Mutual Fear Brings Peace

Mutual fear brings peace. -- William Blake, The Marriage of Heaven and Hell (1790-1793)

Sajin Komamura's hospital ward

The scent of herbs mingled with the lingering stench of blood on the wounded, slowly settling in the afternoon light. Retsu Unohana stood before the hospital bed, her fingers just withdrawing from Komamura's wrist. Her usually calm eyes rested on the patient's tightly closed eyelids, revealing no extra emotion.

"Tenken showed no mercy to Komamura." Her furrowed brows hadn't eased since she began treating Komamura's injuries. "It's only because of Komamura's own exceptional physical abilities that he was able to withstand that attack and survive."

Shunsui Kyōraku leaned against the doorframe, his face mostly obscured by his straw hat. He looked at Komamura, whose bandages had just been changed and who had been covered with a blanket again by the Fourth Division soldiers. His eye, the only one peeking out from under the hat brim, narrowed slightly, and his voice, unusually devoid of its usual frivolity, said, "Turning against a comrade you've fought alongside your whole life must be hard for Komamura."

These words were directed at Komamura, at himself, and at all the Soul Reaper within the Seireitei affected by this rebellion.

Jūshirō Ukitake stood beside Kyōraku, a faint shadow cast on his usually pale face. He also noticed the bandage on Komamura's chest and said in a low voice, "The Tenken is half of Komamura's body, just like Sōgyo no Kotowari is to me. Just thinking about how Sōgyo no Kotowari might suddenly turn his blade on me one day..." He didn't finish his sentence, nor did he need to.

Unohana gently placed Komamura's hand back under the blanket, turned around, and slowly swept her gaze over Kyōraku and Ukitake: "Whether it's Komamura or the other members, being opposed to one's own Zanpakuto is a torment. If we can find out the reason for this phenomenon as soon as possible—"

The door was gently pushed open.

Isane Kotetsu stood in the doorway, her chest heaving slightly, as if she had run a long way. Her face wore an expression that tried hard to remain calm but couldn't hide her nervousness. "Captain Unohana —ah, Captain Kyōraku, Captain Ukitake."

Kyōraku and Ukitake nodded.

"What happened, Isane?" Unohana asked.

"It's... it's the Twelfth Division that's reporting..." Isane paused, as if choosing her words carefully, "Captain Kurotsuchi... seems to have made a discovery."

A moment later, Nemu Kurotsuchi entered the ward. Her face remained almost expressionless. She bowed slightly to the three captains, her movements mechanical and precise, like a puppet being pulled by invisible threads.

"The Zanpakuto has become an independent entity?" Unohana repeated what Nemu had just said, her brows furrowing slightly.

Isane stood behind her, her confusion deepening. "What does this mean?"

"This is the conclusion reached by Lord Mayuri after investigating this phenomenon using his own body." Nemu's voice was flat, as if she were reading an official document. "Lord Mayuri asked me to deliver the results. He said— 'The Zanpakuto's soul has completely departed.'"

Time goes back slightly

In the Twelfth Division Research Lab

The white light from the Reishi lamp poured down from above, illuminating the entire research room without a single shadow. Mayuri Kurotsuchi sat in front of the computer, his hair a mess like a pile of dry straw. Circular sensing electrodes were attached to almost every inch of his exposed skin—his head, shoulders, and arms. Dozens of data cables extended from the electrodes, connecting to the analyzer, Reishi detector, and several unidentified devices that were still humming softly behind him.

His fingers flew across the keyboard, and new data streams kept appearing on the screen— Reishi composition, soul waveform, and Shiba frequency—each updating at a speed almost invisible to the naked eye.

His eyes followed the data, a near-fanatical flame burning deep within his pupils.

"Hmm... it seems the Zanpakuto's soul has indeed completely departed." A slow grin spread across his lips, revealing teeth that appeared particularly yellow in the shadows. "Heh... heh... interesting, very interesting."

Nemu stood behind him, holding a tray with a neglected breakfast and a cup of coffee that had long since gone cold.

Seeing her captain's excited expression, she couldn't help but ask, "But, Lady Mayuri, aren't Zanpakuto and Soul Reaper like half-bodies, sharing the same soul?"

"That's how it should have been." Mayuri Kurotsuchi, unusually, didn't get angry at her interruption—perhaps simply because his entire attention was focused on the fluctuating data on the screen—"but now it seems to have become something entirely different."

Nemu's fingers tightened slightly on the tray. "How could such a thing happen..."

"That's what makes it interesting," Mayuri Kurotsuchi interrupted her, her voice laced with undisguised contempt. "If you have no talent in research, don't act like you know everything."

Nemu lowered her head and stopped speaking.

Mayuri Kurotsuchi ignored her. His fingers stopped on the keyboard, and he leaned back in his chair, the electrodes on his temples tugging slightly at his skin with his movements.

He touched his chin, his eyes moving to the edge of their sockets, as if gazing at something only he could see.

"But how exactly is this possible?" His gaze passed through the layers of instruments in the research room, through the still-humming screens, and landed on the heavily sealed hatch at the deepest part of the laboratory.

"That ability is theoretically possible. But could there be another Zanpakuto in the world with a similar ability?"

He didn't voice his thoughts, but the smile on his lips deepened slightly.

In the Fourth Division's hospital room, Nemu's report was over.

Unohana placed her hands clasped on her knees, her gentle eyes now calm as still water, but beneath the surface lurked deep worry. "It seems things are much worse than we thought."

Isane took half a step forward, her voice carrying a barely concealed hint of nervousness. "Um, can I ask you a question? You just mentioned a completely different existence—what would happen if you fought and defeated a materialized Zanpakuto?"

This question caused the air in the ward to freeze for a moment.

For Soul Reaper, defeating their own Zanpakuto is not an impossible task. Bankai users may find it difficult to face a materialized Zanpakuto, but they are not without a chance of victory.

Most Soul Reaper are more concerned about whether defeating Zanpakuto in its current state will lead to something irreversible.

Nemu's response to this was only three words.

I don't know.

Isane's pupils contracted slightly. "Does this mean I'll lose my Zanpakuto forever?"

"We can't rule out that possibility. But due to insufficient information, we can't make a definitive statement." Nemu's voice remained flat.

"How could this happen..." Isane, her hands clenched in front of her, her fingers unconsciously twisting together.

Unohana was silent for a moment, then shifted her gaze from Nemu to the black pine trees outside the window, gleaming in the midday sun. "I understand. Let Captain Kurotsuchi investigate this matter."

"There's one more thing I'd like to ask Captain Unohana for help with." Nemu pulled out a list filled with the names of various data items. "For the analysis work, could you please ask the Fourth Division to provide data on the Soul Reaper currently undergoing treatment?"

"Okay, I'll give you all the information." Unohana took the list and agreed almost without hesitation.

Nemu paused, her eyes, almost devoid of emotion, fixed on Unohana: "Also, could we perhaps collect Captain Unohana's data as well?"

Isane suddenly raised her head, her voice rising abruptly. "You mean you want our captain to go to the Department of Research and Development in person?"

"Yes, the captains' data is essential."

Isane's face flushed crimson. She took a step forward, her voice filled with undisguised anger. "Letting that Captain Kurotsuchi directly examine the captain's body is utterly disrespectful! He—"

"Isane." Unohana's voice was still gentle and calm, but Isane seemed to be held down, her whole body frozen in place.

"It's alright, Isane."

"Captain..." Isane wanted to say something, but looking into Unohana's calm eyes, she ultimately didn't say anything.

Seeing the aggrieved and uneasy look on Isane's face, Ukitake comforted her, "If you're worried, Kyōraku and I can go with Captain Unohana. If we need the captains' data, the more samples the better."

Unohana shook her head and stood up. Her Captain's Haori fluttered slightly behind her, and the afternoon sun shone through the side window, illuminating her ever-gentle face. "No need. Captain Ukitake, Captain Kyōraku, Captain-level combatants are scarce these days, and we can't afford to dedicate too much time to too many tasks at once. Please stay here and oversee the protection of the members receiving treatment here."

She turned around, her gaze falling on the dimly lit corridor outside the ward. "Also, that young man has woken up, and his injuries clearly indicate that he has just been in a battle. He might know some information."

I don't have enough time to find out the situation. If you two have time, you could talk to him; perhaps you can get some useful information. He's currently at my Dōjō."

After finishing her sentence, Unohana turned to Nemu, "As a condition for my assistance in collecting data, you must report to us immediately if anything comes up."

"Yes, of course." Nemu bowed slightly.

Unohana followed Nemu out of the ward, their footsteps fading into the distance along the corridor.

Kyōraku pushed his straw hat up a little, and a sharp glint flashed in his eye beneath the brim. "That young man..."

Fourth Division, Unohana Dōjō

The wooden door to the Dōjō was pushed open with a very soft creak, and Shunsui Kyōraku walked in, his pink haori jacket draped over his shoulders, the hem fluttering slightly in the breeze.

In the center of the Dōjō, the thin young man was facing away from him, holding a jet-black cane in both hands, the cane hanging diagonally in front of him. He was adjusting his grip on the cane—the angle of his wrist, the degree of bend in his elbow, the depth of his shoulders, repeatedly correcting every tiny detail.

He swung his sword, and his cane sliced through the air with a very faint, delicate sound, which was exceptionally clear in the empty Dōjō.

"Oh?" Kyōraku put his hands in his sleeves, his voice carrying its usual laziness, "Judging from this, you've been practicing here all morning. You're really working hard."

The young man's shoulders trembled slightly. He turned around, revealing a face so thin it was almost skin and bones. Sweat slid down his forehead and dripped onto the tatami mat. His black sleeveless vest was soaked with sweat, and the outline of some tattoos could be vaguely seen through the sweat-dampened gauze on his right arm.

"Captain Kyōraku." The young man bowed slightly, his movements not entirely fluid, but his manners were impeccable.

"Oh? You know me?" At that moment, Kyōraku walked onto the Dōjō, the floorboards finally making a sound. "But you know me, yet I don't know you. That's not fair, is it?"

"My name is... Sylvan." The young man finally chose to call himself by this name— Sylvan straightened up, leaning on his cane, his silver pupils shining brightly in the white light of the Reishi lamp.

"Sylvan? What an interesting name." Kyōraku stopped a few steps in front of him, his gaze slowly sweeping over his cane. "Now that you know who I am, things are easier. You were found lying in the forest of Sōkyoku Hill, bearing the wounds of battle—were they from last night's fight?"

Sylvan's fingers tightened slightly on the handle of his cane. "Yes."

"That must have been tough." Kyōraku's voice remained light, but his eyes, hidden in the shadow of his hat, were scanning Sylvan's entire body with astonishing speed—his stance, his center of gravity, the fingers gripping his cane, the lines of his shoulders, the depth of his breathing. These were things that could not be disguised with words, codes that only experienced warriors could decipher.

"His stance is very stable, and you can tell from his grip on the cane that he has a foundation, but his stamina is very poor, or rather, it has become very poor..."

He mentally noted everything down, then glanced at Sylvan: "All the Zanpakuto rush down the mountain head towards the places where Soul Reaper gather. There shouldn't be any Zanpakuto going to Sōkyoku Hill. Did the Zanpakuto you encountered say its name?"

Sylvan looked at Kyōraku and replied, "His name is Muramasa. I met him at the top of Sōkyoku Hill."

Kyōraku Po stroked her chin thoughtfully.

"Sōkyoku Hills? What's Muramasa doing there? Come to think of it, Muramasa disappeared after the battle spread throughout the entire Seireitei territory. So he went to Sōkyoku Hills?"

Kyōraku took a step forward, adjusted his straw hat, and said in his usual lazy tone, "Since you 'Muramasa, you must have met him, right? What's he like?"

Sylvan was silent for a moment. "Muramasa strong, but his Reiatsu is very violent. Compared to his Zanpakuto, he feels closer to a Hollow."

"Closer to the void?"

"Yes, although it's just a feeling, he doesn't have Hollow Holes or Visored masks on him. He might have somehow extracted the Reiatsu of Hollows. Moreover, his ability is also very troublesome—he can interfere with the soul connection between other Soul Reaper and their Zanpakuto."

"Interfering with the soul connection?" Kyōraku raised an eyebrow slightly.

"Yes," Sylvan said in a low voice, "Based on what I've seen, he has two methods of intervention."

Sylvan held up two fingers. "The first method is to whisper or suggest things to the Zanpakuto over a wide area without the Soul Reaper noticing, thus amplifying the Zanpakuto's unease towards its wielder and Brainwashing. The second method is to forcibly enter the Soul Reaper's Inner World and Zanpakuto out."

Kyōraku was pleasantly surprised to see Sylvan speaking so confidently and knowledgeably.

"I just wanted to try my luck, but I didn't expect to have such a good haul!"

"Sylvan, when we confronted Muramasa last night, he was claiming that he had freed his Zanpakuto from the clutches of the Soul Reaper. So, according to you, all those words were lies?" Kyōraku stroked his chin, looking at Sylvan before him.

"Captain Kyōraku, that's something you'll have to figure out for yourself." Sylvan withdrew his hand. "As for the Brainwashing methods used on Muramasa, they're quite direct, but the difficulty might vary from person to person."

"Oh? What do you mean?"

"What we need to do is similar to what the Soul Reaper do in the Zanjutsu meditation: talk to the Zanpakuto defeat it again to remove the influence and bring the Zanpakuto back to our side. A successful example is the academy student Shimizu and his Zanpakuto Daku. He regained the materialized Daku at his residence yesterday afternoon."

"The first person to find a solution is actually an academy student? To dare to clash with one's own Zanpakuto in such a sudden situation—that takes guts." Kyōraku thought to himself with a touch of admiration.

"Isn't Shimizu a classmate of Yexing Hu?"

Kyōraku recalled the scene of the Konsō Ceremony, where three students who had been enrolled for less than half a year went to the World of the Living and caught a Hollow. At that time, quite a few captains looked at these three students with disdain.

"This year's students are truly dazzling. If Shimizu really manages to reclaim his Zanpakuto, things will be much easier from here on out."

Kyōraku's melancholy lessened slightly. "Sylvan, I feel rather embarrassed that you've given me so much intelligence that you've worked so hard to obtain."

Kyōraku took off his haori, folded it neatly, and set it aside. After selecting a suitable bamboo sword in the Dōjō, he walked up to Sylvan and said, "I'm quite confident in my swordsmanship. How about I practice with you for a bit?"

Sylvan looked at the Kyōraku before him and, without hesitation, raised his cane and struck a pose. "Please, Captain Kyōraku, give me your guidance!"

Kyōraku smiled slightly, "Very good."