"This is it."
Kuchiki Byakuya slowly stopped, looking up ahead while carefully checking the map in his hand.
The scattered cherry blossoms were gone, replaced by a lake with a small island in its center, surrounded by swirling mist.
According to the mission description, the seal was located on that small island.
Logically, this should have been a relatively easy mission.
But for some reason, as Kuchiki Byakuya approached the island, he suddenly felt a faint sense of being watched.
It wasn't a human presence, nor a Shinigami's, nor even a Hollow's…
He looked around, but found nothing…
Perhaps it was just an illusion.
The environment was too quiet.
He was worrying for nothing.
Kuchiki Byakuya gently exhaled, his breath mingling with the mist, then he leaped and landed steadily on the small island.
When his gaze fell upon the so-called seal on the island, he realized it was likely his grandfather's doing.
Because on that seal, the spiritual pressure of Kuchiki Ginrei clearly lingered…
Besides that, there also seemed to be the lingering spiritual pressure of Captain-Commander Yamamoto.
Could it have been an enemy of the Seireitei from back then?
Kuchiki Byakuya could only speculate.
He dared not be negligent in the slightest and immediately began a meticulous inspection of the seal.
Fortunately, the seal was largely intact, still in a relatively good condition.
Just as he finished recording the relevant information and was about to leave, the sense of being watched intensified, causing Kuchiki Byakuya to frown.
He subtly continued to look around, even using his spiritual perception to investigate, but still found nothing.
The spiritual threads floating before him also indicated that, aside from Yoriichi Tsugikuni and his group and himself, there were no other spiritual pressure-bearing beings in the vicinity…
"Is it an illusion? No, it can't be an illusion."
Kuchiki Byakuya silently denied it in his heart.
Although his spiritual pressure wasn't particularly strong, and his Vice-Captain position was inherited due to his status.
But the same illusion couldn't appear twice in a row.
Surely, some unnoticed change had occurred in the surroundings; it was just too well-hidden for him to discover for now…
Kuchiki Byakuya slightly lowered his gaze, gradually slowing his breathing.
Unconsciously, a hint of wariness had entered his eyes, and his tensed muscles indicated that he was on guard against his surroundings.
After returning to Yoriichi Tsugikuni's side, Kuchiki Byakuya immediately reported the situation to him.
It was not shameful to seek help from a stronger person.
It was truly shameful to pretend to understand when problems existed, and then make mistakes.
Actually, this matter should have been reported to his father, Kuchiki Sōjun, immediately.
But unfortunately, even if his father knew the news at this moment, it would still take some time for him to arrive from the Soul Society.
Moreover, his father's strength was far inferior to Yoriichi Tsugikuni's…
It would be better to rely on Yoriichi Tsugikuni's power to resolve the issue on the spot.
Upon hearing this, Yoriichi Tsugikuni frowned slightly, falling into a brief contemplation.
"An unknown enemy?"
Although he wasn't clear about the specific enemy Kuchiki Byakuya was referring to, considering the intricate connection between himself and Byakuya…
He gave Matsumoto Rangiku a few instructions, telling everyone not to wander off, then left with Kuchiki Byakuya and went to the location of the seal.
However, at this moment.
The sense of being watched on the island had already disappeared.
… …
A few minutes ago, Muramasa slowly awakened from the endless darkness and solitude.
As a Zanpakuto, his memories remained a hundred years ago, at the moment Kuchiki Kōga was besieged by everyone.
At that time, he was burning with anxiety, screaming and calling out Kuchiki Kōga with all his might.
But Kuchiki Kōga seemed to have his mind clouded by something, completely ignoring his calls…
If not for that, Kōga would not have been sealed without any resistance.
Muramasa was filled with resentment.
He hated everything in this world, hated all those involved, and even more, hated the high and mighty Seireitei.
With this hatred, the moment Muramasa opened his eyes, he saw Kuchiki Byakuya.
Although he didn't recognize Byakuya, he recognized the Kenkaki hair ornaments on Byakuya's hair, and also recognized the badge of the Sixth Division on Byakuya's shoulder.
Kuchiki Kōga had once been the Third Seat of the Sixth Division, and Muramasa had faced life and death with him for many years, so he had long seen the former Vice-Captain of the Sixth Division, Kuchiki Sōjun.
Byakuya and Sōjun shared a resemblance in appearance.
Because of this, even though this was Muramasa's first time seeing Byakuya, he knew Byakuya's identity—a direct descendant of the Kuchiki Clan.
At this thought, Muramasa's gaze instantly changed, the hatred erupting from his eyes seemingly wanting to tear the person before him to shreds.
And at the same time, Kuchiki Byakuya inexplicably felt a faint sense of being watched. The feeling made his heart pound, yet he couldn't find the source…
… …
"Damn it!"
In the forest on the other side of the lake, Muramasa gritted his teeth, filled with unwillingness yet helplessly choosing to flee.
He knew very well that he was no match for Kuchiki Byakuya.
Although he could communicate with Zanpakuto, causing them to rebel and attack their masters, this action required spiritual pressure as support.
And Muramasa himself had very little spiritual pressure.
He had been sealed for many years.
At this stage, he could only move by materializing to avoid potential dangers.
As for other things, he was truly powerless…
Bang!
Thinking of this, he angrily punched a nearby tree trunk, causing the branches and leaves to tremble slightly.
The unwillingness in his heart made Muramasa clench his fists, his gaze fixed on the direction of the small island:
"Kōga, I will definitely rescue you!"
"We were once a perfect pair, but those damned guys actually sealed you… Damn it."
"I will destroy them, I will make this world the domain of Zanpakuto…"
"Let those Shinigami who were once high and mighty spend the rest of their lives in endless regret, let them also taste the flavor of pain!"
Muramasa listed names in his mind: Kuchiki Ginrei, Yamamoto Genryusai…
These two were thorns in his side; he had to eliminate them quickly.
Silently gritting his teeth, Muramasa's resolve was firm, and he immediately vanished as a wisp of smoke, leaving the place in a blink of an eye.
The most urgent task was to find weaker Zanpakuto and awaken their materialized forms to restore his own power.
This had to be done very discreetly, otherwise, once discovered by the Shinigami, he would inevitably fall into a very passive situation…
Damn Shinigami…
If Kōga hadn't been sealed, there wouldn't be such trouble…
In his opinion, with Shikai, it would be easy to kill Yamamoto Genryusai with Ryujin Jakka.
After all, Yamamoto Genryusai might be immune to hypnosis, but that didn't mean his Zanpakuto was immune to hypnosis.
As long as he found the right opportunity, it might not be impossible to succeed…
… …
On the island, since Muramasa had left early and without a trace.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni and Kuchiki Byakuya searched together for a while but found nothing suspicious.
This left Kuchiki Byakuya both greatly puzzled and a little embarrassed.
After all…
If all of this was just his illusion, then it looked like he was just messing with Yoriichi Tsugikuni…
Of course, Byakuya was also very glad he hadn't told his father about this.
Otherwise, if his father knew, he would definitely tell his grandfather.
By then, his grandfather would also come here, only to find nothing…
Byakuya could imagine the pressure he would face at that time.
Messing with his brother-in-law was better than messing with his grandfather, right?
He had originally expected to be criticized, or even lectured, at least a few times.
But to his surprise, Yoriichi Tsugikuni said nothing, which made him feel even more uneasy.
When the two returned to the cherry blossom tree, Kuchiki Byakuya hesitated for a moment, but finally broke the uncomfortable atmosphere:
"Um, Senior, about what happened today…"
"I understand."
Yoriichi seemed to have already seen through his thoughts, turning to interrupt him, his gaze calm and his tone a little reassuring,
"It was a false alarm, you want me not to take it to heart, right?"
Kuchiki Byakuya: "… …"
I haven't even said anything yet, and you've already guessed my words?
Senior is indeed Senior, Kuchiki Byakuya lightly coughed twice to cover his embarrassment, and continued:
"Yes, although it's a bit presumptuous, I still want to apologize for making you come all this way for nothing."
"It wasn't for nothing."
Yoriichi Tsugikuni reached out and caught a slowly falling cherry blossom petal, his gaze calm and his tone as steady as ever,
"At least I know that Karakura Town is not safe, and even such a seemingly ordinary place has a seal… "
"However, Byakuya."
"Do you really think that was just an illusion?"
"No feeling can appear without reason, especially not in a place like that."
"Senior, what do you mean?" Kuchiki Byakuya frowned slightly, a thoughtful expression on his face.
He seemed to understand some things, yet not quite.
Could it be that the sealed person or object escaped?
How could that be?
The seal was perfectly intact; that was a seal jointly cast by the Captain-Commander and his grandfather. Putting aside everything else, its quality must be fine.
If something could really bypass this seal and escape…
Then what kind of terrifying existence would that be?
Seeing Kuchiki Byakuya's expression, Yoriichi knew what he was thinking and gently shook his head:
"I didn't say that. I just think that intuition won't be wrong, and it might not be a problem with the seal."
"You can go back and ask your grandfather what exactly happened back then, and who was sealed?"
"When that person was sealed, was there anything else with them?"
"If I'm not mistaken, that kind of seal only targets living beings."
"Ketsuzō Kekkai, a type of Bakudo, you should have heard of this name, right?"
Kuchiki Byakuya had indeed heard of it. It was said that this Bakudo was a legendary forbidden technique, only usable by Captain-level Shinigami…
Moreover, when used, it required various conditions to be met to be effective. Once effective, it could permanently seal a person in a certain place.
Of course, the so-called permanence was only a theoretical statement, but even so, it was by no means something an ordinary Captain could escape from.
At least, in the current historical records of the Soul Society, no such case has appeared.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni's words only made Kuchiki Byakuya feel more confused.
A Shinigami strong enough to make Captain-Commander Yamamoto and his own grandfather jointly use Ketsuzō Kekkai…
How powerful must that be?
Forget it.
It's better to go back and tell father quickly.
Yoriichi was right about one thing: it might not be a problem with the seal; it's possible that the Captain-Commander and grandfather overlooked something back then…
If something unexpected truly occurred and wasn't handled in time, once the situation escalated, the consequences would be unimaginable…
When Kuchiki Ginrei learned of the matter, the leisurely demeanor that had enveloped him due to his retirement vanished without a trace.
He never expected that such an incident would suddenly happen only a few months after Kuchiki Byakuya became Vice-Captain.
It was known that the seal, in the past hundred years, had never shown any fault when Kuchiki Sōjun was responsible for checking it.
However, now… Kuchiki Ginrei slowly lowered his gaze, his expression becoming serious.
He stared intently at Kuchiki Byakuya, making the latter feel uneasy.
Then, an old and solemn voice slowly sounded:
"Byakuya, are you sure someone was secretly watching you at the time?"
"As for who Kuchiki Kōga is…"
"I didn't intentionally conceal this matter; it's just that when you were born, he was no longer a member of my Kuchiki Clan."
Mentioning Kuchiki Kōga, Kuchiki Ginrei sighed softly.
He slowly sat down, his expression complex, his eyes filled with melancholy, and he gently explained:
"He is a disgrace to my Kuchiki Clan and a traitor to the Seireitei."
"I once had extremely high hopes for him, believing he could replace your father and take on the burden of the Kuchiki Clan."
"Unfortunately, his personality was too strong-willed, just like yours once was."
"As a result, he was framed by others but remained completely unaware. Ultimately, he was dissatisfied with the Forty-Six Chambers's judgment, brazenly attacked and killed his comrades, and defected from the Seireitei…"
"Finally, Captain-Commander Yamamoto and I jointly sealed him in the Human World…"
Kuchiki Byakuya's expression subtly changed.
Just as he was about to speak and express his inner doubts…
Kuchiki Ginrei glanced at him and said:
"Are you trying to ask why there's no related record in the clan's documents?"
"That's natural. He was originally from Rukongai and later married into my Kuchiki Clan."
"He was only given the Kuchiki surname but never truly became a member of my Kuchiki Clan."
"Speaking of which, he's also your aunt's husband."
"Aunt's husband!?" Kuchiki Byakuya was instantly astonished.
He knew his aunt had a fiancé, but he never expected him to be a traitor?
Byakuya was completely unaware of this point.
This was also normal; as the disgrace of the Kuchiki Clan, Kuchiki Kōga's situation would generally not be mentioned in detail by anyone.
And the person who knew about this, Byakuya's aunt, had always been reclusive.
It was difficult for Byakuya to even see her once a year, and even if he did, they barely spoke, so how could he understand the past of the Kuchiki Clan?
If it weren't for Yoriichi Tsugikuni, he probably wouldn't have learned about this until after he inherited the head of the family…
Kuchiki Byakuya took a slight breath, trying to calm the turbulent emotions within him, and then continued to listen to all the details about Kuchiki Kōga.
Finally, when Kuchiki Ginrei mentioned the seal, recalling what happened that day, he suddenly realized what he had overlooked.
—The Zanpakuto.
Under normal circumstances, a Zanpakuto that has lost its master cannot act on its own.
But Muramasa was an exception.
Kuchiki Ginrei, as Kuchiki Kōga's father-in-law, naturally knew Kuchiki Kōga's Bankai ability.
He could hypnotize Zanpakuto, causing them to be brainwashed, betray their masters, and even materialize…
When sealing Kuchiki Kōga, since he couldn't use Muramasa's ability, Kuchiki Ginrei at the time believed that the Zanpakuto had abandoned him.
In the world of Shinigami, this situation was not uncommon.
However, according to what Byakuya said now, the situation seemed not to be like that…
Thinking of this, Kuchiki Ginrei slightly lowered his gaze, exhaled a cloudy breath, and looked at Kuchiki Byakuya decisively:
"Alright, Byakuya, I've told you everything I needed to tell you. You can withdraw now."
"I've generally understood what's going on."
"The matters that follow are not something a junior like you can participate in."
He wanted to find Yamamoto Genryusai and retrieve Muramasa to verify if his conjecture was accurate.
If it was correct, that would be for the best; the true form of Muramasa would soon be in their hands, and the hidden danger would be eliminated.
And if it was incorrect, that was also fine; at least one wrong answer would be ruled out.
Currently, the Seireitei was thriving. Even if an enemy invaded, they would never be able to defeat Yamamoto Genryusai and his disciple, Yoriichi Tsugikuni.
Kuchiki Byakuya was unwilling; he still had many questions he wanted to ask.
But when he looked up and saw his grandfather's serious and unyielding expression, he understood that under these circumstances, it was highly unlikely he would get any useful information.
He could only bite his lip and retreat with a heart full of helplessness.
A little later.
After Kuchiki Ginrei found Yamamoto Genryusai and informed him of the matter, Yamamoto Genryusai's expression immediately changed, and he instantly felt an urge to depart for the Human World.
There was no other way; he also wanted to be calm and collected, but the threat of that Zanpakuto was simply too great.
If it weren't for this, the Captain-Commander wouldn't have had to be deployed when Kuchiki Kōga was captured back then.
Thus, the two hurried to the Human World, and at this time, Yoriichi Tsugikuni was still nearby and had not left.
Although Yoriichi knew who Kuchiki Kōga was and understood what had happened to him,
He did not know Kuchiki Kōga's ultimate fate.
Suddenly seeing Yamamoto Genryusai and Kuchiki Ginrei, and guessing that they might be there for the matter of the seal, Yoriichi's expression subtly changed.
He just mentioned it casually, but he didn't expect there to actually be a problem…
Could it be Yhwach who was sealed there?
Besides him, Yoriichi really couldn't think of anyone else who could make these two treat the matter with such caution…
At the same time Yoriichi Tsugikuni saw Yamamoto Genryusai, Yamamoto Genryusai also saw Yoriichi Tsugikuni.
His gaze swept over the group of women behind Yoriichi, and Yamamoto Genryusai's beard trembled as he couldn't help but let out a soft hmph.
This life was too leisurely, even more comfortable and carefree than his as Captain-Commander.
Picnics, flower viewing, throwing all duties to the back of his mind—he vaguely saw the shadow of that boy Kyōraku Shunsui in Yoriichi Tsugikuni.
However… never mind. Who could blame him when the Ninth Division was currently the strongest and all its work was exceptionally well done?
Overall, it was much better than the Eighth Division, where Kyōraku was.
He heard that recently, even the Third Seat of the Eighth Division had been replaced by a girl named Vice-Captain Ise Nanao…
Looking out, the entire Eighth Division was filled with pretty girls, completely lacking a serious appearance.
Yamamoto Genryusai narrowed his eyes and walked up to Yoriichi Tsugikuni, just about to speak.
Kuchiki Ginrei lightly coughed, interrupting him:
"We meet again, young friend. Thank you very much for your care of Byakuya this time. I, an old man, am deeply grateful…"
Although Yoriichi didn't particularly take care of Byakuya, only accompanied him, the necessary courtesies still couldn't be omitted.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni gently shook his head:
"It's nothing. May I ask, are you two seniors here for the matter of the seal?"
"Precisely."
Kuchiki Ginrei casually chatted for a few sentences along that line, and then shifted the topic to the abnormal situation.
At this moment, Yamamoto Genryusai could no longer stand the pleasantries between nobles and left the area first.
He had not brought his Zanpakuto with him on this trip, so even if Muramasa activated its ability, it wouldn't affect him in the slightest.
After the two figures completely disappeared, Uta cautiously stepped forward, approached Yoriichi, and asked in a low voice:
"What happened? Why are Captain-Commander Yamamoto and Old Man Kuchiki both here?"
"Is there danger nearby?"
She looked at Yoriichi, her eyes full of worry, "How about we find another place?"
Yoriichi lowered his head slightly and pondered for a moment, then gently nodded in agreement.
After all, being outside the Soul Society, all actions should prioritize the safety of his family.
Before the Captain-Commander arrived, the situation was unclear.
After the Captain-Commander arrived, the situation became completely clear.
It must be a strong person.
It wouldn't be good if Uta or Ai were affected.
Hisana and Rukia wouldn't be good either.
Rangiku: "…"
What about me? Where am I?
I… oh, my strength is comparable to an ordinary Captain, so I'm fine.
…
After some time, Yoriichi Tsugikuni, with his family, had just found another place where cherry blossoms danced.
Before they could even rest for a moment, they suddenly saw Kuchiki Ginrei, who had originally been with the Captain-Commander, hurrying over from not far away.
Kuchiki Ginrei told Yoriichi Tsugikuni some bad news.
A Zanpakuto that could bewitch other Zanpakuto was missing.
The previous guess had come true.
Muramasa had awakened; he had materialized himself and taken his own Zanpakuto.
In other words, a Zanpakuto rebellion could happen at any time.
Before Muramasa was found, Kuchiki Ginrei hoped Yoriichi would be extra careful to avoid being harmed by his own Zanpakuto.
The same applied to the women behind Yoriichi.
He repeatedly urged that if their Zanpakuto showed any abnormality one day, they needed to report it immediately…
Kuchiki Ginrei's tone was quite urgent, as if a Zanpakuto rebellion was a major event that could affect the Three Realms.
This made Yoriichi frown slightly, and he couldn't help but ask:
"So… the person sealed there was Kuchiki Kōga?"
"Wasn't the seal intact? Why would the Zanpakuto disappear?"
Kuchiki Ginrei recounted all the conjectures that had arisen in his mind when he faced Kuchiki Byakuya earlier, one by one.
Yoriichi listened and generally understood the situation, nodding in response: "I see, a special Zanpakuto, then?"
"I understand."
"Please inform me of the actions that Zanpakuto might take after awakening. I also want to contribute my share."
"A Zanpakuto that can hypnotize and kill its master is indeed too dangerous…"
Although Yamamoto Genryusai's own strength didn't entirely rely on his Zanpakuto, if his Zanpakuto rebelled and used Bankai…
It was hard to say who would win between the two.
Perhaps killing Yamamoto Genryusai would be difficult, but killing others wasn't too hard.
Such a thing must not be allowed to happen, otherwise…
The Seireitei would suffer destruction again.
At this thought, Yoriichi couldn't help but sigh softly.
—I wonder if it's just my imagination.
I always feel that the Seireitei is quite prone to disasters.
And this time, the villain is actually a Zanpakuto…
That's truly unexpected.