Shinigami in the Ninja World (Re-upload)

The Joint Chunin Exam was Konoha's top priority at the moment—a kind of "unseen war," a clash between nations. Beyond honor, it also determined the allocation of practical benefits. While some nobles saw it merely as a matter of pride, the stakes went much deeper.

For Sasuke, Konoha assigned two genin teammates. Although they intended to use Sasuke to send a strong message to other villages, especially the Sand Village, Konoha wouldn't resort to underhanded tactics like planting disguised chunin or jonin among the genin contestants. Such deception, if exposed, would bring significant backlash.

Though Sasuke possessed the strength of a jonin, he had graduated from the Academy only two months ago and still held the official rank of genin. This allowed him to compete without raising suspicions. This exam would be his first step toward promotion.

The initial exam was straightforward. Once Sasuke understood it was a test of intelligence-gathering abilities, he quickly devised a plan. With the advantage of the Sharingan, he helped his average-skilled teammates pass the first round.

The second round, however, shifted into a survival challenge in the Forest of Death. Each team received either a "Heaven" or "Earth" scroll and had to acquire the opposite scroll from another team to reach the central tower and pass the round. The elimination rate was brutal—over 50 percent.

Upon entering the forest, Sasuke's teammates quickly turned to him for guidance.

"What should we do, Uchiha-san?" they asked, lacking any plan of their own.

Sasuke glanced at them. "I'll be moving alone. You two won't need to worry about collecting scrolls. If you're lucky enough to reach the central tower, you'll advance to the next round."

One teammate tried to stop him. They knew this year's exam was full of powerful participants, and without Sasuke, this forest would be a terrifying ordeal. But before they could say more, Sasuke had already disappeared into the dense forest.

He needed to locate an appropriate target to secure his scroll. The Sand Village's Gaara, for instance, could have been a promising target. Gaara had exuded a murderous intent toward him from their first encounter, yet Sasuke remained unimpressed. Eliminating a strong opponent like Gaara in this isolated forest seemed like a waste of time and of Gaara's potential role in later rounds.

In fact, before the exam began, the Third Hokage had advised him to avoid eliminating Gaara unless absolutely necessary. As the other major nation in the exam, the Sand Village needed to serve as Konoha's main rival. Defeating a powerful adversary from the Sand Village would demonstrate Konoha's strength to the nobles and secure better funding. Weak nations simply didn't carry the same weight.

Sasuke thought to himself that his ideal target would be a strong ninja from a minor village—someone who had dared to threaten the exam proctors before the test even began. The Grass Village ninja who'd acted so boldly would be perfect. Small nations like his should avoid trying to make a show and overreaching for resources reserved for the major powers.

Sasuke halted suddenly, turning to his left.

There, a figure stood silently—the Grass ninja he'd been targeting. He was alone, without teammates.

"Sasuke Uchiha, I've been looking for you." The long-haired Grass ninja held a scroll in his hand. "I assume I'm the prey you've been after, am I right?"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. He hadn't said anything to that effect.

"I can tell," the Grass ninja toyed with the scroll, his eyes gleaming. "Quite composed, aren't you, Sasuke? You kept your intentions perfectly concealed."

"But to me, you're an open book."

Then, he stopped playing with the scroll and said, "So… let the scroll battle begin."

With a grotesque, predatory grin, he raised the scroll to his mouth and swallowed it whole, as though he were a snake.

Sasuke's expression remained calm, his mind quickly processing the situation.

This man was bluffing. Despite his words, he clearly couldn't read Sasuke completely. The fact that he knew Sasuke's name indicated he'd been tracking him. Sasuke had been careful not to show his intentions openly, and if this ninja hadn't been watching him closely, he wouldn't have picked up on it so easily.

That meant that, even as he attacked the proctors earlier, this man had been focused on Sasuke, possibly from the very beginning of the exam.

As Sasuke moved to take his position, shurikens suddenly appeared, darting through the air toward him.

It was a genjutsu.

Under the clarity of the Sharingan, such a basic technique posed no threat. Yet Sasuke's expression darkened slightly.

The "shurikens" might have been fake, but the murderous aura behind them was real.

What terrifying intent… Just what kind of experiences or sheer number of kills would it take to hone killing intent this sharp? Even among the dangerous criminals in the Seireitei's Nest of Maggots, it was rare to encounter bloodlust as intense as this.

"Unaffected?" the Grass ninja sneered cruelly, his gaze twisted with malice. "It's been a while since I encountered an Uchiha. To think that even a kid like you would be skilled enough to see through my illusions."

In response, a flash of cold steel swept through the air, tracing an arc like the crescent of the moon—beautiful but filled with danger.

His blade struck—but Sasuke twisted around without hesitation.

Behind him, the split-in-half form of the Grass ninja collapsed into a pile of mud.

A mud clone.

Sasuke held the tip of his blade with his left hand and thrust downward.

The enemy hiding underground was forced to respond.

Chunks of earth flew up, launching toward Sasuke.

But he was prepared.

A bright white light gathered at the tip of his left index finger.

"Hadō #4. Byakurai (白雷, Pale Lightning)."

The sharp, white lightning pierced through the earth wall, directly aiming for the hidden opponent.

After the Grass ninja had used a mud clone and retreated underground, Sasuke guessed he would continue to use Earth Release techniques to retaliate. It was not only a habit but also a resource constraint; Earth Release was the only option available to him now.

However, Sasuke wasn't the only one with foresight; the Grass ninja anticipated this as well.

The white lightning blasted through the earthen defense. But Sasuke's opponent was crouching low, well below the strike. If he had been standing, the lightning would have hit his heart; if he had been squatting, it would have struck his brain. But he had completely crouched down.

Amidst the swirling earth and dust, the Grass ninja extended his hand, revealing black, writhing tendrils.

Snakes.

"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands."

Large snakes attacked; smaller ones snuck around, while some constricted and others grabbed.

A hissing, writhing mass surrounded Sasuke.

This was no ordinary ninjutsu but rather a sinister forbidden technique.

Sasuke remained calm and slashed with his blade.

Severed snake heads fell to the ground like a rain of serpents.

However, the jutsu was not broken; it included sacrifices as part of its design. The decapitated snakes did not weaken the technique.

Another snake wrapped around him, then a second, and a third…

"Impressive, Sasuke-kun," the Grass ninja sneered, confident in his jutsu's strength. Seeing Sasuke ensnared, he stood up, stepping out of the shadows. "Had it been anyone else—even a jonin—they would likely be dead by now."

"But unfortunately, you lack experience."

His voice dripped with condescension, his tone sinister and predatory. "Never assume your opponents are inexperienced or foolish; a true powerhouse rarely has an incompetent mind."

"Your intent was far too obvious."

Sasuke's expression remained impassive. "You're not a Grass ninja. Who are you?"

"Oh?" The Grass ninja reached up and tugged at his forehead protector. "Why would you say that? I am wearing this, after all."

Sasuke continued, "Your real goal isn't the scroll—it's the Sharingan, isn't it?"

The Grass ninja's eyes narrowed.

"This is a team-based exam," Sasuke said calmly. "Typically, participants move in groups of three. Even someone as strong as Gaara from the Sand Village did not break this rule; a small village ninja would be even less likely to.

"Yet, you're acting alone…"

"Of course, that could mean you're just strong enough to handle things by yourself."

"But you know my name, and your knowledge of me goes beyond what's available for this Chunin Exam."

He paused, his tone firm. "So, you're impersonating a Grass ninja, infiltrating this exam with the goal of obtaining the Sharingan."

The Grass ninja slowly clapped, a mocking smile on his face. "What an excellent deduction."

"You're right. I'm not a Grass ninja."

"Sasuke-kun, you're with Konoha's Anbu now, so you must have heard of me."

He drew out his words, savoring the anticipation. "Orochimaru."

Sasuke's expression shifted slightly.

Though he had been in the Anbu for only two months, this name was infamous even to him.

One of the Legendary Sannin, Orochimaru had once been the leading candidate to become the Fourth Hokage before defecting from the village due to his forbidden experiments, becoming an S-rank rogue ninja.

He was one of the strongest shinobi in the world.

"But that doesn't matter," Orochimaru continued, stepping closer and inspecting Sasuke with a twisted fascination, as though admiring a fine piece of art. "Because now, you're already in my grasp, Sasuke-kun."

He opened his mouth wide, like a snake preparing to devour its prey.

"Why are you so interested in the Sharingan?" Sasuke asked calmly. "You're one of the rare few who became powerful even without a Kekkei Genkai. An incompatible Sharingan would likely be useless to you."

Orochimaru laughed, a low, sinister chuckle. "Incompatible? I'd never make such a foolish mistake."

"But it seems, even with your Uchiha blood, you don't understand the true potential of the Sharingan."

He paused, a crafty grin on his face. "I'm sure you'd be eager to learn this, Sasuke-kun."

"I once crossed paths with that man, Itachi."

"In that moment, the allure of the Sharingan overwhelmed me."

At last, Sasuke's expression showed a crack in his composure.

He stared at Orochimaru, feeling a pang of raw emotion.

After nearly four decades, including the years in the Soul Society, he was finally hearing news related to that man again.

"Where is he?" Sasuke's voice was low and intense.

Orochimaru chuckled. "Looking for revenge, are we?"

"With your current strength, you're nowhere close."

"Itachi is a very powerful individual."

As he spoke, Orochimaru leaned forward, his mouth widening, inching closer to Sasuke's neck.

"Allow me to grant you something… something that will make you much…"

His voice trailed off, the words garbled by his open mouth.

But Sasuke didn't give him the chance to continue.

A flash of lightning surged forth.

"Hadō #11. Tsuzuri Raiden (綴雷電, Bound Lightning)."

Electric energy crackled around him, high-voltage and ferocious, instantly dispersing the snakes coiled around him.

Orochimaru's pupils constricted, and he quickly retreated.

No wonder Sasuke had seemed so unafraid earlier.

Orochimaru had assumed Sasuke was waiting for Konoha reinforcements, even chuckling to himself, thinking that, as long as he wished it, Konoha would never locate him here.

But it was clear now…

There was no stalling tactic; Sasuke had been setting him up all along.

The information he had revealed was deliberate—it was information he had fully intended for Sasuke to know.

He continued to attack, blade after blade striking relentlessly.

Orochimaru opened his mouth, and a long, muscular tongue shot out, gripping a sword. The tongue-wielded blade collided with Sasuke's, sparks scattering as both weapons remained intact.

Sasuke was surprised.

That tongue… it had been trained to be incredibly powerful.

Despite Sasuke's strength, clashing with it didn't dislodge Orochimaru's weapon.

Orochimaru, however, was even more shocked.

The sword he held was the legendary Kusanagi Sword, a mythical blade that could easily damage any ordinary weapon upon impact. Even weapons of notable strength typically showed signs of wear after clashing with it.

Yet Sasuke's sword was entirely undamaged, as if it were an artifact on par with the legendary weapon itself.

"So he really is an Uchiha…" Orochimaru thought, wondering how Konoha had allowed Sasuke to hold onto such an impressive weapon.

Both of their minds spun with these scattered thoughts as the battle continued.

"Where is Itachi Uchiha?" Sasuke demanded. "How do you know him?"

Each question was punctuated by a fierce strike of his sword, ruthless and relentless.

But Orochimaru remained silent, refusing to answer as he repeatedly attempted to bite Sasuke.

His neck stretched like a spring, extending and retracting as if he were made of rubber, yet even with his contorted body, he found no chance to sink his teeth into Sasuke.

"This is troublesome." Orochimaru glanced at the sky. "If I drag this out any longer, those others will arrive."

Sasuke's grip on his sword tightened further.

This was the only person he had ever encountered who might know something about Itachi Uchiha.

But Orochimaru showed no intention of staying.

"It's a pity I wasn't able to give you my gift, Sasuke-kun." Orochimaru gave a wry smile, waving dismissively. "I really had no malicious intent. I only wanted to see if you were worthy of my gift. Yet here we are."

"Because your skills have far exceeded my expectations."

"If you seek greater power…"

"Or more information about Itachi Uchiha…"

"You'll know where to find me."

Sasuke lunged to pursue, but in a blink, Orochimaru vanished, leaving behind only mud clones that quickly disintegrated into sludge.

He stood there, staring at the remnants of the jutsu, lost in thought.

As Orochimaru had said, it had been more of an evaluation. During their encounter, Sasuke could tell Orochimaru had held back considerably.

Yet why?

In their brief exchange, Sasuke had clearly sensed Orochimaru's interest in the Sharingan. But it didn't seem like he wanted to forcibly take Sasuke's eyes for himself.

It felt more like an invitation.

Orochimaru…

Sasuke looked in the direction where Orochimaru had vanished. His ears picked up the faint sound of approaching Anbu agents in the distance. Leaving nothing behind, he swiftly vanished with a Shunpo.

Whatever Orochimaru's goal was, Sasuke knew he had to focus on clearing the second exam. Once that was complete, he could think through everything in greater detail.

After taking down a few non-Konoha teams, seizing the scrolls he needed, and pairing them with his own, Sasuke headed straight for the central tower.

While Sasuke had no issues, his two teammates staggered in, barely making it in time, securing their spot in the last hour of the fifth day.

Before the third round, there was a preliminary elimination. Only the most promising candidates would move on to the finals—since the nobles had limited patience, they wanted to focus on only the most interesting contenders.

Sasuke's opponent was a sound ninja.

For some reason, this opponent bore a strong grudge against Sasuke, ranting about how he would defeat him even before the fight began. Of course, he met his defeat at Sasuke's hands with a single blow.

The moment the examiner announced, "Begin," the match ended instantly.

The third round was set to take place in a month.

During this time, Sasuke wasn't exactly taking it easy. He had been appointed as an acting squad leader—a role that everyone understood to be a formality due to his young age and short tenure. Once he gained more experience, the "acting" part of his title would likely be removed.

Or perhaps it might change even further, removing "acting" and modifying his position to something higher.

After a long day, Sasuke lay in bed, exhausted, and closed his eyes.

When he reopened them, the world had changed once again.

He was back in the Soul Society, in the 2nd Division barracks.

Life as part of the Stealth Force wasn't much different from his time with the Anbu. It was still missions, missions, and more missions.

When Kisuke Urahara was appointed captain, Sasuke joined in the celebrations.

But after that, he returned immediately to his training.

The events of the second exam had left a deep impression on him.

Orochimaru had admitted that Itachi Uchiha was more powerful than him, and during Sasuke's battle with Orochimaru, he realized they were evenly matched. Sasuke hadn't even used his Shikai, but Orochimaru, too, had held back his true power.

Compared to Orochimaru, Sasuke knew he still fell short of Itachi Uchiha.

'That won't do.'

With strength like this, how could he hope to avenge the Uchiha clan?

So Sasuke threw himself into intense training, much to Yoruichi's dismay. Though she had big ambitions herself, her personality was laid-back; she could only keep up this rigorous pace for so long before she needed a break.

But she understood his reasoning and couldn't refuse his dedication.

Now that Kisuke Urahara had left the 2nd Division to head the 12th, the weight of this intense work fell squarely on Yoruichi alone.

A few years later, disturbances began to arise in the Rukongai, with reports of inexplicable soul disappearances.

Confirming that the disappearances occurred in areas he didn't frequent, Sasuke didn't pay much attention, as this matter wasn't under the 2nd Division's jurisdiction. The investigation would fall to another squad.

One night.

At the 2nd Division barracks.

Yoruichi Shihōin called Sasuke in, her expression uncharacteristically serious, starkly different from her usual laid-back demeanor.

Sasuke was taken aback.

This was the same expression she'd worn the first time she'd recruited him, revealing her ambitions. This was only the second time he had seen her look this way.

"There's a major issue," Yoruichi said, taking a deep breath. "I just received an order from Central 46. The 2nd Division is to mobilize and arrest the captain of the 12th Division, Kisuke Urahara."

"And…"

She listed names in succession.

There were captains and lieutenants, practically half of the active strength of the Seireitei.

Sasuke frowned. "What's the reason?"

Yoruichi held up her hands. "Hollowfication."

"And the accusation of endangering other captains, causing them to undergo Hollowfication."

She paused, rubbing her head in frustration. "The situation is convoluted, and I'm as confused as you, but…"

Sasuke picked up where she left off. "Urahara doesn't seem like someone who would do that."

"Of course he wouldn't." Yoruichi's tone was resolute. "But this kind of order doesn't bode well."

"Without solid evidence that Urahara was behind this, with captains clearly as the victims of these Hollowfications, Central 46 is still demanding the Stealth Force move against them. It's essentially…"

"They've already passed judgment."

She rubbed her head again, troubled. "Normally, those elders are so slow to act. Why now, just this once, are they moving so quickly? They made this decision before we in the 2nd Division could even gather intelligence."

Sasuke took note of this, committing it to memory.

"It doesn't seem like Urahara and the others will meet a good end," Yoruichi sighed. "If the punishment turns out to be too harsh…"

She clenched her fists, a helpless look on her face. "Then I'll have to take some drastic measures."

Sasuke was puzzled.

Drastic measures?

"As head of the Shihōin family, one of the Five Great Noble Families, I can afford to defect with Urahara without facing serious consequences. Central 46 wouldn't dare take severe action against me." Yoruichi spoke confidently.

"And with that, if the head of the Shihōin family makes a major mistake, then the position of 2nd Division Captain would need to go to someone outside the Shihōin family, possibly even someone from outside the noble families."

"In other words…"

"If I make a big enough mistake, we create an opening for someone outside the Shihōin family, or even outside the nobility, to take the captain's position."

She turned, staring intently at Sasuke.

But Sasuke shook his head. "I haven't mastered Bankai yet."

"Bankai is just a certification of captain-level strength," Yoruichi replied. "The standard for becoming a captain is having the necessary skill."

"However…"

"It certainly complicates things."

The gap between Sasuke's current power and captain-level strength wasn't insurmountable.

If this incident hadn't occurred, he might have reached that threshold of captain-level strength in five or seven years, maybe a decade at most—even while only using Shikai.

But they didn't have five, seven, or ten years.

They had less than two hours.

Even if the Stealth Force took its time, they would still be moving shortly after receiving the order from Central 46.

Yoruichi suddenly remembered something and sighed. "Actually, Urahara has a device called the Tenshintai. Until now, neither he nor I dared to tell you about it."

Sasuke frowned.

They hadn't dared to tell him? Why?

"The device has one ability," Yoruichi said in a low voice. "It can allow the user a chance to master Bankai in just three days."

Sasuke's eyes widened as he stepped forward, his gaze filled with intense desire.

"This is exactly why we didn't tell you," Yoruichi said calmly, waving her hand. "Because if you knew, you'd definitely want to use it."

"But there's a fatal risk. If you fail to achieve Bankai in those three days, you'll never be able to attain it, in this life or any future ones."

Sasuke paused, thinking it over. "Captain, you can actually trust me. If I had known about the Tenshintai before today, I wouldn't have chosen to use it."

Yoruichi rolled her eyes. She didn't believe him.

Everyone in the 2nd Division and even in the higher ranks knew that the third seat of the 2nd Division and vice-commander of the Stealth Force, Sasuke Uchiha, was intensely driven to acquire power.

For someone like him…

How could he not want to use the Tenshintai?

Yet Sasuke hadn't been overly eager to achieve Bankai up until this point.

No matter how long he spent in the Soul Society, no time passed in Konoha. He had indeed trained rigorously in the Soul Society to gain strength, but as for Bankai, he had been willing to wait patiently, knowing time wasn't pressing.

But now, things were different.

For the resources that came with being captain, for the support Yoruichi had promised…

"Then let's move out," Yoruichi said, standing up. "Our mission is to capture Kisuke Urahara and the others."

"But if things go as we hope, I pray you won't have to use that device."

"If there's no other option…"

"Remember the location beneath Sokyoku Hill."

"There, Urahara and I built a hidden base. Though it's been abandoned, it's the best place for refuge."

Sasuke nodded.

As vice-commander, he was expected to accompany the force.

Kisuke Urahara cooperated without resistance and was taken away alongside the Hollowfied captains and lieutenants.

That night.

News swept through the entire Seireitei: Yoruichi Shihōin had betrayed the Soul Society, freeing the primary suspect, Kisuke Urahara, and several Hollowfied captains.

In her absence, Sasuke Uchiha, Third Seat of the 2nd Division, was appointed acting captain of the 2nd Division.