BLEACH: SURVIVAL SYSTEM

Reiatsu surged into the sky, distorting space and forming a faint black ripple.

"Ugh…!"

Neliel Tu Odelschwanck, still not fully recovered, was the first to feel the overwhelming pressure. Her already weakened body trembled as the weight of the spiritual energy seemed to aggravate her injuries.

But in the next instant, a warm hand rested gently on her shoulder.

A different kind of Reiatsu—one not suffocating, but steady and resolute like the spring sun—wrapped around her protectively before surging outward, clashing violently against Baraggan Louisenbairn's overwhelming presence.

"You… you're not even qualified to challenge me."

A cold voice rang out, sending a ripple of fury through the self-proclaimed King of Hueco Mundo.

"Arrogant… unbelievably arrogant!" Baraggan's deep voice rumbled like thunder. "You should know—no Shinigami, not even a captain, is anything more than an insect before me!"

Yet, as he spoke, Akira's Reiatsu exploded like a tidal wave, crashing against Baraggan's own, forcing an involuntary groan from the Espada.

Baraggan's expression twisted—half in shame, half in disbelief.

"This Reiatsu… Impossible!" He narrowed his eyes at Akira. Though he was reluctant to admit it, the Shinigami's Reiatsu was not beneath his own.

"So, that's how you managed to kill Charlotte and the others."

His tone darkened. "I must admit, your power is beyond that of an ordinary captain. However, you—merely a third seat in the Gotei 13—daring to stand against me… That alone is a sin that cannot be forgiven."

Baraggan's pride burned at the thought. Could he allow it to be known that a mere seated officer possessed such strength? No—only Akira's blood could wash away this disgrace.

Neliel sensed Baraggan's murderous intent and tensed, but before she could react, a concentrated beam of light shot past her.

"Cero."

Ulquiorra Cifer had moved first, his precise instincts guiding him. Without hesitation, he unleashed a Cero straight at Baraggan.

But the Segunda Espada did not dodge. Instead, his spiritual pressure flared, neutralizing the attack effortlessly. His expression remained unchanged, but his tone dropped to an icy whisper.

"Interesting. But both of you—Menos Grande—are guilty of the same disrespect. Allow me to show you what a true Cero looks like."

The moment he finished speaking, a thick, blinding beam of energy descended from the sky.

This time, Neliel reacted. She leaped in front of Akira and opened her mouth wide.

"Cero Doble!"

She absorbed Baraggan's Cero and mixed it with her own, firing it back with even greater force.

"Oh?"

Baraggan, rather than countering, sidestepped the blast, his gaze sharpening as he studied Neliel and Ulquiorra.

"That last exchange… I see now."

He exhaled slowly, his interest piqued. "I don't know why you are standing alongside a Shinigami, but you are undeniably near the peak of Adjuchas evolution. Only half a step away from becoming true Vasto Lordes."

There was something almost approving in his tone. With Charlotte and the others gone, it was time to recruit new talent.

"So, why not serve me?" he offered. "I am feeling generous—I will spare your lives. But that Shinigami…" His gaze flicked back to Akira, dark and resolute. "He must die."

"You're dreaming!" Neliel snapped. "If I follow anyone, it'll be Akira!"

Baraggan's face darkened.

"Then I will eliminate this nuisance first. Once he's gone, you'll have no choice but to submit."

"Hah."

Akira let out a short, amused laugh.

"If you think you can take me, have you asked the sword in my hand?"

A deep hum resonated through the air. Thousands of light particles gathered around Akira's blade—Excalibur, the Sword of Promised Victory.

Baraggan frowned.

"No Bankai… but the energy is far beyond what a simple Shikai should produce."

Sensing the mounting danger, he didn't hesitate. Instead of waiting for the attack, he moved first, appearing behind Akira in a flash, his blade poised to kill.

Akira's pupils shrank. His attack was incomplete—but there was no time.

With a swift backhand, he swung Excalibur.

Shhhk!

A massive rift split the desert sky apart.

Baraggan, forced to retreat, landed a short distance away, his expression unreadable. Then, ever so slightly, he gave a knowing nod.

"The power is indeed immense, worthy of being called Reiatsu itself."

However, Akira knew that this was not the full extent of Excalibur's power. The moment Baraggan approached, he felt the flow of time around him slow drastically—an unmistakable sign of Baraggan's ability, Senescencia.

"Even if he hasn't undergone Arrancarization yet, does he already wield a power comparable to Resurrección?"

Akira analyzed the situation carefully. Baraggan's speed was beyond that of even Soi Fon, the master of Shunpo—his movements were nearly imperceptible.

Undoubtedly, this was the strongest enemy he had ever encountered in Hueco Mundo.

"If he perceives Excalibur as a threat, he won't give me the chance to charge it up. At that speed, releasing my true name will be incredibly difficult."

Narrowing his eyes, Akira began strategizing.

At the same time, Ulquiorra and Neliel—who had finally regained their composure—launched an attack against Baraggan. The battle that ensued was nothing short of cataclysmic.

Ulquiorra and Neliel, as Adjuchas-class Menos, were far stronger than others of the same rank. Against a Vasto Lorde, their odds were slim—but not nonexistent.

However, Baraggan was no ordinary Vasto Lorde. He was the strongest of them all, the self-proclaimed King of Hueco Mundo—one powerful enough to ascend to a throne.

With overwhelming ease, he countered their assault, maintaining absolute dominance over the battlefield.

"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Watching Ulquiorra and Neliel struggle under Baraggan's crushing might, Akira did not falter.

"Fortunately, Excalibur is not my only weapon… or at least, it won't be for long."

Having already survived battles against six Adjuchas-class Menos today, and now facing the self-proclaimed ruler of Hueco Mundo himself, the difficulty of survival had reached an unprecedented peak.

But Akira was patient.

Soon, his Survival Reward would arrive.

And when it did, he was certain—he would obtain a power strong enough to shift the tides of battle.

With that thought, he leaped into the fray, and thus, an unprecedented battle in Hueco Mundo began!