Chapter 366: Creation Against Destruction
Perhaps it was because of that moment in the desert—when Mazuru reminded Kyouraku Shunsui of the looming threat—that he himself started to feel the weight of time pressing down.
He didn’t know the exact plot of the "Thousand-Year Blood War" from the original work. Since he had never read the manga, many specific details were lost to him. But what he did know was the approximate timing of the war’s outbreak. Based on what he remembered, it seemed to begin roughly a year or so after the conclusion of the Karakura Town arc—likely after the events of the anime.
Because of this, Mazuru had already begun observing the World of the Living, searching for any sign of Yhwach and the Sternritter, the feared group of full-blooded quincies. But no matter how closely he watched, no matter how many strings he pulled, not even a whisper of their presence emerged.
Still, he never let down his guard.
Originally, in his calculations for the potential war ahead, he hadn’t considered the value of Kenpachi Azashiro. After all, this was a man who had been imprisoned for over two centuries. Who would expect such a man to not only escape Muken on his own, but also emerge with enough power to stand against present-day captains?
But after observing Kenpachi Azashiro, Mazuru found himself reconsidering.
Even if the man had lost—first to himself, and later to Zaraki Kenpachi—that did not make him weak. On the contrary, the very fact that he survived after centuries of incarceration, and could still put up a fierce fight against modern-day Kenpachi, spoke volumes.
There was power here. Unrefined. Hardened by isolation.
"The Invisible Empire?"
Kenpachi Azashiro narrowed his eyes. It was clear from his expression that he had never heard that name before.
Mazuru then took his time explaining the origins of the empire hidden in the shadows—about the Quincy King Yhwach, and the war that nearly toppled the Soul Society a thousand years ago. He laid out the signs, the patterns, the looming crisis that threatened to repeat history.
When he was done, Kenpachi Azashiro raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical.