Shinobu gazed at the girl, a look of deep complexity in her eyes.
"She's Kanao. Because of the harsh environment she grew up in at a very young age, she isn't good at asserting herself or thinking for herself."
"Not good at thinking on her own?"
The girl named Kanao gave Exusiai an immediate impression of someone without vitality or spark—somewhat akin to those displaying PTSD symptoms.
"Her childhood must have been too painful, right?"
Tatsuki watched the girl thoughtfully. 'Maybe… I could try another experiment?'
He summoned his Zanpakuto in hand.
"Dominator."
To Shinobu and Exusiai's surprise, the Dominator dissolved into glowing particles and merged into Tatsuki's eyes.
Tatsuki walked forward.
"?"
The butterfly resting in Kanao's palm took flight. Kanao's gaze followed it as it flapped crimson wings, alighting on Tatsuki's fingertip. There it settled, entirely motionless.
Kanao lifted her head. Her vacant eyes met Tatsuki's starry gold gaze. He spoke directly, asking.
"Do you think this butterfly is alive or dead?"
Kanao tilted her head, perplexed. A butterfly that could fly—obviously it was alive, right? She offered no reply, because the question demanded a choice, and she disliked making choices.
"Its fate—life or death—depends on your answer," Tatsuki said unexpectedly.
Shinobu and Exusiai exchanged puzzled looks, unsure what he was doing but deciding not to intervene.
"If you don't answer," he added, "it'll die."
Kanao locked onto his gold eyes. They told her he wasn't joking—he truly would do it.
"You only have ten seconds."
"…"
Kanao Tsuyuri was a girl who disliked choices, who lacked any personal ambitions. She reached into her pocket to retrieve a coin, planning to toss it.
But Tatsuki spoke again. "Do you know what a butterfly is?"
'The butterfly… what is it? An animal? Something pretty?' Kanao herself didn't really care about it; she could just flip a coin.
"It's a life, like Shinobu—a living being."
Kanao's eyes flickered. 'Shinobu… sensei…? I don't understand…'
"Shinobu—this butterfly is a life, just like her. Tell me your choice."
Out of nowhere, Shinobu, hearing her name spoken, looked perplexed. Tatsuki seemed to be talking to himself—no one had addressed her.
But in reality, he had dominated Kanao's thoughts, hearing her internal voice.
"…"
'This man… was speaking to me?' Kanao stared uncertainly at Shinobu behind him. If this purple butterfly was Sensei, then she should choose for it to live.
Yet her mouth wouldn't open.
"I'm sorry—your time's up."
Starry light flashed in Tatsuki's eyes. The purple butterfly shattered into pieces right before Kanao's eyes.
"!"
'That was… Sensei!'
She watched Shinobu's body… torn apart in front of her!
She saw it dismembered right before her eyes!
She watched it die, right then and there!
"!"
A wordless emotion ignited—a realization that her Sensei had been killed by the person before her. Rage swelled in the heart of a girl who normally felt nothing.
She jerked out her blade, a shining arc slicing toward Tatsuki's neck.
"Kanao!"
'Huh? Sensei's voice?'
In an instant, the vision shattered. Kanao saw her real Sensei behind Tatsuki, anxiety etched on Shinobu's face. Slightly turning her head, Kanao realized Tatsuki was smiling faintly, blocking her strike with two fingers at the blade's side, preventing the sword from moving any further.
"Remember that feeling—find your own heart."
Withdrawing his hand, Tatsuki straightened up. The red butterfly fluttered from his fingertips once more, passing across Kanao's vision. And then, Tatsuki and a mystified Shinobu departed, leaving Kanao transfixed by the butterfly's flight.
'The butterfly was actually red…'
…
"What did you do just now, Tatsuki? Why did that girl suddenly try to cut you?"
Exusiai asked, clearly baffled. Shinobu blinked in equal confusion. Kanao wasn't the type to just attack people—she rarely even cared enough to bother.
Tatsuki chuckled. "I ran a test of dominating her senses. I simply manipulated her visual perception, making her see me chop Shinobu into pieces in front of her."
In other words, dominating the five senses, reminiscent of Kyoka Suigetsu. The test turned out well—dominating the five senses proved quite straightforward.
"Er… never mind how bizarre that ability is—why pull something so twisted?" Exusiai asked, a slight frown on her face, taken aback by Tatsuki's malicious sense of humor.
"…"
Meanwhile, Shinobu's eyes flickered as understanding dawned. Kanao attacked because she'd seen her death, and in that moment, she felt anger. That child, who had once lost her capacity for emotion and was reluctant to choose anything, grew angry for her sake. The realization made Shinobu feel gentle relief and gratitude. She was even thankful to Tatsuki.
'Yet… slicing me up in an illusion?' That was indeed quite sadistic.
When Shinobu looked at Tatsuki, eyes brimming with gratitude, there was also a hint of wry complaint.
"Hahaha." Tatsuki simply laughed.
Yes, he conceded. This test was wickedly entertaining to him.
***
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