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“No, of course, she didn’t have a chance to use it back then.” Retsu Unohana said with some emotion, “It’s a real pity. If we hadn’t pushed her so hard, we probably would have seen it. Even I couldn’t have blocked that move.”

The only options are to retreat to avoid the attack range or take the hit head-on...

"It's a really powerful sword, but it seems that it's not yet ready to be used at any time in high-speed combat. Both of them... probably pause for a moment before using that sword."

"A high-speed battle, huh...?"

Kyoraku Shunsui said thoughtfully, "Actually, apart from our previous battle, you've had clear openings in other battles where you could use this move, right? That's terrifying..."

......

"We should be safe once we get here."

"Yes, thank you." Mashu nodded and looked at Fujimaru Ritsuka standing to the side, saying, "Um... how is Senpai?"

"Him..." The man who appeared out of nowhere looked at Fujimaru Ritsuka. His form was no longer complete. The white liquid had solidified and enveloped his body. His body and bones were clearly visible from the outside, as if some parts of them had melted.

But he stopped while maintaining this state.

There was nothing wrong with Aizen's Hollowfication experiment.

The problem is that he is too weak, too weak to withstand the process. Even just the process itself has exhausted his power, and before he can complete the etherealization, his entire spiritual body will disintegrate.

This only stops the collapse.

“I stopped his time, and I didn’t expect that doing this in this world would go so smoothly.” A/venger’s Servant sat down on a rock and said, “Moreover, I didn’t expect Number 14 to shine so brightly in this world.”

"Time has stopped? On the 14th?"

"Hmph, you don't need to understand what that is. Just think about yourself and what will happen to you all." The A/venger said, "His current situation is that kind of etherealization, right? I don't understand this kind of thing at all. The only person who can save him from this state should be an expert in this field in this world. You know who it is, right?"

"Kisuke Urahara..."

Mashu nodded, but...

Looking at the distant Seireitei, she knew perfectly well that returning was impossible. The Seireitei Gate had descended, and going back wouldn't be a simple matter. But Fujimaru Ritsuka's situation...

"How long can you keep this up, senior?"

“How long? A few years is no problem.” A/venger said, leaving a black mark on Fujimaru Ritsuka, a pattern resembling an hourglass: “When the sand in this hourglass has completely fallen to the other side, my ability will become ineffective. If no other way is found before then, then it’s all over.”

"I understand..." Mashu breathed a slight sigh of relief; there was still time. "Um, thanks... you disappeared?"

Chapter 1057 A Challenge from Zaraki

Looking at this sky reminds me of my past failures...

Ryougi and Mi slowly withdrew their gazes, somewhat moved.

No, although I took action, I completely misjudged the target I was dealing with...

Almost a year has passed since the Muramasa incident.

Although the buildings in Soul Society suffered considerable damage and many people were injured in that incident, no one died... except for two missing persons.

Mash Kyrielight and Ritsuka Fujimaru.

Meanwhile, the Jingling Gate landed that day because someone went out without permission, just like the previous traveler's misfortune incident, and the person responsible has not yet been identified.

Afterwards, Ryougi and Mi also searched for the two in Rukongai, guessing that the two might have encountered something that day and had to run into Rukongai... However, they found no trace of them.

Without a doubt, it failed.

A complete and utter failure.

Because they focused their attention on Shiki and Oori, they neglected the two Chaldea members.

The original purpose was to use Kyoka Suigetsu to expose Aizen as soon as possible, because... his existence was far too complicated.

Looking at the outcome, everything is clear: he originally wanted to use Aizen's incident, but he ended up being used instead.

It can only be said that he was overthinking things.

"I guess I'll just have to wait until later and take him down fair and square. I'm really not good at all that messy stuff..."

But... there is one thing that is absolutely necessary, and that is to find Mashu and the others... what exactly happened before? Are those two really okay?

It shouldn't usually come to this.

Both of them knew how the story would unfold and who in this world was truly in danger.

Even if they couldn't win, getting out of the way wouldn't be a problem, especially since they were in the Seireitei... their safety level was quite high. Ryougi and Mi were unaware of how much Aizen viewed them.

However, the level of vigilance must be quite high.

Even if Aizen was only displaying the strength expected of a vice-captain at the time, it was still an unavoidable fact that he was injured by Ryougi Shiki.

If my rash contact leads Aizen to discover the connection, he might resort to some means.

He didn't have the energy to run around to both places. Although his soul and body seemed like two different people, his body didn't have a 'soul' to help control it, and he himself didn't dare let anyone else control his body.

While remote control allows for some movement of the body, that's about all it can do.

It's still one person, not two.

but...

why?

Even though things are already like this, why are Mashu and the others being targeted? They're just students at the Shinigami Academy.

Especially Fujimaru Ritsuka, who clearly doesn't even have the spiritual pressure of a lower-ranking Shinigami, nor does he possess a Zanpakuto, so he's not even worth experimenting on, nor even worth killing.

But... why are they still being targeted even though they are like this?

"Lieutenant Ryougi—" Just then, the door suddenly opened, and Ryougi Kazumi, who was in the sword meditation, opened his eyes and looked over: "What's wrong?"

"Yes—" Kano Tomie, the third seat of the 11th Division, immediately said, "Something terrible has happened! Someone has come to challenge Captain Ryougi!"

"Hmm, is Shiki preparing to challenge the Captain-Commander?" Ryougi Kazuya nodded and stood up. In the past period of time, Ryougi Shiki has challenged all the members of the Gotei 13 except for the Captain-Commander. Since that's the case... wait a minute—

"You just said there was a challenger?"

"Yes...that's certainly true." Ryougi Kazuya frowned. "That doesn't make sense. Who in the Seireitei would dare to challenge a challenger now?"

No, wait... if it's not from Seireitei but from Rukongai...

"Zaraki?"

"Yes!" Kano Tomie quickly replied, "Vice-Captain, do you know? It really is Zaraki, and... that man arrogantly calls himself Kenpachi! Zaraki Kenpachi—"

"Is that so..." Ryougi Kazuya picked up the armband beside him, put it on his arm, and walked towards the door: "What exactly happened? That's someone from Rukongai, right? He wanted to enter the Seireitei... Didn't the Purification Gate descend?"

“Yes!” Kano Tomie nodded, stood up, and followed Ryougi Kazuya toward the door of the Eleventh Division barracks. “That Zaraki may have obtained a pass from somewhere… but a pass like this that allows outsiders to enter without permission… only a vice-captain or higher could issue such a pass!”

"I see, then I roughly understand the result."

Turning the corner of the street, a large group of Shinigami could be clearly seen gathered in front of the Eleventh Division's barracks...

But in front of these people was a distinctly different person—

Everyone else was dressed in Shinigami uniforms, but the man, dressed in tattered clothes, stood in the crowd ignoring the whispering Shinigami around him, shaking his head as if searching for something.

When he saw Ryougi and Mi walking over, he was clearly stunned for a moment, then he smiled, a big smile spreading across his face.

"Get out of the way."

As he spoke, he slightly pushed aside the surrounding Grim Reapers with his arm and walked towards Ryougi Kazumi.

"Hey—what are you doing! You—" The Shinigami was about to say something, but when he saw Kenpachi Zaraki looking at him, he froze, swallowed hard, and just stood there dumbfounded.

Kenpachi Zaraki withdrew his gaze and walked towards Ryougi Kazuya.

He collapsed to his knees, gasping for breath: "What...what was that just now?"

As he spoke, he reluctantly raised his head to look at Kenpachi Zaraki's back: "Is that... some kind of monster?"

"Yo, long time no see." Kenpachi Zaraki looked at Ryougi Kazuya and said with a big laugh, "I remember your name is... Ryougi Kazuya, right?"

“Yes.” Ryougi Kazuya looked at Kenpachi Zaraki: “I expected you to come, but I didn’t expect it to be so soon…”

In almost every world, there are two equally matched individuals.

If we're talking about who's the 50/50 matchup in the Bleach world... then in his opinion, it's Kenpachi Zaraki.

No matter how strong the opponent is, he will use his strength to fight them off, truly making him evenly matched with anyone.

Chapter 1058 Zaraki

Regarding Kenpachi Zaraki...

Ryougi Kazuya believes that if your spiritual pressure is below the captain level, then you can be pretty sure you're going to lose.

If it's at the captain level—

Then it falls into the category of a 50/50 split.

He was evenly matched with Kenpachi Zaraki when he first entered the captain rank.

You feel you've become stronger after a hundred years of training, but when you fight Kenpachi Zaraki, it's still a stalemate.

After some time, you feel your spiritual pressure has increased several times over, and when you fight Kenpachi Zaraki, it's still a stalemate—

According to the established setting, Kenpachi Zaraki should be the one with the strongest basic attack in the Bleach world.

But—he was a beast who enjoyed the carnage.

Because he was too strong, and no one dared to fight him, he suppressed his power and his strength.

And it will gradually break free of its own seal during battle.

In one of the official Bleach novels, Aizen once said that his main purpose in trapping some of the captains in Hueco Mundo was to trap Kenpachi Zaraki.

Kenpachi Zaraki doesn't care if it's a Kyoka Suigetsu or any other random thing; he'll just chop it down.

That beast-like fighting instinct might just be able to discover the flaws in the illusion during the battle.

To defeat Kenpachi Zaraki, unless you are truly stronger than Kenpachi Zaraki when he has fully unleashed his power, you can only do what Ichigo Kurosaki did: start out weak and then suddenly become strong!

This speed at which he becomes stronger is faster than the speed at which Kenpachi Zaraki releases his seal.