Akira constantly sought greater and more difficult challenges—to quiet the gnawing void of his existential crisis. His foreknowledge of future events only made this hunger sharper; he spoke of what was to come with unsettling ease.
When Rukia heard his words, her heart pounded with fear.
"Akira, don't do anything reckless!" she cried, panic edging her voice. "It's not worth it—for me!"
"Haha, it's not time for that yet," Akira replied dismissively, watching as the Onmitsukidō whisked her away.
Back in his quarters, he settled in with quiet anticipation—today was his system's daily lottery draw.
[Congratulations, Host, on surviving another day! A lottery reward has been granted.]
The prompt chimed right on schedule. Taking a deep breath, Akira tapped the draw button.
[Congratulations! The Host has obtained the Three-Tomoe Sharingan!]
A searing heat flared in his eyes. When he opened them again, twin crimson irises stared back—each marked with three spinning tomoe.
The world snapped into crystalline focus.
"The Sharingan… My dynamic vision has improved drastically. This will be invaluable in combat," he murmured, satisfied. After all, in the world of Naruto, the Uchiha's dojutsu was practically a cheat code. By the series' end, those without one could barely keep pace with the strongest fighters.
Then a realization struck him.
"Huh… It's been modified to run on reiatsu instead of chakra."
A slow grin spread across his face. If the Sharingan now operated on spiritual energy, could it also manipulate it?
Testing the theory, he activated the dojutsu and focused inward. Moments later, his suspicion was confirmed.
"I can see the flow of reiatsu in others—and with genjutsu, I can disrupt it."
In Naruto, genjutsu worked by tampering with chakra pathways. Here, adapted to the Soul Society's rules, it meant he could ensnare Shinigami—and even Hollows—with illusions.
Though thrilled by the prize, Akira knew rewards like this only came in the wake of true existential trials. Such moments were rare.
In the days that followed, his draws yielded mostly mundane or impractical items. But he didn't mind. He turned his full attention to mastering his Zanpakutō's Shikai, training relentlessly.
Step by step, he drew closer to its true potential.
Then, one evening during deep meditation, his eyes snapped open—gleaming.
"It's done."
Resting across his lap, his Zanpakutō had changed. Subtly, yet unmistakably. The blade now resembled finely crafted glass—delicate in form, yet radiating lethal sharpness. Its surface gleamed like a flawless mirror.
"I'd heard rumors in the Seireitei that I wield the strongest Light-element Zanpakutō… I never thought they'd be true."
Lifting the blade, Akira felt a quiet awe settle in his chest. He had finally forged a true bond with his sword. Unlike Zabimaru or Hyōrinmaru, it offered no voice, no spirit form—only a presence, deep within his soul.
And from that silence, he learned its name:
"Hikari no Kagami"—The Universe Looks in the Mirror.
From that day on, he devoted himself to refining its Shikai. Through repeated use and experimentation, he slowly unraveled its abilities—and grew more impressed with each revelation.
Yet, no matter how deeply he connected with it, a persistent unease lingered.
"This… isn't the full extent of Hikari no Kagami's power."
His intuition, sharpened by his Elite Zanpakutō Talent, told him something remained hidden—locked away by limits even his talent couldn't yet overcome.
"Even incomplete, this Shikai is overwhelmingly strong," he mused. "If this isn't its true form… just how powerful will it be when fully awakened?"
This thought led Akira to recall the case of Ayasegawa Yumichika of the 11th Division.
Yumichika's Zanpakutō, Ruri'iro Kujaku, possessed a single Shikai—but one whose true form he long suppressed out of vanity. The version he commonly wielded was incomplete, a diluted manifestation born of his distaste for its true nature. Only when he finally accepted its name and essence did its full power awaken.
Akira felt a kinship with that struggle—though his own limitation wasn't born of choice. It was a barrier he had yet to break through.
Fortunately, blessed with elite talent and relentless discipline, he advanced daily, drawing ever closer to the moment his Shikai would reveal its true face.
Then, a sudden thought struck him.
"Wait… Is there still time before Kurosaki Ichigo arrives in Soul Society?"
Rukia Kuchiki's execution was imminent—scheduled for mere hours from now—and yet Ichigo had not yet breached the Seireitei. That delay unsettled Akira. Based on what he knew of the timeline, Ichigo should have already launched his assault.
Shh.
A presence flickered into the courtyard. In an instant, Gin Ichimaru appeared before him via Shunpo, landing lightly on one knee. His ever-present grin was sharp as a blade.
"Lord Akira," Gin drawled, "I bring fresh intelligence."
Akira remained silent, watching.
"Aizen's investigation uncovered that Kurosaki Ichigo, guided by Shihōin Yoruichi, is preparing to infiltrate the Seireitei," Gin continued. "Given that Urahara Kisuke's support is confined to the western districts of Rukongai, Aizen's strategy is to bottleneck their entry—forcing them toward the Shiba estate and the western gate."
"Enough," Akira cut in coolly. "I'm already aware of Aizen's design."
Gin's slit-like eyes narrowed—just slightly. For a moment, genuine surprise flickered beneath his mask of amusement. How could Akira know Aizen's plans… before even I was fully briefed?
"Then…" Gin tilted his head, voice still smooth but edged with curiosity, "does Lord Akira intend to intervene?"
Akira's lips curled into a faint smirk. "Why would I stop them? Soul Society is about to become far more… entertaining."
Gin said nothing, though his fingers twitched ever so slightly—a silent acknowledgment of the storm brewing.
After a brief pause, Akira added, almost casually, "Actually… I think I'll meet them myself."
This wasn't mere whimsy.
If Ichigo was this late, something unforeseen had occurred. Akira needed to know what it was—especially if it might influence his own path toward awakening his Zanpakutō.
And beyond that… he wanted to cross blades with Shihōin Yoruichi.
The "Flash Goddess"—former captain of the 2nd Division, ex-commander of the Onmitsukidō, and 22nd head of the noble Shihōin Clan. A warrior whose speed and prowess bordered on myth.
Surely, Akira mused, she won't disappoint.