Zaraki took the opponent's life with an expressionless face.
He was merely repeating what he had done countless times before. For him, such an act carried no mental burden whatsoever.
Moreover...
The excitement surging in his heart right now, almost ready to burst forth, was exactly what Zaraki had been seeking all along.
How long had it been since he'd fought this satisfyingly?
The last time seemed to be when he crossed swords with Ichigo.
Though he lost, it was partly because he had suppressed a portion of his power, resulting in his inability to fight with full strength.
But... this wasn't an excuse to compensate for his loss.
Winning or losing meant nothing to Zaraki. As long as he didn't die on the spot, he would continuously seek the next opponent to cut down.
However, in ordinary times, the Court Guard's restrictions, the responsibilities he shouldered, and the obligations he needed to fulfill...
Such matters entangled his mind, forcing even the most uninhibited soul to bear a weight that didn't belong to him.
Helpless and painful.
Yet there was no meaningful solution.
Perhaps the rest of his life would end in this painful and helpless struggle.
But today.
Zaraki had rarely tasted the feeling of blood boiling.
What he had been pursuing was now presenting itself before him—could there be anything more exciting and joyful than this in the world?
Probably not anymore.
And because of this.
Zaraki's spiritual excitement had reached a level sufficient to accelerate his heartbeat.
After confirming that his opponent had completely lost all signs of life, he didn't linger at all. He merely grabbed the man and took him along.
He didn't need military achievements.
Even less did he need such things to prove his strength.
Carrying this guy with him was solely to intimidate his opponents... believing that after seeing their superior become a corpse, those small fry wouldn't dare to engage him.
He had no interest in those with mediocre abilities.
And now they were in a state of war.
So... for the captain of the 11th Division, this was the perfect time to select his best prey.
No one would blame him for his recklessness. Even if the old man saw it, he would treat it as nothing. Could there be a more wonderful moment in this world than now?
He couldn't think of one.
Zaraki's advance was only to seek more worthy targets to cut down, to experience a vivid sense of existence...
Yes, that was all.
Keep advancing, advancing.
Because his eardrums had been punctured, he couldn't hear any extraneous sounds at all.
Thanks to this...
Some attacks that could have been avoided all landed on his body, causing Zaraki to stop in place, his form trembling slightly.
Looking down at his body.
A blue arrow-like object had pierced his abdomen.
This was...
Ah, he remembered now.
It must be what was mentioned in the previous meeting.
The method Quincies used to attack, called the "Heilig Pfeil"? They said the principle wasn't much different from Kidō, but it was more painful than expected.
Heh.
This was quite interesting.
The current state of being wounded but not crippled only pushed the already frenzied beast into an even more agitated state.
A ferocious smile unconsciously appeared on Zaraki's face.
He seemed unaware of the change in his expression—at this moment, he just charged toward the Quincy formation.
His ears couldn't hear.
Then he would use his eyes to capture, and his spiritual pressure to analyze further.
Although it sounded exaggerated, for an intuitive fighter like Zaraki, he had always been more willing to trust his instincts.
Think it, do it.
Can't see it? Let it be... as long as it doesn't kill me.
"Madman, this guy is a madman!"
Amid the collapsing Quincy formation, such shouts finally erupted.
Emotions between people are never mutually understood.
The Sternritter members, who weren't seeking a vivid death, naturally couldn't comprehend Zaraki's actions.
The formation began to collapse.
But soon showed signs of reorganization.
Looking from afar, one could see a properly dressed person gathering these "remnants" together.
So, is this someone similar to the guy from earlier? A sort of middle management?
That's pretty good too.
Another worthy target to cut down.
...
"Hey! No one is allowed to retreat! If you continue backing up, the formation will scatter..."
"If we accidentally disturb His Majesty later, it won't just be you. Even I will be implicated."
"By the way, who is your commander? How could they give such meaningless orders?"
Under the tone of rebuke.
A man with delicate features and fashionable attire.
He wore the uniform symbolizing formal membership in the Sternritter and had a badge that only higher-ranking individuals could wear.
Just seeing this item, the collapsing group showed signs of regrouping.
The crowd of Quincies began to gather, as if they had found a lifeline, showing extremely excited expressions.
"Over there, there's a madman killing his way here!"
"Calm down!"
Berenice Gabrielli.
As a member of the Sternritter, he had always considered himself elegant.
Even in battle, one should maintain a minimum level of self-respect, as that's what distinguishes humans from beasts.
At the same time...
Berenice's ability also made him more adept at discovering "minor details."
"Who did you encounter? To be so panicked to this extent."
Although ordinary soldiers had no impression of the Soul Reapers' names, there were always smart individuals active among them.
So very soon.
Zaraki's name emerged and was transmitted to his ears.
A slight surprise appeared on his face, and a moment later, "extreme joy" surged up, instantly drowning his heart.
An unexpected harvest.
As a special war power, the opponent was already a key target that needed attention.
And fortunately, he possessed the ability to suppress him!
Schrift "Q," symbolizing the ability of "Question."
All he needed to do was to question the opponent's actions, effectively ensuring they aligned with reality.
Then the opponent would have to explain his actions.
It might not seem particularly ingenious, but this kind of forced behavior could completely control the opponent in place, unable to move!
Even the strongest individuals, under the premise of being unable to act freely, would be at someone else's mercy.
Berenice firmly believed this point and had been acting on this principle so far...
And had reaped quite a lot.
No one could anticipate such a situation. By combining everyone's strength, they could form a force that couldn't be ignored.
Cooperation is the foundation of war.
With such thoughts surging in his mind, Gabrielli tightened the medal on his chest, slightly closed his eyes, and took confident and steady steps at this moment.
He firmly believed he was about to succeed.
And at this moment, he issued orders to the people behind him.
"Come with me, everyone... assemble!"
Zaraki, who was advancing, sensed an obvious anomaly.
The troops that were originally dispersing were now regrouping, as if headless flies had suddenly grown brains, giving people a strangely different feeling.
There must be a leader.
Just as this thought emerged, Zaraki saw a figure emerge from the formation.
The guy's attire was very colorful. Although he didn't understand what special craftsmanship it was... perhaps it was something called dyed highlights?
With hair styled very fashionably, yet without a trace of masculinity.
Zaraki directly descended.
The other person looked at him, his eyes showing no trace of retreat.
Is he someone confident in his skills? If so... perhaps he's also worth cutting down.
Throwing the corpse on his back directly, Zaraki gripped his Zanpakutō and walked quickly toward the man in front of him.
Come on, then.
Whatever strange abilities or messy "Kidō" you have, as long as they can threaten my life, just bring them all on!
I'm right here.
Waiting for you to take my life.
The boiling fighting spirit in his chest made Zaraki's gaze increasingly cold.
However, surprisingly, the opponent didn't seem to have any clear action. He just stood there, continuously gesticulating, making some meaningless movements...
Zaraki stood in front of him.
With a height exceeding the other by more than a head, he could look down on his opponent's state.
Still going on and on about something... compared to before, this guy's demeanor had become even more agitated.
So, what exactly was the reason?
He couldn't figure it out.
After all, his eardrums were already damaged by himself.
Well... whatever.
Since he couldn't hear clearly anyway, just forget it.
Zaraki silently swung his left hand, instantly grabbing the other's throat.
Flesh was crushed instantly.
The bones hidden inside were grabbed, pulled, until crushed.
This series of actions was completed in an instant, and as time flowed, one could only see Gabrielli standing there.
Facing Zaraki, shouting loudly about "question," "you must answer," "why are you still standing" and other incomprehensible content...
Whether it was simply a lack of patience or due to some more "furious" reason.
Zaraki silently made his move.
Directly crushing Gabrielli's throat.
A burst of blood mist exploded in the air, causing the team that had just regrouped to quickly disperse again.
Another leader has been killed! Run!!!
In contrast.
Lying horizontally on the ground with a face full of confusion, Gabrielli's mouth opened and closed, like a fish that had fallen to the ground, helplessly squeezing air.
But the loss of bodily functions had already deprived him of the last chance to "counterattack."
Zaraki slowly stepped forward.
Finally standing still, looking down at him, silent for a long time...
"Sorry, you seemed to want to say something."
But...
Zaraki half-turned his head, pointing to his bleeding ear.
"Here, because I encountered a troublesome guy earlier, I can't hear any sound for now."
Gabrielli, lying on the ground, couldn't catch a breath.
If he could have barely been "saved" before, by now it was completely hopeless.
He might as well die of anger...
Seeing the guy on the ground had completely stopped moving, Zaraki couldn't help but raise his right hand, silently wiping the blood from his face.
Although he seemed to be someone of some strength.
But for some reason.
One touch and he shattered.
"Well... whatever."
Anyway, he's also a person of note, so just carry him along and set off.
Zaraki's purpose didn't deviate in the slightest. He was like a stubborn and nonsensical fool, continuously pursuing a vague goal.
Perhaps it was because of this fearlessness.
Or maybe because of Yachiru's "prophecy."
Soon, Zaraki followed the changes in spiritual pressure and directly found the "real target."
It was a group of figures gathered together.
Just looking at their backs made them seem unapproachable, but Zaraki still jumped over without hesitation, blocking right in front of these people.
His body landed, his legs hitting the ground, producing a deafening echo.
Boom!!!
With just the momentum, he stopped the opponent's steps from advancing further. Zaraki slightly raised his head, revealing a ferocious and terrifying smile.
"Yo, been looking for you guys for a long time..."
"Quite a lot of people, and you all don't seem like ordinary hands."
"But that's what makes it interesting... come on, let's have a good fight."
As he spoke.
Zaraki released his right hand.
The two guys hanging on his back slid down, hitting the ground, attracting the attention of everyone present.
A blonde-haired person standing behind the leader frowned noticeably.
He began to say something.
But unable to hear... it had no meaning.
So let's follow the imagined process from before.
Zaraki showed his trademark terrifying smile, said "heh," his gaze locked on the leader.
"These two guys."
"The first one was shouting loudly, and because it was too noisy, I killed him."
"The second guy just kept mumbling about things, I didn't like that either, so I took care of him too."
"So, you're the boss of these people, right?"
Would the war end if I eliminate you?
Faced with such provocation, Yhwach reached out to stop Haschwalth who wanted to make a move.
He stepped forward slowly, his gaze calm.
"I see, since you're so enthusiastic... I should return the favor."
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Powerstones?
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