"Does Hirako Shinji expect you to use the Gotei 13 to deal with Aiyan?"
"He believed in your personal abilities, Urahara Kisuke. That's why he bet his life on you, Urahara Kisuke."
"He thought from the beginning to the end that you could save the Gotei 13 and drag this hopeless Seireitei out of its false illusion, instead of letting you place your hopes on the Gotei 13."
As a bystander, I can see it clearly.
He witnessed with his own eyes how Urahara Kisuke strategized and manipulated Seireitei, and what amazing intelligence and ability he possessed.
"Is it possible that you, Urahara Kisuke, have made it this far without dying at the hands of Aiyan because of the help of the Gotei 13?"
"So what if you win the trust of the entire Gotei 13?"
"You have already seen Aiyan's power. Those captains, lieutenants, Kidō Corps commanders, and vice-commanders are like chickens and dogs in front of him. They are not enemies at all."
Tessai Tsukabishi shouted in a deep voice:
"Hirako Shinji experienced Aiyan's power earlier than you, but he still chose you."
"Why?"
"Because he feels that you, Urahara Kisuke, contain a possibility and a strength that makes him believe you can fight against Aiyan. This is something that the entire Gotei 13 has never had, something that can even surpass the current Gotei 13."
"I also believe you have this strength."
With that, he violently threw Urahara Kisuke against Hirako Shinji's tombstone, hitting him hard.
"Do I have the power to fight Aiyan?"
"Above the current Gotei 13?"
After breaking a section of Hirako Shinji's tombstone, Urahara Kisuke buried his entire face in the mound of Hirako Shinji's grave.
The seven orifices were clogged with soil, but he did not get up. The words of Tessai Tsukabishi kept lingering in his heart.
Every time they echoed, his eyes—covered with mud—became less clouded with depression and more filled with energy.
I do not know how long it has been.
The barrier was gone.
Urahara Kisuke and Tessai Tsukabishi were missing.
Even the broken tombstone was restored to its original state.
Whishhh—
Suddenly, a gust of cold wind blew by, carrying a few fallen leaves and dropping them onto the tombstone, like a palm giving a final farewell and blessing to Urahara Kisuke, who had left long ago.
That night—
The bright moon hung in the sky, and its gleaming light poured down like mercury, paving the ground to form a silver path connecting the Thirteen Divisions of Seireitei.
A figure, seemingly favored by Soul Society, let the moonlight serve as clothing and pavement, and walked out of the Fourth Division.
Her steps were light, yet after each step, she seemed to shrink the distance and move fifty meters away out of thin air.
Soon, she stopped and glanced up at the plaque hanging at the front gate.
"Fifth Division."
Through the moonlight, you could see the corners of her lips curve slightly—longing for what was to come, excitement for what was about to happen.
After a brief pause at the door, Unohana Yachiru walked into the Fifth Division with her sword in hand.
The moment she entered, her eyes locked onto the figure in the pavilion who was drinking under the moonlight.
"Long time no see, Aiyan."
Although they had just met earlier that day, Unohana Yachiru spoke as though it had been a long absence.
"It's been a year."
"From that night at the Shin'ō Academy until now."
"You and I just met again."
Aiyan naturally understood the meaning of Unohana Yachiru's words.
A year ago, the night when she could not restrain her fighting spirit and pursued him to the Academy with her blade—what he met was Unohana Yachiru.
Over the next year, all he saw was the gentle Captain of the Fourth Division, Unohana Retsu.
Not the First Generation Kenpachi—Unohana Yachiru.
Until this moment.
"It must have been hard to endure and wait so long."
Aiyan reached out and filled the cup already prepared on the table with strong liquor.
"A year ago, you pierced me with your blade, and I already knew—"
"You're worth waiting for."
"And the facts have proven that my view was right."
Unohana Yachiru walked to the pavilion and sat opposite Aiyan. After taking the wine glass, she downed it in one gulp.
"It's only been a year."
"Zanjutsu, Kido, Hakuda and Hohō—you have already reached the limit of a Shinigami's."
"It took Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni thousands of years to reach the end of the Shinigami path. You did it in just over three hundred days."
Her voice was less gentle than usual and carried a chill like the cold wind.
"Not even close."
Aiyan shook his head.
"Reiatsu, right?"
Unohana Yachiru's eyes studied him for a moment, a look of understanding flashing across her face.
"Two more steps to go."
"Exactly."
"Unohana, I want you to help me train."
Aiyan made it clear—the gap between him and the Shinigami limit was only two steps.
Normally, his Reiatsu was already immense and trained daily, but if he engaged in battle again, his improvement would be even faster.
"So, I came at the right time tonight."
"I can save you three to five days of work."
"But likewise, Aiyan—I also want you to please me, without holding back."
Hearing this, Unohana Yachiru's beautiful face curled into a chilling smile, her eyes gleaming with a bloodthirsty light.
It was as if a demon sealed for thousands of years had broken free.
Clang—
Aiyan picked up his wine glass, clinked it lightly against hers, drained it, then reached into the air and pulled.
The air split apart into a passage as dark as ink with no end in sight.
Without hesitation, he stepped in first.
Seeing this, Unohana Yachiru eagerly followed.
When they emerged from the passage, they were still under the bright moon—but this was no longer Seireitei. Instead, it was a vast, endless desert.
"Hueco Mundo?"
"No."
"How can there be two moons?"
Unohana Yachiru immediately recognized the desert as Hueco Mundo—she had fought here before. But when she saw that there were not one but two bright moons hanging in the sky, her expression grew more serious.
"Artificial!"
She recognized it instantly.
This was an artificial moon—made from Hueco Mundo sand and the bodies of Gillians.
"Yes."
Aiyan nodded.
"Who did it?"
"I made it."
"The last time I came to Hueco Mundo to rescue the expeditionary force."
Aiyan's words made the First Generation Kenpachi tremble slightly.
"No wonder."
"I sensed Gillian Reiatsu within the moon."
Unohana Yachiru stared deeply at the man before her, fighting spirit burning in her eyes.
At this moment, she was no longer the healer who saved all beings—she was the murderous First Generation Kenpachi.
"Such a look is truly charming."
"But not enough."
"What I want to see is the so-called greatest villain in Soul Society's history—First Generation Kenpachi, unrestrained."
Aiyan's words were both praise and a challenge.
"As you wish."
Unohana Yachiru, freed from all the restraints that Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni and Seireitei had placed upon her, faced the man she longed to fight.
"Bankai!"
...
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