"The Almighty!"
"Bazz-B, I'll say it one more time!"
"Move!"
Jugram's face was livid as he stared at Bazz-B. Anxiety twisted in his chest he refused to keep waiting.
After what happened with the Hollows, Yhwach was already furious beyond measure.
If Cole still didn't go, Jugram truly didn't know what would happen next—those two might end up fighting.
Jugram trusted Yhwach's strength.
But he also understood how terrifying Cole was.
If those two clashed, no matter who won or lost, the Wandenreich would suffer catastrophic damage.
At that point, forget invading Seireitei—there was a real chance the Wandenreich itself would be shattered.
"So I'll say it again—there's no way I'm letting you in."
Facing his best friend, Bazz-B didn't retreat an inch. Flames blazed around both hands as he spoke with a grim expression.
"I seriously don't get it. Why are you so loyal to Yhwach? Don't you know what kind of person he really is?"
After Cole proved he could resist Seibetsu (Holy Selection), Bazz-B had already decided to devote himself completely to Cole.
He had no intention of living like a dog—letting Yhwach hold his life in his hand.
Anger gradually surfaced in Jugram's eyes.
"Bazz-B, don't forget—if His Majesty hadn't saved us back then, we might've died under the Shinigami's zanpakuto."
Bazz-B sneered.
"By that logic, if it weren't for him, we wouldn't have fought the Shinigami in the first place."
"And don't you forget this either—more Quincies have died under Yhwach's hand than under the Shinigami's zanpakuto. Dozens of times more."
"After we lost back then, that guy slaughtered half the Empire's Quincies in one go."
Their words grew sharper, colliding head-on.
Jugram's anger flared. Instinctively, he drew his sword.
Seeing that, Cang Du, Bambietta, Liltotto, Giselle, Meninas, and Candice all approached.
Things had reached this point—there was no retreat for them anymore.
They could only follow Cole down this road to the end.
So long as Cole hadn't been defeated by Yhwach, there was no way they would betray Cole or the Military Police Corps.
Jugram's chest rose and fell as he stared at them.
In the end, though, he still didn't dare strike right then.
Because no matter how strong he was, he couldn't say with confidence that he could fight them all alone.
And things hadn't reached the absolute worst-case scenario yet. If they started fighting now, it might only make everything worse.
"His Majesty is probably going to explode again…"
With that uneasy thought in mind, Jugram returned to the Ice Palace, heavy with worry.
When the Sternritter heard that Cole refused to come, all of them sucked in a cold breath.
It's here!!!
His Majesty had only just awakened, and the commander of the Military Police Corps was already challenging him.
As a member of the Wandenreich's Military Police Corps, after hearing the Quincy King had awakened, he still wasn't coming?
Then what was he planning to do?
Was he going to make Yhwach go see him?
That was outright rebellion.
A naked provocation.
If Yhwach didn't punish that brat viciously, then what right did he have to be the Quincy King?
But that was probably exactly what Cole wanted.
After all, Cole had already said he wanted to challenge Yhwach and become the new king of the Wandenreich.
So—
those two were bound to fight.
No matter who won or lost, it would reshape the Wandenreich—no, the future of the entire Quincy race.
Thinking that, the Sternritter grew tense, secretly glancing at Yhwach.
At this point, they didn't even know who they wanted to win.
If Yhwach won, everything stayed the same—war with Seireitei, Quincies rising to rule the world.
If Cole won, they'd probably still go to war with Seireitei…
but the shackles around their necks would be gone.
Under everyone's gaze,
Yhwach actually laughed.
"What an arrogant little brat. He wants me to go see him? Typical of the new generation of Quincies—overbearing to this extent."
"Your Majesty…" Jugram looked at him nervously.
The others' hearts tightened too.
Are we fighting?
Just as the tension peaked, Yhwach glanced at Jugram and said calmly:
"Jugram. Go bring that brat to me. This awakening has disappointed me. I hope you won't disappoint me again."
Jugram froze for a split second—then immediately understood. He bowed.
"Yes. I understand, Your Majesty."
The Sternritter were dumbfounded.
Huh!?
They were scared out of their minds just now—
and this was it?
You're sending Jugram to "bring" Cole?
Just him?
He probably wouldn't even see Cole's face before Bazz-B and the others beat him until he was spitting teeth.
It wasn't that they looked down on Jugram—Cole's earlier display of power had simply shaken them too deeply.
And purely in terms of strength, even though Jugram was the highest-ranked among the Sternritter, he wasn't at a level where he could crush them outright.
If two or three teamed up, they could hold him off.
Not to mention the other side had a full seven powerhouses.
So in that strange atmosphere, Jugram set his expression, strode out of the Ice Palace, and left.
Inside, the Sternritter exchanged looks.
Yhwach, meanwhile, silently nodded.
Just now, he had swapped power with Jugram—letting Jugram temporarily possess the power and Schrift he held.
That way,
the burden on Yhwach himself would be greatly reduced.
Otherwise, if that Quincy named Cole really was as strong as feared, and they truly fought…
there was a real chance Yhwach might fall back into slumber.
After all, within the current Wandenreich, Seibetsu (Holy Selection) could no longer absorb much power or life.
Then Yhwach withdrew his gaze, looked at the Sternritter, and spoke coldly:
"Why are you still standing here? Before I slept, didn't I say that once I awakened,we would destroy the Seireitei?"
The Sternritter stared at each other again.
Uh… sir, you haven't even dealt with the Military Police Corps problem yet, and you're already pointing the spear at Seireitei!?
Is your addiction to war that bad?
War virus got into your brain?
Terminal-stage war cancer?
When the Sternritter hesitated—unsure whether to obey—Yhwach snorted, his presence crushing:
"So now you don't even intend to follow my orders?"
Everyone shivered.
In an instant, they remembered the terror of Seibetsu (Holy Selection).
No matter whether Yhwach or Cole ultimately won, right now their lives were still in Yhwach's grasp.
A local official can't beat the one standing in front of you.
Even if Cole won later, if they died first, what would it matter?
Those two Adjuchas-class Hollows were the example—still alive for the moment, but only barely clinging to one breath.
With that, the Sternritter didn't dare delay any longer and hurriedly agreed.
As for whether they could defeat Seireitei…
they hadn't even considered losing.
With their strength, how could they possibly lose?
The only question was: after this war, who would be the king of the Wandenreich?
After the Quincies left the Ice Palace, Yhwach finally exhaled.
He recalled a certain figure he had once faced, and his fist tightened.
"Yamamoto…"
"Long time no see."
War and death were the nourishment that kept him alive.
Because the very power he possessed also birthed an enormous flaw.
If he went too long without absorbing others' strength, life, and souls, he would grow weaker and weaker—
until he became as helpless as an infant.
The reason he slept for a thousand years, at its core, was that the consumption in that war had been too great.
And throughout these thousand years, every life slain by Quincies became nourishment for his revival.
After a millennium of accumulation,
he finally gathered enough power and life to awaken.
But if he couldn't obtain more life as fuel…
he would soon fall into slumber again.
So—
he needed war.
He needed slaughter.
Until he became the supreme Soul King.
Pulling his thoughts back, Yhwach shifted his focus to Jugram, who was heading toward the Military Police Corps, and frowned.
"Speaking of which… Jugram also needs to be handled."
Not only because Jugram had been too incompetent—raising an enemy like Cole within the Wandenreich—
but also because of Jugram's Schrift.
The Balance.
Not only could it manipulate fortune—
it could even interchange with his Zenchi Zenno (The Almighty).
If Jugram did something while holding Zenchi Zenno (The Almighty),
that posed a serious risk for Yhwach as well.
While Yhwach was thinking, Jugram had already arrived at the Military Police Corps headquarters.
Bazz-B walked out, grabbing at his punk-styled hair, looking annoyed.
"Jugram, how many times do I have to say it? The commander isn't going to see Yhwach. If anything, Yhwach should come here."
Jugram's expression was cold.
"Calling him 'Yhwach' again and again, Bazz-B. You're getting more and more disrespectful toward His Majesty."
Bazz-B sneered.
"I'm not going to respect a madman. Especially not a madman who can kill us anytime he feels like it."
These days in the Military Police Corps… had been the freest days of his life.
No longer living in fear of having his life ripped away by Seibetsu (Holy Selection).
If the commander defeated Yhwach…
then he'd have true freedom.
He wouldn't have to stay in the Wandenreich. He could go to Soul Society, go to Hueco Mundo, even return to his old homeland.
So he desperately wanted Cole to beat Yhwach—wanted him to kill the Quincy King outright.
Hearing his friend's resolute answer, Jugram sighed softly.
He drew the sword at his waist.
"Then there's no other way…"
Seeing that, Bazz-B raised his right hand without backing down. Roaring flames surged to life around it.
"You want to fight me!?"
They were friends—Jugram had helped him many times.
But Bazz-B truly couldn't accept Jugram's thinking.
This man's loyalty to Yhwach was blind to the point of madness.
Cang Du, Bambietta, and the others saw them squaring off and rushed over too.
Jugram didn't care. He exhaled, slowly lifted his blade, and said flatly:
"Relax. I'm not here to fight you."
The sword came down—
and an overwhelming blue radiance erupted, vast enough to blot out the sky, as if it would sever the heavens and split space itself.
At the edge of that blade-light, the ground and buildings shattered in an instant, the earth splitting apart—
like a magnitude-nine earthquake detonating right there.
Bazz-B's pupils expanded to the limit. Panic flashed in his eyes as he jerked up his right hand.
"Jugram, you bastard—!"
Flames exploded from his palm, but before they could peak—
the blue sword-light cut the fire in half and slammed into Bazz-B's body, blasting him away in an instant.
BOOOOOOM!!!
BOOOOOOM!!!
BOOOOOOM!!!
In the midst of collapsing earth and ruin, Jugram said calmly:
"I'm only here to defeat you."
(End of Chapter)
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