"Where's the nos Grande?" Hisagi Shūhei struggled to get up, waving his hands as he tried to scan the distant, dark sky. "Can it still hide?"
"Run! I've already sent for backup—"
Before he could finish, a hand gently pressed down on his head.
"Don't move."
"I've already dealt with that nos Grande."
"Let heal you first."
Shūhei turned his head toward the voice, his gaze landing on a figure with gleaming blond hair. The moonlight bathed him, creating an aura that made it seem like the light was radiating from his hair itself.
"Captain Uzumaki." Shūhei found himself staring in awe and instinctively greeted him with respect.
Naruto lightly tapped him.
A subtle golden light enveloped Shūhei's body, healing his injuries and knitting his broken ribs back together.
"The spiritual pressure of that nos Grande was undetectable," Shūhei said as soon as he regained so strength and his injuries had mostly healed. "There might be more—"
"I can sense it," Naruto replied, gently pressing him back down. He wielded a golden light in his hand, bypassing any incantations as he cast a binding spell that carefully avoided Shūhei's injuries, securing him in place. "You shouldn't move when you're injured."
"You're making the healing more difficult."
Having witnessed what happened to Shūhei, Izuru Kira remained perfectly still as Naruto healed him, barely daring to breathe.
Renji Abarai stood gripping his sword, unsure of what to do next.
Is this what it ans to be a captain?
He hadn't known Shūhei well before this, but he was fully aware of Momo Hinamori's and Kira's capabilities. They were only slightly weaker than himself, and in terms of raw power, Momo had the strongest attack in their group.
Yet, the nos Grande that they had all failed to even scratch had been so effortlessly dealt with by Captain Uzumaki.
These students were considered capable of imdiately assuming seated officer positions upon graduation, according to the academy's Dean.
Renji's eyes grew vacant.
There was only about ten ters between him and Captain Uzumaki, but...
But in Renji's eyes, there was an invisible wall—a towering, insurmountable barrier standing between them.
It was a chasm called "genius."
He had mastered Shikai, and the next step was achieving Bankai.
But even if he attained Bankai, could he ever catch up to Captain Uzumaki?
Could a re Bankai bridge such a vast gap?
"Renji, what are you spacing out for?" Rukia pushed him gently from behind, her voice snapping him out of his thoughts. "Stop daydreaming and go greet Captain Uzumaki."
Renji quickly nodded and moved forward to greet Naruto alongside Rukia.
Rukia wanted to express her gratitude, but the discussion at the captains' private gathering had been so mysterious that she wasn't sure if it was appropriate to bring it up in this setting.
Her internal struggle didn't last long.
Above them, spiritual pressure rippled through the air.
A sliding door appeared in the sky, releasing hell butterflies, followed by two figures stepping through.
It was 5th Division Captain Sosuke Aizen and his lieutenant, Ichimaru Gin.
"Oh my, Captain Uzumaki is here," Gin exclaid with a wide grin, his tone feigning surprise, though his exaggerated act made him co off as sarcastic and insincere. "I don't recall receiving orders that you would be here."
"Captain Aizen, you're late," Naruto replied, ignoring Gin and smiling up at the bespectacled man with brown hair. "The situation has already been resolved."
Aizen stood in the sky, his tone gentle as he responded, "It's a good thing Captain Uzumaki could resolve the crisis early and minimize the damage."
"However, it seems like not everyone has returned yet."
"The number of students doesn't seem to match the number I was inford of."
Hisagi Shūhei lowered his head, his voice fragile as he spoke, "That nos Grande... we couldn't sense its spiritual pressure at all, and we don't know how it appeared."
"No one was prepared."
"We didn't notice it until it attacked a classmate standing right next to us!"
His voice trembled as he spoke, still shaken by the mory.
A nos Grande that appeared so silently...
"Is that so? A creature that can hide its presence so completely that none of you could detect it?" Aizen asked calmly, his tone gentle.
Shūhei nodded and was about to respond.
"Investigation is the responsibility of the 2nd and 12th Divisions," Naruto interrupted, halting Aizen's line of questioning. "I've already scanned the area, and there are no other spiritual pressures nearby. Let's get these students back to the Seireitei."
Aizen looked down, eting Naruto's gaze.
The rest of the 5th Division mbers who had accompanied Aizen scrambled to restore order, guiding the students one by one into the Senkaimon.
Once all the students were back in the Seireitei, Naruto cast a cold glance at Aizen.
The students, still rattled by the recent events, were about to approach their savior, Captain Uzumaki, to thank him.
But with a sudden "poof," the golden figure before them vanished into thin air.
The unexpected disappearance startled many of them.
"Shunpo?" Renji mumbled, glancing around in an attempt to track Captain Uzumaki's spiritual pressure, but he couldn't detect anything.
"It wasn't Shunpo," Gin shook his head, suddenly leaning in close and staring at Renji with a mischievous smile.
Renji jumped in surprise.
Rukia reacted even more strongly, stepping back several paces.
"Am I really that scary?" Gin asked with a grin, waving his hand dismissively. "Such reactions are enough to hurt my feelings."
Renji straightened up, adopting a serious expression as he quickly bowed, "My apologies, Lieutenant Ichimaru."
Rukia mirrored his reaction, her voice equally loud and clear.
"You two are too serious," Gin sighed, pulling his head back. "It's boring."
"But I can at least explain it to you."
"What Captain Uzumaki just used wasn't Kido. It was one of his own techniques."
"A Shadow Clone Jutsu."
Renji and Rukia froze in confusion.
"I can see the ambition in your eyes," Gin said, locking eyes with Renji, a wicked smile spreading across his face. "You want to catch up to Captain Uzumaki, don't you?"
Renji didn't nod, but he also didn't deny it.
"Are you feeling the vast distance between you and Captain Uzumaki?" Gin pressed.
This ti, Renji nodded.
"Then let tell you so bad news." Gin chuckled, spreading his hands wide with glee, "The Shadow Clone Jutsu Captain Uzumaki just used allows the clone to have the sa abilities as the original."
"But it has one fatal flaw."
"It splits his spiritual pressure equally."
Renji's eyes widened in realization.
Gin read his thoughts with ease. "Which ans the Captain Uzumaki you just saw was only using half of his power."
"Isn't that a bit discouraging?"
"Captain Uzumaki's talent..."
"It's truly like a towering mountain."
Gin's words dripped with sarcasm, and Renji's emotions wavered under the impact.
"Enough, Gin. Stop saying such things." Aizen walked over, smiling slightly as he interrupted Gin's taunts. "Talent differences are normal."
"People like Naruto are rare in the history of the Seireitei."
"Renji, may I call you that?"
Renji, having cald down a bit, straightened up and saluted. "It would be an honor, Captain Sosuke."
"If you want to catch up to him, you'll need to be diligent." Aizen smiled with narrowed eyes. "With your talent, you should set a goal for yourself."
"How about..."
"...becoming a lieutenant?"
Renji was shocked, pointing at himself, "? Really?"
He had set goals for himself, but nothing as lofty as becoming a lieutenant. His plan was to first beco a seated officer.
"Don't you have confidence in yourself?" Aizen asked gently, still smiling.
Renji shook his head. "Of course I do."
"I hold your talent in high regard." Aizen waved at him. "Gin is preparing for the Captain's test, so the lieutenant's position will be vacant soon."
"If you're willing..."
"Consider joining the 5th Division."
"I'd really like to see you as my future lieutenant."
Renji was stunned, looking at Aizen with a mix of disbelief and excitent.
A captain had just personally extended an invitation, expressing a need for him.
The offer filled Renji with excitent.
Aizen smiled again, then greeted Kira and Momo before turning to leave.
Gin called out with exaggerated glee, "Oh my, Captain Aizen, how coincidental."
"It's almost as if Captain Uzumaki predicted this would happen."
Aizen scolded him, "Gin, don't speak ill of other captains behind their backs."
"I'm just curious, that's all." Gin waved it off with a smile.
"The daughter-in-law of the Kuchiki Family also participated in this Konso ceremony." Aizen's tone softened as if he were trying to lower his voice, though it was clear to all the nearby Shinigami. "Captain Uzumaki experienced sothing similar himself, so it's understandable that he was concerned and made preparations in advance."
"Especially given the Kuchiki Family..."
He trailed off, not finishing his thought clearly.
But...
It was enough to cause so students to furrow their brows.
Rukia watched the two n's retreating figures with a serious expression.
Those two...
She particularly disliked Ichimaru Gin.
Her brother, Byakuya, occasionally ntioned unfavorable rumors about him.
eting Gin in person had only confird her initial impressions—he felt like a poisonous snake.
A very dangerous individual.
Captain Aizen remained as gentle as ever, but why had he said such things in the end?
It almost seed like...
He was expressing dissatisfaction with the Kuchiki family.
And there was also a strange tension between him and Captain Uzumaki.
The 2nd Division took over, starting their investigation.
For a while, the crowd remained gathered around the Senkaimon in the square.
"You all completed the Konso, right?" Rukia asked, addressing her small group of friends. "No one was affected by what happened?"
They all nodded.
Shuhei was among them, dragged over by Kira.
They were now comrades in suffering, the only two who had been injured in the incident.
~~~
Sleeping right now. Bonus Chapter later...
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