NOVEL FROG Chapter 143: Took Action
In the underground lab of 12th Division, Kurotsuchi Mayuri turned to Naruto and asked, "The Imaging Hall?"
"Yes, 12th Division does have such an institution. Why do you ask?"
Naruto placed a scroll on the table, which he hadn't yet opened. "I visited Kūgo Ginjō. Surprisingly, there was no one monitoring him."
Mayuri squinted his eyes, drawing out his words, "Captain Uzumaki—I’m neither clueless nor a fool."
Naruto smiled and lightly tapped the scroll. The seal was released, and the Substitute Shinigami Badge floated out.
"This little gadget seems to have malfunctioned," Naruto said calmly. "So I brought it here for you to repair, Captain Mayuri."
Mayuri realized something and reached out to grab the badge, speaking disdainfully, "It's a useless thing. Better to destroy it and make a new one rather than repair it."
However, when he exerted force, the Substitute Shinigami Badge didn’t budge. Since it was something carried at all times, it had been reinforced with "strengthening" and "durability" spells to prevent it from being destroyed during minor battles.
But Mayuri, having split his attention among too many clones, had weakened his main body’s spiritual pressure to the point where he couldn’t destroy it.
"How many clones have you made?" Naruto’s eyelid twitched as he lightly tapped the badge, using the Byakurai (白雷, Pale Lightning) to obliterate it.
Mayuri expressionlessly discarded the remains without answering. The question was too intrusive for his liking.
"Research is far more valuable than power," he thought.
"I want to know about the relationship between the Tsunayashiro Clan and the Imaging Hall," Naruto asked.
The Imaging Hall was responsible for monitoring the three worlds. Among the many institutions within the Gotei 13, it was one of the most mysterious.
"The Imaging Hall, huh," Mayuri sneered, his tone icy. "Though it’s nominally under 12th Division, in reality, the Central 46 holds authority over it, perhaps even more than 12th Division."
He paused, his tone growing more meaningful. "The Tsunayashiro Clan holds the most power within it. They’re always meddling and causing annoyance."
Just as I thought... The Tsunayashiro Clan is deeply connected with the Imaging Hall, Naruto pondered, recalling a warning from Byakuya.
The Tsunayashiro Clan controls the Great Spirit Book Gallery, where all of the Soul Society’s historical records are kept.
"They’re responsible for recording history," Naruto said grimly, "and also for preserving it?"
"Is it just them?"
Mayuri chuckled. "Yes, just them—the Tsunayashiro Clan alone."
Naruto frowned. If that’s the case... once the old Shinigami pass away, wouldn’t history be at the sole discretion of the Tsunayashiro Clan? No wonder that clan is so unrestrained and arrogant—they hold the power over history.
At that moment, he could somewhat understand Tōsen Kaname’s motivations.
"Anything else?" Mayuri asked, sounding a bit impatient. "If not, I have other matters to attend to."
Naruto glanced at the destroyed Substitute Shinigami Badge. "How long will it take to make a new one?"
"When do you need it?" Mayuri countered.
Without waiting for Naruto to answer, he nudged him out. "Come back when you need it; that’s when I’ll have it ready."
"For now, Captain Uzumaki, please leave. I have important experiments to conduct."
Naruto narrowed his eyes, studying Mayuri. "You’re in a hurry to get rid of me, and yet you haven't tried anything sneaky."
"Captain Mayuri, you’ve changed your style today."
Mayuri responded lightly, easing his grip. "Is that so? It’s just that I’m at a critical stage in my research. Even I don’t want any unnecessary complications right now."
Naruto scrutinized him.
Mayuri continued with open sincerity, "It’s something very interesting. Once I have results, I’ll be sure to propose a trade with you. I believe... you’ll find it very compelling."
Naruto narrowed his eyes. His Mind's Eye of the Kagura indicated that Mayuri was telling the truth.
But what could be so interesting to Mayuri?
After sending Naruto off, Mayuri muttered to himself, "Captain Uzumaki is really troublesome. He notices even the smallest discrepancies."
"Oh well, let’s hope that man keeps him occupied for a while longer."
He walked to a wall and pressed his hand against it. The wall became transparent, revealing only a thin curtain.
Mayuri lifted the curtain and slipped through.
Behind it was another lab, mirroring the one outside like a reflection in a mirror.
On the operating table was a young man, bound and unconscious from anesthesia.
"The troublesome guy is gone," Mayuri said in a gentle tone as he gazed at the young man’s body. "Now, let’s continue."
Naruto returned to 7th Division’s barracks.
The drunken group wasn’t in his office. After Byakuya’s wedding, they had gone off to party at a izakaya again, with Nine-Tails following along.
Only Soi Fon remained, seemingly having developed the habit of coming here to do her paperwork.
Naruto smiled at her and resumed his duties.
Soi Fon looked at him, wanting to say something but hesitating.
Soi Fon could tell that Captain Uzumaki and Captain Kyōraku were planning something, possibly related to the Tsunayashiro Clan. Despite being a captain herself and leading the Onmitsukidō (Stealth Force), she knew she could be of help. However, neither Naruto nor Captain Kyōraku had approached her to involve her in their plans.
She wanted to ask about it, but the words just wouldn't come out. The only comfort was that she wasn’t the only one being left out—Captain Shiba seemed equally unaware of the situation, spending his days carefree and cheerful.
Naruto's actions seemed to have had a deterrent effect on the Tsunayashiro Clan. They had become much more restrained. Even after Naruto destroyed the Substitute Shinigami Badge and refrained from returning a new one to Kūgo Ginjō for quite some time, the Tsunayashiro Clan made no comment, as if they were completely unaware of the situation.
Time seemed to calm the "ripples" that had briefly disturbed the surface.
Naruto continued his observations, but he didn’t notice any activities that could be linked to Aizen.
Six months later, Kyōraku Shunsui pushed open the door to Naruto’s office, glanced at Soi Fon, and politely asked her to step outside. Soi Fon was reluctant, but seeing that Naruto didn’t object, she begrudgingly left, carrying Nine-Tails out with her.
Nine-Tails was stunned, looking up at her in disbelief. ‘What the... If you want to leave, go ahead, but why are you dragging me along?’
"They’ve made their move," Kyōraku said seriously. "And they aren’t even trying to hide it."
Naruto stood up. "Who’s involved?"
"Tsunayashiro Tokinada is leading the team—five people in total, all of them high-ranking officers," Kyōraku replied, spreading his hands helplessly. "However, I can’t stop them. They have official clearance from Central 46."
Naruto remained calm. "It’s not that difficult for the Tsunayashiro Clan to get approval from Central 46."
"So, what’s your plan?" Kyōraku asked.
Naruto retrieved a permit and placed it on the table. "I’ve been prepared for this."
Although the Tsunayashiro Clan hadn’t made any moves so far, Naruto hadn’t let his guard down. He didn’t believe they would give up on their plans. Over the past few months, he had been renewing his travel permits regularly, applying for a new one each time the previous one was about to expire.
In the World of the Living, in Naruki City, six months had passed—just a blink of an eye for Shinigami, but a significant amount of time for humans.
The "Protector" organization was thriving. The total number of members, including the younger ones, had exceeded twenty. However, they lived cautiously, always operating in pairs.
"What kind of threat could possibly reach us here?" A short-haired girl, bored, fiddled with a rabbit-shaped hairpin in the organization’s base. "In Karakura Town, there might be some strong Hollows, and we might not be able to handle them alone. But in Naruki City... it’s not even a spiritual hotspot!"
The girl spoke with frustration, clenching her teeth.
"Brother Kūgo probably has his reasons for arranging it this way," said another member, a man dressed in a British style, sipping tea from a delicate cup. "And working in pairs to deal with Hollows is convenient, don’t you think?"
"It’s annoying, really annoying!" the short-haired girl shouted, kicking her legs in frustration. "I hate having to work with others!"
Suddenly, her shouting ceased as an unfamiliar spiritual pressure filled the room—heavy and overwhelming, making all the Fullbringers tense up.
Someone powerful had arrived! And... how did they enter the house?
They turned to see a blonde youth dressed in a black Shihakushō and a white haori.
"Intruder!" the short-haired girl reacted the most strongly, leaping onto the table and activating her hairpin, which began to glow with a strange light.
"Let’s play—"
The rabbit on her hairpin seemed to come to life, its red eyes glowing menacingly. But before she could finish speaking, golden chains lashed out, wrapping around her waist and silencing her.
"Don’t be so rash," Naruto said with a smile. "Only thinking of yourself."
"Failing to gauge your opponent’s strength..."
"That will get you killed."
His voice carried a sudden wave of killing intent, making the short-haired girl shiver instinctively. The chains struck her hand, causing her hairpin to clatter to the floor.
The others in the room grew even more cautious.
"Are you... the Captain Uzumaki that Brother Kūgo mentioned?" asked a middle-aged man with calm features, standing up.
After dealing with Hollows frequently, it was inevitable that they would encounter Shinigami. Despite the white haori covering most of it, the Shihakushō was unmistakable.
"I am," Naruto nodded. "Where’s Kūgo?"
As he extended his senses, he detected the spiritual pressures throughout the house—there were over a dozen Fullbringers in the building. But Kūgo Ginjō wasn’t among them. In fact, within a fifty-kilometer radius, there were only a few unfamiliar Fullbringers and some weak Hollows.
As for Karakura Town... Naruto had descended into the World of the Living at that location, but Kūgo’s spiritual pressure wasn’t there either.
