While the drunken Shinigami were being picked up by members of their respective divisions, the main Zanpakuto besides Hyorinmaru quietly gathered together.
In a forest not far from the 10th Division's barracks.
Katen Kyokotsu, Sogyo no Kotowari, Gonryomaru, Suzumebachi, Gegetsuburi, Senbonzakura, Zabimaru, Tenken, Kazeshini, Haineko, Tobiume, Hozukimaru, Ruri'iro Kujaku, Sode no Shirayuki, Ashisogi Jizo... one after another, they all tacitly arrived here.
"What are you feeling sad about?"
Suzumebachi, only the size of a palm and resembling a golden bee, flew before Sode no Shirayuki.
"No, nothing. I just can't help but feel a bit lost thinking that I won't be able to accompany Rukia like this anymore."
Sode no Shirayuki said with a dejected expression.
The reason the Zanpakuto could maintain their materialized state was solely due to the influence of Muramasa's power.
But as time passed, the Zanpakuto's Reiatsu was continuously consumed, making it very difficult to continue.
Moreover, in their materialized state, the Zanpakuto couldn't use their master's power to recover Reiatsu.
Of course, Hyorinmaru was an exception. Because of the power of the Ice Dragon Pearl, this Hyorinmaru possessed many special abilities that even Toshiro didn't know about.
Except for Hyorinmaru, unless the other Zanpakuto, like last time, had their Reiatsu depleted and uncontrollably turned into motes of light to return to their swords, they couldn't replenish their Reiatsu.
But even so, once the Zanpakuto returned to their swords, they could no longer appear in the real world in materialized form.
Because the main factor enabling Zanpakuto materialization had never been the amount of their own Reiatsu, but the influence of Muramasa's special ability.
However, with Muramasa's death, the power he had once exerted on the Zanpakuto was weakening, and its influence on them was diminishing.
So now, besides their Reiatsu being mostly depleted, the main issue was that the residual influence of Muramasa's ability was getting weaker. If this continued, at most by tomorrow, the Zanpakuto would no longer be able to maintain their materialized state. This was unavoidable, even for Hyorinmaru.
"My, my, why is everyone so dejected? Although we can't accompany our masters in materialized form anymore, it's not like it's a permanent separation. It's just changing to another way of continuing to be by their side."
"And hasn't this always been the way we accompany our masters? If anything, our current state is the abnormal one."
Seeing that everyone's expressions were somewhat dejected, Haineko couldn't help but offer a few words of comfort.
But although Haineko said this, even she, usually carefree, couldn't help but feel a bit dejected inside.
"Alright, everyone, let's not talk about this. Speaking of which, why isn't Hyorinmaru-sama here?"
Sode no Shirayuki suddenly said.
"Oh, Hyorinmaru? That one said that with Kirikaze's strength, she's not worthy of her taking action. So dealing with Kirikaze is up to us. She wants to spend her last moments taking care of the drunk Hitsugaya Toshiro and won't be coming with us."
Senbonzakura replied.
The 'Kirikaze' mentioned by Senbonzakura was the special Sword Beast capable of devouring others' Reiatsu to enhance its own strength, which Rangiku had reported to Toshiro earlier.
Being fellow Zanpakuto, they knew something about him.
The reason the Zanpakuto had gathered here this time was to use the time they could still maintain their materialized state to go together and eliminate Kirikaze, the most threatening Sword Beast.
According to the intelligence gathered by the Zanpakuto, most of the Sword Beasts had been exterminated by the Shinigami, and almost all of the remaining scattered ones had been devoured by Kirikaze.
In other words, as long as they eliminated Kirikaze, the matter of the Sword Beasts would be completely resolved.
And speaking of it, the very reason Sword Beasts, this special existence, had appeared was inextricably linked to the Zanpakuto themselves.
Because back then, the masters of those Sword Beasts had died at the hands of the Zanpakuto. If it weren't for them, those masters wouldn't have died. If the masters hadn't died, naturally, there would be no such thing as Sword Beasts.
Although they had never said it out loud, the Zanpakuto had always felt very guilty in their hearts.
But precisely because of this, the group of Zanpakuto were determined to personally eliminate Kirikaze.
The Sword Beasts began with them, and should end with them!
"Kirikaze's location has been found. Everyone, it's time for us to set off."
Katen said solemnly.
"Ah! Then let's go!"
The Zanpakuto all shouted loudly.
10th Division's barracks, Toshiro's room.
While the other Zanpakuto went to subdue Kirikaze, Hyorinmaru carried the drunk Toshiro into the room. She placed him on the tatami mat, helped him take off his Captain's Haori, and hung it on the nearby clothes rack.
After covering him with the futon, Hyorinmaru didn't leave. She wanted to use this last night to say goodbye to Toshiro.
After making sure Toshiro was settled, she also slipped under the covers.
"Goodnight, Toshiro."
Hyorinmaru hugged Toshiro tightly, inhaling his reassuring scent, and closed her eyes.
Outside a forest in the Rukongai.
A burly, green-skinned giant nearly five meters tall with two horns on its head was chasing an ape-like Sword Beast.
Whoosh...
The green-skinned, five-meter-tall giant suddenly turned into a mass of gray mist, completely enveloping the ape-like Sword Beast.
Then, a shrill scream came from the ape-like Sword Beast as its Reiatsu was uncontrollably absorbed by the gray mist.
In moments, the ape-like Sword Beast's Reiatsu was completely drained. It was forced back into its sword form, falling to the ground with a clatter.
Whoosh—
The gray mist condensed back into human form.
"Roar!"
Feeling the full, abundant, powerful Reiatsu within his body, the green-skinned giant let out a deafening roar.
"My, my, I never expected you to have grown this big."
A voice suddenly rang out.
The green-skinned giant turned to see over a dozen figures appear on the scene.
These dozen or so suddenly appearing figures were Katen Kyokotsu, Sogyo no Kotowari, and the other Zanpakuto.
"So it is you, Kirikaze. Among all Zanpakuto, you were the most dissatisfied with your master. We guessed it might be you before, and now it seems we were right."
Kazeshini said.
Undoubtedly, this green-skinned, nearly five-meter-tall, double-horned giant was Kirikaze, the Sword Beast capable of devouring the Reiatsu of other Zanpakuto.
Just then, the baboon part of Zabimaru warned, "Everyone, be careful. His ability is to turn into mist, and through this ability, he can enter the bodies of other Zanpakuto and absorb their Reiatsu."
"What a despicable ability."
Haineko said with disdain.
"But he's grown this big. Just how many Zanpakuto's Reiatsu has he absorbed?"
Tobiume frowned.
"Honestly, why waste so many words with him? Just attack!"
Hozukimaru, as battle-hungry as his master Ikkaku Madarame, couldn't help but say.
"Ha!"
With that, Hozukimaru shouted and charged first.