Three Locks Sealing Three Gates

Yoruichi and four captains of the Onmitsukido departed first. Hiroe and the others waited at their original spot for nearly forty minutes, but the Sternritter Fortress in the distance remained silent.

This was definitely a good sign, proving that the five who infiltrated the Sternritter Fortress had not been discovered. After waiting for another ten minutes or so, Hiroe and the others were also ready to depart.

One hour was the maximum time given by Yoruichi and the four legion commanders to complete their mission. If any anomaly occurred at the Sternritter Fortress during this period, they would immediately send a signal, and the Star-Extermination Siege would skip the Three Locks Sealing Three Gates phase and directly enter the star extermination stage.

It seemed that Yoruichi and the others' mission was proceeding smoothly. Now, it was up to Hiroe, Hachigen Ushoda, and Kidōmaru.

Three Locks Sealing Three Gates was a large-scale Kidō developed by Hiroe. If any one of the three were to cast it alone, it would take over a minute to form. However, if the three cast it simultaneously from underground, ground level, and the air, the time would be reduced to within fifteen seconds.

Thus, the appearance of Three Locks Sealing Three Gates could be considered the creation of a new school of Kidō – Combined Kidō. Hiroe, Hachigen Ushoda, and Kidōmaru were naturally filled with admiration for the creators of this Kidō.

However, admiration aside, they still had doubts in their hearts about the casting of Combined Kidō. This was not because the Kidō itself had problems, but rather due to the casting locations. Hachigen Ushoda, responsible for underground, and Kidōmaru, responsible for the ground, were fine. But Ao, who was planned to be responsible for the air, was the key. After all, Soul Reapers could not fly in Soul Society.

They had asked Hiroe about this problem more than once, but he had never given a direct answer. It was true that one could not fly in Soul Society, but was anything absolute?

In front of the two, Hiroe raised his right foot. After a pause, he exerted force and slowly levitated. However, he did not stop directly in the air. He descended a few centimeters before stopping.

Hachigen Ushoda and Kidōmaru's mouths fell open in unison. With their experience, they naturally understood what Hiroe had done. But understanding was one thing, and doing it was another.

The air in Soul Society was actually low-purity spiritual power mixed with various impurities. What Hiroe did was essentially the same principle as the Water Spider. First, a layer of spiritual power membrane was applied to his feet, and then spiritual power with a density lower than air was rapidly filled, creating an invisible balloon under his feet. As long as the spiritual power control was meticulous enough, anyone could do it, but unfortunately, no one in Soul Society could achieve this level at present.

Seeing their astonished expressions, Hiroe's mouth curved upwards under his mask. This was just the beginning. If he hadn't been afraid of alarming the Quincies with too much noise, he could have conjured a pair of wings.

"Everyone, our time is limited. I'll see you at the Sternritter Fortress!"

The invisible bubble under his feet suddenly burst, and Hiroe disappeared, leaving behind only a faint white ripple that slowly dispersed.

"As expected of an outstanding Soul Reaper from the same era as the Captain-Commander!" the remaining six thought, exchanging glances and nodding slightly before also using Flash Step to blend into the night.

The time for action was ticking away. At this moment, in the center of the inner city of the Sternritter Fortress, Yoruichi, dressed in black, was lying on the roof of a building, gazing motionlessly at the plaza not far away.

In the center of the vast plaza stood a huge white stone gate. The plaza was brightly lit, but there was not a soul in sight. However, Yoruichi knew that as soon as someone stepped into it, over forty Quincies resting in the surrounding houses would launch an attack.

Yoruichi counted the time in her mind while mentally simulating her attack route. The official start of the Star-Extermination Siege was very close.

At this moment, ten kilometers above the plaza, a masked man in a sky-blue robe was looking down at the quiet city below. Soon, it would become lively.

Although they did not have clocks, the three preparing to cast the Kidō seemed to have a slowly flowing hourglass in their hearts. When the last grain of sand fell, Hiroe, Hachigen Ushoda, and Kidōmaru simultaneously extended their hands. A long chant, sung and read, emanated from their mouths.

"Lost travelers, bodies bound to broken towers, souls adrift in barren lands."

As soon as the chant began, the spiritual power around the Sternritter Fortress began to stir. Such a commotion naturally did not go unnoticed by the Quincies within the fortress. However, the four captains of the Onmitsukido already in the inner city acted one step ahead, activating the Boundary-Breaking Talismans in their hands.

Four oval white gates appeared out of thin air before Hirako and the other three, who had been waiting for a long time. Without further ado, the four stepped into the gates. The next moment, four thick and heavy spiritual pressures suddenly appeared in the inner city of the Sternritter Fortress.

The Quincies in the fortress also reacted to the enemy attack, but with no clear orders on whether to prioritize internal or external threats, they fell into disarray. This chaos completely cut off their only possible path to survival!

"Earth sinks, heart burns, foul swamps, fetter the wandering feet. Hungry beasts, sword forests, heavy pillars, may the hands that push the door turn to bone. The path of light is extinguished, the path of darkness is severed, the earth lock is fastened, the earth gate is sealed, retreat! This place is called Near Earth!"

Dragons roar, tigers cry, lions bellow; the footprints of reckless wandering are destined to meet. Go east, go west, go south, and a black giant turtle lies suppressing the four directions. The road ends in a road, the wall outside is still a wall; there is no door in the human world, for the locked door seals itself!

"Scattered winds, broken wings, the dome above cannot be touched. Twenty-two broken bridges, sixty-six shattered belts, stars shine beyond the dome. Heavy dark clouds, eternal lightning marks, hang heavy locks on the gate to the heavens. Descend! This place is eternally unchanging! Ao's Binding Kidō - Three Locks Sealing Three Gates!"

Hachigen Ushoda underground, Kidōmaru on the ground, and Hiroe in the air nearly simultaneously completed their chants. A huge black curtain rapidly unfurled, eventually forming a rectangular coffin that completely enveloped the entire Sternritter Fortress. Three silver giant locks were located at the bottom, sides, and top of the coffin, corresponding to the positions of the three.

For Hachigen Ushoda and Kidōmaru, their mission was considered complete. All they had to do now was to infuse spiritual power and ensure that the three locks on the black coffin remained intact. But for Hiroe, he still had to rendezvous with Yoruichi.

Passing directly through the coffin lid, the Boundary-Breaking Talisman in his hand immediately reacted. An oval gate appeared in mid-air. Without hesitation, Hiroe plunged into it.

Time returned to half a minute earlier. The spiritual power fluctuations outside the Sternritter Fortress also affected the inner city. Over sixty Quincies quickly gathered. After a brief exchange, led by a man and a woman, over forty Quincies rushed towards the outer city, while the remaining twenty-one quietly guarded the area around the Senkaimon. Yoruichi had not yet made a move at this time.

From Yoruichi's current position, if there were no obstructions, it would be more than enough for Ao to reach the Senkaimon within a single breath. However, the twenty-one Quincies in the plaza were not to be trifled with. Yoruichi had to advance her position further, but not now.

Until three seconds before the completion of Three Locks Sealing Three Gates, Yoruichi moved. Without using Flash Step, she charged directly towards the distant Senkaimon. "Bankai! Ten Directions Annihilation Flame Heart!" With the Bankai complete, twenty-one blue arrows appeared before Yoruichi.

Boom boom boom boom boom...

Accompanied by huge explosions, a crimson flame tide raged across the plaza. The Quincies in the plaza frantically activated their powers, not only protecting themselves but also the Senkaimon behind them. Because of this, they did not notice Yoruichi, who was flying into the air with the help of the explosion's wind. Two seconds had passed.

In the air, Yoruichi wielded her Zanpakuto, creating another explosion and changing her direction. She landed directly on the crossbeam of the Senkaimon and slammed the Boundary-Breaking Talisman in her hand onto it.

The Quincies below were not idle either. They quickly locked onto Yoruichi on the crossbeam, and blue arrows were shot from their hands again, but Yoruichi blocked them all, and crimson fireworks bloomed once more.

At this moment, a white mask with black patterns emerged from the white gate opened by the Boundary-Breaking Talisman, followed by a sky-blue robe. Hiroe, who had just completed the Three Locks Sealing Heavenly Gates, finally rendezvoused with Yoruichi on the crossbeam of the Senkaimon!