Shinigami in the Ninja World (Re-upload)

The monk's power seemed to have no effect.

Kurama still remembered Naruto's name.

However...

Though the man and the fox were two separate entities, they were united in mind, and could be seen as either two individuals or one. Naruto's inner vigilance did not waver.

Erasing a name?

The exact nature of this ability was still unclear.

His strength remained intact.

Compared to Ichimonji's "Name Severing," the ability to "erase a name" seemed underwhelming. Yet, clearly, the monk valued the latter more.

The monk raised his brush like a spear.

"And after 'True Strike,' the power of the White Brush Ichimonji…"

"I can rename anything that Ichimonji has dyed black and erased."

With a flourish of his brush, he began writing.

"Naruto Uzumaki..."

"No, I should say, the one formerly known as Naruto Uzumaki. Losing your name must be painful."

"Let me give you a new one."

The brush touched the black ink on Naruto's body, bleeding into white, and two kanji characters appeared in flowing script: 'Impudent Child'.

The monk nodded in satisfaction. "This new name suits you well."

"You're just a talented but disobedient child, needing the guidance of adults and authority figures to set you straight."

"Feeling weak…"

"It doesn't feel good, does it?"

Naruto remained calm, watching him.

"When I rename someone, it's not just their name that changes; their power and essence do as well."

"The Naruto Uzumaki you were—the prodigy of the Uzumaki Clan, the Captain of the 7th Division—no longer exists. You're now nothing but an unruly child."

"This weakness, this helplessness, is something you've never felt before, isn't it?"

"But don't worry, it's just a lesson…"

"When you finally learn to repent and stop defying me, I'll return your name to you."

He lifted his foot.

As his spiritual energy surged, a massive sandal-clad foot materialized in the sky, mirroring the monk's movements as it descended toward the "Impudent Child" below.

Naruto raised his hand.

The wind stirred.

It was the power of 'Vortex', mixed with the spiritual energy of the Soul Society and the Six Paths' power.

The wind blew over the massive foot.

Just as it had earlier with the giant hand, the wind swirled, disrupting its structure before it could fully descend, causing it to disintegrate into a vast whirlpool of spiritual energy that dissipated into the sky.

The monk froze, his hand holding the 'Ichimonji' suspended in midair, his expression filled with disbelief.

"My power... failed?" he muttered in shock, as if asking Naruto or questioning himself.

"An 'Impudent Child'..."

Shouldn't have any power.

After all, a child, no matter how talented, couldn't possess such command over spiritual energy.

Moreover, the "Impudent Child" he had named was supposed to be an ordinary child at that.

Yet, Naruto could still use his abilities.

The monk scrutinized him.

Naruto Uzumaki was covered in black ink, thick and solid, with the two white characters the monk had written still intact and unblemished.

Why...

'Ichimonji's' power had never failed before. In this world, nothing except forces related to the Soul King could escape his ability to name and rename.

"What incredible power," Naruto remarked, gazing down at his ink-covered hands. "Not only can you change someone's name, but you can also alter their strength."

"It didn't fail."

"'Ichimonji's' power does work on me."

Inside, a portion of his strength had indeed been sealed by 'Ichimonji'.

But…

Naruto's power came from two sources. The Soul Society was one, but the Ninja World was the other.

And the Ninja World played a larger role in his makeup.

After all, he was born in that world, marked by its essence from the start.

His name, too, originated from that world.

Thus, the reason Kurama still remembered Naruto's name wasn't because they were united as one mind, but because the monk could only erase names within this world and couldn't interfere with things from other worlds.

His power, his authority, was limited to being a "guardian" of this world.

Just like how Kaguya Ōtsutsuki controlled chakra.

Whether it was Kurama's Six Paths mode or the use of nature energy in Sage Mode resembling the Quincy's abilities, all of that belonged to the Ninja World.

'Vortex' might appear to be a Shinigami's Zanpakutō.

But Naruto had just chosen to transcend beyond being a mere Shinigami.

The source of his power…

Belonged neither to the Soul Society nor to the Ninja World. It was a unique product of the overlap between these two worlds.

In essence...

'Ichimonji' could only weaken Naruto to some extent. It couldn't fundamentally alter him as the monk had hoped.

Naruto could still use his abilities.

The monk narrowed his eyes.

How could he call this effective when it hadn't achieved the desired result?

This must be why the Soul King was so concerned about this boy.

He wasn't fully affected by 'Ichimonji'.

And yet, he didn't carry any fragments of the Soul King within him.

"What are you?" the monk asked cautiously, a chill creeping into his voice.

This was the first time something had escaped his control.

"It doesn't matter," Naruto replied, raising his hand. The wind from 'Vortex' surged, the spiritual particles in the air clashing with the ink on his body, eroding it away bit by bit. "Does it matter who I am?"

"What matters is… it seems you can't beat me."

The wind blew the ink from his body.

As the power that had been weakened by the renaming slowly returned, the sense of weakness dissipated.

Naruto raised his other hand, pressing his palms together.

"Adamantine Sealing Chains."

The chains rattled, shooting through the air toward the monk.

"All those things you told me earlier—I can return them to you now," Naruto said, his tone calm but with a smile. "You've lived so long, sitting in your high position, playing the role of this world's caretaker."

"And you've forgotten how to respect the lives of the people who live here."

"When necessary…"

"I believe there are people who will stand up, who are willing to make sacrifices for the greater peace and stability."

"Like the Captain-Commander did."

"But you, you can't use arrogance and disregard for life, hiding behind your so-called greater good, to bully the weak."

The monk's wrist trembled, his sword shifting back from 'True Strike' to 'Ichimonji', the blade once again taking the form of a black brush. "But you can't deny this: the perspective of the weak is not the same as ours."

"No matter how much you magnify their morality, their strength limits what they can see and accomplish."

"My way is better, isn't it?"

Naruto glanced down, as if his eyes could pierce through the clouds to see the Seireitei below. "When ideals clash, one side is bound to dominate."

"Just like what's happening with us."

"I won't deny that, but..."

"When you start believing that it's natural, justifiable, and even coat it with the name of a 'greater justice,' then perhaps it's only right that such a world is destroyed."

"I don't want to become that kind of person."

"And I won't become that kind of person."

As they spoke, the chains shot forward, quickly reaching the monk.

"Break!"

The monk wrote a single character in the air, the word for "break," with effortless strokes. Without any incantation or ritual, the moment this character touched the chains, they snapped and fell to the ground, limp and powerless.

"Though 'Ichimonji' is certainly my trump card," the monk began, "the fact that its renaming ability didn't work on you, Naruto Uzumaki, doesn't disappoint me. After all, I've lived for millions of years."

"Even if it comes down to the basics, you're not guaranteed to beat me."

Indeed...

Naruto maintained his stance, hands still pressed together, as more chains materialized. This time, instead of just one wave, they came in synchronized, successive assaults.

Not only that.

Mixed in with the chains were several smooth, black spheres—'Truth-Seeking Balls'.

In Six Paths mode, these orbs took on a different form in the Soul Society compared to the Ninja World. Here, they were composed of a structure similar to 'Vortex', formed from the basic building blocks of spirit particles.

More chains came, this time in waves.

The tactical intent was obvious, and the monk saw through it easily. Naruto wanted to bait him into writing and then use the following waves of chains as the real attack.

But...

Too obvious.

The monk swept his brush through the air, writing another character: "Seal."

Like a barrier similar to 'Danku', an invisible shield materialized before him, expanding outward from the word "Seal." The chains struck it, causing ripples to spread across its surface.

The 'Truth-Seeking Balls' followed.

Silent.

Not even a ripple this time, but they stuck to the barrier like glue.

The barrier trembled as the two forces struggled against each other.

The monk's eyes widened.

Inside Naruto's inner world, Kurama grumbled, "Why does it feel like the 'Truth-Seeking Balls' are weaker here in the Soul Society?"

Back in the Ninja World…

The 'Truth-Seeking Balls' were incredibly destructive, able to obliterate anything they touched in an instant.

"It's normal," Naruto replied without surprise. "Back in the Ninja World, I could counter the 'Truth-Seeking Balls' with jutsu. It's about permissions and access."

"Even though I've transcended the Shinigami path now, my control over spiritual energy doesn't come with special privileges."

Though the 'Truth-Seeking Balls' were not as powerful as in the Ninja World, their disintegrating properties remained. The barrier wavered, and a small gap was ground into it by the spirit particles.

A small crack in the wall was all it took.

The monk's expression grew serious as he quickly wrote another character.

"Erase."

He combined its power with the barrier, enveloping the 'Truth-Seeking Orb'. Though resistant to the command of the written word, the orb finally dissolved after several more strokes.

It worked.

But it wasn't easy.

And the effort was clearly taxing for the monk.

"Adamantine Sealing Chains."

Naruto launched another wave, mixing the 'Truth-Seeking Balls' with the wind from 'Vortex'.

The monk lifted his hands to defend again.

But...

The monk's methods, while highly effective against traditional spiritual energy, were struggling to contend with these abilities that were entirely new, abilities not seen in millions of years.

After dozens of exchanges…

'Vortex' coiled around the monk's wrist, tightening with a twist, tearing through his sleeve. The wind, controlled by spirit particles, solidified into small restraints, locking down his hands.

Such bindings wouldn't hold the monk for long—he could break free easily.

But in that brief instant of confinement, the 'Adamantine Sealing Chains' seized their opportunity, wrapping around the monk's body, binding his hands, feet, and neck.

"You see? In the end, I've won." Naruto pulled the chains taut, the enormous force behind them pinning the monk to the ground.

The monk struggled to lift his head. "I was granted my powers directly by the Soul King himself."

"For you to defeat me..."

"I had many theories about you. Your power is neither that of a Shinigami, a Quincy, nor a Hollow, and it doesn't belong to the Soul King either."

"Yet the Soul King values you so highly."

"Do you wield power from another world?"

Naruto stepped closer, standing before the monk. "Does it matter?"

"That's not important."

"What matters is, you've lost. Now, keep your word and promise not to use Ichigo Kurosaki as a pawn."

"And trust me—I'll find a way to maintain the stability of the three worlds without turning him into a lynchpin."

The monk narrowed his eyes. "Your power is indeed immense."

"But as of now, the only one who can serve as that lynchpin is Ichigo Kurosaki."

"It's not enough just to combine the powers of the Hollow, the Quincy, the Fullbringers, and the Shinigami. The lynchpin must be someone who embodies all those powers within themselves."

Naruto paused. "Why didn't you say this earlier?"

The monk met his gaze directly. "I thought I would win. And when there's a conflict of ideologies, there's no point in explaining everything beforehand. Victory is the only thing that matters."

"Now that I've lost, I can't stop you, so I have no choice but to tell you the truth."

His eyes were sincere.

"If the Soul King dies, it's inevitable that Ichigo Kurosaki will become the new lynchpin."

"Whether you like it or not, he is the only viable candidate."

Naruto tightened his grip, and the chains binding the monk shattered with a series of sharp cracks.

His heightened sensory technique, the "Mind's Eye of the Kagura," had been active the entire time.

The monk was telling the truth.

Naruto's expression grew heavy.

Before, his idea had been simple—he believed there were others among the Hollows or Shinigami who could serve as the lynchpin. Perhaps a sinner like Baraggan Louisenbairn or a Shinigami criminal like Tokinada Tsunayashiro, combined with fragments of the Soul King.

But…

That idea was now shattered. It seemed Ichigo Kurosaki really was the only option.

"What will you do, Naruto Uzumaki?" The monk dusted himself off and stood. "Will you still hold onto your previous beliefs?"

His tone was serious.

Naruto thought for a moment. "Ichigo deserves to know the truth. Please, tell him everything."

"I believe once Ichigo Kurosaki learns the truth, he will willingly make the right choice," the monk said confidently.

Naruto shook his head, his voice somber. "No…"

"I'm preparing for the worst."

"I'll return to Seireitei and consult with Kisuke Urahara and Mayuri Kurotsuchi. They'll know more about the Soul King's research than I do."

"They'll have conducted their own investigations in secret."

The monk recited their names. "Kisuke Urahara and Mayuri Kurotsuchi, huh?"

"They're exceptional minds."

"Even the Royal Guard has considered recruiting them."

The atmosphere between the two eased significantly after the battle, as if the conflict had never happened.

"So, how do I get back? Do I use the same method?" Naruto asked, stepping toward the platform.

The monk shook his head. "No…"

"It's a different method."

He raised his right hand, lightly tapping the air.

The edge of the platform where Naruto stood quivered slightly. With a whistling sound, a spiraling staircase unfurled down toward the ground below.

"You'll have to walk back yourself," the monk gestured to the stairs. "We considered using the Tenchuuren to send you back, but that's impractical."

"Each of you is progressing at a different pace in your training, and Seireitei is now engaged in battle—your strength is needed."

"We, the Royal Guard, can't keep ferrying you back and forth."

Naruto nodded.

As he stepped toward the staircase, he paused, turning back. "This path…"

"Could it also allow the Quincies to reach the Soul King's palace?"

The monk nodded, candidly admitting the possibility. "It's possible, but there's no need to worry."

"Besides the vast distance between Seireitei and the Soul King's palace, there are seventy-seven layers of barrier protection."

"Even if we lower the spiral staircase, the Quincies won't be able to climb up."

"However, after you pass through, the barriers will momentarily open as a result of your journey."

"That window will be short, only about six hundred seconds—ten minutes."

Ten minutes…

It wasn't a long time, but it wasn't short either.

If Yhwach wasn't prepared, he might miss the opportunity.

But if Yhwach had planned for this, perhaps even counted on it…

The monk saw the concern on Naruto's face and confidently patted his chest. "You're an exception."

"Not everyone is like you."

"Your training in the Soul King's palace was a direct order from the Soul King himself. Even if we used the Tenchuuren, there would've been risks of interception."

"Rest assured, even if Yhwach tries to take advantage of this, I can stop him. He won't threaten the Soul King."

"And Yhwach…"

"He can't kill the Soul King. He simply doesn't have that power."

Naruto gave the monk a curious look, his certainty puzzling.

Yhwach couldn't kill the Soul King?

Was it because of some inherent status difference?

"Is that so?" Naruto didn't press further. He nodded and stepped onto the staircase. "Until we meet again."

He vanished in an instant.

The distance between the sky and the earth was long.

Even at his speed, it would take hours to descend.

…

In the abandoned First Division barracks, Yhwach raised his head and gazed at the sky. "Do you feel it?"

Uryū Ishida, still adjusting to his newfound strength, looked confused. He hadn't yet fully mastered sensing his heightened spiritual pressure.

Bazz-B's face darkened. "Such immense spiritual pressure..."

"It's much stronger than the one we felt in the Seireitei a few days ago."

Yhwach smiled faintly. "An unexpected variable, indeed."

"Even I can't completely avoid such things."

"But..."

"In this game, I still hold the advantage."

"Prepare V. He's been eager for his turn, hasn't he?" Yhwach said calmly.

Bazz-B acknowledged the order.

It wasn't until they had finished speaking that Uryū's expression changed. Only then did he finally sense the overwhelming spiritual pressure—so vast it felt like the sun itself was descending upon them.

"What is that?" some of the Quincy looked up, confused.

The Shinigami from other divisions were similarly concerned.

The unknown always brings caution.

Especially with the war in full swing, no one knew whether this sudden arrival was friend or foe. Where did this sudden, massive spiritual pressure stand?

The 7th Division Shinigami were the first to cheer.

While the spiritual pressure had changed slightly, growing stronger and fiercer, carrying the feeling of wind and sun, its essence had not altered. It was their familiar captain, Naruto Uzumaki of the 7th Division, returning from the Soul King's palace.

"It's Captain Uzumaki!" one of the Seventh Division members called out to his comrades.

This single statement was like a boulder crashing into a lake, creating massive ripples. The spirits of the Shinigami rose like a tidal wave. Just hearing his name, sensing his spiritual pressure even before he landed, brought a morale boost no previous captain had managed to achieve.

In contrast, the Quincy found their morale being crushed.

They all remembered this man, Naruto Uzumaki—the one who had killed the seemingly invincible Valkyrie and the Sternritter Commander, Jugram Haschwalth.

Maybe no one else could defeat him except Yhwach.

But Yhwach wasn't going to save them.

As Naruto landed, his spiritual pressure rippled, his gaze locked directly onto the 1st Division barracks.

He could sense Yhwach's spiritual pressure inside.

But…

He quickly redirected his focus to the young man standing in front of him.

"Smart, not arrogant enough to ignore the person in front of you." The hooded young man chuckled. "His Majesty isn't someone you can challenge so easily."

"I am your opponent."

Kurama leaped from Naruto's inner world, resting atop his head, and sneered, "Haschwalth died at Naruto's hands…"

"And yet, a guy like you dares to stand in front of him and claim to be his opponent."

"Brat..."

Before Kurama could finish, the hooded youth cut him off with a light laugh.

"Don't call me brat. I have a name."

"It's Gremmy Thoumeaux."

"Killing Haschwalth and Valkyrie is indeed impressive."

"But… Rank and status don't determine strength, do they? After all, as captain of the 7th Division, your power now exceeds even the Captain-Commander, doesn't it?"

"I am the strongest of the new Sternritter."

Kurama's eyes narrowed, fur bristling.

The strongest?

Was this just self-proclaimed, or did he truly possess such strength?

"Don't look at me with such doubt." Gremmy spread his arms wide as if embracing the world. "Do you know how strong I am?"

"Before the war began, His Majesty kept me imprisoned."

A loud rumble shook the ground.

An ancient Roman-style coliseum rose up around them, layer upon layer, towering above.

It was a massive arena, large enough to hold tens of thousands.

"Perfect," Gremmy said, satisfied.

"Only a legendary arena like this is worthy of our fight—hero versus hero, the strongest against the strongest."

Kurama's pupils shrank as he looked

around.

How did he do this?

There wasn't much spiritual pressure just now, yet in the blink of an eye, he constructed such a vast and intricate battlefield… His control over spiritual energy, how far does it extend?

"The letter His Majesty granted me is 'V'."

"'V' for Visionary."

He took a step forward, and a podium appeared in front of him, precisely aligned with his movements.

"Allow me to explain my ability in detail."

"The most powerful force in the world is imagination."

"Even the most ordinary person is invincible in their imagination. In their mind, they can wield any power, possess any wealth, and control any authority."

"And I can turn my imagination into reality."

"Naruto Uzumaki, your power is the wind, correct?"

"Then I'll fight you with…"

"Ice."

Frost radiated from him, spreading in all directions. Statues of ice appeared, wielding weapons and charging toward Naruto.

"Do you imagine that I'm someone who can be defeated by sheer numbers?" Naruto raised his hand. He didn't even need to use the power of 'Vortex'. A quick incantation later, he unleashed a Kidō spell.

"Hadō #32. Ōkasen (黄火閃, Yellow Fire Flash)."

A pinkish blast surged from his palm, engulfing the ice statues, instantly melting them into vapor under the intense heat and continuing toward Gremmy.

Yet…

This attack did no harm to the man.

"Surprised?" Gremmy grinned, hands casually tucked in his pockets. "Wondering why I wasn't hurt?"

"It's simple."

"I imagined that I wouldn't be hit by your attack, and so, I wasn't."

"Naruto Uzumaki, I'm now going to imagine a world where you can't defeat me."

Back at the 1st Division barracks.

Yhwach stood and looked toward the sky. "Barro, Uryū…"

"And all my other beloved sons."

"Now we begin."

"Unleash the key."

Barro obeyed, leaping into an open area of the ruins and stretching out his hand.

A cross-shaped sigil burned into the ground, emitting a beam of light that pierced the sky, shooting straight up.

~~~

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