"At the end of the day, that night I enjoyed myself in your place."
Meigetsu's ambiguous words struck Arata like a bolt from the blue.
"You… what are you talking about?!"
Fragments of memory suddenly flashed through his mind, that dazed feeling when he woke up the next day, the burning red scratches on his back…
Arata stared in shock at the smiling woman before him and couldn't help but hesitate: "That night, weren't you…"
Damn it, could it have been something between those two beauties, Meigetsu and Unohana Retsu.
"Hey, hey, hey, stop with those filthy thoughts! Don't lump me in with a creature like you who only knows how to seduce women!" Meigetsu was so furious that she slapped Arata across the face. As a Zanpakutō spirit, she truly had the ability to sense her master's inner thoughts.
"Hsss! That hurts, that hurts... " Arata hissed sharply and quickly rubbed the spot on his face where he had been hit. This woman really didn't hold back.
"So, what really happened that night when I lost my memory?"
"What did you two actually do?"
Under Arata's emotional and logically "sincere pleas," Meigetsu finally revealed the truth: "Actually, that night…"
As Meigetsu went on restoring the truth, the expression on Arata's face was like a roller coaster ride, now terrified, now crazed, until he finally understood.
He helplessly covered his forehead and couldn't help but sigh: "So, that night you actually, to vent your anger, forcibly took over my body and fought the Sensei, and then erased that part from my memory?"
"What do you mean 'vent your anger'? What do you mean 'forcibly took over'? That old hag is the one who was groping you, and you didn't even realize it! Even though you're a shameless and devious master, as your Zanpakutō I have to protect you, no matter what!" Meigetsu ground her teeth defending her actions. She didn't think she had done anything wrong.
That's right, it was all caused by that shameless old hag and this clueless master!
"Besides, that was my first time possessing someone, so I could only use a sliver of Meigetsu's ability. The Purple Flame slash on her arm barely hurt her."
"Those minor injuries are nothing but child's play to someone like her who knows Kaidō. Rest for a day or two and they'll heal. But those scratches on your back, she didn't hold back on how hard she hit you!"
Meigetsu was still grumbling curses with a trace of anger, but Arata had already quickly pieced the whole story together.
That night, Meigetsu had been watching his interaction with Unohana Retsu the entire time. The moment Unohana Retsu asked to stay and intimately approached him, Meigetsu could no longer suppress the jealousy and rage in her heart.
As a sword spirit, she forcibly took over his body and, without a word, drew her own Zanpakutō and clashed with Unohana Retsu. Although Meigetsu didn't go into details, Arata guessed it had only been a brief fight.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to get up the next day, he'd have died right there.
Unohana Retsu had probably been stunned by Meigetsu's sudden attack and, not understanding the situation, responded barehanded. After all, the body was still Arata's, and she didn't want to use too much force.
Meigetsu, blinded by jealousy, of course didn't care about anything. She grabbed the Zanpakutō in hand and slashed at Unohana Retsu.
Unohana Retsu reflexively blocked the strike with her arms, which is why her arms were wrapped in bandages the next morning. Naturally, Arata hadn't known that at the time.
After being chased and struck by Meigetsu, Unohana Retsu couldn't bear it anymore. Either she used some kind of binding technique, or while restraining Meigetsu, her nails accidentally scratched Arata's back and left those red marks.
Looks like he had awakened a Zanpakutō that wouldn't be easy to handle. Arata scratched his head with a grim expression. He could already sense that the days ahead would be rather "difficult."
Especially when dealing with the opposite sex.
At that moment, Arata made a decision in his heart. He let go of Meigetsu from the embrace, then, under her confused gaze, bowed and sincerely said: "Meigetsu, I was wrong about everything before. I now officially apologize and hope you can forgive me."
"Idiot, fool! Why are you suddenly apologizing so formally?" Meigetsu's cheeks flushed red, and her speech became stammered.
Instinctively she took a half-step back; her long white hair lightly fluttered in the wave of spiritual pressure, and her ruby eyes sparkled with a complex light.
Arata straightened up, looking sincerely at the sword spirit Meigetsu in front of him: "Because I want to form a true bond with you, Meigetsu."
"In three months, I'm going to Hueco Mundo. If we can't communicate…"
"Hueco Mundo? You mean that place where those masked monsters live?" Meigetsu suddenly interrupted him; her brows furrowed sharply.
Arata nodded and explained to Meigetsu about the final exam reform. As he spoke, Meigetsu's expression grew darker and darker until she finally snapped sarcastically.
"That Aizen… I always felt he wasn't a good person!"
"Wait, how do you know about Aizen?" Arata asked in shock.
Meigetsu sneered: "Do you think that while I'm asleep, I'm blind to the outside world? Every time you release your spiritual pressure, I can sense everything around you." She narrowed her eyes. "That hypocrite with glasses looks at you like an interesting experiment."
Arata flinched. He hadn't expected his Zanpakutō, besides having a unique personality, to be no less intelligent or observant than a human.
"Now do you understand why I wanted so badly to see you?" Arata sighed quietly. "If I want to protect myself from that blue-haired schemer, I need to at least fully master Shikai, so I have a chance."
What Arata said was rather conservative. If Aizen, regardless of means, released a few Adjuchas, it would be difficult for him to survive without captain-level power.
Meigetsu was silent for a moment, then suddenly showed a dangerous smile: "You want my power? Of course…" A long black sword suddenly appeared in her hand, which she pointed at Arata.
"Then defeat me first!"
Before she finished the sentence, her figure crept forward like a ghost. Arata hurriedly drew the long sword from his belt to block, and the two blades clashed, sending out blinding sparks.
"Hey, hey… surprise attacks aren't ladylike at all!" Arata barely managed to catch the blow; his arm went numb from the impact.
The sheer force of that strike was enough to show that this white-haired witch was undoubtedly above the lieutenant level.
"Enemies on the battlefield won't give you time to prepare, so, keep taking it!" Meigetsu spun around, and her long, beautiful legs fiercely swung toward Arata's waist. The purple flame burning on the surface of her jade foot emitted a deadly aura.
Arata panicked and retreated, but was still grazed; the fabric instantly scorched from the purple flame, leaving a charred tear.
However, the icy spiritual pressure penetrated his body through the flesh; in his head, a sharp, stabbing pain flashed instantly, and the wrist holding the sword grew a bit unstable.
Cold sweat broke out on Arata's forehead.
He realized that Meigetsu was serious this time. This wasn't simple training, it was a fight to the death.
If he didn't give it his all, he really would be killed by his own Zanpakutō!