Akira clicked the draw without hesitation!
"I wonder what I'll get this time? Being surrounded by four captain-level Shinigami is no joke!"
The greater the crisis, the higher the chance of obtaining something extraordinary.
Even though Akira had already reached formidable heights in strength, none of his four opponents were ordinary captains. Whether it was Ichimaru Gin, Kyōraku Shunsui, or Jūshirō Ukitake, each of them possessed abilities that surpassed the conventional standards of a Gotei 13 captain.
[Congratulations to the Host for drawing "Peak Swordsmanship"!]
As soon as the system notification popped up, a flood of knowledge, experience, and techniques poured into Akira's mind!
"Swordsmanship? And at the pinnacle level?"
He diligently absorbed the knowledge, quickly realizing that this peak-level swordsmanship far exceeded the advanced techniques he had previously obtained.
It was as if he had gained an entirely new perspective on every slash, every stance—reinterpreting them with unparalleled clarity. Moreover, countless innovative ideas for sword techniques began forming in his mind at an astonishing rate.
However, unlike innate talents that merely provided inspiration, these insights immediately translated into mastery. In an instant, Akira had already internalized and refined them into practical combat techniques.
With an even deeper understanding of the principles and intricacies of swordsmanship, creating new techniques became effortless!
"As expected of a peak-level skill... this is incredible!"
A smirk crept onto Akira's face.
Until now, his fighting style had relied predominantly on long-range attacks. But with the addition of peak-level swordsmanship, his close-quarters combat was now just as formidable—one of his strongest assets!
"Hah... but where do I go next?"
By the time he was sure he had fully digested all the knowledge, the first light of dawn had already begun to break.
Standing up, Akira gazed into the distance, his eyes locking onto a faraway structure.
"If I were Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni... where would I expect my next move to be?"
Recalling everything that had happened so far, he analyzed the situation carefully and finally reached a conclusion.
"Right now, the Gotei 13 has lost the ability to deploy thirteen captain-level forces—including me!"
Even Akira found the realization shocking.
First, there was Byakuya Kuchiki, the captain of the Sixth Division—he had already been gravely injured. Then there was the former Sixth Division captain, along with Zaraki Kenpachi of the Eleventh Division, both of whom had suffered severe wounds at Akira's hands.
Aizen Sōsuke, presumed dead, and Tōsen Kaname, who was truly dead, were completely out of the equation.
In addition, Hitsugaya Tōshirō and Sui-Fēng had both sustained serious injuries while attempting to capture him. Given that only two or three days had passed, there was no way they had recovered.
And just yesterday, Akira had inflicted four more serious injuries upon the captains of the Seireitei!
Ichimaru Gin, Komamura Sajin, Jūshirō Ukitake, and Kyōraku Shunsui...
Aside from Gin, who always kept his true condition concealed, the other three might not even be conscious yet!
"…Oops. Did I just cripple the entire Gotei 13?"
"And not just wounded them—completely incapacitated them…"
Akira scratched his head with an amused sigh.
"That said, the Gotei 13 is undoubtedly short-staffed, which means Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni still has two objectives to accomplish."
"The first is to capture the group led by Kurosaki Ichigo. The second… is to capture—or eliminate—me."
"The reasoning behind this is clear. The destination is already obvious."
"Before, Aizen framed me because of my close relationship with Rukia. To distance myself from her, I deliberately acted as a neutral party. But now, there's only one possible conclusion."
"Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni will undoubtedly send someone to guard the place where Rukia Kuchiki is imprisoned. That location is likely to become the focal point for both my allies and my enemies."
Senzaikyū (The Repentance Cell)
Rukia Kuchiki sat on the cold stone platform, her expression melancholic as she gazed at the rising sun through the narrow window of the towering prison.
She felt uneasy—not only because her execution was set for tomorrow but also due to the strange disturbances she had sensed over the past few days.
"For the last three or four days, Seireitei has been overflowing with bursts of intense Reiatsu… and every single one was at the captain level or higher! What's happening out there?"
She lowered her head, her thoughts clouded with worry.
The Senzaikyū was built from Sekkiseki stone, which naturally suppressed spiritual energy, making it nearly impossible to sense outside forces.
Yet, despite that, the sheer strength of these fluctuating Reiatsu was enough for her to feel them even within the prison's confines.
"This would have been unthinkable in Seireitei before… It means multiple captains are fighting at the same time!"
"What is happening out there?"
The occasional tremors and distant explosions only deepened her unease.
"Has the Gotei 13 gone to war with someone? But against whom…?"
A face surfaced in her mind—Akira.
She recalled his parting words:
"I will keep my promise… even if it means fighting the entire Gotei 13."
"No way…" Rukia muttered in disbelief. "Did Aki really do something so reckless? It's not worth it!"
But she hesitated. No matter how strong Akira was, he shouldn't be able to hold off multiple captains for days on end… right?
"So maybe it's not him…"
She exhaled, attempting to reassure herself.
"RUKIA!"
Before she could fully relax, a familiar voice shattered the silence.
Her eyes widened in shock.
She rushed to the window, her heart pounding—
A figure stood boldly on the bridge outside Senzaikyū.
There, in plain sight, without an ounce of hesitation or concealment—
Akira had arrived.
"I'm here to save you!"
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