"Only one person, Oz Jr...."
Hearing this result from Fugaku, not only the Uchiha, but even Kenma himself, found it hard to believe.
After all this hard work, this was the result? Out of so many souls, only this one person could become a Shinigami?
This was a result that would satisfy no one.
This was especially true for Kenma, whose heart was filled with unwillingness.
Even though he had obtained Whitebeard and Ace, which had once made him feel satisfied, without the aptitude to become a Shinigami, it was ultimately of no use.
Could it be that the Uchiha clan from before had used up all his luck, leading to such a poor result this time?
Kenma's face darkened a little.
At the side, Whitebeard and Ace, upon hearing this result, felt their faces flush, feeling ashamed to face Kenma.
They had made so many requests before, and Kenma had agreed to them all, but their own performance was undoubtedly a huge letdown.
"Boss Kenma, this... we've let you down. We've disappointed you."
Whitebeard's face was full of shame.
In life, he had ruled the seas, but after death, he was no better than a common soldier. Such a huge drop was difficult for even Whitebeard to accept at first.
It was undoubtedly a deep blow to his confidence and ambition.
More importantly, his performance was a great disservice to Kenma's previous accommodation and tolerance.
But now, there was nothing he could do.
After waiting for a day and a night, he still wasn't hungry. What could he, a person who had just died, do?
Just then, a cry of alarm came from not far away.
"Pops, Ace, come and see! John is about to disappear!"
A clamor arose from the crowd.
Hearing the cry, Kenma immediately led the group over.
They saw a ferocious-looking pirate, his expression now one of terror. His body was becoming diffuse and transparent.
Crystalline Reishi particles were rapidly flowing from his body, dissipating into the air. It was estimated that he would disappear soon.
"How could this be?"
Seeing this, Shisui frowned.
Although he had never seen this situation with his own eyes, he had learned about it from the textbooks at the Shin'o Academy.
If an ordinary soul without a certain aptitude entered an environment with a high concentration of Reishi, the entire soul would be overwhelmed and crushed by the surrounding high-concentration Reishi.
Shisui's face showed worry. He looked at Kenma in front of him and said, "My lord, is this... the internal tissues of the body being destroyed by the high-concentration Reishi environment?"
Kenma observed for a while, his brow furrowed. Hearing Shisui's words, he shook his head slightly.
"It shouldn't be."
"Even if the soul is dissipating, it shouldn't be this fast."
Kenma also knew of the situation Shisui was talking about, for example, Kuchiki Hisana in the original story.
But that was within the Seireitei.
And this place was on the outskirts of the Junrinan district. Although the concentration of Reishi in the environment was high, it was far from the high concentration of the Seireitei.
The Reishi here was perfectly fine for ordinary souls to survive in.
A thought stirred in Kenma's mind, a theory suddenly emerging.
"Then what's going on?"
Whitebeard was relatively calm, but Ace at his side was much more anxious.
He quickly asked Kenma, "Great Boss, you're so powerful, is there any way to save him?"
He had been given a new life after death. He couldn't just completely dissipate right after arriving in a new world.
This time, death would probably be real.
"Ah, Pops, it's happening to me too!"
At this moment, another cry came. It was right beside them. Kenma and the others went to see, and the situation was exactly the same as the other pirate's.
He was also rapidly dissipating in the Soul Society.
With a second person, it was as if a domino had been triggered. Whether pirates or marines, this situation began to appear among the souls one after another.
In just a short moment, nearly a hundred cases had already appeared.
And as time went on, it was like a plague spreading. This situation continued to appear, and the number of dissipating souls was rapidly increasing.
After looking at five or six cases, the theory in Kenma's mind gradually became a certainty.
He sighed in his heart and said, "I think I know the reason for this."
Whitebeard and the others all looked over. Ace asked impatiently, "What is it?"
After glancing around, Kenma said slowly, "You all came from another world and were brought to the Soul Society by me. To this world, you are foreign objects, unable to adapt to this environment."
Just as a freshwater fish cannot live in the sea, the difference in living environments has a decisive impact on the organism itself.
And in a special environment like the Soul Society, the situation of the many souls at this time could also be said to be the world's rejection.
After all, in the shadows, there was a magnificent will that manipulated the development of the world.
Shisui's brow furrowed. He exchanged a glance with Fugaku and saw that he also had a thoughtful expression.
He stepped forward and quickly asked, "If that's the case, then why is our Uchiha clan fine? We are also people from a different world than the Soul Society. Shouldn't we have the same fate as them?"
Whitebeard glanced at Shisui and the others, a look of surprise in his eyes.
He then looked at Ace, Oz Jr., and the other ability users who had made a contract with Kenma, his expression suddenly freezing.
He found that none of them were showing signs of imminent dissipation.
Could it be...
A thoughtful look appeared on his face. He said to Kenma, "Boss Kenma, we are all fine. And from what I've observed, all of us who are fine are your contractors..."
Kenma nodded, his expression incredibly solemn.
"Newgate, it seems you've already figured it out."
Shisui and the others looked surprised, but Whitebeard looked relieved.
Kenma continued, "The reason you are all safe is because you have signed a contract with me. In essence, you are one with me. I can exist in this world, so you will also be accepted by the world."
"There is no other explanation."
"Right now, the only way to save them is to sign a contract with me."
Hearing that there was still a way to be saved, Ace couldn't suppress his excitement and quickly said, "Great Boss, please save them! They are my comrades. I can't just stand by and do nothing."
"Boss Kenma..."
Whitebeard was also full of guilt and apology, a look of embarrassment in his eyes.
But he still pleaded, "I know this request is too shameless, but right now, the only way is to ask you to act."
He had made such demands before, asking the other to not make contracts and to let his sons be free.
He hadn't expected things to change so quickly.
But he didn't have the aptitude to become a Shinigami, which had already deeply disappointed the other, and he had no face to ask for more.
But...
These were his sons. How could he abandon them?
Boom!
A loud sound was heard. Whitebeard had actually knelt before Kenma, his huge head bowed, his forehead pressed deeply into the ground.
"Please, Boss Kenma, I beg you to save them. Please sign a contract with them."
Whitebeard knew how shameless his request was, but besides this, he really had no other solution.
"Pops..."
Seeing Whitebeard in such a state, Ace was moved. His expression immediately became incredibly firm.
"Great Boss, I also beg you! As long as you can save them, I will do anything!"
"Please!"
Beside Whitebeard, Ace also knelt on the ground before Kenma, bowing his head low.
Seeing this, a commotion arose among the surrounding pirates.
"Pops, get up! You are the ruler of the seas! How can you kneel... sob, sob, sob..."
"As pirates, our fate is our own choice. Our current situation is also our own doing. We can't blame anyone."
"Pops, you've already done enough for us. Don't wrong yourself anymore."
"That's right, Pops, Ace. To see you have a new life, we are already very satisfied."
"Sob, sob, sob, Pops, I'm so sorry, sob, sob, sob..."
There were those who cried, those who roared, those who were sad, and those who wore a tough expression...
After Whitebeard and Ace, the huge Oz Jr. behind them, and the generals from the navy, all the contracted ability users came forward and knelt before Kenma, pleading.
Looking at the bowed heads before him, Kenma sighed.
"You have all gone to such lengths. If I don't show some compassion, I would be too heartless."
"Rest assured. I will save all of you. Not a single one will die."
How could Kenma treat the sincere pleas of these men so casually?
'So be it.'
'Let him be willful just this once!'
As soon as Kenma said this, everyone raised their heads, their faces full of reverence and gratitude.
Ace's eyes were already red, on the verge of tears.
Whitebeard was moved, his eyes glistening, his face full of sincere emotion.
"Boss Kenma, I am eternally grateful."
"From this day forward, my life is yours. Whatever you wish, I will do my utmost!"
At the side, Ace quickly added, "Great Boss, me too!"
The marine generals and ability users all said in unison, "We are eternally grateful for your kindness, my lord. We will swear our lives to you and will not fail your trust!"
Kenma made a virtual "rise" gesture to the crowd. "Rise. This is what I should do."
Looking at the crowd of souls with their faces full of joy and laughter, Kenma should have been very happy too.
He had won the hearts of Whitebeard and the others so easily.
But his heart suddenly felt empty, and an inexplicable sense of panic spread from the bottom of his heart.
These souls came from the world of pirates, which was why they were not accepted by the Soul Society.
'Then...'
'What about me?'
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]