Naruto Namikaze: Soul Reaper captain

Execution Stopped! (Chapter 8)

"Elder brother..." Said Rukia softly but the surprise on her face showed that she didn't much expect her own elder brother to come see her execution.

Byakuya didn't answer, if anything he chose to close his eyes because looking at the state of his little sister was unbearable no matter how much he tried to pretend that he never really cared. Naruto honestly didn't like what Byakuya was doing but he wasn't one to judge since he knew that Byakuya had broken two rules in the past.

One of them was when he married Rukia elder sister Hisana Kuchiki who had come from Rukongai even though it was forbidden for one of the great four noble houses to take a peasant from Rukongai as his wife because it would dilute the bloodline.

The second rule that he broke was when he adopted Rukia as his little sister who again was from Rukongai but did it anyway in order to honor the request of his late wife Hisana who died.

Byakuya had made a vow to his own parents grave to uphold the laws of soul society and ever since then, he became who he is today willing to let his own little sister get executed even though with his power and influence, he could get the sentencing reduced.

The Kuchiki clan had always insisted on having a set of laws that should be followed to the last letter. They believed in having order and protecting the balance of the worlds.

They had to set a good example for the rest of the other soul reapers, if he were to start showing favoritism and break the laws, then the others will also do the same. This is how Byakuya had seen this, which is why with a heavy heart, he had to attend and watch his little sister's execution.

"I'm sorry, Hisana!" thought Byakuya to himself mentally beating himself for being powerless. Part of him wanted to honor his late wife's wishes but he also made an oath to his parents grave to uphold soul society law after having broken it twice so far.

Rukia deflated as she saw her elder brother not even looking at her but if only she knew the mental torture the man was going through. Nonetheless, Rukia wasn't angry in the slightest since she felt that she was the one who failed him since she got herself in this situation.

Even when she was adopted in the Kuchiki family, the elders, especially the ones who are extremely traditionalist, looked at her with contempt not even referring to her as a Kuchiki because to them, she was still a peasant even if she had a Great Spiritual pressure.

If Naruto was the same as he was a century ago when he was still wet behind the ears Gennin, he probably would have been like Ichigo right now and try to crash the execution even if it meant betraying everyone in Soul Society but years change a person.

Naruto knew if he did something stupid and reckless like this, he would be playing at the palm of Aizen's hand. He would also be putting Rukia's life needlessly in danger and the last thing he wants is for Rukia to die that day since she was still young and had a lot to achieve.

Naruto hopes that the fake Hōgyoku he had implanted inside Rukia when he swapped the original with the fake to fool Aizen. If Aizen realizes that it was a dud, he might retaliate in anger by killing Rukia. Naruto was here to ensure that Aizen would at the very least retreat if killing him wasn't an option.

"Rukia Kuchiki...Do you have any last words?" Asked Yamamoto to keep up with the act that they had planned beforehand.

"Yes...just one thing...In exchange for my life, I'd like for the Ryoka to be released and returned back to their world unharmed." Said Rukia with a look that showed that she had accepted her fate.

"Very well. In keeping with your wishes, I will allow the Ryoka to return home unharmed after the execution." said Yamamoto, which technically wasn't a lie since those Ryoka were planned to be sent back home.