Chapter 233
After seeing this, Sun-Sun and the other two immediately began to retreat.
They had realized that the Quincy in front of them was not someone they could handle.
His level of reishi control was truly terrifying, completely nullifying their strength.
In the face of that kind of power, could anyone really defeat Quilge?
Sun-Sun's face was damp with sweat as she analyzed, "Hueco Mundo itself—and our bodies—are made of *reishi*. With this man's ability, we stand no chance."
At that moment, Quilge seemed even further consumed by arrogance.
"Come, Yuta! Let me end this battle with this form!"
Sun-Sun and the others looked at Yuta, standing firm before Quilge.
They couldn't help but feel uneasy.
Right then, someone unexpected appeared behind them.
Emilou Apacci turned around first. "Lady Harribel!"
Upon seeing Tier Harribel, everyone's expressions brightened instantly.
"Don't worry," Tier Harribel said, her eyes focused on Yuta standing in the center of the battlefield. "Yuta-kun will not lose."
"I didn't expect Quincy to have reached the point where you could assimilate Hollow power," Yuta said calmly, analyzing the situation. "Shouldn't Hollow power be poisonous to you?"
"What?!" Quilge's eyes widened in shock. The Hollow's power being lethal to Quincies was supposed to be secret—something only Quincies knew among themselves.
Yuta had no prior contact with their kind. How could he know this? Was it deduction? Or some unknown ability to read the truth from observation alone?
"Since your power is so great," Yuta said, his tone even, "then I'll end this here."
As soon as he finished speaking, Quilge rushed forward with his blade.
Yet to his horror, the weapon began to disintegrate when it was scarcely one centimeter away from Yuta's body.
His blade failed to make contact; half of it was already gone—erased into nothingness.
"What?! What kind of ability is this?"
Quilge staggered back in disbelief.
Dodging he could understand—but his *Reishi* blade simply disintegrating before touching the opponent?
Could Yuta's manipulation of *Reishi* surpass his own?
"Are you thinking my control over *Reishi* is greater than yours?" Yuta asked softly. "You're right. My ability is called *Reishi Control*. Every particle of *Reishi* in this area belongs to me. Your sword is made of those same particles—you could not harm me even if you tried. And it would take only seconds for me to erase you."
Yuta's expression stayed indifferent—as if he were already looking at a corpse.
"How... how is this possible?!"
Quilge roared in anger. "You accursed Shinigami! How dare you speak so arrogantly!"
---
**At the East Gate of Seireitei — the Seiryū Gate**
Several Shinigami stood watch, guarding the entrance to Seireitei.
Yuki Ryūnosuke and Madarame Shino were among them after returning to their post.
"Shino," Yuki said, frowning slightly, "there's one thing I don't get. Why are we fighting the Quincies atall?"
"What are you saying? It's because they declared war on us!" Shino snapped, prodding him in the face with one finger. "Use your head for once!"
Yuki flinched and took several hurried steps back.
"That's not what I'm asking!" Yuki protested. "I just don't get why we're enemies atall. Both Shinigami and Quincies destroy Hollows, right? Why oppose each other?"
"You don't even know that?" Shino began to answer but suddenly froze mid-sentence. "Wait... what was the reason again?"
"I heard the Shin'ō Academy removed that subject from its curriculum," said a new arrival as he approached them. "Seems that rumor is true."
"K–Keijōmaru Rokusei!" Shino and Yuki straightened immediately and bowed. "Forgive us for being late, Keijōmaru-taichō!"
Keijōmaru Hidetoshi waved dismissively. "It's fine. The battle hasn't started. I'll take this moment to explain."
"Shinigami," he began, "have long been known as the regulators and custodians of souls."
"The main difference between Shinigami and Quincy lies in *how* they destroy Hollows."
He continued, his tone calm but firm.
"Shinigami purify Hollows and return their souls to Soul Society."
"The Quincy don't just kill Hollows—they eradicate their souls completely."
"If left unchecked, this destroys the balance of souls between the Human World and Soul Society, eventually leading to the collapse of both worlds."
"To stop that from happening, the Soul Society negotiated with the Quincy many times—but no agreement was ever reached."
"In the end, the Gotei 13 and the Central 46 decided to annihilate the Quincy."
Yuki and Shino fell silent. The explanation weighed heavily between them.
For Yuki, the questions came flooding in.
Why must the Quincy destroy Hollows completely?
Did they not understand the danger—the imbalance that could end both worlds?
Or had they chosen that path knowingly, even if it spelled doom for everyone?
And if the world really were to collapse—what then? The Quincy wouldn't have anywhere left to live either. Why pursue destruction at the cost of their own existence?
"Keijōmaru-taichō," Yuki asked carefully, "in this conflict... are we—the Shinigami—the just side?"
"If one side were purely righteous," Keijōmaru replied evenly, "it wouldn't be called war. War happens because both sides believe they are just."
Yuki fell into uneasy silence again.
Both sides… just?
What even was justice?
What was evil?
What was the justice of the Quincy?
And what was the justice of the Shinigami?
Was there ever truly righteousness in annihilation?
Did the Shinigami really have no other choice but to destroy?
Could there truly be no peace—no coexistence between them?
What power could bring true peace to the world and end the cycle of conflict?
And if some greater force—more terrifying than the Quincy—were to appear and threaten both races equally... would the Quincy and Shinigami unite against it?
Would they find mutual understanding then?
Perhaps the Shinigami's current unity had only arisen because of their shared struggle against the Quincy.
And if the Quincy were gone... would that unity crumble again from within?
Just as it once had under Aizen Sōsuke's shadow.
PS GOALS: 150 PS= 5-10 extra chapter on an update.
💕💕
READ 45+ ADVANCED CHAPTER AT MY P@TREON! FOR ONLY 10$
at [email protected] /Zaneninjacat
💕💕
💀💀 gimme powerstones!💀💀