Shinigami in the Ninja World (Re-upload)

As a member of the Tsunayashiro Clan, Tokinada Tsunayashiro had long understood the history of the Soul Society. He knew well the nature of the figure known as the "Soul King" and the peculiar form in which he existed.

Tokinada looked intently at the golden-haired man standing across from him, sword drawn, his expression growing serious.

Naruto Uzumaki hadn't come seeking help—he had come to settle things.

"Naruto Uzumaki..." Tokinada gritted his teeth, his voice rough. "You actually dare to do this."

"'Dare'?" Naruto smiled. "Why choose that word?"

Tokinada collected himself, no longer seeming quite as unsettled. "Would you have acted against me if circumstances were not what they are now?"

"It seems that, over the past hundred years, you've learned a thing or two."

"You've even picked up some new methods."

"Did you learn that from me?"

When circumstances demanded it, Tokinada could bend rules and push boundaries, knowing people would tolerate minor transgressions for the sake of larger concerns.

That was Tokinada's strategy.

Central 46 couldn't afford to lose the Tsunayashiro Clan, so…

They tolerated Tokinada's continued hold on the family name as its last representative.

Now…

Tokinada could see something of himself in Naruto—a reflection of his own "shadow."

The Soul Society was at war with the Wandenreich. Even Yamamoto had fallen. Naruto Uzumaki was their final hope.

Which meant the Soul Society could lose anyone, even Yamamoto, but they couldn't lose Naruto Uzumaki.

"A petty person will always think petty thoughts," Naruto shook his head. "My question for you was: when did you get the idea that I wouldn't act against you?"

Tokinada froze.

Naruto raised his hand, and chains spun around his wrist. "There are two reasons I haven't acted against you."

"When a captain-level Shinigami dies, their spiritual pressure doesn't return to the Three Worlds as reishi—it goes to Hell."

"For years, you've only shown vice-captain level abilities in public, but you can't fool me."

"That's the first reason."

"The second is that merely killing you would be too merciful."

"The crimes you and the Tsunayashiro Clan have committed can't be atoned for by 'death' alone."

He paused.

The wind rose, fierce and unrestrained, whipping around them.

"So, do you understand now?" Naruto clenched his hand in midair, and the end of the chain tightened in his grasp, rattling ominously in the wind as it rushed toward Tokinada. "It's not that I 'wouldn't dare.'"

"It's that…"

"Even a person as twisted as you… I still hoped you'd bring some kind of value to this world, even if only at the end."

The chain surged forward, aiming to pierce him.

A flash of steel.

"Enrakyōten, Kuten-Kyōkoku."

A rushed, desperate phrase, and a long sword was unsheathed.

An invisible barrier shielded Tokinada.

Naruto's chain struck, but he held back slightly, his strike controlled, carefully managing his spiritual pressure so that Tokinada couldn't evade.

So…

It was the sword.

But hadn't his Zanpakuto been confiscated? Uncle Shunsui himself had overseen it. Naruto couldn't imagine Tokinada had found a way to bypass such stringent measures.

"Surprised?" Tokinada grinned, his tone exaggerated. "Clearly, this man's Zanpakuto was confiscated."

"Then how does he have another?"

Naruto remained silent.

His thoughts weren't quite as dramatic, but the same question lingered.

Why did he have another?

"This is what makes nobles noble," Tokinada held the sword aloft, his gaze scornful, contemptuous, looking at Naruto as if he were trash. "Unlike you so-called 'geniuses' of today…"

"A true family is built upon generations of brilliance."

"The Soul Society has respected our family for millennia, yet the Tsunayashiro fell from their leading position among the Five Noble Families only recently."

"Do you know what that rank meant over millions of years?"

He despised the Tsunayashiro Clan's history, yet he took pride in its legacy.

Contradictory, complex, and multifaceted.

In that moment, he embodied humanity's most "ugly" side in full.

"This sword alone proves it," Tokinada locked eyes with Naruto, lowering his blade slightly. "It's a divine artifact passed down through generations of the Tsunayashiro."

"It's not actually called Kuten-Kyōkoku. I named it that myself."

"Don't you think its pronunciation sounds… quite like Katen Kyōkotsu?"

"I've always wanted to use it in front of Captain Kyoraku."

Naruto ignored him.

If physical sealing techniques couldn't break through, then…

"Hadō #31. Shakkahō (赤火砲, Red Fire Cannon)."

An orange-red fireball surged from Naruto's palm, rolling and spilling forward toward Tokinada.

Tokinada didn't flinch, only shaking his head. "Pointless."

"All attacks will be deflected by this sword."

"You can't harm me."

The Shakkahō struck, only to dissipate against the invisible barrier.

Its spiritual pressure was drained away.

Meanwhile, the spiritual pressure extending from Tokinada's sword remained unshaken.

Naruto narrowed his eyes, focusing on that spiritual pressure.

It was the "power of a Shinigami," yet different from the current form of Shinigami power, more like something used by Ichibē Hyōsube.

An ancient… sword?

"Defense is just one of its powers," Tokinada continued, "and a minor one compared to its other ability."

"Would you like to know what that is?"

He grinned maliciously.

"It's strong."

"So strong that there's a heavy price for wielding it."

"Every Tsunayashiro head feared it because… the price of its use is one's soul."

"Every time it's wielded, it takes a piece of the user's soul."

"And the loss is permanent and irreparable."

"That cowardly lot, thinking themselves superior, never dared to use it."

"But I'm different."

"I fear nothing."

"Witness now the power that once defined the greatest of the Five Noble Families."

He raised the sword.

"Sip from the four seas, the heavenly shores entwine. Equally duplicate ten thousands, and sharpen—"

"Enrakyōten."

Tokinada Tsunayashiro's spiritual pressure fused with the sword, triggering a strange, powerful resonance. In that instant, the blade vanished entirely.

Naruto detected the shift. This resonance was similar to the ability Ichibē Hyōsube had wielded when he had renamed things. The difference was only on the surface; fundamentally, it was the same kind of rule-based manipulation.

"You can try to guess what this ability does," Tokinada continued, gloating. "There aren't many powers that can make a Zanpakuto blade disappear—"

He didn't get to finish.

With a sharp spike in spiritual pressure, a voice intoned, "Ikorose, Shinsou (Shoot to Kill, Shinsou)!"

The vanished blade reappeared, extending rapidly as it pierced forward, fast and straight.

Naruto reacted instantly. The moment it shot out, he sidestepped and managed to grab the blade mid-flight.

Tokinada grinned, his expression mocking. "Quick reflexes, I'll give you that."

"As expected of Captain Uzumaki."

"But…"

Suddenly, the blade dispersed into a swirl of cherry blossoms, which flurried toward Naruto in a graceful but deadly dance.

Naruto's eyes narrowed.

This was… Kuchiki Byakuya's Zanpakuto.

He moved swiftly to dodge, but despite his quick reaction and speed, a single petal grazed him, leaving a small cut. The wound was minor, so slight it hardly existed, and in a moment, it closed thanks to his healing factor.

But still…

Naruto's entire body suddenly felt much heavier.

This sensation was all too familiar.

It was Izuru Kira's Wabisuke.

In this brief exchange, Tokinada's sword had revealed its versatility, able to harness multiple Zanpakuto abilities simultaneously. And if it could utilize several powers at once, that meant dealing with Tokinada would be like fighting a coordinated team with one mind.

And this was only Shikai… What about Bankai?

"You didn't expect that, did you?" Tokinada twirled the blade, basking in his advantage. "It's quite the marvel of a weapon."

"Don't worry… I won't kill you."

"After all, someone like me could never—"

Naruto interrupted him calmly. "You think because you've got a few minor advantages, you've already won?"

"Can you even move?" Tokinada's smile was smug.

Naruto tilted his head. "Wabisuke doubles the weight of anything it strikes. It's a troublesome ability."

"It restricts movement and reaction speed, and it can completely throw off one's rhythm."

"I always thought Izuru Kira had potential."

"But…"

In a flash, Naruto used Shunpo, the golden blur crossing Tokinada's vision before he could react.

A swift blade cut through Tokinada's chest, spraying blood.

Golden chains followed, aiming to bind him.

Tokinada finally reacted, raising his sword and activating its ability; an invisible barrier repelled the chains, protecting him from capture.

"See?" Naruto held his blade steady, watching Tokinada's wound bleed. "The gap between us isn't something you can close with a doubled weight."

"You have the strength to be a captain, true…"

"But even among captains, there's a world of difference."

Tokinada's expression twisted in frustration, pressing down on his sword. "Is that so?"

"I've only used the power of three Zanpakuto so far, and you're already boasting."

"Let's see if you can keep talking."

He raised his blade high.

"Reign over the Frosted Heavens, Hyōrinmaru!"

Snow and ice filled the air, coating everything in frost. Among all the Zanpakuto, Hyōrinmaru's Shikai was known for being close in power to its Bankai, manipulating the very elements of nature.

The cherry blossom petals of Senbonzakura mixed in the snowfall, creating a swirling storm of ice and petals.

Naruto drew his own sword.

Vortex unfurled around him, grinding away at the incoming snow and petals before they could reach him.

Tokinada tried to activate Wabisuke's power, aiming to make Vortex too heavy to control, but the outer layer was merely wind stirred up by Vortex. If that wind was made heavier, it would simply fall, turning into harmless air, while fresh gusts continued to surge from Vortex's core.

Naruto flashed forward, propelled by the wind.

Tokinada, flustered, found it increasingly difficult to keep up with Naruto's speed, even after it had been affected by Wabisuke. Senbonzakura and Hyōrinmaru's combined abilities added distractions, making it harder for Tokinada to track him.

He was too fast.

How could he still be this fast after being struck by Wabisuke?

Still, Tokinada knew he couldn't afford to release Senbonzakura or Hyōrinmaru's powers. The combination of these abilities with Wabisuke forced Naruto to stay on guard, constantly using Vortex's power to shield himself.

If he could land more hits, doubling Naruto's weight to quadruple, then eightfold, then sixteen times…

Only four hits would be needed to impose sixteen times the gravity.

If he could just get that opening, a single wave of Senbonzakura could deliver enough strikes in an instant.

Tokinada gritted his teeth, throwing himself into the fight. He was willing to endure his own injuries rather than risk getting caught by Naruto's chains or other binding techniques.

But as his wounds accumulated, his body grew heavy, as though he, too, was affected by Wabisuke.

Naruto's gaze remained icy, his attacks unrelenting.

Seeing an opportunity, he pressed his advantage.

The wind solidified into a blade in his grasp.

Tokinada, with his head bowed, a sly smile hidden against his chest, finally took his chance.

"Now."

He raised the sword and struck himself.

"Drink, Nozarashi!"

A short, thumb-sized blade sliced across his wound. Instead of worsening the injury, it absorbed it hungrily, its tiny surface turning a deep crimson, stained with blood.

Simultaneously, another ability activated.

"Collapse, Sakanade!"

This was a sensory-manipulation Zanpakuto, subtle and insidious in its effects.

Among sensory-based powers, Sakanade's was among the most dangerous—although Kyōka Suigetsu had caused far more trouble for the Soul Society, its effectiveness was largely due to the terrifying talent of its former wielder, Aizen Sosuke.

All of Naruto's senses were reversed, his body veering right when he intended to go left.

Meanwhile, the short blade in Tokinada's hand, now fully charged with blood-red power, released an immense wave of spiritual energy in a fierce slash—its ferocity comparable to a Getsuga Tenshō.

It would land!

Tokinada's face twisted with excitement, his gaze vicious.

But…

His heart sank as Naruto dodged at the last moment. Sakanade's reversal effect had lasted only an instant, after which Naruto regained control.

No, he hadn't "recovered."

He had adapted to Sakanade's effects.

The powerful attack from Nozarashi surged past, missing its mark. No matter how strong an attack, if it failed to hit, it was meaningless.

Tokinada gritted his teeth, his eyes locked on Naruto.

This couldn't go on.

He would be worn down if this continued.

Then…

It was time.

Naruto's approach was straightforward: though Enrakyōten's ability was tricky, Tokinada Tsunayashiro himself wasn't particularly formidable. Since Tokinada focused so much on defending against binding techniques, Naruto mixed in low-damage attacks among his sealing techniques, forcing him to make constant choices.

Just as Naruto had initially explained—he'd tolerate minor injuries for a greater goal.

But minor wounds could add up, eventually becoming dangerous.

Like a frog in gradually boiling water—that was Tokinada now.

As Naruto attacked, he suddenly paused and flicked his hand.

The Adamantine Sealing Chains redirected mid-air, moving toward what seemed like empty space, then coiled around something unseen.

"Is that Kyōka Suigetsu?" Naruto said quietly, "It's impressive you can even imitate Aizen's power this convincingly."

Caught within the chains, the cloaked figure slowly revealed himself, realizing the tight grip of Naruto's chains meant there was no escape.

"How… how did you know?" Tokinada growled, disbelief tinting his words. "I replicated everything perfectly!"

As he was exposed, the snowfall stopped, the petals of Senbonzakura faded, and Sakanade's reversal ceased.

Naruto shook his head. "Although you weren't part of the war against Aizen…"

"You should know that, besides the Captain-Commander, Aizen saw me as his main threat."

Tokinada nodded slowly.

It was well-known within the Seireitei. When Aizen raged against Central 46, the nobles understood—Aizen respected no one… except Naruto Uzumaki.

"Ever wonder why that was?" Naruto continued with a small smile. "It's because…"

"Even if Kyōka Suigetsu could fool me, it would have to be perfect, down to the smallest details."

"I'm sensitive to even the slightest anomaly."

He paused, then tightened the chain, drawing Tokinada closer. "What about you?"

"You imitated everything my eyes could see."

"But what about intent?"

Tokinada froze.

Intent… as in killing intent?

"The thing about Aizen was he never showed killing intent toward me, not once," Naruto shook his head. "But you, you've been seething with it since the beginning."

"I knew what you were planning the moment I felt your killing intent moving."

Tokinada clenched his fists, stunned.

Even intent, such an abstract thing, he could sense?

He had risked the obliteration of his own soul to wield Enrakyōten against Naruto, but it had only created difficulty in that initial round when he exploited the element of surprise.

This was…

"It's a powerful blade," Naruto said, reaching out and taking Enrakyōten from Tokinada's grip. Without its owner's spirit energy, it reverted to an ordinary form, and the effects on Naruto dissipated instantly. "But even the most formidable power depends on the skill of its wielder."

"If this sword were in the hands of Kisuke Urahara or Mayuri Kurotsuchi, I'd probably have lost."

"But in your hands…"

"It's an insult to what this blade can do."

Tokinada lowered his head in shame.

"There's no need to feel that way." Naruto lifted him by the waist, stepping forward, his final words carried by the wind into Tokinada's ear. "As the new Soul King, you won't feel emotions like this anymore."

Tokinada felt anything but comforted by this "reassurance."

Naruto continued, "If you believe you deserve to stand above others, isn't it fitting to become the Soul King, the supreme being of the Three Worlds?"

…

12th Division, Research and Development Bureau

Mayuri Kurotsuchi and Kisuke Urahara sat across from each other, locked in an intense stare-down.

They had things to say, but over a hundred years had passed, and their swapped roles made these words harder to voice.

"Taking their time, aren't they?" Mayuri grumbled, "He's dealing with a small fry; how long does it take?"

Kisuke glanced at the clock, "It's only been ten minutes."

Mayuri scoffed, not holding back. "Clearly, not being in the Soul Society for so long has made you rusty on information," he sneered. "With Naruto's current strength, besides people like Captain Kyoraku and the Captain-Commander, he could probably handle any other captain in under ten minutes."

Kisuke merely shrugged. "Is that so?"

"Including Captain Unohana and Kenpachi," Mayuri said lazily. "And as for me…"

"Facing him would mean instant death."

He sighed. "That's precisely why I've held off on certain dangerous research."

"I'd rather not end up like you."

Kisuke lowered his head. "I admit, I didn't trust Naruto enough back then."

Mayuri chuckled, swaying smugly as though his closer relationship with Naruto was a personal triumph over Kisuke, just like his discovery of an antidote to counter the "Bankai stealing" ability.

"There's no point dwelling on the past," Naruto's voice cut through their strange atmosphere.

They both turned to see Naruto entering with Tokinada Tsunayashiro in tow.

"Slow, aren't you?" Mayuri repeated his earlier jab. "Taking this long for a mere underling?"

He paused, focusing on Tokinada, "Hey, what's with this guy's soul? It's in shambles."

Kisuke noticed too. "Is it from that sword?"

"Yoruichi-san truly trusts you, telling you everything," Naruto nodded casually. "He used that sword, which cost him some of his soul. Will it interfere with your work?"

"Of course not," Mayuri waved dismissively, sounding unconcerned. "I planned to carve a portion of his soul for testing anyway."

"Who knows what kind of creature we'll end up creating?"

He spoke the words with a strange relish, perhaps hoping to disturb Naruto.

But Naruto was unmoved. "As long as there's no real issue."

"This one is yours to deal with. I'm heading to the Royal Palace. I'll leave the battle here in Seireitei to you both."

Mayuri raised a hand, "Can I keep a portion of Yhwach's soul for my research?"

Naruto ignored him and turned to Kisuke. "Now that I've returned to the Soul Society, and I've already provided a viable substitute for the Soul King."

"But, as I told you…"

"Do 'not' bring those children here."

"Did you listen?"

Kisuke lifted his hands in mock exasperation, "You really don't trust me? I, of course, didn't bring them."

"This time, it's just me and Yoruichi, no one else."

Keenly perceptive, Naruto noted he was telling the truth.

He nodded, then pointed at Kisuke, addressing Mayuri. "Captain Kurotsuchi, I want you to keep an eye on Kisuke. After I leave, he's not allowed to bring anyone else from the World of the Living."

"If you agree…"

"I'll consider giving you a piece of Yhwach's body to research."

Mayuri's eyes gleamed. "Really?"

"That's wonderful."

Naruto waved his hand, turning to leave.

He kept Enrakyōten with him, not offering any explanation of the blade's powers, keeping it securely sealed away.

Once Naruto had left, several updates flowed into Mayuri's mind, "My clones inform me Naruto has left. He's on his way to the Shiba Clan's estate in Rukongai."

"Don't worry…"

"It's safe here; even Naruto can't monitor this place."

"So, let's talk business."

"Naruto offered part of Yhwach's body. What will you offer?"

Kisuke adjusted his hat, "Honestly, Captain Kurotsuchi, you just promised Naruto—"

"Did I?" Mayuri chuckled darkly. "I only said Naruto's offer was tempting."

"If you can provide better compensation, I'm open to collaborating with you."

Kisuke's eyes narrowed, and he raised a finger. "How about all of my research on the Soul King?"

Mayuri shook his head, unimpressed. "Not enough. With Naruto around, I can't conduct certain dangerous experiments here in Seireitei."

"You've seen it too. Naruto is just like the Captain-Commander in his convictions."

"So…"

"I want 'all' of your current research."

Kisuke shrugged lightly, "You're quite greedy, Captain Kurotsuchi."

"Naturally. I need to prove I'm not only a better scientist than you in every respect but that I've already proven it."

Kisuke glanced toward Tokinada. "There's still one Quincy we need to capture."

"Let's get them, then we can revisit the matter."

"As long as Naruto is here, we should have a bit more time, don't you think?"

Mayuri nodded with a grin. "Then let's show you just how far apart our skills are."

His confidence radiated.

Meanwhile, back in Seireitei…

A surge of spirit energy erupted from one of the Quincies on the battlefield.

~~~

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