Chapter 43: Chapter 43: A Beautiful Friendship, Forged in Blood
Chapter 43: A Beautiful Friendship, Forged in Blood
Even though the Seireitei’s alert level had been raised to its absolute maximum, the Zaraki District—the 80th District of the North Rukongai—remained its usual hellish self.
Chaotic and lawless. Vagabonds and swordsmen roamed the streets, carrying their blades with fierce expressions, looking as if they were ready to erupt into bloody violence at any moment.
Yato Uchiha and Kaien Shiba walked side-by-side, their clothing style blending perfectly with the Zaraki District’s atmosphere, making them look like a pair you didn’t want to mess with.
"Since that guy is so strong, why didn’t he go to the Shin’o Academy?" Kaien Shiba asked, a piece of grass clamped in the corner of his mouth, giving him a more uninhibited air than usual.
"Wouldn’t it be better to receive formal training and become part of the Gotei 13?"
"Because you can’t just casually hack people to pieces at the Shin’o Academy," Yato chuckled.
"Senior Kaien, I originally hail from the 62nd District of the East Rukongai. Even though it’s quite far away, tales of this guy still reached our ears—a man who revels in slaughter, feeds on combat, and cannot go a single day without seeing blood."
"Sounds like quite a nasty piece of work."
"Yeah. Once we meet him, we might even have to fight him first."
"What’s his name?"
"He has no name. People simply call him ’Zaraki’."
"Tsk..." Kaien’s handsome face showed a hint of hesitation, but he eventually made up his mind, his tone turning grave:
"Yato, I’m saying this upfront: even if he’s willing to help, we can’t just let him throw his life away for nothing, and we absolutely cannot use him as bait. Even if he’s a vicious thug from the Zaraki District, protecting the Seireitei is, fundamentally, our responsibility as Soul Reapers."
Yato Uchiha paused for a moment before agreeing.
Hanging around someone like Kaien Shiba was actually very reassuring.
He was upright and honorable, possessing the deep sense of pride expected of a great noble and a Soul Reaper. Even if he wasn’t a perfect moral saint, at the very least, you never had to worry about Kaien Shiba stabbing you in the back.
The two continued to walk and chat, venturing deeper into the district.
Locating a beast born for battle like him wasn’t actually that difficult. All they had to do was follow the chaos; wherever it was the most lawless and raucous, wherever there was a bloody skirmish, there was a high probability they would find their target.
When the sun reached its highest point, Yato and Kaien arrived at a certain street.
A typical, everyday Zaraki District slaughter was currently taking place here.
It was impossible to tell how many factions were involved in the brawl. Onlookers could only see blood spraying and teeth flying as agonizing screams and furious roars blended together to form a chilling symphony.
A man and a little girl sat quietly under the shade of a tree not far away, watching the battle with utterly bored expressions.
The man had wild, unkempt hair and a robust, muscular physique. A scar ran across his left eye, and he naturally exuded a fierce, violent aura, as if a savage beast had taken human form.
The little girl, on the other hand, was exquisitely delicate, with a natural rosy flush on her cheeks and pink hair, looking exceptionally cute.
"Is that him?" Kaien Shiba’s pupils contracted. Even from a distance, just looking at him sent a shiver down his spine, a feeling that practically pierced his skin.
"This guy is definitely strong! Yato, should we just..."
"Exactly, Senior Kaien. It’s time for us to ask for help."
"Alright. I’ll reveal my identity and have an open and honest conversation with him."
"There’s no need for that, Senior." Yato grinned wickedly, his eyes turning crimson in an instant.
"For fierce beasts, sharp claws and fangs are the best means of communication."
With a tap of his toes, his Spiritual Pressure erupted, leaving a shallow crater where he stood.
Akame was drawn from its scabbard. As he charged, power concentrated on the blade’s edge.
Aided by the Sharingan’s phenomenal dynamic vision, even while charging at such high speed, Akame’s blade wouldn’t deviate by even 0.1 millimeters.
Yato’s voice lingered where he previously stood, while his physical form had already materialized right in front of Zaraki!
Bang!
Yato’s Zanpakuto hacked into the man’s shoulder.
The force he used was so immense that the large tree the man was leaning against was snapped in two from the shockwave. The upper trunk flew dozens of meters away, crashing into a nearby building.
However, this slash, powerful enough to sever the spine of a Menos Grande, became lodged firmly in Zaraki’s shoulder blade. It couldn’t advance a single inch further, nor could it be easily pulled out.
"Ah..." The pink-haired Yachiru Kusajishi suddenly bloomed into a bright, innocent smile:
"Someone has come to make friends with you. Aren’t you happy, Ken-chan?"
Zaraki didn’t answer Yachiru’s question.
Because an overwhelming surge of euphoria and excitement had flooded his heart.
He could smell the metallic tang of his own blood; he could feel the sharp pain of his opponent’s blade biting into his flesh.
This scent... it drove him mad.
This pain... it intoxicated him.
Yes. This feeling. This feeling!
"KILLAAAAAAAARGH!"
Zaraki let out a roar like a savage beast. The muscles in his shoulder instantly locked down tight, clamping onto Akame like a vice.
In the next moment, he swung his right arm, bringing his jagged, chipped Zanpakuto down toward Yato in a vicious, sweeping arc.
Even before the blade landed, Yato could feel the overwhelming, absolute power contained within the strike. It was completely devoid of any refined Zanjutsu technique—it was the most primal, most brutal swing imaginable!
The six-pointed Mangekyo spun rapidly in his eyes. As a Soul Reaper who possessed Genjutsu, no one knew better than Yato what the optimal response strategy was in this situation.
—First, use Genjutsu to throw off the accuracy of his slash. Step to the side to dodge and open up distance. Then, unleash Amaterasu and kite him from afar!
Without a doubt, this was the perfect strategy to defeat his enemy.
But Yato had no intention of using it.
He hadn’t come here to engage in a deathmatch with this combat maniac, Zaraki, nor did he need to fight until one of them was dead.
He was here to persuade Zaraki to come with him and Kaien Shiba to face the potential Ryoka attack.
In a sense, the little girl, Yachiru Kusajishi, was absolutely right: Yato’s purpose in coming here was indeed to "make friends."
Some people made friends through long-term interaction; some made friends over drinks and meals; some made friends by sharing life-or-death experiences.
But as for Zaraki...
Making friends without drawing blood was just impolite.
"Hah..."
The corners of Yato Uchiha’s mouth curled upward, his smile looking somewhat savage.
He didn’t dodge. Instead, he manifested the skeletal frame of Susanoo. The ribs, burning with a purple aura, enveloped him as he brazenly took the hit head-on!
Boom!
Zaraki’s slash landed on Susanoo’s skeletal armor.
The Zanpakuto, having weathered countless slaughters, cleaved right through the sturdy bone and similarly hacked into Yato Uchiha’s shoulder, biting deep into his flesh.
Their Spiritual Pressures roared, and the ground echoed in agonizing protest.
The Spiritual Pressures of the two men clashed in an unyielding contest of strength, wild and surging like raging infernos.
They pulled their blades out almost simultaneously, refusing to give the other even a fraction of a second to breathe before slashing again!
Blood sprayed in a fierce, brutal exchange.
The residents of the Zaraki District were thoroughly intimidated by this immense display of power. They hastily cleared a massive area, allowing the two to fight to their hearts’ content.
Not far away, watching the scene unfold, Kaien Shiba’s mouth twitched uncontrollably.
After spending over a month together, he had gained a certain understanding of Yato Uchiha.
Yato, your Zanpakuto is a Multi-Stage Release type. You have access to Genjutsu, flames, physical defense, offense... a wide variety of combat methods.
But you... aren’t you a bit too reckless sometimes?
☆☆☆
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