Naruto Birdcage

Rukia had been having quite a good time lately.

She worked at the Soul Society's consulate in Konoha, holding a clerical position.

The daily affairs weren't too busy, and the job was quite respectable.

At first, she thought her elder brother would look down on her current work.

However, to Rukia's surprise, Byakuya actually approved of it, telling her to perform well in her position and not bring shame to the Soul Society or the Kuchiki family.

Konoha had arranged proper housing for the stationed Shinigami in the consulate, but since Rukia was the adopted daughter of one of the Four Great Noble Clans, the Kuchiki family, she still insisted on returning to her home in Seireitei every day.

If there was anything unpleasant, it was the fact that she could no longer see Captain Ukitake, whom she deeply respected, and some of her friends were now difficult to meet on a regular basis.

However, as a long-lived Shinigami, Rukia didn't feel a strong sense of urgency about time.

A year would pass in the blink of an eye, and she would eventually be reassigned elsewhere.

She simply treated her time in Konoha as a vacation.

She greatly enjoyed the liveliness and prosperity of Konoha.

She also noticed that the people in this world were remarkably pure—life's pressures seemed minimal, and happiness levels were high.

Almost everyone she encountered had a smile on their face.

In contrast, the people of the living world in her original world were constantly struggling, toiling away just to make a living.

This was one of the reasons she liked it here.

The consulate was set up beside the Reincarnation Temple, perched atop a cliff.

From this vantage point, one could overlook the entirety of Konoha.

An elevator had been built on the cliff, allowing easy access to the lower levels at any time.

On this particular day, Rukia was strolling through the streets in casual clothes, carrying a bag filled with drinks she had bought for her colleagues.

Up ahead, a crowd had gathered by the roadside, seemingly watching something.

Driven by curiosity, she walked over to take a look.

It was a notice announcing that a Two-World Exchange Event would be held in about a month—a friendly competition between Shinigami and ninja.

The village would even broadcast the event live.

A Two-World Exchange…

Rukia had already known about this event in advance, including the list of participants from the Soul Society.

Her elder brother was among them.

Though the last Imperial Ninja Tournament had greatly shocked her, she still didn't believe that these people could defeat captain-class Shinigami.

The captains had lived for hundreds or even thousands of years.

How could those with mere decades of life in the human world possibly compare?

"Brother, you're participating in this too, right?"

Rukia suddenly heard a voice beside her.

Turning her head, she saw three young boys.

One of them, with black hair and appearing slightly older, seemed to be in his early teens, while the other two looked only about five or six years old.

"If I participate, it'll just be to make up the numbers," Itachi said with a helpless smile.

Though he was a Crown Guard, he considered himself the weakest among them.

The main reason was his age—after all, he was only thirteen this year.

"Nii-san, you will definitely win! Defeat all those Shinigami!" Sasuke said with a determined expression.

"Itachi-nii, I believe you'll win too!" Naruto chimed in excitedly.

Hearing their words, Itachi simply patted both of their heads.

With the entire Crown Guards participating in the tournament, there was no way the opponents would be ordinary fighters.

He could only hope that he wouldn't lose too miserably.

At least there were veterans like Hakumen-senpai, Kakashi-senpai, Guy-senpai, and Shisui to reclaim the honor if needed.

Meanwhile, Rukia, who had been listening from the side, was completely stunned.

This little brat was going to participate in the exchange event?

And fight against captain-level Shinigami?

She found the whole idea utterly ridiculous.

Could it be that this so-called exchange event was truly just for "cultural exchange" and that the Emperor of the living world didn't care about winning at all?

Otherwise, wouldn't it make more sense to send those powerful fighters from the previous martial arts tournament instead of this young boy?

With these doubts in mind, Rukia turned and headed back toward the consulate.

Just as she left, Itachi, still standing in the crowd, suddenly glanced in her direction, his expression unreadable.

"Nii-san, what are you looking at?"

"Itachi-nii, are you looking at that black-haired sister?"

"No! Let's go back."

.................

Terumi Mei was also thriving these days.

As a member of the Crown Guards, she was highly respected even in Konoha.

Due to the Martial Tournament, she was recognized wherever she went, allowing her to fully experience the feeling of being a celebrity.

To prepare for the upcoming Exchange Tournament, Mei was undergoing special training, striving to familiarize herself with the power of the Sage Mark as quickly as possible.

She had chosen a sparring partner—Hoshigaki Kisame.

Mei had always acknowledged Kisame's strength.

Though they had never fought each other without restraint before, now that she had gained the Sage Mark, she could clearly feel that he was starting to fall behind her.

"Kisame, if you hadn't forfeited back then, you might have been recognized by His Majesty and joined the Crown Guards as well," Mei couldn't help but say during a break.

Kisame, however, remained indifferent and replied, "It's fine. My current status and position suit me well."

He had secured a role in Konoha's system, and since he was new to the village, his ninja rank needed to be reassessed.

His application for the Jonin exam had already been submitted.

As a Jonin of Konoha, one could easily make a living even without putting in much effort, just by completing attendance tasks.

Yet, Kisame often thought about Zabuza, wondering how he was faring while following that great pirate.

Mei couldn't help but say, "Do you even realize how much of an honor it is to join the Crown Guards?"

Kisame shrugged. "I'm not interested in honor. Instead of worrying about me, you should focus on yourself. Don't put on a poor performance at the Exchange Tournament next month."

Her friend's attitude left Mei feeling helpless.

She immediately retorted, annoyed, "You jinx! Are you cursing me?"

Shortly after joining the Crown Guards, Mei wanted to gauge her own strength, so she requested a sparring match with someone approachable—Hakumen and Shisui.

As for why she didn't pick Guy or Kabuto?

Well, they weren't as handsome as Hakumen and Shisui.

She ended up sparring against Shisui, and to her disbelief, she was defeated in a single exchange.

Even after activating Sage Mode, she couldn't last long.

The result was a heavy blow to her confidence.

Hakumen consoled her, saying, "There's no need to be discouraged. The power of the Kite is strong—you just haven't fully unlocked its potential yet."

That made Mei immediately rein in her arrogance.

Even though she had entered the Crown Guards, she couldn't afford to slack off.

If she were to be expelled due to her lack of strength, she would never be able to accept it.

At night, after a full day of special training, Mei returned home and took a shower to wash away the sweat on her body.

She casually prepared some food, then lay down on her bed.

On the bedside table sat a photo frame—it was a picture taken after the Martial Tournament had ended, a photo of her with His Majesty.

In the picture, she appeared reserved and shy, while the Emperor stood confidently and amicably.

Lying on her side, Mei gazed dreamily at the figure in the photo.

She absolutely could not disappoint His Majesty's expectations!

A sudden determination welled up inside her.

Then, unable to resist, she reached out, picked up the frame, and held it close, gently caressing the surface with her other hand.

"Your Majesty..."

Biting her lower lip, Mei slowly slid a hand beneath the covers.

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