An evening ten-odd days later.
As the blood-colored sunset dyed the foundations of the Rukongai walls a vivid crimson, earthen walls crumbled and dust swirled into the air. The shouts of battle were incessant.
An augmented vanguard detachment of the Thirteenth Division had fallen into unexpected trouble on the outskirts of West District 55. Within the battlefield, over a dozen squad members were engaged in a chaotic melee with a large swarm of Hollows.
Two Large Hollows led a horde of over a thousand small and medium-sized Hollows, forming a rare encirclement formation that completely blocked the vanguard's path of advancement.
"Prepare to chant Shakkaho and aim for the left flank! Everyone else, form a defensive line for cover; prepare to break through at any moment!"
"The intel was sent back to the division earlier."
"Reinforcements should arrive soon. We just need to hold on!"
The class leader in charge issued precise orders, and the squad members shifted their formation in an orderly fashion. Despite the dire situation, his voice remained steady and loud.
The appearance of two Large Hollows had completely disrupted his expectations. Looking at the two massive creatures blocking the front left and right, he had already made a decision. They had to retreat. If they chose to keep fighting head-on, most of the squad members would fall here.
The Thirteenth Division's contingency protocols had long since established a clear plan for such scenarios.
"Ye lord! Mask of flesh and bone—"
Just as the Kidō incantation began, the concentration of Reiatsu in the squad members' hands immediately triggered a change in the flow of battle.
On the other side, the ape-like Large Hollow on the left opened its maw. A massive amount of Reiatsu converged and compressed at an incredible speed, quickly forming an energy sphere that radiated an ominous aura. On the right, another Large Hollow shaped like an Ushi-Oni slammed its thick forelimbs heavily against the ground, creating continuous shockwaves.
The earth let out a low groan as the ground beneath the squad members' feet trembled violently.
"Steady! Prepare for defense!"
"Bakudō #39. Enkōsen!"
The class leader screamed hoarsely.
The squad members, barely steadying themselves, coordinated their efforts as several shouts rang out in succession. A row of circular spiritual shields unfolded. However, under the influence of the continuous shockwaves, the light of some shields flickered unsteadily, and visible gaps appeared in the defensive formation.
"In the name of hot heat—and the quarrel—"
The squad member responsible for chanting the Hadō gritted his teeth, veins popping on his forehead as he focused intensely on continuing the Shakkaho incantation.
Just as the scene reached a fever pitch—
Boom!
A majestic roar of thunder erupted from the flank of the battlefield, clearly drowning out all the noise of the skirmish.
"Hadō #63. Raikōhō!"
Amidst a calm voice, a golden bolt of lightning pierced through diagonally, sweeping across the battlefield with preemptive precision.
In an instant, it sliced accurately along the invisible axis between the two Large Hollows. Wherever it passed, several Hollows too slow to dodge were vaporized instantly without even letting out a whimper, scattering into drifting fragments.
Countless golden electric snakes lashed out, washing over the massive bodies of the Great Ape Hollow and the Ushi-Oni Hollow.
"Aooo—!"
Two shrill shrieks erupted almost simultaneously from the maws of the two Large Hollows.
The energy sphere nearly fully condensed in the Great Ape Hollow's mouth exploded violently; the resulting backlash shattered most of its head, killing it instantly. The Ushi-Oni Hollow's movement was forcibly interrupted, its thick body charred black by the electricity, and the shockwaves in the field ceased abruptly.
A tall figure floated silently in the air at the edge of the battlefield. It was Tsukasa Suō.
Having landed a successful hit, Tsukasa did not stop. He used Shunpo to flash to the side of the Ushi-Oni Hollow. He drew his blade, and cold light flashed.
The Ushi-Oni's limbs were instantly severed from its torso. Losing its support, the massive body crashed to the ground along with its four limbs.
"Bakudō #30. Shitotsu Sansen!"
Three beak-shaped prisms of light fell in succession, pinning the Ushi-Oni Hollow's neck, chest, and waist-abdomen area.
The billowing dust was pushed aside by the airwaves, clearing the surrounding area.
The hem of Tsukasa Suō's pitch-black Shihakusho fluttered gently. He didn't spare a second glance at the heavily wounded and sealed Ushi-Oni Hollow beside him. He turned sideways, his gaze landing on the squad members, and spoke clearly.
"The rest is up to you. Clean up the battlefield."
"What are you standing there for? Clear out the remaining stragglers!"
The class leader was the first to snap back to his senses and responded loudly, his voice carrying a surge of fighting spirit.
With Tsukasa Suō overseeing them, the squad members' morale soared. They readjusted their formation and went on the offensive. The explosions of Shakkaho lit up one after another, and under the squad's organized counterattack, the remaining Hollows soon fell into a disorganized rout.
The outcome was no longer in doubt.
The squad members began to methodically clean up the battlefield. The class leader steadied his ragged breathing and walked over to Tsukasa Suō, bowing solemnly.
"Third Seat Suō, it is thanks to your timely arrival."
"No need for formalities. It was my duty," Tsukasa said, raising a hand to signal him to rise. His tone was gentle as he added, "Have the injured squad members come over for treatment."
"Yes!"
The class leader immediately turned and called for the others to bring the wounded.
Several squad members with varying degrees of injuries gathered, supported by their comrades. The most severely injured one had an unnaturally bent left arm and a gash on his chest torn open by a Hollow's claws. Though the blood had begun to clot, it was still seeping.
Tsukasa Suō said nothing. He walked straight to the severely wounded man, condensed Reiatsu in his palm, and moved it over the man's face, using Imin to force him into a deep sleep.
The man's body relaxed instantly, and his consciousness sank into a painless darkness. Following this, Tsukasa's hands moved with extreme speed at the man's twisted left elbow, giving it a quick squeeze and a shove.
With a soft crack and a slight unconscious tremor from the man's body, the dislocated bone was precisely reset. Then, Tsukasa touched his fingertip to the man's chest, healing the wound.
"Keep him from putting weight on this arm for now. Once we return, send him to the nearest Fourth Division relief station to recuperate for a few days."
Tsukasa instructed as the green glow of Kaidō on his hands shifted to the next injured person.
"Yes!"
Tsukasa's healing movements were highly efficient. In just a short while, the wounds of several lightly injured men were closed, and color returned to their faces.
After finishing with the last wounded man, Tsukasa dispersed the light on his hands and looked at the class leader, who had been waiting nearby.
"Give the severely injured man a Qi-Replenishing Pill and transport him by stretcher. The rest of you should take one as well. Rest for a bit before preparing for the return trip."
"Yes!"
The class leader's gaze toward the man before him was filled with profound respect. Formidable strength was certainly awe-inspiring, but Tsukasa Suō's meticulous care for his subordinates was what truly won their hearts.
He nodded in acknowledgment and immediately went to make the arrangements.
Soon, a stretcher was unfolded on the flat ground, and the severely injured man was eased onto it. The class leader took a medicine bottle from his robes and fed a small, brownish-red pill into the man's mouth; the pill dissolved instantly. A moment later, the injured man's breathing became steady and long, as if he had merely fallen into an ordinary slumber.
The other squad members also swallowed their distributed pills and sat cross-legged in a circle, soothing the weakness and fatigue following the heavy consumption of Reiatsu.
Having finished with the subordinates, Tsukasa Suō returned with his Zanpakutō to the Ushi-Oni Hollow, which remained firmly pinned to the ground by Shitotsu Sansen. The fading daylight illuminated its charred and broken massive frame and the three light prisms embedded deep within its body.
Hollows possessed exceptionally tenacious vitality; it was extremely difficult to kill them until the mask—the core that maintained their existence—was completely shattered. The severed surfaces of its previously cut limbs had already healed and stopped bleeding.
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