When Yhwach heard "Special War Powers", his expression froze. Though he couldn't explain why, the phrase had an oddly pleasant ring to it.
This child really suits my taste, he thought. When he's defeated, I'll Auswählen him immediately — that way, he'll be spared much suffering.
At this thought, Yhwach's expression softened considerably.
"In my humble opinion, Special War Powers are unpredictable variables beyond our control that could influence the course of the war. If we don't keep these individuals in check, we may face consequences none of us wish to see."
Following Aizen's prepared script, Akira projected himself as a reassuringly reliable figure.
"The first is the Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13 and the Empire's greatest enemy, Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto! I hardly need to explain his designation as a Special War Power — the war a thousand years ago failed largely because of that old man."
His words stirred unpleasant memories for Yhwach, and his expression soured.
"The second is Kenpachi Zaraki of the Eleventh Division. He excels at fighting under any conditions, maintaining intense combat power and fighting spirit consistently. Such is his ferocity that he would dare strike even Your Majesty Yhwach twice."
Beside him, Jugram slightly furrowed his brow.
He couldn't be certain, but he felt he'd seen this kind of description somewhere before.
"The third is the Lieutenant of the 11th Division, Kisuke Urahara. With his exceptional scientific expertise, he possesses countless methods to resolve any difficulties he encounters. No obstacle proves too great for him. According to my observations, he's also highly skilled with official documents, though his work efficiency remains his only weakness."
The Knights nodded in agreement — the Wandenreich had similar talents.
First among them was Lord Madara Uchiha, whose Schrift was { R }, the Reiatsu. Since establishing the Quincy Research and Development Institute, he had produced numerous scientific advances.
These developments not only enhanced Quincy combat methods but also greatly improved their quality of life.
If Hashirama was the most prestigious figure among the rank-and-file soldiers, then Lord Madara Uchiha certainly ranked among the top three.
Most importantly, Madara never rested on his laurels. He regularly produced new technologies and innovations to benefit the common people, truly earning his status as the Empire's pillar of strength.
Aizen noticed the peculiar looks from those around him, but his iron psychological fortitude kept him perfectly composed.
"The fourth is the heavyweight." Akira's expression turned serious, "Among the four Special War Powers, I would call him the strongest!
Eleventh Division Captain, Akira! As Genryūsai Yamamoto's direct disciple, and also the superior of both Kenpachi Zaraki and Kisuke Urahara, he combines all their strengths. Not only is his combat power exceptional, but his wisdom can also be called unmatched in Soul Society.
He is our Empire's greatest enemy and must be designated as the highest priority target. Of course, considering the difference in combat ability, if any of you encounter him on the battlefield, abandon your mission and prioritize preserving your own life."
With that said, he looked toward Yhwach on his throne, indicating he had completed his report.
Yhwach nodded and said solemnly, "There is one more person who must be listed as a Special War Power — the leader of the Zero Division, Ichibē Hyōsube. He is a being who has lived for a million years, witnessed the rise and fall of countless powers, and possesses unmatched qualifications and wisdom. Take special note."
Those present nodded in acknowledgment.
Though the Shinigami of Soul Society were formidable, the Sternritter felt no anxiety. With the most reliable Lord Hashirama Senju and the mighty His Majesty Yhwach by their side, they would face any enemy without fear.
Jugram suddenly looked up, "Your Majesty, when will we launch the war?"
Yhwach considered before answering, "There's no rush. We'll launch after the Auswählen is complete. We still haven't gathered all the Sternritter members, and there's the matter of the Schutzstaffel. Hashirama, I'll leave this to you."
Akira grinned, "No problem, I've already found some promising candidates."
Yhwach nodded, saying nothing more. He had complete trust in Hashirama's abilities.
The imperial meeting concluded, and everyone dispersed to their duties.
In the hallway outside, Askin hurried to catch up with Akira.
"My lord, there's something I don't understand."
"Don't call me lord — use my title when we're working."
"Yes, my lord." Askin agreed readily, then asked hesitantly, "Are we really going to attack Soul Society? Isn't that..."
He glanced around vigilantly, leaving his sentence unfinished. Though he knew Yhwach wouldn't stoop to eavesdropping, he remained cautious.
"Of course we're going to fight — how could we not? Don't worry about this matter, just follow my orders when the time comes." Akira patted his shoulder reassuringly.
With Kisuke on his left, Sōsuke on his right, plus his own world-shocking wisdom and overwhelming combat power, and the Soul King backing him, losing would be difficult even if he tried.
Askin watched his retreating figure with a conflicted expression.
Despite considering himself quite clever, he couldn't fathom Captain Akira's true intentions.
Not only was he a Shinigami Captain and the God-King of Hueco Mundo, but he had also infiltrated the Wandenreich. In mere years, he had risen from the lowest ranks to become one of the empire's most powerful figures.
Even Crown Prince Jugram was merely his equal.
What was he doing all this for? Could he be planning to replace the Soul King and become ruler of all Sangai?
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"Name."
"Meninas McAllon."
"Gender."
"Female."
"What is your purpose in applying to join the Sternritter?"
"To follow Lord Hashirama Senju!"
Akira looked up, narrowing his eyes at the busty pink-haired girl before him.
Meninas felt nervous under his gaze.
"Very good, you pass. Prepare for the test."
The first test for new members would be conducted by Bazz-B, who had grown quite confident in his abilities.
Through Akira's intense training methods, he had transformed into an entirely different warrior. He had not only mastered his Schrift completely but also achieved perfect control over advanced spiritual techniques like Vollständig and Blut Vene Anhaben.
Bazz-B believed that if he were to face his past self now, he could defeat him in just three moves.
Seeing Bazz-B's proud expression, Meninas pressed her lips together with determination. She had invested countless hours of grueling effort to reach this point — she wouldn't fail now at the final test.
Lord Hashirama, please watch me!
At Akira's signal, the battle erupted.
A brilliant pink light burst from Meninas's body as a massive Quincy cross materialized, its radiant pillar illuminating the entire plaza.
Sensing her overwhelming pressure, Bazz-B's dismissive attitude vanished instantly.
In that moment, a figure burst through the light pillar, appearing before him.
Direct punch!
With fierce determination in her eyes, Meninas's small fist concentrated an enormous amount of Reishi, crimson Blut patterns dancing across its surface.
Caught unprepared, Bazz-B took the full force of the strike. The devastating impact exploded against his abdomen, making his eyes bulge and face contort in pain.
BOOM!!
With a thunderous crash, his body went flying backward, smashing through a distant building and sending clouds of debris skyward.
Akira nodded with satisfaction.
This was exactly what he wanted to see — Vollständig wasn't meant to be cumbersome. Hand-to-hand combat was the perfect style for a Quincy.
Meninas had clearly absorbed his teachings well. Someone of her caliber belonged in the Sternritter.
"Well done, you pass the test."
At Akira's praise, the girl's eyes curved into joyful crescents.
Despite her natural abilities, she had been just another ordinary Quincy soldier. In the rigid hierarchy of the Wandenreich, soldiers like her faced constant exploitation from the Knights above them.
A Knight could even kill a common Quincy without consequence.
But everything changed when Hashirama arrived. From him, Meninas experienced genuine respect, care, and most importantly, equal treatment. In his eyes, all Quincy stood as equals.
In his words: fairness, fairness, and more fairness.
Such a person was far more worthy of following than Yhwach!
Covered in dust, Bazz-B stumbled back from the ruins, immediately declaring he wanted another match with Meninas. He hadn't been prepared earlier — otherwise, the outcome would have been uncertain.
"No rush." Akira shook his head, "Your task today is Knight evaluation. There are others waiting to join."
Bazz-B was taken aback, "Who else?"
"It's me, Lord Bazzard Black." An elegant man with dual-colored gold and pink hair stepped out from the crowd, giving a slight bow, "You'd better not underestimate me."
Looking at Szayelaporro in his researcher's uniform, Bazz-B was stunned.
"Arrancar can join the Sternritter too?"
Akira spread his hands, "Why not? Yhwach never specified race restrictions."
Hearing this, Bazz-B took a deep breath, instantly growing serious as flames burned in his eyes.
"Come then, Lord Szayelaporro Granz. Let me see what you're made of!"
Akira: "?"
Where did he learn such nonsense — you can't just size people up like that!
With the roar of flames, two figures wreathed in wild Reiatsu crashed violently together, like asteroids colliding.
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After several days of busy work, Akira added three powerful warriors to the Sternritter.
Meninas McCallon, Szayelaporro Granz, and Ulquiorra Cifer.
Once Yhwach distributed their Schrifts, they could officially become members of the Sternritter.
Now, except for a few die-hard followers of Yhwach, everyone else in the Sternritter had pledged loyalty to him with frighteningly high devotion — no less than the Lanza or the Seated Officers of the 11th Division.
Everything was ready, just waiting for the right moment. Akira chuckled, already getting impatient to start the war.
"Akira, the Schutzstaffel still needs two more members, right?" In the Q.R.D.I, Aizen asked calmly.
"Yeah, I was thinking about bringing in Szayelaporro to fill the numbers." Akira replied carelessly.
"Save a spot for me."
"...? You want to become a member of the Schutzstaffel?"
Aizen nodded and explained, "According to Yhwach's plan, the Schutzstaffel will accompany him to the Soul King Palace. For safety's sake, I believe it's better if I go along to keep watch."
His main concern was for a certain someone's safety — Yhwach's fate was just one side of the Soul King's story. Even Aizen couldn't discern the Soul King's true intentions from previous statements.
If that person got caught in someone's scheme, wouldn't the Soul King Palace become Akira's grave?
With his presence, at least the risk would decrease significantly.
Akira's mouth twitched, "That's fine. There's still one position left, Sōsuke. Any thoughts?"
Aizen pondered for a moment, then nodded, "What about... Urahara?"
At these words, Akira's eyes lit up.
⤫⤬⤫⤬⤫⤬⤫⤬⤫⤬
Boom—Boom—Boom!
In the 11th Division's largest training ground, two figures unleashed terrifying Reiatsu rarely seen in Soul Society, clashing like mortal enemies.
Akira removed his Captain's haori, tore open his Shihakushō to reveal perfectly toned muscles, and swung Kūkan Mukai. The blade, wrapped in black flames, stirred up fierce storms across the training ground.
Across from him, Genryūsai refused to yield. Each swing of Ryūjin Jakka made the surrounding air temperature spike dramatically. The moisture in the air rapidly evaporated, the effect reaching even the outside barracks.
The division members marveled at how terrifying the two were, while also noting how incredibly strong their Captain had become.
One step further and he might even surpass the Captain-Commander.
Violent flames crashed like waves as black and white blades clashed, unleashing surging, powerful forces.
This long-awaited clash of raw power made Genryūsai's blood boil. In all of Soul Society today, only Akira could push him to fight at full strength.
Though he suspected another scheme was brewing, for now he'd simply enjoy this exhilarating battle.
With that thought, he released even stronger Reiatsu, closed in, and swung his blade without hesitation, raising waves of intense flames.
"Bring it on!" Akira flashed a fierce grin, casually tossing aside his sword. His clenched fingers created sonic booms as he charged forward.
BOOM BOOM!!
The old and young warriors put everything else aside, fully immersing themselves in this hard-won, satisfying battle.
After what seemed like ages, the vast training ground lay in ruins, the destruction extending even to the surrounding barracks.
Among the rubble, two figures sat facing each other.
Genryūsai wiped sweat from his brow, glancing at the unruffled Akira, and said irritably:
"Out with it — what favor do you want from this old man?"
⤫⤬⤫
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