So this was what cultivation was really like.
After finishing his run, Naruto collapsed beneath a tree, gasping for breath, drenched from head to toe like a drowned rat.
His once-refined image was completely gone—he looked utterly disheveled.
He hadn't fallen into a river.
This was all sweat.
Naruto had originally thought cultivation meant simply learning combat techniques—something talent alone could accelerate, achieving twice the results with half the effort.
He hadn't expected that the foundation of strength could only be built through endless repetition, time, and sheer physical suffering.
Do you regret it? he asked himself.
"No," Naruto muttered, shaking his head as he pushed those chaotic thoughts aside. I've already resolved myself to become stronger.
From a distance, Sosuke Aizen observed quietly, his gaze flickering.
"The human body is fragile," he thought, "yet infinitely malleable. With training, it can unlock limitless possibilities."
Among humans, there existed individuals capable of rivaling Shinigami in raw power—known as Quincy.
The fundamental difference between them and Shinigami lay in their growth.
Shinigami strengthened themselves by continuously refining their own spiritual pressure through training.
Quincy, on the other hand, absorbed Reishi directly from the environment.
As a result, aside from a handful of exceptionally gifted Shinigami, most advanced far more slowly than Quincy.
This disparity bred resentment among the Shinigami—but that wasn't the true cause of the ancient conflict.
The real issue lay in their treatment of Hollows.
When a Shinigami slayed a Hollow, its soul was purified and returned to the cycle of reincarnation. Shinigami themselves were souls that had once been human.
But when a Quincy killed a Hollow, the soul was completely erased.
This destruction disrupted the balance between the Soul Society and the living world—enough to threaten the very existence of Shinigami.
Thus, war erupted.
A thousand-year bloodbath followed, in which the Quincy were driven to near extinction.
In the modern living world, they were almost unheard of.
Unlike most Shinigami, who loathed the Quincy, Aizen felt only curiosity.
If humans and Shinigami both have limits… then what happens when the two are combined?
It was precisely for this reason that he had orchestrated the birth of Ichigo Kurosaki, a boy bearing both Shinigami and Quincy bloodlines.
And now—
One was a hybrid of Shinigami and Quincy.
The other was a human wielding both Shinigami and ninja power.
Aizen's anticipation grew.
What kind of surprises will the two of you bring me?
—
"The Nine-Tails Jinchūriki has begun cultivating," an ANBU operative reported in real time.
In the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned deeply, drawing hard on his pipe.
"Cultivation? Why would Naruto suddenly begin cultivating?"
He summoned his crystal ball and began monitoring Naruto's movements.
Within the image, Naruto was dragging an uprooted tree.
Clumps of dirt still clung to its roots. The tree was nearly as tall as Naruto himself—easily weighing over fifty kilograms.
Watching Naruto strain forward, face twisted yet unyielding, Hiruzen's brow twitched violently.
It seems I need to intervene.
—
Naruto had initially thought such self-destructive training would damage his body.
Yet strangely, after a single night, the soreness vanished completely. He woke the next morning brimming with energy.
My recovery speed is different from ordinary people, Naruto realized.
With that assurance, he pushed his training even harder.
At first, his body resisted—but training was like weightlifting. After enduring soreness and pain, he began to crave the exhaustion.
Then one night, the Third Hokage arrived unexpectedly.
"Naruto, how have you been?" Hiruzen said kindly. "I forgot to give you your living expenses last time."
He placed a thick stack of bills on the table.
"Grandpa Third, this is too much!" Naruto said after counting it, clearly surprised.
It was at least fifty percent more than usual.
"Think of it as pocket money from Grandpa," Hiruzen said with a wink.
Both smiled warmly—each harboring their own unspoken intentions.
Hiruzen: So easy to control.
Naruto: Heh.
Hiruzen then noticed Naruto's fatigue and asked gently, "Why do you look so tired?"
"I've been cultivating lately. It consumes a lot of energy," Naruto replied smoothly.
They spoke at length.
Why cultivate?
"Because only by becoming stronger can I become Hokage. I want the power to protect everyone."
The textbook answer stirred Hiruzen deeply. He puffed on his pipe several times before remembering Naruto's age and setting it aside.
"You've truly grown up, Naruto."
"Maybe it's the environment," Naruto said quietly. "I crave recognition, so I think a lot."
He lowered his head, then suddenly looked up with a bright, sunny smile.
"I believe I can become Hokage."
"If you ever need my help," Hiruzen promised, "just ask."
Naruto seized the opportunity and requested training in swordsmanship and Chakra control.
"You're already four—it's time to begin refining Chakra," Hiruzen nodded. "I'll have ANBU deliver some basic texts. But swordsmanship? Why that?"
"Ninjas usually rely on kunai and ninjutsu. Very few use swords."
"A few days ago, I read about the White Fang in Tales of Konoha Heroes," Naruto replied smoothly. "I think true sword mastery can decide battles."
"But ninjutsu can be just as lethal," Hiruzen countered. "And sword training takes a lot of time."
Naruto scratched his head sheepishly. "I just think swords are cool. I want to try."
Children wanting to be both strong and cool—Hiruzen remembered having the same thoughts in his youth.
He assumed Naruto would give up eventually.
So he agreed.
—
After the Third Hokage left, Naruto shut the door and pulled the asauchi from beneath his bed.
The pitch-black blade reflected a cold gleam—plain, unremarkable, yet strangely ominous.
"The asauchi is the dormant form of a Zanpakutō," Aizen's voice echoed. "Only after a Shinigami communicates with its sword spirit will it awaken."
"Sword spirit?" Naruto blinked. "What's that?"
Awaken a Zanpakutō…
Naruto gently ran his hand along the blade.
That familiar, heart-pounding sense of connection surged again.
This feeling—
His eyes widened.
Suddenly, crushing fatigue flooded his body. His vision blurred.
Clutching the asauchi tightly, Naruto slumped against the bed—
And fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.