Author's note: This chapter will continue the fight between Ichigo and Yhwach. And of course, this is what is only written in my story. In addition to that, I have decided to add someone into the fight near the end, but I won't spoil who it is. You will just have to read this chapter in order to find out. It will sure be a plot twist for everyone who's a Bleach-fan. When writing this chapter, I was inspired by a song from Linkin Park, which is the namesake of this one. I don't own any of the characters. They belong to Tite Kubo. The original characters belong to me.
Chapter 49: In the End
Somewhere on the spires of Silbern, Wahrwelt, Royal Realm, Soul Society
Battles were raging all across Silbern, the majestic and imposing palace of the Wandenreich. The Shinigamis of the 13 Court Guard Squads were dealing with a powerful Sternritter, friends of Ichigo were battling living statues and Ichigo himself was now fighting Yhwach at the top of Silbern. But amidst these ongoing battles, two figures had appeared in Wahrwelt, coming as far as Silbern itself. They had arrived through one of the many Gates of the Sun located throughout Wahrwelt. The only thing they could've accomplished that was with the help of a medallion.
Those two figures were none other than Isshin Kurosaki and Ryuken Ishida, the fathers of Ichigo and Uryu, respectively. For some reason, these two men had come to the Royal Realm. The only question was for what reason.
"This is rather unexpected. I never imagined this portal we used decades ago would still be in working order. So many years have passed since last time I used it" Ryuken commented as he looked at the medallion he had used to bring him and Isshin to the Royal Realm.
Isshin only smiled smugly as he glanced around the icy cityscape from the spire they were standing on. "Well I'm grateful to your old man. Thanks to his quick wits, he used it to escape back to the Human World when he was exiled" he remarked.
Ryuken let out a deep sigh before speaking. "Indeed. It's the one only time I have ever been grateful for my father's sticky-fingered habit" the four-eyed man admitted, silently cursing himself for saying this.
The Shinigami his shoulders in hearing this. "Speaking ill of your own dad…...and you always wondered why people called you a bad son…." Isshin said, still not getting how Ryuken had this attitude towards his late father.
"Well, you never hear me scold your father or family. So who are you to judge me?" Ryuken sternly reminded him.
"Relax! I was just busting your balls, buddy" Isshin said while at his friend grinning cheekily. However, the Shinigami soon fixed a more serious expression on his face. "But seriously though, why have you decided to come here all of a sudden? Didn't you tell me that Uryu was free to do as he pleased with his suicide mission of his?" he then asked him.
Ryuken faced his friend in return. "Yes. I did say that. However, I wouldn't have bothered if that stubborn son of mine had stolen that "thing" from me" he revealed to Isshin, who was stunned to what he heard.
"That thing…wait…...are you saying that Uryu has taken the…." Isshin was filled with disbelief.
The four-eyed man silently nodded his head in return. "He has. I have searched through the entire hospital, even the secret training grounds I built underneath it. It's gone. And that can only mean one thing: before leaving to partake on this suicide mission…...Uryu stole my invention…the still silver arrowhead, the one I have named Vergeltung" Ryuken explained.
"What!? So that's what his gamble is. He plans on firing that arrow on Yhwach, especially since now that he's fighting Ichigo….." Isshin remarked as he looked up to the top of the palace to feel the ongoing clash between his son and the Quincy Emperor. "Damn.…..he's playing a dangerous game…..but how exactly does this Vergeltung work on Yhwach? I mean, what's so special about that arrowhead?" the Shinigami questioned Ryuken in a serious manner.
Ryuken really wished he didn't have to explain this. But because of Isshin being one of the few people he could trust, he felt that it was the right thing to do. "That arrowhead contains the one and only stuff that can weaken Yhwach: silver blood clot. Throughout the years, my father, as well as me, tried to figure out the reason why the Gemischt Quincies perished once they were directly hit by Yhwach's Auswählen. To moment they were hit, their life sources were taken away. After Kanae died, I performed an extensive autopsy lasting for several days. I needed to know why her skin remained despite being hit by the Auswhählen. It was then I found silver clot blood in her heart. That alone confirmed my suspicions. It was the cause of her death" Ryuken told Isshin as he listened.
"I see. It all makes sense. I've always wondered about the differences between the ways Masaki and Kanae died. First, Yhwach resurrected himself, then he stole the powers of other Quincies, including Masaki's. And that allowed her to die at Grand Fisher's hands" the Shinigami remarked while recalling the time his wife died.
"Yes. Despite me having decided to cut ties with Masaki, I still cared about her well-being, so did my father. However, we both knew she was better off staying with you. I would never force Masaki to live in an arranged marriage. She didn't deserve such fate" Ryuken noted, his voice slightly becoming more emotional than usual when thinking about Masaki. "That being said, I think I owe you for telling Ichigo the truth about Masaki. Despite knowing her better than you, I think I could not bring myself to tell him about her. No, it's a more complicated history if you understand" Ryuken added, still feeling soft while thinking about Masaki.
Seeing this made Isshin smile. "Aww, looks like you really have a heart of gold, after all. I wonder what other weaknesses I can exploit you with" he told the white-haired man teasingly.
Ryuken snapped as he heard this. He decided to change the subject. "Anyway, I fear that Uryu's gamble is risky and foolish. He is doing exactly want Yhwach wants him to" the white-haired man told the Shinigami as he faced the imposing structure before them. "I still have a problem sensing Uryu's Spiritual Pressure, but I can feel Ichigo, as well as Yhwach's. They are both fighting on top of the palace" he informed Isshin while observing.
The black-haired man did the same thing. "You can't be…...no shit. He really is up there causing havoc" the Shinigami remarked before looking at Ryuken once again. "Seriously though, if Uryu joins up with Ichigo during the fight, they may have a chance to strike down on him. Isn't that something to be hopeful about?" he asked his friend.
"You don't know about Yhwach almost as much as me and father do! And haven't you begun noticing something? You can no longer sense the Soul King here in the Royal Realm" the Quincy explained while pointing out an important detail that had yet to be understood by Isshin.
Isshin's eyes widened. "You're right…the Soul King…...he really IS gone…...so does that mean…" the black-haired man realized that Ryuken knew the answer better than he did.
"Correct. Yhwach has absorbed the Soul King…...and taken his place as ruler of the Soul Society" Ryuken revealed grimly while glancing up to the upper reaches of the palace in order to locate and measure any Spiritual Pressures he could find.
Isshin slammed his fist on the floor. "Shit! That means everyone here is only walking straight into a deathtrap, including us! We gotta warn everyone and get them outta this hellhole as soon as possible!" he told Ryuken while thinking about someone back home. "Yuzu. Karin. You two need to be strong girls and stay home while I bring back your big brother. It won't take long" the Shinigami said to himself while thinking about his twin daughters.
"I can read your expression. Its about your daughters, isn't it?" the white-haired Quincy asked Isshin who nodded his head weakly in return. "But why leave them alone in Karakura Town? Shouldn't they be…" Ryuken stopped once Isshin interrupted him.
"No need to fret, I asked Mizuho Asano to babysit them. You know, considering how her younger brother Keigo's an unreliable dumbass sometimes. But rest assured, Yuzu and Karin are not being neglected" Isshin informed Ryuken before continuing to observe the towering palace. "I just hope I can get Ichigo back in one piece. If not, not only will I feel bad as a father…..Karin's gonna come after my ass! Damn how I dread that thought" he grimaced while thinking about how Karin would be angry over his failure to bring Ichigo back.
Ryuken's eyes snapped once he felt two familiar Spiritual Pressure somewhere in Silbern's heights. "These two powers I sense. I've felt them before. They belong to Orihime Inoue and Yasutora Sado" he remarked.
His friend stood beside him and felt the same Spiritual Pressures as he did. "No kidding. What are they doing here? Did Urahara drag them into this mission as well?" he questioned loudly.
"Perhaps so, perhaps not. No matter, we better go and assist them with what kind of troubles they are in. Then we can start getting our lousy sons back" the four-eyed man remarked while brandishing his Heilig Bogen. "Let's move out" he added firmly.
"Geez, no need to be so commanding, I'm hearing you loud and clear" Isshin complained as he scratched the back of his head.
And so, the two fathers began jumping from spire to spire, hoping to reach Ichigo's friends and help with them with whatever problems they were having. Afterwards, they would go after their sons. The only question was whether they could actually bring those to safety before one of them got themselves killed.
Somewhere inside Silbern
The Sternritter M – The Miracle: Gerard Valkyrie was having fun toying with his opponents in the 13 Court Guard Squads. However, Kenpachi, Byakuya, Mayuri and Shinji had sucsessfully managed to hold him at bay, with the help of Rukia and Renji of course. Now that he was in his Quincy: Vollständig, Gerard was an unstoppable knight.
"Heh. Is that all you got? I had expected you to be more resilient" Gerard taunted the Shinigamis, who was busy in not just defending themselves against him, but also in protecting the injured Shinigamis. They were all being treated inside a Kido-barrier erected by Hachi. He along with Hiyori stood their guard in preventing the Quincy from reaching them.
"Damn it…how can that bastard be so powerful?" Renji cursed underneath his breath while sweating intensively.
"We're at an impasse here! There's no way we'll reach up top as long as this Sternritter stands in our way" Rukia muttered, only to look around in this hall they currently found themselves in. "But on another note, we've yet to see where the way continues. I don't know what you think, but it feels as if we've walked into a dead end" the Lieutenant of Squad 13 told her fellow Shinigamis
"You don't say" Kenpachi agreed, the proud Captain of Squad 11 feeling the exact same sentiments as Rukia. "Either this hall has some kind of secret lever, or we really have walked into a dead end. Hard to tell, but I think you actually have a point there, Kuchiki" the long-haired man noted.
"Oh dear! You guys must've really had a tough battle!" all the Shinigamis snapped and turned around to see who had just arrived in the hall.
Even Gerard stopped taunting his opponents and focused his attention on these Shinigamis who had just entered. They were Head-Captain Shunsui Kyoraku and his lieutenant: Nanao Ise, as well as Kisuke Urahara, Yoruichi Shihoin and Yushiro Shihoin. After trying to recuperate and catch up to the main group, they had finally succeeded in reaching them.
"Captain Kyoraku! Ise! Urahara! Yoruichi!" Rukia exclaimed in disbelief in seeing them arrive. "You're all here!" the young girl expressed her surprise.
Shinji had to smirk in seeing them being present. "It's about time you guys showed up. It was kinda getting boring without you in the group, especially you, Kisuke" he told the laidback man, who only nodded his head weakly in return.
"Hmm….I could say the same with you" Urahara remarked before he looked at Hachi and the others inside the Kido-barrier. "Woah, you guys are having your hands full with that Sternritter over there, don't you?" he quizzed them.
"Maybe you should stop acting like a smartass, given that you decided to run on your own!" Mayuri snapped at him.
But Urahara didn't seem to care. "It couldn't be helped. I just had to help Yourichi, who was holding off one of the Sternritters while she let Ichigo and the rest go on without her. She had a terrible injury, but I managed to treat them" he went on telling everyone what he had done in his absence.
"Let's save our stories for later, okay? We've got more pressing matters to deal with here" Shunsui informed his fellow Shinigamis as he began facing Gerard. "So, you're the last one standing between us, eh? Can't say I like your behavior" the pink-clad man told him.
Gerard was not impressed, despite realizing how powerful Shunsui, Urahara and Yoruichi were. But before he could even respond to Shunsui's words, he felt something calling to him from above. Closing his eyes, he could tell that this one belonged to none other than his liege. It even invaded his thoughts, which didn't surprise Gerard to say at least.
"Listen Gerard. I want you to abandon your fight against these fools. Let them come to my throne room. There, they will experience their true defeat. I have already informed the other Schutzstaffel about it. Obey my command" Yhwach could be heard speaking to him.
The Quincy nodded his head as a yes. "It shall be done, Your Majesty. Your wish is my command" he said and proceeded to turn around and walk away from the group of Shinigamis. "Sorry to disappoint you, but His Majesty's call is absolute. Therefore, I will have to leave you weaklings behind for now" the blonde-haired man told them and proceeded to walk away.
While the majority of the Shinigamis were surprised at this, Shunsui and Nanao were not, as they had seen how Haschwalth had abandoned their fight to return to Yhwach's side.
"He really must keep a tight leash on these Sternritters, this Yhwach" the head-captain remarked to his friends.
"Wait! Why the hell are you suddenly walking away from this fight!" Kenpachi barked as he tried to run up to the Sternritter. "You and I still have a serious score to settle! Don't run away from me!" he added stubbornly.
Gerard stopped in his tracks and looked over his shoulders to face the aggressive captain. "I have not forgotten about it, Kenpachi Zaraki. But right now, my obligations no longer involve stopping you and your comrades. Carry on with your objectives as you please, for it will be the few hours you have left to survive" the Sternritter told him while making sure the others were listening.
With that message being sent, the blonde-haired man suddenly flew up towards the ceiling, thereby creating a hole in it. He flew through and proceeded upwards. Where he would be next, was yet to be determined. But all things considered, Yhwach had given the Sternritters orders not to fight the invaders. They were to be given free passage.
"Something doesn't add up" Rukia spoke to her comrades. "Why did that Quincy suddenly decide to walk away from us?" she asked.
"I could ask him the same thing. But whatever his reasons are, it sure feels painful to not being able to defeat his smug ass. God, I hate him so much" Renji expressed his open distaste for Gerard.
"We can speculate about that as much as we want. But how about we start changing the subject for a minute?" Shinji asked everyone as he looked up towards the hole in the ceiling. "I don't know whether you guys feel it or not, but there's some serious shit taking place upstairs. Or perhaps I should say on the top of the palace" the blonde-haired man revealed.
The rest of the Shinigamis did the same thing, and they could eventually notice a very familiar Spiritual Pressure. It was recognizable to Shinji, Rukia, Renji, Kenapachi, Byakuya, Urahara and Yoruichi.
"This powerful Spiritual Pressure….is that…" Nanao asked, stunned to notice how powerful it was.
"Indeed. This is Ichigo Kurosaki's. I didn't notice it from before" Shunsui answered his lieutenant, still looking up towards the hole in the ceiling. "He's definitely fighting Yhwach as we speak, with a different kind of power than before" he added to his observation.
Kenpachi only grinned with satisfaction as he heard that. "Heh! Then that only means he's gotten stronger, eh? After this battle's over, he and I will be having a rematch! Can't wait to show him my Shikai for real!" he exclaimed, looking forward to getting into a match with Ichigo.
Mayuri only sighed deeply in what he was hearing. "Honestly, Zaraki. Is everything all about swords and bloodshed?" the Captain of Squad 12 wondered to himself, still not getting his fellow captain.
"Then we all know what we must do" Byakuya spoke up, catching everyone's attention. "Once the rest of the group has recovered from their injuries, we'll proceed upwards to the palace's upper heights. While we can trust Ichigo's efforts against Yhwach will be terrific, we should head up and assist him in any way we can. We cannot afford to underestimate that man, given what he has accomplished" the Captain of Squad 6 added to his explanation.
Urahara smiled smugly as he heard that. "Then we better start moving as soon as possible. We all have faith in him, even me. But this might be the time when he will need us the most. We can't let him down" the blonde-haired man told them.
Yoruichi felt a chill in her spine as she heard him say that. She still remembered about how different Ichigo had behaved since returning from his training by the Royal Guard. Yoruichi felt like she needed to tell Urahara more about what she had seen with the Substitute Shinigami. But a part of her didn't want to. She could only trust Tessai to watch over him.
"Ichigo…..wherever you are….stay alive" the purple-haired woman thought about Ichigo.
With the other Shinigamis starting to recover from their injuries, Shunsui felt like the time to move on was now. Given that he had managed to return from his battle with Lille Barro, they all felt emboldened to press on with the siege and reach Yhwach's throne room, not to mention the fact that Ichigo was now fighting the Quincy Emperor.
"Alright, everyone! Now that there's no one left, I say we continue move upwards until we reach the throne room of Yhwach. As all of you may know, Ichigo will need our assistance in dealing with the Quincy Emperor. Let us not keep him waiting! The fate of the Soul Society depends on all of us! We go now!" the Head-Captain of the 13 Court Guard Squads lead his subordinates out of the room, in hopes of finding another way. On another they, they could even destroy their way through to find the right path. But time was short.
In what was once Yhwach's throne room, on top of Silbern
Ever since Ichigo Kursaki had entered the throne room, an intense battle had erupted on the summit of Silbern between him and Yhwach. Each of them was trying to overpower the other, yet Yhwach had to admit he was stunned to see how powerful Ichigo had grown since their last encounter. The orange-haired man had even demonstrated some new skills, including combining a Getsuga Tenshou with a Gran Rey Cero. But the tip of the iceberg was his Bankai. This version of Tensa Zangetsu was different, as gave Ichigo a different appearance than the one he had held for the last three years. Now that his Quincy-powers and Hollow-powers was in balance, Ichigo felt he had more than enough strength to battle Yhwach. But even the Quincy Emperor had changed since their last encounter, especially since he had absorbed the Soul King.
So far, the two men were fighting each other on equal terms, trying to overpower the other. They repeatedly used Shunpo and Hirenkiyaku in order to take this fight to a different level in terms of speed. But it didn't take long before Yhwach managed to swat Ichigo away, forcing the orange-haired man to back down from this fight.
"GETSUGA JUSHIOOOOOO!" Ichigo yelled as he created a large cross-shaped blast of red energy and fired it towards Yhwach. Now that his two blades were combined into a single weapon, Ichigo could move his blade in a fast pace, which enabled him to form this cross. But Yhwach used his weapon to cut the cross. He watched his opponent still backing off.
"Solid work, but did you really think you were the only one capable of wielding two swords?" Yhwach questioned his opponent before pointing his finger towards the spot Ichigo was backing off towards. "You better watch your step. There is a trap right there" the long-haired man then pointed out smugly.
Ichigo had no clue about what Yhwach was talking about. But when he landed his left foot, he felt something pierce him underneath the ground. It was something that was looked like a black blade. It pierced through Ichigo's foot. Feeling that his opponent had laid traps across the floor, Ichigo jumped backwards, aiming himself at one of the broken pillars But as he landed on the pillar with right foot, he felt himself getting stabbed once again.
Yhwach mused to himself as he saw Ichigo getting caught off guard like this. "And of course. You missed that one too" he noted smugly.
The orange-haired man couldn't believe what was happening to him. After getting stabbed, Ichigo fell onto the floor, trying to recover from his wounds. "Damn it! Bastard's got this whole area filled with traps! Fuck!" he cursed in his thoughts while feeling his feet bleeding. His sandals had also holes in them because of these traps. But Ichigo didn't have time to ponder, as he could see Yhwach heading straight towards him. He wanted to stab Ichigo with his Reishi Broadsword, only for the orange-haired man to back off once again. It was incredible how he could still move so fast, despite his bleeding feet.
"I am sure you have been told, that my Schrift: the Almighty, can "see" the future" Yhwach informed his opponent.
Ichigo stood his guard, his eyes still narrowing in distrust. "So you're trying to say that because you can "see" the future, you've placed traps in all the places you knew I would step?" he questioned Ichigo firmly before brandishing his Zanpakutou. "If that were really true…..then this attack should have no business hitting you!" he added before readying himself for a clash.
Yhwach felt more than happy to oblige and he swung his blade, only for Ichigo to return the favor by doing the same. However, despite being awfully close to Yhwach as he swung his blade, something didn't make sense. It didn't hit him. The Quincy Emperor proceeded to try and stab Ichigo, forcing the Substittue Shinigami to avoid him with the help of his Shunpo. Now that he was in his Bankai, his Shunpo's speed had only increased. However, it didn't mean Yhwach was much slower than him, as his Hirenkiyaku enabled him to catch up with Ichigo.
"My attack….it didn't land! There's no way he can see every damn thing! If he really could see everything…then he wouldn't want have had to block with his sword like the last time I tried…...he would've had something laid out to handle my attack in the first place!" Ichigo thought as he observed his enemy. The orange-haired man then proceeded to run circles around Yhwach. Even so, the Quincy stood still and did nothing. "There has to be some limit to his ability! I've got to find out what it is! He can't keep on like this forever!" Ichigo added to his thoughts before jumping on one of the broken pillars and looked down upon his enemy.
Yhwach merely glanced up at him, not bothering to chase after the young man. "I can see you searching for it…the blind spot in my ability. Don't expect me not to read through your predictable strategy. Even now, your thoughts are also readable" he spoke up as he slowly began levitating above the ground, moving upwards so that he could face Ichigo directly. "The future can be changed. If you are capable of growing and maturing during the fight, then the future I saw shifts into a different future. I assume that is precisely what your train of thought is right now, isn't it?" Yhwach asked his opponent.
Ichigo stood his guard and brandished Zangetsu. "Since when did you get so sentimental with me? How about to you do me a favor and shut the hell up! I've got a full prediction of how this fight will end! And that is about me staying alive and you lying six feet under!" Ichigo snapped at him.
Yhwach was far from intimidated in hearing those words. "Not a believer yet? Very well. Just stay where you are for a moment or two" the man with the moustache told Ichigo.
Before the Substitute Shinigami even knew it, he could feel blood sprouting out from his left shoulder. A part of his white coat was torn off as a result. Ichigo was stunned as he finally felt pain. And yet, Yhwach had not made a move against him. Ichigo began losing his balance and fell off the broken pillar and landed on the floor.
"What the fuck's going on!? Another trap suddenly appeared, yet I didn't even see it. Goddamn it!" Ichigo lamented to himself, yet soon noticed Yhwach slowly descending towards the floor.
The Quincy Emperor took small steps towards the Substitute Shinigami, who was still struggling with coming to terms with his injury on his left shoulder. "There is an answer to what just happened, Ichigo. And that is: you made one fatal miscalculation. The future you see…...does not wind down a single road" the black-haired man informed Ichigo, before letting something fall between his clenched left hand. It almost looked like a grain of sand or dust. Either way it signalized something. "The future diverges from a single point in time…...like countless grains of sand born in the wind. Now if you could see them…each and every individual grain of sand would be considered a future, which means there are as many possibilities as there are grains of sand" the Quincy went on explaining what the future really meant to him.
Despite listening to this carefully, Ichigo refused to fall victim into any sort of mind tricks. Yes, he had plenty of experience in tried being manipulated psychologically, among them Sosuske Aizen. Such tricks were getting old and repetitive.
But Yhwach paid no attention to how Ichigo was feeling and proceeded to explain his definition of future to his opponent. "Ichigo. I would like to talk on the subject of "hope". As the saying goes, the future can be changed. That is true indeed. It is a marvelous truth, full of what we call "hope". Another splendid sentiment is this: you will grow and mature during battle. Like the previous one, it is also filled with hope" Yhwach informed the young man, who was still on his knees listening to all this. The grain of sand in Yhwach's left hand was gone and he opened his handpalm to show Ichigo that there was nothing left in his hold. "But the truth is…..to "change the future"…..means nothing more than to jump from one grain of sand to another. And as I watch over them all from up on high…I can see every single last grain of sand clearly" he added to his explanation.
Hearing all this, Ichigo's eyes started to widen. It was for the first time that he had done that in face of Yhwach. Could this man actually be speaking the truth? However, something hit Ichigo in his head as he faced the floor. "What am I even doing? Why do I allow that son of a bitch to speak to me as if he's Oldman Zangetsu!? Is it because of their striking resemblances!?" he questioned in his thoughts. His fingers dug onto the floor as he mustered enough courage to wipe off these doubts. "No! I won't allow him! Remember what he's done to me…to us….to mom. I can't let myself go down like this!" the orange-haired man added determinedly.
So far, Yhwach was taking pleasure in seeing Ichigo struggle both physically and emotionally. It only encouraged him to speak more in order to damage his morale. "Do not abandon your "hope", Ichigo. Proceed as you always have. And just as you always have, atop these tumbling grains of sand we call, fate and possibility. Keep jumping from one grain to the next blindly. That is the truth behind what you Humans call "hope". But please do not despair. There is nothing more gut-wrenching for a parent…..than to kill a child who has lost themselves to despair" Yhwach taunted Ichigo while grinning cunningly.
Feeling he had heard enough, Ichigo finally lifted his head up to face his opponent. "And what of this despair? I know it all too well. Because up until now…I've climbed up, kicked it in its teeth and surpassed it…OVER AND OVER AGAIN TO MAKE IT TO THIS VERY MOMENT!" Ichigo bellowed as he finally stood up on his feet, while a powerful outburst of Spiritural Pressure erupted out of him.
Yhwach was surprisingly stunned as he could see something happen with Ichigo. Strings of Spiritual Pressure gathered around the orange-haired man. This was a Quincy-technique that even began healing the most critical injuries on the Substitute Shinigami's body, including his left shoulder.
"It can't be…..." Yhwach spoke up lowly as he faced Ichigo. "Despite carrying the taint of Hollows inside you…you are capable of actually using abilities of Quincies…" the emperor couldn't believe his own eyes.
Ichigo only scoffed at his enemy's reaction. "You mean it surprises you? I didn't expect you to be that pathetic, Yhwach" he told the Quincy while feeling his feet getting treated by his Spiritual Power as well. "The Ransōtengai, a high-level Quincy-technique which allows the user to control their body parts using strings of Spiritual Pressure controlled by their brain, forming lines or strings made of Reishi. Why, you thought that I couldn't use the Reishi in the area to my own advantage? I owe it all to my mother. For someone who claims to know much about me and my family, you sure are flawed" Ichigo added to his thoughts as he could feel his injuries fading away.
So far, Yhwach had remained still, frowning deeply in seeing how arrogant Ichigo was becoming towards him. It only gave the Quincy Emperor a headache. "Do not presume to speak to your father in such manner, boy. Such sanctimony will get you nowhere. You even forget whom you owe your powers to" Yhwach informed him firmly while brandishing his Reishi Broadsword. "And if you believe abilities such as the Ransōtengai will save you, then you have sadly mistaken. None of them will help you" he added firmly.
Despite hearing this, Ichigo didn't seem to give much thought. "You really think I give a rat's ass about what you think or say? The only thing that matters is that I fulfill what I came here for! And for the last time: stop speaking as if we're family!" the orange-haired man readied his fighting stance and was prepared to make his move. "I've grown tired over all this talk about the future and father-shit. So how about we give it a rest and take this fight to a next level. And I'll let you choose which to bust you with: my fists or Zanpakutou. How do you like that!?" Ichigo was trying to taunt his opponent.
"Careful what you wish for, brat. You can't simply deny your bloddline and connection to me. And as for your self-righteous thinking, you will die before that even happens" the emperor told him, only to notice something different with Ichigo's Zanpakutou. It was as if it was charging itself, but with what. "What is this energy…." Yhwach wondered.
Astoundingly, Ichigo had been charging a red Cero along his Zanpakutou. The blade began glowing with a red aura on the inside. "No bastard, you should be careful!" Ichigo said lowly, yet threateningly at the same time. It didn't take long for him to demonstrate his new attack by unleashing it upon Yhwach. "NOW GO TO HELL, YHWACH!" Ichigo yelled as he suddenly swung Zangetsu. In the minute he did it, the Cero as fired in a very wide arc. As a matter of fact, the Cero was following the arc of his sword swing.
Yhwach was caught by surprise in seeing this. But given that he was being close to Ichigo's location, he could not avoid it. But using his newfound power, he created a barrier that allowed the emperor to protect himself from this powerful Cero. It was that moment Yhwach knew something was familiar about Ichigo's attack.
"The way that Cero was being fired…where have I seen it before?" Yhwach wondered, recalling back to a time he fought against someone powerful, yet was no match for him. "Ah yes, I see now. The former Espada: Tier Harribel. When in her Resurrección, she also had an ability to fire a wide range Cero with the help of her blade. It is no wonder why this attack seemed familiar" Yhwach then noted before forming a smirk underneath his moustache. "Regardless, I have seen it before, so it will not harm me" he added before removing the barrier that protected him.
But out once the barrier was removed, Yhwach quicly used his Spirit Weapon to block an incoming attack from Ichigo. Using his incredible and ferocious speed, Ichigo dashed straight towards Yhwach like a bullet heading towards a target. The two of them were once again clashing between each other with their weapons. But this time, Ichigo seemed to have the upper hand.
"Admit your defeat before I do it for you!" Ichigo demanded while trying to overpower his opponent.
"Insolent child! The true Soul King admit nothing! Especially towards a mere mortal such as you!" Yhwach hit back and took on the challenge.
Ichigo felt that Yhwach was now gaining the upper hand, and he proceeded to try and stab Ichigo, only for the orange-haired man to hold the tip of the Reishi Broad sword with his left hand. Despite this, Yhwach didn't seem surprised in seeing Ichigo grabbing hold of his Spirit Weapon.
"I see. You have managed to master your Blut Vene" Yhwach commented as he could see the veins spreading across Ichigo's hand.
"Got that right, shitstick! I've trained it to become a part of my defense mechanism! As long as I breathe, it will protect me from any harm you try to cause!" Ichigo replied, not sparing any pleasantries in his voice.
Yhwach still frowned in hearing this. "Not for long" he told Ichigo before proceeding to push his enemy away from him.
But Ichigo was not giving up just yet. He jumped high in the air and held out his Zanpakutou. "You only got lucky in avoiding my Cero! But this time, I will make sure that you really get blown away to smithereens! Then I will collect your ashes in the nearest urn I stumble upon!" the orange-haired man declared as he was charging a Cero with his Zanpakutou once again.
But as he was loading and preparing to fire it once again, the charging ceased. This puzzled Ichigo, as he wondered why it did that. Looking at his blade, Ichigo was shocked. The tip of Tensa Zangetsu was gone!
"WHAT THE HELL….TENSA ZANGETSU IS…BROKEN!?" Ichigo wondered as he looked down upon his opponent. Yhwach had remained at his standpoint, yet Ichigo could spot something in the Quincy's right hand. It was the tip of his blade! The Substitute Shinigami couldn't believe his own eyes. Yhwach dropped the tip of his blade to the floor. "WHAT THE FUCK'S GOING ON!? DID HE DO THAT? NO, I DIDN'T FEEL HIS SPIRITUAL PRESSURE AT ALL…AND HE SURE HASN'T EVEN MOVED FROM WHERE HE'S STANDING!" the orange-haired man was conflicted in his thoughts.
Yhwach chuckled deeply. "Do not look so frightened, Ichigo. I simply expressed my respect to your power. Believe me, your true Tensa Zangetsu….is a fearsome Bankai indeed. That is what I concluded. So through the future, I broke it" the Quincy revealed to Ichigo.
The young man was feeling incredibly distressed and angry at the same time. "You're lying…" he said lowly. "THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO FUCKING WAY YOU DID THAT!" he yelled loudly for his opponent to hear.
"I am positive you have no idea what I am talking about, especially from hearing your repeated denials. Sadly, you will not have the luxury of trying to figure it out either. But then again, I told you not to let your guard down, did I not Ichigo?" Yhwach informed the Substitute Shinigami before showing something that he had hidden from Ichigo behind his back.
Believe or not, Yhwach was now holding the left horn of Ichigo in his right hand. Ichigo was stunned, as he soon took notice of his left horn being missing. It was just…unbelievable! Without delay, Yhwach threw the sharp horn at the orange-haired man, only for Ichigo to block it with his weapon.
"I JUST DON'T GET IT…HOW…..HOW DID HE…" Ichigo paused in his thoughts once he could feel someone appear behind him. It was Yhwach, having used his Hirenkiyaku to arrive in fast speed. The Quincy only smirked.
"Hmm…...too slow" he said before swinging his blade, thus sending Ichigo flying downwards to the floor.
Ichigo crashed, yet quickly got up on his feet in order to fight back. "I'm not done yet….." Ichigo said as he jumped up the air in a haste. "THIS TIME, YOU'RE….." Ichigo was about to continue his fight with his opponent, only to be slashed in his left hip by Yhwach's Reishi Broadsword. As a result, Ichigo was sent crashing to the top of one of the broken pillars.
The young man slowly got up on his knees, feeling pain spreading across his body. "How…...how can this possibly happen!? I was supposed to have…" Ichigo spoke until he could feel Yhwach preparing to land an attack on him once again. Instead of taking the hit, Ichigo mustered enough strength to block Yhwach's weapon with his left arm. And of course, he used Blut Vene to empower his defenses. Ichigo looked up to face his enemy. "You are no God…...YOU CAN'T POSSIBLY…..." Ichigo's rant was interrupted by having his chest and stomach getting slashed. And yet, Yhwach's weapon had not even reached to those two body parts.
Because of the slash, Ichigo fell down from the broken pillar and rolled onto the floor. His entire body was filled with sweat, blood and bruises. He felt his energy slowly slipping away. Lifting his head up, he could see Yhwach slowly move towards him.
"Did you question it at all? How simply, just by being able to see the future, I could actually place traps in each and every place that you would step?" Yhwach questioned his weakened opponent while taking those small steps towards Ichigo. "I am sure you were skeptical and had your doubts somewhere in your mind. And indeed, you would be correct to do so" the Quincy told Ichigo.
So far, Ichigo had been panting to catch his breath. However, he was not trembling in fear towards Yhwach. Rather, he was glaring daggers at the Quincy Emperor, still remembering his goals in killing the man who had taken his mother away from him. Yhwach had taken notice of this and decided that he would have to be more drastic in this case.
"Still not convinced? Very well, maybe this will open your eyes" Yhwach he began transforming himself. As such, he unleashed the true extent of his Spiritual Pressure, and it affected Ichigo. He had never seen something as monstrous such as this. His cloak of many eyes began expanding itself, especially alongside his Spirit Weapon. "The future can be changed. That was something you said, correct? Then allow me to reveal you the truth about the nature of my Schrift. The Almighty is not the power to "see the future" as you, along with many others, previously suspected. Rather….it is the power….TO CHANGE IT!" the emperor revealed.
It was at that moment, Ichigo's eyes started to become filled with fear. He couldn't believe what his opponent had told him. All this time, despite becoming stronger than ever, Yhwach would always find a way to be a distance ahead of him.
"Do not be alarmed, Ichigo! My power is no different than the one you possess. Just as you are unable to influence no more than the one instant that exists before your eyes. All I can do is influence and change the entirety of fate that I see in mine" the Quincy Emperor explained his powers to Ichigo as he was still on the floor. Yhwach was not yet finished with exploiting Ichigo's fears. "Ichigo. Up until now, countless times before you have overcome despair and changed your fate, correct? Do you know why it is you have been able to do so? The answer is simple…..it is because I was not there" he then revealed.
Yet even as he was filled with fear and despair, Ichigo still had some strength left in his voice. "No…..no…no…..NOOOOOOOOOOOO! I REFUSE TO BELIEVE THAT! IT'S ALL BUT PURE BULLSHIT!" Ichigo screamed out in anger and despair at the same time.
"Well then, Ichigo. Go on and try to figure out the future! Because it is I that can see how spectacular of a future it will be!" Yhwach said as he was nearing Ichigo, starting to hold up his Reishi Broadsword. "CHANGE IT, AND I SHALL CHOP DOWN ANY FATE YOU TRY TO CARVE OUT FOR YOURSELF!" the emperor then dared Ichigo to make a stand against him.
So many thoughts swirled inside Ichigo's mind right now. But by now, his denials were dead. Yhwach was indeed a dangerous adversary and he was now on the verge of breaking down. Without delay, he screamed in despair, although it was not just over the fact that he would be defeated. It was also the fact that he would fail to avenge his mother.
Yhwach was pleased in seeing how intimidation was working on Ichigo. "Yes! YES! GO ON! DESPAIR FOR ME! ICHIGO KUROSAKI!" the emperor exclaimed madly before proceeding to slam Ichigo away with his sword, this forcing him to roll on the floor bleeding.
At this rate, he was too weak to fight, let alone move. His entire body felt completely numb. With what strength he had left, he looked at his broken Zanpakutou. "My sword has no effect…...so does my techniques…...is this really the end of me? But all that I wanted…was to prove that I could handle things on my own…yet I kept chasing a foolish delusion….is that really something to be proud over…to die with dignity in a place such as this?" he weakly asked himself, only to be picked up by Yhwach himself. The emperor held Ichigo by his head. His eyes started weakening. "It's all over then…...forgive me…Rukia…Renji…Orihime….Chad…..Yuzu…..Karin…..dad…..mom…..forgive me as I failed to realize what was more important to me…" the orange-haired man thought about his family as he was about to die.
"No more fight left in you, Ichigo? I expected so much more of you" Yhwach expressed his disappointment in how Ichigo had almost died out. As such, he let go of Ichigo and made him fall onto the ground as if he was a jacket. "This is what I got worked up for? How disappointing. But at least you did provide me some form of entertainment. Now then, for you final duty" the emperor grabbed hold on Ichigo's face. "It is time for the power that I so generously granted you to return to its rightful owner! You have served your purpose well" the long-haired man said and began sucking out the power within Ichigo.
The orange-haired man's eyes widened in fear. Right now, he was going to die. Would he die in shame? The very thought of it only demoralized Ichigo. He was now giving up and ready to accept whatever fate it was.
Yhwach smirked as the extradition of Ichigo's powers affected their standpoint. It was as if Blut Vene sprouted across the floor. "You need no longer to miss your mother, Ichigo. You will soon meet her on the other side. Give my regards to Masaki in the afterlife. Hopefully, she will be proud of how her son gave back powers that were never his to begin with, as she did. Now, just stand still and watch as you will embrace the eternity of pure whiteness" the man with the moustache told Ichigo and the extradition was going perfectly.
But as the extradition kept going one, Yhwach was too distracted to even notice something that was headed straight towards him from behind. It wasn't until it came close to him that Yhwach started to look over his shoulder. But he was too late. What was headed towards him was an arrow. The moment it hit him, the Quincy Emperor completely changed. His black-eyed cloak vanished and weakened, thus exposing his widened eyes. He remained standstill, yet his extradition on Ichigo was ceased. All his powers were deactivated while this silver arrow was piercing through his body. It began spreading across Yhwach like it was a plague. Ichigo, who still had Yhwach's right hand attached to his face was stunned to see what was just happening.
"My powers…...what is happening!?" Yhwach wondered as he could feel the arrow affect his entire body.
"I hope all this wait was worth it!" the orange-haired man could hear a familiar voice coming not far from his location.
Someone just appeared before the two by using Hirenkiyaku. The one who was standing there was none other than Uryu Ishida, the Wandenreich's own crown prince. It soon became obvious that it was him who had fired that silver arrow on Yhwach. The four-eyed man glanced at his "liege" smugly while aiming his Heilig Bogen at him.
"I suspected that you and Haschwalth would be turning on me shortly, especially since I happen to know what you really want with Ichigo's body. But no matter, none of that were gonna stop me from fulfilling my objectives" Uryu informed Yhwach before aiming a Heilig Pfiel at Yhwach. "You thought I would simply join your side and become your pawn so easily? You're wrong! Only a fool would support a mad prophet such as yourself. You are someone who only treats his subordinates and followers as cannon fodder, someone who claims to be a man of peace yet relies on conflict to survive and someone who foolishly believes he can remake everything while ridding the world of its flaws! It's no wonder why many Quincies in reality resented you. But on second thought, you're not so much as a Quincy yourself…...are you, son of the Soul King?" Uryu began interrogating the paralyzed emperor.
With the arrow stuck through his body, Yhwach didn't have the strength to speak, yet he could move his eyeballs. Even so, Uryu could clearly understand what Yhwach was saying, despite not saying a word. Ichigo though, could speak, yet he didn't find the courage to do so. He was even more shocked by seeing what Uryu had just done, let alone what he heard the four-eyed man say.
"Grandfather was right about you. You really are a demented man, a far cry from the compassionate leader as you and the stories make you out to be. And how could I ever forget that day nine years ago!" Uryu spoke up, reminding Yhwach about what they had talked about prior to this war even starting. "You said it yourself, didn't you? That I was the only survivor of the massacre of the Gemischt Quincies…well let me tell you…..the only reason why I survived…..is because if my mother sacrificing herself! Yes, you weren't only targeting Gemischt Quincies….you also targeted those who were mixed Gemischt and Echt! If not for my mother's actions…..I would've also died" he then added as tears started slowly coming out from his eyes.
Ichigo was stunned. Was Uryu telling the truth? Had Kanae really sacrificed herself in order for him to survive? Was Uryu also supposed to have died that day? Given his critical condition, Ichigo did not have the strength to open his mouth to speak. But he decided to listen to what Uryu was really saying. From his standpoint, Uryu had not even taken notice of Ichigo
"And so, I swore one day to find out the reason why my mother died….and with the help of my grandfather, I discovered the reason. But there is more to this story than it is" Uryu spoke up, his voice feeling slightly embittered. "My grandfather: Soken Ishida, was one of the few brave Quincies to have discovered your true motives. He knew what you really desired. And that leaves me to this hypothesis…were you involved in taking his abilities away from that fight? I know you were! There's no reason my grandfather could've died to a bunch of primitive Hollows! He was a powerful man, even during his elderly years! Yes, I've discovered the truth behind his death! And this isn't all about the Shinigamis and their supposed late arrival. It's about how YOU took the advantage of him trying to defend me from those Hollows! In the same manner as how you did to Masaki Kurosaki, you stole his powers away, thus leaving him weakened! For that, I'll never forgive you!" the four-eyed man yelled as tears continued falling out.
Ichigo had to admit he was surprised in hearing this story. But there was something that had him thinking. "What the hell, Uryu…if that bastard really did those things…why the hell did you join his side!?" he wondered.
After fighting back some tears, Uryu faced Yhwach smugly once again. "And that leads me to this point. This is why I partook in this suicide mission to end you! Such actions would be scorned upon by my grandfather, but I had to take the risk. And therefore, I took with me this arrowhead to use it on you. You know very well what that arrowhead contains, don't you?" Uryu told him, still feeling high and mighty over talking to his hated enemy like this. "It contains your greatest weakness: silver blood clot. It is the same one that you used to kill my mother with during your Auswählen! Now, I will use it to kill you! So beg for mercy as much as you can, Yhwach! This is your final judgement!" the raven-haired man yelled before he finally let go of this powerful Heilig Pfiel.
It was now or never. This arrow could be the end of the great and powerful Emperor of the Wandenreich. Yhwach was still paralyzed and could not move a muscle, let alone speak. The arrow headed straight towards him and Ichigo watched as Uryu was determined to end the life of Yhwach. But before it could hit him, a thick block of ice appeared right before the paralyzed Quincy. It came as a surprise to both Ichigo and Uryu, given that despite how powerful the Heilig Bogen was, it wasn't enough to break through the icy block.
"WHAT THE…NO….NOOOOO!...DAMN IT! WHO THE HELL DID THIS!?" Uryu angrily demanded as he could see several people appear before him by using Shunpo. The four-eyed man was stunned. Despite their style of clothing, these people were not Quincies…...they were Shinigamis! And worse of all, they weren't just the average type of Shinigamis. But for some reason, Uryu could recognize the Spiritual Pressures to some of these white-hooded strangers, as he had felt them before. "It can't be…you…..of all people, you would serve Yhwach!? I never thought the most powerful captains would switch allegiances!" he exclaimed out in disbelief.
The smallest of these strangers, who obviously was the one responsible for saving Yhwach, rested his Zanpakutou down onto the floor. "Switch allegiances? That's a little presumptuous. I would rather say we have found our true calling. As such, we pledge ourselves to protect the one, true Soul King" he spoke up with a very familiar voice before pointing his blade at Uryu. "Lord Yhwach had foreseen your insubordination, so he tasked us to come to his side when you made your move. Surely, he couldn't rely on Haschwalth alone to keep you in check" he spoke while explaining everything they knew about Uryu.
Another hooded Shinigami folded his arms while staring at Uryu. "And more importantly, did you hope you could actually defeat His Majesty by waiting for him to unleash his full power? You have seriously overestimated your chances, kid. Because you just fell right into his trap!" he taunted Uryu, as the block of ice started to crack.
"NO! DON'T TELL ME HE HAS…." Uryu yelled out in desperation.
The moment the ice was gone, Uryu was terrified over what he was seeing. The silver arrow that was previously stuck inside of him was now in his left hand, except for the fact that it was broken. Even the arrowhead was now turned into white and silver dust. The long-haired man chuckled deeply to himself as his eyes met Uryu's. He was still holding Ichigo by his face while looking at the supposed crown prince.
"Do not feel so smug of yourself, Uryu. It only masks your enormous failures that you are known for. But then again, I must thank you for how useful you have been to me up until now" Yhwach said before revealing a delightful grin on his face. "Did you honestly think I would trust the future of my empire to a half-Gemischt, half-Echt mongrel such as you!? You are unbelievably foolish, Uryu Ishida!" he exclaimed before laughing once again.
Uryu gritted his teeth in frustration, even trying to aim his Heilig Bogen at his target once again. But the surrounding Shinigamis would not let him do as he pleased. As such, they dealt with him by slashing his hips.
Yhwach only glanced at the young man sadistically. "That is right. I knew you were only using me, but there is something that I must tell you. In turn, I have used you. It would be foolish if I let the family of traitors do as they pleased in the Human World" the long-haired man revealed before holding the broken arrow for Uryu to see. "This is the sole reason for why I let you inside the Wandenreich, let alone made you my successor. It was all part of my plan to locate and destroy this precious arrow of your family. Your father was good in hiding its existence from me. But sooner or later, I knew you would come seeking revenge for the deaths of your mother and grandfather. And like all useful idiots hellbent on revenge, you took with your family's greatest secret to kill me with. A clever, but risky move, Uryu. Can't say I am not impressed" Yhwach explained on how Uryu himself had only been used and fooled in return.
Uryu was feeling more distressed as he got up on his knees. He was injured, yet he could carry on. A couple of the white-hooded Shinigamis charged towards him, only for them to suddenly feel something. They were suddenly given the same injuries as Uryu.
"Shit! What just fucking happened!?" one of the taller Shinigamis demanded as his right hip was bleeding seriously.
"This is your doing, isn't it!?" the other Shinigami demanded from the four-eyed man.
Uryu panted deeply as he looked up to face his opponents with a defiant smirk. "You forget I was granted a Schrift by partaking in Yhwach's ritual. The name of my power is the letter A – The Antithesis. With it, I can reverse anything that has happened to me. And since you two took so much pleasure in harming me…..you only get to feel that in return" the four-eyed man told them while trying to catch his breath.
Yhwach was not even impressed to hear what Uryu was saying. "Your power will not help you in any way. The fact that you relied on your powers to deal with them just now only demonstrates your weakness" Yhwach said before smiling in a delightful manner once again. "But know this Uryu. Thanks to you, this arrow and the stuff that is in it will no longer be my weakness! Using the Almighty, I managed to make sure that the silver blood clot that existed inside this arrowhead would never again weaken. As such, I have nothing else to fair!" he exclaimed out loudly before laughing.
Amidst all this commotion, Ichigo was in deep thought of what to do now. The arrival of several Shinigamis stunned him, and he could actually tell whose Spiritual Pressures they belonged to. However, the orange-haired man was rather focused on Yhwach. Right now, the Quincy Emperor was not using his powers, as he was busier laughing at Uryu's failures. So many thoughts swirled around his head, until a deep voice invaded his thoughts once again.
"What an utter embarrassment. To think that you would allow this man to make a fool out of you. What have you gained from such humiliation? Nothing! Nothing and nothing at all!" the devilish voice could be heard inside, Ichigo's mind, yet the orange-haired man did nothing to open his mouth. He knew that this was not his Hollow speaking. No, it was something else. "But do not falter just yet, Ichigo. Look at him now! He is now exposed. It is the time to make your move against him now! Will you let your mother's death go unavenged!? Will you die in shame without so much as having a tint of dignity left in you!? Unleash your fury upon Yhwach! Let him know that his victims must be avenged! Your mother's spirit commands it!" it demanded from him.
Ichigo was stunned, but this deep voice had reminded the young man about something important. To avenge his mother. Yes, there was no way he was going to die without so much as giving Yhwach a scratch. It was time for him, to take drastic measures, just as Uryu had done.
Without Yhwach even seeing it, Ichigo used his Blut to move around his body. It didn't take long before it began consuming everything around him, including Yhwach. "Blut Vene: Anhaben!" Ichigo exclaimed as he was now willing to use this ability on his hated enemy.
"Lord Yhwach! Look to your right!" one of the hooded Shinigamis called out to their liege.
Yhwach quickly took notice of his, and he looked to Ichigo. The emperor was still holding Ichigo by his face, yet he had not paid attention to the man he was holding in his grip. "What in the …." Yhwach demanded as he could feel his entire body getting taken over by Ichigo's Blut Vene. "HOW ARE YOU STILL ALIVE!? AND HOW CAN YOU USE THE BLUT VENE: ANHABEN!?" Yhwach wondered aloud as he felt the veins.
Uryu could see what his friend was doing and it stunned him to his fullest. "Ichigo…what are you…..WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!?" he angrily yelled, not believing that Ichigo was willing to take a risky move.
Ichigo paid no attention to Uryu and what he was saying. He was completely focused on Yhwach, who was caught off guard by this move. The young man fixed his eyes of hatred upon the Quincy Emperor. "I told you…..I'm not going anywhere until you're dead!" the orange-haired man yelled as he watched his Blut getting spread across Yhwach. "If I will go to hell…..THEN I'LL TAKE YOU TO HELL WITH ME! ANYTHING TO WATCH YOU SUFFER AS I HAVE!" he yelled in determination.
Despite seeing this, Yhwach only grinned sadistically as he saw Ichigo's attempt. "You must be joking right now. Do you really think you can defeat me by only using Blut!?" the long-haired man asked and unleashed his coat of eyes all over him once again. "IMBECILE! YOUR BLUT IS MY BLUT! AS SUCH, I CAN USE IT TO RETRIVE MY POWERS FROM YOU!" he revealed and he actually started to suck in all the Blut from Ichigo, and with it his life source.
Ichigo was outraged. Once again, he had failed to make an attempt on Yhwach. The orange-haired man felt his life slipping away in such a haste. It was all over now. Ichigo used all his cards on the table. Now, defeat was imminent. The young man could even feel and see his power being sucked out of him and it felt like they were running away from his body.
"It's fading….the Quincy-power within me….and the Hollow-power that was mixed along with it…..they're both disappearing…fading away…..to pure white….." Ichigo could think as his eyes became pale as the snow itself. There was not a heartbeat left of him.
Uryu couldn't believe in what he was seeing. For the first time of his life, he was actually shedding tears over Ichigo. "ICHIGOOOOOOOOO!" Uryu yelled as Yhwach dropped him on the floor. He was lying there lifeless. It pained the four-eyed man to see this. In his rage, he turned his attention towards Yhwach. "You….you…..YOU FUCKING BASTARD!" Uryu yelled, only to be stabbed by one of the nearby Shinigamis to shut him up. He screamed in agony as his stomach was getting pierced by a Zanpakutou.
When watching Ichigo fall, Yhwach had been acting rather calmly at first. He glanced on Ichigo's lifeless body, realizing how he was not making a move. But that soon changed when the Quincy began musing to himself lowly before exploding into an evil laughter. "AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Yhwach laughed like a maniac in what he had accomplished. He then released his Spiritual Pressure and sent it straight up towards the skies. It began forming itself like a black umbrella. "AT LAST! THE POWER OF THE SO-CALLED WARRIOR OF THREE WORLDS IS FINALLY MINE! I NO LONGER HAVE NEED TO FEAR YOU ANYMORE! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" the Quincy added, demonstrating his enormous and evil power that he was in command of.
The hooded Shinigamis all appeared around him, yet they were joined by more. They were about 13 or 15 members. All of them kneeled before Yhwach is if he was their king, or worse, their God. One of those, who appeared to be a leading figure in this secret order raised his Zanpakutou to hail him.
"Almighty Yhwach! Your wish has been fulfilled. One of the greatest threats to your plans is now dead. All hail the true Soul King!" he spoke with an elderly voice. And they all rose their weapons for him in return. "What will you do to celebrate your victory, my lord?" he then asked his liege.
Yhwach was still feeling so delighted in what he was hearing his servants ask him. As such, he kept empowering the black umbrella above his palace. "I have a great idea in how to celebrate this victory, my loyal knight. As a matter of fact, I am now starting to work on it. To demonstrate my power as the one, true Soul King, I will make an example out of these paltry Shinigamis and their wretched hive. Watch now, my sons and daughters! Gaze as the Sereitei vanishes before the unstoppable might of Wahrwelt's secret weapon! Activate….VERNICHTUNG!" he loudly declared.
Somewhere underneath the floating world of Wahrwelt itself
What was the reason for Yhwach in activating this black umbrella of his? Well, this was the real reason. Underneath the floating world itself, the same spot where Silbern stood, lied a deadly weapon. This weapon was actually a giant ball of crystal nestled underneath the ice. It was teal-colored. Because of Yhwach's doing, it was began overpowering itself with the help of the high density of Reishi in the Royal Realm. There was no mistaking it. This was the secret weapon of the Wandenreich: Vernichtung.
After a few minutes of generating enough Reishi, the giant ball of crystal proceeded to fire a powerful beam down towards the ground. The powerful beam even managed to crush through the 72 barriers that usually protected the Royal Realm. Where was the beam headed for? After several minutes in dashing through the skies, it was raining down upon it's target: the Sereitei. That's right, Yhwach had activated the Vernichtung to finally destroy the home of the Shinigamis. When the people stationed at the place saw it, they all thought they were protected by the Shakonmaku. Unfortunately, it didn't. As such, the beam was free to land straight on the Sereitei, thereby blowing it to pieces. But prior to the beam being fired, the Shinigamis stationed at the Department of Research and Development had detected the incoming attack. As such, they had started a massive evacuation of the Sereitei. But such efforts were fruitless, as not everyone could be saved.
Would there be any survivors of this chaos? There would of course be a few survivors. But whom? That was yet to be determined. Nevertheless, this day marked the official downfall of the Sereitei. In the end, the Wandenreich had succeeded in destroying the home of the Shinigamis.
To be continued…
Author's note: We're almost there! Only one chapter remains before I will take a break from writing on this story. We saw many things happen in this chapter, including the fight between Ichigo and Yhwach. And of course, it was Uryu who got involved at the end of the fight. Given that Kubo was mediocre in regards to Uryu's reason for joining the Wandenreich, I decided to add more flavor by including the fact that his grandfather also died by Yhwach's hands, after he took away his powers, the same as he had done with Masaki. What will happen with Uryu from now, you will find out in the next chapter. The next chapter will give you many shocking revelations, as well as a conclusion to the Court Guard's failed attempt to stop Yhwach. We will also see what happens with Ichigo. And Aizen…..he will also be mentioned in the next chapter. I also have some plans for him in the future. And about the Sereitei, seriously, something had to happen with it. It wouldn't be fair with the Wandenreich's home was the only place that got trashed. But until then, stay tuned for the next and exciting chapter and thank you for reading this story so far.
Vergeltung – German for "Retribution": This is the name of the still silver arrow created by Ryuken Ishida. Considering what it was capable of, as well as the reason Ryuken made it, decided to give it a name.
Vernichtung – German for "Annihalation" or "Extermination": This the name of the Wandenreich's secret weapon that exists underneath Wahrwelt itself. Given that Wahrwelt is located right above the Sereitei, this giant ball of crystal is the perfect weapon to use in destroying the home of the Shinigamis and shatter the morale of the 13 Court Guard Squads.
