Some believe that the sky must always exist as it is.
The son of the one who gave birth to the blue light seeks to liberate and cast down his father.
The man who despaired of a world without will eventually desires to stand in the heavens.
After a thousand years of silence and centuries of chaos, they fall to a single young man.
He was a human who experienced the erosion of Hollows, the soul of a Soul Reaper, and the conception of a Quincy.
But his path is one that is never walked alone.
*****
Hueco Mundo.
One of the Three Realms that exists alongside the World of the Living and the Soul Society.
It is characterized by being the habitat of Hollows, a night sky without day, and an endless, desolate desert.
This place, which glows with a strange greenish hue, has a much higher concentration of Reishi in the atmosphere compared to other realms.
Much like the giant insects of Earth's ancient ecosystem when oxygen levels were high, the Hollows here can gain nourishment just by breathing.
Because of this, it is a kind of 'buff zone' where power increases significantly regardless of race.
Despite these advantages, there is only one reason why this place is treated solely as a habitat for Hollows.
Naturally, only Hollows and 'Arrancars'—Hollows who have gained Soul Reaper powers—can enter and exit this realm.
Soul Reapers cannot even grasp the trends of this place, and the Quincies are no different.
However, the progress of science always brings about the negation of common sense.
The Wandenreich, which actively mimics and develops the technologies of the Soul Society and the World of the Living, learned early on how to artificially create and stabilize the Garganta leading to Hueco Mundo.
By applying this to the Sun Gates, they created the Reverse Moon Gates.
Normally, they function the same as a standard Sun Gate, but with certain manipulations, it is possible to travel to pre-designated coordinates in Hueco Mundo.
Furthermore, returning to the Wandenreich is only possible through the use of a coordinate system taken in advance.
It was the completion of a safe, one-way passage that Hollows could not detect.
Decades later, Kisuke Urahara and Mayuri Kurotsuchi would also pioneer paths to Hueco Mundo in their own ways, but that is still a long story away.
In the present 20th century, this technology was still considered a Quincy patent.
Of course, only a very few know the fact that someone has already developed another method of passage and subjugated the King of Hollows.
*****
"9th Squad, all personnel have completed their return."
"Move the next squad out."
The practical evaluation does not take place for all squads simultaneously; they move sequentially over a total of three days.
Today is the second day of the evaluation.
The squads that had not yet been evaluated were staying in temporary barracks nearby, with the permission of the company located near the Reverse Moon Gate.
And Nachahmer's squad was the 10th.
"10th Squad, moving out."
Twelve people, who had been checking their equipment with nervous expressions, stood up.
As they each took their Quincy Cross and basic equipment and came outside, two officers joined them to begin the escort.
"Once you pass through the Reverse Moon Gate, there is a Garganta section that takes about 30 minutes on foot before arriving at Hueco Mundo. After entering Hueco Mundo, the accompanying officers will follow at a sufficient distance.
The Vasto Lorde territory is off-limits, so the officers will stop you before you approach it.
After arrival, your actions are free. You may choose to use your communication devices and scatter to search, or the entire squad can stay together.
Whether you discover a Hollow first and launch a surprise attack, lure it out, or get ambushed without noticing—all of these are included in the evaluation items, so proceed autonomously."
Sshhh—
As the personnel passed through, the surface of the gate rippled as if the water's surface had been turned on its side.
Once everyone entered, the undulations gradually disappeared like the surface of water after a drop has fallen.
Contrary to expectations, the Garganta, the intermediate passage layer, was black but did not feel distant or ominous.
There was simply no floor, so they had to step on Reishi to move forward, but perhaps because it was pre-established by the Reverse Moon Gate, a stable-feeling surface was laid out.
"Private Second Class Kiril Yapen. May I ask a question?"
Not long after they started walking, Kiril, the squad leader, raised his hand.
"What is it?"
"May we conduct a squad meeting regarding our future course of action while moving through the Garganta?"
"Hmm, go ahead."
He inwardly made a worldly prediction that this attitude itself would act positively on the evaluation, but it was also a question for the sake of pure preparation.
Since the officer added about one point to Kiril in his mind, could it be said there was a gain?
The squad members, keeping their formation as it was, began the meeting.
"What should we do about the formation? Should we stay together?"
"If we're all bunched up, we might be detected by a Hollow with good eyes and get counter-attacked."
"But excessive scattering will lead to a dispersion of our combat power. If the distance gets too far or we encounter Hollows simultaneously, it'll be a failure."
"Or how about throwing out bait? The place we're going is the extreme outskirts, so Hollows should be rare, right?"
"That's too much of a gamble. We need a basis we can be sure of."
While various opinions were being exchanged, Nachahmer was quietly listening to everything.
Making various assumptions in a brainstorming format, and thinking again.
Through that process, he was thinking of the safest and most efficient formation.
"Entering Hueco Mundo."
They arrived at their destination during the discussion. They arrived at a place after passing through a gate shaped like a tear in the air.
As they stepped down, sandy dust scattered.
The moon, which was flipped upside down compared to the World of the Living, was exceptionally bright.
*****
The 2nd Reverse Moon Gate near Silbern.
As seen in Nachahmer's case, travel between the Three Realms was strictly managed because it could cause very significant issues depending on the time.
Therefore, gates that could be changed to Reverse Moon Gates in addition to the general Sun Gates were located near Silbern.
About 20 minutes since the 10th Squad entered the Reverse Moon Gate.
Roughly 5 minutes before the time the personnel would completely enter Hueco Mundo.
The company commander and officers were waiting near the gate.
Even though it was just training for new recruits, it was a matter that required that much attention to management and security, so even the top officials were present.
In such a stiff and desolate atmosphere.
"It is an honor to behold His Majesty's Bow! I am Wolfgang Lobovsky, Company Commander of the 3rd Battalion Headquarters!"
The officials above officials.
Five Sternritter, the undisputed highest powers excluding Yhwach, made their appearance.
"I'm not interested in your name, so just open the gate."
Bambietta, who was leading the group at the front, commanded arrogantly.
Basically, lower ranks were managed so strictly that there would absolutely never be a case of general soldiers using the 'Gate' unless Haschwalth himself permitted it.
Because of that, normally he would have opened it without a word even if just to save his own life, but even so, if he opened an additional gate at will during training, things could get quite seriously out of hand.
That is what it meant for the Grandmaster to manage it personally.
"That... I am truly sorry, but since we are currently conducting practical training for soldiers managed personally by Grandmaster Haschwalth, I ask for your understanding that it is very difficult to open an additional gate..."
"Ha! You, are you ignoring me right now because I'm nothing? Huh?!"
However, Bambietta's short temper immediately flared up.
Reishi flickered in her hands as if about to explode.
"N-no, ma'am! How could I!"
"Then open it now! Otherwise, I'll blow your head off first to relieve my stress!!"
'Geez, that crazy bitch.'
Candice clicked her tongue inwardly.
Until a moment ago, she was playing the sadistic psychopath concept, but as soon as things went slightly off, her original simple and ignorant personality came out.
Rather, because this was closer to her essence, she was actually used to it.
Indeed, the cruel queen concept one might see in a school, driving the opponent into a corner with words like before, was too different from her.
'Her whims are just damn awful.'
In fact, she doubted if she even had the intelligence to maintain such a concept.
Soon, the gate opened, signaling the entry of the Sternritter.
Candice thought as she walked toward the black surface.
Since she was going anyway, she might as well relieve some stress with Hollows herself.
*****
"Don't ya think we oughta prepare somethin'?"
"Hmm, you mean the Quincies?"
A certain area of Hueco Mundo.
However, this place was unlike all others, with a blue sky and sunlight pouring down.
It was a sight as if even the absolute natural environment of the realm had been changed, but in reality, a giant ceiling was covering it like a sky.
Below it stretched a palace of vast width.
Intermittently placed pillars of immense height and low-rise buildings made of white stone were spread out.
The palace of Hueco Mundo, Las Noches.
In the past, it was the palace used by Baraggan Louisenbairn, the first Vasto Lorde born 10,000 years ago, but now its ownership had been usurped.
And the current owner of this kingdom, who was talking here now.
The Captain of the Gotei 13's 5th Division... but in reality, the one who was stretching out his demonic hands under the surface and making a plan that no one knew.
Sosuke Aizen.
And his confidants, the current Captain of the 3rd Division Gin Ichimaru, and the Captain of the 9th Division Kaname Tosen.
Normally, Soul Reapers wouldn't even be able to enter Hueco Mundo, but for some reason, they were conversing quite nonchalantly in the kingdom of Hollows.
"Well, just in case, ya know. Seein' as they vanished so cleanly, wouldn't they have some kinda hideout like this?"
"I am of the same mind, Lord Aizen."
Tosen, who had a white cloth wrapped around his eyes and very dark skin, also agreed with Gin's words.
"If the Quincies have formed a large force without our knowledge, it could cause problems later. At the very least, it would be wise to grasp their movements."
Hearing the two, Aizen lifted his teacup and sipped his black tea.
Slurp. Click.
Even in the movement of drinking and setting it down, an aristocratic elegance could be felt, but the person in question performed it as if it were only natural.
Soon, he lifted his head and spoke after a brief moment.
"...If the Quincies are alive, that is."
Repeating assumption after assumption, but deriving a perfectly rational calculation.
"They are either scattered as individuals and their communication is not very smooth, or they are those centered around the King of Quincies from the generation before us, Yhwach.
We also investigate various Quincies in the World of the Living, but they are those who abandoned the Lichtreich and fled. That is why no connection with them can be seen at all.
Of course, it could all be planned behavior and they could have built up power in the World of the Living over generations, but I trust the samples we have investigated. Doubt is always necessary, but speculation is poison."
Since they used everything available, they were already quietly reaching out even to the World of the Living.
The formation of an information network encompassing Soul Reapers, Hollows, and Quincies.
Of course, excluding the Wandenreich, which they had not perceived.
"Then what Lord Aizen is saying is that there could be a force of Quincies...?"
"Indeed. And they would be the group led by Yhwach, who was defeated in the Quincy Blood War a thousand years ago."
"Then wouldn't it be better to grasp their movements all the more?"
The so-called Blood War of a thousand years ago that occurred even before Aizen himself was born.
However, he had recognized its impact and danger early on.
He simply thought it wouldn't interfere with his plans immediately.
"Assuming they form a large force, that place would likely be a third location like the Valley of Screams. They cannot move to Hueco Mundo, and the World of the Living or the Soul Society has many eyes of the Soul Reapers.
So we cannot find them right now. In fact, there's no need to find them, either."
The sun of Las Noches can observe everywhere the light shines with his eyes.
Also, since Baraggan, the King of Hollows, is under his command, even places without a 'ceiling' can be checked through other Hollows.
"Eh? I don't know 'bout elsewhere, but I reckon it'd be better to scour Hueco Mundo. Might they not know a way to get in?"
"Heh, Gin. I appreciate the overestimation, but unfortunately, observing the entire area of a planet is impossible even for me."
Unless it were the Zero Division.
Adding the following words, he drank his black tea again.
"It's not very desirable to cause flaws in other aspects by making unreasonable plans. And didn't I say, there's no need to find them."
"?"
This time, both Gin and Tosen expressed doubt.
"'The sealed King of Quincies regains his heartbeat over 900 years, regains his intellect over 90 years, regains his power over 9 years, and regains the world over 9 days.'
It's a Quincy song called the Kaiser Gesang.
Calculating the dates, there are about 47 years left."
"Are you saying they won't take any particular action until that time passes?"
"More accurately, they cannot move. If a patient moves excessively during recovery, side effects are bound to occur. All the more so for Yhwach."
"But I reckon those folks would have subordinates too."
"They wouldn't be foolish enough to confirm their existence to the Soul Reapers with shallow tricks.
There are several other reasons, but in the end, all these speculations could be a swing and a miss. It could be like racking our brains against an enemy that doesn't even exist."
But from his expression, certainty was evident.
Not right now, but if even a single piece of definite evidence appeared, he would recognize the Quincies as a major target of caution.
Of course, even then, his actions would not change.
And a short while later.
"Gosh, these fellas... they went and got caught so easily."
He discovers the evidence.
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