In the Great Hollow Forest, while still hunting a Menos Grande, Yekawa's main body suddenly grinned.
"It actually succeeded."
Rukongai was the first destination for all departed souls entering Soul Society.
The bustling crowd around him gave Yekawa a feeling just like squeezing into a subway during morning rush hour in his previous life.
Dense crowds lined up in front of a massive oval building. Standing in the flow of people, Yekawa did not even need to walk. He was simply pushed forward by the crowd.
He looked up and saw that everyone had to pass through a gate. In front of the gate stood a long wooden table. Several Shinigami in soul reaper uniforms sat behind it, and every person who passed through received a wooden plaque.
After waiting for a long time, it was finally Yekawa's turn.
The Shinigami behind the table did not even lift his head.
"This is your identification plaque. You are assigned to the East District."
Before Yekawa could ask anything, the man tossed him a wooden plaque with the character East carved on it.
"Is it really that casual."
Pushed by the crowd, Yekawa was squeezed forward and followed the signs to a cave entrance marked with four huge characters East South West North. He entered the cave marked East.
After walking for a long time through the dark tunnel, he finally saw light. Moving toward it, he reached an open wilderness where a massive gate glowing with white light stood ahead.
The crowd behind pushed Yekawa straight into the gate.
Blinding white light forced him to shut his eyes.
"Hey new soul what are you dawdling for. Hurry up and hand over your identification plaque for registration."
Yekawa opened his eyes and found himself still inside a large building. Behind a huge desk, a young white haired female Shinigami stared at him with impatience.
"Hurry up and register. If you keep wasting time I will send you to District 80."
Yekawa suppressed his anger and forced a polite smile.
"Coming coming."
Inside, he sneered.
"Damn attitude. If this were Hueco Mundo I would tear you apart."
"Name."
The white haired Shinigami looked at him as if he were trash.
"My name is Ito Makoto."
This was the false name Yekawa had prepared in advance.
"Time of death unknown. Place of death Karakura Town. Age at death nineteen. Assigned to East District, District 57, Black Snake District."
She read the information and tossed his plaque back.
Just as Yekawa was about to speak, she shouted impatiently.
"Next."
"Move forward, don't stop," a guard in white robes urged from the side.
Yekawa could only swallow his anger and keep walking.
Just as he lifted his foot, a loud shout rang out. He turned and saw a middle aged man with an afro arguing with the white haired Shinigami.
"Why does that kid in front of me go to District 57 but I have to go to District 78."
The afro man pointed at Yekawa angrily.
"We follow regulations. If you think there is a problem you can file a complaint."
She spoke righteously, but casually took back the man's plaque and changed the number from 78 to 80.
Seeing this, the afro man roared.
"You're abusing your authority I will report—"
Before he could finish, two guards grabbed him and dragged him away, throwing him behind the gate marked 80.
Yekawa watched this scene, his mouth twitching, then walked into the gate marked 57.
Rukongai was divided into four major districts East South West and North, with Seireitei in the center.
Each district had eighty sub districts. The lower the number, the closer to Seireitei, the better the order and living conditions. The higher the number, the worse everything became.
District 80, farthest from Seireitei, was the worst. Food and water were scarce, and even spiritual particles in the air were thin.
People there survived through killing and plundering. Bloodshed was no less than Hueco Mundo.
District 57 was not good, but it was far better than District 80.
"Is this District 57."
After exiting the gate, Yekawa found himself on a street lined with single story tiled houses.
Judging from cleanliness and layout, it was much better than District 77 of the West District he had seen in Ito Kai's memories.
He did not rush to find his assigned home. Instead, he went to a stream and looked at his reflection.
After being a Hollow for so long, returning to human form felt strange.
Reflected in the water was a young man about eighteen or nineteen years old, tall, with black hair, black eyes, a sharp nose, and bright eyes like stars.
The face was almost identical to his previous life.
Yekawa smiled.
"From now on, this clone of mine will be called Ito Makoto."
Since the plan succeeded and his clone entered Soul Society as a human, the path was clear.
The main body would continue hunting Menos Grande in Hueco Mundo and evolve toward Vasto Lorde.
The clone would join the Spiritual Arts Academy, then enter the Thirteenth Division and become a Shinigami.
Both would grow at the same time.
When both reached their peak, the clone would be reabsorbed to complete the final evolution.
(To avoid confusion, this clone in Soul Society would from now on be called Ito Makoto.)