Naruto: Just Want To Be A Death God

Kugo Ginjo instinctively raised his hand to clutch his chest.

Was his heart still beating?

A faint vibration answered his question.

Oh.

Still alive.

Just a single glance from such a distance gave him a feeling close to death.

Was this the power of a Vasto Lorde?

But to just leave like this—

"Don't turn away from the weak," Shiba Isshin stood in front of him, "That's how you find the courage to raise your sword."

"Remember this feeling."

"But for now…"

He turned his head back with a bright smile.

"Go."

"I'll take care of things here."

"Tell Naruto what happened."

Kugo Ginjo nodded and vanished with a shunpo.

The pitch-black spiritual pressure of the Vasto Lorde surged like a tsunami, a wave of killing intent rolling forth.

It didn't speak, but its bloodlust was unmistakable.

Shiba Isshin drew his sword.

His spiritual pressure pulsed, captain's haori billowing.

"Burn, Engetsu!"

Flames burst forth from the blade, rising like flowing tassels, almost engulfing his whole body.

The Vasto Lorde charged without fear, slashing with its hand-blade.

The flames scorched the black armor, leaving seared marks.

But the light wounds quickly squirmed and healed on their own.

The hand-blade was fast, the force immense.

Shiba Isshin tilted his head.

Though he dodged the strike, the highly condensed spiritual pressure nicked his forehead, drawing a spray of blood.

To think the spiritual pressure was this strong—

It could only be described as fitting for the legendary Vasto Lorde.

He gripped his sword with both hands and pressed downward.

Flames compressed, mixing with his spiritual pressure to form a highly condensed energy.

Silver-white moonlight burst forth.

"Getsuga Tensho!"

A surge of energy shot from the tip of his blade, ripping through the Vasto Lorde's chest armor.

Its spiritual pressure scattered in disarray for a moment.

Shiba Isshin's pupils widened.

The wound was grotesque—bone and organs visible.

But…

Was that all?

"Getsuga Tensho" was a technique that compressed and released spiritual energy.

Among captain-level techniques, it ranked near the top—second only to the Captain-Commander's techniques in the Gotei 13.

He had confidence that this move could only be rivaled by Naruto's "Tailed Beast Bomb."

He had hoped this strike would cut the Vasto Lorde in two.

Instead, it only left a seemingly superficial wound.

It even had high-speed regeneration.

Flesh reknit, and the wound faded.

It wasn't fatal.

Shiba Isshin clicked his tongue.

As expected…

This limit was a nuisance—only "20%" spiritual pressure output allowed.

Hopefully, Ginjo's message reached the Seireitei quickly.

Even with limited power, he showed no fear, continuing to fight.

The Vasto Lorde's abilities—

Besides high-speed regeneration, its skin was extremely durable. Isshin had to use all the spiritual pressure he could muster just to inflict minor damage.

But aside from that, it didn't seem to have any other overwhelming powers.

Isshin managed to hold his own.

Their fight moved from Naruki City to Karakura Town.

Seireitei – 13th Division

Shiba Kukaku had healed from her injuries, but her zanpakuto had yet to recover.

She voluntarily stepped down from her third seat to the tenth seat, helping her husband manage the division's affairs.

"Beep beep—"

The communication device buzzed on the table.

Kaien Shiba picked it up, frowning.

"What's wrong?" Kukaku leaned over.

Kaien stood up, his expression serious: "Go inform Captain Ukitake."

"I'm going to find Naruto."

"Ginjo's message says the Hollow appearing in Naruki City is, according to Uncle Isshin, a Vasto Lorde."

Kukaku froze.

The legendary top-class Hollow?

She nodded solemnly and left.

7th Division Barracks

Kaien briefed Naruto on the situation.

Naruto nodded: "Understood."

But he didn't head to the human world immediately, even though Kaien had already applied for the necessary permissions.

He brought Kaien to the 5th Division.

"Well well, what brings Captain Uzumaki to our 5th Division today?" Ichimaru Gin smiled broadly and waved. "What a rare sight."

"Gin, where's Captain Aizen?" Naruto asked.

Gin kept smiling and shook his head: "Captain Aizen left early this morning."

"Said he was going to the human world…"

"But I'm not sure what for."

Naruto let his spiritual pressure sweep through the barracks unchecked.

Within him, Yin Kurama also released its spiritual pressure under Naruto's cover.

"He's not here," Yin Kurama confirmed after a while.

I see…

Naruto reached out and slapped the ground.

A puff of smoke appeared, and Yang Kurama emerged, clutching a sake bottle.

"Naruto, what's going on?" it asked, shaking its head and fluffing its fur.

"Aizen's left," Naruto told it gently. "Keep watch here."

"Same as before."

Ichimaru Gin tilted his head: "Naruto-taichō."

Naruto paused and looked up.

Naruto-taichō…

That was a name he hadn't heard from Gin in a long time.

Ever since Naruto joined the Gotei 13, Gin had referred to him more distantly as Captain Uzumaki.

"Be careful," Gin said seriously, his tone stripped of its usual playfulness.

Naruto nodded and grinned: "Of course."

Human World – Karakura Town

Shiba Isshin was struggling to hold on.

But after several uses of "Getsuga Tensho," he had gained something.

He'd figured out the Hollow's attack patterns.

Now all he needed was Bankai…

Even if it didn't kill the Hollow, it would be enough to hold out until reinforcements arrived.

But just as he began gathering spiritual energy into his blade—

Pain suddenly shot through his chest.

He instinctively looked down.

A sharp blade had pierced through him.

Not only his body, but even his spiritual energy was further suppressed.

That enemy?

He couldn't see clearly!

He wanted to turn and glimpse who attacked him.

But before he could, the Vasto Lorde lunged forward, taking advantage of the opening.

With a sneak attack and spiritual pressure suppression, he was overwhelmed—completely unable to fend off the Vasto Lorde.

In the blink of an eye, his body was covered in wounds.

Isshin gritted his teeth.

That ambush was lethal.

Timed perfectly for maximum damage.

If he died here…

Even if Captain Unohana examined the body, she'd likely conclude he was killed by a Hollow.

The bull-headed Hollow raised its right hand, a cruel smile on its face, ready to deliver the finishing blow.

A glowing arrow suddenly shot from afar.

It pierced the Hollow's hand, knocking its attack off course.

Isshin blinked.

Reinforcements?

But… Naruto didn't use this kind of attack.

And the spiritual pressure—it wasn't a Shinigami's.

He turned his head.

On the other side of the road stood a girl in a sailor uniform, with short orange hair.

She held a large spiritual bow.

A second arrow was forming in her hand.

A Quincy!

Isshin was stunned.

A Quincy… helping a Shinigami?

What shocked him even more was the girl's strength—her spiritual pressure was on par with a captain's.

Arrows rained down like a storm.

But—

"Be careful!" Isshin warned, clutching his wound. "That Hollow is strong—you can't handle it alone."

"Just hold it off for a bit."

"I'll stabilize my injuries and fight with you."

"I've already called for backup—"

But as he said that last part, Isshin realized something was wrong.

He knew Naruto would be the one to come.

Naruto was kind and, if Isshin asked, wouldn't report the Quincy's presence to the Seireitei.

But this girl didn't know that.

In her eyes—

Quincies and Shinigami were mortal enemies.

Sure enough, after hearing that half-sentence, her expression shifted.

She intensified her attacks.

Still ineffective.

She decisively released her bow and discarded her tools.

The Hollow was confused by her actions.

Its instincts told it that this person had abandoned her combat capabilities.

The air rippled.

The Hollow lunged at her.

Isshin frowned.

Damn it, he cursed himself. Too talkative.

A Quincy's strength came mostly from their bow.

She had given up her best weapon—what was she planning?

The Hollow bit into her shoulder.

At the same time, blue, tree-like patterns spread across the girl's body, resisting the attack.

But…

This was a Vasto Lorde—its bite force was immense. It pierced her defenses and sank its teeth into her flesh.

The girl winced, frowning in pain, but raised her right hand.

Spiritual pressure gathered.

A small light arrow formed without any tools—highly condensed spiritual power fired at point-blank range.

Boom! It blasted the Hollow's mask, piercing its skull.

Isshin's pupils dilated.

He hadn't participated in the war against the Quincies, but he knew a bit about their powers.

That didn't seem like a typical Quincy ability.

But what concerned him more was her turbulent spiritual pressure.

The bull-headed Hollow's head was gone, but its body remained.

Residual spiritual pressure caused it to swell, ballooning into a sphere.

"Watch out!" Isshin gritted his teeth, forced his spirit energy, and shunpoed forward to grab the girl's waist.

She yelped.

But in the next instant, the explosion drowned out her scream.

Spiritual pressure roared like a storm.

The girl clutched her chest, wide-eyed: "Thanks… You Shinigami aren't so bad after all."

"I should be thanking you," Isshin shook his head, eyes falling on her shoulder wound. "If it weren't for you, I'd be dead."

"Want me to treat your wound—?"

The girl shook her head: "No need. My family runs a clinic."

"See you, Shinigami."

She twisted free of his arms and jumped down.

"What's your name?" Isshin reached out, as if trying to keep her from leaving.

The girl twirled playfully.

"Me?"

"Kurosaki. Kurosaki Masaki."

"See you around, Shinigami uncle."

She turned to leave.

Suddenly, a golden chain appeared and blocked her path.

(End of Chapter)