N-No...
That's impossible...
I can't believe the Tres Bestia were defeated...
A Soul Reaper with an Arrancar on his back?
How unusual.
That being said...
I know all about you,
Ichigo Kurosaki.
The Daten that His Majesty gave us included information about you.
You were listed as a "Special Threat"
that we should prioritize dealing with!
"Special Threat"?
That technique...
the Hirenkyaku.
Are you guys really Qui--?
Oh, my!
Don't tell me that you engaged us without knowing who we were?
Very well!
In that case... I shall answer your question.
Yes, we are who you think we are.
We are Quincies.
SQUAD ONE BARRACKS - CAPTAIN'S MEETING ROOM
Well, I figured that would be the case,
but this is quite the problem.
Where is their base of operations?
Unfortunately, I have yet to find it...
I see...
That means we have no way of attacking them.
I'm ordering all Squad Captains to prepare for war.
The advance guard of the rebel army
announced that the battle would begin in five days,
but there is no reason to believe the words of treacherous fellows
that would launch a surprise attack.
We must prepare for battle at once, as fast as we possibly can!
We must not let them get the upper hand again!
The blue skies above are hopelessly clear
At my wit's end, I feel a growing frustration
As if to laugh at us hopeless cowards
Countless eyes stare at us
This soul of mine breaks again and again
All I can do is hold it tight
Until the day it turns to ash
I've absorbed all of this sorrow
It has shaped me, painted me
But that's how we got here, right?
One step at a time, just like breathing
These countless scars on my palm
That no longer fade
Are my badge, my story
I faced the fear and shred it to pieces
And let it walk beside me once more
BLEACH: THOUSAND-YEAR BLOOD WAR
All shots hit their mark.
What's the matter?!
You can do better than this!
That's weird...
I heard that Quincies only use bows.
What?
Kurosaki!
Inoue!
Look after Nel!
Impressive...
It makes me dismayed by my lack of skill...
Don't worry.
Your arrows were a lot stronger than Ishida's.
Though it's been quite some time since I got hit with one of them.
"Ishida"?
By "Ishida," are you referring to "Uryu Ishida"?
You guys know about Ishida?
Uryu Ishida's Heilig Pfeil is weaker than mine?
How odd...
That's not possible.
What do you mean?
Whoops.
Speech is silver, silence is golden.
I've said a little too much.
Forgive me...
Now then, it's time for me to stop fooling around.
I just received orders from His Majesty.
Just who is this "Majesty"?
I have no need to answer that question.
In short, it means you are going to die here.
Now take a good look.
I'm sure you've heard about this power...
A Quincy's final state, Letz Stile!
The Quincy secret move that Ishida used before!
Allow me to explain...
The proper name for this form is...
Quincy Voll Stern Dich.
We've received an update from Jagd Armee 1.
Quilge Opie is currently engaged in battle
with "Special Threat" Ichigo Kurosaki.
Then let's go...
Where to, Your Majesty?
Isn't it obvious?
An imperial order from His Majesty to the Stern Ritter.
All Stern Ritter are to immediately get equipped
and assemble at the Gate of the Sun.
Repeat...
All Stern Ritter are to...
The Wandenreich is going to...
invade the Soul Society.
Do you feel it?
The pulsation of my power...
The power of the one who shall punish you!
Is that the same technique that Urahara told me about?
You seem confused.
I know what you're thinking,
so I shall give you a definitive answer.
It's something entirely different.
The Quincy Letz Stile that you know is a relic of the past
that died out 200 years ago due to its fragile nature.
The only one who was attached to it was Soken Ishida,
who rejected our research and evolution!
By comparison, this Quincy Voll Stern Dich...
the difference in power is as far apart as heaven and earth!
I see...
I don't know about your history,
but in short, it's different from Ishida's power.
I'm glad to hear that.
If Ishida transformed into something as creepy as that...
I might cut him down by mistake.
You're easing up on your blade.
Getsugatensho!
That's not good.
You should aim your strikes.
Damn it!
That said, even if you did that, you wouldn't find any weaknesses!
You called this form of mine creepy, didn't you?
That is the correct response.
To the eyes of you atrocious Soul Reapers,
the form of we holy executioners...
should be creepy and horrifying to behold!
No way! Sotenkishun is being peeled away!
Now have a taste...
of my Voll Stern Dich, the power of Piskiel!
What...?!
What is that monster?
You assumed we couldn't fight anymore,
so you let down your guard, didn't you?
I thought we told you that you shouldn't underestimate us...
Show this cocky four-eyed monkey your power!
Ayon!
What the hell...
is that thing?!
Ayon is a monster created through the fusion of our left arms!
He's got power, but he's unpredictable!
A monster like you could never beat my Voll Stern Dich--!
ISHIDA RESIDENCE - ARCHIVES
There's nothing of importance here...
What are you doing?
Ryuken!
I thought I told you not to come in here
without my permission.
The Soul Society and Hueco Mundo are being invaded by someone.
And they are most likely... Quincies.
There shouldn't be any Quincies in existence aside from us.
Do you know something about this?!
This has nothing to do with you.
- Get out. - Are you going to avoid me again?!
I am the last Quincy.
I have a right to know what's going on.
The answer you seek...
cannot be found here.
SHORYU GATE ENTRANCE
Shino, I know this probably isn't the best time to ask this, but...
What is it?
Do you happen to know why Soul Reapers and Quincies
are at odds with each other in the first place?
We both share the same goal of defeating Hollows, don't we?
What?! That's because...
Wait... Why is that?
You know that in ancient times,
Soul Reapers were referred to as Balancers, don't you?
S...
SQUAD 13 SIXTH SEAT - HIDETOMO KAJOMARU
It's an honor to see you here!
Well, the alarms haven't sounded yet,
so why don't we discuss this a bit?
For starters,
you understand the law of this world where souls circulate
between the World of the Living and the Soul Society, don't you?
- Yes. - Of course!
Good.
However, souls that become Hollows in the World of the Living
cannot return to the Soul Society.
By purifying Hollows and delivering their souls to the Soul Society,
they are led back to the normal circulation of souls.
This is the job of Soul Reapers
and the reason why we are called Balancers.
However, Quincies destroy and completely extinguish
souls that have become Hollows.
What happens when they do that?
The souls are unable to return to the Soul Society?
That's right.
Normally,
a balance must be maintained between the number of souls
that exist in the Soul Society and the World of the Living.
As Quincies extinguish more Hollows in the World of the Living,
the number of souls is diminished, disrupting that natural balance...
If we allow this to happen,
the balance of souls will eventually be ruined,
causing the Soul Society to flow into the World of the Living...
ending in the simultaneous destruction of both worlds.
There isn't much written about Quincies to begin with...
Master...
"Cannot be found here..."
ISHIDA RESIDENCE - RYUKEN ISHIDA'S ROOM
This is Master's--!
To prevent this destruction,
the Soul Society had repeatedly approached the Quincies
for a dialogue,
but they were turned away each time.
The world was steadily heading toward destruction.
And after endless debate within the Soul Society...
the Quincy Extermination Operation
was finally carried out 200 years ago.
Our goals do not mesh
and the grudge borne of their genocide will never perish.
The Soul Reapers and Quincies have no other choice but to fight...
Do you understand, Squad Member Ryunosuke Yuki?
May I...ask one question?
Are we Soul Reapers fighting this battle for justice?
If there is justice on one side or the other,
it would be called self-defense or conquest.
However, this is a war.
Wars take place...
because both sides are just.
You know why I've called you here, don't you,
SQUAD 1 BARRACKS - HEAD CAPTAIN'S OFFICE
Is this about mobilizing members of Squad 12
to expunge 28,000 citizens of the Rukon District
without permission in order to correct the balance of souls?
Why didn't you get permission?
Those mass disappearances in the Rukon District
reported by Squad 11's Third Seat Ikkaku Madarame
and Fifth Seat Yumichika Ayasegawa...
You would have gotten permission if things became dire.
The mass extermination of Hollows in the World of the Living
by the rebel army was intentionally done to disrupt the balance
between the World of the Living and the Soul Society.
If you consider the fact that the lives of the people
of the Rukon District stopped the collapse of both worlds,
it is not that big of a loss.
If I had waited for permission
and the situation had escalated beyond control,
that is not something I could take responsibility for.
But if your Department of Research and Development
had reported the matter and promptly dealt with it,
we might have prevented the current situation.
You're wrong about that.
The moment that the Quincy known as Uryu Ishida
infiltrated the Soul Society as a Ryoka,
I had already foreseen this would happen and had given my advice.
You are the one who chose to needlessly disregard my words.
Everything that is happening now stems from the fact that
you, Head Captain,
couldn't kill that man 1,000 years ago!
Oh, dear.
But man, this guy's tough.
I can't believe he's still in one piece
after that beating he took from Ayon--
Impressive...
The report did not indicate this kind of power...
I must advise His Majesty to adjust the strength of our Blut.
But before I do that...
Each and every one of you...
will die here immediately.
Not again?!
Actually...
Wait, Ayon!
Stop!
Perhaps I should say, "you will live here."
Sklave Rai.
A Quincy's basic ability to focus Reishi.
When taken to its highest limits,
it becomes the absolute subordination of Reishi.
If possible, I didn't want to use it...
because my holy wings would be tarnished by such wicked beings.
A wise decision.
However,
you've neglected to take the difference in our power
into consideration.
Inoue!
Sado!
Whenever I see such a struggle, it reaffirms my beliefs.
Is the sight of the weak dying always so unsightly?
I cannot stand to watch this.
Die.
A Bankai...!
If I destroy the disk on your head...
you can't use that absolute subordination of Reishi anymore,
can you?!
Figuring that out is one thing.
But to actually go for it takes courage...!
You really are...
difficult to deal with, aren't you?!
Hurry! Hurry it up!
Oh, come on, what are you talking about?!
You're the one who said, "We should save Dondochakka"
"while Ichigo Kurosaki is distracting the enemy!"
That was a close one!
I didn't think we would have to go through this much trouble!
Not only are you heavy but you chose to hide in the sand!
That hurts!
Don't enter without my permission.
This is the second time.
What's the meaning of this?
Are the things written here true?
I guess that means you know everything...
About the Wandenreich...
About the guy referred to as "His Majesty"...
And even about Mom...!
Uryu... This has nothing to do with you.
There's no need to be so tense.
Sixth Seat Kajomaru...
Squad 11 is standing by outside the gate.
There's no need to worry.
- What was that?! - There's a blue light!
What's going on?!
Conflict is such an unpleasant affair.
SQUAD SIX BARRACKS
SQUAD EIGHT BARRACKS - ENGAWA
SQUAD NINE BARRACKS - EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT
SQUAD THREE'S GUARD AREA
SQUAD SIX'S GUARD AREA
SQUAD THIRTEEN'S GUARD AREA
Flaming pillars... of Reishi?
SQUAD 1 THIRD SEAT - GENSHIRO OKIKIBA
SQUAD 3 THIRD SEAT - RIKU TOGAKUSHI
SQUAD 3 FIFTH SEAT - TAKETSUNA GORI
SQUAD 3 SIXTH SEAT - ASUKA KATAKURA
Reishi Investigation Team! How much longer?!
Spiritual Pressure detected!
A 93 percent match!
It's a Quincy!
Lieutenant Kira!
How dare you launch a surprise attack!
Spiral and Rise, Shunjin!
Blow, Mogaribue!
Counteract, Katakage!
Sorry...
but our orders are to kill you all.
Tremble in fear, Soul Reapers.
The Stern Ritters are going to...
purge all of you.
Everything we had left behind
Our breaths blending as mist
without form or expression
We lie buried as we glare into the distance
I can't hear anything
I can't seem to cut anything
It feels like I'm sinking
Falling, falling
Touching
Eyes struck wide open
Something no one has ever seen
The furthest reaches are now visible to us
It cannot be undone and cannot be stopped
This ensuing struggle
Whisk it away beyond the ends of the earth
Along with our breaths
Take everything
Whisk it away beyond the ends of the earth
Along with our futures
Along with our world
Something no one has ever seen
The furthest reaches are now visible to us
Don't you know God's demand?
As we tear each other down
"A frostbitten world turns to fire, a shadow of a wing remains."
"I try and try again, it slips away, shadow of a wing."