That night, Ichigo once again staggered out of Soi Fon's office, barely supporting himself.
This script doesn't feel right at all!
Why did he get pushed down again?
And he, Kurosaki Ichigo—already a Captain-level Shinigami—still couldn't overpower someone like Soi Fon with pure physical strength?
Looks like he still wasn't training hard enough…
Ichigo thought wistfully.
"There's no barren land, only overworked oxen!"
That phrase couldn't be more true!
After all, having to 'deal' with both Retsu and Soi Fon within the same day was definitely pushing things.
After two full days of getting dragged around, Ichigo was finally able to take Rukia and Senna back to the World of the Living.
If he stayed in Soul Society any longer, he'd probably be drained dry…
Finally back home, Ichigo collapsed into his bed and fell asleep in bliss.
But it didn't last long. The older Zangetsu and Hollow Ichigo soon pulled him into his inner world.
"Hey, Ichigo. Did you hear that?" the older Zangetsu asked, staring at him.
"Yeah, Ichigo. That voice was loud and clear. You couldn't have missed it," Hollow Ichigo chimed in.
"Hear what? Was it your voices?" Ichigo asked, puzzled.
"I see... so you didn't hear it. Then forget it," the older Zangetsu raised a hand, stopping Hollow Ichigo from explaining further.
Ichigo was completely lost. Why had old man Zangetsu suddenly started talking in riddles?
—
Soul Society.
The Kasumiōji Clan, now under the control of Kasumiōji Rurichiyo, had become a vassal house of the Kuchiki Clan.
Although they lost some business due to the zanpakutō rebellion incident, their weapon-crafting expertise still held great value—especially for those who couldn't release their zanpakutō.
After all, even achieving shikai put one in the realm of genius!
Let's put it this way: if you transmigrated into the Bleach world and achieved shikai, that alone could earn you a seat officer position in the Gotei 13!
That rank was equivalent to a lower noble—already a very prestigious status.
So for those unable to unlock their zanpakutō, the Kasumiōji Clan's weapons were still quite valuable.
Now, having brought the Kasumiōji Clan under control, Byakuya was showcasing the strength of Squad 6 to members of other noble clans.
He and Renji stepped into the training grounds for a live sparring match.
After all, not every noble Shinigami had unlocked their zanpakutō. Most were still regulars.
"Captain! I'm ready!" Renji called out, pumped with excitement.
Renji held deep respect for Byakuya. As soon as the fight started, he released his zanpakutō: "Roar, Zabimaru!"
The watching Shinigami immediately felt Renji's spiritual pressure and gasped.
"As expected of Vice-Captain Abarai! What intense reiatsu!"
It was clear—even among nobles, power was still a critical metric.
Byakuya didn't hold back either. He had to show off his strength.
"Scatter, Senbonzakura."
The cherry blossom-like blades of Senbonzakura danced into the air.
Renji whipped Zabimaru forward like a coiling serpent, lashing toward Byakuya.
But such an attack didn't faze Byakuya at all.
With a flick of his scabbard, Senbonzakura transformed into a pink whirlwind, easily deflecting Zabimaru's strikes.
No matter how Renji twisted Zabimaru, he couldn't break through.
"As expected of Captain Kuchiki! But I won't hold back either!" Renji's eyes gleamed with excitement.
Opportunities to showcase his full strength were rare.
During the Kasumiōji incident, he barely got to do anything. Just a glorified cameo.
Now that he finally had a chance to shine, he wasn't about to waste it!
"Bankai! Hihiō Zabimaru!"
The massive skeletal blade coiled around Renji's body.
His explosive spiritual pressure even forced the onlookers to retreat.
"Amazing! Vice-Captain Abarai's achieved Bankai!"
"He might be the only vice-captain in all the Gotei 13 with Bankai!"
"Then why hasn't he been promoted to captain?"
"Don't you know? He's in love with the Kuchiki heiress! That's why he insists on staying in Squad 6!"
"But isn't Rukia already with Kurosaki Ichigo—the guy who defeated Sōsuke Aizen and trained under Unohana?"
"What a romantic fool… If only he liked someone like me instead!" a female Shinigami swooned.
"Oh, please. You?" her friend rolled her eyes.
"What's wrong with me?! So I'm only two or three hundred pounds heavier than Rukia! Other than that, how am I worse?!"
"Focus on the match!" a male Shinigami quickly changed the subject, pointing at the training ground.
As Renji unleashed his Bankai, Byakuya was also eager to display his strength.
"Bankai. Senbonzakura Kageyoshi."
Countless blades rose up behind Byakuya, forming a sea of shimmering cherry blossoms.
But just as Byakuya prepared to direct the blades toward Renji, something strange happened.
Senbonzakura Kageyoshi suddenly lashed out—wounding Byakuya's own arm!
At the same moment, Renji launched his attack!
"Hikotsu Taihō!"
A red spiritual energy cannon fired from Hihiō Zabimaru's head.
Seeing his own zanpakutō misbehaving, Byakuya immediately raised his hand and cast a kidō spell:
"Hadō #33, Sōkatsui!"
The roaring flames exploded forward, countering Renji's blast.
The onlookers were stunned.
"Incredible! Captain Kuchiki neutralized a Bankai-level attack with just a kidō spell!"
But Byakuya knew something was wrong.
He immediately sealed his zanpakutō and said, "That's enough for today. Renji, well done. We'll continue training another time."
Renji wasn't an idiot. He noticed Senbonzakura had hesitated just now.
"Captain, what happened?"
Byakuya simply replied, "It's nothing. I'm heading back," and left.
Kyōraku Shunsui, who had just arrived, witnessed this and raised an eyebrow.
But Byakuya wasn't the only one. All across Soul Society, zanpakutō were beginning to disobey their masters—even attack them.
Even the young prodigy of the Gotei 13, Tōshirō Hitsugaya, wasn't spared.
His Hyōrinmaru felt foreign to him, unresponsive and cold.
Rangiku, even worse, could no longer sense her zanpakutō, Haineko, at all.
Still, most Shinigami didn't take it too seriously.
Zanpakutō were part of oneself. Who would suspect their own hand of suddenly slapping them?
So even when they felt pain or their arm went numb, they brushed it off.
That night, an emergency order arrived from Squad 1.
Captain-Commander Yamamoto had summoned all captains and vice-captains to a mist-shrouded mountain linked by a suspension bridge.
No one questioned the order. When Hueco Mundo stirred, they'd received weirder summons before.
But this time was different.
When the Shinigami arrived, the mountain was covered in thick fog—and neither Yamamoto nor Vice-Captain Chōjirō Sasakibe were anywhere in sight.
Everyone looked toward Kyōraku and Ukitake, Yamamoto's top disciples.
Kyōraku rubbed his chin. "Don't look at us! We're just as clueless."
Ukitake added, "Sensei wouldn't give such a strange order lightly. But we're early. Let's wait."
Unohana, however, sensed something was off. Her brow furrowed.
Then, something opened.
Sasakibe appeared—but with lifeless eyes and mechanical movements.
"Vice-Captain Sasakibe, what's the Captain-Commander's message?" Unohana asked directly.
Sasakibe didn't reply. He walked a few steps—and collapsed to the ground.
The gathered Shinigami gasped in horror.
There was a gaping wound in his back—a zanpakutō had pierced clean through.
"How…?"
Sasakibe was Yamamoto's shadow. If even he had fallen—what about the Captain-Commander?
Unohana especially was shaken. She knew Sasakibe's strength well.
Who could ambush someone like him?
That's when a cold, mocking voice echoed:
"There's no need to wait. Yamamoto won't be coming."
Everyone turned toward the voice.
A man stepped out from the shadows. Dressed in white, with a somber face, he looked completely out of place among the Shinigami.
Hitsugaya and Rangiku, the most hot-headed, immediately flash-stepped forward, hands on their zanpakutō.
But someone moved even faster—Komamura Sajin.
The towering wolf-man appeared before the stranger, glaring down at him with immense pressure.
"You said the Captain-Commander won't be coming?"
The man didn't flinch. He even smiled mockingly.
"What did you do to him?" Komamura growled.
He drew his blade and slashed—but the man casually flipped backward, dodging with ease.
Then he waved his right hand—sending a powerful gust at the assembled Shinigami!
Komamura, enraged, shouted, "Bankai! Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō!"
A giant armored warrior appeared behind him.
But shockingly—it didn't attack the white-clothed man.
Instead, it turned—and smashed Komamura to the ground!
"Captain Komamura, watch out!" someone shouted.
Komamura barely flash-stepped away, but the giant figure began to morph—turning into a red-skinned titan.
It opened its mouth and breathed fire, towering even higher than Komamura's Bankai!
Komamura stared in disbelief.
The titan didn't hesitate—it raised its blazing sword and struck Komamura down with a single blow!
Everyone watched in shock.
Only Byakuya's eyes narrowed—this fighting style… he had heard of it before!
"Damn it—Roar, Zabimaru!"
"Extend, Hōzukimaru!"
"Whisper, Haineko!"
Renji, Ikkaku, and Rangiku all tried to release their zanpakutō—
But nothing happened.
They couldn't even feel their blades' spiritual pressure.
The white-clad man sneered.
"Your zanpakutō no longer answer to you. They are free now. A new era is upon us."
Blood tears streamed from his right eye. Then, with a wave of his hand, explosions lit up the Seireitei.
Zanpakutō everywhere began attacking Soul Society.
Even the captains' zanpakutō took on physical form and turned against them.
The vice-captains' blades appeared—gathered behind the man in white.
Byakuya stepped forward.
"Who are you?"
The man replied coldly:
"My name… is Muramasa."
(End of Chapter)
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