Zaraki's Weakness  

Ikkaku Madarame leaped high into the air, his body radiating crimson reiatsu, giving him the appearance of a fearsome demon. He brought his two massive axes down upon the approaching shockwave.

"Shhh!"

The massive axes cleaved through the shockwave, its momentum already slowed by Kiganjō's "Exploding Meteor." Part of the energy dissipated harmlessly into the air. However, the relentless wave seemed endless. Once Ikkaku's forward momentum was spent, he found himself unable to break through. The shockwave slammed into him, sending him hurtling backward, a spray of blood erupting from his lips.

"This…?"

Following Kiganjō and Ikkaku, Yachiru Kusajishi also drew her Zanpakutō.

"Come forth, Sanpo Kenjū!"

With her delicate shout, two monstrous figures, resembling Hollows, materialized on either side of her. One had gray fur, a stout, rounded body, and a face dominated by a single massive eye. It wielded a large cleaver in its hand. The other bore a Hollow mask and black fur, its weapon a short halberd. Yachiru swung her blade, and the two creatures mirrored her movement, striking at the approaching shockwave.

Swish!

The air tore with a sharp hiss as the creatures' attacks cleaved a path through the shockwave. They then positioned themselves in front of Yachiru, shielding her from the remaining energy.

Boom!

The boulder beneath her feet crumbled into dust, the shockwave's force propelling her backward. The two creatures, acting as buffers, allowed her to regain her footing a safe distance away. At this range, the shockwave was no longer a threat.

"Kiganjō, Ikkaku, are you alright?" Yachiru called out, her concern for her comrades overriding any fear she might have felt.

"Lieutenant Kusajishi, we're fine," Kiganjō and Ikkaku replied, rising from the ground and wiping the blood from their mouths.

While their injuries seemed more severe than hers, it wasn't a reflection of their strength. They had taken the full brunt of the shockwave generated by the clash of Ailin and Zaraki's attacks. Yachiru, with the help of her Zanpakutō, "Sanpo Kenjū," had been shielded by the two monstrous creatures. Their combined efforts had carved a path through the initial wave, protecting her from its full force.

"Captain Zaraki's getting stronger," Ikkaku remarked with a grin.

"Indeed. Last year, we could watch from that boulder, but this year, we couldn't even protect it," Kiganjō added. "We've retreated this far already. I wonder if we can even stay here when things really heat up."

…

"Such terrifying power!" Renji Abarai watched the distant mushroom cloud with awe and trepidation. This was the clash of Captain Zaraki and Captain Ailin?

As a deafening roar reverberated through the air, he saw Third Seat Kiganjō and Ikkaku Madarame unleashing their Zanpakutō. Their blades, transformed into forms unlike their usual releases, left Renji speechless.

"Third Seat Kiganjō, Madarame… Are those… Bankai?"

An elite Shinigami nearby overheard Renji's exclamation and turned to look at him. Seeing the bewildered expression on the newcomer's face, he chuckled, a hint of pride in his voice.

"Of course! Both Kiganjō and Madarame achieved Bankai decades ago. They're both incredibly strong."

"Really?" Renji stared in disbelief. During his time at the Shin'ō Academy, he had attended Captain Sōsuke Aizen's lectures and learned about the immense power boost a Zanpakutō could provide. Aizen had specifically emphasized the second release, Bankai.

According to him, only the captains of the Gotei 13 could achieve that level of mastery. It was the prerequisite for becoming a captain. While training under Ikkaku, Renji had sensed his mentor's strength, but he had never imagined that Ikkaku was strong enough to be a captain. And now, he discovered that even Kiganjō was a Bankai master.

Perhaps it was to be expected. After all, Ikkaku was only the fifth seat. If the third seat hadn't achieved Bankai, it would be an anomaly within the 11th Division.

But what about Lieutenant Kusajishi? Was the petite girl also a captain-level fighter?

Looking at the Bankai-wielding Kiganjō and Ikkaku, then at the distant figures of Zaraki and Ailin locked in combat, Renji felt a lump forming in his throat. Achieving Bankai was an incredible feat, and both Kiganjō and Ikkaku were undoubtedly powerful.

However, compared to Zaraki and Ailin, they seemed… weak. Was the gap between captains truly that vast?

He didn't have time to dwell on those thoughts for long. The shockwave, its power significantly diminished by the efforts of the seated officers, was upon them.

"Haaaa!"

Facing the approaching wave, every member of the 11th Division unleashed their reiatsu, drawing their Zanpakutō, and bracing themselves. While their skills might be comparable during sparring sessions, their ability to withstand the aftermath of Zaraki and Ailin's clash was a clear indicator of their true strength. The closer one could stand to the epicenter without being overwhelmed, the stronger they were. It was an unspoken truth within the 11th Division.

If someone claimed to be stronger than another, yet retreated further when faced with the repercussions of their captains' battle, their claim would be dismissed as empty boasting.

…

Ailin unleashed a series of energy waves, each less powerful than his Crescent Moon Cross Strike, but requiring far less effort. With his mastery of swordsmanship, he could effortlessly generate countless such attacks.

While Zaraki had suffered some minor injuries after clashing with Ailin's Crescent Moon Cross Strike, they weren't enough to hinder his performance. If anything, they only fueled his fighting spirit. He roared with laughter as he charged through the barrage, his blade cleaving through the energy waves, shattering some, deflecting others.

The attacks, despite their number, only slightly slowed his advance, inflicting minor wounds that did little to hinder his progress.

"Haaaa!"

Having broken through the barrage, Zaraki stood before Ailin, several new cuts marring his body. He laughed maniacally as he swung his Zanpakutō with all his might.

Clang!

Ailin parried the blow, their blades meeting with a deafening clang. A powerful shockwave erupted, radiating outward from their point of impact.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

The ground beneath their feet shattered, pulverized by the force of the impact. The shockwave ripped through the air, tearing apart everything in its path. This clash, a direct collision of their blades, was far more potent than the previous energy wave exchanges.

For master swordsmen like Zaraki and Ailin, their blades held power far exceeding any energy attack. Unless it was a special reiatsu technique, energy waves were merely a tool in their arsenal. It was in close combat, in the clash of steel against steel, that they could fully unleash their mastery of swordsmanship.

Reiatsu flared from the members of the 11th Division as the shockwave slammed into them. The force of the impact staggered them, some even forced to retreat in humiliation.

Those who had believed they had made significant progress in the past ten years, who had attempted to stand closer to the epicenter, found their arrogance shattered. Even without suffering injury, they were unable to maintain their positions. They could only watch from a safe distance.

The shockwave tore through the earth, leaving deep fissures in its wake. Then, with a final surge of power, it obliterated the ground beneath Ailin and Zaraki.

Whoosh!

Golden and blue figures flickered across the battlefield. With each clash, a surge of energy erupted, annihilating everything in its vicinity.

"Incredible!" Renji unleashed his full reiatsu, forming a thin white barrier around himself to ward off the remnants of the shockwaves.