The things prepared before leaving the Soul Society were intact, kept at his side, and the fragile seal on them remained.
It seemed that his departure and arrival didn't cause any energy fluctuations.
And those items he prepared in the ninja world, he didn't bring along.
Shuttling between the two worlds, yet he couldn't detect any "time-space" fluctuations.
He stretched lazily and got out of bed.
Sorting through his memory for upcoming tasks, it seemed only Byakuya's romance was worth his attention.
After washing up, he walked into the office.
Soi Fon, like a wooden carving, was perched on a small, low table.
Naruto paused in his steps.
Oh. Almost forgot, there's this guy too.
Unlike usual, upon seeing Naruto enter, Soi Fon lifted her head, looked him up and down: "You seem to have gotten taller."
Being someone slightly lacking in height, she was keenly aware of such changes.
Naruto grinned: "Really?"
"I haven't measured, but I think I did grow taller."
Soi Fon tilted her head, carefully recalling Naruto's recent habits and diet, trying to figure out what she might emulate.
Apparently, she had never been to an "izakaya." But could that place make someone grow taller?
Familiar with the routine, Naruto handled some trivial matters and left the squad dormitory.
Soi Fon thought for a moment and decided not to follow.
The Seventh Division still had some official business to attend to—she couldn't just occupy the squad captain's office all the time. She even felt a bit "nostalgic" for tasks similar to "odd jobs," just like when she was with Yoruichi.
As soon as he left the dormitory, "Back to the Soul Society, huh?" Yang Kurama's enthusiastic tone seemed to visualize its wagging tails in Naruto's mind.
"Yeah." Naruto nodded.
Yang Kurama chuckled, "Naruto, my sword!"
"I'll find out for you and get one." Naruto agreed with a smile.
"There's something else." Yang Kurama took a deep breath, "I've discussed it with my other self, and we've decided that I should come out to act."
Naruto nodded: "Why?"
The Seireitei looks peaceful, but there remains an enemy named "Aizen Sosuke."
"My other self and I can sense each other, but it's not entirely interconnected," Yang Kurama continued. "The techniques applied on me won't affect my other self."
"If it can't see, it won't be affected?"
There was a pause as the two-tailed foxes whispered to each other, then quickly said, "Moreover, we think this can be a chance to take the initiative against Aizen—what do you call it? 'Intimidation,' yes, intimidation!"
Naruto smiled.
At that moment, he suddenly felt something missing by his side.
It was Karin.
If she were here, she'd probably say, "It's amazing that two heads came up with that word," or mock, "You do have brains, don't you?"
"That could work too." Naruto thought it over and nodded in agreement.
Though
Yang Kurama's proposal was mostly out of a desire for freedom.
But it wasn't a bad idea.
"If Aizen approaches and wants to release his Zanpakuto, remember to—" he continued.
Yang Kurama grumbled, "Remind you? I got it."
Naruto shook his head, "Aizen can manipulate perception, hearing, and sight; you reminding me doesn't help."
"You need to remind your other self to remind me."
Yang Kurama was momentarily stunned, then pondered for a bit to sort out the logic.
He wasn't ensnared by the technique and could see the truth.
But Naruto was ensnared.
That means if he's outside and speaks to Naruto, his words might be controlled by Aizen's 'technique.'
He might deliver real information, but Naruto might receive false information.
However, Yin Kurama wasn't ensnared and was inside Naruto.
He could pass the message to his other self, then to Naruto, ensuring the accuracy of the message.
"What a nuisance," Yang Kurama muttered, "I'll remember that."
"Then I'll come out?"
Naruto smiled, "Looking to meet Captain Mayuri?"
Yang Kurama paused before poking his head out from Naruto's shoulder, quickly retreating again. "Are you going to meet him?"
"I'll wait for you to return."
He didn't like that crazy guy.
Inside the Twelfth Division barracks. "Ah, Captain Uzumaki graces us with his presence," Mayuri Kurotsuchi waved, his tone a blend of sarcastic deference, "It seems this is your first visit since Urahara left."
"Is there a particular reason?"
Naruto waved his hand, entering the lab before speaking, "I want to make a deal with you."
"I want to know."
"Where do Zanpakutō come from?"
"All your research on Zanpakutō."
Mayuri rubbed his hands, eyes bright with interest, "I suggested this years ago, and now Captain Uzumaki sees the light?"
"Then please hand over your Zanpakutō."
Naruto shook his head, interrupting him, "It's a trade, not a partnership."
"And definitely not turning into your research subject."
"A trade." Mayuri's eyes narrowed, his speech deliberate, "That demands a different price, then."
"The value of these things."
Naruto raised a finger, "I'll offer a technique."
Mayuri scoffed, saying nothing, his disdain revealing his answer.
"Remember the cloning technique I used?" Naruto spoke softly.
Mayuri frowned, "That one?"
He was interested in many secrets surrounding Naruto, but the cloning technique had never piqued his curiosity.
"That technique" had a fatal flaw—it dispersed spiritual pressure.
And in the Shinigami world, "spiritual pressure" was everything.
More clones resulted in less spiritual pressure, bringing no benefits—only drawbacks.
Naruto chuckled, turning his palm upward to summon a scroll. "You simply can't resist this technique," he said. "Although it doesn't have much use in direct combat, each clone, when dispelled, returns all its memories, knowledge, and learning experiences back to your brain."
Mayuri's pupils expanded as he stared at the scroll. "Are you saying—"
"I can manage multiple projects simultaneously, and even—"
"The entire Twelfth Division wouldn't just be a gathering of misfits, but geniuses like me?"
Naruto laid the scroll down. "Exactly."
"But before you decide to lay off the entire Twelfth Division, I suggest consulting with the head captain first."
Mayuri was deeply intrigued and excited.
For a "scientist," nothing could be more precious than this technique.
Although Shinigami have a long lifespan, the advancement of research itself is immensely rewarding and joyful.
The sense of achievement after spending a year versus ten years in research is completely different.
"May I take a look first?" Mayuri asked.
Upon Naruto's nod, he reached out, grabbed the scroll, and unrolled it.
The "Multiple Shadow Clones" technique wasn't particularly difficult.
Especially after Mayuri had dissected the "Summoning Technique," and with Naruto's improvements to better suit "spiritual pressure,"
a few hours later,
Mayuri formed a single-hand seal, summoning two clones, played with them briefly, then dispersed them.
The memories surged into him.
His eyes gleamed with delight. "Naruto-kun's secrets truly make me envious."
"Curious about the zanpakutō, are you?"
"Let me think where to begin."
Mayuri pondered for a while before speaking, "Given that Captain Uzumaki asks like this, he must have noticed already."
"Every year, hundreds of zanpakutō are distributed to the Shin'o Academy,"
"Yet within the Seireitei, no department is responsible for forging asauchi."
Naruto nodded slightly.
"I am not skilled in combat," Mayuri continued, "For geniuses like you, mastering bankai is easy."
He chuckled, "I almost forgot, Captain Uzumaki's not exactly having an easy time mastering Bankai."
"I have no natural talent for Bankai."
"But I managed to resolve this issue by using the technology behind the 'Sleep Number Five' to create my own Bankai."
Naruto squinted at him.
If not for the experimental piece capable of impressing him that I brought out this time, it would have been tough to coax the truth out of him.
This guy, his research on the zanpakutō went beyond the initial release stage and had already ventured into the realm of Bankai, hadn't it?
Mayuri intentionally paused for quite a while after saying this.
Seeing that 'Sleep Number Five' failed to catch Naruto's interest, he clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction: "Captain Uzumaki should know that before I joined the Twelfth Division, I was deemed capable of disrupting Seireitei and was imprisoned in the Second Division's prison."
Naruto nodded slightly again.
He was aware of this fact.
"And the reason I was convicted..." A rare human feeling appeared on Mayuri's face, with a hint of nostalgia in his eyes, "...was because I privately involved myself with a research organization."
"Its leader was the former Twelfth Division Captain Kirio Hikifune."
"However."
"She neither retired nor passed away but took an extraordinarily different path."
"Ascension."
These words startled Naruto.
"The Central 46?" He speculated.
But immediately dismissed the thought.
The Central 46, that foul-smelling place, never had a Shinigami ascend among them; their selection process favored nobility, not strength.
Naruto had another idea: "Something to do with the so-called 'Soul King' perhaps?"
Mayuri giggled: "You're really smart, Captain Uzumaki."
"Kirio ascended to become one of the 'King's Special Forces'."
"The reason for her promotion was never disclosed, but I suspect it involves something like 'Righteous Soul.'"
"I haven't seen her since, nor do I know where she went."
"So I suspect the source of the foundational zanpakutō creation might originate from the 'King's Special Forces'."
As he spoke, he unsheathed his sword from his waist.
"Perhaps long ago, someone discovered the technique to create the foundational zanpakutō and thus ascended to become part of the 'King's Special Forces'."
"Captain Uzumaki."
"Do you know what the materials used for a shallow hit are?"
Naruto shook his head.
(End of Chapter)