Bai Yuetong needed power. He also hoped he was 'special' like Uryu Ishida, special enough to ignore the Auswählen and keep the power he had gained.
Uryu had survived an invasion of his body as severe as what Szayelaporro's 'La Lujuriosa' could inflict without any major issues, without his powers weakening or fading. This was all due to Uryu's 'special' nature.
So, Bai Yuetong wanted to see if he was also 'special'. The more similarities he shared with Uryu, the greater his chances might be. Even if it had no real effect, it would offer some psychological comfort.
Furthermore, he was determined to get his hands on Roka Paramia in the Forest of Menos, who possessed the Negación threads and had downloaded the data from Ichigo's Mugetsu.
And since Roka had manifested the abilities of multiple Espada, was it possible that the data for the Segunda Espada, Baraggan Louisenbairn, was also collected by Szayelaporro and stored in Roka's database?
If he could obtain the power of 'Senescencia' (Aging), it might have a significant impact on Yhwach.
After all, Yhwach's inherently flawed nature meant he had to continuously absorb the souls of others. Otherwise, he would revert to the weak state he was born in, or even wither and die. The power of aging would be a terrible match-up for him.
Unlike Quilge, who was a die-hard loyalist of the Wandenreich, Bai Yuetong felt no sense of identity or belonging.
One reason was the loneliness of an outsider, a feeling of being out of place with everything in this world. Another was the suffering he had endured when he first arrived; he held a grudge.
Although Yhwach later granted him supreme power and glory, following a capricious, tyrannical emperor was not a pleasant experience.
Moreover, the Wandenreich's "excellent" corporate culture of backstabbing and trampling on colleagues to climb the ladder gave Bai Yuetong no sense of security.
Even worse, Bai Yuetong knew that everything Yhwach had given him would one day be taken back with interest, possibly including his life.
Bai Yuetong didn't want to die. For now, he just wanted to struggle to live a little longer.
So while he was grateful for the power and glory Yhwach had bestowed upon him and occasionally felt the urge to repay His Majesty's kindness, if an opportunity arose, he would not hesitate to obliterate anyone or anything that stood in his way of survival. This, of course, included the ever-present threat of his own creator, Emperor Yhwach.
Honestly, if this were the old 'Lichtreich' (Kingdom of Light), full of honor and justice, Bai Yuetong might have gradually integrated and even willingly fought for his emperor.
Unfortunately, after being "educated" by the evil Soul Reapers, the blackened Yhwach had become just as cruel and tyrannical as them.
The Quincy nation he led had fallen from the bright and just Lichtreich in the human world to the Wandenreich, the "Invisible Empire" that survived in the shadows of Soul Society.
Although there were still many loyalists to Yhwach within the empire, it was clear that the current emperor, the current empire, and its current atmosphere could not win Bai Yuetong's sincere allegiance.
…
Silbern.
In a place that was once a prison, sealed by Yhwach's special barrier, the seal had now been broken. The being who should have been imprisoned there—Gremmy Thoumeaux—stood in the corridor.
No one dared approach the now-free Gremmy. Perhaps fearing they would be killed just by making eye contact, the regular soldiers wouldn't even enter his line of sight.
However, among them, two figures approached Gremmy without a shred of hesitation.
"Yo, you look like you're in good spirits, monster."
Liltotto was perched on Bai Yuetong's shoulders like a child, looking like an endearing father-daughter pair. But her cute appearance belied her usual sharp tongue.
"I didn't expect to be called a monster by you, Liltotto," Gremmy said with a seemingly cold smile.
"Beyond your imagination? That's even better. If you don't like 'monster,' how about 'scum'? ...Anyway, I'm out of snacks. I'm starving. Can't you imagine something up for me?" Liltotto said nonchalantly.
"Get me some too. After spending so much time with Liltotto, I always find myself getting a big appetite," Bai Yuetong added in a casual tone, as if certain Gremmy wouldn't refuse.
"It's only you two who would approach me with such vulgar words just to satisfy your own desires," Gremmy remarked, amazed at their thick skin.
"His Majesty always says that comrades should help each other. Don't be so stingy," Liltotto said casually.
In the current climate of the Wandenreich, her words could only be taken as a dark joke.
The current environment was a far cry from the mutual aid of the Lichtreich a thousand years ago. Now, it was common practice to step on your comrades to get ahead, backstab colleagues to steal credit, and hit allies with large-scale attacks during battle.
But Liltotto meant what she said. She truly believed in the principle of mutual help within her small, recognized circle of friends.
Though she had a foul mouth, Liltotto's character was outstanding in a Wandenreich full of scoundrels.
"I'd rather not be called stingy by someone begging for snacks," Gremmy said. Even so, in the next moment, he imagined a mountain of bagged donuts.
A large paper bag filled with donuts appeared in Bai Yuetong's arms. He held it up, and Liltotto, perched on his neck, widened her eyes slightly and popped a donut into her mouth. Then, he took one for himself.
"...Mmm... Hmph... Not bad, but a little too sweet," Liltotto, the veteran foodie, critiqued. Bai Yuetong nodded in agreement.
"Well, I don't know your tastes. It's faster to just imagine you both have a sweet tooth."
"You should try eating all sorts of things after we kill the Soul Reapers and get our freedom. It'll expand the boundaries of your imagination," Liltotto's words made Gremmy give a wry smile. "I'll consider it."
Freedom. For Gremmy, who had been imprisoned for so long, it was an extravagant luxury.
Bai Yuetong's expression turned strange. Liltotto's words were basically planting a forest of death flags on Gremmy. It wasn't the classic "I'll go home and get married after this war," but it was close.
But freedom… that was also what Bai Yuetong desperately craved.
And to become the freest person in this world, one had to become the strongest person in history, strong enough to take on the whole damn world alone.
This world was full of lies and betrayal, and there were plenty of cunning bastards with world-class intellect. The key was that these bastards also possessed immense power and the will to act.
So, to live truly free, one needed invincible power and a flexible moral compass, unconstrained by anything.
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