Yuiindiru ran desperately, but he felt he couldn't run much longer.
His legs and lungs ached from running for his life, and his heart was beating like a drum.
Sweat kept pouring from his body, but he couldn't even spare the time to wipe away the sweat that had fallen into his eyes, because he couldn't even complete a single deep breath right now.
Yuiindiru was a child from a relatively well-educated family living in the 45th District. Perhaps because he had no worries about food and clothing, compared to some people who were satisfied as long as they didn't starve to death, he had a bit more adventurous spirit.
Of course, only a little bit. Basically, when his family came to check on business around the 50th District, just following his family across four or five districts to see the conditions in other areas was already satisfying enough for him.
This trip would probably calm his slightly restless heart, and he could boast to his friends for several months just from this alone.
Not to mention the experiences and people he encountered in the business dealings. His father seemed to be preparing to involve him in the family business as well.
Originally, it should have been like this.
Everything changed when no one had any preparation, nor could they have prepared.
Although there had been rumors recently that Rukongai wasn't very peaceful, with frequent signs of Hollows appearing, neither Yuiindiru nor his elders had ever seen a monster called a Hollow.
In their understanding, rather than being terrifying monsters, Hollows were more like legendary creatures—tales made up to frighten children.
Precisely because of this, even though they had heard rumors of Hollows being spotted in the area, they didn't delay their travel plans, as even a day's delay would cause losses.
But if time could turn back, Yuiindiru would do anything, even if his father considered it willful and arbitrary, even if it disappointed his father, he would do everything to prevent this trip.
Because if that were the case...
His father wouldn't have had to stay behind to face that giant monster to give him a chance to escape!!!
In fact, even though his father had mustered the courage to face the monster to protect his child, he hadn't gained much time. The monster that had appeared before their group and killed almost everyone like destroying dead wood was now leisurely following behind Yuiindiru, the last survivor, as he ran desperately.
"Hey, hey, hey, you're almost at your limit, aren't you? Are you still going to run so desperately? Although food seems to taste better if you let it exercise before eating it, you're trying too hard, aren't you?"
A leisurely and evil voice sounded from behind.
Following closely was the heavy rumbling sound and the sound of trees rooted in the forest being pushed aside and broken.
Those thick trees were easily pushed down, broken, and torn apart by the monster's hands like thin paper.
The monster's voice wasn't actually that clear in Yuiindiru's ears, sounding like a distant call or low roar, with a vague, hazy quality.
But the monster's words echoed in Yuiindiru's ears.
Yes, he had already done his best, and he was very clear that he hadn't died not because his escape was useful, but because the monster hadn't finished playing yet.
That monster was like a cat toying with a mouse, watching his struggles with base amusement.
Yuiindiru clearly knew this, but he still ran desperately.
Was it because he was afraid of death? In just an instant, everyone including his father had died before his eyes, and he would die like this next.
Was he running so desperately because he was afraid of death, terrified of death?
No!
Yuiindiru roared loudly in his heart: It's not like that!!
It was because everyone, including his father, had left him the last hope of living. Even if he was a mouse being toyed with by a cat, as long as there was still a glimmer of hope to survive, he wouldn't give up!
It wasn't that he didn't want to give up, but that he couldn't give up! Because the moment he turned and ran, he was no longer living for himself—on his shoulders, too much heavy weight had quietly been added.
But Yuiindiru didn't say any of this.
Not only because he no longer had much strength to speak, but also because he didn't think the monster could understand his thoughts and the resolve he carried.
Perhaps heaven doesn't abandon people, or perhaps to make Yuiindiru's struggles look even more pathetic, the scenery ahead of him underwent some subtle changes.
Ahead was a low slope. The slope extended right under his feet, and at the bottom of the slope was a small stream—not particularly large for Yuiindiru, let alone for the massive monster behind him.
But this was already an unpredictable change, and Yuiindiru had no choice.
"Enough already, let's end this here. I'm getting tired of playing. Just let me eat you and be done with it. You're already in so much pain, what's the point of still struggling?"
The monster's voice was no longer leisurely, with a bit more seriousness in its words.
But that was only relatively speaking—overall, it was still so casual.
In its eyes, Yuiindiru wasn't even an independent "person." He was just food.
Yuiindiru's steps became difficult. Although he tried his best to maintain his speed, he had no stamina left. In other words, he had long been overexerted. What he needed now wasn't to continue running but to rest.
And now, forget about resting—he didn't even know if he could last another second.
Instinctively looking back, he saw the massive white monster lunging toward him.
Yuiindiru's heart instantly tightened. Looking back was a mistake because his instinctive fear made him unable to maintain his normal running state, and he fell.
But looking back seemed to be the right choice too, because when he fell, he rolled down the low slope.
If he hadn't looked back, he wouldn't have noticed the monster's surprise attack and would have died here, but now he had accidentally dodged an attack by chance.
However, this was only an opportunity to catch his breath for a moment.
Even though the attack missed, Yuiindiru, who had rolled to the bottom of the slope, had lost the strength to get up and continue running.
Accompanied by a thunderous crash and flying dirt and gravel, the monster with an obviously fierce smile landed in front of Yuiindiru with a pleased expression.
The monster raised its blade-like arm and thrust it toward Yuiindiru like lightning!
"I had fun, but now you should die!!! Kehehehehe!!!"
"Ah—!!!"
Unable to even say "no," Yuiindiru could only scream out loud.
He raised both hands and held his head and face as if trying to escape reality.
But,
The fate that should have already arrived didn't happen.
The claw-blade that had already taken the lives of Yuiindiru's father and all the others, sharp as a blade, didn't pierce through Yuiindiru's body.
Instead, there was the harsh and sharp, crisp sound of sword collision.
"You—are you a Soul Reaper?!!!"
And there was the monster's shocked cry.
Yuiindiru slowly lowered his hands that had been covering his face. At some point, a person had appeared in front of him.
It was a tall man with silver-white hair, his upper body exposed, whose perfect sculptured physique could be seen even from behind.
In his hand, he held a sword, and with just one arm raised, he had blocked the monster's massive claw-blade.
Most importantly, he had raised his left hand! Not his right hand.
It was as if he was mocking the monster.
"Soul... Soul Reaper?"
Yuiindiru couldn't help but murmur, but his voice was so quiet that even he couldn't hear it.
"No, not a Soul Reaper."
The harsh sound accompanied by sparks rang out as the huge monster warily retreated a considerable distance, cautiously sizing up the silver-haired man who had suddenly appeared.
Yuiindiru knew that the man with his back to him wasn't answering his question.
But undoubtedly,
Every word he said was carved into his heart at that moment.
"Just an unrelated person who likes to meddle in other people's business."