Death: This Death is a bit unorthodox.

"So urgent?"

"Aozaki Mayuki asked, puzzled."

Such an important technique as forging Zanpakuto shouldn't be taught to me so casually, right?

Why not let myself stay in the Phoenix Palace for a few more days to test my character or something?

However, Nimaiya Oetsu appeared unusually excited, his eyes sparkling with anticipation.

He nodded without hesitation and answered:

"Of course! I can't wait!"

After saying that, he led Aozaki Mayuki along, and the two of them continued on their way until they finally arrived at the edge of a cliff.

Below the cliff lies a vast, boundless sea.

The waves rolled and crashed against the rocks on the shore.

On the edge of the cliff, a small wooden house sits alone, seemingly isolated from the rest of the world.

Aozaki Mayuki raised her head, squinted at the signboard on the house, which bore three large characters: Phoenix Palace.

He murmured, looking somewhat puzzled:

"Phoenix Palace?"

Wang Yue of Nimaiya smiled and nodded, saying:

"That's right, it's the Phoenix Palace!"

He pointed to the small wooden house in front of him and explained:

"The room before you is the true Phoenix Palace!"

"And that beautiful building with lots of sweethearts was just a fake, a place for amusement."

Then, he pointed to the sea area below the Phoenix Palace and continued:

"Beneath this Phoenix Palace, at the bottom of the deep sea, lies my sword armory, the place where I forge my Zanpakuto."

Aozaki Mayuki raised her eyebrows, a hint of surprise in her expression.

"All the Zanpakuto you forged are under this hut? They're quite well hidden."

Nimaiya Oetsu nodded again, answering affirmatively:

“That’s right. If you’d like to take a look, I wouldn’t mind letting you have a tour.”

However, he changed the subject and said seriously:

"However, before we enter here and officially begin learning sword forging, I think there are some basic things that I need to explain to you in detail."

"As a Shinigami, you've also used a Zanpakuto, so do you know how Asauchi came to be?"

Aozaki Mayuki glanced at him, thought for a few seconds, and gently shook her head.

"Simply put, it is a collection of souls that, after being forged by me, condenses into the shape of a sword. This is Asauchi."

"So even if I learn the technique of forging Zanpakuto, I still can't create a Zanpakuto without a soul as the material, right?"

Aozaki Mayuki picked up the conversation.

Wang Yue of Nimaiya said with a smile:

"Yes, but if it were you, you wouldn't need to worry about such a small problem as not having the materials."

"What does it mean?"

Aozaki Mayuki wore her usual smile, her expression unchanged, but a slight chill ran through her heart.

"That's not important, but speaking of which, your sword is quite nice, Little Moon."

Nimaiya Oetsu did not answer Aozaki Mayuki's question. Instead, he changed the subject and looked at the long sword at Aozaki Mayuki's waist.

He grinned, revealing a somewhat eerie smile.

"It really does resemble a real Zanpakuto, but the craftsmanship is a bit rough."

"Um...sorry for saying something unimportant. Well then...come in with me."

"Forging swords is a tedious craft, so be prepared!"

After saying that, Ermei House Wang Yue shook his head and walked into the house step by step as if keeping a strange rhythm.

His figure gradually disappeared into the darkness, leaving only Aozaki Mazuki standing alone in the same spot.

Upon hearing what Nimaiya Oetsu said, Aozaki Mayuki pondered for a few seconds before following him inside.

The two soon arrived underground, in a dark, cave-like room.

Dim ghost lamps lit up the walls, emitting a faint light that barely illuminated the surrounding environment.

Immediately afterwards, from the depths of darkness emerged white humanoid creatures with eyes that served as mouths.

These creatures stood there silently, without making a sound, yet they exuded an invisible pressure.

"They are Asauchi, Little Moon. Now, let's get down to business!"

Wang Yue of Nimaiya looked at the shallow-cut stones, a glint of excitement flashing in his eyes.

…………

One day later, at the Seireitei First Squad barracks.

"As expected of a thousand-year-old grudge... they're really troublesome, those damned Quincy!"

Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni revealed his terrifying face, making no attempt to hide his ferocious smile under the gaze of the captains.

Before him was Rojuro Touhashi, the captain of the First Special Forces, kneeling on one knee.

As the captain of a special forces unit, his duty is to patrol and protect the noble territories.

Now everything has become clear.

The disappearance of nobles, which the First Division had spent countless days and nights investigating, turned out to be the work of the Quincy.

This was personally confirmed by Rojuro Hōhashi.

Looking back now, I think they were the ones who did the things that happened at the Shin-O underground prison.

Yamamoto did not personally witness the Quincy hidden in the shadows.

However, judging from the casualties of the special forces, the strength of those remnants should not be underestimated.

The special force of nearly thirty men was almost completely wiped out, with only Captain-level expert Rojuro Hōhashi escaping back.

In particular, the ability to manipulate shadow space, such as the "Shadow Realm," allows one to move freely within the Seireitei, making it quite troublesome to deal with.

In a direct confrontation, annihilating them would take at most one strike.

But the key issue is that we can't find anyone!

However, the old man wouldn't give up easily.

Leaving aside the blood feud from a thousand years ago, they dared to kidnap and kill nobles right under the noses of the Thirteen Guards of the Imperial Guard.

This is not only an unforgivable crime, but also a provocation against the Gotei 13!

Yhwach... your descendants are just as despicable as you!

Thinking of that man who harbored malice towards the world, Yamamoto couldn't help but feel a surge of disgust.

He looked at Kisuke Urahara and asked seriously:

"Captain Urahara, does the Technology Development Bureau have a solution for the Quincy's Shadow Domain?"

Kisuke Urahara frowned, pondered for a moment, and then nodded:

"If it's just a spiritual space, it shouldn't be difficult to crack, it just takes time."

Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni nodded slightly, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes:

"Alright, in that case, starting today, the Technology Development Bureau will go all out to crack the Shadow Domain."

"The other squads must make full preparations for battle, and at the same time strengthen their vigilance and preparedness."

A cold smile crept across Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni's lips.

His voice was deep and powerful, carrying a chilling sense of oppression.

"The Invisible Empire? A bunch of rats hiding in the shadows of Seireitei, unable to see the light of day, dare to call themselves an empire. It's utterly absurd!"

"This time, let you perish along with your emperor!"

Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni's words were full of disdain and sarcasm.

His voice echoed in the air, sending a chill down one's spine.

Chapter 362 Above Me

One week later, at the Spirit King Palace, in the Phoenix Hall.

That morning, sunlight streamed into the room through the window, and Shutara Senjumaru opened his eyes and stretched.

She finished washing up as usual, looking forward to the delicious breakfast prepared by Aozaki Mayuki.

However, when she arrived in the living room, she found the dining table empty.

"Huh? Aozaki Mayuki didn't make breakfast?"

Shutara Senjumaru muttered to himself in surprise.

Curious, she went into the kitchen to see what had happened.

Upon entering, I saw Kiryuki Fubuki busily preparing food in the kitchen.

Kiryu's movements were practiced and methodical, as if he were already used to this kind of scene.

Kiryuki has been living a very regular life lately, appearing at the restaurant around eight o'clock every morning.

As for when she would arrive first, Shutara Senjumaru didn't know, since she was usually the last one to get up.

Even though he goes to learn sword forging at a fixed time every day, Aozaki Mayuki will still come back to prepare three meals a day.

But today, Aozaki Mayuki wasn't home, so Hikifune Kiryu personally cooked breakfast instead.