Flying Thunder God: Dimensional Flash Instant Shadow Dance: Form One

"This is the Reishi Converter, an improved model. It can transform our physical bodies into spirit form. Whether it's matter or the energy within you, everything will be converted into Reishi, the primary substance that makes up souls. All your abilities will remain unchanged; only your form of existence will change."

Inside Orochimaru's personal space, he spoke to a small machine.

"Unless we transform into spirit form, we can't enter Soul Society, which is made entirely of Reishi."

"Then how did you complete the last mission?" Minato asked curiously.

"The Main God naturally intervened and gave us a temporary special state. Under normal circumstances, ordinary people can't see souls."

"Huh? If I remember correctly, there were two Soul Society captains among the people who fought Hanba last time. Didn't all of us see them?" Minato asked, rubbing his chin.

"If they were ordinary people with no energy at all, they still wouldn't be able to see them, even if the two stood right in front of them. No, perhaps mortals wouldn't be able to withstand their spiritual pressure and would die from their souls collapsing." Orochimaru paused, then continued.

"Actually, Reishi, the substance that makes up souls, is just like Chakra: both are forms of supernatural power. Neither is inherently superior to the other; they can affect each other.

"But since Reishi is the basic substance that makes up the power of the soul, and that power is an extreme form of mental energy, while Chakra is a combination of the mental and physical energies of living beings, the two differ in how they manifest. Reishi is purer and more powerful, while Chakra is balanced and versatile.

"In theory, humans who use Chakra can't see souls made of Reishi.

"They need a special technique to adjust the properties of the mental-energy part of their Chakra, much like tuning a radio. Once the frequency of their Chakra matches that of Reishi, they'll be able to see souls."

Orochimaru smiled. "The people of Soul Society may be rather arrogant to call themselves 'Soul Reapers,' but their mastery of the soul truly surpasses ours by far."

Kisame and Pakura, who had both been to Soul Society, nodded gravely in agreement.

After a short rest, the four transformed into spirit forms and arrived beneath the enormous Big White Sphere that blotted out the sky in the Main God Space.

"No matter how many times I come to the Main God Space, I still find it unbelievable," Pakura murmured, gazing at the Big White Sphere.

Orochimaru and the others agreed. Then Orochimaru used the World Training Card he had exchanged for in advance. A massive beam of light descended from the enormous sphere, enveloped them, and vanished.

Soul Society, Rukongai, Western District 53.

The figures of Minato, Orochimaru, and the others appeared in a secluded courtyard after a flash of white light.

"Whew... So this is Soul Society?" Minato looked around.

The nearby area was filled with dilapidated wooden houses in the style of old Japan's Edo period. A little farther away stood classical mansion compounds that looked like the homes of wealthy families.

They left the courtyard and climbed onto the roof of a nearby house that stood a little higher than the others.

In the distance, at the very center of the city, stood a cluster of tall white buildings surrounded by enormous walls. It was the heart of Soul Society: Seireitei.

"That's Seireitei?" This was Minato's first time in Soul Society, and everything felt new to him.

"Yes. The enormous white walls around it are made entirely of Sekki Stone. They can disintegrate and block ordinary souls from entering. They won't stop us, but if we break in, we'll definitely be noticed. We came here to gather information, so there's no need to make a scene. We'll enter through the gate."

Near Seireitei's western gate, a tiny circular opening appeared, and a Kunai shot out. Just as it was about to hit one of the buildings in Seireitei, a large hand caught it.

Minato appeared with Orochimaru, Kisame, and Pakura.

"Space-Time Ninjutsu sure is convenient," Orochimaru remarked evenly, then glanced around. "But it seems you can do more than just Flying Thunder God, doesn't it?" Though Orochimaru phrased it as a question, there was an unmistakable note of certainty in his voice.

Hearing Orochimaru's question, Minato cleared his throat and said proudly, "This is a new technique I developed. It's called 'Flying Thunder God: Dimensional Flash Instant Shadow Dance: Form One'!"

Orochimaru: "..."

Kisame: "..."

Pakura couldn't help bursting into laughter.

"Haha, sorry. I just never imagined that the 'Yellow Flash,' whose very name terrified enemies on the battlefield, could have such a... such a cute side."

Hearing that, Minato scratched his head, looking confused and a little embarrassed.

"Cute? Don't you think the name sounds cool?"

Orochimaru and Kisame made it clear they didn't want to talk to Minato...

So Orochimaru quickly changed the subject.

"Since Minato has this—this—such a convenient technique, there's no need for us to split up. We can head straight to our destinations."

Orochimaru had planned to split them into two pairs, with him and Minato each leading a team to one of their destinations: the Department of Research and Development and the Great Spirit Library Corridor.

They intended to obtain the Department of Research and Development's soul research techniques and some samples. The Great Spirit Library Corridor was another target because of its records. It held an enormous collection of books, including many of Soul Society's secrets, as well as information on Kido that Orochimaru, Kisame, and Pakura were all keen to learn.

If they could upload this information, the three of them would also split the benefits. That was why Kisame and Pakura were willing to help. After all, they were only temporary partners with Orochimaru, not his subordinates. They certainly weren't close enough to charge into a den of danger just because he asked.

The world buzzed with activity for profit; the world swarmed with people for gain.

Even ordinary people understood this way of surviving. Among Reincarnators, it was only followed more strictly.

The Department of Research and Development.

The deputy director, Marechiyo Omaeda, was inspecting his subordinates' work.

"Marechiyo Omaeda, we just detected an abnormal spatial fluctuation in Seireitei, but it disappeared almost immediately," a female researcher in a white lab coat reported.

"Notify the Ninth Division and have them send a squad to patrol the area. By the way, has the director still not come out of his room?"

"No. It's been more than twenty-four hours."

"Honestly, ever since he apparently went to Seireitei to conduct an experiment and came back, he's been like this."

Marechiyo Omaeda sighed and was about to turn on the surveillance feed for Mayuri Kurotsuchi's room when a piercing alarm suddenly blared.

"What's going on? Check it out immediately," Marechiyo Omaeda ordered calmly, directing everyone to investigate different areas.

After a swift, orderly search, one of the researchers said, "The results show that the same spatial fluctuation detected at the edge of Seireitei has appeared again. It's nearby, and we're checking the exact coordinates now."

"Get someone to inspect all the important laboratories in the department at once. And notify the captain."

Just then, a familiar voice sounded.

"I already know."

Mayuri Kurotsuchi, his face painted with colorful markings, emerged from his private laboratory and spoke leisurely.

"Captain, you're finally here. There's been an incident in the department."

"I heard the alarm. My improved Reishi detector has recorded the Reishi signatures of everyone in our department. If the alarm went off, it means an outsider has definitely entered. Seal every exit from the department and notify the Ninth Division captain." Mayuri Kurotsuchi calmly issued one order after another.

The intruders were none other than Orochimaru and the others. At that moment, they were in the Department of Research and Development's archives.

Orochimaru had spent ten points to exchange for an extra-large-capacity portable hard drive from a technology-based world. He had plugged it into a computer in the department and was copying the files at incredible speed.

A researcher in the room had also been put under an illusion and knocked unconscious.

In the warehouse next door, Kisame was marking and sorting all the Gigai and other samples. Once Orochimaru finished copying the files, Kisame would immediately store them in his personal space.

Minato and Pakura were keeping watch.

"Orochimaru, technical documents alone aren't that expensive in the Main God Space. Why go to all this trouble to take them without permission?" Minato asked, frowning.

"I go through my points rather quickly. Besides, this research is bound to be the most complete, firsthand version. Even if the Main God Space has a complete copy, it lacks samples to back it up. I still need to verify it myself.

"Besides, I tried last time I came here. Soul Society is far too arrogant; they won't share their technology. I couldn't even trade for it."

After a while, Orochimaru suddenly spoke in a sharp voice.

"All right, Kisame. Move!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Kisame swiftly transferred all the important samples he had marked in advance from the warehouse into his personal storage space.

The moment the samples vanished, their actions were discovered. After all, how could such an important place not have detection and alarm systems installed?

"Bang!"

The archives' metal door, which Orochimaru had locked by tampering with its programming, was now nothing but scrap metal.

Mayuri Kurotsuchi strode in at the head of the group, his face dark. What he found was an unconscious researcher, missing experimental samples, and a trashed archive room...

"No one is to leave the Department of Research and Development. Marechiyo Omaeda, you and Nemu will personally interrogate them. I'm going to see the Captain-Commander."