No one noticed him.
Like a phantom, a shadow under the moonlight, he moved silently.
He approached Naruto from behind, lifting his blade high.
Inside Naruto's mind, the Nine-Tails bared its fangs.
It sensed a presence, not overwhelmingly powerful, but carrying a pure, unrestrained malice.
The chaotic, discordant energy on the blade resonated with the power of those whom Naruto was currently fighting.
Naruto remained oblivious.
"Ashura" enclosed the Nine-Tails, causing it to warn, "Kid, watch your back!"
Almost instantly, driven by instinct, Naruto believed the warning.
Without turning, he extended his hands behind him.
He forwent the incantation.
"Bakudō #39: Enclosed Fan."
A rapidly spinning golden round fan materialized between his palms.
The attacking blade clashed against it with a clang, deflected by the recoil.
Naruto turned his head.
He saw nothing, felt nothing.
It was inexplicable.
Where did the attack originate? Who was behind it?
Only the momentary reverberation of his own spiritual energy, confirming the Nine-Tails' warning was genuine.
"What was that?" Naruto asked the Nine-Tails.
The Nine-Tails snarled, "Kid, can't you sense it?"
Naruto shook his head silently, conveying a message of 'negation.'
His eyes deepened, capturing an unreadable emotion.
The ones that couldn't be sensed yet always managed to ambush him.
Yes."
They're the culprits behind the vanishing souls in the Rukongai, the ones who caused these captains and lieutenants to end up in such a state?"
Silently.
No wonder even the captains fall prey to them.
"Behind you, right side."
Kurama hesitated for a moment before deciding to remind him again.
Naruto obeyed.
The Adamantine Seal continued to suppress Kensei Muguruma and Shinji Hirako, but he still managed to spare two arms to swing his blade and cast a spell towards that direction.
Tōsen Kaname dodged.
Kurama spoke again, warning Naruto.
Amidst the trees, Gin Ichimaru's fake smile whispered, as if complaining, though his tone betrayed no such emotion—only a sarcastic edge: "Oh my, how unfortunate."
"Seems he's spotted Tōsen."
"Has the Third Seat of Uzumaki clan already seen through Lord Aizen's Zanpakutō?"
Sosuke Aizen did not respond, still smiling as he watched Naruto.
His sword, named "Kyōka Suigetsu,"
did not possess the abilities shown in Shin'ō Academy.
Its "Water Flow" type was merely a facade for outsiders.
Its true power was "Complete Hypnosis."
Anyone who witnessed its Shikai would have all their senses, possibly even their perception of Reiatsu, manipulated by Sosuke Aizen, losing the ability to discern the realities of the world.
It was incredibly powerful.
However, it still had flaws.
No matter how close to "perfection" something might seem, it remains "imperfect."
If one has never "seen" the initial release with their own eyes, they will not fall under Kyōka Suigetsu's hypnosis.
Sōsuke Aizen's gaze shifted to "Tōsen Kaname," who was easily evading Naruto's attacks.
This subordinate of his was unique, someone who could escape "Kyōka Suigetsu's hypnosis."
Not because of his strength, but simply because he was blind.
Unable to see anything.
Even though he's blind, apart from his "sightlessness," all his other senses function like a normal person's, even sharper.
"Gin, I believed that staying by my side, you would understand the lesson that "what the eyes see isn't always true,"" Aizen spoke softly. "Naruto-kun hasn't discerned my ability."
"His attacks are so slow, even Kaname can avoid them."
"It's because within Naruto-kun's body lies something that has never seen my initial release."
Sealed within Naruto's body.
What could it be?
Aizen raised a hand, adjusting his glasses.
Gin Ichimaru was about to speak when he saw Aizen suddenly look up, his gaze directed to the left.
He followed Aizen's gaze.
A spiritual pressure was racing towards them.
"We've got an unexpected guest," Aizen murmured.
He focused on a figure cloaked in black and smiled faintly.
In fact, they weren't unwanted guests.
No wonder they were the captain of the Twelfth Division, able to create an item that could disable even Aizen's perception.
Naruto turned his head happily towards them.
This spiritual pressure came from someone he knew well and deeply trusted.
The Grand Kido Chief, Muguruma Kensei.
Seeing the man beside him, cloaked in shadow and invisible to sensory perception yet possessing a tangible form, brought him even greater joy.
"Grand Kido Chief Muguruma!"
"Captain Urahara!"
Kisuke Urahara removed his hood, scanning the faces of those either repressed or unconscious, utterly shocked: "How did they end up like this?"
"Be careful!" Naruto didn't answer the question but instead issued a warning, "There are invisible enemies around us that can't be sensed."
Instantly, both men were on high alert.
In the forest, Aizen Sosuke spoke softly, "Tōsen, come back."
His voice carried through.
"Aizen-sama, I can—" Tōsen Kaname began to reply.
"I've already told you," Aizen's voice grew even softer, "return."
Kaname, shocked, immediately stepped back to stand behind Aizen, trembling with fear: "Yes, please forgive my earlier presumptuous behavior."
Aizen squinted, looking ahead.
Naruto is the first course.
Kisuke Urahara will be the second.
The Nine-Tails fell silent.
Naruto inquired.
The Nine-Tails sneered, "The brat ran away."
Naruto conveyed this information to the two who had just arrived.
"An enemy that's both invisible and undetectable—is that the cause of their Hollowfication?" Kisuke Urahara frowned.
Sparse woods, the last rays of the setting moon.
Eight wear masks of bone, their sanity lost.
These things made his heart pound with fright.
He realized he was not the only one conducting "that kind" of research.
"Does Captain Urahara know how they got this way?" Naruto's voice rose with urgency, "There must be some way to save them!"
Kisuke Urahara nodded, a frown forming as he spoke in a somber tone, "They've already undergone these changes. If we handle it here, the conditions aren't sufficient, but if we return to the squad barracks…"
Everyone could sense the disappointment in his words.
Time, environment, equipment.
Here, they had none of these.
"As long as they're able to maintain this state to return to Squad Twelve," Tessai Tsukabishi chimed in, "there's a chance we can save them with the proper equipment back at the barracks, right?"
Kisuke Urahara looked surprised, "Maintain this state?"
He didn't disagree with the latter.
"Is that even possible?" Naruto was equally astonished.
Tessai nodded solemnly, raising his hands, "I will now employ two forbidden techniques."
"Please, Urahara-sama and Uzumaki Third Seat,"
"pretend you neither see nor hear anything temporarily."
"As for how they return to Squad Twelve, I ask Uzumaki Third Seat to take responsibility before the Captain-Commander."
Without hesitation, Naruto agreed, "Yes, no problem."
The spiritual pressure surged around this formidable Kido Master.
The incantations were set in motion.
Space and time rippled, whisking them away.
In the woods.
"The strong have fled." Gin Ichimaru murmured softly.
Something heavy seemed to settle in his heart.
Aizen shook his head, "Gin, let us return."
"Aizen-sama, are you really letting them go?" Ichimaru questioned, trailing Aizen.
Aizen lifted his gaze, "People believe that the flowers growing from the cliff are the most beautiful."
"It's because people linger at the edge of a cliff."
"Rather than stepping into the sky fearlessly, like those blossoms do."
"Don't you think Naruto, this particular flower, is extraordinarily beautiful?"
(End of Chapter)