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"Kenpachi Chengdui is indeed very powerful, but he is still nowhere near capable of matching the Captain-Commander! This battle was launched far too hastily!" Urahara Kisuke said with narrowed eyes.
As everyone had noted, Kenpachi Chengdui's performance within the Soul Society had certainly been eye-catching. However, compared to Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni, his strength still seemed far inferior.
Those in Las Noches who knew Kenpachi Chengdui could not understand this seemingly suicidal action.
Qin Yi narrowed his eyes slightly as he stared at the figure wrapped in a black dragon aura. That aura was becoming increasingly powerful and increasingly ominous.
"This guy has been hiding his true strength."
A King was never someone who acted recklessly. Having experienced multiple worlds, they had long since tempered their minds beyond ordinary limits. Judging them solely from appearances was foolish.
"But what exactly is his trump card?"
Even Qin Yi felt curious at this moment.
Despite being at a disadvantage, Kenpachi Chengdui had openly revealed his identity without hesitation. Not only that, he had personally stepped onto the battlefield to challenge Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni in a one-on-one duel.
Either he was confident...
Or he was insane.
And what King could truly be called insane?
After a few brief exchanges, everyone focused once more on the confrontation between the two men. Among them, Kenpachi Zaraki's eyes shone especially brightly.
This was exactly why Qin Yi had said they should simply watch the show.
For them, this was undoubtedly the spectacle of the year, and the perfect opportunity to observe Kenpachi Chengdui's true strength.
At the entrance of the Gotei 13 headquarters in Soul Society.
Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.
The sound of footsteps was crisp yet heavy, tugging at the hearts of everyone currently engaged in battle.
Kenpachi Chengdui slowly drew the long blade at his waist. A fierce smile spread across his face, and his gaze became increasingly crazed.
Deep within his eyes, a faint crimson glow flickered.
"Bankai!"
The two words left his mouth calmly before a dazzling brilliance erupted.
His Zanpakutō transformed, and the pressure surrounding him rose to an entirely new level, reaching a magnitude that left onlookers stunned.
Hiramikurufū trembled.
It vibrated.
It released terrifying radiance.
At this moment, the blade seemed even stronger than when it had fought Qin Yi.
Its aura was stable, complete, and refined.
It was as though it had undergone a final metamorphosis and reached the absolute limit of its potential. To a certain extent, Kenpachi Chengdui had now entered the same tier as Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni.
The only apparent difference between them was the disparity between their Zanpakutō.
Shock filled the battlefield.
Whether it was the Soul Society's Shinigami, the Masked Legion in Las Noches, or people like Urahara Kisuke, everyone wore grave expressions full of astonishment.
"He's become even stronger!"
"How could he improve so quickly?!"
"Or rather... he was hiding his strength all along!"
The Captains fighting the Nie Kingdom's Shinigami spoke in low voices.
"What a deeply calculating fellow."
At this moment, everyone had gained a new understanding of Kenpachi Chengdui.
Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni held his sword firmly.
Flames surged forward, twisting around the blade. Behind him and around him, the sky itself was dyed crimson, causing the temperature to continue rising relentlessly.
The fiery red glow even showed signs of evolving toward pure white.
The two men now stood face to face.
One wore a crazed expression.
The other radiated icy killing intent.
Suddenly, they began walking toward one another.
The sound of their footsteps echoed clearly in everyone's hearts.
With each step, flames danced upon the ground.
Then, all at once, they accelerated.
The moment they moved, it was like thunder exploding across the battlefield.
Their speed instantly reached its peak.
The sound of footsteps merged into a continuous roar.
Whoosh!
In an instant, the two men were face to face.
"ROAR!"
Kenpachi Chengdui bellowed as he swung his blade viciously.
Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni's eyes turned cold as he swung his sword as well.
Flames erupted, surging over ten meters high.
Bzzzz!
The two swords collided.
The air itself trembled violently.
A ring-shaped shockwave expanded outward at incredible speed.
Immediately afterward, an invisible wind of fire swept across the battlefield.
Both Soul Society and Nie Kingdom Shinigami covered their faces and eyes as they rapidly retreated.
"AHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Kenpachi Chengdui roared with laughter.
His sword drew back and swung once more.
"Let misery reign across the heavens, and sorrow descend into hell! Pierce him for this King!"
With a thunderous shout, the long blade in his hand suddenly extended.
Then it multiplied.
In the blink of an eye… One sword had become eighteen.
Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni's pupils contracted.
The flames surrounding Ryūjin Jakka suddenly surged skyward, expanding in the blink of an eye to dozens of meters in size and enveloping both combatants within a sea of fire.
Then, visible to the naked eye, the eighteen separated blades began to burn away one after another, shattering into fragments.
Pfft!
Yet at the very last instant, Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni's shoulder was pierced, and a blossom of blood erupted.
At the same time, Kenpachi Chengdui's hair ignited.
The black hair atop his head was instantly vaporized, forcing him to retreat in alarm.
"Captain-Commander!"
"Our King!"
Cries erupted from both sides.
The battle between these two was simply too terrifying.
The slightest mistake meant instant death. It left everyone watching with trembling hearts.
After separating, both men took a brief breath.
Their expressions had grown more serious. Then their figures distorted once again and vanished.
"Great Fire Sword!"
Boundless flames first erupted around Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni.
Then, in the next moment, they rapidly contracted and collapsed inward, forcibly compressed into his Zanpakutō.
Bzzzz! Bzzzz! Bzzzz!
Ryūjin Jakka trembled violently.
Then, the instant Yamamoto reached Kenpachi Chengdui's front, he swung the blade fiercely.
Meanwhile, every cell in Kenpachi Chengdui's body seemed to boil and roar.
The power of his body exploded forth.
His speed and physical capabilities reached their absolute limits.
At the crucial moment, he merely tilted his head slightly.
Ryūjin Jakka swept past his skull.
The scalp that had already been stripped bare of hair instantly caught fire, provoking shocked cries from the crowd.
But the strike had not killed him.
He was still alive.
To evade Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni's fatal attack was an achievement worthy of pride.
Behind him, however, a vast expanse of space was consumed by raging flames.
The moisture in the air was instantly evaporated, creating a suffocating dryness. Fire spread outward at terrifying speed, covering an area of ten thousand meters in every direction.
The Nie Kingdom's Shinigami behind him were completely engulfed.
"AAAAAHHHH!"
Endless screams rang out.
Under those flames, nearly eighty thousand Shinigami of the Nie Kingdom were incinerated before they even had time to struggle.
"Hiryū Senpō!" Kenpachi Chengdui lowered his head.
When he raised it again, the madness in his eyes had vanished, replaced by extreme coldness.
His blade swept forward, tearing through space itself. Across from him, Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni suddenly saw a streak of pale white reflected in his eyes.
His pupils shrank violently.
"This is…?!"
His body instinctively retreated.
Yet he was still a fraction too slow.
The tip of the blade sliced across his chest, drawing a line of blood at incredible speed.
Step! Step! Step!
Yamamoto retreated three consecutive steps.
Then his entire body suddenly trembled, before a trace of shock appeared in his eyes.
"You…!"
Kenpachi Chengdui burst into laughter.
Closing the distance instantly, he raised his sword and attacked.
"It's over for you, Captain-Commander! Your ability has already been sealed by me! How do you intend to continue fighting me now?"
A metallic, distorted voice echoed forth, sending chills down everyone's spines.
When he lifted his face, they saw savage eyes.
A twisted skeletal mask resembling a beast's skull had appeared upon his face.
Its appearance was incomparably sinister.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Three consecutive slashes landed upon Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni.
His body shook violently as blood sprayed wildly from his wounds.
He rapidly retreated, opening distance between himself and his opponent.
The entire Soul Society was stunned.
Within Las Noches, Urahara Kisuke and the others abruptly rose to their feet, shock filling their eyes.
"That is…!"
"Hollowfication!!!"
(End of Chapter)