SailorStar9: This is the start of the new arc of this fic. (Sighs) Guys and girls, is it too hard for you to leave a review, instead of just putting this fic up on your favorited list and story alerts? Read and review.

Disclaimers: I own nothing, except for the plot bunny. Heck, even the pairings aren't mine.

Prologue: A New Enemy! The Materialization of Zanpakutō

Time passes...

Tula's senses peaked when she picked up Muramasa's Reiatsu. Summoning a Hell Monarch Butterfly, she sent an urgent message to Byakuya.

Elsewhere, in the Squad 6 courtyard...

Byakuya had just ended the spar with Renji when the Hell Monarch Butterfly fluttered in. "That's it for today." he turned to leave after receiving the message. "Excuse me, Tula-sama had just summoned me."

In Tula's Temple...

"Tula-sama, you've summoned me." Byakuya knelt before the Winter Goddess.

"Captain Kuchiki," Tula started, once Byakuya stood up. "Does the name Muramasa ring a bell?"

Later that evening...

The materialized forms of Katen Kyōkotsu, Minazuki, and Sōgyo no Kotowari arrived at the 1st Squad barracks.

"We're here." Katen informed her comrades. "We're reached our destination."

"Let's get started." Sōgyo no Kotowari sang.

"Who's there?" Yamamoto was finishing up his paperwork when he sense an unfamiliar Reiatsu at the door. A side-glance summoned Sasakibe to his side and the Lieutenant went forward to inspect the opened door.

"Who's there?" Sasakibe turned to the doors.

Meanwhile...

Tula turned sharply to the sudden intruder to her sanctuary, only to let out a strangled gasp when Muramasa's Spiritual Threads immobilized her, before securing her in a web.

Later that night on the Sōkyoku Hill...

All the Shinigami with manifested Zanpakutō were summoned to the Sōkyoku for an emergency meeting by Yamamoto.

"Ukitake." Hitsugaya voiced as he and Matsumoto Shunpo-ed in. "What's going on here? Why are we here?"

"I don't know." Ukitake admitted. "No one's heard anything about this meeting. And..."

"Kuchiki?" Matsumoto spotted Rukia. "Were you summoned, too?"

"Yes." Rukia nodded. "I'm not sure why, but I received a summons."

"What's with this gathering?" Kyoraku wondered. "Are you here to represent your Captain?" he turned to Ikkaku and Yumichika.

"We weren't summoned here as representatives of the Captain." Ikkaku replied.

"Our Captain and Lieutenant are out, so we're the only ones who can attend this meeting anyway." Yumichika shrugged.

"Goodness, and at a time like this." Mayuri tsked. "Why do you think the Captain-Commander summoned us?"

"Damn this stupid fog." Renji cursed as the thickening mist.

"Lieutenant Sasakibe, what's going on?" Kira asked the approaching Lieutenant after the fog cleared. "Where's the Captain-Commander?"

"Captain!" Ōmaeda turned to Suì-Fēng, Kira, Hisagi and Hinamori hurried over to the collapsed Sasakibe.

"Don't let the slightest aura slip by." Suì-Fēng was on the alert.

"He's gone into cardiac arrest." Ise reported, as she and Unohana went to work. "This is bad."

"Cast a resuscitation spell immediately." Unohana instructed.

"Your Captain-Commander won't be joining you." Muramasa declared, appearing behind the Shinigami.

"Who the hell are you?" Hitsugaya glared.

"You said the Captain-Commander isn't coming, didn't you?" Komamura demanded. "Scum, what have you done with Genryusei-dono? No answer? Then, I'll force you to answer." he drew his sword, Muramasa simply back-flipped to dodge the strike.

Reaching out a hand, Muramasa sent out a wave of Reiatsu at the gathered Shinigami.

"What a jerk." Ikkaku was intrigued. "This looks fun."

"Stop it." Iba stopped the two 11th Squad members. "My Captain's already going to fight him. You'll get hurt if you jump in."

"Bankai!" Komamura instantly went into Bankai. "Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō! You will tell me where Genryusei-dono is."

"That attack won't hurt me." Muramasa stated.

"Ridiculous!" Komamura snapped.

"Look out!" Ukitake warned when Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō's blade struck down on Komamura instead.

"What just happened?" Hitsugaya was shocked, Komamura had barely managed to avoid getting hit.

"His Zanpakutō attacked his master?" even Suì-Fēng was stunned.

"Who in the blazes are you?" Komamura muttered, after Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō dematerialized in a cloud of smoke and turned to his manifested Zanpakutō spirit. "Are you Tengen?" he realized and parried off his Zanpakutō's blade.

Wrapping a pair of fiery bolas around Komamura's arm. Tenken then pulled Komamura forward before slashing the wolf-like Captain with a flaming sword.

"What the hell..." Komamura muttered, falling to the ground.

"Sōten n zase, Hyōrinmaru!" Hitsugaya went on the offensive.

"Sting all enemies to death, Suzumebachi." Suì-Fēng, too, activated her Shikai.

"I can't go into Shikai." Hitsugaya gasped, dodging Tenken's tossed bola and landing on the ground.

"Impossible." Suì-Fēng breathed when she found herself under to activate her Shikai as well.

"Howl, Zabimaru!" Renji called out, blinking when his Zanpakutō did not manifest.

"Growl, Haineko!" Matsumoto tried to no avail.

"Grow, Hōzukimaru!" Ikkaku gaped when his sword remained the same.

"What's going on?" Renji wondered. "I don't feel any Reiatsu from my Zanpakutō."

"There isn't any Reiatsu left in it." Mayuri confirmed. "What's going on?"

"It's quite simple." Muramasa smirked. "Your Zanpakutō are no longer with you. I freed them from you Shinigami." raising a hand, he caused explosions all over Seireitei. "Your Zanpakutō did it themselves. They have been freed from your imprisonment. This is merely a greeting. This is so you will understand how powerful your comrades are. Behold, the true forms of the Zanpakutō you thought you owned."

As one, all the manifested Zanpakutō Spirits appeared in the air.

"Is he saying that the Zanpakutō have taken physical form?" Hitsugaya gasped, just as Hyōrinmaru appeared and strolled past him.

"No way!" Renji exclaimed, a manifested Senbonzakura walking past Byakuya.

A materialized Ashisogi Jizō floated past Mayuri and joined the other Zanpakutō.

"But that's..." Ukitake was shell-shocked.

"Move it." Haineko shoved past her mistress and joined up with the other Zanpakutō.

"Who on earth are you?" Byakuya demanded.

"My name is Muramasa." Muramasa declared. "Tonight brings the end to the Shinigami rule. From now on, the Zanpakutō will rule over the Shinigami." he manifested his own sword and stabbed it on the ground, breaking the earth into segments and allowing the Zanpakutō Spirits to tower over the gathered Shinigami.

Omake: Shinigami Zanpakutō Introductions

Mayuri: Today, we'll be featuring Kurosaki Ichigo's Zangetsu. Zangetsu is a Zanpakutō that normally stays in its released form. Its Bankai is Tensa Zangetsu. Getsuga Tenshō is a technique where it shoots out super dense Reiatsu. Its true form is that of a man garbed in black. That's the end of today's Zanpakutō review. Try to be of more use in this next arc. (Manifests Ashisogi Jizō)

Ichigo: About that...

SailorStar9: In the next chapter, with Byakuya seemingly defeated by his own Zanpakutō, the remaining Shinigami have regrouped to the 4th Squad while they try to reestablish their defenses and learn more about the Zanpakutō rebellion.

Now that's done, read and review.