After leaving Konoha, Naruto had seen faces different from those of Konoha's villagers.
There were missing-nin, and residents of small countries struggling to survive.
There were also ninja like Haku, inherently kind yet forced to harm others.
In this war-torn world, there was too much pain and helplessness.
Even if the Ninja World War ended, disputes between various ninja villages and countries still continued in secret.
Although Konoha seemed dark on the surface, it was actually much better off compared to other ninja villages.
Naruto's mood inevitably grew somewhat heavy after leaving.
This further solidified his determination to become stronger.
To surpass ninja villages, transcend national borders, and stand at the pinnacle of the world.
To change this world! Within the seal space, Aizen's eyes were profound, lost in memories.
The current Soul Society, in his view, was just like Konoha: a bright and beautiful exterior, yet rotten to the core within.
The Soul King, clearly the supreme existence, had been reduced to a tool for the upper echelons to maintain stable rule over the lower classes.
The upper class, the nobility, and Central 46 monopolized the right to education and wealth; the five great noble families further monopolized knowledge.
Just as the saying goes:
"Who controls the past, controls the future."
"Who controls the present, controls the past."
Controlling the past meant controlling the truth of the Soul King's existence, keeping the lower classes ignorant, and manipulating them.
Controlling the present meant that as long as one controlled current power, one could arbitrarily tamper with history.
Just like the current Konoha, where the so-called truth was controlled by the higher-ups, and the common villagers, even ninja, were reduced to tools for 'making fire.'
Soul Society's corrupt upper echelons controlled all resources; those talented commoner Shinigami had almost no chance to rise.
It was because Aizen realized this that he thought of defecting from Soul Society, changing the existing rules, and achieving a true 'great harmony under heaven.'
This path was destined to be seen as that of a villain, a path that could not be understood.
Therefore, Aizen longed to find an existence on the same level as himself, one that could understand him.
Or, to be reduced to an ordinary Shinigami in the truest sense.
As the saying goes, with great power comes great responsibility. It was precisely because of the terrifying talent Aizen possessed that he shouldered burdens unimaginable to ordinary people.
"Naruto, you are now walking a path destined not to be understood by everyone," Aizen sighed softly, his tone complex. "To be able to become your teacher... is truly quite good."
When everyone clarifies their own goals and mission, their motivation will increase dramatically.
They will not fear any danger or hardship.
Several tens of days later, Zabuza finished recuperating. He looked at Haku and said in a deep voice, "Next will be the final battle with Kakashi. Haku, as a tool, you must be prepared to kill. My strength is inferior to Kakashi's, so you need to quickly kill those three Genin."
Listening to Zabuza's words, Haku's consciousness drifted further and further away.
Suddenly, he remembered a certain afternoon, the gentle and refined youth he had encountered by chance in the forest.
"Haku, you are very gentle, very kind."
Gentle and kind? A look of struggle appeared in Haku's eyes. A moment later, he looked up.
"Zabuza-sama, I am prepared. I will fulfill my duty as a tool."
The final decisive battle arrived! Team Seven and Zabuza with Haku faced each other from a distance near the bridge.
And those townspeople who regarded the bridge as their hope for revival were all hiding in their homes, not even daring to watch the battle.
Both sides quickly found their respective opponents. With their previous combat experience, Zabuza and Kakashi also understood each other's fighting styles, so both were extremely cautious.
Naruto looked at the masked Haku. From those calm eyes, he could see a hint of determination. "Have you made up your mind? Interesting." Naruto chuckled softly and took a step forward.
"Naruto, he's my opponent," Sasuke, however, blocked Naruto, his expression grave.
"Sorry, Sasuke. This is the last time. Shatter, Kyoka Suigetsu." Kyoka Suigetsu in Naruto's hand dissolved into fragments and sank into the earth.
Under Kyoka Suigetsu's interference, Sasuke began a battle of wits and courage against thin air.
Naruto then looked seriously at Haku. "Haku, let me see how strong you are after finding your resolve."
"Naruto... so you already knew." Haku's expression was complicated as he gently removed his mask, revealing a delicate and pretty face.
"Eh? What's this situation?? Does Naruto know that... person?" Sakura, at the side, still hadn't figured out the situation, looking completely bewildered.
"Sakura, please step aside and rest for a moment. This is a battle between me and Haku," Naruto said gently, nodding at Sakura.
He then looked at Haku, his expression solemn. "Haku, don't hold back. If you don't use your full strength, you'll be killed by me."
As his words fell, a terrifying aura erupted from Naruto's body.
Haku's forehead quickly beaded with fine, dense sweat. He glanced at Sasuke, who was still battling the air, and his heart pounded with terror. "What is this unknown Kekkei Genkai? Such a dangerous feeling! He's controlling that Genin while simultaneously suppressing me with his chakra! What a terrifying ninja!"
He didn't dare to underestimate Naruto and threw a dense volley of senbon towards him as a probing attack.
"Haku, this level of attack is completely useless against me."
With a harsh clanging sound, all the senbon were instantly parried by Naruto using Kyoka Suigetsu. He then used Shunpo to appear behind Haku, bringing his sword down in a fierce chop.
The blade struck a water clone. The next moment, the shattered water clone suddenly climbed onto Naruto's wrist, transforming into a solid pillar of ice.
"Combined with Water Style, Ice Release is truly terrifying." Naruto's expression hardened. With a burst of monstrous strength, he directly shattered the ice pillar binding his wrist.
This scene secretly alarmed Haku.
This casually executed combination attack would have been more than enough to deal with an ordinary Chunin, yet unexpectedly, it failed against Naruto.
"Haku, if this is all the caliber you possess, then Zabuza is doomed to die today," Naruto said with a smile, his tone still gentle, but his words made Haku's heart clench.
Zabuza's strength was slightly inferior to Kakashi's. If he couldn't quickly deal with Naruto, Zabuza would be in a dangerous situation.
"Ice Release: Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals!" Facing the powerful Naruto, Haku could only use his full strength, his hands rapidly forming seals.
During this time, Naruto stood in place, quietly waiting with a smile.
Soon, the moisture in the air around Naruto began to show signs of condensing. In an extremely short amount of time, it formed numerous ice mirrors that surrounded Naruto, constructing an ice crystal palace.
Each ice surface was like a mirror, reflecting his own image.
Soon, Haku appeared in one of the ice mirrors and said softly,
"Naruto, this is Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals. This is a ninjutsu you cannot break. You've lost."
Haku's voice echoed throughout the ice crystal chamber.
"Interesting. Is this the power of Ice Release? Truly fascinating." Naruto smiled faintly and extended a finger.
"Hado Number 33: Sokatsui!"
A scorching blast of flame violently struck the mirror where Haku had appeared.
With a deafening sound, Sokatsui blasted a considerable hole in the mirror, but it was instantly covered by dense water droplets, restoring it to its original state.
And Haku's figure appeared in a mirror behind Naruto.
"Give up, Naruto. I can freely move between the mirrors. Within the Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals, I am invincible."
"I'm sorry. For Zabuza-sama's sake, I must defeat you."
"Secret Jutsu: A Thousand Flying Water Needles of Death!"
Around the ground within the ice palace, fine, pervasive streams of water appeared, then transformed into countless sharp steel-like needles, stabbing at Naruto from all directions.
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