Once the small Soul Shield and defenses were set and the captains prepared to finish the Wraith, Mayuri arrived.
"Hmph. Brutes—such waste."
He sneered. "They may have slipped my control for now, but together they're rare specimens. Your roughness only costs me material."
"You've got some nerve," Komamura said. "This is all your doing."
"Surely you don't think my experiment 'failed' and caused this?" Mayuri, in a foul mood, said snidely, "7th Division is Inner Court Guard. Someone infiltrated the Seireitei's core and you had no reaction. I'm disappointed in the 'guard' in your name."
"Hmm?" Yamamoto frowned. "You mean someone is manipulating this?"
"Obviously," Mayuri said. "Urahara Kisuke left a parasitic Hollow in the R&D. Someone came for it."
"Urahara again!"
Captains and lieutenants cursed.
"That bastard won't stop."
"I didn't say he did this vulgar thing," Mayuri shrugged. "As a scientist, I'm precise with words."
"Details," Aizen said, stepping forward—his good rapport even softening Mayuri's tone.
Mayuri recounted events. They learned it had been a woman.
"Since the R&D defenses weren't broken, and she appeared in the lab and behind Mayuri, she has spatial traversal," Ukitake analyzed. "She stole the parasite, attacked Mayuri, then left. The memory loss was due to the parasite?"
"I'll add this," Mayuri said coldly. "Besides erasing parts of memory, the parasite can erase a person's 'existence'—you'd lose memory of that person entirely."
"I suggest you think carefully—any oddities in your daily lives. If so, someone's existence may have been erased."
?!
Even these elites blanched. Memory manipulation is foul.
If your lover or friend is erased from all minds—meeting again as strangers—terrifying.
They didn't doubt Mayuri; memory-altering tools weren't rare. The R&D stocked memory sprays for use in the World of the Living, to keep mortals from remembering Shinigami or Hollows. Easy to spray others—less fun when it's done to you.
They racked their brains, but couldn't spot it so fast.
Seeing their faces, Mayuri said, "Seems you'll need time. Leave this to me."
"At least I'll praise you for one thing," he added, eyeing the Sekkiseki wall. "Caging the Wraith saves me trouble on my research."
Yamamoto still wasn't at ease. "Besides Mayuri, the 12th must always have three captains present. Others: patrol the Seireitei and track the woman who stole the parasite."
…
They'd been at it for days—time to rotate. The lieutenants, including Yoshio, relaxed. The captain rotations were by division numbers:
Round 1: Divisions 1–3; Round 2: 4–6; then 7–9; then 10–11–13. With 10th's captain missing, Lieutenant Rangiku would act captain—though with Kenpachi and Ukitake present, her lack of captain-level power mattered less.
Yoshio's 5th Division would be in Round 2. During Round 1, they could rest and patrol for the woman.
Yoshio was thinking how to help Baelz complete his task.
Yhwach gives a command; those below must break their backs. Even using Baelz, the mole.
But even with him—how to do it?
If they were to act, it'd be during Round 4: Ukitake, Kenpachi, and Rangiku on guard. Rangiku's no threat as a stand-in; Kenpachi is a brute—easy to misdirect; Ukitake's a sickly man—less dangerous.
The only issue: how long would Mayuri take to tame the Wraith? If he finished before Round 4, it'd be over.
Yoshio's mind raced—he needed to disrupt Mayuri's research.
He'd wanted to think at home, but after Round 1 started, the lieutenants got a new order: head to the World of the Living to investigate Isshin's disappearance. The last trace from the Senkaimon pointed to Karakura Town—Urahara's old haunt and long a focus for Shinigami searches.
They turned Karakura upside down. Disappointing result: no Isshin, no battle traces. Which meant:
Either he didn't vanish there, or he vanished without resisting—or… he vanished voluntarily.
A treason.
In such a sensitive time, with the R&D attacked as Isshin vanished, the Seireitei could hardly avoid linking the two.
Yoshio hadn't planned it that way. Coincidence—too neat to be scripted.
After two days, the lieutenants returned and reported. Then Divisions 4–6 took over the 12th.
Yoshio hesitated. He wanted to delay Mayuri's analysis. But Mayuri isn't an idiot—he's brilliant, especially with data. Any tampering would be noticed—Aizen might notice too—and might reveal Yoshio's ties to Baelz and the Empire.
Too many links—Yoshio had to be cautious.
It'd have to be up to Baelz. Yoshio would only feed info.
In his plan, this Wraith wasn't the main event—yet it threatened to overshadow the hollow sisters. He needed to grow—his schemes needed better contingency planning.
Fortunately, this deviation wasn't bad.
After long observation, Yoshio and Baelz understood why the Empire wanted the Wraith: it contained immense Quincy resentment.
Two hundred years ago, the Shinigami wiped out the Quincy again. The fallen were brought to the Seireitei. Back then, Kirio Hikifune headed the 12th; later Urahara. Both scientists, but not cruel—no inhuman experiments.
Ninety years ago, Mayuri took over—everything changed.
Cruel and unfeeling, he tortured Quincy souls. Even as they dissipated, their resentments, as thought–products of the soul, lingered in the Bureau.
Mayuri probably enjoyed that resentment—the powerless hate directed at him.
With the Bureau's rampage, Quincy hatred fused with modified creatures, souls, and devices—becoming the Wraith.
It had Quincy traits and deep hatred for Shinigami. If the Empire could capture it, it would be a huge asset. A free high-end fighter—why not?
Baelz thought the opportunity was rare. Haschwalth had said Baelz could command any resource—even Sternritter—during this time.
He couldn't reach the Schutzstaffel, but two Sternritter were brokenly strong: Y, "The Yourself," and V, "The Visionary."
Y is special—two people: Loyd Lloyd (Y-older) and Royd Lloyd (Y-younger). For simplicity: Y-brother and Y-younger.
Y-brother—the one Kenpachi cleaved in TYBW—copies appearance, all power and technique, and about 70–80% of memory. Y-younger—the one who impersonated Yhwach, beat Kenpachi, and fought Yamamoto—copies appearance, all memory and psyche, and about 70–80% power.
If Y-brother hadn't fought Kenpachi, he'd be a nightmare for any Shinigami.
And V, Gremmy Thoumeaux—the one even Yhwach feared. Pure idealism—wish-made-real.
Baelz formed a plan and asked Haschwalth to let him see Gremmy.
Haschwalth frowned. He disliked using Gremmy—dangerous and unruly. Imprisonment was both punishment and limitation; Gremmy's power needs external knowledge to grow.
But he'd promised Baelz any Sternritter. Thinking it over, this was the only way.
"Find Liltotto," Haschwalth said. "She'll take you to Gremmy."
Baelz nodded and left. He knew Haschwalth's concerns—and scoffed. Gremmy was no longer the same; Aizen had likely contacted him already: instability meets instability—made for each other. With Aizen's help, Gremmy's prison life might be colorful.
That wasn't bad for Baelz.
He found Liltotto and explained. Hearing Gremmy would be released, she perked up. Among male Sternritter, he was one of the few she considered a friend—and she was likely his only friend. She was happy for him.
She led Baelz toward the prison—not bars, just empty space. Gremmy sensed them immediately and appeared.
As Yoshio had suspected, the wish soul ability Yoshio held was Gremmy's. Gremmy's favor toward Yoshio was 60; toward Baelz, negligible. No matter—this was a chance to build it.
"Oh, it's you, Liltotto," Gremmy said, glancing at Baelz. "Who's the kid?"
"Hello. I'm Sternritter 'Q', Baelz," he said politely.
Gremmy ignored him. Liltotto shrugged. "Baelz is my little brother. Give him some face."
"You have a brother?" Gremmy was surprised.
"Old history," Liltotto said. "I'm hungry—make me donuts."
"You're always the same," Gremmy said. "But donuts are low tier. I thought of something new—try it."
He conjured a chocolate.
"Chocolate?" Liltotto examined it. "What's special?"
She bit—and her pupils dilated. "Liquor-filled?"
Baelz took a glance—confirmed Gremmy's Aizen connection. The candy was just like the Seireitei's Deli Monaka treats Yoshio often bought.
"Tastes good, rich liqueur—but still worse than what Baelz makes," Liltotto said. Baelz often brought her snacks; she was spoiled now.
Gremmy eyed Baelz, then conjured a chair and sat. "Why are you here?"
"I'm here to ask for your help," Baelz said—no "By His Majesty's order" talk. That backfires with Gremmy. Speak to the person in front of you.
Gremmy nodded. "Go on."
Baelz summarized the situation, ending with, "I've requested your release. If we succeed, Your Majesty's punishment ends."
Gremmy smirked but didn't object. "For Lili's sake, I'll help you. What do you need?"
"I've read your dossier," Baelz said. "You can create Quincy with extraordinary powers—near Sternritter levels—and assign abilities with your imagination. Can you grant such an ability to us directly?"
"Of course," Gremmy said proudly. "Trivial."
"But it won't last—if I stop imagining, it ends."
"That's enough."
Baelz produced a design sheet. "I've thought of an ability—please take a look."
Gremmy's power needs perfect imagination—inside and out. Knowledge matters. Yhwach's prison deprived him of it. Baelz had prepared: Guenael Lee—Gremmy once imagined in the original—modified to apply to themselves.
Gremmy scanned it. "Not bad—detailed. I can help."
"Excellent," Baelz smiled. "Then let's go—I'll use it shortly."
"So soon?" Liltotto blinked.
"The Seireitei's defenses aren't at their thinnest yet—but I need to disrupt Mayuri. If not, he might tame the Wraith, and it'll become his toy."
"You're scary, kid—thinking so much," Liltotto said, eating a popsicle Gremmy conjured.
Baelz smiled wryly. "Orders above, legwork below."
"Let's go," he said. "The barrier here should drop."
They left prison.
…
In Silbern, many Quincy and Sternritter saw Gremmy and recoiled, stepping aside. Gremmy, hood up and hands in pockets, ignored them.
"You've been gone a while," Liltotto said between snacks. "Any thoughts?"
"I think they're weak," Gremmy said lightly. "Boring. Makes me want to crush them."
"Restrain yourself," Liltotto said. "You just got out—want to go back?"
"Being locked up is nice—quiet," he smiled darkly.
They reached Baelz's quarters—refitted into a mini R&D lab like his old office.
"Then I'll trouble you, Gremmy," Baelz said. "I need to head to the Seireitei."
"Hmph. I've already granted it—try it."
Baelz felt a new ability: Vanishing Point—erasing all presence. A bit evil, but not "that" evil: it only works when you don't interfere with the world. Any interference restores presence. A second mode: pure invisibility. Not simultaneous, but combined, very strong—unlike Gremmy's clumsy use in the original.
With presence erased, Baelz slipped through shadows into the Seireitei. No one perceived him; aside from Yoshio and Angra Mainyu, even memories of him vanished.
He appeared in the 12th. Above, the Wraith rampaged against the Soul Shield, its tentacles lashing.
Inside the zone, Mayuri analyzed.
Baelz rechecked the barriers—every barrier has weak points. Track Reishi flow, you can find them. Yoshio had done this many times—even leaving backdoors in the Seireitei's great canopy.
This small shield was trivial. Baelz, in invisibility mode for interference, left a backdoor, then switched to vanishing mode.
He could have stabbed Mayuri—but that'd expose him. Better let the Wraith do it.
Baelz sent the Wraith a packet. It raged—white tentacles hammered the shield. Alone, the Soul Shield would have shattered, but there were multiple layers—and three captains on watch: Unohana, Aizen, and Byakuya. All Kido masters; they held.
But with Baelz's weak point, a tentacle struck true—blasting a hole. The Soul Shield trembled.
?!
The captains were shocked. The Wraith ignored them—its tentacle shot out and fired countless beams—straight at Mayuri.
The Wraith's hatred focused on him.
Mayuri had no time to react—he retreated, but many devices around him were swallowed, exploding in a chain that even singed him. The last handheld device he had was destroyed.
Seeing that, Baelz exhaled and was yanked back into the Empire by shadow.
Now it would last until Round 4. Then, a frontal strike.
Back in his room, Vanishing Point faded.
"That power's strong," Liltotto said.
"Gremmy is strong," Baelz praised. Praise costs nothing.
"What next?" Gremmy asked, bored. "If you're done with me, I'm leaving."
"That's all," Baelz nodded.
"Fine. Don't bother me unless needed," Gremmy said, vanishing.
"Don't mind him—he's like that," Liltotto said, sprawled on the sofa, showering crumbs. "Ugh, I'm hungrier after eating."
"Which is why it shouldn't be used often," Baelz said. "Just a temporary gadget—maybe useful in a pinch. It grows stronger over time as it absorbs mass—the more it eats, the greater its pull. Even then, it might not help."
"If you have time for useless inventions, make good food," Liltotto said, gnawing on a marrow bone.
"I will," Baelz sighed. "But first, the mission."
…
In the Seireitei, Mayuri stared at the wreckage, livid.
"I'm astonished—three captains, and you couldn't guard against a mindless Wraith. Dereliction!"
The three captains ignored him, staring solemnly at the re-sealed Soul Shield, troubled.
Strange—why did it fail suddenly?
Kido tests soon reported: "Not sabotage. The Wraith coincidentally struck a weak point."
Unohana frowned at the report. The data checked out, but her instincts said otherwise. She wouldn't voice it—she'd investigate herself. Most captains were like that—extremely individualistic. Perhaps only such people attain highly personalized Bankai. The Gotei 13 were thirteen separate entities. A lieutenant from one might not even recognize a captain from another—absurd.
Understand their logic, and defeating them is easy.
So it was for Aizen. To him, the Gotei weren't his enemies—especially Yamamoto—they were his pawns. As long as Aizen played in the shadows, the Gotei could replace the Espada as his private army.