Chapter 397: Invasion
Sixth Division, Training Ground.
Over a hundred Shinigami, organized into five-person squads, formed a massive encirclement, sealing off the entire area.
Everyone held their swords with both hands, expressions cold, staring intently at the figure standing in the center.
Kurosaki Ichigo, holding a blue longbow, his face no longer childish but matured.
After a few seconds of stagnant air, Tōshirō, who was in command, suddenly shouted:
"Attack!!"
"Raaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!"
The squad members roared and charged toward the center.
Faced with a scene intense enough to make an ordinary person's legs go weak, Ichigo showed no hesitation.
He took a deep breath and drew his spirit bow.
"Rain of Light."
As he softly uttered the technique's name, a torrential downpour of countless blue spirit arrows poured forth from his spirit bow!
The range of the light rain attack covered a 120-degree arc in front of the spirit bow. By slightly adjusting his footing, he could target all the Shinigami charging at him from all sides!
Normally, facing such an attack, ordinary Shinigami would only have time to scream "Aaaaaah!" before being mowed down in droves.
However, the Shinigami charging toward Ichigo seemed to have anticipated this.
The Seated Officers at the forefront raised their left arms, shielding themselves.
As they moved, a silver device strapped to their left arms glowed, forming a translucent protective layer.
The light rain Ichigo fired struck the angled surfaces of the shields and shattered into fragments with a sharp crack.
Meanwhile, the Shinigami following behind didn't hesitate. They raised their hands from the rear:
"Hadō #31. Shakkahō!!"
Dozens of red fireballs took shape almost simultaneously, hurtling toward the center with a roar.
Ichigo gave a slight nod, and blue light patterns appeared across his body.
All the fireballs that approached him were blocked by the blue glow, exploding mid-air.
Under the cover of the Shakkahō, the first wave of Shinigami had already closed in.
Ichigo dispersed his spirit bow and spread his hands.
Two blue longswords, entirely formed from condensed Reishi, appeared in his grasp.
Swinging the twin blue blades, he plunged into fierce combat with the Shinigami.
For a time, the Sixth Division's battle cries shook the heavens.
Tōshirō led the charge, brandishing his Zanpakutō while two ice dragons circled around him. They occasionally roared and lunged at Ichigo, causing him some trouble.
Watching the young man who showed no change in expression as he efficiently dispatched his subordinates, Tōshirō couldn't help but feel a sense of awe.
According to Lord Mikami, Ichigo was only using a fraction of his true strength.
A genuine Sternritter would be even stronger than this.
Quincies… truly were a terrifying bunch.
He had no doubt about Satoru's words.
To repay Satoru's kindness, he would do his utmost to familiarize himself with the Quincy's combat style.
Fortunately, the captain's son possessed Quincy abilities, allowing the squad members to get accustomed to their fighting methods.
That captain of his… occasionally proved somewhat useful…
A few minutes later, Ichigo suddenly spoke:
"Time's up. We're moving to the next phase."
As soon as he said this, the expressions of the Shinigami charging madly toward him changed in unison.
In the next moment, under everyone's gaze, a pillar of blue Reiatsu erupted from Ichigo's body.
The power of his blue Reishi blades suddenly became overwhelmingly terrifying.
The Shinigami who had barely managed to surround Ichigo moments earlier were instantly torn apart, their encirclement shattered.
Ichigo charged through the Sixth Division's ranks like a bulldozer plowing through a flock of sheep. In just a few waves of assault, he scattered the squad members in disarray.
Tōshirō took a deep breath.
"Bankai!"
"Daiguren… Hyōrinmaru!!"
In a flash of light, blue ice wings unfurled behind him. He resembled a young ice dragon, diving fiercely toward Ichigo!
Clang!!!
The Zanpakutō, radiating terrifying cold, clashed with Ichigo's spirit blade.
Feeling the pressure transmitted from Tōshirō's sword, surprise flickered in Ichigo's eyes.
For over a year now, he had been serving as a sparring partner for various divisions, giving him a clear understanding of everyone's skill level and rate of improvement.
Among them all, Tōshirō's progress was arguably the fastest.
A year ago, he was only at the level of an average captain, roughly on par with Kensei Muguruma.
And now, he had already stepped over the threshold of a strong captain-level, his power soaring to twenty times Kenpachi's level.
If he continued using power at this level, he might really be defeated.
After confirming Tōshirō's level, Ichigo adjusted his strength once more.
Red Reishi patterns began to appear on his skin.
Seeing these patterns, Tōshirō's pupils contracted.
Blut Vene!
Without hesitation, he roared:
"Ryusenka!!!"
A powerful Reiatsu surged from within him, transformed into ice-attribute Reishi with the help of Hyōrinmaru, and a massive amount of ice erupted from the blade!
As for Ichigo, he crossed his two swords and swung them:
"Getsuga Jujisho!!"
Although they weren't Zanpakutō, just dual blades formed from Quincy power, he still preferred using Getsuga-type techniques the most.
Two blue crescent moons collided violently with the ice dragon.
Amidst billowing dust and ice shards, Ichigo's figure tore through the smoke screen, charging out like a demonic asura, swinging his blade down at Tōshirō.
One slash tore open Tōshirō's defense.
The other slash struck Tōshirō's body hard.
At the moment of hitting Tōshirō, Ichigo dispersed the blade of the spirit sword, turning it into a blunt strike.
With a thud, Tōshirō was knocked to the ground.
Unsurprisingly, he probably broke a few ribs.
An injury of this level meant nothing to a Shinigami.
If one had good Kaidō grades at Shin'ō Academy, they wouldn't even need to go to the Fourth Division; they could handle it themselves.
Ichigo opened his hand, dispersing the dual blades.
Out of combat mode, his entire demeanor changed instantly.
The previous coldness completely vanished.
He grinned, extending a hand to Tōshirō on the ground:
"Well done, Tōshirō! You lasted much longer than last time!"
"You too, and everyone in the Sixth Division!"
Looking at the hand extended before him, Tōshirō smiled bitterly, reached out to grasp it, and was pulled up.
"...Still too far off. With this level, I can't do much."
Hearing this, Ichigo shook his head with a smile.
As the Seireitei's designated sparring partner, he knew everyone's situation best.
The current Seireitei was already vastly different from the past.
The hellish training ground created by Satoru had caused the level of ordinary squad members to skyrocket as if cheating.
Especially, the Shinigami who had experienced the erosion of hell's miasma had gained ample experience in resisting external spiritual power.
When facing Quincies skilled in controlling Reishi and using various miraculous techniques, this adaptability would surely produce remarkable effects.
Although he didn't know exactly how strong the Quincy side was... as long as Satoru was here, he believed the Seireitei would never lose!
...
...
"Master, just how strong is the Wandenreich?"
In the First Division barracks, Shiba Isshin brought tea to Aizen and asked somewhat curiously.
As Ichigo's biological father, he was well aware of how strong his son was now.
It was no exaggeration to say that if he fought that brat, he probably wouldn't last five minutes.
With Ichigo this strong, Master this strong, Lord Yamamoto that strong, and especially Big Brother even stronger than them...
With such a luxurious lineup, was there a need to be so serious?
Hearing Shiba Isshin's words, Aizen put down the book in his hand.
He picked up the teacup and took an elegant sip.
Then, he spoke:
"To be precise, it's not the Wandenreich that is strong."
"Admittedly, the Sternritter are indeed powerful."
"According to Sōken Ishida and Bambietta, the knights known as the 'Royal Guard,' who possess the greatest strength, may have already reached the level of a Limit Shinigami or even surpassed it."
"Without Yhwach, they would be a formidable group of enemies, and the Soul Society would pay a significant price to deal with them."
"But... with Yhwach present, there is little to worry about regarding these individuals."
Upon hearing this, Isshin was taken aback.
Was his master not fully awake?
The knights were difficult to handle without Yhwach, but with Yhwach, they became easier to deal with?
Was this Quincy King an inside agent?
Seeing Isshin's expression, Aizen cast a cold gaze.
Noticing his master's reaction, Isshin broke out in a cold sweat.
His mind raced.
A few seconds later, an image flashed through his mind—his wife collapsed by the riverbank, unable to even stand on her own.
His eyes widened as a look of realization dawned on his face:
"Auswählen!"
"Indeed, Auswählen."
Aizen withdrew his gaze and continued sipping his tea.
Auswählen was the true source of Yhwach's power.
For a thousand years, the Sternritter had hidden within the Wandenreich, never slacking in their training as they sought revenge against the Soul Society.
Over twenty Sternritter, thousands of spirit soldiers...
No matter how strong Satoru was, he trained alone.
But Yhwach had countless geniuses cultivating power for him.
With just one Auswählen, his strength could undergo a dramatic transformation.
Holding his teacup, Aizen looked out the window at the sky.
The Quincy King, Yhwach.
No matter what cards you play, I, Sōsuke Aizen, will surely shatter your ambitions!
...
...
Seireitei, First Division.
Bambietta, dressed once again in her white military uniform and wearing her peaked cap, stepped through the gates of the First Division.
Once a member of the Sternritter, she had now officially been integrated into the Seireitei's ranks.
Captain-Commander's Assistant, and Special Instructor for Quincy Training.
Currently, all Quincy oversight duties in the Living World have been handed over to Ishida Ryūken.
This genius Quincy harbors a deep-seated hatred for the Wandenreich, as Yhwach's Auswählen nearly killed his wife.
Originally, Ishida Ryūken's submission to Satoru was based on practical considerations—a compromise-driven surrender.
But after experiencing Yhwach's inhuman actions, he has completely sided with Satoru.
If a full-scale war truly erupts, he will stand by Satoru without hesitation.
That is why Bambietta confidently entrusted him with the task of overseeing the Living World's Quincy.
Every Shinigami passing by would stop and salute Bambietta.
She paid little mind to this.
She had no interest in how other Shinigami regarded her.
The Shinigami she cared about numbered only one and a half.
The one was Satoru, who could punish her severely.
The half was Suì-Fēng, who could help Satoru punish her severely.
Suddenly, she halted, her expression turning to surprise.
In the First Division study, Satoru, who had been napping in a recliner, abruptly opened his eyes.
The moment his eyes opened, a piercing alarm echoed throughout the entire Seireitei—
"Woooooo!!!!!"
Hearing the sound, the Shinigami were momentarily stunned.
Then, everyone's pupils contracted, instinctively gripping the hilts of their swords at their waists.
This alarm...
In the Shin'ō Academy principal's office, Yamamoto shot to his feet, his eyes boiling with killing intent.
This was a device personally crafted by Aizen, installed throughout the Soul Society decades ago, specifically designed to detect Quincy Reiatsu and sound an alarm.
The alarm was ringing—the Wandenreich had arrived!
Moreover, judging from the direction of the alarm...
A full-scale invasion, simultaneously from all directions of the Seireitei!
Across the Seireitei, patches of black shadows slowly unfolded.
From within the shadows, figures clad in white uniforms emerged one after another!
Led by the Sternritter, the Quincy surged like a white tide, erupting throughout the entire Seireitei!
Boom!!!
A pillar of red Reiatsu shot into the sky.
Within the pillar, a man with a red mohawk hairstyle let out a deafening roar:
"Yamamoto Shigekuni!! Satoru!!!"
"The time for revenge has come!!"
"Come out... now!!"
As he roared, he swung his arm, unleashing a long whip of fire.
The fire whip extended several kilometers, sweeping fiercely and obliterating the vast structures before him!
The Quincy following behind all wore expressions of exhilaration.
Truly worthy of a Sternritter—with such absolute power, how could the Shinigami possibly resist?!
Having instantly leveled a large area of buildings, the mohawk-headed man snorted coldly and prepared to seek out his targets.
Suddenly, a voice rang out:
"Hah, so the Sternritter... are such a bunch of ill-mannered fellows?"
Hearing this, the mohawk-headed man narrowed his eyes and turned to look.
He saw a figure descending from the sky, landing not far away.
Seeing the white Captain's Haori on the newcomer, he grinned:
"Oh, a Captain right off the bat?"
The man also smiled.
"That's right, a Captain."
He drew his Zanpakutō, pointing it at the mohawk-headed Quincy:
"Captain of the Sixth Division, Shiba Isshin."
The mohawk-headed man waved his hand dismissively:
"No need to announce your name."
"Anyway, I'll kill you soon enough. What your name is makes no difference."
"Oh, is that so?"
Isshin laughed heartily at the mohawked man's provocation.
The next second, the smile vanished from his face.
"Speaking ill of all Quincies would be disrespectful to my child's mother."
"So, I'll just target you alone."
"You'd better go all out from the start, baldy."
"Otherwise, dying too quickly wouldn't be any fun."
Hearing this, the mohawked man was enraged.
"Who's baldy... who are you calling baldy?!"
"This is... a perfect mohawk that I have to style with flames every day to maintain!!"
As he spoke, he suddenly raised his hand.
Red flames erupted with a roar!
Seeing this, Isshin curled his lips.
Good, exactly matching the intelligence.
Mohawk, fire-based abilities...
A Sternritter from a thousand years ago, one of the Wandenreich's top combatants—Bazz-B!