Drop Some power stones! If you like the chapter! It helps to keep me motivated to upload more!💎💎💎
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The curly-haired man, who had been preparing to leave, couldn't help but reveal a surprised expression upon seeing Aaron reappear.
However, the astonishment on his face was fleeting, quickly replaced by a look of curiosity.
Aaron now had a brand-new iron sword and a simple branch tucked into his waist, an unusual sight that piqued the man's interest.
"This…" The curly-haired man murmured, puzzled. Watching Aaron approach him again, he couldn't help but wonder, What is this guy up to now?
"Little brother, what are you doing? It seems you've already bought what you needed from me, haven't you?" The curly-haired man was straightforward, voicing his thoughts without reservation.
"I'm here to reclaim the sealed state from earlier," Aaron replied calmly.
Hearing this, the curly-haired man scrutinized Aaron again before letting out a chuckle. "You're not planning to trade me that scrap iron at your waist, are you?"
"No," Aaron said plainly.
"Little brother, I'm busy. I don't have time for games!" The curly-haired man shook his head in exasperation, resuming his task of tidying up his wares.
"I'll trade you this branch for it."
"???"
The curly-haired man froze, his face alternating between disbelief and amusement. He rubbed his forehead in exasperation. "Little brother, stop joking around. Do you really take me for a fool?"
Unfazed by the man's reaction, Aaron unsheathed the iron sword at his waist with his left hand and swung the branch in his right hand against the blade.
Crack!
A crisp sound echoed as the iron sword shattered cleanly in two.
The curly-haired man gasped audibly. "What?!"
His eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the broken blade on the ground. Muttering to himself, he quickly stepped forward, picked up the pieces, and examined them with growing confusion.
Half a minute later, after repeatedly confirming that the sword was indeed genuine, the expression on his face grew even more complicated.
"Is this proof enough?" Aaron asked with a smirk.
"The Spirit King preserve us! What kind of sorcery is this branch?" the curly-haired man exclaimed.
"You can take it back and study it at your leisure," Aaron suggested.
"Yes! Yes! I'll study it thoroughly!" The man hastily pulled a sealed state from his parcel and thrust it into Aaron's hands. "This is yours now! But remember, this branch is mine!"
Snatching the branch from Aaron, the curly-haired man turned and, in a flash, vanished ten meters away. Utilizing astonishing speed, he disappeared entirely from sight.
The onlookers, who had been quietly observing, were stunned by the turn of events. Their disbelief only grew when they realized the man had used Shunpo—the high-speed movement technique exclusive to advanced Shinigami.
"Shunpo! That was Shunpo!" a middle-aged onlooker exclaimed. "My god, only skilled Shinigami can use that!"
"Shunpo? What's that?" another onlooker, a vendor, asked, bewildered.
"It's a high-speed movement technique of the Shinigami! My god, I never thought I'd see it in Rukongai!" The middle-aged man stared in the direction the curly-haired man had vanished, his voice trembling.
The revelation sent ripples of shock through the crowd. As whispers of "Shinigami" spread, the middle-aged man, who had been explaining Shinigami lore, paled.
"My brother is a Shinigami…" he muttered to himself. "Even a low-ranking one. But this… this man was on another level entirely."
Fearing he had unwittingly offended such a powerful individual, the middle-aged man quickly left, wanting no part in further trouble.
Meanwhile, Aaron inspected the sealed state in his possession, a satisfied smile spreading across his face. He pinned it securely to his waist and left the black market without hesitation.
The branch that the curly-haired man had so eagerly taken? Just an ordinary branch.
As Aaron walked, his thoughts turned to his "trade partner." That man wasn't just anyone; he was Nimaiya Ōetsu, the Sword God of the Shinigami.
Nimaiya Ōetsu, the inventor of the Zanpakutō and a member of the Zero Division, was a legend in the Soul Society. A low-key yet immensely powerful figure, he was the creator of all sealed states and an essential figure in Shinigami history.
Aaron couldn't help but chuckle. "I wonder what the great Sword God will think when he discovers that the branch he took is completely ordinary…"
Despite his usual calm demeanor, Aaron found himself laughing uncontrollably at the thought.
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