Chapter 234
Are there truly no problems in Soul Society?
Is it really as clean and peaceful as they claim?
Common souls are oppressed by the nobles, and the residents of Rukongai live miserable lives-wandering like stray dogs. The Central 46 shows no concern for these souls, treating their existence as meaningless. What is worse is that the Shinigami who came from the common districts themselves have no dissatisfaction with this state of affairs, nor any will to change it.
Isn't that corruption in its purest form?
Isn't that stagnation reason enough for anger?
---
Yhwach appeared high above Seireitei.
His black cloak rippled in the heavy wind that swept over the white city below. From that height, the Seireitei looked pitifully small-like it could vanish beneath the palm of his hand.
"Don't be so nervous. Squad 11 is right outside-" Shiromura Hidetomo began, but his words were cut off by the sound of destruction. A deafening roar split the air as beams of reishi shot upward hundreds of meters ahead, sending dozens of Shinigami from the Gotei 13 flying. Each beam was over ten meters thick and extended far into the sky. Wherever the light columns erupted, both Shinigami and buildings were obliterated without resistance. More beams followed, one after another, until Seireitei itself was engulfed by towering reishi pillars. Watching the devastation below, Yhwach spoke in a calm, almost disinterested tone.
"Conflict truly is pitiful."
---
Every division noticed the explosion of light that ignited across Seireitei-the captains, vice-captains, and ordinary soldiers alike.
"This… is this some kind of light pillar?"
"No… that's not light-that's blue fire!"
"Each pillar is overflowing with dense reishi!"
"How many are there…?"
Sweat ran down the faces of countless Shinigami as they looked up at the sky, terrified. The pillars pierced the heavens themselves.
Rukia Kuchiki immediately sprang forward, gripping her Zanpakutō in her white-sleeved arms as she raced toward the nearest column.
"Vice-Captain! Where are you heading?" called Kotetsu Kiyone, Third Seat of the 13th Division.
"Toward that pillar of fire! The enemy's leaders must be there!"
---
First Division-Captain's Office
From the high room of the First Division's headquarters, one could see the entirety of Seireitei. Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni stood at the edge of the precipice, his white haori fluttering in the wind. The ground before him was scorched black-a remnant of Ryūjin Jakka's flames.
"I'm heading out. You remain here," he ordered.
"Yes, Captain!" responded Okiga Genshirō, Third Seat of the First Division.
Without another word, Yamamoto leapt into the air and disappeared from sight.
---
In another part of Seireitei, Kira Izuru led the 3rd Division in guarding one of the main streets.
"Do you think it's in there, Togakushi Riku?" he asked, drawing his Zanpakutō.
"It should be," replied Riku Togakushi, Third Seat of the division, unsheathing his blade as well. "There's nowhere else it could be."
"Come out already. I've been waiting so long I'm about to yawn," said Fifth Seat Gori Taketsuna, resting his sword on his shoulder.
"If the enemy attacks while you yawn, watch that you don't bite your tongue," added Sixth Seat Katakura Asuka, also drawing her Zanpakutō.
"Lingzi Investigation Team, status?" Kira asked the man operating the reishi detector behind him without turning around.
"Vice-Captain Kira, the reishi concentration is too high! The readings are unstable!" the man shouted. On the display, reishi levels fluctuated wildly. "Match rate: 93%! It's unmistakable-it's Quincy!"
Several figures began to appear within the burning blue pillar of reishi ahead-shadows slowly taking human form.
"Move!" Kira ordered.
Before he could act further, his eyes widened in disbelief.
He looked down to see the gaping void boring straight through his chest-his entire right side vaporized.
His Zanpakutō slipped from his remaining hand and clattered against the ground. Half his internal organs had vanished into nothingness; it was only by miracle that he remained standing at that moment.
It was not merely defeat-it was annihilation.
"Vice-Captain Kira!"
Riku Togakushi, Gori Taketsuna, and Katakura Asuka froze in horror before raising their Zanpakutō.
"Release your Zanpakutōs! Don't give them another opening!"
"Roar, Tora Fue!"
"Tear him apart, Pian'in!"
"Swirl, Haruchika!"
Just as they began to call their releases, a massive figure in a white cloak descended, seizing their heads and slamming them into the ground with overwhelming force. Two deep craters formed instantly, and their heads burst apart on impact.
Within moments, Togakushi met the same fate as blood sprayed across the ground.
Every surrounding Shinigami froze. Their throats tightened and their hands shook so violently that they could barely grip their weapons.
How could Vice-Captain Kira and the seated officers of the Third Division be erased so easily?
What kind of monsters were they facing?
"I'm sorry," said the assailant without remorse. "Our orders are to eliminate you-all of you."
He drew back his hood to reveal bright purple-red hair cropped close to his head.
It was Bazz-B-the Sternritter bearing the Schrift H, representing "Heat."
Some distance away, Haschwalth stood calmly, golden hair glinting under the blue flames as he looked down on Seireitei.
"Tremble, Shinigami," he declared coldly. "For the Sternritter shall cleanse you next."
---
"Seireitei currently confirms sixteen hostile Reiryoku signatures!"
"The enemy has breached the Kekkai! Damn it-how did they get through?"
"Unconfirmed Reiryoku signatures-Shinigami presence has vanished! A battle has already taken place!"
"The Reiryoku of 3rd Division Vice-Captain Kira Izuru has disappeared! The Reiryoku signatures of the 3rd, 5th, and 6th Seats have also vanished!"
"Twenty-five members confirmed dead in West Sector 601!"
"Sixty-one deaths in Sector 224!"
"In just seven minutes of invasion-over ten thousand casualties!"
Smoke filled the air across Seireitei.
Streets were painted red with the blood of the fallen. Every few steps along the path lay another body clad in the black uniform of the Gotei 13.
At this moment, the City of the Dead truly lived up to its name-its silence drowned beneath the echoes of destruction.
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