A wave of his hand infused the air with a potent sedative he'd discovered in the laboratory, and she would remain in slumber for several more hours. He lifted her Zanpakutō, whose weight was no different than any other sword. After careful consideration, he wrapped it in a concealing cloth and disappeared into the night.

The next stop was squad twelve.

Silas held no illusions about the difficulty of this endeavor. Too many times has he ventured into this laboratory, knowing about all of its traps and surveillance.

Silas navigated the area with practiced ease. Reaching the stores was merely the first hurdle. Finding the specific components he required took longer.

Mayuri, with his unhinged fascination for all things strange, had a stockpile so vast and disorganized that it resembled a hoarder's trove rather than a scientist's collection.

With a sigh of both relief and triumph, Silas finally located the last component: a luminescent fungus that thrived only in the deepest, darkest corners of the Soul Society. They were rare to find, only growing once in a blue moon.

Mayuri likely kept it out of curiosity rather than for any practical purpose. Taking it wouldn't make a difference. After all, no one in this squad has been suspicious of his activities.

His task was completed, and he vanished, the materials tucked safely away.

• • •

In his laboratory, Silas finally allowed himself a moment of quiet satisfaction. All the necessary elements were now in place. It was time to begin the true work—to not merely try and restore Retsu's Zanpakutō, but to transform it and shape it into something new.

Minazuki was displayed before him. Silas studied the intricate flow of the blade's spirit particles. He knew that simply repairing the broken Bankai was impossible.

But that wasn't the end goal.

He recalled the way Mayuri had re-engineered his own Zanpakutō after its destruction by Uryū Ishida, evolving it into a different yet similar weapon. It was a feat of twisted genius, and, crucially, it proved that modification was possible even after a Bankai was damaged.

But for Silas, mere modification would not suffice. It was the power of the Hōgyoku that set him apart.

The Hōgyoku, that enigmatic artifact nestled within his chest, had the uncanny ability to grant the deepest desires of the hearts around it. If he wove that power into Minazuki, he could change the weapon.

This wouldn't be a restoration. This would be a rebirth, a creation of his own design—a weapon that would not only ensure Retsu's survival in the battles ahead.

Silas's grand plan was well on its way to fruition.

Within his dimly lit laboratory, he stood surrounded by a web of glowing spirit particles and swirling energy. He held Minazuki suspended before him, the once familiar weapon now a stranger needing to be reassembled to his design.

The first step, however, was far trickier than merely breaking down the blade. He needed to subdue the spirit that resided within.

A Zanpakutō was not merely steel and soul power; it was a being, a fragment of its wielder's very essence. And if Minazuki was to be reborn as the weapon he envisioned, he needed its spirit to be pliant and receptive to his touch.

It would be no different than clicking jigsaw puzzle pieces together.

With a surge of his own spiritual pressure, he easily pierced the veil between the physical and spiritual realms. His mind dove to the sword, bringing Minazuki into his world. This process was known as externalization, something that took years to perform.

But Silas was experienced enough to simply force the spirit out!

The form it took was that of a slim figure covered in bandages and wearing a very long, light green hood. Because of the bizarre darkness, the face was well hidden.

"You again," Minazuki said with a sense of wariness.

Silas paused. There was an undercurrent of curiosity. So he squinted his eyes and asked, "You remember me?"

There shouldn't have been any memory left of Silas after their last encounter. Did he fail in erasing the spirit's mind? And if so, did that mean he failed to do the same to Retsu? No. The latter had already proven not to have recalled their battle.

So why did Minazuki imply that he knew Silas?

"Yes," it said with a raspy tone. "You broke me, but Miss Yachiru hasn't yet discovered this. I only ask, why take me now?"

There was still some uncertainty in Silas's thoughts. The spirit referred to Retsu as its misses, speaking as if loyal but yet fearful. Then he understood: it hadn't told Retsu of the matter because it was a spirit that didn't speak to its owner unless spoken to.

"To make you stronger," Silas answered, keeping his thoughts simple and reassuring. "To once again be useful to Yachiru, as you always have."

There was a long silence.

Minazuki was a spirit born of healing and selfless protection. The promise of amplified power, the ability to be useful to Retsu with even greater efficacy—it was an attraction tailored to its purpose.

Silas pressed his advantage around the fragile spirit, saying, "Believe it when I say, I have the power to make this happen. You've seen what I was capable of. Look around… You're not in the Seireitei."

Silas was right. For him to have taken another Soul Reaper's Zanpakutō and also externalized it was no laughing matter. These things had left an even deeper mark on Minazuki. So much so that trepidation and fear washed over it.

If it didn't accept Silas's offer, it was scared that it would be destroyed.

So it was submitted to him. Not just out of acknowledgment, but out of blind conviction—a desperation to have itself restored and be useful to Retsu again.

Even if it had rejected Silas, he knew that he could have exploited more of its vulnerability, twisting it until he gained its complete obedience. Through his own experiences and his analysis, a loyal Zanpakutō was not one forged through fear alone.

How else do you think Silas was able to subjugate Sakanade, Tengumaru, Kinshara, Tachikaze, Kubikiri Orochi, Enrakyōten, and Zangetsu?!