"Yo, Captain! Sorry to keep you waiting!" Renji called out to Byakuya.
"Renji, explain this. Weren't the Zanpakuto supposed to have rebelled?" Byakuya looked at the Zanpakuto standing beside the Shinigami, surprised.
Byakuya clearly knew that the Zanpakuto had been bewitched and controlled by Muramasa. Even Senbonzakura had only broken free from Muramasa's control because Byakuya had defeated him earlier, waking him up.
But now it seemed the Zanpakuto had returned to normal. If it were just one or two, it might be because a Shinigami had defeated and reclaimed their Zanpakuto. But now, it seemed everyone's Zanpakuto had returned to normal.
Earlier, when Byakuya and Senbonzakura came to the Living World with Muramasa, the battle between Shinigami and Zanpakuto wasn't completely over. Even if the Shinigami side completely defeated the Zanpakuto after he left, they couldn't have made them submit in such a short time.
"Oh, that. The Zanpakuto's brainwashing has been lifted by Captain Kurotsuchi." Renji replied.
"Ahaha... that's right." Rangiku's Zanpakuto, Haineko, said with an embarrassed smile.
Beside Momo, Tobiume solemnly bowed and apologized: "We are truly sorry for causing so much trouble. As compensation... we will work hard to make up for our mistakes!"
With that, Tobiume, Haineko, and the other Zanpakuto became serious and took the lead in attacking the countless Gillian on the scene.
"Bloom..."
"Growl..."
"Roar..."
As the Zanpakuto began to fight, Byakuya and the other Shinigami prepared to join the battle.
Then Momo and Rangiku approached Byakuya.
"Umm... Captain Kuchiki, where is Shiro-chan? Didn't he arrive earlier than us? Why can't we see him?" Momo said worriedly.
"Yeah, Captain Kuchiki, where's our Captain? He should have arrived before us, right?" Rangiku also asked.
"Hitsugaya... is inside that thing." Kuchiki Byakuya looked towards the huge red-black sphere nearby.
Momo was shocked: "What?! Shiro-chan is..."
"Don't worry. Hitsugaya probably actively entered that thing. With his strength, nothing can happen to him. He must have his reasons for doing this. We shouldn't disturb him." Byakuya explained.
"I see..." Hearing Byakuya's explanation, although not completely reassured, Momo didn't rashly try to do anything.
"Captain, let's go too! The space over Karakura Town is frozen. Let's have a big fight!" Renji shouted loudly.
"Mm, let's begin." Byakuya said to the Shinigami who had come as reinforcements.
Knowing Toshiro's situation, Momo and Rangiku temporarily set aside their worry and joined Byakuya and the others in clearing out the Gillian on the scene.
With the arrival of reinforcements from the Soul Society, plus Byakuya and Senbonzakura, the Shinigami side's strength greatly increased and they began to gain the upper hand against the numerous Gillian.
"Haah... Haah... So tiring." Rangiku complained.
After a bout of fighting, most of the countless Gillian had been cleared, leaving only a few scattered ones wandering aimlessly in the distance.
"Rangiku-san, let's go check on Shiro-chan?" Momo said with a worried expression.
Now that most of the Gillian were dealt with, Momo couldn't resist wanting to see how Toshiro was doing.
"Mm... alright." Rangiku nodded.
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Rangiku and Momo flashed and instantly appeared before the huge red-black sphere.
"No good. I still can't sense Shiro-chan's Reiatsu." Momo carefully sensed the huge red-black sphere, then frowned and shook her head.
Although Byakuya said Toshiro was inside this thing, Momo couldn't feel his Reiatsu at all.
"We can't just do nothing. If we don't find a way soon, Shiro-chan might..."
Saying this, Momo drew her Zanpakuto, preparing to strike and break open the huge red-black sphere.
"Wait, Momo..."
"Bloom, Tobiume!"
Before Rangiku could stop her, Momo activated her Shikai.
Swoosh!
A red fireball shot towards the huge red-black sphere.
Boom!
A huge explosion, shockwaves sweeping in all directions.
But when the smoke cleared, the huge red-black sphere was unharmed, showing no sign of damage.
"What?!" Momo was shocked.
That attack just now was her full-power Shikai strike. Not only did it fail to break the sphere and 'rescue' Toshiro, it couldn't even cause any damage. How could Momo not be shocked?
"What is this thing? Even Momo's full-power attack can't damage it at all!" Rangiku exclaimed incredulously.
She had wanted to stop Momo from blindly attacking the sphere without knowing what it was, but it turned out she didn't need to stop her at all. Momo couldn't even damage it, let alone break it.
Seeing her full-power attack ineffective, Momo unwillingly prepared to attack again.
"It's useless. Muramasa's Reiatsu has lost control. Even a Captain's Bankai power won't easily break it." Byakuya's voice suddenly sounded.
"Captain Kuchiki!"
Momo and Rangiku turned around in surprise to see Byakuya, Senbonzakura, and the other Shinigami and Zanpakuto approaching.
"This huge sphere was formed when Muramasa's Reiatsu lost control after his Hollowification. Earlier, to maintain his own Reiatsu consumption, Muramasa devoured countless Gillian. Now, this huge sphere can be said to be formed from the power of countless Gillian plus Muramasa himself. So, not to mention your Lieutenant-level strength, even a Captain using Bankai would find it very difficult to break." Byakuya explained.
"Can't even you do it, Captain Kuchiki?" Momo couldn't help but ask.
"Cough, cough..." Byakuya coughed lightly, expressionless, and didn't directly answer Momo's question.
"Hmph, of course my master could do it. It's just that he was quite injured in the fight with Koga, and consumed too much Reiryoku fighting those Gillian just now. That's why he hasn't acted." Senbonzakura said indignantly, defending Byakuya.
In fact, Senbonzakura was right. Byakuya's strength was considerable among Captains. With a full-power Bankai, he might indeed be able to break this huge red-black sphere.
But his fight with Koga, though ultimately victorious, had left him quite injured, unable to exert his peak combat power. In this state, even Byakuya would find it very difficult to break the sphere.
This was also one reason he hadn't rashly acted after Toshiro was 'swallowed' by the sphere.
First, he believed Toshiro's strength meant he wouldn't be in danger. Second, it would be very difficult for the injured Byakuya to break the sphere.
"Then... could Senbonzakura do it?" Momo pleaded again.
A Zanpakuto theoretically possesses combat power equal to its Shinigami's peak. So if a fully-powered Byakuya could do it, Senbonzakura should be able to as well.
But Senbonzakura also shook his head: "No. In the fight with Koga, although I wasn't too seriously injured, my Reiatsu consumption was very high. I temporarily don't have the power to break this thing."
"What? Then what should we do about Shiro-chan?" Momo couldn't help but worry.
"Lieutenant Hinamori, don't worry. As I said before, with Hitsugaya's strength, nothing can happen. And... as Hitsugaya's woman, I think you should have more confidence in him than we do." Kuchiki Byakuya frowned slightly.
But Momo didn't notice the slight displeasure in Byakuya's tone. Instead, she said shyly: "Wom... woman? It's not like that at all!"
In any case, under Byakuya's persuasion, Momo temporarily abandoned her plan to break the huge red-black sphere and 'rescue' Toshiro.