Kenpachi Chengdui's expression tightened slightly at the words, then a savage grin stretched across his face.
"Excellent! You share my thinking perfectly!"
"Life itself is a gamble. If we don't go mad once, how can we ever be satisfied?!"
With that, he violently drew his Zanpakuto from his waist.
The Zanpakuto was curved and narrow, its blade riddled with chips and nicks, resembling a battle-worn weapon that had endured countless clashes on the battlefield.
But the instant he drew his sword, Kenpachi Chengdui's aura erupted into unrestrained madness. His battle intent surged like a billowing pillar of smoke, and his overwhelming Reiatsu crushed the surrounding air, making it nearly suffocating.
Within the Seireitei (Court of Pure Souls), the other Captains, who had been working in their offices, all twitched their brows.
"That's Kenpachi Chengdui!"
"His power seems to have grown again!"
"What a madman!"
"The Eleventh Division truly breeds lunatics."
The Captains took turns commenting, now accustomed to such violent surges of Reiatsu.
At the entrance to the Eleventh Division:
"I'll kill you this time, Zaraki!"
Kenpachi Chengdui held his Zanpakuto in one hand, pointing it diagonally at the ground. His face twisted with savage fury as he roared his challenge.
"I'll kill you too, Kenpachi Chengdui!"
Zaraki cracked his neck, the sharp snap echoing in the air. His expression grew even more maniacal as he lunged forward.
"Two lunatics!"
The surrounding Soul Reapers grinned nervously. The overwhelming Reiatsu and the maddened auras of the combatants filled the air, stirring terror and excitement in equal measure. Beneath the tension and fear lay an indescribable thrill, this was true combat!
Man against man, a raw clash of wills!
No empty words, just brutal action. No elaborate techniques or embellishments, just raise your Zanpakuto and strike relentlessly until your opponent collapses. The last man standing wins!
Clack, clack, clack!
The rapid, crisp footsteps echoed as the two figures sprinted forward, their long swords dragging across the ground, leaving trails of crackling Reiatsu sparks that crackled ominously.
This was a terrifying spectacle, even before the battle had begun. The surrounding Soul Reapers felt their adrenaline surge, their legs trembling with anticipation.
In the blink of an eye, the two combatants stood face-to-face. Then...
ROAR!
Both warriors unleashed primal, beast-like roars and swung their swords with a thunderous hum.
Sizzling crackle!
A blinding arc of lightning flashed across the sky, followed by a thunderous explosion of Reiatsu. Soul Reapers caught in the blast screamed as the violent force hurled them backward.
"Too strong!" one Soul Reaper roared, his eyes burning with frenzied intensity.
ROAR!
The beastly howl echoed again as the two clashed once more.
Within the Eleventh Division, waves of surging Reiatsu rolled outward like muffled thunder, the dull, reverberating sounds rising and falling in a relentless rhythm.
After an indeterminate number of brutal clashes, the two abruptly separated.
"Zaraki, you'll die this time!"
"I'll kill you! Hahahahaha!"
Kenpachi Chengdui roared with excitement, his hand gripping his Zanpakuto.
"Your sword can never reach Shikai, a permanent flaw!"
"With that flaw, you'll never defeat me!"
Zaraki, panting heavily, gripped his sword. His pupils contracted as he saw his opponent run a hand along the blade.
Eighteen times, he had been defeated by his opponent's Shikai.
Would he lose again this time? Or would he die?
"Shikai! Roar! Battle! Madly Howling!!"
Kenpachi Chengdui bellowed like a wild beast.
In that instant, the Zanpakuto in his hand began to vibrate violently, buzzing loudly. The shattered blade rapidly reformed, like a broken weapon reclaiming its former glory and sharpness.
Screech!
A piercing screech erupted, forcing countless Soul Reapers to clutch their ears in terror.
"It's Captain's Zanpakuto! Shikai activated!"
"Madly Howling, a frenzied cry, a berserk battle! That's Captain's Zanpakuto, as mad as he is!"
"Cover your ears, or you'll go deaf!"
The Soul Reapers shouted frantically, their voices trembling with tension.
In a mere two breaths, the long sword in Kenpachi Chengdui's hand transformed. The blade gleamed obsidian black, narrow and razor-sharp, its edge so keen it seemed capable of slicing through the very air. It had become a complete blade. On its surface, a ferocious, maddened beast's face faintly appeared, radiating a terrifying presence that chilled the heart.
"You... will die!" Kenpachi Chengdui snarled through a grimace, his face contorted into a feral expression.
"Come on, Kenpachi Chengdui!"
Zaraki unleashed his full Reiatsu, the violent energy surging and swirling around him. A blinding light erupted from his back, while the sheer force of his Reiatsu left the entire Eleventh Division gasping for air.
Roar!
Kenpachi Chengdui roared, lunging forward with his black Zanpakuto humming as he swung it.
SLASH!
A bolt of black lightning streaked through the air, accompanied by a menacing, snarling roar.
BOOM!
Zaraki's longsword was forced downward by the strike, carving a deep gash into the Reiatsu-infused ground of the Soul Society. He himself staggered backward several steps, a grimace twisting his lips.
Crushed. Under that single strike, his opponent's power had completely overwhelmed him.
"I told you, you'd die!"
Kenpachi Chengdui strode forward, his Zanpakuto raised for another attack.
A piercing shriek echoed through the air as the blade tore through space itself.
BOOM!
The air exploded. Zaraki spat out a mouthful of blood as the force of the blow sent him hurtling backward fifteen meters.
"You asked for this death!"
Kenpachi Chengdui strode forward, swinging his blade in a powerful strike.
Bang!
This time, Zaraki couldn't withstand the force. The blow sent him flying hundreds of meters, smashing through a series of Soul Society buildings before crashing into the rubble.
Kenpachi Chengdui grinned savagely, brandishing his Zanpakuto, Madly Howling.
Hum!
Ripples spread through the air as a massive gust of wind swept away the debris where Zaraki had fallen, exposing his severely wounded body to the crowd.
"With this strike, I'll cleave your body in two!" Kenpachi Chengdui snarled. "I'll end you once and for all, you nuisance!"
He advanced with heavy, deliberate steps, his right hand tightening around his Zanpakuto.
In the blink of an eye, under the anxious gazes of countless Soul Reapers, Kenpachi Chengdui stood poised above Zaraki's head.
Huff... Huff...
Blood trickled from the corner of Zaraki's mouth as he gasped for breath, his blurred vision barely making out Kenpachi Chengdui.
"Heh heh."
At that moment, Zaraki grinned, a smile of pure, unadulterated bliss.
"Still daring to smile?" Kenpachi Chengdui sneered. "Very well, Zaraki. You're just like me, utterly insane! Killing you will be my greatest achievement!"
Kenpachi Chengdui paused, then grinned savagely.
Suddenly, he swung Madly Howling down with brutal force.
Whoosh!
A shockwave erupted outward. The Soul Reapers, watching the tense battle froze as a figure suddenly appeared between the two combatants.
"Who is he?!"
Zaraki, who had been awaiting his death, also stared in stunned disbelief.
He opened his eyes to see, hovering above him, a pair of piercing, cold, and utterly mad eyes.
"Before he dies..."
"I'll kill you first!"
"Tear you limb from limb!"
Piercingly cold words echoed throughout the arena, their icy tone chilling the air.
(End of Chapter)
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