Yoriichi was caught off guard by the appearance of "himself."
Although he knew that his current appearance would certainly lead to Haschwalth's repeated probing, he didn't expect the other party to be so decisive.
In order to thoroughly verify his identity, he even went so far as to launch a city-wide massacre without hesitation...
Such an action is truly difficult to evaluate...
If his goal was to draw him out, then Yoriichi could only say he won.
However, at this critical juncture, exposing himself wasn't the only option.
As early as when they entered Wandenreich, he and Kisuke Urahara had already drafted all possible future events and options to resolve them.
Among them was a crucial plan.
That was to make Tokito Iwákatsu a clone of Yoriichi Tsugikuni.
—A true clone.
Everything in the world has two sides, yin and yang; since there was a Shinigami who broke the balance, there was no reason why there shouldn't be a Quincy.
They also found out the reason why the two were so similar.
Although doing so also carried the risk of exposure, at this critical moment, the probability of exposure was almost 0.
After all, as long as Yoriichi Tsugikuni also admitted to having a doppelganger, then this identity could be confirmed.
It made sense logically, emotionally, and philosophically.
Whoosh.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni, controlling Tokito Iwákatsu, quietly watched his other self.
Behind him, Bambietta seemed to be hallucinating.
Her eyes widened, filled with disbelief. What was this kid saying?
He would handle it, and she would recuperate?
Are these words a mere deputy can utter?
She was beaten into such a miserable state even after using her Vollständig, so what would he use to resolve it?
Doppelganger... what is a doppelganger?
Her head was about to explode.
Confused thoughts filled her mind, so much so that she ignored the conditions Tokito Iwákatsu put forward about no longer abusing others.
Because in her opinion, if both of them died, then abusing others in the future would be meaningless.
Hiss...
The bone-deep pain made her take a deep breath, and her thoughts were pulled back slightly.
Bambietta saw Tokito Iwákatsu's resolute appearance, not like a disguise, and the complex emotions in her heart were inexpressible.
"What a madman."
She muttered to herself.
On the one hand, she thought Tokito Iwákatsu wouldn't win, after all, the strength gap between the two sides was too vast.
But on the other hand, she hoped Tokito Iwákatsu would win, after all, only then could her life be preserved.
After so long, Haschwalth and Gremmy hadn't arrived, which meant they must also be held up by some enemies.
At this moment of isolation, they could only save themselves.
Bambietta struggled to get up from the ground, propping herself up with her hands, trying to bend one leg.
However.
Bang.
As soon as she exerted force, her body fell down again due to the complete disintegration of her wings, raising a small cloud of dust.
She didn't even have the strength to clench her fists now, only able to lie weakly on the ground, passively blinking, watching Tokito Iwákatsu's every move.
Boom!
The rampant reishi made the surrounding atmosphere increasingly heavy.
The two looked at each other, saying nothing.
But the next second, as if by telepathy, they disappeared from their original positions at the same time.
Whoosh—
The flashing figure brought with it a whistling wind.
The next moment, accompanied by a harsh metallic clang, the battle suddenly erupted.
The fierce collision caused a surging wave of air to blow outwards like a turbulent tide.
On the ground, Bambietta's hair was slightly ruffled, and the powerful reiatsu made it difficult for her to breathe.
Fortunately, the two gradually shifted the battle location, flying towards the distance, which gave her a precious moment to catch her breath.
"They finally left, damn it... I need to be faster..."
Squinting her eyes, Bambietta calmed her emotions through breathing, and her actions of absorbing reishi to heal her injuries were ceaseless.
At this moment, for her, the first thing to do was to repair her spine.
This way, even if Tokito Iwákatsu was defeated, she could still use Vollständig again to fly away with him quickly.
Such a loyal deputy was truly rare.
If she could leave alive this time, she would certainly...
Rumble!
Before Bambietta's thoughts could settle, an earth-shattering roar suddenly pulled her back.
Looking up, it was the enemy who had severely injured her, now sent flying by Tokito Iwákatsu's sword, crashing into the ground and creating a large pit, raising a sky full of dust.
—What?
Bambietta was stunned. How many seconds had it been? She hadn't even stopped bleeding yet!
Recalling the scene where she was instantly killed by a single sword, combined with the current scene...
Is this reasonable?
Your swordsmanship as a Quincy is actually better than a Shinigami's?
Wait... swordsmanship?
At this moment, she vaguely understood the meaning of a doppelganger.
No surprise...
...
"No surprise, Haschwalth, you might have guessed wrong."
In Inner Silver Frame City, Gremmy watched the battle between the two, a thoughtful expression on his face, and slowly began to speak:
"If he is Yoriichi Tsugikuni's doppelganger, then all of this seems very reasonable."
"I remember you are also His Majesty's doppelganger, possessing the same abilities as His Majesty."
"Then it's no problem for these two to possess unimaginable talent to a certain extent."
He crossed his arms and continued to analyze,
"Just as I said before."
"Since there is a Shinigami stronger than Yamamoto Genryusai on the Shinigami side, why isn't there one on the Quincy side?"
"According to the decree His Majesty left us a thousand years ago, Wandenreich should have been peaceful for these thousand years."
"Why is it exposed now, and an enemy we cannot resolve has appeared? In my opinion, it can only be a problem on the Shinigami side..."
"This Tokito Iwákatsu is the Quincy who came into being to help us solve this problem."
Gremmy slightly narrowed his eyes, his tone as if he had seen through everything,
"No wonder... his superficial combat power is very weak, but his true strength is so powerful."
"He is too young, and his methods of controlling reishi are also very superficial."
"This is the level a Quincy who lives in the countryside and has always lived alone should have."
"It's just because his talent is too outstanding that it covered up his flaws."
Gremmy turned to look at Haschwalth beside him and asked softly:
"Now, do you still think he is Yoriichi Tsugikuni?"
"It's time to stop, isn't it?"
"If you don't stop, the guy I created will be beaten to death by him."
Stopping now could still be called a test.
If he was beaten to death before stopping, then Bambietta would inevitably go berserk.
Because in her eyes, this was a disregard for her life.
No one would tolerate that.
Seeing this, Haschwalth hesitated somewhat, because the excuse was extremely clever, so much so that he couldn't distinguish between truth and falsehood.
But recalling what happened today, no one knew except him and Gremmy.
If the doppelganger theory was just a lie concocted by the other party on the spot...
But if the other party could come up with such a perfect excuse in just a few seconds, then that wisdom was indeed admirable.
Even if he was deceived, it didn't seem too unjust.
Haschwalth frowned tightly, his eyes revealing a hint of hesitation and entanglement.
After much deliberation, he finally sighed softly, saying helplessly:
"Stop."
"If he really is Yoriichi Tsugikuni, then I admire him somewhat."
"Even a theoretically fatal situation can be resolved with ease..."
"So powerful in strength, and so high in wisdom, even if I lose, I'm willing."
The reason for saying this was that the term 'doppelganger' almost occupied all the advantages of time, place, and people.
Unless he could get a direct denial from Yoriichi Tsugikuni himself, otherwise, this was an unassailable argument.
Haschwalth sighed inwardly, his heart filled with both helplessness and a certain admiration for his opponent.
A moment later, he watched quietly as Gremmy turned and left Inner Silver Frame City.
He himself stood there in silence for a while, then his figure flickered and he too disappeared from the spot.
He needed to prepare for the Sternritter bestowal that night.
The strength and achievements displayed by Tokito Iwákatsu today were evident to all.
If he was not bestowed with a Sternritter, it would be difficult to convince the public.
At the same time, this bestowal of a Sternritter might also verify the truth of the "doppelganger" claim.
After all, a being with an abnormal soul cannot receive a Sternritter.
...
Silver Frame City.
"Cough, cough..."
The flying dust caused Bambietta to continue coughing incessantly.
As her coughing intensified, she increasingly felt that everything before her was an absurd dream.
Because, that enemy she could never defeat.
High above, looking down on everything...
Now, he was actually being beaten from the sky to the ground, and then from the ground to the sky, by a mere deputy, without any chance to fight back!
This must be an illusion!
How could Tokito Iwákatsu be so strong?
Recalling what she had planned to do to him today, Bambietta couldn't help but feel a chill down her spine and shivered.
It was a good thing she hadn't acted.
Otherwise, it would probably be herself suffering this torment now.
Just as her thoughts were wildly scattered, suddenly, the surrounding space rippled slightly.
Immediately after, Gremmy's figure slowly emerged from the void.
As soon as she saw Gremmy, Bambietta raised her head and quickly called out:
"Gremmy, you're finally here! What in the world is going on?!"
However, Gremmy seemed to not hear her call at all, his face expressionless, his gaze directly passing over her and heading towards the battle location of the two.
Under Bambietta's gaze, he arrived near the two's combat zone.
At this time, Tokito Iwákatsu, who was in the midst of battle, noticed the appearance of an outsider.
Out of caution, he immediately stopped fighting, his sword slightly lowered, and he looked at Gremmy warily.
Under Bambietta's nervous and puzzled gaze, Tokito Iwákatsu and Gremmy seemed to converse in low voices for a few moments.
But the distance was too far, so she couldn't hear what they were saying at all.
Immediately after, a scene that utterly shocked her occurred—Gremmy gently waved his hand, and a faint light flashed.
The "Yoriichi Tsugikuni" who was lying on the ground simply vanished into thin air, leaving no trace behind.
Only the surrounding land, somewhat disheveled by the impact of power, still indicated that a fierce battle had indeed taken place here just now.
Seeing this, even though Bambietta's mind was still in chaos, she seemed to understand what was happening before her eyes.
Her pupils suddenly constricted, and she even began to tremble uncontrollably, her eyes filled with a mixture of disbelief and anger.
"You..."
Bambietta tried to question, but found her lips trembling with anger, unable to utter a complete sentence for a moment.
"I..."
She forced out another word with difficulty, her teeth grinding audibly, and her fingernails dug deeply into her flesh, causing streaks of blood to seep out.
But she felt no pain at all.
At this moment, only one emotion remained in her heart—fury.
The raging fire burned fiercely in her chest, growing hotter and hotter, almost consuming her entirely.
Bambietta never expected that everything she had experienced was actually a figment of Gremmy's imagination.
She felt like a clown being fooled, or a monkey performing in a circus, being manipulated at will...
It was too absurd and ridiculous!
How could she accept it?
Damn it!
...
Time flowed like sand in an hourglass, little by little, and Bambietta's mobility also recovered little by little.
Despite being able to move with difficulty, her eyes remained fixed on the two individuals before her.
But at this moment, a crucial question suddenly flashed through Bambi's mind.
Since this series of changes was orchestrated by Gremmy,
what role did Tokito Iwákatsu play in this incident?
An accomplice?
Or a victim, just like her?
She racked her brain but ultimately found no answer. However, what was certain was that Gremmy was definitely not the only culprit.
There was also Haschwalth; he must have been involved in this conspiracy as well.
Otherwise, how could he have been oblivious when Silver Frame City was attacked and so many Quincy were slaughtered?
Every time she thought of this, Bambi felt deeply betrayed, and the hatred in her heart was hard to dispel.
Thud.
Just then, Tokito Iwákatsu walked steadily towards Bambi.
The sunlight was completely blocked by his body.
Bambi spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva, looked up in anger, and said with displeasure:
"What, my dear subordinate, have you come to silence me?"
"What did that bastard Gremmy tell you? Why did he deliberately create this disaster today? Could it be that he betrayed His Majesty?"
"If so, have you been bribed by him now?"
Although her tone was slightly weak due to her exhaustion, her posture remained arrogant, and she snorted disdainfully:
"Hmph, I knew it."
"Even I haven't slaughtered so many people at once."
"If you, too, have betrayed, then do it."
"Dying by your hand is better than being killed by that hypocrite."
"You saved me, a life for a life… Remember, I owe you nothing!"
These were not words Bambi, who feared death, would typically say.
However, recalling her past behavior, it was not surprising.
The formation of any negative personality is based on external adverse influences.
Once those adverse influences disappear, the personality will gradually normalize.
Whoosh.
The sword in his hand dissipated inch by inch, and the floating reishi permeated the air.
Tokito Iwákatsu looked at her, his tone as usual:
"Kill you? Bambi, have you misunderstood something? Why would I kill you?"
"Do you remember what I just said?"
"As long as you keep your promise, no one but me can kill you today."
This sentence actually had another meaning.
—If she didn't keep her promise, no one but him could protect Bambi.
But Bambi obviously didn't grasp the deeper meaning.
She just froze for a moment, then said:
"Your… your words were serious? I thought…"
"Thought what? You think I'm joking?" Tokito Iwákatsu calmly dispersed his sword hilt.
"I never joke. Your personality is too perverse."
"You clearly have better ways to vent your emotions, but you choose one-sided torture and slaughter…"
"How does it feel to be tortured and slaughtered by others today?"
"The suffering those people once endured is what you are experiencing now."
"Are you despairing?"
Of course, she was despairing. Bambi didn't even want to recall what had just happened.
Now, being deliberately mentioned by Tokito Iwákatsu, her heart was filled with indignation but she had no way to refute, her face turning alternately green and pale.
"No need to despair," Tokito Iwákatsu's voice continued.
He watched the changes in Bambi's expression and said lightly:
"Those who died because of you were even more despairing."
"Remember today's lesson, otherwise…"
"Otherwise what? Are you going to kill me?" Bambi laughed in anger. She was already quite annoyed at being deceived by Gremmy.
Now, being lectured by her subordinate, did he really think she had no temper?
Even if he was her savior, he absolutely could not interfere with her private life!
Bang!
She rose indignantly, and despite being covered in blood and looking disheveled, her aura remained undiminished.
Her burning gaze met Tokito Iwákatsu's at close range, as if declaring that she would never yield!
However, this arrogant attitude did not lead to Tokito Iwákatsu's concession.
Tokito Iwákatsu merely gave her a faint glance, then slowly turned around and spoke a cruel truth:
"You know, I never like trouble. What I said just now was a notification, not a discussion."
"Before, I endured because I wasn't sure of my own strength. But it's different now."
"After fighting with my other self, I have already determined that I have stood at the pinnacle of the Wandenreich."
"Bambi, in this situation, how can you resist?"
"Cough cough…" Not far away, Gremmy heard this and hurried forward to add:
"That other self is actually not your other self. Don't use his strength to measure your strength."
"Although you are indeed very strong, you may not be his opponent right now."
"I'm talking about the real him, the one in Soul Society."
Gremmy was afraid that Tokito Iwákatsu, due to a momentary victory, might lose control of his emotions and rush out of the Wandenreich to seek trouble with Yoriichi Tsugikuni.
In terms of identity, the two were equally talented, but Tokito Iwákatsu's growth period was too short.
Tokito Iwákatsu nodded upon hearing this:
"I understand, but even if it's not him personally, it shouldn't affect my judgment of my own true strength, right?"
"Yes, you are very strong, stronger than all of us, there is no doubt about that."
Gremmy said, sweeping his gaze over Bambi.
At first, her face was full of anger, but now there was already some hint of retreat.
After all, in the face of absolute power, even the most unrestrained personality must slightly rein itself in.
Because it would backfire.
Bambi didn't want to die.
But…
She pursed her lips, still trying to be strong:
"Even… even so, you can't…"
Before she finished speaking.
Suddenly, footsteps came from beside her, and Gigi walked over, looking innocent.
The cowlick on his head swayed back and forth. The moment he saw Bambi, he walked and shouted in feigned surprise:
"Oh! Little Bambi, you're still alive, that's great!"
"What happened here, Gremmy? Why are you here? Didn't you go back to Inner Silver Frame City?"
"You said you were afraid of being affected after sacrificing little Bambi…"
"Oh dear!"
As soon as these words left his mouth, Gigi realized he had said the wrong thing.
He quickly reached up to cover his mouth, shaking his head innocently, indicating that he hadn't said anything just now.
However, it was already too late.
Bambi suddenly came to her senses, realizing that she had almost forgotten the most important thing because of that so-called promise, and her anger flared up again.
She stared at Gremmy, her words unkind, and questioned:
"Sacrifice?! What does that mean, Gremmy? Don't you want to explain?"
"I've served the Sternritter diligently for many years, why should I be sacrificed?"
"What about Haschwalth? Was he also involved?"
"If you haven't betrayed His Majesty, why did you slaughter the entire city?!"
"Don't tell me it was to test them. That kind of reason can probably only fool children!"
Coincidentally, it was precisely such a childish reason that almost cost Bambi her life.
Gremmy glanced at Tokito Iwákatsu, seemingly seeking his opinion.
Seeing that Tokito Iwákatsu had no intention of stopping him, he prepared to explain.
However, before he could open his mouth, Haschwalth slowly walked out of Inner Silver Frame City.
As the planner of these schemes, he naturally wouldn't let Gremmy bear the responsibility alone.
!
Seeing Haschwalth appear, Bambi's expression suddenly tightened.
She instinctively took half a step back, feeling uneasy, afraid that this guy would try to kill her.
Fortunately, Haschwalth's expression remained cold, with no sign of any action.
Immediately after, Bambi heard the full account of what had happened from his mouth.
Her face changed repeatedly; clearly, she found it difficult to accept this cruel truth for a moment…
Her own subordinate actually…
...
...
"Just now, you did that on purpose, didn't you?"
Tokito Iwákatsu's stern gaze, like a cold star, fixed on Gigi, his voice low but with an undeniable certainty.
Gigi, upon hearing this, widened his eyes, looking innocent, as if saying, "I don't know what you're talking about."
He feigned ignorance and chuckled:
"On purpose? What's on purpose? I just accidentally let it slip, that's all."
"By the way, how are you still alive?"
"Aren't you a traitor? Even Gremmy and Haschwalth said so."
"I was even planning to turn you into a zombie so you could stay by little Bambi's side forever."
"After all, little Bambi would have been heartbroken at that time."
Having been around the Sternritter for so many years, Gigi had long developed a mentality of speaking to people in their own language and to ghosts in theirs.
At such a critical moment, he absolutely couldn't show weakness; he had to stand firmly on Bambi's side.
Although he had indeed once entertained the wicked thought of turning Bambi into a zombie, that was merely a thought before Bambi completely lost power.
As long as he denied it to the death, who could do anything to him?
Regarding this.
Tokito Iwákatsu gave him a deep look, his tone meaningful:
"It seems my survival disappoints you, doesn't it…"
"That's right, your eyes tell me you like Bambi, don't you?"
"And it's a near-pathological kind of liking."
"Don't worry."
He paused, then slightly raised his head, giving Gigi no chance to retort.
A moment later, he cast his gaze towards Bambi, his expression somewhat casual, and continued:
"You won't have a chance."
"I'm not entirely sure if her perverse personality was caused by you all."
"But for the sake of future peace, you should stay away from her."
"Those who play with life will eventually be played by life."
"Gigi, this is my reminder to you."
A reminder? How does that sound like a warning?
Gigi's expression was normal, but he was very displeased internally.
He grumbled to himself, thinking that Tokito Iwákatsu was purely meddling.
The Sternritter of [The Zombie] doesn't play with the dead, so what does he play with? Flies?
Giving him a faint glance, with no expression on his face, Gigi quickly left.
When words don't click, even half a sentence is too much. Since there was no suitable opportunity to act now, there was no need to linger.
Anyway, there would be plenty of opportunities in the future to turn these people into zombies, and then he would let them taste his power.
Seeing this, Tokito Iwákatsu slightly raised an eyebrow, a hint of thoughtfulness in his eyes.
And at the same time.
On the other side.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni turned his head and said to Kisuke Urahara:
"Increase Gigi's danger level by five percentage points."
"Given that his blood is highly infectious and he possesses a certain performative personality that is difficult to correct…"
"Next time Shinigami encounter him, they just need to wear protective gear and reveal the truth that he is a man."
"Normal physical attacks cannot kill him."
"It is recommended to use methods that can restrict his movements or nerves, such as burning, freezing, or electrocution."
"These are the methods to deal with him."
"Go and add them to the textbook."