Death: Captain Millennium

Hozumaru appears as a burly man with long hair and a beard, dark skin, red eyeshadow at the corners of his eyes, and a thick black line across his chest. He exudes a sense of strength and authority, while also revealing a touch of mystery and eeriness. This appearance echoes his Zanpakutō wielder as Madarame, showcasing his immense power and unique personality.

The power of a Zanpakutō is based on one's own soul. This means that a Zanpakutō is more than just a weapon; it is an extension and manifestation of the master's soul. For Madarame, his inner warrior and passion for battle are intrinsic to his soul. Consequently, his Zanpakutō, Hozumaru, possesses a similarly intense aggression and desire for battle.

However, gaining Kizumaru's recognition and learning Bankai is no easy task. As a powerful Zanpakutō, Kizumaru has his own will and demands. He won't easily give his true power to anyone, and Ikkaku needs to prove his abilities through constant effort and challenges.

It was bound to be a difficult process for Madarame Ikkaku to gain the recognition of Kizumaru and learn Bankai. He didn't know how many times he had fought with Kizumaru, but he still hadn't received his recognition.

On this day, in the inner world of Madarame Ikkaku

Madarame swung his Zanpakutō and launched a fierce attack on Kizumaru. Every collision brought a shocking impact, and the air around them was stirred.

Kizumaru did not dodge or evade Ikkaku's attack, but counterattacked with great force. He held the spear and continued to attack Madarame Ikkaku.

The battle between the two sides intensified, neither side giving in. Madarame Ikkaku gritted his teeth and tried his best to break through the defense of Kizumaru's spear.

However, Kizunamaru remained steady as a rock, and his strength seemed unfathomable.

In the fierce battle, Madarame gradually realized the true meaning of his own power. He began to adjust his tactics and unleash his potential.

As the battle progressed, Madarame Ikkaku finally found a breakthrough. He seized the moment when Kizumaru was vulnerable and launched a decisive attack.

Madarame Ikkaku's slash knocked the spear out of Kizumaru's hand, making a crisp sound. Kizumaru took a few steps back, with a glint of surprise in his eyes.

Madarame breathed heavily, looking at the Zanpakutō trembling slightly in his hand, and a sense of accomplishment surged in his heart.

"I did it... I finally beat you for once..." Ikkaku whispered.

At this time, Kizunamaru's voice sounded: "Yes, your strength is worthy of my recognition. But this is just the beginning. Come on, defeat me again, and you will be qualified to master Bankai."

Madarame nodded with a big laugh. If he won once, he would win twice and three times. And at this moment, he had already taken a crucial step.

As spring passed and autumn came, in the second year, the winning rate between Madarame Ikkaku and Kizumaru had reached a 50-50 ratio.

After another fierce battle, Madarame Ikkaku lay exhausted on the ground, staring at the sky.

"Not enough..." he muttered.

Although his chances of winning against Kizumaru were almost tied, he knew that he still had a long way to go before he could truly master Bankai.

He stood up, gripped his Zanpakuto tightly, and walked forward with a determined look in his eyes.

Day after day, tough battles. Time flies, and the third year has arrived.

This time, can he defeat Kizunamaru and gain the power he has always dreamed of?

After a day of fighting, Madarame Ikkaku and Hozumaru won more than they lost, with a winning rate of 73.

In their inner world, the battle between the two was extremely fierce, with both sides using all their strength. Every strike of Madarame Ikkaku was carried with the momentum of a desperate struggle, and Kizumaru's defense became increasingly strained.

At the critical moment, Madarame Ikkaku seized the opportunity and swung his sword with all his strength. This sword was as fast as lightning and directly broke through Kizumaru's defense.

Hozumaru took a few steps back and finally knelt on one knee. He raised his head and a relieved smile appeared on his face: "Congratulations, Madarame Ikkaku, you finally did it."

Madarame gasped, a flicker of excitement in his eyes. He walked over to Kizumaru and extended his right hand. Kizumaru took his hand and slowly stood up.

"Now, you are qualified to master Bankai." said Hozuki.

Madarame Ikkaku took a deep breath, feeling the power surge through his body. He knew that this was the result of his years of hard work.

"Now let me tell you the word spirit of my Bankai. Listen carefully, it is 'Dragon Pattern Kizunamaru'!"

As consciousness returned, Madarame Ikkaku opened his eyes, feeling the spiritual pressure surging through his body. He raised the Hozumaru high and called out the words of his Bankai.

"Swastika! Dragon Pattern Ghost Pill."

The Zanpakutō takes the form of a massive axe-shaped blade carried on his back, with a dragon-shaped pattern on it. On either side of the axe are two massive blades connected by a huge, thick iron chain.

Abarai Renji and Ayasegawa Yumichika, who were closest to Madarame Ikkaku, quickly noticed the change in his spiritual pressure and rushed towards the direction of Madarame Ikkaku as fast as they could.

When they arrived, they saw Madarame Ikkaku carrying a huge axe, and Abarai Renji immediately realized that this might be Madarame Ikkaku's Bankai state.

"Is this Madarame Sansei's Bankai?" Renji gazed at the massive axe from afar, a wave of wonder filling his heart. He knew that Bankai signified a significant increase in strength, but at this moment, he didn't feel the powerful spiritual pressure fluctuations.

"Damn it, Madarame actually got to this point first." Ayase Gawa Yumichika curled his lips, with a hint of jealousy in his tone, but more of it was congratulations to his friend for learning Bankai.

After the two of them came to Madarame Ikkaku, Abarai Renji couldn't wait to ask, "Madara-senpai, are you in your Bankai? I heard that after Bankai, the spiritual pressure should be five to ten times that of Shikai! But why, in my perception, your spiritual pressure is not increased that much?"

This question troubled Abarai Renji, and he wanted to know the reason. After all, Bankai is the realm that every Shinigami dreams of, and Madarame Ichikaku did not seem to show the spiritual pressure that he should have.

"You're talking about this. My Dragon Pattern Kizuna is a slow-burning Bankai. Do you see the dragon pattern on the axe in the middle?"

Renji looked at the massive axe and nodded. "Senior, there is indeed a dragon pattern on the axe."

Madarame Ikkaku explained to Renji: "In order for the Dragon Patterned Kidomaru to exert its maximum power, I need to chop the enemy or be chopped to awaken it. Then the dragon pattern on the axe will gradually turn red, and my spiritual pressure will increase accordingly. Only when it is all red can it exert its strongest power." Abarai Renji and Ayasegawa Yumichika suddenly realized that this was the case. Madarame Ikkaku's Bankai actually had such characteristics.

"What a unique Bankai, Madara-senpai." Renji exclaimed.

"Hehe, what do you think, kid? Are you interested in giving it a try?" Madarame smiled and swung the giant axe, pretending to chop at Renji.

"No, no, thank you for your kindness, senior." Lianci waved his hands quickly. He didn't want to be a test subject.

"Haha, just a joke. But if you really meet a strong enemy, don't back down, Renji." Madarame put away his smile and said seriously.

"Yes, senior!" Renci straightened up, a hint of determination flashing in his eyes.

After the three of them talked for a while, Abarai Renji proposed to report the news that Madarame Ikkaku had learned Bankai to Captain Zaraki.

Unexpectedly, Madarame decisively rejected Renji's idea, "Renji, Yumichika, I hope you can keep the fact that I learned Bankai a secret. I only want to use it as my trump card. Please!"

The two didn't know why Madarame Ikkaku didn't want others to know that he had mastered Bankai, but they still agreed to keep the secret for him!