Naruto: Just Want To Be A Death God

Naruto hadn't been fond of staying in his office lately.

Soi Fon was extremely curious about everything related to him.

Even if she didn't speak, just having someone silently staring at you all the time felt strange. Even Kurama was uncomfortable.

So, whenever he had free time, he'd slip out of the squad barracks and hang out with Uncle Shunsui.

At the izakaya.

"Has Naruto been in contact with Vice-Captain Kuchiki lately?" Shunsui leaned in and glanced at Naruto's cup. It still held plain milk, making him curl his lips in dissatisfaction.

The "Vice-Captain Kuchiki" he mentioned wasn't referring to Kuchiki Kōjun.

But rather, Kuchiki Byakuya, who had taken over his father's position.

Naruto shook his head. "Isn't Byakuya at the final stage of his Bankai training?"

"I didn't want to disturb him."

Shiba Isshin shook his head, took a sip of sake, and said with a half-smile, "He probably hasn't had much time to train for Bankai recently. He's been visiting Rukongai whenever he has time."

Naruto frowned, his tone growing serious. "Has something happened again?"

Shunsui knocked on his head. "Don't always assume the worst."

"This time, it's a good thing."

Naruto tilted his head, confused. "A good thing?"

To be honest…

The "Kuchiki Clan" and "Rukongai" were two completely opposing concepts.

If it wasn't for a mission, Naruto didn't believe Kuchiki Byakuya would willingly go to Rukongai.

Let alone visiting often, as Isshin claimed.

Especially at a time like this.

He was at the most critical stage of his Bankai training.

"A man only lingers for one reason—because of a woman," Shunsui took a sip of sake and sighed, "Even someone like Vice-Captain Kuchiki is no exception."

Isshin nodded in agreement. "I just wonder what kind of woman could make Vice-Captain Kuchiki so captivated."

Naruto blinked.

From the way these two old men were talking, he pieced it together: "Byakuya is in love?"

The two of them smiled and nodded.

"That's hard to imagine," Naruto muttered.

Byakuya had always been cold and aloof. Even when interacting with Naruto, his expression only softened slightly.

What would he be like toward a girl he liked?

"Do you have someone you like, Naruto?" Shunsui suddenly changed the topic.

Isshin put down his cup. "I've heard Naruto and Captain Soi Fon of the 2nd Division have been spending a lot of time together lately."

"She's always visiting the 7th Division when she's free."

Shunsui thought for a moment—being the pervert he was—and gave his opinion: "Captain Soi Fon, huh…"

"She'd be quite cute if she weren't so cold."

"Lacks a bit of femininity, but she's still young."

Naruto replied seriously, "Captain Soi Fon has been coming over because of Yoruichi-nee's matter."

"There's nothing between us."

Seeing him respond so earnestly, the two old men instantly lost interest in teasing him.

Boring!

This was the perfect time to act shy and ambiguous!

Being so serious…

Took all the fun out of "teasing."

—

"It seems more and more people have caught on to Byakuya's situation." While the two old uncles were drinking and waiting for others to finish work, an aged voice spoke up.

The three of them looked over.

"Captain Kuchiki?" Even Shunsui was surprised.

Kuchiki Ginrei raised a hand. "May I sit here?"

They nodded. Naruto scooted inward to make space.

"Thank you." Ginrei sat down and smiled slightly. "Don't look at me like that."

"Do I seem out of place here?"

Naruto wanted to nod, but he held it in.

Aside from the rare times Byakuya came with him, members of the Four Noble Houses were rarely seen in places like this. They didn't like such settings.

"I came to find Captain Naruto," Ginrei got straight to the point.

Naruto was puzzled. "Me? What is it?"

"You've already heard about Byakuya's situation," Ginrei continued, "So I won't repeat it."

"His current state isn't great. He's still diligent with squad duties."

"But he's made no progress in his Bankai training."

"I believe it's because of something in Rukongai that's weighing on his heart."

He paused, then bowed deeply to Naruto. "So I'd like to ask Captain Naruto, as a friend of Byakuya's, to look into the situation and help him resolve what's troubling him."

Naruto quickly helped him up. "But what if, like Uncle Shunsui said, Byakuya has fallen in love with someone from Rukongai?"

In this world…

The divide between nobles and common Shinigami was vast.

Only those who rose to high-ranking seats—vice-captain or captain—could stand on equal footing with the nobles.

And that was just the lower-ranking ones.

Let alone the Kuchiki Clan—one of the Four Great Noble Houses.

"Byakuya is the future head of the Kuchiki Clan." Ginrei didn't answer directly. "He needs to learn how to make his own decisions."

"His decisions will be the Kuchiki Clan's decisions."

Naruto nodded and agreed.

Three days later.

After finishing a day of training, Byakuya left the 6th Division barracks, looking preoccupied.

At the gate, he ran into someone unexpected.

"Captain Naruto?" he asked, surprised, but politely greeted him.

Naruto raised a hand and pointed outside. "Mind if I join you?"

Byakuya nodded. "Of course."

He led Naruto to Rukongai.

The two of them stopped on a rooftop.

Byakuya's gaze fell upon a black-haired woman. She was gentle and lovely in appearance, with a soft smile as she greeted neighbors on the street.

"That's the girl you like, isn't it?" Naruto followed his gaze.

Byakuya quietly replied, "Did my grandfather send you to persuade me?"

"Don't worry, I'll get myself back on track soon."

Naruto ignored his question. "Why not go down and say hi to her?"

Byakuya shook his head, voice cool and restrained: "That would only deepen our bond."

"We are from different worlds."

Naruto turned and looked at him. "Because of your noble and her commoner status?"

Byakuya nodded, his tone turning icy: "Yes."

"A woman from Rukongai might make me linger for a while."

"But this gap in status won't make me act irrationally."

Naruto cut him off: "That's a lie."

His Kagura Shingan (Kagura Mind's Eye) told him clearly—every word was false.

Byakuya froze.

"You're not avoiding her because of her status," Naruto smiled slyly.

Byakuya fell silent.

Naruto stared at the woman again and realized something. "She has no spiritual pressure. She's just an ordinary soul."

"Is that why?"

Byakuya remained silent.

"You don't know how long you'll live, but ordinary souls only last about a century," Naruto said softly.

Byakuya said firmly, "So just watching her like this is enough for me."

"When she passes in a few decades…"

Naruto interrupted again: "That's also a lie."

Byakuya finally turned away from the woman and looked at Naruto, his tone growing sharp: "What I said just now wasn't a lie."

Naruto corrected him: "It was."

"You can fool others. You can even fool yourself."

"But not me."

"That bit about 'just watching her is enough'—that's a lie. You're not willing to settle for that."

Byakuya went silent.

Naruto returned his gaze to the street. "I don't have someone I like right now."

"But I did in the past."

"When I saw her talking to someone else, I got jealous and upset."

"When she spoke to me, I got really happy."

"I wanted to be close to her. I wanted a home with her."

"So, Byakuya… I think your feelings are the same."

Byakuya took a deep breath. "Captain Naruto, your ability to sense the truth in people's words… is truly annoying."

Kagura Shingan confirmed—it was the truth.

Naruto grinned. "So tell me the real reason, Byakuya. Why are you afraid to get close to her?"

Byakuya didn't want to say it.

Lies wouldn't work—only the truth would pass.

Naruto urged him.

Finally, after a long silence, Byakuya gave in: "She's an ordinary soul. But I am the heir of the Kuchiki Clan."

"If I marry her, it would disgrace our noble legacy and traditions."

"And Captain Naruto… you know about True Blood, don't you?"

Naruto nodded.

True Blood referred to a certain level of Shinigami bloodline—but it wasn't just symbolic.

Ordinary souls—or even ordinary Shinigami—lacked the ability to bear children.

Only Shinigami with sufficient power could produce offspring.

And children born between two Shinigami were considered True Blood.

True Blood Shinigami had inherently more stable spiritual power than reincarnated souls.

Nearly every True Blood could become a seated officer.

This was the origin of many "lesser noble" families in Seireitei.

"If that's really the ridiculous reason holding you back…" Naruto shook his head and said softly, "Byakuya, you really disappoint me."

Byakuya's expression didn't change.

But he hated himself for being like this.

Naruto paused, then continued: "Let's mention someone we both hate."

"Tsukishima Kugo."

Byakuya's expression flickered at the name.

"As annoying as that guy is… he's not the type to be bound by noble expectations," Naruto said lightly, then used Shunpo and disappeared.

He landed right in front of the black-haired woman.

Byakuya instinctively reached out to stop him—but it was too late.

Startled, the woman dropped the bucket of water she was carrying.

Naruto caught it.

She immediately bowed in thanks. "Thank you, Shinigami-sama!"

"No need to be so formal," Naruto said gently. "I'm a friend of Byakuya."

Her eyes lit up. "A friend of Big Brother Kuchiki!"

"May I ask your name?" Naruto asked.

The woman smiled warmly. "Just call me Hifumi."

(End of Chapter)