Chapter 360: Conversation as Friends
From that moment on, there was no longer a distinction between Zanpakutō and master. The power of Shikai and Bankai—no, the essence of the Zanpakutō itself—was completely integrated with the shinigami.
An impossible feat by any standard.
This phenomenon echoed what had once occurred in the legendary battle between Aizen Sosuke and Kurosaki Ichigo. After Kyōka Suigetsu was shattered, Aizen arrogantly proclaimed that the Hōgyoku had deemed the Zanpakutō unnecessary for him. Though ultimately, his overconfidence had led to his downfall, the seed of truth behind those words couldn’t be denied.
And after regaining his confidence—and more importantly, the Hōgyoku’s power—Aizen indeed became one with Kyōka Suigetsu. While imprisoned in Muken and stripped of his weapon, the ability of Kyōka Suigetsu had already become an extension of his body, cloaking him at all times. Even Kenpachi Azashiro, with the power of Urozakuro supporting him, required a considerable amount of time and power just to decipher the illusion.
Kyōka Suigetsu.
The rest may not have known the full story, but Yamamoto’s successor, Jushiro’s equal in cunning and tenacity—a longtime captain—Kyouraku Shunsui had come to understand it the hard way.
He had used his Bankai, all four stages of it. Yet none of them succeeded in truly wounding Mazuru. As difficult as it was to accept, he had to face the truth.
"You win." Shunsui finally admitted.
Mazuru had earlier claimed that he had lost. At the time, Shunsui didn’t accept it. The man hadn’t even used his Bankai. There was still a sense, however faint, that he was holding something back. A final trump card perhaps. A buried technique that could reverse everything.
But now, with his body broken, his Bankai exhausted, and his enemy entirely unscathed, Shunsui could no longer deny it. He had lost—utterly.
"If you’re going to kill me." Shunsui said with a dry smile, "I hope you’ll give me a clean death."
He preferred the swift cut over drawn-out agony. Let the end come like a sword stroke—brutal but clean.