Within the northern sector of the Silberstadt. Laid the District of Research and Technology. Which is composed of several factories, spiritual nuclear plants, and laboratories. The district was responsible for many technological wonders within soul society and the living world for hundreds of years. From the flying cars and holograms that became commonplace to everyday citizens. To the spell items used by the sternrriter order of the Quincy.

With now their latest invention now presented to Yhwach by hologram.

'So this is the method you created to counter the Espada's Segunda Etapa BG9?' The Quincy king question. At the same time, a tall, aged man with purple hair and a left blue cybernetic eye bowed to his king.

'Yes, your majesty,' the sternritter said in a stoic but respectful voice and then directed his attention to four white silver pointed objects on the operating table.

'After over a decade of research, I have finally perfected the next stage in the evolution of Quincy combat' he then lifted one of the objects' The Nägel des Aufstiegs (Nails of Ascension)

'The Nagel Des Aufsteigs?' Yhwach repeated. 'Are they an expansion of the Sanrei Glove?' He question but BG9 shook his head.

'Oh no, your majesty. It goes far beyond just mere expansion. For by implanting themselves with these very nails, a Quincy could rise to the level near that of a god!'

Yhwach's eyes then widen in amazement. 'Really, as in a transcendent?

BG9 nodded. 'Provided said Quincy has the potential of becoming one and even if not. The power granted by the nail, when embedded, will be more than enough to overwhelm the Espada's second release.

The king then lowered his gaze upon hearing the news and looked over the empowered tools on the table. 'But you only have four of them...'

BG9 averted his gaze as he tried to find a way to light up the situation. 'Unfortunately, given the little time, we could only make four...but there are still enough nails for your personal guard...' he tried to reason, but Yhwach shook his head.

'What I desire is not my protection,' but the protection of my people,' he argued back, and BG remained quiet.

'However...' Yhwach pondered, making the cybernetic sternritter perk up. 'Perhaps instead of trying to benefit all of the sternrriters or just me...it should go out those that can give out the most benefit to others'

Meanwhile, within the open lands of the world of the living.

'I am not sure we should be doing this...' Cang Du muttered to Liltotto Lamperd as he followed closely behind her.

'After all, while he may not exactly follow Barragan anymore. That doesn't mean he is willing to follow us...especially given the type of town he runs' the sternritter of iron-muttered. But Liltotto just rolled her eyes.

'Can't help it, since it is his majesty's orders, and besides, we are trying to negotiate with him to join us, not force him. At worse, the coyote would say no' she argued, but Cang looked unconvinced.

'Somehow, I doubt that is the worse he will do,' he argues while the sternritter of gluttony groans.

'Just shut up and follow my lead,' she snapped, and Cang became quiet.

Eventually, after walking for a few minutes, they came upon the downtown part of a ruined city. With virtually all the buildings seemingly collapsed into one another in a pile. At the same time, they looked worn and torn by age and past battles. Yet even then, the city was not abandoned as Cang Du and Liltotto could feel the spiritual presence of several scavengers running around and hiding within the ruins. Likely as a means of not wanting to confront the two sternritters.

However, as they walked deeper into the city, the scavengers became slightly bolder, first, instead of avoiding them. They began to follow them, and then later on, instead of keeping their distance, they drew in closer, and eventually, right before Cang Du and Liltotto could arrive at their destination. They came upon a massive wooden gate that stood in front of a vast clearing, and at that moment, the scavengers finally revealed themselves.

However, while they wore the poor, dirty clothes and rages common among the scavengers of the deadlands, some details stood out among them.

Some of them were Arrancar; whose broken mask fragments could be seen from their hoods. Some had hollow masks that covered their entire faces. While their eyes had blacked sclera and shining golden pupils, others were fullbringers or even fellow quinces who had their weapons drawn.

While in front of the group was a young man in a cowboy outfit and a tall busted woman with a mechanical arm beside him.

Stark Lilynette and Kūkaku Shiba.

'Well, well,' the Arrancar said, oozing with sarcasm. 'Usually, the only quinces that come around these parts are a couple of die-hard soldats or self-righteous offiziers, but the actual sternritters themselves?' he then smirked. 'Now that is something to gawk at.'

Cang Du looked around nervously. While Liltotto merely frowns.

'Okay, look, I understand that you folks here don't care all that much about the holy kingdom...but we need your help,' the stenrritter of gluttony pleaded, and Stark then raised an eyebrow.

'Really?' He said lowly. 'You...need our help...?' his voice then became cold. 'After you and your people left us all to rot?!' he accused angrily as his spiritual pressure rose with enough force to stun both the sternritters and make them struggle to maintain their composer.

'Be that as it may...we are not asking you to work for us for free. We can offer you supplies and get you better defenses, ' Liltotto offered, but Stark remained unmoved.

'Well...' he smiled. 'I have to admit those offers do sound tempting...' he said in a pleasant tone, only for it to dark. 'But such things are ultimately short-term.'

Liltotto and Cang then stepped back as Stark walked up to them.

'What about the acceptance into the shielded cities or the soul society? the retribution of all the people you harmed, threatened, abandoned, and killed?' The Arrancar continued to question, but both the Quincy remained silent.

'No answer, huh?...alright then, here is mine' Stark then turned his back at the sternritter. 'Get the hell out of my town.'

Liltotto then frowns at the answer. 'So you are willing to face Barragan's forces alone than help us out?'

Stark then sneered. 'Oh, now you admit you will lose to that old fossil? Man, you Quincy are desperate' the Arrancar then gave the blond-haired woman a condescending smirk. 'Let's just say that we have plans to save ourselves,' he then sneered, 'Without your help.'

Liltotto then let out a bitter sigh and began to turn himself around. 'Come, Cang; we will just have to find allies elsewhere.'

However, just as the star knights began to leave, someone then called out to them.

'WAIT!' The voice cried out, and when the two in the area turned to see its source. They saw a dark-skin man with beaded black dreadlocks and blind pale eyes, wearing a simple pair of light brown robes, a dark brown cloak, and wielding a long wooden walking staff.

Stark then raised an eyebrow. 'Tousen, you wanted to make a deal with these quinces?'

The man then nodded. 'We cannot allow the past grievance to cloud our judgment Stark. Especially for those that truly need our help. Them willing to offer us supplies and protection only further proves this' he then looked towards the two quinces. 'And besides...we need all the help we can get to deal with the hollow hoards.'

Stark then looked at Tousen for a moment and then shrugged. 'Eh, whatever you say, chief,' he eyed the two sternrriter.

'Alright, you two, come on in,' the Arrancar commanded as he began to walk into the town, and the rest of the scavengers lowered their weapons. At the same time, Cang and Littbaro followed him past the village gate.

Upon entering the settlement. Cang and Liltotto were surprised to see how big the place was and what was built within it. Hundreds of wooden bridges line the ruined fallen buildings and many shacks and hunts, built outside or inside the structure's rooms and from what can be seen from a distance. Several giant windmills were built on top of the ruins themselves—likely severing as a source of electricity.

As the two sternrriter continued to walk. They saw more citizens hiding within the huts and shacks or staring at them with contempt. While the others, like the children, either averted their eyes or hid behind their parents.

However, Cang Du and Liltotto tried their best to ignore them despite the cold welcome. Even when they still felt a lingering killer intent within most of the populace.

Eventually, they came upon the largest hut within the village and walked inside it. Along with Tousen, Stark, and Kūkaku.

A few minutes later

'I see...' Tousen' mused as he went through all the information the two sternrriter told him while sipping a bowl of soup. 'The hollows planned to launch an invasion within less than three days upon the silver-city, and you want Stark to fight against Espada. Due to all of you being outmatched by their Segunda etapa', the man took another drink from his soup. 'It is little wonder why you come to seek our aid.'

The women with the mechanical arm remain unconvinced. 'Okay, so the Espada has a second form now. Big deal. You still have this alternate Ichigo or whatever and plenty of other sternrriters to fight them off.'

'I have to agree,' Stark spoke up. 'I mean, you already defeated three of them on your own. So I don't see why you need my help.'

Cang then let out a defeated breath. 'You overestimate us, Stark,' the sternritter said as he adjusted his seating. 'As of this moment, only one of us sternritter was able to defeat an Espada in their Segunda Etapa on their own, and Robert Accotrone was among the most powerful and skilled knights we have. While the Espada in question was only ranked 9th.'

Liltotto then chimes in 'Not only that, but the other two Espada can't even be counted as a victory for the holy kingdom, not just because they have already been replaced. But also because one of them killed didn't even have a Segunda Etapa, and the other needed to be defeated by Ichigo Kurosaki. A guy meant to bring down the Barragan'

The Arrancar then dropped his jaw in bewilderment and dread upon hearing the news. 'Uh, okay...what about the xcuation directors? Surely they can help you out?' he asked, but Cang shook his head.

'Most of them are no more powerful than most of the sternritters, and none of them have faced or defeated an Espada in their Segunda Etapa forms,' the sternritter of iron explained grimly and then stared at Stark. 'However, if we have another Espada level fighter on our side and a high ranking one at that. It just might tip the tide of this war into our favor.'

The green-haired man then looked at the two the sternritter for a moment and let a long tied breath. 'Look, I get it. My old compatriots have you outgun, and you need powerful fighters to back you up...' He lowered his gaze. 'However, I am not one of those fighters'

'Stark...' Tousen said, but the Arrancar continued.

'Ignoring the fact that I haven't been in a serious fight in like twenty years. I will not risk my life for people who treat my comrades like trash. Even if it means planting a massive target for Barragan to aim at.'

'And do you think you or we can handle the hollow king alone if he comes after us? After he lays devastation to the holy kingdom itself?' Tousen challenge, which then made Lilynette hesitate.

'Stark...' the shingmai began to speak as he looked up to his friend. 'I can understand your bitterness to those that wronged you and your friends. But as I have said beforehand, you cannot allow such bittiness to cloud your judgment.'

The Arrancar then turned his face away while Tousen continued. 'Especially when we could lose everything by refusing...'

Stark then looked over to his chief, then to Kūkaku, who seemed to agree, and the two sternritter.

He wanted to refuse the quinces offer. To say that they can handle themselves on their own. That he could beat all of Barragan's army by himself. However...deep down, he knew that he was only fooling himself. He knew that the only reason that his former king didn't hunt him down and massacre the entire town was that he prioritized Quincy's destruction over punishing him for his betrayal.

Sure he wouldn't be alone fighting the Espada and their cronies off. But most of his village comrades are not vital to handling the Arrancar army. With the closest one being Tousen, it likely wouldn't be enough even then.

So, regardless of whether or not he wanted to, in the end. He didn't have much choice in the matter...except for maybe one.

'Alright...I'll help you quincies in fighting off the Arrancar...but you are going to have to do something for me first.'