Bokō Kazuki nodded. "Of course, we're heading to Squad Four. Captain Hirako, let's go together."
"A few of us are injured," he added.
The Thirteen Court Guard Squads each had their own duties.
Squad Four was responsible for medical treatment.
Squad Two, on the other hand, dealt with imprisonment and interrogation—a far less pleasant destination.
"Sōsuke, pick up this kid's sword," said Hirako Shinji, lifting Naruto by the back of his collar like a fox cub.
Despite being bossed around by his own captain, Aizen Sōsuke didn't show any irritation.
As he walked over, he paused when he saw something partially buried under the rubble.
He turned his head. "Excuse me, Director Bokō. Did any of your members have their zanpakutō taken by this boy, Uzumaki Naruto?"
Bokō Kazuki shook his head. "No. Why do you ask, Lieutenant Aizen?"
Aizen bent down and picked up the objects. "There are two swords here."
One was a dark red blade. The other was an asauchi—an unassigned zanpakutō.
He held up the red one in his left hand. "This is his sword? Quite a beauty."
"And what about this one?" He raised the other sword in his right hand. "It's not one of yours?"
Bokō tilted his head.
The least-injured soul reaper stepped forward. "I'll investigate now to see if any cadets have misplaced their asauchi."
Bokō nodded, then walked over and took both swords—the asauchi and the red blade Naruto had wielded. "No need to trouble yourself, Lieutenant Aizen. Since we're all heading to Squad Four, I'll take care of it for now."
Aizen smiled politely. "I appreciate it, Director Bokō."
Squad Four's barracks were located in a quieter, more remote part of the Seireitei.
Naruto's condition seemed unusual.
Originally, Lieutenant Yamada Seinosuke had taken charge, but he soon called in the Squad Four Captain—Unohana.
Outside the treatment room…
Others began to arrive.
Shinigami from the Spiritual Arts Academy came and went, reporting the results of the asauchi investigation.
Captain Kyōraku Shunsui of Squad Eight appeared—draped in a pink cherry-blossom haori and wearing a straw hat. He looked even more laid-back than Hirako.
Vice-Captain Sasakibe Chōjirō of Squad One also arrived—a white-haired man with a traditional mustache, impeccably dressed in standard shinigami attire.
"Still treating him?" Kyōraku asked quietly, his gaze lingering on the sword in Bokō's hands. "That sword places such a heavy burden on its wielder?"
Hirako shook his head. "It's not treatment."
"Captain Unohana says that kid's body is… unusual. Still investigating."
"Unusual?" Kyōraku furrowed his brows.
Hirako clicked his tongue. "How should I know? I suck at healing techniques."
As they spoke, the door slid open.
Yamada Seinosuke stepped out and respectfully addressed the captains. "Captains, please come inside."
"Captain Unohana has something to discuss."
They stepped in.
As Aizen was about to enter as well—
"Sōsuke, you stay outside," Hirako called, his head poking back through the doorway. "Just in case something—or someone—that shouldn't enter tries to sneak in."
Aizen halted, smiling as always. "Yes, Captain Hirako."
He showed no sign of dissatisfaction that the other vice-captains were allowed in while he wasn't.
At least, not on the surface.
Everyone else entered.
Bang—
The door slammed shut behind them.
Aizen kept smiling, his glasses reflecting the light and hiding his eyes.
Inside the room—
Naruto was already awake.
Head down, visibly dispirited, he lay on the hospital bed.
"Vice-Captain Sasakibe came too?" Unohana looked surprised.
"Captain-Commander Yamamoto has taken an interest in this matter," Sasakibe replied directly.
Unohana nodded.
Bokō, the most impatient of them, also had the closest relationship with Naruto among those present. "Captain Unohana, what's wrong with Naruto's body? Why did it take so long to investigate? Did the release of his sword affect him?"
Unohana shook her head gently. "Uzumaki's body is undamaged—but there's something strange."
She paused, her gaze resting on Naruto's stomach.
"Although he has explained quite a bit himself…"
"For clarity, let me describe what I've found from my perspective."
"There is an immense spiritual pressure sealed within his body. It exceeds even that of most captains. At the very least, it's at second-grade spiritual authority."
Second-grade spiritual authority?
And that was the minimum estimate.
"Is it a Hollow?" Hirako asked, recalling Naruto's technique that resembled a Cero.
Unohana shook her head again. "No."
"Seinosuke told me about what you and Director Bokō experienced. I didn't witness it myself…"
"But it seems your impressions were more emotional than factual."
As she spoke, her eyes briefly glanced at her own sword.
"The power within Uzumaki is not Hollow in nature."
"Nor is it as 'evil' as he himself describes it."
"On the contrary—it's a very pure, very…" She paused, searching for the right word, "…life-like energy. It's ideal for healing arts. Even without casting spells, it naturally has restorative properties."
"You all seem to have misunderstood it."
Bokō let out a deep sigh of relief.
Good. The boy was fine. His power wasn't problematic.
Hirako raised an eyebrow and glanced at the door.
So it was all within expectations.
"That power… could it be that thing?" Kyōraku frowned, his voice grave. "Like what Jūshirō has?"
He didn't say it outright, but everyone understood the reference.
The "Jūshirō" he mentioned was his friend and fellow disciple—Ukitake Jūshirō, the captain of Squad Thirteen.
Among all captains, Ukitake's health was the worst. He had been gravely ill since childhood and was only saved by the Soul King's fragment parasitizing his body.
"No," Unohana, one of the oldest shinigami, understood his implication and shook her head. "Though their natures are similar, they're not the same."
"The power inside Uzumaki is a biological entity made entirely of spiritual energy."
Bokō frowned. "That sounds beneficial—so why did Naruto lose control when he released his sword?"
"Because the sword hasn't fully accepted him," Unohana replied softly.
Bokō looked confused and raised both swords in his arms. "But didn't Naruto already learn its name?"
"This is rare," Unohana said kindly. "In most cases, this happens during Bankai. For it to occur at Shikai… this is the first."
"Even the name… might be wrong."
"When a soul reaper hears their zanpakutō's voice, the sword may withhold its true name if it doesn't fully accept the user—or their strength."
"This allows partial or even incorrect releases."
"In Naruto's case, it's likely he was told the wrong name due to his overwhelming spiritual power."
"Or perhaps the sword is simply too powerful—even fifth-grade spiritual authority might not be enough to control it fully."
Naruto listened closely. Much of this, Captain Unohana hadn't shared with him before.
Kurama…
Was that the wrong name?
"The wrong name?" Bokō looked bitter.
Unohana continued, "I believe this may relate to another anomaly in Uzumaki's body."
"The power inside him—complete, and yet… missing."
Even Kyōraku looked confused now.
What did that mean?
"How can something be complete and missing at the same time?"
"I believe this power should have a matching counterpart," Unohana explained softly. "Like one half of a pair, missing its other half."
A match… another half…
Bokō glanced at Kyōraku and raised the second sword. "Captain Unohana, we've confirmed—no one has lost an asauchi."
"This sword appeared with Kurama at Naruto's side."
"Is it possible…"
"That Naruto possesses twin zanpakutō?"
"The third such case in the Soul Society?"
"He just awakened one—Kurama—while the other remains sealed?"
Most soul reapers had only one sword, but exceptions existed.
Kyōraku Shunsui of Squad Eight and Ukitake Jūshirō of Squad Thirteen—brotherly disciples—were rare dual-blade wielders.
Unohana hesitated, then nodded. "That's our best explanation for now."
She looked at the golden-haired boy lying on the bed, still clearly discouraged.
Something didn't feel quite right to her—but she couldn't put it into words.
"Twin zanpakutō" was the best and only explanation so far.
"For some special reason, Naruto has only released one of his twin blades, while the other remains sealed."
"Captain Kyōraku, what's your take?"
Kyōraku shook his head. "Both Jūshirō and I released ours simultaneously. No other examples to draw from."
"I see," Unohana smiled. "Then Uzumaki will stay in Squad Four for now."
"I'll monitor his condition a little longer."
She picked up a folded piece of paper from the bedside table and handed it to Vice-Captain Sasakibe. "Please deliver this to the Captain-Commander."
"It documents the seal inside Uzumaki's body."
"It's a very unusual technique."
"Unlike any spell or seal we've encountered."
"According to Uzumaki, this technique is from the human world—not from the Quincy—but a different form of spiritual application."
She emphasized the word "any" heavily.
(End of Chapter)