People always said that those who had renounced the world did not lie...
Hyosube Ichibei called himself the "Monk," and the title bestowed upon him by the Soul King was also "Monk." Yet his mouth was full of lies. According to Hyosube Ichibei, he cultivated the heart and nature; everything followed his will, so it did not count as lying.
"I'm leaving."
Oetsu Nimaiya nodded at the Monk.
"Whew..."
"That 'plague god' has finally left! If he'd stayed in Division 0, I really would have been doomed! I might have had to remain in the Soul King's Great Inner Palace for the rest of my life, serving His Majesty the Soul King."
As he spoke, the Monk wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
"You already calculated that Araki would return to the Soul Society, didn't you?"
Oetsu Nimaiya asked the Monk.
"Of course..." The Monk neither confirmed nor denied it, then added, "In fact, Araki himself had long anticipated the price he would have to pay."
"What exactly are you planning?!"
Oetsu Nimaiya was genuinely confused now.
"There's no plan..." The Monk first shook his head, then explained, "Oetsu Nimaiya, didn't I tell you before? Yhwach will return sooner or later. We need to be fully prepared, and Araki is the preparation we put forward! As for how Araki will deal with Yhwach's 'inevitable' return, even I cannot predict that."
"Forget it! I'm just a 'blacksmith.' I can't understand the way people like you think..."
Oetsu Nimaiya no longer wanted to think about the schemes between the Monk and Araki. He was just a "blacksmith"; he could not handle such conspiracies and plots.
"Come to think of it, since Araki's body has completely transformed into an 'Oken,' shouldn't his palace be created as well?!"
Then, as if remembering something,