Author's note: This chapter will slightly move us over to Ichigo and his pals, while also telling us about how the main group of Shinigamis are coming along. But I will first tell you a little bit about how Askin is doing things with Luddenwig. I don't own any of the characters. They belong to Tite Kubo. The original characters belong to me.
Chapter 47: My Last Words
Somewhere in the icy cityscape of Wahrwelt, Royal Realm, Soul Society
Askin was flying through the empty streets of Wahrwelt. He was chased by someone he had least expected to see. It was Luddenwig Van Gogh, a former friend of his during their time as young Quincies. But the one he had known back then, was a different person now. He was no longer a Quincy, but a fallen Quincy filled with Hollow-blood in his veins. To make matters worse, he was now one of the Dechados in the Imperio de Hierro. The white-haired man was chasing the Sternritter, feeling so much satisfaction over doing this, given what Askin had done to him in the past.
Having managed to outrun his opponent, Askin found himself standing on a rooftop, surveying the icy cityscape. Right now, the slick-haired man couldn't help but to reflect on what he had just witnessed.
"Just what the fuck is all this? Here I have my hands full with Yoruichi Shihoin and Kisuke Urahara only to be met by none other than the Dummkopf himself? My whole head's spinning around in circles!" Askin exclaimed in utter confusion and disbelief.
The Sternritter quickly turned around and walked towards the other end of the rooftop. So far, he couldn't see anything. But as he was standing there, Askin could take notice of something with regards to his fellow Schutzstaffel.
"Hmmm….I don't sense Gerard anymore. But I can tell he's still breathing. I believe he has resorted not to use his "Godly" size to defeat the intruders. Can't say I blame him. And Nianzol is also being active. I swear, what has that fool been doing since we tricked him into going that direction? He's probably been getting lost as usual" Askin wondered while thinking about his comrades. The Sternritter then turned his attention to the imposing palace of Silbern. "Well, I guess His Majesty will be in for a surprise when dealing with Ichigo Kurosaki and his gang. I just dread the feeling of him scolding me once I get back" he then remarked to himself.
"You think he will save you?" Askin snapped once he could hear a low voice calling to him from behind. The Sternritter quickly turned around to see Luddenwig standing there, already being in his Resurreción: Serafin Caìdo. "You could have been part of a solution by helping me dismantle that bastard. Instead, you chose to follow him like some Pomeranian puppy. And worst of all, you betrayed your friends" the white-haired man said, hissing as he continued speaking.
Surprisingly, Askin wasn't as scared of his opponent as he was before and simply folded his arms in a cocky fashion. "Are you still such a sourpuss about that? Come on, you know that there was no way I was gonna let you dethrone His Majesty. And for the record, who are you to call me a Pomeranian puppy? Aren't you one yourself? I mean, I guess Augustus Zod Allowin doesn't treat you fairly" the Sternritter responded.
"Since you already know so much about His Highness, you should be able to tell the difference between the way he and Yhwach treat their subordinates. But I guess you are incapable of doing that" Luddenwig told the Sternritter while brandishing his blade. "Now, let me see what I shall do with you. Shall I kill you now, or spare you? I must admit it is a hard choice for me" the Dechado revealed to Askin.
Askin responded by glancing at his opponent with dispassion. "It's illogical for you to think that you can kill me. I may as well want to show you something more. You see, I haven't yet showed you how my Grafenrheinfeld actually works" the Sternritter told him before something happened to his new form.
A new form of Reishi Wings grew out from Askin's back and they were formed like the symbol of radiation. His purple skin across his body began mutating itself to contain scales and eyes, almost as if he was a lizard. Yet despite this, Askin remained unfazed and glanced at the transformed Quincy nonchalantly.
"I usually don't use this form considering its hideousness. But because of you, I'm afraid I must use it. But surely you wouldn't mind that, would you?" Askin told his opponent.
Luddenwig was still feeling smug in face the Sternritter. "And you said my Serafin Caído was a terrible form? How hypritical, coming from a demented man such as yourself" he said while moving his feathered wings a little. "Just who is the monster between the two of us now, Nakk Le Vaar? I for one think you fit into that category" the Dechado quizzed his opponent.
Askin had to grin when hearing this, and his new monstrous teeth was shown. He had in an away become a mutant and the many eyes on his body began winking as a result.
"Well, perhaps I must be an exception amongst us Sternritters. I mean, some forms are not always perfect, not even my Grafenrheinfeld. And I say this to be blunt" Askin told his opponent before preparing something from his hands. Askin could see that Luddenwig was readying himself, much to the Sternritter's joy. "I don't know how you were able to survive Hell itself. But I will make sure that you stay dead this time! Being one of Allowin's lapdogs doesen't make you invincible!" the Sternritter pointed out to him.
Luddenwig seemed far from impressed with Askin's cockiness and arrogance and frowned at him deeply. "Hmph, your overconfidence is unbearable. That I really can say about you" he said before forming a cunning smile with his mouth. "But your intimidation, on the other hand, eludes me. Do you honestly believe that being a Schutzstaffel makes you invincible? I think I'm starting to pity you for this sad delusion you suffer from" he then added with a taunt directed towards his opponent.
The more Askin heard words coming out of Luddenwig's mouth, the more agitated he became. It only made it more tempting to end this fight quickly. "I grow weary of you and that newfound attitude of yours. It's slowly starting to become a huge pain in my ass. So in that case, let's end this fight! I've more important things to focus on, so I can't be stuck with you and your overconfidence. Have a taste of my fabulous attack: Gift Kanone!" he then said and was about to fire poison from his hands, only for a shadow to appear above him.
Once noticing how the shadow was quite large, Askin ceased his attack and looked up to see what it was. The Sternritter could see a giant golden cross hanging right above Askin. The Quincy couldn't believe in what he saw and began feeling some hints of fear within him.
"WHAT THE…..WHAT IS THAT!?" Askin exclaimed in shock and fear. He proceeded to glance at Luddenwig, who had both arms stretched out while holding his Zanpakutou. Askin became furious. "IS THIS YOUR DOING!?" he demanded some answers out of the Dechado.
Luddenwig took pleasure in seeing his opponent getting distressed, so he decided to exploit the Sternritter's fears to his advantage. "Why, of course it is. How else did you think it would appear above you? I am your only opponent, after all" the white-haired paragon told him. "Allow me to demonstrate the power I truly possess and why someone like you will never reach up to my level. What you see above you is the punishment you will receive for your sins and treachery! You may be able to survive it, but you will think twice before challenging me to a fight afterwards!" the Arrancar added as the giant cross began moving a bit up.
Askin was completely unsure about this. "This is such bullshit…" the Quincy uttered out and was about to make his move. "THIS IS SO…" Askin was too late.
"IT'S OVER! CASTIGO DIVINO!" Luddenwig yelled as the giant golden cross suddenly landed upon Askin, but it didn't stop there. The cross proceeded to fall through the building they were standing upon till it reached the ground.
Nothing remained of the hole in the ground that the giant cross had made. Luddenwig himself personally took his time to observe his handy work. He felt so much satisfaction over seeing this, even if he didn't see the Quincy's corpse.
"Hmm, I honestly could care less about whether you survive or not. Vengeance was something I really didn't have against you. It is more reserved for Yhwach" Luddenwig spoke up, trying to speak to Askin as if he was near him. "But still, this fight was indeed satisfying. I only desired to shatter your fighting spirit. Now that you have seen my power, it's futile to try and challenging me again. The gap between our powers is vast." he said before letting out an evil chuckle.
Once the chuckling finished, the Dechado could notice both Kisuke Urahara and Grimmjow Jeagerjacquez standing nearby, so he flew and landed before them. The teal-haired Arrancar only crossed his arms while seeing the Dechado arrive.
"Tch, took you long enough" Grimmjow said with a huff.
Luddenwig ignored Grimmjow's rudeness and proceeded to glance at Urahara, who had still not made a move. The Shinigami was more astounded by the power the Dechado possessed. It was unbelievable!
"So, you actually entered, despite Allowin not wishing it?" Urahara questioned Luddenwig, before forming a smug smile. "Heh. I guess my instincts were telling the truth. You would only interfere as long as the lives of either Nel or Grimmjow were in jeopardy" the shop owner smugly pointed out towards him.
Even so, Luddenwig was far from impressed to hear this. "I have no time for such idiocy, former Shinigami. If you were smart you would have concentrated on treating your friend Yoruichi Shihoin rather than wasting breaths with me" he told Urahara, causing the Shinigami's eyes to widen in realization.
He had almost forgotten about her. But Urahara could see Luddenwig open a Garganta and Grimmjow walked up towards it.
"Come, Grimmjow. His Highness awaits us back in El Dorado" the white-haired man told the Legionario.
"Whatever you say. I hope he has a good reason for wanting me back. No way I'm helping this lazy bastard anymore" Grimmjow told Luddenwig and proceeded to enter the Garganta. He was somewhat relieved that he would go back to Hueco Mundo, considering how he resented working with Urahara.
Luddenwig also entered the Garganta, yet he turned around to look at Urahara one last time. "Another reason for me being here is because of His Highness requesting me to deliver you this message. You will get your wish to stay here and fight this foolish battle. But don't expect us to let you and your friends get off the hook so easily. You still have a lot to answer for. But until then, do what you wish to save this wretched society you care so much for" those were the last words before Luddenwig and Grimmjow vanished and the Garganta closed itself.
This left Urahara all by himself, yet he didn't have time to just stand around and ponder on what to do. He had to find both Yoruichi and Yushiro. Treating their injuries was his number one priority right now. So he was quickly on the move in order to search the bodies of the Shihoin-siblings.
"Okay, once I've helped them both, we'll head for the palace. I'm certain Ichigo will be battling Yhwach by the time we arrive there" the blonde-haired man noted to himself.
While Urahara kept looking for his friends, Askin was indeed still alive. But he was not in his normal form. The Sternritter was had transformed himself into purple liquid and was now falling through one of the nearby grates. D
espite this, Askin had still been injured by Luddenwig's attack. Once all of the liquid was gathered in the sewers, it gradually began forming itself into a humanoid form. This was indeed Askin, who was now sitting against the wall pondering to himself.
"Fuck! I almost got my ass handed to me by that Dummkopf! I can't believe it!" the liquid-formed man lamented to himself. "And I had to resort to this escape method. It takes a couple of hours before I am myself again! Geez, that's another of the many things why I don't like about my Grafenrheinfeld!" the Quincy kept complaining about how much he resented this form of his Quincy: Vollständig.
Askin looked sideways, towards the direction of Silbern. He was now thinking about his liege and how he would react to this defeat of his. But then again, Askin wondered whether he even thought about problems such as these. He was already busy planning on remaking the world. Thinking about this made Askin realize something. That was one of the many reasons why he had become loyal to Yhwach in the first place. To see him destroy anything and remake it from the ashes. That was what he really desired to see.
"How will these events unfold? This only keeps getting better and better by the minute" Askin wondered to himself, feeling his curiosity taking hold on him.
Inside the towering palace of Silbern
Since infiltrating Silbern, Ichigo Kurosaki and his friends had gone through hallways and up stairways in order to find the throne room where Yhwach was resting. They had first arrived at the dungeons, yet quickly started moving upstairs to reach the heights.
So far, the group of friends had only encountered minimal resistance from Soldats and members of the Bewachen. They were easy to deal with, but the true dangerous opponents like the Sternritters were yet to be encountered. Even so, the Sternritters were not on the Substitute Shinigami's mind right now. All he was thinking about was ending Yhwach and his schemes once and for all.
"Send us everything you got, Yhwach! They won't stop us from coming at you!" Ichigo said, trying to taunt his enemy, knowing well that the Quincy Emperor could hear him, even though he and his friends had yet to figure out his location.
"Strange. So far, we've only encountered the lowest ranking Quincies and their Shinigami servants" Nelliel noted as they kept wandering these hallways. "Surely this palace's defenses can't be that weak" she added to her statement.
"Indeed. I share your suspicions. However, I also fear that we may encounter tougher resistance once we reach to the palace's upper heights" Tessai spoke up his opinion.
"But we will still take them head on, won't we, Tessai?" Ururu asked, the teenage girl carrying her missile launcher.
Tessai had to smile when hearing her say this. "Of course, we will, Ururu. I myself will not back down from this fight. I will be of assistance in any way I can. I trust that you and Jinta also do that" the tall man explained to the teenagers.
Ururu saluted at him in return. "Yessir!" she responded quickly.
Jinta only muttered to himself. "Tch, since when will he ever give me points for speaking something logical?" he wondered, feeling a little jealous of Ururu and Tessai's favoritism of her.
"Look over there, guys!" Ganju called to everyone as he pointed his finger towards an opened doorway. The group could see a stairway that lead them upwards to the next level. "I guess that's our way up!" he added.
"Then we best continue. There's no other way" Orihime suggested to everyone.
"Agreed. But watch your step. There's no telling what we may encounter once we reach the top" Chad advised his friends while agreeing with Orihime's suggestion.
"Thank for you reminding them, Chad. It makes me confident that all of you know what we're up against here" Ichigo commended his friend.
The group walked out of the doorway and was now running on the top of one of the many towers Silbern had. But the only way up was a steep stairway to the east of them. It was quite steep, and the group had decided to walk up carefully instead of running. They each had many expectations to what they would stumble upon. But above all, they would expect some form of resistance against them.
Once they reached the top, the group was in for a surprise as they could see so many thick pillars standing in a line. There was only one way and it was at the other end, on which an opened doorway could be seen. But other than that, there were no enemies to be seen so far.
"It's quiet around here" Chad remarked as he glanced around.
"Yeah, I don't like this place one bit" Ganju said, agreeing with Chad's sentiment.
"Either way, there's only one way to follow. And its entrance is over there" Ichigo said while motioning his head towards the doorway across their location. "It will take us back into the palace and probably closer to Yhwach's throne room" he then said. The Substitute Shinigami began taking small steps before running. "Let's move out!" he told them and they all began running to catch up with Ichigo.
But as Ichigo and his friends kept running, the group was in for a shock once they were almost hit by a rain of Heilig Pfiels. This forced them all to backtrack, hoping to avoid getting shot by these Reishi Arrows.
"What the hell!? What just happened!?" Jinta asked, feeling outraged over the matter.
Tessai held onto his staff while facing the road before them. "It appears we are not alone here" the Shinigami told his friends. "As a matter of fact, I think I sense somebody's Spiritual Pressure" he then added.
"No kidding. I feel it too. How come we didn't sense it before? Someone must be good at…." Orihime was wondering who it could be, only for someone to show himself before the group.
Every member of the group froze once they saw who was emerging out of hiding amongst the thick pillars. It was someone everyone knew, especially Ichigo, Orihime and Chad. Emerging from hiding was none other than Uryu Ishida. He held onto his new Heilig Bogen, shifting his direction towards the group.
But he wasn't alone. Uryu was accompanied by some of his trusted helpers, including Kana Kido, Reinhardt Hasselkampf and Hugo Alvarez. The Crown Prince fixed his eyes upon Ichigo, the orange-haired man only glaring at him angrily in return.
"You're still in the Royal Realm. even after what I suggested to you? Your stubbornness knows no bounds" Uryu remarked, his voice sounding cold as the ice itself. "Don't tell me you have stopped listening to my advices, Ichigo. There was a time you valued them, as far as I far" he added to his statement.
"Uryu…." Ichigo uttered out his name lowly before getting more furious on the inside. "YOU DARE SHOWING YOUR FACE HERE!?" he angrily demanded an answer out of his former friend.
Even after hearing Ichigo's outburst, Uryu remained nonchalant. "Showing my face here? This is His Majesty's palace. It's my duty to guard it and deal with any intruders" he told Ichigo while explaining what he was doing. "So therefore, I am showing my face here. And to be fair, I should be asking that question to you" he then said.
Kana walked up to Uryu's side and bowed to him with formality. "Prince Uryu, how can we be of assistance?" the blondie asked him before facing her stern glance towards Ichigo and his friends. "Shall we deal with these intruders for you?" she asked him.
"No. That is out of the question, Kana. Leave them to me. Besides, Ichigo Kurosaki is one of the 5 Special War Potentials. That asid, it would be better if I took care of him" Uryu spoke up before facing Kana and the other scientists. "However, I want you, Reinhardt and Hugo to go look for my Schutzstaffel and ask them to come here this instant. They will assist me with apprehending these intruders. Now go. And close the doorway while you're at it" the raven-haired prince told his subjects on what to do.
The three scientists bowed their head before him in formality. "Your wish is our command, my prince, We won't let you down" Kana told him and the trio of scientists moved towards the doorway and closed it.
On another note, Ichigo and his friends were stunned to hear the way the scientists had addressed Uryu. It made them all terrified.
"Hold on…Prince Uryu?" Jinta wondered while cooking an eyebrow. "Call me crazy, but did that chick address four-eyes as a prince?" the teenager asked his friends while getting confused.
"I heard it too. Does this mean that Uryu is a Quincy Prince or something?" Ururu asked while feeling curious.
Orihime's eyes widened in disbelief. "A Quincy Prince? It can't be true!" she exclaimed in disbelief of what she was hearing. She looked at Uryu with a slightly angered expression on her face. "Is it, Uryu!?" she demanded an answer out of him.
Ichigo gritted his teeth while glaring at Uryu, who was still standing in their way. "You're not only one of Yhwach's servants…you're also his…" the orange-haired man felt anger boil within him when he got the picture of what Uryu had done.
He remained indifferent towards them. "Correct. I am now known as the Prinz von Lichts. That means I have been chosen by His Majesty to be his heir to the Wandenreich's throne. I partook in his ritual, where I drank his blood and received the Schrift: the letter A. I carry a part of his soul as a result of that ritual. And thus, I will inherit his empire once in my lifetime" Uryu said before he formed a smirk with his mouth. "Becoming Crown Prince of the Wandenreich. It's an opportunity so rare that I couldn't even pass on it. Imagine all the powers you get to obtain once you lead one of the strongest empires in this world" he then told them.
"You're what now!?" Chad asked in outrage. "This has to be some kinda joke! It just has to be!" he added to his anger and disbelief, as Chad always knew Uryu to be the smartest person he had come across.
"What the hell's the matter with you!? How can you do this to us, after what we've been through!?" Ganju also asked, not believing how someone like Uryu would become their enemy.
"Such depravity…" Tessai noted grimly as he heard Uryu's statement. "And here I thought you were the smartest of Karakura Town's inhabitants. I suppose I was wrong" he then added with a statement.
Uryu adjusted his glasses as he heard their reactions. "Why are all of you acting so surprised? I believe I told you where my loyalties lied back in the Soul King's Palace. My loyalties lie with the Quincies, given that I am one." he sternly told them, not regretting the tone he used to address his friends. But Uryu soon faced Ichigo, who was still glaring at him. "But then again, I wouldn't happen to be the only Quincy standing here right now. Wouldn't you agree, Ichigo?" he suddenly asked the orange-haired man smugly.
Hearing this immediately set fire into Ichigo and he lost all focus on what was important. Roaring in anger, the Substitute Shinigami charged towards the four-eyed man with his blades. Uryu readied his Reishi Bow, intending on shooting and fighting his friend. He fired some arrows, only for Ichigo to avoid them by using Shunpo. Ichigo jumped in the air and planned on attacking Uryu from above.
Uryu was stunned to see how fast Ichigo had really become, yet he didn't seem worried. He quickly reached for a Seele Schneider he carried with him. With it, Uryu clashed with Ichigo, the two friends trying to overpower the other. The four-eyed man could see the anger in Ichigo's eyes, yet he kept his cool.
"Don't fucking say that to me! You know damn well why I'm here!" Ichigo told him. "I'M HERE TO KILL THAT BASTARD YHWACH!" he then yelled.
"And on whose orders? The Soul Society's? Urahara's?" Uryu questioned him with a raised eyebrow. He smirked at Ichigo. "You're only throwing away your life for a lost cause, Ichigo. How stupid can you possibly be? Do you even know what they were planning to do with you in case the Soul King died? They were planning on creating a new one, by using you!" he rebuked Ichigo while revealing something very disturbing.
Ichigo got more agitated when hearing this. Maybe it was due to what Uryu told him, maybe it was something else. Either way, the orange-haired man was now raging towards his former friend.
"TO HELL WITH THE SOUL SOCIETY!" Ichigo yelled at his friend before overpowering Uryu and push him some feet away. Uryu was still standing, ready to engage in combat once again. But he stood and listened as Ichigo faced him coldly. "I honestly don't give rat's ass about the Court Guard and their flawed leadership, let alone what plans they had for me! I'm taking this matter into my own hands! Therefore, I won't need their help in destroying Yhwach. I'll do it myself!" Ichigo told Uryu, holding nothing but contempt towards the Court Guard.
Uryu had to admit he was surprised to hear this side of Ichigo. It was as if he had given in to his Inner Hollow, if that creature still existed within him of course.
"I have to admit, seeing this side of you makes me more interested in you, Ichigo. Just how can someone like you exist? You are a Quincy by birth, yet you are able to wield the powers of a Hollow. Can't believe I'm saying this, but you are unique in the cosmos. We both know what happens when Quincies come into contact with Hollows. They die. But you, who also carries the powers of a Shinigami, are able to survive" Uryu told Ichigo.
Despite hearing this, Ichigo was still filled with rage and he proceeded to swing his Zanpakutou quickly. Uryu responded by blocking the attack with his Heilig Bogen. "Get this straight! I'm not some specimen for you to get excited over! Aizen may have done that, but he will be the only one! Nobody will be taking advantage of me anymore!" Ichigo snapped and proceeded to kick Uryu away from his position. He then started to launch new attack upon the Quincy. "GETSUGA TENSHOU!" he yelled and a crescent energy was headed straight towards Uryu.
Even so, Uryu was not worried and proceeded to avoid getting hit by using his Hirenkiyaku. Uryu was in the air, musing to himself. "Come on! That trick is getting old! Don't you have a better…" Uryu paused once he could notice that Ichigo was nowhere to be seen on the ground. Looking up, the four-eyed man widened in surprise over seeing Ichigo standing there, getting ready to slash Uryu. "What the…...HE'S FAST!" Uryu said before using his Heilig Bogen to block Ichigo's attack. He also began firing new rounds of Reishi Arrows.
"That won't fly!" Ichigo said before unleashing one of his new attacks on Uryu. "GETSUGA JUSHISHOU!" he yelled and fired a cross-shaped blast at Uryu. This sent the Quincy down to the ground. An explosion erupted as a result of this.
Out from the dust, Uryu emerged, the young man having gotten some bruises on him due to the crash. But then again, he was not out of the game yet. Looking up, Uryu aimed his Reishi Bow at Ichigo, who was now diving towards him.
"Tch…..damn it!" Uryu cursed beneath his breath as he dealt with the Substitute Shinigami. "This is just getting hopeless! Is this even worth fighting over!?" he wondered in his head, getting more frustrated by the minute.
As Ichigo battled Uryu, Nelliel and Tessai were worried about Ichigo's slow descent into rage. They each wondered whether they should've interfered and taken Ichigo place while he would proceed towards Yhwach's throne room. Maybe that was the wiser suggestion rather than to delay the inevitable.
"A part of me wants to interfere and hold off Uryu while he and the rest of you go on ahead" Nelliel tells Tessai. "But another part of tells me not to, given that Ichigo is beyond listening to reason right now" the Dechado added to her concerns for Ichigo.
"I too have that feeling in my gut" Tessai admitted to her. "Ever since he came back from training with the Royal Guard, Ichigo has acted rather antagonistic towards the Soul Society. It must be something that happened during his training by the Royal Guard. What is it? I must learn more about this from Ichigo's father" the tanned-skinned man noted to himself.
"Enough of this, Ichigo!" Uryu told his opponent as they continued to fight. "I don't want you to throw away your life for some petty quest for vengeance! It's time for you to stop this and grow up!" the four-eyed Quincy told him, yet Ichigo was not convinced.
"Me growing up? Well I can tell you this: I grew up without knowing who the true murderer of my mother was!" the orange-haired man told his former friend as they clashed. "What about your mother, Uryu? Or your grandfather for that matter? Don't you have anything to say about them!? Don't you have the desire to avenge someone you loved deeply!?" he asked him.
When Uryu heard these words, he quickly fired a Heilig Pfiel towards him. "Leave my family out of this! I may harbor little love for the Shinigamis myself, but I still know when to NOT chase lost causes! That said, I would rather focus on the future which is in my best interest" the Crown Prince told him.
Ichigo swatted away the Reishi Arrow with his blades, yet he kept charging towards Uryu with his blades. He was not keen on backing down, something Uryu took notice of.
"I don't give a damn about what your deal is! Letting Yhwach do as he pleases is definitely not in my interests! I'll never stop fighting! Not until I say it's over!" the Substitute Shinigami yelled at his opponent.
Uryu was growing more agitated by seeing how determined Ichigo was to fight him. "Damn you! You won't be running with your tail between your legs once I'm done with you!" he hit back and was about to fire his Seele Schneider towards his opponent. Reishi began gathering around his Heilig Bogen as he aimed it at Ichigo. "I'm doing this for your own good! Don't expect me to haul your ass to the hospital once you're bleeding!" he then added with an insult directed towards him.
Ichigo's fury overcame him. "I'LL END YOU FOR GOOD! DIE URYU!" the orange-haired man retorted back at his former friend.
"YOU DAMN IMBECILE!" Uryu retorted back at Ichigo.
But amidst this duel between Ichigo and Uryu, something happened that caused the match itself to stop. Uryu suddenly noticed himself falling, as a hole in the ground itself appeared around his standpoint. This only meant that somebody was attacking Uryu from underneath him, but who?
Ichigo quickly backtracked, wondering if the ground itself was getting unstable. To his surprise, it wasn't. The Substitute Shinigami walked over to the hole and watched his opponent fall down into the darkness. Uryu was too distracted by this and even fell down towards the floor in the giant hall underneath him.
"WHAT THE HELL!? WHAT IS THIS!?" Uryu asked and tried to reach his hand out to the hole in the ground, where he could see Ichigo. But the orange-haired man only glared at him in return. Uryu could see this and only got more distressed by the minute. "ICHIGO! DON'T DO THIS! YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'RE DOING! YOU'RE MAKING A MISTAKE YOU'LL REGRET FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE!" those were the words Uryu yelled out to him, yet Ichigo was not listening.
He stood still while watching Uryu disappear into the darkness. He was soon joined up with his friends, who were all surprised by this turn of events just as he was.
"What happened?" Chad lowly asked Ichigo.
"Who did that? We know that you didn't attack him underneath" Orihime pointed out.
"If it wasn't Ichigo, then it appears someone else attacked him under where we all stand" Ganju spoke up before glancing over to Ichigo. "What do you think, Ichigo?" he asked him.
But the group was stunned to see Ichigo simply walk away from the hole, as if he was disinterested to know what had just happened with Uryu. This was very unusual of him. Ichigo was never someone who would just walk away when a friend was in danger. But then again, could Uryu really be considered a friend? He had betrayed them, let alone become the Crown Prince of the Wandenreich. Either way, Ichigo was acting rather strange for someone like him.
But Ichigo soon stopped and looked over his shoulder to see his friends. "Don't worry about him. Uryu is smart, he knows what he was up against. Besides, why should we even worry ourselves about him? He's betrayed us by becoming that bastard Yhwach's heir. Either way, I'm not gonna waste my time feeling sorry for him. All I want now, is to get my hands on Yhwach!" the orange-haired man spoke before proceeding towards the closed doorway.
As he kept walking, all of his friends were stunned to see Ichigo's personality, including the cocky Jinta and Ganju.
Orihime couldn't help but to wonder about something. "The way he resents Yhwach. And how Ichigo wants vengeance against him…...did that man really do something to Ichigo's mother?" the young woman thought as she kept walking. "Either way, Ichigo's quite reserved about his mother's death" Orihime then noted, recalling how he would never mention Masaki's death to any of his friends.
"Man, can't believe I'm saying this, but Ichigo sure acts.…..broody these days" Jinta thought.
Nelliel felt worried for him. "Not that I condone Uryu's actions, but I just can't put my trust in this side of Ichigo, yet. Doing that would only make myself look like a fool" the sea green-haired lady kept saying to herself. "Which reminds me, the Ichigo I knew would never turn back on those in need. Something must have changed him…...but how?" she wondered.
Tessai adjusted his glasses as he glanced at Ichigo. "Was telling Ichigo the truth the wisest choice, Isshin? The answer to that is both a yes and a no" the tall man thought about what Isshin had told his son. Tessai had met Ichigo's mother before, when she was only a young teenager. But he had only learned of her death by Isshin. "Whatever choices you had, this one has affected Ichigo greatly. I can see it in him" the man with the moustache added to his analysis of Ichigo's mood.
Even though the doorway was shut, Ichigo wouldn't let that block his path. Using his blades, Ichigo cut the doors upon with the strength of Zangetsu. The doorway was cleared and it was time to continue reaching for the upper heights of the palace.
Ichigo turned around to look at his friends once again. As they were expecting him to have this cold expression directed towards him, they were awed to see the orange-haired man smile at them weakly. His eyes no longer bore any hint to anger. Could this mean that they had misjudged Ichigo's new personality? They waited for him to speak.
"By the way, I'm sorry if I acted rather cold towards you just now. That was never my intention" Ichigo lowly yet clearly apologized to his friends. The young man let out a deep sigh after saying this. "It's just hard for me to accept how Uryu betrayed us for Yhwach. And I know that I'm not the only one who feels that way. How selfish of me to forget" the Substitute Shinigami told them.
Chad was the first one to respond by nodding his head weakly. "You're correct. All of us feel that way" the Fullbringer said as he clenched his right hand tightly. "I too have found it hard to accept it. But maybe it would be better if we only came to terms with it as it is and proceed forward" he then suggested to him.
Tessai had to smile underneath his moustache when hearing this. "My sentiments, exactly" he remarked, agreeing with Chad's statement.
"Then shall we proceed towards the heights?" Nelliel asked everyone.
Ichigo nodded his head weakly, knowing how she was right in saying this. "Absolutely" he said and the group proceeded to run into the doorway and continue on their journey to reach Yhwach's throne room.
The orange-haired man was still determined to find Yhwach and make him pay for his transgressions, the worst if all which was the death of his mother.
"Just you wait, Yhwach. I'll get you!" he thought to himself as he felt the urge to rip out the Quincy's spine by only thinking about him.
Somewhere underneath the group, Silbern
As the group continued on, Uryu found sitting amongst some rubbles. The dust settled and Uryu was done coughing. This attack underneath him had completely caught Uryu by surprise, as he didn't notice any Spiritual Pressure below him. Had he been too negligent in his fight against Ichigo that he failed to take notice of his surroundings? So many questions swirled inside his head right now.
"This is just preposterous" Uryu said while he stopped coughing. "WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!?" he angrily asked as he felt like he was speaking to whoever it was that had interrupted his match.
The four-eyed man was in for a shocker once someone appeared out of the shadows in the hall he found himself in. Uryu couldn't believe who it was. Standing right before him with a cunning smirk was the Sternritter Grandmaster himself: Jugram Haschwalth. He had drawn out his Reishi Sword, as if he was prepared to attack Uryu. But there was more than that. His eyes now had three irises, thus signalizing the fact that he and Yhwach's powers were now switched.
"Welcome back, Uryu Ishida. I trust that you had a wonderful fight just now" the blonde-haired man spoke to him.
"Haschwalth…." Uryu uttered out his name lowly. "What are you doing….WHAT THE HELL DID YOU JUST DO!? WHY DID YOU INTERFERE IN MY MATCH!? I WAS TRYING TO PROTECT HIS MAJESTY FROM ICHIGO KUROSAKI!" the young man snapped at Haschwalth.
Even after hearing this, Haschwalth remained unfazed. "Protecting His Majesty you say? That is not how I view the situation" the Sternritter Grandmaster revealed to him.
Suddenly, more people emerged out of the shadows and it stunned Uryu. He could see Reinhardt, Hugo and Kana being held hostage by some of the Soldats. But there was more. He could see three Sternritters appearing before him as well. They were NaNaNa Najakhoop, Candice Catnipp and Meninas McAllon. From the looks of it, they were also being held captives by Haschwalth.
Uryu's eyes widened, yet he returned his focus on Haschwalth.
"And what's more, I happened to find these traitors spreading these little things across Wahrwelt" Haschwalth told him as he dropped some of the glowing chips Uryu had given to the three Sternritters. As they fell down, the raven-haired prince felt himself cornered. "I recall seeing these chips being used by a certain someone. Correct me if I am mistaking, but aren't these used by the Leidenshand that was taken away by Souken Ishida? Or perhaps a more suitable explanation: used in the disintegration and dispersal of Reishi" he questioned Uryu.
"You've got the wrong idea, Haschwalth. Those aren't used for such things. They are used for…" Uryu was interrupted by Haschwalth's voice once again.
"Stop feigning ignorance, Uryu Ishida. Your actions have already been uncovered. I have these people to thank for telling me all about your plans" Haschwalth told him.
Two new people appeared before Uryu and he couldn't believe what he was seeing. The first Quincy was the scientist named Arthur McQueen while the other one was none other than the Sternritter Loyd Lloyd. They both appeared before Uryu, who couldn't believe that they had actually done this to him.
"I'm sorry….." Arthur spoke up lowly before raising his voice louder. "BUT MY OATH TO HIS MAJESTY IS STRONGER THAN MY DEALERSHIP WITH YOU!" the scientist told him loudly.
Loyd however, only faced the floor with nothing but resentment in his face. "Don't look so damn surprised! My loyalties are my own! You think I'm gonna let myself get taken advantage of by another Yhwach!? Hell no! I'm on my side, not on anyone else's!" the Sternritter told Uryu.
Haschwalth fixed a deadly glance upon Loyd in response to his words. "You are about two seconds from getting pierced by my sword, Loyd Lloyd. You would do well to mind your manners" he warned the Sternritter without remorse for what he just said.
Uryu had finally gotten up from his seat and was now glaring at Haschwalth angrily. "Are you doing all of this because you're upset with me becoming His Majesty's successor!? Well, like or not, he has chosen me for the title! You have no right to come here and accuse me of betrayal! The only traitors I see here are you!" he snapped while glaring at both Loyd and Arthur.
Haschwalth narrowed his eyes as he saw Uryu's defiance and denial. "You think this is what it's about?" he questioned Uryu before letting out a laugh in response. "Your delusional acting never ceases to amaze me, "Prince" Uryu. Especially since you are forgetting something I told you the other day at Silbern. The moment you joined the Wandenreich, drank His Majesty's blood and become his appointed successor, you had no way out!" the long-haired man told him.
"What do you mean by that!? I was trying to hold off the Substitute Shinigami before you interrupted me! You let him escape! Now move aside and let me go after Ichigo Kurosaki! I don't have time for this nonsense!" Uryu retorted and was about to walk past Haschwalth, only for him to block his way by pulling his sword near Uryu's throat. "Damn it! I will have my Schutzstaffel know of this!" he snapped at Haschwalth.
The Sternritter Grandmaster was still smiling smugly. "Your words are insufficient. And must I remind you that during the night, the powers of His Majesty and mine are switched?" he told them while demonstrating this to Uryu by showcasing The Almighty to him. "It has enabled me to look deeper into the future, as well as figuring out your intent here on Silbern. And more importantly, I now realize you know about His Majesty's plans for Ichigo Kurosaki. Isn't that what you have been trying to accomplish here, Uryu Ishida?" he questioned Uryu smugly once again.
Despite being in this situation, Uryu remained calm and collected as usual. It was stunning, given how anyone who found themselves in this predicament to be filled with nothing but distress. But he showed none. That only demonstrated his hidden determination within him.
"I believe I told you this the other day, Jugram Haschwalth" Uryu told him in his usual voice, forcing Haschwalth to cook an eyebrow. "I said to you that I would do whatever it took to make sure the Wandenreich emerged victorious in this battle. And while you may have uncovered some secrets of mine, there is a slight thing you fail to realize" Uryu then smugly said to Haschwalth.
"And what would that be, if I may ask?" Haschwalth questioned Uryu sternly.
Uryu adjusted his glasses. But at the same time, he reached for something underneath his cape. He made sure not to let Haschwalth notice his hand. What he grabbed appeared to be some kind of bomb. But what was it, really? Uryu smiled smugly.
"What you fail to realize is a philosophy that even Ichigo Kurosaki used to follow and something I admit I have started to take an interest to.…I NEVER QUIT! RAUCH BLASÉ!" he yelled as he threw the bomb right onto the floor.
The moment this bomb hit the floor, an enormous amount of smoke suddenly appeared in the hall. All the Quincies who were standing inside were coughing, given how thick this smoke actually was. It was also impossible for them to see through this smoke. Amidst this commotion, Haschwalth slashed the thick smoke away by using the air of swinging his sword. As soon as he could see clearly, the Sternritter Grandmaster realized that Uryu was gone.
"Damn!" he cursed, realizing that Uryu was now escaping.
Uryu was running through the halls, not even bothering to look back to those chasing him. The four-eyed man was sweating intensively and he reached for what appeared to be some kind of communicating device. He did that as he was running towards one of the nearby walls.
"Leopold, this is Uryu! Open the secret passageways! I need to reach the throne room this instant! And inform my Schutzstaffel about what just transpired!" he kept telling the scientist. "I don't know what happened, but Arthur, Loyd and some Sternritters sold us out! Be sure that you hide the secret entrance to the Leben Kapsels before Haschwalth starts coming for them! Do whatever you can to survive! I must now go help a friend in need!" the four-eyed man was finished with his talk with the scientists and was focused on reaching to the throne room of Yhwach. But could he make it in time?
Somewhere in the lower reaches of Silbern
The main group composing of the 13 Court Guard Squads and the Vizards had begun walking up the long way to the imposing palace of Silbern. Before doing that, the Shinigamis had to deal with a Sternritter blocking their way, as well as Kenpachi Zaraki losing control of himself during the battle. But now that everyone had healed and was ready to continue, there was no time to waste. The way into Silbern was clear, and nobody would stand in their way.
With the head-captain still falling behind, the five Shinigami captains that were present: Kenpachi Zaraki, Byakuya Kuchiki, Mayuri Kurotsuchi and Shinji Hirako, decided to press on with the attack, especially since they had no time to waste. All the Shinigamis had received treatment thanks to Isane Kotetsu and Hanataro Yamada from Squad 4. This, coupled with the defeat of Gerard Valkyrie only motivated them to besiege the palace.
The group of Shinigamis ran up some stairs and reached the top, surprised to see how there were only few soldiers standing and ready to greet them, as well as some constructs of Reishi. But they proceeded upwards until they reached a tall door which would take them into the palace itself. The group of Shinigamis had so far only encountered mild resistance on their way here.
"Well, looks like we found the entrance!" Shinji exclaimed with a sigh of relief. "Finally, I can't believe we made it this far. The enemy's security really is lacking, that's for sure" the Captain of Squad 5 remarked.
"Tch, this surprises you?" Hiyori questioned the blonde-haired man while folding her arms. She only poked one of her ears as she kept badgering Shinji. "I must say, you really have gotten softer since your return to the Court Guards, Shinji" she told him, although it was not sure whether she was being sarcastic or not.
Shinji shrugged his shoulders in response to that. "I won't even dignify that with a response!" he snapped at her, yet Hiyori pretended she was not listening to him.
Kenpachi had not felt quite satisfied over the resistance he and the Shinigamis had encountered so far. Ever since he had been freed from that Bankai of his, Kenpachi was still acting as his usual self once again. Neither Ikkaku or Yumichika wanted to inform their captain about what he had done to them while he was in his Bankai. It was for the best choice.
"This is getting so lame! After we defeated that giant monster, all that we've encountered on our way here are nothing but weaklings. I'm really starting to grow agitated" Kenpachi lamented on the opponents they had been facing.
"Don't get too overconfident just yet" Byakuya told him as he faced the door before them. "Behind this door, I am certain we will encounter tougher resistance than what we did previously. You ought to save your frenzy for them" he went on explaining to his fellow Shinigamis.
"Yeah, I also have that feeling in my gut" Renji spoke up, the Lieutenant of Squad 6 agreeing with his captain's assumption.
"Then what the hell are we standing outside for!? Let's bust this door till it's nothing but bits!" Kenpachi exclaimed.
Mayuri had to facepalm in hearing this. "My, my, you really have a poor sense of direction, Zaraki" the Captain of Squad 12 spoke up his mind, yet Kenpachi didn't seem to give much thought of what he said. "Speaking of which, we will continue one without Kyoraku, yes? But who else are we expecting to come here? Ichigo Kurosaki and Kisuke Urahara, perhaps?" the scientist questioned his colleagues.
All of a sudden, Renji, Rukia, Ikkaku, Yumichika, Kenpachi, Byakuya and Shinji could all feel a familiar Spiritual Pressure nearby. As soon as they recognized it, they had to smile. They knew very well who this power belonged to.
"It's Ichigo…..he's here somewhere…." Rukia expressed her surprise while looking around. "But the only question is where specifically he is. Looks like we just have to find him ourselves" the young woman wondered as she looked up to the towering palace itself.
"Finding him won't be an easy task. This building sure is tall. He could be anywhere" Yumichika spoke up while glancing up.
"Tch, what does that even matter to us?" Ikkaku quizzed while resting his blade on his shoulder. The baldheaded man grinned at the door before them. "I say we just break into this place and start searching until we stumble upon Ichigo and his buddies" he suggested to his comrades.
Hiyori had to smile as she heard what he said. "So that means we get to trash whatever things we come across?" she asked, getting very excited about entering the palace. "Now we're talking! Let's vandalize this place along the way!" she told those around her.
Some of her fellow Vizards cooked an eyebrow when hearing how enthusiastic she was in terms of wreaking havoc across the rooms, especially Hachi, Lisa and Love.
"Hiyori, please do not come up with such rash suggestions. It's inconsistent" the tall, yet gentle man told him.
"You tell her. But I don't think she even knows what that word even means" Lisa sternly spoke up.
The young girl heard what they said and vented her bad temper at her fellow Vizards. "Ya know I can hear every damn thing you say, right!?" she spoke up aggressively.
"Of course, we do. But it's like we care about it or anything" Love told her, this making Hiyori only feel more agitated by the minute.
"You guys are such assholes! Would it kill to show me some respect for once in your lifetime!?" she berated her comrades.
Shinji overheard what she said, and decided to lecture the aggressive girl about respect. "Tch, if you wanna be respected, then you'll have to earn it. So far, you're not making a good impression on your comrades as a leader" the Captain of Squad 5 explained to her.
Hiyori wanted to simply punch Shinji for saying that. However, something else came into the young girl's mind. With a devious smirk, she looked at Shinji, as well as his subordinates from Squad 5, which only made them confused.
"Oh, I see. Then I wonder how you had to earn the respect from your subordinates. Let me guess, they probably did something to satisfy your needs or massage your scrawny ass!" Hiyori told him while pointing a finger at Shinji.
The captain snapped in anger by seeing what Hiyori was doing, while Momo, Matsuri and Fujimaru only raised eyebrows in confusion. "Hey! You've no idea how we do things over there, so back off! And leave my subordinates out of this! This is just between you and me!" the captain retorted.
Momo and the Kudo-twins only sighed when seeing their captain getting into his usual verbal confrontation with Hiyori. "I swear, doesn't Captain Hirako ever grow up? I mean, this only continues with no end in sight" Fujimaru asked his friends.
"It can't be helped. That's just who he is" Matsuri told him. "But then again, Captain Suzunami found this to be one of the many traits he liked about him" she then spoke of the Seigen Suzunami, the Captain of Squad 5 before Shinji.
"Yeah, you could say that" Momo said, agreeing with what Matsuri just told her.
"This is no time for us to be goofing off" Byakuya spoke up, catching the attention of everyone. "The longer we keep waiting, then the stronger the enemy's defenses may become. It is time we begin the assault" the Captain of Squad 6 explained.
Mayuri responded by shrugging off his statement. "Heh, I never thought you would say that, Kuchiki" he noted smugly.
Kenpachi was resting his blade on his right shoulder. "Then what are we waiting for? Stand back while I slice this door in two!" the aggressive man exclaimed and proceeded to use his Zanpakutou to make an entrance into the palace. Swinging Nozarashi, Kenpachi succeeded. The Captain of Squad 11 olnly grinned while observing his handy work. "Heh! Now this will go in the record of creating art with the sword!" he said.
Most of the Shinigamis didn't pay attention to what he said and proceeded to enter the palace. Now, they were truly inside the enemy's fortress. All that remained was to reach to the top, where Yhwach's throne room was located. But whether they would encounter more challenges along the way, remained to be seen. They had entered a hallway and could see a stairway that lead them to the next level. Therefore, they had no choice but to walk up, despite how far it seemed to the top.
"Aw man! Why did it have to be stairways in this damn palace!?" Marechiyo complained as he ran up, the chubby man trying to catch his breath. "My feet are almost killing me!" he then added.
"Really? Because I thought I heard you say your weight was killing you" Renji spoke up, trying to get under his skin.
The Lieutenant of Squad 2 was fuming with anger, which had only been empowered by his intensive sweating.
"You better take that back!" he told Renji, yet the red-haired man proceeded to ignore his threat. "Hey! Look at me when I'm talking to you!" Marechiyo then snapped at him.
"How about you shut up instead of running your mouth?" the voice came from Isane, the usually reserved Lieutenant of Squad 4 surprisingly speaking against Marechiyo. "Honestly, I don't know which is worse: your overweightness or your diarrhea in your mouth" the medic expressed her opinions of him.
Marechiyo responded by ignoring Isane as a whole. However, he was not contend with just it. "Tch, even you criticize my lifestyle? Gee, that's quite gutsy of you. How would a mere medic like you know how the Stealth Force operates? I mean, you aren't even an experienced fighter" he questioned Isane and her abilities as a lieutenant.
Isane felt very offended by hearing the arrogance in Marechiyo's voice. "Some of us get on by skills, Omaeda. And how dare you talk to me in this manner? I'm the one who treated you during your concussion, I'll have you know!" Isane then pointed out to him, yet it would seem to her that the chubby man was now completely ignoring her.
"Just ignore him, sis. You know how someone like him can never change. Besides, in his mind, only money talks" the voice came from Kiyone Kotetsu from Squad 13, who was Isane's younger sister. "Speaking of which, when this is over, will you become the next captain of Squad 4?" the young girl then asked Isane.
The Lieutenant of Squad 4 quickly snapped in surprise an embarrassment at the same time when she heard this. "W-what!? What are you talking about, Kiyone!?" she questioned her.
"Quit being so insecure of yourself, Isane. Right now, you're probably the best healer the 13 Court Guard Squad has in it's ranks. It's only natural that you would take that position" Kiyone rebuked her older sister.
As Isane heard those words, a part of her couldn't help but to wonder whether this was actually true. Because of Unohana being dead, she was probably the most capable medic of being promoted to Captain of Squad 4. However, if she were to ever become a captain, who would become her lieutenant? There were so many to chose from that it slightly made Isane feel a little dizzy.
Rukia had overheard this conversation between the Kotetsu-sisters and she couldn't help but to muse over what she had heard them say. In fact, the talk of taking the mantle of captain only reminded Rukia about her position in Squad 13. With Ukitake know out of commission, perhaps it was time for her to fill in his shoes. But was she ready for carrying such responsibilities? She had achieved her Bankai, yet a Bankai alone was only one of the few requirements a Shinigami would need to be promoted to captain. This was something she would have to think about once this battle was over.
"I will become captain someday. I just know it!" Rukia told herself, vowing to continue the legacy of Ukitake, as well as former Lieutenant of Squad 13: Kaien Shiba. These two men had been credited with making Rukia feel at home in Squad 13.
The group of Shinigamis could see a giant door at the top and it was the only way for them to go. Even so, they would have no problems barging into it. Once they reached to the top, they simply opened the door and everyone in the group entered whatever room they arrived in. The group had arrived in a white hall, which even contained many pillars. So far, there were no Quincies to be seen in it, yet the Shinigamis remained cautious.
"An empty hall? Give me a fucking break" Kenpachi expressed his dissatisfaction.
"Yeah, how come there's no one to face us?" Ikkaku asked, also feeling the same disappointment as his captain did.
"Let's not concentrate on them. Help us finding a way out of this hall" Shinji told them as he looked around. "God, this place almost resembles a labyrinth. Did we enter a wrong room or something?" the captain added as he looked around.
Their confusion was short-lived as they could hear a boastful laughter throughout the hall. All the Shinigamis stood their guard, as they seemed to actually recognize this voice.
"What the…you gotta be kidding me….." Kenpachi spoke up as he perfectly began sensing the Spiritual Pressure nearby.
Someone appeared out of hiding by walking out from one of the many pillars in the hall. The Shinigamis were stunned, as this was actually someone they had fought before entering the palace. It was a Sternritter, but not just any ordinary one. This was one of Yhwach's Schutzstaffel: Gerard Valkyrie. The blonde-haired man was now facing them with his usual cocky grin.
"You again?" Byakuya asked while gritting his teeth in frustration.
"Why can't you just stay dead?" Renji demanded an answer out of Gerard.
Gerard only watched them unfazed. "Believe it or not, I have returned. And it happened by a miracle. Did you actually think I would die from a mere cut from someone like him? Hah! I laugh at your naivety!" the blonde-haired Quincy told them while pointing his Reishi Sword at Kenpachi. "You forget I am the greatest knight of His Majesty. Therefore, I will make sure none of you escapes my wrath!" he added.
"Geez, what an ego you possess" Renji expressed his annoyance with the Sternritter while brandishing Zabimaru. "But like or not, we're gonna get past you!" he then told him.
"You already lost while in your Godly size. What good will it do to use it again?" Rukia questioned Gerard sternly.
"Using my Godly size?" Gerard asked before his confusion erupted into laughter, probably as an attempt to mock the Shinigamis. "Don't be ridiculous! There is simply no way that I will need my Godly size in dealing with you. The near-death experience I had with Kenpachi Zaraki gave me a great idea. Instead of using my Godly size…I will use my Godly power!" Gerard exclaimed and proceeded to make a cut on his neck with his sword. He began bleeding, but something else happened.
The blood that sprouted out from Gerard's neck soon formed into a Quincy Cross and it didn't take long before a powerful light erupted before the Shinigamis. They all covered their eyes, wondering what in the world was going on. As soon as the light stopped, the Shinigamis looked at their opponent, only to be stunned. Something had happened with Gerard.
Gerard had transformed himself, and he looked different now. He now wore a Norse Reishi helmet, carried a star extending over the edges of his shield in addition to his sword, and had thick patterns covering his arms and legs as the star on the hilt of Hoffnung turns white. Gerard had also gained a large pair of feathered wings resembling those of a real Valkyrie. There was no question about it. This was the Quincy: Vollständig of Gerard Valkyrie. The Shinigamis were stunned. Even though Gerard was not in his godly size, there was still something humongous about him: his Spiritual Pressure. Some of the Shinigamis struggled to hold onto their feet, as Gerard tried to intimidate the intruders. He was taking joy in this.
"Behold, intruders! Behold the power of His Majesty's greatest knight! This is my true form! This is my Aschetonig!" Gerard exclaimed with pride, his feathered wings only creating winds as he moved them to each direction.
The name of his form meant Power of God in the Quincy tongue. And powerful it was indeed, as Shinigamis like Isane, Hanataro, Sentaro and Kiyone were starting to lose their balance. Gerard then pointed Huffnung towards his opponents.
"Let's see if you are still worthy to battle me, the Heart of the Soul King! Do you suppose you are up to the challenge!? I dare you all to come at me at once! I relish the challenge!" Gerard continued taunting his enemies while revealing to them who he really was.
To be continued…
Author's note: That was chapter 47. We saw how Ichigo and Uryu fought one another. The real fight in which we will get to see how Ichigo has developed will be explored during his fight against Yhwach. You will also learn what Uryu's intentions for joining the Wandenreich really was, and why Yhwach would even let Uryu become his successor. We also saw how the main group of Shinigamis were now entering Silbern and confronted once again by Gerard Valkyrie. As I said in previous chapters, I didn't want Gerard to become the Wandenreich's version of Yammy, so I wanted to do something different. I will not spoil what I will write in the next chapter. But I'm almost reaching to 50 chapters. And as I told you, this is not the final battle of the story. I will reveal new plot twist which will change the Soul Society forever. Get ready for the unexpected!
Gift Kanone – German for "Poison Cannon": This is an ability that allows Askin to fire two beams of poison from his hands. It takes a while to load the attack before firing it.
Castigo Divino – Spanish for "Divine Punishment": While in his Resurreción, Luddenwig can call upon a giant cross to attack any foes he wishes. But it has to be done fast, given how the cross is sometimes late to attack its target.
Rauche Blasé – German for "Smoke Bubble": A Quincy invention used by Uryu Ishida. It creates a smokescreen that enables its user to take advantage of any situation. But the smoke can be cut in order to reduce its thickness.