"Yachiru, let's go!"
Inside the Eleventh Division barracks, Kenpachi Zaraki rose abruptly, decision made, his battered zanpakutō already in hand.
"Shōken, where are you going?" Yachiru skipped ahead, popping up right in front of him.
"To meet that king of the Rukongai, Ryūjin Uchiha." Kenpachi grinned, his expression wild and ferocious.
"That guy who says he can beat you? Great, great! I want to see who's stronger between him and Shōken!" Yachiru beamed, excitement lighting up her face as she leapt onto Kenpachi's broad back.
"Captain, you don't seriously think someone that strong would show up in the Rukongai, do you?" Ikkaku Madarame said, clearly doubtful. "You're a one of a kind existence there. There won't be another like you."
"Exactly, Captain," Yumichika Ayasegawa added. "If he's just ruining your reputation, let me handle him. There's no need for you to go yourself."
"Shut up!" Kenpachi snapped. "I haven't had a good fight in ages. Don't get in my way."
"But Captain, I doubt he'll satisfy you," Ikkaku said, rubbing his bald head.
"Doesn't matter. If he's disappointing, I'll cut him down in one strike."
With that, Kenpachi strode out of the barracks, Yachiru riding along.
Word spread instantly.
"Kenpachi Zaraki has entered the Rukongai!"
"That battle maniac is here!"
At a time when the so called king of the Rukongai was dominating the area, Kenpachi's sudden appearance ignited the entire district.
Rumors spread like wildfire. Everyone speculated whether he had come specifically for Ryūjin Uchiha.
Even without confirmation, people knew Kenpachi's nature. The answer seemed obvious.
Crowds began trailing him from a distance, eager to witness the clash.
Kenpachi Zaraki versus the king of the Rukongai. A spectacle not seen in decades.
The news quickly reached Ryūjin.
"Ryūjin Uchiha, aren't you the king of the Rukongai? Didn't you say you could beat Kenpachi Zaraki?"
"He's in the Rukongai right now. Do you dare fight him?"
"He's in North District 62. Are you going or not?"
The instigators pressed him, eager to stir chaos.
Ryūjin smirked coldly.
"Why wouldn't I?"
Without another word, he turned and headed toward North District 62.
"Ryūjin Uchiha is moving from South District 20 to North District 62!"
"He's going to face Kenpachi Zaraki!"
The Rukongai erupted with excitement.
Under countless watchful eyes, the two figures moved through the streets until they finally crossed paths in North District 72.
Kenpachi was easy to recognize. Ryūjin spotted him immediately.
Kenpachi, however, walked forward casually, unaware, Yachiru still perched on his back.
Ryūjin exhaled softly.
Then he released his power.
A massive surge of chakra translated into overwhelming Spiritual Pressure, crashing outward.
"What incredible Spiritual Pressure!" Yachiru gasped, eyes wide.
Kenpachi froze, then snapped his head toward the source. His gaze locked onto Ryūjin.
There he stood, upright and unbothered, staring back without emotion.
"Not bad," Kenpachi said, grinning. "This might actually be fun."
He stepped forward.
His own Spiritual Pressure exploded outward in response.
The two forces collided violently, whipping the street into chaos. Winds howled as if a storm had descended.
Civilians were thrown off balance, scrambling to escape.
Within moments, the area was cleared, leaving only the two of them standing apart.
From a distance, onlookers stared in shock.
"Incredible… you can't even get close!"
"Ryūjin Uchiha's Spiritual Pressure matches Captain Zaraki's!"
"Are they both monsters?"
"The king of the Rukongai, huh?" Yachiru said, surprised. "You're not just talk, Shōken."
She had not expected Ryūjin's Spiritual Pressure to rival Kenpachi's.
In the world of Shinigami, Spiritual Pressure defined power. Just from that alone, she knew Ryūjin was no weakling.
As Kenpachi approached, Yachiru jumped off his back and landed atop a nearby wall.
"You're Ryūjin Uchiha, right?" she called. "Good luck! It's been a while since anyone got Shōken this excited!"
"You've got it wrong, kid," Ryūjin replied coldly. "I'm not the one who needs luck."
He maintained his arrogant, dismissive demeanor, perfectly in line with his reputation.
"Eleventh Division Captain, Kenpachi Zaraki," Kenpachi announced, eyes blazing. "I came for a life or death fight. You ready?"
He raised his zanpakutō, pointing it forward.
"So, can we start?"
"So you're Kenpachi Zaraki," Ryūjin said, drawing his own blade. It was not a zanpakutō, just a decent sword taken from the Rukongai.
"If I beat you, I'm joining the Eleventh Division. I'll become a Shinigami."
Kenpachi grinned wider.
"Talk after you win."
He vanished in a flash.
His speed was overwhelming to the crowd, but to Ryūjin, it was slow.
Ryūjin suppressed most of his strength. Otherwise, this would end instantly.
Clang!
With a simple movement, he blocked the strike.
The force made Kenpachi's arm go numb.
"So strong!" Kenpachi laughed, body trembling with excitement. "This is what I've been waiting for!"
His Spiritual Pressure surged wildly.
Ryūjin matched it without hesitation.
The air itself seemed to tremble.
Kenpachi rushed again.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Blades collided rapidly, sparks flying.
The fight intensified instantly.
"So strong…" Yachiru muttered, stunned.
Then suddenly.
Squelch!
A deep wound opened across Kenpachi's body, blood spraying outward.
He staggered back.
"He actually wounded Shōken?" Yachiru stared in disbelief.
Kenpachi wiped the blood, grinning even wider.
"This pain… this blood… I missed this!"
He charged again.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Squelch!
Again and again, the same result.
Kenpachi was forced back repeatedly, more wounds appearing across his body.
He was clearly at a disadvantage.
"Boiling… my blood is boiling!" he roared, covered in injuries but more alive than ever.
"Aside from that person, no one has pushed me like this!"
He reached up and tore off his eyepatch.
At once, his Spiritual Pressure surged several times over, erupting violently.
The ground trembled under the force.
"Shōken wears that eyepatch to suppress his Spiritual Pressure," Yachiru explained. "Now this is his real strength!"
Ryūjin looked at him, feigning surprise.
"So that wasn't even your full power?"
He paused, then added with a faint smirk,
"Good. Because neither was that mine."
Yachiru froze.
A massive surge of Spiritual Pressure exploded from Ryūjin, matching Kenpachi's new level.
"What…?"
Even Kenpachi was momentarily stunned.
Then his grin returned, wider than ever.
Elsewhere, the shockwaves were felt throughout the Seireitei.
"What is this pressure?"
"Captain Zaraki took off his eyepatch!"
"In the Rukongai? Someone pushed him that far?"
"That other pressure… who does it belong to?"
Every Shinigami felt it.
And every one of them wondered the same thing.
Who could stand against Kenpachi Zaraki like this?
===
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