Shinigami in the Ninja World

Chapter 206: Ryoka Invasion

Weakness is a Sin.

The resulting "sense of helplessness" becomes a thorn that buries itself deep in one's heart, twisting, scraping, causing unbearable pain.

Ichigo Kurosaki lay on the ground, bleeding from precise strikes that had pierced his throat and chest. Thin streams of blood trickled from his wounds, staining the ground beneath him.

Around him, his friends were scattered but alive. Their lives had been spared, but their bodies were bound by Bakud?, or left physically weakened by their injuries.

"Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime Inoue cried softly, tears streaming down her face.

Ury? Ishida grit his teeth, staring intently at the masked man who stood over them.

He was too strong. Even the Menos Grande hadn't created this suffocating pressure.

No skill, no technique seemed capable of even touching him.

"Target eliminated," the masked Shinigami said in a calm, emotionless tone. "Goodbye, humans."

Behind him, a black rift opened up in the air. A Garganta. He stepped into it, disappearing as though he had never been there.

"What should we do?" Orihime, her voice choked with sobs, looked desperately at the others.

But all of them hung their heads.

What could they do?

There was nothing they could do.

"...Ichigo-kun isn't dead yet."

A voice rang out unexpectedly.

They all turned to see a man wearing a hat and wooden sandals approaching as if from the sky. "That Onmitsukid? guy seemed to have misunderstood something."

"Though he wasn't gentle…"

"That misunderstanding is probably what saved Ichigo-kun's life."

"I need to take him with me now, or he really will die."

Ury? adjusted his glasses. "You're the shopkeeper from Urahara's store?"

"I've heard about you from Ichigo's aunt."

"Kurosaki-san?" Kisuke Urahara smiled brightly, staring at the now-closed Garganta. "I see, you must be a child of the Ishida family."

"In that case, why don't we all go together?"

…

Urahara's Store.

Ichigo Kurosaki slowly opened his eyes.

Was he dead?

When people die, they become souls, right? Then they're guided to the Soul Society by a Shinigami.

What a miserable situation. He had taken those compliments and praise to heart, but he hadn't realized just how vast the gap was between him and a real powerhouse.

He blinked his eyes open.

Suddenly, he found himself face-to-face with something utterly horrifying.

A giant face. Cold, expressionless, wearing glasses, peering down at him.

Ichigo screamed.

Even in death, he thought, no one deserved this kind of torment.

Wait, wasn't this the face of one of Urahara's subordinates?

So... he wasn't dead?

"You're not dead," a voice said, almost as if it had read his mind. "You're still alive, Ichigo."

Ichigo turned his head. "Urahara-san, you saved me?"

Urahara waved a hand, as if flicking on a light switch. "That's right, correct answer."

"But no reward for you."

Ichigo took a deep breath. "You're a Shinigami too, right? That guy, and what's going on with all of this?"

"Uncle Naruto told me that Rukia would be fine."

"But…" His hands clenched into fists, trembling.

Urahara tilted his head. "That guy was definitely from the Onmitsukid?."

"But while I may also be a Shinigami…"

"I left the Soul Society a long time ago."

"I don't really know what Seireitei or Central 46 are up to anymore, so I can't say if what he told you was true."

Ichigo grit his teeth harder.

"But, Ichigo," Urahara said, his voice lowering, his hat tipping down. "I know how to get to the Soul Society. Do you want to try?"

Ichigo's head shot up. "Really?"

In the back of his mind, Ichigo vaguely remembered Uncle Naruto telling him to *never* go to the Soul Society, no matter what.

But at this point... what reason did he have not to go?

Urahara smiled and nodded. "Nothing gets you closer to the truth than seeing it with your own eyes."

"But I have one condition."

"For the next few days, you'll have to train with me. Learn how to fight."

Ichigo, barely able to keep calm, snapped. "We don't even know when Rukia will be executed! We need to act fast!"

"Trust Naruto," Urahara waved a hand dismissively. "If Central 46 does issue such an order, Naruto will be the first to oppose it. He has both the strength and the conviction to act."

Ichigo froze.

Uncle Naruto?

But that guy from the Onmitsukid? had...

"Besides, at your current level," Urahara tapped Ichigo on the forehead with his cane, "going to the Soul Society is a death sentence."

"Can you win?"

"Right now, Naruto would likely have to protect you."

"With your current skill, do you want to just be a burden to him?"

"Ten days."

"Just give me ten days."

Ichigo stared at the cane, feeling as though a sword was pressing against his throat.

The weight of Urahara's killing intent snapped him back to his senses.

"Will ten days really be enough?" he asked.

Urahara's smile softened. "If your determination is strong enough, why wouldn't it be?"

"Don't forget, you've got the kind of talent that even Naruto recognizes."

Ichigo clenched his fists. "Alright, then. I'm in."

"What's the first step?"

Urahara pressed his cane against Ichigo's chest, gently pushing him down. "The first step is to rest and heal."

"Then…"

"I'll help you reclaim your Shinigami powers."

Ichigo nodded grimly.

…

Soul Society.

Rukia was under house arrest in a secluded residence, though the surveillance and investigation by Central 46 were rather lenient.

She was officially restricted to the estate...

But with the 7th Division overseeing the matter, she wasn't actually confined. During this time, she even participated in several events organized by the "Women's Shinigami Association."

Naruto, meanwhile, was investigating whoever had pushed the situation forward. It had to be someone within the Soul Society, possibly at the lieutenant or captain level.

Those who seemed suspicious—like the newly appointed 6th Division Lieutenant Renji Abarai, who had been working hard to get closer to Rukia and Byakuya Kuchiki—turned out to be nothing more than a lovesick fool.

Then there were the Third and Fifth Seats of the 11th Division.

Those two were strong enough to replace captains or lieutenants in times of need, but they were just Kenpachi Zaraki fanboys, with no connection to Aizen.

Other than that, the list of suspects was shrinking rapidly.

So who could it be?

Naruto was still deep in thought when Momo Hinamori rushed into the room, breathless. "Captain! A Ryoka has entered the Soul Society!"

Hinamori, now the Third Seat of the 7th Division, had taken on the responsibilities of a lieutenant.

But the current lieutenant of the 7th Division was the Nine-Tails.

And what could a fox actually handle?

Naruto blinked.

A *Ryoka*?

That was a term he had heard before but had never dealt with.

It referred to souls that entered the Soul Society without a Shinigami's guidance.

This... was something new.

Naruto frowned. "Who are they? Where are they now? Have they already entered Seireitei?"

Hinamori, still catching her breath, reported, "The leader is an orange-haired man who looks somewhat like Lieutenant Kaien."

"And there's a black cat, two men, and a woman."

Naruto stood up immediately.

A black cat?

The only black cat that could be with Ichigo Kurosaki was Yoruichi Shih?in.

But why?

Finally, the lingering confusion and doubts that had plagued Naruto seemed to clear up.

He knew Ichigo Kurosaki was special. He knew the boy shouldn't be in the Soul Society.

And yet, Kisuke Urahara had *helped* him enter.

The answer became blindingly obvious.

The one who had been helping Aizen all along... was none other than Kisuke Urahara.

But... had they colluded?

That was impossible!

Aizen had forced Urahara to flee the Soul Society. They'd schemed against each other for the H?gyoku. There was no way they could be working together.

"Where are they now?" Naruto demanded, his voice sharp.

"In Rukongai," Hinamori replied quickly. "They tried to force their way into Seireitei, but they ran into Captain Gin Ichimaru, and he drove them back."

Gin Ichimaru?

Naruto's frown deepened.

"I understand," he said, preparing to leave via Shunpo.

Just as he was about to depart, an Onmitsukid? operative arrived silently. "Captain Naruto, the Captain-Commander requests all captains to gather at the 1st Division Barracks."

"Now?" Naruto frowned harder.

"Captain Ichimaru has been attacked," the Onmitsukid? operative explained. "He was gravely injured."

"And now, with the Ryoka…"

"This is a direct order from the Captain-Commander."

Naruto's frown deepened even further.

Ichimaru was attacked?

By Ichigo Kurosaki?

But something about the way the Onmitsukid? operative said it didn't sit right with him. It didn't sound like the intruders had caused Ichimaru's injuries.

At this moment?

There's no way this was just a coincidence.

"Nine-Tails," Naruto whispered.

The Nine-Tails jumped onto his shoulder.

"Go to Rukongai," Naruto instructed. "Find them. If possible, stop them. Convince them to return."

He couldn't say too much with the Onmitsukid? present, but the Nine-Tails understood his meaning and nodded. "Got it."

The fox vanished using Shunpo.

…

1st Division Barracks.

Naruto stared at the heavily bandaged Gin Ichimaru standing across from him. His spiritual pressure was unstable, and he looked seriously injured.

"Were you hurt by the intruders?" Naruto asked.

Captain-Commander Yamamoto remained silent, his eyebrows raised in curiosity, waiting for the answer.

Gin grinned through the pain, his sly smile somehow intact despite his injuries. "That intruder is pretty interesting."

"But with his abilities, he couldn't possibly hurt me."