Chaos erupted in the Seireitei once again.
It was eerily similar to the 'Captain Hollowfication' incident from over a decade ago.
The good news was that this time, only a single squad was lost, taking with it only a few high-ranking officers and ordinary soldiers. There were no losses of "Captains" or "Vice-Captains."
However, the troubling part was that the unfortunate squad happened to be the "Sixth Squad."
Fortunately, though the Kuchiki clan member faced some difficulties, his life wasn't in immediate danger.
Those who perished were mostly lower nobles and soldiers originating from Rukongai.
As long as the leading family, the "Kuchiki clan," remained unaffected, to those idle opportunists it meant no real crisis, save perhaps for quelling the discontent of lesser nobles.
Moreover, there was even better news.
The mastermind this time was apprehended by Captain Naruto Uzumaki of the Seventh Squad and died during his own experiments.
This was a fact jointly testified by members of the Fifth Squad, Ninth Squad, and the remaining Sixth Squad.
Yet, even after avenging the previous captains by eliminating the root of the problem, Captain Uzumaki's spirits seemed less than high.
Once all testimonies were documented, Vice-Captain Omaneda Ikkaku of the Second Squad respectfully greeted Naruto, "Thank you for cooperating, Captain Uzumaki. Sorry for the trouble."
"If there's anything further, I will visit you at the Seventh Squad barracks."
Naruto eagerly stood up; he was keen to meet someone.
"Captain Uzumaki," called a voice that had been waiting on the side, belonging to Captain Soi-Fong of the Second Squad. "Please wait a moment."
Naruto turned back to look at her.
"The task of pursuing the culprits, including Kisuke Urahara and others, falls under Captain Uzumaki's charge, correct?" she asked somewhat nonchalantly.
Naruto nodded, "That's right."
"Is there any progress?" Soi-Fong tilted her head slightly, her tone not very pleasant, "If any assistance is needed, just let the Second Squad know."
"The real culprit is dead."
"Kisuke Urahara seems surprisingly uninvolved in this matter and is actually innocent."
"This means upon their return to Seireitei, they won't bear too much blame."
Naruto smiled faintly.
"This guy is as straightforward as the Nine-Tails."
"If given the chance, I will seek them out and bring them back." he spoke softly in reply.
Soi-Fong paused.
"What do you mean by 'if given the chance'?" A sense of other meanings embedded within his words tugged at her mind.
However, before she could voice more questions, a flash of gold flickered, and the person before her used Shunpo to vanish instantly.
The dawn was breaking, golden light peeking over the horizon.
Yet the towering buildings of the Fifth Division blocked these rays, leaving the entire division quarters enshrouded in darkness and silence.
In the captain's quarters.
Aizen Sōsuke stood beside a pond, occasionally pinching a bit of fish food to scatter, drawing the koi within into a frenzy of feeding. He turned his head slightly. "Good evening, Naruto-kun."
In a corner of the courtyard, a figure with golden hair appeared silently, yet Aizen noticed him at once.
"It's morning now," Naruto corrected the error.
Aizen also turned his body. "But the sun hasn't risen yet."
Naruto took a deep breath. "You are the mastermind behind Hollowfying Hirako and framing Captain Urahara, aren't you?"
"I thought you might exchange a few more words with me before asking," Aizen's demeanor was gentle, "Is your patience so thin?"
Naruto gritted his teeth. "Sōsuke Aizen, it really was you."
"Didn't you already confirm that when we were about to clash?" Aizen emptied the remaining fish food into the pond, the koi erupted into frenzy, and he approached Naruto, his voice still soft, "Now you know the truth."
"But what will you do now?"
He smiled, the same attitude he had when guiding Naruto in kidō.
Naruto did not answer the question directly, something came to mind. "All those actions by Kaname... they weren't meant for me, they were intended to mislead Soul Society's people, weren't they?"
Aizen's composed demeanor suddenly made him realize it.
During the interrogation, almost everyone naturally assumed Kaname Tōsen was the mastermind.
Everything they experienced pointed to him.
The unseen enemy was him, the cause of the Shinigami's Hollowfication was him, and it was he who ultimately displayed the means to Hollowfy.
"The 'evidence' is conclusive."
Aizen spoke softly, "Smart people are hard to deal with."
"But fools are much easier to handle."
"As long as you set up a hypothetical fact for them, they will believe it unquestioningly."
Naruto clenched his fist, "Was it you who killed Tōsen?"
"Of course not." Aizen shook his head, "He didn't die; he sacrificed himself."
"On the path of justice, he became the foremost martyr."
"He was brave, wasn't he?"
"Do you know, Naruto-kun, he and I had a pact."
"He asked me that if one day he could no longer uphold justice and chose instead to side with the Shinigami, I should kill him personally."
"But thankfully, that day never came."
"Even at the moment of death, he was steadfast in his own sense of justice."
Naruto said nothing, merely observing Aizen.
Kagura's Mind Eye confirmed that this was all 'truth.'
"Naruto-kun," Aizen smiled faintly at him, as a guardian might to a child, "You're very easy to understand while seeing through others' hearts."
"Let me guess what you plan to do next?"
"Will they choose to believe you or opt to trust the facts?"
Naruto shook his head, raising his hand, "Those are facts you've fabricated."
"But to them, that is reality." Aizen relaxed his tone, his gaze shifting towards Naruto's waist, "Or perhaps..."
"Do you intend to make a move against me?"
"Kill me here and end everything you perceive as evil."
He paused, a playful smile curling at his lips, "But, Naruto-kun."
"Are you sure the person you're about to kill is truly me?"
Naruto remained silent, unable to fathom Aizen's true power.
"Affection and aspiration are the furthest distance apart," Aizen said, breaking the silence.
Naruto looked up at him, remembering he had once said something similar to Karin.
At that time, it was about "myself" and "Hinata."
But now, what is it that he wants to express?
Aizen lifted his head, gazing into the distance as the sun emerged from behind the squad barracks, casting its light upon them.
Naruto stood illuminated by the light, while Aizen remained in the shadows.
A mere ten steps separated them, divided by the shadow of the towering barracks.
"Your impression of the Seireitei is a bit too idealistically beautiful," he continued. "But this world is born out of sin."
"You used to be a child, well-protected by everyone."
"But now, Naruto-kun, welcome to the world of adults."
"Use your own eyes to see just how filthy this world truly is."
Naruto took a deep breath to calm himself. "That's not a reason for what you've done."
"Just because filth exists, it doesn't justify harming the innocent."
"I don't accept your methods."
"Captain Aizen!" He changed his address, shedding the previous familiarity, his voice resolute. "I've got you now, and I'll expose you for what you are, your ugly, sinful nature, for everyone to see!"
"Is that so." Aizen smiled, scrutinizing Naruto as he sighed. "I must admit, you are quite the difficult one to deal with."
"Every time I think I begin to understand you,"
"somehow, you surprise me with powers that are unexplainable, undocumented."
"Naruto-kun, you hold secrets greater than mine."
"Let's see who unmasks whom first."
Naruto said nothing more and turned to leave. Aizen watched him go, a slight smile on his face.
He spoke, as if to himself or bidding farewell to the departing Naruto. "The more pure one's ideals, the harder it is for them to coexist with filth."
"Just how long can you hold out?"
"Naruto-kun."
He also turned back towards the barracks.
At the entrance of Squad Seven's barracks, Naruto was met unexpectedly with someone he didn't expect.
"Byakuya?" Naruto greeted him friendly. "What brings you here?"
Kuchiki Byakuya bowed respectfully to Naruto. "Naruto-kun, I am immensely grateful. After my father woke up, he told me everything. If it weren't for your intervention, he might have perished in the living world."
"The Kuchiki family is forever indebted to your life-saving grace."
Naruto shook his head, helping Byakuya to stand straight. "How is Vice Captain Kuchiki's health?"
"Since returning, I've been caught up with other matters and haven't visited him promptly."
Byakuya shook his head. "Father's health is stable, and thanks to your seal, that force won't corrode his body."
"But he might never be able to serve as a Death God again."
"Grandfather plans to have me take over his position."
Naruto nodded. "Resting and recuperating isn't a bad choice."
"I've come unannounced not only to express my gratitude but also to warn you of something, Naruto-kun," Byakuya said with a serious look.
Naruto looked at him, puzzled.
Was it about the Quadruple Seal issue?
Or something else entirely?
Byakuya continued. "Do you still have Kaname Tōsen's body?"
Naruto nodded.
The Second Squad hadn't requested it, so he intended to keep it for research—to understand what this 'Hollowfication' truly entailed.
"Be wary of the Tsunayashiro family," Byakuya cautioned.
Naruto frowned.
The family that caused the death of Kaname Tōsen's friend?
"They control the Great Spirit Book Gallery and have an insatiable desire for unrecorded techniques. Back in those days, they even tried to claim captains and vice captains who had undergone Hollowfication. Now..." he trailed off, raising his head.
In the distance, a man with dark green hair, accompanied by several similarly aristocratic looking Shinigami, was approaching.
He bore some resemblance to Gin Ichimaru.
Yet, he lacked the same sinister grace, exuding a more vicious aura.
"They're here," Byakuya whispered quietly, "Impatient indeed."
(End of Chapter)