As soon as the word "revenge" echoed through the chamber, a wave of fervor erupted among the quincy masters gathered in the arena.
Some among them were survivors of the brutal war that had ravaged the Quincy Division a thousand years ago, their scars buried deep beneath the surface. Others had been drawn into the Invisible Empire during the Soul Society's brutal suppression of the quincy two centuries earlier.
But regardless of when they joined or how, they all shared one immutable thing in common—
Hatred for the shinigami.
"Revenge! Revenge! Revenge!!"
The chant roared like thunder from their throats, shaking the foundations of the palace deep within the shadows of the Invisible Empire.
Yhwach stood above them, his gaze sweeping across the sea of impassioned faces. A satisfied smile crept across his face, the heat of their vengeance kindling something fierce and resolute in his chest. His children were ready. His army was aflame with purpose.
And yet, the King of the quincies allowed a trace of sorrow and reluctance to flash across his weathered expression.
"However…" he said, his deep voice steady but tinged with emotion, "You are all my children. I cannot bear to see you fall on the battlefield."
A respectful hush fell over the hall, but it didn't last long.
"Your Majesty, we are not afraid of death!"
"As long as we can avenge our fallen brethren, let death come!"
"Kill all the shinigami! Burn their Seireitei to ash!"
Their cries were louder than ever now—filled with conviction, unwavering and absolute.
Seeing the crowd become increasingly impassioned and on the brink of chaos, the leader of the Sternritters and Yhwach's most trusted confidant, Haschwalth, stepped forward calmly.
"Your Majesty." he called, his voice sharp and composed, "I have a suggestion."
Instantly, the shouting ceased. Every eye turned to the blond quincy standing before their king.
For the past millennium, during Yhwach's slumber, Haschwalth had governed the Invisible Empire in his stead. He had wielded tremendous authority in that time, and his words carried weight.
Yhwach nodded his head slightly, acknowledging him. "Speak."
Haschwalth nodded and began, his tone measured and thoughtful. "Our quincy have endured two catastrophic wars. Each time, our numbers were slashed, and our legacy endangered. Though we have replenished our forces over time, we have never regained our former strength."
"Meanwhile, the shinigami of Soul Society have remained numerous. Even with internal conflict, they've never suffered the losses we have."
He looked over the crowd.
"Each one of us is invaluable. We cannot afford to lose any of you so easily. Therefore, I propose that before launching an all-out war… we recruit cannon fodder to clear the path for His Majesty."
The hall fell into silence at Haschwalth's final words.
But not for long.
"What did you say!?"
The first to object was Cang Du, holder of the Schrift 'I'—"Iron". Known for his abrasive nature and open disdain toward Haschwalth, he stepped forward with a sneer.
"Cannon fodder? Are you saying we need to rely on outsiders to wage our war? Are you doubting His Majesty's power?"
"Why should we dirty our legacy with others' blood? We are the quincy! Let the Soul Society come with their thousands—we will crush them!"
Before Haschwalth could respond, one of his supporters stood up. "Cang Du, that's enough. Haschwalth's proposal is meant to preserve our brothers and sisters. Are you so eager to throw lives away?"
Another quincy master chimed in. "He's right. Let the weak fight the weak. shinigami grunts deserve only cannon fodder in return."
Still, some agreed with Cang Du.
"No! This war is ours! No one else should fight it. We've waited a thousand years for revenge. Are we now to hide behind others?"
The hall quickly dissolved into clashing voices—Quincy masters yelling over one another, tempers flaring, lines drawn.
For the first time in many years, Yhwach bore witness to the fragmented bonds within his elite.
It was understandable.
He had been asleep for most of the past thousand years, focused only on healing and reclaiming his power. The affairs of the Invisible Empire had been left entirely to Haschwalth. Though Haschwalth held authority as the emperor's assistant, he was still a peer—another quincy warrior, not Yhwach himself.
Naturally, rivalries had formed. Discontent had brewed.
And now, it all threatened to spill over.
Yhwach narrowed his eyes.
"...Silence."
The command was soft—but absolute.
The effect was instantaneous. The shouting ceased. Every quincy fell into quiet reverence before the will of their king.
"I am pleased," Yhwach said, breaking the silence, "that so many of you are passionate about our long-awaited revenge."
He chose not to scold them for their infighting. Instead, he reframed their chaos as loyalty—a masterstroke of leadership.
Then he continued.
"But Haschwalth's words are not without merit. Each of you is my child. Every life is precious to me. If we can use others to absorb the brunt of Soul Society's strength and reduce our own casualties, then we must consider it."
Cang Du clenched his fists, his pride burning—but he said nothing further.
The room was quiet again.
Yhwach turned his gaze back to Haschwalth. "Since this is your suggestion, tell me—where do you intend to find this cannon fodder?"
Haschwalth's answer came without hesitation. "Hueco Mundo."
A murmur of disbelief swept through the room.
Cang Du broke his silence with a scoff. "Hueco Mundo? Don't tell me you're unaware of what happened there."
He let out a laugh filled with scorn.
"You think we can just stroll into that place and drag out hollows to fight for us? This isn't the same Hueco Mundo anymore!"
More than a year ago, Soul Society had launched a full-scale invasion into Hueco Mundo. They'd sent almost all of the Gotei 13 captains—including Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni himself.
And they'd lost.
That defeat had shocked even the quincies.
Though they didn't know the full details, they knew that Aizen's allies had not only survived but thrived, reshaping Hueco Mundo into something far stronger than it had ever been.
"I am aware." Haschwalth said calmly, unshaken. "Which is precisely why I propose an alliance, not a conquest."
This revelation stunned the crowd even more.
An alliance with Hueco Mundo?
With hollows?
*****
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