Naruto: Copy System

Chapter 891: [891] : The Quincy Retreat

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Having decimated Yhwach’s Royal Guard, Shin lowered his hand. He didn’t need to act further—the morale of the Sternritter had been utterly crushed.

"Only now do I realize just how strong he is," Bambietta murmured, her gaze fixed on Shin. "It’s beyond anything I could have imagined."

A sense of relief washed over her. With him here, she felt they were in the clear. Her previous fears about Yhwach’s inevitable return now seemed distant. Even the Quincy King himself would be no match for this, right? What was there to worry about?

While Bambietta relaxed, the rest of the Sternritter were in dire straits, especially with the overwhelmingly powerful Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni bearing down on them.

Fortunately for them, Yamamoto had yet to unleash his Bankai. If he had, the Sternritter’s casualties would have been far higher.

Yamamoto wasn’t holding back to be sporting—he was concerned about the sheer destructive power of his Zanpakutō. It was a weapon of mass destruction, capable of harming allies as easily as enemies. Unleashing it here might solve the Quincy problem at the cost of his own people.

Moreover, this pocket dimension was still tenuously linked to the Seireitei. If he went all out and caused catastrophic damage, the backlash could harm the Court of Pure Souls itself.

It was this concern that stayed his hand.

"Retreat."

At that moment, Jugram Haschwalth gave the order.

"Retreat? Retreat where?" one of the Sternritter demanded.

Hearing Haschwalth’s command, they were stunned. Where could they possibly go? They had no escape route. This was their home. Were they supposed to abandon it?

Haschwalth offered no answer, merely holding firm to his decision.

In truth, the order came from Yhwach himself. He had already foreseen this outcome with his power, The Almighty. The Almighty allowed him to not only see the future but also to change it.

This devastating defeat was something he had anticipated.

He had instructed Haschwalth to prepare for this, to evacuate as many of the Sternritter as possible. As for those who couldn’t escape? They would be left behind. Yhwach had never been one for sentiment.

Abandoning a portion of his forces was a price he was willing to pay. All that mattered was his eventual revival. Yhwach was supremely confident that once he returned, his power would be enough to sweep away all opposition.

Whether that confidence would remain after a face-to-face meeting with Shin was another question entirely.

"So they’re actually running."

Shin watched as Haschwalth led the Sternritter in a full retreat, a flicker of surprise on his face.

"But it’s the smartest move. If they stay, they die."

Shin had to admit their choice was a wise one. If he hadn’t intervened, they might have stood their ground. But with him and Yamamoto on the field, fleeing was their only hope of survival.

"Aren’t you going to chase them?" Yoruichi appeared at Shin’s side and asked.

"No need. As long as Yhwach is still out there, killing them is pointless," Shin replied, shaking his head slightly.

Yhwach’s power, the Sankt Altar, could not only reclaim the power of his fallen Quincy but also bring them back to life. Pursuing them now would be a meaningless exercise.

"Let’s go. We’re heading back." Shin decided it was time to leave. The show was over. The Sternritter and their Quincy army had fled.

Whether they had escaped to the World of the Living or Hueco Mundo, no one knew. But Hueco Mundo was the more likely destination.

Causing a disturbance in the World of the Living would attract unwanted attention. They were dogs on the run now—making a scene would only invite a relentless hunt from the Shinigami.

Hueco Mundo, on the other hand, was a safe haven. There were few powerful Hollows left. The Adjuchas-class Hollows couldn’t stop them, and as for the Vasto Lorde, they were practically extinct, all having perished in past wars.

Hueco Mundo was a blank slate. Of course, the Gillian-class Hollows remained, and in great numbers, but they posed no threat to the combat-ready Sternritter.

Shin led Yoruichi and the others back. The rest of the Shinigami soon withdrew as well, though the matter was far from over.

Yamamoto would not let them escape, not with Yhwach still at large. Their primary objective had not been met. He would dispatch forces to track down the Quincy’s whereabouts.

————

Back in the Second Division barracks, Shin was met by a familiar face: Shutara Senjumaru, who he hadn’t seen in some time.

"Didn’t you already leave? Why are you back?"

Shin asked her. He had assumed she had returned to the Soul King Palace.

"Because of the Quincy, of course. To be precise, because of Yhwach," Shutara stated her purpose.

And she hadn’t come alone. The other members of the Zero Division had also left the Soul King Palace.

This news surprised Shin. They had all come out? Weren’t they afraid of someone attacking the Soul King Palace in their absence? If he were Yhwach, he would seize the opportunity to assassinate the Soul King.

After all, though he was called a "king," the Soul King was little more than a living target, incapable of even moving.

An average person might not be able to kill him, but Yhwach certainly could.

In fact, there were quite a few who could kill the Soul King. The thought even crossed Shin’s mind. The Soul King was supposedly the embodiment of infinite spiritual power, a being of endless Reiryoku. He wondered if he could kill him and plunder that power.

This dangerous thought was quickly dismissed. The Soul King was still important. It was better to leave him be.

As for whether Yhwach would kill him... that was none of his concern.

"Do you want to meet the other members of the Zero Division?" Shutara asked Shin.

"I’ve met Kirio Hikifune. As for the others, I’m not interested." Shin was familiar with two members of the Zero Division now: Shutara Senjumaru and Kirio Hikifune.

Kirio Hikifune had only joined the Zero Division a few centuries ago, so it wasn’t surprising that Shin knew her.

Seeing Shin’s refusal, Shutara said nothing more.

She already knew that Shin held the Zero Division in contempt—or rather, he looked down on them.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have flatly rejected her invitation to join.

Shin’s power far surpassed that of the Zero Division, so it was only natural that he wasn’t interested.

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