Karakura Town.
This was the first time Kazuma had set foot in the World of the Living since he'd transmigrated into the world of Bleach.
Looking at his surroundings, he felt a strange, phantom ache of nostalgia.
The asphalt, the power lines, the hum of traffic—it felt as if he had returned to the familiar modern society he once knew.
But he knew better.
This was not his original world, it was a completely different reality, overflowing with invisible predators and complex spiritual politics.
Still, seeing the skyscrapers and the bustling morning commute washed a deep sense of familiarity over him.
It was a jarring contrast to the Edo-period aesthetics of the Seireitei.
He didn't have much time for sentimentality.
Before stepping through the Senkaimon, he had contacted Batsu'unsai for the coordinates to their safehouse.
He quickly navigated the human streets, arriving at a modest, traditional-style home nestled between two modern apartment blocks.
The moment he slid the front door open and saw Batsu'unsai, Kazuma dropped his bags and pulled her into a tight hug.
"My dear wife! A day apart from you feels like three autumns! Come here and give me a kiss."
Sitting on the couch with a handheld video game, Saitō groaned loudly in disgust. "That's enough! I moved to the World of the Living specifically to avoid your nauseating public displays of affection. Keep this up, and I'll cut you down!"
Kazuma and Batsu'unsai exchanged a smile before turning to the disgruntled founder. "Alright, alright. We know you're just jealous. We'll tone it down."
Saitō rolled her single eye and tossed the console aside. "Why did you come here at such a sensitive time?"
Kazuma sighed, taking a seat at the low table. "The Soul Society set up a Substitute Shinigami system a while back. Now there's a problem, and I'm here to clean it up."
"Substitute Shinigami? What's that?" Batsu'unsai asked, pouring him a cup of green tea.
"It's a bit complicated. Simply put: if a Shinigami stationed in the Living World dies in the line of duty, an ordinary human with extremely high spiritual power can sometimes obtain their sword and inherit their powers," Kazuma explained.
"And then?" Batsu'unsai pressed.
"When the Gotei 13 discovered this was happening, Jūshirō Ukitake spearheaded a new system. As long as the human Substitute doesn't violate our laws, the Soul Society officially recognizes their authority and issues them a Substitute Badge. Ostensibly, it's a preparatory measure to keep them from rebelling. Their main task is to handle minor Hollow incidents locally, keeping them out of the Soul Society's actual operations."
"Oh~ I get it. Isn't that just outsourcing labor?" Saitō interjected from the couch.
Kazuma blinked, genuinely surprised. "Whoa. Saitō, where did you learn a corporate term like that?"
Saitō looked at him like he was an idiot. "Hey! You don't really think I'm a fool, do you? I've been living in human society for decades now. It's perfectly normal for me to pick up on these things."
"I see..." Batsu'unsai nodded thoughtfully, steering them back on track. "So, is there a major problem with this Substitute? The old man wouldn't send a Captain-level figure to deal with something trivial."
"Mmm..." Kazuma's brow furrowed. "We received a report that the Substitute went missing during a mission. When a squad member went to investigate, the Substitute brutally attacked him. The Soul Society officially deemed him a traitor, and I'm here to investigate."
"How can we help?" Saitō asked, cracking her knuckles.
"The last place he appeared was Karakura Town," Kazuma said, taking a photograph from his Shihakushō and placing it on the table.
"This is the traitor. His name is Kūgo Ginjō. See if you've sensed him around."
Batsu'unsai and Saitō studied the photo carefully. After a moment, both shook their heads.
"Sorry. We haven't seen this man," Batsu'unsai said.
Kazuma sighed helplessly. "Alright, looks like I'll have to hunt for his Reishi trails myself."
Batsu'unsai's eyes suddenly narrowed. "Kazuma, you're not telling the whole truth, are you? A matter concerning a single human Substitute, even a rogue one, shouldn't fall to you. Since Ukitake spearheaded the program, he should logically be the one to come down and handle it. The Captain-Commander would never dispatch you for something this minor."
Faced with her sharp questioning, Kazuma smiled faintly, a trace of deep affection in his eyes. He reached across the table and took her hand.
"Because I missed you, of course! So I specifically requested the Captain-Commander let me handle—"
Batsu'unsai's free hand shot out, utilizing her ultimate 'Dragon Claw' technique to aggressively pinch the soft flesh under Kazuma's arm.
Kazuma yelped in genuine pain. "Ow, ow, ow! Stop, stop! My brilliant wife saw right through it!"
Batsu'unsai let go, crossing her arms. "Speak. What's the hidden story here?"
Kazuma rubbed his bruised ribs and looked around the safehouse, listening for any extra heartbeats.
"Stop looking! Hiyori isn't home. She went out to play at the arcade," Batsu'unsai said, seeing right through his caution.
Kazuma chuckled, dropping his playful facade as his expression turned entirely serious.
"My wife knows me best. This matter actually involves the Great Nobles of the Soul Society."
Saitō scoffed, leaning back on the couch. "Hah! Nobles. That bunch of spineless good-for-nothings."
"This time, it's not just politics," Kazuma said, his voice dropping low. "According to the intelligence I've intercepted, Kūgo Ginjō's rebellion is directly tied to one of the Five Great Noble Families: the Tsunayashiro Clan."
"The Tsunayashiro Clan? Are you sure?" Batsu'unsai and Saitō exchanged grim looks.
They had assumed some minor noble house was playing games, they never expected the involvement of the Tsunayashiro, the keepers of Soul Society's darkest history.
"I'm absolutely sure. They're pulling the strings from the shadows."
"What?" Saitō frowned. "How? Why would they care about a human Substitute?"
"Ginjō founded an organization in the World of the Living called 'XCUTION'," Kazuma explained.
"This organization is composed of humans who can use 'Fullbring'. A while ago, a member of his group was murdered by a Shinigami assassin sent by the Tsunayashiro Clan. They want to harvest their powers."
"Wait a minute, what is a 'Fullbring'?" Batsu'unsai asked.
"Fullbring is a power homogeneous with that of Hollows. It's the ability to manipulate the 'soul' within physical matter. By drawing out the soul of an object and applying their own spiritual power, they can weaponize it. For example, they can use the soul of the asphalt to boost their speed, or use familiar objects to change the form of matter itself, transforming a simple pendant into a deadly weapon."
Kazuma paused, ensuring they understood the gravity of the situation.
"These people are humans who possess the residual power of Hollows. Before they were born, their mothers were attacked by Hollows. That Hollow power lingered, passing to them at birth. The Tsunayashiro Clan is hunting them, and Ginjō figured it out."