Reiatsu Awakening

Night fell, and cicadas chirped endlessly outside. Most of the villagers had already gone to sleep.

Naruto knew that the ninja assigned to watch him were still diligently "working overtime."

"The Will of Fire really is enlightening," he exclaimed dramatically as he closed the book.

He put the book away neatly, washed up, and went to bed.

"Drip." In his dream, the familiar sound of dripping water woke Naruto.

Naruto opened his eyes to find himself in the familiar, cold dungeon once again.

He quickly got up and made his way toward the iron gate with practiced ease.

"Mr. Aizen, I'm here." Reaching the gate, he saw Aizen sitting cross-legged on the floor through the dim light.

Brown hair, brown eyes, black-rimmed glasses, long bangs hanging over his eyes, and a gentle expression—he looked like a sight unto himself.

"Ah, Naruto. I saw everything earlier. You did very well. You've learned to hide your emotions now." Aizen praised him without hesitation.

"I have Mr. Aizen to thank for that. Without your guidance, I'd still be that foolish Naruto Uzumaki." Naruto sat down before the iron gate.

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

"Me?" Naruto pointed at himself in disbelief.

This was the first time he had ever received such praise, and a little joy stirred in his heart.

"Of course. Never underestimate yourself, Naruto."

Aizen's gaze was profound. He was certain that Naruto contained a terrifying power, one even he would not dare to underestimate.

That power was perhaps the Nine-Tails Fox Demon the upper ranks of Konoha feared and sought to control.

He looked forward to seeing Naruto's future.

Would he become a weakling who obeyed the rules, or walk to the very end of them?

Before then, he would provide Naruto with resources to learn and let him develop as he pleased.

Perhaps in the future, Naruto could become an aid in helping him surpass the limits of Bleach.

"Let's begin today's lesson." Aizen waved his right hand.

Several books immediately appeared before Naruto.

These were high school textbooks Aizen had gathered from the human world, covering language, mathematics, foreign languages, as well as psychology, sociology, and other fields.

He wanted Naruto to receive the education of an advanced society and broaden his mind.

Of course.

Naruto studied everything on his own. Aizen did not have the patience for one-on-one instruction.

He casually picked up a book and began reading, a smile on his lips.

The humans of the human world might have been weak, but their wisdom could not be ignored.

Thus, whenever he had time, Aizen read books in the Sealing Space.

Naruto did not touch the textbooks on the table. He looked somewhat hesitant.

After a moment, as if he had made a decision, he bowed ninety degrees toward Aizen and shouted, "Mr. Aizen, please teach me how to become stronger."

"Become stronger?" Aizen put down his book, his expression teasing.

"Why do you want to become stronger?"

"Because I want the ability to control my own fate. I don't want to be looked at with those eyes anymore. I want the strength to shatter everything. I want to change how everyone sees me," Naruto answered without hesitation.

"Is that all?" Disappointment filled Aizen's eyes. "Are other people's opinions really that important to you?"

Naruto fell into deep thought at those words.

Several scenes surfaced in his mind.

The bullying from the children, the villagers' curses, the Third's hypocritical smile.

Was other people's approval truly that important to him?

Back when he had been constantly cursed and insulted, he had believed that becoming Hokage would earn him everyone's acknowledgment.

That was why he had to keep working hard, putting every ounce of effort into it.

But now, that former self seemed utterly laughable.

Konoha wanted to control him.

What exactly was he in their eyes?

In truth, they had never regarded him as one of their own.

Naruto could not help clenching his fists, his eyes filled with rage.

He raised his head, his gaze firm.

"I want the ability to break everything. I want Konoha—no, the entire Ninja World—to respect me, even fear me."

"Fear? It's still not enough, but at least it's somewhat interesting. In that case, I'll give you a hand." Aizen stood up, his tall figure carrying an immense sense of oppression.

Naruto felt his breathing hitch, and the terrifying pressure made his entire body begin to tremble uncontrollably.

"Can't handle even this?" Aizen said coldly. He removed his glasses, his eyes turning sharp. In that instant, his refined air vanished completely, replaced by arrogance and pride.

It could be said that this was the first time Aizen had revealed his true self.

Naruto's pupils shook, and his body trembled without cease.

"The world I come from differs from the Ninja World. We Bleach are souls; we do not possess 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. A select few with exceptional talent can awaken a Zanpakuto and gain their own Shikai activation phrase."

"You are human, so ordinarily, you should not possess Reiatsu."

"So if you insist on awakening Reiatsu, there will be many unknowns."

"To obtain power, you must be prepared to die." The entire Sealing Space trembled, and then an unremarkable katana appeared before Naruto.

"If you are already prepared to die, then pick up this blade."

Aizen stood with his hands behind his back and spoke coldly.

The more Aizen learned about this space, the more wary he became.

Within this space, it seemed he could materialize all kinds of abilities and objects for Naruto.

He did not know what supreme being had created this space.

From the current situation, this space seemed to want him to become Naruto's teacher.

With that guess, Aizen wanted to verify whether Naruto in reality could obtain equivalent power and become a Bleach.

Perhaps he could even fuse the powers of Bleach and ninja.

If it succeeded, Naruto might open up an entirely new path.

Aizen's eyes suddenly burned with fervor.

In pursuit of a higher realm, he had not hesitated to use his colleagues' bodies for Hollowfication experiments. Within Soul Society, such actions were undoubtedly like dancing on a blade's edge.

Though Aizen was confident and arrogant, there were indeed beings in Soul Society whom he feared.

The Captain Commander of the Bleach squads, the strongest Bleach—Captain Commander Yamamoto.

Yet with his confidence, he regarded everything as pieces on a chessboard, laying out plans as if playing a game of chess.

One careless step, and he would be doomed beyond redemption.

And Naruto was undoubtedly a major variable to him.

Before his eyes, Naruto reached out without hesitation and gripped the Zanpakuto tightly.

There was no pain, no boiling surge of power—only a fresh, lingering sensation.

Naruto discovered that some wondrous power seemed to have appeared within his body.

Though minuscule, it truly existed.

It had succeeded.

Aizen's pupils shook, astonishment filling his heart.

Reiatsu flowed through every Spirit Vein in Naruto Uzumaki's body.

Spirit Veins were threadlike spiritual energy, mostly used for detection. Only high-ranking Bleach could see Spirit Veins. A Bleach's Spirit Veins were red, while a human's were white.

But Naruto's Spirit Veins were actually—

Interwoven red and white?!