The Demon King, reborn in Japan as a monk

"Something definitely isn't right," Retsu Unohana said, relying on her extensive experience after personally examining Aizen's body.

"Isane, what are you seeing now?" Then, Retsu Unohana looked up and asked Isane Kotetsu.

"Huh? Oh, it's a corpse, it's Captain Aizen's corpse." Kotetsu Isane was taken aback at first, then answered somewhat inexplicably.

"And you?" Unohana Retsu asked Ishihara Sho, who was standing next to her.

"Zanpakuto," Ishihara Akira said calmly.

To further bolster the credibility of his words, he walked directly to the inspection table after speaking, and picked up the Zanpakuto that was placed there as if it were a knife.

To Retsu Unohana and Isane Kotetsu, it seemed as if Akira Ishihara's hand had suddenly reached into Aizen's head and lifted Aizen's corpse up with one hand...

It can be said that great effort can produce miracles.

"Ishihara, what's going on?" Kotetsu Isane asked in astonishment.

“Just like I said, what I’m holding in my hand isn’t Captain Aizen’s corpse at all, but his Zanpakuto! The corpse was a disguise created by Captain Aizen using the Zanpakuto,” Ishihara Akira explained.

"Zanpakuto... So that means Captain Aizen isn't dead? Why would he do that?" Kotetsu Isane asked, increasingly astonished.

"The only way to find out is probably to ask Captain Aizen himself," said Ishihara Akane, who didn't want Kotetsu Isane to get involved in the incident too early.

Chapter 206 Eating

"Captain, what are your thoughts on what to do with this Zanpakuto?" Ishihara Akira asked Unohana Retsu, who was standing beside him, while holding Aizen's Kyoka Suigetsu.

"What's your opinion?" Unohana Retsu asked in return.

“In my opinion, we should first try to seal it away to prevent Aizen from summoning it back through the soul connection between the Shinigami and the Zanpakuto, and then I can take it to the human world. By the way, the team should have a portal to the human world, right?” Ishihara Akira confirmed.

After all, the Transcendental Gate is not an ordinary thing. Even among the Gotei 13, not every division has its own Transcendental Gate.

“Yes,” Retsu Unohana confirmed.

But then again, it makes sense. After all, the Fourth Division is a medical division, and their job is to rush to the front lines to save people when needed!

Moreover, it is obvious that the front line is not only in Hueco Mundo, but also includes the real world, so it is only natural that the team would have a portal that can be activated at any time to send personnel to the corresponding location.

“Then I’ll take it to the mortal world and find Captain Urahara Kisuke, who’s living in seclusion there, so he can handle the follow-up. That way, even if the sealing method doesn’t work, Captain Urahara Kisuke should be able to sever the connection between Aizen and his Zanpakuto.” Ishihara Akira nodded and continued.

“Sending it to the real world for Kisuke Urahara to handle… that’s not a bad idea,” Retsu Unohana said thoughtfully.

"That's fine too."

Then, without further ado, Unohana Retsu walked over to Ishihara Sho and, based on Sho's description, began to seal the Zanpakuto in Sho's hand...

As the captain of the Fourth Division of the Kido, who has the most contact with the Kido derivative in his daily work, besides the Kido followers, Unohana Retsu is not much worse than the Great Kido Master in terms of Kido skills alone. It's just that he doesn't have many opportunities to show them off on a daily basis.

So sealing a Zanpakuto is really not a troublesome thing for her.

Even though her seal wasn't professional and its effects might only last for half a day or a day, it was more than enough for Ishihara Sho, who was about to open the interdimensional gate and return to the real world.

But only halfway through, a jet-black butterfly—the Dark Butterfly—suddenly flew out from the void, fluttering its wings around Unohana Retsu, as if to say, "Catch me!" This forced Unohana Retsu to stop what she was doing.

The Dark Butterfly, much like the crows used by the Demon Slayer Corps to deliver messages in the Demon Slayer world, is a tool used within Soul Society for emergency communication and command transmission. Therefore, even if the matter of sealing the Zanpakuto is urgent, Retsu Unohana still has to take some time to receive orders from the Captain-Commander.

Immediately, Unohana Retsu extended her finger and touched Meicho's body.

Instantly, a surge of information flooded into Unohana Retsu's mind, presenting the command.

"The Commander-in-Chief has issued an order requiring all captains to immediately set aside their current duties and proceed to the Commander-in-Chief's council hall for a meeting of all captains." After a moment, Unohana Retsu, having processed the information, dismissed the nearby Myōcho butterflies and turned to Ishihara Sho and Kotetsu Isane, saying this.

"I suppose they're going to discuss Aizen and the arrangements for the extermination of the Ryoka..." After a pause, Retsu Unohana continued, "Isane, I'll leave the team's affairs to you for now. Until I return, whatever happens outside, don't worry about it, just focus on doing what we're supposed to do. As for Ishihara... I'll leave the safety of the Fourth Division to you."

"Captain, you're too kind. After all, I'm a member of the Fourth Division now, and it's impossible for me to sit idly by and watch the enemy cause trouble in the Fourth Division," Ishihara Akira said with a smile.

Unohana Retsu smiled upon hearing this, then turned and left the room where she was being examined.

"Then I'll go first."

After saying that, Retsu Unohana activated Shunpo and rushed towards the First Division barracks at lightning speed.

……

However, the moment Unohana Retsu left, in a realm unseen by Kotetsu Isane, a more glamorous and revealingly feminine version of Bojun suddenly appeared beside Ishihara Sho. She stroked the Kyoka Suigetsu Zanpakuto in Ishihara Sho's hand, looking as if she had encountered a delicious treat, and said, "Why seal it? Just let me eat it."

"Eat?" Ishihara Akira asked in surprise.

"What?" Kotetsu Isane asked in surprise.

"It's alright. Here's what we'll do: I'll go back to our dorm first, and if anything comes up that I can't handle, just have someone come and get me from the dorm," said Ishihara Akira, knowing that this wasn't the place to talk for the moment.

“Okay.” Kotetsu Isane agreed without much thought.

The two then parted ways. Kotetsu Isane went to fulfill her duties as vice-captain and take care of the squad, while Ishihara Akira went back to their dormitory to discuss Zanpakuto with Hanamichi.

"What you mean by food?" Ishihara Sho sat down on the tatami mat back in his dormitory and looked at Mara, who shouldn't have manifested, or rather, shouldn't have appeared so directly without any special external factors.

"It means exactly what it says." Bo Xun sat cross-legged opposite Ishihara Sho, completely unconcerned that his actions would reveal more unspeakable things, and stroked Aizen's Zanpakuto placed in front of Ishihara Sho with admiration.

"You haven't forgotten who we are again, have you?" After a moment, Bo Xun said with a strange expression.

"Heavenly Demon".

“That’s right, the Heavenly Demon. You shouldn’t have forgotten what the Heavenly Demon uses as sustenance, should you?” Mara pressed.

“Seven emotions and six desires…the soul.” Ishihara Akira paused for a moment before responding with a serious expression.

"Yes. The seven emotions and six desires, and the soul that is the foundation of the birth and existence of the seven emotions and six desires! And what is a Zanpakuto?"

“A projection of the Grim Reaper’s soul essence,” Ishihara Akira replied.

“Now you understand,” Mara said with a smile.

Indeed, although the most basic part of the Zanpakuto was forged by Oetsu Nimaiya asauchi, and even the embryo of the sword spirit was given by him, due to the special nature of the Bleach world, or rather the Soul Society, they are forged entirely from spirit particles and thus possess good soul attributes!

This is why Zanpakuto can accept the soul of a Shinigami and become a side of the Shinigami that is unknown to them.

In other words, in essence, a Zanpakuto is not much different from a soul!

Each can exist independently and exude its own unique emotions and desires.

But what does this mean for the Heavenly Demon?

It's food! It's the sustenance for my growth and evolution!

Not to mention, the Mara in front of Ishihara Sho is also a sword spirit. In essence, she is like Aizen's Kyoka Suigetsu, only with the characteristics and abilities of a Tenma. Therefore, it is completely understandable and acceptable that she feeds on Zanpakuto.

"What will happen if you eat it?" Ishihara Sho asked again, having understood the whole story.

"It will most likely grant you the abilities that this Zanpakuto possesses."

Complete hypnosis?

Chapter 207 The Captain-General Intervenes

"Will I simply gain the ability to hypnotize completely, or will I also inherit the ability to hypnotize those who have already been hypnotized?" Ishihara Akira asked greedily.

“Of course, those affected will inherit it as well. After all, I completely absorbed the Mirror Flower Water Moon and copied its abilities, not recreated it. Without changing other conditions, those it can affect will naturally be affected by you as well,” Mara said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"What about Aizen?" Ishihara Akira nodded and asked again.

"If you can use Mirror Flower Water Moon in front of him, you can naturally hypnotize him completely. As for the rest... it's highly likely that he'll never be able to awaken his Zanpakuto again," Mara said with a hint of schadenfreude.

However, it's understandable. After all, she's a demon, a born entertainer. You could say that anything that makes people unhappy, uncomfortable, or in pain is the best pastime and entertainment for her!

Therefore, even the sword spirit Bo Xun, who only inherited some of its traits and knowledge, could not escape the influence of this emotion.

Now, let's go back to the Zanpakuto. As mentioned earlier, Zanpakuto are based on the Asauchi swords forged by Oetsu Nimaiya. They are created through the soul forging of Shinigami, which means that Shinigami inject their own deepest desires into the embryo of the sword spirit!

Therefore, Zanpakuto is not only a unique creation, but also the most suitable weapon and tool for the Shinigami himself.

However, correspondingly, with the awakening of the Zanpakuto, the qualities within the Shinigami's heart will also be absorbed by the Zanpakuto. Therefore, even if the inner desire still exists, it will not change due to the passage of time and the changes in experience, and it will be impossible to awaken the Zanpakuto again!

This point is actually shown in the original work—Matsumoto Rangiku!

Gin Ichimaru stayed by Aizen's side because he wanted to take back the Shinigami traits that Aizen had taken from Rangiku Matsumoto...

It just didn't work out.

What are those traits?

It is something that can forge Zanpakuto and awaken them.

Because spiritual power cultivation involves lock-binding and soul sleep, as long as these two things are not destroyed, one can still cultivate spiritual power and become a Shinigami, but it cannot help a Shinigami awaken their Zanpakuto!

Because they are only responsible for the flow of spiritual energy and do not participate in the forging of Zanpakuto.

How did Matsumoto Rangiku, who originally lacked that quality, become a Shinigami, and even awaken her Zanpakuto?

That brings us to Matsumoto Rangiku's Zanpakuto, Hai Neko...

According to some information that Ishihara Sho saw online in his previous life, the gray cat's ability is not Matsumoto Rangiku's power at all, but something that came with Ichimaru Gin's Bankai—a kind of ash that can poison enemies! It was only through a special method that Ichimaru Gin fused it into Matsumoto Rangiku's body, allowing Matsumoto Rangiku to successfully awaken her Zanpakuto and grow into a vice-captain level Shinigami.

In essence, she was still that flawed spirit lacking certain qualities; otherwise, Gin Ichimaru wouldn't have stayed by Aizen's side for over a hundred years...

Even Ishihara Sho suspected that the techniques he used to repair Matsumoto Rangiku's injuries were ones he had stolen from Aizen when he was working undercover by Aizen's side.

After all, only Aizen knew how to extract Shinigami traits from Shinigami at the time, so naturally he should also have mastered the technology of reverse application.

Otherwise, how is the theoretical basis for breaking the surface implemented?

Do you rely on thinking?

"When you eat it, Aizen won't notice, will he?" Ishihara Akira asked hesitantly.

If Aizen finds out and comes looking for trouble, he won't be able to handle it.

"No, don't worry. I can start by dealing with its sword spirit. Once I've dealt with the sword spirit, swallowing the sword won't attract Aizen's attention," Mara said confidently.

“Alright then, how long will it take?” Ishihara Akira nodded and asked Bo Xun for confirmation.

"It depends. But given the strength of Kyoka Suigetsu's sword spirit, it might take about half a month to completely devour the Zanpakuto, and about a month before you can gain the ability to fully hypnotize it," Bojun estimated, glancing at the Zanpakuto in Ishihara Sho's hand.

“Okay, I’ll find a way to delay it for a month,” Ishihara Akira replied.

Of course, it's okay if there's no need to delay. Just disguise yourself when you go to the real world. Anyway, as long as you don't say anything, Retsu Unohana won't care.

After all, the seal she left on it can only last for half a day to a day. After that time, even Unohana Retsu will not be able to distinguish between Kyoka Suigetsu and Mara. When the two swords are exchanged, outsiders will not think that what they have in their hands is Aizen's Zanpakuto, Kyoka Suigetsu.