Chapter 198: Hell
Late at night, Seireitei, 1st Division...
Nobles dressed in ancient attire arrived at the division quarters. Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13, Yamamoto, sat in his study, his hands resting on his walking stick, eyes fixed ahead. Behind him hung a portrait of the monster that burned the world.
The silence stretched on for a long time, with almost everyone keeping their heads lowered.
"So, distinguished members of the Yomi family, it has been a century since we last met. What brings you here?" Yamamoto asked calmly. "Has something happened in Hell?"
The atmosphere was oppressively heavy.
Hell existed independently of the Three Realms—Soul Society, Hueco Mundo, and the World of the Living. It had coexisted with the chaotic world even before heaven and earth were divided.
At the dawn of existence, all souls resided within the same chaotic world—both ordinary souls, known as "Plus," and those consumed by desire, who fell into corruption and became Hollows.
Then, one day, Hollows began to devour other souls, throwing the world's balance into disarray. Left unchecked, all souls would eventually be consumed, merging into a single, colossal Menos, and the world would fall into a state of stagnation—neither alive nor dead, neither advancing nor retreating.
Thus, the Soul King, a divine being of omniscience and omnipotence, was born. With his power, he annihilated the Hollows and restored balance. To ensure the world's continued progression, he divided it into three realms—Soul Society, Hueco Mundo, and the World of the Living.
In this structured world, the World of the Living served as the home of souls, composed of Kishi and Reishi. Kishi was the source of Reishi—Reishi emerged from Kishi but remained distinct from it. When humans, formed of Kishi, died, they transitioned into a Reishi state, becoming Konpaku.
Ordinary souls, known as "Plus," were sent to Soul Society, while those who fell into corruption became Hollows. Souls in Soul Society, after death, would reincarnate into the World of the Living. Human souls in the living world were either naturally born or reincarnated from Soul Society.