Yoruichi, though unclear, still obediently departed; she trusted Yoriichi more.
Immediately after, Yoriichi drew his Zanpakuto, faced Zaraki Kenpachi, and softly said, "Come, use all your power to attack me."
"I hope your confidence isn't just talk."
Not having an opponent is also a rather lonely thing.
Although Yamamoto Genryusai is powerful, as Retsu Unohana once said, he is already old and lacks stamina.
Even if he fights, he cannot fight for too long.
Yoriichi cannot stand still.
Zaraki Kenpachi after Hollowfication is an opportunity.
...
The atmosphere suddenly became heavy and oppressive.
As soon as Yoriichi Tsugikuni's words fell, a majestic aura, like a surging tide, suddenly erupted from Zaraki Kenpachi's body.
The surrounding air was pushed away inch by inch.
He carried that giant axe, revealing a mouth full of white teeth, reflecting a dangerous gleam.
"Boom!"
Zaraki Kenpachi stomped the ground fiercely, his heavy footsteps like a giant hammer crashing down.
Immediately, the ground trembled violently, and the stirred-up dust flew everywhere, making the surrounding environment murky.
Immediately after, he shouted loudly, "No problem, Tsugikuni!"
"I will let you see all my power!"
"Since this is what you wish for!"
Burning flames blazed in his eyes, his heart had long yearned for this moment.
After speaking.
Creak—!
Zaraki Kenpachi clenched the axe handle tightly, his immense strength seemingly about to crush it.
In an instant, with a loud "Bang!", he vanished from his spot like an arrow shot from a bowstring, charging forward with astonishing speed.
The massive weapon in his hand seemed as light as nothing, unable to impede his steps at all.
His speed was as fast as lightning, transforming into an afterimage, and in a flash, he arrived before Yoriichi Tsugikuni.
His arm muscles suddenly contracted.
He chopped down with force!
Rumble!
The sound of the axe blade splitting the air was like a roaring dragon's cry, deafening, as if it could instantly shatter one's eardrums!
Zaraki Kenpachi's insane smile bloomed on his face, becoming even more ferocious and terrifying at this moment.
He could clearly feel the power of this strike, which was several, even dozens, of times stronger than before.
He had to admit, although he disliked nozarashi, nozarashi's power truly fascinated him.
Before this weapon, he felt there was nothing he couldn't cleave apart.
Meteors, planets, all could be cut open!
Yoriichi Tsugikuni quietly listened to the sound close at hand, feeling the frenzied mood that Zaraki Kenpachi was exuding at this moment.
He slightly lowered his center of gravity, then, a faint white mist escaped from his lips.
Facing Zaraki Kenpachi's full-power strike, he chose not to retreat but to meet it head-on.
The next second, the sword blades collided with a deafening roar.
The immense pressure generated by the collision spread out, and the surrounding environment disintegrated in an instant!
The surging gale caused ripples in the air, and fine rock dust blew into one's face, momentarily blinding their eyes, but then was scattered away.
The tsunami-like impact traveled along the sword hilt to his wrist, and the sword blade visibly trembled.
Yoriichi frowned slightly...
—Very heavy.
It seems Zaraki Kenpachi is a direct attack type, power amplification type, similar to Komamura Sajin.
And because Zaraki Kenpachi's base strength is much higher than Komamura Sajin's, even without Bankai, his enhancement is far greater than his.
He has indeed grown...
...
With this thought, Yoriichi Tsugikuni's arm exerted a slight force, and all the muscles in his body were simultaneously activated at this moment.
A sudden surge of powerful force instantly pushed Zaraki Kenpachi back slightly.
Zaraki Kenpachi's airborne body suddenly fell to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Although he was not injured, he still felt a bit incredible about Yoriichi Tsugikuni's effortless reception of his attack.
What's going on?!
Why was he the one who was pushed back?
His power had been amplified dozens of times!
Although he hadn't used Hollowfication, that strike was undoubtedly the strongest he could unleash in his normal state.
Zaraki Kenpachi believed that no Captain could withstand it, and even Yamamoto Genryusai would be injured if he faced it.
Simply because he was already a First-Class Spiritual Pressure.
The result, however...
It's too unreasonable... He knew Yoriichi's power was strong, but he didn't expect it to be this strong.
Currently, it seems he might only be evenly matched if he uses Hollowfication.
To surpass him, he must use Bankai...
But it should be noted, Yoriichi hasn't even used Shikai yet!
—This damn world.
His teeth were almost ground to dust.
At this moment, Zaraki Kenpachi's burning confidence, which had been swelling in his heart, was like a basin of cold water poured over his head, quietly extinguishing a part of it.
He had never engaged in a direct power confrontation with Yoriichi Tsugikuni.
The only full-power clash was the scene where he was struck flying by Yoriichi Tsugikuni's punch before.
Because it was an instantaneous injury, Zaraki Kenpachi could not distinguish the strength, and thought that Yoriichi was just good at punching.
However, he never expected that Yoriichi Tsugikuni's unparalleled power had already been fully displayed back then.
Nevertheless, Zaraki Kenpachi would never give up easily.
He had only just obtained these powers with great difficulty.
How could he admit defeat without fully showcasing them!?
Taking a deep breath, Zaraki Kenpachi rallied again.
He slightly straightened his back, his eyes becoming sharp and resolute, and his previous smug, arrogant demeanor had vanished.
And directly opposite him, Yoriichi Tsugikuni gazed quietly at Zaraki Kenpachi, and seeing the clear change in his aura, he nodded slightly, filled with satisfaction.
As expected of Kenpachi.
Power gained out of nowhere cannot truly make one grow.
But if one can fully master these powers in battle, then this battle truly has meaning.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni slightly tightened his grip on his Zanpakuto and spoke calmly to Zaraki Kenpachi:
"Continue. I have already witnessed your Shikai. Next, please use Hollowfication."
"Let me see if you can control the power of Hollowfication."
As soon as the word "Hollowfication" was uttered, Yoruichi Shihouin, who was not far away, slightly widened her eyes, filled with disbelief.
She even suspected she had misheard.
But the next second, Zaraki Kenpachi's crisp words and decisive actions completely shattered all her hopes.
"Good!"
A white mask instantly appeared on Zaraki Kenpachi's face.
The violent aura it emitted spread wildly in all directions like a monstrous tsunami.
The surrounding air became bone-chillingly cold, as if it could instantly freeze one's soul.
Yoruichi Shihouin retreated half a step. In that instant, she felt as if she saw a fierce beast breaking free from its cage, charging wildly.
At the same time, she immediately understood what Yoriichi Tsugikuni had asked her to keep secret.
Yamamoto Genryusai also knows...
What on earth have they been hiding from her?!
How did they even manage to bring out Hollowfication?
Isn't that Aizen's ability?!
Yoruichi Shihouin suddenly felt that the situation was out of control, but to her dismay, Yoriichi Tsugikuni's expression remained as calm as a placid lake, without a ripple.
It was as if he was saying that these were trivial matters, not worth bothering about at all.
Because of this, even though Yoruichi was astonished and perplexed, she could only forcibly suppress these complex emotions in her heart at this moment.
She believed Yoriichi would not betray the Shinigami, and could only silently hope that things were not as bad as she imagined...
...
Since he knew that Yoriichi Tsugikuni's power was dozens of times greater than his own.
Then Zaraki Kenpachi had no need to hold back anymore.
A white mask completely covered his face.
In an instant, his spiritual pressure surged like a raging tide.
The overwhelming aura that rushed towards her in the next moment made Yoruichi Shihouin involuntarily hold her breath.
No, Yoruichi could barely breathe at this moment.
The surrounding air seemed to have become a viscous, jelly-like substance, tightly enveloping her.
Her pupils suddenly constricted.
In a daze, she felt as if she saw Yamamoto Genryusai.
This spiritual pressure... How is this possible!
Is this person in front of her really Zaraki Kenpachi?
Although Zaraki Kenpachi just now was powerful, his spiritual pressure was only at the lower-middle level of First-Class.
And Yoruichi Shihouin believed that although her spiritual pressure had not reached First-Class, it was at the Second-Class level.
In the past, when Zaraki Kenpachi unleashed his spiritual pressure, it only made her feel a slight tightness in her chest.
But now, this was no longer just chest tightness.
Instead, it felt as if a powerful hand was tightly gripping her neck, making her nearly suffocate.
Why!
Why did Zaraki Kenpachi become so powerful?
Is it because of Hollowfication?
Is it because of that mask...
The conversation and confrontation between the two made her doubt whether the reality before her eyes was real.
She quickly retreated backward.
It was not until she was hundreds of meters away that the immense pressure pervading the surrounding air finally lessened slightly.
She could finally gasp for air.
Her half-closed eyes looked towards the battlefield.
The cold sweat that had beaded on her forehead had unknowingly trickled down, once again dampening her clothes.
Just observing from a distance, she could feel such immense pressure, as if a towering mountain was pressing down.
She could hardly imagine what kind of oppressive feeling Yoriichi Tsugikuni, who was directly facing it, was experiencing.
...
...
In the midst of the battlefield, Yoriichi's eyes deepened slightly.
Similar to Yoruichi Shihouin's guess, he also felt a hint of pressure.
However, due to the immense difference in their spiritual pressures, his reaction was far less exaggerated than Yoruichi's.
He simply watched Zaraki Kenpachi quietly.
And soon made some judgments...
—Spiritual pressure surpassing Ryujin Jakka's Shikai...
—As expected of Hollowfication!
This leap was as swift as a rocket.
It should be known that Ryujin Jakka's Shikai is already equivalent to a regular Captain's Bankai.
And the current Zaraki Kenpachi is only in his Shikai state.
In other words, if he can resolve Yachiru's problem, then once Zaraki Kenpachi uses Bankai, his spiritual pressure might even momentarily approach Yamamoto Genryusai's.
Perhaps he cannot surpass him, but this change is already rare.
It should be known that throughout the years, among so many Captains, not a single one has been able to approach Yamamoto Genryusai in terms of spiritual pressure.
Yoriichi gently exhaled.
Slowly raising his sword, he said, "I will give you the respect you deserve."
"This should be your first time seeing it."
"Bankai."
"Judgment."
As his voice fell, the surroundings were instantly enveloped in a dark environment.
Zaraki Kenpachi was stunned for a second by this sudden change.
Then he quickly recovered, swinging his axe blade.
From behind his mask, he spoke in a muffled voice:
"Bankai? Very interesting."
"But it's useless against me."
"My spiritual pressure is above yours, and my strength is not weaker than yours. What if you trap me in this space?"
Although Zaraki Kenpachi had not received formal schooling, he knew that in the world of Shinigami, spiritual pressure was everything.
He felt that his reishi had reached a certain limit.
With a little effort, like using Bankai, he could easily cross it.
Although he couldn't do it yet, even so, possessing unparalleled strength, Zaraki Kenpachi was not afraid of Yoriichi Tsugikuni in the slightest.
Yoriichi shook his head gently and said,
"I rarely use Bankai. After all, Bankai is everyone's trump card and is generally not used lightly, but you are different."
"Zaraki, I know you admire strength, but I haven't restricted you. Do you know why?"
Zaraki Kenpachi stopped his movements upon hearing this.
He stood quietly in place for a while.
After a few seconds, he asked, "Why?"
Yoriichi slowly began, "Because I know your potential is far more than this. The reason I didn't want to fight you was because that battle would have been meaningless."
"You were just arguing out of pride."
"Only when you truly want to fight will you put everything into it, and only then will you remember that battle."
"Just like, this time."
As his voice fell, the surrounding dim light instantly dispersed.
With a wave of Yoriichi's hand, a warm holy light suddenly illuminated the entire space.
White reishi was held loosely in his palm, merging into his body little by little.
He sighed softly and said, "I really don't like this ability, because it makes people experience false power."
"But speaking of it, it can also heal hearts..."
"Never mind. Zaraki Kenpachi, as the first Shinigami to see this ability, I don't expect you to keep it a secret afterward."
"I just hope you can keep your word, that's enough."
After speaking, Yoriichi's reishi suddenly surged.
It was like Hollowfication, but the aura was much purer than Hollowfication, like a spiritual sublimation.
The aura emanating from Zaraki Kenpachi was instantly pushed back.
The pressure that enveloped his heart made his breathing momentarily halt.
He never expected that at such a critical moment, Yoriichi's reishi could further increase.
Under the mask, Zaraki Kenpachi's brows were tightly furrowed.
His restless heart completely cooled down at this moment, like a turbulent sea surface suddenly smoothed by a gust of wind.
An unprecedented tranquility quietly arose, and he hesitated, saying, "What kind of Bankai is this?"
Since birth, he had experienced the feeling of calmness for the first time.
After all, having lived by killing since childhood, he had never stopped fighting.
Suddenly losing the will to fight was truly a strange feeling.
The power within him seemed to lose its effect.
It was like sitting on a mountain of gold and silver, not knowing how to spend it... A sense of emptiness.
Yoriichi gently raised his eyes, looked at Zaraki Kenpachi, and said, "Sin of Sloth, weakening the enemy's fighting spirit and increasing one's own reishi."
"Zaraki Kenpachi, what do you feel now, without the will to fight?"
Upon hearing this, Zaraki Kenpachi suddenly fell silent.
At this moment, he felt as if he had a thousand words in his heart, yet he didn't know where to begin.
In the past, encountering such a situation would have likely made him shout with excitement.
However, now...
The surrounding atmosphere was like a heavy mountain, firmly suppressing the outpouring of his emotions.
He felt as if he had been thrown into an invisible cage of silence, where all excitement and passion were quietly devoured by this unseen restraint.
Even the axe in his hand became much more an eyesore for a moment.
He slightly parted his lips, Yoriichi Tsugikuni's words constantly echoing in his mind.
The inversion of emotions made him seem to understand a lot in that instant.
"So that's it, this is your confidence in not fearing me?"
"I'm the first, so I'm truly honored."
Speaking here, his tone carried a hint of relief.
After all, if he couldn't even muster the will to fight, then even if he acted, his strength couldn't be fully unleashed.
Even if he tried his best and unleashed it.
In Yoriichi Tsugikuni's current state, his increased reishi completely surpassed his own.
His reishi wasn't as good as his, his strength wasn't as good as his, how could he fight?
Use Bankai?
Zaraki Kenpachi would never do that.
Thus, the outcome was already clear.
He sighed deeply:
"I lost, Yoriichi Tsugikuni... No, Captain Tsugikuni, I admit defeat."
"From now on, you are my elder brother. Anyway, no matter what, I can't surpass you, so I might as well just join you."
If you can't beat them, join them. This seems to be an eternal truth, but unfortunately, Zaraki Kenpachi only truly understood it now.
Just like his two subordinates.
He wondered what they would do when they found out their boss had surrendered and admitted defeat.
If Zaraki Kenpachi remembered correctly, they had always been waiting for him to defeat Yoriichi Tsugikuni and reclaim the Captain position.
Unfortunately... he disappointed them.
Under the influence of sloth, various thoughts kept surging in Zaraki Kenpachi's mind.
This was a feeling he had never experienced before.
The power to heal hearts? More or less...
However, compared to healing, it was more about allowing people to see reality clearly.
Once reality was seen, even the most depressed mood would become relieved, just like facing an unscalable mountain, one could only look up in awe.
The mask on his face gradually disintegrated with the fluctuation of his thoughts, clearly indicating that the time for Hollowfication was up.
Zaraki Kenpachi tightly clenched his fists, feeling the disappearance of his strength, and increasingly felt that his actions were not wrong.
Of course, compromise was only for Yoriichi Tsugikuni; facing others, he was still the arrogant Zaraki Kenpachi.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni nodded slightly at this sight.
His purpose in urging Zaraki Kenpachi to Hollowfy was merely to see if he could master the power of Hollowfication.
If he couldn't master it, it would be better to control it beforehand by using Bankai, lest he lose control and go berserk.
And if he could master it... perfect, let's test the effect of Sloth. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the best way to solve problems.
Fighting had always been something Yoriichi Tsugikuni disliked.
Knowing that Zaraki Kenpachi had seen reality and completely lost his will to fight, Yoriichi Tsugikuni released his Bankai.
The moment the space disappeared, Zaraki Kenpachi's expression suddenly froze for a moment.
But then, he didn't say anything, just silently tightened his grip on the axe handle and then loosened it.
He took a deep look at Yoriichi Tsugikuni, sighing inwardly that he was still too weak.
With the disappearance of the Bankai domain, their performance was fully reflected in Yoruichi Shihouin's eyes.
Yoruichi held her breath, initially expecting to see a rather bloody scene.
Because Zaraki Kenpachi's previous appearance and the aura he exuded were too terrifying.
But unexpectedly, what appeared before her was Zaraki Kenpachi standing in a dejected manner.
There wasn't a single scratch on either of them, and their clothes were impeccably neat, as if they hadn't experienced a battle.
But if there was no battle, why did it turn out like this?
Zaraki Kenpachi lost? How did he lose?
What kind of Bankai was this?
Yoruichi had never seen it, simply because Bankai was every Captain's trump card.
Let alone its effect, even its name was only just revealed.
Judgment... a very domineering and direct name.
But right now...
Her gaze instinctively turned to Yoriichi Tsugikuni, seemingly wanting to discern something from the expression on his face, but unfortunately, Yoriichi Tsugikuni's face was calm, revealing no information.
She looked at Zaraki Kenpachi with the same result.
—What in the world is going on?!
Yoruichi was completely bewildered.
But then, as a Captain, she eventually reacted.
Taking a slight breath, she quickly approached the battlefield.
Immediately after, she saw Yoriichi Tsugikuni slowly sheathing his sword, looking composed:
"If you understand, then come with me."
These words were spoken to Zaraki Kenpachi.
The next second, seeing Yoruichi Shihouin, Yoriichi Tsugikuni spoke, indicating:
"Yoruichi, you've arrived at just the right time."
"I hope you can keep what happened here today a secret. Hollowfication is an experimental subject Kisuke researched not long ago."
"Due to its significant implications, it remains highly confidential to this day, with only a few people in the entire Seireitei aware of it."
"So..."
Before Yoriichi Tsugikuni finished speaking, Yoruichi Shihouin interrupted, "So this Zaraki Kenpachi is your experimental result?"
"He successfully mastered Hollowfication?"
"What's the principle?"
"Also, what exactly happened between you two just now?"
"Why did he lose so inexplicably?"
"Has your power already surpassed Captain-Commander Yamamoto?"
Zaraki Kenpachi's reishi just now was comparable to Yamamoto's, which is why Yoruichi Shihouin thought so.
Otherwise, why would Zaraki Kenpachi show that expression?
Yoriichi Tsugikuni nodded slightly upon hearing this: "You have a lot of questions. Currently, I can only answer a few of them."
"Zaraki Kenpachi is not the only success; there was one successful case before him, but he is currently the strongest Hollowfied Shinigami."
"I don't know the principle, but if you want to, you can too, but due to your status, Captain-Commander Yamamoto will most likely not agree."
"He was hit by my Bankai, so he conceded, that's all."
Yoriichi Tsugikuni did not answer Yoruichi Shihouin's last question, because it was meaningless.
Whether he could defeat Yamamoto Genryusai would require both sides to use their full strength, but if it came to that point, it would inevitably be a fight to the death.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni believed that wouldn't happen.
Since it wouldn't happen, was it still necessary to determine who was stronger or weaker?
The title of strongest Shinigami could be given to anyone.
He just wanted to live a peaceful life.
That's why he chose to resolve the internal troubles of the squad today. With the biggest troublemaker gone, it would be much quieter in the future.
Of course, though he didn't care, Yoruichi Shihouin seemed somewhat anxious.
Because the nickname of 'Strongest Shinigami in a Thousand Years' was quite important in the eyes of other Shinigami, signifying a change of era.
If both sides went all out, and Yoriichi Tsugikuni could truly defeat Yamamoto Genryusai...
Then... Yoruichi Shihouin found it hard to imagine the future.
A century-old Shinigami defeating a several-thousand-year-old Shinigami, what kind of concept was that?
Not to mention, a hundred-year-old was not yet fully grown.
What about decades, centuries, or millennia from now?
This completely overturned the Three Realms, didn't it?
Lest a single pebble could knock down the Soul King Palace.