The Battle Raged On

Ye Yang flicked the blood off the blade of his sword and said in a low voice, "Come on..." He then appeared in front of Kenpachi in a Shunpo. This sudden attack failed, but that was to be expected.

The two clashed again, but unlike before, Kenpachi's attacks were even more ferocious, striking one after another. Sometimes he even disregarded Ye Yang's attacks, willing to fight head-on and exchange blows for injuries. However, Ye Yang skillfully deflected all of these attacks, and instead, Kenpachi's wounds increased.

However, Kenpachi's tactics were not entirely ineffective. At least several times, they forced Ye Yang into a sorry state. As the saying goes, even the best can make mistakes. In a moment of carelessness, Ye Yang's shoulder was stabbed by Kenpachi. However, Kenpachi did not gain any advantage either. Ye Yang's Silver Rend also grazed Kenpachi's chest, drawing blood.

Ye Yang frowned slightly as he looked at the wound on his shoulder. Kenpachi laughed heartily, "Haha! Since it's a battle, why let me be the only one bleeding? I bet it's been a long time since you've fought like this!"

Sure enough, a smile gradually appeared on Ye Yang's lips. How long had it been? Perhaps it was since Ye Yang left Hueco Mundo that he had shed blood. Even when he sparred with Urahara in the World of the Living, they only touched each other briefly. But it had been ten years since he had engaged in such a bloody battle. Just thinking about it made his blood boil.

"Come on, let's continue!" Ye Yang didn't say much, and directly picked up the Silver Rend and charged forward. This time, Ye Yang's fighting style was different from before. Before, Ye Yang would avoid attacks if he could, but this time it was different.

Kenpachi's strategy of trading injuries for injuries was exploited. Ye Yang no longer simply dodged, but instead waited for an opportunity to strike. If he could exchange one wound for two of Kenpachi's, he would not hesitate. Therefore, not long after their exchange, Kenpachi had suffered more injuries than before, while Ye Yang could no longer remain unscathed, also bearing seven or eight wounds, though much more severe than Kenpachi's.

The two continued their fierce battle, while Ikkaku and Yumichika, who were watching from the sidelines, remained speechless for a long time. Although they had long known that Ye Yang and their captain were of the same level, the course of the battle was not like this.

After all, they had witnessed the two's battle decades ago, when they were evenly matched. In some aspects, Kenpachi even had the upper hand. They never expected that after so many years, Ye Yang would gain the upper hand in their rematch. It seems his decades in Hueco Mundo have indeed honed his skills considerably...

Both of them had a gut feeling that Ye Yang was still not using his full strength. Not only Ye Yang, but even Kenpachi had not used his trump cards. Kenpachi must also have moves that they had never seen before.

The two exchanged a glance, both seeing the helplessness in each other's eyes. Was this the target they wanted to surpass? It was terrifying! Terrifying not because of his strength, but because his growth rate was even faster than theirs. This was what truly made them despair. By the time they finally reached his previous level, he would have already disappeared from their sight, leaving not even a trace behind.

"Hahaha... It's been so long since I've fought like this, Ye Yang Shihoin. Fighting you is definitely the most exhilarating battle! Not enough! Keep going!" Kenpachi said while fighting, but it didn't affect his fighting rhythm at all.

Kenpachi's Zanjutsu relies entirely on physical strength, without any fancy moves. In a sense, it simplifies complexity. No matter how gorgeous your moves are, no matter how much buildup you put in, the ultimate goal is always that thrust or that slash. Kenpachi is just that kind of person.

However, Kenpachi did not have that kind of awareness. He did not know any special techniques. His fighting skills were all derived from bloody battles and were the most practical. Moreover, Kenpachi's most terrifying aspect was his beast-like intuition, which always enabled him to make the right decision at crucial moments and dodge Ye Yang's sword.

Gradually, Kenpachi's attacks became more and more intense, and he was injured less and less. He became stronger and stronger with each battle, and soon he turned the tide of the battle, until the end when neither of them could defeat the other.

After several tens of minutes of intense fighting, both of them were only slightly panting, showing no signs of exhaustion. Ye Yang frowned slightly, thinking that if this continued, they would probably both collapse from exhaustion.

At this moment, Kenpachi spoke up, "Ye Yang Shihoin, you should have more than just this much skill, right? Show me what you've got! By the way, after all these years, I refuse to believe you haven't mastered Bankai yet. Hurry up Bankai, I can't wait!"

Ye Yang slowly closed his eyes, then suddenly opened them after a long while, his eyes shooting out a piercing gaze. He said, "Since that's the case, then so be it! Bankai — Spatial Domain!"

Both Ikkaku and Yumichika gasped in shock. Although they had assumed Ye Yang had already mastered Bankai, seeing it with their own eyes was a different matter entirely. Moreover, Ye Yang already possessed Captain-level strength even in his Shikai, so Bankai?

The two now only have one question: What is Ye Yang's Bankai?

However, they were destined to be disappointed, because as soon as Ye Yang uttered the Bankai, a blinding silver light suddenly emanated from the Silver Rend, enveloping everyone present. When the silver light dissipated, Ye Yang and Kenpachi vanished into thin air.

"Where are they?" Ikkaku touched his bald head and asked his Yumichika next to him, puzzled.

Yumichika glanced at him and then said, "How would I know? Could this be Ye Yang's Bankai ability?"

Ye Yang and Kenpachi naturally arrived in Ye Yang's territory. Kenpachi, who was here for the first time, looked around and asked Ye Yang, "What is this place?"

Ye Yang smiled, "This is my territory."

"Domain? Is this your Bankai ability?"

"That's right, a domain! My Zanpakuto has spatial abilities, and the Spatial Domain is my Bankai. Here, all space is under my control!" Ye Yang said slowly.

Kenpachi arrogantly shook his head. "I don't care what abilities you have, I just want to defeat you! Come on, let's fight!" With that, he gripped his Zanpakuto and faced Ye Yang.

Ye Yang didn't say anything more. He directly used Spatial Jump to appear behind Kenpachi. With a swipe of his sword, a spray of blood appeared, and a hideous wound was slashed across Kenpachi's back.

"This is one of my abilities, Spatial Jump! I can appear anywhere at any time here, be careful!" Ye Yang warned.

Kenpachi's fighting spirit remained undiminished. "Interesting, come on!"

This time, Ye Yang appeared on the left side, his target being Kenpachi's left shoulder! In the nick of time, Kenpachi turned his body, and Ye Yang 'Kenpachi sword only grazed past him, leaving only a minor wound.

Kenpachi seized the opportunity and unleashed a slash, but how could Ye Yang let him have his way? He immediately used a Spatial Jump to leave and find his next target.

However, the subsequent attacks were not so relaxed, at most causing a minor wound. Sometimes, Kenpachi even predicted Ye Yang's next position with his beastly intuition, almost causing Ye Yang to suffer a great loss.

If things continue like this, Kenpachi will eventually adapt, and it's definitely not a long-term solution. Realizing this, Ye Yang directly engaged Kenpachi in Kenpachi combat. Kenpachi laughed loudly, "Hahaha... This is what real fighting is! What kind of nonsense is this, dodging and weaving? This is it, hahaha!"

However, unlike in the outside world, this is the space of the Silver Rend. Ye Yang occasionally Spatial Jump, using the Spatial Rifts to create some trouble for Kenpachi, and steadily maintains the upper hand.

However, just like the outside world, Kenpachi was not used to Ye Yang's fighting style at first, but after he gradually got used to it, he began to turn the tide little by little. Moreover, with his beast-like intuition, he was able to anticipate most of the places Ye Yang wanted to attack, and for a time the two of them entered a stalemate again.

This is, after all, the space of the Silver Rend. The pitch-black Spatial Rifts often appear in strange locations, catching Kenpachi off guard. Although Kenpachi has been trying to turn the tide, he has not been able to do so.

The two fought for more than half an hour. By then, both were showing signs of fatigue, especially Kenpachi, whose numerous wounds prevented him from continuing the fight for an extended period. Ye Yang, on the other hand, was in much better shape, with no more than ten wounds, all of which were minor. Ye Yang held a clear advantage in the situation.

If the battle continued for another ten minutes, a winner would surely be decided. However, at this moment, Kenpachi made a move that surprised Ye Yang. Kenpachi actually took the initiative to retreat and distance himself from Ye Yang, and stood still without making any move to attack.

Ye Yang looked at him with suspicion. Why would Kenpachi Zaraki, who was only focused on attacking, retreat? Kenpachi, however, stood still and said, "Ye Yang Shihoin, you are indeed a rare opponent. Fighting you has given me an unprecedented thrill, a joy I never felt before, not even when I fought her. But I cannot accept defeat like this!"

"Really? Do you have some other moves that I haven't seen before?"

Kenpachi Zanpakuto in front of his chest, muttering, "There's no other way. If I don't go all out in this fight, I might die. Let's try out that Kendo I haven't used in so long!"

"Kendo?" Ye Yang was surprised. "You know about this?"

"I remember when I first joined the Thirteenth Division, I fell into the old man's trap and he actually made me learn that so-called Kendo? Speaking of which, I was really tortured during that time," Kenpachi said with a hint of nostalgia.

Ignoring him, Ye Yang continued, "Besides, this kind of thing doesn't suit my personality, and I also dislike the clichéd name 'Kendo,' so I've never used it. But I've learned a lesson from it: a sword is more powerful when wielded with both hands than with one!"