"That's strange… why did Mr. Aizen look so shocked?"
Early the next morning, Naruto woke up groggily and scratched his head in confusion.
In the past, Aizen had always carried himself with calm elegance and absolute confidence, as though nothing in the world could truly surprise him.
Yet last night, Naruto had clearly seen disbelief flash across Aizen's face.
Was awakening spiritual pressure really that rare?
Naruto didn't understand the shock in Aizen's heart. At the time, he had even asked him how to control spiritual pressure—
Only to be brushed off with a single sentence:
"First, get familiar with the spiritual pressure inside your body."
After leaving the Sealing Space, Naruto discovered something shocking.
A plain black katana lay quietly on his bed.
"How did a sword appear out of nowhere…?"
Naruto reached out and gripped the hilt.
The moment his fingers closed around it, a strange sensation surged through him.
A deep, instinctive connection.
It was as if the sword… was alive.
"This is your Zanpakutō," Aizen's voice echoed faintly in his mind, carrying a complicated tone.
"Zanpakutō?" Naruto blinked in confusion.
"Mr. Aizen, how do I use it?"
He hurriedly asked again in his thoughts—but no matter how many times he called out, there was no response.
Left with no choice, Naruto carefully hid the sword beneath his bed.
In Konoha, only ninja were permitted to carry weapons.
And given his identity as the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki, being discovered with a sword would only invite unnecessary trouble.
After washing up, Naruto began trying to sense the spiritual pressure within his body.
Just as Aizen had explained, spiritual pressure was energy that originated from the soul. After awakening it, one should be able to feel faint threads of power flowing through their body.
Naruto sat cross-legged and focused quietly.
Less than five minutes later—
He scratched his itchy chin, opened his eyes, shifted his position, and let out a sigh.
He closed his eyes again.
Judging by his restless movements, it was clear he couldn't sit still for long.
"Spiritual pressure comes from the soul. It cannot be seen or touched, but it does exist," Aizen's helpless voice echoed once more.
"Calm your mind. Clear away all distractions. Only then will you be able to sense it."
Despite his mature appearance, Naruto was still a child at heart.
With Aizen's guidance, Naruto steadied himself, closed his eyes, and began meditating properly.
At first, his thoughts were chaotic.
But as time passed, his breathing gradually evened out, and his body relaxed completely.
The sun climbed high into the sky.
Birds chirped endlessly outside the window.
Naruto sat motionless on his bed, cross-legged, as if he had entered a mysterious state.
He could feel it.
He could control it.
Under his guidance, his spiritual pressure spread outward like an invisible net—first filling the room, then extending beyond the house itself.
Everything within that range seemed to fall under his perception.
He could hear his own breathing.
The crisp chirping of birds outside.
And even—
The chakra fluctuations of the ANBU hidden nearby.
Distinct chakra colors outlined their silhouettes clearly.
One.
Two.
Three.
There were three ANBU stationed around his house.
They hadn't moved an inch—like statues made of rusted iron.
A few small birds even landed on them, completely unaware that their perches were human beings.
Yet the ANBU remained perfectly still.
This was a ninja's discipline.
Naruto continued exploring the uses of spiritual pressure, excitement bubbling inside him like he had found a new toy.
But when he tried to further outline the ANBU's faces, a sharp sense of strain surged through his mind.
He immediately understood—
This was his limit.
The moment he stopped, exhaustion washed over him.
"Do not overuse spiritual pressure. Rest for today," Aizen said quietly, before falling silent once more.
Naruto's talent was even more terrifying than Aizen had originally imagined.
To grasp the basics of spiritual pressure this quickly… His aptitude is frightening.
Combined with that mysterious power within him, he really might carve out an entirely new path.
Aizen's lips curved into a faint smile.
I look forward to the day when Naruto fully develops both his spiritual pressure and ninjutsu.
"Perhaps one day… you might even become my opponent."
The path of the strong was destined to be lonely.
On that path, Aizen would spare no effort in nurturing powerful individuals—even if they might not truly satisfy him.
At the very least, they could serve as interesting pieces on the board.
"An opponent? I'm still far from that," Naruto said honestly, but his eyes sparkled with excitement.
"I'll be counting on you from now on, Mr. Aizen. I'll definitely do my best to become stronger."
Aizen responded with a faint, satisfied hum.
Naruto understood one thing very clearly—
Seizing every opportunity to grow stronger was the correct attitude for the strong.
Grrr—
Suddenly, Naruto's stomach growled loudly.
He looked out the window and realized he had been meditating for over three hours.
"So hungry… Let's go to Ichiraku Ramen."
Too impatient to cook, Naruto rubbed his stomach and made his decision.
Teuchi was one of the very few villagers who treated him kindly.
Even so, Naruto rarely went to Ichiraku Ramen.
On one hand, he didn't want Teuchi to suffer cold stares because of him.
On the other, he simply didn't have much money.
The Third Hokage gave him a small allowance every month—just enough for basic food and necessities.
It wasn't much, but it was still a form of care.
Naruto stepped outside and cheerfully greeted the large tree by his door.
"Good morning, ninja uncles."
The leaves rustled gently, as if responding.
The ANBU were long used to Naruto's polite daily greetings.
They felt nothing in particular.
Naruto headed toward Ichiraku Ramen, deliberately avoiding the busiest streets.
He wasn't a masochist.
If people disliked him, there was no reason to parade himself in front of them.
Avoidance was the smarter choice.
Even though he always appeared elegant and composed, Naruto still felt anger and resentment when treated with hostility.
If not for the constant surveillance, he might have already fought back.
As he passed through a quiet side street, harsh voices suddenly reached his ears.
"Byakugan freak!"
"Beat that Byakugan monster to death!"
"Those eyes are disgusting—just like that Nine-Tails Demon Fox! She's a monster too!"
Naruto stopped.
He hadn't expected to find someone else in Konoha suffering the same treatment as himself.
He followed the sound.
Not far away, several children were surrounding a small girl.
She had short, pale lavender hair that reached her ears and delicate features—but her pure white eyes made her stand out unnervingly.
"…A member of the Hyūga Clan," Naruto murmured, his eyes flickering.
He had already done some research on Konoha's power structure.
While not perfectly accurate, the basics were clear.
The Hyūga Clan and the Uchiha Clan were two of Konoha's most prestigious families, each possessing powerful dōjutsu.
The Byakugan.
The Sharingan.
Both were worth befriending.
They could become valuable allies in the future.
Naruto watched quietly as the children continued to bully the girl.
She was curled up in a corner, trembling, her face streaked with tears.
A faint smile appeared on Naruto's lips.
"I will become her light."
He stepped forward—
And walked toward the boys.