Kyoraku Shunsui covered his wound, a dull look in his eyes.
Gazing at the three captains sprawled on the ground, he still found himself struggling to process the situation.
This… This single battle had directly incapacitated three captain-class powerhouses?
And this was while they were all attacking Akira together?!
What a joke.
"It seems our judgment was seriously off… Akira isn't someone that just four captains can handle," Kyoraku muttered.
"What are you mumbling about?" Akira asked casually. "Trying to figure out your last words?"
"There's no need for last words… only a fight to the death."
Kyoraku stood up with a wry smile. Fortunately, Ichimaru Gin's strike—though fierce—had been slightly deflected by Akira, sparing him from a fatal wound.
"That said… from start to finish, you never truly tried to harm me," Kyoraku noted, brushing dust from his haori. "In the end, you even relied on Gin's attack. That tells me something—you really do understand my abilities, don't you?"
"Don't ask questions you already know the answer to," Akira yawned lazily, "or you could just admit defeat. If I'm in a good mood, I might even let you go."
Kyoraku shook his head. "You know that's not happening."
"This is a real headache, though… A straightforward Zanpakutō like mine is at a disadvantage once both its Shikai and Bankai abilities are figured out."
"Meanwhile, I still don't fully understand your Zanpakutō's power. That kind of gap… well, even I have to admit it's troublesome."
With that, Kyoraku drove Katen Kyōkotsu into the ground.
"Even so… I have no choice but to use it."
Black pine trees and countless falling pine needles spread across the battlefield, shrouding everything in a dim, oppressive atmosphere.
Then, a surge of eerie, bone-chilling Reiatsu erupted from him.
"Bankai—Katen Kyōkotsu: Karamatsu Shinjū."
Akira narrowed his eyes. He knew better than to let his guard down.
After all, standing before him was Kyoraku Shunsui—the man destined to inherit the title of Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13.
Judging by the sheer weight of Kyoraku's Reiatsu, which wasn't much weaker than his own, Akira knew that this man was not to be underestimated.
Among the captains present, Kyoraku Shunsui posed the greatest threat—except, perhaps, for Jūshirō Ukitake, whose Bankai remained an unknown variable.
"Your Bankai's rules are already known to me," Akira remarked. "And last time, it failed to deliver the intended result. That means half of its effects are useless against me."
He scoffed. "So tell me, why bother with a pointless struggle?"
"You think my loss is certain?" Kyoraku asked with a smile.
"I wouldn't say that. Your odds are low… but not zero."
"Funny," Kyoraku mused. "You seem to know my Bankai's ability… but you're clearly unaware of Jūshirō's."
Akira's expression shifted.
What?
His Observation Haki had been locked onto Jūshirō Ukitake this entire time, confirming that the man was on the verge of death.
And yet—
Jūshirō, his spiritual pressure now surging to match Kyoraku's, was suddenly standing tall!
In the next instant, Ukitake lunged forward, his sword cleaving through the air with deadly force!
Clang! Clang!
Akira's twin blades barely managed to intercept Sōgyo no Kotowari in time.
But the sheer force behind the attack—this wasn't the strength of a man on death's door!
"Such a dramatic reversal… Is this your Bankai?" Akira muttered, his brows furrowed.
Jūshirō Ukitake maintained a stalemate and said solemnly, "Yes, this is my Bankai—Shikai: Sōgyo no Kotowari."
At that moment, Akira noticed that Jūshirō's Zanpakutō had transformed into a black and white pair, its appearance having changed significantly.
But what kind of ability did it possess? Could Jūshirō turn the tide of battle?
"Hmph, even if you suddenly resurrect like a corpse, I'll just cut you down again!"
Akira snorted coldly. The Sword of Oath of Victory radiated golden light, countless particles of energy rapidly converging.
"Not good…!"
Jūshirō's expression changed. Though Sōgyo no Kotowari retained its Shikai abilities even in Bankai, he was uncertain whether it could completely absorb an attack of such immense energy.
However, he had a better solution.
"Bipolar Reversal!"
Jūshirō twisted his twin blades, redirecting Akira's attack. Instantly, Akira's pupils shrank in shock.
At that moment, the true name release of the Sword of Oath of Victory suddenly vanished! The intense heat and radiant energy that once engulfed the blade disappeared, replaced by a thick layer of frost covering the sword's surface.
Akira's mind raced as realization struck.
"I see… I understand now."
"Your Zanpakutō's name and abilities—both of them allude to balance and duality. No wonder you rarely use Bankai."
Jūshirō smiled bitterly. "As expected, I can't hide it from you. There's nothing I can do—the nature of my abilities makes it too obvious once they're activated."
Akira snorted. "I never imagined there could be an ability capable of reversing the extremes of existence. Just now… you even reversed your dying state back to a stable condition, didn't you?"
"However, I assume this ability isn't without its limits. The reference point for determining the two poles must be incredibly difficult to control. That's why you allowed your injury from blood loss to worsen—to reach the threshold necessary to reverse your condition!"
In just a few words, Akira had deciphered the essence of Sōgyo no Kotowari's Bankai ability—reversing the polarity of Yin and Yang.
Both Jūshirō Ukitake and Kyōraku Shunsui were momentarily stunned by his keen observation, exchanging glances.
The opponent's strength was undeniable—but his analytical skill and combat intuition were just as terrifying!
"This takes me back… It's been ages since we've fought side by side. You haven't gotten rusty, have you?"
Kyōraku leaned toward Jūshirō, his easygoing demeanor belying the dangerous edge in his voice.
"Of course not." Jūshirō smiled confidently. "You and I together—there's no one we can't face."
It was a rare statement from someone as humble as Ukitake, but it wasn't mere bravado.
Akira was well aware of the implications—after all, in the original history, Kyōraku Shunsui and Jūshirō Ukitake had once joined forces and, without even using their Bankai, managed to hold off Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, even if only for a moment.
If that wasn't proof of their power, what was?
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