Bankai

"I won't waste too much of your time."

A simple sentence.

Yet for some reason, it really pissed Kensei off.

Why?

It wasn't an insult. It wasn't a threat. Just a casual remark.

And yet, something about it irked him in a way he couldn't quite explain.

Suppressing his irritation, Kensei maintained a cautious stance, his sharp eyes scanning the masked figure before him.

No defining features. No recognizable voice—distorted beyond gender.

Standard-issue shihakushō, with no additional accessories.

Height? About 180 cm. Slim.

Damn it.

That could describe thousands of Soul Reapers.

Even if he only considered active-duty officers, it would still be an impossible task to narrow it down.

And that's assuming this guy doesn't have some kind of ability to disguise himself…

That thought made Kensei's annoyance grow even stronger.

The bastard wasn't making any moves.

But just standing here was pointless.

The longer they stalled, the more likely reinforcements would arrive.

Which meant—he had to force the fight.

His lips curled into a sharp grin.

"Oi, you cowardly piece of shit."

His deep voice cut through the silent night.

"Let's tear this place apart."

The atmosphere froze.

And then—

The air collapsed in on itself, sucked inward before violently reversing course.

All of it rushed toward Kensei's body.

"Obliterate."

Kazeshini.

The blade left its sheath, vanishing into the storm of wind and dust.

At that same moment—

From a distant, hidden location—

Aizen and Tōsen stood side by side, watching.

Tōsen's brows furrowed with concern.

"Aizen-sama… Are you certain Arima can handle this?"

Aizen merely smiled.

"There's no need to worry, Tōsen."

He adjusted his glasses, his voice brimming with quiet confidence.

"Seiya's growth does not end here."

"No matter how dangerous the situation, it will only serve as nourishment for him."

"Just watch."

"This sapling is still growing into a mighty tree."

—

Kensei vanished.

The masked figure didn't hesitate.

He turned his head just slightly—then raised his blade.

A thin hiss split the air.

And then—

A dagger shot out from the swirling winds, aimed directly at his blind spot.

It was fast.

The wind itself seemed to push Kensei forward, closing the distance in an instant.

But—

He wasn't too fast to react to.

Seiya twisted his sword, meeting the blade with his own.

Metal clashed against metal—

And then—

An explosion.

BOOM!

The moment the blades touched, something ignited at the tip of Kensei's dagger.

Seiya's eyes narrowed.

This is…

Kensei smirked.

"Did you think blocking was enough?"

"How naive, dumbass."

Kazeshini could control wind—its trajectory forming razor-sharp threads of reiatsu.

Anything that came into contact with those threads detonated.

By infusing his blade with his reiatsu, Kensei turned even a simple stab into a devastating explosion.

The air compressed—then violently expanded.

Seiya's stance broke.

His sword wasn't knocked away, but his grip faltered.

That slight opening was all Kensei needed.

He was calm. Cold.

Once the fight started, he discarded all unnecessary emotions.

"You lost your footing."

"This is what happens when you underestimate me."

"Go reflect on your stupidity in hell."

He closed in.

Right arm pulling back—

Reiatsu surged to his fist.

Bright energy flared as he compressed it into a single point—

His strongest technique.

"Bakudan Totsugeki!"

—

The punch landed.

Flesh. Bone. Organs.

They didn't just break.

They disintegrated.

Half of Seiya's body erupted into bloody shreds.

A perfect, clean hit.

Kensei… didn't smile.

Because he could still feel it.

The reiatsu hadn't faded.

Even as his attack obliterated its target—

The spiritual pressure remained—unchanged.

Like a steady, unwavering heartbeat.

Not a single hint of pain or fear.

Kensei narrowed his eyes.

What the hell…?

He landed lightly, his eyes darting across the battlefield.

And then—

A short distance away—

A familiar shape began to reform.

Not one.

Two.

Two identical figures, standing side by side.

The left one took a step forward.

"Wow. You really don't hold back, huh?"

The right one shifted into a defensive stance.

"Coming in with a full-power attack right from the start…"

The left one leaned forward.

"If I had been a little slower, I'd be pieces right now."

The right one nodded.

"Guess I still have a lot to learn."

Their voices overlapped—echoing unnaturally.

Like stereo audio, bouncing between left and right channels.

Kensei's brow twitched.

He scoffed.

"If you're so eager to train, why don't you drop the damn mask?"

He cracked his knuckles, shifting into a wider stance.

"And that stupid voice filter."

"How the hell am I supposed to tell if you're a guy or a girl?"

With a sharp gesture, he waved them forward.

"Come on."

"I'll train you myself."

He couldn't identify the masked figure.

But that didn't matter.

Not anymore.

His instincts had already figured out the important part.

"This guy's tough."

"Physical attacks don't work.

"I'll have to get creative."

That was fine.

There was a simple solution.

More power.

He exhaled slowly.

"Alright, last chance."

"If you surrender now, I'll consider taking it easy on you."

Silence.

And then—

"Sorry, no can do."

Kensei smirked.

"Yeah, I figured."

With a roll of his shoulders, he loosened his muscles.

Then, with deliberate slowness—

He removed his haori.

The wind howled around him.

Reiatsu spiked.

Then—

"Let's go wild, shall we?"

BOOM.

A shockwave tore through the battlefield.

Tōsen, watching from a distance, instinctively took a step back, gripping a nearby pillar to steady himself.

"This pressure…"

"It's like the entire Seireitei is shaking."

Aizen's lips curled.

"A marvelous display, don't you think?"

Kensei's voice rang out, powerful and clear—

"BANKAI!"

"Tekkensu Kazeshini!"

The wind itself seemed to scream.

A monstrous storm exploded outward, consuming everything in its path.

From the distance, Seiya sighed.

"…All that information I just gathered?"

"Completely useless now."

At his side, a voice rumbled with amusement.

"Then perhaps it's time to stop holding back, don't you think?"

Seiya exhaled.

"Yeah… I guess you're right."

Slowly—deliberately—

He reversed his grip on his sword.

The chain wrapped around his wrist snapped apart, dissolving into faint blue light.

His voice was soft—

Barely above a whisper.

"Bankai."

"Sāgara Ryū: Ikka."

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Powerstones?

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