Capítulo 227: A Wound That Ached

Once Zaraki could skillfully wield his Bankai, perhaps the strain on his body would lessen. But for now, it was clear that his reiatsu, in his Bankai state, surpassed even that of Captain-Commander Yamamoto.

"Zaraki, you may not have reached that level yet, but with the power slumbering within you, once it's fully unleashed, you will face the same challenge. A fragile body, unable to withstand the eruption of your reiatsu… a body on the verge of collapse…"

Faint blue reiatsu flickered around Ailin's body. Strengthened by this surge of energy, he effortlessly pushed Zaraki back, despite his opponent's fierce resistance. Even with both hands gripping his Zanpakutō, golden reiatsu blazing around him like a raging inferno, Zaraki couldn't stop his retreat. His feet skidded across the ground, sparks flying from the friction against the air.

Whoosh!

With a final surge of power, Ailin sent Zaraki flying. He tumbled backward, his left hand and feet gathering reiatsu to stabilize himself, leaving three white trails in the air as he retreated several meters before finally regaining his balance.

"Zaraki, I acknowledge your progress these past ten years. But your body… it's still too weak. So weak that if you unleashed your full reiatsu, you would be consumed by it… crushed by your own power… I wouldn't want you to die before I even make a move next time we fight. So, for the next ten years, I suggest you focus on strengthening your body. At least a few times stronger than it is now… Otherwise…"

As Ailin finished speaking, he vanished, reappearing behind Zaraki. His Zanpakutō was already sheathed.

"Even if you fully regain your reiatsu, you still won't stand a chance against me…"

Swish!

Two sprays of blood erupted from Zaraki's body.

Shihōin Secret Step, Number Two: Utsusemi!

…

With Kenpachi's defeat, the battle concluded. However, many members of the 11th Division were left unsatisfied. They had anticipated a fight similar to the previous decade's clash: an exchange of powerful energy blasts, followed by a furious sword duel, culminating in a brutal brawl where Zaraki would be pushed to his limits, his reiatsu erupting several times before finally succumbing to exhaustion.

But this year's battle had ended abruptly. They had witnessed a clash of energy attacks, yet it hadn't truly felt like one. Their only true exchange of that kind had been Zaraki's "Ryōdan," his Two-Handed Swordsmanship, against Ailin's "Crescent Moon Cross Strike."

There had been a sword duel, but it had been brief.

Zaraki's reiatsu had been significantly stronger than ten years ago, yet he couldn't even force Ailin to retreat.

The brutal brawl they had anticipated had lacked any real brutality.

Ailin had merely brushed past Zaraki, and their captain had collapsed.

"How is that possible?" Many Shinigami couldn't comprehend what they had just witnessed.

"Judging by the shockwaves, Captain Zaraki is much stronger than he was ten years ago," one remarked. "He managed to fight Captain Ailin for an entire night back then. Why was he defeated so easily this time?"

Many members of the 11th Division couldn't accept this outcome. While they acknowledged that Ailin was their captain, their strongest fighter, Zaraki had been the one who had led them in battle ever since he joined the division. Ailin had practically relinquished control. So, while they respected Ailin's strength, they felt a deeper connection to Zaraki. Perhaps it was Zaraki's pure, unadulterated passion for battle that drew them to him.

"What is Captain Ailin doing? He usually lets Captain Zaraki fight until he collapses! Why did he end things so quickly this time?"

"Could it be that he's threatened by Captain Zaraki's progress? Is he trying to crush his spirit?"

"Silence!"

Ikkaku and Kiganjō, carrying the heavily wounded Zaraki, were enraged by the murmurs of their comrades.

"What nonsense are you spewing? Haven't you seen how Captain Zaraki has grown stronger after every one of his battles with Captain Ailin? We should be celebrating his progress, not whining like children!"

Kiganjō nodded in agreement. "The previous battles may have been intense, but we all knew that Captain Ailin was holding back. The gap between their strength was too vast. It was like Captain Ailin was playing with him."

"The reason this battle ended so quickly is because Captain Zaraki's strength has finally earned Captain Ailin's recognition. This is the first time Captain Ailin has used his true power against him!"

"As his subordinates, we should be happy for him. It means he's finally starting to catch up to Captain Ailin!"

Ikkaku's words echoed through the night, silencing the discontent.

Kiganjō looked around at the disheartened faces of his comrades. "I understand that seeing Captain Zaraki defeated so quickly is upsetting. But we should be celebrating his progress. We all know that in a true battle, when you unleash your full power, it's difficult to hold back. The fact that he pushed Captain Ailin to use his true strength shows how much he's grown."

"I believe that after this battle, in the next ten years, we will witness a true clash between them. And the shockwaves from that fight… Even Ikkaku and I might not be able to withstand them so easily."

"If your strength doesn't improve in the next ten years, you might not even be qualified to watch!"

"Kiganjō and Ikkaku are right." Yachiru's voice suddenly rang out as she appeared before them, standing on Zaraki's shoulder, hands on her hips.

"You don't need to worry about Kenny! He had a lot of fun today… A lot, a lot of fun!"

She looked at Zaraki with pride. Despite his injuries, she could sense it. The seal that had suppressed Kenpachi's vast reiatsu had been cracked. He wouldn't need to experience a life-or-death battle to awaken his power anymore. The crack would widen, fueled by his reiatsu, until it finally shattered, allowing him to reclaim his full strength.

…

Within the 4th Division barracks, Retsu Unohana pressed her right hand against her chest. Beneath her thick braids lay a hidden wound, a jagged scar that throbbed faintly.

It was the day of the ten-year battle between Zaraki and Ailin.

For over a decade, Zaraki, driven by his desire to defeat Ailin, had sought her guidance, learning the art of swordsmanship. And today, he had put his training to the test.

Each time she had taught him, each time they had sparred, she had felt that wound ache.

Centuries ago, when she had first encountered Zaraki, she had been caught off guard. He had pierced her chest in the opening moments of their fight, leaving that scar. Her retaliatory strike had been dodged, merely grazing his eyelid. The wound had weakened her, hindering her performance.

But even if she had been at full strength, she knew she wouldn't have been his match.

Ailin's battles with Zaraki, step by step, were breaking the seal that had suppressed his power. It filled her with both pride and regret. Pride that Zaraki, through those life-or-death clashes, was finally reclaiming his strength. And regret that she was the one who had sealed him in the first place.

But fate had a cruel sense of irony. It wasn't she who was helping him break free.

Whenever Zaraki and Ailin fought, she would feel that wound ache. While their battleground was a remote corner of Rukongai, the clash of their reiatsu resonated throughout the Seireitei. All the captains could sense it.

Zaraki's reiatsu, especially, was like a beacon, a towering pillar of golden energy. Those with keen eyesight could even see it from afar.

"Oh my… Captain Zaraki's reiatsu is truly frightening…"

Shunsui Kyōraku, the captain of the 8th Division, looked up at the distant sky. At the horizon, he could faintly discern a cluster of golden clouds. He knew they weren't reflecting the setting sun. They were reishi particles, drawn together by Zaraki's overwhelming reiatsu, their density so great that they became visible.