Bleach : I Need To Rizz To Become Stronger ?!
Chapter 143: The Long-Awaited Duel

Chapter 143: The Long-Awaited Duel

Unohana Retsu felt her heart stir in unfamiliar ways.

Even when Yamamoto had expressly forbidden her from clashing with Shin, she hadn’t been angry. When she said this era’s peace made her sick, when she spoke of wanting to escape this stagnant calm—it had all come out in a voice serene and detached, as though it didn’t concern her.

But now... something real flickered within her. A sharp, visceral pulse.

Had she been provoked?

"You always manage to say the most... astounding things."

Her eyes narrowed, gleaming with a veiled and unfamiliar shimmer—one Shin had never seen before.

"I’m truly curious... where does that confidence come from?"

She regarded him with a strange expectation. He was unlike Zaraki. When she first met Shin, his spiritual pressure had been so faint she could’ve crushed him with a single finger.

And yet in only two years, he’d ascended to the level of a Third-Class Reiatsu.

Perhaps in time, he’d reach—no, surpass—her.

After her return from the Rukongai the other day, she’d reconsidered: maybe she had rushed things. Maybe he needed more time to catch up.

As for Yamamoto’s orders—those had never concerned her.

She only cared what he wanted.

But perhaps she wasn’t the only one who’d been too hasty.

Shin remained composed, his voice calm. "So, Captain... will you accept?"

Unohana stared at him for a long moment. Finally, she replied, "The Head-Captain explicitly forbade me from crossing blades with you."

Shin countered, "If you cared about that, then why did you go to the Rukongai?"

Her voice remained quiet. "Didn’t the Head-Captain give you the same warning? You’re about to become the Tenth Division’s Captain. Will you really defy him over this? And if it ends how you expect... what then? How will you face his wrath?"

Shin shook his head. "The Head-Captain only wishes no one dies. So as long as I don’t kill you... it isn’t truly disobedience."

It sounded logical. As if all he had to do was show mercy at the end.

Unohana’s heart twisted. There was something almost laughable about it. Ridiculous.

She hated this side of him—the arrogance that presumed to spare her.

Who was he to offer that?

Because of a Third-Class Reiatsu?

That was barely the threshold to be a captain.

Because of his swordsmanship?

That perhaps, yes. His ability to unleash sword force without relying on spiritual power was rare—beyond the reach of someone like Zaraki, whose swordplay was just wild instinct.

Unohana longed for a fight. One that would consume her. A battle that would mark the end of her life.

But Shin speaking of sparing her? That strayed far from her vision.

"You seem convinced you’ll win. Have you never considered that you might lose?"

Shin tilted his head. "I’ve considered it."

"Then... won’t you beg me to spare you, too?"

"Would you?"

Unohana fell silent.

Her eyes, however, turned deathly cold.

"Shin," she said quietly. "Are you seeking death?"

Shin laughed. "That’s the first time you’ve used my name."

The smile faded into something more solemn. "I don’t think... you can kill me."

First Division Barracks.

"Central 46 has approved the nomination of Tachikawa Shin as the next Captain of the Tenth Division," Yamamoto Genryūsai said, turning to Sasakibe Chōjirō. "We’ll announce it at the next captains’ meeting."

Isshin’s dismissal had just occurred. Yamamoto planned to wait one more month before officially placing Shin.

From the outside, it would appear that First Division and Central 46 were simply wrapping up the transfer.

"I’ll begin drafting the appointment decree," said Sasakibe. "Should we inform Lieutenant Matsumoto?"

"No need," Yamamoto said. "What we do need is to keep an eye on those two. No incidents."

"I’ve already alerted Captain said Sasakibe. "The Onmitsukidō is monitoring Unohana and Tachikawa closely."

In fact, the moment Unohana had ventured alone to the Rukongai, Sasakibe had been notified. If Shin had so much as stepped outside the Fourth Division, the Kido Corps would’ve intercepted him.

He’d been sweating bullets back then.

If they had tried to fight... Yamamoto himself would have had to intervene.

And no one wanted that.

Sasakibe returned to his office and drafted the official paperwork for Shin’s appointment, then released a Hell Butterfly to summon him.

But the butterfly came back.

It couldn’t find him.

Alarm bells rang in Sasakibe’s mind. He immediately flash-stepped toward the Fourth Division.

"Lieutenant Kotetsu," he called upon arrival, "I need to see Tachikawa Shin."

"I’ll go fetch him."

"I’ll come with you."

The two arrived at Shin’s office. Kotetsu knocked. "Lieutenant Sasakibe is here."

No reply.

Sasakibe shoved the door open. The room was empty.

"Maybe he’s at the general infirmary?" Kotetsu offered uncertainly.

Sasakibe frowned. "What about Captain Unohana?"

"She’s in her office."

"You go find Shin. I’ll speak to the captain."

He arrived at Unohana’s office moments later.

And found it empty.

Flash-stepping onto the roof of the division building, Sasakibe called for the Onmitsukidō agent on surveillance. A black-clad figure appeared beside him.

"Where are they?" Sasakibe asked sharply.

"They’re... not in the barracks?" the agent responded in confusion. "But their reiatsu is still here."

Sasakibe quickly probed the area himself—and sure enough, he could sense both of their signatures.

His face darkened.

They weren’t here—and yet they’d left reiatsu signatures behind.

They were masking their absence.

Below, Kotetsu ran up again. "He’s... not in the Fourth Division."

"...I see."

"Lieutenant Sasakibe... is something wrong?" she asked, anxiety rising.

They were both gone. Unohana hadn’t said a word to her.

Why?

"...Find them," Sasakibe said. "If you locate either, notify me with a Bakudō transmission immediately."

With that, he vanished in a flash of shunpō.

Kotetsu stared after him, unease gnawing her gut.

She remembered some of Shin’s recent words.

Don’t tell me...

Captain... and Shin...

First Division.

"Missing?!" Yamamoto thundered, leaping to his feet. The fury on his face was unmistakable.

"You said they were under surveillance!"

"They were," Sasakibe bowed his head. "They must’ve used a technique to mask their escape. We can detect their reiatsu, but they are gone."

"Find them—now!"

"I’ve already contacted the Twelfth Division. Captain Unohana’s Limited Seal should allow us to pinpoint her location quickly."

"You think they went through the trouble of tricking the Onmitsukidō, but didn’t consider hiding from Twelfth Division?"

Sasakibe hesitated. "Unless... she’s no longer in Soul Society..."

The Limiter Seal was standard for all captains and lieutenants—primarily for two reasons. One, to suppress their power when visiting the World of the Living. Two, to act as a tracking beacon.

But it could be removed... if the wearer wished.

"I’ll send men to seal the Four Great Spirit Gates immediately."

Then, another Hell Butterfly landed on his finger.

Twelfth Division reported: no trace of Unohana’s signature.

As if she’d vanished.

"No activity at the gates," Sasakibe reported. "They should still be within Seireitei. If they clash, the spiritual pressure spike will be noticeable."

"Don’t alert the other divisions yet," Yamamoto said. "It’ll stir unwanted rumors."

"Dispatch the Kido Corps to search quietly. Have Mayuri watch for Unohana’s seal signature. The moment it appears—tell me."

"Yes, sir."

Beneath the Senzaikyū.

Unohana stepped into the strange, vast chamber—and at once understood the nature of this place. A dimensional pocket, likely held together with complex Kido. Similar in function to the training grounds used by Spiritual Arts Academy students in the Living World.

Inside, reiatsu would be concealed. From the outside, no one would notice.

Unless that reiatsu surged too far beyond the containment threshold.

"There’s such a place... in Seireitei?" Unohana murmured.

"Should be the perfect spot for you to let loose," Shin said behind her.

She walked to the pit’s edge, then leapt down.

It was enormous. The edges vanished into darkness. Though a replica space, it stretched impossibly wide.

She studied her surroundings—rough, uneven terrain but open. No obstacles. For her, it was ideal.

Slowly she advanced, one hand resting on the hilt of her Zanpakutō.

Dozens of meters in, she halted.

Turning, she glanced at Shin.

Even before her lips moved, the curve of her mouth bled threat—more crimson than her blade’s guard.

"Let loose, hmm? And do you think you’re worthy of that?"

Her pure white haori rippled without wind. The stitching trembled with pale, eager thunder. The gentle healer’s eyes turned obsidian, abyssal.

Shin merely smiled and stepped down after her. His left hand rested on his simple, unadorned blade.

"You’re going to use that asauchi?" she asked. "No more need to hide, is there?"

She knew this wasn’t his true Zanpakutō. She wanted him at full strength.

But Shin drew the plain sword and said, "To me, a sword is a sword."

Her aura dropped a few degrees.

He was even more defiant than she’d expected. How many times now had he said something that needled her pride?

"If you said fewer arrogant things," she remarked, "you might actually be charming."

Sching—

She unsheathed Minazuki.

The blade known for healing—now unsheathed as a weapon. This was the first time Shin had ever seen it drawn.

He remained calm, expanding a field of reishi to reinforce the space around them—preventing any overflow of reiatsu that might pierce the dimensional barrier.

Unohana noticed the field—but said nothing.

She stared across at him, remembering the first time she’d heard his name. The first time they’d met.

Please, she thought.

Let this fight I’ve longed for...

...be worthy.

"Come."

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New translation : Naruto : I Got "Return by Death" Kind Of Cheat

New story translated ! This one is interesting, give it a try !

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