Bleach Cfyow Read Online – INTERLUDE – Part 1
SEVERAL DAYS LATER, IN THE RUKONGAI
As Kugo Ginjo was ambling around the Rukongai, a strange crowd caught his attention. “Hm? What’s the deal with that?”
Several men in the crowd were making a commotion and seemed to be desperately appealing to the onlookers.
“Hey, what happened here?” Ginjo asked a Rukongai resident he occasionally saw around, but the resident seemed troubled and didn’t know what the fuss was about either.
“You got me. But the new dead arriving in the Rukongai lately have been making a commotion about how god told them this was exactly how things would be, and that a new world will be starting soon.”
“Are they religious or something?”
One kind of trouble caused by new residents to the Rukongai stemmed from their confusion between their observed religion and the reality of the world after death. Some newly dead cult members would claim, “I should have gone to heaven! This impoverished place has to be a world created by demons!” and riot, so it was the role of the original inhabitants of the Rukongai to soothe them.
“Well, they’re different from the usual ones. They always say that ‘this is exactly the world the founder said it would be’ and already have a firm grasp on the Rukongai and the Seireitei. But they still end up starting a commotion by spouting gibberish about ‘a new king arriving in the world’ or some such nonsense.”
“Oh? Now that’s got my interest.”
Maybe a Soul Reaper who had been dispatched to the world of the living let something leak to a spiritually attuned religious person who then spread it as doctrine? After making that conjecture, Ginjo decided to head over to the group in order to kill some time.
As he neared, a man in the group noticed his clothes and yelled, “Ah! H-hey, young man! Based on your clothes, you must have come here recently, right?! So you probably know about our faith too, right?!”
“Sorry, but I’m not interested in being recruited.” Though he didn’t think he would have ever said anything like that during his time as a deputy Soul Reaper, he decided to listen to what the person had to say.
But in the next moment, a word that shook Ginjo to the core tumbled from the man’s mouth. “It’s been on TV commercials for the last few months. You’ve got to know about it! It’s Xcution! Exs-cue-shon!”
“What did you say?” Ginjo openly scowled at the sound of the name.
What’s going on here?
Xcution was the name of the Fullbringer organization Ginjo had set up in the world of the living. He could easily imagine some other group taking the name for itself. But he didn’t think it could be a simple coincidence that an association that knew so much about Soul Reapers had that same name.
I don’t think Yukio, Rurika, or Jackie would spread that kind of information. But I guess I can’t look into it in the state I’m in right now… As he thought that, Ginjo realized that the state he was in now was one of having lost his purpose.
The dazzling fire that had burned within him when he had been alive suddenly smoldered again in his chest. Not like I have anything better to do. Guess I could play detective for a while.
After he thought about it for some time, Ginjo spoke to the devotees of Xcution with a friendly smile. “Sorry. I died before that. But I’m kind of intrigued. Could you tell me a little more about your founder?”
At this point, Kugo Ginjo still hadn’t realized that he had already been caught up in the disturbance that was surreptitiously eddying around the Soul Society. And he had no idea that bows were being drawn on the Fullbringers from an unexpected direction.
≡
DEPARTMENT OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
“The Fullbringers… Now that we’ve exhausted our research on Soul Reapers, Quincies, and Arrancars, they are our opportunity for trailblazing new technology. I am convinced of that.”
“I think this is a chance to return to the foundations of the Department of Research and Development.” Mayuri Kurotsuchi happily told the nervous researchers in front of him about their new research direction.
Mayuri Kurotsuchi was the director of the Department of Research and Development and concurrently the captain of the Twelfth Company.
“Our targets are three Fullbringers we have confirmed are hiding within the Rukongai. Normally one subject would do. However, there are great discrepancies between the abilities of individual Fullbringers. Just as our zanpaku-to are different and just as the portion of the Quincies who used Schrift were different.”
“Captain, one of those three Fullbringers is considered to be a criminal and the other two took on Ichigo Kurosaki and Captain Kuchiki. Captain General Kyoraku has released a directive that we are to observe…”
Mayuri shrugged dramatically and shook his head at the staff members’ objections. “Do the crimes of our research subjects relate to our analysis? Actually, if they obediently offer their bodies to the Soul Society’s Department of Research and Development, I will go to the Central 46 myself and lovingly make an appeal for their pardon.”
“Won’t this cause a dispute between us, First Company, and the Rukongai?” “It’s not as though we’re going to kill them. We’re just doing a little
dissection and analysis and asking for their cooperation with a few incidental experiments—no more than the total number of stars in existence! If they already feel remorse, they should offer their bodies to us. Of course, once the experiments are complete, I could promise to remodel restore their bodies to perfect condition.”
Hiyosu watched as Mayuri crossed out his own troubling word and stealthily asked Akon, who was next to him, “What’s gotten into the director lately? Isn’t he being even more aggressive than usual about research?”
Unlike Hiyosu, who used the word “aggressive” to summarize kidnapping and dissecting people, Akon replied with his usual indifference. “It’s because Nemu isn’t here. The captain has his own way of burying his grief.”
“All I can do is pity the Fullbringers he’s dragging into this…”
Akon nodded at Hiyosu’s words, one thing was bugging him. He asked Mayuri, “But Captain, I heard that their abilities are equal to a lower-level captain’s. I don’t think anyone below a captain could capture them. Are you doing it yourself?”
“Now, Akon, scientists should never voice uncouth opinions. It’s almost as though you are assuming there will be a fight.”
The very man who had offered up a plan that would most definitely end in a fight shook his head as he continued. “Although experiments are a mass of uncertain elements, one makes provisions for everything. I have made my preparations exactly for that reason.”
Mayuri pressed a button that he had pulled from somewhere, and one of the Department of Research and Development’s walls opened up and a line of countless cylindrical water tanks filled with very clear scarlet liquid rose up.
Each column held a suspended humanoid form. A few staff members scowled when they ascertained the identities of the figures. But most of the department was composed because they knew the same had been done to Arrancar corpses in the past.
With the countless tanks of floating figures arrayed behind him, Mayuri Kurotsuchi put on his usual twisted smile as he said, “This is an excellent opportunity. For our first experiment, let’s examine them carefully and determine the usefulness of Quincies against Fullbringers!”
≡
ARISTOCRATIC DISTRICT, TSUNAYASHIRO HOUSEHOLD
“Oh, sorry. Can you move? I have an important meeting starting soon.”
Tokinada, who had been preparing for a certain meeting, picked up on the turbulent atmosphere that flowed through his own chambers. At the sound of Tokinada’s voice, they must have decided that a surprise attack was impossible. The sliding door opened without a sound and countless blade-wielding shadows appeared on the grounds.
Tokinada shook his head slightly when he saw the men, who were obviously from the same group as the assassins from the other day. “Hm… Eight of you at
about the power of a seated Soul Reaper… Although as I say that…” Tokinada quietly sighed as he read the spiritual pressure of his opponents.
“Oh my, who would have guessed that you would come for me while Hikone was hospitalized? What terrible timing.” Tokinada put his hand on the sword at his hip as he spoke.
He had long ago ceased to be a Soul Reaper in the Thirteen Court Guard Companies and so his zanpaku-to had been confiscated. But just as the Ise household had their Hakkyoken, the Tsunayashiro family had a sword that had been passed down through the generations. As the new head of the family, Tokinada had secretly inherited it. Or to be more accurate, he had stolen the zanpaku-to before he had even attained his new position.
“And it seems you have quite underestimated me.”
Although the assassins were lightly leaping around him using hakuda in order to keep him from pulling out his sword, Tokinada invoked the zanpaku-to. The name had a ring to it that was very similar to his enemy Shunsui Kyoraku’s zanpaku-to.
“Offer, Kuten Kyokoku!”
≡
SEIREITEI, THE MAIN THOROUGHFARE
Not knowing what was currently happening in the Twelfth Company, Shuhei Hisagi finished his preparations for the new interview and headed straight down the Seireitei’s main road. Since Seinosuke Yamada wouldn’t have another opening for a while, Hisagi decided to temporarily postpone his coverage of the aristocratic district.
After the incident in the Seyakuin, Hisagi had looked into the child Hikone Ubuginu but hadn’t found anything. He had even asked Kyoraku about it, but the Captain General knew absolutely nothing about Tokinada’s private army, so Hisagi hadn’t obtained any useful information.
I didn’t feel any hostility or maliciousness when that kid threw me over. They weren’t being gentle or soft on me. I think they still don’t get the difference between good or evil.
Hisagi recalled the innocent smile on Hikone’s face even while the child was severely wounded and once again resolved to find out what kind of person
Tokinada really was.
And so Hisagi was heading to the interview he had gotten permission from Kyoraku to conduct. Or rather, he was heading to the interview with the thought that the man he was planning to meet would likely know something about the state of affairs in the Tsunayashiro household or have details on Hikone’s strange spiritual pressure.
Hisagi had put his tools into a simple drawstring bag, which he wore slung over his shoulder. Coupled with his usual sleeveless clothes and tattooed face, he looked like some rocker out hitchhiking.
Partway through his walk, he bumped into Shinji Hirako, the Fifth Company captain. “What’s up, Shuhei? You headed somewhere?”
“Yes, I’m going to the world of the living to cover something for the Seireitei Bulletin.”
Hirako looked quizzical at Hisagi and asked, “Huh? Is it back in print already?”
“Well, there’re still a few months before it hits the stands. But the first new issue will feature a look back on the great war. I’m heading to Urahara’s to interview him. If it goes well, I might even be able to ask Kurosaki about stuff.”
“All the way to Kisuke’s huh? That’s tough. That guy never says anything direct in an interview.”
“Huh? But…”
Hisagi considered Hirako’s words, and a single bead of cold sweat rolled down his face. “Now that you mention it…”
“Wonder why you didn’t realized that earlier? Even a baby in its mother’s womb would know that,” Hirako said, seeming exasperated.
“Well, if you’re headed to Kisuke’s, you’ll probably see Hiyori. If you do, make sure to tease her for me,” Hirako told the man headed to the world of the living.
“I’m the one she’ll hit though! Cut me some slack. I have to go to the aristocratic district when I get back and gather info on places that are going to be a pain…”
“The aristocratic district? What? A feature on Omaeda’s bougie lifestyle during the chaos of reconstruction isn’t going to interest anybody.”
“I don’t think that would be interesting no matter what the timing, to be honest…”
After a few more bantering exchanges, Hisagi left the conversation behind and
headed to the Senkaimon.
Hirako watched Hisagi’s back before suddenly turning to look toward the aristocratic district. “The aristocratic district, huh…? Come to think of it, Yoruichi’s been saying there are a lot of fishy things going on there.”
Although he couldn’t see what was happening in the aristocratic district from the main street, he almost felt as though he could see something whirling around in the skies above it. He sighed and scratched his head. “Hopefully this won’t lead to any trouble. That’s probably not gonna happen though.”
Bleach Cfyow Read Online Full List.