Fate In Bleach (484)

Chapter 484 - Stealing Bankai

Squad One.

Vice-Captain Chōjirō Sasakibe led the members of Squad One on a careful patrol within their barracks.

Seated officers from the other squads, along with some of their members, were also stationed around the four great gates of the Seireitei.

This was the year Yhwach had prophesied he would return to seize the world. Therefore, the Shinigami within the Seireitei who knew this had raised their vigilance to the absolute limit during this time.

Even the slightest disturbance would capture their attention.

As the son of the Soul King, Yhwach possessed the power of "The Almighty," the ability to see the future and alter it.

Thus, no one dared disregard Yhwach's prophecy. In fact, those who knew more about Yhwach understood the prophecy's veracity even better.

Everything they were doing now was a resistance against the predetermined "future."

Of course, even knowing such a future, the Shinigami would still not give up.

The idea that "man can conquer heaven" was fitting in any situation.

Besides... This group of Shinigami turned their gazes towards Squad One and Squad Five.

With the Captain-Commander and Captain Ailin present, the Seireitei was not without the power to resist.

Captain-Commander Yamamoto had already defeated Yhwach a thousand years ago. Captain Ailin's strength, demonstrated in his battle against Captain Aizen, was universally acknowledged as completely surpassing even the Captain-Commander.

With these two figures present, they could not possibly lose!
...

Boom!

Several Reishi arrows flew past. The Shinigami stationed at the gates of Squad One didn't even have time to react before they were struck, losing their lives amidst cries of pain.

Afterward, five figures clad in white robes emerged from the shadows of the Squad One walls.

These five moved through Squad One as if it were empty, the positions of all patrolling Shinigami seemingly completely exposed.

The leader, a burly man wearing a large white cloak, pulled a blue, cross-shaped Reishi spear from his bracelet and hurled it forward—

Boom!

"Aaaahhh..."

"Hahahahaha..."

A massive fiery explosion erupted where the spear-like arrow struck, claiming the lives of seven or eight Shinigami in its blast. Hearing their screams, the burly Quincy let out a triumphant laugh.

Driscoll Berci was the name of this burly Quincy. As a member of the Wandenreich's Sternritter, Driscoll Berci had naturally received Yhwach's blood and awakened his own ability.

"The Overkill", this was Driscoll Berci's power.

Much like gaining experience points by killing monsters in a game, Driscoll Berci, possessing "The Overkill," could increase his own power by slaughtering large numbers of lives. The more lives he killed, the stronger the amplification. Similarly, the stronger the lives Driscoll Berci killed, the greater his power growth.

With every Shinigami he killed, Driscoll Berci could feel his strength increase slightly. This sensation was incredibly enjoyable for him.

"If I kill all the Shinigami in the entire Seireitei, then even Lord Haschwalth wouldn't be my opponent!" Driscoll thought to himself.

Jugram Haschwalth was the leader of the Sternritter and the highest-ranking individual in the Wandenreich aside from Emperor Yhwach. At night, Haschwalth acted as Yhwach's other half, helping him maintain the power of "The Almighty," allowing Yhwach to clearly see the future.

In the hearts of many Quincy, Haschwalth was the next emperor.

"Hahahahaha..."

Amidst maniacal laughter, Driscoll struck without mercy, tossing spear after spear formed from Heilig Pfeil, instantly causing heavy casualties among the Squad One Shinigami.

The four Quincy beside him did the same, each shot accurately hitting a Shinigami. In less than a minute, over a hundred Shinigami had been killed by them.

"Pierce him—Gonryōmaru!"

Just as these five Quincy were slaughtering their way through Squad One, Vice-Captain Chōjirō Sasakibe arrived ahead of schedule, unleashing bolts of lightning from his Zanpakutō towards the five Quincy.

"Heh!"

Facing Vice-Captain Sasakibe's attack, Driscoll hurled his Heilig Pfeil.

Boom!

The Heilig Pfeil collided with Vice-Captain Sasakibe's lightning, instantly dispersing it and continuing towards the Vice-Captain with residual force.

Boom!

Dazzling lightning erupted from Vice-Captain Sasakibe's Zanpakutō. He then focused this lightning onto his blade, directly slicing the incoming Heilig Pfeil in half.

Boom boom boom...

After the fiery explosion dissipated, Driscoll saw Vice-Captain Sasakibe emerge from the blast, Zanpakutō in hand. A terrifying, grim smile spread across Driscoll's lips.

"I wondered who could block my Heilig Pfeil. So it was you, the despicable coward who only knows how to sneak attack."

"Although your face looks much older, I recognized you at first glance."

"A thousand years ago, it was you who sneak-attacked His Majesty from behind, causing him to be distracted and defeated by your Captain-Commander."

Hearing Driscoll's words, the four Quincy beside him immediately aimed their Reishi bows at Vice-Captain Sasakibe.

A thousand years ago, the Wandenreich, led by Yhwach, and the Seireitei, led by Ichibē Hyōsube, held talks due to their differing positions. During those talks, faced with Ichibē Hyōsube's aggressive stance and condescending offer to confine Yhwach and his Wandenreich to a specific area, Yhwach rejected the peace terms.

During these talks, Ichibē Hyōsube used the right arm of the Soul King to seal Yhwach's "Almighty," greatly weakening him. But even so, Yhwach was still capable of fighting Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto.

However, while battling Yamamoto, he was sneak-attacked from behind by Vice-Captain Sasakibe, who had stealthily approached. A sword pierced Yhwach's waist, creating an opening that allowed Yamamoto to kill him.

The fall of the Wandenreich stemmed from this. Emperor Yhwach was killed. Some Quincy escaped the Seireitei and hid in the World of the Living, while others, taking advantage of the Seireitei's negligence, secretly infiltrated it, using Hollow Reishi to construct a "shadow dimension" within the Seireitei's shadows, living there unseen.

Thereafter, this group of Quincy abandoned the name "Light" and called themselves the "Invisible Empire," also known as the "Wandenreich" or "Shadow Empire."

These Quincy, hidden within the Wandenreich for a thousand years, hated not Ichibē Hyōsube, who sealed Yhwach's power, nor Yamamoto, who killed Yhwach, but Vice-Captain Sasakibe, who had sneak-attacked their Emperor!

While the leaders of both forces fought, their Quincy side had failed to prevent a Shinigami from sneak-attacking their Emperor. This was the greatest shame for the Quincy. Even more unacceptable was that this mistake led to their Emperor's defeat...

In this surprise attack by the Wandenreich on the Seireitei, the Sternritter Quincy were all holding their breath. Whoever killed Vice-Captain Sasakibe in this assault would undoubtedly wash away the previous shame and greatly boost the Wandenreich's morale.

More importantly, such an act would surely be known by His Majesty the Emperor, earning his favor.

"What luck!" Driscoll Berci pulled out another cross-shaped throwing spear. "This time, let me take your head as the signal for our declaration of war on the Seireitei!"

Swoosh!

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

Vice-Captain Sasakibe's expression was grave as he continuously used Shunpo.

Behind him, building after building was destroyed by Driscoll's Heilig Pfeil.

"This Quincy is strong!"

"Without using Bankai, it's impossible to kill him quickly."

While dodging Driscoll's attacks, Vice-Captain Sasakibe pondered internally.

Judging by the current turmoil erupting throughout the Seireitei, a considerable number of Quincy had infiltrated tonight. If he spent too much time engaged here, the damage to the Seireitei would be even more severe.

"Bankai - Kōkō Gonryō Rikyū!"

Boom!

After closing in on Driscoll, Vice-Captain Sasakibe wasted no words and directly released his Bankai.

A thundercloud rapidly formed in the sky. Purple lightning cascaded down like a waterfall, forming a prison of lightning around Vice-Captain Sasakibe.

"Hahahahaha..."

"Shinigami, your Bankai, I'll take it!"

Seeing Vice-Captain Sasakibe release his Bankai, Driscoll laughed heartily.

A thousand years ago, in the battle between their Wandenreich and the Shinigami, many powerful Sternritter had been killed by Shinigami Bankai. This time, as the Wandenreich attacked the Seireitei, His Majesty, possessing "The Almighty," had naturally granted the members of his Sternritter the power to counter Bankai.

In Yhwach's thinking, rather than sealing such powerful abilities, it was better to directly plunder them, letting these Bankai become the Quincy's power, thereby strengthening the Quincy in turn. Thus, the Medallion, born from the concept of the "Usurpation Altar," came into being.

As a member of the Sternritter, Driscoll naturally possessed a Medallion capable of stealing Bankai.

Before Vice-Captain Sasakibe's horrified eyes, the lightning manifested by Gonryōmaru's Bankai was directly absorbed into the Medallion.

"How is this possible?"

With his Bankai stolen, Vice-Captain Sasakibe's surging spiritual pressure plummeted.

Not only that, Vice-Captain Sasakibe felt the connection between him and Gonryōmaru sever!

"Gonryōmaru, what happened?"

"Answer me, Gonryōmaru!"

Kneeling on the ground, cold sweat dripped from Vice-Captain Sasakibe's forehead.

At least half of a Shinigami's strength resided in their Zanpakutō. Losing their Zanpakutō, even captain-level powerhouses would be significantly weakened.

A Shinigami's Bankai was the materialization of the Zanpakutō. Now that Vice-Captain Sasakibe's Zanpakutō had been stolen by the Medallion, naturally, no matter how he called its name, he couldn't get a response from Gonryōmaru. Because Gonryōmaru had already been taken by Driscoll's Medallion.

Seeing Vice-Captain Sasakibe lose his composure due to his Bankai being stolen, Driscoll let out a savage grin, pulled out an enormous cross-shaped throwing spear, and hurled it fiercely at the Vice-Captain.

Schlick!

The blow pierced directly through Vice-Captain Sasakibe's chest. The immense force carried his body across more than half of the Squad One barracks, pinning him directly into the Squad One captain's office.

"Chōjirō!"

Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto saw Chōjirō Sasakibe pinned in the captain's office. His figure instantly appeared before Sasakibe, reaching out with his left hand to grasp the Heilig Pfeil pinning the Vice-Captain to the wall.

Crack, crack...

Bang!

Under Yamamoto's immense spiritual pressure, cracks spread across the Heilig Pfeil, and it was ultimately crushed in his grip.

Pfft...

As the arrow shattered, Vice-Captain Sasakibe coughed up a mouthful of blood, slid down the wall, and was gently caught by Yamamoto, who carefully laid him flat on the ground.

"Are you the ones who injured Chōjirō?" Yamamoto raised his head, looking at the five Quincy who had appeared in the captain's office.

"Hahaha, that guy sure is lucky. He didn't even die from that," Driscoll glanced at Chōjirō Sasakibe lying before Yamamoto and said irritably.

His ability was "The Overkill." Killing an enemy would grant him a sliver of power in return, boosting his own strength. But after attacking Sasakibe earlier, Driscoll hadn't felt his power increase.

Chōjirō Sasakibe was a powerhouse capable of wounding His Majesty with a sneak attack a thousand years ago, ranking among the strongest captain-level Shinigami. If not for the Medallion bestowed by His Majesty that could steal Shinigami Bankai, Driscoll himself wouldn't have stood a chance against Sasakibe.

Still, Driscoll felt a twinge of regret. If that previous attack had killed Sasakibe directly, through "The Overkill," his own strength would have increased by at least another notch.

At this thought, Driscoll's heart burned. Pulling with both hands, an enormous, javelin-shaped Heilig Pfeil materialized in his grip. Compared to the cross-shaped spear he used against Sasakibe earlier, this Heilig Pfeil was Driscoll's strongest attack currently.

"In that case, let me try again!"

Boom!

With a roar, Driscoll hurled this Heilig Pfeil towards Yamamoto and Chōjirō Sasakibe.