Thread:ShonenChicoBoy/@comment-25456115-20150126135756/@comment-18812574-20150127033622

WELL OKAY THEN...

Besides the fact that you two knuckleheads have been arguing on my wall all day... *ahem*.

I think, as Sei has said numerous times in the past, you seem to be over-thinking this. This isn't science, biology, chemistry, what-not. This is a SHIKAI. A Shikai is what, the release of a Zanpakuto. What's a Zanpakuto? The extension of the wielder's soul. Therefore, ANY Shikai ability, at its core, should work on a SOUL level, not a "cellular" level. Of course that is a huge over generalization. OF COURSE a Shikai can have affect on both the spiritual and "physical." Example a: Zanpakuto cuts Hollow. Not only is their body bisected, but their soul is purged.

Now then, let's break this down to what we've seen in canon:

1. Sui-Feng stabs an opponent.

2. A butterfly-shaped pattern appears as a target on the body of the opponent, where she first struck them.

3. If she strikes that same spot, they will die, apparently from their body being destroyed by that butterfly-shaped pattern.

Now, here is the stuff from Bleach wiki that actually has the references:

"If struck in the same spot that was hit the first time, the person will inevitably die, and thus illustrate "Death in Two Steps." "

Right, we've established this.

"The mechanics behind Suzumebachi's ability take effect not through the point of entry, but rather the point of actual surface contact. "

Right right, this was seen when she fought Ggio Vega: she stabbed the lung twice, not the chest twice or whatever.

"When the ability takes effect, a larger crest quickly spreads out from the two smaller ones, completely destroying the victim's body. "

Fine and dandy. HERE'S where it gets interesting:

"The crests are maintained by Suì-Fēng's will, and are impossible to remove unless she wills it; when Yoruichi was still in charge of the Onmitsukidō, Suì-Fēng could only maintain the crests for half an hour. "

So here's my take on it: the crest simply acts as a target, but it also acts as a "prime." It is the original crest that serves as the trigger, but it doesn't activate until it is stabbed by the Suzumebachi a second time. The crest is maintained by Sui-Feng's will, and her will is what guides the Suzumebachi to its target. Once the crest is actually triggered by the Reiryoku (I assume) of the second hit, a reaction occurs, working to destroy the enemy's body, from the point of contact outwards. Yes, this is why it takes on the form of the crest, as that is the last remaining sign as the Suzumebachi works to dissolve, consume, or destroy the body of the victim. Whether that destruction comes via an incredibly fast-acting poison (more like a dissolving acid, in my mind, along the chemical reaction route) or by some other method, is not explained in canon, and is probably whatever is most logical considering the effects. Keep in mind too that what we saw with Ggio was simply because he was a Hollow. Zanpakuto “dissolve” Hollow anyway, so we can’t conclude anything concretely based off of that.

And if you're wondering about the thing with Aizen: "However, for a target of superior Reiatsu, such as Sōsuke Aizen, the crest can be forcefully removed. "

So yeah, he was just Aizen, I guess, that's why it didn't work cause I mean, come one... she stabbed Yoruichi and Yoruichi still had to dodge. Anyway...

At that point, things get a bit sketchy as the anime seems to fall off the bandwagon, but considering the LEVEL to which it was changed, perhaps we can safely say Kubo DID have significant input. But that is beside the point. The only mention in the manga of "venom" was in the name of the Zanpakuto itself: Suzumebachi.