Chapter 154: Cool!

"Abandoning one's own Zanpakutō."

This conclusion was terrifying. Even more frightening, though, was the implication behind those words.

Naruto stared at Urahara Kisuke, his brows furrowed. "Kisuke-niisan, are you suggesting..."

"...that we let Aizen achieve his goal?"

Even though Urahara Kisuke had laid out a thorough argument, bringing up the concept of "psychology"—something Naruto had never heard of but could somewhat grasp—it all made sense logically. However, the idea still felt incredible to him.

Would someone like Aizen really dislike his own Zanpakutō?

Urahara Kisuke nodded.

"Isn't the risk too great?" Naruto shook his head. "Are you certain he would abandon his Zanpakutō?"

No matter how well the previous discussion had been articulated, it remained a hypothesis—a possibility that hadn't happened yet and might never occur.

Urahara Kisuke didn't use the word "certain." He merely smiled and said, "We don't have many better options, do we?"

"Besides you, no one else can counter his abilities—not the Captain-Commander, and not me."

Naruto remained silent.

Urahara Kisuke continued, "I'm not placing all my hopes on this one theory."

"I'm considering other methods, too."

"For instance, modifying the Hōgyoku, or trying to destroy it."

"But none of those are progressing well."

"That thing... it can't be destroyed."

"I've been experimenting to see if I can at least neutralize its power and effects, maybe even return it to its original state."

"But that hasn't been successful either."

Urahara Kisuke clapped his hands, a crisp sound as if to encourage himself. "So, we shouldn't put all our eggs in one basket."

"I've made many preparations."

"If we can lure him into revealing himself with a convincing enough decoy..."

"Then the Captain-Commander might be able to solve everything in one go."

"But if we can't present a convincing bait..."

"We might have to use the Hōgyoku itself..."

"If we don't dangle something that seems real enough, that guy won't bite."

He paused, then smiled slightly. "Have you heard of the Royal Guard?"

Naruto nodded. "I've heard of them, but I've never seen them."

The Royal Guard is a mysterious organization. They have no presence in the Seireitei, and many rank-and-file Shinigami dismiss them as a myth. However, senior officers, especially captains, know that this unseen "organization" does indeed exist.

"Their real name is the Zero Division," Urahara Kisuke explained. "I know two of them."

"I've learned a bit about them."

He raised two fingers.

"If Aizen's goal is still to target the Soul King, then he will inevitably cross paths with the Zero Division."

"And I can confidently say..."

"There are at least two people in the Zero Division who can deal with Aizen."

Naruto's pupils widened. "Are you talking about the Aizen who discards his Zanpakutō, or the Aizen as he is now?"

"Of course, the current Aizen," Urahara Kisuke replied with a grin. "Even if he fully uses his ability to manipulate the five senses."

"Stronger than the Captain-Commander?" Naruto was astonished.

The Nine-Tails within him was equally surprised.

"It's not about being stronger," Urahara Kisuke clarified, thinking it over. "There are special reasons, but they involve the secrets of the Zero Division, so I can't go into details."

"So even if all our attempts fail..."

"There are still people who can back us up."

Naruto exhaled a sigh of relief.

Urahara Kisuke glanced towards the inner room of his shop.

Even if Aizen managed to break through the Zero Division and achieve his goal of killing the Soul King... even at such a critical juncture, Urahara Kisuke had prepared countermeasures.

"So, during the Konso ceremony, I'll go ahead and try to stop him according to my plan," Naruto said as he stood up. "If he really does put his results to the test..."

"I'll make sure to capture those results."

Urahara Kisuke nodded.

The Konso ceremony at Shin'o Academy began on a cold night when the chill had yet to fully recede.

Naruto hadn't informed Kurotsuchi Mayuri, but the entire 12th Division was on high alert, closely monitoring the Senkaimon.

The previous incidents had made them wary during any mission involving multiple crossings, leaving their nerves on edge.

Fortunately, this time, everything seemed to go smoothly.

The soul burials were not complicated.

The students completed their tasks and began to return.

Abarai, being one of the top students, was among the first to finish.

He stood atop a tree, gazing into the distance.

In the city, neon lights flickered, and the streets bustled with traffic—a scene completely different from the cityscape of his time.

"Is this your hometown?" Rukia used Shunpo to appear beside him.

Renji Abarai shook his head. "No."

It was now that he finally understood what the veterans meant when they spoke of feeling like they were in another world.

It wasn't just "as if"; it was truly a different world.

"It looks like it's almost over." He lowered his head, no longer interested in observing.

The senior student with the "69" tattoo on his face, Hisagi Shūhei, was busy counting the students, confirming how many had yet to return.

But suddenly...

A giant hand extended from the darkness, silent and unnoticed by anyone.

It grabbed a student and flung him high into the air.

The tall male Shinigami screamed in terror, a piercing, shrill cry that drew everyone's attention.

A massive mouth opened in the night, its teeth gleaming coldly, as it bit into the student, tearing him apart.

"A Hollow—a Menos Grande!" the blond Shinigami named Izuru Kira reacted, his eyes wide with shock. "Damn it, how did it get here?"

Hisagi Shūhei felt a chill run down his spine.

Before leading this mission, he had been "warned."

Graduates from previous years had told him that during Naruto's class's Konso ceremony, a Menos Grande had attacked the students.

But...

He hadn't taken it seriously.

Every year, the senior students would scare the juniors with such tales.

At most, there would be one or two ordinary Hollows.

An incident involving a Menos Grande had only happened once in all these years.

There was no way it would happen to him.

But here it was.

Hisagi Shūhei gritted his teeth. He should have known his luck would be this bad.

He sent out a distress signal.

The only thing that gave him some comfort was that the signal wasn't being blocked and was transmitted successfully.

But...

In the darkness, that nearly invisible Menos Grande extended its hand again.

It blended almost perfectly with the night.

The textbooks said that Menos Grande were massive and sluggish, their appearance always heralded by chaotic spiritual pressure.

Why had this one appeared so quietly?

"I can't sense its spiritual pressure," Renji Abarai, perched in the tree, frowned.

Rukia instinctively recalled what Captain Uzumaki had mentioned at their dinner a few days ago.

It really is happening!

Hinamori Momo leapt up, swinging her Zanpakutō.

"Snap, Tobiume!"

Orange spiritual energy enveloped her blade, branching out like twisting vines.

A giant fireball surged forth.

It shot towards the Menos Grande, a large mass of flames crashing into it.

Firelight flickered, and explosions echoed, the impact impressive.

But...

The damage it dealt to the Menos Grande was only a faint scorch mark on the surface.

"How is this possible?" Hinamori Momo whispered in disbelief.

Her Zanpakutō's fireballs were as powerful as advanced Kido.

But it couldn't even...

...inflict any harm?

Hisagi Shūhei raised his sword, and Izuru Kira joined him.

The Menos Grande may have been slow, but that was only relative to Shinigami of at least senior officer level.

These students were far from that level.

With a simple swipe, the Menos Grande sent Hisagi Shūhei and Izuru Kira flying, crashing through several trees before they landed in a heap, battered and bruised.

Some of the more daring and quick-reacting students raised their hands, chanting Kido spells.

Lightning, fire, and wind lashed out.

But when they struck the Menos Grande, they did little to no damage.

Abarai was about to rush forward.

"Wait, I have something that can deal with this," Rukia quickly stopped him, fumbling as she pulled a scroll from her pocket.

She channeled her spiritual energy into it.

With a "pop," the scroll unfurled.

The Menos Grande let out a low, hissing roar. It swatted away the attackers but didn't stop, continuing towards its target.

A female Shinigami lay on the ground, frozen in fear, unable to move.

The Menos Grande reached for its second prey.

Just as its hand was about to grab the Shinigami...

Golden light flashed.

A chain whipped through the air, effortlessly piercing the tough skin that the students had failed to scratch, driving through its withered hand and slamming it into the ground.

"Captain Uzumaki!" someone recognized the golden light and shouted in joy.

Naruto didn't turn, focusing instead on the Menos Grande.

Its spiritual pressure...

Even with his heightened senses, he could only detect faint traces.

Menos Grande shouldn't have this kind of ability.

Was this a result of that

man's modifications?

Sensing danger, the Menos Grande didn't hesitate. It raised its other hand, tearing open the sky. The heavens rippled like fabric, revealing a dark tear into which it slowly began to retreat, trying to escape back to Hueco Mundo.

This was pure instinct.

Naruto clasped his hands together, and a dense array of golden chains erupted, wrapping around the Menos Grande's body layer by layer.

He yanked hard.

With a thunderous crash, the Menos Grande collapsed, letting out a piercing, eerie scream.

Black spiritual energy began to gather on its teeth.

It was preparing to unleash a Cero in a final, desperate attempt.

Naruto didn't give it the chance. With a swift motion, his chains speared through its mouth, dispersing the gathered energy.

Tightly bound, the Menos Grande was enveloped by sealing spells.

Wrapped in white cloth, it vanished in a swirl of white smoke.

The students looked up.

Their eyes were locked onto the golden figure standing in the night sky.

"That's Captain Uzumaki! Just like the rumors say, he's so cool!" A female Shinigami couldn't help but grab her companion's sleeve, her excitement barely contained.

Hinamori Momo gazed up, her eyes filled with admiration.

Abarai was awestruck.

Some of the students, remembering the fallen Hisagi Shūhei and Izuru Kira, rushed over to help.

But they hadn't taken more than a few steps when Naruto's chains flew out, faster and more precise, pulling the two from the wreckage of shattered trees and debris.

~~~

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