Outside the white walls of Seireitei, Amamiya Miyako led the two men deep into an empty stretch of Rukongai. Not a soul in sight — perfect for unleashing their Zanpakutō without worrying about collateral damage.
Abarai Renji and Madarame Ikkaku stood opposite each other, the air between them already crackling with tension. Slowly, both drew their blades, steel whispering against the scabbard.
"Oi, Renji," Ikkaku grinned, excitement glinting in his eyes, "we've sparred a bunch o' times already. This time… no warm-up, eh?"
Renji smirked slightly, shifting his stance. "Wakarimashita, Ikkaku-san. I know better than to underestimate you… you're one of the few seated officers who's mastered Bankai."
"Hmph, flattery won't save you," Ikkaku said, his voice dripping with anticipation.
From the side, Miyako folded his arms. "Don't worry, you two. My kaidō isn't exactly Fourth Division level, but I can keep you both breathing and drag you to Unohana-taichō's people if things get bad."
Ikkaku let out a short laugh. "Heh… that's good to know. But that depends on whether Renji here's got the skills to survive."
"Extend, Hōzukimaru!" Ikkaku's reiatsu exploded outward, wild and sharp. His Zanpakutō blazed with white light, the blade extending and reshaping into a long staff tipped with a spearhead.
Renji braced himself against the pressure, refusing to flinch. "Roar, Zabimaru!" His reiatsu surged to meet Ikkaku's. The blade in his hands shone and segmented, becoming a jagged, snake-like weapon — six red-black segments linked by steel cables, each edged with silver, each curve promising violence.
Miyako's eyes narrowed. 'Yare yare… this pressure. As expected of two real fukutaichō-class fighters. It's on a different level from someone like Kotsubaki-senpai.'
"Here I come!" Ikkaku vanished in a flash step, reappearing above Renji. Hōzukimaru's spearhead came crashing down with brutal force.
Renji blocked with Zabimaru, the clash ringing like a thunderclap. But the sheer weight of the blow forced his stance to falter.
Hōzukimaru's staff bent slightly under the strain — and Renji seized his chance.
"Go, Zabimaru!"The segmented blade shot outward, its steel cables whipping free. The force redirected Ikkaku's downward strike, gouging the ground instead.
"Hmph!" Ikkaku smirked and didn't bother dodging. His counterattack came instantly.
"Split, Hōzukimaru!"
The long staff snapped apart into three linked sections, wrapping tightly around Zabimaru's segments. The chains coiled and locked, jamming the joints so Renji couldn't retract his weapon.
"Oi, This way, Renji!" Ikkaku roared, yanking Zabimaru toward him. Renji stumbled forward, dragged by sheer strength.
"Che…!" Renji clicked his tongue. In that instant, he abandoned the contest of force and used the pull to close distance faster, shunpōing the last step. His leg lashed out in a sharp kick —
Blocked. Ikkaku had seen it coming, his forearm catching the strike. But the impact loosened Hōzukimaru's grip on Zabimaru.
In one smooth motion, Renji freed his blade and launched it forward again, the segmented weapon snapping like a serpent.
From the sidelines, Miyako kept his focus sharp, his gaze tracking every movement. Ikkaku-san's experience really is insane… every swing looks reckless, but it all flows toward an opening. And Renji's keeping up… barely.
The battle raged on, steel clashing and reiatsu flaring. Ikkaku's smile only widened the longer it lasted, his combat spirit blazing. Renji, though increasingly battered, gave as good as he got — his strikes fierce, his footing steady despite the blood running down his arm.
But slowly, inevitably, Ikkaku began to push him back.
At last, with one sweeping strike, Hōzukimaru sent Zabimaru flying wide. Renji dropped to one knee, panting, sweat dripping from his brow.
"Hah… you've gotten better, Renji," Ikkaku said, lowering his weapon, "but at this level… Bankai's still far away."
With a click, Hōzukimaru sealed back into its katana form. Ikkaku popped the cap at the hilt, producing the small vial of ointment hidden inside. He tossed one to Renji.
Miyako stepped forward, kneeling beside Renji first. His hands glowed faintly green as he chanted kaidō, the wounds knitting just enough for the bleeding to stop. Once Renji could stand, Miyako turned to Ikkaku and did the same.
"Oi, Ikkaku-san, with wounds like these, fighting will have to wait until next time," Miyako said, glancing between the two. "Yare yare… looks like today's match is off."
"Yeah, next time then," Renji replied without disappointment. Instead, his eyes were alight with determination. He had felt it—the stirrings of his Zanpakutō during their earlier clash. One step closer to Bankai…
"What?! Over already? Tch, dammit, I can still fight!" Ikkaku barked, struggling to push himself upright. His battle-hungry spirit refused to let the fight die here.
"Ikkaku-san, your wounds aren't healed, and my Kaidō isn't strong enough to fully patch you up yet," Miyako said, shaking his head. "If we fight now, I'd just be taking advantage of you."
"Oi, oi, are you looking down on me?!" Ikkaku growled. "These? Just scratches!"
Miyako's eyes flicked over Ikkaku's form—bandages wrapped haphazardly, blood still seeping through. "Mm… not convincing," he muttered under his breath. But he knew Ikkaku's type. Once the man set his mind on fighting, there was no stopping him.
Guess I'll just have to end it quickly, Miyako thought.
"Fine," he said at last, giving a resigned shrug. "I'll fight you, but don't say I didn't warn you."
"That's what I like to hear!" Ikkaku cracked his neck and forced himself to his feet, grinning like a madman. He had no idea how frustrating this battle was about to become.
They moved a short distance away, squaring off. The air grew heavy with spiritual pressure.
"Before we start… Ikkaku-san, my Shikai's a little… special. You might not enjoy it the way you're imagining," Miyako said, his hand resting on the twin hilts at his back.
"Heh! Bring it on!" Ikkaku replied, tightening his grip on Hōzukimaru. "Doesn't matter what kind of trick it is. A fight's a fight!"
"Sou ka…," Miyako sighed. "Then here we go."
With a smooth motion, he drew both blades, connected their hilts, and whispered the release command: "Separate — Shinya Zetsunen!"
The twin blades flared with reiryoku, their steel melting away into streams of light. Before Ikkaku's eyes, they reformed—not into longer swords or a spear—but into a sleek, silver bow, shimmering with condensed spirit particles.
"What the—?!" Ikkaku's jaw slackened.
Renji, watching from the sidelines, blinked in surprise. A bow-type Zanpakutō was a rarity in Soul Society, especially for someone who had trained with dual swords.
"I've got a bad feeling about this…" Ikkaku muttered, but nonetheless swung Hōzukimaru forward and called, "Split! Hōzukimaru!" The spear separated into its chained segments, clinking menacingly in his grip.
"Ikkaku-san, let's start with a greeting," Miyako said calmly. In one fluid motion, he pulled the bowstring back, forming two glowing arrows.
Fwish!Fwish!
The arrows shot forward at blinding speed. Ikkaku reacted instantly, batting them away with sharp, whipping motions of his weapon.
"Bakudō #4: Hainawa!"
Ikkaku frowned. At this range, Kido was easy to spot—what was Miyako thinking? But before he could charge, he felt his arms jerk. Yellow reishi ropes coiled around his wrists, binding them in opposite directions.
"What the—?!" His eyes widened as he traced the source. "They… came from the arrows?!"
Now he understood Miyako's earlier warning. This wasn't going to be the head-on brawl he loved—it was going to be a battle of wits and range.
But before he could break free, another arrow was already screaming toward him.
"Hado #4: Byakurai!"
The glowing shaft shimmered—and in an instant, it transformed mid-flight into a bolt of pure white lightning.
"What the hell—?!" Ikkaku's reaction was a beat too slow. The bolt slammed into his chest, sending a jolt through his muscles. The attack wasn't deadly, but the paralyzing effect locked his body in place for precious seconds.
Miyako didn't waste them. Another arrow materialized, heavier, denser—its reiryoku pressure unmistakable.
Fwish!
Ikkaku forced his stiffened body to move, crossing his arms in front of his face just in time. The impact rocked him backward, the force ripping through muscle and drawing fresh blood down his forearms.
"Che… you bastard," Ikkaku spat, grinning even as pain throbbed through his limbs.
"You're tough, Ikkaku-san. To shake off Byakurai's paralysis that fast… impressive," Miyako said with genuine respect. "But… don't worry. I won't let you suffer for long. This fight will be over soon."
The wind carried away the faint crackle of lightning still lingering in the air. Ikkaku straightened his back, eyes burning with stubborn resolve.
"Over? Hah! It's just getting started!"
Miyako only smirked, his bow already drawn again. "We'll see about that."