated discussion.
“Did you hear?
At Shin’ō Academy!
Two geniuses!
Identical Zanpakutō!”
“Hyōrinmaru!
It’s Hyōrinmaru, known as the strongest ice-type!”
“How is this possible?!
Aren’t Zanpakutō unique?!”
“It’s absolutely true!
One is called Tōshirō Hitsugaya, and the other is Sōjirō Kusaka!”
“Such a thing has never happened in the history of Soul Society!”
Whispers, shocked shouts, and incredulous questioning spread like a plague.
The uniqueness of the Zanpakutō is a fundamental truth of Soul Society, a symbol of the unique soul of a Shinigami.
Now, this fundamental truth had been brutally shattered, and by two Zanpakutō both claimed to be the “strongest” Hyōrinmaru, creating an impact equivalent to a reishi storm.
Within the Kidō Corps, the news naturally arrived as well.
Yanagawa held a freshly brewed cup of tea, listening to his colleagues discussing it in hushed but barely concealed excitement.
His expression was calm, but deep within his eyes, a glimmer of contemplation flashed.
Tōshirō Hitsugaya…
he was no stranger to this name, as he had met the white-haired boy a few times because of Momo Hinamori.
In his memory, he was a child with a youthful face but wise eyes, possessing a calmness and arrogance inconsistent with his age.
When Momo Hinamori mentioned him, her tone was always full of trust and a hint of adoration, calling him “Shiro-chan” and saying he was an out-and-out genius whose spiritual power grew at an astonishing rate.
Even less expected was that there would be another person who awakened the exact same Zanpakutō as him.
Sōjirō Kusaka…
Yanagawa didn’t have a deep impression of this name; perhaps he wasn’t the most dazzling among his peers, but to be able to awaken Hyōrinmaru, his talent and soul characteristics were definitely not ordinary.
“Two Hyōrinmaru…”
This was by no means an ordinary event.
The “name” and “form” of a Zanpakutō originate from the Shinigami’s soul essence, experiences, and will.
Theoretically, it is absolutely impossible for identical individuals to appear.
Just as there are no two identical leaves in the world, there are no two identical souls.
Then, the “Twin Hyōrinmaru” before him could only have a few possibilities:
First, one of them is a “fake,” some kind of extremely clever imitation.
But top-tier Zanpakutō like Hyōrinmaru contain rules and power levels of an extremely high order, making them incredibly difficult to imitate, let alone being able to deceive the monitoring of the Shin’ō Academy and the perception of countless Shinigami right from the moment of awakening.
The probability is extremely low.
Second, some kind of “resonance” or “splitting” that involves the soul’s origin or the level of rules, transcending existing cognition.
Perhaps in the depths of Tōshirō Hitsugaya and Sōjirō Kusaka’s souls, there exists some astonishing similarity or special connection that even they themselves have not noticed.
Triggering a very rare “loophole” or “exception” in the rules of Soul Society, causing the “name” that symbolizes the “ultimate of ice” to respond to two souls simultaneously.
This sounds unbelievable, but compared to a perfect imitation, in Yanagawa’s view, the probability is slightly higher.
After all, the world is vast and full of wonders, especially when it involves the most mysterious realm of the soul.
Third, external interference, the intervention of some power strong enough to distort the rules of Zanpakutō awakening.
Who would do this?
And for what purpose?
Yanagawa immediately thought of the Soul King Palace he was about to visit, and that unfathomable Ichibē Hyōsube.
But he immediately denied it; what benefit would breaking basic rules so blatantly bring to the Soul King Palace, which maintains the balance of the three worlds?
It’s illogical, other possibilities…
Information is insufficient, making it difficult to judge.
Regardless of the reason, this incident itself has already caused a huge impact on the inherent cognitive system of Soul Society.
It is foreseeable that the Central 46, the high-level officials of the Gotei 13, and even the Department of Research and Development are probably arguing fiercely at this moment.
How to deal with these two holders of “Hyōrinmaru”?
Are they to be regarded as auspicious signs or hidden dangers?
Should they be focused on and cultivated, or isolated and investigated?
The related debates and decisions will inevitably be accompanied by undercurrents.
“Tōshirō Hitsugaya…”
Yanagawa put down his teacup, his fingertips tapping lightly on the tabletop.
Based on his understanding of Momo Hinamori, that girl must be worried sick at this moment, proud of her childhood friend’s talent, yet worried about the trouble that this unprecedented “twin” phenomenon might bring.
And as for Tōshirō himself, that proud genius youth, suddenly pushed to the forefront, his feelings must be even more complicated and unspeakable.
As for the other person involved, Sōjirō Kusaka, his situation might be even more delicate.
“The rules have been broken…”
Yanagawa whispered to himself, the interest of a researcher growing stronger in his eyes.
This incident was like an “abnormal data point” that had suddenly appeared, which had high observational value for him, as he was trying to understand the power system of this world.
The secret behind this made him itch with curiosity.
It’s just a pity that he would soon be heading to the Soul King Palace, and he probably wouldn’t have the chance to closely track and study the subsequent development of this incident.
Captain-Commander Yamamoto and many high-level officials would surely pay close attention to this matter, and might have already intervened.
“It seems Seireitei is going to be lively for a while.”
Yanagawa looked out the window, seemingly able to feel the unusual restlessness and tension permeating the air.
The rise of a genius, exceptions to the rules, are often accompanied by turmoil and change.
He withdrew his gaze and let it fall back onto the latest draft of calculations regarding the reishi stable barrier spread out before him.
Whether it was the miracle of the Twin Hyōrinmaru or the mysteries of the Soul King Palace, they were essentially manifestations of and challenges to the rules of the world at different levels.