His tone was casual and arrogant, as though life and death were already within his grasp.
No, it wasn’t “as though.” It 'was'…
Already in his hands.
Ashido leaped into the air, swinging his blade. He had spent years honing his skills in the Forest of nos, with life-and-death struggles etched into his very bones and blood.
He possessed the power of a Captain-level fighter.
Even without releasing his Zanpakutō, he could effortlessly slay an Adjuchas with a single strike.
Yet, despite such an attack, the man claiming to be the leader of the Hueco Mundo hunting squad stood motionless. He didn’t even use the Quincy’s basic ability to manipulate external spiritual particles. Instead, complex light blue patterns appeared faintly on his skin.
Quietly, his ability activated.
'Blut Vene.'
A Quincy technique that channels spiritual energy into their veins to achieve extre defensive capabilities.
At that mont, Ashido’s blade struck.
It only grazed the surface of the skin, rupturing a few capillaries and causing so blood to spill.
Quilge Opie sneered, tilting his head slightly, and looked down from beneath his lower eyelid at the Shinigami who had attacked him.
“Is that all your attack amounts to?” he mocked, his tone condescending. “I was ready for you to kill .”
“But once again…”
“I gave you a chance to take my life, and you, as usual, failed to seize it.”
He reached out, pressing his thumb against the blade and slowly pushing it back.
Then, he withdrew his hand, brushing it over the wound on his knee, saring his fingertips with his own blood.
“The Shinigami assigned to guard Hueco Mundo are nothing compared to us—the Wandenreich’s hunting squad captains,” Quilge Opie declared, flinging his blood into the air. As it splattered, ripples began to form.
Shadows twisted and writhed.
This was a technique entirely different from the “Garganta” or the “Senkaimon.”
A form of spatial transmission.
A large group of Quincies, dressed similarly, slowly materialized.
It was an army.
Fully equipped, brimming with confidence.
“Look at that. Isn’t it magnificent?” Quilge Opie turned around, spreading his arms as if to embrace the scene. “The Shinigami have only one, while we have numbers.” ⱤÃɴỗ𝖇Е𝒮
He turned his sharp gaze back to Ashido and the group of Arrancar behind him.
“In quality, I alone surpass you.”
“And in numbers, we hold the advantage.”
“Surrender…”
“It’s been years since I’ve had fun, and I’m afraid that if I get too excited, I might end up toying with you all until you’re dead.”
“And that wouldn’t align with our lord’s intentions.”
No one responded to his words.
The Arrancar, like Ashido, had their own pride.
Yes, Hueco Mundo had been forced into cooperation with the Seireitei, but that was because they were the defeated party in the war. It wasn’t complete submission—rely a relatively passive form of collaboration. At least they could comfort themselves with that rationale.
Quilge Opie shook his head. “What a pity.”
“Well then, there’s no choice but to…”
“Execute you disobedient ones.”
He waved his sword.
A blade of light shot forward, tearing through the air.
Ashido charged in, raising his bone shield to et the attack.
His sword, like Kurama's, could absorb damage and reflect it.
Of course, such an ability wasn’t unique to him. Many other Zanpakutō in the Soul Society had similar powers.
Jūshirō Ukitake’s Zanpakutō shared this ability, though it was a dual blade, its power comparable to 'Fox-Hidden-Mirror.'
The bone shield reflected the light blade—
Effortlessly, to Ashido’s surprise.
It worked?
He had braced himself for the worst, using his Shikai to test the strength of his opponent’s attack, even risking injury.
But…
He wasn’t hard.
This opponent’s offensive strength didn’t match the overwhelming defensive power he had displayed earlier.
It was rely Captain-level, nothing more.
So…
Ashido’s mood brightened.
It seed that the seemingly invincible defense from before wasn’t an inherent ability.
It was a technique outside of Ashido’s understanding.
“You pretentious bastard,” Ashido laughed with frustration, cursing aloud. “You really scared for a second.”
“I thought you were actually on par with the captains.”
But…
Despite his words, Quilge Opie’s abilities were indeed superior to Ashido’s.
'Blut Vene' was just one part of his arsenal.
In the realm of Quincy powers, there was another ability, similar in nature but completely different in effect, which enhanced offensive capabilities: 'Blut Arterie.'
Several Arrancar stepped forward, barely managing to maintain the balance of the fight.
But the tide…
Was inevitably turning against them.
The sheer number of Quincy soldiers was overwhelming, and their individual strength was formidable. Even those who seed like re foot soldiers possessed the power of third- or fourth-seat Shinigami. And in a place like Hueco Mundo, where the spiritual energy density was incredibly high, they could demonstrate power beyond normal limits—reaching the level of lieutenants.
...
In the Seireitei, at the 12th Division.
A squad mber stood up, his face filled with disbelief. “Near Las Noches in Hueco Mundo, a large number of unfamiliar spiritual pressures have appeared.”
“Among them… there are Captain-level presences.”
“And a considerable number at Lieutenant level.”
He paused before emphasizing again, “It’s a large force—preliminary estimates suggest nearly ten individuals at Lieutenant level.”
Mayuri Kurotsuchi narrowed his eyes, peering at the screen. The data displayed was even more alarming than the verbal report.
Without hesitation, he ford a seal.
His body dissipated into a cloud of white smoke and vanished.
...
A mont later, at the 1st Division barracks.
Naruto was still discussing the Thousand-Year Blood War with the Captain-Commander when a scroll hidden in his sleeve began to stir restlessly, its spiritual pressure leaking out like a kettle about to boil, signaling an urgent ssage.
Before Naruto could retrieve it, the scroll burst out from his sleeve, unraveling itself as it fell to the ground.
A plu of white smoke rose up.
Mayuri Kurotsuchi erged from within.
“What’s going on?” Naruto frowned.
This was an ergency communication device Mayuri had left with him. It was rarely used—only in situations where a threat to the Seireitei was detected and there wasn’t enough ti to handle it directly.
“Captain-Commander, it’s good that you’re here.” Mayuri clapped his hands and smiled. “I’ll keep it brief.”
“Hueco Mundo is in danger.”
“The Quincy have launched an attack, and the balance of the three worlds is about to collapse.”
The Captain-Commander narrowed his eyes. “Naruto, depart imdiately…”
“No, let’s send the 11th, 3rd, and 5th Divisions instead.” Naruto shook his head, offering his suggestion. “I need to stay.”
Yamamoto considered what they had discussed earlier and nodded slightly. “Very well…”
“Proceed as you see fit.”
...
A few minutes later, a Garganta opened in the 5th Division.
...
Beneath the Seireitei, in the shadows, within the Wandenreich.
A long-haired man, eerily resembling Zangetsu, leaned on his hand, speaking lightly. “That kid, Naruto Uzumaki, is different from that stubborn old man, Yamamoto.”
“What a nuisance.”
“A child of the world’s anomaly.”
“How should I make you leave the stage, I wonder?”
He reached out his hand, compressing spiritual particles into a dart, which he then hurled at a photograph pinned to the wall.
A golden-haired man with a bright smile was pictured, with a bold red word written on his forehead: 'Target.'
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