Ren shook his head. His golden Double Pupils radiated majesty. "Mayuri Kurotsuchi... It's good to have a spirit of exploration, but losing your life isn't. I don't want to have to replace my partner already, so behave yourself. You only need to quietly conduct your research and secretly leak the information about researching the Hōgyoku to Aizen."
Hearing this, Mayuri Kurotsuchi looked at Ren and nodded instinctively. Before Ren, Mayuri Kurotsuchi simply could not resist. It was as though Ren had placed some kind of restriction on him, leaving him utterly unable to disobey Ren's orders. Mayuri Kurotsuchi found this strange as well, but even after carefully examining himself, he found nothing. In the end, he could only resign himself to his misfortune and come running back like a masochist to be exploited by Ren.
This was not any sort of control. It was merely a form of brainwashing akin to hypnosis. Mayuri Kurotsuchi had unknowingly been brainwashed and hypnotized.
Leaving that aside, within Soul Hall, the Sōkyoku, which had transformed into a golden Phoenix, had gone from roaring to wailing.
The flames covering its body continued to scatter before being absorbed by the Forging Furnace.
This Forging Furnace was practically a divine artifact! It continuously Devoured flames, strengthening the fire within the furnace!
As the flames grew stronger, more and more remnant souls wailed within them! These were all Death Gods slain by the Sōkyoku! The remnant souls wailed, only to be obliterated and Devoured by crimson light!
The Shura Sword, which had originally emitted golden light, was now stained scarlet, turning golden-red!
The golden-red radiance illuminated the entire Soul Hall with a peculiar, bewitching beauty!
Ren stared at the Forging Furnace and looked at the Shura Sword within. "Tsk, tsk... It's about to come out of the