Underground, in the Twelfth Division's laboratory.
Mayuri Kurotsuchi turned to look at Naruto. "Imaging Hall?"
"The Twelfth Division does have such a facility. Why do you ask?"
Naruto reached out and slapped a scroll onto the table, but didn't unroll it. "I went to find Kūgo Ginjō."
"Oddly enough, no one was monitoring him."
Mayuri narrowed his eyes and clicked his tongue. "Captain Uzumaki—"
"I'm not someone without tact, and I'm certainly not a fool," Naruto said with a faint smile as he tapped the scroll.
The seal opened, and the "Substitute Shinigami Badge" floated out.
"This little gadget malfunctioned," he said softly. "I figured I'd bring it to Captain Mayuri for repairs."
Mayuri reached out to grab it with disdain. "It's a useless object. Rather than fixing it, it's better to just make a new one."
Except—
When he exerted force, the badge didn't budge.
This object, meant to be carried around, naturally had several reinforcement and hardening spells embedded, to prevent destruction even in non-intensive battles.
But Mayuri had created too many clones, weakening his original body's spiritual pressure to the point he couldn't even destroy the badge.
"How many clones have you made?" Naruto frowned, then casually pointed. A spark of Byakurai (White Lightning) destroyed the badge.
Mayuri remained expressionless and tossed the item aside, not answering.
It was simply too impudent a question.
Compared to research, power was utterly useless.
"I want to know the connection between the Tsunayashiro Clan and the Imaging Hall," Naruto asked.
The "Imaging Hall" was an institution responsible for monitoring the three realms.
Among the many branches of the Gotei 13, it ranked among the most mysterious.
"Ah, the Imaging Hall," Mayuri clicked his tongue, voice icy. "Although it's officially under the Twelfth Division, in reality, Central 46 wields equal—if not greater—authority."
He paused meaningfully. "The Tsunayashiro Clan is the most powerful among them."
"They're always meddling, and exceedingly annoying."
Just as expected—
The Tsunayashiro Clan and the Imaging Hall were closely tied.
Naruto lowered his head, recalling a warning Byakuya had once given him.
The Tsunayashiro Clan managed the "Great Spirit Book Corridor," a repository of all historical records of the Soul Society.
"They're responsible for recording history," Naruto said grimly. "And also the ones who store it?"
"There's no one else but them?"
Mayuri chuckled. "That's right. Only the Tsunayashiro Clan."
Naruto frowned deeply.
If that's the case...
Once the old Shinigami all pass on, wouldn't history be entirely dictated by the Tsunayashiro Clan?
No wonder that family acted so brazenly and lawlessly—they held the power to control history itself.
At this moment, Naruto could almost understand a bit of Tōsen Kaname's sentiments.
"Anything else?" Mayuri waved his hand impatiently. "If not, I have other matters to attend to."
Naruto glanced at the destroyed badge. "How long will it take to make a new one?"
"How long do you want it to take?" Mayuri retorted.
Without waiting for Naruto's reply, he shooed him away. "Come pick it up when you want it. I'll say it was finished then."
"Now, please leave, Captain Uzumaki."
"I have very important experiments to run."
Naruto squinted at him. "You're rushing me out and not attacking me for once, Captain Mayuri."
"Quite a change in attitude."
Mayuri's tone softened as he replied, "Is that so?"
"It's just that the experiment has reached a crucial phase."
"Even I don't want unnecessary trouble right now."
Naruto observed him carefully.
Mayuri remained calm. "It's something very interesting. Once I finish, I'll trade it with you."
"I believe…"
"You'll find it quite compelling."
Naruto narrowed his eyes.
His Kagura Shingan (Kagura's Mind Eye) confirmed everything Mayuri said was true.
But… for something to pique Mayuri's interest?
What was it?
After Naruto left, Mayuri muttered, "That Captain Uzumaki is such a bother. He notices even the slightest differences."
"Oh well. Hopefully that man will keep him preoccupied for a while longer."
He walked to the wall and pressed his hand against it.
The wall turned transparent, revealing a curtain.
Mayuri lifted it and stepped through.
Behind the curtain was another lab, mirrored in layout to the one outside.
On the operating table lay a bound young man, unconscious and drugged.
"The troublesome one is gone," Mayuri said softly, eyes tender as he looked at the youth.
"Now let's continue."
Naruto returned to the 7th Division headquarters.
The usual drunkards weren't in their offices. Ever since Byakuya's wedding, they'd been partying in the izakaya again—with Kurama tagging along.
Only Soifon remained. She had developed a habit of only being able to work properly here.
Naruto smiled at her and returned to his paperwork.
Soifon glanced at him, hesitating.
She could tell that Captain Uzumaki and Captain Kyōraku were planning something—something that involved the Tsunayashiro Clan.
She was a captain too.
As commander of the Stealth Force, her division could be of help.
But neither of them had said anything to her.
She wanted to ask—but the words wouldn't come.
The only small comfort she had was that she wasn't the only one "left out." Captain Shiba seemed equally clueless, still fooling around every day.
Naruto's actions appeared to have a deterrent effect on the Tsunayashiro Clan.
They had quieted down significantly.
Even though Naruto destroyed the Substitute Shinigami Badge and didn't return a new one to Ginjō for a long time, the Tsunayashiro Clan made no comment—almost as if they knew nothing about it.
Time smoothed over the ripple.
Naruto kept watching, but saw no sign of Aizen's activity.
Until six months later.
Kyōraku Shunsui pushed open the office door, gave Soifon a glance, and asked her to step out.
Soifon, annoyed, looked to Naruto—but seeing he said nothing, she reluctantly stomped her foot and dragged Kurama outside.
Kurama was stunned.
Hey!
You can leave by yourself, why drag me along?
"They've made a move," Kyōraku said gravely. "No attempt at subtlety."
Naruto stood. "Who?"
"Tsunayashiro Tokinada leads the group—five in total, all senior seated officers." Kyōraku shrugged helplessly. "But I can't stop them."
"They have official clearance from Central 46."
Naruto replied calmly, "It's not hard for the Tsunayashiro Clan to get Central 46's approval, is it?"
"What are you going to do?" Kyōraku asked.
Naruto placed a permit on the desk. "I've been preparing for this all along."
Though the Tsunayashiro Clan hadn't acted until now…
Naruto never let his guard down, never assumed they had abandoned their schemes.
He always kept an active pass and began applying for a new one as soon as the old was about to expire.
Modern World – Naruki City
Six months was a blink to a Shinigami, but to humans, it was a significant stretch.
The "Protector" organization had flourished.
Including the younger members, they now had over twenty members total.
But they lived cautiously, always operating in pairs.
"What could possibly threaten us?" a short-haired girl complained while playing with a bunny-shaped hair clip. "Maybe in Karakura Town there's strong Hollows, but this is Naruki!"
She bit her lip, fuming.
"Big bro Kūgo must have had a reason for assigning us like this," another member—well-dressed in British fashion, sipping tea—offered. "And it's more convenient working in pairs, no?"
"So annoying!" she kicked her feet. "Working with other people sucks!"
Her rant was cut short.
An unfamiliar spiritual pressure filled the room.
Heavy. Vast. A powerful presence.
And—
How did they enter the building?
Everyone turned to look.
A young man with golden hair, clad in a black Shihakushō and white haori, stood calmly.
"An intruder!" the short-haired girl reacted first.
She leapt from the table, and her hair clip glowed strangely.
"Let's play a li—"
But her "Kotodama" (Word Spirit) never finished.
Golden chains lashed out, wrapping around her waist and silencing her.
"So impatient," Naruto said with a smile. "Only focused on yourself."
"Unable to gauge the enemy's strength…"
"That's how people die."
A wave of killing intent filled the room.
The girl shivered instinctively. The chain whipped her hand, and the hair clip dropped with a clack.
The others became increasingly alert.
"You are…" a middle-aged man stood, calm and composed. "Captain Uzumaki, the one Kūgo mentioned?"
Having fought many Hollows, encountering a Shinigami wasn't rare.
Despite the white haori covering him—
The black shihakushō was unmistakable.
"I am," Naruto nodded. "Where's Kūgo?"
He activated Kagura's Mind Eye.
There were over ten Fullbringers in the house, inside and out.
But none of them was Kūgo Ginjō.
And within a fifty-kilometer radius…
There were four other unfamiliar Fullbringers—and a few weak Hollows.
As for Karakura Town—
That was Naruto's designated descent point from Soul Society.
And Kūgo's spiritual pressure wasn't there either.
(End of Chapter)