Bankai—the second and ultimate release of a Shinigami's Zanpakutō, achieved after its Shikai. It is the blade's final and most complete form, unlocking its full potential and true power.
It is also the mark of a Gotei 13 Captain. Under normal circumstances, only those who have mastered their Bankai are eligible to hold the title of Captain. In Soul Society, only those who can wield Bankai are acknowledged as true powerhouses.
"Do your best…"
"I'm rooting for you, Urahara."
Yūshirō Shihōin sat on a chair he had casually dragged over, straddling it backward with his arms draped lazily across the backrest, chin resting on his forearms. His violet eyes glimmered with amusement as he stared at Urahara Kisuke—collapsed on the ground, unconscious, his face twitching with pain.
Meanwhile, inside Urahara's inner world…
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hey! "
"Lady Benihime, can you… stop for a second? If this keeps up, you'll kill me before anyone else does! "
In a world mirroring the streets of Seireitei, Urahara darted frantically between alleys, desperately evading the relentless attacks of a breathtaking woman in crimson robes. Her beauty alone explained why her name was Benihime.
"Urahara, you know you don't have much time. Against reiatsu of that level, if you don't grow stronger—fast—you'll die."
Her voice was calm, yet carried a weight of absolute truth.
"No kidding! At this rate, I'll die by your hand long before Yūshirō gets the chance! "
Urahara kept widening the distance, shaking his head.
"If you're the kind of man who dies without learning my true name, then it's better to die by my blade than someone else's."
Her gaze softened, tinged with something unspoken.
"Heh… maybe so. But if I have one redeeming quality, it's that I don't die easy. So, Lady Benihime—teach me well, because these next few hours might be my last."
His words steadied as he stopped running and raised his Zanpakutō in Shikai.
"Good eyes…"
"Then defeat me—conquer me, Urahara! "
Benihime's smile curved like a crimson crescent as she lunged forward, her attacks fierce and merciless.
"Ugh… so boring."
Back in reality, Yūshirō sprawled lazily across his chair. Feeling Urahara's spiritual pressure rising steadily, he knew Bankai was only a matter of time now. All that was left was to wait—and waiting was the one thing he hated most. Barely minutes had passed, and he was already nodding off.
Elsewhere, beyond Kirinji's Palace…
In the Phoenix Palace, home of Ōetsu Nimaiya—the creator of Zanpakutō and the forger of every Asauchi in existence—two disciples collapsed under the crushing pressure flooding in from afar.
"What… what kind of monstrous reiatsu is this?! "
The heir of the Kuchiki Clan, his forehead slick with sweat, struggled to remain standing.
"Tch… troublesome brat. So he went and broke his seal, huh? "
Ōetsu ruffled his wild hair, his voice laced with irritation and boredom. With a flick of his wrist, the Phoenix Palace's barriers flared, cutting off the outside pressure and allowing the two gasping nobles to breathe again.
"Sensei… what was that just now? "
Tokinada Tsunayashiro dropped to one knee, panting. When the pressure first hit, it felt like an entire mountain had fallen on him. He couldn't breathe until Ōetsu sealed it away.
"What, you didn't know? " Ōetsu raised an eyebrow. "That was the Shihōin brat you came here with. Broke his own seal. You're all from the Five Great Noble Houses—I figured you'd at least know each other."
"Power like that… not even a Gotei 13 Captain could compare."
"So overwhelming… If only I had that strength…"
Tsunayashiro rose slowly, his fear replaced by something far more dangerous: desire. His eyes burned with longing—for power.
"Kid, don't even think about it." Ōetsu's voice sharpened. "I'm not trying to crush your dreams, but that power isn't normal. Hell, it's one of a kind in the last