"Success… was it successful?"
In the Soul Society, countless Shinigami watched the scene with bated breath.
Near the Kidō Cannon, all eyes were on Kurotsuchi Mayuri.
"Oi! Say something already!" someone urged impatiently.
Kurotsuchi Mayuri stared at the screen for a long moment, his expression heavy. Then, he exhaled and finally spoke.
"It has been confirmed—violent fluctuations were generated at the boundary, momentarily surpassing the gravitational force between the two worlds. The separation was successfully achieved!"
At these words, the captains visibly relaxed, exhaustion washing over them as the weight of the crisis lifted.
"I never would have imagined it… Akira actually pulled it off," Soi Fon muttered in disbelief.
"Yeah. To push two entire worlds apart… that's just—too absurd," Tōshirō Hitsugaya said, still trying to process the sheer magnitude of what had just happened.
Kurotsuchi Mayuri smirked.
"This is all thanks to the Captain of the 6th and 3rd Division. His ability to sense power at the most critical moment made all the difference.
"He executed his move before the gravitational force exceeded the critical threshold. Had he hesitated even a second longer, the force would have become insurmountable, and no one—absolutely no one—could have saved him.
"But, as we can see from the results, the Captain of Double Division was successful. Not only did he thwart a world-ending conspiracy, but he also ensured the safety of both the Soul Society and the World of the Living."
Only Zaraki Kenpachi remained unimpressed, clicking his tongue in boredom.
"Tch… Whether it worked or not, why even ask? Just look at the damn sky—there's no weird phenomena anymore. That tells you everything."
As Kenpachi pointed out, even without an official announcement from Yamamoto, the Shinigami in the Seireitei had already realized the truth—the ominous distortions in the sky had vanished. Akira had succeeded.
"Yeah! Woohoo! Long live Captain Akira!"
"He's incredible! I never thought a Shinigami could be this powerful!"
"I can't believe it—Captain Akira actually pulled it off! From now on, he's my idol!"
Jubilant cheers erupted across the Seireitei as countless Shinigami celebrated wildly, releasing all the pent-up tension and fear that had built up over the course of the battle. Some ran around in circles, others embraced one another, overwhelmed by the sheer relief of surviving such a close call.
Throughout the Gotei 13, vice-captains were left weak-kneed.
"We actually made it through…" Matsumoto Rangiku sighed, wiping sweat from her brow. "That was way too close."
Renji Abarai, still reeling from the event, suddenly realized something—his lifelong ambition had shifted. He had always sought to surpass Byakuya Kuchiki, but now, his goal had changed.
Even Byakuya himself couldn't deny his astonishment.
"…With this level of power, he is more than worthy," Byakuya murmured to himself. "Even I must acknowledge him. To serve as his vice-captain… would not be beneath me."
For someone of the noble Kuchiki Clan to make such a statement was no small thing. It was a testament to the fact that Akira's strength had transcended the ordinary.
Meanwhile, in the Garganta, Senna found herself disoriented. A deafening roar had filled her ears, and for a moment, she could neither see nor hear. The sheer brilliance of Akira's attack—the Sixfold Raijin Dragon—had momentarily blinded and deafened her.
"…It's over. Let's go home."
When her senses finally returned, those were the first words she heard.
Lifting her head, she saw Akira standing before her, his body worn from battle. It was his final act of strength that had shielded her, preventing her from being obliterated by the residual energy.
"… …"
She nodded quietly and allowed him to guide her back to the Soul Society.
As soon as Akira stepped foot in the Seireitei, he was met with an incredible sight—rows upon rows of Shinigami standing in formation on either side, lining the path before him.
And then, as if rehearsed, they bowed deeply in unison.
"Thank you for your hard work, Captain Akira!"
Their voices rang out together, filled with gratitude and admiration.
The resounding shockwave echoed across the battlefield, signaling the end of the clash. Akira exhaled, satisfied with the fight. However, there was one thing that irritated him…
"Oi, hurry up and help me! I'm so exhausted I can barely stand, and you're just standing there ignoring me?"
"Ah—Captain Akira… I'm so sorry!"
The surrounding Shinigami were in disarray after hearing this, their nerves still frayed from the intense battle. Rukia quickly rushed forward, catching Akira before he could collapse completely.
But at the same time, another figure had already taken hold of him—Senna.
For reasons she couldn't quite explain, Rukia felt a sudden twinge of discomfort in her chest. A vague sense of unease crept over her.
"Aki, let's go. You need to get home and rest."
Though Rukia's words were spoken with the intention of ensuring Akira recovered, the way she said them carried an unintended ambiguity. Senna, still holding onto him, blushed slightly at the implication.
Akira, however, paid little attention. He was drained—his body sluggish and unresponsive. Right now, he didn't have the energy to dwell on anything else.
After a full night's sleep, Akira woke up feeling completely refreshed.
"Ah… Now that I think about it, this might be the first time I haven't stayed up until midnight to check my survival reward."
He scratched his head before suddenly remembering something important.
Bringing up the system panel, he confirmed his suspicion—yesterday's lottery reward was still sitting there, unclaimed.
"Well, since I didn't draw it in time, there's no rush now."
Yawning, he got up, washed, and stepped outside.
His first stop was the Kuchiki Manor, where he sought out Byakuya Kuchiki.
"Byakuya, where's that girl I brought back yesterday?"
Byakuya regarded him with his usual composed expression. "Are you referring to Senna, the missing Rosary?" he asked. "She has been temporarily detained. The Commander-General has chosen to leave her fate in your hands."
It was an unmistakable sign of respect from Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni. By allowing Akira to make the final decision, the Head Captain was indirectly stating that even as the leader of the Gotei 13, he would not interfere in this matter.
"I see," Akira murmured. He nodded. "Then take me to see her first."
As he followed Byakuya toward Senna's holding area, Akira mentally pulled up the system panel once more.
"Well, I might as well claim my reward on the way… Yesterday was a world-ending crisis. That means the probability must be sky-high, right?"
With that thought in mind, he tapped on the lottery interface, watching as the familiar light flickered.
A prompt immediately popped up—
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