Shinigami in the Ninja World

''The injuries weren't caused by the intruders?''

Then who could it have been?

Naruto instinctively turned his head, locking eyes on one of the captains still standing at the meeting. 'Aizen Sōsuke.'

The man raised a hand and lightly pushed his glasses up, his voice calm as ever. "Naruto-kun, are you suspecting me?"

"I've been under surveillance this entire time."

"Besides, Gin was once my beloved lieutenant. With our relationship, there's no way I'd harm him now."

'Mind's Eye of the Kagura'—Naruto's ability to sense others' emotions—fed back what he already suspected. Aizen's feelings seemed sincere.

No deception.

So, if Aizen didn't harm Gin… then who?

"I suspect…" Gin Ichimaru, despite his injury, managed a sly grin, eyes narrowing into thin slits. "The intruders we saw weren't the only ones."

"They have accomplices who haven't shown themselves yet."

Naruto's gaze sharpened.

Could Gin know something? Did the real attacker reveal something to him? Was it 'Kisuke Urahara'?

Before he could contemplate further, Captain-Commander Yamamoto struck his cane hard against the floor, the sound echoing like thunder. "Enough of this pointless chit-chat."

"Now let me relay the orders from Central 46."

"As for these intruders…"

"They are to be apprehended."

"The 'Onmitsukidō' will be responsible."

Naruto's brows furrowed. ''Onmitsukidō?'' They were already labeling them as criminals?

Naruto stepped forward, choosing his words carefully. "Captain-Commander Yamamoto, since this involves the security of Seireitei, it should fall under the jurisdiction of the 7th Division."

"Besides, the intruders have not shown any clear hostility."

Captain-Commander Yamamoto's sharp eyes narrowed, though he stayed silent.

But it was Aizen's soft, measured voice that followed: "But Captain Ichimaru was injured."

Naruto's frustration flared. ''So… Gin's injury was part of Aizen's plan.''

His goal was to pit 'Ichigo Kurosaki' against Seireitei, to create chaos and then take advantage of it.

"We've already begun investigating," Naruto continued, his voice resolute. "My lieutenant is on it, and the 7th Division is on full alert."

"And moreover…" His gaze lifted, fixing on Aizen. "We shouldn't jump to conclusions about Captain Ichimaru's injury just yet."

"Have we even identified the culprit?"

Gin smirked through his bandages. "I didn't even see the attacker's face."

'Mind's Eye of the Kagura' confirmed Gin was telling the truth.

"So it might have been the intruders…" Naruto's voice softened. "Or perhaps…"

"…Someone's using this to stir trouble."

Aizen smiled but said nothing.

Captain-Commander Yamamoto's expression grew colder. "This involves a captain, and it must not be taken lightly."

"Captain Uzumaki, now is not the time for mercy."

Naruto's frown deepened.

It was clear now—this wasn't just about a group of intruders. Ichigo Kurosaki had been framed as an enemy of Seireitei, and now, the balance had shifted. To Captain-Commander Yamamoto, nothing was more important than the safety of Seireitei.

Was that the purpose of Gin's injury?

If so, Naruto needed to change the Captain-Commander's perspective—and quickly.

"Captain-Commander, the identity of the intruders is not ordinary." Naruto's voice was calm but direct.

Yamamoto's eyes flicked toward him.

"According to my 7th Division members, one of the intruders appears to be connected to the 'Shiba Clan'."

Naruto's tone didn't waver. "Given this, I don't believe it's appropriate to deploy the 'Onmitsukidō'."

"Let the 7th Division handle it."

'The Shiba Clan?'

Captain-Commander Yamamoto let out a derisive snort. "Is it the child of Isshin Shiba?"

A cold smile crept across his face. "Like father, like son—arrogant and troublesome, causing such a stir."

"How interesting."

"Very well. The 6th and 7th Divisions will handle this."

"Apprehend that Shiba Clan member."

Naruto exhaled silently. "Understood."

Although he'd drawn attention to Isshin, it was a small price to pay for ensuring Ichigo's safety. At worst, it would embarrass Kaien a little.

"As for the Onmitsukidō," Yamamoto continued, his voice dropping, "investigate who was responsible for Captain Ichimaru's injuries."

"Whether it was the intruders…"

"Or…"

He lifted his gaze, scanning between Naruto and Aizen, leaving the sentence unfinished but loaded with implication.

Soi Fon, head of the Onmitsukidō, stood ready. Her usual stoic expression barely concealed the storm brewing behind her eyes. After all, one of the intruders was a black cat. And there was only one black cat that could enter the Soul Society—Yoruichi Shihōin.

Time had softened her once-intense attachment, but the presence of her former mentor still stirred something deep within.

Her eyes darted from Naruto to Aizen before she finally settled, focused and calm.

…

Meanwhile, at the Shiba Clan residence in Rukongai…

A man and a woman circled Ichigo Kurosaki, scrutinizing him like a rare specimen. "He really does look just like him."

"It's incredible!"

"When I first saw him, I thought it was Big Brother Kaien back from the dead."

"Is he really not Kaien's son?"

Ichigo, struggling to focus on his training ball, grit his teeth in frustration. "Could you two stop pestering me? I need to focus."

The discovery that his father was Isshin Shiba, a former member of the Shiba Clan—one of the noble families of the Soul Society—had shaken Ichigo to his core. The two people circling him now were, apparently, his siblings.

"Isn't this good for you?" Kūkaku Shiba grinned mischievously. "Think of it as weighted training."

"Everyone else has done it, but you're still struggling," her brother Ganju teased. "How do you expect to break into Seireitei like this?"

Ichigo clenched his fists, suppressing the urge to snap back.

"I might not be a Shinigami," Kūkaku added, her voice softening, "but I've spent plenty of time with Captain Naruto."

"He has a sharp sense of perception."

"In my estimation, if he hasn't come looking for you by now, it means you're running out of time."

"I just spoke to Kaien. The captains are in a meeting right now, but when that ends..."

She smiled. "Well, let's just say that old geezer Yamamoto likes to keep things brief."

Ichigo nodded, steeling himself. "So I need to finish this before the meeting ends?"

Kūkaku shook her head. "No, you need to finish before it 'starts'."

Ichigo stared at her, the pressure mounting.

"I told you, Captain Naruto's sense of perception is razor-sharp," Kūkaku said, raising a finger. "Once the meeting's over, he'll find you in a heartbeat."

"And when that happens, you'll have no chance of breaking into Seireitei."

Ichigo's resolve hardened.

But before he could act, a voice rang out.

"True, Naruto's perception is sharp…"

"But you're forgetting about 'me'."

All eyes turned upward as a fox with orange fur, dressed in a Shinigami uniform, yawned from its perch on the roof beams.

Ichigo blinked in disbelief. "That fox… from before!"

Kūkaku's eyes widened. "Vice-Captain Nine-Tails."

Nine-Tails leaped down, landing squarely on Ichigo's head and knocking him flat on his back. "Don't talk down to me, brat."

"You're in no position to take that tone."

"I'm stronger than you."

Ichigo tried to fight back, but Nine-Tails had a talent for hitting pressure points, pinning him down effortlessly.

"You really are a troublesome kid," the fox growled. "Did you forget what Naruto told you?"

"You weren't supposed to come to the Soul Society. And yet, here you are."

"And another thing…"

Nine-Tails tilted its head, eyes narrowing. "Where's that damn cat?"

Kūkaku raised an eyebrow.

"I sensed her spiritual pressure," Nine-Tails continued, "but I haven't seen her."

Kūkaku shrugged. "Haven't seen her either."

Ichigo, still pinned, shouted, "Uncle Naruto told me Rukia would be fine! But that guy from the Onmitsukidō said they were going to execute her. And me too!"

"That's not what Uncle Naruto said!"

Nine-Tails paused, then sat on Ichigo's chest. "Rukia? Executed?"

"You've gotta be kidding me."

"She's under Naruto's protection, recovering safely. Central 46 is just dragging their feet on the investigation, but there's no way they'd defy the Kuchiki Clan."

"At most, she'll be out in a year, back with the 13th Division."

Ichigo stopped struggling, looking up in disbelief. "She's really not going to be executed?"

Nine-Tails nodded. "You were panicking over nothing."

"But…" Ichigo's brow furrowed. "I can't just sit back and wait. I need to see Rukia with my own eyes."

Nine-Tails sighed and stomped on Ichigo's chest again. "Use your head."

"If you're that worried about her, just wait for Naruto. He'll take you to see her himself."

Ichigo blinked, his tension easing. "Is… that really okay?"

Nine-Tails rolled its eyes. "Of course."

"But let's be clear. You've caused a lot of trouble sneaking into the Soul Society like this."

"And believe me, the elders in Seireitei won't let this slide."

"Some formalities have to be followed."

Ichigo sighed, weighing his options.

Nine-Tails flicked its tail and looked around. "Now, where's that damn cat?"

"And that damn hat guy?"

"I know they're both here somewhere."

"And by the way," Nine-Tails growled softly, "Naruto's pretty mad at them right now."

~~~

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