Chapter 299: Supreme Bliss!
Originally, Retsu Unohana had wanted to wait a while longer, until Satoru had grown to his most perfect, fully ripened state, before harvesting him.
But when she personally witnessed Satoru falling from the Zero Division, bearing the palm imprint of Hyōsube Ichibe'e, she knew she couldn't wait any longer.
This man's potential far exceeded her previous expectations.
If she waited until he fully matured, with her current level, she wouldn't be able to help him much anymore.
If she wanted to fully express herself and fulfill her long-cherished wish, now was the best opportunity!
So, even though she knew how selfish this was, she came without hesitation.
Looking at the man standing before her, radiating an alluring aura, Retsu Unohana couldn't help but blush.
Swish!
She raised her hand and drew her Zanpakutō.
Seeing Unohana's inexplicable excitement, Satoru felt a bit strange.
But when it came to fighting, he wouldn't hold back.
Seeing Unohana draw her sword, he happily drew Risō Jakumetsu as well.
"I'm coming."
Unohana suddenly spoke.
The moment the words fell, Satoru was astonished to discover that the woman before him had completely transformed in demeanor.
The gentle and amiable Retsu Unohana, who usually resembled the girl next door, seemed to have vanished without a trace.
In her place stood a bloodthirsty beast.
Her pressure was even more overwhelming than that of a frenzied Kenpachi Zaraki in the heat of battle!
Instinctively, Satoru's eyes lit up, and he grinned widely as he charged forward.
Though he had no idea what had caused such a drastic change in Unohana, this wild aura was perfectly suited to be harshly disciplined by a refined swordsman like himself!
As he rushed toward Unohana, Satoru abruptly raised his Zanpakutō, preparing to start with a New Year's greeting strike.
But, just as they were about to clash, he suddenly raised an eyebrow.
Then, his entire body twisted sharply, shifting from a forward charge into a spinning motion to the side.
Almost simultaneously with his change in direction, Unohana's blade, infused with terrifying Reiatsu, suddenly accelerated and swept through the spot he had just occupied with a force that seemed intent on shattering him to pieces!
"Oh ho... interesting."
Satoru, now almost completely horizontal, grinned and swung his Zanpakutō diagonally upward, aiming for Unohana's neck while she was still recovering her momentum.
Clang!!!
Unohana didn't retract her forward-swinging Zanpakutō but instead extended her other hand.
In it, she held a dagger resembling a hidden weapon.
The moment it blocked Satoru's strike, the short blade shattered with a crack, but it had bought Unohana enough time.
She immediately discarded the hilt of the broken dagger, pushed off with her foot, and executed a backflip on the spot.
Using this movement, she reoriented herself to face Satoru, who had already closed in on her flank—
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!!!
In an instant, the two exchanged dozens of slashes!
Ssskrrrt—
Satoru, gripping his Zanpakutō with one hand, leaned his entire body forward, spread his feet apart, and pressed a hand against the ground, retreating several dozen meters in a crouching, almost crawling posture.
As for Retsu Unohana, she staggered back a couple of steps before planting her foot firmly to stabilize herself.
Watching Satoru slowly rise to his feet with a wide grin, she couldn't help but part her lips slightly.
Ah...
Without a doubt, this was what she had been searching for.
Once, she believed there were only two people in the entire Soul Society capable of defeating her.
One was Yamamoto Shigekuni.
However, from the moment she first met Yamamoto, that man had already left her far behind.
If both were to fight seriously, she wouldn't even have the chance to resist before dying by Yamamoto's hand.
Unohana did not fear death, but such a meaningless battle where neither side could fully unleash their potential was not what she desired.
The other was the boy she encountered in Rukongai.
The young Kenpachi Zaraki.
That boy possessed a terrifying combat talent she couldn't comprehend.
During their first meeting, he completely suppressed her, dominating the fight entirely.
Just as Unohana grew excited, thinking she had finally found the one she sought, Kenpachi Zaraki began visibly weakening at an alarming rate.
Unohana realized—
The boy before her, upon recognizing that she couldn't match his level and that killing her would leave him without worthy opponents in the future, had subconsciously sealed away his own power.
Unohana felt immense humiliation and self-blame regarding Kenpachi Zaraki's choice.
Because of her own weakness, a genius had been forced onto such a path.
In the centuries that followed, she abandoned her position as captain of the Eleventh Division and instead took leadership of the Fourth Division.
Over those hundreds of years, she became like a treasured sword stored in its sheath, honing her blade's intent every single day.
All of it was for one purpose—when she met Kenpachi Zaraki again, to present this sword she had cultivated throughout the latter half of her life as a satisfactory answer to him.
However, this conviction began to waver after meeting Satoru.
The rebel army, combat squad leadership, creating unique combat systems...
Every time Satoru engaged in fierce battles with Yamamoto Shigekuni, she would immediately extend her senses to "appreciate" their clashes from afar.
From the beginning, when Yamamoto could easily overwhelm Satoru with minimal effort, to later when he needed to get slightly serious.
Then later, when Yamamoto began employing more of his true strength...
Satoru's rate of improvement exceeded Yamamoto's expectations, and Unohana's as well.
The scorching Reiatsu that washed over her, the surging fighting spirit she could feel even from great distances—all proved this man's potential was no less than Kenpachi Zaraki's.
Unohana found herself increasingly shaken.
Should she dedicate this sword she had cultivated for centuries to Kenpachi Zaraki, or to Satoru?
It wasn't until recently, when Satoru fell from the Zero Division, that she finally made her decision.
Kenpachi Zaraki was probably just a past aspiration.
Now, this power had found a new worthy recipient!
With excited breaths, Retsu Unohana swung her Zanpakutō and charged at Satoru once more.
The elegant swordsman met her assault with increasingly manic laughter.
"More... give me more!"
"Kekekeke! Then prepare yourself properly, Your Excellency!!"
Under Unohana's guidance, Satoru gradually grew more excited as well.
Although he was constantly evolving, Head Captain Yamamoto's strength remained truly mountainously insurmountable.
Fighting Yamamoto was always a brief pleasure, never lasting long enough.
Unohana was different.
Satoru had initially thought that even at her full strength, Retsu Unohana would only provide mild amusement.
He never expected this seemingly unremarkable woman to possess such formidable power!
Though he held numerous trump cards, Unohana clearly had plenty of reserves remaining.
This exhilaration surpassed even fighting all Satoru Squad members simultaneously!
BOOM!!!
Satoru's clothes suddenly exploded into shreds.
Blue Reiatsu flames erupted from his shoulders, forming what appeared to be massive azure wings.
Shunkō - Hell Chariot!
Gripping his sword, propelled by the blue flames, Satoru's speed surpassed visual perception. He became a flash of light, a raging torrent, a surge of battle intent tearing through space toward Unohana!
"HAAAH!!"
Unohana's smile turned maniacal as she made no attempt to defend. Instead, she thrust her sword toward the charging Satoru!
SCHTICK!!
Their figures merged, gleaming blades simultaneously piercing through each other's shoulders from behind.
In perfect synchronization, they twisted their blades inside each other's bodies.
RIIIP!!
With sprays of blood, both withdrew their swords.
Unohana smiled as she plunged her free hand directly into her shoulder wound.
Green light emanated.
When she withdrew her hand, the wound had completely healed from the inside out.
Watching Unohana's technique, Satoru's eyes shone with admiration.
"Magnificent Healing Arts. Even Sōsuke couldn't achieve this level."
"Please refrain from mentioning other people's names at a time like this."
Unohana swung her blade without hesitation.
She felt no shame about using Healing Arts during sparring.
This battle had long ceased being mere practice - it was exhilarating slaughter, a beastly fight where only one could survive!
In this supreme ecstasy, no method was dishonorable.
Any means that could cut down and tear apart the opponent was beautiful!
Satoru grinned wildly.
He made no move to treat his own wounds.
Such pain couldn't even affect his combat ability.
He casually tore off his already Reiatsu-tattered upper garments, revealing flesh shimmering with crystalline spiritual pressure.
"Come on! Faster! Harder!!"
Satoru's movements accelerated relentlessly.
He barely needed to visually track Unohana's attacks anymore.
The moment she swung her blade, he could sense its trajectory and force.
Each time, he dodged by a hair's breadth before the blade touched him.
Followed by terrifying counterattacks.
RIP, RIP!
In moments, multiple long wounds appeared across Unohana's body.
Though instantly healed by her Healing Arts, the violent Reiatsu flooding through her wounds made her complexion increasingly flushed.
"Sorry, Yū-kun... I can't... take anymore!"
"What? Giving up already? Endure it, you sow!"
Satoru scowled and shouted harshly.
Unohana momentarily froze in surprise.
Sow... How could such a word be used to describe her?
For a moment, intense shame and fury nearly made her lose all reason.
Yet simultaneously, she inexplicably felt that when Satoru called her this way, the already unrestrained and uncontrollable excitement in her heart seemed to intensify further.
"I... I'm sorry, I truly can't hold on any longer!"
Retsu Unohana was drenched in sweat, her face flushed crimson.
With a voice almost beyond her control, she screamed the word that had accumulated over countless years, filled with terrifying power, and embodied the conviction of her entire life:
"Bankai!!!"
BOOM!!!!
As if the heavens had collapsed, the sea of Reiatsu reversed and boiled!
The empty Shadow Space suddenly turned blood-red.
It was an ocean of blood, surging from hell, dyeing everything with its madness and metallic scent!
The Zanpakutō in Retsu Unohana's hand seemed to transform into festering blood.
The long blade curved into a bizarre shape, with red-black blood continuously gushing from it, flowing down to merge with the blood sea beneath their feet!
Gasping heavily, Unohana looked at Satoru with eyes that seemed to have transformed into heart shapes:
"—Minazuki!!"
The moment she screamed her Bankai's name, she charged at Satoru with an excited smile, swinging her blood-gushing blade.
Satoru raised his sword to meet hers.
But, just as their blades were about to clash, he suddenly felt a strange sensation.
His flesh seemed to be peeling away from his bones.
The blood sea beneath his feet and Unohana's blood-soaked blade felt like tiny scrapers piercing through space into his body, separating his flesh, organs, bones, and soul... piece by piece.
This separation didn't cause pain but instead brought an intensely pleasurable sensation.
Moreover, Satoru could sense that although Unohana appeared unchanged outwardly as she charged toward him, her body was also being dissected by this blade.
This soul-elevating ecstasy was utterly addictive, filling his entire being with rapture.
Yet Satoru knew that if he indulged in this madness, he would die in this sea of blood.
Minazuki...
Killing both enemy and ally?
No, if it were truly such an absurd ability, wouldn't Unohana have died long ago?
Hmm... Perhaps there were certain rules governing the speed of death for both parties. As long as Unohana could kill her enemy before her own death, she could escape Minazuki's killing rules...
Various conjectures flashed through Satoru's mind in an instant.
If it were Aizen, he would undoubtedly first seek to test and uncover the ability's true nature.
But Satoru's body had already moved before his brain could complete its analysis.
Facing the blood-blade wielding Unohana charging at him, he casually discarded his Zanpakutō.
His fists drew back, like a fully drawn bow at maximum power!
Double-Layered • Sōkotsu!!
BOOM!!!!
A massive crimson wave erupted from the sea of blood as Satoru and Retsu Unohana's figures tangled together once more.
Terrifying Reiatsu churned the blood sea into colossal, layered waves.
Each surge was powerful enough to instantly dissolve and swallow captain-level combatants!
Unohana stood upon the blood sea, her braid long since come undone, black strands dancing wildly around her like a merciless deity.
The boundless sea of blood seemed an extension of her very being, providing endless power and regenerative abilities.
No matter how many times Satoru shattered her body with his fists, she would completely regenerate in the next instant.
Their battle seemed to transcend time and space within this blood sea, having already persisted for what felt like years in the blink of an eye.
Even Satoru, who had activated his second stage, gradually slowed his movements in this endless combat.
Gazing at the man before her, Retsu Unohana's eyes held complex emotions.
Had... it finally come to this?
The moment this thought crossed her mind, Satoru suddenly lifted his head and let out an eerie laugh.
"You think I've reached my limit?"
"No, this is only the beginning!"
Unohana blinked in surprise.
Then, she smiled.
Bliss!!