What person could they think of?
Having hinted to this extent, it seemed there wouldn't be any other candidates, right?
Before Stark could even speak, Nelliel, who had been listening nearby, clapped her hands together and showed a quite happy expression.
"I know... it's Lord Seiya!"
The voice wasn't loud.
But it had strong penetrating power.
So much so that the originally somewhat noisy situation suddenly quieted down.
Everyone involuntarily looked toward Nelliel—even the Quincy who had originally planned to leave were doing the same at this moment.
The expressions of everyone led by Bazz-B and Liltotto were quite complex.
At the same time, Kyōraku, who had originally been arguing with Yamamoto, also couldn't help but lower his gaze at this moment.
As if just mentioning this name would make everyone's mood heavy to an exaggerated degree, yet... starting from the facts, this seemed to be the only remaining 'candidate'.
For the Soul Reapers.
Seiya was a hero who had once betrayed but was later rehabilitated.
For the Quincy.
Seiya was also a spy who had infiltrated their side, but Yhwach had proven the correctness of his actions from another angle.
And for Hueco Mundo, these inherently heartless guys didn't dare say anything too treasonous about Seiya.
After all, fundamentally speaking...
The reason Hueco Mundo could currently 'sit at the table', appearing in this place together with other factions, was essentially due to Seiya's research and invention of the small Hōgyoku.
Without this assistance, Hueco Mundo would have been completely kicked out of the finals like in the original story, with only a few 'popular characters' still active.
"Seiya..."
Chewing on this name, Bazz-B stood in place, and after brief silence, turned around.
Liltotto beside him originally seemed to still be hesitating about something, but at this moment seeing the reaction of the person beside her, her eyebrows also unconsciously furrowed.
"Hey..."
"No need to persuade me, I have my own thoughts."
Without turning his head to speak to Liltotto, Bazz-B had already walked back on his own.
He stood in front of Kyōraku.
Although the bandages on his body hadn't been completely removed, this guy insisted on standing in place...
Using his straightened spine to support his entire body, displaying an unyielding and stubborn attitude.
"Hey! If that guy Seiya is willing to step forward... I'm willing to join hands with you guys!"
After all, ultimately, the final opponent was still Yhwach.
The previous unwillingness to contact these people was not only considering the factional and enemy relationships between both sides, but also had a part of cautious psychology within.
After all, everyone understood the principle of killing the dog after the rabbit dies.
The Quincy's current strength had greatly declined, and it was hard to say whether guys like the Soul Reapers, who were 'ruthless enough', would suddenly stab them in the back after succeeding.
One could only be responsible for their own life. In this regard, the Quincy indeed had reasons to refuse cooperation.
But...
If Seiya were there, it would be different.
It didn't mean the other party would definitely stand on their side.
Rather, it was Seiya's former identity as a 'Quincy'.
—As a team, as long as they acted together, they would inevitably need someone like a leader.
Honestly speaking, although Bazz-B thought he had the qualifications in this regard, unfortunately, none of the survivors really respected him...
There was no surprise in the result, after all, compared to this guy who looked arrogant and domineering and didn't know restraint.
The guy who had once been willing to endure humiliation and lurk beside Yhwach for a long time...
Better fit everyone's image of a 'leader'.
Although the other party's attitude was still unknown.
But at this moment, except for Seiya, all the Quincy present couldn't find another so-called backbone.
There was no choice.
This was the fate that an abandoned team had to face.
It was precisely considering this content that Bazz-B chose to stand here.
He forced out his trademark arrogant smile, urging at this moment.
"Hey, Captain-Commander... how's your consideration going?"
Without waiting for a response, Liltotto, who had originally been standing somewhat distant, also led the remaining people back.
Lowering the hat on her head, Liltotto's lips were slightly pursed, seemingly still carrying some emotional dissatisfaction.
But at this moment there were no other options.
"Let me say this upfront, if Seiya isn't willing to step forward and vouch for you guys... I won't participate in this operation."
The few people nearby echoed accordingly.
"After all, we don't want to die either..."
"Besides that guy, I can't think of any other way to defeat Yhwach."
"Even if everyone present were added together, probably the outcome wouldn't change."
Someone said something quite rude.
Yet the Soul Reapers present seemed completely unable to refute.
At this moment they could only 'swallow their anger'.
Kyōraku slightly raised both hands at this moment, symbolically making a gesture similar to surrender, and said with a smile.
"Although I would very much like everyone's help, there are some things I can't make decisions about... Sorry, I temporarily don't know what Seiya's thoughts are either."
This statement made all the Quincy show quite surprised expressions.
For a moment there were 'various opinions'.
"What kind of joke is this? Wasn't Seiya taken away by you guys some time ago?"
"Although it was said to be for treating injuries or something... he wasn't dissected by you guys, was he?!"
"Hey, let us see how Seiya is doing? This should be fine, right?"
The power of words far exceeded imagination.
With these few groundless shouts, the atmosphere that had originally calmed down somewhat instantly tensed up again.
Bazz-B and Liltotto directly retreated back into their formation, both sides' expressions becoming somewhat firm.
"Before seeing Seiya... cooperation won't be established."
From a conditional standpoint, there was no problem, and even from the perspective of a mature and experienced politician, there was no room for refusal.
But Kyōraku's expression became increasingly helpless.
"I also don't know... where Seiya is right now."
There was such a thing?
The three parties present were slightly stunned, then began exchanging opinions with each other.
'Have you seen Seiya?'
'No... I clearly saw him in the corridor before.'
'Didn't he just go to find the bathroom?'
'Don't think everyone is as lazy as you with so much piss and shit!!!'
Under the bustling commotion, Shinji looked around and found that he couldn't find Momo's figure at all.
At the same time.
In the Quincy formation, Liltotto also somewhat belatedly discovered the problem.
"Where did that Candice go?!"
The remaining female group members looked at each other.
"Not sure... that guy had just gotten on her feet to walk before."
"Originally wanted her to rest, but she insisted on coming to see the situation."
"She said very little on the way, and I don't know when she disappeared... did she leave on her own?"
Liltotto started getting a headache.
"You guys can't even watch one person?!!!"
The Hueco Mundo group at this moment was also discussing among themselves, after all from the feeling, Seiya seemed like he had just passed in front of everyone not long ago.
But this subtle and strange sense of distance made everyone present feel some inexplicably subtle feeling.
Only Aizen in the corner narrowed his eyes slightly, as if sensing something and chuckling lightly.
There's been progress again.
At the edge of the Soul Reaper formation, the Squad Zero members at this moment were also observing the surrounding situation.
Kirio maintained that high-profile appearance as always.
"Just these guys... even if they gather together, there's no meaning, right? After all, if they really face Yhwach, they won't be of any use at all."
Shutara snorted noncommittally.
"Although I somewhat agree with your statement, there are also some areas I find inappropriate."
Ōetsu grinned showing his big teeth.
"After all, if we really start fighting tomorrow, we'll still need people to deal with the Schutzstaffel... high-end combat power can't be wasted in such places."
Ichibē folded his hands inside his sleeves, at this moment just staring blankly into the distance.
"It's still uncertain..."
The monk had been showing this kind of almost dazed expression frequently recently.
Although it wasn't clear what this guy was thinking about, it must also be important.
"Speaking of which, why don't I see Tenjirō?"
"That guy has someone he wants to see... so he left first."
"After all, he's a guy who recently moved up, it's normal to still have personal connections in Soul Society."
Not far away, Tenjirō was half-crouched, holding Hiyori in his arms.
Like a mother comforting a little monkey, he showed a gentle smile on his face, lightly patting the other party's back.
"You're already a lieutenant, right? If you still act spoiled like this, it's too unseemly."
"I'm not a lieutenant anymore!"
"Is that so? Then it seems you've grown a lot too... can you tell me in detail?"
"...Mm!"
Everyone had their own things to do, and for the current Seiya.
He was the same.
Walking within the Seireitei that was like ruins, Seiya just walked and stopped, occasionally showing an expression close to being dazed.
The fragmented memories that occasionally surfaced made him unconsciously want to compare these two scenes to see if they could overlap.
"This place... I think I've been here before."
"That little shop over there, I think I used to like going there..."
"A pot of sake, plus some small meat skewers, could muddle through an evening."
Seiya's eyes narrowed slightly, at this moment raising his right hand to gently press his forehead.
"At that time... there were two people who would often spend time with me."
"The silver-haired guy, and a woman who liked to laugh loudly..."
"...I can't quite remember clearly."
Somewhat regretful.
But more was a feeling of confusion.
After all, this sense of 'displacement' really made people feel somewhat headache-inducing.
And Candice, standing beside him, stepped forward two steps, at this moment extending both hands to embrace Seiya.
"If you can't remember clearly, then forget it..."
Nuzzling Seiya's chest with her head, Candice's expression was like a cat basking in the sun.
"Anyway, you still have me. We can go experience it all again, can't we?"
Brief silence.
Then... the corners of Seiya's mouth slightly curved up, revealing a bland smile.
"Mm, you're right."
He also had everything he wanted to experience.
Although shadows of the past still remained in his mind, it didn't prevent him from pursuing goals that belonged to 'himself'.
"Speaking of which, Candice... would you hate me?"
"Why ask that?"
Seiya paused for a moment, his tone becoming somewhat subtle.
"After all, I previously used suggestion on you to avoid exposing myself..."
"Ah, you mean that."
Suddenly loosening her hands.
Candice stepped back half a step, at this moment putting her hands on her hips, slightly raising her head, making a somewhat disgusted expression.
"Thinking about it carefully, it is indeed very infuriating! Obviously you just needed to tell me honestly, but you insisted on using these underhanded methods... it's not like something you would do at all!"
The criticism was very reasonable.
Seiya's head drooped down.
"But..."
Candice's mouth suddenly turned, at this moment curving slightly upward.
"I'm not unable to understand your difficulties."
Using the momentum of a forward rush, she crashed back into Seiya's embrace.
Both hands circling from the other party's armpits, as if never wanting to let go again, clinging tightly.
"It must have been hard to oppose His Majesty... no, Yhwach, right?"
"After all, he's such a terrifying guy. When I was hit by Auswählen, I thought I was going to die."
"But Seiya, you're really amazing... to actually be able to defeat him."
Candice knew she wasn't a very smart person.
So most of the time, she would only use the most simple values to measure things.
Just like now.
"It was hard, wasn't it?"
"You must have been a bit scared too, right?"
"Although I didn't see it, I heard you almost died..."
Her tone began to become somewhat slower, slightly trembling.
Candice's lips drew inward, as if empathizing at this moment, showing a wronged expression.
"Next time... no, don't let there be a next time."
"You don't need to hide things like this anymore. Just tell me everything clearly from now on."
"I will definitely, definitely, definitely support you... Seiya, I already have nothing left."
The power of Schrift, the identity of a Quincy, even the past position where she could act recklessly and show off her power, etc...
All had now vanished into smoke.
So.
"Only you remain for me."
"Don't die..."
"Okay?"
Seiya's expression was subtle, falling silent for a while at this moment.
Also embracing the other party.
"Mm... I won't die."
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Powerstones?
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