Bleach: Watch Closely, This Is How You Use a Zanpakutō-Chapter 221: Existence

"Kakyō, listen carefully. It's not even night yet, and it's pouring rain. I can't see a single star."

Tokinada Tsunayashiro lay at the bottom of a massive crater, dazed. In his delirium, he seemed to see his wife—the woman who had died years ago.

Buried beneath rubble and shattered wooden walls, he found an ironic sense of security in these once-impenetrable barriers. With his ear pressed against the ground, the only sound he could hear was the echoing thud of his own heartbeat, whispering to him: You're still alive.

One punch. Just one punch.

That terrifying man had struck him down from the peak of power within the Tsunayashiro Clan, sending him crashing to the very bottom.

"You sure were laughing a lot back there... Sorry to disappoint, but I'm still alive." He panted, his voice silent, as if speaking to someone he refused to show weakness before. "Yamamoto gave him Ikkotsu. I have to wonder... could he himself have used it with such power?"

His body ached, a searing pain spreading through every inch of him.

"It hurts so damn much... My whole body... Is this what dying feels like? Was it like this for you too?" He let out a hoarse chuckle. "What a mess... How many years has it been? Fifty? Sixty? A hundred?"

Tokinada blinked, a smirk curling at the corner of his lips.

"I can't remember anymore... but it doesn't feel so bad." His expression darkened. "Don't say something stupid. Just shut up already, Kakyō!"

"Save me? I don't need saving!"

"At a time like this, could you stop pissing me off!?"

"I don't need you to clear the storm for me. From the very beginning, I've stood above the clouds. I am the storm!"

"I'm no child in need of guidance, and you are not my Master! I studied at the Central Shin'ō Academy, under the headmaster of that time—Yamamoto himself. He was the one who taught me."

"But even he couldn't teach me properly. So don't delude yourself, Kakyō..."

He shut his eyes, as if that could make those gentle eyes vanish from his sight.

Darkness engulfed the ruins. Outside, the storm raged on, rain pouring relentlessly from the heavens. The broken walls and shattered stones hadn't buried him completely—water seeped through the cracks, pelting his face.

Tokinada hadn't expected this place to become his grave, nor had he thought death would come for him today.

Today was supposed to be a good day. By the time it ended, he should have been seated as the head of the Tsunayashiro Clan. But now, it seemed the clan would be erased from existence—him along with it.

This makeshift fortress gave him no sense of security. Not when he had no doubt that the man who had so effortlessly crushed him could just as easily destroy the entire Soul Society.

A bitter thought crossed his mind—if Masatsuki Aozaki were to wipe out this world along with him, that wouldn't be so bad. After all, it was a world he never cared for.

The moment he stepped into the high tower, something felt off. Then came the sight of that bizarre Zanpakutō. And then, the chilling realization—the elders of the Tsunayashiro branch had been slaughtered.

That man had come for the Tsunayashiro Clan, and he was terrifyingly powerful. Tokinada had known from the start—he might not be able to win.

Running away would have been the wisest option, but he had no intention of fleeing.

He had long known that she would come for him. Today might finally be the day. If it wasn't... well, then he'd get to enjoy himself a little longer.

At least he had done everything he wanted—committed every crime, indulged in every pleasure.

If he truly died today, it wouldn't be a loss.

He would go to Hell, away from her. That alone would be a relief.

To be honest, there was never any love between them.

She was a carefully selected test subject, chosen by the family for an experiment—one meant to determine whether a child could inherit their parents' fragments of the Soul King.

As a low-ranking branch member, he had no say in the matter. He accepted the marriage with indifference.

The experiment never interested him. What did intrigue him, however, was the thought of seeing Kakyō crumble upon learning the truth. So, on their wedding night, he told her everything.

But that wretched woman...

She had already seen through it all. Instead of reacting with shock or despair, she treated him like a petulant child—brushing off his malice as mere childish mischief.

Tokinada clenched his teeth at the thought. If only I had let her live... let her suffer through those experiments for just a while longer. Maybe then, he wouldn't still be haunted by her memory.

But knowing her, she would have just smiled, offered him some meaningless words of comfort, and let it go.

The very thought of that expression infuriated him.

His twisted smile grew even darker as he turned his head...

A dark figure stood beside him.

So fast—I didn't even sense a thing. Just how strong is this guy?

That damn outfit made it impossible to gauge his exact Reiatsu, but even if he tried again, the result would be the same.

The torrential rain pounded against the man beside him, the droplets forming a faint shimmer around him. The flames he had conjured earlier had been terrifying—just like facing that old man, Yamamoto.

Tokinada Tsunayashiro spat out a mouthful of blood, too weak to struggle. Blood gushed from his wounds, the excessive loss draining the oxygen from his brain. His consciousness wavered, his vision blurred.

He knew he was doomed. And yet, he had a feeling the other man wasn't planning to let him off so easily.

Those eyes—deep as ink—were beautiful, yet devoid of the slightest trace of mercy.

Masatsuki Aozaki studied Tokinada Tsunayashiro, his gaze fixed on the Enrakyōten in his hands, curiosity burning within him. Like Banshō Senran, it had the ability to mimic Zanpakutō.

However, unlike Banshō Senran, it consumed the wielder's soul.

Which meant, ultimately, Banshō Senran was the superior weapon.

The soul was the foundation of all existence—Shinigami, Hollow, Human—no matter the form, the soul was everything. Even the slightest damage could cause irreversible consequences.

Tokinada Tsunayashiro's awareness briefly returned. He wasn't sure if this was a final moment of clarity before death, but the first thing he saw was Masatsuki Aozaki claiming Enrakyōten.

Is he really going to kill me with my own blade? he mused, the thought laced with bitter amusement. How cruel.

His lips curled into the same smile as always.

To be slain by one's own Zanpakutō—nothing was more humiliating for a Shinigami.

Even if it wasn't truly his blade, it was still the one he wielded.

"What an irritating look—you make me not want to see it a second time," Masatsuki Aozaki muttered, raising the Zanpakutō in his hand. Flames roared to life, engulfing the blade.

Tokinada Tsunayashiro finally understood.

Masatsuki Aozaki wasn't simply going to kill him—he intended to erase every trace of his existence from this world.

With a fluid motion, Masatsuki Aozaki sheathed Banshō Senran at his waist, gripping Enrakyōten firmly in his right hand. He slowly turned and stepped forward, walking away.

The dark crimson flames that had coiled around him gradually dissipated. The wretched, arrogant child that had once stood there vanished—almost as if he had never existed at all. As if he had always been nothing more than dust scattered upon the ground.

"It's useless to beg. I have no intention of using you—I won't weaken my own soul." Masatsuki Aozaki lowered his gaze, murmuring as he stared at the Enrakyōten in his hands.

"Diminishing the soul is necessary to maintain my existence. Without it, I could not have endured until now."

The voice was unexpectedly gentle, even carrying a hint of reverence.

"But I have other ways. In the end, a Zanpakutō is nothing more than a vessel. What I need... is for you to accept me."

...

(40 Chapters Ahead)

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