Naruto: Sasuke Uchiha Returns from Soul Society

Hanataro felt as if he had been granted a pardon and immediately scrambled away into the dark passage.

Only Ichigo and Renji remained on the stairs.

"Enough with the small talk."

Renji pointed the tip of Zabimaru's sword at Ichigo, his smile vanishing, replaced by a chilling expression.

"If you want to get through here, you'll have to defeat me first."

The battle erupted in an instant.

But this time, it's no longer the overwhelming defeat with such a disparity in strength that happened in the real world.

Having mastered Shikai and continuously improved through battle, Ichigo now possesses the strength to directly confront a lieutenant-level opponent.

The massive Zangetsu and the ferocious Hebimaru collided violently, scattering dense sparks that illuminated the entire space with flickering light.

finally--

"Crescent Moon Sky Slash!!!"

With a roar, a massive blue crescent moon slash completely engulfed Renji's figure.

"Ugh..."

Renji Abarai struggled to his feet from the collapsed staircase ruins, covered in blood.

"why?"

Ichigo, panting, leaned on Zangetsu for support and asked, puzzled, "You could definitely become stronger, right?"

During the battle just now, he could clearly sense that Renji had not used his full strength.

"Shut up."

Renji's voice was hoarse. He didn't answer, but simply looked up at the distant white tower above him, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

After a long while, he slowly opened his mouth, as if speaking to Ichigo, or perhaps to himself.

"Me? Rukia and I both came from Rukongai."

His thoughts seemed to drift back to many years ago, to that neighborhood filled with poverty and hunger.

"We've been together since we were little, stealing other people's things, getting chased and beaten up..."

Renji's voice carried a hint of nostalgic laughter, "Back then, even though we had nothing, as long as the two of us were together, it felt like we were fearless."

"Later, in order to have a better life, we entered the Shinigami Academy together, hoping to become Shinigami."

"And then..."

Renji's voice lowered, "Rukia was adopted by the Kuchiki family."

"From that day on, she became a star high above, while I remained a stray dog, nothing more than a barking dog at the star, but without the courage to try to jump up and grab it."

Renji clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging deep into his palms.

"I trained desperately, just to catch up with her, just to be able to stand side by side with her again."

"I worked hard to become stronger, and became the vice-captain of the Sixth Division, standing beside that man..."

"I wanted to surpass Captain Kuchiki, but... in the end, I still... never beat him even once."

He raised his head, and his eyes, which were always filled with arrogance, were now filled with pain.

In the end, I still couldn't do anything.

"I could only watch helplessly as she was arrested and sentenced to death..."

Renji's voice became hoarse and pleading at this moment.

He looked at Ichigo Kurosaki in front of him and lowered his head.

"Kurosaki, I know it's embarrassing, but I still have to ask you, please..."

"Please, you must rescue Rukia."

Chapter 111 The First Kenpachi

Inside a quiet room in Seireitei, used as a temporary shelter for the wounded.

Renji Abarai lay on the white tatami mat, his body wrapped in thick bandages, his breathing weak but steady, clearly having already received initial treatment.

Kneeling beside him were Kira Izuru, the vice-captain of the Third Division, and Hinamori Momo, the vice-captain of the Fifth Division.

Kira Izuru lowered his head, his golden bangs covering most of his face, and his bloodless lips were tightly pursed.

"......hateful."

Kira Izuru lowered her head, her voice muffled with regret, "If only I had discovered it sooner, and joined the battle, perhaps..."

"That's not true."

Hinamori Momo's eyes were slightly red. She held back her tears and shook her head repeatedly, "This is not Kira's fault."

"Anyway, I'll contact the Fourth Division first."

Kira Izuru suddenly stood up. "Renji's injuries are too severe. We must request a high-level medical team to come, otherwise he will definitely suffer long-term consequences."

However, the moment he opened the paper door, a cold figure appeared outside, blocking his way.

The man was wearing the captain's haori of the Sixth Division, and his handsome face was expressionless.

There's no need for that.

Byakuya Kuchiki's voice was soft, and his gaze passed over Kira and landed on Renji, who was wrapped in bandages on the floor.

"Since he chose to go into battle alone, it means that he cannot afford to fail."

"The Sixth Division doesn't need idiots who don't even have this much awareness."

“Captain Kuchiki…” Kira Izuru’s face turned pale instantly as he stared in disbelief at the cold-hearted man before him.

"Throw him in jail."

Kuchiki Byakuya gave his final order, offering no further explanation, before turning away and coldly disappearing into the shadows at the end of the corridor.

The quiet room fell silent once again.

Looking at Renji's pale face, Hinamori Momo could no longer hold back her tears, which streamed down her face like pearls from a broken string.

Just then, a flippant voice came lazily from inside the room without warning.

"Oh dear, this is really a headache. The captain of the Sixth Division is still as cold and unapproachable as ever."

Gin Ichimaru had quietly settled into the corner of the room, his perpetually narrowed eyes scanning the three people inside like a fox.

"But it's okay."

He waved his wide sleeves and gave Kira, who was still standing stunned at the door, and Hinamori, who was crying, a reassuring smile. "I can help find someone for the Fourth Division."

He walked slowly to Kira Izuru's side, a barely perceptible glint in his eyes, and gently patted his shoulder.

"Let's go, Izuru. We can leave this to Hinamori. If we stand here, we'll only disturb the patient's rest."

"...Yes, Captain Ichimaru."

Kira Izuru hesitated for a moment, but finally nodded and followed him out of the room.

Inside the quiet room, only Hinamori Momo and the unconscious Renji remained.

However, this tranquility did not last long.

Another figure appeared silently behind Hinamori.

The newcomer was short in stature and had striking short, silver-white hair.

"Wow, how did Abarai get beaten up so badly?"

"Shiro?!" Momo Hinamori was startled by the sudden voice. She turned around and saw who it was, and subconsciously wiped away the tears on her face.

"Hey, I'm already the captain."

Hitsugaya Toshiro frowned deeply, expressing his displeasure with the address. "It's not appropriate for you to call me that."

"but......"

Hinamori waved her hands up and down, trying to hide her embarrassment. "Why is it that every captain suddenly approaches like this, walking silently?"

She seemed to only then realize what was happening, tilting her head and asking with some confusion, "By the way, why are you here? And why didn't you bring your adjutant with you?"

Hitsugaya glanced at Renji on the ground, and his face suddenly turned serious.

"I'm here to remind you, Hinamori."

"Eh?"

"The Third Division."

Hitsugaya's gaze subtly swept over the direction where Gin Ichimaru and Kira had left, a hint of wariness flashing in his eyes. "Stay away from them."

"The Third Division?"

Hinamori Momo froze, instinctively defending her friend, "You mean Kira? No way, Kira, he..."

"I was talking about Gin Ichimaru."

Hitsugaya interrupted her, his mind uncontrollably flashing back to the scene of Aizen clashing with Gin Ichimaru at the captain's meeting. An intuition he didn't know came from made him feel intensely uneasy.

He always felt that something was going to happen.

Hitsugaya's voice was low: "I always felt that there was something wrong with that guy."

He seemed to have thought of something else, his brows furrowed even more, and finally, still not entirely at ease, he added another sentence.

"You'd better be careful with Kira Izuru too."

"Although there's no real basis for it, it's always better to be safe than sorry."

…………

However, the impact of Renji's defeat goes far beyond the outcome of a single battle.

That was not just the fall of a Shinigami, but the genuine defeat of a lieutenant who, even after unleashing his Zanpakuto, was still head-on crushed by the invading Ryuka.

This means that this is no longer a riot that lower-ranking soldiers can resolve through regular patrols and manhunts.