BLEACH: SURVIVAL SYSTEM

The light faded away.

A vast section of the Seireitei, had been reduced to scorched earth. Not only had the buildings collapsed, but even the remnants of the ruins had completely vanished.

"Haa… haa… haa…"

Heavy, labored breathing filled the air—something uncharacteristic of Sōsuke Aizen. Such a sight of exhaustion and disarray was unimaginable under normal circumstances.

"Even I must acknowledge your feat—neutralizing the majority of my attack by expending an astronomical amount of spiritual power in an instant, and then escaping at the last possible moment…"

A voice echoed from a short distance away. Akira stood unscathed, his tone carrying both admiration and challenge. "Your skills truly mark you as the greatest threat to the Seireitei, second only to Yamamoto Genryūsai."

Aizen narrowed his eyes. It was easy to assume that his strength came solely from Kyōka Suigetsu, but even without its hypnosis, he had proven his dominance. Against Kurosaki Ichigo's Bankai, he had effortlessly stopped Tensa Zangetsu with a single finger and wounded Ichigo with ease. Of course, Ichigo had been weakened from his battle against Byakuya Kuchiki, and his wounds had not yet healed, but the demonstration of Aizen's overwhelming power remained undeniable.

Aizen exhaled slowly. "It's ironic to hear that from you… especially when I am already injured."

His left arm hung limply, and severe burns marred his left leg. Yet, Akira stood completely unharmed.

"Akira, I admit it—you are a worthy opponent, one who stands on equal footing with me. It seems I miscalculated today's events." Aizen's voice was calm, measured. "If fate allows, we shall meet again. And next time, I will show you a power beyond the limits of a Shinigami."

Akira's expression darkened. "Aizen Sōsuke… Do you really believe I'll let you leave?" His words carried no threat—just cold certainty.

"I never assumed that," Aizen admitted, forcing a small smile. "But given my current state, my best judgment is to withdraw."

With that, he began chanting in a clear voice:

"Heaven's pride, the iron fortress, the dragon's path, the lion's roar…"

Akira's eyes widened in realization. "A Bakudō incantation?"

For a split second, he hesitated, uncertain of Aizen's intent. But instinct told him—interrupting Aizen now was the right move.

"Divine Judgment!"

Raising his hand, Akira unleashed his fastest technique. A crackling bolt of lightning surged toward Aizen, colliding against his spiritual pressure in a violent explosion.

"The tiger roars, the wolf runs, and sever the world before it crumbles—30 million volts, Thunderbird!"

Lightning streaked through the air, amplifying the force of his Divine Judgment. Aizen staggered back a few steps but refused to waver. He pressed forward, continuing his incantation.

"Bakudō No. 81: Dankū!"

A massive barrier of spiritual energy erupted from the ground, forming an impenetrable wall between them. The sheer strength of this defense far surpassed anything Aizen had previously conjured.

Akira's brows furrowed. "Are you trying to escape? I won't let you succeed!"

Seeing that Splitting Void had physically separated them, Akira expected Aizen to devise an escape plan soon.

Making a decisive move, his body transformed into an electric current, and he surged through the disrupted electric field at the speed of light.

"Electric Field Teleportation!"

In an instant, Akira appeared beside Aizen and slashed down.

"Ching!"

Aizen, as if anticipating the attack, calmly raised Kyōka Suigetsu to block the strike.

"I finally lured you in close."

The moment Aizen spoke, Akira's expression changed.

From the ground beneath them, five massive Reiatsu dragons erupted, roaring as they surged toward them with destructive force.

"Hadō #99: Goryūtenmetsu!" (Five Swirling Dragons of Destruction)

In that split second, Akira instinctively reinforced his Reiatsu defense, but the violent disruption of the electric field made it difficult to stabilize.

"Boom!!!"

Even without its full incantation, a Hadō of this level possessed unimaginable power, instantly engulfing the battlefield in a storm of fire and destruction.

"Aizen—!"

A powerful gust tore through the battlefield as Akira released Kaze no Ō no Tate (Wind King's Barrier), dispersing the smoke and debris.

But Aizen was gone.

"Tsk. Always one step ahead... He actually managed to escape."

In an instant, Akira pieced everything together.

Aizen had deliberately taken multiple hits without repositioning, using Splitting Void as a distraction. But more importantly, he had simultaneously laid the trap of Goryūtenmetsu.

And Splitting Void was not just a diversion—it was a highly durable spiritual barrier, preventing Akira from launching follow-up ranged attacks. Even invoking the true name of Excalibur (Sword of Oath of Victory) would not have shattered it instantly.

This forced Akira to close the distance, leading him directly into the range of Goryūtenmetsu.

With that, this high-stakes battle in the Soul Society had reached its conclusion.

Akira stood in silence, gazing into the distance for a moment before turning away and heading back to his quarters.

"I won't have time to rest for long…"

He had already predicted Aizen's next move, and he needed to recover fully to prepare for the inevitable confrontation.

That's right—Akira had no intention of stopping, nor did he plan to flee.

His battle with Aizen had revealed enough.

Among all of Soul Society, only a handful of individuals could rival him: Aizen Sōsuke, Yamamoto Genryūsai, and the Royal Guard.

To survive, Akira needed to carve out a path for himself—one that would push his limits beyond imagination.

Later That Night

Under the pale moonlight, a Hell Butterfly arrived with shocking news—one that shook the entire Seireitei.

Aizen Sōsuke, Captain of the Fifth Division, was declared dead.

The aftermath of the battle left behind overwhelming evidence, massive destruction across Seireitei marking the site of their clash.

Upon further investigation, traces of both Aizen's and Akira's Reiatsu were confirmed at the scene.

According to reports, Aizen had fled in his final moments, desperately making his way toward the Thirteenth Division barracks, where he collapsed at the doorstep of Captain Jūshirō Ukitake.

With his dying breath, Aizen claimed that Akira, Captain of the Sixth Division, had sought revenge for their earlier battle and had slain him—bringing undeniable proof of the crime.

The entire Gotei 13 mobilized instantly, their forces moving swiftly under the cover of night.

Central 46 wasted no time.

A verdict was issued immediately—

Akira, Captain of the Sixth Division, was to be arrested on sight.

Wanted—dead or alive.

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