The Handover of Kenpachi

Captain-Commander Yamamoto finally spoke slowly, his voice deep and authoritative. "Go there. I have only one request... No matter what, do not dismantle the Seireitei for me."

"Yes! Thank you Captain-Commander!" the two replied in unison.

With the Supreme Commander's permission, this life-or-death battle, destined to be recorded in the dark annals of Soul Society, has finally entered its countdown.

The next day, in the afternoon.

The nameless desert on the edge of the District 80 in the far north of Rukongai.

A fierce wind whipped up a sky full of yellow sand, making this already desolate land appear even more bleak. As far as the eye could see, apart from the cracked yellow earth and huge rocks, there was no sign of life.

On a towering rocky peak several kilometers away from the central battlefield.

Today, a group of important figures who play a pivotal role in the Gotei 13 have gathered here, a rare occurrence.

Yoruichi Shihōin solemn expression, her hands clenched into fists; beside her was Kisuke Urahara, who had pulled his hat brim low and was fiddling with some kind of Reishi monitoring device.

Not far away, Shunsui Kyōraku pulled his straw hat low, his usual smile completely gone, replaced by an unprecedented seriousness; Jūshirō Ukitake covered his mouth, coughing with some concern. As the personal disciples of Captain-Commander Yamamoto, the two of them vaguely guessed the perilous nature of this battle.

Behind these Captain-level stood several juniors. The two people Xuanxin had picked up from Rukongai, along with Sajin Komamura, were also there to observe this rare battle.

Besides these visible spectators.

Further away from the rocky peak, in the shadows hidden by endless sandstorms.

Fifth Division Lieutenant Sōsuke Aizen, wearing a cloak that concealed his Reiatsu, adjusted his black-rimmed glasses. His deep eyes pierced through the sandstorm, locking onto the distant area with great interest.

"The First Kenpachi, and an anomaly of the new era. This is truly an excellent observational experiment. Please don't disappoint me, Teacher Shihoin." Aizen's lips curled into a smile full of inquisitive curiosity.

At this moment, in the heart of the desert.

Xuanxin, wearing his striking white Captain's Haori and holding his Zanpakuto, stood silently in the raging wind.

Suddenly, from the sandstorm opposite, came the sound of unhurried footsteps.

When that figure pierced through the swirling yellow sand and came into complete view of Xuanxin, even Xuanxin's battle-hardened heart couldn't help but pound violently!

At this moment, Retsu Unohana's attire was completely different from her usual appearance in the Fourth Division.

She untied the thick braid that she used to cover her scars, and her long, jet-black hair, like a waterfall, danced wildly in the wind.

She was no longer wearing the pristine white Fourth Division haori. Instead, she was wearing an old haori that was clearly slightly yellowed!

On the back of that haori, a large, jet-black character was written in vigorous, wild cursive script: "Eleven"!

This is the exclusive haori of the first generation of Gotei 13, the captain of the 11th Division. It belongs to Yachiru Unohana!

The moment she put on that haori, the gentle Fourth Division Captain Retsu Unohana ceased to exist.

Standing here now is the greatest villain in Soul Society, the First Kenpachi — Yachiru Unohana!

Her eyes, completely consumed by fighting spirit and fanaticism, were fixed on Xuanxin ahead. A smile sharper than any blade bloomed wildly on her face.

Yachiru Unohana slowly drew her Zanpakuto from her waist, the tip pointing diagonally at the ground. The thick killing intent instantly stopped the howling winds within a radius of several miles!

Xuanxin.

Her voice was no longer gentle, but rather hoarse and wild, sending chills down one's spine. "Before you step onto this battlefield, you'd better be prepared. Because this time, I will absolutely not hold back."

She stuck out her scarlet tongue and gently licked her dry lips, her eyes blazing with fighting spirit like an erupting volcano.

"Either you kill me here, stepping over my corpse to reach a higher realm; or... I'll cut you into countless pieces here, utterly killing you."

"So, are you ready to please me, Xuanxin!"

Hearing the death proclamation that sounded like that of a demon, Xuanxin slowly raised his right hand, Zanpakuto horizontally in front of his chest.

His long white hair swayed violently in the wind, and a confident smile, unwavering in its intensity, curled at the corners of his mouth.

"I couldn't ask for that, Sister Hana."

After speaking, Xuanxin nodded heavily.

"Boom--!"

The next instant, two terrifying Reiatsu, as if capable of destroying the heavens and the earth, erupted in the center of the desert!

The Kenpachi, spanning a millennium, is about to begin!

Chapter 68 Kenpachi's Handover

A fierce wind whipped up a sky full of yellow sand, scraping across this desolate wasteland like a knife.

In this world, Xuanxin and Unohana faced each other from afar, both with their hands on their Zanpakuto, but neither made any move first, standing there like two stone statues.

Time ticked by, and the oppressive atmosphere made it difficult for the spectators in the distance to even breathe.

Standing at the back of the crowd Rangiku Matsumoto couldn't help but tighten her collar, her gray-blue eyes filled with confusion:

"Um... weren't they supposed to have a life-or-death duel? But why are they both standing still? It's been almost half Tokiomi."

Upon hearing this question full of doubt, Sajin Komamura, who had been standing behind the group and wearing a huge steel helmet, began to explain in a deep voice.

"This is the etiquette and probing between top masters."

Sajin Komamura's voice came through his steel helmet, making it sound even deeper:

"Before the real battle begins, the two sides often engage in an invisible clash at the level of consciousness and Reiatsu. Only then will they move on to simple probing with their weapons, followed by the battle of their Shikai."

"Only when the battle truly reaches its climax, a life-or-death moment where victory or defeat must be decided, will the ultimate trump card—the so-called 'Bankai' —be used for the final battle."

Upon hearing the explanation from this tall man, Rangiku Matsumoto's eyes immediately lit up with excitement and admiration.

She nodded, preparing to turn around and concentrate on appreciating the "step-by-step" mastery that Komamura- sama had described.

However!

The very next second after Rangiku Matsumoto turned her head! The two people in the center of the arena, who had been like stone statues, finally moved!

However, their next move ruthlessly crushed Sajin Komamura's "proper procedures" into the desert sands!

There was no communication between the two! No testing of their weapons! They even considered the transition of their Shikai a waste of time!

Amidst the howling wind, Retsu Unohana slowly drew her Zanpakuto from her waist.

A chillingly fanatical smile bloomed on her pale yet exquisitely beautiful face.

She stretched out her fair left hand and grasped the Zanpakuto. Then, she let the sharp edge cut through her palm and slowly slashed towards the tip of the blade.

A large amount of blood gushed from her palm, but it was no ordinary blood; it was a strange liquid that was incredibly viscous and exuded a terrifying corrosive aura!

The thick, fresh blood dripped onto the cracked yellow earth.

Retsu Unohana's red lips parted slightly, and her hoarse yet infinitely gentle voice, though not loud, clearly reached the ears of everyone present:

"The Bankai Minazuki."

Boom--!

As the words of liberation fell, the yellow earth beneath Retsu Unohana's feet was instantly covered by red liquid.

Endless, dark red, viscous blood, like a tsunami bursting its banks, spread wildly outwards from her center, instantly transforming this desolate desert into a churning sea of blood and a living hell!

Standing opposite the sea of blood, Xuanxin, facing this terrifying sight that could devour everything, also had no intention of probing!

"Bankai - Six Paths and Five Wheels, Kurikara!"

A towering white pillar of Reiatsu shot up from the ground, and the enormous six-armed Vidyaraja Dharma image descended amidst the churning sea of blood, suppressing the rampaging Reishi around it!

Upon seeing this, Rangiku Matsumoto froze for a full two seconds before mechanically turning her head and staring intently at Sajin Komamura behind her with a look that seemed to say, "How can you, big guy, keep spouting nonsense and lying?"

Noticing Rangiku Matsumoto's questioning gaze, Sajin Komamura's face, hidden beneath his steel helmet, instantly flushed red.

He awkwardly stretched out his large, hairy hand and scratched his cold helmet vigorously, making a dry, metallic scraping sound. He wished he could disappear into a crack in the ground right then and there.

"Ahem... Well, these two... might be an exception." Sajin Komamura, trying to defend himself.

Meanwhile, Jūshirō Ukitake and Shunsui Kyōraku, standing in front, were completely oblivious to the comedic little incident behind them.

Jūshirō Ukitake coughed twice, covering his mouth, his eyes filled with shock.

"Shunsui, this seems to be the first time we've witnessed Junior Brother's Bankai, right? We never imagined that Junior Brother's Reiatsu and cultivation level had improved to such an extent."

"Yes..."

Upon hearing this, Shunsui Kyōraku lowered his straw hat, his expression more solemn than ever before. He stared intently at the rapidly expanding sea of blood and inferno, and sighed, saying:

"But this time, the trouble is really serious. It seems we'll have to work together to clean up the mess; I can't control these two on my own."

Upon hearing this, Jūshirō Ukitake nodded solemnly, his gaze fixed on the two on the field, ready to make a move at any moment.

At this moment, on the infernal battlefield in the heart of the desert, the real battle to the death has officially begun!

With her feet firmly planted in a churning sea of dark red blood, Retsu Unohana no longer showed any mercy or leniency befitting Fourth Division Captain.

"Whoosh!"

She moved like lightning, instantly appearing before Xuanxin! Each swing of her blade carried a suffocating whistling sound, ruthlessly aiming for Xuanxin's throat, heart, and other vital organs!

Xuanxin also held his breath and focused his mind, gripping the hilt of his sword tightly with both hands, bringing his swordsmanship to its peak, and earnestly parrying the storm of slashes.

However, after only a few dozen rounds of fighting, Xuanxin sensed an extremely deadly crisis!

The dark red blood churning beneath his feet was constantly increasing in corrosive power! Every time the blood splashed onto Xuanxin's Death Armor, it would instantly burn through the fabric, making a piercing "hissing" sound, and the blood would go deep enough to see the bone!

In order to avoid being completely melted by this sea of blood, Xuanxin had to allocate a portion of his Reiatsu to cover his body surface, forming a thin defensive layer to resist the corrosion.

However, this undoubtedly greatly exacerbated the depletion of Xuanxin's Reiatsu!

In contrast, the Retsu Unohana.

This First Kenpachi seemed completely unafraid! She allowed her body, arms, and even cheeks to be corroded little by little by the splattered blood, revealing terrifying white bones, without even flinching!

Because whenever her body is corroded, that extremely pure green light will light up at the same time! The mutilated flesh and blood will regenerate in an instant, and the bare white bones will be covered by skin again!

Corrosion and healing, destruction and rebirth!

At this moment, Retsu Unohana reached a kind of insane yet perfectly morbid balance!

This is a suicidal fighting style that trades injuries for injuries and lives for lives!

She even abandoned her defense, letting Xuanxin's blade strike her shoulder, all in order to close the distance and leave an even more fatal wound on Xuanxin's chest!

All the damage caused by Xuanxin will be instantly healed by her unparalleled Dao Kaidō!

Faced with this seemingly indestructible monster that grew increasingly frenzied in battle, Xuanxin's offensive gradually faltered, and his moves inevitably became somewhat hesitant and timid.

"When!"

The two knives were pressed tightly together, sparks flying everywhere!

Retsu Unohana Retsu's stunningly beautiful face, stained with blood, was only inches away from Xuanxin.

Looking at Xuanxin's solemn gaze, her smile grew even more fervent, and she spoke softly in her usual gentle voice:

"Xuanxin, what are you still hesitating for? We must increase our strength..."

"Otherwise, just like I said before, you'll be sliced into pieces bit by bit in this sea of blood."