A Different Kenpachi

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POV Zaraki

Zaraki had wanted this for a long time. He'd been hearing rumors about the so-called "division of super-soldiers" of the Seireitei, and that they had the two strongest Shinigamis of this generation as leaders. He made a point to travel back to his home just to find them!

And he couldn't have made a better decision!

The short captain with a frail appearance might seem weak, but since *that woman*, he hadn't seen anyone else withstand one of his killing-intent attacks! On top of that, he could feel the latent power hidden inside that man's blade.

The big guy was also very good. He had raw power that rivaled his own. Zaraki couldn't be happier, so excited that he felt his power EXPLODING within him!

This was what he lived for!

POV 3rd Person

"RAAAH!" The soldiers of the 11th Division could only watch in astonishment as the nobody of a young man leaped into the air like a demon, with a sword almost larger than himself raised above.

"Tsk, brats like you—" In a display of speed and strength, Kuruyashiki charged forward to meet his opponent in the air—

*CLANK*

"SHOULD RESPECT YOUR ELDERS!"

Thanks to intercepting Zaraki's advance mid-air, the impact of the blow was reduced, but it still contained enough force to cause shockwaves to spread.

"Captain!" The soldiers shouted to their wounded captain, who watched the scene apathetically.

("This is strange... in my past life, even while patrolling Rukongai and being a captain, I never encountered Zaraki, but now? It seems my arrival is already altering the timeline.") Kenpachi didn't even blink amidst the shockwaves and gusts caused by the clash of the two beasts.

("KIHAHAHHA hey! Aza-chan! What do you think will happen? Will your toy of a man die? Or will your expected rival fall before his potential?") Behind Azashiro, a woman with black hair and noble robes, similar to a courtesan's in purple, manifested herself.

"Kuruyashiki isn't weak; he has the potential to even defeat me if he uses his Bankai. Zaraki, on the other hand, gets stronger the longer the fight drags on. For now, I'll just observe." The captain murmured to his Zanpakutō spirit as he called upon a healing Kaidō for himself, restoring his Reiatsu and soon his body. It wasn't a perfect healing, but it was enough to stop the bleeding and start regenerating.

At least he'd have some time before—

"HAHAHHAHA YOU LUCKY BRAT! YOU FORCED ME TO DO THIS!"

His companion gave in to his bloodlust.

Looking back at the "battlefield," he could see that in just a few seconds, both Kuruyashiki and Zaraki already had several lacerations on their bodies.

It had been a while since he'd seen Kuruyashiki so excited.

("Maybe it's okay to leave this to him for now.") The prodigy captain thought as he deactivated his Shikai and returned to his Bankai, using its power to slowly restore his body. ("Besides... this Zaraki isn't as strong as he'll be in 200 years...")

POV Zaraki

("It's been a long time since I've felt so thrilled!")

At that moment, a quick and powerful strike echoed—

*CLANK*

Sizing him up, Kuruyashiki's opponent attacked with the intent to cut him down, and though the blade was deflected, the resulting impact was like an explosion. It was a fierce and intense attack that couldn't be described any other way.

The repelled blow also resulted in a bombardment, producing a boom that seemed impossible for the clash of steel on steel, causing the atmosphere itself to scream in agony.

"FUHAHAHAAH!" The one who delivered the first blow, whose limbs trembled with the propagated impact, welcomed the situation with pleasure. Zaraki laughed, relishing the brutality and the fight.

With immense joy, he directed his complete delight toward the one who stood his ground and repelled him with equal force. Though there was a mix of surprise, frustration, and anger, it was all just a variant of the desire to fight...

("Yes, where else could there be so much happiness? Where else do I belong but the battlefield? It's wonderful to have something that doesn't break easily, even if it hurts me.")

This man's strength exceeded human limits. It was just a matter of having his target and an object in his hand and striking with all his might—something simple but in his hands, his speed and power took on a demonic nature.

In Zaraki's mind, one thing was certain. No weapon could resist him.

("I'm tired of seriously fighting ants.") The man's joyful thoughts wandered. ("Maybe... this old blade will finally break?")

In front of him, his opponent, who bore lacerations across his body, seemed to analyze him while retreating in the air.

"Boy... be careful with your blade... it's your greatest companion... breaking it now will end our fun." The hairy man in front of him spoke with a strange aura of wisdom.

("Annoying.") Zaraki growled in frustration before smiling again.

"Nah! HAHAHA IF THIS BLADE BREAKS, THEN WE'LL FIGHT WITH FISTS!..."

『"The essence of a sharp sword lies in its bond with its owner." 』

It is generally considered that a strong sword belongs to the most careful owner, but for this man, a sword is merely an object to kill with. Without that purpose, in his mind, a sword is dull and worthless. Since it is only a tool meant to kill, there is no need to attach sentimental value to a weapon.

3rd PERSON POV.

And once again, both clashed—

The blade was aimed at cutting the arm that the shinigami wielded his sword with, but—

BOOM

With an explosive impact, he bent his sword into an inverted position, blocking the attack in a way that only a professional swordsman could have such reflexes and fencing strength.

"GAH!" And with a direct kick to Zaraki's stomach, he was sent flying, crashing to the ground with a bang.

"Boy, don't get distracted."

"Grrrr. AAAAAAA...!" Growling in frustration and euphoria, once again, the young swordsman's reiatsu seemed to triple.

This made the Shinigami narrow his eyes.

("Exponential evolution? How interesting... He gets stronger as the fight goes on... Where have you been hiding all this time, boy?.. Such potential... Such will... Such strength... If you had arrived just five years earlier... Back then... I might have given you the mantle of Kenpachi.") Kuruyashiki thought to himself as, with extreme agility, he used shunpo to dodge a wave of condensed reiryoku in a golden energy blade launched by his enemy. ("But now it's too late... As Kenpachi Kurashiki, I would have given you the mantle... but as Kuruyashiki of Soya... I must stop you here and now for injuring my captain... It is frustrating to have to eliminate such potential before it evolves... Farewell, young Zaraki.")

"GRAAAAAAH!" With a wide smile on his face, ZARAKI advanced in a wave of attacks like a wind of death, and if even one strike hit, Kuruyashiki's head would undoubtedly fly off instantly. The slashes spread in all directions, preventing Kuruyashiki from getting close to his target.

With the corners of his mouth raised, teeth exposed, and a ferocious grin on his face, Zaraki spoke, his voice no longer sounding like anything other than the growl of a hungry beast.

"FIGHTING YOU—IS SO MUCH FUN HAHAHAHA!" Although only one of them voiced it, this thought was present in the minds of both savage warriors. Rivals facing each other with a hunger for victory.

An animal was the best way to illustrate the current Zaraki, who wielded his worn-out blade as if it were part of his body, his claws. Even though he saw nothing special in it. He was cruel enough to understand that there was no point in personifying weapons with confused feelings like friends, lovers, or siblings.

("It's madness to depend on something other than yourself, whether in life-or-death situations or in any aspect of existence. Besides yourself, what else is there to believe in, except that you're the only one in the world?") These were the core of Zaraki; he neither depended on nor wanted to depend on anything beyond his own strength. A bloodthirsty beast.

This is common sense in this era and this world. Everyone follows only their own image, believing they are gods and absolutes. Respect for others, friendship, love, and everything else is just a way to embellish the glorious "self." After all, from the poorest resident of Rukongai to the highest noble of Seireitei, everyone's goal was to be at the TOP.

That is why, despite everything, Kuruyashiki could not disagree with the young man—

"Oh, I completely agree. I, too, was underestimating you, boy... but now... I won't do it anymore. Get ready to feel my power... 『Devour, Gagaku Kairō』."

While moving away from the rain of slashes that shredded the space in front of him, Kuruyashiki stabbed his blade into the ground and unleashed the first form of his Zanpakutou, summoning his familiars.

You see, Kuruyashiki's Shikai is a living entity, much like Unohana Retsu's Zanpakutou, "Minazuki."

Gagaku Kairō summoned white monsters shaped like spheres, the size of a bear. They had no eyes, nose, ears, or limbs—only a mouth filled with large fangs. There were 13 of them floating around Kuruyashiki.

Upon seeing his opponent's reiatsu increase and witnessing such monstrosities, instead of fear, Zaraki grinned with joy.

("This... is the power of a Shinigami?... the power... of a Zanpakutou?").

Kuruyashiki raised his sword toward his opponent.

"As I said before, boy, it's been fun... but I can't let this game go on any longer... 『Devour... Gagaku Kairō』."

As ordered, in extreme speed, the 13 heads attacked!

The first one aimed directly at Zaraki's head, but—

**CLANK**

Its jaws were repelled by Zaraki's Zanpakutou.

"More... more... more... SHOW ME MORE!" Zaraki smiled as he dodged and parried each attack from the giant jaws with ferocity and strength. He didn't just use his sword—his fists, feet, and teeth—he fought like a beast!

As he stabbed one sphere, he leaped over another trying to tear off his legs, and in mid-air, he punched one squarely and slashed another behind him.

Even cornered, young Zaraki seemed to be adapting more and more to each of them that took turns attacking him. Until... Kuruyashiki's whisper echoed through the devastated battlefield—

"Rend them all... Gagaku..."

As if understanding its master's orders, Gagaku Kairou's spheres withdrew from Zaraki, creating an opening. In his bloodlust and frenzy, he didn't let the chance slip, vanishing instantly, and with a swift step, appeared with his blade raised above Kuruyashiki—but—

**CHRUNCH**

**CRACK**

**SLASH**

In a single instant, all 13 jaws closed in around Zaraki, biting down on him, their fangs sinking into his flesh deep enough to pierce him from side to side.

"C-Cou-BLEH!" Young Zaraki could only vomit blood as his flesh and organs were chewed by the jaws of Gagaku Kairō.

The last thing Zaraki saw was the melancholic gaze of Kuruyashiki, the same look Zaraki had when his opponents died from his first strike...

Zaraki's final thoughts, strangely, were of admiration, even in the face of his possible death.

("Such strength... take care of your Zanpakutou, huh?... Tell me... old man... could I have had more fun with you if I had the same connection with this old blade? Maybe... I could have fought better against that woman?... Could it... have been possible th—.")

And before he could finish his thoughts... Zaraki Kenpachi fell unconscious.

And this was the end of the battle between the Former Kenpachi and the future Kenpachi…

Far away, Azashiro watched the scene with the same melancholic eyes as Kuruyashiki.

("...For some reason... why do I feel disappointed?... Why... do I feel so empty... watching Zaraki fall?")

And so, the cleanup of Rukongai ended.

With the 11th Division finally completing their mission and returning victorious... But for some reason... both the captain and lieutenant... seemed to lament the loss of something..