The practical training commenced a week later, without any instructors accompanying them. Leading the group were top students from the sixth year. The Senkaimon stood tall and imposing in a silent, ominous corner of the Seireitei, resembling a massive open-air coliseum. A vast, straight road, vibrant and wide, stretched toward a crimson gate adorned with golden engravings.
This gate served as the portal between the Soul Society and the human world.
At the starting point of the road, the group of trainees gathered. A senior male student addressed them, "No need to be nervous on this trip to the human world. We're heading to a town called Akita, which isn't a spiritually dense area. Even if we encounter Hollows, they'll mostly be newborn and weak."
He continued to explain the details of their mission, but Naruto's mind wandered. Akita? He hadn't heard of it. It didn't sound like a hidden village or a town from the Land of Fire. Was it even in the Land of Fire?
As the senior student wrapped up his speech, the enormous red gate silently opened, releasing a warm white light. He raised his hand, and a black butterfly, a Hell Butterfly, landed delicately on his finger. "Stay close to the group. Without the Hell Butterfly's guidance, it's very dangerous to pass through the Dangai."
They emerged from the gate under the clear night sky of the human world, in the midst of a sparse forest. The trees were thin and didn't obscure the sky—definitely not the Land of Fire. The trees near Konoha were tall and lush, unlike these saplings.
"Alright, let's begin," the senior clapped his hands, signaling the students to disperse and find their assigned souls to perform Konsō on. Naruto, however, stayed behind, deep in thought.
"Is something wrong, Uzumaki?" the senior asked.
"Senpai, what country is this?" Naruto asked, bracing himself for an answer like "Land of Wind" or "Land of Lightning."
The senior looked puzzled. "Why do you ask?"
"This is Japan," he replied.
Naruto blinked, confused. Japan? He had never heard of such a place. "Is it close to the Land of Fire?" he asked, bewildered.
The senior chuckled. "The Land of Fire? I've never heard of that place. Perhaps it's just a village name from when you were alive?"
Naruto forced a smile. "Maybe... Thanks, Senpai."
He was the last to leave and didn't immediately search for the soul he was supposed to send to the Soul Society. His duties as a Shinigami made it easy to navigate the human world unnoticed, allowing him to explore and investigate freely.
Soon, he found a map in a wealthy household. On it, "Japan" was a small island nation, dwarfed by the larger landmasses around it. But there was no mention of the "Land of Fire" or anything about ninja or their world.
This was an entirely different world—a separate reality from where he once lived. The realization struck him hard: the Soul Society wasn't connected to the world he came from, and he would never find his parents here.
Naruto sat on a tree branch, staring at the crescent moon partly obscured by clouds. It seemed so lonely, much like him.
Back at the Senkaimon, the students were gathering, having finished their assignments. The task of Konsō was straightforward, though it could be time-consuming if the souls were hard to find, testing their ability to sense spiritual threads.
"Has Uzumaki returned yet?" the senior asked as he noticed the absence of the bright blonde head among the group.
"No, not yet."
"I saw him earlier to the east. He seemed to be still searching for his soul," one student replied.
The senior frowned. Even if the soul was elusive, Naruto had the skills of a seasoned officer. He shouldn't be taking this long. Despite his confidence in Naruto's abilities, the troubled expression the younger boy had when asking about the world's geography made him worry.
The senior was about to suggest searching for Naruto when suddenly, several malevolent spiritual pressures surged from the nearby forest. He tensed and looked toward the source of the disturbance.
Two grotesque creatures, their faces hidden behind bone-white masks, burst from the trees, charging directly at the group.
"Hollows!" a student shouted.
Panic spread among the students. Their lack of experience in dealing with Hollows left them vulnerable.
"Byakurai!" One senior student cast a Kidō spell, white lightning shooting towards one of the Hollows. But the attack barely scratched its hide, drawing a mocking laugh from the beast.
"They're Menos-class Hollows!" another student exclaimed, his voice trembling with fear. "We need to call for help!"
"It's no use," another responded, his Hell Butterfly trembling in his hands. "The spiritual communication is down. We can't send a distress signal."
Desperation filled the group as they realized they were cut off. "Communication is down? How is that possible?"
Normally, trainees would be in constant contact with the Soul Society during missions. This was unprecedented.
The lead Hollow lunged forward, grabbing a student, its voice dripping with greed, "Such delicious spiritual energy."
The senior students fought back, one slashing at the Hollow's arm with his sword while the others combined their efforts to cast a binding spell. The creature howled in pain as fiery ropes of energy seared its flesh, forcing it to drop its captive. But the damage wasn't enough. With a roar, the Hollow snapped the bindings and swatted the lead student aside, preparing to devour him.
"Senpai!" a student screamed, helpless as the Hollow closed in.
Just then, a ball of red spiritual energy shot out from the trees, slamming into the Hollow and exploding with a fiery burst. The Hollow shrieked in pain as black ichor dripped from its wounds.
The senior student recognized the attack—*Shakkahō,* a Hadō spell ranked far above their capabilities. Only one person could have cast it.
"Uzumaki!" someone shouted, pointing to the treetops.
Naruto stood there, his back to the crescent moon, an intense glare in his eyes.
"Sorry, I got distracted. I'm a bit late," he said, lowering his hand. "Hollows, huh?"
"This is my first time fighting one."
"Guess I'll use this opportunity to vent some frustration."
Naruto unsheathed *Nine-Tails,* his expression hardening as he leaped into the fray.
The students watched in awe as a golden blur flashed before them. In an instant, the Hollow was split cleanly in two.
(End of Chapter)