Bleach: The Strongest Shinigami

"Reinforcements?" Rōjūrō narrowed his eyes, studying the two glowing figures before him.

One of them shone notably brighter than the other. Had evildoers grown so brazen?

The Soul Society had truly fallen into corruption!

"Don't misunderstand — I don't know him." Aizen shook his head, quickly distancing himself from the other person.

The newcomer's entrance speech alone made Aizen want to dissociate from him. It was far too embarrassing.

If the situation weren't so dire, he would have kept his distance from this guy.

Akira: "?"

"Hey hey, why so cold? At such a crucial moment, I, your dear brother, came rushing to your rescue — and not only are you ungrateful, you're spouting such cruel words. Isn't that a bit harsh?"

Aizen: "..."

The person wasn't the problem - it was just that he had a mouth on him.

If Akira kept talking, Aizen might just switch sides and join what could only be called a well-deserved group beating of this guy.

Takeda's expression darkened as his armor-clad body glided across the swamp-like ground, moving faster than flash steps.

He hadn't exaggerated — after releasing his Bankai, he truly embodied the title Master of the Land.

"Rōjūrō, stay alert." He arrived at his companion's side, his gaze fixed on the two figures before them, "They're powerful."

Rōjūrō nodded, gripping his golden whip as the Kinshara bloomed at its tip, radiating an elegant yet lethal aura.

As one of the few Seated Officers to master Bankai, his power was formidable. Even the stern Lieutenant Tetsuzaemon Iba had praised him repeatedly, declaring him worthy of captaincy.

Their side now boasted two Captain-class Shinigami against one Vice-Captain and one high-ranked Seated Officer.

The advantage was theirs!

This thought bolstered Rōjūrō's confidence, and even his Kinshara seemed to respond, writhing through the air like a serpent, emanating deadly intent.

"Captain, I happen to specialize in illusions. Allow me to handle this killer."

Hearing this, Takeda glanced sideways at his confident expression and gave a subtle nod.

It was just as well — he couldn't deal with that guy himself, so he might as well let Rōjūrō try. If he succeeded in killing him, those secrets would stay buried forever.

Rōjūrō launched the first attack.

Heavy Reiatsu poured down, making the battlefield's air viscous and sluggish.

As someone who had mastered Bankai, his Reiatsu was indeed formidable — at least he wasn't the weakest among the four present.

Rōjūrō raised his arm, Reiatsu gathering at his wrist, as the Kinshara whipped forward, slicing through the thick air like paper.

Aizen dodged with Shunpo, the ground cracking as stones and earth sprayed upward in a spectacular display.

"Quick reactions." Rōjūrō praised, "But I'm quicker!"

Before his words faded, the dancing whip lashed repeatedly toward Aizen's position, filling the air with explosive sounds.

The two fought while retreating, quickly leaving the battlefield's center.

Only Takeda and Akira remained in the area.

"Admirable courage." Takeda wasted no more words, immediately manipulating the earth to attack the motionless newcomer.

Countless warriors molded from earth emerged, charging forward as the ground trembled beneath them.

This time, Akira didn't rush in recklessly. Against these human wave tactics, he'd let them taste his mage's soul.

⤫ Hadō #31: Shakkahō ⥤ Red Fire Cannon! ⤬

Hearing the Kidō spell, a mocking smile formed beneath Takeda's mask.

Though these earth warriors had limited offensive power, their defense was formidable — even matching Gillians in strength. A mere Shakkahō couldn't break through—

BOOM!

Scorching flames exploded, sending dust and severed earthen limbs flying before they crumbled back to soil.

"Is that all?" Akira sneered, casually blowing away a wisp of white smoke from his fingertip.

He wasn't sure about others' Hadō strength, but when it came to Byakurai, Shakkahō, and Sōkatsui, even Aizen couldn't match him.

Thanks to his Kidō pattern inscriptions, he could use these three Hadō spells as basic attacks, layering another Shakkahō atop the original. Combined with his Kidō Mastery Trait, its superior power was only natural.

Takeda stood stunned, baffled by the extraordinary power of this Hadō.

Recalling the masterful Kidō techniques from their earlier chase, he wondered if these two were Kidō Corps members.

Before he could ponder further, the earth surged like waves as fresh warriors rose from the soil, joining the assault.

Takeda's vicious smile returned, "You don't understand the true power of the Daichi no Shihaisha! As long as I have spiritual pressure, my warriors will emerge endlessly until every enemy lies dead!"

"Then why didn't you kill Sō—that guy from earlier?" Akira asked, catching himself before revealing his friend's name.

Takeda froze, his expression darkening as he raised his hand.

"Attack!"

If you can't solve the problem, eliminate the one who raised it.

The warriors surged forward en masse, the ground quaking beneath their advance as power built to its crescendo. Though formed of earth, their armor rang with an eerily metallic clamor as they charged.

Seeing this, Akira raised his right hand like a true mage, gathering orbs of flame that hung in the air around him under his precise control.

⤫ Hadō #?: Shakkahō Ame ⥤ Red Fire Cannon, Rain!

Under Takeda's astonished gaze, Shakkahō rained down like meteors.

In an instant, explosions erupted as flames met earth, stirring up clouds of dust. The warrior army's advance halted abruptly, their front ranks engulfed in flames and reduced to scorched earth that merged back into the ground.

Takeda couldn't comprehend it.

Where had these two glowing figures come from, and why were they both so absurd?

The previous one was understandable — Zanpakutō abilities could be strange and unpredictable. But this one hadn't even drawn his sword and had completely annihilated the warrior army with mere Hadō.

With such extraordinary Kidō prowess, how could he claim not to be from the Kidō Corps?!

The human wave tactics were useless, but he could still engage in close combat.

Countless layers of earth surged up from below, covering and reinforcing his already impenetrable armor. A massive pillar of light erupted from his body, shooting skyward as heavy Reiatsu descended!

In the next instant, Takeda crushed the warriors blocking his path. His dark gray armor trembled as he thunderously advanced.

Reiatsu surged within the armor, wild power bursting forth, propelling the indestructible heavy armor forward with explosive booms. Howling gales whipped up in its wake.

Akira furrowed his brow, trying several Shakkahō against it, but they only left faint white marks. The defensive power of this earthen armor was terrifying.

In that moment of hesitation, Takeda flash-stepped forward, wielding his earth-encased Zanpakutō — now resembling a greatsword — as he brought it crashing down!

The air strained as shock waves curled around the blade.

Bang!

Akira drew his sword to counter, responding with a reverse diagonal slash. As their blades met, wild power exploded outward.

After a brief standoff, he found himself completely overwhelmed, his feet carving deep furrows in the shattered earth. That brief clash contained truly terrifying power.

Akira was stunned — this was his first time encountering an opponent who could overpower him like this.

Unlike Ansai Tsunayashiro, Captain Takeda Chishi of the 3rd Division was far stronger. He gave no chance to catch breath.

Takeda knew his situation well — if he couldn't take down all three of them here, his secret conspiracy with the Tsunayashiro would eventually come to light.

So, end this quickly!

With this thought, he again exploded with incredible speed. The earth itself seemed to propel him, bringing him before Akira in an instant as he raised his greatsword to slash downward.

Sparks flew as the most intense battle unfolded!

"Die!" Takeda spoke as if stating fact, his earthen-yellow Reiatsu wrapping around his armor like burning flames as he launched forward.

Responding to him was the Death Slayer Style inherited from the first Kenpachi.

Akira's taut body was like a drawn bowstring, powerful Reiatsu flowing continuously and creating wave-like patterns as erratic energy burst from his blade.

What followed was the sharp crack of arcing electricity, like storm clouds before rain.

Boom!!

When greatsword and blade-light intersected, a thunderous roar echoed through the forest.

Complete domination!

Takeda sneered, "Is this all the power you have? Then die!"

As his words fell, an even more violent offensive instantly unfolded. The gravity intensified, and Akira suddenly found breathing difficult.

The power gap was immense. This opponent far surpassed Ansai — not just in raw Reiatsu, but in battle experience. They existed in entirely different realms of strength.

Takeda brought his sword down like a hammer, a brutal downward strike that brooked no ceremony.

Akira raised his blade to defend, but the overwhelming force shattered through his desperate guard.

The shock waves exploded outward as his body hurtled back like a cannonball, smashing into a distant mountainside in a cloud of debris.

"That must have finished him." Takeda muttered.

Just as he prepared to aid Rōjūrō, purple flames erupted from the collapsed slope.

A figure emerged through the dust cloud. Purple flames blazed across his form, sweat rising as steam from his exposed torso, muscles rippling beneath the mist like molten steel.

⤫ Denkaen Henkō ⥤ Electric Flame Transformation! ⤬

Akira exhaled deeply, his breath hot as purple flames and white lightning, powered by Reiatsu, engulfed him once more.

"So it's you." Takeda's brow furrowed, "I never expected that you, a disciple of the Genryū Style, would stoop to conspiring with a murderer of innocent souls."

Akira grinned at these words, "Save your righteous principles. When choosing between strangers and friends, I'll always choose my friends!"

As he spoke, he burst forward with incredible speed, leaving Takeda stunned. Enhanced by his transformation, he plummeted like a meteor toward the armored figure below.

Wild power surged through his body like magma. Purple flames scorched the marshy ground, wreathing him like a rising sun as he radiated violent light.

With a thunderous crack that split the air, fierce winds whirling dust around him as purple flames closed in on Takeda—

⤫ Genshiki-ryū: Ikkotsu ⥤ Origin Style: Single Bone! ⤬

Upon discovering his opponent's true identity, Takeda's caution gave way to contempt, reaching its peak when he saw him abandon a Shinigami's sacred Zanpakutō for mere hand-to-hand combat.

But the moment fist met armor, his expression transformed to shock.

Boom!!

Sharp cracks rang out against the supposedly impenetrable shell as Takeda went flying backward, shock waves rippling across the ground in concentric circles.

He crashed hard into the marsh, mud exploding several meters skyward!

Having landed the strike, Akira pressed his advantage, shattering the ground as he transformed into a beam of light in pursuit of his foe.

⤫ Raikō Shunpo ⥤ Lightning Flash Steps ⤬

Black waves surged across the ground as countless fist shadows crashed down.

⤫ Genshiki-ryū: Ikkotsu ⥤ Origin Style: Single Bone! ⤬

⤫ Genshiki-ryū: Ikkotsu ⥤ Origin Style: Single Bone! ⤬

⤫ Genshiki-ryū: Ikkotsu ⥤ Origin Style: Single Bone! ⤬

…

He became a tireless pile driver, targeting Takeda's position and unleashing everything he had, each punch an Ikkotsu.

Cracks spread across the dark gray armor, threatening to shatter at any moment. His finger bones screamed under the strain.

Seizing this moment, Takeda's face twisted with madness as he commanded the mud waves to engulf the burning figure, unleashing the earth's full power with a deafening crack.

"This is the end, brat!"

The earth writhed, dragging Akira down and burying him as crushing pressure bore down, pinning his every movement.

Takeda stood atop the surging mud waves, wearing a victor's smile, "You could never comprehend the power of the earth!"

Looking up at the towering figure, Akira frowned.

He was in a deadly predicament...

Takeda spread his fingers, channeling his power as the earth compressed around his enemy's body.

Akira refused to resign himself to death, his Reiatsu being squeezed until it approached its limit.

Yet somehow, even at death's door, an inexplicable joy filled his heart.

As if he had grown once again...

⤫⤬⤫

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