Zanpakuto…
Their shape and abilities are based on their Soul Reaper's soul.
Soul Reapers gain power
by learning their names and synergizing with them.
They are born with Soul Reapers and die with Soul Reapers.
That is what Zanpakuto are.
Byakuya…
Brother…
A silvery-white windflower silk scarf…
And a kenseikan…
You're…from the Kuchiki Clan, aren't you?
Byakuya Kuchiki, 28th generation head of the Kuchiki Clan.
28th generation head… I see…
A great deal of time
appears to have passed since I was sealed away.
So, did Ginrei kick the bucket?
Don't talk about my Grandfather so familiarly.
You soiled the honor of the Kuchiki Clan.
You have no right to speak of my grandfather's name.
Bastard…
Brother… What…
…is going on here?!
I thought you were on their side…
Watch quietly.
This is a fight with the Kuchiki Clan's honor at stake.
What?
You… Weren't you under Muramasa's mind control?
Yes…
It's true that at one point, I fell under Muramasa's mind control.
However…
Master…
You've returned to your senses, Senbonzakura?
What happened?
I don't know…
A sudden voice rang within my chest.
It told me to release my heart and follow as I desired…
I see… I thought so.
Byakuya, having been told by his grandfather, Ginrei,
was aware of the Zanpakuto, Muramasa, and its master, Koga.
Know this.
If by chance the seal is broken,
it will be your duty as head of
the Kuchiki Clan to slay that man.
The world must never be exposed
to that warped evil power ever again.
I swear on my honor as head of the Kuchiki Clan…
Byakuya went to the archives in search of clues to Koga.
But…
as he feared, there was no record.
All he came away with was the further realization
that he could not make the incident public.
That Soul Reaper named Koga…
He was connected with the Kuchiki Clan?!
But that's no reason for him to keep it all hidden from us as well!
It was all for the sake of
determining where Koga was sealed away!
Merely killing Muramasa is meaningless…
The real person who must be defeated is Koga alone!
So, I acted as though I had been brainwashed.
But it wasn't easy to identify the location
where Koga had been sealed away.
That's why Byakuya stayed by Muramasa…
Even if that meant giving his friends the wrong idea…
Why did he go through all that?
Because it is his duty as head of the Kuchiki Clan.
Brother…
Head of the Kuchiki Clan…
Are you planning to seal me away, too?
No, I can't allow you to remain alive any longer.
You soiled the honor of the Kuchiki Clan…
I will kill you.
Spoken with the true arrogance of the Kuchiki Clan…
Fine…
If you're the head of the Kuchiki Clan,
I have ample reason to fight, as well.
Koga…use me…
My power belongs to you…
W-Why?
You have become nothing but a hindrance to me.
I don't need to use an unstable sword like you—
my powers alone are enough.
Damn you!
What do you take your Zanpakuto for?!
A Zanpakuto is merely a tool.
There are any number of replacements.
Muramasa!
Did his despair trigger
an inability to control his Spiritual Pressure?
Ko…ga…
What the hell?!
I don't believe it… He collected Menos inside of him?
This is a waste of time…
Ichigo Kurosaki…
Byakuya…
You were willing to pretend to betray us
to be true to your own pride!
In that case, let us take care of this.
You defeat Koga!
Brother!
Let's do it, Ichigo!
Right!
Getsugatensho!
Soren Sokatsui!
Senbozakura.
Let's go.
Yes, Master.
What's that supposed to be?
You mean this?
Didn't I tell you?
Any weapon will do.
Come! Kuchiki Clan head!
You do indeed seem to possess the skills
to call yourself head of the clan.
Let's see how you do with Kido!
Kongobaku!
Hado 33, Sokatsui!
Gakirekko!
Hado 4, Byakurai!
Hyogaseiran!
Bakudo 81, Danku.
Byakuya!
Oh?
Against my Senbonzakura, your Kido is mere child's play.
Don't get cocky, youngster!
I've captured your image.
You're no longer able to move even a single finger!
Scatter, Senbonzakura.
This ends here.
You left yourself wide open, Kuchiki Clan head.
You're not getting away!
What have you done?
Muramasa can control Zanpakuto…
That ability came from my powers.
By sending Spiritual Pressure into my adversary,
I am able to confuse his five senses.
Already, your body's senses are in the palm of my hand.
You can't even tell for sure if that is me
standing right before your eyes.
An illusion?
It isn't anything so simplistic!
In your present state,
even the distance you see with your eyes and
the distance you swing your sword no longer match.
You can no longer fight effectively.
Of course… if you had challenged me
with your heart closed the way Ginrei and Genryusai did,
I wouldn't have been able to use this technique.
It appears you let your guard down when I snapped Muramasa.
You're wrong.
What?
I challenged you without closing my heart
in order to kill you.
If I closed my heart, I may have been able to seal you away,
but I wouldn't be able to kill you.
You have the gall to talk like that in your situation…
No you don't!
What?!
Hyogaseiran!
Danku.
Which way are you facing?
You're a sorry sight.
Without your Zanpakuto, you're powerless, kid!
The enemy's skill is irrelevant…
Everyone falls to their knees before me!
That's right! It's all because of my power!
Even without a Zanpakuto…
I am the strongest there is!
Let's put an end to this…
Kuchiki Clan head of today!
What the—?!
That's impossible!
It did Shikai by itself?!
Senbonzakura…
Master…
If your senses have been shut down,
I will fight as your eyes and limbs.
Then I'll control the senses of that sword and you together!
I won't allow it.
Bankai.
Senkei, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi.
This is the true form of Senbonzakura.
It is a specialized form that discards defense
for the sole purpose of defeating an enemy.
Within my space, confused senses mean nothing.
Wherever you are, this blade will find you without fail.
Wherever I am, you say?
That goes for me, as well!
Damn you!
How is it that you possess so much power?
It is because we fight together.
A Soul Reaper and Zanpakuto together make one.
We display our true powers only when
our respective souls are in harmony.
You, who have abandoned everything for the sake of silly pride,
cannot defeat us.
Shut up!
You're the ones who don't understand anything!
Despite all of my achievements, no one recognized what I did.
They branded me a traitor and tried to put me away!
If that's the case, then I decided to create a place for myself!
Power is order!
I'm going to become king of a new world!
Such foolishness…
What?!
The real tragedy is that
you failed to recognize the true nature of power.
The power you needed…
was the power to relate with others and with your Zanpakuto.
Relate with?
I don't need that kind of power!
My power is like no other!
Absolute power that has no equal!
Then I won't say any more…
You can blame your own immaturity
for not being able to recognize your confidence as arrogance.
Koga…
l will now complete the duty
I inherited from my grandfather, Ginrei,
as head of the Kuchiki Clan.
Senbonzakura Kageyoshi…
Shukei Hakuteiken.
You're more than I expected.
Even among the long line of Kuchiki Clan heads,
few are as powerful as you.
You were once a member of the Kuchiki Clan.
By using this technique, I pay my final respects.
Then I will defeat you and
blow away my Kuchiki Clan curse once and for all!
I was strict with Koga, but that backfired.
I let Byakuya have his way, but he grew up obstinate.
Raising children is difficult.
The World of the Living has lots of how-to books.
Don't give my grandfather any ideas!
Illustrated Guide to Soul Reapers!
Zanpakuto manifestation…
Sado!
There is no need for you to worry!
I'm sure you can talk with yours too!
Take me, for example!
Oh, Uryu!
Because you listened to me, I'm able to speak like this!
You see?
Uryu, you have another weapon, don't you?
He wants to talk to you, too.
You don't mean… Seeleschneider?
No way.