Your Damn Kindness! (6K)

--Really?

Scarecrow stepped into the ravaged open space, his cold eyes scanning the surroundings.

"On the surface, it seems there's no problem..."

He muttered to himself, "But what the eyes see is not necessarily the truth... Human senses can be manipulated and deceived, but spiritual pressure is the only thing that cannot be faked."

He drew the Knightly Cross Sword from his waist, the straight blade piercing the earth. In an instant, a pale blue ripple spread from the point of impact, engulfing a hundred meters in all directions. Intricate, spiderweb-like spiritual patterns spread from the sword to every inch of the land.

Call out!

A tall figure suddenly appeared in front of a towering tree that appeared perfectly normal, and the snow-white blade left a sharp trail in the air!

Clang!

Laugh!

A short, sharp collision sound and the sound of a body being torn apart rang out at the same time. A splash of blood splattered, and a human-shaped silhouette emerged from the tree bark, jumping out in a disheveled state, clutching its wound, with a severed arm falling to the ground.

Buzzing...

After that, a thin line appeared, and the tree slowly tilted and fell, startling countless birds into flight in the forest.

Damn it!

His skin returned to its original color like a chameleon's, Kurotsuchi Mayuri grimaced as if in pain, reaching into his crotch to pull out a strangely colored vial and injecting it directly into the wound.

Strangely enough, the wound stopped bleeding immediately after the injection of the unknown medicine. At the same time, Kurotsuchi Mayuri's spiritual pressure broke through its original limit and began to rise steadily, reaching the Captain-level.

"Abandoning your comrades but still unable to escape, it seems you're prepared to fight to the death... but such petty tricks are useless." Scarecrow stared at him calmly. "I will never forgive a villain like you!"

Kurotsuchi Mayuri's various methods are truly remarkable. For example, the concealment technique just now was not a simple color-changing disguise, but a simultaneous change in texture and shape, completely blending into the surrounding environment. It can be said that his entire body became part of the tree.

In addition, with the small gadgets that specifically shield Reiatsu fluctuation, the dormant Mayuri Kurotsuchi Mayuri is even more troublesome than the Insects that are best at mimicry, and even Vice-Captain level powerhouse might easily overlook him.

However, Scarecrow had been paying special attention to him from the beginning and didn't believe that this guy would be taken down so easily, so he was extra cautious.

What he just mentioned was a variant of the Reishi aggregation, which, simply put, extracts a small amount of Reishi from all objects within a certain range.

It has no lethality, but it is a very good detection method.

Because the more stable an object's Reishi structure, the less likely it is to be affected by Reishi aggregation, and the Grim Reaper's body is an extremely stable spiritual entity, especially as its strength increases.

How could a tree possibly prevent him from the Unassailable even a single drop of Reishi?!

"Ha! Don't get too cocky!"

Kurotsuchi Mayuri roared with disheveled hair. This time he was truly cornered, but his face still held a fierce grin, showing no sign of weakness or retreat.

He raised his Zanpakuto, his wide-open eyes bloodshot—he had one last move!

He was close to taming the sword spirit, and even learned part of its true name. The potion he had just taken allowed him to unleash several times the spiritual pressure in a short period of time, making it entirely possible for him to forcibly use Bankai.

It might leave some aftereffects on his Bankai, but he doesn't care!

In Kurotsuchi Mayuri's eyes, Zanpakuto is not a unique partner, but a convenient tool. As long as it allows him to survive, he doesn't mind sacrificing the sword's performance.

"Swastika--"

He had just uttered a single word when Kurotsuchi Mayuri suddenly stopped, bent his knees, and jumped backward.

The Scarecrow Quincy suddenly raised his head, his pupils shrinking slightly. "Everyone! Deploy the light shield directly above!"

The well-trained Quincy carried out the order without hesitation, raising their hands toward the sky. Reishi in the atmosphere gathered and formed a dazzling blue light, which then materialized and unfolded. Thin, crystal-like light shields connected with each other, resembling a giant star array when viewed from the sky.

Immediately afterwards, a waterfall of silver light fell from the gloomy sky—

That was lightning that was almost solidified!

Rumble!!!

A winding lightning dragon crashed onto the light screen of the star array, wreaking havoc. The two forces collided and eroded each other, and the aftershocks turned into streaks of lightning that ignited the forest. Thick smoke and Raikō intertwined, creating an apocalyptic scene.

Although it exploded, the power of the Lightning Bolt only lasted for a moment before being released in large quantities, and the Quincy hard to resist breathed a sigh of relief.

Only Scarecrow kept looking up at the sky, squinting as if searching for something in the Lightning Bolt. Just as the lightning dragon was about to completely dissipate, he suddenly opened his eyes wide and injected Reishi directly into the blood vessels under his skin, causing blue lines to spread across his body.

Bang!

The ground cracked open, and Scarecrow flew into the sky like a missile under the heavy wind pressure. Under the fluttering cloak, a sharp blade gleaming with cold light was revealed. The sword cut through steel and iron and slashed through the center of the Lightning Bolt!

— Clang!

The aftershocks of the thunder were dispelled by spiritual pressure, and a figure passed by Scarecrow, with glaring drops of blood splattering in the air.

Bang!

Using Reishi as a springboard, they turned and clashed again.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The speed exceeded the limits of dynamic vision and nerve reaction; the Quincy could only see afterimages like starlight and the exhilarating performance of steel that made their blood boil!

Call--

The Lightning Bolt converged once more, and the resulting ripples split the clouds like a whip, ultimately condensing into a single sword strike. The explosive power that erupted instantly Quincy Scarecrow's master down from the sky.

Boom!!!

The white-robed Quincy landed on the ground, creating a crater several meters deep, and slowly rose with a grim expression amidst wisps of blue smoke.

On the other side, a figure in the sky also descended leisurely, standing lightly on the ground with an oddly shaped longsword in hand.

Clatter...

Blood droplets splattered, and the crimson slowly seeped into the soil.

Only then did the Quincy realize that thin streams of blood were flowing from Scarecrow's left hand to his fingertips, while the attacker was completely unharmed!

A collective gasp rippled through the group.

Lord Scarecrow... a powerhouse among purebloods, an elite among elites, was he completely suppressed in the clash just now?!

"Not any of the captains previously recorded... Are they reinforcements from Soul Society?"

Despite his injury, Scarecrow maintained his composure and showed no signs of weakness. Looking at Iori's youthful appearance, which was no different from that of a boy, he felt a surge of emotion.

Even at this stage of the war, Soul Society still has many hidden powerhouses. Even if they lose two captains, they can quickly replace them. But for the Quincy, every death is a loss...

Although the exchange was brief, he had already used his "Blood Dress" at maximum power, going all out. He originally intended to take the initiative and quickly end the battle by surprise, but he was unexpectedly defeated by his opponent in a head-on confrontation!

This spiritual pressure is undoubtedly at the level of Captain-level Shinigami!

Unlike villains (Kurotsuchi Mayuri) who achieve rapid success through evil means, this is a true top-tier powerhouse!

This is getting tricky...

Scarecrow stared at the boy opposite him, gripping his sword tighter and his eyes filled with unwavering determination, already prepared to die here.

The Grim Reaper boy, Iori, calmly met his gaze, then looked at the overjoyed Kurotsuchi Mayuri beside him.

"It's you, kid!"

The Vice-Captain of the 12th Division let out a long breath. Although he was shocked by the amazing strength that Iori had shown, he was more concerned about the fact that reinforcements had arrived.

Iori didn't speak to him, but quickly glanced around at the scene, her brows furrowing slightly.

Although he didn't know exactly what happened, he always felt that Kurotsuchi Mayuri had brought it upon himself...

If I weren't risking my life, I really wouldn't want to bother with this guy.

Should we continue fighting?

Iori suggested to Scarecrow, "This place is caught between two camps. Both you and I are probably worried that the other side's reinforcements will arrive sooner... How about I take this guy back and we call it even?"

Scarecrow smiled slightly, "That's a good idea, it would benefit us all—but I refuse!"

If it were an ordinary enemy, one could weigh the gains and losses and negotiate. However, the war between Shinigami and Quincy is a life-or-death struggle. Even if they compromise today, they will meet again on the battlefield tomorrow.

Moreover... putting everything else aside, Scarecrow is also unwilling to let Kurotsuchi Mayuri go from a personal emotional point of view!

"Then there's nothing we can do."

Iori shook her head, looking directly into her opponent's eyes. "I can't back down either~"

Call!

Call!

Call!

One by one, the Shinigami moved to various parts of the forest with their Shunpo), their black Shinigami uniform and white uniforms facing each other like giant Yin-Yang symbol.

"Let's get this straight, this isn't a personal grudge—let's fight!"

Chapter 178: Your Damn Gentleness! (6K)

Compared to the Quincy, Iori brought fewer people, but their strength was all considered elite. Five or six of the fifteen-person team could Shikai, including Tousen Kaname, the future captain candidate, and Tetsuzaemon Shojiba, a passionate young man.

Speaking of the Shojiba, he wasn't supposed to participate in the battle, but because of a previous major defeat, he decided to graduate early and applied to join the Thirteen Court Guard Squads.

The main reason was his mother. As the Third Seat of the 7th Division, she was injured in the war. He was anxious but helpless, so he could only think of joining the war himself to be as close to his mother as possible so that he could take care of her.

Not wanting to use his family's connections, he turned to Iori, thus incurring her favor.

But he forgot what a heroine his mother, Shojiba Sentetsu, was. When she saw Tetsuzaemon rushing over against his will, she gave him a lesson in maternal love typical of East Asia, causing this hot-blooded man to get wounded before even entering the battlefield.

The heroine didn't send him back to the Shojiba or bring him into her own team. Instead, she kept him under Iori's command and instructed him to be dutiful. She also solemnly apologized to Iori, saying "My son is useless," which made Iori feel embarrassed.

While his strength in the Shojiba wasn't outstanding among the Imperial Guard, his resolute character and strong physique made him well-suited for growth on the battlefield. He had become noticeably more courageous than before, and it seemed he would soon be able to unleash his Shikai.

Of course, we can't forget Kurotsuchi Mayuri... After taking drugs, his spiritual pressure surged, and with all sorts of strange gadgets, his threat level surpassed that of a typical Vice-Captain.

He knew that the whole thing started because of him. If he couldn't end the battle quickly, what would happen to Iori and the others when more Quincy surrounded them? He certainly wouldn't survive... So he worked extra hard, leading Tousen Kaname and the others to suppress the Quincy side.

Of course, despite how lively their side is, it can only be considered "small-scale" compared to the other side.

Even in a one-on-one battle, the outcome of Iori's fight against the Scarecrow Quincy will determine the final course of the entire conflict.

Clang!

In the fierce clash of steel, half of the broken blade flew high into the sky, while the oddly shaped longsword fell down and sliced through the white military uniform, leaving a trail of bright red blood droplets.

Scarecrow, ignoring his injuries, threw the broken sword in his hand as if it were a dagger. It instantly broke the sound barrier and headed straight for Iori's forehead at near-zero distance.

However, as if she had foreseen this scene, before the broken sword left her hand, Iori tilted her neck, and the tangible wind pressure brushed right past her ear.

"Hmm!"

Scarecrow was taken aback, but his actions were not hesitant at all. After dropping his weapon, he immediately stepped forward and closed in. At the same time, he shot out a beam of light from his palm, forming a thin blade of light about one meter long. As soon as it appeared, it almost touched Iori's chest. With just a slight push, it could pierce his heart!

Snap!

The boy fearlessly grabbed the blade of light with his bare hands, while his longsword slashed down at the man's arm from below.

Wow!

Laugh!

The Quincy dispersed the light blades and retreated decisively, but the longsword still left a long wound on his body.

"Um?"

Iori looked at her hand—not the one cut by the light blade, but her right hand that held the sword.

Although the light blade is sharp, it is protected by a low-level Bakudō spell that can be released in time and by its own spiritual pressure defense. At most, it will only scratch the skin and will heal completely in the blink of an eye.

But that sword strike just now...

"Oh, so this is what they call the [Kekkou]?" Iori looked at the blue stripes appearing on Scarecrow's body with sudden realization. "He completed the transition between stillness and movement in such a short time... Can every Quincy do that?"

"..."

Scarecrow didn't answer, but his face suddenly darkened: This guy may be young, but he's very familiar with Quincy abilities!

This Shinigami should not have participated in the bloody war eight hundred years ago, nor has he ever shown his face in this war... He is so clear about the Quincy in his first encounter with them, so the higher-ups of Soul Society must have specifically instilled information about the Quincy in them!

It seems they weren't hastily conscripted; they came prepared!

Iori scrutinized her opponent intently, her eyes narrowing slightly:

That sword strike, if judged by normal physical strength, should have easily severed half of the left chest connecting to the left arm... but in reality, it only cut the skin and flesh, without damaging any vital organs.

The key protective element for Yi is the [Kekkou], which consists of those beautiful but eerie blue stripes!

The so-called "Dynamic/ Kekkou" is an innate ability of pure-blooded Quincy. By directly injecting Reishi into the blood vessels, it greatly enhances physical abilities. It is divided into "Dynamic," which focuses on mobility and destructive power, and "Static," which focuses on endurance and defense.