~ Next Bonus, 300!
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This was a palace of ice, a frozen domain where a group known as the Quincy dwelled.
After their defeat long ago, the Quincy had fled, hiding themselves within the very shadow of the Seireitei. Here, they had built the Wandenreich, the Invisible Empire, perpetually watching the Seireitei's every move.
One could only imagine the Soul Reapers' shock if they ever discovered they had been living under constant surveillance.
The sheer audacity of hiding within the Seireitei's very shadow, carving out such a vast space, was unthinkable.
The Sternritter, each possessing power that rivaled, or even surpassed, that of a Soul Reaper Captain, were gathered.
"Are you sure about sending us out now? Aren't you worried we'll be exposed?"
Bambietta Basterbine questioned Jugram Haschwalth.
Haschwalth was the Grandmaster of the Sternritter, bestowed with the Schrift "B"—"The Balance."
He was Yhwach's personal guard, the most trusted man in the Wandenreich, and its most powerful figure—the current ruler in all but name.
While Yhwach slept, Haschwalth's word was law.
"This is a reconnaissance mission. You are not to be discovered. If you are, you know what to do," Haschwalth stated, his tone chillingly indifferent.
Though usually composed and even mild-mannered, Haschwalth became utterly cold when issuing orders.
The others were used to it. They knew that if they were discovered, death was the only option.
Even if they managed to escape and return, they would be executed.
"Bazz-B, Cang Du, Bambietta. The three of you will infiltrate the Seireitei and gather intelligence on Shin Uzumaki. This is His Majesty's command."
A mission of this nature didn't require the full might of the Sternritter. A full deployment was reserved for all-out war with the Soul Reapers, and that time had not yet come.
Only when His Majesty, Yhwach, returned could they hope to stand against the Soul Reapers. Without him, even their combined strength would be no match for Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto.
He was an enemy even Yhwach treated with caution; Haschwalth certainly wouldn't underestimate him.
Bazz-B shot a complex look at his former friend, then turned and left without a word. Cang Du and Bambietta followed immediately.
Since it was His Majesty's command, they had no choice but to obey. As for investigating Shin Uzumaki, they didn't consider the mission particularly difficult.
Perhaps due to their recent surge in power, their egos had become inflated. They saw the Soul Reapers as nothing special.
Even this Shin Uzumaki, they figured, couldn't be all that impressive. They weren't worried in the slightest.
Haschwalth didn't offer any words of caution. In truth, even he didn't know the full extent of Shin Uzumaki's power.
Besides, this wasn't an assassination—it was a simple investigation. As long as they remained hidden, he didn't foresee any problems.
—
"Be careful once we're inside the Seireitei," Bazz-B said.
"Oh? The ever-confident and arrogant Bazz-B is telling us to be careful? That doesn't sound like the Bazz-B I know." Bambietta's face was alight with a playful smirk.
"Hmph. Get caught, and you know the penalty. You either take care of it yourself, or Haschwalth will do it for you."
Bazz-B snorted, his tone flat. At his words, Bambietta's smile vanished.
The Sternritter were not only cruel to their enemies, but also to their own. Even though Bazz-B was Haschwalth's friend, Haschwalth would likely show him no favoritism.
In truth, Bazz-B harbored a deep hatred for Yhwach. The hot-headed Quincy even dreamed of killing him.
His hatred stemmed from Yhwach's destruction of his town, and the death of Haschwalth's aunt and uncle at his hands.
Yhwach was a tyrant, a man who would sacrifice his subordinates without a second thought, stealing their power for his own.
—
Though they had observed the Seireitei from the shadows, this was their first time actually setting foot inside.
"Shin Uzumaki is staying in the Second Division. Let's head there. And stay hidden."
"I don't need you to tell me what to do, Bazz-B," Cang Du said coldly.
He had never held Bazz-B in high regard, believing he only got by because of his connection to Haschwalth.
A flicker of fire danced in Bazz-B's eyes, while Bambietta watched on, looking as if she were enjoying a good show.
The Sternritter were hardly a harmonious group. Yhwach probably preferred it that way. It was a classic tactic of those in power—a little friction among subordinates kept them from uniting against the throne.
As long as it didn't boil over, a bit of conflict was acceptable.
"As much as I'd love to see you two fight, this isn't the place for it," Bambietta reminded them, a hint of disappointment in her voice. She really did want to see them go at it.
If they did fight, though, she figured Bazz-B would be the one to come out on top.
They exchanged a final glance, then concealed themselves in the darkness, moving swiftly towards the Second Division barracks.
However, the moment they drew near, Shin detected them. A playful smile spread across his face.
"Well, this is interesting."
Shin let out a soft laugh. He hadn't planned on seeking out the Quincy, but it seemed they had come to him.
"Bring those three to me," Shin ordered Soi Fon.
The Soi Fon of the original story would have been no match for the three of them, likely unable to defeat even one.
But the current Soi Fon, under Shin's tutelage, was already terrifyingly powerful. And now, having used the Hōgyoku to enhance her strength, dealing with these three was hardly a challenge.
The power boost from the Hōgyoku was immense. Since she hadn't fused with it, her body wouldn't undergo the same transformations as Aizen's.
After all, once the Hōgyoku was removed from Aizen, he had reverted to his original form.
In truth, Aizen's transformation had been a reflection of his own inner desires.
"Shin-sama, I will capture those three thieves."
Soi Fon said angrily. They dared to trespass in the Second Division's territory? Did they think she was some pushover? Even without Shin's orders, she would have acted. In fact, without his command, she probably wouldn't have even considered taking them alive.
Now that Shin had said to "bring them," she would capture them. If they resisted, she'd just cripple them.
Releasing her spiritual pressure, Soi Fon shot towards the location where Bambietta, Cang Du, and Bazz-B were hiding, locking onto them instantly.
"Damn it, we've been spotted! We need to get out of here!" Bazz-B's face changed. He hadn't expected to be discovered the moment he arrived at the Second Division.
Were all Soul Reapers this perceptive? Well, no time to think about that now. The priority was to escape. The three of them were no match for the entire Seireitei.
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