During the intense battle, Masatsuki Aozaki even found the time to glance back at Retsu Unohana.
She let out a soft sigh, then smiled in relief. Her gaze grew calm as she gave a slight nod.
Masatsuki Aozaki returned the gesture with a smile of his own.
This blatant disregard for the fight made Kenpachi Zaraki's brows knit together tightly, his eyes blazing with fury. He swung his sword with all his might, as if pouring every ounce of frustration and rage into each strike.
New wounds continued to open across his body, blood gushing freely, yet he showed no sign of retreat. On the contrary, he became even more relentless, pressing forward with fierce, unyielding strikes.
Masatsuki Aozaki, undeterred, met his aggression head-on.
Gripping the hilt of his sword tightly, he lifted it and swung upward with a powerful arc. A sharp, resounding clang echoed as his blade met Zaraki's, successfully blocking the attack.
But before Zaraki could react, Masatsuki Aozaki swiftly adjusted his stance and brought his blade slashing downward at an angle.
In an instant, a deep, narrow wound carved across Zaraki's body, sending blood spraying into the air. He staggered back a few steps, his footing unsteady.
Masatsuki Aozaki's figure flickered and vanished—his speed so blistering that it left the eye struggling to keep up.
In the blink of an eye, he slipped past Zaraki's desperate, erratic swings and surged forward like a raging gale, closing the distance in an instant.
A seemingly slender, delicate hand shot out with the ferocity of a dragon diving into the depths, seizing Zaraki's throat with terrifying precision.
His fingers clamped down, immense force surging like a tidal wave, crushing into Zaraki's windpipe.
Zaraki's face flushed red, his breathing growing rapid and strained. His eyes widened in shock and defiance.
But Masatsuki Aozaki offered him no reprieve.
With a sudden burst of power, he swung his arm and hurled Zaraki high into the air with just one hand.
Zaraki's body twisted midair, tumbling like a kite with a severed string.
Masatsuki Aozaki leaped after him, his movements swift and effortless, soaring even higher than Zaraki.
Adjusting his stance midair, he prepared to end the fight…
He did not use his sword.
Instead, with the force of a thunderous storm, he unleashed a barrage of heavy punches, each strike crashing down like a relentless tempest upon Zaraki.
In mere moments, Zaraki's body was battered beyond recognition, the scene almost unbearable to witness.
To the onlookers, his form seemed to pause briefly in midair—only to then plummet like a cannonball, crashing into the ground with devastating force.
He lay there, eyes wide open, his body twitching twice before his gaze faded into emptiness.
Despite his monstrous resilience, even Kenpachi Zaraki could not withstand the overwhelming assault. With severe injuries across his body and a brutal impact to his head, he had no choice but to lose consciousness.
Masatsuki Aozaki gazed down at Zaraki, now embedded deep in the ground, before descending gracefully from the air like a drifting butterfly.
His movements were refined and poised, exuding the elegance of a noble heir as he calmly lifted his sword and sheathed it.
Truthfully, Masatsuki Aozaki had been curious to see just how strong Zaraki truly was.
But he had neither the time nor the patience to help him awaken his Zanpakutō.
In the original story, Kenpachi Zaraki only learned Shikai after enduring countless battles between life and death—dying over and over again.
Masatsuki Aozaki had no interest in wasting that kind of time and effort on him.
For him, fulfilling his promise to Retsu Unohana and proving himself as the rightful "Kenpachi" was all that mattered.
Besides, if Zaraki unlocked Shikai and still couldn't win, and then ended up unleashing his Bankai… Masatsuki Aozaki might actually regret it.
After all, even he hadn't yet realized—
The little girl who had always been by his side was his Bankai.
...
The members of the 11th Division stood in stunned silence for a brief moment before it finally hit them.
The fight was over.
A thunderous cheer erupted from the squad, shaking the battlefield.
"The Captain has won!"
"No surprise, it's Kenpachi Aozaki!"
"Masatsuki-sama is the strongest!"
Amidst the cheers, the bald man and the flamboyant man hurriedly rushed to Kenpachi Zaraki's side. After confirming he was still breathing, they both let out a sigh of relief.
However, the moment their tension eased, they turned to Masatsuki Aozaki, their gazes filled with the same disbelief one would have when looking at a monster.
For years, they had followed Kenpachi Zaraki through countless battles. Whether it was one-on-one duels or chaotic brawls, they had never once managed to defeat the terrifying man. Yet, the person standing before them—Masatsuki Aozaki—had won with ridiculous ease.
He hadn't even released his Zanpakutō. His clothes didn't even have a single stain.
They themselves were considered formidable, even praised by Ryuuseki as "having some skill." But from that intense battle just now, it was clear—the woman with the kanji for "Four" on her outfit and Yachiru had been right.
This Shinigami Captain's strength was far beyond their boss's level.
For him, this battle had been nothing more than a game.
"Ugh..."
Just as Ikkaku Madarame was caught in hesitation, debating whether to step forward and salvage some dignity, Kenpachi Zaraki's eyes slowly opened.
Though his entire body was battered and bloodied, he hadn't been unconscious for long.
"So you're not dead after all, Ken-chan!"
Yachiru Kusajishi cheered, leaping onto his shoulders.
Kenpachi Zaraki paid no mind to the girl perched on him. He slowly stood up, raising his head to look at Masatsuki Aozaki with a twisted grin.
"A Captain of the Gotei 13 really is strong."
He muttered, eyes gleaming with excitement.
"Are there more guys like you in the Gotei 13?"
"I'd love to go there and fight them all."
"But this fight isn't over yet. Let's keep going."
He reached for his Zanpakutō.
Masatsuki Aozaki stepped forward. He picked up the long blade first, then placed a hand lightly on its edge, as if admiring the deadly weapon.
"Hm?"
Kenpachi Zaraki's brow furrowed, a flicker of displeasure crossing his face.
He wasn't ready to lose his sword.
Fistfights were fun, but nothing compared to the thrill of clashing blades.
"Give me back my sword. We're not done yet." His voice was low and rough.
"Give it back?"
Masatsuki Aozaki turned his head slightly, his gaze lingering meaningfully on Yachiru before shifting back to Kenpachi.
"Before that, we have something to settle."
A smirk played on his lips.
"What?" Kenpachi asked, puzzled.
"You haven't forgotten, have you? I won. That means you're coming with me."
Masatsuki Aozaki smiled.
With Gin Ichimaru handling strategy and Kenpachi Zaraki leading the charge, he could finally relax.
From now on, whenever the 11th Division received a mission, all he had to do was let Gin steer Kenpachi into battle. He wouldn't have to lift a finger himself.
"You won?" Kenpachi blinked. "Since when?"
"Just now. When you lost consciousness, I could've taken your life."
Masatsuki Aozaki chuckled.
"What's wrong? The man who calls himself Kenpachi isn't planning on backing out, is he?"
(40 Chapters Ahead)
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