"Candice? Candice! CANDICE!!!"
The girl kept shouting, her expression gradually changing from calm at first to irritated, and finally to uncontrollable rage.
"Hey! You're in there, right?! Say something, are you just going to ignore what I'm saying?!"
Bambietta Basterbine.
She was born with a showy personality, unable to tolerate being ignored.
Now she couldn't help but stamp her feet, hopping up and down like a jumping bean... it was hard to explain if it was purely because she couldn't stand it or just a coincidence.
Candice opened the window from the second floor and looked down from above.
Her green hair was fluffy on her head as she lazily leaned against the windowsill, looking down with a sweeping glance.
The laziness in her eyes couldn't be hidden.
"What is it, making such a fuss... don't you know you're disturbing people?"
Bambi didn't seem to care about these things. Seeing Candice's face, her expression immediately became much more spirited.
"Why didn't you come to the gathering yesterday?! Everyone was there, only you were missing!"
"Huh? It doesn't matter whether I go or not, right? Besides, didn't I tell you before... don't call me for such things again."
"But, but we're the female members of the Sternritter! If you don't come..."
"After all, our relationship isn't that good, is it?"
Candice lay on the windowsill, her eyes looking too tired to stay open, appearing half-asleep.
"I've already found a good man to rely on, so I definitely won't hang out with you all anymore... alright, go quickly, continue playing your queen game."
"...!!!"
Like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, Bambi's expression immediately stiffened.
She seemed to want to say something, but couldn't find anything appropriate to say despite scratching her ears and head. Finally, she could only angrily stamp her foot like an agitated jumping candy.
"You! I was doing you a favor by playing with you! Yet you treat me like this... you'll definitely regret it!!!"
Only after the other had disappeared in anger did Candice return to her usual smug expression.
She seemed to be showing off something, half-turning her head, speaking to the figure putting on a coat not far away.
"That girl is really annoying~ right?"
Seiya chuckled and nodded in agreement.
Bambi's personality was actually quite irritable and vicious. In the minds of such people, there was usually a measuring stick.
Only those above her, or her equals, deserved her consideration of others' thoughts and responses.
As for those below her...
She wouldn't even give them a proper glance.
If she liked them, she could play with them; if she disliked them, she could casually kill them.
Even if there had been some physical intimacy between them, Bambi could unhesitatingly take the other's life... with a calm attitude, as if she had done something trivial.
Bambi didn't view these people as her kind.
Rather than seeing them as companions or subordinates, she seemed more willing to view them as toys and tools...
It was hard to imagine what kind of environment could nurture such a person.
But after living through this period, Seiya had somewhat adapted.
The education and ideologies of the Invisible Empire were distorted mixtures...
This was an empire built on hatred and bloodshed, its original purpose being merely to become a sword in Yhwach's hand.
A lethal weapon capable of piercing and harming Soul Society.
With this premise, even as humans, the members of the Invisible Empire would definitely not be good people in the worldly sense.
These thoughts swirled in Seiya's mind, and at the same time.
Candice had already run over, embracing Seiya.
"I'm already tired of playing the best friend game with that idiot. Now, I... having you is enough!"
Seiya just smiled in response, then his gaze flickered thoughtfully for a moment.
He said.
"There's a meeting this afternoon... about the general attack agenda, do you have any opinions?"
Candice made a light "Hmm?" sound, clearly not having thought about this aspect.
She pressed her face against Seiya's chest, half her face squished out of shape, showing a thoughtful expression.
"For me... hmm, I don't have any special thoughts?"
"Since it's His Majesty's will, we have no choice but to obey, right?"
"Quickly eliminate those who don't know their place, and then we can pack up... and move out of the Invisible Empire!"
Candice's expression suddenly gained a trace of anticipation.
"I've been looking forward to it for a very long time~ Though the empire has everything, the world outside is much larger."
"But because those outside are eyeing us covetously, before we completely conquer them, we can only operate here..."
"Yes, so our days of escaping the cage are coming!"
The fact was indeed so.
The education Yhwach provided to the Invisible Empire took this shape.
No wonder no one in the Invisible Empire ever showed qualities of kindness and peace. After all, from the beginning, these people had adhered to a militaristic spirit, invading and occupying the outside world.
"What about you, Seiya? What do you think?!"
Asked about himself.
The person in question hesitated for a moment, seeming to genuinely think for a while.
Then, as usual, he revealed a smile without any ripples.
"Hmm, if it's me... I would probably live somewhere else with Candice."
"I knew it!"
The green-haired girl was so happy she almost jumped up on the spot.
But before that.
Seiya's right hand had already pressed on her head.
His index finger placed near her forehead, the moment the flesh and fingerprint touched, invisible ripple-like waves spread out.
Schrift D—Dominate.
Activated.
...
"Then, I assume everyone has no objections to the upcoming action."
Jugram, as the meeting host, controlled the overall situation. Known as Yhwach's other half, he was also fulfilling the responsibility of being his "mouthpiece."
Looking around, with no more feedback at this moment, Jugram lowered his gaze to Yhwach behind him.
"Your Majesty..."
"No matter, this is sufficient."
The lazy-faced ruler of the Invisible Empire slowly stood up, lightly stroking the long handle at his waist, his heels making continuous echoes as they hit the ground.
"Our thousand-year-old wish will come to an end today. Now that Hueco Mundo has fallen, our target is only Soul Society..."
"Then what we need to do is extremely simple."
"To conquer, slaughter, humiliate."
To take back what originally belonged to the Holy Child—this was the purpose of Yhwach's return.
His right hand waved, sweeping across in front of him.
"Advance."
The Invisible Empire began to move.
As the leadership, the Sternritter also needed to command and order some of their subordinates.
As for members of the royal guard like Seiya, they also had other responsibilities... including Yhwach's personal safety.
"Let's go. Before witnessing the destruction of Soul Society, there's someone I want to see."
Yhwach led the royal guard to leave first.
Seiya followed last, casting a meaningful glance toward Candice.
The girl, already properly dressed in a military uniform, sat in her seat. She seemed to sense Seiya's gaze and as she slightly raised her head, revealed a cheerful smile.
The Sternritter members began to gather and take action.
Before long.
Several familiar figures approached Candice.
"Hey, Candice. Did you say something too harsh to this idiot today?"
The one speaking was Liltotto.
Although she usually appeared listless, in some more formal occasions, the other female members seemed to trust this "big sister" more.
"Though we all joke around daily, you should know how stupid she is."
"Don't bother nitpicking with this kind of person... it's too wasteful of resources."
"So next time something like this happens, even if you're just pretending, at least make her a bit happier? Otherwise, we'll be the ones troubled..."
Bambietta's intelligence was completely disproportionate to her appearance. Even at this point, she didn't seem to hear the implications in Liltotto's words.
The rest gathered around Candice, with Bambi lagging behind, showing a childish tattletale expression.
The green-haired woman tilted her head in confusion, seeming perplexed... but quickly returned to normal.
"Ah, there was something like that. Sorry, because you interrupted my time alone with Seiya, I got a bit temperamental."
"..."
Those who were watching for entertainment all turned their heads toward Bambi.
You're quite dense, aren't you.
"But if it's Bambi doing something like this, it doesn't seem that strange."
"It's indeed what this idiot would do."
The suddenly reversed situation also eased the subtle atmosphere.
But Liltotto still stared intently at Candice, as if detecting something, slightly furrowing her brows into a knot.
"Candice, you..."
"Hey, don't just stand around, there are still some squad members who need leaders. Instead of chatting idly, you'd better get to work!"
There was no chance to speak.
Giselle, the small feminine boy, came running out, obviously what Liltotto had discovered... was rather subtle.
After pondering for a moment, the person concerned also chose not to speak.
Forget it, it's not my business anyway.
The Invisible Empire began to operate.
Meanwhile, Yhwach and others had already passed through specially prepared specific channels, directly crossing spatial constraints, arriving in Soul Society in advance.
Standing on this long-absent land, Yhwach faced the heavens and earth, taking a calm breath.
"A place both familiar and detestable..."
Sentiment was not the purpose.
So after simply organizing his mood, Yhwach began the next step of action.
Forward.
By penetrating space, while causing disturbances in the outside world, Yhwach and his group entered their destination for this trip.
Muken.
The so-called gates were meaningless to Yhwach and his group.
As for the guards outside, there was no need to mention... the loyal Lille Barro had already cleared the obstacles before His Majesty advanced.
The group marched straight in, under this dim underground.
"Is this for real... can people really live in such a place?"
Askin had a strong urge to complain, no wonder he had such a reaction. Even the calm captain of the royal guard couldn't help but voice his agreement.
Lille Barro nodded slightly.
"Not only the spiritual energy, but even the air has become thin to a certain degree... under normal circumstances, this area should have no signs of life at all."
Gerard looked around, his hearty laugh also seeming to become somewhat dry at this time.
"Haha, personally, I'd rather die quickly than stay here!"
Pernida remained silent in the ranks, saying nothing.
Uryū Ishida and Seiya walked side by side, the former's gaze constantly scanning the surroundings, even his gesture of pushing up his glasses became somewhat stiff.
Evidently, he had no mental preparation for the hardships of Soul Society's prison.
In contrast, Seiya's expression was much more curious... after all, the man they were about to meet.
Would likely resolve many of the doubts in his mind.
As countless thoughts flowed, Yhwach, who was walking at the forefront, suddenly stopped.
No extra words were needed for prompting because at the same moment, pale purple ghost fires ignited in Muken.
These flickering with mysterious brilliance were like lights that had come from another world, flashing with an inhuman sense of mystery.
"Whoa! Where... where did these come from?!"
The loudly exclaiming Askin was someone who didn't care much about "evaluations," and at the same time.
A certain figure also appeared before the Invisible Empire group along with that magnetic low whisper.
"Is this the so-called elite of the Invisible Empire? Making a fuss just because of these things... how disappointing."
Seated on a long bench.
Wrapped in restraining bandages, with only one eye and mouth exposed, Aizen.
Looking down at everyone.
"Well, visitors from afar, invaders, disrespectful ones."
"Regardless... before you begin to cause trouble, you came to find me first, what kind of thoughts do you have?"
"Yhwach, welcome to my Soul Society, what is your purpose?"
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Powerstones?
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