The Supreme Soul, Starting with Death

Beside him, the black-haired spiky-haired Shinigami, clearly from the 11th Division, had his sword sheathed at his waist, yet he still carried his unsheathed Zanpakuto on his shoulder, looking ready to chop someone at any moment, laughing loudly and forcefully patting the red-haired Shinigami's shoulder.

"Don't worry, Ashido, we're not newbies, we know what to do! Besides, no matter what the mission is, as long as we kill all the enemies, there's no danger!"

The red-haired Shinigami rubbed his aching shoulder, not feeling annoyed at all. When he first graduated, he joined the Eleventh Division first, and then transferred to the Thirteenth Division for some reason. He was already used to the way the muscle-headed guys of the Eleventh Division expressed "closeness" to him, and knew that this guy meant no harm.

Beside her, a female Grim Reaper with strange bangs that covered one eye, her gloomy eyes constantly swept across the corners around her, as if several Hollows might jump out from those dark places at any moment. She kept biting her left thumb nail and couldn't help but mutter anxious curses under her breath.

"Those damned Hollows, I don't know where they came from, there are so many of them! It's been a long time since such a large-scale Hollow swarm has formed in the mortal world, hasn't it? Damn it, why does this kind of trouble have to fall on my head!"

Her sinister demeanor, so dark it seemed she might pull out a dummy and stab someone with needles at any moment, made the two men, both former members of the 11th Division, grimac as if their teeth ached, and quietly move a little further away from her.

However, a young man with an armband on his right upper arm, engraved with bird-like patterns, seemed to be quite thick-skinned. He didn't seem to care about the grim expression on the female Grim Reaper's face and smiled as he took over her words and explained.

"I heard that there was an extraordinary genius who wandered around, and the Void beings from all over the world were attracted by his aura and gathered together. In general, it should be considered an accident. At least we don't have to worry that some big shot above deliberately pushed us out to our deaths."

"Oh, Yu-ren, you're still so well-informed. No wonder you're a nobleman!"

The black-haired hedgehog didn't care about any conspiracy or anything like that. He immediately put his arm around Ashdo's shoulder and started cheering. The boy known as Yuto was obviously very familiar with this brute from the Eleventh Division. Hearing this, he wasn't angry. He just glanced at him lightly and patted the bag on his back.

"Ibuki, I'm in charge of the meals for this mission. Be careful, or you might be the only one in the team with lots of vegetables and little meat for dinner."

For the brute from the Eleventh Division, who can't live without meat and alcohol, the threat of not having meat for dinner is far more terrifying than "I'll kill you." The black-haired hedgehog immediately put his hands together, showing an expression of begging for mercy.

Yu Ren then showed a satisfied smile. To avoid misunderstandings from other temporary team members who were not yet familiar with him, he quickly gave a brief self-introduction with a smile.

"Just like that idiot said, I am indeed a nobleman, a member of the Sparrow Clan, but in the end, as an ordinary member of a lower-ranking noble family, I shouldn't be considered a nobleman anymore."

"Like me, not only do I have to go on dangerous missions with everyone, but I'm also the best cook among you all. A true nobleman wouldn't do something as 'undignified' as cooking himself."

As he spoke, Youren smiled modestly, nodded slightly to the unfamiliar temporary team members, and then summarized his self-introduction.

"In short, I don't even consider myself an aristocrat anymore, so you all don't need to care. Just treat me like an ordinary Grim Reaper."

Just as the group thought he was a gentle young man who was easy to bully, Yu-ren's smile suddenly turned sharp, and he spoke again in an almost threatening tone.

"Oh, right, I forgot to mention, everyone, I am a staunch lover of spicy food. I can accept requests for everything from extra spicy to mild spicy, but I will never and will never make a boring dish without any spice! If any of you don't eat spicy food, please go and chew on a rock instead of complaining to me."

The stark contrast in his performance before and after left several Grim Reapers who were unfamiliar with Yuto momentarily stunned. The spiky-haired guy, who had been waiting for this moment, burst into laughter.

"Hahahaha, I knew it! Ashdo, look at these people's expressions, they're so funny! I told you Yu-ren's weird habit was hilarious!"

Even Ashido, who was worried about this mission, couldn't help but grin. Yuto's obsession with spicy food was well-known among the graduates of his year. His Zanpakuto had good healing effects and could even easily reattach severed limbs. During the graduation exam, he helped many injured classmates.

With such Zanpakuto abilities, he naturally received an invitation from the Fourth Division (Medical Division) immediately after graduation. The vice-captain of the Fourth Division promised him a seat as a senior officer if he joined. However, Yuto decisively rejected the invitation after hearing that "patients should maintain a light diet and avoid spicy food during the recovery period of their injuries," and instead joined the Third Division, much to the surprise of all his classmates.

The stunned Grim Reapers snapped out of their daze amidst the spiky-haired man's loud laughter, their feelings somewhat peculiar. They were all Grim Reapers of commoner origin, and whether they dared to show it or not, they harbored a certain aversion to the high and mighty nobles, especially those arrogant ones, whom they loathed from the bottom of their hearts.

But this gentleman, well, he was both an aristocrat and arrogant, but his arrogance was so peculiar that even though he was openly threatening everyone, the crowd felt more of amusement and exasperation than anger.

Even the gloomy female grim reaper couldn't help but twitch her lips a few times, as if she almost couldn't suppress a laugh. She gently patted her face to adjust her expression, skipped the question of whether the dinner was spicy or not, and pressed on with the previous topic.

"What's happening with that group of virtual geniuses? Are we supposed to stay in the real world and watch him until he dies of old age?"

"Ah, don't worry about that. I heard that a Shinigami stationed in the human world has already explained the pros and cons to him. In order to avoid further involving innocent people, he has voluntarily asked that Shinigami to send him to the Soul Society. As long as we eliminate the group of Hollows that have gathered now, we should be able to complete the mission."

Once the topic of food flavors was set aside, Yuuto reverted to his gentle, almost bullying demeanor, and offered an explanation with a smile.

Upon hearing this, the Grim Reapers present felt much more at ease. Although the Grim Reapers' mission was to fight Hollows, and they had long been prepared to die in battle one day, guarding a guy who kept drawing Hollows for decades, constantly fighting and killing each other, was too torturous even for them.

Seeing that everyone's mood had relaxed a lot and that all the necessary preparations had been completed, Asido, as the leader of this temporary team, clapped his hands to draw everyone's attention to himself, and then waved his hand vigorously.

"Extermination squad, move out!"

P.S.: The second update will be tonight. Please vote and add to your favorites!

Chapter Fifty-Eight Encirclement

"Yu-ren! Did you secretly put extra chili in my food again?! I clearly said I wanted it mild! Mild! Why is it still so spicy?!"

Yumi angrily put down her water glass, panting heavily as she glared at the innocent-looking Yuto. The continuous killing of the virtual group over the past few days had left her with no time to take care of her personal hygiene, transforming her image from a "gloomy woman" into a "slovenly vagrant."

Especially her strange bangs that covered her eyes, now greasy and stuck together, gave her an air of "carefree" wandering compared to her equally slovenly companions.

Yuto paid no attention to Yumi's anger, slowly eating the bright red food in his bowl and giving her a big eye roll.

"Yumei, that's enough! You slam the table every time we eat. I always prepare dishes for you with only mild spice. It's because you can't handle spicy food. As your friend who's going to have a big meal with me when we get back, you need to practice more."

Having fought side by side for many days, and having lived and eaten together to avoid being ambushed by the Hollows, the group had quickly become familiar with each other and were already used to Tomomi slamming the table during meals.

Just like Yu-ren said, Yu-mei really can't eat spicy food. It's like there's some kind of switch in her body. She's usually gloomy and her voice seems to have a hollow echo, but as soon as she eats spicy food, her temper immediately becomes extremely irritable.

Slamming the table and cursing like this is already considered mild. At dinner the day before yesterday, Yumi even directly challenged Yuto to a fight. As a member of the Fourth Division (Medical Division), she was of course no match for Yuto, who came from the Combat Division. After only a few moves, Yuto grabbed her under his arm and brought her back.

According to the punishment rules set before the fight, Yumi gritted her teeth and ate three bites of the food in Yu-jin's bowl. The frighteningly red food successfully kept Yumi in a bad temper until the next day.

Seeing that Yumi hadn't learned her lesson and was slamming the table at Yu-jin again, everyone just ate and watched the show without trying to stop her.

After so many days, everyone has realized that these two are a pair of bickering lovers. Yumi seems to have a bit of a crush on Yuto, and Yuto seems to feel the same way. Therefore, everyone just sees their arguments as a couple bickering.

While eating and watching the show, several Grim Reapers who couldn't handle spicy food couldn't help but frown slightly, feeling that tonight's dinner was indeed a bit spicier than usual, and they couldn't help but look at Yuuto suspiciously.

Could this seemingly mild-mannered guy, who's actually full of malice, be planning to slightly increase the spiciness of every meal and secretly turn them all into spice lovers?

I always felt that this was the kind of thing that kid was capable of doing.

In the makeshift camp, the twelve Grim Reapers, though disheveled, shared a cheerful atmosphere. The spiky-haired man's penetrating laughter would occasionally erupt, startling the surrounding birds into flight.

As night deepened, the group, having finished dinner, yawned and prepared for bed.

"Youren, it's your turn to keep watch tonight, so don't fall asleep!"

"Hey, U-Renaissance guy, looking forward to your breakfast!"

Here's a blanket for you. Make sure you stay warm tonight.

"Youren, you've never been on a long-term mission before. This must be your first time keeping watch at night, right? Would you like your big sister to keep you company?"

……

After exchanging a few teasing remarks with Yu-ren, the group, who had spent the day either traveling and tracking or fighting against the void, finally drifted off to sleep. Yu-ren's gentle gaze slowly swept over everyone, then he jumped onto a thick tree branch, took out a bag of snacks from his pocket, and began to kill time with some homemade spicy snacks.

The continuous spicy food over the past few days, along with the spicy snacks that Yu-ren would occasionally take out and eat, had made everyone numb to even the slight spiciness. Even though the snacks emitted a slightly spicy aroma, everyone under the tree slept soundly, and even those who were most afraid of spicy food did not make a sound.

Yu-ren smiled with satisfaction, took out another small bag from his pocket, squeezed it hard, crushed the contents inside, and then hung the small bag on the treetop next to him.

Suddenly, a slightly spicy smell wafted out and drifted far away on the night breeze. Yumi under the tree turned over, but still showed no signs of waking up. Yuto leisurely ate his snacks and began to wait patiently.

Gradually, the nearly full moon reached its zenith in the sky. The weather was fine today, with not a cloud in the sky. Sitting on the tree branch, Yu-ren could clearly see, by the moonlight, a group of shadowy figures slowly approaching from afar.

With a silent smile, Yu Ren raised his hand and gently flicked the small bag beside him, further amplifying the pungent aroma. Instantly, the distant Void Swarm stirred slightly, becoming even more eager to approach.

After patiently estimating the distance and waiting a moment, Yuto slowly and deliberately tossed the small bag far away, while simultaneously drawing his Zanpakuto and letting out an urgent roar.

"Wake up, everyone! A group of Hollows is approaching!"

The roar drowned out the sound of the small bag hitting the ground. Everyone immediately scrambled to their feet and drew their Zanpakuto to assess the situation.

"What's going on? Why are there so many voids?!"

"There are ones in the east! There are ones in the west! This is no good! Void entities are approaching from all directions, we're surrounded!"

"What a joke! When did brainless Hollows start cooperating? Shouldn't they devour each other when they're together?!"

At this moment, Yu-ren also jumped down from the tree and stood with the others to form a defensive formation, speaking urgently and quickly.

“Those Hollows sneaked in, only revealing themselves when they got very close. This is something no ordinary Hollow could do! Ashido, I suspect a Grand Hollow is secretly directing them, maybe even a mid-level Grand Hollow. We must break through as soon as possible!”

Daxu!

Intermediate Hollow!

Adjuchas!!

Upon hearing Yuto's guess, everyone felt as if they had been choked, their breath caught in their throats, and a strong sense of fear surged into their hearts. Even the battle-crazed hedgehog's hand holding the Zanpakuto trembled involuntarily.

"Yes, break through! We must break through!"

"Even without the Hollows, being trapped by so many Hollows will definitely result in casualties! I also agree to break out!"

"Ashido, don't hesitate, make a decision now!"

In an instant, everyone couldn't help but shout. The team leader, Asido, took a deep breath, quickly surveyed the surroundings, and roared.

"The encirclement in this direction is weak. Everyone, follow me and charge! Don't fall behind! Ibuki, you cover the rear and don't let us get ambushed from behind!"

The group moved quickly. The spiky-haired guy roared and rushed to the back of the group to cover the rear. Yuto guarded the right side of the group. Although there was a hint of fear on his face, he tried his best to remain calm and whispered to comfort Yumi, who was being protected in the center of the group.

"Don't be afraid, Yumi, we'll definitely get through this."

Under the moonlight, the bird and sparrow family pattern on the armband on Yu-Ren's right arm shimmered with a faint metallic gleam.

The Sparrow Family were lower-ranking nobles who had served the Saito family for generations.

Seven days ago, he was chosen by Saito Yoru, the next head of the Saito family, to become Saito Yoru's "bodyguard".

P.S.: Second update! Please vote and add to your favorites.

Chapter Fifty-Nine Hatred

"Ibuki, hold on! We'll be able to break through soon!"

Asito fiercely slashed down the Hollow in front of him, while shouting to boost the morale of his comrades. The spiky-haired man who was responsible for bringing up the rear had already released his Zanpakuto, and his Shinigami armor was torn to shreds, with his exposed body covered with numerous wounds of all sizes.

"Ashido, just charge forward without worrying about me!"

Wiping away the mixture of sweat and blood from his face, the spiky-haired Yi shouted back to Asido. The fierce battle had completely unleashed the ruthlessness that belonged to the Eleventh Division in his bones, and the pain from his wounds made his fighting spirit even higher.

However, his high fighting spirit could not make up for the loss of physical strength. After responding to Asido, the hedgehog-headed man breathed heavily a few times, and obvious fatigue appeared on his face.

At the front of the team, Asido was in much better condition than Hedgehog. Although his Death Knight armor was tattered, he didn't have many wounds. If he got injured, Tomomi in the center of the team would immediately use Resurrection to heal him, ensuring that he, the "arrow" bearing the greatest pressure, wouldn't fall.

Yu Ren shot a fireball from his palm, repelling the approaching enemy on the flank. He then approached Asido with rapid breathing, lowering his voice slightly so that the teammates behind him could not hear him.

"Ashido, I've already treated Ibuki three times. My Zanpakuto can only heal wounds, not restore stamina. Can he still hold on?"

If Ibuki falls, the team will be attacked from behind by the Hollows, and the squad will likely suffer serious damage instantly.

Asito naturally shared Yuto's concerns. He and Ibuki often sparred in Soul Society, and he knew very well that Ibuki was probably nearing her limit at this point.

A flicker of anxiety crossed his eyes, and Ashido gritted his teeth before quickly making a decision.

"Yuto, go to the back and help Ibuki relieve some of the pressure. Tetsuya, take over Yuto's position and protect the flanks of the team!"

Yu-ren nodded, then immediately turned and rushed towards the back of the group, leaving behind only the words, "Yu-mi, take care of yourself!"