Chapter 4: Investigation and Problems |
The Captains' Council Hall.
The squad captains stood in two rows within the spacious, pristine chamber, listening to the address of Captain-Commander Genryusai Yamamoto. "According to the data received, this was the most powerful and widespread Reiatsu fluctuation in the history of Soul Society. It swept across the entirety of Rukongai, reaching even its most remote borders..."
"But that is not all. Evidence suggests the same event occurred in Hueco Mundo. This fluctuation encompassed the entire world!"
As the gathered captains exchanged concerned glances, Isshin Shiba, Captain of the Tenth Division, touched his chin and mused aloud, "A Reiatsu fluctuation affecting both Soul Society and Hueco Mundo simultaneously... could this anomaly have been caused by the King?"
A specific name was not uttered, yet everyone present understood exactly whom he meant. No Shinigami or Hollow was capable of triggering a Reiatsu surge across both Soul Society and Hueco Mundo at once. Only he, the Sovereign of Soul Society dwelling in a separate dimension, should be capable of such a feat—the Soul King!
Soul Society and Hueco Mundo possessed a vast history, according to which they were created by two kings a million years ago. However, no one knew if a King of Hollows actually existed; there was no information about him whatsoever, save for legends passed down from ancient times.
Therefore, the "King" Shiba referred to could only be the Soul King residing within the Soul King Palace.
How could they seriously discuss the appearance of one whose very existence could not even be confirmed?
"There have been no reports from the Soul King Palace," Genryusai Yamamoto stated, shaking his head.
The Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13 shook his head again. "I have already ordered an investigation, but the dispatch team failed to discover anything unusual."
"This is all very strange..."
Yoruichi murmured reflectively, "As far as I am aware, even the Reiatsu of a former Eleventh Division Captain could only influence the Seireitei..."
Almost every captain present displayed genuine anxiety.
Their primary objective was to determine whether this Reiatsu fluctuation, which had touched both Soul Society and Hueco Mundo, was the result of a natural anomaly or something else entirely.
The Gotei 13 would face immense trouble if this had been caused by a living being.
It didn't matter for what purpose or by what means the fluctuation was triggered in both dimensions; what mattered was the potential danger it represented! The actions of another party could threaten the very existence of Soul Society!
This was why Genryusai Yamamoto maintained such a grim demeanor. In truth, he already regarded this Reiatsu fluctuation as an extremely significant and critical event that had to be unraveled at any cost.
"Without more precise intelligence, we have no choice but to search blindly. The Eleventh and Thirteenth Divisions will depart for Hueco Mundo..."
"The Sixth and Second Divisions will handle the investigation of the Seireitei. Every area must be thoroughly searched, with the exception of the Central 46 Chambers. This includes even the barracks of every division!"
In a matter concerning the security of Soul Society, Genryusai Yamamoto could not fully trust even all thirteen divisions. Perhaps the Second and Sixth Divisions held a bit more favor than the others, as their captains were representatives of the Four Noble Houses of Soul Society.
As for the Central 46 Chambers, which housed the Great Library and the Forest of Residential Towers, Genryusai Yamamoto would personally oversee their investigation with his own division.
"The Third Division will investigate the activities of the monsters."
"The Second Division is to thoroughly inspect the Maggot's Nest. The Fifth Division is responsible for support, and the Eighth for communication between squads and reporting back to the Captain-Commander. The remaining divisions, with the exception of the Fourth and Twelfth, will conduct an investigation of Rukongai, but strive to avoid creating unnecessary noise."
Yamamoto quickly distributed duties among the squads. Only the Fourth Division, which specialized in medical aid, and the Twelfth Division, focused on scientific research, were exempt from the immediate search orders.
"...Are there any questions?"
"No, sir!"
The captains answered the commander in unison.
Retsu Unohana, Captain of the Fourth Division, scanned her fellow captains before turning to Yamamoto. "Given the gravity of the situation, I believe I should personally investigate the outskirts of Rukongai."
"...Very well."
The Captain-Commander agreed without much hesitation.
Once all necessary orders and instructions were issued, nearly all the captains filed out of the room.
As they exited, they were immediately greeted by their lieutenants, who had been waiting in the adjacent chamber.
"What is the situation, Captain Hirako?"
Aizen approached Hirako with an air of mild curiosity.
In reality, he harbored a profound interest in an incident that had affected the entirety of Soul Society. Recently, his research on the Hogyoku had hit a stalemate, and Aizen hoped this Reiatsu fluctuation might be the key to solving the problem.
Aizen would never be satisfied with an imperfect Hogyoku.
"I'll tell you on the way," Hirako replied to Aizen before quickly leaving the area.
Aizen nodded and stepped after him.
*
District 78 of the southern region of Rukongai.
Only a few days had passed since Yeruashi's return to Soul Society.
In that short time, he had managed to gather a wealth of diverse information, including aspects of daily life within Soul Society.
Daily life here differed from the World of the Living since souls did not require food to survive. Furthermore, the realm had its own laws, principles, and traditions.
Souls living in the central districts were not even required to work, as those areas were not only rich in water but also made it much easier to obtain food. One could say the lifestyle in the central districts of Rukongai was the dream and ideal of any shut-in.
As for the remote districts of Rukongai, the situation was the exact opposite. Because water was so scarce, nearly all its sources were under the control of various gangs and factions. Local residents were forced to labor hard every day just to receive a meager portion of water from them.
The primary occupations here were farming and construction—tasks that weren't overly difficult for strong souls, but for weak souls like Hisana, it was more than just grueling labor; often, they were simply refused employment altogether.
The souls controlling the scant resources of these remote districts were either very strong themselves or had connections with the Shinigami of the Gotei 13, perhaps having been childhood friends.
As for entertainment, mahjong, chess, and similar games were widespread throughout Rukongai.
Overall, one could say that Rukongai was a paradise for the majority of souls who landed in the central districts.
Yeruashi had also gathered information regarding the changes caused by his involvement in the creation of this world—in Soul Society and Hueco Mundo, a third type of living being existed alongside souls and Hollows.
These few creatures were known as monsters.
Absolutely any soul or Hollow had a certain chance of becoming a monster. Transformation into a monster was accompanied by the regaining of flesh and its total fusion with the soul, resulting in a very powerful physical form that granted the monster great strength and high speed.
The strongest representatives of these monsters, having undergone several evolutions, were capable of rivaling even the captains of the Gotei 13.
Yeruashi had no doubt that the emergence of monsters was triggered by the five percent of his power contained within Hueco Mundo and Soul Society. He had brought the physical might and predisposition for evolution from the One Punch Man world.
However.
The monsters had not exerted a significant influence on Soul Society, as they were few in number and possessed normal intelligence. They had taken root in the remote territories of Soul Society beyond the reaches of Rukongai, preferring not to interact with the Gotei 13, while the Gotei 13 itself saw no point in dealing with them either.
'So these are the monsters,' Yeruashi whispered thoughtfully as he stood on a high hill outside Rukongai, a golden glow shining in his eyes as he looked toward the monster settlement.
It was a bit strange to observe how beings born from a tiny fraction of his power formed a society and lived full lives.
"Does that mean they are your children, just like me?" Lilith whispered, standing beside Yeruashi.
Yeruashi smiled and stroked Lilith's small head. "No, you are different. Those beings did not emerge directly from my power; they were born through its indirect influence."
If one were to draw an analogy, the monsters were like vegetables grown using his waste as fertilizer. They grew based on his power rather than being composed entirely of it. Lilith, on the other hand, had been carefully nurtured from the purest part of Yeruashi's strength. In essence, their bond surpassed even that of a daughter and father.
Naturally, these monsters were nothing like Lilith.
"It's time to head back," Yeruashi said with a smile, stepping toward Rukongai as if seeing an entertaining scene unfolding. "I only stepped away for a moment, and she's already found trouble."
*
District 78, Inuzuri, in the southern region of Rukongai—specifically, the 77th southern block and 2200th eastern street. It was here, at the very end of the street, that the house Yeruashi had hastily built was located.
The house featured three spacious rooms and an interior courtyard of about sixty square meters with a well at the center.
"Whoa!"
"It really is a well!"
In the center of the small courtyard stood five young men, looking excitedly at the small but very abundant and rich source of water.
One of the young men scooped a full bucket from the well and tipped it back, drinking greedily.
At that moment, Hisana ran out of the house into the yard with a loud cry, "Stop!"
The young men continued to greedily scoop water from the well by the bucketful, paying no mind to the young girl's appearance.
After one of them had drunk his fill and satisfiedly lowered the bucket, he looked at Hisana with irritation. "Stop shouting! Nothing's going to happen to such an abundant source if we drink a little water!"
"Did you dig this well yourself? What luck!"
Another young man smirked, eyeing the approaching Hisana. "How about your caring older brothers help you guard this well, eh? You didn't think you could enjoy it all by yourself, did you?"
Hisana sighed heavily and said indifferently, "That won't be necessary. Now, I must ask you to leave my home!"
"Aw, don't be so cold."
Ichiro Iwatsuri narrowed his eyes and smirked playfully. "You live here all alone, don't you?"
Any water source was highly prized in the remote districts of Rukongai. Having such a source at your full disposal meant not only a carefree life without the worry of hunger but also the ability to trade water for other valuable items. A young girl like Hisana simply wouldn't be able to hold onto such a valuable resource on her own.
"This is Mr. Yeruashi's house! Please leave!"
Hisana recoiled as Iwatsuri smirked and stepped forward, but she remained resolute. "Otherwise, I will report this to the patrol!"
Iwatsuri chuckled. "Mr. Yeruashi? Never heard of him... and you think calling the patrol will change anything? Did anyone see you digging this well or building this house?"
He turned his head toward his companions standing nearby. "It was us who dug this well and built this beautiful house last night, wasn't it?"
"Yeah, that's right."
"Of course, we worked hard all night."
One of them grinned maliciously. "We are politely asking the lady to leave private property, but if the lady decides to stay... heh-heh-heh..."
Hisana clenched her fists, a shiver running down her spine.
Yeruashi had left the house in her care.
What would she say, and how could she look him in the eye when he returned to find he had lost his home?
Hisana gritted her teeth and hurried back into the house.
A few seconds later, she returned to the courtyard, gripping a small kitchen knife she had taken from the kitchen.
This was District 78 of Rukongai.
At first glance, Hisana might have seemed weak and soft, but she had already learned the primary law of this place—only the strong survive. If she showed weakness now and backed down, they could never hope to reclaim this well in the future.
"Get out of here!" Hisana exclaimed coldly, raising her trembling hands and pointing the small knife at Iwatsuri and the others.
In response to her movement, Iwatsuri didn't even tense up. He merely laughed and said calmly, "Don't play with sharp things, girl, or you might accidentally hurt yourself."
With those words, Iwatsuri stepped forward, intending to snatch the knife from Hisana.
Hisana gritted her teeth, watching Iwatsuri approach without a hint of fear, then she tightened her grip on the handle and raised it to strike.
But.
Just as Hisana lunged with the knife toward the approaching Iwatsuri, a hand suddenly reached out from behind her and gently caught her wrist, abruptly halting the knife's movement.
"Mr. Yeruashi!"
Hisana whipped her head around and said apologetically, seeing Yeruashi who had appeared behind her unnoticed, "I... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."
"It's alright."
Yeruashi smiled gently as he took the kitchen knife from her hands. "Didn't you say yesterday that such problems are a matter of course in the remote districts of Rukongai?"
Following those words, Yeruashi stepped past Hisana and smiled at Iwatsuri, who stood opposite him. "I must kindly ask you... to leave my backyard."
Iwatsuri narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing Yeruashi's form, then smirked. "Never seen you around here before... ah..."
Iwatsuri's speech was cut short by a pained gasp.
His malicious smile suddenly twisted into a mask of horror, and his eyes radiated pure shock.
At that moment, the entire world before Iwatsuri's eyes went dark, as if doused in ink, and within that darkness, a massive amount of red liquid appeared.
It was a vast river of blood!
In that river of blood, flowing through the impenetrable darkness, lay countless terrifying corpses that looked as though they had just come from the deepest pits of hell. Looking closer, Iwatsuri realized with shock and horror that every single one of those bloodied corpses bore his own face!
Terror and dread instantly seized Iwatsuri and the others.
"Aaaaahhh!!!"
They spun around and fled as fast as their legs could carry them, let out piercing screams of terror.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
They crashed into the high fence in their headlong rush and tumbled to the ground, but without delay—and seemingly oblivious to the pain—they frantically scrambled over the fence and fell onto the other side, running away with all their might, not daring to look back.
"..."
Hisana lowered her hands and gaped, unable to understand what had just happened.
From her perspective, Iwatsuri and the others had been looking at Yeruashi with smirks as he stepped forward, only to suddenly fall to their knees in unison. Moments later, they had started screaming as if driven mad by terror.
Hisana looked at Yeruashi in bewilderment, but noticed nothing unusual about him.
He simply turned and smiled at her as if nothing had happened, then leisurely headed back inside the house, kitchen knife in hand.
What...
What exactly just happened?!