"Excellent."
"It should be so."
No sooner had Muramasa finished speaking than a certain Zanpakuto immediately responded.
Though the monk's tone of voice carried a sense of compassion, his expression was filled with intense anger.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni couldn't help but turn his gaze towards him.
—Fudo Myo-o, huh…
Just by hearing the name, one could tell his personality.
The "Wrathful Manifestation" of a Buddha, meaning, a Buddha's angry form.
No wonder he looked somewhat familiar…
Just as Yoriichi Tsugikuni was about to ask who Fudo Myo-o's master was.
Whoosh!
Fudo Myo-o stomped the ground fiercely, charging straight forward with a dragon-like gust of wind.
The sharp sword tightly held in his left hand gleamed with a chilling light, clearly poised to strike Yoriichi Tsugikuni down on the spot.
A cold voice immediately rang out, echoing in the surrounding air: "Benefactor, please be on your way."
"Do not make this humble monk difficult."
Due to Fudo Myo-o's sudden movement, Yoriichi's words were abruptly cut off.
Although he wasn't sure why a monk would use a sword as a weapon.
However, as a Zanpakuto he might know, Yoriichi intentionally held back some of his strength when he struck, not using too much force.
Crash.
Fudo Myo-o's fierce slash missed, and taking advantage of the moment he shifted, Yoriichi quickly raised his hand and unleashed a palm strike.
Boom!
—As a combat technique similar to sword pressure, palm strikes possess considerable explosive power and destructive force.
Before Fudo Myo-o's expression could even change, he was affected by the white shockwave, sent flying backward uncontrollably like a stone flung from a slingshot.
In mid-air, he struggled to adjust his body to stabilize his center of gravity, barely avoiding a messy tumble upon landing.
But even so, the destructive force generated from falling from a great height caused him to shatter the surrounding ground, his expression extremely grim, his anger becoming even more apparent.
Seeing this, Yoriichi's eyes glinted with a hint of interest:
"Very skilled at breaking a fall."
"Who taught you?"
"Who Is your master?"
Fudo Myo-o did not respond to him. Whether he spoke or not was irrelevant; they had already been brainwashed and influenced by Muramasa.
Even if they had once gotten along well with their masters, their relationship now was like that of enemies…
Who would intentionally mention their enemy?
Bang!
Fudo Myo-o gripped his sword tightly, just as he was about to charge forward again, Hinagiku reached out and stopped him:
"Hey, hey, hey, Monk, can you not act on your own, alright?"
"You've seen his strength; he sends you flying with just a casual wave. We need to cooperate, understand cooperation?"
"Then tell me, how should we cooperate?" Fudo Myo-o shot a sideways glance at Hinagiku, stopping his movement, but his face was full of impatience.
"This humble monk naturally knows his strength, but what of it?"
"If I don't go to Muken, who will? This humble monk has long wanted to taste the thrill of battle."
"That guy has always restrained me. Now, I finally have the chance to act without restraint, so how could I be held back by such trivial matters?"
Fudo Myo-o was passionate about battle, but because of his master, he couldn't fight, which was why he was so easily influenced by Muramasa.
Hinagiku held her forehead, carefully glanced at Yoriichi Tsugikuni, then lowered her voice and slowly explained her plan.
Hyōrinmaru, in order to find out who his master truly was, had originally intended to act alongside Fudo Myo-o.
But upon suddenly hearing Hinagiku's words, he had no choice but to temporarily abandon the idea of fighting.
Seeing this, Yoriichi Tsugikuni suddenly vanished from his spot, not intending to give them too much time to converse.
The immediate priority was to seal these Zanpakuto, not to sit back and let them discuss a plan to deal with him.
While he was certainly not afraid, he also couldn't waste time for nothing.
Hinagiku was in the middle of explaining her plan when she keenly sensed the situation.
A strong sense of danger surged into her heart.
"Not good!"
Out of instinct, Hinagiku unleashed her ability without hesitation.
Boundless gray dust instantly surged from around her, enveloping the several individuals completely in the blink of an eye.
This dust was like a solid wall; anything daring to approach would be instantly dissolved and disintegrated.
Hinagiku's displeased voice drifted out from the dust:
"Can't you wait for us to finish discussing, you guy? You have no gentlemanly manners at all."
"I really don't understand why my master admires you so much."
Listening closely, the voice was filled with resentment. Hinagiku, controlling the dust, subconsciously glanced at Kurotsuchi, who remained silent, only extending a slender hand.
With a gentle wave.
In an instant.
The dust that had originally filled the sky, obscuring everything, vanished completely as if it had never appeared.
Hyōrinmaru looked puzzled, as if asking why the technique was withdrawn, while Hinagiku snorted twice:
"How about it? This Is a technique you yourself created. Can you get close to us?"
The surroundings appeared empty, but in reality, they were filled with countless dust particles invisible to the naked eye, even smaller than regular dust.
These particles formed an absolute defense, a true absolute defense; anything that came into contact with them would be cut into micron-level tiny substances.
Take a breath.
Body and mind would be clear, even the top of one's head would be blown open.
Hinagiku was full of confidence, believing she had finally found an opportunity to counterattack.
However, the moment her words fell, Yoriichi Tsugikuni's voice suddenly rang out above everyone's heads:
"Hinagiku, you are too overconfident. Every ability has a weakness."
"Since you know I was the one who helped Rangiku re-master this technique, you should understand that I had already prepared countermeasures for this ability."
Hinagiku's expression immediately stiffened, just as she was about to look up.
At this moment.
Blazing fire suddenly came from afar, directly illuminating all the ground below.
The scorching heat, like molten lava, surged down from above.
The air was scorched, twisting in layers; even without looking up, she knew what was happening in the sky.
Damn it.
The range Is too wide, it's too late to move!
Hinagiku cursed under her breath, her original confidence vanishing, replaced by intense unease.
Can it block the flames?
Clearly not.
It could only cut tangible objects; it was completely powerless against intangible things.
Hinagiku felt a bit desperate; this attack, so close, left her with no way to defend against it.
However, at the same moment, Hyōrinmaru, who had been somewhat bewildered, suddenly snapped back to attention.
Though quite strained, he still exerted all his strength to unleash his technique.
"Prismatic Ice Wall!"
Spiritual pressure surged, and a significant amount of the dense ice instantly melted from the high temperature.
However, a portion still managed to form a defense, barely holding back the massive fireball that came hurtling down from above.
Around the ice wall, a light rain began to fall, and steam rose and quickly evaporated.
Hyōrinmaru's expression was slightly stiff; he could clearly feel the spiritual pressure within him rapidly dissipating like flowing water.
Clearly, such a defense couldn't last for too long, like a dam built of sand, it could collapse at any moment.
At this moment, he was far from as powerful as he would be in later generations, as even for a Zanpakuto, its power gradually increased with its master's development.
Three seconds later.
Hiss! Hiss!
With another burst of cold air, Hyōrinmaru utilized his control over water vapor to the extreme, finally managing to extinguish the massive fireball in the sky with great difficulty.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni stood in mid-air, his mood unchanged by the extinguishing of the flames.
He merely curved his lips slightly, as if he had seen a rising new star.
"Not bad."
He praised sincerely, "You are indeed an ice-type Zanpakuto, Hyōrinmaru, right? Your master will surely be proud of you."
The fire he unleashed was not something ordinary ice could withstand.
Although he only used less than ten percent of his strength, it could still overwhelm all ice-type techniques below the Vice-Captain level.
In other words, Hyōrinmaru's outburst just now had already surpassed the strength level of a standard Vice-Captain.
Hearing Yoriichi Tsugikuni's praise, Hyōrinmaru's expression did not show much joy; instead, it carried a hint of bitterness.
Because since his birth, it was the first time he had encountered such a powerful opponent.
It was just one strike.
One more fireball.
He would undoubtedly lose.
Is this the enemy Muramasa has to face? He finally understood what Hinagiku's words earlier meant.
Fighting alone was absolutely not advisable, and even cooperation had a high probability of defeat.
So, they could only stall for time…
Hyōrinmaru panted slightly, his heaving chest indicating his current fatigue. This scene happened to fall into Hinagiku's eyes.
Hinagiku's gaze subtly shifted, and a strange feeling surged, causing a blush to spread across her cheeks, unsure if it was from the heat or something else…
Why hadn't she noticed before that a proud man like Hyōrinmaru could also have a tired and weak side? She loved that kind of image the most…
Her mind, which had been focused on the battle, now involuntarily drifted, thinking of many things unrelated to the current fight.
It wasn't until Kurotsuchi gently tugged at her sleeve that she suddenly snapped back, realizing she had lost her composure somewhat…
Hinagiku glanced at Hyōrinmaru, finding that his gaze was still fixed on the sky, not noticing her situation.
She secretly rejoiced that her infatuated look hadn't been seen by Hyōrinmaru, letting out a long sigh of relief.
Men are good, but one shouldn't get too carried away. For now, it's best to leave this place quickly and try to escape the danger…
"Hyōrinmaru, you…"
Hinagiku was about to ask about Hyōrinmaru's condition, whether he could continue to act…
Hyōrinmaru, as if he hadn't heard her, suddenly looked up and eagerly asked Yoriichi Tsugikuni in the sky:
"Do you know who my master Is?"
"I have amnesia."
"If you know, please tell me. I don't wish to fight you."
Hyōrinmaru was not the type to seek trouble or enjoy being tormented.
The fundamental reason he participated in this series of actions was to find his master.
Once he knew who his master was, Muramasa's words could be entirely disregarded…
Hearing this, Yoriichi Tsugikuni pondered for a moment, but his mind held no related impressions whatsoever.
After all, in the plot, the timeline when Toushiro gained Hyōrinmaru's recognition was twenty years later…
Even if Toushiro enrolled early now and learned of Shinigami's existence prematurely, having only just obtained his Zanpakuto, it would be impossible for him to know Hyōrinmaru's true name so quickly.
Perhaps he had only just found out and hadn't had time to tell Yoriichi Tsugikuni, in any case…
When Hyōrinmaru saw the expression on Yoriichi Tsugikuni's face, he immediately knew the answer.
He sighed softly.
There was no other way…
… …
Indeed, Hyōrinmaru fundamentally did not wish to fight, but given the current situation, he simply could not escape.
Hyōrinmaru gritted his teeth, taking a fresh breath.
He tried to gather the remaining moisture around him, causing it to condense into ice, intending to launch an attack with minimal consumption.
Just then, Hinagiku reminded him in a low voice: "Wait, Hyōrinmaru, I have a plan."
"Use your ice to envelop my iron dust. This way, a vacuum layer will form inside the ice, and its resistance to fire will greatly increase."
Hyōrinmaru was momentarily stunned, then quickly understood Hinagiku's intention.
Almost at the same moment, Yoriichi Tsugikuni slowly descended from the sky.
Although he wasn't sure who Hyōrinmaru's master was, if he could capture him alive and then inquire individually at the Gotei 13 or the Spiritual Arts Academy, he would probably find out.
Yoriichi was unwilling to waste words or time, his hands ignited with flames, preparing for a quick battle.
Boom!
Hyōrinmaru controlled the ice with both hands, and as Hinagiku released her abilities,
the thick layer of ice, like a surging tide, swept forward with an overwhelming force, pressing down fiercely upon Yoriichi Tsugikuni!
Yoriichi's gaze first swept over Myōō and Kuro, then over the ice layer, and upon realizing that the flames had not melted the ice, he understood their intention.
"Fusion Kido?"
"Very good."
"I didn't expect such a marvelous compatibility between the wind and ice elements…"
"Too bad…"
Upon hearing the words "too bad," Hinagiku's heart immediately sank, as if she had developed PTSD, and her entire being trembled.
Like "but," such phrases often signify a change in the situation.
Hinagiku had already pushed her and Hyōrinmaru's abilities to their limits.
She believed that with this move, even Yoriichi Tsugikuni's flames wouldn't be able to melt the ice in a short amount of time.
Kuro and Myōō could then use their abilities to harass Yoriichi from the side.
This was the best way Hinagiku could think of to maximize the delay.
Unfortunately...
Yoriichi Tsugikuni's mastery of abilities was not limited to fire-type Kido.
Rumble!
The thick ice layer, like an unstoppable avalanche, roared as it collided with the ground, as if challenging the summer, and the surrounding temperature plummeted!
Facing such a terrifying scene, Yoriichi remained calm, slowly extending one hand and softly chanting:
"Hado #63: Raikōhō."
In an instant, high temperatures erupted and burned in his palm.
Frenzied lightning serpents tore at the air, and the thunderous roar could even distort space.
As the lightning shot out, the explosion formed by condensing spiritual pressure transformed into an unstoppable laser beam, piercing directly through the seemingly indestructible ice layer and then exploding violently within!
Immediately, the ice layer was filled with dazzling light, and deafening explosions caused the entire ice layer to tremble violently!
The carefully crafted vacuum layer instantly became meaningless; while it could isolate temperature invasion, it could not resist the impact of the explosion.
Ice shards flew everywhere, and the fusion Kido jointly performed by Hinagiku and Hyōrinmaru collapsed, instantly turning into a fleeting illusion.
Myōō was about to act when the plan was completely declared a failure.
With just one strike.
Hinagiku watched helplessly as ice shards mercilessly flew towards her, standing frozen in place.
This… this… this isn't logical, you're supposed to use fire-type Kido, aren't you?
Only then can you truly show your power, right?
What's with the lightning-type Kido?
This wasn't in the script!
Director, I want to complain!
Hinagiku had absolutely not anticipated such a situation…
No, to be precise, this was a real battle.
The enemy wasn't a motionless log.
Why use fire-type Kido to highlight the power of ice and dust combined, when lightning-type Kido could solve the problem in one strike?
Crack.
Just as Hinagiku was completely bewildered, Hyōrinmaru extended a hand and blocked all the incoming ice shards.
Seeing Hyōrinmaru's palm appear before her.
Hinagiku took a deep breath, as if awakened from a nightmare, and finally came back to her senses.
But then, she immediately realized that their side had completely and utterly failed this time, with no chance of turning the tables.
Bang.
Myōō flew backward again, kicking up a cloud of dust upon landing.
The petite Kuro, seeing this situation, was at a loss for what to do.
Her abilities needed to rely on Hinagiku to unleash their maximum power.
Without Hinagiku's cooperation, she could still launch attacks, but they would only be pure slashes.
Kuro extended her palm, preparing to buy time.
The next second.
"Hmm… I'll trouble you to take a nap first; your power Is indeed hard to guard against."
Yoriichi Tsugikuni's voice came from behind, and Kuro's expression subtly changed.
She instinctively turned to defend, and several counter-moves flashed through her mind instantly.
But before she could put these thoughts into action, Yoriichi's palm had already lightly rested on the back of her neck.
Immediately after, she felt her vision go black, and her entire body went limp and fell down.
Seeing this, Hinagiku bit her lip, wanting to save Kuro, but was truly powerless.
However, Hyōrinmaru did not give up.
He and the Zanpakuto here were never companions; he was solely focused on finding out who his master was.
Thus, he launched an attack at all costs.
"Ice Dragon Whirlwind!"
Dense ice, like a giant dragon's tail, froze everything in its path.
Its momentum was so vast that it seemed anything it touched would instantly turn into ice and shatter into nothingness.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni held Kuro with one arm, his eyes noting the approaching ice, and extended his other hand, which was burning with flames, with a calm expression.
Bang!
The moment the two made contact, the ice immediately stopped spreading, remaining suspended in mid-air.
The cold receded, and hot air waves erupted, as if all moisture around Yoriichi Tsugikuni had evaporated.
Crack.
Yoriichi gently squeezed, and the ice shattered and melted.
Some ice fragments that had not yet landed vaporized into water droplets in mid-air and disappeared, demonstrating the intense heat of the flames.
Even though Kuro was unconscious, her perception of the outside world still existed, and under this high temperature, her expression subtly changed.
Yoriichi noticed this, helped Kuro stand up, and said to Hyōrinmaru:
"That should be enough, Hyōrinmaru. I understand your current feelings, and I understand your urgency to find your master."
"But why must you cooperate with Muramasa?"
"Come to my side. Although it will take some time, finding your master should not be difficult."
"Since you have a name, it means your master must possess a Zanpakuto."
"By comparing spiritual pressures, you should be able to find out."
Upon hearing this.
Hyōrinmaru's expression instantly froze.
Thinking about it carefully, it seemed quite reasonable. Yes, why did he have to obey Muramasa's orders?
He had lost his memory, yes, but that didn't mean he was a fool…
Previously, it was because he didn't know the Shinigami's attitude, and he also felt that he was bound to win.
But now…
…
Within the spiritual world.
Muramasa gnashed his teeth in anger:
"Damn it!"
He knew in his heart that these few were no match for Yoriichi Tsugikuni, and he knew the situation would collapse, but he didn't expect it to collapse so quickly, and reverse so completely.
Hyōrinmaru was actually going to betray him? Absolutely detestable!
It had always been him abandoning others; when had anyone ever betrayed him?
Muramasa clenched his fists, filled with burning rage, and directly plunged into Hyōrinmaru's spiritual world, intending to brainwash him again.
But unfortunately, Hyōrinmaru's heart was now completely occupied by the goal of finding his master.
Muramasa found no opportunity to exploit.
And precisely because of this.
The Hyōrinmaru outside only dazed for a few seconds, then shook his head, casting aside the chaotic thoughts that had suddenly appeared in his mind.
Then, as if by some strange twist of fate, he agreed to Yoriichi Tsugikuni's proposal.
"!"
Hinagiku froze in place.
"What?"
My idol Is going to run off with someone else, what should I do? Waiting online, it's urgent.
Hyōrinmaru slowly turned around, a hint of apology in his brows:
"I'm sorry, Hinagiku, and Myōō."
"I know this action Is unfair to you, but I have no choice. My goal has always been different from yours, and besides…"
Besides, some betrayals are actually turning from darkness to light. He paused for a moment and did not continue speaking.
Hinagiku grew anxious, "Besides what? You should explain clearly!"
If it weren't for your handsome face, I would have taught you a lesson already.
Resentment welled up in her heart.
Hyōrinmaru sensed Hinagiku's emotions but remained silent.
A moment later, he gently shook his head, sighed, and then completely walked over to Yoriichi Tsugikuni's side.
Leaving Hinagiku alone, bewildered in the wind.
…
At the same time.
Within the Forty-Six Chambers, the trial had already concluded.
Due to irrefutable evidence and Kuchiki Kōga's lack of remorse, after joint deliberation by the six chief judges, Kuchiki Kōga was sentenced to imprisonment in Muken for over ten thousand years.
Kuchiki Kōga appealed, but his appeal was rejected.
Afterward, Kuchiki Ginrei and Yamamoto Genryusai would jointly escort him to the Gotei 13 to carry out the sentence.
As the gates opened, the enraged Muramasa suddenly sensed Kuchiki Kōga's spiritual pressure.
He disregarded the matter of Hyōrinmaru's betrayal, immediately concealed his presence, suppressed his emotions, and quietly awaited Kōga's appearance.
Since this was an open conspiracy, both sides' intentions were clear.
Muramasa knew the Shinigami were waiting for him to appear, and the Shinigami also knew he would inevitably appear; whether they could capture him after he appeared was another matter.
During the wait, Hinagiku and Myōō successively fell.
Hinagiku, after weighing the pros and cons, chose to turn passive into active.
After all, both her idol and Kuro were already under Yoriichi Tsugikuni's control; her continued stubborn resistance would only be a futile struggle, completely meaningless.
So she simply gave up resisting.
The latter…
was subdued by force. It had to be admitted that Myōō's sword was quite dangerous, as if it could cut through anything in the world.
At first, Yoriichi didn't realize this, because previously he had only come into contact with it through palm pressure.
Later, when Hyōrinmaru, to show his loyalty, voluntarily attacked Myōō, and the thick ice layer was easily cut open by Myōō like tofu, Yoriichi understood.
That sword had the effect of compressing spiritual pressure to greatly increase its sharpness.
It should belong to the direct attack type.
This was just one of his weapons; as for the other…
Yoriichi didn't wait for Myōō to use it, and a Bakudo locked his limbs, rendering him completely immobile.
With the four Zanpakuto completely subdued, Yoriichi Tsugikuni suddenly saw Kuchiki Kōga being slowly escorted from not far away by two people.
Seeing this, Muramasa directly entered Kuchiki Kōga's spiritual world.
Then.
About five seconds later, Muramasa reappeared outside, spitting blood, looking quite disheveled.
He leaned against a wall, a gushing wound on his chest, muttering to himself:
"How… how could this be…"
He had actually been gravely wounded by Kuchiki Kōga!
Yoriichi Tsugikuni, seeing Muramasa's miserable state, couldn't help but walk forward, looking at him with a slight frown:
"Why put yourself through this? I told you before, he hates you to the bone…"
Yoriichi paused briefly, his gaze fixed on Muramasa, and then asked again:
"Well, are you going to turn from darkness to light?"
"It's truly a pity for an existence like yours to be born merely for rebellion."