Author's note: Hey everyone! It's been a long time since I last wrote down this chapter. But certain responsibilities have made me lose interest in writing this story. But as I've heard about a new Bleach anime coming in 2021 or later, I just thought about writing a bit on it. But let me tell you this. After this and one chapter more, I may take a break from writing on this story. Don't ask me why, I just think that I've lost interest in the Bleach universe for a while.

This chapter will mainly continue where we left off. The duel between Aizen and Yhwach will be shown. Don't expect Aizen or Yhwach to die, as that would be too soon for them to leave the story altogether. However, I also want to explore more about the situation in the Soul Society, as well as the Sonneritters. In other words, it will show you how different the Soul Society has become since the Wandenreich has taken complete control over it.


Chapter 54: The New World Order

Inside what appears to be a basement, Soul Society

This basement was being used as a secret hideout of a certain group of Souls. These were denizens of the Soul Society. But because of the Wandenreich's conquest, they had become its subjects. Still, they clung to their rebellious spirit in face of this enemy occupation.

"Alright. Let us begin" the one sitting in the middle of a basement was a muscular man with black hair. From the looks of his face, he seemed quite optimistic. "None of you here were followed, right? We can't risk our place being compromised" he then asked everyone inside this dark place.

There was nothing but stares and mumblings between the men and women who sat before this individual and the little girl beside him.

Realizing what this meant, the muscular man smiled. "Then I take it it's a yes. Good. It's great that we're able to have meetings like this without Yhwach taking notice" he remarked.

"But how long can we keep up with this, Genji Isawa?" the voice came from the young girl sitting beside him.

Genji looked at her. She appeared to be very small in size, yet seemed to dress very prestigious, as she hailed from nobility. Her eyes indicated that she was very serious.

"Everyday, we struggle to survive amidst this tyranny. But that's not the worst of it all. Every denizen of the Soul Society is gradually beginning to assimilate into the Wandenreich's rule. They're renouncing Central 46 and other former political organs, therefore accepting Yhwach as their new Soul King" the young girl said, sighing as she explained all these things. "At this rate, those who stand against the Quincies and their lapdogs are all but a minority. People like us are branded traitors and infidels. And what about the 13 Court Guard Squads and the Royal Guard? Is all hope lost?" she added more details.

Genji solemnly looked at this girl with an understandable expression. He soon noticed the other men and women in this basement doing this as well. Despite him trying to be optimistic as possible, the situation was direr than he realized.

"You make a good point, Nayura Amakado. Our number of allies is limited. And without the Court Guard and their strongest Shinigamis, the odds of mounting an uprising against the Wandenreich is nothing but a dream" Genji said, addressing the girl by her name. "If only there were more who still possessed the will to fight" he lamented.

"But weren't you a member of the Court Guard once, Isawa?" Nayura looked at him with a slight smirk forming across her lips. "Surely the former Headmaster of the Shin'o Academy isn't that weak?" she added while making sure everyone heard her words.

The middle-aged man shook his head as he heard that. "That was a lifetime ago. My days as the 3rd seat of Squad 5 ended when I lost my left leg to that damn Hollow" he replied while stroking the empty space beneath his shihakusho. "That said, Squad 5 was almost destroyed…all thanks to Sosuke Aizen and his machination. Quite ironic. The same man who inherited my position would become one of the greatest traitors of the Soul Society" he then recalled back to his days as a Shinigami.

"Aizen….." the very name made the young girl scowl with rage. "I spit upon his name until he finally dies! It's what he deserves after murdering my father" Nayura didn't hold back her antagonism of him.

"Of course, he was one of the 40 sages of Central 46. But being one of those is now dangerous, seeing as how the Sternritters and the Sonneritters are after them" Genji explained.

"The Sonneritters are traitors!" a man sitting in the gathering shouted, even standing up on his feet.

"Yeah! They deserve to burn in Hell for what they've done!" a woman spoke up, supporting that man's words.

There was constant chatting amongst the group once again. But amidst this, Genji found himself chuckling a little. The mood soon calmed down and Genji resumed speaking.

"I too share a disgust of those Shinigamis who abandoned their duties in favor of Yhwach. But on the other hand, sending them to Hell is perhaps not the best option" he told everyone as they listened closely. "All of you know why. You just have to travel outside the Rukon District and see that the barriers separating the Soul Society from Hueco Mundo…..have been broken" the former Shinigami revealed grimly.

Gasps erupted amongst the crowd and they couldn't believe what that man had just said. Still, Genji was determined to press on with this revelation.

"I'm not even bluffing. Because ever since Yhwach has absorbed the power of the Soul King…..he has made dangerous decisions that would result in everything collapse…" Genji noted.

"It's bad enough that Hueco Mundo has been integrated into the Soul Society…but now, Hell is too" Nayura revealed.

This only brought more shock to the Souls gathered, and they wondered what Nayura was trying to tell them. Whisperings occurred between them once again.

Genji looked at her confused. "Amakado. You don't suppose that there is a motive for Hell being chained to the Soul Society, is it?" he asked.

"There is a motive. And most likely many more. You probably know some of them, Isawa" Nayura revealed to him. "Because of Yhwach's actions, the machine of death has been broken. As such, many souls have now been sent to Hell itself, regardless of whether they've committed sins or not. And in Hell itself…lies an evil entity which can't be allowed to roam free in the Soul Society….Wang Yanluo" the girl added, even sweating a little as she told everyone that name.

"Wang Yanluo…...just what kind of beast is he? Is there more to Hell than what us in the Soul Society don't know? Tell us more, Amakado!" Genji wanted her to fill in more.

But the young girl closed her eyes, acting as if she had zero interest in responding to him.

"I am sorry. But such information is very classified. If I ever told you that…..it would be a breach of my duty as a librarian" Nayura replied, albeit reluctantly.

This brought only confusion amongst the people gathered in the basement. They all wondered why Nayura was acting so reluctant.

"Librarian? Wait! Does that mean you're the…" before he could question her further, the sound of a horse interrupted him and everyone in the basement.

The men and women got tense. Even though it came from outside, everyone realized what the sound of the horse meant.

"A horse…...but that means…" one of the many women uttered out.

"SONNERITTERS!" a man cried out of desperation.

The people in the basement were filled with paranoia and they got up from their seats and tried making a run from it. But Genji was already fixated upon Nayura. His eyes bore distrust in them.

"You were followed, weren't you!? The reason they're here is because they're after you: the Chief Librarian of the Great Archive!" Genji pointedly brought an accusation towards Nayura.

Despite this, the young girl remained firm in face of the accusation. "Wrong! I was not followed! This I swear! As for my title, it no longer matters! The Wandenreich now controls the Central 46 Compound, so there is no way that I can ever go back and….." before she could protest further, a large explosion erupted in the hole to their right.

Everyone was taken by the explosion and some of them were even injured of getting boulders at their faces.

In time, the dust settled and an opening had been created in the basement up from the ground. Bright light shined through it, yet there was a group standing there looking down on them.

Nayura scowled in shock. "No! Soldats from the Wandenreich!" she exclaimed out of frustration.

However, the more terrible view was the couple of white-hooded individuals wearing white coats. These two were standing before the Soldats as if they commanded them. They already had their Zanpakutous drawn out.

"Sonneritters! I knew it had to be them!" one of the fearful men cried out as he shivered while looking up at the opening.

"We're all doomed!" a woman was drowned in despair at the sight of them.

As Genji looked up, he couldn't help but to notice the Zanpakutous. For some reason, he recognized them. But that wasn't just it. He also recognized the Spiritual Pressures belonging to these individuals. He was left speechless.

"That's Wabisuke…..and Kazeshini….no….." he uttered out the names of those weapons, gazing at the two hooded men. "I refused to believe that it was true…but it really is! You're also with them now!?" he asked in outrage.

Surprisingly, the two individuals removed their hoods, exposing their faces for everyone to see. The very sight of them shocked everyone, even Nayura. She definitely recognized them.

"Izuru Kira and Shuhei Hisagi…." the little girl called out the names of the former lieutenants of Squads 3 and 9 respectively.

There was a silent atmosphere all of a sudden. The two Quincy-garbed Shinigamis looked at them completely nonchalant, as if nothing had dazed them.

"It appears that our sources were correct. There was a secret meeting place for this cult of defilers in this part of Die Wiege" Shuhei spoke up.

Izuru looked at Shuhei with a raised eyebrow. "Sources? The people of Die Wiege told us their location willingly. There was no need for us to find it" the gloomy-looking man pointed out, yet his compatriot showed no response.

"What do you mean by Die Wiege!? This is the Rukon District! It always has been!" a woman suddenly interjected, protesting against these former Shinigamis. "How can you even consider yourselves Shinigamis when you have helped destroy the Sereitei!?" she pressed on, not holding back her disgust with those two men.

But before she had even realized, Shuhei had thrown the other blade right at the woman, thus beheading her mercilessly. Her head rolled on the floor and everyone near her decapitated body shrieked in despair.

Despite this, Shuhei was completely emotionless at what he had done.

"The Sereitei? You fools still believe it still exists? Shameful" the black-haired man responded cynically. "That place you value so much is nothing more than a distant dream built on foundation of lies, among them Central 46" he added, not sparing any positivity about the Sereitei.

"Speaking of Central 46, it appears we have found our targets" Izuru remarked, facing both Nayura and Genji while pointing Wabisuke at them. "Former 3rd seat of Squad 5, as well as Headmaster of the Shin'o Academy: Genji Isawa. And of course, the missing Chief Librarian of the Great Archive: Nayura Amakado" he identified them.

"Missing?" Nayura was confused at first, yet she soon realized what their game was. "So you want me alive!? Just so you can get the key to the library!? Like hell!" she snapped, outraged at what their plans for her was.

Shuhei narrowed his eyes at her protest. "Your compliance is mandatory, stupid girl. It's either that or joining your fellow nobles in spending the rest of their lives in Hell" he threatened her.

For some reason, Nayura found enough courage to smirk in response. "I see what this is about. You two are obviously still embittered at me for putting you through that trial after Aizen's defection, isn't that it?" the young girl was caught off-guard by Izuru suddenly appearing right beside her using Shunpo.

Holding Wabisuke around her throat, Izuru looked at the young librarian with zero remorse in his face. Nayura froze, being completely at the Sonneritter's mercy.

"I've heard enough from that arrogant mouth of yours. Try insult us as much as you can, your nobility will not save you from reprimanding" Izuru coldly told her.

"I've already told you, I won't cooperate with you treacherous…" Nayura stopped speaking when she could feel the blade of Wabisuke close in on her throat. She winced, feeling a little cut on her throat.

Shuhei appeared not far from his compatriot. "Careful, Kira. His Majesty's orders are absolute. No killing" he reminded Izuru, who said nothing to respond.

The punkish-looking man turned his attention towards Genji, who was already down on one knee. He was sweating intensively.

"I remember you all too well, Hisagi. You and Kira, you were both extraordinary students at the Academy! To see the pair of you forsaking the path of the Shinigami for a cause like this wounds me deeply! Have the pair of you thrown away your sense of justice!?" the former headmaster asked them, struggling to hold back his anger.

Shuhei responded by approaching Genji, angrily grabbing him by his throat and shoving him against the wall. Clearly, the words from Genji had upset him somehow.

"Justice? What do you know of justice?" Shuhei asked, his grip around Genji's throat tightening. "Is obeying the commands of some corrupt system of nobles justice? Is fighting misbegotten beasts for the sake of pathetic humans justice!? Answer me those before you dare lecturing me about that messed-up concept!" he then angrily demanded.

Genji struggled to respond, let alone breathe. He thought that Shuhei was planning on actually chocking him to death. But something prevented that from happening.

"Sir!" the voice came from one of the Soldats who stood in the opening called out to Shuhei. "One of the seven Erzengels, Tokinada Tsunayashiro, has arrived. He demands to see the captives immediately" he passed on the information.

At first, Shuhei snorted as he heard that name being mentioned. But he soon let go of Genji, the former headmaster coughing intensively.

"Fine. Then I suppose it would be fair to greet him personally" Shuhei grunted before turning around to face the Soldats. "Soldats! Apprehend these two persons of interest! Now as for the others…do with them as you wish" he then commanded his troops.

"YESSIR!" the Soldats all saluted before him in return before getting down there to put Nayura and Genji in chains.

With that taken care of, Shuhei and Izuru walked up from the wreckage and walked towards what appeared to be a fountain. The buildings all around them had been transformed into the icy architecture, similar to what existed in Wahrwelt.

"For what reason is he here? I was under the impression that we alone were capable of capturing two criminals" Izuru wondered as he walked beside his compatriot.

"Don't know. But quite frankly, I could care even less" the punkish-looking man responded with zero pleasantries in his voice.

Approaching the fountain, they saw a dark green-haired man sitting by the fountain while reading a book. This was Tokinada Tsunayashiro, one of the seven Erzengels. Standing beside him was another member of the Sonneritters. It was a mild-mannered man named Seinosuke Yamada, who smiled as he watched Shuhei and Izuru arrive.

"Look, Tokinada. There they are" he gently told him.

Putting his book down, Tokinada revealed his face for them to see. For some reason, he appeared to hide something with that devious look of his. One would have easily been intimidated by something like that. Yet neither Shuhei nor Izuru didn't feel it that way.

"Excellent work, Shuhei Hisagi and Izuru Kira. I see that those two infidels have already been apprehended. Good riddance" Tokinada praised them, briefly looking at Genji and Nayura being escorted by the Soldats. "I suppose my assistance is not required, seeing as the matter has been solved" he noted with a smile.

"Then why are you here, Tsunayashiro?" Shuhei asked, the punkish man crossing his arms out of dispassion. "Green with jealousy that we succeeded in capturing them, perhaps?" he then launched a jibe directly towards him.

While Tokinada remained unfazed, Seinosuke didn't seem to take kindly to Shuhei's insult, even if he wasn't the target of it.

"Mind your tongue, Hisagi. You will address one of the Sonneritters' seven Erzengels with respect and dignity" he sternly told Shuhei, who didn't seem keen on following his words.

"So what if he's one of them? That doesn't mean he's earned my respect" Shuhei hit back, this time looking at Seinosuke.

"Not to mention that he's a noble, meaning that he probably earned that title through his privilege" Izuru chimed in, showing some contempt towards the Sonneritter as well.

Seinosuke would not stand for this. "That's ludicrous! There's no way that….." before he could argue, Tokinada raised his left hand, forcing him to stop speaking. The mild-mannered man looked at his friend completely confused.

"Let's not start quarrels while we're on duty here, Seinosuke. We both know how much His Majesty despises infighting" Tokinada told him, only to direct his attention towards the Sonneritters before him, even standing up from his seat. "Now as for your assertion, Kira. I assure you that I was not made Erzengel out of nobility. Indeed, Lord Yhwach only chooses his most devoted believers for such roles. And I happened to have been that from the start" he went on explaining the reasons.

Neither Izuru nor Shuhei said anything in response. Both men just stood and listened to what this mysterious man was telling them. They watched as Tokinada rested his right hand on the sheath of his Zanpakutou.

"I've heard about the Tsunayashiro clan, but only little. But from what I know, that clan is the strongest and most powerful of all the Four Great Noble Families. From what mother and father used to tell me, that clan is charged with protecting and safeguarding history of the Soul Society" Izuru summarized from what he had learned about this clan Tokinada belonged to.

"Tokinada Tsunayashiro. Based upon the reports, he's one sick bastard. They say that he used his influence among Central 46 to get away with whatever transgressions he committed" Shuhei thought as he observed this man. "Among those transgressions was the murder of his wife Kakyo…..who was the friend Captain Tousen sought to avenge" he then realized, clenching his fists tightly.

That's right. It was Tokinada who had killed Tousen's dear friend, resulting him in becoming embittered at the Soul Society's corrupt and flawed justice system. But given his high status and privilege as the leader of the strongest clan in the realm, Tokinada got away with everything.

From what most people would describe him, Tokinada seemed like a modest and gentle man, despite being a noble. But that wasn't the case. Beneath all that cover lied a devious man who took pleasure in seeing other people suffer. Needless to say, he was a sadist.

"Well, we best be on our way" Tokinada said as he started climbing up on a horse that was drinking from the fountain. "Our work here in Schattenmühle is done. Other districts of Die Wiege will most likely need our assistance. I hear that Hitsugaya is already on patrol at Holzkamm" he then suggested.

"Negative. Our order is to escort the prisoners to Urteil. Genji Isawa and Nayura Amakado will be tried before their peers. Besides, Hitsugaya is also an Erzengel, so there's no need for us to assist him" Shuhei sternly explained.

"That being said, you, him and the other Erzengels might as well show up to pass judgement on them. You are the ones giving judgement on those who defy His Majesty's will" Izuru spoke up, looking up at Tokinada.

Tokinada seemed somewhat dismissive of them. "But why would that be necessary? After all, His Majesty is down here as we speak. Can't we just let him do that, given how he ordered their capture?" the Erzengel asked them.

"He has other plans that requires his focus for now" a stern and serious voice could be heard not far from the group.

Turning around, they saw Kensei Mugurama and Rojoru "Rose" Otoribashi, former captains of Squad 9 and 3 riding on horses. They also wore the Quincy-like garbs with white cloaks and hoods.

"Mugurama…..Otoribashi…you're here…." Shuhei was surprised at seeing his former captain.

Kensei narrowed his yes in return. "Of course, we are, you idiot. It's our duty to make sure the districts are safe from any harm" he rudely replied to his former lieutenant.

Rose chuckled at seeing his longtime friend's behavior. "Come now, Kensei. Go easy on him a little. He's still learning" he advised him, yet Kensei was not paying attention at all. Rose paid attention to Izuru instead. "I see that you and Hisagi managed to succeed your quest, Izuru. Well done" he complimented his former lieutenant's effort.

Izuru bowed his head in an awkward manner in return. "It was nothing…..sir" he responded.

"So nice to see fellow Erzengels here in Schattenmühle" Tokinada heaped praised on the two Vizards as he looked at them. "Now then, you said something about His Majesty having other thing to do here in the Soul Society. May I ask what it is?" he asked them.

"Goodness, you really are the dullest among us, aren't you, Tsunayashiro?" Rose remarked while shaking his head a little. "Given your status, I'd expected you to be a little more well-informed in comparison to us" he went on chastising Tokinada.

"Unless you haven't realized it, Lord Yhwach is currently engaging in a battle" Kensei broke the silence, making everyone turn their attentions towards him. "That's right. He and Aizen are now battling near the ruins of the Sereitei as we speak" the Sonneritter went on spilling the details.

"Battling Aizen!? Then that means he's freed him!" Izuru was in fear of what he heard. "Does he even realize what he's up against? Aizen is no longer the same person as he was years ago! His power has only increased ever since being imprisoned in the Muken!" the blonde-haired man added.

"I must agree with what Kira says. His Majesty is playing a very dangerous game" Seinosuke chimed in.

"There is absolutely no need for you to panic" Tokinada suddenly calmed everyone down.

"Why do you seem so confident, Tsunayashiro?" Shuhei asked him with his arms crossed.

A chuckle escaped the Sonneritter's lips. "Why, because you all underestimate Lord Yhwach and his abilities. Remember, if Aizen were as strong as many people think he is, then nobody would've dared go near him. But His Majesty knows very well that's not true" he answered frankly.

"Not to mention that he hasn't confronted Aizen to slay him" Kensei chimed in, forming a smirk on his lips in the process. "You heard me right. His Majesty has other plans for him, and we have no role in it. Still, hearing what that bastard's fate will be gives me satisfaction" the Vizard remarked.


Somewhere near where Sereitei once stood, Soul Society

Yhwach was currently in a titanic battle against Sosuke Aizen. Each man was equal in terms of Spiritual Pressure. With that in mind, Yhwach couldn't afford to underestimate Aizen. But for what reasons did the Quincy Emperor have for freeing the fallen Shinigami captain from his bindings?

"You have already unleashed all of your power. Are you that obsessed with defeating me?" Aizen asked his foe, already dodging some of the slashes.

"Defeating you? That is an overstatement" Yhwach responded, only to vanish from Aizen's sight by using Hirenkiyaku. "The purpose for this battle is not to defeat you, seeing as you are indeed immortal. Rather, it is my intention is to humble you" the Quincy said, only to clash blades with Aizen.

The former Shinigami captain was slightly surpiresed. "Humble me? You are in over your head to think you can accomplish such" Aizen responded, overpowering against Yhwach and sending him a few feet away. He smirked. "Still, it would be amusing to see you try, Father of the Quincies" he then admitted.

Yhwach held onto his Reishi Broadsword. "Then I will make you see it" he said while creating a bow of Reishi. "SANKT BOGEN!" he said before firing rounds of powerful Heilig Pfiels at his foe.

Having gone through intensive fights here and now, the two opponents were standing a distance from one another. Holding onto their weapons, they were prepared to engage in battle soon enough.

"I still don't understand any of this" Aizen spoke nonchalantly. "You have seen my power and what I am capable of, yet you still think of battling me?" he got directly with his foe.

Yhwach smirked. "I should be asking you that. You are bravely foolish to stand against the true Soul King" he replied.

Aizen huffed with his eyes closed, completely unfazed at the Quincy's words.

"It is you who are foolish, Yhwach. You are neither a God nor a Soul King. And I will prove it to you here and now" he told him.

"What do you mean by….." Yhwach was caught off-guard when he suddenly noticed Aizen appearing right behind him. He was shocked. "What!? But when did you…." Yhwach didn't get to finish.

A large vertical cut had been created from his head to his crotch area. Needless to say, Yhwach was slashed. Clearly, he did not see that one coming.

Aizen grinned sadistically. "You left yourself wide open. That mistake alone enabled me to use Kyoka Suigetsu as I pleased" he said, taking pleasure in seeing his foe bleeding.

Out of anger, Yhwach swung his Reishi Broadsword. "BASTARD!" he cursed, more than willing to slash his opponent in half.

"It's already too late, Yhwach" Aizen flatly told Yhwach while using Shunpo to avoid the sword of Reishi. "As we stand here now, I have pinpointed every weakness in your demented body" he added.

The former Shinigami's assertion turned out to be true, as Yhwach felt his knees getting cut. But it was not only that. A stab could be felt through his chest. Then came a stab through his head, his stomach and his feet. Blood sprouted out from all over him, much to Aizen's own satisfaction.

"Damn it all…" Yhwach cursed, his gaze fixated upon Aizen.

"Make no mistake, Quincy. You are powerful indeed. But compared to me, you are nothing" Aizen said while pointing fingers from his left hand at his foe. "Bakudo 91: Part 1: Kin" he uttered out.

He performed a Kido spell, which resulted in black bindings forming around Yhwach's entire body from his arms to his legs. He dropped his weapon and the bindings were empowered with spiritual fabric and iron shafts. All this pressure forced Yhwach down to the ground.

"I can't move….but how!?" Yhwach wondered while struggling intensively.

"You are probably wondering why it is that you have been reduced to such condition so quickly. Well, I suppose that I have my Kyoka Suigetsu to thank for it" Aizen said, holding up the sword for the captured emperor to see. "Because of my merging with the Hogyoku, my Zanpakutou's abilities has only increased. Everything that I am capable off, I now perform it without ease" the former Shinigami revealed.

Yhwach gritted his teeth as he looked up at it. "I should have known…...that cursed blade of yours…as well as it's hypnosis…" he spoke with bloodied lips.

Aizen smirked. "I am surprised that you know so much about me, yet you haven't bothered learning about my Zanpakutou. Then again, you state correctly when it comes to the hypnosis. The effects of Kyoka Suigetsu is unavoidable" he told him.

He then pointed his hand towards Yhwach, once again preparing a Kido-spell on him.

"Bakudo 91: Part 2: Bankin" Aizen uttered out the command and white energy began wrapping itself all over Yhwach's body. "Now. It is time to send you six feet under and let you know what it's like to be looked down upon" he added with sadism.

As Yhwach was struggling with the new layer of fabric all around him, his pain was increased by numerous metal bolts had pierced through his body parts. They did that from his arms to his legs. To see the man who had supposedly defeated Ichigo Kurosaki being captured like some injured animal pleased Aizen to his fullest.

"It's time for you to die, Yhwach. I will send you to Hell. That is only fitting, seeing as you made a secret deal with that monstrosity that lurks in it" he explained, forcing Yhwach to look up to him. "To tell you the truth, I am still baffled by how you struck such a weak bargain with Wang Yanluo. In exchange for returning his flames, he would trap Ichigo Kurosaki's soul within Hell itself. Of all the bargains you could've accomplished, this was your best? I was under the impression that my demise was what you wished most" he went on spilling the details.

Yhwach was powerless to do anything, he only looked up to see what Aizen was doing with his hands. At this rate, he was completely at his mercy.

"Regardless of what you have done, your goals of breaking the cycle of life and death are meaningless. Surely you understand how a world without fear is pointless. It is a world breathing with weakness. All the more reason why I am more than happy to send you to Hell!" Aizen exclaimed, moving his hands up in the air. "But before I do that, let me create the perfect tombstone that befits you he then added, starting to show signs of insanity.

Right above Yhwach, an immense metal cube had appeared in the sky. Thanks to Aizen putting his hands onto the ground, it fell down faster. With one smash, Yhwach was crushed beneath this metal cube. Witnessing this event transpire, Aizen felt pleased with the results. He could not see nor feel any tint of Spiritual Pressure coming from the Quincy.

"So long, false Soul King. May you rot in your grave for all eternity" Aizen said, taking a while to see if his talents had actually worked.

After a long while, Aizen felt so much satisfaction build withing him. He even started chuckling deeply. It appeared that he was reminiscing about his past encounter with Yhwach in the Muken, when the emperor had asked Aizen to join his side.

"I did warn you, didn't I, Yhwach? I would never be anyone's ally, not even yours. My ambitions are too great for me to abandon" Aizen said, only to let out a bit louder laugh. "But still, I will thank you for clearing the path for my rulership over the Soul Society" he then "thanked" his defeated foe, even laughing louder.

This behavior of his was vastly different from his calm demeanor people knew him to have. Indeed, this was the Sosuke Aizen that had lied dormant for a long time. It was him with a serious God-complex, yet at the same time, mentally insane. For too long, his goal of becoming a God had been denied. But this time, things would be different.

"At last! I have defeated the Soul King's accursed offspring and completely destroyed this universe's flawed system. No longer will I be bound by any laws or edicts. For I stand above them! Nobody deserves that spot more than I do" Aizen said, his eyes widening like those of a madman's. "NO LONGER WILL I BE FORCED TO BOW TO THE POWER OF ANOTHER SUPPOSED DEITY AND THEIR LEGENDS! FOR I WILL BECOME ONE…..GREATER THAN ANYONE THAT HAS EVER LIVED!" he exclaimed as he looked up to the skies.

What truly motivated Aizen's desire to become a God? For every knowledgeable man or woman, there existed always a reason for their drive for such.

For just a short period, Aizen got a glimpse of the sun. This made him stop with whatever he was doing. Looking up, the former Shinigami scowled as the lights touched upon his body covered in bindings.

"The sun…oh, how I have always hated you…" Aizen muttered as he watched the golden light. "For too long, you have eluded and looked down upon me as I have struggled and fought to build my way up to where I am now…BUT IT ALL ENDS NOW!" he loudly declared, his only visible eye never leaving sight of the golden orb.

As he continued looking up to the skies, Aizen was now beginning to reminisce of a similar scene he had once experienced in the past. It all happened during his childhood, long before he even became a Shinigami. As a young orphan with poor and humble beginnings, Aizen would constantly get picked upon by those older and stronger than him.

"Look! There's this weakling with the fragile body!" a voice came back to haunt Aizen's mind.

Recalling that noise made Aizen grit his teeth in frustration. It managed to bring him nothing but bad memories.

"What are you doing near us! Go away! Or else we will hang you till you're dead!" another voice invaded his thoughts.

Rage and resentment began invading Aizen's thoughts. No matter how long ago those childhood days were, he would always remember one of the key motivators to become the man of vision as he was.

He recalled to seeing thousands of Souls like himself surrounding him in a ring, with Aizen being the center. And in that ring, there existed nothing but mockery, ridicule, insults and threats. Sticks and stone were thrown at the poor boy, whom the grown-ups had deemed a weakling and an eyesore.

"FREAK OF NATURE!"

"WEAKLING!"

"DIE, LIKE THE REST OF YOUR FAMILY!"

Those were just one of the many taunts, jeers and insults Aizen had to endure as a young boy, all because of his supposedly fragile body.

After enduring so much abuse, young Sosuke Aizen lied on the ground of dirt all alone. He had managed to get a glimpse of the Sun shining down upon him. It was at that moment everything changed for Aizen. He resented the way things worked in the Soul Society. This twisted system was flawed. And since the Gods had managed to create it, Aizen would unmake it. In his mind, this flawed way of life had only brought misery to innocent boys like him.

"I will destroy everything that creates disorder, injustice and chaos…..and restore greatness, prosperity and light…so that nobody will have to live like this…." Aizen, just a young boy at that time, had said.

The more he recalled back to that very scene, the more resentful and angered Aizen became. He knew exactly why those people had targeted him with the abuse and violence. It was because they feared for his potentiality. They knew that he was stronger than any of them combined.

But one day, Aizen had returned to those bullying villagers. Instead of subjecting himself to whatever abuse as usual, the young boy mercilessly slaughtered them, one by one. However, they were not the only ones. Other villagers, even those who may have watched him endure suffering helplessly, were targeted as well. Young Aizen would make sure nobody would ever look down upon him with pity again.

That was the start of his descent into the ambitious man he was. He would revotionize the Soul Society, believing it to be flawed and obsolete. Having the Soul King at the top was in his mind, affront to how Souls should've lived.

"Those damn weaklings…they thought that someone like me could never reach up to the Sun itself. They were wrong!" Aizen thought, musing to himself. "Not only will I become a God…I WILL BE ABOVE ONE…ABOVE THEM ALL!" he maniacally declared.

Now, Aizen felt like victory was within his reach. No longer would men such as Yhwach or Ichigo Kurosaki stand in his way of achieving godhood. He would slay anyone daring to oppose him, whether they were Shinigamis, Quincies or Arrancars, and claim the vacant throne of the universe for himself. Everything was his to take.

"I have come too far to fail now" Aizen clenched his right hand tightly while looking up to the skies. "The Royal Realm awaits me. There's nothing left to do in this pathetic place. I will enslave the Wandenreich, and make sure those who oppose me knows the consequences. This tombstone will give them a perfect example" he mused to himself, planning his next move.

As Aizen was too busy drinking himself in the glory, a large pillar of light shot right up in the skies behind him. The tombstone itself was all gone and the light never vanished. Simultaneously, a strong amount of Spiritual Pressure was unleashed. It affected the nearby landscape.

The brown-haired man angrily looked over his shoulders. His only visible eye widened with both shock and anger at the same time.

"No…it can't be….…NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! WHAT THE HELL IS THIS!?" he yelled, only to hear chuckling from behind. Aizen froze, realizing who that belonged to. "DAMN YOU, YHWACH!" he turned around to see his supposedly defeated foe standing there amidst this light.

Right now, Yhwach's entire form was enveloped in his black cloak with many eyes. But it gradually vanished as it went into his eyes. They reverted back to the oval-like ones which the Soul King had. He smirked as he watched the reaction on Aizen's face.

"You…..YOU WERE AT YANLUO'S DOOR! I DEFEATED YOU!" the outrage on the fallen Shinigami's face was intense.

Yhwach took pleasure at seeing the amount of distress taking hold on his opponent.

"That was an impressive performance you showed me just now, Sosuke Aizen. I will say that your strong power managed to pique my interest. You are probably among the strongest enemies I have ever faced, all the more reason for why you were chosen to be one of the Wandenreich's Five Special War Potentials. To put it in another way, feigning weakness was worth the experience!" Yhwach revealed, mockingly praising Aizen.

The fallen Shinigami was enraged. "Bastard…YOU WERE HOLDING BACK AGAINST ME!?" he yelled at the top of his lungs.

Yhwach grinned with a sadistically. "Only to see how far your arrogance and pride would go before I crushed them both into despair" he replied, cruelly mocking Aizen's overconfidence.

"It can't be…THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE!? HOW!? THAT WRETCHED ABILITY OF YOURS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A MERE MYTH!" Aizen was in disbelief.

"I suppose you must be talking about "The Almighty", correct? Come now, Aizen. I expected you to know more about it considering how I am the Soul King's offspring! Didn't your late teacher Bansui Amatsuki ever tell you about the secrets of the universe?" the Quincy Emperor revealed, bringing in a person from Aizen's past.

Aizen gritted his teeth in rage. "No! You are no God! You are merely a Quincy with a false…." Aizen froze as he could feel something powerful pierce through his body. He looked down and saw Yhwach's own sword being stuck inside it. "That sword….BUT IT DISINTEGRATED!" he yelled out.

"The name of my blade is called "Ewigkeit". It cannot die as long there exist Reishi in the air" Yhwach explained as he approached the paralyzed Shinigami, who was already bleeding. Yhwach proceeded to grab his Zanpakutou. "And just so you know, I already changed the future, so that I had touched your sword to erase the hypnosis. In a way, that already makes your Kyoka Suigetsu my ally now" he mockingly revealed to his foe.

The brown-haired man still possessed enough strength to make a move, and he was about to slash Yhwach, let alone make a Kido-spell.

"IT'S NOT OVER YET! I WILL…" Aizen didn't get to finish as Yhwach grabbed him by his face.

"Be quiet now. I am finished with you here" Yhwach said before he and Aizen started levitating above the ground. "Now as much as I would like to play with you more, I believe that I've humbled you just enough before your ultimate demise" he concluded.

Aizen was angered by Yhwach underestimating him. "What do you mean by that!?" he demanded.

A smirk formed underneath Yhwach's moustache. "It's simple. I will not be the one who ends you, Sosuke Aizen. Yes, as of now, killing you is impossible because of your infusion with the Hogyoku. However, there exist a way of killing you. But I don't possess the knowledge to carry it out. Indeed, that honor does not belong to me. It belongs to…...Augustus Zod Allowin" he revealed all the details.

"BULLSHIT! AUGUSTUS ZOD ALLOWIN'S EXISTENCE IS NOTHING BUT A MYTH! NO HOLLOW COULD POSSIBLY KILL ME! THEY ARE POWERLESS CREATURES, NOTHING BUT SHEEP TO THE SLAUGHTER!" Aizen yelled, even as his face was covered by Yhwach's hand.

"And what makes you so certain? After all, Allowin is not just a Hollow" Yhwach told him. "That creature possesses two things which I know will defeat you for good. One: the knowledge of the Hogyoku's origins. Yes, I know that this orb's power is not of Soul Society origins. Only your former friend, Kisuke Urahara, knows the full truth. And two: the key to the Sea of Suffering, the place where those most irredeemable souls go. If you thought Hell was the place where they went, you are sadly mistaken. After all, Hell is only the place of the sinners" the emperor revealed while even showing it with his fingers.

Instead of being struck with fear, Aizen remained defiant. Yhwach could see that based upon his visible eye.

"I do not believe a word you say. You will die, you son of a bitch!" Aizen sneered at him, yet his foe didn't seem much concerned.

Yhwach chuckled. "How unfortunate. I almost feel sad for your delusions of grandeur, Aizen. But no matter, you will not last in my universe for so long" the emperor said, moving closer to Aizen as if he wanted to whisper something in his ear. "Because now that you're free from your binds, your movement will be noticed by "him". If you had any sense, you would've already start making your run for it. Because "he" will search for you, no matter where you hide. Whether it be the Soul Society, Hueco Mundo or even the Human World…Allowin will find you in the end. Because he always recognizes the power of Hogyoku that dwells inside of you" he whispered a long sentence.

Aizen only stood completely emotionless and listened as he heard the words coming out of the Quincy's mouth. As some of those had startled him a little, the fallen Shinigami simply refused to believe his words.

"NO! YOU'RE A DAMN LIAR! NEVER WILL I BELIEVE THE WORDS OF A FALSE PROPHET!" he yelled back.

"Then believe what you will. All that I am doing is giving you some piece of advice" Yhwach responded, his grip on Aizen's tightening. "With that said, it appears that our time has finally passed. I bid you an eternal farewell, Sosuke Aizen. A shame that you never had the ambitions as I have" he finished his words by sending his opponent flying straight towards the direction in front of him.

Aizen was shot far away to some mountains in the distance like speeding bullet. But as powerful as he was, the fallen Shinigami couldn't even stop all this. He continued speeding until there was no sight of him.

With that said, Yhwach laughed, seeing his opponent vanishing in the blink of an eye. Slowly, he levitated towards the ground, near the giant crater beside him.

"My attack will only render him unconscious. Still, it will not be long before he recovers. What he does next is none of our concern. Isn't that right?" Yhwach noted, taking notice of someone appearing from the nearby woods.

The individual showing himself was none other than the Sternritter Grandmaster himself: Jugram Haschwalth. The blonde-haired man looked pretty nonchalant as he approached his liege with a formal nod.

"Haschwalth" Yhwach finally addressed the name of his second-in-command.

"Your fight had me worried for a slight second, Your Majesty. I had assumed that I would've needed to intervene" Haschwalth explained, his lips curving into a smirk. "But it appears that I underestimated your power too much. For that, I sincerely apologize" he did so with a bow.

"There is no need for that. After all, fighting Aizen is something I had always looked forward to. A pity that it ended so quickly, though" the emperor remarked, taking a brief glance at the crater where the Sereitei once stood. "Anything symbolizing the Soul Society must be purged. The Wandenreich will see to that happen" he then remarked.

"I also came here bearing great news, sire. Two induviduals known for instigating resistance against us, Genji Isawa and Nayura Amakado, have been apprehended by the Sonneritters. They are both being brought to Urteil as we speak" Haschwalth delivered some good news to his superior.

"That is wonderful, indeed. However, a bunch of disorganized denizens is the least of my concern" Yhwach told the Sternritter Grandmaster as he looked up to the skies. "Even as we have made a new home for us here, enemies threaten the Wandenreich from all corners. In both Hell and Hueco Mundo, armies are marching at our borders. And despite our success in conquering the Soul Society, remnants of the 13 Court Guard Squads still live" Yhwach was analyzing the issue.

Haschwalth nodded solemnly. "That is true. But rest assured, we will find them. And it is also unlikely that they will ever find good allies from the Imperio de Hierro. Those Hollow beasts will slaughter them all when they spot them walking in Hueco Mundo" he informed his superior.

A chuckle escaped Yhwach's lips. "Agreed. For now, we return to Wahrwelt. Standing near these broken ruins taxes me" he said, creating a large portal which appeared in front of them both.

"But what will you do once we get back in Silbern, Your Majesty?" Haschwalth felt the need to ask his superior.

Yhwach stopped, briefly looking past his shoulder to face his second-in-command.

"Quite simple, Haschwalth. It's time that I corresponded with our former ally…..Wang Yanluo" he revealed before walking through the portal.

Feeling the need to know more about this upcoming communication between his liege and the Diyu Empire's Eternal Emperor, Haschwalth followed Yhwach into the portal.

Once the two were through, the portal vanished quickly.

In the meantime, far away from the crater itself, and into a wall of rocks at the foot of a mountain.

Aizen bad barley woken up from the attack Yhwach had pulled on him. One by one, the boulders were removed thanks to his Spiritual Pressure. Judging from his face, Aizen looked furious at the humiliation he had suffered by Yhwach's hands.

"You will die…..YHWACH!" the fury in the fallen Shinigami's visible eye was undeniable.

To be continued…..


Author's note: That was chapter 54. I don't know whether I will be writing more or not. Still, it was fun in trying to make some sense out of this. Yes, this chapter was more about how the Soul Society has changed under the Wandenreich's rule, as well as Aizen's reasons for carrying those ambitions of his. Now before you Aizen fanboys all go out "but Aizen's not that weak, he should've won!" argument. I agree that Aizen is strong, but he's not the main antagonist for this part of Bleach's story. That honor belongs to Yhwach. Also, Bleach has very few villains besides Aizen and Yhwach, so that's why I came up with Wang Yanluo, to create another threat to the Soul Society.

You might wonder what will happen next. Well, I'll let you figure it out.

NOTE: Both Genji Isawa and Nayura Amakado are characters from a couple of Bleach novels, in case you're wondering.

Die Wiege – German for "The Cradle": Ever since the Wandenreich's takeover of the Soul Society, they have completely changed the atmosphere around its settlements, including the Rukon District. In fact, it is now a large city-like settlement around the ruins of the Sereitei, functioning as a melting pot between Quincies and Souls. And of course, they all hail Yhwach as a God, as well as their new ruler and savior.

Erzengel – German for "Archangel": Among the Sonneritters, there are seven who are known to wield the uttermost authority within the order. These are also known as the grandmasters of the Sonneritters. The four Erzengels revealed so far are Tokinada Tsunayashiro, Kensei Mugurama, Rojuro Otoribashi and Toshiro Hitsugaya. (NOTE: Yes, the Erzengels are inspired by the seven archangels in Christian mythology, especially in the Orthodox faith).

Schattenmühle – German for "Shadow Mill": This is the name of one of the many districts in Die Wiege, along with Holzkamm.

Ewigkeit – German for "Eternity": This is the name of the Reishi Broadsword I gave. It matches well considering how its made out of Reishi and can't be broken as long there exists Reishi in the air.