Chapter 3

My Fear doesn't require an open wound in order to enter its victim. The slightest contact with the skin allows it to dissolve and seep in. Nothing you do can defend against it. Nothing.

For every person, there are things that make them feel safe and things that evoke fear in them...

The difference is, when they enter a place of safety, they can't explain why it is they feel safe...

They can only offer a vague reason, like "It just does."

However, when they enter a place of fear, even the dullest simpleton can provide a clear reason for the fear it evokes in them.

"It's dark." "It's cold." "It's too high." "It's cramped." "It's filthy."

They can give you an entire list of fears. Because, while feelings of safety are tied to life, feelings of fear are tied to death.

Even those who can't give you reasons to live can readily provide reasons for not wanting to die.

And it's not just those creatures that possess feelings...

All living things instinctively avoid death. And what is another word for that? Fear.

Everything that possesses life, lives to avoid fear. Trains itself and strengthens itself to avoid fear and grows up learning all of the ways to avoid fear.

As long as you are alive, fear will always have an effect. There is no escaping it.

I know. And that's exactly why your Fear won't work on me.

You don't get it. It seems to have escaped you that I'm not alive right now.

What are you talking about?

Sode No Shirayuki is not a sword that emits freezing air from its tip. What it is instead...

Is a Zanpakuto that lowers the body temperature of its possessor to below freezing.

Everything it touches freezes over. The blade does nothing more than extend the range of its effect.

Don't be ridiculous. If you were to lower your body temperature to below freezing, all of your bodily functions would cease.

You wouldn't even be alive.

Exactly. I'm dead right now. You see, by carefully controlling and regulating my Reishi, I've gained the ability to temporarily kill my body.

All molecular activity within my body has ceased. That means that, even if your Fear did seep into me, it lost all of its effect the moment it touched my body.

What? That's absurd.

Minus 18 degrees Celsius. That's when the blood freezes. Even the deepest wound won't bleed.

Minus 50 degrees. The water in the ground under my feet freezes, causing an ice quake.

Minus 273.15 degrees. Absolute zero. I'll have to make this quick. I'm only able to function at this temperature for four seconds.

Minus 198 degrees... Minus 142 degrees... Minus 116... Minus 85.

It's still taking too long to undo it, to keep my body tissue from breaking down. I need more practice.