They acted immediately upon their thoughts.
Candice's body began to tremble uncontrollably at the thought of encountering Shinigami once they went outside.
Although the others were not as impulsive as Candice, they also looked forward to a battle with the Shinigami.
This would allow them to gather information and assess their own strength.
Thus, they could determine whether they would survive in the future war.
They placed great importance on ensuring their own safety.
And so, the group majestically departed from Inner Silver Frame City.
...
At the same time.
In a vast, empty hall, Gremmy's clone suddenly looked towards a certain spot.
His eyes held a hint of confusion, as if he had sensed something. He stared at Haschwalth and tentatively asked,
"Hey, they seem to be leaving."
"Should we stop them?"
Haschwalth had also sensed it.
However, he had no intention of taking any action.
He merely stood with his arms crossed, his posture as calm as still water, his tone completely in control:
"No need; let them go."
"Regardless of whether that person is Yoriichi Tsugikuni or not, the battle fluctuations just now could not have escaped their notice."
"Rather than restricting their movements, it's better to let them go and probe him…"
Recalling the Silver Frame City constructed to protect His Majesty, Haschwalth paused, his vigilance unconcealed:
"He is too dangerous. He is the first existence in history who can pose a threat to His Majesty."
"The risk must be nipped in the bud."
"When do you plan to arrange the next Shinigami raid?"
Gremmy pondered for a moment and replied:
"No rush."
"I know you think she's not very useful, but for now, she's still a good pawn."
"Let's tentatively set it for six days from now."
"That's when Bambi will have completed her mission and will be returning to Inner Silver Frame City."
"As her subordinate, Tokito Iwákatsu will also enter."
"To prevent him from being a clone of Yoriichi Tsugikuni, and thus stealing crucial information…"
"On that day, all probes must end…"
"…It must be a one-hit kill."
Haschwalth narrowed his eyes slightly.
He heard the resolute intent in Gremmy's words.
However, this matter was easy to say but incredibly difficult to execute.
After some thought.
"What do you plan to do?" Haschwalth raised his eyes slightly, asking the crucial question,
"Are you going to 'cruelly' kill her in front of Tokito Iwákatsu?"
"Judging by today's performance, whether Tokito Iwákatsu is him or not, he will likely take action."
"He killed the invading Shinigami without the slightest hesitation…and even gave the reason that he was unsure of his own strength."
"Under these circumstances, how will you determine his true identity?"
Because he was unsure of his strength, any display of power would be reasonable.
The original plan was to gradually extend Tokito Iwákatsu's stay in Silver Frame City.
As long as he couldn't enter Inner Silver Frame City, he would never discover His Majesty.
Now…
Gremmy smiled: "Isn't that simple?"
"If he's unsure of his own strength, then just imagine an opponent that, theoretically, he can never defeat."
"Like Yamamoto Genryusai."
"You don't think just any Quincy who appears can defeat him, do you?"
"If he defeats him, then it means he must be Yoriichi Tsugikuni."
"And if he cannot defeat him, and is on the verge of death…"
"With that mindset, even if he truly is him, it would be reasonable for him to deceive us."
"At that point, we'll have no choice, but at least the situation won't spiral out of control."
"After I save them, you can then proceed with your plan and arrange things slowly."
"As long as he cannot enter Inner Silver Frame City, the home advantage will always be on our side."
Haschwalth frowned slightly, his brows furrowed in thought.
That's what he said, and it sounded extremely reasonable.
Through the fusion of imagination, creating a Yamamoto Genryusai was not difficult.
Although it would only have his form and not his spirit, with sheer power, it would be more than enough to fool those Quincy.
However… Haschwalth always felt there were some oversights.
Just then, Gremmy's words sounded at the opportune moment, filling in those gaps and perfecting the plan.
"Of course, since there's a monster in the Shinigami side whose strength surpasses Yamamoto Genryusai, theoretically, there should also be such a figure on the Quincy side."
"We cannot determine if Tokito Iwákatsu is him. To avoid our apprehension affecting his growth,"
"I've decided to replace that Yamamoto Genryusai with Yoriichi Tsugikuni himself."
"Because I've seen him before, I can imagine part of his strength."
"If Tokito Iwákatsu can win, there's no doubt he has a high probability of being him, and we need to restrict him."
"And if he cannot win…"
"Since everything is my imagined creation, I can easily erase it without harming anyone."
"This is the raid plan I intend to implement in six days."
"Haschwalth, what do you think?"
"Is it enough for a one-hit kill?"
It was enough. It had to be admitted that Gremmy's move was extremely insidious.
If Yoriichi Tsugikuni were to personally witness "himself" wantonly slaughtering those Quincy,
Even the most composed person would likely find it difficult to remain calm.
At most, he would kill a few more "Shinigami."
In short.
If Tokito Iwákatsu was him, he would definitely act, because no one would tolerate another "self" wantonly ruining their reputation.
Moreover… it was intentional slander by an enemy.
"Good, let's proceed with that logic."
Haschwalth slowly nodded, a hint of admiration subtly forming in his heart.
"Your imagination, in some aspects, is indeed more practical than my Balance."
He increasingly felt that in six days, the truth would surely come to light.
The stage was set…
All that was left was for the actors to make their grand entrance.
...
Silver Frame City.
The Female Knight Squad had just appeared in everyone's sight when they majestically rushed towards the battle site.
The Quincy they encountered on the way all proactively made way for them.
Originally, they didn't want to bother with these passersby.
But then they thought, perhaps someone had witnessed what happened just now…
Candice quickly walked up to a passerby, grabbed their collar tightly, and fiercely demanded:
"Hey, do you know what was going on with that Shinigami's reishi just now?"
"Has the Wandenreich been invaded by Shinigami?"
"Answer me quickly!"
Her voice was extremely loud, scaring the person speechless.
Seeing this, Meninas gracefully stepped forward, gesturing for Candice to release the person.
Then…
Boom!
She punched through a building, and amidst the flying rocks, she asked with a seemingly gentle but actually oppressive smile:
"I personally dislike wasting time, so please answer our questions."
"The reishi indicates the battle was nearby. Is your city lord, Bambi, injured?"
These Female Knight Squad members were all violent, one more so than the other, but compared to Candice, Meninas's temper was still a bit better.
Smashing the building was merely to draw out Bambi or the Shinigami.
To avoid running around like headless chickens.
The passerby turned pale with fright at the sight and quickly spilled everything they knew like beans from a bamboo tube.
Just then.
Bambi, hearing the loud commotion, thought the enemy had attacked again and rushed out of the City Lord's mansion in a panic.
Upon coming out, she saw several of her good sisters standing in the middle of the road.
Her expression immediately fell.
...
The sound of collapsing buildings echoed incessantly in his ears.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni had just walked out of the dessert shop when he suddenly heard unusual activity coming from not far away.
His gaze instinctively turned, and his brows furrowed slightly at the same moment.
—More enemies?
He secretly wondered if these repeated probes were too frequent.
Could Bambi handle it?
Never mind.
Even if there were enemies, Gremmy wouldn't let Bambi die easily before probing his true identity.
He was currently thinking about something else.
After a casual conversation with the shop assistant, he generally understood what Silver Frame City meant.
Actually, the shop assistant also didn't know about the existence of Inner Silver Frame City.
But he knew that every two weeks, the city lord's position would be changed.
No one knew where the original city lord went.
So Yoriichi guessed that the place they went to should be the so-called Inner Silver Frame City.
This might be a case of 'stealing beams and pillars' (a deceptive maneuver).
If he were to rashly lead the Shinigami to attack the Wandenreich without investigation, they would inevitably fall into their trap…
—Complex warfare; one careless mistake could lead to complete defeat.
Yoriichi couldn't help but sigh with emotion.
While informing Kisuke Urahara of this matter, he also manipulated Tokito Iwákatsu to return to the City Lord's mansion.
The initial reconnaissance was over. Gojoshibe Kenpachi might be there, and it was time to continue playing the role of the subordinate.
Unfortunately…
Before he could return to the City Lord's mansion, he suddenly saw several female Quincy in various outfits, aggressively blocking the road.
Yoriichi recognized three of them: Liltotto, Meninas, and Giselle, from left to right.
As for the other two…
Could they be Quincy who recently joined the Sternritter after Bazz-B was captured?
He recorded their physical characteristics and sent them back to Soul Society.
Before Yoriichi could even open his mouth to ask the purpose of them blocking his way…
Candice suddenly stepped forward, shouting loudly:
"Hey, kid, were you the one who killed that Shinigami?!"
"I heard even Bambi was no match for you? Interesting! Come and spar with me!"
"If I win, how about you become my subordinate?"
"You're not allowed to refuse, because I am Candice Catnipp!"
"A Sternritter member who will become the strongest Quincy in the future!"
Candice had always been competitive.
She really wanted to see what level a Quincy who surpassed Bambi in reishi manipulation was at.
At the same time, she also wanted to prove her strength in all aspects by poaching him.
Because if she could even defeat Tokito Iwákatsu, it would mean that all her efforts during this time had not been in vain.
Her charm and strength were second to none.
Unfortunately…
"Sorry."
Yoriichi did not want to accept her recruitment.
Force…
If all problems could be solved by force, he wouldn't have sent a clone to the Wandenreich.
Ultimately, not all Shinigami were benevolent, and not all Quincy were evil.
These few in front of him…
He gently shook his head: "I don't quite understand why you're looking for me. I'm just an ordinary subordinate."
"Killing a Shinigami is not something worth boasting about for me."
"If possible, could you please move aside?"
He pointed to the cake in his hand, looking as if he was in a great hurry.
Seeing this, crackle!
Candice's body instantly erupted with flashes of lightning, her anger almost visibly palpable.
"Move aside? Are you kidding me!"
The moment she heard Yoriichi Tsugikuni's words, she even thought she had become some unknown cannon fodder.
Even a mere subordinate dared to ignore her!
"Very well!"
She gritted her teeth, about to forcefully make a move to teach this arrogant fellow a good lesson.
The next second.
"Wait."
Liltotto slightly narrowed her eyes, her gaze, carrying a hint of deeper meaning, fixed on Yoriichi Tsugikuni…
More accurately, it was fixed on the cake in Tokito Iwákatsu's hand, interrupting Candice's impending attack.
Her expression was calm, and she spoke in a cold tone:
"Candice, don't be impulsive. Don't forget where we are."
"If you use large-scale lightning and cause this place to collapse, not even Haschwalth can save you."
"Hey kid, how about we talk?"
Although he didn't understand what Liltotto wanted to talk about, seeing her eyes, Yoriichi understood.
Perhaps because of the Sternritter, she hated food being wasted.
After some thought, Yoriichi said:
"Talk about what? You should be owners of the Sternritter, just like Bambietta, right?"
"I don't think I have anything to talk about with you."
"If you came for that incident, having seen Bambietta, why bother coming to me?"
"Isn't the situation very clear?"
"Precisely because it's clear, we came to you." Liltotto unhurriedly pulled out a hotdog from her body.
She stared at Yoriichi Tsugikuni, took a bite, and continued in a muffled voice,
"I'm very curious, how did you, born in the countryside, possess such powerful strength?"
"You might not know this yet, but Bambietta is a member of the Female Knight Squad."
"We are a group, so her subordinate is our subordinate."
"We discussed it with her earlier; she neither refused nor agreed."
"The choice is now yours, Tokito Iwákatsu. Knowing this, what are your plans?"
What plans could he have? He couldn't possibly join this so-called Female Knight Squad.
Although joining a group could lead to an increase in accessible information, the trouble of getting away would also follow.
Moreover, there was a man in the Female Knight Squad; what was that all about?
Yoriichi Tsugikuni's calm, placid gaze slowly swept across everyone.
Suddenly, his gaze seemed to be drawn by something, directly falling upon one person.
That was—Giselle Gewelle.
The moment he looked at her, Yoriichi Tsugikuni slightly raised an eyebrow.
He sniffed. —Something seemed a little off.
Was "she" really a girl?
"Oh my."
Just as Yoriichi was carefully pondering and judging in his mind, Giselle keenly noticed his gaze and let out a coy laugh,
"Don't look at me like that; it'll make me misunderstand."
"Actually, there's nothing bad about joining us."
"After all…"
"No matter how that Shinigami got in, danger is already imminent."
"As little Bambi's subordinate, I think you should have the responsibility to protect her, right?"
"Since you can protect her, why can't you protect us?"
"We're girls too."
"…"
"Are you sure?" Yoriichi Tsugikuni drew out his words, his inner speechlessness gradually increasing.
Everything happening within the Wandenreich was like a dream, constantly refreshing his understanding.
He slowly opened his mouth:
"Although you disguise yourself well, you can't fool my sense of smell and sight."
"If I'm not mistaken, you should be a male."
"If joining you means I have to become like you, then I think I'll pass."
"I don't have a hobby of cross-dressing."
As soon as these words were spoken, Gigi's playful smile instantly froze.
Having his gender exposed was the thing he could least accept, especially at such a moment, in broad daylight.
It made him feel a sense of shame turning into anger.
His eyes instantly darkened, and he was about to say something to refute Tokito Iwákatsu's words.
But unexpectedly, Candice, who had been interrupted by Liltotto, could no longer hold back.
She stomped her foot suddenly:
"What are you two even talking about? What male, what female! I just want to have a good fight!"
"Hey you, Tokito Iwákatsu, right? I'm telling you, our team isn't for just anyone to join!"
"Don't be ungrateful!"
Tokito Iwákatsu's calm, unperturbed demeanor almost drove her mad.
Normally, some ordinary Quincy couldn't even meet them, let alone have a chance to join them…
Yet now, he was showing nothing but disdain.
If it weren't for the special circumstances of this place, she would really want to use lightning to shatter everything around her.
Yoriichi quietly watched her, unconcerned by her display.
Strength determines vision, vision determines perception, and perception determines everything…
An opportunity that others would desperately seek was like a chicken rib in his eyes; this was a common occurrence.
Enough time had passed; he unhurriedly walked forward.
As he approached Candice.
Candice's anger, fueled by Yoriichi's repeated disregard, finally ignited, and she suddenly attacked without warning!
Boom!
Her palm transformed into lightning, wrapped in thunder, and with a swing, a terrifying bolt of lightning struck fiercely towards him!
Because the distance between them was extremely close, she originally thought this strike would accurately hit the target.
Unexpectedly, the lightning, approaching the speed of light, was easily dodged by Yoriichi.
Liltotto, seeing this, couldn't help but frown, a solemn expression appearing on her face.
Beside her, Giselle, witnessing it, slightly suppressed her intense desire for revenge.
Too fast!
Was this still Hirenkyaku?
Compared to what he himself mastered, he found that it seemed to not even reach one-tenth of that speed…
As Yoriichi Tsugikuni used Shunpo to dodge, he took in everyone's expressions and reactions.
A thoughtful look flashed in his calm, placid eyes.
Taking advantage of the brief moment before Candice reacted from her previous attack, to stop her from continuing to blindly attack and thus avoid affecting the surroundings.
Yoriichi gently patted her shoulder, his tone carrying a hint of persuasion, as if he didn't want to see a young girl go astray:
"Impulse is the devil, miss. Please control yourself."
"I know you're strong, but some things cannot be forced."
"If you have anything to say, go talk to my superior. I won't be accompanying you all here."
Having said that, Yoriichi manipulated Tokito Iwákatsu to instantly disappear behind Candice.
The thoughtful expression grew heavier.
Just now, while using Hirenkyaku, he seemed to have gained some insights.
Shunpo and Hirenkyaku, though both high-speed movement techniques, inherently had distinct differences.
However, even so, there were still some similarities in their movement.
By fusing these similarities, perhaps the speed could be taken to the next level.
For example, just now, when he flashed behind Candice, his Hirenkyaku subconsciously incorporated some Shunpo techniques.
If a normal Quincy's speed was one, then after fusion, the speed could increase to one point five or even more.
The stronger the reishi, the more obvious the effect, and this was only one of his clones.
His main body…
Yoriichi pondered, suddenly realizing that what he gained after entering the Wandenreich was far more than just information.
Under the gaze of several Female Knight Squad members, he quickly disappeared at the end of the street.
At this moment, "Damn it."
Candice couldn't help but curse; Tokito Iwákatsu's actions just now inexplicably made her feel as if she had been lectured by an elder.
Not only did the invitation fail, but she also lost face in front of everyone…
How could Bambietta's subordinate be even stronger than her?
Who was the superior here anyway?
However, even though she was furious, she had no intention of chasing after him at this moment.
Faster than lightning… what kind of terrifying concept was that?
It meant that if his attack could break through her defense, she would be gone before she even saw his movements…
It subtly gave off the feeling of Sternritter H, Haste.
—Did he really not have a Sternritter?
She frowned, deep in thought for a long time, still unable to figure it out.
Therefore, the invitation to Tokito Iwákatsu could only be left unresolved for now.
…
Castle Lord's Mansion.
"Hmm… this is what you wanted."
Yoriichi placed the dessert on the table.
Bambietta slowly emerged from the shadows, a clear hint of annoyance in her expression.
However, when she saw Tokito Iwákatsu, her annoyance gradually dissipated, and she asked,
"You actually made it back? You didn't run into them?"
"Run into whom? Your so-called friends?" Yoriichi turned to look at Bambietta.
Bambietta snorted coldly, her tone full of dissatisfaction:
"Friends? No, they're not friends. I don't have friends who try to steal my subordinates."
"I'm relieved you didn't fall for their honey trap. If you had agreed, they would definitely treat you like a slave."
"And then I'd be the one losing face."
She grumbled, venting all her dissatisfaction, then let out a long sigh,
"It's good that you made it back safely. Go busy yourself. Nothing major should happen in the next few days."
"They probably won't go back until they encounter a Shinigami."
"So you need to be careful tonight. Don't let them tempt you."
"If you get tempted, I can't save you. They're all man-eaters."
"I don't care about the secrets you're hiding, but they might…"
She walked forward and patted Tokito Iwákatsu's shoulder, seemingly relieved about something,
"Kid, be careful. The Quincy world is more brutal than you imagine."
"I don't know when these days of hiding will end, those hateful Shinigami."