Naruto: This Genius is Somewhat Ordinary-Chapter 455

"More dangerous than Aizen?" Fujimoto Tōma repeated, finally taking Urahara seriously. "You’ll have to be specific. Dangerous to the world? To Soul Society? Or just to Central 46?"

Urahara Kisuke met his gaze. Their eyes locked.

Tōma didn’t deny the accusation. He reframed it.

And Urahara understood immediately.

Tōma had no intention of destroying the balance of the three realms. He wouldn’t overturn the world itself. In that sense, he was nothing like Aizen.

But to Central 46?

Yes. Tōma was absolutely dangerous.

If they crossed him, retaliation would be swift and merciless.

Still, that wasn’t really Urahara’s concern. What he cared about was the stability of the three realms and the safety of the people he valued. Central 46? The noble clans?

He didn’t lose sleep over them.

Once he understood Tōma’s stance, Urahara quietly relaxed.

That said, a lingering worry remained. If Central 46 pushed too far, they might force Tōma into open opposition.

And when that happened, the Gotei Thirteen wouldn’t be allowed to refuse their orders.

"...Hopefully I’m overthinking it," Urahara muttered.

Just then, Ururu returned with the cups and poured the sake.

Tōma wasn’t much of a drinker. He preferred tea. Still, since he’d brought it, he drank.

After a sip, he asked casually, "Since we’re talking about Aizen... do you know what he actually wants?"

"We don’t know his exact goal," Urahara replied.

Tōma raised an eyebrow. "You’ve been dealing with him for nearly a century and still don’t know?"

"There are guesses," Urahara said calmly.

"I’m listening."

Urahara hesitated, studying Tōma’s expression. If Aizen’s ambitions aligned too closely with Tōma’s philosophy, things could get complicated.

Eventually, he spoke.

"Aizen’s experiments were about breaking the boundary between Shinigami and Hollow. That’s how the Visored came to be. And you’ve seen it yourself. Hollowfication causes a fundamental leap in power."

Tōma nodded. That realization had shaped his own path forward.

"So one of Aizen’s goals is surpassing his own limits," Urahara continued. "In that sense... he’s not unlike you."

He paused, then added, "The difference is that he sacrifices others to get there. You don’t."

"That’s not a moral choice," Tōma corrected calmly. "It was never an option for me. I don’t conduct experiments. And I won’t hurt people who have nothing to do with me."

He didn’t say the rest. That enemies were a different matter.

"That’s the real distinction," Urahara said, nodding.

"Is that all?" Tōma frowned.

"That part is certain. What comes next is speculation."

"About what he’ll do after breaking through," Tōma guessed.

"Yes." Urahara’s voice grew heavier. "Aizen won’t tolerate restraints. Central 46. The nobles. And..."

He pointed upward.

Tōma understood immediately.

The Soul King.

"But if that’s the case," Tōma said slowly, "then while the process is ugly... the result doesn’t sound entirely bad."

Urahara smiled wryly, staring at the sky. Tōma truly didn’t like Soul Society’s structure.

Frankly, that was normal. Anyone with ambition would resent being ruled by incompetence.

Tōma refilled Urahara’s cup, a faintly wicked grin on his face.

"Tell me, Kisuke. Do you actually like the way Soul Society is run? You were condemned by Central 46 once. They even ordered the execution of the captains and lieutenants who were victims."

He wasn’t wrong.

The Visored had been victims, yet sentenced to death anyway.

Urahara sighed. He couldn’t deny it. He’d been driven into exile, dragging Yoruichi down with him.

Satisfied? Hardly.

But the system was rotten at its roots. Fixing it wasn’t realistic.

So he chose to endure.

Then he asked suddenly, "Do you know how the three realms came to be?"

Tōma froze.

"...They weren’t always separate?"

Urahara nodded. "Let me tell you a story."

Long ago, the world was undivided. No Soul Society. No Hueco Mundo. No Human World. Life and death stagnated in a single, unmoving cycle. Hollows were simply part of that circulation.

Then Hollows began consuming human souls.

The cycle collapsed. If it continued, all souls would eventually merge into a single, colossal Hollow, freezing the world forever.

That was when the Soul King appeared.

Using annihilating power, he erased Hollows and restored motion to the world.

But the ancestors of the Five Great Noble Houses rejected that reality. They wanted separation. Order. Control.

The Soul King saw the future and chose self-sacrifice.

He became the lynchpin.

With his power, the primordial world was split. A world of spirit particles. A world of physical matter. And the desert between them, where Hollows gathered.

Thus, the three realms were born.

"...So if something happens to the Soul King," Tōma said quietly, "everything collapses back into the original state."

"Yes," Urahara confirmed.

He didn’t mention the rest. How the nobles mutilated the Soul King. How they carved him apart to ensure he could never resist.

That truth was too heavy.

The world itself was built on sin.

And Urahara had no way to fix it.

"That’s why," Urahara finished, "we can’t allow Aizen to touch the Soul King."

"I don’t think Aizen wants to reset the world," Tōma said after a moment. "That kind of stagnation doesn’t suit him."

"Maybe," Urahara replied. "But we can’t gamble the fate of the realms on his personality."

"Fair enough."

They drank in silence.

Eventually, Urahara glanced at Tōma. "...The bottle’s empty."

"I know," Tōma said. "Don’t mind me. I’ll leave when you close."

Urahara rubbed his temples. He still couldn’t figure out what Tōma wanted.

If it was the Hōgyoku, Tōma could take it by force. Yet he hadn’t.

That uncertainty was far more unsettling.

"Where are Tessai and Yoruichi?" Tōma asked suddenly.

"They went back to Soul Society to restock," Urahara answered. "Most of our customers are Shinigami."

"Got it."

Tōma moved to a quiet corner, sat down cross-legged, placed Meikyō Shisui across his knees, and entered silent blade meditation.

Urahara watched him for a moment, then sighed.

Whatever this man was planning...

Stopping him clearly wasn’t an option.

...

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