Chapter 206: The Mystery from a Thousand Years Past
"My own... everything?"
Kurosaki Ichigo's eyes remained downcast, his thoughts troubled. Clearly, Fiander's words had exerted considerable influence upon him. Perhaps it wasn't solely Fiander's doing—the tumultuous journey he'd experienced had transformed Kurosaki Ichigo. He no longer resembled that hot-blooded youth who'd acted recklessly whenever emotions ran high.
Perhaps during countless sleepless nights, Ichigo recalled his former self. In order to rescue Rukia, he and Inoue had risked their lives to infiltrate Soul Society.
At that time, their collective strength had been so inadequate that any vice-captain could have stopped them effortlessly. If not for Urahara Kisuke's strategic arrangements in opposition to Aizen—if Ichigo hadn't served as his chess piece—he might not have survived at all.
Thinking carefully about it now, throughout history, how many individuals who'd been designated by Soul Society as "Ryoka"—intruders—had departed from Soul Society alive?
Although Ichigo wanted to answer Fiander with absolute conviction—after all, from birth until now, who could possibly understand everything about himself better than oneself?—this sort of foolish response clearly didn't fall within the scope of acceptable answers for Kurosaki Ichigo. Because more than one person had informed him that he'd been observed since before his birth.
This statement had been made by Aizen Sōsuke—whom he'd personally defeated—and also by Fiander Moros, who stood before him presently. Perhaps even Urahara Kisuke, whom he'd always trusted, knew as well. What compelled Soul Society and Urahara Kisuke to maintain such profound silence regarding his life's origins?
After prolonged silence, beneath the watchful gazes of every Arrancar present, Kurosaki Ichigo finally chose to shake his head and address Fiander: "If I admit I don't know—as you've suggested—then from the moment of my birth, has my life already been predetermined?"
"Are you telling me you've accepted your fate?"
Fiander's brow furrowed tightly. He hadn't anticipated Kurosaki Ichigo would respond in such a manner.
"Of course not!"
Ichigo raised his head and displayed that radiant smile once more. "Actually... this sort of question isn't particularly significant at all. Everything possesses an answer. As long as I don't surrender, I believe that one day I'll discover the truth eventually."
"Since I don't know currently, why should I worry about it excessively?"
Observing Kurosaki Ichigo's carefree smile, Fiander appeared thoughtful, seemingly moved by the response. He raised his hand, and after a gust of frigid air emerged, an ice bed materialized floating above the steps.
After placing Kurosaki Karin upon the ice bed, Fiander pointed toward Karin's throat and spoke: "You truly haven't disappointed me. Perhaps one day you'll discover the answer. However, if you're unprepared when that moment arrives—when danger manifests—you'll only be slaughtered helplessly!"
"Observe carefully whether there's anything different about your sister's condition!"
Speaking thus, from Fiander's position before Ichigo, a fine thread of blue Reiatsu shot forth from his fingertips and injected itself into Kurosaki Karin's body. After the azure spiritual pressure entered Karin's form, it attempted to cause internal damage. Then, strangely, upon Karin's throat, a blue spirit pattern visible to the naked eye suddenly materialized.
This pattern possessed extraordinary protective properties. The instant after Fiander's Reiatsu was released within Karin's body, it was instantaneously neutralized by this marking.
"What... what is this?"
Ichigo observed Karin's strange reaction nervously, rendered speechless with astonishment.
"This is Blut Vene—the innate ability of pure-blooded Quincy. Although your father attempted to conceal the aura of your bloodline, when someone deliberately activated it, the power belonging to the Quincy within Karin was still forcibly awakened."
"The Quincy? Is that the same as Ishida Uryū, who uses bows and arrows?"
Kurosaki Ichigo's understanding remained at the level of his close friend Ishida Uryū. He knew absolutely nothing about the Quincy's true nature.
"Aren't you remarkably ignorant!"
Fiander cast a cold glance toward Ichigo, then looked at the Espada assembled before him and spoke loudly: "Very well, everyone—the time for observation has concluded. The following topic will concern our own life and death, so you must listen carefully."
"That's precisely why I've summoned everyone here today!"
After stating these words, Fiander extended his palm and pressed it against Kurosaki Karin's throat. A crimson Reiatsu enveloped Karin's body. As her body temperature gradually elevated, the girl's skin appeared as though it had been thoroughly steamed within a high-temperature sauna.
"Hah..."
After considerable time, Fiander released a turbid breath and spoke slowly: "I'm genuinely exhausted. Suppressing the strength of a pure-blooded Quincy proves extraordinarily strenuous."
"I've used this technique to temporarily suppress the pure-blooded Quincy lineage within your sister's body, preventing it from erupting due to external factors for the immediate future."
"As for you—do you comprehend what I'm attempting to convey?"
Meeting Fiander's clear gaze directly, Ichigo rubbed his disheveled hair and spoke helplessly: "Of course I understand. Since Karin is a pure-blooded Quincy, then Yuzu and I have probably inherited identical bloodlines."
"And my mother, Kurosaki Masaki, was likely the pure-blooded Quincy you're referencing."
"Hehe! You're genuinely intelligent. No wonder Gin mentioned you were an interesting child!"
Fiander smiled, rose to his feet, and waved his hand. An icy mist filled the surrounding air. Soon, the entire throne hall became permeated by this frigid vapor.
"To ensure safety—to prevent interested parties from detecting this conversation—allow me to provide you with comprehensive education regarding how formidable the former Quincy truly were."
"Kurosaki Ichigo, the Quincy you've encountered thus far represent merely individuals abandoned within the human world. Their numbers and strength constitute extremely diminished existences. The genuinely powerful Quincy have always survived elsewhere."
"There are still Quincy remaining? Didn't Captain Kurotsuchi state that the Quincy were annihilated by Soul Society hundreds of years ago? If they still exist, where are they located? In the human world? Hueco Mundo? Or within Soul Society itself?"
Hearing unexpected intelligence from Fiander, Kurosaki Ichigo inquired with genuine patience.
"Where are they? They haven't been witnessed since their defeat at Yamamoto Genryūsai's hands one thousand years ago. Until this very moment, they've been concealing themselves within Soul Society's shadows, never revealing themselves to this world."
"Shadows?"
The terminology Fiander employed proved extraordinarily foreign to Kurosaki Ichigo's understanding.
"You don't comprehend? That's acceptable—you'll understand soon enough!"
"One thousand years ago, Yhwach—known as the King of the Quincy and simultaneously the Quincy's progenitor—led the First Generation Sternritter he'd organized to assault Soul Society. However, he failed. The fate of this world had not yet aligned in his favor."
"Yhwach, the Quincy's ancestor, represents the progenitor of all Quincy—including your mother naturally... and you as well, Kurosaki Ichigo!"
"He is also your ancestor. Whether yourself or your two younger sisters, his blood flows through your bodies!"
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