Chapter 353: Mazuru vs. Azashiro (2)
"My Kidō can earn your praise? I’m flattered." Kenpachi Azashiro said, a smile pulling at the corner of his mouth. "But I’m really not interested in becoming the Grand Kidō Chief you mentioned. As for the name ’Kenpachi’, I only inherited it because—among the Gotei 13—the position of Captain of the Eleventh Division was the easiest to acquire."
The way he said it was so casual, it bordered on arrogance. But Mazuru, standing across from him with narrowed eyes, could sense that he meant every word.
Most captaincies in the Gotei 13 required a rigorous process—recommendations from current captains, a formal captain’s examination, or unanimous support by the Gotei leadership based on character and strength. These methods were long, bureaucratic, and meant to preserve stability.
But the Eleventh Division? That was different.
Their rule was simple: kill the current Kenpachi, and the title—and captaincy—was yours. No votes. No ceremony. Just blood and survival. A senior captain could be called in to observe the duel, but they were just there to ensure fairness, not interfere.
This brutal method might seem uncivilized, but it was a pure meritocracy. Only the strongest could survive, let alone lead.
Mazuru, however, couldn’t help but feel a sense of absurdity in how lightly Kenpachi Azashiro spoke of it. Calling it "easy" was the height of Versailles-level bragging. Everything about that path was brutal and deadly.
If any other shinigami heard this, what would they think? The name "Kenpachi" wasn’t just a title. It was synonymous with raw power. Ruthless combat instinct. A warrior’s soul.
Even though not every Kenpachi was the strongest among all shinigami, they were always among the most terrifying. Anyone who held the name had bested another monster in battle.
And Kenpachi Azashiro? He had defeated the previous holder of the title—Kenpachi Kuruyashiki.
Kuruyashiki’s Bankai had been so devastating that Central 46 had forbidden its use within Seireitei. Upon activation, a massive jaw emerged from the earth, devouring everything in a radius multiple times the size of Karakura Town. It didn’t discriminate—enemy or ally, everyone was consumed, except the user himself.
Kuruyashiki had rarely even used his Shikai, let alone Bankai. And yet, even under those constraints, he had single-handedly defeated several Vasto Lorde-class Menos Grande.