Bleach My days as an Espada

"Tousen? "

Observing Tousen Kaname, who was cast into the void by Fiander, Komamura Sajin, a dear friend, forced himself to rise despite his already fatigued state, and inquired with urgency.

"Who are you? What have you done to Tousen? "

"Who am I? That's irrelevant to you, for the deceased don't require the answer. "

"Oh, and lest I forget, here's a crucial detail—you're already deceased, there's no way for you to die again! "

Upon completing his remark, as Komamura Sajin staggered, Fiander extended his finger, tilted it slightly upwards, and intoned:

"Hadō Eighty-Five · Five Thunder"

"Crackling—! ! "

Five massive purple bolts of lightning struck from above, and after Komamura Sajin groaned in agony, he collapsed before Fiander and Zaraki Kenpachi, his body covered in black soot and charred remains.

"Isn't it odd, comrades? I strike him down, yet you choose not to lend assistance? " Fiander feigned confusion as he addressed Zaraki Kenpachi.

"I'm simply seeking someone to battle; I showed mercy because they held captain ranks, but you are distinct, far more perilous than the Kurosaki crew. "

"Raaa—"

Zaraki Kenpachi, utilizing Shunpo, swiftly closed the distance to Fiander and unleashed a powerful swing of his sword.

"BOOOM——! ! "

The massive shockwave generated by the slash obliterated nearby structures, but Fiander effortlessly dodged, standing unfazed as he regarded Zaraki Kenpachi and quipped.

"You're quite the threat, Captain; if there were a demolition squad, you'd be their ideal leader, hehehe. "

"Talkative fool! Draw your Zanpakutō! Let's engage in combat! "

Since Fiander demonstrated the ability to use Kidō, Zaraki Kenpachi instinctively believed him to be a Shinigami. Nevertheless, never having encountered him before, his primal instincts screamed that this opponent posed a formidable risk, a sensation he had never previously experienced.

Thus, in their initial clash, Zaraki Kenpachi unleashed everything he had, daring not to restrain himself.

"Haha. What a delightful captain; in truth, I approached you to assess something. "

"Assess? "

Just as Kenpachi pondered Fiander's words, he witnessed his adversary abruptly extend his arm and thrust it into the atmosphere.

"Boom! Boom! ! "

He struck the air twice consecutively, causing a fracture in the previously intact realm. With another blow, Fiander shattered the space into fragments, creating an aperture from which he extracted a Zanpakutō bound in chains.

The blade had a vivid purple-red sheath, and its handle was adorned with diamond-shaped designs.

Even unsheathed, Zaraki Kenpachi could sense the Zanpakutō's sheer might, and he secured the sword with one hand, preparing himself for what lay ahead.

"Captain, this marks the first occasion I wield this sword. I'm still acclimating to its power—exercise caution. "

A blast of frigid air struck, causing Kenpachi to sense the chill at his neck, prompting him to instinctively swing his zanpakuto at the source.

Zhengg! !

The immense force produced by Fiander's blade gradually began to push Kenpachi backward. As he noticed the rear of the blade inching closer to his skin, Kenpachi's gaze sharpened, and he retaliated with a punch aimed at Fiander's arm.

Fiander intercepted Kenpachi's furious strike with his hand while grinning,

"What a punch, Captain. "

Fiander ascended into the sky, creating distance before launching a barrage of slashes down toward Zaraki. With each cut, Fiander sensed Zaraki's power stabilizing, and after delivering over twenty slashes, Zaraki adapted to the assault and began countering.

"Hoo-hoo--"

Zaraki bore injuries on his face and chest, blood continuously seeping from the wounds, yet his expression was one of exhilaration.

He removed his blindfold.

"It seems the warm-up is over; let's get serious. "

Fiander descended to the ground, emitting an unsettling cold around him. As he swung his zanpakuto, a chilling flower manifested at its tip. When the icy flower touched the ground, numerous similar ice flowers began to fall around them.

This was a technique Fiander had simulated after borrowing Tōshirō Bankai's "Frozen Flower Burial. " Unlike Tōshirō, who altered the environment to generate ice flowers, Fiander's ability stemmed from the extreme cold of his blade, drastically lowering the temperature and making the air frigid, which led to the formation of small ice flowers.

The initial ice flake settled on Zaraki Kenpachi's shoulder, encasing his arm in ice.

Fiander seized the opportunity to approach and swung his zanpakuto again. The blade cut across Kenpachi's body once more, but oddly, no blood emerged since the wound was immediately frozen upon impact. The biting cold infiltrated his body from the injury, threatening to damage his internal organs.

"As expected, you reacted swiftly. I intended to sever your head, but you evaded it."

Zaraki Kenpachi let out a wild laugh and responded,

"Then give it another shot! "

With that, he energetically swung his arm, releasing all his Reiatsu to shatter the portion of his body encased in ice. He then gripped his zanpakuto with both hands, ready to face Fiander, and slashed down with force.

Against Zaraki Kenpachi, capable of devastation simply through his overwhelming Reiatsu and pressure that exceeded No. 4 in Espada, Fiander's eyes narrowed. He positioned his zanpakuto in front of him, resting one hand on the blade and murmured,

"Then let's see you try the biting cold. "

"BOOOOOM--! ! "

The colossal explosion immediately garnered the attention of the entire Seireitei, even eliciting a response from captains situated far away who could sense the disturbance.

"That sensation—is it the man in black? "

Kyoraku Shunsui initiated the conversation, subsequently turning to confront the others, all of whom diverted their gazes toward the battleground.

"What sort of foe is capable of provoking such a Reiatsu from Captain Zaraki? "

Kotetsu Isane perceived this Reiatsu, causing her to tremble uncontrollably. At that moment, the liberation of the Sokyoku was at last fulfilled, resulting in the emergence of a colossal flame phoenix from nowhere.

The execution of Rukia Kuchiki had commenced, and although there was a desire to return to Seireitei for verification, everything had to be postponed until the execution concluded. Just as the flame phoenix soared toward Rukia, who was on the brink of execution, a young man clad in a white cloak and a shinigami uniform appeared between Rukia and the Sokyoku, eliciting astonished reactions from the captains.

"Yo! Rukia, I've come to rescue you! "

In a critical moment, Kurosaki Ichigo, who had just completed his Bankai training, finally arrived and positioned himself in front of Rukia, confronting the Flaming Phoenix.