Chapter 641 Successfully Infiltrating The Enemy

Just then, Yukino, who had been standing behind Utaha, had silently made her way to Saeko's side without anyone noticing. She whispered, using a voice only the two of them could hear, "Take this opportunity to get into the Seireitei."

Hearing this, Saeko immediately understood Yukino's intention.

It made sense.

They had already been in this world for several years, yet the system's mission had barely progressed.

Although the people of the Soul Society, once they had their basic needs met, could live for at least a thousand years, they didn't want to spend that long before getting back to their man.

To get closer to the center of power in this world, it was necessary to take some risks.

"Fine."

Saeko stepped out from the line, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword.

The civilians of the Rukongai were clearly no strangers to these two facing off. The moment they saw Saeko step forward, they quickly backed away in a flurry.

The signing event line instantly turned into a circle of human walls, leaving a large open space in the middle.

"These two have quite a style contrast."

Shinji tilted his head and commented.

One was a tall, aloof, cold beauty.

The other was a rough brute just out of the slums.

But the moment they drew their swords and faced each other, the three Captains narrowed their eyes at the same time.

There seemed to be a faint crackle of electricity in the air. Even the civilians watching from a distance felt the hairs on their necks stand up.

With a 'clang', the two moved simultaneously.

Zaraki's jagged Zanpakuto and Saeko's Shodai Kitetsu shot out of their sheaths at the same time, the blades flashing with two cold streaks of light in the sun.

Both displayed astonishing speed. They had been dozens of meters apart just a moment ago, but in the blink of an eye, their figures had already collided in the center of the open space.

The Shodai Kitetsu and the unnamed jagged Zanpakuto swung simultaneously.

No, to be precise, the two blades hadn't actually touched yet.

There was still a thin layer of air between them, but the sheer sword pressure they released had already formed a visible shockwave that exploded outward in a ring.

The blast swept up dust and debris, sending many of the onlookers who had already retreated far away tumbling through the air, cries of surprise rising one after another.

There was no burst of Reiatsu, no flashy special techniques.

What they exchanged was pure, raw slashing and blocking, a contest of physical ability and swordsmanship.

Each clash of blades sent up a shower of sparks, illuminating their twisted faces in flickering bursts.

"Hey! What are you hiding?"

After another intense clash, their blades locked together, sparks spraying like a waterfall.

Zaraki lowered his head, staring at Saeko's face through the gap between their crossed blades, and grinned.

A first-rate swordsman could see into his opponent's mind the moment their blades met.

Zaraki could clearly feel that Saeko was deliberately holding something back.

Not breaking through a certain upper limit, yet not letting herself be overwhelmed.

"Same to you."

Saeko replied calmly.

She was only hiding the Three Haki, powers that didn't belong to this world. But Zaraki was the one hiding more.

No, maybe even he himself wasn't aware of it.

Every time she clashed with Zaraki, Saeko could clearly feel his body instinctively pulling back, his power held well below his true potential.

It was a habit forged over many years, like invisible shackles on Zaraki's wrists, causing each of his swings to unconsciously hold back.

She didn't know why he had developed this habit, but what she could be certain of was that this man's true strength was far more terrifying than what he was showing now.

They had exchanged countless blows, their blades leaving countless afterimages in the air.

The damage to the scene was becoming increasingly severe. The ground was gouged with deep trenches from the sword pressure, and shop signs on the walls were knocked askew.

But the more they fought, the harder it was for either to suppress their battle instincts.

Zaraki was the first to let go of his restraints.

A berserk Reiatsu erupted from within him, golden light shooting up like a volcanic eruption, distorting the surrounding space.

Everyone felt as if an invisible hand was pressing down on their chests, making it hard to breathe.

'Such strong Reiatsu...'

Yoruichi and Shinji's faces changed at the same time, both putting away their previous relaxed, spectator attitudes.

Captain-class!

And what amazed them even more was that Zaraki hadn't even called out his Zanpakuto's name.

And Saeko's body also responded instinctively.

Dark red lightning crackled around her, snapping in the air, clashing violently with the golden Reiatsu erupting from Zaraki.

"That's Conqueror's Haki coating!" Shinobu's pupils contracted.

Yukino was also anxious. She could see that Saeko couldn't suppress her body's instincts anymore. If this continued, she would start getting serious.

And if Unohana and the others asked where that power came from, there would be no way to explain it.

Just as the two were about to go all out—

"Are you two trying to destroy the First District?"

A voice suddenly rang out, like a bucket of ice water accurately dousing the two blazing flames of fighting spirit.

Unohana stood not far away. Her usually warm, gentle eyes were now radiating an indescribable pressure.

Zaraki, being looked at by her, shuddered as if some instinct etched into his bones had been awakened.

He clicked his tongue, sheathing his jagged Zanpakuto. "Tch, I was just getting into it."

Saeko was more polite. She took a deep breath, slowly pushing the surging Conqueror's Haki back down, and gave Unohana a slight nod. "My apologies."

Unohana walked slowly up to Saeko and looked her over.

'Was that faint flash of lightning just now her Zanpakuto's ability?'

Unohana didn't press further. In her usual gentle tone, she asked, "Having such power without formal training, did you learn swordsmanship in the Living World too?"

Saeko knew the [Living World] Unohana Retsu mentioned referred to the world where the living resided, after all, they are in the world of the dead now.

Saeko nodded. "I studied with my father. I also once visited a master, though I must say, his personality was truly atrocious."

As she said this, Saeko couldn't help but picture Shiki's grotesque face in her mind.

Saying his personality was atrocious was being generous. To be precise, he was a scumbag.

Unohana nodded slightly, not asking who that 'master' was. She just quietly looked at Saeko with her unfathomable eyes for a moment.

Then, she said something that stunned everyone present: "Would you like to join the Gotei 13?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, the watching civilians burst into exclamations.

For them, someone from the Rukongai who wanted to become a Shinigami first had to survive the fiercely competitive entrance exam to get into the Shin'o Academy, then undergo six years of systematic training, and finally stand out in the graduation exams to have a chance of being selected by the Gotei 13.

In recent years, countless people in the Rukongai had tried desperately but couldn't even get an admission letter.

And Saeko, getting directly promoted to a full-fledged Shinigami by a Captain on the spot, was practically stepping into top in one step.

Saeko was silent for a moment.

She had no reason to refuse this invitation. The reason she had agreed to fight Zaraki in front of the three Captains was precisely to showcase her abilities and secure an opportunity to join the Soul Society's core organization.

However, to everyone's surprise, Saeko didn't agree immediately.

"Thank you for your invitation. However, I would still prefer to enter the Shin'o Academy first to build a solid foundation."

After hearing this, Unohana's eyes showed a hint of approval. She nodded in agreement.

Although the Seireitei was currently full of talent, she was still happy to see a steady stream of fresh blood joining the Gotei 13.

Seeing that Saeko had successfully taken the first step into the Seireitei, the girls watching from behind were secretly thrilled.

This meant they were one step closer to completing the system mission and returning to the real world.

One step closer to seeing him again.

Chika murmured thoughtfully, "Now that there are so many Captains here, why don't we just volunteer ourselves too?"

With that, her gaze drifted toward Yoruichi, who was standing not far away, ready to strike up a conversation.

The moment she laid eyes on Yoruichi, Chika sensed a kindred spirit… they both loved to play.

But before she could even raise her wrist, Yukino quietly grabbed her hand.

"If we show off all our combat abilities at once, it will definitely raise suspicion."

Yukino said decisively. "After this, everyone can find their own opportunities, one by one. And not everyone has to join the Gotei 13. Having some on the surface and some in the shadows is the best arrangement."

Hearing Yukino's flawless analysis, Chika puffed out her cheeks, nodded in agreement, and obediently stepped back into the line.

She loved to play, but she wasn't stupid.

Just then, Zaraki, who had hoisted Yachiru back onto his shoulder, suddenly spoke to Unohana,

"Hey, are there a lot of strong bastards in your place?"

Looking at Zaraki, who hadn't changed a bit since he was a kid, Unohana let out a silent sigh.

'He had grown so big...'

Then, she put on her gentle smile again and asked back, "Want to come take a look?"

Zaraki didn't think much about it. With Yachiru on his shoulder, he agreed eagerly, "Sure! I've been bored lately anyway."