After listening to Ludus' report, the man on the throne murmured lightly.
"Yes..." Ludus endured the severe pain of losing his right arm, struggled to maintain balance, knelt on one knee, and responded respectfully, "This way both us and Soul Society can prepare for the battle..."
"That's the future, right?" The man didn't seem to be listening to Ludas' explanation, and was talking to himself.
"Uh..." Ludus was slightly startled by these inexplicable words, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
He was completely unable to see through the thoughts of the person in front of him.
"Two days ago, when you went to investigate the erosion of the border, you also said that as long as this continues, the balance of souls in Soul Society and the present world will soon be broken. Right?"
The man on the throne asked lightly, and then without giving the person in front of him any room to answer, he continued to ask, "Ludas, are you in front of me now a prophet?"
"Ah...uh..." When asked such a question, Ludus' forehead was covered with cold sweat and he didn't know how to answer.
"Answer." The man urged, "I just...asked 'Are you a prophet?' Is it difficult to answer this kind of question?"
"Uh...no...it's not..." Ludus answered tremblingly, fear spreading in his heart.
"Then why...are you talking about such a distant future?"
The man on the throne gradually became colder in tone, "I... what I want to hear is 'now'."
puff--
The moment the words fell, Ludus' entire upper body exploded, as if being wiped away by an invisible force.
The splattered blood sprinkled on the face of Ibon, who was also kneeling on one knee, making him completely silent.
"Ibon."
After obliterating Ludas, the man on the throne looked at Ibon indifferently.
"Um...yes! Here!"
After being called, Yi Bang's whole body tensed up.
Having learned from Ludas's mistakes, he didn't dare to say anything at all.
"I have no intention of rewarding or punishing you in particular."
The man on the throne looked at Ibana's nervous look and said calmly, "Originally, I had no hope of taking away Kurosaki Ichigo's swastika."
However, the other person's next words made him slightly stunned.
"Your mission is over. Become... the cornerstone of peace."
"Forehead……"
puff--
In a daze, the man on the throne already stretched out his finger.
And Ibon, who was pointed at by him, instantly turned into blood mist and disappeared from this world just like Ludas just now.
"Is this really good?"
Seeing the two people in front of them being mercilessly killed, a figure standing behind silently wearing the same white military uniform asked respectfully.
"What?"
The man on the throne slowly stood up, and as he stood up, the throne he was sitting on turned into a spirit and gradually dissipated.
He climbed up the steps floating in the void behind the throne. Every time he passed a step, the road behind seemed to collapse and disperse with the wind.
"Arrancar soldiers are valuable combat power that can be used directly without combat training..." The people below looked at the back of the man climbing up the stairs and asked with some regret.
"It doesn't matter."
The man's response was extremely indifferent.
"Arrancars... they all bow down, just pick up a few more."
With that said, he had already reached the end of the long steps.
What appeared in front of him was a pure white curtain.
Looking at the curtain in front of him, a faint smile appeared on the man's face.
He opened the curtain in front of him as if he were opening the curtain for the long-awaited 'world'.
"Hueco Mundo...is already our territory. It's just a small cornerstone for our attack on Soul Society."
"What your Majesty said is absolutely true."
The people below said nothing and responded respectfully.
After the curtain was lifted, what appeared in front of the man was an embarrassed figure bound by sealed spiritual pressure.
It is said that the woman in front of him, who is called Harribel by the Hollows and Arrancars of Hueco Mundo, is the new ruler of Hueco Mundo.
In this regard, Yhwach felt extremely disappointed.
A thousand years later, he has returned, but...
Where is the man who promised to wait for his revenge a thousand years ago?
After his resurrection, the first thing Yhwach did was to attack Hueco Mundo with the Invisible Empire.
Because he originally thought that Hueco Mundo at this moment was under the rule of that man.
After all, he had already come into contact with that man in advance through the power left in Kurosaki Ichigo's body. Although that power has separated from him and is no longer dominated by him, it is from the same origin as him, and through it he understands his own absence.
No matter what happens in this world, we can still do it.
However……
When Yhwach was resurrected, he found that he seemed to have been let go.
The man who was supposed to be guarding Hueco Mundo disappeared without a trace at this moment.
He sensed the entire world, including Hueco Mundo, Soul Society, the present world... and even hell, but could not sense the existence of that man.
There are only two possibilities left at this moment.
Either that man went to the 'Spirit King's Palace' that he originally planned to visit, and was waiting for him to see him.
Either... that man has lost interest in this world and left. After all, a transcendent cannot stay in this world forever, so leaving is normal.
If it is the first type, of course he will be happy.
It's nothing more than getting rid of the appetizers in Soul Society before taking revenge on that man. Speaking of which, he also has an old score to settle with everyone in Soul Society.
But if it’s the second kind…
Then he should be disappointed.
That man no longer exists.
Even after destroying Soul Society, killing the Soul King, and even conquering the entire world, I still feel... something is missing...
············
"By the way, Inoue, do you know anything about the guy who showed up today?"
After Ryunosuke and Shino returned to Soul Society to attend the funeral.
Kurosaki Ichigo frowned slightly and asked Inoue Orihime.
Not only him, but at this moment the eyes of Ishida Uryū and Chadata Taihu also fell on this girl.
They didn't discuss this issue before, just because they were worried about outsiders.
After all, Inoue's identity is very subtle to them. Her brother, that man... is now the enemy of the entire world.
"Yes, that guy does have the aura of an Arrancar. Is your brother planning to do something?"
"That...actually..."
Faced with the inquiries of several people, Inoue Orihime answered hesitantly, "Actually...after the incident with Aizen, my brother has not contacted me again...I once wanted to go to Hueco Mundo to visit him, but there was no
People come to greet me.”
"ha?"
Kurosaki Ichigo felt confused when he heard this.
When he faced Tsukishima Hidekuro before, he was clearly aware that that man had appeared.
It was obvious that the man was still watching Inoue.
Logically speaking, if Inoue wanted to go to Hueco Mundo, he would send someone to greet him right away.
"Did something happen in Hueco Mundo?"
"How is it possible..." Uryū Ishida shook his head in disbelief, "Do you think there is anyone in this world who can subvert Hueco Mundo under the eyes of that man?"
"No……"
Kurosaki Ichigo scratched his head in embarrassment.
"Then... what is the situation with this guy who appeared today? He is obviously an Arrancar, but he possesses the power of a Quincy."
"!!" Hearing this, Ishida Uryu was slightly startled, "What did you say...?"
"I said he is obviously an Arrancar, but he possesses the power of a Quincy. What's wrong?" Ichigo Kurosaki was confused.
"No...it's nothing." Ishida Uryu shook his head slightly, "Maybe...that man is up to something else?"
Although he said that, he was always a little uneasy in his heart, always feeling that things should not be so simple.
"Whatever, I think the best way is to ask directly? Right, Inoue? You haven't seen him for a long time." Kurosaki Ichigo suggested.
He thought about it but couldn't think of any other way. This was the simplest and most direct way.
Go to Hueco Mundo and ask what happened to the guy named 'Ibang'. Wouldn't everything become clear?
"Okay!" Inoue Orihime was delighted when she heard this.
She indeed missed her brother very much, but he never sent anyone to pick her up, and she couldn't open the way to Hueco Mundo herself, and she never found the opportunity.
"I'm sorry... I guess I won't go with you? You guys are just going to visit relatives. It seems that I don't have any necessary interactions with that man..." Uryū Ishida seemed a little worried at the moment and said apologetically, "And
...I am a Quincy after all."
"Okay, okay, I understand. Quincy exists to destroy Hollows after all, right? Going to Hueco Mundo to visit friends does seem a bit embarrassing to you."
Kurosaki Ichigo shook his head helplessly and smiled, without forcing the other party.
He understood that Uryu Ishida was a very stubborn person.
Although this world may soon be under the influence of that man, there will be no so-called 'hollows', 'reapers', 'quinnies' and 'human beings'.
But that is a matter for the future after all.
People... always live in the present.
"Then just the three of us will go~"
Saying that, Kurosaki Ichigo looked at Sadatora Taitora and Inoue Orihime.
Both of them smiled and nodded.
"Let's go and ask Mr. Urahara to open the door."
"I heard someone calling me?"
"Forehead?"
Several people were stunned when they heard the sound, and then looked at the window sill.
When Cao Cao arrived, he saw Urahara Kisuke leaning leisurely against the window, looking at them with a smile.
"Do you need me to help you prepare for your trip to Hueco Mundo? My prices are fair and you can't be bullied~"
As he spoke, Urahara Kisuke's lips curved inexplicably.
············
Soul Society.
On the hill of Shuangshu, the atmosphere was extremely solemn at this moment.
On the raised platform, the body of Takuchojiro lay peacefully, and everyone around him who came to pay his respects had sad expressions on his face.
"Jiro Chojiro, the man who should be the captain..."
Byakuya Kuchiki calmly told Renji Abarai behind him about the life of the man who died in the line of duty.
"According to records, he learned the swastika before Ukitake was born in Kyoryu, but since the establishment of the Gotei 13, he has never used it in front of others.
In fact, not everyone is a sage, and some captains have heard about Quebu's strength and still regard him as a 'vice-captain who does not participate in the war', waiting to be insulted by the official.
However, no matter what the situation is, Jiro Takuchojiro remains content in his position as deputy captain and remains unmoved.
Afterwards, the captain changed, and even became vacant several times.
Not to mention acting as captain, just like Hisagi and Kira acting as agents with authority of captain, he also flatly refused.
Everything...is because of his loyal heart.
Jiro Takucho was the man who once swore that he would be the vice-captain for life as long as Yamamoto Genryusai was in power.
So no matter how many rumors he faced, he would not bother to show his strength to prove it.
Is his swastika used to compete for the position of captain?
It was to use the power at a certain moment, when Captain Yamamoto needed it.
However...this man used his swastika for the first time in battle and died..."
Saying that, Kuchiki Byakuya closed his eyes.
"The grief that the captain is feeling at this moment is really something that our juniors can't understand."
"..."
Listening to this description, Renji Abarai was silent.
Just from the captain's description, he could probably guess the strength of the first team vice-captain.
That was a strong man who followed the captain before the Gotei Thirteen was established thousands of years ago.
He mastered the swastika a thousand years ago, and now after thousands of years of accumulation, his strength is probably better than that of many newly appointed captains, right?
However, such a powerful man was easily killed after using his swastika in battle.
Because of this, everyone's faces looked extremely solemn at this moment.
The death of the deputy captain of the first team, Jiro Takuchojiro, is not only a sad thing, but also shows how difficult the enemy they will face next is.
"fire."
In front of the high platform made of wood, Yamamoto Genryu Sai Shigekuni lowered his head and spoke calmly.
The priests performing the ceremony behind them stepped forward holding high torches.
The flames began to rise.
This is the fire of anger and the fiercest war in thousands of years.
············
"Hey! Don't stop! Go! Come on!"
On the desolate land of Hueco Mundo, soldiers holding high the flags with the emblem of the Knights of the Star and Cross lined up in a line, scolding the people in front of them who were stumbling in shackles and moving in a long line.
Behind them are ruins filled with smoke and dust.
The group of prisoners in front of them were the spare soldiers they captured after plundering Hueco Mundo.
In order to expand the scale of the Star Cross Knights, the king will select suitable candidates from these slaves who are already Arrancars.
These guys are dead soldiers who can be used directly after being caught, even the training process is omitted.
boom.
Suddenly there was a faint dull sound coming from the direction behind him.
"Um?"
One of the soldiers who was guarding the transfer of the slaves seemed to hear this strange sound and turned his head to look over in confusion.
But unfortunately, there is nothing except smoke and dust blown up by the wind.
"What's wrong?"
The companion on the side asked doubtfully.
"No... I just feel like there's something moving over there."
"How could it be? There is nothing but corpses over there, and all the living ones are here. You must be too worried, right?"