Tokinada Brings a Warning

On the weekend, Wang Xun entered the Maggot's Nest once again.

The Second Division guards already recognized him and let him through after a cursory inspection of his token.

Wang Xun had considered returning the token to Kisuke Urahara, but when he saw Urahara produce an identical one, he kept it without any qualms.

With Urahara covering for him, he could use it as a pass for the time being and return it to him later.

As he made his way into the Maggot's Nest along the familiar route, a familiar voice called out from beside him, tinged with resignation.

"Wang Xun, aren't you coming here a little too often?"

Kisuke Urahara looked at Wang Xun rubbing his hands in anticipation, caught between laughter and exasperation.

"You're not attending any of your classes at the Spiritual Arts Academy, are you? What, have you made this place your training ground?"

"But... you have made a lot of progress."

Wang Xun's Hakuda had visibly improved over the past few days.

Before, Wang Xun would have come away with a few injuries when three or five people attacked him at once. Now, he could generally handle them without a scratch.

That had surprised Kisuke Urahara.

Wang Xun paused, his face expressionless.

"Isn't that because order is so poor in your Underground Special Detention Tower?"

"I've never attacked any of these people first. I only defend myself when they attack me."

Urahara's expression grew more serious, though his tone remained teasing.

"That may be true, but please go a little easier on them."

"We're the Detention Unit, not the Fourth Division. Our members can't keep up with tending to the wounded every day."

Wang Xun nodded.

"Understood. I'll keep that in mind."

Kisuke Urahara gave Wang Xun a meaningful look but didn't pursue the matter. He stepped aside, revealing the packages prepared behind him.

"What you asked for is ready. Check it over."

"There's quite a lot. Did you bring someone to help? If not, I can have two of my men help you carry it."

"No need to worry about that." Wang Xun loosened up. "I found someone to help."

Ganju and his little pig, Bonnie, were waiting right outside the Second Division's main gate.

"But there's no rush. Third Seat Urahara, count this money first, and let me warm up while you're at it."

Watching Wang Xun head toward the crowd of prisoners, Kisuke Urahara sighed helplessly, the money pouch in his hand.

But there was nothing he could do. Wang Xun was the one paying, after all. For the money's sake, he would indulge this little whim of his.

The prisoners nearby saw Kisuke Urahara take a thick wad of banknotes from the pouch, then saw Wang Xun approaching them, rubbing his hands. Their eyes nearly bulged out of their heads.

They reached a rather dark conclusion.

"Kisuke Urahara, you bastard! You're taking money to let an outsider beat us up! That's an abuse of power and a corrupt deal! I'm reporting you to Central 46!"

"We aren't even real criminals! Don't we have human rights? Urahara, you deserve to die ten thousand times over!"

"If my Reiatsu hadn't been sealed, you'd never get to throw your weight around here! You little bastard, take this!"

Urahara looked at the money in his hand, then at the prisoners charging at Wang Xun with roars, and sighed.

There was nothing he could do about it either.

If they didn't want a beating, couldn't they just behave themselves? They knew they couldn't win, yet they still charged in asking for a beating. Weren't they just itching for one?

A moment later, Wang Xun stopped and tossed a prisoner whose face had been beaten beyond recognition to the ground. Few prisoners around him still dared to charge.

Wang Xun checked his Reiatsu and Hakuda levels.

[Spiritual Might: eighth class (experience: 3650/8000)]

[Hakuda: lv4 (experience: 4750/5000)]

After spending nearly a week in the Maggot's Nest, his Hakuda experience had soared like a rocket, and his Spiritual Might experience had risen considerably as well.

One more session would be enough to level up his Hakuda.

But he didn't have enough time today. He still had to take Urahara's tools back to Rukongai, and the journey would take a long time.

He couldn't leave Ganju waiting outside too long, either.

"Let's stop here for today. Third Seat Urahara, sorry to trouble you, but could you ask two people to help me carry the things out?"

Seeing Wang Xun stop, Urahara readily agreed.

After taking his leave of Urahara, Wang Xun left the Maggot's Nest under the furious glares of the prisoners.

Once he and Ganju had tied all the packages onto the boar, the two set off on their way back.

Ganju had already learned about the trouble that might affect the ramen shop, and at Wang Xun's instruction, he had begun keeping an eye on developments in Rukongai.

On the way back, Ganju reported the information he had gathered over the past few days to Wang Xun, his expression grave.

Strangely, no one had come to make trouble at the shop in the past few days, and Ganju's underlings hadn't heard anything in Rukongai either.

It was strangely quiet.

Wang Xun, meanwhile, considered what might happen next as he discussed how to distribute the tools with Ganju.

Dusk was falling. Just as they passed through a relatively secluded street and prepared to turn toward the White Way Gate leading to West Rukongai,

A figure stood quietly by the roadside, looking as though he had been waiting for a long time.

Wang Xun frowned when he got a clear look at him.

Tokinada Tsunayashiro.

He had brought no attendants today and stood there alone, his face dark and his expression exceedingly complicated.

There was none of the condescending arrogance or calculation in his eyes this time. Instead, there was a hint of irritation and conflict.

Wang Xun and Ganju stopped at the same time.

"Tsunayashiro?"

Wang Xun's expression instantly darkened.

Wang Xun said nothing, merely watching him coldly as he quietly raised his Reiatsu.

What is this guy doing here again? Has he found out what I've been doing at the Second Division and come to stop me?

Seeing their reactions, Tokinada's lips twitched, and he seemed even more irritated.

He took a deep breath, as if making up his mind about something, and spoke in a low, almost aggrieved tone.

"Wang Xun, you... be careful lately."

Wang Xun was taken aback.

What is he doing? Threatening me to my face?

"Tsunayashiro, what do you mean?"

Wang Xun narrowed his eyes without letting down his guard.

Tokinada's expression grew uglier. He looked away from Wang Xun, speaking faster and lowering his voice even further.

"I have an older cousin. He's a madman, and after learning about the conflict between us, he's decided to get involved."

"He knows about you and thinks my methods..."

Tokinada gritted his teeth.

Wang Xun couldn't make sense of Tsunayashiro's behavior and frowned in thought.

"I don't believe you'd come to warn us out of kindness."

"I just don't want things to get so out of hand that they can't be resolved!"

Like someone whose tail had been stepped on, Tokinada whipped his head around and glared at Wang Xun.

"I only meant to teach you a lesson, but things are different now."

"Tokinada is a complete madman. He acts without any restraint and even dares to trample on the clan's rules!"

He paused, his voice dropping until he was almost forcing the words through his teeth.

"I warned him, but he... anyway, whatever he does next has nothing to do with me."

Having said that, he seemed to have exhausted all his patience. His face grew distant and cold again.

"He'll make his move soon. That's all I have to say. Take care of yourself."

Without waiting for Wang Xun to ask anything else, he turned and left, as if he couldn't bear to stay another second.

The street fell silent.

Ganju scratched his head, looking baffled.

"Brother Wang Xun, who was that?"

Wang Xun stared in the direction Tokinada had disappeared, his brows tightly knitted.

He had just heard a name from Tokinada.

Tsunayashiro Tokinada.

In the original story, he was the extraordinary man who had hired killers to slaughter every male in the clan with inheritance rights, ultimately becoming the clan head himself.

At the sound of that name, a deeper chill rose from the bottom of his heart.

Putting it together with Tokinada's behavior just now,

Wang Xun had a faint sense that the severity of the situation was somewhat different now.