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Chapter 3: Men In Black I
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The air in District 1 was different; cleaner, quieter, and tinged with a sense of order that Akashi hadn't experienced in a long time.
It was a stark contrast to the chaos of the district he had clawed his way out of, a place where violence and decay permeated every street corner.
His old district, one of the furthest rings of Rukongai, had been a hive of filth and desperation, where even the faintest hint of authority was nothing more than a tool for oppression.
East District 1, felt like a different world entirely.
The roads were paved, not with dirt but with smooth, sun-bleached stones, and the buildings were upright and clean, their wood polished and sturdy.
Even the citizens seemed different; calmer, and healthier, their faces free from the constant scowl of survival.
Akashi walked through the streets, his pace unhurried but purposeful, his sharp eyes taking in every detail.
He smiled faintly as his mind wandered back to the empire he had built in the farthest district.
His family; The Creed; had transformed chaos into power, discipline, and wealth.
The district he now rules had been nothing but a feeding ground for the predators and gangs... Now, it was different... It's a place he instilled the Voices upon, whatever that means.
Every blade, every deal, every life he had taken or spared was a calculated step toward power.
Yet now, he left it all behind for he had done all he could. Here, he was just another soul with potential.
Another ambitious stranger making his way toward the gates of Seireitei to join the ranks of the Shinigami.
He knew better than to bring the swagger of a ruler into a place like this. Here, ambition needed to be tempered with caution.
Akashi felt people's eyes lingering on him a bit more than necessary, compelling him to raise a brow, 'Is it my height?' He wondered.
He didn't to stand out too much so quickly, so he wore casual clothes that blended in well with people of the single-digit Districts.
"Hello, my dear. Give me three of those," Akashi walked to one of the stalls nearby, finding an old lady selling Sushi rolls.
"Of course of course," It seems that business wasn't good as she jumped at the opportunity. He paid her with Soul Society's currency, Kan.
The sushi rolls were. Well, just basically rice rolls because they have nothing else within, and the taste was as good as they look, plain.
"Uncle uncle! Please please give me one!!" Akashi was interrupted by a little kid running up to him, begging for food.
"Here," Akashi threw him the remaining two, then watched him run away. The kid was quite skinny, and he obviously feels hunger.
Akashi did notice that people in single-digit Districts are more likely to have high spiritual power or Reiryoku.
He has many speculations as to why, the simplest being that special souls in the farthest Districts simply die.
There, violence prevails, and special souls are more likely to find themselves in dangerous food because they need food and water.
Therefore, they either die in others' hands, or simply starve to death, so it may not be that there are more people with high spiritual power here, but that here, they can survive longer.
'Although, would being in proximity to high spiritual power individuals possibly result in some sort of reaction?' Akashi wondered.
'Also, I noticed that when food and water became readily available, my spiritual power rose quickly... Could that be it?' He had to wonder.
He looked around as he walked, an idea sparking in his mind, 'Sex... Yeah, that should be another reason. The nobles in Seireitei must come here to fuck around.'
Akashi realized that his mind was wandering to some strange territories, so he prepared to go his own way, thankful that he could now control the Voices so only he could hear them.
Unfortunately, he has to hear them for as if recently, they never stop, always whispering in his ears and fucking with his mind.
Akashi, however, didn't seem to be too bothered, and his mind seemed sound... Is he still sane?
"What are you thinking?" Akashi was left stunned as he heard the gentle voice behind him.
Akashi turned around slowly to see who stood behind him, his expression morphing into surprise.
There stood a mild-featured man with brown scholarly hair enhanced by square glasses, along with soft brown eyes.
"Oh? You know me?" The man very mildly questioned, seeming curious.
"Yeah... Shinigami?" Akashi nodded, seizing the man up and down, 'Why is the Final Boss standing before me?'
"Indeed," The man gently nodded, "However, I couldn't help but notice that your surprise was rather exaggerated... You know a lot." His voice was tranquil, yet Akashi felt the weight of the world falling upon him.
"I must be mistaken... But are you a Captain?" Still, somehow, Akashi kept his composure and hesitantly asked, "I thought only Captains wear white haori?"
He has the Voices to thank for that. They, in an eerie way, keep him sane... Relative to what he could become.
"Aizen Sosuke," The man's response was simply introducing himself.
"Akashi," Akashi also introduced himself.
"No last name?" Aizen was curious.
"If I had one, I do not remember it," Akashi shook his head before asking, truly curious, "I have to know though, why are you here? Am I so special that a Captain would choose to welcome me?"
"It's always a pleasure to meet prospects in the path of Shinigami. It reminds me of the past," Aizen gently smiled, explaining, albeit briefly, "I look forward to your future achievements."
Before Akashi could say anything, Aizen seemingly vanished from his sight. He looked around, yet saw no sign of him.
"..." Akashi was somewhat speechless, 'Just how did I attract his attention? Don't tell me he saw what I did there? But... But the Voices made me, and someone like him wouldn't care, right?'
Akashi shook his head and went on his way. As he approached the towering walls of Seireitei, Akashi felt the weight of its presence.
The alabaster walls stretched high into the sky, their pristine surface unblemished by time or conflict.
The walls of the Seireitei, known as the Seireiheki, are made of Sekkiseki, a rare type of stone known to negate all Reiryoku.
The stone seems to form a spherical barrier known around the city, extending above and below, stopping anything spiritual from breaching it from ground level, from the sky or from underground.
A massive gate, reinforced with spiritual energy, stood as the sole entry point into the sacred stronghold.
The gate was guarded by a towering figure known as a Gatekeeper, a giant with spiritual power so immense that even standing near them was enough to make weaker souls tremble.
That was illustrated by the nearby souls shaking just from his mere presence.
Akashi stopped a dozen paces from the East Gate, his inky eyes narrowing as he sized up the Gatekeeper.
The giant barely acknowledged him, his massive hands resting casually on a club that looked capable of leveling buildings.
A line of hopefuls had formed near the gate, each waiting their turn to be screened for the entrance exam.
The hopefuls were a motley crew. Some radiated raw spiritual energy, their potential practically oozing from their skin.
Others looked like they barely belonged, their postures nervous and their eyes darting around in uncertainty.
When his turn came, the Gatekeeper finally looked down, his deep voice booming like thunder, "State your name and purpose."
Akashi tilted his head slightly, his expression calm and unreadable. "Akashi. I've come to join the Shinigami Academy."
The Gatekeeper's eyes lingered on him for a moment, as if weighing the truth of his words. Finally, the giant nodded and gestured for him to step forward.
There were doors within the seemingly heavy giant gates, allowing the passage of those here to take the test.
Akashi followed after them, setting foot in Seireitei for the very first time, 'Ah, the Voices... I'm coming to finally see you.'