"So basically… he was fishing."
After hearing Gosuke explain Yhwach's ability, Isshin could not help blurting out the comparison.
For a moment, even Gosuke looked slightly surprised.
Then he nodded with faint approval.
"That's actually a very accurate way to describe it."
"There is no such thing as a free gift in this world."
"When people came into contact with Yhwach, their disabilities and illnesses were healed immediately. That alone should have told them something was abnormal."
"But human greed blinded them."
"They gained healthy bodies…"
"And in exchange, Yhwach harvested their souls."
Gosuke's voice remained calm, but the meaning behind the words was chilling.
"The soul fragments Yhwach distributed were the bait."
"And the souls that eventually returned to him were the fish he reeled in."
Isshin's comparison could not have been more fitting.
Gosuke continued explaining.
"By distributing fragments of his soul to others, Yhwach repaired their defects."
"And when those fragments returned to him together with their souls, he used the harvested spiritual power to repair his own body."
"That is how he gradually overcame his original state."
"He regained sight."
"He regained hearing."
"He gained the ability to move and speak."
"And because he inherited the abilities and experiences of those whose souls returned to him, he became far more powerful than an ordinary person."
Gosuke's eyes narrowed slightly.
"If enough power and abilities accumulate…"
"Then one may even approach omnipotence."
Silence briefly filled the room.
Even Kisuke's expression grew more serious.
Gosuke continued.
"The years that followed became Yhwach's period of growth."
"He was an extremely ambitious man."
"With an ability like that, there was no chance he would remain satisfied with merely surviving."
"So eventually, he mixed fragments of his soul into his blood and distributed it to his followers."
"This process differed from what he did with ordinary people."
"Because these individuals became his subordinates, he did not immediately reclaim their souls."
"Instead, he allowed them to retain the power he bestowed upon them and continue growing stronger."
Isshin listened carefully.
Kisuke's eyes also sharpened with interest.
Gosuke spoke slowly.
"Those followers became the first generation of Quincy."
"Yhwach's blood and soul fragments awakened an ability within them the power to gather and manipulate Reishi."
"Later, those Quincy had descendants."
"And as their bloodlines mixed generation after generation, the ability was inherited."
"That is how the Quincy race was born."
"Over time, some Quincy married ordinary humans."
"In many cases, their descendants became ordinary people."
"But occasionally, children inherited part of the Quincy power."
"Those descendants became what the Quincy call mixed-blood Quincy."
Isshin immediately understood.
"Echt Quincy and Gemischt Quincy…"
Gosuke nodded.
"Exactly."
"But regardless of blood purity, the source of every Quincy's power traces back to Yhwach himself."
"Even though he never had biological children, every Quincy carries traces of his blood and soul within them."
"So calling him the father of the Quincy is not metaphorical."
"It is literal."
Kisuke finally exhaled slowly.
"So that's the origin of the Quincy race…"
Even someone like him found the explanation astonishing.
Meanwhile, Isshin suddenly realized something else.
His expression darkened.
"You said Yhwach can distribute fragments of his soul…"
"And later reclaim them."
"If that's true…"
"Then Masaki losing her powers…"
Gosuke answered directly before Isshin could finish.
"Yes."
"This is most likely Yhwach reclaiming power in order to restore himself."
The atmosphere instantly became heavy.
Gosuke continued.
"A thousand years ago, Captain Yamamoto inflicted catastrophic damage upon Yhwach."
"Ordinary beings would have died from such injuries."
"But Yhwach is not ordinary."
"As long as fragments of his soul continue existing within others, he can eventually restore himself by reclaiming that power."
"And now that he has awakened again…"
"He is at his weakest point."
"So naturally, he would begin recovering power from the Quincy."
Isshin clenched his fists unconsciously.
Gosuke continued.
"After centuries of Quincy evolution, Yhwach no longer needs to distribute soul fragments the way he once did."
"Every Quincy already possesses traces of his blood within them."
"That means he can directly reclaim their power whenever necessary."
Isshin's face suddenly paled.
"…Then Masaki…"
"Is she going to die?"
The possibility struck him immediately.
Without even realizing it, panic surfaced in his voice.
At that moment, he wanted nothing more than to rush back home and remain beside her.
Even if he could do nothing…
He still wanted to protect her somehow.
Seeing Isshin's reaction, Gosuke calmly reassured him.
"Relax."
"Your wife should not die."
Isshin froze slightly.
"…Should not?"
Gosuke explained further.
"The disappearance of her powers this time was actually a special case."
Isshin frowned.
"A special case?"
Gosuke nodded.
"What do you think the term pure-blood Quincy truly means?"
"It isn't just about genealogy."
"Over countless generations, pure-blood Quincy families continuously strengthened and refined their bloodlines."
"Their inherited spiritual power accumulated over centuries."
"At this point, the majority of their strength no longer comes directly from Yhwach's original soul fragments."
"In other words…"
"Although traces of Yhwach's power still remain within pure-blood Quincy, those traces have become extremely diluted."
"Under normal circumstances, Yhwach can only reclaim a portion of their power."
"He cannot directly take their souls."
Isshin's eyes shifted slightly.
"So Masaki should have been safe…"
"Normally, yes."
Gosuke's expression became more serious.
"But Masaki's situation is different because of the Hollow incident years ago."
Isshin immediately understood what he meant.
Back then, Masaki had been infected by White's Hollowfication.
The only reason she survived was because Isshin sacrificed his own Shinigami powers to stabilize her soul.
Gosuke continued.
"To Quincy, Hollow power is poisonous."
"A Quincy's existence fundamentally rejects Hollow reiatsu."
"That differs from Shinigami."
"Shinigami can subjugate and even weaponize Hollow power through Hollowfication."
"But for Quincy, Hollow power contaminates their bloodline."
"It weakens the purity of their spiritual composition."
Isshin's expression gradually changed.
Gosuke looked directly at him.
"Your Shinigami powers successfully suppressed the Hollow influence within Masaki for years."
"But suppression is not the same as complete removal."
"The damage to her Quincy bloodline still existed beneath the surface."
"And because her bloodline purity had already been weakened…"
"When Yhwach reclaimed Quincy power this time, Masaki lacked the resistance possessed by ordinary pure-blood Quincy."
"That is why all of her powers disappeared."
Isshin's fists tightened slightly.
"But according to you, aside from losing her powers, she suffered no further damage."
"That proves one thing."
Gosuke's gaze sharpened faintly.
"Even after being tainted by Hollow reiatsu…"
"Masaki's Quincy constitution still far surpasses that of an ordinary mixed-blood Quincy."
WE ARE CURRENTLY ON CHAPTER 371
ON PATREON.
JOIN MY PATREON TO READ ADVANCED CHAPTERS BEFORE PUBLIC RELEASE OR PURCHASE THE BOOK FOR LIFETIME ACCESS!
Patreon.com/HACKDWORLD