Author Notes: From the previous chapter, let's really get into the background details.
Squad 1: With Chōjirō Sasakibe, it's subtly implied that he acquired the position before the Turn Back the Pendulum arc, but was young enough to not be Yamamoto's original Lieutenant.
Squad 2: The Shihōin, one of the Noble Families and their subordinates, the Ōmaeda clans have been implied to have led the 2nd Division for generations- likely since the first. Yoruichi was likely a kid at this point, not the young woman she'd be in the Turn Back the Pendulum arc. I also hint that the Shihōin clan and Komamura clan have a little thing in common with the Beast Realm.
Squad 3: It's strongly implied that Iba's clan was associated with the 3rd division- at least through his mother, and as for it not being Rose, he likely obtained the rank after the death of the first one. I strongly imply Unmei Michi, one of Kazui's classmates, has a big connection to this particular Captain.
Squad 4: Retsu Unohana has been the 4th Squad Captain since her dealing with Kenpachi led to her resigning from her 11th Squad, inheriting it from Tenjirō before he got promoted, given the little information we have, and this was before Seinosuke Yamada would become the lieutenant in the Turn Back the Pendulum arc. As for this lieutenant, he's strongly connected to Mayuri.
Squad 5: I don't like to think that Sosuke Aizen was some nobody due to how important he was- maybe the son of a low ranked noble. He more than likely got the bad streak from his dad and his looks from his mother. Shinji described himself of knowing Aizen since he was still in the womb, so it's implied he was older than Sosuke, likely being an unofficial uncle and likely intended himself to be a better role model than Sosuke's own dad. As for Enmā, he's very much like Gin Ichimaru, but lacking the redeeming qualities of the latter, having a more toxic version of Gin's relationship with Aizen. The reason that this captain allows Shinji and his wife to join on important meetings is due to fearing that they'd plot against him if he wasn't keeping on an eye on them 24-7. Enmā, himself initially didn't have what it takes to be a Captain, but gradually got the skills, but never got a chance due to the Captain positions being filled by the time he got it. Enmā will be very important to Kazui and Yōmi's futures.
Squad 6: Ginrei has been a Captain for a well and having a servant for an assistant wouldn't be out of character for him. It's also implied that the Kuchiki Clan, one of the Noble Houses, has reigned over the 6th Squad for countless generations since the Original Captain Group.
Squad 7: it's implied that Love didn't directly get promoted from a mere soldier to Captain, he'd be someone's lieutenant first before he became a captain. I also figure that Sajin's family held positions in Squad 7 infrequently through the generations, going from the lowest seats to Captain depending on how strong they were due to being apart of the original generation of Captains- with Sajin's ancestor is implied to be apart of the original generation.
Squad 8: Shunsui's been a Captain for a while, but he's not one of the original Generation, and Lisa likely inherited her title from her mother, who has a similar name and personality to hers.
Squad 9: With Shūhei's relationship with Tokinada Tsunayashiro from the light novels, this is mirrored through Kensei and Tokinada's father, Tokimū, who is a living embodiment of the reasons why Tokinada turned out the way he did, the latter is absurdly dogmatic. Also it's implied in this fanfic, that the Tsunayashiro Clan had Captains within the Squads since the Original Generation.
Squad 10: It's implied that the Shiba Clan, one of the Five Noble Families through Isshin at least, has been in the 10th Squad since the Original Captain Generation. It's very likely that Isshin was a lieutenant and got promoted with his dad, the head of the Clan's death.
Squad 11: Kuruyashiki from the Bleach light novels had been a captain for at least 250 years and it was also mentioned that Ashido- from the Hollow underground Filler arc was his lieutenant in the same novel.
Squad 12: Kirio was the Captain of the 12th division, but it's likely had to have been a lieutenant to someone and I'd like to think that was to Kisuke's dad, since Yoruichi and Kisuke were childhood friends, I don't think Hat and Clogs was just some Rukongai resident, but more of a lower noble family with his dad earning the position from Mayuri's dad, who died under suspicious circumstances.
Also, I'm going into more detail on the other branches, the West (this is an ignorant assumption of how Burn the Witch's system might be), the South, the North, Center, and the Root Branches in this chapter.
I always thought Orihime was maybe a Quincy- not the Ishida/Vandenreich Quincy, but a less violent Quincy race.
Chapter 34: The Wheel of Fate Mocks You
Head Captain Yamamoto, the 9th Captain, the 6th Captain, the 5th Captain, and the 2nd Captain all took readied battle positions to fight this Quincy.
The lieutenants also prepared to fight.
However, to Isshin's surprise, Taiju blocked their path.
"Don't ya feel it...this Reiatsu...it's like the Vandenreich...but it's not here to kill us...," he pleaded.
"This isn't funny Taiju, you know what they'd do if we let one go.," Yamichi replied with narrowed eyes.
"Your attitude is most unfitting for a Captain! Strip him of his title.," Tokimū shouted while pointing his index finger at the Squad 10 Captain.
Yamamoto was far more blunt, he rushed past Taiju and began to slash at the Quincy much to the latter's surprise.
This caused the blue eyed man to pull out a necklace with a six-petal flower-shaped star with three of the petals disappearing to form a blue triangular Reishi shield.
This caused Yamamoto and Kazui's eyes to widen.
That's like moms..., thought Kazui to his utter surprise.
"Explain Quincy...where is your Blut Vene?," the Head Captain asked sternly.
"You must mean the Zerstörung (Destruction) clan...we are the Schaffung (Creation)...both whom hail from the Erhaltung (Preservation) original clan who once used both techniques until the Father of the new Quincy decided to focus only on one aspect on his elder brother's behest.," explained the young man, which puzzled the Captains even more.
"I thought they were hinderances...How can I be sure you're not pulling our legs?," Yamichi said, not truly convinced.
The blue haired Quincy then bowed his head again.
"Your Soul Emperor is planning to exterminate us in order to have only the Destruction Quincy remain for an attempt at a future extermination later on- to justify their extinction. I don't mind your system, but...he'll kill my daughter! Please for her sake!...you can kill me, but leave her alone!," he begged with tears in his eyes.
"Head Captain...to not just bow for aid, but also beg for the life of another. Let's hear him out...and if he does pull a fast one...," Shunsui suggested.
"We kill him.," he added with a serious tone of dark intent, which make Jushiro gulp in shock.
The orange haired lieutenant came forward as the blue haired Quincy got to his feet.
"I'm Ichiyon Shiba!," he said bluntly as he offered his hand for the hold to shake it.
"I'm Grin Jaeger.," replied the blue Quincy respectfully, as he did the same.
"Are you the leader or something.," Ichiyon asked rudely.
"No, that would be the Mother of the Creation Quincy...who lives for the sun...the opposite to the Father, who stands in opposite to the Destruction Quincy who live for the moon...," Grin explained.
"I didn't think Yhwach was compassionate enough to let you live. Guess the rumors of his eradication of his own brethren was greatly exaggerated.," said a deep voice from behind the Captains.
They turned to see five individuals, one of which, was unfamiliar to Kazui.
They were as follows-
A large and broad individual with a bald head, wide red iris eyes, bushy eyebrows and a long black beard. He wore the standard Shinigami uniform beneath a white, long-sleeved haori decorated with the Royal Guard's emblem. The top of his uniform was opened enough to expose his hairy chest. He also wore a large set of red prayer beads around his neck and a pair of single-toothed tengu geta.
A dark-skinned man with thick, black hair that is shaven and dyed green on the sides of his head. He wears a variation of the Shinigami shihakushō, featuring instead a green undergarment, and a shortened hakama that exposes his lower legs. Worn over this is a white, sleeveless puffer jacket that bears the Royal Guard emblem on its back, as well as the alternating circle and diamond pattern of a captain's haori along the bottom. His attire is completed by gold-framed sunglasses with blue lenses, and a pair of green slippers that are gold trimmed and have a shoe-like appearance
A lean-built and very tall man with black hair arranged into an outlandishly large pompadour, with tapered sideburns chewing on a small stick. Instead of the standard Soul Reaper uniform, he wore a waist-length white jacket that left most of his chest exposed but still bore the Royal Guard emblem on its back, as well as an alternating circle and diamond pattern of a captain's haori along the bottom. His attire was completed by a black hakama, a large yellow sash around his waist and a pair of sandals.
A slender and very youthful woman with fair skin and long, black hair that was adorned at the back by a large golden ornament in the shape of a crescent moon with numerous small lines that radiated outwards. She wore the standard Soul Reaper uniform beneath a white long-sleeved haori, over which she donned a further white robe fastened at the front near the center of her chest. She also wore a pair of extremely thick-soled okobo. She had 6 long, golden skeletal artificial arms attached to her back that shes used in place of her real ones.
And lastly, a dark skinned man with black hair styled into dreadlocks, a twirled handbar mustache, wore opaque square glasses, he wore an ornate dark blue variation of the captain haori with a raised collar with the Royal Guard emblem on his back over the standard Soul Reaper uniform, single toed geta, and held a shakujo staff with a sword sheath at the end of the blade.
"Ichibē Hyōsube. Senjumaru Shutara. Ōetsu Nimaiya. Tenjirō Kirinji. And Kinzōkusai Tsukabishi. It has been a very long time since I saw you all last.," Yamamoto said to the five.
"You're very lucky we were former members of the Original Generation. Normally others would call me, Monk.," said the bald man with a gleeful tone, but with a darker undertone while still smiling.
"Ya Yama. You with a Quincy...what're you doing?," Ōetsu said initially with a happy smile, before taking on a more serious expression.
"And he's standin' out in the open? The hell?!," said Tenjrō with a snarl.
"This is very unorthodox, Head Captain Genryūsai, you'd normally kill them on sight.," Senjumaru remarked with a scowl.
"I think this will be amusing for his Majesty to see.," said Kinzōku with a smirk, which caught the attention of the other four.
"I like how you think Kinzōkusai. Your descendant's a good buddy of mine, so Ya alright.," said Taiju, with Misuke silently smirking.
"Speaking of lineage, yourr ancestor, Ashiyama Domanojo, is gonna be there. He's the Head of the Center Branch- the World's Sword-," Kinzōkusai replied before his regent haired friend stopped him.
"Taiju. That's an arrogant name to say goddamnit One band of crusading wannabes can't just dictate our way of life and business- that's what the ruling powers are for- to keep the military in check. That's why we all have different branches across the planet that deal with the world their own way, live their own way, and once in a while we reconvene when something threatens our way of life- then we all go back to the way things are. They're lucky they're still around, especially when they mingle with those other races.," Tenjirō said harshly to his colleague.
"Don't let the fact you invented Kidō make you forget your place. You may have been one of the OG Generation like us, but you still outta line and you're on a thin thread.," Ōetsu threatened his colleague as Senjumaru gave him a dirty look.
"...Keep the Rukongai residents outside Jidanbō while we're away. That goes for the other Gatekeepers as well.," Ichibē said to the shocked Gatekeeper, the first time in the conversation that anyone paid attention to him.
The giant nodded with a gulp.
"Now, then...Quincy...you come along.," Ichibē said as he placed his right hand on Grin.
They all went to the Shiba household, where the Shiba clan bowed including a young Kaien and Kukaku.
"You going up to meet the big guns. Nice.," said Būkaku, the strong jawed son of Taiju, father of Kukaku, Kaien and Ganju, he had long black hair and parts of his right eyebrow was missing. He wore Soul Reaper attire, but it was more of a formality.
"Don't worry, your Gramps is just gonna be away for a little bit.
"I'll be back...oh the glass over there broke...Oh a ladder...," he added as he noticed one of the glasses cracked and as he bonked into a ladder that he walked under.
He's raising death flags..., thought Shinji with a sigh of annoyance.
"Let's go.," Yamamoto commanded as he slammed his walking stick downwards.
As the others entered into the cannon, Ichiyon turned to the Royal Guard, believing they had more experience.
"Wait...where's Soul Emperor's Palace?...Where's the Senkaimon for it...it's not like we're going that far...right?," Ichiyon asked, getting increasingly worried.
"You mean the Soul Capital...It's Up...Way up...," Tenjirō said with a menacing grin.
"WHAT THE FUU-," he shouted before and the others were shot out of the cannon, out of the Soul Society and outside the atmosphere and into the outer reaches of the black void, then he felt ethereal golden clouds as he turned around.
Kazui who was tagging along, believing this to be a memory playback in which his actions had no real consequence, but was equally as shocked.
It was a white palace that seemed to be an amalgamation of all of the prominent civilizations in history all covered white floating in this golden cloud space. There were flying vessels belonging to long extinct cultures that seemed to run on Reishi and Reiatsu, shaped like vague avians. The people below wore white clothing and armored winged sentinels patrolled the streets.
"Don't try disrupting this. You fall out before we land and you're in the depth of the blackness of space forever.," Ichibē said to Ichiyon, which unnerved the young man.
The group then landed gracefully into the landing platform.
Soul Emperor Palace
The area in the center that the group was walking towards, was a Japanese styled palace.
Ichiyon asked Taiju, his father,
"This place seems kinda...sterile...Why is that?"
"Well, anything can come up to kill the Emperor. So he situated himself up high to remain alive to retain balance. If he dies- everything goes back to chaos.," explained Taiju in a more serious tone than usual.
Yamamoto then noticed the other leaders of the other branches.
Men and women wearing 19th century English style clothing of various different economical classes, with black capes with the Western Zodiac symbols emblazoned in the center while wielding vaguely angelic swords. They were accompanied by other individuals who rode on vaguely draconic witch brooms, the latter seemed to dress like traditional witches and sorcerers. They were the Western Branch.
Tightly cloaked figures with ornate golden masks of long dead deities of South American, Egyptian and African cultures while wearing purple robes that also hid their gender and appearance, with golden symbols of the hours of the day symbols on their back. They carried stone carved openable boxes with black cloth seeping out. They were the South Branch.
Men and women wearing 19th century United State colony clothing with large top hats alongside native tribes, all possessing totem faced jars on their backs along with sets of keys, each of varying sizes and designs. They emitted Reishi similar to the Fullbringers had encountered Hollows. They were the North Branch.
An older man who looked weather-beaten and heavily scarred that wore a Yayoi period style clothing styled into a Soul Reaper's uniform alongside individuals of varying ethnicities, heights, gender and even species. They wielded weapons of varying designs and sizes, all individually having unusual Reiatsu that was somehow Human, Soul Reaper, Quincy, Hollow, amongst other races at the same time. They were the Center Branch.
"Hey Gramps Ichi of ages past!," Taiju shouted as he rushed towards the bald man, before the latter throttled him to the ground with a suplex to Ichiyon's and Isshin's shock.
"Don't call me that...I ceased to be one once my son was born.," the bald man remarked with a sigh.
"It seems that the leaders have changed since I last saw you together..Ashiyama has taken the leadership from the previous leader, the founder of the group.," Yamamoto said to the heads of the respective Branches.
The head of the South Branch, a slightly feminine figure wearing a pharaoh sarcophagus mask pulled out a piece of paper with the words-
"It is good to see you as well. Gennryūsai."
"You still take your vows of silence I see.," the old man observed.
"The South Branch are the Life Enders of Fate- Life Enders for short, they live in the Endless Crypts under the Valley of the Kings in Egypt. If somebody sees their face or hears their voice- they'll die soon no matter how not close to death they are. They usually reserve it to end the suffering of those are in a situation requiring a mercy kill or the bastards who try to resurrect the dead. That's why they wear their masks to repress the sounds of their voices and the sight of their faces...and while they communicate either through sign language in public.," Taiju explained to his sons.
"They also have a separate branch called El Dorado underneath Brazil that deals with finding with ending eternal life.," the 10th Captain added.
"What're those things?," asked Ichiyon as he noticed the black cloth coming from the stone carved boxes.
"They're for sealing away immortals who are evil and then those criminals remain in their respective branch due to the South Branch lending us the bindings- like those imprisoned in the Mūken.," Taiju explained more severely.
"Are they like skeletons, all bones underneath?," asked Isshin bluntly.
"They're sad to look like us...It's more of their very presence causes death, so they need help to suppress it...it's sad...they can only interact though restraining themselves ironically," noted Taiju with pity.
Another of the Branch heads stepped forward.
"Sir Yamamoto. Good day old Grim.," said the head of the saber wielding individuals, a man with a long, twirled handlebar mustache, a monocle and a black waistcoat with a black cape with the symbol for Capricorn on it.
"They're the Witches and Wizards, members of the organization, Wing Bind of the West Branch, which is known as Reverse London- they're divided into Conservationists, which has several subdivisions like the Pipers- they oversee the domestication of Dragons and help harvest the resources they produce; and the Sabres patrol the streets of London and protect its citizens from Dragons- exterminating them if they have to. They do deal with other mythological beasts that emerge from the Animal Realm occasionally.," Taiju explained.
"Like Yokai?!," Isshin asked.
"No, you fool. Yokai are Akuma and reside in the Hell Realm. Silly, Isshin.," Taiju playfully scolded his son.
"That's not something to joke about...all Akuma are irredeemable monsters.," Ashiyama muttered, having overheard the conversation.
"Howdy Yama. It's me Jojo Wash, I was a little tyke when we got to Plymouth years ago- I just became president of the North-," said a man with flowing blond hair, wearing a business suit along with a top hat and had starry blue iris eyes before the much shorter elderly Native tribe woman assisting him elbowed him in the stomach.
"I want to get this over with. The barrier needs constant maintenance and us doing an annual meeting like this is hazardous and I need to get back as soon as possible.," said the old woman.
She was of short stature, aged, with gray iris eyes, tan wrinkled skin and wore a brown tribal dress.
"And you're just the Immigrant President...I'm the real head of the branch.," the woman added to the collapsed blonde.
"Good to see you, Tribe Leader, Dakota Dyani.," Yamamoto replied.
"I'm actually ashamed that you all came here and brought that lynchpin- you put us all at risk.," she said as she turned to the Royal Guard.
"His Majesty requested it.," Kinzōkusai replied with a respectful bow.
"Odd, that wasn't the case for us to not have our Kings brought along...or rather, I'm not surprised. If you were in the same room and not seeing just the images of how their current conditions...most of these youngsters would be at his throat. Seimei's has been a coward like that- having a shied to protect himself in case he's in danger.,"Dakota said with a smirk.
"That's insolent to call the Soul Emperor that.," Ichibē said with a smile while an angry vein appeared on his bald scalp.
"I was around when he was still a brat of a prince and we grew up together.," she laughed sarcastically.
"What's with the old hag? And I get the feeling that that group has some division within their ranks.," Isshin observed.
"Well it's complicated with the North Branch, who reside in the All-Star City within Hollywood, California. They were once native tribes once known as the Gatekeepers, who kept the spiritual and normal realms separate- because things get hectic when they mesh together. Then 200 years ago...well, they always had invaders, but these ones from the West Branch- deserters took over and initially tried to kill the North Branch. When it became clear that both needed the strengths of the other to survive, they merged into a new group called the Lockers, whose duty is to prevent foreign forces from invading the World of the Living, they're the ones that keep things like stronger Hollows, Asura, titanic Beasts, demonic Akuma, evil Kami, and eldritch horrors from breaching in and reducing their presence in the World of the Living, which manifests as natural disasters or plagues- even apocalyptic events. They still don't fully see eye to eye.," Taiju explained.
"That Reiatsu...they're like-," Isshin said before Taiju answered immediately.
"They're not "like" Fullbringers...Fullbringer's just a name we call them over here. They have the general control over the soul of an object, but while the Fullbringers are deviations that attach to personal objects- The Lockers identify with Keys- their version of Zanpakuto.," he said with a smug look.
"Why does Granny know the guy...and a better question that I've been keeping for a while...What's the Soul Emperor and there's more than one?!," Ichiyon shouted in confusion.
"You thought the world had just one lynchpin? Nah, it has four and the guy who regulates them to keep running, is called the Soul Emperor. Dakota was on his team when he was the first Substitute Soul Reaper- a mediator between the gods and the human realm. With the current one Kūgo, it's more of mediating between Soul Reapers and the living- kind of a let down from before. Just don't bring it up...he hates that.," Taiju explained.
"And Ashiyama?," asked Ichiyon.
"The group he belongs to is called the World's Sword, constantly migrating from location to location in order to purify demonic Akuma and fallen Kami that arrive on the World of the Living in order to prevent apocalypses as well as correcting negative timelines; sending evil beings directly even if they're still alive to hell if they're destined for evilness and destroy souls too wicked even for Hell to correct. The Quincy were once apart of the World's Sword before Yhwach was born when they still had proper knowledge of their original clan's techniques...however...," Taiju explained.
"There's no such thing as an Akuma coming to the World of the Living- it's too toxic for them to even survive- probably because of the Soul Society's positive Reiatsu permeating into the World of the Living. Most certainly not time travel. And Kami as in gods...the only Gods are the Soul Kings and the people who protect him. The World Sword is a gathering of deviants playing pretend that the Soul Society tolerates as long as they don't do anything idiotic.," Ichibē said defectively, intruding on the conversation.
From the large dual golden gates opened to reveal four individuals, which caused Ichiyon to be taken back.
An average-sized blue iris eyed young man with a slim build. He had black chin-length hair with straight-cut bangs covering his forehead. He wore an onmyoji uniform patterned in white.
A short dwarf with curly, dirty blond hair, a short beard, and shrewd green iris eyes. He wore a white suit with a large draconic sword on his back.
A dark-skinned man of slightly above-average height and slightly fit build, he had very short white hair, wore a white priest robes and a large golden key around his neck.
And lastly, a small, vaguely feminine figure in white robes, wearing a silver mask that resembled a skull and carried a stone carved openable box with white cloth sticking out.
"They're the Big Four of the Root Branch, the organization directly headed by the Top Kami of a particular universe, It's known as the High Overseer, but back then it was known as the Judges for this reason- its position is to judge whether a soul will good or bad preemptively and decide the realm it will reincarnate into based on the karma. A exceptional soul that has gone through the six realms with constantly benign karma can enter the realm of Nirvana...known as Heaven in your beliefs and be freed from the cycle of rebirth. These four are stronger than any of the guards protecting the Soul Kings, who are already stronger than the entire organizations they represent.," Taiju explained.
"Regardless, they're all weird.," Isshin muttered.
"I am Genjō Sanzō. I head the Four Heavenly Kings of the Soul Emperor. Welcome to the Soul Emperor's Palace.," said the man with the chin length black hair as he bowed respectively, but looked with disapproval to Grin.
Grin lowered his head in shame, but Ashiyama placed his right hand over his shoulder.
"I'll vouche foe you.," he said with a gentle smile.
The group then entered into the gates.
Soul Emperor Meeting Room
There was a massive round table for the respective parties to sit in rounded chairs in a room completely white and illuminated. On a large platform with a staircase leading up to a white throne, sat a figure obscured by blackness with eerie red eyes with an hour clock pattern.
This was the Soul Emperor.
"Kinda gives off an evil overlord vibe.," Yamichi remarked with a sweat drop.
Ichiyon turned to see the Royal Guard unveil the Soul King that his father told him about in ages past.
The Soul King of the east was humanoid in physique, with slicked-back dark hair, oval eyes and very thin eyebrows. His eyes were very unusual, consisting of four black circles that changed alignments every so often, which looked like a cross white pupil within a black iris. He did not have any arms or legs beyond short stumps. He was kept in a within an unusual barrier made of Golden Reishi.
Then the dwarf pressed a hidden button underneath the table, which revealed the other kings.
Something that horrified Ichiyon to the core.
All that remained of the South Branch's Soul King was a bald, dark skinned decapitated head of a middle aged man whose eyes and mouth were sewed shut by black thread, and his ears had shaved off long ago. It was shrunken to the point it was more like a wrinkled raisin than a head, in a manner that was implied to have been an aggravatingly painful method that made the head look like it was always on the urge of screaming in agony. It was kept in a round, reverberating sphere made of gray Reishi in a crypt guarded by cloaked individuals.
However, this was merciful compared to the other two.
The remains of the North Branch's Soul King was a pair of green iris eyes, a large brain and a massive heart all floating within a liquid container in a basement security holding cell, guarded by large key wielding soldiers. There were even traces of the nerves still attached to the body parts if they had been ripped out of the originator and the rest of body was given an even more horrendous treatment.
The West's Soul King was a mass of black Reiatsu in a cavern guarded by armored knights, seemingly not as nightmarish as the others as Ichiyon believed it to be.
Suddenly a warped screaming face made of white outlines, flashed in the blackness and screamed inaudibly while violently thrashing against its container, revealing it was constricted by cuffs with spikes within that made it bleed red, several spears impaling it and when it was being too rowdy, monk robed individuals casted spells that electrocuted the creature until it calmed down and its white face dimmed to nothing.
The face seemed to everyone to be a white oval eyed with white oval pupils expression of madness, but to Ichiyon, it was a feeling of constant pain and suffering, especially when it cried dark red tears of blood.
"Not every King faced their fate with dignity...," said the Soul Emperor as this was private joke to himself.
Ishakyōki was the only one laughing to the point of rolling on the ground, much to Retsu's utter shock.
Ichiyon got out of his seat to Taiju's shock and not to Ashiyama's surprise.
"Your boy has a heart of justice.," the bald man said aloud.
"What're you doin', we're in the middle of a meeting!...You're not...," Isshin said as he then realized what he was going to do.
"I can't do it... If fate is a millstone that everything is weighed under, then we are the grist that's underneath.. There is nothing we can do except accept this. So I wish for strength. If I cannot protect my fellow grist from the wheel of fate that sends millstones to crush them, then I'll use my strong blade, and my strength... to shatter fate...I'm gonna put that one at least out of its misery.," Ichiyon said to his brother.
"You're wrong about that...boy, Fate isn't a millstone...it's not something so mundane...it's a celestial clock that ...a cosmic clock in which each gear serves its purpose- even if it means rusted gears need to be taken out to be replaced by newer ones to save the major functions...protecting what's harming the clock is counterproductive...and trying to destroy the clock will ruin schedules, plans and the system...without systems, orders, and stability...everything goes to anarchy...to riots...to chaos...," spoke the Soul Emperor, directing to Ichiyon in particular.
"I'm saying the wheel of fate mocks you and your naiveté...so sit down like a good boy, ignore your fantasies and accept the harsh truths of life.," Abeseimei added as he released Spiritual Pressure that caused Ichiyon to be restricted to his seat.
Next Chapter: Blue Baby, Orange Baby