Naruto stepped out of the Hokage building.
He glanced at the ninja beside him wearing the green flak jacket, feeling conflicted. "Thank you, Iruka-sensei."
"Don't say that," Iruka gave him a thumbs-up. "It's you who's truly amazing, Naruto."
"Why did you do that, Iruka-sensei?" Naruto asked. "You thought I was in the wrong, didn't you?"
"And…"
"You've heard the rumors too, haven't you? That I'm the Nine-Tails."
Iruka's expression turned nostalgic. "The Nine-Tails, huh…"
"You know, we're actually quite similar."
"I was an orphan too. Back in the ninja academy, I used to pull stupid, exaggerated stunts just to get attention."
"But I was miserable. Every night in my empty room, I couldn't help but cry."
As he spoke, he lowered his head and looked at Naruto.
"But Naruto, you must've had it even worse."
"I was just ignored. You had to endure so much hatred."
"It was my fault for not doing better. I went through the same thing, and yet I failed to understand your feelings."
Naruto turned his head away, not wanting his reddened eyes to be seen.
Iruka raised a hand and placed it on Naruto's head, his tone turning passionate. "Honestly, you're way more amazing than I am!"
"I only realized I needed to improve after graduating, after being guided by my seniors and the Hokage."
"But you've already started down that path."
"As your teacher, I've been surpassed. That's really something."
Naruto grinned.
"That's the smile I like to see." Iruka gave him a light pat. "You haven't smiled like that in a while."
"Keep smiling like that, always."
Then, seriously, he said, "Even though people say those things, I don't believe in those rumors."
"To me, you're not the Nine-Tails."
"You're Naruto. Uzumaki Naruto."
"My outstanding student. Someone who will become a great ninja someday."
"Just like—"
He paused and turned to gaze at the mountain in the distance—the stone faces of the Hokage carved into it.
He continued, his tone solemn and reverent.
As though declaring an inevitable future—or making a vow etched into the soul.
"Just like the Fourth Hokage. A great and honorable ninja."
Naruto followed Iruka's gaze.
His great and honorable father was carved into that mountain.
He was starting to dislike the words "great" and "honorable."
After eating the ramen Iruka-sensei treated him to, Naruto went home.
He had no energy to train the newly learned Multiple Shadow Clone Technique.
Scenes from earlier that day played over and over in his mind.
His opinion of Hiruzen Sarutobi hadn't changed. While it was true the Third Hokage didn't seem entirely malicious, and some of his care might've been genuine—he had still kept important truths from Naruto.
Iruka-sensei's behavior, however, had been surprising.
So…
There were people in Konoha who truly cared about him.
Maybe the village wasn't so awful after all.
But still, he longed to return to the Soul Society.
Konoha had only one "Iruka," but the Shino Academy had many like him.
In the past few days, he still hadn't encountered any of his fellow Soul Reapers.
Tomorrow was team assignment day.
Maybe as a full-fledged ninja, he'd be able to move around more—and that might give him a better chance.
But for some reason…
He felt uneasy about the connection between Konoha and the Soul Society.
The restlessness pushed Naruto to pick up the sword hanging on the wall.
He hadn't carried it during school—it wasn't allowed. Only kunai and shuriken were permitted. But every morning, he'd do a bit of sword training.
Now that he was feeling uneasy…
He'd try to dispel that restlessness through training.
That was always how Naruto dealt with emotions.
But the moment his hand touched the sword—
Its appearance began to change.
The length remained the same—it was still a standard katana.
But the blade turned a deep, ominous crimson.
A soft, long red tassel fluttered from the pommel.
Suddenly, knowledge surged through his mind—a chant, an incantation.
This abrupt change startled Naruto.
The name!
He knew the name of the Nine-Tails.
To know its name is to command its power.
So he didn't need the Zanpakutō itself to speak the name—he could still unlock it through others?
He gripped the hilt.
The feeling was completely different from holding an Asauchi.
His heartbeat, his life force, his very soul stirred.
This sword was an extension of his chakra—of himself.
Undoubtedly, this was the Shikai transformation.
But…
Wasn't the Nine-Tails a sealed beast inside him? How could it become his Shikai—his inner power?
Naruto sat cross-legged.
He placed the sword across his knees.
Entering Zanpakutō meditation, he slipped into the dark, underground sewers of his inner world.
"You again, brat. Long time no see." The Nine-Tails narrowed its eyes at the unusually serious blond boy, sounding oddly pleased. "You don't look too well, do you?"
Since Naruto had last said, "You're the Fourth's son," he hadn't returned.
The fox had been eager to see how deeply that revelation would scar him.
"You're called the Nine-Tails?" Naruto looked up and asked directly.
The Nine-Tails wasn't surprised. "So what? Still clinging to that whole Zanpakutō fantasy?"
It bared its teeth in a savage grin, its eyes filled with cruel amusement.
"'Nine-Tails'" was the name it was called the most.
But aside from the other eight tailed beasts, who would ever know… that each one of them once had a proper name, given by a loved one?
Maybe Zanpakutōs were real.
But "Nine-Tails" wasn't its true name.
To shatter a boy's spiritual foundation—what a delightful thing.
"My Zanpakutō has achieved Shikai." Naruto stepped closer and studied it. "I broke the seal on you. Try to sense it."
The fox paused.
It spread its chakra to sense outward.
That strange sword had indeed changed appearance—but that was the smallest change. Its essence no longer belonged to Naruto alone; part of it was from the Nine-Tails.
Together, they had forged the blade.
"How amusing." Its eyes sparkled with interest. "So it is real. I didn't even feel my power being drained. How does it work?"
Naruto clenched his fist, speaking more to himself.
"The Soul Society is real."
"I hate you, Nine-Tails."
"Because of you, everyone hated me."
"Because of you, my father sacrificed himself for the village."
"I still don't get why you were sealed in me."
"And I don't understand why you became my inner strength."
He raised his fist high, scattering the fog of confusion in his mind.
"Then I just won't understand!"
"I'll use your power."
"I'll find my dad. I'll find my mom. Then I'll understand."
The Nine-Tails flicked its tails, golden eyes fixed on Naruto.
This kid's personality was nothing like Minato's. He was more like that red-haired spitfire.
"Is that so?" It chuckled darkly. "Then let's see how far you get."
Its crimson chakra stirred.
It didn't care if Naruto borrowed its power.
So many Jinchūriki had done the same.
But compared to them, Naruto was far more interesting.
A new world…
A rejected hero of the village—
The Nine-Tails was beginning to look forward to the chaos of the future.
Naruto said no more and exited his inner world.
When he opened his eyes—
He wasn't in his small, tidy house.
He was in a classroom.
In front of him stood a familiar teacher.
He was back!
Back in the Soul Society.
The instructor immediately noticed Naruto's open eyes—and the changed sword on his lap.
"Naruto, you heard your Zanpakutō's name?" the teacher asked, not bothering to hide the astonishment in his tone.
He had just entered Zanpakutō meditation, and already heard its name—already achieved Shikai.
Was this what they called a genius?
Naruto didn't answer right away, glancing around in confusion.
The classroom hadn't changed.
No one seemed puzzled by his sudden "disappearance" or return.
Their reactions were only about the transformation of his sword.
Just like in Konoha, it was as if time had frozen the moment he left.
Why?
There was no time to think.
Naruto nodded in response to the earlier question: "Sensei, I think I've achieved Shikai."
(End of Chapter)