"BOOM!!!"
A distant wall exploded as Kyoraku Shunsui crashed through it.
He slowly stood up from the rubble—unharmed, but clearly shaken. Covered in dust, he gave a weak, bitter smile.
"Man... the incantation for my Zanpakutō is way too long."
Ukitake, standing nearby, gave a similarly bitter smile.
Like Kyoraku, he also used dual swords, and his own release chant wasn't any shorter.
Of course, that didn't mean they were weak. At their level, once they could finish the release, few could stand in their way.
The problem was—Unohana Retsu wasn't just anyone.
She was the original Kenpachi. The most dangerous killer Soul Society had ever seen.
"Step aside. This doesn't concern you."
Unohana's voice was cold as her eyes narrowed on the two captains. Her killing intent surged as she looked past them—locking onto Nanaya.
"Nanaya-kun... let's fight."
Her eyes sparkled with obsession. "With your talent, you'll soon fully master all 8,000 sword techniques."
"You're the first person in centuries to make my heart race like this. Once you've truly mastered them, our fight will be... fun again."
Unohana's face flushed as she stared at Nanaya with a disturbing excitement.
She remembered, long ago, hunting down gang leaders in Rukongai, slaughtering them under the excuse of justice—when in reality, she just loved the thrill of combat.
That was when she met a young Zaraki Kenpachi.
He stabbed her in the chest, and they clashed in a fierce duel. She lost.
After that, she stepped down as Kenpachi, joined the 4th Division, and sealed away her bloodlust for centuries.
But now… after meeting Nanaya… that old hunger had returned.
"I... I feel like I'm being hunted." Nanaya gulped, then immediately jumped behind Kyoraku and gave him a push. "Go stop her! This is between you Shinigami!"
"Huh!?" Kyoraku's eyes bulged. He looked at Unohana, who was practically glowing with violent energy.
"Wait—what is happening!?"
He had just come to check on the situation. How had he become Unohana's next opponent in the blink of an eye?
And seriously—how was Nanaya faster than him!?
As captain of Squad 8, it was humiliating to be used as a shield by someone else's speed.
But there was no time to complain.
Unohana was far too gone. Even if she knew Kyoraku was her ally, it didn't matter. Her war-crazed killing intent had taken over.
She stepped down once—and in a flash, she was right in front of him, sword already swinging.
But this time, Kyoraku had just finished his incantation.
"The flower wind is chaotic, the flower god weeps, the sky wind is wild, the sky demon laughs—Katen Kyōkotsu!"
As the final word echoed, his Zanpakutō split into two—one long blade, one short.
With both swords in hand, he met Unohana's strike.
"CLANG!"
The sound of metal colliding rang out sharp and loud.
Kyoraku felt the force push him down, his feet cracking the floor tiles as they sank into the earth beneath.
"CRACK... CRACK..."
Blades clashed again and again. Their speed blurred, swords leaving afterimages as they moved almost too fast to follow.
Unohana looked completely consumed—her sword dancing faster and faster, unleashing techniques from her deep arsenal of 8,000 forms.
"Wow... I didn't even know fighting could look like that."
Nanaya's eyes lit up as he activated his Mangekyō Sharingan, copying her every move.
He had already mimicked the 8,000 sword styles earlier—but copying wasn't the same as mastering them. That took time and experience.
"Kid... come on!" Kyoraku snapped through gritted teeth. "I'm up here fighting for my life, and you're just hiding back there copying techniques!?"
"ABU!"
A flash of light suddenly burst out between them.
A murderous blade tore across Kyoraku Shunsui's shoulder.
"DAUF!"
He gasped, glancing down. As expected, his white haori was quickly soaking red from the wound.
"You alright?"Ukitake asked, clearly alarmed. "This is serious!"
Kyoraku gave a strained smile."When it comes to pure swordsmanship… I'm afraid not even Head Captain Yamamoto could match Unohana Retsu."
Yamamoto had once defeated Unohana with raw power alone, overwhelming her skill with sheer force and Ryūjin Jakka's flame. But Kyoraku wasn't Yamamoto. His own Katen Kyōkotsu relied on trickery, not brute strength.
And that clearly wasn't going to cut it here.
Taking a deep breath, he made a decision. He couldn't let Unohana rampage like this any longer.
His Reiatsu surged violently.
"Jūshirō—let's go all in!"
"Right."
"Bankai!!!"
Before he could complete the release, the air turned heavy—thick with blood.
"What the...?"
Kyoraku stumbled, eyes wide.
The sky above them had turned crimson. Blood flowed down like rain, pooling on the ground, staining the floor like a scene from hell. A sticky, oppressive aura drowned the entire area.
The 4th Division's normally peaceful barracks now resembled a battlefield in Yomi.
Wearing her white captain's coat, eyes gleaming with madness, Unohana Retsu stood in the center of the bloodstorm. Her blade dripped with fresh blood.
She looked less like a healer… and more like a demon from the underworld.
"Still feel like fighting?"Ukitake turned to Kyoraku.
Kyoraku twitched. "What's the point?"
He canceled his Bankai on the spot.
Without another word, he grabbed Ukitake by the arm—"We're leaving!"
Nanaya blinked, then scrambled after them."Captain! What now?!"
Kyoraku gave him a death glare for the first time."You're seriously asking me? This is all YOUR fault! YOU deal with that crazy woman!"
He couldn't believe it. The once calm and gentle Unohana had completely snapped—and it was all because of this brat!
"Me!?"
Nanaya glanced back.
Unohana was in full pursuit, her blade carving destruction into everything in her path. His face paled.
"I'm not ready for this... I'm not qualified to satisfy a mature onee-san like that! Someone go get Zaraki Kenpachi!"
BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!
Explosions rang out across the Seireitei as the three fled, and Unohana chased, slicing through walls and floors like paper. Everything she passed was reduced to debris.
Shinigami they passed along the way stood frozen in disbelief.
"Wait… is that—Captain Unohana!?"
"That can't be… but… Captain Kyoraku, Captain Ukitake—she's chasing you!?"
Ahead, Aizen Sōsuke and Tōsen Kaname appeared, clearly confused.
Aizen's sharp gaze narrowed as he spotted the approaching chaos.
"That looks like Captain Unohana… but that level of violence… doesn't match her at all."
"Out of the way!"Nanaya yelled, unsheathing his sealed Zanpakutō.
"Out of the way!"Unohana echoed, her eyes shining with bloodlust. Without hesitation, she swung her blade.
"Not good!"Tōsen's expression changed. He stepped in front of Aizen and drew his Zanpakutō.
"Bankai—Suzumushi Tsuishiki: Enma Kōrogi!"
A pulse of black Reiatsu erupted. Darkness condensed into an oval sphere, swallowing them whole.
Within it, all sound, sight, smell, and spiritual pressure vanished.
Nanaya was blinded and deafened instantly—but didn't panic. Instead, he unleashed his full spiritual power. A crimson aura erupted around him.
He activated the sword arts he had copied from Unohana.
With both hands, he gripped his blade—and slashed.
BOOM!!!
The black dome shattered.
Tōsen spat blood and staggered backward, stunned as the darkness broke apart around them.
"…He destroyed my Bankai…"
Kyoraku and Ukitake stared in disbelief.
They expected Unohana to be able to overpower Tōsen's Bankai.
But this time… it wasn't her.
It was Nanaya.
He had merged all his Reiatsu into his blade and cut through a Bankai in a single strike.
"He learned that… in just two weeks!?"Kyoraku's voice was almost a whisper.
Nanaya, breathing hard, lowered his sword.
Unohana stared at him with growing desire, her face flushed with feverish intensity.
"I knew it… Nanaya-kun, you excite me more than Zaraki Kenpachi ever did."She grinned. "I'm going to train you personally…"
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