The God-Slaying Strike-Moon's End

"What?"

Lille Barro tilted his head, somewhat unable to process it.

"You, whose every bit of power was bestowed by Yhwach, can never understand..."

Unohana Retsu released the sleeve blade in her left hand, then gripped the blood blade Minazuki with both hands and assumed the most basic stance—the very essence of Zanjutsu.

Just like an apprentice who had only begun learning Zanjutsu, yet it radiated ultimate sharpness and perfect natural grace.

"As an ordinary soul from Rukongai, no one bestowed any power upon me. Every bit of my strength was comprehended through repeated battles to the death against powerful enemies..."

"To you, defeating opponents weaker than yourself is only natural. But to me, cutting off the heads of enemies stronger than myself is daily life—the only thing worthy of being called a true fight to the death!"

"Unfortunately, those battles that brought me supreme exhilaration came to an abrupt end a thousand years ago, because... I had already become the strongest in Zanjutsu. Looking in every direction, there was no longer an enemy worth fighting."

Unohana Retsu calmly stated each word, but in Lille Barro's eyes, the presence emanating from her seemed as though something was awakening.

The next moment, Unohana Retsu's eyes, which had been peacefully lowered all this time, suddenly flew wide open. Her waterfall-like hair scattered violently as she spoke.

"And now, I have found my enjoyment again!"

"There is nothing my blade cannot reach...!"

All at once, Lille Barro understood what had felt wrong throughout the previous battle.

The Unohana Retsu of legend had been an unprecedented great villain a thousand years ago, obsessively pursuing slaughter. She had been a bloody existence like an evil demon hanging over the entire Soul Society.

Yet just now, no matter how terrifying Unohana Retsu's aura and killing intent