Naruto: Copy System#741+742: You Think My Zanpakuto is Weak? The Forest of Menos

Kyōraku Shunsui had been insisting on finding Captain Unohana, but Jūshirō Ukitake’s single warning that interrupting her might get him killed was enough to shut him down.

"Hahaha, you know, I think the other members of the 4th Division are excellent healers too."

Kyōraku let out a loud, not-at-all-awkward laugh, then leaned in to whisper to Ukitake.

“Jūshirō, what do you think? Are Captain Unohana and Shin really a couple? They’re so close, and I heard she was the one who brought him to the Seireitei from the Rukongai in the first place.”

“Kyōraku, we’re in the 4th Division. If you value your life, I suggest you keep your voice down. If someone overhears you gossiping here, things won't end well for you.”

Ukitake gave his friend a well-intentioned warning.

Kyōraku flinched and quickly glanced around, only to see a 4th Division member staring at them with wide eyes.

"Don't worry, I didn't see a thing! I know nothing about... your relationship!"

After blurting that out, the 4th Division member fled as if his life depended on it.

Kyōraku and Ukitake exchanged a puzzled look, then realized they were standing a little too close.

Had they been misunderstood??

"It's over. My reputation is in tatters," Kyōraku wailed dramatically, collapsing to the ground in mock despair. "I'll never find a beautiful woman to share a drink with again."

Ukitake remained stone-faced. 'If anyone's reputation is on the line here, it’s mine.'

'Right, I should probably keep my distance from Kyōraku from now on. I can’t afford these kinds of rumors,' Ukitake thought to himself.

————————

Shin had no idea what was happening on their end. Kyōraku’s guess, however, had been spot on—Unohana was indeed still in the 4th Division barracks. She had simply given orders not to be disturbed, leaving the healing to others, which was why her squad members had claimed she wasn't there.

“That ten-kilometer stretch of scorched desert earlier—that was your doing, wasn’t it?” Unohana asked Shin.

“Yeah. I ran into three Adjuchas. Unfortunately, I killed them too quickly to get any information about the Vasto Lordes.”

Shin wore an expression of genuine regret. If he hadn’t finished them off so fast, he could have learned more about the highest class of Hollows.

"..."

“Only you could sound disappointed after single-handedly dealing with three Adjuchas,” Unohana remarked. Even she would have had to put in some effort to take down three at once.

“By the way, was your Zanpakuto really in its Shikai state??” Unohana asked, a question she had been meaning to ask for a while.

"No."

Shin drew his Zanpakuto, a standard Asauchi, and set it down. The red patterns that had appeared on it vanished instantly. Unohana picked it up and examined it—it was just an ordinary, unreleased blade.

"I copied Captain-Commander Yamamoto’s power. That includes his Zanpakuto."

Shin was tempted to demonstrate, but considering they were in the 4th Division barracks, he thought better of it. If he really unleashed Ryujin Jakka, its terrifying power would probably reduce the entire compound to ashes. And that was just the Shikai—if he used Zanka no Tachi, the consequences would be unthinkable, and the disturbance impossible to hide.

“You… YOU COPIED CAPTAIN-COMMANDER YAMAMOTO’S ZANPAKUTO?” Unohana’s face was a mask of shock.

As one of the oldest Soul Reapers, she was one of the few who knew the true power of Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni’s Bankai.

"It seems I no longer need to worry about your safety."

Unohana was now completely at ease. With a copy of the old man’s power, Shin could tear through Hueco Mundo without any trouble.

“However, you should keep this ability to copy others a secret. It could bring you a great deal of trouble if it gets out,” Unohana advised.

"It's fine. As long as I'm strong enough, no one can touch me."

Shin's expression was calm. He wasn't afraid of others finding out. With his strength, he had no fear of anyone scheming against him. It would just be a bit of a nuisance.

“By the way, did you copy my power?” Unohana asked with a curious smile.

“No, I haven’t.” Shin shook his head.

Unohana’s smile remained, but her voice was laced with a chilling sweetness. "Why not? You think my Zanpakuto is weak?"

Despite the gentle smile on her face, Shin felt a sudden cold dread.

"Not at all. Your Zanpakuto is quite strong..."

He wasn't about to call her blade weak. Its Shikai could kill an enemy with a single cut, and its Bankai was the strongest healing-type ability in existence. It just wasn't something Shin was desperate to have, especially since it would cost him a Divine Replication Card.

“Then why not? Do you think I'm beneath you?” Unohana was still smiling, but Shin could feel the full weight of her unspoken threat.

Shin was speechless. 'Shouldn't this be a good thing for you? Who actually wants someone else to have their exact same power?' He knew that if two Soul Reapers manifested the same Zanpakuto, only one was allowed to live.

It was rare, but it happened, like with Toshiro Hitsugaya and Sojiro Kusaka, who both possessed Hyorinmaru. Kusaka, a tragic figure, was secretly executed after losing a duel to Hitsugaya, only to be resurrected as a Hollow and defeated by him again.

“Copying an ability isn’t something I can do on a whim. There are… conditions,” Shin explained, knowing he had to de-escalate.

“Is that so.” Unohana nodded. Of course, copying someone’s power wouldn't come without a price.

After chatting for a while longer, Shin left the 4th Division and returned to the 2nd Division barracks. Since the mission in Hueco Mundo was under the 2nd Division’s jurisdiction, he couldn't just abandon his post as Vice-Captain. He took his responsibilities seriously.

“Shin, tomorrow we’re leaving the barracks and advancing toward the Forest of Menos. Our primary objective is to clear out the Hollows there,” Kiyotaka Shīhōin informed Shin as soon as he returned.

<><><><><><><><>

Their mission in Hueco Mundo was to clear out the Hollows, specifically those in the Forest of Menos. Eighty percent of the Hollows appearing in the World of the Living came from this forest. It was a nesting ground for Gillians and weaker Hollows—powerful Adjuchas, let alone Vasto Lordes, were rarely seen there. However, the sheer number of Gillians made it a significant threat to all Soul Reapers.

The next morning, all the squads set out together, including the 4th Division. They couldn't leave the medical division behind, vulnerable to a sneak attack. If anything happened to the 4th Division, their medical support would be cut off.

"Captain Shīhōin, isn't this a bit overly cautious?" Shin said, glancing at the extremely vigilant Kiyotaka.

“We can’t be too careful, Shin. A single mistake could have serious consequences.”

Kiyotaka released his spiritual pressure, meticulously scanning the area for any potential Hollows.

Shin had already scouted the area and knew there was no immediate threat. When it came to sensory abilities, he was in a league of his own. Hiding from him was next to impossible.

They had expected an ambush along the way, but after half a month of travel, they had encountered nothing of the sort. They did, however, eliminate a significant number of Hollows—mostly ordinary ones and a few Gillians.

"There's no shortage of cannon fodder here."

Shin cut down a Gillian with a single slash. He had already killed hundreds of them since arriving in Hueco Mundo.

“Clean and efficient, as always. You seem to have gotten stronger, Shin.”

Kiyotaka couldn't help but comment. In Hueco Mundo, Shin was gradually starting to show his true power. When anyone asked how his strength was improving so rapidly, the explanation was simple: he was getting stronger through constant battle.

No one would press the issue—prying into how someone else grew stronger was a line you didn't cross.

“Training in Hueco Mundo is very effective.” Shin said with a nod.

Kiyotaka gave a wry smile. While it was true that fighting made you stronger, he had never seen anyone improve as fast as Shin. He suspected Shin’s strength had already surpassed his own. It was just a guess, but he felt it wasn't far from the truth.

As they reached the Forest of Menos, Shin stopped, his gaze fixed on the forest ahead.

'So that's where you've been hiding. A Vasto Lorde in the Forest of Menos…'

The moment he arrived, Shin sensed a terrifying spiritual pressure—the most powerful Hollow presence he had ever encountered.

“Captain Shīhōin, don’t go any further. There’s an ambush ahead,” Shin said, turning to Kiyotaka.

"What??"

Kiyotaka stopped in his tracks and pulled out a Hollow-detecting device. After a quick scan, it confirmed Shin's warning.

"Thank god for your warning, Shin. If not for you, we would have walked right into another ambush."

Kiyotaka breathed a sigh of relief and immediately went to inform the other captains. An ambush in the Forest of Menos meant that a large number of Hollows knew they were coming.

The other captains gathered to discuss the situation.

"I have a bad feeling about this. The Forest of Menos holds a great danger," Chōjirō Sasakibe said gravely.

"Perhaps a Vasto Lorde-class Hollow is hiding here."

"That's impossible. The Forest of Menos doesn't even have Adjuchas," one of the captains argued.

"Nothing is impossible. What if it came here specifically to ambush us? That's a very real possibility," Chōjirō said, his hand resting on his Zanpakuto.

"Many Adjuchas originated from the Forest of Menos. It's not out of the question that they would return. We should proceed with caution."

After some discussion, they decided to scout the Forest of Menos before launching a full-scale assault.

The Forest of Menos was located underground, deep within Hueco Mundo. No one knew what dangers lay buried beneath the surface.

"I'll go!" Kiyotaka volunteered. He was confident he could escape even if he encountered danger.

"Alright. Be careful," Chōjirō nodded. If anyone could survive, it was Kiyotaka. In terms of Flash Step, no one could surpass him. Combined with the Shīhōin Clan's Shunko, he could unleash incredible speed and power in a short burst.

Kiyotaka went to scout the Forest of Menos alone, while Shin was left in temporary command of the 2nd Division members.

"Set up a perimeter. Report any Hollow sightings immediately. Do not engage," Shin ordered his squad.

"Yes, sir."

The 2nd Division members spread out, forming a defensive line. The other squads did the same.

"I have a bad feeling about this."

Chōjirō’s eyes were filled with worry as he drew his Zanpakuto.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!

The ground exploded, revealing a vast underground space. Countless Hollows swarmed out from below.

Kiyotaka reappeared, his clothes tattered, and collapsed the moment he returned. He was critically injured. Seeing his condition, Chōjirō took a deep breath and immediately called for Unohana. If his injuries weren't treated immediately, Kiyotaka would die.

Unohana released her Bankai, and Minazuki, a massive, one-eyed, manta ray-like creature, appeared. It swallowed the critically injured Kiyotaka whole.

"His life should be safe, but he will likely be left with permanent injuries," Unohana said. Kiyotaka's wounds were too severe for even her Zanpakuto to heal completely.

"You really didn't disappoint me. You actually came."

A figure over two meters tall appeared, a white mask covering his face. He had a Hollow hole in his arm and was clad in black armor, exuding a terrifying presence.

“A Vasto Lorde.” Unohana’s expression grew serious for the first time.

At the same time, a massive number of Hollows began to surround them from all sides. The Vasto Lorde had taken control of all the Hollows in the Forest of Menos.

"It’s been a while since I’ve had a taste of a Soul Reaper. And here you are, serving yourselves up on a platter," the Vasto Lorde said, his tone dripping with cold indifference.

“Just one Vasto Lorde, and he's this full of himself? I’m not impressed...” Shin said, unimpressed by the newcomer.