I said I'd tell my story, but honestly, it wasn't anything grand—and yet, it was everything.
After all, I was laying out a life story accumulated over 990,000 years, filtered through nothing.
Wait, does that actually make it grand?
What have I even done in my life?
I witnessed the primordial world, and I watched the very first Hollow manifest in this universe.
I debated the survival of the world with the being who created it, and I stood by as he died.
I observed the genesis of the Three Worlds, and with my own hands, I carved out Hell as a part of that creation.
My first four disciples became the Ten Kings of Hell; my second became the Buddha; my third joined the Zero Division.
I cast the primordial Adjuchas—a beast capable of erasing the Three Worlds—into Hell and ended him.
I saved two souls who intended to walk a path of thorns atop a mountain of corpses.
And I watched as the King of the Quincies, the ultimate adversary of this world, was born.
In every one of those moments, I asked the same question.
How will you live?
Yes, that was the question I posed in every instance.
And it remains the same now.
"How will you live? Will you live a life that is chosen, or a life that chooses? Once you are born into this world, you are the sole honored one throughout Heaven and Earth. No one else can live your life for you. So at the very least, choose your own way of being."
I knew it was harsh to say such things to tools rather than people.
But the world is inherently harsh. So fight back. Will you live as a mere tool, or as an individual personality?
You could be a kitchen knife slicing vegetables, or a butcher's cleaver rending meat.
You could be a scalpel that saves lives, or a blade that takes them.
Anything is fine. Choose your master with your own will, and live by your own will.
Just because you were born as a tool doesn't mean that is your destiny.
"Well, there's likely no point saying this to kids who don't even have egos yet, but at the very least, don't forget my words."
When I finished my long tale, only about ten of them remained in their spots.
I hadn't expected much, so I was surprised there were so many. Then, three of them stood up and approached me.
As if asking me to choose them.
I told them to choose for themselves, but I didn't think three would actually come forward….
As I scratched my head in dilemma, they looked at each other and stood still for a long time.
I watched, wondering if they were communicating amongst themselves, when one of them suddenly raised a fist as if ready to fight. I let out a deep sigh.
I don't necessarily believe in fatalism, but that one definitely feels like he'll turn into a direct-combat type.
"Hey! Nimaiya! Can I take all three?"
"Hahat! You're a greedy MAN! Well, I heard a good story, so it's OK! But can you really turn all of them into Zanpakuto? Your greed might end up bullying the others for no reason."
"These are kids who thought for themselves and made a choice. It doesn't matter if they become Zanpakuto or not. I just want to respect their decision."
I said that and turned back to the three.
"What do you want to do? Like Nimaiya said, two of the three might not become Zanpakuto. If you're fine with that, and you all want to follow me, I'll take everyone."
The three looked at each other for a moment, nodded, and then two stepped back while one stood firmly before me.
They all looked identical, but I could tell the difference.
It was the one who had suddenly raised his fist earlier.
To be honest, I'm a bit disappointed I can't pull off a Three-Sword Style with one in each hand and one in my mouth, but I suppose this is natural.
The reason I asked once more was out of respect for those who chose me, not because I actually wanted to lug three of them around.
There's nothing uglier than an old man getting greedy.
And it's too cruel to be born and live an entire life without a name.
"So, it's you? The one coming with me."
A nod.
"Right. I'll be in your care."
As we exchanged a light handshake, the surrounding Asauchi vanished as if being sucked into the shadows.
Once things were settled, Nimaiya, who had been watching from above, jumped down next to me.
"To-ot!"
That shout sounded like he was about to buckle a belt and transform.
As that thought crossed my mind, Nimaiya grinned and slapped my shoulder.
"Then let's GO! The important part starts now, KA!"
"Yeah."
Following Nimaiya deeper into the basement, a majestic forge revealed itself, with a waterfall cascading inside.
"Hiding something this grand under a shabby hut. Talk about romance."
A secret base… a secret base….
Now that I think about it, that's every man's dream. Maybe I should build one too.
As I contemplated this, Nimaiya laughed loudly.
"HAHA! I don't know what to DO with all this praise, MAN!"
I curse my past self for teaching this bastard English.
Wait… if I hadn't, he'd probably be annoying me with some self-interpreted Wapanese by now….
"Now, shall we begin!! EVERYBODY!! LET'S PARTY TIME!"
As I sighed at the never-ending stream of Wapanese slang, five flashy young women suddenly swarmed out and began stomping on Nimaiya.
I wondered if this was the right description, but they were literally punching him, kicking him—it was pure chaos.
"The Nimaiya Guard has arrived!!"
"What kind of Guard beats up their own boss?"
"This… is also part of their charm, G…"
Well, if he likes it, who am I to judge?
Not wanting to get in the way of their work, I retreated to a corner to watch quietly, just like the old days.
A pink-haired brat with hands transformed into chisels fashioned the hearth and tempering tub; a red-haired one started the fire; one with a ponytail filled the water; and a twin-tailed blonde used her hair to hold the Asauchi.
Their abilities were as flashy as their hair colors.
Ugh, why is she suddenly pulling out her own tooth… whoa, a hammer.
"Doesn't pulling that tooth out hurt?"
"Not really… it grows back anyway."
"I see."
Wait? Hold on… surely. Uh-huh? Hmm….
I stood up and walked over to the red-haired girl who was standing back with her arms crossed, having finished her part.
"Hey, you know me, don't you?"
"Ah? Well… yeah. We met once before."
"I thought so."
These were the same ones present when I created the Hell of the Mountain of Needles.
No wonder they felt strangely familiar.
Tsukumogami, huh.
They must have been a great help in creating the Zanpakuto.
As I watched Nimaiya hammer away with a smirk, a voice spoke up beside me.
"Hiuchigashima Mera."
"What's that, a name? Did you give it to yourself?"
"Yeah. It's a good name, right? Signal fires and flints—*Hiuchi is my essence. And a furnace burns with a mera-mera* sound. So, Mera."
"What's the 'Gashima' for?"
"He added that on his own because 'Hiuchi Mera' sounded too plain. Even though he only ever calls me 'Mera-chan' anyway."
She clicked her tongue, though she seemed less upset about the name itself and more about the fact that he went to the trouble of giving her a surname only to ignore it.
It was a rather cute grievance, so I chuckled and shrugged.
"It's a sign of affection. Calling you by your surname is too distant, so 'Mera-chan.' Giving you a flashy full name means he values you a bit more than others."
"That guy? Well… I guess that sounds like him, though I don't recall being treated particularly special."
"Fire is the most fundamental element of smithing. Even if everything else is ready, without fire (*Hi), the work cannot be accomplished (Hiuchi*). It's probably something like that."
"To accomplish with fire (*Hiuchi)… so that's why it's Hiuchi*."
Listening to it, it really was a well-crafted name.
There was no way a guy like Nimaiya came up with something that poetic.
"The Monk gave you that name, didn't he?"
As I muttered that, Mera's eyes widened, and she let out a hollow laugh.
"They said you knew everything, and it's actually true."
"Call it logical deduction. I don't actually know everything."
"Oh? Seeing you figure things out on your own without being told, it looks like the truth from where I'm standing."
"What fun would life be if you knew everything? If that were the case, I'd have died a long time ago. If I knew a life I didn't even choose, and it was forced to happen that way, I'd rather be dead."
"That's extreme."
"It's ideal."
"Heh, you look young, but you talk like an old geezer."
"Sorry for being old. Unless you paid for my aging, kindly be quiet."
"Yeah, yeah. It looks like he's almost done, so go on."
"I should. Hup…."
I stood up and approached the Asauchi that was glowing white-hot.
The slab of metal had been transformed into the shape of a sword.
It was a Kenukigata-tachi—a style where the blade and the hilt are a single integrated piece.
Without a hilt-wrap yet, it reminded me of a prosthetic blade from a certain Soul-like game or the demonic sword from the Monogatari series.
"Do you need a Tsuka (hilt)?"
"No, this is enough for me. Even if I had one, it would just shatter the moment I put strength into my grip."
As I reached out and lifted the Asauchi, all the surrounding flames and the Spiritual Pressure in the air were sucked in.
Not into the sword, but into me.
"What…"
"Not a single drop of water evaporated…?"
"Hahat! Now this is truly SPECIAL, MAN!"
Ignoring the guards' muttering, I rested the sword on my shoulder and looked around.
Nothing had changed. Only I was different.
"Well, I guess it turns out like this after all."
I wonder if I'll even be able to achieve Shikai or Bankai.
As I inspected the newly forged Asauchi, I felt a peculiar presence.
"…Thanks for making it. I've just run into something urgent, so I'll be taking my leave."
"No need for a reward, GU! Like I said, getting to hear a good story was enough, YA."
Leaving Nimaiya behind as he waved me off, I leaped down from the Royal Palace.
A familiar Reiatsu… yes, a spiritual pressure remarkably similar to the Soul King's.
Yhwach's invasion had begun.
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