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"Minato... Even after death, he has still been striving," Jiraiya sighed softly. "Naruto, what are your plans next? Will you continue searching for the Shinigami and the Pure Land, or...?"

Naruto thought for a moment. "I\'ll find a suitable place to stay for a while. I\'ve come up with some new ideas and plan to try them out. Once I\'ve confirmed those ideas, I\'ll continue my journey. I might go to the Land of Lightning. There\'s still that issue my father mentioned that needs to be resolved."

The "Reaper Death Seal" technique he received from his father requires further research. Orochimaru\'s method also needs to be verified for its authenticity. As for the "Four Symbols Seal," he now has the key, so he can figure out how to release the Nine-Tails from his body without harming himself. This was something he once promised it.

As for the "Falls of Truth," he\'s not in a rush. The Zanpakuto is the embodiment of inner strength. Training for "Bankai" in the Soul Society should yield a similar effect. Now that he\'s fully developed the Nine-Tails\' power, it\'s time for him to walk the path that every captain must take.

Jiraiya pondered, "The Land of Lightning, huh? That country... Be careful when you go there."

"Is there something wrong with the Land of Lightning?" Naruto asked.

Jiraiya spoke with caution, "Cloud Village is a very combative village. They are bold and highly capable. You need to be careful. If they discover you in the Land of Lightning, they might take action against you. They once... had some remarkable achievements."

Naruto nodded slightly, unfazed, and spoke calmly, "Let\'s hope they\'re strong enough to bear the consequences."

Jiraiya was taken aback. The confidence in Naruto\'s words reminded him once again that the blond boy before him had already become a figure that the entire ninja world needed to look up to.

He nodded and treated him to a meal.

That night, they stayed at an inn in the town. Naruto and Karin were studying sealing techniques in their room, while Jiraiya... said he wanted to sleep early. But not long after, they sensed him sneakily climbing out of the window and heading straight for the town\'s only izakaya.

It was late at night when Naruto finally returned to the room to sleep.

When he woke up again, a familiar "Iris" scent filled the air. Had he returned to the 7th Division quarters? He opened his eyes and sat up in bed.

"Looks like we\'ve come to the Soul Society," the Nine-Tails noticed the change in the environment and spoke softly. After being partially freed, it no longer resisted communication.

Naruto nodded.

"This place isn\'t bad," the Nine-Tails spoke with restrained anticipation. "I think you could spar with that big dog again. Its abilities seem pretty good."

Naruto smiled. He could tell what the Nine-Tails meant. In the ninja world, with those "hostile" tailed beast folks around, its mere appearance would cause a commotion due to its massive size, making it unsuitable to show up. But in the Soul Society... the people here don\'t have the same hostile view of tailed beasts. Moreover, the appearance of the Nine-Tails would only be seen as Captain Uzumaki\'s release, not causing any enmity. It\'s a good place to stretch its legs.

However...

"Sorry, Nine-Tails, but I\'m afraid you can\'t be fully released just yet," Naruto spoke softly, shaking his head.

The Nine-Tails froze, slightly irritated. What does he mean? No stretching out?

Naruto reassured it, "Do you remember that night when Hirako Shinji and others had an incident? There was an enemy you sensed, but I couldn\'t detect."

The Nine-Tails recalled.

"At that time, I couldn\'t quite figure out what kind of ability it was," Naruto continued. "But when I fought that guy named Uchiha Itachi in the Land of Whirlpools... his genjutsu was extraordinary. If it weren\'t for you, I would have been in serious trouble."

The Nine-Tails nodded. The mention of "Uchiha" brought to mind the "Sharingan" and those deeply annoying men. These thoughts manifested physically, causing it to bare its teeth and shake its head in displeasure.

"So, I\'ve been wondering if the thing that blinded me could be a kind of genjutsu ability," Naruto mused. "It deceived my senses, preventing me from detecting that enemy."

The Nine-Tails seemed to be pondering.

Naruto adjusted his sitting posture and raised a new question: "But we\'ve always been together, and our senses are almost connected. Why was I affected by that genjutsu while you weren\'t?"

The Nine-Tails, having just tasted a bit of freedom, immediately connected the dots, "It\'s the eyes! The difference between seeing and not seeing! Or it\'s the chakra. I\'ve always been inside you, so that guy\'s chakra didn\'t affect me, just like that Uchiha\'s genjutsu."

The biggest difference in sensory ability between it and Naruto was the eyes.

"It doesn\'t seem to be a spiritual energy issue," Naruto shook his head, grasping the Nine-Tails\' point. "When you\'re released, your spiritual energy also manifests. That day... I achieved my Shikai. I\'m more inclined to think it\'s the eyes. Precisely because I could see, and trusted my own eyes, I was deceived."

The Nine-Tails was frustrated. "So, I still can\'t come out for now?"

"Why is there always such an annoying person around?"

"Did you sense their spiritual energy?" Naruto asked.

The Nine-Tails shook its head, its tone somewhat gloomy. "Speaking of which, when you went to the real world for a Soul Burial and were fighting those creatures called \'Hollows,\' I sensed a very powerful presence nearby, within about a hundred meters."

Naruto was stunned.

The real world? Soul Burial?

Was that when I had just graduated from the Shin\'o Spiritual Arts Academy?

At that time, even though I hadn\'t yet unlocked \'Ashura,\' and my sensing ability wasn\'t as strong as it is now, I should have still been able to notice a powerful presence that close.

Or could it be that, since that time, I\'ve already been deceived by an illusion?

The Nine-Tails continued, "I sensed that presence again when you were in the Gotei 13 and were invited to the Shin\'o Spiritual Arts Academy to give a speech to the new students."

Naruto\'s heart skipped a beat.

A speech to the new students at the Shin\'o Spiritual Arts Academy?

An image immediately flashed in his mind of a gentle, mature man wearing black-rimmed glasses.

Sosuke Aizen.

He was there at that time too.

Yoruichi\'s warning, echoing across time, resonated in his ears again: "Be careful of Sosuke Aizen."

Could it really be him?

Such a gentle and reliable person didn\'t seem like someone who would do such things.

And if it was him, when and how did he cast the illusion?

"Nine-Tails, have you already guessed?" Naruto asked.

Naruto sighed. "Yoruichi had warned me before to be careful of Sosuke Aizen."

"He was present at the Shin\'o Spiritual Arts Academy back then too. Now, I\'m starting to suspect it really might have been him."

"Nine-Tails, I\'ll have to trouble you for a while."

"If it really is due to his hypnotic eyes..."

"You might be the only one not affected by that illusion. Make sure you continue to stay unaffected."

Reluctantly, the Nine-Tails agreed. "Understood."

Naruto got out of bed, changed into new clothes, and headed out of the dormitory towards his office.

Along the way, squad members and officers greeted him.

"Good morning, Captain Uzumaki!"

"Greetings, Captain Uzumaki!"

Hearing their cheerful greetings, Naruto grinned and nodded in response, feeling much better.

Just as he reached his office door—

"Captain Uzumaki, waking up so late, feeling a bit lazy, huh?" A man, also wearing a captain\'s haori, with black and white patterns painted on his face, obscuring his features completely, stood at his office door. He grinned, thinking he was being friendly.

He was an acquaintance.

The former 3rd Seat of the 12th Division and the current Captain of the 12th Division, Kurotsuchi Mayuri.

"What brings you here, Captain Kurotsuchi?" Naruto asked politely.

Having dealt with Orochimaru before, he had some experience handling these somewhat deranged "scientists."

"It\'s a shame Urahara defected," Mayuri began. "I didn\'t get the chance to study him or those Shinigami who underwent Hollowfication."

"Of course—"

"There\'s also your collaboration with him."

Naruto looked at him, silent.

Mayuri, unfazed, continued, "I didn\'t get the chance to greet you when I first took over. I\'ve been going through the research Urahara left behind."

"But unfortunately, all the parts related to you were destroyed by him, leaving nothing behind."

He paused, extending his hand. "Although Urahara called me the second greatest genius after him, I don\'t think I\'m any less talented than he was."

"Whatever he could do, I can do too."

"So, Captain Uzumaki, let\'s collaborate."

Naruto didn\'t shake his hand. Instead, his spiritual pressure erupted, overwhelming and destroying everything in its path. "If you want to show sincerity, put away whatever you\'re holding before we talk."

"Captain Urahara would never use such an obvious and crude trick to test another captain."

Mayuri grinned, his eyes burning with excitement as he withdrew his hand. "As expected of a man Urahara valued so highly."

Naruto\'s spiritual pressure was effortlessly neutralized by him.

This man, who had also been promoted from 3rd Seat to Captain, was indeed qualified for the role.

"As for collaboration," Naruto said softly, "geniuses like Captain Urahara are rare."

"I\'ll have to assess your capabilities first."

"Whether you\'re truly second to him—"

"Or just an insignificant pebble."

Mayuri grinned widely. "Such a description is rather displeasing."

"Captain Uzumaki, I\'m no less capable than him."

Naruto entered his office and wrote down the summoning technique on a few sheets of paper. "Let\'s use this to test your abilities."

Mayuri leaned in to look. "What a peculiar technique, completely different from Kidō."

"A technique involving space," Naruto said succinctly. "I hope you can produce some results."

Mayuri took the papers. "It does look interesting."

"But I still hope to take over Urahara\'s research projects as soon as possible."

"I\'m more interested in you, Captain Uzumaki."