Bleach: Awakened — Chapter 104 - Muramasa's Natural Enemies

Everything went more smoothly than Muramasa had any right to expect. Using that ability to cut a swath through Seireitei, Muramasa had set virtually every Soul Reaper of any real standing against their own Zanpakuto, every one of them, aside from the experienced Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto...

With one exception. A wild beast. The creature held a captain's rank, yet had never once heard the voice of its own Zanpakuto. No matter how potent Muramasa's power of bewitchment, there was nothing there to materialize.

Afterward, following the intelligence Sosuke Aizen had provided, Muramasa located the records without trouble. The master had been sealed in the World of the Living's Jureichi, Karakura Town.

And right at that moment, while rifling through a Soul Reaper captain's memories mid-bewitchment, Muramasa found something else: the Soul Reaper had used the Tenkaiketshu to shift all of Karakura Town bodily into Soul Society.

Heaven itself was lending a hand. Muramasa sank into a blissful haze at the thought of reuniting with the master and set off without pause toward the outskirts of Seireitei, into the wild reaches of the Rukongai.

Only to arrive and find the situation had changed.

One month prior, three humans had kicked up chaos across Seireitei, former Ryoka, now members of the World of the Living Special Operations Squad. They were standing guard over Karakura Town.

Soul Reaper wouldn't have been a problem. Not three, not thirty, not three hundred. Soul Reaper were child's play.

But humans wielding strange powers were another matter entirely. Muramasa had no answer for them. Without a master, drifting unconsciously through Seireitei for hundreds of years, only recently having recovered self-awareness, as a Zanpakuto, Muramasa had only just barely crossed the threshold of captain-level, and the weakest variety at that. Against humans with battle records like theirs, Muramasa genuinely could not win.

So Muramasa used the ability again. Bewitched the Zanpakuto of a few nearby Soul Reaper into rebellion, set them against their masters, lured the three humans away to help. And all the while, Muramasa counted the seconds.

No rash moves. Strike only when it would count. Pick the right moment, take down one target first, then break them one by one.

Patience is a hunter's greatest weapon. Muramasa was a capable hunter.

"Based on my estimate just now, a round trip should take them about 2 minutes." Muramasa drew the Zanpakuto at the hip and fixed a hard stare on the unguarded girl floating in the air. "Don't blame me, human girl."

"You haven't wronged me. You're simply standing in the way of my path to rescue my master."

Spiritual pressure gathered. Muramasa activated Shunpo, appeared behind the human girl, and raised the blade high, its surface flashing with cold, hard light.

"Shiten Koshun! I reject!"

CLANG,

Four streaks of light danced from the tips of her hair. In an instant, an orange barrier bloomed at the girl's back. The blade crashed down on it. Sparks flew. The barrier didn't budge.

"So you sensed me after all."

Eyes narrowing, Muramasa watched the girl hold her defense and pushed harder, spiritual pressure rising, the force bearing through the blade growing heavier and heavier.

"Repel!"

With a single sharp cry, blinding light erupted across the barrier's surface. A powerful shockwave burst outward.

"!"

Muramasa was thrown back several steps, staring at the girl in genuine astonishment. An attack of that magnitude had nearly reached captain-level.

"I may not have much in the way of offensive ability," the girl said, expression grave, "but I'm not so weak that just anyone can beat me."

"Heh... seems I really did underestimate you." Muramasa's lip curled. "A human, talking to me like that."

"Then why didn't you attack while Yasutora Sado and Uryu Ishida were still here?"

"You're all the same, aren't you." The girl shook her head, voice flat. "Every last one of you—bully the weak, fear the strong."

"Heh." A cold laugh. Muramasa tightened the grip on the blade. "Let's see if your strength lives up to your mouth."

Pushing hard off the ground, Muramasa closed the distance in an instant, blade raised high, bringing it straight down at her,

SHHK,

"?!"

The blade sliced through. Blood sprayed from behind. Muramasa's eyes went wide. Body locking up. The blade dropped limply as Muramasa lurched sideways.

"A... a Soul Reaper?!"

Standing there was a purple-haired girl in a Shihakusho, wielding a staff-like weapon tipped with a blade. Muramasa's shock lasted only a moment, then wild, uncontrollable delight flooded in to replace it.

"A Soul Reaper actually dared to show up in front of me?!" Muramasa laughed, voice edged with frenzy. "What a foolish creature!"

"Whisper now—Muramasa!"

A pale violet spiritual pressure surged out from within Muramasa and passed straight through the purple-haired Soul Reaper's slight frame.

"Die in repentance... hm?"

The frenzied expression froze solid. Muramasa stared at the purple-haired Soul Reaper as though looking at a ghost.

"You... you're also a Zanpakuto?" The words came out barely above a murmur. "No, you're not a Zanpakuto. You can't be... but then why? Why is this happening?!"

"Why is there no blade spirit inside you?!"

Muramasa's ability allowed entry into a Soul Reaper's inner world, bewitching the Zanpakuto into rebellion against its master, or selectively peering into memories, though the latter carried a considerable cost. Muramasa had only glimpsed fragments from a handful of captains' recollections. This purple-haired girl was a complete unknown.

"What on earth are you going on about?" The girl swung the staff, its bladed tip leveled at the enemy, expression utterly stern. "You're the one behind this Zanpakuto rebellion, aren't you."

"Why did you come to Karakura Town—what are you trying to do?!"

"...Karakura Town really does live up to its name as a Jureichi." Strange beings everywhere.

"Excuse me?!" The purple-haired girl flared. "Who are you calling strange?! You're the strange one! You look completely drained, go check yourself into a hospital!"

"Alright, alright, Senna." Orihime said soothingly. "Focus on the fight. Muramasa seems like no pushover."

"Hmph!" Senna scoffed. "With spiritual pressure like that, Yasutora Sado could knock Muramasa out with one punch. Like hitting a little kid."

"But that's Yasutora Sado, though."

"I'm just as good! Orihime!" Senna swung the staff. "I can take one down with one slash too!"

"Yeah, yeah, sure." Orihime smoothed down Senna's slightly frizzed purple hair. "One slash, one down. One slash, one down."

"Though it'd probably be better to wait until after you've learned Bankai before going one-slash-one-down. For now just hold on until Yasutora Sado and Uryu Ishida get back."

"Honestly." Senna muttered. "I really could do it, you know."

"Yes, yes, I know."

Damn. The injury's too heavy... continuing to fight puts me at a disadvantage... better to retreat.

Muramasa edged back, spiritual pressure quietly gathering at the soles of the feet.

"Excuse me, sir."

A calm voice, from directly behind. Uryu Ishida pushed up the glasses. The bow in the left hand radiated a brilliant light.

"Don't go just yet." The bowstring drew taut. "You've come all the way to Karakura Town, shouldn't you let us play host?"

"...Uryu Ishida!"

Teeth clenched. The urge to flee only sharpened. Muramasa knew the person standing there absolutely had greater power, and that wasn't even the main point. The main point was that this person was not a Soul Reaper!

"Confess everything."

"?!"

A low, muffled voice from behind. In the same instant, Muramasa felt the right hand gripping the blade seized as though by iron tongs.

"Uwaaaaaah!"

A tremendous force surged through. Muramasa cried out in pain. The blade flew free. The right arm was wrenched up behind Muramasa's back.

➤ Next: Senna's True Power