Masatsuki Aozaki let out a maniacal laugh, his Reiatsu surging in waves, distorting the air around him.
On the other side, Kenpachi Kiganjō struck at the same time, swinging his massive Zanpakutō in a powerful slash. If one looked closely, they'd notice a thin, rock-like film covering the blade. He trusted his Zanpakutō, but he wasn't about to let it end up like his left hand.
Masatsuki Aozaki casually swung his sword, sending out countless flashes of blade light, effortlessly deflecting the incoming attacks.
Kenpachi Kiganjō's eyes narrowed.
Everyone watching was left stunned.
The captain of the 11th Division was attacking relentlessly, yet Masatsuki Aozaki blocked every strike with ease. His Third-Class Reiatsu showed no signs of instability.
He was a true captain-level combatant!
Kenpachi Kiganjō felt his composure slipping.
In that brief moment of distraction, Masatsuki Aozaki swung Banshō Senran at incredible speed.
A formless sword aura seemed to cut through the air itself.
The next instant, the white blade crashed into Kenpachi Kiganjō's chest.
The rock armor he was so proud of crumbled like paper as Banshō Senran pierced through, leaving a long, deep gash across his body.
Kenpachi Kiganjō panted heavily, yet his expression gradually steadied. The thin rock film rapidly regenerated, sealing the wound as he let out a cold chuckle.
"Heh… Heh heh heh! Masatsuki Aozaki, you really are something."
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The relentless clash of blades echoed through the battlefield as their swords collided again and again. Yet, Kenpachi Kiganjō seemed to be getting stronger, meeting every strike head-on. With each impact, the ground beneath them split apart, cracks spreading like a web.
Grinning viciously, Kenpachi Kiganjō sneered as he deflected another incoming slash.
"Masatsuki Aozaki, you don't understand what it means to be a true Gotei 13 Captain."
"I fought my way from Rukongai to Seireitei, clawing my way to the top to become the captain of the 11th Division. Do you have any idea how many battles I've been through? Your little tricks won't work on me…"
"You arrogant brat, I'll show you what true captain-level power looks like!"
With a deafening roar, his Reiatsu exploded outward. He stomped down hard, his feet sinking into the earth, leaving two deep craters.
The ground beneath him groaned, trembling from the sheer force, cracks spreading outward as chunks of rock shattered and crumbled away.
"Bankai—Dōhan Tengan! (Reversed Path Heavenly Rock)!"
Kenpachi Kiganjō's Zanpakutō transformed into a massive rock blade, seemingly fusing with his right hand. A thick layer of stone encased his entire body, forming a monstrous, jagged armor.
In an instant, his Reiatsu surged more than fivefold.
So, this is his Bankai? Masatsuki Aozaki glanced around. Most of the Detention Unit members had already retreated.
Hearing Kenpachi Kiganjō's boasting, he couldn't help but find it amusing.
"The true strength of a captain? Do you even know the kind of captains I've fought? You've got a long way to go."
A small smile appeared on Masatsuki Aozaki's lips.
Kenpachi Kiganjō froze for a moment.
Seeing that confident smirk, an uneasy feeling crept over him. His instincts screamed at him, and he immediately pushed his spiritual perception to the limit—only for his face to twist in shock.
Masatsuki Aozaki gripped his Zanpakutō tightly, and his Reiatsu was still rising.
"Bankai…"
Ssssst!
The very air seemed to twist under an invisible force as blue lightning crackled around Masatsuki Aozaki's hands, coiling upward like a living storm.
Kenpachi Kiganjō instinctively looked up, a cold sweat breaking out on his forehead.
If Masatsuki Aozaki had truly mastered Bankai… he might just break.
A lifetime of effort, overshadowed by a twenty-something-year-old kid?
Unacceptable.
His face turned pale.
A lightning-type Bankai…? Wait, lightning?
Wasn't his Zanpakutō a pure slashing-type?
"Hadō 88: Hiryū Gekizoku Shinten Raihō!" (Flying Dragon-Striking Heaven-Shaking Thunder Cannon)
Masatsuki Aozaki shouted, unleashing a massive beam of light from his hand.
Bankai? Don't be ridiculous!
There was no way he could have mastered Bankai in such a short time.
Banshō Senran hadn't even fully materialized yet, let alone submitted, acknowledged him, or revealed her true name.
Kisuke Urahara hadn't developed the Tenshintai needed to force a Zanpakutō into materialization. The only way to achieve it was through long-term training—communing deeply with Banshō Senran through Jinzen.
The sudden surge in Reiatsu? That was just a trick. He had been holding back, suppressing a portion of his power in advance. By releasing it all at once, he created the illusion of an explosive increase.
As the blinding light engulfed Kenpachi Kiganjō completely, Masatsuki Aozaki didn't bother to look back—he turned and ran.
A Bankai state could boost combat power by five to ten times that of Shikai.
And he had no idea what Kenpachi Kiganjō's Bankai could do.
Under these conditions, the odds of victory were slim at best.
With a burst of Shunpo, Masatsuki Aozaki shot away from the Nest of Maggots…
But before he could take more than a few steps, a sharp glint of light flashed toward him.
Whoosh!
A piercing whistle tore through the air.
A three-pronged spear streaked forward like a battering ram, cutting through the wind with deadly force.
Masatsuki Aozaki's pupils contracted slightly.
Following the weapon's trajectory, he spotted Takasugi Hirofumi, shirtless, frozen in the motion of a throw—blocking his path.
"You must have a death wish."
Masatsuki Aozaki scoffed, regaining his composure.
Takasugi Hirofumi's all-out attack didn't faze him in the slightest.
Expression cold, he stepped forward to meet the incoming weapon.
Banshō Senran flicked lightly—sending the spear flying off course.
Masatsuki Aozaki didn't hesitate. Flames erupted behind him as he shot forward, appearing before Takasugi Hirofumi in the blink of an eye.
"Third-class Reiatsu… How…?"
It was only now, standing in the middle of the battlefield, that Takasugi Hirofumi finally sensed Aozaki's true power.
His heart clenched. His face went pale. His body trembled involuntarily.
A fear he had never known before gripped him.
Was it the overwhelming strength that terrified him? Or the sheer talent?
Or maybe… both.
In his paralyzed horror, he watched as Masatsuki Aozaki clenched his fist, his expression utterly impassive.
A pillar of fire surged upward—
Then a crushing punch blasted forward.
Ikkotsu: Entei!
BOOM!
A deafening explosion erupted from the ruins, waves of orange-red flames surging out like a tsunami.
The inferno swallowed everything, transforming into a massive net of death.
Takasugi Hirofumi had nowhere to run.
His body blackened instantly, shattering like fragile porcelain.
"Fool. You barely escaped from prison, and instead of running for your life, you come straight to me to die?"
Masatsuki Aozaki cursed inwardly… but then—
He suddenly stopped.
The next moment—
A torrent of rock burst from the ground like a geyser.
Masatsuki Aozaki leaped back to evade.
Massive stone walls rapidly closed in, filling every gap, locking together into an impenetrable fortress.
From above, the battlefield now resembled a colossal coliseum.
All around, the distant cries of Detention Unit soldiers, rebels, and assassins echoed through the air.
Masatsuki Aozaki ignored them.
He gripped Banshō Senran tightly, channeling its power—
A powerful slash struck the massive stone wall.
Several shallow cracks appeared…
But almost immediately, they sealed themselves again.
(40 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / PinkSnake