BLEACH: SURVIVAL SYSTEM

Snowflakes materialized out of thin air, and the moment they touched Akira, they began to freeze him rapidly.

"This level of instantaneous freezing spreads across the entire body. Even with your abilities, melting it without injuring yourself would be impossible, wouldn't it?"

Hitsugaya Tōshirō sneered, his piercing gaze locked onto Akira. He wanted to see fear—panic—in the eyes of the man who had crushed them so effortlessly. But there was nothing.

All he saw was indifference.

"How ridiculous. Do you really think I'm going all out just to deal with you?"

"What?"

Hitsugaya's expression shifted in shock as Akira's entire body erupted with crackling thunder. Bolts of electricity surged outward, shattering the encroaching snowflakes and ice.

"200 Million Volts: Thor!"

A deafening roar accompanied the eruption of a colossal thunder god's form surrounding Akira.

"Damn it!" Hitsugaya's face darkened. "Soi Fon, attack now!"

"I know!"

Soi Fon, drenched in cold sweat, forced out the last reserves of her spiritual power.

"Ohhh! Transcend beyond my limits! Jakuhō Raikōben!"

The second strike of her ultimate missile—an attack that was nearly impossible to evade—was finally unleashed!

"I'm putting everything into this too!" Hitsugaya roared, pouring his remaining strength into Hyōten Hyakkasō, attempting to momentarily restrict Akira's movements—just long enough to ensure Jakuhō Raikōben could land its strike.

But in the face of overwhelming power, all of these efforts were meaningless.

"Why do you assume that only your abilities can manipulate the weather, but I cannot?"

Akira's voice was eerily calm, sending a chill through Hitsugaya and Soi Fon as realization dawned upon them.

"Could it be—?!"

Akira raised a hand toward the darkened sky.

"Within these storm clouds, a thunderstrike has long been brewing. And now, it will descend!"

As his words echoed, an enormous lightning sphere tore through the sky, plummeting directly toward Jakuhō Raikōben's missile.

"Raigō!"

A blinding flash consumed everything.

Then—

"BOOM!!!"

A deafening explosion followed, shaking the battlefield.

"What terrifying power…"

From a distance, several approaching captains halted abruptly, instinctively constructing barriers to contain the immense energy surge.

As the storm dissipated, the scene that emerged was grim—Hitsugaya and Soi Fon lay motionless in a charred crater, barely clinging to life.

"How long has it been since we sensed their battle?"

Jūshirō Ukitake's voice was laced with astonishment. "A minute? Less?"

"No… maybe half a minute at most," Kyoraku Shunsui replied grimly.

To defeat two powerful captains in such a short span of time—if Akira, an enemy of the Gotei 13, possessed such overwhelming strength—then this was nothing short of a catastrophe.

…

That night, Akira arrived at Seireitei's Central 46 Chambers.

This was the residence of the Central 46, the highest judicial authority in Soul Society, and a place where ordinary Shinigami were strictly prohibited from entering. However, following Sōsuke Aizen's massacre of its members, the chambers had become a desolate, abandoned space—an ideal hiding place where Shinigami were unlikely to come.

Akira had chosen this location as a temporary refuge while he awaited today's system lottery draw. He had not only fought two captain-level Shinigami in a life-or-death battle but had also made an enemy of nearly all of the Gotei 13. During the fight, his Observation Haki had clearly detected multiple captains approaching, further increasing the urgency of his situation. The crisis he faced was at an all-time high.

"Today's draw should have a high probability of something good. I hope my luck doesn't fail me!"

Rubbing his hands together, Akira waited until midnight before activating the system lottery. The roulette wheel spun for a few moments before coming to a halt. A reward notification appeared before his eyes.

At first, he was stunned. But then, his expression shifted to one of immense joy.

"This is perfect! It's like receiving a pillow when I'm ready to sleep! If I can master this ability, even Yamamoto Genryūsai won't be able to stop me!"

The next day, within the Gotei 13's meeting hall, the captains who had managed to handle the chaos in Seireitei finally gathered. Most of those who were not seriously injured were present, their faces filled with fury.

"There is no need for me to elaborate," Yamamoto Genryūsai said gravely. "Following Aizen Sōsuke's betrayal, two more captains have now been slaughtered by Akira. This cannot be tolerated."

"This is just like what Tōsen did!" Komamura Sajin growled. "I told you he was the biggest suspect!"

"If I see him again, I'll crush him with my own hands!"

"Kuhuhu~" Kurotsuchi Mayuri chuckled darkly. "His abilities are fascinating. How did he achieve such power?"

"There were multiple traces of lightning damage at the scene. Where did that ability come from? If Hitsugaya and Soi Fon regain consciousness, they might be able to shed some light on it…"

"That's not the point right now, Kurotsuchi!" Komamura snapped.

"Alright, alright," Kyoraku Shunsui said, adjusting his hat. "The most important thing right now is tracking down Akira's movements. Once we find his hiding place or escape route, we will—"

"What a joke, Kyoraku Shunsui."

A calm voice interrupted him. The captains froze, eyes widening in disbelief. That voice… It was impossible.

The one person who should not be here. The one person they least expected.

"A… Akira?!"

Even Yamamoto himself turned his gaze toward the entrance in shock.

There, standing at the threshold of the council hall, was Akira, stepping forward with unwavering confidence—completely unfazed by the danger surrounding him.

His very presence here was an act of open provocation. A declaration of defiance against the Gotei 13.

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