Naruto: Sasuke Uchiha Returns from Soul Society

Szayelaporro's fingernails dug deeply into his palm.

"Aizen, what do you mean?" Sasuke's voice also carried a hint of seriousness.

Aizen wore a nonchalant smile, as if what he had just handed over was nothing more than a stone that could be found anywhere.

“Sasuke, you seem to have some misunderstanding about me. My purpose in obtaining the Hogyoku is not just to break the boundary between Shinigami and Hollows.”

"What I have always been seeking is a path to a higher realm of evolution."

"And you..."

Aizen's gaze fell on the Hogyoku in Sasuke's hand, his voice filled with admiration.

"The power within you, and the void that originates from your own hatred, is purer and has greater potential than any other being I have ever seen."

"Your evolution is the research topic that truly interests me."

"but......"

Aizen changed the subject, his tone tinged with regret, "In my current state, and with this still imperfect Hogyoku, I am not enough to unleash the full potential of your power."

"The Hōgyoku can read the hearts of people around it and materialize their desires."

"In other words, it needs a huge amount of 'material' to learn and grow."

"so......"

Aizen's lips curled into a meaningful smile. "I'll leave it with you for now, and you will be its guide."

"It lets you use it to personally modify the interesting materials you bring back."

"In this process, the Hogyoku will learn more about the possibilities of evolution, and you will also feel more directly just how wonderful the power to break through your own limits is."

"..."

Sasuke remained silent for a moment; this man's cunning was deeper than he had imagined.

Sasuke couldn't understand why his father had entrusted him with the Hogyoku, which he had been planning for so long.

But in the end, he reached out and grasped the Hōgyoku that emitted an eerie light in his hand.

A warm, smooth sensation came from my palm, and a tremendous force surged wildly into my arm.

At that moment, the "Indra" pendant at his waist also emitted a longing hum.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, and he forcefully severed the connection.

"Then we'll wait and see."

Aizen watched Sasuke's actions and nodded in satisfaction. "I look forward to the surprise you'll bring me, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke said nothing more, put away the Hogyoku, and left the main hall with his companions, who were also preoccupied with their own thoughts.

All that remained were a group of Arrancar with varying expressions, and the man on the throne whose smile grew ever deeper.

..........

Meanwhile, in the present world, Karakura Town.

Inside the Urahara store, there was a strange yet vibrant atmosphere.

Urahara Kisuke gently waved his folding fan, the shadow of his hat covering most of his face, but his eyes, which were visible, sparkled with curiosity and focus.

"...Is this the feeling?"

Opposite him, Yoruichi Shihouin sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, his long purple hair casually draped over his shoulders.

There was no fluctuation of spiritual pressure around her, but the air around her seemed to be given life, rising and falling with her breath in an extremely subtle rhythm.

"Hmm." Yoruichi didn't open her eyes, her voice carrying a hint of barely perceptible fatigue. "It's much more troublesome than I imagined. That old snake spirit made it sound so easy."

The "old snake spirit" she mentioned naturally refers to the white snake immortal of Longdi Cave.

"That thing called 'natural energy' is too wild."

Yoruichi slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air, and the strange rhythm around her body subsided. "At most, I can only sense and absorb a very small amount of energy right now. It will probably take some time before I can achieve the combination and fusion of spiritual power and natural energy."

"Wow, this is truly an amazing discovery."

Kisuke Urahara snapped his fan shut, a smile spreading across his face. "If we can thoroughly analyze how that world works, we might be able to find a new way to bypass the Spirit King and maintain the balance of the three realms!"

"Speaking of which, have we found out why Sasuke can travel between the two worlds?"

Yoruichi shook her head in denial, just as the two were about to continue discussing this cross-world issue.

Two figures appeared without warning at the entrance of Urahara Store.

They made no attempt to conceal their presence, and one of their spiritual pressures was filled with undisguised anxiety and hostility.

"Oh?" Kisuke Urahara paused slightly, looked up, and his smile became meaningful.

The wooden door of the main entrance was kicked open from the outside with a violent force, and broken wooden planks were scattered all over the ground.

Two figures dressed in covert combat gear stood one in front of the other amidst the chaos.

The leader was a petite woman with black hair styled in a braided, bell-shaped braid.

It was Soi Fon, the captain of the 2nd Division and commander-in-chief of the Onmitsukido.

Behind her was the vice-captain, Nozomi Omaeda, who was panting heavily from the intense Shunpo technique.

Chapter 149 Resonance with the Hogyoku

"Cough cough, Captain! Please, please slow down!" Ōmaeda, leaning against the doorframe, gasped for breath. "I... I can hardly keep up..."

Soi Fon ignored the incompetent adjutant behind her, staring intently at Kisuke Urahara, and spoke coldly.

"Oh my, isn't this Captain Soi Fon? What a rare guest."

Kisuke Urahara opened his fan, covering half of his face, revealing only his smiling eyes. "Such a temper, did something upset you? Would you like a cup of hot tea to cool down?"

He pointed with his fan to the messy doorway, his tone full of heartache.

"Even if you're in a hurry to support my business, there's no need to use such a drastic method, is there? The door to my little shop is very expensive, you know."

These sarcastic remarks instantly darkened Soi Fon's face.

"Stop pretending with me, you idiot!"

Her gaze swept over Kisuke Urahara and then landed on the figure behind him who was still sitting cross-legged with a playful smile on his face.

"…Lord Yoruichi."

"Little bee, you're still so energetic!"

Yoruichi didn't get up, but lazily raised her hand and waved it at her, her eyes curving into a sly crescent moon.

This affectionate nickname, instead of easing the tension, seemed to ignite a powder keg.

Soi Fon suddenly turned around and unleashed all her anger on the man who was still waving his fan.

"It's all your fault! If you hadn't led Lord Yoruichi in his defection back then..."

"If it weren't for you, how could Lord Yoruichi have stayed away from Soul Society for a hundred years! It's all your fault, you despicable and shameless bastard!"

She became more and more agitated as she spoke, and almost couldn't resist taking action.

"Oh dear, Captain Soi Fon, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want."

Kisuke Urahara still had that same grinning face. "I never took Yoruichi with me. She came along on her own."

"You still dare to argue!"

"Alright, Soi Fon."

Yoruichi's voice finally rang out. She slowly stood up and stretched her slender limbs. "Don't waste your breath on this shameless guy."

She walked up to Soi Fon and calmly met her gaze. "Tell me, you came all this way in such a hurry, it can't really be just to settle scores with him, can it?"

Yoruichi's gaze swept over the few Secret Service agents who had quietly appeared, and her voice became more serious.

"Did old man Yamamoto send you?"

Faced with Yoruichi's questioning, Soi Fon's anger slowly subsided.

She took a deep breath, and her face regained its usual coldness.

"That's right, the captain has given the order."

She paused, then took out a scroll bearing the emblem of the First Division from her bosom and slowly unfurled it in front of the two men.

"Because the former Fifth Division Captain Aizen Sousuke defected, his crimes are now obvious."

"Upon investigation, it was found that the exile of Urahara Kisuke, Yoruichi Shihouin, and others a hundred years ago was all a conspiracy orchestrated by Aizen alone."

"Therefore, the Central 46 Office reconsidered and decided to withdraw all charges and arrest warrants against Kisuke Urahara and Yoruichi Shihouin, and immediately restore their original identities and reputations."

"..."

Kisuke Urahara paused slightly as he waved his fan, picked up the scroll, glanced at it, and his smile widened.

"Oh my, that's wonderful!"

He casually tossed the scroll aside, saying, "Finally, your injustice has been redressed, Miss Yoruichi."

Yoruichi took the scroll, a subtle, complex expression flashing across her face.

Seeing Kisuke Urahara's nonchalant attitude, Soi Fon's nameless anger burned even brighter.

She took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing her emotions, and steered the conversation back on track: "I didn't come here today to announce this."

She stepped forward, stared intently at Urahara, and finally revealed the true purpose of her trip.

"The Technology Development Bureau has detected that Hueco Mundo's soul balance index is collapsing at an unprecedented rate."

"The Covert Force has been ordered to investigate this matter, but we are unable to travel to Hueco Mundo."

Soi Fon's voice became low and solemn, "Therefore, the Commander-in-Chief orders you to immediately open the 'Hollow Hollow' leading to Hueco Mundo and assist our Covert Force in uncovering the truth."

"assist?"

Kisuke Urahara couldn't help but chuckle, his voice turning playful. "Captain Soi Fon, are you mistaken? I'm not a member of the Gotei 13 anymore."

"It's not impossible for me to help, but..."

He trailed off, "The rule in my little shop is that we don't offer credit."