Chapter 101
"Bankai is indeed readily available."
"Pity..."
"Pity."
Their voices overlapped.
"You/I will never have the chance to see that day."
"Laugh!!"
Daitenta had a hole in his chest, the kind that was beyond saving.
"Thump."
Daitenta's somewhat hunched body plummeted straight towards the ground.
Miralles did not lay down his weapon.
As he drew back the bowstring, the Heilig Pfeil was aimed at the students protected by the barrier.
More than fifty Bakudō could not stop his Heilig Pfeil.
"Call out--"
Miralles released the taut bowstring, the sharp whistling sound scattering the pristine white snow.
"Boom!!"
At the instant the Kidō barrier exploded.
"Whoosh!"
"..."
Miralles clutched her bleeding shoulder tightly.
"I see."
Not far in front of him, Haruto, who was holding a sword, finally caught up using his Shunpo technique.
"Daitenta..."
"Was your Zanpakuto activated for this kid?"
Miralles Zanka no Tachi —if Haruto's arm injury hadn't been still healing, this slash could have cleaved him in two; even now, Miralles' left arm has completely lost its mobility.
He was Zanpakuto by Daitenta.
Before dying, the opponent did not fail to strike, but silently imbued the Quincy barrier with their power, rendering it impenetrable; otherwise, Haruto would have had no chance of sneaking in unnoticed.
Certainly.
Daitenta did not sense Haruto's approach, nor was he sure who would arrive immediately after receiving the message from the Hell Butterfly.
"Young people."
Miralles released her right hand from the wound.
"!?"
Before he could finish speaking, Haruto had already realized just how formidable his opponent was:
From his shoulder to his upper body, at the site of the wound inflicted by the Zanka no Tachi, countless Reishi networks stitched together like threads forcibly propelled his body like a puppet.
"Ransōtengai..."
The Quincy's top-tier combat spiritual technique.
The original purpose of developing the Ransōtengai was to help Quincy were unable to use their bodies flexibly due to old age—judging from Miralles' appearance, he was indeed approaching the age where he would need the Ransōtengai —as long as they were not dead, any injury would be meaningless in front of the Ransōtengai.
The fact that this Quincy is definitely no easier to deal with Krien.
"Can you recognize the Ransōtengai?"
Miralles was somewhat surprised.
"And to dare return here, he's clearly no ordinary student from the Shin'ō Academy... Krien's death was not in vain."
Quincy can also sense each other.
After killing the Quincy, Haruto left behind the Silver Cross on their bodies, among which Krien's was undoubtedly the most powerful and unique.
Taking things from a dead person wasn't for keeping as souvenirs; it was something Haruto used as key evidence...
These Quincy were just the beginning of the trouble.
Miralles clearly recognized the aura of the Silver Cross.
"Never mind."
"While Krien possesses exceptional talent, he completely lacks the patience and concentration expected of Quincy."
"If only they had spent more time honing their skills, they wouldn't be in this situation now."
Miralles showed no regret or pity for Krien on her face.
"Young people."
Miralles wanted to continue the previous topic.
Why didn't you save them?
"... If I save them, how can they possibly kill you?"
Haruto said without turning his head.
When rushing into the barrier, Haruto had two choices:
They could either block Miralles's Heilig Pfeil and rescue the students who were being protected and were terrified like a flock of quails, or launch a surprise attack on Miralles before the new Heilig Pfeil could be formed.
Haruto decisively chose the latter.
It wasn't that he didn't want to save them, but he wasn't confident he could protect them while facing an enemy of equal strength; conversely, if he could cripple his opponent before the battle even began, the ensuing fight would be infinitely easier.
The outcome of this match concerns all the students who are still alive.
If the person attacked were someone he knew, Haruto might consider the pros and cons, but with a complete stranger—
Haruto is willing to give them a chance to change their fate... if those few guys lying there who haven't died yet can get back up.
"Did the Daitenta lengths to let people in just so you'd fight me to the death?"
"That's because the older generation's ideas are somewhat outdated."
Haruto's actions were selfish and cruel.
But...
This is the "humanity" he forged through his experiences in Rukongai.
"As it turns out, your plan failed. If things had gone according to Daitenta's plan, you would at least have had a lot of support by now."
Miralles was clearly not satisfied with Haruto's answer.
"Or a burden."
Haruto answered.
"Young man, your thinking is dangerous."
"For you Quincy, someone like me is indeed more difficult to deal with than the Thirteenth Division."
It's not that Thirteenth Division is a saint.
However, only a few people can truly understand Captain Ukitake's thoughts; most people only see his kind, gentle, and sacrificial side.
Otherwise.
Ukitake wouldn't have such high hopes for Kaien Shiba —the man who truly understood the significance of the Thirteenth Division.
"..."
"It seems we're not very compatible."
Miralles raised her Spirit Bow; thanks to the effects of the Ransōtengai, her previous injuries had no effect on her whatsoever.
"If by 'good compatibility' you mean lying down like Daitenta- senpai—"
Haruto sheathed his Zanpakuto.
This is not giving up the fight, but rather the starting stance for drawing the sword with the Zanka no Tachi.
"I think it's better to be a little less than perfect."
"Whoosh!"
Volume 1: Chapter 64, Hirenkyaku
Haruto Shunpo to get close.
The first strike of the Zanka no Tachi injured the opponent, indicating that they hadn't mastered the Blut Vene, and that a high-level Hadō could unleash sufficient destructive power.
A hit is fatal.
To reiterate, Quincy are ranged classes, and without Schrift, their close-combat abilities are far inferior to those of Soul Reaper of the same level.
So...
"Smack!"
The Zanpakuto, which had just been drawn, with its blade less than five centimeters long, was forcibly stopped from being drawn by Miralles pressing against the end of the hilt.
"What!?"
Haruto didn't use his injured right hand to draw the sword.
Although the power of the drawn sword slash was not as great as that of the right hand, it should still be Quincy of this age could block with one hand.
What truly shocked Haruto was...
"Boxing gloves?"
Miralles's Spirit Bow had long since vanished, replaced by a gauntlet-shaped weapon from which Reishi Severing Flow along the gaps between her joints.
The Spirit Bow will change form...
The difficulty of this combat spirit technique is no easier than Ransōtengai — the Sternritter can mostly do it by flying with Reiatsu bricks, and it is extremely rare for someone like Miralles to rely purely on skill.
"Hadō #63: Raikōhō!"
Surprised as I am.
The opponent did block Haruto's Zanpakuto, but that didn't stop his right hand from continuing its attack.
His right palm, crackling with lightning, struck straight at Miralles's side of the neck!
"Raikōhō!"
Haruto gathers the Reiatsu of the Raikōhō in his palm and releases it all at once upon contact with the target. Haruto isn't actually good at close combat, so he modified the Raikōhō into the form of the Lightning Palm to deal with close-quarters combat.
The Raikōhō, which explodes at point-blank range, will damage Haruto himself, but its destructive power against enemies is even more outrageous.
However...
"Snap."
Miralles, also wearing a boxing glove on his left hand, gripped Haruto's right hand tightly, palm to palm, before the Raikōhō could unleash its devastating power.
"Young people."
Both men's muscles were taut, all their strength focused on their arms as they tried to overpower their opponent.
But!
As the Reiatsu of the Raikōhō weakened, Haruto's body, strengthened by the Heavenly Bedding Pill, found itself at a disadvantage in the battle against Miralles, whose hair had already turned completely white!
"Don't be surprised."
Haruto's body began to retreat uncontrollably.
"Since you are aware of the existence of the Ransōtengai, then what about another signature ability of the Quincy: Sklaverei— "