The Battle of Kenpachi  

However, the time of Zaraki's despair over these past few hundred years was when that woman never appeared in the Zaraki district.

If only I were stronger.

This was the thought deep within Zaraki's heart. If he were even stronger, could he make that woman feel the joy of battle again, and perhaps they could clash once more? Yet, after laughing, Zaraki fell silent.

Not seeing her for hundreds of years, this woman had grown stronger. But what about himself?

Flashes of his battles over these past few hundred years flickered through Zaraki's mind.

Although each slaughter was immensely exhilarating, it seemed that ever since his defeat by that woman, his strength had not progressed for a long time.

Thinking of this, the previously joyful Zaraki at reuniting with the Eight Thousand Flows Yachiru Unohana suddenly lost his mood for laughter.

In his current state, did he even have the right to allow this woman to enjoy a battle with him?

Stopping his laughter, Zaraki pointed his Zanpakutō at Ailin.

"Hey, I've already defeated that brat, so now it's your turn!"

"Oh?"

Glancing at Yachiru Unohana beside him, seeing no reaction from her, Ailin nodded.

"Very well, I accept your challenge."

Upon hearing Ailin's response, Yachiru Unohana suddenly trembled.

The "Kenpachi" must fight with all their might when accepting a challenge.

But in Zaraki's current state, could he survive against Captain Ailin? As the root cause of Zaraki's weakened condition, Yachiru Unohana did not wish for Zaraki to die in his present state.

"Captain Ailin, could you let me take this challenge instead?"

"Captain Unohana, I apologize, but since I have already accepted his challenge, how can I let you take my opponent? If Captain Unohana also wishes to battle him, please wait until after our fight is over to challenge him."

Shaking his head to decline Yachiru Unohana's proposal, Ailin walked up to Zaraki and drew his Zanpakutō.

"Ailin Kenpachi, Captain of the 11th Division of the Gotei 13, hereby accepts your challenge. State your name, challenger!"

"Heh, so fancy." Although he said this, Zaraki still properly responded to Ailin. "I have no name, but for as long as I can remember, I've lived in the Zaraki district of Rukongai."

"If that's the case, then I shall call you 'Zaraki.'"

"Come on."

Boom!

A powerful spiritual pressure erupted from Zaraki, a force that made Gin narrow his eyes with a serious expression.

If this man had such spiritual pressure during their earlier clash, even with Gin's "Observation Haki" to predict his opponent's movements, he likely couldn't have lasted long.

After all, spiritual pressure was the most fundamental aspect for a Shinigami. Immense spiritual pressure would enhance a Shinigami's speed, strength, and defenses to an exaggerated degree.

When the gap in speed between two opponents was too great, even if one could sense the other's movements beforehand, they might still be too slow to react and inevitably be struck.

Boom!"

With his spiritual pressure erupting, Zaraki charged at Ailin like a raging demon, swinging his Zanpakutō down.

"Too slow!" Ailin shook his head, deflecting Zaraki's blade upward with his own.

Clang!

Shh—

Zaraki's sword was directly deflected by Ailin's blade, which then slashed across Zaraki's body. A long wound opened on Zaraki's chest and abdomen, spurting a large amount of fresh blood.

Zaraki let out a muffled grunt, continuing his onslaught against Ailin with his sword. But it was futile! Having battled too many small fry, Zaraki had unconsciously suppressed his spiritual pressure to only that of an elite Shinigami.

This level of spiritual power was no match for Ailin, making Zaraki no stronger than a rotten log before him.

Each of Zaraki's attacks was deflected by Ailin, who then inflicted a new wound on Zaraki's body. In just a few breaths, Zaraki had become a bloody mess.

"Hahaha, hahaha..."

Yet Zaraki paid no heed to these wounds, severe enough to critically injure or even kill an ordinary Shinigami.

Instead, the more grievously wounded he became, the more joyful his laughter grew.

Yes, this is it, this is it! How many years had it been since he last experienced such a battle?

It seemed ever since his defeat by that woman, he had never again enjoyed such combat.

But ah...

He did not want this battle to end so soon!

Boom!

The ecstasy of battle began awakening Zaraki's instincts. His spiritual pressure began skyrocketing. At this moment, Zaraki's spiritual pressure had reached the level of a lieutenant.

Zaraki's transformation was quickly noticed by both Gin and Yachiru Unohana.

The first thing Gin thought of was how earlier, when Zaraki challenged Captain Ailin, Ailin had instructed Gin to retreat at least ten kilometers away.

Now it seemed that although the reason was unknown, this man's true strength was far more formidable than Gin had imagined.

Meanwhile, Yachiru Unohana's heart leapt with joy. It appeared Zaraki's condition was better than she had anticipated.

Under the crisis of a life-or-death battle, his suppressed spiritual pressure would be released, allowing Zaraki to enjoy the fight with greater power.

That night, under Ailin's onslaught, Zaraki's spiritual pressure erupted twice more, elevating it to the level of an ordinary captain.

"Not bad, Zaraki, I acknowledge you have the right to challenge me. But, this is as far as it goes!"

After glancing at Gin observing from a distance, Ailin realized that their current battle was no longer suitable for Gin to witness.

Although Captain Unohana was shielding the aftermath of Ailin and Zaraki's clash from Gin, the current Gin was still too weak – even the residual force leaking past Unohana would be difficult for him to withstand.

Raising his Zanpakutō high, Ailin then swung it down fiercely.

Boom!

A powerful slash tore through the air, carrying immense force as it descended upon Zaraki.

"Haah!"

Facing Ailin's strike, Zaraki made no attempt to evade. Instead, he released the entirety of his spiritual pressure, mustering his utmost strength to clash against this attack.

Boom boom boom—

The clash between Ailin's strike and Zaraki's sword briefly deadlocked for a few breaths before Zaraki was overwhelmed.

Boom—

Everything in the path of Ailin's strike was swept away. The ground was gouged into a massive trench dozens of meters deep and over a hundred meters long.

"Kenny!"

Witnessing this scene, the young Yachiru Kusajishi hiding behind a rock cried out in panic, quickly rushing towards the battered Zaraki sent flying by Ailin's attack.

"Kenny, Kenny..."

Seeing Zaraki's bloody body, Yachiru Kusajishi's tears streamed down as she pushed against him with her small hands, desperate for a response.

However, Ailin had not held back his final strike. Had Zaraki not erupted with another burst of spiritual pressure under the threat of death, he might have been cleaved in two by Ailin's attack. Even so, Zaraki was critically injured and unable to continue fighting.

"As expected of Zaraki, to survive my full strike without dying." Ailin was truly impressed by this.

One must know that Zaraki's current spiritual pressure was only at an ordinary captain's level.

Whoosh...

Behind Yachiru Kusajishi, Unohana's figure suddenly appeared. She crouched down, her hands emitting a green glow that enveloped Zaraki's body.

However, Zaraki's injuries were too severe. Even with Unohana's formidable healing abilities, she could only temporarily stabilize his condition. To fully heal him, she would need to swallow him with the released form of her Zanpakutō.

Gripping her Zanpakutō, Yachiru Unohana's mind raced with thoughts.

She had Isane Kotetsu investigate Ailin Kenpachi's whereabouts from the 11th Division members treated by the 4th Division, intending to engage Ailin in an all-out battle to test if she possessed the strength to force that boy from centuries ago to fight with his full power.

Or perhaps die by Ailin's hand, allowing Ailin Kenpachi to take her place and redeem the disgrace she had brought to the "Kenpachi" name.

But she never expected to encounter Zaraki here.

"Sigh..."

With a sigh, Unohana undid her hair tie, quickly braiding her long, loose hair into a thick plait that fell across her chest, once again concealing the unsightly scar.

At this moment, the murderous Yachiru Unohana transformed back into Retsu Unohana, Captain of the 4th Division.

"Captain Ailin, I originally came here intending to have a 'Kenpachi' battle with you, but it seems I must break our appointment."

Sheathing his Zanpakutō, Ailin shook his head. "Captain Unohana jests, we never made such an arrangement, so how could you break it? However, it's clear Captain Unohana cares deeply for this man, even forsaking the Kenpachi challenge for his sake."

Ignoring Ailin's teasing, Unohana drew her Zanpakutō.

"Minazuki!"

At Unohana's call, her Zanpakutō transformed into a green mist that coalesced in the air, forming a massive flying fish with a single eye.

"Swallow him, Minazuki."

Obeying Unohana's command, the gigantic one-eyed fish opened its massive maw, descending from the sky to swallow the gravely injured Zaraki along with the ground he lay upon.

"Kenny!"

Witnessing this, the small Yachiru Kusajishi cried out, charging towards the enormous one-eyed fish. But halfway there, she was scooped up from behind by Unohana.

"Do not worry, Zaraki will be fine. I'll take you both back to the Seireitei for treatment."

With those words, Unohana flashed onto the body of the one-eyed fish. "Let's go, Minazuki."

The one-eyed fish traced a semicircle in the sky, obediently carrying Unohana and Yachiru towards the Seireitei.

"Captain Ailin."

After Unohana's departure with Zaraki, Gin approached Ailin from behind, curiously asking, "Who exactly was that Zaraki? And Captain Unohana..."