"When the strong find the next strongest, they can no longer swing their sword for their own sake. The tip of their sword will always be pointed either toward killing the next strongest... or toward nurturing them."

That was the philosophy of a Kenpachi.

And Unohana was following it.

Unohana was currently engaged in battle with Zaraki in Muken. The battle was bloody.

Unohana had killed and revived Zaraki multiple times, and with each death, Zaraki became stronger and stronger, lifting the limiters he placed upon himself.

Zaraki's strength increased drastically as the fight raged on.

For three days, the two Kenpachis fought head to head until finally...

Zaraki ended the fight.



Unohana: That was magnificent, Kenpachi Zaraki. And now, this battle is over...

Zaraki: It's over? Wait, are you going to die? No, don't die. Not yet. I still haven't had enough. Please don't die. I'm begging you... Don't die!

Unohana in her last breath spoke one last time.

Unohana: Zaraki, can you grant me my last request?

Zaraki: What...?

Unohana: My zanpakuto... Hand it over to (Y/N)... in my stead.

Zaraki was confused at the request. What could (Y/N) do with her zanpakuto? However, Kenpachi noticed something strange.

Zaraki: That blade... Where? How?

In her last moments, a small blade that matched the color of (Y/N)'s zanpakuto was found pierced in her stomach.

Unohana: You've removed the limits you placed upon yourself... As a Kenpachi, my job is done... However, that doesn't mean my power isn't needed.

Zaraki knew what she was planning.

Zaraki: You're giving your powers to (L/N)...

Unohana: I'm not sure if this will work, but it's worth trying... Thank you Zaraki, for fulfilling my selfish request...

Unohana remembered the last words she heard from (Y/N).

~~~~

(Y/N): When I return from the Royal Palace, I'll make sure to repay you by protecting the Soul Society to the best of my ability.

~~~~

Unohana's vision started to fade.

Unohana: *thinking* I'm sorry, (Y/N) but I won't be able to see your return from the Royal Palace. I hope my power becomes yours as an apology...

...

...

...

Unohana: *thinking* Your future's bright, (Y/N)... I hope that you continue down the path you've set for yourself...

...

...

...

As Unohana died in Zaraki's arms, he started to hear a voice.

"Kenpachi... Kenpachi of Zaraki..."

Zaraki: Who's there? Who's calling my name?! Show yourself!

"It seems my voice has finally reached you. The voice of the one who has been watching you longer and closer than anyone."

Zaraki: Huh? Who the hell are you?

"Kenpachi... Kenpachi of Zaraki! It's nice to meet you, Kenpachi Zaraki. My name is..."

(Meanwhile) In the Royal Palace

Hoohden

For the last three days, Ichigo, Renji, and (Y/N) were fighting for their lives against the Ausachi in the pit of the Hoohden. And in the end...

Oetsu: 71 hours and 48 minutes... You lasted for three days. I'm impressed. (Y/N), Renji, you both pass... And... you fail, Ichigo!

Ichigo: W-Wait... I can still...

Oetsu: Nope! No waiting. You're done. You fail. The end.

Ichigo: I...can still keep going! Let me do this...! There's no time limit, is there?!

Oetsu: There isn't a time limit, but rather an emotional limit. I'm not talking about whether you can keep going or not. You just weren't chosen by an Asauchi. It's not going to happen. It's over. The end.

Ichigo: Wait!

Oetsu: Give it a rest. You were dumped. So stop whining. What's become perfectly clear in these last three days is that Renji and (Y/N) are Shinigami material while you, Ichigo, are not. Don't worry, I'll open up a way out of there. And so, time for you to go home.

Ichigo: What?

Oetsu: Mera! Pull him out of there.

Mera: Sure.

Mera hopped into the pit and brought Ichigo out.

Ichigo: H-Hold on a second! You're joking, right?!

Oetsu: Oh, one more thing. Don't enter the Soul Society ever again. The Soul Society is the land of Shinigami. An ordinary human without a Zanpakuto has no right to enter it.

Ichigo: Damn it...! You really think I'm just going to leave after coming this far? If I leave now, what'll happen to Zangetsu?

Oetsu: Whether you leave or not, it makes no difference. Zangetsu cannot be fixed anymore. Or rather, I won't fix him. As I said before... Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five... four... three... two, that's me, Oetsu Nimaiya! I don't make swords for a fake Shinigami. You bastard! Bye-buh-bye, Ichigo!

Oetsu shot a kido spell of some kind towards Ichigo, forcefully transporting him out of the Royal Palace and the Soul Society in general.

Neither (Y/N) nor Renji could find the words to say during the entire interaction. They weren't sure what the requirements of achieving an Asauchi in this session were. However Renji had a feeling this training wasn't going to go well for the two Substitute Shinigamis. He was surprised (Y/N) even passed.

Oetsu: You're no good as you are now, Ichigo. The fact that an Asauchi didn't choose you... The fact that you've fought this long without an Asauchi... You don't understand the significance of this. You need to go back... Back to your roots. And you must learn what your roots are. Even if you are unable to return upon learning them.

While Oetsu talked to himself, Mera retrieved Renji and (Y/N) and brought them to the surface. Oetsu immediately spoke to the two.

Oetsu: You noticed it, right Renji? That it was going to be useless no matter how hard he tried. I know the whereabouts of every Asauchi I've forged. All Shinigami are given an Asauchi. And through continuous training, we transform them into our personal Zanpakuto. This is the foundation and essence of the relationship between Shinigamis and Zanpakuto. It is an absolute truth. It's not just squad members and captains... but the Zanpakuto of us Squad Zero, too. Even a stray outlaw like Kenpachi Zaraki gained an Asauchi by pulling it off the corpse of a Shinigami. Every one of us. Since the dawn of the Soul Society, not a single Shinigami has awakened their own Zanpakuto without possessing an Asauchi I forged. It was obvious. That this method wasn't going to work for him.

(Y/N): If that's true then how did I pass? I don't have an Asauchi either...

Oetsu: Tell me, (Y/N). Do you know the whereabouts of your soul?

(Y/N): Huh? What do you mean?

Oetsu: You're a shinigami but that's only because of the experiments that your mother underwent because of Aizen. You know that quite well... You know the ins and outs of your heritage... Can Ichigo say the same?

(Y/N) immediately understood what Oetsu was getting at.

(Y/N): Are you insinuating that his lack of knowledge on his Quincy heritage played a role as to why an Asauchi refused to choose him?

Oetsu: Bingo! You pick up on things fast! The difference between you and Ichigo is that you have a full understanding of what your soul consists of.

(Y/N) thought back to what he knew about his zanpakuto spirit and what he knew about Ichigo's. After the True Bankai incident, Ankou never withheld any information from him. And Thanatos, being his inner hollow, was always straightforward from the very beginning. (Y/N) has all the information about his zanpakuto in his grasp. It just so happens that there's a lot to be known about it. He was also familiar that he had the abilities of a Fullbringer, although he never trained to manifest a fullbring ability of his own.

(Y/N) couldn't say the same about Ichigo. (Y/N) would have no reason to know what goes on in Ichigo's inner world or who is zanpakuto or hollow spirit was. And he knew that Ichigo was unaware of his Quincy blood.

Although (Y/N) did see Ichigo's Zanpakuto spirit during Bankai training.

(Y/N): *thinking* Now that I think back on it... Zangetsu looks kinda like that Quincy Leader we fought... Does that have anything to do with Ichigo's Quincy heritage? But why would a guy that looks like a Quincy show up during a Shinigami training program? So much confusion. No wonder Ichigo failed. We don't know the first thing about that guy. What's the relation between him and Ichigo? I can't decipher anything if I can't question Ichigo himself...

Despite not finding an answer, (Y/N) felt like he had a better understanding of Ichigo's situation.

Oetsu noticed (Y/N)'s confusion slowly changing in his facial expression.

Oetsu: Oh? What's cooking in that brain of yours? Did you find out something about Ichigo? Well it doesn't matter. Ichigo will have to find the answers himself. In the meantime. Tell me what you think about your Zanpakuto.

(Y/N): Huh?

Oetsu: Your zanpakuto. How do you think you've been using one despite never having an Asauchi? I know you can figure it out pretty easily.

Ever since (Y/N) found out about the existence of the Asauchi, the thought crossed his mind but he never had the chance to think about it. He was too busy trying to not die to said Asauchi.

But after giving it some thought, it was kinda obvious.

(Y/N): Huh... To think he was working so hard even before I knew about his existence... That guy I swear...

Oetsu: Sounds like you found your answer pretty quickly. Let me hear it!

(Y/N): My zanpakuto was created the same way Hollows created their zanpakuto.

Oetsu: Ding Ding Ding! Correct once again, my friend! If we wanna get specific, your Hollow creates a zanpakuto by sealing your Shinigami powers similar to how Arrancars seal their original hollow abilties to create their zanpakutos.

(Y/N): And my Hollow simply follows the normal procedures that Arrancars use to create a zanpakuto for my resurreccion.

It all made sense now. When (Y/N) trained with the Vizards, Thanatos used Ankou's scythe and not his sword.

~~~~

Thanatos: What's the matter? Surprised that I actually know how to use "your" weapon!

(Y/N): I'd be lying if I said I'm not, but I won't lose!

~~~~

Thanatos: You very well have what it takes to become the Emperor... After this, all my skills will become yours. Even my skills with that scythe.

~~~~

(Y/N): *thinking* He knew how to use it because he made it.

Oetsu: Now then, let's move on to the fun part. Reforging your zanpakuto! Follow me and don't forget your Asauchi's!

(Y/N): Right.

As (Y/N) and Renji followed Oetsu, (Y/N) felt a strange feeling in his stomach and stopped in his tracks. He wasn't sure how to describe it, but it was a feeling he was familiar with. It usually happened when he gained a new member of his undead army. (Y/N) wasn't sure why he was feeling it now. He wasn't in combat.

Renji: Is everything alright? Is it about Ichigo? Don't worry about him, he'll catch up.

(Y/N): R-right...

(Y/N): *thinking* It must've been my imagination...

(Timeskip)

(Y/N) and Renji made their way to the bottom of the estate.

Oetsu: We made it!

(Y/N) looked in the distance and noticed how much water was pouring down the estate.

(Y/N): *thinking* I wonder where all that water goes.

Oetsu noticed (Y/N)'s intrigue of the estate.

Oetsu: Catches your eye doesn't it? This waterfall is the reason why my estate is at the edge of the cliff. If I didn't have all this water, I wouldn't be able to reforge your Bankai! I hope both of you are prepared, because this is where you say goodbye to your Zanpakuto.

(Y/N) whispered to Renji.

(Y/N): *whisper* What's he talking about?

Renji: *whisper* He's easily the hardest guy to get a read on in the entire squad so far.

(Y/N): *whisper* I'm with you on that.

Oetsu then began preparation for the reforging process.

Oetsu: All right everyone! Let's get this party started! Welcome to my show! Alright!

Just then, five zanpakuto girls flew onto the scene.

"The Nimaiya Elite Guard at your Service!!!"

Oetsu: Now which one of you two are first?

(Y/N) and Renji looked towards each other.

Renji: You go first. You went through a lot more than I have. And I hate to admit it but you'd be much more of a valuable asset to the Soul Society than I would.

(Y/N): Are you sure? Soul Society is your home. They need you out there.

Renji: Don't worry about it. Besides, this will be your first time seeing your true Zanpakuto. I think you deserve this one. Besides, it's not like I won't be getting my own zanpakuto fixed.

(Y/N): If you say so.

(Y/N) and his Asauchi took a step forward.

(Y/N): We'll take you up on that offer.

Oetsu: Nice! Very nice! Let's get started everyone! And that includes you, Asauchi.

(Meanwhile) In Silbern.

The Quincy King sat upon his throne as he was approached by Haschwalth.

Quincy King: You've returned, Haschwalth. And the subject?

Haschwalth: Right here.

Quincy King: Welcome... Uryu Ishida.

Quincy King: Now, let us fight together... my son.

To be continued.

So a lot to talk about. I know all you guys wanted Unohana to live. Trust me I wanted to find a way to keep her alive without messing up any character development for either her or Zaraki.

Despite being a title, Unohana and Zaraki live by the philosophy that set aside for themselves (Besides Azashiro who simply used the title as a stepping stone for his own goals.)

Even after I wrote this chapter I was racking my brain for ways to keep her alive. If I did I would've definitely take a break to rewrite everything I had just to accommodate having her alive. But unfortunately that didn't happen.

Making her a summon for (Y/N) was the only thing I could've done. And speaking of that, you may be asking "How did (Y/N) pull it off if he wasn't there". I've shown (Y/N)'s zanpakuto taking affect on someone without him using it. During (Y/N) and Harribel's final fight in Hueco Mundo, Harribel did hold (Y/N)'s in her hands and felt her spiritual energy being drained simply by holding it. So it should be feasible that despite (Y/N) not being there in person, a piece of his zanpakuto dealing the final blow would still give him the ability to give him a shadow. Now this was something that was only shown once as nobody in bleach usually hold onto someone else's zanpakuto. That being said, I'll hold the L for not remembering to add this detail into any of (Y/N)'s bio as it even slipped my mind as well.

That being said we do know that some zanpakuto could be affected by someone else's interference through Aizen. Kyoka Suigetsu's ability is nullifed if you haven't seen the effects and you touched it's blade. So we do know its rare but possible that someone's ability can take place or be taken away by someone who isn't the zanpakuto's wielder.

With that long explanation out of the way, let's talk about the second big question and that's the origin of (Y/N)'s zanpakuto. This one is easy to explain as it was already explained in the chapter. (Y/N)'s original shinigami zanpakuto was created the same way a Hollow's zanpakuto was made. This isn't surprising because that's the same way Ichigo's zanpakuto was made after he lost the powers Rukia gave him and regained it in Urahara's training.

Get excited for (Y/N)'s true zanpakuto next chapter.