One after another, those terrifying monsters emerged from the spatial cracks, falling onto the roads, fields, and village.
"This is bad, a horde of Hollows are attacking!"
When they heard the Hollows' roars, some people working in the fields raised their heads to look at the sky as their expressions drastically changed.
"Everyone flee quickly, disaster comes!"
Upon discovering the Hollows, some villagers immediately started organizing an orderly evacuation.
The escape routes they led the villagers towards intentionally avoided the Hollows that had landed on the ground. Even if those Hollows wanted to feast, they would need some time.
Next, wave after wave of azure spirit arrow projectiles shot out from all over the village and fields, attacking the Hollows descending upon the village.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The Hollows dropping out from the spatial cracks of Hueco Mundo were slain under these spirit arrows. But perhaps the efficacy of Kisuke Urahara's bottled liquid was too good. The emerging number of Hollows from Hueco Mundo was very substantial.
Aside from the most common small fry Hollows, there were also several medium-sized Hollows.
The great majority of small fry Hollows would dissipate into black smoke after getting pierced through by one or two spirit arrows.
The mask of small Hollows had to be struck for them to die unless seven to eight spirit arrows struck their bodies.
Medium-sized Hollows were existences comparable to elite Shinigamis. Powerful ones could even match seated officers. Their speed was very fast. Ordinary Quincy arrows simply couldn't hit them.
They dashed through the fields swiftly, stomping out one giant crater after another as they sped towards crowded areas...
***
"These Quincies are so weak..."
In the forest, Ailin watched the battle up ahead and couldn't help shaking his head after comparing them to the Quincies in his memories.
The quantity of Hollows attracted over by Kisuke Urahara's liquid bait was about the same number Ishida Uryū wanted to compete against Ichigo Kurosaki with.
The strength levels were also quite similar. But the performance of this group still wasn't as good as Ishida Uryū alone back then.
Even when the fingers on Ishida's hand split open from repeatedly drawing his bow, those many Hollows had failed to pose true threat to him.
Although there were many Quincies here, not a single one seemed on par with Ishida Uryū's initial appearance.
In fact, many people's Quincy Bows trembled unstably as if they could collapse at any moment.
It seemed like Soul Society's war against the Empire of Light over nine hundred years ago had truly annihilated all of the Quincies' elites.
Those left remaining in the living world were merely some inferior Quincies. Their inheritance had nearly been severed over the past millennium.
Seeing a few medium-sized Hollows evade countless arrows as they charged towards crowded areas, Ailin placed his hand on Zanpakutō's hilt by his waist. But in the next moment, a hand pressed down on the back of Ailin's, stopping his sword-drawing action.
"Captain Ailin, please don't recklessly expose our location before we start taking action."
Staring at Captain Ukitake's serious gaze, Ailin silently pondered for a few seconds before pulling Ukitake's hand off and laughing: "Don't worry, Captain Ukitake. If I'm going to make a move, I definitely won't let the Quincies know about it."
Ailin didn't know how to evaluate Captain Ukitake. He was a kind and gentle man cherishing harmony and equality, treating all Shinigamis and humans impartially. Even to other Division members, he displayed the same tenderness. Such day-to-day conduct made Captain Ukitake seem like the template of a nice old man.
However, he treasured "a man's dignity" even more importantly than his own life. This point could be seen from how he stopped Rukia from going to rescue Kaien.
Additionally, the plan of using "Proxy Badges" to monitor Deputy Shinigamis was also a motion proposed and implemented by Captain Ukitake.
That motion signified all Deputy Shinigamis making rebellious actions against Soul Society would be unconditionally exterminated!
Looking at the only two existing Deputy Shinigamis, what kinds of people were they?
Ginjō Kūgo and Kurosaki Ichigo both simultaneously possessed the powers of Shinigamis, Hollows, and Fullbringers. Both of them held the potential to become "Soul Kings".
Captain Ukitake had discovered this through his "Shindō" (God's Pendulum) ability and hence listed Ginjō and Ichigo as "Soul King Candidates". If anything unexpected happened to the Soul King causing the collapse of the three realms, Ginjō and Ichigo would then undergo a series of procedures to become new "Soul Kings" for stabilizing the worlds.
From this angle, Captain Ukitake was also an unyielding figure like the later Kisuke Urahara who could "sacrifice everything for Soul Society's sake".
For such individuals, Ailin believed he could be acquainted with them but not bare his heart to them. Because Ailin also didn't know if there might come a day in the future where he could also be seen by them as a "Soul King Candidate".
In any case, Ailin neither wished to become an all-loving Soul King sacrificing his own self without resisting for the world's sake like the noble current one, nor did he desire becoming a "linchpin" forcibly processed to stabilize the three realms like Yhwach.
After being blocked for a moment by Captain Ukitake, the fastest medium-sized Hollow charging towards the front crowd of people was almost catching up.
Just as Ailin was about to take action—
Whoosh!
A fierce arrow shot past, directly impaling that medium-sized Hollow through. In the next moment, equally sharp arrows swiftly slaughtered the few other medium-sized Hollows.
"Quick, gather close around me as the center!"
An old white-bearded man wielding a bow shaped like a spiderweb suddenly flashed to the rooftop of the village's tallest building and shouted loudly.
Upon seeing the bow in the old man's hand, Ailin released his own hand gripping Zanpakutō's hilt.
He recognized that particular form of bow the old man held. That was the advanced form a Quincy's bow could transform into when their strength reached a certain level — Ginrei Kōjaku (Silver Soul Sparrow Bow)!
In Ailin's previous life memories, Ishida Uryū's bow had also transformed into such a shape when he entered Hueco Mundo to rescue Inoue Orihime.
At that time, Ishida Uryū's strength could also be considered at the Vice Captain tier or higher. Since this old Quincy also wielded the same bow, his strength definitely wasn't inferior to Ishida of that time.
With this elder present, even if there were several times more Hollows, they couldn't pose any real threat to this village.
This Quincy Elder seemed to possess immense prestige within the village. Hearing his words, all villagers both inside and outside instantly swarmed over to his direction without caring if there were still Hollows on their way.
After everyone gathered closer, this powerful Quincy drew his bowstring taut. Vast spirit particles gathered in his hand, transforming into an azure spirit arrow.
Whoosh Whoosh Whoosh...
Innumerable spirit arrows fired out violently from the Elder's Ginrei Kōjaku like raging rain. Following the Elder's movements, the arrow rain swept away all the Hollows ahead.
Ginrei Kōjaku was a bow only advanced Quincies could wield. It could fire over a thousand arrows per second.