BLEACH: SURVIVAL SYSTEM

Akira's voice echoed within the barrier as he unleashed his signature technique the moment he appeared!

The whirlwind of flames crackled as bolts of lightning surged through it, growing more intense until, at last, the God of Thunder tore through the inferno, revealing his divine form to the world!

"What!? This is impossible!"

Kyoraku Shunsui, who had been so certain of Yamamoto's dominance, widened his eyes in disbelief. Even Unohana Retsu, one of the oldest and most formidable captains, had her pupils contract in shock. She, who had once been subdued by Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni, knew the sheer might of his Zanpakutō, Ryūjin Jakka.

Yet, the Akira standing before them possessed a power that could rival it!

"Shikai… The Captain-Commander's Shikai actually couldn't suppress him from the start?"

Chōjirō Sasakibe, the loyal lieutenant of the First Division, was even more astounded. Though he served as Yamamoto's right hand, he was no mere subordinate—he had long since achieved Bankai, a feat that placed him among the strongest warriors in the Gotei 13. He had once left an irreversible scar on Yamamoto himself, a testament to his strength, and his battle-honed instincts told him that this fight was beyond anything they had imagined.

He and Kyoraku had believed Yamamoto's power to be absolute, but now, everything they had known was being shattered before their eyes!

"Roar—!"

The God of Thunder bellowed, and the violent crackle of lightning surged outward, pushing back the oppressive flames!

"Oh?"

Yamamoto Genryūsai opened his eyes slightly in surprise. Without hesitation, he intensified the output of his spiritual pressure, the sheer weight of his Reiatsu flooding the battlefield.

For a brief moment, fire and lightning clashed with equal ferocity, consuming the space around them in an elemental storm of destruction!

"Break through!"

Akira roared as he gathered his spiritual energy to its peak, forming a colossal fist imbued with the power of thunder—Thor's Fist—and struck forward with enough force to fracture reality itself!

The air trembled. The very space around them seemed to shatter as the whirlwind of flames collapsed entirely!

"How… How is this possible?!"

Komamura Sajin, the towering captain of the Seventh Division, was horrified. "The Captain-Commander… is actually being pushed back?!"

"What kind of power is this?"

Kurotsuchi Mayuri, ever the scientist, took a sharp breath, his golden eyes gleaming with intrigue. For all his years of research, he had never seen a force capable of challenging Ryūjin Jakka, the oldest and most powerful fire-type Zanpakutō.

"This isn't Kidō… nor is it a Zanpakutō from the Kidō Corps. But why lightning? And that sword of light—what was that?"

Questions swirled through the minds of all who bore witness to the battle. But before they could find answers, Akira made his next move.

"Now… it's my turn to strike back!"

Channeling his full power, Akira commanded the forces of thunder to converge. The storm around him intensified, crackling with devastating energy.

"30 million volts—Thunder Beast!"

"30 million volts—Thunderbird!"

"60 million volts—Brontosaurus!"

One after another, massive creatures of pure lightning took form, each more powerful than the last. The sky darkened as they gathered around Akira, their numbers growing exponentially. Then, at his command, they surged forward in a relentless tide, hurling themselves toward Yamamoto with divine fury!

Yamamoto Shigekuni remained unmoved. His expression darkened, and with a simple motion, he raised his Zanpakutō once more.

"Jōkaku Enjō—Hot Hell!"

Massive pillars of fire erupted from the ground, each one as thick as a tower and burning at temperatures beyond comprehension. They crashed into the advancing lightning beasts, engulfing them in an inferno of destruction!

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The sheer force of the impact shook the battlefield as bolts of lightning clashed with roaring flames. But the fire did not stop—one by one, the massive infernos continued forward, blazing past the destruction and barreling toward Thor himself!

"BOOM!"

A sky-shattering explosion rocked one side of the battlefield, sending shockwaves rippling through the world. Smoke and dust billowed into the air, sweeping across the protective barriers.

"God's Judgment!"

From within the swirling smoke, before anyone could determine Akira's condition, an equally blinding pillar of lightning answered in his place.

And it wasn't just one.

"Breakthrough!"

As if spiritual power were limitless, every one of Akira's attacks was an enhanced version of its original form. More than a dozen massive lightning beams shot forth in rapid succession, their trajectories carving through the battlefield as they struck directly at Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni!

Even Yamamoto himself was forced to respond. With a swift motion, he swung his Ryūjin Jakka, its searing flames cleaving through the air as he redirected the incoming lightning, forming a blazing wall of fire to shield himself.

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

Thunder and fire clashed in an earth-shaking collision, their explosive impact illuminating the battlefield in an intense display of raw power. The sheer scale of destruction left onlookers stunned.

Was this… really a battle between opponents fighting without Bankai?

It completely defied expectations!

"So… this is the power you wield. No wonder you were able to kill Aizen Sōsuke and Tōsen Kaname."

For the first time, Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni fully acknowledged Akira as an opponent. His sharp gaze locked onto the younger warrior, scrutinizing him with newfound seriousness.

"That lightning… It is neither Kidō nor the power of a Zanpakutō. Its origin is unknown, but it is clearly your greatest asset, is it not?"

A rare note of admiration entered Yamamoto's voice as he continued:

"It is indeed formidable. Given this power, it is only natural that Hitsugaya Tōshirō and Soi Fon fell before you…"

His expression darkened, flames crackling along his blade as he took a firm stance.

"However, this alone will not protect you from me. If this is the full extent of your strength—the reason you believe you can stand against me—then you have gravely underestimated the old man!"

"Underestimate you?" Akira chuckled, his voice unwavering. "Not at all."

He had always taken Yamamoto's power seriously. He was fully aware of the vast combat experience possessed by the Captain-Commander and the devastating force of his flames.

It was precisely because of this that Akira hadn't attempted to use Excalibur—the Sword of Promised Victory.

He knew that a warrior as experienced as Yamamoto would never allow him the time to charge an attack of that magnitude. The Captain-Commander's ability to control the flow of battle was absolute, and he would never permit an opponent to gather power unchecked.

Thus, Akira had chosen a different strategy from the start—engaging in an elemental clash of ultimates, using his unparalleled lightning speed to counter Yamamoto's relentless flames.

"But whether or not this is my true trump card… well, let's see if you can force it out!"

Yamamoto's expression remained impassive, though a flicker of something dangerous glinted in his eyes. He exhaled slowly before speaking.

"Arrogant, are we? Very well. Let me show you what true power looks like, boy."

Ryūjin Jakka's flames surged higher, their heat distorting the very air around them. The residual damage Akira had inflicted on Yamamoto's body was immediately cauterized by the fire's sheer intensity.

Words were no longer necessary.

Both warriors unleashed their full strength once more. Thunder and fire clashed in a brilliant spectacle as they rushed toward each other, no longer content with long-range attacks.

This time, it was close combat.

But to think that Yamamoto's strength lay only in Ryūjin Jakka would be a grave mistake. Even without his Zanpakutō's overwhelming flames, his raw physical power and swordsmanship were unmatched among the Shinigami. His Reiatsu alone could crush lesser warriors, and his centuries of experience had refined his combat skills to their peak.

Even Kenpachi Zaraki's brutal swordsmanship had been influenced by Yamamoto's teachings. That same savage, overwhelming force—combined with immense spiritual pressure—allowed him to wield his blade with unmatched devastation.

On the other hand, Akira's Thor's Body granted him unparalleled speed and strength. The power of his lightning flowed through every fiber of his being, making close combat just as favorable to him as it was to Yamamoto.

And so, in this second round, both warriors charged forward at once.

A fist crackling with blue lightning met a flaming blade wreathed in destruction.

"Boom—!"

The battle raged on.

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