Chapter 71 – A Soul-Devouring Zanpakuto

"Wow, you really care about them,"

Aqua teased lightly. Then her expression turned earnest; she took a deep breath, closed her eyes.

A pale blue divine radiance spread from her body into the night.

Nezuko, Shinobu, Exusiai, and the others also gathered around. At this moment, Aqua lost her usual airheadedness. Bathed in that cerulean glow, she looked truly sacred and untouchable—a genuine goddess.

Next came a scene so astonishing that no one could breathe.

From the earth, from the sky, an endless tide of souls flocked toward the light.

"Yukio!"

"Mommy!"

Cries of surprise arose from those present. They saw their deceased loved ones among those countless wandering spirits—teary-eyed and overjoyed, rushing into Aqua's holy light. The moment they touched it, their souls slowly dissolved, departing with a sense of genuine release.

"Those are…" Shinobu's expression flickered with uncertainty.

"They're lost souls roaming the land. She's purifying them," Tatsuki explained, referencing what Aqua had told him.

Hearing that, the Pillars and others gazed at Aqua with reverence—she truly was a goddess, a deity who purified souls.

"Shinobu? Is that you?"

"Huh?"

A gentle, familiar voice…

Shinobu whirled around. Standing there was a woman who looked strikingly similar to her in both features and outfit—a tall figure with black hair and violet eyes, peering at Shinobu in slight confusion.

That face! Impossible to forget.

"Big Sis…!"

Shinobu's carefully maintained, gently smiling expression crumbled. Her small mouth fell open in shock, tears spilling uncontrollably from her eyes.

It was Shinobu's sister, Kanae Kocho.

She trembled all over as she tried to approach Kanae, wanting to grab her hand—only to watch her own fingers pass right through.

"Shinobu, I'm just a soul now…"

"…"

Tears choked Shinobu's voice. She knew full well how futile her longing was, yet seeing Kanae once more tore open all those hidden emotions.

Kanae lifted a translucent hand, miming a head-pat over Shinobu's hair, her smile warm and comforting. "You've grown, Shinobu. Now your sister can leave at ease."

Then she turned, walking toward Aqua's divine glow.

"Sis—!"

Shinobu wanted to seize her, but there was nothing she could do except watch Kanae vanish into the holy light.

Just at that moment, passing by Tatsuki, Kanae's incorporeal form neared him. Tatsuki instinctively sidestepped—he had no desire for a soul to phase through his body.

But as he turned, the hilt of his Zanpakuto inadvertently brushed Kanae's spirit.

"Huh?!"

Kanae's pretty face had time for a startled gasp. In that instant, Dominator absorbed her soul right into the blade!

"!"

This development startled everyone, including Tatsuki himself. Why was his Zanpakuto devouring a soul?

Shinobu grew frantic, darting over. "My sister—what happened to her?!"

"…Let me check."

Tatsuki quickly probed the Zanpakuto. After a few seconds, he opened his eyes again, wearing a rather awkward expression.

Carefully, he told Shinobu, "Shinobu… it seems your sister has merged with my Zanpakuto—like the classic 'old man in the ring' scenario."

As soon as Tatsuki finished speaking, a purple light sprang forth from Dominator, re-forming Kanae's image. Her body went from faintly transparent to something close to physical form. Within that swirl of complicated emotions, Kanae timidly uttered.

"Master…?"

"…"

Shinobu stood there, dazed. The other Pillars glanced at each other and quietly backed away—it was clear Shinobu needed a moment to process.

…

While they stayed on guard for the half hour Aqua needed to finish her purification, Tatsuki and company also busied themselves.

Exusiai spent points to boost her Firearm Creation to Lv.4, gleefully toying with all sorts of flashy guns. She even came up with sniper rifles and rocket launcher rifles.

Esdeath had nothing better to do but observe Tatsuki from afar, seemingly in a depressed mood, perhaps from her defeat.

Tatsuki, for his part, welcomed the peace. He had 314,000 Apocalypse Points in total. First, he planned to upgrade "Dominator," since it was so helpful for numerous tasks.

[Consume 150,000 Points. Zanpakuto–Dominator advanced to Lv.5!]

Once 150,000 points were expended, Dominator rose in level.

"Hey! It feels like I can do so much more now!"

A voice in his vicinity—Kanae—exclaimed in surprise. She felt a surge of new power within her.

Earlier, Tatsuki had already deduced the situation: somehow, Kanae's soul integrated with Dominator and became akin to a sword spirit. She could wield the Dominator's powers or invoke its true name. But she remained subservient to Tatsuki. As a result, he'd effectively gained an extraordinarily loyal minion—one fully capable of leaving the Zanpakuto and acting independently.

Moreover, the two now shared each other's thoughts intimately, like a single consciousness. Her existence wasn't a simple ghost, either; Kanae could materialize physically at will.

During their conversations, he helped Kanae overcome her regrets. After learning all evil demons were annihilated, she felt both relief and sadness—a twinge of sorrow about her old wish for humans and demons to peacefully coexist.

Tatsuki introduced her to Nezuko, Kie, and Tamayo, showing that good humans could get along with good demons. Not so for evil ones: "You can't reason with truly evil beings. The same goes for humans, some of whom are also vile." Hearing all this, Kanae accepted it.

So, wide-eyed like a curious child, she clung to Tatsuki, while Shinobu felt conflicted. Though her sister was truly alive again—tangible and huggable—she was now bound to Tatsuki, calling him "Master," evidently following him wherever he went. Shinobu wasn't sure how to feel. She figured Tanjiro of all people might understand her dilemma.

But there was no other option. At least Tatsuki promised: if she managed to gather 1,000 Points, he'd bring Kanae back. Now Shinobu carried a new goal: Grow stronger, earn Points, and redeem her sister!

If she couldn't amass them…worst case, she'd sell herself as well. She refused to be parted from her sister ever again.

With the 30,000 points Shinobu had earned, she tried the lottery. "Huh, I got a new ability?"

Tatsuki's ears pricked up. "What is it?"

"Shinobu, let's see it!"

Kanae seemed more excited than Shinobu herself.

Smiling slightly, Shinobu pointed a finger, conjuring a pinkish mist that she contained in her palm.

Exusiai shrank back. "This pink mist reeks of danger…!"

Tatsuki raised an eyebrow. "Poison?"

Shinobu's serene smile spread. "That's right—Poison. I drew an A-rank ability, Perfect Venom-Venom Fruit. The introduction says it lets me manipulate toxins freely, no side effects, plus I'm immune to poison myself."

"Not bad, suits you a lot better than that trashy breathing style," Tatsuki scoffed. Those breathing styles? Completely average. People even claimed "Sun Breathing" harnessed the power of the sun… he just couldn't see it.

***

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