Chapter 142: Hookless Execution
Hearing Kōga's words, Satoru made a disgusted sound.
"How repulsive, to so openly justify your voyeuristic desires... Sorry, could you maintain a distance of 1.496×10^8 km from me? Any closer and I'll feel physically ill."
Kōga froze for a moment.
What the hell was this distance?
Aizen raised a hand, stopping Satoru from speaking further.
He asked curiously, "How can you be sure that Tsunayashiro Senzaemon can become the Soul King?"
"Even if he could become the Soul King, how do you know he could enhance your Zanpakutō's abilities?"
Kōga glanced at him. "The Tsunayashiro Clan controls the Great Spirit Library. All of Soul Society's secrets are in their hands."
"The Soul King's power is far greater than you imagine. Strengthening a Zanpakutō is nothing—even creating worlds would be within his reach!"
"I've seen these records with my own eyes. There's no falsehood."
"As for how to become the Soul King..."
Just as Kōga reached the crucial point, Aizen listened intently.
But in that instant, Kōga suddenly moved.
With his Reiatsu boosting him, his speed reached its peak. In the blink of an eye, he crossed the distance and swung his blade!
Under his gaze, Aizen's body spurted blood.
With an expression of disbelief, Aizen's upper torso slowly slid off.
Then, with a sharp crack, the entire figure vanished into thin air.
Kōga's smile froze solid.
From the perspectives of Satoru and Yoruichi watching from afar, Kōga's actions seemed utterly bizarre.
Mid-sentence, he suddenly charged toward empty space about ten meters away from Aizen.
His gleaming blade slashed viciously through the air.
Initially, his face wore a satisfied smile, but seconds later, it shifted to shock.
Yoruichi blinked, unable to comprehend what had happened.
Satoru sighed inwardly.
This was Kyōka Suigetsu.
A Zanpakutō originally mediocre, yet mastered to perfection by a skilled wielder.
He raised his hand, striking his left palm with his right fist.
"Alright, game's over."
"One VIP seat in the lab's life-support pod—time to hit the road!"
With that, he stomped hard, a white shockwave erupting behind him as he charged toward Kōga.
Aizen also drew his blade, ready to coordinate with Satoru.
Muramasa's ability still posed a significant threat to him.
Like Shunsui Kyōraku, having his mind sealed was a powerful debuff.
In contrast, Satoru seemed completely unaffected.
For a moment, Aizen couldn't help but entertain a malicious thought.
Had Satoru gone so long without using his brain that he'd lost all capacity for thought, leaving Muramasa with nothing to target?
As he pondered, he used Shunpo to follow.
However, to their surprise, after a brief moment of shock, Kōga simply turned and fled!
This move was so absurd that both of them were momentarily stunned.
He was a captain-level expert, renowned for his battle achievements and superior strength.
Yet facing Satoru, a mere junior, he actually ran away?
"Hmph, trying to escape?!"
Satoru's eyes widened as he pushed off violently with his feet.
BOOM!!!
The dune beneath him exploded.
Using the recoil, Satoru's speed skyrocketed as he chased after him like an unleashed wild dog.
Watching the ground Satoru had stepped on, Aizen's eye twitched.
Did he just use the "Ikotsu" technique with his feet to accelerate?
"Ikotsu" could be used like that?
While pursuing, Satoru channeled his Zanpakutō's power.
Kōga, who was fleeing at full speed, suddenly sensed danger.
"Muramasa!"
"Yes!"
Through their mental connection, Muramasa also detected the problem.
He rushed to Kōga's side, gripping his Zanpakutō, and slashed fiercely forward.
CLANG!!!
The moment he swung his blade, an immense force transmitted through the sword.
Sparks flew from the blade in the air.
As if an invisible swordsman stood there, engaged in passionate swordplay with him!
What in the world?
A flicker of surprise crossed Muramasa's eyes.
Could there be a Shinigami with an invisible Zanpakutō ability standing before him?
Thinking this, he reached forward to grab.
If a Shinigami truly stood there, he would turn their Zanpakutō against them!
As he grabbed, Muramasa felt his fingers touch something.
The sensation felt familiar.
A Zanpakutō?
The moment this thought emerged, Muramasa couldn't help but feel ecstatic.
Could Satoru's Zanpakutō ability be externalized sword spirit manifestation?
If so, then victory was assured!
Without hesitation, he immediately activated "Bankai."
The next second, the world before his eyes suddenly transformed.
To his stunned gaze, the surrounding dark Forest of Menos Grande, the countless towering stone pillars, the silver desert beneath his feet—all vanished.
The entire world was left with nothing but boundless darkness.
Like the depths of the ocean.
Or a starless universe.
Oppression, loneliness, despair...
Countless negative emotions flooded his heart.
What happened?
His Bankai had clearly activated successfully!
From the tactile feedback, it was unmistakably a Zanpakutō!
Logically, the target should have been incited to rebel against its master.
Why had he ended up in such a place?
"Kōga! Kōga! Where are you?!"
Driven by intense fear, Muramasa couldn't help but cry out.
However, there was no response.
Muramasa grew anxious.
He tried to move, but whether running, gliding, or releasing Reiatsu, he felt no sensation of "movement."
Unconsciously, he had been in this darkness for too long.
So long that he was beginning to forget what he was doing.
Even being thrown into a horde of Menos Grande, even facing countless enemies, would be better than this endless dead silence.
After an unknowable amount of time, Muramasa felt he was on the verge of losing his ability to think.
"Kōga... Kō..."
He muttered to himself, clinging to his last shred of language ability.
Just then, the world before his eyes suddenly changed again.
The darkness gradually receded.
Before him appeared an endless desert.
He looked around in confusion.
There he saw Kōga running frantically.
"Muramasa! Muramasa!"
"What are you doing? Respond to me!"
"Satoru is catching up, go block him!"
Muramasa: "..."
Staring at the Kōga before him, it took him several seconds to react.
After confirming it was truly his master, he couldn't hold back his tears.
"Kōga!!"
He shouted loudly.
Kōga: "?"
Startled by his Zanpakutō's sudden bizarre behavior, he was taken aback.
Then he watched as Muramasa, as if injected with adrenaline, charged madly toward the rear.
Though he didn't understand what had happened to his Zanpakutō... having fighting spirit was always good, right?
With this confused thought, he quickened his pace.