Marvel: Soul King

Coulson suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. It was like someone had a gun pointed at his head, and all the hairs on his body stood on end. 'Danger?' That was his first thought. The second was, 'where was it coming from?'

For an agent, danger wasn't unusual. You just had to locate it and deal with it. Coulson stayed calm, scanning the café from left to right. The place was in a run-down area, so the café itself was barely holding up, with an old-fashioned fan from the last century hanging limp and unused. No one came here much.

Inside, there was just an older, overweight woman who owned the place and worked as a waitress. She didn't seem like a threat. Slowly, Coulson's tense nerves began to relax. The café was full of regular people, no one who could pose a threat.

'Maybe I'm just overworked,' he shook his head as he turned his gaze back to the street outside.

But then he froze. The man was gone. Lod was still there. Nemu was still there. But the suspected captain had vanished.

"Where the hell did he go?" Coulson cursed under his breath. He kicked himself for getting distracted. If Fury found out he'd lost track of someone—especially someone who might be a captain from Soul Society—he'd probably end up scrubbing toilets for a year.

"You looking for me?" A cold voice suddenly whispered near his ear.

Coulson whipped around and every instinct screamed at him. An agent never let someone sneak up behind them; the back was the most vulnerable spot. His years of training kicked in. He spun, drawing his gun in one smooth motion. It all took less than a second.

His movement was flawless, the kind of textbook reaction that showed his professionalism. Sure, Coulson came off as a mild-mannered guy—naming his car, fangirling over heroes, and rocking a nearly balding head—but he wasn't a pushover.

Then he saw him: the same silver-haired man he'd been watching earlier. The guy he suspected might be one of the Soul Society's captains. But then he remembered A human gun wouldn't work on a Soul Reaper. He might as well have been holding a stick. Lod had already shown that ordinary weapons were useless. And this guy? He gave off an aura that made Lod seem almost approachable.

Coulson tried to adapt. "Hi, I'm Coulson—" he began, putting on his professional smile.

But the temperature dropped sharply. He could see the moisture in the air crystallizing into frost, creeping over the surroundings at an alarming rate.

Coulson tried to say something, but the ice spread too fast. In seconds, he was frozen solid.

The silver-haired man wasn't just anyone. He was Haschwalth pretending to be Hitsugaya Tōshirō, wielding the most powerful ice Zanpakutō. Freezing someone solid was child's play for him.

"Humans," the man muttered, his cold eyes like frozen glaciers, "are trying to spy on Soul Reapers?"

This was the attitude of the Soul Society. As guardians of the Soul King's realm and rulers over countless Soul Reapers, the captains of the Gotei 13 carried themselves with absolute authority. Lod had orchestrated this whole thing.

A lowly human organization like SHIELD had no business meddling here. Lod had been too busy training Haschwalth about how to disguise as Hitsugaya to deal with them earlier. But now? It was time to send a message.

Lod walked over with Nemu in tow, pretending to look surprised. His expression seemed to say, 'Coulson, what are you doing here?'

Frozen and helpless, Coulson could only look at Lod with pleading eyes, silently begging him to intervene.

Lod stifled a laugh and addressed the silver-haired man. "Captain, could you spare his life?"

"Why?" Hitsugaya's tone stayed icy.

Lod replied with a rehearsed excuse, "This man has information about the Quincy. If we want to track them down quickly, we'll need his cooperation."

"Hmm..." Hitsugaya pretended to consider this before nodding. "Fine. His merits balance out his mistakes. He can live."

"Thank you, Captain!" Lod said, bowing slightly.

Hitsugaya waved it off. "Since you asked, I'll let this slide. But remember, next time won't be so simple." With that, the ice covering Coulson melted instantly.

Coulson gasped for air, shivering violently. His teeth chattered as Nemu walked over and used healing techniques to stabilize him.

"I-I'm Coulson," he stammered, still trembling. "I'm with SHIELD... here to work with you."

Hitsugaya glanced at him coldly. "Next time you spy on us, you'll get more than frostbite."

"Yes, understood..." Coulson forced a smile. Inside, though, he was shaken. He finally believed Lod when he said the captains weren't exactly normal. These people were insane.

After a brief conversation, Coulson learned the name of the man before him: Captain of the 10th Division—Auron Winters!

Coulson felt the name fit perfectly.

In his eyes, this man resembled a human made of ice. His silver-white messy hair and cold features radiated majesty.

Seeing that Coulson didn't suspect anything, Lod felt slightly relieved.

The first step was complete.

The name change had been his idea to prevent SHIELD from becoming suspicious. It was meant to protect the authenticity of the "Soul Society" and the "Soul Reapers," creating a more immersive world.

Think about it…

If the captains all had Japanese names, someone like Nick Fury would catch on quickly. Even an amateur would question why an organization managing the afterlife had leaders with such specific origins.

Even a fool would find it strange that a massive organization managing human souls and the afterlife had all its key personnel bearing Japanese names.

Details like these determined success or failure.

Many meticulously planned operations often failed because the details weren't perfect. To avoid this, Lod decided to revamp everything.

If he was going to weave a massive lie, he had to make the details consistent.

He rewrote Tōshirō Hitsugaya down to "Auron" and slapped on "Winters" to give it a polished look. The name was just part of building a convincing story.

But he's going to keep the Japanese influence on everything else, from uniforms to architecture, to the names of abilities. He only needs them to think that the Soul Society is a massive organization that has souls from all over the globe.

Meanwhile, under Nemu's healing, Coulson gradually recovered and no longer felt as cold.

"Cough cough..." Lod spoke at the right moment, "Coulson, we need to review the Quincy footage. Captain Winters needs to confirm if that person is really Haschwalth."

"Well…" Coulson hesitated and then cautiously asked, "If you confirm it's Haschwalth, what will you do?"

"Kill him, of course," Hitsugaya's lips barely moved.

Woosh!

The moment the word "kill" escaped his lips, Coulson felt the temperature in the café drop sharply, as if he had been suddenly plunged into a biting winter.

"Quincy are disrupting the balance," Hitsugaya's eyes opened slightly, emitting a piercing cold light. "They cannot do as they please in this world. It's the Captain-Commander's highest order!"

"I understand…" Coulson sighed internally. "I'll take you to Triskelion. All Quincy-related materials are top secret, and only the Director has the authority to access them."

From the determination in Hitsugaya's eyes, Coulson understood SHIELD couldn't stop this from happening.

"Give me a moment. I need to report this." Coulson apologized and then pressed his earpiece, reporting the situation to Nick Fury.

After getting the details, Fury agreed to Coulson's proposal and enthusiastically welcomed the Soul Society to visit Triskelion.

Whether Fury's enthusiasm was genuine or not wasn't Lod's concern.

After everything was arranged, Coulson forced a smile and suggested, "Why don't we take my car?"

While using Flash Step was possible, Lod's current skill level wasn't great. Having a captain run all the way would have been undignified. To maintain the captain's image, taking the car seemed better.

Receiving Lod's hint, Hitsugaya said coldly, "Fine."

Nemu tugged on Coulson's sleeve and tilted her head, asking, "Uncle Baldy, did you get a new lover?"

Coulson twitched. 'Kids are so pure; they blurt out the harsh truth.'

Coulson's "new lover"… No, his new car, was a classic muscle car—a Dodge Challenger.

Lod and Nemu re-entered their Gigai, sitting in the back seat in their physical forms, while Hitsugaya remained in his Soul Reaper state in the front passenger seat.

Although Coulson found it odd that they returned to their physical forms, he didn't question it too much, thinking they were just in the mood for it.

But only Nemu and Hitsugaya knew the truth.

The "Lod" in the car wasn't the real Lod.

Inside the Gigai was a modified soul Nemu had quickly made. Though not as advanced as the system's product, this crude replica contained enough of Lod's usual behavior patterns to fool Coulson for now.

When Lod re-entered the Gigai, he performed a seamless switch right under Coulson's nose.

The real Lod was currently hiding in Hitsugaya's shadow.

This was a pure-blood Quincy ability. By manipulating Reishi, they could create a shadow realm to hide in. It was an excellent espionage skill.

Being unaware of all this, Coulson only smiled at them and started the car.

Vroom!

The Dodge Challenger roared to life, accelerating to over a hundred kilometers per hour.

...

While driving, Coulson's expression suddenly changed. 'Is that… a military helicopter?'

Ahead of them, several armed helicopters hovered in place. Streams of bullets poured down like a storm toward a specific target.

'This is bad!' Coulson slammed on the brakes, his face turning grim.

For the U.S. military to deploy armed helicopters and open fire in New York City, something catastrophic must have happened.

'Could it be… a Hollow?' That was Coulson's first thought. Only a Hollow could cause this level of chaos. 'But how can they see them?'

But the next moment—

Woosh!

A car, which had been crushed into a ball by an immense force, shot toward them like a cannonball!

"F—FUCK!" Before Coulson could finish cursing, Nemu yanked him out of the car by his collar.

Boom—

His second "lover," the Dodge Challenger, was crushed into the ground, leaving no hope for repair.

Twice now, his cars had been destroyed!

Coulson wanted to cry. He seriously suspected Lod had some weird ability, like being a "vehicle killer."

"Roar!"

"Hulk!"

Two deafening roars came from ahead. A massive green figure flew through the air like a meteor, crashing heavily onto the concrete just a few dozen meters in front of them.

"Hulk?" Coulson's eyes widened in shock. "Why is Hulk in New York?"

Since Hulk's first appearance, this green monster had been under SHIELD's surveillance, and logically speaking, he should have been deep within a tropical rainforest in South America, not suddenly showing up in New York and battling another monster.

Speaking of the other monster, its appearance was somewhat similar to Hulk, but it was much more grotesque. Its entire body looked as if its skin had been stripped away, oozing sticky mucus, with sharp bone spikes protruding from its back, and its muscles appeared twisted.

Hidden within the shadows, Lod immediately understood what was happening upon seeing Hulk and Abomination. 

This was the storyline from the Marvel movie The Incredible Hulk! 

The timeline of The Incredible Hulk took place after the first Iron Man movie, though the exact time was unclear. The main plot revolved around Hulk's battle against Abomination, which happened in none other than downtown New York. 

The monster fighting Hulk was a military experiment—Abomination. 

Abomination's original form was a soldier named Emil Blonsky. During a previous battle, Blonsky had his spine shattered by Hulk, which left him paralyzed. He was consumed by resentment, which led him to volunteer to join the military's superhuman experiment program. 

This program was overseen by General Ross and involved injecting humans with a combination of some kind of Super Soldier Serum and Gamma radiation. 

Despite being exposed to extreme gamma radiation, Blonsky survived the experiment; however, his mind and body underwent unknown genetic mutations, which transformed him into the malformed monster—Abomination. 

The resulting monstrosity possessed strength and a body comparable to Hulk. 

Although Blonsky gained power, he lacked the mental state to control it. The overwhelming urge for destruction and bloodshed turned him into a beast driven purely by his newfound strength. 

Abomination disregarded all orders, and he broke through the military's containment and went on a rampage in downtown New York, unleashing his destructive urges without restraint. 

Although General Ross initially wanted to handle the situation on his own with his elite military units and the support of armed helicopters, ultimately, he couldn't stop the mutated monster. 

As Abomination grew increasingly berserk, his size seemed to expand over time along with it. 

Under pressure from Congress and other forces, Ross had no choice but to bite the bitter lemon and let Hulk stop the Abomination. 

Out of consideration for the safety of Betty Ross, Dr. Banner jumped from the helicopter. Thus, the clash between Hulk and Abomination unfolded before them!

---

"Fire! Fire! Fire!" 

A hailstorm of bullets rained down on Abomination, but they couldn't penetrate his toughened skin. 

"Shoot the rocket launcher!" 

A rocket shot toward him, only for Abomination to grab it mid-air and let it explode in his face! 

Boom!

Flames and shockwaves swept the surroundings, yet Abomination remained unscathed.

"Hulk—Smash!" 

Hulk roared as he charged forward. 

Each step he took sent tremors through the earth. 

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The solid concrete crumbled beneath his feet, and cracks spread outward in all directions with each step. 

"Hulk!" Abomination said with his monstrous voice and strode forward to meet Hulk head-on. 

Boom!

The moment the two monsters collided, the ground within a hundred-meter radius trembled violently! 

The compressed air between them exploded with a deafening roar, creating shockwaves so intense that even bystanders a hundred meters away experienced ear-splitting pain. 

Whoosh!

Visible shockwaves rippled outward. 

Even the armed helicopters circling above for support struggled to stay stable amid the chaotic winds. 

In just one exchange, Hulk was sent flying. Instead of overpowering Abomination, he was knocked back with tremendous force! 

Bang! Bang! Bang! 

Hulk's massive body hurtled backward for dozens of meters, crashing through several buildings before embedding deeply into a wall. 

"Hulk..." 

Hulk shook his head, visibly losing much of his momentum. 

The truth was that Hulk had fallen behind due to Dr. Banner's earlier actions. 

In an attempt to rid himself of Hulk within, Banner had taken an experimental antidote. While it failed to eradicate Hulk, it significantly suppressed his strength. 

This would have been welcome news for Banner at another time, but in the current situation, it was akin to digging his own grave! 

Bang!

Before Hulk could extract himself from the wall, Abomination struck him again! 

Being a seasoned combatant, Abomination did not give Hulk any chance to recover and only rained down blows with his massive fists! 

Boom! Boom! Boom!

With his strength suppressed, Hulk could only roar in frustration as Abomination pummeled him further into the ground. 

Thud!

Abomination stomped on Hulk's head. "Is that all you've got?" 

The memories of chasing Hulk and the humiliation of being powerless against Hulk burned within him. 

Hulk had once been his nightmare. 

But not anymore. Abomination grinned maniacally, his monstrous face contorted in mockery. "You don't deserve this power!"

"Now watch yourself diee!" 

Abomination raised his elbow toward Hulk's chest, ready to pierce it down! 

Whoosh! 

At this moment of despair— 

An icy voice suddenly echoed from a distance. 

"Bakudō #30: Shitotsu Sansen!" 

Three massive beams of light pierced through the air and pinned Abomination to a nearby building! 

"Roar?!" 

Abomination roared furiously, his bloodshot eyes scanning the battlefield and landing on the source of the attack. 

It was a silver-haired man, who was approaching slowly. 

"Who are you?" Abomination growled. 

"You don't need to know," Hitsugaya said, his gaze icy and indifferent. "You won't live much longer, anyway." 

The chaotic battlefield suddenly went silent.

Ordinary people with low Reiatsu couldn't see Shinigami, so they only saw the Abomination being struck by some invisible force before flying backward inexplicably. Its massive form ended up pinned against a building wall in a spread-eagle position. 

Only people with enough Reiatsu could witness what had actually happened.

The contrast between the enormous Abomination and the small frame of 'Auron Winters' was impossible for Coulson to ignore. 

Even though Coulson trusted the captain from the Soul Society, a trace of worry still appeared on his face. After all, the size difference was absurd—next to that hulking monster, the captain seemed so small, as if he could be crushed with a casual swipe.

"Uh… Lod," Coulson asked hesitantly with his voice tinged with concern. "Shouldn't you two help him out?"

"Help him? Why?" Nemu blinked her wide eyes and then reassured Coulson, "Relax, Balding Uncle. For monsters this size, the captain can take them out in an instant."

"An… instant?" Coulson forced a stiff smile but remained skeptical. 

According to SHIELD's intel he got after getting here, the Abomination was created by the U.S. military by combining two super soldier methods. It was far more terrifying than the Hulk in terms of strength, regeneration, and maybe intelligence. Not even heavy machine guns or rockets could harm it. 

'How could such an seemingly invincible creature be killed instantly?'

"Just watch, Coulson," Lod spoke up. "You'll soon witness the terrifying power of a captain-class Soul Reaper."

"Captain-class…" Coulson took a deep breath, turning his gaze back to the battlefield. He muttered, "I hope you're right. I hope he can stop this disaster."

"Oh, he will." Lod gave a mysterious smile. 

But stopping the disaster might not unfold in the way they expected. 

The second fire had already been lit. 

---

"You're saying… I'm going to die?" Pinned to the wall, the Abomination's fury erupted like a blazing inferno after hearing such a mocking remark. It roared,

Boom!

Fueled by rage, the Abomination's already enormous frame grew even larger, its strength surging as it broke free from the restraints of Hitsugaya's Kidō spell. 

"Oh?" Hitsugaya's eyes flickered with mild surprise. "A beast that can break my binding spell? Interesting."

Although it was only a low-level Kidō, for the Abomination to shatter it so easily meant its power was nearing the level of an Adjuchas-class Menos.

"You're dead!" the Abomination bellowed, crouching slightly before leaping off the ground like a cannonball.

The monstrous leap created a gust of wind as the creature hurtled toward Hitsugaya.

Coulson wanted to shout in panic, but he contained himself.

But Hitsugaya remained completely unfazed. He stood motionless. 

The next second—

Boom!

The Abomination's landing shattered the cement beneath it, sending cracks radiating out like a spiderweb.

Yet when the dust settled, the Abomination realized the man was gone. 

"Roar!" the creature roared in frustration with its bloodshot eyes darting around. "Where are you?!"

Swish!

Without warning, Hitsugaya appeared directly in front of the Abomination.

Whoosh!

The Abomination swung its massive fist. The air exploded in its wake, the attack resembling a cannon shot. 

But in the blink of an eye—

A faint zing of a blade echoed.

Everyone watched in stunned silence as the Abomination's arm was severed cleanly at the shoulder, the limb spinning through the air before crashing down. Blood sprayed like a fountain. 

"AAAAAHHHH!" the Abomination wailed in agony, clutching the stump where its arm used to be.

The blood rain spattered across the ground. Yet Hitsugaya remained pristine, seemingly an invisible barrier was deflecting the blood droplets away from him.

Coulson stood frozen.

He was unable to articulate his shock. The scene before him left a deeper impression than Lod's earlier display of power.

"W-who… are you?" The Abomination's rage faded, replaced by fear as it unconsciously backed away. 

It hadn't even seen what had happened. The difference in power was overwhelming.

Hitsugaya's gaze turned colder. Step by step, he approached the massive creature and said with his voice indifferent. "My mission in the World of the Living isn't to deal with small fry like you."

"Small fry…" Hearing those words, the Abomination flinched. It wanted to resist, but fear rooted it in place. 

In its eyes, the man approaching seemed to grow larger and larger, his very presence crushing the Abomination to its knees. 

"P-please don't kill me!" it begged while trembling. "I'm sorry! Don't kill me!"

But all it received in response were Hitsugaya piercing eyes. 

"So this… is a captain?" Coulson muttered to himself, a little overwhelmed. For the first time, he truly grasped the terrifying gap in strength. 

A creature like the Abomination was nothing more than a helpless child in front of a captain-class Soul Reaper.

And there were twelve more like him in the Soul Society.

Coulson couldn't help but worry—'How could SHIELD ever hope to midiate between beings like this'

The crushing Reiatsu forced the Abomination to grovel on the ground, unable to lift its head.

Ting!

Hitsugaya unsheathed his Zanpakutō, preparing to deliver the final blow. But just as he swung downward, his expression shifted. 

He altered the strike to block, holding the blade across his chest. 

Clang!

A streak of light shot through the air, colliding with his blade. 

"This is… a Heilig Pfeil?" Hitsugaya frowned, recognizing the Quincy technique instantly.

From afar, a blond man dressed in a pristine white double-breasted uniform strode through the air. 

His features carried an air of arrogance, as if looking down on everything beneath him.

"A Quincy… You're Haschwalth!" Hitsugaya expression grew serious as he spoke the man's name.

The man smiled faintly, his tone calm. "Nice to meet you, nameless Captain."

---

Quincy versus Shinigami. 

Sternritter against the Gotei 13. 

Haschwalth against Tōshirō Hitsugaya. 

The blood feud spanning thousands of years was etched into their very bones. 

At that moment, Haschwalth and Hitsugaya stood face-to-face, their Reiatsu silently building before it violently surged. 

Two distinctly terrifying auras clashed in the air and filled the space within hundreds of meters. The collision caused the concrete ground beneath them to crack and crumble under the immense pressure. 

In the middle of this chaos stood Abomination, gasping for air. His face turned an ominous shade of blue, and his veins bulged grotesquely as he struggled. But no matter how hard he tried to breathe, it felt as if he were drowning in the depths of the ocean. 

With his expression serious, Lod muttered, "Watch closely. The Captain's getting serious." 

The temperature plummeted, and Coulson shivered, instinctively wrapping his suit tighter around himself. 

In just moments, his breath became visible as icy white vapor. 

"What's happening?" 

"Why is it suddenly so cold?" 

"No way, it's summer!" 

The ordinary bystanders, who couldn't see the battle, could only feel the drastic drop in temperature without understanding the cause. 

"What's going on?" General Ross also felt the unnatural chill, but he couldn't see the Shinigami and Quincy, leaving him utterly baffled. 

"Quincy..." Hitsugaya gripped his Zanpakutō tightly and pointed its blade at Haschwalth. "Under the order of the Royal Guard and the instructions of the Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13, I will kill you here."

"If you can, that is." Haschwalth smirked mockingly. "Young Soul Reaper Captains like you? I've killed more than I can count." 

"Then... try me." Hitsugaya's face remained emotionless as he swung his blade vertically. 

Zanjutsu—Sword Pressure! 

The overwhelming Reiatsu condensed onto the blade, releasing an enormous slash that tore through the air. The ground split apart as the attack surged towards Haschwalth. 

Haschwalth raised his weapon, Adjudicator, and aimed at the incoming strike before pulling the trigger. 

Reishi was forcefully gathered and compressed, forming into a Heilig Pfeil that shot forth. 

Boom! 

The arrow collided with the slash, causing an explosion of Reishi that sent shockwaves roaring in every direction. 

For a moment, the area became a storm of destructive winds, cutting through streets and buildings like countless invisible blades. 

The battle heated up. 

Haschwalth and Hitsugaya engaged in a fierce exchange, clashing over a hundred times in the blink of an eye. Their movements were too fast for the naked eye to follow, only leaving only sparks flying from the collision of their weapons. 

Clang... 

The sharp ring of metal echoed repeatedly, like an unrelenting symphony. 

Each swing of the Zanpakutō unleashed terrifying power, rippling the air with shockwaves. 

Then suddenly, amidst the flurry of strikes, Hitsugaya hesitated for a fraction of a second, revealing an opening. 

"Distracted during battle?" Haschwalth's gaze sharpened. Seizing the opportunity, he pulled the trigger on Adjudicator and released a Heilig Pfeil. 

Splurt! 

The close-range attack left Hitsugaya no time to evade. He managed to lower his body slightly, but the arrow still pierced through his shoulder. 

Blood splattered onto the ground as Hitsugaya used Shunpo to retreat, clutching his injured shoulder. His face darkened in frustration. 

He had underestimated Haschwalth. 

He thought their strength was comparable, but he hadn't anticipated the Quincy's vast combat experience, which allowed him to exploit even the slightest lapse in focus. 

"Soul Reaper, are you not going to release your Shikai?" Haschwalth didn't pursue but adjusted his glasses with a cold glint in his eyes. "If you keep holding back, you might die." 

From the sidelines, Coulson became confused by the unfamiliar term, turned to Lod and asked, "What does he mean by 'Shikai'?" 

Nemu, acting as a commentator, answered in her childlike voice, "Shikai, or Initial Release, is the first release state of a Zanpakutō. In Shikai, a Zanpakutō unlocks special abilities, allowing the Soul Reaper to fight at their full potential. For example, my brother's Zanpakutō, Ikorose, Shinso, is its Shikai form." 

"Oh, I see..." Coulson nodded in understanding. "So your weapons transform to grant unique abilities?" 

"Exactly!" Nemu nodded cheerfully. 

"Then why..." Coulson pointed at Hitsugaya, who was clearly at a disadvantage. "Why doesn't he use his Initial Release to boost his strength?" 

"It's different for Captains!" Lod interjected, his tone serious. "A Captain's Zanpakutō, once in Shikai, often has a massive area of effect that can harm innocent souls nearby. That's why they rarely use it in places like this." 

Coulson glanced around at the civilians still in the vicinity and found newfound respect for the Captain. "Your Captain seems like a decent person... but can he win like this?" 

"He can." Lod declared confidently. "Because he's the Captain." 

"Enough talking!" Hitsugaya scoffed and used Shunpo to close the gap. Without hesitation, he swung his Zanpakutō downward. 

Clang! 

Haschwalth calmly raised Adjudicator to block the attack and shook his head. His eyes showed a hint of boredom. "If you won't release your Shikai, don't blame me for taking advantage of you, nameless Captain." 

"You talk too much!" Hitsugaya twisted his blade, the sharp edge whistling through the air as he slashed again. 

Hirenkyaku! 

With a single step, Haschwalth vanished from sight, reappearing behind Hitsugaya. 

Hitsugaya's expression shifted. He knew about Hirenkyaku, but he hadn't expected it to be this fast. 

Before he could react, Haschwalth aimed Adjudicator at the back of his head. 

"Goodbye... nameless Soul Reaper Captain." 

Adjudicator roared, releasing a Heilig Pfeil packed with immense power. 

Boom! 

The explosion was deafening, shrouding the battlefield in a thick cloud of smoke and dust. 

"Captain!" From the sidelines, Nemu shouted in alarm. 

"I'm fine." A calm voice emerged from within the smoke. 

When the dust settled, everyone saw an icy wall behind Hitsugaya, shielding him from the arrow. 

Finally, he was about to get serious. 

"Is that so..." Hitsugaya exhaled deeply as his blue eyes glowed faintly. 

Hum! 

Reiatsu erupted like a volcano, creating waves that swept across the battlefield. 

"Sōten ni Saze... Hyōrinmaru."

The air trembled, and an indescribable oppression instantly spread across the entire street. 

Overwhelming and almost tangible Reiatsu surged toward the sky, causing the sky to turn dark as thick clouds formed, blocking out the night. 

Even in its Shikai state, Hyōrinmaru, equipped with the power of "Sōten ni Saze" or "Sit Upon the Frozen Heavens," could affect the Reiryoku of souls in the real world. 

For example, right now, the temperature on the street dropped dramatically, and the clear weather turned into a cold overcast night just from the Shikai release. 

"This... is this what a captain is like?" Coulson's pupils trembled slightly as he spoke in shock. 

"This is the captain's Zanpakutō!" Lod walked up from behind, his face showing fanaticism. "Hyōrinmaru, the strongest ice-type Zanpakutō, comes with the ability to control water and ice!" 

Hearing this, Coulson's expression changed dramatically, and he exclaimed, "You're saying... this sword can manipulate water?" 

A weapon capable of controlling water was, in some ways, tens of times more terrifying than a nuclear bomb. 

"Sōten ni Saze?" Haschwalth furrowed his brows slightly, sensing the Zanpakutō's power. He chuckled softly and said, "This is the third time I've seen a Zanpakutō that can manipulate ice." 

"Is that so?" Hitsugaya's tone remained calm as he replied, "This will be your last time seeing a Zanpakutō with the ability." 

"Heh." Haschwalth's lips curled into a smirk as he responded, "The last Soul Reaper who told me that also died before he could prove it." 

"Enough talking!" Hitsugaya stepped forward, and his figure vanished in an instant. The next second, he appeared in front of Haschwalth, swinging his light-blue blade horizontally. 

"Shinkū no Kōri no Yaiba!" (Vacuum Ice Blade) 

The blade drew a sweeping arc through the air, instantly extracting the water vapor, which condensed into the tip of Hyōrinmaru. 

The ice slash sped toward Haschwalth, but he remained composed, raising his weapon, The Adjudicator. The gun barrel glowed brightly. 

Heilig Pfeil—Triple Burst! 

Bang! Bang! Bang! 

The Reishi in the atmosphere was instantly absorbed, compressed in the Adjudicator's barrel, and fired as three enormous Heilig Pfeil. They collided with the ice slash head-on! 

Crash! 

The highly compressed Reishi beams exploded upon contact with the ice slash, shattering it into fragments that fell as glittering ice crystals. 

Unfazed by the shattering, Hitsugaya turned and swung Hyōrinmaru once more. "Shinkū no Kōri no Yaiba!" 

As the blade cut through the air, water vapor condensed visibly, reforming into another ice slash. 

This time, he kept slashing without restraint, creating a barrier of ice slashes. 

Caught off guard, Haschwalth could only rely on Blut Vene to endure the attack. 

Clang! 

The barrier of ice slashes struck Haschwalth, but only one slash left a shallow wound on his chest as if the blade had clashed with steel, scattering bright sparks. 

Haschwalth staggered back a few steps, touching the shallow wound on his chest. His previously calm demeanor shifted slightly. 

"I see..." Haschwalth's eyes narrowed as he remarked, "You manipulate the water vapor in the atmosphere. That's the power of your Zanpakutō, isn't it?" 

Hitsugaya said nothing and only raised his sword and stepped forward, Hyōrinmaru slicing through the air, with its sword tip aimed at Haschwalth. 

The water vapor condensed instantly, forming countless ice spikes that rained down like a storm. 

Facing the overwhelming number of ice spikes, he showed no panic. Instead, he smiled as if he had already won. "Soul Reaper Captain, you're still too young." 

"What?" A bad feeling surged through Hitsugaya's heart. 

"If all the water vapor in the atmosphere is your weapon..." Haschwalth extended his hand and gripped the air. "Then for us Quincy, all the Reishi in this world is our weapon!" 

"Reishi—Blue Flames!" In that moment, the surrounding Reishi boiled violently. 

The high-density Reishi ignited, transforming into blue flames that roared to life. 

By concentrating the Reishi in a localized area and detonating it all at once, the resulting blue flames destroyed everything constructed from Reishi, including the ice created by Hyōrinmaru. 

Boom! 

The explosion created a towering column of blue light and smoke, shaking the entire area and leaving the battlefield in ruins. 

Even from miles away, people could see the aftermath. 

The intense heat forced Lod and Nemu to retreat with Coulson. 

When the flames subsided, Coulson saw the destroyed street, now reduced to ashes. 

"Damn... regular people would've been toast if we hadn't evacuated them," Coulson muttered, wiping sweat off his brow. 

The blue flames burned on, raising the temperature and melting the icy chill that had once enveloped the area. 

"You've lost, Soul Reaper." Standing in the sky, Haschwalth looked down at the battered Hitsugaya. His voice was composed. "How much power can your ice-type Zanpakutō muster in this heat?" 

Hitsugaya sighed, acknowledging the disadvantage. "In this environment, my Zanpakutō is certainly limited." 

Indeed, the weakness of ice-type Zanpakutō was that their power diminished in extreme heat, sometimes rendering them unusable. 

Haschwalth had exploited this flaw, raising the temperature by igniting Reishi flames to suppress Hitsugaya's Hyōrinmaru. 

"But..." Hitsugaya's eyes glinted with determination as he stood. "If you think this level of heat can stop Hyōrinmaru, then you're underestimating me." 

Haschwalth's calm façade cracked slightly as realization dawned. "You shouldn't have permission for that in the real world!" 

"Sorry!" Lod suddenly interrupted by saying out loud, "I just received permission—Captain Winters can use Bankai in the living world!" 

Boom! 

Hitsugaya stepped forward, his white robe fluttering, and his silver hair glowing against his piercing green eyes. A chilling aura spread as he raised Hyōrinmaru. 

"Bankai..." 

"Daiguren Hyōrinmaru!" 

The clouds swirled low as the night darkened more, and snowflakes twisted through the wind. 

Hitsugaya raised his Zanpakutō and pointed it to the sky. His silver-white hair whipped around in the fierce wind while his captain's cloak flapped loudly. 

When he released his Bankai, an icy aura burst from him. Frost spiraled from Hyōrinmaru and covered his arm in jagged formations. The ice surged upward and formed a dragon's head around his sword hand while encasing the blade. The hilt reshaped into an eight-pointed star. 

The ice spread to his shoulders and formed two massive wings. A long tail unfurled behind him and swept through the air. His left arm and legs became covered in clawed armor with sharp edges. 

The temperature dropped instantly. Frost crept across the ground while the air stung with every breath. 

Boom. 

Thick black clouds rolled in and blocked out the sky as lightning flickered inside them. The freezing air spread fast, and the temperature continued to drop. 

"Huff... Huff..." 

Everyone nearby felt the suffocating pressure. It was like being trapped in a sealed room where even drawing breath took all their effort. 

In the air above, a military helicopter trembled violently while its alarms blared. 

"G-General!" the pilot shouted with his face pale with fear. "The temperature's too low! Our rotors are freezing over!" 

The armed chopper hovered dangerously close to the black clouds. The metal wings began icing up, and it seemed like they could crash at any moment. 

"Fuck!" General Ross cursed and slammed his fist against the door. He couldn't understand how a summer night had turned into this icebound nightmare in mere seconds. 

"General!" The pilot struggled to steady the aircraft as it lurched. "It's nearly minus fifty degrees! We can't stay airborne; we have to land now!" 

Breathing became harder as the cold gnawed at them. In conditions this extreme, even exhaled breaths seemed to freeze midair while body heat vanished rapidly. 

"Fucking hell!" Ross punched the door again and roared, "What the hell is happening here?! Can anyone explain why it's freezing all of a sudden?!" 

"Snow...?" A soldier sitting nearby muttered in shock as he stared out the window. "General, look! It's snowing outside!" 

Ross turned and stared at the falling snowflakes, his mind blank. Despite the blazing summer, snow now blanketed the streets, and the temperature dropped even further. 

---

"Oh my god…" Coulson stood frozen, unable to process what he saw. Summer—one of the hottest seasons in the country—had turned into winter. 

"This… was it him?" Coulson muttered and stepped back in disbelief. "We're in the middle of summer!" 

"So what?" Lod's confident smirk grew. "That's the captain's Bankai. It can defy nature itself." 

Coulson swallowed nervously as his understanding of Soul Reapers deepened in that moment. 

---

Cold air escaped Hitsugaya's lips as he gazed at Haschwalth. "Are you ready?" 

"Using Bankai here?" Haschwalth scoffed, his eyes gleaming with disdain. "You Soul Reapers are the same as ever. Cold-blooded killers who sacrifice everything for their goals." 

"Again, you talk too much, Haschwalth," Hitsugaya replied as his gaze narrowed. He gripped the Zanpakutō and commanded, "Hyōryū Senbi!" 

Roar! 

Hitsugaya swung his sword in a linear direction and created overflowing ice from his blade in the form of a crescent. 

Haschwalth raised his gun and unleashed a blinding beam of blue Reishi. "Schrift: X-Axis!" 

Boom! 

The Reishi beam obliterated everything in its path, piercing through the slash and nearby buildings. Yet Hitsugaya sidestepped the attack with ease and closed the distance between them. 

"Shinkū no Kōri no Yaiba!" Hitsugaya swung Hyōrinmaru, the dragon tail following through in a sweeping arc. 

Clang! 

Sparks flew as their weapons clashed. The power behind Hitsugaya's strike was immense, far beyond his usual strength. Haschwalth's expression shifted as he struggled against the freezing force surging from Hyōrinmaru. 

"My Zanpakutō isn't that easy to block," Hitsugaya said coldly. His next strike shattered Haschwalth's defense, leaving a deep wound across his chest. 

The overwhelming cold spread instantly, freezing half of Haschwalth's body. He retreated a hundred meters, but the frost clung to him. 

Seeing Haschwalth immobilized, Lod gave Hitsugaya a subtle nod, signaling the fight's end. 

Hitsugaya acknowledged and launched himself forward in a blur. 

"Ryūsenka!" 

Haschwalth countered, shouting, "Grand Heilig Pfeil!" 

The moment their attacks collided, the cold compressed to its limit before erupting into a devastating shockwave. The unleashed frost consumed the battlefield, freezing everything within kilometers into crystalline sculptures. 

As the icy winds subsided, Haschwalth stood frozen in a massive blue ice sculpture. Buildings, pipes, and even the air seemed encased in frost.

"It's over," Hitsugaya declared and exhaled a misty breath as he turned away. 

"Is it?" Haschwalth's lips curled into a faint smile beneath the ice. "Look at your feet." 

Hitsugaya glanced down and noticed five silver daggers embedded in the ground around him, forming a star-shaped barrier. 

"What is this?" Hitsugaya's expression changed. 

"This is what I call a Reishi Bomb," Haschwalth replied, his voice resonating through the ice. "I placed it when you first released your Shikai. It's made from Reishi condensed to cut through even souls themselves." 

"Damn it," Hitsugaya muttered as the barrier activated and released a surge of light. 

"Goodbye, captain," Haschwalth said as the explosion consumed the battlefield. 

Boom! 

A high concentration of Reishi caused a massive explosion, piercing through the thick black clouds covering the sky. 

The resulting shockwave ripped through the ruins, sending debris flying high into the air. The thick layer of ice shattered under the impact of the explosion, freeing Haschwalth from his frozen prison. However, half of his body had gone numb and turned a strange purple-blue, a clear sign of severe frostbite. 

Hitsugaya didn't come out unscathed either. 

At the center of the blast, he bore the full brunt of the high-density Reishi explosion. His once-pristine haori and black Shihakushō were now in tatters. 

Both were heavily injured. 

No one could have anticipated that the battle between Hulk and Abomination in the streets of New York would escalate to involve a Soul Reaper and a Quincy. Their clash left the street completely destroyed. 

Thankfully, when the Hulk and Abomination started fighting, Coulson had already contacted SHIELD to begin evacuating civilians. 

But even with their efforts, some civilians and soldiers were caught in the crossfire. 

"This ends now, Soul Reaper." Hovering in the air, Haschwalth's pale face betrayed his exhaustion. "Next time we meet, you won't be this lucky." 

Ignoring his injuries, Hitsugaya wiped the blood from his lips and staggered toward him. "You... you can't leave!" 

Haschwalth stopped and turned back. "With your current condition, do you even have the strength to stop me?" 

"Even so..." Hitsugaya's voice was firm as he struggled to move forward. "To maintain the balance of the Three Realms... I must kill you here!" 

"Hahaha..." Haschwalth laughed as if hearing the most absurd joke. "The balance of the Three Realms? Did the old fossils from the Royal Guards feed you that nonsense?" 

"Shut up!" Hitsugaya glared at him with his voice being low and threatening. "The Royal Guards are heroes who maintain the balance and protect the Soul King. I won't let you insult them!" 

"Maintains balance? Protects the Soul King?" Haschwalth turned fully. "You mean the old fossils? Clearly, they haven't told Gotei 13 the truth." 

"What do you mean?" Hitsugaya's eyes widened. 

"Exactly what it sounds like," Haschwalth said with a mysterious smile. "They never told you what we Quincies are, did they?" 

Hitsugaya's face darkened. "What are you trying to say?" 

"The truth." 

Haschwalth's eyes gleamed with meaning. 

"The... truth?" 

Hitsugaya's expression shifted rapidly, as though realizing something terrible. 

... 

At a distance, Coulson watched the two, their lips moving as if arguing. Hitsugaya appeared particularly agitated. 

Words like "Soul Reaper," "Quincy," "Thousand-Year Blood War," "Son" and "Soul King," drifted faintly in the wind, but the fragmented phrases left Coulson confused. 

However, his instincts as an agent told him they were discussing something critical. If he could gather more information, it might be a breakthrough in understanding them. 

Cautiously, he tossed a miniature listening device closer. But as soon as it landed, Haschwalth stopped talking. 

"..." 

Coulson was speechless, and frustration bubbled inside him. It was like being promised a secret only for the speaker to stop halfway. 

And he couldn't confront them—not unless he wanted to be obliterated on the spot. 

"Goodbye, Soul Reaper." Before leaving, Haschwalth glanced meaningfully at Coulson, then grabbed the dying Abomination and vanished. 

"Fuck!" General Ross cursed loudly. 

... 

"It's finally over..." 

Standing at the edge of the devastated street, Coulson sighed bitterly. 

Collapsed buildings, blue flames burning across the ruins, shards of ice scattered everywhere. 

The sounds of agony, helicopters roaring overhead, and blaring sirens filled the air. 

This hellish scene was seared into Coulson's memory. 

The truth was undeniable. Power left unchecked always led to disaster. 

The Soul Reapers' power was terrifying. Just one captain displayed a level of destruction akin to a natural disaster, reducing both Hulk and Abomination to helpless prey. 

Returning to the shop Seireitei, Hitsugaya left with only a curt, "Mission accomplished. I'm heading back." 

Lod and Nemu followed suit, leaving Coulson alone to await SHIELD's retrieval team. 

... 

Days later, the aftermath was settled. 

The media pinned the disaster on General Ross, blaming his unethical experiments for the catastrophe. Public outrage led to his removal from his position as general. 

Of course, not a single word about Haschwalth or the Soul Reapers was mentioned. 

Meteorologists even concocted a plausible explanation for the unusual snowfall, attributing it to Pacific air currents. 

Watching the news, Ross couldn't contain his anger. If only Abomination were still under his control, he might have had leverage against Congress. 

But without it, he had no choice but to shoulder all the blame. 

Meanwhile, Lod shed a single tear as he watched Ross's misfortune unfold on TV. 

"Brother! The braised pork is ready!" 

"Coming! Don't you dare eat without me!"

TN: It took a lot of effort and edits to revise this chapter. The characters were acting like generic xianxia characters, lol.

If you liked the chapter, please leave a review and vote with power stones—it would mean a lot. I hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for reading!

(End of Chapter)