South District 80 was poorer and more terrifying still. Those who came here were all seeking death. They never bothered to look for food or grow crops; they only robbed others.
The situation here was far more complicated than Rei had imagined. Fallen nobles came to increase their strength, while exiles were forbidden to return to the Seireitei for all eternity.
Resentment, longing, corruption—all manner of emotions intertwined to form this contradictory Soul Society. Some found this world rich and colorful, while others found it unbearably dull...
Most of those who found it unbearably dull felt that way because their senses could not be satisfied. The young man here was one such person. He had wandered for hundreds of years without encountering a suitable opponent.
He had lowered the Reiatsu he unconsciously released again and again, yet still had not met anyone he could call an opponent. He had even traveled in a great circle from his birthplace in District 80 of North Rukongai to District 80 of South Rukongai, all in search of an opponent...
"Tch, this is unbearably boring. Is there really no one who can even cut me?"
The young man stood over two meters tall. He had no eyebrows, a ferocious face, and a scar on his left cheek. Besides his Reiatsu, a terrifyingly murderous aura surrounded him.
"Hahahaha, of course! Kenny's just too strong!"
The little pink-haired girl, however, was in an exceptionally good mood and laughed without stopping.
A light breeze blew in, and a considerable surge of Reiatsu appeared not far away. The young man, who had found the passing time so dull, instantly perked up.
"Oh! Someone strong has shown up. Yachiru, let's go."
"Mm, you're really happy, Kenny!"
"Of course. You don't run into someone with Reiatsu like that every day."
"Let's go!"
The fierce-looking young man was full of excitement, like a child who had found a favorite toy. Once the little pink-haired girl had climbed onto his shoulder, he quickly headed toward his target.
This was Kenpachi Zaraki, a name that would become famous in later generations. Originally a man with no name, he had taken "Zaraki" from Zaraki District as his surname and Kenpachi as his given name.
The little girl was named Yachiru Kusajishi. Kenpachi Zaraki had suddenly come across her during his wanderings and given her that name. "Yachiru" was the name of the person Kenpachi Zaraki admired most...
Rei was currently in a dilapidated village. There had been over thirty people with Reiryoku here, clearly an armed group that had occupied the village. He had slaughtered them all and finished devouring their Reiryoku.
"My Reiatsu is completely ready. Next, I'll train my Bankai. Blood Drink, are you ready?"
Rei's expression was solemn as he spoke to himself. His Reiatsu had fully reached Captain-level, which delighted him.
But he also knew full well that he still could not use Bankai or Kidō. If he fought a Captain-level opponent to the death, he would surely be no match for them yet.
"Train your Bankai? Don't make me laugh. You think you can use Bankai with that little Reiatsu? Rei, don't tell me you can't even see that. If you try to force it, you could die a very miserable death."
Blood Drink had naturally heard Rei and answered him arrogantly, his tone full of contempt.
Not enough? Of the two captains Rei had met, Kuchiki Ginrei's Reiatsu was undoubtedly weaker than Kuruyashiki Kenpachi's. Rei's own Reiatsu might not be as condensed as Kuchiki Ginrei's, but it was definitely not much weaker.
Yet even with this much Reiatsu, he still could not train his Bankai. Rei was genuinely shocked for a moment. Then he grinned foolishly. That also meant his Bankai was powerful, far more powerful than normal.
As Rei spoke with Blood Drink, a powerful surge of Reiatsu came from afar, making even the current Rei's hair stand on end. He had killed plenty of people and carried a heavy murderous aura, but compared with this one, it fell far short.
There was no other life left in the dilapidated village. Rei's Reiatsu was like a beacon in the night, guiding Kenpachi Zaraki forward.
When Kenpachi Zaraki reached the village, he saw that his target had neither moved nor fled. He slowed to a walk, and the smell of blood filling the village excited him immensely.
Before Kenpachi Zaraki stood a young man a head shorter than him, perhaps a hundred and seventy-something centimeters tall. He had short black hair, ink-dark eyes, and a handsome face... But Kenpachi cared about none of that. All he cared about was whether this person could fight, whether he was strong...
"Yo, hello. You're strong. I came here specifically to fight you."
Kenpachi Zaraki's opening was simple. Smiling, he stated his purpose outright.
In Rei's eyes, Kenpachi Zaraki's aura was more like that of a bloodthirsty beast. His strange, heavily notched Zanpakuto had been through who knew how many battles.
"Yeah, I've been looking for strong opponents too, hoping to use their strength to become stronger myself."
Rei was used to people like this. Compared with those who attacked without warning, this scar-faced giant was already very polite.
"Yachiru, stand back." After saying this to the little pink-haired girl beside him, Kenpachi Zaraki turned back to Rei. "Nice to meet you. I'm Kenpachi Zaraki. Tell me your name too, and then let's begin!"
"Kenpachi Zaraki?"
After repeating the name, Rei felt ten thousand alpacas galloping through his mind. He had never seen this person in the anime, but his classmates often brought him up when they met to watch it.
In particular, there was the story of Kenpachi Zaraki and the First Kenpachi. Rei had happened to listen closely to that one. Supposedly, this man was the strongest Kenpachi in history and a monstrously powerful fighter in the Gotei 13.
He's still wandering now, so he isn't the eleventh Kenpachi yet. His strength shouldn't have reached its peak either. I might not lose...
In an instant, Rei recalled all sorts of information about him: how he grew stronger the longer he fought, how he couldn't release his Zanpakuto until the First Kenpachi taught him, and so on...
"Hey, say something! Does keeping quiet mean we can start?"
After Rei murmured his name, he fell silent for more than ten seconds, and Kenpachi Zaraki grew impatient.
"My name is Nangong Ling. Supposedly, there can only be one Kenpachi in an era. You gave yourself that title, didn't you? Slaughter on a whim—Blood Drink... Come on!"
Rei immediately released his Shikai and held his sword across his body. His Reiatsu rose another level. He had not used Shikai against the people with awakened Reiryoku he had just killed, nor had he absorbed their blood.
Now their blood, which had yet to dry, came in handy. It flowed without end into Blood Drink's blood gauge, and his Reiatsu was released in full.
"Ha, a Zanpakuto's Shikai? Didn't expect you to have that up your sleeve. What incredible Reiatsu... I call myself Kenpachi because I think I'm the strongest!"
Kenpachi Zaraki also released his Reiatsu at full power and charged at Rei in excitement. Their blades collided, unleashing a terrifying gale of Reiatsu.
Clang, clang, clang!
Both wielded their swords in one hand. After several clashes, the Reiatsu gales they unleashed flattened the few remaining buildings in the dilapidated village and toppled the dead trees in the distance.
Rei was now releasing his power in full, and his Reiatsu was considerably stronger than Kenpachi Zaraki's. He held the absolute advantage. His sword tip sliced across Kenpachi Zaraki's chest, sending blood spraying.
The pain, which he had not felt in so long, made Kenpachi Zaraki's smile falter. Then he burst into even more terrifying laughter...
"Hahahahaha! How many years has it been? I've finally met someone who can cut me again. I'm... so happy!"
After his wild laughter, Kenpachi Zaraki charged at Rei again. This slash erupted with greater force, pushing Rei back two steps as he blocked it.
Squelch!
They clashed again. Rei knocked Kenpachi Zaraki's Zanpakuto aside and slashed his thigh. Neither stopped this time. Their blades collided several more times, leaving a few more minor wounds on Kenpachi Zaraki.
What's with this guy? It's only slight... but he feels like he's getting harder and harder.
Rei was right. As their slashes continued to clash, Kenpachi Zaraki was unconsciously adjusting his own strength. That was his fighting instinct: it made him adjust his Reiatsu to a level that would ideally let him enjoy the fight to the fullest.
Kenpachi Zaraki was not wearing an eyepatch at this time either. By rights, he should have been stronger, but he had encountered nothing but weaklings for so long that he had gradually lowered his Reiatsu to a very, very low level. Only now, with Rei as his opponent, was he gradually returning to form.
This was an instinct Kenpachi Zaraki could not consciously control. For the sake of battle, his body would unconsciously lower his Reiatsu to match a weak opponent, then slowly raise it during a fight against an expert...
Clang! Squelch!
On the next exchange, Kenpachi Zaraki knocked Rei's greatsword aside and cut his left shoulder, but the wound healed in an instant.
The blood gauge on the blade had just lost more than half its fill to heal him when it suddenly filled up again.
That was because Kenpachi Zaraki's blood contained so much Reishi. As long as Blood Drink cut him, its blood gauge would never empty completely.
"You healed? Interesting... Looks like I can enjoy this a little longer. Haha, hahaha..."
Seeing Rei's wound heal, Kenpachi Zaraki grew even more excited. He raised his notched sword and thrust repeatedly, stabbing Rei in the stomach.
Kenpachi Zaraki had also stirred Rei's desire for blood. After slashing him once more, Rei grabbed his sword with his left hand, intending to sever his neck with a single blow.
Unexpectedly, Kenpachi Zaraki was just as ruthless. He too caught the enormous Blood Drink in his left hand and used his height advantage to smash his head into Rei's. The impact split both their heads open, leaving blood streaming and their vision swimming.
"Don't underestimate me!"
Seeing Kenpachi Zaraki about to headbutt him again, Rei drew back a little to gather force and met him head-on.
Bang!
The impact rang out. Gales of Reiatsu scattered in every direction, and the ground split apart. Both men were blasted back more than ten meters, blood spraying from the arms whose hands had gripped the other's blade.
Rei's left hand and shattered skull quickly healed. The blood gauge on his sword emptied, then filled again. Across from him, Kenpachi Zaraki's wounds had not healed, but his Reiatsu had risen yet another level.
Rei steadied himself and swung a Blood-Coagulating Slash at Kenpachi Zaraki, but as it neared him, it was shattered by his devil-like golden Reiatsu, which shot straight into the sky...
"Kenny's having the time of his life!"
Beneath the full force of Kenpachi Zaraki's and Rei's Reiatsu, their only spectator, Yachiru Kusajishi, was like a child basking in a spring breeze, her face full of contentment and joy. Perhaps she was happy for Kenpachi Zaraki!
At the mouth of a cave on a barren mountain not far away, several Ragged Hollows had come out to sneak a look at the battlefield, only to be crushed to death by the two men's Reiatsu.
Farther away, groups formed by those seeking death were so frightened by the two surges of Reiatsu that they kept retreating, not daring to approach.