Chapter 400

2-in-1 chapter:  

On chapter 400!!! whOoO!

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What a heavy strike!

Ichigo was surprised.

He hadn’t expected that even a random Soul Reaper from the Soul Society could possess such strength.

Then, he suddenly noticed something odd in Kenpachi’s words.

“Big brother? You’re Kaelith’s younger brother?”

Ichigo was taken aback.

The man in front of him looked at least forty or fifty, while Kaelith appeared to be just in his early twenties.

How did that work in terms of seniority?

Forget it—that didn’t matter.

He quickly said:

“If you’re Kaelith’s brother, why aren’t you helping him?!”

“If you don’t act soon, he’s going to die!”

“Are you just going to stand by and watch your own brother die?!”

“Huh?”

Kenpachi looked confused.

Big brother’s dying?

Wasn’t he in First Division, subbing in for the old man as Captain-Commander?

Oh… was this kid saying that with Big Brother’s personality, he’d die of boredom in that place?

Thinking that, Kenpachi grinned:

“Idiot, Big Brother isn’t the type to die so easily.”

“When he’s tortured to the brink of death, he’ll escape on his own!”

“?”

Ichigo’s pupils shook.

Then why not escape right away?!

What is wrong with you Soul Reapers?

Annoyed, Ichigo no longer felt like wasting words with Kenpachi.

If you’re that strong, then there’s no need for me to hold back!

Gripping Zangetsu, he launched a fierce assault on Kenpachi.

Feeling Ichigo’s ferocious and sharp moves, Kenpachi became more excited with each clash.

To him, opponents were only strong or weak—gender and age, old or young, it did not matter.

Although Ichigo was still a kid, in his eyes, he was simply a worthy opponent.

Gripping his worn blade, Kenpachi laughed and unleashed golden spiritual pressure as he fought Ichigo head-on.

The spiritual pressure from both of them tore up layers of ground around them.

Rukia, protected by squad members, had been moved several kilometers away to escape the terrifying battlefield.

Looking at the pillar of spiritual pressure exploding in the distance and the two monstrous fighters constantly clashing, she couldn’t help feeling a bit of lingering fear.

Was I really fighting someone on the level of Kenpachi’s lieutenant earlier?

Thankfully, he wasn’t trying to kill me. Otherwise, I’d be dead by now…

After exchanging dozens of moves with Kenpachi, Ichigo realized it was hard to end the fight quickly.

He retreated, standing atop a massive rock:

“I’m Kurosaki Ichigo. What’s your name?”

“Zaraki Kenpachi, Eleventh Division Lieutenant!”

Lieutenant…

Ichigo’s heart sank.

Before coming to Soul Society, he had crammed some Seireitei knowledge with Urahara Kisuke.

He knew there were thirteen divisions, each with one captain and one lieutenant.

Right now, just a lieutenant was enough to hold him off for so long.

If more showed up and surrounded him, things would get ugly.

Thinking this, he asked Kenpachi:

“You’re really going to fight me like this? Aren’t you going to release your Zanpakutō?”

At that, Kenpachi looked a bit nostalgic.

“Ah… can’t. Big Brother said no.”

“Back then, Big Brother kept pushing me to master Shikai. Said if I didn’t, I’d have to meditate with my sword two hours every day.”

“But ever since he came back this time, he suddenly told me not to pursue Shikai anymore.”

“I don’t mind. I can still fight without Shikai.”

Saying that, Kenpachi grinned again.

“Alright, Ichigo—let’s keep going!”

Ichigo nodded.

“Got it.”

“If you’re not holding back, then I won’t either.”

“Kenpachi, I’m about to go all out—brace yourself!”

“Oh! Come on, show me what you’ve got!”

Kenpachi looked eager.

Under his gaze, Ichigo took a deep breath.

The next second, red markings crawled over his limbs.

Blut Vene!

As soon as he activated Blut Vene, Ichigo gripped his blade with both hands and swung upward—

“Getsuga Tenshō!!!”

A slash of mixed blue and golden spiritual pressure erupted from his blade like a tsunami, surging toward Kenpachi!

Kenpachi swung his sword to block, but quickly realized the power contained within far exceeded his expectations.

Kurosaki Ichigo—acknowledged even by Bambietta as a Quincy prodigy.

With Blut Vene activated, his already formidable Soul Reaper power was boosted to terrifying levels.

In the blinding light, Kenpachi grinned in excitement, completely swallowed by the blast, his body breaking into rough outlines before vanishing in the light.

When the light faded, Kenpachi swung his sword and exhaled a thick cloud of black smoke.

His body was covered in burn marks.

Though uninjured, most of his clothing had been scorched off.

He casually tore off the tattered upper half of his Shihakushō and looked around for Ichigo—only to find he had vanished.

“Ran off, huh…”

Kenpachi scratched his head, a bit disappointed.

In that fight with Ichigo, he had caught traces of Kaelith’s style.

That kid definitely had a connection to Big Brother—though the exact nature was unclear.

Oh well—as long as he could enjoy the fight, that was enough.

Though he wouldn’t say it out loud, the current Big Brother couldn’t give him that thrill of battle anymore.

So until he could reach Big Brother’s level, he needed to fight others to keep growing.

Kurosaki Ichigo—this kid was a solid choice.

He’d have to keep an eye on him, make sure he didn’t die.

As for Big Brother’s orders… hmph, even someone like him could tell there was something off about them. There’s no way the rest of the Kaelith squad hadn’t noticed.

Thinking that, he turned to the distance:

“Yachiru, let’s go.”

“Okay~”

The pink-haired girl cheerfully ran over and leapt onto Kenpachi’s shoulder.

Beneath the setting sun, the two slowly walked away, their shadows stretching long behind them.

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Shunpo!!

Ichigo’s figure appeared deep in the forested mountains.

No—if this kept up, he was just wasting time.

Just one lieutenant, and he was already scrambling.

From now on, he had to rely on strategy—he couldn’t keep charging in blind.

Sitting beneath a tree, Ichigo rested while planning his next move.

First, he had to find a way to sneak into Seireitei.

Then, capture someone and extract Kaelith’s location.

Once he found Kaelith, he’d treat his injuries.

Kaelith’s strength was at least captain level. Once healed, with their combined power, they could break out of Seireitei if they focused solely on escape.

Once they reached Rukongai, they’d suppress their spiritual pressure and blend in with ordinary souls.

According to Urahara, there were fewer than ten thousand Soul Reapers in Seireitei. Rukongai was so vast—they couldn’t search every house.

When the heat died down, Ichigo would bring Kaelith back to the human world. With help from his parents and Ishida, Kaelith could go into hiding safely.

Thinking this, Ichigo smiled in relief.

Just then, a voice spoke:

“Yeah, you really look like him.”

“?”

Startled, Ichigo jumped to his feet.

He looked toward the source of the voice.

A figure slowly stepped out of the forest’s shadows.

It was a young man with spiky black hair, handsome features, and a bright smile.

The moment Ichigo saw him, he froze a little.

This guy… looked a lot like him.

If Ichigo were a few years older, they might look exactly the same.

What was this… some ability to mimic appearances?

That could be useful for infiltration—but it didn’t seem helpful against someone who had already charged solo into a foreign realm.

Ichigo reached back and drew Zangetsu.

“Who are you?”

The young man lifted his head.

“I am Shiba Kaien, Third Seat of the Thirteenth Division!”

Third Seat?

Sounded weaker than a vice-captain.

Should be a quick fight, then.

Thinking that, Ichigo crouched slightly, preparing to strike.

Seeing his movement, Shiba Kaien raised a hand.

“Ah, don’t be so hasty—I’m not here to fight.”

He smiled and pointed to his own face.

“Kid, don’t you think we kind of look alike?”

“I heard that from some guys in the Eleventh Division, and that’s what got me interested in finding you.”

“To be honest, I didn’t even sense your spiritual pressure, but just by walking around randomly, I managed to find you.”

“Tell me, isn’t that a crazy coincidence? Feels like fate, doesn’t it?”

At those words, Ichigo also noticed something strange.

Kaien had gotten so close, yet he hadn’t even realized.

Normally, with Kaien’s level of power, Ichigo should’ve sensed him hundreds of meters away.

But now that he focused, he noticed something oddly familiar about Kaien’s spiritual pressure.

What… is this?

Could it be his Zanpakutō’s ability?

While Ichigo was analyzing him, Kaien was also observing Ichigo.

The more he looked at the kid, the more likable he found him.

There’s definitely something up with this kid.

He scratched his chin and tried probing:

“Kid, I already introduced myself—aren’t you gonna return the courtesy?”

Ichigo was silent for two seconds.

He didn’t want to answer, but his upbringing still pushed him to speak.

“My name is Kurosaki Ichigo.”

Kurosaki?

Kaien’s pupils contracted.

He seemed to realize something.

Looking at the teen in front of him, he grinned.

“Your old man… is he Kurosaki Isshin?”

“You know my dad?”

Ichigo looked puzzled.

Kaien burst out laughing.

“So that’s it… so that’s what’s going on!”

“Aha! I knew something felt off—this explains everything!”

After a hearty laugh, he turned to Ichigo.

“So, Ichigo, what brings you to Soul Society?”

This guy… really acts like they’ve known each other forever.

Ichigo was a bit speechless.

But he didn’t want to dismiss the first person he could actually talk to.

Under Kaien’s gaze, he recounted everything that had happened to him.

After listening to Ichigo’s story, Kaien took a few seconds to process.

“I see… I totally get it now.”

Ichigo gripped Zangetsu cautiously.

“So what now? Are you going to fight me, or let me go?”

“No offense, but with your level of strength, you wouldn’t win.”

“If it came to a fight, to avoid revealing my position, I might have to kill you.”

At that, Kaien froze for a second.

Then laughed and shook his head.

“Relax, Ichigo, I’m not going to fight you.”

“To be honest, I’m also a loyal fan of Captain Kaelith. If you’re here to… uh, rescue him, then count me in!”

“I know Seireitei inside out. I can cover your food, shelter, and hiding places!”

“If you run into enemies, I’ll help fight them off!”

“If you want to play LSP4, just say the word—I’ll buy it for you…”

Watching Kaien get all excited and promise him all kinds of help, Ichigo couldn’t help frowning.

This guy… is he all there?

Despite how strange it felt, considering his current situation and pressure, Ichigo still nodded.

“Alright, I’ll accept you as a companion.”

His instincts told him this Shiba Kaien guy wouldn’t betray him.

Kaelith had told him—when unsure, trust your instincts!

Kaien tore a sleeve and made a simple face cover for Ichigo.

With Ichigo in tow, he returned to Seireitei.

At the gate, the guards raised their halberds and blocked their path.

“Stop! Due to the rogue Soul Reaper intrusion, all entrants must undergo identity checks!”

Kaien grinned.

“It’s me, Shiba Kaien, Third Seat of the Thirteenth Division!”

Seeing who it was, both guards were startled.

“Lord Shiba Kaien!”

The two bowed deeply—full ninety-degree bows—with not a hint of hesitation.

Still, while Kaien didn’t need a check, Ichigo wasn’t so lucky.

Sweating nervously, the guards insisted on verifying Ichigo’s identity.

“Apologies, Lord Shiba. Acting Captain-Commander has issued strict orders—all entries must be verified… Anyone who lets someone slip through is going to be disciplined!”

Kaien scratched his head, looking troubled.

Suddenly, a thought struck him.

“Do you guys have any visual intel on the rogue Soul Reaper?”

The guards shook their heads.

“Not yet, but we’ve been on gate duty for decades. We know every Shinigami who comes and goes. If someone looks unfamiliar, we stop them.”

At that, Kaien nodded in satisfaction.

He removed Ichigo’s face covering.

“This is my cousin, Shiba Ichigo—a junior member from the branch family. He’s young, so he hasn’t been out before. I just took him on a little outing and now we’re back.”

Then, crouching down to line up their faces side by side, he looked at the guards.

“See? Don’t we look alike? Like we were stamped from the same mold—no way this is fake, right?”

Looking at Kaien and Ichigo, the two guards paused.

Exchanging glances, they both saw one thing in each other’s eyes: belief.

They looked so alike, they wouldn’t have questioned it even if Kaien claimed the kid was his secret son.

The Shiba family always had a great reputation, but romance is unpredictable, right?

Maybe Lord Kaien had a fling in Rukongai and brought the kid back during this chaos…

Thinking that, they simply lowered their weapons.

“Please, go ahead, Lord Shiba!”

“Oh, thanks! I’ll buy you drinks another day!”

Kaien waved with a smile and led Ichigo into Seireitei.

Ichigo twitched at the corner of his eye.

“That actually worked?”

“Of course it did… Just look at how alike we are.”

Kaien grinned.

“If you ask me, they probably think you’re my love child from Rukongai.”

“Quit playing around, who’s your love child!?”

Ichigo fumed.

With Kaien leading, they made their way to the noble district.

“We’re here—this is our home!”

Kaien smiled and stretched out a hand.

Looking at the tall gate in front of him, Ichigo was a little shocked.

Over three meters tall, the gate bore a plaque with the characters “Shiba Residence.”

“Kaien… you’re not some big shot in Seireitei, are you?”

“Eh, not really. Just an ordinary noble.”

Kaien chuckled and scratched his head, clearly avoiding the topic.

“Actually, the inside’s not that fancy. That gate was installed by a certain Kuchiki family heir. He said the old gate was too shabby and would tarnish the Yurei faction’s name…”

As he spoke, he led Ichigo into the residence.

Inside, Ichigo understood what Kaien meant.

The Shiba residence wasn’t as lavish as the gate suggested.

The grounds weren’t huge, and the décor wasn’t excessive—just a bamboo grove, a grassy area, a pond, and a three-to-four-hundred square meter house…

Still pretty damn luxurious.

Thinking about his own tiny family home, Ichigo felt complicated.

While he was stewing over it, Kaien had already gathered the household.

Beaming, he stepped behind Ichigo and pushed him forward.

“Everyone! This is Ichigo—Shiba Ichigo!”

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