"Afraid? What exactly are you afraid of, Hyorinmaru?"
Toshiro tightly grasped Hyorinmaru's soft hand, trying to ease the unease and fear within her.
Perhaps because of Toshiro's action, Hyorinmaru's body stopped trembling, and her emotions slowly calmed down. Then she slowly began to speak: "Actually, I have always been afraid... afraid of Toshiro becoming stronger, eventually breaking through to become a God."
"Hmm? Why? Isn't me becoming stronger, breaking through to the [True God Level], a good thing?"
Toshiro asked, puzzled.
"Hmph, for you, Toshiro, it is indeed a good thing. Once you break through and become a God, you can deal with Aizen and Yhwach, protect your Momo and those important comrades of yours. But for me, it might not necessarily be a good thing."
Hyorinmaru snorted, a hint of jealousy in her voice.
"Why? Aren't Zanpakuto and Shinigami one heart and one soul? The stronger I get, even to the point of becoming a God, why wouldn't that be a good thing for you, Hyorinmaru?"
Toshiro still didn't quite understand Hyorinmaru's meaning.
"Toshiro, have you forgotten? A Zanpakuto is born from a Shinigami's soul... it is originally a part of the Shinigami."
"And what is a 'God'? A 'God' is powerful, but also perfect and without flaw. If a Shinigami wants to break their limits and become a God, they naturally must reclaim their missing parts to achieve a state of perfection."
Hyorinmaru explained.
Toshiro realized, "The missing part... could it be..."
"That's right, it's the Zanpakuto. Only by completely merging with the power of their Zanpakuto can a Shinigami truly break their limits and attain the supreme realm of Godhood. That is to say, Toshiro, if you want to take that final step and break through to the [True God Level], you must completely merge with my power."
Hyorinmaru said, her tone somewhat low.
"If I completely merge with your power, Hyorinmaru... what effect will it have on you?"
Toshiro asked hesitantly.
Although he didn't know exactly what would happen to Hyorinmaru after completely merging her power, it wasn't hard to guess that it wouldn't be good for her, otherwise she wouldn't resist so strongly.
Hyorinmaru hugged Toshiro tightly, resting her head on his shoulder, closed her eyes, and softly replied: "After a Shinigami completely merges with their Zanpakuto's power, the Zanpakuto naturally loses all its power and becomes an ordinary Asauchi. However, the Shinigami can then wield the Zanpakuto's power at will, no longer needing to call the Zanpakuto's name or rely on it to use various abilities as before."
"And you?"
Toshiro asked nervously.
If his Zanpakuto became an ordinary Asauchi, what would happen to 'Hyorinmaru', who represented the power of that Zanpakuto?
"Me? If I'm lucky, I'll just lose all my power, unable to fight alongside you anymore, and spend the rest of my existence in your Inner World, Toshiro."
"If I'm unlucky... maybe I'll just disappear altogether."
Hyorinmaru showed a bitter smile.
Hearing Hyorinmaru's words, Toshiro's heart clenched painfully, as if a hand were squeezing it tightly, making it hard for him to breathe.
'Hyorinmaru... will disappear?' An indescribable feeling of fear and terror surged in Toshiro's heart. He truly couldn't imagine a world without Hyorinmaru.
Just as Hyorinmaru valued Toshiro, Toshiro also valued Hyorinmaru deeply.
They were the most important person to each other.
"Well, don't worry. Unless my luck is unbelievably bad, as long as you're willing, Toshiro, after you completely merge with my power, I should still be able to remain in existence. It's just... just that I would lose all my power, unable to fight by your side anymore, unable to help you any longer."
"You know, Toshiro, my greatest wish has always been to be needed, to be needed by you, Toshiro. That is also the meaning of my existence."
"But if someday, my existence loses its purpose, and I can no longer help you, Toshiro, that situation would be like my belief collapsing, and I myself would lose the meaning of my existence."
"So I have always been afraid... afraid of you taking that final step, breaking through to the [True God Level], because that would mean I would lose my power, lose the meaning of my existence."
"But there isn't much time left until the decisive battle with Aizen. If you can't break through to the [True God Level] by then, Toshiro, there's no guarantee of victory."
"However, if you really do break through to the [True God Level], then I would lose my power, forever unable to help you, reduced to a useless person, losing the meaning of my existence."
"So, I have been painfully agonizing inside. With each passing day, the decisive battle with Aizen draws closer, and you get one step closer to the [True God Level], Toshiro, while the fear and terror in my heart grow stronger by the minute."
"That's why I suddenly decided this time to use Muramasa's power to break free from the Shinigami's binding on Zanpakuto and leave your side. I couldn't bear the fear and terror in my heart anymore, so I ultimately chose to escape, trying to run away from you, Toshiro."
Holding Toshiro from behind, leaning on his shoulder, Hyorinmaru softly confessed the reason for her 'running away from home'.
After listening to Hyorinmaru's confession, Toshiro's heart was in turmoil, unable to calm down for a long time.
"I'm sorry, Hyorinmaru. I never noticed that you were suffering so much inside."
Toshiro could only apologize weakly to Hyorinmaru again.
"No, don't apologize. Ultimately, I was too selfish. Although I kept saying it was for you, Toshiro, it was really for myself. I was afraid of becoming a useless good-for-nothing."
"A Zanpakuto is originally part of the Shinigami. Its power naturally belongs to the Shinigami as well. Even if a Shinigami reclaims that power, it's only natural, because it originally belonged to them. So if you need it, Toshiro, I should offer my power without hesitation, not run away like this."
Hyorinmaru said.
"Oh? How strange. Weren't you cold and indifferent before, wanting to leave me? And now, in the blink of an eye, you're like a virtuous woman from a bygone era, ready to sacrifice everything."
Toshiro teased.
"Because... compared to the fear of losing power, the fear of no longer being able to help you, the fear of losing the meaning of my existence... I am more afraid of losing you, Toshiro."
"You know, Toshiro, yesterday when my sword pierced your body, an unprecedented terror surged within me. That's when I understood what I truly feared most."
"Compared to the fear of losing you, mere power means nothing. As long as you can break through and become a God, Toshiro, and survive the battles against strong enemies like Aizen, even if it means offering up my power, I'll do it willingly."
Hyorinmaru said, her tone firm.
"Hyorinmaru..."
Moved, Toshiro, ignoring his injuries, suddenly broke free from Hyorinmaru's embrace and turned around to actively hug her.
"Toshiro..."
Hyorinmaru couldn't help but hold Toshiro tightly as well.
And then—
Swoosh!
A door-opening sound suddenly rang out.
"Ara ara... I'm sorry. Am I interrupting something?"
Suddenly appearing, Unohana looked at Toshiro and Hyorinmaru embracing with an intrigued expression.