Chapter 179 – 179 ⥤ The Remarkable Progress of the 11th Division

After some time, Akira regained consciousness at the respawn point.

The familiar 4th Division barracks greeted him with its pungent disinfectant smell mixed with a subtle fragrance. The ward felt warmer than outside, as if heated by a furnace.

Without looking up, he knew Unohana and a short-tempered white-bearded old man were watching over him.

“Stop pretending if you’re awake.” Genryūsai’s voice came from beside him, “Your acting skills are thousands of years too early to fool this old man. What exactly happened at the Eleventh Division’s back mountain? Was there an enemy invasion? Or perhaps…”

Unohana explained the situation gently.

Only then did Akira grasp the magnitude of what he’d caused — a mushroom cloud visible throughout Seireitei had completely leveled the 11th Division’s back mountain. If Kisuke hadn’t reinforced the barracks with the strongest building materials beforehand, the blast wave would have destroyed them all.

Genryūsai watched the young man lying in the hospital bed, his half-closed eyes thoughtful.

He had believed Akira had matured, learned to appreciate his elders’ hardships, and understood the challenges of managing the vast Gotei 13. That’s why he had remained quiet.

But this kid had been planning something significant.

When he felt the explosion’s shockwave, Genryūsai feared the Lichtreich had returned. He crushed his teacup and rushed to the back mountain like a falling sun.

There, he found only a standing, charred humanoid figure that refused to collapse.

When he questioned the two present, another surprise awaited. Neither Kisuke nor Mayuri, both covered in dirt and ash, would reveal anything — their faces practically spelled out “loyalty”.

“Captain-Commander, you should ask the Captain directly.” Kisuke said, his expression pained, “Some things are not convenient to explain.”

Genryūsai didn’t press further. He simply carried his unconscious disciple to the 4th Division, where emergency treatment quickly stabilized his injuries.

“Actually, it has to do with Kisuke.” Akira said, sitting up against the headboard. Without hesitation, he betrayed his comrade, “He’s the Lieutenant I transferred from the Second Division. He’s a scientist, second only to me in intelligence in the Eleventh Division, and skilled at developing all sorts of strange things. The newly built barracks are his handiwork. Recently, under my guidance, he developed something called the ‘Tenshintai’ — an invention that helps Shinigami quickly achieve Bankai.”

Under their surprised gazes, he briefly explained the function of the Tenshintai.

After listening, Unohana remarked in surprise, “I never imagined such an amazing thing existed. This Kisuke Urahara is truly talented.”

Genryūsai narrowed his eyes, studying the young man in the hospital bed intently while cutting through his nonsense to grasp the key points.

From his experience, though the Tenshintai was remarkable, it had clear limitations. To achieve Bankai with it, one needed not only to meet the training requirements but also to have developed trust with their Zanpakutō.

Given this kid’s daily attitude toward his Zanpakutō, success seemed unlikely.

“Kid, have you mastered Bankai then?” Genryūsai asked abruptly.

“Ahem, with my extraordinary talent, of course I have.” Akira declared confidently, maintaining his composure.

“Oh, really?” Genryūsai raised an eyebrow, “Then when your injuries heal, let’s go to Rukongai and try it out, just the two of us. Don’t worry, this old man won’t reveal your Bankai abilities to outsiders.”

At these words, Akira erupted into violent coughing, as if choking.

Meanwhile, Unohana gently patted his back like a caring older sister.

“Well, actually, I haven’t quite mastered it.” He admitted with an embarrassed smile, “Because I didn’t completely defeat Kūkan Mukai.”

In the final battle, after shattering the shell of chains, he caught a glimpse of soft white. Before he could make out what it was, a violent explosion occurred.

Everything went black, and he knew nothing more until he woke at the respawn point.

Yet his mind now held new knowledge about Kūkan Mukai’s Bankai.

Though he couldn’t grasp its specific abilities, he could use Bankai in life-threatening moments.

The real issue seemed to be his current strength — he couldn’t fully master it because he couldn’t withstand the Final Release’s overwhelming power.

Thinking of this, Akira reached for his blade on the nearby table, cradled it in his arms, and began his dramatic performance.

“As expected of my other half, my good brother, you truly care about me. Rest assured, I won’t mistreat you in the future. To prevent you from being hurt again, I’ll use my peerless iron fists to defeat all enemies!”

As his words fell, the blade glowed within its sheath, trembling with reluctance.

Seeing this, he nodded with satisfaction, “No need to thank me, this is what I should do!”

Genryūsai: “…”

Though he couldn’t understand what Kūkan Mukai was expressing, his thousands of years of experience with Zanpakutō suggested the spirit was cursing quite colorfully.

This unruly disciple had mastered all of his Genryū techniques, yet somehow couldn’t learn to get along with his Zanpakutō?

Genryūsai couldn’t understand. He and Ryūjin Jakka had set a perfect example for him to follow, yet Akira, despite his remarkable talent in other areas, simply couldn’t grasp this one thing.

After pondering it, he could only conclude that his disciple was too stubborn to learn from his elders’ wisdom.

Seeing that his foolish student was otherwise unharmed, Genryūsai asked a few more questions before taking his leave.

With Central 46’s members not yet fully appointed, many responsibilities still fell on his shoulders. Yet Genryūsai seemed to relish the work, carrying it out without complaint.

Without interference from Central 46’s corrupt and stubborn bureaucrats, Seireitei’s atmosphere had notably improved. The divisions’ efficiency had increased significantly.

Perhaps, he thought, this arrangement wasn’t so bad after all.

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Akira’s stay in the 4th Division was brief.

Though he had been at the explosion’s epicenter, his robust physique, incredible defense, and high purity level allowed his injuries to heal quickly under proper treatment.

Each midnight, Unohana would take him to soak in the replica Hell Hot Springs. This dual approach ensured even his severe injuries healed rapidly.

Upon returning to his loyal 11th Division, he found the members diligently rebuilding the collapsed sections of the barracks. The burly warriors worked with surprising dedication.

As their Captain passed by, every division member paused their work to bow respectfully.

Despite Akira’s recent absence from public view, his dramatic display had only motivated the Officers to train harder rather than complain about their Lord Magistrate’s inaction.

“Commander, sir!!”

“The great king returns unharmed, still as mighty as ever!”

“Welcome back, Captain!”

Two figures emerged from the crowd: a fierce-looking dog-headed man and a gentle-looking blind man.

Whether due to timeline corrections or natural compatibility, Sajin and Kaname had become close friends despite fate’s changes. They were often seen walking the barracks together.

During a mission, Sajin had adopted a Shiba Inu named “Goro” from Rukongai.

Under the 11th Division’s influence, Goro had learned to perform remarkable feats — wrapping his tail around a sword and drawing blades with his mouth, all with incredible grace.

Impressed by this aptitude, Sajin had decided to train Goro as a fighting dog.

“Commander, sir.” Seeing his Captain, Sajin offered a genuine smile and respectful greeting. His respect for the youth who had changed his life ran deep.

As Akira had promised, the 11th Division never judged by appearances. Here, everyone — from regular members to Seated Officers — valued loyalty, strength, and justice above all.

Of course, justice remained open to interpretation. For Sajin, it meant unwavering loyalty.

“Komamura, Tōsen.” Akira waved, “Perfect timing. It’s been a while — let me see how your training has progressed.”

Now that Las Noches was developing rapidly under Aizen’s control, the 11th Division couldn’t afford to fall behind. How could he face Aizen if Las Noches were to surpass them?

“Nothing would please me more!” Sajin grinned, revealing his beast-like ferocity.

Unlike in the original story, due to Akira’s hands-off leadership style and the 11th Division’s unique culture, the Wolfman had grown far stronger than when they first met, developing an even fiercer presence.

In daily life, however, he remained quite approachable, interacting warmly with other division members. The Seireitei Communication frequently published photos of him — though these submissions were usually categorized under the pet section…

“I would be honored.” Kaname placed his left hand on his sword hilt, smiling in response.

Having achieved his revenge through his Captain, the blind warrior was more cheerful than in the original story.

His connection with Sajin was strengthened by another factor — their shared desire to repay Akira’s kindness. The two were perfectly aligned in this aspect, even secretly forming something like a support group.

Akira remained completely unaware of this.

The three found an intact training ground and immediately took their stances.

Many division members, hearing their Captain would test the newcomers, gathered around to watch. Zaraki was still on his way, having gotten lost.

Sajin and Kaname nodded to each other with perfect coordination, then released their shocking Reiatsu, which materialized as light radiating from their bodies.

“Wow, very impressive!” Akira didn’t hold back his praise, “You’ve already reached the level of Seated Officers. I truly have an eye for talent, discovering two geniuses at once. The Eleventh Division’s growth is assured!”

As the words fell, Sajin launched the first attack, gripping his Zanpakutō with both hands and swinging down with tremendous force.

Akira nodded in satisfaction. Being from the Wolfman Clan, Sajin was naturally gifted, progressing rapidly in both Reiatsu and combat ability. Combined with the foundation laid by his clan elders, reaching Seated Officer level was quite normal.

A Shinigami’s training progresses quickly at first but takes more time to improve as one advances. This explains their longevity.

Clang!

A cold flash of steel met the falling blade, creating countless sparks.

The enormous force actually overcame Akira, making his right arm bend and his Zanpakutō tilt back.

Kaname seized the opportunity to attack, his sharp sword technique striking directly at the exposed chest. There was no hint of holding back — he was clearly aiming to kill his Captain. Such was the way of the 11th Division.

Akira grinned, his power exploding forth as he flipped Sajin away with an upward strike, his sword-wielding right hand swinging down without delay, swift as the wind.

Unlike his friend’s broad, powerful style, Kaname excelled at exploiting enemy openings, using minimal force to defeat opponents.

Unfortunately, his opponent was Akira.

When their blades crossed, his expression changed. As he tried to raise his Reiatsu in resistance, he instantly met the same fate as Sajin.

At least he had completed his task.

“Roar…”

⤫ Shikai: Tenken ⥤ Initial Release: Heavenly Punishment! ⤬

Sajin let out an earth-shaking roar from the training ground, raising his sword-wielding right claw. Instantly, Reishi gathered above his head, forming a massive armored right arm stretching over ten meters long — an absolutely ridiculous sight.

Even more outrageous was the tens-of-meters-long sword gripped in the giant hand’s palm. As it lifted from the ground, the earth rumbled and the training ground shook.

Seeing this, Akira’s eyes lit up.

This was an unexpected surprise — he hadn’t expected the Wolfman to have already mastered his Shikai. Judging by Sajin’s proficiency, he’d clearly had it for some time.

Sajin let out a muffled grunt, two wisps of white air puffing from his nostrils.

“Lord Commander, please be careful.” Being kindhearted, he couldn’t help but warn his Captain, worried his Shikai attack might prove too powerful.

He stepped forward, gripping his sword in his right hand and bringing it down in a vertical slash. The giant hand floating in mid-air moved in perfect concert with his motion.

As the long blade rose, a visible shockwave swept out in all directions. The earth trembled and dust flew. Howling winds persisted as the terrifying blade fell in an instant!

The aftermath swept through everything in its path, making the entire combat platform resound with rumbling vibrations. The giant blade descended like a collapsing flood, its might unmatched, heading straight for the figure at the platform’s center.

Light burst from the blade, and the platform immediately collapsed into ruins, dust swirling endlessly in the air.

To the onlookers, this slash carried such tremendous force that even a Captain couldn’t easily withstand it.

But only Sajin himself knew the true difficulty. When the giant blade fell, it was like striking an indestructible iron nail, leaving his grip numb from the impact. If not for his firm willpower, that strike would have made him lose his grip on his Zanpakutō.

“Guhaha, truly worthy of being my fierce general!” In the rolling dust, Akira laughed heartily, “Given time, Komamura, you’ll surely become Eleventh Division’s sharp blade against Yama-jii!”

As soon as he finished speaking, an immense Reiatsu erupted, instantly dispersing the dust at the platform’s center.

Seeing the scene before them, the spectators’ eyes widened in shock. The sight was like the collision between a firefly and the bright moon.

Compared to Tenken’s giant blade, the Zanpakutō in their Captain’s hand looked like a toothpick in an adult’s hand.

Yet this tiny toothpick had firmly blocked the giant blade’s slash. The dramatic contrast created an enormous disparity!

Though his strongest attack was easily blocked, Sajin felt no disappointment; instead, it strengthened his resolve to train harder.

If he couldn’t even withstand a casual strike from the Lord Commander, how could he speak of loyalty?

Meanwhile, Kaname hadn’t given up on the battle.

Under countless watching eyes, he too released his Zanpakutō. As a genius chosen by Aizen, his talent was indeed remarkable. Combined with sparring and guidance from countless division members in the 11th Division, he had also recently mastered his Shikai.

“Cry…”

⤫ Shikai: Suzumushi ⥤ Initial Release: Cricket! ⤬

⤫ Suzumushi Ichiki: Chōon ⥤ Cricket 1st Movement: Butterfly’s Sound! ⤬

Without hesitation, Kaname activated Suzumushi’s ability. A piercing cicada-like sound swept across the combat platform, filling Akira’s eardrums.

Unfortunately, the difference in Reiatsu was too vast for this Kidō-type ability to have any effect. It couldn’t even make Akira flinch, let alone breach his defenses.

Left with no choice, Kaname switched to direct Kidō attacks. Brilliant lights bloomed continuously, illuminating the sky.

As Kaname pressed his assault, Sajin launched another attack — the Ryōdan technique Akira had personally taught him, gripping his sword with both hands.

Thunderous booms echoed above the 11th Division.

Though Sajin and Kaname were inevitably defeated, their performance earned admiring looks from their fellow division members.

The two “exchanged glances” and burst into hearty laughter amidst the ruins of the combat platform.

Their joy proved contagious. Soon, the entire 11th Division rang with laughter.

Akira joined in, and that evening they celebrated with a grand feast among the ruins — all expenses covered by the Lord Commander, of course.

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Alas, happy times are always brief.

When Aizen finished developing his plans for Las Noches, he returned to Soul Society and began working on the research materials obtained from Szayelaporro.

Akira had never paid much attention to this. Until one day, he saw an unconscious girl in the laboratory…

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