The Bount race originated from a failed and accidental experiment by the Soul Society. That experiment had caused a surge of spirit energy to leak into the world of the living, and fragments of those scattered souls were absorbed by humans. From that unnatural fusion, the Bount were born.
But the Soul Society, unwilling to admit its mistake, turned its blade on its own creation. To cover up the truth of their involvement, they hunted and massacred the Bount, branding them as abominations. What could have become a new branch of existence was instead nearly extinguished.
Only a handful survived, scattered like shadows across the centuries.
Their condition was a curse. Time stagnated upon them—they could not age, but neither could they reproduce. Forever stuck in the bodies they once had, forced to wander endlessly without a future. Worse still, their existence as artificial beings placed limits on their strength. They could grow stronger, yes, but only to a certain threshold. Beyond that, their very nature prevented further ascension.
Among them, Kariya Jin was the strongest. Yet even his strength, when measured against the standards of the Gotei 13, was modest. He could perhaps stand against a younger or less experienced captain, but compared to the veterans, he was ordinary. Each captain of Soul Society carried hidden trump cards, centuries of mastery and cunning strategies. In contrast, Kariya's might was sharp, but finite.
But now, here on the battlefield of Hueco Mundo, Kariya was clashing with one of the quincy of the Star Cross Knights—and inexplicably, he had the upper hand.
This was something even Mazuru could not ignore.
The Sternritter were not ordinary warriors. They were handpicked elites among the quincy, each granted Schrift abilities directly from Yhwach. Their powers rivaled or exceeded captains of the Gotei 13, honed through ruthless selection. Already, Espada of Harribel and Grimmjow's caliber—comparable to captains themselves—had been driven to desperate straits.
Yet Kariya, a man who by all logic should fall short, was pushing his opponent back.
Why?
Yes, Ran'Tao's research had strengthened the Bounts who now served Las Noches. Over the past year, relentless experimentation had pushed their abilities further than ever before. But even so, there was a clear ceiling to their growth. Mazuru knew this well, and so the sight before him was something he found difficult to rationalize.
If Ran'Tao had been present in the main hall, Mazuru would no doubt have questioned her—how far had her experiments truly gone? Could she have pushed Kariya beyond his inherent limits?
Yet as he studied the fight further, Mazuru realized it wasn't simply that Kariya had grown stronger. Rather, the difference lay in his opponent.
The Sternritter's powers were not uniform. Cang Du's Schrift granted him unbreakable defense. Buzzby's "Burning Fingers" unleashed overwhelming offense. Both had displayed overwhelming force against the Espada.
But Kariya's opponent, Quilge Opie, was different.
His weapon resembled a western sword, yet his combat style twisted it into a conduit for archery. Spiritual energy formed into brilliant arrows, launched from the sword's hilt like a bow. His technique was powerful, yes, but it lacked the overwhelming edge of his peers. He fought with conventional quincy methods, albeit sharpened to an elite level.
By contrast, Kariya's doll was the wind itself. Its speed was unmatched, a storm given form. With the enhancements from Ran'Tao's experiments, that speed had been further refined until it was razor-sharp. Agile, precise, and unrelenting, Kariya's assaults harried Quilge at every turn.
To say he was dominating was inaccurate—he was holding Quilge in check, exploiting mobility to stay one step ahead. It was a stalemate, but one that made Kariya look superior.
Still, Mazuru was not convinced. His crimson eyes narrowed, watching intently.
It wasn't that Kariya was truly stronger than Harribel or Grimmjow. The truth was simpler: Quilge had yet to reveal his true ability. Unlike Cang Du and Buzzby, who had already displayed their full Schrift powers, Quilge was still holding back.
'So in the end, Kariya hasn't forced his opponent's hand.' Mazuru mused. 'He still hasn't drawn out the enemy's true ability.'
This battle between Las Noches and the Wandenreich was never about victory in Mazuru's eyes. His true aim was information. Every Sternritter revealed ability was another piece of knowledge, another weapon to use in the battles to come. The more that was unveiled now, the better prepared they would be later.
For that reason, he lost interest in Kariya's duel and turned his focus elsewhere.
On the massive screen, another clash unfolded. This time, the combatants were Tousen Kaname and a Sternritter known as Mask de Masculine.
Mask proclaimed himself a superhero, boasting flamboyantly even as he fought. His blows were strong, but it wasn't just his fists that made him dangerous. At his side was a small man named James, who never ceased shouting praises and encouragement.
"Superhero-sama is invincible!""Justice will always triumph!"
The constant cheers seemed to bolster Mask's power. With every cry from James, his strikes grew heavier, his reiryoku stronger.
Gin tilted his head, fox-like grin widening as he observed. "How curious. That little man… whenever he opens his mouth, Mask's strength grows. Could he be part of the Sternritter's ability?"
It was speculation, but plausible. The other quincy fought alone, yet Mask carried this peculiar companion. Even if James never threw a punch, his presence was far from meaningless.
Mazuru agreed silently. Espada had once been exceptions themselves—Starrk and Lilynette shared a soul between two bodies, while even within the Gotei 13, Zaraki Kenpachi and Kusajishi Yachiru had an unusual bond. Why shouldn't the Sternritter have similar anomalies?
'So, Kaname, how will you handle this?'
On the battlefield, Kaname's patience had run out. James' endless chatter, combined with Mask's swelling power, grated against his discipline. He had never minded unfairness in battle; war was not a duel, and numbers did not matter. But this distraction was intolerable.
He drew his blade and unleashed his power.
"Bankai—"
Black reiryoku burst outward. Suzumushi's final ability began to manifest, a barrier of utter darkness expanding to swallow the battlefield.
Mask sneered, tearing the star-shaped badge from his chest. "So the villain finally resorts to Bankai? Then I'll take it for myself!"
The badge gleamed, hungry for Kaname's power. It was the trump card of the Sternritter—the Medallion, forged to steal Bankai. Years of observation, decades of planning, had gone into its creation. Every Bankai revealed to the Soul Society had been cataloged, their essence collected into these medallions.
And Kaname's Bankai had long since been among them.
Yet as he raised it to steal Suzumushi's darkness, nothing happened. The badge shuddered, flickered, and failed.
Mask's eyes widened. "What—?!"
The black barrier spread without hindrance, swallowing him whole.
*****
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