Hakutōmon to the west, a large shadow fell to the ground. Kenpachi Zaraki sat there with his back against the gate, legs crossed, his Zanpakuto wrapped in numerous bandages resting on his shoulder, a black eyepatch covering his right eye.
An occasional gentle breeze tinkled the tips of her hair bells.
He was dozing with his eyes closed, no longer blindly running around Seireitei.
Wild beasts have their own ways of doing things.
Having searched everywhere without finding Shiraishi last time, he learned from his mistake and decided to wait at the Hakutōmon.
As for why he was certain that the intruder was Shiraishi, it was simply an inexplicable intuition.
The moment Shiraishi released his Reiatsu, Kenpachi Zaraki's mind presumptuously concluded that the other party was the prey he had been waiting for, thus driving him to wait here.
Even when the Reiatsu from numerous powerful figures erupted in the Shin'ō District, he did not choose to leave.
Because the Twelfth Division, Fourth Division Captain, Eighth Division, Seventh Division, 6th Division, and Second Division Captain have already come to the rescue.
Kenpachi Zaraki's location is the furthest from the Shin'ō District. If he runs there, his opponents will have already been taken down by the other captains. It's better to trust his instincts and continue guarding this place.
In retrospect, he had both good intuition and good luck.
Even though there was no breeze, the bells on his hair continued to ring incessantly. Kenpachi Zaraki opened his left eye, a smile of excitement tugging at the corner of his mouth, and slowly stood up from the ground.
Three figures approached from afar and landed in the square in Hakutōmon.
The person in the middle has a silver ponytail, wears a white apron, carries a shoulder bag, has a gold leather jacket tied around his waist, and has a knife stuck in his left hip.
"I'm so glad to finally meet you, Shiraishi."
Kenpachi Zaraki drew his Zanpakuto with one hand and sheathed it back at his waist with the other, grinning maliciously, "Want to come at me all at once?"
Shiraishi smiled, spread his hands, and said, "Before you fight me, ask my brothers if they agree."
Sōya Azashiro pushed forward to take the hit, his expression unchanged. Instead, he went along with his words and said, " Zaraki, you are not worthy of the Kenpachi."
"Ha?"
Kenpachi Zaraki looked puzzled, then smiled and said, "If you can kill me, you can take the name Kenpachi anytime."
"No need, I already have one."
Sōya Azashiro's answer raised a question in Kenpachi Zaraki's mind. The succession of Kenpachi was obtained by killing the previous Kenpachi. The Kenpachi before him, apart from the original Yachiru, should all be dead.
"The legacy of Kenpachi can sometimes be unexpected, and I was that unexpected one."
Sōya Azashiro calmly recounted his experience. "As the Eighth Kenpachi, I was imprisoned in the Muken because of a disagreement with the Central 46 Chambers."
The vacant Kenpachi was filled by the vice-captain Gosuke. Soon after, Kiganjō killed Gosuke and became the tenth Kenpachi.
After some time, you will defeat Kiganjō Kenpachi become the eleventh Kenpachi.
"I see!" Kenpachi Zaraki didn't doubt that what he said was true, and his face was full of excitement. "I was wondering how such an idiot could be called Kenpachi. There's such a story behind it."
But none of that matters, let's fight to our hearts' content!
"You're too weak." Sōya Azashiro truthfully stated his assessment, not intending to waste any more time, and decisively made his move.
With a series of spurts, a large amount of blood gushed from Kenpachi Zaraki's body, as if countless blades had struck him down in an instant.
"Ugh," Kenpachi Zaraki groaned, his tall body swaying precariously before collapsing forward with a thud.
"Indulging in the glory of killing the weak, failing to strive for improvement, and instead sealing off your Reiatsu and suppressing your own strength, Zaraki, you are too arrogant."
Sōya Azashiro never addressed Zaraki as Kenpachi, perhaps because beneath his cold exterior, he also harbored some feelings for the Kenpachi.
I'm not keen to see someone Zaraki bearing the title of Kenpachi.
Killing Zaraki would bring unnecessary trouble. He didn't want to fight the Gotei 13; he only wanted to fulfill his duty as a Shinigami, acting as a cog in maintaining the balance between the World of the Living and Soul Society.
" Ken-chan..." Yachiru Kusajishi called out, but did not go forward, remaining where she was.
Kenpachi Zaraki's vision blurred, blood gradually spreading beneath him. His mind was filled with confusion: What happened? Had he lost?
"Wow, that's amazing!" Kūkaku Shiba, his face filled with shock.
Without swinging a sword or using Kidō, he instantly inflicted severe injuries on Kenpachi Zaraki, causing him to collapse to the ground.
The Eighth Kenpachi, a prisoner of Muken, is definitively confirmed by his immense power.
Kūkaku Shiba's expression turned serious. She loathed the Shinigami, yet she had to admit that Shinigami were indeed maintaining the world's operation and preventing major upheavals.
If all the prisoners in the Muken hell escaped, Soul Society still have the peace it has today?
It seems that Rukongai and Seireitei are destined to become battlefields where the strong vie for supremacy, turning into rivers of blood.
" Kūkaku, what are you standing there for? Let's go."
Shiraishi didn't dwell on those things; he understood the terrifying nature of Kenpachi Zaraki better than Sōya Azashiro or Kūkaku Shiba.
The reason Kenpachi Zaraki was instantly killed is simply because he was wearing an eye patch that restricted his Reiatsu. It's like a top-tier player who has been playing in a bronze-level match for years suddenly being sent back to a top-tier match and getting instantly killed.
But if you think you can keep getting kills in seconds, that's wishful thinking.
Shiraishi just wanted to leave the Hakutōmon as soon Kenpachi Zaraki recovered. " Azashiro, do you want to come with us?"
"No, I still have some things to do in Seireitei."
Sōya Azashiro declined his invitation, saying coldly, "I'll give you a detailed plan next time we meet."
"If not, then follow my plan: charge in first and we'll see."
Shiraishi muttered something, thinking the other person was overthinking it.
In terms of strategy, Aizen and Kisuke Urahara's strategies weren't sophisticated enough.
And then what?
Ultimately, it all comes down to skill and strength.
Without the capability, no matter how detailed the plan is, it's all in vain.
"Hmm." Sōya Azashiro replied, raising his hand, and the side door of the Hakutōmon opened silently, revealing the road leading outside.
The two of them ran outside together.
Sōya Azashiro waved his hand, closed the side door again, and turned to leave.
Kenpachi Zaraki slowly stood up. He was the type who could withstand a lot of damage, as long as the enemy's attack didn't exceed his own strength by too much.
It's virtually impossible to bring him down.
He didn't get up immediately; he was just wondering how the enemy had managed to hit him.
His inability to understand it did not diminish his desire to fight.
Kenpachi Zaraki ripped off his right eyepatch with one hand, his Reiatsu exploding outwards, causing the surrounding Reishi to surge. He exclaimed excitedly, "Let's continue our battle!!"
"Boring," said Sōya Azashiro, without staying to fight, disappearing into the air like a wisp of smoke.
"Huh?!"
Kenpachi Zaraki's high fighting spirit was instantly dampened, and he froze on the spot.