"How is this possible? The blade scattered and turned into flowers? And it's so sharp too! Those petals drifted down without any force behind them, yet they managed to cut the anvil..." Tsubaki watched the scene unfold in sheer disbelief.
As a master smith and the top blacksmith in Orario, this defied her professional expertise.
Cutting an anvil posed no challenge for high-level Adventurers. Some adventurers with monstrous physical strength could hammer a block of iron into a pancake with their bare hands and tear it apart.
The problem lay in the execution.
This was not a Swordmaster's heavy slash, nor did it involve a whole blade.
It was a tiny, petal-like fragment, each piece measuring a mere three centimeters in diameter.
"Incredible." Tsubaki caught a single petal in her palm, realizing these flowers were lethal steel fragments.
Rayleigh willed Senbonzakura to converge back into a solid blade, then slid it into its sheath.
"The abilities of a Zanpakuto vary wildly," he explained. "A type like Senbonzakura acts as an attack-type Zanpakuto, focusing primarily on raw offense."
Asfi chimed in. "From what I gathered, there are also types that manipulate water through fluid slashes, control abrasive ash using a mist-like blade, wrap themselves in flames to multiply attack power, and even manifest children's games into reality."
Rayleigh offered a look of surprise.
"You are well-informed."
Asfi clearly maintained close ties with the girls of the Astraea Familia to understand their Zanpakuto abilities so thoroughly.
"The Doll Princess... pardon me, the Sword Princess of the Loki Familia," Asfi corrected herself. "The Zanpakuto in her hand... I recall it's called Gonryōmaru? If my sources are correct, it serves as a lightning-attribute Zanpakuto. I witnessed the Sword Princess use a lightning strike to execute five Evilus elites in a single flash."
'Miss Asfi, correcting yourself does not erase the rudeness of using that old moniker.'
'Doll Princess.'
Some Adventurers had saddled Ais Wallenstein with that unfortunate nickname.
It held no official weight. When Ais reached Level 2, the Gods bestowed upon her the grand title of [Sword Princess].
Long before that milestone, her obsession with slaughtering monsters in the Dungeon unsettled many witnesses.
Paired with her flawless expressionless face, people treated her like a heartless combat golem—a broken doll.
Thus, she became the Doll Princess.
Throughout the recent skirmishes against Evilus, her ruthless fighting style entrenched the nickname deeper into the public consciousness.
Rather than 'Sword Princess,' the masses preferred to whisper 'Doll Princess' behind her back.
"Gonryōmaru is indeed a lightning-attribute Zanpakuto," Rayleigh confirmed. "But Ais has a long way to go before mastering it. Drawing out that specific blade's true power requires immense discipline."
Gonryōmaru.
The Zanpakuto of the Soul Society's First Division Lieutenant, Chōjirō Sasakibe.
Operating as a civil official, he rarely found chances to engage in frontline combat.
During his first major on-screen appearance in Rayleigh's past life, a certain orange-haired protagonist beat him senseless with his bare hands.
That poor showing did not reflect his true strength.
As a Shinigami who mastered Bankai over two millennia ago, Sasakibe's strength ran deep.
His long-term clerical work simply rusted his battle prowess.
He later met a tragic end when the Quincy stole his Bankai.
Bankai: Kōkō Gonryō Rikyū.
Much like Hyōrinmaru, the strongest ice-snow type Zanpakuto, it operated as a weather-manipulating, element-type blade.
Upon mastering the release, Sasakibe managed to wound the prime Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni of two thousand years ago.
Even for a Captain-level Shinigami, inflicting a simple scratch on that old monster bordered on impossible.
Landing a direct hit and leaving an indelible scar on his forehead proved the unquestionable, devastating power of 'Kōkō Gonryō Rikyū.'
The current Ais fell short of that mark.
Though it might not take her two thousand years of practice, she remained incapable of grasping Gonryōmaru's Bankai.
Rayleigh wondered who among his current clients would be the first to achieve the ultimate release.
"Asfi, are you interested in a Zanpakuto? Would you like—"
"No. I'll pass."
That was a firm rejection.
Rayleigh found it strange. Judging by her thorough research, she clearly acknowledged the supreme power of the Zanpakuto.
Why did she lack the desire to wield one?
"I have no wish to sign that kind of indentured servitude contract," Asfi stated.
She pushed up her glasses, offering him a sharp gaze.
'Indentured servitude?' Rayleigh grasped her meaning.
She had uncovered the specific terms of his forging contracts with the Astraea Familia girls.
She likely tricked the information out of them during a casual conversation.
He spread his hands and offered a noncommittal shrug, refusing to explain his pricing model.
The core talent of 'Perseus' lay in her Development Ability, Mystery—a rare crafting skill essential to the big familia of Orario, possessed by a mere three individuals in the world.
"I want one!" Tsubaki lunged forward, grabbing Rayleigh's arm in a vice grip. "Hey, Rayleigh-boy, forge one of those Zanpakuto for me! I will pay the commission properly!"
She leaned in closer, pressing her chest against his arm with a suggestive grin.
"If you need extra incentive, I could even use my body..."
Rayleigh shuddered from the soft contact.
He pulled away to create some distance. "Just the money will do."
"Tsk!" Tsubaki pouted in disappointment. "How much?"
She requested a blade focused less on overwhelming combat power, hoping to negotiate a cheaper rate.
Rayleigh hesitated, doing the mental math.
He held up two fingers.
Two hundred million Valis.
The staggering figure stood at nearly double the market price of first-tier indestructible weapon. (weapon with durandal properties)
Tsubaki agreed without a second thought. As long as the price remained within her budget, she would accept the terms.
She viewed the exorbitant cost as a necessary investment to satisfy a master blacksmith's intellectual curiosity.
In that case, he knew exactly which blade to forge for her.
The Zanpakuto belonging to the Soul Society's premier damage sponge: Tobiume.
Upon Shikai release, the straight blade morphs into a seven-branched sword.
Its primary ability allows the wielder to fire explosive fireballs. At first glance, the power seems quite ordinary, unremarkable even for standard Magic.
However, its raw output demands respect.
The fiery projectiles launched by Tobiume carry the concussive force of a large-caliber tank cannon.
A single shot can reduce a sturdy stone house to rubble.
Momo Hinamori possessed limited talent and failed to refine Tobiume's Bankai.
However, Rayleigh possessed the authority to bestow Bankai potential upon forging the Shikai.
He achieved this by gifting the weapon its True Name.
Whether forging Nejibana, Engetsu, or Haineko, he laid the groundwork for Bankai in the steel.
Yet, Rayleigh left the final right of acknowledgment to the Zanpakuto spirits themselves.
He provided the True Name to ensure a smooth transition into Shikai.
But, Bankai operated on stricter rules.
The power inherent in a Bankai proved too dangerous.
Lacking the necessary temperament and physical strength, learning the name early and forcing a Bankai release would only result in severe bodily harm to the user.
...
Twenty hours passed since Evilus halted their coordinated offensive.
Morning dawned over Orario.
Outside the towering walls of the Labyrinth City, the entire amassed force of Evilus stood poised and ready, waiting in the wings for the final command.