On the high ground south of the Gotei 13's barracks, before the Senzaikyū—
Kenpachi Zaraki stared at the opponent before him, surprise flickering across his face.
His deep, gravelly voice rumbled out:
"Impossible… your bleeding actually stopped?"
A vicious grin tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"Interesting."
An even heavier wave of spiritual pressure erupted from Ichigo Kurosaki's body—dense enough to feel solid.
He hefted the wide blade of Zangetsu onto his shoulder, his presence sharpening like a drawn sword.
"Sorry about this."
BOOM!
The ground under Ichigo's feet exploded.
He shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bowstring, streaking straight toward Kenpachi—
SHNK—!
Zangetsu's blade carved across Kenpachi's chest.
Hot blood splattered across the battlefield.
Kenpachi's eyes widened for the briefest moment… then the madness returned, twisting his expression into savage delight.
"Hah!"
"Now this… THIS is the kind of fight I want!"
"You're finally hitting like someone worth cutting!"
His raised arms tensed—muscles corded.
With a triumphant howl, Kenpachi brought Nozarashi crashing down.
A deafening crack resounded as the two Zanpakutō collided.
A violent shockwave rippled outward from their clash, scouring the ground around them.
Ichigo's brows knit tightly; his expression darkened.
"No way… I still can't completely stop his strikes—!"
Kenpachi's strength surged through his blade, hammering into Zangetsu.
Ichigo braced, sliding backward, raising Zangetsu horizontally to absorb the blow.
"Hah… haah…"
Blood poured freely from Kenpachi's chest.
Ichigo's voice dropped.
"…Sorry, Zaraki."
"I don't have time to drag this out any longer."
"I need to finish this fight quickly."
Kenpachi's grin only widened into something feral.
"End it now? How would that be any fun?"
"I'm enjoying this too damn much!"
BOOM—!
Dust erupted around Kenpachi as massive force blasted from beneath him.
If Ichigo's earlier charge had been like a fired arrow—
Kenpachi, now, was like a cannonball blasting out of its barrel.
A blur of pure violence.
SHNK—
He ducked low and shot in a straight line toward Ichigo.
Zangetsu's tip skimmed across the bridge of his nose, slicing it open.
The scent of blood only heightened the beastly instinct roaring inside him.
Nozarashi thrust forward—aimed straight at Ichigo's face.
SLASH!
A matching wound tore across Ichigo's cheek.
Kenpachi fought with no thought for his own safety—only the thrill of carnage—making Ichigo increasingly unsettled.
"I'm so damn HAPPY!"
Kenpachi roared, his expression twisted with ecstatic madness.
"How the hell are you still alive?"
"And why are you even stronger than before?!"
"You're full of surprises, brat!"
Metal rang wildly as their blades clashed again and again.
Blood splattered and evaporated in the scorching air between them.
"All I want right now…" Kenpachi growled, "…is to ENJOY this fight!"
For the first time in ages, he'd found the opponent he wanted.
Compared to "that guy from Fourth Division," this orange-haired kid was absolutely adorable.
BOOM!
Monstrous attacks tore from Nozarashi without pause.
Ichigo managed to block—and even land a few counter strikes, cutting Kenpachi again—but a strange confusion twisted his face further.
"Why are you THIS obsessed with fighting?!"
"Aren't you afraid of being cut? Of dying?!"
Ichigo shouted his frustration.
Kenpachi halted his assault and stood still.
Then—
"HAHAHAHAHAHA!!"
He threw his head back, covering his face with a blood-stained hand.
"I should be asking YOU!"
"You're this strong—so why AREN'T you battle-crazy?!"
"Pain and death? That's just the price for having fun!"
When his laughter ceased, Kenpachi's expression returned to eerie calm.
He murmured:
"So damn good."
"Your strength… might even surpass mine."
"In that case—"
"I guess I can stop holding back."
Kenpachi gripped the blood-soaked hand over his face—and tore off his eyepatch.
In that moment—
A gold tidal wave of spiritual pressure erupted from him.
The air quivered as the pressure turned tangible—
Rising skyward like a golden pillar.
THUD.
Senju Makoto's hand pressed onto Yachiru Kusajishi's head.
"Kenpachi's completely lost in the fight again, huh?"
Yachiru immediately recognized the touch.
Eyes still locked on the battlefield, she replied:
"Mm-hmm."
"I can feel it. Ken-chan's really excited!"
"It's been so long since he had this much fun."
Makoto's gaze followed the clash below.
But his interest wasn't in Kenpachi—
It was in Ichigo's growth.
"This kid's rate of growth… is absurd."
Yachiru tilted her head.
"Mako-chan, you mean Ichi?"
Makoto blinked—then realized "Ichi" meant Ichigo.
"…Yeah."
"His potential is unlike anything I've ever seen."
Ichigo himself was stunned.
He couldn't comprehend why Kenpachi—who had been struggling only moments ago—
suddenly exploded with overwhelming power the instant the eyepatch came off.
"Unbelievable… you were hiding strength?!"
He gritted his teeth.
"What's on your right eye? Some kind of device?!"
Kenpachi snorted.
"Hah! I don't care about cheap tricks like that."
He lifted the eyepatch.
Multiple tiny eyes and a mouth lined with sharp teeth blinked and snapped.
A grotesque creation.
"This thing was made by the Shinigami Research and Development Institute."
"A monster that constantly devours my spiritual pressure."
He tossed it aside—and slashed it in half with Nozarashi.
Power exploded outward.
Condensed, suppressed spiritual pressure burst forth in a violent torrent.
A razor-sharp shockwave streaked across several buildings—Slicing them cleanly in half.
BOOM!
Dust swallowed the distant skyline.
Kenpachi's gaze chilled.
"I'm doing all of this…"
"…for the sole purpose of killing you."
"That's it."
---
On the rooftop—
Shimo watched quietly, amused.
"Does that lunatic ever care about the Eleventh Division's repair budget?"
"If he has to pay for all this damage, he'd lose half a year's salary."
Yachiru squinted and giggled softly.
"It's fine! As long as Ken-chan's happy."
As they spoke, the battle below reached its climax.
A whirlwind of radiance burst from Kenpachi's body—Forming a massive golden skull roaring in defiance.
Ichigo answered with a roar of his own, unleashing all his spiritual pressure.
Blue spiritual pressure surged behind him—forming the feral silhouette of a Hollow mask.
Both warriors raised their blades—
And struck.
BOOOOM!
A cataclysmic shockwave blasted outward, collapsing every nearby building.
Only the rooftop beneath Shimo held firm—protected by his spiritual pressure.
Shimo whistled.
"Forget half a year… Its an ENTIRE division's annual salary."
As far as he could see—nothing but rubble remained.
Ichigo and Kenpachi stood frozen.
Zangetsu pierced Kenpachi's shoulder.
Nozarashi carved across Ichigo's abdomen.
Blood dripped freely from both wounds.
And then—
Both collapsed.
Yachiru dropped down from the rooftop, landing beside Ichigo.
He stiffened, thinking the small pink-haired girl was there to finish him off—
But instead, she bowed deeply.
"Thank you soooo much!"
"Ken-chan had SO much fun thanks to you, Ichi!"
Then she walked over to Kenpachi—
And, with her tiny frame, hefted the mountain of a man over her shoulder.
Before leaving, she turned and smiled brightly at Ichigo.
"Let's spar again someday, okay?"
"Please!"
In an instant, she vanished with Kenpachi in tow.
Ichigo exhaled shakily.
"So she wasn't here to kill me…?"
"Soul Society is full of monsters."
THUD.
Steady footsteps approached.
A shadow fell over him.
"Yo, Ichigo."
Ichigo's expression twisted instantly.
"Talking behind people's backs… not very polite, you know?"
Shimo looked down at the limp Ichigo with a smile.
"W-Why are you here?"
Ichigo tried to rise—But strength and reiatsu had both fled him.
Shimo waved lightly.
"Don't bother."
"I have no reason to attack you."
At those words—Ichigo's body relaxed completely.
And he passed out.
Shimo sighed.
"You can stop hiding now, Yoruichi."
"It's time for the next step."
A black cat burst from the rubble and landed on his shoulder.
"Let's go. I'll lead the way to Sōkyoku Hill's underground chamber."
"Thanks, Shimo!"
Shimo grabbed Ichigo by the collar—
And vanished.
---
They arrived at the training ground Yoruichi had mentioned.
Shimo whistled softly.
"You dug out an entire cavern under Sōkyoku Hill?"
"Aren't you afraid the whole place will collapse?"
Yoruichi leapt off his shoulder and replied:
"Kisuke dug it. I just use it."
Shimo casually dropped Ichigo onto the floor.
His head smacked the ground with a loud CRACK, jolting him awake.
"…Ow?"
He blinked around in confusion.
"Wait… my wounds—"
He looked down—healed.
He looked around—unfamiliar.
"Where… are we?"
Shimo answered:
"Your training ground for the next three days."
"Saving Rukia Kuchiki won't be easy."
Ichigo's expression hardened as he stared at Shimo.
"Shimo… what are you after?"
He couldn't see through this man—
Not his thoughts.
Not his power.
Shimo smiled faintly.
"Nothing much."
"Just want to shake up this stagnant Soul Society a bit."
He turned to Yoruichi.
"Yoruichi, bring the Tenshintai."
"I've been looking forward to watching someone train in Bankai for a long time."
Ichigo was too stunned by Shimo's words to notice anything else.
Yoruichi disappeared—
And returned moments later in her true human form, carrying a strange life-sized doll.
Ichigo's jaw dropped.
"Y-You're—?! Who are you?!"
Yoruichi's voice rumbled softly:
"Y.o.r.u.i.c.h.i.'"
Makoto waved dismissively.
"Don't worry about the details."
He lifted the Tenshintai with a grin.
"Now—let's begin your Bankai training."
-----------------------------///
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