Ichigo frowned with worry as he oversaw the fight between the Bazz-B and Stark.

While at first, he had his doubts that the fire-wielding Quincy would be able to prevail over such a powerful foe. But Uryu reassured Ichigo that he should have faith in the stenritter's abilities.

However, as the fight dragged on...it became apparent that the regional commander stood no chance against the former prima, as Stark used only the bare minimum of his power and the most basic techniques of an Arrancar to overpower the stenritter. At the same time, Bazz-B couldn't land a single hit on him even when he went into his holy form and used his most powerful techniques.

This only got worse when the stubborn man began to launch his ultimate attack on the former prima and forced the latter to counter it with a Cero...before overpowering the attack.

Ichigo, in turn, was then going to aid Bazz-B to save him. Pride and honor be damn. But Uryu grabbed hold of his arm to stop him.

'Ishida, let me go!' Ichigo shouted. 'If you don't, he is going to die!'

Uyru then closed his eyes. 'I know Kurosaki...however, your intervention is not necessary.'

The shingmai then looked at the prince in confusion. 'What are you-'

Suddenly Ichigo felt a massive chill from behind him and as he looked down on the field, he saw to his shock that the entire battlefield had been frozen over...along with the Cero that nearly destroyed Bazz-B.

Stark then gave off an impressive whistle upon seeing his attack frozen and then crumbling apart into shards of ice.

'That other Sternritter...' the Arrancar mused as he looked at the mask-wearing Quincy with his right hand stretched out and glaring at him with dark blue-gray eyes. 'He was able to freeze my fully powered Cero with just a wave of his hands...and he did that just right before it could hit that hot-head kid at point-blank range.'

He then smirked as he tilted up his hat. 'Not many people even among the Espada could do something like that...' He chuckled. 'And with such ease too.'

'Lilynette Stark...' Kyiv addressed the Arrancar. 'As you can see. Bazzard Black is no longer capable of fighting. However, I will gladly fight you in his place if you wish it.'

The regional commander then bared his teeth in embarrassment but said nothing. In contrast, Stark turned himself around and began to walk out of the arena field.

'Oh, there is no need for that,' he casually said before placing both hands in his pockets. 'Because I am already impressed.'

Kyiv gave Stark a look of confusion. 'I beg your pardon?'

'When I said about fighting, one of you Knights to see if you impressed me enough. It was never about winning or losing. 'It was all about whenever you were strong enough to be worth defending and to rely on to watch my back when my former comrades came knocking,' He explained with his back turn, and then he stopped himself.

'And you kid,' Stark said as he turned to face Kyiv. 'Fulfilled those requirements,' The man then turned around and exited the stadium.

With the Arrancar gone, Kyiv then looked towards Bazz-B' are you, alright regional commander?' He asked in concern. But the fiery Sternritter gave him a hateful look.

'... get the hell out of my sight, peasant...' Bazzard spat cruelly and then began to walk out of the arena himself. 'Otherwise, I will have you court-martialed for interrupting your commander's fight.'

With no other words to say. Kyiv left the arena himself in disappointment. At the same time, the rest of the crowd mumbled among themselves.

Later that day, Ichigo and Uryu headed down to the academy cafeteria for lunch and discussed the current fight.

'So, do you think Bazz-B will be okay after that fight?' Ichigo asked. He leaned into his seat while Uryu folded his hands.

'Aside from a few minor burns, bruises, and exhaustion, he should be fine...' he then paused. 'But his pride is another matter entirely.'

Ichigo's expression then softened. 'Guess he doesn't take a loss or getting help from someone all that well.'

'Bazz-B is a very proud individual who takes his honor as a Quincy far more seriously than most and always seeks to prove it to those who disrespect it...' Uryu then paused once more, before taking a bit out of his lunch. 'Even when it comes to his detriment.'

The Shingmai could relate as he knew many people like Bazz-B with prideful egos and a hatred of losing. Aizen, Grimmjow, Renji, Dodorai, Quilge, Noritoa, etc. However, Bazz-B, from what he could feel from that Quincy's presence. That fear, doubt, and despair had overcome him in his seemingly last moments.

'Still, though...' Ichigo said as he looked down at his meal. 'It seemed there was more going on with him than just the fight itself.'

Uryu then remains quiet for a few moments. Not sure what to say, but then he breathed in inward and decided to do so in the best way possible.

'Ichigo Kurosaki...' The White prince began to explain as he focused his gaze on the Shinigami. 'What do you know...about the Quincy nobility?'

The orange-haired youth then thought long and hard about the question as he placed his right hand on his chin before answering. 'Nothing really, but I guess they are similar to the Shinigami nobles in my world?'

The prince then to paused at the remark and then closed his eyes. 'More than you could imagine,' he said, making Ichigo frown.

'During the founding days of the Holy Kingdom, when the realm of the Soul Society was just conquered from the Shinigami. The first Quincy king gave all of his remaining knights and followers positions of power to help govern the kingdom. These positions were then passed down to their decedents, who became known as the Quincy Nobility' Uryu explained as he folded his hands. 'Originally, the positions of power, such as the military, economics, and law enforcement, were meant only to guide the people of the Holy Kingdom...however, as time went on, the nobility wanted more than to guide the people. They wanted complete and utter control over them.'

Ichigo then frowns as Uryu continues his story.

'Soon, caste systems, the relegation of information, and other restrictions were spread across the entire nation by the Nobility. All in the name of preserving order and prosperity even when it was anything but. While those who rebelled against the system were either shunned, exiled, executed...or made into an example and none were more victims of the nobility's lust for power than the Quincy kings themselves.'

The shinigami's mouth then gasped at what his friend had just said. 'But I thought the king had absolute authority over everything in the Soul Society including the nobles?' he questioned.

But Uryu's face just went grimmer. 'Well, that is just it, Kurosaki...the nobility isn't just responsible for governing the kingdom...but also for finding and raising the Soul King's successor.'

Ichigo then stuttered upon realizing what Uryu was implying. 'Then that means...'

'Yes, Kurosaki...' Uryu confirmed. 'By installing their ideas, beliefs, and heritage into those successors and having them carry them out, the nobility maintained their hold over the holy kingdom and the soul society for over a million years. With Bazz-B's family, the Blacks. Being the latest among the noble families that have raised the king's successors for the past hundred thousand years'

A cold shiver then went down Ichigo's spine as he took in all the information given to him.

'This...' he thought with dread. 'Is almost exactly what the five noble clans have done to the Reio in my world. But instead of turning him into a living corpse, a lynchpin, and posing him as a king. These Quincy noble bastards have been manipulating these successors, possibly children, hundreds of times over. Just for the sake of control and power...'

Ichigo then looked at Uryu warmly. 'So... are the nobility still in charge even now?' he asked, and to his surprise, Ishidia chucked.

'Thankfully no...' he then huffed. 'Or at least not nearly as much as they used to be.'

The teen then looked at the Quincy prince in confusion. 'What do you mean?'

Uryu then readjusted himself. 'Towards the dawn of his millennia. Yhwach, the latest line of successors, was one of the few that managed to break away from the influence of the Black family and, from then on, has done much in dismantling the caste system and the restriction of information, and the restoration of civilian rights. Much to chagrin of the nobles...But it began to reach its boiling point when they failed to find any Quincy successors to replace Yhwach in those past thousand years' he then focused his gaze on Ichigo. 'And especially so, when Yhwach found his successor.'

The Shingmai then narrowed his eyes. 'I guess they didn't like the fact that a hybrid like me could take the throne?'

Uryu nodded. 'Indeed, Kurosaki, for the Black family, knew that a new generation of kings would eventually outstrip their influence over the holy kingdom. So, they decided to create their successor to combat his majesty's—all in a last-ditch effort to regain their foothold of power.' he stared back at Ichigo. 'Bazzard Black'

Ichigo's expression then soured. 'So those big wigs had Bazz-B fight that alternate version of me for control over the soul society?' he summarized. ' From what I can guess, that didn't turn out well for him.'

'No, it didn't,' Uryu said simply.

'But still...' Ichigo once more questioned. 'Why is it that Bazz-B was obsessed with beating Stark and not allowing the other Sternrriters to fright him instead? I mean, that frost guy could have taken him on.'

Ishida, however, just sighed. 'Ichigo, it is not just about you or a version of you beating Bazz-B that caused him to lash out at Stark...but rather it was a desperate attempt to prove that his status as a Quincy noble meant something.'

The Shingmai then furrowed his brow. 'So, because he thought he was part of some nobility, he felt entitled to be one of the best Quincy?'

'In a way...unfortunately,' Uyru grimly confirmed. 'Most nobles believed that since they descended from the first generation of the Sternrriter order. They were destined to be the most powerful of Quinces. 'With Bazz-B being among the strongest in all past generations of them' His eyes went dim. 'However, when compared to the later generations of the Star Knights. The first was at best above average.'

Ichigo then gasps. 'Above-average?' He repeated, and then his eyes widened when a realization then hit him. 'But that would mean that most of the powerful Quincy within the Sternritter of this generation...'

'Aren't even nobles, ' Uryu confirmed lowly as he began cutting and taking more bites of his food. 'Bamebettia captain of Karakura town, the concentrated spirit zone of the world of the living? Born a commoner. Cang Du? a former human martial artist made into a Quincy after joining the academy. Robert Accutrone, the current regional commander of the world of the living?' the prince shook his head. 'Use to be no more than a soldat drafted into the army until Yhwach saw his potential and our Grandmaster Jurgram Hashwalf?...once a lowly woodsman'

A bead of sweat then dripped the shinigami's face. 'And... the Sternritter who froze Stark's Cero solid?' He asked, and Uryu immediately responded.

'Kyiv Jager, a famed war hero, known as the Winter Monarch, is powerful enough to lay waste to entire Hollow hoards on his lonesome...yet he started as a mere miner boy and had an even lower status than even a commoner' Uryu then sighed. 'As you can see, Kurosaki, due to a lack of expectational members among the Sternritter, many find the Quincy nobility to be an irrelevant outdated relic of the past that is long past its prime, and for Bazzard, his fight with Stark was his one chance to restore that fabled reputation his family once had...only for it to end in an outright disaster.'

Ichigo then remains silent, not sure how they should feel for the fiery Quincy. He never really cared about status or tradition, even when he is himself related to one of the great clans himself. Yet, at the same time, he understood what it was like to put your all into it and still fail when it mattered most.

Bazz-B' the teen said. 'Will he...be able to overcome this?'

Uryu then remains quiet for a moment before answering. 'That will have to come down to Bazz-B himself, Kurosaki...'

Later that day, in a grand mansion. Bazzard Black stood alone, sitting in an armed chair in his living room as the memories of that humiliating battle constantly repeated within his mind without escape.

Along with his heated conversation with Jurgram.

'The answer is no, Bazzard,' the grandmaster answered.

'What the hell you mean no!' Bazz-B roared. 'I could have overpowered that bastard if that lowly miner boy didn't get in the way!'

'If that said boy did nothing, you would have been dead, Bazzard, and it was obvious to everyone else in that arena,' Haschwalth harshly retorted.

Bazz-B, however, only sneered. 'They don't know anything!'

'Even I who bared witness to it?' The grandmaster snapped, slicing the hot-headed man. While walking around him.

'I warn you on how powerful Stark was. Yet you ignored me. Thinking that your rage and wounded pride would lead you to victory...' he then turns around to stare down at Bazz-B. 'Only for it all to lead to your near-inevitable death.'

'I-I...' the pinked-haired man stuttered as he struggled to get the words out. 'I could have won; I could have proven to that Arrancar bastard the honor of the Quincies for daring to insult us! And I can still do it if you give me another chance!' He cried out in denial.

Yet Jurgram was done playing with the man's delusions.

'Bazzard...' the grandmaster said lowly. 'You are forbidden to confront or fight against Stark for the remainder of his war. Otherwise, I will strip you of your rank and all your privileges'

Bazz-B then gasped in shock before once again sneering in rage. 'You would dare threaten to demote me! In favor of protecting that hollow freak! Over giving me a chance to redeem our honor!?

Jurgen then frowns coldly at the fiery sternrriter. 'No, Bazzard, I place our alliance with the Arrancar over your pride as a noble.'

Bazz-B then dropped his jaw in shock upon hearing that that then grimaced. Before turning himself around began walking away.

'Then you can go on ahead and strip me of rank and privileges then...if my honor means so little to you' and that hot-headed man walked out of Jurgram's office.

'Bazz-B grabbed both handles on his chair tightly. He then remembered the passing conversations the other quinces, fullbringers, and civilians had of him as he walked through the hallways of the Palace of Governance and from the streets when he got outside.

'Is that Bazzard Black?'

'Yeah, I heard that he got severely beaten by Stark and had to save at the last minute by Kyiv.

'Geez, and what a sour loser too; have you heard him going all about the pride of the Quinces and shit like that?'

'More like the embarrassment of the Quincy'

'Honestly, if it weren't for the upcoming hollow invasion, I wouldn't even care if Stark killed him!'

'Don't count that out yet; he might get killed in the said invasion.'

'He should be a relic of the past and meant to be disposed of. If they do nothing but rob us of our future'

'Hmph, assuming he even actually cares about the future.'

'I don't think he cares about anything, aside from his pride.'

'Well, what do expect from a Black?'

Every single one of their words tore through Bazz-B's heart despite his efforts to ignore them. If only because he knew that they were accurate on some level.

That he was outdated, outmatched, and ultimately unwanted. In both him as a person and for his entire family. He almost wished, even begged, That Kyiv would let him die in Stark's hands if only so he wouldn't suffer from this embarrassment.

On top of the black prince and his family mocking him in his head.

However, his moaning was halted when a knocking came on the door.

'I thought I said no visitors!' Bazzard snapped at the door. But when it opened, he was rendered utterly speechless by the person who came out of it.