Quincy / Oh No, I've Become a Quincy

"Don't move. Move again, and I'll run my blade through your throat," Gen'en Kinra said coldly.

Zendouji Yuuhin had no intention of surrendering. He hurriedly pulled a healing pill from his robes, but just as he was about to pop it into his mouth, a bolt of White Lightning struck his fingers and sent the pill flying. Yamabuki Chidori withdrew his finger with a wicked grin. Perfect assist! Damn, I'm good!

Katoru Hatsunoya's blade was also pressed against Zendouji Yuuhin's neck.

"Still want to fight?" Katoru Hatsunoya asked coldly.

Zendouji Yuuhin raised both hands at once. "No, no more fighting."

The moment Yamabuki Chidori saw that Zendouji Yuuhin had been caught, he charged over and flicked him twice on the forehead. That'll teach you how tough I am!

"Confess and you'll get leniency. Resist and you'll get the full punishment. Why did you capture those souls?" Yamabuki Chidori demanded.

Zendouji Yuuhin snorted. You tell me to talk, and I'm supposed to talk? I'd lose face!

"Going to play tough with me? Uncle, peel off his skin. Don't worry about killing him—I can keep him alive. If he still won't talk, I'll let his skin grow back and peel it off again!"

This time, the vicious grin moved from Zendouji Yuuhin's face to Yamabuki Chidori's.

"Hold on! I never said I wouldn't talk. Can't you give me a moment to gather my thoughts? Young people these days have no patience! Hmph. I captured those people for experiments. I needed something with a high density of Reishi, and after researching it, I found that human souls had the highest density. So I used their souls," Zendouji Yuuhin said.

"Do you realize that's a crime? Keep it up, and you'll upset the balance of the Three Realms. I'll destroy you in the name of justice. Oh, and did you kill the Soul Reaper stationed here?" Yamabuki Chidori asked. "Think carefully before you answer. Say one wrong word, and I'll burn you alive!"

"I really didn't. You're the first Soul Reapers I've met. The one stationed here had already disappeared before I came to collect this village's souls," Zendouji Yuuhin said.

"Why should we believe you?"

"Why would I lie to you? If those two hadn't come to save you, I'd have pounded you into mincemeat by now," Zendouji Yuuhin said.

"Still not convinced? Want me to beat you up?"

"So what if I'm not? Fight me one-on-one if you've got the guts!"

Thud!

Thud!

They each got punched once.

Gen'en Kinra punched Zendouji Yuuhin.

Katoru Hatsunoya punched Yamabuki Chidori.

"Either way, we've caught the culprit behind the mass disappearance of souls. Let's head back and report in," Gen'en Kinra said.

Yamabuki Chidori looked over the desolate scene. If Zendouji Yuuhin hadn't killed the Soul Reaper who had suddenly gone missing, where had he gone?

"Hey, kid. Come here. I'll send you to Soul Society!" Yamabuki Chidori called to the little boy.

The boy looked bewildered. Yamabuki Chidori drew his Zanpakuto and tapped the hilt against the boy's head, sending his soul straight to Soul Society. As for which district he ended up in...

I hope you're reborn in Gomukui District. And why is that...?

Because I'm burning with jealousy!

"You two take him back to Soul Society. I'll search the area and see if I can find any clues," Yamabuki Chidori said.

"Can you manage on your own?" Katoru Hatsunoya asked. "I get the feeling you're either getting thrashed or on your way to getting thrashed."

"Are you kidding? You few are about the only people I can't beat, all right? Aside from you Captains, who else could take me?" Yamabuki Chidori said confidently.

"Well, if that's what our commander says, we'll head back first. Contact Soul Society if anything happens," Gen'en Kinra said calmly. Then he pointed his sword at Zendouji Yuuhin. "And don't try anything. You're facing serious charges. No one would fault me if I killed you right here."

Zendouji Yuuhin snorted, his plump face a picture of displeasure.

Once Gen'en Kinra and Katoru Hatsunoya left, Yamabuki Chidori began searching for traces of the missing Soul Reaper. A Soul Reaper normally wouldn't stray far from his assigned territory. If there was no sign of him nearby, someone had probably killed him.

The Soul Gate behind him had closed. Yamabuki Chidori stretched. He hadn't expected one fight with that fat bastard to raise his Reiatsu so much.

He was now close to Captain-level.

Of course, even among Captains, strength varied wildly.

Quincy

Take the Gotei 13 a thousand years from now.

Yamamoto and Aizen would undoubtedly occupy the top tier. Yamamoto was hailed as the strongest Soul Reaper in a thousand years, and his power was beyond question.

Aizen was extraordinarily gifted. Even without merging with the Hogyoku, his Reiatsu was no weaker than the Captain Commander's.

The second tier held Retsu Unohana and Kenpachi Zaraki after he unleashed his power. Unohana could do it all—fight, heal, and excel at Kidō. In a contest of raw strength, though, the unleashed Kenpachi was stronger.

The third tier belonged to Shunsui Kyōraku and Gin Ichimaru.

Shunsui Kyōraku's Zanpakuto had rare rule-based abilities, and even he couldn't break its rules. His Bankai was stranger still, but Bankai battles came down to Reiatsu. If his Reiatsu fell short of his opponent's, the tables could easily turn on him.

Gin Ichimaru, meanwhile, was an all-around fighter with remarkably balanced abilities. He could dominate Kurosaki Ichigo after Hollowfication, and that astonishing strike with his Bankai had nearly killed Aizen. It had a good chance of ending a fight before an opponent knew what hit him.

The other Captains were fairly close in strength, each with their own specialties.

Soi Fon excelled at speed; Jidanbō Ikkanzaka favored strength; Kaname Tōsen specialized in sneak attacks; Tōshirō Hitsugaya had yet to reach his full potential; and Kurotsuchi Mayuri was the weakest in combat but had the most tricks. They did share one trait: most were stronger than six Kensei Mugurumas. Some might even take seven.

Right, Kensei?

Yamabuki Chidori's current Reiatsu was worth roughly four or five Kensei Mugurumas. He could put up a fight against a Captain-level expert, but he couldn't win.

Yamabuki Chidori used Flash Step to sweep through the area. He searched every corner of the village and visited the neighboring villages too, but there was no sign of the missing Soul Reaper.

"That's strange. How could he just disappear?" Yamabuki Chidori was baffled. Had the man run into danger?

Most Soul Reapers stationed in the Human World weren't particularly strong. Forget Gillians or Adjuchas—even an ordinary Menos Grande would give them serious trouble.

After searching in vain, Yamabuki Chidori prepared to ask Soul Society to open a Soul Gate and bring him back.

Soul Society's communication device was a little black butterfly called a Hell Butterfly. Yamabuki Chidori still couldn't understand how a tiny butterfly could work like a walkie-talkie!

Just as he was about to contact Soul Society, a beast's low growl sounded behind him.

Yamabuki Chidori raised an eyebrow and spun around.

A Menos Grande stood there, staring coldly at him.

Just as I thought... Yamabuki Chidori reached an immediate conclusion: the Menos Grande must have eaten the Soul Reaper stationed here. Hollows preyed on beings with high spiritual power.

Even ordinary human souls had plenty of spiritual power as far as Hollows were concerned. Soul Reapers had far more, and few Hollows could resist such a temptation.

"So you're the one who ate my comrade?" Yamabuki Chidori asked, drawing his blade.

Unfortunately, this Hollow had no intelligence to speak of. At the sight of food, it split its mouth wide, foul-smelling drool dripping from its jaws. Then it kicked off the ground and lunged at him with astonishing speed.

But a small fry like this was no threat to Yamabuki Chidori anymore. One slash would finish it.

He was about to strike and return to report in when blue light suddenly flared in the distance. It gathered into an arrow that pierced the Menos Grande's skull in an instant. The creature twitched twice, then dissolved completely.

Yamabuki Chidori's eyes widened. Holy shit. That attack was... Quincy.

He hurriedly looked toward the source of the Reishi Arrow. A man in white robes stood there, apparently a Westerner, his face cold and haughty. He held a Spirit Bow. He had fired that arrow.

Yamabuki Chidori took half a step back and gripped his sword tight.

The white-robed man studied him coldly in return.

"Who are you?" the man asked in halting Japanese.

"Just a passerby. I don't know anything. Bye!" Yamabuki Chidori had no idea whether the man was alone or had others with him. Either way, caution came first.

He backed away as he spoke. Once he got back, he would tell the Captain Commander.

But after only two steps, the man raised his Spirit Bow and aimed it at him.

"That sword is a Soul Reaper's Zanpakuto, isn't it? And that butterfly following you must be a Hell Butterfly. You're a Soul Reaper!" The man's voice turned icy.

Yamabuki Chidori stopped at once.

"How do you know about Zanpakuto?" he asked.

"We captured another man earlier. He carried the same kind of sword," the man said.

So the missing guy hadn't been eaten by a Hollow. The Quincy had captured him.

"We got quite a bit of information out of him. Apparently, you've formed some new squads. It doesn't matter. Before long, we'll slaughter every last one of you." An arrogant, icy smile spread across the man's face. He looked down at Yamabuki Chidori like he was an insect, with an air of superiority that made Yamabuki Chidori sick.

"Give me your name, Soul Reaper," the man demanded.

"Yamabuki Chidori. Yours?"

"Martin Davis. Soul Reaper, I'll be the death of you!" Martin pulled back his Spirit Bow, and a pale-blue Reishi Arrow appeared on the string. It was the Quincy's most common weapon. Yamabuki Chidori gripped his sword with both hands and rushed forward with Flash Step.

Against an archer, close the distance!

Just as Yamabuki Chidori thought his slash was certain to land, Reishi burst beneath Martin's feet. He shot away, escaping the Zanpakuto's reach.

Fast! Was that the legendary Hirenkyaku? Yamabuki Chidori was startled, but he turned and slashed again, giving Martin no chance to fire.

"Darting around like that—you're getting on my nerves!" Martin snapped his fingers. Two enormous Spirit Bows appeared in midair. He didn't even need to draw them. Under his control over Reishi, both bows fired at once!

The Reishi Arrows became two pillars of blue light that crashed down!

Yamabuki Chidori retreated quickly. Martin watched him with indifference. "You're a little stronger than the Soul Reaper we captured earlier. You must be someone important in Soul Society, right?"

"Important? What nonsense are you talking about? I'm just here on patrol, and I'm the weakest one. There are hundreds of thousands as strong as me in Soul Society. Speaking of strength, you're not much to look at. You're far weaker than I expected!" Yamabuki Chidori laid the mockery on thick.

Martin snorted. "Big talk!"

Three more Spirit Bows appeared in midair, forming a five-pointed star with the first two!

"Soul Reaper, let me show you the gap between us—a gap you can never cross!"

P.S. Bonus update—more this afternoon.

Oh No, I've Become a Quincy

The five Spirit Bows fired together in their five-pointed formation. What the hell kind of bows were these? They were floating gun turrets!

Yamabuki Chidori dodged rapidly with Flash Step while the five Spirit Bows bombarded the ground behind him!

Quincy and Soul Reapers fought in completely different ways. Soul Reapers expended their own Reiatsu; Quincy controlled the Reishi in their surroundings.

The concentration of Reishi in the environment directly affected a Quincy's fighting strength.

"Soul Reaper, do you recognize this formation? It's too late to get close to me now! Stand still and let me blast you to bits!" Martin laughed wildly.

Soul Reapers?

None of them can take a hit!

Yamabuki Chidori said nothing, searching constantly for an opening. Martin's own Reiatsu wasn't particularly high—perhaps not even half of his. But a Quincy's strength couldn't be judged by Reiatsu alone!

Fortunately, Quincy in this era had yet to develop an absurd ability like Perfect Sanctification. Armed with bows alone, Martin wouldn't be able to beat him anytime soon.

"Scurrying around like a rat! Soul Reaper, can't you stand still? Rain of Light!" Martin fired an arrow into the sky. An instant later, it split into countless arrows of light that rained down over a wide area.

Yamabuki Chidori pointed one hand skyward. "Bakudo #81: Splitting Void!"

Martin's attack covered a huge area, but splitting the arrow had greatly weakened each smaller shaft. None could break through Bakudo #81.

"So you have a little trick like that? Use more of them. Don't let me kill you so easily. I want you to die knowing you never stood a chance." Martin brushed dust from his clothes and grinned arrogantly.

Yamabuki Chidori put on a terrified expression and kept backing away. Martin raised his Spirit Bow, laughed wildly, and fired an arrow straight through Yamabuki Chidori's body.

"Ha! If all Soul Reapers are this strong, we'll finish the fight within half a day of invading Soul Society." Martin casually smoothed his disheveled hair. Suddenly, a sharp blade came at him from behind. He sensed it and tried to evade with Hirenkyaku, but he was too late. The blade, aimed at his heart, shifted off course and plunged into his lower back. It missed anything vital, but the wound still left Martin badly hurt!

"How is that possible? I clearly..." Martin used Hirenkyaku repeatedly to put distance between himself and his enemy.

Yamabuki Chidori flicked the blood from his blade. "See? Learning new things pays off. The Shihōin Clan's Utsusemi is damn useful!"

He had pestered Shunshun Shidō into teaching him the technique not long ago. By moving at high speed, he could leave an afterimage behind, along with his clothes—a perfect decoy.

In later years, Yoruichi would use the same move to toy with Byakuya time and again.

"Despicable! You ambushed me with a trick like that!" Martin pressed a hand to the wound in his lower back. It had probably reached his internal organs. My damn kidney!

"On a battlefield, it's kill or be killed! And you're complaining about fairness? How naive can you be?" Yamabuki Chidori advanced step by step, Zanpakuto in hand. "Use whatever else you've got. Don't let me kill you that easily!"

Martin felt crushing pressure bearing down on him!

That bastard hadn't been fighting me seriously at all. He'd been hiding his strength and testing what I could do!

I'm wounded. I can't take him head-on. Time to get out of here!

Martin backed up two steps, turned, and sprinted away with Hirenkyaku.

His vision blurred. Yamabuki Chidori stood calmly in front of him, waiting.