Fate In Bleach (492)

Chapter 492 - The Second Battle

Swish swish swish...

Swish swish swish...

Within the Seireitei, streaks of Reishi arrows flew from the darkness, targeting the patrolling Shinigami.

"Ahhhhh..."

Clang clang clang—

During the previous Quincy assault, the Shinigami had been unprepared, and many lower-ranked squad members were killed in the initial attack.

This time, however, the captains had not concealed the impending attack from their squad members. Thus, the Shinigami patrolling these past few days had maintained two hundred percent focus, observing their surroundings intently.

Under these circumstances, although the Shinigami side was caught off guard, few squad members were actually killed.

Most Shinigami squad members were able to block the incoming Reishi arrows.

However, the strength among the squad members varied greatly. Those Shinigami who simply couldn't dodge or block the Quincy attacks and perished couldn't blame anyone else.

Even if they hadn't died in the initial assault, their chances of survival in the subsequent battles were slim.

After firing the first volley of arrows, the Wandenreich Quincy emerged from the shadows of the Seireitei and engaged the Shinigami in combat.

The lower-ranked Quincy had not received a Schrift bestowed by Yhwach.

Simultaneously, they were not qualified to learn the "Blut Vene" created by Yhwach for the Quincy.

Therefore, the strength of the Quincy soldiers was comparable to that of Shinigami squad members who hadn't released their Zanpakutō.

Powerful elite Quincy, however, were certainly capable of holding their own against Shinigami seated officers.

...

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

Violent explosions echoed continuously throughout the Seireitei.

Flashes of fire, bursts of flame, and endless screams mingled with the smoke of battle rising from every corner of the Gotei Thirteen barracks.

Clearly, this Wandenreich attack on the Seireitei was far more ferocious than the battle three days prior.

After all, three days ago, the Wandenreich had effectively been fighting on two fronts. The Hueco Mundo combat unit led by Quilge Opie, along with members of the female knight order like Candice Catnipp and Meninas McAllon, had joined the Hueco Mundo unit to exterminate Hollows there.

Today, however, besides a Quincy soldier force several times larger than before, numerous members of the Sternritter had also joined the fray.

Within Squad Two, Soi Fon's figure flickered as she clashed with BG9 of the Sternritter. Her already released Suzumebachi struck BG9 repeatedly.

However, to Soi Fon's shock, her Suzumebachi couldn't harm BG9 at all; it couldn't even break his skin.

"This guy's defense is incredible!"

Soi Fon used Shunpo to evade BG9's attack, her expression grave.

"A foe like this isn't someone I can defeat using only Shikai."

"But..."

Boom boom boom boom boom...

While dodging the rocket barrage from BG9, Soi Fon pondered countermeasures.

From the captains' meeting two days ago, they already knew: when fighting Quincy, using Bankai was absolutely forbidden.

Because these Quincy possessed the power to seal or steal a Shinigami's Bankai.

"If only I had that?"

...

"Roar, Zabimaru!"

Renji Abarai roared, releasing his Zanpakutō. The segmented Zabimaru snaked towards Äs Nödt.

Clang clang clang clang!

"What?"

Seeing his Zanpakutō strike Äs Nödt's body without even scratching the skin, Renji Abarai was shocked.

What kind of ability was this?

His Zanpakutō couldn't even injure the opponent?

It wasn't just Soi Fon and Renji Abarai.

In fact, at this moment, all the Shinigami engaging members of the Sternritter discovered that these Quincy possessed terrifyingly strong defenses.

Their attacks couldn't even breach the enemy's defenses, let alone inflict any real damage.

Captain Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi of Squad Three encountered NaNaNa Najahkoop.

Captain Retsu Unohana of Squad Four faced Jérome Guizbatt.

Captain Byakuya Kuchiki and Vice-Captain Renji Abarai of Squad Six encountered Äs Nödt.

Captain Sajin Komamura of Squad Seven faced Bambietta Basterbine.

Captain Shunsui Kyoraku of Squad Eight faced Robert Accutrone.

The Squad Nine Captain encountered Berenice Gabrielli.

Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya of Squad Ten faced Bazz-B.

Captain Zaraki of Squad Eleven faced Cang Du.

Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi of Squad Twelve faced Giselle Gewelle.

Captain Jūshirō Ukitake of Squad Thirteen faced Meninas McAllon.

Just as the disadvantaged captains were agonizing over whether to use Bankai, the voice of Squad Twelve's Third Seat, Akon, echoed in the ears of many Shinigami.

"Attention all captains, vice-captains, and seated officers who have mastered Bankai. This is Akon, Third Seat of Squad Twelve."

"After a day of research, our Technology Development Bureau has deciphered the secret behind the Quincy's ability to steal Shinigami Bankai."

"According to Captain Kurotsuchi's research, the Star Medallions held by the Quincy can steal a Shinigami's Bankai and manipulate it."

"Therefore, we hope all Shinigami who have mastered Bankai will refrain from rashly using it when fighting Quincy until we have developed a method to retrieve stolen Bankai."

"Otherwise, your Bankai may very well be used by the enemy against us."

"That is all!"

...

"Such a thing is possible?"

Hearing the information broadcast by Akon using Bakudō Number 77: Tenteikūra, some captains who had been considering using Bankai felt a wave of relief.

Thankfully, they hadn't acted rashly.

Otherwise, the power of their Zanpakutō might not only turn against themselves but also inflict even greater damage upon other Shinigami within the Seireitei.

However, a significant portion of the captains' strength lay in their Zanpakutō.

Without Bankai, relying solely on Shikai, it was almost impossible for them to defeat the Sternritter Quincy.

After all, the Sternritter was an organization created by Yhwach specifically to combat the captains of the Gotei Thirteen.

...

"Surrender, and accept your fate of defeat and death."

Within Squad Two, BG9's mechanical voice sounded as rockets launched from the tentacles behind him towards Soi Fon.

"We Sternritter are the Quincy chosen by His Majesty to deal with you Shinigami captains."

"Unable to use Bankai, you cannot even break through our 'Blut Vene'."

"Before us, you have no power to resist."

"Rather than suffering injury fighting us, it would be better to cease resistance now and allow us to grant you eternal sleep."

"Heh, Quincy, aren't you being a bit too arrogant?"

While dodging BG9's attacks, Soi Fon retorted mockingly, "A thousand years ago, you were crushed by the Gotei Thirteen, and even your Emperor was killed by Captain-Commander Yamamoto."

"A thousand years later, your ending will be no different."

"It's merely being unable to use Bankai. While the strength of us Gotei Thirteen captains will be somewhat weakened, who told you that without Bankai, you could defeat us?"

Finished speaking, Soi Fon stopped dodging and took a deep breath.

As dozens of rockets flew towards her, Soi Fon suddenly shouted—

"Shunkō!"

Boom!

Crackling lightning exploded behind Soi Fon's shoulders.

Subsequently, Soi Fon's figure flashed, disappearing from before the dozens of rockets.

Boom boom boom boom boom...

Under the fierce bombardment, several tall buildings were destroyed.

But such powerful attacks were now ineffective against Soi Fon.

Having used "Shunkō," Soi Fon's own spiritual pressure and speed surged dramatically. The rockets launched by BG9 couldn't keep up with her, left eating dust in her wake.

Swish!

In an instant, Soi Fon's figure appeared behind BG9, kicking towards him.

Because her Zanpakutō, Suzumebachi, couldn't even pierce BG9's defense earlier, Soi Fon had thought this kick might also prove futile.

After all, no matter how narcissistic Soi Fon was, she didn't believe her unarmed attacks could compare to the sharpness of her Zanpakutō.

How could a defense impenetrable by her Zanpakutō possibly fail to block her attack?

However, to Soi Fon's surprise, this kick sent BG9 flying backward directly.

Furthermore, if Soi Fon wasn't mistaken, beneath BG9's mask-like face, trickles of blood dripped out.

Clearly, this kick had inflicted considerable injury upon BG9.

"What's going on?"

"Why did his defense suddenly weaken so much?"

Such thoughts flashed through Soi Fon's mind, but now was not the time for deliberation.

Years of combat experience led Soi Fon, after kicking BG9 away, to follow up with a Shunpo, the Suzumebachi on her right fingertip stabbing towards BG9.

Clang!

The jarring impact, like striking steel, caused a flicker of pain on Soi Fon's face.

This attack, once again, failed to break BG9's defense.

What exactly was happening?

Could it be that these Quincy's defenses were only effective against Shinigami Zanpakutō, offering little protection against Kidō or Hakuda attacks?

Such a guess flashed through Soi Fon's mind.

Immediately, Soi Fon twisted her waist, delivering another kick towards BG9.

Bang!

"So hard!"

This kick landed in the same spot as Soi Fon's previous one.

However, unlike before when it injured BG9, this time Soi Fon's attack resulted in her being forced back by the powerful recoil.

"Can't break the defense again..."

"What exactly is going on?"

Flashing away to avoid BG9's rockets, Soi Fon mentally replayed her previous attacks on BG9.

Soon, a preliminary conclusion formed in Soi Fon's mind.

The defense of the Quincy before her was indeed strong, but the Quincy couldn't maintain this level of defense constantly.

At the very least, when Soi Fon had injured BG9, his defense hadn't been this strong.

Now, what Soi Fon needed to do was find BG9's opening, investigate whether this defensive posture was maintained over time, or dependent on something else...

...

Squad Six.

Because his own Zanpakutō couldn't harm Äs Nödt, Renji Abarai, to prevent Äs Nödt from attacking other Squad Six Shinigami and causing massive casualties, used his Zanpakutō Zabimaru to bind Äs Nödt, restricting his movements.

"A mere Shinigami, actually trying to bind me like this..."

Though bound by Zabimaru, Äs Nödt was completely unfazed, even speaking slowly to Renji Abarai:

"Is it because you have already foreseen the fear of your own defeat?"

"What?"

As Äs Nödt spoke these words, Renji Abarai suddenly felt a trace of fear rise within his heart.

The cause of this fear was precisely what Akon, the Third Seat of Squad Twelve, had said earlier.

The greatest strength of the captains lay in their Zanpakutō's Bankai.

Now that even Bankai couldn't be used, could the Gotei Thirteen possibly win this battle against the Quincy?

"No, how could I possibly think like that?"

Just as this thought surfaced in Renji Abarai's mind, he shook his head, trying to banish the negative idea.

However, to Renji's shock, Äs Nödt seemed to transform into countless black insects at that moment. These insects fed on the thoughts in his mind, magnifying his fear, and more fear, in turn, bred more black insects.

Renji Abarai's pupils dilated.

In just a moment of distraction, he felt his entire body covered by these black insects called "Fear." Furthermore, this "Fear" seemed to be seeping into his body, attempting to devour him completely.

"Am I going to die?"

At a certain moment, Renji Abarai actually felt that if death could end this fear, then death might not be such a bad choice.

However, in the next instant, cherry blossom petals danced.

Swish swish swish...

A sky full of cherry blossom petals surged along Renji Abarai's Zanpakutō towards Äs Nödt.

"Renji, what are you doing?"

Byakuya Kuchiki's voice sounded behind Renji Abarai, snapping him out of his fear-induced paralysis.

"Although this fellow's strength is indeed considerable, that is no reason for you to submit."

"Captain Kuchiki!"

Regaining his senses, Renji Abarai quickly bowed to Byakuya Kuchiki in apology.

"Apologies, Captain Kuchiki."

"It won't happen again."