Winning Their Hearts

"Only one person—Little Oars..."

Hearing Fugaku's result, not only the Uchiha Clan but even Kenma himself found it hard to believe.

After all that effort, this was the result? Among so many Lost Souls, only one had the potential to become a Shinigami?

No one could be satisfied with that.

Kenma even more so; his heart was filled with unwillingness.

Obtaining Whitebeard and Ace had once made Kenma feel satisfied.

But without the aptitude to become Shinigami, it would ultimately be of little use.

Had the Uchiha Clan used up all his luck earlier, leading to such a terrible result this time?

Kenma's expression darkened.

Upon hearing the result, Whitebeard and Ace both flushed with embarrassment, feeling too ashamed to face Kenma.

They had made so many demands for nothing, and Kenma had agreed to every one of them. Yet their own performance had been utterly pathetic.

"Boss Kenma, this... we've let you down. We disappointed you."

Whitebeard's face was full of shame.

In life, he had ruled supreme over the seas, yet after death, he was not even as capable as an ordinary grunt. Even Whitebeard found such a massive gap difficult to accept.

It had undoubtedly dealt a severe blow to his confidence and domineering spirit.

More importantly, with such a performance, he had truly failed Kenma's previous accommodation and tolerance.

But at this point, there was nothing he could do.

After waiting a full day and night without feeling hungry, what could someone who had only just died and understood nothing possibly do?

Just then, a cry of alarm came from nearby.

"Old Man, Ace, come quickly! John is about to disappear!"

A commotion rose from the crowd.

Hearing the shout, Kenma immediately led everyone over.

They saw a fierce-looking Pirate whose face was now filled with terror. His body was turning diffuse and transparent.

Glittering Reishi was rapidly leaking from his body and dispersing into the air. He would likely vanish at any moment.

"How could this happen?"

Shisui frowned at the sight.

Though he had never seen such a situation himself, he had studied it in Shino Academy's textbooks.

If an ordinary soul without sufficient aptitude entered an environment with an excessively high concentration of Reishi, its entire soul would be unable to bear the burden and would be crushed to death by the surrounding Reishi.

Shisui looked worriedly at Kenma before him. "My lord, was his internal structure... damaged by an environment with overly concentrated Reishi?"

Kenma observed for a moment, his brows knitting together. Hearing Shisui's words, he slowly shook his head.

"Probably not."

"Even if a soul were dispersing, it shouldn't happen this quickly."

Kenma also knew about the situation Shisui described, like Kuchiki Hisana in the original story.

But that had happened inside the Seireitei.

This place was on the outskirts of Junrin'an District. Although there was plenty of Reishi in the environment, it was nowhere near as concentrated as the Seireitei.

The Reishi here was completely sufficient for ordinary Lost Souls to survive.

Kenma's heart stirred as a speculation suddenly surfaced in his mind.

"Then what is happening?"

Whitebeard remained fairly calm, but Ace beside him looked much more anxious.

He hurriedly asked Kenma, "Big Boss, you're so powerful. Is there any way to save him?"

They had clearly gained new life after death. They could not possibly disperse completely the moment they arrived in this new world.

If they died this time, they would probably truly be dead.

"Ahhh! Old Man, it's happening to me too!"

At that moment, another cry rang out. Kenma and the others went over to look and found the exact same thing happening to another person.

He too was rapidly dispersing within the Soul Society.

With the second case, it was as though a line of dominoes had been knocked over. Whether Pirates or Marines, Lost Souls began suffering the same fate one after another.

In the blink of an eye, nearly a hundred people had already been affected.

And as time passed, the condition continued to spread like a plague, while the number of dispersing Lost Souls rapidly increased.

After examining five or six cases in succession, the speculation in Kenma's heart gradually solidified.

He sighed inwardly and said, "I think I know the reason."

Whitebeard and the others all turned to look at him. Ace impatiently asked, "What is it?"

After sweeping his gaze around the area, Kenma slowly said, "You came from another world and were brought to the Soul Society by me. To this world, you are foreign objects, unable to adapt to its environment."

Just as freshwater fish could not live in seawater, differences in living environments had a decisive impact on living beings themselves.

And in an unusual environment like the Soul Society, the condition of these Lost Souls could also be called rejection by the world.

After all, somewhere in the unseen, a vast will guided the development of this world.

Shisui frowned and exchanged a glance with Fugaku, seeing the same thoughtful expression on his face.

He stepped forward and hurriedly asked, "If that's the case, why is the Uchiha Clan fine? We're also people from outside the Soul Society. Shouldn't we suffer the same fate as them?"

Whitebeard glanced at Shisui and the others, surprise in his eyes.

Then he looked at Ace, Little Oars, and the ability users who had formed contracts with Kenma, and his expression suddenly froze.

He realized that none of them showed any signs of imminent dispersal.

Could it be...

A thoughtful look appeared on his face as he said to Kenma, "Boss Kenma, we're all fine too. And from what I can see, everyone who is fine is one of your Contractors..."

Kenma nodded, his expression exceptionally grave.

"Newgate, it seems you've figured it out."

Shisui and the others looked puzzled, while Whitebeard seemed greatly relieved.

Kenma continued, "You are safe because you formed contracts with me. In essence, you are one with me. Since I can exist in this world, the world will accept you as well."

"There is no other explanation."

"At the moment, the only way to save them is for them to form contracts with me."

Hearing that there was still a way to save them, Ace could no longer suppress his excitement. He hurriedly said, "Big Boss, please save them. They're all my companions. I can't stand by and do nothing."

"Boss Kenma..."

Whitebeard's face was also filled with guilt and apology, his eyes revealing his embarrassment.

Yet he still pleaded, "I know this request is shameless, but right now, asking you to help is the only option."

He had clearly demanded earlier that Kenma not form contracts with them and allow his sons their freedom.

Yet he had never expected things to change so quickly.

And he himself lacked the aptitude to become a Shinigami, already having deeply disappointed Kenma. He had no face to beg the man again.

But...

These people were all his sons. How could he abandon them?

Boom!

With a deafening crash, Whitebeard suddenly dropped to his knees before Kenma. His enormous head lowered, his forehead pressed deeply against the ground.

"Please, Boss Kenma. Please save them and form contracts with them."

Whitebeard knew how brazen his request was, but he truly had no other solution.

"Old Man..."

Seeing Whitebeard in such a posture, Ace was deeply moved. Then his expression became incomparably resolute.

"Big Boss, I'm begging you too. As long as you save them, I'll do anything you want!"

"Please!"

Beside Whitebeard, Ace also knelt before Kenma and deeply lowered his head.

Seeing this, a commotion immediately arose among the surrounding Pirates.

"Old Man, stand up! You're the overlord of the seas—how can you kneel... sob..."

"As Pirates, we chose our own fate. This outcome is our own doing. We can't blame anyone else."

"Old Man, you've already done enough for us. Don't humiliate yourself any further."

"That's right, Old Man, Ace. Seeing that you've found new lives is enough to make us happy."

"Sob... Old Man, I'm sorry... sob..."

Some Lost Souls cried, some roared, some grieved, and some kept hard expressions on their faces...

After Whitebeard and Ace, Little Oars, the Marine Generals, and all the ability users under contract also stepped forward and knelt before Kenma in plea.

Looking at all those bowed heads before him, Kenma sighed.

"You've gone this far. If I still refused to respond, I would be the heartless one."

"Don't worry. I'll save every one of you. Not a single person will die."

How could Kenma treat the sincere pleas of these men lightly?

Fine, then.

He would allow himself to be willful just this once!

As soon as Kenma said this, everyone raised their heads, their faces full of reverence and gratitude.

Ace's eyes had long since reddened, and he was on the verge of tears.

Whitebeard was deeply moved. A crystalline gleam flashed in his eyes, and the emotion on his face was utterly sincere.

"Boss Kenma, I cannot thank you enough."

"From this day onward, my life is yours. Whatever you wish, I will give it everything I have!"

Ace quickly added, "Big Boss, me too!"

The Marine Generals and ability users said in unison, "We are immeasurably grateful for your grace, my lord. We swear to serve you unto death and never fail your trust!"

Kenma raised a hand toward them. "Get up. This is also what I should do."

Looking at the Lost Souls smiling and cheering before him, Kenma should have been happy as well.

He had won over Whitebeard and the others' hearts so easily.

Yet his heart suddenly felt hollow, and an inexplicable terror spread from its depths.

These Lost Souls came from the world of Pirates, which was why the Soul Society would not accept them.

Then...

What about me?