Naruto: Sasuke Uchiha Returns from Soul Society

"I'll think of a way."

Sasuke looked at her quietly, into those confident eyes.

After a long while, he slowly nodded.

"......I see."

"That's good."

Yoruichi flicked her tail with satisfaction, resuming her lazy demeanor. "Well then, until the time comes, I'll just be a patient spectator for now."

With a light leap, she landed back on Sasuke's shoulder and rubbed her cheek against his cheek.

"After all, a drama like this that can turn the entire Seireitei upside down is a rare sight, perhaps only once every few centuries."

Sasuke did not respond further.

He simply turned his gaze back to the increasingly chaotic battlefield in the distance.

Yoruichi's words did put him at ease.

But deep down, the awe stemming from absolute power has not dissipated.

Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni...

Uchiha Sasuke silently repeated the name in his heart, his grip on the sword tightening even more.

He quietly processed the information Yoruichi had brought, his eyes reflecting the increasingly chaotic battle in the distance, revealing no emotion.

After a moment of silence, he seemed to have finally made a decision and spoke to Yoruichi.

"Oh, right, there's one more thing."

"Hmm?" Yoruichi responded lazily.

"After I sneaked into the Palace of Penitence, when I came out, I met someone on the bridge."

Sasuke spoke slowly, as if recalling and organizing his thoughts, "It's the captain of the Fifth Division, Aizen Sousuke."

Upon hearing this name, Yoruichi's gently swaying tail stopped wagging.

"He seemed to know everything I did."

Sasuke continued, his voice becoming somewhat low, "He didn't stop me, instead..."

He paused for a moment, as if considering how to describe the conversation.

"...revealed his strong dissatisfaction with the Central 46 and the existing order, and his attempt to win me over."

He said, "Our goals are aligned."

Sasuke looked up, his eyes filled with confusion, and stared directly at Yoruichi as he asked, "Do you know him? What kind of person is he?"

"what?!"

Yoruichi's nonchalant attitude vanished completely, her body hair practically standing on end, and she abruptly jumped off Sasuke's shoulder.

He tilted his head back, staring intently at Sasuke, his voice suddenly becoming sharp and urgent.

"You mean Aizen?! ​​He told you all of this himself?!"

Sasuke looked at her intense reaction, a knowing glint in his eyes, and calmly nodded.

"Yes."

"You bastard..." Yoruichi's breathing became a little rapid. She paced around Sasuke anxiously a few times, as if checking if he was missing any limbs.

After a long while, she stopped, her voice filled with an unprecedented solemnity and warning.

"Listen, kid."

Yoruichi's voice was very low, "No matter what that man said to you, no matter what he promised you, stay away from him."

"Why?" Sasuke asked back.

"There's no reason why!"

Yoruichi's voice carried a rare hint of sternness, "All you need to know is that man is ten thousand times more dangerous than you've seen or heard!"

She paused, seemingly hesitant to reveal more, but ultimately lowered her voice and spoke.

"The whole Rukia Kuchiki affair has been suspicious from beginning to end. Kisuke and I have long suspected that someone is manipulating everything behind the scenes..."

"And the most likely mastermind behind it all is him."

"I see."

Sasuke's answer was surprisingly calm, which took Yoruichi by surprise.

"Hey, what's with your reaction?" Yoruichi frowned, somewhat annoyed.

"All right."

Sasuke didn't continue the topic; he had already gotten the answer to what he wanted to confirm.

He slowly raised his hand and formed a simple mudra.

The blood-red magic circle beneath their feet, which had begun to dim, began to glow faintly again.

"Then, I'll leave it to you until the time is right."

Sasuke's voice returned to its calm tone, "Monitor all movements of the Seireitei, especially..."

His gaze fell upon the tallest tower in the distance.

"Captain."

"......I see."

Yoruichi looked at Sasuke in front of her and could only sigh helplessly in the end.

She didn't know if her warning would have any effect on the kid.

"You should also be careful."

She gave her final instructions, and then her figure slowly became transparent in the light of the crimson magic circle, eventually disappearing completely.

The abandoned shrine returned to its deathly silence once more.

Sasuke stood quietly in place for a long time before slowly exhaling a breath of stale air.

Aizen Sousuke...

According to Yoruichi, Aizen was manipulating everything behind the scenes, but the orders to arrest Rukia and execute her were issued by the Central 46.

If the so-called mastermind is indeed Aizen, then it means that the Central 46 has been taken over by him, and we don't know his methods or his purpose.

But this also demonstrates just how fragile and foolish the so-called supreme power of Seireitei is, to the point that it was controlled by Aizen for so long without anyone in the entire Seireitei noticing.

As the world with the strongest power among the three realms, its highest authority was so easily corrupted. From this perspective, the rules of this world seem so unreasonable...

Compared to that, being deceived by Aizen seems insignificant.

With this in mind, Sasuke seemed to have made up his mind about a certain decision.

On the other side, Yoruichi reappeared on the eaves of a house, looking up and quietly gazing at the solitary white tower.

After a long while, she finally let out a barely audible sigh.

"I hope... everything goes well."

We can't hesitate any longer.

She glanced one last time in the direction of the Palace of Repentance, and her figure disappeared in a few leaps.

……

The 13th Division barracks, the captain's room.

Unlike the usual tranquility, the atmosphere inside the Japanese-style room was somewhat somber at this moment.

Jushiro Ukitake knelt in the main seat, holding a cup of tea that had long since gone cold, his brows furrowed, as if deep in thought.

Across from him, Kyoraku Shunsui remained as languid as ever, his straw hat casually placed aside, lying on the tatami mat without any regard for his image, idly sipping his sake.

"Sigh, this is really a headache."

Kyoraku Shunsui shook the empty sake bottle, breaking the silence. "I say, Jushiro, stop looking so gloomy. Things have already come to this point, there's no use thinking about it anymore."

"Spring water..."

Ukitake raised his head, his eyes filled with deep worry. "I was just wondering if we've overlooked something."

What's the point of thinking about those troublesome things?

Kyoraku Shunsui lay back down on the tatami mat, his hands behind his head. "You know how temperamental Yamamoto is. Once he's made up his mind, no one can change it."

Ukitake didn't refute, but just coughed softly again.

"If we go to him, won't the result be the same?"

Kyoraku Shunsui raised the sake bottle to his lips, tilted his head back, and took a swig, but there was no more sake left. "He flatly shut me down with his 'captain's duty' rhetoric, and nothing changed."

"No, things have changed."

Ukitake put down his teacup and spoke gently, "At least we now know the teacher's attitude, and we've confirmed that this path is a dead end."

"If that doesn't work, then what?"

Kyoraku Shunsui turned his head and glanced at his close friend. "You're not really planning to go through that 'back door' you mentioned, are you?"

"That would mean making enemies of the entire Seireitei. If we're not careful, the two of us could go from being 'captains' to 'sinners'."

His tone seemed flippant, but his half-closed eyes gleamed with a subtle, sharp glint.

Ukitake did not answer immediately, but slowly raised his head.

"Spring water".

He looked at his best friend and said, "If it's to uphold the justice in my heart, what does it matter if I become a 'sinner'?"

These words caused Kyoraku Shunsui to pause slightly.

He slowly sat up, looked at Fukitake's serious face, and after a long while, let out a helpless sigh.

"Sigh, I'm really defeated by you."

He scratched his slightly messy stubble. "I knew it. Once you've made up your mind, no one can change it."