Hey Fellas, been a while. Hope you are doing well.
Sorry it has taken a while, this chapter has been in the works for a while, I just could not figure out one section until recently. Hope you enjoy it.
Chapter 5
"Are you sure I'm alright?" Hanatarō nervously shifted around.
"You're perfectly fine." Unohana reassured him, admittedly she was sounding more exasperated with each passing minute. Never had she encountered such a worried patient; the captain was starting to think that the younger Yamada was a hypochondriac.
"But Captain my blood pressure is 280/240!" Hanatarō's voice hitched. "My heart should have exploded in my chest!"
The 4th Division Captain raised a coy brow. "And has it?"
"Well…" Hanatarō flustered. "N-n…no."
"How do you feel?" Captain Unohana flipped through Hanatarō's ever growing medical file. "Any problems breathing?"
"I feel…fine." Hanatarō twiddled his legs as he sat on a nearby medical bed. "I actually feel stronger. But-"
"Relax Hanatarō." Unohana reassured him in that motherly tone she always used. "I double checked the tests on the pulse oximeter and primary passive scans. Based on what I can see, you are in perfect health."
"But if my pulse is that high, shouldn't I have breathing problems?" Hanatarō gulped nervously.
"You should, but you do not." Unohana's tone was casual to the point where the might be talking about the weather. "Best guess you have a significantly more efficient circulatory system. I would not be surprised if you can hold your breath far longer than normal."
"But…" Hanatarō shivered "…but why?"
"I thought that would be obvious, Hanatarō." Unohana jotted a few points in her notes. "You have undergone serious and drastic physical changes to your body. Your blood pressure, is just one more to add to the list."
The 4th Division Captain was being diplomatic. Ever since the awakening of his Zanpakutō a little over a month ago, Yamada Hanatarō has changed to the point where he is barely recognisable. He grew from 153 centimetres to 165. His skin looked pale and clammy with a yellow tinge that made him looked jaundiced. His black hair looked brittle and he was gaunt with more narrow cheekbones. Many staff and several students commented thought Hanatarō was very sick. Funnily enough these changes actually made him look a little bit more like his elder brother.
But it all appeared to be cosmetic. Hanatarō was faster and stronger, his stamina increased by 20 per cent and his senses were in overdrive; he could hear specific conversations from across a room of crowded people, and he could instantly notice something was amiss with incredibly keen eyesight.
Hanatarō would have considered himself lucky if the changes to his body were just limited to superficial or sensory changes. The young Yamada's internals have undergone a strange restructure as well; more dense bones and muscle mass, additional circulatory pathways.
The most notable (and most obvious) was his blood; according to Captain Unohana herself, 'the most corrosive substance in existence.' This alone was sole and primary reason why Unohana Retsu, the 4th Division Captain, was Hanatarō's personal physician. It was too dangerous to let a junior medic or nurse to handle the Yamada's condition. The nurse whose hands were burned during the awakening process, was still recovering a month after the fact. It was exasperating, terrifying and exhausting.
"I can't believe this." Hanatarō's posture slouched. "Why is this happening to me?"
"You mean this new symptom or in general?" The 4th Division Captain sounded nonchalant. "I am sorry to say you have been blessed and cursed with a unique Zanpakutō, Yamada Hanatarō."
"Ugh, I knew I was in trouble the moment I said its name." Hanatarō muttered, his head in his hands.
"Which is?" Unohana realised she might have sounded a little too curious. Hanatarō's now-extremely sickly and pale physique turned deathly white. The words died in his throat.
"Are you afraid the name might lead to some negative connotations?" Captain Unohana Retsu sounded understanding. Hanatarō barely managed to nod in reply. "I apologise. The relationship between Zanpakutō and Shinigami is a deeply personal connection. The name of the Zanpakutō is perhaps the most sacred. I did not mean to intrude."
"It's okay, Captain." A little bit of colour returned to Hanatarō's skin. "It's a lot to take in. I just need to focus on my studies; try and take my mind off what is happening." Something clicked at the back of the Yamada's mind. "Speaking of which, I have to head off to training, with Ōnabara."
"In the remote sectors again?" Unohana finalised her notes. "Well you best get to it. You don't want to be late."
"Thanks again for your help, Captain Unohana." Yamada blushed. "I realise that I might be overreacting."
"Think nothing of it. It's always a pleasure to have a Yamada back in the barracks." Unohana smiled. "But try not to let this worry you. Everything I have seen indicates that these changes are natural reactions. But if you experience any additional changes, please let me know."
"Will do." Hanatarō waved as he walked out the door.
0o0o0o
As Hanatarō left the 4th Division barracks, he could not help notice as medics and patients alike gave him a wide birth as both a sign of respect and perhaps a tinge of fear. It was no longer as shocking as it was a month ago, but it still unnerved the young Hanatarō. Not that he could blame them; his Zanpakutō's awakening was something to behold; simultaneously both amazing and terrifying. And thus went any semblance of going back to his old life of invisible mediocrity.
I'll never get used to these intense glares. Hanatarō shuddered, realising he would have to return to the Academy, which was somehow even more intense. I guess I must-OOF!
The young Yamada's thoughts were interrupted as a Shinigami bumped into him, nearly knocking them both over.
"Hey!" The Yamada stumbled. "What's the big deal?!"
"Oh I'm so sorry!" the Shinigami said.
The Yamada dusted his robes. "Yeah? Well watch where you're go…ing." Hanatarō's words died in his throat as he got a good look at her. Piercing blue eyes, auburn hair, tall, a rather 'curvaceous figure'; to call her attractive was an understatement. Hanatarō may have become the metaphorical 'talk of the town' but he still had the same weakness as any other man.
"Are you okay?" she said with a gentle smile.
"Oh, I'm fine." Hanatarō smiled bashfully. "It's my fault really. Are you okay?"
"Oh I'm fine." the Shinigami relaxed her shoulders. "I'm Kita Shino."
"Yamada Hanatarō."
Her eyes widened slightly. "Oh wait, aren't you the one in the Academy…" She leant forward, so close in fact that Hanatarō started to feel a little hot under the collar.
Oh, Hanatarō's mind processed, ever since his Zanpakutō's abilities showed up, some women started paying attention. But after the awakening, it kind of went into overdrive. Never could the young Yamada have expected so much attention from the opposite sex.
"…the one with the clothes?" Shino finished.
Oh, why would you do this to me Soul King?! Hanatarō's sickly complexion turned beetroot red. "Um, well…you see…"
"That's okay." Shino gave a sly grin, leaning a little closer so close he could smell her perfume some kind of exotic fruity scent. "I heard the resultant show was…enjoyable."
Hanatarō gulped a little, Shino's scent wafting his nostrils. "Well you see-ACHOO!" Hanatarō's sneeze was loud enough that people around the corner peered around the corner. Shino leant back in surprise. "I'm so sorry," Hanatarō wheezed, "I think your perfume is..is…ACHOO!"
"My perfume?" She repeated, that flirtatious tone all but vanished. "I see…interesting."
"I'm so sorry…" Hanatarō's nose began to sniffle. "Look could we start from the top…again…"
The moment he looked her way, she was turning around the corner. And just like that, she was gone. Of course it would be he his luck, few women ever gave him the time of day; and now one of the most beautiful girls he has ever met was quite clearly flirting with him, and he blows it by sneezing because of her perfume.
Oh, why me?! Real smooth you idiot! Hanatarō pouted. Why don't you just tell her that she smells, it would have been less…less…oh nuts.
"ACHOO!"
0o0o0o
Ōnabara Gengorō was sweeping the make-shift training ground, making sure it was clean for its only student. Unlike every other training ground, this one was not within the Academy walls. Rather it was in the in the Rukongai, specifically the 79th District – Kusajishi. It was chosen for a variety of reasons, the most notable of which was that it was remote and there was a low chance of collateral damage. The elderly instructor paused when he heard a voice. "Hello, Sensei."
"Ah, Hanatarō, you are early. Good." Ōnabara Gengorō turned to face his young pupil. "How are you feeling today? I must admit, you are looking much better compared to before you released your Zanpakutō."
"I feel good." Hanatarō's pale cheeks blushed, not that you could notice unless you looked very close. "Thank you again for modifying your schedule to allow for these private lessons."
"Think nothing of it." Gengorō finalised the small clearing. Thanks to Hanatarō's abilities, the Academy administrators said they could not allow the young Yamada to train on Academy grounds. While the administrators could not deny his gift, 'the cost was far too extravagant.' A single sparring session cost a fortune in floorboards and repairs, not to mention the insane risk of permanent injury. As a consequence, at least when it came to sword training, Hanatarō was not allowed to train on Academy grounds. Hence this makeshift set up in the remote backend of the Rukongai.
"Okay. Now try it again, like we did last week." Ōnabara Gengorō raised his hands and a dozen new wooden mannequins revealed themselves from the wall panels. Each of the wooden constructs were blank in appearance and were human-shaped but did not have specifics like fingers, toes, noses or ears. The only thing that stood out was that each one had a blade grated to end of one of its 'hands'.
"Right, Sensei." Hanatarō let out a small sigh and reached for the Zanpakutō on his hip. Like the younger Yamada, his sword also changed. For one thing, it did not have a guard (or tsuba). The hilt and scabbard changed into a solid, slick and black-as-night substance. It was elongated, more so than a regular katana, and glossy with intricate ridges along its entire form, like the exoskeleton of a lobster or a scorpion.
The younger Yamada drew his sword without a word, the blade itself was of a similar black texture as the hilt and scabbard, a black knife in the void. The mere act of holding the Zanpakutō trigged two immediate results; the hilt began to emit a substance that can only be described as 'tar', and the blade itself began to 'sweat' the light green liquid that could melt through anything. Well…anything except Hanatarō who (apart from the scabbard) was the only thing immune to the corrosive effects of the sword. Unfortunately in a training exercise around 3 weeks ago, it became embarrassingly clear that Hanatarō's own immunity did not extend to his clothes. That day would haunt Hanatarō for a very long time.
To avoid a 're-enactment' of that humiliating incident, Hanatarō settled into a wide stance with the sword held over his left shoulder with the blade curving downward towards his opponent (also known as Te Ura Gasumi No Kamae). It was not a position the Yamada was familiar, nor comfortable with, but his release has required him to readjust much of what he learned. A stream of acid fell from the very tip of the sword causing a caustic stream on the ground in front of him.
Quite intimidating. Gengorō thought. From this angle you look quite scary Hanatarō.
"Alright, begin." Gengorō flicked his fingers and the mannequins began to shamble to and around Hanatarō who maintained his current stance. Two mannequins raised their swords to meet his guard, shifting quickly to the left and attempt to bring the swords down on Hanatarō's shoulders.
The Yamada shifted his guard to bring the sword horizontal to him, blocking both swords simultaneously. The moment the two swords touched the black Zanpakutō, they began to sputter and degrade. The two mannequins undeterred and immune to the shock continued to attack resorting to hand-to-hand combat, using their wooden stumps as clubs. The younger Yamada moved back deflecting the blows with half-hearted sweeps of his blade. Each block, no matter how light resulted in the affected areas evaporated into the air. The wooden opponents still struggled to fight, however due to the amputation of all four limbs, they merely flailed about on the floor.
"Seven seconds. Not bad." Gengorō twitched his index fingers. Alight, let's see if we can give him a tricky one. 4 of the remaining 10 mannequins shifted their gait speeding towards Hanatarō from his front, back, left and right. The Yamada shifted his weight forward to meet the opponent in front of him.
He did not block, but rather sidestepped the overhead swing and aimed directly of the opponents centre mass. The forward momentum of the acid droplets and the impact of the sword caved in the mannequin's chest with disturbingly quick efficiency. He's improving. Gengorō smiled. Every training session he's getting faster and stronger. A few more sessions and he will have caught up with his peers in the advanced classes. I knew I was right about him!
Without pause, Hanatarō spun around using his moment and dragged his sword through the air. He flung the acidic liquid that emitted from his sword like a hose, it melted the wooden opponents that attacked from his left and behind. But he only did a half turn, his right side was exposed to the remaining opponent. The last wooden mannequin managed to do a broad horizontal swipe at Hanatarō's head drawing blood just above his left eyebrow. The younger Yamada leant backwards allowing his feet to create distance between himself and the construct.
"Hanatarō!" The elderly instructor bellowed. "What do you think you are doing taking your eyes of an opponent?!"
"Sorry Sensei." The Yamada looked confused. "But my opponent appears to be in an even worse position." The tip of the wooden mannequin's sword was beginning melt. The wooden construct dipped its sword to mitigate the damage, keeping the corrosive liquid from climbing up the spine of the blade. But even then around three quarters of its blade remained. The instructor snapped his fingers and the mannequin froze in place.
Gengorō shook his head. "If this was real, it would have taken your head the first time!"
Hanatarō was embarrassed at the realisation. "R-right! Sorry Sensei!"
Ōnabara Gengorō sighed and took a breath. "Hanatarō, I have seen it before. Do not let the fact you have awakened your sword blind you from reality. You are not immortal nor are you invulnerable. I have seen many great Shinigami fall because of the ultimate enemy."
"I-I'm sorry Sensei." Hanatarō blushed. "But what is the ultimate enemy? Hollows?"
"Hubris, Yamada. Pride." Gengorō replied grimly. "I am going to be very annoyed if I find out you were killed by some two-bit Hollow that is not even in the same galaxy as your skills."
"I understand, Sensei." The Yamada bowed, blood streaming from his face. "I apologize. I will do better, I promise."
Ōnabara Gengorō grunted a form of acknowledgement. "Well then, get yourself cleaned up. This is the perfect opportunity to show off your medical kido."
Hanatarō blushed, rather than putting is sword away, he put his left hand which was covered in that strange gunk from his hilt across the wound. "Woah, Hanatarō that cannot be sanitary…can…it?" The wound above the Yamada's eyebrow sealed immediately, the black goop hardened to form a suture. Even from a distance, Gengorō could already see the wound starting to knit. "What is that?"
Yamada Hanatarō blinked several times before coming to realisation about what he wanted. "Oh, you mean this?" He scooped some of the tar-like substance that was growing from his hilt of his sword.
"Yes. What is that? Some kind of new ability that you discovered?" Gengorō leant forward in interest. "I thought it was just some kind of glue to keep your sword from being knocked out of your hands."
"It does that too." Hanatarō smiled nervously. "But when I place it on a wound it functions as a medical life support system, injecting nutrients directly into the wound and forcing it to mend at an accelerated rate…amongst other things."
"A healing salve? How useful." Gengorō stoked his chin. "Wait a minute, what do you mean other things?"
"Well," Hanatarō scratched his head, "when this substance remains on the hilt, it does function like glue, when I put it on a wound it acts like a really potent healing salve, but when I put it on my skin or clothes it hardens into a type of resin that's...well…"
Gengorō remained impassive. "Show me."
Hanatarō made a disgusted look, not as his sensei, but at thought of having to go through the spectacle of covering himself with the…goop. Nonetheless, he removed the oil-like substance from the hilt and began to cover it over his neck and upper body. His clothes began to smear and glisten a dark black. Gengorō looked in awe as he saw the strange liquid spread out and solidify in manner of seconds, creating the appearance of a glossy resin. But it looks much harder than that…. Gengorō twitched his fingers…I wonder.
The mannequin with the damaged sword lunged forward with a strike directly at Hanatarō's shoulder. The broken blade made impact and rather than piercing through, it bounced off of the young Yamada's clothes with a metallic 'ting'.
"AGH!" Hanatarō jumped backwards in fright. "Sensei, you scared me! Why would you do that?!"
"Don't move." Gengorō ordered, the wooden construct moved again but instead it aimed at Hanatarō's hand that was holding the blade, and was naturally covered in the strange black substance. The thrust into the hand with a loud 'ting' and slid past Hanatarō like it was covered in grease, and while the Yamada was absolutely shocked, he was clearly unharmed.
"Hah! 'Resin', my ass!" Gengorō spat. "Your sword produces a liquid that can turn into body armour!"
"So?" Hanatarō tried his best to his confusion. "I'm sorry, but I don't understand how this is relevant."
"So?!" Gengorō fumed. "You mean to tell me that in the three weeks since we started training, you have never once considered using this stuff in any of our training exercises?!"
"I just don't want to get it on my clothes." Hanatarō pouted. "Sensei, you have no idea how sticky this stuff is. I can't even use washing machines as it clogs up the plumbing, I have to hand wash it. It takes me hours. It is costing me a fortune in replacement clothes and laundry detergents."
"I don't give two shits about clothes!" Gengorō's cheeks turned a shade of red, and poor Hanatarō looked like he was about to pass out from sheer terror. The elderly instructor took a few deep breaths to calm down and when he focused again, he spoke as clearly as he could. "Hanatarō, do you realise what kind of tactical advantage you have? You have a blade that can melt through anything, and a hilt that produces a substance that can heal wounds and provide armour! What's it called anyway?"
"Oh..umm." Hanatarō blushed. "It's called Sōkō haibu jushi."
"It's even in the bloody name!" Gengorō face palmed. "Do you understand what kind of advantage you have over your classmates, hell, even most of the seated officers?!"
"It does not appear that tough." Hanatarō mumbled.
"Do you want me to try and stab you again?" Gengorō huffed. "This…substance, the Sōkō haibu jushi deflected a frontal thrust and you sustained no damage. Believe me when I say it is tough. I'm willing to bet that it would be even stronger the more layers you put on."
"What happens now?" Hanatarō shuffled uncomfortably from one foot to the other.
"Now?" Gengorō chortled. "Now, we have to integrate this into your fighting style. This is going to go over amazing as part of your final grading. You will definitely leave an impression on the examiners."
"But the-" Hanatarō tried to object.
"By the Soul King, I'll chip in for replacement clothes and detergents."Gengorō rolled his eyes. "Now put another layer on. I want to see how you move with this stuff."
Although Hanatarō was very much compliant, on the inside, he was groaning. This is going to be a loooooooooong training session.
0o0o0o
Akon knocked on the door. Most people in the 12th Division would have been terrified to interrupt the Captain, especially when he was invested in a new project. But Akon was the 3rd seat of the Division and Vice-President of the Research and Development Institute; he was allowed certain privileges.
"Enter." The strange Captain barked from the door. Akon complied and quickly hurried through the door to prevent prying eyes from seeing the Captain's personal laboratory. Akon took care to gently pass by the various array of computers and workbenches. Along the wall there were an array of specimen jars ranging from the size of a man's fist to the size of a car; inside were special subjects that Captain Kurostuchi had accumulated over a very long and bloody career. On one end you can find a Pulse that was flash-frozen at the exact point it was transforming into a Hollow, to a Quincy. And those were the tame ones.
At the back end of the lab was a fully intact Kushanada, straight from Hell itself. How Mayuri got his hands on one is something no one, not even Akon, dared to ask.
The prized collection of specimens held no real scientific value per se, Kurostuchi Mayrui had learned all he needed from them years ago. However they did carry sentimental value – trophies if you will.
"Stop gawking, Akon." Mayuri at the very back of the room in his favourite chair watching series of data flying past a large computer screen, absorbing the data with ease. "What do you want?"
"Sorry Captain, I was checking in on you." Akon tucked the clipboard under his arm. "We have not seen you in several days."
"I've been busy with my latest subject." Mayuri did not bother to look away from the screen.
"Yamada Hanatarō?" Akon sounded incredulous. "You're still looking at him?"
"Oh very much so." Mayuri gestured at the screen. "Look at this, Akon. I have never seen anything like it."
"You sound excited Captain." Akon prodded. "I thought you would be angry that you could not bring him in to research personally."
"Oh I was. Furious in fact." Mayuri quipped. "But anger releases an enzyme – tryptophan hydroxylase which can temporarily reduce the I.Q. Something which I cannot afford. Rather I'm taking this as a challenge."
"Sir?"
"To try and analyse the subject by passive observation and with some preliminary samples without getting caught. No tests or actual dissection." Mayuri's smile widened. "Some would call it tedious, but I think our subject is worth the effort."
Akon did not know how best to respond so he went with an impartial. "He sounds amazing."
"Oh you have no idea Akon." Mayuri finally turned to his subordinate. "I am still collating the data, but there is much to learn from Yamada Hanatarō."
Akon's curiosity got the better of him. "Such as?"
"Well…" Mayuri entered some data on his keyboard and series of chemical composition formulas appeared on the screen. "Everyone has three layers of skin – epidermis, dermis and hypodermis. But our subject has four; he has an outer layer composed of protein polysaccharides. Invisible to the naked eye but it is there. But the chemical composition is nothing I have ever seen before, and it is incredibly difficult to recreate."
Mayuri reached for a petri dish which contained a tiny sample of what looked like blue dust. "He has this funny habit of shedding his cells and replacing them with polarised silicon."
"That is a very unusual combination of elements." Akon leant forward, his interest piqued. "What does that tell you Captain?"
"Well Akon," Mayuri looked at the blue fragments with wonder, "it tells me he is incredibly resistant to adverse environmental conditions, and makes him a tough little bastard."
Akon's dogmatic professionalism gave way to incredulity "And all of this is because of his Zanpakutō?"
"Yes." Mayuri refocused his attention back to the screen. "He has an unusually close relationship with his sword. It is always active and is causing a series of biological changes in his body, but the changes are unique, and I cannot recreate. If only I could get my hands on him. But there would be little point, I am still trying to figure out how to get past what appears to be his primary ability."
"The acid for blood?" Akon was dumbfounded. "You still can't find a way?"
Mayuri gestured to a series of scrapped junk on a nearby bench, and Akon could easily recognise a few items plastic, glass, concrete, reinforced steel, Teflon, an electromagnetic containment device and…
"The blood actually broke through the 0K quantum Reishi chamber?" Akon could not believe it.
"Yes. The closest I have to the level of corrosion is molecular acid, but that pales in comparison to what is swimming in Hanatarō's flesh and veins." Mayuri huffed. "I have sent agents to try and acquire samples but it eats through everything. Even if a sample is suspended in vacuum, it will turn into polarised silicone within a minute or so."
Akon blinked, his memory jogged by the conversation and pulled out a sealed envelope "By the way, I was asked to pass this on to you, it's from Kita Shino."
"Shino?!" Mayuri lurched, snatching the envelope out of Akon's hand. "Give me that! She was supposed to check in an hour ago."
"What is it?" Akon asked, doing a horrible job of hiding his curiosity.
"I tasked Shino to test Ashisogi Jizō's latest poison on our subject." Mayuri carefully unfolded the note. "She was meant to pass it off as a perfume."
Akon waited with bated breath as Mayuri's crazy eyes darted around the letter absorbing every word. Akon knew his Captain, his behaviours, his mannerisms and most dangerous of all, his temper.
But not even the 3rd seat of the 12th Division anticipated the confused furrowing of brows that adorned the man's face. "Interesting…." Mayuri muttered. "Very interesting."
"Sir?" Akon leant back a little, halt expecting one of his Captain's temper tantrums. But it did not come.
Captain Kurotsuchi placed the letter on top of a large pile of reports. "Shino doused our subject with a heavy dose of Ashisogi Jizō's poison. The only reaction was that he sneezed."
"Sneezed?" Akon sounded incredulous.
"Sneezed multiple times, apart from that he was asymptomatic. That particular batch of poison was supposed to cause many symptoms; sneezing was not one of them." Mayuri confirmed, he turned back to his console and began inputting a series of commands, the screen displayed a 'searching…' function, before coming back in big red letters:
ERROR - NO DATA FOUND – BACTERIA SCRUBBED
"And," Mayuri leant back in his chair, "it is confirmed that Shino did try to infect our subject, however Ashisogi Jizō's poison and the underlying bacteria within the poison was killed almost immediately. This has confirmed something which I suspected."
Akon humoured his captain. "Suspected, sir?"
"Our subject Yamada Hanatarō is more interesting than I thought." Mayuri explained, a dangerous smile on his face. "I have been secretly dosing him with different combinations for several weeks. He is completely immune to everything; anaesthesia, tranquilisers, chemicals, nerve agents, and now, biological weaponry. It just bounces off him. I can't tell if his acidic blood is the cause, or if he harbours some revolutionary new immune system which eliminates all threats."
"Sounds like the perfect organism." Akon mused, but his heart immediately skipped a beat when his Captain shot him a scathing look.
"You should know better, Akon." Mayuri growled. "There is no such thing as perfect." Akon wondered exactly which jar his body would be stuffed into, would his Captain keep him in the back like a proud trophy? Or would he just be disposed of like garbage?
Thankfully though, Mayuri was in a benevolent mood. "But…he has more potential than anything I have ever researched. Just think what we could learn, new medicines, new vaccines…the applications for his abilities could be mind boggling."
Akon's heart settled and he eventually returned to the screen which displayed all the data available. "Well if he has all these abilities, we can certainly throw out the acid theory."
Mayuri blinked. "Excuse me?"
"The theme of his Zanpakutō. Some are very straight forward, such as Captain-Commander Yamamoto's. But some are more ambiguous, such as Captain Kyōraku." Akon thought aloud. "If Yamada Hanatarō has a sword that oozes acid, sure. Acid blood, sure. Advanced regenerative healing…maybe. But now we have immunity to chemical and biological weaponry, the ability to create armour, enhanced senses… All these abilities lead to the conclusion is that his Zanpakutō is not a simple acid release."
Mayuri looked back at the screens and smirked. "I knew there was a reason I made you Vice-President, Akon. You're a genius. I was so caught up in his abilities that I did not see the bigger picture."
"Thank you, sir." Akon accepted the compliment.
"I have to know more about the Zanpakutō." Mayuri focused on the sleek black sword attached to Yamada Hanatarō's hip. "Its name could be the key to understanding Yamada Hanatarō's abilities, and thus a foundation on how to get around them."
0o0o0o
Sōkō haibu jushi(装甲ハイブ樹脂) - Armoured hive resin
Review as always!