"Boom!!"

As Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni softly uttered the word "Bankai", an inferno of flames surged forth, forming a battle robe that draped solemnly over his aged yet formidable body. The Zanpakutō in his grasp was engulfed in blazing light, so intense that it ceased to resemble flame—its temperature too immense to manifest visibly. What others perceived as fire was merely an illusion—a mirage born from the overwhelming spiritual pressure pouring from Yamamoto's very soul.

(Reference: Bleach TYBW — Zanka no Tachi's heat burns even the concept of flames itself; it is said to reach the temperature of the sun.)

"Old man Yama's Bankai… it's like a star compressed into a man's body—radiating 'brilliance' and 'energy' endlessly. In terms of raw destructive power, it's second to none in the Soul Society…"

Even Araki squinted at the blinding light. Though standing far away, the sheer residual heat of Yamamoto's Bankai scorched the land, eroding spiritual particles as if the sun itself had fallen to earth. A few cold drops of sweat formed on his brow—only to evaporate before they could fall.

"Heh…"

"You activated your Bankai without hesitation… even knowing it might consume the entire Soul Society?"

"Such recklessness... no—such resolve is fitting for the man who forged the Gotei 13 with his own hands."

Yhwach, though wounded from his earlier clash with Araki, looked at Yamamoto with a rare, genuine grin. He admired this ruthlessness. Yamamoto would even sacrifice Soul Society to destroy its greatest threat—him. Such a man deserved to be his enemy.

"Come then! Let us settle this once and for all, Yamamoto!"

Yhwach swept aside his dark cloak, revealing the white knight's uniform beneath. Ignoring the searing pain of his wounds, he drew a cross-shaped longsword from his waist, the blade pulsing with Quincy power. His eyes burned—not with fury, but with anticipation—for a final clash with the uncrowned king of Seireitei.

"Boom!"

Yamamoto said nothing in response. He merely raised the flaming sword—Zanka no Tachi—toward the heavens.

"Here it comes…"

Yhwach's pupils contracted, his body tensing, bracing for the oncoming blaze—

"Splurt—!"

Suddenly, a Western-style rapier pierced through his chest.

"Huh?!"

Yhwach's eyes widened in shock. Blood dripped freely. The blade crackled with lightning.

"No sound?!"

He had no warning—no noise, no spiritual fluctuation. Then he remembered: he had sealed his own hearing to guard against Araki's sonic Bankai during their duel! The spirit particles that blocked his hearing had remained in place—silent, unnoticed.

There was only one person capable of manipulating spirit particles so delicately…

"Damn you, Araki!!"

Yhwach roared, turning his head with fury toward the distance—where Araki now sat, calmly perched on a shattered stone pillar, lips curled in a dangerously kind smile.

"Captain-Commander Genryūsai! Now!!"

The gray-haired man holding the Thunder Sword—still embedded in Yhwach's back—shouted to Yamamoto.

"BOOM!!"

Yamamoto did not hesitate. He dropped all his flames into a single strike—a sword falling from the sky like the wrath of heaven.

"AAAAHHH—!!"

Yhwach's agonized scream was drowned by the eruption of flame. A mushroom cloud blazed into the sky, resembling a second sun, bathing all of Soul Society in radiant destruction.

"It's over…"

Araki exhaled slowly, relief washing over him. His battered body slumped backward.

"Araki, are you alright?!"

Two figures appeared behind him in a flash, catching him mid-fall—Unohana Retsu and Saitō Furuoboshi.

"Ah… Retsu, Saitō…"

"Don't worry. I'm just completely drained—my spiritual pressure and physical strength are exhausted. Let me… sleep…"

Araki closed his eyes, allowing his body to rest between the warmth of two captains.

"Hmm…"

As Araki drifted into unconsciousness, the two women locked eyes.

"Oh~? Isn't this Captain Saitō from the Sixth Division?"

Unohana's voice was soft, but her words cut like a scalpel.

"Shouldn't you be with your men right now? They must be waiting for their Captain's return. As for Captain Araki—my fellow 11th Division member—I'll take care of him."

She gently tugged Araki from Saitō's arms, her expression still calm… but laced with warning.

"Heh…"

Saitō scoffed.

"I wasn't aware that Captain Unohana was capable of taking care of others. Last I checked, your expertise lies solely in killing."

She reached for Araki again.

But Unohana's grip was like iron—her delicate hands unyielding, keeping Araki firmly in her embrace.

"You—!"

Saitō's temper flared. A glint of murder sparked in her eyes.

"Captain Saitō! Captain Unohana!"

A third figure appeared suddenly, voice clear and authoritative.

"I'm here under direct orders from the Captain-Commander. I've been sent to retrieve Captain Araki for immediate medical treatment. The best healing specialists in Soul Society await him."

Just as Saito and Unohana were fighting over Araki, whose face had gradually turned pale, a shinigami from the 1st Division of the Gotei 13 approached. Kneeling on one knee before the two captains, he spoke respectfully.

"Huh?!"

"You're saying my Kaido can't save Araki?!"

Saito roared at the shinigami in front of him.

"Ah~"

"I can't pretend I didn't hear that."

Unohana Retsu smiled gently—though her smile was peaceful, it was suffused with murderous intent.

"Uh—this, that, that's not what I meant! I'm just following orders..."

The 1st Division shinigami panicked, cold sweat pouring down. He looked at the two captains with eyes full of tears.

(He's just a worker—please spare him! He knew very well the Kaido capabilities of both Captain Saito and Captain Unohana. How could he not?!)

"Hey! That's enough, you two! This is an order from the Captain-Commander himself!"

Just as the shinigami was about to faint from the oppressive spiritual pressure of the two captains, a deep voice echoed through the air and halted them in place.

"Captain Obana Denjiro!"

The shinigami looked up to see the 5th Division Captain, Obana Denjiro, already standing before them, speaking kindly in his defense. The shinigami instantly cast him a grateful glance.

"Tsk~"

Saito Bulabushi backed down reluctantly, relinquishing his claim to Araki.

"Hmph~"

Unohana cast Saito a look of disdain, but still handed Araki over to the shinigami herself.

"Thank you, Captain Saito. Thank you, Captain Unohana. And thank you, Captain Obana Denjiro! I'll be on my way!"

Supporting the unconscious Araki, the 1st Division shinigami vanished from the battlefield.

Meanwhile...

"BOOM...!"

Across the field, a series of deep roars echoed as Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni sheathed his Zanpakutō. With a grave expression, he strode forward, greeted by the saluting Shinigami.

"The war is over—we won!"

Sasakibe Chōjirō, walking behind Yamamoto and still gripping his Raiden-type Zanpakutō, shouted the words of triumph to the army before them, announcing the failure of Yhwach's invasion and the victory of the Gotei 13.

"OOOOHHH!!!"

As his voice fell, all of Seireitei erupted in thunderous cheers.

"Victory...?"

Yamamoto's eyes drifted to his hands.

He had struck the final blow. He had unleashed the full might of his flames, burning Yhwach to ash. And yet...

Yhwach had smiled.

Even as he vanished within the inferno, he hadn't begged for mercy. He had smiled. And in the last moment—he said something—but the roaring flames had drowned out the words.

That smile... it haunted Yamamoto.

A premonition clawed at his heart.

Was that truly the end of Yhwach?

If the monster were to return... when Yamamoto was no longer here...

Who would stand in his place?

"Araki..."

A single name floated through his mind.

Yamamoto slowly exhaled and closed his eyes.

"...Let the future generations handle it. When Yhwach returns, I may no longer be the Captain-Commander. Let the young carry the burden then."

Unlike in the original history, Yamamoto was no longer alone.

He had a successor.

Elsewhere, in a space of darkness...

"Your Majesty."

A soft, respectful voice broke the silence.

A young man with shoulder-length golden hair, flawless and androgynous features, and eyes like polished sapphires stood reverently before a burnt corpse.

"Haschwalth?"

The blackened corpse spoke.

"Your Majesty, everything proceeded exactly as you said. While you clashed with the Gotei, we created this world... a shadow realm parallel to Soul Society."

Haschwalth stood beside the scorched body.

"Hahaha... Excellent."

Yhwach's charred lips moved into a grin.

"In the wake of your temporary 'defeat,' some Quincies followed you here. Others returned to the human world."

"Let them go," the corpse said, eyes slowly opening.

"From today, the 'Empire of Light' is no more. We shall no longer stand in the light. From this moment, we embrace the shadows. And our new nation shall be called... the Wandenreich—the Invisible Empire!"

"As you command."

Haschwalth bowed deeply.

"Jugram Haschwalth," Yhwach intoned.

"Tell the people: I have not been defeated. The future belongs to us. In one thousand years, I will bring peace to this world."

Yhwach's eyes opened completely.

Each of his pupils reflected three spinning irises, eyes that could see all future possibilities.

"It will take me 900 years to regain my heart."

"90 years to regain my mind."

"Another 9 years to regain my power."

"And in 9 days... I shall reclaim the world!"

As those words echoed, Yhwach's voice vanished—so too did the godlike light in his eyes.

"..."

Haschwalth stared down at the silent figure, hand drifting to the cross-shaped hilt at his waist.

After a moment of hesitation, he withdrew his hand.

"I still... can't fight you," he muttered softly.

Thus, a hymn began to echo across the new kingdom.

Countless Quincies sang in reverence:

"The sealed king of the Quincy—

Took 900 years to recover his heart,

90 years to recover his mind,

9 more years to recover his strength..."

Had Araki heard this hymn in his slumber, he would've chuckled and added:

"...9 days to take back the world.

9 hours to be betrayed by Uryū.

9 minutes of battle before being cut in half by Ichigo.

And 9 seconds later, offered up to the Monk to become the new Soul King!"

Yhwach, the Sage of a Thousand Years... only to be made into a sacrificial keystone.

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