"Cough… it hurts."
Unohana Retsu slowly rose to her feet, wiping a streak of blood from the corner of her mouth. Her calm expression remained unchanged despite the pain.
"Your abilities are certainly unpredictable," she said, her voice as composed as ever. "One can never let their guard down against you, nor afford a moment of carelessness."
"You're not too bad yourself," Akira replied indifferently. "You've managed to withstand all my attacks so far. But tell me—are you planning to surrender now?"
"Surrender?" Unohana chuckled softly, a glint of excitement flickering in her eyes. "Hardly. I'm just getting started."
Akira narrowed his eyes. "Is that so?" He let out a low hum, his spiritual pressure subtly increasing. "Well, I suppose it's fitting—my warm-up is just about over."
At that moment, a sharp voice interrupted.
"Bankai—Konjiki Ashisogi Jizō!"
A deafening cry echoed through the space. Without warning, a grotesque, golden, infant-like creature emerged from the mist, its bloated form exuding a thick, toxic fog that spread rapidly. The sinister presence of Kurotsuchi Mayuri had finally revealed itself.
"Hoh… pardon my intrusion, but Captain Unohana, you haven't forgotten our plan regarding Akira, have you?" Mayuri's voice slithered through the air, directionless, as though it came from everywhere at once.
Unohana scoffed. "Spare me the theatrics. I remember perfectly."
"Heh heh~ That's good to hear. Otherwise, I would have wasted such a… delicate strategy—one with a one hundred percent chance of success."
Akira's eyes gleamed dangerously. "A hundred percent?" he sneered. "You think hiding in the shadows guarantees your safety?"
Even as the poisonous mist thickened, clouding vision, Akira's Haki-like perception allowed him to pinpoint Mayuri's exact location. But for now, he didn't act—Mayuri, after all, was not his primary target.
"Oh my, how terrifying." Mayuri's exaggerated laughter rang out. "But unfortunately for you, with Captain Unohana standing in your way, you won't have the luxury of coming after me."
Akira exhaled sharply. "Standing in my way? You mean the same Unohana Retsu I just sent flying?"
Mayuri fell silent for a moment, then chuckled. "Hoh… I assure you, that won't happen again."
"And why is that?"
"Because," Mayuri said with a sinister edge, "the poison mist released by my Konjiki Ashisogi Jizō is a specially engineered, highly flammable gas—tailored specifically to counter your abilities."
Akira's expression darkened. "I see… So that's your plan."
Mayuri continued, his voice laced with smug amusement. "Based on my observations, you may be able to consume flames, but you are not immune to the force of an explosion, are you? Otherwise, you wouldn't have needed to counter the Commander's 'Heat Hell' with lightning."
Akira clenched his jaw.
"And in this mist, the moment you so much as generate a spark, the entire area will erupt in an inferno beyond anything you've ever faced." Mayuri cackled. "Oh, and even if you could somehow absorb the explosion, there's one minor detail—you'd be inhaling my poison directly."
A rare scowl crossed Akira's face.
For the first time, he found himself in a situation where both his Goro Goro no Mi (Lightning) and Dragon Slayer Magic were effectively sealed. Using either would mean triggering an explosion of deadly proportions.
A predicament unlike any he had ever encountered.
However, Akira quickly regained his composure and steadied himself.
"Heh, as expected, there is no ability in this world that is truly invincible or without flaws."
Akira turned his gaze toward Unohana Retsu, his expression unreadable. "I just didn't expect… that you would willingly cooperate with Kurotsuchi Mayuri, even at the cost of your own life, to set this trap."
As he spoke, Unohana herself was in a perilous situation. Not only was she exposed to the same toxic gas, but the sheer force of the explosion posed a threat even to her.
"You flatter me," Unohana replied calmly. "Unlike Zaraki Kenpachi, I am not simply a battle-hungry berserker. I have a duty to fulfill."
Akira narrowed his eyes. "I suppose that makes sense. Otherwise, this wouldn't align with your usual approach. Have you truly been tamed by Yamamoto?"
"Call it what you will," Unohana said, raising her Zanpakutō and pointing it at him. "But you should be more concerned about yourself right now."
She took a step forward. "Without all those special abilities, you are left with only your swordsmanship to rely on. Do you truly believe you can stand against me in a duel?"
Her voice carried unwavering confidence. "At best, you barely managed to contend with Zaraki Kenpachi in close combat. Do you think you can survive against me?"
Even in his current state, Zaraki Kenpachi's raw power was formidable. However, due to years of subconscious self-limitation, he had yet to reclaim his true strength. Unohana, on the other hand, had no such restraints.
Akira smirked. "It seems you misunderstand my swordsmanship. Allow me to correct that."
Without further words, he readied his blade and launched himself at Unohana.
Unohana did not retreat. Instead, she met him head-on, both hands gripping her sword as she clashed against him.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Steel rang against steel as the two engaged in a ferocious exchange. Each strike was swift, precise, and unrelenting.
Unohana's shock grew with every passing second.
"What…? In such a short time… his swordsmanship has reached an entirely different level?!"
Just two days prior, she had observed Akira's battle against Yamamoto Genryūsai. At the time, his swordplay had been impressive but still within an expected range.
But now?
Every swing of his blade followed a flawless trajectory, each movement flowing seamlessly into the next without hesitation. His attacks carried both lethal precision and terrifying efficiency, as though he had refined his skill to near perfection overnight.
Even Unohana—acknowledged as the most skilled swordsman among the Gotei 13—found herself momentarily admiring the beauty of his technique.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
Their duel intensified, their movements accelerating beyond the perception of ordinary onlookers. To outside observers, their battle had become a blur, with only the deafening clash of blades marking their presence.
Kurotsuchi Mayuri, watching from the sidelines, trembled with a mix of awe and excitement.
"What an astonishing rate of growth!" he exclaimed. His lips curled into a manic grin, his body quivering with barely contained curiosity. "How…? How can he become stronger so quickly?! What secret lies within him?! I must know!"
Visit patreon.com/shirokendama for more chapters