Broken bodies, crumbling ruins, and raging flames.
Scenes of devastation akin to the end of the world spread across the entire gray city.
Everywhere one looked, there were people wielding gleaming crossbows, firing arrows at the white-clad soldiers in the distance.
Led by a long-haired man, they advanced relentlessly—forward, forward.
From Western Europe to Eastern Europe, and further east.
The white tide swept across the entire underworld.
At the top of the frontmost wall, Yhwach overlooked the soldiers still massacring in the city, his expression unchanged.
"The so-called West Branch Office is nothing more than this."
"The power of the Dragon Appenders seems to be only this much."
Behind him, the one-eyed As Nodt knelt on the ground, his expression solemn as he echoed softly:
"Indeed, Your Majesty."
The newly formed Sternritter, in their very first sortie, had effortlessly annihilated the entire West Branch Office. The power of the Wandenreich remained unscathed, and His Majesty had remained safely in the rear, without lifting a finger.
Such a feat, for a newly formed legion, was undoubtedly glorious.
However, to As Nodt, this was only to be expected.
After all, every member of the Sternritter had received a significant portion of His Majesty's power.
Compared to the other soldiers who had received only meager gifts, the gap was like heaven and earth.
Yhwach, upon hearing his affirmation, was instead intrigued. He turned and asked: "As Nodt, in your opinion, how does the West Branch Office compare to the Shinigami you've encountered?"
As Nodt fell silent for a moment before replying softly: "Forgive my arrogance... In my view, even if the Shinigami we encountered in Soul Society—those who hadn't reached the level of 'Master-Class'—were to come to this underworld, they could annihilate the West Branch Office."
"The gap is that large?"
"Indeed, Your Majesty."
Yhwach nodded slightly, acknowledging As Nodt's assessment.
At this point in time, both monarch and subject had already learned from the remnants of the Seireitei nobility about the complete failure of Seireitei.
To this outcome, even Yhwach could only temporarily accept it.
Though he proclaimed his power as 'The Almighty,' Yhwach himself knew his limits.
If there truly existed an 'Almighty,' then why had 'Father' been sealed as a wedge for a million years?
What even Father couldn't achieve, he naturally couldn't either.
Yhwach could now only see fragments of future timelines, countless moments he could perceive and attempt to alter to some extent.
This incomplete Almighty was the limit of what he could currently achieve.
Yet, to most, his abilities still seemed like those of a true living god.
The Wandenreich, as it stood, was entirely his creation.
Unfortunately, the true Almighty remained far beyond his reach.
But, based on what he could see...
It seemed he had no more time.
Yhwach silently gazed at the flames burning in the distant town.
Though not truly Almighty, there were things Yhwach could see with clarity.
For instance, the setbacks the Wandenreich might face in invading Soul Society.
For instance... his own death.
Yhwach clearly saw a man engulfed in flames, standing before him like a demon.
In the end, he was beheaded with a single strike.
Yhwach couldn't understand why, despite foreseeing this outcome, he still faced this calamity countless times.
Countless attempts with his 'Almighty' power had only pushed his fate toward this result.
This fact left him deeply uneasy.
What stunned him even more was that when he sought to understand 'how to further his Almighty,' the result was the same—himself being beheaded.
This death seemed an inevitable part of his destiny.
Yhwach couldn't comprehend it.
Thus, today he had asked As Nodt, his capable assistant, for his opinion—normally, someone as Almighty as him wouldn't need advice from a subordinate.
This action itself spoke volumes.
As Nodt, though clear-minded, remained silent.
In truth, he didn't understand why His Majesty was so desperate to become the ruler of the Three Realms, or why he was so eager to invade Soul Society immediately after conquering the living world.
But one thing As Nodt knew for certain—this was what His Majesty desired.
Given that, he had no other choice.
Just as both monarch and subject fell into thought, a raspy, mocking laugh echoed from the sky:
"Heh heh heh... How cruel, humans."
"Are you the leader of this so-called 'Wandenreich'?"
"What are you doing? Slaughtering a city?"
The rustling of insects and flies buzzed past their ears, converging instantly to form the aged figure of Kotsuzui Talz.
A hunched old man, his back curved like a turtle's shell, his skin bearing the dark, sunken hue of age. Wrinkles piled on his cheeks and chin, forming deep creases.
His eyes were black, his eyelids heavy, as if he could barely lift them.
He leaned on his Zanpakutō at his waist, a sinister smile on his face, pointing toward the distant smoke and flames.
"I'm a kind old man, but I can't stand such scenes."
"Who are you?!"
As Nodt, as Yhwach's most loyal subordinate, would not allow such insolence before His Majesty.
He drew his Reishi Stinger in anger, positioning himself between Yhwach and Kotsuzui Talz.
He hadn't sensed this man's presence until he spoke—an unforgivable oversight!
Yhwach, however, remained calm, his expression unchanged, as if he'd expected Kotsuzui Talz's appearance.
"Someone from Urahara's shop?"
"Oh ho, oh ho... That's not the name anymore."
The old man leaned on his sword, his left leg propped up as if sitting on a heated floor, his body slightly reclined, as if leaning against an invisible wall. He grinned at Yhwach, his mouth nearly toothless.
"Now, we're called the 'Gotei 13.'"
"I'm Kotsuzui Talz, captain of the 13th Division, responsible for cleaning up the living world."
"That is, dealing with people like you."
"But it's quite strange... I've lived for thousands of years, and this is the first time I've seen Fullbringers appear in such large numbers."
"Before you're cleaned up, could you tell me how you managed it?"