Naruto still wasn't quite used to being seen as a "genius."
Nor was he used to receiving so many "friendly" and "enthusiastic" glances.
It was a stark contrast—a complete reversal from how he had been treated back in Konoha.
The huge psychological gap left him feeling anxious and insecure.
He worried about whether he truly had any talent.
He feared that once the "truth" was exposed, he would go back to being laughed at by classmates and ignored by teachers.
But after enrolling—
Naruto learned a new word: "Qi Ren You Tian" (杞人憂天)—a man worrying needlessly that the sky might fall.
He really was a genius.
The four main courses at the Shin'o Spiritual Arts Academy were "Zan, Ken, So, and Kido."
"Zan" referred to swordsmanship—Shinigami fought with Zanpakutō; the sword was half their life.
"Ken" was hand-to-hand combat—essentially the same as the taijutsu Naruto already knew.
"So" was a movement technique called "Shunpo," a method of high-speed movement.
In these three areas, Naruto performed exceptionally, especially in Shunpo. While the other students struggled to grasp its basics, Naruto had already mastered it. It felt like something etched into his body—just a slight touch was enough to activate it.
His talents in swordsmanship and hand-to-hand combat weren't quite as pronounced; there were others more gifted than him in those fields.
But Naruto worked hard.
And he possessed an absurdly fast healing ability since childhood—something that had carried over into the Soul Society.
Others, no matter how hard they tried, could only train seven or eight hours a day before their bodies gave out.
But Naruto could go fourteen, even sixteen hours!
He wanted to live up to the expectations set by Dean Hakura as quickly as possible.
He wanted to become a captain.
He wanted to find his parents. To finally have a home.
Among the four main courses, the only one where Naruto struggled was "Kido."
Kido was a form of spiritual spellcasting through incantations—similar to the ninjutsu he had known in Konoha.
While his classmates had already mastered the first spells and were progressing to higher-level ones, Naruto's attempt at "Hadō #1: Sho" was still laughably weak—less powerful than a fart.
It troubled him.
It wasn't that he lacked talent—his learning pace wasn't any slower than the others.
He just couldn't use it.
It had been that way when he was alive—though he hadn't understood it then.
Now, even in death, it persisted. But after studying the nature of spiritual energy, Naruto could feel it clearly—something strange inside him interfered every time he tried to cast Kido.
He didn't know how to explain this to his teachers. And he was scared—it tied back to all those old fears and insecurities.
But not all schools were like the Ninja Academy, and not all teachers were like the ones back in Konoha. People in the Soul Society were very different.
The Shinigami in charge of teaching Kido didn't scold Naruto—instead, he guided him patiently and gently.
After understanding Naruto's situation—
The teacher didn't think it was a lack of talent. He attributed the interference to Naruto's spiritual power being too immense—that he hadn't yet learned how to control it properly, and the interference was a result of that.
A "genius's ailment," the teacher called it. Something that would resolve with more practice in spiritual energy control.
Encouraged by the teacher and his classmates, Naruto began to regain confidence. He even rediscovered the mindset he had when developing his "Sexy Jutsu"—something he had managed to create despite his struggles with ninjutsu.
Though progress in Kido was slow, it was visible.
Academically, he was thriving.
Socially, he was doing great, too.
His classmates all liked Naruto and took good care of him. This had nothing to do with talent and everything to do with age. Naruto was the youngest in the class—only twelve years old when he died, and only three years had passed since.
Two months later—
The new students had settled in. Those unable to keep up had already dropped out. It was time for this year's Zanpakutō Ceremony.
In Class 1—
The teacher announced loudly, "At last, the time has come."
"The day when you are all granted Zanpakutō."
"From today onward, you may be called trainee Shinigami, until your graduation."
He knocked on the desk.
"It's also time to explain the graduation requirements of Shin'o Academy."
"There are two ways to graduate."
"One is completing the full six-year course. Even in Class 1—the most advanced class this year—this is the only graduation path for most of you."
"The other is to achieve Shikai. If you unlock your Zanpakutō's Shikai form, you may graduate early."
"But such geniuses are rare."
"Learning Shikai in the first year and graduating that early is almost unheard of."
"But perhaps, this year, one such student will emerge."
The moment the teacher finished speaking, everyone instinctively turned their gaze to one person—
The small blond boy sitting in the first row.
"Sensei, I—" Naruto scratched his head and gave an awkward smile.
The teacher ruffled his hair. "I have high hopes for you becoming the youngest captain ever!"
With his other hand, he picked up a sword and placed it in front of Naruto. "The Zanpakutō we're giving you now hasn't awakened yet—in fact, it doesn't even have a proper name. These are standard issue, called Asauchi."
"Remember this well."
"These Asauchi are not given to you—they are loaned by the Academy."
"Only after you graduate and join the Gotei 13 or the Onmitsukidō will a real Zanpakutō be formally bestowed upon you."
"Now listen carefully!"
The teacher's tone became stern.
"While on loan, your Asauchi must not be given away."
"Must not be lost."
"If any such situation occurs—if your Asauchi is damaged or broken—you must report it to the Academy immediately."
"Or face severe consequences."
The students nodded seriously.
Only after everyone had received their Asauchi did the teacher relax a bit. "Now, as you were taught in class, try Zanjutsu Meditation."
"Use your spiritual energy to listen to the voice of your sword."
Zanjutsu Meditation—
A form of Shinigami practice.
In this meditative state, a Shinigami tries to resonate with their Zanpakutō through spiritual energy—to reach a state where they can communicate with it.
Being able to talk to your sword is the first step toward releasing it.
Only after knowing its name can you wield its power.
Naruto closed his eyes, placing the sword across his lap.
The moment his spiritual energy touched the blade—
His consciousness was yanked violently, as if the ground had suddenly opened beneath him and he was falling into a deep abyss.
When he came to—
He found himself in a damp, dark underground sewer.
Naruto looked around in confusion.
Where was this?
Another world?
He quickly dismissed the thought.
He could feel it—the strange energy that had interfered with his Kido... it was here.
This was likely what the teacher had called the "inner world."
But—
Wasn't this strange? Normally, in the early stages of learning Shikai, one only hears the sword's voice. Entering one's inner world like this—was something that happened only after Shikai, when training for Bankai.
Was his talent really that extraordinary?
Also—where was the spirit of his Zanpakutō?
Naruto stood and walked along the corridor.
Before long, he reached a dead end.
A massive red gate stood in his way. Beyond it was darkness—thick and ominous, as if something lurked there.
Heavy breathing. Raw malice. A glimpse of glowing red—like consuming fire.
"Oi, brat." A massive presence stirred behind the gate, its voice rumbling.
Naruto answered, "I'm here."
"Come closer," it said.
Naruto stepped forward.
Whoosh—a sudden gust.
A giant claw slammed into the bars with a deafening clang, claws piercing through the gaps and stopping just inches from Naruto's throat—so close they nearly carved into him.
"You've got guts, brat."
"Didn't even flinch."
Naruto grinned, bright and fearless. "Why would I flinch? You're not going to hurt me."
"My name is Naruto Uzumaki."
"What's your name? Will you tell me?"
(End of Chapter)