The Origin of Yachiru Kusajishi (II)

Ignoring the reactions of the crowd, Liu Hao continued. His voice was calm and firm, as if he were recounting a fact he had witnessed firsthand. "When you were a teenager, during your battle with Captain Unohana, because you were not mature enough, you chose to seal your own power in pursuit of the pleasure of battle."

Kenpachi Zaraki's expression changed. His eyes widened, his mouth slightly open, and the impatience on his face disappeared, replaced by an undisguised shock. He stared at Liu Hao, his lips trembling slightly, as if he wanted to say something but couldn't utter a word.

"Oh? How come I didn't know!" Kenpachi Zaraki's voice carried a hint of panic and denial.

He truly didn't remember performing any sealing. He only knew that ever since that battle, he had longed to encounter such an opponent again, to experience that life-or-death feeling once more. But he never considered that it was because he himself had sealed his own power.

He impatiently brandished his knife, his voice trembling with obvious agitation. "Let's get this fighting started! We can talk about these things after the fight!"

But Liu Hao didn't move. He remained standing there, calmly looking at Kenpachi Zaraki, as if he didn't sense the other's urgency at all.

He continued, his voice carrying an undeniable seriousness. "Be patient. Because if you don't believe me now, you might lose the most important person in your life. Not exactly lose her, but you might never see her in real life again."

These words caused Kenpachi Zaraki to freeze abruptly. His pupils contracted sharply, and he stood frozen in place as if struck by an invisible bolt of lightning.

He involuntarily turned his head and glanced at Yachiru Kusajishi. The small figure was standing not far away, those big eyes looking at him with an indescribable emotion in them. There was worry, confusion, and a hint of fear in those emotions.

Kenpachi Zaraki whirled around, staring at Liu Hao, his voice laced with anger and a hint of fear he himself didn't realize. "Stop playing tricks!!"

Before he finished speaking, his body had already shot out like an arrow. His speed was astonishing; the ten-meter distance seemed to disappear in an instant. He raised his Zanpakuto high, its blade gleaming with a cold light, and then slashed down fiercely. The power of that strike was enough to split a small mountain in two.

However, Liu Hao simply raised his left hand casually. His movement appeared slow and casual, as if he were merely raising his hand to shield his eyes from the sun. But this seemingly ordinary hand firmly grasped the blade the instant Kenpachi Zaraki's blade fell.

"Clang--"

The sound of metal clashing echoed in the empty space, making everyone's eardrums buzz. Kenpachi Zaraki's Zanpakuto was firmly gripped by Liu Hao's left hand, unable to move forward an inch. Where Liu Hao's palm touched the blade, there was no blood, no wound, only an incomprehensible solidity.

Liu Hao looked at Kenpachi Zaraki, who was standing close at hand, his gaze remaining calm. A gentle smile played on his lips as he spoke slowly, his voice soft yet clear enough to reach Kenpachi Zaraki's ears. "Captain Zaraki, don't make a decision you'll regret because of your recklessness."

Kenpachi Zaraki was stunned. He felt his sword being firmly locked by an irresistible force, unable to move forward or backward. He stared at Liu Hao, the anger in his eyes gradually fading, replaced by a complex emotion.

He withdrew his Zanpakuto, took a few steps back, and distanced himself from Liu Hao. His breathing became somewhat rapid, his chest heaving, but the fighting spirit in his eyes did not diminish in the slightest.

"Hmph—" Kenpachi Zaraki snorted coldly, his voice carrying both resentment and a hint of compromise. He Zanpakuto back over his shoulder, looked at Liu Hao, and said, "Then tell me, let me hear what tricks you're playing."

Liu Hao withdrew his left hand and stood still. He took a deep breath, then spoke slowly, his voice calm and solemn. His gaze shifted back and forth between Kenpachi Zaraki and Yachiru Kusajishi, as if he were telling a story that was intimately connected to both of them:

"Captain Zaraki, after you sealed your power, it naturally grew along with you. Because your power was too immense, it followed your heart... longing for someone to stand shoulder to shoulder with you, longing for someone to understand you, longing for someone named Yachiru to be by your side... So, carrying a part of your soul, it separated from your body. However, the separated power was not much, so it only formed into an infant. When you saw her, you named her Yachiru."

The moment those words were spoken, the entire space seemed to freeze. Everyone froze, their gazes involuntarily turning to Yachiru Kusajishi.

Kenpachi Zaraki's eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at Liu Hao, then at Yachiru Kusajishi. His lips trembled slightly, and his expression shifted from shock to confusion, then to an indescribable complexity.

He never imagined that Yachiru's origins were like this. He had always thought that Yachiru was just an ordinary child, a child who appeared in his life by chance.

He named her, made her follow him, and made her his Vice-Captain —all of this seemed perfectly natural to him. But now, Liu Hao was telling him that Yachiru was a part of his power? A part of his soul?

Yachiru Kusajishi stood there, her small body trembling slightly. Gone was her usual innocent smile; replaced by an indescribable emotion.

Tears welled in her large eyes, but they didn't fall. She looked at Kenpachi Zaraki with affection, reluctance, and a hint of fear in her gaze. She didn't know what Liu Hao meant by what he said, but she vaguely sensed that something was changing.

Everyone else looked at Yachiru Kusajishi in disbelief. Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto frowned, his gaze lingering on Yachiru for a long time.

Retsu Unohana's expression remained calm, but something flickered slightly in her deep eyes.

Isane Kotetsu covered her mouth, her eyes filled with shock. Ichigo Kurosaki, on the other hand, looked bewildered, seemingly not yet fully understanding what Liu Hao's words meant.