Bleach: The Strongest Shinigami

At the Tsunayashiro estate.

A figure crept slowly down the dark shrine corridor.

As he approached the main door, two blades flashed with cold steel before him, aimed at his vital points.

"The family shrine is forbidden!" The words rang out mechanically, devoid of emotion.

The man made no reply. The crisp sound of a sword being drawn echoed through the corridor, and in an instant, the guardian Shinigami fell lifeless.

Stepping through the pooling blood, the man pushed open the shrine's doors with deliberate slowness.

His gaze fell upon the Zanpakutō enshrined on the altar, and his lips curled into a smile that mixed satisfaction with naked contempt.

"You fools will pay for your actions. I, the lowest ranked, shall become the final guardian of the Tsunayashiro name. This world grows more interesting by the moment..."

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At the Kuchiki mansion.

Waves of indigo Reiatsu erupted as Kōga Kuchiki dominated the battlefield. None could oppose him — all who stood in his path fell. Bodies littered the ground, painting it crimson.

From his vantage point, Ginrei Kuchiki watched the scene with an impassive face, though his sharp eyes betrayed a flicker of thought.

Through the sounds of rending flesh, a whisper barely reached the air:

"Kōga..."

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At the Shihōin mansion.

The scene was littered with corpses, though the battle had ended faster than at the other locations.

The dump truck finally halted after running over the last person.

In the Onmitsukidō, a petite figure stared intently at Akira in the field. She recognized him.

He was the one who had attacked them in the Rukongai, snatched Yoruichi away in broad daylight, and left their Onmitsukidō members to take the blame.

As for Yoruichi's cooperation with him in this display, the girl refused to acknowledge that detail.

In Suì-Fēng's heart, Lady Yoruichi was perfection incarnate — the only one she admired, longed for, and desired.

Even if the world was wrong, Lady Yoruichi could never be!

Someone must have threatened her to cause that scene in the Rukongai. Yes, that had to be it!

Through this self-deception, the girl became convinced of her theory. If not for the poor timing, she would have already drawn her sword. Anyone who threatened Yoruichi had no right to exist.

But as Suì-Fēng dwelled on these thoughts, an agile figure leaped down from a nearby rooftop, flash-stepped to Akira's side, and — ignoring the blood staining him — heartily patted his shoulder while laughing.

"Haha, Akira, just as expected! At this rate, even if the Tsunayashiro clan survives, they'll be half-crippled. We won't need to act — those parasitic vassals alone will devour what remains of the weakened Tsunayashiro!"

The Five Noble Houses' discord was nothing new. Even clans like the Shiba, who had abandoned power struggles, were often targeted — let alone the Shihōin.

The Tsunayashiro were undoubtedly among the main aggressors.

Watching their intimate interaction, Suì-Fēng's body trembled. Her pupils dilated as she turned ashen, her life's ideals crumbling before her.

She could only murmur, "Impossible, impossible..."

After confirming everyone had been subdued, Akira turned to Yoruichi and said, "I'll leave the battlefield cleanup to you. Ansai Tsunayashiro went to Squad One to deal with old man Yamamoto — I'll go see if I can get in a few extra cuts."

Without waiting for her response, he flash-stepped away from the battlefield.

Yoruichi attempted to follow, but a towering figure blocked her path.

Marenoshin pleaded humbly, "Lady Yoruichi, please don't cause any more trouble with that boy. The Onmitsukidō and Shihōin have already suffered serious casualties..."

Hearing this, Yoruichi pouted and replied with resignation, "Fine, we'll clean up the battlefield first. Take the survivors to the prison cells — I'll interrogate them personally."

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At the 1st Division.

BOOM!

A figure shot out like a meteor, slamming into the ground and carving a massive crater. Clouds of dust billowed tens of meters high.

The ground shattered, with cracks spreading like a spider's web across the entire barracks and into the surrounding streets.

Ansai struggled to his feet from the crater, his luxurious noble garments in tatters, bones broken, blood coating his body.

Yet despite these grave injuries, he didn't die. Instead, he began healing at an incredible rate — broken bones knitting together and wounds sealing shut before their eyes.

More terrifying still, with each wound healed, his Reiatsu surged higher. From merely 3rd Class initially, his power now approached 1st Class levels.

Even among the current Captains, such power would be formidable. The current Akira wouldn't dare face him directly.

Yet when Ansai saw the figure emerging from the dust, he couldn't stop his body from trembling.

A crushing Reiatsu — like the weight of the heavens — blanketed several kilometers, its fearsome waves of power pulsing outward.

With each measured step, the very air quaked!

The temperature rose without limit, melting everything nearby. Even the ground seemed to groan in agony.

No division members dared approach — even the dispersing heat waves proved too much for ordinary Shinigami to bear.

Genryūsai stood holding Ryūjin Jakka, watching the figure in the crater with calm eyes, waiting for his next move. The scene perfectly demonstrated why he held the title "Strongest Shinigami".

"As expected of Captain-Commander Yamamoto." Ansai forced down his rising fear with a fierce smile, "Indeed, this meager power isn't nearly enough to defeat a monster of your caliber."

At these words, Genryūsai slightly narrowed his eyes, closely watching his opponent's every move.

Under Genryūsai's gaze, Ansai grabbed his tattered collar and ripped off his upper haori, revealing his blood-stained body.

Akira, who had just arrived, stared wide-eyed at the sight.

In the center of Ansai's chest was a black jewel, emanating faint light and an inviolable powerful pressure.

"Hiss—" The young man drew in a sharp breath, "The Hōgyoku?!"

But he quickly dismissed the thought.

Though the jewel resembled the Hōgyoku he remembered, careful observation revealed an overwhelmingly powerful force — one that felt familiar, something he encountered almost daily.

This had to be the Soul King's power.

Before Ansai could harness more power, Genryūsai struck. He raised his sword, and a sharp blade of light flashed across the sky.

A pillar of scorching flames rushed down, engulfing the figure in the crater.

⤫ Jōkaku Enjō ⥤ Fortress Blaze! ⤬

From the blade's descent, Ryūjin Jakka's swing unleashed violent heat waves that formed a fierce tornado of flame walls, roaring through the ruins.

The ground shattered with continuous rumbling as apocalyptic destruction consumed everything.

Even from the distant barracks, observers could see the terrifying flames shooting skyward from the 1st Division.

Akira's expression changed as he flash-stepped away without hesitation, moving so fast he left afterimages.

Though reckless by nature, he wasn't foolish enough to get caught in the old man's attack. The terrifying heat alone — capable of distorting space — filled him with awe.

This was no training exercise. Genryūsai had unleashed his killing intent without restraint, his all-consuming heat making even the bravest tremble.

The flame walls converged in endless waves of energy, with the crater at their center. The flames, capable of destroying everything in their path, radiated visible patterns that distorted the surrounding space.

The battlefield seemed frozen in time.

Then the fierce flames erupted — the barracks buildings collapsed with a thunderous roar, and the world snapped back into motion. Everything in sight had turned to ashes.

"Powerful, so powerful indeed!" Akira's face showed a fawning smile as he flash-stepped to Genryūsai's side.

The heat waves that followed made him furrow his brows, though he quickly adapted.

"As expected of Captain-Commander Yamamoto, defeating the traitor Ansai Tsunayashiro in one strike, saving Soul Society from disaster—"

Before he could finish his fawning praise, Genryūsai frowned and kicked the chattering disciple flying.

BOOM!

A crimson shockwave struck where he had stood, engulfing the space. Flames rolled upward, wrapping around Genryūsai's figure, leaving him untouched by the attack.

Climbing out of the ruins, Akira saw the old man was unharmed and let out a brief sigh of relief.

"His swagger is still intact, no big deal."

From the dust emerged Ansai, surrounded by an overwhelmingly dominant pressure.

He had undergone an earth-shattering transformation from his initial appearance. To be precise, he no longer looked human.

Under the influence of the Soul King's power and the Artificial Soul technology, white bone material seeped from his pores, covering him like armor.

Genryūsai cautiously observed him, brows deeply furrowed.

Even when his opponent first released his Reiatsu, he had sensed something unusual. These changes only confirmed his suspicions.

Gaining power isn't achieved overnight — any shortcuts inevitably carry their price.

Though Ansai was now dozens of times stronger, his appearance had become grotesquely twisted, resembling a humanoid Hollow more than a Shinigami.

A trace of pity flickered in Genryūsai's eyes.

How lamentable. I shall end your suffering.

Just as he raised Ryūjin Jakka to unleash a full-power Taimatsu (Torch) and finish his opponent, another figure moved with lightning speed.

Akira descended from the sky in a flash, landing before Ansai with confidence.

"Lord Tsunayashiro, allow me to send you on your final journey!"

Blood-red eyes fixed upon the youth as Ansai's insect-like voice rasped, "You betray me?"

Akira grinned, "I had no choice before, but now I want to be a good person."

Seeing the youth's expression, even the foolish Ansai realized he had been deceived — this person had ulterior motives from the moment he joined the Tsunayashiro faction.

"Using the Artificial Soul technology to gain my trust was truly the most foolish decision."

He spread his claw-like fingers wide, the air itself tearing with a terrifying sound.

"Having merged completely with the Soul King's power, I am invincible! This power surpasses all imagination — it is supreme, capable of creating worlds and destroying everything!"

His deafening roar echoed.

"You know nothing, you pitiful fools blinded to the truth!"

Before he could finish, Ansai burst forth with blinding speed, instantly closing the distance and swinging his claws at Akira!

CLANG!

Metal clashed against metal, sending sparks flying from the blade.

With no time for further banter, the massive difference in Reiatsu overwhelmed what little advantage Akira held in his Spiritual Body.

An overwhelming force surged through the Zanpakutō. Akira was instantly blown away, streaking across the sky like a meteor before crashing into the ruins.

"Behold the difference in our power." Ansai laughed contemptuously, having swatted Akira aside like an insect. His confidence, shattered by Genryūsai earlier, had returned in full.

It wasn't that he was weak — it was simply that the old Shinigami was too powerful. Against any other opponent, this battle would have been utterly one-sided.

Yet just as he prepared to challenge Genryūsai again, Ansai felt his Reiatsu rapidly declining. Like an ebbing tide, his power visibly drained away.

"My power..." Ansai cried out in fear. His eyes fell upon the youth who had flash-stepped back into view, "It was you?"

"That's right, it was me!" Akira declared shamelessly, "You couldn't even spot the flaws in the Artificial Soul technology — your wisdom isn't half of mine!"

Hearing this assessment, Genryūsai fell silent beside them.

Though Ansai had been blinded by power and couldn't think straight, wasn't this insult a bit too harsh?

"Kisaragi, you deserve to die!"

Ansai released a piercing roar, channeling his remaining Reiatsu until his entire body blazed with a final, desperate light. He launched himself forward.

Watching the incoming fist, Akira's eyes lit up with battle spirit burning in his chest as he laughed wildly.

"Bring it on! This is how a real Shinigami should be!"

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