The screen changed rapidly like a slideshow, as if suspended in mid-air, presenting a perspective like a tiny insect peeking into the world.
As the perspective moved, it soon flew out of Kuchiki Byakuya's room and arrived at the gathering place for guests.
Looking around, the combat power of the guests varied greatly.
The highest was only a thousand, while the lowest couldn't even reach one, with the value displayed on the game console clearly being zero.
Gremmy Thoumeaux laughed disdainfully at the sight:
"Lazy, too lazy, they're completely ordinary people."
These guys were in front of him, but he couldn't even be bothered to kill them.
One must know that the weakest soldier in the Wandenreich had a combat power of over ten.
After all, Yhwach had almost made everyone a soldier in order to counterattack the Soul Society a thousand years later…
Only the one with a thousand combat power looked somewhat interesting.
Short, light yellow hair and a gently fanning fan showed his composure.
Although he wore a Captain's haori, because he had only recently taken office, the Wandenreich had not yet paid attention to him, so there was no information about him.
However, from the fragmented words of those around him, it could be deduced that this person was the current Captain of the Twelfth Division—Kisuke Urahara.
At the same moment Gremmy was focused on observing Kisuke Urahara, Kisuke Urahara seemed to sense something, and his right hand, which had been leisurely fanning, paused slightly.
He lowered his gaze, vigilantly observing his surroundings, his usually composed expression showing a hint of stiffness.
Just then, Yoruichi's voice suddenly rang in his ear:
"Kisuke, you felt it too, didn't you? That undisguised malice…"
Kisuke turned his gaze, leaned slightly closer, and lowered his voice:
"Well, my perception isn't as sharp as yours. I just know someone is observing us. It must be some old enemy."
"No need to worry. With Captain-Commander Yamamoto and Yoriichi here, I believe no one would dare to act presumptuously."
The two conversed in low voices, completely unaware that their words had been fully observed by Gremmy.
Even if their voices were so low that only they could hear each other, a dialogue box appeared on the game console.
Looking at the text in the box, Gremmy was thoughtful.
Captain-Commander Yamamoto… this should be the person who defeated His Majesty a thousand years ago, known as the strongest Shinigami in a thousand years.
He wondered if there was any exaggeration in this'strongest' title. He estimated that he was probably similar to himself.
Five thousand combat power was not his limit; by using imagination to conjure another self, he could infinitely increase his combat power.
The strongest in a thousand years… not to be feared. What interested Gremmy was the latter name.
"Yoriichi Tsugikuni… It is said he is even stronger than the strongest in a thousand years. According to Haschwalth, he will be His Majesty's greatest obstacle in invading the Soul Society…"
"I wonder if my imagination can kill him…"
A hint of ruthlessness flashed in his eyes.
"No… I definitely can kill him. I almost imagined a future where I couldn't defeat him."
The perspective continued to pull away like a kite, flying to the end of the guest area, and soon saw the figure of Yamamoto Genryusai.
Yamamoto Genryusai was sitting beside several other people, with varying combat power values displayed above their heads.
Gremmy merely glanced at them, and his contempt for them grew even stronger.
"What is this? The dignified Captain-Commander, with only ten thousand combat power? Two of me could kill him."
"No wonder His Majesty never took him seriously…"
If this was the level of the strongest in a thousand years, then a Shinigami who surpassed the strongest in a thousand years probably wasn't much better.
Haschwalth was too incompetent; exaggerating was one thing, but he even tried to spread panic…
The position of commander should rightfully be his.
Restraining his wandering thoughts to avoid affecting reality, Gremmy suddenly saw a unique presence among the vast crowd.
This person walked out of a corner and came to Kisuke Urahara's side. Although he hadn't had time to look closely, he could tell from his appearance.
He should be Yoriichi Tsugikuni.
Gremmy eagerly looked at the top of Yoriichi Tsugikuni's head.
However, whether it was a malfunction or something else, a specific number didn't load for a long time.
Clap, clap.
He frowned tightly and patted the game console… Was it broken? It shouldn't be; this was a product of imagination.
Even if it were left for a hundred years and other game consoles rotted, it might not break…
But if it wasn't broken, what else could it be? It couldn't be that the data was too overpowered, causing his imagination to be unable to imagine it…
Gremmy shook his head repeatedly, quickly banishing this absurd thought from his mind.
However…
As the saying goes, once a seed of doubt is planted, it will take root and sprout.
Perhaps such a possibility really existed. Gremmy deliberated for a while and finally imagined two of himself.
After the two game consoles merged into one, green pixel dots began to flicker slowly above Yoriichi Tsugikuni's head on the screen.
However, it was only flickering…
!
At this sight, Gremmy was almost plunged into a state of self-doubt.
The flickering pixels proved that his game console wasn't broken; it was purely a lack of imagination.
But… just to be safe, he had imagined two of himself, doubling the power of his imagination.
Such an operation still couldn't specifically display Yoriichi Tsugikuni's combat power.
One must know that this level of imagination could already kill Yamamoto Genryusai!
What a monster!
Since becoming a Sternritter, Gremmy had never lost his composure like this before.
The calm smile on his face instantly vanished.
Taking a deep breath, he gritted his teeth and imagined a third self, merging his imagination three times…
This time—the numbers finally began to jump.
But.
What he had originally expected to be an extremely exaggerated number, ultimately turned out to be the shape of a five.
"Combat power is only five…"
Before the thought could even finish, Gremmy Thoumeaux suddenly saw the game console lag.
The green '5' flickered continuously, and the game console hummed, as if under immense pressure.
He thought it was truly broken, but then the next second.
Whoosh.
A long string of zeros appeared after the five.
Almost instantly, Gremmy didn't even have time to count the number of zeros.
At the same time.
Bang.
The game console exploded.
The explosion's flames, like a surging heatwave, directly enveloped Gremmy's face.
After the flames dissipated, his face was seen to be completely blackened.
Wisps of gray mist escaped from the corners of his mouth.
Poof.
He was completely disheveled.
… …
"What's wrong, Yoriichi?"
Kisuke Urahara gently fanned himself, and suddenly saw Yoriichi Tsugikuni look up at the sky.
He looked up as well, but saw nothing except the decorations on the shrine's dome.
"Nothing."
Yoriichi shook his head, "Maybe it's a misconception. I just feel like someone is peeking at me, but just now, that feeling of being watched suddenly disappeared."
"Eh." Kisuke Urahara's eyes lit up, "You also felt the sense of being watched? Then it shouldn't be a misconception; Yoruichi and I both felt it."
"However, considering the atmosphere of the venue, it's normal for someone to be secretly watching us, isn't it?"
That was true. Unlike Kuchiki Byakuya, Yoriichi Tsugikuni didn't feel any malice.
So, in his opinion, that feeling of being watched was similar to being secretly observed by others.
Prompted by Kisuke Urahara, he quickly dismissed it, and his attention returned to the surrounding scene.
Not long after, Hisana and Byakuya's wedding began.
The surrounding atmosphere was very quiet, with only the sound of the priest chanting prayers.
As the two drank their ceremonial sake and exchanged rings, relatives and friends from both sides began to give speeches, expressing their blessings and hopes for the newlyweds.
After the speeches came the wedding banquet, and the atmosphere became lively.
Overall, the process went very smoothly, with no incidents whatsoever; everything was as normal.
But, in a place unseen by everyone, Gremmy Thoumeaux was utterly plunged into self-doubt.
The explosion of the game console was secondary; what he found most unacceptable was that he himself was injured.
Since he had a body, he had never suffered such a great indignity.
Because any harm could be avoided by him using his imagination.
But now?
What was going on?
Yoriichi Tsugikuni hadn't even moved, yet he had been injured?
Humiliation.
Too humiliating!
He absolutely couldn't let this go!
Since merging his imagination three times could make the game console overload and explode.
Then, a thirty-fold superposition surely wouldn't continue to explode, right?
If it still exploded, then…
Anyway, Gremmy Thoumeaux couldn't imagine how powerful a Shinigami whose true combat power couldn't be seen even after a thirty-fold increase in combat power truly was.
Taking a deep breath, Gremmy shed his disdainful attitude.
He recreated a game console and connected it to the data worm in the void, and only then did he see the wedding scene again.
At this time, the wedding banquet had just begun, and the sounds of people's laughter and the clinking of cups and plates intertwined.
There was no number above Yoriichi Tsugikuni's head.
Instead, Kuchiki Ginrei, who was beside him, had a large one thousand five above his head.
Compared to the others, this number was quite large, already one-sixth of Yamamoto Genryusai's.
However, Gremmy Thoumeaux acted as if he hadn't seen it, indulging in self-imagination, continuously pouring his imagination into the game console.
Soon, with a tenfold superposition of imagination, he could finally clearly see the increase in the number above Yoriichi Tsugikuni's head.
Fifty thousand…
This was the initial data, which seemed very high, but Gremmy always felt something was off.
If it was only fifty thousand, how did the game console explode?
He hadn't forgotten that when he was observing Yoriichi Tsugikuni earlier, his combat power was fifteen thousand.
Fifteen thousand observing fifty thousand, though a bit strained, shouldn't have caused such a sudden explosion.
While he was puzzled, the number jumped again.
One hundred thousand.
Gremmy was instantly startled and poured more imagination into it, to prevent another explosion.
However, the jumping of the numbers did not stop there.
In the next few minutes.
He watched with his own eyes as the number went from one hundred thousand to one hundred fifty thousand, and then to two hundred thousand… and it didn't seem to show any signs of stopping its increase.
He again wondered if his game console was broken, otherwise it made no sense at all.
How could anyone's combat power continuously climb without stopping?
Even cheating wouldn't be this outrageous!
Perhaps… this guy also possesses some ability similar to imagination?
Gremmy Thoumeaux frowned, and a feeling of dread, like a spiderweb, began to quietly grow and spread in his heart…
… …
"…There's a problem."
After a long while, due to the strong emotional fluctuation causing significant mental disarray, Gremmy quickly realized his loss of composure.
He quickly used his imagination to try his best to regain his calmness, and then began to review all the things that had happened before.
Finally, he came to a conclusion.
—This Shinigami is absolutely abnormal.
Even if the data might fluctuate due to the effects of Shikai or Bankai, the fluctuations would never be this drastic.
He had thought that upon seeing His Majesty, Yhwach's power would change with the alternation of day and night… But how could a Shinigami be compared to His Majesty…
There must be a problem somewhere.
Gremmy Thoumeaux narrowed his eyes slightly. Once his thoughts returned, he immediately used his imagination to analyze the abnormalities of Yoriichi Tsugikuni.
However.
The next second.
Bang.
Before he could observe carefully, the fantasy creature that moved within the reishi and could digitize reishi data was too close to Yoriichi Tsugikuni and was casually crushed by him.
Everything happened too suddenly. Before Gremmy could react, the scene before his eyes abruptly vanished.
Only a blurry visual afterimage informed Gremmy of what had just happened.
He was stunned for a long moment, the apprehension in his brows undisguised.
This guy, actually…
… …
"Yoriichi-dono, what are you doing?"
Kuchiki Ginrei held a cup of sake, not yet having drunk it. Seeing Yoriichi Tsugikuni suddenly reach out and crush the air, his expression was slightly puzzled.
In his eyes, Yoriichi Tsugikuni's actions were a bit abrupt.
Fortunately, by the wedding banquet stage, everyone was eating and drinking, and no one paid attention to this side, otherwise, this action would certainly attract everyone's attention.
Yoriichi's words sounded at the right time, answering Kuchiki Ginrei's doubts.
His tone was calm, as if he was just discussing a very ordinary small matter, and he casually said:
"Nothing, just a few small bugs."
"Summer has arrived, mosquitoes and insects are breeding, and annoying things are increasing…"
"Ginrei-dono, I have to go out for a while. Please take care of Ai and Rukia."
Yoriichi's expression was very calm, seemingly discussing the weather, but Kuchiki Ginrei always felt something was not right.
He frowned, his tone carrying a hint of concern: "Does this old man need to assist you?"
"No need." Yoriichi shook his head, "It's just a small matter."
With that, he warmed a cup of sake and placed it in front of him, slowly saying, "I'll be back before this cup of sake cools down."
"So don't worry."
These words immediately dispelled Rukia's thought of wanting to ask questions beside him.
Ai, on the other hand, was calm, holding a doll, and eating ice cream on her own.
Kuchiki Ginrei knew that Yoriichi Tsugikuni's strength was extraordinary, even looking at the entire Three Realms, he was a top-tier figure, so he did not doubt the truthfulness of Yoriichi's words.
Watching Yoriichi leave, he called someone to look after Rukia and Ai.
Immediately after, as expected, within a few minutes, he sensed a small burst of two spiritual pressures.
This spiritual pressure came and went quickly.
But even for just an instant, it made Captain-Commander Yamamoto Genryusai, who was sitting on the other side, narrow his eyes slightly.
—Quincy?
… …
A few minutes ago, outside the shrine.
"Come out."
Yoriichi looked up at the sky, his tone certain, "How long have you been peeking?"
"Although I don't know who you are, you should also be a Sternritter, right?"
"An unobservable bug… Can you restructure the composition of all things?"
As early as when Kisuke Urahara said those words, he already felt that something was amiss.
However, after Kisuke Urahara explained it, he naturally put that matter temporarily out of his mind.
But Byakuya didn't forget.
When Byakuya went up to give his speech, he whispered a few words. Although the words were brief, Yoriichi remembered them deeply.
—The Peeker.
Yoriichi didn't know what this peeker was, but fortunately, he had a sixth sense.
After a careful observation, Yoriichi noticed the abnormality.
Unlike before.
This time, the peeker had no shape, similar to a visible yet invisible existence.
In the Human World's terms, it was Schrödinger's cat.
It only existed when not observed by others.
To catch it, Yoriichi sealed his five senses, and the moment it approached, he crushed it with his sixth sense.
This was also the reason Yoriichi knew someone was monitoring them. If he hadn't sensed a trace of Quincy reishi when he crushed it.
He would have even thought it was some kind of creature created by the Twelfth Division.
—Used for filming the wedding scene.
After Yoriichi Tsugikuni's words fell for a while, a blond boy wearing a hood slowly walked out of the void on one side.
Clap clap.
He gently clapped his hands as he walked, his tone full of admiration:
"Amazing! You are indeed Seireitei's strongest, to be able to easily kill even the data reishi bugs I casually created."
"Haschwalth was right to be wary of you, and no wonder he returned defeated, after all…"
"You are the first, and only, Shinigami who has made me feel troublesome."
"I have to admit, I underestimated you."
He slowly stopped, then raised his head, revealing a face that appeared somewhat unfair under the enhancement of imagination.
He quietly watched Yoriichi Tsugikuni, and unhurriedly said:
"Allow me to introduce myself."
"I am Sternritter V, [The Visionary] Gremmy Thoumeaux."
"You should have heard my name, and if not, it doesn't matter, because this will be the last time you see me."
"Do you know why?"
Yoriichi did not ask why. He just slowly placed his hand on the hilt of his sword. The movement seemed casual, but it exuded an invisible sense of pressure.
Seeing this, Gremmy Thoumeaux's lips curved slightly upward, revealing a faint smile:
"No need to rush to act, Yoriichi Tsugikuni."
"I know you are very strong, even once exhausting my imagination, but now is far from the time for a decisive battle."
"You also don't want to fight fiercely outside the wedding venue and ruin this rare and beautiful atmosphere, do you?"
Swish!
Yoriichi still didn't respond, instantly swinging his sword and simultaneously releasing a barrier to envelop the surroundings.
Gremmy's self-talk was interrupted, and his entire body split down the middle, but the expression on his face remained calm and composed.
"Not bad."
Even with only half a lip remaining, he spoke in a relatively calm voice, as if it wasn't himself who had been cut in half.
This scene entered Yoriichi Tsugikuni's eyes, and he gently frowned.
The next second, he saw Gremmy Thoumeaux recover to his original state at a visible speed.
—Immortal?
"No."
As if seeing through Yoriichi Tsugikuni's confusion, Gremmy softly explained,
"This is just another 'me' that I imagined. Because the entire body is composed of imagination, there are no theoretical weaknesses."
"I don't want to use my main body to fight a monster like you."
He was arrogant, yes, but it depended on the opponent. The combat power was off the charts.
Before he could analyze why Yoriichi Tsugikuni possessed such powerful combat power, he would not take any risks.
Because he had to serve His Majesty.
However.
As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly found his body cut in half at the waist.
A black blade pierced his chest, sending his upper body flying dozens of meters away.
"I told you it's useless, Yoriichi Tsugikuni, why do you always do these meaningless things?"
Gremmy floated in mid-air, scanning downwards, then looking up again.
Even though he was cut in half, his hands were still in his pockets, "Or…?"
He paused, his tone playful: "Do you think you can kill me, who is imagined out of thin air?"
"No." Yoriichi shook the sword in his hand, and there was not a single drop of blood splattered on the blade.
He looked at the body in front of him, which only had a pair of legs remaining, and whose cross-section was composed of energy, and said calmly,
"I just wanted to see how your so-called imaginative body differs from ordinary people."
"So, did you figure it out?"
The moment Gremmy's voice fell, his legs disappeared out of thin air and reappeared beneath him, his state restored once again.
Yoriichi glanced at him: "Of course, there is no such thing as immortality in this world."
"No theoretical weakness, it just means there are no organs and no blood."
"Regenerative power has its limits, and so does imagination."
Step.
Yoriichi stepped forward, his grip on the sword becoming sharper:
"You just said that I once exhausted your imagination, right? So I want to ask, what did you do to cause such a thing to happen?"
"Was it to probe my strength?"
Gremmy narrowed his eyes: "What if it was?"
"Nothing."
Yoriichi slowly raised his gaze, the cold blade already pressed against Gremmy's throat, exuding a hint of chill.
Although the latter still maintained a leisurely appearance, upon hearing the words that followed, his pupils couldn't help but slightly contract.
"I just want to say, since you dare not reveal your true form due to the excessively large practical gap, why are you so confident that I cannot kill this body of yours made of imagination?"
"Don't be too confident, Quincy-dono. Everything in Soul Society is made of reishi, including… your imagination."
With that, before Gremmy Thoumeaux could react, Yoriichi Tsugikuni instantly swung his sword over three thousand six hundred times.
Gremmy saw this and tried to dodge. Don't be fooled by his earlier arrogant words; in reality, it was just a bluff, intending to make Soul Society misjudge the strength of the Wandenreich.
If he were cut into tiny pieces, he certainly wouldn't be able to revive with the remaining imagination, but it was too late now.
He could only watch helplessly as he was cut into extremely small fragments.
Immediately after.
His vision suddenly went black, and the surrounding barrier seemed to shatter due to the fierce sword wind. A trace of spiritual pressure leaked out, and then he knew nothing more.
… …
Wandenreich.
"Cough cough…"
Gremmy Thoumeaux, who had just returned to Silver Frame City, hadn't had time to recover his overdrawn imagination when a memory suddenly appeared in his mind.
This memory came fiercely, filled with scenes of himself being dismembered.
Just seeing it made him feel a sudden discomfort and a throbbing headache.
"Damn it!"
He knelt on one knee, his face as pale as paper.
Although he was coughing repeatedly, he didn't cough up blood, because there was no blood flowing in his body.
He was just annoyed that his final plan had failed.
How could imagination be killed?
Before, he didn't believe it, thinking it was nonsense, because even Haschwalth couldn't defeat his imagination.
But now… after a crushing defeat, he believed it.
Swinging so many swords in one second, was this even human?
—Unfathomable!