Chapter 1: Kriegvorbereitung

Ichigo Kurosaki woke up to the intrusion of morning light. Stretching, the young man looked over at his calendar and felt satisfied. It was July now. Spring exams had ended, and now he had a month of summer to enjoy. The carrot top got up and opened his nightstand drawer, searching for his phone. His friends probably wanted to hang out and celebrate another complete term of university.

While rummaging, his hand brushed up against some wooden block. Ichigo reached over and pulled out his Substitute Shinigami badge, smiling to himself. A mixed sense of pride and nostalgia filled him whenever he looked at the keepsake. Three years had passed since he last helped Soul Society and last saw his friend, Uryu Ishida. The teen was almost 20 now and living on his own now.

Many other events had transpired following the end of the war. Firstly, Uryu needed a pardon for joining Yhwach. He agreed to a truce with the SS, which Tia Halibel joined in on after reclaiming Hueco Mundo. The three now held a steady alliance.

Ichigo's life was pretty normal. The Eighth Division had jurisdiction over Karakura Town now, causing his Hollow hunting days to decrease. Ichigo's hometown had turned tranquil. However, his peaceful days were soon to take a sharp turn.

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The Warehouse District: an area of factories and run down apartment complexes. Most people avoided it due to its poor conditions. Crime was low due to this, which ironically made the place a hub for gangs since the police had little reason to be there. On this particular morning, three individuals had met together. Two of them wore matching gray military uniforms and mantles.

"Did we really have to rendezvous in such a drab place," Yosiah Grimmlocke complained. He was a rather charismatic man with gelled back hair and tanned skin. An ornate neckpiece decorated his neck, and a six pointed star. He waved a hand around the room, indicating his disapproval of its dreary state.

"Oh don't be like that, Yosiah. We're pretty lucky to have such a secluded location. Besides, aren't I a beautiful enough sight to behold?"

The woman who addressed Yosiah had brown, curly hair down to her shoulder blades, with red highlights accentuating her scarlet eyes. Yosiah looked at his female counterpart up and down.

"You certainly are gorgeous, Nicky. But I'm sorry to say that you lack a specific grace that I look for in a woman," he answered.

"You're beauty's a bit...superficial for me, I'm afraid."

Nicolle Dassler playfully pursed her lips together in a pout. "You're such a cruel man."

"Frankly, I find the way you two idealize beauty and grace outright disgusting," admitted the room's third occupant.

A man wearing a hunter green bug mask with yellow eye sockets stood with folded arms. His sleeveless uniform was covered by a black combat jacket with an insignia of a hexagram over the left breast. On his shoulder was the tattoo of a black sun.

"We didn't come here to discuss your philosophies on attraction. There's a job we have to do," Otto Richter stated.

"You're quite rude today, Otto," Yosiah shot back. "But you're right. So what's our objective?"

Otto reached into the pocket of his gray pants and took out a photo of Ichigo. "This man is Ichigo Kurosaki. He doesn't look like anything more than a boy, but apparently his role in the upcoming war will be crucial to both sides. I've heard stories about him. So be careful about this.

Yosiah looked skeptical. "What about you? There better be a good reason to make us do all the dirty work."

"I've been tasked with eliminating Kisuke Urahara." The other two looked impressed. "Don't be so surprised. I'm one of the Elite, after all. He walked to the room's disheveled door, waving his hand behind his head. "Good luck." With that, a shadow shrouded Hus body and whisked him off elsewhere.

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Desert of Hueco Mundo

Grimmjow Jeagerjaques grinned sadistically as he held up a bloodied Arrancar by the throat. The injured Hollow looked down at him with eyes of fury.

"Y-you will regret opposing the Black Sun, Las Noches dog! These are y-your last days of arrogance! Tell Halibel that her reign will soon end. For in a week, we will-!"

The infuriated man's eyes bulged as a cero from Grimmjow's hand tore through his body. Blood poured from the gaping hole in his body. "What was that?" Grimmjow asked mockingly. "I can't hear you." The Espada threw his adversary's body aside like one throws away a gum wrapper. Grimmjow turned to Neliel Tu Odelschvank, who gave him a berating look. "What?"

"I just find your love of fighting childish, is all."

Grimmjow clicked his teeth. "Tch. As if I care what you-." Grimmjow suddenly turned his head. "What's that Reiatsu?" He took off, leaving Nel to follow after him.

"Wait! What are you-?" That's when she saw it. An Arrancar, devoid of clothing, was giving off the strange Reiatsu. He had spiky black hair, green eyes, and a bone like fragment covering his mouth; his Hollow mask. It was similar to Halibel's, minus the rows of teeth.

"Where am I?" he asked in a daze, rubbing his head as he sat upright.

Grimmjow gripped the sheath of his zanpakuto cautiously. " Who are you. I didn't sense you earlier. Just where did you come from-."

"My name," he answered.

Grimmjow narrowed his eyes. "What?"

"My name," he reiterated. "Ignacio Lunes. That's all I can remember."

Nel's eyes widened. In the center of Ignacio's chest was a small violet orb. The Hogyoku. "Grimmjow. We need to take him with us. Lady Halibel needs to see this.

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Silbern, Vandenreich

Uryu Ishida sat in his throne on his stage. Sitting on the floor in front of him was Wolfgang Eichwald, a dark skinned Englishman. He wore a customized Sternritter uniform which was sleeveless. He was 19 years old, the same as his now king.

"May I ask a question?" Wolfgang inquired.

Uryu waved his hand. "Go ahead."

"Are you God?"

The question caught Uryu off guard. He had to think for a second. "Honestly, after all that's happened, I'm not sure who's supposed to be playing 'God' anymore," he answered.

"Oh. I suppose that would make sense. This definetly doesn't look like how people think Heaven is like. I'm also not dead, and I doubt they'dlet me bring a gun." Strapped on his back was an AK-101. "From what Bianca told me, you are supposed to give me a power?"

Uryu reached into his mantle and produced a small saucer. Forming a knife from Reishi, he cut open his palm and let the blood flow into it. Then he started to mutter something in German. A blue light flickered through the saucer before creating an outline around it. "Through the blood which I have 'blessed', a Schrift will be imprinted onto your soul as you drink. That will be your ability."

"This is similar to a Church communion," Wolfgang remarked as he reached out for the saucer. He looked at it hesitantly. Closing his eyes, he brought the dish to his slips and drunk. Surprisingly, the concoction wasn't bitter, as blood is supposed to be. Actually, Wolfgang felt quite rejuvenated.

"You have received the Schrift of 'C'; my final Sternritter."