In Hueco Mundo, within the black cavity tunnel to the human world:
"Who'd have thought…"
"The Quincy King's personal aide is a Shinigami spy! The Gotei 13's Shinigami are too cunning!"
Yammy Llargo's shocked, angry voice shattered the tunnel's eerie silence. Staring at the ever-present transparent screen, he clenched his fists, his gaze on Haschwalth filled with resentment and hatred.
Damn it!
My sixth-place spot was stolen by a Shinigami spy!
So infuriating!
"Yammy, shut up. We're almost at the human world. Focus on the battle ahead," Ulquiorra Cifer's cold voice reprimanded.
The Black-Winged Demon stood with hands in pockets, his pale, moonlit face marked by two emerald tear streaks glowing in the dark. Beside him, Grimmjow grinned with excitement.
Three Espada had mobilized for this mission, ensuring Ichigo's capture. Not just Grimmjow, but Ulquiorra had volunteered, joined by Yammy.
One Vasto Lorde, two Adjuchas—a lineup that gave the Arrancars absolute confidence in capturing Ichigo swiftly.
"By the way, according to Szayelaporro's intel, that ranked Urahara Kisuke is also hiding in Karakura Town. That won't be a problem, right?" Grimmjow asked cautiously.
Having learned he'd grow stronger in the future, he'd shed his reckless style for a more prudent approach. Foreknowledge was one thing, but steady growth required time. For now, staying alive was key.
Ulquiorra remained expressionless, his voice brimming with confidence. "If Urahara interferes, I'll handle him. You and Yammy focus on finding Kurosaki Ichigo."
As one of Hueco Mundo's four Vasto Lordes and the only Espada with a second-stage Resurrección, Ulquiorra's strength was undeniable. Even after seeing Urahara's prowess in the rankings, he was confident he could hold him off one-on-one.
His confidence stemmed from his identity—the Black-Winged Demon, crowned and winged, born under moonlight, destined to rule the void and darkness.
Just as the Espada were halfway through the tunnel, the ranking continued, the scene shifting again.
Haschwalth's cold voice echoed:
"Ishida Uryū…"
"Though His Majesty named you the Wandenreich's next successor, for the empire's safety, I must kill you here!"
His killing intent revealed the next battle.
A new face appeared—gold-rimmed glasses, short, navy-blue parted hair, wearing a Wandenreich uniform, and wielding a Reishi-formed holy bow.
The Espada in the tunnel frowned at this unfamiliar figure.
"?!"
"A new face at this stage?" Grimmjow was stunned. He'd assumed Haschwalth's opponent would be another Sternritter, not this stranger.
"Ishida Uryū… who's this guy? He's in a Wandenreich uniform, but he feels different from the other pure-blood Quincies!" Yammy scratched his cheek, puzzled.
If the Sternritter gave him a sense of irritation and hatred, Ishida Uryū felt… human. Without the holy bow, Yammy wouldn't even think he was a Quincy.
"Your instincts are sharp, Yammy. This Ishida Uryū might actually be human," Ulquiorra confirmed.
"But…" He paused, musing. "What puzzles me is, if he's human, why is his aura so powerful?"
Using his innate Vasto Lorde perception, Ulquiorra had scanned Ishida Uryū's presence multiple times. Shockingly, despite not flaunting his power, Ishida's aura rivaled Haschwalth's.
This was bizarre. In Ulquiorra's mind, humans were weaklings. How could a random human teenager wield Vasto Lorde-level strength?
Utterly ridiculous!
"Damn it! Stop overthinking!" Yammy roared, his inferiority complex fueling his rage. "If this glasses kid is in Karakura Town, we'll drag him back to Las Noches too!"
"I refuse to believe he'll still grow strong locked in a dungeon!"
---
Meanwhile, as Ishida Uryū appeared and Haschwalth's words echoed, Silbern exploded again.
"What?!"
"The Wandenreich's next successor?!"
"Where did this Ishida Uryū come from?!"
"And Haschwalth, why are you attacking our own again?!"
"Are you really a Shinigami spy?!"
The barrage of questions overwhelmed the Quincies, their minds unable to process it all.
First, who was Ishida Uryū? How was he the Wandenreich's successor when Yhwach was still alive in his coffin?
Second, Haschwalth claimed he was killing Ishida for the empire's safety. But including Cang Du and Bazz-B, he'd killed three powerful comrades!
Was he deliberately weakening the Wandenreich?
"Haschwalth, you owe us an explanation!" Gerard Valkyrie, the Miracle, took the lead, refusing to back him anymore.
"…"
Haschwalth was silent, his heart clenching under the flood of suspicious gazes. He wanted to curse but held back.
Explain? Explain what?!
Who the hell knows who Ishida Uryū is?! If you want answers, go pry open His Majesty's coffin!
His cool facade crumbled, his mentality shattered as he gave up and sulked.
The same scene played out in Karakura Town's high school:
"?!"
"Chad, Orihime, am I seeing this right? Isn't that…"
Ichigo froze, staring at Ishida Uryū's face, his expression one of seeing a ghost in broad daylight.
"You're not wrong," Chad nodded heavily. "That's the guy who transferred to our class yesterday!"
With confirmation, Ichigo lost it, screaming like a madman:
"What the hell?!"
"This is too sudden! Just some random transfer student?!"
"And he's that strong?!"
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