With a "ding" from the system, more than half of Arata's hard-earned destiny value disappeared in an instant.
[Item successfully exchanged, 500 destiny points spent.]
[C-rank item: Zanpakutō Shikai]
[Effect: Upon use, you can master the ability to communicate with your Zanpakutō and smoothly perform Shikai.]
[Note: Cannot be transferred or enhanced]
Arata chose the option to use it, and the panel before him turned into a stream of light and merged with his body.
In the next moment, darkness flooded his consciousness like a tide. Arata only felt a buzzing in his ears, and a voice that couldn't be clearly identified as male or female trembled deep within his mind.
"My name is…"
Before finishing the sentence, his consciousness fell into a bottomless abyss.
When he opened his eyes again, the cold from the floor had already seeped into the back of his head.
Arata forced himself up and vigorously shook his head to wake up, but the strange sensation around his waist captured all his attention.
He focused his gaze and saw a faint glow suddenly flash across the surface of the sword, and a heavy and strange spiritual pressure surged into his body from the sword.
Suddenly, a name, familiar yet unfamiliar, surfaced in Arata's mind, and he instinctively spoke it aloud, guided by his body's reflex.
"Destroy everything, Meigetsu."
As soon as he said it, a powerful spiritual pressure instantly erupted from the Asauchi in Arata's hand. The Asauchi, which was previously mostly black with white details, turned completely black, and along the blade flowed dark purple flames.
However, these flames did not emit a sense of heat, instead, they radiated a chilling cold. Even Arata, the master of the Zanpakutō, felt the chill deep in his soul.
But precisely because of this, Arata was even more certain of the power of his Zanpakutō.
Among the Shinigami, what type of Zanpakutō is the most powerful?
Direct combat types, the lowest class, like workhorses!
Didn't you see that Muguruma Kensei's Tekken Tachikaze could barely beat a Gillian-level Hollow, and later was easily defeated by Aizen's experimental subject, Wonderweiss Margela? During the Thousand-Year Blood War, he served as a punching bag for the Sternritter "S," The Superstar Mask De Masculine, who created the world-famous meme "Won't Waste Too Much of Your Time" with his performance.
This type of Zanpakutō can only be used by those without ultimate stats.
Looking at the entire story, the only one who truly uses it effectively is Kurosaki Ichigo, the ultimate half-blood cheater, but even Ichigo was repeatedly defeated in front of various "mechanical monsters."
Elemental type, with an extremely high lower limit and considerable power.
Leading the way is Captain Yamamoto's Ryūjin Jakka, which evaporates all moisture in Seireitei with a single stroke.
Then there's Hitsugaya Tōshirō's Hyōrinmaru, which directly propelled him to the position of future captain.
Rule system types, although they have an extremely low lower limit, are standard gear for true powerhouses.
Like Hirako Shinji's Sakanade, which controls others' nerves and distorts their vision and perception, had he not faced the monster Aizen, he could have practically moonwalked through all of Soul Society.
And not to mention Aizen's Kyōka Suigetsu. With just Shikai, it can manipulate everyone in the world. Even the later boss Yhwach accidentally fell into his illusion.
And now, through Meigetsu's Shikai, Arata clearly feels that his Zanpakutō is definitely not an ordinary direct-combat or elemental type, but a true rule-based Zanpakutō.
Although he hasn't thoroughly studied it yet, its power can already be sensed.
Just from the first release, the spiritual pressure in Arata's body jumped from mid-level officer rank to the threshold of vice-captain level. And this, from another perspective, proves the power of the Meigetsu blade.
In the Shin'ō Spiritual Arts Academy textbooks, it's stated that a Shinigami's combat power largely depends on their Zanpakutō, because upon releasing the Zanpakutō, the owner's spiritual pressure increases.
The degree of increase for each individual is determined by their own potential and the strength of their Zanpakutō, but even throughout Soul Society's history, very few have jumped from mid-officer to vice-captain level with just a Shikai like Arata.
People like Kurosaki Ichigo don't even count. After all, he went from an ordinary human with no spiritual power to a monster with captain-level spiritual pressure in less than two weeks. He simply can't be compared to normal people.
"He really is strong, but he consumes a huge amount of spiritual pressure too!" Arata sighed and quickly withdrew his Zanpakutō's release.
Less than a minute after using Shikai, the spiritual pressure in his body was leaking like a flood. He hadn't even started a real battle, he was just standing and he had already spent a tenth of his spiritual pressure.
Vice-captain level spiritual power corresponds to the fifth level. A tenth of that level of spiritual pressure is no small thing.
If he were to truly unleash his Zanpakutō in a future battle, Arata wasn't sure he could give it his all for more than three minutes.
"Looks like I still need to increase spiritual pressure. At the very least, it must surpass Kensei's."
Arata reopened the system mall and found that there was no option to directly exchange for spiritual pressure.
At first glance, he only saw some special items for restoring spiritual pressure.
[B-rank item: High concentration of spiritual pressure essence]
[Effect: Quickly restores consumed spiritual pressure. With prolonged use, it can increase the quantity and quality of spiritual pressure, up to the upper limit of the second level of spiritual power.]
[Note: Can be given to others, cannot be enhanced]
[Exchange requirement: 1000 Destiny Points/bottle]
Wow, even things like this are being sold.
Arata recalled the small blue bottle in the hands of Unohana Retsu, which had been left to her by the former captain of the 12th Division, Kirio Hikifune, before she was promoted to the Zero Division.
According to the timeline, the spiritual pressure essence Kirio Hikifune was creating at that time should have been a semi-finished product, far from the drastic spiritual pressure enhancement effect that food had in the Thousand-Year Blood War period.
This one from the system mall could boost spiritual pressure to the level of the second grade of spiritual power, and its effect was definitely no weaker than what Kirio Hikifune created.
What is the concept of second-level spiritual power?
According to official sources, the third level of spiritual power is the captain-level threshold, weak captain-level with a reference point being Muguruma Kensei.
Anyone with spiritual pressure above Muguruma's can generally maintain the position of captain without issue.
Above that is the second level of spiritual power, representing somewhat stronger high-level captains. These individuals have been captains for a long time, and their combat ability and overall power far exceed the threshold of captain level.
For example: Kuchiki Byakuya, Ichimaru Gin, and Hirako Shinji.
One step above that is the first level of spiritual power, which can be called the ceiling level of captain-class combat power. Representatives include Kyōraku Shunsui, Unohana Retsu, and Ukitake Jūshirō.
Although Ukitake is weak and sickly, and his actual combat ability isn't particularly strong…
But he and Kyōraku were the first-generation students of the Shin'ō Spiritual Arts Academy and direct disciples of the old Yamamoto. Their spiritual pressure and power were unquestionable.
These individuals have one thing in common: aside from their innate extraordinary talent, they also went through a long period of accumulation and tempering to reach the first level of spiritual power.
The spiritual pressure essence sold by the system can elevate spiritual pressure up to the second level of spiritual power, and its effect is already astonishing.
Although the price of 1000 destiny points is a bit high, it's definitely worth it.
And the note also says [can be given].
That means Arata can buy this item for people around him too. Even Shinigami with average talent can be raised to the level of a strong captain thanks to him.
Arata slightly narrowed his eyes, and his expression became slightly fervent.