Naruto: The Chosen Undead

Chapter no.35 What It Means to Resist

---

Kakashi sat bare chested on the examination mat, the soft green glow of healing chakra washing over his shoulder as Kurenai's hand hovered over his collarbone. Her expression was unreadable, focused, calm, but there was something unspoken in the way her fingers hesitated every so often, like she was afraid of what she might find.

"Any word from Jiraiya sama?"

"A toad from Mount Myōboku arrived yesterday. Said Jiraiya was summoned to speak with the Great Sage again. Something about a… new prophecy."

Kakashi's gaze drifted toward the window. "The child of prophecy…"

Her eyes flicked toward him. "Pardon."

He gave a quiet hum. "Minato sensei told me. Back then, the Great Toad Sage told Jiraiya he'd train a student... one who would bring a seismic shift to the shinobi world. Either salvation or ruin. No in between."

Kurenai's chakra faltered briefly as she absorbed his words. "He thought Minato was that student?"

"After Minato forced Iwa to the negotiating table, yeah," Kakashi murmured. "He believed it for a while. But Sensei…" he exhaled, "he was a man of peace. A light, sure, but not the storm that prophecy hinted at."

"From your tone… it sounds like you don't believe in prophecy."

"I believe in people," Kakashi said plainly. "Prophecies are like kunai thrown in the dark. They might hit something. Or they might be self fulfilling, if you believe in them hard enough."

"What if Naruto was the child of prophecy?"

He looked at her sharply, eyes narrowing. "Don't joke about that."

"Why not?"

"Because carrying the world on your back isn't a blessing," Kakashi said flatly. "It's a sentence."

There was a beat of silence, the kind that stretched just a moment too long before it was broken by the rustle of parchment. "I was trying to lighten the mood, but… I don't know how else to put this."

Kakashi stared at the final lines of the report in his hands, then exhaled through his nose. "My body's… brand new." He said it flatly. Not with wonder. Not with relief. Just a quiet understanding of what that really meant.

To anyone else, it might've sounded like a miracle. But to Kakashi Hatake, a man who had spent the better part of his life bleeding for the village, who'd lived more days on the brink than most people lived in their entire lives, it was an omen. Because his body was never supposed to be new again.

The calcified shrapnel from that Iwa ambush? Gone. The lightning charred nerves in his left arm from years of abusing Chidori? Restored. The spiderweb of scar tissue deep in his muscles, the silent aches, the phantom tugs where old wounds had healed wrong, all of it erased. And that wasn't just the Estus fixing his Sharingan.

Kakashi looked down at his fingers, flexing them slowly. He hadn't moved this smoothly since he was twelve. No delay. No pain.

He remembered what the ANBU med nin had once told him during a rare physical. If you had Tsunade's healing or a decade of rest, you might reach your full potential. But keep going like this, and you'll spend the rest of your life plateaued as a Jonin. Your own injured body is holding you back from reaching your true potential.

Apparently, Naruto Uzumaki had just undone twenty years of irreversible damage… with a sip of golden light. This boy was going to be the death of him.

Kakashi glanced up. Kurenai hadn't spoken, but her eyes were sharp. She was waiting for something; a hint, an explanation. He opened his mouth, but a voice called from outside, breaking the tension.

"Breakfast's ready!" Tsunami's voice chimed. "Everyone, come eat!"

Kakashi folded the report quietly and stood. "Saved by the rice."

---

At the breakfast table, Tsunami blinked in surprise when she noticed him among the others. "Oh! I didn't make a portion for you, Kakashi san. I thought you'd still be resting."

"It's alright. Still feeling a bit off. Tea's more than enough."

Before anyone could respond, Naruto plunked the last Estus flask down in front of him with a clink.

"Here," the blonde said. "Last one. If you're still sick, this'll sort it out."

Sasuke rubbed a hand across his face, muttering under his breath. Sakura sighed loudly and looked away.

Kurenai didn't speak. She didn't need to. Her expression was carved from stone.

"What's that do?"

"It heals you," Naruto replied simply. "You drink it, and it just… fixes stuff."

Kakashi didn't touch the flask. His eye flicked to Kurenai, gauging her reaction. She turned to Naruto, her voice level but inquisitive. "Naruto… have you ever heard of the Uzumaki Clan's healing chakra?"

The table stilled.

Naruto blinked, surprised by the question. "Yeah. Why?"

Kakashi narrowed his eye.

Kiba leaned forward, brows scrunched. "Wait. Uzumaki Clan? That's a real thing?"

"There was a clan," Naruto answered, poking at his rice. "They were wiped out a long time ago. But… yeah, they had healing chakra. Sealing jutsu too."

Beside him, Sasuke picked up a slice of grilled fish. But instead of dropping it into Naruto's bowl, he broke it cleanly in half and set one piece beside his own rice. Naruto stared at it for a moment, then glanced at Sasuke. No words. But he understood. They were both the last of something. Two kids from dead clans, still learning what it meant to be alive.

Kakashi would've smiled. Normally, he might've teased them. But right now, his focus was razor thin. Because no one had ever told Naruto about the Uzumaki. So how did Naruto know? And more importantly… what else did he know?

"Uzumaki san," Shino spoke up quietly. "Why don't you use that flask to heal your arm?" His bugs buzzed faintly under his cloak, but they wouldn't approach the flask. Even the most obedient of his kikaichū recoiled from it, twitching as if in the presence of something extremely powerful.

Naruto shrugged, nonchalant. "Tried it, but this stuff doesn't heal souls."

The silence that followed was almost physical. Chairs shifted. Chopsticks paused mid air. Every eye locked onto Naruto.

"What?" Kiba muttered, blinking.

"What do you mean, 'souls'?" Sakura asked, half incredulous, half curious.

Naruto didn't elaborate. He was too busy tearing off flaky chunks of grilled fish and offering them to Oscar, who chirped eagerly on the table beside him. If Naruto noticed the unease rippling around him, he didn't show it.

Hinata's voice broke the stillness, hopeful and soft. "What… what are the limits of this thing?"

She hadn't meant to let that question slip... not with so much weight behind it, but the thought of her mother stirred something in her. If this mysterious flask could bring someone back from the brink, maybe… just maybe...

"Don't know. But it hasn't failed me just yet."

The vagueness only made it worse.

Sasuke leaned forward, narrowing his eyes. "Can the Uzumaki clan use this 'special chakra' in a jutsu?"

Naruto paused mid motion, a piece of fish held between his fingers as he tried to recall the details from Tobirama's journals. Some Uzumaki, he remembered, were born with a rare type of chakra—potent enough to suppress the Nine Tails itself. That same chakra was the foundation for the Adamantine Sealing Chains, a jutsu unique to their bloodline. The connection was obvious now. Sasuke's question made sense in that context. With clarity settling in, Naruto nodded quickly.

Kakashi let out a sharp exhale through his nose. The steam briefly fogged the inside of his mask. He knew that look on Sasuke's face... pieces were falling into place, and not in a way Naruto would ever intend.

"I've got it," Sasuke said. "Naruto uses this chakra alongside his Scorch Release."

Tazuna and Tsunami exchanged bewildered looks from their seats at the edge of the table, completely lost but sensing the shift in tone. The shinobi were in deep waters now.

"Wait, Naruto, is this true?" Sakura asked, leaning forward.

"What's true?"

"That you use fire to make the Estus flasks work," Sasuke clarified, his voice calm but firm.

"Oh. Yeah. I do," Naruto said casually, not realizing he had unintentionally created another misunderstanding. Sasuke's question had been about using fire from Scorch Release, but Naruto assumed he was talking about the fire from the bonfires he used to refill the Estus Flask.

At the breakfast table, the hum of conversation faded as Kakashi tapped two fingers gently against the wooden bench. A silent rhythm. Measured. Deliberate.

Kurenai's eyes flicked toward him. She blinked once. Then a gentle shift of chakra; subtle, almost imperceptible, and the world around them shimmered.

To everyone else at the table, it looked like the two jonin were simply locked in a long, wordless stare, quiet, intense, and vaguely awkward. In truth, they were engaged in a silent exchange, casting layered genjutsu back and forth, speaking.

"Why are you pushing so hard for answers you already know you shouldn't ask?"

"Because I've spent years healing soldiers who came back too broken to live. Missing pieces. Hollowed out. Dying slowly in beds like that one you almost didn't leave. And now I've seen something that reverses all of it." She looked at him. "Tell me that didn't mean something to you."

Kakashi's expression didn't change. But his voice was softer now. "It meant too much. That's the problem."

"Then you understand." Kurenai's voice lowered. "This... this isn't just another anomaly. He could be the next Tsunade. No, more than that. He's creating miracles from nothing. He doesn't even realize it."

Kakashi shook his head slowly. "Miracles can start wars. And you know the Hokage won't allow this to go unchecked."

"You think the Hokage sent me here just to check on Team Seven? Come on, Kakashi. He sent a jonin and summoned Jiraiya for backup on an A rank. I know what that means."

Kakashi's reply came colder than before. "And if you start expecting things Naruto can't give yet? If the village sees him not as a boy but as a tool? What happens then?"

Kurenai hesitated.

"We saw that happen to Itachi," Kakashi went on. "Expected to become the next Madara. A prodigy with no room to fail. Do you want to see that happen again?"

The silence hung between them. Then Kurenai sighed. "You're right," she admitted. "I got swept up in the possibility. I forgot he's still a child."

"He trusts us," Kakashi said, his tone unreadable. "And I'm not going to be the one to break that."

Kurenai nodded once, gaze falling. "Then I'll leave it alone. For now."

The genjutsu unraveled like mist on the wind. Everyone else at the table was staring at them.

"Do I have something on my face?"

Sakura arched a brow, grinning. "No, but you two were locked in eye contact like it was a wedding vow."

Hinata turned beet red. "I-I-It looked… um… very heartfelt…"

"What?" Kurenai jerked upright, flustered. "No! No, it's not... there's nothing going on!"

"Hey, I'm not judging. Good on you, Kakashi sensei. Kurenai's way outta your league, but shoot your shot, right?"

Kakashi stared at the kid. "I didn't shoot anything, Kiba."

Shino adjusted his collar. "Emotional bonding can improve field performance. I approve."

Sasuke, without looking up from his rice, muttered, "Hn. One less tragic loner in the squad."

"That's rich coming from you," Kakashi said dryly. He reached lazily into his vest and pulled out a worn orange book, cracking it open with one hand like it was a natural reflex.

Kurenai's face twisted in horror. "Seriously? In front of the kids?!"

"Oh, come on," Kakashi said, unbothered. "You were the one staring into my eye like I was the last man in the Leaf."

"That is not what I was doing!"

Tazuna squinted at the two of them, raising his cup with a grin. "Well, damn. You two bicker like an old married couple."

The words hung in the air. Kurenai and Kakashi froze.

Meanwhile, Naruto was entirely oblivious, shoveling rice into his mouth with mechanical speed and feeding bits to Oscar, who sat contentedly at his side. "Man," Naruto mumbled mid bite, "you're all so dramatic. Pass the pickles?"

The table dissolved into laughter. Even Sasuke let out a small, reluctant chuckle.

Tazuna, trying to steer the conversation back on track, cleared his throat loudly. "So… what's the plan for today?"

Kurenai took the lead. "Sasuke, Sakura, Shino, and I will be protecting you and your workers at the bridge," she said, slipping back into professional mode.

"Hinata, you'll be with me," Kakashi added.

"W-What are we going to do, Kakashi sensei?"

"We're going to the spot where I fought Zabuza," Kakashi explained. "I want to confirm whether or not he's still alive. Your Byakugan will be critical for this."

"Y-Yes, Kakashi sensei."

"What about me? What am I supposed to do?"

"You'll be staying here to protect the house."

Kiba's mouth opened for protest, but Shino gave him a quiet, reassuring nod.

"It's an important task," he said simply. That seemed to be enough to placate the eager Inuzuka.

As the table began to settle into the day's assignments, Tsunami spoke up hesitantly.

"Excuse me… I'll be going to the market today, so if anyone could..."

Naruto cleared his throat, then stood abruptly, his chair scraping across the floor.

"It would be my honor to escort you to the market as your bodyguard," he said, straightening his posture with exaggerated seriousness. Then, with a dramatic flourish, Naruto reached for the hilt of his Zweihander and performed a formal, knightly bow... his massive sword planted with a solid thunk against the floor.

Tsunami blinked. "…Um, thank you?"

"No need to thank me, ma'am," Naruto said, voice noble and full of faux gravitas. "It's my duty."

The silence that followed was deafening.

Sakura blinked slowly. "…Was he always like this?"

"Hn!"

Kiba raised a hand. "So, can I go with Naruto and protect Tsunami san too?"

"No!"

---

Sakura, Sasuke, and Shino moved in a diamond formation with Tazuna positioned safely in the center. As they approached the incomplete bridge, they saw groups of workers scattered about. Tools like hammers, saws, and wrenches were strewn across crates, while stacks of wooden planks, heavy stone slabs, and coils of rope lined the edges. Metal girders and support beams stood half finished, their surfaces rusted in some places. Buckets of cement and barrels of water sat beside piles of gravel and sand. The workers themselves were a scrappy lot, dressed in patched up uniforms, some carrying tool belts loaded with nails and small tools. A few were slumped on crates, drinking water, while others leaned against steel beams, chatting.

"Well, would you look at that. The old man actually shows up sober this time and protected by a bunch of kids." The group around him chuckled, the laughter loud and careless.

"Don't laugh too hard. These 'kids' are the reason we can work without worrying about what happened last time."

The workers quieted immediately, the joking atmosphere evaporating.

Sakura frowned and turned to Tazuna. "What happened?"

"The bridge was originally funded by the Daimyō of the Land of Waves. We thought that meant we were protected… but Gato sent death threats and even planted a bomb to scare us. It was just to send a message, but it worked. The Daimyō pulled all funding and protection for the project."

"That's horrible."

Tazuna nodded grimly. "Luckily, we'd already bought most of the equipment and materials, but without protection, we were dead in the water."

"Speaking of distractions," a loud, boisterous voice cut in. "Not sure we'll finish this project with a beauty like you walking around." The man who spoke was broad shouldered with a scruffy beard and a hard hat tilted slightly on his head. His name was Hiroto, Tazuna's right hand man and the foreman of the crew.

Tazuna sighed apologetically and glanced at Kurenai, who raised an eyebrow.

"I think the snakes on your head are more distracting."

"Snakes?"

Suddenly, he froze, his eyes widening in horror as he felt something on his head and then the hiss.

"What the... there's a snake! Get it off! Someone get it off!" He stumbled back, frantically swatting at his hair as the hard hat toppled from his head and clattered to the ground. The other workers burst into laughter, doubling over as Hiroto spun in circles, completely losing his composure.

"What the hell, you bastards?!" Hiroto yelled. "Get a shovel or something!"

One of the men wheezed between laughs. "What snakes, Hiroto? There's nothing there! We just saw you freaking out and falling over!"

Hiroto froze, his eyes darting around wildly.

"I guess my 'beauty' must've played tricks on your mind. Careful, or you might imagine something worse next time. Like a tiger."

Hiroto paled, raising his hands in surrender. "No, ma'am. No tigers, please."

"Good." Kurenai said. "Now, please get back to work so I can focus on mine."

Tazuna took the opportunity to step forward and begin organizing the workers, while Kurenai turned back to the genin. "Alright, you three. You've heard about the previous incident. What's the best way to protect the client and the workers?"

Sakura raised her hand. "I can place kunai with seals to create barriers around the bridge in case someone tries to attack."

Kurenai nodded. "Good. And how quickly can you set them up?"

"It depends on the size of the area, but I can do a basic barrier in about twenty seconds," Sakura said.

"That's impressive," Kurenai said, "but twenty seconds is still a lot of time if someone launches a surprise attack. Do you think you could maintain a barrier while setting up the others?"

"Yes, I can do that."

"Good. I'll want details on how you plan to implement that. Sasuke?"

Sasuke stepped forward slightly. "I'll use my Sharingan for surveillance. It'll help me track movement and pick up any signs of an ambush."

"Excellent," Kurenai said. "And you?"

Shino adjusted his glasses. "I can use my insects to tag each of the workers. Once tagged, I'll conduct a thorough sweep for hidden explosives or potential sabotage."

"You don't trust the workers?"

"It's not about trust," Shino said calmly. "If Gato could intimidate the Daimyō into pulling out of this project, it stands to reason that weaker men might be bribed, threatened, or coerced into sabotaging it."

"Fair point."

With the initial plan outlined, she straightened up. "Alright. I think we have a solid plan moving forward. Everyone knows their roles, so let's make this count."

Sakura and Sasuke exchanged glances, their expressions oddly contemplative.

"Yes?" Kurenai asked, catching their looks.

Sakura shook her head quickly. "Oh, sorry, Kurenai sensei. It's just… you're very different from Kakashi sensei."

"Different how?"

"A lot more positive reinforcement," Sasuke replied bluntly.

Kurenai blinked, slightly taken aback by the unexpected compliment.

"It's likely a habit she's developed from training Hinata," Shino said, his tone factual.

A faint blush spread across Kurenai's cheeks. She cleared her throat, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Well… she needs a bit more encouragement than most."

"She doesn't need encouragement," Sasuke said flatly. "She needs a push."

Kurenai couldn't deny his reasoning, but she hoped that being Naruto's one handed jutsu partner and playing a key role in a jonin's strategy would help Hinata find a little more confidence in herself.

---

Kakashi and Hinata landed lightly on the remnants of the dock where Team 7 had clashed with Zabuza. The wooden planks were splintered and charred, some barely clinging to their supports, yet the space was alive with activity. Vendors had set up makeshift stalls on the broken dock, bartering and selling as if oblivious to the chaos that had once unfolded there.

"They're still using this place… even after all this destruction."

Kakashi tucked his hands into his pockets and gave a nod. "Life finds a way, doesn't it? People adapt, even when the odds are stacked against them."

Hinata nodded silently, then activated her Byakugan. The veins near her temples pulsed as her vision expanded, the dock and the surrounding area coming into sharp focus. She inhaled sharply. "There's so much residual chakra… it's overwhelming."

"Can you identify it?"

Hinata hesitated before answering. "Yes… this is Sasuke kun's chakra. Over there, that's Sakura san's… and…" She trailed off, her voice softening. "Naruto kun's chakra is everywhere."

Kakashi's single eye gleamed with interest. "You can distinguish residual chakra so clearly? That's an impressive skill, Hinata."

Hinata flushed at the compliment. "It's… it's just basic training, Kakashi sensei."

Kakashi snorted lightly. "Basic training? Trust me, I've known Hyūga in the Anbu who would disagree with you. Being able to sort through residual chakra in a battlefield like this is no small feat."

Hinata's gaze lowered modestly. "There's just… so much chakra here. It's hard to imagine Team 7's strength. They must be so powerful."

The older man studied her for a moment, noting the quiet.

"Tell me, Hinata," Kakashi asked, "what's the range of your Byakugan?"

"Five hundred meters."

Kakashi blinked, genuinely surprised. Most Hyūga he'd encountered had a range of hundred, maybe two hundred meters at best. But five hundred? That was extraordinary. Her field of vision was broad enough to encompass the entire dock, shore, and surrounding market, yet she managed to pinpoint individual residual chakra signatures with ease.

"Five hundred meters, huh? That's… impressive." Kakashi's tone turned thoughtful. "You know, if you're ever interested in joining the Anbu, let me know. They'd be lucky to have you on a recon team."

Hinata stiffened, her blush deepening. "Ano… I-I don't think I'm suited for the Anbu, Kakashi sensei. I'm not talented enough for something like that."

"Hinata, do you know how many Anbu captains would fight to have someone with your range and skill on their team?"

Hinata bit her lip, her hands clasped tightly in front of her. "But… it's nothing compared to Neji niisan. He's so much stronger. His range is greater, his techniques are flawless… he's everything I'm not."

"And what exactly is his range?"

Hinata fell silent.

Kakashi pondered his next words carefully. "Hinata," he began, "it's fine to admire others, but don't lose yourself in comparisons. Every shinobi has their own strengths. Placing others on a pedestal only blinds you to what you bring to the table. Instead of worrying about where you fall short, recognize what you excel at. Own that."

Hinata's eyes flickered to him, the weight of his words sinking in. Slowly, she nodded, closing her Byakugan to center herself.

"I've found six distinct chakra signatures," she said after a moment, her voice steadier.

Kakashi's expression sharpened at her words. He immediately connected the dots. "Six? Looks like Zabuza had some help after all."

"Do you think his accomplice saved him?" Hinata asked hesitantly.

"Almost certainly," Kakashi replied. "Can you find any tracks? Anything they might have left behind?"

"They covered their tracks well. I can't see anything unusual."

"If they're good enough to escape a Hyūga's eyes, they're dangerous. We need to prepare for another confrontation. Zabuza Momochi won't stay hidden for long… and whoever helped him might be just as formidable."

Hinata nodded, her resolve hardening. "What should we do next, Kakashi sensei?"

"First, we report back. Team 7 and Team 8 need to know what we're up against." Kakashi glanced at her. "Good work, Hinata. You're sharper than you give yourself credit for."

Hinata's cheeks flushed again, but this time it was with quiet pride. "Thank you, Kakashi sensei."

As they turned to leave the dock, the faint sounds of the bustling market faded behind them. In Hinata's heart, Kakashi's words lingered, a small but steady light kindling within her.

---

Naruto and Tsunami walked through the narrow, crowded paths of the market. The air was thick with the stench of damp wood, sweat, and rotting produce. Makeshift stalls lined the muddy streets, many barely held together by rusted nails and fraying ropes. Vendors shouted over one another, their voices hoarse from long hours of desperation. A few stalls displayed sparse offerings: bruised fruits, stale bread, and watered down fish, while others sold odds and ends like chipped tools, faded fabrics, and cheap trinkets that had seen better days.

Malnourished children darted between the crowd, their thin frames barely visible in the sea of bodies. A man with hollow cheeks stood to the side holding a sign that read: Will do any job. His eyes were dull, resigned to his fate.

Naruto pulled his tattered cloak tighter around him, the pyromancer set blending in with the surrounding misery.

"You fit right in," Tsunami commented quietly, her voice tinged with something between humor and sadness.

Naruto's eyebrows twitched, but he kept silent as a few beggars gave him sympathetic looks.

Further ahead, Naruto spotted a group of kids crouched in a corner, sharing a single piece of stale bread. One of them, a girl no older than six, had her hand outstretched, asking for change from passersby. Naruto paused and knelt, fishing out the few coins he had.

"Here," he said, handing the coins to the girl.

She stared at him with wide, mistrusting eyes, then snatched the money and scurried away without a word.

Naruto stood, his expression unreadable. Money is better than candy, he thought bitterly. You can't eat kindness, and most people only see you as a nuisance anyway. Memories of being kicked out of the orphanage flashed through his mind.

Breaking the silence, Naruto glanced at Tsunami.

"Miss Tsunami... I hope it's alright to ask, but why does Inari believe so strongly that we are going to die because of Gato?"

Tsunami's grip on her shopping basket tightened. She looked away, her face clouded with pain. "It's personal," she said curtly. "I'd rather not talk about it."

Naruto nodded, sensing it wasn't a wound she wanted reopened.

---

It took two grueling hours to gather everything they needed. The market's meager supplies meant they had to visit nearly every stall, haggling over every ryo. Tsunami was relentless, arguing for better prices with an intensity Naruto hadn't expected.

Naruto, on the other hand, was regretting volunteering to help. His right arm, charred and stiff from its curse, was being used as an impromptu hanger for bags of rice and vegetables. Should've let Kiba do this.

As they stopped at a stall to inspect some wilted greens, Naruto's senses flared. Way of Focality revealed someone inching closer behind him. A pickpocket.

When the thief made his move, Naruto turned quickly and caught the man's wrist in an iron grip.

The would-be thief, a scrawny man with a bald head, a tattered blue shirt, and baggy pants looked up at him in panic. "L-Let go! I wasn't doing anything!"

"Sure, buddy."

"I-I was swatting a fly!" the man stammered, tugging at his arm. But Naruto's grip didn't budge.

The pressure increased, and with a sickening crack, the man's wrist gave way. He screamed, a blood curdling sound that silenced the entire shop.

Tsunami rushed over, alarmed. "What did you do?"

Naruto released the man, who cradled his broken wrist and whimpered on the floor. "He tried to pickpocket me," Naruto said simply, his voice even. "I only squeezed his hand a little."

"You call that a little?"

Before Naruto could reply, the commotion drew a group of men into the shop. Their presence changed the atmosphere immediately.

The leader, a burly man with a cleaver like sword strapped to his back, stormed in, flanked by two others. He had a scar running down the side of his face, and his clothes were stained with grime and oil.

"There he is," the leader growled, pointing at the pickpocket. "I told you he'd be here. Stupid bastard."

The pickpocket froze, terror written across his face. As the burly man and his lackeys approached, he scrambled to grab at Naruto's leg.

"Please!" he begged. "You're strong, right? Don't let them take me! They'll kill me! Please, I'll do anything!"

Naruto stared down at the man, conflicted.

"Oi, brat!" the leader barked. "This isn't your fight. Walk away before I decide to do something about you, too."

He unsheathed his cleaver, slamming it against the floor for effect. The blade chipped slightly at the impact, making Naruto's eyebrow twitch in irritation. What kind of idiot ruins his own sword like that?

"We don't want any trouble," Tsunami said quickly, grabbing Naruto's arm and trying to pull him away. "Let's go."

Naruto followed her reluctantly, but his gaze lingered on the pickpocket, who was now being dragged up by one of the lackeys.

The leader cracked his knuckles and sneered. "So, where's my money, huh? You thought you could just walk away from us?"

The pickpocket spat weakly, his face contorted in fear and defiance. "You bastards… you ruined my life. You and your stupid gambling rings. You took everything from me!"

The leader's sneer widened into a cold grin. "Cry me a river. No one forced you to gamble your life away. You came to us begging for money, remember?"

"I didn't have a choice!"

"Yeah?" The leader punched him hard in the gut, doubling him over. "And now you don't have a choice but to pay up. That's how this works, Haru. You want money, you take the risk. You lose, you pay the price."

The man fell to his knees, coughing and clutching his stomach. "You tricked me," he croaked. "You said I'd win. You said I'd be able to take care of my family. But you knew I'd lose… you knew…"

The leader crouched down, grabbing Haru by the chin and forcing him to look up. "Yeah, I knew. That's the game. You either play smart or you get crushed. Guess which one you are?"

Naruto's fists clenched at his sides. The sight of the man's broken, desperate figure burned in his mind.

"Come on, Naruto," Tsunami whispered, tugging his sleeve. "This isn't our fight."

The first precept… A knight's purpose is to serve… to protect those who cannot protect themselves.

The choice was made before he even realized it.

The gang leader raised his cleaver, ready to deliver a brutal blow, when suddenly a blur shot past his ear. His lackey, the one holding Haru down, was struck squarely in the chest by the blunt end of Naruto's club and sent sprawling into a pile of empty crates.

"What the hell?"

"Well," Naruto said, "since I don't want to kill anyone, this will have to do." He tapped the club against the floor.

The leader's confidence wavered for a moment. That speed… this kid's not normal. But he quickly forced himself to regain composure, his scowl deepening. "Why are you getting involved, brat? This doesn't concern you."

"Hmm… maybe it's because you're ugly?"

"Ugly?"

Naruto took a step forward, planting a light kick into the second lackey's side. The man flew out of the shop, crashing into a nearby stall.

"You little bastard!" The leader's face twisted in rage as he brandished his cleaver, his grip tight enough to make his knuckles turn white. "You're going to pay for that."

"What are you doing?" Naruto asked, his tone completely nonchalant.

"I'm teaching you a lesson, punk!" The leader adjusted his stance, preparing to charge.

"With that stance? You're completely unbalanced. Anyone could knock you over."

The leader faltered, confused. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm saying," Naruto said, pointing at the man's feet, "you're standing like someone who's never held a sword properly in his life. Were you dropped on your head as a kid, or did you just teach yourself how to look stupid?"

"Why are you even telling me this?!"

"Because I don't want to feel bad for beating up an idiot," Naruto said, smirking.

With a roar, the leader lunged forward, swinging his cleaver wildly.

Naruto sidestepped with ease, ducking under the swing and closing the distance. In one fluid motion, he slammed the club against the man's exposed ribs, sending him sprawling to the ground.

"You really should've listened," Naruto said, his voice calm. He lifted the club and swung it down again, hitting the floor inches from the leader's face. The wood splintered under the force, and the leader froze in terror.

Naruto exhaled, looking around. The shopkeeper stared at him with wide, fearful eyes.

Naruto fished out some ryo from his pocket and placed them on the counter. "For the trouble."

"I don't want anything from you," the shopkeeper stammered, his voice trembling. "Just… leave. Please."

Naruto frowned but nodded, stepping outside where Tsunami was waiting.

The pickpocket was long gone, and the crowd had either scattered or busied themselves with helping the gang. Naruto's victory felt hollow as he walked away, his grip on the club tightening.

---

As Naruto and Tsunami walked back through the winding streets of the market, the air hung heavy between them. Naruto's gaze was distant, his expression unreadable.

"Are you upset because no one thanked you?"

"No. I wasn't doing it for praise. I did it because… it was the right thing to do."

There was such conviction in his tone that Tsunami felt a pang in her chest. It reminded her of someone she had loved and lost. She sighed, brushing at her eyes to catch a tear before it could fall. "Men and their ideals…" she murmured. "They'll cling to them, even if it means dying for them."

Naruto glanced at her, sensing a deeper meaning in her words.

"What's really bothering you, then?" Tsunami asked. "If you know you did the right thing, what's weighing on your mind?"

Naruto hesitated before answering, his voice tinged with frustration. "I don't understand. Why were they so scared? Why would they even try to help those thugs after what they did?"

Tsunami slowed her steps, letting out a long breath. "Do you want to hear a story, Naruto?"

Naruto nodded, his curiosity piqued by the somber tone in her voice.

"Kaiza… my husband… he wasn't born here. He was a traveling fisherman, looking for a fresh start. When he came to the Land of Waves, it was already struggling, but he saw hope. One day, Inari fell into the river, and Kaiza saved him. From that moment on, Inari adored him. Kaiza became his hero, his role model. He taught Inari so much about life. He always said, 'You have to protect the things you love with these two arms.'

Tsunami paused, her voice growing quieter. "When Gato came, everything changed. Kaiza tried to stand up to him. He thought he could protect this village, protect us. But Gato made an example of him."

Naruto stiffened, sensing where this story was heading.

"They dragged him into the town square," Tsunami continued, her voice trembling. "In front of everyone, they cut off his arms. Gato mocked him, saying he couldn't protect anything without them. And then… they executed him. Publicly. While Inari watched."

Naruto's heart sank.

Tsunami stopped walking and turned to face him. "You ask why they were scared, why they helped those thugs. It's because they've seen what happens when someone tries to fight back. They've watched their heroes fall, watched the people they look up to be crushed. They've been taught that resistance only leads to suffering. And now… now they believe it's better to stay quiet and survive than to risk everything and lose."

Naruto stayed silent, her words cutting deep.

"That's why no one thanked you," Tsunami said softly. "They don't see you as a hero. They see you as someone who might bring more trouble. And they're too scared to risk that."

"Should I have just stayed quiet?" Naruto asked, his voice unsteady, trembling like a rope about to snap. "Should I have let those guys make an example of him?"

Silence filled the air like it was holding a breath.

"Maybe it would've been better… for the majority."

"What? What do you mean?"

"What do you think is going to happen when Gato's men hear about what you did? When they find out a stranger stepped in and took down one of their gang leaders?"

Naruto opened his mouth to respond but found himself at a loss for words.

"They'll come looking for answers," she continued. "They'll come to the people who live here, the ones too weak, too scared, or too beaten down to resist. They'll demand names, details, anything that leads them to you. And when they don't get what they want…"

The older woman took a shaky breath. "They'll make an example out of someone else. Someone innocent. A farmer, a child, an old man just trying to survive. And then what? Will you be there to stop them every single time? Can you fight an entire system built to crush us?"

Naruto thought back to the pickpocket, begging him for help, to the look in his eyes as he fled into the chaos of the market.

"I… I thought…" Naruto struggled to find the words. "I thought I was helping. I didn't want to just stand there and let them hurt him."

"And you did help. You saved him in the moment. But the world doesn't work the way you think it does, Naruto. It doesn't end in a 'happily ever after' just because you beat the bad guy in front of you. Sometimes, the consequences of doing what's right for one person ripple out and hurt others. Sometimes, saving one person costs another their life."

"Then… then what should I have done? Just walked away? Pretended I didn't see it?"

Tsunami turned her back to him, her voice quieter now, tinged with exhaustion. "Sometimes, that's the only thing you can do. Not because it's right, but because it's what's necessary. Right now, the best thing you can do is protect my father, protect the bridge. That's how we take Gato's power away... not by fighting his men one by one, but by building something he can't control. When the bridge is finished, the power will shift back to the people. And when that happens, the gangs will lose their grip on the Land of Waves."

Naruto stood rooted in place, his heart hammering in his chest. He felt like the ground beneath him was crumbling, like the ideals he had clung to so fiercely were slipping through his fingers.

"But… if I just think about the majority, if I just let bad things happen to people… what does that make me?" His voice cracked. "What's the point of being a knight, of protecting people, if I have to choose who gets hurt?"

Tsunami didn't answer.

Naruto clenched his fists, the precepts of his code swirling in his mind, battling with the reality Tsunami had laid bare.

A knight serves to protect the helpless.

A knight's actions must be just.

A knight must not hesitate.

And yet…

Was it wrong for him to help a single person? Would it have been better to think only of the majority?

His breathing quickened, his chest heaving as the weight of doubt pressed down on him. He thought of Oscar, of Seigmeyer, of Solaire, of their unwavering faith in the knight's path. What would they do? What would they say to him now, when every action seemed to lead to pain for someone?

Tsunami began walking again, her steps steady, her back straight. She didn't look back at him.

Naruto stayed behind for a moment, staring at the ground. His resolve wavered, the cracks in his beliefs widening with every passing second.

"Miss Tsunami…" he called out weakly, but she didn't stop.

Her voice, quiet and distant, drifted back to him. "Keep walking, Naruto. You'll find your answer eventually."

And then she was gone, leaving him alone with his thoughts, the weight of his actions, and the uncertainty of what it truly meant to do the right thing. And what it means to be a knight?

---

That's it for now!

As always, I appreciate you all taking the time to read, comment, and just come along for the ride.
And if you can't wait for the next update, the next chapter drops on April 10th! You can read ahead to Chapter 84 on Patreon.

Thank you all for your support—you make writing this story such an incredible journey!

Until next time,
Adamo Amet

Chapter no.36 To Be a Knight

---

Naruto's thoughts spun like leaves in a storm, but one clarity pierced the whirlwind in his chest. I need to go back to Lordran.

The idea didn't feel like a choice. It was a pull; cold, quiet, insistent. After Tsunami's words, after what he'd seen, he knew he wouldn't find the answers here. Not yet. The wind brushed across his face as he stepped into the courtyard. Kiba was near the edge of the yard, tossing a stick for Akamaru, who barked with joy as he bounded after it.

"Oh, you're back. Did you get the stuff?"

Naruto handed over the bags without meeting the Inuzuka's eyes. "Yeah. All yours."

"You alright, man?"

Naruto didn't answer right away. "Where's Oscar?"

Kiba pointed a thumb over his shoulder. "Last I saw, he was roasting himself in the fireplace again."

Naruto gave a small nod and moved toward the house. He'd barely taken a step when Kiba called out, quieter this time.

"Hey. If you wanna talk or… y'know, vent or whatever, I'm around."

Naruto snorted. "What, did I punch the sensitivity into you?"

"No," Kiba said, serious for once. "You've got blood on you. And your face… looks like you left something behind."

"Protection duty," Naruto said.

Kiba shrugged. "So, you did your job."

"Yeah. A job."

Without another word, he turned away. "I'm taking Oscar for a walk. Guard duty's all yours."

Kiba gave a casual salute, only half joking, then turned just in time to see Tsunami approaching the house. His grin faded a little, watching the woman's quiet, thoughtful expression.

---

Inside, Naruto found Oscar nestled deep in the fireplace, coated in soot like a sleeping lump of coal. The little crystal lizard blinked up at him lazily, his normally radiant shell dulled by ash.

Naruto crouched beside the hearth. "You filthy little gremlin," he muttered, though there was fondness in his voice.

Oscar gave a small chirp and tilted his head, his tail curling in the warmth.

"You in there 'cause it's warm?"

Oscar chirped again, content.

With a sigh, Naruto scooped him up. Oscar wriggled in protest but settled as soon as he felt Naruto's familiar hands.

"Alright. Let's get you cleaned up."

---

The stream near the house was still and shining under the afternoon sun. Naruto knelt at the edge, lowering Oscar into the clear water.

The lizard thrashed instantly, letting out a sharp, offended squeak.

"Come on. Don't be dramatic," Naruto said, splashing water over his back. "You're not made of sugar."

Oscar puffed up indignantly like a tiny balloon, his crystals refracting sunlight in fractured rainbows. He whipped his tail and splashed water directly into Naruto's face.

"Really? That's your payback?"

Oscar sulked, but he stopped struggling. Naruto worked gently, fingers brushing over slick, soot-stained crystal until the little lizard gleamed again.

"There," Naruto said. "See? You're shining like treasure now."

Oscar chirped again, this time in what sounded suspiciously like reluctant agreement.

Wrapped snugly in a towel, Oscar was set down beside him, clean and gleaming like a polished gem.

Naruto sat beside him on the grass and hesitated.

"Hey," he said softly. "We are going back to Lordran again."

Oscar tilted his head, eyes narrowing slightly in that weirdly intelligent way.

"Don't be scared, alright?"

Oscar blinked slowly. Then, to Naruto's surprise, he let out a low, content chirp and nudged his hand with his head.

"Thanks, partner."

He pressed two fingers to Oscar's crystal-studded back and focused his chakra. With a faint poof of smoke, the lizard vanished, safely sealed in a scroll now resting in his inventory. Naruto stared at the empty spot beside him for a long moment. Then, in silence, he reached into his coat and pulled out the Darksign.

He didn't hesitate.

The sigil flared to life, and golden light enveloped him, dissolving the world around him in a quiet roar. He was going back. To the place where pain had a voice, and fire had memory. To Lordran. Where answers and dangers waited in the dark.

---

The crackling warmth of the bonfire greeted Naruto as he opened his eyes. He stood slowly, the weight of the elite knight armor settling comfortably on his frame. The rhythmic sound of Andre's hammer echoed through the air.

Naruto immediately retrieved Oscar from the scroll. The lizard appeared with a puff of smoke and scurried over to the bonfire, nestling close to the flames.

Naruto chuckled, folding the blanket and placing it near the fire. "How do you feel, buddy?"

Oscar chirped in response, clearly pleased to be back near the warmth. "I'll take that as an okay."

After making sure Oscar was comfortable on the folded blanket, Naruto turned and headed toward the closed fortress, finding a figure gazing intently at a glowing green soul drop. This was how Naruto managed to go around the problem of losing his souls, especially since he couldn't waste the ring of sacrifice. He just asked Seigmeyer to protect it.

"Sir Seigmeyer," Naruto called out, his voice lower than usual, burdened. He bowed with quiet respect.

The knight turned, the ever-cheerful lilt in his voice already ringing out. "Mmm… mm! Oh-hoh! My bright-eyed friend from beyond the veil!" He opened his arms with familiar mirth. "What a joy it is to see you again, truly!"

Naruto gave a faint smile but didn't return the warmth.

"Now then, my good squire. What weighs so heavily upon that brow of yours?"

"Is it that obvious?"

"Indeed. Heavier than your sword, I'd say."

Naruto hesitated, then began to speak. He told him everything. The Wave. The pickpocket. The gang. The villagers. Tsunami's words. How his code, his path, felt cracked beneath his feet. He didn't hide the guilt. Nor the anger.

Seigmeyer listened without interrupting, arms crossed beneath the rounded bulk of his helmet, his posture patient and quiet. When Naruto finished, the knight did not immediately respond.

"…A heavy tale, that," Seigmeyer said at last, voice subdued. "Tell me, young knight… this 'Wave Country.' Do you hail from it?"

"No," Naruto muttered. "I'm from the Land of Fire. Konoha."

"And yet your heart bled for strangers," Seigmeyer mused."A foreign land, a foreign people… and yet you chose to act. Hah, the mark of a true knight indeed."

"I didn't come here for praise," Naruto snapped, sharper than intended. "I came because I don't know anymore. Tsunami, she said I might've made things worse. That I stirred up danger. And maybe she's right."

Seigmeyer didn't flinch. "Mmm. And did you protect someone?"

"Yes."

"Face down cruelty when none else dared?"

"Yes."

"Then you did what a knight must," Seigmeyer replied. "Even if the world fails to understand it."

"But what if I should've done nothing?" Naruto pressed. "What if all I did was stir the pot and get someone else hurt later?"

Seigmeyer let out a low chuckle, not mocking, but tired. "Ah, yes. The age-old question: the group or the individual. Safety or sacrifice. Action or endurance." He paused. "Let me ask you this: when you strike down a hollow beast that offers no fight, how many souls do you gain?"

Naruto blinked. "Barely any."

"And when you slay something dangerous? Something that fights back?"

"…A lot."

"Therein lies a truth this world does not hide," Seigmeyer said. "What is the value of a soul that kneels and bleeds for survival, but never raises a hand? What worth has a life that endures without ever daring to live?"

Naruto's lips parted, but no words came.

"The people of Wave have been beaten into fear. That woman, Tsunami, she doesn't speak from strategy. She speaks from scars. From losing someone. From watching her world crumble. But what she fails to see is that her silence... feeds the very evil she fears."

Naruto looked away.

"The thief wasn't stealing for greed, was he?"

"No," Naruto said. "He was desperate. He needed food."

"And Gato's men? Would they have punished him with mercy?"

"No. They wanted to make an example of him."

Seigmeyer nodded. "Then evil was already setting fire to the village. You merely chose to pour water where others turned their backs. And she chose to scold you for it. Because you dared to do something that made her feel again. Dared to fight when she had already surrendered."

Naruto's fists clenched at his sides.

"She says your actions stirred danger, but what she fears is the burn, not the blaze. She's already living in ashes. She just can't admit it."

Naruto's voice cracked. "But what if I made it worse? What if someone gets hurt now because of me?"

"Then let me ask: if you'd done nothing, would they not be hurt tomorrow?"

Naruto said nothing.

"Gato doesn't need an excuse to harm," Seigmeyer said. "He does not wait for rebellion. He punishes to remind people of their place. That's how tyrants maintain power... through example, not justice."

The sunlight flickered in Seigmeyer's visor.

"So I say this: what is the value of a soul that cowers and allows itself to be chained? Meager. Pitiful. Small. In this world and in yours, it is those who resist that carry the weight. That earn their place. That shape the world."

Naruto took a slow, shaky breath.

"You acted," Seigmeyer said, his voice steady. "That alone places you above those who chose silence. But do not stop there. A single act is not enough. Be consistent. Be bold."

Naruto looked to the flame. "But… I'm still not sure what the right thing is."

"Then be a knight," Seigmeyer said. "Not because the world is watching, not because you seek to prove a point but because something within you knows it is right. Swing your sword not for glory, not even for justice but to defy the lie that says fear must win."

"And if I'm wrong?" Naruto whispered. "If I fail?"

"Then fail as yourself, not as someone else's echo."

Seigmeyer stepped forward, placing a gauntlet on Naruto's shoulder. "You bind your ideals too tightly to the knight who gave you your code. Oscar is a fine spirit, but he is not your purpose. You are not his shadow. Your path is your own. Your mistakes will be your own. That is what makes you real."

Naruto swallowed, hard. "But... if I walk that path… I might hurt people."

"You will. And when you do, own it. Learn from it. A knight who never falters learns nothing. A knight who never questions becomes a tyrant."

"I… I think I understand now," Naruto said softly.

"Then go," Seigmeyer said, his voice warm again. "Not because you're certain but because you're willing. Walk into the storm. Swing your blade. And if the world asks why… let your soul answer for you."

Naruto bowed low, the weight in his heart beginning to lift. "I will."

---

The heat of the forge rolled over Naruto like a wave as he stepped into the stone chamber, the rhythmic clang, clang of Andre's hammer ringing out through the hall. Sparks danced in the air as the blacksmith pounded away at a half-forged blade.

"Well, hello again. You seem to be doin' all right. Need anything forged?"

Naruto approached with Oscar tucked in one arm. "I've got something for you to look at," Naruto said. "But first, uh… this is Oscar."

"Mmm? What's this, then? A pet?"

"Yeah. He's… family."

Andre leaned over the anvil and studied the lizard for a moment. "Well, I'll be. That's a crystal lizard, sure as steel. But I've never seen one sit still. Let alone let someone cuddle it."

Naruto chuckled. "He's different. And before you ask, no. You're not melting him down."

"Hah! What do you take me for, lad? A butcher?"

Naruto gave him a wary look. "A merchant once told me how valuable they are to blacksmiths."

"Aye, true enough. Their scales make fine shards. But you can't forge trust with a hammer, can you? Don't worry, your little friend's safe here."

"Good. Anyway, I came about this."

He pulled the Drake Sword from his inventory, setting it on the bench with a dull clunk.

"Hoh… now that's a fine piece. That's a Drake Sword, sure as the day is long." The old man ran a gloved hand along the damaged blade. "But... mm. You've done it a number, haven't you?"

"I might've used the special attack… a lot. And, uh, also tried channeling chakra through it."

"Hrrrm… yes, that'll do it, lad. That'll do it. These ain't no ordinary blades. Weapons like this... dragonborn well, they've got a heart, see? Not the beating kind, but the kind that remembers."

"What does that mean?"

Andre gestured at the blade. "That blast you've been firing? It don't come from nowhere. You're drawing from the sword's essence. Its will. And each time you do… you chip away at it."

Naruto frowned. "So every time I use it, I'm breaking it from the inside out?"

"Aye." Andre nodded solemnly. "Think of it like swingin' your own life force. It's powerful, sure. But no weapon, no matter how grand, can take that forever. Even the strongest steel has its breakin' point."

Naruto sighed. "Can you fix it?"

"Aye, I can. And I've just the trick."

He wiped his hands on his apron and strode to the side of the forge, grabbing a set of empty Estus flasks.

Naruto tilted his head. "What are you doing with those?"

"Goin' to fill them," Andre said matter-of-factly. "Estus'll heal more than just bone and blood, lad. This sword's part dragon, its soul will drink from the fire like you do. Won't restore it to new, mind you, but enough to mend the cracks."

Naruto raised a brow. "Estus works on weapons?"

Andre laughed as he climbed the stairs. "Don't overthink it. Magic's funny like that. You'll go mad tryin' to sort every why and how. Just trust the craft." He stopped at the top of the stairs and looked back. "And don't touch anything while I'm gone. Not unless you want to be wearin' your fingers on your belt."

Naruto held up both hands. "Noted."

As Andre disappeared up the steps, Naruto turned back to Oscar, who was curled happily near the furnace.

"Stay put, buddy. I'll be back in a bit."

Oscar nudged his hand with a warm, soot-smudged nose, then nestled back into the forge's warmth.

Naruto stood, curiosity tugging at him, and made his way down the stone steps that led deeper into the abandoned church.

The air grew cooler, and the light from above barely reached the chamber below. The room was vast and desolate, broken pillars scattered across the floor like the ribs of a long-dead beast. Moss and vines clung to the damaged walls, and faint echoes whispered through the darkness.

In the center of the room, Naruto saw it.

The creature was massive, its body made of jagged, blackened stone. Two crescent-shaped horns jutted from its faceless skull, and it dragged itself across the ground with a grotesque limp, one leg severed long ago. In its hands, it held a massive polearm, its circular blade incomplete, like a broken moon.

Naruto's breath caught as the creature turned, its horns beginning to glow with a sickly yellow light. Sparks crackled between them, and the air became charged with the scent of ozone. His Way of Focality screamed at him to move.

"Crap!"

Naruto channeled wind chakra into his armour to reduce air resistance, leaping back up the stairs just as a bolt of yellow lightning struck the spot where he'd been standing. The impact shattered the stone floor, sending shards of debris flying in every direction.

He stumbled back, his heart pounding in his chest, as Andre appeared at the top of the stairs, holding the Estus flasks.

"Oh, looks like you met the prowling demon."

"Demon?!" Naruto gasped, still catching his breath.

Andre worked methodically, dipping the Drake Sword into a bucket of Estus-infused liquid, the orange glow of the healing concoction reflecting in his eyes.

"Some folks call it the Titanite Demon," Andre said. "Others call it the Prowling Demon. Whatever name you use, it's a damn nuisance."

Naruto kept his helmet on, fingers tightening around the hilt of the Zweihander. "Why is it even down there?"

Andre set the sword down, turning the blade over to inspect his work. "Ah, that's on me, I suppose. The ones who brought me here handed me this strange slab one day... demon titanite, they called it. The stuff's useless for regular smithing, only works on special weapons. But it was radiating some kind of magic, and I didn't want it mucking up my forge, so I tossed it into the ruins below."

Naruto tilted his head. "And then the demon showed up?"

Andre grunted. "Aye. The slab started humming, and before I knew it, the thing burst out of the ground. Destroyed half the bloody pillars down there in the process." He shook his head. "It's been lurking ever since, dangerous as sin. I'm no fighter, so I just leave it be."

Naruto nodded, his mind made up. With a firm tug, he secured the straps on his armor, the sound of steel buckles echoing in the forge.

"You're going to fight it?"

"Yeah," Naruto said. "Give me some practice before I get back and give Gato some justice."

"Well, I won't stop you, but be smart about it, lad. That thing's no ordinary beast."

Naruto turned toward the stairwell, his armored boots clanging against the stone floor as he descended.

"And don't get yourself killed, lad. Neither of us wants to see you go Hollow."

---

Naruto's footsteps echoed faintly as he entered the ruins below the church.

The smell of ozone hit him like a wave, sharp and acrid, as the air became charged with power. The demon released a deafening roar, though it lacked a mouth. Lightning gathered between its horns, forming into a bolt that screamed toward him with the force of a thunderclap.

"Shit!" Naruto dived behind a crumbling pillar as the lightning bolt struck. The impact detonated with a sound like the heavens splitting apart, sending a shockwave that rattled his armor and knocked loose chunks of stone from the pillar. Even behind cover, the heat and force of the strike made him flinch, his ears ringing.

Gritting his teeth, Naruto channeled wind chakra through his armor, reducing the drag on his movements. He darted out from behind the pillar, moving like a blur as he closed the distance to the demon. His Zweihander gleamed in the torchlight.

The blade struck the demon's torso with a resounding clang, sparks flying from the impact. But the Zweihander bounced back, unable to pierce the stone-like flesh.

The demon responded instantly, pushing off with its single leg and arm in a surprising display of agility. It jumped back, the massive polearm spinning in its grip. With a wide sweep, it sent the weapon whistling through the air, aiming to crush Naruto in one devastating blow.

Naruto leaped back, narrowly avoiding the strike. The polearm smashed into the ground where he'd been standing, pulverizing the stone and sending debris flying. Seeing an opening, Naruto surged forward, aiming a thrust at the demon's exposed side.

But the Way of Focality screamed in his mind, slowing the moment to a crawl. He saw it clearly... the horns glowing brighter, electricity arcing along the polearm as it spun back toward him.

The demon's trap was flawless... a calculated lure, exposing its side just enough to draw him in. The true threat was the lightning bolt, concealed within its feint. With the speed of lightning, the attack was nearly impossible to evade, leaving no room for error.

"Damn it!" Naruto twisted at the last second, angling his body to avoid a direct hit.

The lightning bolt slammed into his shoulder.

Agony erupted through his body, a searing, blinding pain that tore a guttural scream from his throat. His armor buckled under the force, the lightning searing through the metal and flesh alike. Blood splattered the ground as his right shoulder was obliterated, leaving his charred arm dangling by a few shreds of muscle and tendon. The smell of burning flesh filled the air, nauseating and acrid.

Naruto stumbled, his vision swimming, but the demon wasn't finished. It swung the polearm in a backhanded strike, the sheer force of the blow sending him hurtling through the air. He smashed into the church wall with a sickening crunch, the breath knocked from his lungs.

Pain lanced through his body, his chest heaving as he struggled to stand. The demon closed in, dragging its massive weapon behind it. The polearm gleamed with electricity, its jagged edge crackling as it raised the weapon for a finishing blow.

Naruto's instincts took over. Using what little chakra control he had left, he ran up the wall, his feet finding purchase on the crumbling stone. The polearm stabbed into the wall beneath him, the incomplete circular head scraping as the demon tried to catch him.

Naruto flipped forward, the Zweihander in his good hand. The weapon sank into the demon's shoulder, cutting deep enough to crack the stone flesh and expose the glowing energy beneath.

The demon's massive hand grabbed Naruto and yanked him free of the blade. With a violent motion, it hurled him across the room like a ragdoll.

Naruto's body hit a boulder with enough force to splinter the rock, his vision blurring from the impact. He slumped to the ground, blood pooling beneath him as he struggled to catch his breath.

Naruto ducked to the side just as another bolt of lightning screamed past him, the air vibrating with the crackling energy. The bolt slammed into the boulder behind him, shattering it into fragments that flew in all directions. Dust and stone filled the air as Naruto stumbled, reaching for his Estus flask.

With trembling hands, he downed one flask, then another, the golden liquid sliding down his throat like liquid fire. Warmth spread through his body, knitting his destroyed shoulder back together. By the time he drank a third, his shoulder was fully restored, though his body still ached with the memory of the demon's brutal attack.

"Why isn't it chasing me?" Naruto muttered under his breath, crouching low as he peeked around the entrance of the stairwell. His breath caught when he saw the Titanite Demon slowly dragging its massive body up the stairs, its polearm scraping along the stone with an ear-splitting screech.

"You alive down there?" Andre's voice called out.

"Yeah, I'm alive," Naruto yelled back. "But why isn't it coming after me?"

"Who knows? Maybe it doesn't think you're worth the trouble."

Naruto scowled. "Whatever. Is the Drake Sword ready?"

"It's done."

"Then throw it to me!"

"No." Andre's response was blunt and immediate.

"What do you mean, 'no'?!"

"I've got a better idea. Your lizard can bring it to you."

Naruto stared up at the ceiling in disbelief. "Are you insane? Oscar will get killed by that thing!"

"Don't worry," Andre replied. "It'll dig its way to you."

Before Naruto could respond, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed above. His jaw dropped as Andre, massive hammer in hand, leapt down the stairwell, landing with enough force to crack the stone floor beneath him.

"Old man, what are you doing?!" Naruto yelled.

The blacksmith didn't answer. Instead, Andre charged the titanite demon head-on, his massive frame moving with a speed and grace that seemed almost unnatural. As the demon's horns crackled with energy, a bolt of lightning erupted toward him with a deafening roar.

Andre shifted his weight to the side in one fluid motion, his body weaving just out of the bolt's path. The air around him sizzled, the ground where he'd stood moments before erupting into charred stone and smoke.

Is he... dodging lightning?!

The titanite demon snarled, dragging its polearm along the stone as it unleashed another strike. Andre ducked low, his head snapping to the side as the bolt tore through the air where it would've struck his chest. He bobbed and weaved, his movements so smooth and precise that it seemed as if he was dancing around the deathly strikes.

The demon screeched in frustration, slamming its weapon into the ground, sending sparks cascading in all directions. But Andre, calm and focused, slipped around the attack with the ease of a seasoned fighter who had seen it all.

Naruto's awe deepened as he watched the blacksmith's feet shuffle quickly, keeping his stance balanced and ready for the next move. His thick arms were loose at his sides, his fists clenched and ready as if preparing to strike. Andre wasn't just dodging—he was toying with the titanite demon, closing in and drawing its focus with every step.

"Come on, you lumbering beast," Andre taunted. Another bolt arced toward him, and with a sharp pivot, Andre avoided it by a hair's breadth. "That's all you've got? You hit like a rusty nail!"

While the demon roared and continued its relentless assault, Oscar scurried through the chaos. The crystal lizard darted into a hole Andre had smashed into the floor, its small form expertly maneuvering through the broken stone. Naruto could hear the faint scrabble of claws as Oscar made his way toward him, unharmed and determined.

Andre, satisfied that Oscar was clear, gave the demon one last dodge—a clean sidestep that made it look foolishly slow—before retreating back toward the stairs. He didn't even look winded, his steps steady and casual.

"Guess I'm not as out of shape as I thought," Andre said with a chuckle, giving Naruto a quick wave as he climbed the stairs, his hammer resting on his shoulder like an afterthought. "Good luck down there, lad."

Naruto shook his head in amazement, muttering to himself, "Not a fighter, that was such a lie."

The boy exhaled deeply, finally taking a moment to absorb his surroundings. The titanite demon, thankfully, had retreated back to its original position, its movements slow and disinterested now that Andre had left.

The ruins of the old church stretched out before him, but beyond the broken walls lay something else entirely.

The air here was different. Thick with moisture, it smelled of moss, damp earth, and faintly sweet flowers. The ground was a carpet of vibrant green moss, dotted with ferns that swayed gently in an unseen breeze. Tall trees loomed overhead, their ancient trunks twisting toward the sky like reaching arms. Their dense canopies allowed only slivers of moonlight to filter through, creating an otherworldly interplay of shadow and glow.

Moss-covered stones jutted from the earth, some forming crude pathways that led deeper into the garden.

One flower, in particular, caught Naruto's attention.

Nestled among the moss and shadows was a small, delicate bloom. Its slender stem swayed faintly, supporting a cluster of petals that shimmered softly, as though lit from within.

The petals were a pale, translucent white, tinged at the edges with soft hues of gold. They seemed to drink in the surrounding darkness, casting a gentle light on the damp earth around it.

The orange soapstone at his waist began to hum faintly, and words etched themselves onto the stone's surface:

[ ?? :Follow the shining flowers. ]

Before Naruto could dwell on the message, the sound of water splashing reached his ears. Then, something shot out of the darkness.

A vine, thick and sinewy, lashed toward him like a striking serpent. It coiled around his neck in an instant, the force of it snapping his head back. Naruto's hands flew up, clawing at the vine as it tightened, cutting off his air.

The next thing he knew, he was being dragged. The world spun as he was pulled off his feet, the mossy ground scraping against his armor as he was yanked into the shadows. The splashing sound grew louder.

Naruto managed to free one hand, his fingers sparking with wind chakra. With a desperate slash, he severed the vine around his neck, falling to the ground with a heavy thud.

He gasped for air, his lungs burning as he staggered to his feet.

In the dim light, the creature emerged—its body a twisted mass of dark, gnarled branches and tangled vines. Damp moss clung to its jagged limbs, and sharp twigs jutted out at chaotic angles. Its uneven legs dragged like broken tree trunks, and its head, a misshapen cluster of branches, loomed eerily above.

"Sometimes," Naruto muttered, raising his Zweihander, "I really hate this place."

The creature lunged.

---

Naruto gritted his teeth, his breath ragged as he tightened his grip on the Zweihander. Fighting this thing was maddening. Each time he swung, the creature dissolved into the shadows of the dense forest, its vine-like limbs whipping out from unseen angles. The vines lashed at the ground on either side of him, gouging deep grooves into the dirt, their speed and power enough to keep him constantly on edge.

The thing was tough, too—its sinewy, plant-like body absorbed blows that would have cleaved through stone. As one of its vines shot toward his neck, Naruto sidestepped, twisting his body to avoid the strike. The vine coiled around his Zweihander instead, and Naruto seized the opportunity. He pulled with all his might, dragging the creature forward and into his range. With a roar, he brought the massive blade down in a devastating arc, the steel biting deep and cleaving off the top portion of its humanoid form.

Naruto barely had a moment to catch his breath before the creature's remains began to writhe. Vines and bushes flailed like thrashing serpents, the severed parts moving as though alive. He stumbled back, quickly equipping the talisman into his palm and unleashing the Force Miracle. A burst of white energy exploded outward, shoving the creature's writhing mass away and buying him a precious few seconds.

Suddenly, a hole began forming in the dirt behind him. A small shower of earth erupted as Oscar, his crystal lizard companion, clawed his way through the ground, dragging the drake sword tied to his tail. The lizard chirped triumphantly as he emerged, his tiny claws kicking up more dirt with each movement.

Naruto let out a breath of relief. "Good job, buddy," he said, snatching up the drake sword. Its weight felt comforting in his hands, a promise of power.

But there was no time to celebrate. The legs were retreating deeper into the forest. The sound of splashing water echoed through the trees as it fled.

"Oh, no, you don't," Naruto growled, taking off after it.

The forest path sloped downward, the moss underfoot growing slick with moisture. The creature's gnarled legs stumbled forward in an awkward gait, but Naruto was faster. Closing the distance, he swung the drake sword in a wide arc, bisecting the creature's legs. The severed limbs tumbled to the ground, but instead of blood, they dissolved into a writhing mass of foliage, their forms unraveling into a tangle of vines and bushes.

"What are you?" Naruto muttered, his brow furrowed. He glanced around, expecting a soul drop to materialize, but there was nothing.

His thoughts were interrupted by a change in the air. A chill wind swept through the area, carrying the scent of damp earth and faintly sweet flowers. The trees began to thin, and Naruto stepped out onto a narrow, windswept cliffside.

Before him stretched a breathtaking yet ominous view. The jagged cliffs fell away into a swirling abyss of fog, the mist rolling like waves on an unseen sea. Small clusters of glowing flowers dotted the cliffside, their gentle light illuminating the rocky path ahead. Beyond the fog, Naruto could just make out the faint silhouette of a bridge-like structure spanning a deep chasm. Above it loomed the shadow of something enormous, a creature with broad, fluttering wings. It hovered silently, its form indistinct, like a ghost haunting the horizon.

Wow...

But his wonder was short-lived.

A sharp whoosh cut through the air as a vine shot out of the fog. Naruto barely had time to react, hacking at the vine with a desperate swing of the drake sword. He severed one tendril, but another wrapped around his waist, yanking him forward.

The monster burst from the mist, its "mouth" parting as though bushes were peeling away to reveal a writhing abyss of inky darkness. Naruto's instincts screamed at him to act, and he reached into his pouch, pulling out a firebomb.

"Eat this!" he snarled, shoving the bomb into the creature's maw.

The explosion was instantaneous. Flames erupted from the creature's head, setting its vines ablaze. The force of the blast freed Naruto, sending him sprawling onto the rocky path.

Gasping for air, he scrambled to his feet, ready to press the attack, but the sound of hissing stopped him cold.

From the darkness, another figure emerged. It was identical to the first, its twisted, plant-like body shrouded in shadow.

Naruto realized the horrifying truth. The first creature had faked its death, retreating to lure him into a trap.

The monsters flanked him, their vine-like limbs writhing in anticipation. Way of Focality slowed the world around him as he analyzed their movements, his mind racing for a solution.

The creatures attacked simultaneously, their vines slicing through the air with deadly precision. Naruto grabbed Oscar, rolling to the side just as the vines struck the ground, carving deep gashes into the stone.

He backed up onto a small rise, the glowing flowers casting their pale light on the scene. The creatures advanced, their steps slow and deliberate. Naruto's foot brushed against the edge of the cliff, and he felt the ground shift beneath him.

Suddenly, the dirt gave way, and he fell.

For a terrifying moment, he thought he was plunging into the abyss, but his feet hit solid ground. He looked around, realizing the cliff's edge had hidden a narrow path carved into the rock face. It wound alongside the chasm, leading back upward.

Naruto allowed himself a brief moment of relief, but it didn't last long.

The creatures leapt down after him, landing with a sickening thud. Their glowing eyes locked onto him, and their vines lashed against the narrow walls, sending small rocks tumbling into the fog below.

Naruto gritted his teeth, his mind racing. The path was too narrow for the drake sword's special attack. It would destroy his only footing.

Fine, then. A simpler plan.

Naruto turned and ran, his boots pounding against the uneven path. He glanced over his shoulder, the creatures in close pursuit. "I'll throw you both off this cliff," he muttered. "And then I'll go back for that titanite demon."

Naruto's breaths came fast and heavy as he ran down the narrow, uneven path. His boots scraped against loose dirt and jagged rocks, but he didn't falter.

"Oscar, I need you for this!"

The path ahead widened into a more open clearing, just enough space to make his next move.

Naruto reached into his pouch, pulling out a smoke bomb. With a flick of his wrist, he threw it toward the ground between him and the approaching bush-like monsters. The bomb hit the dirt with a soft thud before detonating, unleashing a dense cloud of smoke that mingled with the mist of the Darkroot Basin. The two forces of vapor coiled and twisted together, creating an eerie, swirling shroud that consumed the space.

The ents, confused by the sudden obscurity, hesitated. They lashed their vine-like limbs blindly, the sharp crack of their strikes echoing in the dense air. They felt the ground rumble beneath them, a faint vibration growing stronger as Oscar burst from the earth. The crystal lizard slammed into one of the creature's legs, throwing it slightly off balance.

Naruto didn't waste the opportunity. With the smoke still thick around him, he charged forward, his movements swift and precise. The first ent barely had time to react before Naruto leapt into the air, twisting his body mid-jump. He unleashed a devastating tornado kick, the full force of his momentum slamming into the ent's chest. The creature staggered back, vines writhing desperately, before it tumbled off the cliff's edge. Its twisting body disappeared into the foggy abyss below.

The smoke began to dissipate, revealing the second ent advancing through the haze, its twisted frame illuminated by the faint glow of the nearby flowers. Naruto didn't hesitate. He drew a kunai and hurled it with practiced precision. The blade embedded itself into the creature's body, carrying with it a firebomb strapped to the handle.

The explosion was immediate. Flames engulfed the ent, the fire spreading quickly across its plant-like form. It thrashed violently, pieces of burning foliage scattering in all directions.

As the last flickers of fire died out, Naruto approached cautiously. He knelt beside the remains, absorbing the soul drop that materialized from the creature. In the center of the charred foliage, something caught his eye: a Purple Moss Clump.

The moss was unlike anything he'd seen before. Its texture was thick and spongy, the deep purple color shimmering faintly in the dim light. Tiny dew-like droplets clung to its surface, giving it an almost ethereal quality. He reached down and picked it up, examining it for a moment before tucking it into his pouch.

Turning back to the path, Naruto called out, "Oscar, let's head back!"

There was no response.

Naruto frowned, scanning the area. "Oscar?" he called again, his voice tinged with concern.

He walked forward, the path widening as it twisted downward. His gaze drifted beyond the chasm of the valley, where the fog thinned just enough to reveal a distant structure. It was massive, a sprawling fortress-city perched on jagged cliffs. Its stone walls were ancient and weathered, yet imposing, even shrouded in mist. The bridge connecting it to the mainland was unmistakable—the place where he fought the Taurus Demon.

I really did cross a lot of ground...

A sudden scurrying sound pulled his attention back to the path. He turned to see a crystal lizard darting away, its shimmering body glinting faintly in the dim light. Naruto ran forward, quickly scooping up the small creature.

"Oscar, what's gotten into you?" he asked, holding the lizard up and inspecting it. The little creature squirmed in his grasp, clearly agitated. "Did you get hurt or something?"

Naruto flipped the lizard over to check for injuries but froze mid-motion. His eyes widened as Ayame's voice echoed in his mind, reminding him how to tell if a lizard was male or female.

"WHY ARE YOU... a WOMAN?!"

Realization hit him like a brick.

"Wait... if you're not Oscar, then where the hell is he?!"

His heart raced as he scanned the area, his eyes finally landing on a twisted path leading down into the darker parts of the garden. And then he saw it: vines wrapped around a familiar, squirming figure.

"Oscar!" Naruto yelled, his voice echoing in the stillness.

The crystal lizard clawed desperately at the cliffside, its small legs struggling against the ent's relentless grip. Naruto didn't hesitate. He threw a kunai, slicing through the vines, and sprinted forward. As the ent recoiled, Naruto leapt, his drake sword glowing with wind chakra.

"Get away from him!"

The drake sword's special attack tore through the ent with a violent roar, the sheer force of the wind-charged blade carving a devastating arc. The impact didn't stop there—the ground beneath the creature erupted, the dirt and rock exploding outward like shrapnel from a cannon. The path itself trembled under the attack, leaving a jagged, gaping wound in the cliffside where the ent had stood moments before.

Naruto stabbed the drake sword into the cliffside, steadying himself as he reached out and caught Oscar with his free hand. The lizard clung to his arm, trembling slightly.

"You okay, buddy?"

Oscar chirped softly, his gaze drifting downward. Naruto followed his line of sight to the ruined path below.

Maybe I overdid it.

He placed his boot firmly on the rocky ledge, chakra seeping into the jagged stone to hold his weight as he began his descent. Oscar chirped softly from his arms, the crystal lizard's small claws flexing against Naruto's gauntlet. "I know, buddy. I want to absorb its soul too. After all the trouble that thing caused us, it's the least we deserve."

Oscar chirped again.

"Better safe than sorry, though," Naruto said, pulling out an Estus Flask. He tipped the warm golden liquid into Oscar's open mouth.

Carefully lowering himself further, he reached the base of the cliff and approached the soul drop, its pale luminescence pulsing gently like a heartbeat.

But his eyes were soon drawn to another sight—just beyond the remains of the ent lay a weathered corpse.

Naruto crouched beside the corpse, his fingers brushing against the leather armor. He recognized the design immediately—this was the equipment of the hunter class.

A memory stirred, unbidden: the strange, ethereal void where he had first chosen his pyromancer class.

His fingers tapped the chest plate of his elite knight armor as a stray thought crept into his mind. If I'd chosen the hunter class instead... would I have woken up here? On this ledge? He shook his head, trying to push the idea away. The notion that his physical body hadn't crossed over, but something closer to his soul, was unsettling. But at the same time... it felt oddly plausible.

"Nah," Naruto muttered. "I'm just overthinking it. Let's do some looting."

[ You have acquired: ]

[ Pharis's Hat ]

[ Leather Armor ]

[ Leather Gloves ]

[ Leather Boots ]

[ Longbow ]

[ Feather Arrows × 16 ]

Naruto dropped down into the basin, the cool, mist-laden air brushing against his face as his boots hit the ground with a soft thud.

In the distance, a tower loomed against the backdrop of the fog. Naruto paused mid-step, narrowing his eyes as the shape struck a chord of familiarity.

"Wait a second..." Naruto muttered, leaning forward, the binoculars in his hand rising instinctively. Through the haze, the outline of the tower came into sharper focus. "Is that... the weird tower with the locked door? The one from before I fought the Taurus Demon?"

Oscar chirped from his perch on Naruto's shoulder.

"Yeah," Naruto murmured, nodding, "it's the same one. The place where I found you."

He took a step forward, the sound of a distant waterfall growing louder with each passing moment. Around him, the basin opened into a wide, mist-filled expanse. Sparse trees dotted the rocky terrain. The mist swirled and danced in the air, partially obscuring the view of the massive basin beyond.

Oscar chirped again, shifting uneasily as the sound of rushing water grew deafening.

"Don't worry, buddy," Naruto said, giving him a reassuring pat. "I'm just going to check out that tower. Nothing to be scared of."

Naruto jogged toward the looming structure, its weathered stone walls shrouded in a faint blue glow. The door stood tall and imposing, just as he remembered it, its surface marked with intricate carvings that seemed to hum faintly with energy.

"Let's see if this thing finally opens."

The moment his hand touched the door, a shimmering wave of blue light rippled outward, sending a faint jolt up his arm. Naruto winced and stepped back as the barrier flared briefly before settling into an ominous glow.

"Stronger than before," he muttered, frustration creeping into his voice. He tried channeling chakra into his hand, but the barrier instantly rejected his attempts. Even the shadow clone distance trick had failed last time he tried it, as the barrier killed the clone before it could fully form.

"What is it with this place and locking every door?" Naruto grumbled, stepping back to glare at the tower as if that might change its mind.

Oscar chirped, drawing his attention. The crystal lizard had turned his head toward the misty expanse of the basin, its body tense.

"What is it, Oscar?"

The sound of the waterfall grew louder, almost thunderous, as Naruto pulled out his binoculars. He scanned the distant lake beyond the mist, his eyes widening as he saw it.

There, rising from the still waters, was a creature unlike anything he'd ever seen.

The hydra loomed like a nightmare given form. Its seven long necks writhed and twisted like serpents, each ending in a monstrous head. Gaping mouths filled with uneven, razor-sharp fangs dripped with saliva, and glowing eyes burned with malevolent intelligence. Its massive, scaly body glistened like wet obsidian, dwarfing anything Naruto had encountered before.

And it was staring straight at him.

The hydra's middle head opened its maw, a guttural roar echoing across the basin. Naruto's blood turned to ice. Nope. Nope, nope, nope. We're not dealing with that.

Without warning, the heads spit powerful water projectiles, each one slicing through the mist like a drill. The ground behind Naruto erupted as the first blast landed, tearing through dirt and stone and sending chunks of earth flying into the air. The shockwave sent Naruto tumbling forward. He rolled with the momentum, pushing himself back to his feet as another projectile whistled past him, narrowly missing his side.

"I think we're fine sticking to the titanite demon, thanks!" Naruto yelled, his voice tinged with panic as he pushed himself faster, zigzagging to avoid the onslaught.

Reaching the slope leading back to the upper basin, Naruto vaulted onto higher ground, his breath coming in ragged gasps. He glanced over his shoulder, but the hydra had retreated into the misty waters, its glowing eyes barely visible.

Oscar chirped softly, and Naruto laughed despite the lingering adrenaline. "Yeah, we're definitely not fighting that thing today."

As he made his way back toward the church, Naruto caught sight of the area where he'd first encountered the female crystal lizard. He smirked, glancing at Oscar. "You interested in a girlfriend, buddy?"

Oscar tilted his head in confusion, chirping in response. Naruto scanned the area but found no sign of her.

"Looks like she took off," he said, chuckling. "Tough luck, Oscar. Maybe you'll find her again someday."

Oscar chirped again, and Naruto gave him a playful pat before turning back to the path.

The ascent back to the church was uneventful, though Naruto couldn't shake the image of the hydra's massive form from his mind. As he climbed the final slope, the familiar figure of the titanite demon came into view, its hulking back still turned to him.

"Well, back to this guy," Naruto muttered, tightening his grip on the drake sword. He glanced down at Oscar, who chirped softly in response. "No rest for the wicked, huh?"

Naruto tightened his grip on the drake sword, wind chakra swirling violently along its blade.

With a mighty swing, he brought the sword down, releasing a devastating arc of razor-sharp wind. The attack tore through the crumbling floor and shattered what remained of the church's staircase, slicing through debris before slamming into the titanite demon. The explosion of dust and debris momentarily obscured the hulking figure. But before Naruto could move to follow up, something shot out of the smoke with terrifying speed. The demon's catching pole struck like a serpent, the pronged head locking around his torso with a resounding clank.

"What?!" Naruto's breath was knocked from his lungs as he was yanked into the air. The titanite demon held him aloft, its horns crackling with ominous electricity. The air was thick with the acrid smell of ozone as the creature unleashed its attack.

A surge of raw lightning coursed through Naruto's body. He screamed, his muscles seizing as his nerves lit up with unbearable pain. His limbs felt like they were on fire, his vision blurred with spots of white, and the world around him dissolved into a haze of agony. His grip faltered, and the drake sword slipped from his hand, clattering to the ground.

Oscar, watching his friend suffer, sprang into action. The little crystal lizard darted toward the fallen blade, biting down on its hilt with surprising determination. The weight of the weapon nearly dragged him down, but Oscar dug his claws into the ground and jerked his head forward, dragging the drake sword into position.

With one final effort, Oscar tilted the blade just enough to activate its special attack. A powerful shockwave erupted from the blade, slicing through the air and slamming into the titanite demon's body. The shockwave was enough to stagger the beast, causing it to lurch forward and release its electric discharge on Naruto momentarily.

Gasping for air, Naruto struggled to regain his senses. His body felt sluggish, his nerves still raw from the electricity. His muscles ached with every movement, as if his entire body had been scorched from the inside out.

"Just like Kakashi taught you," he muttered through gritted teeth, recalling the fundamentals of escaping bindings. Focus. Push your chakra outward to loosen the hold.

Focusing his dwindling energy, Naruto channeled wind chakra through his body, letting it ripple out like a sharp gust. The chakra shredded the demon's catching pole in a burst of whirling air, the metallic prongs crumbling like brittle twigs.

Freed, Naruto dropped to the ground but wasted no time. With a fierce roar, he surged forward, chakra enhancing the gauntlet on his hand as he aimed for the demon's neck. Summoning every ounce of strength in his body, Naruto slammed his hand into the thick, stone-like slab of the titanite demon's head. The impact sent a deafening crack echoing through the chamber. His muscles, enhanced with chakra, bulged under the strain as he pulled upward with the force of a landslide.

"Flip the table Jutsu!" he shouted, adrenaline coursing through him as he tore through the titanite demon's neck. The slab crumbled beneath his gauntlet, and the beast let out a guttural, inhuman sound before its entire body began to disintegrate. Chunks of its stony frame collapsed inward, turning into dark sand that spilled across the floor. Naruto landed heavily in the pile of crumbled remains, breathing hard as pain wracked his battered body. His shoulders burned from the strain, and his armor was cracked and scorched.

[ You have killed hostile Enemy - Prowling Demon ]
[ Dropped Items ]
[ - 2000 Souls ]
[ - Demon Titanite ]

Oscar scampered over, chirping in concern as Naruto reached down to pat his head.

"Thanks for the backup, buddy," Naruto said, his voice hoarse as he reached for an Estus Flask. He gulped down the golden liquid, feeling its soothing warmth spread through his body as his injuries began to heal.

As the pain receded, Naruto turned his attention to the demon titanite lying among the remains. The slab was heavy and rough, covered in strange symbols that glowed faintly. Grabbing the titanite with a grunt, Naruto dragged it up the stairs and back to Andre's workshop. His boots scraped against the stone, and his breathing was heavy as he finally reached the blacksmith.

"Good work out there, lad. You're still in one piece."

Naruto dropped the titanite on the floor with a loud thud before removing his battered armor and setting the drake sword on the workbench.

"Fix it," he said simply, his exhaustion evident.

Andre nodded.

Naruto trudged toward the bonfire, collapsing onto the ground next to its warm glow. Oscar chirped softly, curling up beside him as the boy stared into the flames.

[ Item: Demon Titanite]
[ Description: Special titanite stolen from a faceless stone beast known as a Titanite Demon. When the nameless blacksmith deity passed, from several Slabs, great beasts arose. The power of titanite remains within them, and they still roam Lordran today.]

Naruto hummed quietly to himself as he tucked the demon titanite into his inventory, its faint glow vanishing behind the system's golden shimmer. He descended the worn stone steps to Andre's workshop, the rhythmic clanging of the blacksmith's hammer echoing like a steady heartbeat through the hollow walls.

Andre stood hunched over the anvil, working a red-hot pauldron with short, practiced strikes. The scent of scorched leather and burnt oil clung to the air like smoke.

Naruto dropped into the nearby chair with a sigh. "Hey."

"Mmm. That elite knight armor of yours took a beating, lad. Did you roll through a bloody avalanche?"

"Ran into some weird plant monsters that tried to strangle me."

"Ah... the ents," Andre muttered, turning the pauldron with long-handled tongs and giving it another few precise hammer blows. "Nasty things, those. Some say the gods made 'em to guard the deep woods. Others reckon they're remnants of Oolacile's twisted magic. Me? I think they're angry shrubbery with no manners."

Naruto chuckled. "Whatever they are, they don't go down easy."

"That's the Darkroot Garden for you," Andre said, setting the metal aside and reaching for a battered cuirass. "Beyond that lies the basin. Dark, quiet... too quiet. No one who's gone down there ever climbed back up with their mind still whole."

"Yeah... lucky me," Naruto muttered, gaze dropping to Oscar, who chirped and climbed onto his boot.

"You've got somethin' rattling around in that head of yours, lad."

Naruto hesitated. His fingers ran gently along Oscar's back, over the smooth, shining ridges of crystal. "I just... I feel dumb. For not knowing what's coming. For knowing I'm not strong enough if it does come."

Andre didn't stop his work, now inspecting Naruto's greaves for fractures. "Aye, well, you're not the same lad who went charging at that titanite demon without a plan. That counts for something."

Naruto gave a quiet sigh. "I think I might have to fight someone soon. Someone I can't beat. Not with this." He raised his cursed hand, twitching slightly from the residual ache.

"Then it's time you learned how to lean on your steel."

He reached into a pouch on his belt and tossed something toward Naruto.

[ Item: Titanite Shard. ]

[ Description: Titanite shard for weapon reinforcement. Most common titanite material. Reinforces standard weapons to +5. Titanite shards are fragments of the Legendary Slabs. Titanite is etched into weapons to reinforce. ]

Naruto picked it up and turned it over in his palm, eyes narrowing at the etched, weathered surface. "You want me to reinforce my weapon."

"Aye," Andre said, already reaching for Naruto's Zweihander and laying it across the long stone bench. "You either make yourself strong, or you make your weapon stronger. That's the way of it. So… which'll it be?"

Naruto glanced at his cursed arm, at the thin scars now glowing faintly beneath the skin. "For now… the weapon."

"Hah. Smart lad." Andre pulled a whetstone from a drawer and began methodically cleaning the blade. "There are two types of reinforcing. The first is reinforcement... basic, dependable. Strengthens the blade. Makes it last longer, bite harder. Any blacksmith worth his beard can do it."

"And the second?"

"Ascension," Andre said, pulling a file and beginning to work along the spine of the sword. "That's the fine art. Changes what the blade is, not just what it does. Fire, lightning, chaos, magic. That's the territory of we smiths. A grindstone won't help you there."

Naruto watched intently as Andre finished smoothing the surface of the Zweihander, wiping away the last traces of soot and ash with a cloth. The old blacksmith then retrieved a small metal plate from beside the forge, thick, rectangular, and already heated to a dull red.

"Right," Andre muttered, holding up the titanite shard between his fingers. "First step's separation."

He set the shard on the plate and, with a small tapping hammer and chisel, began scoring along its edges. Each strike was precise, splitting the titanite into smaller fragments, thin slivers that shimmered like veins of obsidian. Once satisfied, Andre set the chisel aside and picked up a small Estus flask.

"Now for the bonding…"

He poured a single golden stream from the flask across the metal plate, the liquid sizzling on contact. Instead of evaporating, the Estus clung to the shard slivers like a living thing, binding them with molten fire. The plate glowed brighter, the edges humming faintly with ethereal energy as the titanite began to soften, not melt, but yield. With careful precision, Andre lifted one of the glowing, softened slivers with blacksmith tongs and placed it against the fuller of the Zweihander. Then, holding a graver in one hand, he began etching a channel along the groove, pressing the softened titanite deep into the steel. The sword sparked violently, rejecting the foreign material at first.

"Stubborn girl," Andre muttered.

He tipped the flask once more. A few more drops of Estus flowed into the etched groove, and with a low, vibrating hum, the titanite fused... threads of black metal knitting into the steel like veins being drawn into bone. The fusion spread down the blade in a slow pulse of golden light. When the light faded, a thin black line, subtly glowing where the Estus had been used, now ran cleanly down the center of the Zweihander.

Andre stepped back, wiping his brow. "There. Reinforced with etched titanite and sealed with Estus. She'll bite deeper now and last longer too."

Naruto was immediately reminded of Seigmeyer's Zweihander as he ran a thumb along the center of his own.

"Hey, Andre," Naruto asked. "Does the Zweihander turn black as you reinforce it more?"

"Aye, that it does. The more titanite you fuse into it, the darker it grows. It's not just metal anymore... it becomes somethin' else." He turned fully now, wiping soot from his beard. "Reinforce it five times, lad, and you'll be ready for ascension. That's when a sword stops being a weapon… and starts becoming a legacy."

"Any way to reinforce the Drake Sword too?"

Andre scratched his jaw. "Mmm. Not with what I've got here. You'd need dragon scales… or something worse. I don't exactly stock things born before the gods, y'know."

Naruto sighed, turning the Zweihander over in his hands. "Whatever. This one's more than enough. It'll cut Gato down. And his whole gang, too."

Andre chuckled. "Well, do what you Astoran knights always do, thennannounce it like it's divine law, eh?"

That drew a crooked smile from Naruto. "You've met knights from Astora before?"

Andre let out a soft grunt as he stood. "I was smith to a noble house once. Long time ago. Squires used to gather outside the forge, bangin' on their bloody chestplates and yellin' their precepts like I was deaf." He gave a short laugh and shook his head. "Tried to get under my skin. Didn't work but they were good lads."

Naruto's smile lingered as a question tugged at him. "Why do masters give precepts to their squires anyway?"

Andre leaned against the anvil, hands resting on the haft of his hammer. "They're not just rules, lad. They're… declarations. A foundation. The words a knight offers before he gives you his blade. They're meant to guide, give shape to what you'll become. But they're not the full story."

Naruto looked down at Oscar, who rested beside the forge, his crystals catching the flicker of flame. "My master gave me a few… and I held onto them like they were everything. But now I don't know. Like I missed the point."

Andre's expression softened. "Honoring your master ain't about bein' his echo. It's not about followin' his words so close that you forget your own. It's about actin'. Livin'. Testin' those precepts against the world… and finding out which ones hold."

Naruto blinked, and Andre continued.

"You don't pay tribute to a man like Oscar by bein' his shadow. You honor him by carryin' the flame forward. Maybe you'll burn somethin'. Maybe you'll light the way. But either way, you've got to walk your own road."

Naruto was quiet, his fingers curling around the hilt of his blade. The tears didn't fall this time. But they were there, in the wetness lining his eyes, in the tremble of his breath. "Thanks, Andre. I… think I needed to hear that."

Andre nodded solemnly. "Then we've done good work today."

Naruto stared down at his reflection in the sword. "I still don't know the answers."

"You're not meant to," Andre replied. "Answers don't live in books or scrolls. They live in choices. Go make some."

Naruto stood slowly, slinging the Zweihander across his back. "I'm going back. I've got a job to finish. Doesn't matter if Zabuza comes. I can't die anyway."

Andre narrowed his eyes. "What d'you mean?"

"I'm not from here. Not really. It's… complicated." Naruto glanced at Oscar as he sealed the lizard. "Do me a favor?"

"If it involves scrubbin' your armor again, the answer's no."

Naruto gave a tired smile. "Keep my soul drop safe."

"Your what now?"

Before Andre could react, Naruto turned the blade inward and thrust it into his chest. There was no scream. Just a thunk of steel meeting flesh… and a soft gasp.

Naruto collapsed to the ground, his body dissolving into motes of light. A moment later, a soft green glow shimmered where the body had been... a small, flickering soul drop.

Andre knelt, slowly and carefully, and picked it up. The light flickered in the dark like a quiet ember. He stared at it, his brow furrowed. "Another world," he murmured. "Another bloody world." Andre chuckled. "…Huh. I wonder what kind of booze they sell over there."

---

That's it for now!

As always, I appreciate you all taking the time to read, comment, and just come along for the ride.
And if you can't wait for the next update, the next chapter drops on April 15th! You can read ahead to Chapter 84 on Patreon.

Thank you all for your support—you make writing this story such an incredible journey!

Until next time,
Adamo Amet

Chapter no.37 The Archer of Providence

---

There were nights where the silence felt heavier than the hunger. The wind crawled across the muddy streets of the Wave like a dying man searching for warmth, and the sea whispered things no one wanted to hear. Houses stood like bones, hollowed, cracked, and forgotten. Fires flickered in the distance, burning not to provide light, but to keep the monsters away.

Not the ones in bedtime stories.

Real monsters. The kind that wore coin purses and drank women's tears like sake.

She leaned against the rotting wood of the brothel's porch, legs sore, lips dry, cigarette trembling between her fingers. Her name didn't matter anymore. Not here. Not in this place. Some called her Red, not because of her hair, but because of what happened the first time she said no. She still walked with a slight limp from that night. But hey, at least she could still walk.

She took a drag, the ember flaring like a heartbeat before death. Smoke curled from her lips as she gazed out at the street, empty and slick with rain that never quite washed anything clean.

This was her life now. A ghost in a living hell, traded and tolerated because she knew how to keep her head down and her mouth shut. She didn't cry anymore, not because she was strong, but because she was tired.

And then she saw him.

At first, she thought it was a child lost in the wrong part of town, but no child moved like that. Shoulders squared. Steps measured. Presence heavy as thunderclouds. He wasn't from Gato's crew. His outfit wasn't flashy like the thugs who walked around in open shirts and gold chains, pretending to be kings.

This one… he looked like he belonged in the woods, or maybe on a battlefield from another lifetime.

Layers of brown and beige clung to him like armor, every inch of him wrapped in cloth and leather. His boots, strapped high and tight, moved with the silence of someone used to killing. A short black cape rested over his shoulder, pinned carefully near his neck like a shadow stitched to his body. And that mask… porcelain white. Red and orange around the eyes. The beak at the nose. A bird. A robin. But not a cheerful one. This bird looked like it had forgotten how to sing.

The prostitute narrowed her eyes. She had seen drunks, killers, and desperate fools try to play hero before. None of them wore masks like that. None of them walked like death itself. But before she could decide if he was a threat, she heard the laughter.

Rough. Familiar. Reeking of piss and cheap rum.

"Oi, oi! What do we have here?" came the voice from behind. Her skin prickled before the man even touched her.

The drunkard stumbled into view—a thug with a bloated belly and a knife hanging loosely from his belt, face half-covered in spit and grime. She could smell him before he got close. It made her stomach twist.

"Didn't know we had girls on smoke break now," he slurred, grabbing her arm hard enough to leave a mark. "Or are you waiting for special customers, huh?"

She didn't resist. Resistance got you worse things than bruises.

"Come on, Red," he grinned, trying to force a kiss. "Give us a discount."

His hand slipped under her shirt.

Then he was gone.

Thrown. No, pushed. Hard. She stumbled back, breath caught in her throat. The masked figure stood between them now. Silent. Still.

"What the fuck?" the drunk barked, rolling back to his feet, face twisted with outrage. "You little bastard, you touch me again and I'll—"

He never finished the sentence.

The flash of silver was so fast she didn't even see it. Just the thunk of something heavy hitting the mud… and then the thud of something else collapsing.

She stared. For a long second, her mind refused to process what she was looking at.

The drunkard's body twitched on the ground. His head had rolled to a stop at her feet, eyes wide, mouth still trying to finish the threat. She gasped, stumbling back, her cigarette falling from trembling fingers. She nearly slipped but caught herself on the doorframe, lifting her hand instinctively. "P-please," she whispered, voice cracking. "Don't hurt me."

The mask tilted. A moment passed. "I won't," came the voice. A boy's voice. Calm. Unbothered. Barely older than twelve.

Her breath hitched. What… was this?

"I need directions," the masked boy said. "Where does Gato's gang stay? Where do they gather?"

She hesitated. Her heart pounded in her chest like it wanted to flee on its own. The blood from the corpse was creeping toward her boots.

"W-what are you going to do?" she asked, throat dry.

"I'm going to kill them."

Her legs trembled. Fear, yes. But something else, too. Hope? Her lips parted. "A lot of the girls work for the gang. As… escorts. For protection. For food. For… survival. We're not with them. We're just… trying to live."

The mask didn't move.

"I need to get them out," she said quickly. "Please. Give me a moment. I can get the girls somewhere safe. I swear it."

He was silent for a long moment. Then: "Ten minutes."

---

Naruto waited.

Ten minutes was a long time if you used it properly. He wasn't one for meditation, not anymore, but preparation. That was a kind of prayer too. He sat crouched near the base of a crumbling wall, the sea wind cutting low and sharp across the streets.

Rain began to mist again, not enough to cleanse, just enough to cling to the worn fabric of the hunter's armor. Some new armour he wore so no one could trace the ghost back to the boy underneath.

He did a mental check of everything.

No ninjutsu. Not with the cursed right hand acting up again. It still twitched with phantom pain, chakra pooling wrong if he tried to mold it. But he had other stuff from Lordran that would be enough for this crusade of his.

He tugged at the strap across his chest, checking the fit of the short black cape concealing his right side. Underneath it, the smooth haft of the Zweihander waited, secured in the side holster. His left hand adjusted the bracers with muscle memory alone.

His mask, Shisui's Anbu mask, stared out at the house ahead.

It stood three stories tall, painted in gaudy red and gold trim, the only building in the area with fresh paint and stone walls unchipped by years of neglect. It stuck out like a wound trying to wear a crown. Curtains drawn tight on every floor. Music, laughter, the muffled thump of boots inside.

A den of rats, nested in velvet.

Naruto's eyes narrowed.

A man staggered out of the front gate. A Gato thug, pants undone, pissing against the wall with one hand while holding a bottle with the other. The man never even saw it coming.

Thunk.

The crossbow bolt struck him clean through the side of the neck, right below the jawline. The bolt didn't kill him instantly. He dropped the bottle, hands scrambling at the protruding shaft, blood burbling out of his mouth in froth as he collapsed to his knees, legs twitching before he toppled forward. His body hit the mud with a wet slap. He gargled twice before going still.

Naruto holstered the empty crossbow into his inventory with a flick and pulled out another preloaded.

Hoarding twenty crossbows from the Undead Burg had seemed stupid at the time. Now? Now it was beautiful.

Two guards stared in slack-jawed silence at the twitching corpse of the drunk man, blood still pouring from the bolt embedded in his throat. One of them took a half-step forward, eyes wide, confusion wrestling with fear.

Then a flick of silver cut the night.

Thunk.

A kunai buried itself deep into the first guard's skull, slipping through the eye socket with sickening precision. His body locked up for a heartbeat, then crumpled sideways, mouth still open in a silent gasp.

The second guard bolted.

He made it three steps before an arrow tore through the back of his neck, severing spine and windpipe in a single, ruthless shot. He collapsed mid-sprint, skidding across the mud, legs kicking once before going still.

The street fell silent again, save for the wind... and the soft click of Naruto's boots as he stepped up to the gate. The wooden door splintered inward in a crash of hinges and ruined pride, slamming open so violently it knocked one thug to the floor. Laughter cut off mid-sentence. Cups of sake clattered. Cards fell from a hand.

A dozen men stared at him.

Some blinked. Some reached for blades. Some grinned, thinking it was a prank.

Then they saw the mask.

The Zweihander was drawn in a smooth arc, gleaming, as wide as a man's chest, as tall as Naruto himself.

"What the hell is that kid doing with a sword like?!"

Too late.

Naruto moved.

He stepped into the wide entry hall like a butcher into a slaughterhouse. No wasted motion. His first cut came from the high guard. The blade came down like a guillotine, cleaving through a man's shoulder and chest in one clean sweep. The impact crushed bone, split lung, carved halfway through the spine. The second swing transitioned into a strike sideways into the next man's ribs. The blade hit with the weight of two decades of suffering behind it, folding him inward, breaking bone, teeth, and the will to run.

A third man screamed and ran forward with a club. Naruto pivoted into a low guard, then exploded upward in a rising cut, catching the man under the jaw. The blade split his head in half.

Screams erupted.

Three of them charged. Numbers made them bold.

The Zweihander spun, sweeping them like wheat. One was thrown across the room by the sheer impact. Another's arm tore free from his shoulder, trailing blood like a streamer. The third tried to backpedal.

Naruto lunged, one-handed, and drove the point of the sword into his gut, then lifted the body, impaled, still twitching as it slid down the blade.

They weren't shinobi. They weren't trained. They were brutes with swords and mouths and no tactics. But Naruto? He had danced with death. He had fought Black Knights and dodged the strikes of demons the size of buildings. Compared to Lordran, this was light work.

Even without chakra-enhanced strength, his stats were too high. His strikes were too precise. His footwork let him move between enemies like he was water and they were stone.

A thug drew a knife and charged.

Crack.

Naruto smashed the crossguard of the Zweihander into the man's mouth. Teeth shattered. The man dropped with a scream. Then—a sound. Sharp. Whistling.

Way of Focality activated.

The world slowed.

A flash. A line of fire in the air. Naruto's head turned on instinct, tilting just enough.

CRACK.

A musket ball whizzed past his cheek, barely missing him.

Smoke curled from the barrel of a flintlock pistol across the room. A man stood shaking, his hands trembling around the weapon. His eyes met Naruto's mask and then an arrow bloomed in his chest.

He dropped, twitching.

Naruto walked over, picked up the flintlock, examined it with cold curiosity, then threw it into his inventory.

He climbed the stairs.

The second floor smelled like perfume and gunpowder. The air was lighter, less crowded. Fewer men. But the mood had shifted.

Terror hung in the rafters.

They'd heard what happened below. One of the men tried to run. Naruto shot him in the back of the leg with a bolt. He screamed, crawled.

Naruto ended it cleanly with a downward cut to the neck.

Another tried to plead. "W-we were just following orders! It's just business! I got a kid, please!"

Naruto kicked him through a paper screen. The man didn't get back up.

They fought harder up here. Desperation made them dangerous. One pulled a sword and came in with tight swings, almost like a trained mercenary.

Almost.

Naruto parried and countered with a diagonal blow across the chest that went through bone. The man died choking on blood.

The top floor loomed ahead, the heavy door standing like a final judgment. Naruto took a slow step forward, boots creaking against blood-slick wood. Without pausing, he raised his leg and kicked the door open with a thunderous crack.

Way of Focality screamed in his mind the moment the wood splintered. Multiple musket barrels, primed and waiting just behind the threshold. There was no time to think, only to act.

In one fluid motion, Naruto let the crossbow fall from his hand and reached into his coat. His fingers snapped around the talisman, divine energy flaring to life. A breath. A pivot of his stance.

The force miracle erupted outward in a concussive shockwave of pure, divine pressure. The musket balls fired but met the expanding wall of white midair. The trajectory reversed. Steel spheres meant to kill him twisted back through the air and punched into the chests of the men who had pulled the triggers.

Two were thrown across the room, gurgling.

A third fell to his knees, his musket ball embedded in his throat.

The rest stared.

Naruto stepped forward, dragging the Zweihander across the wood floor, sparks trailing from the tip like a comet tail. They broke. They tried to run. He moved like a phantom. One swipe, two, a thrust, a knee to the face, a blade through the ribs. Gore painted the walls until the third floor had gone quiet.

Naruto exhaled through the nose of the mask and moved forward. His shadow stretched across the desk. Then he gripped it with one hand and lifted like it weighed nothing. Wood shattered against the wall behind, scattering ink, papers, and expensive glass bottles across the floor.

Cowering beneath the overturned furniture was a man who looked like a toad stuffed into a silk suit. Pale, wide-eyed, jowls trembling. A ring of sweat circled his collar like a noose. His hands were raised in some pitiful half-shield gesture, and his lips were already babbling before Naruto even spoke.

"W-what d-do y-you want?! P-please! I'm not... I'm not important!"

It might've been funny, this fat, grown man begging at the feet of someone barely shoulder-height. But not when the boy in question was covered head to toe in the blood of a dozen of his comrades.

Naruto crouched slightly, tilting his head. "Are you Gato?"

The fat man blinked. Shook his head so violently his cheeks rippled. "No, no! I... I just answer to him! I'm logistics! Admin! I don't... I don't have pull!"

Naruto stared silently for a moment. "Where can I find him?"

"I don't know!" the man cried. "I swear! Gato doesn't go out in public... ever! Says someone's always out to kill him. He's paranoid, he's always in hiding! There's a secret bunker, somewhere inland. Nobody knows exactly where. He uses runners, proxies, no direct orders!"

"Hm." Naruto turned his eyes toward the ruined desk. "You got a map of the Wave?"

The man nodded frantically, sweat dripping down his brow in thick, trembling rivulets. He scrambled toward the drawers, sniffling as he reached the top one with unsteady hands. His fingers hovered for a moment, hesitant, calculating, before he opened it.

There was a flicker in his eyes then. A flash of something dangerous. A subtle shift in posture.

The drawer clicked open. Hidden beneath a stack of parchment was a pistol.

The man grabbed it and tried to fire.

Shlick.

His wrist flopped backward, completely severed. Blood spurted in bursts from the open stump, decorating the desk in a crude arc.

He looked at his wrist— or rather, where it used to be. Then he howled.

"Aaaah! AAAAAH MY HAND, MY HAAAAAND!"

Naruto stood calmly and pulled out the Estus Flask from his belt. He uncorked it and poured the golden, shimmering liquid over the stump. The flesh sizzled, not from heat but from regeneration. New muscle, sinew, and skin knitted itself together with unnatural speed. A whole new hand formed in seconds, and the man, still sobbing, stared at it with disbelief.

"What… the hell… are you…?"

Naruto slammed his face into the desk. "Wanna try again?"

"N-no, sir! My lord! G-great god, please, I wasn't thinking!"

"Map."

The man nodded rapidly and reached under the drawer—more carefully this time—retrieving a folded parchment soaked in blood. He smoothed it out with trembling fingers on the desk as Naruto loomed behind him, crossbow aimed lazily at the back of his skull.

"Mark every gang location you know of."

"A... and you'll spare me?"

Naruto didn't reply. He tapped the table.

Tick.

Tick.

Tick.

The man nodded like a bobblehead and began marking the map, circles appearing in ink across the small island nation of the Wave.

"Every gang reports back to Gato through independent channels," he said in a desperate whisper. "It's a network. Decentralized. I only handle the Wave border, but this… this should be most of it."

Naruto leaned in close, silent. The man kept going. When it was done, he stepped back.

"That's everything," he said, still not daring to meet Naruto's gaze. "I-I swear. I'm just a middleman. I didn't kill anyone. I didn't."

"One last question before I leave," Naruto said, still standing behind him. The fat man nodded slowly.

"What's your favorite organ?"

"…What?"

He looked back, confusion twisting his lips.

Naruto's right fist plunged into the man's stomach—through flesh, through viscera, through resistance. There was a sound, wet and awful, like a sponge being crushed under a boot. Fingers clutched something wet inside the cavity.

The man's eyes bulged.

His lips moved but no sound came.

Naruto ripped his hand out.

A trail of intestines came with it, unraveling from the man's body like thick ropes of meat. The air filled with the smell of bile, copper, and feces. The man stumbled back, hands holding his stomach as if trying to hold in what had already spilled out. His knees hit the floor.

He twitched once. Twice.

And then he fell face first onto the map he had marked, blood spreading like borders drawn in red.

Naruto crouched beside the corpse, wiping his gloved hand on the ruined jacket.

"Why?"

The boy tilted his head. "Really? What made you think I'd spare you after all you've done?"

He reached forward and gently closed the dead man's eyes.

"But if it makes you feel any better… I'll be sending the rest of you to hell too." Naruto stood. "I wonder…" He paused, sliding it into his inventory. "…do you guys even go to hell once I absorb your souls?"

A glimmer of light coiled around the dead man's body. Naruto didn't even look at the soul as it entered him. He just turned, walked through the blood-soaked hallway, and down the stairs.

The ground floor reeked of death, yet there stood a cluster of women at the base of the stairs.

All the prostitutes stood frozen amid the carnage, their painted faces pale in the moonlight slipping through shattered windows. The woman from before—Red, the one with the cigarette and steel in her eyes—stood at the front, her mouth slightly open.

They had come back. Or maybe they had never left.

"You're still here?"

Red's lips pursed. "There's a lot of food and coin in this place," she said, gesturing vaguely to the corpses littered across. "We figured if no one's left to guard it, might as well feed those who haven't eaten in days."

Some of the women around her nodded. Others still stared at him like he was a ghost that hadn't decided if it would haunt or protect.

"Looting corpses, huh? Be my guest. Just make sure most of the food ends up in the hands of the people outside."

A heavy silence lingered in the air.

"So... you're one of those types, huh? The kind who steals from the rich and feeds the poor?"

"If that's the story you need to tell yourself, sure."

"Are you going after more of them?" Red asked, her voice quieter now.

"Yeah." Naruto's eyes swept over the group. "If I can't find the head… I'll kill the rest of the body."

He turned, crouched low, and with a sudden whoosh, vaulted up, chakra flaring at his heels as he vanished over the rooftops like a shadow breaking from the earth. The women stared at the empty space he'd left behind, hearts pounding.

"…Was it just me, or was he kinda… hot?"

"He was covered in blood," another whispered back.

"Yeah, but did you see his hands?" a third added. "And that presence? Gave me chills."

"Think he'd take one of us with him?" someone joked, earning a ripple of laughter.

"He didn't even look at us like that," an older woman said with a sigh. "He looked at us like… people."

The laughter faded into something quieter. Thoughtful.

"Do we call him something?" one girl asked. "I mean, we can't just keep saying 'the guy in the mask.'"

"Robinhood," someone suggested.

Red snorted through the smoke of her cigarette. "He doesn't steal."

"Well, he did steal the show."

They chuckled, but Red just smiled faintly, watching the rooftops.

"No. Not Robinhood." She exhaled a long trail of smoke, the ember at the end of her cigarette glowing like a fading star. "We'll call him the Archer of Providence," she said softly.

What no one on that night knew was that the Archer of Providence would leave more than blood in his wake. His arrows would pierce deeper than flesh, splintering fear, shaking power, and planting something dangerous in the hearts of the forgotten: hope.

And from that hope, in time, the first stone would be cast by the people of the Wave, for the people of the Wave.

---

Morning broke like a quiet confession. The sky over the Land of Waves was pale and bruised, stained with the fading embers of a fire no one had seen but many would feel.

Inari was the first to rise.

He didn't do it for praise or out of some noble childhood dream. He just… did it. Every morning since his father's death, he climbed up onto the slanted roof of his home, a rusted slingshot in his calloused hands. The wood creaked under his bare feet as he reached the edge, his dark eyes scanning the horizon with the seriousness of a soldier twice his age.

It didn't matter that ninja now guarded their home. It didn't matter that Tazuna snored loudly two rooms down, or that his mother always told him to sleep in. This was his watch. His silent promise. His father couldn't keep them safe anymore so he would. Today, something moved in the distance. A smear of red cutting across the pale morning mist. He raised the telescope to his eye, adjusting the cracked lens.

His little heart thumped. That wasn't just anyone.

What did you do…? he whispered to the figure in the distance.

---

Inside the house, the warmth of tea mingled with tension.

Team Seven and Team Eight were gathered around it, some still groggy, others quietly alert. Kakashi stood at the center of the room, calm as ever. "In conclusion," he said, "Zabuza is alive. And he's not alone."

A heavy silence followed.

Tazuna froze, a spoon slipping from his fingers and clattering against the floor. His eyes darted to Tsunami, who sat pale and stiff in her seat, a wet cloth forgotten in her trembling hands.

"Are you still able to protect my father?" she asked quietly. "And the bridge?"

"Of course, ma'am," Kakashi replied with a soft smile behind his mask, the kind that didn't reach his eye but offered reassurance anyway. "We have more shinobi now than Gato could reasonably afford. If he wants war, he'll find it."

Tsunami nodded, but her grip on the cloth didn't ease.

Then something shifted in the air, almost imperceptibly. A hum, soft like a breeze through a dying garden. Kurenai's fingers twitched subtly. The genjutsu spread out in invisible threads, cloaking the room from any wandering ears.

"We're secure and whether Zabuza is alive or not," she continued, folding her hands together, "we have no guarantee Gato hasn't hired someone stronger. Desperation breeds recklessness and he's lost too much face already."

Sakura leaned forward, worry threading her voice. "So what are we going to do, then?"

Before anyone could answer, Sasuke cut in. "We get stronger."

There was no bravado in his tone, no boasting. Just cold certainty, like a blade pulled from its sheath.

"Exactly," Kurenai said. "We have two weeks until the bridge is complete but we don't know when Zabuza will strike. Could be tomorrow. Could be an hour from now." She let that sink in. "So," she continued, "we've decided not to bet on time. We'll play to your strengths, sharpen what you already have or have the capability of learning quickly. If you face Zabuza tomorrow, I want you to at least survive. If it's next week, I want you to have a better chance of survival."

Kiba cracked his knuckles. "About time."

Kurenai turned to Sakura, her expression softening.

"Sakura, your chakra control is already exceptional. I'll be working with you on applying it to genjutsu. Quick, decisive illusions that can support your barrier work."

Sakura looked unsure. "But… will I really be able to pick it up that fast?"

"You won't be alone," Kurenai said gently. "Hinata will be joining us. Her Byakugan will help refine chakra perception and control, especially through the tenketsu. And in turn, she'll gain field experience and confidence."

Hinata flushed but didn't look away this time.

Kakashi's eye shifted to Sasuke.

"Sasuke… I'll teach you a new jutsu. Something to help if Zabuza tries his mist again."

Sasuke gave a sharp nod.

Kiba perked up. "What about us?"

"Kiba, we'll work on refining your teamwork with Akamaru. You've got strength but we'll tighten your coordination and start you on a C rank elemental technique."

Shino patiently waited.

"Shino, I'm assigning you to close-quarters refinement. Your bugs are powerful, but your taijutsu needs to keep pace. We'll be focusing on flow and stance breaking, especially if Zabuza has more swordsmen."

"And Naruto?"

"Naruto will continue training one-handed seals with Hinata."

Kiba made a face. "Why does Naruto get to train with all the girls?"

Kakashi clapped his hands together. "Ah, yes. An astute observation. Clearly… fate."

That got a few chuckles.

But it was Hinata's next question that changed the air. "Um… but… where is Naruto-kun?"

The laughter faded.

Everyone paused. Looked around.

Sasuke's brows furrowed. Sakura glanced out the window.

"He was at dinner last night," Kiba said, frowning. "Quiet though. Weird quiet. Like… preparing for something quiet."

Kakashi's single eye narrowed slightly. "I'm sure he's just off training. He's been obsessed with that one-handed jutsu practice lately. Probably wandered into the woods." He was already reaching into his pouch, fingers brushing the summoning scroll tucked inside. "Still, can't hurt to send Pakkun to sniff him ou—"

Suddenly Kiba lurched forward, clutching his stomach and vomited.

"Kiba!" Sakura jumped up, alarmed and disgusted in equal measure.

But neither jonin spoke as the temperature in the room plummeted.

"Kurenai. Knock out the civilians."

She didn't argue. Her hands flashed through signs and a soft, soundless wave of chakra passed through the room. Tsunami and Tazuna slumped gently forward, fast asleep.

Kakashi opened the front door and the smell hit them.

It was the kind of smell you didn't forget. Even if you lived a hundred years. Copper and bile and rot. The thick, cloying perfume of carnage. It flooded the room like a tidal wave. The genin choked on it.

Even Shino's stoicism cracked. Sakura gagged. Hinata covered her mouth, trembling. Sasuke pinched his nose while Kiba looked ready to pass out.

And standing in the front lawn, framed by the rising sun and drenched in dried blood, was Naruto.

His armor was scuffed and blackened. The padded vest hung loose in places where the stitching had torn. His boots left prints of dried crimson across the wooden floor. A severed holster dangled from one hip. The cape slung over his shoulder was nearly brown with blood, flaked, dried, and so soaked through it stiffened like parchment.

There was no wound on him. Not a scratch.

His porcelain robin mask had long since been removed. Now it dangled from his hand, the painted beak cracked, one eye hollowed. His real face was pale, eyes heavy and rimmed in shadow. There were no theatrics. No anger. No pride. Just exhaustion.

And in the stunned silence that followed, Kakashi stepped forward slowly. "...Naruto," he said, voice low. "What happened?"

Naruto looked up. His voice was soft. Matter-of-fact. "I found the arms and legs of Gato's network. And I cut them off."

The room stood still for a moment too long, like time itself had forgotten to keep going.

Kurenai was the first to find her voice. "What do you mean… you killed some members of Gato's gang?"

Some? There was a pause. A tense beat. "I killed all of them."

The words fell like weights.

"...Across the entire nation?" Sasuke asked, and for once, there was no snide edge to his voice. No rivalry. Just raw curiosity; half-impressed, half-disbelieving.

Naruto nodded slowly. "Wave is just an island. Travel's the hard part, not the killing. They weren't fighters. Not really. Just men who thought numbers and knives made them gods." He rubbed the back of his neck, wincing as flakes of dried blood crumbled off his skin. "I just had to make sure they never walked again."

Kiba scoffed at that, letting out a nervous chuckle. "Hah! One of your classic pranks, Naruto. Gotta admit, you had me for a..."

Naruto looked at him.

And Kiba's voice caught in his throat as the joke died an unnatural death. There was nothing in Naruto's face. No grin. No mischievous glint. No playful spark. Only the weariness of someone who had walked through hell and didn't find anything surprising there. Kiba's throat tightened as he remembered the cold edge of Naruto's threats that day with Oscar. He thought they were bravado. Bluffs. Now, he wasn't so sure. Naruto didn't bluff.

"Why don't you… go clean yourself up?" Kakashi finally said, keeping his tone light.

The gravity in his gaze betrayed him. It was the look of a man who saw too much of himself in that blood-soaked boy.

"Yeah. I stink. Dattebayo."

He walked off humming, barefoot and leaving a trail of faint, reddish-brown prints as he headed toward the stream. There was no guilt in his step. No shame. Only a peculiar peace.

Silence settled like dust.

Sasuke was the one to break it. "…Does this affect our training plans?"

Everyone turned to him at once.

"You can't be serious," Sakura said, eyes wide with disbelief. "Did you hear what just happened? He killed an entire criminal network. Alone!"

Sasuke shrugged. "And? We're ninja. That's our job. Besides… he just made our mission easier. Gato's blind now. No arms, no legs. What's he gonna do? Write Tazuna a stern letter?"

"That's not the point," Shino said, his voice quiet and even. "The action was… unsanctioned. He operated without orders. If anyone finds out who he is, who he's tied to, this could impact Konoha's diplomatic standing. We're not talking about one kill. We're talking about a purge."

"Well…" Sakura hesitated. "He wasn't wearing a headband. And his outfit was… completely different. And the mask. So maybe no one will trace it back to us?"

"That's a big maybe," Shino replied.

Hinata hadn't spoken.

She just sat there, her eyes unfocused. She should have been horrified. But deep down, buried beneath all her fears, a tiny part of her was in awe, and that frightened her.

Kiba looked like he'd aged a year. He could have killed me, he thought. That day with Oscar. He could have impaled me.

Kurenai folded her arms, her face unreadable.

Kakashi exhaled and rubbed his temple. "Okay. I think it's time I come clean."

All heads turned toward him.

"I assigned Naruto to conduct a covert surveillance op. Just to observe the gang, track their movements, maybe get us a few locations. Unfortunately…" He gave a sheepish eye-smile. "It seems Naruto decided to finish the job instead."

"You let him do this?" Sakura asked, eyes wide.

"I told him to watch," Kakashi said simply. "Not cleanse the nation."

There was a moment of hesitation… then everyone nodded. The tension in the room eased. Not completely, but enough.

Kiba slumped onto the floor like a deflated balloon. "I need to lie down."

Sasuke folded his arms and leaned against the wall, pensive. Shino quietly adjusted his glasses and walked outside, lost in thought. Sakura remained seated, staring into her cup, her hands trembling slightly.

Meanwhile, Kakashi knelt beside Tsunami's still-sleeping form, his fingers gently brushing her temple. She looked peaceful. As if the stench of blood still lingering in the house hadn't dared touch her dreams. He made a quick sequence of hand signs.

"Ninja Art: Mind Transmission."

His fingers sparked faintly with chakra as he focused, beginning to tap into the outer edges of her subconscious. Memories weren't always cooperative, especially not when pulled from someone unaware, but he had to know what had sparked this… this quiet storm that was Naruto.

Before he could dive deeper, a shadow fell over him. Kurenai's presence settled behind him like a whisper.

"What are you doing, Kakashi?"

"I'm trying to get information. Tsunami must've seen or heard something last night. Something that pushed Naruto into… whatever this is."

Kurenai's voice remained even. "And what about the explanation you gave to the others? That you sent him?"

Kakashi didn't respond immediately. Then, with the same cool detachment he wore like armor, he said, "I can't afford for what I've built with him to break now. If I say I sent him, I stay the tether. If he believes I trust him… maybe he doesn't drift further."

Kurenai exhaled, her voice tinged with a quiet warning. "What's the punishment, then?"

Kakashi's eye narrowed, a flash of steel behind the calm. "You're the jonin of Team 8. Play protective mother hen for your kids. Let me worry about mine."

"…Understood." Kurenai hesitated. "After today..." she said, voice like silk stretched too thin, "I think you were right. Maybe Naruto isn't the next Tsunade... maybe he's the next Itachi. In more ways than one."

Kakashi stilled. "I won't let him lose himself to the dark. Not like Itachi."

They stood there in silence, watching Tsunami stir faintly, and then the door slammed open.

"Okay, what's for breakfast?" came Naruto's voice, bright and annoyingly cheerful.

Everyone turned.

There he stood. Shirtless. Barefoot. Hair still damp and messy. He blinked at them, noticed their stares, and tilted his head.

"What? Do I have something on my face?"

Kurenai stared. Just… stared. The disconnect was too much. She turned to Kakashi, her voice flat.

"You should file a report stating Naruto might be clinically psychotic."

"Already noted," Kakashi murmured, eyes still on his student, fingers resuming his technique over Tsunami's temple.

Meanwhile, Naruto had found himself caught in another strange whirlpool of emotion, this time from a boy.

"Here!" Inari all but skidded into the room, balancing a tray like his life depended on it. "Breakfast, Naruto-sama!"

Naruto blinked, then made a face. "Uhh… don't call me that. Sounds weird. Makes me feel like I'm some old lord or something."

Inari's cheeks flushed as he looked down, shuffling nervously. "Can I… can I call you big brother then?"

Naruto's eyes widened. Then his expression softened. "Sure, kid."

The smile Inari gave was so bright, it could've lit the entire house.

Naruto wolfed down the rice and eggs with an enthusiasm that made the others glance at him like he was a puzzle they weren't sure how to solve. Kakashi had paused his mind probe. Sakura looked like she was trying to reconcile the cheery voice with the memory of the blood trail. Hinata watched him with something between awe and unease. Even Sasuke, who had seen monsters in human skin before, didn't speak. He just observed.

Naruto patted his belly. "Man, thanks for the food. I'm gonna get some water."

"I'll get it for you!" Inari shot up.

"Really, you don't have to..."

"Please, I want to!"

Naruto gave up. "Alright. Thanks, I guess."

The boy ran off like he was serving royalty.

Naruto leaned back and yawned. "Why's he being so friendly all of a sudden?"

No one answered.

Naruto grinned to himself. Probably been hanging around Oscar too much. That little lizard's finally melted his emo heart.

But what Naruto didn't realize was that in a single night, he'd fulfilled the boy's deepest, darkest wish. He had become what Inari had begged the gods for in silence when no one was listening.

Justice.

Now all that remained was Gato. Hidden, yes, but it didn't matter. Naruto would find him, drag him out from whatever hole he was cowering in, and kill him.

Simple. Clean. Necessary.

What he didn't know was that the hunt for Gato would change him — not with blood or steel, but with choices he couldn't yet fathom. Choices that would echo far beyond a single death.

---

Naruto had slept through the entire day. His body was sore but not from injury, as he healed by Estus and was untouched by enemy blades. No, it was the exhaustion of the mind; even though he had killed many undead, there was a mental weight to taking so many lives, and so he slept to refresh his thoughts.

Now, with the moon casting a cold silver sheen through the slats of the porch, he sat awake. Not restless. Just… still.

Oscar was not happy about it.

The little crystal lizard hissed, scampering across Naruto's lap and trying to bite his fingers.

"No." Naruto tapped him lightly on the head with two fingers.

Oscar growled. Not a real growl, not one that could scare anything larger than a squirrel. But it carried all the attitude of a beast three times his size.

"I know you're mad I didn't play with you today," Naruto said, scooping the lizard into his arms, "but I was tired."

Oscar looked away with a dramatic snub.

Naruto's voice dropped into a baby-talk tone. "Come on, buddy. I said I was sorry. How about this… I give you a broken straight sword to eat."

Nothing.

"Two broken straight swords?"

Oscar's eyes flicked to him, then deliberately turned away again.

"You little..." Naruto twitched. "Three? You want three?"

Oscar nodded without shame.

"When did you become such a greedy negotiator?" Naruto muttered. "How about I give you none."

Oscar gave him the puppy dog eyes.

…Gah, Akamaru's been teaching you too many tricks, Naruto muttered, pulling out the broken weapons and watching the crystal lizard crunch away with tail-wagging satisfaction. Naruto leaned back into the porch chair. The night was cool, not cold. Somewhere in the distance, waves struck rock. Leaves rustled. It was quiet.

When he was younger, silence like this had terrified him. Silence meant no one was coming. Silence meant he was alone. But now… now it was a sign. A kind of gentle proof that everyone he cared about was safe and asleep inside. That he could finally, if only for a night, breathe.

"I don't think you're on guard duty."

"Nope. That's Kiba's job. Pretty sure Kurenai-sensei stuck him with it after that stunt he pulled."

A light thump behind him, followed by a rustle of cloth and hair. Kakashi landed silently, crouched at the edge of the porch before leaning lazily against the wooden railing.

"You know," Naruto said, "we do have doors."

"Where's the coolness in that?"

Naruto chuckled, rubbing Oscar's smooth back. "Fine. Stay and soak in the peaceful night then. As long as you don't weird up the vibe."

They sat for a long while.

"I told the others that I ordered you to scout Gato's gangs. That everything you did was part of an undercover operation."

Naruto blinked. "You… lied for me?"

"I did." Kakashi pulled out his book but didn't open it. "It was the only thing I could think of. If they knew the truth, how far you went... they'd… They might not trust you."

Naruto looked down at Oscar.

"They live in a village full of killers," he said. "What's one more?"

"It's not the killing," Kakashi said. "It's why you killed. That's what matters."

Naruto looked up. "Sensei, I had a good reason."

Kakashi didn't interrupt, so Naruto kept going.

"I did what I had to. I did what a knight... what I knew I needed to do. Those people weren't soldiers. They weren't warriors. They were parasites, bleeding this place dry. I didn't act for the mission. I acted for the people."

"Naruto," Kakashi said, not looking at the boy. "Do you know the relationship between civilians and shinobi?"

"Uhh… no?"

Kakashi nodded slowly, as if he expected that. He took a moment, tapping the book against his knee, then began to speak.

"Shinobi are weapons. But we're also people. That's the contradiction we live with. We're taught to detach, to kill without hesitation, to value the mission above all else. But even a weapon needs a wielder, and even a killer needs a home."

Naruto stayed quiet.

Kakashi's voice remained calm, steady, but there was a coldness to it. "We serve the village. But the village exists because of the civilians. Every headband, every kunai, every ration you get on a mission? It came from them. Blacksmiths. Farmers. Builders. Traders. They keep us running, and we protect them in return. It's a cycle... interdependent."

"Okay, that makes sense, but..."

"But," Kakashi continued, "then you add the Daimyo to the mix. The real rulers. We might have Kages, but they answer to the feudal lords. The Daimyo control the funding, the trade rights, the legitimacy of our existence. They see the Hidden Villages as private armies, hired blades that protect their interests and borders. If they don't like what we do, they can cut us off. Politically. Financially. Publicly."

Naruto blinked. "...So?"

"What do you think happens if a civilian population, or a Daimyo, starts thinking a shinobi village is unstable? Or dangerous? Or barbaric?"

Naruto's lips parted but no words came out.

"Do you remember what Zabuza said? About the Mist's graduation exam?"

Naruto nodded slowly. "He had to kill his entire class."

"That's right. And after he did that… things changed. Because it wasn't just about the brutality. It was the story of it. The rumors. The image. The world heard that and said: that village breeds monsters. Civilians stopped hiring them. Daimyos cut funding. The economy tanked. They had to change their entire system just to clean up their image."

He leaned in slightly. "Now imagine what happens when you, a twelve-year-old from Konoha, wipes out an entire nation's criminal underworld in one night."

Naruto sat still, processing that.

Kakashi let the silence sit before continuing. "That's why I lied for you. Why I covered your tracks. I couldn't let the Wave or other ninjas trace that massacre back to you or to Konoha. I did it to protect you. And to protect us."

A pause.

Naruto nodded. "Thanks for everything, Sensei."

Kakashi exhaled. "Just… learn from it. Next time, plan. Come to me. We'll figure it out together."

"I will," Naruto said with a lopsided smile. "Maybe I should start taking this whole ninja thing a bit more seriously."

Kakashi gave a chuckle until the next part hit him like a kunai to the back.

"No, I mean it," Naruto added casually. "Up until now, I've really just treated being a shinobi like a… side hobby."

Kakashi froze. "WHAT?!"

"Yeah," Naruto said, shrugging. "I mean, I only became a ninja because I wanted to be Hokage. But after that dream died, I didn't really have a reason to keep at it. I just stayed because of Iruka-sensei… and you… and because I'd already come so far. It felt wrong to quit. But, yeah, I've mostly thought of it as a hobby."

Kakashi stared at him. Absolutely stared.

It wasn't even the words themselves, it was how easily, how lightly, Naruto had said them. Like it wasn't a bombshell. Like it wasn't a fundamental rejection of everything Kakashi thought he knew about this boy.

Side hobby.

Kakashi's thoughts spiraled. What did that say about Naruto's sense of duty? About the Will of Fire? The legacy of the village? The sacred pride of shinobihood? Had it all meant nothing to him?

And what was so great about being a knight? That was the question haunting Kakashi as he stared at the boy beside him. A boy who had once shouted his dreams of becoming Hokage to the heavens with his whole chest now talking about ninja life like it was a weekend craft project.

Kakashi's fingers curled tightly around his little orange book, not out of anger but quiet dissonance. He had seen countless shinobi lose themselves to war, ambition, loss but this was different. This was rejection. A soft, smiling dismissal of the entire system that had raised him.

Naruto hadn't lost faith in Konoha. He'd simply… outgrown it.

And the seed that started that?

One name had echoed in Kakashi's mind from the moment Naruto put on that battered foreign armor and named his lizard.

Oscar.

"Hey, Naruto," Kakashi asked, feigning the tone of casual interest even though his throat was tight. "Can I ask you something?"

"Yeah."

"What does Oscar mean to you?"

A flash of confusion passed through Naruto's eyes. He reached up and poked the fat, glinting lizard curled lazily on his shoulder.

"You mean this little guy? He's my buddy, obviously."

"No," Kakashi said, the faintest note of insistence slipping through. "Not the lizard. I mean the man. Oscar of Astora. The one you named him after. Why does he mean so much to you?"

Naruto didn't respond right away.

His expression didn't twist, didn't contort. It simply… fell still.

Kakashi recognized that stillness. It wasn't fear. It wasn't shame. It was armor. The kind you put on when someone brushed too close to an old scar. Naruto turned to the window, his silhouette etched against the pale moonlight. The shadows clung to the curve of his jaw, the slope of his shoulders.

"You always ask such heavy stuff at night, y'know that?" he murmured, like it was a joke. But there was no laugh behind it.

Kakashi didn't press. He simply waited.

Naruto breathed in, deep and slow, and when he spoke again, it was without pretense. "Oscar was my master," he said. "But I didn't know him that well. Not really. Not in the way you know your sensei. He found me when I was… lost."

Kakashi turned his head slightly, watching the way Naruto's fingers drummed rhythmically on the porch rail.

"He gave me a sword before he gave me a name," Naruto said. "Taught me how to stand, how to breathe, how to move. But more than that, he looked at me and didn't see a brat, didn't see a burden. He just… saw a boy who needed help. And he helped me."

"That's all?"

"No," Naruto whispered.

Silence pressed between them. The only sound was the gentle chirping of the forest outside and Oscar the lizard's low purr against Naruto's shoulder.

"You know, for years, I pulled pranks because I wanted attention. I thought that if enough people got annoyed by me, they'd see me. Just acknowledge that I existed. And when Iruka-sensei finally smiled at me, I felt like I'd earned it. That I had to bleed for every kind word. Earn every hug."

Naruto closed his eyes, voice dipping quieter.

"You know, for years, I pulled pranks because I wanted attention. I wanted people to notice me, to see me as someone."

Naruto's voice wasn't bitter. It wasn't angry. It was… quiet. Reflective. Like he was remembering someone else's life and realizing it had always been his.

"When Iruka-sensei became my friend, I thought… I earned that. I saved him, I worked for it. I thought that was the only way it worked. You prove yourself, then people care. You risk your life, then maybe someone sees you. And I was okay with that. I was used to that."

He paused, his gaze fixed on the moonlight stretching across the floor, as if the answer to something unspoken was hiding in the shadows.

"But with Oscar…" he said. "It was different."

There was a raw vulnerability in the way he said that name.

"I didn't do anything to deserve it. He just… treated me like I mattered. Like I was worth something from the start."

Naruto lifted a hand to his face, brushing at his eyes. Oscar the lizard let out a soft trill, crawling closer along his face and giving him a gentle boop, like a comfort kiss.

"I didn't know what to do with that," Naruto whispered. "At first, I thought it was a trick. Some test I didn't understand. I was always waiting for the moment he'd turn and say, 'I was wrong. You're not worth the time.' But he never did. Even when I messed up. Even when I panicked or froze."

The words spilled out now, not in a rush, but in steady waves.

"He died trying to protect me. Not because I asked him to. Not because he had to. But because he chose to. And he left me with so much: his armor, his sword, his ideals. But the thing he left me with most..."

Naruto's voice cracked.

"...was the question."

He looked up at Kakashi, not defiant, not broken. Just a boy... trying his best to understand.

"Do I deserve it?" That's what I ask myself. Do I deserve the kindness? The respect? The legacy he gave me? Every day, I try to do something... anything that makes me feel like I've earned it. Like maybe if I swing my sword hard enough, or fight just one more time for someone else… maybe I'll stop feeling like an imposter in his armor."

He gently picked Oscar up and rested the small lizard on his lap.

"What does Oscar mean to me?" Naruto echoed, his voice almost a murmur now. "He's everything. My sensei. My friend. The man who pulled me out of a grave I didn't know I'd fallen into."

He gave a brittle laugh that faded before it ever became real.

"He's… the reason I'm still standing."

The room hung heavy with silence.

Kakashi hadn't moved. He hadn't spoken. The book was long forgotten in his hand.

And yet he understood. More than words could say, he understood. Because he too knew what it meant to live in someone else's shadow. To try and make your life worthy of the people who gave theirs for you. To wear their legacy like armor and sometimes, like a chain.

"I think I'm gonna head to bed," Naruto said softly. "You should too, sensei."

And just like that, he was gone, padding quietly up the stairs, vanishing into the silence of the house.

Kakashi remained on the porch, staring into the moonlit night.

Naruto's words echoed in his chest like a wind chime in a storm.

Kindness… without having to earn it.

How starved had the boy been that something so basic had become sacred? And now, Oscar was gone. A brief light in a dark world, and Naruto had clung to that light like a lifeline. That armor he wore… it wasn't just metal and leather.

It was grief. It was love. It was purpose.

Just like a shinobi wore their forehead protector to declare their loyalty, Naruto wore his armor to declare who he was: the squire of a man who had treated him like he mattered.

Kakashi thought back to their first meeting. "I'm Naruto Uzumaki, Squire of Oscar of Astora." Now, sitting alone beneath the stars, Kakashi finally understood the weight of that title. And maybe, he began to understand the boy who wore it.

"I hope we can give you a reason to stay, Naruto," he whispered into the night. "A reason to say… I'm Naruto Uzumaki. Shinobi of Konoha."

But even as he said it, he wasn't sure if that would ever be enough.

---

Naruto said he'd head to bed, but when he pushed open the door to his room, he found both Sasuke and Sakura lying awake, eyes fixed on the ceiling as if the night itself had questions they couldn't answer.

"You two should be asleep," Naruto mumbled as he padded across the floor. Oscar clicked quietly on his shoulder, curling tighter into himself as Naruto set him gently on a folded blanket near his pillow.

"Can't," Sakura replied. "Too much on my mind."

Sasuke didn't speak. His eyes were open, but unreadable, distant as always.

"If it helps, you can talk about it."

"Yeah… sure. Naruto, about your… about what you did."

"Kakashi-sensei erased the tracks," Naruto said. "No one'll trace it back to us."

"No, that's not what I meant," Sakura said quickly. "I mean… how did you go through with it?"

Naruto blinked. "I went in through the front door. Killed them. Asked the boss man if he knew where Gato was, got what info I could, killed him, moved on to the next. Same thing. Over and over."

"No," Sasuke cut in. "She means how do you feel about it? Sakura has nightmares after killing one rogue. You slaughtered more people than she's ever even met."

Naruto was quiet for a moment. He scratched at his cheek, the way he always did when he didn't know what to say. "Oh," he said finally. "I guess… I don't really feel anything."

A moment passed. Then Sakura let out a brittle chuckle. "Wow," she said. "That's scary. I wish I could be that strong."

"No," Sasuke murmured, eyes still open, unmoving. "You don't."

"What do you mean?"

"Killing others and not feeling anything," Sasuke said, "isn't strength. It's losing something. And once it's gone… I don't think you can ever get it back." He closed his eyes, voice quiet, as if speaking more to himself than anyone else. "I wonder if Itachi felt anything… when he killed our clan. When he killed them all."

The silence after that was different.

Naruto shifted on his mattress, sitting up. His thoughts were spinning, but one truth settled into place like a cold stone.

Maybe it's because killing's just become a numbers game to me. In Lordran, it wasn't about the person. It was about the souls. Every kill was a step toward strength. Every enemy a currency. Hollows, bandits, beasts—they were all the same. And I guess, somewhere along the way, people started becoming that too. Unless I cared about them… unless they were mine… it didn't matter.

He didn't say any of that. But it stayed with him.

"I think your brother killing your family is a little different than me killing some random pieces of shit," Naruto said aloud, trying to shift the weight off Sasuke's shoulders.

The attempt at levity fell flat.

Sakura winced. "That… came out wrong."

Sasuke exhaled slowly. "No. You're right." He stared up at the wooden beams above him, eyes tracing the cracks in the ceiling. "Sometimes when I try to remember that night, I imagine Itachi crying. Just to make it make sense. Just to believe he still had a soul."

Naruto didn't speak. Instead, he picked up Oscar, who chirped quietly, and padded across the room. He placed the little crystal lizard on Sasuke's chest.

The Uchiha blinked down at the creature, almost confused.

Then, slowly, almost imperceptibly, his hand rose and rubbed Oscar's head.

A ghost of a smile crossed Sasuke's face.

Sakura and Naruto said nothing. But they saw it. And for a brief moment, the darkness in the room wasn't so heavy.

Then Naruto asked the question. "Do you know why he did it?"

Sasuke looked over.

"Itachi," Naruto clarified. "Why'd he kill them all?"

The boy stared back at the ceiling for a long moment before speaking.

"He told me… he wanted to test his capacity."

His voice was hollow. A rehearsal of a line burned into him.

Silence followed, but with more confusion than tension.

"The capacity to do what, exactly?"

Sakura turned her head slightly, narrowing her eyes at him. "Naruto…" she warned, not with anger, but with unease. Even she wasn't sure if he should be poking at this.

But Sasuke didn't snap or glare.

"I wonder," Sasuke said, his voice low. "Was it power? Was that what he meant? But then I remember… the Uchiha clan wasn't just shinobi. There were children. Old people. Women who didn't even carry kunai. They were all slaughtered. So maybe..."

He paused. His jaw tightened. "Maybe it was the capacity to do violence. To carry out an atrocity like that and feel… nothing."

Sakura flinched at the word. "Nothing?" she echoed.

Sasuke gave a slow, deliberate nod, but didn't look at either of them. "I've tried to keep up with the news. I listen. I pay attention. But after the Uchiha Massacre, there was nothing. No headlines. No sightings. No missions gone wrong and blamed on a rogue Uchiha. No whisper of Itachi's name. He just… vanished."

Naruto's brow furrowed, lips parting slightly. His thoughts went not to Itachi but to Shisui. To the weight of that soul he had absorbed.

"Maybe…" Naruto began, "Maybe there's more to the Uchiha Massacre than you know."

The air went still. Sasuke didn't move, but Sakura felt the shift. The stiffness in his frame, the subtle clench of his hands. His body reacted before his voice did.

Naruto looked like he was about to clarify, backtrack even, but Sasuke cut him off with something much colder.

"I know," Sasuke said, his voice sharpened into a blade. "I've always known. Somewhere in me, I've known there had to be more. But that doesn't change the fact that Itachi killed them. All of them. My friends. My family. My parents."

The Sharingan burned to life in his eyes, bleeding red in the dark like coals fanned by hate. His gaze didn't turn to Naruto or Sakura. It simply burned upward, as though carving his resolve into the ceiling. "Whatever reason he had… whatever truth lies behind it… I'll carve it out of his corpse myself."

---

Morning came, and Naruto found himself standing guard along the rising edge of the unfinished bridge, joined by Sakura, Hinata, and Kurenai. The ocean breeze swept over the scaffolding, carrying the scent of salt and damp stone. Below them, the workers gathered near the base of the support beams, some stretching sore muscles, others quietly watching the horizon where sea and sky met.

But there was something different about the air today. It wasn't just the weather. It was in the way the workers stood taller, in the way their voices carried more clearly, filled with energy instead of weariness.

Usually, mornings were sluggish. Full of groans, aching backs, and silent breakfasts. But today, the workers were talking, gathered in clusters, some laughing, others weeping quietly.

"Alright, what's going on?" Tazuna called out, climbing down toward the largest group. "You all look like someone paid off your debts and brought your mothers back from the grave."

"They're all dead," Hiroto said, voice trembling.

"What?" Tazuna blinked. "Who's dead?"

"The gangs. The West District crew. The ones who ran the protection racket in the port and slit my cousin's throat for missing a week's pay. Gone. All of them."

"Not just them," another man added, stepping forward. "My sister lives near the rice canals up north. She sent word this morning. The Red Fang gang, the ones who raided their village and snatched up girls? Wiped out. Every last one of them."

A murmur swept through the crowd. Not one of disbelief, but of awe. Like they had witnessed a miracle.

"The whole nation," someone else whispered. "The gangs that've controlled the Wave for years… they're gone."

"Some say they were killed in their sleep. Others say a ghost in a white mask walked through them like the reaper."

A stocky man gripped the post of the bridge and leaned on it, his voice thick. "My boy… he was going to be conscripted next month by Gato's thugs. I told him to run to the woods, hide like a dog. But now… now he can come home."

"You're sure?" Tazuna's voice had lost its bark. "This isn't just drunken hearsay?"

"No," Hiroto said firmly. "Word's spreading fast. Villages are lighting bonfires. People are talking. For the first time… no one's afraid."

"And they say it was the Archer of Providence," a younger worker said reverently, eyes alight.

Sakura blinked. "Who?"

"The Archer of Providence," the man repeated. "They say he came from the shadows. Took back what was stolen and gave it to the people."

Naruto stared at the man, deadpan. "How do you know he's an archer?"

"Bodies were full of arrows. What else could he be?"

Kurenai turned her head slightly, eyes narrowing at Naruto. Hinata said nothing, but her glance toward Naruto was curious.

"Doesn't that sound a little dramatic?"

Another worker, older and hunched with age, stepped forward, his voice crackling like dry bark. "I don't know who this Archer really is. Maybe he's a shinobi. Maybe he's a spirit sent from the gods. But I know this… my granddaughter can walk to market now. My wife can sleep without clutching a kitchen knife. For the first time in years, we can breathe."

The words landed hard. Even Naruto found himself strangely quiet. He looked around at the tired hands that were suddenly full of purpose, at the teary-eyed smiles and grateful nods.

They weren't just thankful. They were free.

"To the Archer!" someone called.

"To the Archer!" echoed back.

And Naruto felt a strange pressure in his chest.

"I can't imagine the look on Gato's face when he realizes his empire is crumbling," Tazuna muttered, a grin pulling at the corners of his mouth. "But we've got work to do. This bridge will stand for the people of the Wave so they'll never need to beg for protection again."

The workers roared in agreement.

And as they returned to their tools, spirits high, Naruto stood still among the morning light and crashing waves.

"You know, I was unsure about the name, but I guess it's… okay."

Kurenai tilted her head. "Names are just tools, Naruto. Symbols. They don't have to fit perfectly, they just need to mean something to the people who say them."

"Still weird. Archer of Providence? I'm not even that good with a bow. Crossbows don't count."

Sakura glanced up with a smirk. "Since when do you care about technicalities? Just enjoy the praise."

"It's not about the praise," Naruto grumbled, scuffing his sandal on the edge of the bridge. "It's about the branding. Knight of Light, Blade of Justice… something with swords would've been way cooler."

Kurenai gave a small snort. "You're the only person I know who'd complain about being called a hero by an entire nation."

"Still should've been Knight of the Wave…"

Hinata murmured, "I think… I think it's beautiful, actually."

Everyone looked at her.

"The name," she clarified, blushing slightly. "Maybe it's not about the weapon. Maybe it's about… what it means to them."

"Anyway, back to work. Hinata, I want your Byakugan up during rotations. Just because the gangs are gone doesn't mean the threat is."

"Yes, sensei."

"Sakura, I want you to keep building our genjutsu trip lines. We can start with inducing low-level genjutsu."

"Understood."

Kurenai turned to Naruto. "And you…"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm on errand duty," he groaned, already walking toward a nearby pile of supplies. "I get it. I'm the glorified gopher."

"I was going to say, go practice your one-handed seals while keeping up with support tasks. Consider it multitasking."

Naruto stopped, then grinned. "Or…" He walked over to a steel beam leaning against the bridge's edge. Without so much as a grunt, he hoisted it one-handed and propped it over his shoulder like a walking stick.

There was a collective pause from the workers.

"Did you see that?!"

"That kid just lifted that like it was made of paper!"

"Is that normal for shinobi?!"

Tazuna's eyes widened, his mouth falling open. "Kurenai… how much do you feed this kid?"

"Not enough," Naruto called down cheekily. "Old man, got more beams for me?"

Tazuna blinked, then let out a loud belly laugh. "Hell yeah, I do. Get your super-strength butt down here. We've got a bridge to build!"

Naruto jogged off, still grinning, the steel swaying slightly behind him.

Sakura watched him go, shaking her head. "I keep forgetting… even without chakra, Naruto's a monster."

"And with chakra…"

Sakura smirked faintly. "Let's just say, if he gets his ninjutsu back before Zabuza shows up, we're not just going to survive…"

She glanced toward the workers, still cheering and clapping Naruto on.

"…we're going to win."

Hinata gasped. "Really?"

Sakura nodded. "Yeah. I believe it."

Kurenai half-listened to Sakura and Hinata's exchange, their voices soft but tinged with growing admiration. Typical of young genin, she thought, idolizing someone reckless, someone who didn't understand the full weight of what he'd done.

And yet… she couldn't bring herself to dismiss the Archer of Providence.

It should've bothered her. The recklessness, the bloodshed, the sheer disregard for structure. Naruto had broken almost every rule in the shinobi handbook, discarded protocol like it was meaningless, and acted on his own sense of justice. That kind of behavior, especially from a genin, should have set off every alarm in her head.

But it didn't.

What unsettled Kurenai wasn't his defiance. It was what would happen if others started believing he was right.

If Naruto inspired others to walk the same path, it wouldn't lead to reform. It would lead to funerals. Naruto could afford to be a storm. He had too much value. As the Jinchuriki. As the son of the Fourth. As the accidental wielder of power that no one fully understood, those Estus flasks that could heal wounds even medical jutsu couldn't. And now, possibly, as someone who had Scorch Release.

The system would bend for him. But it wouldn't bend for anyone else.

And that terrified her.

Because one boy thinking he's a knight might make a good story. But a generation of shinobi believing they could rewrite the rules? That could burn the entire shinobi world to the ground.

She didn't know if Naruto would break the system.

But Kurenai was sure of one thing. He was already cracking it.

---

The afternoon sun filtered through the mist, casting long shadows across the unfinished bridge. The scent of salt and fresh wood filled the air. Naruto sat at the edge of the platform, shirt tossed beside him, skin slick with sweat and dust, chest rising and falling in quiet rhythm. His muscles ached from hauling steel beams, but it was the good kind of ache, the one that came from doing something that mattered.

He poured half a bottle of water over his head, letting the cold run down his back, before taking a long gulp. His eyes scanned the horizon where land met fog. Still no sign of Zabuza. Still no sign of Gato. Just time… precious time.

Hinata approached from behind, holding another bottle of water in her hands.

"You should take a break, Naruto-kun," she said gently. "You've done more than enough for one morning."

Naruto turned, grinning. "What, and don't do any training? Not a chance."

Hinata hesitated. Her eyes flicked toward the water dripping down from his muscular frame before she forced her gaze to the side, cheeks warming slightly.

"It's not that. You've just been working so hard. I thought maybe you'd..."

"Hinata," he interrupted with a lazy smile, "I only feel alive when I'm doing something hard."

She gave a small, breathy laugh, more out of concern than amusement.

"In that case… I had an idea for your training. It's a bit dangerous."

"Perfect," Naruto replied without hesitation.

Hinata's expression turned more serious. She knelt beside him and gently took his right arm. "What if… instead of just cutting off flow to your chakra points, I compressed them? Made the routes tighter, more sensitive. You'd be able to feel the exact moment chakra moves through each point. If we synchronize, I can read the flow and guide you without being overwhelmed."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "There's a catch, huh?"

Hinata nodded. "The more compressed the points, the more internal resistance. When you force chakra through them, it won't flow… it'll damage your internal organs. That's the main point of the Gentle Fist."

Naruto didn't even blink. "Do it."

"Are you always this reckless?"

"Only when it's worth it."

Hinata stared at him for a beat longer before nodding and activating her Byakugan. Her fingertips glowed with focused chakra as she began tapping into his arm.

After a moment, she pulled back. "Ready?"

Naruto nodded, wincing slightly as he felt the pinpoint sting of chakra threading through his system.

Their hands locked together, and in perfect unison, they started weaving through the hand seals. Slowly at first, then faster.

Naruto could feel it immediately: the chakra didn't flow. It fought. Each seal was like dragging steel wire through raw nerves. By the second seal, his lungs screamed. By the third, his vision blurred. By the fourth hand sign, their chakra aligned just enough to complete the jutsu. Unfortunately, it was the Substitution Jutsu. In a blink, the world shifted. They reappeared midair, several meters away from the bridge. And with nothing beneath their feet but empty space, they plummeted straight into the water.

"Wh—?!"

"HA!" Naruto's laugh cracked through the air as Hinata shrieked, and the two of them plummeted straight into the water with a massive splash.

The cold hit like a hammer. Hinata gasped as she broke the surface, sputtering, hair plastered to her face.

Naruto burst up beside her, eyes gleaming, laughter still tumbling from his chest. "Did you see that?! That was amazing!"

Hinata couldn't even reply. She was too busy treading water and trying not to laugh with him.

He jumped up onto the water's surface, chakra steady under his feet, and reached out a hand to her. She took it. They leapt back up to the bridge, soaked and shivering, where Kurenai stood waiting, two towels in her hands.

She raised an eyebrow. "Well… I'll admit I wasn't expecting aerial jutsu as your first success."

Hinata bowed deeply. "Apologies, sensei. We didn't think it would work."

"At least you two found a path toward synchronization. You'll need to refine it until you can perform it without diving into the sea."

Naruto coughed into his fist, flecks of red staining his palm.

"Heh. Worth it."

His voice was strained, a subtle rasp riding the edge of every syllable. He took a step back and pulled the cork off his Estus flask, the golden light already dancing inside the glass like fire held in a bottle. He downed it with a casual swig.

The light spread across his body, mending torn muscles and bruised organs with unnatural speed. His breath evened out. His ribs stopped aching. The cut on his lip sealed. And as the light faded, so too did the blood—leaving behind the glistening frame of someone who looked more statue than boy.

His shirt remained abandoned somewhere on the other side of the bridge.

"Good luck," Kurenai muttered to Hinata as she turned away, her tone neutral but her eyes… not so much.

Hinata didn't answer. She couldn't. She was still staring, unmoving, lips parted just slightly, her eyes locked somewhere around Naruto's abs.

A thin trickle of blood dripped from her nose.

"Hinata? Are you okay?"

She snapped out of it like a kunai had grazed past her cheek. "Y-Yes! Sorry. I just..." She wiped her nose quickly, embarrassed. "I must've… taken a hit."

"Here," Naruto offered her an Estus, shaking it lightly in front of her.

Hinata hesitated. The warmth of the glass. The golden glow within. It felt more alive than it should've. She activated her Byakugan reflexively and immediately regretted it.

The Estus burned in her vision like a miniature sun. Blinding.

Hinata slowly turned the flask in her hands. "Can I… can I keep it?"

Naruto blinked. "Eh, Maybe. I kinda need that thing, Hinata."

She looked down, shoulders drooping, disappointment radiating off her like steam off her skin.

Naruto frowned, confused. "Why? You hurt worse than I thought?"

Hinata shook her head. She hesitated. For a moment she looked like she'd brush it off. Smile politely. Pretend everything was fine. But something in her cracked as she told the boy about her mother and her vegetative state.

Naruto sat back, his smile gone. Replaced with something far quieter. Far heavier.

"Will it work on her?" Hinata asked.

"I don't know," he said honestly.

She turned her face away.

"But," Naruto continued, "it doesn't hurt to try. And if the Estus doesn't work… I've got something even stronger."

She turned back to him, surprised.

"Stronger?" she echoed.

Naruto nodded as his mind went back to the scammer Petrus, as one of the miracles he had was the Heal miracle. Surely, he could use that, since unlike an Estus, he could just increase his faith stat and make the healing stronger.

"Thank you," Hinata murmured.

Naruto offered a casual shrug but gave her a one-armed side hug anyway. "Don't worry about it, Hinata-chan."

She didn't pull away. In fact, she leaned in further, bold in a way only she could be—gently, quietly. Her head came to rest on his shoulder, and he didn't mind.

"Can I say something?" she asked.

Naruto tilted his head, curious. "Sure."

Hinata hesitated, then whispered, "I didn't know how to feel when you told us you'd killed all those people."

"Seems fair." Naruto rubbed at the back of his neck. "If someone else did it, I'd probably be weirded out too."

A soft breath left her. "It's not that I think it was wrong. I just… don't know what that kind of choice means. My mother used to say, 'The world is already so cruel, little moon. So you be soft, even if it hurts. You be the kindness they forget.'"

Hinata's fingers curled against her lap. "But when I see the faces of the workers… their hope, their joy… all because of your violence… I…"

She trailed off, unsure whether to finish or just let the wind carry the rest of her thoughts away.

Naruto looked at her, expression unreadable for a second. Then he asked quietly, "Is that why you let people walk all over you?"

Hinata blinked. "What?"

"In the academy," he said, eyes fixed on the glimmer of water below them, "I remember you always holding back in spars. Even when it was obvious you were more skilled. There was this one time a girl from the other class mocked you, and you didn't say a thing. Just let her."

"You… remember that?" Her voice was barely audible.

"Came back to me just now."

There was no teasing in his tone, no judgment either… just quiet observation.

"At the time, I thought you were just stupid," he admitted. "You were clearly better. And still, you lost. If Ino didn't hate that girl, I think she would've bullied you every day."

Hinata's head lowered. "So… is that what you think of me? Stupid?"

"Back then? Yeah," Naruto said bluntly. "Now? No. I get it." He turned to her, eyes suddenly sharper than before. "I think you're scared."

Hinata's lips parted, stunned. "Scared…?"

"You don't want to lose control. That's it, right?"

His words sank into her like stones dropped into still water—rippling, disturbing the silence she'd so carefully maintained, stirring the memories she'd long buried.

Her mother, bloodied and unresponsive, carried from the compound on a stretcher. Her father killing a man with a single strike. Her cousin, eyes full of blame and bitterness, hating her for reasons she couldn't grasp. Her uncle's body, handed over to the very people who shattered her childhood.

She had shaped her softness into a shield. Lowered her voice until it was too quiet to betray her. Wrapped herself in kindness like gauze over an open wound, pretending it was strength. But it wasn't her mother's ideals she was holding on to. It was the fear. The fear that if she ever broke the stillness, if she ever pushed back, everything around her would fall apart again.

"...Yeah," she breathed. "You're right."

"So fix it," Naruto said, voice gentle but firm.

"How?"

"Learn to heal."

She blinked. "Heal?"

"Start there," he nodded. "You don't need to become a warrior overnight. Just learn to take up space. Fix what's broken. In yourself, in others."

"And if I fail?"

Naruto looked at her like the answer was obvious. "Then fail doing something better than being walked over. Because this world? It's cruelest to the people who just kneel and hope it gets nicer."

He gestured toward the village far across the bay. Then, softly, he added, "What is the value of a soul that kneels and bleeds for survival, but never raises a hand? What worth has a life that endures without ever daring to live?"

Hinata stared at him.

"...I'll try," she whispered.

"That's all anyone can do."

---

While the rest of the Wave simmered in euphoria, in one of the more remote hideouts nestled between the cliffside and the sea, the air inside Gato's lair was heavy with antiseptic and salt.

Haku knelt silently beside Zabuza's battered body, a bowl of warm water steaming beside him. The swordsman's chest rose and fell in shallow, erratic rhythms. His body was a canvas of trauma. Acupuncture needles pinned into key pressure points along his torso and neck glinted in the light, holding pain at bay while controlling blood flow with precision.

The aftermath of Kakashi's Water Hydra technique hadn't just shattered bone, it had nearly collapsed Zabuza from the inside out. If Haku hadn't intervened at the exact moment he did, the Demon of the Mist would've died.

The heavy wooden door slammed open behind him.

"ZABUZA!" Gato's shrill voice echoed against stone walls, the sound far too loud, far too arrogant for a man with no blood on his hands.

Haku didn't turn. "Keep your voice down," he said softly. "He's recovering."

Gato stormed into the room, flanked by two of his hired muscle. Greasy hair slicked back, gold rings heavy on his fingers, the stench of wine trailing behind him.

"Recovering?! I paid for results, not a corpse in bed!" he snapped. "My men are dead, my warehouses raided, and someone out there is killing every gang I own! Where the hell is your professionalism?!"

Haku's hand drifted to the pouch at his hip. His fingers closed over a senbon needle. Still kneeling. Still composed.

"You are free to find someone else," Haku said, voice like frost, "if you live long enough to hire them."

The sneer on Gato's face froze. He opened his mouth, perhaps to threaten, perhaps to scream.

Thwip.

The senbon flew so fast it couldn't be seen. Only felt. A whisper through flesh.

Gato reeled back with a screech, clutching his ear as blood trickled between his fingers. "Y-You little!"

His guards reached for their blades, but they didn't even see Haku move. In a blink, he was standing, needles already pressed to their necks. "Don't," he whispered.

They didn't.

The silence was only broken by the ragged breathing of Zabuza, and Gato's whimpering curses.

"Enough." Zabuza's chakra spilled into the room like a flood of oil and steel, thick and suffocating. The temperature dropped as killing intent poured from the battered shinobi like smoke from a furnace.

The guards couldn't move. Gato trembled, his back pressed to the stone wall, eyes darting in wild panic.

"I'm trying to rest," Zabuza growled. "If you've got nothing worth my time, leave."

"Zabuza, perhaps… if you're still recovering," Gato rasped, voice tight with swallowed rage, "your assistant could handle this? Find out who did it. Who killed all my men."

Zabuza blinked slowly, his face unreadable. "Are you going to pay Haku for that?"

"I already paid you."

"You paid me," Zabuza muttered, "to kill a bridge builder. Not play detective. Not clean up your mess."

"But what if the ones protecting the bridge builder were behind it?" Gato pushed, lips curling. "Wouldn't that make it your business again?"

"I doubt a major village would allow their shinobi to go off script like that. Too many political strings." Zabuza turned his face to the wall, dismissive. "Even if they did… the job was the bridge builder. Nothing else. Anything extra will cost."

A beat of silence passed. Gato gritted his teeth.

"How much to make an example of some of the locals?" he asked. "You know. Remind the filth who owns them."

Zabuza snorted, almost amused. "One hundred thousand ryo."

"What?" Gato barked. "It's just a few civilians!"

"Exactly," Zabuza said, voice calm. "And if the shinobi on the bridge catch wind of it, they'll intervene. And you'll want me alive enough to stop them." His eyes slid half open again. "So… hazard pay."

Gato's jaw flexed, fists clenching until the scabs on his ear split anew. But he said nothing. Not under that gaze. Not in this room.

Without another word, he turned and stormed out, his footsteps heavy on the stone. His guards, Zōri and Waraji, scurried after him, careful not to meet Zabuza's eye. Only when the door had slammed behind them did Gato spit, voice trembling with fury.

"One hundred thousand for some worthless peasants?! That bastard... he's milking me dry."

Zōri glanced at his partner, unsure whether to speak. Gato didn't notice. He kept walking, boots crunching over gravel and grass, his shadow dragging long behind him as the sun dipped low.

"They think this Archer of Providence is their savior?" he muttered. "They think some masked little rat can kill a few thugs and suddenly they're free? I built their fear with blood and coin. I own them."

He stopped at the edge of the bluff, the wind pulling at his jacket. Below, the ocean churned, hungry and black.

"They want hope?" he hissed. "Fine. I'll gut their hope and hang it from the mast."

Zōri swallowed. "Sir?"

"Prepare my warship," Gato said, his voice thin and cold as wire. He turned, smile crooked and gleaming with rot. "It's time the people of the Wave remembered who their god really is."

Behind him, the wind howled. And somewhere, far away, the people celebrated a masked shadow who they believed had come to save them. They didn't know that the devil had just decided to come ashore.

---

Author Note:

Whew… this chapter was a monster to write, but one I'm really proud of. I hope you guys enjoyed the mix of blood, tension, character growth, and emotional quiet. Let's dive into some behind-the-scenes and then I want to hear your thoughts because this chapter sets up a lot of future developments.

---

1 - Naruto's Mentality

I know one of the big questions going into this chapter was: how does Naruto feel about killing so many people?
And the answer is… he doesn't. Not in the way you'd expect.
His time in Lordran changed him. Death isn't scary anymore. It's just a mechanic. A number. A system message. That's what happens when you spend months in a world where you can die twenty times a day and come back each time.

He still cares. Deeply. But his care is selective now — Oscar, Team 7, Hinata, Inari, Kakashi — they matter.
But random thugs? They're not people to him. They're just obstacles.
Is that strength… or is that damage?

Let me know what you think. Is Naruto justified? Or did he go too far?

---

2 - The Gun (Yes, that flintlock)

I knew this was gonna be a hot topic.
So here's my take:

Kishimoto didn't include guns because of the ninja aesthetic, and I 100% respect that. But let's not pretend Naruto doesn't have technology: we've seen radios, speakers, TVs, and even computers.

So yeah, I added a flintlock pistol — not an Uzi, not a Glock — just a single-shot, primitive weapon that could kill a shinobi if their guard was down. Think of it as a tool for civilian equalization. No chakra? No bloodline? No jutsu? You still might have one shot.

And yes, Naruto does keep the pistol. You'll see why later.

---

3 - Hinata's Fearful Kindness

This chapter begins Hinata's arc.
You know how everyone always says Hinata is "kind"? That she's soft, sweet, quiet? But we never really see why.

So here, I made it clear: Her passivity is born from fear, not kindness. She's terrified of what she'll become if she pushes back. Of becoming like her father. Of hurting someone and not being able to take it back. She kneels, not because she's weak, but because she thinks that's what peace requires. And Naruto? Naruto is the first person to look her in the eye and say: "Then heal. But stop letting the world walk all over you."

It's a slow start, but trust me… Hinata's going to grow. And she'll grow fierce.

---

4 - Sasuke and the Truth of the Massacre

This is a small moment in the chapter… but it's the start of something big.
Sasuke's always carried the trauma of the Uchiha Massacre… but this is the first time someone outside hints that maybe… just maybe… things aren't what they seem.

Naruto's vague comment about Shisui? That wasn't nothing. That was a seed.
And Sasuke felt it.
He doesn't know what it means yet, but this chapter is the beginning of his slow confrontation with the real truth — a truth that will change everything.

---

5 - Kakashi Seeing Naruto's Values

Kakashi had a lot of subtle moments here.

• He lies to protect Naruto.
• He watches Naruto casually call being a ninja a "hobby."
• He starts realizing that Naruto's loyalty isn't to Konoha, it's to Oscar.
  And that scares him.

Why? Because Kakashi knows what happens when loyalty slips. He's seen it before. In Obito. In Itachi. In himself.

But here's the thing:
Naruto isn't breaking away out of hate.
He's breaking away because Oscar gave him something the village never did — kindness without cost.
Naruto fights not for orders, but for people. And that's something Kakashi's going to have to come to terms with.

---

6 - The Mask and the Myth

Let's talk about the Archer of Providence.

This isn't a throwaway name. This isn't a one-off moment. This is the start of a legacy.

Naruto didn't just kill a gang.
He became a symbol.
And symbols change nations.

You think the Wave reacting with joy was cool?
Wait till you see how the other villages react.
Wait till you see what this means to the Daimyo.
Wait till you see what it inspires in other genin, civilians, revolutionaries, and criminals.

The mask is staying.
And the myth is only going to grow.

---

7 - The Setup (and the Payoff Coming Soon)

This chapter was packed with setup. And I can't wait for you guys to see where it's all headed.

• Gato's role as a villain.
• Hinata's growth?
• Sasuke's questioning of the Uchiha truth?
• Naruto's legacy and place in the shinobi world? Being rewritten with every step.

I really hope you're as hyped as I am for what comes next.
Let me know:

• What hit you hardest this chapter?
• Did the moment with Inari and Naruto feel earned?
• Are you team "Naruto was justified" or "Naruto went too far"?
• What do you think the Archer of Providence really means to the world?

That's it for now!

As always, I appreciate you all taking the time to read, comment, and just come along for the ride.
And if you can't wait for the next update, the next chapter drops on April 20th! You can read ahead to Chapter 86 on Patreon.

Thank you all for your support—you make writing this story such an incredible journey!
As always, thanks for reading.

—Adam (P.S. Oscar says hi. He also demands more broken swords.)

Chapter no.38 No Promises, Only Purpose

---

Sakura adjusted the straps of her kunai pouch as she stepped onto the sun-warmed wooden pier behind Tsunami. The scent of salt and citrus clung to her skin. The air was… lighter today. Less like grief and more like the pause before laughter. The Wave felt different. It breathed.

"I'll keep watch," Sakura said, stepping just behind Tsunami, who was tying a shawl around her shoulders. "But don't rush, okay? Take your time."

"I've walked this road since I was a child. Hard to believe we're safe enough now for it to feel like just… a morning errand again."

They walked in silence for a moment. The wooden homes rose along the river, blue-tiled roofs glinting in the sun. The occasional fishing boat drifted under the wooden bridges connecting the two sides of the village. The air was thick with movement… shouting vendors, wagons of produce, the low buzz of conversations.

Sakura kept an eye on the rooftops and the riverbanks, but she wasn't tense. Not today. She could feel it in the way the people walked, how their shoulders weren't hunched like they were expecting a knife in the dark. No. They were upright. Talking. Laughing. Living.

Maybe the dead could rest now.

"I still can't believe he did it," Sakura murmured under her breath.

"Hmm?"

"Nothing." Sakura smiled to herself. "Just… thinking."

They reached the edge of the market, and Sakura slowed as she took in the scene.

The square was alive. Crowded, chaotic, vibrant. Tables lined with cloth and crates stretched across the street. Former prostitutes stood at the front, organized and alert, handing out food with practiced calm. One of them stood at the center, red hair tied back, her sleeves rolled up and sweat streaking down her temples.

"Who's that?" Sakura asked, nodding toward the redhead.

Tsunami shook her head. "No idea."

They got in line. It wrapped around a collection of stone and wood warehouses near the river. Someone had painted crude signs for flour, rice, dried fish. Kids played in puddles nearby, their sticks and strings becoming bows in imaginary battles. It reminded Sakura of Konoha on a festival day, if you stripped away the lanterns and added trauma.

She watched the people.

One woman had a black eye and a baby on her hip. A man with a missing leg was cracking jokes in line, drawing laughter from nearby workers. Another woman nervously accepted a sack of barley, then bowed before hurrying off.

She felt warmth swell in her chest. This is what you did, Naruto.

They reached the front just as the last sack of food was lifted from a crate.

"You're new."

"Tsunami," the woman replied. "My father's the bridge builder."

Red nodded. "Ah. Looks like the daughter of the hero lucked out with this last batch."

Tsunami held the bag of rice with both hands but didn't move. "Where's it from?" she asked. "All this food… the organization. These people."

Red's mouth twitched into a knowing smile. "The Archer," she said.

Sakura stood behind Tsunami, silent, letting the words pass over her.

"The Archer of Providence?"

"That's the name we gave him. The Archer of Providence. I wonder what he thinks of it." She smirked. "Hope he likes it. I love it."

Sakura sweatdropped, recalling Naruto's deadpan groan when he first heard the title: Providence? Really? I don't even use a bow. Should've gone with Knight of the Wave…

"Doesn't really matter who he is. What matters is what he did. Told us to distribute what the gangs were hoarding. Just like that." She gestured to the square, full of people waiting patiently. "Word got out. Everyone showed up. Some from the other villages."

After a pause, Sakura asked quietly, "What about the other gangs? They had food too, didn't they?"

"From what I've heard?" Red exhaled, voice low. "The north went feral. The moment the gangs vanished, the villagers stormed the warehouses. They didn't just take the food… they tore the buildings down. Set fire to the boss's home. Dragged his family through the streets."

Sakura's stomach turned.

"In the east," Red went on, "they were more organized. Lined up at dawn. Took what they needed. Left the rest. Something about not wanting to disappoint the Archer since one woman claimed she saw him walk across the water." She shrugged. "I don't know about the south. Heard stories. Prayers. Some said they found his arrows in the mud, pointed toward the food."

The words settled between them like dust.

Even with the gangs gone, the weight of the past hung thick in the air. You could burn the weeds, but roots ran deep. Hope mingled with fear.

Tsunami finally spoke. "Order doesn't come easy. Especially after chaos."

Red didn't disagree. She just nodded, eyes distant. "We were taught to survive, not rebuild."

"But now?" Sakura asked softly.

Red looked up. "Now we have to learn. Fast." She didn't say it with fear. She said it like a promise.

But the devil doesn't fulfill his promises.

It began as a low groan across the water. An unnatural, grinding cough that vibrated through the bones, like thunder wrapped in metal. Then came the crack. A deep, retching roar that split the sky in half. The tallest building in the village shuddered. For a heartbeat, it held. Proud, jagged, weather-beaten and then it exploded.

Wood splintered like glass. Stone shattered. The upper floors twisted and tore away in a cloud of fire and debris before toppling into the river with a sound like the world collapsing.

People screamed.

Some ran. Others froze. A child tripped, crying for their mother. A man dropped to his knees, arms over his head. The building hit the water with a seismic splash, a wave surging outward as wooden shards rained from the sky.

Sakura turned toward the river's end and saw it.

A warship.

Gray, ugly, and monstrous. It moved with brutal purpose, slicing up the river like a hunter on the scent. Its cannon bays glinted. Another shot fired. This one crashed through a row of homes on the south bank. She saw the cannon turrets begin to shift, swiveling. They locked on her.

No… on the crowd behind her.

Her body moved on instinct. Sakura flung her kunai wide, chakra threads snapping from her fingertips, embedding metal into the ground as she formed a crude arc. Her hands blurred into seals. A barrier shimmered into existence before the crowd. A translucent wall of hardened chakra, pulsing faintly like a heartbeat.

But it wasn't enough.

The cannon fired.

It screamed as it flew. A deep, grinding roar that felt like it clawed through the air itself. Angry. Hungry. Sakura felt it. Through her barrier, through her chest, into her bones. Her legs buckled. Her skin blistered beneath her clothes.

Now.

With a scream she couldn't release, she slammed her hands together. The emergency fuinjutsu burned to life. Symbols across her arms, chest, and neck lit up in rapid sequence, igniting chakra reserves laced deep in her body.

It felt like someone had poured fire into her veins. Her back arched. Her teeth clenched. The pain was blinding. But then… stillness.

Genjutsu, she whispered. Tranquil Bloom.

The D-rank genjutsu spread over her like a balm. A fragile trick. A soft lie. It slowed her perception, numbed the pain. Bought her time.

The barrier flared again. This time into a dome. Dense. Bright. Blooming with defiance. The fire came like a tidal wave.

It smashed into the dome. A blast of heat and pressure that turned the world white. The air roared with a sound like screaming metal. Sakura's barrier held… but barely. The chakra warped. Cracks spidered across the dome's surface.

Then silence.

Sakura dropped.

Her knees hit the ground. She couldn't feel them. Her hands twitched like broken clockwork. Her lungs could only take in half-breaths, each one a knife in her ribs. It bloomed across her body like acid. Her arms felt flayed, her shoulders raw. Her back felt like it was still burning.

The smell hit her. Burned cloth. Burned hair. Her own burned flesh.

She choked on bile. She forced it down. Her vision swam. The genjutsu's fading, she thought. She glanced at her right arm. What she saw wasn't skin. It was red. Blistered. Peeling like old bark. Each second brought a new jolt… agony riding lightning up her spine.

Her teeth sank into her tongue. She tasted blood. Her chakra was gone. Her body was locking up. Her mind… a haze of pain and silence.

Am I dying? …No.

Because she could hear them. Behind her.

A child sobbing.

A woman shouting names.

A man calling out orders.

A baby screaming.

They were alive because she stood. Because she didn't run. Even as her body fell apart, Sakura Haruno was still standing between them and death. Yet Sakura knew, as the ship crept closer, the next cannon already rumbling in its chamber, that more would die. A lot more. She would die.

And what could she do?

She wasn't a monster like her sensei. She wasn't a prodigy like her teammates. A shinobi still learning how to survive… how to matter. A cog in the machine, doing her best.

The pain had dulled, but the reality had not. She couldn't hold another barrier alone.

So she did the only thing she could. With the last threads of her chakra control, she cast a genjutsu. Soft, brief, harmless. Like a whisper in the wind. Only one person in the crowd was still standing. The red-haired woman. Her sleeves were scorched. Her skin flaked where it had burned.

But her wounds… they were healing. Fast.

Sakura locked eyes with her.

In the genjutsu's hush, she spoke. "I don't have much chakra left. I'll make one more barrier. That should buy you enough time to help the people run away."

"If it's chakra you need," Red said, "I can give it to you."

Before Sakura could protest, before she could beg her not to, Red stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder. The touch was grounding and then Sakura felt it. Chakra. Dense. Not flowing like water, but honey. Thick. Potent. Raw. It didn't wash over the seals. It sank into them. Into her skin. Into her bones. Her fuinjutsu lit up like wildfire.

"How?" Sakura rasped.

"I don't know," Red answered. "I was born with it. Some shinobi once paid for a night… said I had more chakra than most chūnin. Just out of curiosity, he showed me how to channel it. I never learned to fight, but if you can use it, then take all of it."

Sakura's throat closed. She couldn't speak. So she didn't. She closed her eyes, focused… and then wove.

The chakra surged through her seals, through her scars, through every screaming inch of her body. And from that pain, she forced it into shape. A final wall. Massive. Luminous. A great rose-gold barricade that spread wide in front of the crowd, sealing them off like a shield from the heavens.

The next cannonball hit.

The wall held. Screams turned to gasps. Then to silence. Then to hope.

The warship paused. Its turret swiveled. It targeted the wall.

Another shot.

The barrier shook… but it endured.

Sakura's knees buckled again. Red gritted her teeth and pushed. Sweat rolled down her temple. Her hand on Sakura's shoulder trembled, but she didn't move. She didn't pull away.

She gave everything.

Tsunami, watching from the side, felt her breath leave her chest from awe.

Two women stood between death and dozens of innocents. One with no chakra left. The other with no training, no clan, no right to stand at the front of anything.

But still… they stood.

Tsunami watched, breath caught in her throat, as the barrier flared again, cracks blooming along its surface like veins of light. Red's legs were shaking. Sakura's skin looked half-melted. And still they held. Still they stood.

And then, like an echo from a life she no longer lived, her husband's voice came to her unbidden, but clear. Do I need some grand reason to stand in front of evil?

No.

No, he hadn't. He never did. He stood because someone had to. And now, watching these two women—burned, broken, dying—Tsunami felt something inside her shift.

Not like healing.

Not like forgiveness.

But like remembering what it meant to try. To stand. To fight. Even if you weren't the strongest. Even if you'd already lost too much. Because sometimes, that was the only way anything ever changed.

---

[ A Few Minutes Ago ]

Naruto stood outside the house, crossbow raised, squinting down its sight. Inari stood several paces away, an apple perched nervously on his head.

"I-I don't know about this, big brother," Inari whimpered.

Naruto didn't lower the weapon. "Didn't you want to see the skills of the Archer of Providence?"

"I was hoping to see what kind of bow you used," Inari muttered. "Not... this!"

Naruto sighed. "My right hand doesn't work. This is the next best thing."

He didn't even know how to properly fire a longbow. Crossbows were easier. Point and squeeze. But he also didn't want to disappoint the kid who looked at him like a living legend. Damn whoever gave me that title, he thought.

BOOM.

Naruto's eyes sharpened. The bow was forgotten. He turned toward the coast, leapt onto the nearest rooftop, and pulled out a pair of binoculars. "...A ship?"

It loomed at the far end of the river, struggling to squeeze between the village's natural bends. Its hull creaked from the pressure of its own weight, groaning like it knew it didn't belong in these narrow waters. Too big. Too heavy. Too armed.

Another thunderous BOOM.

By the time Naruto landed, Team 7 and Team 8 were storming out of the house.

"What the hell was that?" Kiba barked, Akamaru growling at his feet.

Naruto pointed to the horizon. "Cannon fire. There's a warship crawling up the river. Big one. Headed straight for the market."

"That's Gato's," Tazuna explained grimly. "He owns half the shipping lanes in this region. That ship used to belong to the Daimyo's navy. Gato bought it when the government started selling off assets. He used it to bulldoze through our waters, sink resistance boats, and smash trade blockades when Wave tried to push back against his monopoly."

"And now," Naruto growled, eyes narrowing, "he's using it to break the people."

The others turned to him.

"Gato's got no men left to control the country," Naruto said. "So he does the next best thing. Make the people feel powerless again."

"And that village," Kakashi muttered, "probably has the most people gathered in one place. A tragedy that big... but why bring the ship so close? Why not shell from a distance?"

"Doesn't matter," Sasuke cut in, voice sharp. "Sakura and Tsunami-san are there."

Inari gasped. "Mom?!"

Tazuna held his grandson tightly, his face pale. "We have to do something!"

"We are," Kakashi said immediately. "Naruto, Sasuke. We move now. Team 8, stay behind and protect Tazuna and Inari."

Inari's lip trembled. "Big brother... please... my mom..."

Naruto knelt beside him, resting a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Don't cry. I'm going to bring her back safe and sound." He gave a grin, thin but real. "You protect Oscar. I'll protect your mom."

Inari sniffed, nodding hard. "O-okay. Okay."

Tazuna frowned. "Shouldn't you take the other team, too?"

Kurenai stepped forward, her tone calm but steely. "We don't know if this is just a distraction. Gato might try to kill you while the Leaf's attention is elsewhere."

Kiba clicked his tongue, frustrated. Hinata looked down, fists clenched. Shino remained quiet, but the air around him buzzed with restrained tension. Orders were orders.

Naruto turned to his team. "I've been to the market with Tsunami-san before. I know the layout. I've got a plan."

Kakashi and Sasuke nodded without hesitation.

"Then let's move," Kakashi said. In a blur of leaves and dust, Team 7 vanished into the trees.

---

Sasuke and Kakashi flickered into the market just as another cannonball shattered against the radiant shell of Sakura's barrier. The sky thundered, fire bloomed, and debris scattered like ash in the wind. Below, villagers were fleeing. Mothers clutched their children. Elders limped over broken planks. Men dragged the wounded.

Kakashi didn't hesitate. Hands blurred into signs.

"Lightning Release: False Darkness."

From his mouth, a lance of lightning exploded forward. It speared a cannonball midair, detonating it harmlessly in the sky. Another flick of his fingers. Another flash of destruction. He began sniping the cannonballs one by one, threading lightning through smoke and flame with surgical precision.

Sasuke bolted toward the center of the impact zone. He landed near the collapsed barrier—cracked, flickering, and smoking. Sakura lay behind it, so close to death. Red knelt beside her, one hand resting on Sakura's shoulder. The faint glow of chakra was still passing between them.

Red looked up with a weak grin. "So. You're the reinforcements, huh? Bit late, but I guess we all are sometimes."

Sasuke's Sharingan activated instinctively. He could see it… her chakra burning out like the last ember of a dying fire, barely enough to keep her upright.

"She's strong," Red rasped without turning. "Didn't scream once. Just stood there while the sky tried to fall. I felt her slipping… so I gave her what I had."

"You're dying."

Red coughed, but smiled. "Feels like it. Though funny... this is the first time I've ever felt like I was doing something right."

"You saved her. You saved a lot of people."

"Then maybe… maybe I wasn't just a warm body after all."

Her hand slid off Sakura's shoulder. She collapsed to her side with a groan. Sasuke moved forward, caught her head before it hit the ground. He knew she didn't have long. "One last thing," she whispered. "Can you tell the Archer something for me?"

Sasuke nodded.

"I gave him the name. Thought people needed something… a myth to believe in. A little fear in the hearts of the monsters. I just wanted to know… what does he think of it?"

Sasuke glanced down, his Sharingan fading slightly. "He's never used a bow in his life."

There was a pause.

Then Red let out a hoarse, wheezing laugh. "Heh. Figures. That's so stupid it's perfect."

"He'll get over it," Sasuke said quietly.

"What's his name?" she asked, voice slurring.

"...Naruto Uzumaki."

Red turned her face toward the sky, eyes half-lidded. Her lips curved. "Uzumaki, huh... maybe in another life." Her eyes slipped shut. The smile lingered.

Sasuke watched her chest rise once. Then still. "Thank you." He turned back to Sakura, pouring chakra into her fading coils.

---

While Kakashi destroyed the cannonballs in midair with laser-precision bolts of lightning, and Sasuke worked furiously to stabilize Sakura, Naruto erupted from the water in a spray of mist and blood. He landed on the deck of the warship with a thud that echoed across the river. His Zweihander was already swinging.

The blade cleaved through the panicked crew with terrible ease, but Naruto's eyes narrowed.

There was no fight in them. These weren't mercenaries or soldiers. They were men in their late fifties, gaunt, ragged, some barely holding onto the ropes and rigging. They looked more like former fishermen than warriors pressed into service.

Naruto's stomach twisted.

He didn't stop. He couldn't afford to. Not with what was coming. Boots slamming on metal, he dropped into the underdeck. There, in the ship's control room, a balding man stood trembling beside a console covered in switches and a long-range communication device crackling with static. A voice buzzed through it. Cold. Dismissive. "So, you made it to the drop-off point. Guess it's time to use the explosives."

The trembling man's eyes widened. "We had a deal, Gato! You said you'd..."

"I don't deal with dead men." Click.

Naruto stepped into the room like a storm contained in flesh. His Zweihander pressed against the man's neck, almost lazily. "Tell me what he's planning. Now."

The man swallowed hard, sweat pouring from his brow. "You're too late. The whole ship's cargo is nothing but thousands of explosive tags that will destroy this entire village. It doesn't matter. Nothing matters anymore."

Naruto's expression darkened.

His hand dropped to the Drake Sword.

Without another word, he swapped weapons and slashed upward, blasting open the ceiling of the ship, daylight pouring in. Grabbing the man and the device, he shot upward with a roar, chakra flooding his vocal cords as he bellowed across the sky: "Explosives in the ship!"

Kakashi moved in an instant, hands weaving with frightening precision.

"Water Release: Water Formation Pillar!"

The river roared to life.

Water spiraled upward, wrapping the warship in a dense circular wall—a curved, rising barricade of compressed liquid force, shielding the shores and the fleeing villagers behind it.

Mid-air, Naruto twisted, eyes glowing with fury. He could feel the unstable chakra within the ship, ready to blow.

Naruto had learned something strange about the drake sword during his time in Lordran.

When infused with wind chakra, the sword cut with a near-invisible arc, launching blades of compressed air. But when channeled with pure chakra, something different happened. As Naruto brought the sword down with both hands, the air around it warped. Instead, a sound like a cracking stone echoed through the sky. A ripple tore through the atmosphere, visible only in the distortion it left behind, like glass breaking under pressure.

Then came the explosion. But it hit the downward shockwave like a bird slamming into stone. The blast flattened, compressed, redirected.

The ship's hull shattered downward, the detonation forced into the water barrier Kakashi had summoned.

A geyser of steam erupted—white and deafening—but not flame. The water wall held, and as the explosive force hit the river, it rippled like an ocean quake, displacing the waves with thunderous restraint.

The ash was still falling.

Kakashi stood amidst the settling haze, one arm shielding his eye as he surveyed the battered remains of the market district. The shockwave had torn through rows of buildings like paper. Wooden stalls lay flattened. Rooftops caved in. One building still hissed as heat warped the stone foundation, its skeleton glowing faintly red beneath the choking steam. The river ran thick with char, carrying pieces of shattered wood and ash downstream.

We stopped it, he thought. But not without cost.

He didn't wait.

His hands moved on instinct—signs sharp despite the trembling in his fingers. "Lightning Style: Induced Thunderstorm."

A bolt snapped upward from his palm, splitting the clouds above with a deafening crack. Superheated pressure fractured the upper air as columns of smoke rose to meet the sky. Moisture, drawn and bound by the ash in the air, condensed all at once.

Within moments, it began to rain. Hard. Cold.

The fires hissed in retreat. Steam bloomed in ghostly sheets as the flames surrendered to the storm. Kakashi staggered. He caught himself, pressing one palm against a charred wooden post. His chakra reserves were bottomed out, and his muscles screamed for rest.

In a blur of movement. A splash of water naruto, landing beside him in a crouch. Over his shoulder was a man shaking violently. Kakashi gave the figure a glance but said nothing. Neither did Naruto. The boy's mouth was set in a grim line.

Then came footsteps. Running.

Sasuke blurred into view, soaked, wild-eyed, and cradling something. No… someone.

Kakashi's heart sank.

Sakura.

Her body looked like it had been dragged through the heart of a forge. Limbs limp. Skin blistered and peeling in places, raw in others. Her clothes had melted to her, a grotesque patchwork of cloth and flesh. Her lips were cracked. Her eyes fluttered.

Kakashi couldn't breathe for a second. "Where's the Estus?" he asked sharply, turning to Naruto.

Naruto hesitated. "I… I used the last one."

Sasuke's Sharingan flared, jaw tightening. "Then make more!"

"I can't. Not right now," Naruto said, his voice low, pained.

Sasuke stepped forward, anger about to spill from his mouth, but Kakashi stopped him with a hand to the shoulder.

"Control yourself," Kakashi said softly. "The Estus was the shortcut. If it's gone, then we stabilize her the traditional way."

Green chakra bloomed from his palms as he pressed them gently to Sakura's side. It wasn't fast, but it was something.

Naruto watched for a second, then reached into his pouch. When he opened his hand, Kakashi blinked and stepped back without realizing it.

There was something in Naruto's palm.

Something wrong.

A speck of complete darkness. Not black… more than black. It had no shine. No texture. No reflection. His Sharingan couldn't find the edges of it. It swallowed light and returned nothing. Like a wound torn in reality.

"What the hell is that?" Kakashi asked.

"This is humanity. I don't exactly know what it is, but it heals much better than an Estus," Naruto said.

The words alone should have felt absurd. But neither Kakashi nor Sasuke could muster a response. The Estus was already borderline mythical in its ability. For Naruto to say something surpassed it—and with such careless calm—left them stunned.

Sasuke, still cradling Sakura, pushed her gently between them. Her breathing was shallow. Skin still weeping from the burns. He didn't ask questions. He just trusted.

Naruto crushed the black fragment between his fingers.

It didn't crack.

It bled.

A thick, ink-like substance spilled out toward Sakura, as if drawn to her wounds. It clung to her burned skin like oil to cloth, sinking into the charred flesh.

And then… her skin twitched.

Bubbles rose. Not of pus, but of something cleansing. The blackened outer layers sloughed off like old scales, revealing angry red muscle beneath, and beneath even that, new skin began to form. Not perfect. Not instant. But alive. Veins reconnected. Tissue knitted. Her breathing deepened. Her fingers, curled into spasms a moment ago, uncurled slightly.

Sasuke and Kakashi stared as specks of black—tiny motes, smaller than dust—began to flicker across her chakra network, like fireflies behind glass. Neither of them had ever seen anything like it.

Naruto stood up, face expressionless. "Take her to Kurenai-sensei just to be sure."

Sasuke nodded and, without a word, flickered away.

---

Sasuke arrived in a gust of wind and leaves, the scent of sea and blood thick in the air. The area around the house was swarmed—bandits with rusted blades and desperate eyes, surrounding the structure like vultures.

Team 8 held the line with grit carved into every motion.

Hinata moved like water, her Byakugan flaring as she slipped between enemies, her fingertips glowing with chakra. She struck with purpose. One hit to the ribs, another to the neck—dropping attackers with surgical precision. Her breath came hard, but her focus never wavered.

Kiba was pure aggression, claws slashing through the air as he ducked low, launching into a spin with Akamaru beside him. "Fang Over Fang!" he shouted.

Two more bandits were sent flying, their weapons shattered, their bodies crashing into trees.

Shino stood at the center, calm as a storm. His cloak twitched and then erupted. A dark swarm of kikaichu poured out, latching onto blades, faces, throats. Bandits screamed, collapsing mid-sprint as their chakra was drained dry.

Then a glint. A sword raised high. A bandit charging from the rear, aiming to break the defense.

Sasuke appeared before him in a blur of motion. His heel struck the man's jaw in a clean tornado kick, snapping the neck on impact. The body crumpled, lifeless, never knowing what hit it.

"Sensei. Please," Sasuke said, voice tight. "Check her condition. She just went through severe burns."

"Judging by her state, Naruto healed her."

"He did. But he's not sure it's stable."

Kurenai didn't argue. She just stabbed a kunai backward into a charging enemy's throat, never breaking eye contact with Sasuke. "I understand."

"I'll take your place," Sasuke said, Sharingan already narrowing on the bandits. "This won't take long."

Kurenai flickered away with Sakura, disappearing into the treeline.

Sasuke turned. One of the bandits screamed and ran. Sasuke drew a nodachi from a corpse's hand, spinning it once in his grip. His stance shifted. High guard. Exactly like Naruto's.

Lightning chakra danced up the blade as Sasuke lunged. In a blur of steel and sparks, bandits fell one by one.

It was a sight Team 8 would never forget.

---

Meanwhile, Naruto explained the situation to Kakashi, showing him the small, curved receiver the man had been carrying—a portable short-wave radio, slick with sweat and rain.

"I didn't think Gato's men were using tech like this," Naruto muttered, turning the device over in his palm. "He's more prepared than I thought."

Then it crackled and a voice poured through the speaker. "Still breathing, are we?"

The man beside Naruto froze, lips pale. "Gato sama…"

Naruto's fingers clenched around the receiver. "I saved him, you bastard."

A pause. Then came the laugh—calm, indulgent, almost bored. "Saved him?" Gato said. "Saved a man who willingly boarded a ship packed with explosives? You must be new to this world. Or stupid."

"I'm neither," Naruto said flatly. "Just angry."

"Mmm... how dramatic," Gato mused. "Let me guess. One of those little Konoha heroes, here to teach us a lesson?"

Naruto didn't answer.

"You want to kill me, don't you?" Gato's voice dropped an octave. "I can feel it. That trembling in your breath. That little growl in your chest. You won't be the first, and certainly won't be the last."

"Is that why you planted the explosives on that ship for us?"

"Of course I did," Gato replied, casual. "Do you think I'd waste my precious warships on some civilians? The warship was to bait you out. You die to the explosives while my men kill that damn bridge builder."

"You're sick."

"Don't flatter me. I'm just... efficient. You shinobi waste so much effort pretending you're different. But when push comes to shove, we all use the same coin—fear and blood. I'm just better at the math."

The man, trembling beside Naruto, finally found his voice.

"What about me?" he stammered. "And my family?!"

Gato's voice didn't change. Not even a flicker of pity. "Your family? Mm... I remember now. Sweet little daughter, wasn't it? Don't worry. You'll see her again... if you make yourself useful."

"You promised you wouldn't!"

"And that's the problem with promises," Gato cut in. "They're for people who can afford to believe in them. You want your family? Then run. North dock. Supply ship. Deliver my message to the shinobi villages. If you're fast, maybe there's still someone left to save."

The line crackled again. Then paused. "Oh, and one more thing."

Naruto's eyes narrowed.

"Tell your little savior there," Gato continued, mockery thick in his tone, "that I had the rest of the crew's families killed as soon as the ship launched. Just in case they got any ideas about being heroes."

Naruto didn't say anything. His jaw tightened. His knuckles went white. "You killed them all…"

"Naturally. You think control comes from words and paychecks? It comes from certainty. If you defy me, everyone you love dies screaming. If you obey me, they might not. It's simple. And it works."

"You're not a man," Naruto muttered. "You're rot wearing a suit."

"And what are you, boy?" Gato's voice dropped lower. "You think I didn't hear what happened? You tore through that crew like they were straw dolls. Most of them couldn't even lift a sword properly. Just scared old men. But you killed them. Efficiently. Brutally."

"I did what I had to."

"Exactly. Just like me." The voice was silk now. Persuasive. "Don't delude yourself. You and I... we're not opposites. We're reflections. You just haven't realized it yet."

Naruto's breath hissed out. "I'll find you," he said coldly. "And when I do, I'll show you what a real monster looks like."

A beat of silence.

Then Gato chuckled. "I hope you do, boy," he said, like a man savoring the promise of blood. "I do love watching heroes break."

Click.

The line went dead.

---

"Naruto, are you okay?" Kakashi asked, voice quiet beneath the soft hiss of rain.

"Yeah," Naruto replied, a little confused. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Most people don't react this calm after realizing they've killed innocent people."

"You mean the men Gato forced onto the ship?" Naruto asked. His tone didn't change. Just a simple question.

When Kakashi gave a small nod, Naruto shrugged. "I guess I'm frustrated I only found out after the fact," he said, glancing at the scorched remains of the warship. "That I could only save one guy."

"But…?" Kakashi prompted, waiting for the emotional weight to follow.

"But nothing. That's it. I don't feel guilty about killing them."

"...Is that okay?" Kakashi asked softly. "Not feeling guilty?"

Naruto didn't answer right away. When he did, his voice was level. Thoughtful, but without remorse.

"The gang members I killed... they had families too. I heard it a lot... Please, I have a child, or my wife's waiting for me... all of that. And while I walked from one hideout to the next, I thought about it. Does having a reason make a bad thing okay?"

He paused.

"And the answer is no. A bad thing's still a bad thing, no matter the reason. Those men chose to hurt someone else's child, someone else's mother. So I did what I had to."

Kakashi nodded slowly. It was the right answer—logical, pragmatic. But that was the problem. Human beings didn't always run on logic. They ran on guilt. On fear. On heart. And Naruto… Naruto was beginning to sound like someone who'd burned those things away to survive. "But that's different."

"I know. That's why I said I'm frustrated I could only save one guy. But I don't feel guilty… because in that moment, I did what I thought was right."

He glanced down at his hand, still slightly blackened from the humanity's use. "I was wrong. And now… all I can do is take responsibility."

"How?"

"Prepare," Naruto replied without hesitation. "Gato's going to retaliate. Probably ninjas from other villages. And we still have Zabuza to deal with. Plus... whoever's helping him."

"I was thinking the same thing," Kakashi said, but then added, "That's the future. What about the present?"

Naruto gave a small smile. "I'm going to help the people here. As the Archer."

"And Tsunami?" Kakashi asked.

Naruto nodded. "I'll find her. Make sure she's safe. Bring her home."

There was silence, then Kakashi gave a small chuckle and turned to leave. "I'll let the others know what happened. Try not to start a revolution while I'm gone."

Naruto smirked faintly. "No promises."

---

Naruto ran until the trees blurred past him, his lungs dragging in wet air. Then he stopped beneath a twisted oak, chest heaving, hand pressed to his inventory.

"Darksign," he muttered.

The world shuddered.

In a blink, he stood again at the edge of the bonfire. He didn't waste a second. Dropping to his knees, he pulled out his Estus flasks and began pressing them, one by one, into the flame. The fire licked at their mouths, golden liquid swirling like sunlight caught in glass.

One.

Two.

Three.

By the fifth flask, the fire dimmed. No longer a beacon—just a pale orange whisper, flickering weakly in the ash-stained stone. "Come on," Naruto hissed. Nothing. The flame didn't even twitch. He stood abruptly and stormed toward the forge. "Andre! The bonfire... it's fading. It only gave me five flasks before stopping. What happened?"

"Ah. Been away too long, lad. Bonfires grow cold when neglected. You'll need to kindle it."

Naruto narrowed his eyes. "Kindle?"

"Aye," Andre said with a nod. "Reverse your hollowing. Feed it a bit of humanity. That'll coax it back to life. You'll get ten flasks, maybe more if the flame's feelin' generous. But it takes time to recover between draws. Even fire has limits."

Naruto's fists clenched. "I don't have time."

Andre lowered his hammer, sensing something deeper in Naruto's voice, as Naruto explained everything that had happened and Naruto's grand plan.

When Naruto finished, the only sound was the hiss of the forge behind them. Andre finally exhaled through his nose. "Then… dilute it."

Naruto blinked. "What?"

"Estus is lifeforce. Bottled heat. A living salve," Andre said. "Cut it with water. You'll lose potency, aye... but it'll still close wounds. Stop a burn from spreading. Keep someone from tipping over the edge."

Naruto felt something unclench in his chest. He gave a small, grateful nod. "Thanks, old man."

He turned to leave, but stopped. One question had been sitting in his throat since he left Sakura. "Andre… do you know what humanity is? Really?"

"Can't say for sure. But I met a scholar once. Strange fellow. Deep eyes, deeper thoughts. Said humanity was a shard. A splinter of the Dark Soul."

Naruto's forehead dampened. "The one the Furtive Pygmy held."

Andre nodded slowly. "That's the one."

A beat of silence passed.

Naruto's voice lowered. "Do you know what it does to someone… if they are already human?"

Andre shook his head. "Sorry, lad. That's beyond my forge."

Naruto's jaw tightened. He remembered what happened the last time two forces clashed inside a body—when pyromancy met chakra.

And now… Sakura.

Liquid humanity flowed through her. Through her veins. Through her chakra network.

He didn't know what it would do. What it could do. "I hope it's nothing," he muttered but the fear lingered.

---

Tsunami stood amidst a crowd that trickled like water into the heart of the broken village. The buildings were charred skeletons, the earth blackened and torn. People limped, leaned on one another, carried the wounded. Burned clothes, bandaged limbs, eyes still wide with the memory of fire. But they were alive.

Then came the sound.

Thwip.

An arrow fired into the sky, vanishing into the clouds which... turned gold a moment later as the arrow hit the Estus Flask.

A hush fell as golden rain began to descend. Light shimmered across the air like threads of silk catching sunlight. Tsunami blinked against it, then gasped. The burns on her hands—gone. The ache in her ribs—eased. A warmth unlike anything she'd known poured through her, foreign and familiar all at once. Around her, others cried out.

"It's the Archer."

"The Archer of Providence!"

She turned, heart hammering, and saw him. Standing tall atop a broken rooftop, silhouette framed in the shimmering haze. The same figure from whispers and rumor, now made real—brought forth by fire and fury, and now, healing rain.

Tsunami didn't know when it started, only that it was. The crowd began to kneel. Slowly, like a tide falling into place. Not in respect. Not in duty.

In reverence.

In worship.

Naruto stood above it all, watching them. Not with pride. Not with satisfaction. With confusion. He didn't want this. He'd come back only to do what he thought was right. Just like when he cut down the gangs. Just like when he destroyed the ship. Just like when he wanted to heal the injured.

But to the desperate, even a shadow can look like salvation.

He understood now why they gave him the name. The Archer of Providence. He was about to leave, but something in the distance caught his eye. A faint glimmer. The golden pulse of a soul drop.

Naruto leapt.

He landed beside a body—burned, motionless, surrounded by torn cloth and ash. The red-haired woman who had stood tall during chaos.

Red.

When he reached for the soul, the HUD bloomed before his eyes.

[ Soul of Hanaōgi Uzumaki acquired. ]

He didn't move.

Another Uzumaki. That close. That near. And now… gone. He didn't feel some sudden flood of grief... he hadn't known her. Not really. There were no memories to mourn, no bond to break. But something still twisted in his gut. A sharp, dull ache behind the ribs.

She was family. And he could've brought her back. To Konoha. To something more than this.

Maybe they could've started something, rebuilt a name that barely survived in whispers and birth records. Maybe she would've known more about the clan. The real history. The things he never had answers to growing up.

Shit… he thought, jaw tightening. I never even thought that far. Never stopped to wonder if others were still out there.

He glanced at the crowd still kneeling in the golden rain, eyes settling on the women grieving around Hanaōgi's body. It hit him then how selfish the thought had been. She didn't matter because she was an Uzumaki.

She mattered because she was someone to the people who truly knew her.

"How did she die?" Naruto asked, deepening his voice with chakra until it echoed across the ruined street.

One woman stepped forward. "She gave her chakra to the kunoichi from the Leaf. So she could make the barrier. So we could live."

Naruto nodded slowly.

Another voice called out, trembling. "Before she died… she said she wanted to know what you thought. About the name. The Archer of Providence."

Naruto paused, glancing over his shoulder. A long silence. The golden rain still fell. "…I like it."

Naruto was about to leave when he noticed the crowd had gathered around him. Dozens of eyes locked on him—some wide with awe, others brimming with the quiet weight of expectation. As he stepped forward, the people parted like water around stone. The silence that followed unnerved him more than their worship.

Then came the voice from a boy, maybe twelve. "Are you going to kill Gato?"

Naruto stopped mid-step. He glanced around, watching how the crowd leaned in, as if the answer would be a promise. As if it would rewrite their future. "I don't know," he said, and then threw the weight of the question back at them. "Maybe you should."

The boy blinked. "But… I'm just a kid."

Naruto turned his gaze to a nearby woman, her arms crossed over a mended shawl, clutching it like a shield. "What about you, then?" he asked. "You could do it if he can't."

She shook her head, almost ashamed. "I'm… not strong enough."

His eyes slid toward a cluster of men. But none of them met his gaze. They looked away. At the ground. The sky. Each other. Anywhere but at him.

Naruto scoffed. "Maybe I'll do it then," he muttered. "But I'm busy."

The silence that followed was different. Heavier. Like a weight settling on the crowd's shoulders. "You have the power to stop Gato!" someone shouted, desperate now.

"And you don't?"

No one replied.

He turned slowly, scanning the crowd. Anger simmering beneath the surface. "I saw a boy, half your age, sitting on a rooftop this morning with a slingshot in his hands, trying to protect the only family he has left. I didn't hear him say, But I'm just a kid. He just did it."

He jabbed a finger toward the woman.

"The woman who died behind you, she didn't say she was weak. She gave everything. Every drop of chakra in her body to protect people she barely knew. She didn't ask for thanks. She just acted."

He swept his hand across the crowd. "And the old man building your bridge? He knew Gato would come for him. He still works, knowing he might not live to see it finished. He dares anyway."

Still, they said nothing. Naruto turned, about to leave, thinking maybe—just maybe—he'd said enough to make them reflect. Maybe they'd understand. "It doesn't matter what you say. You're still going to stop Gato."

That did it.

Naruto's jaw clenched. His brow twitched. And without hesitation, he pulled out his crossbow in a single motion and fired. The bolt struck the speaker clean through the thigh. The man collapsed with a guttural scream, writhing in the mud. Panic rippled through the crowd as people stumbled back, eyes wide in horror and disbelief.

Naruto shot the man because their entitlement was the thing that enraged him more than anything else.

After all he had done, after the blood on his hands, after the weight of the decisions he couldn't take back, they still looked at him like he owed them something. As if he existed for them. As if the world would right itself if they just believed hard enough that someone stronger would come along to fix it.

The man's scream cut through the silence, and the crowd recoiled in horror. But Naruto didn't flinch. He didn't apologize. He didn't explain himself. Because what came next wasn't a justification.

It was a damnation.

His glare swept across the crowd like a blade. His voice rose, sharp with fury that had been simmering since the moment he first saw those broken, desperate eyes looking at him like a god.

"You're in pain. You've got two choices. Leave the arrow in and let the wound rot. Or pull it out, bleed, and survive."

He stood up, raising his voice.

"I have the power to heal him. Just like I might have the power to stop Gato. But ask yourselves... why should I? Why are you waiting for me to fix what you've let fester?"

He pointed to the crowd, sweeping his hand wide.

"You could've hired a shinobi yourselves. You could've organized. Pooled resources. You could've fought back. But you didn't."

His voice cracked through the silence like thunder.

"You let yourselves believe that evil rules by strength. That if you kneel low enough, the storm will pass over you. That if you bleed quietly, maybe the knife won't find your throat. You endure... but you do not live."

His breath misted in the cooling air.

"I've seen true monsters," he said, softer now. "I've fought them. I've been one. But the most dangerous thing in this world isn't hatred. It's the belief that you have no choice."

Naruto reached into his inventory and pulled out the Homeward Bone. Golden light flared beneath his feet. "But you do have a choice. Just don't wait for another me to make it for you."

And then he was gone… consumed by light… leaving behind a stunned crowd, and the echo of a truth none of them could unhear.

The wet squelch of torn muscle caught the attention of the crowd as the man on the ground gritted his teeth and yanked the arrow from his thigh. Blood poured, then slowed… the heat of the golden rain working its way through his tissue, sealing the wound but leaving a scar.

A reminder.

Maybe that was what the Wave needed to learn. Pain wasn't optional. Scars weren't something to be ashamed of. They were the price of movement. Of living for something instead of surviving for nothing.

A hush lingered before a murmur rose in the crowd.

Then footsteps.

"Where are you going?" a child's voice rang out to the man who still held onto the arrow in his hands.

"To the Daimyo's court. If I have to beg and crawl and starve, I'll ask him to act. Gato's gangs are gone. Maybe that's enough for him to care again."

"Will that work?" the child asked.

The man shook his head. "Don't know. But it's better than waiting to die."

Tsunami stood motionless as the crowd formed and faded into the distance, their footsteps swallowed by the mud and ash. But in her heart, she felt it... the Wave was rising.

Then a soft thud behind her.

She turned. Naruto was crouched there, steam curling off his shoulders, his lone hand resting on his knee.

"Tsunami-san," he said gently, almost like a question. "You alright?"

She blinked, surprised. "Oh… Naruto." Her voice trembled, but she straightened. "I saw everything. What you did. What your team did. You saved us." She hesitated. "Is Sakura…?"

"She's alive," he said with a nod. "Barely. But we managed to heal her. She'll recover. She's strong."

Tsunami exhaled slowly, tension draining from her shoulders.

"I'm here to walk you home. Inari's worried."

They began walking side by side, the ruined marketplace slowly falling behind them, swallowed by mist and silence.

Then Tsunami stopped. "I owe you an apology," she said, not looking at him. "For what I said... back then. When you stopped those thugs. I told you not to get involved. That fighting back would only make things worse."

She inhaled through her nose. "But the truth is—I wasn't afraid for the village. I was afraid for myself. I've been afraid for so long, I thought it was normal. And I pushed that fear onto you. Onto all of you."

Naruto didn't interrupt. He just walked beside her, listening.

"If you and your team hadn't acted today..." she trailed off. "There'd be nothing left. So... thank you. And I'm glad my father has people like you watching his back. Hopefully, when the bridge is made, this nightmare can be over."

Naruto gave a quiet nod. "About that…"

"What?"

"I don't think this ends with the bridge getting built."

Tsunami's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"What's stopping Gato from blowing it up the moment it's done?"

The realization hit her hard. Her steps faltered.

"Then what are we going to do?" she asked. "What does the Archer of Providence say now?"

"You figured it out?"

Tsunami shrugged with a faint smile. "Not really. But thanks for confirming it."

"Guess I walked right into that one."

He paused, looking ahead at the road winding through the trees. The humor faded from his face, replaced by something colder. Steadier.

"Well… I'm going to kill Gato."

She blinked in surprise. "But you said..."

"I'm doing it because I want to. Because I've made my own decision. Not because anyone expects it of me."

Naruto took a deep breath.

"But Gato will have guards. Zabuza… maybe even stronger ones next. But that's fine. I've got a plan."

"What kind of plan?"

"I'm going to get so strong that no one... not Gato, not Zabuza, not anyone can stop me."

And when he smiled, wide and earnest, Tsunami saw the ghost of her husband in that expression—raw, reckless hope wrapped in stubbornness. Kaiza had once smiled like that, too.

She chose to believe in him the same way.

"What's your favorite food?"

"Uh… ramen? Why?"

Tsunami brushed a damp strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm not a fighter. Not a kunoichi. I'm just a housewife. But I can cook. So let me do what I can. I'll keep you fed while you train. I'll keep hope alive—in my home, in my family, and in you all."

Naruto's grin widened, softer now. "That's the spirit, dattebayo."

Just as they reached the edge of the clearing, Tsunami gave him a sideways glance.

"…Also," she said, lifting an eyebrow, "how are you an archer with only one arm?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

She laughed, light and free for the first time in a long while.

---

Author's Note:

This chapter is—without question—one of my favorite ones to write so far. It brought together so many threads I've been slowly weaving in the background, and for the first time, I feel like the emotional weight landed exactly where it needed to. Writing this was equal parts thrilling and cathartic. It was a chapter that gave the spotlight to characters often brushed aside, pushed them to their breaking points, and asked: what does it really mean to stand in the face of helplessness?

---

1. Sakura Haruno – A New Path

Let's be honest. Canon Sakura is a complicated character. For some, she's frustrating. For others, she's misunderstood. For most… she's a wasted opportunity.

I know, I know—you've probably seen the "useless Sakura" jokes a thousand times. But I don't want to just meme her. I want to talk about her. Because I think she had so much potential.

One of my favorite canon moments was the Kazekage Rescue arc. That fight with Sasori? That scene where she saves Kankuro? That was peak Sakura. She was clever, powerful, and driven by compassion. That's the kind of healer I wanted to see more of. A kunoichi who didn't just stand behind others but carved her own path forward—using medicine, chakra, and will as her weapons.

So when I sat down to write this fic, I made a choice. I didn't want to bash Sakura. I didn't want to ignore her either. I wanted to redeem her, but not in a way that erased who she was. I wanted to develop her—mentally, emotionally, and in terms of raw narrative weight.

This chapter was a major turning point for her. The burn scene? The genjutsu? The raw survival instinct blended with compassion? I'm proud of that. But I want to know what you thought.

Do you like the direction I'm taking Sakura in? How do you feel about the evolution of her character, and—most importantly—what do you think happens next now that liquid humanity flows through her body and chakra network?

Tell me your theories. I want to hear them.

---

2. Red & Tsunami – From Background to Backbone

Red wasn't even supposed to be a big deal originally. Her name? A playful nod to the readers. "Hey, she's red-haired. Is she an Uzumaki?" Wink.

But the further I wrote, the more I realized: this world is full of characters who could have mattered… if only someone had let them. Red mattered to her people. She mattered in the darkest hour.

Her soul drop being that of Hanaōgi Uzumaki was the twist I'd been saving. Her death will echo into the future—especially when Naruto eventually meets Karin. That's all I'll say for now.

As for Tsunami—I'm genuinely proud of her arc in this chapter. From someone who accepted powerlessness as a fact of life… to someone who stood tall, side by side with a new generation of fighters. Her final moment, walking beside Naruto and offering what she could, might've been quiet—but it was everything.

What did you think of her transformation? Did it feel earned?

---

3. Estus Flask Lore – Fire Keeper Souls

This is something I didn't realize until recently—and it honestly blew my mind.

In case you didn't know, here's a bit of the translated lore:

Japanese Description Translation:
"There is a dark legend that goes like this:
The green bottle is born from the souls of the Fire Keepers. They live to protect the bonfires, and even after death, they continue to protect the heat."

Chinese Translation:
"In the Dark Heritage, there is also the following passage:
The green bottle comes from the soul of the Fire Keeper. They guard the campfire when they are alive. Even after death, they continue to guard its temperature."

Aestus, of course, means "heat" in Latin—which really ties the theme together. These aren't just potions. They're literal crystallized warmth—concentrated soul-heat, gifted by the Fire Keepers themselves.

---

4. Who's Gato Hiring Next?

I want your help here.

Now that the warship's gone, and Gato's cruelty has been laid bare, you can bet he's pulling every string he's got. But I haven't fully settled on who he's bringing in next.

Give me your ideas. This is the fun part.

---

That's it for now!

As always, I appreciate you all taking the time to read, comment, and just come along for the ride.
And if you can't wait for the next update, the next chapter drops on April 25th! You can read ahead to Chapter 86 on Patreon.

Thank you all for your support—you make writing this story such an incredible journey! As always, thanks for reading.

—Adam