Marvel: The Imposter Inventor

Chapter 389 Import it, Core Key!

"Could you demonstrate your initial form?"

Luca was stunned for a moment after the dean said those words.

It's important to know that Zanpakuto are one of the most important combat methods for Shinigami. Although many Shinigami's 'straight-cut type' Zanpakuto don't have anything special about their Shikai at all.

Those Shinigami who have special abilities in their initial release often like to explain their moves to their enemies before a battle.

However, if one chooses to conceal the Zanpakuto's abilities, one can often use them as a crucial trump card to gain the upper hand.

This is taken as a prerequisite.

Even though the question was posed by the Dean of the Shinigami Academy, it seemed somewhat presumptuous and inappropriate.

However, the dean was clearly aware that what he said could easily be misunderstood.

Seeing Luca's stunned expression, he immediately spoke again to explain.

"That's right. According to the rules of the Shinigami Academy, students who master Shikai during their studies can choose to graduate early and join the Gotei 13."

"Therefore, I need to confirm that you have indeed successfully completed the initial release."

If it were an ordinary student, the dean, who was also the administrator of the True Spiritual Arts Academy, obviously wouldn't bother to explain anything.

Although his position as dean was not as high as that of the official 13th Division captain, he had still cultivated a large number of core members of the Shinigami, and was actually no worse than those vice-captains.

However, when facing a promising student like Luca, his attitude can be described as gentle and kind.

"Don't worry, if your Zanpakuto has a special ability, you only need to show that you can Shikai, you don't need to tell me about your ability."

Having understood what the other party meant, Luca's eyes darted around, and he immediately put on a smiling face and spoke in a very respectful tone.

"It's alright, Dean. After all, one has to use a Zanpakuto eventually, and there's really no need to hide its abilities."

Having said that, Luca drew his rather short and exquisite Zanpakuto directly from his waist.

He gently stroked the blade with his palm and murmured to himself.

"Import it, Core Key!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a flash of red light appeared on the short knife in Luca's hand.

Immediately afterwards, the originally unremarkable blade began to change.

After the red light dissipated, the black longsword that had appeared in Luca's mind was now in his hand.

However, unlike what was originally seen in the phenomenal world, the patterns on the black blade were now emitting a dark red light.

Of course, the dean and sword instructor present were unaware of the difference; they simply examined the futuristic-looking longsword in Luca's hand.

After completing his initial release, Luca did not choose to hide it and directly explained.

"My Zanpakuto's Shikai is called 'Core Key,' so it should be considered a Kido-type Zanpakuto, as long as it has power."

As he spoke, Luca plunged the longsword in his hand into the desk in front of him. The tip of the sword, which resembled a chip connector, seemed to be a phantom projection as it went straight into the desktop.

At the same time, Luca began chanting a demonic incantation.

"The fourth binding technique—this rope!"

The next instant, the red patterns on the sword rapidly shifted, as if some kind of power was being injected directly into the desk. After Luca pulled the key out again, there wasn't even a scratch on the desk; it seemed completely unchanged.

Then, Luca looked at the two people standing to the side, their faces filled with expectation and confusion. After hesitating for a moment, he spoke to his swordsmanship instructor.

"Ms. Sugii, why don't you touch it?"

"??"

The swordsmanship instructor, named Sugii Shota, looked at Luca with a face full of question marks.

However, after Dean Yamada cast an approving and affirming glance at him, he could only obediently reach out and touch the seemingly ordinary desk in front of him.

The next moment, the instant his fingers touched the table.

A golden, rope-like light immediately surged from inside the table and quickly wrapped around Sugii Shota's body.

Even though he had a vague idea based on Luca's previous actions and had the thought of dodging, he was still tightly bound by the rapidly approaching light rope.

He stumbled and fell face-first onto the dean's desk.

Of course, Shota Sugii was, after all, an excellent teacher at the Shinigami Academy, and Luca hadn't used much spiritual power to release this binding spell.

He only unleashed a slight burst of spiritual pressure, which shattered the golden light chains around his body, allowing him to stand up again.

Seeing this, Luca slightly turned his head away, not looking at Sugii Shota whose face was full of black lines, and continued to explain.

"My core key can be inserted to inject my own spiritual power or ghostly power into the target. This ability can either set the target as a triggered ghostly trap or directly cause the ghostly power or spiritual power to erupt inside the target itself."

"However, breaking through the passage would inevitably damage the room, so it's not convenient to display it here."

After saying that, Luca sheathed his Zanpakuto and simply looked at Dean Yamada quietly.

"Excellent! Excellent! It's well-rounded in both offense and defense! It's a very good Kido-type Zanpakuto!"

"I've heard other teachers say before that you have an outstanding talent in Kido. Now it seems that this Zanpakuto's abilities are like adding wings to a tiger for you."

Dean Yamada nodded approvingly, a look of satisfaction on his face, as if he could already see Luca shining brightly in the Gotei 13 in the future.

Actually, what Dean Yamada said wasn't really an exaggeration.

Despite the flashy and elaborate Zanpakuto in the original work, most of the Shinigami in the Seireitei who have successfully mastered Shikai actually possess Zanpakuto that are primarily of the 'straight-cut type'.

After a Zanpakuto is released, it not only lacks any special abilities, but its shape often changes, forcing the Zanpakuto's owner to learn a completely new weapon combat style.

It's also thanks to the long lifespan of Shinigami that they have plenty of time to refine their skills. Otherwise, the fact that they can't properly use their conventional swordsmanship after decades of training after Shikai would be enough to make many Shinigami so frustrated that they would vomit blood.

In reality, the greatest boost that Shikai usually brings to Shinigami is actually the most basic increase in spiritual pressure.

This makes Luca's Zanpakuto, which can both set up traps at will and cause internal damage to the enemy during attacks to enhance its power, particularly impressive.

Even disregarding the incantation of the demonic path, the damage caused by the infusion of spiritual energy alone is quite considerable.

However, after expressing his satisfaction and praise, Dean Yamada immediately changed the subject, asking with a mix of trepidation and anticipation.

"As mentioned before, students who successfully master Shikai during their time at school can apply for graduation early and join the Gotei 13."

"I don't know, Luca, what are your own plans regarding this?"

(End of this chapter)