"This is impossible~"
Nnoitra's roar rang out without pause as endless kido seemed to assault him ceaselessly, preventing him from leaping.
According to the rules, Duan Mu, who was in the safe zone, could actually interfere with the game by any means without leaving the "house."
But whether he intervened or not no longer mattered. At this moment, Nnoitra was effectively facing both himself after releasing his Zanpakuto and Duan Mu at the same time.
The rule-maker's fury at Duan Mu's escape into the safe zone was all being vented on Nnoitra.
The sight before him made Duan Mu even more determined not to use a Zanpakuto in the future.
At least...
Before making a change.
--Same and Different Together in Darkness.
This was not Duan Mu's Zanpakuto. More precisely...
It was not his current Zanpakuto.
Completely mastering it would not be difficult. Duan Mu only needed to... personally kill everyone who had favorable feelings toward him, including Shiba Kūkaku.
It resembled him, yet was also different from him.
It resembled him because it had been born at the instant he first arrived in this world.
And it was different because...
The Duan Mu of today was already different from the one who had first arrived in Soul Society.
It could be said that...
If Duan Mu had not possessed the system, this blade would have been his most loyal companion, and the only companion he could trust.
It was the blade of the Duan Mu of the past, but not the blade of the Duan Mu of today.
It wanted to turn him back into his former self. For the sake of that former self, it had even turned its blade against the current him.
But...
Duan Mu did not hate his current self.
Therefore, this was the blade