Captain-Commander's Life Flashes Before His Eyes

Head Captain Yamamoto's face darkened at those words. He admitted that a thousand years ago, he too had been a ruthless killer, the sort who would stop at nothing to eliminate his enemies.

The first generation of the Gotei 13 had been an assassin group that acted in the name of protection while carrying out slaughter. Nearly all of them had been heinous criminals.

Yet it was precisely with such a crazed force, and with his own iron-blooded ruthlessness, that he had defeated Yhwach.

But after that battle, perhaps because too many comrades who had fought beside him had died, or perhaps because Soul Society had entered a long period of peace, he had gradually become gentler.

He realized that iron and bloodshed were not the future of the Three Realms. He hoped to build a world where even children from the Rukongai District could have a path to advancement, and so he founded the True Spirit Arts Academy.

Over a thousand years, it had nurtured generation after generation of outstanding children. Watching them grow, and watching Soul Society become increasingly stable, the killing intent in his heart had gradually been worn away.

"Yhwach..."

Countless memories from the past thousand years flashed through Head Captain Yamamoto's mind, filling him with emotion. "Perhaps this old man truly has changed, but I do not believe that is a bad thing."

Holding Zanka no Tachi, he stepped out from behind A'Huo, who had been serving as his shield all along. "A blade with feeling is not necessarily weaker than a blade without feeling. A thousand years ago, this old man's blade existed to kill. Today, this old man's blade exists to protect."

"Do not make me laugh, Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni."

Yhwach held the Quincy Cross Sword, his imposing presence unmatched. "Those words might