Yamamoto did not answer immediately.
He just looked at Hasumi Ren in astonishment, too many things churning in his old eyes.
Not long ago, this young man stood before him, saying he wanted to ask for guidance.
But he had just taken Hasumi Ren's request as a fabricated excuse to fight for Unohana's release.
A vice-captain trying to move the Head Captain with such a clumsy excuse was laughable.
But now, this young man was standing in front of him holding the Kenpachi's haori.
Despite being unbelievable, the facts were right in front of him, and the news he received had also been confirmed.
Under the witness of the entire Eleventh Division and multiple captains, Hasumi Ren had defeated the tenth-generation Kenpachi, Kiganjo Kenpachi, head-on. According to the rules, he had already become the new Kenpachi.
Moreover, Captains Kyoraku Shunsui and Ukitake Jushiro were on the scene to witness it; the news was passed to him by someone Kyoraku sent.
Hasumi Ren had clashed head-on and completely crushed Kiganjo Kenpachi.
He didn't even use Bankai.
Relying solely on a Shikai Zanpakuto to defeat a Bankai-wielding opponent head-on... Even if that person's skill level wasn't high, but...
It was still Bankai, after all.
Looking at it this way, it meant that what Hasumi Ren said earlier about Unohana practicing swordplay with him was true.
Yamamoto hadn't believed it at the time, but now he did.
Unohana Retsu, the first-generation Kenpachi, someone who hadn't drawn her blade in hundreds of years, was privately sparring with a vice-captain.
She had acknowledged this young man, perhaps even considering him an object of inheritance.
And now, Hasumi Ren had indeed taken the position of Kenpachi. Could this, too, have been within Unohana's calculations?
"I didn't expect this."
Yamamoto spoke, his voice deeper than usual.
"It seems you were telling the truth. I misjudged you."
He paused, then his tone grew much sterner.
"But the timing you picked is terrible. The Seireitei is preparing for war against the Quincy, and we've already lost half our captains."
"At a critical juncture like this, you beat the captain of the Eleventh Division to death. Kiganjo Kenpachi was a captain-level fighter after all, and he commanded the Eleventh Division. You've left us with one less capable man."
Hasumi Ren raised his eyes.
"Haven't I just filled that gap for you?"
Yamamoto's eyebrows twitched.
"Besides, that so-called captain-level fighter wouldn't necessarily have been much use."
"If the Quincies really attack, we won't win by making up numbers, but by relying on those who can hold the front line."
"I'm sure the Head Captain agrees with this point."
Sasakibe's eyelids twitched.
He secretly glanced at Yamamoto's expression, ready to smooth things over at a moment's notice.
But Yamamoto didn't get angry.
The corner of his mouth just twitched, a hint of interest flashing deep in his eyes. When he looked at Hasumi Ren, there was a bit more appreciation.
"You certainly dare to speak your mind."
At that moment, Yamamoto stood up. The cane in his hand twirled once before he brought it down heavily on the floor.
"Fine. Let this old man see exactly what makes the new Kenpachi so extraordinary."
The First Division's exclusive training ground was located behind the main assembly hall.
It was the only training facility in the entire Seireitei exclusively meant for the Head Captain.
The perimeter was layered with multiple barriers for soundproofing and spiritual pressure insulation, while the interior walls and floor were specially reinforced.
Even so, it was rarely used because it struggled to withstand Yamamoto's extreme power.
Yamamoto Shigekuni took off his captain's haori, folded it, and placed it on a stone bench at the edge of the grounds.
His movements were unhurried, every step meticulous.
After folding the haori, he slightly loosened the outer lapel of his Shihakusho to allow for better movement, revealing his lean chest and arms.
Despite his aged skin, the explosive muscle definition remained clear.
He struck the cane in his hand against the ground. The outer layer of the cane dissipated, transforming into the shape of a Zanpakuto.
Then, he drew his blade.
The moment Ryujin Jakka's blade slid from its sheath, a wave of heat rushed over.
The spiritual pressure that escaped merely from drawing the blade made the entire training ground feel suffocating in an instant.
Hasumi Ren felt the stray hairs on his forehead being blown back by the blast of that spiritual pressure.
At the same time, the system prompt that hadn't been seen for a long time appeared again.
[SYSTEM: Obtained High-Level Spiritual Power Fragment x2, Spiritual Pressure EXP +200]
Yamamoto gripped the hilt with both hands, the tip of the blade pointing diagonally at the ground, his feet planted parallel and shoulder-width apart.
He didn't take any flashy opening stance; his posture alone exuded oppression.
Hasumi Ren felt an immense pressure.
"I will not overuse my power, but you better prepare yourself to take a beating. I won't deliberately hold back just because you're the new Kenpachi."
Hasumi Ren drew his Zanpakuto and gave Yamamoto a slight nod.
"Head Captain, please instruct me."
Yamamoto's blade moved.
He simply took a step forward while bringing the blade down.
The simplest mid-level frontal slash, the most basic chopping motion.
But when this strike was delivered by Yamamoto Shigekuni, the air was split apart by the edge, emitting a hoarse tearing sound. Spiritual pressure condensed into a shockwave that wrapped around both sides of the blade as it descended from the sky.
Hasumi Ren didn't dare to be careless, raising his sword with both hands to block horizontally.
The blades clashed.
A deafening roar of ringing metal exploded within the training ground, shockwaves rippling outward from beneath their feet.
The force of the strike pushed Hasumi Ren half a step back, his soles scraping two distinct marks across the floor.
[SYSTEM: Obtained High-Level Kendo Experience x5, Kendo EXP +500]
His arms were numb, but his eyes were bright.
Just taking a single strike dropped so many fragments.
This was the true value of the strongest Soul Reaper in a thousand years.
Yamamoto gave him no time to catch his breath, blows raining down one after another.
Hasumi Ren continuously blocked and retreated amidst the flashes of the blade.
[SYSTEM: Obtained High-Level Kendo Experience x3, Kendo EXP +300]
[SYSTEM: Obtained High-Level Spiritual Power Fragment x5, Spiritual Pressure EXP +500]
His Kendo experience and spiritual pressure experience climbed rapidly during this exchange, his swordsmanship growing more refined under the infusion of the system's fragments.
Yamamoto's brow twitched slightly.
He could naturally feel Hasumi Ren growing stronger.
This young man was learning in the midst of combat, and his learning speed was incredibly fast.
'Now this is... interesting.'
At the same time, Yamamoto thought of someone.
The person who made Unohana lay down her blade. He had no name, only that he hailed from the Zaraki District.
'Could Hasumi Ren's ability to grow in battle be the reason Unohana was willing to draw her blade again...'
'Since that's the case, I'll teach you a little something. Let's see how much of my Genryu profound arts you can comprehend.'
Yamamoto gradually increased his spiritual pressure output and the force behind his blade.
[SYSTEM: Obtained High-Level Spiritual Power Fragment x8, Spiritual Pressure EXP +800]
[SYSTEM: Obtained High-Level Kendo Experience x10, Kendo EXP +1000]
Hasumi Ren's breathing grew heavier, but his blade became steadier.
He could feel Yamamoto's strikes getting heavier, the techniques more exquisite. He vaguely realized that Yamamoto was intentionally guiding him.
From being pushed back by every strike at the very beginning, to now being able to insert counterattacks in the gaps of his blocks, his Kendo was gradually being tempered and shaped in Yamamoto's endless torrent of sword strikes.
Until a crisp system notification rang out deep in his mind.
[SYSTEM: Spiritual Pressure Level Up ↑]
[SYSTEM: Spiritual Pressure: 3rd Class (EXP: 50/50000)]
Hasumi Ren felt the sensation of spiritual pressure exploding within his body.
The threshold from 4th class to 3rd class spiritual pressure was the watershed for captain-level combatants.
Hasumi Ren's spiritual pressure surged at that exact moment, allowing him to take Yamamoto's next attack head-on.
Yamamoto retracted his blade and took a step back.
He evaluated Hasumi Ren, unconcealed astonishment appearing in those old eyes for the first time.
Hasumi Ren's breathing was still heavy, but his spiritual pressure and strength...
Yamamoto looked at him, staring for quite a while.
Then he raised Ryujin Jakka once more, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly.
"Interesting. Let this old man see exactly how far you can hold out."
Yamamoto chopped down onto Hasumi Ren's blade, shaking him back several steps before he barely managed to steady himself.
Hasumi Ren was breathing heavily, but his movements were becoming more concise, his mistakes fewer, and his eyes brighter.
[SYSTEM: Obtained High-Level Spiritual Power Fragment x6, Spiritual Pressure EXP +600]
[SYSTEM: Obtained High-Level Kendo Experience x5, Kendo EXP +500]
The system prompts barely stopped.
Yamamoto was like a mobile collection of fragments. He dropped Kendo fragments when swinging his sword, Shunpo fragments when moving, and high-level spiritual power fragments when his spiritual pressure erupted.
These fragments crossed through the air and surged into Hasumi Ren's body, converting into experience points that steadily pushed up the levels of his various skills.
[SYSTEM: Spiritual Pressure: 3rd Class (EXP: 2840/50000)]
[SYSTEM: Kendo: Lv7 (EXP: 12800/20000)]
[SYSTEM: Hakuda: Lv7 (EXP: 4100/20000)]
[SYSTEM: Shunpo: Lv7 (EXP: 2800/20000)]
[SYSTEM: Kido: Lv7 (EXP: 7100/20000)]
Unknowingly, nearly two hours had passed.
Yamamoto felt surprised inwardly. He didn't know why this young man could last so long under his blade.
Stamina had a limit, as did spiritual pressure. But every time Hasumi Ren looked like he was about to fall, the next time he took a strike, he would be slightly steadier than before.
Yamamoto, for some reason, felt a bit numb to it.
"Enough."
Yamamoto suddenly retracted his blade.
The blade of Ryujin Jakka drew a clean arc in the air before fully sliding back into its sheath.
Hasumi Ren stopped, hands resting on his knees as he gasped for air.
After all, physical exhaustion wasn't so easy to recover from.
"Young people really do have good stamina. I'm tired. Let's do this another day."
Yamamoto walked over to the stone bench, picked up his haori, draped it over his shoulders, and turned to leave.
Hasumi Ren stood straight, sheathed his sword, and bowed to Yamamoto.
Although Yamamoto said he was tired, anyone with discerning eyes could tell who was truly exhausted.
Yamamoto glanced at him, turned, and walked out of the training ground with a steady and slow rhythm.
Sasakibe approached from a distance, handing over a water canteen and a towel. Yamamoto took the towel and wiped his face.
The corner of Yamamoto's mouth twitched slightly, concealed behind the towel.
Sasakibe felt incredibly surprised. How long had it been since he last saw the Head Captain wear such an expression?
It seemed that Head Captain Yamamoto had fought to his heart's content.
Sasakibe turned his head and looked at Hasumi Ren, who was slumped on the ground in exhaustion, remaining silent for a long time.
...
By the time Hasumi Ren returned to the barracks, the sky had turned completely dark.
After washing up, he took off his outer clothes, sat on his bed, and closed his eyes to initiate Jinzen.
His consciousness sank into his inner world.
In that barren white wasteland, Garenge was lounging in mid-air with her legs crossed.
Seeing Hasumi Ren enter, she raised an eyebrow.
"Oh, if it isn't the new Kenpachi? How does it feel after getting beat up by the old man all day?"
"Farmed quite a few fragments... It was amazing."
"Tsk, tsk, tsk."
Garenge hopped down from the air and circled Hasumi Ren twice with her hands behind her back.
"Third-class spiritual pressure, how terrifying... It seems that old man really has some skills. Good thing you had the guts to seek him out and even pull a stunt like challenging the Kenpachi."
Hasumi Ren watched her bounce around in front of him. Only after she had her fill did he speak up.
"I came to see you today for something important."
Garenge's footsteps came to an abrupt halt. She seemed to have already realized what Hasumi Ren was about to say.
"My spiritual pressure is sufficient. I should be able to achieve Bankai now, right?"
Garenge slowly turned around, the corners of her mouth curving up to reveal a meaningful smile.
"You can. But you have to manifest me into reality and force me to submit first."
"Rules are rules. Even you can't skip this step."
Hasumi Ren stared into her eyes, which were flashing with a sly glint.
"You're saying all I have to do is beat you up in the real world?"
"Beat me up? Such big talk! I am the great... Hey, hey, hey, what are you doing?!"
Hasumi Ren had already stepped forward, grabbing her calf and lifting her entirely upside down.
Garenge hung upside down in mid-air, her skirt flipping over to cover her face as her arms flailed wildly.
"Put me down! This is cheating! Sneak attacking me while I'm talking, are you even a man?!"
"You can. But do we really have to do this in the real world?"
Hasumi Ren mimicked Garenge's tone.
Garenge's body stiffened in the air for a second, and then she screamed even louder.
"You actually copied how I talk! Master is being inhumane, using the system to bully his own Zanpakuto! I'm going to file a complaint with the Soul Reaper Union, ah!"
Before she could finish, her words turned into a short yelp.
Hasumi Ren flipped her small body over. Holding her calf with one hand, he gave her butt a heavy smack with the other.
"Do you submit or not?"
"I don't! Yours truly will never bow to evil forces! Ah!"
Another smack.
"Do you submit or not?"
"This is a forced confession! Extorting a confession through torture! Illegal... Ah!"
Smack!
"Do you submit or not?"
"..."
Garenge's face turned completely red down to her ears. Her other leg kicked in the air twice. Finding that she truly couldn't break free, she buried her face in her arms, her voice as quiet as a mosquito's.
"I submit, brother."
Hasumi Ren put her down.
Garenge stood with her back to him for quite a while, rubbing her rear end, sulking in silence.
Then, she finally recovered, spinning around abruptly and pointing at Hasumi Ren's nose.
"Just you wait. When you're old and in a wheelchair, I'll pull the plug on your ventilator and run off."
"As you wish, though that will take a very long time. So, what is your name?"
Garenge puffed her cheeks and glared at Hasumi Ren for a long time. The flush on her face, whether from shyness or anger, slowly faded.
Finally, looking at Hasumi Ren's earnest expression, she sighed helplessly, revealing a subtle, pouty look.
She lowered her head, crossed her arms over her chest, and closed her eyes.
A soft light spilled from her body.
"It's just Bankai, I'll just give it to you and be done with it."
"You know my name as Garenge. Today, by this name, I grant you Bankai."
"My true name is, Bankou Kimu Renge."
The light exploded in Hasumi Ren's conscious world.
Countless fragmented petals drifted down from the void, every single petal inscribed with fine, dense spiritual patterns, spreading out in overlapping layers across the white wasteland.
Wherever the petals covered, the flow of Reishi was rewoven. The structure of the Zanpakuto was analyzed, stripped, and reassembled layer by layer.
The Bankai's abilities fully unfolded in his mind.
The effect of its manifestation was like a slap to the face of any enemy who relied on special abilities to fight.
Within the area covered by his spiritual pressure domain, all special abilities of Zanpakuto would be forcibly stripped away, returning to their sealed state prior to Shikai.
Those special augmentations of the blades would disappear, overpowered effects would be nullified, and all tactics reliant on a Zanpakuto would collapse.
Not just Zanpakuto; any ability analyzed by Garenge would be suppressed and sealed.
Similarly, he himself would be suppressed by the domain.
But the difference was that Garenge could maintain its Shikai state and provided another augmentation effect: the removal of output limits on his spiritual pressure.
No flashy enhancements, no tricky tactics.
It came down to a head-on clash of real swords and spears, seeing whose foundation was more solid, and seeing who, after being stripped of all abilities, could still hold on using muscle memory and combat instincts.
It left only a contest of the most fundamental Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hoho, and Kido, allowing him to crush enemies with absolute extreme output.
Hasumi Ren opened his eyes.
He felt a slight weight in his palm, as if the Zanpakuto itself had become much heavier.
He fell silent for a moment, then gently let out a breath.
"From now on, I only need to be careful around Zaraki and Ichigo."