Shinigami in the Ninja World (Re-upload)

Regardless of whether they truly had the means to silently infiltrate the Seireitei or had been hiding within it using some unfathomable method from the start, the fact remained: the invasion had already happened.

The Wandenreich had attacked.

Even though they had mentally prepared for war, when it erupted, it still felt sudden—like a fierce storm striking without warning.

Yamamoto gazed at the rising pillars of light, his expression heavy. The glow surrounding them weighed down on his very soul.

"They came so quickly."

They had only just received the news, and preparations were barely underway. They hadn't even confirmed if any divisions besides the 7th were in position.

The enemy had arrived.

Naruto drew his sword, looking ahead, his tone calm: "We would have faced them sooner or later."

"But Mayuri is probably…"

"Frustrated, and enraged."

That man had been researching the enemy's movements and their base of operations. Now, with the Wandenreich launching an all-out attack and the battle being brought to the Seireitei, all his research was for nothing.

"Naruto," Yamamoto gripped his staff with one hand, his tone heavy but resolute. "I know your strength."

"And I am well aware… that I may no longer be the man I was a thousand years ago."

"However, leave Yhwach to me."

His voice faltered slightly, the faintest trace of regret in his tone.

A thousand years ago, due to certain personal reasons, he had failed to kill Yhwach. That failure had led to this—a Wandenreich invasion, the deaths of nearly a thousand soldiers, and the severe injuries of his most trusted lieutenant, Chōjirō Sasakibe.

If it hadn't been for Naruto…

His most loyal confidant would surely have perished that day.

The seeds of his past negligence had grown into a bitter fruit that now cracked his very teeth.

It was his burden to bear.

"I understand," Naruto replied.

Yhwach may indeed be powerful, and he may have prepared many countermeasures against his old rival, but with the Captain-Commander's abilities, the worst outcome would only be defeat.

As Naruto spoke, his gaze fell on Yamamoto's empty sleeve.

"Perhaps I should have listened to your advice," the old man said with a blank expression, shaking his head slightly. "To accept that human girl's help and have my arm healed."

"But now is not the time to dwell on such things…"

Naruto cut him off: "It's not too late."

Naruto drew the 'Nine-Tails.' Using the power of Yin-Yang Release, a milky-white substance flowed into Yamamoto's sleeve, solidifying and forming a new arm in moments.

Yamamoto raised his new arm, clenching his fist. The flow of spiritual energy was slightly obstructed, but the impact was minimal.

As for nerve function and reaction…

There was no hindrance at all.

Even compared to the artificial bodies created by the 12th Division, this prosthetic was far superior.

"The power of Kurama, is it?" Yamamoto murmured.

The fox, perched on Naruto's shoulder, poked its head out, grinning proudly: "That's right, it's my power!"

"Old man, you'd better thank me properly!"

"Otherwise, you'd be nothing more than a one-armed cripple."

Yamamoto raised his newly formed hand and pointed sternly: "Such insolence, speaking to me in that tone."

Kurama quickly retreated back into Naruto, poking its head out from the other shoulder: "Let's move on; the Seireitei needs us to intervene."

Having regained the upper hand under Yamamoto's leadership, they had no intention of allowing the old man to browbeat them further.

...

Eastern Seireitei

Byakuya Kuchiki gripped his sword tightly, staring down the bizarre figure in front of him—a humanoid creature with a malevolent aura.

"Let me handle this, Captain," Renji Abarai bent low in a deep bow, nearly crouching before his captain. "This enemy…"

"Can't be beaten with just a Shikai."

The Quincy before them…

Was far stronger than expected.

The figure before them, with waist-length hair and a grotesque mask resembling a fetish item, moved stiffly like a puppet on strings.

But the power, speed, and the technique known as 'Blut Vene'…

The pressure was immense.

A Shikai wouldn't be enough to handle this.

"Idiot," Byakuya lightly waved his hand, scattering cherry blossoms in the wind. "Vice-Captain Sasakibe said these enemies possess the ability to steal Bankai."

The long-haired Quincy spoke, his voice eerie and cold: "You won't use Bankai? Is that really wise?"

"With your current strength, how do you expect to fight me without it?"

Renji lifted his blade, his eyes fierce: "There's only one of him."

"If I use my Bankai as bait… when he uses his ability, I'll…"

Byakuya flicked his hand, a cluster of cherry blossoms hitting Renji on the head. Though the blow wasn't strong, it was clearly a reprimand: "Don't get clever."

"The two of us can hold him off…"

Before he could finish his sentence, a white figure leapt into view.

Along with a flash of blue light.

Heilig Pfeil—a holy arrow.

With the bow drawn, the arrow shot toward them.

"One?" Another voice called out, mocking them. "Did he ever say he was alone?"

"We, the Sternritter, are nothing like you Shinigami."

"We have far more."

A figure stood high on a wall, looking down at them with an air of superiority and disdain.

Another Quincy.

This one had a bloated, star-shaped head and wore orange goggles.

His appearance reminded them of a former lieutenant of the 9th Division.

"He's not much of a talker," the man said, his teeth sparse and crooked, with only a single front tooth remaining. "Allow me to introduce us."

"We are the Sternritter."

"I am NaNaNa Najahkoop, codenamed 'U.'"

"And this is Äs Nödt, granted the letter 'F' by His Majesty."

The letter…

What did they mean?

Byakuya narrowed his eyes.

"Curious about what they represent?" NaNaNa stretched out his hand. "Come, give it a try."

"Let's see what you Shinigami are really made of…"

As arrows of light burst forth, the battle resumed.

Just the abilities of 'F' alone were enough to pressure them. Now, with the addition of 'U,' the tide of battle was rapidly turning in favor of the Quincy.

Ordinary soldiers could hardly participate in a conflict of this magnitude.

Captains and lieutenants were the main forces in this war.

The Wandenreich's reserves far exceeded the Shinigami's expectations.

In every battlefield, the Quincy outmatched them both in quantity and quality.

Naruto stood above it all.

His Mind's Eye of the Kagura expanded, spreading across the entire Seireitei without reservation.

A few years ago, his perception couldn't have reached such an extent.

But now…

He could do it effortlessly.

Beneath the Sekkiseki Barrier, the fires of war raged. It was difficult to find even a single battlefield where the Shinigami still held any advantage.

The Quincy's spiritual pressures were overwhelming.

None of them were weaker than a seated officer, and the number capable of matching a captain far exceeded what Naruto had expected.

At least twenty of them.

The so-called Wandenreich had accumulated such power?

Naruto extended his hand.

"It's time, Kurama."

In his inner world, a voice responded: "No problem, Naruto."

"Let's unleash chaos."

His Zanpakutō was released, the totem markings on the hilt coming to life, twisting and pulsing with color, as faint wisps of chakra began to leak out.

Creatures formed from the Nine-Tails' chakra stretched their bodies and roared toward the sky.

"Nine Masked Tailed Beasts."

Even in this world, they were unleashed without hindrance.

Though not as powerful as the original Tailed Beasts, their spiritual pressure was overwhelming. There was no time to waste.

With roars, they scattered, racing toward the captain-level battles across the Seireitei.

…

12th Division, Technological Development Bureau

"Spiritual pressure!" one of the officers reported with alarm, his eyes wide with fear. "Eight more spiritual pressures, approaching captain-level, have appeared!"

Fear spread quickly. Hearing this, the other officers' faces grew increasingly anxious.

The Quincy invasion had already brought nearly twenty individuals with captain-level power, a significant challenge for the Seireitei. And now...

There were more?

Thirty captains in total?

That was nearly three times the strength of the Gotei 13.

"Where are they coming from?" Akon immediately turned and asked sternly. With the captain occupied in his research, Akon had become the acting leader. "Where are they headed?"

"Restore communications and establish contact with the captains," he ordered.

As his commands were being carried out, another officer spoke up: "The source of the spiritual pressures... seems to be Captain Uzumaki."

The entire bustling command center paused for a moment.

The tense atmosphere lightened slightly.

"After filtering the spiritual waves," another officer added, fingers flying over the controls, "those eight beings appear to be linked to Captain Uzumaki's Nine-Tails."

"Their power matches what was seen during the battle against Aizen—exactly the same."

He rattled off a series of complex data.

Everyone in the room understood what this meant.

While their initial impressions had suggested something, for the research team, the data provided undeniable confirmation.

Without a doubt, the eight near-captain-level beings had come from Captain Uzumaki as reinforcements.

"Notify the Gotei 13!" Akon decisively slammed his hand on the table. "Tell them the good news!"

"Captain Uzumaki..."

Nemu Kurotsuchi raised her hand and began reciting a binding spell: "Bakudō #77. Tenteikūra (天挺空羅, Heavenly Rickshaws in Silken Air)."

Her voice transmitted the message throughout the Seireitei.

"Captain Uzumaki's reinforcements have arrived..."

...

Eastern Seireitei

Renji Abarai, his grip on his sword trembling slightly, looked up. "Captain, did you hear that?"

"I heard," Byakuya Kuchiki replied without looking up, his focus still on the two enemies before them. "But stay focused. The enemy is still in front of us."

While the two Shinigami remained serious and alert, the Quincy were far more relaxed.

NaNaNa Najahkoop grinned, tilting his head as he looked at them. "So, you heard the good news."

"That red-haired brat…"

"You look so relieved, it's pathetic."

"Who's coming? Yamamoto or Naruto Uzumaki?"

Just as he finished speaking, a gust of wind howled from above.

A large cat, its body engulfed in blue flames, appeared.

It was massive yet incredibly agile.

After landing lightly, it let out a ferocious roar at the two Quincy. The heatwave from its flames filled the air, radiating intense pressure.

"A little cat," NaNaNa said dismissively, staring at the enormous creature. His tone was casual, almost playful. "Do you think releasing a pet will make any difference?"

A 'pet'...

The Two-Tails narrowed its eyes, the fur beneath its flames bristling.

It hated being called that.

Without hesitation, it lifted its head, spiritual energy gathering at its mouth.

Tailed Beast Bomb!

The attack charged quickly, forming and launching toward the two Quincy.

In response, Äs Nödt leapt forward, using his body as a shield. A blue glow spread over his skin, crisscrossing his body like blood vessels.

Blut Vene!

The Quincy's defensive technique.

The Tailed Beast Bomb struck him directly, followed by flames, explosions, and clouds of dust—all occurring simultaneously.

Äs Nödt's pained groans echoed from within the smoke.

As the blackened dust cleared away, his figure emerged.

Despite using Blut Vene, the damage was severe. His clothes were scorched, and his flesh was charred and bloody, with embers still smoldering on his skin.

"It hurts..." he muttered in a pained voice.

NaNaNa's expression grew serious as he narrowed his eyes. "To think it could actually harm us. What a terrifying ability..."

"But with that level of spiritual pressure..."

"It won't be enough to defeat us."

He extended his hand, drawing it back.

Blue spiritual particles gathered, forming a massive arrow.

It shot forward, aimed directly at the large cat's throat.

"Die!"

The arrow pierced through, tearing into the beast's body.

NaNaNa watched with satisfaction as the giant creature collapsed, dust clouding around it, and its spiritual pressure diminished. He turned to Renji Abarai, his tone mocking: "See, your so-called savior—"

"It's nothing more than a pathetic animal."

"It might've done some superficial damage, but it's..."

Before he could finish his sentence, he abruptly turned, staring back at the cat.

Renji and Byakuya followed suit, their gazes also drawn toward the creature.

The giant being, which had seemingly been killed by NaNaNa just moments ago and whose spiritual pressure had vanished, was standing again. Its spiritual energy surged anew, and even the wound on its throat had healed.

It was alive!

NaNaNa's pupils dilated in shock.

This creature had the power of resurrection?

And it had revived far faster than expected. In the blink of an eye, it was back on its feet, lunging toward them with its claws extended.

Its speed was terrifying.

Reacting instinctively, NaNaNa triggered Blut Vene.

But the claws still tore through his clothes, slashing his flesh.

NaNaNa retreated several steps.

This strange creature…

Its spiritual pressure was comparable to Renji's, just below captain-level strength, but its quality was extraordinarily high, almost on par with Byakuya Kuchiki himself.

Yet, it was just a peculiar beast.

But it wouldn't die.

It didn't seem like a Shinigami, nor a Hollow.

NaNaNa recalled the reports on Naruto Uzumaki, which mentioned that his Zanpakutō, 'Kurama', could create beings using 'Yin-Yang Release.'

But…

The reports hadn't described these creations as particularly powerful.

Now, could he create captain-level beings?

Was it Kurama's terrifying power, or was Naruto Uzumaki himself the real threat?

"Naruto, huh?" Byakuya muttered, observing the Two-Tails. He smiled slightly. "Renji, here's your chance."

"Don't waste it."

He waved his hand, and cherry blossoms danced in the air.

Though the creatures created by Naruto's Kurama were slightly weaker than captain-level, their reliance on Kurama's power made them effectively immortal as long as Naruto remained alive. In truth, there was nothing more suited to the current battlefield than these beings.

The battlefront gradually stabilized.

At least in terms of direct combat strength, Seireitei was no longer as far behind the Wandenreich as it initially appeared.

Naruto bent down, preparing to head to the battlefield where Kaien was. That situation was the most critical and dire. He planned to break through and...

But before he could move, a figure appeared in front of him.

A man with golden hair, strikingly handsome, exuding an air of nobility, and dressed in a Quincy robe.

"You've come to find me," Naruto said, narrowing his eyes.

He had already sensed this person's spiritual pressure earlier—one of those who had been inactive until now but was now coming directly for him.

"So... the Quincy believe you can defeat me?" Naruto asked calmly, drawing another sword.

The blond man nodded with a slight smile. "Of course."

"You are the greatest obstacle in His Majesty's path. I will destroy you."

He gently raised his hand and drew his sword. It was a plain Western-style longsword, lacking any remarkable brilliance or overwhelming presence.

But...

It emitted spiritual pressure.

As Quincies manipulate spiritual particles, this sword was entirely composed of spirit energy. In his other hand, he produced a shield, pure white with a raised five-pointed cross on its surface.

A sword and shield—a knight straight out of a Western fantasy novel.

"A simple Quincy?" Naruto's expression turned cold as he lowered his Zanpakutō. "Has the heart of the Soul King not been enough of a warning for you?"

"My ability is a natural counter to people like you."

"Disrupt, Vortex."

As the tip of his sword touched the invisible platform of spiritual particles beneath them, it immediately disintegrated, dissolving into a swirling wind that began to tear at the sword made entirely of spiritual particles.

But...

The wind swept past, and although the sword briefly distorted, it quickly reformed, remaining intact and unmoved.

Naruto narrowed his eyes.

The blond man chuckled lightly, raising the sword. "Surprised, aren't you?"

"Why the Zanpakutō that always works suddenly has no effect on me?"

"Allow me to introduce myself."

He paused for a moment, his tone becoming even more polite. "I am Jugram Haschwalth, the highest-ranking member of the Wandenreich's Sternritter."

"Since you've already fought Gerard, you should be aware of the unique power he had—the 'Miracle.'"

"A power seemingly different from that of other Quincies..."

"It was His Majesty's gift to us in the form of 'Schrift.'"

"Gerard had 'Miracles,' while I possess..."

He grinned, uttering a few words from the corner of his mouth: "'The Balance.'"

"The ability of this Schrift is to bestow misfortune."

Naruto's eyes remained narrowed.

Misfortune...

Luck was undoubtedly important, but could it truly influence a battle to that extent?

Haschwalth pointed his sword at Naruto. "Simply put, your Zanpakutō did have an effect just now."

"But disrupting spiritual particles merely alters their movement patterns."

"Meaning..."

"Even if there is only a one-in-a-million chance that the spiritual particles forming my sword realign, they will still maintain the shape of the sword."

He grinned wider, clearly enjoying the explanation.

"Your misfortune is my luck."

Naruto understood.

Another ability tied to peculiar rules.

Misfortune and luck...

Unlike Gerard's 'Miracle,' which had a visible, direct impact, this power was far more elusive.

What exactly was misfortune? And what constituted luck?

"Give up," Haschwalth continued. "Against a power like mine, you stand no chance of winning."

His eyes grew cold.

Naruto wasn't listening to this nonsense.

The ability was indeed troublesome, difficult to understand, and even harder to gauge its influence.

But no chance of victory?

That was far from the truth.

If his power could really manipulate 'Vortex' at will by controlling luck and misfortune, then Naruto should already be dead by now.

After all, for an opponent, the greatest luck would be for the enemy to die before the fight even begins.

Yet here he was, alive and well, with only his 'Vortex' power failing to have its usual effect.

Haschwalth's voice chilled: "Still defiant?"

"Then allow me to personally put an end to you."

He raised his sword and lunged.

Naruto brought his hands together in a quick seal.

Golden chains shot forward, clinking as they wrapped around Haschwalth's golden figure.

The power of misfortune seemed not to affect the chains of 'Adamantine Sealing Chains.' They wrapped around Haschwalth without issue, binding him firmly.

But then...

With a gentle swing of his sword, Haschwalth effortlessly cut through the incomplete sealing technique and the chains, shattering the spiritual particles that formed them.

Naruto squinted, raising a finger.

He abandoned incantation.

"Hadō #4. Byakurai (白雷, Pale Lightning)."

A beam of lightning shot straight at Haschwalth.

It hit him squarely.

Haschwalth raised his shield a moment too late.

He had been slow.

The lightning had already struck.

But...

There was no damage.

"An effective attack method," Haschwalth remarked, shaking his shield, which hadn't done anything during the attack but now showed visible cracks. "But that doesn't mean it's an effective attack."

"This shield of mine is called 'Freund Schild.'"

"Any damage I receive is transferred to the shield."

"And then—"

Naruto felt a sharp pain in his chest as if something had struck him.

He looked down.

A scorch mark appeared on his chest.

This was...

The damage from Byakurai.

"Any damage absorbed by the shield is reflected back on the attacker," Haschwalth smiled as he explained, clearly enjoying the situation.

It was a minor injury.

Naruto's body was already healing the marks rapidly.

But this was not good news.

Naruto glanced at the sword in Haschwalth's hand.

When Haschwalth explained his power earlier, he hadn't mentioned anything about the sword. But from their brief exchange and the shield's ability, Naruto suspected that this 'misfortune-bestowing' power was likely tied to the sword.

In other words…

To defeat Haschwalth, Naruto would need to avoid direct combat.

Long-range attacks were the best option.

But that shield… it reflected damage.

Haschwalth seemed invincible both defensively and offensively.

"Despair," Haschwalth said softly. "You are fated to fail."

Naruto raised his hand, the power of the 'Vortex' gathering in his palm.

…

12th Division

Mayuri Kurotsuchi frowned, analyzing the experimental reports returned by his clones.

He had been trying to figure out how to counter the Quincies' 'Bankai-stealing' strategy, but so far, nothing had worked. Thousands of experiments had proven one thing—his current ideas were completely wrong.

Mayuri refused to believe there could be an unsolvable technique.

Repeated failures only showed that his approach was incorrect. He would need to adjust his strategy, but after thousands of experiments and hundreds of ideas...

Coming up with something new would take time.

And time was precisely what Seireitei lacked.

Would he really have to ask Urahara for advice?

As he wrestled with the thought, Nemu Kurotsuchi knocked and entered. "Captain, 13th Division just sent an update."

Mayuri waved impatiently. "What is it?"

"The Quincies did attack Substitute Soul Reaper Ichigo Kurosaki," Nemu explained calmly. "The Quincy used the 'Medallion' to seal his 'Bankai.'"

"But..."

"The sealing failed."

Mayuri froze, his irritation vanishing. He quickly turned around. "Failed?"

"What do you mean?"

"Did Ichigo do something to interfere with the sealing, or was the seal simply ineffective on him?"

"The latter," Nemu replied with a nod. "According to the 13th Division's intelligence, the Quincy was able to complete the sealing process, but nothing happened in the end."

"The enemy was equally shocked."

Mayuri nodded, deep in thought.

The 'Bankai' couldn't be sealed?

Why?

Was it because Ichigo was human, making him special?

If that were the reason, it would be absurd.

As he pondered, he recalled something Naruto had once said: that Ichigo was unique, with Quincy, Shinigami, Hollow, and Fullbringer powers all within him.

Could this failure to seal his 'Bankai' be due to these mixed powers?

It was a new idea—a very plausible one.

Mayuri immediately summoned more clones and threw himself into the experiments, testing this new theory.

Half an hour later, a clone dissolved, sending its memories back to Mayuri. His face lit up with excitement, his eyes sharp as he clapped his hands together.

"I've found the solution!"