Naruto: Sasuke Uchiha Returns from Soul Society

"The current calm is nothing more than an illusion before the arrival of an even more violent storm."

"...Perhaps."

Sasuke gave a noncommittal reply, stepped forward, and looked directly at the face covered by the black cloth.

So, are you planning to leave here?

"I can help you."

If he wanted to, with his current Rinnegan and some of the Soul King's power, breaking these seals and taking Aizen away from here wouldn't be difficult.

"help me?"

Aizen chuckled softly, "Sasuke-kun, why do you think I can't leave here on my own?"

"Ok?"

"If I wanted to, how could this mere seal possibly trap me?"

Aizen's voice turned low, and the spiritual pressure that had been sealed and suppressed showed signs of boiling at this moment.

The only reason I'm staying here is because...

"It's so boring outside right now."

He paused, his tone becoming meaningful.

"Instead of going out to watch those rotten trees reenact their boring dramas, it's better to stay here and quietly wait for the next more interesting opportunity to arrive."

"Timing?" Sasuke frowned. "What are you waiting for?"

You'll find out.

Aizen did not answer directly.

Although he couldn't see Aizen's expression, Sasuke had a vague feeling that Aizen seemed to be smiling at him.

"The boring riddle-maker."

Sasuke turned around and left the darkness.

............

In the present world, Karakura Town.

The sky was overcast, with dark clouds hanging low.

Sasuke hovered high in the sky, his gaze fixed on the orange-haired boy walking slowly below.

Ichigo Kurosaki.

The guy Aizen mentioned who defeated him at the cost of sacrificing all his Shinigami power.

"......strangeness."

Sasuke frowned slightly. Although Ichigo's spiritual pressure wasn't particularly strong, it definitely hadn't disappeared.

On the contrary, the spiritual pressure also brought him a certain familiar feeling.

"That feeling..."

Sasuke subconsciously pressed his divine robe, which was slightly warm and resonated with him.

"Is it a fragment of the Soul King...?" Sasuke muttered to himself.

Below, Ichigo Kurosaki seemed to sense something, abruptly stopped, and looked up at the sky.

But apart from the thick, dark clouds, he saw nothing.

"Is it just my imagination...?" Ichigo scratched his hair, shook his head in frustration, and turned into a quiet alley.

Seeing this, Sasuke's figure swayed slightly, and he landed silently at the alley entrance.

Just as he was about to follow, a familiar cat's meow came from the high wall above him.

Sasuke paused, then looked up.

On the wall, a completely black cat sat gracefully, its tail tip idly tapping the wall.

..........

Urahara Store.

Kisuke Urahara sat cross-legged at the low table, waving his tattered folding fan.

"Oh my, it's been a long time, Sasuke-kun."

He pushed a cup of hot tea in front of Sasuke, his tone somewhat exaggerated.

"If Yoruichi hadn't suddenly said she sensed you, I really wouldn't have known you'd come back at this time."

Sasuke didn't stand on ceremony and sat down directly.

"Ichigo Kurosaki, what happened to his body?"

"Ok?"

Kisuke Urahara paused slightly in his fanning motion. "Mr. Kurosaki? What happened to him? He should be doing quite well lately..."

"Don't play dumb," Sasuke interrupted him, his voice turning colder. "You know what I'm asking."

"That power emanating from him must be something like a fragment of the Spirit King, right?"

"..."

Kisuke Urahara's smile faded slightly, and he sighed helplessly.

"Your senses are as sharp as ever."

He picked up the teapot, poured himself a cup, and his expression became slightly more serious.

"Since you've already figured it out, I won't beat around the bush anymore."

"That kind of power is usually called 'Fullbring'."

"Fullbringer?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow; it was an unfamiliar term.

"Yes."

Urahara explained, "This is an ability possessed by a special kind of human, and its essence, as you said, is indeed inextricably linked to the fragments of the Soul King."

"Simply put, people with this constitution have more or less fragments of the Spirit King residing in their bodies."

"These fragments were activated when the Matrix was attacked by the Void, thus granting them the ability to manipulate the souls of matter."

"The soul that manipulates matter..." Sasuke repeated softly, lost in thought.

"However..." Urahara changed the subject, "Why would Sasuke-kun be interested in this?"

"I'm just a little curious," Sasuke said calmly, "how could someone who can't even use his Shikai properly unleash power surpassing Aizen's in an instant?"

"If it's just sacrificing the power of death, the price seems too light."

"I see, that's what you care about."

Urahara nodded in sudden realization, then gave a wry smile.

Well... how should I put it?

He stroked the stubble on his chin, his tone becoming somewhat complicated.

“Mr. Kurosaki’s situation is quite special; his identity is not just that of a ‘substitute Grim Reaper.’”

"Oh?" A glint of light flashed in Sasuke's eyes. "Is there anything special about it?"

Shinigami, Hollows, and now Fullbring...

Just how much junk is stuffed inside this orange-headed guy?

When Sasuke pressed for answers, Urahara simply smiled mysteriously, stood up, and gestured for Sasuke to proceed.

"Instead of listening to my ramblings as an outsider, how about I introduce you to some of the parties involved?"

"party?"

Sasuke was puzzled, but he still stood up and followed Urahara into the back room of the shop.

Inside the room, two figures had been waiting for a long time.

One of them was someone Sasuke was quite familiar with.

It was Rukia Kuchiki, dressed in a black Shinigami uniform.

Beside her stood a middle-aged man whom Sasuke had never seen before.

The man had messy short black hair and stubble on his chin, making him look somewhat颓废 (颓废 is a difficult word to translate directly, but it implies a sense of listlessness, apathy, or apathy).

"Urahara," Sasuke looked at Urahara Kisuke, "what do you want with me brought here?"

"Miss Kuchiki," Kisuke Urahara said gently to Rukia without answering Sasuke, "how's the preparation of that sword going?"

Upon hearing this, Rukia nodded slightly and took out a sword emitting a blue light from her bosom.

The blade was wrapped in strands of pure spiritual pressure.

"All the spiritual power has been poured into it."

Rukia handed over the knife, then looked at Sasuke, her voice hesitant.

"You... are you Sasuke?"

Sasuke nodded calmly.

Knowing that the other party was Sasuke, Rukia did not show any hostility.

She already knew Sasuke's stance from Urahara.

Although she still couldn't understand why the boy would choose to travel with Aizen, she knew that Sasuke was not an enemy.

Sasuke didn't say much to her, his gaze shifting to the center of Urahara Kisuke's palm.

"What's that for?"

"Consider it paying off a debt."

Kisuke Urahara rested his chin on his hand and chuckled self-deprecatingly, "If I hadn't created the Hogyoku in the first place, none of this would have happened."

He paused, his eyes unusually serious.