Luders took a closer look and realized that he had lost more than just one arm. If the wound had shifted just a little further, it would have cut him completely in half. It was like tearing the wings off a chicken, where removing the wings also rips away a large piece of flesh from the body. The pain forced Luders to collapse to the ground, struggling for breath like a broken bellows.
"You don't have to force yourself to get up, Luders. It's hard for you to even sit up after such an injury, isn't it? I'll allow you to speak while lying down."
"Yes..." Luders gasped out in reply.
However, Yhwach's tone shifted as he continued, "But since you can't sit up, you don't need your legs, do you?"
Luders immediately raised himself with his remaining arm, sweat dripping from his body as he sat upright. "I dare not... How could I possibly do such an impolite thing as lying down and talking in front of Your Majesty?"
"Really? Then let me hear the report."
-Present World-
"It's so slow," Yuki Ryunosuke muttered with frustration.
Ishida Uryū calmly took a bite of bread. "What's wrong?"
"What else would it be?" Ryunosuke snapped impatiently. "Of course it's about Yuta-san and Kurosaki-san. They've been gone for so long. Is it really okay for us to just sit here eating bread?"
Inoue Orihime smiled lightly and bit into her bread. "Don't worry, someone like that is nothing to Yuta-san."
Uryū pushed his glasses higher on his nose. "It's fine. The enemy's spiritual pressure has vanished already. Kurosaki Ichigo won't lose to someone like that, so there's no need for me to interfere."
"That's true... but I still wish I could have gone," Chad (Sado Yasutora) added in his steady voice.
At that moment, the curtains shifted and Yuta entered the room with Kurosaki Ichigo at his side.
"Yuta-san!" Orihime quickly stood up at the sight of him. Her thigh-high socks and fuller figure caught immediate attention, her presence radiating with warmth as always.
Yuta gave her a short nod before stepping further in.
Just then, Yuki Ryunosuke's messenger device began to ring with a song.
Madarame Shino stiffened when she heard it. "This... this is..."
Ryunosuke scratched the back of his head. "Sorry, it sounds weird, right? I set the ringtone from something Shino-san hummed."
"You... what did you secretly record?!" Shino looked completely stunned.
"It's cool, right? And the next part is-"
"Hurry up and answer the phone!" Shino snapped in frustration.
She struck him again, leaving Ryunosuke's face swelling red from her blows as he finally connected the call. Akin's voice came through on the other end.
"Is Captain Yuta there?"
Yuta stepped forward, his voice firm and calm. "I'm here. Report."
The frantic edge in Akin's voice eased immediately after hearing him. Yuta's presence brought certainty; as the one who had defeated Aizen Sōsuke, he inspired absolute confidence wherever he stood.
"Yes! Starting report immediately!" Akin said quickly. "Fifty-seven minutes ago, seven unidentified intruders entered the 1st Division barracks. They retreated at fifty-two minutes ago."
"At the same time, the Senkaimon Gate guarded by the 1st Division was breached by unknown assailants. In the 182-second battle, 116 soldiers were killed. The 1st Division's Vice-Captain, Sasakibe Chōjirō, was fatally wounded and was carried into the barracks by the attackers, where he later died."
"In addition... since all witnesses were killed, the number of intruders remains unknown, but based on the traces of spiritual pressure, it appears to have been the same individual."
"Finally, the retreat route was completely untraceable. No abnormal spiritual pressure was detected outside the Shakonmaku surrounding the Seireitei. It's likely they possess some unknown method of moving past the barrier unnoticed..."
-Elsewhere-
"Five days?"
"Yes, this is the proper preparation time for both us and the Gotei 13..." Luders replied weakly.
"That's the future you're talking about, isn't it?" Yhwach asked, his gaze piercing through him.
"Two days ago, when you scouted the erosion at the border, you said if it continues, the balance of souls between Soul Society and the World of the Living will collapse... was that not so?" He raised his hand slightly. "Luders Friegen... are you claiming to be a prophet before me?"
"Ah... uh... th-that..." A chill ran through Luders as if a spring was wound tightly in his chest. He knew one wrong word could cost him his last arm-or even his life.
"Answer me now. Are you a prophet?"
"No... of course not."
"Then why are you speaking of the future? I want to hear about the present."
With a tearing noise, Luders's other arm was severed. His chest and head were split open in the same instant, blood spraying violently across the face of Äs Nödt, who stood behind him.
Äs Nödt watched in frozen shock, his body trembling uncontrollably as the blood dripped down his face.
"Nödt."
"Y...Yes! I'm here!" he responded quickly, bowing at once.
Yhwach's tone remained steady. "There is neither reward nor punishment for you. You completed your duty as a pawn restraining Kurosaki Ichigo. You even delayed Yuta. That is enough."
"Thank you very much!"
"But... your role has ended. Become the cornerstone of our peace." Yhwach extended his hand and another surge of power tore forward. Blood filled the air as Äs Nödt collapsed motionless to the ground.
"Is this acceptable?" a man dressed in white military garb and a helmet questioned from the side. "Shouldn't the Arrancar at least be considered valuable as fighting forces? They could be useful after training."
Yhwach smiled faintly. "It doesn't matter. They are only Arrancar. We can always gather more later. Hueco Mundo already belongs to us and will serve as the cornerstone for our attack on Soul Society."
The helmeted man spoke again. "It's a pity that the ruler of Hueco Mundo, Tier Harribel, learned of something and departed early. Could someone have foreseen our actions?"
Yhwach's expression darkened into a frown. "If such a one exists who can glimpse the future... then it can only be him. Yuta..."
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