The Battle with Kenpachi Zaraki Ends
Kenpachi Zaraki stood still, his newly grown arm gripping the hilt of his Zanpakuto tightly, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force. His breathing had not yet fully calmed down, and his chest was still heaving violently, but his crimson eyes had gradually returned to normal, and his raging fury was slowly receding like the tide.
He raised his head, his gaze passing through the six Imperial Guards who had ceased their attack and stood quietly to the side, landing directly on Liu Hao, who sat upright on the Imperial Throne. The rage and agitation from before were gone from his eyes; instead, there was a deep doubt and a complex emotion that was hard to describe.
"How did you know I could already hear it?" Kenpachi Zaraki's voice was low and hoarse, carrying the weariness of someone who had just experienced a fierce battle, and also the dazedness of someone who had just touched upon a new realm.
His gaze shifted from Liu Hao to the Zanpakuto in his hand. The sword lay quietly in his palm, the light on its blade completely subsided, the patterns on the blade were clearly visible, and the hilt felt real and warm to the touch.
He could sense the existence of the knife, not just its physical presence, but a deeper, more spiritual one. He could feel something pulsating within the knife, like a heartbeat, a pulse, a rhythm possessed only by some living being.
This feeling was entirely new and unfamiliar to him, yet strangely familiar, as if he should have had this feeling long ago, only to have been blocked by something for hundreds of years.
Upon hearing Kenpachi Zaraki's question, Liu Hao's lips curled up slightly, revealing a faint smile. There was no arrogance or smugness in that smile, only a calm and matter-of-fact composure.
He spoke slowly, his voice emanating from the Imperial Throne, not loud, yet clearly reaching the ears of everyone present. "Don't forget, you are still within my Bankai domain. Within this domain, nothing can escape my perception."
Kenpachi Zaraki remained silent for a moment upon hearing this answer. He shifted his gaze from his Zanpakuto and returned it to Liu Hao. The confusion and doubt from before were gone from his eyes, replaced by a complex and indescribable emotion—gratitude, resentment, admiration, and even a hint of conviction that he himself was unwilling to admit.
He opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end he just took a deep breath and said something else, "Now you can let go of Yachiru, right?"
Although the tone of his words still carried Kenpachi Zaraki's characteristic roughness and impatience, a closer listen revealed something unusual—a restrained, suppressed concern, a tenderness that he was unwilling to express directly yet could not completely hide.
Kenpachi Zaraki shifted his gaze from Liu Hao to Liu Hao Yachiru Kusajishi, who stood beside him, enveloped in a seven-colored light. The small figure appeared exceptionally serene and peaceful in the light; her eyes were slightly closed, and a faint smile played on her lips, as if she were having a beautiful dream.
Kenpachi Zaraki looked at her, and the concern in his eyes became even more obvious. His hand unconsciously tightened its grip on the hilt of his sword, and his knuckles made a slight "clicking" sound from the force.
Upon hearing Kenpachi Zaraki's words, Liu Hao's smile deepened. He could, of course, discern the concern in Kenpachi Zaraki's tone, the tenderness that he was unwilling to express directly yet could not completely conceal.
This seemingly ruthless and brutal man, who appears to only know how to fight, actually has a soft spot deep inside – that is Yachiru Kusajishi. Yachiru is an extension of his power, a part of his soul, and the embodiment of his deepest desires.
"Okay, that's fine." Liu Hao nodded, his voice carrying a gentle, reassuring power. He slowly raised his hand from the top of Yachiru Kusajishi's head, the movement slow and gentle, as if moving a fragile treasure, as if performing a sacred ritual.
As his hand left, the Yachiru -colored light that had enveloped Yachiru began to slowly dissipate, like the receding tide, like the dissipating morning mist, like the setting sun.
The light gradually faded from Yachiru's body, first from the top of her head, then from her shoulders, then her arms, and finally from her entire body. When the last ray of light disappeared, Yachiru Kusajishi's body swayed slightly, then stood firmly.
Liu Hao looked at Yachiru Kusajishi with tenderness and affection in his eyes. His voice softened, as if speaking to a child, as if soothing a soul in need of care. "From now on, when you undergo Shikai, the Little Deer will no longer return to your body."
The moment those words were spoken, Kenpachi Zaraki's eyes widened sharply. His pupils contracted slightly, and his lips parted slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but ultimately said nothing. He simply stared intently at Liu Hao, waiting for him to continue.
Liu Hao paused for a moment, then continued, his voice carrying a solemn weight, as if it needed to be remembered. "However, after Bankai, she will still return to your body to help you control the power of your Bankai."
Your power is too immense, so immense that your body cannot bear it alone, so immense that your consciousness cannot control it alone. In Bankai state, you will be affected by the power and lose your mind, and your body will collapse because it cannot withstand that power.
At that time, you'll need Little Deer to anchor your soul, helping you control this near-spacetime power. She'll be your anchor, your stabilizer, and the last line of defense for your reason.
Kenpachi Zaraki fell silent. His gaze shifted from Liu Hao to Yachiru Kusajishi. The little girl was standing there, looking at him with her large, bright, jewel-like eyes.
Her face wore that familiar, innocent smile, as if nothing had happened, as if she had just taken a nap, as if her fate had never been altered by any force. But Kenpachi Zaraki knew that everything was different now.
Yachiru's way of being was changed, her connection with him was redefined, and her fate was rewritten.
Kenpachi Zaraki remained silent for a long time, so long that the crowd on the sidelines began to feel uneasy. His gaze lingered on Yachiru for a long time before returning to Liu Hao. His expression became serious, a seriousness different from his usual fanaticism born of battle, but a deeper, more heartfelt solemnity.
"Our battle isn't over yet!!" Kenpachi Zaraki's voice suddenly rang out, carrying a sense of resentment, dissatisfaction, and a complaint as if something good had been interrupted.