East Rukongai is Hell.
This is a refrain commonly heard among the civilians scraping by in the Rukongai.
What one must remember, however, is that this sentiment isn't exclusive to the East; it's a sentiment shared throughout the entire Rukongai.
Why such a rumor existed was beyond the comprehension of a man who had recently arrived in the Soul Society. To him, every district looked more or less the same, so he couldn't understand why the East was singled out.
"Do you know why East Rukongai is called Hell?"
"I wouldn't know. Something about how people just... drop dead once they step inside, I hear."
"Isn't that the case everywhere else?"
It clearly wasn't because of poor public security causing frequent deaths. In the Rukongai, human lives were already snuffed out like insects regardless of the district.
While a Vigilante Corps had recently been established and security had improved slightly, it didn't feel real yet. The Soul Society was far too vast for a single organization to change the entire world.
"Given how they say people wither away until they die, maybe they're just starving?"
"Augh, what nonsense. You'd be better off saying a monster lives there."
It couldn't be a story born of the difficulty of making a living. Once they became souls, the necessity for food vanished.
Life was already a living hell; just how harsh could a district be to be called 'Hell' itself? Unable to suppress his curiosity any longer, the man left the neighborhood where he had finally managed to settle and headed for East Rukongai.
He knew it was a foolish endeavor. But if he didn't do something this stupid, his frustration would have probably killed him anyway.
In a sense, the man's curiosity was like a poison. A lethal toxin that gnawed away at his life before he even realized it.
Yet, the man ignored the danger. He was born with a temperament that couldn't tolerate an unsolved mystery, and he knew himself well enough to know he couldn't turn back.
"So, this is East Rukongai."
The first impression the man got upon arriving was nothing more than 'ordinariness.' From the buildings to the atmosphere of the people roaming the streets, the flowing water, and the soil—nothing seemed special.
'What exactly about this place makes them call it Hell?'
This seemed peaceful enough. If this was Hell, then was the rest of the Soul Society Purgatory?
The man decided to wander East Rukongai a bit more to gather information before jumping to conclusions.
Through his wandering, he learned one thing: the people here didn't fear East Rukongai itself, but rather something located at its outermost edge.
"Oh, don't even bring that up!!"
"Why are you looking for such a thing? Just be grateful you're alive and get out of here!"
"Tsk... If you're looking for a place to die, you've come to the wrong place. Piss off!"
They were so afraid they wouldn't even mention it by name. Having been rejected over ten times, the man let out a deep sigh and scratched his head.
"No, seriously, what could possibly be over there that makes them this terrified?"
The man scratched his head while staring at a rocky mountain visible in the distance. No matter how he looked at it, it seemed like an ordinary rocky peak.
"Hah. Is there some ghost living there that comes to kill you if you call its name or something?"
Well, if they wouldn't tell him, he had no choice but to go and see for himself. As he marched forward, the man blinked. Suddenly, a man with a fierce, intimidating impression 'appeared' right before his eyes.
The newcomer wore clothes that left his chest and belly exposed, with something resembling a shovel slung over his shoulder. His appearance was impossible to miss, yet he had definitely 'not' been there just a second ago.
'What...? There definitely wasn't anyone in front of me...?'
Thinking he might be seeing things, the man blinked again. The man who had suddenly appeared scowled deeply at him.
"You've got a decent look on your mug. What the hell did you come all the way out here for, huh?"
"I heard East Rukongai was called Hell, so I came out of curiosity."
"Ha! Quite the grand reason. So? What are your impressions now that you've seen it with your own eyes? Is it Hell?"
The first man shook his head at the stranger's words.
"I was just wondering why it's so peaceful for a place called Hell. From what I can see, that mountain over there—"
"—Don't even finish that sentence."
The man swallowed hard as the tip of the shovel was suddenly thrust right under his nose.
"You'll die if you set foot on that mountain for a reason as pathetic as that. More than ten wagon-loads of bastards like you have already croaked because of nothing but curiosity."
"Who are you to stop people from going to that mountain? Are you the owner of that place?"
"I'm Tenjiro Kirinji. I'm just a herb-picker who lives near that mountain. I got tired of seeing idiots like you dropping dead every chance they got, so I took over guard duties while I'm at it. If you understand, get the hell out."
If you refuse, I'll kill you myself before you ever get to that mountain. The result is the same either way. The man said this as he poked the first man's chest with his shovel.
The cold sensation sent a chill racing down the man's spine. If that stranger truly intended to kill him, he would have died without even realizing it.
Fear of death tried to seize his heart, but as if rebelling against it, his curiosity flared even stronger.
"And if I say I must know, even if I die?"
"What a piece of work. I can't tell if you've got guts or if you're just reckless."
"I simply can't help my curiosity."
"Ha! I like the way you face me head-on, kid. Fine, follow me. But! Don't blame me when you die. You're on your own."
"I wouldn't have it any other way."
At the man's answer, Tenjiro grinned fiercely and began walking with large strides. Watching Tenjiro walk ahead, the man followed with a smile, thrilled that his curiosity was about to be satisfied.
"So, what is it about that mountain that everyone's so afraid of?"
"The name of that mountain is Mount Osore. A mountain that lives up to its name—the Mountain of Dread."
"Mount Osore? What's so special about one mountain? The outskirts of the Soul Society are crawling with them."
The man spoke dismissively, but none of the people nearby who overheard said a word back. It wasn't because they secretly agreed, but because it simply wasn't worth discussing.
Nauseated by their silence, the man continued, mentally branding the others as cowards.
"Does a man-eating ghost live there? Or is it full of wild beasts?"
"It does eat people, in a way."
The man broke into a cold sweat; he hadn't expected the 'man-eating' part to be even remotely true. But that only made him more intrigued.
He wanted to know. What lived inside? What was 'eating' people? Was there a way to deal with it? If he ran, could he escape?
When the man smirked at those thoughts, Tenjiro chuckled and slapped the man's back with a resounding
"I don't hate bold idiots like you. Fine, consider this a bonus. I'll tell you. Open your ears and listen well. I'm only saying this once, got it?"
"Loud and clear."
"That mountain devours life force. It's not a monster or a ghost. The 'mountain' itself siphons your vitality. That's why idiots who wander in without a thought wither away and die before they get very far. And the way they go... it's damn gruesome."
Tenjiro scowled as he recalled the sight of a priestess who had died trying to purify the miasma on Mount Osore. Black spots blooming across the body, vomiting blood with every breath, seizing with blood foaming at the mouth and eyes rolled back.
"Tsk. Anyway, that's what that place is. You still going?"
"How many times are you going to ask? Doesn't the fact that I'm still following you give you the answer?"
"You little... Your mouth's got a mind of its own. Whatever. Better that than a crying coward."
Just as he finished and was about to move again...
In the distance, a man with a pickaxe slung over his shoulder came running toward them.
"Tenjiro-sama!! Tenjiro-sama!!"
"Aah!? What is it, Yahagi!! What about the guard on the west side!!"
"It's trouble...! We have trouble!!"
Sensing the urgency in Yahagi's shout, Tenjiro's expression hardened into a deep scowl.
'If he's calling it trouble, it must be about the altar at the summit of Mount Osore.'
Reaching a conclusion instantly, Tenjiro gripped his shovel and glared toward the mountain.
"I'll go take a look! You take this guy and wait in the mountain hut! If anything happens, get out of here on your own! Understand!?"
"Yes, sir!"
Upon hearing the response, Tenjiro sprinted at full speed toward the summit of Mount Osore. In a heartbeat, he reached the altar atop the peak.
This altar was built in the belief that the mountain was 'angry'—an anger that drained life force and replaced it with lethal toxins in the body of anyone merely standing there.
The lower priests who had gathered to soothe the mountain's wrath today were already collapsed and vomiting blood. Only the Head Priest and a few high-ranking priests who had some resistance were left, all staring intensely at one spot.
There was no need to ask what had happened. The culprit of this situation was obviously the man standing atop the altar.
"Hey, hey! You sure did a number on this place, didn't ya?! Huh!?"
"Stop it, Tenjiro!!! Do not anger that person!!"
At the Head Priest's scream, Tenjiro made a dumbfounded face, looking back and forth between the Head Priest and the man on the altar.
"Who is that guy?"
"You fool, Tenjiro!!"
Seeing Tenjiro point his finger at the man, the Head Priest rushed over and smacked him hard across the back of the head.
"Dammit, that hurts!!"
The blow was so strong that Tenjiro actually tumbled to the ground. The man standing on the altar watched the scene and scratched his head.
"Who the hell is this bastard?"
The question was asked with genuine bewilderment.