Uchiha Clan?

In the forest of the Leaf Training Grounds, sunlight filtered through the gaps between layers of leaves, casting dappled shadows across the figure standing below.

"Kido is a high-level spell technique commonly used by Soul Reapers. It is divided into three types: Hado, Bakudo, and Kaido, corresponding to destruction, control, and healing respectively."

"Kido is composed of Reishi, and different arrangements represent different spells."

"Through the guidance of incantation, the use of Kido can be made smoother, but for certain exceptionally powerful Soul Reapers, releasing Kido without an incantation is also possible."

Under Aizen's instruction, Naruto finally came into contact with the Kido he had been longing for.

However, the beginner-level Kido he was just starting with did not require a specific incantation.

Naruto stood straight, one hand extended flat, his fingertip aimed at a massive boulder.

The Reiatsu within his body flowed slowly, gathering at his fingertip.

This level of control over Reiatsu was smooth and effortless, completely unlike the hardship he had endured learning ninjutsu.

"Hado Number One, Sho!"

A flash of white light shot from his fingertip, vanishing in an instant, leaving a shallow mark on the rock.

"No damage, but at least it worked." A smile spread across Naruto's young face.

He had lost count of how many attempts this was, but he had finally managed to use a basic Kido correctly.

"Keep working hard until I master it." Naruto's confidence surged.

After the frustration of failing at ninjutsu before, even this small progress in Kido brought him immense confidence.

Inside the Sealing Space, Aizen quietly watched Naruto's progress in training Kido, his eyes flickering unceasingly.

To be able to use Kido at a basic level in such a short time—Naruto's talent as a Soul Reaper was truly astonishing, no, terrifying.

For Naruto, training in Kido, Zanjutsu, and Reiatsu seemed to have no bottlenecks; as long as he kept practicing, he steadily improved.

It was just like his own past self.

Naruto was like the child of destiny in the ninja world, possessing the Sealing Space, receiving his help, and having a Nine-Tails Fox Demon sealed inside him.

Barring unforeseen circumstances, Naruto would one day be able to wield the power of the Nine-Tails. Even without Soul Reaper powers, he would surely become a powerhouse in his own right.

Compared to those useless bastards in Central 46 who just held their positions without doing their jobs, Naruto was unquestionably kingly in bearing.

He was worthy of being invested in by This Seat.

Perhaps in the future, he really could grow to a point where he could entertain This Seat.

Looking at the Kido he had released, Naruto withdrew his finger with some lingering satisfaction.

Though the Kido's damage was still insufficient, he had to remember he had only just started learning it not long ago.

He believed that with more training, he would fully master Kido.

Naruto was very satisfied with his current situation.

He had a decent house, enough supplies, and even Rock Lee as a 'friend,' and a teacher as wise as Aizen.

Compared to the lonely, despairing self from a few years ago, his life now was far too good.

Naruto's expression cooled, then he put on a flawless smile.

Precisely because of this, he absolutely could not show any cracks.

For the sake of his goals, he had to show everyone the Naruto Uzumaki they wanted to see.

Ever since entering the Ninja Academy, the interactions between Naruto and Rock Lee had decreased somewhat.

To make a good start, Rock Lee had deliberately stopped his training for the past few days, focusing at home on reviewing what he learned each day and refining his Chakra.

Naruto had also returned to his days of training alone.

Besides training in ninjutsu and Chakra, there was also Zanjutsu and Kido.

Time spent training passed like a white horse fleeting past a crack.

Over these few days, Naruto's practice of Kido and Zanjutsu had become increasingly smooth and adept.

Only his Chakra training felt like wading through mud, unable to move forward an inch.

At this moment, he was training in Zanjutsu within the training grounds.

He stood holding his sword with both hands, motionless in the center of the field, eyes tightly shut, his entire being immersed in a mysterious state.

A gentle breeze brushed by, carrying the fragrance of grass that lingered around him.

Naruto's presence faded, as if he had merged with the training ground itself.

The watching shinobi felt a tremor in his heart, even inadvertently leaking a trace of Chakra fluctuation, but instantly restored it to normal.

Naruto, standing in the center, remained completely still, Reiatsu swirling around him.

When a single leaf drifted down, Naruto's eyes snapped open, his gaze sharp.

The Kyōka Suigetsu in his hand suddenly turned into a phantom streak.

"Clack."

Sheathing the sword, Naruto let out a long breath.

A falling leaf split apart midair, perfectly divided into four equal pieces.

In that instant the leaf fell, Naruto had struck three times—precise and swift.

Naruto possessed an unimaginable talent for Zanjutsu.

Over the past year, his swordsmanship had advanced by leaps and bounds.

Without exaggeration, he could kill an adult in a single moment.

He had simply never fought a ninja, so he didn't know his true strength.

Beyond Zanjutsu, his understanding of Kido was also progressing rapidly.

His own Reiatsu was steadily rising.

In Aizen's words, he had already reached the level of a third seat.

What troubled Naruto most, however, were Chakra training and Shunpo.

Learning Shunpo required exceptional physical conditioning.

Even though Naruto had never stopped training his body, using Shunpo was still impossible for him now.

As his training intensity increased, his nutritional demands grew higher.

The consequence was that his living allowance could no longer cover the cost of expensive ingredients.

Naruto didn't ask the Third for help.

The Third had already been generous enough; asking for more money wasn't an option.

Fortunately, Naruto had read many books, so he foraged for mushrooms, tree ears, and even ginseng in the wilds around Konoha to supplement the massive daily consumption from his training.

"Who's there?" At that moment, Naruto suddenly heard the snap of a branch underfoot. His eyes sharpened, and he released his Reiatsu in a torrent, barking toward the source of the sound.

Soon, a boy in white stepped out, his body trembling.

Under the pressure of the Reiatsu, his teeth were chattering.

"That outfit." Naruto noticed the fan pattern on the boy's white clothes—the emblem of the Uchiha Clan.

Naruto withdrew his Reiatsu, and the boy immediately collapsed to the ground in exhaustion.

"Why were you spying?" Naruto asked.

"Spying? This is a public place. I was just passing by." Sasuke Uchiha scrambled to his feet, still shaken, inwardly stunned by what he had just witnessed.

This boy, who looked about his age, not only possessed terrifying swordsmanship but also exuded an aura and gaze that made his own body tremble.

He was a proud member of the Uchiha Clan—yet he had felt fear.

Unable to tolerate such a pathetic emotion within himself, Sasuke lifted his chin arrogantly.

"Hmph. Your... your strength isn't bad." After saying this, Sasuke turned his head away, his face flushing red.

It was the first time he had ever given such praise, and it was unexpectedly embarrassing.

The Uchiha Clan was a major family that rivaled the Hyuga Clan, and it was said the Sharingan was one of Konoha's most formidable Kekkei Genkai.

But the Uchiha were all extremely proud and difficult to get along with.

That was the information Naruto had gathered.

"Hello, I'm Naruto Uzumaki. I was rude earlier—sorry." Naruto offered a warm smile and introduced himself.