I Hear the Mind-Forged Manacles

The mind-forged manacles I hear. -- William Blake, London (1794)

The waterbed formed by the Daku carried the Shimizu, which flowed slowly beneath him. The Shimizu lay on it, and the wounds caused by the water needles were still bleeding, but his breathing had become much more stable, and some color had returned to his face.

Rain, perched on Sylvan's shoulder, lowered its head and preened the feathers at the base of its wings with its beak. Its silver eyes were fixed on the core of Daku, which was slowly rotating at the edge of the waterbed, and it suddenly spoke.

"Daku, if you want Shimizu to feel better, wouldn't it be easier to de-materialize and return the Reiatsu?"

A round protrusion emerges from the changing waterbed of the Daku, and the core of the Daku moves into that protrusion, like a head.

The core message flickered in and out with the words of Daku, the voice emanating from the depths of the water, tinged with a hint of helplessness:

"I just tried to do that, but I couldn't return the Reiatsu, and it was also difficult to de-materialize. I'm even having some difficulty returning to my Zanpakuto."

That's strange.

Rain jumped off Sylvan's shoulder and landed on the waterbed, his silver pupils scanning the core of the Daku at close range. "Let me see."

It stretched out its paw and carefully stepped on the surface of the waterbed, then jumped onto Shimizu's shoulder, tilted its head to sense it for a moment, and then jumped back onto the waterbed.

"That's strange..."

Rein's bird claws stomped twice on the waterbed; "Originally, Zanpakuto rely on the Shinigami's spiritual pressure to materialize. Even if there are slight changes in the aura, the spiritual pressure of the same origin should be exactly the same in terms of the most basic spiritual particle composition."

However, Daku's current state is strange—outside of Daku's Reiatsu, there is a completely different layer of Reiatsu, like a protective membrane separating Daku's Reiatsu from Shimizu's.

It raised its head, its silver eyes looking at Daku's core. "Daku, do you have any clues about the Reiatsu outside this layer?"

Daku's "head" shook slightly, and water droplets splashed from the edge. "I don't know if this counts as a clue. Lately, I've been hearing a voice from time to time in Seireitei. Sometimes it's an indistinct whisper, and sometimes it's some very specific questions."

Phrases like, "Is this really okay?" and "Do you want to free Shimizu from endless battles?"

Upon hearing this, Shimizu propped himself up and sat up, his brows furrowed. "Free me from the battle? Daku, why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"I'm afraid it's because he took those words to heart that Daku started wanting to leave you," Rain's voice suddenly turned somber.

Both Shimizu and Daku looked at it at the same time. Rain stood on the waterbed, his wings folded at his sides, and Daku's slowly rotating core was reflected in his silver pupils.

It did not elaborate further, but instead conveyed its speculation to Sylvan through a spiritual connection:

"The Zanpakuto heard the whisper, then materialized and attacked its master—does that sound familiar?"

Sylvan's fingers tightened slightly on the handle of his cane. He leaned against a pillar at the entrance of the Clothing Atelier, the light in his silver eyes dimming. "Hmm, the Zanpakuto Chronicles from anime. I just didn't expect it to happen during this time. The Zanpakuto Muramasa, its ability is practically Zanpakuto for fighting Zanpakuto."

"If it really Muramasa that Muramasa guy who's behind this, then we're in big trouble..."

"What's wrong?"

"Jiku'a was left on Sōkyoku Hill." Rain tilted his bird head slightly, a faint trace of solemnity flashing in his silver eyes.

"It seems the Captain-Commander intends to use it as a monument to heroes; even Amber's Konsō Ceremony was held in front of Jiku'a."

"Konsō Ceremony?"

"It's practically a memorial service. But according to them, only the captain gets to attend. Do you want to see it?" Without Sylvan's consent, Rain transmitted the memories he had seen directly to Sylvan through the soul link.

Images of Sōkyoku Hill flashed through Sylvan's mind:

Rain pounded on the shattered stone slabs. Jiku'a stood in the center of the execution platform, the blade gleaming with a faint, eerie blue light in the rain. Before Jiku'a stood Fon Shaoling, her Captain's Haori soaked through, her golden eyes filled with a mixture of tears and dust, her voice trembling, yet she still struggled to maintain the solemnity befitting a captain.

After she pulled the Suzumebachi from its sheath, Shikai, and together with the other captains, she swung her blade at the offering.

Sylvan stared at those memories, his fingers clenching the handle of his cane until they turned white.

He didn't speak, but Rain could feel it—a faint yet extremely sharp pain was emanating from Sylvan through the shared passageway created by the Featherlike Pattern tattoo.

Put your sadness aside for now.

Rain's voice echoed in his mind, "The point is that the Jiku'a was left there unguarded and without any protection."

What do you think Muramasa would think if he saw this?

Sylvan suppressed his sadness. "Zanpakuto will gradually revert to Asauchi after losing its master."

"Only Shimizu knows that Amber has split into us. Muramasa probably wouldn't be interested in Zanpakuto that can revert to its Asauchi form."

"It's probably because he believed that Jiku'a might gradually regress to Asauchi, which is why he launched his plan at this time—all for the sake of Jiku'a, this powerful Zanpakuto that has lost its master and is on the verge of extinction!"

Sylvan's pupils contracted slightly upon hearing Rain's speculation:

The sheer power of Jiku'a is now common knowledge—it can cut through space in its Shikai state, and its Bankai, Heaven's Punishment Jiku'an Aizen, is even more powerful than Aizen. There's no reason for Muramasa to ignore such a sword.

Rain's next words made him frown even more. "I have even worse news: Dagon is hidden inside Jiku'a."

"Dagon? One of the fragments? Why is it bad news that he's inside Jiku'a?"

"Dagon controls Amber's Hollowfication ability and most of her Reiatsu. The problem is, he only controls these things—a fragment of power with almost no thought."

Rain lowered his bird head slightly, the light in his silver eyes deepening. "Originally, there wouldn't have been a problem. It's safer for pure power fragments to stay with Jiku'a than to fall into someone else's hands. But, what if Jiku'a gets Brainwashing by Muramasa..."

Sylvan's brow furrowed even more deeply at the possibility that Rain had raised.

Dagon controls Hollowfication and most of the Reiatsu fragments. If he is indirectly controlled by Muramasa through Jiku'a, it is equivalent to handing over a fighting machine with Captain-level Reiatsu, no Ego- awareness, and only obedience to orders directly to the enemy.

From the outside, Shimizu watched as the man and the bird suddenly fell silent, their expressions growing increasingly serious.

Rain's silver pupils were almost slits, his beak was tightly pressed together, and even the feathers on his wings were slightly ruffled. After watching for a long time, Shimizu finally couldn't help but speak:

"What's wrong with you two? I've never seen a bird frown like that before. And—do birds even have eyebrows?"

Rain flapped his wings, his tone returning to its usual nonchalant tone. "Nothing much, I've just seen some intelligence before. Daku's situation is quite similar to what's described in the intelligence."

"Intelligence?"

"It's some old intelligence that Amber got her hands on during her time in the Second Division," Sylvan interjected, trying to keep his tone calm. "We need to go to Seireitei to confirm the situation."

"If it really is that guy, this is going to be a problem."

He looked down at the jet-black cane in his hand, its fine patterns gleaming with a dark luster in the setting sun, the handle still warm from his palm. "And—we need to get Hu back quickly; there are some things he needs to do."

Upon hearing this, Shimizu frowned.

"This statement—it's as if you're denying that you're Amber?"

He opened his mouth as if to say something, but ultimately remained silent.

"Sylvan, if you're going to leave, wait a little longer."

Keiko had been standing at the entrance of the Clothing Atelier, listening intently. She turned and went inside, her footsteps echoing hurriedly on the wooden floor.

She walked up to Sylvan carrying a set of clothes—a black sleeveless vest and a pair of dark gray tapered trousers.

The vest's fabric is crisp yet not stiff, embroidered with extremely fine silver ripples that shimmer softly in the sunset. The trousers are sharply tailored, with concealed reinforcement at the knees.

"I originally designed the entire outfit to fit Amber's body shape."

Keiko handed the coat to Sylvan, "But you've become so thin now, the coat might be too big and would actually hinder your movements."

Here's the vest and pants for you; they're made from the same material as Shihakusho, so their strength is absolutely guaranteed."

Her fingers gently traced the collar of her vest, where a ring of extremely fine silver ripples was embroidered, recalling the last time Hu appeared before her:

"That kid, Amber, has never worn any combat suits other than the standard Shihakusho uniform he wore on graduation day."

"I come from Qinghui Clothing Shop, how can I wear clothes that have no personal style?"

She looked up at Sylvan's silver eyes, which were exactly the same as Amber's. "So, Sylvan, remember to bring your coat when you come back after you regain your power."

Sylvan lowered his head, looking at the vest in his hand. The silver ripples on the collar shimmered slightly in the setting sun. Every stitch was meticulously embroidered, no less exquisite than Amber's black stand-up collar coat. In fact, because it was made of the same material as Shihakusho, this kind of processing would be even more difficult.

He went in and changed into the clothes, tightening the belt. The fabric clung to his thin shoulders, and the wavy collarline rested perfectly on his collarbone.

"... Sister Keiko," he said softly, "Thank you."

Time returns to the present; the night is as dark as ink, and a cold moon hangs in the sky.

Rain spread its wings, the patterns on them shimmering with a bluish glow in the moonlight. Its claws gripped Sylvan's wrist tightly, and each flap of its wings stirred up a sharp gust of wind.

Sylvan hovered in mid-air, his black sleeveless vest fluttering in the evening breeze, the Featherlike Pattern tattoo on his right arm gleaming slightly in the moonlight.

He lowered his head, looking at the jet-black cane in his hand. From the moment he left the Qinghui Clothing Shop, he had been thinking back to what Daku had said. Muramasa's ability was less about control and more about Zanpakuto's mind, making them extreme.

If Jiku'a is truly influenced by him, Dagon, hidden within Jiku'a's body, will also become his pawn, causing immeasurable damage.

"What are you thinking about?" Rain's voice came from above, sounding somewhat broken by the evening breeze.

"I'm wondering what we'll do once we get there." Sylvan's worries were also transmitted to Rain through the soul connection.

"These are all just our speculations right now. Jiku'a might not be so easily Brainwashing."

Rain flapped his wings slightly, adjusting the altitude. "Besides, even if that's the case, we still have the Captain-Commander. Based on our understanding of the original plot, as long as we free the Captain-Commander in advance, Muramasa's plan will quickly fall apart."

Sylvan, then said, "That's true."

"We're almost there..." Rain's voice suddenly lowered.

Sylvan looked up, and in the distance, the outline of Seireitei was slowly emerging in the moonlight—those familiar white high walls, those staggered rooftops of the barracks, those stone-paved roads that ran through the city—he remembered every corner, every corridor, and the light shining from behind every window.

But now, what's coming from that direction isn't light!

It was firelight.

The entire Seireitei was almost entirely turned into a battlefield.

From the Hakutōmon to the Sōkyoku Hill, flames soared into the sky and smoke filled the Zanpakuto. Zanpakutō, materialized, rampaged through the streets and alleys. Some were as large as mountains, while others were as slender as willow branches. They brandished their unique forms and fought fiercely with the Soul Reaper.

A massive iceberg suddenly shot into the sky, ice shards like snowflakes, several roofs were instantly frozen, tiles shattered in the extreme cold, and several figures jumped out of the windows in a disheveled state, landing in the courtyard.

On the other side, a torrent of pink petals rose up, and the Senbonzakura surged in the night sky, but those petals were no longer under Byakuya's control—they were like wild horses without reins, rampaging between the barracks, cutting countless smooth slits in the exterior walls of the buildings they passed through.

A figure dodged through the torrent of petals with a series of Shunpo, and the white Captain's Haori had already been cut open in several places.

Further afield, even more Zanpakuto of various forms were materializing—some were already fighting their masters, some were searching for their masters, and some were simply standing still, coldly watching all of this unfold.

Sylvan and Rain both widened their eyes.

"... It seems our guess was correct." A rare hint of seriousness appeared in Rain's voice.

Sylvan remained silent. He gazed at the burning Seireitei, his silver pupils reflecting the towering flames. From the Hakutōmon to the Sōkyoku Hill, from the barracks to the training grounds, every flame reminded him— Muramasa had begun his operation.

In the distance, the breath of an Ice Dragon swept across the night sky, ice shards fluttering like snowflakes in the moonlight, landing on the burning rooftops with a very short hissing sound.

Sylvan looked at the Seireitei, torn apart by war, and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Things are getting complicated."

"Hold on tight." Rain's voice came from above, carrying a faint calm that seemed completely out of place in this chaotic night. "We'll head to Sōkyoku Hill first."