Yhwach

Past

Origins

Son of the Spiritual King, Yhwach was born without any of his five senses or the ability to move. However, the child had no fear because he had an incredible will to survive. Despite this, the child was treated as a miracle among his people.

Indeed, when touched, the child can distribute fragments of his soul to others, providing them with an element that they lack and that they are unable to obtain from themselves. Sick people are automatically healed. The weak awaken a new strength. Cowards become brave. The child had the power to distribute his power. In exchange, when those who benefited from the child's power died, the child would recover the previously distributed soul fragments. In addition, these fragments merged with the souls of the subjects, so that when the soul fragment returned to the child, the subject's soul was also absorbed into the process. Thus, the child gained the knowledge and experience gained from the souls it absorbed. The subjects did not live very long after receiving the child's power and the child gradually evolved. He then became able to think, see, and walk. Once he had acquired hearing, he heard that he had been named "YHWACH," a name given to a god. He knew that this was not his name, but decided to make it his own. Later, he discovered that there was a better way to share his power with his subjects. By making his subjects drink a cup of his blood, he can engrave in them a greater part of his soul and a greater power, able to awaken in them a hidden talent. A letter is then formed in the subject's soul, representing his ability.

Conquering the Lichtreich

Yhwach has earned the reputation of being the progenitor of the Quincy with his blood flowing through each of them. Becoming a warlord at the head of the armies of the Lichtreich (光の帝国 (リヒトライヒ), Rihitoraihi; German for "Luminous Empire", Japanese for "Empire of Light"), he led multiple expeditions within the Quincy territories, destroying castles, burning villages and crushing all opposition. More than 200 years later, he began the campaign in the northern territories.

After destroying his village and castle, Bazz-B, the son of a lord in the northern territories, will hold a grudge against him because of his father's death and the destruction of his castle. After 5 years, he finally conquered the northern territories, completing his conquest of all Quincy territories. He then set a new goal: to conquer the Soul Society. Knowing that he needed another type of army to fight the Shinigami, he launched several recruitment missions to build this elite army, the Stern Ritters. The first Quincy to be offered a Schrift by Yhwach was Lille Barro.

During a recruitment mission in which the Captain of his army, Hubert, fought with Bazz-B, Yhwach personally intervened in the mission and knocked both fighters and all witnesses to the mission to the ground with his spiritual pressure. Only one child remained standing in front of the Emperor's Reiatsu. The latter recognized him instantly, it was Jugram Haschwalth whom the Emperor considered as his "alter-ego". To everyone's surprise, he decides to recruit him in order to make him his right-hand man. Haschwalth, particularly shocked, questions the decision, which annoys Hubert. Yhwach calms him down and reveals to Haschwalth that he is a Quincy with the gift of sharing and that's why he can't handle the bow and arrow. He then reveals to Bazz-B that it was Haschwalth's power that made him so strong, not his talent. At these words, Bazz-B decides to attack Yhwach but his arrow is stopped by his friend, convinced by the Emperor. When the army of the Stern Ritters was completed, Haschwalth became its Captain.

Later, Yhwach explains how the Vandenreich managed to make the Seireitei disappear. In reality, the Vandenreich has always been there, hidden in the shadows of the Seireitei, hence the name Invisible Empire. Therefore, they did not have to "invade" the Seireitei per se, they have always been there. After the Shinigamis recovered their Bankai by using the Shin'eiyaku invented by Kisuke Urahara, Uryu asks Yhwach if he had planned it. The latter confirms it to him.

Moreover, many Quincys have activated their Vollständig and Yhwach explains that the Shinigamis will now taste the real despair. We see him later at the Silbern with BG9 and Cang Du who are tied up in front of them. Yhwach declares that he will judge the defeated and Haschwalth steps forward to execute them. BG9 begs Yhwach to reconsider his decision and explains that they were saved by the release of their Vollständig. Yhwach replies that they were lucky and should be grateful and Haschwalth adds that a share of luck must be balanced by an equal share of bad luck. The counselor draws to execute them but Cang Du parries the attack with his Schrift: The Iron. Haschwalth honors him for being lucky for the second time and activates his Schrift in turn, asking Cang Du if he sees the Balance tipping before executing his two subordinates. Later, when James dies, Yhwach feels it and sucks his soul wishing him a good death.

Later, Ishida wants to have an audience with Yhwach but he is interrupted by Haschwalth, who tells him that "His Majesty is sleeping". Haschwalth reveals to the young Quincy the true ability of the Emperor and the desperate situation in which he has put him by giving him some of his power, forcing him to live, fight and die for him. Yhwach then wakes up and thanks the souls of those who have died because, thanks to them, he can still "see the world clearly". We then find him when Gremmy Thoumeaux throws a giant meteorite at the Seireitei. He seems impassive and Haschwalth orders to protect His Majesty. After the arrival of Ichigo, Yhwach calls Uryû and Haschwalth and explains them that he is going to

They then look a little at the fight of Candice in the distance then asks Haschwalth to activate the key and proclaims that they must "thank the one who guided them towards the light", namely Ichigo Kurosaki. A beam of light appears in the sky and Yhwach asks all his "sons" to support him. He then addresses Ichigo by telepathy and explains to him that the clothes he used are the Ôken because they were made with the bones and the hair of the members of the Royal Guard. He adds that this is what allowed him to cross the 72 barriers erected between the Soul Society and the Palace of the King of Souls while remaining safe and sound. However, the barriers will take 6.000 seconds (1 hour and 40 minutes) to close again what will allow Yhwach, Jugram and Uryû to join the palace of the Spiritual King. Ichigo, understanding the situation, rushes towards them but the 8 Stern Ritters which surround him prevent him from leaving until the arrival of Renji and the other reinforcements in front of the Quincys allow Ichigo to pursue them. Haschwalth then intends to intervene but Uryu throws an arrow then uses Licht Regen against his friend. This last is protected by Santen Kisshun thanks to the arrival of Orihime and Chad. Yhwach asks Ishida if he said goodbye to his friends and then goes up with his two lieutenants to the palace of the king of souls.

Battle of the Royal Palace

When they arrive, Yhwach observes the palace. Haschwalth tells him that he understands what he feels, to which Yhwach answers that he doesn't feel anything at all in front of this "Decayed Gravestone". They are welcomed by Tenjiro Kirinji who sends back all the soldiers called by Haschwalth who tried to penetrate the palace. Yhwach asks him if he really thinks he can beat him and this one agrees that he is there for that and starts the fight by burning all the soldiers of Yhwach with his water and invokes his Shikai: Kinpika. After repeated assaults, Kirinji observes that his attacks do not manage to reach Yhwach even though he does not dodge them. Emperor Quincy then moves away from Kirinji and is confronted with Senjumaru Shutara.

The latter tells him that killing Yamamoto must have made him pretentious and that it is forbidden to enter the palace without invitation before launching the Divine Guard of the Spiritual King to the attack. However, the latter are confronted with the same problem as Kirinji: their attacks do not reach their target. The confrontation is then interrupted by the Stern Ritter Weizol Nianzol who comes out of Yhwach's shadow and tells them that they are the pretentious ones and reveals that all the attacks he has ever seen are useless against his power : The Wind. Senjumaru retorts to him that he "spoke wrongly" by revealing this crucial information. The Stern Ritter is then attacked from behind by Shutara's soldiers but Shutara retorts that the attacks are useless, no matter the angle of the assault because he instinctively repels them. Senjumaru ironizes of the situation because the Guards were only a diversion so that it sews completely the cloak of the Stern Ritter. The latter, shocked, retorts that it is impossible but finds himself simultaneously pierced by an infinite number of needles found in the trapped cloak and succumbs from his wounds. Shutara then summons more Guards and proclaims that their swords can finally touch Yhwach.

He summons from his shadow several Soldiers to fight Senjumaru's Guards but also his Schutzstaffel composed of Gerard Valkyrie, Lille Barro, Pernida Parnkgjas and Askin Nakk Le Vaar so that they attack him. Gerard rushes directly on Shutara with his sword out of his shield and bursts his sword-bone. In response, Senjumaru calls for his Level 2 Guard before hearing Pernida whisper. In a flash, the level 2 guard implodes and Lille, who draws a long gun from his cloak, lectures Shutara on the slow reaction of the losers before certifying that the Royal Palace fell the instant Yhwach arrived while shooting him in the head. Lille then attacks the Riden of Division 0 by making them collapse before suggesting to his King that the way was clear. However, the setting changes in appearance and the Quincys realize that they were fighting in a copy of the Royal Palace while it is covered by Ichibē Hyōsube. Lille also realizes that he only shot a copy of Senjumaru and the group gets locked in a Reiatsu Impervious Cage by Kirio Hikifune.

Ôetsu Nimaiya then appears and after having easily crushed the Schutzstaffel alone, he challenges Yhwach. The latter activates in answer his Auswählen and steals the vital force of the Stern Ritters who fought in the Seireitei to revive his elite guards. The latter thus return in full form in addition to a power boost. Lille, whose bullets were countered by Nimaiya until then, managed to inflict 4 fatal wounds to him in spite of Kirinji and Hikifune trying to protect him. He reveals them that his power The X-Axis allows him to pierce everything no matter the number of walls between him and his target. So he asks the other members of Division 0 to line up and kill them in one shot.

Pernida then creates a breach in the "Cage" and Yhwach faces Ichibē. He asks him if the latter will let him through and Ichibē replies that he shouldn't use his name so easily because he might crush his throat. Ichibē then draws 2 lines on the ground and says that Yhwach will die in this space. Yhwach retorts to him that the space is a bit big and that he will die 3 steps in front of the seal. Ichibē reminds him that he should not use his name so easily and causes a huge hand to appear and push him to the side of the palace. The monk explains that this hand will push him more than 1,000 ri (corresponds to about 4,000 kilometers). Yhwach tries to speak but realizes that he has lost his speech and Ichibē tells him that he had warned him that his throat would be crushed. Ichibē then pushes him down with another giant hand. Yhwach strongly grabs his throat and "gives himself back his voice" before attacking himself with 3 arrows thrown by a giant Sankt Bogen which makes him gain momentum to regain the height of the Leader of Division 0 who tells him that he must now kill him since he refuses to submit. A confrontation between these 2 personalities follows.

Yhwach notices that Ichibē is much happier than he expected before deflecting his brush with his arm. His opponent replies that his brush does not cut flesh but can instead cut name and thus power like Yhwach's "ARM" and the latter falls. He explains to him that his arm is only made of "BR", that is to say half of his name. This has repercussions on his physical abilities which are now reduced by half. He then cuts him at the level of the torso and mocks him by asking him what he feels to be reduced to the impotence. Yhwach smiles and asks him if he seems to suffer while gathering Reishi around him. Yhwach then explains to Ichibē that he feels incredibly good that the most powerful Shinigami is forced to divide his strength in order to kill him. He also reveals to him that he only has to restore everything that this one takes from him. He then declares that everything in this world is only there for him to take and sends pillars of Reishi to the Chief of Division 0. The latter blocks this technique by confiding to him that he just wanted to keep Yhwach's honor by killing him with half his power. But he retorts that after all, honor is useless when you are dead and uses Bakudō #62: Hyapporankan. Yhwach retorts by activating his Blut Vene Anhaben to protect himself while explaining the principle of the technique (A wall of defense that rises around him).

The monk then counterattacks by using Ura Hadō: Sannodō - Teppūsatsu to break this defense and grabs Yhwach by the neck. The latter then reveals to him that his Blut Vene Anhaben also consumes everything around him and starts to devour the left part of Ichibē's body. However, the latter manages to get rid of it by exploding his Reiatsu on Yhwach and reprimands him for soiling the floor of the Royal Palace and now daring to invade the body of a member of Division 0 and releases his Shikai: Ichimonji. Yhwach, looks carefully at the Shikai of this last one and notices that the end of the brush allowing to paint is transformed into blade. This blade suddenly changes before his eyes and becomes a brush again. Ichibē then asks him if he doesn't know the difference between a brush and a blade and then attacks him. The confrontation continues and Yhwach says that Ichibē is just throwing ink everywhere.

He reminds him that he can restore anything he takes from him and raises his sword, which he names...before falling silent in shock, prompting Ichibē to reveal that his sword no longer has a name before explaining how something that Ichimonji covers with ink loses its name. When Ichibē asks him if he really believes he can kill him now, Yhwach holds out his hand and says that he will simply steal the monk's powers using Sankt Altar . However, Ichibē shrugs effortlessly out of the spell and explains how his Zanpakutō exerts the power of darkness, which is why Yhwach cannot steal his power, before covering Yhwach's face with ink. As Yhwach was covered in ink, Ichibē notes that it must be painful for him to lose his name before activating his Bankai, Shirafude Ichimonji and gives him the name "Black Ant". Ichibē then smashes Yhwach through the floor with a giant foot and says Goodbye before crushing him between two giant hands.

Just as the Monk thought he was done, Haschwalth looks at the scene of the fight where Yhwach bursts through the floor of the palace entrance when the characters written by Shirafude Ichimonji dissipate, which shocks the Monk who suffers a violent attack. The latter becomes confused and Haschwalth understands that it is the power of The Almighty. Yhwach notes that Ichibē must have many questions about how he was able to escape his power before he explains how his ability allows him to see into the future and use all the power he knows, which means he cannot be defeated. Ichibē contradicts him and reveals that as long as he is covered by Ichimonji's ink, King Quincy will not be able to escape from him despite having just reclaimed his name. He invokes a long incantation and attempts to defeat him by using the black on his body for Futen Taisatsuryō to strip him of everything he owns, Yhwach recites the last sentence of his later aria before the monk and emphasizes that he has regained his name and proclaims that he will be the only one to take everything from Ichibē and sprays it. Noting that Ichibē died 3 not before the seal as he predicted, Yhwach observes that the Royal Guard has been defeated and proclaims that the Spiritual King is next.

Soon after, Yhwach reaches the main palace, where he slits the Spirit King's servants' throats before confronting the Spirit King. He proclaims that the Spiritual King is a flawed god, even unable to flee in his situation, Yhwach proclaims that he must end this endless humiliation and notes that the Spiritual King must have probably planned this day before stabbing the Spiritual King, whom he calls his father. However, Yhwach is interrupted by the arrival of Ichigo and his friends behind him. Cursing Ichibē, Yhwach turns to Ichigo. When Ichigo states that they have come to arrest him, Yhwach admits that he had seen him before before explaining how he can see the future because of his new eyes and how he knows about Ichibē's rebirth before revealing the stabbed Spirit King behind him. Ichigo leaps in front of him in an attempt to help the King, but Yhwach tells him that Ichigo must be prepared to destroy the Soul Society if he does that. Ichigo manages to pull the sword out but his arm is overdosed with Reiatsu which activates his Blut Artery and makes him slice the King in half. Yhwach explains that his power allowed him to do this because of the Quincy blood in Ichigo's body that will never allow the King to exist and invites him to watch the destruction of the Soul Society.

When Ichigo attacks him, Yhwach blocks his sword effortlessly and points out how it is useless to fight more since the Soul Society will be destroyed before long. Yhwach goes on to explain that the King serves to keep the flow of souls in balance and says that it is all Ichigo's fault that everything falls apart. But several razor wires are placed around him by Yoruichi, who tells Orihime to revive the King. However, when Soten Kisshun breaks around the King, Yhwach proclaims that the King cannot be regenerated with the power of a mere human and that he will never be brought back to life. However, Yhwach is shocked when Jūshirō Ukitake's Kamikake is activated and Mimihagi appears in the palace and drapes herself around the King. Aware that the actions of this new opponent cannot be predicted by his eyes, Yhwach wonders if the King's right hand is beginning to feel sentimental towards the Soul Society after protecting it all this time. Yhwach tries to destroy both Mimihagi and the Spirit King but is stopped by Ichigo, who grabs his arm and dispels his attack. Yoruichi then builds a Kidô isolating the King so that he can regenerate. However, the maneuver will be interrupted by Ishida and then by the rest of the Schutzstaffels who manage to move Ichigo's team away from the Emperor. Mimihagi then desperately tries to absorb Yhwach but the latter prevents it by pointing out to him that the power of omniscience which they share should have allowed him to understand the difference of power which separates them. Yhwach then absorbs in his turn Mimihagi.

He orders his men to prevent any interfering and to place the Seireitei on a second plane until it is finished absorbing Mimihagi and the Spiritual King. Seeing that Yhwach is trembling, Lille tries to check the state of his emperor but Haschwalth calms his worries by telling him that he has just removed the King's seals and that his immense power is finally loosening. Small one-eyed monsters escape from Yhwach's body and frighten his subordinates. Jugram once again reveals that they have nothing to fear since the new enemies of the Spiritual King are the Shinigami. To prevent Yhwach from sucking them in, Haschwalth, Uryu and the Schutzstaffels have moved away. Once the Spiritual King has been completely absorbed, Haschwalth, Uryû and the Schutzstaffels approach Yhwach who scares them, except Haschwalth, with his new appearance. Telling them that they will soon get used to his new appearance, he tells them that he feels "too powerful" by exploding by his simple presence the landscape of the King's Palace. Askin begs Haschwalth to reason with him before they all die. The latter kneels before Yhwach and asks him to lead him and the Quincy towards a new horizon because the Spiritual King is dead and he knows that the world depends only on him from now on. Yhwach is sensitive to the request of the first of his sons. He promises to create a new world of their own and moves the Schatten Bereich from the Seireitei to the Royal Palace, radically changing the appearance of the latter to a gigantic Quincy cross.

Assault on the Wahrwelt

Now on his hard-won throne, in front of his remaining subjects, Yhwach learns from Haschwalth about the simultaneous arrival of the last Shinigami of the 13 Divisions and the Ichigo Group in their Welt (World in German). The Emperor retorts that this new building will be the cornerstone of a new world : the Wahrwelt (True World). Haschwalth then sends the Schutzstaffel to eliminate the last Shinigamis. Yhwach will also send Uryu in pursuit of them, making him integrate the group. Sleeping during the battle, his sleep will be interrupted by Liltotto Lamperd and Giselle Gewelle come to take revenge following the Auswähl which allowed the resurrection of the Schutzstaffel.

Crushing them effortlessly, he resumes his sleep until the arrival of Ichigo and Orihime, even believing in his death in a premonitory dream. He salutes the courage of Ichigo, his son of darkness, to come and challenge him. Repelling an impatient and fearless Ichigo, he confides in Ichigo that he would like to have some fun before taking back the power he gave him. However, he ends up being impressed by the transformation of this one in a form which gathers his forces of Hollow, thanks to the "White" of Aizen and Quincy, thanks to the spirit of the old Zangetsu. Admitting the great power of this one, he decides to fight him with the sword but expects better from his opponent. This last one attacks him with a Getsuga Tenshô merged with a Gran Rey Cero, which doesn't surprise King Quincy if we know that Ichigo is born from the nature of several elements.

Seeing that Ichigo tries to set up a strategy to defeat him, he then decides to fight him seriously and using the true nature of The Almighty, Ichigo will be taken by multiple attacks of mines which corner him little by little. When Yhwach reveals to Ichigo that he is going to sink in despair, this last one retorts to him that he already overcame it many times and decides to activate his Bankai - Tensa Zangetsu but this one will be broken immediately. Yhwach shows his "respect" towards his power and decides to break all the Bankais in the future. He breaks Ichigo's horn and wounds him progressively without him or Orihime being able to do anything.

Having defeated Ichigo, Yhwach will be disappointed by him but admits that he entertained him well. He finally absorbs Ichigo's power and then the power of Haschwalth and Gerard Valkyrie, his two last subordinates still alive, saying that he doesn't need Ichigo nor the Stern Ritters anymore and opens a breach. He is then joined by Renji and Rukia and admits that his opponents have guts when Renji tries to reach him with Zabimaru. He breaks this one and voluntarily leaves the breach open to them, promising them a privileged death, if they follow him.

Final battle

The breach brings him back to the Seireitei right in front of Aizen, which makes Yhwach smile. The former Captain of the 5th Division welcomes him to "his Soul Society". Yhwach breaks the chair made by Muken, which Aizen graciously thanks and asks him if Ichigo has caused more problems than expected to King Quincy. The latter retorts that it is not him who was beaten in a humiliating way and they begin the fight. The two opponents will be joined by Ichigo, who recovered his power thanks to the power of Tsukishima, and Renji. Yhwach tells him that he had planned that he would come back with his repaired Bankai and that once again, it would be broken. However, the blade is just cracked and Yhwach is annoyed at the tenacity of the replacement Shinigami. King Quincy's power does great damage to the Seireitei, collapsing a good part of the Sokyôku hill. However, Yhwach is disappointed that Ichigo came in a hurry because he is seriously injured and therefore powerless. He tells Renji that his intervention is also useless but Renji invokes his Bankai Sōō Zabimaru but will be sent away with one arm missing. Aizen then decides to shield Renji by attempting to slice King Quincy and then using Hadō #99: Goryūtenmetsu. But Yhwach points out to the renegade Shinigami that Kyōka Suigetsu is broken and will be sent away in turn. Yhwach then sees an attack on Ichigo's back and tells him that it is unfortunate to miss such a timely action. He notices that Ichigo thought it better to join forces with Aizen but even the power of his Zanpakuto is powerless against The Almighty. The first one to be hit by Yhwach is Renji and Ichigo is the one who had his arm cut off. He adds that nothing escapes "his eyes" before completely breaking his Bankai and stabbing him with his arm. Finding him only moderately entertaining, he will however honor his death by suppressing his existence at the same time as the Soul Society. And there, the illusion is broken: Aizen is the one who is impaled by Yhwach who is immediately stabbed in the back by Ichigo and is cut by a powerful Getsuga Tensho.

Emperor Quincy then liquefies into a black matter and falls to the ground. While the two Shinigamis thought they had defeated King Quincy, Yhwach came back when Kyôka Suigetsu's power faded and remarked that the former leader of Arrancar's army is too proud before drowning him under his power. He confides to Ichigo that his attack was not enough to kill him because he has the power to change the future. He simply changed the future so that he doesn't die. Charging with his sword, Ichigo is pushed back by King Quincy who tells him that it is useless. Yhwach drowns Ichigo in his turn under his power and finally all the Seireitei is subjected to the power of Yhwach who decides to rebuild the real world and the Soul Society from scratch. He is then pierced by a Silver Arrow thrown by Uryu before remembering the results of Auswalh studied by Sôken Ishida and the effect of the silver arrow. The power of the King temporarily annihilated, Ichigo takes the opportunity to finish it. Yhwach is enraged that his opponents have managed to render him powerless only for a short time and tries to block Ichigo's Bankai with his arm but the sword breaks and a new sword, identical to the Shikai that Ichigo possessed at the beginning, comes out. Yhwach understands that the Zangetsu that Ichigo possessed at the beginning was a prediction of Haschwalth and finds himself cut in two.

Epilogue

Ten years later, Aizen remembers what Yhwach said to Ichigo at the threshold of death. He curses him for having prevented him from rebuilding the world because now, Life and Death will continue to rule the Existence. Yhwach will try to resurrect from the remains of his Reiatsu still present at the place of the fight but the defeat he suffered ten years before will kill him for good when Kazui Kurosaki will contact his energy in the Real World making his Reiatsu disappear completely.

Appearances in other media

Video Games

In celebration of the third anniversary of Bleach: Brave Souls, Yhwach was introduced into the game as the first character to not have appeared in the anime before.

Novels

In the novel Bleach: Can't Fear Your Own World by Ryōgo Narita, as well as in the novel Bleach: WE DO knot ALWAYS LOVE YOU by Makoto Matsubara, which survey the events following the Millennium Bloody War, it is revealed that Yhwach's body serves as the new pivot of existence in place of the Spiritual King. This is possible because he has absorbed his power. The fact that he is his son is also questioned, rather than an aspect of his being as Mimihagi might have been.

Anecdotes

• Ōetsu Nimaiya addresses him as Y.H. (ユーハー, Yūhā)
• Although Yhwach is considered the father of all Quincy, he is not the first Quincy. It is said, even before Yhwach was born, that a Quincy who could not absorb Reishi was born every few decades. Moreover, the Spiritual King's left arm and heart also have Quincy abilities and they present themselves as such.