Chapter 327: Kurohitsugi!

The appearance of the inner city had been unexpected, but everything remained under Ace's control.

So when Foz and the others showed their intent to fight, Ace was unfazed. He knew that, if the stalemate continued, it would be the Quincy who grew anxious first.

Now, with the retreat order coming from the central city, Ace's plan was unfolding exactly as intended.

Would the Quincy gamble on breaking through Ace's defensive line, or would they retreat? The decision was theirs to make, and the tension among them was palpable.

Ace smirked. He kicked a Quincy aside with ease and cast Splitting Void, blocking the distant arrows aimed at him.

These Quincy weren't entirely desperate yet. Ace decided it was time to stoke the flames of their frustration.

"Today is the day of your demise!" Ace declared loudly, his voice carrying authority and menace. "Surrender now, and I promise to leave you a whole body!"

The words "demise" struck like a hammer, reverberating in the hearts of the Quincy.

They had their theories about why the Shinigami were guarding the Gate of the World, but the idea that just two Shinigami could hold it seemed absurd. 

Now, however, with word spreading from the Five Masters in the middle city that the fall of the Star Cross Fortress was imminent, the reality was sinking in.

The only path to survival lay through the gate before them, but no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't breach Ace's defense.

A few of the Quincy fell into a daze, their confidence faltering. Without the support of distant arrows, two of them impulsively charged at Ace, flanking him from the left and right.

The once well-coordinated team was now cracking under pressure, and Ace wasn't about to let this opportunity slip by.

Grasping the hilt of his Zanpakutō with his right hand, Ace raised his left hand, summoning power.

"Bakudō #62: Hundred-Step Fence!"

A silver-white staff materialized in his left hand. With a light flick of his wrist, the staff blurred into motion, solidifying mid-air before striking the Quincy on his left.

Simultaneously, Ace's right hand moved with precision. His blade flashed as it unsheathed, carving a cold arc through the air and striking the Quincy on his right.

The Quincy on the right extended his bow arm in desperation, but it was too late. His chest erupted with crimson, the blood staining the snow-covered ground like a rising tide that would never recede.

The scene was fleeting. The silver staff in Ace's left hand whirled once more, piercing through the Quincy on his left, breaking his spine, and pinning him to the ground at Ace's feet.

In a matter of moments, the two reckless Quincy were defeated. Their screams echoed in the square, but instead of rallying their comrades, it deepened the confusion among the remaining Quincy.

All but one.

Foz, the leader in the absence of the Quincy commanders, remained composed. The evacuation order had been issued, and the situation was dire. He had to make a decision.

"Fight for the dignity of the Quincy!" Foz roared, his voice commanding and defiant.

The other Quincy snapped out of their daze, their gazes locking onto Ace. Their fighting spirit reignited, burning like a raging fire.

"Fight for the dignity of the Quincy!"

Ace observed the nearly twenty Quincy who had regained their confidence. Was this their final charge? Were they targeting him, or the gate beneath his feet?

The answer became clear moments later.

Ten Quincy in the distance readied their arrows, while nine nearby rushed toward the top of the gate. Foz's rallying cry wasn't just about pride—it was a signal. Their target wasn't Ace but their own lives!

Foz's plan was brutal but simple: even if it meant sacrificing themselves, they would drag Ace to hell with them.

But Ace wasn't concerned.

He had deliberately avoided taking them down one by one earlier to prevent scaring off the "frightened birds." Any chaos caused here could disrupt the central city, which he had no intention of doing.

Now, with Foz and his group charging forward, Ace's objective was complete. Why would he eliminate them all now? The choice to fight was theirs, not his.

Ace, bound by the Bakudō he had cast, remained motionless. This, however, was no mistake.

The restriction was conditional. Ace only needed to maintain the Bakudō as long as it served a purpose. If there were no enemies, there was no need for it to remain.

The moment the Quincy reached the top of the gate, the Bakudō surrounding it disappeared. Ace stood calmly, watching as their momentum carried them forward.

Just as the Quincy thought they had successfully driven away the Shinigami atop the gate and were preparing to call their companions to evacuate, black lines suddenly emerged from beneath their feet. The lines spread rapidly, weaving together to form a solid barrier that encased them completely.

"Hadō #90: Kurohitsugi(*Black Coffin!)"Ace's voice rang out, resolute and commanding. It was the pinnacle of his mastery over Kidō—casting the ninetieth Hadō without incantation.

Standing on the beam above, Ace observed the black coffin fully materializing beneath him, his gaze sharpening.

The nine Quincy caught nearby were as good as finished, but he wasn't done. The ten Quincy in the distance wouldn't escape either.

"Hadō #91: Thousand-Hand Incandent Heaven Culling-Sear!"

The Quincy in the distance released their arrows, aiming them at the Black Coffin in a desperate counterattack.

But it was too late.

Pink spheres of light emerged above the Black Coffin, glowing with an ominous beauty. In an instant, the orbs transformed into beams, raining down like falling cherry blossoms. The ten distant Quincy were engulfed entirely.

"Boom!!!"

The Black Coffin shattered, and Ace descended gracefully onto the beam below.

The ten distant Quincy were gone, their lives erased in an instant.

As for the nine trapped within the Black Coffin, while their bodies bore visible bone-deep wounds, the faint rise and fall of their chests confirmed they were still alive.

The power of the Thousand-Hand Incandent Heaven Culling-Sear had been immense, but the Black Coffin's strength was only at half its usual potency, as it had been cast without the full chant.

Even so, for the nine Quincy—along with the pressure of external arrows and the damage from breaking out of the Black Coffin—survival was nothing short of a miracle.

Ace's eyes lingered on them briefly before he raised his palm again.

"Bakudō #63: Locking Bondage Stripes!"

A massive, serpent-like chain shot out from his hand, wrapping around the nine injured Quincy, including Foz and the two who had been pinned to the ground earlier. One by one, they were dragged to Ace's side.

These prisoners were his spoils of war. Though it was slightly disappointing to have captured fewer than planned, these Quincy were only mid-level combatants. The real prizes—the true leaders of the Quincy—were being handled by Hirako Shinji, Yoruichi, and the others.

Ace turned his attention back to the gate. With a flick of his hand, he cast another Bakudō to secure the Gate before sitting cross-legged at the top, keeping watch.

In the ensuing silence, Quincy stragglers—nearly twenty, all injured and fleeing—stumbled into view. They, too, fell victim to Ace's Bakudō. He captured them effortlessly, immobilizing them where they stood.

And so, Ace waited, perched above the battlefield, his prisoners and the gate firmly under his control.