In an endless sea of white, a single table stood between two humanoid figures, seated face to face—as if the universe itself had paused to witness their conversation.
"You're already dead."
The speaker—neither male nor female, saint nor sinner, equal parts mystic and mischief—delivered the statement with unsettling calm.
"I know."
The one who answered was a man. Strikingly handsome, dressed in academic robes, a living embodiment of composure and excellence—even in death, his aura was cool and refined.
"But there's no need for sorrow. As the 888th person to die on Earth today, you've been granted a rare opportunity—reincarnation. Tell me, aren't you overjoyed?"
The humanoid figure leaned forward slightly, as if trying to tease out a reaction.
"A chance at rebirth, huh?" The man folded his arms and smiled faintly. Though his life had ended, his style remained intact. "Sounds good."
"Then, please choose the world you'd like to be reborn in."
With a gentle nod, the figure conjured a tablet out of thin air and handed it to him.
"No need. Just pick randomly, if that's alright."
The man spared the screen a glance—ONE PIECE, NARUTO, FAIRY TAIL—and smiled. He didn't recognize any of it. In the spirit of staying effortlessly cool, he chose fate.
"Understood~"
The figure took the tablet back, tapped a glowing button labeled "RANDOM," and after a rapid swirl of spinning logos, it stopped on one: BLEACH.
"Congratulations! You'll be reincarnated into BLEACH! A world overflowing with beautiful women and spiritual power. Work hard, and who knows—you might just become a harem king~"
"BLEACH? Like the cleaning product? Weird name… but whatever. Doesn't matter."
The man gave a calm, carefree smile. He was at peace with the unknown.
"Now, before we finalize things, do you have any last words? Something to say to your family? Your siblings, perhaps?"
The figure waved the tablet away, making it disappear like a fading dream.
"Hmm... No. They'll understand. But—if I may—I do have one question for you."
He shook his head, then looked up with a sudden seriousness.
"Ask away. If I know the answer, I'll tell you."
"That girl... Did I save her in the end?"
His voice trembled ever so slightly, eyes focused on the figure in front of him.
"Of course. Thanks to your efforts, she made it out with just a few scrapes."
With a snap of the fingers, an image materialized—showing a girl in a hospital, smiling faintly as a nurse treated her injuries.
"That's all I needed to know. My parents… my siblings… they'll be proud of me."
He smiled in quiet satisfaction, as though that image alone gave meaning to his sacrifice.
"Is that so?"
The humanoid figure tilted its head, visibly moved. The man's unwavering coolness had somehow touched even this cosmic entity.
"Very well! I've decided—you're getting a special custom reincarnation package. Tell me: what's your ideal second life?"
"Whatever you want—power, money, a harem, godhood—name it."
"I don't really want any of that," the man said calmly. "If anything, I just want to be… normal. Average. I've been too perfect all my life. Always the 'ideal son' everyone envied. It was exhausting."
He paused, thinking back to simpler times.
"If I could start over, I'd like to be just a regular person. Maybe like those kids who spend their days watching anime and playing games—what are they called again? Otakus?"
The memory made him chuckle. Back in school, he'd seen classmates laughing over comics and cartoons—something he never got to experience.
"That's all?"
The cosmic figure blinked, caught off guard.
"Well, not just that. I still care about details—like looks, family, background... I said I want to be average, but not boring. Let's say: average, in a balanced way. Also, in my last life, I was the eldest. This time, I'd like to be the younger sibling. No more family expectations. No more inheriting anything. I want to live freely—pursuing my own life."
He exhaled deeply, then glanced at the figure.
"Is that too much?"
"Not at all~"
The figure wiped a tear from its eye, touched by his sincerity. Then it pulled out the tablet again and began running calculations.
Analyzing...
Spiritual Energy: Average of reincarnator + Soul King at peak.
Appearance: Average of reincarnator + most handsome character in BLEACH.
Bloodline: Average of reincarnator + noble house of Soul Society.
Lifespan: Average of reincarnator + longest-living being in BLEACH.
Talent: Calculating...
Data flashed across the screen in blinding waves. After a pause, the result appeared.
"You will be reborn as the younger brother of Yoruichi Shihōin—the head of the Shihōin Clan, one of the Five Great Noble Families of the Soul Society."
The figure nodded with approval.
"Now—pick your name."
"I'll just use my old one."
The man shrugged casually.
"Nope. That wouldn't fit. You're entering a world with Japanese themes. You'll need a name to match."
"Eh? Really?"
He scratched his head, troubled. Though he was curious about anime, he'd never had time to dive in.
"A Japanese name… I think I watched a few episodes of something called Gintama with my little brother. There was a funny guy in it… what was his name again? Sougo? Yeah, that's it. Can't remember the last name though..."
"Perfect~"
"Reincarnation conditions complete. Enjoy the game~"
With a final snap of the fingers—
Snap.
Everything went dark.
And so began the story of Yūshirō Shihōin