Author Note: I surprised myself with this chapter. I had a writer's block, as usual, but I bounced back from it. I'll keep going. Hopefully.

~o~X~o~X~o~X~o~X~o~

"What is dominance?" Naruto swirled his glass of single-malt scotch, appreciating the fine aroma of the beverage. "Some may say dominance rhymes with control. To obey, or not to obey. Coerce others to invoke the sense of subjugation within them. That is the key to amass total control. Insurgents will arise to denounce such proclamation, believing that dominance is cruelty. The only sensible thing you can do to saturate the conflict is exemplifying cruelty."

Claire Farron was seated with a rigid posture in her leather recliner, her slender feet crossed and her cheek rested on the base of her fist. "I hope you didn't summon me just to talk about dominance, My King."

"Tell me, Claire, how do you feel about the new world?" Naruto drawled, his gaze drifted to meet her. "Do not feel threaten to answer honestly. I do not despise criticism. I only despised those who force me to partake pointless quandary. Those are idiocy that I will absolutely not tolerate."

Claire swallowed and controlled her breathing. She knew her instincts were practically screaming at her the folly of provoking her king, despite the fact that he had been very courteous. It was his charisma that frightened her, because nobody could speak so softly, yet exude so much gravitas and bloodlust at the same time.

"The old world was diseased. Its existence only serves to punish both the wicked and the kind. An unjust system that speaks of no morality. Hueco Mundo functions as a prison for the unfortunate. It was not hell. It was worse than hell. Innocent souls were trapped, mutilated and devoured. I can never fathom such debauchery after I ascended into what I was." Claire sighed. "This new world has yet to show its promises, so there isn't much for me to say about it."

Naruto nodded, an appreciating smile played about his lips. "I can't say it any better. What you have described about the old world was something more obvious in hindsight than in foresight. Nobody really understood why Hueco Mundo existed, or who brought upon its foundation. Even I did not know its lore, but I know this. This world simply did not operate with the values of morality in mind. The world will not stop its existence because it functions unjustly. That makes the inhabitants submissive to changes. Nobody bothers to do anything about it, because the notion of survival-of-the-fittest is subscribed to everybody. You either fight or you die. If the old world was created by a higher being, it is scary to think that such a being allows such a world to exist."

"I am fascinated that you, the Herald of the Apocalypse, decided to make it better." Claire said, her expression was unreadable, and she didn't want to show blatant gratitude to a king whose agendas remained unknown. It would be foolish for her to believe that the most wicked and powerful overlord of darkness wanted to make the godforsaken world a better place. "Tell me, My King, what motivates you?"

"Imagine a world where you have no equals, where everybody is simply beneath you, where nobody can even hold up the other end of a conversation without convulsing in fear. That was my life. I came a long way to become what I am and I did not regret what I have done to make it happen, but I never really enjoy what I did. I resented it, actually, because to me, life is like a play, and the plots are either cliché or stupid with no happy endings." Naruto paused, his eyes looked as if he had been through eons of despair and suffering, something which really caught Claire's attention. "I didn't like being a puppet to fate. So the only way out is to defy the norms. Figure out why this world exist. Realize the root of all problems. Tackle it. Solve it. Come up with a reasonable conclusion and do what it takes to reach it."

"So Avalon is your conclusion?" Claire doubt so.

"Not really. This city, Avalon, is merely a stepping stone to something greater." Naruto smirked. "The root of all our problems lies on one thing."

Claire frowned.

"Humanity."

Realization dawned upon the Valkyrie. She understood now what her King's intention was and stared with silent horror at the blond.

"The eradication of humanity is the key to our world's salvation. They are the diseases and we are the cure. They never understood the fallacy of their ways. Always killing, always conniving, always betraying. They are a plague that never learns. Thus, their annihilation, as I have concluded, is a necessity. My intentions cannot be judged base on your perception of what's right or what's wrong. What matters… is the result. Hueco Mundo will stop receiving an influx of souls. No souls will be wrongly judged. Do you see now? No matter how peculiar the plot may be, as long as the results prove efficient, the moral concept of right and wrong is but a hindrance to the greater picture."

"No!" Claire shook her head frantically, appalled by her King's desire of destroying the world. "We should never think like that. When we think there's no hope left, we must keep looking until we find it. Hueco Mundo is past saving, but it is our obligation to protect it. You said it yourself. This world functions unjustly. The innocent are preyed upon. It is our job to protect them! We have to believe the impossible is possible, not masquerading our incompetence to perform as excuses for giving up!"

"That is child's talk! Naivety! Blasphemy!" Naruto wore a look of chagrin on his face. "Do you honestly think what you thought have not occurred to me? I have recounted these thoughts, devising plenty of alternate solutions, formulating plans after plans, and the only reasonable solution to our plight is humanity's expurgation. It is better this way. Humanity is bound to kill themselves one day. Why not let me do them the honours?"

Claire shot up to her feet and glowered at her King. "That's insanity! I did not join your revolution so you can take the easy way out and kill billions of people just to solve a problem you have yet found an answer to. I joined you believing that you have the capacity to change our world for the better! What you are planning to do is a sign of weakness. A man with great powers but weak ambitions! You don't deserve to be a king!"

A very, very unnerving silence followed.

Claire was panting, but she knew her fate was more or less sealed. She had offended someone who could crush her like an insect, literally. She was afraid, but her rationality demanded her to keep her cool. She wasn't wrong about what she had just said. She thought Naruto's cause was benevolent, but she was deceived, and she should know better.

"We hope even in the face of despair. That's what makes us strong."

Naruto's eyelid twitched, and she saw the untamed fury burning in his eyes, but she was composed and ready. When Naruto slowly raised his hands, Claire jutted her chin and shut her eyes; she knew death was imminent, and there was no escape from it, because eventually she would die one way or another, but if that day was today, she would die standing than to live doings thing she would only regret.

Pain never came.

She opened an eye and glanced with bafflement at the blond, whose fingers had curled to cup her chin.

"You are what I always thought you were. A fine woman with a strong conviction. I admire that. You will make a great leader indeed." Naruto's lips drew up in a smirk, almost too predatory for Claire's liking. "But make no mistake, my dear. If I was any lesser, you're already dead. I may occasionally tolerate insolence, but I do not forgive foolishness."

Naruto removed his hands away from Claire's chin and spun around. "I hope we can continue our conversation soon. And don't worry. You did not earn my enmity. I simply want someone to challenge my ideals. One cannot seek to improve themselves if they refuse to listen to alternatives. So… thank you for that."

Claire didn't really know what to say. She had done what a General should not have done. The sane side of her wanted her to just bolt. The rational side of her wanted to offer some advice, but no words came out of her mouth, so she did what was proper and bowed. "I apologize for my impudence. I should not let my emotions get the better of me. I await your punishment."

"Don't make it sound kinky." Naruto chuckled light-heartedly and waved his hand, his gaze was still admiring the skyline of his city. "I will forgive you once for this. But do not treat my leniency as weakness, Claire. You are a beautiful woman with great passion and a strong will. I have high hopes for you to help me change this world."

"I am unworthy of your praises, but thank you, My King." Claire turned on her heels and strolled briskly out of the chamber.

She had a lot to think about.

~o~X~o~X~o~X~o~X~o~

Shutara was at lost.

The charismatic and evil king had enchanted her with some vile magic, bewitching her heart with his arts of seduction. He had told her he wanted her, and thinking about that made her giddy, and the worst part of this entire charade of wrongness was that she almost kissed him!

Shutara had thanked the gods when Naruto pulled himself away from her. When Harribel had escorted her back to her room, she didn't bother offering pleasantry to the blonde before she shut her door, trudged to her queen-size bed and collapsed on the soft mattress.

So many questions was flooding her mind, so many were left unanswered. Was she just another pawn in Naruto's chessboard? It was established that Naruto did not do things without motives. Every schemes were forged carefully, every moves were planned deliberately. Was his desire for her to be with him just another clever set-up? She really didn't know.

In the midst of her confusion, she still hadn't dare ask herself one question.

Does she love him?

~o~X~o~X~o~X~o~X~o~

Ophis Vin Minevelia was dauntless, but not reckless, so she knew it wouldn't be prudent to barge into the King's office, demanding for an audience. That didn't mean she was incapable of approaching Naruto; she just need to do it surreptitiously. The Dragon God transformed into a stream of heat haze, venturing through the vents and seeped out into her destination.

The King's office was not quaint, but opulent with a modernistic touch. There was an enormous status of a goddess, encrusted with white marble, riding a chariot, and decorated with a mantel clock emblazoned by gold. Light permeated into the grand office through the glass curtain walls, which stretched across the chamber. Situated in the epicentre of the office was a clean mahogany oaken desk. And behind the desk was Naruto, ensconced in his cushioned throne.

"What can I do for you, Ophis?" Naruto was still studying the documents on his table. "I got neither the patience nor the mood to entertain any senseless bickering. If you have no intellectual discourse to open, please see yourself to the door."

"You sure have a knack of teasing girls, Foxy." Ophis materialised into existence and stood before the blond, her slender arms folded underneath her ample bosom. "I heard what you did with that pet reaper of yours. You even got Claire all flustered. Way to go, lover-boy."

The blond stacked his files neatly on his side, leaned back into his throne and peered impassively at the Dragon God. "I only did what I have to do to ensure the plans are in order."

"So there is a plan? I got the impression that we are just mindlessly declaring war against Soul Society." Ophis plopped down on the leather armchair and stared with piqued interest at Naruto. "So, pray tell, what would those plans be?"

Naruto extended his fingers and Ophis watched in awe as a glass of wine appeared in his grasp. "Have you ever wonder why hollows were so different from the soul reapers? Despite the fact that both parties hail from the same origin, we are fundamentally and potentially different. We draw from the same powers, spirit energy, and yet we fight and think differently. Why is that?"

The Dragon God shrugged and gestured with a sweep of her wrist. "I guess hollows are heartless, that's why we can't use flimsy magic like those reapers do."

"Hah!" The blond scoffed. "Heartless? What defines a heart? If I exhibit compassion and kindness, would I have a heart? Or are we discussing in a literal sense? But that would be scientifically impossible to comprehend. So that would mean we are talking in a metaphorical sense. New-born hollows are born with a savage heart, but that's because they are no lesser than an animal, compelled by instincts. When they evolve, they retain some senses of cunning, but not intelligence. Those who have the aptitude to reign will eventually transcend. I do not believe the notion of compassion differentiate us from the reapers. The reapers are no saint. The cruellest of them all is possibly the mightiest too. So how do we justify Genryusai's capability to perform Kido Spells? Why are we incapable of doing so?"

Ophis arched a brow, her lips parted in anticipation.

"Sometimes, the answer is right before us. We just need to know where to look." Naruto drummed the surface of his desk with his fingers. "The human body possesses the constituents that serve as a barrier to encompass, withhold and shield the soul. The soul is what makes us… us. When the body ceases to function, all of its potential, all of its strength, all of its powers… are released without compromise. Of course, there are those who are born with a weak soul. Others, stronger. It is an unfair distribution, but life is never a fair game, and whoever thinks otherwise is a fool."

"If that's the case…" Ophis tapped her chin, pondering for a moment, and said, "Are you implying the environment plays a role in all this debacle? I mean, if our souls are crafted by the same property, then the only thing that could change it so drastically is environmental factors."

"Perceptive, my dear." Naruto smiled. "The spirit particles in Soul Society is not dense, unlike ours, but nourishing. It is flexible, yet versatile. That's why the soul reapers are able to harness such powers to enhance their existing strength. However, we do not have the luxury to draw upon such benign powers. The spirit particles in Hueco Mundo are contaminated. We are all affected detrimentally by the harsh and unforgiving spirit particles in Hueco Mundo. It corrupts our nature, our forms and our powers. The only way for one to achieve perfect equilibrium is to channel the yin and yang from both worlds. That was why I went on a rampage in Soul Society. I needed something from Soul Society that Hueco Mundo could never offer me."

"So, let me get this straight, you went to Soul Society, killed thousands, all for the sake of validating your hypothesis?" Ophis asked indignantly.

The blond nodded. "Yes."

"Why the killing though?"

"I need to extract as much spirit energy as possible. Doing that is one of the fastest ways. And also because I enjoy killing idiots. I'm sure you understood what I meant."

The Dragon God dropped her shoulders. "Yeah, pretty much. But I am impressed. You went through all that just to prove your theory. I believe we are what we are because of the success of your experiments, huh?"

"Of course. I discovered the secrets of the world and I decided to use it wisely to my advantage."

"I solemnly believe complicated plots tend to ruin everything." An impish smirk played about Ophis's lips. "You did all those stuff just to make this day possible. And then you go and create a city, execute a campaign against the soul reapers, and bring all of the strongest hollows under one roof. What is your true intention, Foxy? I'm pretty sure you didn't go through all that trouble just for kicks and giggles."

Naruto took a sip from his glass of wine, heaved a sigh of content, and smiled dryly. "Your perspicacious nature is frightening, Ophis. But are you ready for the truth? The truth is not pleasant. It benefits some, and destroy others. The truth does not provide concession. It cuts through the fabric of reality and present cold hard facts to the weary. I can tell you my plans. That is, if you're ready to know."

"Why wouldn't I be?" Ophis tilted her head. "I am already in this train, whether I like it or not."

"Precisely," said Naruto. "The plan is simple. I want the extinction of mankind."

"Okay…" Ophis blinked, very slowly. "Why would you even think of that? The extinction of mankind doesn't resolve the disharmony between hollows and soul reapers. You only want to-"

It was at that moment Ophis understood what others didn't.

"N-No…"

Naruto observed the Dragon God with narrowed eyes, his features inscrutable. "What have you deduced, Ophis?"

"You plan to use those billions of souls that you slaughtered from the World of the Living for something else, am I right?"

A dark and malevolent grin crept up Naruto's lips, startling the gaping Ophis, and he said with a voice like ice, "Insightful as always. Claire rebuked my intention because she was liable to her conscience. I, on the other hand, do not really care about the virtue of righteousness. I have never benefited from it anyway. However, it is yet too early to disclose such things to you. When the time comes, you will see it."

Ophis sighed. There were so many layers of plots, so much deceptions and lies, and it was starting to irk the Dragon God. She never really understood Naruto and his tendency to do bizarre things. If hollows were to wage war against the soul reaper, it wouldn't be about how difficult the battles would be; it would just fall into which side did better or worse, and Soul Society would never be ready for Naruto's schemes.

There was another matter that perturbed the Dragon God. Naruto didn't keep his primary goal a secret, he just didn't announce it, but he would divulge the extent of his plots if you asked. That had crowned Naruto as the most dangerous monster in the world, because he knew not of anybody who could oppose him, and if there was, he would crush them, plain and simple.

"Why did you rank the Espada? Is it wise to place a hierarchical order amongst the generals of your army?"

Naruto scoffed. "Do you honestly believe the Espada accept each other as equals? What will you do if I say Baraggan is an equal to you?"

"I suppose not, but-"

"I gave each and every Espada a rank to denote their strength, capability and intellectual prowess."

"Let's be honest." Ophis deadpanned. "You ranked us based on our value and worthiness to you."

"That's one way of putting it." Naruto admitted with indifference, "The Espada is the war machine Avalon needs. Their purpose is not to defend this city, but to instil fear to those who wish to oppose us, may it be traitors or outsiders. I personally handpicked the Espada because I need them to fulfil the roles that I cannot play. That doesn't mean they will play nice with each other. So I impose a hierarchical system amongst them. The Decima will be humbled because the other Espada outranked her, and the Primera will be vigilant because he has to control the pack. In a way, each Espada will hold some form of respect amongst themselves. If they were to be equal, then I am certain a civil war will break out, sooner or later."

"You have thought this far?" Ophis's eyes widened in astonishment.

"I do not do things without reasons. I believe we have established that a while ago."

There was a soft knock on the office's oaken door, and their conversation came to an abrupt halt as they shifted their attention to Harribel and Ada, who had shuffled into the chamber. Ada took a step forward, gave her king a bow, and said, "Your Majesty, we have nominated two candidates who fit the requirements that you seek. Do you wish to interview them personally?"

Harribel and Ada glanced at Ophis, who smiled innocently and rooted comfortably in her seat.

"Ophis will stay and advise me. Thank you for your work. You may see yourself out and bring them in."

Harribel and Ada nodded and strolled out of the chamber. Naruto picked up hush whispers from outside his office, and a moment later, two unfamiliar individuals stepped into his view, and he gave them an appraising look. The man who stood calmly on the right had messy black hair, a very pale complexion, and distinctive green lines that cascaded down from his eyelid to his jaw, as if he was crying. The woman standing on the left had emerald green hair, a streak of pink that splashed across her cheeks, and a voluptuous figure.

Ophis smiled. "Do you two have a name?"

"I am Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck." The green-haired woman bowed meekly.

"Ulquiorra Cifer," said the man in a rather dry voice.

Naruto glanced at Ulquiorra and Nelliel, who stiffened immediately, jerked by the power of their king's intimidating and calculative gaze. He didn't speak, but merely observe every subtle movement from the two individuals with his scrutinising gaze.

Ophis decided to break the tension and smiled. "Do you two have a dream?"

Naruto arched a brow at the Dragon God, who waved a dismissive hand to hush the God of Hollow. "Tell me. We will not mock your dreams, may it be ludicrous or weird."

"…I have none." Ulquiorra responded tightly.

Nelliel's eyes were darting frantically around, as if trying to find the invisible rope to escape from Ophis and Naruto's attention, but she mustered her courage, inhaled deeply, and beamed. "I-I want to see this world in peace and harmony. I believe we can all change Hueco Mundo for the better. That's why I chose to join your cause, Your Majesty."

"That's right! You're rocking with us!" Ophis grinned as she skipped towards Nelliel buoyantly, bouncing up and down, and hugging the startled green-haired woman. The Dragon God snapped her attention to the apathetic blond and winked. "These two are good. They're gonna be a great help to you. What do you think?"

Naruto stroked his chin, as if contemplating deeply, before he nodded. "You two will start work immediately. Report to Harribel and Ada for your first assignment."

"Yeah, man." Ophis flashed a rocker hand-sign and stuck out her tongue. "You two are gonna do good! I can already feel it."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Ulquiorra and Nelliel bowed and exclaimed in unison. "And thank you, Lady Ophis."

Nelliel had that sparkle of admiration glowing in her eyes as she smiled at Ophis, who reciprocated it with a toothy smile.

When Ulquiorra and Nelliel scurried out of the office, Ophis turned to Naruto and cocked a brow. "So? How do you truly feel about them, Foxy? Come clean with me."

"You are my senior in age and wisdom. If you acknowledge them, I do not see a reason why I should not give them a chance." Naruto walked to his desk, failing to catch a glimpse of Ophis's soft smile.

~o~X~o~X~o~X~o~X~o~

Yoruichi loved the forest. It was where she could stop what she was doing, take a deep breath, and enjoy nature's scent. It was also where she found a boy with dirty blonde hair, dressed in rags, and looked as if he hadn't eaten for years. The boy happened to be one Kisuke Urahara. Ever since that fateful day, Kisuke had become Yoruichi's best friend and a servant to the Shihoin Clan.

Kisuke let out a long breath of relief as he lay on the soft patch of grass with a hand behind his head. "I still can't believe how you manage to find a hill in this forest. It has such an amazing view. It's like we can see every star there is in the night sky. This place is… surreal."

Yoruichi lay right beside her friend, giggling jubilantly. "What can I say? I am awesome, that's why."

"How's your day? I heard your dad is making your brother compete with you for the title as Head of the Shihoin Clan. How is that going for you?"

"I honestly don't care anything about some fancy title. I just wanna be me, that's all," said Yoruichi. "If my lil' bro is up for the task, by all means, take my title. Do you know how tedious it is to be a clan head? You have to attend all sort of meetings with senile old geezers, make plans for the greater good of the clan's reputation, and marry myself off to some snobbish brute. There was once the clan's Board of Governors request for an urgent meeting and gave everybody three hours of lecture because one of the old bats lost his denture. Can you believe that shit?"

Kisuke shuddered, letting out a nervous chuckle. "Yeah… Nobles can be weird. There was once one of them asked me to walk his pet goldfish. Needless to say, it was very awkward."

Yoruichi broke into a loud guffaw. "I remembered that! Ah! The old fools back home sure are crazy. You're lucky enough that they didn't make you wear a pink poncho with a red ribbon tied above your head and make you dance the cha-cha for their amusement."

Kisuke made a gibberish sound, stifling the shudder that was crawling up his spine, and tried to regain his composure

"So, what about you? How's it like to work for the most respected and famous Shodai Kenpachi?"

"Scary." Kisuke smiled uneasily, much to Yoruichi's curiosity. "I swore she could eat your soul just by looking at you."

"You know," said Yoruichi, who was toying with a wiry lock of her violet hair. "I always wanted to work for her. She has always been an inspiration to me. She's strong, smart, and so cool. Million girls in Seireitei will kill for your job. I will kill for your job."

"Seriously?" Kisuke stared at his friend incredulously. "You don't need to kill anything to have my job. I'll give it to you if you want, because it is not as fun as you think. Unohana Taichou always give off this… vibe that scares the living hell out of every living thing from a five miles radius around her. Birds literally flee like their life depends on it whenever Unohana Taichou gets annoyed. It's either the birds have some sort of clairvoyance that allow them to sense Unohana Taichou's rage or she is just bat-shit crazy."

"You're exaggerating!"

"No, really. Once, she was caught talking and cackling to herself, I swear, there is no way you can make this up, she set fire on a bunch of banana, threw it outside her window, and told us that the banana is secretly an encrypted message for her minions."

They shared a blissful laughter.

Yoruichi cleared her throat and asked, "Was it true that she was suspended from duty?"

Kisuke sighed. "Yeah. The news really shock us. She just turned up in the morning, hung her coat on her hanger, and left her office without a word. I heard she went to Rukongai and had not returned yet. Hikifune Fukutaichou is currently the acting commander of the squad."

"It must be a stressful job, having everything threw at her all of a sudden." Yoruichi blew a string of hair off her face. "Being a leader is such a drag. I'll rather just kick back, relax, and take a vacation till God knows when."

"That's not very leader-like." Kisuke grinned.

"No, no it's not." Yoruichi giggled and noticed the subtle sorrow glinting from Kisuke's eyes. He was usually the one who would lift the ambience, making her laugh constantly and all that. He didn't need to think about making her laugh, because he did that naturally, so when he wasn't really being herself, she would know. "So, what's up? Something in your mind or something?"

"There's always something in my mind. I can't really keep my mind bank. I mean, that's-"

"You know that's not what I'm talking about."

Kisuke kept quiet for a while. Neither spoke. The only sound that was disturbing the peace was the cricket's incessant chirping.

"Tell me now or I'll find out anyway." Yoruichi pouted.

Kisuke hesitated for a moment and said, "If I am not what you think I am, will you still be my friend?"

That question had startled Yoruichi, especially when it was said with such cold clarity. "I… I guess I will still be your friend."

"Let me rephrase what I just said." Kisuke swallowed. "If I, for whatever reasons it may be, happen to be a deranged dark lord in disguise and trying to eradicate humanity, will you still be my friend?"

Yoruichi scratched her chin and a playful grin curled at her lips. "Of course I would. A friend should always stick with each other. If you're a dark lord, I'll just grab your hand and yank you out of the darkness. If you're evil, I will slap the evilness out of your mouth. I'll stand by your side, no matter what! I promise!"

Kisuke smiled sadly.

Everything was in motion, and somehow, he didn't like any part of it.

~o~X~o~X~o~X~o~X~o~

Pairings continue to be unknown
1.) NarutoXRetsu
2.) NarutoXShutara
3.) NarutoXKirio
4.) NarutoXYoruichi
5.) NarutoXHarribel
6.) NarutoXHarem
7.) NarutoXNo One