Bleach: Watch Closely, This Is How You Use a Zanpakutō-Chapter 222: Enrakyōten

12th Division, Shinigami Research and Development Institute.

The large red "ALERT" on the screen finally stopped flashing, and the deafening alarms echoing through the underground research facility came to an abrupt halt.

Kisuke Urahara looked up and let out a long breath, as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

"Lucky me. Everything important is intact. Good thing I had the foresight to store my experimental data and research separately," he muttered to himself.

"Mayuri Kurotsuchi-san, how about you? Did you lose anything valuable?"

"Hmph, I'm not the director. I don't have the luxury of a special storage space for my research," Mayuri scoffed, showing no sign of distress or concern. Instead, he sneered dismissively.

"It doesn't matter. I didn't have anything valuable here anyway—all my research is still in its early stages."

"Even if the data was stolen, it wouldn't matter?"

"It would be completely useless."

"In that case, things aren't as bad as they could've been."

Kisuke's expression grew a bit more serious as he analyzed the situation.

"The intrusion lasted only ten minutes."

"The intruder created chaos on the surface first to divert our attention, then used the opportunity to infiltrate the underground research facility... Quick and efficient."

"While we don't seem to have lost any critical research, we have no idea what he actually did during those ten minutes."

"And he caused significant damage to the institute... Cleaning this up won't be easy." free𝑤ebnovel.com

"As much as I dread how much the repairs will cost, you know that's not the biggest issue here..."

Mayuri responded indifferently, "I don't know what you're so worried about, but since your research results are still here, it means he didn't find your 'private stash.'"

"If he had seen the experimental data, he would've realized it was something you stumbled upon. Even with the information, replicating it wouldn't be easy."

"Fair point." Kisuke nodded. "Still, this intrusion needs to be reported. If Captain-Commander Yamamoto is willing to allocate some repair funds, that'd be ideal."

"That's not my concern, but the intruder clearly had extensive knowledge of the Shinigami Research and Development Institute. You'll have to deal with that," Mayuri said. "My research is moving to the next phase, and I won't tolerate another incident like this."

"What kind of nonsense is that?" Kisuke protested. "You're the deputy director of the Shinigami Research and Development Institute—how is this not your problem?"

Mayuri scoffed. "Ridiculous. Since I became deputy director, all I've done is conduct experiments. Have you ever given me any real authority?"

With that, he turned and left, clearly uninterested in wasting any more time on this shameless man.

...

Masatsuki Aozaki pushed open the door, looking up at the rain pouring from the sky. He wiped the water from his face and stepped into the luxurious mansion gifted to him by the Tsunayashiro Clan.

The door to the elegantly designed bathroom slid open, and the water in the bath was at the perfect temperature. Sinking into the tub, he turned his gaze toward the window.

Beyond the delicate wooden frame, a curtain of rain poured down, while the cool breeze drifting through made him feel at ease.

A woman with short pink hair stood by the window, appearing almost dreamlike, as if she might dissolve into the soft wind at any moment.

She looked in his direction, took two steps forward, and sat at the edge of the tub, a faint smile playing at the corners of her lips.

"You're quite good-looking," Masatsuki Aozaki said softly, leaning against the side of the tub and gazing up at her striking features.

"This is the body you gave me, the image you wished to bestow upon me. I merely chose to accept it," Enrakyōten's voice echoed throughout the bathroom.

"You've had quite the personality shift. You weren't like this before," Masatsuki teased.

"I've existed for millions of years. Naturally, I've learned to adapt. And now, you're stuck with me—Master~."

Enrakyōten reached out, lifting Masatsuki's chin as she deliberately enunciated the title, one that would make most people blush in embarrassment.

This woman was the Zanpakutō that had been passed down within the Tsunayashiro Clan for generations.

Masatsuki had taken her from Tokinada Tsunayashiro, keeping only the intangible soul of the blade. With its essence lost, the physical sword had crumbled into Reishi fragments.

He had already undergone the process of accepting a Zanpakutō's soul before.

Urozakuro still resided within his inner world, and now, this woman did as well.

At this moment, there was a distinct yet elusive connection between them—"Master" was not just a jest, but a true reflection of their current bond.

Enrakyōten, the Zanpakutō of the Tsunayashiro Clan, had been completely and unquestionably... claimed by Masatsuki Aozaki!

She was clad in gleaming silver Valkyrie armor, her slender legs encased in polished armored boots. From her waist down, soft white feathers, as pristine as freshly fallen snow, cascaded over her legs like a fan.

Her appearance felt oddly familiar to Masatsuki—almost as if she had been sculpted in the image of "Lightning's Sister."

If she and the Banshō Senran sisters were to be transported into the world of Final Fantasy, they would embark on an exhilarating crystal-fueled adventure!

Masatsuki had always been fond of the Final Fantasy series.

The movie Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children had introduced him to that fantastical world.

Though the film's plot was simple, its stunning character models had deeply captivated him.

Since then, he had immersed himself in the series, setting off on his own crystal fantasy journey.

He wasn't sure whether this world's future would develop the same way as his past life's, but even if it did, what difference would it make?

After all, he had no talent for game development, and with Square Enix yet to be founded, it would likely take decades before such games came into existence...

Wait...

With so many geniuses around, it would be difficult to ask for help outright when it came to certain secretive endeavors. But developing games wasn't exactly something that needed to be done in the shadows.

Someone like Kisuke Urahara, a man who lived for entertainment, definitely wouldn't turn down the idea. In fact, he might even be grateful that Masatsuki had come up with such a brilliant plan!

"This armor looks a lot like the kind the Quincy used to wear. Don't tell me you have a thing for Western knights?"

"But Banshō Senran and the others wear kimonos—you really are hard to figure out."

Enrakyōten glanced down at her own armor.

"And this design is strange. From what I've seen, Quincy armor covers the entire body completely."

"This outfit has gaps here and there. Can it really offer any protection?"

"You wouldn't understand," Masatsuki smirked, tilting his head smugly. "With our level of strength, we don't need armor for protection. A little exposure adds a sense of mystery—it's the essence of refined aesthetics!"