Akira saw Shihouin Yoruichi appear before him, having transformed into a half-human, half-beast state. Cat ears protruded from her head, and multiple feline tails flickered behind her. Her entire body crackled with golden lightning, while her hands and feet bore razor-sharp claws composed of pure electricity. Countless arcs of lightning danced across her form, illuminating the battlefield with flashes of raw power.
This was a derivative form of Shunkō, an advanced technique she had perfected over time. According to Urahara Kisuke, this transformation even surpassed her Shunkō: Raijin Senkei (Thunder God Battle Form) in overall power. However, Yoruichi considered this state too unstable—too feral. That was why she rarely used it.
In this form, Yoruichi lost all rationality, driven purely by instinct. She could no longer understand human speech, acting solely on primal urges. Her Reiatsu fluctuated wildly, changing up to forty-eight times in a single second. But in exchange, her agility increased dramatically, her movements becoming utterly unpredictable—like a true cat. Even the lightning she unleashed was far more destructive than before.
"I see… So this is your strongest form," Akira muttered as his eyes narrowed.
Standing in front of him were Kurosaki Ichigo and Yoruichi, both now significant threats. Ichigo's Hollow-controlled form had reached the level of an elite captain, while Yoruichi, already a formidable captain-level combatant, had unleashed her Senryū Kuro Neko Musume (Flash Thunder Black Cat Maiden). With this transformation, she had surpassed most captains in raw power.
Given Akira's current condition—his energy drained from previous battles and his body suffering from lingering effects—this situation gave them a rare opportunity to strike.
"Tch… What a pain," he muttered. "I didn't want to, but I guess I'll have to deal with you two together."
Whether or not Yoruichi could understand him in her current state, The Hollow let out a hollow laugh before charging forward, eager to reclaim his shattered pride. He would use blood to wash away his shame.
Immediately, two blurs shot toward Akira at astonishing speed.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
Two figures flickered around Akira, moving so fast that afterimages filled the space around him. This was no longer just high-speed movement—it was an onslaught so rapid that dozens, if not hundreds, of overlapping figures seemed to surround him.
It appeared as though countless Hollow and Shihouin Yoruichi clones were attacking him at once.
Yet, Akira remained composed.
His jet-black blade struck out, deflecting incoming attacks.
His azure lightning surged, countering their movements.
Every claw swipe, every blade strike—they failed to penetrate his impenetrable sword defense.
"Damn it!" The Hollow growled in frustration. "Even at full power, we can't land a single hit!?"
But then, his eyes gleamed with realization.
"Wait… His speed is slowing down! His precision is dropping!"
Indeed, although the fight had only just begun, Akira's body was already succumbing to the poison that had been gradually corroding him. Due to his elemental body, what should have been a lethal dose had been suppressed—but even a minor side effect, like dizziness, could prove fatal in battle.
"I didn't expect that I'd still be struggling against them… That in itself is already a failure on my part," Akira thought.
But then, another realization struck him.
Despite his vast arsenal of powerful techniques, he still lacked a truly overwhelming trump card—one decisive move to end a battle instantly.
It could be said that as long as one has attained the strength of a captain-level Shinigami, there exists a possibility of resisting his power.
Among them, a handful of elite warriors can barely hold their ground for a brief moment without immediate defeat.
"My strength... isn't enough," Akira realized with a sharp clarity. "I need to become stronger—more decisive!"
Is there a way for me to evolve to a higher level?
In the depths of his turbulent mind, the insights he had gained from his peak-level fusion talent surged forth in a single moment of enlightenment.
All the inspiration coalesced, manifesting into something new—an evolution in his external techniques.
"The crystallization of my two strongest abilities... the ultimate result—!"
Fire and lightning—two forces of raw, destructive chaos—merged in perfect harmony at this moment.
Both immense energies compressed into Akira's body before erupting outward like a volcanic explosion, their brilliance reflecting in the astonished eyes of the surrounding Hollows and the ever-observant Shihōin Yoruichi.
"Thunderflame Dragon Mode!"
Lightning and fire surged around Akira's form, his reiatsu roaring with newfound might.
"This time... I'll end it quickly!"
His cold gaze locked onto the Hollow before him—then shifted to Yoruichi. Without hesitation, he struck.
"Thunderflame Dragon's Iron Strike!"
With an explosion of flames and electricity, he propelled himself forward at blinding speed—far beyond what most could react to. His fist shot toward Kurosaki Ichigo, who barely had time to raise Tensa Zangetsu in defense.
The combined force of his fire-dragon slayer magic and the power of the Goro Goro no Mi detonated upon impact. The air itself quaked with the collision—
"BOOM!"
This was not simply the sum of two forces—this was devastation incarnate.
The Hollow's mask shattered completely, his entire body sent hurtling hundreds of meters into the sky before crashing down with earth-shaking force.
"Thunderflame Dragon's Roar!"
Akira swiftly turned, his spiritual pressure surging as he channeled the fusion of fire and lightning into his lungs.
A massive torrent of thunder-infused flames erupted forth—ripping through the battlefield, annihilating everything in its wake.
"Whoosh!"
In the blink of an eye, Yoruichi, known as the Flash Goddess for a reason, barely managed to evade using Shunpo, her form vanishing into the surrounding area.
But this was far from over.
Akira maintained his stance, adjusting the trajectory of his breath attack—
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Three buildings on the outskirts of the Repentance Cell were sliced apart by the sheer force of his lightning-fused flames, collapsing into rubble on the spot.
His devastating attack finally caught up to Yoruichi mid-air, striking her head-on and sending her crashing into a distant high-rise.
"Rumble—!!"
The very foundation of the building trembled before caving in, crumbling into ruins beneath a thick cloud of dust and debris—burying Yoruichi alive.
One strike. One decisive kill.
All in an instant.
Visit patreon.com/shirokendama for more chapters