Naruto Birdcage

Institute of Biological Sciences

In front of Makoto lay a black blade—its form resembled an ordinary katana, yet the entire blade was jet black, exuding a sharp and chilling aura.

"This is the result of our research so far," Kabuto said to Makoto.

Every month, the Soul Society would gift twenty Asauchi to the Empire.

However, rather than being put into immediate use, these Zanpakuto prototypes had been stored away, allowing Kabuto to conduct thorough research on them.

Initially, he had no clear direction, but after secretly obtaining some data from Kurotsuchi Mayuri, the study finally made progress.

A Zanpakuto is forged based on its wielder's soul, meaning that each one possesses unique abilities depending on the user.

Additionally, it can undergo two stages of release, greatly enhancing the wielder's power.

However, obtaining a Zanpakuto is not an easy feat.

The Asauchi—the blank prototypes of all Zanpakuto—were created by Oetsu Nimaiya of the Royal Guard.

Only when a Shinigami engraves their own spirit and beliefs into an Asauchi does it transform into a unique Zanpakuto.

For the Shinigami as a whole, the existence of Asauchi was a great benefit.

However, the moment a Shinigami imprinted their soul onto an Asauchi, Ichibe Hyosube, the leader of the Zero Division, would immediately learn the name and abilities of their Zanpakuto.

For Makoto, however, this was not a good thing—how could he allow something that belonged to him to be controlled by another?

Kabuto said, "The connection to the original system has been completely severed. Now, this blade is truly masterless."

Under Kabuto's modifications, the Asauchi retained only its ability to imprint the wielder's soul while all other properties were completely removed.

Additionally, he intended to integrate new features, such as the ability to absorb natural energy from the physical world.

Makoto gazed at the pitch-black blade, lost in thought, before saying, "From now on, it will no longer be called Asauchi... Let it be known as Anchi (Dark Blade) instead!"

Then, after a brief pause, he added, "And when it awakens, it shall no longer be called a Zanpakuto—rename it Nichirin (Sun Wheel Blade). A blade belonging solely to the Sun Empire!"

How could Kabuto possibly object to the emperor's decision?

He immediately bowed and acknowledged the order.

"Mass-produce a batch as soon as possible," Makoto commanded.

"I want to see its effectiveness."

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

A month passed in the blink of an eye, and now only two days remained until the grand exchange event between the Ninjas and the Shinigami.

The invitation from Seireitei had arrived long ago.

A group of Shinigami had come from the Reincarnation Temple and had even specially constructed a Dimensional Gate in Konoha to welcome their esteemed guests from the living world.

The ninth member of the Ten Crown Guards was none other than the Fifth Hokage, Tsunade.

The final member was Pakura, once the esteemed Fifth Kazekage.

Makoto had personally transferred her from the Wind Province, bestowing upon her this great honor.

In this world, there was no Dangai (the interdimensional void between realms).

Instead, the Dimensional Gate directly connected the living world to the Soul Society.

From the outside, it resembled a traditional sliding door, yet within, it was filled with a hazy white light, as if leading to heaven itself.

Under the watchful eyes of many Shinigami and Anbu operatives, Makoto led the Ten Crown Guards and his entourage, stepping slowly through the gate.

As colors returned to their vision, they found themselves under a vast blue sky, with white clouds stretching overhead.

Before them lay a pristine, minimalistic white city, and on either side, a line of welcoming figures stood in orderly formation.

At the forefront was not Kyoraku Shunsui, but an elderly, hunched man with a bald head and a long white beard.

A cross-shaped scar marked his forehead, and he bore an air of dignified composure, tempered with a touch of benevolence.

Draped in a white haori, he leaned on a wooden staff.

Upon seeing this man, Makoto's eyes narrowed slightly.

Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni—the strongest Shinigami of the past thousand years and one of the absolute peak combatants in the Bleach universe.

Perhaps the only ones who could truly rival him were Ichibe Hyosube and Yhwach.

A warrior of such caliber, if placed in the Naruto world, would likely be on the level of the Otsutsuki clan.

The haori draped over Yamamoto's shoulders fluttered despite the absence of wind.

His slightly opened eyes also gazed at the emperor of the Sun Empire as he stepped through the Dimensional Gate.

But their eye contact lasted only briefly before Makoto was the first to reveal a warm and amiable smile.

The Head Captain slowly spoke, "On behalf of Seireitei, I welcome His Majesty, the Emperor of the Sun Empire, and our esteemed guests from the living world."

Lined up on either side were not just the Gotei 13 captains but also many individuals who were not wearing Shihakusho.

Judging from their attire, Makoto could already make an educated guess about their identities.

Among them were members of the Central 46, representatives of the Four Great Noble Clans, including the Shihoin Clan, known as the Divine Arms House, as well as the Tsunayashiro Clan, which managed the Great Spirit Book Gallery.

The Kuchiki Clan was absent, as Kuchiki Byakuya was already present as a captain.

These individuals could be considered the true rulers and administrators of the entire Soul Society.

Some were silently observing the emperor from the living world, their minds filled with curiosity about the kind of power he possessed that allowed him to negotiate with Seireitei.

Others were scrutinizing the Ten Crown Guards standing behind Makoto.

The captains had already met the emperor before; now, their interest lay in evaluating their upcoming opponents for the exchange event.

Zaraki Kenpachi scanned the Ten Crown Guards one by one with the gaze of a predator searching for prey, contemplating which one would be the most enjoyable to cut down.

Among the Ten Crown Guards, the most eye-catching figure was Uchiha Itachi.

A young boy from the living world appearing in such a setting—and even set to fight against the captains—was naturally an unexpected sight.

Kyoraku spoke with a barely suppressed chuckle to Hitsugaya Toshiro beside him.

"Captain Hitsugaya, doesn't that person look a lot like your opponent?'"

Hitsugaya's face instantly darkened upon hearing this.

His height and youthful appearance had always been a source of teasing.

At that moment, Makoto finally spoke, engaging in polite formalities with the head-captain.

"You must be Head Captain Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni."

The Head-Captain, being living for thousand of years, was well-versed in the etiquette and methods required to deal with nobles.

He could sense that this emperor from the present world was incredibly strong.

Though they belonged to different power systems, there was a resonance between them—a shared aura of supreme strength.

But strength alone was not enough to impress him.

Yamamoto had encountered countless powerful individuals, yet none had ever truly rivaled him.

In his eyes, even if this man was formidable now, a mere hundred years later, when he succumbed to the limits of his human lifespan, he would still be beneath Yamamoto's heel.

The Head-Captain briefly introduced the nobles beside him.

Though Makoto inwardly felt disdain, he did not let it show on his face.

On the contrary, these noble members treated the emperor from the living world with the utmost respect and formality.

They were acutely aware of every shift in the Soul Society and knew well that the living world was no longer the same as before—it now housed an entity capable of standing on equal footing with them.

The gathering did not linger long in this spot.

Led by the Shinigami, Makoto and his group proceeded to a massive open-air arena.

This location was situated on the outskirts of Seireitei, as there were very few areas within the city suitable for battles between captain-level Shinigami.

Even here, special spiritual pressure suppression techniques had been preemptively set up to prevent any unintended harm to Seireitei's residents.

By the time Makoto and his entourage arrived, a considerable crowd had already gathered.

Most of them were Shinigami dressed in black Shihakusho—among them, all fourteen Vice-captain of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, as well as the seated officers from third seat to twentieth seat, numbering a total of two hundred and thirty-four individuals.

Apart from the Shinigami, there were also some elegantly dressed individuals present, likely nobles of Seireitei.

As soon as Makoto and his group arrived, all eyes turned toward them, filled with curiosity about what the emperor of the living world truly looked like.

"Your Majesty, please take your seat," Head-Captain Yamamoto said.

Makoto's subordinates took out their equipment and began on-site adjustments.

Shortly after, ten small drones lifted into the air, circling around the entire arena.

Makoto explained that these were real-time broadcasting devices, allowing the ninjas in the living world to watch the exchange event as it unfolded.

After speaking, he casually waved his hand, and a pitch-black rift instantly tore open in the sky.

This display of power caused the expressions of many present to shift subtly—it bore an uncanny resemblance to the Garganta used by Hollows.

"The Soul Society and the living world are two separate realms. The signal from the devices cannot transmit easily, so I need to connect the two spaces," Makoto explained.

There were two seats of honor, with Head-Captain Yamamoto and Makoto taking their seats one after the other.

The Ten Crown Guards and the ten Captains sat on opposite sides, while the First Division's lieutenant, Chojiro Sasakibe, began reading out the purpose and rules of the exchange event.

The general message emphasized friendship first, competition second, stopping before causing harm, and a strict prohibition on injuring opponents.

At the same time, major cities in the living world were also broadcasting the event.

In various locations, local ninja guilds set up giant screens, with the Tower of Solarity projecting the footage onto them.

Below, countless ninjas gathered, watching in anticipation.

Konoha Palace.

Ayari and a few other women sat with their children, watching the live broadcast on their large home screen.

"I see Daddy!" Naruto suddenly pointed at the TV and called out.

"Will Daddy fight those people?" Hinata tilted her head and asked.

Neji responded, "Dad is the emperor. There's no way he would fight these people himself. The ones participating in the exchange event are his Ten Crown Guards."

Hinata frowned slightly. "I want to see Daddy fight."

Neji sighed helplessly. "I already said, Dad is the emperor. If he fights, it would lower his status."

Ayari gazed thoughtfully at the screen before suddenly turning to Ayano and the others beside her, remarking, "The newcomers to the Crown Guard… they're all quite beautiful women, aren't they?"

Ayano, Kushina, Mikoto, and Natsu immediately understood the implication, their gazes becoming thoughtful.

However, since the children were present, they refrained from commenting.

Still, Ayari's expression had already turned noticeably unfriendly.

On the other side, Rin, Shizune, Obito, Kurenai, and other friends of the same generation had also gathered together, watching the broadcast and preparing to cheer for their loved ones.

"Kakashi is really in the limelight now, huh," Obito said, his tone carrying a hint of jealousy.

"Obito, why didn't you join the Crown Guard?" Genma Shiranui teased.

Obito responded righteously, "That's because His Majesty values my other talents. He thought that joining the Crown Guard would be a waste of my true potential!"

Asuma nodded seriously and said, "That makes sense. After all, you're Konoha's most famous master builder now."

Hearing this, everyone burst into laughter, while Obito, embarrassed and annoyed, glared at them.

"It's starting, it's starting! Quiet down, you guys," Rin suddenly pointed at the screen and said.

Seireitei.

After Sasakibe finished reading the objectives and rules of the exchange event, the Ten Crown Guards and the ten captains, seated on opposite sides, bowed slightly in greeting.

Though it was called an "exchange event," fighting in front of such a large audience—especially with the battle being broadcast live to the modern world—had already turned this into a true showdown between the ninjas and the Shinigami.

Each participant represented either the Empire or Seireitei, and no one dared to take this event lightly.

Makoto chuckled and said, "No need to be so tense. This is just an exchange event. Winning or losing doesn't matter. The way you all look so serious, it's as if our Empire and Seireitei were actual enemies."

Head Captain Yamamoto added, "His Majesty is right. Just demonstrate your usual strength."

His slightly narrowed gaze swept across the captains, yet his words carried an unspoken weight that only increased the pressure on them.

Kyoraku let out a helpless chuckle.

Unohana maintained her gentle smile.

Hitsugaya appeared slightly tense.

Byakuya sat with perfect posture, exuding confidence.

Aizen adjusted his glasses with a warm, scholarly smile…

Receiving a glance from Makoto, Hyuga Hakumen was the first to stand up.

He stepped forward, first bowing respectfully to Makoto before turning to face the captains.

"I am Hyuga Hakumen. I ask my Shinigami friends here to kindly grant me their guidance."

The exchange event had not deliberately arranged a list of matchups, as its purpose was to minimize its competitiveness.

Hyuga Hakumen... The same surname as the Emperor of the living world.

When they had previously visited the living world, this man had been responsible for their reception, indicating that his status was high—and his strength likely no less so.

The captains silently considered whether to accept this match, but Kenpachi was already unable to hold himself back, preparing to stand.

A single glance from Head Captain Yamamoto, however, made Kenpachi freeze in place and reluctantly sit back down.

Kyoraku felt that he should take the initiative to set an example.

He slowly rose to his feet and chuckled, "Hakumen-kun, how about I accompany you for a few rounds?"

Hakumen also smiled. "That would be my pleasure. I've always been curious about Captain Kyoraku's strength."

Kyoraku stepped out of his seat as well, giving a slight nod to his teacher, Old man Yama, and the Emperor of the living world.

The entire audience of seated officers erupted in an uproar.

They hadn't expected that Captain Kyoraku would be the first to step forward.

But on second thought, every single captain present was an extraordinary individual—whoever took action would be shocking and exciting.

To witness so many captain-level Shinigami in battle with their own eyes was truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Hakumen and Kyoraku walked side by side toward the center of the arena, with all eyes following their movements.

From her seat, Mei couldn't help but ask Itachi beside her, "Is Hakumen-senpai the strongest among us Ten Crown Guards?"

She knew that the mark on Hakumen's body signified his position as the first, and she was also aware that he was the Emperor's most trusted confidant.

Itachi pondered for a moment, unsure how to respond.

Shisui, seated on his other side, chuckled and answered instead, "Hakumen-senpai was the first to receive the Sage Mark bestowed by His Majesty, so he has the deepest understanding of that power."

Mei slowly nodded, not noticing the flaw in Shisui's wording, assuming he had confirmed her question.

Itachi then added, "In truth, everyone has rarely ever fought at full strength."

Meanwhile, Anko, seated between Guy and Kabuto, lazily yawned as she snacked on the refreshments set on the low table before her.

She had already emptied one plate, and another was soon delivered by an attendant.

Mei quickly swept her gaze over the captains seated across from her, secretly selecting a potential opponent—preferably someone who looked weaker.

That white-haired kid seemed pretty weak… Hmm, he was also quite handsome… Never mind, better leave him for Itachi.

Those two actually seemed like a good match.

In the end, her gaze locked onto a man wearing glasses.

This man appeared refined and scholarly, not like someone skilled in combat—more like a clerk.

According to the intel, he was the captain of the Fifth Division… What was his name again? Aizen Sosuke…

Noticing Mei's gaze, Aizen nodded at her with a gentle smile, his demeanor warm and polite.

This further solidified Mei's assumption—aside from that white-haired kid, this guy must be the weakest!

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