Chapter 264: Soul King, Ichigo is Here
The final Zero Division palace stood before them.
It was a serene, temple-like structure—silent and imposing. Unlike the other palaces, which had a degree of life and presence, this one seemed draped in only black and white, exuding a cold, deathly stillness.
At the entrance of the grand hall, a monk greeted Naruto with a casual, uninterested expression, lazily surveying the area before his gaze landed on the sword at Naruto’s waist.
“You’re finally here, wandering soul,” the monk remarked, his voice flat. His eyes lingered on Naruto's sword.
Naruto followed the monk’s gaze and nodded. “Forging the sword took longer than expected.”
The sword, 'Vortex', was now sheathed. However, unlike typical Zanpakutō, this one could not be sheathed in an ordinary scabbard. Ōetsu Nimaiya had once mentioned a Zanpakutō named 'Sayafushi', which was considered a "failed creation" because its sharpness destroyed any scabbard it touched. 'Vortex' had a similar issue—anything it touched, even the air, would be disrupted, causing chaos within minutes.
However, unlike 'Sayafushi', Naruto could control 'Vortex''s power, using his own spiritual energy to forge a custom scabbard.
“Captain Nimaiya said you were urging me to hurry. Has something happened in the Seireitei?” Naruto asked directly, not waiting for the monk to speak.
The monk nodded slightly. “Indeed. Two hours ago, the Wandenreich launched an attack on the Seireitei.”