The Balance

The area where Rukongai West District 1 meets Seireitei.

The towering walls of Seireitei gleamed with a cold, silvery light under the moonlight.

On the other side were the low-rise houses of Rukongai.

There is an invisible line between the two, and no one wants to get close to it.

The shadows on the ground suddenly began to distort.

It wasn't the change in light and shadow, but the shadow itself that was writhing, like a pool of turbulent black water.

The distortion grew more and more intense, until finally two figures emerged from the shadows, as if they had come ashore from the depths of darkness.

Haschwalth's long, golden hair fell loose in the moonlight.

Those deep blue eyes scanned the surroundings, cold and calm.

Cang Du stood behind him; he was taller Haschwalth, with broad shoulders and an upright posture.

Cang Du glanced at the surrounding weeds, a faint indifference on his face.

"This is Soul Society?"

His voice was deep and steady, without any unnecessary fluctuations.

"It's more desolate than I imagined."

Haschwalth remained silent.

He simply stood there, his gaze piercing through the weeds and landing on the distant walls of Seireitei.

Their location was carefully chosen.

There are too many people inside the Seireitei; if one were to suddenly appear from among them, it would be easy to be noticed, which would be detrimental to concealment.

Therefore, they reclaimed a space on the edge of Seireitei, allowing them to appear in this border region.

In this way, they could both evade the Seireitei's surveillance and get close enough to their target.

Haschwalth stared at it for a moment, then looked away.

Let's go.

He strode forward, Cang Du followed quietly behind.

The two walked westward along the route.

A night breeze blew by, lifting the hem of their clothes, which fluttered gently in the moonlight.

"Our objective is to find out what happened in that place, and what force is spying on the Wandenreich."

Haschwalth's voice was calm, without any emotional fluctuation.

"If possible, wipe them all out. If the timing isn't right, capture some and interrogate them to find out their motives before making further plans."

A slight smile curved at the corners of Cang Du's lips, a faint smile tinged with cruelty.

"My Schrift - J, the Jail, is perfect for this kind of thing."

Haschwalth nodded.

"Your abilities can trap anyone. We need people alive, that's why I brought you here."

Cang Du didn't say anything more, but just followed quietly.

In the distance, several figures appeared at the edge of the overgrown weeds.

Those were patrolling Soul Reaper of Seireitei, dressed in black Shinigami uniforms with Zanpakuto hanging at their waists, patrolling along the edge of Seireitei.

Their Reiatsu wasn't strong; they were just ordinary squad members.

Haschwalth did not stop, nor did he speed up.

He simply turned slightly to the side, leading Cang Du into the shadow of a withered tree.

The shadows washed over them like flowing water, completely engulfing them.

The patrolling Soul Reaper walked past the withered tree without noticing anything amiss.

A moment later, the two figures emerged from another shadow, already far from the patrol route of the Soul Reaper.

Deep in the desolate mountains, the Garganta Experiment Base.

A thin mist still shrouded this desolate mountain valley, and the barrier set up by Aizen isolated the entire base from the outside world.

If the coordinates weren't known beforehand, even flying overhead wouldn't reveal anything unusual.

Kaname Tōsen stood in the center of the experimental area, facing the experimental equipment that needed to be recycled.

The light from the Reishi lamp shone on his face, casting a dark gray hue upon his features.

His hands moved swiftly across the surgical base plate, dismantling and clearing away the complex surgical structure.

Today, Lord Aizen sent him to lead a team to retrieve the equipment and clean up the experimental traces.

Wang Xun did not come; Aizen took him to another base to familiarize himself with the Hōgyoku experiments.

Kaname Tōsen felt a little uneasy, but he didn't show it.

He simply checked the equipment repeatedly to make sure nothing was missing.

Several accompanying team members were busy around.

Some people were dismantling the barrier nodes, some were moving equipment, and some were cleaning up the final experimental data.

Their movements were quick and skillful, clearly indicating they had done it many times before.

"Lord Tōsen, the barrier around node three has been completely dismantled."

A team member came over to report.

Kaname Tōsen nodded.

"Continue, but make sure you don't leave any trace."

"Yes."

The team member turned and left.

Kaname Tōsen stood still, sensing everything around him.

The Reiatsu fluctuations were stable, with no abnormalities.

The wind sound is normal, with no unusual noises.

Everything is normal.

But he always felt something was off.

I can't quite put my finger on what's wrong, but there's this instinctive, intuitive unease.

It was as if something was lurking in the shadows, watching him.

He shook his head, suppressing the feeling, and continued with his work.

Just then, his senses suddenly detected something unusual.

A Reishi Arrow shot out from the darkness, piercing precisely into the chest of the teammate closest to him.

Kaname Tōsen's pupils contracted sharply.

He drew his sword, and his Reiatsu erupted instantly, blocking the Reishi Arrow that were aimed at him.

By the time he wanted to help his teammates, it was too late.

One after another, Reishi Arrow shot in from all directions, accurately hitting each team member.

Within moments, all the accompanying team members collapsed to the ground.

Only Kaname Tōsen left standing alone in the center of the experimental area.

His senses stretched outwards frantically, trying to pinpoint the enemy's location.

"Who?!"

His voice echoed through the valley, carrying suppressed anger.

No one answered.

Only a thin mist drifted slowly in the moonlight.

Then, two Reiatsu appeared in his perception.

One was cold and clear, carrying an indescribable sense of order; the other was more composed, like a suppressed undercurrent.

Kaname Tōsen Zanpakuto tightly, lowered his body slightly, and prepared for battle.

Two figures emerged from the thin mist.

Their steps were unhurried, their cold eyes sweeping over the equipment in the experimental area, without any emotional fluctuation.

"Yes, this is the place."

Haschwalth's voice was calm.

"It seems they're researching space-related technologies, but I wonder how they discovered us."

The man behind him was tall, also wearing a white uniform, and had a stern face.

Cang Du's gaze swept across the area, landing on Kaname Tōsen with a cold, scrutinizing look.

"I didn't expect these guys to be so easy to kill. Leaving one alive... is enough, right?"

"That guy seems to have the highest authority here; he appears to be quite powerful."

Haschwalth nodded.

"Take him down."

Kaname Tōsen's Reiatsu surged once again.

His senses were locked on the two of them, and his mind raced.

The other party came prepared, used unorthodox methods, and knew that this was a place for researching space technology.

They didn't wander in by mistake; they came specifically for this purpose.

But who are they?

Soul Reaper doesn't attack like that.

Those Reishi Arrow, that peculiar Reiatsu...

Why is it so similar to the Quincy clan that was wiped out a hundred years ago?

It was Ryoka.

Kaname Tōsen made a decision instantly.

Ryoka named Quincy has entered the Seireitei.

But why would they set their sights on this place?

Will their actions interfere with Lord Aizen's plans?

Kaname Tōsen n't figure it out, and now was not the time to think about it.

The enemy was right in front of him, and had already killed all his men.

Kaname Tōsen gritted his teeth and made a decision in an instant.

Although the tall man in the white uniform was dangerous, the person behind him was the one in real control.

Let's capture the leader first.

He took a deep breath, and his Reiatsu began to fluctuate violently.

"Bankai."

The blade of the Suzumushi transformed into a ring that flew outwards, forming his Bankai space.

Darkness instantly engulfed the entire experimental area.

There was no light, no sound, and no sensation.

Only endless darkness spread outwards like a tide.

The Suzumushi Final Form: Yama Cricket.

Haschwalth stopped in his tracks.

He stood in the darkness, looking around with an indifferent expression.

"An interesting ability."

He said softly.

Cang Du stood in front of him, alertly sensing his surroundings.

His Reiatsu spread outwards, attempting to pinpoint Kaname Tōsen's location, but in this darkness, even the perception of Reiatsu was blocked.

"What kind of ability is this... Haschwalth, are you there?"

There was a hint of solemnity in his voice.

However, he heard no reply; he couldn't even hear his own voice.

Cang Du remained vigilantly in place, refraining from any rash actions, and awaited Kaname Tōsen's attack.

However, Kaname Tōsen's target was not him.

In the darkness, a sharp blade attacked from the side.

Haschwalth didn't even turn his head, he just turned slightly to the side.

The blade grazed the hem of his clothes, but did not harm him.

Kaname Tōsen attack again.

Blades flashed from all directions toward Haschwalth, each strike carrying a sharp Reiatsu.

But this time, Haschwalth didn't avoid it all.

He did try to dodge, but these movements were ineffective.

The blade sliced through the darkness and struck Haschwalth's body.

Kaname Tōsen felt his knife cutting into flesh.

Did you succeed?

The enemy, it seems, is nothing special.

Kaname Tōsen suddenly plunged his sword into the abdomen of the man in front of him; such a severe blow should render him incapable of resisting.

First take down one person, then subdue the other, and so on...

However, before Kaname Tōsen make any further moves...

The next moment, a sharp pain shot through his abdomen.

He was horrified and pressed his hand to the spot in his abdomen that was throbbing with pain; blood gushed out.

"Puff!"

Kaname Tōsen up a mouthful of blood and knelt on the ground.

At this point, he had many wounds, large and small, on his body.

And these wounds happened to be the very spots where he had just struck the enemy.

Kaname Tōsen's eyes widened in horror, and blood flowed incessantly from his body.

He clearly hit his opponent, so why is he the one who's injured now?

The enemy's abilities were too bizarre, so bizarre that he couldn't understand them at all.

Kaname Tōsen gritted his teeth and channeled his Reiatsu, trying to stabilize his injuries.

But the wound was too deep, and Reiatsu was rapidly dissipating.

He knew that he was powerless to reverse the situation at this point.

No, he has to escape.

He was going to inform Lord Aizen that there was such a formidable enemy within the Seireitei.

Kaname Tōsen himself to stand up, intending to use his Bankai as cover to escape out of the experimental area.

His figure moved swiftly through the darkness.

The darkness behind him was about to dissipate; his Reiatsu was insufficient to sustain his Bankai.

Footsteps sounded behind me.

It was light, slow, but getting closer and closer.

Kaname Tōsen's heart sank to the bottom.

The person was chasing him, and in the darkness, they were very accurate, as if they could see him.

Kaname Tōsen tried to speed up, but his injuries held him back.

Every step aggravated the wound, leaving a long trail of blood behind him.

The footsteps grew closer.

A sword light slashed from behind. Kaname Tōsen barely managed to turn to the side to avoid it, but the blade still grazed his back.

He staggered forward and fell heavily to the ground.

The Bankai dissipated, and the moonlight shone down once more.

Cang Du's vision cleared, and he turned his head to see the heavily wounded Kaname Tōsen lying on the ground, and Haschwalth standing behind him, slowly sheathing his sword.

Cang Du walked up to Kaname Tōsen, a slight, sarcastic smile playing on his lips.

"If you choose to attack me, you might be able to hurt me."

There was a hint of coldness in his voice.

"But you chose to attack him... truly, ignorance is bliss."

Kaname Tōsen lay on the ground, his abdominal wound still bleeding.

"Who... who are you people?"

His voice was hoarse and weak.

But no one answered him.

Kaname Tōsen spoke again, his voice filled with resentment.

"How did you find my location? Within my Bankai, you shouldn't be able to sense anything."

The silence lasted for a moment.

Then, Haschwalth's voice came from above, calm as if he were talking about something insignificant.

"I just randomly chose a direction to walk in and then swung my sword."

"However, the scales of luck tipped in my favor; I chose the right direction and incidentally struck you."

It seems you're not so lucky.

Kaname Tōsen was stunned.

Lucky?

Kaname Tōsen did not understand Haschwalth's ability called the Balance.

Haschwalth accumulated the misfortune of being struck by Kaname Tōsen, and eventually transformed it into good fortune in his choice of direction, finding the right direction for Kaname Tōsen escape.

The damage that Kaname Tōsen inflict on him was entirely absorbed by Haschwalth's Freund Schild, which then reflected back at him.

Faced with such an absurd mechanism, Kaname Tōsen's sensory deprivation seems like a joke.

This is not an enemy he can defeat.

If he had chosen to run away the instant he activated his Bankai, he might have had a chance of survival.

However, Kaname Tōsen was unaware that he had simply made the correct choice based on his current judgment.

"What nonsense are you spouting..."

Kaname Tōsen's voice was tinged with bitterness, and a hint of anger at being mocked.

The next moment, Kaname Tōsen suddenly raised his sword and swung it at himself.

Kaname Tōsen still remembers the conversation between the two of them just now.

They came to capture prisoners.

He couldn't possibly fall into their hands like this.

However, Cang Du, who was standing guard to the side, Zanpakuto the opportunity and kicked away the Kaname Tōsen was holding.

The Zanpakuto tumbled a few times in the air before landing on the ground with a crisp metallic clang.

"Thinking about suicide, that takes some courage."

Cang Du's voice carried a hint of pleasure.

He raised his foot and kicked Kaname Tōsen in the stomach.

Kaname Tōsen's body arched, he spat out a mouthful of blood, and then collapsed heavily to the ground, his consciousness fading into darkness.

Cang Du raised the longsword at his waist, the tip of which was aimed at Kaname Tōsen.

Blue Reiatsu surged from the tip of his sword, transforming into fine chains that firmly bound Kaname Tōsen's hands and feet.

"He can't escape my the Jail."

He stood up and clapped his hands.

"Interrogate him however you like once he wakes up."

Haschwalth nodded.

He looked around, his gaze sweeping over the dismantled experimental equipment, the sealed technique base plates, and the data he hadn't had time to take with him.

Everything here indicates that someone is secretly researching space technology, and at a fairly advanced level.

"It seems there are no other clues here. Let's take him and these documents back first and get some information."

"Clean this place up, so as not to reveal any trace of us Quincy."

Cang Du nodded, picked up Kaname Tōsen, and began clearing the surrounding area.

Haschwalth took one last look at the experimental area.

Under the moonlight, a thin mist drifted slowly, and the abandoned equipment appeared and disappeared in the mist.

He withdrew his gaze and turned to walk into the shadows.

Cang Du, carrying Kaname Tōsen behind him.

The two figures disappeared into the shadows, like water merging into water, vanishing without a trace.

Silence returned to the mountain valley.

The experimental area was in a mess, with only some scattered and damaged equipment remaining.

Moonlight streamed down, illuminating Kaname Tōsen's Zanpakuto, which had been kicked away.

The blade trembled slightly, gleaming with a cold, clear light.

It was like a silent lament.