"A way?"
Yuko, Rangiku, and Hai Mao all turned to look at him.
Ichigo broke into a sweat. "It happened to me too."
"What did?"
"Earlier today, Muramasa took control of Zangetsu and made him attack me..."
Yuko narrowed her eyes. "Why would Muramasa come after you? Don't tell me he took a liking to that old man of yours?"
Come to think of it, she had always believed the old man inside Ichigo was the manifestation of his Quincy power suppressing his Zanpakuto's power. But if Muramasa's ability had affected that same old man, did that mean Ichigo's Quincy and Zanpakuto powers had fused?
That would explain why Muramasa, whose ability affected Zanpakuto spirits, had affected his Quincy power instead.
Surely this wasn't just a long-running battle manga eating its own lore. No way...
Ichigo couldn't hold back. "What do you mean, 'that old man of yours'?"
"Apologize to him!"
"Sorry, sorry. Happy?" Yuko brushed him off and looked at the cleaver in his hand. "Then what happened to Zangetsu?"
"After I beat him, he went back to normal."
Ichigo raised his Zanpakuto as he spoke.
With Rukia still on his back, he had been carrying the blade in his hand the whole time.
Yuko stared blankly for a moment. "So... all you have to do is beat your Zanpakuto again. There's no need to worry about it disappearing..."
And here they had been analyzing the problem so earnestly. It turned out they hadn't needed to worry about the Zanpakuto disappearing at all.
"I don't know exactly how it works, but he definitely went back to normal." Ichigo waved his Zanpakuto. "And he said the same thing you did, Aunt. It's more like a suggestion that amplifies a Zanpakuto's negative feelings toward its owner."
"So, Yuko... what am I