2-5...

Kugo Ginjo.

Wait a minute, Kisuke, why are you bringing him up?

Oh, are you two acquainted?

You weren't there when Rukia and the others came to grant Soul Reaper powers to Ichigo, were you?

No, I just happened to come across him in the Rukon District the other day.

What a coincidence.

He spends most of his time as a human, so unless you fought him, you probably didn't notice anything unusual about his Spiritual Pressure.

Does that have something to do with this "Fullbring" ability?

Basically, when Fullbringers were still fetuses, their mothers were attacked by Hollows.

However, their mothers survived the attack, and they were safely born.

The probability that children in these situations are influenced by Hollow elements and eventually awaken to Fullbring abilities is said to be high.

I've heard that somewhere before, too. In any case, they're lucky they survived after being attacked by a Hollow.

I suppose the natural assumption is that help from a Soul Reaper or Quincy arrived just in time.

But if that's true, then how much did the Soul Society know?

Were they aware that pregnant women who were just barely saved were likely to give birth to future Fullbringers?

Oh.

I started gathering information as soon as I learned of the existence of Fullbringers.

Is it really possible that I realized this before Soul Reapers who have been fighting Hollows for thousands, if not tens of thousands of years?

There were no records of anything like it in the Daireisho Archive until fairly recently.

Well, they're only obligated to gather Soul Society information, so I can see why they didn't have records about these events in the world of the living.

What about the Visual Department?

The Tsunayashiro Clan has been involved with the Visual Department since its establishment.

Is that why you told me all of this?

It's not unnatural to think they know something, right?

Well, after this point, my work is done. I'll leave it all up to a journalist with a strong spirit.

Does this mean the Tsunayashiro Clan is somehow involved with Kugo and his gang?

A guess is just a guess. That's all the information I can give you right now.

I have a few other guesses, but if there's any chance I'm wrong, I'd be inconveniencing a large number of people.

That's why I'd like some information myself before I can confirm or deny anything.

In other words, you want information from me?

I've already asked Yoruichi, too, but I want data from all sides.

To tell the truth, hearing about that Hikone child was very useful. Thank you very much.

I feel like I'm being skillfully manipulated, but I understand.

If you have faith in me as a journalist and a Soul Reaper, then I'll do whatever I can.

Well, well! Looks like we've got a deal then! Let's continue being birds of a feather.

(Was I too hasty?)

By the way, what's the connection between Fullbringers and Hollows? Not in terms of how they came about, but when mapping out their current influence.

Fullbringers' mothers were attacked by Hollows in the past, so I'd say there is some sort of connection there.

From the Hollows' point of view, they see a human with the same elements as themselves.

Some probably react with caution while others find it amusing and make contact.

I'm sure it's all case-by-case in the end.

There have been more relatively gentle Arrancars as of late, too.