Kurosaki Yuzu placed both hands on the wooden floor, holding a piece of bread spread with pink jam. She leaned forward and offered it to Yuta's mouth, her eyes shining with anticipation as if hoping this simple food would delight him. She wanted Brother Yuta to try it immediately.
Yuta leaned in to take a bite, but Yuzu mischievously pulled the bread back just slightly, preventing him from reaching it.
"Brother Yuta, you asked me to feed you, ah~~~~"
Yuta felt that he had spoiled Yuzu too much. Now she was making him wait to be fed like a child. Still, he had watched her grow from the little girl she was two years ago into the young girl she was now. To him, Yuzu was like half a daughter, and indulging her in something as small as this didn't trouble him at all.
So Yuta opened his mouth and allowed Yuzu to feed him the strawberry bread.
When Yuzu finally succeeded in feeding him, her heart filled with happiness. She blushed from embarrassment but couldn't hide the joy behind her shy expression. Afterward, she tugged on Kurosaki Karin's hand and quietly excused herself from the room.
Yuta left shortly after, preparing to observe the battle between Kurosaki Ichigo and Äs Nödt's subordinate, Äsugier Royd von (Asguiaro Ebern / Asguiaro Royborn depending on transliteration).
Royborn flicked his hand, and from his sleeve slipped a necklace that resembled the Quincy Cross. The chain gleamed silver, the pendant shaped like a five-pointed star tower. Each elongated point rose from the center outward, resembling the sharp towers of Silber Frame Castle, cold and gleaming.
With the Quincy Cross in hand, Royborn summoned his bow. Blue reishi particles streamed together in midair, forming a longbow characteristic of the Quincy.
Kurosaki Ichigo's eyes widened. To see such a weapon appear from someone thought to be an Arrancar shook him. Was this enemy in front of him an Arrancar...or a Quincy?
Yuta continued to watch Royborn closely.
Though this man's strength was unimpressive, his existence was worth examining.
Normally, an Arrancar was a Hollow altered into the form of a Shinigami.
But this Arrancar had seemingly transformed into a Quincy.
If true, that meant Asguiaro Royborn had three abilities in one body: Hollow, Shinigami, and Quincy.
This anomaly seemed to suggest it was possible for an Arrancar to obtain Quincy techniques. However, this didn't mean ordinary Hollows could do the same.
Regardless, Yuta found him intriguing enough to study.
Royborn retrieved another item, this time a disc engraved with a five-pointed Quincy cross. Its surface glowed on one side with the blue light of reishi and on the other side with a shadow that exuded darkness. The shadow shifted unnaturally, as if it formed a tremendous hand reaching out to seize power.
"Melt it!" Royborn called.
"The sea turns into clouds. Clouds turn to rain. Rain turns to fog. The tangible will eventually become the intangible. When our joy is over, we will cast our wine glasses to the ground! In this way, your Bankai will be mine! Kurosaki Ichigo!"
But when he attempted to activate the usurpation disc, he realized it failed to steal Ichigo's power. His eyes widened-how could this be?
Yuta reached out calmly, intrigued by the Quincy's creation. The disc slipped from Royborn's possession into a small garganta that opened briefly at Yuta's will. When it emerged on the other side, it rested in Yuta's palm.
Over the last two years, Yuta's mastery over the garganta and spatial manipulation had advanced to a level few could comprehend. Even if his opponent held a weapon tightly in their grasp, if Yuta desired it, that weapon would appear in his hand in the next second.
Royborn staggered back in disbelief as the disc vanished from his control.
"Wha-? What happened...?! Who took it?! Why didn't I notice anything?!"
But he had no time to process his shock. Panicked, he drew back into the shadows.
The method of retreat was strange. A thin black line formed parallel to the ground, and his body collapsed into shadow-like fabric being tugged by unseen hands on the other side. To Yuta and Ichigo, it looked like clothing being pulled through the crack of a closet door.
Ichigo stood frozen at the sight. This was not a garganta.
When Yuta opened a garganta, it began as a horizontal slit in space, followed by multiple vertical lines that cut through space like blades slicing vegetables. The reishi barrier fragmented, squares of light parted, and then the portal opened.
This technique was different.
Ichigo immediately flash-stepped to Yuta's side, his expression filled with questions.
"Yuta-san, what is this guy? Is he an Arrancar...or a Quincy?"
Ichigo wanted to say more but hesitated. Weren't the Quincy wiped out two hundred years ago? Only Ishida Uryuu remained as far as he knew, and the Quincy were supposed to be entirely human. How could their power appear within an Arrancar like this?
Yuta turned the usurpation disc over in his palm before casually crushing it. Blue particles of reishi scattered like stardust.
"It's simple. This means the Quincy King-Yhwach-the one who led the Quincy into war against the Shinigami of Soul Society thousands of years ago and was defeated-has returned."
...
The world of darkness stretched endlessly, but on the ground a cold-blue light illuminated the void with a cruel gleam.
Royborn knelt on one knee, head bowed.
Figures emerged behind him.
Their garments resembled those who had earlier declared war on Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni.
Each was covered in white coats shaped like bells that cloaked their entire bodies. Even their arms were trapped beneath the garments.
Their heads were enclosed in black-and-white helmets. Only the mask portions were black; the rest of the surface was white. No skin nor hair was visible beneath their uniforms.
The leading figure removed his helmet first, revealing long hair streaked in both black and white. He then slid off the coat from his shoulders, resting it across his arm in rigid formality.
Looking down at Royborn kneeling before him, he gave a low laugh.
"Royborn? To kneeling here and waiting-you are worthy of some praise."
Royborn grit his teeth. "What a joke... who would bow to someone like you?"
"Who do you think you're speaking to?!" Luders snarled, stepping forward as anger flared in his voice.
"Silence."
The cold voice of another man cut through the tension-a tone aged like that of a stern middle-aged commander.
The sound of blood followed immediately after.
Luders stared wide-eyed at the stump of his arm as it fell to the ground, blood spraying into the air. His scream echoed from the dark.
"Ahhhhhhh!"
From deeper in the shadows came the voice of Yhwach himself.
"How long must I repeat myself before you all understand? Do not quarrel before me. I despise arguments."
He paused for only a moment before speaking again.
"Now... let us hear the report concerning the road to peace."
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