"Hyorinmaru, how did you get in here?"
Toshiro quickly distanced himself from Muramasa and asked with some surprise.
Toshiro was currently inside Muramasa's Inner World, which had no direct connection to the outside world.
If it weren't for the fact that he hadn't resisted when the black-red plasma river surged towards him, but had actively used Muramasa's power to enter this place, suddenly seeing Hyorinmaru appear here was extremely surprising.
"Hmph, what's so surprising about that? No matter where you are, as long as I'm willing, I can return to your side anytime."
Hyorinmaru said with a cold expression.
"But since you're here, it means you won your fight with Ryujin Jakka, right?"
Toshiro guessed.
Earlier in the Soul Society, Hyorinmaru had been fighting Ryujin Jakka. If she hadn't won, she wouldn't have just come running over.
"Of course! Who do you think I am? Ryujin Jakka may be the Strongest Fire-type Zanpakuto, but compared to me, he's still a bit lacking."
Hyorinmaru said proudly.
"Heh, such big talk. Although you won against Ryujin Jakka, it seems you're not much better off than him, are you?"
Toshiro noticed Hyorinmaru's weak Reiatsu and ethereal, translucent figure, and couldn't help but tease while also expressing concern.
"Facing Yamamoto Genryusai's Ryujin Jakka, being able to win at this cost is pretty amazing, alright?"
Facing Toshiro, who didn't spare her feelings, Hyorinmaru couldn't help but get a little 'angry from embarrassment'.
"Ah, indeed, it's truly amazing. As expected of my Hyorinmaru."
Toshiro suddenly became serious and praised her sincerely.
"But are you okay, Hyorinmaru? Although winning is important, your safety is the most important thing."
Toshiro flashed and instantly appeared beside Hyorinmaru, reaching out to touch her. But her ethereal, translucent body seemed as if it didn't really exist. Toshiro's hand passed through her body as if touching air.
"Can't even maintain a solid form?! Hyorinmaru, what's happening to your body?!"
Toshiro exclaimed in alarm.
Seeing Toshiro so concerned about her, the icy expression on Hyorinmaru's face seemed to melt. She smiled and said, "It's nothing. I just consumed too much Reiatsu. As long as I return to my Zanpakuto and use your power, Toshiro, I can recover."
With that, Hyorinmaru's figure transformed into a stream of ice-blue light and entered the Zanpakuto in Toshiro's hand. Toshiro instantly felt that the blade in his hand seemed to have gained a soul, becoming a true Zanpakuto, unlike before when it always felt like something was missing.
Then Toshiro turned to face Muramasa again in the distance.
For some reason, while Toshiro and Hyorinmaru were talking, Muramasa hadn't taken the opportunity to attack.
"Come, Muramasa. Let's continue our fight!"
Toshiro's expression turned serious.
Then, a blue light flickered in Toshiro's eyes as he prepared to activate the True Dragon's Eye.
"Wait!"
A voice suddenly rang out, but it wasn't Muramasa speaking, because the sound came from within Toshiro's heart.
"Hyorinmaru..."
Toshiro closed his eyes and concentrated, 'seeing' Hyorinmaru standing atop the ice mountain in his Inner World.
"Toshiro, we haven't fought together for a while. And Muramasa's suggestions don't work on me. If I help, you won't need to specifically activate the True Dragon's Eye. So for this fight with Muramasa, let's do it together. I'll be your eyes."
Hyorinmaru stood atop the peak of the Inner World, looking up at the void.
"Fighting together? Being my eyes? Sounds interesting."
Toshiro happily agreed.
"But this requires you and me, the Zanpakuto and its master, to be truly connected in spirit."
Hyorinmaru added.
"Spiritually connected? Haven't we been for a long time?"
Toshiro smiled.
"Ah, indeed."
Hyorinmaru also smiled lightly.
"Muramasa, it's over."
Toshiro pointed his sword at Muramasa, his expression serious.
"Hmph, want to try again? Without using your full power, with your current state, you definitely can't beat me."
Muramasa snorted.
Whoosh!
Muramasa flashed and charged at Toshiro at high speed.
Toshiro, on the other hand, closed his eyes and swung his Zanpakuto, following Hyorinmaru's guidance.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
As soon as they engaged, Toshiro, with his superb swordsmanship, again gained the upper hand.
Helpless, Muramasa could only use his ability again.
As Toshiro's Zanpakuto was about to strike Muramasa, a colorful light shone, and Muramasa's figure became illusory again.
But facing Muramasa's repeated trick, Toshiro's Zanpakuto instantly changed direction, slashing to the right.
Clang!
Sparks flew. Muramasa's figure suddenly materialized on the right, where there had been nothing before.
"What?!"
Muramasa exclaimed in shock.
"Ha!"
Toshiro shouted. The ice-blue light on his Zanpakuto intensified. Muramasa felt a surge of power from the blade and was involuntarily sent flying.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Muramasa's body crashed through several stone pillars before finally stopping.
"Eyes..."
Muramasa was initially puzzled, but seeing Toshiro fighting with his eyes closed, he suddenly understood.
Toshiro, with his eyes closed, could still fight, clearly indicating that someone was acting as his eyes. And that someone was undoubtedly the newly arrived Hyorinmaru.
Understanding this, Muramasa still refused to give up and charged at Toshiro again.
"Ha!"
Muramasa shouted, swinging his sword down at Toshiro's head.
Whoosh!
Toshiro slashed back without backing down.
Bang!
Muramasa was sent flying again by Toshiro's slash.
Seeing Muramasa struggle to his feet again, Toshiro couldn't help but say, "Don't you understand yet, Muramasa? You are not my opponent. Even though I only used Reiatsu comparable to, or even weaker than, yours in that fight, you still couldn't beat me. Because I am fighting alongside Hyorinmaru, while you are alone."
"Alone..."
Muramasa smiled bitterly.
"Ah, that's right, alone. Mutually acknowledging and accepting each other's existence… that's the proper state for a Shinigami and their Zanpakuto. But Koga never acknowledged or accepted your existence. From beginning to end, you were just alone, weren't you?"
Toshiro said with some sympathy.
"Shut up! I don't need your sympathy!!"
Muramasa shouted angrily. "What do you know?!"
"I know very well!"
Toshiro interrupted him. "You once said you killed your own master. That wasn't just a simple lie. In fact, it was because you noticed he never really cared about you at all!!"
"Although you noticed this, you still struggled until now to release Koga from his seal. Isn't that because you loved him and longed for his acceptance and recognition more than anyone else?!"
"I..."
Faced with Toshiro's questioning, Muramasa was speechless, because everything Toshiro said was true.