Ichigo's question left everyone silent for a moment.
"I don't know. Maybe it has something to do with the unusual nature of his Zanpakuto's ability." Yuko gently stroked the blade resting across her lap, her gaze growing distant. "Normally, once the wielder is sealed away, the connection between him and his Zanpakuto is severed."
"A Zanpakuto can't abandon its wielder and act on its own."
If the wielder was finished and the Zanpakuto could still act independently, which of them was really in charge?
Of course, Koga had only been sealed away, not killed. That was why Muramasa had not disappeared.
But there had never been a Zanpakuto that could leave its wielder and keep acting on its own... Well, her Shinobu half counted, but even she would probably struggle to remain active after a century apart.
Muramasa's case could only be put down to his unique nature.
Ichigo asked, "How are things now?"
Rukia shook her head. "I don't know, but Soul Society was already in chaos when I left."
"What I'm more curious about is how Old Man Yama got taken out. If his Zanpakuto didn't betray him, then even with the Zanpakuto belonging to Kyoraku and that bunch of turncoats, they shouldn't have been able to do it so easily."
Kisuke Urahara nodded slightly as he waved his fan. "Exactly. Given Captain-Commander Yamamoto's strength, even if he couldn't defeat them, he shouldn't have gone down without a sound."
Ichigo asked, "Could Captain-Commander Yamamoto's Zanpakuto have turned on him too?"
"But Muramasa had no reason to lie," Yoruichi said. "Still, the Captain-General hasn't appeared. Something must have happened to him."
"Still not enough information?" Yuko folded her arms. "I should've gotten on Koga Kuchiki's good side back then. Then I'd know what his Zanpakuto could do."
"'Control' is