Three weeks had passed since Frieza's death.
The universe had taken notice. Reports filtered through various galactic networks—the Emperor was gone, killed by an unknown warrior who had appeared from nowhere and vanished just as quickly. The Frieza Force had collapsed into chaos, its remnants scattering across the cosmos like leaves in a storm.
But on Earth, life continued.
Kenpachi had returned to his training, pushing deeper into the connection with Nozarashi, refining his control over the Bankai that had once threatened to consume his sanity. Progress was slow but steady—he could maintain the form for nearly ten minutes now while retaining full awareness, a vast improvement over the handful of seconds he had started with.
Today, he was meditating.
Or rather, he was sitting very still with his eyes closed while Nozarashi berated him for his lack of proper technique.
You're thinking too much, she complained, her voice echoing through their shared mental space. Meditation isn't about forcing your mind to be quiet—it's about letting thoughts pass without engaging them.
That sounds like the same thing with extra steps.
It's NOT the same thing! There's a fundamental difference between—
Both of them stopped.
Something was approaching.
Kenpachi's eyes snapped open, his hand moving instinctively to Nozarashi's hilt. The energy signature was familiar—he had felt it during the Battle of Gods, hovering beside Beerus with that infuriating calm that suggested nothing in the universe could possibly concern him.
Whis.
The angel descended from the sky with characteristic grace, his staff tapping lightly against the air as if it were solid ground. His smile was pleasant, his demeanor relaxed, but there was something calculating behind those ancient eyes.
"Good afternoon," Whis said, landing a few meters from Kenpachi's position. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything important."
"You are." Kenpachi didn't bother standing. "What do you want?"
"Straight to the point. How refreshing." Whis's smile didn't waver. "I've come to make you an offer, Kenpachi Zaraki. One I think you'll find quite interesting."
"Not interested."
"You haven't even heard what it is yet."
"Don't need to." Kenpachi finally rose to his feet, his massive frame casting a long shadow across the barren training ground. "I know your type. You want something from me, and you're going to dress it up as an opportunity."
Whis's eyebrows rose slightly. "My type? And what type would that be?"
"The kind that's always playing angles. Always thinking ten steps ahead. Always treating everyone else like pieces on a board." Kenpachi's gaze was flat, unimpressed. "I've met beings like you before. They always want something."
For a moment, something flickered across Whis's expression—surprise, perhaps, or reassessment. Then his pleasant smile returned.
"You're more perceptive than you appear. But I assure you, my offer is genuine, with no hidden agenda." He gestured with his staff. "I've been observing you since your arrival in this universe. Your power is... unique. It operates on principles entirely foreign to our reality, yet somehow integrates seamlessly with it."
"And?"
"And I find myself curious." Whis began to pace slowly, his movements fluid and graceful. "I've trained gods. I've guided warriors to heights of power that would shatter lesser beings. But I've never encountered someone like you—a soul from another dimension, wielding strength that shouldn't exist here."
Kenpachi crossed his arms. "Get to the point."
"Very well. I want to train you." Whis stopped pacing, fixing Kenpachi with those ancient, knowing eyes. "Take you under my tutelage, as I have with Goku and Vegeta. Help you unlock the full potential of your abilities."
The offer hung in the air like a challenge.
Kenpachi considered it for exactly three seconds.
"No."
Whis blinked.
In his countless millennia of existence, he had received many responses to his offers of training. Enthusiastic acceptance. Humble gratitude. Desperate pleading. Even occasional hesitation from those who felt unworthy of his attention.
But flat, immediate rejection?
That was new.
"I don't think you understand," he said, his smile becoming slightly fixed. "Training with me would elevate your abilities beyond anything you could achieve on your own. I can teach you techniques that transcend the limitations of mortal power, help you access depths of strength that—"
"I said no."
Whis's staff tapped against the ground, a sign of mild frustration that he would normally never display. "May I ask why?"
Kenpachi shrugged. "Don't like the idea."
"That's... not much of an explanation."
"It's the only one you're getting."
For a long moment, the angel and the Shinigami faced each other in silence. Whis's pleasant demeanor had cooled slightly, a hint of genuine confusion creeping into his expression.
"I must admit, I'm baffled," he said finally. "Most warriors would leap at the chance I'm offering. Goku and Vegeta certainly did. The path to godhood itself could be yours, with proper guidance."
"Godhood." Kenpachi snorted. "That's your selling point? Becoming a god?"
"Is that not appealing to you?"
"Not even slightly." Kenpachi met Whis's gaze without flinching. "I've fought a god. Beerus, your boss. Went toe-to-toe with him and made him bleed. You know what I learned from that fight?"
"Enlighten me."
"That being a god doesn't mean anything." Kenpachi's voice was flat, utterly certain. "Beerus is strong because he's STRONG, not because he's got some fancy title. And I got strong the same way—by fighting, by bleeding, by pushing myself past every limit until the limits stopped existing."
"And you believe you can continue that path alone? Without guidance?"
"That's what I've always done." Kenpachi began walking, not away from Whis but past him, as if the angel were already dismissed. "I didn't have teachers. Didn't have masters. Just had opponents, one after another, each one stronger than the last. And every time I beat one, I got stronger."
"That's an incredibly inefficient method of training," Whis observed, falling into step beside him despite the dismissal. "With proper instruction, you could achieve in months what would take decades otherwise."
"Maybe. Don't care."
"You don't care about becoming stronger faster?"
"I don't care about shortcuts." Kenpachi stopped walking, turning to face Whis directly. "Look, angel. I'm going to explain this once, and then you're going to leave me alone."
Whis's expression shifted to one of genuine interest. "I'm listening."
Kenpachi was silent for a moment, gathering his thoughts.
He wasn't good at explaining himself. Wasn't good at putting feelings into words, at articulating the philosophy that had guided him through centuries of combat. But something about Whis's persistent confusion demanded an answer.
"When I fight," he began slowly, "it's not about winning. It's not about getting stronger. It's about the fight itself. The moment when everything else falls away and there's nothing but you and your opponent and the blade between you."
Whis tilted his head. "That sounds almost spiritual."
"Maybe it is. I don't know. Don't really care about labels." Kenpachi's hand rested on Nozarashi's hilt. "But I do know this—every ounce of power I have, I EARNED. Through blood and pain and more battles than I can count. Every scar on my body is a lesson I learned the hard way."
"And you believe training with me would somehow diminish that?"
"Not diminish. Replace." Kenpachi's eyes were hard. "You want to teach me techniques. Show me shortcuts. Give me power that I didn't bleed for. But that's not power—that's just... borrowing. Taking something that belongs to someone else and pretending it's yours."
"An interesting perspective," Whis murmured. "Though I would argue that all knowledge is, in some sense, borrowed from those who came before."
"Maybe for some people. Not for me." Kenpachi shook his head. "Everything I know, I figured out myself. Every technique, every instinct, every way I move in battle—it came from DOING, not from being told."
"And you're proud of that inefficiency?"
"I'm proud that everything I am is MINE." Kenpachi's voice rose slightly, conviction entering his tone. "No one gave it to me. No one taught it to me. I built myself from nothing, through nothing but my own will and my own blade. And I'll keep building that way until I die."
Whis was quiet for a long moment, studying Kenpachi with those ancient, unreadable eyes.
"You know," he said finally, "in all my years, I've never had someone reject my training for philosophical reasons. Practical concerns, certainly. Fear of the commitment required, often. But never because they valued the journey over the destination."
"Most people are idiots."
"Perhaps." A small smile crossed Whis's face. "Or perhaps they simply have different values than you. Neither approach is inherently superior."
"Never said mine was superior. Just said it was mine."
"Fair enough." Whis stepped back, his staff glowing softly. "I won't press the matter further. But the offer remains open, should you ever change your mind."
"I won't."
"Probably not. But stranger things have happened." The angel began to rise into the air, his form becoming luminous. "One last thing, before I go."
"What?"
"Lord Beerus was quite impressed by your performance against him. He's been... restless lately. Seeking worthy opponents to entertain him." Whis's smile became knowing. "I suspect he may visit Earth again soon, specifically to test how much you've grown."
Kenpachi felt his grin returning for the first time since the conversation began. "Tell him I'll be waiting."
"I'm sure you will." Whis ascended higher, his form beginning to blur with divine energy. "Until next time, Kenpachi Zaraki. Do try not to destroy too much of the planet in my absence."
And then he was gone, vanishing into the sky with a flash of light that left afterimages dancing across Kenpachi's vision.
Well, Nozarashi's voice echoed in his mind, that was unexpected.
Was it? Kenpachi resumed walking, heading back toward his training grounds. He offered power. I said no. Pretty straightforward.
Most people would have accepted. The angel's training has made Goku and Vegeta significantly stronger.
Most people aren't me.
Obviously. There was a hint of amusement in Nozarashi's mental voice. But I'm curious—did you mean what you said? About earning every ounce of power yourself?
Every word.
Even though it would be faster to accept his training?
Kenpachi considered the question as he walked.
Whis wasn't wrong—training with an angel would almost certainly accelerate his growth. He could probably achieve in months what would otherwise take years, reach heights of power that might otherwise remain forever out of reach.
But that wasn't the point.
Speed doesn't matter, he thought finally. What matters is that when I stand at the top, I got there on my own terms. Through my own strength. My own will.
And if that path leads to defeat? If someone surpasses you because they took the shortcut you rejected?
Then I'll fight them and learn from the loss. Kenpachi's grin sharpened. That's how it's always been. That's how it'll always be.
Nozarashi was silent for a moment.
Then, softly: I knew there was a reason I chose you, all those centuries ago.
Chose me?
You think it was coincidence that a nameless blade ended up in the hands of a nameless boy in the worst district of the Rukongai? Amusement colored her mental voice. Nothing in the Soul Society happens by accident, Kenpachi. I FOUND you. Because you were the only one who could wield me properly.
And how's that?
Without hesitation. Without doubt. Without ever asking permission to become what you were meant to be.
Kenpachi didn't respond, but something warm settled in his chest.
It wasn't quite happiness. He wasn't sure he was capable of that particular emotion. But it was close enough.
The training grounds were as he had left them—a wasteland of craters and shattered rock, the evidence of weeks of intensive practice. Kenpachi settled into his usual spot, drawing Nozarashi and laying the battered blade across his knees.
But before he could resume his meditation, another presence made itself known.
"Yo, Kenpachi!"
Goku descended from the sky, his expression bright with curiosity. "Was that Whis I sensed earlier? What did he want?"
"Offered to train me."
"Really?! That's awesome!" Goku landed beside him, practically bouncing with excitement. "Training with Whis is incredible—he's the one who taught me and Vegeta to use god ki! You're going to learn so much!"
"I said no."
Goku's enthusiasm died mid-bounce. "You... what?"
"Rejected his offer. Told him to leave me alone."
The Saiyan stared at him with an expression of complete incomprehension. "But... but WHY? Whis is the strongest being in our universe! His training is—"
"Not interested."
"But—"
"Goku." Kenpachi met his eyes, and something in his gaze made the Saiyan fall silent. "I appreciate your concern. Really. But I don't need a teacher. Don't WANT a teacher. I've got Nozarashi, I've got myself, and I've got opponents worth fighting. That's enough."
"But you could get so much stronger—"
"I'll get stronger anyway. Just slower." Kenpachi shrugged. "I'm not in a hurry. Got nothing but time."
Goku was quiet for a long moment, visibly struggling to understand a perspective so foreign to his own.
Finally, he sighed. "I don't get it. But I guess... if that's what you want, I can't stop you."
"Nope."
"Just... promise me something?"
"What?"
Goku's expression became serious. "Promise me that when I surpass you—because I WILL surpass you eventually—you won't regret turning down Whis's training. Promise me you'll keep fighting, keep getting stronger, even if I leave you behind."
Kenpachi stared at him.
Then he started laughing.
It was his real laugh—not the manic battle-cackle, but something genuine and warm and surprisingly affectionate. He laughed until tears pricked at his eyes, until his massive frame shook with mirth.
"What?" Goku looked confused. "What's so funny?"
"You are." Kenpachi finally got his laughter under control. "Talking about surpassing me like it's inevitable. Like I'm just going to sit here while you get stronger."
"Well, I mean—"
"Let me tell you something, Goku." Kenpachi's grin was sharp as his blade. "I don't care how strong you get. I don't care if you become a god, or a super god, or whatever the hell comes after that. Every time you reach a new height, I'll be right behind you. Climbing the same mountain, just using a different path."
"But if I'm training with Whis and you're not—"
"Then you'll get there faster. So what?" Kenpachi shrugged. "Race isn't over until one of us dies. And I don't plan on dying anytime soon."
Goku opened his mouth, then closed it. A slow grin spread across his face.
"You know what? I think I get it now."
"Do you?"
"Yeah." The Saiyan's eyes gleamed with something that looked almost like respect. "You're not just training to get stronger. You're training to be the best version of yourself. And you don't want anyone's help because... because then it wouldn't really be YOU, would it?"
"Close enough."
"Huh." Goku scratched his head. "That's actually kind of cool, in a weird way."
"Glad you approve."
"I didn't say I approved! I still think you're making it harder than it needs to be." But Goku's grin remained. "But I respect it. And I'm looking forward to seeing how strong you get on your own."
"Likewise." Kenpachi raised Nozarashi in a casual salute. "Now get lost. I've got training to do."
"Right, right." Goku began to rise into the air. "Hey, we should spar again soon! I want to see how your Bankai control is coming along!"
"Anytime, orange pajamas. Just be ready to bleed."
"Always am!"
And then he was gone, rocketing off toward Capsule Corporation with his characteristic disregard for anything resembling subtlety.
Kenpachi watched him go, then turned his attention back to Nozarashi.
The battered blade gleamed in the afternoon light, patient and eternal, waiting for him to continue their work together.
Ready? he thought.
Always, she replied. Let's see what we can become.
He closed his eyes, reaching for that inner space where warrior and weapon became one.
The training continued.
Later that evening, at Beerus's planet...
"He rejected you?"
Beerus's voice was incredulous, his feline features twisted in disbelief. He had been lounging on a pile of cushions when Whis returned, but now he was sitting upright, ears perked with interest.
"Completely and utterly," Whis confirmed, settling into his own seat with characteristic grace. "He wasn't even rude about it—simply stated that he had no interest in outside training, regardless of who offered it."
"But you're the best trainer in the universe! You trained ME!"
"A fact that seems to hold no weight with Kenpachi Zaraki." Whis smiled slightly. "He has a rather unique philosophy. Believes that any power he didn't earn through his own effort is somehow lesser than power he achieved alone."
Beerus's tail swished thoughtfully. "That's stupid."
"Is it? He's certainly achieved impressive results with that approach. His fight with you was nothing to scoff at, and from what I observed, he's only grown stronger since then."
"He got lucky. I wasn't taking him seriously."
"You were taking him quite seriously by the end, my lord." Whis's tone was mild, but there was a hint of amusement beneath. "I saw the look on your face when he drew blood."
Beerus grumbled something unintelligible, his ears flattening.
"Regardless," Whis continued, "his rejection doesn't change my interest in him. If anything, it makes him more fascinating. A warrior who genuinely doesn't care about power for its own sake—who fights purely for the joy of fighting itself."
"Sounds exhausting."
"To us, perhaps. But to him, it seems to be the only way of life that makes sense." Whis's eyes grew distant, contemplating something beyond the immediate moment. "I wonder what he'll become, given enough time. Without guidance, without shortcuts, just raw will and endless combat..."
"He'll either reach heights we can't imagine, or he'll hit a wall and stagnate forever."
"Precisely. And either outcome would be instructive to observe."
Beerus was quiet for a moment, then a slow grin spread across his face.
"I think I'll visit Earth again soon. See how he's progressing."
"You just want an excuse to eat more of their food."
"That too. But mostly..." The God of Destruction's eyes gleamed with anticipation. "I want to see if he's still as entertaining as I remember."
End of Chapter 6