Chapter 151: Two Kings

"It has been a long time, Yhwach."

Shigekuni Yamamoto descended from the sky, his entire body ablaze with ultra-high-temperature spiritual pressure, appearing before Yhwach and Haschwalth with an overwhelming presence.

"I have come to end your life."

"Hah... Shigekuni Yamamoto."

The King of the Quincy remained entirely nonchalant in the face of the ancient Shinigami burning with fighting spirit. It was as if he were merely meeting an old friend he had not seen in a thousand years, as he casually tossed the body of Kenpachi Zaraki—one of the Special War Powers whom he had just dispatched—onto the ground.

"It certainly has been a long time. We haven't seen each other since that day a thousand years ago when you swung down that blade."

His black cloak fluttered as Yhwach moved, revealing the pristine white uniform beneath. In other words, the attacks of Kenpachi Zaraki—who had previously taken down three members of the Wandenreich Sternritter—had not even been worthy of leaving a stain on Yhwach's uniform.

"..."

As Yhwach's most trusted aide, Sternritter 'B'—Jugram Haschwalth—watched silently from the sidelines.

*'This is the continuation of the battle between Shigekuni Yamamoto and myself a thousand years ago. You are not permitted to interfere...'*

When he felt that flame-like spiritual pressure surging toward this place, His Majesty had given him precisely that command.

Yes, that was all. Therefore, his sole duty was to guard His Majesty's battle and allow no one to interfere.

Yet, could he truly just stand by?

His Majesty—

Feeling the spiritual pressure radiating from Shigekuni Yamamoto firsthand, Haschwalth sensed, for the very first time from someone other than Yhwach, an intensity sufficient to make him tremble.

Could this truly be without risk?

Did that battle a thousand years ago truly leave no lingering impact on His Majesty?

Watching the gradually emerging, excited smile upon that lord's face, a growing sense of unease gnawed at Haschwalth's heart.

His Majesty—

"!"

Just as Haschwalth was harboring silent anxieties for Yhwach, three additional surges of spiritual pressure suddenly rushed in from the distance. Furthermore, these were presences Haschwalth knew all too well—they belonged to his comrades, fellow members of the Sternritter.

"As Nodt! Bazz-B! NaNaNa!"

Before he could even attempt to stop them, the three individuals, consumed by their eager concern for Yhwach, had already arrived above Shigekuni Yamamoto, preparing to strike down together the old man who dared show disrespect to their Emperor.

"To dare face His Majesty alone! You are far too arrogant!"

"It is over."

"Die, old man!"

These conceited Quincy had thus blundered right into a battle in which even Haschwalth—the designated successor upon whom the letter 'B' had been bestowed—did not dare to intervene.

The outcome was entirely predictable.

Leaving Yhwach aside for the moment, Shigekuni Yamamoto had clashed with the most formidable adversary of a millennium ago. From any perspective, he would never allow anyone unrelated to this duel to interfere.

"Whoosh!"

Without uttering a single word, Yamamoto merely flicked the blade held in his single hand. The flames dancing along the edge instantly roared into a raging sea of fire, swallowing As Nodt and the other two in an instant, leaving not a trace behind.

"Hmph. To intrude upon my battle yields such an end. You deserved to die."

"You remain entirely unchanged."

Sheathing his blade with deliberate slowness, Yamamoto lowered his gaze slightly, his piercing eyes driving straight into Yhwach's soul.

"Your malicious contempt for your subordinates is as blatant as ever, Yhwach."

"Step..."

"Tremble, and then, just as you did a thousand years ago, crumble in defeat before me like a stray dog."

"..."

"Bankai—"

It was not that Yamamoto deemed himself inferior in skill; Yhwach was undeniably an opponent who could not be defeated without a Bankai, nor was Yamamoto naive enough to believe his Shikai alone would suffice to vanquish him.

The flames that had erupted so abruptly vanished into thin air with a muffled concussive sound right before Yhwach and Haschwalth.

Yet, though the visible fire was gone, both men distinctly felt the ambient temperature rising steadily around them.

"Zanka no Tachi."

The blade appeared scorched and weathered, as if ravaged by intense heat, wisps of lingering smoke curling upward from its surface.

A thousand years later, the oldest and most powerful fire-type Zanpakuto achieved Bankai once more!

Meanwhile, at Squad 1 Barracks:

*'Take the squad members and leave. This place can be left to me alone.'*

Shortly before, after dispatching Dordonii and Shaz Domino, Chojiro had not followed Shigekuni Yamamoto because he knew that location was not where the true Yhwach would appear.

Thus, hurrying back to the Squad 1 Barracks, Chojiro had sent the 3rd Seat Okochimaru and the others away. Right now, he was entirely alone.

All he needed to do was wait here for the true Yhwach to appear and eliminate him without resorting to Bankai.

At the very least, he had to protect Lord Genryusai's life, and if possible, preserve his Bankai as well.

And so, Chojiro waited.

"Oh? How unexpected—"

Gazing out the window of the Captain-Commander's private chambers at the scenery of the Soul Society, Chojiro spoke abruptly, as if talking to himself. Yet in the room that should have held only him, another figure had suddenly materialized without the faintest sound.

"Since when did the King of the Quincy adopt the habits of a despicable thief, appearing without even a sound?"

Yhwach!

The second Yhwach had finally revealed himself!

"—The unexpected part is mine."

Yhwach, who had come alone to the Captain-Commander's private office, the corners of his mouth lifting into a smile, held a profound impression of this Squad 1 Lieutenant whom he had met briefly a millennium ago.

Back then, relying solely on the combined might of him and Shigekuni Yamamoto, they had cowed an army of over a dozen Captain-level Quincy—including himself—forcing them to retreat without striking a blow.

And now, the man who had once stood humbly in Yamamoto's shadow dared to stand alone as an obstacle in his path?

Fascinating.

"To stand in my way all by yourself... Your foolishness leaves me utterly speechless."

"Save your breath, Yhwach."

Slowly turning away from the window, Chojiro wore a cold smile unlike any he had ever displayed before. Half of his body remained veiled in shadow, rendering him exceptionally eerie.

"To brazenly force your way into the Soul Society... Truly, you haven't changed at all."

"It is precisely because neither of us has changed that we remain enemies."

Drawing the sword he had concealed beneath his cloak at his waist, Yhwach acknowledged that this Shinigami was a survivor of a thousand years past; he warranted the effort of drawing steel against him.

"Do you feel it?"

"!"

Sensing the scorching heat radiating from the outside, the temperature within the entire room spiked by several degrees in an instant. Though the battle had not yet truly begun, a fine sheen of sweat was already visible on Chojiro's brow.

This sensation—

Could it be that Lord Genryusai has already released his Bankai?

If so, I have no time left to waste. I must end this swiftly.

"I shall finish you before this heat burns the entire Soul Society to ash."