Bleach: Soul Society Domination Through Check-ins

Kenpachi Zaraki swung his blade with wild abandon, his maniacal laughter echoing as he slashed forward.

His golden spiritual pressure coiled around the blade like living fire, and the sheer force of his strike whipped up violent hurricanes in the surrounding area.

Soifon immediately recognized the signs—Kenpachi Zaraki's old compulsion was taking hold again!

Out here beyond Seireitei's borders, without Captain-Commander Yamamoto and Captain Unohana to restrain him, no one could stop his bloodlust!

Soifon immediately shouted with fierce urgency: "Segawa! Get out of the way!!"

But Shigure acted as though he hadn't heard a word. Not only did he remain rooted in place, but his right hand moved deliberately to rest on his sword hilt.

Soifon's pupils contracted sharply—she realized Segawa was determined to meet this challenge head-on.

And this... would be his first time drawing his blade today!

"Hyaaaaah!!"

Kenpachi roared with savage glee as he brought his blade crashing down directly toward Shigure's skull.

The nearby 13th Division members nearly jumped out of their skins.

Kenpachi Zaraki's fearsome reputation throughout Seireitei was legendary—a walking nightmare for countless squad members.

Watching that crushing blade descend toward Shigure, Matsushima Tsuki cried out in panic:

"Vice-Captain! Look out!!"

Shigure chuckled softly as he smoothly drew his sword and raised it with fluid precision.

When Kenpachi's blade was mere centimeters from Shigure's head, it met steel with a resounding clang.

Despite Kenpachi Zaraki's monstrous strength, the blade couldn't advance even a millimeter further!

The onlookers felt their hearts skip a beat.

He had blocked it with such casual ease!

Kenpachi's eyes blazed with even greater excitement:

"Exactly what I expected!!"

"You really are a worthy opponent!!!"

Kenpachi laughed like a madman, quickly withdrawing his sword before driving it down again with explosive force, this time sweeping horizontally toward Shigure's waist.

But in that instant, Shigure's figure vanished from his original position, reappearing roughly ten feet away.

He maintained that same serene smile.

"Captain Zaraki, Seireitei's regulations strictly prohibit private combat between squad members during missions."

Hearing this, Kenpachi Zaraki's expression didn't waver in the slightest.

"Heh heh... I couldn't care less about that bureaucratic garbage!"

With that declaration, he lunged forward for another assault.

This time, however, his spiritual pressure erupted like a geyser, golden radiance engulfing his entire form.

Every observer immediately felt an crushing, invisible weight pressing down on them.

"Come on!!"

"Let me experience your spiritual pressure up close!!!"

He bellowed, unleashing another strike of absolute devastation!

This was exactly what he'd been burning to do ever since first sensing that incredible spiritual pressure emanating from North Rukongai.

At that captain's meeting, however, the Captain-Commander had denied his request.

What he hadn't anticipated was that the source of that spiritual pressure would join the Gotei 13 directly.

With the Captain-Commander and others watching, he'd been forced to suppress his battle hunger.

When news of this Hollow outbreak reached him, his excitement had been overwhelming.

Finally—the fight he craved was within reach.

But never in his wildest imagination had he expected hundreds of Hollows to be obliterated instantaneously under Shigure's spiritual pressure.

Their physical forms had been completely pulverized and vaporized, converted directly into spiritual particles before vanishing entirely.

This kind of power... was beyond anything he'd ever witnessed.

Without testing himself against it, he could never find peace!

Eyes burning with savage anticipation, Kenpachi's blade swept toward Shigure once more.

But in that split second, his lightning-fast strike began to decelerate dramatically!

As though caught in impossibly thick quicksand, his movement shifted into slow motion!

The surrounding observers stared in complete bewilderment.

Had Captain Zaraki held back?

Impossible!

Once someone like him committed to battle, restraint was unthinkable!

Which meant...

This was Segawa Shigure's power?!

Even Soifon's expression lit up with sudden understanding.

Kenpachi, mid-strike, naturally felt this tremendous resistance.

It was as if an invisible barrier of solid steel was blocking his blade's descent!

Even with his spiritual pressure unleashed to its current maximum and every ounce of his strength driving the strike downward...

The blade's movement remained agonizingly sluggish!

His pupils dilated as he growled: "What the hell... is this power?!"

Shigure looked up with that same gentle smile:

"Captain Zaraki, this is exactly what you wanted to witness... close-range spiritual pressure."

"What?!"

Kenpachi Zaraki's face went completely blank.

His notoriously simple mind fell into stunned silence.

This revelation sent his mind reeling into chaos.

This was an answer beyond his wildest comprehension.

Yet after hearing Shigure's explanation and focusing his senses, he realized that this force blocking his blade's descent wasn't some exotic technique at all.

It was pure spiritual pressure—with an impossibly dense concentration of spiritual particles!

"How... could this... be possible..."

Kenpachi stared at Shigure, uttering such words of doubt for the first time in his life.

He had fought countless battles throughout his existence.

Even the mightiest opponents... had never been able to halt his blade mid-strike.

Even the most overwhelming spiritual pressure was nothing but worthless resistance to be cleaved through.

But now...

He couldn't even execute something as fundamental as a downward slash!

"STOP THIS!!!"

At that critical moment, an aged bellow suddenly thundered across the battlefield.

In the next instant, a figure materialized beside them both using Shunpo.

Without a moment's hesitation, he thrust both palms forward with practiced precision.

A violent windstorm erupted, instantly surging between Shigure and Kenpachi Zaraki.

The tempest expanded and rose in a heartbeat, forming an impenetrable barrier of wind that completely severed their confrontation.

Bakudō #56: Kazama no Hedatari!

Shigure's eyes shifted slightly as he took a measured step backward, gracefully withdrawing from the conflict zone.

Kenpachi Zaraki slowly lowered his Zanpakutō, his gaze turning toward this unexpected interloper.

The elderly man wore the distinctive Soul Reaper uniform of the exiled—his weathered, dark face etched with deep lines that spoke of countless hardships.

Soifon's expression transformed instantly.

"Mr. Kasahara?!"

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