"This is Kumu Street, the poorest and most backward part of Inuzuri..."
Renji Abarai's expression turned somber as he spoke, as if something had come to mind.
Rukia said nothing, walking on in silence.
She had already hidden the jeweled ring she'd been wearing.
Rukia knew all too well that it was best not to flaunt one's wealth.
Gilgamesh's expression was somber, too.
Though he had been prepared for what he might see, the scene before him still shook him.
The people here were all skin and bones, their faces blank and numb. They had no hope for life or dreams for the future. They were like walking corpses.
Perhaps death no longer frightened them.
Fights, brawls, theft, and screams... they were all commonplace here.
Some people even collapsed without warning as they walked along the road. Those passing by were numb to it all; they paid no heed and simply went on their way.
At the same time, Gilgamesh caught a foul stench, a mixture of all sorts of rotten smells.
Even Gilgamesh could barely stand it.
But the people who lived here had long since grown used to it.
Renji Abarai and Rukia were accustomed to it, too, and showed no sign of discomfort.
After seeing the Soul Society's crimes with his own eyes—the hellish conditions of Rukongai—Gilgamesh's expression grew even more somber.
A question could not help but cross his mind. If they had known the Soul Society would be like this, would they still have accepted the Shinigami's soul burial? Would they still have been willing to come here?
And the Shinigami who knew all this, yet lured souls here with "benevolent lies"...
Before long, Gilgamesh had toured more than half of Inuzuri with Renji Abarai and Rukia leading the way.
"This could be called the most prosperous place in all of Inuzuri, because it has the only shop in the district that sells water."
Renji Abarai stopped as he spoke, gesturing for Gilgamesh to look at a stone building nearby. It stood out like a crane among a flock of chickens, surrounded by ramshackle houses made of thatch and battered wooden boards.
A huge sign hung above the stone building's entrance. It read: "Omaeda Water Shop."
A long line of people was already waiting to buy water.
Gilgamesh knew how chaotic Inuzuri was. It was astonishing that, in a place this lawless, no one caused trouble over such a precious resource. The people buying water even followed the rules of their own accord.
As if he had realized something, Gilgamesh asked, "Does this shop have powerful backing?"
Renji Abarai and Rukia hadn't expected Gilgamesh to ask that. They paused in surprise.
Then Rukia answered, "We don't know the details, but we've heard that a noble family stands behind the shop. They have a lot of influence in South Rukongai, and they've monopolized the real estate business in our district, too."
Renji Abarai chimed in, "I've also heard they run casinos and pleasure houses in some of the higher-ranked districts. There are a lot of Shinigami in their family, too."
Gilgamesh was taken aback.
Suddenly, the surname Omaeda seemed familiar.
Without meaning to, he pictured a broad-faced, heavyset man with a samurai hairstyle and a gold chain around his neck. His name was Marechiyo Omaeda.
In the world of Bleach, Marechiyo Omaeda was the Second Division's lieutenant in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads at the start of the story.
Gilgamesh didn't know whether Marechiyo Omaeda had become a lieutenant yet at this point in time.
But that wasn't the important thing. Gilgamesh remembered that Marechiyo Omaeda's family was extremely wealthy and in business. They had even paid to renovate the Second Division barracks.
Could it really be such a coincidence?
But if it really was his family, they certainly had the means to keep the shop safe.
After all, Marechiyo Omaeda's father had been the Second Division's lieutenant when Yoruichi Shihouin was in charge, and he was even stronger than Marechiyo Omaeda.
Gilgamesh didn't linger. With Renji Abarai and Rukia leading the way, he continued exploring Inuzuri.
When night fell, Gilgamesh, Renji Abarai, and Rukia came to the edge of a cliff.
From there, they could see all of Inuzuri. A small grave mound sat nearby.
The people buried there were Renji Abarai and Rukia's friends.
At that moment, two children who looked about Rukia's age were kneeling in front of the mound.
They were paying their respects and reminiscing with their old friends.
One was named Xingxing, and the other was Yegou.
Yegou was plump, while Xingxing was thin and frail.
"We hated this place from the time we were little. We hated the people here, too..."
"In a place like this, the adults are either bandits or murderers, and the children are like stray dogs..."
"This place is too cruel for children..."
"We were lucky to find each other. We were like family, always together, never apart..."
"But..."
As Renji Abarai spoke, he thought of their friends' gruesome deaths, and tears slipped down his face.
Rukia was the same. Though she tried her hardest to hold them back, the tears still fell.
Gilgamesh said nothing. He simply gazed up at the sky, at the sparse stars above, and listened to Renji Abarai's sobs.
Just then, a gentle breeze swept past.
It was as if their departed friends had come to comfort their grieving family.
"I will put an end to the chaos in Rukongai."
Gilgamesh's confident, imperious voice rang out, drawing the attention of Renji Abarai, Rukia, Xingxing, and Yegou. Astonishment appeared on all their faces.
They had no idea why Gilgamesh would say something like that.
Before they could dwell on it, Gilgamesh continued in the same confident, imperious voice. "I was a king in life, and I will be a king in death."
"I will build a kingdom here where everyone has enough to eat and wear, and smiles with happiness every day."
"If the Shinigami won't take charge of Rukongai, I will!"
His words rang out with conviction, and they couldn't help looking at him.
As soon as they did, they found themselves entranced.
In their eyes, Gilgamesh seemed to glow beneath the starlight.
At that moment, his figure, though not particularly tall, seemed immeasurably imposing.
To them, Gilgamesh's vow seemed absurd, even impossible to fulfill.
But for some reason, they were willing to believe him.
Perhaps that was the charisma of a king.
Gilgamesh turned to Renji Abarai, Rukia, Xingxing, and Yegou and asked, "Will you come and serve me, and help me build this kingdom?"
A true warrior would die for someone who recognized his worth.
Renji Abarai, Rukia, Xingxing, and Yegou had lived like stray dogs every day. For the first time, someone had made them feel valued. A profound sense of honor swelled in their hearts, their blood surging with excitement.
Without a moment's hesitation, they shouted together, "We will!"
Soul King Palace.
The eyes of the Soul King, sealed within the crystal, seemed to reflect Gilgamesh's figure as they gazed upon fate.
A variable in fate...
A brand-new future...
Before you continue