The Living World
Urahara's Shop
"What's going on?! This is way too exaggerated! Are we sure this isn't some sci-fi movie?"
The scene inside the shop mirrored the shock in Hueco Mundo and the Gotei 13. In front of a transparent screen, Isshin Kurosaki and the two shop assistants displayed expressions of utter disbelief.
"A massive extraterrestrial meteor."
"It's about to destroy the entire Soul Society."
If someone had told them this an hour ago, they would've dismissed it as the ravings of a lunatic. What kind of joke was that? The Seireitei, standing for over two thousand years, destroyed by a meteor? Impossible!
But when the reality unfolded before their eyes, the trio was struck silent.
"Any impressions about the Sternritter?" Urahara Kisuke, the first to recover, asked seriously, calming his emotions.
This unfamiliar organization drew a blank in his mind despite his thorough search of his memories.
"None!" Isshin Kurosaki shook his head without hesitation. "Not in the Living World, and I don't recall the Shiba family records mentioning them in the past century."
As the head of a Shiba branch family, before hiding his identity in the Soul Society, Isshin was the uncle of the three Shiba siblings by seniority and had access to the family's ancient texts. Though much was lost when the family fell from noble status, the remaining records still held many secrets.
Unfortunately, Isshin was unaware that the blood war led by Yhwach occurred a thousand years ago, far beyond the scope of the Shiba family's surviving texts, which only covered recent centuries. Naturally, he had no recollection of the Thousand-Year Blood War.
"Ugh, I haven't heard of them either…"
Tessai Tsukabishi sighed dejectedly. As the former Kido Corps Commander, he was well-versed in many matters, yet he had no clues about this group.
"…"
Urahara's expression grew increasingly grave. He didn't doubt the video's authenticity and knew these events were glimpses of the future. This realization spurred him to act. The Living World, Hueco Mundo, and the Soul Society were integral to the balance of the Shinigami world. If the Soul Society fell, the Living World would face catastrophic consequences, disrupting their very existence.
They had to stop this before it happened. The only way was to uncover the mysterious Sternritter!
---
At that moment, the video showed clouds parting as a meteor descended, glowing with fiery intensity. Below, in the war-torn ruins of the Gotei 13's barracks, littered with craters, the Shinigami looked up in despair.
"The meteor… damn it!"
"What's going on?"
"Do we even stand a chance against such an enemy?"
Some stood frozen, others trembled in fear, and some collapsed to the ground, staring at the seemingly endless meteor. The Shinigami of the Gotei 13 lost all will to fight, their resistance crumbling.
What a joke! The power gap was beyond comprehension! In the eyes of ordinary Shinigami, this force could only be described as godlike.
Finally, the screen froze on the meteor's descent. Even as the last frame faded and the screen went black, the visceral shock lingered in the hearts of all who watched.
---
Fifth Division Barracks
"…Well now."
Gradually recovering from the shock, Gin Ichimaru squinted, his signature fox-like smile returning. "I must admit, compared to Toshiro Hitsugaya's weather manipulation, this Gremmy Thoumeaux's imagined disaster is far more striking…"
No exaggeration, no embellishment—Gin genuinely acknowledged Gremmy's strength. But the awe faded quickly. Though impressed, he wasn't afraid. His Zanpakuto, Shinsō, when fully released, could extend infinitely, capable of slicing anything from a thousand miles away at over five hundred times the speed of sound. Gin was confident he could shatter that meteor before it landed.
"You're right, Gin. The Sternritter… what an exhilarating discovery," Aizen said, his eyes gleaming, no longer cold and detached.
Seeing the Arrancar and Espada fall one after another had shaken Aizen's confidence, even making him question his plans. After all, one reason he sought the Hōgyoku was to mass-produce Arrancar to break the dimensional limits of power.
But their dismal performance left him disappointed and frustrated. If his allies were this weak, unable to even buy time, how could he, no matter how strong, withstand the Gotei 13's combined assault? Especially with a potential traitor like Gin lurking nearby.
What was the point of rebellion then?
Fortunately, Gremmy Thoumeaux's appearance changed everything. In the visionary's confidence and poise, Aizen saw a reflection of himself. Like the Captain-Commander, he resolved to find the Sternritter, no matter the cost.
---
Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the outside world, within the unremarkable shadows of the Seireitei's varied architecture, a hidden space existed. Formed from reishi a thousand years ago, it was a realm of ice and snow: the Wandenreich, the Invisible Empire.
At its heart stood Silbern, the main city, where a grand palace shone like an ice crystal blooming on a cliff's edge. Inside, a massive transparent screen displayed the same events, from the first ranking to the meteor's descent, all witnessed by the Sternritter.
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