Disrupting the balance.
Yamamoto did not go into the same detailed explanation as Hikifune Kirio.
He did not elaborate on what happens to hollows after being purified by shinigami, nor did he further explain the concept of balance.
Instead, he chose a far more direct approach.
He stated the purpose of summoning all captains and vice-captains in a single sentence.
"The Quincy."
Two simple words.
Yet the moment they were spoken, the atmosphere in the entire hall shifted.
A heavy silence fell.
Every captain, every vice-captain present, unconsciously straightened.
Expressions turned serious, even solemn.
Although more than seven hundred years, nearly eight hundred, had passed since that war…
The name "Quincy" had never truly disappeared.
Within the Shinō Academy, quincies were still mentioned from time to time.
Not as heroes, but as warnings.
As negative examples.
The teaching materials described them clearly—
Hundreds of years ago, the quincies, driven by ambition, launched a large-scale invasion of Soul Society.
Their goal was not merely conquest.
They intended to overturn the Three Realms, to destroy balance itself, and reshape everything according to their own will.
In the end, under the leadership of Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni, the shinigami defeated them.
The Soul Society was preserved.
And the organization that had followed Yamamoto in that great war was formally named — Gotei 13.
An institution created to protect Soul Society, maintain order, and preserve the balance of the world.
"It's them…?" Shunsui spoke, his tone unusually heavy. "That's troublesome."
He frowned slightly before continuing,
"Didn't you already kill their leader back then, old man?"
Yamamoto's expression did not change.
"I indeed kill the quincy leader."
His voice was calm but carried unquestionable weight.
"However… that did not mean the quincies were completely eradicated."
"The remaining survivors fled to the World of the Living."
At this point, a faint coldness appeared in his eyes.
"At the time, I did not consider them a threat."
"They were merely remnants."
A pause.
Then—
"What I did not expect… was that after centuries of reproduction, these remnants would grow to such an extent."
His words became sharper.
"Quincy do not purify souls like shinigami."
"They destroy them."
"Any soul killed by a quincy is broken down into spirit particles and completely erased from existence."
"It does not return to the cycle."
"It does not reincarnate."
"It simply… disappears."
A suffocating pressure filled the room.
"If this continues," Yamamoto said, "the number of souls in the world will decrease."
"The balance will collapse."
"The Three Realms will fall into chaos."
He looked across the hall.
"The recent decline in hollow activity, both in the World of Living and Hueco Mundo, has now been confirmed."
"It is the work of the quincy."
The moment he finished explaining, the real decision was revealed.
"It has been unanimously decided by Central 46…"
Yamamoto's tone became even colder.
"…that the quincy pose a severe threat to the stability of the Three Realms."
"They have disrupted balance once again."
"Therefore—"
A brief pause.
Then, a word that struck like a blade.
"—they are to be annihilated."
The word echoed.
Annihilated.
Not suppressed.
Not driven away.
Not contained.
Erased.
Even the captains, who were accustomed to war and bloodshed, showed subtle changes in their expressions.
As for the vice-captains, some of them froze completely.
A few even suspected they had misheard.
To exterminate an entire race…
Was that truly necessary?
Was that justice?
Questions arose in their hearts.
But none of them spoke.
Because they all understood one thing clearly.
This was a decision made by Central 46.
Opposition… was meaningless.
Even if they disagreed, nothing would change.
The only thing they could do, was obey.
After delivering the order, Yamamoto did not linger on the moral weight of it.
Instead, he immediately began assigning responsibilities.
"The First Division will remain in place."
"As command, we will oversee the overall situation."
"The Second Division will not be deployed."
"As the Onmitsukidō, their duty remains internal enforcement and assassination within Soul Society."
"The Third Division will stand by as reserve forces."
"To respond to emergencies and reinforce losses."
The first three divisions remained stationary.
Then—
"The Fourth Division."
Yamamoto's gaze shifted.
"Prepare for large-scale treatment operations."
"You are to remain ready to treat the wounded at any time."
Even if the quincy had once been defeated, that war was centuries ago.
No one knew how much strength they had regained.
Casualties were inevitable.
The Fourth Division existed precisely for that reason.
"The Fifth Division."
"Prepare to transport the wounded and support battlefield evacuation."
He continued without pause.
"The Sixth Division…"
It was skipped.
There was no need to elaborate.
Everyone understood.
The Sixth Division represented the nobles.
They were the shield of aristocratic interests.
"The Seventh Division."
"Maintain order within Seireitei."
"Ensure internal stability during the operation."
If chaos broke out internally while war was waged externally, the consequences would be catastrophic.
"The Eighth Division."
Yamamoto looked at Shunsui.
"Collect all available intelligence on the quincy."
"Determine how they have changed over the past centuries."
Shunsui nodded silently.
War was not fought blindly.
Information was everything.
"The Ninth Division."
"Maintain alert status."
"Be prepared to issue warnings at any time."
"The Tenth Division."
"Assist in intelligence gathering."
"The Twelfth Division."
"Continue monitoring all realms."
"Provide technical support when required."
"The Thirteenth Division stationed in the World of Living."
"Prepare to receive and coordinate with deployed forces."
Since the quincies existed in the World of Living, the Thirteenth Division would be the gateway.
And then, the final piece.
The most critical one.
Which division would carry out the annihilation?
There was no suspense.
Only one division was suited for such a task.
The Eleventh Division.
The combat division.
The blade of the Gotei 13.
Yamamoto's gaze fell directly on Shigure.
"Captain Gosuke."
His voice was steady.
"I leave this task to you."
The weight of the entire operation, rested on the Eleventh Division.
*****
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✓ Killed For 100 Years in Hueco Mundo, Aizen Invited Me To Soul Society!
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