Rayleigh had revealed only half the truth.
Normally, a Zanpakuto's shape, state, and abilities are determined by the Shinigami's own soul.
But for Rayleigh, that system was bypassed.
His Skill, Soul Blade, allowed him not only to forge the Zanpakuto but also to name them and define their powers.
Ruri'iro Kujaku was one such weapon he had custom-built using this ability.
Typically, a Shinigami would need to do Jinzen for years to discover their Zanpakuto's name.
Rayleigh, however, simply provided the name to his clients directly.
After all, few would pay an astronomical sum for a featureless Asauchi.
Of course, while the Zanpakuto's name was handed to them, the extent of its actual power still depended on the wielder's ability to understand and connect with the weapon's spirit.
If the Zanpakuto was satisfied with its master, everything functioned smoothly.
If their compatibility was poor, the blade's power would be lackluster.
In reality, as long as their fundamental beliefs weren't diametrically opposed, Zanpakuto remained fiercely loyal to their masters.
Unless the blade was exceptionally rebellious—in which case Rayleigh would simply remodel it.
With continued practice of this Skill, he could eventually construct Zanpakuto entirely from scratch, designing and forging them however he pleased.
In essence, his potential far exceeded that of Oetsu Nimaiya, he was not merely an imitator.
"Can you really communicate with weapons?" Shakti suddenly asked, interrupting the conversation.
Ardi pouted, clearly displeased. "Nee-san, didn't I tell you? I really can communicate with Nejibana!"
Rayleigh answered the question directly.
"A Zanpakuto and its master are one. It possesses a soul, emotions, and sentience just like humans. However, only those whose souls are connected to it can hear its voice."
With that, Rayleigh unfastened the two blades at his waist and laid them flat on the table.
"Haineko, would you like to greet Shakti-san?"
Clang.
Haineko slipped slightly from its scabbard.
The mist that formed from the blade drifted across the wood, transforming into a row of neat text.
[Hello, Shakti.]
Shakti eyed the message suspiciously.
She knew Rayleigh could manipulate dust, making it difficult to discern whether this was the sword's doing or just his own Magic.
Suddenly, Rayleigh tapped his forehead.
He reached his hands out across the table. "You two, hold my hands and relax your minds."
Hearing this, they complied without argument. Grasping their hands, Rayleigh focused his mind, establishing a connection with Haineko.
The next moment, Shakti felt a powerful gust of wind.
Her eyes snapped open, and she found herself standing at the bottom of a deep canyon.
'How... is this possible?'
She quickly glanced beside her and saw Ardi beaming with excitement.
Relieved to see her sister safe, Shakti breathed a sigh of relief.
Then, Rayleigh's voice echoed from above.
"Welcome to my and Haineko's inner world."
Shakti looked up.
There, hovering several meters above the ground, was Rayleigh.
And floating beside him was...
A Catgirl?
Haineko drifted down to Shakti, flashing a smirk. "Now we can finally greet each other face-to-face, Shakti."
"You... who are you?"
"I'm Haineko, Rayleigh-sama Zanpakuto, and the very first Zanpakuto ever created in this world! By the way, that narcissistic peacock over there is only the third one, nya."
In their inner world, Haineko—now possessing a physical form—twirled her finger.
A fierce wind instantly swept through the canyon.
Shakti felt a tremendous force press against her, and then her body lightened as she began to float upward.
Ardi, also rising into the air, looked absolutely ecstatic.
"Wow, we're flying! This is amazing!"
The four of them soared above the canyon, gazing down at the breathtaking scenery below.
"When your Jinzen meditation reaches a certain depth, the wielder can pull their consciousness into their inner world and communicate with their Zanpakuto face-to-face," Rayleigh explained.
"They can learn from their Zanpakuto, or even develop unique techniques together."
After his brief explanation, Rayleigh and Haineko began sparring.
They danced through the air like two free-spirited shooting stars, chasing one another and clashing dynamically in mid-air.
Shakti watched in stunned silence, utterly captivated by the spectacle.
"He's amazing, isn't he, Sister?" Ardi exclaimed, watching Rayleigh train with his Zanpakuto before turning to Shakti.
"I wonder when I'll get to spar with Nejibana like that," she mused, her face bright with anticipation.
Seeing her eager expression, Shakti nodded.
'Absolutely amazing.'
She wanted to use stronger words to convey her awe, but her mind was too overwhelmed by the wonder of it all to articulate anything else.
...
After a moment, the three of them opened their eyes, pulling out of the inner world.
The moment they snapped back to reality, a passerby behind Rayleigh muttered, "Take your public displays of affection somewhere else, pretty boy! Two-timing is bad enough, but with sisters? Give me a break!"
'Cough, cough.'
Rayleigh smoothly withdrew his hands, clearing his throat to mask the awkwardness.
Despite the verbal jab, he felt surprisingly little anger.
In fact, he kind of respected the stranger's reaction.
Ardi's face flushed crimson as she ducked her head.
Shakti, meanwhile, stared intently toward the kitchen, acting as if the swinging doors were the most fascinating thing in the room.
Considering her age, the blush was pure embarrassment rather than girlish shyness!
"Ahem. I should apologize for doubting you earlier, Rayleigh," Shakti said, straightening her posture.
"You are without a doubt a rare and exceptional blacksmith. Out of everyone I've met, your potential is truly extraordinary."
She had witnessed the Zanpakuto's power firsthand in that inner world.
If he could master it to that extent, he would become one of the most formidable figures in Orario.
The thought of commissioning Rayleigh to forge a Zanpakuto for herself naturally crossed her mind.
But for the first time, she felt uncertain about her financial resources.
A blade like that could never be bought for a mere fifty million Valis.
Ardi was truly fortunate.
Nejibana had to be the only Zanpakuto Rayleigh had ever sold.
There were only three of these blades in all of Orario.
The realization struck Shakti instantly: Zanpakuto were priceless treasures, true weapons beyond measure.
Rayleigh, who had arrived in the city less than a month ago, was bound to become a blacksmith revered throughout the entire world as a God of Sword.
Shakti held off on bringing up a custom order for the time being.
The three of them chatted over their meal, discussing past experiences, hobbies, and everyday matters.
But Rayleigh knew Shakti wouldn't let an opportunity like this slip away.
Forging a weapon for the Captain of the Ganesha Familia wasn't just financially lucrative, it was a living advertisement worth hundreds of millions.
Moreover, the Ganesha Familia would be front and center in the upcoming grand conflict, ensuring they would accumulate plenty of Great Feats.
He couldn't help but feel a twinge of regret that the power displayed by his Zanpakuto hadn't impressed someone with Riveria's veteran eyes.
Although her lack of familiarity with Zanpakuto played a role, the raw power exhibited by Haineko and Ruri'iro Kujaku likely appeared to Riveria as little more than parlor tricks.
This was the Age of Gods.
In a world where actual Gods walked among mortals, achieving fame was no easy feat.
Warriors hailed as great heroes in foreign kingdoms were reduced to mere foot soldiers here.
Perhaps out of politeness, Riveria hadn't inquired about his Skills.
He had secretly hoped she would ask about the Zanpakuto out of pure curiosity.
'Sigh.'
If it had been Ais, she would have pestered him relentlessly with questions!
But Nine Hell wouldn't bite.
...
After finishing their meal, Shakti paid the bill, which came to 3,300 Valis.
"Thank you for your patronage, nya~"
"Rayleigh, you mentioned you're training in the dungeon to accumulate excelia to level up?" Shakti asked.
Rayleigh didn't deny it, that was definitely one of his goals.
"To further refine my Zanpakuto forging skills, I need greater personal strength."
Hearing this, Ardi recalled how exhausted Rayleigh had looked after forging Nejibana.
Looking back, she felt guilty for not personally escorting him home that day.
"In that case, why don't you team up with Ardi?" Shakti suggested.
"With Ardi?"
The moment Rayleigh heard the proposal, his mind began to calculate the possibilities.
Honestly, why stop there?
Perhaps he should form an entire strike team!
A squad composed entirely of Zanpakuto users would be incredibly strong in the Dungeon.
They could even make a name for themselves—maybe call it the Espada?
"But I'm only Level 1, and Ardi is a Second-Class Adventurer, right?"
"True, but to be honest, the power gap between Ardi with her Zanpakuto and the rest of her party has grown too wide," Shakti admitted with a hint of frustration.
Picture an Adventurer with an attack power comparable to a high-tier Level 3, capable of casting water magic continuously without an incantation.
Such a combatant was simply operating on a different plane of power compared to ordinary Level 2 Adventurers.
With Ardi on the field, she was the only active combatant, the rest of her Familia members were essentially reduced to support personnel.
Even so, Rayleigh couldn't let Ardi explore alone—that was far too dangerous.
Unless they found another anomaly like her to back her up.
"Um, Rayleigh, would you actually want to team up with me?" Ardi asked nervously.
'Well, here we are.'
Rayleigh had no intention of refusing anyway, so their party was officially formed.
For now, it consisted of just the two of them.
Rayleigh figured they needed at least one solid support member.
Just as he was pondering this, Ardi spoke up. "Rayleigh, do you think our team needs more members?"
'Hmm?'
"Do you have someone in mind?"
"Actually, the Ganesha Familia and the Astraea Familia are close allies. I have a few friends over there—oh, and they're also Level 2. I can completely vouch for their strength!"
'The Astraea Familia?' Rayleigh mused.
'I met them once before, but haven't seen them since.'
'That Familia certainly has promising potential.'
"Understood. Since they're your friends, I'll ask you to extend the invitation. If they're interested, we'll set up a time to test our teamwork in the Dungeon."
"Okay, leave it to me!"
Seeing Rayleigh agree, Ardi's face lit up with a bright smile.
After bidding each other farewell, Rayleigh returned to the Hephaestus Familia base and headed straight to the training grounds.
For the blacksmiths, this place served more as a weapon-testing area than a true training ground.
Rayleigh had come here to experiment with his Kidō.
Previously, with his low stats, he could only utilize single-digit Kidō spells.
Now that his Magic stat had increased and his spiritual pressure carried far more weight, he should be able to unlock a wider range of his arsenal.
He needed to master them as soon as possible.