Far away in the Seireitei, Naruto had no idea that he had earned the resentment of a certain brother-complex-addled individual. He was still engrossed in studying the abilities of his Zanpakuto. From mimicking Kyoka Suigetsu to traversing space, Naruto felt like he was on the verge of a breakthrough.
"Still researching?" Shion came to his side, her slender fingers gently massaging his temples as she asked with concern.
"My Zanpakuto research has hit a bottleneck," Naruto replied, frowning at the dark green blade of Kyoka Suigetsu. As he watched, the sword distorted, transforming into a pure white Zanpakuto.
"Perhaps I can find the answer in the Shinigami World," Naruto murmured to himself.
"The Shinigami World?"
"The Shinigami in that world also possess Zanpakuto, capable of Shikai and Bankai," Naruto explained, not bothering to hide anything. "I might find my answer there." He stood up, and the Zanpakuto in his hand let out a crisp hum.
"Then you should go," Shion said with a smile, standing by his side.
"But I don't know when I'll be able to return," Naruto said, a hint of hesitation in his voice. "The Seireitei is just getting started. It would be trouble if this affects our future plans."
No one knew what the Shinigami World held. Even Naruto himself had only heard about it from Aizen. He didn't know the extent of their top-tier power, nor did he understand the structure of their society. Entering their world rashly was definitely a risk.
"Don't worry, we're not weak. We can handle even the Akatsuki," Shion comforted him softly. She was the person closest to Naruto and the one who best understood his plans. Naruto wanted to create a Soul Society, a Hueco Mundo, and a World of the Living, and control the rules of all three realms. A Seireitei with such ambitions was bound to clash with the entire shinobi world. If a great war broke out while Naruto was away, it would be a disaster.
"Have a little faith in us. Trust us," Shion said with a smile. "Besides, we still have the Nine-Tails. We have three shinobi who are beyond Kage-level right here."
In the current shinobi world, the number of fighters at that level was extremely limited. The Seireitei's current top brass could practically walk all over the great nations.
But Naruto shook his head. "Don't underestimate any of the major powers. They've stood for decades; they're bound to have trump cards. Don't take on too many missions before I get back."
Naruto began to lay out a series of arrangements, but just then, a guard entered.
"Lady Shion, Lord Naruto, we have an intruder."
An image materialized on a light screen formed from Reiatsu. It showed Sasuke, dressed in a white robe. His eyes were covered by a strip of cloth, and a faint smile played on his lips as he strolled brazenly through the marketplace. It was an act of extreme arrogance.
"Sasuke? It seems he's undergone Shinigamification," Naruto said, the corner of his mouth twitching upwards. "Walking right into the enemy's headquarters... that's a bit foolish."
He waved his sleeve, and the white Zanpakuto vanished.
"I haven't had a good workout in a while. I think I'll play with him a bit."
"Hmph. Uchiha Sasuke," Shion grumbled from the side, clearly annoyed. "He's so weak. Why do you value him so much, Lord Naruto?" She was a little jealous. In terms of strength, Sasuke really wasn't that impressive. He couldn't compare to powerhouses like Haku or Minato; even the current Rock Lee could probably defeat him.
Naruto, however, shook his head. "You don't know Sasuke. He's a genius who was taught by both Orochimaru and Jiraiya, and he possesses the Sharingan. I'm very interested to see what abilities he's gained after becoming a Shinigami."
Judging from past examples, the abilities gained through Shinigamification were usually related to one's Kekkei Genkai or mastered ninjutsu. Minato, for example, had gained a Zanpakuto with spatial domain abilities based on his Space-Time Ninjutsu. Haku's Ice Release had been enhanced, granting him an ice-type Zanpakuto. The Sharingan itself was a top-tier Kekkei Genkai, boosting all physical attributes and enhancing both genjutsu and ninjutsu—it was practically omnipotent. The Byakugan, which held a similar status, wasn't nearly as exceptional.
What Naruto didn't know, however, was that Sasuke had already cast his Sharingan aside.
Sasuke walked the streets of the Seireitei. Ever since its borders had opened, many merchants had come to trade. What puzzled them was that the residents of the Seireitei had an extremely low demand for food, so low it was almost negligible.
Guards patrolled every street corner. Furthermore, no outsider was allowed to stay within the Seireitei for more than a week. Before entering, one had to fill out personal information to obtain a pass, and patrolling guards could ask to see it at any time.
Sasuke had disguised himself as an ordinary merchant and successfully obtained a pass.
Feeling the abundant Reiatsu in the air, Sasuke's heart sank. The people he saw on the street were almost all Wandering Souls, and the environment was perfectly suited for them. If an ordinary person stayed here for too long, they would likely become a Wandering Soul themselves.
Naruto had actually created an entirely new environment!
Sasuke walked slowly. Even with his eyes covered, he deftly and precisely avoided all oncoming pedestrians and obstacles. It was as if a map of the Seireitei was being constructed in his mind. He now deeply understood Naruto's words: "Eyes can be deceiving."
With his eyes covered, he could see the world more clearly, and his heart felt things more deeply. Sasuke felt that he had become incredibly strong. Strong enough to easily defeat the Itachi from before. But even so, he was still no match for Naruto.
He had come here for two reasons. First, he wanted to understand the Seireitei and Naruto's ideals up close. Second, he wanted to see just how vast the gap between himself and Naruto truly was.
"Uchiha Sasuke, our Lady Shion will see you now." A guard soon appeared before him and spoke softly.
"Quick to react," Sasuke said with a slight smirk. He followed the guard, easily keeping pace by tracking the flow of Reiatsu within the man's body.
The guard was secretly amazed. He has no eyes, yet he's more agile than an ordinary person. As expected of the man Lady Shion personally requested to see. He's got some skills.
They went deeper into the Seireitei, and soon Sasuke was led to a private arena. Naruto and Shion were already there, waiting.
"Sasuke?" Rock Lee, who was in the middle of training, stopped and looked over curiously.
"Lee?" Hearing the familiar voice, Sasuke turned. The black cloth over his eyes made Lee pause for a moment.
Sasuke's Reiatsu painted a picture of the entire arena in his mind, and he was immediately drawn to the most terrifying concentration of power in the field. If Rock Lee's Reiatsu was a lake, then this other presence was a deep, unfathomable ocean.
"Naruto?" It was a question, but Sasuke's tone was filled with certainty.
"Welcome to the Seireitei, Sasuke."
Naruto's voice was as magnetic as ever. His eyes rested on Sasuke, full of inquiry. Interestingly, Sasuke wasn't in a soul state like other Shinigami. On the contrary, his body was perfectly healthy. He was like a human who possessed Reiatsu. In a way, Sasuke was quite similar to him. He was special, just as Naruto had expected.
But... why is he covering his eyes?
"Long time no see, Sasuke," Naruto said first, a faint, unreadable smile on his face.
"Long time no see, Naruto." Sasuke faced Naruto's direction. Though his eyes were covered, Naruto could still feel a sharp intensity from him.
"You've gotten stronger. But it's still not enough." Naruto looked Sasuke over and shook his head with a hint of disappointment. "So, why have you come to the Seireitei? Are you thinking of joining us?" Naruto asked, his smile turning playful.
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