Makoto didn't hesitate.
The key to surviving this was exponential growth, and his Zanpakutō was the ultimate catalyst for power.
He had a brief reprieve from the Hollowfication deadline; he needed to turn that time into power, immediately.
Immediately Makoto gripped the hilt of his unnamed Zanpakutō.
It felt like a standard, unadorned katana—the default state of a Shinigami's weapon.
He closed his eyes, focusing his entire being on the weapon, the System notification flashing vividly behind his eyelids.
He mentally commanded:
"Awaken!"
A rush of spiritual energy flooded the blade, traveling up his arm and resonating deep within his soul.
The dungeon surroundings vanished, and he found himself in a deep, echoing void—his inner world.
A deep, resonating voice, ancient and echoing, filled the darkness.
"So, the fragile mind has finally found its strength. Kurotsuchi Makoto. You seek my name, you seek my power. You seek to escape the fate of the doomed."
Before him, a being coalesced from the darkness.
It was a shifting, abstract shape—a mass of churning intellect and geometric forms, occasionally taking on the fleeting appearance of a rusted quill or a shattered lens.
It was a manifestation of pure, analytical power.
Makoto's Gamer's Mind MAX held firm, preventing any fear, but his high INT allowed him to immediately grasp the entity's nature.
This wasn't a spirit of combat; it was a weapon of knowledge.
"I seek the name of my power, to secure my survival,"
Makoto stated, his voice steady.
"I have no time for tests or riddles. Give me the name, and the conditions of our partnership."
The entity chuckled, a sound like dry paper rattling.
"Direct. I expected nothing less from one whose soul-core is a library. My name is Shikkan Tōki (The Analysis Engine). The conditions are simple: Use your mind first. Analyze the enemy, calculate the best approach, and my power will execute the function. I am the tool of the intellect, the perfect extension of your observation and calculation."
The shifting form solidified into a sleek, matte black blade.
It was not ornate, but impossibly precise, etched with faint, glowing lines that pulsed with light.
Makoto reached out and took the hilt.
[ZANPAKUTŌ BONDING COMPLETE!]
[Shikai unlocked: Shikkan Tōki (The Analysis Engine)]
Makoto held the blade. The rush of power was immediate and intoxicating.
The System helpfully updated his Skill tab:
===Skill===
...
7. Zanpakutō (Shikai): Shikkan Tōki (The Analysis Engine) LVL 1 (Active)
Command: "Analyze the defect, Shikkan Tōki."
Effect: Transforms the blade into a sleek, matte-black weapon of Pure Spiritual Data. When it strikes a target, it transmits a highly concentrated burst of Reishi data into the enemy's spiritual structure.
Calculated Hit (Passive): All damage dealt by the Shikai is multiplied by the target's current weakness level (discovered via Observe). Minimum 1.5x damage.
Data Disruption (Active): Upon activation (MP Cost: 10), the next strike will temporarily disrupt a low-level enemy's spiritual structure, causing Confusion or a Temporary Stat Reduction (equivalent to 10% of their base value) for 3 turns.
…
Makoto materialized back into the dungeon street, the new blade feeling perfectly balanced and humming with subtle power.
His Shikai was not flashy, but it was analytical—the perfect complement to his high INT.
The combination of Observe (to find the weakness) and Shikkan Tōki (to exploit it) meant his low base Pow stat was suddenly irrelevant.
Makoto was now armed with his Shikai but has nearly depleted his consumables (4 Soul Candy, 0 Healing Potions, Reiatsu Scroll effect gone).
The Minor Hollow Outpost was still available, and Phase 2 of the Quest is about to activate.
The System immediately chimed, upgrading the mission.
[QUEST UPDATED: THE GREAT ESCAPE (PHASE 2)]
Objective: Achieve Level 10.
Goal: Maximize immediate power gain to acquire a durable escape route.
New Location: [Intermediate Dungeon: Arrancar Research Ward - Quarantine] was now available.
Reward: Survival. Permanent access to Shikai Release. Unlock of a System Transport Key.
Penalty for Failure: Extinction.
The new portal appeared next to the existing Minor Hollow Outpost.
This one shimmered with cold, sterile white light and felt like a focused beam of Reiatsu.