Did I not know that Yhwach would come to the Soul Society?
No, I knew. Because that's how it happened in the original story.
Then, did I know he would come now, in this timeline that isn't the original?
Well, I had a vague idea.
If you don't just wander the world aimlessly but instead dig into the truth of life and death, the path eventually leads to the Soul Reapers. And if you trace it back even further, you reach the Soul King.
I wonder what conclusion Yhwach reached. What judgment did he pass within himself, using his own morality and standards as a gauge?
Coexistence or mutual destruction? Hostility or friendship? Affirmation or negation?
'What is your answer?'
As I fell, breaking the sound barrier, I saw through the clouds the Sternritter, led by Yhwach, facing off against the Gotei 13, led by Genryusai.
Fortunately, since I set out the moment I felt their presence, it seemed they hadn't started fighting yet.
Fearing that dragging it out would lead to an immediate collision, I didn't slow down and slammed directly into the ground between Genryusai and Yhwach.
――!!
The ground, unable to withstand the supersonic impact, exploded, sending earth and stone fragments flying into the sky.
The debris that had been propelled upward began to fall like rain.
Thud, patter, patter...
"You are..."
"Lord Shimon..."
Ignoring the two men staring at me in shock, I plunged my sword into the ground and began casually brushing the dust off my clothes.
Since I was wearing pure white, the dirt and dust really stood out.
Of course, the outfit itself was a custom-made piece with a special self-cleaning function, but it was a matter of how it felt.
After calmly dusting myself off, I pulled my sword from the ground. As the dust settled, gazes from all directions poured over me.
If this were the modern world, I'd be standing right at the point where crosshairs meet; the pressure was quite intense.
Though, of course, it was nothing compared to the cruelty of passing eons or the full Spiritual Power of the Soul King.
"So, how far did the conversation get? Hmm?"
I looked back and forth between Genryusai and Yhwach. Both of them furrowed their brows, seemingly finding it absurd that I had suddenly appeared only to say something so deflating.
"Why the long faces? You brought all these kids here for a fight, and you're just going to charge in without saying a word? Where's the justification? Where's the pretext? If you act like that, you're no different from wild beasts, right?"
I chattered flippantly, trying to drain the atmosphere of its combativeness while looking between the two. Yhwach finally spoke.
"Time is indeed cruel. Have you already aged that much? Or... have you chosen to age to that degree?"
"If you think you can stop this war with such trivial behavior now, I must tell you that you are far too late. O, blind one."
"Why are you so angry? Did something bad happen?"
"I have merely discovered the truth. That all of this is a deception!!"
As Yhwach shouted and drew his sword, Saito and Unohana, who were standing at the very front, began to radiate killing intent.
Yhwach's Sternritter also began gathering Spirit Particles in their hands, and the atmosphere I had briefly loosened froze solid in an instant.
The moment anyone moved, blades would swing and arrows would fly.
It was, quite literally, like stepping on a landmine.
"Weren't we talking? Don't let out so much bloodlust. Let's settle this with words. Neither your side nor ours needs to see blood unnecessarily."
"Don't you think it's far too late to settle this with words? After you Soul Reapers have mocked and deceived my people all this time? Only now?"
"Death is equal for everyone. It's the same for humans, and it's the same for Soul Reapers. If your humans die and come to the Soul Society, they end up following the same path as a Soul Reaper. Do you not know that?"
"The fact that they are forced to experience suffering that they shouldn't have to is the crime in itself."
"That is mere stubbornness."
Well, fine. This, too, was Yhwach's choice.
Not the choice of the world, but the choice of Yhwach. A decision made at the end of the anguish of a man who had learned the truth of the world.
As I let out a deep sigh, Yhwach glared at me and asked.
"I ask you. Long ago, the world was one. Who destroyed the land of peace—that Utopia without life or death—and created this imperfect world?"
"It was the Soul King who divided life and death, and it was his four disciples who created this imperfect world."
The boundary between life and death was formed when the Soul King began eradicating Hollows, causing the cycle of reincarnation to crack.
While discussing the world with me, the Soul King had asked me to protect the future, so that he would not have to destroy the fleetingly beautiful world with his own hands.
However, the already broken ring wore down and shattered over time. To hold the broken pieces together by any means necessary, the four disciples established a new Great Circle. That is this world, and that is the law of circulation.
And to supplement that, the disciples and I established the Law of the Six Realms of Reincarnation.
Certainly, compared to the primordial world, this world is imperfect. Joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure—life and death—all came into being.
"Who brought the fear of death to my people?"
"You ask the same thing. It is something they chose themselves. To fear death is no one's fault but their own."
"The division of life and death was a mistake from the start. Where in these Three Worlds is there any peace?"
"It exists within oneself."
"Are you discussing metaphysics? You know nothing."
"At the very least, I know there is no peace in the world you desire."
"What?"
Looking at Yhwach, whose brow twitched in annoyance, I shrugged.
"Why don't you see it for yourself? You can, can't you?"
"...."
As I said that, Yhwach's pupils split into two.
Seeing his pupils divide like that, it seemed that the monk didn't goad him into this, at least.
As I waited quietly, Yhwach's brow quivered.
Suddenly, I remembered the first time the Soul King saw me, over a million years ago.
—I cannot see you.
Ah... thinking about it now, Yhwach can only see the future; unlike the Soul King, he cannot see the past.
And even if he could see the past, he wouldn't have been able to see me. How could he see what even the Soul King could not?
"No, your eyes won't be enough. Unlike the Soul King, you can do nothing but look ahead."
"The Soul King..."
"Your father. And my friend. If you think about it, that makes me your uncle. Anyway... since I can't show you the primordial world you long for, I suppose I should at least show you roughly what it feels like."
I really didn't want to show this sort of thing in front of Unohana, of all people...
Scratching my head, I pondered for a moment before slowly retracing my memories.
A world that was like a silent lake. A world where not a single breath of wind blew, not a single ripple stirred, where time did not flow, and where there was neither sun nor moon—only souls being born and dying repeatedly, like the flip of a coin.
Life and death are two sides of the same coin.
Since there is no fear, there is no moving forward. Since there is no moving forward, one stagnates and rots.
The life existing in that solitude is like a jar of poison, containing both life and death within itself while rotting away.
In the hearts of those who touched the bottom, it left an unfillable hole.
And through that hole, the poison contained within was spat out.
Life and death alike were meaningless.
"What in the world...!"
"Ah... Ahhh...! No!!"
When I opened my eyes again, a massive hole had appeared in the center of my chest.
I had become what they call a Hollow.
Yes, Hollowfication.
Well... unlike the typical Hollowfication you see in Bleach, I had become a Hollow itself, so it's a bit different from being a Visored, but a Hollow is a Hollow.
Looking at the horrified Soul Reapers and Quincy—and especially at Unohana, who looked terrified and seemed about to rush toward me—I waved my hand.
[Ah, don't worry. It's fine. It's not what you think.]
When I spoke casually in that shimmering, distinct voice of a Hollow, question marks practically appeared over everyone's heads.
Taking another deep breath, I recalled the meaning of living in this world.
Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.
And yet, that is why this moment is precious.
As I exhaled, the hole in my chest closed, and I returned to my original form.
I rubbed the area where the hole had been and lifted my head.
"This is the primordial world you long for. A world where souls simply drift without doing anything, only to eventually rot and molder away, becoming monsters that do nothing but crave life."
You can call it perfection if you like, but in reality, it was just a world that was rotting away.
I waved my hand and made a gagging sound. Yhwach lowered the sword he had been pointing at me.
"That sort of thing... that hideous thing was the primordial world...?"
"Stagnant water is bound to rot. When you struggle to find meaning within yourself and fail, you eventually give up and turn into a Hollow. Do you really like a world like that? It felt like shit to me."
Yhwach's eyes darted back and forth in confusion.
"Then... what should I do about the pained cries of the souls that return to my side? What of the resentment of my people who cling to their fleeting lives out of fear of death? Am I to tell them to just endure it because that is how the world is?"
"I think there's a lot to talk about on that subject. Why don't you pull back your army and talk with your Uncle for a bit?"
I'll even tell you some stories about how badass your father was.