One Pot

"Actually, I think it's good that you're not in charge of the Onmitsukido," Urahara said, tapping Yoruichi's arm as he watched the red flames in the sky gradually dissipate. "Why don't you consider it? I think this Bankai is quite good."

"What's the point of all this flashy stuff? If it were an assassination, could I have let him run for so long?" Yoruichi retorted with a sneer, still bothered by the matter of her Zanpakuto. Moreover, after seeing Ao's fighting style this time, she already had some ideas for a new Hakuda, and shedding the identity of a fireworks master was imperative!

While Yoruichi and Urahara were chatting idly, completely forgetting that their mission was actually to protect the Senkaimon. However, Hongjiang didn't need them at the moment.

"Lord Ryan! This is an order from Lord Connor, open the Senkaimon and evacuate everyone!" Earlier, a Quincy had relayed the latest command from the central district.

Hongjiang didn't know who this "Lord Connor" was, nor did he want to. He only knew that the plan in the central district was proceeding smoothly.

This Extermination Operation was actually missing a crucial piece of intelligence: the number of combatants within the Sternritter Fortress who could rival Captains and Lieutenants.

Of course, Hongjiang had entered the Sternritter Fortress before, but being naturally cautious, he had only managed to infiltrate as far as the vicinity of the boundary between the central and inner districts. Even the existence of the Holy King and Holy Queen was something he had overheard from other Quincies.

Therefore, the intelligence regarding the distribution of combat power within the Sternritter Fortress was severely lacking. So, in Huaixiang Pavilion, when Old Man Yama asked him if he could formulate a plan, Hongjiang subconsciously asked for conditions, hoping Yamamoto would offer some advice. To his surprise, Yamamoto could only provide a maximum of six Captains, two more than his conservative estimate.

Nearly a thousand years ago, the Soul Reapers and Quincies had fought a great war, with losses on both sides, ending with the near annihilation of the Quincies in the Soul Society.

In the years since, the Seireitei had produced fewer than four new Captains, and this was the result of establishing the Shino Academy and opening its doors to Rukongai. In comparison, the Quincies, in terms of both resources and numbers, had a vast gap compared to the Seireitei.

Therefore, the combat power comparable to Captain-level within the Sternritter Fortress was most likely only the Holy King and the Holy Queen, with a conservative estimate of four, on par with the new Captains in the Seireitei.

Finally, after learning of Yamamoto's overall plan, because the feigned attack on Hueco Mundo was extremely perilous, Hongjiang changed the number of Captains in the Star-Extermination Siege to four. However, with himself who had already mastered Bankai and carried another sword, the total number of Captains was still six, not much of a difference.

Ryan's appearance in the inner district was an accident, but it was still within controllable limits. Therefore, when Futz and the others wanted to fight him in a war of attrition, Hongjiang was not in the least bit anxious. If they continued to drag it out, the other side would be the one to get anxious, and would this war of attrition continue to roll on?

And now, with the retreat order coming from the central district, everything was within his grasp.

Should they continue to stall, gambling that Hongjiang would make a mistake? Or should they go all out and race against time? These Quincies in the plaza had to make a choice!

Hongjiang smiled, kicking away a Quincy beside him while simultaneously releasing Dankū to block all the distant arrows. These people hadn't completely lost their composure yet, and he wanted to add more fuel to their fire.

"Today is the day of your extermination! Give up your resistance, and I promise to leave you with a whole corpse!" Hongjiang announced in a deep voice.

The words "day of your extermination" struck the hearts of these Quincies like a heavy hammer. They could also guess why the Soul Reapers were occupying and guarding the Senkaimon, but at the time, both sides were still in the offensive phase, and they didn't believe that just two Soul Reapers could truly guard the Senkaimon.

But now, with the news from Lord Connor in the central district, it proved that the fall of the Sternritter Fortress was only a matter of time, and that time would not be too long. The only escape route was occupied by the old Soul Reaper wearing a mask in front of them, and they were not confident they could defeat him in a short period.

Some of them became dazed. Two hot-tempered individuals, without the cover of distant arrows, attacked Hongjiang on the bell tower directly from the left and right.

The team, which had originally been orderly and coordinated, showed a crack. How could Hongjiang miss such an opportunity? He reached for the hilt of his Zanpakuto at his left waist with his right hand, while his left hand formed a fist, "Kidō #62, Hyapporankan!"

A long staff emitting a silvery-white light appeared out of thin air in Hongjiang's left hand. With a flick of his wrist, the afterimages left by the staff in the air all turned into solid entities and flew towards the Quincy on the left.

At the same time, his right hand was not idle. The white blade was drawn, leaving a patch of white snow in the air. The bald Quincy on the right seemed to have run into it himself.

His arm had already swung out, but the hand holding the spirit bow remained in place. The red tide rose from his chest and crashed against the snow-covered beach, but it would never recede.

This beautiful scene didn't last even a second. The silver staff spun in Hongjiang's left hand and was directly thrust into the Quincy's chest, piercing his spine and pinning him at Hongjiang's feet.

The two impulsive Quincies were instantly trapped and injured, and their pained, trembling groans rang out. Although it was a sound that should have sobered people up, the Quincies present felt even more dazed.

Except for one person, Nodt Futz. With Ryan absent, he was the highest-ranking leader of the Sternritter Guard. The order to retreat had been given, and the situation was extremely dire; he had to make a decision.

"Life or death be damned! Fight for the dignity of the Quincy!"

Futz's roar pulled the remaining Quincies back to their senses. They glared at Hongjiang on the bell tower, their fading fighting spirit rekindling, burning like a raging flame.

"Fight for the dignity of the Quincy!"

Hongjiang looked at the remaining eighteen, no, nineteen Quincies who had regained their confidence. Were they about to launch a full-scale attack? He wondered if their target was him or the bell prison beneath his feet.

However, Hongjiang understood in the next moment. Ten Quincies in the distance had their arrows nocked, and the nine nearby charged towards the bell tower in unison. Judging by their expressions, they intended to fight him to the death.

Hongjiang had misjudged this. The "life or death be damned" was Futz's declaration to the distant archers, and their target was not Hongjiang, but their own lives! Futz's intention was not to fight to the death; he would drag Hongjiang to hell even if he had to bite him!

But did that matter? It didn't matter to Hongjiang. He hadn't dealt with them one by one earlier because he was afraid of startling these birds and causing trouble for Yoruichi or even the people in the central district. Now that Futz and the others nearby were swarming him, his objective had been achieved. As for mutual destruction? That depended on whether the other side was willing to fight to the death with you.

It was true that the Soul Reaper on the bell tower could not move, but this was also a misconception.

Hongjiang could not leave the bell prison, but there was a prerequisite: he needed a bell prison to guard. If there were no enemies, the bell prison would naturally be unnecessary, and he wouldn't have to stand there foolishly taking hits!

Futz and the others, trapped in a misconception, had just gathered on the bell tower when the brass bell beneath their feet let out a loud hum and disappeared along with the Soul Reaper who had not moved an inch from his spot.

Just as they thought they had driven away the Soul Reaper on the bell tower and were about to call their companions to evacuate, black lines suddenly appeared, spreading from beneath their feet and quickly forming a solid barrier that enveloped them.

"Hadō #90, Kurohitsugi!" This time, he unleashed a #90 Hadō. Hongjiang looked at the formed Kurohitsugi beneath his feet, his eyes filled with determination.

The nine nearby were finished, and the ten in the distance could not be spared either!

"Hadō #91, Senju Kōten Taihō!"

The Quincies in the distance had just released their arrows, which struck the Kurohitsugi. Clusters of pale pink light appeared on top of the Kurohitsugi, and then the light clusters turned into beams, like a waterfall of cherry blossoms descending from the sky, instantly engulfing the ten Quincies in the distance.

Black coffins buried in a sea of flowers, esteemed Quincies, go well on your journey with your dignity!