Chapter 437
2-in-1 chapter:
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To find a successor, it would have to be soone, like him, who possessed the complete authority of the Soul King.
Before today, the only ones qualified to inherit this position were Kaelith and a partially complete Kurosaki Ichigo.
Under normal circumstances, he could have simply allowed Kaelith to take the position, then undergone reincarnation himself.
However, after his long, one-sided contact with Kaelith, the Soul King gradually changed his mind.
He did not wish for Kaelith to suffer the sa fate as himself, sealed into the Throne, enduring endless years of despair.
Thus, the Soul King devised a plan that, in his mind, would please everyone.
He would guide Yhwach into the Royal Realm, have him absorb his own power, and make him the new Keystone.
Then, Kaelith would defeat the now-Keystone Yhwach, seal him into the crystal, and take his place in maintaining the balance of the three worlds.
Kaelith touched his chin and frowned.
“Letting Yhwach beco the Keystone… that is not a bad idea.
But, from what I sensed just now, Yhwach is not entirely dead, is he?
Even if he were sealed into the crystal, given enough ti, isn’t it possible he could awaken again?
If that happened, and he had completely fused with the Soul King’s power to beco a god of this world, he would be far harder to deal with should he turn against us.”
The thought of Yhwach regaining consciousness after becoming the Keystone, and turning into an even stronger enemy, made Kaelith feel the plan was highly unreliable.
Ichibē rubbed his head.
He knew Kaelith’s words were reasonable, yet aside from Yhwach, there truly was no one more suitable.
Seeing Ichibē fall silent, Kaelith spoke plainly.
“Kill Yhwach, and let do it.
I will inherit the Soul King’s power and beco the Keystone.”
Ichibē frowned.
“Then you would be sealed into the Throne?”
Kaelith shook his head.
“Becoming the Keystone doesn’t an I have to be sealed. Once I take the role, I could simply refrain from using that power and return to Seireitei to live my own life.”
As he spoke, he began walking toward the remnants of Yhwach’s power.
Ichibē raised a hand to block him.
“Kaelith, it is not as simple as you make it sound.
Becoming the Keystone of the world ans holding all authority over the three realms.
That is to say, becoming a true god.
Even the Soul King himself—willing to sacrifice for the world and turned into his current state by the Five Great Noble Clans—could not guarantee he would keep his resolve for all eternity. That is why he chose to seal himself.
Though I have trusted your character all these years, ti can change a person.
Compared to a god who is completely free to walk the world without restraint, I would rather place my hopes on Yhwach never awakening again.”
Kaelith said nothing.
Indeed, even he could not claim with certainty that, after gaining the power of a god, he would always hold to his original heart.
If, on so future day, he acted on impulse and tried to reshape the world in his own image, as Yhwach had done, there would likely be no one in all three realms capable of stopping him.
Not even Kurosaki Ichigo.
Yet to watch the Soul King’s power flow entirely into Yhwach and wait for that ti bomb to go off was sothing he could never accept.
Should he simply seize it now while the effect of the Final Stillness remained?
Such a villainous approach did not suit the upright image he claid to have…
But there was no ti left to hesitate.
The collapse of the three worlds was already imminent.
Even within the Royal Realm, the fear and despair of countless souls in the Soul Society, the World of the Living, and Hueco Mundo surged toward him like a flood.
While Kaelith was lost in thought, Aizen spoke.
“Kaelith, I have a proposal.”
At those words, not only Kaelith but also Ichibē and the others turned to look at him.
Ichibē was more anxious than Kaelith to hear it.
If Kaelith lost patience and decided to take the power by force, Ichibē doubted he could hold him back.
Under the gaze of all present, Aizen said:
“The power of the World’s Keystone can be given to Kaelith.
Of course, Ichibē is correct—soone who holds the authority to reshape the world, if allowed to act freely across the three realms, would be a threat to all.
Therefore, we can bind him with a contract at the level of his soul’s essence.”
Ichibē raised an eyebrow.
As the one who held the authority over nas, he was highly sensitive to the word “contract.”
“What would its terms be?”
His expression grew cautious.
If the contract forbade Kaelith from using the Soul King’s power to alter the world, it would be aningless—maintaining the stability of the three realms through that power was itself a form of alteration.
If the terms were loosened to forbid only certain degrees of change, loopholes would remain.
Drawing those lines would be difficult, and by the ti they reached an agreent, the worlds could have collapsed hundreds of tis.
But the condition Aizen proposed left him surprised.
“My proposed contract is that, after gaining the Soul King’s power, Kaelith must leave here and go to another world.
With transcendent power, he can freely travel to other parallel worlds and roam there as he wishes.
This way, he can serve as the Keystone and keep the three realms stable, while having no reason to interfere in their affairs.”
At that, all were astonished. The most update n0vels are published on novel•fire
Yamamoto frowned.
“You an to banish him?”
Ichibē scratched his head.
Aizen’s suggestion seed sound to him.
If such a contract were truly signed, Kaelith—unable to return to this world—would effectively be no different from being sealed.
The problem was, why would Kaelith accept such terms?
Kaelith himself was taken aback.
Would the paradise he had painstakingly built across the three realms simply be gone?
His ho was here, his family and friends were here—where else could he go?
Even if those people existed in parallel worlds, they would not be the ones he knew.
He looked at Aizen in confusion.
Aizen’s gaze was steady and calm, eting his in silence.
“Kaelith, this is for the sake of the three realms.
For the world you love, for the people you love who live within it.”
Kaelith tilted his head slightly.
In theory, there was nothing wrong with those words.
But they did not sound like sothing that would co from Aizen Sōsuke’s mouth.
He seed to understand sothing.
As if to dispel his last hesitation, Aizen spoke again, his tone faint.
“Do not worry—you will not go alone.
Long ago, I already wanted to see with my own eyes what lies above the heavens.
I will go with you on this journey.”
After staring at Aizen for a while, Kaelith nodded.
“I understand.
Ichibē, let us sign the contract.”
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Seven days later, in Seireitei, atop the Sōkyoku Hill.
Standing on the highest point in Seireitei, Kaelith quietly gazed at the view before him.
During the calamity, Seireitei had been struck heavily, with a great number of buildings destroyed.
In just seven days, even in the Shinigami world with its supernatural powers, only a small part of the reconstruction had been completed.
Most of the area was still in ruins.
Fortunately, through the efforts of the council, not only in Seireitei but throughout the Soul Society, the souls had been protected as much as possible.
In a certain sense, this destruction could even be seen as a blessing.
After this battle, the complete reconstruction of the Soul Society could finally be set in motion.
The rebuilt Soul Society would beco a modern city to rival the World of the Living.
If even Konoha could modernize in ten years, why not the Soul Society?
Kaelith let out a short, amused hum.
Then he turned around and looked behind him.
Figures approached from all directions.
Aizen, Isshin, Ichigo, Gin Ichimaru, Tōsen Kana.
Yoruichi, Soifon, Rangiku, Unohana, Bambietta.
Even the Arrancar had co here, to one of the most restricted places in Seireitei.
At the end of the group, Yamamoto—once again wearing the First Division haori—walked forward with the remaining captains.
The terms of his agreent with the monk had given Kaelith seven final days.
Now, those seven days had passed, and he had to leave this world.
This was a farewell.
Looking at the crowd, each with different expressions yet all watching him, Kaelith scratched his head.
“Yo, everyone, eaten yet?”
At that, more than a few people rolled their eyes.
Yamamoto Genryūsai stood in place, silent.
As a teacher, he had failed to protect his disciple.
Kaelith had done nothing wrong, yet still had to suffer exile.
He felt anger and sorrow at his own helplessness.
mbers of Kaelith’s group stepped forward, declaring they would leave with him.
They were all dealt with in turn.
“You idiots. If you all go with , who’s going to guard Seireitei? Do you expect the old man here to sit alone as Captain-Commander with no one under him?”
With a casual motion, Kaelith swatted Gin Ichimaru—who had been standing closest—flying, his tone sharp.
For a mont, everyone fell silent.
After settling the n, Kaelith approached Yoruichi and the others.
He wanted to take the won with him.
At this point in their relationships, there was no aning in formalities.
Once they left him, were they supposed to “remarry” soone else? That could never happen—no matter how long they waited, it would never happen.
Yoruichi let out a small huff as he ca up to her.
“What, here to invite along?”
Kaelith nodded.
“Yoruichi, Soifon, Bambietta…”
Mid-sentence, he glanced at the others.
After a mont’s thought, he continued.
“Rangiku, Retsu, Nel, Harribel.”
“May I invite you to co with ?”
The won smiled at his words.
Rangiku let out a cheer and threw herself against his arm.
After all her efforts over the years, she had finally achieved her goal.
The others nodded without hesitation, accepting his invitation gladly.
Hinamori, Senna, Nozomi, and Nemu looked anxious.
Nemu stepped forward first.
“Lord Kaelith, please take with you. I can serve as your attendant, handling all your daily needs… this is also Lady Mayuri’s wish.”
Senna and Nozomi voiced their desire to go as well.
Blushing, Hinamori hesitated briefly before stepping out too.
Kuchiki Hisana quietly nudged her younger sister.
Rukia’s eyes widened as she looked at her elder sister.
Could she… also speak up to join?
Aizen stood silently to the side, watching the scene without expression.
Only when Kaelith, half amused and half exasperated, had gathered a large entourage preparing to leave did he walk forward.
“I’m coming too.”
Kaelith was montarily taken aback, then smirked and nodded.
Indeed, traveling to countless other worlds would be a long and dangerous journey.
Even as soone who had reached the level of the Soul King, he could not guarantee absolute safety.
With Sōsuke Aizen accompanying him, he could feel at ease.
He stepped up to Yamamoto.
“Heh, sensei, bet you didn’t see this coming… the First Division captain you worked so hard to hand over is back in your hands again.”
Looking at the foolish grin on his disciple’s face, Yamamoto opened his mouth.
In the end, he closed his eyes, turned his back to Kaelith, and said only one thing.
“Go.”
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