"Extend, Guenryuu!"
The lieutenant had no intention of wasting words with Bai Ye. He directly struck the hilt and sheath together, merging them and entering the Shikai state.
After entering Shikai, the opponent's Zanpakuto surprisingly transformed into a red-tasseled long spear. Then, with a light tap of his toes, the lieutenant leaned forward and charged towards Bai Ye.
Incredibly fast!
The spear thrust forward, leaving a silver streak in the air, aimed directly at Bai Ye's face.
Then...
Clang!
Bai Ye made no attempt to dodge, standing his ground as the spear struck his chest with a clear metallic sound.
The lieutenant was stunned, and Bai Ye was delighted!
Having Lu Bu's essence infuse him hadn't just granted him the Halberd of Heaven; it had also given him this suit of purple-black armor.
Was armor merely for decoration?
However, the lieutenant reacted quickly, grabbing the spear shaft and pulling hard. The spear split apart, and the rear end swung forward.
This time, the opponent's attack was naturally not aimed at Bai Ye's body but directly at his face.
This was an area the armor couldn't protect!
But just as it was about to strike, Bai Ye suddenly raised his hand and caught the spear shaft.
"Lift!"
Bai Ye roared, then with a surge of his arm, he directly flung the lieutenant and his weapon into the air.
The lieutenant tumbled through the air, only managing to regain his balance and land back on the ground after some effort.
Bai Ye glanced at the weapon in the lieutenant's hand. It was a three-section spear, shaped like a nunchaku but with a spearhead.
At the same time...
Bang, bang, bang!
Gunshots suddenly rang out.
Bai Ye glanced sideways. The surrounding Shinigami, taking advantage of Bai Ye's engagement with the lieutenant, had pressed their attack. Seis was already surrounded.
Hiss!
Bai Ye took a deep breath and roared in Seis's direction, "Get out of the way!"
Hearing Bai Ye's shout, Seis reacted swiftly, quickly sprinting to the side and leaping clear.
And at this moment...
Bai Ye suddenly leaped into the air, descending into the center of the crowd.
"Demon God's Descent!"
Boom!
Bai Ye landed in the middle of the crowd. The moment his feet touched the ground, a large expanse of purple-black smoke surged up, surrounded by phantom demonic claws that ensnared the Shinigami.
Then...
Bai Ye twisted his ankle, spun in place, and swung his Halberd of Heaven in a wide arc, unleashing it with force towards the surroundings.
In an instant, screams erupted!
The Shinigami had no defense, all sent flying by Bai Ye's halberd, crashing in all directions.
The surrounding walls continuously collapsed, turning into piles of rubble.
"Go!"
Bai Ye called to Seis, then strode forward. After exiting the street, the White Road Gate, one of the four gates of Seireitei, appeared before them.
Seis said to Bai Ye, "We're far enough. We can place the marker."
But at this very moment...
"Did I say you could leave?"
The lieutenant, wielding the three-section spear, had somehow caught up.
Seis reached for his pistol, but Bai Ye placed a hand on his wrist.
Bai Ye said, "Don't worry about him. You place the marker; I'll handle everything else."
Seis nodded and ran forward, putting distance between himself and the Shinigami. He then took out the item given to him by Kong Que.
Meanwhile, Bai Ye swung his halberd, striking the lieutenant's thrusting spear and once again sending him flying with a single blow.
"Lieutenant?" Bai Ye asked, "Can you Bankai?"
The lieutenant grinned, "Do I seem to be underestimated? Since you're so eager to see, I'll let you see."
The lieutenant stabbed his spear into the ground, then removed his outer garment, revealing a terrifyingly muscular physique.
Instantly, the lieutenant's spiritual pressure began to surge.
Spiritual pressure, as it was called by Shinigami.
For the Chosen, it was essentially spiritual power, much like the Zanpakuto Seis gave Bai Ye, which required a certain spiritual pressure value to Bankai. In reality, it was the spiritual power value that needed to be increased.
Perhaps the two were not identical, but at least their effects were comparable.
At the same time...
Following the surge in spiritual pressure, the lieutenant raised his three-section spear high once more.
"Crack open, Guenryuu!"
The lieutenant roared, and his spiritual pressure surged madly again.
Rumble, rumble, rumble!
The ground beneath him began to shatter under the terrifying pressure of his spiritual energy, cracks spreading like a spiderweb, forming a deep pit!
"Bankai!" the lieutenant took a deep breath, "Dragon-Patterned Guenryuu!"
Instantly, the Zanpakuto in the lieutenant's hand vanished, replaced by a hovering, axe-shaped giant blade behind him. Thick chains connected it to two slightly smaller axe blades, and lifelike dragon patterns adorned the axe faces.
Bai Ye raised an eyebrow. This was something. As far as Bai Ye knew, all Captain-level Shinigami could Bankai, but not all lieutenants. Only a very few, those with formidable strength nearing Captain-level, possessed the ability to Bankai.
After achieving Bankai, the lieutenant slightly lowered his stance, then suddenly leaped into the air.
"You wanted to see my Bankai, didn't you?" the lieutenant snarled, "Then I'll let you see it."
As he spoke, the lieutenant forcefully threw one of the axe blades at Bai Ye.
The axe blade was incredibly heavy, cutting through the air, generating strong gusts of wind. The massive chains behind it clanged and rattled incessantly.
This attack appeared to be overwhelmingly powerful, as if capable of crushing a person into a pulp.
But, at this moment...
Bai Ye suddenly laughed, a somewhat eerie laugh!
Then...
Clang!
Bai Ye suddenly raised his hand and directly gripped the descending axe blade, producing a deafening sound.
The lieutenant froze, his attack caught?
And...
With his bare hands?
The lieutenant yanked hard on the chain, trying to pull his weapon back, but found the axe blade unmoving, completely unable to detach from Bai Ye's palm.
"You've misunderstood something," Bai Ye said, looking at the lieutenant. "It's not that being able to Bankai means you can defeat me; it's that if you can Bankai, I can have more fun!"
The moment Bai Ye finished speaking, he grabbed the axe blade and swept it forcefully to the side.
The next instant, the lieutenant's body, dragged by the chains, was sent flying to the side.
Rumble, rumble, rumble!
The lieutenant's body repeatedly slammed into the ground, shattering it with each impact and producing deafening roars. Vast clouds of dust billowed up, forming pillars of dust.
...