Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Bleach.

Author's note: For anyone that read chapter 3 before 24.04.2016, please check it out again. I have added several scenes and paragraphs since I first uploaded it. I know that's a douchebag move, and I am sorry. It won't happen again. My reasons are written in the author's notes of that chapter.


Chapter 4 - Home:

Ichigo awoke to a normal morning. Normal for him at any rate. Thankfully, there had been no nightmares tonight. A good night's rest was long overdue.

After dodging his father's preferred wake-up method, and the man fell out his open window, the orange-haired teen finished his morning routine by showering, brushing his teeth and putting on a random collection of clothes.

Naruto's words from yesterday echoed through his head as he went down to join his family for breakfast. Did he want a normal life? To be honest, he had never really thought about it before.

Before Rukia, his life consisted mostly of hanging out with a few friends and beating up gangs. He was still young, and the question just never seemed to pop up. But now that he considered his options, he found the idea of a normal life… unappealing. It wasn't that he had anything against going to college. Perhaps he could become a doctor, like his old man. Maybe a bodyguard? A police officer? A lawyer?

The future had never been something he had any particular interested in before, but now… Rukia was safe. Soul Society no longer wanted him dead. In fact, he had a badge signifying his status as a substitute Soul Reaper. Whatever that was. So what now? For some reason, he couldn't let go of the thought as he ate breakfast. Yuzu's cooking was great as always.

"Something bothering you son?" Isshin asked, his dark irises eying Ichigo seriously.

The high-school student blinked. His father was never serious. He didn't have anything against answering though. It wasn't like the topic was dangerous. Really, this was what normal people usually talked with their parents about, right? "I'm wondering what to do with my life." Ichigo admitted, looking straight into his father's eyes, daring him to make fun of him.

Karin choked on her food, looking over at her brother with an incredulous look. Ichigo never talked about anything more important than an upcoming test.

Isshin nodded slowly, still with that serious look on his face. "Play to your strengths. What do you want to do? What are you good at doing?"

Ichigo looked at his father. That was… surprisingly appropriate. Isshin was not the type to spout out life advice... Most of the time, at least. He could still remember the speech his father had given him on their visit to the graveyard, at the anniversary of Masaki's death.

A second later, his old man teared up. Isshin threw himself at the enormous portrait of their mother, screaming for all he was worth. "Can you see this, Masaki!? Our son is growing up! Soon he will be married and have a job! Whatever shall I do!?"

Ichigo stomped him into the floor, throwing his backpack over his shoulder before walking to the door. "Thanks for that, goat-face." He said. Although he used only half the usual sarcasm.

He smiled at his two sisters before saying goodbye. Thanking Yuzu for the meal. A shout of "Bye Ichi-nii!" followed him as the orange-haired teen began his usual trek to school.

First day of the semester. Summer vacation was over.

The substitute Shinigami sighed with a slight smile on his face. Four weeks since school ended, five for him. Two weeks since he returned from Soul Society. It felt… nice.

After a few minutes of walking, he came upon a familiar crossroad. A bottle of wilted flowers stood alone, having been turned on its side while he was away. Ichigo looked around, but his ghostly friend was long gone. He had performed the Konso himself several weeks ago. For a moment, he wondered if he would ever see her again. She was still out there, in another world. A world he could visit anytime he wanted. Finding her would be a problem though.

Putting the thought aside, Ichigo continued on his way. He was a bit early, so he used his spare time to watch the town he had grown up in. A place he hadn't been sure he would ever return to.

His Shinigami badge buzzed just a few seconds before an otherworldly roar filled the air. "Don't they ever give up?" He muttered to himself, irritated at having his pleasant morning interrupted. Running towards the sound, Ichigo was already pressing his badge to his chest, splitting his soul from his body. For a moment he regretted not taking Kon with him, but the mod soul would never have been able to stay motionless a whole day. Not to mention Ichigo didn't want to be caught carrying stuffed animals around. His image would be destroyed in an instant.

This was only a low level Hollow, so he wasn't particularly worried. Putting his soulless body on a nearby bench, (hopefully it would look like he was sleeping) he flash stepped towards the warped spirit. The technique was harder than he remembered, but he still got there long before the monster had time to do anything.

The hollow turned towards him, its hungry gaze fixated on him and him alone. A few months ago, he would have been terrified. Now he just frowned at the stupid beast that dared invade his home.

Ichigo almost lazily jumped towards it, splitting its head in two before the masked creature could react. A scream tore through the air, but it quickly receded as the monstrous form dissipated. Ichigo flicked Zangetsu to the side, placing it on his back as the white ribbon wrapped itself around the blade.

Ichigo ran back to his body, intent on getting to school on time. Then he stopped. A little girl was poking at him with a stick. Shit. He knew that for most mortals, his body would look as good as dead. No heartbeat. No breath. Not even any brain activity. He did not want to traumatize a little girl with his dead body, but neither did he want to scare her with a dead person suddenly waking up and going about their lives as if nothing had happened.

The girl before him had blood red hair and pale skin. She seemed unnaturally proportioned for a girl her age, her figure resembling that of more mature women. The girl looked towards him as Ichigo approached. No, she looked at him.

"Hmm… Why are you not in your original body? It's much sturdier than the imitation you're wearing now." The girl said, voice light and carefree.

Ichigo blinked at her. Well, at least she didn't run away screaming. She was not a ghost. He could tell that much. For one, she wasn't the slightest bit see-through. She had also been poking his body with a very real stick. 'Who the hell are you?' was just on the tip of his tongue, but he quickly bit it back when he reminded himself of the girl's age. She didn't look much older than Karin and Yuzu.

The girl's eyes twinkled with humor, as if she could hear what he was thinking.

"Ehm… I don't know who you are, or how you can see me… But if you can, you can probably see the Hollows as well. I have to leave my body if I'm to fight them." Ichigo explained. He wasn't really too sure about why he was answering her question. In the back of his mind, something screamed at him that this entire situation was very suspicious. Still, he couldn't help but trust the child. She reminded him of his sisters.

The girl smiled and shook her head. For some reason, Ichigo felt like an idiot.

"My name's Hikami. Hollows… that's what those monsters are called?" She began, nodding towards where Ichigo had come from. "That one was so chaotic it was hard to get anything out of it. You are much more informative, even if you're just a newcomer yourself. Thank you." She beamed at him, child-like innocence pervading her entire being. Ichigo didn't understand anything of what the girl was talking about. It was like he was missing half the conversation.

Hikami poked his motionless body once more, before skipping away, leaving a thoroughly confused substitute Shinigami behind.

"Hey, wait!" Ichigo called just as the girl rounded a corner. Quickly running after her, Ichigo blinked as he realized she was nowhere to be seen.

What the hell was that? Unfortunately, he didn't have much time contemplating it. It was only a few minutes until school started. Quickly reentering his body, Ichigo began running towards Karakura High. Ochi-sensei was going to be pissed if he was late first day of school.


It had only been a month, but it felt like a lifetime since he last walked through the school's corridors. It was almost nostalgic. "iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiichiiiIIIIIIIGOOOOOOOOOOOO!" As was Keigo's familiar voice.

Almost on reflex, Ichigo lifted his arm, making his friend crash into it as he came running through the halls. "Yo." Was his only response, signature scowl in place. He barely looked down as Keigo jumped back up again, his face a mask of pure misery as the brown haired teenager spouted out his life's sorrows for anyone to hear.

Mizuiro was only a few seconds behind Keigo, face in its usual cordial demeanor. "Long time now see, Ichigo. Did you have a nice summer vacation?" He asked.

Flashes of the afterlife, giant cannons, flaming phoenixes and crazy blonds filled Ichigo's mind. Outwardly, he only smiled. "Yeah. It was… eventful." Beside them, Keigo moaned about something or another, Ichigo couldn't really be bothered to listen.

Mizuiro smiled at his long-time friend, appearing for the entire world like an innocent teenager. "I'm sure it will be fine, Asano-san"

"And why are you so formal!" Keigo shouted as they entered the classroom.

Ichigo blinked as he saw Chizuru groping Orihime again, only to be kicked halfway across the room by an irate Tatsuki. Inside, Ichigo sighed contentedly. Home. It was good to be back.


Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto contemplated their current situation. The Central 46 was dead. Killed by the traitor Aizen. That meant Soul Society was now under martial law. And it would stay that way until the traitor could be apprehended.

Before him lay a report written by the tenth division's third seat. A brilliant young man from what Yamamoto had seen of him. Young was perhaps stretching it. Compared to him, almost everyone was young.

The boy had joined the Shinigami academy about 300 years ago together with the current fourth division fukutaicho, Haruno Sakura. The latter had quickly risen in rank, and had obtained her current position after only a few decades. Nara Shikamaru, on the other hand, had gone as slowly as he possibly could. He had stayed an unranked officer for decades before anyone noticed he had achieved Shikai. And that was only because he had been forced to use it to save his team on a mission.

The Nara had jumped from division to division, never staying at the same place for long. Somehow, he managed to time his transfer to dodge almost every promotion pushed at him. The Nara was skilled in kido, hoho and zanjutsu, on top of that was his high intelligence and general good judgment. Yet he still managed to remain an unseated officer for over a hundred years.

The boy reminded him more of Kyouraku than he was strictly comfortable with. Indeed, if his suspicions were correct, the boy might actually be fit for another promotion. Something they were in dire need of at the moment. Right now, however, the most important thing was the report on his desk. Invaluable pieces of information Uzumaki had apparently decided to give them.

Uzumaki Naruto. Alone he was a threat capable of taking down two captains in direct combat. Granted, it was two of the younger ones, but still…

His reiatsu matched nothing Yamamoto had felt before. It even approached his own. Something he hadn't felt since his fated battle with the Sealed King one thousand years ago. He had power no human should be capable of wielding. Still… he was only one man, and thus vulnerable. But according to Uzumaki himself, he also had an army at his beck and call. With eight people capable of matching his captains. That almost made Uzumaki a larger threat than Aizen himself.

Yet he claimed to be an ally. And Yamamoto was inclined to believe him. After all the meetings he had had with the man, he had gotten a feel for Uzumaki's character. After everything was said and done, he doubted the shinobi would attack them without being antagonized first.

Another issue was Kurosaki Ichigo.

In just a few months, the boy had become powerful enough to match Kuchiki-taicho. He had reiatsu equal to Zaraki-taicho, and friends that would follow him to the ends of the earth and beyond. He had gotten training from Urahara Kisuke and Yoruichi Shihoin, in addition to Uzumaki also taking an interest in him. And the boy was only fifteen years old. Hardly more than an infant.

Yet despite everything, Yamamoto was glad they had turned up. He knew Aizen was only the first challenge on the horizon. Yhwach was still out there, and the more powerful allies on their side, the better.

Soul Society was weakened. Aizen's machinations and careful manipulation had been corroding the organization for centuries. The largest loss was the captains and vice-captains that had been hollowfied one hundred years ago, but it had started even before that. It was only now that Yamamoto truly saw what had been happening. Was this the suggestive power of Kyoka Suigetsu? How could he have been so blind?

The situation did provide a lot of opportunities though. Kurosaki would inevitably die, as all mortals did. And when that happened, it was only a question of time before he joined the Gotei 13. If he didn't do it before then, that was.

In addition, if Uzumaki was truly serious about being an ally, then there were two major powers standing against Yhwach. If he played this right, the Gotei 13 would come out of this much stronger than it was coming in. The question was only if the new Central 46 would see it the same way.

First things first… The war against Aizen would soon begin, and they would need every abled soldier in that fight. Aizen knew them inside out, coupled with a terrifying amount of power and a dangerous intellect. He would have to be dealt with quickly, before the traitor could do any more damage.

Summoning one of his underlings, Yamamoto's gruff voice echoed through his office. "Tell Nara Shikamaru I expect him here within the hour." He commanded. The messenger bowed and vanished in a flicker of Shunpo. Yamamoto sipped on a cup of tea Sasakibe had made for him.

It was time to refill some empty positions.


Ichigo looked around the classroom. They were back. And yet… he felt like he was in a dream. Nothing had changed, yet everything was different.

He looked over at Chad, Inoue, and Ishida. The three seemed almost as out of place as he felt. How was it that the world just continued like normal? Four teenagers had invaded the afterlife and come away unscathed. Or… at least alive. Ichigo winced as he remembered the agonizing pain of almost being cut in half. It hadn't been as bad as encroachment, but it was certainly not a pleasant sensation. For a moment, he wondered if actually being cut in two felt worse. He would have to ask Naruto about that later.

Hearing muttering from the class, Ichigo looked out the window, wondering what all the commotion was about.

In the middle of the schoolyard was a red-haired man clad like a hippie. He had blue jeans, white west and a colorful t-shirt. He also wore the most ridiculous hat Ichigo had ever seen. A red mop of hair stuck out behind him.

Ichigo dragged his hand across his face. What the hell was Renji doing? Coming to his school dressed like that? Or coming to his school at all?

"Ichigo! Get out here!" The lieutenant shouted for all he was worth.

The entire class turned to stare at him. He could swear Ishida was silently laughing.

Fine, if that was how it was, then he might as well play along. "Excuse me, Ochi-sensei. I'll go talk to him." He said exasperatedly as he stood from his desk.

His homeroom teacher nodded, not completely sure how she was supposed to react. Who dressed like that? And was that a guitar on his back?

A few minutes later, Ichigo had explained how his 'cousin' had come to visit them. The excuse was half-cooked at best, but thankfully his teacher seemed to buy it. He scowled at Ishida, just daring him to comment.

After several awkward moments and hours of embarrassing situations, and a Hollow attack, school ended.


"So Renji, how is things in Soul Society?" Ichigo asked. He didn't mention her by name, but he could see the lieutenant already knew what he was asking about.

"It's going fine. Things have mostly settled down by now. The loss of three captains is not something that can just be brushed off, but we'll manage." Renji said. He looked over his shoulder, making sure no one was around to hear. Thankfully, the street was mostly empty save the four spiritually aware humans and one Shinigami lieutenant.

Ichigo continued to look at him, bag slung over his shoulder.

Sighing, Renji eventually conceded. "Rukia is fine. No one is out to hurt her anymore."

Ichigo nodded, satisfied.

"So, why are you here? Got demoted to patrol duty or something?"

A tick mark appeared on Renji's brow. "No, you idiot. You let out too much reiatsu for your own good. It's attracting Hollows in massive numbers. Nowhere on earth has as many Hollow attacks as Karakura. How many has it been just today? Two? Three?"

Ichigo looked away, uncomfortable with the turn the conversation had taken. The Hollows might have been taken care of before any harm could be done, but he still berated himself for putting his town in danger. Before his thoughts could continue down that depressing line, a shout brought him out of his musings.

"Incoming!"

Acting on sheer instinct, Ichigo jumped out of the way just in time to see the blond mop of hair on his assailant. Huh. Déjà vu.

The pavement broke under Naruto's foot, cracks snaking their way several feet in every direction. His teacher grinned foxily at him as he shot towards Ichigo with blinding speed. Eyes shooting open in panic, Ichigo barely managed to roll to the side as Naruto's fist passed through the space he had just been standing.

Jumping up, Ichigo pointed accusingly at the mercenary. "What the hell are you thinking? You could have killed me!" He continued to shout complaints at the crazy immortal, giving the blond no opportunity to respond.

The gang of spiritually aware humans stared at the spectacle as Naruto picked his ear absentmindedly, steadily ignoring Ichigo's complaints. "You say something?" The blond asked, one eyebrow approaching his hairline.

Ichigo twitched. Oh, how he wanted to cut Naruto sometimes.

"I thought your father did this to you all the time. You should be used to it." Naruto commented, walking over to the others.

Repeating one of his earlier protests, Ichigo followed him. "Yeah, but his kicks doesn't crack the pavement! What are you going to do about that, huh? Also, I'm not in my Shinigami form right now. I could die!"

Naruto waved his concerns away, as if it wasn't even worth considering. "You're already dead, Ichigo… or at least partially dead. Regarding the pavement… Hime-chan, if you would be so kind?"

Orihime blinked as she was brought into the conversation. "H-Hai, Uzumaki-kun." Quickly looking around for bystanders, the teenage girl placed her healing barrier over the crater in the pavement, rejecting the damage.

The shinobi sighed. "I told you already. Just call me Naruto." Then he pointed towards the horizon with a dramatic gesture. "Now follow me. It's training time!" He declared.

The four humans looked at each other. Ishida pushed up his glasses before following silently. Chad also followed quickly, Orihime walking beside him. Ichigo was hesitant, but after a silent urging from his soul's companion, he also walked after the others. He would have to explain to his family why he was late. But it wasn't like it would be the first time. Although he would have to assure them it didn't have anything to do with gangs this time.

Renji didn't move.

He watched Naruto with caution and hesitation. The shinobi didn't even know him. Why would someone like that give away training so easily? There had to be some reason behind it. When Ichigo looked back at him, raising an eyebrow, Renji cursed under his breath. Fuck it, he couldn't say no to training from someone like Uzumaki. It also coincided well with his mission. A few minutes later, the group found themselves outside the new Uzumaki gym.

Renji stared at the small script on the sign. "Death may occur? Why would you put that on your gym?" The read-head questioned. He still wasn't totally comfortable in the blond's presence, but the tension lowered every minute he spent with him.

Naruto looked up at the sign before waving him off. "Oh, that? It's something only spiritually aware people can read. It makes it convenient to know who I can train for real."

The vice-captain stared incredulously at him. "You mean to tell me you train anyone that wants to become stronger?" For one, how would he even find the time to do something like that? Plus, having someone of Naruto's strength training just about anyone could cause all manner of problems.

Naruto smiled back at him, but his disposition had taken on a serious tilt. "Of course not. First, I need to know why they want to become stronger. But the betterment of one's self is in itself a noble goal. So unless they are planning to use my training to hurt others, I have no problem with it."

Renji nodded slowly, observing everyone in the building with new eyes.

As they walked through the gym, Ichigo saw a few people he recognized, mostly old gang members and people he had beaten up once or twice. Thankfully, the place looked like a normal gym. It had everything from treadmills, bicycles and weights. There was also open spaces lined with tatami mats, obviously intend as some kind of dojo area. There were people of all ages training here. Everything from children, teens, adults and even a few elderly. When did this place become so popular?

The group followed Naruto down a set of stairs, eventually reaching a door with a sign saying 'authorized personnel only'. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Naruto forming three quick hand signs. There was a clicking sound, and the door swung open. On the other side was a huge rocky plateau stretching for as long as they could see. The landscape was bathed in the red light of a sunset, even though it was still very much day back in Karakura. And how had they even gotten outside? Weren't they in a cellar just now? Ichigo sighed. When was he going to stop being surprised by these things?

Most of the teenagers looked gob-smacked as Naruto closed the door behind them. Walking forward to face them all as a group, the blond was grinning like fool, as if he had just played the greatest prank in history. The door was the only thing around them for miles, a single wooden frame in the middle of nowhere. It didn't even have any walls around it. Ichigo could tell his friends were somewhat freaked out by the situation, so he decided to take charge. "Ok, I'm not even going to ask, so let's begin with something else. How are you going to train us?" He asked.

At that, Renji spoke up, looking at Naruto even more nervously than before. "I kind of need to stay in Karakura. I have to deal with any Hollows coming up."

Naruto hummed. "What about the other guy? Surely, one of you is enough. If someone stronger comes along, I'll take care of it. All of you need to train if you want to survive."

Survive? Of course. They couldn't just train for trainings own sake. Noooo, they had to train to live. How melodramatic. Ichigo had known he should probably train anyway, but there were… complications he rather not deal with at the moment. Ishida was the only one that seemed perfectly ok with that explanation. The others looked at each other uncertainly. Even Renji looked doubtful.

"What do you mean 'survive'?" Orihime asked, sounding slightly nervous.

Naruto cracked his neck and smiled a slightly predatory grin. Ichigo knew that grin. He had faced it for five days before invading Soul Society. The blond's voice took on the tint of a commander, his presence impossible to ignore. "You have just entered a world that is much larger than any of you can imagine. If you want to survive, you need to become strong. Strong enough to stop anyone wanting to hurt you or your friends. Strong enough to protect anyone you hold dear. This world is apathetic and unforgiving. The moment you decided you wanted to be a part of it, you chose your path. Of course, I can't force you to learn. But if you don't, the world will crush you. Aizen is just the beginning."

Ishida pushed up his glasses. "I have been part of the supernatural world as long as I can remember. But I know what you mean. How do you intend to train us?" He said, repeating the substitute's earlier question.

Naruto's grin never dropped, and in a burst of energy and white smoke, five identical Narutos stood before them. "Follow me." They said, each one taking off in a different direction. Ichigo blinked. Looking at his friends with a deadpan expression. Of course he would use shadow clones. He was beginning to think Naruto used that for every problem. After taking a few seconds to leave his body, he began using Shunpo to catch up with the one he thought was the original. After a few minutes of running, his teacher stood before him. He had the same playful and challenging glint in his eyes Ichigo had always known him for.

"So, what are we doing?" The teen asked. He was pretty certain he already knew, but it never hurt to ask.

The blond didn't answer, instead producing a red scroll from nowhere.

Naruto bit his thumb, trailing a streak of blood over the parchment. In a burst of white smoke, seven very weird looking swords appeared. Wait, was that even swords? They looked so peculiar Ichigo couldn't be sure. Some were definitely swords, but he also saw a mallet and an axe. And was that a needle?

Naruto picked up one of the most normal looking weapons, namely a greatsword larger than he was.

"Say hello to the seven legendary swords of the mist. I seldom use them, as they have other wielders back with the mist shinobi, but I wanted to see how Zangetsu stacks up. You interested?" The blond asked, his blue eyes sparkling with excitement. Ichigo narrowed his eyes. A challenge to his sword?

Removing Zangetsu from his back, the white cloth whirled around him dramatically. He could feel Zangetsu's presence in his mind, more alert and present than he had been in ages. He knew Naruto was stronger than he was. There was no reason to hold back. Blue reiatsu surged around him as his determination exploded.

He was extremely proud of his sword. Zangetsu was the only reason he even survived the fight with Kenpachi, and somehow won against Byakuya. Ichigo's eyes shone with power as he lifted his sword above him. "Fine then. Getsuga Tensho!"

Naruto blurred away before the blast could hit him. He materialized before his student and swung the massive broadsword with impossible speed.

Ichigo spun on his heel and met him without hesitation. Zangetsu keeping the other sword in a deadlock.

Naruto's blue eyes twinkled as he spoke. "This is Kubikiribocho, The Executioner's Blade. It's one of my favorites."

The two swords blurred in a deadly display of steel. Ichigo's arms shook with every block, his feet dug into the ground with every swing. Still… it wasn't any worse than his battle with Kenpachi.

Ichigo felt a grin beginning to pull at his lips.

They both swung their humongous swords faster than should be possible, clashing against each other as displaced rock and earth flew in every direction.

Naruto moved like a ghost. He jumped, slid and rolled. At one point, he had summersaulted over the teenagers head, meeting Zangetsu with his own blade while hanging upside down in midair. The only thing stopping him from falling was the rebounding kinetic energy of Zangetsu and Kubikiribocho hitting each other.

Naruto was literally running circles around Ichigo, going faster than the teen had ever seen him move before. Ichigo had tried to follow with Shunpo, but matching his speed was an exercise in futility. Instead, the teen relied on his years of combat experience and Zangetsu's guidance.

The sword spirit seemed to have taken Naruto's challenge personally, and Ichigo could feel his Zanpakuto move with him as he swung, sometimes moving even before he did. He and Zangetsu was completely in sync, the same they had been in their fight against Kenpachi.

It was especially refreshing after so many days without hearing from him. The spirit still hadn't said a word, but it wasn't necessary. The absolute focus the duo utilized wouldn't allow for much conversation anyway.

From the corner of his eye, Ichigo spotted his opponent. On pure instinct, he swung.

Zangetsu shone with power, a Getsuga ready to be fired in an instant. Naruto materialized beside him a millisecond later, eyes wide with surprise. Zangetsu met the legendary sword… then passed straight through it. A wave of blue reiatsu emerged from the large knife-like sword, blasting both combatants away from each other. Ichigo could almost taste Zangetsu's smugness.

Naruto looked down at his broken sword, not seeming to care about the blood trailing down his arm. Surprise gave away to a proud smile. He lifted his sword, letting a stream of blood trail down the blade. Before Ichigo's stunned eyes, the broken weapon reformed itself to its full length. Right before Naruto's wound healed over.

"Good job. Now for the six other's."


Ishida Uryuu looked over at Naruto's clone. He wasn't really sure how to behave in this situation. He hadn't had a real teacher since his grandfather was killed. Mostly training by himself. How was Naruto going to train him? The blond wasn't a Quincy. That much was obvious.

"Before I train you, I need know how strong you are. Summon your weapon." The shinobi said, leaning against a nearby boulder. Ishida nodded, mentally preparing himself for battle.

Before training with the Sanrei Glove, he hadn't been capable of effectively wielding this bow, but now that he had, it was almost child's play to summon the web-like weapon he now wielded. Ginrei Kojaku, a last gift from his grandfather. Ishida took a deep breath and began gathering reshi from the environment. It wasn't as much as Soul Society, or even as much as Karakura, but there were certainly no lack of it floating around. The energy seemed… familiar in a way that was just out of reach.

"Now what?" The young man asked, turning to face his would-be trainer.

"We spar."

Then the blond did something that made Ishida's mind whirl. Holding out his hand, Naruto let a very familiar armband fall from his sleeve. Ishida's eyes widened as he felt the reshi in the air answer to another. The spirits gathered around Naruto's hand, forming into a blue longbow not unlike what he himself had wielded in his ultimate form. It was completely solid, having formed only from the residual spiritual particles in the atmosphere.

Naruto looked down at his bow and frowned. "It has been a while since I fought like a Quincy. Seems like my reishi manipulation is a bit off. I work better with natural energy."

Uryuu could only gape. What. The. Hell! Naruto is a Quincy? That's impossible! My father and I are the last of our kind!

The immortal seemed to enjoy his expression. "Oh, you should see the look on your face! Priceless."

Ishida snapped his mouth shut. Still, he couldn't help the incredulous question that emerged almost against his will. "How?" He had completely lost focus, so his own weapon had dissipated back into harmless reshi once again.

Naruto twirled his bow a few times, flaunting the weapon before Ishida. "Did you think Quincies are the only race that can manipulate the energy around them? There are dozens, no, hundreds, just on this planet. All they would need is the right training and equipment. Of course, it's quite hard to learn, especially if you have no predisposed affinity for that type of energy." Naruto answered. "But I have had a long time to practice every type of fighting style I have come across. Some of your ancestors were kind enough to teach me."

Uryuu was utterly speechless. He had no idea how to respond. The hair on his arms rose and he felt shivers run down his spine. It felt like his brain had fried itself.

If that was true then… then… what the hell were the Quincies to begin with? What about Yhwach? Were Quincies just a group of people that had discovered how to gather reishi from the air? And what if they were? Did that mean anything at all? What about the Shinigami? The extermination of the Quincy 200 years ago? He couldn't say anything with certainty, but with that one action, Naruto had just taken his whole world and turned it upside down.

Pushing up his glasses, Uryuu tried to regain his senses. "H-how would you be judging me?" He asked, trying to halt any world shattering revelations that might or might not come his way. He would have time for those later. Finally regaining his composure, he resummoned his bow. It looked far too meek in comparison to Naruto's, but it had its advantages.

The blond shrugged. "The usual. Strength, speed, reaction time, type of attack, techniques at your disposal… That sort of thing." Uryuu nodded, lifting his bow towards his opponent. He knew Naruto was powerful. Terrifyingly so in fact. Still, this was just a clone. How strong could it be?

Naruto vanished.

Uryuu's eyes widened as he burst into his fastest Hirenkyaku. Just in time too, as a blue arrow strong enough to crater the earth embedded itself into the ground where he'd been standing.

The thing was… the arrow appeared solid. Just like Naruto's bow. It was black and blue with white inscriptions running up its shaft. The Quincy didn't have much time to examine it though, as two dozen similar looking arrows headed straight for him. Uryuu stretched his abilities to the maximum, willing the platform of reshi to carry him faster and faster. The wind he wasn't able to redirect clashed against his frame, making his hair fly out behind him.

This continued for over two minutes. Naruto didn't give the young archer a single second to regain his bearing or begin a counterattack. The blond moved faster and faster as time went on, forcing Ishida to push just a little extra speed from his own technique. Arrows exploded across the landscape, tearing stone and earth to pieces. Finally, the unending barrage ended. Uryuu quickly gulped down a breath of fresh air before twisting around. He didn't know why his opponent had stopped firing, but he wouldn't let such an opportunity slip.

While he hadn't been able to track Naruto by sight, his continuous use of reishi made him stand out to the Quincy's other senses.

The sky lit up with hundreds of blue projectiles. Individually weak, but together they were an avalanche of death.

It was an attack that could have carved up an army of Hollows. Against Naruto, however, he might as well have showered him in confetti. The immortal walked straight through the deadly projectiles as if they didn't even faze him. His blue eyes shone as he again utilized his own high-speed technique.

Faster than the young boy was able to react, a smiling face materialized before him. A moment later, he lost all the air in his lungs as Naruto hit him in the stomach, making white lights dance across Uryuu's vision.

Acting on instinct, the archer disappeared with another burst of Hirenkyaku. He reappeared behind a small boulder, wheezing as he tried to regain his breath. What was that? His arrows didn't even graze his opponent!

"You don't use Blut then?" A far too cheerful voice commented.

Ishida's head snapped up to stare at Naruto. Shit! He had gotten distracted.

As he tried to get back up, the genius archer cursed when he collapsed back to his knees. That single hit had been too much for his human body to handle.

The Quincy's eyes hardened as his resolve returned. It didn't matter. He would not go down that easily. Not while he still had options. Forcing his body to move with Ransotengai, Uryuu burst into Hirenkyaku once again. The Quincy blasted across the landscape, moving faster than he had ever done before. Turning around while the reishi platform carried him farther away, Uryuu saw a single arrow come after him. The projectile flew only slightly faster than himself. He could avoid it, but… something told him not to. This was a challenge, not an outright attack.

Taking a deep breath, Ishida began gathering as much energy as he could. Time seemed to slow as his perception picked up every little detail inside his vision. Uryuu drew back his bow, forming the single strongest arrow he had ever created outside his final form. With a cry, he let it fly.

Then the world exploded.

The last thing Uryuu saw was a streak of gold emerging from the explosion.


Ichigo grunted as he was once again blasted several feet through the air.

He twisted around, using the air walking technique to regain some control. His momentum didn't halt immediately, so he ended up sliding backwards in midair. Still moving, the orange-haired boy swung his huge sword – once again imbued with the blue glow of his Getsuga – only to be blocked by the huge monstrosity of a weapon Naruto now wielded.

"I told you, that isn't going to work." Naruto said before he sent Ichigo crashing to the ground. The Getsuga was quickly absorbed into the blond's weapon.

The young Shinigami picked himself up from the crater his body had made, grunting in exertion as he did so. Blood was running down his face and his clothes were in tatters.

He had done well against the first six swords Naruto had used. He and Zangetsu working together managed to shatter them all. Much to the supreme satisfaction of both him and his sword spirit. Spiritual steel trumped even the strongest man-made metals, it seemed.

This one was something else though. It felt… different. It was somehow like he was fighting two opponents instead of one. No. Three, instead of two. Naruto grinned as he hefted the huge weapon over his shoulder. It was as large and massive as a grown man, even eclipsing Zangetsu. Ichigo wasn't sure what Naruto was using against him could even be called a sword. It looked more like a club, or maybe a bat. He couldn't help the sting of curiosity over what was hidden under all the bandages covering it.

"Is that really a sword? It looks more like a snowboard." Ichigo said, keeping up the banter that had been going on for a while now.

In response the sword(?), vibrated and hissed at him, making the teen blink.

Naruto smirked. Then he held the weapon before him, running a hand across it almost lovingly. "Oh, Samehada is most definitely a sword. The first Mizukage outdid himself with this one. During all my life, this weapon is one of the few that has not required maintenance. All the others have either been repaired or re-forged. But not Samehada."

The white wrappings surrounding the weapon loosened, much like Zangetsu's actually. It revealed a shell-covered… something? Nope. Ichigo was no closer to understanding what the heck that was.

'Gigigigigigi' And then the sword laughed. Of course it did.

Naruto looked as his weapon with surprise. "You mean that? Even after he insulted you?"

'Gigigigigi' was the only response. This time, Ichigo could actually see where the sound was coming from. On the edge of the weapon – which seemed to have grown somewhat, making it seem even more like a club – was a mouth. The sword-club had an honest to god mouth with sharp teeth sticking out of it. Ichigo sighed. Where had logic disappeared to? Did reason just leave him out to dry? How was this his life?

"Huh. Apparently, Samehada likes you. And your energy tastes good."

Ichigo suppressed an involuntary shiver, gripping his weapon tightly. Oh, how glad he was that Zangetsu did not look like that. The teen's frown didn't let up despite the easy nature of the conversation. He was still stuck in the same situation as before.

He was fighting against a weapon that could consume his energy, making his one special technique useless. It hit hard enough that he couldn't block without being punted around the area like a baseball. The only thing he could think of was to take everything one step higher, yet…

"Do not hesitate." It was the first words Zangetsu had said to him since Soul Society. Although Ichigo had felt his presence from time to time, it was good to finally hear him again.

Gritting his teeth, Ichigo thrust Zangetsu forward, left arm supporting his right. The white ribbon of his Shikai twirled around his arm and shoulder, flying out behind him as his reiatsu skyrocketed.

"BAN-"

Ichigo stopped.

There was something… missing.

In a second, Naruto was there, Samehada already swinging. Ichigo staggered as he managed to hastily bring up a block. Despite that, his body flew across the landscape, smashing through two large rocks before finally managing to right itself. He quickly retreated as Naruto came dashing after him. Although the blond didn't pursue far.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. The great hero of Karakura can't use his Bankai? What would his enemies say to that?" Naruto teased.

Ichigo grit his teeth. Why? What was wrong? Why couldn't he use it?

"Abandon your fear."

The teen blinked. He wasn't afraid. This was a sparring match. Even if he might get his ass kicked, Naruto wouldn't kill him, he knew that.

Naruto hummed as Ichigo struggled with himself. "This world is not as… potent as Soul Society. There's not as much energy to draw on here as it is there. Yet with your reserves, that shouldn't pose a problem. Why did you stop the activation of your Bankai?"

Ichigo swallowed, readying his sword to continue the battle. If he couldn't use Bankai, Shikai would just have to do. Naruto shook his head, seemingly disappointed. When the blond looked at him again, Ichigo's knees buckled.

Naruto's eyes had changed. They were now purple with ripple patterns. Yet that was not the only significant change. The blond's energy, which up until this moment had never felt the tad bit suppressive, was now bearing down on him like the weight of the sky.

Sweat and blood ran down Ichigo's face as he struggled to keep standing. Black spots were appearing in his vision. His ears popped. His skeleton creaked. He was consuming reiryoku at a record pace simply to keep himself conscious.

"Face your enemy. Walk forward and never stop. You have already learnt this lesson, Ichigo." Zangetsu's steady voice echoed through the marrow of his bones. Ichigo raised his blade again, forcing himself to stand under the unbearable pressure. He could barely breathe, but that was not going to stop him.

"Are you afraid of losing yourself?" Naruto asked. "Are you afraid of becoming what you did when you faced Kuchiki Byakuya?" Ichigo's eyes whipped towards his teacher. The cool purple eyes of the Rinnegan stared unflinchingly back at him. The power in them was unmistakable.

So what if his Hollow overtook him? He had beaten it back before. He could do it again. And Naruto was definitely strong enough to take care of himself. Resolve reaffirmed, Ichigo brought Zangetsu forward once again. Then he let his spiritual pressure explode.

More! He needed more! This wasn't a world made of pure spiritual energy. This world was made of atoms and physical matter. It was not a place for spirits. It would not help him here. Ichigo's whole body shone as he raised his power as high as it would go, jumping into the well of energy inside his soul.

"BAN…KAI!" The raging blue energy transformed to black as Ichigo felt all his power coalesce and compress inside his body. His previously ruined shihakusho reformed itself into his black Bankai coat.

Ichigo swung his now black katana to the side, eyes burning with determination.

Naruto smiled, raising Samehada in challenge.

The wind swept across the landscape. For a moment, everything was silent.

In a move that would have been undetectable on anything short of a high-speed camera, both combatants disappeared from view.

A boom echoed across the landscape as Naruto went flying into the ground, Samehada curled protectively around him. The shinobi got up just as Ichigo materialized before him, Tensa Zangetsu swinging with enough force to destroy an entire city block.

Naruto raised Samehada in retaliation, flooding the sword with chakra. The two weapons clashed in a terrifying display of power. One blade was backed by its millennia of history. The other was immaculately forged from the soul of its wielder.

The earth cracked and shifted beneath them as Naruto and Ichigo traded blows. A crater dozens of meters wide formed around the two titans as they met in a stalemate. A force no normal human could ever match suspended between them.

Naruto swung to the side, breaking their connection in an instant. Just as the blond was about to bring down Samehada again, Ichigo disappeared.

The black robed Shinigami ran around his teacher in less than a tenth of a second, disappearing and reappearing in an impressive display of Shunpo. Dozens of afterimages appeared as Ichigo slowed just enough to be seen.

Naruto quirked a smile before he raised his shark-like sword to block a strike from behind. Before the blond could retaliate, the black-clad teen disappeared again. In less time than it took the heart to beat, Ichigo attacked from all directions. Steel and energy rained down on Naruto with speed the shinobi could scarcely believe.

Ichigo was even faster now than he had been against Byakuya. With a fully rested body and focused mind, Ichigo had no problem pressing himself to his absolute limits. He no longer cared if his Hollow took over, all he wanted was to show his teacher how much stronger he had become.

And if Naruto hadn't become senile yet, he was pretty sure Ichigo was becoming better as they fought. Every step of Shunpo was a little faster than the last, every swing of his sword a little more powerful than his previous limit. The boy was improving before his very eyes. Naruto had seen it before of course, during the days of training in Urahara's basement. Those days had shattered any preconceptions of growth Naruto had previously held. And it was no less awe-inspiring the second time.

The golden-haired shinobi defended himself as best he could, swinging Samehada around himself so fast shock waves emanated from the tip as every swing broke the sound barrier. But it wasn't enough. Ichigo had sliced into the blond several times now. The only reason Naruto was still standing was his insane regenerative abilities, and the fact that the shinobi always seemed to flow around the sword, only letting Tensa Zangetsu nick him before knocking the daito away.

In the extreme speed they fought at, a few seconds seemed like an eternity. Then, finally, Samehada began to grow. The sword expanded and twisted, curling itself around its wielder in a protective manner.

Ichigo slammed his zanpaktou into the shield before jumping back as blue-grey shells fired from the sword, all homing in on him like miniature missiles. Ichigo swung his Zanpakuto, batting away the dozens of projectiles coming his way. Compared to Byakuya's Senbonzakura, this was nothing.

The small lull in battle gave Ichigo precious time to think. He knew Naruto could attack him in a hundred different ways while still inside that protective shell. He could probably make it rain acid if he wanted to. At this point, he doubted there was anything his teacher couldn't do.

"We need to burst through Samehada's shells. It is the only way we could hurt our opponent." Zangetsu's advice did little to placate Ichigo.

Of course, he knew that, the only question was… "How? That creepy shark sword is stronger than the others. I'm not powerful enough to simply break through it like before. Not without the Getsuga Tenshou anyway, and that sword can absorb energy." Ichigo responded.

He was grateful that Zangetsu was talking to him again, but the old man was just as cryptic as before, never giving Ichigo a straight answer. "Do not doubt our strength, Ichigo. Together, we will tear the very heavens asunder."

Ichigo nodded resolutely, brown eyes beginning to glow as his soul summoned every scrap of power it could force through his body. "Do you trust me, Ichigo?" Zangetsu asked, the deep and confident voice filling the substitute Shinigami with a sense of calm.

The teen's response was instantaneous. "Of course." Then it was as if someone had taken ahold of his sword, raising it towards Samehada and the ancient warrior inside. Black and red reiatsu surged around the Shinigami, dark flames of power covering his blade. Receiving a wordless confirmation from the sword spirit, Ichigo sprang forward.

Tensa Zangetsu met the scaly hide of Samehada just as reiatsu exploded around them. Ichigo pressed his Zanpaktou against the shark-like sword for all he was worth. Part of the dark fire around Tensa Zangetsu was absorbed into the enemy weapon. Even his aura seemed to be sucked towards it, but Ichigo simply shunted more power towards his blade, keeping the Getsuga at its strongest. He could hear hissing and something that sounded eerily like a scream. It was definitely not human. Ichigo grinned as he felt Samehada begin to give under Tensa Zangetsu's might.

Then it disappeared. Ichigo knew Naruto hadn't disappeared in a burst of speed. None of his senses could pick up even the slightest hint of movement. Hiraishin. The teen's battle focused mind informed him as he whirled around, looking for his opponent.

Naruto was a few dozen meters away, frowning down at Samehada. The sword was writhing on the ground, one side scorched entirely black. "Giiiiiiii!" The sword screeched. Ichigo almost felt guilty.

The ancient shinobi laid a hand on the handle of his blade, hand glowing green with energy. After a while, the sword stilled. It looked like it was… purring? Naruto smiled, patting his weapon a few times before standing back up. "Samehada will be fine. She has survived worse."

Ichigo nodded, not quite sure what to say.

Another copy of Naruto appeared beside the blond, making Ichigo tense, but all it did was take the scroll from the original and begin sealing away the weapons the blond had been using.

"Good job. Zangetsu is definitely one of the greatest weapons ever created." Naruto said, walking towards his student almost casually. The blond held out a single hand, the other was resting in his pocket. Ichigo only got a glimpse of some black writing swirling across Naruto's palm before the shinobi was holding another object.

"This is the Raijin no Ken. The Sword of the Thunder God. It is usually my preferred bladed weapon should I need one. Before, it wouldn't have been any different than the others you have faced, but I have made a few upgrades over the years. Let's just say you won't be cutting through it so easily." The blond smirked.

It was a battle hungry expression. Ichigo felt inclined to mirror it.

"Let me see the full extent of your speed, Kurosaki Ichigo." Naruto's voice was almost reverent. The blond's eyes had changed. Now they were gold with crosses instead of pupils. His already massive reiatsu had surged to truly ridiculous proportions. Ichigo snorted. How many eyes did his teacher have? It was beginning to get weird.

Naruto twisted his palm, and out from the object – which Ichigo now realized was a handle – burst a glowing bar of yellow electricity. It would have been the most normal sword Naruto had wielded thus far, if it hadn't been for one little detail.

"Oh, come on! You have a lightsaber!? That's just unfair!" Ichigo complained. Naruto smirked at him before disappearing from mortal eyes yet again.

Ichigo's eyes widened. He barely had time to be surprised before he was forced to raise his own blade to meet the glowing bar of electricity.

Lightning flew in every direction. Before a weapon such as the Raijin, almost any material would have been destroyed. However, Zangetsu was a Zanpakuto. It was a sword made to cut souls and destroy spirits from the great beyond. It didn't give an inch.

The same couldn't be said for its wielder though. Ichigo's hand shook before he retreated. He disappeared in a flicker of Shunpo. An instant later, Naruto pursued him.

This time, Instead of blocking, Ichigo dodged. Or rather, he tried to dodge.

The orange-haired battle genius felt pain sear through him as the shinobi's lighting sword scored a small gash in his side. Naruto was somehow faster than him now. How was that even possible? He was still in Bankai!

Damn. His hand was already numb from blocking the first strike. Now he could barely move his limbs. His side hurt, and his brain felt like a wreck. His biggest problem was the convulsions though. His muscles spasmed with infuriating irregularity, making it impossible to move like he wanted to.

That was a very dangerous sword. You couldn't even block it for fear of being electrocuted. Naruto had used a pair of lightning swords a few minutes ago, but they were nothing compared to this. Sending waves of electricity was hardly any different from other energy attacks. While wielding a sword made of energy most definitely was.

Wait. Sword made of energy… Couldn't he do that himself? Ichigo frowned. In a burst of inspiration, he summoned another Getsuga to his blade, but instead of firing it, he tried to hold it inside the Zanpakuto, much like Zangetsu had done just moments before.

It was a lot harder than he would have thought. It required every ounce of concentration he had to not slip up, and even then, part of the attack was continuously dissipating into the air. Reaching inside himself, Ichigo felt the burden lessen considerably a few seconds later. Zangetsu was helping him.

"Are you done?" Naruto asked. His playful side was back.

Ichigo turned towards his teacher and nodded. Sweat rolled down his face. The wound Naruto had inflicted had immediately cauterized, so it didn't bleed. Not that it was very deep to begin with, mind you. Ichigo had a feeling Naruto had been holding back.

Duh, of course he's holding back. I saw what he did against Aizen. The thought made him strangely frustrated. Angry.

Naruto smiled as he disappeared in another burst of speed. Ichigo followed shortly thereafter.

Tensa Zangetsu and the Sword of the Thunder God clashed again and again. The rhythm of blows was far faster than anything this battle had seen so far. They crashed against each other in the air and on the ground. The landscape around them shuddered from the aftershocks. Black reiatsu billowed behind Ichigo as exhaust from his sustained Getsuga, carving up the earth as he moved. On the other side, streaks of electricity arched across the sky, fueled by the ocean of energy at Naruto's disposal.

Ichigo was panting. He had been fighting for over half an hour already, going higher and higher in order to match his teacher. His massive reserves of reiryoku were nearing depletion. This was his absolute max. Reiatsu poured out of him like a leak dam as black energy flowed around him. It carved up rocks and dirt as mini-Getsugas escaped his every swing.


Naruto was grinning like a fool.

Zangetsu wouldn't transfer his own lightning based energy when it was already channeling a Getsuga Tenshou. Ingenious. Who knew the kid would be able to push him so far after only a few months?

Naruto's own sword was barely holding up, despite its upgrades. The ridiculous amount of chakra he kept feeding it was the only reason it hadn't been utterly destroyed. The Sword of The Thunder God had found its match, nay, superior.

If Ichigo ever mastered that Getsuga of his… Naruto shook his head. The world was in for a rude awakening once the Guardian of Karakura made himself known.


Ichigo grit his teeth as he forced himself to go even faster. Yet Naruto only heightened his own speed by an equal amount. The dance of death continued for several minutes, neither party managing to score a hit on the other.

Yet even so… Ichigo felt like he was simply being toyed with. Even excluding Naruto's Hiraishin technique, he knew the blond could go faster. How much faster, he was almost afraid to find out. But the thought of stopping didn't even occur to him. He barely had any energy left, but giving up had never been an option to begin with. This was a test to find his limits. To explore the heights of his power. Ichigo was determined to meet those limits head on, and crush them.

What truly bugged him was the vast difference in skill. The orange-haired substitute had just recently begun to learn his way around a sword. His battle with Urahara and Naruto had seen to the basics. Even if they hadn't outright thought him anything, it was impossible not to pick up on things. Then came his fight with Ikkaku, then Zaraki and even his inner Hollow. All of which had given him valuable experience against vastly different opponents.

Later, his Bankai training with Zangetsu had upped his skill considerably. The old man was a master of the blade. Where he had learned it, Ichigo had no idea. It probably came with the job description.

But even after all that. Naruto - someone he had never seen wielding a blade before today - was toying with him. His blocks were as graceful as a dancer's. His attacks perfectly timed so Ichigo could just manage to defend against them. It made him angry. Angry at Naruto for not going all out, and angry with himself for being so weak he didn't have to.

Something inside him snapped, and he suddenly froze. The Getsuga he had been holding dissipated into the air.


Naruto stopped his assault as Ichigo's energy began to change. Something darker, rawer, clawed its way to the surface. A white substance shot out of Ichigo's mouth as it began to cover his face. The boy's already ridiculously energy shot even higher, tinted with a warped and dark feeling.

Hollow.

Naruto watched on impassively as Ichigo's Hollow laughed wildly. His student spun around to face him, black sclera and yellow eyes stared at him with an insane light. The mask covered three quarters of his face, growing slowly. "It's you, eh? You're the one that pushed King this far? And you kept the old man occupied as well? HAHAHAHAHA! I should thank you! Yet, I think I'll just kill you instead." Then the masked boy lunged at him, a fully charged Getsuga Tensho at the ready.

Naruto said nothing as Kurama's power flooded his system. It filled his body to the brim with energy. The golden chakra cloak and haori embraced him in a welcome light.

Naruto reached out a hand as the world slowed down.

The golden reincarnation of Ashura grabbed the tip of Tensa Zangetsu just as the Getsuga fired. A giant explosion of dark reiatsu rocked the world and blacked out the horizon. The entire dimension shuddered under the force of the attack. Heaven and earth seemed to cringe away from the overwhelming force.

When the dust settled, everything on either side of the shinobi was utterly disintegrated. The molecules themselves having been forced to separate in the face of such overwhelming power. In their place was a deep crevice - it's bottom unseen. The damage stretched as far and wide as the eye could see. Even the Valley of The End couldn't compare. The only part of land that was still intact was what Naruto was standing on, and what his body had shielded.

Hollow Ichigo blinked in surprise, his visage changing quickly from shock to anger. "How!?" He snarled.

Naruto, for his part, was completely free of any damage. Still holding Ichigo's black daito with his right arm, the blond reached out towards his protégé. The Hollow flinched back, but the shinobi was still holding his Zanpakuto in a vice-like grip.

Face expressionless, the Uzumaki placed his left palm on Ichigo's chest, making the Hollow freeze up. Dark markings spiraled all over Ichigo's body, extending out to the ground and even the air around them. The Hollow's eyes widened as he found he couldn't move.

Inside his own mind, Naruto split apart a portion of his chakra, creating a shadow clone inside himself to be in control until he returned.

"Oy, Naruto. What are you-" Ino began.

Naruto sent a wave of reassurance back at her. "Back in a flash, Ino-chan." Then he touched Ichigo's forehead and dived in.


The world Naruto found himself in was… strange.

He was standing sideways on a blue skyscraper. Gravity seemed to have taken on a life of its own, pressing him sideways instead of downwards. The occasional cloud shadowed an infinite expanse of stars and a blood red moon, something that eerily reminded him of the Infinite Tsukuyomi.

The golden light of Kurama's chakra cloak lit up the buildings around him, although he would have no problem seeing without it. The moon and stars provided plenty of illumination.

Looking around, Naruto was pleased to notice another being already aware of him. A young man in a dark cloak stood on a flagpole a few feet away, the fabric of his cloak flickering in nonexistent wind.

The young face had lines of tension drawn on them, but otherwise he seemed the very picture of regality. The man jumped down from his pole, gliding down to the sideways surface Naruto was standing on. "You do not belong here. What is your purpose, intruder?"

Naruto smiled at the boy, although he couldn't be certain, he was fairly sure this was Ichigo's Zanpakuto spirit. He looked very similar to the middle-aged man Ichigo had fought during his Bankai training.

"I'm not here to do any harm." He quickly explained, trying to make his sincerity show through his aura. "I just need Ichigo to be able to fight when he needs to. His Hollow is a problem he can't deal with in the middle of a battle."

Instead of looking placated, Tensa Zangetsu's features tensed even more. "That Hollow is a part of Ichigo's very being. You cannot separate them. Harm to one will reflect on the other. I sense you do not wish my wielder harm. Then let him deal with the problem on his own. Ichigo is strong, he will find a way."

Naruto nodded in understanding. He had already gotten the basics from Urahara.

Suddenly, another person was standing with them.

It was Ichigo, and yet…

His face, hair and clothes were all the same as Ichigo's, but the color was all white. His eyes had the same black and yellow shine as his Hollow mask, making his identity obvious.

"You!" The Hollow shouted, pointing accusingly at the Bankai spirit. "I thought I suppressed you, how the hell are you here?" Tensa Zangetsu said nothing, only staring at the Hollow with a calculating expression. Then the Hollow rounded on Naruto, and his face contorted in rage. "How the hell did you get in here!? That's supposed to be impossible!"

Naruto only smiled cheekily at him, waving a few times for good measure. "Well, you forgot to lock the door. It wasn't that difficult."

The white Ichigo snarled, materializing his blade before pointing it at Naruto. The black cloaked Bankai spirit said nothing as he watched the events unfold before him, only looking from one combatant to the other.

Naruto made no motion as to recognize the challenge. Instead looking around, trying to get a grasp on the energies of the world he found himself in. "Where's Ichigo? I mean, I can feel his energy everywhere. It's his world, after all. And technically you are both parts of him. But where's the main consciousness? The impulsive teen I've been training?" The blond asked.

The Hollow smirked at him. "Oh, King's a bit busy at the moment. He'll be back soon, but for the moment, I am in control." Then he attacked, using all the speed of Ichigo's Bankai, the inverted copy of his student shot forward, power rolling off him in waves.

Naruto's eyes, already gold and crossed by Kurama and nature's influence, morphed once again. The Rinnegan overrode any other change to his visual organs. Holding out a hand, Naruto let his full power bear down on the Hollow in the most easily recognizable way for the teenager. As the oppressive feeling of pure reiatsu.

The Hollow froze in shock. Even here, in Ichigo's inner world! How the hell could a foreign entity hold so much power in another's soul!?

Slowly, Naruto bent his hands to fit in two dozen hand signs. The blond frowned in concentration. Sealing such a powerful being on his home turf was more than a little challenging. Without something to constantly hold the seal in place, the cage would deteriorate shortly after its creation. Thankfully, this world was not purely the Hollow's. It was Ichigo's, and all parts of him shared it equally.

Yellow and black eyes widened in shock as the Noh-Men realized what Naruto was about to do. Shouting in rage and desperation, he threw himself at his enemy. Only to be knocked back by a glowing arm of golden energy. Not giving up that easily, Hollow Ichigo entered a complex dance of Shunpo, throwing dozens of Getsugas at Naruto from every conceivable direction. The golden chakra arms were more than up for the challenge though, deflecting and blocking every attack the warped spirit could come up with. If he got too close, he would be knocked back again, only for the process to repeat itself.

Tensa Zangetsu said nothing as he observed the battle. He knew what Naruto was doing. He could feel the entire world shuddering in anticipation. He didn't particularly agree with such a method, but even if he wanted to, he simply didn't have the power to stop the glowing demigod. Hopefully, it would be reversible. If it wasn't… well… Zangetsu's one purpose was to protect his wielder. If this being took away the majority of Ichigo's power. He was not going to be happy, to put it mildly.

Then Naruto began to chant. Ancient and incomprehensible words of power rolling from his lips, golden tendrils emerged from his aura, snaking their way towards the Hollow. The Noh-Men tried to bat them away, a desperate light in his eyes. Yet the tendrils only kept coming, unending in their persistence.

"Senpou Fuuinjutsu: Rikudo Ryuu Fuujin!" (Sage Art Sealing Technique: Six Paths Dragon's Seal) Naruto's voice echoed through the city of skyscrapers. Its double edge making it far more menacing than it usually was.

The masked spirit screamed. The wordless shout a mix of frustration and fear. The strings of chakra surrounded the Hollow to such a degree all that could be seen was a golden ball of energy.

Six giant pillars of red wood fell from the sky, hanging in the air between the tall buildings. The ball of energy connected to the wood before fusing seamlessly into the space between the pillars. Creating a three dimensional hexagon with see-through golden walls.

The world shook as the seal completed. The sky changed into an orange sunrise.

Inside, the warped form of Ichigo raged against the world, sending Getsugas in every direction. It smashed against the walls with enough force to blow through mountains.

Nothing happened.

"The seal has enough power to hold on for a few days on its own, but it will eventually decay if not sustained by another. I cannot be that person, as that would be… impractical." Naruto explained, looking at the younger form of Zangetsu.

The sword spirit was studying the seal intently. Some of the tension in his shoulders had disappeared as the blond finished his technique. Although his eyes narrowed the longer he heard Naruto speak. "You wish me to be that person? To keep Ichigo's Hollow locked up forever?" Tensa Zangetsu asked, voice taking on a hint of anger as he looked at the blond.

Naruto shook his head, still smiling. His golden chakra cloak dissipated into nothing. "Not forever. Only until Ichigo can find it in himself to accept his darkest parts. Until then however…" Naruto trailed off, looking at the raging Noh-Men with something akin to sadness..

Tensa Zangetsu stilled as he pondered what Naruto had told him. He could still feel his connection to the Hollow even through the seal. With this, he didn't need to forcefully suppress the spirit himself. At least it would be several times easier.

And to be honest, he didn't know how much longer he could have kept it up. Most of his current power was borrowed from the real Zangetsu, and the more Ichigo used it, the stronger the Hollow became. If Ichigo had suppressed the spirit on his own, his wielder could have called upon Zangetsu's Hollow powers. Much like he himself had absorbed part of the original sword spirit's Shinigami powers. But this… This might actually be for the better. Ichigo could communicate with his real Zanpakuto without the danger of being possessed.

If he was in charge of the seal, he could weaken and strengthen it on his own. If he learnt to control it well enough, perhaps he could also change the shape, form and manifestation. Perhaps he could even let the Hollow out from time to time without overt danger to Ichigo.

Slowly, Tensa Zangetsu nodded. "That is… acceptable." He eventually acquiesced.


Aizen Sousuke hummed as he reclined on his throne, staring intently at the gem in his hands.

The complete Hogyoku was powerful.

There was no doubt about it. Even though it was still sleeping, Sousuke had no trouble feeling the immense power inside the small object. He had tried to contact it several times, but every response was unsatisfactory.

It listened to his desires, but only in fleeting moments. Its power wasn't large enough yet, nor was his mastery over the gem as flawless as he would have liked. At the moment, the most effective thing he could use it for was the creation of new, more powerful Arrancar. As its power grew, so would the potential of his soldiers. Tousen had – not surprisingly – asked for similar treatment. He wished for more power, and saw the Hogyoku as his path further down that road.

It mattered little. The blind Shinigami captain had only been important when they were still part of the Gotei 13. Now he was little more than another pawn, stronger than most of his Espada, true, but a pawn nonetheless.

A knock on the door made Aizen put away the priceless artifact.

"Enter." He called out, the very picture of calm.

Gin stuck his head in, trademark grin in place. "Heya' Aizen-taicho, the Primera wishes to see ya'."

Aizen smiled. The reclusive Hollow was always an interesting conversationalist, even though he was a man of few words. Aizen nodded once, allowing the audience. "Let him in, Gin. I'm sure he has something interesting to say."

Gin's grin got even wider. "I'm sure he does." The ex-captain said before retreating out the door.

A moment later, the door opened again and another figure stepped through. He bowed low before Aizen, setting himself in a kneeling position. Red hair fell over a mask fragment positioned over his left eye.

"Rise." Aizen said, smiling serenely as he observed one of his strongest and most loyal subjects.

Sabaku no Gaara rose.

The Primera wore the same uniform as Aizen's other subjects. A white jacket and hakama, with a unique red sash to go with his hair. Gaara's Zanpakuto hang from his left, grey fabric dangled from the handle. His face was as expressionless as the first time Aizen had seen him, his turquoise eyes the only indication he even had any feelings to begin with.

"Aizen-sama, I ask for permission to visit the human world." Gaara's monotone voice spoke as if he didn't care whether he was allowed or not. His history said otherwise, however. He had asked the same question every time Aizen had visited Las Noches.

Aizen hummed. "Unfortunately, I need all the Espada in Las Noches until further notice."

Normally, the ex-Captain wouldn't have a problem with it. Provided he kept a low profile. Right now was different though. Sousuke needed every able bodied soldier in case Soul Society or Urahara attacked before the Hogyoku was ready, small though the chance may be.

Well, now he had Uzumaki to worry about as well. It was annoying how the previous 12th division captain found ways to screw with his plans every time he turned around.

Not one for needless chatter, the Primera bowed again. His face as emotionless as ever, revealing nothing.

A thought struck Aizen. Gaara was old. He was one of – if not the oldest active Hollow in Hueco Mundo. Unlike most of his other subjects, the Primera was a naturally formed Arrancar, having rejected his existence as a Hollow long before the Hogyoku was created. A shame really. Aizen wondered how strong he would have become with the extra boost from the wish granting device.

So Aizen asked a question of his own. "Does the name Uzumaki Naruto mean anything to you?"

Gaara blinked. "No." Short and to the point, as always.

Aizen was silent for a moment, giving the response far more weight than most would have expected. Even he only knew so much about the mercenary. And what he had seen did not match what little intelligence they had. Aizen did not like lacking information, especially concerning someone who could become a genuine threat.

"Dismissed." The leader of the Espada said, serene smile in place.

As Aizen watched the powerful Hollow leave, his gaze drifted back to the gem in his hands. He wanted information. He needed information. Such a response was… unsatisfactory.


"Hello there, Arrancar-san. How are ya' doin'?"

The Primera turned around, his eyes subtly scanning everything within his field of vision.

"No reply? Now isn't that just rude?" Ichimaru Gin pouted.

The silver haired ex-captain was leaning against a wall, both arms hidden within his sleeves, a sly quirk of his mouth made it impossible to tell what he was thinking.

"Did you want something?" Gaara asked. His voice sounded so dead it might as well have been a corpse talking.

Gin's smile widened. "Oh, nothin'. Just wonderin' if you've found it?"

Gaara's light blue eyes narrowed, although he didn't otherwise react.

"No? Ah, that's a shame. I can't imagine how it's like to be a monster bereft of their heart." The ex-captain's smile was positively cruel. "It must be lonely. Never havin' anyone to talk to. Havin' no one understand your gentle soul. Even your fellow monsters run from you in fear." Gin's slitted eyes slid open a fraction. Icy sapphires studying their prey closely.

Gin seemed completely unbothered by the killing intent Gaara failed to contain. In fact, he seemed to delight in it.

"I might be able ta help ya', ya' know."

The Primera didn't react, his gaze burning a hole through the man across the hallway.

Gin's smile grew larger.

"Instead of seekin' it throughout the worlds, ya' should look closer to home." The ex-captain suggested, face back to its normal foxlike smirk. In one smooth motion, he pushed himself off the wall, coming closer and closer to Gaara. The Hollow lord was strung like a bow, small spikes of reiatsu threatening to become something much greater. Placing a hand on the Primera's shoulder, Gin leaned in to whisper in his ear. Ignoring the slivers of sand emerging from the cracks in the building. "Ya' know. Like that friend of ours, Uzumaki Naruto." Then he was past the broken creature, disappearing in a soundless Shunpo.

He left nothing but the fruits of his labor.

Gaara stood still for several minutes, willing his sand to back down. The desert was becoming unnecessarily restless. Taking a deep breath, he moved to continue towards his private quarters. Before he got far however, his body started convulsing. Grabbing a shaking hand, Gaara stared at it with narrowed eyes.

Uzumaki Naruto. That name sounds… familiar. Another tremor went through his body, echoing from the very depths of his soul. The Vasto Lorde had to lean against a wall to stop himself from collapsing. Gritting his teeth, Gaara pushed himself forward, forcing himself to walk steadily. The empty feeling that had followed him since his birth grew ever so slightly.


Yoruichi blinked up at the blond squatted before her. "You want me to come with you?" It wasn't that she didn't want to, it was just… It seemed so normal. It was obvious what he was doing, first inviting her to meet his family, and then inviting her so see his home. Naruto was asking her out on dates.

The whiskered blond smiled down at her as he nodded, blue eyes shining with mirth and something unidentifiable. "Yeah. You can come as a cat or a human, it's up to you. Either way, you should probably ask Urahara to borrow a Gigai. Where I come from, it's impolite to walk around invisible."

Hadn't it been for the extraordinary nature of these dates, their relationship might have mirrored millions of others among the mortals. The fact that both of them were several hundred years old should probably come into play one of these days, but to her light bewilderment, it hadn't.

"I don't like Gigai, they're… restricting." Yoruichi frowned, her tail swishing back and forth in poorly concealed irritation.

"Not as restricting as human bodies. Urahara uses one, and he can still move like a Shinigami." Naruto reasoned.

She had to give him that one. It was just… she really didn't like Gigai.


"Kisuke! Open up!" Yoruichi called, knocking incessantly on the scientist's door. Tapping her feet restlessly, the ex-captain glared at the offending entryway. She knew she should be patient. He would get to her eventually. This did happen from time to time, after all. It was just hard to convince herself of that every time it did.

Sure enough. A few seconds later, the door jerked open. The shapeshifter pinched her nose as she took a step back. With the open door came the foul stench of sweat, slightly rotten food, and dozens of other odors she couldn't and wouldn't identify. Kisuke was in the doorway. His hair stuck up every which way, and his face sagged with exhaustion. Yet his grey eyes still sparkled with excitement. The unmistakable glint of intelligence burning intently from within the ocular orbs.

Yoruichi blinked. Huh.

It was a long time since Kisuke had been this focused on anything. She wondered what he was making this time. After looking him over, she frowned at her friend. "When did you last sleep, Kisuke? You look like hell."

The genius laughed embarrassingly, his voice rasping from disuse. "The day after you left…" He said. Then, almost like an afterthought. "...I think."

"That's almost three weeks." The ex-captain muttered. More to herself than her companion. Kisuke was a grown man. She had no right to dictate his actions. No matter how much she wanted to.

Urahara pretended not hear her, instead leaning on the doorframe before repeating his earlier question. "So… What do you need from me, Yoyo?" He smirked, a playful tilt tugging at his lips.

Yoruichi twitched. She still wasn't certain if she liked the nickname or not. "I… I need a Gigai." She eventually acquiesced.

"It's not ready yet." Urahara blurted. Then he blinked, apparently just realizing what he'd said. "I-I mean. Of course. Follow me."

Before he closed the door, Yoruichi got a better look at what was inside. Dozens of blinking computer screens glared at her with diagrams and animations she couldn't make heads nor tail off. Several glass containers littered the walls with strange liquids and gases. At one wall hung a dissected animal of some species she couldn't identify. But the most conspicuous feature by far was a faceless, skinless, featureless human frame hanging from a stand. An un-synched faux-body.

As Urahara led her to a room further inside the shop, the ex-captain couldn't help but ask. "So… You're making a new Gigai?"

"Something of the sort." Kisuke deflected, sounding as jovial as ever.

"And what about you? Why would you need a faux-body now, of all times, when you rejected the one from a hundred years ago?" He sounded genuinely puzzled. As if he couldn't imagine why she would suddenly change her mind.

Yoruichi didn't blame him. She had made her dislike for the blasted things clear enough for anyone willing to listen. She had barely touched one for the last century despite the reiatsu concealing feature of Urahara's special Gigai. Soul Society might be able to track her reiatsu under normal circumstances, but her cat form had a sufficiently distinct signature. They wouldn't find her. No matter how hard they looked.

The ex-assassin refused to blush. "It's a favor."


Thus it was that the Goddess of Flash pouted miserably as she stretched from side to side, straining her new body to its limits.

He had given her a top of the line Gigai, capable of channeling the entirety of her soul's immense power. It still felt uncomfortable though, like a set of clothes that were too small, or some sort of ointment that wouldn't stop itching. She must've really been head over heels in love if she agreed to use a Gigai just to be polite.

Beside her, Kisuke couldn't stop smiling as he enthusiastically jumped around her, a camera flashing several times per second. An instant later, the scientist was laying helpless on the floor, his old friend's foot planted painfully into his spine.

"And what..." She asked, her voice low and threatening. "… do you think you're doing?"

Kisuke laughed nervously, twitching sporadically as Yoruichi pressed harder. She was not in a particularly happy mood right now.

"W-well… You just looked very cute with that pout on your face." He stammered nervously.

The former Shihoin head developed a dangerous tick mark on her face as a cloud of dark intent began to gather around her. "And…?"

"A-and… Maybe this feels a bit like you dressing up for a date?"

The floor and Kisuke creaked in protest as she increased the force further.

"And p-perhaps I need advertisement pictures for my new – perfectly legal – tourist tours..." He wheezed out.

"Tourist tours?" She asked, despite herself.

"Y-yeah! To the living world."

The shady businessman squawked as the floor gave out beneath him. Yoruichi sighed contentedly. There was nothing quite like beating up Kisuke for a little stress relief.


Naruto was waiting for her outside Urahara Shoten. He was leaning against one of the nearest houses, giving her a smile that made her heart jump. Oh, he was so going to regret that…

She smiled teasingly back, flaunting her generous body for all it was worth as she slowly stalked towards him.

Naruto gulped, a drop of sweat trailing slowly down his face.

"So, are we ready to go? Na-ru-to…" The Goddess of Flash asked, her voice sultry and suggestive. She pressed a finger against his chest and delighted in the way his body shivered. He might have had the upper hand so far, but that was only because he was such a foreign entity. So many factors that put her off-balance. But she was Shihoin Yoruichi dammit. He was not going to seduce her before she seduced him.

"Y-yeah." He said, his smile trying and failing to regain its previous bravado.

Before he could teleport them away, Yoruichi leaned towards him and whisper softly into his ear. "You can take me anywhere you want. I'll be your kitty for today."

Naruto's head snapped towards her, bright blue eyes sparkling with something close to panic.

Then she turned into a cat.

The blond blinked a few times before sighing. He drew three deep breaths before looking down at the black feline before him.

Yoruichi meowed.

Naruto held out his fist, allowing the newly transformed ex-captain to gracefully jump onto it. She smoothly slid up his arm and curled up on his shoulder, perfectly balanced despite the precarious position. Then she suddenly found herself at the edge of a sprawling metropolis. There had been no transition. No warning. One moment they were standing outside Urahara Shoten, the next her senses bombarded her with a completely new environment. She did get slightly nauseous, but she had felt worse, so it wasn't all that hard to ignore it.

They were in the suburbs, she noticed, on the beginning of a street that swung out of view after a few dozen meters. Both sides of the road were lined with traditional Japanese housing. The shoji doors and wooden materials reminded Yoruichi a lot of Soul Society.

But before her senses could register anything else, her brain stopped.

There was a Tree before her.

With capital T.

It was a large Tree.

A very, VERY large Tree.

In all her centuries, she had only seen three things that surpassed it. The earth, the moon, and the stars. Everything else paled in comparison.

In the back of her mind, she barely registered a couple of mountain ranges to her side, and the ocean to the west of the city. The expansive body of water gave a spectacular view of the sunset as Sol decided it had enough of today.

Yet, even the ocean seemed tiny before the humongous mass of ancient life looming above them. Its canopy reached towards the heavens so high Yoruichi was sure it broke through the atmosphere and continued into empty space. The diameter of the trunk was impossible to judge as it continued past the horizon. Its mere presence was so imposing and impossibly huge that the former stealth force captain felt herself growing dizzy.

"Welcome to Shin Uzu! The capital of Hi no Sekai." Naruto exclaimed.

Ah, yes, the city. The one that looked like Lego blocks besides a mountain. How did this place even get sunlight during the day? The canopy far above would block out any photons trying to sneak their way down to the planet. Naruto smiled at her, a teasing glint in his eyes.

Damn him. How did this keep happening?

"Excuse me for not telling you, but you kind of have to see it in order to comprehend it. It may be a bit imposing the first time, but you'll get used to it." Naruto said as he looked up at the impossibility.

Yoruichi blinked, 'A bit imposing' he says. She tried to clear her mind, struggling to articulate something. Maybe 'WHAT THE HELL IS THAT!?'. It certainly seemed appropriate. However, the only thing she managed was a pathetic little meow.

Somehow, Naruto seemed to understand her anyway. He craned his neck upwards, trying to catch a glimpse of the first branches far above him. "Hmm… It is a god. Or more accurately, a goddess. The Soul Society has its Soul King, The Reio. We have Ori, The Origin." Naruto explained.

"The Tree itself is known as the Shinju. The names are mostly interchangeable, as that is the physical manifestation of our goddess. Although we do prefer Ori when talking about the person." He continued. The blonds demeanor was utterly carefree as he began walking down the street. Not the least bit disturbed by the complete affront to physics standing before him.

The city itself was a much less imposing sight. Although it was big in its own right, it still paled in comparison to some of the larger cities in the mortal world. Yoruichi listened with half an ear as Naruto explained its infrastructure to her. Most of her attention was still directed at the continental tree before her, although she did get the essentials of what he was trying to tell her.

The city had just shy of two million residents, with about two thirds actually living inside the Shinju. Something that shouldn't have been that surprising, considering the Tree's sheer size. Apparently, almost every city in this world was built somewhere along the trunk of the Tree, as the world itself was inherently hostile towards its inhabitants.

The main factor keeping the people safe was Ori herself, exerting her influence everywhere her shadow touched. She shielded them from the elements and harsh climate. The strange beasts occupying the world shunned her shadows, and was thus kept away quite effectively. Most of the time.

Her very presence was blessing of multiple facets. The soil was fertile. The water was clean. The air was free and fresh. Most noticeably, the Shinju radiated life energy like the sun gave off heat. It allowed people to live upwards to 300 years, depending on their genetics and general health.

Indeed, now that he mentioned it, she could feel the heat of the sun burning against her fur. She hadn't really noticed it before, her brain being too preoccupied trying to process the impossible living organism before her. The sun was hot. Too hot. Its beams of energy grated against her skin like a low powered kido spell. She squinted towards the star, tail swishing in irritation.

Naruto continued walking, unbothered by the harsh light. A few minutes later, she saw people beginning to emerge from the houses around them. The sun was just beginning to set, and it looked like the populace took full advantage of the disappearing star.

For some reason, they were using umbrellas, despite the complete lack of rain.

She watched them scurry about towards their destination, as if staying outside hurt them. It probably did, she mused. They were mortal humans. Not Shinigami. That was what the umbrellas were for, she realized. To shield them from sunlight. If even she felt uncomfortable under direct sunlight, it had to be physically painful, if not directly dangerous for them.

"The outside streets is mostly unavailable for about four hours of the day. During the twilight hours, the sunlight has free reign in the city. Most people would die if they exposed themselves to it for longer periods. Measures are set in place to ensure that doesn't happen, of course." Naruto told her, looking directly at the descending star.

As they continued, they soon entered what looked like a market of some sort, the architecture still fitting the traditional Japanese theme.

Sensing someone approaching, neither warrior reacted much to the voice coming from behind them. "Excuse me sir? Are you alright? Did you forget your umbrella?" The voice went up at the end, as if he found the very idea ridiculous.

As Naruto turned around, Yoruichi got a good look at the speaker. The voice belonged to a young male. He had red hair and freckles, large eyes and… well… he looked cute. The boy was clad in white and blue silk and was obviously a noble. His concern did seemed genuine though. After a few more seconds of looking at them, his mouth fell open and he almost dropped the parasol he was trying to give them. His violet eyes grew so wide it was comical.

"Y-you-you're…" He stammered, before he winced and withdrew his hand back into the shade. Even his umbrella seemed to be of the highest quality. An oil-paper Asian variant that matched his kimono.

Naruto beamed at him. "Hey there Daiki-chan! Long time now see!" The blond laughed as Yoruichi let her tail fall behind his back. Naruto knew him? This would prove interesting.

The man – Daiki – blushed and looked around at the people surrounding them. Like him, most were still covering beneath their umbrellas. They hurried along to wherever they were going, unheeding of everything around them.

"Must you be so loud Naruto-sama? I'm no longer a kid…" He trailed off, unsure of how to continue the conversation.

Naruto had no such qualms. He reached out a fist, smile still in place as Daiki absentmindedly returned it, quickly bumping his fist against Naruto's. Naruto's smile grew even wider after the fist-bump. He laughed as he walked over to the redhead, tousling the noble's immaculate hair like you would a kid. "Ha! Well look at you! Only 20 years since I last saw you and you've already gotten this far. I'm so proud!

Yoruichi cocked her head to the side confusedly. Did she miss something?

Daiki seemed terribly embarrassed as he did his best to stop Naruto from ruining his hair, but Yoruichi was certain she could make out a hint of satisfaction in his eyes. "Y-yeah, well… I made it. Just like you said I would. I'm on the council now."

"Congratulation! That has to be some kind of record. Youngest council member in 400 hundred years. At least." Naruto said. Yoruichi could tell he meant it. His eyes was practically beaming with pride, a fond smile stretching his lips.

"Gah, where are my manners. Here, let me introduce you." Naruto said, holding out his hand for Yoruichi to climb on. She did so, balancing perfectly at the edge of his outstretched fist.

"Yoruichi, this is Uzumaki Daiki, youngest member of the clan council, and my great-great-great-something-or-another-grandson. Daiki, this is Shihoin Yoruichi, a badass shapeshifter that will kick your ass if you offend her." The blond stated matter-of-factly.

Daiki blinked at her. His smile was a bit uncertain, but he bowed all the same. Yoruichi inclined her head in response.

Curious, she let out a bit of reiatsu to see his reaction.

The noble gulped nervously and glanced back and forth between the cat and shinobi before him. So he had least had some level of spiritual awareness. Although Naruto's earlier comments implied he would not be able to see her spirit form. That was… interesting.

A few pleasantries later and Daiki explained he was on a time schedule and should be on his way.

Naruto only smiled and waved him off, wishing him luck and promising to eat lunch with him one of these days. Daiki balked at the suggestion and almost began to say something more before he glanced at a strange clock-like device on his wrist. Eyes widening once again – although this time in panic – he began to run. Almost forgetting to shield himself from the sunlight in the process.

Naruto watched him go with a wistful expression. Watching as the young man disappeared around a corner. Soon they began walking again, picking up their pace as more and more people emerged onto the street. The sun finally settled behind the horizon a few minutes later. By then, the market was almost flooded with people.

Daiki may have been the first to approach them, but he was by no means the last.

Excited whispers followed the blond as he walked through the street. People of all shapes and sizes greeted them. Someone stuck their head out a window before hollering down at Naruto, waving enthusiastically. The blond smiled at the ones he recognized – which was literally everyone – and called back to them by name.

"Naruto-ojisan! You're back! How was your trip? Did you see anything exciting? Do you have any more stories to tell?"

Naruto practically sparkled as he caught the child running at him. He swung the young boy onto his shoulder in one smooth motion, causing the preschooler to scream with joy. "You bet I did, Taiko-kun. I'll tell you about them later, kay'?"

A young woman came running after the boy, blushing profusely as she spotted him. "N-Naruto-sama!" She squeaked. Looking utterly mortified as she hastily bowed.

Naruto laughed as he put Taiko down, pushing him towards his mother. "No need to be so formal Kana-chan. Here's your son. He is growing up to be a fine man."

Still blushing profusely, Kana took her son's hand and bowed again. Taiko looked confusedly at his mother as he waved at Naruto. The blond beamed back, giving the boy a wave of his own.

Continuing towards a series of two-story apartments before them, Naruto had numerous other encounters. Some people nodded or bowed reverently, while others acted shy or hesitant. Most were enthusiastic, like fans of a celebrity. Naruto laughed and smiled at the people he met. All of which he considered friends and family.

It was… weird.

Yoruichi was used to being recognized. Before the exile, she had been a captain and a clan head for one of the four great noble families. Not to mention the leader of the Onmitsukido. She had been the figurehead of a large portion of Soul Society's military forces. Respect was nothing new to her.

But this… There was not a single person whom Naruto did not know personally. Not one single person. He called everyone by name, and they all recognized him. It was impossible. Unthinkable. There was simply not enough time for him to have gotten to know all these people. Not to mention as intimately he seemed to know them. It spoke of familiarity born from years of friendship.

Was this what Minato had meant? How Naruto was so much older than those who should have been his equals? Could he truly be in so many places at once that he knew each and every person in the entire city? And what about the other cities? How many people did he know?

Lost in her own thoughts, she barely even noticed Naruto unlock the door to a seemingly random apartment. The house was more modern than those they had recently passed, but it still belonged in the eastern part of the world. The lock was opened with a simple surge of his chakra. The seals that stopped unbidden guests allowed Naruto instant access into the house.

Of course they did. From what Yoruichi had seen. He would be welcome everywhere.

As Naruto walked up the staircase to the next floor, Yoruichi let her tail swing with his movements. It was calming, in a way. Finally, he stood before a door to the master bedroom. He knocked once. Then twice. Then he began hammering on the door. Ten minutes of incessant knocking later, nothing had happened.

"Are you sure someone's inside?" Yoruichi asked. It wasn't like she believed he would make such a basic mistake, but she couldn't feel anyone. If they were only on the other side of that door, there should be no reason why she couldn't feel them. At this range, she could feel the energies of insects. If there weren't any other reiatsu sources in the vicinity, that was. Hopefully, they weren't here to see an insect.

"Oh, they're here." Naruto answered. No doubt in his voice.

Yoruichi was quiet as the blond developed a tick mark on his forehead. Without further warning, Naruto slammed his hand against the door hard enough to send the contraption flying off its hinges.

It crashed against the wall on the inside of the room, sending splinters of wood flying everywhere. It stirred up a cloud of dust in the previously clean room, or mostly clean. There were a few clothes strewn haphazardly here and there, but nothing compared to the mess Naruto had just made.

Walking in with a rather irritable scowl on his face, the blond picked up the broken door and threw the entire thing at the bed in the corner. Not once disturbing the feline reclining on his shoulder.

The response was a lazy grunt as the occupant threw it back at him. Naruto dodged to the side in a smooth motion before the door embedded itself several inches into the wall. It stood straight out at a ninety-degree angle.

Yoruichi watched the door vibrate for a moment before switching her attention back to her companion.

Killing intent began to flow out of Naruto. It was surprisingly intense. Not as serious as Kisuke's warning, but still nothing to scoff at. Naruto stalked slowly towards the bed before he ripped off the blanket in one fluid motion, making the covering tear at the other end.

A middle-aged man whimper in longing as he cradled the torn fabric to his chest.

Yoruichi blinked at the scene. The bed had two occupants. A man and a girl. It wouldn't have been that strange if the girl hadn't looked like she belonged in kindergarten. In fact, it looked more like a father sleeping with his daughter than anything sexual.

The young girl blinked sleepily up at them with a confused expression, which quickly morphed into an excited grin before she threw herself at Naruto, clinging to him as if he was a particularly attractive teddy bear.

"Naruto-nii! You're back!" Then she turned to the brown-haired man still laying in bed. "Oy! Stark! Get up! Naruto is here to see us!"

Yoruichi could only stare in shock at the bone fragments stuck on the pair. The man could probably pass as a normal human, only bearing a bone necklace as a sign of his origins. The girl, however, was clearly a Hollow. Half her head was covered in a horned bone-like helmet. One of the appendages were broken, but it clearly marked her as non-human to anyone that cared to notice.

And not only were they Hollows. They were Arrancar. Legendary creatures she had only read about in textbooks.

The older Arrancar turned around in bed once more, pressing his face into his pillow, mumbling almost unintelligible words as he tried to go back to sleep. "L'mm' b' Lilyn'tt'. I'm T'red." He said, tucking his white pajamas tighter around himself.

Lilynette didn't seem very pleased with that answer. She jumped out of Naruto's arms, landing on Stark's stomach with a heavy 'oomph' from her victim. Yoruichi sincerely doubted it hurt him, but the older man seemed to be playing along anyway. "Get up you lazy-bum! Naruto-nii is here. Now get up before I kick your ass!" Stark grumbled in protest, but did eventually acquiesce.

"I'm listening." The Arrancar yawned. Stretching out on his bed as he subtly studied his surroundings.

His gaze lingered on Yoruichi for a moment before it continued across the room. He didn't seem particularly surprised at the door still stuck sideways in his wall.

"I need a way into Hueco Mundo." Naruto said, getting straight to the point.

Yoruichi blinked as Stark raised an eyebrow. "Hueco Mundo? Why would you want to go there? And for that matter, why do you need my help? Don't you have ways of getting there yourself?"

The feline on his shoulder tilted her head to the side. That was exactly the same thing he'd asked Urahara. Was it truly that important to him? What was he going to do? Attack Aizen?

Naruto hummed, cocking his head to the side as he thought.

Before he said anything however, Naruto walked back to the ruined door and ripped it out, causing part of the wall to come crumbling down.

"Talking on an empty stomach is never fun." He said, shaking off dust from the detached door. "Why don't we discuss it after you've had breakfast?"

Yoruichi blinked as she watched him reaching out a fist towards the Arrancar, the same gesture he had used to greet Daiki and several others they had met on the market.

Without even stopping to consider it, Stark returned the greeting, bumping his fist with Naruto. The Hollows eyes widened before they shifted to her. Yoruichi felt the weight of the Arrancar's gaze as he scrutinized her entire frame. It wasn't uncomfortable. Only… intense. There was power in that gaze. A lot of power.

"Well then… I guess we'll do that." He said, lazily rolling his shoulders before he slowly rose from bed.

Yoruichi kept silent as she watched the Arrancar getting ready for the day. They acted so natural. As if the hunger for human souls weren't even there. Surely, even Naruto couldn't find a way to change the very nature of someone's soul so completely…

The former stealth captain felt her fur rise as the energy in the room suddenly skyrocketed. It didn't come from the pair of Arrancar though. Both looked as surprised as she felt, and she still couldn't even feel a shred of reiatsu from the duo.

No, the energy fluctuation came from Naruto. His energy seemed to grow and grow until it felt like the entire house was shaking. An otherworldly atmosphere settled over them as Naruto's eyes changed to a familiar purple and ripple pattern.

A deep blue flame sprang to life in the blond's left hand. Although, upon closer inspection, it was leaning more towards purple than blue. It was hard to tell, as the color and shape seemed to shift and writhe. Her mind couldn't quite comprehend what it was seeing. It might have emitted a sound, or maybe not. Naruto's right hand held an equally intense and heavy flame. The energy emitting a ghostly shade of deep crimson. At least this one was most definitely red, although no less suffused with mystery and authority.

"Banbutsu Sozo." Naruto murmured softly as he placed his hands on the broken wall.

The colored flames spread out towards the hole. Yet the building did not catch on fire. Instead, the flame seemed to burn away the hole itself, eating away at nothingness in order to replace it with what was supposed to be there. The flames consumed broken materials and replaced them with new ones.

When he was finished, the only sign that the incident had ever taken place was the parts of the old wall strewn across the floor. As for the door itself, Naruto simply threw it over his shoulder, making the entire thing disappear between one blink and the next. Then he used the same otherworldly technique as before to create a new one in its place.

Once he was finished, he let go of the dual flames and his eyes flickered back to their normal hue, looking for all the world like he hadn't forcefully invaded the very fabric of the universe in order to repair a broken door.

Stark stared incredulously at him. "Did–did you just use the 'Creation of All Things' to repair my broken bedroom?" The Arrancar asked. He sounded a tad bit disturbed.

Naruto shrugged. Not the least bit ashamed of using the most revered power of the Rinnegan for normal house chores. "Yeah. What else should I use it for? It is a technique for creation, not destruction. Plus, it spared Talmond the trouble of finding suitable help. It isn't particularly easy to repair a wall, ya' know."

"Talmond?" Stark blinked at him, he had trouble understanding Naruto's logic sometimes.

Naruto rolled his eyes, "Your landlord. Short and chubby? Has a wonderful laugh? No…?" The blond trailed off as Stark looked blankly at him.

Yoruichi for her part was still studying the reconstructed wall. It was slowly dawning on her what she had just seen.

Naruto had created matter.

He had created something from nothing. No, that wasn't quite true... Not from nothing. What he did was more like forcing the world to accept a change he had brought upon it. It was different from his shadow clones. They were simply projections.

With those, he was fooling the world into believing they actually existed. This, however, was convincing the world that something existed. It would stay there. Forever. The particles comprising the newly created material belonged among their kin, and was thus practically indestructible.

It was an ability that boggled the mind.

She had seen energy compressed and twisted. Hidden and sealed. Released and even created. She had seen souls and living bodies changed beyond recognition, only to return to their previous shape or not at all. Hell, she was currently a cat. That didn't mean her real body ceased to exist, however. Nor was her current shape given form and mass from nothing than mere willpower.

Naruto's Creation of All Things was an ability that touched upon the realm of God. It was a power fit amongst the divine. Not a random mercenary Kisuke hired over the internet.

Much like Orihime actually.

"Anyway, I have quite a bit to discuss with you. Come join me for breakfast will you? I'll be waiting at my usual spot." Naruto finished, giving Lilynette one last hug before walking away.

Stark nodded numbly as he watched Naruto exit his newly created bedroom door.

Perhaps he should open it next time?

Nah, too much effort.


"You could have told me we were going to see a pair of Hollows. It's kind of a shock to see ones that don't try to kill you on sight. Nevermind the hordes of vulnerable civilians in this city. How long have they been here?" Yoruichi asked, tilting her head to the side in consideration.

"Stark and Lilynette are my friends. I found them centuries ago. Back when I was first exploring Hueco Mundo." Naruto explained, frowning down at the ground. "They were… lonely. Their powers were too great for them to socialize with others of their species."

Yoruichi blinked. "Really? How come I couldn't feel anything when they were standing right in front of me then?"

Naruto's frown was replaced with a cocky smirk, although it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Because I'm awesome. I made them a body that sealed away their powers."

The stealth force captain was silent as she processed this. Too strong to be together with other Hollows? How did that work? She didn't know Hollows even wanted to socialize, as those she had seen would much rather eat each other than talk. Of course, some roamed in packs, but most Hollows tended to stay by themselves.

"They are Arrancar, correct?" Yoruichi asked, although she already knew the answer.

Naruto chuckled a bit. The sound was uncharacteristically depressing. "Sort of. They are one of the half-masks, yes. But they aren't fully Hollow any more. They're about as much Hollow as I am human, I guess."

Yoruichi turned towards Naruto. His lips were pulled into a melancholic smile, accentuating his whisker marks. "Then, what are you?" She asked.

The melancholy washed away and Naruto beamed at her, eyes squinting into small slits. "Why? I'm Uzumaki Naruto, of course! What else should I be? Well, unless you want to count Namikaze. Sometimes I use my father's name as well."

The shape shifter held in a sigh. Of course it wouldn't be that easy.

Yoruichi furrowed her brow as she looked around at all the people surrounding them. Not a single one had even paid attention to them since their visit to Stark and Lilynette's apartment.

As if reading her thoughts, Naruto explained before she could even ask. "Genjutsu. The art of illusions. It is considered one of the three basic ninpo, together with ninjutsu and taijutsu."

So they didn't even know they were here? That's was a neat trick.

"So, the Arrancar, how do they eat? Hollows needs to consume souls in order to survive." Yoruichi pointed out, wanting to clear the issue she felt was the most important.

Naruto hummed. "Not quite true. Noh-Men needs to consume souls in order to not collapse under their own power. Most of them were only normal mortals before their deaths, after all. They need more souls to support such immense energy levels, but eating more souls also gives them more energy. It is a self-sustaining cycle of death and hunger. The highest levels of Noh-Men needs to eat their own brethren to continue existing as self-aware beings."

The ex-captain cocked her head to the side. She hadn't quite thought about it that way before. But she did know that the higher levels of Menos would regress if they didn't get enough sustenance. Unfortunately, not a lot was known about the process. Menos very rarely left Hueco Mundo.

Naruto wasn't finished though. "The only way out of this cycle is to remove their masks. Thus allowing their mutilated hearts to heal. At least a little. But in order to do that, they need to be strong enough to survive the process. That is what an Arrancar is. An Arrancar does not need to consume souls in order to live. In fact, they barely need nutrition at all. The hunger is still there, of course, they haven't fully healed yet. But they are more human than their monstrous counterparts."

Yoruichi stared wide eyed at her companion. She had never heard anything about that before. Did Soul Society know? They must have, surely. A thousand years of fighting and researching Hollows couldn't have missed something as crucial as this. But why hide the knowledge? And what about Kisuke? Somehow, she doubted he knew. Her old friend had no reason to keep something like this from her. In fact, very little was known about Arrancar in general. But then… How did Naruto know?

The blond shinobi furrowed his brow as he observed her reaction. "So you didn't know? Interesting. How much do you know about Hollow evolution in general?"

Hadn't he already talked to Kisuke about this? Then again, maybe not. If he already knew about Hollows. Even more than them, it seemed, then why would he feel the need to ask Kisuke?

So Yoruichi told him. About pluses and Demi-Hollows, their transformation into twisted spirits. Their escape to Hueco Mundo. The climb to Menos and the three levels of Gillian, Adjuchas and Vasto Lorde.

Naruto nodded after she finished, seemingly satisfied with her explanation. "Hmm, yes, that's the same as we have figured out, although we use different names. As I told you before. Becoming an Arrancar is the only way out of this chain. Only Vasto Lorde class Hollows can tear off their masks without the fear of death. Any lower than that and it is a game of chance. In fact, I have never seen a Gillian class Arrancar, despite all the time I spent in Hueco Mundo. I'm not even sure they exist. The more powerful an Arrancar are, the smaller their mask and hole is. Although this isn't strictly linear."

Yoruichi's mind immediately flew back to the brown-haired Arrancar they visited earlier that day. His mask was nothing more than a necklace. A Vasto Lorde Arrancar. That was what Stark was. A class of Hollow said to be stronger than most Shinigami captains. Although neither Stark nor Lilynette was completely Hollow anymore, according to Naruto at any rate.

Yoruichi suppressed a shiver. She was glad Stark was working for Naruto. Such an enemy was a terrifying prospect.

Their next goal was apparently a restaurant. Naruto smiled as he snuck under the curtains of a small ramen stand. It was the brightest smile Yoruichi had seen from him yet. Something that was actually quite impressive, considering his radiant personality.

"Heya, Ayame-chan! I'll have the usual." Naruto said before gesturing towards Yoruichi still sitting on his shoulder. "Plus something for my friend here, a cup of milk, perhaps." He added with a smirk.

The old woman behind the bar returned the smile. Hers was a smile of pure fondness. It told of love so old and constant it might as well have been ingrained in the very fabric of the universe.

"Certainly, Naruto-kun. One cup of milk, five miso and three pork coming right up." Came the reply. Her voice was raspy and deep. Anyone with a grandmother would recognize the voice.

"Oh, and Stark and Lilynette is joining me soon, you should probably prepare something for them as well. I know Stark won't care what he's eating as long as it's edible, but Lilynette probably have her own favorites. Unfortunately, I don't know what those are…" The blond trailed off, a little embarrassed as he scratched the back of his head.

Ayame turned away as she began preparing his orders. Yoruichi quickly found a cup milk placed before her.

The drink might have bothered her if she'd been a regular cat, as milk wasn't actually all that healthy for them. Thankfully, Yoruichi was very far from an ordinary cat, so she enjoyed her milk.

The old lady snickered as she shook her head affectionately. "Despite your panmnetic memory, you still don't know?"

Naruto looked away, a slight blush staining his cheeks. "My memory isn't flawless, and I'm pretty sure Lilynette never told me to begin with. And clairvoyance is not my strong suit."

Ayame raised a whitened eyebrow, making her wrinkled face look just a tad bit younger. "Wait. There is something you can't do? I'm shocked, I say. Shocked!"

Naruto scowled halfheartedly at her. "I don't know if that was a compliment, an insult, or if you're simply teasing me."

The ramen lady smiled mysteriously before putting his orders in front of him.

Yoruichi looked between the two old friends.

Among everyone he had talked to thus far, Ayame seemed to be the one most comfortable with his presence. Everyone here knew Naruto by sight and name, everyone seemed to know him on some level. Yet his legend had gotten away from him. Either he was some sort idol to be admired, a secret crush to be longed for or a leader to be looked up to. At best, he was some sort of uncle that was far more successful than you could ever hope to be.

They might love and admire him, but none seemed completely comfortable talking with him. They stammered, blushed and looked away. With Ayame, however, it was Naruto who blushed. He was the one put on the ropes. He was the one referring to her.

Yoruichi noticed that Naruto almost began crying when he took the first bite, water glistening at the edges of his eyes. It was almost comical to watch as the blond warrior forced himself to eat at a civilized pace, continuing to chat with the chef as they waited.

"So, what's your name? How do you know Naruto?" Ayame asked Yoruichi.

The ex-captain blinked. She was sure she hadn't done anything to show she was more than a normal cat.

"My name is Yoruichi. And I'm…" She trialed off. What was she to Naruto? His employer? His friend? His girlfriend?

"I'm taking her out on a date." Naruto answered for her, picking her up and waving her paws towards Ayame.

The old woman giggled. She didn't seem the least bit disturbed about a talking cat, or that Naruto would apparently date one. "Oh, that's so cute. My name is Ayame, but you can call me Obachan if you want." The ramen chef said, giving Yoruichi one of her grandmotherly smiles.

Although the ex-assassin appreciated the gesture, she was a bit preoccupied with her supposed date beginning to play with her paws, swinging her up and down like a child with their pet.

"Would you stop that!" She growled, spinning around and scratching Naruto across his face. Her eye twitching in irritation.

The blond fell from his stool with a yell. He landed on his butt and pouted up at her. Yoruichi did not take the bait.

"Kyaa! Naruto-nii! You're so cute!" Someone else did though.

"Gah, Lilynette!" Naruto exclaimed as the deceptively strong girl tackled him further into the ground.

A few minutes later, both Lilynette, Stark and Naruto was sitting by the ramen stand, all of them eating their respective meals.

"So… Hueco Mundo." Stark drawled. He slouched back in his chair, looking for all the world as if he might fall asleep at any moment. Although he did eat his ramen at a pace that should be physically impossible while retaining his lazy image.

Beside him, Lilynette had no such reservations. She threw herself over the dish, putting food in her mouth faster than she could swallow. Yoruichi noticed Naruto squinting at her menu.

Naruto nodded, taking up the thread of their previous conversation. "Yeah. All the seals I placed there have either deteriorated or been destroyed. It has been too long and I wasn't thorough enough. Trying to get in with other methods would take a lot more time and be more noticeable. Plus, I kind of wanted a local."

Stark nodded as he continued to demolish his food at an inhuman pace, yet still seeming like he didn't put any effort into the feat. "Sure. I guess it wouldn't be too much trouble." The Hollow said almost nonchalantly.

Beside him, Lilynette stilled. "I-I don't want to go back." Her voice was weak. Almost inaudible. But it was still sound, and all of her companions had superhuman senses.

"Lilynette." Stark chastised lightly, frowning down at his partner.

Naruto was silent for a moment as he studied the pair. "You don't have to go. But you won't be alone. If that's what you're afraid of."

Lilynette sagged as she breathed out slowly. "Y-yeah. I-it's just…" She trailed off. Yoruichi noticed her shaking.

"You're scared." Naruto finished gently. Even if she was several hundred years old. Her disposition, personality and body was still that of a child's.

Lilynette flinched and looked away. Her frame tensing as she did so. Stark sighed, finishing off his meal before setting it aside. "The place brings back unpleasant memories. That's all. We're still soldiers. If we couldn't do such a simple mission, we wouldn't deserve our position as Guardians."

Now that was new word. Yoruichi filed it away for later questioning.

Naruto was silent for a moment before he answered. "You are also my friends. If you don't wish to go back, you could just open a Garganta and leave it at that."

Stark shook his head. "No. We will help you. It's the least we could do." That seemed to strike a chord with the little girl at his side.

"Y-yeah. We'll help you!" A determined light was shining in her eyes.

Yoruichi could tell she was still nervous, but her mind was made up.

Smiling at the pair, Naruto nodded his thanks. "Alright. Just don't push yourself too far. If it gets dangerous, just pull back."

The little girl seemed to take that as an insult and puffed her cheeks up to respond, but before she could, Stark put a hand over her mouth. "Will do." He quickly reassured his commander and friend.

Tilting his head to the side, the Arrancar asked another question. "What will we be doing in Hueco Mundo anyways? There's nothing there except Hollows, sand and- Ow!" The Noh-Men jumped as he pulled his hand back from his partner, a bite mark throbbing on his palm. Lilynette glared daggers at her charge, causing the far larger man to shrink away from the girl.

Ayame giggled and Naruto laughed before he answered them. "Well, there's this really strong guy that's causing trouble for everyone, and he fled to Hueco Mundo. I just want to find him and his super-powered army, that's all."

Stark raised an eyebrow, trying to ward off further revenge from his partner. "Fled to Hueco Mundo? Who is it?"

"Aizen Sousuke. Shinigami."

Both Lilynette and Stark stilled at that. The thought of a Shinigami fleeing to Hueco Mundo was almost comical. The Shinigami and Hollows were natural enemies. The only way fleeing to that dimension would have any merit was if…

"Las Noches." Stark said. A creeping trepidation settling over him.

Yoruichi gaze sharpened. They knew something?

"Excuse me?" Naruto asked in a curious and cautious tone.

It was Lilynette who answered, her voice unnaturally low compared to her usual exuberance. "Baraggan Luisenbairn's castle. The God King of Hueco Mundo. He would never allow someone else to set up an opposing power in his realm. So that means this Shinigami must have defeated him."

Naruto hummed in thought. "Well, he is ridiculously strong. It wouldn't surprise me. Do you know where this Las Noches is then?"

Stark and Lilynette looked at each other. This time it was Stark who answered. "We only went there once, but like everywhere else, the others began dying around us. Baraggan saw us a threat, and began to fight us. We had no wish to see more death, so we ran."

Yoruichi blinked. That had to be the shortest summation of a battle she had ever heard.

"So, you know where it is then?" Naruto asked again.

Stark frowned. "Not exactly. That was hundreds of years ago. The desert dunes are ever-changing. The only reliable landmarks are in the forest below the surface, and we never went there during our dual existence in that realm.

Dual existence? Yoruichi thought. Interesting choice of words.

Naruto sighed. "We just have to rely on good old reconnaissance then."


Ishida opened his eyes blearily. He felt surprisingly good, considering he had almost died just a few moments ago. None of the bruises or wounds he had expected was present. He wasn't even tired.

"Santen Kesshun! I Reject!"

Ah, that's why. Uryuu mused as he tilted his head to the side, just in time to see a giant bolt of black lightning impact the reality bender's shield. The surrounding earth was torn to shreds as tendrils of energy chose to deviate from their set path. The rest dissipated into the air, but Uryuu could have sworn he saw spots of warped gas – possibly plasma – before the molecules returned to their natural form.

"Very good, Hime-chan. Ready for the next one?" A cheerful voice asked from somewhere Uryuu couldn't see. He had no problem identifying it though. After today. He doubted he would ever be able to forget that voice.

Orihime panted as she leant on her knees, her fairies flying back to their place as her hairpins. Sweat was pouring down her face, but despite that, she raised her head stubbornly and nodded.

Sitting up, Uryuu adjusted his glasses professionally as he took in the scene before him.

It was a battlefield.

Deep trenches were carved into the ground. Giant spikes of earth was sticking up at odd angles. Rubble and debris of untold origins littered the ground. Tree roots and pillars of ice was impaled everywhere around him. A river of lava flowed across the landscape, still cooling from the molten rock it had been just a few moments ago. The only places that remained untouched was where Orihime and Naruto were standing.

"Ah, you're up." The same voice as before. Only now it was much closer.

Uryuu looked to the side, and sure enough there was the second Naruto. Flashes of arrows, Quincy arrows, filled his mind. There was a lot he wanted to ask the blond enigma in front of him. Yet all that could wait.

If Uryuu was correct in his assumption of what was going on here, he needed to stop it. He didn't care how effective the training might be. How could Naruto put Orihime through something this dangerous?

"Oh, Ishida-kun? You're up!" Orihime waved happily at him before the first Naruto rebuked her gently for her lapse in attention.

Ishida was about to say something, but before he could, the Naruto clone training his friend raised a hand. A blue ball of energy forming seamlessly above him.

Ishida's eyes widened as he felt the energy continue to grow to ridiculous proportions. An orange disk of power had spun into existence in less than a second, adding to the blue sphere earlier. Naruto didn't even look like the technique took any effort at all. As if the spinning cyclone of energy wasn't enough to level a small mountain.

Ishida flew to his feet just as Naruto sent the technique flying towards the bubbly girl. As it flew, the disk emitted a high-pitched keening noise. The attack seemed to draw the very air towards itself, as if the technique was feeding on the world as it flew.

That was an attack far beyond anything she should be able to handle. Anything any of them should be able to handle. Even Ichigo wouldn't be able to stop something like that.

This was an attack meant for gods. It was an attack developed for – and utilized against – the strongest warriors in the world.

Not a teenage girl!

Uryuu was just about to spring into his fastest Hirenkyaku. He wasn't sure if he could make it, but dammit if he didn't try. He had sworn an oath! He owed Orihime everything!

Just before he could spring into action though, a hand grabbed his shoulder, completely freezing his reiatsu. "Don't go distracting her now. Or she won't be able to stop the Rasenshuriken." Naruto said. His voice was serious for once.

Uryuu was rendered completely helpless as he watched the oncoming disk of destruction get closer and closer to its goal. His brain flooded with panic as he tried to no avail to force his reiatsu into action.

"Santen Kesshun! I Reject!"

Despite the overwhelming force against her, Inoue didn't falter in the slightest. Her hairpins transformed into her trusted fairies and manifested as a three-pointed shield a few feet in front of her.

Uryuu wanted to scream at her. Tell her to hide. Tell her she couldn't meet such an attack head on. It was impossible. It was too strong! It was… stopped?

The Rasenshuriken impacted the shield with the force of a small nuclear bomb. The energy still compressed and focused beyond any reasonable limit. It's cutting edge was sharper than any blade. Yet Inoue's shield held despite reason, despite every rule of reality saying it shouldn't.

The titanic attack made no headway before it imploded upon itself in a giant explosion of wind. Uryuu shielded his eyes just before the shockwave hit him, making his hair whip desperately around his head. As the explosion died down, Ishida had to blink rapidly. His brain knew what his eyes were telling him, but it had problems processing that information.

Before him stood Orihime, orange hair billowing behind her from the few gusts that managed to get around her defense. The Santen Kesshun was hovering in front of her, not a single crack in sight.

That was until the young girl fell to her knees. The shield collapsing with her.

Applause met her from two different sources as the girl tried to regain her breath. "Bravo! Bravo! Truly magnificent. There aren't many shields that can stand against the Rasenshuriken."

Uryuu could only gape at the Naruto clone nearest to him. Both were applauding, apparently paying no regard to the mortal danger they had just put Orihime in had she failed to stop the attack.

Gritting his teeth in frustration, the Quincy jerked forwards. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING!?" Uryuu screamed at the blond, practically spitting the shinobi in the face. Uryuu shook the careless idiot a few times for good measure. His mind a mix of panic, relief and anger.

Naruto didn't seem the slightest bit perturbed by the Quincy's rage. Instead, he simply jabbed two fingers into the wrists holding his shirt. Uryuu flinched as he was forced to let go of his victim.

Naruto wasn't angry. Instead, he simply smiled at the archer. "Calm down. She was in no more danger than you were." To prove his point, the blond formed a single seal with his right hand.

Faster than he could blink, Orihime was kneeling beside them, looking around in confusion. She seemed to have regained some of her stamina, but she was still breathing hard.

"Huh?" The ditzy girl said as she studied them for a second. "Ah. Ishida-kun! Naruto-san!" She exclaimed, jumping to her feet. Apparently unbothered by the fact that she had just been teleported through space.

The Quincy's eyes widened. That was… "Hiraishin? You can use it on others as well as yourself?"

Naruto nodded. "Yeah. The requirements for the technique is chakra, knowledge, skill, and an anchor. Normally, I use seals as anchors to teleport myself, but I can just as easily use my body if I want to move others. All I have to do to teleport Orihime, is for my chakra to somehow be in contact with her." The Quincy nodded. His rage giving way to his naturally inquisitive mind.

Orihime tilted her head to the side, poking her tongue out in a childish gesture. "Eh? I don't get it." Although the girl was by no means stupid, she was far less used to thinking about the metaphysics of reality bending powers. Despite her own newly acquired talents.

Uryuu pushed up his glasses, trying to explain the technique to the best of his abilities. "Uzumaki-san selects two points in three dimensional space. Usually between himself and an object holding his power, then he pushes those two points together by some kind of attraction process without disturbing the rest of the world. Essentially creating a wormhole for instant travel across untold distances."

Orihime was nodding along, her eyes shining with admiration as she looked upon their resident teleporter. "A wormhole? Like that space-travel technology aliens use when they invade earth?"

Uryuu blinked as he was once again blindsided by how peculiar his friend's brain worked. Aliens? Really?

"Some of them, at least." Naruto said. Face completely serious. "Anyway, I'm impressed, Ishida. That was almost correct. Except the Hiraishin's cost increases exponentially with proportion to the distance traveled. And it's not really a wormhole, more like a quantum phenomenon. Or a mystic one, if you prefer. It is very useful in battle, and it sidesteps almost every type of defensive measure. However, there are far more useful and effective techniques for traveling long distances." Naruto explained.

"Still, Hime-chan. That was very good. Your powers really are something else. Don't forget that they depend on your confidence and feelings. If you think you can stop it, you can. It doesn't matter what the enemy throws at you."

Orihime nodded seriously. She had been through this pep talk an untold amount of times during the last few hours. At first, she had trouble believing her abilities really were as amazing as Naruto made them out to be, but as he steadily increased the power of his attacks, she had been forced to acknowledge what was staring her right in the face.

"I think we'll stop for today. Too many energy injections really aren't good for you." Naruto continued, frowning with a slightly concerned tilt to his brow. Orihime nodded again, too tired to argue.

"Oh, and before we go." The shinobi added, almost as an afterthought.

Holding up his palm, an orb of glowing golden energy manifest itself above his palm. It floated in the air like a portable hearth, giving off a warm and inviting feeling for anyone in its presence. In fact, it was much like Naruto's own aura. Except it was filtered, and devoid of all the little nuances that made up a person's energy signature. In essence, the blond had taken his own energy and completely purified it for anything other than the very core of his being.

Orihime blinked as she stared at the ball of energy. What was she supposed to do with that? Eat it?

When Naruto reached out to give her the sphere. Instinct took over, and she simply grabbed it. Now it hovered above her palm, pulsing with its warm and inviting light. Something told her what to do next, and without any further hesitation, she brought the orb closer to her chest. Letting it melt into her body as it fused itself with her soul.

It was… warm.

Glowing embers burned within her, and Orihime had a feeling she would never be cold again. No matter where she was, or what she did. It was a very comfortable feeling.

"Right. Now, if you're ever in danger, don't hesitate to call me, kay'?" Naruto smiled.

While his normal smiles would make the world pale in comparison, this one was somehow even more radiant. Instead of making the world lesser, it made everything shine with unconditional appreciation.

The barren landscape around them seemed to bask in the glow of the person in front of it. His very presence having a weight impossible to describe. The world itself felt… content.

Orihime's heart skipped a beat.

Sure, she might have a crush on Ichigo, and Naruto might be a few thousand years too old for her, but that didn't stop the small blush appearing on her face. Naruto only laughed at her expression. Neither accusation nor mocking were in his expression.


In an old castle somewhere in northern Europe, a young man clad in a black tuxedo bowed before the dinner guests. Having delivered his message, he gracefully turned and left the room.

As for the dinner guests. All of them were quiet as they contemplated the news. It was a vital piece of information they had all been awaiting for nearly a century.

"So… A Quincy has appeared. Good. Looks like we'll be paying Japan a visit soon." Jin Kariya said.

Author's note:

Panmnetic is the adjective form of panmnesia, essentially the ability of perfect memory. Naruto isn't quite there, but it's close enough that it doesn't make much difference. I was going to call it eidetic memory, as that is a much more well-known word, but as I was reading up on the ability, I found that panmnesia is much closer to what I wanted.

Panmnetic is not actually a word, as panmnesia is so rarely used in the first place, any abbreviations of it is practically non-existent. So I made it myself.

I was debating whether to hint at the Shinju's identity, or just state it outright. While some mystery is always good to have, it can get a bit tedious at times. And I have no shortage of twists and revelations to give you.

Plus, I always get so frustrated when other author's tease me like that.

So, yes. The Elemental's are still alive. It has been thousands of years since they left their ruined homeland, and they have long since settled.

(Minor spoiler alert) I might put this into the story later, or I might not. Still, I see no reason to have this tidbit of information kept from you.

The world(s) the Elementals live in are the five dimensions Kaguya teleported Team 7 to when she fought Naruto and Sasuke in canon. After leaving the Elemental Nations, they traveled the world for a while, trying to find a new place to settle down in. But that's easier said than done, especially since they were millions of people trying to find a new home in unfamiliar territory. It didn't help that no spiritual/magical community in their right mind would just welcome thousands of chakra-wielding super powered ninja.

Thus, since Naruto had brought his father back to life, they managed to open a portal to Kaguya's dimensions. Together with a bunch of seal masters and space-time specialists, of course.

Kaguya's dimensions was pretty much abandoned save for a few monsters and the occasional visitor. Not everyone lives there, but quite a few does.

Shin Uzu is one of the largest cities the Elementals have and was built around the roots of a newly planted Shinju. It is located in the desert dimension Sasuke was stuck in for a while.


Personal life!

I'm still in the military. It is mostly boring.

Christmas was awesome, as it tends to be. It takes time to write something when you have little free time and chose to spend it in other ways. I'm probably going to be a slow updater for a while. No idea if it will ever change. (Although this gap has been pretty extreme.)

Have any of you driven a truck for 20 hours straight? That is not fun. In fact, it's very, very boring

I actually finished this chapter several months ago, but things came up and I stalled a bit, wanting to get it just right. Then I reread the earlier chapters again and ended up updating and editing them all. Then I stalled a bit more, and did it again. A few reviewers have been helpful in this endeavor, and for that, I thank you.

When I reread chapter 3, I wasn't fully satisfied. I kind of rushed that one at the end. It lacked a couple of scenes and some paragraphs to truly explain what I wanted it to. I guess I was impatient to get the entire Soul Society arc out of the way.

So, I am sorry to do this. Unfortunately, those that read this story later will get a better experience than those who read it earlier. But the alternative is that everyone gets equally bad quality. And I would edit it for myself anyway, since I am writing this to become a better writer first and foremost.

I won't rush chapters anymore. (There is a joke in here with me taking almost half a year to update anything) It will hopefully be more frequent than this last gap though. Dammit, I swear if that isn't the case someone is going to die. Possibly Omaeda. I don't like him.

Thank you for reading. Hope you're doing well.

Jacob out.