As Shigure's words fell, the entire blade in his hand suddenly became transparent.
Including the hilt he gripped—everything vanished.
No explosive spiritual pressure. No terrifying aura. No flashy visual effects.
This was Candle Dragon's wind-element release.
The blade returned to wind's formlessness. Formless, yet able to reach in all directions.
Moments later, a soft white glow began slowly appearing behind Shigure. Then the white light split to both sides.
Within it appeared a girl with pale blue hair.
That separated white radiance was unmistakably the massive wings spreading from her back.
She slowly raised her head, smiling with narrowed eyes. First she glanced at Shigure below, then looked toward Muramasa in the distance, laughing softly. "I really didn't expect we'd meet again, Muramasa-san."
Her gentle words echoed repeatedly through the vast cave.
"Can...dle... Dragon..."
Muramasa's body remained stiff. His pupils contracted as he looked over, speaking unconsciously.
After a moment, he slowly turned his eyes toward Shigure below, saying blankly. "Segawa Shigure... you... what do you mean...?"
Though he'd heard Shigure's words, he couldn't understand their meaning.
Shigure looked at Muramasa opposite him, slowly stepping forward. As he walked, he laughed lightly. "No need to cling to false hope, Muramasa. I'll be direct."
"This barrier sealing the Captain-Commander—you never had these three Zanpakutō create it, did you?"
"Quite the opposite. You're struggling with... being unable to break through this barrier the Captain-Commander personally established."
"?!"
As Shigure's words fell, Muramasa's body violently shook again.
But this time, his mind exploded like thunder on a clear day. He was completely stunned.
This moment, he finally understood.
Why those Gotei captains and lieutenants had suddenly shown him those expressions after hearing his words earlier...
Why they'd chosen to directly leave with their respective Zanpakutō after coming down, rather than "rescue" the Captain-Commander...
Why someone with Segawa Shigure's strength hadn't attacked this barrier after arriving...
Muramasa finally completely understood.
Because from the very beginning... they'd already known his plan!
They knew Yamamoto wasn't sealed, but had voluntarily established a barrier to close off his inner heart!
So their behavior during this sudden attack had seemed so strange.
Realizing this, Muramasa's expression began gradually changing. The hand gripping his blade started trembling slightly.
He stared fixedly at Shigure. From his pupils, crimson bloody tears flowed.
Those blood trails ran down his face, dripping onto his white robe, instantly spreading.
At this moment, his pale face became exceptionally fierce.
He'd already considered every method to escape after seizing Ryūjin Jakka, but... he'd never imagined they hadn't fallen into the trap at all!!
Meaning all his efforts until now... completely wasted!!
Muramasa gritted his teeth, slowly raising his blade to point directly at Shigure approaching opposite him.
That pale complexion, set against those two bloody tear trails, made his entire being appear extremely sinister and terrifying.
Yet even so, Shigure didn't stop walking. He continued approaching.
Muramasa held his blade pointed at Shigure, trembling slightly, saying through gritted teeth. "Segawa... Shigure!"
His voice trembled slightly, yet contained too many emotions—rage, unwillingness, even despair...
But Shigure's steps didn't stop. His expression remained calm as he said flatly. "Give up, Muramasa. Your power cannot affect me."
"My memories... aren't something you can peer into either."
"So next, it's time to put... the final period on this farce."
Finishing, Shigure raised his hand slightly. In that instant, an invisible storm appeared instantly around Muramasa!
Muramasa jerked in shock, instinctively trying to escape directly using flash step.
But just as he prepared to use flash step, he suddenly discovered that around his body, somehow, a surrounding sealed wind wall had already appeared!
This wind wall appeared without any warning, directly imprisoning his form completely!
Shigure spoke calmly. "Candle Dragon's Surrounding Binding Lock."
Hearing this, Muramasa's expression immediately became horrified. He looked up, shouting in disbelief. "No... impossible...!!"
"This is impossible!!! Candle Dragon has materialized—she absolutely... absolutely didn't use her power!!"
Possessing Zanpakutō manipulation abilities, Muramasa had extremely powerful perception of materialized Zanpakutō's power.
Even with Candle Dragon whom he couldn't control, he could still sense slight spiritual power fluctuations when she used her abilities.
But just now, during the entire time the Surrounding Binding Lock's wind wall appeared, he'd felt absolutely no spiritual power fluctuations from Candle Dragon!
Instead, what he sensed was only Segawa Shigure's... own spiritual pressure!
But... he was clearly just a Soul Reaper...
How could he bypass the Zanpakutō Candle Dragon... and directly wield wind's power?!
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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