Hyosube Ichibe.
The Monk Who Calls the Real Name.
Manako.
The first being ever taken in by the Soul King.
With eyes that pierce through all, he is the one who bestows names.
By another name, he is the one who takes them away.
The terrifying aspect of Ichibe Hyosube's power lies in his absolute advantage over anyone who possesses a name.
Cut the arm, and it becomes 'ar.' Cut it again, it becomes 'a.' Cut it once more, and it becomes '■.'
Because he possesses the power to bestow names upon sight, he also holds the power to strip them away and erase them.
A being robbed of their name loses their function.
To have no name is to have one's very existence denied.
Thus, as an enemy, Ichibe Hyosube is infinitely dangerous—but as an ally, there is no one more reliable.
However…
There exist irrational beings against whom even such logic does not apply.
* * *
…Ugh. I must have dozed off.
Maybe it's because I couldn't even catch a wink of proper sleep during those hundred years. Once I was covered in a warm cloth and treated with a few needles, I fell dead asleep.
"Hwaaa-ahm…"
*Crack, snap.*
Must have slept in a bad position. My neck and lower back felt stiff.
"Would've been nice if those needles had gone a bit deeper. What a shame."
I don't remember exactly when, but I have a faint memory of feeling incredibly refreshed after getting long-needle acupuncture at a traditional clinic.
The reason I can't speak with certainty is that it's a story from such a distant past that it's all hazy now.
In my past life, I died in my early thirties. I remember that much clearly. I was exactly thirty-two.
The cause of death was being crushed by a steel beam falling at a construction site. I remembered it the moment I was flattened under this damn hunk of iron.
"It's a bit too noisy for shock therapy."
Anyway, my life in my previous world was excessively short compared to my current life.
It's no surprise that my memories aren't perfect.
"Uuuugh! Kgggh… Aaaaah!!"
I let out a refreshing yawn-scream, pulling it from the depths of my abdomen as I stretched. I felt completely recovered. I was still a bit short on sleep, but not enough to pass out immediately, so I massaged my temples to wake myself up.
"Time to get moving. Hwaaa-ahm…"
I tapped my temples with my palms and let out a long, lingering yawn. Wiping away the tiny teardrops from my eyes with the back of my hand, I placed my palm against the massive hunk of iron pinning me to the floor.
"Quite heavy, this."
Of course, it wasn't impossible to lift. When I gave it a slight push with some strength, it began to move—along with the surrounding earth.
"Is this guy a total lunatic? He sealed me along with the entire bedrock?"
How is this different from burying someone alive and pouring concrete over them? Terrifying. To think I had the balls to keep a guy like this under me as a disciple for decades.
"Phew."
I shook my head and applied a bit more force, lifting the entire foundation. As the ground rose, a minor earthquake naturally occurred. As I exerted myself further to step outside, Tsunayashiro's horrified voice reached my ears.
[Impossible…! How…!! I sealed you with the Ten Thousand Gold Grand Seal and the entire surrounding bedrock, so how…!!]
'Ah, so its name is the Ten Thousand Gold Grand Seal. I've heard that name somewhere before; was it in the original series?'
After thinking for a moment, I opened my mouth. Since this is the world of *Bleach*, I had to play along with the drama.
"How? Like this."
[Gasp…!]
Seriously, every single one of his reactions is top-tier. I chuckled and stood up fully, hoisting the Ten Thousand Gold Grand Seal with me.
"What…?!"
"No… way."
"Hah, what an immense force…"
"Eeeek…!"
*Cr-crack, r-r-rumble!*
*Boom!!*
Looking at Tsunayashiro's shock and the reactions of the five ancestors, I finally understood why characters in this world loved blabbing about their abilities. When you get reactions this satisfying, how could you keep your mouth shut?
"All you have to do is lift the foundation with it."
This is the right vibe, isn't it? Well, it wasn't exactly an 'ability' but pure physical strength, but I guess it doesn't matter.
"Hup."
I tossed the Ten Thousand Gold Grand Seal aside like trash, brushed the dust off my hands, and crossed my arms. I smirked at the mixture of emotions—shock, rage, sorrow, admiration, and joy—radiating from the five individuals, including Ichibe Hyosube.
"Now, let me ask you one more time, brats."
*Crack, snap.*
"Is this the end?"
I'd actually be a little disappointed if it were. As I tilted my head mockingly, Tsunayashiro, who seemed the most shaken, was the first to speak.
"…How? How did you do it?! You should have lost your name to Ichibe Hyosube's Ichimonji! And yet… yet, how!!"
Explaining it in the *Bleach* style gets tiring after the first time. I scratched my head and shrugged.
"I wonder. Isn't figuring that out the job of a researcher like you?"
"Kh…!"
I frowned at the way he glared at me with eyes full of fury. This guy is the one who messed up, so why is he taking his temper out on me?
Seriously, whoever raised this kid's personality did a sh—
…Ah, it was me.
Feeling a microscopic grain of responsibility, I scratched my head again. Fine, whatever. I should at least give them a hint.
"Have I ever once told you lot my name?"
"…Don't tell me."
Maybe because he was naturally brilliant, he caught on immediately to that tiny hint, and his eyes began to tremble. It was the same for that Dharma-looking guy; he let out a hollow laugh and massaged his bald head. Though, no matter how much he rubs it, nothing's going to grow back.
"You have… no name…?"
Sure enough, my disciple hit the mark perfectly, so I gave him a round of applause.
"*Esacta!* Exactly as you said, I have no name."
"That's preposterous!! To have no name! Such a being cannot possibly exist…!!"
"Why not? There's one right behind your back."
As I spoke with a smirk, Tsunayashiro turned around and gritted his teeth, looking as though he had realized a fatal error. Instead of Tsunayashiro, who had fallen silent as if deep in thought, the bald Dharma rubbed his head and spoke while crossing his arms.
"The Soul King's very existence is 'The Soul King.' His name is his existence itself, so I believe he is quite different from you?"
"Well, you guys do call me 'The Forerunner'."
As I shrugged, the Dharma monk shook his head.
"Does the fact that the 'sand' we stand on is 'earth' make that its specific name?"
"It's the difference between a noun and a pronoun."
It's subtle, but he's right. I nodded and shook off the lingering Bakudo restraints that were bothering me.
"There are words that point toward my existence, but there is no name that defines 'Me.'"
Feeling like they would reach the answer eventually if given enough time, I gave it to them straight. Tsunayashiro practically had a fit.
"That… Such a thing is impossible!! A nameless being?! How can a non-existent entity undergo change!!"
"In this world that was once eternal and unchanging, with neither evolution nor regression… who do you think brought change first? Who do you think first moved with 'Reason' in a world where souls drifted like corpses, were eaten by Hollows, decayed into Reishi, and returned to human form, where life and death were two sides of the same coin?"
"Was it not… the Soul King?"
The one who answered was Kuchiki.
"One could think that. In fact, it's natural to think so. But you're wrong."
The Soul King appeared in this world to erase the imbalance caused by the emergence of Hollows. In his own words, he appeared to eliminate the 'vile species' that threatened the world.
"In other words, the Soul King was born *after* the Hollows appeared."
However. The first one to open his eyes in this world was me. The first one to witness a person turning into a Hollow was me.
I existed long before the Soul King manifested in this world. And I existed long before the concepts of 'Life' and 'Death' were even established.
"From the very beginning, I have existed solely as myself."
Well, I did come here with the 'reincarnation' cheat key… but there's no need to tell them that.
As I pondered this, Tsunayashiro's spirit seemed to break as he lowered his head. The Dharma monk either had nothing left to say or was feverishly calculating a new plan, judging by how much he was thinking. Shihoin couldn't even lift her head out of guilt, Shiba was still performing penance, and Kuchiki was struggling against her fear.
It was truly fascinating to see how diverse their reactions were. I smirked, uncrossed my arms, and jerked my chin toward them.
"Well, I think I've said enough for you to understand. It means that no matter how much you brats struggle or scheme, it's all useless."
Chuckling, I walked over to the monk and Tsunayashiro, patting them both on the shoulders.
"But don't worry. I have no intention of interfering with you or the world."
There was the Soul King's request, and then there was the choice I had made. After saying that to reassure them, I began walking toward the spot where I had last clashed with the Soul King.
"Since this is the world you've ended, it is the world you must begin anew."
Because that is what the Soul King desired of you. Ah, right.
"Since I haven't done much 'mastering' until now, I'll leave you with one final word like a proper master should."
Ahem.
I cleared my throat lightly, focused my intent, and spoke.
"Look straight at the outcome you have chosen. Do not turn away. Do not deny it. Accept it."
Even if you cover filth with a lid because you don't want to see it, the filth does not vanish. Isn't it a waste of your prestigious names to spend your lives playing hide-and-seek with the truth?
With those parting words, I prepared to leave. That is, until a voice called out to me.
"Wait!!"
"What is it, Shihoin? You going to apologize now?"
I spoke teasingly with a smirk, causing Shihoin to scowl. I thought she might lose her temper again, but she replied in a voice thick with suppressed emotion.
"…To do that now would be an insult to you."
"You catch on fast."
That one has a terrible personality, but they're smart. I shrugged as I watched Shihoin, who was chewing over every word with a grimace.
"So, what?"
"…Where do you plan on going?"
"Why, you want to follow? Don't even think about it. You'll find out naturally as time passes, so why try to know everything ahead of time? There's nothing more boring than living life when you already know the ending."
"Answer me…. No, please answer me…. I beg of you…."
Seeing that expression that looked ready to crumble at any moment, I let out a deep sigh. …If they're going that far, I guess I should give an answer.
"I'll head to Hell first and wait for you brats there."
Take your time getting there, if possible.
Clean up the mess you've made before you come.
With that, I walked toward the rift in the world—the one the Soul King had shattered in his final struggle. Looking down at the blood-red space below, I let out another long sigh.
It really looks like a place I don't want to enter.
Well, I guess I have to. It'll be better there than staying here and feeling awkward.
And so, I fell into Hell.