"...?!"
"Muramasa... wants us to rescue the Captain-Commander...?!"
Soi Fon spoke slowly, disbelief written across her face.
Shunsui and the others exchanged glances. They were even more confused now.
Even knowing Muramasa's behavior was suspicious, the purpose Shigure described made no sense to them.
Renji Abarai, standing behind Byakuya, frowned deeply. "S-Segawa-taichō, but... why would our enemy want us to rescue the Captain-Commander...?"
Isane Kotetsu nodded quickly. "Right! And even without his misleading words, we were already planning to rescue the Captain-Commander anyway, weren't we?"
This was a strategy meeting. Their questions were allowed.
Byakuya wouldn't stop Renji.
Besides, after hearing Shigure's words, they were all thinking the same thing.
Muramasa's seemingly pointless goal made no sense.
Shigure looked at them calmly. "Then I'll be direct."
"From the start, Muramasa never intended to kill the Captain-Commander."
"What he truly wants is to invade Ryūjin Jakka, turn it against its master, and... enter the Captain-Commander's inner world!"
"?!"
Everyone's breathing stopped.
Their expressions froze.
Shigure didn't give them time to react. He continued rapidly: "But the Captain-Commander sealed his inner world with a special barrier. Muramasa can't break through."
"That barrier is why we've lost contact with the Captain-Commander."
"And because he sealed his inner world, he can't perceive the outside either."
"Muramasa's real goal is breaking that barrier—the one formed by the Captain-Commander himself!"
"The Captain-Commander's spiritual pressure and barrier can't be broken by simple force."
"Muramasa knows the materialized Zanpakutō under his control can't do it."
"That's why he came here. That's why he deliberately misled us!"
Shigure's forceful words rang out. His gaze swept across everyone before he slowed down. "Having said this much... you understand now, right?"
His expression remained calm.
Emotionless.
But after hearing these words, everyone froze completely.
They stared at Shigure, holding their breath unconsciously.
Bewildered.
These words from Shigure's mouth hit them like thunder from clear skies.
Their thoughts scattered.
But the instant his words ended, everything clicked.
They connected all his previous statements.
Every confusing doubt was answered!
They finally understood why Shigure said Muramasa was misleading them.
They finally grasped why he'd said they'd fallen into a trap.
Cold sweat slid down Soi Fon's forehead. Her pupils contracted. "I understand now... Shigure..."
"Muramasa wants to use our hands to break the Captain-Commander's seal...?!"
"He's misleading us so he can invade the Captain-Commander's inner world and turn Ryūjin Jakka against him!"
Her shock was evident.
Everyone else looked equally grim.
If Shigure was right, they'd been completely misled.
When they went to rescue the Captain-Commander and saw him sealed in a barrier, they'd naturally assume Muramasa had trapped him.
They'd use all their strength to break it.
Playing right into Muramasa's hands.
Letting him enter the Captain-Commander's inner world effortlessly.
Letting him manipulate Ryūjin Jakka.
The consequences would be catastrophic.
Everyone's expressions grew grave.
A chill ran through them.
If Shigure hadn't been at this meeting, if he hadn't revealed all this, the entire Seireitei would have been played.
But then Mayuri Kurotsuchi noticed something.
He walked slowly toward Shigure, fixing him with a strange gaze. He laughed oddly. "Segawa, following your logic, we've certainly been misled, but..."
"This should be Muramasa's own plan. So how do you know about it?"
"Just from fighting him briefly and hearing a few words, you deduced all this?"
"I find that strange..."
His gaze sharpened suddenly.
"You seem like you've known everything from the start."
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
Read up to (100+ ) advanced chapters on Patre\on
Visit us here: patreon.com/DarkGolds
Happy reading, everyone!