Wonderful Friendship Began with Blood

Even though the Seireitei's alert level had been raised to the highest level, Zaraki District, District 80 of Northern Rukongai, remained the same hellish place it had always been.

Chaotic and lawless, the ronin and swordsmen on the streets carried blades over their shoulders, their expressions fierce, as though they might erupt into a bloody brawl at any moment.

Uchiha Yato and Kaien Shiba walked side by side, their clothing perfectly suited to Zaraki District's atmosphere. They looked like no one to be trifled with.

"If that guy was so strong, why didn't he go to Shin'ō Academy?" Kaien Shiba had a blade of grass between his lips, looking more uninhibited than usual.

"Wouldn't it be good to receive a proper education and become part of the Gotei 13?"

This book was first released on Tiantian Kan Novels. Its vast collection and practical features provided an error-free, properly ordered reading experience.

"Because Shin'ō Academy doesn't let people chop others up whenever they want." Yato grinned.

"Kaien, I came from District 62 of Eastern Rukongai. Though it's far from here, stories about that man are told where I come from as well—he took slaughter for pleasure and battle for sustenance. He couldn't go a single day without seeing blood."

"Sounds like a pretty troublesome fellow."

"Yeah. Once we meet him, we might have to fight him first."

"What's his name?"

"Nameless. Everyone just calls him Zaraki."

"Tch..." Kaien's handsome face seemed somewhat hesitant, but he ultimately made up his mind and spoke solemnly.

"Yato, let me make this clear first. Even if he's willing to help, we can't send him to his death for nothing, much less use him as bait. He may be a savage from Zaraki District, but protecting the Seireitei is ultimately the responsibility of us Soul Reapers."

Uchiha Yato was briefly taken aback, then agreed.

Being around someone like Kaien Shiba was actually very reassuring.

He was upright in conduct and open in his actions. He possessed the pride of both a great noble and a Soul Reaper. He might not have been some moral saint, but at the very least, Yato never had to worry about Kaien Shiba stabbing him in the back.

The two chatted as they walked, traveling farther and farther.

Finding a beast born for battle like this was not difficult. Wherever things were more chaotic and noisy, wherever bloodshed was happening, there was a good chance they would find the person they sought.

When the sun rose to its highest point, Yato and Kaien arrived on a certain street.

One of Zaraki District's most common kinds of slaughter was taking place there.

No one could tell how many groups were fighting. The spectators could only see blood spraying, teeth shattering, and screams mixing with roars into a chilling symphony.

A man and a girl sat quietly beneath the shade of a nearby tree, watching the battle with bored expressions.

The man had disheveled hair and a huge, muscular frame. A scar ran through his left eye, and viciousness seemed to radiate from him naturally, as if a savage beast had taken human form.

The girl, meanwhile, was adorable as a doll, with a natural blush on her cheeks and exceptionally cute pink hair.

"Is that him?" Kaien Shiba's pupils constricted. Even from afar, a single glance made him feel a trembling sensation that nearly pierced his skin.

"This guy really is strong! Yato, should we go now...?"

"That's right, Kaien. It's time for us to ask for his help."

"Fine. I'll reveal our identities and speak to him openly."

"There's no need for that, Kaien." Yato grinned wickedly as his eyes turned scarlet in an instant.

"For wild beasts, claws and fangs are the best means of communication."

The tips of his feet touched the ground, and his Reiatsu erupted, stamping a shallow crater into the spot.

Scarlet Eye left its sheath. As he charged forward, power gathered at the blade's edge.

With the Sharingan's superb dynamic vision assisting him, even at such tremendous speed, Scarlet Eye's blade did not deviate by even a tenth of a millimeter.

Yato's voice remained where he had stood. When he appeared again, he had already charged right in front of Zaraki!

Bang!

Yato's Soul-Cutter Sword hacked into the man's shoulder.

He had used so much force that even the tree Zaraki had been leaning against snapped apart. Branches flew dozens of meters away, smashing houses down.

Yet the strike that could have severed a Menos Grande's spine lodged in Zaraki's shoulder blade. It could not advance another inch, nor could it be pulled free.

"Ah..." Yachiru Kusajishi suddenly beamed brightly, her expression innocent and cheerful.

"Someone came to make friends with you. Aren't you happy, Little Wood?"

Zaraki did not answer Yachiru.

Because immense pleasure and exhilaration filled his heart.

He could smell his own blood. He could feel the pain of the other man's blade cutting into his body.

That scent drove him mad.

That pain intoxicated him.

That's right, this feeling, this feeling...

"KILL AHHHHH!"

Zaraki let out a roar like a savage beast. The muscles in his shoulder tensed in an instant, locking Scarlet Eye even more firmly in place.

The next moment, he swung his right arm, bringing his uneven-bladed Soul-Cutter Sword down viciously at Yato.

Even before it reached him, Yato could feel the overwhelming power contained in that blow. It had no Zanjutsu supporting it, only the most primal and ferocious slash!

The six-pointed Mangekyo spun rapidly in his eyes. As a Soul Reaper with illusion abilities, no one understood better than Yato what the best response was at that moment.

—First, use an illusion to disrupt the accuracy of his strike. Then dodge to the side and widen the distance before unleashing Amaterasu to kite him from range!

There was no doubt that this was the perfect strategy for dealing with an enemy.

But Yato had no intention of using it.

He had not come here to fight this madman Zaraki, nor did he need to determine who lived or died.

He needed to persuade Zaraki to go with him and Kaien Shiba to deal with the possible attack by the intruders.

In a sense, what little Yachiru Kusajishi had said was actually right. Yato's purpose in coming here really was to make friends.

Some people needed to spend every day together to become friends. Some needed to eat and drink together. Some had to live and die together.

But for Zaraki...

Making friends without shedding blood would be terribly rude.

"Ha..." Uchiha Yato's lips curled upward, making him look somewhat ferocious.

He did not dodge. Instead, he summoned Susanoo's skeletal frame, ribs blazing with purple flames wrapping around him as he endured the blow head-on!

Boom!

Zaraki's slash landed on Susanoo's skeletal frame.

His Soul-Cutter Sword, tempered through countless battles, split the sturdy bones and likewise cut into Uchiha Yato's shoulder, sinking deep into flesh.

Reiatsu roared, and the ground gave a pained echo.

Their Reiatsu collided in an unyielding contest of strength, like flames—savage and surging.

They pulled their blades free almost simultaneously, leaving each other not a moment to catch their breath before slashing again!

Blood splattered, wild and violent.

The residents of Zaraki District were intimidated by the immense force and hurriedly cleared out a huge area for the two of them to slaughter each other to their hearts' content.

Meanwhile, Kaien Shiba, watching from a short distance away, could not stop the corner of his mouth from twitching.

After more than a month together, he had come to understand Uchiha Yato to some extent.

"Yato, your Soul-Cutter Sword is a multi-stage release type. It has various combat methods, including illusions, flames, physical defense, and offense."

"But sometimes, kid... aren't you just a little too reckless?"

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