Arrival in the Soul Society

"This is... the Soul Society the Lord spoke of!"

Shisui stepped out of the Senkaimon and set foot on solid ground.

The Soul Society was likewise in the middle of the night. The sky stretched cloudless for miles, and bright moonlight bathed the surroundings in a faint glow.

The Scarlet Sharingan lit up, eventually transforming into the Mangekyō Sharingan. Shisui scanned the area, his expression cautious as he warily observed this unfamiliar new world.

Before him stood a very typical courtyard: rows of wooden houses and a spacious, open yard, enough to accommodate the entire Uchiha Clan.

"So even the other world after death has this kind of architecture..."

As Shisui looked at the courtyard, he found it incomparably familiar. The style was one he knew well.

The courtyard was silent in the darkness, completely deserted. No danger was visible for the time being.

The moment he landed, Shisui felt an all-encompassing sense of relief, as though the air was filled with energy. Every breath absorbed that energy, replenishing his weary body.

Although the sensation was extremely faint, with his refined perception, he could not possibly be mistaken.

Compared to the Ninja World, it felt like suddenly leaving an oxygen-starved plateau and entering a low-altitude environment.

"The air is filled with this kind of energy. This must be the Reishi Lord Kenma mentioned... No wonder he said that most souls in the Soul Society can survive just by breathing."

Shisui had died long before the other Uchiha, but he had worried about Konoha and his clansmen. Thus, he had begged Kenma to leave his lost soul in Konoha, where he could quietly watch over the village and the clan.

Now, this was his first time coming to the Soul Society.

After confirming that it was safe, Shisui returned to the Senkaimon and showed it to the clansmen.

One Uchiha after another followed him through the Senkaimon and arrived within the courtyard.

Under Shisui's arrangements, the clansmen maintained a basic order.

"Tekka, Inabi, the clansmen have all gone in."

"Yashiro, let's go too."

"Minister, the entire Guard Division is ready. Departing."

All the Uchiha clansmen had entered the Senkaimon. After them came the members of the Guard Division, who had been maintaining order.

In the end, only Fugaku and his wife remained, along with Shikoku Kenma, who was maintaining the spatial rift and the Senkaimon.

Before entering the spatial rift, Fugaku and his wife turned back for one final look at the Clan Territory where they had lived for so many years, as well as Konoha, which they had guarded for generations.

Infinite melancholy rose in their hearts.

Itachi's actions must have been sanctioned by the village. Otherwise, he would never have done such a thing.

Who would have thought that the most renowned clan in the Ninja World had not fallen on the battlefield, but instead died at the hands of the companions they had protected with countless sacrifices? What bitter irony.

"Poor Sasuke... He'll have to survive alone in this cruel world from now on..."

"With Itachi there, Sasuke will be safe. Besides, it isn't as if we can never return to see our child... Let's go."

Fugaku sighed, took his wife's hand, and stepped through the Senkaimon.

They were already dead. No amount of thought would change anything, so they should not interfere with the world of the living.

Once everyone had entered, Kenma put away his Zanpakuto and lightly pointed at the Kido overhead with one finger.

"Disperse."

The Barrier surrounding the Uchiha Clan Territory shattered like bubbles. Taking the chance, he entered the spatial rift, passed through the Senkaimon, and stepped into the white light.

Without his power sustaining it, the space rapidly repaired itself, returning to normal in an instant. The Senkaimon vanished as well.

Of course, this Senkaimon was not Kenma's ability, but Soul Society technology.

He had merely borrowed it and combined it with his Zanpakuto's abilities, turning it into a passage directly to the Soul Society.

The Senkaimon used by ordinary Shinigami was originally located in a towering gate-like structure within the Seireitei. Two square wooden pillars that reached into the clouds stood before it, and its use required an application to be submitted to one's superiors.

But what Kenma used was not that kind. It was a specialized Senkaimon possessed only by noble families.

As the son-in-law of the Great Noble Shikokuin Family, obtaining such a thing had been effortless for him.

When he emerged from the Senkaimon, the wooden door immediately closed and returned to being two square wooden pillars over three meters tall, looking entirely unremarkable.

Before him stood rows upon rows of Uchiha. Shisui, who had arrived earlier, and the Guard Division members were already maintaining order.

Uchiha Fugaku could likewise sense the miraculous energy contained within the air. They had truly arrived in another world.

The Uchiha clansmen were also uneasy, yet they carried hopes for their future lives.

This was the Afterlife. There was none of Konoha's hostile atmosphere here, nor was there persecution from those in power. They would begin entirely new lives here.

This clan, deliberately erased from the Ninja World, was now undergoing a different kind of revival in the Soul Society, where lost souls gathered.

The moment he saw Shikashuin Kenma emerge last, Fugaku immediately reacted. Without the slightest hesitation, he dropped to his knees, pressed his forehead heavily against the ground, and showed his heartfelt respect and gratitude to Lord Shinigami, who had granted them new lives.

The Uchiha behind him followed suit, all kneeling together like toppled dominoes. Regardless of strength or age, male or female, all did the same.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

The dull sounds of foreheads striking the ground rang out one after another. As Kenma looked around, all he could see were rows of bowed backs and lowered heads.

"The Uchiha Clan is profoundly grateful for the Lord's grace in granting us new life. From this day onward, we shall follow you for eternity and never fail in our loyalty. Should we ever commit betrayal, may we fall forever into Avici Hell, never to rise again!"

Fugaku's voice was solemn, carrying an indescribably complex yet resolute will. In the silent courtyard, every word rang especially clear.

"Uchiha Clan, we pay respects to the Lord!"

The voices of over a thousand people—strong, aged, childish, and delicate—gathered together and erupted like a surging tsunami, every one of them sincere.

They had already died once. Swearing by death again would instead seem casual, even disrespectful to their Lord's identity as a Shinigami. Thus, they invoked Avici Hell, Buddhism's most agonizing and severe punishment.

The loyalty oath of more than a thousand people was enough to make anyone's blood race.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that these people were now his Private Soldiers.

An unprecedented sense of fulfillment surged through Kenma. He quickly suppressed his turbulent emotions, raised a hand slightly, and spoke with a steady, powerful voice that carried the bearing of a General.

"Rise."

"By your command!"

The crowd's roaring reply sounded once more. More than a thousand people rose with a rustle, their gazes fixed upon Kenma, their New Lord. Awe, gratitude, curiosity, and confusion mingled in their eyes.

Fortunately, the several courtyards nearby were all Kenma's Private Property, so their voices were barely audible beyond the area.

"Shisui, Fugaku, and the leaders of your clan, come with me."

With that, Kenma walked outside.

Fugaku nodded to several people in the crowd. Shisui and two white-haired elders stepped out and followed after him.

After leaving the courtyard, Kenma pointed out the large stretch of courtyards nearby to the four of them.

"These places were all given to me by friends. Let the Uchiha clansmen live here for now. There are plenty of rooms, so it should be more than enough."

"This area isn't close to the central Seireitei, but it is still at the outer edge of a prosperous district. Safety can be guaranteed, and food and water are plentiful enough to ensure your basic survival."

"This is the currency used here. It will be enough for you to live on for some time. Use that time to adapt to this place. The general customs are roughly similar to those of your original world, so you should be able to accept them quickly."

Kenma carried a small Wooden Box out from one of the rooms and handed it to Shisui.

The money had also been a gift from that friend.

"Besides requiring you to become self-sufficient, I have another matter for you."

The four immediately focused, listening intently for their Master's next command.

"You must quickly identify everyone in the clan who feels Hunger. I will focus on cultivating them."

"Becoming Shinigami is not impossible either."