Akira's sarcasm deeply wounded the pride of both captains.
Hitsugaya, originally full of confidence, was stunned. He hadn't expected that after just a few exchanges, he would already be completely suppressed by Akira. What was even more frustrating was that Akira wasn't even taking the fight seriously—it was as if he was merely toying with them.
"I underestimated him… I can't afford to hold back against Akira!"
Soi Fon took a deep breath, steadying herself. The situation was a disgrace to her as well. Her thoughts mirrored Hitsugaya's as they both tightened their grip on their Zanpakutō, pushing their Reiatsu to its limit.
"Bankai—Daiguren Hyōrinmaru!"
"Bankai—Jakuhō Raikōben!"
They had no choice but to go all out against Akira.
"This Bankai is too flashy for covert assassinations and goes against the dignity of the Onmitsukidō. Normally, I wouldn't resort to it…" Soi Fon admitted coldly. "But you've left me no choice! I'll make you pay for this humiliation!"
Akira scoffed. "What a joke. If you don't want to use it, then don't. Blaming others for your own weaknesses—do you even have a brain?"
Soi Fon's fury ignited. "Very well… I've made up my mind. I won't capture you—I'll kill you!"
"What?!" Hitsugaya was taken aback. "Wait, that goes against our orders—"
"Hitsugaya! Stop spouting nonsense!" Soi Fon snapped, glaring at him. "Do you think we have time to debate whether to kill or capture him?! Against someone like Akira, we could lose at any moment if we don't give it our all!"
Hitsugaya clenched his teeth. As much as he hated to admit it, she was right. Akira's power far exceeded expectations—hesitation could cost them everything.
"Alright," Hitsugaya said grimly. "Do you have a plan?"
Soi Fon's expression darkened. "I can only use this technique once every three days, but its power is absolute."
"Jakuhō Raikōben condenses two-hit kills into a single devastating strike. If I land a direct hit, Akira will die on the spot."
Hitsugaya instantly understood. "So you have a guaranteed finishing move, and my role is to immobilize him for you?"
"Exactly. I need you to pin him down."
"Got it."
Without another word, Hitsugaya surged forward, unleashing his second most powerful technique after Bankai.
"Millennium Ice Prison!"
Massive pillars of ice erupted from the atmosphere, rapidly encasing Akira, freezing him in place while continuously closing in.
"This is your chance!" Hitsugaya called out.
Soi Fon took aim with Jakuhō Raikōben, locking onto her immobilized target.
"Fire!"
With a deafening roar, Jakuhō Raikōben's devastating missile shot forth, tearing through the air toward Akira, engulfing everything in a massive explosion. The shockwave sent debris flying in all directions as the battlefield was consumed in smoke and destruction.
Even in mid-air, Soi Fon stared at the Millennium Ice Prison, ready to relish her victory.
But in her field of vision, the interior of the massive frozen construct suddenly erupted with a golden light!
"Excalibur—!"
With a single, resounding slash, the enormous glacial structure of the Millennium Ice Prison was split cleanly in two.
"What?!"
The unstoppable golden blade surged forward, cutting through Hitsugaya's hastily formed ice wall before striking him amidst the falling ice shards.
"Excalibur—!"
Akira didn't pause for even a moment—his second Noble Phantasm strike was already bearing down on Jakuhō Raikōben. He wasn't certain whether this "one-hit kill" ability functioned against elemental-based entities, so he decided to intercept it mid-flight!
"Boom!!!"
The impact of light and missile collided in the sky, generating a massive explosion that sent shockwaves rippling outward.
Amidst the chaotic aftermath, Hitsugaya barely managed to stabilize himself, channeling his power to freeze the blood flowing from his abdomen.
"Had that strike not been weakened along the way, I might've been cut in half…" he muttered, his breath ragged.
Soi Fon's face twisted in despair. She had already unleashed her deadliest techniques, yet they had proved ineffective.
"Thank you for devising this strategy," Akira said coldly. "But in the face of my holy sword, which can burn the very earth, freezing me is meaningless!"
"Now, it's my turn to counterattack."
As his words fell, his entire body transformed into a roaring storm of thunder.
"Boom—rumble…!"
The sky crackled with electricity as Akira fully unleashed the power of the Goro Goro no Mi, moving at extreme speed while hunting down Hitsugaya and Soi Fon.
"Move!"
Hitsugaya, alarmed, had no choice but to turn and flee, defending himself alongside Soi Fon.
"Shunko!"
Soi Fon activated her strongest combat technique. Originally meant for overwhelming attacks, she was now forced to use it purely for survival.
Only by doing so could she and Hitsugaya avoid instant death at Akira's hands.
Three figures weaved rapidly through the sky, but only two bore wounds—Hitsugaya and Soi Fon.
"Shh! Shh! Shh! Shh! Shh! Shh! Shh! Shh!"
The combination of the Sword of Promised Victory and Akira's lightning-fast slashes overwhelmed them completely, inflicting fresh wounds with every passing second.
At this moment, clad in lightning and wielding the sacred sword, Akira seemed like an unstoppable god of war—thunder incarnate!
"No!" Soi Fon, now covered in injuries, was the first to halt. "If this continues, we'll be dead in seconds!"
"We have to fight back—this is our only chance!" She clenched her fists. "I'll put everything I have into this final strike!"
"Then I'll use my strongest move too," Hitsugaya replied, his bloodied face filled with determination. "Seize the opportunity!"
With that, he stopped running. Instead, he charged forward.
"Ryūsenka!"
Hyōrinmaru clashed violently with the Sword of Promised Victory, sending massive shards of ice surging forward in the shape of a cross.
"It's useless!"
The sacred sword in Akira's hands flared with blinding light, its heat rapidly melting the ice.
Hitsugaya, however, merely gave a faint, knowing smile.
"I know it's useless… but all this time, you've been melting more and more of my ice, haven't you?"
The battle had been short, yet Akira's own attacks had inadvertently filled the air with moisture. Even Hitsugaya's frozen wings had evaporated into mist.
And all of this… was the cost needed for Hitsugaya's trump card.
The ultimate technique of Daiguren Hyōrinmaru—
"Hyakuhachijū Ichi no Shō—Sōten ni Zase, Hyōten Hyakkasō!"
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