"My god…"
"Commander-sama… that was way too insane…"
Bambietta, Cang Du, Candice, and the others stood there slack-jawed, practically popping their eyes out.
It felt like they were dreaming. They even rubbed their eyes without thinking.
But the scene in front of them didn't change at all.
That Jugram Haschwalth—who'd somehow become absurdly strong and had been fighting one versus seven—had been chopped and sent flying a full eight hundred meters.
And it wasn't just eight hundred meters.
He'd practically been cut from the Military Police Corps all the way to the Ice Palace.
When they finally snapped back to reality, their expressions turned even more feverish. The despair from earlier vanished completely, replaced by pure excitement.
"As expected of Commander-sama… I honestly thought Commander-sama might lose just now," Cang Du said, his voice unable to hide his exhilaration.
"Idiot. How could Commander-sama ever lose?" Bambietta shot him a fierce glare. "Commander-sama is the strongest. What does a mere Haschwalth amount to?"
The people here were different from her—she'd never despaired from the start, because she believed in Cole's strength.
Even Minina McAllon lost her usual absent-minded look. Her beautiful eyes shimmered as she said, "Even if you say that… I really did despair earlier. I couldn't imagine any way to defeat someone that strong…"
To her senses, Jugram Haschwalth had felt almost no different from Yhwach of a thousand years ago.
Overbearing. Unrivaled.
Yet once Cole arrived, he didn't even need ten minutes—he carved Haschwalth up like slicing vegetables and sent him all the way to the Ice Palace.
"Come on—let's go look!" Candice spread her lightning wings, her body almost turning into thunder as she rushed forward impatiently.
The others refused to fall behind. Even with heavy injuries, they hurried after her.
If Haschwalth wasn't a match for him, then Cole's next opponent could only be the Quincy King.
A spectacle like that—no one wanted to miss it.
Inside the Military Police Corps building, Rukia and the others were just as stunned.
Sode no Shirayuki said stiffly, "Don't you feel like… Cole's Quincy strength got even stronger again?"
She never doubted Cole would be defeated, but she did worry he'd end up exposing his Shinigami power.
Who would've thought—he didn't even need to use Shinigami power.
He beat Haschwalth with Quincy power alone.
Yoruichi rubbed her temples with a headache. "Of course I felt it. This kid's Quincy power is ridiculous. I don't even know whether to call him a shinigami or a quincy anymore…"
Rukia couldn't help complaining, "Did you forget? Cole also has a Vasto Lorde-class Hollow identity. And recently he even mastered some kind of Fullbring power."
Yoruichi could only give a bitter smile.
Because even in Soul Society's history, a monster like this had never appeared.
To master so many different power essences by himself—this was practically unheard of.
Soi fong took a breath and steadied herself. "Don't worry about what he 'is.' In the end, Cole is Cole. He's human—just a cheating high schooler."
Only then did everyone remember—Cole's original life essence was still human. His lifespan still hadn't ended.
Sode no Shirayuki blinked innocently and teased her master, "Rukia… why do I feel like your plan to wait for Cole to die is going to fail?"
Rukia's face went dark immediately.
"Shut up, Sode no Shirayuki. Humans are humans. When their lifespan runs out, they die."
Sode no Shirayuki couldn't help snickering.
She knew her master was feeling guilty—worried Cole might end up becoming immortal.
After all, these Quincy in the Wandenreich were still "human," yet they could casually live for centuries.
And Cole was far stronger than them.
Living for a few thousand years probably wouldn't be a problem.
Unohana didn't join the banter. She simply stared at Cole's receding back with obsession, unconsciously licking her red lips.
"That just now… was swordsmanship…"
She'd seen it clearly.
Cole hadn't used Shinigami power—he'd simply transformed Quincy power into a blade.
The reason he completely suppressed Jugram Haschwalth—
Was his terrifying mastery of the sword.
"Let's go. Catch up and watch!" Yoruichi spoke, excited but also worried. "Beating Haschwalth is great, but I hope he didn't forget the plan. He can't fight Yhwach right now."
Yhwach still hadn't fully regained his power. He also hadn't reached the stage of becoming an artificial Soul King.
If Cole fought him now and accidentally killed him…
They'd have nowhere to cry.
"Right—hurry and catch up…"
Rukia and the others snapped back, sheathed their zanpakuto, and used Hirenkyaku (Flying Scythe Step) to chase after him.
Elsewhere, at a corner of the Military Police Corps—
Ryuken, Uryu, and Ichigo were equally shaken.
Only after a long moment did Ryuken recover, sighing unconsciously.
"What a terrifying kid… When I first met him, I never imagined he had strength like this."
Ichigo looked smug. "Now you know, right? Cole is crazy strong. Yamamoto, Yhwach, none of them will be his match."
"And recently he fused Shinigami, Quincy, Hollow, Fullbring, and human powers too."
"So his strength got even more ridiculous."
Hearing that, Ryuken couldn't help glancing at him.
In his heart, he thought: you're not much better.
Cole had five power essences.
But you already have four.
If you just learn Fullbring too, you'll have five as well. Fuse them properly, and you might not lose to Cole.
Thinking that, Ryuken glanced at his foolish son and sighed silently.
"…Still not talented enough?"
Uryu's face went black instantly. He grit his teeth.
"Old man, I feel like you're thinking something insanely disrespectful. You think you're that much stronger than me?!"
Ryuken pushed up his glasses calmly. "Foolish. I'm far stronger than you imagine. I just haven't shown it yet."
"Because I have no interest. And you have no talent."
"You'll only barely catch up to me—maybe—if you put in two hundred percent effort and become the head of the Ishida family."
Uryu almost lunged at him on the spot.
But Ichigo didn't care about their family drama. He clenched his fist and chased after Cole's figure impatiently.
"Wait for me, Cole!"
If Cole and Yhwach started fighting inside the Ice Palace, he wouldn't care about any plan.
He would kill Yhwach on the spot—
And avenge his mother.
"Wait, Ichigo—" Ryuken tried to stop him, but Ichigo was already more than ten meters away.
Ryuken's headache got worse.
"That's why I don't like babysitting. One after another, all impulsive… it's all that bastard Isshin's fault—so damn sly…"
If Isshin came along, he wouldn't be this stressed.
With that thought, Ryuken and Uryu didn't dare waste time and hurried after Ichigo.
"..."
Boom!!!
With another slash from that blue blade, Jugram Haschwalth went flying again, smashing into the pure white steps with a thunderous crash and shattering them into pieces.
His body ended up embedded in the rubble. He wasn't seriously injured, but he looked unbelievably pathetic.
Jugram Haschwalth clenched his teeth, yanked himself free, and stood up with a deep unwillingness as he stared at Cole.
"Your strength isn't that much higher than mine…"
In his eyes, their level should've been about even.
But Cole's swordsmanship was too exquisite. In a blade-versus-blade duel, he had almost no room to retaliate.
On top of that, Cole's control of reishi subjugation was a notch above his.
But that was because he'd only just received His Majesty's power—his body and mind hadn't adapted yet, so he ended up weaker than Cole.
Cole hovered in midair. Hearing that, he smiled.
"Is that so? Then I finally understand what the people I defeated were thinking."
Jugram Haschwalth almost bit his teeth apart.
Yet he couldn't deny it.
In battle, strength and victory were the only truth.
Everything else was just excuses.
"C-Commander-sama…!"
A delighted voice rose from below Cole.
Cole paused, looked down—and his expression turned strange.
"Bazz-B… what kind of pose is this?"
That punk kid was covered in ash, half-lying in the rubble, staring up at him with a worshipful look.
Several Sternritter stood beside him too, their faces unable to hide their shock.
Bazz-B hurriedly got up, looking awkward.
"It's mainly because, Commander-sama… your fight was too strong. The shockwaves alone blasted me a few hundred meters…"
Earlier he'd seen Jugram Haschwalth flying over and thought a meteor was coming.
He hadn't even had time to dodge before the pressure from Cole's slash sent him flying several streets.
Cole shook his head, speechless.
"You're way too weak. From now on, train Blut Vene (Static Blood Armor) and Blut Arterie (Flowing Blood Armor) properly. Cover your capillaries too."
Bazz-B almost spat blood.
Weak?!
Nobody in the Wandenreich dared say that about him.
Back when he was still in the Sternritter, his strength had been near the top. Only a few could contend with him.
But since it was Cole saying it, he could only swallow it down and agree bitterly.
Still… the thought of coating his capillaries with Blut made his scalp go numb.
Then Bazz-B suddenly remembered something—partly to change the subject, partly to vent.
He glared viciously at Quilge Opie and the others.
"Commander-sama, you don't know—these guys actually grabbed me earlier and wanted to execute me!"
The moment he said that—
Cold sweat burst out on Quilge Opie and the others.
They wanted to curse Bazz-B as an ungrateful dog.
Yeah, they'd grabbed him—
But they hadn't executed him on the spot like the rules said. They were trying to stall for time.
And now this bastard turned around and sold them out immediately.
Feeling Cole's hostile gaze, Quilge Opie and the others broke out into even more sweat.
Some of them were even wondering if they should drop to their knees right there.
This monster was too strong—he might even be able to wrestle with Yhwach.
And he could block Seibetsu too.
If they knelt to Cole now, maybe they could keep their lives.
Just as the atmosphere turned heavy—
Jugram Haschwalth gritted his teeth and said, "Commander-dono… your strength truly exceeded my expectations. I apologize for what happened earlier. Please don't harm them…"
As he spoke, he gestured at the shattered ruins they'd created with their battle, and said sincerely:
"If the two of us keep fighting, the Wandenreich will collapse. Please—think of the Wandenreich…"
Hearing that, Cole couldn't help laughing, cutting him off.
"You were the one who wanted to fight, and now you're the one who doesn't want to. What am I to you—some punching bag who just has to swallow it?!"
Jugram Haschwalth went silent.
He knew his argument didn't hold up.
But he had no choice.
After that battle, he already understood—he couldn't take Cole down.
If they kept fighting, this guy might actually reach His Majesty.
And then everything would be exposed.
Before Jugram Haschwalth could say more, Cole looked toward the palace covered in ice and snow, smiling.
"Yhwach should be inside, right?"
As he spoke, he withdrew his sky-covering sixteen black wings, lifted his leg, and walked toward the Ice Palace with a grin.
"Come to think of it… I rebuilt the Military Police Corps, but I've never actually met this so-called Quincy King."
Jugram Haschwalth's face changed drastically. He hurried to stop Cole—
But their strength was too close, and he simply couldn't.
All he could do was follow after Cole—
And rush into the Ice Palace behind him.
(End of Chapter)
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