Naruto had been waiting outside the Kurosaki Residence for a good thirty minutes. Leaning casually on the fence with an irritated look on his face, he debated whether to leave until a familiar voice snapped him out of his internal struggle.
"Hey!" Ichigo exclaimed. "I'm sorry for making you wait. My dad was up to his usual annoying antics."
"Naruto countered, 'He was only being annoying because you woke up late.'".
Ichigo's eyebrows twitched as the blonde accused him. "Yeah, this annoying spirit wouldn't let me go to bed early, kept demanding that I go and tell his wife not to remarry just five months after his death."
"I've told you over and over again to ignore them, but you insist on being the martyr.
"Yeah, some of the ghosts can be a pain, but I can't just ignore them when they show up. It's like they're so damn relieved when they see that I can hear and see them.
The two teenagers strode purposefully until they encountered some thugs desecrating memorial flowers for a girl who had passed away the previous week.
Ichigo was visibly angered and swiftly launched an attack on the thugs. He effortlessly took down all three, skillfully dodging their attacks and delivering a powerful punch to the one with the beard on the nose. The second thug faced swift retribution as well as Ichigo effortlessly dodged his attack and countered with a powerful roundhouse kick. The third attempted to plead but was unable to do so. Not a word was out before Ichigo was punched in the lungs. Naruto, seemingly undisturbed by the situation, let out a heavy sigh of frustration as he observed the orange-haired figure effortlessly overpowering the trio of thugs.
"We are going to be late." The blond said under his breath.
...
Kurosaki Isshin, the former captain of the Tenth squad of the Thirteen Protection Squad, was confronted with a dilemma. He had recently regained his sight, enabling him to perceive spirit particles. This led him to conclude that the seal Urahara had placed on him was weakening, signaling the imminent return of his power.
The unexpected surge of Hollows in Karakura town sent chills down Isshin's spine. It was evident that this was no ordinary event and that a sinister force was orchestrating it from the shadows. Determined to seek counsel, Isshin made his way to the apartment of one of the few individuals he trusted enough to confide in. As he rapped on the door of Ishida's Household, he was abruptly interrupted by the creaking of the door, which slowly swung open to reveal the white-haired man, his expression exuding an air of indifference.
"Kurosaki, what are you doing here?" Ryuken asked with a calm tone.
"Whoa, that's so unwelcoming!" Isshin exclaimed in a fake, mocking voice.
"Cut to the chase," Ryuken said, unaffected by the man's theatrics.
"I need to talk to you about a crucial matter," Isshin said, taking on a more serious tone of voice.
Approximately twenty minutes later, within the Ishida household, the two adults were seated beside each other in complete silence. The tranquillity was interrupted as Ryuken's voice broke the silence.
"It seems like you're suggesting that the recent surge of Hollows is the work of a mastermind. Your powers appear to be returning if you can sense the Hollows' Reiatsu," Ryuken stated during a silent observation..
"Yeah, it's been twenty years since I gave up my powers for Masaki. The past twenty years have been the happiest moments of my long life. I got married to a woman I loved and had a son and two daughters. If there has been any regret I have, it was eight years ago, the day Masaki died. I never would have imagined she would be a victim of an ordinary Hollow. I have pondered to no end trying to understand how she lost to the damn thing, but I have not been able to conclude," Isshin confessed in a rare moment of vulnerability. Ryuken listened to the dark-haired man in companionable silence before he tried to alleviate the man's worries.
"Auswählen" or "Holy Selection," Ryuken's voice rang out. "It means the selection made by the Quincy king after he regained consciousness. At least, that is what the prophecy said."
"The prophecy?"
"According to the song, the seal would be broken and the king would regain his heart after 900 years. 90 years later, his intellect would return. And 9 years afterwards, his power would return. To regain his powers, the king would have to steal the powers of impure Quincy." Ryuken explained.
"That's why Katagiri passed away on the same day as Masaki; she wasn't a pure-blooded Quincy. I, too, lost my powers that day. It's a power that is said to be unique to the Quincy king.
"Are you saying the Quincy king is back?" Isshin asked. "The captain commander killed him in the war a thousand years ago."
Ryuken chose to stay silent as Isshin grappled with his theory, understanding the difficulty of the situation.
Ryuken broke the silence and steered the conversation back to the dark-haired person's original reason for coming to his house.
"The Hollows this time are much stronger than what the Quincy bait can attract. It's definitely not the work of a Quincy; I can say that with absolute certainty.
"Now that we've cleared that, I want to get back to work. Being a Quincy doesn't pay my bills," Ryuken stated firmly, dismissing the topic.
Isshin's eyebrows twitched at the man's dismissal. He stood up, thanked the man for his foresight, and decided to go back to his clinic.
Ryuken watched the man leave from his office window, his expression thoughtful.
'Perhaps it's time I test uryu skills, I can sense a storm brewing. Since Father's death, the boy has kept to himself, I should at least make sure he's able to protect himself.' He internally mused.
...
During his sixteen years of existence, Uzumaki Naruto has led a carefree life and has not wasted time worrying about things that are beyond his control. However, it appears that this morning, he regretted visiting Ichigo's house.
After fighting three no-life thugs, the brawl escalated to a much bigger brawl, with one of the recipients of Ichigo's attack slipping from the fight and calling for Reinforcement.
Twenty more thugs came, and the High schoolers had to watch each other back; a few minutes of fighting ensured the Teenagers won with minimal injuries; the boys had practised karate since their Childhood and were quite adept at fighting.
But they were already late for their midterms, and Naruto struck a deal with Guardian, promising to tell him about his parents if he finished in the top twenty of their grade. He has worked tirelessly for the last two months. The blonde boy was not the best in academics but the prospect of Knowing about his parents fueled his determination.
"Ichigo! I swear I am never going to get involved in your spirit detective Nonsense." Naruto spoke in between breaths as they continued their sprint to Karakura High School.
"I'm not going to apologize for defending the Defenceless." Ichigo Countered the blond Statement.
"Well, from this moment, I've tendered my resignation as your sidekick."
Ichigo laughed at Naruto's statement as The familiar sight of their school came into view. Minutes later they were in their classroom.
"We are just in time i take that as a win! Ichigo declared victory, garnering The attention of the whole class.
"No thanks to you," Naruto muttered.
"Hey, you two made it!" Keigo exclaimed with a wide grin, and Mizuiro breathed a sigh of relief.
"Idiots, take your seats before Sensei comes and punishes you."Tatsuki Scolded the duo.
"Naruto settled into his seat in the middle of the third row, near the window."
He looked at the girl Beside him. A Girl with red oval glasses, turquoise eyes and long black hair with bangs in front and the back in a breaded ponytail. She wore the Karakura High School uniform adorning the Cardigan.
The female was Yadomaru Lisa. She was truly one of the most beautiful girls he had ever seen, though he would never admit it to the girl. He could also sense an aura resembling spirits emanating from her, but he felt it was not his business because he had no intention of entering the Spiritual Field.
Naruto noticed she was unbothered by her calm demeanour even though they were supposed to be writing Midterms She was reading a fashion magazine. 'I guess she's just that Confident' He mused internally.
He was snapped out of his reverie by the teacher's announcement that they needed to start preparing for midterms.
...
"Di-Roy-sama, we discovered a large concentration of Reiatsu!" A bug-like being reported to the Humanoid figure as the three creatures conversed in what appeared to be an abandoned factory.
Di-Roy is a man with a Helmet-shaped mask similar to a Hammerhead shark; the right-hand side of his mask is wrapped in cyan bandages, which obscures his right eye. His right eye is identical to a normal Hollow eye, a white circle surrounded by black shadows, while his left eye is normal and grey. He has square, shark-like teeth; He also has short grey hair. He wears an all-white uniform with his jacket open, displaying the Hollow hole in his chest. For the most part, Di Roy carried a sword in his hands.
"Where?" The grey-haired man asked in a Commanding tone.
"At the high school, multiple humans possess the Reiatsu of an Unseated Shinigami." Hollow, resembling a bug, reported.
"But we have narrowed it down to the largest among the bunch." The butterfly Hollow Chimed in. Di-Roy was visibly excited by the reports.
"Who would that be?" He enquired with a grin on his face.
..
Riva was a man of honour who valued loyalty above all else in his long life. He had lived in one of Rukongai's poorest districts in the soul society until Kushina-Sama rescued him with her unwavering faith. Since that moment, he had vowed to serve her until his death. So, when she asked for his assistance in concealing and protecting her son in the world of the living, he did not hesitate, even though deserting the Gotei 13 was practically treason. He was a seated officer in the Sixth Squad, which was led by the Kuchiki, one of Seiretei's Five Noble Clans.
Riva was a tall man with grey hair worn in a long ponytail, blue eyes and a moustache. He wears an all-black plain shirt and matching black pants.
He was the dedicated caretaker of Naruto, the son of his benefactor. He raised the boy with unwavering love and taught him Swordsmanship with unparalleled dedication. He even established a Dojo with the help of Urahara Kisuke and Shiba Isshin to hone Naruto's skills as a swordsman. It was evident that Naruto possessed an innate talent for Swordmanship as well as martial arts, as he effortlessly surpassed his fellow students, including Arasawa Tatsuki and Kurosaki Ichigo.
When Naruto shared his midterm results, his genuine smile revealed how happy he was.
"I am eleventh in our grade at the midterms, so you have to honour our bargain," Naruto insisted firmly.
"Absolutely," Riva affirmed as he locked eyes with the intense blue-eyed boy seated across from his caretaker.
"I don't know about your father, but I was sent here by orders of your mother to be your caretaker," Riva disclosed to the blond boy.
Naruto's eyes widened. "What do you mean by 'sent here'?"
"Your mother is a Shingami. Her name is Kushina. She has red hair and purple eyes, and she hails from one of the four noble clans of the Soul Society."
"What do you mean by Shinigami?" Naruto enquired.
Shinigami are unearthly beings living in a world ruled by a different logic than the World of the Living. They possess high Reiryoku and a body of Reishi. They are invisible to those without spiritual powers.
Naruto questioned the unfamiliar terminologies. "Reiryoku, Reishi what are those?"
"Reiryoku is a power aligned with the spiritual sensitivity and willpower of the user. It is used by Shinigamiand other spiritual beings to provide power for their various abilities." Riva diverged to the boy.
Every spiritual being and every human has a certain amount of Reiryoku. If this amount is higher than a certain degree, it grants the person superhuman abilities. Those with such an above-average level of Reiryoku are very rare among living Humans. The most basic ability that Humans with a higher level of Reiryoku have is the ability to see ghosts."
Riva promised to tell Naruto the rest after He completes his Midterms.
Karakura High School – A Regular Morning
The soft hum of pencils scratching paper filled the classroom as the midterms dragged on. Naruto Uzumaki tapped the end of his pencil against his temple, squinting at a math problem that seemed determined to remain unsolved.
He glanced sideways at Ichigo Kurosaki, who sat a few desks away, looking just as frustrated. Despite the occasional spirit showing up at Ichigo's house and their frequent scuffles with thugs around town, neither of the boys had any clue that something more dangerous was lurking just beyond the veil of the physical world.
Naruto shook his head, grumbling quietly. "If I fail this test, Riva-ji will never tell me more about my parents… Damn it, focus, Naruto."
Lisa Yadomaru, sitting next to him, glanced over from her magazine with an amused smirk. "Stop muttering and finish the exam, blondie, or you'll be stuck here next year."
Naruto shot her an annoyed look but kept scribbling down answers, determined not to blow his shot.
Outside the school, an ominous disturbance began to unfold. A swirling black portal opened above the quiet streets of Karakura Town, and from its depths emerged three terrifying figures—Di-Roy and his two Hollow companions.
Di-Roy licked his shark-like teeth, excitement flickering in his cold, gray eyes. "What a nice little town. So peaceful, so full of spiritual energy..." He sniffed the air and grinned. "I can feel it—there's something special here. More than one, actually."
The bug-like Hollow flapped its wings anxiously. "Di-Roy-sama, there are no Shinigami nearby, but this spiritual energy feels... strange."
Di-Roy's grin widened as he fixed his gaze on the school. "Perfect. Let's crash their little party."
Without hesitation, the three Hollows plummeted from the sky, crashing into the school grounds with explosive force. The shockwave shattered windows and sent students fleeing in terror.
Naruto and Ichigo bolted upright in their seats as the ground shook beneath them. The sudden explosion of glass and the distant sound of screams filled the air.
"What the hell was that?" Naruto exclaimed, wide-eyed.
Ichigo scowled, already heading toward the door. "I don't know, but we need to check it out."
The two boys sprinted into the hallway just as teachers tried to usher panicked students toward the emergency exits. Neither of them had any idea what awaited them outside—only that something was terribly wrong.
As Naruto and Ichigo reached the front doors of the school, the overwhelming spiritual pressure hit them like a wave, nearly knocking them off their feet. Naruto's heart pounded in confusion, but he shook it off. He didn't understand what he was feeling—only that it made his skin crawl.
"Do you feel that?" Naruto asked, glancing at Ichigo.
Ichigo nodded, his face pale but resolute. "Yeah. What the hell is it?"
Before they could step outside, a tall figure appeared in front of them, blocking their path.
"Get back inside. Now."
It was Riva. His long ponytail swayed behind him, and his blue eyes burned with fierce determination. His black shirt and pants clung to his frame as if the wind outside had wrapped around him.
"Riva-ji?" Naruto blinked in confusion. "What are you—?"
"No time for questions," Riva said sharply, drawing his sword—a Zanpakuto that shimmered faintly with spiritual energy. "Stay inside. Both of you."
Ichigo opened his mouth to protest, but something in Riva's gaze silenced him. There was no room for argument.
Riva stepped out onto the battlefield, closing the door behind him with a soft click.
Di-Roy grinned wickedly as Riva appeared, stepping between the school and the three Hollows.
"Ah, there it is. The scent of a Shinigami." Di-Roy swung his blade lazily through the air. "You must be the one guarding this place. How quaint."
Riva stood his ground, his expression calm but deadly. "You'll leave this place, or you'll die here."
Di-Roy laughed, his shark-like teeth glinting in the light. "Bold words for a deserter. I can smell it on you—you haven't fought in a long time."
Without another word, Di-Roy lunged forward, swinging his blade with terrifying speed. Riva parried the attack with ease, his movements smooth and precise. Sparks flew as their swords clashed, and the two combatants danced across the battlefield.
The lesser Hollows hissed and swarmed toward the school, but Riva was relentless. With swift, powerful slashes, he dispatched the weaker creatures, his blade cutting through them like paper.
Di-Roy growled in frustration. "Not bad, old man. But let's see how long you can last."
The battle intensified, each clash of swords sending shockwaves through the air. Riva fought with everything he had, his mind focused entirely on protecting Naruto and Ichigo. But the years of peace had dulled his edge, and Di-Roy's strength was overwhelming.
Riva managed to land a deep slash across Di-Roy's chest, causing the Hollow to stumble. But it wasn't enough. Di-Roy roared in fury, and with a brutal swing, he shattered Riva's guard.
Before Riva could react, Di-Roy's blade pierced his chest, the cold steel driving through his heart.
Riva staggered, blood dripping from his mouth as his sword slipped from his fingers. He collapsed to his knees, gasping for breath.
Di-Roy leaned in close, sneering. "You put up a good fight, old man. But in the end, you were just another fool standing in my way."
With a final, cruel twist of his blade, Di-Roy pulled his sword free. Riva slumped forward, his vision dimming as his life slipped away.
Inside the school, Naruto and Ichigo waited anxiously, listening to the distant sounds of battle. Naruto clenched his fists, his heart racing with worry.
"Something's wrong," he muttered. "I need to—"
Before he could finish, the door swung open. Di-Roy stood there, blood dripping from his blade, a triumphant grin on his face.
Naruto's heart sank as he saw the lifeless form of Riva lying in the distance, the man who had raised him and protected him gone.
"No..." Naruto whispered, his legs trembling beneath him.
Di-Roy chuckled darkly. "Looks like your babysitter wasn't as strong as he thought."
Rage boiled within Naruto, his vision blurring as tears welled up in his eyes. He wanted to scream, to fight, to do anything—but he was powerless. He didn't even understand what he was up against.
Ichigo grabbed Naruto's arm, pulling him back. "We can't take him. Not yet."
Naruto gritted his teeth, every fiber of his being screaming to run toward Riva's body, but Ichigo's grip was firm.
"We'll get him back for this," Ichigo promised, his voice low and filled with determination. "But not today."
With heavy hearts, the two boys retreated into the school, powerless to stop the storm that had already begun.
Though Just one of them did the other returned to avenge his Fallen guardian.
Naruto stood frozen, his wide blue eyes locked on Riva's lifeless body. The man who had raised him, guided him, and promised to reveal his parents' identity now lay dead, slain by a monster beyond his comprehension. His heart pounded in his chest, rage and helplessness surging through him like a tidal wave.
"Riva-ji..." Naruto whispered, his voice cracking.
Di-Roy, still savoring his victory, grinned down at the blond. "You gonna cry, kid? That old man was just a speed bump. You'll be joining him soon enough."
The words struck Naruto like a hammer, shattering his confusion and leaving only one thing behind—anger. Pure, unrelenting anger. Without thinking, Naruto ran toward Riva's fallen sword, his heart burning with the need for vengeance.
The Zanpakuto lay inches from Riva's hand, its blade still shimmering faintly with residual spirit energy. Naruto grasped the hilt tightly, the metal feeling oddly familiar in his hand. He turned toward Di-Roy, his grip trembling but determined.
"Get ready," Naruto snarled, stepping into a stance Riva had taught him long ago. "I'm not gonna let you get away with this."
Di-Roy's grin widened, his sharp teeth glinting. "Cute. But you've got no clue what you're doing, kid."
Naruto charged, his strikes wild but fast, driven by pure instinct. The Zanpakuto in his hand moved with surprising ease, slashing toward Di-Roy with surprising speed. But the Hollow was on a completely different level.
With almost lazy movements, Di-Roy parried every blow. His shark-like grin never faltered as he danced around Naruto's attacks, toying with him.
"Not bad for a beginner," Di-Roy mocked, effortlessly sidestepping a horizontal slash. "But you're about as dangerous as a kitten with a knife."
Naruto gritted his teeth and pressed on, ignoring the burning in his muscles and the sting of tears in his eyes. He could hear Riva's voice in his mind, urging him to fight, to never give up.
"Keep moving! Keep your blade steady! Focus!"
But it wasn't enough. Di-Roy's speed and strength were far beyond anything Naruto could match. With a brutal backhand, Di-Roy sent Naruto sprawling across the ground, the impact leaving him breathless.
Naruto gasped for air, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth as he struggled to stand. But Di-Roy didn't give him the chance. In the blink of an eye, the Hollow was on him, delivering a powerful kick to Naruto's chest.
The blond flew through the air and slammed into the school's outer wall with a sickening crack. Pain radiated through his entire body, and for a moment, everything was a blur. He coughed, blood spilling from his lips, as his vision began to darken.
Lying on the cold ground, Naruto felt his life slipping away. His limbs were heavy, his body broken. This is it, he thought bitterly. I'm going to die… and I couldn't even protect anyone.
His consciousness began to drift, the world around him growing faint. But just as he was about to fall into the abyss, something stirred deep within him—a distant memory, a fragment of a life long forgotten.
Suddenly, flashes of another world flooded his mind:
A village hidden among the leaves.
A man with silver hair teaching him how to fight.
A fierce red-haired woman holding him close, calling him her son.
Friends, comrades, and enemies. A war. A battle against overwhelming odds.
His name.
"Uzumaki Naruto."
In that moment, everything came rushing back—the pain, the joy, the battles, and sacrifices of his past life. He remembered everything. His life as a shinobi, his dream of becoming Hokage, and the many times he had stood on the edge of death only to rise again. He was more than just Naruto Uzumaki of Karakura Town. He was a warrior who had defied fate itself.
And now, that power—the power he had wielded in life—was awakening once more.
A surge of energy erupted from Naruto's battered body, engulfing him in a radiant blue light. His spiritual pressure spiked, the air around him vibrating with raw power. Di-Roy, who had been preparing to finish the job, took a step back in shock.
"What the—?!" Di-Roy hissed, sensing the sudden transformation. "This reiatsu... It's different. This kid—what the hell is he?!"
The blue energy coalesced around Naruto, reshaping his body. His clothes changed, transforming into the black robes of a Shinigami. In his hand, Riva's Zanpakuto glowed brightly, shifting in size and shape until it became a blade perfectly suited to him.
Naruto slowly rose to his feet, the pain in his body fading as the new power coursed through him. His bright blue eyes now carried the fierce determination of someone who had faced death countless times—and won.
"This isn't over," Naruto muttered, his voice low but filled with resolve. "Not by a long shot."
Naruto raised his sword, the weight of it feeling natural in his hand. Di-Roy snarled, sensing that the boy standing before him was no longer the same weakling he had toyed with.
"Let's see how long you last now, brat!" Di-Roy roared, rushing forward with deadly intent.
But this time, Naruto was ready. The moment Di-Roy's blade came down, Naruto stepped to the side with the fluid grace of a seasoned warrior. In one smooth motion, he parried the attack and countered with a swift horizontal slash, forcing Di-Roy to leap back.
The Hollow growled in frustration. "You think you can win just because you changed your clothes? You're still just a kid!"
Naruto narrowed his eyes, a confident smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Yeah, maybe. But I've fought bigger monsters than you."
With a burst of speed, Naruto closed the distance between them. Di-Roy barely had time to react before Naruto's blade slashed across his chest, sending sparks flying.
Di-Roy staggered, clutching the wound with a snarl. "You little—!"
Before the Hollow could recover, Naruto raised his Zanpakuto for the finishing blow. The power within him surged, and for a moment, Naruto felt something deep inside resonate with the blade.
A name echoed in his mind, the name of the Zanpakuto he now wielded.
As Naruto stood over the defeated Di-Roy, the Hollow snarled in pain but managed to open a portal back to Hueco Mundo. "This isn't the end, kid... We'll meet again."
With that, Di-Roy vanished, leaving Naruto standing alone in the aftermath of the battle.
Naruto exhaled, his Zanpakuto shimmering faintly in the fading light. He looked down at the sword in his hand, a strange sense of familiarity washing over him.
"I guess... this is who I am now," he muttered, gripping the hilt tightly.
With his memories of Konoha restored and the power of a Shinigami now at his command, Naruto knew that his life would never be the same again. But one thing was certain—whether it was Hollows, spirits, or anything else, he wasn't going to run away.
He was Uzumaki Naruto, and no matter what challenges lay ahead, he would fight.
Just like he always had.