Bleach: Watch Closely, This Is How You Use a Zanpakutō novel Chapter 59

Chapter 59 - 59: Impossible to Refuse

The family elders exchanged glances, their smiles as sly as a pack of old foxes.

For nobles of high rank and great power, bloodline was undeniably important—but it was never absolute.

In the face of power, blood ties were disposable. Mercy and compassion? Even more so.

The only thing that truly endured was self-interest.

Within the Tsunayashiro Clan, the branch families only held military strength, while true authority remained firmly in the hands of the main family.

And "swords"—they were meant to be used and discarded. Replacements could always be found.

"In that case..."

"Is it really necessary for us to sour our relationship with Yamamoto over this?"

"With his strength, those fools in the branch family have no chance of winning."

"Indeed."

The elders voiced their agreement one after another.

Tokuyasu Tsunayashiro smiled.

"I've read Masatsuki Aozaki's testimony. He's a sharp one. And based on the other statements, he even tried to curry favor with our family during the Konsō internship."

The elders looked surprised.

"What? Something like that happened? Why weren't we informed?"

"It must have been that useless Asaka Tsunayashiro concealing it to improve his chances of being named the next family head."

"The branch family really is nothing but a pack of incompetent fools!"

Tokuyasu Tsunayashiro chuckled, raising a hand in reassurance.

"No need to get worked up. Perhaps after this incident, we can consider improving our relationship with him."

At those words, the elders' eyes lit up slightly.

A good idea.

Anyone could see that Masatsuki Aozaki, a once-in-a-millennium genius, would sooner or later rise to the upper echelons of the Gotei 13.

With his talent and potential, it was only a matter of time before he became a captain. And given Yamamoto's current attitude, even the position of Captain-Commander wasn't out of the question.

Having a powerful captain—or even a future Captain-Commander—as an ally of the Tsunayashiro Clan would be a tremendous advantage.

Yamamoto was old. Sooner or later, he would choose someone to inherit his title.

The clan had to consider the future.

Tokuyasu Tsunayashiro observed the shifting expressions of the elders, inwardly sneering.

He already held a position of supreme power within the clan. Even the other elders had begun to follow his lead.

With a single order or even a mere glance, he could sway the decisions of the Central 46 and send ripples through all of Seireitei.

But he wasn't satisfied.

The branch families had been scheming for years, clawing at the main family's authority.

As the strongest elder of the main family, it was his duty to ensure that neither the position of family head nor the authority of the elders fell into the wrong hands.

Yet, like the others, the faction backing him alone was not enough to seize absolute control of the clan.

If he wanted to consolidate his power, removing the branch family was only the first step. He needed external forces to support him.

Masatsuki Aozaki was the perfect candidate.

Talented, ambitious, and—most importantly—deeply flawed.

Greedy. Lustful.

The type of man who was easiest to manipulate.

"There's no rush to bring Masatsuki Aozaki to our side. We must plan carefully," Tokuyasu said, standing slowly. Placing his hands on the table, he continued,

"This brat is sharp. He won't walk blindly into trouble or danger. That's precisely why he's avoided aligning himself with any family until now."

...

West Rukongai, District 1—Outskirts.

Shiba Residence.

After Kaien Shiba forcefully sobered him up, Masatsuki and Kūkaku teamed up to give Kaien a beating, making him recognize his own weakness.

"So... are you sure there won't be any issues with the Gotei 13?"

He was immobilized, bound by golden ropes of light—Bakudō No. 4: Hainawa.

"Shut up, idiot brother!"

Kūkaku delivered a swift punch to Kaien's head, causing a large lump to form instantly.

"Ow..."

Kaien groaned, looking utterly miserable.

His sister had changed. She was being way too nice to an outsider, yet showed no mercy to her own brother.

It was all because of that damn pretty boy!

Back then, he had been so cautious—so vigilant.

How the hell did this guy slip through the cracks?!

Kūkaku ignored her brother's suffering, instead pulling Masatsuki close as they continued drinking.

After a while, Masatsuki's gaze lingered on Kūkaku's hands—completely unscathed. As if suddenly recalling something, he spoke slowly.

"I think you should put your explosion experiments on hold for now."

Kūkaku raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

Masatsuki frowned slightly.

"They're too dangerous. You're bound to get hurt sooner or later."

"Kisuke's a 3rd Seat in the 12th Division now. He's always messing around with gadgets."

"I'll ask him to help—maybe he can get you some protective gear. That way, your experiments will be a lot safer."

In the original timeline, Kūkaku had lost her right arm.

Considering her love for explosives, Masatsuki had a strong suspicion that fireworks had something to do with it.

And if he already knew disaster was coming, there was no way he'd sit back and let it happen.

(40 Chapters Ahead)

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