Bleach: Watch Closely, This Is How You Use a Zanpakutō
Chapter 295: The Emperor of the Quincies

Chapter 295: Chapter 295: The Emperor of the Quincies

As night fell, Masatsuki Aozaki slowly opened his eyes.

He stretched lazily before sitting up, then placed his foot on a shadow in the corner.

The next moment, the shadow seemed to come alive, rapidly extending like tendrils and wrapping around his ankle before pulling him in.

Masatsuki Aozaki’s body gradually sank until he vanished completely.

When he opened his eyes again, he found himself before a massive palace covered in ice.

The front entrance was flanked by two broken, ivory-tower-like arched columns. Behind them stood a grand building adorned with a cross pattern. Below the palace stretched a vast complex, its structures buried under ice, with a towering bell tower piercing the sky.

"This place is seriously dull."

Masatsuki Aozaki frowned slightly as he took in the scenery around him.

Though the area was filled with buildings, they were all bleak and monotonous. The architecture, primarily composed of ice and stone, gave the entire space a desolate and lifeless atmosphere.

Living in such isolation would drive anyone insane.

No wonder the Quincies of the Wandenreich were all so eccentric—there was no escaping the influence of their environment.

Take this place, for example...

Sparse communal buildings lay ahead, while behind him stretched barren mountains and endless rocky wasteland. There was nothing else in sight.

The kind of environment he hated the most.

"Who are you?!"

A sharp voice rang out, laced with hostility and caution.

"That uniform... A Shinigami? Damn bastard, how dare you come here?!"

Another voice followed, filled with anger and provocation.

"We let that bastard escape last time, but it looks like we got lucky—another one just walked right in!"

The last voice carried an unmistakable tone of mockery and disdain.

Laughter echoed from different directions as three men in long white robes stepped forward.

Their eyes gleamed with amusement and scorn, as if ridiculing the reckless Shinigami standing before them.

Yet, deep within their gazes, an undeniable bloodlust simmered—cold, ruthless, and devoid of mercy.

"You start barking for blood the moment we meet... Guess you really do hate Shinigami."

Masatsuki Aozaki shook his head with a sigh, spreading his hands in a gesture of indifference.

His voice remained calm and unshaken, as if the three before him were of no consequence.

"Well... I can’t blame you. After all, your emperor was cut down by the old man. Makes sense."

The corners of his mouth lifted slightly into a faint, amused smile.

His tone was light and carefree, as if discussing something utterly trivial.

Yet, the weight of his words made the three Quincies’ expressions twist into something dark and vicious.

The mention of their fallen emperor sent a surge of unfiltered rage through them.

Their once-contained killing intent exploded without restraint.

"You foolish Shinigami! How dare you insult His Majesty the Emperor! Don’t worry—you won’t have long to regret it. We’ll atone for your sins with your life right now!"

The leading Quincy gritted his teeth as he spoke, his voice cold and piercing, overflowing with fury.

Without hesitation, he raised his hand, forming a glowing Reishi bow and drawing an arrow aimed straight at Masatsuki Aozaki’s heart.

At the same time, the other two Quincy sprang into action.

One lifted a long Reishi sword, while the other prepared to unleash his drawn longbow.

A handful of silver-white cylindrical spiritual weapons shot through the air toward Masatsuki Aozaki before erupting in explosions.

The three Quincy leaped into the sky, continuously firing Reishi arrows and swinging their swords, unleashing a relentless barrage of attacks.

Boom!

Smoke and dust billowed as the force of their attacks sent debris flying nearly a hundred meters into the air.

"It’s over. What a bore. Are all Shinigami this pathetic?"

"A fool whose Reiatsu is so weak it can’t even be sensed dares to step into our domain? He had it coming."

"This is the kind of trash we’re up against? I don’t get why we’re even hiding here!"

The three Quincy sneered, casually dusting off their hands.

But as they turned around, their expressions froze.

Behind them, the Shinigami stood unharmed.

At some point—without them noticing—he had appeared right where they had been attacking.

Did their grand offensive amount to nothing?

"...Looks like he’s got some tricks."

"Was he deliberately suppressing his Reiatsu? Typical Shinigami cowardice!"

"Heilig Pfeil!"

The three of them roared and prepared to strike again.

But then—

Their eyes widened in shock as they looked down, suddenly noticing deep, crimson lines spreading across their bodies.

What...?

They had already been cut?

When did it happen?

Why didn’t they see anything?!

Blood gushed from their wounds like fountains, splattering onto the cold ground.

Their bodies crumpled lifelessly, the light fading from their eyes.

Masatsuki Aozaki cast an indifferent glance at them. With a flick of his wrist, his blade reversed in his grip.

A surge of searing flames erupted from its edge, instantly engulfing their bodies.

Within moments, nothing remained but ashes.

...

"Should I keep going?"

Masatsuki Aozaki murmured to himself, his gaze locked onto the massive structure ahead.

A faint sense of danger pricked at his instincts, making him furrow his brows.

The towering palace in the distance was unmistakably the Wandenreich’s main stronghold. From within, an overwhelming Reiatsu radiated outward.

Yhwach, the Quincy Emperor, was most likely resting inside.

The prophecy of the Wandenreich Emperor was well known—

After 900 years, he regained his heartbeat.

After 90 years, he regained his consciousness.

After 9 years, he regained his power.

And in 9 days, he would reclaim the world.

By that timeline, Yhwach should currently be in the stage of regaining his consciousness.

But that didn’t mean he was powerless.

Even as an infant, Yhwach had been born blind, deaf, mute, and unable to move.

Yet he possessed the innate ability to distribute his soul—a power that had ensured his survival.

When others touched him, he could grant them fragments of his soul, filling the voids within their own.

It was this very ability that granted Quincies their extraordinary power.

But it was no gift.

It was a loan—one that had to be repaid, with interest.

When a Quincy died, their soul returned to their king.

That was the price of their strength.

And now, after centuries of slumber, the return of those souls had never ceased.

For over 900 years, the souls of the deceased Quincies had been flowing back into their emperor.

Even if Yhwach was unable to act directly, this place was the very heart of the Quincy domain.

Countless pure-blooded Quincies resided here.

Among them were the Sternritter—elite warriors wielding the power of the Schrift.

If an ordinary Gotei 13 Captain set foot in this place, it would be nothing short of a death sentence.

But Masatsuki Aozaki was no ordinary Captain.

A thought surfaced in his mind—

"The Soul King’s left arm and heart are here. Now that I’ve made it this far... why not see for myself?"

Yhwach’s power was beyond expectations, but that was no reason to back down.

Retreat was not an option.

He would see the Soul King’s heart and left arm with his own eyes.

Even if it was just for a glimpse.

He had waited years—no, decades—for this moment.

Hadn’t he endured all this time, even under Mayuri Kurotsuchi, for this very opportunity?

What was there to fear?

At worst, he’d follow Aizen’s path—evolving through terror itself.

The moment his resolve solidified, Masatsuki Aozaki vanished from sight.

In an instant, he activated Shinsoku, weaving through the fortress at blinding speed.

...

(40 Chapters Ahead)

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