A few days later.
Rukongai, outskirts.
Sclick!
Rangiku slashed and killed a Sword Beast.
"Everyone, have you dealt with your respective targets?"
After dealing with the Sword Beast in front of her, Rangiku asked the 10th Division's members who had accompanied her on the mission.
"Hmph, need you ask, old hag? Mere Sword Beasts are a piece of cake for me, Haineko."
Rangiku's Zanpakuto, Haineko, said smugly.
"Haineko, didn't I tell you not to call me old hag!!"
Rangiku shouted.
"Lieutenant, we've received another notification. A Sword Beast attack has been discovered in another part of the Rukongai!"
A 10th Division's member, hearing a voice from their communicator, quickly shouted to Rangiku.
"Hmph, I'll let you off this time. Next time you dare call me old hag, I'll teach you a lesson and make you know who the master is!"
After threatening Haineko, Rangiku said to everyone, "Let's go, everyone. Hurry to the next location!"
Then, led by Rangiku, they rushed off to the next place where a Sword Beast was causing trouble.
In the past few days, the frequency of Sword Beast attacks had further increased, spreading not only in the Seireitei but also to the Rukongai.
So Toshiro and Yamamoto had no choice but to order an intensified effort to pursue and capture the Sword Beasts that were attacking and causing destruction everywhere.
12th Division, Technology Development Institute.
Toshiro stood in front of the Technology Development Institute, preparing to enter.
After receiving Toshiro's sweets, Mayuri hadn't just taken the gift without doing anything.
So after a few days of diligent research, Mayuri had finally come up with some findings and sent word to the 10th Division.
Originally, Toshiro had planned to have Rangiku come and hear Mayuri's research results for him, but Rangiku was just then leading a team to deal with Sword Beasts in the Rukongai.
So, helplessly, Toshiro had to come to the Technology Development Institute himself.
"Hey, Mayuri, I heard you've come up with some results."
Toshiro walked openly into Mayuri's research lab.
"Oh my, Captain Hitsugaya personally visiting? What an honor."
Although he spoke polite words, Mayuri's tone didn't carry any respect.
But Toshiro didn't mind. He casually found a chair and sat down.
"Alright, enough joking. Tell me properly about your research findings."
Toshiro said.
"Fine."
Mayuri also sat down in his own sofa chair. "Through my research, I've come to some conclusions. Regarding the Sword Beasts, although there may be individual differences, sooner or later they will have a high probability of losing themselves and entering an out-of-control state."
"Then what about the specific solution? Have you found it?"
Toshiro continued asking.
"Unfortunately, no. Or rather, there's no need."
Mayuri's tone was also a bit disappointed.
"What? You haven't found a solution?"
Toshiro: "Didn't you say before that the Sword Beasts' state is unstable, but as long as we can find a way to make their state 'stable' again, that would solve it? Making them stable shouldn't be too difficult for you, right?"
"Oh dear, were you listening properly? I didn't say I couldn't find a solution. I said there was no need."
Mayuri said discontentedly.
"No need? What do you mean by that?"
Toshiro asked puzzledly.
"Let me ask you, Hitsugaya. You want to restore the Sword Beasts from their out-of-control state to normal. But what is the 'normal' state of a Sword Beast?"
"Ultimately, Sword Beasts are just Zanpakuto that went on a rampage after losing their masters, and were able to materialize due to Muramasa's influence. However..."
"Once we eliminate all their abnormalities and restore them to a normal state, what exactly would happen?"
Mayuri countered.
"What would happen?"
Toshiro didn't catch on at first.
"Hmph, don't forget, a Zanpakuto is born and dies together with its Shinigami. When a Shinigami dies, their Zanpakuto also perishes. And aren't Sword Beasts precisely Zanpakuto that have lost their Shinigami?"
Mayuri continued explaining.
"You mean..."
"That's right. Due to various special circumstances, Sword Beasts are able to maintain their own existence. But if we restore them to a normal state again, then having already lost their masters, they will inevitably head towards destruction!"
"So I said there's no need to find any solution. Because even if we restore them to a normal state, they will ultimately perish."
Mayuri said solemnly.
"Is that so..."
Toshiro's tone couldn't help but be a bit disappointed.
"So, Hitsugaya, now that you know the situation, what will you choose to do? Will you leave those Sword Beasts alone, or will you kill them?"
Mayuri suddenly looked at Toshiro with a playful expression.
In the past few days, although Sword Beasts were attacking and causing destruction everywhere, Toshiro had consistently appeared calm and composed, not taking the matter of the Sword Beasts too seriously.
Because the strength of those Sword Beasts alone couldn't pose too much of a threat to the Seireitei or the Soul Society.
In fact, that was indeed the case. In the past few days, due to the proper response of the Gotei 13, apart from some buildings damaged in the fights between Shinigami and Sword Beasts, there had been no casualties.
The reason Toshiro had gone to so much trouble… giving gifts, preparing threats, having Mayuri research the Sword Beasts… wasn't to have Mayuri find their weaknesses to fight them.
It was because Toshiro wanted to restore the Sword Beasts to normal.
Ultimately, Sword Beasts were just Zanpakuto that had lost their masters. And their masters, while alive, had only been ordinary Shinigami of low ability. Although due to special circumstances, the Sword Beasts were much stronger than when their masters were alive, for the entire Gotei 13, their strength was still vulnerable.
So if Toshiro really wanted to exterminate them, he wouldn't need to go to such trouble. He could just send out the whole army and crush them with overwhelming force.
The reason he only acted against Sword Beasts that were causing destruction, rather than sending out the army to find all Sword Beasts and kill them indiscriminately, was simply because Toshiro held onto the idea of restoring them to normal.
After all, the original masters of these Sword Beasts had sacrificed themselves for the Seireitei. Toshiro didn't want to exterminate the Zanpakuto they left behind, as that would be too cold-blooded and heartless.
But now it seemed this idea was destined to be unachievable. Because even if they went through all the trouble to restore the Sword Beasts to normal, they would ultimately perish.
And if left alone, the Sword Beasts would lose control and run wild, attacking and destroying everywhere.
Either way, it was a difficult choice.
Faced with Mayuri's pressing question, Toshiro took a deep breath, then a cold glint flashed in his eyes. "Although I sympathize with the Sword Beasts' circumstances, since they will inevitably threaten the Seireitei and the Soul Society, we have no choice but to kill them!"