Chapter 12: Its Name

Evening at the student dormitory.

Shuhei Hizaki had just returned and was lying on his bed reading and resting. The bed next to him, where Shin usually slept, was empty.

He had no idea where Shin had gone. As the president of the Spiritual Arts Academy’s student council, it wasn’t surprising for Shin to be out on some important errand.

Shuhei didn’t ponder much on it, but as he was reading, a sudden, overwhelmingly familiar surge of spiritual pressure swept in from afar, jolting him upright on his bed.

That spiritual pressure... it was Shin’s!

As a fifth-year student at the Spiritual Arts Academy, Shuhei was adept at sensing and tracking spiritual pressure. There was no mistaking that pressure—it belonged to Shin.

Yet, the intensity was far beyond anything he had ever known.

This sudden burst of spiritual pressure caused a stir across most of the academy. Students sensed the disturbance, some recognizing whose spiritual pressure it was, while others wondered if it was a teacher or even a Soul Reaper who had unleashed it.

Shuhei frowned in thought for a moment on his bed, then set his book aside and quickly left the dormitory, heading toward the source of the spiritual pressure.

Outside the Kendo classroom.

The first to arrive was Hidezawa Minamida. Upon detecting that the spiritual pressure emanated from Shin, he hurried to the scene without delay.

It was near bedtime, and the only person likely still in the Kendo classroom was Shin, the student council president.

But when Hidezawa reached the door, the spiritual pressure inside had already subsided.

Careful sensing revealed someone was still inside.

Seeing others gathering nearby, Hidezawa hesitated briefly but then pushed the door open and stepped inside.

The spacious, silent Kendo classroom held Shin alone, sitting cross-legged in the center, a simple black short sword resting horizontally across his legs.

Hidezawa was momentarily taken aback, his eyes flickering as a realization dawned on him.

“Teacher Minamida?” Shin called out in surprise upon noticing him, a smile spreading across his face. “What brings you here?”

Hidezawa closed the classroom door behind him and said, “I should be asking you that—what’s with causing such a commotion?”

“Commotion?” Shin thought for a moment, recalling that he might have unintentionally released a burst of spiritual pressure just now.

Did that disturb a lot of people...?

After Hidezawa’s question, Shin’s aura seemed to draw inward, whether by intention or not.

Hidezawa’s expression grew serious as he gazed at the short sword before Shin.

“Tell me, have you awakened your Zanpakutō?”

Shin glanced down at the short sword and chuckled softly. “You could say that.”

“...”

Hidezawa took a deep breath. A thousand thoughts flashed through his mind, but only one word came to his lips.

“Good!”

As Shin’s teacher, Hidezawa genuinely felt immense joy at this news, though he kept his composure.

Even the so-called “genius” students rarely awakened their Zanpakutō while still at the academy. Shin’s progression was a remarkable surprise.

Compared to Hidezawa’s excitement, Shin remained calm and composed.

To him, awakening a Zanpakutō was a gradual, natural process.

The short sword before him was not his true Zanpakutō form—it was a disguise borrowed from the weapon storage. His real sword was hidden away because it looked unusual. Revealing it carelessly would attract unwanted attention.

[Spiritual Pressure Level: Lv. 18]

[Zanpakutō Unlock Progress: 12% (Half Release)]

In fact, just now by calling his sword’s true name, his unlock progress had increased slightly.

“Let’s go. Students who awaken their Zanpakutō at the academy need to be officially registered,” Hidezawa said. “Since this short sword has become your weapon, you can carry it with you from now on.”

The two exited the Kendo classroom and noticed a crowd had gathered outside—students and teachers alike.

Shuhei Hizaki and Kanizawa were among them. Shin smiled and waved at them.

“Teacher Minamida, what’s going on?” asked one of the teachers who had just arrived.

Hidezawa pulled them aside and whispered something. After hearing his explanation, the teachers all looked toward Shin with a mixture of curiosity and surprise.

“What happened?” Shuhei and Kanizawa approached Shin.

Shin gestured to the sword cradled in his arms. “Just this little thing.”

The two were momentarily stunned, then quickly caught on.

“Shin, you...”

Shin scratched his head and said, “Ah, now Teacher Minamida says I have to go register it. Such a hassle.”

“Let’s go, Shin!”

Hidezawa called out, and Shin followed him. The other students dispersed under the teachers’ guidance.

Yet the earlier spiritual pressure wave had already sparked plenty of gossip. It wasn’t hard to guess that the student council president, Shin Tachikawa, had awakened his Zanpakutō. News of this quickly spread throughout the academy.

Hidezawa led Shin to the teachers’ office and asked him to wait. After about ten minutes, two of the academy’s senior instructors arrived with him.

“Student Tachikawa.”

Shin recognized them as senior teachers.

“So this is your Zanpakutō now?” one asked, pointing to the sword in Shin’s arms.

Shin nodded lightly.

The two exchanged glances before one spoke.

“It’s exceedingly rare for a student at the Spiritual Arts Academy to possess their own Zanpakutō... As expected of the student council president. No wonder the principal holds you in such high regard. Congratulations, Student Tachikawa.”

A smile broke out on Hidezawa’s face as well.

One teacher pulled out a notebook, while the other began questioning.

“Could you please explain in detail your Zanpakutō’s name and abilities?”

They intended to document every Soul Reaper’s Zanpakutō. Besides Shin’s explanation, they would likely ask him to demonstrate his Zanpakutō’s powers.

Shin looked down at the sword in his arms. Its appearance was that of an ordinary short sword—he hadn’t even disguised it. Fortunately, Zanpakutō took countless forms, so any shape was plausible.

As for its abilities... how to put it...

He pondered for a moment, then spoke softly.

“It’s called...”

“Here and Beyond!”