"Jūshirō! Over here!"
The moment Ukitake stepped into the meeting room, Shunsui enthusiastically waved him over.
Ukitake took one look at the grin on his old friend's face and immediately felt a sense of impending doom.
Whenever Shunsui smiled like that, nothing good ever followed.
"What is it?"
Ukitake tried to sound calm, though he was already on guard.
Shunsui, seemingly oblivious to his suspicion, asked with exaggerated concern, "How have you been feeling lately?"
Ukitake blinked.
Since when had Shunsui suddenly become this concerned about his health?
'Something's definitely wrong.'
Still, he answered casually.
"About the same as always. You know what my health is like."
He even coughed twice for good measure.
Pretending his condition had flared up was one of his oldest and most reliable methods for escaping particularly troublesome assignments.
Unfortunately, Shunsui had been expecting exactly that answer.
"Well, we're about to launch the final attack against Yhwach, right?"
Shunsui raised his voice just enough for Kazuma and everyone nearby to hear.
"And since your health has always been poor, I went through a lot of trouble to convince the Captain-Commander to let you remain at First Division headquarters."
He gave Ukitake a warm smile.
"That way, you can rest safely in the rear. Pretty considerate of me, don't you think?"
Ukitake's expression stiffened.
'Oh, shit.'
He'd tried to use his health as an excuse, only for Shunsui to turn it against him.
There was no escaping now.
Kazuma nearly laughed aloud.
He and Batsu'unsai had only just tricked Shunsui into staying behind, and Shunsui had immediately found someone else to share the misery.
No wonder the man had spent so many years handling intelligence work — he was quick on his feet.
"Quiet down."
Kazuma's voice cut through the room.
"We're beginning the operational meeting against the Quincy. Listen carefully."
The chatter died immediately.
Once Kazuma confirmed that nearly everyone had arrived, he began laying out the battle plan in detail, assigning responsibilities and explaining each stage so no one could claim confusion later.
The original captains, meanwhile, barely reacted.
Several simply closed their eyes and rested. Whatever Kazuma ordered, they would do.
That casual attitude earned them more than a few bewildered looks from the younger captains.
Who exactly were these people?
The Captain-Commander was outlining preparations for a war, and they were practically taking a nap.
Ever since entering the room, the captains who didn't know the truth had been unable to stop watching the mysterious newcomers.
Every one of them wore a captain's haori, and the reiatsu leaking from their bodies was enough to make it obvious that none were ordinary Shinigami.
Naturally, speculation ran wild.
Once Kazuma finally revealed that they were the captains of the original Gotei 13, understanding dawned across the room.
The details of how they'd returned could wait.
What mattered now was that Soul Society had just gained a group of terrifyingly powerful veterans.
With reinforcements like these, the coming battle against the Quincy suddenly looked far less uncertain.
...
At the same time, Yhwach and the Sternritter were conducting their own war council.
"Your Majesty, the Soldat have suffered an eighty-three-percent casualty rate."
Pernida Parnkgjas extended several thin nerves through the air.
Streams of glowing data moved around them, displaying information gathered from across the battlefield.
"Analysis of the spiritual remnants left behind indicates something unusual." Pernida continued.
"Soul Society still hasn't committed its strongest captain-class combatants."
Yhwach raised one hand from his throne, silencing the report.
His eyes narrowed slightly as his fingers tapped against the armrest.
"How interesting." A faint smile appeared on his face. "The Shinigami discovered our hiding place, yet rather than launching a full assault, they've been leisurely clearing out the Soldat."
He leaned back.
"What exactly are they planning?"
Without the full power of The Almighty, Yhwach couldn't yet see through Soul Society's intentions with certainty.
"Your Majesty."
Haschwalth stepped forward.
"The Soldat in Sectors Three, Seven, and Nine have been completely wiped out."
He drove his enormous sword into the center of the reishi map before them.
The Quincy crosses along the blade flickered with alternating light and shadow.
"We should counterattack now."
Yhwach gave a slight nod.
"Bazz-B."
The red-haired Sternritter looked up.
"You will go first. Use your flames and begin the counterattack." Yhwach's gaze hardened. "If the Shinigami enjoy slaughtering our Soldat so much, let them experience the same thing."
Bazz-B's eyes lit up.
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Haschwalth immediately spoke.
"Your Majesty, perhaps several more Sternritter should accompany him." His tone remained measured. "The Gotei 13 captains may not be our greatest concern, but they shouldn't be underestimated. Sending Bazz-B alone could create unnecessary risk."
Bazz-B spun toward him.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean, Haschwalth?" His temper flared instantly. "You think I can't handle a few Gotei captains by myself?"
He pointed at his childhood friend.
"His Majesty already gave the order. Why are you standing there barking about it?"
Haschwalth showed no anger.
"Bazz-B, I'm not underestimating you. There are simply many enemies, and every captain has different abilities. There's no reason to take unnecessary chances." His expression didn't change. "I suggested it because I'm concerned for your safety."
Bazz-B snorted.
He clearly wanted none of that concern.
Without another word, he turned and walked away.
"Your Majesty."
Askin Nakk Le Vaar stepped forward next.
"I think Haschwalth has a point."
He wasn't questioning Bazz-B's strength.
From the perspective of actually destroying the Shinigami, sending additional Sternritter simply made more strategic sense.
...
"You suicidal little insects of Soul Society actually dared slaughter our glorious Soldat? Fine! Then prepare yourselves for the wrath of the great Bazz-B!"
With that roar, Bazz-B streaked across the Seireitei like a meteor.
The enormous wings of flame behind him beat once, unleashing a violent wave of heat.
Wherever he passed, the surrounding buildings melted beneath the deep-blue reishi flames as though they were made of paper.
Stone and timber turned into glowing streams of molten material that poured down the streets like rivers of fire, leaving parts of the Seireitei engulfed in a blazing inferno.
"Hm? Finally decided to come out?"
Kazuma immediately sensed Bazz-B's reiatsu.
That was good news.
What he feared most was the Sternritter refusing to leave the shadows at all.
After sitting quietly for so long, that old fox Yhwach had finally lost patience and begun making a move.
Kazuma swept his gaze across the assembled captains.
"Everyone, the Quincy have finally sent out one of their captain-class fighters. I'm sure you can all feel that reiatsu."
He smiled.
"So, who wants the first fight?"
Several captains immediately perked up.
"This opening battle matters. It'll set the tone for the Gotei 13 and affect morale for everything that follows. Win cleanly, and we start strong." Kazuma's smile widened. "Lose, and you'll embarrass yourselves in front of everyone."
That was all it took. Several captains immediately volunteered.
"I'll go."
A man stepped out before anyone else could claim the opportunity.
"None of you take this from me."
It was Shigyō Nobutsuna, the original captain of the Seventh Division.
A thousand years ago, the Quincy had managed to bring him down through treachery, and he'd never forgotten that humiliation.
Now, after all this time, a chance for revenge had finally landed right in front of him.
Kazuma gave his old friend an amused look.
"Captain Shigyō, knowing Yhwach, I doubt there'll be only one enemy waiting for you." He deliberately added, "You sure you can handle it? Wouldn't want you getting caught off guard again."
There were plenty of things you could say to a man.
Telling him he couldn't handle something was rarely one of them.
Nobutsuna's expression immediately darkened.
"That happened a thousand years ago because I let my guard down!" Veins stood out along his forehead.
"This time, those Quincy brats won't get the same opportunity. I'll crush every last one of them!"
Kazuma suppressed a grin.
Exactly the reaction he wanted!
Nobutsuna was far stronger than he'd been a thousand years ago, and after receiving Kazuma's star power, dealing with a handful of Sternritter shouldn't pose much difficulty.
"All right." Kazuma nodded. "Then the first battle is yours, Captain Shigyō."
He reached into his clothes, suddenly remembered something, and tossed over a small pill.
"Oh, right. Take this first."
Nobutsuna caught it.
"What is it?"
"Shin'eiyaku." Kazuma pointed at the pill. "The Quincy have medallions that can steal a captain's Bankai. This prevents them from taking yours."
He shrugged.
"With your current strength, you probably wouldn't need Bankai to beat Bazz-B anyway, but there's no reason to take stupid risks."
Nobutsuna nodded and swallowed the pill without hesitation.
Then he rolled his shoulders, a powerful aura rolling off him as though a predator had finally been released from its cage.
Yamamoto's eyes widened.
"The Quincy can steal our Bankai?" He turned sharply toward Kazuma. "And you neglected to mention something that important?"
Kazuma stiffened.
"Uh…" He scratched the back of his head. "Well…"
He'd genuinely forgotten.
But there was absolutely no chance he was admitting that while Yamamoto was standing right there.
Before the interrogation could continue, Nobutsuna spoke with complete confidence.
"That's enough." He turned toward the exit. "Captain-Commander, everyone — just watch."
His captain's haori snapped behind him as reiatsu surged around his body. Then he vanished in Shunpo.
Kazuma shook his head before turning toward Batsu'unsai.
"Darling, go with him and keep an eye on things."
He then addressed the current captains.
"The rest of you should go too. Watch the fight and get a feel for what these Sternritter can actually do."
The captains immediately departed in Shunpo, racing toward Bazz-B's location.
Ukitake stared after them, then his eyes widened.
"What about me?!"
For once, the normally calm and gentle captain sounded almost desperate.
There was clearly going to be an excellent fight, and he was supposed to stay behind guarding headquarters? That was torture!
Kazuma nearly laughed at the sight.
"Captain Ukitake, just go." He waved him toward the door. "Old Man Yama and I will stay behind and watch First Division."
Ukitake immediately brightened.
Kazuma could only shake his head.
The man normally looked like the very picture of patience and refinement, yet the moment he realized he might miss a good battle, all of that composure had disappeared.
Forcing Ukitake to remain behind while everyone else fought might genuinely have been crueler than simply stabbing him.