While Makoto and his team raced to develop new poisons, the war between Shinigami and Quincy, from its first clash, surged into a white-hot frenzy.
"Heilig Pfeil!"
Blinding arrows shot from afar, precisely targeting every Shinigami charging toward the Garganta.
The lack of ranged weapons left the Shinigami tasting the bitter sting of long-distance suppression. Many low-ranking soldiers fell to the dense arrow rain before landing a single blow.
Even with Kidō defenses, it took multiple Shinigami to fully block the hundreds of arrow streams.
Hachiman, a veteran survivor of the Seireitei's wars and now a low-ranking officer, stood among the stronger of his peers.
Yet, in this vast battlefield, he was like a fish caught in a net, relying on practiced Shunpo to dodge the relentless arrows slicing through the air.
Despite his full focus, wounds marred his body.
By the time he closed the distance to within fifty meters of the Quincy, his entire squad, once trailing behind, had dwindled to a mere handful.
As a former disciple of the Genji School, Hachiman showed no hint of retreat, even in such dire straits. He plunged into the enemy ranks without hesitation, activating his Shikai.
"Shake the heavens, Narinami-maru!"
His Zanpakutō, less a blade and more a tuning fork, materialized in his hand.
A single forward swing unleashed a piercing sonic wave, tearing at the Quincy's ears as if to shred their minds.
The violent sound waves carved dense arcs through the air, toppling swathes of Quincy in agonized wails.
Hachiman pressed his charge, aiming to break the line in one push.
But, in his forward rush, he failed to notice his reinforcements dwindling under the surrounding flurry of blades, their numbers thinning.
Relying on his Zanpakutō's advantage, he became an isolated force deep in the Quincy ranks.
Buzz!
As his tuning fork swung, a faint arrow's whistle sounded at his side.
Instinctively, Hachiman ducked, rolling forward to evade, then leaped with Shunpo, raising his fork to parry another arrow from ahead with a ding.
But before he could react, a tall, straight light-sword tore through space silently, thrusting at his back.
Swish!
A single strike effortlessly sliced his back, leaving a long, bloody gash.
Hachiman kicked away the Quincy before him, his face contorted as he spun to meet the second downward slash.
He didn't see the Quincy's mocking sneer.
Screech!
Hachiman's eyes widened.
As the light-sword fell, his Zanpakutō offered no resistance, nearly cleaved in half as if meeting no barrier.
The blade struck, blood spraying from his shoulder wound.
"This weapon is called 'Soul-Cleaver,'" The Quincy said with a light chuckle, as if victory was assured. "Vibrating three million times per second, it cuts through all matter in this world, including souls."
"It's also a rare blade-type weapon among us Quincy."
"Feel honored to die by it, Shinigami."
"Huff… huff…"
Hachiman's gaze remained resolute.
Though certain he had no hope of survival, he showed no trace of fear.
As a disciple of Genryūsai-sama… how could he shame his master in death?
Silently, he raised his half-broken Zanpakutō.
"Heh, stubborn, are you?" The Quincy sneered.
But before his words settled...
Boom!
A thunderous explosion of flame erupted behind, swallowing the entire Quincy line in a blink.
The firelight illuminated the Quincy's shadow, casting him aglow.
The Quincy froze.
"Oh?"
"It cuts all matter, huh?"
A cavalier male voice drawled from behind.
A tall figure strolled out of the inferno, a burning grass root in his mouth, scruffy hair loosely tied with a blade of grass, dangling behind.
Obana, eyes half-lidded, sauntered up, standing a half-head taller.
Hands in pockets, he nudged the Quincy with his hip.
"Come on."
"Try cutting me?"
The moment his words landed, the Quincy's eyes bulged. His 'Soul-Cleaver,' fueled by a surge of Reishi, blazed with stunning light, extending nearly half its length. Without hesitation, it arced in a semicircle toward Obana.
The Quincy roared with desperate fury,
"Die!"
"Freak!!"
Simultaneously, Obana swung his short blade.
"Melt the iron and stone, Bakuensunkō!"
With a fierce burning roar, Obana's blade, as if born from fire, fused with searing flame, coating his fist and wrist in a crimson gauntlet.
He threw a punch!
As the light-sword met the gauntlet, the Quincy's elation froze, then drained like a receding tide, his face bloodless, then flooded with incredulous fear.
As if some core belief shattered.
Buzz!
His light-sword trembled, shook, bent, and morphed from solid to intangible, dispersing like air.
Until, bang!
The 'Soul-Cleaver' exploded into fragments before the gauntlet, scattering as Reishi.
Without pause, Obana's flame-spouting fist smashed into the Quincy's head.
Boom!
The blast of flame erupted, a violent inferno piercing dozens of meters, melting the soil behind.
Thud!
The headless corpse collapsed.
Obana chuckled at it. "All matter, my ass…"
"My 'Bakuen Sunkō' has only been cut once by that black-haired bombshell."
"And you call me a freak?"
"Have you even seen a real 'freak'?"
"No taste."
As he muttered to the corpse, Hachiman spoke up, "Obana-sama! Thank you!"
Obana turned, eyes lighting up at the petite figure. "Kid, you look like a girl!"
"What's your name? Wanna join my squad later?"
"No! I'm good!" Hachiman, recalling rumors about Captain Obana, stiffened and declared, "Thank you for your aid, but I must resume my mission!"
He turned and bolted.
Before he could land a Shunpo, a large hand grabbed his shoulder.
Hachiman, 13th Seat, felt a chill.
But before he could speak, Obana yanked him behind.
The tall figure stood before him.
Hachiman's expression faltered.
"Hey, officer."
"I'm ordering you to retreat."
"But…"
Hachiman's protest died as his gaze froze.
At the edge of his vision, within the Garganta rift,
A woman, clad entirely in pure white, stepped slowly from the breach.
Even from such a distance, Hachiman felt an overwhelming pressure radiating from her.
Her Reiatsu, like a tidal wave, crushed his spiritual senses.
Though her figure appeared small, his perception was consumed by the icy, exquisite beauty of her Reiatsu.
The sheer intensity birthed a despairing sense of futility in Hachiman, who moments ago had faced death with courage.
Yet, on Obana's face, a grin of unrestrained excitement spread.
"Looks like I've hooked a big fish."
Obana stepped forward slowly.
Yet his form flickered like a Shunpo, appearing near the woman.
Up close, even Obana couldn't help but marvel at her stunning beauty.
Soft hair, flawless skin, silk uniform, a trailing gown.
Her face was refined to every arc, as if drawn by a master's hand.
Clad entirely in silver-white.
Beneath her thin skin, faint azure veins were visible, her lips retaining a hint of warm crimson. Her silver-moon pupils, unfocused, gazed ahead, her entire being exuded a statue-like stillness, as if she didn't exist.
Emerging from the Garganta, she seemed unwilling to take another step.
"Hey!"
"You're one of those 'wielding the Soul King's power,' right?"
Obana's face lit with a gleeful grin, his crimson gauntlets clashing with a clear clang.
"Such a pity!"
"I'm a gentleman, but I've got no creed against hitting women."
"If you don't want to die, come at me with everything from the start!"
The sheer intensity of her Reiatsu set Obana's blood ablaze!
Yet, faced with his fiery, battle-hungry words, the exquisite woman remained as cold as a true statue, her emotions seemingly erased.
"I… sense your 'existence.'"
"Shall you be erased?"
Obana frowned, puzzled. "What?"
But she didn't reply, only stating flatly,
"Schrift E, Louise."
"I am the one who will kill you."
"…"
"Heh… hahaha!"
"Got some spirit!"
Her audacious words didn't anger Obana; instead, he burst into delighted laughter,
"If that's how it is, I won't let you underestimate me."
"Woman!"
"The name's Obana, Captain of the 5th Division!"
As he spoke, he slammed his gauntleted fists together, his body erupting in fierce, blazing flames, his voice low,
"Don't worry."
"This won't take long."
"This time, I'm not underestimating my opponent."
Louise turned to him, her eyes white save for a faint, crescent-like silver outline.
The next moment, a searing torrent of flames roared skyward, shattering thick clouds, unleashing a Reiatsu so potent it seemed to shake the atmosphere.
The booming roar carried kilometers away.
"Bankai!"
"Bakuryū Tenshakukō!"
His Reiatsu, amplified tenfold, surged without restraint, focused into a single point.
In Louise's pure-white pupils, a flicker of what seemed like curiosity appeared. She tilted her head, studying Obana.
"Oh?"
---
Splatter!
Blood gushed.
Saitō yanked her blade from the diminutive man's body, dark red blood staining her white captain haori.
Nearby, five broken blades lay scattered.
Opposite them, the Schrift S's limbs splayed in a grotesque starburst.
His wrinkled, ugly head rolled to her feet, tongue lolling long.
Dead as dead could be.
Yet Saitō's face was etched with displeasure.
"Hey! Unohana!"
"This Soul King's power guy, don't tell me he's the weakest of the lot?" Saitō kicked the head aside, watching it roll far, muttering, "I only just used Shikai, and his own speed did him in."
"What kind of 'foe worthy of Bankai' is this?"
Makoto had stressed the Quincy's danger at the captains' meeting, but to Saitō, this trash didn't live up to his warning.
Unohana didn't spare the corpse a glance.
She'd gauged his level the moment he emerged from the Garganta.
But…
Unohana turned to the distance, ignoring Saitō, her brow faintly creased.
Noticing her gaze, Saitō joined in, peering curiously.
"Oh!"
"That's Obana's direction, right?"
Saitō sounded thrilled. "That's some Reiatsu! I'd love to face whoever's got him that fired up!"
"But if it's Obana…"
Saitō and Obana, once rival thugs of South and North Rukongai, had clashed often over territory. They knew each other's strengths well, even their Bankai.
Sensing Obana unleash his full power, Saitō made a quick judgment.
Yet Unohana's expression remained cold, not a trace of ease, her brow furrowing deeper.
"No."
"Obana might…"
---
At that same moment, Makoto, in the 1st Division, snapped his head up, staring far into the horizon.
His expression froze.
Katori stood still, quietly adjusting her glasses.
Obana's Reiatsu had vanished.
***
Bonus Chapter:
100 Power Stones = 1 BC
300 Power Stones = 2 BC
500 Power Stones = 3 BC
700 Power Stones = 4 BC
1000 Power Stones = 5 BC
***
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