He was a giant of such exaggerated proportions that mere sight of him inspired revulsion.
Just by looking, one could tell his height easily surpassed two meters. His body was covered in layers of fat stacked like mountains, so much that it lifted the fabric of his kimono at the chest.
A short, thick beard mixed with messy hair made his head resemble that of a wild boar. On his grotesque face, there wasn't a trace of mercy or kindness — only misshapen, monstrous flesh.
Beneath his upturned nose, his lips curled to reveal two strange protrusions, like horns — no one knew exactly what kind of structure they were.
His double chin, swollen like that of an overfed pig, gave an impression that could provoke mild nausea just by looking.
His small eyes, the size of green beans, glimmered with a dark laziness. He scanned the surroundings with an indifferent gaze… until suddenly, his expression turned to pure contempt.
"Don't you dare show me that disgusting smile. I hate this kind of thing… How many people must die before you learn?"
He spoke with terrifying calm — a serene voice, yet loaded with pure menace.
And upon seeing the haori on his shoulders — the symbol of his position as captain — the expressions of those present changed completely.
This was no joke.
The man before them was, in fact, the Captain of the 11th Division.
The division members, who had previously exhibited boundless arrogance, let out hysterical cries and dropped to their knees, begging for mercy.
"C-Captain! We were only doing what you ordered!"
"It was him who interfered, it's all his fault! It's all his fault!"
Huh?!
Arima Shinya was completely stunned.
What absurd confusion was this?! He had nothing to do with it, and yet it seemed he was about to be dragged into the chaos.
Instinctively, he tried to step back, wanting to distance himself from the mess as quickly as possible.
But as soon as he took his first step backward, he felt an intense wave of heat burning his skin.
"Hm?"
With a deep, curious sound, the colossal man finally turned his gaze toward Arima Shinya.
The sight hit him like a physical blow — the pressure emanating was so strong that it made his palms sweat.
This was not good.
Now he was trapped. He could feel it clearly: he had been marked. And looking around, he realized there was no one else left inside the tavern.
Impossible… it's just me left?!
The waitress in his arms, desperate, clung to him tightly, like someone grabbing a rope at the bottom of a well. Her tears fell endlessly.
"Please… please, save me…"
Hey, calm down! In the state I'm in, I can barely save myself, let alone save someone else!
Before he could respond, he heard a heavy sound.
— Hff… hff…
The man's breathing was coarse and irregular, echoing directly in his ears. Even seven or eight meters away, Arima Shinya could smell the putrid, damp stench that seemed to come from the giant's insides.
He stepped forward — the ground shook as if struck by thunder.
And as he approached, the pressure radiating from his body became even more suffocating.
The young man had to tilt his neck upward to see that enormous body. His throat went dry — and involuntarily, he swallowed hard.
It was the first time he had truly faced a captain of the Gotei 13.
Until then, he had seen a few, but none had shown hostility. Now, however, the weight of a captain's presence crushed him.
"You there…"
The deep voice came from above, and Shinya realized the man was looking at him as one would look at an ant.
"Since you're wearing the Soul Society uniform, why don't you carry your division's emblem? Don't you have a sense of organization? Not even discipline?"
…Huh?
This brute cares about that kind of thing?!
The giant bent slightly, his muscular body reminiscent of a silverback gorilla. The waitress, clinging to Shinya, trembled so much she could barely breathe.
"Not going to answer? Hey, are you looking down on me?"
"Or maybe you don't even recognize this uniform? Impossible… Today's youth are all blind?"
"Boy, or maybe you simply don't see me, Kiganjo Kenpachi, in your eyes?"
"Kenpachi! That's the name! You know what it means to carry this title, don't you?!"
The man raised his right hand, showing his thumb proudly before pointing it at his own face.
"I killed that useless person who had the title before me and took his name. That means I am the strongest! Understand, brat?!"
Upon hearing the name, Arima Shinya finally understood who stood before him.
Kiganjo Kenpachi.
Now he remembered… the title of Kenpachi was only granted to someone who defeated the previous holder — a bloody and unique tradition.
But in certain periods of history, there were exceptions.
For example, the eighth Kenpachi, Chijō Sōya, had been imprisoned for conducting illegal experiments on the inhabitants of Rukongai. Thus, the ninth Kenpachi did not obtain the title through direct combat, but by hierarchical succession — being the then vice-captain, Itsuke Gojū.
Shinya didn't recall the face of that man exactly, but the name Kiganjo still sounded familiar.
A savage from Rukongai.
And, apparently, his "victory" over the previous vice-captain had likely been a stroke of luck — an opportune strike.
In other words, he was someone who took advantage of circumstances.
Even so, the mere fact that he defeated a vice-captain already proved he was not weak.
Facing him directly… was out of the question.
As he thought this, Kiganjo frowned, dissatisfied with the lack of response.
"What's wrong? Cat got your tongue? I swear… Today's youth are not only useless, but have also forgotten manners."
His enormous hand extended toward Shinya — the gesture seemingly friendly, as if inviting him to stand.
"Come on, stand up. Sitting on the floor like that is disgraceful."
The hand was wide, covered in thick black hair — more like a claw than a human hand.
Could it be… he's really that reasonable?
Maybe I misjudged him. He may be rude, but he doesn't seem to want a fight…
But before that thought could fully form, every hair on Shinya's body stood on end.
Something was wrong. Very wrong.
Kiganjo's expression didn't change — it remained calm, expressionless.
But his hand, still extended, suddenly rotated — and, without warning, swept through the air toward Arima Shinya's face.
Too fast!
I have to dodge—!
BAM!
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