Shinigami in the Ninja World (Re-upload)

The intangible was disrupted.

Yhwach's identity as the "Son of the Soul King," the devoured "Soul King's power," and his newly claimed, unstable status as "Soul King"—all were thrown into disarray.

Yhwach began to fall.

From his lofty "throne."

From the sky, plummeting downwards.

Even the spiritual particle structures that allowed him to float—the "tangible" components—were disturbed.

Naruto reached out.

"Adamantine Sealing Chains."

Golden chains surged forward, wrapping around Yhwach's body.

But these were not merely the sealing chains of old.

The power of the "Vortex" was interwoven within them.

Chaos, disruption—this force embedded itself further into Yhwach's being through the adamantine chains.

It wasn't only the "grand" elements that were being disordered; even his inherent qualities…

His very identity as a Quincy was destabilized.

He was reduced to a state resembling his original form—

Weak, powerless, like a newborn.

But just then, the sky shook once more.

The "new Soul King," who had not yet fully settled into his position, was dragged from his throne by Naruto.

The "old Soul King" had died under the machinations of the "new Soul King."

Now, with no "throne" left to occupy, the Soul Society began to collapse, and the connected worlds—the World of the Living and Hueco Mundo—were also affected, trembling violently.

Naruto pulled the chains, binding Yhwach and dragging him down from the skies, capturing his spiritual pressure and bringing him before one of Mayuri Kurotsuchi's clones.

"You've captured Yhwach," Mayuri noted eagerly, before Naruto could speak, his gaze locked onto the sealed man. "He doesn't seem to be in good shape—will he still be suitable as material for the throne?"

"Although many Quincy perished during the Auswählen, a few managed to survive…barely."

Naruto interrupted. "He's in this condition because I sealed him."

"When you turn him into the lynchpin, I'll withdraw the power I used."

Mayuri pondered this. "Your Bankai?"

He conveyed the information to his other clones while notifying Kisuke Urahara to join them.

"So, do you think Yhwach's claim about Naruto's origins is true?" Mayuri asked casually, filling the waiting silence with idle talk.

"It's true," Naruto responded frankly, without denial.

Mayuri leaned in closer. "What is your world like?"

"Were the techniques and knowledge systems you've shown us from your world?"

"Some of it is unimpressive, but certain parts are quite brilliant."

Mentioning an entirely new world of knowledge made Mayuri barely able to contain his excitement, and his gaze grew even more covetous. "Even if what you've given me is only a glimpse, it must be the tip of the iceberg."

"Could you perhaps…"

Naruto cut him off firmly. "No."

"You could at least hear me out before deciding." Mayuri shook his head in disappointment. "Rest assured, Captain Uzumaki, I understand where your boundaries lie if I'm making this request."

Naruto looked at him with a meaningful gaze. "Should I trust you, Captain Kurotsuchi?"

Aside from Mayuri's unrelenting passion for research, Naruto knew from his own world of another character, Orochimaru, equally as dangerous as Mayuri.

One might be manageable on their own, but allowing the two to collaborate could be disastrous, as even a small experiment might spiral into chaos.

Mayuri opened his mouth to argue further.

Kisuke Urahara arrived, gently clapping him on the shoulder. "So, it's all wrapped up?"

"Now, let's proceed with the final step."

Mayuri fell silent.

Urahara glanced at Yhwach, taken aback. "Is he in this state?"

His spiritual pressure was chaotic and disorderly.

Although his overall power was still massive, it posed no threat in its current form.

"Can he be used for the throne in this condition?" Naruto asked. "I can restore some aspects."

"Just the Quincy part?"

Mayuri's earlier statements had made Naruto uncertain on this point.

Urahara rubbed his chin, considering. "After making him into the throne, will you still be able to retrieve your power?"

"Of course," Naruto affirmed.

Urahara grinned. "In that case, could you make his state even more chaotic?"

"Like a blender from the human world."

"Do you know what a blender is? A machine that pulverizes food—it's a remarkable invention…"

Naruto nodded.

With a surge of spiritual pressure, roots extended from the chains, burrowing into Yhwach's body.

Winds stirred within him.

Spirit particles ground and surged like a river, and just as Urahara requested, Yhwach's essence was wholly obliterated.

Intangible spiritual pressure, tangible organs, bones, blood—everything was ground down, leaving only a hollow shell.

"What a terrifying ability," Urahara remarked, his face shifting.

His own Bankai, 'Kannonbiraki Benihime Aratame', had a similar effect, capable of reconstructing anything it touched—living or inanimate—through structure modification, adding or removing properties.

The power of the "Vortex" reminded him of his own sword.

In terms of destructive and structural manipulation, Naruto's sword was an undeniable upgrade over 'Benihime'.

"If there's anything you need from me, just say the word." Naruto waved a hand, loosening the chains slightly to provide space for the procedure.

Creating the throne was quite simple.

Or rather, it became simple with Naruto's assistance.

Urahara requested the 'Tokinada Tsunayashiro', an Arrancar captured from Hueco Mundo, and fragments of the Soul King, to be crushed down as Yhwach had been, even more thoroughly—leaving not even a shell.

Then, he cut an opening in Yhwach's body.

Into it, he poured these three components.

He had Naruto stir them together once more, mixing them into a single form.

Then, using 'Kannonbiraki Benihime Aratame', Urahara infused more materials.

Finally, Mayuri collected the 'Crystal' that had once bound the original Soul King, crafting it into a vessel and sealing Yhwach within.

Only then did Naruto release his power.

As the Bankai dissipated, voices of rage suddenly erupted from within the vessel.

"Where is this place?" came the Arrancar's voice. "Mayuri, you damned lunatic, what have you done to me this time?"

"Shut up, idiot," Tokinada Tsunayashiro snapped. "This isn't an experiment."

"Naruto, you…"

"Hush, there's another soul within this body. Who are you?"

"Could it be Yhwach, the one who invaded the Seireitei?"

Yhwach himself remained silent, saying nothing.

The Arrancar and Tokinada Tsunayashiro cursed and argued, their words vulgar and unrestrained.

The former Soul King had his tongue removed, unable to speak and only able to communicate via spiritual energy.

But this "Soul King"…

Had all his faculties—speech, organs, everything.

With the "new Soul King" seated, the tremors across the worlds began to subside, and everything fell silent.

The members of the Royal Guard gathered.

Senjumaru held Ichigo Kurosaki in one hand and the tightly bound Uryu Ishida in the other.

"Speaking of which, we have a Quincy remnant here." She tossed Uryu onto Naruto. "Ichibe went all out to stop him, only to find he didn't resist at all."

The Royal Guard members' physical forms had been revived, but their powers hadn't fully returned.

As Senjumaru spoke, Ichigo jumped in before Uryu could, eager to defend his friend. "Uncle Naruto, Uryu must have had his reasons. If it weren't for him, I would've been killed by the Wandenreich a long time ago!"

Senjumaru's tone was cold. "He's the sole heir of the Wandenreich."

"Before Yhwach died, he performed Auswählen on everyone—everyone except him."

"A person like that…"

Naruto looked at Ichigo thoughtfully. "Was it due to Uryu's own abilities?"

With a flick of his hand, the cloth covering Uryu's mouth unraveled.

Senjumaru hadn't even allowed him a chance to speak.

"Yes, Uncle Naruto is correct. It was because of my abilities that Auswählen didn't affect me." Uryu took a deep breath before continuing, "My Schrift is 'A,' and my ability is Antithesis, which renders Auswählen ineffective on me."

"And as for why I joined the Wandenreich…"

He looked around at the Royal Guard, Mayuri Kurotsuchi, and Kisuke Urahara, then paused.

Urahara was different; he'd helped him before and could be considered somewhat trustworthy.

But the others…

He barely knew them.

Especially the Royal Guard members, who, just half an hour ago, had been enemies.

"Go on." Naruto gave him an encouraging pat on the head, releasing the rest of Senjumaru's bindings. "They'll keep it confidential."

"Besides…"

"You need credible witnesses to vouch for you."

Uryu glanced at Naruto. "I knew you were powerful, Uncle Naruto."

"But I didn't realize just how powerful."

Uryu hadn't interacted much with Naruto; they weren't as close as Naruto was with Ichigo. They'd only met a few times and never had any private conversations.

No matter how strong a captain was, could he really be 'that' strong?

"When the Wandenreich invited me, I'd heard of Captain-Commander Yamamoto's anger." Uryu continued, "Back then, I thought Uncle Naruto couldn't possibly stand against Yhwach."

"Besides, my father told me some things."

Urahara should also know.

"Aunt Masaki lost her Quincy powers because of Yhwach's Auswählen."

"She was saved by Ginjo-san, but my mother…"

He paused, his face expressionless. "She died suddenly after losing her Quincy powers."

"When I was young, I thought my father was cold and heartless for using my mother as medical research material even after her death."

Mayuri snorted.

That was the kind of behavior he appreciated.

"It wasn't until recently that I learned," Uryu turned his gaze toward the blackened body prepared by Ichibe for placement in the Soul King Palace, "that my father did it to find the cause of her death."

"He'd discovered signs of Yhwach's existence a long time ago."

He stopped speaking.

Even though his mother had been dead for years and time had dulled his emotions.

But…

Hatred and resentment don't fade with time; they only burn brighter.

"Before the Vollständig was perfected, the Quincy's final form required self-sacrifice." Uryu took a deep breath, steadying his emotions. "They would give up their Quincy powers permanently in exchange for greater strength."

"However, this state isn't irreversible."

"The way to regain one's powers is to strike precisely 19 millimeters to the right of the heart's sinoatrial node with a spirit arrow, just as one's spiritual and physical limits are reached."

"For Quincy, it's a vital spot."

"My father gathered special materials from the hearts of dead Quincy affected by Auswählen."

He raised his hand, spirit particles gathering.

The others barely reacted. After all, Yhwach, even empowered by the Soul King's strength, had been defeated by Naruto. A single young Quincy posed no threat.

A large silver object appeared, more like a hammer than an arrow.

"This is it." Uryu took hold of it. "This silver arrow, if shot at Yhwach, could nullify his omniscient and omnipotent abilities."

"Before, I believed it was the only way to defeat Yhwach."

Ichigo let out a sigh of relief, grinning.

Just as he'd felt all along.

Uryu had been enduring, waiting for an opportunity.

However, Uncle Naruto's strength had made his patience and resolve feel somewhat unnecessary, as if he'd gone to great lengths for nothing.

"You did well." Naruto patted Uryu on the head.

"But that stubborn streak of the Ishida family should change."

Uryu blinked, surprised.

"Your father was the same way—so stubborn," Naruto continued, helping him to his feet by the back of his collar. "And now you're just like that."

"Some things are better handled together than borne alone."

Uryu nodded.

"But you didn't do anything wrong." Naruto ruffled his hair.

Uryu tilted his head in confusion.

"Yhwach had omniscience and omnipotence. The fewer people who knew about this, the safer it was."

"However, this situation is different."

"Trust the people around you—like Ichigo, for instance. He has more than enough strength."

Ichigo scratched his head, laughing happily.

With Yhwach sealed, peace returned to the world.

But the changes he'd brought to the Seireitei were far more extensive than those of any previous enemy.

On the negative side, the "Soul King is dead" and "Shinigami's deaths"…

On the positive side, the Tsunayashiro Clan was nearly wiped out, with only a few unripe heirs remaining. And everyone knew that Naruto likely didn't want the "Five Great Noble Clans" to persist—at least not in the same manner as the Tsunayashiro Clan had before.

...

The Rebuilt 1st Division Headquarters

A captain's meeting was held, with all 13 captains present. The atmosphere was somewhat tense.

"Captain Uzumaki," Yamamoto began, "was what Yhwach claimed true or false?"

As both he and Shunsui Kyoraku had previously stated, the truth ultimately held little importance. Naruto had saved the Soul Society and, by extension, the Three Worlds—that was what truly mattered.

However...

Regardless of its importance, they still needed to hear it from Naruto himself.

"It's true," Naruto replied.

"I see," Yamamoto nodded, then turned to Shunsui Kyoraku. "Captain Kyoraku, at your earliest convenience, conduct an interview with Captain Uzumaki and relay an explanation to the divisions of the Seireitei."

Shunsui acknowledged the request.

Mayuri looked away, visibly uncomfortable. Over the past few days, Naruto had disciplined him at least ten times, each instance provoked by his incessant questions about Naruto's world. Given the circumstances, he decided it was better not to ask.

"So, Naruto, does it seem you can travel freely between the two worlds?" Shunsui asked thoughtfully.

As Aizen once said, Naruto was highly "unpredictable," often displaying unexpected abilities he hadn't shown before.

Previously, everyone had assumed this was simply a unique trait of a genius, without delving deeper.

Shunsui had considered it. However, after understanding Naruto's nature, he'd decided it wasn't worth pursuing an answer. Now that the truth was out, everything made sense.

Another world…

It explained everything.

Naruto nodded. "Yes."

"It was the Soul King's doing. It seems he foresaw his own death long ago."

"But he was calm about it—or rather… being a 'Jinchuriki' for a million years, unable to speak or move, was agonizing and painful for him. He had long been ready to pass on."

"Still, he didn't resent this world. He wanted it to continue, albeit with some minor changes, so he brought me here."

Shunsui nodded thoughtfully.

Soi Fon tilted her head and asked, "Is that other world similar to ours?"

"It's not much like the Soul Society, but it's quite similar to the World of the Living," Naruto replied with a patient smile.

Unohana Retsu lowered her head. She thought back to the young Naruto she had first encountered, panicked and unsettled, like a lost creature. Now, he was mature and composed—so different from that child.

In his world, had things not gone well for him?

"In that world, I imagine you're very popular, Naruto," Kaien Shiba said with a smile, remembering the many 5th Division members who had asked him to pass love letters to Naruto.

Naruto shook his head.

"Is that world peaceful?" Sajin Komamura inquired.

Naruto hesitated, recalling something. "Not really. I just resolved a major issue, similar to the threat Yhwach posed. But there are still some minor troubles left."

Jushiro Ukitake pressed his lips together. "The Soul King is gone, and the new 'throne' has its limitations."

"Naruto… will you still be able to return to that world?"

At this question, the previously lively room fell silent, with only Mayuri's eyes gleaming with curiosity as he eagerly awaited Naruto's answer.

"It seems possible," Naruto replied thoughtfully. "I haven't tried yet."

"I'll give it a try once matters here in the Seireitei are settled."

Mayuri clicked his tongue and quickly concealed the glint in his eyes, afraid Naruto would notice.

The 7th Division was the busiest squad, responsible for repairing damage across all divisions. Some individuals, whose abilities weren't fully developed but met the strength requirements, were urgently promoted to appropriate ranks. This only made the already chaotic work even more challenging.

However…

People grow through their mistakes. Experience is something gained through repeated failures.

...

Five Years Later

Ichigo Kurosaki chose to continue his studies. Surprisingly, instead of pursuing athletics or medicine as everyone expected, he decided to major in English Literature. As he put it, life as a Substitute Shinigami had been thrilling enough, and after helping save the world twice, he wanted a quieter life outside his role as a Shinigami.

His relationship was also progressing smoothly. In his freshman year, he began dating Orihime Inoue.

In contrast to Ichigo's fulfilling life, things in the Seireitei remained complex…

Rukia Kuchiki was promoted to Vice-Captain of the 13th Division. Jushiro Ukitake, due to health issues, was preparing for retirement. Unless something unexpected occurred, Rukia, who had now mastered her Bankai, would succeed him as Captain of the 13th Division.

As for Renji Abarai, though he had also attained Bankai, he remained the Vice-Captain of the 6th Division. With the other captains in their prime, opportunities to rise through combat were few and far between.

His pursuit of Rukia was equally challenging. While Rukia herself seemed uninterested, Byakuya Kuchiki applied considerable pressure.

…

At the headquarters of the 7th Division, Naruto prepared to return to the Ninja World.

Over the past five years, he had been conducting research. Since it became known among the Gotei 13 that he was from another world, he had openly shared his knowledge.

He had examined the 12th Division's equipment, records from the Daireishokairō (Great Spirit Library), the Senkaimon, Garganta, Hohō techniques… even knowledge about Hell, provided by one of the Five Noble Families in appreciation of his efforts to save the Soul Society.

"Hell" was a unique realm. It didn't belong to the "Three Worlds" system; it was independent yet intricately tied to the Soul Society. In essence, Hell's existence wasn't vastly different from that of the Ninja World.

This knowledge was precisely what Naruto needed, proving invaluable.

Before leaving, he carefully entrusted division matters to Momo Hinamori.

This time was different. Previously, with the Soul King's help, traveling between worlds hadn't affected time flow. The Soul King hadn't frozen the timelines of either the Soul Society or the Ninja World; he had simply aligned Naruto's journey with the appropriate temporal anchor.

Now, however, Naruto was attempting this on his own, unsure if he could anchor to the correct timeframe.

Possibly…

By the time he returned from the Ninja World, time in the Soul Society might have shifted. He couldn't leave the 7th Division unable to function in his absence.

Nearby, one of Mayuri's clones spoke up. "Captain Uzumaki, you're not exactly skilled in research."

"This sort of thing is better left to me."

"With the Soul King's power and your Zanpakuto's abilities, I can develop a safe method to traverse worlds within ten years, identical to the one you used before."

"The Senkaimon technology is already highly advanced."

Mayuri had worked tirelessly on this project over the years, drawn by the allure of a new world.

But Naruto barely paid him any mind.

He packed his things, headed to the underground training hall, and shut Mayuri out.

He drew "Vortex."

"Are we really going to return on our own?" Kurama, crouched on Naruto's shoulder, looked serious. "It wouldn't hurt to accept Mayuri's help."

"If you don't trust him, Kisuke Urahara could be a good alternative."

Naruto shook his head, reaching into the air as if grasping something. "We're not relying solely on our power."

"We also have this."

He activated a summoning technique, and with a puff of smoke, a scroll appeared.

"This is something I requested from Ichibe not long ago." Naruto unrolled the scroll, revealing a radiant golden key that emitted a brilliant glow. "Forged by Oetsu Nimaiya, it's a special Zanpakuto."

"The Soul King's power?" Kurama sniffed the key, sensing its spiritual energy.

Naruto nodded. "Yes."

"Like the Royal Key, it's a Zanpakuto forged with the Soul King's power, related to spatial techniques."

The former Soul King had made incredible contributions to this world. Despite being betrayed by the Five Noble Families, the Monk and later members of the Royal Guard honored his memory with deep respect.

Now, however, the new Soul King was an amalgamation of four forces. The reverence had faded with the old Soul King's death, and using the new Soul King's power felt far less ceremonial.

Naruto raised his hand.

The power of "Vortex" surged, wind filling the underground training hall as space began to distort. The air grew hazy and turbulent, soon tearing open to reveal a black, chaotic void.

The Soul King's power, which stabilized and enveloped this world, was now breached.

Naruto held up the golden key and inserted it into the gap.

The vortex stilled, gradually solidifying, transforming the gap into a pitch-black portal.

In any kind of portal travel, the first step is to establish an anchor for the destination.

Naruto didn't know the "coordinates" of the Ninja World. But an anchor…

He extended his senses through the portal, carried by the wind, reaching out for Karin Uzumaki's spiritual energy and chakra signature.

A faintly sweet scent was almost instantly captured by his senses.

Locking onto this "scent," the key glowed brightly, enveloping Naruto and Kurama in golden light. Like a vessel, it carried them toward the distant anchor.

Everything turned pitch-black.

When he opened his eyes again—

The damp scent of the air hit his nose, the sound of the wind was loud, and a familiar, concerned voice spoke nearby.

"Hm? Naruto, you're awake."