Episode 29: Kenpachi vs Ice

Kenpachi leapt up on top of a really tall wall- most of the walls were about fifteen feet tall. This wall was at least thirty five.

"There they are!" Yachiru pointed to Grime and Ice as they were running.

"Hang on, stop." Grime said.

"What?" Ice asked.

"There's a strong presence. Stronger then both of ours put together."

"Now that you mention it... I can feel it too."

"Two of them, huh? Which is the one?" Kenpachi looked down at Grime. "Not that one." He looked at Ice. "Are you the one?"

Ice heard Kenpachi's voice almost as though Kenpachi was standing right over his shoulder. He spun around, and he saw Kenpachi standing on the wall. Kenpachi's whole body was silhouetted, because the sun was right behind him.

"What's the matter with you? How long are you gonna keep looking over there?" Kenpachi asked, suddenly several yards behind Ice.

"Huh?" A blade suddenly penetrated through Ice's back. What... what the hell? He thought. He gripped his chest. There was no wound, and no blood. What the hell just happened? I could swear I just got stabbed... Is this Genjutsu? He paused. Killing intent... with just the intent to kill he has such power?

Kenpachi moved so he was only one yard behind Ice, his bells made a small noise. "Are you Ice?" He asked.

"How do you know my name? Who are you, anyway?"

"Come on. I'm sure Ikkaku told you that."

Ice's eyes widened. "Ikkaku!"

Ice suddenly remembered his conversation with Ikkaku after he beat him.


"Just a minute. Can I ask you a question? Who's the strongest member of your group?" Ikkaku asked.

"Me, I guess." Ice responded.

"If that's true, I suggest that you keep an eye out for my Sensei, Ice. He has no interest in fighting weak opponents. He'll find you- if you aren't lying."

"Is he good?"

"You'll find out. That is if you survive after he first finds you."

"What's his name?"


Back in reality, Kenpachi grinned. "I'm Captain of Squad Eleven. Kenpachi Zaraki. I'm here to fight you to the death."

So this is him? Kenpachi Zaraki... Captain of Squad Eleven. Ice thought. Kenpachi's chakra was going up all around the area making it hard for Ice to breath. I know I can't run away...

"What's wrong? Is something the matter with your hearing?" Kenpachi asked. "I assume because you won't answer me that it's alright with you if I start!"

Ice went for his sword, but Grime gripped his shoulder. "Don't worry, I can handle this!"

"I'm not going to waste my time fighting a weakling like yourself." Kenpachi growled. "Get lost, Grime."

Grime charged at him, and Kenpachi didn't move. He didn't even flinch. Yachiru suddenly appeared, stabbing Grime right in the chest.

"GRIME!" Cried Ice.

Yachiru then picked Grime up over her shoulder. "Bye, bye, Kenny!" She teleported away.

What the hell? Ice thought. Where'd she come from? And how can she be uneffected by his chakra?

Ice drew his sword, and he let his chakra glow all around him.

"Not bad. Though your stance is too rigid, and you leave too many gaps- your chakra's something else. Way too much for even some Chunin. No wonder Ikkaku lost to you. Even with that, you're still no where near my level. I'll tell you what, Ice. I'll give you an advantage."

"Give me a what?" Ice asked, relaxing his stance a little.

Kenpachi opened up the front of his shirt. "I'll go ahead and let you have the first strike!"

"Wow, Kenny!" Yachiru said, suddenly standing on the ground next to Kenpachi. "You're the most generous Jonin ever!"

"Aren't I? I'm just a walking, bleeding heart of generosity."

While Kenpachi was slightly distracted, Ice ran up to him and slashed down at him.

Blood splattered on the ground.


Three and Outsider were running next to each other.

"Ice is now fighting Kenpachi Zaraki. Grime is down." Three said.

"Kenpachi?" Outsider asked.

"He's the Captain of the infamous Squad Eleven. Kenpachi Zaraki. The name Kenpachi is passed down through the generations. The name is given to the one who most favors fighting, and killing. It means the one who carries it will never go down no matter how many times he's wounded. Ice is going to die. And if he doesn't, he's going to get tortured."

Outsider didn't respond.

"Are you upset by this?"

"No. I don't know Ice. His death just means one less member of our group."


Yachiru looked up and down Ice's blade, bordely.

This can't be happening... Ice thought. I know I swung with full force! And I know I hit him! So how can it be that there's not a scratch on him? And how can it be that my hands are bleeding instead? Impossible...

"Is that it?" Kenpachi asked. "Is that really all you have? I'm disappointed." Kenpachi ran his hand up the blade.

Ice leapt backwards. What the hell? He touched the blade... with his bare hand!

"You're kind of a slow learner. Aren't you?" Yachiru asked. Suddenly standing right in front of him. "You can't cut Kenny. Expectantly not with that." She pointed to his sword. "Because to Kenny it's like your sword has no blade at all."

"Shall I tell you?" Kenpachi taunted. "You might want to know why your sword will never cut me. It's simple. When two chakras collide, the weaker gets pushed out. It's forced to submit. It gets hurt. While your chakra may be enough to hone that sword of yours for the purpose of slaying your enemies. It's no where near the chakra I have. That's all there is to it. What a joke. When I spent all this time looking for someone as worthy as you." He went for his sword. "Even as a joke, it's not very funny. Now it's my turn, Ice! Try to live long enough so I can get the rust off of this thing! I'm counting on you, terrorist."

Ice charged him. Kenpachi easily blocked him, and slashed down at him.

Ice blocked it, but it forced him into the ground a little. The two crossed blades twice more. Ice then jumped backwards, out of breath.

He looked over at the stony faced Kenpachi, who wasn't even breathing heavily. He then tightened his grip on his sword, and slashed down at him. Kenpachi effortlessly tanked it, and almost slashed Ice, but Ice ran away.

Ice turned down several passage ways. Damn, how can that be? I couldn't cut him... I know I hit him straight on... He thought. I can't just stand here. I need to avenge Grime.


Kenpachi was sitting on the ground, his sword propped up against his shoulder when Ice came back towards him.

"So I see you decided to stand your ground at last." Kenpachi said, standing up. "Does this mean you're prepared to die like a warrior? Or does it mean you've just given up?"

"The answer is... neither one." Ice gripped his sword. He ran up to Kenpachi, and slashed at him. Kenpachi blocked it, but Ice followed up with another slash and got Kenpachi right across the chest. This time blood ran down from his chest. "Sorry to say. But I don't feel like dyin' just yet." If I can cut him, I can beat him. Ice thought. I know I can win.

"What is this?" Kenpachi asked. "You're thinking you can beat me now, aren't you? Don't let your guard down." Kenpachi grinned, walking towards him. "Stay just like that. Razor sharp." His grin broadened, and became more menacing.

Kenpachi charged him, and slashed down at him.

Ice swung at him, their blades colliding. They both pushed back against each other.

Kenpachi suddenly grabbed the end of Ice's blade, and swung him around. He stabbed at him, but Ice swung himself around and he dodged the strike, barely, and also managed to kick Kenpachi's hand away from Ice's blade.

Ice jumped back, and he looked forwards to see Kenpachi had disappeared. He suddenly heard a bell behind him, so he quickly blocked as Kenpachi's blade would have came down on the back of his shoulder. But Ice blocked it.

"Good! Good reaction!"

Ice pushed himself free, and jumped back again.

"Your concentration is improving. Unlike earlier, you can actually hear my bells now. I only wear these bells and this eye patch so I get more enjoyment out of my battles! I'm glad you're taking advantage of them. Because otherwise, they don't serve any purpose."

"You take me for a fool? That's probably also the reason why you're not using any Jutsu! We both know that I can cut you know! So if you let your guard down-"

"I don't have any jutsu. I am completely out in the open. I never have any back-up jutsus to heal myself or to catch my foe on fire. What you see here, is what you get!"

"Is that so? You probably shouldn't have revealed that?" Ice called. "Because that tells me that your sword isn't going to get any more powerful then it is right now. And in that case-"

Kenpachi stabbed at him, but Ice managed to block it. "In that case what? Then you would be able to win? Is that what you were thinking? Now you're the one who's taking me for a fool. Have you ever thought to ask me why I don't use any jutsu? It's my chakra. It's so huge that even if I used all my might I can control it. So in a fight, I make sure to hold back. I never swing my sword at my full strength. Do you see why? If I didn't do that... then a battle wouldn't last long enough for me to enjoy it..."

He took his blade away from Ice's.

Notes: I'm aware that's not what Kenpachi did in the show. If Kenpachi did stab through Ice's sword like he did for Ichigo, then he'd kill him. Ice doesn't have Zangetsu to back him like Ichigo does.