In the Rukongai, Tsunayoshi followed Urahara Kisuke deeper into the outer districts.
The higher the district number, the more desolate the area became. The place they were currently walking through was practically indistinguishable from a barren wilderness.
"Do Shinigami really patrol places like this?" Tsunayoshi asked while walking.
Normally, the Gotei Thirteen patrolled the Rukongai to prevent Hollow incursions into Soul Society.
But in a place this deserted, hardly any souls lived here at all.
Without human souls as prey, Hollows had little reason to appear.
Logically speaking, that Shinigami shouldn't have been patrolling such a remote area—let alone doing it alone.
"In principle, the entire Soul Society falls within the patrol zone," Urahara replied.
"But in practice, there aren't nearly enough personnel to cover everything."
"If that Shinigami came here alone, something must have drawn him."
"What else could it be?" Tsunayoshi shrugged.
"A Zanpakutō."
Only something like the promise of recovering lost power would make a Shinigami risk venturing alone into such a distant region.
Before long, Urahara led Tsunayoshi to the place where the body had been discovered—a barren hillside.
Tsunayoshi sensed the surrounding Reishi carefully.
"You were right," he said.
"There's no trace of another Reiatsu here."
"It's as if… he cut himself."
"So where do you think we should start searching?" Urahara asked.
"How would I know?" Tsunayoshi rolled his eyes.
"If it were me, I'd hide in a cave or somewhere deep in the woods."
"Far away from people."
Urahara gave him a thoughtful look.
"Then we'll use this spot as the center point and search within a ten-kilometer radius."
"If we find anything, we regroup."
"Splitting up?" Tsunayoshi raised an eyebrow.
"Not that I don't trust you, Shopkeeper—but what if we get picked off one by one?"
"You've got all sorts of gadgets."
"Me? I've only got a Zanpakutō. Not much combat ability otherwise."
Urahara shot him an annoyed glare.
That was obvious nonsense.
Between Tsunayoshi's Fullbring abilities and Quincy powers, his combat strength easily rivaled most Captains.
Not much combat ability, my foot.
As the two ventured deeper into the wilderness—
A sharp slicing sound suddenly cut through the air.
Both men calmly dodged.
The object embedded itself in the ground nearby.
It was a triangular boomerang-like blade.
Moments later, footsteps approached.
Before long, Tsunayoshi and Urahara found themselves surrounded by a group of strange creatures.
They resembled humans—but not quite.
Some were wrapped in bandages.
One looked like a green-skinned bull-headed monster.
Another resembled a grotesque octopus-like being.
"Fascinating little creatures," Urahara commented.
"These are probably the culprits behind the recent Shinigami serial killings," Tsunayoshi said.
"Their appearance and weapons match the Zanpakutō of the victims."
Before leaving Seireitei, Urahara had already reviewed all the investigation reports with him.
"These Zanpakutō seem… quite unstable," Urahara observed carefully.
"Of course they are," Tsunayoshi replied.
"Their masters are dead."
"Without their wielders, Zanpakutō eventually lose their sanity."
"At that point, it's better to call them something else."
"Blade Beasts."
"Zanpakutō that have gone feral."
"So should we eliminate them?" Urahara asked, drawing his Zanpakutō.
The creatures were glaring at them like predators.
"Let's try calling him first," Tsunayoshi said.
"If these Blade Beasts are here, then the one controlling them must be nearby."
He raised his voice.
"Muramasa."
"We know you're here."
"Why not come out and talk?"
"Mr. Tsunayoshi," Urahara whispered.
"What if you scared him away?"
"What if these Blade Beasts are just disposable pawns?"
"Relax," Tsunayoshi said confidently.
"That guy's arrogant."
"And right now, the gatekeeper is holding a Zanpakutō."
As his voice faded—
A tall, thin man slowly stepped out from the shadows.
He wore a white and purple robe.
His skin was pale.
Heavy dark eye makeup framed his eyes.
His messy brown hair hung loosely around his face.
Most striking of all were his long, claw-like fingernails.
This was the man Tsunayoshi had come to find.
Muramasa.
"Arrogant Shinigami."
Muramasa spoke coldly.
"Kill them."
Without any interest in conversation, he immediately ordered the Blade Beasts to attack.
They surged forward.
But most of these Zanpakutō had never possessed particularly powerful abilities.
Many merely altered their blade's shape.
Combined with the fact that their former masters had not been especially strong—
Neither Tsunayoshi nor Urahara even bothered releasing their Zanpakutō.
Using only their sealed blades, they fought calmly.
One step.
One strike.
Blade Beasts fell one after another.
Within moments, the entire group lay defeated.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
Muramasa applauded lightly.
He showed no sadness over the Blade Beasts' destruction.
"As expected of Shinigami with powerful Zanpakutō."
"I'm becoming more and more interested in your blades."
"Mr. Tsunayoshi," Urahara said quietly.
"I have a bad feeling about this."
The only reason he had agreed to come here was because Tsunayoshi had assured him capturing Muramasa would be safe.
"Relax," Tsunayoshi replied calmly.
"What's the worst that could happen?"
"We'll just meet our Zanpakutō."
"I still think we should capture him immediately," Urahara said.
He began chanting a Kidō incantation.
Knowing Muramasa possessed the ability to control Zanpakutō, Urahara intended to attack him directly with Kidō.
But before the spell could finish—
Muramasa released a strange purple Reiatsu.
He began whispering softly, his expression almost intoxicated.
Tsunayoshi immediately understood.
Muramasa was attempting to hypnotize Urahara's Zanpakutō spirit.
That couldn't be allowed.
Tsunayoshi flashed forward with Shunpo, swinging his blade toward Muramasa.
Muramasa instantly stopped whispering and jumped out of range.
"Shopkeeper, you alright?" Tsunayoshi asked.
"I'm fine…"
"But I can't communicate with Benihime anymore."
"Awaken… Benihime."
Urahara spoke the Shikai command.
Nothing happened.
The blade didn't respond.
Instead, it reverted to its original cane form.
"Your reaction time was impressive," Muramasa said with mild regret.
"If you had been a little slower, I could have drawn Benihime's spirit out of the blade."
"Shopkeeper, try binding him with Bakudō!" Tsunayoshi called.
But Urahara didn't respond.
"Shopkeeper?"
Turning around—
Tsunayoshi saw Urahara staring blankly at his Zanpakutō.
He couldn't hear Tsunayoshi at all.
"It's useless," Muramasa explained calmly.
"Although I didn't have enough time earlier, I've already awakened Benihime's desire."
"That Shinigami has now been dragged into his inner world."
"He cannot hear you."
Tsunayoshi hadn't expected that move.
In the anime, Muramasa's power mostly manifested by materializing Zanpakutō spirits.
But apparently he could also control Shinigami in another way.
By amplifying a Zanpakutō's dissatisfaction—
He could forcibly drag the Shinigami into inner meditation (Jinzen).
For most Shinigami, mastering Jinzen was one of the hardest parts of sword training.
For Muramasa—
It was effortless.
No wonder he's the most dangerous Zanpakutō in internal Soul Society conflicts, Tsunayoshi thought.
He manipulated Shinigami like it was nothing.
Somehow, Tsunayoshi found himself viewing Muramasa almost like a Gotei Thirteen instructor evaluating talent.
And the more he looked at him—
The more satisfied he felt.
Seeing Tsunayoshi remain silent, Muramasa continued speaking.
"My original plan was to infiltrate Seireitei."
"My first target would have been Ryūjin Jakka."
"But since you two delivered yourselves to me…"
"I'll begin by liberating you from your Zanpakutō."
"You'll be freed from your control over them."
"You think a single Ryūjin Jakka can conquer Seireitei?" Tsunayoshi laughed.
"If Old Man Yamamoto wasn't worried about the damage to Soul Society…"
"He would have come personally to capture you long ago."
It was true that Ryūjin Jakka was terrifyingly powerful.
But that strength depended on Genryūsai Yamamoto, its wielder.
Even without his Zanpakutō, Yamamoto had perfected Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hohō, and Kidō.
Losing his sword didn't mean losing his strength.
The only reason Yamamoto hadn't acted directly was simple:
An uncontrolled Ryūjin Jakka could devastate all of Soul Society.
Muramasa's already pale face grew colder.
The reason he stirred chaos in Soul Society was to find the location where his master had been sealed.
Ironically—
Muramasa, the Zanpakutō that encouraged rebellion against masters, was also the one who loved his master the most.
That master was Kōga Kuchiki.
Kōga had once been framed during political conflicts within the Kuchiki Clan.
But the final push that drove him down a path of destruction—
Had come from Muramasa himself.
Encouraged by Muramasa, Kōga eventually lost himself.
He escaped imprisonment.
Killed fellow Shinigami.
Declared rebellion.
Each crime alone was enough for execution.
But because he belonged to the Kuchiki Clan, and due to the intervention of Ginrei Kuchiki, Byakuya's grandfather—
Kōga was spared death.
Instead, he was sealed away forever.
Muramasa's current rampage had only one purpose:
To find the location of Kōga Kuchiki's seal.
And free him.
That was why Muramasa planned to infiltrate Seireitei and cause chaos.
He hoped to force Yamamoto to reveal the truth.
Now, however—
Tsunayoshi had just told him that even Ryūjin Jakka alone wouldn't defeat Yamamoto.
For the first time, Muramasa seemed slightly shaken.
But the moment passed quickly.
Muramasa had survived long after being abandoned by his master—sustaining himself by devouring Hollows.
His will was far stronger than most.
Without another word, Muramasa lunged toward Tsunayoshi.
He couldn't let this man keep talking.
Every word was disrupting his resolve.
Instead of arguing further—
Muramasa decided to attack Tsunayoshi's mind directly.
Purple light flared around his body.
His figure began to blur.
In an instant—
Muramasa vanished.
Tsunayoshi didn't try to stop him.
He knew exactly what Muramasa intended.
Muramasa was entering his inner world, hoping to manipulate Tsunayoshi's Zanpakutō spirit.
But Muramasa had made a fatal mistake.
He assumed Tsunayoshi was like any other Shinigami.
The real reason Tsunayoshi had come here—
Was because of his own Zanpakutō.
Closing his eyes, Tsunayoshi willingly entered his inner world.
He wanted to see for himself—
Just how Muramasa planned to tempt his Zanpakutō spirit.
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