Chapter 240

Wang Xun's voice was not loud.

But when it landed on the 11th Division's training ground, every word was clear and bright.

After a brief silence, bursts of laughter erupted.

Those team members who were resting to the side, who had stopped halfway through slashing each other with their Zanpakuto, were laughing wildly.

They laughed so hard they were doubled over, and someone even banged the ground with the back of a knife to cheer them on.

"Hey, did I hear that right? The vice-captain of the Fourth Division is here to challenge our Captain Kenpachi?"

"Fourth Division, that division full of healers and support staff, what's wrong? Haven't we been having you clean up for us as often lately?"

"Did this kid inhale too much anesthetic in the examination room and ruin his brain?"

"Kiganjō, go easy on him! He's the only vice-captain in Seireitei who can heal!"

While most people were laughing and mocking, a few people stood there, wide-eyed and stunned.

They were team members who had received treatment from Wang Xun Wang Xun, so they recognized him when he came in.

They just didn't expect that Wang Xun had come to challenge for the title of Kenpachi.

Although we don't know what the vice-captain was thinking, why he had to pull this stunt.

However, out of personal feelings, they did not want Wang Xun, such a highly skilled doctor, to fall under Kenpachi's sword.

So several people swallowed hard, stepped forward, and whispered to Wang Xun, urging him to leave quickly and not cause trouble.

But seeing Wang Xun's calm and confident expression, the few who couldn't be persuaded finally sighed and returned to the crowd.

Amidst the chaos, Kiganjō laughed wildly.

Once the surrounding noise subsided, he slowly stood up from the stone stool and looked down at Wang Xun.

His dark face was full of fleshy muscles, and his curly hair was like steel wire.

When he stood up, his imposing figure was twice the size of an ordinary Soul Reaper, and his towering shadow fell, completely enveloping Wang Xun.

Do you know what the Kenpachi battle means?

Kiganjō lowered his head and stared at Wang Xun, his eyes gleaming murky in the shadows.

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a rough, oppressive quality; it was hoarse and deep.

"The Kenpachi battle is one where you have to fight to the death."

"The succession of Kenpachi has never been a matter of stopping short of defeat; it's either win or die."

"You think I'll go easy on you just because you're the acting captain of the Fourth Division?"

His lips slowly parted, revealing a set of uneven teeth.

"If you run now, I can take it as drunken nonsense. But if you don't run..."

He drew his Zanpakuto from his waist, its blade gleaming coldly in the sunlight.

"Then I'll leave my life here."

Wang Xun looked at him, then at the gloating faces around him, and then spoke softly.

"Enough with the nonsense, let's see who's the real deal."

Kiganjō's expression froze for a moment.

Then he laughed disdainfully, the previous sarcasm gone, replaced by a more primal, bloodthirsty excitement.

He Zanpakuto over his shoulder, turned, and walked towards the barren sandy ground in the center of the training field.

"Get out of the way!"

He roared.

The onlookers retreated to both sides like a tide, leaving a clearing in the center of the training field with a diameter of several dozen steps.

The excitement spread, and many people rushed over to witness this unexpected battle between Kenpachi.

As the crowd grew larger and larger, the space became insufficient, and some people even climbed onto the rooftops nearby.

All eyes were fixed on the open space, on the white-haired young man who was confronting Kiganjō in the center of the area.

Wang Xun stopped and drew his sword.

Shackle Lotus's blade also emanated a chilling aura, its surface as smooth as a mirror.

This knife was very well maintained, and compared to the badly worn blades of the 11th Division members present, it seemed out of place.

Kiganjō Zanpakuto off his shoulder, gripped the hilt with both hands, and pointed the tip at Wang Xun.

His Reiatsu began to be released, pouring down without restraint.

The surrounding team members felt the Reiatsu emanating from Kiganjō and cheered.

Kiganjō grinned maliciously and swung his sword at Wang Xun.

"I won't even need to use my Shikai to deal with you!"

He Zanpakuto high above his head, the blade drawing a rough arc in the air before slashing down with all his might.

The blade fell with tremendous force, showcasing the brute strength of Kiganjō to its fullest extent.

The onlookers squinted, waiting for Wang Xun's reaction.

Although he's in the medical squad, he's still a vice-captain; he can't just be killed with a single blow.

But the next second, something completely unexpected happened.

Wang Xun stood still, neither retreating nor dodging.

His Zanpakuto struck first, intercepting Kiganjō's Zanpakuto head-on with incredible speed.

In Wang Xun's eyes, this strike, apart from being powerful, was full of flaws.

The moment Wang Xun parried Kiganjō's attack, all the laughter in the training ground vanished.

Kiganjō's pupils contracted sharply.

His hands were still gripping the knife hilt, his arm muscles taut as if they were about to burst, but he just couldn't move the knife.

Wang Xun's five fingers were like five iron clamps, firmly gripping the Zanpakuto, holding Kiganjō's Zanpakuto in mid-air.

Kiganjō's dark face turned red with anger. He raised his knife and brought it down hard again.

A crisp sound of blades clashing rang out. Wang Xun parried all of Kiganjō's attacks, not even managing to break through Wang Xun's defense.

"Captain Kiganjō, those few strikes were only so-so. You had the strength but lacked technique; your Kendō is incomprehensible."

Seeing that Wang Xun could calmly comment on his Zanjutsu while they were sparring, Kiganjō lost all face.

Kiganjō suddenly took a few steps back and roared angrily.

"You little brat, you think you can be so arrogant just because you have a bit of brute strength? You don't actually think that those few blows I exchanged with you before were all I had to offer, do you?"

The next moment, the ground beneath Kiganjō's feet collapsed with a deafening roar.

His figure, like a boulder launched by a catapult, crushed towards Wang Xun with violent Reiatsu.

Wang Xun no longer concealed his abilities; he gently raised his knife.

The Kendō fragments he had accumulated through sparring with Unohana in the past, which had raised his Kendō level to Iv7, were now fully revealed.

Wang Xun with incredible speed; the blade of his Zanpakuto traced a very short arc in the air.

It precisely parried Kiganjō's Zanpakuto while glancing lightly across his neck.

Clean and efficient, without a single unnecessary force.

The two figures passed each other. Kiganjō landed, looked at Wang Xun hadn't directly taken his attack, sneered, and was about to swing his sword again.

"Captain Kiganjō! Your neck..."

Upon hearing the team members' exclamations, Kiganjō felt a chill on his neck. He frowned, raised his hand to touch it, and then froze.

There was a trace of blood.

A very thin line of blood had appeared on his neck, cut by Wang Xun sometime during the incident.

When...?

Unfortunately, Wang Xun 'Wang Xun blade was too fast; only a few people present truly saw the trajectory of its edge.

For example, those figures that appeared out of nowhere on the rooftops in the distance.

Shunsui Kyōraku slightly raised his straw hat, which had been pulled low, Jūshirō Ukitake stood beside him, his pale face showing a hint of undisguised surprise.

Behind them, Kaien Shiba's mouth was agape in a perfect circle.

The exquisite control of his strength, coupled with his overwhelming Zanjutsu, left the group in awe.

Anyone with eyes could see that if Wang Xun hadn't held back, that attack just now...

The outcome is decided.

"I never expected to see such a scene on my trip... Hey, Kyōraku, is Wang Xun's Kendō really this strong?"

"Ahem, this is the first time I've seen this either, but... it seems like it's not our turn to make a move."

"Yes, but I wonder who he learned his Kendō from..."

Ukitake finished speaking, he seemed to remember something and turned to exchange a glance with Kyōraku.

They both saw a hint of surprise in each other's eyes.

It seems the two of them are thinking the same thing.

Kyōraku is more quick-witted, and as an intelligence officer, he has access to more information.

He was aware of Unohana's current situation.

Wang Xun's current actions prompted him to make a strange connection.

He raised his hand, stroking his chin, his eyes darting around.

"The title of Kenpachi might change hands today..."

In the middle of the battlefield, after another round of fighting, Kiganjō let out a low groan, his right hand involuntarily loosening its grip on the hilt of his sword.

Kiganjō's Zanpakuto slipped from his palm, tumbled twice in the air, and plunged into the sandy ground.

He covered the wound on his right arm with his left hand, staggered back two steps, and an incredulous look of astonishment reappeared on his dark face.

His eyes held a blankness, as if his mind hadn't yet processed what was happening.

Wang Xun raised his Zanpakuto, the tip pointing at Kiganjō's throat.

"This time, do you see clearly?"

"Use whatever you haven't used yet, and I'll make sure you lose clearly."

The onlookers were now completely silent, their expressions frozen on their faces.

The Fourth Division vice-captain, whom they had been mocking for so long, displayed Kendō skills that exceeded everyone's expectations.

Before Kiganjō, he was like a mischievous child wielding a weapon with brute force, being toyed with and ravaged.

At this point, anyone with a brain realized what the shallow cut on Kiganjō's neck was all about.

So, the outcome was already decided from the very beginning...

Kiganjō was panting heavily, his right hand hanging by his side, blood dripping from his fingertips.

He looked down at his injured right arm, then looked up at Wang Xun's calm eyes.

Kiganjō's eyes were almost bursting open.

He suddenly took a few steps, grabbed his Zanpakuto, and his Reiatsu began to fluctuate violently at an abnormal frequency.

"Bankai!"

He roared, forcing those two words from the depths of his throat, driven to madness by being cornered.

His Reiatsu erupted from his body like a flood, sending sand and gravel flying across the training ground.

His Zanpakuto began to expand under the influence of Reiatsu, transforming into a massive cleaver as tall as two people.

Watching the Kiganjō of Bankai, Shunsui Kyōraku in the distance calmly placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.

Ukitake coughed lightly, his brows furrowing slightly.

However, amidst the billowing dust, Wang Xun simply Zanpakuto level, its tip aimed at Kiganjō.

Then he spoke softly, reciting the liberation prayer in a steady and clear voice.

"Shikai, the Shackle Lotus."

After unleashing his Zanpakuto, a certain restriction within Wang Xun's body disappeared.

Kiganjō brandished his greatsword, unleashing a surge of Reiatsu that swept over him like a violent storm.

The next moment, Wang Xun's figure disappeared from the spot.

All those present saw a flash of cold light, but no one saw Wang Xun's figure.

Until Wang Xun landed lightly behind Kiganjō.

Kiganjō's charging body suddenly stopped, and then he stood there frozen in place.

The onlookers kept swallowing hard, only noticing Wang Xun's incredible speed, but no one saw what actually happened.

Until Kiganjō's lips trembled slightly and his eyes rolled back uncontrollably.

Then, a very thin line of blood appeared on his face.

The line of blood continued downwards until the seeping blood could no longer be contained, and his body began to tremble uncontrollably.

Then, a cut appeared on his body.

Blood spurted out, and Kiganjō's body split in two, along with his Zanpakuto, being cleaved in two.

Kiganjō's corpse fell, making two heavy thuds as it hit the ground, and the entire training ground fell into absolute silence.

Wang Xun sheathed his sword, walked to Kiganjō's side, picked up the Captain's Haori, half of which was stained with blood, and draped it over his shoulders.

"Pass down the order: I will take over as captain of the 11th Division from today onwards."

"Kenpachi Wang doesn't sound good. From now on, just call me Kenpachi Wang Xun."

Wang Xun left carrying half of a haori (a type of traditional Chinese garment).

None of the 11th Division members present spoke.

They just stared blankly at Kiganjō's corpse on the ground, speechless for a long time.

On a distant rooftop, Shunsui Kyōraku slowly lowered his hand from the hilt of his sword, the shadow beneath his straw hat obscuring his expression.

"Hey, young friend, my adjutant isn't here. Could you please run me an errand?"

Kyōraku looked at Kaien behind Ukitake. It took Kaien a while to come to her senses. After glancing at Ukitake, she nodded emphatically.

"You said."

"Report to the Captain-Commander that Kenpachi has been replaced in the 11th Division."

"The original Kenpachi, Kiganjō, was defeated and killed. The new Kenpachi... Wang Xun, the former vice-captain of the Fourth Division."

Kaien took the message and left in Shunpo. When the message reached the First Division, Shigekuni Yamamoto was sitting alone in the Command & Conquerors' meeting room.

Chōjirō Sasakibe pushed open the door and entered, his steps much faster than usual, his brows furrowed, and his eyes filled with disbelief.

Yamamoto frowned slightly when he saw the flustered state of the Sasakibe.

"Sasakibe, what's the matter? I sensed someone Bankai inside Seireitei just now. Was it Kiganjō?"

"Yes, Captain-Commander, something's happened... Kenpachi's position..."

Upon hearing the report from the Sasakibe, Yamamoto's eyes widened suddenly, a surge of tremor welling up deep within his pupils, and he froze on the spot.

"What did you say?"

The next moment, a faint smell of blood wafted over, and a figure appeared before the door to the headquarters' conference room could be closed.

Shigekuni Yamamoto looked in the direction of the sound.

Wang Xun strolled in through the main entrance, Captain's Haori half-stained with blood draped over his shoulders, his expression calm.

Chōjirō Sasakibe turned around, looked at Wang Xun, his lips slightly parted, and he forgot to close them.

Wang Xun walked to the table, stood still, bowed, and looked at Yamamoto's undisguised surprise.

"Captain-Commander, the newly appointed Kenpachi is here to report to you."

"Now, are you willing to guide me?"