Walking alone in the wind, Asuka recalled his memories of the Kusajishi District.
If the Inuzuri District was synonymous with chaos, filth, and poverty...
...then the Kusajishi and Zaraki Districts that lay beyond it could only be described as bloody.
The living conditions here were even harsher. Sometimes, people fought each other not to take anything, but simply to kill.
And because of this rampant killing, even a thug like Genzo rarely set foot here.
To hide in a place like this... the informant either possessed formidable strength and feared no one targeting them...
...or, like Genzo, they had someone backing them up...
Pondering these thoughts, Asuka unknowingly arrived at the border of the Kusajishi District.
However, a sudden, oppressive Spiritual Pressure forced him to halt his steps.
Jingle, jingle...
A crisp, eerie sound of bells drifted through the wind.
With every ring of the bells, that heavy, oppressive presence drew a fraction closer.
Asuka placed his hand on his Zanpakuto, feeling the oppressive weight radiating from nearby. He expanded his spiritual senses to guard against any sudden developments.
A tall figure slowly emerged from the shadows of the street.
It was a rugged-looking man with hair standing on end like a hedgehog, the tips tied with small bells.
It seemed the sound from earlier came exactly from there.
He wore a black eyepatch over his right eye, while his left eye gleamed with the excited, fanatical light of a beast spotting its prey.
Perched on the man's shoulder was a petite, adorable little girl with short pink hair.
The little girl was giggling as she tugged at the man's hair, seemingly completely oblivious to the stifling atmosphere around them.
Asuka furrowed his brow slightly.
He had already deduced the man's identity from the slightly torn white haori he wore and the number on its back.
This was the person that shady merchant Urahara had specifically warned him about—if he had the misfortune of encountering him while invading the Seireitei, it was best not to engage in combat.
Captain of the Eleventh Division, Kenpachi Zaraki.
At a critical juncture like this, why was a Captain not on standby in the Seireitei, but instead wandering deep into this godforsaken part of the Rukongai?
And... what was with this undisguised hostility?
"Yo."
Kenpachi Zaraki turned to face him, stretching a ferocious, excited grin across his scar-covered face.
"I was wondering which blind fool would dare to emit such piercing killing intent at a time like this... Aren't you afraid of being mistaken for one of Aizen's rebellious accomplices?"
"I didn't expect... it to actually be you.
"The guy who caused a massive uproar at Sokyoku Hill."
Kenpachi Zaraki reached out with his large hand and drew the battered, jagged-edged Zanpakuto from his waist.
"Kenny! Kenny! Is he the super strong guy they were talking about yesterday?"
The one perched on Kenpachi's shoulder was Vice Captain Yachiru Kusajishi.
She poked her little head out, blinking her large eyes as she curiously inspected Asuka. "Wow, his Spiritual Pressure is so cold! Just like an ice cube!"
At this moment, only a single day had passed since the turmoil at the Seireitei's Sokyoku Hill.
Originally, due to his infighting with Sajin Komamura yesterday, both parties were supposed to be reflecting on their actions behind closed doors within their respective divisions.
But with the Seireitei lacking a central pillar of authority, no one could forcefully compel Kenpachi to obediently stay put.
Bored out of his mind, Kenpachi decided to take a stroll to his and Yachiru's birthplace to clear his head. He hadn't expected to accidentally discover Asuka acting up while passing through the Inuzuri District.
Upon learning of his destination, Kenpachi had come here to wait for him in advance.
He wanted to see for himself just what kind of stuff this guy—who others claimed could pierce through a Negacion—was made of...
"Hey, kid."
Kenpachi Zaraki rested his Zanpakuto on his shoulder, baring his stark white teeth. "I heard you had a lot of fun causing a ruckus yesterday. You sound like an interesting guy."
He pointed his free hand at Asuka.
"My name is Kenpachi Zaraki, Captain of the Eleventh Division.
"Because I missed out on the most exciting slaughter yesterday, I'm in a really bad mood right now.
"But since I bumped into you here... draw your sword! Let me see just how much weight there is to these miraculous sword skills they've been hyping up!"
Boom!
As Kenpachi Zaraki's words fell, a golden pillar of Spiritual Pressure erupted into the sky.
The gravel on the surrounding ground was instantly blown away, and violent gusts of wind danced wildly alongside the surging Spiritual Pressure.
Asuka stood quietly in place, his Shihakusho snapping fiercely in the storm whipped up by the opponent's terrifying Spiritual Pressure.
Yet, the hand gripping his sword hilt remained perfectly steady.
He could feel the opponent's absolute, unadulterated thirst... a thirst for slaughter, a thirst for blood.
This suddenly reminded Asuka of those vicious demons who went mad with the desire to devour flesh and blood.
However, the man standing before him was far purer than those demons.
He wasn't driven by appetite, but solely by the act of battle itself.
"Not interested."
Asuka replied flatly to Kenpachi's fighting spirit. "I don't know you, and I have absolutely zero interest in sparring with you so-called Captains.
"I have business to attend to. Please step aside."
With that said, Asuka strode forward, completely ignoring Kenpachi's terrifying Spiritual Pressure—which would have been enough to make an ordinary Soul Reaper collapse—and intended to find a path right past him.
Kenpachi Zaraki froze.
In this Soul Society, when faced with a challenge from him, Kenpachi Zaraki...
Some would piss their pants in terror, some would brace themselves and fight, and some would bring up boring excuses like division regulations to refuse.
But this was the very first time someone dared to use such a 'you're boring' attitude to completely ignore him!
"Ha... Hahahahaha!"
After a brief moment of astonishment, Kenpachi Zaraki suddenly threw his head back and let out a somewhat sick, maniacal laugh.
"Not interested? That's not up to you!"
Swish—!!
A shrill howl tore through the air.
Kenpachi Zaraki violently swung his jagged longsword, slashing down mercilessly toward Asuka's back!
This strike held nothing back, erupting with absolute power and speed!
Clang!!
The sound of clashing metal exploded.
Naturally, Asuka hadn't left himself completely defenseless; his transparent spiritual senses had never relaxed.
With lightning speed, he drew Kakudatsu backhanded, firmly blocking Kenpachi Zaraki's heavy, crushing slash.
One blade was as furious as a blazing sun, the other as cold and dark as the abyss...
Boom—!!
Two vastly different Spiritual Pressures violently collided where the blades met, erupting into a visible shockwave that forcefully scraped away a layer of the ground several meters around them!
"Such heavy force..." Asuka muttered, a flash of surprise crossing his eyes.
Without even releasing his Zanpakuto, just this single strike caused the bones in Asuka's arm to emit a faint grinding sound.
This man's body was simply a monster.
"Oh? You won't even use your Shikai, and blocked it directly with an Asauchi?" Kenpachi Zaraki said, the fanaticism in his eyes growing even more intense.
He increased the force in his hands, pressing down relentlessly on Asuka. "Kid, the more you act like this, the more I want to hack you to pieces!"
"I told you. I don't have time to play with you."
Asuka's voice turned completely cold.
Deep within his left eye, a faint red light flashed.
Although Urahara had warned him, and he knew the opponent was a Captain of the Gotei 13.
But if this lunatic insisted on blocking his path, he wouldn't mind going all out and severing his limbs right here and now.
Just as the two were locked in a stalemate and the atmosphere was about to completely detonate.
"Wait, wait! Kenny, don't cut him yet!"
Yachiru, perched on Kenpachi's shoulder, suddenly reached out her little hand and patted Kenpachi's head.
"This crow has a really heavy grudge on him! It looks like he's really looking for something super important."