An Invitation to Die

Continuing west would lead to the even more chaotic Seventy-ninth District, beyond the Seventy-eighth District.

Though the Soul Society and Hueco Mundo were almost entirely separate, on very rare occasions they briefly overlapped. When that happened, they brought with them one of Hueco Mundo's local specialties—Hollows.

At the same time, these districts were home to many Shinigami outside the official ranks. Some had been private soldiers of noble families and fled their former masters after committing some offense. Others had violated division rules and escaped to these lawless lands to avoid punishment.

Because the area was far from the Seireitei, and arrests required enormous expenditures of manpower and resources, only a very small number of fugitives—those guilty of grave crimes or those who had offended powerful figures—were brought back. No one was willing to spend the time and effort chasing ordinary fugitives, and over time, this place had become a gray zone.

As the number of fugitives grew, they gradually formed various factions. Like warlords carving up territory during the Republican era, they freely brutalized and exploited the people here, making an already resource-starved and disaster-ridden region even harder to survive in.

The Captain-Commander clearly knew all this. Before Asano Kiyoshi left, he handed him something resembling a watch, saying it was the latest technology developed by the Twelfth Division based on technology from the Living World. It contained information on every fugitive, including their appearance, name, abilities...

The reason for giving Asano Kiyoshi this list was simple. The Captain-Commander had told him this at the time:

"Kill as many of the people on it as you can, and use this device to record it. I already taught you how to use it. There are two reasons I am having you do this."

"First: straighten out the security situation in the outer regions of Rukongai a little. I know the results will not be great, but as long as something benefits public order and stability, no matter how minor it is, you must do it. You need that kind of resolve."

"Second: every fugitive you kill carries a bounty and merits. On one hand, they can help support your household. On the other, those merits will be recorded. After you graduate and enter the Gotei 13, your position will be raised according to those merits. Remember, your future status will not be low. You need more than great strength—you also need merits substantial enough to silence everyone. Only with both will your position be secure."

Thinking back to that scene, even though Old Man Yama had spoken very seriously, Asano Kiyoshi still wanted to laugh. After all, could anyone imagine an old man teaching a young man how to use an electronic device?

Especially since Old Man Yama had failed several times back then and had nearly carried Ryūjin Jakka to the Twelfth Division to find someone...

Shaking his head, Asano Kiyoshi composed himself. The "watch" on his wrist began to emit a series of beeps. Whenever it sounded, it meant a fugitive had appeared within five hundred meters of him.

After beeping for a moment, a photograph appeared where the screen would be.

The photo showed a man in his forties with dark yellow hair. A scar ran from the corner of his eye down to his neck, and his sharply downturned triangular eyes made him highly recognizable.

He glanced at the fugitive's name—"Yamano Mirō"—then turned off the "watch" and silently closed his eyes. A vivid crimson spirit thread appeared in his mind.

About 280 meters to the southwest...

As a fallen leaf drifted slowly down from a great tree, Asano Kiyoshi vanished from where he stood.

Yamano Mirō was in a very good mood today. After becoming a fugitive for killing his teammate, he had fled to this godforsaken place. There was nothing here, and supplies were incredibly scarce, but he enjoyed himself immensely. In a place like this, his strength was enough to make him a local tyrant. He could do whatever he wanted.

The reason for his good mood today was simple. He had taken a liking to a beautiful woman. When he went to "invite" her, that damned woman had actually dared to run! Worse still, her father had dared to ambush him with a knife to help his daughter escape!

Though he had not been injured, having a dog-like nobody point a knife at him was enough to make him furious!

So he pinned that old man to the ground and cut open his stomach. The old man's heart turned out to be the same size as anyone else's. Tch, how boring. He had thought that someone who dared point a knife at him would have a heart different in size from an ordinary person's. How boring.

But while he was disemboweling the old man, the woman came back. Seeing her father's condition, she had actually run back like a madwoman!

Hahaha, what a stupid woman. Before her father died, when he saw his daughter running back, his eyes opened so wide. Hehe, fortunately, he was a kind-hearted man. He directly dug out the old man's eyes so he would not be heartbroken by what he saw. Tsk, tsk, tsk, he really was such a good person~

He had his men take the woman back to his camp. After all, he was still a man with some sense of shame. Doing that sort of thing in front of so many people was a little embarrassing~

He was now preparing to relieve himself in this wilderness before going back to find that stubborn woman.

At the thought, he began to laugh impatiently, his entire body trembling with excitement.

But at that moment, a clear, cold voice suddenly sounded beside his ear:

"Excuse me, you piece of trash. Are you Yamano Mirō?"

The instant he heard the voice, Yamano Mirō immediately calmed down. He drew the Zanpakuto at his waist and looked toward the source of the voice, but there was no one there. Then, without hesitation, he released his Zanpakuto:

"Lick—Mukade Maru!"

The instant Yamano Mirō finished speaking, dark yellow spiritual pressure flashed across his Zanpakuto. The blade rapidly expanded, and countless sharp spikes grew from its sides, making it look like a gigantic centipede poised to strike!

In a low voice, Yamano Mirō shouted at his surroundings:

"I do not know who you are, but if you have come to take my life, I am afraid you are not enough!"

The instant he finished speaking, Yamano Mirō felt searing pain erupt from both ankles at once, and he involuntarily dropped to his knees.

Before he could rise from the ground, an icy sensation touched his neck. What met his eyes was a pair of eyes cold to the extreme.

Asano Kiyoshi's voice was frigid:

"My name is Asano Kiyoshi. I have no particular purpose. I am simply here to invite Yamano Mirō to die!"