The Sweet Potato Betrayal

Muramasa's maneuver made the truth obvious.

The barrier had never been something Muramasa created to seal Genryusai Yamamoto.

It was the opposite.

Yamamoto had sealed himself inside it for protection.

Ukitake understood at once.

"I see. That is why Muramasa could not turn Ryujin Jakka against him. Master Yamamoto closed his own heart, making Muramasa's ability ineffective."

Yamamoto opened his eyes with a weary expression. Even he had not expected Muramasa to be clever enough to mistake his self-imposed seal for Muramasa's own barrier and then manipulate everyone into attacking it.

"Muramasa," Yamamoto said, "your goal has been achieved."

He stepped beside Ichigo and the others.

Ichigo still looked confused.

"Old man, what was Muramasa's goal? Freeing his own master? What does that mean? He told me he killed his master."

Yamamoto shook his head.

"He did not. His master was sealed by me and the former head of the Kuchiki family. As a Zanpakuto, Muramasa wishes to save him."

Ichigo stared.

"So all that talk about leading Zanpakuto against their masters and giving them freedom was nonsense?"

Yamamoto nodded.

Ichigo let out a breath.

The irony was almost cruel. Every rebellious Zanpakuto had been deceived by the one Zanpakuto preaching freedom.

Muramasa smiled.

"Genryusai Yamamoto, you are impressive. Before I could use my power, you sealed your heart and created this barrier. I admit it. With my power alone, I could not break it, and I did not have much time."

He looked at Ichigo with genuine gratitude.

Without Ichigo, the barrier might never have broken.

Katen Kyokotsu and Sogyo no Kotowari realized they had been used and rushed at Muramasa with their blades drawn.

Muramasa only smiled.

Behind him, fire rose.

The oldest and strongest Zanpakuto in Soul Society.

Ryujin Jakka.

Now that the seal was broken, Muramasa's power reached it.

Katen Kyokotsu and Sogyo no Kotowari were strong, but compared to Ryujin Jakka, the gap was enormous. They fell almost before the spirit's form could be clearly seen.

Then Ryujin Jakka released Jokaku Enjo.

Massive walls of flame rose and locked every Soul Reaper present inside a burning prison.

Muramasa looked at them one last time and vanished through the fire.

Yamamoto gazed at the flames with a sigh.

Ichigo asked, "Who is Muramasa's master? Why do none of us know about him?"

Yamamoto began to explain.

"The story begins several hundred years ago."

His voice remained steady.

"Koga Kuchiki. As the name suggests, this is a matter tied to the Kuchiki family."

"Koga was a rare genius in Soul Society. At a young age, he possessed captain-level reiatsu and had mastered a usable Bankai."

"The head of the Kuchiki family at the time, Ginrei Kuchiki, valued his talent and brought him into the family as a son-in-law."

"But Koga was extreme. He believed that only by gaining greater power could he earn Ginrei Kuchiki's approval."

"No matter what he did, Ginrei treated him with the same measured restraint. Eventually, Koga was drawn into a noble conspiracy. Because Ginrei did not act openly, or perhaps because he failed to explain how he was protecting him, Koga lost control."

"He took Muramasa and slaughtered nobles."

"In the end, Ginrei and I sealed him."

"Because we had to keep our hearts closed while facing Koga, we could not kill him. We also did not have an easy way to do so."

"Strangely, during that battle, Koga could not use Muramasa. He could not even use Bankai."

Ichigo listened, then sighed.

"He completely misunderstood the former Kuchiki head's intentions."

The others looked at him.

Yamamoto's gaze showed interest.

"What do you think, Ichigo?"

"It does not make sense otherwise. He was Ginrei's son-in-law, right? If Ginrei truly did not care, would he have ignored his own daughter too?"

Yamamoto sighed again.

"Such a simple truth. Why could Koga never understand it?"

Silence settled over them.

Yoruichi broke it.

"We can talk after we get out."

Ichigo looked at the fire walls.

"Underground. The flames may not have wrapped around the ground below us."

Yoruichi nodded.

"I will test it. If I cannot break through with speed, no one here can."

"Shunko!"

She smashed a deep hole into the ground and jumped in.

Ichigo, Shunsui, and Ukitake stood ready to follow if the path opened.

Ryujin Jakka's fire responded instantly. A fireball struck the ground and collapsed the tunnel Yoruichi had made.

Ichigo's worry flashed across his face.

He forced it down.

Then reinforcements arrived.

A massive ice dragon circled above Jokaku Enjo. Toshiro Hitsugaya descended with Hyorinmaru.

"Head Captain Yamamoto! Ichigo! Are you all right?"

"I am unharmed," Yamamoto said. "But Captain Hitsugaya, now that you have entered, leaving will be difficult."

Ukitake quickly explained the situation.

Hitsugaya understood Muramasa's trick.

Ichigo looked at him.

"Toshiro, I need to fix my mistake. Help me."

Yamamoto's expression softened.

"Ichigo, if you want to stop Muramasa, go."

Shunsui and Ukitake did not interfere. The old generation could watch the younger one cooperate.

Hitsugaya owed Ichigo for helping him recover Hyorinmaru.

"I need you and Hyorinmaru to hold Ryujin Jakka back long enough for me to pass," Ichigo said.

"Leave it to us."

Hitsugaya drew his Zanpakuto.

"Bankai! Daiguren Hyorinmaru!"

Hyorinmaru transformed into an ice dragon and surged upward first. Ryujin Jakka's flames tried to coil around him, but Hyorinmaru broke through with the advantage of his massive body.

"Ice Dragon Breath!"

Hyorinmaru released a freezing breath onto the fire wall. Even Ryujin Jakka's flames froze under the attack.

If Hitsugaya were anywhere near Yamamoto's level, Hyorinmaru's reputation would not fall far behind Ryujin Jakka's.

"Ryusenka!"

Hitsugaya struck the frozen section and opened a gap.

Ichigo moved immediately.

With Hyorinmaru and Hitsugaya reinforcing the ice and Ichigo's own speed pushing him through, even Jokaku Enjo was breached.

Yamamoto, Shunsui, and Ukitake watched with approval.

To be fair, the three of them could probably have escaped if they had truly needed to. Still, it was good to let the young ones show what they could do.

After Ichigo escaped, Hitsugaya released Bankai and landed inside the fire wall with Hyorinmaru.

Yamamoto turned toward Ryujin Jakka and began persuading it.

"Ryujin Jakka. You have always helped me, no matter the time or place."

"When I cooked, when the cold grew harsh, even when I roasted sweet potatoes, you were there."

"Now I will free you from this control."

Hitsugaya, Shunsui, and Ukitake stared at Yamamoto.

Hitsugaya silently thanked fate that he had only used Hyorinmaru for shaved ice, and that Hyorinmaru no longer remembered it.

Shunsui muttered, "Maybe it got tired of chores."

...

Ichigo broke through the flames with effort, but Muramasa had already reached Karakura Town with Byakuya and Senbonzakura.

Karakura really could not catch a break. As a Jureichi, it attracted disasters like a magnet.

"Byakuya Kuchiki," Muramasa said, "I truly owe you thanks. Without you, my plan would not have gone so smoothly."

Byakuya's expression remained flat.

"I only acted according to my honor. Karakura Town is a Jureichi. Our reiatsu will soon draw Hollows."

"Complete your plan. I will kill the Hollows that approach."

Senbonzakura stayed with him.

Muramasa understood his body would not last much longer. Zanpakuto and Soul Reaper were one existence. After a master was sealed or killed, a Zanpakuto could not easily survive alone.

A masterless Zanpakuto was much like a Hollow missing its heart. It could easily lose control.

"Koga," Muramasa whispered. "Soon. I will find you soon."

Following the location from Yamamoto's memories, he reached Koga Kuchiki's seal.

It was a fog-covered forest surrounding a lake and a small island.

Then Rukia and Senna arrived.

Rukia held an unreleased Zanpakuto. Senna held Mirokumaru.

"Muramasa," Rukia said, "your plan will not succeed."

Muramasa did not have time to deal with them.

"Even now, you came? As expected of Ichigo Kurosaki's women."

He released the Hollow reiatsu inside himself. A swarm of Hollows appeared around Rukia and Senna.

"What?" Senna said. "Aren't you a Zanpakuto? How can you summon Hollows?"

The Hollows closed in.

"Senna!" Rukia called. "Defeat them first!"

"Right!"

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