"Did you notice it?"
"This is my ability—The Balance."
Jugo Haschwalth's eyes were calm. While maintaining a relentless high-speed assault, his spiritual pressure surged again.
The so-called Balance is the ability to manipulate fortune and misfortune.
Through combat and collision, Haschwalth's blade distributes misfortune to his enemies. The more misfortune he deals, the more the enemy's fate is thrown into imbalance—making their very existence fragile under his attacks.
When his sword fails to impose misfortune, it means the enemy has been blessed with fortune.
In that case, Haschwalth forcibly rebalances the scales by absorbing misfortune from the world itself and imposing it onto the fortunate opponent. The result: their unnatural luck is corrected, and they are slammed into a state of disaster.
Meanwhile, any misfortune that should befall Haschwalth is diverted to his "Schrift's Shield of Sacrifice"—a metaphysical scapegoat. The damage intended for him is reflected onto the enemy, and amplified.
Directly put:
Haschwalth can continuously bestow misfortune, wearing down his enemies' defenses, until they enter a complete "break state."
If the opponent is abnormally lucky, Haschwalth forcibly reverses that luck and plunges them into a defensive collapse far more severe—what could only be described as catastrophic fate inversion.
This "rebalanced misfortune" deals double damage, enforcing karmic punishment.
As for the "Scapegoat Shield"? Simple.
Any attack on Haschwalth is interpreted as misfortune, immediately rebounded onto the aggressor—double fold.
This is the terrifying nature of The Balance.
It's the true reason why Jugo Haschwalth is revered as the Sternritter's ultimate adjutant—not merely because he's Yhwach's other half, nor because he temporarily inherits The Almighty when Yhwach sleeps, but because Haschwalth himself is a combatant among the highest tier.
At this current timeline…
Even with a limited version of The Almighty and The Balance, Haschwalth could overwhelm most Gotei 13 captains.
Only two are considered capable of defeating him:
Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, wielder of Ryūjin Jakka, the blade of hellfire.
Unohana Retsu, the First Kenpachi—a living embodiment of Soul Society's darkest violence.
Even Aizen Sōsuke, prior to merging with the Hōgyoku, would not have guaranteed a win against Haschwalth.
"...Rambling like Rory again."
"Let's move."
Suddenly, with a glint in her eye, Bambietta Basterbine flashed behind Kanbaru and launched a surprise attack.
CRACK!
BOOM!!
A crimson plume of smoke erupted—but Bambietta immediately frowned. Her explosive hit hadn't landed on the half-blood Quincy.
The detonation was caused by her Reiryoku colliding with compressed air—not Kanbaru's body.
"Don't be reckless," Haschwalth muttered, slightly displeased.
But Bambietta, ever the wild cannon, ignored him and dove in. He could only follow and assist in the assault.
Two-on-one. Not ideal.
"Nelliel—don't interfere."
Kanbaru called to Nel Tu, who was ready to jump in, holding her back.
When he turned back—
Bambietta was already in his face.
"You. Let me kick you."
Bambietta pointed down smugly from above.
The next instant—
WHIP!
Her supercharged leg sliced the air like a guillotine!
And from behind—Haschwalth's precision slash followed!
Kanbaru was cornered!
But—
A second later, Kanbaru vanished with a smile.
Bambietta: "???"
Haschwalth: "???"
THWACK!!
A heavy crash echoed.
Haschwalth's pupils dilated as he was blasted backward, rolling for hundreds of meters.
He slowly rose—with bloodshot eyes and a face contorted in agony.
[He stood up because he's Haschwalth...
...and dropped to his knees because he's a man.]
[Look at him. Poor guy may never shampoo again.]
"I...you okay? That wasn't on purpose..."
Bambietta's mouth twitched. She hadn't meant to cripple her teammate.
"I'm... fine!" Haschwalth growled through clenched teeth, dragging himself upright with his sword.
Fine?
You try taking that kick!
Pain. Unimaginable pain.
His vision swirled, and blackout hovered inches away.
If not for the Blut Vene, Bambietta's critical strike might've sent his soul into orbit.
Even so, he could barely breathe!
"Why'd you dodge?" Bambietta snapped, pouting as she turned back to Kanbaru.
"Why wouldn't I dodge?" Kanbaru raised a brow. "You're clearly unbalanced. No boobs, big temper—something's off."
Bambietta: "..."
Did you just call me flat-chested?
You're dead.
[She broke. Defense broken. She's entering demon mode.]
[Strong girl, wall boy. Strong boy, flat girl. Time to show who's stronger.]
"I'll stomp you into the ground and love you after."
Bambietta's eyes narrowed. She extended her arms.
"Vollständig: Explode."
The air rippled violently.
Her Reiryoku surged, shaking the entire battlefield.
In her fury, she activated her Quincy: Vollständig, determined to end the humiliation in one strike.
Kanbaru grinned—
"Huh?"
Suddenly—
Haschwalth's eyes widened. His dual pupils blinked rapidly in panic.
"Bambietta! MOVE!!" he shouted.
She scowled, annoyed—
Then something colossal slammed into her.
Her activated form shattered.
Face pale, she collapsed, writhing in pain.
[At that moment, the girl learned a hard truth.]
Haschwalth: "..."
He didn't know what hit her. But judging from her squirming—
Yeah. It hurt.
Taking a deep breath, Haschwalth steadied himself, trying to shake off the post-trauma nausea.
Hands on knees, he finally barked:
"Robert! Summon the Sternritter! Neutralize this anomaly now!"
"..."
"Robert?"
"..."
"???"
Haschwalth turned around—and froze.
Who the hell was this guy?
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