"As a bonus, you actually blocked my strike. This looks like it's gonna be fun."
"...Captain... Zaraki..."
Just seeing his figure made me involuntarily swallow my breath.
Cold sweat poured down my back, and the nape of my neck prickled as if sounding an alarm.
This is a difference in awareness.
Until now, even if we faced each other, I had only watched him from a distance. And he had thought of me as nothing more than a pebble by the roadside.
But now it's different.
I have defeated the fierce warriors of Squad 11 with a single sword. I blocked a surprise attack—though from his perspective, it was probably just a playful jab to test me.
Because of these facts, he clearly recognizes me as an "opponent worth fighting".
That is why... the pressure is so intense...!
'This is bad, my Liege, it is Minadein! This is the realest of the real! If you ask how bad it is, it is as dangerously critical as Unohana-dono appearing as a glasses-wearing, big-breasted class representative character!'
...Watching Nubatama's reaction, I've gone full circle and actually feel somewhat relieved.
'Or perhaps she looks like a beautiful girl in a sailor uniform with blue hair! It looks like you are about to be punished in the name of the Thrust! Duhuhuhuhu!'
I'm actually impressed you can react like that in this situation.
I mean, your tastes... calculating back from my appearance, is Nubatama Jupiter or Pluto? Considering just the hairstyle, maybe the Moon is an option too.
Also, is that "Thrust" a typo? Or do you want to be stabbed by a Zanpakuto?
I don't really get it, but go douse yourself in water and reflect on your actions.
"Woman, it was you, wasn't it? The one who sent the interesting stuff to our squad a little while ago."
"...Yes."
Though a bit nervous, I nod.
Since I've already beaten everyone up, denying it is impossible now.
"Tch! If I knew such a strong opponent was coming, I would've put off the Hollow hunting!!"
"Hollow... hunting...?"
"Suddenly got some work yesterday. Good grief, it's a pain, but work is work. It was small fry that didn't even need me to head out, but—"
Saying that much, the look in his eyes as he viewed me became even more powerful.
A gaze so vicious it felt like he could shoot me dead with just a look.
...Wait, work that suddenly came up... You don't mean...
That's not it, right, Captain?! You didn't mean "clean this up while he's gone", right?!
You didn't pull strings to ensure no interruptions, waiting for the opening act to finish so you could come back for a one-on-one fight, did you?!
"—But if I can join in just as the festival is heating up, looks like I was actually lucky!"
"Gh!!"
He swung his sword at incredible speed from an almost motionless stance, but I can manage to dodge this much.
"Ideally, I'd like to enjoy slashing each other with real swords, but unfortunately, we're comrades. I'll let you off with this wooden sword so I don't kill you by mistake!!"
"Guh!!"
But even though I dodged, he swung the sword down continuously and recklessly.
unable to dodge it all, I was forced to defend, but...
H-Heavy...!!
I should have trained considerably! And yet, this is a sword swung with just the brute strength of one hand!!
Why is it so heavy?!
Just blocking once sent a light numbness running through my arm.
"You thought the same thing, that's why you were picking fights with such boring tools too, right?!"
Going on the defensive was a bit of a mistake.
The moment I blocked, Captain Zaraki's attacks became fierce. Taking advantage of the fact that I wasn't striking back, he pushed forward aggressively.
However—
"—Against this level of swordsmanship!"
"Wha—!?"
A sword that relies solely on physical ability won't work forever!
Matching his attack, I slash upward, deflecting his wooden sword.
"There is a way!!"
Without killing the momentum and flow of the deflection, I swing my sword, delivering a blow to Captain Zaraki.
My target is the tip of the chin. If I graze this spot, I should be able to knock him out!
"Hehehe... not bad..."
"You're... joking... right...?"
It should have worked, and yet...
Captain Zaraki reacted instantly, catching my sword with his forehead.
Sure, the forehead is hard, but it's still a head, you know?! He took a direct hit and yet he's completely unfazed; he hasn't even flinched.
M-Monster...
"Woman... what's your name?"
"Huh?"
"Name, your name. Tell me."
"...Squad 4, Airi Yukawa. The letter should have had my squad and name written on it, didn't you read it?"
"I didn't read it. Actually, I wasn't even interested. I just remembered it because my subordinates were making a fuss about something."
What is this! The pressure I've been feeling this whole time just got even more intense!?
"But, Squad 4, huh... Heh, I see... Kukuku, so that's how it is...!!"
What?! What?! What does that mean?!?! He has a look of delight on his face!!
Where in that sentence was the keyword that struck such a chord!?
"Then! I don't need this anymore!"
"The eyepatch...! Ah!!"
Seeing him tear off the eyepatch and throw it away, I remembered.
That thing was something he wore specifically to obstruct his own vision, and it even politely included a feature to suppress his Reiatsu!
The bells in his hair too, to make noise and let the opponent know his location!
Just because he can't enjoy a sword fight otherwise, he's a pervert who imposes these self-handicaps on himself!!
"Alright! Let's go all the way!! A fun brawl!!"
"I refuse!!"
He came at me barehanded, but I kept my distance and kicked a wooden sword rolling at my feet toward Captain Zaraki to check him.
However, seeing that attack as support, he slashed at me while laughing as if to say, "Thanks for the kindness."
An attack with raw Reiatsu, liberated from suppression.
His expression is ferocious and savage, exuding a vicious roughness.
Rather than fighting this, walking across steel beams suspended between buildings would be far better.
'Reflect! Reflect!! Reflect!!! If told to do so, I have no choice but to go!! Indeed!!'
Don't excerpt randomly...!! Wait, this is...!!
"Kuhahahaha!! What's wrong, what's wrong!?"
"Don't... underestimate me!!"
"Guh! Not bad!! That's what makes it worth doing!!"
Every single blow holds destructive power that would mist a normal Hollow in an instant!
Moreover, he is a head taller than me, so I'm losing in reach and physique too!
To defend against this while weaving in counterattacks is considerably...
...Huh?
No, this is... that's right, it's definitely strange!
He has such unfathomable Reiatsu, yet it's only at this level?! If he got serious, he should be able to trample me with physical ability alone...
I see, so that's it!!
Probably unconsciously—he's holding back at an instinctual level.
He doesn't look the type to spare effort at all.
He's gauging the power I'm currently displaying and adjusting his strength to barely rival it.
That's why it's only at this level.
If so, there is a way...!
"What's wrong?! Out of breath already?!"
"Don't be stupid! I have a reputation for tenacity alone!"
I manage to overwhelm his violent attacks by utilizing the advantage of swordsmanship.
However, that advantage is momentary; his Reiatsu rises and overturns it.
The two wooden swords clash against each other's bodies, hitting extremities and centers alike, carving countless injuries into our bodies.
But, he's hard! It's like I'm hitting a steel plate!!
I'm raising my defense with Reiatsu right now so I'm confident in deflecting half-hearted attacks, but he's banging away right over that defense and the pain is shooting through me!!
But if it's just this much...!!
"Hah?! That body... Hahaha!! Interesting!!"
Of course, he'd notice.
Because I'm using Kaido to erase the damage I take.
Because the bruises and internal bleeding he should have inflicted are vanishing in an instant.
"...Is it cowardly?"
"Cowardly? Don't say stupid things!! What's wrong with using what you learned and what you have!"
As expected of a battle maniac, he doesn't care about the details.
"More than that, if you have that power, it means we can slash at each other endlessly!! Good, give me more! Entertain me more!!"
I thought that, but his reason was diagonally above my expectations!!
He should have taken some damage too, yet he attacks as if he doesn't care at all!!
However, just a little... just a tiny bit, his enjoyment surpassed his caution and he loosened up.
Alright, now! His downward slash—
"Guuuuuh!!"
"Aah!?"
—I caught it with one hand.
M-My left hand! My left hand is throbbing numb!
If I tried this defense against a Zanpakuto, my arm would have been severed instantly, but against a wooden sword, this method of receiving works fine! It just hurts incredibly, but I can heal the injury instantly with Kaido.
More importantly, with this, combined with his earlier relaxation, his attack stopped for just a split second.
—Now!!
I have already concentrated Reiatsu in my remaining right hand.
Instantly activating Blut, and then one more move!
"Tsk!!"
He seems to have noticed, but it's too late!
I've trained specifically to activate and deactivate this method instantly!!
I Hollowfy for an extremely brief moment, less than an instant, boosting my abilities even further to unleash a strike.
I name it—
"—Light Speed Sword!"
"Guaaaah!!!"
—It connected!
Just as his eyes were getting used to the previous speed, if I unleash a strike incomparable to what came before, the combination of habit and carelessness makes evasion almost impossible!
Let alone thinking about dodging, reaction itself is impossible. A strike that leaves no time to even perceive what happened!
The Hollowfication itself is only for a moment, so he can't perceive the Reiatsu either!
Fufufu, the practice was worth it.
Thinking back, the protagonist (Ichigo Kurosaki) probably won like this too.
Unleashing a strike with a growth rate that exceeds the opponent's prediction.
Actually, I don't think there's any other way to defeat Kenpachi Zaraki (this guy).
With this, victory is undoubted—
"...K-Kuhahahaha!! You can do it if you try!!"
"!?"
—It seems I haven't won.
W-Wait a minute!! That was an attack that wouldn't be strange if it knocked your consciousness away and left you unconscious for half a day!? This time I absolutely didn't hold back at all!?
"That was a good attack!! And you, what did you just do? I don't get the logic at all, but you changed your Reiatsu, didn't you?"
You're kidding!? He saw through the trick too!!
I was confident that if it was just that one moment, the Reiatsu wouldn't be perceived!!
"Finally, I'm getting excited!! Hahahaha!! That Reiatsu! Come at me with that Reiatsu!! If you have a trump card, show me everything!! Otherwise, I can't enjoy it!!"
I hate this!! I want to go home!!
And because he perceived the Hollowfication just now, his threshold has been reset and raised to the limit of his Reiatsu!!
But even if I cry, he definitely won't let me go home.
It can't be helped... I still have hidden tricks!!
"Aaaaaah!!"
While slashing at him with vigor, I secretly prepare my hidden trick.
—Sprinkled on the bones of the beast! Sharp tower, red crystal, steel ring. Move and become the wind, stop and become the calm. The sound of warring spears fills the empty castle!
Pressing him with speed and unbroken consecutive attacks, I thread through a tiny gap, hold up my free hand, and fire that thing I had prepared.
—Hado \#63, Raikoho!
"Uooh!?"
"Open!!"
It seems Captain Zaraki took the lightning strike fired from point-blank range squarely.
While he is shaken by the direct hit, I add further attacks with the wooden sword.
If this ends it...
"That was... Kido..."
...As expected, it's no good. I had a feeling.
"And you, you didn't chant, did you?"
"Well, I wonder?"
"Fine, my eyes aren't knotholes! Not just the chant, you used Kido omitting even the spell name!! What on earth did you do!?"
"Do you think I'll tell you!?"
Of course, it's exposed.
Yes, exactly as you pointed out.
I fired Kido without voicing the chant or even the spell name.
The so-called complete incantation abandonment.
But even this didn't work...
Even though I did the full incantation (internally)! Even though I fired it at this close range!!
To still be composed after that, I'm losing confidence...
If I need more than this, I have no finishing blow left.
If I could use Nubatama's Bankai, there would be infinite means available, but I obviously can't use that on a colleague.
Then what remains is a muddy war of attrition! A contest of who falls first!
I have a reputation for tenacity alone!!
"Raaaaaaah!!"
"Your offense has gotten sharper! And this sword line! You're entertaining me!!"
I slashed at him while activating Blut at full power.
I know he'll take it, but at the very least I have to go on the offensive and create a flow!!
'Do your best <3 Do your best <3 Airi-dono <3'
Ugh, I want to punch her.
"Haa... haa..."
"Kukuku... fun, this is fun...!!"
The slashing continued endlessly since then.
Both Captain Zaraki and I are breathing hard.
He is battered all over from the blows; I am using Kaido so I look uninjured, but my Shihakusho is in tatters.
On top of that, sweat is pouring from both of our bodies, and we are painted brown and red in places due to dust and bleeding.
Naturally, the wooden swords couldn't withstand our attacks and broke; thinking they were broken, we'd pick up ones that had fallen and continue fighting.
Thanks to that, the area is littered with the wreckage of shattered wooden swords.
Combined with the Squad 11 members still lying on the ground, the atmosphere is like a battlefield after defeat.
Well, having fought for this long, there's a slight change in the squad members too.
It probably hurts too much to stand, but many of them are watching our fight...
Eh! That means, it's already this time!?
...Ah! This is bad!! Once I realized it, I started worrying even more!!
"Wait a minute! That's it for now!!"
"Aah!? What are you saying now, saying something so boring!!"
Although I declared surrender, naturally he won't listen.
He slashed at me energetically.
"Kuh!! ...Wait a minute... I said!"
But as expected, his precision is dropping.
While parrying the sword with technique, I use that momentum to spin and—
"I told you!!"
—Elbow to the back of his head!
"Guh...!! ...Hm?"
As expected, even this doesn't knock him down. But that's within expectations.
In that interval, I threw away the wooden sword I was holding and thrust out my hand as if to say "Wait a minute."
Perhaps his spirit was dampened by that strange posture, but his attack finally stopped.
"If we do any more... pant pant... I won't be able... to heal the fallen squad members... so it's impossible now!"
"What's that? What do you mean...?"
"Because—"
If the location were a battlefield, Squad 4 would follow Squad 11's orders, but it's strange not to listen to Squad 4 inside a hospital.
Squad 4's battlefield is the medical scene; not obeying a professional on the battlefield doesn't make sense.
Then, I have no choice but to persuade him using Squad 11's logic.
At least the lot lying down here right now have no right to disobey Squad 4.
If they have complaints, say them anytime.
I'll take them on according to Squad 11's style.
I explained that to him.
"—Is what I mean. I was the one who beat them up, so I will heal them all. If the opponent you lost to even heals your wounds, it's a complete defeat where you can't say a word, right?"
"..."
He's listening silently and obediently, which is a little unexpected.
"But if we fight any more, I'll run out of spiritual power to use for Kaido, so this is the end! If your style is to keep fighting to the end, then my style is to heal to the end. A Squad 11 member who runs from the battlefield is disqualified as a member, right?"
"...Ku, kukuku!! Wahahahahaha!!!!"
He suddenly started laughing.
Could it be that the silence earlier was him holding back laughter?
"This is a masterpiece!! Certainly, it's just as you say!! You can't keep Squad 4's (your) style, so you're following Squad 11's (our) style, huh!!"
Ah, he's on board.
"Something like running from a battlefield, huh. I certainly can't do something that boring!! Fine, I haven't had nearly enough, but I'll let you off!! Besides, I don't dislike an idiot like you! Following the style, I'll order everyone for you!!"
"Thank you very much... But, first..."
I use Kaido on Captain Zaraki.
"What are you doing?"
"I told you, didn't I? I inflicted those wounds, so I'm healing them. That's what you call minimum responsibility, right?"
I said that, but he really is tough.
The bones are lightly cracked, but just that much. If anything, they're already healing.
Won't this person be completely healed by the day after tomorrow even if I do nothing?
"Oh, oh...?"
"Yes, finished. Just in case, please take it easy and rest for today. I'm going to treat the others."
Because the wounds and pain vanished like a lie.
Looking sideways at me as I went on to treat others, Captain Zaraki was opening and closing his hand in surprise, checking his condition.
"Oi, let's have one more match after all..."
"We won't!!"
You battle maniac! Even though I'm telling you my energy is running out!!
Now then, healing the fallen squad members in order from the edge and persuading them... there.
"3rd Seat Iba, I am very sorry."
"Aah, well... what is it. I get your point too. I'll be careful as well... okay?"
"Yes... I am truly sorry."
I really did something terrible to Iba-san, even by my own standards...
Well, he hung on against Captain Zaraki and didn't fall. Since I knocked everyone else out, considering the content, I should get a barely passing grade.
Let's decide that I did my job today.
...Oh? A small child approached.
"Thanks, Airin! Thanks to Airin, Ken-chan looked super having fun!"
"Eh, Airin... wait, you mean me?"
"Yup! Airi, so Airin!!"
It's a nickname.
It has one extra character, but is that okay...?
Wait, this child is... that, right.
"Thank you very much, Vice Captain Kusajishi."
Squad 11 Vice Captain, Yachiru Kusajishi.
The mysterious little girl who always sticks to Kenpachi Zaraki. A little girl with pink hair.
Her behavior, combined with her shortness which doesn't shame the name of a little girl, is that of a child appropriate for her appearance, but...
Sometimes, like now, she shows an atmosphere like "the one who understands Kenpachi Zaraki deeper than anyone else".
...What is her true identity, I wonder?
"You know me?"
"That's because... you're famous."
"Is that so! Then, play with Ken-chan again, okay!"
"Ah, that's right. Let's do it again around tomorrow, Airi."
"Tomorrow?! ...N-No, I have daily duties so for the time being..."
Ah, jeez! He's too much of a battle maniac!!
Baring his canine teeth and laughing viciously!!
...Ah, but he called me by name. That makes me just a little happy...
'The fact that he remembered your face and name means Target Locked!! It is a declaration of intent saying "I will kill you"!!'
Noooooooooooo!!
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]