In the forest of the Konoha training grounds, sunlight pierced through the gaps in the dense canopy, dappling the figure below.
"Kido is a high-level sorcery commonly used by Shinigami. It is divided into Hado, Bakudo, and Kaido, corresponding to destruction, binding, and healing, respectively."
"Kido is composed of Reishi. Different arrangements represent different Kido."
"Guidance through incantations can make the use of Kido smoother, but for certain powerful Shinigami, Kido can be released without an incantation."
Under Aizen-sensei's tutelage, Naruto finally began to learn the Kido he had longed for. However, the elementary Kido he was just starting with didn't require specific incantations.
Naruto stood straight, one hand held out flat, fingertips aimed at a large boulder. The Reiatsu within his body flowed slowly, converging at his fingertips. This level of Reiatsu control was smooth and effortless, entirely unlike the arduous struggle of his ninjutsu practice.
"Hado Number 1: Sho!"
A white light shot from his fingertips, vanishing in a flash, leaving a shallow mark on the rock.
"No damage, but at least it's a success!" A smile bloomed on Naruto's young face. He had lost count of how many times he had tried; finally, he could correctly use a basic Kido.
"Keep at it until you master it." Naruto's confidence surged. After the setbacks from his ninjutsu failures, even this small progress in Kido gave him immense encouragement.
In the sealed space, Aizen quietly watched Naruto's Kido training progress, his eyes constantly flickering. To be able to use Kido preliminarily in such a short time… Naruto's Shinigami talent was truly astonishing, no, terrifying. For Naruto, training in Kido, Zanjutsu, and Reiatsu seemed to have no bottlenecks; as long as he continued to practice, he improved steadily. Much like Aizen himself in the past.
Naruto was like the ninja world's Child of Destiny: possessing the sealed space, receiving Aizen's help, and also having the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox within him. If things proceeded as expected, Naruto would eventually be able to wield the Nine-Tails' power. Aizen believed that even without Shinigami abilities, Naruto could become a powerhouse in his own right. Compared to those incompetent fools in the Central 46, Naruto undoubtedly possessed the disposition of a king. He was qualified to be an investment for Aizen. Perhaps, in the future, he truly could grow to a point where he could provide Aizen with a satisfying challenge.
Seeing the Kido he had released, Naruto withdrew his fingers, feeling a bit unsatisfied. Although the Kido's damage was still insufficient, he had only just begun learning it. He believed that with more training, he could thoroughly master Kido.
Naruto was very pleased with his current situation. He had a decent house, sufficient supplies, even a 'friend' in Rock Lee, and a wise teacher like Aizen-sensei. Compared to the lonely and desperate self of a few years ago, his current life was exceedingly good.
Naruto's expression calmed, then he put on a flawless smile. Precisely because of this, he absolutely could not reveal any weaknesses. For his own purposes, he had to present the Uzumaki Naruto that everyone wanted to see.
Since Rock Lee had started at the Ninja Academy, his interactions with Naruto had lessened. To ensure a good start, Lee had specifically paused his training for these past few days, focusing on reviewing his daily lessons and practicing chakra extraction at home. Naruto had thus returned to training alone. Besides ninjutsu and chakra training, there was also Zanjutsu and Kido.
Time spent training flew by like a fleeting shadow. In these few days, Naruto's proficiency in Kido and Zanjutsu had become increasingly adept. Only his chakra training seemed to be stuck in a quagmire, making it difficult to advance even an inch.
At this moment, he was practicing Zanjutsu in the training field. He stood motionless, holding his sword with both hands, eyes tightly closed, his entire being immersed in a profound state. A gentle breeze rustled past, carrying the scent of fresh grass around him. Naruto's presence was faint, as if he had merged with the training ground itself.
The monitoring ANBU ninja felt a jolt in his heart, even accidentally letting slip a trace of chakra fluctuation, but he quickly regained his composure in an instant. Naruto, standing in the center, remained perfectly still, his body enveloped in Reiatsu.
As a single leaf drifted down, Naruto's eyes snapped open, sharp and piercing. The Kyoka Suigetsu in his hand instantly became a phantasmal blur.
Click.
Sheathing his sword, Naruto let out a long breath. The falling leaf split from the middle, perfectly divided into four equal pieces. In the instant the leaf had fallen, Naruto had struck three times, with precision and speed.
Naruto possessed an unimaginable aptitude for Zanjutsu. Over the past year, his Zanjutsu had advanced by leaps and bounds. It was no exaggeration to say he could kill an adult in an instant. He just hadn't fought a ninja before, so he didn't know his true strength. Besides Zanjutsu, his understanding of Kido was also rapidly improving. His own Reiatsu was steadily rising as well. According to Aizen-sensei, it was already at a Third Seat level.
What troubled Naruto most were his chakra training and Shunpo. Learning Shunpo required outstanding physical conditioning. Even though Naruto hadn't slacked on his physical training, performing Shunpo now was still impossible.
As the intensity of Naruto's training increased, his nutritional needs also grew higher. The consequence of this was that his living expenses were insufficient to cover the cost of high-quality ingredients. Naruto didn't ask the Third Hokage for help. The Third had already been quite generous; it was unlikely he would provide more living expenses. Fortunately, Naruto had read many books, so he managed to find mushrooms, wood ears, and even ginseng in the wilds around Konoha to supplement the massive energy he expended in his daily training.
"Who's there?" Just then, Naruto suddenly heard the sound of a branch snapping. His eyes narrowed, and Reiatsu poured from his body as he barked towards the source of the sound.
Soon, a boy in white clothes emerged, trembling. Under the pressure of the Reiatsu, his teeth were even chattering.
"Those clothes." Naruto noticed the fan symbol on the boy's white attire – it was the Uchiha clan's crest. Naruto withdrew his Reiatsu, and the boy promptly collapsed to the ground, spent.
"Why were you spying?" Naruto inquired.
"Spying? This is a public place. I was just passing by!" Uchiha Sasuke scrambled up, still shaken, his heart pounding from the scene he had just witnessed. This boy, who looked about his own age, not only possessed terrifying swordsmanship, but the aura and gaze he emitted had made Sasuke's own body tremble. He was a proud member of the Uchiha clan, yet he had actually felt fear! Sasuke couldn't tolerate the pathetic emotion welling up inside him, so he tilted his head up proudly.
"Hmph. Your… your skills aren't bad," Sasuke managed to say, then turned his head away, his face flushing red. It was the first time he had ever given such a compliment, and it was unexpectedly embarrassing.
The Uchiha clan was a great family, on par with the Hyuga clan. The Sharingan was said to be one of the most powerful Kekkei Genkai in Konoha. However, Uchiha clan members were generally very proud and not easy to get along with. This was the information Naruto had gathered.
"Hello, my name is Uzumaki Naruto. My earlier actions were rash, I apologize," Naruto said, offering a gentle smile as he introduced himself.