Beginning of Spring, outside Rice Village.
Tall white poplars stand on both sides of the dirt road. A gentle breeze blows, and the shadows of the trees sway. Several children run recklessly on the road, shattering the sunlight on the ground.
The boy, blindfolded, laughed as he chased after the person in front of him, then grabbed them and hugged them tightly. "Haha, I caught you!"
As they spoke, the boy pulled off the black cloth, wanting to see which of his friends he had caught.
What he saw was a pair of thick, strong legs and a brightly colored kimono, and his face turned deathly pale.
Beginning of Summer District is much better than Outer Rukongai, so it's not like ordinary Rukongai residents are allowed to wear brightly colored kimonos.
Most people wore clean, coarse linen clothing.
"You brat, do you know that during our time in the Edo period, if a commoner dared to offend a samurai, the samurai would cut off their head on the spot?"
The tall, muscular man crouched down, a long, grotesque scar running from his left forehead to the right corner of his mouth. Even the slightest expression on his face resembled a demon's sinister grin, radiating a menacing aura.
The boy had never seen anything like it before; he was so frightened that he dared not move or cry.
The group of friends all froze, completely stunned.
"Haha, don't be afraid, those were the rules from when they were alive, not the rules now."
The scarred man smiled and patted the boy's head.
The boy tried to force a smile in response.
His companion casually remarked, " Kenji, are you going to play that boring game again? If you want to kill someone, just kill them. Why make up so many excuses?"
The boy's face froze.
"Enough with the nagging. We've all left Outer Rukongai, so some rules need to be changed. Don't always be so blunt."
Kenji retorted to his companion.
Since being brought here by Yagyū at the beginning of January this year to remove the Hollow from that noble Shinigami's body, he has fallen deeply in love with this place.
Water sources are everywhere, young women, cowardly men, and plentiful food.
It's much better than District 80.
Even he was touched by the peaceful atmosphere and felt the need to cultivate his character, unlike his previous rudeness. He said gently, "I'll put on a black cloth to blindfold you. If you can survive for even a minute without being killed by me, then God is giving you a way out."
"Haha, what do you mean by 'God gives us a way out'? If you're serious, isn't it the same whether you close your eyes or keep them open?"
"Shut up."
Kenji retorted irritably.
Undeniably, these four companions cooperated very well with him during the battle; it was just that their views on life were not quite in sync.
They still couldn't shake off the barbarity of the Outer Rukongai, seeing themselves as wild beasts, doing everything in a simple and brutal way, and having no idea what romance or charm was.
What is originally a simple murder becomes thrilling when the victim is blindfolded.
The victims will experience the ultimate terror of not knowing when they will die.
"Hey kid, did you wet your pants? You're such a spineless coward." Kenji scoffed, showing no intention of letting the boy go.
It wasn't that he harbored any ill will towards the boy; he was simply bored and wanted to find some fun.
Whether a boy survives a game depends entirely on his mood during the game; if he's happy, he might keep his life.
If it gets boring, just kill it.
Kenji pulled the black cloth from the boy's hand, tied it around his neck, and said slowly, "Don't just stand there like an idiot. Like before, run! Remember to smile, that way you'll look better when you die."
"One two three!"
The boy shuddered and scrambled to his feet on all fours.
Kenji thought sarcastically as he swung the first knife, grazing the boy's scalp. He caught up with the boy in a few steps, his hand poised to swing the knife.
A chill ran down his spine to the top of his head. Like a startled kitten, he jumped back and huddled with his four companions, tearing off the black cloth.
Ahead, a man appeared on the road.
He was handsome, with a silver ponytail, dressed in strange clothes, and wore a sword at his waist.
A powerful Reiatsu descended upon his shoulder; without a word, its strength was already evident.
Kenji swallowed hard and asked, "May I ask who you are?"
"I was just about to greet my new neighbors, but this is what I saw. Looks like you guys do this kind of thing quite often."
Shiraishi said unhurriedly, "Do you really like playing battle royale? Coincidentally, I do too. I'll give you one minute. If you can survive, I'll let you continue living in the Beginning of Summer."
Upon hearing Kenji, Kenji's face turned pale and then flushed. He was furious, but without any hesitation, he turned and ran.
My companions weren't slow either.
Anger and numbers are no more than a piece of paper in the face of absolute power.
Shiraishi didn't rush to chase after them. He looked down at the boy who had bumped into his leg, squatted down, gently patted the boy's head, and wiped the dust off his face. "Okay, don't be afraid. The bad guys have been chased away by big brother."
"Waaaaah!" The boy cried loudly, and the other children joined in, venting their fear and anxiety.
"Alright, alright, cry all you want, cry as much as you want, then go home and find your own mothers. I have other things to take care of, so I'll be going now."
Shiraishi hates crying children, so instead of staying to comfort them, he ran away.
He rushed through the grove.
Kenji and his four companions were suddenly enveloped in a blur of sunlight filtering through the trees and falling on his long, silvery-white hair.
Shiraishi gripped the hilt of his sword and said slowly, "It seems that heaven has not given you a way out."
Who are you? Why are you trying to kill us?
Does murder need a reason?
He retorted with a mocking smile.
When I wanted to kill children before, it was all based on my mood. But now that it's my turn, I want to know why.
Shiraishi found it all quite laughable.
"... Then let's see who dies!"
Kenji a deep breath. Now that things had come to this, he had no choice but to fight with the knife in his hand.
Five swords were drawn simultaneously.
Pfft.
The sharp blade pierced through Kenji's body. He stared wide-eyed at his four companions beside him.
Their eyes were so cold, completely devoid of the laughter and merriment they had shown earlier while drinking and joking.
He drew his sword, and blood gushed from his strong body. The chill made Kenji very weak, and he didn't even have the strength to stand up. He collapsed straight down.
As if they had rehearsed, the four of them knelt down in unison.
One of them looked up and said, "Sir, it was Kenji to kill us just now. It had nothing to do with us. Please, sir, have mercy and spare our lives."
Outer Rukongai is a cruel place, filled with betrayal, treachery, and deception.
They believed they hadn't participated in the game and didn't need to risk their lives like Kenji, so they immediately killed Kenji to seek Shiraishi's forgiveness.
This approach is perfectly acceptable in Outer Rukongai.
But this isn't the Outer Rukongai.
Shiraishi felt a chill run down his spine when he saw how ruthless they were to their friends.
Without a word, he Steel Tempest forward with a slash so fast that the four of them didn't even have time to react before he passed right through the person who had spoken, followed by Steel Tempest.
A circular, golden slash appeared.
A head flew off, blood spurted out, and scattered among the fallen leaves in the grove.
The Shiraishi Man has gone far away, forgetting to ask for directions; he must rely on himself to find the Shinigami stationed here.