Naruto: Sasuke Uchiha Returns from Soul Society

Kisuke Urahara lowered his head, revealing his usual smile, and explained while waving his fan, "This is a 'last-ditch effort' training to help Mr. Kurosaki regain his Shinigami powers."

He pointed to the causal chains on Ichigo's body that were being corroded, "By destroying the causal chains of the soul, we can force out the dormant Shinigami power within him. If successful, he can become a Shinigami again. How about that? Pretty amazing, right?"

Sasuke glanced at the orange-haired guy who was still struggling to climb up and let out a noncommittal snort.

Just then, a series of light footsteps came from behind.

"Alright, since Mr. Kurosaki is almost finished here, let's begin."

Night jumped onto Sasuke's shoulder, her voice turning serious, "Sasuke, after you communicated with Takemikazuchi, it should have presented you with a trial, right?"

Sasuke nodded.

"very good."

Yoruichi jumped off his shoulder and gestured for Urahara to bring her something.

It was a wooden doll, with an ancient and simple appearance, and complex incantations carved on its body.

She looked up at Sasuke, her cat-like eyes gleaming with solemnity.

"Before we begin, I need to explain to you what we're going to use next."

She paused, her voice becoming serious, "Transformation Body, a forbidden doll secretly invented by Kisuke Urahara when he was still in the Technology Development Bureau."

Yoruichi explained in detail: "Its sole function is to forcibly pull the soul of the Zanpakuto out of the wielder's inner world and 'concretize' it in the real world."

"Once you successfully materialize it, all you have to do is subdue it in battle and gain its complete approval. Once you do that, you will be able to learn Bankai."

She walked halfway around Sasuke, her tone carrying a hint of warning: "But this is an extremely dangerous shortcut."

"The sword spirit that is forcibly pulled out will be in an extremely unstable berserk state. If you are not careful, you will be devoured by your own power and completely consumed by your sword."

"Moreover, the time limit is only three days."

Yoruichi concluded by emphasizing, "If you cannot subdue it within three days, you may forever lose the possibility of mastering Bankai."

"I understand." Sasuke's answer was crisp and clear, his eyes filled only with a thirst for power.

"very good."

Yoruichi nodded in satisfaction, then took out a completely black wooden carving that resembled a doll and tossed it in front of Sasuke.

"This is the Transformation Body."

She stepped back a few paces, giving Sasuke enough space. "Put your Zanpakuto into its heart, and the ritual will begin."

Sasuke took a deep breath, no longer hesitating.

He walked up to the doll and slowly drew the Takemikazuchi from his waist.

Then, under the watchful eyes of Yoruichi and Kisuke Urahara, who was observing from the shadows, she slowly plunged the long sword, which was wreathed in lightning, into the heart of the Transcendental Puppet.

Concentrate fully, preparing to welcome the appearance of the sword spirit dressed in ancient hunting attire and carrying ten swords.

"Om-!"

However, just as the blade was completely embedded in the puppet, a spiritual pressure that was completely unexpected by everyone suddenly erupted!

It was a mixture of ominous, pitch-black flames and a terrifying aura filled with endless hatred.

"This spiritual pressure... how is this possible?!"

Yoruichi's languid demeanor vanished instantly, her hair standing on end as she stared intently at the cloud of smoke emanating an eerie spiritual pressure.

Beside the deep pit, Kisuke Urahara's smile vanished, and his eyes, hidden under the brim of his hat, suddenly widened, staring intently at the center of the smoke.

Something's wrong!

The smoke slowly dissipated.

The one who emerged from the Transcendental Body was not the Takemikazuchi that Sasuke had anticipated.

Instead, it was a young man whose figure bore some resemblance to Sasuke, but who was taller and had a more aloof expression.

He had long, black hair that reached his waist, and a pale yet handsome face.

Most strangely, half of his face was covered by a pale white bone mask, with black eye sockets and three scarlet tomoe slowly rotating within them, emitting an ominous light.

In his hand was a long sword wreathed in black flames.

"Urahara!"

Yoruichi's voice suddenly turned sharp and filled with solemnity, "This materialized thing is not the spirit of his Takemikazuchi sword."

Kisuke Urahara did not respond. He pushed up his fisherman's hat and stared intently at the materialized youth, his brows furrowed.

"This spiritual pressure..."

Urahara spoke rapidly, his suppressed voice sounding like he was talking to himself, yet also like he was analyzing the situation for Yoruichi, "This Hollow mixed with that aura called chakra, and that mask, and those peculiar eyes on it..."

A startling conclusion took shape in my mind.

"It's the manifestation of the 'Hollow Form' within Uchiha Sasuke!"

"A void?!"

Yoruichi's eyes widened in disbelief as she retorted, "Didn't you say that power was born from his hatred? Why was it pulled out through the Zanpakuto's materialization ritual?! This doesn't make sense at all!"

"That's exactly the problem."

Urahara turned his gaze to Sasuke, a complex look flashing in his eyes.

"The Transcendent Body can only materialize the soul of the Zanpakuto; there is no mistake about that."

Urahara's voice turned low, "Unless..."

He recalled the examination he had conducted on Sasuke, the Hollow energy he had sensed, and the mysterious Asauchi who had suddenly appeared amidst the ruins...

All the clues were connected into a complete line at this moment.

Kisuke Urahara drew a conclusion.

"Unless, this Hollow is the spirit of his other Zanpakuto."

Yoruichi instantly understood the meaning behind Urahara's words, and his golden pupils contracted sharply.

"In that case, it seems very similar to the situation inside Ichigo's body, both of which are generated from Hollows mixed with other forces."

She looked at the mysterious young man in the arena wielding a black flame longsword. "The question now is whether he can control this power."

Kisuke Urahara's expression turned extremely serious as he spoke of the worst-case scenario.

"If he fails, he will likely be completely devoured by this power, his soul will collapse, and he will become an irreversible void."

Chapter 53 Name

Silence reigned in the underground training ground.

Sasuke recovered from his initial shock, slowly straightened up, and looked into the distance at the figure wielding the black flame longsword.

Although their appearances were different, based on this unique aura, he was certain that this was definitely the one that resided deep within his soul.

The atmosphere was tense, like a battleground.

"coward."

A hoarse voice broke the silence.

The long-haired youth had a mocking smile playing on his lips beneath the pale, jade-patterned mask covering half of his face.

Instead of calling Sasuke "King" as he had done before, he used a more insulting title.

"You crave power, yet you fear its very nature. Your so-called 'seeking the truth' and 'avenging your people' are nothing but excuses you make for the purest 'desire for destruction' within you."

The "empty self" took a step forward, and the rocky ground beneath its feet was silently eroded by the black flames, turning into scorched earth.

"You dare not admit it."

His voice was like the devil's whisper, "You just want to burn everything that causes you pain to ashes!"

"Shut up."

Sasuke's voice was cold, "Hatred is my power, but it is by no means my everything."

He slowly drew Takemikazuchi, the blade pointing diagonally at the ground, his eyes unwavering. "I am the king who decides where the blade points."

"king?"

The "virtual self" seemed to have heard a joke and burst into laughter.

With his laughter, an ominous black and red flame shot up from his body, dyeing the simulated azure sky an ominous crimson, as if reflecting the blood moon of the night of the annihilation.

"A king who doesn't even dare to face his own conscience?"

His laughter abruptly stopped, and the three scarlet tomoe on his mask locked onto Sasuke, his killing intent exploding outwards.

"Then let me see what right you, this cowardly king, have to rule me!"

The moment the words left his mouth, the figure of the "virtual self" had already vanished from the spot.

A crescent-shaped flame slash, black and red, appeared out of thin air, carrying an aura of hatred, and melted the ground into a hideous lava ravine.

Sasuke's pupils suddenly contracted; instead of taking the hit head-on, he released his Zanpakuto.

"Takemikazuchi, Lightning Form!"

His figure instantly transformed into a blurry streak of lightning, narrowly avoiding the attack.

The black and red flames missed their target, striking the distant rock wall instead. There was no explosion; it simply melted the hard rock, creating a huge gash.

"All you do is hide?"

Amidst the roar of the "empty self," the offensive grew increasingly ferocious.

The swordsmanship was completely unorthodox, yet it was filled with primal wildness and destructiveness; each strike was accompanied by a streak of black and red flame.

Sasuke's gaze grew increasingly solemn as he moved through the sea of ​​fire, each swing of his sword aimed at the openings exposed by his "Hollow Self" during the attack.

The battle became spectacular and deadly.

Black and red flames and purplish-black lightning intertwined wildly in the vast space.

Unable to break through after a prolonged siege, "Xuwo" roared and plunged its black flame longsword straight into the ground!

"Burn to ashes!!!"