Naruto's vision swam, blurring at the edges. Pain radiated through every muscle, lightning arcs scorching across his body, yet he had no intention of stopping. He gritted his teeth, forcing each step forward. Kurama, deep inside, groaned helplessly but knew there was no other choice. With a reluctant surge, the Nine-Tailed Fox lent Naruto a portion of his Chakra, stabilizing him just enough to keep moving.
Together, human and beast moved as one, struggling through the Forest of Death, battling against both the system's merciless punishment and the deadly baptism of Lightning Release. Step by step, Naruto pushed forward, each movement a testament to his determination.
Time became meaningless, measured only by Naruto's pounding heartbeat. Then—unexpectedly—a voice cut through the chaos.
His heart leapt.
"Th-That… that's Iruka Sensei's voice!"
Hope surged through Naruto like a flood. Gathering every ounce of strength, he propelled himself forward, teeth clenched, fists ready. The familiar figure of his teacher appeared ahead, and for the first time in what felt like an eternity, Naruto felt a glimmer of relief.
"I-Iruka Sensei!" Naruto shouted, his voice trembling with both relief and desperation.
Iruka, for his part, was equally shocked.
"Na-Naruto?!"
Mizuki had nearly succeeded in killing Iruka when an ANBU ninja, who had been shadowing the scene, appeared at just the right moment. He threw a kunai, forcing Mizuki to hesitate, but it wasn't enough to secure safety. Mizuki quickly pressed a kunai to Iruka's throat, holding him hostage, and his eyes gleamed with malice.
"Let him go!" Naruto growled, his body trembling with fury.
Iruka's face, pale and bloodied, reflected nothing but worry now.
"Go back, Naruto!" he shouted, voice hoarse, "It's too dangerous!"
But Naruto's determination was absolute. Pain and fatigue were filtered out by sheer willpower. All he could see was the kunai pressed against Iruka's throat and Mizuki's merciless eyes glaring at him. He drew a deep breath and spat out his resolve:
"Let go of Iruka Sensei… or I'll kill you!"
Mizuki laughed—a sound that echoed through the forest like a dark prophecy.
"Hahahaha! You think a greenhorn from the Ninja Academy can kill me? A mere child? What foolishness!" Mizuki scoffed. "You're nothing but a naive little brat!"
Turning to the ANBU ninja, he sneered: "You've stalled long enough. If you don't retreat, this fool Iruka dies. And even if he dies, I'll escape, and the guilt of his death will weigh on you!"
The ANBU ninja hesitated, bound by duty. His mission was to protect Iruka and capture Mizuki, not decide the outcome of their duel.
Naruto, however, had reached his limit.
"Let go of him!" he roared, his voice vibrating with raw, uncontrolled power. His face twisted, and his pupils burned with a fiery crimson glow, the unmistakable mark of the Nine-Tailed Fox within him.
In an instant, Naruto moved. Faster than the eye could follow, his body became a blur, a streak of orange and blue charging like a cannonball. Mizuki, Iruka, and the ANBU ninja all gasped in shock.
Though Naruto's rage had pushed him to the brink, he hadn't lost his senses entirely. Seeing Iruka directly in front of him, he adjusted mid-air, pulling back just enough to avoid striking him. Even so, the sheer speed of his motion caused him to tumble, rolling across the ground multiple times before coming to a stop.
"I-Iruka…" Naruto panted, chest heaving, ignoring the pain coursing through every muscle.
Iruka, wounded and pale, could barely lift his head. Blood seeped from his chest, yet his eyes were filled with worry for Naruto rather than himself. Just as he struggled to push forward, Mizuki pounced.
"Using this Nine-Tailed brat as a hostage is far more effective than using you, Iruka!" Mizuki taunted. "With Diao Che Wei in my hands, even the Hokage wouldn't dare intervene!"
Mizuki's maniacal laughter cut through the forest. But Naruto, though battered and trembling, refused to yield. He had trained endlessly for moments like this, and the sight of his teacher in peril ignited something ferocious within him.
In a surge of adrenaline-fueled precision, Naruto unleashed the Taijutsu secret art he had been perfecting—the Leaf Whirlwind. His leg snapped forward, catching Mizuki off guard and striking him with unrelenting force.
Mizuki staggered back, enraged, but he was no rookie. He blocked Naruto's kick with crossed arms, barely absorbing the impact. Even so, his momentary surprise left him vulnerable.
"You… Diao Che Wei! You're daring to fight me?!" Mizuki shouted. Rage twisted his features as he lunged toward Naruto.
At the same time, the ANBU ninja sprang forward, katana ready, aiming to protect Naruto from further harm.
But Naruto's resolve had reached its peak. He could no longer restrain himself.
"I will never forgive you! I will never forgive you for hurting Iruka Sensei!" Naruto growled through gritted teeth. "You dared to harm the one who believed in me… the one who gave me hope… and I will make you pay with your life!"
The fury and determination honed through countless battles—real and in dreams—erupted inside him. The Nine-Tailed Fox's chakra surged uncontrollably, intertwining with his own, creating a tempest of red and blue energy that spiraled outward. Leaves, dirt, and dust swirled into a tornado around him, the ground trembling beneath the sheer force of his Chakra.
Iruka, bloodied and exhausted, watched in stunned disbelief. The boy who had been small, weak, and underestimated now radiated a terrifying aura of power.
Mizuki and the ANBU ninja froze, faces pale.
"Is… is that… the power of the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox?!" the ANBU whispered in shock.
Naruto's killing intent burned hotter than ever. Each step he took toward Mizuki was like the approach of a predator closing in on its prey. He was no longer merely a boy—he was a force of nature, a storm incarnate, the manifestation of unbridled wrath and justice.
Mizuki, though startled, refused to back down.
"Do you think I'll be scared by the power of a child?" he spat, trying to mask his fear with defiance.
But Naruto did not waver. His heart and body beat in perfect synchronization with the Nine-Tails' Chakra. Each movement carried the weight of every insult, every struggle, every wound he had ever endured. He was a tempest of rage, a living weapon forged from the fires of suffering, and he advanced step by step.
The Forest of Death itself seemed to tremble in response, leaves and debris caught in the cyclone of Chakra surrounding him. Naruto's eyes, ablaze with determination, locked onto Mizuki, who now understood that he was facing not just a student or a mere ninja, but the fury of a boy who refused to lose anyone he cared about.
The final confrontation had begun. One would survive; the other would fall. And Naruto, fueled by rage, courage, and the unbreakable bond with his teacher, would ensure that justice—bloody, unflinching, and complete—would be delivered.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)