Naruto looked at Kobushi Jin'uemon thoughtfully.
"He didn't force out a Shikai…"
So that meant… did that guy also possess a Zanpakutō?
"Have you checked his background? He's from the Shinō Academy, right?" Naruto strode out the door with large steps.
Kobushi Jin'uemon followed close behind. "Confirmed. He never studied at the Shinō Academy."
Naruto fell silent.
Not from the Shinō Academy, yet has a Zanpakutō.
Such individuals were rare, but not unheard of.
Even though the academy constantly emphasized "take care of your Asauchi," there were still careless students who lost their swords. It didn't happen every year, but once every few years, for sure. It gave Dean Pokō a major headache.
After becoming a Shinigami, the likelihood of losing your Asauchi only increased.
Dying in the line of duty...
That was the norm for ordinary squad members.
As for those who never attended the Shinō Academy but had Zanpakutōs, they acquired their blades through such coincidences.
The 9th Division had a prime example.
The man he had been observing—Tōsen Kaname—his sword didn't originally belong to him. He inherited it from someone else, infused it with his own willpower, and then awakened it.
The two of them flash-stepped down the path.
As they approached Seiryū Gate, a fierce and oppressive spiritual pressure swept through the area like a storm, bearing down on the space around them.
Before they could even see the source—
A wild, arrogant laugh echoed in their ears.
"No one stronger?"
"This level of challenge is still not enough to satisfy me."
"Send out someone who can actually fight me!"
Kobushi Jin'uemon's face changed slightly.
This… this was the pinnacle of arrogance.
Naruto flash-stepped onto a nearby wall, overlooking the commotion below.
The source of the voice was a man with spiky hair and a ferocious scar running from his forehead, through his left eye, all the way to his chin.
On his back sat a pink-haired little girl, innocent and cute.
Around the man lay a circle of fallen Shinigami—mostly seated officers from the 7th Division—and a massive body: the gatekeeper of Seiryū Gate. They'd all been defeated.
And the intruder didn't even have a scratch on him.
Between the Soul Society and Rukongai, there was an "invisible wall." If someone unauthorized broke through, the wall would drop from the sky, along with the stationed guards.
The gatekeepers weren't Shinigami.
They were handpicked elites from within the Soul Society.
Though they didn't have Zanpakutōs or the ability to release spiritual powers, their raw combat prowess wasn't inferior to high-ranking seated officers. Some could even challenge vice-captains.
And yet, none of them had managed to harm this man.
"Hm?" The man lifted his head almost the instant Naruto arrived, his senses sharp.
"White haori…"
"You must be one of those captains they talked about!"
"Looks like just a brat to me."
Naruto placed a hand on his sword hilt, his tone calm: "Intruder, state your purpose."
His squadmates had been knocked down, but none were critically injured yet.
The spiky-haired man raised his sword—
It was an incredibly strange weapon.
The hilt was nearly the length of a forearm. The blade was broken and jagged, like a saw.
A… clearly worn-out Zanpakutō.
The pink-haired girl flash-stepped away, landing on another rooftop. "Do your best, Kenny! That blond sunshine boy looks really strong!"
The 7th Division members rushed forward.
But…
Despite her small body and young appearance, the spiritual pressure she released was on par with a vice-captain, making it hard for the regular squad members to even get close.
The man grinned with a ferocious excitement: "I'm Zaraki!"
"They say the strongest Shinigami is called Kenpachi."
"Then from now on, call me Zaraki Kenpachi."
"I came here to find stronger opponents."
"My purpose? Battle, of course!"
With his words, his spiritual pressure exploded upward like a solid force.
Oppressive. Throbbing. Shaking…
The lower-ranking Shinigami nearby immediately collapsed under the weight. Even though it wasn't directed at them, they simply didn't have the right to remain standing in front of such power.
The weak… can only kneel before the strong.
Naruto narrowed his eyes slightly.
The fierce spiritual pressure blew his hair around.
That level was already at a captain-class.
And that name…
Kenpachi, huh?
Within the Gotei 13, that name carried a special significance.
It meant the strongest swordsman in the Soul Society.
Only the captain of the 11th Division could carry the title.
Was he here for the 11th Division?
Naruto pondered.
Zaraki Kenpachi bent his knees. He didn't use flashy Shunpo techniques—just the raw explosion of spiritual energy underfoot to launch himself high into the air.
He raised his sword and swung it down hard.
Naruto drew his blade in counterattack.
The blades clashed, sparks flying.
After several exchanges, the spiky-haired man grew more excited. "Not bad! You might look like a little punk…"
"But you're strong!"
"But hey—you've got two swords. Why are you only using one?"
"Hurry up and pull them both out!"
Naruto didn't reply, his expression serious.
This guy was strong!
Only through clashing blades could he clearly feel it—this man's spiritual might wasn't just third-tier; it was solidly second-tier.
His fighting style was just as wild as his spiritual pressure.
Every swing was unrefined and feral, but this "wildness" made him incredibly hard to deal with. It was nearly impossible to find an opening. And even if there was… Zaraki didn't care at all.
Even when injured—even when slashed across the chest by Kyūbi—he just laughed and attacked harder.
This wasn't a strategy of "trading blows."
He genuinely enjoyed the pain of being wounded—and wounding others.
He was like a beast born for battle.
"Jin'uemon." Naruto didn't take his eyes off Zaraki, but his words were directed at his vice-captain nearby.
He spoke clearly.
Kobushi Jin'uemon stood up straight and placed his hand on his sword hilt.
"Go file the request. I'm going to release my Shikai," Naruto said quietly.
Jin'uemon nodded and flash-stepped away.
Zaraki suddenly lowered his blade and stepped back—but his body was still brimming with battle intent.
"Not fighting anymore?" Naruto was a little stunned. What was this about?
"Aren't you filing a request?" Zaraki grinned—it looked more like a snarl than a smile. "You'll be stronger after releasing your Shikai, right?"
"This level's good, but not fun enough yet."
"I'm looking forward to fighting someone stronger."
Through Kagura Shingan, Naruto sensed an incredibly genuine emotion.
Naruto shook his head, raised his left hand, and gripped the hilt of Ashura. He smiled faintly. "No. I asked Jin'uemon to submit the request because I didn't want to put someone I respect in a difficult position."
"No point waiting for a 'destined outcome'."
He drew the blade and chanted its release.
"Cry in anguish, sing with mercy, wrath be reborn—Kyūbi Ashura!"
Golden light. Six arms.
Fully transformed, Naruto's spiritual pressure surged like a mountain collapsing.
His spiritual might also rose to second-tier.
With Ashura's amplification, he now matched Zaraki Kenpachi's strength.
Facing a stronger opponent only made the spiky-haired man even more excited.
"That's more like it!" He raised his blade and charged once more.
Blade clashed against blade in a symphony of metal.
"You only have two swords?" Zaraki asked mid-combat.
Naruto raised a brow.
"With six arms, shouldn't you have six blades?" Zaraki shouted, his attacks growing more frenzied, more desperate for a powerful rival.
Naruto countered, "You've got two arms too, yet only one sword."
"Besides—those other four arms aren't just for holding swords."
"But what about you? Not going to release your blade?"
Zaraki shook his head. "Release? You mean like what you just did?"
"I don't care for flashy moves. A sword's just a weapon to me—as long as I can swing it, as long as it can cut my enemies, that's enough!"
He laughed, wide and wild.
Naruto stood firm.
When it came to swordsmanship, he was slightly outmatched.
Zaraki didn't rely on battle instincts—he practically was battle itself.
Naruto relied on Kido and Bakudō techniques to maintain parity in the fight.
But...
This "Zaraki Kenpachi" gave him a strange feeling.
During battle, his spiritual pressure kept climbing higher and higher.
It wasn't growing—it was unleashing.
It was like something inside him had been sealed, and every clash of blades opened the floodgate a little more—first a trickle, then a stream.
This was a man devoutly loyal to the art of battle.
Naruto found himself enjoying the fight.
Even though they were enemies, he felt no malice.
And that rising spiritual pressure seemed to resonate with his own growth.
Within him, the seed wrapped in Ashura's power began to stir, its vitality swelling. It wanted to sprout—yearned to burst forth and grow stronger.
The longer they fought, the sharper their moves became.
Back and forth, slashing and dodging.
Zaraki didn't fear pain. Seeing his own blood only made him more excited.
Naruto wasn't afraid of wounds either.
With his regenerative abilities, he could spare two arms to cast Kaido on himself mid-battle.
No one knew how many exchanges had passed.
The shockwaves from their fight demolished nearby buildings.
The squad members had long since retreated to a safer distance.
The unconscious wounded had already been evacuated by the 4th Division.
Zaraki was panting heavily. Apart from his face, there wasn't a single unscathed spot on his body.
Naruto was in better condition. Though his spiritual pressure was depleted, he had few visible wounds left. The remaining ones were slowly healing under the effects of his body and Kaido.
Inside his soul, the seed had still not sprouted.
But compared to before, wrapped in Ashura's power, it now gave off a hint of its own independent presence.
(End of Chapter)