"This meeting is adjourned! Everyone go back and carry out your respective tasks!"
Having said everything that needed to be said, Toshiro intended to dismiss the meeting.
"Wait!"
Mayuri suddenly spoke up.
"What is it now, Mayuri!"
Toshiro looked at Mayuri impatiently.
"I..."
Mayuri was momentarily taken aback by Toshiro's tone.
"I have something important to say!"
Mayuri retorted irritably.
"Cough, cough... Well then, go ahead."
Toshiro coughed lightly, a little embarrassed.
"It's about the research into resolving the Zanpakuto rebellion. Although I've done my best, due to a lack of test subjects, there's still no significant progress. Earlier, Captain Unohana brought back Kuchiki Rukia's Zanpakuto, Sode no Shirayuki. I was wondering if I could possibly have Sode no Shirayuki for experimentation?"
Mayuri proposed to Toshiro.
"Sode no Shirayuki?"
Toshiro hesitated. Rukia was his friend. If he handed Sode no Shirayuki over to Mayuri, and Mayuri ended up 'ruining' her, what then?
"Sorry, Mayuri. I've already returned Sode no Shirayuki to Rukia."
Toshiro refused Mayuri's request.
Mayuri protested, "Hey, Hitsugaya. You know, not every Shinigami can defeat their Zanpakuto and make them submit again. My research is crucial to completely resolving this major issue of the Zanpakuto rebellion. So, order Kuchiki Rukia to hand over Sode no Shirayuki."
"Sode no Shirayuki is Rukia's Zanpakuto. I won't force Rukia."
Toshiro said.
"Hmph. If Sode no Shirayuki is off-limits, then hand over Hyorinmaru..."
"Do you want to die?!!"
Toshiro stared at Mayuri with icy eyes.
"I..."
Under Toshiro's frigid gaze, Mayuri broke out in a cold sweat. Under Toshiro's overwhelming pressure, Mayuri was even forced to take two steps back.
Mayuri sensed Toshiro's killing intent. He knew if he said another word, Toshiro would truly kill him!
"Gulp!"
Mayuri swallowed hard, then said with less confidence, "I... I'm only doing this for the sake of research! If I lack test subjects, there's no way I can develop a solution, no matter how skilled I am!"
"Then why don't you go catch a Zanpakuto yourself?"
"Logically, the Zanpakuto faction's strength is inferior to the Shinigami, so they should hide quietly. But because of Muramasa's power, the Zanpakuto all intensely hate Shinigami. So even knowing the danger, they'll actively come out to attack Shinigami. You can take that opportunity to capture a few Zanpakuto for yourself. Besides..."
"Have you not installed surveillance in many places throughout the Seireitei? Once a Zanpakuto shows up, you'll definitely know about it, right?"
Toshiro glanced at Mayuri with disdain.
Although due to work reasons, the Gotei 13 did permit Mayuri to monitor certain areas within the Seireitei, this guy had outrageously installed surveillance in some private places as well. Even Toshiro's 10th Division had been bugged by Mayuri, though Toshiro discovered it and taught him a lesson.
"Cough, cough... Don't casually slander me."
Mayuri coughed lightly, somewhat guiltily.
"Alright, this meeting is adjourned. Everyone, dismissed."
Toshiro said.
Then everyone departed. Mayuri didn't press the issue further. He decided to go catch a few Zanpakuto himself for research.
...
Thump, thump, thump...
Amidst the pervading purple poison gas, Shinigami fell one after another.
"Run! It's not something we can handle! Hurry and inform the Captains!!"
The remaining group of Shinigami desperately fled forward, while behind them, an infant-like creature with butterfly-like wings, resembling a demonic baby, floated in mid-air, unhurriedly pursuing them.
"Oh? I didn't expect you'd actually dare to show your face again, Ashisogi Jizo!"
A voice suddenly rang out.
"Captain Kurotsuchi!"
"A Captain has finally come!"
The group of Shinigami excitedly looked at the suddenly appearing Mayuri.
Mayuri, however, paid no attention to the excited Shinigami and walked straight towards the infant with butterfly wings.
This infant with butterfly wings was precisely Mayuri's own Zanpakuto, Ashisogi Jizo.
After the Captain's Meeting ended and Mayuri returned to the 12th Division, he abandoned his experiments and stared unblinkingly at the surveillance feeds throughout the Seireitei.
The moment any Zanpakuto caused trouble, he was ready to spring into action and capture a few for research.
As Toshiro had predicted, despite the Zanpakuto faction's strength being inferior to the Shinigami due to Toshiro and Hyorinmaru, their intense hatred drove many Zanpakuto to cause disturbances.
Among them was Mayuri's own Zanpakuto, Ashisogi Jizo. Mayuri unhesitatingly rushed to its location.
Upon seeing Mayuri appear, Ashisogi Jizo immediately abandoned its pursuit of the other Shinigami, let out a strange cry, and flew directly towards him.
Whoosh—
Flying to a spot near Mayuri, Ashisogi Jizo opened its mouth to spew poison gas.
However, Mayuri snorted contemptuously, calmly took out a remote control, and pressed a button.
Boom!!
With a thunderous explosion, Ashisogi Jizo, flying in mid-air, exploded!
The group of Shinigami who had just been pursued by Ashisogi Jizo watched the scene, dumbfounded.
Clang!
After the explosion, Ashisogi Jizo fell to the ground as a broken blade, snapped in two.
Then Mayuri calmly picked up the broken remnants of Ashisogi Jizo.
Although a Zanpakuto's combat strength was slightly greater than that of its master at their peak, in a fair fight, even if Mayuri could defeat Ashisogi Jizo, it would come at a heavy cost.
However, Mayuri had long subjected his Zanpakuto to countless modifications. To guard against potential betrayal, he had even implanted controls within Ashisogi Jizo.
Most Shinigami treat their Zanpakuto as comrades and wouldn't do such things. But for Mayuri, a Zanpakuto was just a tool. Although he wasn't as extreme as Zaraki, he wasn't much better.
"Umm... Captain Kurotsuchi, is that really okay? Isn't it said that if a Zanpakuto is killed, it might never be restored?"
The group of Shinigami broke out in a cold sweat.
This was Mayuri's own Zanpakuto, and he blew it up without a moment's hesitation!
"Mm, it's no big deal. This is just a small punishment for its betrayal of its master."
Mayuri said calmly, as if the Zanpakuto he had just blown up wasn't his own.
Hearing this, the Shinigami couldn't help but twitch their mouths, 'A small punishment? You just blew up your Zanpakuto! That's still considered a small punishment?'
'As expected of Captain Kurotsuchi. Truly ruthless.'
The Shinigami silently marveled in their hearts.
Among the Captains of the Gotei 13, Mayuri had always been the most cold-blooded and merciless. Even Zaraki was merely bloodthirsty, not cold-blooded like Mayuri.