However, there are always those who cannot appreciate this "accident," and even less willing to admit the temporary defeat of the two captains.
Just as the aftermath of the shock had yet to subside, a roar like a thunderclap swept through like a physical shockwave:
"Hmph! A bunch of trash! Get out of the way!!"
A massive figure, like a moving fortress, carrying a wild and unbridled aura of ferocity, roughly pushed aside the crowd blocking the way and suddenly appeared at the edge of the Barrier.
The newcomer was none other than the current Captain of the Eleventh Division, Kenpachi Kiganjō!
On his face, which was written all over with bellicosity and irritability, his eyes turned red with excitement due to the boiling battle in the arena and the "defeat" of Aizen and Shunsui, like a shark smelling blood.
His massive palm slammed heavily against the transparent Barrier wall, letting out a dull, thunderous boom that caused the energy ripples to tremble frantically.
"Open! The! Barrier!" Kenpachi Kiganjō's voice was like a beast's roar, each word punctuated, containing an irrefutable, manic command.
To him, the failure of the two captains' intervention was no different from the sweetest invitation—it was the perfect opportunity for him, Kenpachi Kiganjō, to take the stage and show his true power!
"Don't! Whatever you do, don't!"
Almost the instant Kiganjō spoke, the expressions of both Kyoraku Shunsui, who was just self-deprecatingly laughing at his own dishevelment a second ago, and Aizen Sōsuke, who had just finished tidying his appearance, changed simultaneously!
The two of them showed astonishing chemistry, rushing to Kenpachi Kiganjō's side from both flanks like two gusts of wind!
Kyoraku Shunsui unceremoniously grabbed Kiganjō's thick left arm, while Aizen, with strength that belied his gentle appearance, firmly pressed down on Kiganjō's right wrist as it gripped the hilt of the Zanpakuto at his waist!
"You bastards! What are you doing?!"
Being blocked, Kiganjō struggled furiously, his muscles bulging as his spiritual pressure surged out violently.
"Let go of me! As long as I go in and beat them both down, this damn fight will naturally be stopped!"
His simple and crude logic was terrifyingly blunt, as if the two in the arena were not top-tier powerhouses, but merely lambs to be slaughtered.
He wanted to fight, craved to fight! The scene before him made every single one of his combat nerves burn with excitement!
Kyoraku Shunsui was almost at his wits' end, desperately pulling back this bull of a man, repeatedly trying to dissuade him: "I say, Captain Kiganjō! Can't you just calm down?! This isn't the time to show off! Do you know what state those two inside are in right now? They're like two ancient ferocious beasts completely unleashed from their cages! Anyone who goes in will be doomed! They're impossible to pull apart!"
He spoke rapidly, "Stop adding to the chaos! You're just adding fuel to the fire! The situation will get a hundred times worse! I'm begging you, don't go up there, just watch properly, alright?!"
Aizen was also there, suppressing Kiganjō's wrist with a gentle yet unquestionable force, his voice low and clear:
"Captain Kiganjō, Captain Kyoraku is right. Please think twice. The two inside... the violence of their spiritual pressure, the intensity of their battle intent, and the horror of their lethality far exceed the limits of a normal sparring match.
Intervening rashly will not only be difficult to stop, but may instead trigger even greater, uncontrollable destruction, and even... casualties."
He skillfully avoided saying "you're just going in to die" directly, using a serious consequence like "casualties" to try and bring this savage beast to his senses.
In the "moment of inattention" while the three captains were briefly arguing and pulling at each other, the situation in the arena underwent another strange and sudden change!
The battle, which had originally maintained some semblance of swordsmanship duel rules with exquisite exchanges of moves, seemed to have completely unshackled some invisible bond after both sides repelled the surprise attack of the two captains, or rather... it had climbed to an even more terrifying and unbridled peak!
Unohana Retsu and Huangquan faced each other from a distance, panting heavily—not from exhaustion, but from greedy breaths of extreme excitement.
Their burning gazes collided again through the thick dust and shattered reishi! No words were spoken, yet they understood the undisguised desire in each other's eyes—it wasn't enough! The limits of swordsmanship could no longer satisfy them!
They wanted to see each other's true core! They wanted to exhaust everything to burn with the thrill of this encounter!
Under the shocked gazes of everyone, including the three captains who were just arguing, an even more heart-wrenching change occurred!
The horrific, bone-deep wounds on Unohana Retsu's body that were still seeping blood actually... disappeared at a speed visible to the naked eye! The originally mangled flesh seemed to be smoothed over by an invisible hand, and a luster of life pulsed beneath her pale skin.
Even more terrifyingly, her spiritual pressure, which was already as vast as the sea, suddenly became even deeper, more ancient, carrying a will of blood that had been dormant for a thousand years and was enough to erode and destroy all things!
Fine, dark-red particles of spiritual pressure drifted around her like living things.
At the same time, Huangquan, standing opposite her, was also covered in crisscrossing sword wounds.
At this moment, deep within those wounds, an eerie and mysterious ghostly green light suddenly lit up!
This light was as deep as the purest emerald, yet carried an indescribable air of demonic evil.
Wherever the light passed, the torn flesh, damaged blood vessels, and even some injured bones were all writhing and healing frantically, with new flesh growing at a dizzying speed!
Under the master's call of blood and fire, the power of the sesshōseki demonstrated its terrifying self-healing and regenerative abilities!
Her own aura also became increasingly demonic and powerful during this healing process, filled with wild vitality and a desire for destruction.
"Hahaha—!!!"
"It's really been a long time since I've been this happy."
Unohana Retsu was the first to burst into a hearty laugh, one that seemed to signal the final dispersal of endless loneliness; the laughter was filled with the liberation and ecstasy of a thousand years of repression!
Huangquan also twitched the corners of her mouth, revealing a responsive smile that was a mix of sharpness, excitement, and ferocity. Her voice was clear yet carried a thunderous penetration: "Yeah! I also feel... it's been a long time since... I've been this happy!"
Her blood was burning, her soul was roaring! This ecstasy of meeting a worthy opponent, of a general meeting a fine talent, made her feel as if every single cell was cheering!
"In that case..."
"Then let's continue!!!"
"Good!!!"
The moment their words fell, it was as if some ultimate, insane blood pact had been reached!
Defense? What is that?!
BOOM!!!
The energy cores of two forces as vast as colliding stars completely erupted!
Their figures blurred once more! Then, a terrifying storm far exceeding any previous clash!
The real slaughter has begun!
As if they had lost all sense of pain and reverence for death, the two completely abandoned all subtle parries and dodges, pushing their speed, power, and reactions to the absolute limit!
They were left with only one action—attack! Attack! And attack again!
The Zanpakuto in Unohana Retsu's hand seemed to transform into countless roaring blood-colored flood dragons, carrying a terrifying power that could pierce the void and annihilate life. Abandoning all defense, they lunged overwhelmingly and unreservedly toward every vital point on Huangquan's body!
The malevolent blade in Huangquan's hand became a destructive thunderbolt that slashed through the void, carrying a brutal demonic power that tore through and crushed everything. She likewise gave up her own protection, wildly hacking, slashing, stabbing, and parrying at Unohana Retsu's seemingly delicate body, every move lethal!
A sword strike for a sword strike! Every blow cut to the bone! Blood blossoms bloomed!
Support on patreon and don't forget to requests for novel translations and raw.