When we stepped through the orb, I felt it dissipate from Sokokyu Hill in Soul Society. Wherever wee were, it was pitch dark, so I didn't let Shaak-Ti's hand go as I kept walking.

Eventually, we saw a little ray of light up ahead. Our steps sped up involuntarily, and we were almost there-

Until we weren't.

My eye twitched. "We… are in the Void."

"Correct as always, Legion."

I sighed as the Outsider presented himself in his usual jump-scare manner. "Outsider. I would really appreciate going back home, right now."

"Ah-ah." He tutted, shaking his finger. "Not just yet. You have just changed the fate of an entire world, my chosen. When you chose to leave, you cut the world off from the road in between – you will never be able to return. Surely you wish to see what will happen in its future?"

"This place…" Shaak TI murmured, eyes casting their gaze around the various floating obsidian and random objects from assorted worlds just floating about. "The Force is so strong here…"

"What you know as 'the Force' is known by many things across the multiple universes that make up reality." The Outsider patiently explained. "For me, it's simply energy. But a far rarer, more powerful form of energy than it's normal counterparts."

"So, I was right." I gasped. "The Force… is natural energy. Senjutsu chakra."

"In your universe, yes." The Outsider nodded. "But we are getting off-track. Look," he commanded, gesturing into a white haze that formed far above us, "and see what your intervention has wrought."

And then, like a slideshow, images played in series. Luckily for us (total sarcasm), the Outsider was there to provide much-needed (seriously, sense the sarcasm) commentary. "Aizen is successful in overthrowing the Soul King, and his little wish-making tool subverts the being's power to his own. He never had the wish for someone as strong as him to stand by him, because he always had your assurance. He, obviously, decided never to use it, and buried his thoughts about you as far as they would go, eventually being forgotten.

"Soul Society is rewritten in his image. All souls are forcibly conscripted into the Gotei 13 army, but this turns out for the best as war begins in the human world. He subjugates Hueco Mundo as well and vanquishes every trace of Quincy bloodlines and history in fear of what they could do to the balance he has decided to keep. Eventually, however, his greed grows. He decides to take over Jigoku as well.

"The denizens of this universe's version of hell are far more powerful than the Shinigami, this universe's version of angels, or even the Hollows – who are this universe's version of Purgatory for mortals. The king of Jigoku takes offence from Aizen's actions, and razes all the other spiritual realms to ashes. Eventually, they come to earth in their purest form, and begin the subjugation of the planet. A farm of souls for them to consume. The more they consume, the more powerful they grow, and the more they can 'punish' their 'wicked'."

Oh.

"So… I transformed Bleach into hell on earth?" I ask casually.

Shaak Ti seems horrified. "I… if only I had seen…"

"Oh, believe me, Jedi Master Shaak Ti, there is no other step you could have taken." The Outsider addresses her. "The moment your 'Force' deposited you upon the white sands of Hueco Mundo, that universe was always doomed. It was only a matter of when." He finished, eyes glinting as they landed on me.

I sighed, putting a hand on her shoulder. It was easy, given that she had collapsed to her knees. "You're making her feel terrible." I pointed out.

"It was not my intention." The Outsider replied, although, from his tone of voice, one could infer that it was his intention. "Now that I have educated you on the consequences of your actions, I wish for you to answer a question."

"What is it?" I asked, truly curious.

His face showed minor irritation. "My mark. It seems to have… metamorphosized. How?"

With a confused arch of my eyebrow, I told him of the 'Prestige' system and my choice after.

"Most curious." He murmured.

"Wait. You didn't add that to my system?" I asked, shocked.

"Not at all. And I am reasonably certain that my rival is far from the fool he appears to be to have inserted the likes of it into your ability." He narrowed his eyes. "This warrants investigation. When next we meet, I will have an answer for you." He waved his hand. "To reach your home, simply walk through this portal." He said, conjuring the same pitch-black orb which I had made a few steps ahead of us.

"Wait." Shaak TI sniffed, wiping her eyes and standing. She was crying…? Why- oh. Wait. She had normal emotions. Right. "Is there nothing we can do for this… 'Bleach' universe?"

"What has been changed will always be so. When you leave, you set that universe's future in stone – you may never return. All… except his original home."

"What makes the Elemental Nations so unique?" I asked, dreading the answer.

He had the gall to smirk. "You." And then, he vanished in wisps of black smoke.

I shared a glance with Shaak Ti. "Well." I sighed. "In for a penny…"

"Lord Hokage."

"What is it, Inu?" Hiruzen asked, puffing on his pipe as he continued stamping on the pile of papers in front of him.

"Surveillance Target 1 has approached the tower with someone in tow… he's currently on the roof." The ANBU replied. Hiruzen's attention immediately slid off his paperwork and focused on his agent. "Taka is reporting that the woman is not human."

"A demon?" The Sandaime asked, only half-joking as he stood.

"He is unsure." Inu admitted. "She is surrounded by an illusion that makes her appear human; the signature on it is the target's. What makes him certain of her foreign nature is her internal organs and the weakness of her chakra – it's abysmal. The target has also undergone changes from the last time he was observed. His muscles and bones are denser, and he has a massive increase in chakra capacity. Additionally, the chakra coils around his body have strengthened and thickened, especially so his eyes."

"Perhaps Jiraiya was right about it being a Dojutsu…" the old man muttered. "I'll be talking to him up on the roof. Summon the Sannin. Something tells me I'm going to need their expertise."

"A battle?" Inu asked, skeptical. "Respectfully, Hokage-sama, Gundan-kun has not exhibited traitorous behavior…"

"No, not a battle. A headache. For me." Hiruzen grumbled. "If I have to suffer, then so do my students."

The kneeling ANBU agent's voice sounded a little choked when he spoke next. "As you wish, Hokage-sama." He then vanished.

Hiruzen took a moment or two to fill his pipe with a stronger brand of dried leaves before he took to the stairs and exited onto the roof of the Hokage tower. His eyes were immediately drawn to the object of his excess paperwork, first, then to the strange woman next to him. Both were garbed in white, standing out even in the daylight. The old man could easily see that the woman was under an external illusion to mask her features. After all, you didn't get a moniker like 'the Professor' for being unobservant. Besides the strange white garments that the two of them wore, however, there was not much he could tell from this distance. Even as he walked up the stairs, he listened in on their conversation intently.

"… so much different from Hueco Mundo." Spoke in a breathy tone, as if giddy. "The Force is truly strong here."

"As I told you, it's called 'Natural Energy' here." Gundan replied. This was suspicious – why was an Academy Graduate speaking about Senjutsu with a foreign woman? "How do you feel?"

"This… Natural Energy… is singing." She replied. "It's very strange."

Hiruzen took this moment to involve himself. "To be so in tune with Natural Energy… it is a great gift." He stifled a chuckle when both child and woman spun to face him with a surprised countenance. "May I ask why the two of you are here on this fine morning?"

The woman's illusion looked strange. She had bright red hair, but skin almost as pale as Gundan's. Bright amber eyes looked at him with curiousness. She was garbed in a plain white dress that looked very… foreign. "Forgive our boldness, my lord, but I implored this young lad to bring me up to the building that has the best view of the village."

"You can be honest with him, Shaak Ti." Gundan whispered to her. It warmed Hiruzen's heart to see a small child like him finding him worthy of trust, especially when you consider that very child is a shinobi at such a young age. "He's a good man." He then turned to his leader and bowed. "Hokage-sama, if I may explain…"

"Continue." Hiruzen spoke, highly interested.

The boy sighed. "Where to begin… remember how I told you that I used physical energy to manipulate the elements since I do not have a chakra nature?"

"Indeed." Hiruzen puffed on his pipe. "It seems, however, that the ability to do so is unique. Many have attempted to do what you describe, but it is difficult, incredibly so."

Gundan looked at him shrewdly. "You tried it too, didn't you? Even after I told you how risky it was?"

"I believed that the reward far outweighed the risk." The Hokage admitted. "At least, I believed so until the water in front of me did not move and a finger exploded from the influx of too much physical energy." He lifted his right hand to show that, indeed, the pinky finger of his was much smaller than normal. "Tsunade was able to use medical ninjutsu to save the rest of it, but I'm afraid it cannot be regenerated." He watched the emotions play on the boy's face. Amongst the expected chagrin and irritation, however, there was also guilt. Ah. It was moments like this that he believed the boy was perhaps more human than any of them.

"Well… what if I told you that my use of spiritual energy can rip holes in space and time?" the boy asked, trepidation oozing from his voice.

Hiruzen froze, then sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Ah. Then I'm guessing that the lady in front of us is not, in fact, from 'around here'?"

Gundan reared back in visible surprise. "How did you- oh. Wait. Hyuuga and Uchiha in the ANBU. Right." He shook his head. "Yes. She is from another… world."

Hiruzen let silence engulf the rooftop while he thought on it. "This technique… is dangerous. How does it affect time?"

"I can transfer my consciousness to a time when I was alive. Any time." He explained, rubbing his head sheepishly. "However, I can't travel back before I was five, for some reason. I can also travel to any place I've been to – it's an extension of my…" here he clutched the mark on his hand. "teleportation technique."

Hiruzen inhaled some smoke to steady his nerves. Internally, however, he was screaming in irritation. This boy… "I believe I will not have to caution you not to use it in the future unless dire circumstances strike?"

Gundan blinked, as if he had expected more of a reaction. "Of- of course, Hokage-sama."

"Well then. Have you attempted to return her to her home?"

"Um… that's the thing." The boy sighed. "Whatever I try, it just won't work. I think it has something of a cooldown, if you will."

That was to be expected. Such a wondrous technique could only be majorly taxing on the user. He absently wondered what sort of consequences would follow for the boy. "Hmm… So there is no way for her to return, at least for the time being. Why don't you tell us about yourself, miss…?"

"Shaak Ti." The woman answered him. He observed her countenance – it was relaxed even to a seasoned eye, but he could pick up where her muscles tensed in hesitation and a state of battle awareness. "Jedi Master Shaak Ti – I'm a Master of the Jedi Order."

Hiruzen sighed. "I believe this will take a while. Do come in. My students are on their way."

"So, you are unsure if our planet is anywhere near this… Coruscant?"

I rolled my eyes. Of course, Orochimaru would be interested in Coruscant. Medical advancements far beyond anything we could imagine, and without chakra; technology the likes of which they have never seen; means to travel between the stars…? It was all a shinobi village needed to catapult themselves to the top of the food chain. More, it was all a man obsessed with learning everything under the sun could crave for.

"I am not entirely certain we are even in the same universe." Shaak TI explained. "This planet is drenched in the Force to such a degree that I can feel it healing me internally. Such a planet, no matter how far away, would be like a beacon for all Jedi in the galaxy."

"Intriguing." Jiraiya murmured. The man had been uncharacteristically focused during the meeting.

"Well. Since Gundan-kun has personally vouched for you, I don't see any harm in letting you enroll as a citizen of Konoha." Hiruzen smiled. "However, I doubt the poor boy could keep up this illusion around you for any extended length of time." He turned to Tsunade. "I believe you may have a solution…?"

Tsunade pursed her lips. "I'll need Jiraiya's help to apply the seal to her."

"Perfect." Hiruzen nodded. "We can proceed right now. I believe her current appearance is perfect for the template needed. Please proceed."

Watching Jiraiya and Tsunade work in tandem, with Orochimaru butting in with suggestions or corrections, really drove home the point that these were the Sannin – the very model of teamwork and cohesion. Where one's talents ended, the other's begun, and even then there were vast areas of knowledge that overlapped. It took a surprising five minutes for the seal to be applied and activated. Apparently, it utilized a portion of the body's Yin chakra to create a tangible illusion around the person. The illusion could never sink below the skin, however; that would mean that the illusion would lose form since it would be under the base body. Hence, the new, human Shaak Ti had long and voluminous hair the color of her old red skin.

"Perfect." Jiraiya grinned, playing goofy for the first time today. "Of course, there could be some improvements-"

"I believe Shaak Ti-san is perfect the way she is, thank you Jiraiya." Hiruzen sighed, then drew out a form from nowhere. "Please fill this to finalize your placement here."

The woman took the form and paused. "I do not recognize this language."

I frowned. "You've been speaking Shinto for the past three hours. How do you not know the written word?"

"I have been speaking Korvian. It's a sister planet to my own." She corrected.

Well… I guess not all creator of fictional universes can be entirely original. "Well, I'll do it for you then… wait."

Hiruzen, who had arched an eyebrow previously, looked at me.

"Uzumaki Tisha." I murmured, projecting an air of startled realization. "You could be an Uzumaki that was found travelling to Konoha looking for sanctuary. Your hair fits the bill. You could spin a story. You… you could adopt Naruto."

Silence.

"I don't think so." Jiraiya spoke, all traces of friendliness gone. "Gundan, what remains as a fact is that we don't know this woman. While you seem to be all buddy-buddy with her, we don't know what she's thinking-"

"Solved with a simple Yamanaka Mind Probe." I interrupted effortlessly. "And I'm personally vouching for her. I took down ROOT because they were going to harm Naruto; do you really think I'll let him be adopted by someone I'm not sure about?"

The man pursed his lips but said nothing.

"An interesting proposition." Hiruzen murmured, eyes far away in thought. "And with the effortless way you wield Senjutsu, you could be a boon to the upbringing of young Naruto, too."

"You're not seriously considering this?" Jiraiya demanded of his sensei. "The whole reason neither Kakashi nor I could take care of the brat was because we didn't want to draw too much attention to him. If an Uzumaki showed up in Konoha, you can guarantee that the entirety of the Elemental Nations will be focusing on her!"

"Attention that she can handle with ease." I interjected. "Especially since I will be personally training her. Not only does Konoha look better with an Uzumaki in our midst, but Naruto also gets a caring parent, and I don't have to worry about his safety as much as I do now."

"Why would you be concerned with Naruto's safety?" Jiraiya demanded.

"Your pettiness is showing, Jiraiya." Surprisingly, it was Tsunade who spoke. "Being a spy, you well know how many ways there are for harm to befall him should he remain in an environment without those who truly care for him. Sure, the village loves him right now, but opinion is a fickle thing. Do you truly want to chance it?"

The man crossed his arms and looked away.

"I do not see a problem with it." Hiruzen murmured, gazing at Shaak Ti intently. "Additionally, being so close to an influx of Senjutsu chakra could only be beneficial in containing the beast."

Jiraiya threw his hands up in the air. "Fine! But… but I get visitation rights!"

"Done." Hiruzen agreed.

"And the right to teach him when he gets older."

"As long as you don't share the more… mature… habits you have, that shouldn't be a problem." Hiruzen smirked.

"I would also like adopt a girl from the orphanage across town." I added in. Tenten being with someone who could actually understand what was happening to her was going to be a bonus, surely. "She… reminds me of someone I knew."

Hiruzen looked at me oddly. "If that is what you wish."

"But, are you okay with this, Jedi Master Ti?" I asked her to play my part, and this brought everyone to look at her speculatively. "We're asking you to give up your appearance, your name… everything that makes you who you are. And we're asking you to adopt a politically-important toddler."

"I am prepared." She said simply. There was an emotion I couldn't place under there… was it hope?

"Then it is done." Hiruzen smiled, accepting the form I filled out. "Welcome to Konoha, Uzumaki Tisha, adoptive mother of Uzumaki Naruto."

"That was easier than I thought it would be." She murmured, watching a young Naruto quietly sleeping in a crib next to the one Tenten was asleep in.

"I agree." I smirked. "Playing them was fun, don't you think?"

"I don't necessarily agree with your methods, but I can't argue with results." Shaak Ti sighed, smiling lightly. "I chanced a glance into the future… at the current stage, it's far too chaotic for me to make much sense of it. However, this… was a good step forward to quelling that chaos."

"Good." I nodded, then looked around the house. "The compound is a little big, though."

"Lady Tsunade was kind to offer us a place in the Senju Compound." She chastised me. "I don't know much of the history of this place – something I will be rectifying soon – but one can easily see the relief in her when we moved in."

"I know, I know." I waved her off. Something was nagging me, though. Why was Tsunade still here? Dan and Nawaki were dead by this point in time, right? "Plus, there's a private training ground here, like the Uchiha Clan Compound! That's going to help loads."

She remained silent for a few minutes, just taking in the sight of a sleeping baby. "What do you plan on doing today?"

"Me?" I asked, surprised. "Well, I'm going to pay a visit to my friends until the sun sets. Then I'm going to sleep for an hour… and then I guess I'll start training to be strong enough to untangle all the threads here."

In fact, I was considering delaying meeting everyone till tomorrow. For me it had been around a year since I last saw them, but for them it's barely been a day since Team Placements. I can use the day to do many things, especially since I have the [Ninja Art: Shadow Clone Technique] to help. I need to do many things. If my time in Bleach taught me anything, its that an opportunity is best taken advantage of as soon as possible.

"I'll be back by morning." I waved off her concerned glance. "And you'd best get as much sleep as you can while Naruto and Tenten are out. You're training indoors on the small stuff until they're old enough to start taking care of themselves. For now, here. Have a leaf." I plucked one by reaching out through the window. The compound was apparently stuffed full of them wherever acceptable. "The goal is to have it stick to your skin. Remember to mold your physical and mental energies like I taught you to – don't use the Force."

Shaak Ti looked at the leaf with a terrifying level of focus.

"Alright… you do that. I'm off to train." I said, backing away slowly, then walking outta there.

I guess it's time to start mastering my skills. I have to face down many enemies if I wanna do what I wanna do… I don't think I want to level up much, but not maxing out any skills I have would be suicide. If I am going to be an overpowered ninja-wizard, I'd rather be a good one.

Yeah, so enemies will be practically giving away their lives the moment they landed in front of me. But something tells me I'm not going to have a dull time at all.

I channeled Reiryoku to my eyes and looked around. I still had a team of ANBU watching over me. Hell. Eh, anyway, I'll just practice what I can in front of them. Taijutsu seems like a good first skill to master on the not-so-long list that I have. I'll need to find a way to ditch them though… wait a minute!

I released a bit of chakra around myself to cloud the Byakugan as I walked behind a house nonchalantly. The moment I was out of their sight, I opened up my inventory and pulled out the [Mirror Dimension] book.

PING!

[You have acquired the skill book: Mirror Dimension.

Would you like to learn this skill?]

I quickly tapped yes, managing to finish these actions as soon as I emerged form behind the house, looking as if I hadn't changed my posture at all.

[You have learned a new skill!

Magic Specialty: Mirror Dimension Access (Active) Lv1 (0.00%)

By learning select knowledge, you have learned to open a doorway into the Mirror Dimension – an alternate layer of reality that naturally coexists with the base. In there, it is much easier to affect the world using magic. Once the doorway has been created, it is impossible to exit without utilizing n interdimensional relocation skill.]

Neat! This totally solves my dilemma! I can train in the Mirror Dimension and use the [Time-Space Gate] to return! Of course, I'm not going to use the 'time' aspect of it, but eh. I now have a private space that no one can invade! I wonder how the skill gets better though.

I walked to the training ground and stood for a moment, thinking. To pull this off, I need a good plan. How do I go about this without alerting my ANBU watchers to where I went…?

Hmm… that could work.

"I need to get stronger." I 'murmured' to myself, striking a thinking pose. "How do I go about doing that? I need to train smart, here. I only have so much chakra… wait! What was that technique that Jonin did the other day… the one that creates a solid clone that can transfer memories? Oh, yeah!" I brought my hands up in a cross-seal and readied myself for a quick get-away. "Shadow-clone jutsu!"

Chakra-smoke surrounded me for a the briefest of moments. Using that window, I immediately apparated away. Since my clones are 'born' with any plan or knowledge in my head, I was sure the two I created could take it from there. This probably won't work again, but eh.

I appeared in Training Ground 3. Quickly looking to see no one around, I deactivated [Void Gaze] and focused on creating an access point to the Mirror Dimension. The sound of tinkling glass echoed through the clearing as the distorted space in front of me appeared as if it were cracked. I quickly walked through.

The other side was just as normal. It appeared as if I had not gone anyplace else at all. I turned around and closed the doorway with a gesture and looked about myself.

"Strange." I murmured and started a bit when my voice echoed. I chuckled. So now I was in a place where no one could see, hear, or bother me, and nothing I do affects the outside world. Nice!

I cracked my hands and grinned. Let's see how far I can go with my clones and [Rapid Learner] in the span of half a day and a full night – the skill should see a very fast learning experience, going by how fast I picked up earth and air bending in Karakura.

I guess I'm going to have to wait another day to meet my friends. Exploring this new method of training was going to be so much fun! Besides, I actually do have the Team exam tomorrow anyway, so I'll be seeing Itachi and Mai then.