The battle between Kuchiki Kōga and Zaraki Kenpachi was still ongoing, but Naraku Sora had lost interest in watching.
In his eyes, the two were perhaps on a similar level right now.
But the final outcome would undoubtedly be Zaraki Kenpachi's victory.
Simply because that guy would continuously elevate his own strength to match his opponent's intensity.
As long as one failed to instantly kill Zaraki Kenpachi right off the bat, he would adapt to the current combat intensity and erupt with Reiatsu far exceeding his usual level.
Although Kuchiki Kōga was much stronger than when he first joined the Shino Prison, he was still quite a ways off from defeating that beast.
"Haha, how exhilarating!"
Zaraki Kenpachi laughed ferociously, swinging his jagged longsword wildly without any discernible technique. Golden Reiatsu blazed around his body like a raging inferno.
The last time he had enjoyed such a thrilling slaughter was when he was getting beaten up by Naraku Sora.
Unfortunately, due to Yachiru's directions, he couldn't report to the Shino Prison every day. Even when he finally managed to find the right place, Sora wasn't always home.
Fortunately, that guy Sora still remembered him. Even though he didn't step onto the battlefield himself, he had found a highly capable opponent for him to fight.
That was enough.
Zaraki Kenpachi silently vowed to always remember this favor.
Kuchiki Kōga grinned, the speed of his punches increasing a notch. Coordinating flawlessly with Muramasa, his countless fists formed afterimages, fully unleashing the results of his recent training.
Because he was often in the underground prison, he knew Zaraki Kenpachi's name but had barely interacted with him.
Now that they were clashing head-on for the first time, truth be told, it felt incredibly satisfying.
Feeling the terrifying force coming from his opponent, an uncontrollable sense of enjoyment and anticipation surged in his heart.
*This is what a real battle is!*
The galloping shadows of his fists traced a sharp angle in the air. Relying on his exaggerated muscle strength and Genryū techniques, he unscientifically trampled over the laws of physics, instantly erupting with nearly double his usual power.
He smashed straight forward.
[Double・Double Bone]!
Zaraki Kenpachi refused to be outdone. Gripping his hilt with both hands, materialized golden Reiatsu coated his blade as he cleaved toward Kuchiki Kōga with an unstoppable momentum.
It was the heavy overhead cleave he had learned from Naraku Sora.
Its main feature was its immense, crushing weight and destructive power.
Looking across the entire Soul Society, there were very few Soul Reapers who could withstand it.
Like bloodthirsty beasts baring their sharp fangs and claws, the two discarded all useless thoughts and viciously crashed into each other.
Boom!!
Explosive light ignited the arena, blooming like a detonated bomb. Overlapping shockwaves rippled out in all directions, causing the earth to tremble uncontrollably.
Within the permeating smoke and dust.
Two heavily battered figures stood back-to-back. Blood had nearly dyed their bodies red. The entire arena had been completely leveled by the impact, leaving behind only a crater a thousand meters in diameter.
Outside the ring, there was dead silence. The bloodthirsty spectators stared intently at Kuchiki Kōga and Zaraki Kenpachi, wanting to see who had actually won.
After a brief silence, Kuchiki Kōga could no longer maintain his standing posture. Even his willpower had burned out. His vision went black, and he crashed heavily into the dirt.
Zaraki Kenpachi split his mouth wide, revealing a demon-like smile.
Although not as good as Naraku Sora, this guy was also very much to his liking.
*The Shino Prison really is a great place.*
Zaraki Kenpachi had a sudden whim.
*If push comes to shove, maybe I should just resign from my Captain position with Old Man Yama. With my strength, becoming Sora's Lieutenant shouldn't be a problem.*
*I just don't know if that old geezer would agree to it.*
The seat battle concluded. Komamura Sajin had been mercilessly beaten, so his seat automatically shifted down, making him the Sixth Seat under Naraku Sora.
Matsumoto Rangiku came from behind, getting promoted to the Fifth Seat as a newcomer.
If this were the Gotei 13, such a move might have caused dissatisfaction, but the Shino Prison was a place that strictly adhered to the rule of the strong.
Therefore, no one felt it was inappropriate.
"Kisuke, Kisuke."
In front of the small cabin, the low murmur of a demon rang out.
Urahara Kisuke, who had finally found a chance to slack off, immediately skipped a heartbeat. His face turned deathly pale, and he nearly spilled his tea all over his crotch.
When he tremblingly opened the door, he was greeted by a smile that, in the eyes of others, would seem exceptionally bright and completely pure.
"Ah, it's Lord Naraku. I wonder what you..."
Before he could finish, Naraku Sora cut him off directly: "How is the optimization work on the Tenshintai going? What version are we on?"
Seeing that this guy wasn't here to assign a new task, Urahara Kisuke immediately breathed a sigh of relief and instinctively replied:
"It's basically finished. We are currently on the seventh version. Is someone going to use it?"
"Excellent. Hurry up and prepare one. Just take the materials directly from the warehouse. I'll wait for you in the Rukongai."
With that said, Naraku Sora didn't give Urahara Kisuke a chance to joke around. He turned and left the courtyard.
Watching his departing back, Urahara Kisuke pinched his slightly stubbled chin, a thoughtful expression appearing on his face.
North Rukongai, District 16.
Urahara Kisuke carried a humanoid cardboard cutout covered in countless drawn patterns, chattering endlessly:
"The seventh version of the Tenshintai optimizes the connection between a Soul Reaper and their Zanpakutō, allowing the Zanpakutō to be materialized from the inner world much faster."
"The side effects have also been significantly reduced. If one fails in the process of mastering Bankai, it will only leave the user's soul in a weakened state. They'll recover after resting for ten days to half a month."
"In addition, these stripes are Kidō patterns, which can to some extent..."
Before he could finish, Naraku Sora stabbed his sword straight into the Tenshintai, saying with a look of disdain:
"Kisuke, how did you become as nagging as Sōsuke?"
"Could a mere Bankai possibly stump me?"
In an instant, the Tenshintai melted like liquid, vanishing into the ground beneath his feet.
Immediately after, flames seemed to ignite and spread from the surface, tearing the surrounding space apart and forming a rift-like spectacle.
The Reishi in the air boiled in response. Within the Garganta-like rift, boundless ruins and wreckage appeared, resembling an apocalyptic scene.
It gradually encroached upon the outskirts of the Rukongai.
On the scorched black earth, crimson flames danced. A wind carrying sulfur and embers whipped up, blowing away the sky-obscuring black smoke to reveal a burning red night sky.
The celestial bodies twisted and meandered, dripping faint rays of light like melted glass.
Seeing this scene, Urahara Kisuke didn't say a word; he just turned and ran.
The scene of the first time he used the Tenshintai to help Naraku Sora learn and master Bankai was still vivid in his mind.
If he accidentally got caught up in it, his frail body wouldn't be able to handle the torment.
The slightest carelessness could result in him being crushed like passing dust.
"You're here again."
The calm voice carried a subtle hint of lethargy, as if she had just awakened from a deep slumber.
Looking toward the voice, beneath the burning red dome, a flame-like figure slowly walked down from the twisted, meandering stars.
With a hint of a smile in her gem-like ruby eyes, Vajrayati walked straight up to Naraku Sora.
A joyful smile appeared on her exquisite face. She raised her slender eyebrows, her eyes seemingly only holding the man standing opposite her.
"Your expression tells me you're very confident this time."
Hearing this, Naraku Sora grinned.
"Of course."
"Nothing can stop me now!"
The older sister-like Zanpakutō spirit nodded thoughtfully. Immediately after, a twisted star from the zenith suddenly plummeted. She raised her pale hand at just the right moment, spreading her slender fingers to grasp it tightly.
The star melted, forming a slender, pitch-black blade.
"That is naturally for the best."
"I have been looking forward to this day for a very long time."
As her voice fell, materialized Reiatsu swirled around her, and streaks of fierce light emerged from the blade.
Even though he had seen it many times, Urahara Kisuke still wore an expression of shock.
Despite having completely sided with Naraku Sora, he still had no idea what kind of path his boss was walking.
He didn't seem like a Soul Reaper, nor did he seem like a Hollow.
Even his process of learning Bankai was leagues above anyone else's.
In short, it was just incredibly fast.
The next second, a heavy, oppressive pressure crashed down. The ground let out an overwhelmed wail as countless fissures appeared, forming a terrifying, abyss-like scene.
Unlike the previous times, Naraku Sora was not shaken by this massive impact. His legs seemed nailed into the earth, standing tall like an unyielding mountain peak.
Without waiting for his opponent to strike first, the moment the prelude ended, Naraku Sora drew his sword directly. Searing Reiatsu erupted like magma, instantly blanketing the entire outskirts.
The air let out an overwhelmed wail, and the high-density Reishi even formed visible lines, scattering around him.
Far on the edge of the battlefield, Urahara Kisuke's expression changed drastically. Before he could react, his body sank, nearly getting embedded into the earth.
In his shock, he hurriedly erupted with Reiatsu to counteract the sudden gravity, once again widening the distance.
*I almost forgot, Naraku Sora has already reached First-Class Spiritual Power.*
*No wonder he's so confident this time.*
As he thought about it, a sudden wave of sorrow washed over Kisuke's heart.
*This guy is already this terrifying without having mastered Bankai. If he actually learns it, won't I have to work under him for the rest of my life, suffering a lifetime of unjust exploitation?*
*Ugh, the agony!*
Right as he was wallowing in self-pity, the battle had already broken out.
Naraku Sora flipped his wrist and dashed forward with a lunge, cleaving straight ahead with a destructive momentum.
His power erupted violently like a spewing volcano, instantly engulfing the materialized Zanpakutō spirit.
Metal clashed, and sparks flew in all directions.
After only a moment of stalemate, Vajrayati was sent flying backward. She traced a perfect parabola across the sky before crashing heavily into a mountain peak at the edge of their vision, exploding into a towering wave of dust.
Seeing this, Urahara Kisuke's eyes widened, and he suddenly felt a tingling sensation on his scalp.
Although he hadn't experienced it firsthand, just from a bystander's perspective, if that strike had landed on him, it definitely wouldn't have resulted in his body being severed.
Instead, like a fully ripe watermelon, his entire person would have just exploded.
*This guy can no longer be called human!*