Marvel: Soul King

Lod was truly grateful to those who helped him earn the two mid-tier souls.

One of the souls came from Morrisan after he became a Shinigami, while the other came from defeating the low-quality Menos.

Mid-tier souls were much more valuable than lower-tier ones. They not only unlocked the system's mid-tier item pool but also greatly reduced the cost of a ten-pull, lowering it from a thousand to just one hundred souls.

Beyond that, these mid-tier souls allowed access to special items in the system's shop, which refreshed monthly with rare goods. This gave Lod a promising idea for a business venture.

If one Shinigami and one Menos could yield two mid-tier souls, then what would a hundred of each produce? By exploiting the Abyss of Despair's characteristics, he could potentially nurture normal human souls into either Menos or Shinigami, only to defeat them himself for more souls.

This loophole in the system seemed like an easy way to farm a massive number of souls in a short time, and if scaled up, it might even make reaching the level of a Skyfather achievable.

But after thinking it through, Lod restrained himself. The temptation was strong, but the risks far outweighed the rewards.

Did he really think the Sorcerer Supreme wouldn't9 notice?

For now, the number of lost souls wasn't significant, especially compared to the number of deaths Earth experienced daily. This likely kept the Sorcerer Supreme's attention elsewhere. But if Lod expanded his operations and souls started vanishing on a larger scale, it would undoubtedly draw their attention.

The thought of confronting the Sorcerer Supreme, the Ancient One, made Lod frown.

Even among Skyfathers-level beings, rulers of dimensions like Dormammu, none of them were able to break Earth defence during the Ancient One's era. They needed to wait until she passed before they attempted to invade again. That alone showed how terrifying her power was.

So, Lod decided that slow and steady growth was the smartest path forward.

Still, he couldn't help but feel a tinge of regret for all the potential souls he was leaving untouched.

"Forget it," he muttered, shaking off his stray thoughts and rubbing his hands together as he prepared to browse the shop.

The system's shop interface opened before him, resembling a display window. It featured ten items, each marked with its respective soul cost.

As his gaze swept across the items, his eyes widened when he spotted a six-pointed star-shaped hairpin.

It was The Shun Shun Rikka! One of the most broken abilities in Bleach, capable of rewriting reality itself.

Even Aizen described its power as the ability to reject all phenomena within its barrier, encroaching upon the domain of the gods.

In simple terms, Shun Shun Rikka's power of rejection could negate all harmful effects within its shield. This included regenerating lost limbs, healing any injuries, and even restoring a broken Zanpakutō.

However, when Lod looked at the price, his heart sank.

Item: Gold-grade Shun Shun Rikka

Description: A fullbring that lightly touches the realm of rules. With this, Anything can be rejected!

Cost: 5 High-tier Souls

Lod winced and sighed. "Never mind."

He felt the sting of being poor. If not for his remaining shred of rationality, he might have gone out immediately to capture a few hundred criminals to feed into the system.

"It's fine, it's fine. I'll have it someday," Lod muttered to himself, trying to console his frustration.

Reluctantly, he moved his gaze away from Shun Shun Rikka and continued browsing the shop.

Next, he saw an item labeled Explosive Muscle Enhancer.

Item: Blue-grade Explosive Muscle Enhancer

Description: A product of the mad scientist Mayuri Kurotsuchi, essentially turning the user into a walking bomb.

Cost: 10 Low-tier Souls

"Useless," Lod muttered, moving on.

Then his eyes landed on Surveillance Bacteria.

Item: Purple-grade Surveillance Bacteria

Description: Another creation by Mayuri Kurotsuchi, capable of latching onto a soul undetected to provide 24-hour surveillance. A Quincy once tried this and was less than pleased.

Cost: 1 Mid-tier Soul

"Interesting," Lod thought, intrigued. This could allow him to monitor others without being noticed, making it an excellent tool for gathering intelligence.

But the price of a mid-tier soul made him hesitate, so he decided to keep looking.

Then he saw Artificial Human (Nemu).

Item: Gold-grade Artificial Human (Nemu)

Description: Created by Mayuri Kurotsuchi using modified soul technology, combining gigai technology with custom soul creation. The artificial human is absolutely loyal to its creator.

Cost: 1 Mid-tier Soul

"Now this is what I need!" Lod exclaimed, instantly deciding to redeem it.

He didn't pick it because Nemu was obedient or attractive. He needed an assistant.

Running a fake Soul Society all by himself wasn't feasible, and someone had to manage his shop while he was away. An assistant was essential.

With his second mid-tier soul, Lod also decided to redeem the Surveillance Bacteria, intending to attach it to Fury to ensure SHIELD couldn't hide any secrets from him.

"Redeem Artificial Human and Surveillance Bacteria."

Two mid-tier souls vanished, and a small vial appeared in Lod's hand. The vial contained a blue liquid that seemed to pulsate with life.

"Not bad," Lod muttered, satisfied. With this, SHIELD and Fury's plans would be laid bare to him.

But just as he admired the vial, something tugged on the hem of his Shinigami robe.

"Papa!" a soft, childish voice called out.

Lod looked down and froze. A small black-haired girl with shiny eyes clung to his leg, smiling sweetly.

"Papa!" she repeated, nuzzling him affectionately.

"What?" Lod blinked, utterly confused. "Wait, are you... Nemu?"

"Of course, Papa!" the little girl replied, tilting her head cutely.

Lod sighed as realization dawned on him.

The system had tricked him! He had expected an adult Nemu, but instead, he got the child version.

Well, it made sense. An adult Nemu, with vice-captain-level reiatsu and access to the Shinigami Technological Development Bureau's data, would never sell for just one mid-tier soul.

Now he has become a reluctant father.

"Do you… not like Nemu, Papa?" Even though she was young, Nemu was sharp and could sense that Lod seemed a bit displeased.

"Of course not, I don't hate you." Lod crouched down, gently ruffling the little girl's hair, and said softly, "But, Nemu, you shouldn't call me father. You should call me brother instead."

"Hmm…" Nemu bit her finger and her big eyes became full of confusion, but still answered in her sweet voice, "Even though Nemu doesn't understand, since it's your order, Nemu will follow it!"

"Good girl." Lod patted her head again and then asked, "Tell me, do you still remember the Shinigami Technological Development Bureau?"

"Of course I do!" Nemu puffed out her chest with pride and said, "Don't underestimate Nemu! All the data from the bureau is stored in my head!"

Nice!

Lod's eyes lit up—his gamble paid off.

Even though her body had shrunk, Nemu's memory still retained the bureau's vast archive of information. And that was exactly what Lod needed.

As the Captain of Squad 12 and the head of the Shinigami Technological Development Bureau, Mayuri Kurotsuchi had created countless advance marvels: body modifications, soul enhancements, artificial bodies, combat soul programs, Zanpakutō modifications, shadow-penetrating drugs, superhuman pills, and much more.

Normally, obtaining such knowledge would require spending a fortune in souls within the system's shop or lottery. But now, with Nemu around, Lod had access to centuries of research and breakthroughs from every bureau captain!

This wasn't just a goldmine of the Soul Society's technological base—it was now Lod's personal treasure trove.

Even though Lod felt a bit disappointed that Nemu wasn't an adult, the immense value of the knowledge she carried made it a worthwhile trade-off.

"You're amazing, Nemu!" Lod hugged her tightly and kissed her forehead.

"Hehe~" Nemu's mouth curved into a smile.

In high spirits, Lod took her to an amusement park, and they even visited the hot springs.

In her childlike form, Nemu looked about six or seven years old. After some time, she grew tired and fell asleep in Lod's arms.

While she napped, Lod examined her Reiatsu and confirmed something.

Inside this little girl, he could sense her Reiatsu is nearly at the level of a third-class officer—equivalent to a lieutenant!

This confirmed his suspicion. This version of Nemu was likely the one from the Thousand-Year Blood War arc who had died and been revived as Nemuri Hachigō (Nemu No. 8).

Everything made sense now.

If she was indeed Nemuri Hachigō, her latent Reiatsu must have been residual power from her previous form as a lieutenant.

"Wait, am I the weakest one here?" Lod's face twisted in disbelief. Was his new adopted sister actually stronger than him?

---

The next morning, Lod prepared breakfast before waking up Nemu, who was still clinging to her bed.

"Morning… Brother," Nemu mumbled, wrapped in her blanket like a ball. She rubbed her sleepy eyes with tiny hands.

"Morning, Nemu."

Lod chuckled as he ruffled her hair again. "How about we go shopping today? Would you like that?"

At the mention of shopping, Nemu's sleepiness vanished. Her big, round eyes lit up.

As expected, age didn't matter—women of all ages loved shopping.

"Thank you, Brother!" Nemu jumped out of bed and clung to Lod's neck like a koala. "I want new clothes, new shoes, and yummy food!"

"Sure," Lod laughed, patting her head. "But first, you'll need to make an artificial body."

"No problem!"

Nemu puffed her chest out confidently. "That's easy—I'll have it ready in no time!"

---

After breakfast, Nemu proved herself to be a true expert in her field.

While crafting an artificial body capable of housing a Shinigami's soul wasn't simple, Nemu completed it swiftly. The body was a perfect replica of her Reiatsu form.

"All done! Let's go, Nemu."

Lod took her hand, and they headed to a nearby mall.

---

When they arrived, Nemu's eyes sparkled with excitement.

"Wow! So many people! So many pretty clothes! Brother!"

Lod smiled gently, holding her hand. "Do you like it, Nemu?"

"Mm-hmm! I love it! You're the best, Brother!"

They wandered through the mall, and Nemu soon wore a cute outfit while carrying fried chicken, burgers, and an ice cream bucket. She radiated pure happiness.

They later sat in a café, where Nemu swung her legs cheerfully while devouring her food.

Lod sipped his coffee, occasionally wiping crumbs from her face.

However, their peaceful moment was interrupted.

"Hello, sir, may I sit here?"

A sultry voice broke through, and Lod looked up to see a woman.

She had long, wavy red hair and wore a tight outfit that accentuated her figure.

'So, they're here.' The person he'd been waiting for finally showed up.

Standing before him was none other than Natasha Romanoff—Black Widow herself.

---

SHIELD had inevitably tracked him down. After his last encounter with Agent Coulson, Lod knew they'd use his image and comb through their vast surveillance network.

It was only a matter of time before they found him.

Just as he predicted, SHIELD's advanced surveillance systems spotted him, and Natasha was sent to make contact.

"Hello, sir," Natasha said politely, fully aware of the potential danger. "May I sit here?"

"No."

Lod set his coffee down and replied disinterestedly, "Leave. Don't make me say it twice."

Natasha felt awkward.

Before coming here, both Coulson and Fury had warned her that the target wasn't human and might be immune to her charms.

But Natasha didn't believe them. She figured that whether human or not, beauty was universally appreciated.

She was wrong.

The guy code-named "Soul Reaper" didn't just ignore her allure; he even told her to get lost.

Thankfully, as a seasoned agent, Natasha had an exceptional ability to remain composed under pressure. She wasn't going to let this minor setback faze her.

Since her tricks weren't working, she dropped the facade, replacing her seductive expression with one of calm seriousness.

"Sir," she said firmly, "I'm here representing SHIELD. Thank you for your assistance last time. Because of you, one of our agents survived."

Meanwhile, Nemu puffed up her cheeks as she struggled with her steak, hacking away at it with a knife and fork.

Lod, sipping his coffee, seemed more interested in the view outside the window than in Natasha, leaving her completely ignored.

Natasha clenched her fists, veins pulsing on her forehead. If it wasn't for the fact that she couldn't beat him, she'd have snapped his neck with her signature scissor kick by now.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Lod finished his coffee, and Nemu cleared her plate, a small mountain of dishes stacked in front of her—evidence of her voracious appetite.

And Natasha?

She had stood there for an entire hour.

Her mind was a whirlwind of curses directed at this oblivious, infuriating man.

But on the surface, Natasha maintained her composure, even offering Nemu a pitiful look every now and then.

"Brother," Nemu tugged on Lod's sleeve, her soft voice breaking the silence. "That sister looks so pitiful. Can't we let her sit down?"

'Nice assist!' Lod discretely gave Nemu an approving look before turning to Natasha. With a disinterested expression, he muttered, "Fine. My sister's pleading for you. Sit."

"Thank goodness," Natasha sighed inwardly. She had cleared the first hurdle. She shot Nemu a grateful glance.

But now, the real game began.

Lod noticed something odd. The restaurant patrons had been discreetly swapped out for SHIELD agents.

Not only that, but Natasha was wearing a communicator concealed beneath her red hair. On the other end of that device, he guessed, was none other than Fury himself.

'Interesting...' Lod couldn't help but feel slightly excited. This was his first face-off with Fury.

Natasha pretended to adjust her hair, discreetly tapping the communicator twice—a signal that the negotiation had begun.

On the other end, SHIELD had assembled a team of experts, including negotiators, psychologists, microexpression analysts, and logic specialists.

Fury, arms crossed, observed from the front with his single eye gleaming.

Finally, the Soul Reaper had emerged.

Using facial recognition and satellite surveillance, they'd scoured the entire United States, finding him here.

"Let's see," Fury muttered, narrowing his eye. "What secrets is this 'Soul Reaper' hiding?"

"Good evening, Mr. Soul Reaper," Natasha began, locking eyes with Lod. "Allow me to introduce myself. My codename is Black Widow, and I'm here representing SHIELD to negotiate with you."

"Doesn't matter," Lod leaned back lazily, propping his chin on one hand. "What do you want?"

Natasha organized her thoughts before speaking. "It's like this, Mr. Soul Reaper. To better protect humanity, we hope to establish a cooperative relationship with you."

"Cooperation?" Lod chuckled disdainfully, tapping his finger against the table. "Cooperation only works when both parties are on equal footing. Don't you agree?"

"True," Natasha nodded, her expression neutral. "But I believe that as long as we can help each other, it counts as cooperation."

"Interesting perspective," Lod replied flatly. "But tell me, with your limited abilities, what can you possibly offer me?"

"Anything," Natasha declared confidently. "While your strength is undeniable, remember that this is a human society. SHIELD wields the most advanced technology on this planet. Whatever problem you face, we can solve it."

"All problems?" Lod scoffed. "Bold claim. You can't even see Hollows. How do you plan to help me?"

"You're mistaken," Natasha smiled, pulling a device from her bag and placing it on the table. "Look at this. While we can't see Hollows yet, we've developed a scanner that can precisely locate them."

'What the Fuck...?' Lod's heart skipped a beat, but his face remained stoic as he examined the device. 'Damn, SHIELD's tech is no joke.'

In just a few days, they'd created something that could track Hollows.

Back at SHIELD's base, their analysts quickly advised Natasha.

"He's rattled. Keep pressing him. Don't give him time to think."

Natasha noticed Lod's furrowed brow and said, "You see? While we're not perfect yet, our technology proves we can assist you."

Lod feigned hesitation. "Even so, your strength is lacking."

"Strength isn't the only metric that matters," Natasha countered seriously. "Besides, can you really say the Hollows' appearance has nothing to do with you?"

"What are you implying?" Lod's expression faltered, as if she'd struck a nerve.

At SHIELD, analysts erupted.

"He's flustered! Our theory was right. The Hollows' appearance isn't a coincidence. It's linked to him!"

Natasha pressed on. "Soul Reaper, how do you explain this?"

Lod slammed his hand on the table, growling, "Stop making baseless accusations! Hollows have nothing to do with us Soul Reapers!"

"Us?" Natasha raised an eyebrow at his choice of words.

It implied there was more than one Soul Reaper.

Fury's face darkened.

If there was more than one, then this was an organization.

"Are there more Soul Reapers?" Natasha asked cautiously.

"Of course," Lod snapped. "You think I'm the only one? They're in the Soul Society."

Far away, Fury nearly groaned out of annoyance.

Soul Society?

Not only was Lod not alone, but there was an entire organization behind him.

Natasha smirked slightly. She had skillfully extracted valuable intel.

Meanwhile, Lod, outwardly flustered, was internally laughing.

Fury and Natasha thought their tactics were working, but Lod had planned this all along. By "accidentally" leaking the Soul Society's existence, he ensured SHIELD believed it was their own discovery.

'With this move? I can finally say, Two steps ahead, I'm always, two steps ahead.'

"Then, Mr Soul Reaper." Natasha brushed a lock of hair from her face and smiled. "Since we're both working to protect humanity, why don't we join forces?"

"Uh..." Lod hesitated, his expression turning a bit unnatural. That brief flicker of doubt and hesitation in his eyes didn't escape Natasha's keen gaze.

'Is he... scared?' Natasha narrowed her eyes slightly.

It was clear this guy was tempted, but for some unknown reason, he didn't cooperate with them. What was stopping him? What was this 'Soul Reaper' afraid of?

"Listen," Natasha pressed on. "If there's something bothering you, why don't you tell us? Maybe we can help you figure it out."

A conflicted look flashed across Lod's face. His hesitation and reluctance made SHIELD's team even more convinced they could coax something valuable out of him.

"Come on, Mr Soul Reaper," Natasha leaned in, her voice softening. "You can trust us. We only want to safeguard this world. We'd never betray your secrets."

"Still..." Lod shifted uneasily, clearly not convinced.

Natasha sighed dramatically, her tone heavy with concern. "Honestly, there's another reason we want to work with you, besides protecting the world."

"What reason?" Lod raised an eyebrow.

"Our enemy." Natasha's voice grew serious. "Since World War II, they've been working against us, performing large-scale human experiments to fuel another global war."

Lod frowned, already guessing who she meant. Sure enough, Natasha confirmed his suspicions a second later.

"They're called HYDRA. Our greatest nemesis. Recently, we discovered they've learned about the Hollows."

'Again, What the Fuck?' Lod nearly blurted out a sarcastic 'Good job!' SHIELD was shameless, throwing blame around like this.

"For the sake of humanity's survival and safety," Natasha said, her face grave. "I implore you, work with us!"

Lod internally rolled his eyes but kept his composure. SHIELD's desperation was amusing. No wonder they were taken over so easily.

"Please," Natasha added, her eyes brimming with emotion, "we need you."

Lod sighed, appearing to reluctantly concede. "Soul Reapers are strictly forbidden from interacting with humans. If I get caught, I'll be imprisoned by the Soul Society."

Natasha's eyes narrowed slightly. She and SHIELD had just extracted a wealth of new information.

First, the Soul Society strictly prohibited any contact between Soul Reapers and humans. Second, the Soul Society had its own laws. This suggested the Soul Society wasn't just an organization but an entire structured society resembling a nation.

"Natasha," Nick Fury's voice crackled in her ear, "dig deeper. Ask about this Soul Society."

Feigning surprise, Natasha smiled and asked, "You must be one of the strongest Soul Reapers, right?"

Lod snorted. "Me? Strong? You've got the wrong idea. There are tons like me out on assignments."

Technically, he wasn't lying. In the original Soul Society, his abilities barely scratched the surface.

Seeing Natasha rendered speechless, Lod felt secretly triumphant. He could already picture Nick Fury's dumbfounded face.

And he was right. Fury and every SHIELD member listening were stunned. They had assumed this Soul Reaper was a rare and powerful figure in the Soul Society. Instead, it turned out he was just one of many.

"How many Soul Reapers like you are there?" Natasha stammered, her mind struggling to process this.

"Not many... just around tens of thousands," Lod said casually.

"T-Tens of thousands?"

"Yep."

"And... how many can be considered 'strong'?"

"Only thirteen," Lod replied, "the captains of the Gotei 13."

Natasha's voice wavered. "How strong are these captains?"

Lod thought for a moment, then pointed to himself. "Someone like me? They could crush me with their Spiritual Pressure alone."

"You're kidding, right?" Natasha swallowed hard, trying to grasp the absurdity of his words.

"Nope." Lod's tone was dead serious. "The Gotei 13 protects the Soul Society. Each captain is a seasoned warrior with centuries of experience, their names etched into millennia of history."

"Centuries..." Natasha muttered, her expression dazed. She hesitated before asking, "Can I ask... how old are you?"

"Two hundred seventy," Lod replied nonchalantly, sipping his coffee. "Of course, compared to the captains, I'm still a kid."

Natasha bit her lip, forcing herself to stay composed. "Do Soul Reapers... have no lifespan?"

Lod gave her a strange look. "We govern death. How would we have a lifespan?"

"..." Natasha silently cursed herself for asking such a dumb question. Of course, Soul Reapers wouldn't have a lifespan. They were literally beings of death.

Meanwhile, Nick Fury felt an overwhelming sense of helplessness.

A massive organization, existing for millennia, governing the souls of the dead, and wielding the terrifying power of the Gotei 13—how had SHIELD just now stumbled upon this?

America had only been around for 200 years, yet a single Soul Reaper was older than that. Compared to the Soul Society, SHIELD seemed laughably juvenile.

Lod maintained a serious demeanor, but inwardly, he was celebrating. 'Yes, keep asking. The more you guys knew, the more fear the unknown would instill in you.'

SHIELD was like a mouse, greedily nibbling at the cheese Lod had laid out, oblivious to the trap it was stepping into. The more they learned, the more they will dread the Soul Society.

---

Fear always came from the unknown.

Humans feared death, clinging to fleeting beliefs, hoping they'd ascend to some form of heaven after their demise. But learning there was another world awaiting them after death often left them unsettled.

When humans died, they didn't go to heaven or hell but to a place called the Soul Society. There were no gods or devils there, only Soul Reapers.

---

"Tell me," Nick Fury demanded, as his sharp gaze swept over the group of experts in the glass-walled office.

"Is what that Soul Reaper said true or not?"

The room, filled with the world's foremost experts in psychology, criminology, microexpression analysis, and negotiation, fell eerily silent. Their mission was to dissect every word and behavior of Lod the Soul Reaper and offer Fury and Natasha actionable insights.

But now, every expert seemed as pale as a ghost. They exchanged uneasy glances, unwilling to speak.

"Say something!" Fury slammed the table, and his voice was like thunder.

Finally, one brave expert cleared his throat and replied hesitantly, "Director, based on our analysis, he 100% believes what he says. However, we are not going to rule out the possibility of him having supernatural powers to fool us, which is why we can say that we are 80% sure about what he is saying."

Fury's face twitched. The way he is saying, 80% might as well be 100%.

The thought of a massive organization like the Soul Society, with centuries of history and power, sent shivers down his spine.

---

Fury drummed his fingers on the desk. "Natasha, push the Hydra angle further. See if we can make him shift his stance."

Hydra?

Fury chuckled to himself. That defeated organization was long under SHIELD's thumb, its remnants scattered. He could spin any narrative he wanted about them. They certainly weren't coming back to argue otherwise.

Lod's rigid adherence to the Soul Society's laws made things easier. Fury planned to counter their order with an even greater narrative of global peril.

If Soul Reapers were forbidden from contacting humans, what about humans tampering with Hollows? What if someone was weaponizing them and using their powers for evil?

Fury smirked. It took mere seconds for his cunning mind to craft a trap for the Soul Reaper.

---

Meanwhile, Natasha received updated intel through her contacts. After a quick scan of the data, she looked at Lod and said, "Sir, we've uncovered some troubling details about why the Hollows appeared in New York."

"Oh?" Lod raised an eyebrow. "Let's hear it."

"It involves Hydra," Natasha began with a grave expression. "According to our intelligence, Hydra hasn't just learned about Hollows—they're working on a horrific project to weaponize them. They're exploring ways to convert humans into Hollows and create an army to plunge the world into chaos."

She produced her laptop, displaying photos and forged documents: images of secret labs, research notes, and even diagrams of potential bio-weapons.

Lod maintained a neutral expression, but internally he was impressed. 'Man, they're thorough. If I didn't have meta knowledge, I might've fallen for this myself.'

SHIELD had cooked up an elaborate lie, framing Hydra for Hollow experiments. Lod almost felt bad for Hydra... almost.

Natasha pressed on, her voice filled with urgency. "To protect the world and ensure humanity's survival, we need your help. Join us. Together, we can destroy Hydra's plans."

Lod feigned hesitation, then let out a heavy sigh. "Alright. For the sake of humanity and peace, I'll cooperate, but only if you promise absolute secrecy."

"Deal!" Natasha's eyes lit up with relief and triumph.

Both sides believed they had outplayed the other.

(End of Chapter)