Most of the souls gathering in this area possessed moderately high levels of Reiryoku. Their spiritual lifespan stretched far longer than that of ordinary Plus souls — some had lingered here for two or three centuries.
Yet "strong" was a relative term. Most of them had Reiatsu only at the second-class level, and only a rare few ever reached third-class.
At that level, a spiritual body could sense Reiryoku and manipulate Reishi to some degree — the limit for untrained souls. Those who reached third-class Reiatsu were qualified to enter the Shin'ō Academy, and if they continued to train and attained fourth-class Reiatsu, they could even perform basic Kidō.
Of course, souls of that strength were generally over two hundred years old. Even in the Soul Society, such aged Plus spirits rarely entered the Academy.
Many souls like this roamed the outer districts of Rukongai — and it was from among them that Aizen Sōsuke once collected the spiritual essence used to create the Hōgyoku, forcibly merging hundreds of Shinigami and spiritually gifted souls into that forbidden artifact.
For that reason, Rukongai contained a high concentration of souls with latent spiritual power — some noble, many violent.
As Kurotsuki Renya observed this, he realized something fascinating about the world of Bleach: there weren't only Shinigami, Quincy, Hollows, or Fullbringers — there were tens of thousands of wandering spiritual beings, each forming their own quiet cultures between the folds of existence.
After leaving the Urahara Shop with Yoruichi Shihōin and Lisa Yadōmaru, Kuna Mashirocame running toward them, clutching a paper bag.
"Did you get it?" Lisa asked.
Mashiro nodded quickly, pulling out a few treats. "Peony cakes! Here, Yoruichi—try one!"
"Thanks."
Renya accepted his with curiosity. The peony cake resembled a mooncake, though thinner, with a soft outer layer imprinted with a floral design. He bit into it gently — the crust gave way to a smooth filling, sweet and creamy, likely made from taro flour and rice.
It was surprisingly good. The bean powder balanced the sweetness, keeping it from feeling heavy.
Mashiro looked at Yoruichi eagerly. "Well? How is it?"
Yoruichi's lips curled into a mischievous smirk. "What's in this? Ugh. That's awful."
"Whaaat?! No way! It's good!" Mashiro's face twisted in mock offense. "Renya, what do you think?"
Renya chuckled softly. "I think it's delicious."
"Then here," Yoruichi said, thrusting the half-eaten one into his hand. "You eat it. I'm done."
Renya froze, staring at the bite mark and the smear of crumbs. Great… her saliva's still on this one.
Still, Yoruichi's unfiltered nature didn't surprise him. She was as blunt and unrestrained as ever — the kind of woman who stripped and shapeshifted in front of people without a care.
He sighed, finishing both cakes before wiping his hands. The group continued through the narrow streets of the hidden soul settlement.
The area was impressive — filled with humble shops, food stalls, and even fields where Plus souls cultivated spirit grain. It almost felt like an echo of Rukongai, suspended within the Living World.
Renya exhaled softly. "I didn't expect such a large concentration of souls outside the Soul Society. If this is just one area, how many must still be wandering unpurified?"
Lisa adjusted her glasses. "Not many others like this. Only a handful of cities have soul clusters on this scale."
Mashiro nodded. "Yeah! Because Karakura Town's a jūrei-chitai—a land of high spiritual density."
"Jūrei-chitai…" Renya murmured.
He recalled what Yoruichi once told him: Aizen had needed one hundred thousand souls and a high-density spirit zone spanning a mile in radius to forge the Ōken.
Such lands — "heavy spirit zones" — were naturally unstable, attracting Hollows and spiritually active humans alike. Karakura Town, then, was a nexus for the supernatural.
They wandered through more stalls, buying trinkets and snacks, until noon approached. Eventually, Lisa pointed toward a small ramen stand.
"The ramen here's great — they even serve super spicy miso. Want to try it?"
"Sure," Yoruichi said immediately.
"Four bowls of the super spicy," Lisa called toward the counter.
Renya frowned. "Wait, I didn't agree to that…"
Yoruichi grinned and slung an arm around his shoulders. "Come on, kid, don't tell me you can't handle a little spice? You're supposed to be a man."
He shot her a flat look. "Spice tolerance isn't a gender trait. And besides, the three of you are women."
Lisa laughed. Mashiro leaned over the counter, waving enthusiastically at the chef.
"I just don't like the flavor that much," Renya muttered. "Too much heat hides the real taste of food. At least in human cuisine, they balance spice with sour or savory. This is just… pain in a bowl."
Yoruichi chuckled. "Speaking of food — have you seen Shiba Kūkaku lately? Still blowing up half the Seireitei with her fireworks?"
Renya smiled faintly. "I know her pretty well. I actually helped test one of her bomb prototypes once."
"Oh?" Yoruichi's golden eyes gleamed with amusement. "You're popular for a kid. Saving sisters-in-law, working with pyromaniacs… impressive résumé."
She ruffled his hair roughly.
"Hey!" Renya batted her hand away. "Only Captain Soi Fon gets to do that."
That earned a burst of laughter from Yoruichi that turned heads at nearby tables.
Moments later, steaming bowls of crimson broth arrived. Renya stared at his warily, but Yoruichi, Lisa, and Mashiro were already devouring theirs with fiery enthusiasm.
By the time they left the shop, Renya was drenched in sweat, Yoruichi looked perfectly calm, and Mashiro was fanning her tongue.
"I'm so full," Yoruichi sighed in satisfaction.
Renya blinked. "You had thirteen bowls."
She shrugged. "I'm efficient."
Lisa glanced at her empty wallet and groaned. "And I'm broke."
They left the soul district behind, strolling through the quiet human-side streets of Karakura. The gentle hum of life returned — wind, cars, faint human chatter.
As they turned a corner, Renya noticed a young man crouched before a little girl. The girl was a soul — faintly translucent. The man, however, was human.
Not only that — Renya could feel it. His spiritual pressure… it's second-class Reiatsu.For a human in his early twenties, that was exceptional.
Yoruichi's posture shifted, hand on her hip. "Hey, are you bothering her?"
The young man looked up in surprise. "Ah — no! I wasn't bullying her. She was lost, and I was trying to help, but… I'm new here. I thought you might know what to do."
Renya exchanged a look with Yoruichi.
She smirked. "We've got time. Let's see what this kid's about."
The young man exhaled in relief, bowing his head slightly. "Thank you."
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