*Minazuki, shattered?!*
A long-absent trace of panic surfaced on Unohana Retsu's beautiful face.
*Wait, why at a time like this?!*
As long as the blood sea domain remained, any fatal injuries she caused could be remedied by the sea of blood.
But once her Bankai was deactivated, her current level of Kaidō would not be enough to save a dying person.
Although a Menos Grande's High-Speed Regeneration was powerful, an injury piercing straight through the neck was still fatal.
*Could it be that Sora is going to die by my hands?*
*I can't let that happen!*
Unohana instinctively released her grip on the hilt, attempting to use Kaidō to save a fading life.
However, before her fingertips could even touch the gruesome wound, a tyrannical black Reiatsu surged out like a tidal wave. A large hand grasped the bent, collapsing blade and effortlessly pulled it out.
The black Reiatsu filled the gaping wound, instantly completing the healing process.
Under Unohana's astonished gaze, the corners of Naraku Sora's mouth curled up. An undisguised, tyrannical aura erupted, washing directly over the woman's face.
"Since when were you under the illusion that you could kill me?"
His originally innocent eyes were replaced by a pair of golden, slitted pupils. A hideous, demon-like mask attached itself to his face, its bent horns exuding a blade-like sharpness.
A form she had never seen before!
Unohana stared blankly at the man before her, unable to snap out of her daze for a moment.
It wasn't until he waved a hand in front of her face that she finally recovered from her shock. Just as she was about to ask, she heard Sora explain:
"Hollowfication. It's just a little trick to boost my stats."
"Nothing worth mentioning."
Unohana's eyes widened, a look of astonishment on her face.
As a half-researcher herself, although she didn't study souls as deeply as Urahara Kisuke and the others, she was well aware of the dangers Hollowfication posed to Soul Reapers.
The slightest misstep could lead to the severe consequence of soul suicide.
But looking at Sora, he didn't seem the slightest bit weakened.
*This man truly is a marvel!*
*Since he's fine, I can finally rest easy.*
With that thought, the breath she had been holding finally released. Unohana's entire body went limp, as if all the bones had been drained from her.
Although Minazuki wasn't like other Zanpakutō that became irreparable once broken, having it forcibly shattered still inevitably brought about some backlash.
Coupled with the fact that she had fought with everything she had during their deathmatch, Unohana now lacked the strength to even lift a single finger.
Sora instinctively pulled her soft body into his embrace.
He did a quick check and confirmed it was just minor backlash combined with severe spiritual energy depletion, resulting in her current exhaustion.
Though her white haori was dyed red with blood, she would recover after a good sleep.
It was over.
Lying in his arms and feeling the warmth radiating from him, the corners of Unohana's mouth lifted into a contented smile.
"Sora, kill me."
"?"
Sora frowned. "What kind of nonsense are you spouting? Do I look like the kind of person who backstabs his teammates?"
Unohana ignored his crude language, simply quietly enjoying the warm aura surrounding her as she softly explained:
"As a Kenpachi, dying in battle is my ultimate destiny."
"And this is exactly what I have always looked forward to."
Sora's brows knitted together. After thinking for a few seconds, he said:
"If I remember correctly, the reason you became a Captain of the Gotei 13 was because Old Man Yama defeated you. Why didn't you let him kill you then?"
"Was it because you thought he was too ugly?"
Unohana: "?"
*What kind of mood-ruining remark is that?*
But thinking about it carefully, Yamamoto had been middle-aged at the time, sporting a chonmage hairstyle that symbolized his status. He really hadn't been much to look at.
Seeing that he had successfully diverted Unohana's attention, Sora smiled and continued:
"People who truly love combat enjoy the physical and mental pleasure that comes from the fight, not the meaningless release of death."
"Don't seek death just because you concede; you should only concede when you are about to die."
"If you lose and still don't die, it means you're very lucky."
"At a time like that, what you should be thinking about is how to survive."
"Try to survive, work hard to get stronger, and then go enjoy the thrill of battle again."
"Death is often just an incompetent escape."
"Because only those who truly live possess the courage to face the countless setbacks and pains of the future."
Unohana fell silent.
*Was my perspective too narrow?*
She had thought this would be a battle where she completely offered herself up, but from beginning to end, Sora hadn't reaped a single benefit from Minazuki.
On the contrary, to enjoy the thrill of the fight, she had repeatedly used the sea of blood to mend her broken body, just to fight to the bitter end.
If she chose to die just like that, it really would be a shirking of responsibility.
*So, should I live on?*
Thinking about the long future ahead, where she could fight Sora time and time again without worrying about anything else, simply immersing her body and mind to enjoy that beautiful pleasure, Unohana couldn't help but tense up.
Such a life was indeed something to look forward to.
"Sora, aren't you worried that one day I might kill you?"
After pondering for a few seconds, Unohana spoke her true thoughts.
Hearing this, Sora grinned. "Woman, being too arrogant will only reveal your weakness. Wait until you can actually defeat me before saying such things."
Unohana blinked, quietly looking at the confident man before her.
Although it sounded arrogant, if it was him, he certainly had the right to be.
"The life of the loser belongs to the victor anyway. Since this is your request, then I will try my best to live on."
With a slight blush on her cheeks, Unohana reached out and gently stroked the man's face, revealing a gentle smile.
"If I ever truly get the chance to kill you, I won't show any mercy."
Sora didn't mind at all.
He raised his hand, preparing to open a Garganta and return to the Soul Society, but as soon as he stood up, he noticed the body in his arms was still limp and powerless.
Clearly, Unohana couldn't recover as quickly as he could in such a short time.
If they returned to the Soul Society like this, he would probably be chased and hacked at by Soul Reapers who revered Captain Unohana.
Although Sora wasn't afraid, it would still look bad.
"So, Big Sis Retsu, how about resting in Hueco Mundo for a few days?"
Sora flashed a reassuring smile.
"My Las Noches is quite spacious..."
Unohana was completely shocked.
She thought Sora was just all talk, but she never expected this man to have secretly accomplished such an earth-shattering feat.
The commander of the Menos Grande, the master of Las Noches, the King of Hueco Mundo!
Furthermore, even Las Noches had been remodeled. Brand-new palaces, familiar architectural styles, clean and tidy roads—there was even a sun in the sky.
This was completely different from the Hueco Mundo she knew.
Inside Las Noches, figures occasionally shuttled back and forth. Whenever they encountered Sora, they would bow respectfully. At first glance, she thought she had returned to the Soul Society.
But upon closer inspection, she realized these people all had bone-like ornaments to varying degrees, and their leaking Reiatsu carried the violent nature unique to Hollows.
Just as Unohana was observing her surroundings, several powerful spiritual pressures rapidly approached.
"Your Majesty Naraku!"
"The King has returned!"
"Your Majesty, thank you for your hard work!"
Unohana looked at the newcomers in surprise. The spiritual pressure of these people...
Even the weakest among them was at the level of Captain Muguruma.
And this was clearly in a suppressed state. If they truly erupted, it would probably multiply several times over.
Recalling the concept of Arrancar that Sora had just explained to her, Unohana took a deep breath, her gaze softening even more as she looked at his back.
*As expected of the man I set my sights on.*
He had easily achieved a feat unprecedented in the million-year history of the Soul Society.
Nelliel tilted her head, looking curiously at the woman behind Sora.
*A Soul Reaper?*
*Why does she have Lord Naraku's scent on her?*
*How strange.*
*Let me take another look.*
"Welcome back, Lord Naraku."
Tier Harribel nodded slightly in greeting. Although there was no smile on her face, those familiar with her knew this was already her friendliest state.
Ever since she chose to submit, she had gradually grown accustomed to life in Las Noches.
The more she learned about Naraku Sora and Las Noches, the more Harribel rejoiced at how wise her initial choice had been.
The one who could truly change Hueco Mundo and the Menos Grande was definitely not Baraggan, but the Soul Reaper, Naraku Sora.
To protect this hard-won beauty, Harribel decided to offer her absolute loyalty.
Meanwhile, Grimmjow stared intently at Unohana Retsu, a fiery and soaring fighting spirit rising in his eyes.
*As expected, choosing to follow Naraku was the most correct decision of my life.*
*Such a powerhouse is exactly what I need for a good fight.*
"King, can you let me fight her?"
Although extremely eager, Grimmjow still chose to ask Sora first.
Clearly, through the process of being beaten up time and time again, the naturally rebellious Panther King had learned to respect true strength.
Sora shook his head. "Not right now. She just finished fighting me and hasn't recovered yet. We'll talk about it in a few days."
Grimmjow's pupils trembled.
*A Soul Reaper who fought Naraku Sora and lived to tell the tale? What kind of monster is she?!*
*To be able to fight such a powerhouse, even dying would be worth the price of admission!*
While Grimmjow was brimming with anticipation, Sora had already bid farewell to the Arrancars, sending them off to attend to their respective duties.
He then led Unohana to a prison that had undergone multiple renovations.
At his gesture, Unohana walked into the cell with a strange expression on her face.
The moment the cell door closed, ripples resembling fine silk appeared, and a light screen visible only to one person materialized before Naraku Sora's eyes.
Naraku Sora: "?"