Looking at Shigure ahead, Muramasa completely froze.
This moment, his understanding of Zanpakutō was utterly shattered.
He could no longer comprehend anything about Shigure or Candle Dragon's situation.
For him, this was an unreachable domain. Even if he knew it, he couldn't understand it.
Segawa Shigure and Candle Dragon were... unknowable power.
Before this vast and boundless power, Muramasa felt as insignificant as an ant.
Shigure stood before him, yet Muramasa felt as if he were looking up at him.
Hearing Muramasa's words, Shigure's gaze flickered slightly. Then he suddenly stopped walking, revealing a faint smile.
"I thought you wouldn't notice..."
"Didn't expect you'd discover it on just the first attempt, Muramasa."
Shigure laughed lightly, his eyes gleaming.
However, he didn't speak these words aloud. Instead, he transmitted them directly into Muramasa's mind through spiritual pressure.
After all, Kyōraku and several others were still present.
Though they were locked in standoffs with their respective Zanpakutō, they could naturally notice the situation here.
Shigure temporarily didn't want them to know about this.
He could use Candle Dragon's wind-surging spiritual pressure as cover to conceal his transmission to Muramasa.
This way, from Kyōraku and the others' perspective, Shigure approached Muramasa without saying anything at all.
Meanwhile, after hearing Shigure's transmission, Muramasa's brain went blank once again.
His pupils radiated unconscious light as he stared at Shigure, motionless.
In his heart, Shigure's words began repeating endlessly.
Attempt...?
He said this was... the first attempt...?
Meaning... this was a newly discovered ability...?
This... ability to directly bypass the Zanpakutō itself and wield the Zanpakutō's power...?!
Thinking this, a cold sweat actually ran down Muramasa's forehead. Then his body began trembling involuntarily!
Within the Surrounding Binding Lock's wind wall, Muramasa's heart filled with shock.
After hearing Shigure's answer, he could completely confirm it now.
The Segawa Shigure before him... had begun... stepping into a completely unknown new level!
Perhaps before long... he might not even need a Zanpakutō at all!!
Shigure stepped forward again, walking toward him while continuing his spiritual pressure transmission. "Seeing that expression, you probably understand now."
At this, a faint smile appeared on Shigure's face again as he walked and spoke. "Honestly, I need to thank you, Muramasa."
"?"
Muramasa froze slightly, completely not understanding this statement.
But Shigure didn't stop, continuing his transmission. "I know this Zanpakutō mass rebellion was, from the start... completely just a byproduct of your plan, right?"
"Your true purpose was finding your master Kōga Kuchiki's sealed location from our Captain-Commander's memories."
"..."
Muramasa's pupils contracted once more. His entire body jerked violently, then his face twitched slightly.
But Shigure's smile only deepened as he continued. "And to ensure completing this plan, you knew you needed sufficient combat power to help restrain the Gotei."
"But you didn't expect the Captain-Commander would voluntarily seal his inner heart with a barrier. You couldn't probe his memories at all."
"So you designed the later Sōkyoku Hill attack, aiming to mislead us."
"Making us help you break the Captain-Commander's barrier during this rescue, thereby allowing you to enter and obtain memories."
"Originally... this plan had absolutely no benefit for us."
"But now I'm saying I need to thank you."
"I'm sure you're very curious about this... or perhaps confused?"
Saying this, Shigure suddenly revealed a mysterious smile.
However, Muramasa's expression looked exceptionally ugly, because... he'd already thought of something.
At this time, Shigure had walked to within two meters of Muramasa. He stopped, laughing lightly. "Originally, my communication with Candle Dragon only extended to battle."
"So if Candle Dragon hadn't used your power to complete materialization, I fundamentally wouldn't have obtained that level of communication with her..."
"What's called... spiritual communication."
"In other words... it was your power that indirectly prompted me to touch this dimension!"
At this, Shigure's gaze flashed lightly, his smile intense.
"...?!"
But as Shigure's transmissions continued arriving, Muramasa's expression grew increasingly horrified, finally completely breaking down.
He couldn't believe it.
What created his failure... was actually... his own original plan to turn Candle Dragon?!
Watching his gradually fierce expression, Shigure's smile remained unchanged as he continued transmitting. "Though so far, I've only barely 'touched' it. There's still a long distance from truly stepping into it."
"But I think... that's perhaps something achievable before long."
"So... thank you."
Saying this, Shigure's eyes gleamed lightly.
Then he gently raised his hand, pointing at Muramasa ahead with his index finger.
This moment, invisible wind-breath shackles instantly appeared on Muramasa's limbs and neck, completely binding his entire body!
However, Muramasa didn't struggle or shout at all.
He only stared at Shigure with somewhat vacant eyes. He had no more strength to resist.
No more courage to continue fighting.
This moment, Shigure finally parted his lips slightly, saying softly. "Farewell, Muramasa."
As his words fell, a pale white wind blade flew from his fingertip, directly piercing Muramasa's chest.
Blood sprayed. Light scattered.
The Candle Dragon wind blade enhanced by Annihilation Reiatsu was enough to completely sever his soul.
Blood trickled from the corner of Muramasa's mouth.
Feeling life draining away, he suddenly slowly withdrew his gaze, then at extremely slow speed, lowered his eyes.
Those eyelids felt as heavy as a thousand pounds to him.
Yet even now, his throat made no screams or cries of grief.
After a moment, he slowly lowered his head.
Eyes blurred, looking at the already-cracking Zanpakutō blade in his hand, he suddenly let out a long sigh. Then he made a slight sound like sleep-talk.
"Looks like this is my end... Master."
"...Sorry."
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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