Decades have passed in the blink of an eye.
During these days, Sōgo would gather the heads of the Five Great Noble Clans together for joyous parties on holidays. As the Central 46 Chambers's days of anxiety gradually increased, they also gradually got used to it...
In their eyes Sōgo and the others were nothing more than kids with some abilities, posing little threat to them.
In Sōgo's eyes, the forty-six brilliant individuals in Central 46 were like frogs, frogs at the bottom of a well who only knew how to see the sky from the bottom. His teacher had taught Sōgo to deal with frogs, you need to use lukewarm water...
And today, everything in Soul Society continues to operate as before... Soul Society remains unchanged.
But today's Kenpachi Zaraki is no longer the Kenpachi Zaraki of the past!
Through repeated battles with Retsu Unohana and Kuruyashiki Kenpachi, Kenpachi Zaraki finally undergoes his transformation.
Before dawn, when the sun had even risen in the east, Kenpachi Zaraki had already entered the Zanpakuto, constantly brandishing his Zanpakuto. Zanpakuto Kenpachi Zaraki always treated his Zanpakuto merely as a tool, so it never responded to him. However, Kenpachi Zaraki because he saw it Kenpachi Zaraki a tool, he Zanpakuto more skillfully than anyone else. He could use his Zanpakuto to cleave anything in the world he wanted without any hesitation, because in his eyes, the Zanpakuto was simply a tool.
One slash, two slashes, three slashes... Kenpachi Zaraki swung his Zanpakuto relentlessly, sweat dripping from his head, but it wasn't enough, far from enough. He needed to become stronger, to defeat that man, he needed to become even stronger! Stronger!
As Kenpachi Zaraki's heart pounded rapidly, his entire body erupted with scorching heat, his Spiritual Pressure soared, and countless sword energies slashed through the entire dojo with a creaking sound.
"Um?"
A bald man who had been training at the dojo all night slowly opened his eyes as he listened to the constant roaring sounds around him.
"Is the captain up this early?"
The bald man rubbed his sleepy eyes, picked up the Zanpakuto he always kept by his side, and walked towards Kenpachi Zaraki, who was constantly swinging the Zanpakuto.
"Yo~ Ikkaku."
Just as the bald man was about to go up and greet his captain, a beautiful girl with short pink hair appeared in front of him and greeted him softly.
"Tsk~"
"Vice... Vice Captain..."
The bald man... that is, Ikkaku Madarame, looked at the girl with pink hair, raised his eyebrows slightly, and a bad feeling rose in his heart.
"Awoo!"
Before the bald man could think further, his premonition came true. The pink-haired girl bit down on Ikkaku Madarame's head, and saliva dripped down his leg.
"Ah~ Ah~ Ah~"
"How disgusting..."
"Vice Captain Yachiru Kusajishi, get off my head right now."
Ikkaku Madarame knew this would happen, and kept tugging at the pink-haired girl on his head, making sounds that were both disgusted and doting.
" Ikkaku ~"
" Ken-chan is adjusting his state right now, so could you please not disturb him?"
The cute girl with pink hair and a short stature stopped biting Ikkaku Madarame's pitiful bald head. After leaving a few teeth marks on Ikkaku Madarame's head, she released her mouth and gave Ikkaku Madarame a command in a tone that seemed to be a request but was actually a command.
"Is the captain adjusting his condition?"
"Have you spotted another prey?"
Upon hearing the words of the pink-haired girl perched on his head, Ikkaku Madarame shifted, and he asked with some excitement.
"Hmm! But unlike usual, today's prey is the biggest prey ever."
"This is different from every other time, so Ken-chan needs to be at his strongest."
The pink-haired girl nodded slightly. If there was anything different about Kenpachi Zaraki's prey today compared to usual, it would probably be the difference in strength! There was an absolute gap in strength between today's prey and those of the past!
Because today, Kenpachi Zaraki is going to challenge Sōgo Shihoin, the very person who defeated Kenpachi Zaraki with a single blow decades ago.
"The biggest prey in history?!"
Ikkaku Madarame felt his heart pounding, and he felt the fighting spirit within him being ignited once again!
I want to see...
Ikkaku Madarame blurted out his true feelings.
"Um?"
The pink-haired girl, Yachiru Kusajishi, the vice-captain of the 11th Division, looked puzzled after hearing Ikkaku Madarame's words.
"I want to see it! Vice-Captain! I want to see the Captain fight the legendary giant prey!"
Ikkaku Madarame waved his arms and spoke loudly.
"..."
Yachiru Kusajishi was stunned by Ikkaku Madarame's sudden excitement.
"Hahaha... That's great!"
"Then let Kenpachi-chan take you there!"
Yachiru Kusajishi suddenly burst into laughter, readily agreeing to Ikkaku Madarame's request.
Thank you so much!
Ikkaku Madarame knelt down excitedly and bowed to Yachiru Kusajishi.
As the sun rises above the ordinary sky... it shines upon the earth.
Kenpachi Zaraki, drenched in sweat, finally stopped swinging his sword and stood there, panting silently.
"Captain! Towel!"
Kenpachi Zaraki Ikkaku Madarame, a big fan of Kenpachi Zaraki, immediately handed him a towel.
"Um?"
"Um..."
Having been Kenpachi Zaraki Ikkaku Madarame initially slightly puzzled by Ikkaku Madarame's words. However, finding the question too difficult to answer, he simply gave up and took the Ikkaku Madarame 'Kenpachi Zaraki hand to wipe the sweat off his body.
"Captain, I..."
After Ikkaku Madarame Kenpachi Zaraki wiped the sweat off his body and got dressed, Kenpachi Zaraki went up to him and took the towel from his hand. He intended to ask Kenpachi Zaraki if he could go and watch the match. Although Yachiru Kusajishi, who was the vice-captain, had already agreed, he still thought it would be better to get Kenpachi Zaraki's consent.
"We can talk about it when we get back... We have to leave now."
Kenpachi Zaraki had no intention of giving Ikkaku Madarame a chance to speak, and spoke directly.
"..."
"I see."
After hearing Kenpachi Zaraki's words, Ikkaku Madarame was slightly taken aback at first, then his face lit up with joy. He once again felt a strong sense of agreement with his decision to follow the man in front of him for the rest of his life. This man... the man who defeated him at their first meeting, was someone he was willing to follow for a lifetime.
"Let's go... Ikkaku."
Yachiru Kusajishi jumped onto Kenpachi Zaraki's back and gently beckoned to Ikkaku Madarame, signaling Ikkaku to follow.
"Um!"
Ikkaku Madarame nodded slightly, unable to contain his joy. His lips curled up slightly as he strode after Kenpachi Zaraki.
The three of them quickly traveled through the streets and arrived at the barracks of the Fourth Division of the Gotei 13.
"So... the person the captain said he wanted to challenge was Captain Retsu Unohana?"
"I never imagined that the seemingly frail woman was actually a hidden master in Soul Society."
Ikkaku Madarame followed Kenpachi Zaraki through the gates of the Fourth Division Barracks, silently pondering to himself.
After entering the Fourth Division's barracks, Kenpachi Zaraki acted as if he were back home, easily opening the door to the secret room and entering the hidden basement training ground within the Fourth Division.
"There's actually a place like this inside the Fourth Division?"
Ikkaku followed behind Kenpachi Zaraki, his eyes filled with curiosity about the training room. He kept looking at the huge training room, which covered an area of 1,000 square meters.
You're late.
Just as Ikkaku were peering into the training room like curious children, a clear yet cold voice rang in their ears.
"Um?"
"This is..."
Hearing the voice, Ikkaku looked over and saw a woman with disheveled hair, wearing Captain's Haori, standing in the training ground holding Zanpakuto. The person who had just spoken was this disheveled woman...
"Is that Captain Retsu Unohana?"
He glanced at the familiar yet unfamiliar figure from Ikkaku, a question flashing through his mind, before his expression changed.
"Null!!"
From Ikkaku perspective, what lies ahead is a boundless sea of blood, and the woman stands on a small island made up of corpses and countless broken swords in the midst of that endless sea of blood, holding a sharp blade in her hand.
Ikkaku doesn't know how many people would have to be killed to build such a terrifying island, nor does Ikkaku know how many people would have to be killed and how much blood drained from their bodies to form a sea of blood.
Ikkaku knew was that he was like a lone boat adrift in a sea of blood, with the possibility of capsizing at any moment.
"Help... help me..."
Just as Ikkaku was facing the sea of blood, his face pale and cold sweat pouring down his forehead, skeletal arms emerged from the sea of blood at his feet and reached out to grab him.
"What's this?"
Ikkaku stared in astonishment at the corpses that seemed to be emerging from the Yomotsu Hirasaka, each one a figure who should have been dead.
"Help me! Help me!"
Before Ikkaku could think any further, bones surged from the sea of blood, reaching out to grab Ikkaku, the only 'living person'.
Damn it.
Ikkaku this terrifying scene, Yi Jiao felt his heart pounding wildly. He had always considered himself a fearless person, and had never experienced fear before. But today... he felt it.
The skeletons kept gathering towards Ikkaku, some clinging to Ikkaku ankles, others to Ikkaku calves. These skeletons were all different, but they had one thing in common: they were all dragging that Ikkaku towards the sea of blood.
"Since you can't save us!"
"Then come and join us!!"
The bones of the skeletons rubbed against each other, producing a sharp, piercing, and extremely unpleasant sound. After realizing that Ikkaku could not save them, the skeletons actually planned to drag Ikkaku into the sea of blood to accompany them forever.
Get out of here!
With Ikkaku roar, he swung his Zanpakuto wildly. He had unknowingly completed his Shikai, but it was still a drop in the ocean against the skeletons. Soon he was surrounded by the skeletons and dragged into the sea of blood.
First, Ikkaku of the foot was submerged in the sea of blood, then the calf, then the thigh, and then the abdomen...
Every bit of Ikkaku was being swallowed by the sea of blood, and that terrifying sea of blood seemed to be dragging Ikkaku's entire body into it.
"I can't... die like this..."
Soon, the sea of blood engulfed Ikkaku's head. Endless killing intent, malice, and regret erased Ikkaku's personality. He had fought desperately, struggled, and tried his best... but in the end, he gave up.
Is this my limit?
He asked himself this Ikkaku, a slight smile playing on his lips. Maybe giving up was the right thing to do... He had already done his best...
[ Ikkaku you given up, Yijiao?]
Just as Ikkaku's consciousness was fading, a voice resounded in his heart from the Ikkaku being.
Are you willing to let Ikkaku die like this?
[ Ikkaku, didn't you say you'd always stand by that man's side?]
[Is this all you can do? Ikkaku so, I really misjudged you...]
"Yes! You've misjudged me!"
"Who the hell are you? What gives you the right to talk to me like that?"
"Did I misjudge you?"
The voice from the unseen realm reignited the indomitable anger within Ikkaku.
Then say my name out loud!
[You should know by now, right?]
"Ah! I know everything now!"
" Bankai!... Ryūmon Hōzukimaru!!"
The Ikkaku that had sunk into the sea of blood grinned maliciously, opened its eyes, and a surge of Spiritual Pressure instantly erupted from Ikkaku body, destroying everything around it, whether it was the sea of blood or the skeletons, all vanished into thin air.
"Cough cough..."
When Ikkaku opened his eyes again, he found that there was nothing around him, but instead, he saw a cute pink-haired girl.
"Are you alright, Little Ikkaku?"
Yachiru Kusajishi patted the Ikkaku, his eyes filled with worry.
"Vice-captain?!"
"That sea of blood... is it? Is it killing intent?"
"What a terrifying woman!!"
"Was it just murderous intent that almost made me succumb?"
Ikkaku brief moment of thought, Yijiao finally understood what he had just witnessed. He stood up, gently wiped the sweat from his forehead, and gave a bitter smile.
I'm sorry to have worried you.
He bowed slightly Ikkaku the Yachiru Kusajishi and preached.
"Hmm~"
Yachiru Kusajishi gently shook his head towards Ikkaku, indicating that he was alright.
"Look! Ken-chan's battle is about to begin!"
Yachiru Kusajishi reminded Ikkaku, her eyes already shifting from Ikkaku to Kenpachi Zaraki on the training field and... the blindfolded white-haired boy.
" Sister Hana ~ You didn't send me here just to deal with him, did you?"
Sōgo Shihoin scratched the back of his head, looking at the eager Kenpachi Zaraki, but he seemed completely unmotivated.
Of course~
" Sōgo-kun, don't forget, you still owe me a favor~"
Sister Hana gently licked her alluring, bright red lips and smiled at Sōgo.
"Huh? Ah... you mean that time period? It seems like that really happened..."
Sōgo didn't know if Sister Hana was referring to Sister Hana helping Sōgo cover up the matter of Kuruyashiki Kenpachi, or to the matter of Sister Hana signing something for him back then. In any case... he had indeed done her a favor.
"If that's the case, then let's fight!"
Sōgo sighed helplessly and beckoned to Kenpachi Zaraki with his finger. After decades of silence, his Jiba was finally about to rise again and bring some blood to the world!
(End of this chapter)