章節 10: Chapter 10: Teacher, I think I've just achieved Shikai
...
Walking out of the Hokage Tower,
Naruto glanced at the shinobi in the green vest beside him, his mood somewhat complex. "Thank you, Iruka-sensei."
"Don't say that." Iruka gave him a thumbs up. "It's you, Naruto, who is impressive."
"Why did Iruka-sensei do that?" Naruto asked, "You thought I must have done something wrong, right?"
"And..."
"Sensei, you also know that rumor, that I'm the Demon Fox."
Iruka's expression was pensive. "The Demon Fox, huh..."
"You know, we're actually quite alike."
"I'm also an orphan, and when I was in the shinobi academy, I also often did exaggerated, stupid things to try to get attention."
"But I was in pain then, crying alone in my empty room every night."
He lowered his head, looking at Naruto.
"But you must have been even more anguished than me."
"I was just ignored, but you had to endure so much abuse."
"It's because I didn't take good care of you before, even though I've been through it myself."
Naruto turned his head, not wanting the reddening of his eyes to be seen.
Iruka raised his hand, resting it on Naruto's head, his tone impassioned. "Speaking of which, you're far more impressive than me!"
"It was only after graduating, with the guidance of my senpai's and the Hokage, and experiencing some things, that I learned to become excellent."
"But you've already been doing that, Naruto."
"As your sensei, I'm the one being outshone, how embarrassing."
Naruto grinned, chuckling.
"That's the right smile." Iruka gently patted him. "You haven't smiled like this in a while."
"Keep smiling like this from now on."
He became serious "Although they all say that, I don't think that rumor is reliable."
"In my eyes, you're not the Demon Fox."
"You are Naruto, Uzumaki Naruto."
"The excellent student I acknowledge, who will definitely become a great shinobi in the future."
"Just like..."
Here, Iruka paused, turning to gaze at the distant mountain - the carved Hokage heads upon it.
He continued, his tone solemn and reverent.
Like affirming an inevitable future, also like making a heartfelt vow.
"Just like the Fourth, a great and excellent shinobi."
Naruto followed Iruka's gaze.
His great and excellent father was carved on that mountain.
He was starting to dislike those words "great" and "excellent."
After eating the ramen Iruka-sensei treated him to at Ichiraku, Naruto returned home.
The newly-learned ["Tajū Kage Bunshin no Jutsu"] held no interest for him to practice for now.
The scenes from the day kept replaying in his mind.
His view of Hiruzen hadn't changed, although... the Third Hokage didn't seem as bad as he had thought, his attitude towards Naruto wasn't entirely an act. Some of his care for Naruto was genuine. But he was definitely hiding very important information from him.
Iruka-sensei's actions were quite unexpected.
It turned out...
There were truly good people who cared for him in the Konoha as well.
The village didn't seem as hateful anymore.
But he still wanted to go back to the Soul Society.
The Konoha only had one "Iruka" but the Shin'ō Academy had many.
These past few days, he still hadn't encountered any of his beloved Shinigami colleagues.
Tomorrow is the team assignments.
Maybe... with becoming an official shinobi, the area he can be active in will increase, and he'll have a better chance.
For some reason,
He had a vague unease about the relationship between the Konoha and the Soul Society.
This restlessness urged Naruto to pick up the sword hanging on the wall.
During his studies, he didn't carry it with him, as the school didn't allow weapons other than kunai and shuriken. He only did a short sword training session every morning after waking up.
Since he's uneasy...
He'll just expend this inner agitation through training.
This was Naruto's usual way of dealing with his emotions.
But the moment his hand touched the sword, the sword's appearance suddenly changed.
The length remained the same, still a standard katana. But the blade had become a deep, ominous dark red.
At the end of the hilt, a fuzzy long red ribbon was attached. A mysterious knowledge surged in his mind - an incantation.
This abrupt change left Naruto startled.
The name!
He had learned the Nine Tails' name.
Knowing its name, grasping its power.
So... he didn't need the Zanpakutō itself to tell him its name, just learning it from someone else's mouth could allow him to release and use its power?
He gripped the hilt.
The sensation was completely different from when he held "Asauchi" before.
Heartbeat, life, flesh pulsing.
This sword was an extension of his own chakra and soul.
Without a doubt, this was the change of the Zanpakutō's ["Shikai"].
But...
Wasn't the Nine Tails the monster sealed inside him? How could it become his ["Shikai"], his inner power?
Naruto sat cross-legged.
Placing the sword on his lap.
In the ["Sword Zen"] meditation, he entered the dark underground sewers of his own inner world.
"Brat, long time no see." The Nine Tails narrowed its eyes, looking at the unusually solemn blond youth, its tone even having a hint of delight. "Looks like you're not doing so well?"
Since that day when it said Naruto was the Fourth's son, he hadn't come back.
It greatly anticipated how much devastation this news would bring the little punk.
"Is your name Nine Tails?" Naruto looked up, asking.
The Nine Tails was not surprised "So? Still hoping for some Zanpakutō tricks?"
It bared its teeth in a cruel sneer, its eyes merciless.
"Nine Tails" was indeed the name it used the most.
But aside from the other eight Tailed Beasts, who else could have known that each Tailed Beast once had a formal name given by a family member?
Maybe the "Zanpakutō" was real.
But the name "Nine Tails" was not.
Shattering the spiritual pillars supporting the youth, that would be so beautiful.
"The Zanpakutō has achieved Shikai." Naruto stepped forward, examining it. "I've released your restraints, go ahead and feel it for yourself."
The Nine Tails was taken aback.
Sensing the chakra outflow.
That "strange" sword had a completely different appearance, but this was only the smallest part of the change. Its composition now contained not only Naruto's spiritual energy, but also a portion that belonged to it.
It and Naruto had forged this sword together.
"How fascinating." Its eyes held a peculiar gleam as it praised, "So it's true, I didn't feel my power being drawn out at all, what is the principle behind this?"
Naruto clenched his fist, talking to himself.
"The Soul Society is real."
"I really hate you, Nine Tails."
"Because of you, I've been hated by so many people since I was little."
"Because of you, my father sacrificed himself for the village."
"I still don't understand why you were sealed inside me."
"And even less why, as the sealed one, you became the power of my own heart."
He raised his fist high, the fog named "bewilderment" in his mind now dispersed.
"Whether I understand it or not, it doesn't matter!"
"I'll make good use of your power."
"Find my father, find my mother, then everything will be clear."
The Nine Tails swished its tails, its golden eyes staring at Naruto.
This kid's personality was nothing like Minato's, more like that hot-headed red-haired spitfire.
"Is that so?" It chuckled mockingly, "Then let me see how far you can go."
Dark red chakra surged.
It didn't care if its power was borrowed by Naruto.
Weren't all those previous "Jinchuriki" the same?
Compared to them, Naruto would actually be more interesting.
A new world...
A hero rejected by the village...
The Nine Tails was already looking forward to how the messy future would unfold.
Naruto said no more, withdrawing from the inner world.
He opened his eyes. The surroundings were not the tidy little house he kept, but the classroom.
The familiar teacher was in front of him.
He's back!
He's back in the Soul Society again.
The teacher immediately noticed Naruto had opened his eyes, and also noticed the change in the sword on his lap.
"Naruto, have you heard your Zanpakutō's name?" He didn't hide the surprise in his tone at all.
To hear the Zanpakutō's name and achieve Shikai just by entering "Sword Zen" meditation.
A prodigy...
Is this how it is?
Naruto didn't answer right away, looking around the room in a daze.
Surveying, the classroom was unchanged.
No one seemed puzzled by his "disappearance" and "reappearance."
His gaze finally rested on the teacher's surprised face - this surprise was only about the change in his Zanpakutō.
Just like the Konoha, time seemed to have stood still at the moment he left.
Why?
No time to ponder this.
Naruto nodded slightly, answering the previous question "Teacher, I think I've just learned [Shikai]."
...
每周推薦票狀態
-- 推薦票
榜單 
-- 推薦票