"To be honest, I'm sowhat interested, but not entirely convinced," Akira said frankly. "From a Shinigami's perspective, becoming a mber of the Zero Division is undoubtedly the highest honor — a goal pursued by countless Shinigami and nobles alike. But from my view, it's just an honorary title I could take or leave. And those benefits you ntioned don't really appeal to ."
As he spoke, he raised his right hand, striking a muscular pose, and explained.
"Look, how could this supre physical form be inferior to a body constructed by the Soul King's power? Besides, I don't even live in the Soul King Palace, so having a Zero Division Riden is pointless."
Hearing this response, the monk smiled, showing no signs of displeasure.
Having lived for a million years, he maintained a steady temperant. He wouldn't anger at others' denial or rejection — as long as it didn't cross his bottom line, everything was negotiable.
"Young people are too hasty." The monk smiled, "Before refusing, why not experience life in the Soul King Palace first? You might change your mind. You must be tired from your long journey. Why don't you rest for the night, and we can discuss this matter tomorrow."
"That works." Akira nodded, not refusing.
There were still so matters Aizen had instructed him to inquire about, so it wasn't ti to leave the Soul King Palace yet.
Seeing this, the monk pointed to four disc-shaped buildings floating in the sky, indicating:
"As our guest, feel free to choose any one to stay in."
As soon as he finished speaking, Akira imdiately pointed, "I want to stay with her. This crazy woman has been lusting after my body, might as well fulfill her wish this ti."
Senjumaru: "?"
Just as she was about to refuse, she saw Ichibē clap his hands together and say cheerfully:
"Then I'll leave him in your care, Senjumaru."
Giving her no chance to refuse, the great monk's form flickered and disappeared.
Senjumaru looked toward Tenjirō who was grimacing beside her, but he twitched his mouth, waved his hand while using Shunpo, and hurriedly left the area.
What kind of Soul King joke was this?!
He had no desire to continue staying with such a fierce character. Although he hadn't used his full power in that previous battle, it had still completely shattered his pride.
The sacred mbers of the Zero Division didn't seem so high and mighty after all.
Seeing the two leave, and Ōetsu Nimaiya still hadn't appeared, Senjumaru's face turned slightly pale, but after taking a deep breath, she regained her composure:
"If that's the case... Then follow ."
Akira grinned and followed.
⤫⤬⤫⤬⤫⤬⤫⤬⤫⤬
Senjumaru's Zero Division Riden maintained its unique style, no different from how it was in the Soul Society.
Colored fabrics hung down from the black ceiling, dyeing the empty space with vibrant colors like a dye house.
Senjumaru walked in front, and as she passed through a piece of fabric, her form suddenly vanished. Heavy Reiatsu poured down like a tidal wave, flooding the entire place.
The hanging fabrics transford into a massive torrent, surging down to engulf Akira who had fallen behind. An unimaginable force erupted, as if trying to crush the person within.
The next mont, black and red flas burst forth, burning all the fabric to ashes, and a figure like a demon god stepped out.
"Too weak, too weak." Akira grinned ferociously, "Crazy woman, tis have changed!"
Hearing this insulting nickna, veins bulged on Senjumaru's fair forehead. This brute of a kid really knew how to make one's blood pressure rise.
While she was angry, his fierce gaze had already locked onto her hiding figure, imdiately unleashing a terrifying Reiatsu like falling heavens, charging in for the kill.
Senjumaru knew she was at fault, and could only take a deep breath, gathering the six golden skeletal arms behind her, preparing to counter.
In an instant, the two beca locked in battle.
The hard golden arms moved rapidly, without technical variations or room for retreat and evasion, forming countless afterimages as their Reiatsu clashed.
Scorching air and cold threads erupted from their hands, transforming into deafening explosions that echoed throughout the empty residence. Eight arms raised thunderous roars, displaying unimaginable ferocity through pure power and speed.
Straight punches, blocks, thrusts, diagonal cuts...
Amid the vast ruins, what erged was savage and direct combat without any technical finesse. With roars and thunderous sounds, golden fragnts scattered as an arm shattered under the impact of bone-crushing force.
In a flash, Senjumaru was forced to retreat under Akira's pressure.
She wasn't skilled at close combat, and her opponent gave her no chance to set up.
Her only option was to hastily weave together the Ultimate Garnt to teach this brute a painful lesson — to show him there was always soone better.
After sacrificing three arms, a glint of success flashed in Senjumaru's eyes.
No matter how fierce you are, kid, you'll suffer for lacking brains!
A long thin needle materialized between her slender fingers, red thread floating from its end.
"Kid, you've already lost." Senjumaru flash-stepped backward, landing softly on the ruins, "Rember the experint you helped complete before? This technique is called the Ultimate Garnt."
Her rosy lips curved into a smile as her right hand pulled, causing the red thread to suddenly tighten with trendous force.
She had carefully controlled the Ultimate Garnt's power — not to harm Akira, but to make him realize the gap between them. Then he would know to stand down.
But the mont the Ultimate Garnt activated, Senjumaru's expression changed.
tal clashed beneath the clothing as countless spikes erupted, instantly wrapping Akira like a hedgehog. Yet the needles that should have pierced his shell all snapped at once, the aftershock spreading in all directions.
"Seems pretty weak, crazy woman."
Akira's tattered Shinigami uniform revealed his muscular fra, his joints grinding like breaking bowstrings as he flashed a fierce grin amid surging, unrestrained power.
"Prepare to die!"
Boom!
A scorching figure howled forward.
⤫ Kūkyō: Sankyoku no Mai ⥤ Empty State: Dance of Three Speeds ⤬
One step was all it took — tens of ters vanished instantly, the result appearing before their eyes without warning.
In the mont Senjumaru's gaze wavered, he materialized before her like an invading fla.
Her remaining three golden arms blocked his advance, but it was like an ant trying to stop a cart.
Without their Blood Oath's Seal released, the Zero Division mbers were no different from Kensei. Two more punches was all it took.
Three punches and two kicks shattered the golden arms to pieces, scattering fragnts across the ruins.
Seeing her last defense broken, Senjumaru surrendered, her Reiatsu dispersing.
"I admit defeat."
"Zero Division? Not much after all!" Akira grinned, "Now it's punishnt ti! Crazy woman, rember what you did to back then?!"
Senjumaru's heart skipped a beat as she turned her face aside stubbornly. "What I did was for science, for the Soul Society!"
Akira nodded, "Good that you admit it. Now, co with inside!"
Before she could resist, he grabbed her hand and dragged her into the intact room.
As fabric tore, the defeated made her final struggle.
"Mmph... Damn brat, I'll fight you to the death!"
⤫⤬⤫⤬⤫⤬⤫⤬⤫⤬
Inside the oldest Zero Division residence, two figures sat on the ground.
"Akira, have you considered it?" The monk asked with a hearty smile, "About becoming a mber of the Zero Division."
Akira's expression turned serious, "Before that, I have a few questions I'd like to ask."
"Feel free to ask anything." Ichibē's expression was relaxed.
As the oldest being in the Sangai, he showed infinite tolerance toward anyone who didn't cross his bottom line.
Recalling what Aizen had told him, Akira asked his first question:
"You must know about Yhwach's awakening, right?"
Although the Zero Division couldn't leave the Soul King Palace due to their duty to guard the Soul King, he knew very well that both Ichibē and Ōetsu, who hadn't shown himself yet, had their own intelligence sources. Most things happening in Soul Society couldn't escape their notice.
Moreover, a thousand years ago, Yhwach's The Almighty had been sealed by the monk using the Soul King's Left Hand.
News of Yhwach regaining his will and power must have reached the Soul King Palace.
"Ah, that? Of course I know." The monk nodded, "I knew the mont Yhwach awakened. Selecting you to beco a Zero Division mber isn't unrelated to this. Though that's just my speculation. If you want to know the real reason, it's better to ask His Majesty the Soul King directly."
At this point, a strange smile appeared on the monk's thick-bearded face.
Akira paid it no mind and continued asking, "What's your view on Yhwach?"
Hearing this question, the monk paused, his smile gradually fading.
"Akira, do you know how long I've lived? During the Primordial World period, before Soul Society even existed, I was already living here with His Majesty. I'm not saying this to prove how remarkable I am, but to explain that there are few things in this world that I still care about. His Majesty is one of them. For , any attempt to harm His Majesty is unforgivable, no matter who it cos from!"
Akira pondered this thoughtfully.
In his impression, Ichibē was exactly this kind of person — guarding the Soul King, loyal to the Soul King, following the Soul King's will in everything.
But for the monk, who the Soul King was didn't matter — what mattered was that the Sangai needed a Soul King.
However, during their conversation, Akira realized things weren't as simple as they appeared.
"I understand." He smiled frankly, "In that case, I'll agree to join you."
"Welco, welco!" The monk's smile was genuine, "However, before that, I need to test you. Zero Division mbers are all pioneers of fundantal things, but you clearly don't have talent in that area."
Akira was taken aback, "Isn't having world-shaking wisdom enough?"
Ichibē: "?"
What's with this thick skin? Was this also taught by Shigekuni Yamamoto?
"That's not what I an." The monk explained, "Since you can't create anything useful for Soul Society, we'll use power as the standard for testing. What you need to do is survive under my hand until you pass."
Hearing this, Akira's eyes lit up.
When it ca to combat power, he feared no one now. It was perfect to use the monk's hand to test what level he was really at.
After all, the implentation of all plans was built on this foundation.
Looking at the monk before him, Akira grinned:
"Then let's begin!"
⤫⤬⤫⤬⤫⤬⤫⤬⤫⤬
"Has this kid taken the wrong dicine?"
Tenjirō, half his body wrapped in bandages, watched the two figures facing off on Itanoma (Wooden Floor) with utter disbelief.
{T/N: Where they are is inside Ichibē Hyōsube's City. Where the monk usually trains visitors.}
"Even if he's given up on life, he doesn't need to seek death like this."
Unlike them — the Zero Division mbers restricted by the Blood Oath's Seal — Ichibē possessed his full power. He could be called the strongest in all Sangai.
Fighting soone like that was nothing short of suicide.
Tenjirō couldn't understand it, and neither could the others.
As they watched the battlefield with grave expressions, Ichibē surprisingly launched the first attack.
His palm, large as a fan, extended outward as thick, heavy Reiatsu bore down. In that mont, it was as if heaven and earth collapsed — an indescribably enormous pressure crashing down.
Akira's smile vanished, replaced by a serious expression.
Without doubt, the monk before him was the strongest enemy he had encountered so far. If he didn't show his true skill, he might suffer an unexpected defeat.
Facing this powerful strike, he advanced instead of retreating. As he stepped forward, his muscles made explosive contracting sounds, accompanied by grinding tal.
Terrifying Reiatsu erupted like the sky itself was falling!
A huge pillar of light shot up to the heavens, completely destroying the white clouds gathered above Itanoma, revealing clear skies for thousands of miles.
One step forward, the ground trembled. Then ca a deliberately powerful punch!
Black and red flas burst forth from above his shoulders like rocket boosters, unleashing infinite power.
When fist t palm, the world fell silent. As if soone had pressed pause — but then white energy waves erupted from the point of collision, and the roaring chaos resud.
Boom!!
Waves of violent shock spread wildly, and amid the spectacular display, a massive figure was sent flying through the rolling dust like a cannonball. Before the shocked onlookers' eyes, he crashed hard into stone pillars, demolishing several in succession, raising clouds of dust to the sky.
"That's... The monk?!"
Everyone exchanged glances, all seeing the disbelief in each other's eyes.
⤫⤬⤫
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