Chapter 113: with translation of chapter title

Just getting beaten is fine? You're even going to make me get beaten three times in a row?!

This is too much? This isn't bullying honest people?

The captain of the 13th Division is an extremely rational person; he naturally knows he absolutely cannot defeat the three high disciples of Araki, unless those three high disciples of Araki accidentally ate something bad for breakfast, suffering from urgent bowel movements while fighting him. Of course that's impossible...

So, from the perspective of this 13th Division captain, Araki's words meant he was to be beaten three times in a row...

Thus, this captain inwardly shouted at Araki in indignation; of course he could only shout in his heart, for he dared not shout at Araki to his face~

No! It's not just as simple as letting me get beaten?!

Captain Araki intends to make me a stepping stone for his three disciples; even if I successfully step down from the position of 13th Division captain in the future, I fear I'll be cited as a negative example!

In the future, the more glorious the achievements of Captain Araki's three disciples in the Soul Society, the easier it will be for people to drag me out to whip the corpse! I fear I'll also be given the title of 'captain's shame'...

This 13th Division captain, having reached this point without relying on any background, is not only rational and tolerant but also very clever; he immediately figured out why Araki kept him, to have him spar with Araki's three disciples.

I...

After figuring it out, this 13th Division captain was about to launch into a classic national essence in front of Araki, but the words reached his lips and he held them back, after all his eyes were sharp, seeing Araki's hand again on the hilt of his waist sword.

Fairness, it's truly too fair!

I dare say, there's no fairer opportunity than this...

In response, the 13th Division captain looked at Araki, gave a thumbs up, and simultaneously showed a smile more embarrassing than crying.

Lighten up~ Compared to that idiot lying on the ground right now, you're far more fortunate!

Think about it, this guy had been the vice-captain of the 9th Division for over a hundred years; only last week, due to Captain Shibo being transferred from the 9th Division to the 10th Division, he finally rose to become the true captain of the 9th Division, but the captain's seat hadn't even warmed up before he was swapped out again...

Araki looked at the sorrowful face of the 13th Division captain, pointed to the ground where he had sliced down the 9th Division captain with one blow, and offered consolation with a faint smile.

Hiss...

You mean, Captain Shibo promoted her, his usual troublemaking vice-captain, to 9th Division captain under the Shibo family's name, just so you could cut her down today?!

Upon hearing Araki's words, the 13th Division captain suddenly realized, and simultaneously sucked in a breath of cold air.

You think the Shibo family, as one of today's Five Great Noble Clans, would really stand by and watch this scoundrel use the family's immense wealth to sideline Shibo Zehu?

The other side secretly exploited judicial loopholes to release people without authorization, ignored mistakes by noble heirs, and colluded with the judges and sages of the Forty-Six Chambers; you might as well guess well, who exactly told me?!

Araki looked at the 13th Division captain before him and retorted.

Araki usually deals with myriad affairs daily; where would he find the time to keep an eye on the 9th Division's matters?

The former vice-captain, now captain of the 9th Division, who's been doing shady things using his position these past few months, naturally was informed to Araki by the former 9th Division captain, now 10th Division captain Shibo Zehu.

As for the relationship between Araki and the Shibo family, it's a good trade: Araki got the position of 9th Division captain, while the Shibo family can use Araki's hand to overcome numerous obstacles, venting their spite without clashing with the forces behind that 9th Division captain~

This...

For a moment, the 13th Division captain's heart suddenly found balance.

Just last week, this person who was now sliced to the ground by Araki, previously recommended as 9th Division captain by the Shibo family, still thought he was smart enough that his petty behind-the-scenes moves and hidden identity hadn't been noticed by the Shibo family~

Now it seems this is nothing but a 'self-smart' clown, a pitiful person who, after being used up by others, is simply thrown away as trash, a total idiot~

Master, we've arrived~

Just as the 13th Division captain watched the 9th Division captain collapse unconscious on the ground, feeling schadenfreude...

Araki's three disciples, Fuzhu, Jingle, and Shitan, had already walked up to this tea house whose ceiling had been blown away by two of Araki's swords, completely turned into an open-air establishment.

Although, when the Four Maple Court family lent this tea house to Araki, they had already prepared to not get it back; this tea house itself was a sacrifice from Araki threatening the three captains to step down~

Come, let me introduce you: these three are my disciples, namely Jingle Chunshui, Fuzhu Shisi Lang, and Gangyida Shitan~

Araki watched his three high disciples arrive at the tea house and immediately introduced himself to the captain of the 13th Division before him.

The eldest son of the lower-noble Fuzhu family, the second son of the upper-noble martial arts Jingle family, and a child from a branch of the Five Great Noble Clans' Gangyida family—what a formidable background!

This 13th Division captain could tell from the surnames of Araki's three disciples alone—without even mentioning the farming Fuzhu family, the Jingle family, as an upper-noble with martial arts lineage, is a notable figure in the Seireitei; as for the Gangyida family, needless to say, even a branch child's status far surpasses the head of an ordinary family.

If these three kids right now became captains of the Court Guard Thirteen Divisions, that would be no small force! Then the 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th Divisions and the 4th Division—five whole divisions—would all be under Captain Araki's control, already exceeding half of the Court Guard Thirteen Divisions; is Captain Araki planning a coup? Hah, no way!

Immediately after, the 13th Division captain analyzed based on the current situation and his thoughts.

Then there's no delay~

Captain, please! Let me show you a few of my three disciples' high-level techniques!

At the very moment the 13th Division captain was constantly daydreaming in his mind, Araki's voice suddenly sounded in his ear.

I understand...

Knowing he couldn't dodge, the 13th Division captain gladly drew his waist-worn Soul-Cutting Sword and prepared to fight Jingle and the others.

Well then, let me go first...

Jingle chose to go first into battle.

You came?!

The 13th Division captain looked at Jingle, the first to step forward to fight him, and his expression tightened.

Don't worry, it won't take up too much of your time...

Jingle gave a light smile at the sight of the tense captain.

Huh?!

Araki's eyes narrowed slightly upon hearing Jingle's words; this line isn't something just anyone can brush off.

To be frank, if it weren't for the fact that this 13th Division captain before us is truly too weak, Araki would really worry that Jingle might mess up, after all some unnamed six-chariot man from later generations has fully proven just how serious the consequences of saying this line are...

Mr. Araki, could you please isolate the battlefield where I fight this gentleman from the rest of the Seireitei? After all, you know my Soul-Cutting Sword's trait is rather odd; if mishandled, it could easily cause collateral damage to nearby people...

Before fighting the 13th Division captain, Jingle Chunshui specially sought Araki's guidance.

Fight with peace of mind.

In response, Araki merely gave Jingle a light nod.

Then I can rest easy...

Upon hearing that, Jingle slowly relaxed his breath.

"Um, this unnamed Captain, because my Soul-Cutter Sword's True Release is a bit strange, can't tell friend from foe, so I have to ask the teacher to completely isolate us from everyone else."

Jingle looked at the Captain of the 13th Division ahead and explained aloud.

"True Release? I didn't expect you, so young, to have mastered the highest Secret Technique of the Soul-Cutter Sword! As expected of a disciple of Huangmu Kenpachi, I am truly impressed, but as the Captain of the 13th Division, I naturally must prove my strength; I am certainly not some pushover anyone can bully!"

After hearing Jing Le's words, the captain of the 13th Division first gave him a round of praise, then his eyes gradually grew serious. In his view, even if his strength differed from Jing Le's group, it shouldn't be too great—at least they could exchange a few hundred blows before a winner was decided.

"Final Release! Flower Heaven Mad Bones·Black Pine Heart..."

Jing Le heard the words of the 13th Division captain before him, his mouth curling up slightly as he directly released the Final Release of his Soul-Cutting Sword. He thrust his Soul-Cutting Sword into the air, and in the next second, a jet-black pattern of black pine trees burst forth before everyone's eyes...

"You release Final Release right away?!"

The captain of the 13th Division stared at Jing Le's move of releasing Final Release right off the bat, and was utterly stunned. In his eyes, Final Release should be each captain's 'ultimate technique'...

After all, Final Release consumes a tremendous amount of spiritual pressure; if one cannot defeat the opponent within the time Final Release can be maintained, then for a captain-level Soul Reaper, the outcome is absolutely a tragically miserable end.

Unfortunately, what this 13th Division captain didn't know was that for Jing Le and the others, whose spiritual power had reached the 'second tier', maintaining Final Release for a long time was merely basic skill.

"I already said I'd finish this quickly!"

"Then please enjoy the third stage of my Final Release—Severing Fish Abyss!"

After confirming that his spiritual pressure surpassed that of the 13th Division captain before him, Jing Le mercilessly clashed spiritual pressure with him; anyone whose spiritual pressure was weaker than his stood absolutely no chance of escaping his Severing Fish Abyss!

"Gurgle..."

The 13th Division captain had still wanted to say something, but before he could speak, it felt as if he had fallen into the sea—he couldn't muster any strength, and his spiritual pressure was rapidly drained in this state; the speed of that drain exceeded his imagination, and in just a moment of dazedness, his internal spiritual pressure had already dropped to the point where he could no longer activate Final Release.

"How could this be?!"

The captain of the 13th Division kept struggling, his face grim beyond compare, wildly waving his sword in the water, yet the more he moved, the faster his spiritual pressure was consumed; staying still would have been the better choice.

"Heh..."

As for that, Jing Le had no intention of warning the captain; he let the man flounder in the water, wasting his strength and spiritual pressure for nothing.

"Gurgle..."

Until the captain of the 13th Division had exhausted all his strength and spiritual pressure, ceasing struggle and resistance, allowing seawater to rush into his mouth and nose, only then did Jing Le and the captain finally reach the seabed.

"Final Stage—Thread-Cutting Shears, Blood-Stained Throat!"

Exactly as the captain of the 13th Division and Jing Le reached the seabed, the sea that had surrounded them vanished completely, the world turned bleak, and Jing Le waved his Soul-Cutting Sword, unleashing his final attack.

"Swish!"

The blade's light flashed out in an instant, filling the eyes of the captain dueling Jing Le; the captain felt a chill at his neck, and the next second he sensed his head flying toward the sky, his eyes beginning to glaze over.

"Ah, am I just going to die like this?!"

The captain muttered to himself.

Immediately, darkness enveloped his surroundings.

"Exhale..."

Once the captain suddenly awoke, he immediately began to feel his neck.

"Thank goodness, thank goodness! My head is still on my body! Does that mean I'm not dead?!"

After the captain of the 13th Division successfully felt his head from his neck, he broke into a genuine smile.

"Of course you're not dead—I didn't actually cut all the way through..."

Jing Le looked at the captain who had fainted from fright at his final blow, and spoke helplessly.

"You didn't actually cut it off?!"

"Could it be that the killing intent of my final blow was so strong it gave me the illusion that my own head had been severed?! And I actually fainted from that illusion? This is really hard to admit..."

At this moment, the captain finally understood what had just happened.

He had actually been knocked out by the terrifying killing intent released from Jing Le's final blow?!

At this moment, the captain's face turned increasingly bluish-black; perhaps, as Huang Mu had told him, his strength was truly too weak, making him unfit to be captain of the Guardian Thirteen Division.

"Alright, looks like it's my turn now?!"

Just as the captain's face turned bluish-purple, Gang Mi Dai Shi Tan, gripping his Soul-Cutting Sword, walked over to the poor captain of the 13th Division.

"Master, don't forget to help me separate the battlefield so my Soul-Cutting Sword doesn't hurt anyone else..."

Before Shi Tan engaged the captain of the 13th Division in battle, he didn't forget to have Huang Mu separate the battlefield for him.

"Simple~"

Upon hearing this, Huang Mu merely waved his hand at Shi Tan. For the old Huang Mu, this was nothing more than a trivial task, and also another application of his 'Holy Text' irresistible force.

Huang Mu then used his Soul-Cutting Sword to casually draw a circle in the sky that emitted a glazed-colored light; as long as Shi Tan and the captain of the 13th Division fought within that circle, it would not affect anyone outside.

"Well then, let our battle begin!"

Shi Tan looked at the captain of the 13th Division before him and smiled faintly.

"Um, it's starting already? Can't I get a moment to rest?"

In response, the captain of the 13th Division's eyelid visibly twitched.

"Final Release! Capturing Wind, Chasing Shadow—Wind Burial, Fading Shadow, Cage of the Departed!"

Without letting the captain of the 13th Division say more, Shi Tan directly released the Final Release of his Soul-Cutting Sword.

"Still coming?!"

In response, the poor captain of the 13th Division exclaimed that his head was about to explode—he had just been overwhelmed by Jing Le's Final Release, and now he had to endure Shi Tan's Final Release as well?!

"Everything of yours will end here! First Death—Wind Burial!"

Shi Tan ignored the captain of the 13th Division before him, instead using the shadows on the ground to create a massive cage and directly activating the ability of his Final Release.

In an instant, endless gales surged from all sides of the 13th Division captain, winds that seemed to come from the Yellow Springs Hill, incessantly assaulting his soul.

"I..."

In a moment, the captain of the 13th Division wore a stifled expression, not even allowed to finish his sentence before the attack began—this was utterly disrespectful! After all, he too is a captain of the Guardian Thirteen Division!