Bazz-B rubbed his chin, brows furrowed as he watched the footage on the screen. Even his voice took on a serious tone.
"Fought that 'Captain-Commander' guy twice, escaped and even won… Doesn't that basically make him the second Captain-Commander?"
A guy that strong—and not listed among the Special Threat Forces?
Was His Majesty getting overconfident?
"He's definitely stronger than other captains. So… does he have some kind of special assignment?"
Bazz-B looked toward Jugram, waiting for a response.
His former friend's glance didn't so much as stir Jugram. Instead, he simply turned to Yhwach and, upon receiving a nod, opened his mouth to speak.
—That silent dismissal made the hot-headed Bazz-B clench his teeth slightly.
"Tch. Still playing the cold one, huh~"
Askin, sipping his hot cocoa, muttered to himself, unconcerned.
Grumbling in front of the emperor wasn't exactly wise... but with drama brewing, no one was about to look away.
Spectacle was a universal delight.
Jugram, having received permission, flipped his right hand and began adjusting the screen's content.
"The man you're referring to is indeed exceptional."
"Not only did he detect our presence early, but he also used the destruction of Seireitei to completely expel us from Soul Society."
"Power, cunning, initiative, vision… He lacks obvious weaknesses. As an enemy, he is undoubtedly troublesome."
Bazz-B tilted his head and spread his hands.
—Then why is he not listed?
"But that's all in the past."
"For his betrayal against Soul Society, he was punished alongside the ringleader Aizen Sōsuke."
"His Shinigami powers were stripped, all abilities discarded. He returned to a mere spirit—and ultimately died under Soul Society's execution."
Jugram explained with the detachment of a machine, recounting the past like a dispassionate observer.
Snap.
With a snap of his fingers, an image appeared of Seiya Arima being executed by hanging.
Upon seeing this, Yhwach, reclining lazily on his throne, chuckled softly.
"Such arrogant fools."
With power rivaling Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni, and yet… they chose to execute him themselves.
Reversing all progress. Just like you, Yamamoto.
Seeing his own death portrayed so vividly, Seiya's expression grew subtle.
The screen continued showcasing his feats—but no one in the Empire showed any confusion.
Though he understood it was possible thanks to divine-level manipulation, it still felt surreal to see it firsthand.
"Hah! That kind of move… Soul Society must really be rotten to the core!"
A man with a thick beard, rugged features, and a booming laugh chimed in.
"A decaying relic of a regime like that isn't worth worrying about, right? You all agree, don't you?"
He clearly sought validation at the end, eyes flicking around.
A showoff—and a coward.
Seiya recognized the man: Driscoll Berci.
Not a memorable name—hardly anyone could name all 30+ Sternritter.
But described differently...
He was the one who speared Sasakibe Chōjirō in the original story—and was the first to be burned alive by Yamamoto's Ryūjin Jakka.
Schrift "O," for Overkill—his strength increased with every life taken.
Sounded impressive, but in this world, "infinite scaling" was a weak concept.
Most strong fighters came out fully leveled. No one had time to build up one slash at a time…
Driscoll got no response from the others.
But—
Yhwach backed him up.
"Well said, Driscoll."
Lifting his chin slightly, Yhwach's voice oozed contempt and disdain.
"I thought I'd need to cut down one last demon on this trip. Seems even that fun has been stolen."
"Time is both cruel and pathetic… The man who once defeated me… has grown this feeble."
"Couldn't even protect what he valued. Yamamoto Genryūsai… Heh. As expected."
That backbone of Asura… had already broken in silence.
"Jugram, next."
The cold emperor issued his order.
Jugram responded immediately.
"As you command."
The floating screen shattered. Jugram reached into his coat—and pulled out a palm-sized badge.
A design no one had seen before. Out of both caution and curiosity, the knights all leaned in.
What was that? A new device?
"This is the Quincy Medallion—His Majesty's personal creation."
"Wear this on your person. With proper Reishi manipulation…"
"You'll be able to target these captains whose abilities are exposed, yet remain unaware."
He paused, then demonstrated by gently tightening his fist.
Blue Reishi swirled rapidly around his hand.
"The Medallion can absorb and reuse Bankai. Once understood, these stolen powers will become ours."
A single stone into the pond—
And shock rippled through the entire Sternritter.
Seiya observed the brief silence, followed by astonishment, with inner reflection.
The preparation was meticulous…
The Quincies weren't just strong—they were crippling their opponents' trump cards.
It was like tripping your opponent before a race—dirty, but devastatingly effective.
And Seiya didn't dislike it.
Enemies were enemies. In war, fairness was a luxury—one that could be discarded.
"What? With that thing, we'll win easily!"
"It's like if someone took our Vollständig away… The shame of losing without going all out…"
"Just thinking about it pisses me off."
Good news lifted morale.
The Invisible Empire—cue champagne.
Their confidence wasn't baseless.
Surprise attacks, medallions, asymmetric intel—all this had led to Soul Society's crushing defeats in both major battles.
The knights buzzed with conversation.
Mockery, strategy, and chaos—
The Sternritter were fully engaged.
Watching it all unfold, Yhwach closed his eyes.
He had achieved his goal.
He rose, sweeping his black cloak around him.
His footsteps echoed across the marble floor as he strode away.
"The rest no longer concerns me. Just memorize the Special Threats."
"Don't let me see their faces during the invasion."
A pause—then one final command.
"The assault begins in three days. Be fully prepared."
The shorter the statement, the heavier its meaning.
With Yhwach's departure, the air shifted.
After a pause—
Bazz-B scoffed, leaping off his seat.
"If His Majesty's gone, I don't care about the rest of this junk…"
"We're just killing them anyway, right? Doesn't change a thing!"
"Let's just fight and enjoy it, yeah?!"
Simple words, but they cut to the core.
Others agreed, clearly feeling the same.
Some even began leaving their seats, openly dismissing Soul Society.
"Well, it's not very polite, but I can't blame them~"
Askin swirled his cup with a wistful expression.
"Looks like we just can't lose, huh?"
Tactical superiority. Unmatched force. Perfect timing.
From any angle, the Empire held every advantage.
"Pointless discussion..."
Lille Barro muttered coldly and walked out.
Pernida said nothing—Gerard acted as his voice.
"Can't wait for the assault! Gahaha!"
The towering brute and the small figure vanished from the room.
Uryū Ishida quietly rose, clearly hoping to leave—
But Askin called out.
"Ah—Uryū, care to stay for some cocoa and chat?"
He smiled, not overly ingratiating, but clearly extending an olive branch.
"We're colleagues, you know. Never had a proper sit-down. Relationships need maintenance, right?"
Of the Royal Guard, the most sociable wasn't Lille—it was Askin, the deceptively cheerful one.
Befriending Seiya made sense. Trying with Uryū next proved how calculating he really was.
But…
"I have other matters. Let's talk another day."
Uryū answered firmly, politely nodding as he backed away—disappearing through the doors.
"Off so quick, huh... must be something important."
Askin sat back, murmuring like a lonely elder during the holidays.
"Joined recently, and already this prickly? Makes you wonder…"
"Guess I'll be working with another weirdo…"
He turned—
"Seiya, don't you—huh?"
Seiya had also stood.
"Sorry, I've got something urgent. I'll treat you to tea another day."
In a rush, he didn't even wait for Candice, pressing her gently back down when she tried to follow.
"I've gotta train for the mission. Tonight, Candice."
Though his excuse was valid—
She didn't seem thrilled.
Hiding her hand behind her back, rubbing her fingers together, she pouted.
"Eh? Can't I at least watch?"
She stepped up, bumping his chest with her shoulder.
"It's boring alone."
"Won't take long. Be good..."
Having dealt with that, Seiya left the room.
He didn't go far—just back to his residence.
Entering the basement, he rummaged around—
And pulled out a small, round sphere.
He crushed it.
A pulse of Reishi rippled out. A fist-sized distortion shimmered in the air.
Space opened.
And on the other side—a different world.
Then, a familiar teasing voice echoed from beyond.
"Oya~ What a rare visitor. Seiya-kun, long time no see…"
A bucket hat popped into view.
"Dropping by Urahara Shop out of the blue—what brings you here?"
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Powerstones?
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