NO.0 of Legend

Without waiting for Chiba Makoto and the others to react, Unohana Retsu, wearing a gentle smile, led Tier away toward a corner far from everyone else.

A moment later...

"Aah!!!"

An unprecedented scream rang out, so shrill that everyone present, including Chiba Makoto, felt their hair stand on end!

Yet in the next instant, the scream abruptly stopped.

It was not because Tier had fainted, but because Unohana Retsu had clearly used some method to isolate the sound.

After another short while.

When Unohana Retsu emerged from the corner with Tier, Tier's attitude had undergone a complete transformation. Not only had she lost her earlier appearance of defying death rather than yielding, but she now kept her head lowered and obediently followed behind Unohana Retsu, the picture of docility.

"Thankfully, Miss Tier has finally come to understand the harm Sōsuke Aizen poses to the world after my persuasion, and is willing to abandon darkness for the light and help us find Nel."

After a pause, Unohana Retsu turned slightly and gently gestured toward Tier. "Miss Tier, could you please tell us some of the information you know about Las Noches? Thank you."

That "thank you" made Tier's entire body visibly tremble. An even more despairing-than-despairing strained smile appeared on her face as she spoke.

"I am Tier Harribel of NO.105. After Lord Aizen granted me power, I failed to meet Lord Aizen's expectations, so I was assigned to guard the outer perimeter of this area of Las Noches."

"As for the Espada, each of them resides in a palace of their own within Las Noches. Like eleven pillars, they guard and support Las Noches."

"Wait!"

Kuchiki Byakuya frowned at that and pressed, "Eleven pillars? Aren't they called the Espada?"

"There are eleven lords among the Espada. Isn't that common knowledge?"