A Public Appearance in the Seireitei

Liu Hao continued, "The problem is, that person's fighting style isn't the straightforward kind that Little Kenpachi likes. He uses all sorts of techniques and tactics to make it so that Little Kenpachi can't hit anything, or what he hits isn't even a real object."

"I see," Yachiru Kusajishi, squatting to the side with her chin resting on her hands, looking thoughtful. "That's really not very interesting. Little Kenpachi will definitely hate it; he despises those roundabout battles."

The two chatted for a while longer, then quieted down and continued watching the battle between Kenpachi Zaraki and Ichigo Kurosaki below.

The battle had reached a fever pitch. Kenpachi Zaraki, with his overwhelming power and battle instincts, completely suppressed Ichigo Kurosaki. In every exchange, Ichigo Kurosaki was at a disadvantage, constantly inflicting new wounds on his body. Kenpachi Zaraki, was like a predator enjoying its prey, reveling in the thrill of the battle.

When Ichigo Kurosaki was stabbed through the abdomen by Kenpachi Zaraki and fell heavily to the ground, Yachiru Kusajishi to look at Liu Hao and found that there was no surprise on his face.

"Little Hao, aren't you surprised?" Yachiru Kusajishi asked curiously.

"Not surprising," Liu Hao replied calmly. "If he didn't have the strength, how could we have let him come to Soul Society to rescue people? This battle is simply part of his growth."

Yachiru Kusajishi pressed on, "So, Little Hao, do you think Little Ichi can win this battle?"

"That's hard to say," Liu Hao analyzed honestly. "After all, Little Kenpachi is also very strong. The main purpose of this battle is to allow Little Ichi to train and adapt to his own power more. Victory or defeat itself is not the most important thing."

"Aren't you afraid that Little Ichi will die in battle?" Yachiru Kusajishi asked a crucial question.

Liu Hao smiled, a confident smile on his face, "No. Little Kenpachi just likes fighting, not killing. He won't easily kill Little Ichi; at most, it'll be an accident. I'm here to prevent Little Ichi from being accidentally killed."

"Alright." Yachiru Kusajishi accepted the explanation and turned her attention back to the battlefield.

Just then, the situation on the field changed. Ichigo Kurosaki, who had fallen to the ground, struggled to his feet again, and his Reiatsu began to rise rapidly, as if a switch had been flipped. That Reiatsu contained a primal, violent power, yet it was forcibly controlled by some kind of will.

"The outcome is about to be decided," Liu Hao said softly.

Both of them saw that Kenpachi Zaraki and Ichigo Kurosaki were gathering all their strength. There were no fancy techniques, no complicated tactics, only the purest clash of power.

The two charged at each other simultaneously, their Zanpakuto unleashing a devastating attack that seemed to tear through space itself.

Boom--!

The collision of the two forces generated a visible shockwave that shattered the surrounding buildings and filled the entire battlefield with smoke and dust.

Liu Hao and Yachiru Kusajishi jumped down from their hiding place at the same time, landing behind the two of them.

As the smoke and dust gradually dissipated, the scene in the center of the battlefield was revealed. Ichigo Kurosaki and Kenpachi Zaraki were both standing, but their bodies were covered with terrible wounds.

Ichigo Kurosaki managed to say "Sorry," then swayed and collapsed heavily to the ground.

Almost simultaneously, Kenpachi Zaraki, watching his fallen figure, grinned and said, "Idiot, you won." Then he too collapsed.

Yachiru Kusajishi quickly approached Kenpachi Zaraki and knelt down to examine his injuries. Although the wounds looked terrible, they were not fatal for a strong fighter like Kenpachi Zaraki. She easily hoisted Kenpachi Zaraki onto her shoulder—her petite frame contrasting sharply with her burly Captain.

Then, she turned to Ichigo Kurosaki, smiled, and said, "Thank you, Little Ichi, for making Little Kenpachi so happy."

After saying that, she looked at Liu Hao: "I've left with Little Kenpachi, what about you?"

"Little Deer, wait a moment before you go," Liu Hao said. "I'll give Little Kenpachi some emergency treatment first. He won't die, but if he doesn't get timely treatment, it might leave lasting problems."

"Alright." Yachiru Kusajishi agreed and gently laid Kenpachi Zaraki back flat on the ground.

Liu Hao walked to Kenpachi Zaraki's side and gently placed the Imperial Sword on his wound. The sword emitted a soft, milky-white light, shining on Kenpachi Zaraki. Wherever the light touched, the wound quickly stopped bleeding, and the damaged muscle tissue began to heal at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Although this is only an emergency treatment and far from a complete cure, it at least ensures that Kenpachi Zaraki does not worsen before he receives formal treatment.

After stopping the bleeding, Liu Hao sheathed his sword and stood up. "Little Deer, take Little Kenpachi and leave. I'm taking Little Ichi with me too. There will be many people here later, and I can't show myself yet."

"Okay, thank you, Little Hao." Yachiru Kusajishi replied with a smile, picked up Kenpachi Zaraki again, and disappeared into the night with a few leaps.

Liu Hao turned to look at Ichigo Kurosaki lying on the ground and sighed, "Yoruichi, come out already. How long are you going to hide?"

Yoruichi Shihōin leaped out of the shadows, reverting to her Black Cat form. "You can take them with you. Why did you call me? There are two reckless guys up there who went to rescue people. I have to go check on them and make sure they don't get killed."

She was referring to Uryū Ishida and Orihime Inoue, who were elsewhere trying to rescue their other companions.

"Alright." Yoruichi Shihōin, seeing that Liu Hao showed no sign of leaving, asked in confusion, "Why aren't you leaving yet?"

Liu Hao's eyes darted around, and he touched his nose. "Um... I've never seen you transform before, I'd like to see."

"Get lost!" Yoruichi Shihōin shouted at him irritably.

Liu Hao shrugged and slunk away. He knew Yoruichi could handle Ichigo Kurosaki's situation, but he had other missions to complete.

After leaving the battlefield, Liu Hao rushed to the White Tower —the place where Rukia Kuchiki was imprisoned. When he arrived, he saw Hanatarō Yamada and Ganju Shiba nervously preparing to rescue Rukia.

The two men moved clumsily and frantically, clearly inexperienced rookies. Liu Hao couldn't help but speak up, "Are you two rookies planning to take her away like this?"

Upon hearing this, Hanatarō Yamada and Ganju Shiba were startled and quickly turned around, only to see Liu Hao standing at the door, looking at them with a half-smile.

Rukia Kuchiki heard the sound and looked towards the door. When she saw Liu Hao, her eyes widened slightly. "So it was you!"

Liu Hao was stunned for a moment. "What? It was me all along?"

"You were here a few days ago," Rukia said definitively. "Although I was knocked unconscious, seeing you today confirms it—you were the one who knocked me out that day."

Liu Hao smiled wryly, "You're really perceptive. I came here that day to take something from you, and I knocked you unconscious so as not to alert you, but I didn't expect you to still find out."

"What is it?" Rukia pressed.

"I'll talk to you for now," Liu Hao waved his hand. "I'm taking these two rookies with me. See you in a few days."

"Hey!" Ganju Shiba couldn't help but shout at Liu Hao, "Aren't you being a bit too arrogant by ignoring me like this!"

Liu Hao glanced at him sideways. "Even your brother wouldn't dare talk to me like that back then."

"Damn it!" Ganju Shiba was enraged. "My brother is the Vice-Captain! You're just a former Fifth Seat, and you're acting so arrogant!"

Liu Hao laughed dismissively, "Back when I beat up your brother, he was the Vice-Captain, and I was just an ordinary member."

"You're talking nonsense!" Ganju Shiba roared, clearly not believing him.

But Rukia Kuchiki thoughtfully continued, "So, after that, you stepped down as the Third Seat and switched to internal affairs, right?"

The "senpai" she was referring to was Shiba Miyako, Kaien Shiba's wife and Ganju Shiba's sister-in-law. Many years ago, Shiba Miyako indeed transfer from a combat position to the internal affairs department, which has always been a mystery within the Gotei 13.

Liu Hao didn't answer directly, but simply said, "Alright, let's not waste any more time, we should go. It'll be troublesome if we get cornered later."

Before the three could react, he grabbed Hanatarō Yamada and Ganju Shiba, one in each hand, and dragged them out of the White Tower like kittens.

However, they hadn't gone far from the White Tower when a figure blocked their way on a bridge.

The man was wearing the haori of the Squad Six Captain, his expression as cold as ice—it was Byakuya Kuchiki.

Liu Hao tossed Ganju Shiba aside in dissatisfaction, complaining, "See? We got blocked! It's all your fault for wasting time!"

Byakuya Kuchiki watched Liu Hao's actions silently, without saying a word, simply standing there like an insurmountable barrier.

Liu Hao forced a smile and tried to negotiate, "Captain Kuchiki, look, these two reckless guys couldn't even rescue Rukia. Give me the honor of letting them leave, okay?"

Byakuya Kuchiki replied expressionlessly, "A traitor to Soul Society has no right to ask for face from me."

"How heartless," Liu Hao shook his head helplessly. "I helped you out, after all, and you don't even remember our past kindness."

"You talk too much nonsense." Byakuya Kuchiki said coldly, and then his figure suddenly disappeared.

Shunpo!

Liu Hao reacted just as quickly, dodging the fatal stab the instant Byakuya Kuchiki appeared behind him. At the same time, he drew his Imperial Sword from his waist and slashed at Byakuya Kuchiki with a backhand.

Byakuya Kuchiki raised his Zanpakuto clashed, producing a crisp metallic clang. Their powers clashed in mid-air, and the collision of their Reiatsu distorted the surrounding air.

"You really don't hold back," Liu Hao said, a hint of mockery in his voice. "Using 'Senka' right off the bat, are you trying to cripple me?"

"Senka" is Byakuya Kuchiki's signature technique, combining the essence of Shunpo and Hakuda, specifically designed to disable an opponent's fighting abilities.

"So what?" Byakuya Kuchiki's voice remained icy. "Do you think you can leave here today?"

Liu Hao suddenly stepped back, creating distance between himself and Byakuya Kuchiki, and at the same time raised his hand to unleash a bolt of Byakurai. The blinding white light tore through the night and shot straight toward Byakuya Kuchiki.

Byakuya Kuchiki swiftly formed hand seals. "Bakudō Number Thirty-Nine, Enkōsen!"

A circular Reishi shield unfolded before him, blocking the Byakurai's attack. Lightning exploded on the shield, crackling and popping, but it did not penetrate the defense.

The two faced off again, and the atmosphere became even more tense. Hanatarō Yamada and Ganju Shiba watched this Captain-level duel from a distance, their tension palpable. They could feel the terrifying Reiatsu emanating from the two, a pressure they had never experienced in previous battles.

"It seems your strength has improved considerably over the past few years," Byakuya Kuchiki commented, slightly raising the Senbonzakura in his hand.

"Likewise," Liu Hao replied, his Imperial Sword gleaming coldly in the moonlight. "However, I really don't have time to play with you today. These two little ones need to leave safely, Rukia's matter isn't over yet."

"Then let them stay," Byakuya Kuchiki said. "You can leave; I won't stop you."

This proposal surprised Liu Hao. He hadn't expected Byakuya Kuchiki to make such a condition—to spare him, the "traitor," and leave only Hanatarō Yamada and Ganju Shiba.

But Liu Hao shook his head. "I'm sorry, I can't do that. They were entrusted to me by my friends, and I must ensure their safety."

"Then there's nothing more to say." Byakuya Kuchiki said no more, and slowly raised Senbonzakura.

Battle is imminent.

Liu Hao took a deep breath and adjusted his state. He knew that against an opponent like Byakuya Kuchiki, any underestimation of his opponent would be fatal. Moreover, he had to end the battle before the other Soul Reaper arrived, otherwise the situation would become even more complicated.

The night wind blew across the bridge, lifting the hems of their clothes. Under the moonlight, the two Zanpakuto reflected a cold light.

The distant alarm bells grew closer; reinforcements from various units were on their way. Time was running out.

Liu Hao gripped the Imperial Sword tightly and made a decision—he had to end this battle quickly.