Shinigami in the Ninja World

Naruto didn't respond to Aizen directly but instead gave Kyōraku Shunsui a glance.

Shunsui immediately called over his drinking buddies and led Aizen away.

A group of "drunks" enjoyed themselves at the wedding banquet, with the Nine-Tails among them.

Komamura Sajin was also present, standing seriously and somewhat out of place, but insisting on keeping the Nine-Tails company. The two of them had a decent relationship. The Tōsen Kaname incident had been a heavy blow to Komamura, nearly shattering the fragile faith in humanity he had recently regained.

The appearance of the Nine-Tails had brought some positive changes to his life.

Though...

There was an overwhelming sense of déjà vu.

After the wedding banquet ended, Kuchiki Byakuya called Naruto over.

"Congratulations on your marriage, Hisana," Naruto said with a bright smile as he greeted them, reaching out to tap the table.

During the wedding, she had come to understand that the blond young man who had helped so much with her and Byakuya's wedding was not just some "adorable kohai" but the Captain of the 7th Division, with a status even higher than Byakuya's.

She had also noticed how others treated the blond young man.

Most people were very respectful, but there were also those who seemed to fear him, such as the group from the Tsunayashiro Clan, who didn't dare approach Uzumaki Naruto at all.

"Why are you addressing me so formally, Hisana?" Naruto shook his head. "You can just call me what you did before."

Hisana forced a smile: "I still feel like this isn't real."

Byakuya, standing beside his wife, had a smile on his face.

Naruto placed his hand on the table and summoned a scroll with a puff of smoke.

"This is a wedding gift that Captain Kurotsuchi and I prepared for you," he said, pushing the scroll toward them.

Byakuya was taken aback.

Captain Kurotsuchi? Kurotsuchi Mayuri?

He had no dealings with that person, though he had sent an invitation, but Mayuri hadn't attended.

"I can't accept this..." Hisana started to refuse out of habit.

Naruto gently tapped the scroll: "Byakuya, take a look first."

"Preparing this took us quite a bit of time."

Hisana didn't understand much about the "Shinigami," so the contents of the scroll were incomprehensible to her.

But Byakuya's eyes widened in shock, his emotions fluctuating wildly.

"Ordinary souls have very short lifespans," Naruto said softly. "While this might not have been noticed before, Captain Kurotsuchi and I confirmed that the reishi-rich environment in the Seireitei is harmful to ordinary souls."

At this point, his voice held a trace of amusement.

This discovery led him to realize that the separation of Rukongai and the Seireitei might not only be due to "social status," but the fact that the "dense reishi environment" could damage souls was one of the direct causes of this phenomenon.

Byakuya was stunned.

The Seireitei is the only place in the Soul Society with a "dense reishi environment."

He turned to look at Hisana.

Naruto continued, "This could potentially shorten Hisana's lifespan even further."

Hisana's face visibly paled with worry.

Byakuya held her hand.

"So I asked Captain Kurotsuchi to make some modifications to the 'Gikongan' technology," Naruto said as he touched the scroll. With a puff of white smoke, a humanoid body with a blank face, lacking any features, appeared.

"Just like the Gikongan Captain Urahara researched before."

"It stabilizes the spirit body and can absorb reishi to nourish it."

This brought a visible sense of relief to both Byakuya and Hisana.

"Thank you, Naruto," Byakuya said, bowing.

Naruto waved it off: "We still can't be certain how much this gikongan can extend Hisana's life, and this is just a temporary measure to address the immediate problem."

"Save your thanks for when Captain Kurotsuchi and I figure out how to give Hisana spiritual power and make her like a Shinigami."

Hisana's eyes widened.

Is it possible for an ordinary soul to become a Shinigami?

Byakuya paused, then asked, "What about my father's situation?"

Naruto shook his head: "That won't work."

Hisana was confused, unsure of what they meant.

She had met Kuchiki Ginrei before—a very kind person. Did he have some kind of issue?

"Sealing it within the body is still relying on external forces," Naruto explained. "It wouldn't change Hisana's current condition."

Byakuya nodded heavily.

"To be able to marry Byakuya in the time I have left is the greatest blessing of my life," Hisana said softly, shaking her head. "How could someone like me deserve to have two captains working so hard for me?"

Naruto shook his head: "It's an interesting research project."

"And it overlaps with one of Captain Kurotsuchi's ongoing projects, so it's not really an extra burden."

"And besides..."

"It won't delay anything."

He smiled.

Kurotsuchi Mayuri was indeed a madman.

After learning the "Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu," he had pushed himself to the limit, so much so that the spiritual pressure of each clone was barely equivalent to that of an ordinary Shinigami—just enough to qualify for the Shin'o Academy.

He had simply paused an insignificant project to replace it with "how to give ordinary souls spiritual power."

Hisana took a deep breath: "I..."

Both men turned their attention to her.

"Even though it's selfish of me to bring this up now," Hisana said, lowering her head, her tone sincere, "I can't keep hiding this mistake any longer."

"I..."

"I came to the Soul Society with my younger sister, Rukia."

"We were sent to District 78 together."

"But... in a place like that, I couldn't survive while taking care of her. I had no choice but to abandon my sister, who was still just an infant, and flee alone."

"So I beg you, Byakuya, and you too, Naruto, to help me find my sister."

Byakuya hesitated for a moment.

"No problem," Naruto immediately agreed.

He looked at Hisana with a calm expression.

He could understand the pain of being separated from a loved one.

Although the act of abandoning her "sister" left a bitter taste in his mouth.

So this is what she was hiding...

Naruto thought to himself that he would find it difficult to help Hisana any further after this.

After a few more words were exchanged, Naruto left and returned to the 7th Division barracks.

The group of drunks was still "partying."

The Nine-Tails was trying to dance like Shiba Isshin.

Soi Fon looked on helplessly, while Ōmaeda was sweating nervously.

"Uncle Shunsui," Naruto called out, beckoning to the drunken man lying on the table.

Kyōraku Shunsui lifted his head, and seeing the serious expression on Naruto's face, sobered up immediately and walked over: "What is it? Did something happen?"

Naruto shook his head and led him to another room. He drew the Nine-Tails' sword and stabbed it into the tatami.

The dark Nine-Tails' spiritual pressure spread out, enveloping the entire room and securing a barrier.

This extremely cautious attitude caused Kyōraku Shunsui's expression to become equally serious.

"Aizen greeted me at the wedding banquet," Naruto said softly.

Shunsui nodded; he had noticed it too and had seen Naruto signal him to take Aizen away.

"He's probably planning something," Naruto continued softly.

Shunsui was taken aback: "Why do you think that?"

"He just spoke to you for a few moments."

Naruto frowned: "Aizen is a very proud man. He views those who can't see through his techniques as fools."

"But if someone can detect him..."

"He enjoys the thrill of direct confrontation."

"This man wouldn't greet me without a reason."

Shunsui looked displeased.

He didn't care about others' opinions of him, but that carefree attitude stemmed from the fact that those opinions rarely had any real impact on him.

But Aizen was different—he had the ability to influence him.

To be considered a "fool" by someone like Aizen...

"What do you need me to do?" Despite everything, Kyōraku Shunsui remained calm. "But I can only do minor things within my duties."

"After all, we don't have any evidence."

Naruto shook his head: "What Aizen is most interested in is likely information about the Nine-Tails."

"Confirming whether it's my sword and whether it's the factor that allows me to resist his influence."

"So, he'll have to force me to take action."

"The easiest way for him to achieve that is to target those close to me."

Kyōraku Shunsui pondered: "But he definitely wouldn't dare target another Shinigami."

"All the evidence points to Tōsen Kaname as the culprit behind the Hollowfication incident."

"So, attacking another Shinigami would only discredit the evidence he's set up."

"That means... Naruto, he'd target those around you who aren't Shinigami."

He paused: "Kuchiki Hisana?"

"No, it wouldn't be Hisana," Naruto quickly shook his head.

Kyōraku Shunsui glanced at Naruto in surprise.

Why...

Did he suddenly seem so distant when mentioning her?

"I did all that for Byakuya," Naruto continued. "Moreover, Hisana's relationship with the Kuchiki Clan is closer. If something happens, with the Kuchiki Clan involved, I might not even need to step in."

"It would have to be someone else."

"But who around me isn't a Shinigami and could be targeted..."

He paused, lost in thought.

After a moment, he and Shunsui exchanged looks and simultaneously spoke the same name: "Kūgo Ginjō."

Substitute Shinigami are not part of the Gotei 13.

Their position is similar to the four "Greats" who guard the gates of the Seireitei.

"Should we bring him to the Soul Society?" Shunsui suggested.

Naruto shook his head, his expression serious: "That might be difficult. Kūgo has his own life in the human world."

"That's troubling," Shunsui frowned. "An enemy who can't be tracked..."

Naruto thought for a moment: "It might not be Aizen himself who acts."

Shunsui was puzzled.

"He suspects the Nine-Tails is my sword," Naruto continued. "But he's unsure what changes that might bring."

"The unexpected is something he can't control."

"That's why he's suffered two setbacks with me."

"So..."

"I think he might use someone else to target Kūgo this time."

"If it's someone else, then there will inevitably be traces left behind when they try to act."

"Uncle Shunsui."

"Please help me find out if there are any individuals interested in 'Fullbring' abilities."

~~~

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