NOVEL NEXT Chapter 142: Pawn
Kūgo Ginjō stood tall, pride in his voice and a look of satisfaction on his face.
Naruto listened with a smile.
“However, Fullbringers are a group of people who have been hurt by human society.” Kūgo Ginjō looked at the boy with the octopus-like hairstyle and beckoned him over.
The boy hesitated for a moment, but his trust in Ginjō outweighed his wariness of Naruto, and he cautiously approached.
The one-eyed young man remained unmoved.
Kūgo Ginjō sighed and patted the boy’s head. “So, it’s very hard for them to trust strangers.”
“The organization has actually been established for a few years, but we haven’t been able to recruit many people.”
“I thought this growth was just the beginning. I wanted to achieve some results before discussing it with you and Captain Ukitake.”
Naruto expanded his "Mind's Eye of the Kagura," enveloping the entire area.
Besides this house, there was only one other source of spiritual pressure, located in a convenience store about a kilometer away. However, it didn’t belong to a Shinigami.
He pondered for a moment. “Your organization has only three members, and the last one is a child.”
The boy with the octopus hairstyle looked up, the wariness in his eyes deepening. “How do you know that?”
After all, that person isn’t even at home!
“Captain Uzumaki is very skilled, so of course, he could sense it,” Kūgo Ginjō reassured the boy, patting his head to calm him down.
After the boy’s emotions stabilized, Ginjō continued talking to Naruto. “This isn’t the organization’s base.”
Naruto gave him a curious look.
“Karakura Town is a spiritually rich area,” Kūgo Ginjō explained. “It’s a place where Fullbringers are likely to be born, but once they grow up and have some financial means, they almost always choose to leave.”
“Although they don’t move far from their hometown, they’re reluctant to return.”
“So, after some discussion, we decided to make Naruki City, next to Karakura Town, our base.”
“Most of the members are there.”
“I just got this house here to look for companions.”
Naruto frowned slightly.
This was certainly a good thing—an unregulated power being organized in an orderly manner.
And the core of this organization was “protection.”
Having spent time with Ginjō, Naruto knew well that Kūgo Ginjō was a kind-hearted person.
But at this particular point in time…
“Shall we talk inside?” Kūgo Ginjō gestured toward the house.
They went into a meeting room.
“I feel like I’ve unknowingly made a troublesome decision,” Kūgo Ginjō said, his expression turning serious.
After Captain Uzumaki told him that the Tsunayashiro family was interested in Fullbring, he sensed that something was off.
Now that he thought about it, it felt like he had skipped all the tedious steps of preparing a meal and had instead served up Fullbringers as a dish on the table, just waiting for someone to come and feast on it.
Naruto shook his head and remained silent.
He drew his sword and stabbed it into the floor, allowing the power of the Nine-Tails to envelop the room.
“Why did you make that decision?” Naruto asked.
Kūgo Ginjō was taken aback and lowered his head, feeling a bit guilty. “I shouldn’t have…”
“No, it was a great decision,” Naruto shook his head. “But due to some reasons I can’t disclose right now, I need to clarify a few details.”
Kūgo Ginjō replied, “A few years ago, I came across a Fullbringer fighting a Hollow. After saving them, I had the idea.”
Naruto frowned.
Was it really just a coincidence?
Or was it something more deliberate?
This was the tricky part.
He could sense that something was amiss, but he was the only one who could do so.
No one else could.
Even those he had warned, like Captain Shunsui or Captain Unohana, couldn’t detect anything unusual.
Sosuke Aizen was terrifying not just because of his ability to make people “see but not recognize,” but because of his extraordinarily meticulous mind.
Without knowing it, who could say whether they were being manipulated by him?
And he had great patience.
He would exploit the smallest aspects of human nature, using them to guide events and achieve his goals.
Just like now.
It made sense that the Tsunayashiro family, with their interest in the power of the Soul King, would target the Fullbringers.
And it made sense that Kūgo Ginjō, with his kind heart, would establish an organization to protect Fullbringers.
But within these “logical” developments, the situation would inevitably progress in the direction Aizen wanted.
“Captain Uzumaki?” Kūgo Ginjō noticed the serious look on Naruto’s face and asked cautiously, “What should I do next?”
Naruto was still deep in thought.
Aizen had his advantages, but Naruto wasn’t entirely at a disadvantage either.
Aizen operates from the shadows, avoiding actions that could easily arouse suspicion. In contrast, I have the freedom to act openly and pursue every lead without engaging in direct conflict, which gives me an advantage.
The best approach would be to have the entire Fullbringer organization relocate to the Soul Society. However, that’s not feasible. Humans and souls are fundamentally different life forms, and these people have their own lives. Imprisoning them under the guise of protection would be akin to the Hyūga Clan's practices in Konoha. Neji’s reaction already showed that even well-intentioned actions can be hard for the recipients to accept.
“Do you also engage in Hollow hunting?” Naruto asked Kūgo Ginjō.
Ginjō nodded, his brow furrowing. “Of course, should we stop?”
“If possible, that would be best,” Naruto replied with a nod. “If not, at least have the less experienced members pair up with others for safety.”
Ginjō nodded seriously.
Naruto thought for a moment and added, “If any Shinigami tries to attack you, capture them but don’t kill them. We need them as evidence.”
Ginjō was taken aback.
Wait a minute... what does he mean by “capture them”? Could this mysterious threat that even Captain Uzumaki is so concerned about really be someone we could handle?
“Are we capable of that?” he asked, feeling a bit unsure.
“I’ve asked a very reliable senior to keep an eye on the Tsunayashiro Clan. The more powerful Shinigami won’t be able to act, and if there’s a slip-up, it’ll be someone you can handle,” Naruto reassured him with certainty. “But just in case, stay vigilant as I advised.”
The Tsunayashiro Clan, despite being a high-ranking noble family, doesn’t possess overwhelming power. Officially, only the family head has captain-level spiritual pressure, with several vice-captain-level members under the surveillance of 8th Division. Tsunayashiro Tokinada, who leads the family, only exhibits vice-captain-level strength.
Aizen is merely using the Tsunayashiro Clan, so it’s unlikely that they will act openly. But we can’t be complacent. If Aizen sees an opportunity, he might act subtly enough to avoid detection by 8th Division.
Kūgo Ginjō nodded firmly.
As Naruto was about to leave, he suddenly thought of something and glanced at the pocket on Ginjō's waist. “Are you still carrying your Substitute Shinigami Badge?”
“Captain Uzumaki has placed so much trust in me and shared everything with me,” Ginjō said with a broad grin, taking out the badge. “How could I betray that trust?”
Naruto stared at it without saying a word.
The main reason I came to the World of the Living was to catch the Tsunayashiro Clan in the act. I intended to capture a few Shinigami or retainers who were spying on Ginjō. However, to my surprise, there are no such spies within my sensing range.
The Tsunayashiro Clan is despicable, but they’re not foolish. It’s unlikely that they’d target someone without gathering intelligence first. They must be monitoring him, but how?
Ginjō’s expression changed as he also realized something.
“This item seems to be malfunctioning,” Naruto extended his hand, using a casual excuse. “Why don’t you give it to me? I’ll take it back to 12th Division for repairs.”
Ginjō agreed and handed it over without hesitation.
Naruto sealed it away and, after offering a few more words of advice, returned to the Soul Society, heading straight for 12th Division’s barracks.
The 12th Division was as busy as ever. The squad members greeted Naruto with respect before quickly pulling Kurotsuchi Mayuri out from a corner.
“Naruto-kun,” Mayuri greeted lazily. “What brings you here this time?”
“Don’t bother me with trivial matters; I’m very busy.”
Naruto’s tone was calm. “Take me to your main body. I have something important to discuss. Very important.”
Mayuri eyed Naruto, noting the seriousness in his expression—something only one man in the Soul Society could provoke.
“It’s related to Aizen, isn’t it?” Mayuri nodded, signaling Naruto to follow him.
Meanwhile, at the Tsunayashiro Mansion...
Naruto’s meeting with Kūgo Ginjō in the World of the Living was immediately reported to the head of the Tsunayashiro Clan.
“Captain Uzumaki met with the Substitute Shinigami?” The head’s expression grew heavy. “And he took the Substitute Badge as well?”
“Has he caught on to something?”
The clan member delivering the report was visibly nervous.
“Kyoraku’s subordinates were also asking about our activities,” Tsunayashiro Tokinada’s face twisted into a false smile. “It seems they’re in league with Captain Uzumaki.”
“How disgraceful for a noble to side with a commoner from Rukongai,” the family head scolded. “Since Captain Uzumaki has found out...”
“Tokinada.”
He called out a name.
The man sitting at the far end of the table smiled.
“You will handle this matter,” the head declared without hesitation. “The family needs these Fullbringers.”
“The fusion of the Soul King’s power and Hollow abilities is a rare sample.”
“You’ve disappointed us once before—don’t do it again.”
Tsunayashiro Tokinada bowed his head, forcing down the smirk threatening to break out. “Yes.”
After everyone else had left, he finally looked up, allowing a wild grin to spread across his face. He laughed, a sound both crazed and joyful.
He understood the family’s intentions well. By pushing him forward at this time, they were almost certain he wouldn’t achieve his goal. It was merely a way to avoid offending Captain Uzumaki, with him as the sacrificial pawn to keep the Tsunayashiro Clan clean.
