In an instant, the latest drones developed by the Academy of Sciences were released by the Parliamentary Institute.
Unlike the large, clumsy drones from Earth's past, these were each only the size of a fly, designed to look like all kinds of insects.
They flew completely silently.
Their advanced cameras captured a full 360-degree view of their surroundings, transmitting everything back to the operators for analysis and screening.
Even more impressive was their incredible speed. In the blink of an eye, the drones had already flown far into the distance.
In the air before Qin Yi, a three-dimensional holographic display rapidly appeared. Images constantly flickered into existence before disappearing just as quickly.
The speed of the feed was astonishing. Drones sent in every direction were searching for the location of the Nie Kingdom's Realm Gate.
The fact that King Chengdui had transported such a massive army into the Shinigami Realm meant there was no doubt he had already established a Realm Gate. And that was exactly why Qin Yi had launched an immediate attack on Soul Society.
A Realm Gate was the passage a King used to travel across the Myriad Realms. But at the same time, it was also the strategic gateway through which other Kings could invade that King's world.
In a war between Kings, battles fought in other worlds were important, but seizing the enemy's Realm Gate was just as critical. It could even be said that the Realm Gate was the lifeline of an entire kingdom. If anything happened to it, the nation would face complete destruction.
Qin Yi had long since established his own Realm Gate in Hueco Mundo. That gate absolutely could not be discovered by the Nie Kingdom. If it was, the consequences would be disastrous.
---
In the northern sector, Qin Yi remained in command.
Yhwach stood at the front line, facing the Shinigami of the Nie Kingdom.
By now, four Venerables had arrived on the battlefield, each leading a massive force as they stared ahead with cold expressions.
"Attack!"
Without wasting a single word, the four Venerables gave the order.
In an instant, battle cries shook the heavens as countless troops charged forward.
Yhwach's eyes narrowed. Without hesitation, he ordered his own forces to meet the attack.
Qin Yi remained at the center, calm and expressionless.
Compared to the fighting in the other regions, the battle here was, in some ways, the most important. It would determine the outcome of the entire war.
Soon, all thirty-six Venerables had reached their assigned battlefields. With their commands, the Nie Kingdom's entire battle line stabilized.
The war quickly settled into a temporary balance.
"There are quite a few capable opponents."
Hovering high above, Uchiha Madara looked down at the leading Shinigami of the Nie Kingdom with an indifferent gaze. He could clearly sense the overwhelming spiritual pressure radiating from them.
There was no doubt, these were the enemy's experts, warriors on the same level as himself.
"Then let me, Madara, see what you're capable of."
The moment he finished speaking, Madara dived toward the battlefield.
At the same time, a figure from the Nie Kingdom let out a roar and shot upward, drawing his Zanpakutō as he charged to meet him.
Both moved at incredible speed. The air itself split apart before them as they slammed into each other in midair.
'Bang!'
A heavy shockwave burst outward.
Madara had already drawn the short blade at his waist, while the Nie Kingdom Venerable swung his Zanpakutō with a fierce expression.
"So this is the power..." The Venerable grinned savagely. "I'm still not completely used to it, but it's truly formidable!"
With a twist of his wrist, he swung his sword again.
Madara's expression didn't change. His eyes shifted slightly, the three tomoe spinning and transforming into the Mangekyō Sharingan.
"Your power is unstable. You're no match for me. Get lost."
His voice was calm, but every word carried unmistakable contempt, as though he were looking down on someone far beneath him.
The Nie Kingdom Venerable had just been reveling in his newfound power when he heard Madara's dismissive assessment. Naturally, he flew into a rage.
His Zanpakutō trembled as he prepared to release its Shikai.
But just then, as he looked up, he saw the man before him. Madara's eyes spun, their pupils transforming into concentric ripple patterns.
"Senpō: Banshō Ten'in!"
Madara spoke calmly as he raised his right hand.
An overwhelming force of attraction suddenly pulled at the Venerable. His body was dragged forward completely against his will, and even the Zanpakutō that was about to enter Shikai stopped mid-release.
The next instant, the Nie Kingdom Venerable was pulled directly in front of Madara, face to face with his cold expression.
"You..."
He had barely spoken a single word when his heart trembled. Looking into those eyes, he saw nothing but absolute indifference and supreme authority. It felt as though he were standing before a god.
"Senpō: Shinra Tensei!"
Madara calmly spoke the technique's name once more.
The Venerable saw that Madara's right hand had stopped just three inches from his forehead.
'Bzzzz!'
The surrounding space trembled. The vibration spread across tens of thousands of meters, making the very air hum.
Then...
An incomparably violent repulsive force exploded from Madara's palm, crashing straight into the Venerable's forehead.
"Ugh!"
His vision immediately blurred, his eyes rolling back white. Then he was blasted away at terrifying speed in the direction of the repulsive force.
Three or four breaths later, the Nie Kingdom Venerable came crashing into the ground. Blood poured from all seven orifices as he slammed into the earth, kicking up a massive cloud of dust.
"Lord Venerable!"
Nearby Shinigami rushed over. The moment they saw his condition, their pupils shrank.
He was already unconscious, his body twitching uncontrollably. The front of his face looked as though it had been smashed by an enormous hammer, caving inward so badly that it was almost impossible to look at.
No one had expected this outcome. A Venerable had entered the battle, and ended up like this.
Less than ten breaths had passed since the fight began, and they had already lost one of their Venerables.
For a moment, every remaining Venerable narrowed their eyes, their expressions turning grim.
---
Meanwhile, in the skies where Whitebeard and the others were fighting...
All nine Venerables had entered the battle, clashing directly with them. At this moment, Whitebeard was facing two Venerables at once.
"Gurararara! What a thrill! Experts from another world really get this old man's blood pumping!"
His booming laughter echoed through the battlefield. His white crescent mustache quivered as both hands clenched into fists.
Then he threw powerful punches to both sides at the same time.
'Crack!'
Space shattered.
The fractures spread for tens of thousands of meters, splitting both the sky and the earth apart once again.
The two Venerables attacking him were struck directly by the vibrations. Their bodies shook violently. Blood seeped from beneath their skin, while streams of blood poured from their noses.
"It's vibrations!! That old man controls vibrations! He's transmitting the force directly into my body through vibrating shockwaves!" one of the Venerables shouted in horror.
Three or four breaths later, he felt himself suffocating. His strength rapidly disappeared, his muscles, bones, and even every cell in his body feeling as though they had been smashed apart by a single punch.
He had completely lost the ability to fight.
It was beyond imagination. The battle had only just begun, yet the Nie Kingdom's strongest fighters were already unable to match Qin's Nation's experts.
It completely overturned everything they had believed about their own strength.
(End of Chapter)
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