The students who had yet to enter "Jinzen" couldn't help but turn their heads upon hearing the words. Nearly all of them were curious. After all, "Jinzen" wasn't a simple practice. Most Shinigami required years of training to master it, and this was the first time they had received their Zanpakutō. Success was not guaranteed.
"I already had high expectations for you, but reality has exceeded them," the Teacher smiled. "What is the name of your sword?"
"Nine-Tails," Naruto replied.
The Teacher turned to the other students. "You all practice on your own. I'm taking Naruto outside for a bit."
One student, braver than the others, raised their hand. "Teacher, can we watch Naruto's release?"
"Focus on your training!" the teacher sternly refused. "This isn't a game." Without giving the students a chance to persuade him further, he led Naruto out of the room.
In the gymnasium, the headmaster, Pogang Kazuyoshi, had been called over along with several other Shinigami responsible for evaluating and recording the events. The atmosphere was serious, not just a casual observation.
"Don't be nervous, Naruto," the Teacher reassured him. "As I mentioned earlier, mastering Shikai allows you to graduate. Headmaster Pogang and the other faculty members are here to confirm and document this achievement. Just perform normally."
Naruto took a deep breath, grasping the hilt of his sword as he drew it. The blade was a deep, dark red, yet strikingly vivid. He solemnly recited the incantation that echoed in his mind.
The Nine-Tails, sealed within his body, only now felt the shift brought on by the release of Naruto's spiritual energy. A foreign power, distinct from chakra, was awakened. Even the essence of its own being seemed to transform, no longer made of chakra alone.
Naruto's voice rang out, firm and resolute:
"Rage, pain, fear, despair…
Hear the wails as they bloom!
Kyūbi no Yōko!"
A massive wave of crimson spiritual pressure burst forth from Naruto, radiating outwards. The Shinigami responsible for evaluating him instinctively took a step back. "Is this Shikai? What's with that release phrase?"
While the spiritual pressure was intense, in line with their expectations for a "Rank 5 Spiritual Power," it was still stronger than many present. However, the sword itself gave off a deeply unsettling and dangerous aura. Even their emotions seemed to waver, fatigue creeping into their bodies under its influence.
Naruto's external appearance had shifted only slightly. He was now shrouded in a dark red, lava-like cloak of spiritual energy. Two pointed ears of energy jutted out from his head, and a long, bushy tail of the same energy swayed behind him. His once-blue eyes had turned red, with his round pupils narrowing into slits—resembling those of a fox.
"Does your sword have any special abilities?" Pogang Kazuyoshi asked.
Naruto swung the blade experimentally. "It enhances my body and spiritual power, but it doesn't seem to do much else."
Pogang Kazuyoshi nodded. "A Zanpakutō that enhances the body, huh? It suits you well, Naruto."
Given that Naruto's aptitude in Kidō was not as strong as in Hakuda and Zanjutsu, this type of Shikai was indeed a good match for him.
Naruto felt the power within him. It seemed that what he had just unleashed was only the tip of the iceberg. "Headmaster, I think I can become even stronger."
"Stronger?" Pogang Kazuyoshi was taken aback, unsure of what Naruto meant. The statement was both intriguing and slightly alarming. What did he mean by stronger? Beyond Shikai was Bankai, a level of power that could take hundreds of years to achieve. Could Naruto really push further in just one go?
Naruto took a deep breath and drew more power from the Nine-Tails within him. The spiritual pressure around him grew even denser, and a second tail formed within the spiritual cloak, along with a second, furry ribbon extending from the sword's hilt.
"Oh, a second form?" Pogang Kazuyoshi sighed in relief. So that's what Naruto meant.
One of the Shinigami muttered, "Nine-Tails… Nine… Could Naruto's sword be capable of releasing up to nine tails?"
The idea seemed logical given the name. Naruto nodded, "It seems like that's the case. Should I keep going?"
"Hold on a moment," Pogang Kazuyoshi interjected. "First, confirm if your body can handle it."
In his long years, Pogang Kazuyoshi had never seen a Shikai that could change forms and grow stronger. But he knew that power often came with a price. Since the initial release only brought out one tail, it suggested that the first form was the safest for Naruto. Anything beyond that might require a heavier toll.
Naruto obediently nodded and checked his condition. After a moment, he shook his head. "I don't feel any strain. Just a bit more excited, like I want to fight."
"Excitement, huh?" Pogang Kazuyoshi pondered. Such emotions weren't necessarily a bad thing in combat. In fact, many within the Gotei 13 thrived on being "excited" or "impulsive" during battle. If that was the only drawback, it might not be too much of a concern.
"If that's the case, you can proceed," Pogang Kazuyoshi agreed gently.
Naruto nodded and, with a shout, released even more power. A third tail sprouted, and the energy surrounding him thickened further, becoming less transparent. His spiritual pressure became even more intense, prompting the Shinigami to take another step back.
"This sword is truly powerful," one of them remarked. The oppressive force Naruto was exuding now was something only felt around seasoned vice-captains. For a newly enrolled student to possess such power was truly remarkable.
"How do you feel now?" Pogang Kazuyoshi asked again.
Naruto took a moment to assess. "It's similar to before, just more intense."
A buzzing noise filled his ears—like indistinct, overlapping voices urging him to cut, to destroy something, anything. His body, too, felt a primal urge to lash out. But he could still control it.
"No discomfort?" Pogang Kazuyoshi pressed.
Naruto shook his head. "No burden at all."
"Then go ahead and try once more."
With those words, the fourth tail emerged. The spiritual cloak around Naruto thickened further, turning from translucent dark red to a fully opaque, deep crimson. The energy seemed to come alive, swallowing Naruto whole.
That ominous and dangerous feeling intensified. The Shinigami felt their skin crawl, as if their instincts were screaming at them to flee. Naruto lifted his sword, now adorned with four furry ribbons, and swallowed it. His spiritual pressure surged again, and his posture changed. No longer standing like a human, he crouched on all fours, resembling a beast. His eyes lost their pupils, leaving only two glowing white circles.
Pogang Kazuyoshi's heart sank, a sense of dread creeping in.
"Naruto?" he called out cautiously.
But the only response was a feral roar from the spirit-formed creature that had consumed Naruto. A second later, it vanished from sight with a deafening burst of sound.
"Be careful, it's out of control!" Pogang Kazuyoshi warned. He had feared this might happen. The escalating release of tails seemed to chip away at Naruto's sanity. As he had initially suspected, this power came with a cost—not of strength or stamina, but of reason.
Before his warning fully left his lips, the beast that was once Naruto appeared in front of a Shinigami, claws slashing down with terrifying force. Though the Shinigami managed to quickly cast a Bakudō #8, Seki, to absorb most of the blow, the remaining force sent him flying, embedding him into the gym's wall.
"Was Naruto always this fast?" one Shinigami exclaimed. "And this strong?"
The answer was clear as the injured Shinigami slid from the wall, bleeding and battered.
"The sword likely enhances all aspects of his body, not just spiritual pressure—speed, strength, and more," Pogang Kazuyoshi deduced, frowning. "We need to subdue him, but carefully. We can't let him get hurt."
(End of Chapter)