Initially, I had planned to leave the dojo in Unohana's care and head out to see Yhwach for a moment, but something came up that required a detour to the Soul King Palace first.
As for how to get to the Soul King Palace... well, to avoid causing a stir, I just find a spot where people aren't around and... like this.
Thump...!
One sergeant jump later, and presto, I've arrived at the Soul King Palace.
To be precise, I landed in Tenjiro's Kirinden, but whatever—the Zero Division's cities are within the Soul King Palace anyway, so it counts as arriving.
I chuckled as I saw Tenjiro staring at me with a dumbfounded expression while I dusted off my clothes.
"Your master arrives and you don't even greet him? Why are you just standing there gawking like an idiot?"
At my playful jab, Tenjiro finally let out a hollow laugh and scratched the back of his head.
"Good grief... at this rate, it would be better if we just handed you an Ouken. Honestly."
"Don't bother. Even if you gave me something like that, I'd probably just lose it."
Actually, I've forgotten the Okkun—the key that opens the Hell Gate—two or three times over the last few centuries, which makes me even more anxious.
The Okkun is just the key to Hell, so whatever, but losing the Ouken would be an unmanageable disaster.
"Should I ask Senjumaru to weave the Ouken into your Shihakusho? Then there'd be no risk of losing it."
"No need. I've had plenty of reasons to take my clothes off lately, so why would I wear something that's just a pain to remove?"
"I'm not particularly curious about my master's night life, if I'm being honest."
I shrugged at Tenjiro's sour face and began to walk.
As I moved, Tenjiro naturally started following behind me.
"What brings you to the Soul King Palace? Judging by the atmosphere, it doesn't seem like it's for something good."
"Oh? You've learned to pick up on that, have you?"
"I've been watching you for how long now? How could I not know? Is this because of the Monk?"
"Yeah. You hit the mark. But don't worry, I didn't come to start a fight. I just felt like having a talk after a long time."
"Why would I be worried about you, Master? It's the poor bastard who has to face you that I'm worried about."
Should I take that as him having faith in me or not...?
I smirked as I saw him shaking his head with a bitter smile.
"Exactly. So stop worrying about that. Where's the fat priest? Is he having a private audience with the Soul King today too?"
"Yes. He hasn't come out of the Inner Palace for several days. You'll find him if you head there."
"Got it, thanks. I'll bring a gift the next time I visit."
With those words, I headed straight for the Inner Palace where the Soul King and the Priest were located.
And there he was. That damn Monk was sitting prominently, waiting for me.
"I have been waiting, O Forerunner."
"Bullshit with that 'Forerunner' crap. It's been tens of thousands of years, and you're still calling me by that title?"
"Is it not the truth? One who created Hell alone, established the Buddha, and set the laws that fortified this world... what else should I call such a person if not the Forerunner? The Nether King?"
"I won't deny creating Hell, but I didn't 'make' the Buddha. He reached enlightenment on his own. I did absolutely nothing."
"Is that so? You haven't changed a bit."
"Yeah, and neither have you. Still trying to pull strings from the shadows like a coward, and then acting all noble and innocent like you don't know anything."
I insulted him openly and gave him the middle finger, but the Monk just chuckled softly without much reaction.
He was either holding it in, or he was so caught up in his pathetic elitism that my words didn't even register. Probably one of the two.
Since I already knew he was this kind of guy, it didn't even bother me anymore.
I scratched my head and sat down on the floor, facing the Monk.
"So, why did you do it?"
"Hmm? I didn't think you'd enjoy such cryptic riddles. Did you not hate being called a Forerunner?"
I scratched my head at his 'I don't know what you're talking about' reaction.
"Is it because I'm burdened by the curse of knowledge, or are you just feigning ignorance? If it's the former, I'll explain kindly. if it's the latter, the explanation might be a bit... unkind."
Needless to say, it was the latter.
There was no way he didn't know.
Ichibe Hyosube's wisdom alone rivaled that of the Soul King.
Of course, I'm talking about his sapience and insight, not the ability to see the future.
If he had known the future, he wouldn't have started this mess in the first place.
"If you're talking about the new current that has emerged... one could say it's to prepare for the future."
"Preparing for the future... by trying to use me openly to slaughter a being that just came into existence and hasn't even established an ego yet?"
"Using you? Those are harsh words, though not entirely incorrect. Wasn't it your own will to establish a dojo? I merely followed the dojo's reason for existing."
I could only let out a hollow laugh at his tone, which suggested there was no issue at all.
What he just said was effectively: 'I just used the tool you left out, so what's the problem?'
"You sure talk a lot of shit for a load of nonsense. If you've claimed the title of the Soul King's watchdog, you should stay in your kennel. Why the hell are you so obsessed with interfering with the world below?"
"Are you one to talk? You walked out of Hell on your own feet, built a dojo in the Soul Society, taught others, and interfered. Is this not a double standard?"
"Unlike someone who stays holed up in the Soul King Palace because they don't want to lose their vested interests and just uses others for profit, I did my fair share of work, retired, came up here myself, and handled things with my own hands. And I didn't interfere more than necessary."
"You didn't interfere more than necessary? You say that after altering the destinies of Unohana Yachiru and Saito Furufushi to your liking?"
Watching him snark back so slyly, I couldn't even laugh anymore.
This bastard is really crossing the line while I'm being patient.
"Your expression has hardened. Have you only now realized what you've done? The destinies of Unohana Yachiru and Saito Furufushi were not meant to be this way. Since you know the future, you must understand what I mean. I merely acted to rectify the destiny that was twisted by your choices."
"Even after hundreds of thousands of years, that elitism of yours shows no sign of improving. I merely showed them a path. If their destinies changed, it was because they chose to forge their own paths through their own will. It wasn't me who changed their fate."
"The world has its Providence."
"Is this determinism? Don't make me laugh. If that 'Providence' of yours means taking the fate of humans with free will, interpreting it to your own taste, and trapping it in a frame called 'Destiny,' then I will shatter it. I will prove that nothing in this world is set in stone."
"Gahahaha!" The Monk laughed heartily, then rested his chin on his hand.
"And yet, you plan to utilize this new current?"
"Yeah, I'll admit it. I did make plans to use that flow. But I never assumed it would definitely happen, and I was simply preparing for a potential disaster."
"Another double standard. In the end, aren't both of us just preparing for the future? It's fine for you but not for me? Don't you think that's childishly stubborn?"
"Don't give me that crap. You think we're the same? You talk about Providence and then claim we're alike? You see that kid as a 'subversive element' and plan to kill him later, so you prepare a kill squad. That is fundamentally different from preparing for the worst-case scenario. You aren't stupid enough to miss the distinction, are you?"
"Isn't it just wordplay in the end?"
"Wordplay? Even a passing dog would laugh. I intended to watch. I was going to move based on the choices it made."
"In the end, it means you'll do as you please."
"Don't lose the point. If I truly intended to do as I pleased, the Three Worlds themselves wouldn't even exist."
The reason I merely watched as the Soul King was sealed was because the Soul King chose that destiny himself, not because his sealing was 'Providence' and I let it happen.
If he had said he wanted to live, that he didn't want to die like that, I would have saved him regardless of whether the world of Bleach was destroyed or not.
The same goes for Yhwach. I intend to acknowledge his existence and respect his choices.
Of course, if he chooses to return the Three Worlds to the primordial state as he did in the original story, I will move according to the plans I've already prepared.
And if he makes a choice different from the original story, I'll adjust accordingly.
"Ultimately, isn't your intention to shift the burden of choice onto others while you take the profit?"
"I am exercising restraint because I know what impact my choices would have. I am not shifting the burden. It is fundamentally different from you, who looks down from on high and blathers about Providence and Destiny as if you were a god."
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