Chapter 10: Shikai

Walking out of the Hokage building, Naruto glanced at the ninja beside him wearing a green vest, feeling a bit complicated: "Thank you, Iruka-sensei."

"Don't mention it," Iruka replied, giving him a thumbs-up, "It's because you're truly remarkable, Naruto."

"Why did you do it, Iruka-sensei?" Naruto asked, "You thought I made a mistake, didn't you?"

"Moreover..."

"Sensei, you know the rumors, that I am a demon fox."

Iruka's expression turned nostalgic: "A demon fox, huh..."

"Do you know, in fact, we are very similar."

"I am also an orphan. During my time at the ninja academy, I always did exaggerated, foolish things to get attention."

"But I was very miserable then. I couldn't help but cry every night in my empty room."

Saying this, he looked down at Naruto.

"But Naruto, you must have suffered more than I did."

"I was just ignored, but you had to endure so much abuse."

"It's my fault for not doing enough before. Despite my own experiences, I didn't take good care of your feelings."

Naruto turned away, hiding his slightly reddened eyes.

Iruka raised his hand, placing it on Naruto's head, his tone becoming passionate: "In fact, you're much better than me!"

"I only learned to improve myself after graduating, with the guidance of senpais and the Hokage, and through various experiences."

"But you're already doing that, Naruto."

"As your teacher, I'm really outshined by you."

Naruto grinned with a chuckle.

"That's the way to smile," Iruka said, giving him a gentle pat, "You haven't smiled like that in a while."

"And you should keep smiling like that."

He continued seriously, "Although they all say that, I think the rumor is unreliable."

"In my eyes, you're not a demon fox."

"You're just Naruto, Uzumaki Naruto."

"A brilliant student whom I recognize, who will surely become a great ninja in the future."

"Just like..."

At this, Iruka paused, turning to gaze at the distant mountain with the four Hokage heads carved into it.

He resumed, his tone solemn and respectful, as if declaring an inevitable future, a heartfelt promise:

"Just like the Fourth Hokage, a great and outstanding ninja."

Naruto followed Iruka's gaze.

His great and outstanding father on the mountain.

He began to feel a bit averse to the words "great" and "outstanding."

After eating Ichiraku ramen, invited by Iruka-sensei, Naruto returned home.

The newly acquired "Multiple Shadow Clone Technique" remained unpracticed for the moment.

Scenes from the day replayed in his mind.

His view of Sarutobi Hiruzen remained unchanged, although... the Third Hokage might not be as bad as he thought, and his attitude toward Naruto might not be entirely feigned. Part of his care was genuine. But he was indeed hiding very important information from Naruto.

Iruka-sensei's behavior was unexpected.

So...

There are still people in Konoha who truly care about him.

This village doesn't seem so bad after all.

But he still wanted to return to the Soul Society.

Konoha has only one "Iruka," but the Shin'o Academy has many.

In these days, he still hadn't encountered his long-missed Shinigami colleagues.

Tomorrow is the team assignment day.

Maybe... after becoming an official ninja, with more active areas, there will be a greater chance.

For some reason, Naruto felt a vague unease about the relationship between "Konoha" and the "Soul Society."

This restlessness prompted him to pick up the sword hanging on the wall.

During school, he hadn't carried it, as the academy didn't allow weapons other than kunai and shuriken. He only practiced Zanjutsu for a short time every morning after waking up.

Since he was uneasy...

He decided to use training to dissipate this inner turmoil.

This was Naruto's usual way to manage his emotions.

But just as he touched the sword.

The appearance of the sword suddenly changed.

The length remained the same, still a katana.

But the blade turned a dark, ominous red.

A fluffy, long red ribbon dangled from the end of the hilt.

A surge of inexplicable knowledge emerged in his mind—it was an incantation.

This sudden change stunned Naruto.

A name!

He had learned the name of the Nine-Tails.

Knowing its name, mastering its power.

So... it wasn't necessary for the Zanpakuto to tell him its name directly; knowing it from someone else could also release and use its power?

He grasped the hilt.

The feeling was completely different from holding the "Asauchi" before.

Heartbeats, life, flesh trembling.

This sword was an extension of his chakra and soul.

Undoubtedly, this was the change of the Zanpakuto's "initial release."

But…

Isn't the Nine-Tails the monster sealed within me? How could it become my "Shikai," my inner power?

Naruto sat cross-legged, placing the sword on his lap.

During the practice of "Blade Zen," he entered that dark underground sewer within his heart.

"Kid, long time no see." The Nine-Tails squinted its eyes, looking at the unusually solemn blonde boy, and greeted him with a surprisingly cheerful tone. "It seems you're not in a good state?"

Since the day it said, "You are the Fourth's son," Naruto hadn't come back.

It eagerly awaited to see how much devastation this news would bring to the young lad.

"Is your name Nine-Tails?" Naruto looked up and asked.

The Nine-Tails wasn't surprised: "So, are you still expecting that nonsense... Zanpakuto trick?"

It grinned menacingly, eyes filled with cruelty.

"Nine-Tails" was indeed the name it was called most often.

But besides the other eight Tailed Beasts, who would think that each Tailed Beast once had a family member who gave it a proper name?

Perhaps the "Zanpakuto" is real.

But the name "Nine-Tails" is not real.

The collapse of the boy's spiritual pillar would be a beautiful thing.

"The Zanpakuto has achieved Shikai." Naruto stepped forward, examining it. "I released your restraints. Feel it for yourself."

The Nine-Tails was stunned.

Sensing with its scattered chakra.

That "weird" sword had a completely different appearance now, though that was the smallest change. It was no longer composed solely of Naruto's energy, but also contained a part of its own.

Together, they had forged this sword.

"How fascinating." It praised with a peculiar gleam in its eyes, "It's real. I didn't even feel my power being taken away. What's the principle behind this?"

Naruto clenched his fist, speaking to himself.

"The Soul Society is not fake."

"I hate you, Nine-Tails."

"Because of you, so many people have hated me since I was a child."

"Because of you, my father sacrificed himself for the village."

"I still don't understand why you were sealed inside me."

"And I don't understand why you, who were sealed, became my inner strength."

He raised his fist high, the mist of "confusion" in his mind dissipating at that moment.

"If I don't understand, then so be it!"

"I will make good use of your power."

"I will find my father, find my mother, and then I'll understand everything."

The Nine-Tails swayed its tail, golden eyes fixed on Naruto.

This guy's character is nothing like Minato's, more like that red-haired spitfire.

"Is that so?" It chuckled, "Then let me see how far you can go."

Dark red chakra surged.

It didn't mind its power being borrowed by Naruto.

Haven't all previous Jinchuriki done the same?

Compared to them, Naruto was even more interesting.

A new world...

A hero abandoned by the village...

The Nine-Tails was already looking forward to how the chaotic future would unfold.

Naruto said no more and exited his inner world.

When he opened his eyes, he was no longer in the tidy little room he had organized himself.

He was in a classroom.

In front of him was a familiar teacher.

He had returned!

He had returned to the Soul Society.

The teacher immediately noticed Naruto opening his eyes and the changes in the sword on his lap.

"Naruto, did you hear your Zanpakuto's name?" The teacher didn't hide the surprise in his tone.

He had just entered "Blade Zen" and already heard his Zanpakuto's name, mastering Shikai.

A genius...

Is that it?

Naruto didn't answer immediately, looking around blankly.

After scanning the classroom, he found nothing had changed.

No one seemed puzzled by his "disappearance" or "reappearance."

His gaze finally rested on the teacher's surprised face—a surprise solely due to the changes in his Zanpakuto.

Just like in Konoha, time seemed to have stopped at the moment he left.

Why?

No time to think about it.

Naruto nodded and answered the previous question: "Teacher, I think I have learned Shikai."

~~~

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