4-3 -

She didn't stay for long, but she seemed to really like us.

She even started blabbering on about her powers without either of us asking. That was strange.

She said something to the tune of, "I think it'd be fun to make my user suffer by revealing my abilities." Reckless, if you ask me.

I think she was being honest, though. I don't think that would be something Azashiro would've allowed.

And why did you not report this to us?

I did report it to the previous commander of the Stealth Force, but once the report made its way to Central 46, they told us not to tell a single soul.

I will accept any punishment that Central 46 wishes to give me for disobeying their orders by discussing it here with you now.

Perhaps the higher-ups had some plans of their own, but we will never learn their true intentions now. They have all since passed from illness, incident, or by Aizen's hand.

I suppose the truth behind their reasoning has been buried with them.

But if I may hazard a guess, they may have wanted to keep Urozakuro's powers secret to prevent morale from falling. Worst case scenario, the entire Seireitei will be plunged into chaos.

Are her powers that dangerous?

They could give Aizen's Kyoka Suigetsu a run for its money.

What?! Y-You're saying he's at that level?! Tell me you're joking, Yoruichi!

When he was a wanted man in the past, we tried to pinpoint his location with Bakudo.

But no matter how many times any of us tried, we could never find his specific location. All we knew was that he was somewhere in the Seireitei.

Hmm. Does that mean he can negate Kido and spiritual energy?

It's certainly just as annoying either way. If I recall correctly, no Bakudo worked on him, either. Not even the 99th one, or its final incantation, Fatal Seal.

Which means that his power is not one of negation, but of fusion.

Fusion?

He appeared to be speaking to something invisible because his inner world merged with the real world.

Urozakuro remains unable to be seen by others, unlike the manifestations of Tenshintai.

He's always in his Bankai state, which would explain why he wasn't carrying a blade.

I think it would be fair to say that his Bankai allows him to merge with and control his surroundings.

Kenpachi Azashiro fuses his body with the space surrounding him.

The ground that we stand on and the very air itself is now part of him. He has the power to manipulate the Reishi in all of these materials.

How far can he reach?

I think you already know the answer to that question.

H-Hold up now, that's...

Yes... He has already fused with the Seireitei itself.

The sights of the places that he has fused with, and the voices that travel through them, all reach him as if he were there to experience them himself. Which means...

...everything we are saying here will reach him, too.

There's one thing I don't get. Couldn't he have broken out any time if he had all that power?

It's not that easy to escape the Muken. It is covered in layers of seals that suppress Zanpakuto abilities in case someone attacks it from the outside.

If what Urozakuro said is to be trusted, Azashiro was able to hear all of the goings-on of the Seireitei, but was unable to move anything around.

Then, how was he able to escape this time?

Because of the Ryoka attack on the Department of Research & Development.

What?

Back when Kisuke Urahara was the captain of Squad 12, some of the seal mechanisms were moved there.

The decision was made with the reasoning that managing the seals separately, rather than all in the same place, would be safer, but it's backfired now.

There don't seem to be any signs of other prisoners escaping the Muken, but the Stealth Force is conducting a thorough investigation nevertheless.

Hang on. Now that Azashiro's got his powers back, couldn't he break out Aizen and the others, too?

I find it hard to believe that he would. He's not looking to cause chaos and ruin.

Isn't that right, Kenpachi Azashiro?