Death God: Starting from Refining Essence into Qi

Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni stood atop a broken wall three zhang high inside the Kurokawa Gate.

His gaze passed over the broken wall and landed on the battlefield on the northern outer ring road.

The crisp sound of clashing swords, the booming of exploding spirit particles, and the screams of the dying mingled with the sound of the wind, forming an endless symphony of death.

"Commander-in-Chief."

A hoarse voice came from below. A covert combat team member, covered in blood, knelt on one knee beneath the broken wall, his face smeared with dust and blood.

"No Quincy have been found in other parts of Seireitei. The northern outer ring remains in a stalemate, with two-thirds of the outer ring occupied by the enemy. The remaining Quincy force is approximately 8,000." The team member took a breath and quickly reported, his voice trembling slightly from blood loss. "Our side has 1,127 dead, 963 seriously wounded and incapacitated, and only a small number of Shinigami have been evacuated from the front lines for treatment."

Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni's expression was serious. In just a short time since the start of the battle, nearly 40% of his personnel had lost their fighting ability.

"Where are the team leaders?" he asked again.

"Captain Shihōin of the Second Division commanded the covert mobile unit to carry out infiltration operations, cooperating with Captain Ikuhara of the Third Division, and killed a total of about three hundred enemy long-range firepower units."

The Fourth Division treated approximately one hundred Shinigami;

The 7th Division's executive captain killed approximately two hundred enemy soldiers in the northwest direction of the battlefield, stabilizing the left flank.

Captain Obana of the 5th Division, Captain Shikatori of the 8th Division, and Captain Hisami of the 9th Division suppressed the enemy on the main battlefield, killing about 400 enemy soldiers, but the battle line was still compressed.

Captain Unohana of the 11th Division and Captain Zenjoji of the 12th Division are engaged in combat with enemy captain-level fighters. The clash of spiritual pressure is intense, making it impossible to ascertain the specifics of the battle.

Captain Wang Tuchuan of the 10th Division is on his way to support Captain Unohana and Captain Zenjoji;

After the Great Demon Master and his followers killed approximately 1,500 Quincy in the northwest of the battlefield, the Great Demon Master was wounded but not in mortal danger. Captain Saito of the Sixth Division assisted in his retreat and remained on the right flank to stabilize the battle line, having already killed over 100 enemy soldiers.

"Fifteen hundred men?" Yamamoto Genryusai glanced at the covert mobile unit that was relaying the order.

"Yes, Captain-Commander."

Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni slowly closed his eyes, assessing the overall battle situation in his mind.

The situation was worse than he had anticipated. The Quincy's combat strength far exceeded pre-war estimates. They had experienced large-scale wars in the human world, and their tactical coordination and weaponry were far superior to those of the Gotei 13, which had only been established for a little over ten years. They only managed to temporarily close the gap in numbers by relying on their high-end combat power.

Yamamoto Genryusai's original plan was to rely on the outer ring of buildings to form layers of defense, gradually wear down the Quincy's forces, and launch a counterattack after the enemy's morale was exhausted. But now it seems that this plan is no longer feasible.

The Shinigami's casualties are too rapid. If this stalemate continues, the Gotei 13 will lose their ability to continue fighting in less than half a day.

What if we shrink our defenses?

Abandoning the entire northern outer ring and withdrawing all forces back to the inner ring or even the center of Seireitei, relying on the strong walls and fortifications to reorganize the defenses, would also make it easier for the Fourth Division to treat the wounded.

The idea had barely formed in his mind when it was rejected by Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni.

Unohana Yachiru and Zenjoji Yubin have penetrated deep into enemy territory and are completely separated from the main force. If a full retreat is ordered now, the two of them will be completely surrounded by the Quincy army. The Quincy will inevitably concentrate all their forces to besiege these two captains, and even if they are very strong, they will find it difficult to escape unscathed from the siege of thousands of enemy soldiers.

Moreover, once they retreat, the ordinary soldiers who are still fighting on the front lines and the seriously wounded who cannot evacuate in time will be slaughtered by the Quincy, the morale of the Shinigami will collapse completely, and the nobles who insisted on not leaving Seireitei before the war will become a weakness.

"Order Captain Shijima of the Fourth Division to lead the Fourth Division members to the front lines to treat the wounded."

-----------------

Shijima Chigiri stood at the entrance of the Fourth Division's headquarters, looking at the more than three hundred members lined up neatly in front of her.

Behind them, each member of the Fourth Division carried a heavy medical kit filled with gauze and hemostatic powder. Their faces showed tension and unease, but not one of them flinched.

Whether they were wielders of Zanpakuto with healing abilities or members skilled in nursing techniques and medical knowledge, they all knew that thousands of wounded comrades were waiting for them on the front lines, and that every minute they were delayed would result in the deaths of many more.

Compared to waiting for the wounded in the rear, going deep into the front line is more efficient for rescue.

"Alright, let's go." Shijima Chigiri walked at the front, with the members of the Fourth Division following closely behind him, forming a square formation as they walked out of the inner ring of Seireitei.

The scene of the battlefield came into view of the Fourth Division members. They had indeed seen wounded Shinigami, but they had not expected the front line to be so chaotic and tragic.

The blood mixed with dust turned into bloody muddy water, some of which had dried, while others still had a strong smell of blood.

Just now, Death God, relying on the captains, once again pushed the battle line forward, which shows how brutal the battlefield was.

Just then, a squad of several dozen Quincy appeared in the sight of the Fourth Division members, seemingly having found an opportunity to flank the main Shinigami force and prepare to launch a harassment.

At this moment, the Quincy squad saw the members of the Fourth Division. Even if one of them was a Shinigami wearing a white haori, they had no reason not to attack. Because this was war, it was a fight to the death. Facing a captain-level Shinigami, there was no option of retreat; only fighting to the death.

The members of the Fourth Division stirred immediately, putting down their medical kits and drawing their asuna from their waists, ready to fight. Their primary duty was healing, and their combat strength was far inferior to that of the members of the other divisions, but they would never sit idly by and wait to be killed.

The Quincy drew their spirit bows, aiming at the Shinigami behind Shijima Chigiri. They knew they posed no threat to Shijima Chigiri, and rather than fight a losing battle, they would rather consume the lives of ordinary Shinigami before they died.

"Why."

With a mournful sigh, the neck of the Quincy at the forefront suddenly snapped, and he fell to the ground without making a sound. His body remained in the posture of drawing a bow and shooting an arrow, and blood gushed from his neck, splattering his companions beside him.

The rest of the Quincy were stunned. They hadn't even seen when Shijima Chigiri had appeared beside them.

They might not have been stunned, because their heads also slid off their necks and fell to the ground, like wooden sculptures being split in two, and they fell silently into pools of blood.

Shijima Chigiri continued walking forward as if nothing had happened. His asauchi was sheathed, its blade unstained by blood. He didn't pause, continuing onward.

The members of the Fourth Division stood there dumbfounded, staring at the corpses scattered on the ground, then at their captain's back, their eyes filled with awe.

They only knew that Captain Shijima's Zanpakuto had healing abilities, but they had never seen him fight. No one expected that this man, who was usually listless and even spoke weakly, would be so terrifying in battle, leaving his enemies silent from the moment they met until their deaths.

"Keep up." Shijima Chigiri's voice came again, still as light as a breeze.

The team members immediately snapped out of their daze, sheathed their swords, slung their medical kits over their shoulders, and quickly followed after them.

"Those Quincy who died probably didn't have time to feel pain," a member of the Fourth Division thought to himself.

-----------------

The northern outer ring road of Seollingting, at the intersection of Central Avenue.

This place was originally near the First Division and was one of the most bustling streets in Seireitei, but now it has become a living hell.

Collapsed buildings littered the streets, and the broken cobblestones were soaked in blood, making a sticky sound when stepped on. Everywhere were the corpses of Grim Reapers and Quincy, some still in fighting poses, others blown beyond recognition by the shockwaves of the explosions.

As soon as the members of the Fourth Division arrived, they immediately threw themselves into the intense rescue work.

They knelt on the ground, quickly checking each wounded soldier who was still breathing. For those with minor injuries, they would give them simple bandages; for those with serious injuries, they would first use the abilities of their respective Zanpakuto to stabilize their injuries, and then apply medicine and bandage their wounds.

But soon, the team members discovered a serious problem.

Our spiritual energy is running low, and our medical supplies are about to run out.

The hemostatic powder was quickly exhausted, and now the only way to bandage the wounded was to tightly wrap clean gauze around the wound to stop the bleeding.

Many team members had exhausted their spiritual energy and could no longer use their Zanpakuto abilities. There was no environment here for them to recover their spiritual energy, so they could only use the most basic bandaging and hemostasis. Only the members of the Fourth Division, who relied entirely on their Zanpakuto abilities and had no knowledge of nursing skills, would hide at the back to recover their spiritual energy.

A young member of the Fourth Division knelt before a Shinigami who had lost both legs, his hands trembling as he wrapped bandages around his wounds. Blood seeped continuously from under the bandages, quickly staining them a deep crimson. Tears streamed down the member's face, dripping onto the wounded man's wounds, but the man seemed to have lost all feeling.

"Captain... we're out of hemostatic powder... I can't release Qinghu either... what do we do... he's dying..." the Fourth Division member cried out, looking up at Shijima Chigiri not far away.

Shijima Chigiri was crouching in front of a team member whose abdomen had been ripped open by a spirit arrow. The tip of his Zanpakuto was embedded in the wound, while the hilt was stuck in the corpse beside him. Gradually, a patch of flesh, its skin a different color from the surrounding flesh, appeared at the wound site, and the unconscious victim's breathing gradually became steady.

Hearing his teammate's cries, Shijima Chigiri looked up at the Grim Reaper with the broken leg. His lips and nails were severely cyanotic, his skin was ashen and cold, and his breathing was intermittent; it was clear that he was not far from death.

Shijima Chigiri silently approached the squad member: "You go and save those who were recently injured. I'll take care of these people."

Seeing the team members obediently leave, Shijima Chigiri sighed. With a swift stroke of his knife, another corpse lay on the ground, ready to be used to repair the wounds of others, while the grim reaper with the broken leg gradually relaxed his tightly furrowed brows.

"All I can do is relieve your suffering. I wish you a peaceful life in a country without war in your next life," Shijima Chigiri whispered.

Meanwhile, the Fifth Division's defense line.

The battle here was equally fierce. The Fifth Division's position had been breached three times by the Quincy, only to be retaken by the soldiers with their own desperate efforts. The battlefield was littered with corpses, and the blood of both sides mingled together, forming dark red streams on the ground.

Danjiro Obana stood at the forefront of the battle line, his Zanpakuto flashing, unleashing streaks of pale blue wind that slashed down the charging Quincy. His white captain's haori was now stained red with blood, and his left arm was wrapped in thick bandages, blood still seeping through. It was the wound from when he was pierced by a spirit arrow while covering an injured teammate.

"Quick! Carry the wounded away! Hurry up!" Obana Danjiro shouted, while simultaneously slashing his sword to deflect three spirit arrows aimed at the stretcher.

The members of the Fifth Division were carrying the last batch of wounded soldiers away from the position. The Quincy's offensive was becoming increasingly fierce, and the Fifth Division had suffered nearly half its casualties, making it impossible to hold the position any longer. Obana Danjiro received orders to lead the remaining members of the Fifth Division to cover the wounded as they retreated to the second line of defense to rendezvous with the Eighth Division.

Captain Shikatori Hakuun-sai of the Eighth Division stood at the forefront of the retreating troops. Like a reef in a great river, she alone blocked the advance of the Quincy army.

Shikatori Hakunsai gripped the hilt of the long-handled naginata, its gleaming blade tracing a chilling arc in the battlefield's firelight.

The naginata slashed down with a whooshing sound, precisely cleaving the front-line Quincy, along with his spirit bow, in two from head to toe. Blood and entrails splattered onto the charred, broken wall, before he could even utter a scream.

With a slight twist of her wrist, the naginata swept across the ground, the slash whistling past. The three Quincy at the forefront were instantly cut in half at the waist, their upper bodies flying several meters away with expressions of terror, blood splattering in a scarlet arc.

The ground beneath their feet was soaked in blood up to their ankles, and the surrounding area was littered with mutilated corpses, forming a blood wall that no one dared to cross. With this, all the Quincy in this area were wiped out.

After the slaughter ended, Shikatori Hakunsai adjusted his glasses and retreated southwards along with the other Shinigami, leaving only Obana Danjiro and about twenty members of the Fifth Division on the battlefield.

"Alright, let's retreat too!" Obana Danjiro ordered immediately after seeing that the wounded had been safely evacuated.

Just then, something unexpected happened.

From behind the three collapsed buildings nearby, more than thirty Quincy suddenly rushed out. No one knew how they concealed their spiritual energy fluctuations, as if they had appeared out of nowhere on the battlefield.

They gripped spirit rifles, their muzzles pointed at Danjiro Obana and the remaining members of the team. Clearly, they had been lying in ambush, waiting for the main force of the Grim Reapers to retreat before launching a surprise attack.

Perhaps because Obana Danjiro had been injured multiple times while covering his teammates, they seized the opportunity to launch a sneak attack.

A dense barrage of spirit bullets rained down on Danjiro Obana and the others.

"Watch out!" Obana Danjiro's expression changed, and he took a step forward, shielding his teammates. He held his Zanpakuto horizontally in front of him, rapidly wielding it to deflect a large number of bullets.

However, there were simply too many bullets. With the sound of bullets piercing flesh, three spirit bullets struck him simultaneously: one in his calf, one in his left forearm, and the other struck his lung.

Danjiro Obana's body jolted violently, then burst forward with astonishing speed, his right hand gripping his Zanpakuto in reverse and slashing horizontally forward, giving the Quincy no second chance to fire.

After confirming that all the Quincy were dead, Obanai Danjiro suddenly knelt down, gasped for breath, and coughed violently and continuously, each cough spitting out bloody foam.

"Captain!" The members of the Fifth Division shouted in a mournful voice and rushed forward to help him up.

Obana Danjiro was pale, his forehead was covered in cold sweat, and his vision began to blur. He tried to say something, but could only continue coughing.

Having already led the wounded far away, Shikatori Hakuryuu heard the gunshot behind him and turned around abruptly. When she saw Obana Danjiro lying in a pool of blood, her pupils contracted sharply.

Shikatori Hakunsai sheathed his sword and quickly ran to Obana Danjiro's side. Obana Danjiro's face had turned deathly pale, and although he was coughing involuntarily, he was still struggling to breathe.

The ruthless Shikatori Hakuryuu, who had previously killed without blinking an eye, seemed to instantly transform into a helpless, frail young girl. Suddenly, as if remembering something, she steadily lifted Obanai Danjiro, keeping him in a lying position, and shouted to the remaining members of the Fifth Division, "Everyone! Spread out and use Shunpo to find the Fourth Division! Quickly!"

Shikatori Hakunsai ran as steadily as possible toward the inner ring. She didn't use Shunpo, because Obana Danjiro would definitely have difficulty breathing at Shunpo's current speed.

The sounds of battle cries echoed from the distant battlefield. The land of the northern outer ring of Seireitei was completely soaked in blood, and countless souls returned to the world.