Summer 2023

After a brutal surprise attack by the forces of Quincy King Yhwach, the resident Reapers of the Soul Society lick their wounds and mourn their losses. Many of the surviving Soul Reaper captains train to battle without their Bankai, the ultimate technique wielded by the fiercest warriors.

In the previous assault, Ichigo Kurosaki narrowly managed to help fend off Yhwach's fearsome wrath. However, to ultimately defeat his godly adversary and save his allies, Ichigo must now undergo severe training that will push him beyond his physical, emotional, and mental limits.

Though Yhwach already holds the upper hand in this ongoing blood feud, he also successfully recruits Uryuu Ishida, Ichigo's close friend and rival, to be his successor. Yhwach strikes out once again at the weakened Soul Society, intent on finally obliterating his long-standing enemies. As Ichigo struggles to attain new power, the Soul Reaper captains fight for survival and borrowed time.

Three months have passed since the Demon King was defeated by a hero. Mankind rejoices over their victory, but dwellers of the demon world do not share the same sentiment. With the loss of their king, they must now hold a tournament to decide who will become his successor.

Monitoring the competition is the hot-headed yet powerful Vamirio—one of the Four Heavenly Kings. Among all the participants, she is extremely distrustful of one: Helck, a human hero who claims to hate humanity. As much as she wants to get rid of him, it is impossible due to Helck's incredible strength and popularity.

Amidst the competition, Vamirio discovers that humans have vanished from various towns. As a result of this puzzling turn of events, Vamirio grows desperate to reveal Helck's true intentions by carefully crafting a plan to make Helck lose. If she proves to be successful, she might uncover where his loyalty truly lies before the demon world is endangered.

After the climactic battle to decide the fate of humanity, the hero Max, alongside his party, emerges victorious against the formidable Demon Lord. As he draws his last breath, the defeated Maou vows to return more powerful than ever to take his revenge.

Ten years later, although Maou has resurrected, the process is incomplete, resulting in him taking on the form of a child. Nevertheless, not wanting to waste another second, Maou pays his nemesis a visit—but the hero who once gallantly protected humankind from the demon's clutches is now a pitiful slob bearing no resemblance to a man of his former caliber.

Despite his disappointment, Maou moves in with Max in hope of building him back up into a worthy adversary. But as the demon learns more about the events that transpired in the decade of his absence, he realizes that there is a story behind Max's downfall that he knows nothing of.