Chapter 87 - The Future Crisis!
With the disappearance of Ryūjin Jakka, the intense heat that had enveloped Soul Society vanished, replaced by a torrential downpour.
Gilgamesh had already left for the Royal Palace with the Zero Division.
The severely injured Yamamoto, now without Ryūjin Jakka, was also taken by the Zero Division.
Those who had witnessed the battle between Yamamoto and Gilgamesh stood in a daze, allowing the rain to drench them. Even Aizen and Unohana were no exception.
Time passed, and the other captains finally arrived.
Upon arrival, they were taken aback, their pupils shrinking in disbelief.
The First Division barracks and surrounding buildings had vanished, replaced by a massive newly-formed lake, being filled by the rain.
Mayuri squinted, suppressing his inner shock, and muttered to himself, "The air is saturated with Captain Yamamoto's spiritual pressure."
"The rest of the spiritual pressure is..."
As he scanned the area, matching the residual spiritual pressures to those present, his brows furrowed.
He found no residual spiritual pressure from the one who fought Yamamoto.
But how could that be? The energy beam resembling a Cero was clearly not the work of anyone present, but of Yamamoto's opponent.
Why was there no residual spiritual pressure?
Mayuri pressed his ear lightly and spoke, "It's me. Bring my latest detection equipment to the First Division barracks, quickly!"
As he spoke, he continued examining the scene, his mind constructing a three-dimensional model to analyze the battle that had transpired.
Komamura, having searched for Yamamoto Genryūsai to no avail, used Shunpo to approach Unohana and asked, "Captain Unohana, where is Captain Yamamoto?"
Komamura's question brought the arriving captains back to reality, all eyes turning to Unohana.
Unohana, appearing composed, replied calmly, "Captain Yamamoto was taken by the Zero Division."
The newly arrived captains were stunned. They had not anticipated such an outcome.
Mayuri, recalling the Tenchūren he saw on the way, showed curiosity and asked, "Why did the Zero Division descend so suddenly? And why did they take Captain Yamamoto?"
Unohana did not hide the truth and recounted the events she had witnessed.
As time passed, Unohana finished her account.
Those who had not experienced the battle firsthand struggled to process the information.
They had envisioned many possibilities but had not expected this outcome.
Yamamoto, hailed as the strongest Shinigami in Soul Society for a thousand years, had been defeated despite using his Bankai.
Not only was he severely injured, but even Ryūjin Jakka, the oldest and most powerful flame-type Zanpakutō, had been shattered into dust.
The one responsible was none other than the newly enrolled student at the Shin'ō Academy, Gilgamesh.
Silence fell over everyone, their hearts in turmoil.
Questions swirled in their minds.
Who was Gilgamesh?
How did he possess such terrifying power?
Why did he join the Shin'ō Academy?
Why did the Zero Division come specifically for Gilgamesh?
Did they know of his origins?
Mayuri's eyes narrowed, muttering Gilgamesh's name with keen interest.
Gilgamesh, uninterested in the aftermath in Soul Society, was already on his way to the Royal Palace aboard the Tenchūren. He began recalling the future vision he had seen involving himself.
In that future, he arrived at the Royal Palace aboard Vimana.
Led by Ichibē, he entered the inner sanctum of the Soul King and saw the Soul King sealed in crystal.
In that vision, Gilgamesh stood before the Soul King and asked, "Speak, why have you summoned me?"
The Soul King did not speak, but his voice resonated clearly in Gilgamesh's mind.
"Being from another world, your future is unseen by me."
"I do not hinder you from forging your future here, but the child of destiny must be born. He is the hope I see for the future and the safeguard of this world."
Gilgamesh furrowed his brow, replying, "You are speaking to my past self through my present self."
"You should know that the future you foresee already exists. Any changes to my past self will only create new futures without altering this one."
The Soul King responded, "I cannot see the future where you exist, but once you leave, the branches of the future will converge once more."
The vision ended there.
Though brief, the information conveyed was vast.
Firstly, Gilgamesh realized the Soul King had reached out to him across multiple futures, trying to communicate through his future self to his past self.
This meant that in numerous futures, the child of destiny had not been successfully born.
Thus, the Soul King tried repeatedly to communicate through Gilgamesh's future self to his past self.
Why was the Soul King so adamant about the child of destiny being born?
And what did he mean by "the safeguard of this world"?
Gilgamesh did not have definitive answers, as the dialogue in his vision did not clarify it.
However, he speculated.
Since the Soul King said he could not see Gilgamesh's future, he must be able to see a future without Gilgamesh.
A future without Gilgamesh.
Thus, the "safeguard of this world" could be understood as a crisis arising after Gilgamesh left this world.
A crisis no one could avert, requiring the child of destiny as a safeguard.
What could this crisis be?
Ultimately, Gilgamesh concluded.
It was likely a world even the Soul King could not control—Hell
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