Ichigo drifted into his unconscious in what he couldn't tell was an instant or an eternity. When he finally opened his eyes, he saw himself in a large white bed inside an elegant room with matching curtains, wall paint, and blue carpet. Then, when he got up, the aged teen noticed that he was covered in bandages and dressed in gray pajamas.
The shinigami then extended his left hand briefly, ensuring he was awake. But he also noticed that while it looked aged, it was much younger than he had seen before.
But then another presence made himself known to him.
'Well, you finally decided to wake up, huh?' a voice called out to Ichigo. When he turned his head, he saw that Lyoud was leaning beside the door to his room.
'Lyoud...' Ichigo spoke slowly. 'How long have I been out?'
The Sternritter shrugged. 'About five days, and luckily, after you defeated Barragan, The Hollows and the Arrancar retreated to Hueco Mundo, thus ensuring the Holy Kingdom's victory.' He then smiled at Ichigo. 'None of which would have happened if it weren't for you Kurosaki'
Ichigo then remained silent, stared in thought, and looked back at Lyoud worriedly.
'So are all my friends and family, Keigo, Chad, Tatsuki, Mizureo, Orihime, Yuzu Karin, and the others? They are all alright?'
Lyoud then chucked. 'They got ruffed up pretty badly, but they survive, and most have already fully recovered'
The Shingmai sighed in relief until another worried thought came to his mind.
'And Yhwach, is he alright?'
The Sternritter's face then became grim, and he avoided Kurosaki's gaze for a moment before looking back at him. 'Are you able to walk?'
Ichigo slowly nodded.
'Then follow me'
Sometime later, Ichigo followed Lyoud down a dark hallway leading to the center of the palace. After opening a double door, the shingmai was brought to a large dark room with a giant crystal chandelier hanging above the ceiling. Blue, glowing vein-like patterns decorated the floor of the chamber room, and in the center of it lay an open silver coffin that held a sleeping Yhwach inside...Only now, he looked more like a withered husk.
His skin barely clung to his body, and his muscles became thin and frail.
Ichigo then winded his eyes in distress. 'What happened to him?' he said, almost panicked. At the same time, Lyoud stared at his sleeping King.
'He...' the Sternritter tried to say. 'Is undergoing the third process of the passing of the king...as many other others before him had when their time nears its end'
Ichigo then stared at Lyoud in confusion. 'The third process!?'
'Well, it's part of the Kaiser Gesang the King's Hymn'
Ichigo then winded his eyes and dropped his jaw in a terrifying realization.
'A...Hymm?'
'Yes...' Lyoud confirmed. 'It refers to the processes the kings of the Quincy go through during their one thousand reigns' He then turned over to Yhwach. 'For nine hundred years they shall rule, for ninety years they will retain their mind, and in nine years-'
'Their heart will still beat...' Ichigo finished sourly, much to Ryoud's surprise. 'When battling Barragan, he used so much of his power that it reduced him to this...' he shook his fist. 'If I had beaten Barragan the first time I faced him, none of this would have happened!'
Lyoud remained silent at Ichigo's outburst and then took a deep breath. 'Ichigo...it wasn't just because he fought against Barragan that he is this way...it was also because he wanted to save you'
Ichigo then looked at Lyoud in bewilderment. 'What...?'
'After your battle with Barragan, you were in severely critical condition basically on death's door and would have died...had Yhwach not used some of his remaining power to revive you'
Ichigo then looked at his younger hands and pulled a strand of his hair, which he saw had some color. He stared over at the sleeping King and far more withered Yhwach.
'But he wouldn't have if I-'
Kurosaki!' Lyoud snapped at the teen, and Ichigo shut himself up. 'You can blame yourself all you want for not stopping Barragan sooner. But don't you dare blame yourself for my...our Majesties choices'
Ichigo then stared at Lyoud, who had a stern and weary expression, a far cry from the joker he first appeared himself as, and then let out another deep breath.
'If anything, all this was likely something his Majesty had long since foreseen and brought forth so that You, the holy kingdom, and the worlds could prosper long after he is gone,' Lyoud declared proudly, and Ichigo. Who, while still feeling a bit of guilt on his part, couldn't help but feel at ease seeing Quincy's resolve and faith.
That is until he heard a slow, taunting clapping coming from the front door of the chamber.
'Quite an elegant speech, truly,' the smug voice of an older man said, and Ichigo immediately went on guard when he heard it. 'If you keep that up, Lyoud, then none of would ever suspect of you being His Majesty's double'
As the man walked further into the chamber, Ichigo saw that he was a middle-aged man with long red hair shaped like a mullet, a matching mustache, and a short beard. He was draped in an elegant black cape held together by a golden chain, with a dark version of the Quincy uniform underneath it and a matching metal staff with a golden handle in his right hand. All the while, he gave off a foreboding and uncanny presence.
'And just who the hell are you?' Ichigo said distastefully while Lyoud looked at the man with similar disdain before clearing his throat.
'This Kurosaki is Joseph Black, The twenty-seventh head of the Founder House of Black, advisor to the royal court, and as of this moment...' Lyoud paused while bracing himself to say the following words. 'The acting Regent of the Holy Kingdom '
Ichigo frowned and confusedly asked, ' Regent, I thought something like that would go to Hashwalf?'
Joseph then chucked at the response. 'Oh, I am afraid that the rank of Grandmaster is limited to just the order of the Sternritters Kurosaki despite being Yhwach's other half.
As a descendent of the first generation of said order, we have always succeeded in such authority. After all, we are responsible for maintaining the political affairs in the soul society, finding and raising the King's successors alongside taking up leadership when necessary
'And has the preparations been made for the former Regent Joseph?' Lyoud called out, and the older man stared at the Sternriter and smiled.
'Of course, Sir Lyoud...I was waiting for our dear beloved hero Kurosaki to be awake, and now that he is...' Joseph then walked out of the chamber. 'We can finally properly secure the future of the soul society'
Ichigo and Lyoud then looked at each other nervously but reluctantly followed the regent out of the chamber.
Meanwhile, the imperial guard discussed the war's aftermath in the Silber meeting room lit with holographic screens. Lile Barrow overlooked them while Generad, Gremmy, and Askin stood beside him.
'As of this moment, the death causalities have been reported to be about three thousand eight hundred sixty-four men, including all of the officers and apprentice knights, ' Hashwalf said over a hologram, making Lille Barrow furrow his brow.
'That means that over half of our forces have been devastated, along with losing four of our own Sternrriter,' Lille muttered bitterly. 'And of the Xcuation forces?'
Aura then spoke up from another screen. 'Three thousand and seven hundred and fifty-four seven, so it's about the same.' She then looked away. 'And that is not getting into the civilian causalities across the silver-city itself'
Lille Barrow then paused and let out a deep breath. 'Which will undoubtedly number in the hundreds of millions at minimum' he lowered his head. Never mind the expenses that would need to be covered to fix all the damages the city has endured.'
Hashwalf then narrowed his eyes on Lille Barrow. 'This means the funding for some of our other projects needs to be suspended, and we will have to raise many taxes to recover from this battle fully. However, the most important thing to know is if his majesty has a successor.
'And you will be answered soon enough!' Joseph exclaimed excitedly as Lyoud and Ichigo walked into the room while the rest of the imperial guard stared at them in anticipation.
Hashwalf then focused his gaze on Joseph from his hologram. 'And have you and the nobles reached a verdict?'
The head of the Black family smiled. 'After several days of discussion, the rest of the noble families and I have decided to appoint my son, Bazzard Black, as the successor to the Soul King'
Everyone in the room and the holograms expressed uncertainty, confusion, and anger about Joeseph's decision.
And then Ichigo spoke up.
'Sorry if this sounds too juvenile, but I thought Yhwach had already decided on a successor, ' he asked, but Joeseph gave Ichigo a knowing look.
'True, Yhwach did plan to make you his successor, but unfortunately, he never made that decision official before his slumber...because if he did, you would have been forbidden to return to your home dimension'
Ichigo winded his eyes in slight surprise and nodded in understanding. 'I see...he never truly wanted me to take his place if it meant I never see my friends and family again, but still...' he stared sternly into Joesph' Are you sure that Bazzard is up to the task?'
The Noble then chucked in amusement. 'You shouldn't be so quick to look down on my son Ichigo. After all, with the current technology at our disposal, Bazzard would be more than capable of handling the Reio's power.
Ichigo then glared at Joseph. 'That isn't the only thing I meant. I am also asking if Bazzard wants to be the Soul King?'
Joseph paused momentarily, and everyone else stared back at him. He was waiting for his answer.
The older man then cleared his throat. 'Well, of course, Bazzard wants to become the soul king. After all, it is the greatest honor that a Quincy can gain in the holy kingdom and not something that he would ever dare reject, ' he said, staring back at Ichigo with a vicious glare. 'In fact, I say you are somewhat disappointed that you wouldn't be able to rule the kingdom yourself,' he accused, but Ichigo merely let out a breath of annoyance.
'The only thing I am disappointed about is that I couldn't fully protect the people who aided me and needed my help' Ichigo then turned around to exit the room. 'But I also know when I am not wanted.'
The rest of the Imperial Guard and the people on the holograms looked at Ichigo sympathetically, but Joseph gave the aged teen a triumphant grin.
'Don't try to sell yourself short, Kurosaki. For now, your role here is done, and you are free to return to where you belong,' he glared contemptuously at Ichigo. 'And wanted...'
Kurosaki then looked Joseph in the eye, sighed in resignation, and left the room.
