Bleach: Watch Closely, This Is How You Use a Zanpakutō
Chapter 388: Assault

Chapter 388: Chapter 388: Assault

The World of the Living—Karakura Town, in the mountains behind a certain Western-style mansion.

This secluded property had been purchased by a wealthy individual with extraordinary powers, designated as a private domain.

Several hundred Quincy had gathered here, spanning various ages and genders. All wore Western-style attire and bore the Quincy Cross, the symbol of their identity.

They assembled in a forest clearing, all eyes fixed on the center of the crowd.

Guards were posted in the surrounding woods—Quincy with spirit bows in hand, maintaining the barrier and staying on high alert for any disturbances.

At the center stood a middle-aged man in white, delivering a solemn speech.

His tone was earnest.

"Everyone, please hear me out.

"A hundred years ago, we already suffered a crushing defeat. With our current strength, we still can’t match Soul Society."

"And this time, we were the ones who broke the truce. The blame lies with us."

"If we continue down this mistaken path, it can only lead to our destruction!"

Sōken Ishida’s words made some of the Quincy falter, doubt flickering in their expressions as they began to reassess the situation.

They knew the war that spanned centuries had claimed countless ancestors and loved ones.

Their hatred for the Shinigami had only grown over time—but they also understood how terrifying the Shinigami truly were.

That fear, the feeling of being utterly outmatched, was etched deep into their hearts.

However, a different faction stood firm, burning with resolve.

They had long cast aside reason, consumed by the need to vent the rage that had been bottled up for so long.

Just then, an angry voice rang out:

"Sōken Ishida! You coward! All you care about is preserving the pureblood line of the Ishida family!"

"That’s right! You don’t give a damn about us mixed-blood Quincy or our future! You’re not fit to lead us!"

Another voice quickly chimed in:

"The only reason the Shinigami ever beat us was because they outnumbered us! Or have you all forgotten how easily we crushed them before?"

"They were just—" Sōken tried to respond, but his voice was drowned out by the rising noise of the crowd.

"Shut it, you spineless coward! Get down here already!!"

The crowd grew louder, more agitated by the second.

"Everyone, please calm down. Maybe the Shinigami aren’t as bad as you think. If we just—"

A girl with orange hair stepped forward, trying to speak.

"Shut your mouth, Kurosaki bloodline trash."

"So what if you’re pureblood? You’re nothing but the remnant of a dying house. Know your place!"

"You’re just a mutt raised by the Ishida family! You’ve got no right to speak here!"

"You people..."

At those words, the girl’s eyes filled with tears.

Sōken Ishida could only sigh and shake his head, knowing nothing he said would reach them now.

He quietly stepped down from the platform, gently placing his hand on the girl’s head in comfort. But inside, his heart sank further, weighed down by helplessness and worry.

These people had been blinded by hatred and fury, losing all sense of reason and judgment.

And he no longer had the power to change that. All he could do was silently hope they wouldn’t take things too far.

"We’re proud Quincy! Why should we bow down to the Shinigami!?" someone shouted angrily.

"It’s time to strike back! Make those Shinigami pay in blood!" another added.

The sentiment quickly spread—Quincy around the clearing nodding, voicing their agreement.

They believed that their previous defeat was only due to inferior numbers, forcing them to hide away in the World of the Living.

But now, after more than a century of rebuilding and recovery...

The Quincy had grown stronger than ever. There was no longer any reason to obey the Shinigami’s authority.

Voices of support filled the air, drowning out the lone opposition—Sōken Ishida.

"Sōken Ishida... I heard from my elders that the original ceasefire agreement was led by the Ishida family, right?"

Someone suddenly posed the question.

"What? The Ishida family led it? Wasn’t it agreed upon by all the Echt Quincy?" others asked in surprise.

"Hah! If you ask me, the Ishida family became the Soul Society’s lapdogs a hundred years ago!" someone scoffed.

"Yeah, lapdogs!"

More voices joined in, their stares toward Sōken growing increasingly hostile.

If he hadn’t been a pureblood Quincy with formidable power, someone would’ve already charged up there to take his head as a symbolic offering.

Hearing the murmurs around him, Sōken felt a deep pain in his heart.

The war with the Shinigami a century ago had nearly wiped out the Quincy of the World of the Living, leaving only a few hundred survivors.

A Quincy with captain-level strength had to be pureblood—but being pureblood didn’t guarantee that level of strength.

So, while there had been pureblood Quincy families in the past, truly powerful Quincy were extremely rare.

Since the Thousand-Year War, the gap in power between Quincy and Shinigami had only grown wider.

Continuing the fight would only lead to extinction.

That was why the Ishida family, along with a few other pureblood Quincy clans, had surrendered to the Shinigami on behalf of all Quincy—to ensure the survival of their race.

After all, the Quincy’s act of erasing souls went against the world’s natural cycle.

From the world’s perspective, it had been their own ancestors who overstepped their bounds.

The Shinigami, as victors, had made only one demand: that the Quincy stop indiscriminately killing Hollows. They asked for nothing more.

At the time, it had been a condition everyone agreed to.

But now, a mere century later, these very people had turned their resentment toward his family.

...

From atop a distant hill, Kenpachi Zaraki stood watching the Quincy gathering, a deep frown forming on his face.

He muttered to himself,

"These guys are so weak..."

Shaking his head, he sighed inwardly.

They were all Quincy, but compared to those of the Wandenreich, these World of the Living Quincy weren’t even in the same league. The difference in overall strength was staggering.

With his power, he could wipe them out single-handedly.

—Kenpachi Zaraki had no doubt about that.

Still, even with that clear assessment, he held back. Until the captain standing beside him gave the order, he had no choice but to wait in silence.

But time ticked by, and Masatsuki Aozaki showed no signs of taking action.

He stood quietly off to the side, his gaze calm and indifferent, like he couldn’t care less about the Quincy gathered before them.

He didn’t look like someone preparing for battle at all.

Masatsuki Aozaki simply observed the group in silence, and in truth, they didn’t warrant his full attention.

Seriously—among the entire crowd, only three barely reached the third-tier Reiatsu level. And even then, they were weaker than Mayuri Kurotsuchi.

There was only one person he was watching: the orange-haired girl.

He’d crossed paths with her once before.

Judging by their Reiatsu, she, the white-haired young man beside her, and the middle-aged man at the center of the group were clearly the strongest among the Quincy.

And it was obvious—they were on the same side.

Yet the surrounding idiots still had the nerve to provoke them.

Didn’t they realize those three alone could annihilate the lot of them?

Masatsuki Aozaki rose to his feet.

"Have the squad assemble. Prepare to move out."

"Yes, sir!"

The Seated Officers nearby responded instantly and relayed the command without delay.

In no time, the 11th Division Shinigami began to mobilize.

At the sound of the order, they surged forward in a frontal assault.

Naturally, the Quincy didn’t miss the sudden commotion.

They quickly turned toward the direction of the 11th Division, faces tense with alertness.

...

(40 Chapters Ahead)

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