Night fell. The endless chirping of cicadas filled the air outside; most villagers were already asleep. Naruto knew the ninja monitoring him were still diligently 'working overtime.'
"The Will of Fire… it truly is enlightening," he said, closing the book with an exaggerated sigh. He neatly arranged the book, then washed up and went to bed.
Drip. Drop. In his dream, the familiar sound of dripping water woke Naruto. He opened his eyes to the same familiar, gloomy, and cold dungeon. He quickly got up and, knowing the way, walked towards the iron gate.
"Aizen-sensei, I'm here." Arriving before the iron gate, through the dim light, he saw Aizen sitting cross-legged on the floor. Brown hair, brown eyes, wearing black-rimmed glasses, his long, elegant bangs hung down to the level of his eyes, his features gentle – he was like a picturesque scene.
"Ah, Naruto. I saw everything earlier. Well done. You've already learned to hide your emotions," Aizen praised generously.
"This is all thanks to Aizen-sensei. Without your guidance, I'd still be that foolish Uzumaki Naruto," Naruto said, sitting down in front of the iron gate.
"I merely played a part in pushing you forward." Aizen shook his head. "You are very intelligent, Naruto. I see in you the potential to overturn Konoha."
"Me?" Naruto pointed at himself in disbelief. This was the first time he had received such a compliment, and a surge of joy filled his heart.
"Of course. Never underestimate yourself, Naruto." Aizen's eyes were profound. He could ascertain that Naruto's body contained a terrifying power that even he wouldn't dare to underestimate. That power was perhaps the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox, which Konoha's higher-ups feared and sought to control. He eagerly anticipated Naruto's future: would he become a weakling who abided by the rules, or would he reach the very end of the rules?
Until then, he would provide Naruto with learning resources and allow him to develop freely. Perhaps in the future, Naruto could become an asset in his own quest to transcend the limits of the Shinigami.
"Let's begin today's lesson." Aizen waved his right hand. Several books instantly appeared before Naruto. These were high school textbooks Aizen had gathered from the Human World, covering subjects like languages, mathematics, as well as fields like psychology and sociology. He wanted Naruto to receive education from an advanced society to broaden his thinking.
Of course, Naruto would be entirely self-studying. Aizen didn't have the patience for one-on-one tutoring. He casually picked up a book and began to read, a smile playing on his lips. Humans in the World of the Living were weak, but their wisdom was not to be ignored. So, whenever he had time, Aizen would read books in the sealed space.
Naruto didn't touch the textbooks on the table, his expression hesitant. After a moment, as if having made a decision, he bowed deeply at a ninety-degree angle to Aizen and shouted, "Aizen-sensei, please instruct me on how to become stronger!"
"Become stronger?" Aizen put down his book, a playful expression on his face. "Why do you want to become stronger?"
"Because I want the ability to control my own destiny! I don't want to be stared at with those kinds of eyes anymore! I want the power to shatter everything, to change everyone's perception of me!" Naruto answered without hesitation.
"Is that all?" Disappointment filled Aizen's eyes. "Are other people's opinions really that important to you?"
Hearing this, Naruto fell into deep thought. Fragments of memories flashed through his mind: the bullying from other children, the villagers' curses, the Third Hokage's false smile. Was others' approval truly so important to him? He had once endured endless insults, believing then that as long as he became Hokage, he would gain everyone's acceptance. So he had to work hard, to strive with all his might. But looking back now, how laughable he had been. Konoha wanted to control him. What was he in their eyes? In truth, they had never considered him one of them.
Naruto couldn't help but clench his fists, his eyes blazing with anger. He lifted his head, his gaze firm. "I want the power to break through everything! I want Konoha—no, the entire ninja world—to respect me, even fear me!"
"Fear? Still not quite there, but at least it's a bit more interesting. In that case, I'll lend you a hand." Aizen stood up, his tall, slender figure exuding an immense pressure. Naruto felt his breath catch; the terrifying pressure made his entire body tremble uncontrollably.
"Is this all it takes to break you?" Aizen said coldly, removing his glasses. His eyes became sharp, and in that instant, his refined temperament vanished completely, replaced by arrogance and conceit. This was, arguably, the first time in Aizen's career that he had revealed his true self.
Naruto's pupils quaked, his body trembling uncontrollably.
"The world I come from is different from the ninja world. We Shinigami are souls; we do not have human bodies." "Reiatsu is the unique power system of our world. The density of a person's soul is called Reiatsu; the greater the density, the greater the power." "Every Wandering Soul in Soul Society possesses Reiatsu. Individuals with exceptional talent can awaken a Zanpakuto and possess an exclusive Shikai release command." "You are human. Logically speaking, you shouldn't have Reiatsu." "So, if you forcefully awaken Reiatsu, there will be many unknowns." "To obtain power, you must have the resolve to die." The entire sealed space trembled, and then an unremarkable tachi appeared before Naruto.
"If you possess the resolve to die, then pick up this sword." Aizen clasped his hands behind his back, his voice cold.
The more Aizen understood this space, the more apprehensive he became. Within this space, it seemed he could manifest any ability or item for Naruto. He didn't know which supreme being had created this space. From the current situation, it seemed this space wished for him to become Naruto's teacher. With this guess, Aizen wanted to verify if the Naruto in reality could obtain equivalent power and become a Shinigami, perhaps even fusing the powers of a Shinigami and a ninja. If successful, Naruto might pioneer an entirely new path.
Aizen's eyes suddenly burned with fervor. In pursuit of a higher level, he hadn't hesitated to use his colleagues' bodies for Hollowfication experiments – a move that was undoubtedly dancing on a knife's edge in Soul Society. Though Aizen was confident and arrogant, there were indeed beings in Soul Society he was wary of, like the Shinigami Captain-Commander, the strongest Shinigami, Head Captain Yamamoto. But, confident as he was, he viewed everything as chess pieces, arranging them as if in a game. The slightest misstep could lead to irreparable doom. And Naruto, to him, would undoubtedly be a major variable.
In his line of sight, Naruto unhesitatingly reached out and tightly gripped the Zanpakuto. There was no pain or surging, vibrating power, only a refreshing, enveloping sensation. Naruto found that a wondrous new power seemed to have appeared within him. Though minuscule, it definitely existed.
Success.
Aizen's pupils quaked, his heart filled with shock. Reiatsu was flowing through all the Reiraku in Uzumaki Naruto's entire body. Reiraku were thread-like spiritual energy, often used for detection. Only high-ranking Shinigami could see Reiraku; a Shinigami's Reiraku were red, while a human's were white.
But Naruto's Reiraku… they were red and white, intertwined!