Hirako Shinji stood frozen, staring at the Zanpakutō in his hand.
The overwhelming surge of Reiatsu he had released with his Bankai was quickly fading. His blade, which had just transformed, quietly reverted to its Shikai form.
"What… what's happening?" Shinji muttered under his breath, his face pale with disbelief. He tried again, forcing his will and Reiatsu outward to activate Bankai: Niyang Xie Babao Seal.
But nothing happened.
A chill ran down his spine as he realized the horrifying truth—his Bankai had completely vanished.
It wasn't sealed.It wasn't weakened.It was simply gone, as if it had never existed in the first place.
His eyes narrowed. "…It was you."
Shinji glared at Quilge Opie, the Quincy standing arrogantly before him. His gaze fell on the strange star-shaped device glowing faintly in Quilge's hand. With gritted teeth and an expression full of rage and dread, Shinji hissed:
"That thing… it stole my Bankai."
All around them, the Shinigami felt the same suffocating fear crush their chests. It was as if an invisible hand had gripped their throats.
The despair grew heavier once the situation became clear.
Their Zanpakutō had been forcefully materialized—turned against them. To reclaim their blades, they had been forced to fight and injure their own partners, cutting them down with their own hands. And even if they managed to win them back, their Bankai could be stolen instantly by the Quincies.
It was a nightmare with no escape.
"Wolves in front of us, tigers behind us… how the hell are we supposed to fight like this?" a Shinigami muttered in despair.
Quilge Opie sneered, holding the glowing star seal up high for all to see. His voice dripped with mockery:
"Do you understand now, Shinigami? Without your Bankai, you're nothing. Just trash."
As he spoke, he casually gave a thumbs-up toward Aizen Sōsuke, who stood watching silently.
The truth was cruel. If not for Aizen's interference years ago—his Hollowfication experiments on Shinigami like Shinji—the Quincy device could never have stolen his Bankai. Normally, the star seal could only strip pure Shinigami powers. The Hollow contamination inside the Visoreds had made their Bankai untouchable.
But now, with Aizen's twisted "improvements," even Hollow-mixed Shinigami were vulnerable. The Quincies' star seals had been strengthened to a terrifying level.
"Damn it all!"
Kyoraku Shunsui, usually calm and composed, could no longer hold back his anger. His face darkened as he raised his right hand, chanting in a low, grim voice:
"Bones of beasts scattered across the field… spires, crimson crystals, wheels of steel. That which moves is the wind, that which stays is the sky. Let the clash of spears echo across the heavens!"
"Hadō #63: Raikōhō! – Fiery Lightning Howl!"
A blinding flash of lightning burst from his palm, streaking across the sky like a massive beam.
The other Shinigami reacted instantly, rallying to Shunsui's call. Without Bankai, they had no choice but to rely on their Shikai abilities and Kidō.
In a storm of voices, they chanted one after another:
"Hadō #78: Shakugō Sōen – Slashing Flower Wheel!"
"Hadō #54: Haien – Wasting Flame!"
"Hadō #57: Daichi Tsurugi – Dance of the Earth!"
Their attacks lit up the battlefield, a storm of fire, stone, and light converging on Quilge.
But Quilge only smirked.
"Fools. Let me show you the power of the Quincy. Then—fall into despair beneath my strength!"
"God's Justice!"
The moment his words ended, his power erupted.
Spirit energy condensed around his gloves, forming a radiant cone of light capped with a cross. A halo bearing the Quincy insignia appeared above his head. His eyes shifted, irises splitting into concentric rings. Spiritual armor wrapped his body—shoulder guards, wrist plates, and boots all formed from pure Reishi.
This was the full might of his Sankt Bogen, the holy form of Quincy justice.
Quilge raised his blade and, with a single motion, dozens of arrows materialized around him before launching at blinding speed.
The impact shook the battlefield with deafening explosions.
Yet, to his shock, the Shinigami's combined Kidō overwhelmed him. Their fiery spells and piercing lightning tore through his barrage, swallowing him in a violent blast.
"What!?"
Quilge's pupils widened in disbelief. He had been certain that without Bankai, the Shinigami were powerless. But even stripped of their strongest weapons, their Kidō and determination still packed overwhelming force.
Around him, the Shinigami felt hope stir for the first time. Cheers almost broke out.
But that hope was short-lived.
A calm voice cut through the smoke.
Next to Quilge, a figure appeared—a young man clad in a pale blue robe, his face marked with a white X-shaped pattern. His movements carried a noble, aristocratic air, as though he looked down on everyone present.
He raised a blade and spoke softly:
"Vacuum Multi-Layer Ice Wall."
The temperature plummeted instantly. Moisture in the air condensed at his command, solidifying into towering layers of glacial walls. Pure, shining white ice sealed off the battlefield, absorbing the impact of the Shinigami's attacks with overwhelming defense.
The fiery blasts and bolts of lightning dissipated uselessly against the wall of frost.
Gasps echoed from the Shinigami ranks.
And then, Hitsugaya Tōshirō's eyes went wide with shock. His voice trembled as he whispered in disbelief:
"That's… my Hyōrinmaru."
The power to command the heavens, to freeze water itself into solid ice—the absolute ability of the strongest ice-type Zanpakutō.
There was no mistake. The figure before them was Hyōrinmaru itself, manifested and fighting for the enemy.
The Shinigami felt despair crush down on them again. No one knew the terrifying might of their Zanpakutō better than they did themselves. And now, their very partners, their very blades, were in the hands of the Quincy.
And it wasn't just Hyōrinmaru.
From the shadows emerged more Sternritter. Bazz-B, with his fiery mohawk and mocking grin. NaNaNa Najahkoop, calculating and cold, scanning the battlefield like prey. And Äs Nödt, hidden behind his haunting black mask, radiating nothing but suffocating dread.
Äs Nödt's hollow voice broke the silence.
"Don't underestimate them. Remember… these are the same enemies who crushed us a thousand years ago. They are not so easily broken."
The Shinigami clenched their blades tighter, their fear rising once again.
Kilujie Opi's expression twisted with frustration, but after a brief silence, he gave a stiff nod.
"I know…"
The hearts of the Shinigami sank like stones.
Their Zanpakutō had been forced into physical form, and now those very blades had allied themselves with the Quincy. It was as if the Soul Society itself had turned traitor. How were they supposed to fight against such an overwhelming force?
"His Majesty and Aizen have gone to deal with Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni," Bijie Nain spoke coldly, his voice as lifeless as a machine. "Our task here is simple—kill at least one or two captains."
As soon as he finished speaking, countless metal tubes extended from his right arm, twisting and locking together until they formed the shape of a massive Gatling gun. He raised it slowly, its barrels whirring as they locked onto the Shinigami before him.
The very next moment—
A storm of spiritual bullets poured out like a tidal wave of destruction.
At the same time, Hyōrinmaru, Kilujie Opi, and Äs Nödt launched their own attacks.
And from the distance, more Sternritter arrived, their bows glowing with deadly blue light. Arrows rained down like a merciless storm, leaving no space for the Shinigami to dodge.
"Damn it…!"
The faces of the Shinigami darkened in despair, but they had no choice. Quickly, they raised their hands and chanted spells, erecting layers of Bakudō barriers in an attempt to hold back the barrage.
Explosions roared one after another, the battlefield trembling under the relentless assault.
Amidst the chaos, Suì-Fēng's sharp eyes locked on Bijie Nain. Her gaze was cold, unwavering.
"At least one of you has to fall first…"
With a burst of speed, she dashed forward.
"Sting all enemies to death! Suzumebachi!"
Though she could no longer rely on her Bankai, years of battle experience allowed her to adapt quickly. The Shikai form of Suzumebachi appeared on her finger, glinting with deadly intent.
But before she could strike, Hyōrinmaru stepped forward. The noble-faced man raised the Zanpakutō in his hand, his voice calm and indifferent.
"Bankai… Daiguren Hyōrinmaru."
At his words, snow began to fall from the sky. Each flake carried with it an otherworldly chill, and wherever it landed, the air itself froze.
The Shinigami stiffened in shock.
Hitsugaya Tōshirō's eyes widened, his voice trembling as he shouted a warning:
"Captain Suì-Fēng, be careful! Don't let the snowflakes touch your body! Once more than a hundred land on you, your body will be completely frozen solid!"
"What!?"
Suì-Fēng's pupils contracted in horror.
But Hyōrinmaru's icy gaze never wavered. His voice cut through the howling wind like a death sentence:
"Ice Prison—Hundred Flowers Burial."
Though Suì-Fēng had not yet reached the hundredth snowflake, the cold was unbearable. Frost exploded across her body, white blossoms of ice blooming around her until she was completely bound, unable to move.
Bijie Nain's lips curved into a cruel smile. The barrels of his massive gun spun faster, and he aimed them directly at the frozen captain.
"Die, woman!"
Facing the black muzzle of the Gatling gun, Suì-Fēng could only stare, her body encased in ice, unable to resist. A flash of despair filled her eyes.
The Shinigami around her felt their hearts freeze as well.
The situation had already spiraled into disaster.
Their Zanpakutō had betrayed them.
The Quincies had even taken control of their Bankai.
And now, with the power of both the Invisible Empire and their own stolen blades united against them, how could they possibly stand a chance?
The Gatling gun roared, unleashing a storm of bullets—
But at that very moment, the sky itself darkened.
All eyes turned upward, and every gaze widened in shock as a colossal figure descended.
A giant—the Black Rope Heavenly Punishment King—crashed down from above, the earth shattering with a deafening roar.
"BOOOOM!!!"
The explosion shook the heavens, leaving even the most hardened warriors frozen in awe.
"This… this is…!"
Inside the prison of frost, Suì-Fēng's eyes widened, disbelief written all over her face.
From the back of the towering Black Rope Heavenly Punishment King, a figure slowly emerged.
It was Qiye.
Sitting casually atop the giant's black armor, he looked down at the battlefield with a faint, mocking smile. His eyes landed on Suì-Fēng, and he spoke in a calm, teasing tone:
"Suì-Fēng… you've grown careless."
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