The Origin of Yachiru Kusajishi (Part One)
After the duel between Liu Hao and Kenpachi Zaraki was officially confirmed, Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai led Liu Hao and Kenpachi Zaraki to the Muken, designating it as their battlefield.
The Muken is a place devoid of sunlight, wind, and the breath of life; only endless darkness and deathly silence remain. The space here is reinforced by layers of seals, preventing even Captain-level Reiatsu from leaking out.
For this reason, this is also the ideal place for the highest-level battles, without affecting the Soul Society, harming innocent people, or causing unnecessary panic. Accompanying them are Retsu Unohana, Retsu Unohana Yachiru Kusajishi, Isane Kotetsu, and Ichigo Kurosaki.
They arrived at the Muken. It was a huge circular space, with the walls covered with densely packed sealing runes that emitted a faint blue light.
In the center of the space was a vast, flat area paved with a special black stone, hard and smooth. There were no windows or light sources, but the faint light emitted by the sealing runes was enough for everyone to see everything clearly.
An ancient and profound atmosphere permeated the air, as if this place had existed for hundreds of millions of years and witnessed countless historical changes.
Liu Hao and Kenpachi Zaraki walked to the center of the arena and stood facing each other. The distance between the two was about ten meters, which was just a step away for Soul Reaper.
Liu Hao stood there, upright and calm, with his hands hanging naturally at his sides, as if he were about to face just an ordinary training session, not a life-or-death duel.
Kenpachi Zaraki hand, was completely different. He leaned forward slightly, exuding a wild fighting spirit, like a beast about to pounce on its prey.
The others retreated to the edge of the field, standing in a relatively safe position.
Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto leaned on his cane, his gaze calm as he looked at the two people in the room.
Retsu Unohana stood beside him, her expression calm, but a certain indescribable light flickered in her deep eyes.
Yachiru Kusajishi stood not far behind Kenpachi Zaraki. Her face no longer held its usual innocent smile; instead, it bore a solemnity incongruous with her age.
Isane Kotetsu clenched his hands nervously, his gaze shifting back and forth between Liu Hao and Kenpachi Zaraki.
Ichigo Kurosaki crossed his arms, his expression serious; he was ready to intervene at any moment.
Kenpachi Zaraki couldn't wait any longer. He reached for his Zanpakuto at his waist and drew it out with a swift motion. The sword was undecorated, its blade riddled with serrated notches, looking like a piece of scrap metal ravaged by countless battles.
But everyone knew that the sword's power far exceeded its appearance. Kenpachi Zaraki, sword slung over his shoulder, wore his signature wild smile, his voice brimming with barely suppressed excitement. "Let's begin! I can't wait!"
His voice echoed in the empty space, carrying a chilling sense of oppression. His gaze was fixed on Liu Hao, as if he wanted to devour the young man whole. His Reiatsu had begun to leak out uncontrollably, and a heavy pressure filled the air.
However, Liu Hao did not draw his sword to fight as Kenpachi Zaraki had expected. He stood there, calmly looking at Kenpachi Zaraki with a composed smile on his face. He spoke slowly, his voice not loud, but clearly reaching everyone's ears. "Before the fight, I have something to tell you."
Kenpachi Zaraki frowned. A hint of impatience flashed across his face, but he didn't lower his sword. He looked at Liu Hao, waiting for him to continue. His body swayed slightly, as if he might rush out at any moment.
"What is it?" Kenpachi Zaraki took his Zanpakuto off his shoulder, the tip pointing to the ground, his voice clearly impatient. "Speak quickly, so we can start fighting! I'm not here to listen to your stories!"
Liu Hao looked at Kenpachi Zaraki, his gaze filled with an indescribable gentleness. He took a deep breath, then slowly spoke, his voice calm and solemn, each word clear and distinct. "I don't know if you've noticed your own situation."
Kenpachi Zaraki's brows furrowed even deeper. He looked down at himself, then looked up at Liu Hao with a puzzled expression. His face was full of impatience, but Liu Hao's tone made him feel an inexplicable unease.
"What's wrong with me?" Kenpachi Zaraki's voice carried a hint of wariness and confusion. He had never felt there was anything wrong with him; his body had always been healthy, his strength had been steadily increasing, and his battles had continued. What was Liu Hao talking about?
Liu Hao's gaze deepened. He looked at Kenpachi Zaraki as if trying to see through his appearance to the depths of his soul.
His voice became low and slow, each word carrying the weight of careful consideration. "Your own power is too strong, so strong that once you release it, even your own body cannot withstand it."
These words exploded like a bomb in everyone's hearts. Kenpachi Zaraki great? So great that even his own body couldn't withstand it? How could that be? Kenpachi Zaraki was one of the strongest Soul Reaper in the Gotei 13; his body had been tempered by countless battles. How could he possibly be unable to withstand his own power?
Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto and Retsu Unohana frowned almost simultaneously. These two most senior figures in Soul Society exchanged a glance, both seeing the same doubt in each other's eyes.
They had known Kenpachi Zaraki for a long time, and they had witnessed his growth and the expansion of his power. But they had never imagined that Kenpachi Zaraki's power would be so strong that even their own bodies could not withstand it.
Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto's gaze grew even more serious as he stared at Liu Hao, waiting for him to continue.
Retsu Unohana's expression remained calm, but something flickered slightly in her deep eyes. She remembered the battle from many years ago, and the young, crazy, and fearless Kenpachi Zaraki.