"Hahaha... My long-cherished wish has finally been fulfilled!!"
Seeing Koga break free from the seal, Muramasa couldn't help but laugh excitedly.
At this moment, Koga, who had broken free, suddenly opened his eyes. Seeing Muramasa appear before him, a strange light flashed in his eyes.
Then Koga's body floated down from mid-air to the ground.
"You're awake, Koga?!" Muramasa stepped forward, his expression excited and thrilled.
"Do you know how long I've waited for this moment? Now, let's go and realize our ideals together!" Muramasa excitedly extended his right hand, wanting to touch Koga's body.
"Muramasa..."
Koga called out indifferently, but then suddenly acted!
Shing!
A flash of blade, and Koga mercilessly used his broken sword to pierce the defenseless Muramasa's body.
"Why... why!?" Muramasa looked down in disbelief at the blade piercing his body. The hilt of the blade was held in his master, Kuchiki Koga's, hand.
Thud!
Severely injured and devastated by Koga's actions, Muramasa fell weakly to his knees, coughing up blood.
"Koga, why... why do this to me..." Suffering harm from the person he valued most, Muramasa looked despairingly at Koga, like a wronged child.
But Koga remained expressionless, showing no sign of answering.
"Koga!!" Muramasa shouted unwillingly again, wanting to hear Koga's response.
"You... didn't answer me... at the moment I was about to be sealed."
Koga suddenly said with a ferocious expression.
"What?"
Muramasa was puzzled.
"You know? Back then, when I was about to be sealed by that old man Yamamoto Genryusai, I desperately called out for you, wanting you to help me. But... you never responded to me."
Koga said with a look of resentment.
"You called for me? But... but I didn't hear you! I really didn't hear you!" Muramasa said puzzledly.
Back when Koga was about to be sealed, he indeed called out loudly for Muramasa, wanting to use Muramasa's power to fight against Yamamoto and Ginrei.
However, by that time, Koga's heart was already broken down, and he no longer trusted his Zanpakuto, only treating Muramasa as a tool.
A Shinigami's training mainly involves communicating with their Zanpakuto, mutual understanding, and mutual trust. Only by doing so can they gain greater strength.
Then, when the Shinigami calls the Zanpakuto's name in battle, and the Zanpakuto hears the call and responds, can the Zanpakuto's power be exerted.
So when Koga no longer trusted Muramasa, Muramasa, residing in the Inner World, could no longer hear Koga's call and naturally could not respond or exert power to help Koga fight.
Of course, Koga was unaware of this. He simply blamed everything on Muramasa, never finding fault with himself.
"In despair, fear, and helplessness, I desperately called out, but you showed no response... Since you no longer respond to me, what use are you? So, die!!"
Koga's expression was ferocious.
"No! Koga, I truly didn't hear your call back then. I didn't deliberately not respond. Believe me! All these years, I have been waiting for your call."
"As long as you call me, no matter when or under what circumstances, I will wholeheartedly devote all my power to you! That's always been my thought. But after a long time passed without hearing your voice, I only then realized you had been sealed. That's why I wanted to undo your seal. That's why I've been... always... desperately striving like this..."
Muramasa exerted all his strength to explain to Koga, trying to beg Koga to believe him.
"Koga, please believe me, give me another chance..."
Muramasa crawled forward, reaching out to touch Koga, seeking his understanding and trust.
But Muramasa's loyal heart was destined to go unrewarded. What awaited him was only Koga's indifference.
"Being absent when I need you is meaningless!!"
Squelch!
Kuchiki Koga pulled out the blade piercing Muramasa's body. Instantly, a large amount of blood gushed from Muramasa's wound.
Bang!
Koga kicked Muramasa, who had crawled to his side seeking understanding, sending him flying.
"I am the Shinigami who gave birth to your power. You just need to obey orders and do as I say. That's enough."
Koga said these heartless words with a calm expression.
"We... weren't we partners, Koga?"
Muramasa asked sorrowfully.
"Partners? To me, you're just a blade! A mere tool! Don't get too conceited just because you're a tool!!"
Saying this, Koga angrily stepped forward and swung his blade at Muramasa.
Clang!
Just as Koga was about to strike Muramasa, a figure suddenly appeared and blocked his attack with a sword.
Wearing a Kenseikan and a silver-white scarf, the newcomer was Byakuya, who had just been blocking Uryu, Sado, and Orihime.
"Calling your own Zanpakuto a tool and trying to kill it... you are unworthy of calling yourself a Shinigami."
Byakuya said coldly.
Originally, although Byakuya intended to follow his grandfather's entrustment and personally kill Koga to cleanse the Kuchiki Clan's shame, he still felt a trace of sympathy for Koga's circumstances.
But Koga's actions towards Muramasa just now completely changed Byakuya's view of him.
As the saying goes, 'the pitiable person has its hateful aspects'. Even Byakuya couldn't stand Koga's actions and couldn't help but intervene to save Muramasa, who, by all rights, should be considered an enemy.
Clang!
Both Byakuya and Koga exerted force simultaneously. The power transmitted from their blades caused both of them to step back.
"Kenseikan... and that scarf... you're from the Kuchiki Clan, aren't you?" Kuchiki Koga asked.
"Kuchiki Byakuya, the twenty-eighth head of the Kuchiki Clan!"
Byakuya said coldly.
"Twenty-eighth head, huh? I see... It seems quite some time has passed since I was sealed. So... has Ginrei died already?" Koga said playfully.
"Do not speak so lightly of my grandfather's name... You, who have defiled the honor of the Kuchiki Clan, have no right to utter my grandfather's name."
Byakuya's expression was cold and full of hatred, showing no sign of treating Koga as a relative.
Koga said angrily, "You bastard..."
"Yo, haven't started fighting yet? It seems I'm not too late."
A voice suddenly came.
Whoosh!
Toshiro's figure suddenly appeared on the scene.
Seeing Toshiro suddenly appear, Byakuya just glanced at him and said nothing, continuing to focus intently on Koga.
Koga asked with interest, "Oh? Are you also a Shinigami from the Gotei 13?"
"Ah, that's right. Hitsugaya Toshiro, Vice-Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13 and Captain of the 10th Division." Toshiro said calmly.