But, it felt somewhat familiar.
Ichimaru Gin vaguely felt as if he had heard of this organization called the Demon Slayer Corps somewhere before.
It was just too long ago, and he couldn't quite remember.
Noticing Ichimaru Gin's gaze, Yoriichi Tsugikuni slightly tilted his head and asked softly,
"Gin, are you interested in taking on this task?"
Saying that, he pulled out the document and placed it in front of Ichimaru Gin.
"The Demon Slayer Corps was the organization I belonged to when I was still human. So much time has passed, and they are all old now."
"Some of them chose to reincarnate in the Soul Society after death. I hope you can bring them all back to the Seireitei."
"If nothing unexpected happens, some of these people should have the potential to become Shinigami."
"Can you do it, Gin?"
Ichimaru Gin was a bit lost. Although he had proven his capabilities through work over the past few decades, this one...
It seemed very important, right?
Was it really okay to entrust it to him?
Logically speaking, a task like this would be more appropriate for the more composed Komamura Sajin...
Yoriichi Tsugikuni saw through Ichimaru Gin's doubts and explained,
"Sajin's appearance is too unique. My acceptance doesn't mean others will accept it."
"Gin, you also know how some Rukongai residents view him."
Indeed, those unaware would very likely be startled upon seeing Komamura Sajin and then utter profanities.
Komamura Sajin was composed, but that didn't mean he had no temper.
And according to Yoriichi's words, those from the Demon Slayer Corps might become their colleagues.
If animosity arose because of this, that would be bad.
Ichimaru Gin immediately understood and nodded, responding, "Yes, Captain, rest assured, I guarantee I will complete the mission."
As he spoke, he reached out and took the document, then carefully scanned it.
First to catch his eye were the names of Shinazugawa Sanemi and Shinazugawa Genya...
They seemed to be brothers, currently residing in South Rukongai District 56?
He should go make contact first...
He wasn't sure.
What kind of potential did these humans, so highly regarded by the Captain, possess...
...
South Rukongai District 56.
Sunlight poured down.
By a pond in the central area, Shinazugawa Sanemi stood holding a Kenpachi, confronting a group of local thugs.
The atmosphere was somewhat heavy, exuding a tense, ready-to-explode feeling.
Basically, in the outer districts, every street was occupied by a local power.
They controlled water resources, selling them to the Rukongai residents to earn money and live a carefree life.
Under normal circumstances, ordinary Rukongai residents were definitely no match for these local thugs, but there were exceptions.
And today was an exception.
Shinazugawa Sanemi's mouth curved slightly upward, forming an unruly arc.
At nearly sixty years old, there was not a trace of fatigue on his face. Intersecting scars covered his face, making him appear more weathered and ruthless.
His entire being exuded an intense aura that inspired awe and made people wary of provoking him, even though...
His appearance was still that of a youth.
"Hey!"
He lifted his chin, his words carrying an arrogant authority, much like how some elders might view children.
Just that one word caused the thugs' faces to instantly darken.
This brat was too arrogant!
The leader stepped forward abruptly, deliberately showing a fierce expression, and threatened,
"Brat! If you know what's good for you, get out of here! This is my territory!"
"I've seen plenty of guys like you, who were arrogant in the human world and think they can be arrogant in the Soul Society too, but don't know their place."
"Who do you think you are? Do you think you alone can beat all of us?"
"I'm one of the heroes of District 56, Oodachi Kogorou, you..."
"Don't misunderstand." The thug's tone made Shinazugawa Sanemi laugh. He suddenly raised his Kenpachi, interrupting with a wild posture,
"If you bastards hadn't beaten my little brother, I wouldn't bother with your messed-up affairs."
"Only I can bully my little brother. What if there are many of you? That's hilarious, come at me, all of you!"
"Let me see what these so-called Soul Society heroes are really like!"
At these words, Oodachi Kogorou's expression instantly became extremely grim.
This kid was not only arrogant but also proud; he was practically saying that all these heroes were useless...
Although they were indeed useless, only able to lord it over ordinary people...
If they truly had ability, they would have become Shinigami long ago. Who would engage in such exploitative behavior, bullying the weak...
But even so, it wasn't something just any youth could say...
Oodachi Kogorou snorted, "Bring me my sword!"
"Today, I'll see if your skill is as great as your mouth!"
Although the conflict started because Shinazugawa Genya was beaten, Kogorou didn't care about that.
He only wanted to teach this brat, who didn't know his place, a lesson.
Many people had been beaten by them here, euphemistically called protection fees, and they didn't resist. Why should you resist?
What an ungrateful fellow.
A lackey, seeing the situation, quickly and respectfully handed a gleaming silver greatsword to Kogorou.
Kogorou took it and swung it twice, immediately creating a noticeable whoosh of wind.
He eyed the slender Kenpachi in Shinazugawa Sanemi's hand, and a mocking smile involuntarily appeared at the corner of his mouth.
"Hmph."
"You pauper, you don't even have a decent weapon. How can you possibly defeat me?"
Honestly, Kogorou felt that if he swung this sword, not only would the Kenpachi break, but Shinazugawa Sanemi's head would also break...
But, who cared? There were no laws in Rukongai.
To be precise, no one cared about the lives of mere Rukongai residents, let alone in the outer regions.
Kill him, bury him, and then bury his brother too, and everything would be fine...
Kogorou sneered, "Let your life be the price for offending me!"
"Remember, kid, in your next life, don't provoke people you shouldn't!"
With that, he stomped his foot hard and quickly charged forward.
However, in that split second, Shinazugawa Sanemi's figure vanished from his spot like a ghost.
In its place was a lightning-fast, close-range slash!
Bang!
Kogorou hadn't even had time to clearly see Shinazugawa Sanemi's exact movements before he was violently struck and sent flying by the sudden blow.
A dull thud and a grunt exploded simultaneously. The flying figure arced through the air and then landed heavily on the ground, instantly raising a cloud of dust.
The remaining force did not disappear. Kogorou's body continued to slide across the ground, traveling over ten meters before he finally managed to halt his backward momentum.
His clothes were already tattered, and dark red blood seeped out, forming shocking bloodstains on the ground.
At the end of the bloodstains, Kogorou involuntarily twitched a few times. The pain made him grimace, dizzy, as if his bones were shattered...
The scene, unfolding in a flash, fell into the eyes of the lackeys. They instantly panicked, screaming in terror, "Boss!"
Shinazugawa Sanemi spat, his face full of disdain, "Trash."
"If someone like you can be considered a hero here, then this Soul Society is truly rotten."
"Oodachi Kogorou? Hmph..."
"Self-proclaimed, I suppose."
It was indeed self-proclaimed. Many people in the Soul Society liked to add a nickname before their names to show their strength.
Like "Kamaitachi" Jirobo.
He looked impressive and held a high position, Fourth Seat of the Seventh Division, but was instantly killed by Ishida Uryū with two arrows...
Now, this guy, who wasn't even a Shinigami, naturally performed even worse.
His true nature exposed and being instantly defeated by Shinazugawa Sanemi with a single strike, and with a Kenpachi at that... Kogorou immediately began to doubt his life.
Why was this kid so strong?
A Shinigami?
Impossible. He remembered clearly that the Shinazugawa Sanemi and Shinazugawa Genya brothers had only moved in half a month ago.
In such a short time, let alone becoming a Shinigami, even possessing spiritual pressure and discovering and mastering it would be impossible.
Since he didn't use spiritual pressure, why could he defeat him with one sword?
Damn it!
Kogorou gnashed his teeth in hatred, but he was helpless because the difference in strength was evident...
The reason he had been able to run rampant here for so many years without being wiped out by other heroes was that he understood how to assess the situation.
He knew who he could provoke and who he couldn't.
The youth in front of him was clearly the kind of person not to provoke...
Such bad luck! You're so strong, why is your brother so weak? Are you even real brothers?
While Kogorou was lost in thought, accompanied by a series of thuds and screams, all of his lackeys were taken care of one by one by Sanemi.
Some people flew and landed beside Kogorou, but Kogorou chose to ignore them.
Only after confirming that all his subordinates were down did he grit his teeth, endure the pain, struggle to stand up, and then plop down on his knees, hands clasped together, begging Shinazugawa Sanemi to spare their lives.
If he had begged for mercy before his subordinates fell, it would have been a clownish act, one that would make him lose face.
Like, "Your Majesty, your subjects are ready to die in battle, why have you surrendered first?"
But once his subordinates had fallen, when he begged for mercy, that was loyalty beyond compare.
Sacrificing his own dignity to gain a chance for his subordinates to live—what kind of good leader was this?
Unfortunately.
Shinazugawa Sanemi wasn't buying it. He just wanted to get some revenge for his brother.
He had been full of pent-up anger when he died, and then he was bullied by these local thugs here. Did they really think he had no temper?
Bang.
He kicked Kogorou hard several times, each kick carrying immense force, until his anger was mostly vented, then he said coldly,
"Remember my name, Shinazugawa Sanemi. Don't let me see you guys again!"
"Otherwise, I'll beat you every time I see you!"
Although Kogorou was in unbearable pain and wanted to cough, he ultimately suppressed these feelings, nodding repeatedly and humbly responding,
"Yes, yes, from now on, wherever Lord Shinazugawa is, we absolutely dare not trespass again."
"May we leave?"
"Leave?" Shinazugawa Sanemi snorted, "What are you talking about? Apologize to my brother first!"
"I'll take this sword of yours as compensation..."
Kogoro felt a pang of heartache; that was the most valuable thing he had, and for Shinazugawa Sanemi to just take it, he really couldn't accept it.
But what could he do now?
He should have known better than to provoke this jinx!
Someone, please come and take him away!
Perhaps what you wish for comes true, as the group followed Shinazugawa Sanemi to a wooden house.
Kogoro suddenly saw a Shinigami appear outside the wooden house.
Although he wasn't clear about the Shinigami's purpose, Kogoro still seized the opportunity, immediately lay on the ground, and loudly wailed, looking like he was staging an accident.
His squinted eyes slightly opened, watching Shinazugawa Sanemi's bewildered expression, and he secretly snorted twice in his heart.
How about that, kid, dumbfounded, aren't you?
The underworld isn't about fighting and killing; knowing how to play the victim is the true way to win. Just wait to be thrown into prison!
Ichimaru Gin: "…"
What's going on?
Is he playing a fool?
He looked at Sanemi, his eyes seeming to ask what exactly was happening.
Sanemi froze for a moment, then came back to his senses, looking at Kogoro with a cold laugh:
"Hey, how long are you going to keep pretending to be crazy? Can someone like you even act?"
"It seems Soul Society is much more interesting than I imagined."
Shinazugawa Sanemi originally thought these bullies were the kind of people who could bend and adapt, and who would kill an entire family at the slightest disagreement.
He never expected…
They would even stage an accident?
However, thinking about it carefully, this did fit the consistent shameless behavior of these scoundrels.
In just these few words, Ichimaru Gin had already roughly guessed the whole story.
It was probably that this young man had defeated that man with his own strength, and the man was resentful but couldn't beat him, so he resorted to dirty tricks.
He thought of gaining sympathy from others by playing the victim, so that this young man would suffer and learn a lesson.
Because in the perception of some Rukongai residents, Shinigami have always upheld fairness and justice, as they maintain the order of Rukongai.
Under normal circumstances, some Shinigami would indeed intervene in disputes between two people, but Ichimaru Gin was different.
In his opinion, it would be best if all these scoundrels who commit evil and oppress others died.
You know, the reason Rangiku fainted from hunger when she was little was because of the existence of these guys.
Ichimaru Gin squinted his eyes, his face showing a hint of solemnity, not knowing what he was thinking.
He didn't pay attention to Kogoro, but instead stepped forward again, came before Shinazugawa Sanemi, and asked:
"Excuse me, are you Shinazugawa Sanemi, Shinazugawa-kun?"
"It's me." When Ichimaru Gin's voice suddenly rang out, Shinazugawa Sanemi finally had the presence of mind to size up the Shinigami in front of him.
He didn't look particularly special, and he hadn't seen him before… He wondered who was stronger compared to that senior from the past.
When the two of them first entered Soul Society, Shinazugawa Genya had intended to seek refuge with Yoriichi Tsugikuni, but Sanemi refused him.
Because he had lived this long and had never accepted anyone's favor.
Shinazugawa Sanemi firmly believed that even without relying on others, he could become a Shinigami with his own strength.
It was just a pity that they had only moved in for half a month.
His younger brother, Genya, was beaten by Kogoro's arrogant subordinates over a water resource distribution issue.
Sanemi wasn't home at the time; otherwise, none of them would have escaped.
Whenever he thought of this, Shinazugawa Sanemi would feel a burst of irritation; the structure of this Soul Society was far stranger than he had imagined.
Here, it seemed even the most basic survival resources were difficult to guarantee. When did even drinking water become a luxury…
"It's good that it's you." Ichimaru Gin nodded slightly, interrupting Shinazugawa Sanemi's thoughts.
Immediately after, he glanced at the wooden house not far away and said in a businesslike manner,
"Shinazugawa Sanemi, please bring your younger brother and come with us. Captain Tsugikuni wants to see you two."
"Don't worry, it's nothing bad. You should have heard of the Captain's name."
"As for these people…"
Ichimaru Gin cast a cold gaze at Kogoro on the ground and waved his hand without hesitation:
"Take them all away. These scoundrels should be locked up in prison to reflect properly."
"Saemon, you take some people to collect evidence of their crimes. Lock them up for a hundred or eighty years first."
"Yes." As Ichimaru Gin's words fell, some Shinigami hidden in the dark responded.
Kogoro, lying on the ground, didn't even have time to resist before he was accurately struck by a Bakudo.
With his weak spiritual pressure, he lost all ability to resist in the blink of an eye, collapsing to the ground, his eyes filled with terror and despair.
…
…
Inside Seireitei, in the Ninth Division office.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni sat quietly at the desk, his fingers gently tapping the surface.
He looked calmly at the two people in front of him, who seemed to have changed little except for a slight decrease in their stature, and with a look of concern in his brows, he slowly asked:
"So…"
"Did you choose to reincarnate into Soul Society because you were killed?"
"What happened?"
"After decades apart, who could have killed you?"
Without a doubt.
Those rampant demons should have all died out long ago.
And the Demon Slayer Corps swordsmen were all highly skilled; Urokodaki Sakonji, at over seventy years old, could easily cut through steel and dodge bullets.
If Yoriichi remembered correctly, even the elder of the two, Shinazugawa Sanemi, was only in his fifties this year…
Upon hearing this question, Shinazugawa Sanemi immediately flared up.
He violently crushed the teacup in his hand, fragments scattering: "It was those guys with guns!"
"Twenty years after the Demon Slayer Corps disbanded, war broke out suddenly."
"They somehow learned of the Demon Slayer Corps' existence and sought us out, wanting us to participate in the war."
"I refused, and they threatened me with Genya…"
Speaking of which.
Bang.
Shinazugawa Sanemi slammed the table, causing the items on it to shake violently, his voice trembling with anger:
"These bastards!"
"My sword is a demon-slaying sword, not a human-slaying sword!"
"I'm over fifty, and they talk about 'honorable death'… Forget fifty, even at a hundred and fifty, you still have to go to the battlefield!"
"This is clearly treating us as cannon fodder, making us executioners."
"So, I was forced to fight back and killed them…"
Perhaps because the incident had already happened and could not be undone, Shinazugawa Sanemi's tone gradually softened as he began to recount what happened next,
"And at that time, Genya and I were already old. While I could still use Breathing Technique to maintain my peak state from my youth,"
"Genya couldn't. He had no talent, so he died. As his older brother, I could only watch him die in front of me."
"What could I do? I dodged all the bullets, but I couldn't save him."
"After killing that hundred-strong squad, I also died."
"I thought death was the end, but I saw Genya again."
"Then, I remembered you, Senior…"
Shinazugawa Sanemi's emotions were very unstable. Anyone who saw their loved one die tragically in front of them would be in such a state.
This was normal.
Even Yoriichi Tsugikuni himself couldn't help but fall into silence.
War… a very hateful word.
It was because war broke out back then that he missed Uta, all to allow an old man to see his son go to the battlefield.
Fortunately, Uta had been found.
And fortunately, Genya had not truly died.
Yoriichi could understand this feeling.
He sighed: "I understand. This is not your fault. I will send some Shinigami to end that war later."
"I originally thought that such tragedies, where beloved things are easily shattered, would no longer happen after Kibutsuji Muzan's death."
"I never expected human greed to create these again…"
"Sanemi, you did nothing wrong."
Yoriichi Tsugikuni slowly raised his eyes. He didn't think Sanemi's resistance was wrong.
In such a situation where he was cornered and about to betray his own stance,
Dignity was more important than life.
Just like historians, no historian would ever alter all of history under an emperor's coercion.
Even if someone altered it, others would record the true history.
Shinazugawa Sanemi was the latter.
Yoriichi's mood was a bit heavy. He gently exhaled, and asked in a softened tone:
"So, do you and your brother have the desire to become Shinigami?"
"If not, that's fine too. I respect your choice."
"After all, your new lives have just begun."
Shinazugawa Sanemi said bitterly:
"Please allow me to participate as well. Those guys are truly too hateful."
"I'm afraid the other Pillar-level swordsmen have also been more or less affected."
"How long does it take to become a Shinigami?"
Shinazugawa Genya hadn't spoken from the beginning. He just quietly watched his brother and Yoriichi Tsugikuni, his feelings quite complex.
He felt that if it weren't for him, his brother wouldn't have sacrificed himself for this. The army was powerful, but they couldn't even touch his brother.
Now…
He felt he had to do something…
Even if he didn't have any special talents.
…
On the other side.
"Amitabha…"
This year, though his hair was white, the still robust Gyomei Himejima slowly awoke from a temple.
He opened his clouded eyes and looked outside the temple…
Years of training had already awakened his Transparent World.
Therefore, even though he was blind, he could see clearly.
Machine guns, grenade launchers…
And…
A tank…
Clang.
Gyomei Himejima silently tightened his flail, the chain dragging on the ground, as a line of clear tears slowly streamed down his aged cheeks.
Human nature was fully exposed at this moment.
The more one cannot obtain something, the more one wants to destroy it…
"Ah…"
Gyomei Himejima plucked at his prayer beads with one hand, and as tears flowed, he slowly lowered his eyelids,
His voice also became old, weak, yet full of helplessness and sorrow:
"Chaos, suspicion, humans are more evil than demons…"
"What a pathetic world…"