Page 461

Meanwhile, the flames of war in Seireitei have been fully ignited, and the sounds of battle are deafening everywhere.

"His Majesty has issued a decree to bring Kurosaki Ichigo to the Soul King Palace." Haschwald stood atop a dilapidated clock tower, his gaze sweeping over the Shinigami below. "You all hold these Shinigami back for now."

Standing beside him, Ishida Uryu pushed up his glasses.

"Leave him to me. If you try to take him away from the battlefield, you will be met with fierce resistance from the Grim Reapers, which will waste too much unnecessary time."

"It's most appropriate for me to step forward."

Hasward gave Yulong a deep look, but ultimately did not refuse.

Yulong said no more, and with a flash of spiritual energy beneath his feet, he sped straight towards the distant street.

“Rain Dragon…” Kurosaki Ichigo murmured softly.

Although he was full of questions, his almost instinctive trust in his companions prevented him from thinking for long. He gripped his longbow and followed Uryu without a word, and the two quickly left the main battlefield.

"What a presumptuous guy."

Watching Yulong's departing figure, Barrow, standing on the other side of the high wall, coldly snorted.

"Then let's not waste any more time. Let's go all out and execute these Grim Reapers on the spot, and then go to the Spirit King's Palace to pay homage to His Majesty."

Barrow raised his arms, aiming the gun at Mayuri Kurotsuchi.

The trigger was pulled decisively.

emission!

A beam of light.

Narrow and fast.

Unlike the "bows" used by traditional Quincy, this guy uses "firearms" that are more in line with the current development of humanity.

However, regardless of the medium through which power is used, the essence of power will not change, and there will be no situation where the power will inexplicably increase simply because the medium has changed.

However, while some people prefer bows, Barrow has a particular fondness for firearms.

Like arrows, bullets are also the Quincy's "Holy Annihilation Arrows".

Mayuri Kurotsuchi drew his sword, attempting to deflect the bullet. His movements were swift; to the naked eye, it was clear that he had raised his sword horizontally before the bullet struck him.

He just hunched over and staggered.

The Zanpakuto did indeed block in front of him, its blade completely undamaged.

However, a bloody hole still inexplicably appeared on his shoulder blade.

His mind went blank for a moment. What happened? He clearly blocked it! The beam of light didn't even veer around the blade, so why was he still hit?!

"How pathetic." Barrow still held his gun, coldly looking at Mayuri Kurotsuchi below through the scope. "He has been so arrogant in his research on the weaknesses of us Quincy, yet he still thinks we are so simple."

"Of course, no matter how you resist, it will be in vain."

“My sacred script is ‘X’, and its name is ‘All Things Connected’.”

Barrow's finger was on the trigger again, his eyes icy. "This isn't a bullet; it doesn't need a trajectory. Anything within the 'line' between my gun's muzzle and the target..."

"They won't be hit, but will be 'pierced' directly."

"Nothing can stop it."

Mayuri Kurotsuchi's face showed anger, but his mind was calm enough to analyze the situation.

This ability requires close proximity; judging from the meaning implied in his words just now, this ability needs a medium to be used.

Then we need to destroy his weapons first.

This time it's the shoulder blade.

If next time they aim for the heart and you can't dodge it, you'll be in big trouble.

Mayuri gritted his teeth, preparing to unleash his Bankai 'Golden Ashisogi Jizo'.

"Solution—"

The skill has not yet been used.

Something twisted and dragged his body, causing his spiritual energy to freeze for a moment as his body shifted and turned.

He was startled and looked down at his waist and abdomen.

The floorboards that had been lifted were wrapped around her waist.

A giant hand, formed from the floor, gripped its own body.

Visible to the naked eye are the black, nerve-like patterns on that palm.

No, it's not like a nerve, it is a nerve.

Those veins are throbbing wildly, giving this dead land a twisted kind of "life".

The body was forcibly twisted and deflected by this tyrannical force, and the spiritual power that was originally concentrated on the blade instantly stagnated because the body's nerves were forcibly interfered with by this foreign "nerve".

Mayuri Kurotsuchi suddenly turned his head and looked into the distance.

A bizarre Quincy, whose entire body was shrouded in a large white cloak and whose face was not even visible, was half-squatting on the ground.

Those dark nerve veins spread out from his body.

"Can even inorganic matter be forcibly injected into nerves for control?" Mayuri Kurotsuchi broke out in a cold sweat.

"Goodbye."

On the high wall, Barrow once again locked his gaze on Mayuri's brow, preparing to deliver the final blow.

Apply force with your index finger.

The bullet is about to be fired—

A crimson, blood-red light spread, like a red lotus tearing through the night, sweeping across from the side.

Barrow pulled the trigger, but the bullet failed to fire; the condensation of spiritual energy was forcibly severed.

He lowered his head.

The firearm was cut in half.

Only after all this had happened did a lazy, flippant male voice enter my ears.

"Sing out, Red Princess."

Barrow frowned, looking in the direction from which the red light was coming: "Is it reinforcements?"

In the distance, a man wearing a green and white striped fisherman's hat and wooden clogs slowly walked out.

"Oh dear, that was dangerous, Captain Kurotsuchi." Kisuke Urahara pulled down his hat brim, a smile playing on his lips. "If we had arrived a second later, the Technology Development Bureau might have had to re-elect its director."

Having narrowly escaped death, Mayuri Kurotsuchi suddenly broke free from the stone slab, but there was no joy on his face; instead, his expression was twisted and gloomy.

"Kisuke Urahara!" Mayuri Kurotsuchi roared, "Who gave you the right to meddle?!"

"Do you think I need your charity to save my life?!"

Kisuke Urahara tapped his forehead lightly with his folding fan, his face showing a mixture of helplessness and indulgence.

"Ah, of course that's not what I meant." He smiled and smoothed things over. "How could I dare to question Captain Nie's strength?"

"Kisuke Urahara, and Yoruichi Shihōin."

Barrow looked coldly at the newcomer, his tone turning somber.

"His Majesty originally planned to completely destroy Soul Society before going to the human world to deal with you remnants."

"But now that things have come to this, it seems we have no choice but to get rid of you eyesores first."

Without any verbal exchange, both sides made their judgments in an instant.

"You guys go play somewhere else. I'll handle this guy with the gun."

Kyoraku Shunsui, wearing a straw hat, blocked Barrow's way.

At the same time, Kisuke Urahara turned around with a smile and looked at the Quincy with the flamboyant purple hair.

"Oh dear, that guy over there seems to be a research-oriented person who likes to use his brain." Kisuke Urahara waved the Benihime in his hand. "My Bankai isn't really suited for this crowded place. How about we find a more spacious spot to chat?"

“Just what I wanted.” Ashkin shrugged, looking like he was tired of the hassle.

Whoosh!Whoosh!

The figures vanished instantly, drawing the battlefield to every corner of Seireitei.

The other captains and Arrancars, along with the Sternritter members, also locked onto their opponents by using their auras to their advantage.

The vast central battlefield was swiftly cleared in just over ten seconds.

A gentle breeze swept across the ruins, and only two people remained on this ravaged land.

Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni, shirtless, stared intently at Hasward across from him.

"Your Majesty left you here. Do you think you can stop this old man?"

Hasward, expressionless, slowly raised his longsword.

"It is our honor to clear away all obstacles for Your Majesty's cause of conquest."

..........

An open space outside Seireitei.

Kurosaki Ichigo gripped the Spirit Bow tightly, looking at Ishida Uryu, who had his back to him.

He breathed a sigh of relief, casually lowered his longbow, and plopped down on a broken stone pillar.

"Uryū! Stop right now!" Ichigo shouted, looking at the familiar figure. "There's no one here anymore, and the Quincy haven't followed us. No one will be watching us."

He always believed that Yulong had his reasons for joining the Invisible Empire, perhaps as an undercover agent, or perhaps for some hidden reason.

But no sooner had he finished speaking than an arrow shot out and lodged between his legs.

"How naive." Ishida Uryu raised his hand and pushed up his glasses, the lenses reflecting the light, making it impossible to see the emotion in his eyes. "What gave you the illusion that I wouldn't attack you if no one else was around?"

Ichigo froze, then stood up abruptly, staring at the other person in disbelief.

"Yulong, you..."

"The power within you seems to have undergone some interesting changes."