Author's note: This chapter will be the first of the Friend-chapters, that explains the rebel Sternritters' attack on Silbern, as well as a backstory to some of the Sternritters. Follow the story of two friends, Bazz-B and Jugram Haschwalth, as they grew up in a time when the Quincies began mobilizing themselves for war. I don't own any of the characters. They belong to Tite Kubo. The original characters belong to me.


Chapter 33: Friend 1

Inside the corridors of the icy palace named Silbern, Wahrwelt, Soul Society

Having formed a brief truce with the 13 Court Guard Squads in an effort to reach the Royal Realm, the rebel Sternritters had used the Gate of the Sun to reach Silbern long before the Shinigamis did. They decided to finish off Yhwach on their own and had already begun their assault on Silbern. For Jugram Haschwalth, the timing was not perfect. The night was coming and he was then the substitute-emperor while Yhwach was asleep. Furthermore, things only got complicated for him when Uryu volunteered to stay back in Silbern, only to reveal his own handpicked Schutzstaffel. Haschwalth was furious. With all the members of Yhwach's Schutzstaffel out on the frontlines, he found himself cornered and left with no allies, especially since the Sternritters stationed at Silbern favored Uryu above him.

It didn't make the situation any easier for Haschwalth when he discovered that Uryu had gone to one of Silbern's many laboratories. Frustrated, he dispatched three officers to follow Uryu and report back to him should the crown prince try anything suspicious. However, they were all killed by someone the blonde-haired man had in the least expected to see in Wahrwelt: Sternritter H – The Heat: Bazz-B. Apparently, the hotheaded Quincy had used the chaos in Silbern's courtyard to his own advantage and snuck past the defenders. He had then entered the palace where he stumbled upon Haschwalth and his men. After exchanging some talks over what had happened, Bazz-B, knowing that Haschwalth and Yhwach's powers were swapped during the night, decided to fight him. If the green-eyed Sternritter with the Mohawk could kill Haschwalth, it would also mean destroying Yhwach's powers as well. That was an opportunity Bazz-B was willing to take.

Bazz-B charged straight towards Haschwalth, getting ready to swing his Burning Finger 2 at the Sternritter Grandmaster. But in the nick of time, Haschwalth avoided it by jumping in the air. However, Bazz-B caught wind of what he was trying to pull and pulled out his Reishi Crossbow. Aiming steadily at his opponent, Bazz-B fired a couple of Heiligh Pfiels at him.

But Haschwalth was not slow with his reflexes, and his blue eyes caught a glimpse of the two arrows of Reishi. Using his Reishi Sword, Haschwalth cut the arrows with ease, starting to feel bored about his opponent resorting to use arrows. In his eyes, firing a Heilig Pfiel against a Quincy was technically useless.

Despite seeing him fending off his arrows with ease, Bazz-B was not done yet and he decided to fire another arrow at the blonde-haired man. As Haschwalth landed on the floor, the punkish Quincy fired an arrow, it's target being his blonde-haired opponent. Haschwalth was not amused by what he saw.

"I grow tired of these toys" the blonde-haired man noted and was about to swing his sword to cut the arrow in half once again.

Bazz-B grinned cockily by seeing this. "Heh, I got you now!" he noted in his head in a delighted mood.

The blonde-haired man's blue eyes widened in shock as he could see that the arrow Bazz-B had just fired not any ordinary Reishi Arrow. It was actually a bomb. Haschwalth desperately thought about throwing the arrow back at him, but that such option was too late for him. In slight desperation, Haschwalth used his Hirenkiyaku to back away from the incoming bomb, but he was actually taken by the explosion. Haschwalth was sent flying against a wall and hit it by his back. This caused blood to come out from Haschwalth's mouth slightly, and he even let go of his sword as he landed on the floor.

Bazz-B mused to himself and began approaching the sitting Sternritter. "Hah! How did you like that, Jugo? It's a good thing that I never told you about some special arrows I have" he said and suddenly made an arrow with the help of his flames and heat. "By using my ability, I am able to create arrows infused with fire and heat. The moment they come into contact with anything, they explode. Kinda functions like a bomb. Hell, I even call them Burning Bomb Arrows" the man with the Mohawk explained as he went over to his sitting opponent.

Haschwalth was only trying to catch his breath and he had indeed been listening to what was being said, especially with the way these arrows functioned. He soon knew that he had to get up and continue with the fight. It was his duty to stop him after all.

Bazz-B was about to physically attack Haschwalth, but stopped as his eyes caught something that made him snap. It also made him stop any movements. The man with the Mohawk was currently fixing his eyes on the hilt of Haschwalth's Reishi Sword and he could not believe what he was seeing. On the hilt lied a small emblem attached to it in the middle. And that emblem carried the letter B. True, Haschwalth was in fact Sternritter B – The Balance, but for Bazz-B it made him drift back into the past.

"No….it can't be…..." Bazz-B uttered out lowly, as his green eyes stared at the small emblem on the hilt. He then watched as Haschwalth got up on his feet, brushing off dust on his coat, dragging up his blade in the process. "Jugo…" he then uttered lowly at his former comrade.

Haschwalth merely glanced at him with his stern eyes. "I have to admit, you really fooled me there, Bazz-B. However, I will not repeat the same mistake" he said while brandishing his Reishi Sword, only to notice how different his opponent was behaving. "Why are you looking at me like that?" he then requested him.

The man with the Mohawk simply pointed his finger at the hilt Haschwalth was currently holding. "Jugo…...that emblem on the hilt of your blade…..you…." he was at loss of words.

"Yes. That emblem represents my Schrift, as well as the titles, duties and responsibilities I carry by His Majesty's orders!" the blonde-haired man immediately snapped back in slight anger at his opponent.

Despite hearing this, Bazz-B's spirit was not broken, and he gritted his teeth in anger while clenching his fists tightly. Apparently, he did not like what Haschwalth just said. "I told you not to give me such bullshit, Jugo…" he spoke up lowly before angrily facing the Sternritter Grandmaster. "You really think I'm THAT stupid!? I know a thing when I see it! After all.…that emblem used to be mine…...until I gave it to you" he spoke up with both anger and softness.

Haschwalth continued to glance at him with dispassionate eyes. "What happened in the past, stays in the past. Never forget that, Bazz-B" he sternly reminded the punkish Sternritter while readying his fighting stance. "Now then, what's this I hear about you and the other traitors co-operating with the Shinigamis to come to Wahrwelt? Have you really lost your sense of…" before Haschwalth could even continue, he saw Bazz-B shoot another fire-empowered arrow at him. This time however, Haschwalth was prepared and used Hirenkiyaku to vanish right before he was hit by his arrow.

The Reishi Arrow made a large hole in the wall and it went over towards the next building, which was one of the many icy towers located by Silbern. Haschwalth merely stood and glanced at his fellow Sternritter with dispassion, although Bazz-B did not seem to give much thought about it.

Bazz-B angrily glared at him. "You're calling me a traitor!? Now that's rich! Wouldn't abandoning your knights on the battlefield be classified as such!?" he then barked at the blonde-haired man, who so far did not seem to be willing to answer, forcing Bazz-B to shrug his shoulders in return. "And you call this place Wahrwelt now? I thought this was Silbern. What's with the sudden change of names?" he then asked Haschwalth, who was still not willing to give him an answer. "Are you gonna tell me that I don't need to know again? That was always your favorite excuse. It still irritates the hell outta me" the hotheaded Quincy then remarked.

"I have no obligation to answer you, traitor" Haschwalth responded plainly, much to the anger of Bazz-B. "Now let us take this fight outside. I can't afford to damage the palace any further…." the blonde-haired man was once again interrupted by his opponent.

"What the fuck gives you the reason to go all soft on me!?" Bazz-B angrily snapped in return. "You think you're special just because you were handpicked by Yhwach!? Hell no! You ain't that important, and I'm gonna show you why!" he spat and began putting three fingers on his left hand on a nearby wall. "BURNING FINGER 3!" he yelled as lava began enveloping around him, starting with the wall.

At this rate, Haschwalth realized that talking some sense into his opponent was fruitless, and he knew that the only way to deal with this intrusion, was by resorting to bitter fighting. Brandishing his Reishi Sword, the blonde-haired man prepared himself to face off against Bazz-B. The man with the Mohawk also knew on the inside that the man standing before him was no longer the boy he had once known. But were there more reasons for him to be challenging Haschwalth? Was it not just him joining Yhwach that led Bazz-B to hold a grudge against him? The two former friends began to slowly reminisce of their past, including the first time they met.


Flashback, 1200 years ago, in the woods outside a small village called Hasenwald, Northern Lands

In the many smaller realms that existed between the Soul Society, Hueco Mundo and the Human World, many various races lived inside them. There were small pockets of Hollow and Souls living there. But they were nothing but a minority compared to the enormous populations of Quincies that dwelled in these realms. While many lived in the Human World, the majority of the Quincies at that time lived in these smaller realms, considering the fact that they had unlimited access to Reishi. Many of the Quincies lived in small villages and towns, each ruled by a noble family.

But in this dangerous realm, a friendship was born between two young boys. In the forest outside the village of Hasenwald, a young blonde-haired boy with a shy persona was hunting rabbits. In fact, he managed to spot one and slowly hid himself from the animal. The boy aimed his bow and arrow and fired an arrow, but it didn't hit its target. The arrow landed right beside the rabbit, who immediately took notice of the danger it was in and ran off. The young boy was disappointed and watched as the rabbit ran away, only to be surprised when he saw an Heilig Pfiel pierce it, thus killing the rabbit. The shy boy could not believe what he saw.

"Hey! What the hell are you doing!?" a young and robust voice suddenly called out to the young boy and it caught his attention. "Man, your archery sucks!" the voice called out to him again.

The shy boy looked up to a tree and saw another boy at his age standing on one of its branches. This boy had a peculiar choice of clothing. He wore a white shirt and black pants similar to the blonde boy, but he also wore a golden armor, helmet and a red cape that seemed very Roman-inspired. He also wore black gloves and in his left hand, a small Reishi Crossbow could be seen.

The blonde-haired boy had never seen this boy before and was very curious to know, although he was also somewhat suspicious and uncertain about the boy. "Who are you?" the he asked shyly and curiously at the same time.

This caused the boy in armor to get on the defensive. "Hey, hey, hey! Hold your horses! Why should I, the great Bazz-B, be telling you my name first!?" he snapped at him. "How about you introduce yourself first, ya damn spring onion!?" he then said, expressing so much vulgarity and profanity for such young age.

Despite hearing this, the shy boy didn't seem to mind. "So your name is Bazz…" he spoke up, much the surprise of the boy named Bazz-B. He looked up to him, finding it hard to talk to someone else. "My name is Jugram…Jugram Haschwalth" the blonde-haired boy introduced himself to Bazz-B.

This was the beginning of a new friendship between young Quincies like these two. Neither of them at that time, later realized that they would later be fighting against one another to the death many, many years later. But this was the first time they met each other. Two boys, who had never seen each other before.

"Aw maaaan!" Bazz-B exclaimed in defeat and put off his helmet, thus exposing his spikey and unkempt reddish-purple hair. He then jumped off the branch and glanced at Haschwalth. "To think that the mighty me ended up introducing myself to you first! How very sneaky!" he then remarked while starting to follow the shy boy.

Haschwalth slowly turned around and watched Bazz-B with a somewhat surprised and dumbfounded glance. "I didn't ask for your name, you told me it yourself" the pointed out to the brash boy.

"But hey, you've got potential though!" Bazz-B then told him, still following Haschwalth.

The blonde-haired boy stopped in his tracks and faced Bazz-B. "Why are you following me, anyway?" Haschwalth asked him out of curiosity.

This made Bazz-B stop in his tracks and he glanced dumbfoundedly at the shy boy. "Why? Well there's no way a lame-ass like you could possible hunt anything on your own, so I might as well keep you company!" he then responded as impulsive as he could. Bazz-B suddenly noticed a somewhat downed and melancholic look in Haschwalth's eyes and it made him confused. "Hey, what's with that face!? Aren't you gonna say something!? You're seriously making me feel like a bully right now!" the punkish boy then demanded an answer, not getting what the blonde-haired boy's deal was.

"I guess you're right…..." Haschwalth finally answered and let out a deep sigh before facing the ground with shame in his face. "Someone like me can never compare to you. I can't even make my own Heilig Bogen yet. Truly a lame-ass" he said, as Bazz-B only stood and listened in surprise of how depressed this boy just sounded right now.

"You're wrong, Jugo! That's not even it!" Bazz-B surprisingly said back to Haschwalth and walked up to him and began to repeatedly patting his back. "I'm a genius, that's why I can do it so well. Hell, you're not even as lame-ass as you say you are. So, don't worry about it!" he then assured Haschwalth, who continued to stare at him with little enthusiasm.

"But you were the one who called me that in the first place" Haschwalth pointed out, yet Bazz-B didn't seem to get it.

In fact, he began doing a performance with his Reishi Crossbow, as it disintegrated in his hands. To Bazz-B, it was piece of cake. "Listen Jugo, nobody else could make something like this at my age" the brash boy insisted to him. "And I'm sure you can agree with me if you look at those around you, right?" he then asked.

Haschwalth was uncertain of how to respond to this, yet he knew what Bazz-B was trying to come up with. He forced a slight smile before answering. "I guess you could say so. Truth is, I never bothered finding out, so I have no clue…." Haschwalth said while clutching tightly to his right arm, something which Bazz-B took notice of. "And would you stop calling me Jugo? I don't like it" he then asked, although he was smiling a little when he requested that of Bazz-B.

The brash boy in armor was starting to get very interested in him. "Why? I mean, what do your parents call you?" he then asked.

Haschwalth faced him. "I don't have parents. I live with my uncle now" he said lowly.

"Okay. What does your uncle call you, then?" Bazz-B asked him.

"What does it matter to you? You don't have to know either" the blonde-haired boy replied in a surprisingly reserved manner even looking away from Bazz-B and clutching his right arm. "Now will you please leave me alone? I need to hunt at least one rabbit today. That should be enough to feed me and my uncle" Haschwalth then said before taking off.

Bazz-B had begun to notice how quite protective Haschwalth was when it came to personal matters. He could see it on his right arm. Obviously, he did not get that injury from hunting. It may have had something to do with his uncle. The young boy could not help but to feel sorry for Haschwalth's frail condition, as well as his lack of confidence in himself. Without hesitating, Bazz-B picked up the dead rabbit and threw it at the back of the shy boy's head.

"Ouch! What did you do that for….." but Haschwalth was stunned when he saw both the dead rabbit before him.

"Just take it. It's not like I'm hunting for necessity, anyway" Bazz-B said, thus surprising the shy boy even further. He could not believe what Bazz-B had just said. "I'm a genius so I do that for showoff" the brash boy said while removing one of his buttons that held his red cape. It was written the letter B on it. He then threw it before Haschwalth. "Jugo, you will be my underling, starting today" Bazz-B said.

Haschwalth was surprised by what the brash boy was saying. However, he did in act pick up the button and looked at it briefly before watching Bazz-B climbing up a tree. The boy in armor put on his helmet and turned around to fix his gaze upon Haschwalth one last time.

"Don't listen to what the adults say. I'll teach you whatever you want to know" Bazz-B said before he even formed a confident smile while glancing down at the blonde-haired boy. "So let's become the strongest Quincies together, Jugo" he responded before vanishing off the branch.

This left little Haschwalth alone in the forest. As he stood and watched the brash boy disappear from branch to branch, he reflected on something. He even watched the button that Bazz-B had given him. The young boy could not help but to form a slight smile, as he had actually made a friend for the first time in his life. It made him feel confident over himself as a person. Haschwalth even looked forward to see him again.

"Oh Jugram…." the shy boy snapped as he could hear an intimidating voice coming to him from behind. He could see a man dressed like a German woodcutter. It was a tall man with slick, black hair, a thick, black moustache and blue eyes, similar to the young boy. The men even held a bottle in his left hand, while taking some slurps in the process. He formed a smirk as he watched the boy get uncomfortable. "I finally found you. Now, what's the matter with you? Going so deep into the forest all alone is just unforgivable!" he spoke up, showing some hints of being intoxicated.

Haschwalth had fear taken in his eyes as he could see who this man was. "Uncle Günther…." the little boy uttered out the name in shock. This man was indeed his uncle: Günther Haschwalth. The shy boy suddenly found the dead rabbit and immediately picked it up for him to see. "Look…...I caught a rabbit…just like you asked me to!" he said while lying, although he tried to make it sound that it was his catch.

Despite seeing this, Günther was not particularly amused by the catch "What the fuck is this!?" he asked out of anger and began approaching the little boy, who almost fell on the ground. The drunken man angrily grabbed the boy by his collar and lifted Haschwalth up in the air. "You're supposed to be someone who can't survive without me! So how in the hell did you even manage to catch a goddamn rabbit!?" he yelled at him.

Haschwalth resisted the urge to cry with tears, although he was already sad and broken on the inside. "But uncle, I caught this rabbit by coincidence…and I followed the instructions you gave me….." the young boy was punched in his face and he was sent flying and landed on the ground. He could see that his nose was bleeding and he began covering it while rubbing his face.

Günther angrily grabbed the rabbit and glared down at his nephew. "How many times must we go through with this!? You're nothing that special!" he spat at him. "Every time you've tried hunting a rabbit with me supervising you, you would always fail! Yet how the fuck is it that you succeeded this time without me!?" he demanded from his nephew.

Haschwalth was on the verge of tears as he got up on his feet. "But I….." he stammered, yet Günther was not letting him speak.

"Shut up! You're just a waste of space that has become a huge pain in my ass! I curse upon the day that you were even born! As well as your goddamn parents who left me to care for you! Stupid motherfuckers! It's because of your weakness that they're dead!" he then went on explaining.

Haschwalth only faced the ground and felt sadness build within him. Sometimes, he really hated himself. Why did he have to be so fragile? He had sometimes also wondered the cause of his parents' deaths. Did they actually die or did they abandon him when he was born? So many thoughts swirled inside the troubled boy's head. It made him lose focus of everything.

Günther grabbed the dead rabbit and walked away, but not before looking over his shoulder to face his nephew. "Jugram, get your scrawny ass moving! We're going home!" he commanded the young boy.

Haschwalth's eyes widened in surprise and even began following his uncle. "Will you…share the food with me…..uncle?" the blonde-haired.

Günther merely grunted. "Fine! But quit bugging me with your whiney bullshit! Keep doing that and you won't be getting any!" the man with the moustache said as he continued walking through the bushes, with Jugram following him suit.

For some reason, little Jugram was feeling much happier than before. Clearly, he looked forward to getting something to eat. As such, he had forgotten the abusive behavior his uncle had displayed earlier.

As months passed, Bazz-B and Haschwalth kept seeing each other, with Bazz-B trying to toughen him up to be a better Quincy, despite the latter not being able to make an Heilig Bogen. However, something else overshadowed their friendship, particularly the lifestyles each of these boys lived in.

While Bazz-B was the son of the local lord who ruled Hasenwald, Haschwalth lived with Günther in a cottage outside the village. Whereas Bazz-B was living in a particular comfortable and privileged life (even though he was a rebel when it came to aristocratic matters), Haschwalth's life with his uncle was horrendous.

Günther Haschwalth was the village's local woodcutter. Despite this, he was not a man of stature as people would first assume. Günther was a miserable and abusive alcoholic, who would frequently come home late either drunk or passed out. Every time he laid his eyes upon his nephew, he would beat him senseless, feeling some resentment towards the boy's parents for leaving him in charge of his upbringing. Jugram was a disgrace in his eyes. There even existed rumors that around Günther being a pedophile and that he took advantage of his nephew's weaknesses. Whenever this was brought up, young Jugram would neither deny nor confirm the allegations. Still, Günther's perverted tendencies was on full display when it came to women.

For many times, Jugram was forced to endure his uncle's viciousness. But all this abuse only led to the young boy in doing the unthinkable and that was one and a half year later.

During that time, Yhwach sought to conquer the smaller realms, including those where populations of Quincies dwelled. He was on the move to expand his empire: the Lichtreich. This enigmatic man wished to conquer was the Northern Lands, where there existed both towns and villages of Quincies. But of all these villages, Hasenwald suffered a terrible fate during his campaign. When Yhwach and his followers marched into the Northern Lands, he demanded that all towns and villages submit themselves to his rule. It was either that or face annihilation. Most towns and villages immediately swore loyalty, given the emperor's destructive powers. But the Lord of Hasenwald: Hazzard Black, refused to allow his lands be taken over by some stranger. He went as far as to condemn Yhwach as a false prophet. Angered at such insolence, the emperor decided to punish Hasenwald and its people by making an example out of them. As such, he would show the consequences of anyone who refused his leadership.

With his powers, Yhwach burned Hasenwald to the ground, thus killing most of the inhabitants. Among the casualties were Lord Hazzard and his family, but only his son Bazzard Black managed to escape the incineration in the nick of time. The young boy was filled with sadness over seeing his village being burned to the ground. Bazzard Black, who was best known as Bazz-B, swore revenge against Yhwach, and vowed to avenge his family. However, Hasenwald was not the only target of Yhwach's wrath. Even the nearby forest was burned to ashes, taking along the flora and wildlife with it. Among the dead Quincies was Günther Haschwalth. But unlike the animals and the flora, he did not die in the forest fire. No, it was something else, even though Günther would succumb to the flames later.

"What the fuck's going on here!?" Günther asked out in anger as he stepped out of his cottage to see how the trees were burning. The slick-haired man was drinking and he even failed to notice his surroundings. "THERE'S FUCKING FLAMES EVERYWHERE!" he then exclaimed in anger. "JUGRAM! GET YOUR ASS OUT HERE WITH A BUCKET OF WATER! THIS FIRE NEEDS TO STOP!" he yelled out at his nephew, but noticed that he was not responding. After two minutes, Günther was about to turn around and angrily drag Haschwalth out, only to see something else.

Before he could even react, he was met with an arrow and it hit his left eye perfectly. The drunken man yelled in agony as the arrow was stuck inside his eye. The old man could not move, as he felt too much pain, not to mention the effects he was given by drinking alcohol. His face was bleeding seriously. However, Günther could see who it was that had shot the arrow and he was standing there, watching him with surprisingly empty eyes. The one who had fired the arrow at him, was his own nephew.

"JUGRAM! YOU…FUCKING BRAT!" Günther cursed in anger, as he could notice some form of sympathy in his eyes. Seeing this only made Günther angrier. "YOU'RE A DAMN MONSTER! YOUR WHORE OF A MOTHER SHOULD HAVE ABORTED YOUR WEAK AND UGLY ASS! HOW DO YOU EXPECT TO SURVIVE IN THIS WORLD WITHOUT ME!?" he then demanded an answer.

Haschwalth continued to stare at him with his usual expression. He was now wearing a jacket and carried his bow and arrows. So far, the blonde-haired man had not said a single word in reply. But the blonde-haired boy slowly turned around and was about to actually move through the burning forests, but not before taking a brief glance at Günther. This was the last time he would ever set his eyes upon the man that had abused him.

"How my journey continues is not for you to decide. I walk that path on my own from now on" Haschwalth responded, his uncle still bleeding seriously. "No one can decide my fate, not even you. Now, lay down and let the flames consume you. And give my regards to whatever awaits you. Farewell…uncle. May you find peace in the afterlife" the blonde-haired boy told him before moving on.

"Fuck you….." Günther cursed, his rage being on full display. "FUCK YOU! SOMEDAY, YOU GO TO HELL AS I WILL! DO YOU HEAR ME!? NOT EVEN YOU CAN AVOID IT! SO DON'T THINK FOR A SECOND THAT YOU WILL SURVIVE, JUGRAM!" he yelled at his nephew.

Despite hearing those words, Haschwalth ever looked back to see his uncle. He had no reason to even mourn that man's death. However, he could hear the agonizing scream of Günther as the flames began to consume him and the entire forest. Yet despite this, Haschwalth kept moving forward, never looking back to see what had become of the place he had spent for the last few years. Now, it had all vanished in the flames and would never again be remembered by the young boy. The abuser had already been given the punishment.

Haschwalth joined up with Bazz-B, who had only been watching the buildings burn before him. While other survivors of the genocide had fled far from Hasenwald, the brash boy was the only one standing there. But beneath the sadness that covered Bazz-B's face, also lied a burning hatred for Yhwach. Bazz-B was bent on revenge against the emperor and requested that Haschwalth accompany him. However, Bazz-B would also support his friend finding some other place to live with his uncle. But Haschwalth told him that his uncle had also perished in flames, even though that was not entirely accurate.

The two boys found some money from the burned down palace where Bazz-B had been living in, and vowed to kill Yhwach. To do that, they would have to become stronger. More importantly, to accomplish something like killing Yhwach, they would have to get to closer to him. But that time was not yet. For now, all that mattered was to train to their limits.


5 years later, outside the town of Eisenschild, Lichtreich

The first thing that the boys would need was to get away from their former home as far as possible. The nearest settlement they stumbled across was the town of Eisenschild. There, the two friends had set up a camp outside the in the woods, hoping to not draw attention from the town's authorities. Eisenschild was under the authority of the Lichtreich and all opposition was violently put down.

But Bazz-B and Haschwalth had made new friends in the town. While walking out in the streets, they had managed to stumble across a trio of orphaned kids much like themselves. Each of them came from different towns and villages, but whether they were from the Northern Lands or not the two friends were not sure of. The stern-looking boy with short, black hair was called Cang Du, who was not much of a talker, only responding to questions whenever he felt like it. He claimed to have come from the mountains in the Eastern Lands, and was the last survivor by an attack from Hollows. That possibly explained the vertical scar running across the left side of his mouth. The sassy, pink-haired girl was Berenice Gabrielli, who claimed she was the daughter of a lord in the Western Lands. The tallest of the kids was the bullying, black-haired boy named Driscoll Berci, who was known to pick on everything he came across. Whenever he was asked about where he was from, he simply responded that he was from the Southern Lands, yet he was banished from his village for being too violent and reckless around the villagers.

Together, they formed a group that would become stronger together, in hopes of one day killing Yhwach. Bazz-B was considered to be the unofficial leader of the group, as he was always the one who spoke much and expressed his opinion. His hotheaded personality annoyed everyone, expect Haschwalth. But many years had now passed and they were all teenagers now.

Deep in the forest outside Eisenschild, Bazz-B and his group was sitting around an empty campfire that they often used to cook food. But in this case, since it was day, they were now having a meeting about what they would do. As usual, Bazz-B was filled with energy and confidence as their supposed leader.

"Alright, you bums! Here's what we're gonna do!" Bazz-B declared while holding a stick in his right hand. He began drawing this on the ground of dirt. "According to some sources of mine, some weird shit is taking place inside the tavern later" he said while drawing the tavern on the ground. "We're gonna sneak into it!" he then insisted to them.

While Haschwalth listened closely by what he was saying, the others did not do the same. Cang merely glanced at the brash teen with disapproval in his eyes, Driscoll yawned while poking his left ear and Berenice huffed while crossing her arms.

Bazz-B could see this and became angry by the minute. "Damn it, guys! Can't you pay attention for a second or two!? This is very important!" he scolded them.

"But for what reason? Usually, those contacts of yours are just conning you to do dumb stuff" Berenice quizzed him while cooking an eyebrow. "And for the record, you're not old enough to drink alcohol yet. So why go inside a tavern?" the pink-haired teenage girl told him.

Bazz-B slumped when hearing this while facepalming. "We're not going there to get wasted, you dimwit. We're going there to find some valuable information about how to reach Yhwach's palace, let alone join his military!" the brash boy insisted.

Driscoll only grinned when he heard this. "So you're saying you can get closer to him by enlisting yourself? You got some ambition there, I tell ya" the tall teenage boy exclaimed with a cocky grin.

Haschwalth, who had been listening so far, decided to speak up his mind about the matter. "Well, that seems reasonable enough, Bazz. Do you know who we will meet in the tavern?" the blonde-haired boy nervously asked his friend.

Bazz-B could not help but to smile, as he knew that Haschwalth was the only one who took things seriously enough. The other three teenagers had different opinions on the blonde-haired boy. Driscoll had a tendency to mock Haschwalth's inability to use Reishi, Cang often viewed him as a liability while Berenice was often annoyed by the blonde-haired boy's shy personality. However, they still respected him as a friend and member of the group. In fact, they viewed him more preferably than Bazz-B.

"I'm glad you asked, Jugo. Apparently, we are meeting a guy who works at Yhwach's palace" Bazz-B revealed as a cunning grin crept across his face. "He'll tell us everything on how to get close to Yhwach, including how to become his soldiers" he added to his answer.

Berenice merely stroke one of her pink bangs on her hair. "And you expect him to be to give you such information willingly?" she asked him with a hint of disbelief in her voice. "You have a bad sense of trusting in people, Bratty Bazz" she added, while giving him the usual nickname.

Bazz-B only shrugged his shoulders while glancing at the girl with nothing but boredom. "Tch…what a bitch" he noted in his thoughts.

"When do we leave?" Cang sternly asked Bazz-B while his eyes were solely fixed upon the brash teenager. "I expect us to be entering the town in the evening, when the tavern usually gets customers. Based upon what you say, I can assume that's when this informant will be there" the black-haired boy added to his statement.

Hearing this caused Bazz-B to grin cockily in return and he even held out his Reishi Crossbow. "Damn straight. But in the meantime, let us kill some time by training. Tonight's showtime, so we can't afford to look like a bunch of losers!" he then told the gang and they each headed into different directions.

When the evening descended upon the town of Eisenschild, there were fewer people out in the streets. Most of them had gone inside their buildings to either socialize or do other things they enjoyed. But if there was one place where Quincies loved to go and socialize, it was the tavern. The building looked like a real-life German tavern with many decorations and plants on the outside. There were lights on the windows and it only confirmed that there was activity inside the tavern.

As the group stood right outside the tavern's door, Haschwalth could not help but to feel slightly insecure about doing this, especially since there were so many people inside. They could already tell it by hearing the noise.

"Are you sure this a good idea, Bazz?" the blonde-haired teenager asked his friend. "They may throw us outside if they see that we're not adults" he added to his statement.

Bazz-B turned around and fixed a reassuring smirk while glancing at Haschwalth. "Relax, Jugo. As long as you got a badass like me at your side, safety is guaranteed" he insisted to his friend.

Seeing how assuring the reddish purple-haired man sounded, Haschwalth clenched his right hand and nodded his head at him in return. "Yes…understood" he said with complete confidence in Bazz-B.

Berenice giggled while seeing this. "I'll admit, you're kind of cute when act this way, Jumpy Jugo" she told him. Berenice was known to come up with nicknames to people she came across. With Haschwalth, she often referred to him as "Jumpy Jugo" due to the fact that he was always so insecure and quick to speak up his mind whenever he felt like it.

The blonde-haired boy only chuckled nervously in return, not knowing whether he should have taken it as a compliment or something. Then again, with the exception for Bazz-B, Berenice was the only person Haschwalth had a good chemistry with. It was obvious, given that Driscoll was kind of a bully while Cang was not much of a talker.

"Can we get on with it!?" Driscoll asked impatiently while crossing his arms. "Seriously, it's getting cold out here! My ass is freezing!" the tall teenager said while he was shivering.

But while Driscoll froze, Cang seemed perfectly composed and simply narrowed his eyes at the oafish teenager beside him. "You shiver by only feeling the cold? Idiot, I can perfectly withstand it" the black-haired boy pointed out to him, much to Driscoll's anger.

Bazz-B began slightly pushing the door before him and he and his friends entered the tavern one by one. The moment they entered the tavern, they found themselves being surrounded with laughter, alcohol and music. Many men and women were having so much fun while drinking to their hearts content. The young Quincies were stunned by what they saw. The tavern's interior was based upon wood and bricks. Lights could also be seen and the hall even had a big fireplace at the end. Along the walls, various decors could be seen, including swords, shields and heads of animals, like deer and boar. This was without a doubt a place of activity for Quincies during the night.

"So many people in here…" Haschwalth noted, feeling somewhat stunned to see so many adults located in one place.

Berenice only scoffed while stroking one of her bangs. "Well, I'm not surprised. If you were the son of an aristocrat like me, you would get used to it" the pink-haired teenager said to Haschwalth before fixing her eyes upon Bazz-B. "Well, where to now?" she then asked him with slight annoyance.

Bazz-B ignored her question and focused his eyes on the thick-bearded bartender who was cleaning some mugs. He simply walked up to the counter and rested his right elbow on it. This even caught the bartender's attention and he looked surprised.

"Hey! What are you kids doing in my tavern? Can't you see that this place is for adults only?" the bartender asked while his mouth underneath the beard moved. But Bazz-B suddenly held up a small piece of paper in his right hand. This forced the bartender to cook and eyebrow. "What the…a piece of paper?" he asked in disbelief.

"Cut the crap, old man!" Bazz-B snapped before leaning closer. He then handed the paper over to the bartender who began reading the paper. "We came here searching for this man, whom we believe is currently in your tavern. He wouldn't tell us his real name, but he gave us this pseudonym or whatever codename he goes by…." the teenager was interrupted by hearing what the bartender just said.

"BG9…the BG9!?" the bartender snapped and faced the group of teenagers with disbelief on his face. "You kids can't possibly be that serious…...do you even know who you're dealing with!?" he asked them as if he wanted to know whether the kids really sought out this person.

"Stop calling us kids, you fat turd!" Driscoll barked while crossing his arms. "Just tell us where this dude is and we'll be on our way. I can't stand this place. It smells as if a pig just crapped out a dead fetus or something!" he then added, while starting to notice how disgusting and smelly the taverns was.

But Berenice waved her hand before her face while looking at Driscoll sternly. "Maybe it's because YOU'RE the one who stinks! I mean, didn't you wash yourself after training? I can even smell your sweaty armpits!" the teenage girl told him.

Driscoll merely flipped off his middle finger at the teenage girl, thus forcing Berenice to stick out her tongue at him in return. This forced Driscoll to grin mischievously. "Heh! That's the best you got!? Your retaliations with gestures sucks, Berenice!" he mocked her in return.

The young girl only crossed her arms and blew out her irritation in return. "Whatever you say, Dirty Driscoll" she murmured in return.

"Could you tell us where we can find him?" Haschwalth suddenly asked the bartender nicely. "If you do that, we promise to leave you alone" the blonde-haired boy assured him.

Seeing how surprisingly kind the young boy was, the bartender sighed in defeat. He began pointing his hand upwards, where the second floor could be seen. "Alright, he sits by himself at the end of the second floor. Now, there you have it! Get the hell out of my sight!" he answered before snapping in anger, telling them to leave him be.

The group of teenagers did as he requested and set their course towards the stairs that lead to the second floor. While going upwards, Bazz-B couldn't help but to compliment Haschwalth.

"Nice work there, Jugo. I couldn't have said it better myself" the brash boy praised him, although Haschwalth was uncertain about how to respond to this.

But Cang was not impressed. "Everyone could have pulled that off easily, even me" the stoic boy pointed out to him.

This caused Bazz-B to turn around and face down at Cang with angry eyes. "If you're that desperate to prove your worth then why not take the initiative, dollface!?" the brash teenager asked in his usual insulting tone.

Cang's black eyes narrowed further and he even began activating his Reishi Claws. The young man did not particularly welcome Bazz-B's rude remark and he faced him with a killing intent on the inside.

"Take back what you said! Otherwise, I dare you to came and say it right in front of me again!" Cang said coldly, which was odd for a teenager like him. However, he found himself being restrained by Berenice, which made him outraged. "What the hell, Berenice!?" the black-haired boy snapped in anger as the pink-haired girl held him back.

Bazz-B felt the same thing happen to him as Haschwalth held him back. "Jugo?" Bazz-B asked his friend.

"If you two start a fight in here, it will definitely get us thrown out" the blonde-haired boy insisted to him. "Just do the right thing, Bazz" he added to his statement.

Hearing this, Bazz-B immediately came back to his senses and grinned cockily at his friend in return. "Thanks Jugo. I'm glad that you're the one who knows the right way" he applauded him and the two friends continued their way up.

Cang glared at Bazz-B angrily, resisting the urge to actually kill him. However, he was suddenly grabbed on his right ear by Berenice, who looked at him with dispassion in her eyes.

"Just let it go, Cranky Cang. You should know better than to let a sour loser like Bazz get the best of you" the pink-haired teenage girl told him before walking up past him to follow the two boys, as did Driscoll, who merely grinned as he passed by him.

Cang took a deep breath and reverted back to his calm demanor once again. He then proceeded to follow his fellow young Quincies to the second floor.

As the group of teenagers reached the end of the second floor, they were stunned to see someone sitting at a table by himself. It was a young man with curly, brown hair and azure blue eyes. He even wore glasses while reading a book, which was actually a book of engineering. The kids could see that the outfit he wore was that worn by officers of the Lichtreich, which included a tie and a cape. He even owned a cap, which lied on the table before him. Apparently, he had not been reading instead of drinking. When Bazz-B and the gang took their seats at the table, it caught his attention.

"Ah, you must be the so-called "avenger" I've heard so much about" the young man said with slight humor in his voice while putting his book away. He then reached out a hand to greet each of the teenagers, although he was specifically speaking to Bazz-B. "Quite an interesting gang you have assembled, Bazzard Black" he then remarked.

Bazz-B suddenly snapped in realization as he heard the Quincy state that name. Although he was angry on the inside, he somehow restrained his anger and found calm within himself. But the brash teenager glared at the smiling officer. "Don't call me that! From now on, I am simply Bazz-B!" the young boy sternly insisted to him in his usual angry tone. "You must be BG9, the one I've heard so much about. Tell us what you know" he said while even demanding an answer from the gentle man.

Haschwalth put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't be so rude to him, Bazz. We just met him" the blonde-haired boy insisted to him.

The four-eyed man could not help but to chuckle in amusement at what he was seeing. "So, you begin to refer to me by my codename, eh? Well, now that we have just met, I prefer to be called by my real name. My name is Bernard Gabor. A pleasure in meeting you all, kiddos" he then introduced himself by telling them his real name. But Bernard then began fixing some cunning eyes upon Bazz-B specifically. "Now then. Let's just skip to the part where we talk business. You guys wanna join the military of the Lichtreich, is that it? My, that's very ambitious of you" he said while making sure the other teenagers listened as well.

Bazz-B remained unfazed. "Look, I could care less about the hardships. All that matters is that I…we get closer to Yhwach" he pointed out.

"And what do you intend to do once you get close to him?" Bernard then asked Bazz-B bluntly. "Do you honestly believe that mere arrows and harsh language will be enough to kill His Majesty? You're in over your head, boy" he added to his disbelief.

Hearing this made Cang, Driscoll and Berenice smile in satisfaction. They enjoyed whenever Bazz-B got roasted. "Tell me about it. That little squirt relies on his mouth too much" Driscoll said, insulting his comrade.

Bazz-B angrily glanced at the tell teenager. "You're one to talk, you overgrown gorilla! I mean, don't you badmouth anyone you come across, even those you've never met before!?" the brash boy pointed out.

Driscoll glared at while even cracking his knuckles. "Say that to my face one more time, I dare you!" he said while even noticing that Bazz-B was beginning to feel confrontational.

Berenice rolled her eyes by what she was seeing. "Why do I get stuck with the idiot squadron?" she wondered while even mentioning every member of the group. Cang glanced at her sternly, which the pink-haired girl could notice. "What? You got a problem, Cranky Cang?" she asked him once again with her nickname for him.

"Stop calling me that!" Cang said as he began a word of words with the teenage girl.

Bernard made a coughing sound and this caused all the teenagers to focused their attentions on him, except for Haschwalth. He had been paying attention all the time. They could see the four-eyed man viewing the group with great displeasure in his eyes.

"You must be joking. Do you guys really believe that you're mature enough to join the Lichtreich's military?" he asked them all in disbelief before slamming his handpalms on the table. "My answer is FOUR words: GET THE FUCK OUT!" he then snapped in anger over what he was seeing.

The teenagers were stunned to hear this answer, yet Bazz-B seemed to be the only one who took this as a personal insult to his pride. "What!? THAT'S BULLSHIT! I HAVE THE TALENT!" he then snapped back in anger, resulting in him spitting on Bernard's glasses.

The officer polished his glasses before putting them on again. "What you did just now, is NOT talent. Listen to yourself! Your thinking mirrors that of an orphaned monkey on crack. The same goes for your three pals that you've brought with you" Bernard remarked, but suddenly fixed his gaze upon Haschwalth, who had so far been acting as quiet and gentle as possible. In fact, Bernard smiled as his eyes met Haschwalth's. "But you on the other hand. I have noticed how reserved you've acted, given that you never dared to intervene in this kafuffle between your friends. Who are you, young boy?" he then asked the teenage boy.

"My name is Jugram Haschwalth" the blonde-haired boy replied while feeling unsure about whether he was doing the right thing. "I…I am only good with the sword. I can't even make a Heilig Bogen yet…even after all these years" he answered while telling about himself, although he was facing down the table with a hint of shame on his face.

Driscoll laughed out loud when he heard Haschwalth tell Bernard this and he even landed himself on the table. "You gotta be kidding me! Five years have passed and yet you still can't even control Reishi around you?! I mean, what's the point of even…..AAAAAARRRRRRRGHHHHHHH!" Driscoll yelled in agony as Bernard had to the shock of the teenagers stabbed the teenager's left hand with a knife and it was painful for Driscoll to feel.

The kids were surprised as Bernard pulled out his knife and glared at Driscoll in a threateningly manner. This surprisingly intimidated the bullying teenager. "One of the many things I despise most, is a loudmouth without a working brain! So while I'm talking to this gentle boy now, I do NOT wanna hear another word from you disgusting mouth! Are we clear?" he threatened Driscoll, who was actually too scared to even focus on his bleeding hand. But the black-haired boy did not open his mouth to say anything back, thus convincing Bernard that he had gotten his message. The four-eyed man fixed a kind-hearted glance towards Haschwalth, who was starting to become slightly afraid of him, due to his actions. "I see. So, you can't harness the Reishi around you, even after growing so much? Then that means you must be…...an incomplete Quincy" Bernard revealed to the young boy, who was stunned to what he heard.

"An incomplete Quincy…what the heck is that?" Berenice asked while scratching the back of her head.

"I've heard this one before" Bazz-B said while glancing at Bernard. "It is said that every 200 years, a Quincy who was completely unable to harness Reishi would be born. But I don't get it, those are just urban legends" the young boy said and even began facing Haschwalth, who was stunned to hear this.

Bernard nodded his head at him in return. "Indeed. Nobody really believes in such. In fact, it has been centuries since the last incomplete Quincy was born. We Quincies are having difficulties in believing it. However, what was common for those Quincies born incomplete was that they were killed at a young age due to their uselessness" the four-eyed man kept on explaining, only to notice how uncomfortable Haschwalth was behaving right now. Sensing the disharmony within him, Bernard put his hand on the top of Haschwalth's head in a gentle manner. It astounded the teenagers, including Haschwalth. "Listen, young boy. If you really are what you say you are, then I must congratulate you…...congratulate you for coming so far. Despite the fact that you cannot harness Reishi, I believe there lies a greater destiny ahead of you, Jugram Haschwalth. Yes, I can feel it. In the future, you will become something greater than what you are now. In fact, maybe you should continue in mastering your swordsmanship. Only then, will you be able to achieve your goal of never becoming weak" Bernard told the young boy, who only listened and kept watching the four-eyed man with widening eyes.

Even as Bernard put his hand off Haschwalth, the blonde-haired boy never looked away from him. He couldn't help but to be slightly inspired by what he was hearing. As Bernard rose up from his table, Haschwalth's blue eyes followed him.

"Well, I best be on my way" Bernard said while putting on his cap and grabbing his book. "Being an officer in His Majesty's guard sure is demanding. However, maybe I will see you children around town someday" Bernard said and was about to walk away.

"Hold it!" Bazz-B snapped and aggressively grabbed Bernard's right arm, only for the officer to swat his hand, and then then deliver a slap right at the boy's face with the book he was carrying. It was so hard that it made the brash boy fall off his chair. Bazz-B's nose and mouth were bleeding, yet he fixed his angry eyes upon Bernard. "WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!? WE HAD A DEAL, REMEMBER!?" he angrily asked him.

Bernard glanced at the hotheaded boy with nothing but disdain. "Did you not hear what I told you, imbecile? I said that you and your friends were not welcome, especially based upon the behavior I have witnessed. Now as for your second question, we never had a deal to begin with" he responded while Bazz-B angrily gritted his teeth while wiping off the blood on his face. "And to be blunt, some of these people sitting by the tables here would be much better candidates than you and these…...ruffians. Now don't touch me again! Or else, I will make you look like an accident" he then warned the teenager before moving down the stairs.

Bazz-B was furious over what he had heard the young man say to him and he just wanted to go after him and teach him a lesson. However, he was being helped up by both Haschwalth and Berenice, and they would surely not let him do as he please with throwing a tantrum over something as stupid as this. Even so, Bazz-B felt embittered over him being underrated by an officer of the Lichtreich.

In fact, Bazz-B began looking at some of the nearby tables where he saw different Quincies sitting by the tables eating and enjoying themselves. Apparently, they had all chosen to ignore what had just transpired between Bernard and him. At one table, saw a tall, muscular man with shoulder-length blonde hair and moustache sitting with a chubby man with glasses. This man's eyes were brown and he was dressed like a German blacksmith. At another table sat a slim man with light eyes. His hair was black and it reached down to his shoulders. He wore a white coat but what was noticeable was that he was reading a book, which closely resembled a bible. But whether it was about Christianity remained to be seen. And on another table, he could see a very young black-skinned man dressed in dirty and filthy clothes. Even though he wore a hood, his face could be seen. What was noticeable on him was the eyepatch that ran across his left eye.

Bazz-B felt anger on the inside, vowing that the next time when he set his sight on someone as arrogant and judgmental as Bernard Gabor, he would challenge them to a combat. Only through a fight did he believe he could convince them that he was worthy to join the military.

While the group of teenagers were trying to get Bazz-B out of the tavern, Bernard was already headed towards an alleyway in the town. It was dark outside, yet the officer managed to find his way to someone he knew. Leaning against the wall was another officer in the Lichtreich, serving in Yhwach's guard. Like Bernard, he was also a young man and wore glasses, only that he had his light hair swept back. As Bernard approached him, the officer smiled smugly.

"Hmm, took you long enough" he said while holding onto a cigarette in his right hand. "I was beginning to wonder whether I should just go on ahead without you" he then added with sarcasm in his voice.

Bernard chuckled in return. "Don't be so ungrateful, Robert. Remember that you didn't want to take this mission, so I stepped in for you" he said while addressing the officer by his name, who was actually a younger Robert Accutrone.

"I take it you didn't find anything worth of interest in that tavern. Can't say I'm surprised. Places like this are nothing but a refuge for ruffians alike" Robert then said while stumping the cigarette on the ground.

"You're right. None of the brats I met seemed worthy…except for one" Bernard said, much to Robert's surprise. The curly-haired man nodded his head as a yes in agreement. "Yeah, it appears that His Majesty was right all along. We all believed that it was just a bunch of lies. But it's true" he added to his statement.

Robert was stunned by what he had just heard from his comrade and even fixed a smile on his face. "If what you saw is true then we must….." Robert was interrupted by the voice of his comrade.

"Yes, Robert. We must inform His Majesty at once. We must let him know…..that his other half exists in the Lichtreich" the curly-haired man pointed out to him.

To be continued…


Author's note: This was a flashback chapter that explained the past of Bazz-B and Haschwalth. However, there will be more parts to this story. I have made some adjustments, like including Cang, Driscoll and Berenice in the gang, as they would be perfect additions to Bazz-B's group. Even other Sternritters were mentioned, such as Robert Accutrone and of course…..BG9. Before he became a cyborg, he was a humanoid Quincy called Bernard Gabor. And those Quincies siting in the second floor of the tavern, well you may have guessed who they are. I also wanted to go into details about Haschwalth's true relationship with his uncle (whom I named Günther). The next chapter may also take us back into the present where Bazz-B and Haschwalth are still clashing. Now let us see the places we were introduced to in this chapter.

Hasenwald – When I came up with the name of the village where the two friends came from, I combined two German words: Hasen, which is Rabbit and Wald, which is Forest. I must admit that l liked the name, as it sounded very appropriate to the Quincies' German motif.

Eisenschild – German for "Iron Shield": Instead of Bazz-B and Haschwalth being stuck in their hometown, I wanted them to take their training to some other place. I also enjoyed coming up with this name, as it fits well with the Quincies.

I liked writing this chapter. It reminded me of the Disney movie: The Fox and the Hound. Even though manga series and Disney movies are completely different, I can't help but to see similarities with the friendship between Bazz-B and Haschwalth and the friendship between Tod and Copper. But then again, Bleach was not the first manga to write such conflicting friendships (just look at Naruto and Sasuke in the Naruto series). See you all next time