The sun hung low in the pale, gray sky, casting long, jagged shadows over the crumbling shacks of District 76. Itsuki sat on a broken stone wall near a makeshift well, chewing slowly on a stale piece of bread he'd stolen earlier. It had been over a week since he'd awakened here, and while he'd managed to quiet the gnawing hunger, another kind of emptiness gnawed at his mind.
"What am I supposed to do here? Why am I even here at all?"
As he stared blankly at the cracked dirt beneath his feet, the air grew unnaturally still. A suffocating tension pricked the back of his neck. He froze, halfway through a bite, his golden eyes narrowing. Then, he heard it—a low, guttural growl, followed by a wet, rattling hiss that sent a shiver down his spine. It wasn't human. It wasn't even close.
"A Hollow!" someone screamed.
Itsuki didn't know what a Hollow was, but the sheer panic on their faces told him everything he needed to know. He turned toward the sound and felt his breath catch in his throat.
Emerging from the haze was a grotesque creature, its body massive and misshapen. Limbs bent at disturbing angles, and its skin was pale and cracked like dry clay stretched over bone. A black, gaping hole yawned through the center of its chest. But it was the mask that truly horrified him—white and smooth, shaped like a distorted skull with jagged fangs and hollow, soulless eye sockets that glowed faintly red. The monster's head swiveled unnaturally as it let out a bone-chilling roar that seemed to vibrate through the ground.
"What... the hell is that thing?!"
The Hollow's empty gaze locked onto him. Then, without warning, it charged.
"Shit!" Itsuki shouted, leaping off the stone wall as the creature's massive claws slammed down where he had been sitting. The ground exploded, sending a shower of dirt and stone flying.
He ran.
Heart pounding, lungs burning, Itsuki tore through the narrow, twisting streets. Behind him, the Hollow gave chase, each thunderous step shaking the ground. He didn't dare look back, but he could feel it—hot, rancid breath on his neck, the pounding of his heart almost drowned out by the monster's snarls.
He darted down an alley, vaulted over a broken cart, and skidded around a corner. For a fleeting moment, he thought he'd lost it. Then the wall beside him exploded inward, and the Hollow's clawed hand swiped through the debris, narrowly missing him by inches. The shockwave hurled Itsuki to the ground. Pain flared through his shoulder as he rolled across the cracked dirt, a jagged rock tearing into his arm. Warm blood seeped down his sleeve, but there was no time to check the wound.
I'm going to die. I'm really going to die here!
The Hollow loomed over him, raising its claw for the final strike. Itsuki scrambled backward, panic clawing at his chest, but he was too slow. Just as the creature's claw descended, a flash of steel and black fabric streaked past him. A young man in a black kimono—unmistakably different from the rags of the villagers—landed between Itsuki and the Hollow, his sword raised high.
"Bakudō #8: Seki!" the stranger shouted, slamming his palm forward. A glowing barrier of energy appeared just as the Hollow's claw struck, deflecting the blow with a deafening crack. Before the creature could recover, the black-clad warrior pivoted, his blade slicing through the Hollow's arm in a single, fluid motion. The monster howled, staggering back.
"Get behind me!" the warrior barked.
Itsuki scrambled to his feet and stumbled back, clutching his bleeding arm. His mind was a haze of fear and confusion.
The Hollow roared and lunged. With a single, decisive swing, his sword cleaved through the Hollow's mask, shattering it. The creature let out one final, ear-piercing scream before dissolving into black smoke, leaving only silence.
Itsuki collapsed to his knees, gasping for breath, his entire body trembling. The warrior sheathed his sword and glanced at him, assessing his injuries.
"You're lucky I was nearby," he said, his tone calm but firm. "Hollows usually don't come this deep into the Rukongai. You must have been a beacon to it."
Itsuki's mouth opened, but no words came out. "A… Hollow?" he finally managed, his voice shaking
The warrior gave him a brief, pitying look. "A corrupted soul. They devour other souls to fill the void in their hearts. If you'd stayed here alone, you'd be dead by now."
He turned, walking a few steps before glancing back over his shoulder. "Stay close to other people. And if you value your life, avoid being alone at night." Then, without another word, he vanished into the mist, leaving Itsuki alone once more.
Later that night, Itsuki sat near a small fire, his arm crudely bandaged. Around him, other villagers whispered in hushed, fearful tones.
"Did you see it? A real Soul Reaper, here in District 76…"
"I thought they only stayed in Seireitei."
"No, they come out here when Hollows appear. My cousin said there's a place—a school—where they train to become one. The Shin'ō Academy, I think it's called."
"Hah, like anyone from here could ever get in."
Itsuki listened silently, his mind racing. 'A school. A place where people like that warrior were trained.'
He looked down at his trembling hands, remembering how helpless he had felt. If he stayed here, powerless, he would always be prey. But maybe—just maybe—he didn't have to stay weak forever.
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Soul Society consists of the Rukongai, where souls live when they arrive in Soul Society, and Seireitei , which is at the center of Soul Society. The mode of life here closely resembles that of feudal Japan.
The Human World and Soul Society are parallel to each other and are two sides of the same coin; while the exact starting point of humanity in the Human World is unknown, Soul Society itself is over a million years old. Families separated by death are rarely reunited in the Soul Society unless they arrive in Soul Society together. People live nestled together like a family of strangers. One never gets hungry (if she or he doesn't have spiritual powers) and aging is slowed to a great extent, with lifespans of 2000 or more years not being unheard of, though such ages are limited to Shinigami or other souls with high Reiryoku (Spiritual Power). Children can be born as they are in the Human World. People can also be killed as regular humans are, though they are capable of surviving wounds that would normally be considered fatal. A soul that dies in Soul Society is eventually reincarnated on Earth after having spent a certain amount of time there.
Shin'ō Academy, also known as the Spiritual Arts Academy and sometimes called the Shinigami Academy, is situated within Seireitei, the heart of Soul Society.
If Itsuki wants to join the Academy, he must travel all the way from District 76 in East Rukongai to the very center of Soul Society. It's a long and dangerous journey, but one he knows he must undertake if he ever hopes to grow strong.
Itsuki understands that crossing such a vast distance will not be easy. Along the way, he must remain vigilant—not only for the Hollows that may appear but also for other souls who might seek to harm or exploit him.
Before he set out, Itsuki needed a weapon. After a day of searching through dilapidated shacks and scavenging piles, he found an old, worn sword. The blade was dull, the hilt wrapped in frayed cloth, but it was better than nothing. He secured it at his side, he began his journey.