I said you are all war criminals

Today was the day that Yamada Ryo came to give Ichiri "physical therapy." For Ryo, this was a day he wanted to escape no matter what. After all, compared to the gentle, sleep-inducing daily routine, torturing his family and friends with all kinds of torture instruments was truly nauseating.

but.

——Continuously pruning the huge souls of Yili and maintaining the stability of the three realms is something that someone must do.

Rather than letting this matter torture other people's souls, it would be better to let Liang do it... At least, she is Ichiri's friend, and she has the responsibility to do so.

Ryo pushed open the heavy door between the thrones, and the sound of heavy metal scraping echoed in the empty hall. Normally, at this time, Goto Ichiri would be dozing off on the throne, drool flowing from the corner of his mouth onto his sleeve, forming a small, suspicious puddle.

However, today, Yili stood in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window for the first time.

Her slender and tall figure had her back to Liang, staring at the blue planet outside the window.

"One mile?"

Liang called out tentatively.

Yili turned around slowly, and in her eyes... at some point, each of them had a pair of pupils.

"Liang, you're here."

Her voice sounded unusually calm.

"No treatment is necessary today."

Hearing this, Liang's nerves, which had been tense due to seeing that pair of strange eyes, suddenly relaxed, and even a hint of joy appeared on his face.

"You've finally been able to control the growth of your soul? Great! I thought we'd have to..."

Ryo made a whip-swinging motion, a mischievous grin on his face.

However, Ichiri ignored Ryo's joke, she just shook her head, "No, Ryo. There's no point anymore."

The smile on Liang's face froze.

"What do you mean? What doesn't make sense anymore?"

"The Spirit King is dead."

One mile said.

"just now,"

Yili walked to the throne and placed his hands on the armrests. "I felt it. He's dead."

Liang's body swayed and he almost fell down.

If it were the Ryo of nine years ago, he probably wouldn't have felt anything when hearing that the Soul King was dead. After all, to Ryo, a Quincy, the Soul King was merely the "King of the Shinigami," not a being worthy of respect.

However, it is different now.

Now that the Shinigami and the Quincies are interacting closely, Ryo knows what the Soul King represents.

That is a sacrifice to maintain the stability of the three realms.

"Are you kidding me? Ichiri!"

Liang rushed to Yili and grabbed her shoulders with such force that it seemed as if he could crush her bones.

"The Spirit King... is dead? How is that possible? Did you make a mistake?"

Liang's voice trembled slightly with disbelief, and she widened her eyes, as if wanting to confirm that Yili was just telling a joke, a not funny joke.

Ichiri let Liang hold him, his eyes expressionless as he calmly repeated, "The Spirit King is dead, Liang. His power is completely gone."

She raised a hand and gently tapped her chest with her fingertips. "I can feel the pillars that support the balance of the three realms collapsing."

Liang stared blankly at Yili, her mind a mess. The Spirit King was dead? Didn't that mean...

"What will happen to the Three Realms?"

She murmured to herself, her voice as soft as a mosquito.

"The living world, Soul Society, Hueco Mundo... they will merge. Boundaries will disappear, rules will collapse, and the world... will fall into chaos."

She paused, a hint of helplessness in her tone, "It's like a pool of muddy water, I can no longer tell them apart."

Liang stumbled back a few steps and sat down on the cold ground. She held her head in her hands, digging her nails into Scalp, as if this could prevent this horrible future from happening. No, this couldn't be... This was ridiculous!

"Is there...is there any way...to stop this?"

Liang's voice was filled with despair. She raised her head, her eyes full of pleading.

Yili was silent for a moment, then slowly said: "Since it is a sacrifice..."

Her gaze fell on the throne. The cold seat that symbolized supreme power now looked like a cage.

"As long as another sacrifice of the same rank as the Spirit King is added, the stability of the Three Realms can be maintained."

Liang suddenly raised his head, his heart beating violently, and an ominous premonition came over him.

"Who is the other sacrifice?"

Yili didn't answer directly. She just turned around and faced the huge floor-to-ceiling window. The blue planet outside the window seemed particularly fragile at this moment, as if it would shatter at any time.

"cold,"

Yili's voice was so soft that it sounded like a sigh. "You know, my soul... is very special."

Liang's breath hitched. She knew how special Yili's soul was. A soul so vast it could burst the body of any ordinary Shinigami. Its ever-increasing power. The pain of having to endure "physical therapy" again and again...

"You mean..."

Liang's voice trembled. She didn't dare to say that guess because it was too... crazy.

Ichiri slowly turned around, her four pupils fixed on Liang at the same time. A faint smile appeared on her face. "Liang, I must become the new Soul King."

——Until this point, it’s all “Shirano Ichiri” drama.

That's right.

Hakuno didn't do anything like kill the Soul King - the Soul King was going to die anyway.

Rather, it could be said that "Hakuno Ichiri" actually knew that the Soul King would die a long time ago.

Nine years ago, the Soul King made the "Ten-Year Agreement" because he sensed his lifespan would be shorter than that. After all, compared to the original Three Realms, the current Three Realms have a lot more to offer... like chefs, golden gods, and people with superpowers. Oh, who on earth was so uncivilized as to dump so many things on Earth?

In short, in order to avoid the collapse of the Three Realms, or at least to avoid the destruction of humanity caused by the collapse of the Three Realms, Hakuno Ichiri has two plans.

That is "migrating to space."

The Three Realms sounds grand, but it actually refers only to Earth. If all of humanity and the God of Death leave Earth together, there will naturally be no need to worry about the Three Realms collapsing.

You know, the universe is not as fragile as you think.

but……

"Oh, what's the point of a high-welfare society? If everyone had just screwed on to space travel, we'd have been in space long ago."

Hakuno chuckled.

In his opinion, Shirano Ichiri's plan was indeed not feasible.

However, the second plan is more interesting.

"Eat up all of humanity, and after the three realms merge, spit them out into a new world without life or death..."

Bai Ye clapped his hands, "That's a good idea."

So, combine it with my ideas!

[Liang asked in a voice that sounded like he was about to spit out blood: "Is there really no other way?"]

Yili closed his double-eyed eyes and whispered, "There is also a possible solution."

She said, "Holy"

"I will sanctify all of humanity, God of Death. After the three realms merge, I will spit everyone out into a new world without birth and death... Perhaps this will work."

[Then, Yili added, "However, this method may not succeed, and it's too selfish..."]

“That’s what we’ll do.”

[Liang said firmly.]

"This is my order as a senior—Goto Ichiri, you are not allowed to die alone."

162

Chapter 162 Yamamoto Genryu Sai Shigekuni.

Sunlight filtered through the paper windows of the First Squad's barn, casting dappled shadows on the floor. The air was filled with the faint scent of sandalwood, a quiet and solemn atmosphere.

Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni sat upright on the tatami, holding a rosary in his hand, turning it again and again.

Suddenly, the sound of gentle footsteps shattered the silence. A monk, dressed in a white sash, bare-chested and smiling broadly, appeared at the door. Tall and voluptuous, he resembled a Maitreya Buddha. He was none other than Hyōshubu Ichibei of Squad Zero.

"What a rare guest,"

Captain Yamamoto spoke slowly, "Monks will also come to the underworld?"

Hyoshubu Ichibei clasped his hands together and bowed slightly, his smile still warm. "Captain Yamamoto, how are you? We've come to welcome back the new Soul King."

"A new Spirit King?"

Captain Yamamoto narrowed his cloudy eyes slightly, a hint of doubt flashing across his wrinkled face. "His Majesty the Spirit King..."

"Your Majesty the Spiritual King's time has come. This is destiny."

Hyoshubu Ichibei interrupted Captain-General Yamamoto, his tone calm but undeniable, "And the new Soul King is Yhwach."

Upon hearing the name, Captain Yamamoto's rough hands suddenly clenched his crutch, his knuckles turning white and making a crackling sound.

The Soul King was nothing more than a pitiful sacrifice nailed to the throne to maintain the balance of the three realms. Now, are you going to push Goto Ichiri into this position? An innocent girl, an innocent human...

"Is there no other way?"

Captain Yamamoto asked in a low voice, his voice hoarse, as if squeezed out from the depths of his throat.

If it was Yhwach from a thousand years ago, if it was Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni from a thousand years ago, perhaps he would have accepted this decision without hesitation.

But things are different now.

"Goto Ichiri, not Yhwach."

Captain Yamamoto spoke again, his tone firm.

Hyoshubu Ichibei clasped his hands together and bowed his head slightly. "Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni, you should also know that this makes no difference to the world."

Captain Yamamoto's rough fingers rubbed against his cane, again and again, as if he were lost in thought. Finally, he spoke slowly, his voice as hoarse as sandpaper scraping against wood: "Well, I understand. Sacrificing one life to save the world has always been the norm."

In his cloudy eyes, the unchanging smile of Hyoshubu Ichibei was reflected.

"Captain Yamamoto is truly admirable for his understanding of the greater good."

Hyoshubu Ichibei was still smiling with a kind look.

"The military commander's department is a military guard,"

Captain Yamamoto raised his head, his eyes fixed sharply on the monk before him. "Since you know that the Spirit King's time has come, you must also know how much longer the Three Realms can hold out."

Ichibei of the Hyoshubu clasped his hands together, bowed his head slightly, and said calmly, "Seven days."

Deathly silence enveloped the entire room, as if time had frozen at that moment. The air was filled with a heavy and oppressive atmosphere, making it almost suffocating. Captain Yamamoto and Hyoshubu Ichibei sat opposite each other, neither of them speaking. Only the heavy breathing of each other echoed in the room. The sun shone through the window lattices covered with thin paper, casting irregular spots of light on the floor. The edges of the light spots were blurred, spreading out like an ink painting. The interweaving of light and shadow, the distinct brightness and darkness, like the two poles of yin and yang, silently reflected the solemn atmosphere in the room. Every object and every corner in the room seemed to be immersed in this heavy atmosphere, appearing particularly solemn. The tiny dust particles floating in the air were clearly visible in the beam of light, dancing slowly.

"Then I will go and persuade Miss Goto within seven days... to volunteer."

Seven days.

Within seven days, a girl must be willingly sacrificed to fill the empty throne.

Captain Yamamoto sighed heavily, a sigh that threatened to crush his hunched frame. Leaning on a cane, he walked out of the room, each step like treading on the edge of a knife, each accompanied by the grinding of bones, like a sonata of death.

He felt that all his bones were rusted, severely rusted.

Behind him, the fat monk put his hands into his sleeves.

"Really, Genryusai...you're already over a thousand years old, why haven't you grown up yet?"

Hyoshubu Ichibei was not angry.

Even though Yamamoto had called him by his name, even though it was such a disrespectful thing, he had endured it magnanimously. After all, this was the current situation.

Nine years ago, the monk told Yamamoto, who was ready to fight again, "Don't fight."

Nine years later, the monk said the same words to Yamamoto, who was ready to continue the peace.