Destroyer!
Captain Yamamoto didn't delve into the metaphysical implications of Hollow purification like Hikifune Kirio had. Nor did he elaborate on the deeper laws of balance. Instead, he moved straight to the real reason for calling this emergency captain's assembly.
It was a name that hadn't been uttered in Soul Society in centuries.
"The Quincy."
The moment these three syllables rang out, every captain and vice-captain present turned serious.
At this point in time—more than seven hundred years since the Great War—the battle against the Quincy had long since passed into legend.
And yet, the name still held weight. Still evoked caution.
Within the curriculum of the Shin'ō Academy, the Quincy were still referenced—never glorified, always as a cautionary tale. A case study in imbalance.
The textbooks put it simply:
Centuries ago, the Quincy, driven by their creed and ambitions, disrupted the order of souls by destroying Hollows rather than purifying them.
Their actions undermined the cycle of life and death, threatening to collapse the spiritual balance of the Three Realms.
Ultimately, under the command of Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, the Quincy were defeated.
That war shaped Soul Society.
Following the victory, the force that defended the realm came to be known as the Gotei 13—a formal organization to uphold cosmic order.
"So it really is them… what a pain," murmured Kyōraku Shunsui in a low tone.
"Didn't the Commander already defeat their leader back then?"
Captain Yamamoto's eyes narrowed, voice heavy with remembrance:
"The old man did indeed kill the leader of the Quincy—Yhwach himself—but that did not spell the end for them.
The remnants escaped into the World of the Living.
Initially, I thought little of it. Scattered remnants—tattered souls. Hardly worth noting.
But over the centuries, they've quietly multiplied. Bided their time. And now, they show signs of revival."
He paused.
"There is something else…"
Yamamoto's voice grew darker. The room, colder.
"Any soul slain by a Quincy—by their methods—does not return to the cycle.
Their reishi is destroyed outright. No passage to the Soul Society. No chance of reincarnation.
The Quincy reduce the number of souls in circulation. If this continues, the flow of souls between the Human World and Soul Society will collapse. The realms will fall out of balance.
The dwindling number of spirits appearing in both the Human World and Hueco Mundo… it has been confirmed to be the result of Quincy activity."
When Yamamoto finished this chilling revelation, the room remained silent—thick with tension.
Then came the real blow.
An order.
Unmistakable and absolute.
"Central 46 has ruled unanimously:
The Quincy, by their very existence, have become a threat to the world's equilibrium.
Their methods disturb the natural order.
And so—"
Yamamoto's tone sharpened like a drawn blade.
"—Gotei 13 is hereby authorized to carry out the complete eradication of the Quincy."
Eradication.
The word hung in the air, chilling and final.
Some captains stiffened.
Even the stoic among them showed subtle signs of discomfort.
Several vice-captains looked around in stunned silence—wondering if they had heard wrong.
But no, they had heard correctly.
To call for the extinction of an entire group…
Even under the guise of preserving balance, it was a grave and bloody path.
Some considered voicing concern, but quickly silenced themselves.
Anyone high-ranking enough to wear the badge of a vice-captain knew that once Central 46 passed judgment, there was no appealing it.
Debating was meaningless.
Still, many felt the weight of the decree settle uneasily in their chests.
Once the order had been announced, Yamamoto moved swiftly to logistical deployment.
He began assigning roles to each division according to its function.
First Division: The command structure and Central 46's liaison. They would remain in Seireitei to manage coordination and oversee strategy.
Second Division: Under the Onmitsukidō. Focused on internal punishment, assassinations, and criminal regulation. Their task remained internal; not aimed at the Quincy.
Third Division: An emergency reserve force. On standby—prepared to reinforce any division that suffered heavy casualties.
Fourth Division:
Yamamoto turned to its captain with measured clarity:
"Squad Four will prepare to treat all Shinigami injured in the field.
Medical support must remain operational at all times."
Despite the belief that the Quincy were weakened, the truth was unknown.
Centuries of recovery might've bolstered their strength. Underestimating them would be a grave mistake.
Fifth Division:
"Your primary duty will be to evacuate and transport wounded personnel.
You are responsible for field recovery and triage."
Sixth Division: A noble house's representative division. While strong, their main role was preservation—of status and legacy, not frontline war.
Seventh Division: Historically aligned with military policing. Assigned to maintain internal order within Seireitei and deal with any uprisings sparked by this declaration of war.
Eighth Division:
Yamamoto turned to Kyōraku Shunsui:
"Your task is intelligence.
I want a full assessment of Quincy activity.
Gather data on any evolution in their abilities.
The last time we fought them was over seven centuries ago—we cannot afford to rely on outdated intelligence."
Indeed, Soul Reaper tactics had changed dramatically.
It would be naive to think the Quincy remained static.
Ninth Division: Tasked with internal communications and emergency alerts. First responders in case of enemy detection.
Tenth Division: Handlers of covert ops and field monitoring. They would support Squad Eight, watching for Quincy sympathizers in the Human World.
Twelfth Division: R&D and analytics. Instructed to track Hollow numbers across Hueco Mundo and Earth. Also to provide tech and battle support to the other squads.
Thirteenth Division: Experts in the Human World.
Their experience with Hollows made them ideal for field navigation and deployment coordination, as the Quincy had resurfaced in the Human Realm.
Finally came the most dangerous task:
Direct combat extermination.
There was only one obvious choice.
The Eleventh Division—Soul Society's vanguard. The spearhead of war.
Yamamoto's gaze fell on Captain Gosuke Shigure.
"Captain Gosuke," he said gravely,
"The task of striking the first blow falls to you.
There is no greater certainty than sending the Eleventh when it's time to fight."
All eyes turned to Gosuke—who nodded silently.
He understood.
This was no simple deployment.
This was war.
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