"Ha… ha…"
Kurosaki Ichigo leaned heavily on Zangetsu, dragging in ragged breaths. Every movement sent a sharp ache through his ribs, as if his body might give out at any moment.
Blood and sweat slid down his forehead, blurring his vision.
Across from him, the man still stood tall.
Violent spiritual pressure surged outward, warping the air itself. Beneath his feet, the white sand and gravel crumbled soundlessly into powder.
His body was riddled with cuts—old and new alike—yet the grin on his face was feral, filled with a joy that sent a chill down the spine.
After the Spirit Orb Core exploded, Ichigo and Shiba Ganju had been lucky enough to land together.
Unfortunately, luck didn't last.
Not long after, they encountered an odd pair—a bald Shinigami and another dressed in flamboyant robes.
There was no need for words.
The battle began immediately.
"Not enough! Still not enough, kid!"
Madarame Ikkaku's voice scraped the air like grinding stone. He casually shook his arm, ignoring the wound that nearly reached the bone.
"Your blade cuts deep, but that's not enough! Give me more!"
The ground suddenly exploded.
Ikkaku vanished, leaving behind a shattered crater.
The next instant—
A crushing force slammed straight into Ichigo's front.
"Bang—!!"
Ichigo barely had time to react. Instinctively, he raised Zangetsu across his chest.
Ikkaku's spear-like Zanpakutō smashed down with terrifying power.
The impact felt like a mountain crashing into him.
Ichigo's feet tore through the ground as he was driven backward, stones flying like shrapnel. A deep trench was carved across the ruins before he finally skidded to a halt.
"Cough—!"
Blood burst from his mouth as his insides churned violently. His arms screamed under the pressure, Zangetsu trembling in protest.
"You blocked it?" Ikkaku laughed. "Then try blocking this!"
Without withdrawing his blade, he pressed down again, pouring in his full weight.
The earth beneath Ichigo collapsed further.
I can't take this head-on… I'll die.
The presence of death had never felt closer.
Ichigo's eyes sharpened.
In that instant, he abandoned defense entirely.
Using the downward force, he twisted his body aside. Zangetsu swept upward in a vicious arc, powered by his full rotation.
A desperate counterattack.
The blade tore across Ikkaku's side, spiritual pressure exploding outward.
Blood sprayed across the ruins.
But at the same time—
The hilt of Ikkaku's Zanpakutō smashed down like a battering ram.
"Crack!"
Agony erupted through Ichigo's shoulder.
His body was sent flying, crashing through broken walls before disappearing beneath a cloud of rubble.
"Hah… hahaha!"
Ikkaku stared at the deep wound across his body—and laughed even harder.
"Yes! That's it! Again, kid!"
The rubble exploded.
Ichigo burst out, blood streaking down his face, eyes blazing brighter than before.
Zangetsu was clenched tightly in both hands, its tip aimed straight at his opponent.
"Shut up…" Ichigo growled. "You're too loud."
Black spiritual pressure surged around his blade, humming violently.
"The real fight starts now. Next time, you won't be able to hold your sword."
Ikkaku's grin widened.
"Big words. Then witness Hōzukimaru's true form!"
"Split—Hōzukimaru!"
With a roar, he charged forward like a mad beast.
Ichigo stepped in to meet him.
There were no tricks.
No hesitation.
Only power and will colliding head-on.
The two figures crashed together at the heart of the ruins.
"Clang—!!!"
A piercing metallic shriek tore through the air.
A massive shockwave exploded outward, flattening everything within reach. The ground buckled repeatedly, as though struck by an invisible hammer.
For an instant—
They were evenly matched.
Ecstatic joy filled Ikkaku's eyes.
Ichigo's gaze burned just as fiercely.
"Fall… down!"
Ichigo roared as power surged through Zangetsu.
"Snap!"
A sharp, unmistakable sound echoed.
Hōzukimaru split down the center.
Zangetsu followed through—
Piercing straight into Ikkaku's chest.
Time froze.
Ikkaku stared down at the black blade, then up at the bloodied youth standing before him.
"…Ha… haha…"
He laughed softly, genuine and satisfied.
"Kid… what's your name?"
Ichigo gasped for breath, gripping his sword.
"Kurosaki… Ichigo."
Ikkaku grinned.
"I'll remember that… Kurosaki Ichigo."
"I am Madarame Ikkaku—Third Seat of the Eleventh Division."
With that, his massive body finally fell backward, striking the ground with a dull crash.
Dust billowed into the air.
Ichigo sheathed Zangetsu, tossed a packet of healing medicine toward him, and sat down on a pile of rubble.
Despite everything, the two began talking—calmly, naturally—like comrades who had fought together for years.
In the end, Ikkaku laughed and made his choice.
From that moment on, Madarame Ikkaku stood on Kurosaki Ichigo's side, openly sharing information about Seireitei without hesitation.
Sometimes, in this world—
The strongest weapon wasn't power.
It was resolve.