Mysterious Person, Zanpakuto's Name

He found himself in pitch-black darkness.

A firelight flickered in the distance, and Naruto jolted awake, only to realize he was standing inside a magnificent palace.

An ornate throne sat alone at the far end, raised high on a dais.

It was filled with loneliness and desolation.

Where is this?

Naruto was completely baffled.

When he fell asleep before, he always ended up in the Sealing Space. Why was this a strange scene this time?

Why do I always run into weird stuff like this?

Naruto couldn't help but complain.

"You've finally come. I've been waiting for you a long time." At that moment, a hollow, heavy voice echoed through the space, and a figure shrouded in shadow appeared beside the throne.

The man wore a black robe and a hood.

His face was hidden in shadow, completely unreadable.

He stood straight beside the throne, and somehow seemed... respectful?

Could this be a ninja's Genjutsu?

Naruto's heart tightened.

Maybe because he'd started training, the Third didn't trust him and sent someone to test him with an illusion?

Very possible.

He couldn't afford to slip up.

Cautious, Naruto spoke first:

"Hello, may I ask where this is?"

"This is your kingdom." As the words fell, the lifeless palace burst into vibrant energy. The entire space began to churn, specks of starlight spreading out to paint a brilliant starry sky.

Just as Naruto was stunned, his vision blurred.

The next moment, he saw the shadowy figure appear beside him, elegant and deferential.

Naruto stepped back warily.

His gaze lingered on the figure's face.

Strangely, even face to face at close range, the shadow's features remained veiled in darkness, impossible to make out.

"Who are you?" From the shadowy figure, Naruto felt a sense of familiarity.

This wasn't Genjutsu. It wasn't the Third's test.

For some reason, he suddenly believed that deep down.

Hearing Naruto's question, the shadowy figure bowed respectfully to him.

"I am the power at the very core of your being, the strength you yearn for. I am your most loyal and reliable ally on the path to the summit."

"Power? Like Mr. Aizen's power?" Naruto asked.

As soon as he said it, he saw the shadowy figure tremble, its tone dripping with disappointment.

"Aizen? So to you, his power is what counts as strong."

"I see. The time isn't right yet." The shadow's murmurs echoed through the space, rustling like dry leaves.

"Remember this: I am the only one you can trust. I will become the sharpest blade in your hand, cutting down every obstacle before you."

"You may call me—"

As the whispering voice sounded in his ears, Naruto's consciousness gradually blurred. The man in his vision grew farther and farther away, and his words became indistinct.

Just as his awareness sank into darkness, a single phrase rang clearly in his ears.

"Kyōka Suigetsu."

When Naruto came to again, he was back in his room. Candlelight flickered, casting shifting shadows across his uncertain expression.

"What... just happened?"

"Kyōka Suigetsu?"

He held his head in confusion as the Asauchi slipped from his side and clattered to the floor.

The blade was dark green, smooth and sharp.

This wasn't the original Asauchi!

Naruto stared in shock as he gripped the Zanpakuto that had already transformed.

An unprecedented sensation surged through him.

A mysterious Shikai activation phrase surfaced in his mind: "Shatter, Kyōka Suigetsu."

In the early morning, Naruto woke from his dream. Half-asleep, he touched the Zanpakuto lying beside his pillow—Kyōka Suigetsu.

The cold hilt of the blade jolted him awake, all drowsiness gone as he sat up.

"Kyōka Suigetsu." He murmured the name of his Zanpakuto, rubbing his temples with a headache.

After the Zanpakuto awakened yesterday, he had felt exhausted all over and quickly fallen asleep.

This time, he did not go to the Sealing Space, and when he woke again, it was already morning.

"Mr. Aizen, yesterday my consciousness entered an unknown space, and I was told the name of my Zanpakuto." Naruto raised the dark green Zanpakuto, trying to communicate with Aizen.

"You've already mastered the Shikai activation phrase?" Aizen's tone was full of doubt.

Shikai is the first stage of a Zanpakuto's release.

A released Zanpakuto gains a unique ability.

An ordinary Bleach requires at least ten years to master Shikai, and the second stage, Bankai, is a realm that ordinary Bleach cannot even touch.

"It seems so." Naruto said uncertainly: "I think it's called Kyōka Suigetsu?"

"Kyōka Suigetsu?!" Aizen's pupils shook, and then he fell into silence, not responding no matter how Naruto called out.

Inside the Sealing Space, Aizen covered his face with his right hand, and the corner of his mouth suddenly curled into a strange arc.

"Just as I thought, Naruto can use my power. I didn't even notice it; my Reiatsu is still the same, and my body has no abnormalities. Could this be a replica?"

A low laugh echoed in the Sealing Space.

"This just got interesting."

After a simple wash, Naruto prepared a hearty breakfast for himself.

Two fried eggs and a piece of dry bread.

Given that he needed to train, he urgently needed to replenish his nutrition.

After finishing breakfast, Naruto left the house and headed for Konoha's weapon shop.

He needed to forge a blade and some weights.

"Hello, uncle, I need to forge a dark green blade and some weights." Naruto arrived at the weapon shop and said gently.

The weapon shop was bustling, with apprentices working hard at forging.

The blacksmith uncle looked up, bare-chested, wiping sweat with his blackened palm, frowning as he took the sketch Naruto handed over.

"Oh, and this is the weapon purchase permit given to me by the Third." Naruto pulled a permit from his pocket.

Civilians in Konoha cannot buy weapons freely; they need a permit.

"These things." The blacksmith uncle stared quietly at the sketch, pondering slightly.

Konoha shinobi's weapons are mostly the same, nothing more than Shuriken, Kunai, Explosive Tags, etc. Very few shinobi commission the forging of swords, and these are not technical jobs.

But what is someone as young as Naruto buying these things for?

The blacksmith uncle gave Naruto a probing look, didn't press further, and nodded.

Not prying into a customer's secrets is basic professional ethics.

"No problem, come pick them up in three days. Pay the deposit first."

Running a business, he had no reason to refuse Naruto's generous commission.

"Then I'll leave it to you."

Leaving the weapon shop, Naruto headed for the training ground.

The blacksmith uncle stared blankly at the sketch, muttering to himself: "This blade is so long. Strange, why would he order 20KG of weights? Can such a young kid really handle it?"

After a moment, he slapped his head, looking suddenly enlightened: "What am I thinking? He's the Nine-Tails Fox Demon, he's definitely different from normal people."

Arriving at the training ground, Naruto began jogging slowly around it.

Every time adrenaline surged, the thrill of breaking through his limits was so addictive.

From morning until the sun was high in the sky, an exhausted Naruto sat sweating under a tree, panting heavily.

"Rustle, rustle, rustle." Suddenly, the surrounding bushes made a sound.

"Who?" At Naruto's sharp shout, a thick-browed boy stepped out.

Let's start a discussion—what do you all think the power comparison is between the worlds of Naruto and Bleach?