Chapter 34: Yhwach
We may not reach the end we desire, but striving towards it is what keeps us alive.
...
Yohan followed Haschwalth, even though he truly wanted some rest. After all, if a Quincy stops absorbing Reishi, their spiritual energy would have been depleted long ago with all these battles. Yohan entered the most central palace in **[Silbern]**.
After passing through a grand hall, Haschwalth opened a heavy door.
Through this door, Yohan saw a massive throne at the far end.
"Under the throne..."
"Is *that* there?"
Upon entering the gate, Yohan and Haschwalth walked through the magnificent corridor constructed from spiritual particles and reached the platform beneath the throne. At that moment, a notification sound echoed in Yohan's mind.
"Ding!"
"Congratulations to the host, you have arrived at the check-in location beneath the throne!"
"Start the check-in now. The check-in time is ten seconds. Exiting halfway will result in failure!"
"Ten!"
"Nine!"
...
As the countdown began, a figure slowly appeared on the throne atop the high platform.
Sitting there was a man with long black hair, a beard, and a deep, fierce appearance, with blood-red pupils. He wore the uniform of the Sternritter, but he was draped in a crimson cloak, sitting there quietly under the throne.
Yohan knew.
This man was the **Quincy King** and the son of the **Soul King**, **Yhwach**!
"Your Majesty!"
Upon seeing Yhwach appear, Haschwalth immediately knelt on one knee, placing his right palm in front of him, bowing slightly with utmost respect.
Seeing this, Yohan followed suit and knelt on one knee as well.
"Forgive my delay, Your Majesty. This scene makes me feel as though we are in the embrace of history, O King," Yohan said.
"You... Yohan, is that correct?"
A simple yet commanding voice emanated from beneath the throne, with an overwhelming power within it.
"Yes, Your Majesty, it is I. It is an honor to meet your eminence," Yohan replied.
"Like me, a Quincy born as a pureblood!"
"But your power does not originate from me."
Yohan did not respond but became more determined in his heart.
It was clear that Yhwach knew everything long before now.
After all, **[Wandenreich]** was built by him alone.
All the spiritual power possessed by Quincy Lords originates from him, and he can also reclaim it. If there was a power in **[Wandenreich]** that did not belong to him, he would know immediately.
At this moment, the system's check-in was completed, and the reward message appeared in Yohan's mind.
"Ding!"
"Congratulations to the host, check-in successful!"
"Check-in reward: Spirit Resonance!"
Wait?
Spirit Resonance?
What is this!?
Yohan's thoughts raced, involving his soul, which did not seem like a typical Quincy ability. There was no time for Yohan to dwell on this now—he had to set his thoughts aside and focus on Yhwach.
"Your Majesty Yhwach, I must say I was surprised when I tested the purity of my bloodline. And now, with your statement that my power does not originate from you, I feel ashamed for not meeting your expectations. What are your orders?"
Yohan replied calmly.
"Do not worry. I already know your potential. There is a great power within you. Are you willing to be loyal to me, join the **[Sternritter]**, and reclaim the world?"
As he spoke, Yhwach looked at Yohan calmly.
It was meant to reassure him, but there was no emotion in his eyes.
It was as though he was asking, but in truth, Yohan had no choice in the matter.
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
"I am willing to pledge my loyalty, join the **[Sternritter]**, and reclaim the world!"
Reclaim the world.
This is the prophecy of the Quincy King's holy hymn.
The hymn states:
- **Regaining his body after 900 years**
- **His mind after 90**
- **His power after 9 years**
- **And the world in nine days!**
Yhwach had already regained his heartbeat and consciousness, and he had been in the process of restoring his power for the past nine years.
The sanctification of all mixed-blood Quincy is part of regaining his power.
Currently, Yhwach is assembling a combat force to attack **[Soul Society]**.
He chooses powerful Quincy to form the new **[Sternritter]** and divides fragments of his soul's power among them.
Every Quincy who receives fragments of Yhwach's soul will eventually return them to him along with all the knowledge and power they have gained during their lives.
This is no different from a usurious loan.
More importantly, when a Quincy who has received fragments of Yhwach's soul kills an enemy, that enemy also becomes tainted with Yhwach's soul fragments, allowing Yhwach to absorb the enemy's power.
For this reason, Yhwach needs to wage war.
The more chaotic the situation, the stronger his power becomes.
In truth, attacking the **[Soul Society]** and starting the **Thousand-Year Blood War** is also part of his efforts to regain his power.
It wasn't until **[Sternritter]** and **[Gotei 13]** suffered heavy losses that Yhwach ascended to the **Soul King's Palace**, where he truly regained his power, opened his eyes, and became omniscient.
"Very well. Next, I shall grant you a holy letter!"
"Haschwalth!"
Upon hearing Yhwach's call, Haschwalth immediately retrieved a small cup.
Inside the cup was a liquid that resembled red wine, but Yohan knew what it really was—it was bright red blood.
Holding the cup, Haschwalth approached Yohan, handing him a **[Quincy Cross]**.
"This [Cross] is specifically designed for you. Inject spiritual particles into it and place it into the cup!"
Yohan did as instructed, and after doing so, Haschwalth handed the cup back to Yohan, saying,
"Drink it, and you will receive the power bestowed upon you by His Majesty!"
Hearing this, Yohan took a deep breath and looked at the blood in the cup with an expression of thought.
In his mind, he reflected:
"Yhwach... one of the calamities of time in the anime **BLEACH**. There is no turning back now. Even if I wanted to stop or run, there is no escape. For what purpose do I seek power? I may not know my goal now, but in life..."
*"We may not reach the end we desire, but striving towards it is what keeps us alive."*
[This is my quote. What do you think?]
Yohan hesitated no longer and drank it all in one gulp.
The blood entered his throat immediately, and Yohan felt a strange power surge into his body. He could sense this thanks to the recent reward, **Spirit Resonance**, which allowed him to perceive it. Without it, he wouldn't have been able to feel this power.
At this moment, Yohan seemed to sense his own soul. After focusing more and attempting to use **Spirit Resonance** on himself, a radiant letter suddenly appeared deep within his dark and profound soul.
This was Yohan's holy letter!
Immediately afterward, Yhwach spoke.
"With this, the ceremony of sanctification is complete!"
"Your power will gradually awaken."
"The holy letter I grant you is the same as mine!"
"The holy letter is—"
"[A]"
.
.
Note I will put a picture of Yhwach in a comment
Hey guys one last note I forgot he won't have Ishida's ability negation even if he gets the same letter