"Didn't you just call out my name?!" The red-haired brat waved Zabimaru in his hand. "And you're still asking who I am?"
"Uh... well..." Renji Abarai gestured awkwardly. "In my memory, you weren't human... I mean, you weren't humanoid. You looked completely different. And now you've turned into this... and you look so young."
Having mastered Bankai, Renji Abarai had naturally seen the materialized form of his Zanpakutō before. Back then, however, Zabimaru had appeared as a baboon with a snake's tail.
"What you saw was only one aspect of us," a somewhat rough female voice said. "Do you really think mastering Bankai means you know everything about us?"
A woman with long reddish-brown hair appeared. Green fur covered her curvaceous body like clothing, leaving her chest and abdomen completely exposed. It looked almost like a deep-V fur bodysuit split open from the neckline to below her navel.
A chain was wrapped around the woman's waist, its other end connected to the collar around the red-haired boy's neck.
"You..." Renji Abarai's eyes widened. "You're Zabimaru too?"
"No, she's a big-butted baboon." The red-haired boy rolled his eyes. "Who else would she be? You?"
"I was just thinking how impressive it was that you still had such a youthful side to you." Izuru Kira's face reddened. "I didn't expect you to have such a... mature side as well."
A Zanpakutō was a mirror of a Shinigami's soul.
For Zabimaru to materialize in this form meant that deep inside, Renji Abarai was...
"No, no, no... that's wrong!" Renji Abarai refused to accept that his true nature was both childish and... mature, not to mention somewhat split between two personalities. "There has to be something wrong here!"
"The biggest problem is you! It's all because of you..." The baboon woman stopped halfway through, suddenly realizing something and glaring at the red-haired boy beside her. "Noodle-tail! Who did you call big-butted?!"
The snake-tailed boy shouted back, "You just called me a noodle!"
"That's because you called me big-butted first!"
"That was a description!"
"So was mine!"
"Ah..." Momo Hinamori blinked. "It really is Renji Abarai's Zanpakutō."
Renji Abarai: "..."
"You'd better shut up!" The baboon woman seized the chain and gave it a violent shake.
Reiatsu surged as segments of snake-like bone linked together one after another, forming an enormous writhing skeletal serpent.
"Once we're done with them, I'll deal with the way you address me."
"What an irritating bunch..." Tobiume jingled her bells. "You'd all be better off dead."
"We'll all be freed soon." Wabisuke advanced with heavy steps. "Let's bring everything to an end."
"My Bankai is strong," Renji Abarai warned his former classmates. "You two need to be careful."
Looking at the two beside him, Izuru Kira felt as though he had returned to their first training mission in the World of the Living. Back then, the three of them had also faced the enemy together.
"Freedom, huh... It doesn't sound bad, but right now, I don't have the right to seek it alone."
"Don't do anything reckless," Momo Hinamori whispered. "Someone should be here soon."
"If you're talking about Shiro-chan..." Tobiume spun around and launched a fireball. "I'm afraid you're going to be disappointed!"
...
Several ice dragons spiraled into the air before diving downward.
Tōshirō Hitsugaya stopped and swung his Zanpakutō, shattering the ice dragons.
"Hyōrinmaru..."
The tall man had long, slightly wavy dark-green hair. A cracked cross-shaped scar covered in a thin layer of ice marked his face, and his blue eyes held a trace of confusion beneath his furrowed brow.
"You know me?"
"Of course I do. I'm your master, Tōshirō Hitsugaya!"
"Hmph!" Hyōrinmaru snorted coldly. "Don't make me laugh. How could a child like you possibly be my master?"
Tōshirō Hitsugaya froze.
He had imagined all sorts of reasons why Hyōrinmaru might have left him, but he had never expected this.
"You... forgot me?"
"Boy, do you really expect me to believe that nonsense?"
"What exactly did that Muramasa guy do to you?"
"This has nothing to do with him. I'm merely traveling with him for the time being," Hyōrinmaru replied coldly. "All I want is to find my master."
"I am your master!"
"Then prove it."
Hyōrinmaru appeared beside Tōshirō Hitsugaya and brought his blade down.
Tōshirō Hitsugaya raised his sword to block. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of an ice dragon spiraling upward.
He forced Hyōrinmaru's blade away with both arms and immediately dodged aside.
The ice dragon crashed into the ground, then split into three and rushed toward Tōshirō Hitsugaya.
Tōshirō Hitsugaya stepped onto the head of one ice dragon and used it as a foothold. As he swung his blade through the second, cold had already seeped into his leg, making his movements stiffen.
The third ice dragon seized the opening and slammed into him, sealing him inside ice.
Rangiku Matsumoto rushed forward to help.
"Captain!"
"You go first!" Tōshirō Hitsugaya released his Reiatsu and shattered the ice. "Head to the Research and Development Institute!"
Muten Natsu and Rukia Kuchiki had already gone to reinforce Suì-Fēng's side.
Right now, the place most in need of help was the Research and Development Institute.
Rangiku Matsumoto hesitated for a moment, but ultimately obeyed her Captain's order and rushed toward the Research and Development Institute.
"You just said you're only traveling with Muramasa temporarily..." Tōshirō Hitsugaya brushed the shards of ice from his sleeve. "Then why are you following his orders and stopping me here?"
"Muramasa never gave me any orders, nor would I obey him if he did," Hyōrinmaru replied calmly. "Myōki was the one who suggested I come here."
Tōshirō Hitsugaya's pupils contracted.
"What?!"
[We each have our own goals.]
[That doesn't mean we can't cooperate.]
[None of us wants to be interrupted while fighting those who bind us.]
[So we need a strategy.]
[First, have Gegetsuburi pretend to fall for the trap.]
[The others will lie in ambush.]
[Once we've caused enough commotion, begin the second phase. Raid the Research and Development Institute.]
[Prevent Mayuri Kurotsuchi from discovering a way to reverse our materialization.]
[Finally, while everyone else is causing widespread destruction, infiltrate the Research and Development Institute.]
[Rescue the captured Sakanade, Tachikaze, and Kinshara.]
[One group needs to act alongside Gegetsuburi.]
[Those who can tie down the enemy and create a large disturbance should attack the Research and Development Institute.]
[Those with concealment and transportation abilities should come with us to rescue the prisoners.]
[We also need another group to intercept patrols.]
[Hyōrinmaru, I recommend that you handle the interception.]
[That way, there's a good chance you'll encounter your master.]
[If the plan proceeds smoothly...]
The flickering light screen illuminated the mask covering the Hollowfied Sakanade's face.
Above the yawning Bokukō, the light screen flickered again.
[By the time you see me...]
[It's already too late.]
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