Unohana's gentle smile stiffened.
If she remembered correctly, Squad Four originally had thirty-one walls, two rows of barracks, and her own office.
Now, nothing remained but empty land — only distant buildings still stood.
Isane was furious, eyes reddened. "Did you see his face clearly? From which squad was he!?"
"He said he was from Squad Eleven!" one wounded member cried.
"He mocked us, saying only Squad Eleven was strongest, and the rest of us were trash."
Another added, "He said we weren't worthy of such fine rooms, that heaven should be our blanket and earth our bed."
Others groaned, "He beat us senseless… stomped on my face…"
Their voices rose in a chorus of misery.
Isane nearly burst into tears. Though Squad Four had long been scorned and bullied, never had anyone gone this far.
"Captain…" she said pitifully.
Unohana's eyes darkened, her pale fingers tightening.
"Squad Eleven… Zaraki Kenpachi!"
She hadn't killed in centuries, not from repentance, but disinterest.
Yet she was still the most fearsome villain in Soul Society's history.
Never had anyone dared bully her like this.
And now, her home was destroyed.
Her foot struck the ground. With a blur of white light, she vanished, speed rivaling Yoruichi's hoho.
Isane gasped. "Captain's speed… it's not weaker than Yoruichi's!"
…
Meanwhile, Squad Four members pointed at a crater.
"Captain Komamura was beaten down there."
Isane rushed over. Komamura lay battered, his beastly head swollen grotesquely, body bound by multiple kido.
He could only groan in shame.
With effort, they freed him after half an hour.
"Captain Komamura, are you alright!?" Isane asked.
Komamura ignored her, roaring to the skies, "Byakuya!!! You bastard!!!"
All he recalled was Cole suddenly binding him with Bakudō #63: Sajō Sabaku, then #79: Kuyō Shibari, then wave after wave of binding spells.
Even almost #99: Kin.
Since the Great Hollowfication a century ago, not even the Kidō Corps had shown such mastery.
At the Sixth Division, Byakuya snapped his brush in two.
"Cole…" His voice was ice. "Why did you come here… and drag Rukia as well?"
…
In Squad Eleven's barracks, Zaraki Kenpachi snarled at Ikkaku and Yumichika.
"Why can't you find him!?"
Walls lay shattered all around, yet still no trace of Cole.
Ikkaku muttered, "Maybe he's hiding from us…"
Yumichika sighed, "Everyone knows our squad is the fiercest. Who wouldn't hide?"
Kenpachi glared, murderous intent rising.
From his shoulder, a pink head popped out.
"Ken-chan, just follow my directions! You'll find little Cole soon!" Yachiru chirped.
Ikkaku groaned. "Vice-Captain, we followed you into twenty-one dead ends. Captain smashed six walls in rage!"
Yachiru pouted, spitting on Ikkaku's bald head. "I hate you!"
"Ugh, spit…" Ikkaku fumed, wiping his head furiously.
At that moment, a white figure descended.
Unohana landed gracefully inside Squad Eleven's barracks.
Ikkaku and Yumichika stiffened, bowing.
Kenpachi scowled. "Unohana, why are you here?"
Her eyes glinted dangerously. "Kenpachi, did your squad destroy Squad Four's buildings?"
The two officers felt dread. They had wrecked many walls searching for Cole…
Kenpachi admitted bluntly, "Yeah, I smashed a few. What, you here for revenge?"
Unohana's lips curved in a warm smile.
Kenpachi shivered. That smile was deadly.
Her blade slid free, her tone deceptively soft.
"You've been looking for a fight. Why not spar with me?"
Kenpachi's eyes gleamed. A captain challenging him? His blood boiled.
"Fine. Let's fight!"
Steel flashed. Blood spurted.
Unohana sheathed her blade calmly. "Never let your guard down, Kenpachi."
Kenpachi looked down — a deep gash split his chest, blood spraying despite his reiatsu defenses.
Then he laughed madly. "Ha! To think you, the healer captain, hid such strength! Hahaha!"
Golden reiatsu roared skyward, a pillar piercing the heavens.
"Let's kill each other!!!"
Kenpachi charged, blade swinging.
Ikkaku and Yumichika paled. Their captain, locked in mortal combat with Unohana? Impossible! Yet it unfolded before their eyes.
"How… how is Captain losing!?" Yumichika whispered.
Kenpachi bled heavily, his reckless swings meeting only air, while Unohana's blade cut him again and again, precise and unrelenting.
Still, Kenpachi laughed, tearing off his eyepatch, his power surging further.
But Unohana's swordsmanship crushed him.
Watching, Cole perched on a wall, smirking in Squad Eleven uniform.
"Kenpachi's just a beast. No swordsmanship, only brute force and instinct."
Ikkaku bristled. "Don't insult him! He's our captain, our Kenpachi!"
Cole shrugged. "Truth is truth. Against real swordsmanship, he'll die before he grows stronger."
Yumichika clenched his fists. "No! He'll evolve mid-battle, until he wins!"
Cole chuckled. "Then Unohana will kill him before he does."
In the original story, Kenpachi had sealed his power out of boredom. But here, in this real world, such seals meant nothing.
"No sealed strength will save him."
Cole's eyes gleamed as he opened his system panel.
"Still… swordsmanship is interesting."
He dumped 10,000 points into "Demon-Slayer Style Swordsmanship."
Knowledge surged into his mind, as though he had trained a lifetime.
"Who says a staff can't wield swordsmanship?"
His grin widened.
(End of Chapter)
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