Chapter 4

The night was quiet, the sound of cicadas echoing outside the house. Most of the villagers had already fallen asleep, but Naruto knew the ninja assigned to monitor him were still diligently "working overtime."

"The Will of Fire is truly enlightening," Naruto muttered sarcastically as he closed the book and let out an exaggerated sigh.

He neatly arranged the books, washed up, and prepared for bed.

Drip. Drip.

The familiar sound of water droplets echoed in his mind, pulling him into the dreamlike space he had come to know so well.

Naruto opened his eyes to find himself in the cold, dimly lit dungeon once again. Without hesitation, he got up and made his way to the iron gate.

"Mr. Aizen, I'm here," Naruto called out, his voice steady.

Through the faint light, he saw Aizen sitting cross-legged on the ground. His brown hair framed his face, and his glasses glinted in the dim light. He looked calm and composed, like a serene painting.

"Yo, Naruto," Aizen greeted with a faint smile. "I've been watching. You've done well. You've learned to hide your emotions."

"Thank you, Mr. Aizen. Without your guidance, I'd still be that foolish Uzumaki Naruto," Naruto replied, sitting down in front of the iron gate.

"I merely gave you a push," Aizen said, shaking his head. "You're intelligent, Naruto. I see in you the potential to overturn Konoha."

"Me?" Naruto pointed at himself, disbelief evident in his voice.

This was the first time he had received such high praise, and it filled him with a strange sense of joy.

"Of course. Never underestimate yourself, Naruto," Aizen said, his tone firm.

Aizen's eyes gleamed with curiosity. He was certain that Naruto's body harbored a terrifying power—one even he dared not underestimate. That power was likely the Nine-Tails demon fox, the very entity Konoha's leaders feared and sought to control.

Aizen was eager to see how Naruto's future would unfold. Would he remain a pawn bound by the rules, or would he break free and rewrite them?

For now, Aizen would provide Naruto with the tools to grow. Perhaps, in the future, Naruto could become an ally in his quest to transcend death.

"Let's begin today's lesson," Aizen said, waving his hand.

Several books materialized in front of Naruto. These were textbooks from the modern world, covering subjects like mathematics, language, psychology, and sociology. Aizen wanted Naruto to receive an advanced education, to broaden his mind and sharpen his intellect.

Of course, Naruto would have to study on his own. Aizen had no intention of spoon-feeding him.

Aizen picked up a book and began reading, a faint smile on his lips. Though the humans of this world were physically weak, their intellectual achievements were remarkable. Whenever he had the chance, Aizen would immerse himself in their literature.

Naruto, however, didn't touch the textbooks. He hesitated for a moment before bowing deeply to Aizen.

"Mr. Aizen, please teach me how to become stronger," he pleaded.

"Stronger?" Aizen raised an eyebrow, his expression amused. "Why do you want to become stronger?"

"Because I want to control my own destiny. I don't want to be watched by those eyes anymore. I want the power to break free from everything and change how people see me," Naruto answered without hesitation.

"Is that all?" Aizen's eyes narrowed, his tone tinged with disappointment. "Are others' opinions really so important to you?"

Naruto fell silent, his mind racing. Memories flashed before his eyes—the bullying, the villagers' curses, Hiruzen's hypocritical smiles.

Is their approval really what I want?

The old Naruto had believed that becoming Hokage would earn him everyone's recognition. He had worked tirelessly toward that goal. But now, it all seemed so foolish.

Konoha wanted to control him. To them, what was he? A tool? A weapon?

Naruto clenched his fists, anger burning in his chest. He looked up, his eyes filled with determination.

"I want the power to break everything. I want Konoha—no, the entire ninja world—to respect me. No, to fear me."

"Fear? That's still not enough, but at least it's interesting," Aizen said, standing up. His presence suddenly felt overwhelming, his once-gentle demeanor replaced by an aura of cold authority.

Naruto felt his breath catch. The pressure radiating from Aizen was suffocating, making his body tremble uncontrollably.

"Is this not enough?" Aizen said coldly, removing his glasses. His sharp eyes bore into Naruto, and his elegant facade vanished, revealing his true, arrogant self.

This was the first time Aizen had shown his real nature to Naruto.

"The world I come from is different from yours. We Shinigami are souls, without physical bodies. Our power comes from Reiatsu, the density of our spiritual energy. The greater the density, the greater the power."

"Every soul in the Soul Society possesses Reiatsu. Those with exceptional talent can awaken a Zanpakutō, a unique weapon tied to their soul."

"You are human, so in theory, you shouldn't possess Reiatsu. Awakening it within you would be unprecedented and fraught with risks."

"If you truly desire power, you must be prepared to face death."

The sealed space trembled, and a simple, unadorned sword appeared before Naruto.

"If you're ready to embrace death, then pick up this blade," Aizen commanded, his voice icy.

The more Aizen understood this mysterious space, the more intrigued he became. It seemed capable of manifesting abilities and objects for Naruto's use. Was this space designed to be Naruto's teacher?

Aizen wanted to test whether Naruto could awaken Reiatsu in the real world. If successful, Naruto might fuse the powers of a Shinigami and a ninja, creating something entirely new.

The thought excited Aizen. In his pursuit of transcendence, he had conducted countless experiments, even risking his life. But Naruto represented a unique opportunity—a chance to explore uncharted territory.

Naruto hesitated for only a moment before reaching out and gripping the Zanpakutō.

There was no searing pain, no overwhelming surge of power—just a faint, tingling sensation. Naruto felt a new energy stirring within him, small but unmistakable.

It worked.

Aizen's eyes widened in shock. Naruto's body was now radiating Reiatsu.

In the Soul Society, Reiatsu was a form of spiritual energy, often used for sensing and combat. High-ranking Shinigami could see spirit ribbons—red for Shinigami, white for humans.

But Naruto's spirit ribbon was...

Red and white.