The Soul King.
What is the Soul King?
The Soul King is the wedge of the Three Realms. If the Soul Society, Human World, and Hueco Mundo are each likened to a wooden board, then the Soul King is the nail that holds the three boards together.
This is the Soul King, the most important existence for maintaining the balance of the Three Realms. Such a person should receive supreme respect, but now, the Soul King's appearance was simply unbearable to behold.
His limbs severed, internal organs removed, sitting alone here for millions of years, possibly even longer.
For a physically and mentally sound person, this was simply the greatest torture in the world.
"Young man, do you want to be the new Soul King?" The Soul King's voice entered Yamabuki's mind, and Yamabuki's back was covered in cold sweat.
Only a ghost would want to be the Soul King! I don't want to become a limbless torso! If you want to retire so badly, I'll help you find your son. Yhwach will definitely replace you and become the most outstanding Soul King.
"Absolutely not." Yamabuki roared in his mind with the loudest possible voice.
"Are you scared by my appearance?" The Soul King's voice sounded very gentle, like an elder looking at his junior.
"Mhm, mhm, mhm!" Yamabuki nodded frantically. He knew his own limits very well. If he took that position on the first day, he would be cut into a limbless torso by Ichibē Hyōsube outside the door on the second day. A Soul King who couldn't speak was a good Soul King.
"I'm just a small Vice-Captain of the Gotei 13. Why are you looking for me? If there's nothing else, I'll be leaving now. Bye, and hopefully, we never meet again." Yamabuki pulled his hand away, stepped back two paces, and, after confirming the Soul King wouldn't harm him, prepared to push the door open and leave.
Just as Yamabuki was about to depart, the Soul King's voice once again appeared in his mind: "You will die. Soon, Soul Society will face an unprecedented catastrophe, and you will perish in that calamity."
Yamabuki's hand was already on the door, but upon hearing the Soul King's words, he abruptly paused, stopping in his tracks.
The coming catastrophe, of course, was the great war of the Quincy invasion. As the Chief of Staff of the Gotei 13, he would certainly join the battle. Could it be that…
"You will die at the hands of the Quincy King, Yhwach." The Soul King's voice remained calm, having already seen through the past and future of the world.
Yamabuki clenched his fists tightly and turned stiffly. He didn't believe the Soul King would lie to him. As someone who knew the past and future, there was no need to waste time on an eighteen-year-old boy.
Moreover, the Soul King possessed the world's most powerful ability, The Almighty.
In other words, the Soul King had already used his The Almighty to foresee that future war, and he would die at Yhwach's hands.
"I believe I won't be the only one to die in that catastrophe. Why are you specifically looking for me?" Yamabuki asked, forcefully suppressing his agitated emotions.
Many people would certainly die in the war between Soul Society and the Quincy, but why did the Soul King specifically seek him out?
"Millions of years ago, I had already seen through all of the future. I believed all changes in this world were within my grasp, except for your arrival," the Soul King said. "You are the only person I overlooked. The moment you arrived in this world, the world line underwent an irreversible change. Your existence is very important to this world. At least, you cannot die now."
Yamabuki felt a chill run down his spine. Had the Soul King already seen through his identity as a transmigrator? This was too absurd!
"Are you trying to tell me how to survive that war?" Yamabuki asked.
"No, there is no way. I have seen all possibilities. All outcomes are the same: you will die before dawn," the Soul King said.
Yamabuki felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar. He was only eighteen years old, and death felt too distant for him, but now, he felt as if the Shinigami stood behind him, with its scythe already pointed at his neck, and his head could fall off at any moment.
That feeling was too despairing.
Even knowing that life always has an end, when that end is imminent, there is still reluctance.
Yamabuki took two deep breaths to calm himself: "If this is all you have to tell me, then thank you. I need to go back. Everyone dies eventually, and my biggest characteristic is that I don't believe in fate."
He used to think that people who shouted "My fate is mine to control, not heaven's" were crazy, but when destiny truly descended upon him, he also wanted to shout, "My fate is mine to control, not heaven's."
Can a person truly defy fate?
What exactly is fate?
"Are you leaving? It's been a long time since anyone talked to me," the Soul King said gently.
Yamabuki said nothing, silently walking forward.
"If I told you I could help you survive, would you talk to me a little longer?!" the Soul King asked.
"Damn it! Why didn't you say so earlier! I knew you must have a solution, you're the Omniscient and Omnipotent Soul King!" Yamabuki used Shunpo to run over, looking at the Soul King with a grin.
"The only way to survive is to improve your strength. Before that catastrophe arrives, you must possess the power to contend with Yhwach," the Soul King said.
Yhwach!
The Soul King's son.
Although the Quincy power he possessed was strong, it wasn't enough to render one helpless.
What was truly troublesome was The Almighty.
An invincible power that could change the future.
Throughout the entire Shinigami world, besides Kyōka Suigetsu, there was no other power that could affect The Almighty.
Without this invincible power, Yhwach might not even have been able to pass Ichibē Hyōsube's test.
But once he opened his eyes, Ichibē Hyōsube, who had controlled Soul Society for millions of years, didn't even last three seconds before being rendered useless.
"Are you saying I should train hard and strive to become stronger before the great war arrives?" Yamabuki asked with a curious expression.
"If it were truly that simple, this wouldn't be a situation where death is certain. There's no time. No matter how you train, it's impossible to gain the power to contend with Yhwach before the war. However, I have a shortcut. Are you willing to try it?" the Soul King asked.
Yamabuki had read the Shinigami manga and understood the terror of "The Almighty" too well.
Kurosaki Ichigo's triple-fused true Bankai could instantly destroy anything, but in front of The Almighty, he couldn't even land a single blow. His great sword broke instantly, showing no dignity whatsoever.
If Aizen hadn't successfully hypnotized Yhwach with Kyōka Suigetsu in the end, taking all the damage, a not-full-power Ichigo might have been instantly killed a second time.
If he wanted to survive at Yhwach's hands, he had to find a way to break Yhwach's The Almighty.
Aizen proved with his actions that there is no truly invincible The Almighty in this world, only an invincible Kyōka Suigetsu.
....
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