Naruto Just Wants to be a Shinigami

...

"Shin'ō Academy."

"Registration" "Turn left ahead."

A wooden signpost stood in the middle of the road.

Uzumaki Naruto stared at the text, taking a deep breath.

Ahead was not a sea of blades and fire, just a school that trained 'Shinigami' viz 'Soul Reaper'. Failing the entrance exam would not result in punishment, and he could try again next year.

But... Naruto had no good impressions of 'schools'. 

The last time he had interacted with a 'school' was three years ago.

Back then, he was in another world, attending the 'Shinobi Academy' established in a village called 'Konoha.'

He was the reviled 'dead-last.' No one wanted to be his friend, and not a single teacher liked him.

Of course, it was the same situation not just in the school, but throughout the entire Konohagakure.

Even shops and convenience stores did not welcome him, refusing to do business with him - except for 'Ichiraku Ramen' the sole establishment willing to serve him.

So Naruto didn't like schools.

But he had no choice but to register and enroll.

This place, different from Konoha, was another world - a place called the 'Soul Society' where the souls of the dead reside.

Although he had not experienced the 'Soul Burial' spoken of by other souls, the reality was not difficult for Naruto to understand "Coming here means I have already died."

Death terrifies the living.

But Naruto did not find it too difficult to accept.

He grew to like it here - no one would suddenly verbally abuse him or target him specifically with malice, the shops welcomed his money, and many were willing to be his friends.

Most importantly, after death, all souls return to the Soul Society, meaning he could finally be in the same world as his parents.

The only bad news was that the point of reincarnation for souls in the Soul Society is not fixed.

The Rukongai has 360 districts, and the probability of being reborn in the same district is only 1 in 360.

Naruto had searched the district he resided in for three years but could not find his parents.

So... he had to become a Shinigami.

Becoming an impressive figure like a 'Captain' having an entire squad to help search, or having his name known throughout the Soul Society - that would surely allow him to find his parents.

Uzumaki Naruto joined the crowd walking into the school gates, filling out the registration form.

Following the guidance of upperclassmen in blue and white uniforms, he went to a gymnasium.

Once the number reached 200, the gymnasium doors closed.

"Spiritual Pressure is the foundation of a Shinigami." spoke a formal Shinigami in black robes with a sword at his waist, standing out from the student aura. "Only souls with sufficient Spiritual Pressure are qualified to study at the Shin'ō Academy."

"One by one, come forward when I call your name."

"The rest of you, wait."

The test was simple.

Each person just needed to place their hand on a crystal ball, and based on the light it emitted, the Shinigami would announce a "rank."

Most only received the cold word "Fail."

Those who passed were also only in the "17th" or "18th" ranks, not high enough to impress the Shinigami.

Only a few individuals received rankings of "11th" or "12th." causing the Shinigami's expression to soften slightly.

Evidently, the lower the rank number, the better.

Naruto had arrived late, so he was at the end of the line.

Watching one "Fail" after another, with the occasional "Pass." he couldn't help but clench his fists, his fingertips turning red and knuckles protruding.

He recognized many of those in front of him.

Some were people he had "crossed paths" with, having won or lost against them, and they either failed the test or only barely passed with "18th" or "19th" ranks.

There were also some renowned figures he hadn't encountered.

One woman who could already manipulate spirit particles to turn earth into sand, only received a "12th" rank evaluation.

It was all about talent, huh.

But... Naruto found it hard to believe he had "talent."

If he had that, he wouldn't have been hated so much at the Shinobi Academy - he would surely have been loved by teachers and classmates, just like that stuck-up Uchiha Sasuke.

20th rank! 

At least 20th rank! Enough to enroll smoothly.

Soon, the Shinigami called his name "Uzumaki Naruto."

Naruto stepped forward with heavy feet.

Just like everyone before him, he placed his hand on the crystal ball.

The Shinigami glanced over casually, the upperclassman ready to record a "18th", "19th" or "Fail" result.

But at that moment, something starkly different from all the previous occurrences happened.

The crystal ball erupted in intense, dazzling light.

Blinding and searing.

The recording upperclassman's eyes bulged, the brush falling from his hand and splattering on the floor, unnoticed.

The languid Shinigami shot up, energized, exclaiming "5th...5th rank!"

The gymnasium was in an uproar.

These souls who were not yet Shinigami, not even students, did not fully understand what a "5th rank" meant, but the fact that over a hundred people had not produced a single individual above "10th rank" was proof enough of its extraordinary nature.

The high and mighty Shinigami having such a violent reaction further demonstrated its exceptional quality.

That unremarkable blond boy...

Could he be so outstanding?

"The evaluation is suspended." the Shinigami quickly regained composure, instructing the nearby students, "I will take this... Uzumaki Naruto outside."

"Maintain order."

The students stood at attention, responding, "Yes, sir."

The Shinigami grabbed Naruto's wrist, stepping swiftly out of the gymnasium.

"Is a 5th rank considered having talent?" Naruto asked, the rushing wind and immense centrifugal force yanking at his body, jolting him to awareness.

The Shinigami let out a laugh. "Talent?"

"It cannot be described so simply."

"Your abilities are unlike the unpolished gems of those others."

"We're here."

He stopped in front of a door, knocking respectfully.

A voice from within "Come in."

The Shinigami pushed open the door, not even fully entering before eagerly announcing "Headmaster Hogei, the entrance exam has produced a prodigy - 5th rank Spiritual Pressure!"

Inside, a kindly middle-aged man rose from his seat "5th rank?"

"Uzumaki Naruto." The Shinigami gently ushered Naruto in, reiterating the result, "5th rank Spiritual Pressure, I witnessed it myself."

Then he turned to Naruto with a grin "This is the Headmaster of the Shin'ō Academy, Hogei Ichiji."

"And you seem uncertain about your own talent?"

Naruto nodded.

The Shinigami continued "A 5th rank Spiritual Pressure means that with just basic training at the Shin'ō Academy, you could easily reach Headmaster Hogei's level."

Naruto was amazed.

The Headmaster's level? 

The Headmaster must be an incredibly formidable person.

He thought of the only one he could compare to...

Wasn't the Konoha's Hokage the Third Grandpa?

Could he become as impressive as the Third Grandpa?

The Shinigami chuckled, "To barely become a Shinigami requires at least 20th rank Spiritual Pressure."

"10th rank can be a low-level seated officer, like myself."

"Above 8th rank can become high-level seated officers, like Headmaster Hogei here."

"Before becoming the Academy Headmaster, Hogei was 6th rank, the 3rd Seat of the 9th Division."

"And 5th rank Spiritual Pressure already meets the requirements for a Vice-Captain."

Pausing here, the Shinigami's gaze deepened, settling on Naruto with clear approval.

"But this still does not fully express your talent."

"In nearly a century, not only have there been few entering the academy with 5th rank Spiritual Pressure, even graduates rarely possess 8th rank or above."

"Even the current 3rd Division Captain, Ōtoribashi Rōjūrō, and 9th Division Captain, Muguruma Kensei, only had 6th rank Spiritual Pressure upon graduation."

Naruto listened, enthralled, distilling the lengthy explanation into a simple question "So, I'm a genius?"

Hogei let out a hearty laugh. "You are not only a genius, but a once-in-a-century genius."

"And you are still quite young."

"No wonder they brought you to show me."

Naruto did not respond, only looking at the two celebrating his talents.

Deep in his ear, a "crack" rang out.

Something inside him, something called "Prejudice" had been shattered.

...