Chapter 485: Captain vs. Captain, King vs. King
Silbern—a city suspended in the sky, upheld by countless massive silver pillars—radiated an aura of both science fiction and mystery.
At the topmost level, inside the throne room...
Yhwach sat on the throne, clad in a flowing black robe. His expression was stern and detached, his gaze as deep and unfathomable as an abyss.
Haschwalth stood at his side, dutifully reporting the current state of the battle.
"Your Majesty, the situation isn’t in our favor. Several knights have been slain. Should we—"
He relayed what he had learned through the Reishi Array, his tone tinged with tension.
On the battlefield, though the fighting was fierce, the tide had clearly turned. In fact, some female Shinigami—merely Lieutenants or Seated Officers—were managing to take on multiple Sternritter at once. It was something they had never imagined possible.
They had once believed the Wandenreich’s power far surpassed that of the Seireitei—but that belief had clearly been a grave misjudgment.
Just as Haschwalth was about to advise Yhwach to consider a tactical retreat, he suddenly realized the Emperor wasn’t even listening—his gaze had shifted toward the distance.
Clack, clack, clack...
Footsteps echoed up the long staircase from beyond the great doors.
A tall, slender figure appeared, walking in at a relaxed pace.
He had striking features, with long black hair cascading over his shoulders like a waterfall. Dressed in a black Shihakushō and a white Captain’s haori, he was the very image that had haunted Haschwalth’s thoughts and dreams.
And now, standing right before him, there was no mistaking it.
Having personally fought in the last three clashes between Shinigami and Quincy over the past few decades, Haschwalth knew this man all too well.
There was no doubt—the strongest among the invaders this time—
The new Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13: Masatsuki Aozaki.
Masatsuki looked at the two men before him and gave a faint, casual smile.
"Long time no see, you two."
At his words, Yhwach narrowed his eyes and slowly rose from the throne. Spreading his arms, he responded with a calm smile.
"Long time no see, Masatsuki Aozaki."
Haschwalth remained silent at the side, watching the exchange unfold like a conversation between old acquaintances. He said nothing, but his guarded eyes never left the man who had just arrived.
Why is he here?
And how did he get through Silbern’s layered defenses without anyone noticing?
Masatsuki stood still, his gaze cold as he looked at Yhwach.
"You come face-to-face with me alone... and you’re the one who’s afraid?"
Yhwach let out a cold laugh.
Masatsuki gave a small, amused shake of his head—then quickly returned to his usual calm.
He looked up at Yhwach and said calmly,
"You’re far too confident."
"Weren’t you the one who barged into the Schatten Bereich alone over twenty years ago to confront us? And now you’re scared?"
Yhwach continued to mock him.
Masatsuki Aozaki gave a faint, ambiguous smile and spoke slowly,
"No need to provoke me. I know you’ve got people hiding in the shadows. Go ahead and bring them out."
"I am the King of the Quincy. I am Yhwach. Are you insulting me?"
Yhwach’s expression darkened, and the pressure around him intensified.
A terrifying wave of Reiatsu surged forth like a storm, shaking the entire Wandenreich to its core.
Haschwalth furrowed his brow slightly, unease stirring in his chest.
Though Yhwach was currently in a conscious state and hadn’t yet accessed the full power of the Almighty, his strength had long since surpassed that of an ordinary Quincy—or even a typical Shinigami.
Even when the force wasn’t aimed directly at him, Haschwalth could still feel the crushing weight of it.
And yet, the young Shinigami standing opposite, the one taking the brunt of that force, hadn’t so much as flinched.
If this man wasn’t some illusion... just how powerful had he become?
Could he truly be on par with His Majesty?
As unbelievable as it seemed, Haschwalth, ever loyal to Yhwach, wasted no time. He swiftly drew his Reishi sword, eyes locked on Masatsuki Aozaki, ready for any sudden move.
Amid Yhwach’s overwhelming spiritual pressure, Masatsuki casually rubbed his chin, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.
"Trying to scare me with your Reiatsu? That’s not like you."
He continued, tone light and unbothered,
"If you won’t call out those two little rats yourself... then allow me."
With a snap of his fingers, two figures suddenly appeared in the room, their faces clouded with confusion.
One was a dark-skinned man with short white hair, a black crosshair marking over his closed left eye. He wore fur-lined shoulder armor and a green, horned fur hat.
The other had Latin features, a loose, curled bang falling over his forehead, and long black hair flowing behind him.
"What were you hiding them in the Schatten Bereich for?"
Masatsuki’s voice remained calm, his expression unreadable.
Yhwach, on the other hand, fell silent for a long time.
Seconds ticked by until he finally opened his mouth and spoke in a low voice,
"Lille, Askin—stand down."
At his command, Lille Barro and Askin Nakk Le Vaar stiffened, expressions flashing first with panic—then shame.
With a blur, the two retreated behind Yhwach.
In truth, neither of them had any idea how they’d ended up here.
Seeing the bewilderment on their faces, Yhwach’s own expression turned grim. The smile he’d worn vanished.
He hadn’t hidden them in the Schatten Bereich just to spectate.
His real plan was to use himself and Haschwalth as bait—to fully draw Masatsuki Aozaki’s attention in battle.
Then, when Masatsuki was completely focused, they would strike from the shadows, using their near-rule-level abilities to annihilate him.
But this young Shinigami, who had inherited Yamamoto’s mantle, was nothing like the hot-blooded old man. This one was... unpredictable.
Still, perhaps that wasn’t such a bad thing.
A true head-on clash. Crushing the enemy’s strongest in a fair, frontal battle—that would plunge Seireitei into utter despair.
"You really do lack the dignity of a king."
Masatsuki ran a hand through his hair and snapped his fingers again.
One after another, figures stepped out from behind him.
"But I suppose... I’m no better."
"Let’s begin the real fight."
"Captain versus captain. King versus King."
No one had moved—yet in the blink of an eye, even Yhwach felt the shift.
In an instant, all of them had been transported from the throne room overlooking the battlefield...to the battlefield itself, in Reverse London.