"Kōga!!"
Muramasa spread his arms wide, welcoming Kōga Kuchiki as he descended from the sky.
He had imagined this moment countless times.
Now it had finally come true.
As for whether he would live or die afterward—he didn't care anymore.
Tears slid down Muramasa's face.
Surely only Kōga, his master, could understand all the suffering he had endured over the years.
Everything had been worth it…
Hadn't it?
Thud.
Muramasa's tears abruptly stopped.
His pupils widened in disbelief.
His arms were still held open in a welcoming embrace.
What… just happened?
Why had the Zanpakutō called Muramasa pierced straight through Muramasa's own body?
The one holding the blade—
Was none other than the master Muramasa had longed for day and night.
Kōga Kuchiki.
Muramasa's lips trembled.
He wanted to question him.
But he didn't even know where to begin.
Hadn't he just freed Kōga?
Why would his master stab him?
A trace of mocking amusement appeared on Kōga's cold face.
He could easily read the confusion written all over Muramasa's expression.
Soon that mockery turned into pure, undisguised disgust.
"Wondering why I stabbed you?"
"Muramasa, the moment you betrayed me back then, this outcome was already decided."
"You deserve that blade."
Kōga's icy words struck like thunder.
The master Muramasa loved most had stabbed the deepest knife into his heart.
His legs lost all strength.
He collapsed to his knees.
"…Impossible. I never betrayed…"
Muramasa's lips moved weakly, his voice barely audible.
Only Kōga, standing closest to him, could hear it.
But those words shattered Kōga's restraint.
His expression twisted with rage.
With a vicious kick, he sent Muramasa rolling across the ground.
"Didn't betray me?!"
"Then why—why didn't you answer when I needed you the most?!"
Kōga pointed the Zanpakutō at Muramasa furiously.
Even before he had been sealed, he had been calling out to Muramasa.
Again and again.
But Muramasa had never responded.
Over the centuries, resentment had slowly turned into hatred.
Muramasa's mind went blank.
He didn't understand.
When he had tried calling out to Kōga—
Kōga had already been sealed.
There had been no response.
"Answer me!" Kōga roared.
Once again.
Silence.
What use was a Zanpakutō that would not answer its master?
"It wasn't like that, Kōga. I never heard your voice. I—"
Suddenly—
A violent pain exploded in Muramasa's chest.
His eyes widened in disbelief.
Kōga had snapped the blade in his hands.
The Zanpakutō Muramasa—its physical form—had been broken.
"Worthless trash."
"From this day onward, I have no need for a Zanpakutō."
Those cold words were the executioner's final stroke.
Muramasa's last fragile hope shattered completely.
Around them, everyone watched silently.
No one stepped forward.
In fact, Tsuna and Urahara even quietly exchanged a small celebratory clap behind Yamamoto.
The objective had been achieved.
Only after witnessing his master destroy him personally would Muramasa finally abandon his devotion to Kōga.
Only then would Tsuna and Urahara have room to carry out their next move.
Ignoring Muramasa—now lying like a dead dog on the ground—Kōga pulled a golden sealing spear from the lake and pointed it toward Yamamoto.
Hundreds of years had passed.
But he had not forgotten.
Yamamoto was one of the people responsible for sealing him.
"Perfect."
"No need to search for you."
"Yamamoto Genryūsai! You delivered yourself right to me!"
Kōga's Reiatsu surged toward Yamamoto in provocation.
"Locked up for centuries and he's still stupid enough to challenge Old Man Yamamoto," Tsuna muttered to Urahara.
"If Yamamoto sealed him once, he can seal him again."
"Ah yes," Urahara nodded calmly. "His intelligence was never particularly impressive. Back then he was just a pawn in factional conflicts."
Ever since Tsuna had started planning around Muramasa, Urahara had thoroughly investigated Kōga's past.
"By the way, Old Man Yamamoto," Tsuna continued loudly, "your seal isn't that great. After hundreds of years he still has this much Reiatsu."
"Enough. The two of you."
Yamamoto sighed, rubbing his temples.
This entire situation had been caused by the two people standing behind him.
And now they were commenting on it like spectators.
"Captain Kuchiki. Resolve your family's matter."
"You two—proceed with your plan."
The moment Kōga broke free from the seal, Byakuya Kuchiki had already wanted to act.
He had restrained himself only out of respect for Yamamoto.
Now that the order had been given—
Byakuya instantly appeared before Kōga and slashed.
Seeing the noble ornaments on Byakuya's uniform, Kōga immediately recognized him as a member of the Kuchiki Clan.
Perfect.
He could begin his revenge by collecting interest from the Kuchiki family.
Byakuya himself had no personal memories of Kōga.
He was merely fulfilling the instructions once given by his grandfather Ginrei Kuchiki—to resolve the unfinished matters of their clan.
Without a word, Byakuya released Senbonzakura.
The swirling petals blasted Kōga across the lake.
Byakuya wasn't foolish.
He didn't know what Tsuna and the others were planning, but he could at least clear the battlefield for them.
Tsuna and Urahara exchanged a glance.
Byakuya understood the assignment perfectly.
Without Kōga interfering, they could proceed with their plan involving Muramasa.
Urahara crushed dozens of small pill-like capsules and scattered the powder into the air.
The substance blocked any connection to Hueco Mundo.
Meanwhile, Muramasa lay motionless on the ground.
The destruction of his Zanpakutō body.
The crushing betrayal by Kōga.
His reason for living had finally disappeared.
And the moment that obsession vanished—
His body erupted violently.
Massive amounts of Hollow Reiatsu burst from within Muramasa.
Over the years, without Kōga's spiritual pressure to sustain him, Muramasa had survived by devouring Hollows.
Previously, his obsession with Kōga had suppressed the backlash of those Hollow powers.
But now—
Muramasa had already chosen death.
He no longer bothered suppressing anything.
One Menos-class Hollow after another began emerging from his chest.
Muramasa himself had become a nest of Hollows, his form grotesquely twisted.
Urahara and Yoruichi exchanged a glance.
Without a word, they moved together, rapidly destroying the Hollows erupting from Muramasa.
Fortunately, Urahara had already blocked Muramasa's connection to Hueco Mundo.
Otherwise the appearance of so many Menos would have attracted even more Hollows.
Muramasa's internal supply was finite.
They could eliminate them all.
While Urahara and Yoruichi fought the Hollows—
Tsuna crouched quietly beside Muramasa.
"…Are you… here… to watch… my… humiliation…"
Muramasa turned his head weakly.
At this point, his only remaining obsession was understanding Tsuna's plan.
Had they captured him just to hand him over to Kōga for ridicule?
Tsuna asked calmly,
"Do you regret it?"
"Serving a master like that."
"…Regret…"
Memories flashed through Muramasa's mind.
The beautiful years he had spent beside Kōga.
And the cruel reality he faced now.
He had given everything for his master.
Yet Kōga had personally shattered him.
But did regret even matter anymore?
Kōga Kuchiki was his master.
There was no chance to start over.
"…No… regrets."
Muramasa clenched his teeth.
At the very least—
He wouldn't let Tsuna laugh at him in his final moment.
That was his last shred of pride.
"Want to try a different master?"
Tsuna ignored his answer entirely.
Muramasa froze.
In that instant, pain and despair seemed to vanish.
A Zanpakutō…
With a different master?
He had never even heard of such a possibility.
"Do you want to?"
Tsuna continued softly.
"I can guarantee the next one will be a child who knows how to care for others."
Those words were like a demon's whisper.
Muramasa's shattered heart trembled violently.
A master who would care for him…
Thinking back—
He had always been the one caring for Kōga's emotions.
He would do anything for him.
But what had Kōga done?
Everything Muramasa gave had simply been taken for granted.
Yes.
Because Kōga was the master.
Muramasa's devotion was expected.
But—
How tempting.
A master who would care for him.
Muramasa had never experienced that in his life.
If Zanpakutō had another life…
He wanted to meet such a master.
For that person—
Even opposing the entire world wouldn't matter.
This Sawada Tsunayoshi was frighteningly persuasive.
Even in his final moments, he had woven a beautiful dream.
Muramasa knew it was probably nonsense.
Yet—
He still wanted to believe.
"…I do."
He wanted to meet such a gentle master.
Kōga Kuchiki was now part of the past.
Muramasa finally released his last defenses and accepted death.
Perhaps if he died sooner—
He could meet that gentle master sooner.
Muramasa, already gazing toward the shore of death, didn't notice the smile spreading across Tsuna's face.
Tsuna had known Muramasa would never refuse.
For someone who had never once received love from his master, the promise of kindness was irresistible.
Even if it were deadly poison—
Muramasa would still drink it willingly.
Only by letting Muramasa completely abandon resistance could Tsuna carry out the next step of his plan.
From the very beginning—
Tsuna and Urahara had been targeting Muramasa himself.
The ability to materialize Zanpakutō spirits meant Shinigami could directly communicate with their swords.
For training Jinzen, that ability was priceless.
Instead of meditating and vaguely hearing—
"Call my name."
A Shinigami could directly argue with their Zanpakutō face-to-face.
And Kōga Kuchiki?
He had simply been a tool within Tsuna's plan.
A tool used to shatter Muramasa's final illusion—
So that Muramasa would willingly accept the forging Tsuna and Urahara had prepared for him.
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