Control of Reiatsu

"How strange? Why does Mr. Aizen look so shocked?" Early the next morning, Naruto woke up groggily, scratching his head in confusion.

In the past, Aizen had always appeared refined and confident, as if nothing could stir his emotions.

But just yesterday, Naruto had seen disbelief on Aizen's face.

Was awakening Reiatsu something rare?

Naruto didn't understand the depth of Aizen's shock. At the time, he'd even asked Aizen for tips on controlling Reiatsu.

He was brushed off with a single sentence: first, get familiar with the Reiatsu inside you.

When Naruto left the Sealing Space, he found an extra black, unremarkable longsword lying on his bed.

"Where did this sword come from out of nowhere?" Naruto gripped the blade.

That heart-to-heart connection startled him.

The sword... felt alive?!

"That is your Zanpakuto." Aizen's somewhat complicated voice echoed in his mind.

"Zanpakuto?" Naruto looked utterly confused. "Mr. Aizen, how do I use it?"

He hurriedly asked in his thoughts, but no matter how many times he tried, Aizen gave no reply.

Left with no choice, Naruto hid the sword under his bed.

In Konoha, only ninjas were allowed to carry weapons freely, and his identity as the sensitive Nine-Tails Fox Demon made things worse.

If it were discovered, it would definitely stir up unnecessary trouble.

After a quick wash, Naruto began trying to sense the Reiatsu inside him.

As Aizen had said, Reiatsu was energy born from the soul. Once awakened, he should be able to feel the faint flow of Reiatsu within his body.

Naruto sat cross-legged, quietly focusing.

But less than five minutes in, he couldn't help scratching his itchy chin. He opened his eyes, fidgeted restlessly, and shifted his body.

With a sigh, he closed his eyes again.

Given how restless he looked, it wouldn't stop anytime soon.

"Reiatsu originates from the soul—formless, invisible, impossible to see—but it truly exists. Calm your heart, clear away all distractions, and only then can you perceive it." Aizen's resigned voice sounded in his mind.

Despite how mature Naruto seemed now, at his core, he was still a child who couldn't sit still.

With Aizen's guidance, Naruto steadied his mind, closed his eyes, and began meditating as Aizen instructed.

At first, he was still a bit restless, but as time passed, his breathing gradually slowed, and his whole state relaxed.

The sun climbed high into the sky, birds chirped endlessly outside the window, and Naruto remained seated cross-legged on his bed, motionless.

He seemed to have entered a mysterious state.

He could sense—even control—his Reiatsu.

Under Naruto's command, Reiatsu spread outward like a vast net, from the entire room to the surroundings outside.

Everything felt within his grasp.

He could clearly hear his own breathing, the crisp bird calls outside the window, and even the Chakra of the hidden Anbu.

The varied colors of Chakra outlined the silhouettes of the Anbu ninjas.

One, two, three.

Three Anbu ninjas were stationed around his house.

They stood completely still, like rusted iron statues.

A few small birds landed on the Anbu, utterly unaware that their perch was a human.

Yet even so, the Anbu didn't budge an inch.

That was the discipline of a ninja.

Naruto, like a child finding a fascinating toy, continued exploring the uses of Reiatsu.

When he tried to use Reiatsu to further outline the faces of the Anbu ninjas, a strain hit his brain.

He knew—this was his limit.

He stopped, and a wave of deep fatigue washed over him.

"Don't overuse your Reiatsu. Rest well today." After that reminder, Aizen fell silent.

Naruto's talent was even more terrifying than he had imagined.

'To achieve a preliminary grasp of Reiatsu in such a short time... Naruto clearly has strong Reiatsu talent. Combined with his own mysterious power, he might truly be able to forge a new power system.'

'I look forward to seeing the Naruto who fully develops both Reiatsu and ninjutsu in the future.' A faint smile curved at the corner of Aizen's lips.

"Perhaps in the future, you can become my opponent."

The path of the strong was destined to be lonely.

On the road to pursuing strength, Aizen would do his best to foster the birth of powerful individuals—even if they might not always satisfy him.

But at least, it counts as a small toy.

"An opponent? I'm still far from that." Receiving affirmation, Naruto felt a surge of joy in his heart. "From now on, I'll trouble Mr. Aizen to guide my training. I'll do my utmost to grow stronger."

Aizen gave a faint hum in acknowledgment.

Climbing the pole once handed to him.

This move of Naruto's met with his satisfaction.

Doing whatever it takes to grow stronger—that's the attitude a true powerhouse should have.

"Grrr." Just then, Naruto's stomach let out a rumble.

Glancing out the window, he realized he'd been meditating for at least three hours.

"So hungry. I'll go to Ichiraku Ramen."

Unable to wait to cook now, Naruto rubbed his belly and made his decision.

Old Man Ichiraku was one of the few villagers who treated him kindly.

But Naruto rarely went to Ichiraku Ramen.

On one hand, he didn't want Old Man Ichiraku to suffer the villagers' cold stares because of him.

On the other hand, he didn't have enough money.

The Third gave him a living allowance every month.

That allowance was only enough for basic ingredients and daily necessities.

Though it wasn't much, it was at least a gesture of goodwill.

Naruto stepped outside and greeted the big tree by his door:

"Good morning, ninja uncles."

The leaves rustled, as if in reply.

The Anbu ninjas had long grown used to Naruto's daily polite greetings.

But their hearts remained utterly unmoved.

Heading toward Ichiraku Ramen.

Naruto deliberately took a detour around the busiest streets.

He wasn't a masochist—since others hated him, he wouldn't dangle himself in front of them.

Avoiding them as much as possible was the right move.

Though Naruto always carried himself with elegance and composure, when others treated him roughly, anger and resentment still stirred within him.

If not for being under surveillance, he might have already struck back.

As he passed a secluded street, he heard a familiar yet unfamiliar string of curses.

"White-eyed freak!"

"Beat this white-eyed freak!"

"Her eyes are so creepy—she's a monster just like that Nine-Tails Fox Demon."

Naruto stopped in his tracks.

He hadn't expected there to be someone else in Konoha treated the same way as him.

He followed the source of the voices.

Not far away, several children were surrounding a little girl.

The girl had short lavender hair at ear length, with delicate features—but a pair of unsettling white eyes ruined her pretty little face.

"This is... someone from the Hyuga Clan." Naruto's eyes flickered.

He had once tried to understand the power structure entrenched in Konoha.

Though the information wasn't entirely accurate, the basics were fairly complete.

The Hyuga Clan and the Uchiha Clan were both prominent noble families in Konoha, each possessing eye-based Kekkei Genkai.

The Byakugan and the Sharingan.

They were both worth forming ties with.

They could become his allies in the future.

Naruto quietly watched as the group of kids hurled insults at the girl. She curled up pitifully in the corner, her face streaked with tears.

A faint smile tugged at the corner of Naruto's mouth.

"I will become her light."

He took a step forward, walking toward the boys.