The Seireitei, Joint Training Ground.
This was a vast open space, surrounded by tall Reishi barriers.
Today, hundreds of Shinigami troops gathered here.
They wore black uniforms, held sharp Zanpakuto, and formed a huge encirclement, completely surrounding the entire field.
Everyone looked solemn, their eyes cold, staring intently at the group of white-clad figures standing in the middle.
At the forefront of this group of white-clad figures stood a beautiful and powerful woman.
Masaki held a blue longbow, her face having shed its former childishness, becoming mature and resolute.
On either side of Masaki stood two women also dressed in white.
—Candice and Bambietta.
Both held their respective weapons, their expressions serious, ready to engage in battle at any moment.
At the other end of the team stood Ishida Ryūken and his son Ishida Uryū, looking at the Shinigami team, poised for battle.
The air seemed to solidify for a few seconds, the tense atmosphere suffocating.
Finally, the Shinigami's person in charge, Ukitake, broke the silence and shouted loudly:
"Drill start, attack!!"
His voice echoed over the training ground, like a clap of thunder.
Subsequently, his command was relayed layer by layer, finally reaching the ears of every Shinigami participating in the drill.
The hundreds of troops instantly sprang into action, charging orderly towards the Quincy with synchronized steps.
Their movements were swift and decisive, demonstrating a high degree of discipline and combat effectiveness.
Facing this dark torrent that seemed capable of crushing everything, Masaki did not waver in the slightest.
She took a deep breath, then pulled back the Reishi bow in her hand with force.
Masaki's eyes were focused, her body leaning back slightly, ready to unleash her power.
"Rain of Light!"
As Masaki softly uttered the name of the technique, a downpour of countless blue Reishi arrows poured out from the Reishi bow.
These Reishi arrows streaked across the sky like meteors, carrying powerful spiritual energy, spreading outwards.
They shot at the charging Shinigami troops with extreme speed, like an unstoppable storm.
And the Quincy behind her, seeing their commander act, also drew their Reishi bows, and arrows flew out from the crowd.
These arrows were as dense as raindrops, shooting at the Shinigami with a sharp aura.
However, the Shinigami charging towards them seemed to have anticipated it.
The Shinigami at the very front raised their hands, blocking in front of them.
With their movements, golden lights shone, forming circular shields.
"Bakudo #39, Enkosen!"
This was a powerful defensive spell.
The circular golden protective shields were held high above their heads, and the arrows striking them made crackling sounds, as if foretelling an intense battle about to unfold.
And the Shinigami protected beneath the light shields were not idle either.
They chanted incantations, releasing powerful spiritual energy.
Crimson smoke permeated the air, followed by red flames soaring into the sky, striking the Quincy formation.
Bakudo #21, Sekienton!
Hado #31, Shakkahō!
Aozaki stood on the cliff, quietly watching the battle below.
The Shinigami suppressed the Quincy with their firepower while slowly advancing under the cover of the mist.
The two sides quickly made contact, and what followed was a close-quarters battle, which the Shinigami excelled at.
For a moment, the training ground was filled with shouts of killing, and a bloody scent permeated the air.
Ukitake led the charge, brandishing his Zanpakuto and bravely fighting the enemy.
As a Captain, every strike of his contained endless power, making it impossible for enemies to resist.
At the same time, he also unleashed the special new power he had acquired—
He placed one hand on his face and pulled down, and a white mask appeared.
Just then, he wielded the Zanpakuto in his hand, instantly transforming it into twin blades, and slashed fiercely towards the Quincy.
And facing the enemies at close quarters, Masaki no longer chose long-range suppression, decisively reorganizing and transforming the Reishi forming her Reishi bow into two sharp Reishi longswords in a flash, engaging in fierce close combat with the Shinigami without hesitation.
Looking at the woman in front of him whose expression remained unchanged, yet who pierced through his formation with astonishing speed, a trace of emotion welled up in his heart.
According to his junior disciple, this junior disciple-sister had only shown the tip of the iceberg of her true strength.
But even so, it had already brought him immense pressure.
Quincy… they truly are strong!
The battle below was still ongoing when Aozaki suddenly spoke:
"This drill will end soon, notify the Fourth Division to be ready."
"Yes, Captain-Commander."
Unohana responded, then turned to look at Kotetsu Isane beside her.
Kotetsu Isane nodded understandingly, then turned and left.
Then, Unohana smiled and continued:
"Isn't it a bit too much to have Masaki and them lead the Quincy?"
"And also saying that the Sternritter are even stronger than Masaki and them, that guy named Gerard last time didn't seem that formidable, did he?"
Aozaki smiled:
"It's just a slight exaggeration. Pressure creates motivation, and on the battlefield, no one cares if they usually work hard or not."
Before he could finish speaking, a silver bell-like laugh reached his ears.
Aozaki turned back curiously, only to see Michibane Aura walking over, leading a little girl of about twelve or thirteen.
The girl had long orange-red hair, like burning flames, and her eyes were grayish-blue, like deep lake water.
She stared straight at Aozaki, without any shyness in her eyes, but rather revealing an innocent expression.
Aozaki couldn't help but be stunned, muttering to himself:
"Who is this child?"
He had no impression of this little girl, but seeing her closeness with Michibane Aura, their relationship seemed quite significant.
Michibane Aura explained with a smile:
"This is an orphan I picked up in the Human World. She possesses a very special ability, so I decided to adopt her."
Aozaki nodded slightly.
Although he knew Michibane Aura wanted a child, he really didn't expect her to pick up a child to raise.
Looking at the cute little girl in front of him, Aozaki couldn't help but reach out and pat her head, saying with a smile:
"You don't have to ask for my opinion on everything you want to do. My desire for control isn't that strong."
He scratched his head; it was just a child, and he could certainly afford to raise her.
Wasn't the woman in front of him, who occasionally threw him a flirtatious glance, someone he had raised himself?
"But what do you mean by special talent?" Aozaki asked curiously.
"I haven't figured it out yet, but it definitely won't disappoint."
Michibane Aura smiled mysteriously, then took the girl's hand, pulled her in front of her, and said gently:
"Come, little Orihime, say hello to your favorite person in the future."
What the hell!? Woman, don't you dare corrupt the child!
Wait, what did you just call her?
Aozaki didn't have time to retort before he suddenly froze.