You are very strong, but my painting style is better than yours!

—Just kidding, you can't actually absorb this kind of alien energy from the chaotic era into your body.

Yhwach is the son of the Spirit King. Within the Three Realms, there is no power that can "restrain" him. On the contrary, all power belongs to the system created by the Spirit King. Therefore, no matter how much power he absorbs from others, he will only strengthen himself and will not suffer from indigestion like the "Star Absorbing Technique".

Iori's physique is certainly no weaker than Yhwach's, but he is still a step below the Soul King. He can't just eat whatever he wants because he has a high health bar and high resistance. What if he gets an upset stomach?

Putting everything else aside, what if there were remnants of Hyosube Ichibei's will inside this small ball...

Therefore, the best course of action is to put it away and study it slowly—just as he did with Barragán.

Incidentally, in Iori's eyes, Barragan's "aging" and the Great Monk's "darkness" are actually on the same level, only the two possessors have different strengths.

"Gather..."

Iori uttered a single word, a brief syllable yet imbued with supreme power. The sand and gravel scattered throughout the void surged like a tidal wave, then converged at Iori's feet, forming a pure white brick path leading directly to the only remaining intact structure here—

The Imperial Chariot of Heaven.

The original palace has long since collapsed, and now only the inner hall remains. It would be an exaggeration to call it a magnificent and spectacular building, but the pure white color with gold trim, floating in mid-air as if it were isolated from the world, surrounded by a ring of broken stones, does give it a sacred feel.

Iori walked confidently and calmly into the hall via the rebuilt approach to the Rei-o-gu Palace.

With each step he took, some fragments were drawn to the hall and seamlessly integrated into it. Before he had even reached the halfway point, the original main hall of the Spirit King Palace had already reappeared, leaving everyone in awe.

It was a four-story tower-like building. Although it looked magnificent, it resembled a prison used for sealing or something. Iori had seen some Shinto spells, and seeing the shape of this building, she couldn't help but think of the stakes used by priests and shrine maidens when suppressing demons and exorcising evil spirits... Strictly speaking, they served a similar purpose, only differing greatly in scale.

Iori had known all along that this was not a palace but an "altar"!

He walked up to the main hall and strolled along the straight avenue, at the end of which was a diamond-shaped crystal pillar, inside which was sealed a humanoid creature without limbs, only the torso. Judging from the facial features, it should be male, but in fact, no gender characteristics could be seen. It was more like a basic template for the creature "human".

Although she had already expected it, Iori still couldn't help but hold her breath when she saw this scene with her own eyes.

The cornerstone of the Three Realms - the Spiritual King!

I didn't feel any sense of majesty or holiness... instead, it aroused my pity.

On the surface, it seems that he only lacks limbs, but in reality, the Spirit King's body is indeed completely empty.

Fearing his rebellion, a certain noble ancestor (with special mention of Tsunayoshi) cut off his various organs and threw them into the Three Realms, creating a human-like figure – this method was undeniably effective, making it impossible for the Spirit King to back out even if he wanted to.

Of course, that was just wishful thinking on Tsunayoshi's part. In fact, the Soul King could have always gone back on his word, but he refused to do so.

Of course, this also sowed the seeds of disaster for the Three Realms. The Quincy King, who was born with a disability, may have been a product of the Spirit King's instinct to seek completeness. After all, the Spirit King was omnipotent, except for controlling people's thoughts—even his own.

dong dong!

Iori first stroked the crystal pillar carefully and gently, then tapped it with a hint of mischievousness: "Can you hear me? Is anyone home?"

...Of course there was no response, and no sound rang in Iori's ears, but Iori knew that the Spirit King was not truly dead; at the very least, he still retained a conscious will.

Looking into those peculiar eyes with multiple pupils, Iori could sense something from them, even though their gazes remained unchanged.

"Has the prolonged loneliness made you forget how to communicate with people?"

Iori smiled helplessly. He hadn't done anything particularly sophisticated—the Soul King wasn't the one "in need of saving."

He appears pitiful and powerless, but in reality, he exists eternally; even if he wanted to die, it wouldn't be easy for him. In the original story, Yhwach had to use some cunning and manipulation to finally kill him.

"Wake up... You summoned me, it's incredibly impolite of you not to say a word, Your Majesty the Spirit King."

When you place your palm on the crystal pillar, blue lightning flashes across its surface, and the pillar neatly splits into thousands of tiny pieces that float into the air, exposing the humanoid creature inside.

"You could resist but you didn't because you knew that once you acted, no one could stop you, so for millions of years you never took the initiative to do anything... I admire that kind of willpower."

However, all sentient beings have limits and cannot remain static like inorganic matter until the end of the world... What you should care about is only your own future and... whether you can be liberated?

I am your understanding and supporter, and I am here today to liberate you.

That's right. Just because we offer admiration and applause doesn't mean we should expect heroes to endure loneliness forever... So even if you want to abandon this responsibility now, there's nothing wrong with that.

"There's no doubt that the reason the War Lord's Department didn't forcibly intervene when I was weak was not only because he couldn't leave the Spirit King's Palace for too long, but also probably because of your secret protection... I've received your favor in the past, so I'm willing to help you break free of your shackles."

The humanoid creature hovered at eye level with Iori. Although it made no statement, Iori could clearly feel the surrounding spiritual pressure fluctuating. A relaxed atmosphere enveloped the entire Spirit King Palace, like a sigh of relief.

"Don't be too happy yet. I like to travel around and can't stay in the Spirit King Palace all the time, so I can't replace you as a human pillar."

All I can do is listen to your demands and then try to create a new foundation that can replace you.

...Of course, this can only keep the Three Realms as they are, and perhaps that's not your ultimate goal.

【…】

The Spirit King did not speak, but Iori inexplicably felt a sense of "yes," as if she had already received a response.

"Then let me guess your wish... related to hell? I knew it!"

Nodding, Iori analyzed as expected: "The Three Realms are too fragile as a cyclical system. Such a world structure is not stable, so much so that you, a 'god,' are needed as a wedge."

The root cause of all this is Hell. The human world, Soul Society, and Hueco Mundo—all three exist to suppress Hell.

It was a black hole, a place that only took in and never came out. As time went on, it devoured more and more powerful souls, and the weight of the Three Realms became lighter and lighter. Sooner or later, it would be unable to suppress Hell...

Even you don't have the power to solve this problem, so you can only try to maintain the balance of the three realms to ensure temporary control over Hell.

【…】

"Hmm, I understand. After all, you only created all things in the world, but you did not create the world itself, so you are not truly omniscient and omnipotent."

And is Hell even older than you...? I'll help, and see how far I can go.

Iori grinned, his eyes turning a deep blue, and his immense spiritual pressure was finally released without any concealment.

At the same time, Ling Wanggong's eyes twitched slightly. His originally indifferent expression had not changed, but it inexplicably made people feel much gentler.

Chapter 504 The New King of Quincy?

After the Second Quincy War ended, Soul Society did not undergo any earth-shattering changes.

No one in Seireitei knew anything about Iori's duel with Yhwach, or what he did at the Soul King's Palace.

All everyone knows is that Yhwach, the Quincy King, tricked the Captain-Commander and then used a secret technique to go to the Soul King Palace... It should have been a very critical situation, but not long after, a special message came down that the Gotei 13 could rest and recuperate. Yhwach had been sealed by the Zero Division, but the Zero Division had made great sacrifices to do so.

This news brought a sigh of relief to everyone, and they felt it was perfectly reasonable.

More experienced captains know how powerful the Zero Division is, and Ginryo and Yamamoto are even more aware of Hyosube, who holds sway over the Soul King Palace... While there must have been many twists and turns in the story of this great monk killing Yhwach, it is still somewhat believable.

Of course, if Yhwach had won, he would have already made a move against the Soul King, and the Soul Society would no longer be so stable. Therefore, his only outcome would have been defeat!

In this way, everything seemed to have been settled.

Seireitei needs to be rebuilt, the Chamber of 46 must decide how to deal with the Quincy prisoners, and the 13th Division's high command also needs to question Iori.

Hyōri (Esdeath) secretly allied with Las Noches and entered Seireitei without authorization using the Black Hole. Although it was to support Soul Society in fighting the Quincy, acting on her own initiative was a serious crime.

According to disciplinary regulations, Esdeath should have been detained immediately after the war ended. Regardless of the final punishment, she should have been isolated.

However, no one is a fool. Esdeath is unlikely to be the one truly connected to Las Noches. This Ice Queen has no sense of belonging to the Seireitei and has no reason to risk going all the way back to fight. She is simply following orders.

As for whose orders it was... is that even a question?

Therefore, the Chamber of 46 also needs to investigate Aizen and Iori's collusion with Hueco Mundo's forces, but the timing is not right, so they will leave it aside for now.

After all, the Seireitei is currently in dire need of reconstruction, and the Arrancar's arrival has indeed been a great help. It can only be said that Iori's actions were not in accordance with discipline, but it cannot be said that he had ulterior motives.

In short, it's unlikely that the higher-ups will really make a big deal out of this, and it will probably just fizzle out in the end.

After the great battle, everyone was busy with the aftermath and issues such as Bount and the spirit corpse, so there was really no time to deal with internal problems.

The Bount is relatively easy to deal with; how to handle him is a minor matter for Soul Society. However, the spirit corpse that can replicate the power of a Shinigami is a huge threat!

The remains have been largely cleared out, with only a few scattered throughout the Seireitei and Soul Society, requiring careful searching. Their creator, according to Quincy prisoners, was likely rescued by Yhwach, and only the Quincy King knows their hiding place.

Currently, Team Thirteen is preparing to enter the "Shadow Realm" on a large scale to completely annihilate the [Invisible Empire] and, incidentally, expose that traitor!

……

The deepest part of the 【Morcelain Nest】is a prison space specifically created for the Sternritter. Among the various cells, one is quite unique. It is constructed with high-purity killing stone and has wooden plaques inscribed with incantations on the outside. The cells are connected by ropes, forming a shrine-style barrier.

The person imprisoned here is undoubtedly a very important figure, and poses a strong, hidden threat to Soul Society.

Raingrain Hasward!

After Yhwach was sealed away, the Wandenreich did not surrender immediately. They remained entrenched in the shadows. Not to mention that many purebloods escaped and are currently gathered together with a sense of desperation, it will not be easy for the Grim Reaper to break through the Shadow Domain and attack the enemy's main base.

Before the complete eradication of the [Henrykian Empire], Haschwalth was a very important hostage. In terms of status, he was second only to Yhwach, and his strength was also the same, just like Iori's position in the Thirteen Divisions.

However, it turned out that the higher-ups had worried too much. Haschward was completely disheartened after that day and showed no signs of resisting or running away, as if the former Sternritter commander had died along with their "King".

In the completely dark cell, the blond youth was hidden among the shadows. His once handsome face had become much more haggard, and the once meticulous man now even had a pitiful stubble. Hasward's empty eyes stared blankly at a point in front of him. His long stillness made him look like a lifelike wax figure, with only the occasional sway of his hair proving that he was a living person who was still breathing.

— An empty shell.

Haschward has no life goals and has lost the meaning of living. Yhwach used to be everything to him, but now he doesn't even know what he can do anymore. Even with top-tier captain-level strength, it's useless.

Even if this cell were completely isolated from spiritual energy fluctuations, he wouldn't go out even if the door were wide open... because the outside world isn't much better than this place.

If this trend continues, barring any unforeseen circumstances, Haschward will gradually decay, rot, and eventually perish in this lonely, dark little house.

—But then, in a flash, as if an electric current had passed through his body, Haschward's eyes lit up, he instinctively straightened his back, and then, with an expression of disbelief, slowly closed his eyes, cautiously and carefully sensing...

impossible!

This is impossible!

Your Majesty... Your Majesty has clearly been taken by the Zero Division...

However, this feeling is absolutely correct!

He disappeared without a trace that day, and now he has suddenly reappeared... connected to the "King" and the "Father" by blood!

The sacred script... the [Sacred Script B] that had been dormant in the soul seemed to awaken and began to tremble slightly, emitting a beautiful blue glow.

There's no doubt about it, this must be His Majesty Yhwach!

The only one in this world who can elicit such a reaction from the Quincy's sacred script is His Majesty!

A heartbeat? No, it's not such a concrete thing, but an indescribable but real connection, like the telepathy between twins or a mother and child.

Hasward quickly calmed down and listened carefully, but the resonance he had just experienced seemed like an illusion. The blond youth waited quietly for a long time, but there was no further response.

"A hallucination? No, that's impossible!"

It's highly unlikely that a powerhouse of Hasward's level would experience auditory or visual hallucinations, especially since it was a tremor originating from the depths of his soul. Even an illusion attack couldn't possibly cause Hasward to have a similar sensation.

But this is too unbelievable... How could he not know how Yhwach died, even if others didn't know?

The original plan to use a substitute did not go smoothly. His Majesty was lured into the Soul King Palace by the despicable Hyosube Ichibei and fell into his trap (Has also believed that the Zero Division had targeted Yhwach).

That familiar fluctuation, that unique soul aura—I thought I'd never see it again—

"Your Majesty, could it be that you really... um!"

Haschward's pupils contracted sharply as he sensed the fluctuation again, this time more clearly than before, and it felt remarkably similar to the sensation he had when he met Yhwach.

"Could it be... somewhere nearby?"

In this dark and sunless cage?

The blond youth took a deep breath, his soul excited by a long-lost calling, but his reason forced him to calm down.

First, we cannot conclude that Yhwach has reappeared based on this feeling. It is also possible that the Grim Reapers obtained Yhwach's remains from the Soul King's palace and used some technology to create the illusion that he is still alive, thus deceiving them by coming to the [Morphin Nest].

The Grim Reapers also have ample reason to do so:

If the Quincy prisoners can't tell the difference between the real and fake, then the remnants of the "Wanken Empire" certainly can't either. Then, the Grim Reaper can use this fake to lure out the remaining Quincy and wipe them out in one fell swoop!

Therefore, we must remain absolutely calm in the face of the current unusual situation!

Secondly, Yhwach's spiritual pressure did indeed disappear at that time. Even if he managed to escape with his life like he did a thousand years ago, he would definitely be in a state of serious injury or even feigned death.

So the question is, what is the most efficient way for Yhwach to recover from his injuries quickly or even go further and return to his prime?

Without a doubt, it means withdrawing their "favor"!

This is what is known as "sanctification"!

Haschward never doubted the "King's" decisiveness in making choices; the King could be as kind as a father at times, but could also show a ruthless side at others.

Of course, Haschwald doesn't reject this, and it doesn't matter if he is "sainted" by Yhwach—his purpose in life is dedication and loyalty.

"what is going on……"

Hasward frowned slightly, closed his eyes to savor the sensation, and then opened them with a look of surprise.

The distance was unexpectedly close!

wrong--