บท 221: Chapter 221: Aizen's Defeat and Balance
For the first time, Aizen's emotions fluctuated intensely.
"Anger," "pain," "shock"—emotions he had long suppressed erupted from his body in that moment.
Beings with emotions cannot avoid negative feelings. Positive outcomes like "victory" and "advantage" tend to suppress them. But when those positive reinforcements vanish, the negative emotions flood back, much larger and more violent, opening a gaping, bloody mouth that sinks into the heart, tearing it apart with a weighty sense of void, dragging the person into a deep abyss.
"Stop being so arrogant!" Aizen roared furiously, his voice fluctuating wildly.
"How pretentious!"
"The power of evolution is still within me."
"Naruto-kun, are you using these tricks as well?"
Naruto raised his hand, and the power of "Vortex" had already ground the Hōgyoku into fine dust, which scattered into the wind, drifting far away.
Kisuke Urahara's eyes filled with dread.
With his abilities, he clearly understood what had just occurred—this wasn't an illusion, nor a mere trick.
The *Hōgyoku* had truly been destroyed.
Aizen stood in silence, raising his hand as spiritual pressure surged around him.
"Seeping crest of turbidity!"
As he chanted, black spiritual pressure began to surge, weaving countless dark spiritual fragments around him.
"Arrogant vessel of lunacy. Boil forth and deny!"
"Grow numb and flicker. Disrupt sleep. Crawling queen of iron. Eternally self-destructing doll of mud!"
"Unite. Repulse. Fill with soil and know your own powerlessness!!"
"Hadō #90. Kurohitsugi (黒棺, Black Coffin)!"
The black spiritual fragments, glowing faintly purple, converged and formed a massive black box, swallowing Naruto completely.
It was immense, heavy.
Even the sky and the ruins below were dyed in purplish-black hues.
"This is who I am!" Aizen's voice grew louder, unlike his usual calm demeanor. "I, who have broken the boundary between Shinigami and Hollow, evolved into a higher being, releasing this power of Kidō."
"Under this overwhelming force, even space itself is distorted."
"Naruto, you are just wielding a Zanpakutō..."
His maniacal laughter was abruptly cut off.
A vortex swirled before his eyes, distorting space.
The sturdy walls of the black coffin were twisted and unraveled in mere seconds.
A vortex.
The "Kurohitsugi" was compressed into a swirling mass.
It failed to cause any damage and was swept into Naruto's hand, condensed into an "obsidian" orb, which, like the Hōgyoku, crumbled into dust and gradually dissipated.
"Aizen, the Hōgyoku merely followed your desires, making you stronger, shaping your body into this so-called 'evolution.'" Naruto released the ashes of the "Kurohitsugi" as well. "But that's not true evolution."
Aizen said nothing, his eyes widening in disbelief.
Impossible!
How could this be?
How could the Kidō he just cast be so easily neutralized?
Even more unbearable was the change happening to his own body.
The black, eye-like cavity on his forehead completely disintegrated.
The white armor-like solid material on his body began to fall away in fragments.
And just as Naruto had said, much of this was due to the power of Naruto's sword.
But part of it also came from... his own inner self.
Naruto raised his hand.
Wind gathered in his palm, condensing and spinning into a semi-transparent, faintly glowing blue sphere.
He looked at Aizen, his expression tinged with pity.
But...
"It ends here. You've caused too many sacrifices."
Just as he was about to hurl the condensed "Vortex" at Aizen—
"Wait, Naruto, don't kill him," Kisuke Urahara called out.
Naruto turned his head. "Why?"
"The Captain-Commander will explain," Urahara took a deep breath and raised his hand. "Coming from me won't be as convincing, will it?"
The Captain-Commander?
Hearing those words, Naruto paused, dispersing the gathered wind.
Clasping his hands together, he activated the "Adamantine Sealing Chains," which tightly bound Aizen.
Aizen did not resist.
He merely lifted his head. "Naruto-kun, I still don't understand why you would submit to that system."
"It's not submission; it's necessity," Naruto responded quietly. "The Soul King acts as the keystone. Without him, the balance of the Three Worlds would collapse."
"As I've always said, I don't reject your ideas."
"But..."
"One's blade should not be turned against the innocent, otherwise, how are we any different from the people we fight against?"
Aizen shook his head with difficulty, the seal now wrapping around his neck. "That doesn't sound like something a victor would say."
"But since you've won..."
"The fate of this world is now in your hands."
The seal wrapped around his head.
Naruto hesitated, leaving Aizen's eyes exposed. "Aizen, this is where we differ."
"I never intended to decide what the world should be like."
"I simply wish for it to become a little better."
"The world doesn't belong to us alone; it belongs to them as well."
Aizen forced a smile, attempting to maintain some dignity even in defeat. "Is that so?"
"Then let's see what you do with it, Naruto-kun."
Naruto said nothing, raising his hand. With his index and middle fingers, he gently tapped Aizen's forehead.
The seal surged, covering his eyes.
Darkness descended.
Sealing his world, isolating him from the rest of existence.
Three days later.
Karakura Town had returned to its original state after the battle, with most people unaware of what had transpired.
To them, their perception and memories held only a brief citywide power outage.
Some sensed that something had happened, but seeing that nothing came of it, they put their anxieties to rest.
Inside the 1st Division's barracks, only Captain-Commander Yamamoto and Naruto were in the room.
"Captain-Commander, if there's something you need, there's no need to rush. You should focus on recovering," Naruto spoke softly, glancing at Yamamoto's empty left sleeve.
This was an injury he had sustained in his battle with Aizen.
"Now is not the time for rest," Yamamoto shook his head. "As the Captain-Commander, I must set an example for the Gotei 13."
Naruto thought for a moment. "Among Ichigo's friends, there's a human woman named Orihime Inoue. She has an extraordinary ability."
"Perhaps she can heal you."
Yamamoto shook his head again. "That won't be necessary."
"Receiving help from a human..." Naruto continued to persuade him, knowing how much of an impact losing an arm could have on one's strength.
Yamamoto smiled slightly. "I know what you're thinking."
"It's not about pride."
"It's just that..."
"In this battle, how many of our soldiers have been lost, and how many more have been wounded?"
"Those who survived, I could set aside my pride and ask Orihime to heal them one by one."
"But what about those who have fallen?"
"The role of the Captain-Commander is not just about power; it's about responsibility."
"I must set an example for all our soldiers. To protect the Soul Society, to protect the Seireitei, I am willing to sacrifice."
Naruto nodded.
He studied Yamamoto for a moment, curious. The Captain-Commander seemed more talkative today than usual.
"Your growth has exceeded my expectations," Yamamoto remarked, watching Naruto with a warm smile. "Let that mischievous little fox come out too."
Naruto reached for his stomach and pulled.
Reluctantly, Kurama emerged, dragging its feet and immediately hiding behind Naruto.
It wasn't keen on facing the old man, especially not in front of Naruto.
Kurama and Yachiru had caused no small amount of trouble for him in the past.
Now, it felt like a child being reprimanded by a parent.
"I'll start by explaining why Aizen couldn't be killed," Yamamoto's face grew serious. "Have you heard of 'Hell'?"
Naruto nodded.
It was a topic covered in the curriculum of the Shin'ō Academy.
A Zanpakutō can purify the sins of Hollows, but if a Hollow was a wicked being in life, when killed, it doesn't dissolve into reishi or return to the Soul Society. Instead, it is drawn into Hell.
"The World of the Living, Hueco Mundo, the Soul Society," Yamamoto continued. "Adding Hell, that makes four realms. But why do we only speak of three?"
Kurama tilted its head. "We've never really dealt with Hell before, and I don't know anyone who has."
Naruto thought deeper. "Is Hell's existence more important than the other Three Worlds?"
Yamamoto nodded. "It is very special. Only with the balance of all Three Worlds can we maintain the seal on Hell."
"Or, more accurately..."
"Keep Hell's gates suppressed."
Suppressed?
That word...
Naruto pondered.
"The souls that enter Hell aren't just those who were evil in life, but also..." Yamamoto spoke softly, "Shinigami or Hollows with spiritual power above the 3rd Class."
Naruto was taken aback.
Kurama questioned, "Isn't it said that when Shinigami die, their spiritual bodies disperse into reishi and return to the Soul Society?"
"How could they end up in Hell?"
"Because spiritual power above the third rank is too dense, heavier than the reishi in the atmosphere," Naruto surmised.
Yamamoto nodded. "Exactly."
"So, when a captain-level Shinigami or Hollow dies, they are sent to Hell."
"This time..."
"Too many captain-level Hollows have died. The balance has already shifted toward Hell."
"And with Aizen's immense spiritual pressure, if he were to die, even with both of us here, it would be difficult to stabilize the balance with Hell."
"Even if it wouldn't, we shouldn't add fuel to an already fragile balance."
"Naruto, I leave Aizen's situation in your hands."
Naruto nodded. "Understood."
"Aside from Aizen, I have two other matters to discuss," Yamamoto took a deep breath. "The first concerns the Central 46."
Naruto narrowed his eyes.
"This isn't something I should be handling personally," Yamamoto sighed. "But the head of the Kuchiki family refuses to step in."
"You know the situations of the Shiba and Shihōin families..."
"The remaining two families have special circumstances."
These were the "most unreliable" families.
Yoruichi had returned to her family briefly after the battle with Aizen, but quickly went back to the World of the Living.
As for Kaien Shiba...
He was a dependable man, but he was currently preparing for his captaincy exam and wasn't interested in getting involved.
The Visored were also reluctant to return to the Seireitei. Despite their stellar performance in the war and Yamamoto's promise not to pursue their Hollowfication, most were firm in their decision to remain in the World of the Living. A few were still undecided.
As for the Tsunayashiro family, Tokinada Tsunayashiro was wisely avoiding appearing before Naruto.
The last family, much like the Shiba, had little interest in "noble games."
Yamamoto continued, "So, they have entrusted me with this task."
"I recall..."
"You once mentioned that your view of the Central 46 is similar to Aizen's."
Kurama squinted, contemplating something.
Naruto understood and shook his head. "Power should be in the hands of those who bear responsibility, not with people who have no connection to the Gotei 13."
"Like..."
"What Yoruichi Shihōin did."
Yamamoto's expression remained neutral. "I'll relay that to them."
He knew exactly what Naruto was referring to with Yoruichi.
Before she became the captain of the 2nd Division, the division and the Stealth Force were two separate entities.
One served the Gotei 13, while the other served the nobility.
But under Yoruichi's leadership, the two entities gradually merged, until now, the Stealth Force that once served the nobility had all but disappeared, replaced entirely by the 2nd Division.
"The other matter," Yamamoto said, waving his hand, "is something I've long deliberated on, and you, Naruto, are the most suitable person to handle it."
"Before now, we didn't have the right opportunity or candidate."
"But after what happened with Aizen, to be cautious, I believe Hueco Mundo should also fall under the supervision of the Gotei 13."
"Naruto, I'd like you to go to Hueco Mundo and investigate how many Arrancar and captain-level Menos remain."
"You don't need to report back to me."
"I trust you to handle this however you see fit."
"This..."
"It's also a test."
Naruto didn't hesitate to reply, "Understood. I'll take care of it."
Kurama pondered. "Looks like we're going back to Hueco Mundo for another adventure?"
Yamamoto shot him a sharp look.
Kurama shivered, hiding behind Naruto, but then remembered the old man was missing an arm, so it puffed up its chest, standing proudly.
"The little fox can stay behind," Yamamoto said softly. "It has power and potential, just a bit of a mischievous streak."
"I could spare some time to teach it."
Kurama bristled.
Naruto spoke quietly, "I'll leave it to you then."
Kurama puffed up even more. "Naruto, what are you saying?!"
"How can you bear to hand me over to him?"
Naruto stood up, waving goodbye.
A week later.
A Garganta opened in Hueco Mundo.
Naruto and Kurama emerged.
"Back here again." Kurama stretched lazily. "It's nice without that old man around."
Naruto reached out, rolling up his sleeve as he activated a sealing technique.
A blue-haired man fell to the ground in a disheveled state.
It was Grimmjow, one of the Espada.
His condition wasn't great—Mayuri had conducted many experiments on him, and even during the battle with Aizen, as the research division's support, Mayuri hadn't let up on his studies of the Arrancar.
"So you chose to release me." Grimmjow glanced around.
The familiar desert, the familiar lifeless atmosphere.
"Hueco Mundo needs stability." Naruto waved. "This is an olive branch."
"Shinigami and Hollow may be enemies, but at our level, we have to consider more—like the balance of the Three Worlds."
"We hope to build a more harmonious relationship with the Arrancar."
Grimmjow sneered. "Sounds like pity from those in power."
Naruto shook his head. "Let's go. I sense the presence of... some of your former comrades."
Grimmjow said nothing and followed behind Naruto.
Meanwhile...
In the World of the Living, outside Karakura Town, on a hillside...
"Is this... the human world?" A man with brown hair, wearing a white fur coat, appeared quietly. He glanced around, his tone curious.
The reishi density here was nothing like the Soul Society.
"Kōga?" he called out a name.
Logically, his close companion should have responded immediately.
But...
The only answer came from a few restless bird calls and the sound of the wind.
The man remained silent, searching the area.
Until he came across a seal.
"Shisō Keppū (Blood Seal of Four Spears)," he muttered, recognizing the technique. "Kōga has been sealed."
"Captain-Commander Yamamoto?"
"Or... Ginrei Kuchiki?"
He tried to use his own abilities, but the seal remained unmoved by his power.
After all...
He was just a Zanpakutō spirit.
"If I want to break the seal and release Kōga, will I need a Shinigami?" The man, who took on the appearance of a human, spoke quietly, his tone deep.
"In that case..."
"I'll have to do it again."
He turned and disappeared.
Back in Hueco Mundo.
Naruto, Kurama, and Grimmjow arrived at the ruins of Las Noches.
Grimmjow's expression grew serious.
Though he had spent most of his time on Mayuri's dissection table, the man had rambled on during his research, so Grimmjow had a rough understanding of the recent events.
The major battles hadn't taken place in the World of the Living.
Aizen hadn't breached the Soul Society...
So how did none of this affect Hueco Mundo?
As he pondered this...
A tall, muscular, tan-skinned, blonde female Arrancar appeared through a Sonido, cautiously stopping a few meters away from Naruto. "Blonde Shinigami, I remember your name is Naruto Uzumaki..."
"What brings you to Hueco Mundo this time?"
Naruto raised his hand and pointed. "Look, I brought someone back for you."
The blonde female Arrancar glanced briefly at Grimmjow, then returned her gaze to Naruto. "Just to return him?"
"Harribel wouldn't consider me a comrade," Grimmjow sneered. "Your Shinigami sentimentality doesn't seem to work on us Arrancar."
Naruto shook his head and continued. "We hope to establish some form of cooperation with Hueco Mundo."
"For the sake of maintaining balance and stability across the Three Worlds."
~~~
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