Muramasa had considered various ways Shigure's group might appear.
That's why he'd instructed Sakanade and Kinsara to prepare in advance—to make the appropriate response.
And directly establish advantage.
But the one thing he hadn't anticipated was this method.
The instant Shigure's group reached the battlefield, they'd directly destroyed the core of his strategy.
This forced him to reconsider the current situation.
But that was all.
After a moment, he lowered his eyes and said quietly:
"No wonder these Soul Reapers place such high expectations in you, Segawa Shigure."
"You truly are different."
"Whether it's this incomparable spiritual pressure, or your truly magnificent Zanpakutō."
At the end, he suddenly raised his head, revealing a sinister smile.
Seeing this smile, though Shigure remained calm, everyone else simultaneously froze.
Then everyone's hearts jumped. Their eyes filled with shock.
From the beginning, Shunsui Kyōraku and Jūshirō Ukitake had worried about encountering Shigure's extremely powerful Zanpakutō—'Candle Dragon'—in battle.
But throughout the previous fighting, no Zanpakutō with such characteristics had appeared.
This led them to unconsciously overlook it.
But now, Muramasa's sinister smile seemed to directly announce to everyone that his Zanpakutō had been turned!
Realizing this, Soi Fon's pupils immediately contracted as she looked over, speaking rapidly:
"Shigure! Even your Zanpakutō...?!"
Hearing this, everyone below held their breath and looked over.
Shigure remained calm. He nodded lightly:
"That's right."
!!
The words fell. Everyone's hearts jumped.
However, Shigure then looked up at Muramasa and said quietly:
"But looking at the current situation, it seems it hasn't appeared here at all. Which means..."
"Though you used your power to make it manifest..."
"You fundamentally cannot control it, correct?"
"?!"
Muramasa's eyelid twitched instantly. His smile froze for a moment.
In that instant, he felt as if Shigure had seen right through him.
Whether disrupting his plans or the matter of Candle Dragon, he seemed to know everything in advance.
Just then, Shigure suddenly laughed lightly.
In truth, before arriving, he'd already sensed the Zanpakutō anomaly.
However, regarding the manifested Candle Dragon's situation, he had no certainty.
Only after arriving and seeing the Zanpakutō present did he form this hypothesis.
But it was only a hypothesis.
He couldn't determine whether Muramasa had deliberately hidden Candle Dragon for some plan.
After all, Candle Dragon's power was truly strong. Even Shigure himself wouldn't underestimate it.
But now, Muramasa's momentary expression perfectly confirmed his hypothesis.
Realizing this, he naturally had no more concerns. He looked down and smiled lightly:
"Everyone, I imagine you can no longer tolerate this Zanpakutō rebellion?"
The words fell. He pressed his hand downward lightly.
Before anyone could react, the ice crystals freezing their feet suddenly shattered and vanished.
Seeing this, Sode no Shirayuki and Hyōrinmaru's expressions changed in the distance.
Those two ice layers contained both their Zanpakutō's powers, yet under this Soul Reaper's spiritual pressure, they had zero resistance!
"Captain Unohana, could I trouble you to provide emergency treatment for the injured?"
Shigure smiled over, speaking gently.
Though his tone was extremely mild, the content itself sounded like a command.
But at this moment, whether Retsu Unohana or anyone else, no one felt anything improper.
After all, unknowingly, Segawa Shigure had long become a leader-like figure in the Seireitei.
His character, his strength—both were worthy of this position.
Just then, the freed Shunsui Kyōraku and others slowly straightened up.
Then Shunsui rubbed his shoulder while chuckling:
"Yare yare... will you steal all the spotlight again this time, Shigure?"
"That seems a bit unreasonable."
"Right?"
Finishing, his figure suddenly vanished, then appeared directly beside Shigure.
Immediately after, nearly all the captains and lieutenants rapidly used flash steps, appearing in the sky, standing to Shigure's left and right.
Their expressions now showed no emotion.
Shunsui was right. Now they weren't facing Aizen merged with the Hōgyoku. Naturally, they wouldn't just watch Shigure fight.
And they wouldn't say any encouraging battle words.
This moment, they just needed to fight.
Seeing this, Muramasa's expression grew cold again. He said in a low voice:
"It begins again... the Soul Reapers' struggle!"
"All this just because of your arrival, Segawa Shigure?!"
By the end, his voice had nearly become a growl.
But the instant his words fell, sudden change erupted!
A violent white hurricane suddenly appeared, instantly sweeping across the entire Sōkyoku Hill!
BOOM!!!
The massive storm, reflected in the bright moonlight, looked like an overturned ocean!
In one instant, it enveloped everyone!
Everyone's expressions changed completely.
Even Shigure's eyes couldn't help but move sharply.
This aura...
Was Candle Dragon?!
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
Read up to (100+ ) advanced chapters on Patre\on
Visit us here: patreon.com/DarkGolds
Happy reading, everyone!