"It's the Soul Reapers!!"
"When did they get here?!"
"To think they opened a Senkaimon directly above our headquarters!"
"They haven't come with good intentions. Prepare the battle formations!"
When the visible light of Reiatsu enveloped the entire manor, the Quincies fell into visible chaos.
But soon, the well-trained Quincies organized their ranks. Azure Reishi dotted the crowd like starlight, a spectacular sight.
Seeing this, Ishida Sōken's expression changed drastically. He hurriedly approached Utsunomiya Wan, the leader of this gathering, and spoke anxiously.
"Wait a moment, Mr. Utsunomiya. We should first ask the Soul Reapers about the purpose of their visit, rather than striking first..."
Before he could finish, an impatient Utsunomiya Wan pushed him aside.
"The enemy has already arrived at our doorstep. If we wait any longer, the entire Quincy race will be wiped out."
"Prepare for battle! Prepare for battle!"
His gloomy, oppressive voice spread throughout the manor in an instant, carried by the fluctuations of Reishi. The Quincies summoned their spirit bows one after another, azure radiance gathering on the bodies of the bows, revealing a cold gleam.
High in the sky, the Senkaimon stood open. The gang led by Naraku Sora stepped onto the air.
Flanking him were the Captain of Squad 7, Aikawa Love, and the Captain of Squad 9, Muguruma Kensei, along with the Soul Reaper squad members they each led.
Trailing behind them was his adopted son Aizen, an indispensable and important figure for this negotiation.
There was also the insignificant Lieutenant of Squad 8, Yadōmaru Lisa, who had insisted on tagging along to make a name for herself.
In terms of sheer lineup luxury, it was no less impressive than their previous encounter, perhaps even stronger.
Although Aikawa Love and Muguruma Kensei had performed poorly in the original timeline, that was because their opponents were too strong.
If it was just about crushing weaklings, they should still be of some use.
Naraku Sora still vividly remembered the scene of Muguruma Kensei shattering a Gillian with a single punch; that was one of the few highlight moments for their Lord Kensei.
Dozens of figures stood side by side in the light of their Reiatsu, looking down at the numerous Quincies in the manor with overwhelming pressure.
Ishida Sōken was almost suffocating.
As one of the few people in the Quincy camp who knew a lot about Soul Reapers, he was well aware of how magnificent the lineup before him was.
The white haori symbolized the status of a Soul Reaper Captain—the true highest echelon of the Gotei 13, the strongest handful among all Soul Reapers.
Furthermore, the Soul Reaper standing at the very front was also terrifyingly strong.
Even though he wasn't wearing a Captain's haori, the Reiatsu radiating from him definitely reached the Captain class.
Three Captain-class individuals leading a squad to a Quincy gathering was absolutely not a good sign.
If not handled properly, it would lead to a terrifying war between the races.
"Mr. Utsunomiya..."
Ishida Sōken wanted to say something more, but before the words could leave his mouth, he was forced back by several sharp glares.
"Ishida Sōken, if you want to defect before the battle, there's still time for you to get lost!"
"We haven't been biding our time and building our strength all these years just to bow our heads to the Soul Reapers."
"These Soul Reapers clearly harbor ill intentions. Do you really want us to submit to them like before?"
The fierce words pierced Ishida Sōken's heart like Reishi arrows, causing his face to instantly flush red, unable to utter a single word.
These people had no idea how powerful the Soul Reapers were. Even if they managed to take down the ones who came today using their numerical advantage, the subsequent retaliation would surely make the entire Quincy race pay a tragic price.
The only thing Ishida Sōken could do now was to observe the battlefield as much as possible. If a Soul Reaper's life was in danger, he would be the first to step in and save them.
As long as no one died, the situation wouldn't escalate out of control.
As for how the Quincies would view him afterward, that was their problem.
While he was deep in thought, Utsunomiya Wan narrowed his eyes, looked up at the sky, and spoke with an icy expression.
"Soul Reapers, what are you doing here?"
Seeing that the people below had already taken up attack stances, Naraku Sora immediately grinned.
"To sign an unequal treaty, of course."
"From today onward, Quincies in the World of the Living are forbidden from hunting Hollows in any manner, except in emergencies. If necessary, you must report to the locally stationed Soul Reaper."
"Also..."
Before he could state his second demand, veins were already bulging on Utsunomiya Wan's forehead.
As Quincies, their innate duty was to hunt down any Hollow that appeared in their line of sight. For this Soul Reaper to come up and demand they suppress their very nature—how was this any different from a declaration of war?!
Any Quincy with even a shred of hot blood couldn't tolerate this. They had to show these Soul Reapers the might of the Quincies; only then could they sit down and negotiate on equal footing.
Utsunomiya Wan's expression darkened to the extreme. He said nothing, merely raising his right hand abruptly, a pentagram array shining brightly on the back of his hand.
In an instant, hundreds of Quincies simultaneously raised their spirit bows. The azure radiance covered the entire manor like surging waves, an extremely spectacular sight.
Seeing this, Aikawa Love couldn't help but swallow hard, carefully whispering a reminder.
"Mr. Naraku, shouldn't we use a gentler approach first?"
"Look, before we set off, the Head Captain also said to avoid war and casualties as much as possible."
Hearing this, Naraku Sora sneered.
"Captain Love, you're too naive. Having never dealt with Quincies, you don't understand the stubbornness of this race at all."
Muguruma Kensei, on the other hand, smashed his fists together, revealing a ferocious smile. He had long been ready for battle.
"Naraku, why are you wasting your breath on him?"
"The other side is about to start a war. Let's beat them into submission first."
Naraku Sora nodded and, like Utsunomiya Wan, raised his right hand, then the two of them swung their hands down in unison.
The hot-tempered Muguruma Kensei was the first to strike. He abruptly drew his blade and unleashed his Shikai. A pale green breeze swirled around him, transforming into countless visible wind blades.
Below, the Quincies released their bowstrings. Dazzling Reishi arrows shot into the sky, blotting out the sun. The sharp sound of them tearing through the air was deafening, making for a truly shocking scene.
The faces of some of the accompanying seated officers had already turned somewhat pale.
They hadn't known they would encounter such a scene before coming. If it weren't for the Captains standing at the front, they would probably have been shot into porcupines by now.
The wind blades collided with the arrows, and terrifying explosions echoed in midair. Visible shockwaves instantly spread outward.
More than half of the Reishi arrows were instantly shattered, turning into countless specks of light that scattered from the sky.
The remaining attacks were slashed apart by the seated officers drawing their swords. A full volley had achieved nothing, giving the Soul Reapers a small boost in morale.
Their eyes were no longer as timid as before.
Meanwhile, Muguruma Kensei had already roared and charged at the Quincies. His Reiatsu crashed down like a tide, causing the expressions of the nearest Quincies to change drastically.
Under the heavy pressure, they couldn't even lift their spirit bows.
Could this be the true strength of a Soul Reaper Captain?
A look of surprise appeared on Utsunomiya Wan's face, but he quickly calmed down. A silver tube popped out from between his fingers, and highly concentrated spiritual power burst forth from it.
"Sankt Bissen!"
A brilliant pillar of Reishi shot into the sky, instantly enveloping Muguruma Kensei, who was approaching with Flash Step, bringing his charge to a dead halt.
Utsunomiya Wan raised his right hand, the pentagram array on the back of his hand blooming with light. A slender, curved spirit bow materialized, and the Reishi in the atmosphere gathered frantically, instantly forming a beam of light that exuded a cold gleam.
"Heilig Pfeil!"
The arrow of light lashed the earth, leaving a deep trail as it struck the figure trapped within the Sankt Bissen formation without the slightest deviation.
Muguruma Kensei's eyes widened, only having enough time to raise his short knife to block in front of him.
Boom!
"Ugh—"
A deafening explosion rang out, and thick smoke billowed. A figure was sent flying backward, crashing into a building.
Naraku Sora: "..."
Although he knew this guy had fallen for the enemy's trick due to a moment of carelessness and underestimating his opponent, he went down way too fast.
It was simply embarrassing.
Kensei, you should just quit.
"Everyone, a Soul Reaper Captain is nothing more than this."
A confident expression appeared on Utsunomiya Wan's face as he encouraged the crowd.
"Hundreds of people against a dozen, the advantage is ours!"
"In this battle, we must ensure these Soul Reapers never return!"
The manor erupted into a boil. The Quincies' morale soared, and amidst the cheers, they raised their spirit bows once again, aiming at the group of Soul Reapers.
Aikawa Love took a deep breath and immediately erupted with Reiatsu. His Zanpakutō instantly transformed into a massive spiked club. He swung it fiercely, and scorching flames surged forth.
The war broke out once more.
Several older-looking men stepped out from the crowd. Their Reiatsu surged, countless times stronger than that of ordinary Quincies.
They formed a battle formation, directly trapping Aikawa Love within it.
With two Captains falling into a disadvantage, the situation seemed to become clear all at once.
Yadōmaru Lisa bit her lower lip tightly, seemingly preparing to charge at the Quincy camp just like Muguruma Kensei, but before she could make a move...
A profound and vast Reiatsu crashed down. Under the gaze of countless terrified eyes, a figure wrapped in lightning descended from the sky, crashing into the crowd like a falling meteor.
Boom!
The ground trembled, and visible shockwaves spread out, instantly sending the nearby Quincies flying.
Utsunomiya Wan activated Hirenkyaku. His figure flashed, charging straight into the dust. He raised his spirit bow, attempting to replicate the magnificent feat of one-shotting Muguruma Kensei.
Naraku Sora spread his hands and grinned.
"Instead of running away, you're actively approaching me?"
The next second.
His arms stretched out, his muscles shifting, and scorching flames ignited over his body.
Ikkotsu!
A brilliant Heilig Pfeil formed, tearing through the air and whistling forward.
A deafening explosion echoed through the manor, and a brilliant glow erupted at the moment of collision.
Under the shocked gazes of countless people, that Heilig Pfeil was instantly shattered and blown apart.
The visible shockwave kicked up a roaring thunder, rushing straight ahead.
Utsunomiya Wan's expression changed drastically. The branch-like patterns of Blut Vene surfaced on his body, attempting to resist the strike through this powerful defensive technique.
But this was as futile as a mantis trying to stop a chariot.
The explosive impact annihilated the outer Reishi shield with overwhelming force, and instantly crushed the so-called ultimate Quincy defense.
A mist of blood exploded in the courtyard, like a grand firework display.
This exaggerated scene made countless people turn their heads, even forgetting that they were in the middle of a battle. The crowd stared in astonishment at the ferocious and brutal figure, fear unconsciously surfacing on their faces.
Just who was this guy?
How could he be even more terrifying than those two Soul Reapers wearing Captain's haori?!
Ishida Sōken's scalp went numb, once again gaining a clear understanding of how terrifying Soul Reapers were.
Utsunomiya Wan's strength was already considered top-tier among these Quincies, yet he was still blown to pieces by a single punch from the opponent.
Such power was difficult to achieve even for the members of the Sternritter.
While everyone was still in shock, Naraku Sora had already charged into the crowd. Like a tiger among a flock of sheep, a casual strike sent several figures flying backward.
The strength of these Quincies was even inferior to that of ordinary Soul Reaper squad members; only the battle formations they released together were somewhat interesting.
The burning figure rampaged through the crowd like a runaway truck. Wherever he passed, there was no one who could withstand a single blow.
The originally stalemated battle was forcefully torn apart by Naraku Sora. Relying on his strength alone, he suppressed all the Quincies. His overbearing aura was simply suffocating.
In just a few breaths, the Quincies who were putting up a stubborn resistance fell one after another, no longer possessing the strength to fight.
His calm gaze swept across the entire courtyard. The Quincies fell completely silent out of fear. The corners of Naraku Sora's mouth curled up slightly, revealing an amiable smile.
"Now, can we negotiate?"