Chapter 213: The Broken Barrier

"Huh...?"

After seeing Mazuru and Byakuya, Muramasa was stunned for a moment. Originally, he wanted to ask them that how did they found this place, but then he felt that if he asked like this, he would appear to be too incompetent.

So, Muramasa changed his wording, "Are you here to save your head-captain?"

While speaking, he also deliberately staggered half of his body, so that Mazuru and Byakuya could see what's behind him. Behind him, were several materialized Zanpakuto surrounding a fiery red barrier, inside which an old figure could be vaguely seen.

"Head-Captain!"

Byakuya's expression changed slightly, he didn't expect the missing head-captain to be right here, and it seemed that he was imprisoned by Muramasa.

Muramasa noticed the change in Byakuya's expression, and immediately had an plan in his heart, that was to mislead these two people first, and try to get them to attract more people from Gotei 13. As the captains of Gotei 13, they will most definitely not allow the head-captain to be imprisoned and would find a way to rescue him at all costs.

Of course, there was another premise here, that is, there shouldn't be an accident.

Just as Muramasa had that idea, he immediately asked Ryūjin Jakka, who was "maintaining the barrier" over there, to attack Mazuru and the other two.

Ryūjin Jakka, as the strongest Zanpakuto in the fire department, was a person shrouded in flames after materialization. He waved his hand, and a raging flame swept towards Byakuya and Mazuru.

Byakuya's heart trembled, he was in a cave at that moment and the space was narrow which was not conducive to his battle performance, and Ryūjin Jakka was attacking in a wide range, so he had no choice but to retreat.

*Whoosh*

He used Shunpo, dodging Ryūjin Jakka's onslaught, while muttering, "Scatter! Senbonzakura!"

Senbonzakura was liberated by him to deal with the attack at any angle.

However, to his surprise, in the face of Ryūjin Jakka's large-scale attack, his teacher did not retreat, on the contrary, he also released his Zanpakuto with a low groan.

The crimson stream of light swept across the sky and covered it, like a huge wave of blood gushing out with the momentum of overbearing sword slash, colliding with the flames released by Ryūjin Jakka.

*Boom*

As if water and fire had intersected, Mazuru swirled countless crimson streamers with one slash and unexpectedly blocked Ryūjin Jakka's offensive completely.

Byakuya couldn't help being taken aback.

Muramasa's eyes behind Ryūjin Jakka's also flickered, 'As expected, this person is really troublesome.'

He immediately asked Sōgyo no Kotowari who was also "maintaining the barrier" to help too. After the materialization of Sōgyo no Kotowari, there became two children. The two children held a piece of origami together. Following Muramasa's order, the origami in their hands turned into two fans with jagged teeth. One of them waved the fan, and suddenly absorbed the crimson streamer that Mazuru slashed out, and then the other waved the fan, turning the crimson streamer sucked in by the fan in his brother's hand into his own attack, and released it.

This was one of the abilities of Sōgyo no Kotowari.

It could absorb the enemy's attack and then bounce it back to the opponent, but this ability had limitations. Firstly, it couldn't absorb physical attack. Secondly, there was a limit to the absorption of reiatsu-based attacks.

However, Muramasa's goal was never to allow Sōgyo no Kotowari to completely rebound Mazuru's attack, but to absorb part of Mazuru's attack and then bounce back the remaining power. Mazuru's original release was equal to the flames of Ryūjin Jakka, but now it will no longer be able to compete against Ryūjin Jakka.

Ryūjin Jakka was Muramasa's strongest trump card.

'Run! Run away as much as you want, and then tell the other captains that your head-captain is 'sealed' here, so that the entire Gotei 13 will come to rescue him.'

Muramasa was talking to himself in his mind.

However, to his surprise, even though the crimson streamer was absorbed and partly reflected by Sōgyo no Kotowari, and even though Ryūjin Jakka was extremely powerful, Mazuru still had no intention of retreating to get helpers.

Instead, more crimson streamers poured out from his sword, and at the same time, the powerful reiatsu inside him was released by him.

In an instant, a powerful reiatsu broke through the cave, making the entire Seireitei feel it.

…

"This is... Captain Mazuru's reiatsu?"

In the Seireitei, Isane, the vice-captain of the Fourth Division, sensed Mazuru's reiatsu, and immediately followed that direction, and sensed it more carefully, and found that besides Mazuru's reiatsu, there was also Byakuya's reiatsu in that same place.

She immediately thought of the tasks assigned in the previous captain meeting.

Their task was to suppress and seal the rebellious Zanpakuto, while Mazuru and Byakuya's task was to find the whereabouts of the head-captain and deal with the Muramasa matter.

"Captain Mazuru and Captain Kuchiki found the whereabouts of the head-captain? Are you fighting Muramasa?"

After realizing this, Isane immediately passed on the news and informed the other captains and vice-captains.

(T.L Note: Well done. You have Muramasa's heartfelt thanks)

…

In the cave, the clothes on Mazuru's back suddenly burst open.

Shunkō!

In an instant, high-strength Kidō was compressed behind him and his speed soared. The crimson Zanpakuto swung in his hand, piercing through the flames of Ryūjin Jakka, and then he came to Sōgyo no Kotowari's side, and swung the sword.

Even though the two twin children tried their best to block it, this attack was not a reiatsu attack, but a purely physical attack so they were powerless against it.

*Swish*

The paper fan in Sōgyo no Kotowari's hand shattered, and the bodies of the two children flew out, suffering serious injuries.

After beating the woman "Sode no Shirayuki" before, now Mazuru doesn't even spare children, and he does not even hesitate.

Muramasa noticed this scene and his complexion became bad.

Immediately manipulated Ryūjin Jakka, and launched an attack back.

Byakuya was not a simple-minded person nor was he weak. Though Mazuru's strength surprised him, but he felt that's how it should be. 

'As his disciple, how could I drag him back…'

"Bankai —— Senbonzakura Kageyoshi!"

If Shikai only breaks down the blade into small blades like sakura flowers, then after Bankai, Byakuya's entire Zanpakuto was completely broken down into small blades including the hilt and both the amount of flowers and the moving speed was boosted by an unknown amount of times than its Shikai.

Under his control, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi turned the place into a pink sakura flower-filled environment and attacked Ryūjin Jakka brazenly.

Although Ryūjin Jakka was the strongest and oldest Zanpakuto in the fire department, his situation was somewhat different from that of Hyōrinmaru. Because Toshiro was still young and had not fully discovered its power, so when the materialized sword used various of its skills, it was even stronger than when it was in Toshiro's hands, on the contrary, Ryūjin Jakka was the strongest when it was in the hands of Yamamoto.

The reason lies in his thousands of years of combat experience and the incomparably powerful reiatsu he possess. The combination of these two and Ryūjin Jakka produces the most powerful form of Ryūjin Jakka. Now that he had lost Yamamoto's support, although Ryūjin Jakka alone was also very strong, but Byakuya was more than adequate to face him.

After discovering that Ryūjin Jakka was being stopped by Byakuya, Muramasa's expression became more urgent.

After Mazuru defeated Sōgyo no Kotowari with one slash, he went towards Yamamoto's barrier. 

Muramasa noticed this, and "appeared" to be worried that Mazuru would break the barrier, so he immediately ordered the Zanpakuto who were "maintaining the seal" to attack Mazuru, and at the same time, his own figure flashed, and he came to the side of the barrier, replacing these Zanpakuto, and continued to "maintain the barrier".

After all, although he also had some fighting ability, his fighting methods in the battle a hundred years ago were really useless in front of Mazuru, so instead of fighting by himself, it was better to let these Zanpakuto fight, and he went to maintain the barrier.

Mazuru also noticed Muramasa's actions, and lamented in his heart that it was a pity that Muramasa did not debut as an actor, but due to some reasons, he chose to cooperate with Muramasa to perform.

He continued to go towards the barrier, as if he wanted to break it, and rescue Yamamoto.

The flowing water came sweeping, this was Kaien's Zanpakuto Nejibana, Nejibana could produce a powerful spiritual attacks, and then with the command of the holder, it will evolve into a huge wave, smashing the enemy to pieces.

Layers of crimson light shields emerged around Mazuru's body, slowing down the attack of the spiritual splash, and his speed increased again, while in midair, another huge arm slashed down at him with a sword.

Sajin's Tenken!

It's a pity that although the offensive of Tenken was fierce and strong, the speed was too slow, and it still couldn't stop Mazuru.

Then Zabimaru and other Zanpakuto's attacks were all easily dodged by Mazuru. Either their attack were too slow, or because of Mazuru's own power that he would produce red streamers which would condense into an extremely powerful slash and sweep away the attacks.

To some extent, Mazuru and Byakuya deserved to be mentors and apprentices. Mazuru's move was somewhat similar to Byakuya's Senbonzakura. The difference was that Senbonzakura's ability was like this, while Mazuru's technique was developed by him as one of the derivative means of his Zanpakuto.

*Whoosh*

A powerful reiatsu lingered around Mazuru's body, who had used the Shunkō. When he got close to the barrier, Muramasa felt a strong pressure rushing towards his face. His expression changed slightly, and he "wanted to prevent" Mazuru from breaking the barrier but his movement was a little slower after all.

Lifting the sword in his hand, all the blood-red streamers floating in the air disappeared at the same time, and even the Shunkō on his body was quietly canceled, and his high-strength reiatsu was condensed on his Zanpakuto by him.

He was going to use —— The Momentum of Thousand Blades!

In early years, Mazuru forcibly learned Bankai by relying on this technique.

Now that he was using this technique again, even though Muramasa next to him had decided to let Mazuru break the barrier long ago and didn't want to stop him, but after feeling the power of this move, he still felt an unprecedented sense of crisis.

He didn't hesitate at all and hid as far away as possible.

*Boom*

The sword light fell on the barrier, and in an instant, layers of ripples appeared on the surface of the barrier. In the barrier, Yamamoto, who had fallen into a deep sleep, suddenly raised his eyelids, and finally opened his eyes.

As his eyes opened, the barrier around his body suddenly shattered.

The extremely powerful reiatsu gathered into a wave and swept around. All the Zanpakuto in the cave, and Byakuya who was fighting Ryūjin Jakka retreated at the same time.

*Boom*

*Boom*

*Boom*

*Boom*

*Boom*

Due to the powerful and raging reiatsu, and the entire cave collapsed, and when the dust was about to cover the place, another terrifying attack surged into the sky, piercing the cave abruptly.

After a long time, the movement subsided.

Smoke and dust filled the air, while Mazuru and Yamamoto stood in the center of the storm, and in the area next to it, Byakuya and the Zanpakuto, who should have been deceived by Muramasa, also stabilized their bodies, and then looked at the two figures in the center.

"Why did it come to this?"

Yamamoto glanced at the betrayed Zanpakuto nearby, including his Zanpakuto Ryūjin Jakka, and finally landed on Mazuru, sighing, "You shouldn't have broken the barrier."

Mazuru did not respond. 

Muramasa's voice sounded from the side, "You really shouldn't have broken the barrier, but I should thank you!"

While speaking, Muramasa did not hesitate to use his last remaining strength to use Bankai.

"Bankai —— Mukōjōchū Muramasa!"

After using Bankai, Muramasa's figure suddenly disappeared.

Even though Yamamoto tried his best to stop him and wanted to close his heart again and cast a barrier, it was a pity that it was already too late. Muramasa appeared in his heart, and then quickly read his memory.

Then, Muramasa's figure reappeared.

Yamamoto did not hesitate to attack him, but Muramasa avoided him, he didn't even tried to fight him.

He even ignored the Zanpakuto whom he had instigated, and ran away alone.

Watching Muramasa leave, Yamamoto sighed again, "Muramasa has already learned from me the place where Kuchiki Koga is sealed, and his next step is probably to rescue him."

"So, you really shouldn't have broken the barrier."

This was the second time he said this.

But Mazuru didn't care, "I know that the head-captain had set up the barrier to seal off his heart and prevent Muramasa from finding the whereabouts of Kuchiki Koga, but this method can really prevent Muramasa from getting what he wants?"

Yamamoto was stunned for a moment, he didn't expect Mazuru to choose to break the barrier even after he knew the purpose of him setting up the barrier.

"After Kuchiki Koga was sealed, Muramasa had already become insane. In order to save him, he can do whatever it takes. Of course, the head-captain sealed himself and kept the secret well, but in this way, in order to find the sealed place of Kuchiki Koga, Muramasa would only resort to more drastic means..."

"Head-captain can you really let Muramasa manipulate more and more Zanpakuto to wreak havoc in the Seireitei?"

Yamamoto was slightly taken aback.

He also realized now that he was wrong. He only thought about keeping the secret, but he ignored the damage that Muramasa caused to Seireitei.

"So, instead of letting Muramasa continue to stay here and continue to harm the Soul Society, it is better to let Muramasa know the whereabouts of Kuchiki Koga and let him rescue him on his own."

"Even if Kuchiki Koga breaks the seal, so what? Can he still be stronger than Aizen? Back then I was able to beat him for the first time, now I can beat him for the second time."

There was incomparable confidence in Mazuru's voice.

Yamamoto also realized Mazuru's point.

"On this point, it is indeed my negligence."

He frankly admitted it.

*****

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