Yuta stood in the narrow street, the gray sky looming above, flanked by low, dilapidated houses. The air was thick with a sense of despair, and the crumbling walls around him seemed to echo this hopelessness.
At a corner not far away, he saw a figure lying lifelessly on the ground—a thin, withered body with dull, hollow eyes, resembling a dried-up husk.
"Am I... dead?"
Yuta tried to recall what happened before he lost consciousness. He remembered a monster—a massive creature breaking into his house, its thick arm smashing toward him. Then, nothing.
When he woke up, he was here.
Looking at himself, Yuta noticed his body had changed—he was much smaller now. He caught sight of a puddle nearby, walked over, and stared at his reflection. Staring back at him was a young boy with short black hair, deep-set eyes, pale skin, and slightly pursed lips.
It wasn't his face.
"So, I've become someone else," Yuta muttered, shaking off the creeping panic. "I need to get out of this place."
He began walking forward, only to be startled by a face peering at him from a nearby window. It was an old man with sunken eyes and wispy hair, staring at him with a lifeless gaze. The emptiness in those eyes sent shivers down Yuta's spine.
Quickening his pace, Yuta left the street, turning a corner into a small clearing. In front of a large house stood two figures: a stocky man with a scar on his cheek and a younger man holding a long knife.
The scar-faced man's eyes lit up when he saw Yuta. "A fresh soul, huh?"
The younger man smirked. "Leave him to me. I'll use him to test my blade."
"Don't mess it up," the older man said with a chuckle.
The younger man strode toward Yuta, brandishing the knife. Yuta's heart sank. He was just a boy now—weak, unarmed. There was no way he could fight back.
Without hesitation, Yuta turned and ran. The young man followed, his mocking laughter echoing behind him like a hunter savoring the chase.
Yuta darted through narrow paths, weaving between houses, his lungs burning from the effort. But no matter how fast he ran, his small body couldn't outrun his pursuer.
After what felt like an eternity, the young man caught up and kicked Yuta to the ground.
"Where do you think you're going?" the man sneered, stepping on Yuta's chest.
Yuta gasped for air, his eyes darting around for any escape. "I didn't do anything to you! Why are you attacking me?"
The man laughed cruelly. "Here in the 79th District, we don't need a reason to kill."
He raised his blade, a manic glint in his eyes. Yuta squeezed his eyes shut, bracing for the blow.
Suddenly, a loud clang rang out. The weight on his chest disappeared, and Yuta opened his eyes to see a group of people standing protectively in front of him.
The one leading them was a boy with long red hair and a wooden sword. Beside him stood a short-haired girl, her determined gaze fixed on Yuta's attacker.
The red-haired boy spoke coldly, "I don't care which district you're from. You're not killing anyone here in the 78th District."
The attacker hesitated, his bravado faltering under the group's gaze. With a huff, he turned and left.
The short-haired girl turned to Yuta, her expression softening. "Are you okay?"
Yuta nodded, slowly standing. "I'm fine. Thank you... both of you."
The red-haired boy laughed and clapped Yuta on the shoulder. "No need to thank us. We just don't want scum from the 79th District causing trouble here."
Yuta tilted his head. "The 79th District? Where am I?"
The boy's face grew serious. "You really don't know? You're a newborn soul, aren't you?"
"A newborn soul?" Yuta repeated, his stomach sinking.
The boy nodded. "Yes. You're dead. This is Rukongai, the Soul Society. You were in the 79th District, Kusajishi, but now you're in the 78th District, Rukongai."
Soul Society?
The words hit Yuta like a bolt of lightning. He looked at the red-haired boy and the short-haired girl, realization dawning.
"My name's Rukia," the girl said kindly.
"And I'm Renji," the boy added.
Rukia. Renji. Soul Society.???
Yuta's mind raced. "No way," he muttered. "I've been reincarnated into the world of Bleach?"