I Will Gladly Accept This Power

For a moment there were various opinions, with everyone expressing their views.

But Ichibē seemed completely unconcerned with what others thought. His gaze was fixed on Seiya from beginning to end, waiting for the other party's response.

"What do you think, Seiya?"

"..."

Brief silence.

Because Seiya needed to digest this part of the content.

The Soul King being an anchor point was indeed fact, but for the entire world, whether the person supporting it was the Soul King or not... completely didn't affect the stability of the three worlds.

This was the problem.

If Ichibē's theory was correct, then the Soul King's current behavior might also be explained in another way.

"The Soul King might want to use this method to strengthen Yhwach, making him a more qualified 'anchor point'."

Seiya's gaze lowered, his pupils flickering with inexplicable light, obviously carefully considering the content the other party described.

As an anchor point supporting the three worlds, whether consciousness and life remained was irrelevant.

So in the original work, Yhwach's remains were ultimately used as a substitute...

On one hand, it was because an unconscious 'Soul King' could be used more conveniently, displaying its characteristics.

On the other hand, it was because after absorbing his birth father, Yhwach's power had already been strengthened to a completely different realm.

So...

The current situation might be another kind of 'different paths to the same destination'?

Seiya was dazed for a moment at this time.

Though this logic still had many unacceptable loopholes, this wasn't a time of abundant leisure.

They had to arrange related affairs quickly, after all, above everyone's heads...

What exactly was happening at this moment, no one could know.

"Ichibē, so now the Soul King Palace is..."

Before he could finish speaking.

A violent shaking came from beneath their feet.

Everyone was pushed and fell to the ground by this sudden force, visible cracks appeared...

The distant sky suddenly darkened at this moment. The originally bright sun seemed covered by thick fog, making the entire world become extremely hazy.

As if all of Soul Society was heading toward its end at this moment.

Kyōraku and other leadership figures began directing disaster relief, while Seiya, standing in place, slightly raised his head.

Looking toward that already lost and broken 'palace'.

Without doubt.

At this moment... the Soul King might have already met with misfortune.

Rewinding time slightly.

When Yhwach broke through the blockade, rushed to the sky, and pierced through the Soul King Palace—

He also took confident and steady steps, approaching the interior step by step.

An irrepressible smile emerged from the corner of his mouth. The ancestor of the Quincy felt this power of everything returning to control, at this moment even more unable to suppress the impulse to laugh out loud.

"Ha..."

A brief syllable.

Completely insufficient to express his current mood.

"Ha... hahahaha!!!"

The Soul King Palace was divided into outer and inner layers.

The outer layer served as an audience area, spacious and broad, also the surface area... in comparison, the Soul King Hall leaning toward the interior was the true 'inside'.

Here would not be disturbed by external forces, nor would it be easily damaged.

The impact Yhwach had just caused naturally wouldn't harm the internal facilities on this side either.

Step, step, step...

In this empty, uninhabited Soul King Palace, at this moment only the sound of boots hitting the ground echoed.

Yhwach strolled leisurely to before the Soul King.

That condescending expression slightly condensed, as if wanting to say something with a serious face... but in the end, he couldn't contain his inner excitement.

So much so that his tone became sentimental and mocking.

"Soul King."

"To put it bluntly, I thought someone like you wouldn't look at me properly anymore."

"After all, when you abandoned me back then, you were so cruel, showing no mercy... but it seems now I should change my opinion of you somewhat?"

In the empty, uninhabited inner hall.

At this moment only Yhwach's pacing echoes remained.

This was the center of the three worlds, also the long-overdue dialogue between father and son after countless years.

"What's wrong? You clearly had much to say to me just now, but when we're really face to face, you choose silence instead?"

The Soul King's body was hidden within crystal, with no physical or verbal response whatsoever...

Naturally, no one knew what kind of brainwave response he would make to Yhwach.

But after a moment.

The suddenly furious ancestor of the Quincy began roaring with a rough voice.

"Take back your pity, Soul King!!!"

"You've never loved anyone! Not me, not anyone!"

"You just stand on what you consider a supreme watchtower, equally despising everything!"

No dignity, no family affection.

Even blood relatives were the same.

"Since I was born into this world, I've never received a trace of favor from you!"

Unloved by people, yet worshipped by all beings.

The emotional void could only be filled with coldness and irritability.

"I know... I know you're definitely plotting something! You've been like this since long ago, and you won't change now!"

Even without hoping to enjoy privileges.

But this disregard and coldness was undoubtedly another kind of torment.

"You didn't fulfill a father's responsibilities, but I won't blame you... because that's who you are, and I likewise won't be a son in the conventional sense."

Our relationship...

Was never equal.

Even with the Almighty dual pupils, Yhwach still couldn't see the Soul King's future.

But what did any of this matter?

The Soul King, now without any resistance, was before him. Yhwach had no reason to refuse this great power about to come into his hands.

—As long as he decomposed and devoured it.

The world would become his possession.

"I won't fear any challenge, nor will I refuse this power because I detest you."

Therefore.

"I will gladly accept this power."

Yhwach calmly stepped forward.

His right hand gently touched the crystal block encasing the Soul King, the dual pupils in his eyes beginning to tremble slightly at this moment.

"Then I will disrupt and completely shatter this self-righteous arrangement of yours..."

"I absolutely won't walk on your predetermined path, and this is just the beginning."

"Wait and see, my father... this world you left behind..."

I will completely disrupt and shatter it.

Until finally, not a trace remains.