Aruto was floating in the air, suspended in the Valley of the End, just after the monumental clash between his Rasengan and Sasuke's Chidori. The collision had generated an explosion of energy that had thrown them both in opposite directions. Sasuke walked away slowly, holding his arm with an expression of pain evident on his face. Although he tried to endure the pain, his gait was unsteady and his gaze reflected the internal struggle he was waging.
As Sasuke walked away, Naruto, unconscious, began to sink into the lake water. His body floated, slowly sinking into the depths. The coldness of the water enveloped him, but his mind, even when his body was inert, transported him to a different place, a landscape that he could not identify.
As he sank, the world around him faded, and his mind transported him to a completely different place. Suddenly, Naruto found himself in a snow-covered area, with white flakes falling gently from the sky. All around him, hollow trees stood like ancient sentinels, their bare branches shaking in the cold wind. The landscape was strange and desolate, full of a silent and sad beauty that baffled him.
"Where am I? What place is this?" Naruto wondered aloud, his breath forming into small clouds of vapor that quickly dissipated into the chilly air. He looked around, searching for some sign, something that would tell him where he was or how he had gotten there.
Suddenly, something caught his attention. Not far away, he saw someone fleeing in a hurry, his footsteps barely audible over the muffled snow. Naruto frowned, trying to focus his sight better on the figure he was running at, but he couldn't make out any clear details. The figure seemed to be running away from something or someone, although Naruto couldn't see the one pursuing him.
The words that rang through the air were clear and filled with an intensity that made Naruto shudder. "I admit it, Mahito. I'm just like you. I wanted to deny what you said. I didn't want to accept anything that came from you, but I accept it. I'm going to kill you. If you are reborn as a new curse, I will kill it. Maybe "My actions make sense hundreds of years after I have died."
Naruto froze, trying to process what he had just heard. His voice was unfamiliar, but the words were filled with a determination that was eerily familiar. Who was Mahito and why that person spoke with so much hatred and resolution were questions that crowded in his mind.
He slowly advanced towards the figure, trying to better understand the situation. The snow crunched under his feet, and the cold air bit into his skin. As he approached, the fleeing figure began to fade, as if dissolving into the air itself. Naruto stopped, watching in despair as the scene disintegrated before his eyes.
"Wait!" he shouted, trying to reach the figure before it disappeared completely. But he was in vain. The figure was gone, leaving him alone in the snowy landscape.
Naruto fell to his knees, his hands sinking into the snow. "What's going on? Who was that person?" He muttered to himself, feeling lost and confused.
The landscape around him began to change again. The snow melted, and the hollow trees transformed into distorted shadows. The cold air became warm and thick, and the sound of the wind was replaced by a dead silence. Naruto found himself in the void again, floating in a space without time or place.
"What does this all mean?" he wondered, his mind trying to find a logical explanation. Everything he had experienced in that brief moment seemed surreal to him, like a dream from which he could not wake up.
As he floated in that void, the figure's words continued to echo in his mind. "I'm just like you. I didn't want to accept anything that came from you, but I accept it. I'm going to kill you. If you are reborn as a new curse, I will kill it."
To whom were those words addressed? And why did I have the feeling that they were important? Naruto knew he had to find answers, but he had no idea where to start.
The void slowly began to fade, and Naruto felt his consciousness being dragged back to reality. The lake world, the valley of the end, Sasuke, everything began to come back to him. He snapped his eyes open, feeling the cold water of the lake around him as his body floated to the surface.
Naruto opened his eyes under the water, feeling how the cold liquid enveloped his body and the darkness dragged him deeper and deeper. Fear and the urgency of not losing consciousness again drove him to act quickly. He instinctively brought her hand to his chest, as if he were searching for something he didn't know exactly what it was. It was at that moment that some words began to resonate in his mind, familiar and unknown at the same time, as if they came from a part of him that he was just discovering.
"Passive mutation," Naruto murmured, repeating the words without hesitation, moved by an inner force that he didn't fully understand. The instant he spoke those words, she felt his body begin to generate large amounts of energy, an unknown and powerful energy that flowed through him with overwhelming intensity.
The energy concentrated in his core, rapidly expanding throughout his body. Naruto felt an internal explosion that propelled him upward, breaking the surface of the lake with enormous force. The momentum generated a wave of water that rose and dispersed in all directions, violently splashing the shore.
Naruto landed near the shore, his body hunched over and his breathing heavy. Half of his body was submerged in the water, and his soaked hair covered his eyes. Slowly, he raised his head, trying to comprehend what had just happened. The energy that had propelled him to the surface still pulsed within him, but was gradually beginning to dissipate.
He stayed in that position for a few moments, catching his breath and trying to gather his thoughts. What she had experienced underwater was something completely new and disconcerting. What did those words mean? And where did that energy that had saved her life come from?
Naruto struggled to his feet, swaying slightly as his legs regained stability. He looked around, making sure Sasuke wasn't around. He couldn't afford a second meeting in his current state. Although he was still stunned, his determination remained unwavering.
As he walked towards a safer place, his mind kept returning to the words and the energy. "Passive mutation," he muttered to himself, trying to unravel its meaning. Were those words some kind of jutsu? Or something deeper and older, something he was just beginning to understand?
He found a large, sturdy tree near the edge of the lake and fell at the foot of it, resting his back against the trunk. He closed his eyes, trying to focus and remember more details of the experience he had had. The sight of the figure in the snow and the words he had heard echoed in his mind.
"Mahito... I'm just like you... I'm going to kill you..." The sentences were fragmentary, but charged with an intensity that Naruto couldn't ignore. Who was Mahito? And why was that figure so determined to confront him? Questions raced through his mind, but answers remained elusive.
Naruto focused on his breathing, trying to calm himself and connect with the source of energy he had felt before. As his mind focused, he began to notice a pattern, a kind of internal flow that responded to his thoughts. The energy wasn't just a burst of power; It had a structure, a rhythm that he could learn to control.
As he delved deeper into his meditation, Naruto began to sense a deeper connection with his surroundings. He felt the water of the lake, the cold air that surrounded him, and the solid ground beneath his feet. Everything was interconnected, and he was part of that whole. The feeling was comforting and powerful at the same time.
Suddenly, a new vision arose in his mind. This time it wasn't the figure running in the snow, but an image of himself, younger, walking the roads of Konoha. The vision overlapped with his current reality, creating a strange double exposure effect. Naruto saw his own life from a different perspective, as if he were watching from the outside.
He remembered the days of his childhood, when he was ostracized by the villagers because of the beast sealed within him. The whispers, the looks of hate and fear, the lonely nights. All of this had built his character and his determination, but it had also isolated him. He realized that, in a sense, he had been fleeing, just like the figure in the snow.
The vision changed again, showing the figure once more. This time, he could see more details. The figure had long, dark hair, and its eyes glowed with a mix of pain and resolve. Although his face was partially hidden, Naruto felt a deep and almost visceral connection with that person.
The words echoed once again in the cold, silent air. "I'm going to kill you. If you are reborn as a new curse, I will kill it." The determination in the figure's voice was palpable, and Naruto felt a shiver run down his spine. He understood that determination, that need to face and overcome his own demons.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Naruto smiled bitterly as he remembered his childhood in the village that had marginalized him for as long as he could remember. The images of those days full of loneliness and rejection tightened in his mind like an old wound that he never fully healed. Every look of contempt, every murmur behind his back, every door that closed in his face; All of this had marked him deeply. His chest tightened with a familiar pain as he relived those memories. He shook his head vigorously, trying to clear those images and focus on the present.
However, upon returning to the present, his bitterness did not completely disappear. Facing the reality that the mission to retrieve Sasuke had been a failure only increased his sense of hopelessness. At the last moment, he had held back, hesitating at the very moment when he needed to act with more determination. That hesitation had cost him dearly, and now Sasuke was further away than ever. Naruto clenched his fists, feeling a mix of anger and disgust at having failed in his mission.
As those feelings consumed him, he felt a strange energy enveloping his hands. He looked down and saw black and purple energy moving chaotically around his fists. The sensation of this energy, although unknown, was strangely pleasant. He watched in fascination as the dark colors intertwined and stirred, almost as if they had a life of their own. For a moment, he lost track of everything else, concentrating solely on that enigmatic energy.
The sound of a branch breaking broke his concentration. His head snapped up, alert, searching for the source of the noise. His eyes met those of a black-haired woman, who looked at him with a silent smile. Initial surprise gave way to growing curiosity. Who was this woman and why was she here?
The woman kept her smile on as she slowly approached Naruto. Her movements were fluid and graceful, almost as if she were floating rather than walking. There was something about her presence that radiated calm, but also a latent strength that Naruto couldn't ignore. She stopped a few meters away from him, bowing her head slightly in a gesture of greeting.
"Wow, it looks like you've discovered something interesting, Naruto," the woman said, her voice soft and melodious.
Naruto looked at her suspiciously, still feeling the dark energy around her hands. "Who are you?" He asked firmly, still watching her every movement.
The woman gave a small laugh, as if she found her question amusing. "My name is not important right now," she replied. "What matters is that I am here to help you understand that power you have just awakened."
Naruto frowned, not letting his guard down. "What power? And why should you want to help me?"
The woman took a step closer to her, extending a hand towards him, although not quite touching him. "That energy you feel, that mix of black and purple, is a manifestation of your hidden potential. It is something that has always been inside you, waiting for the right moment to come to light."
Naruto took a step back, still watching her. "What do you know about my potential?" he asked, her voice thick with skepticism.
"More than you imagine," the woman replied enigmatically. "I have been watching your progress, your struggles, and I know that you have a strength within you that you do not yet fully understand. That energy you feel now is just the beginning."
Naruto felt a mix of confusing emotions. On the one hand, the promise of discovering a new power was tempting, but on the other, he couldn't ignore the instinct that told him to be careful. "And why should I trust you?" he insisted she.
The woman looked him straight in the eyes, her expression serious for the first time. "I'm not asking you to trust me blindly. Just to listen and consider what I have to say. What you've experienced today is only a fraction of what you're capable of. But to unlock your full potential, you'll need to see the world with new eyes." , beyond what you have been taught."
Naruto didn't respond immediately, still processing her words. The energy around him continued to pulse, like a constant reminder that something inside him had changed. Finally, he nodded, albeit cautiously. "Okay. Talk."
The woman smiled again, this time with a hint of satisfaction. "Okay. We'll start by understanding what that energy really is. It's a manifestation of your will and your emotions, an extension of your inner being. To control it, you need to accept and understand every part of yourself, even those you've tried to ignore or ignore. suppress."
Naruto listened to her attentively, although her words only raised more questions in her mind. "And how am I supposed to do that?" he asked, trying to keep her tone neutral.
"That is something you must discover for yourself," the woman replied. "But you will not be alone on this path. There are others who have walked similar paths, who have faced their own demons and come out stronger. You can learn from them, as well as from your own experiences."
Naruto wasn't sure what to think. This all sounded like a complex new mission, one that didn't simply involve fighting, but also looking inside himself. "And what about Sasuke?" he asked suddenly. "How is this supposed to help me bring him back?"
The woman sighed, as if she had anticipated that question. "Sasuke is also on his own path, one that is intertwined with yours. To help him, you must first help yourself. Only then can you be the force he needs to return."
Naruto nodded slowly, understanding but not entirely convinced. "Okay. What do I do now?"
"Continue training and exploring this new power," the woman said. "Pay attention to your emotions and how they affect that energy. And above all, keep your mind open. The path you are about to travel will not be easy, but it will lead you to discover who you really are."
With those words, the woman turned around and began to walk away from her, but not before casting one last look at Naruto. "Remember, Naruto, true power comes from understanding and accepting yourself. We will meet again when you are ready."
Naruto watched her disappear into the trees, feeling a strange mix of anticipation and doubt. He didn't know what to expect from the future, but one thing was certain: he wasn't ready to give up. He looked at his hands once more, seeing how black and purple energy still swarmed around his fingers. He took a deep breath and stood up, determined to face whatever challenge came.
As he headed back to the village, he couldn't help but remember the woman's words and how they resonated with his own thoughts. He had a lot to learn and a lot to fight for. But for the first time in a long time, he felt that he was on the right path. The path to understanding, not only of his power, but of himself.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
The black-haired woman walked away little by little, getting lost among the trees while her thoughts focused on young Naruto. From a distance, she had watched his growth, how he had gone from a helpless, outcast child to a young ninja with immense potential. She remembered every moment she had intervened in his life, silently eliminating threats and ensuring that he continued on his path without further obstacles.
As she walked, her mind traveled to the past. She remembered how she had protected Naruto since he was just a baby, eliminating with utmost precision any danger that arose. The shadow of a dark smile crossed her face as she remembered the number of times she had had to intervene. "Since your birth as Naruto, you have been causing me trouble all the time, always intervening so that I would not deviate from his destiny," she murmured to herself. "But all this will be rewarded when he remembers the true essence of him, engraved in his body from the beginning."
Every step she took through the trees was firm, as if the forest itself recognized her presence and welcomed her. It was a place she knew well, a refuge and observatory from which she had watched over Naruto for years. As she continued on, her mind continued to weave thoughts and memories. She saw in her mind the young Naruto facing the scorn of the village, the looks full of hatred and fear. Every time someone tried to hurt him, she had been there, in the shadows, making sure the boy never suffered more than necessary.
"It's not easy to protect someone so special," she thought as her smile turned grim. "Naruto has always been a magnet for trouble. But I've been patient. I've waited and intervened only when absolutely necessary. All of this to make sure he gets to this point, where he can finally remember who he really is."
The woman stopped for a moment, looking up at the sky that was barely visible between the treetops. "How many times have I intervened? How many dangers have I eliminated without him noticing?" She wondered aloud, although she knew the answers were uncountable. Her mission had been clear from the beginning, and every act of protection and guidance had been with a greater purpose in mind.
"Naruto's birth was an event that changed many things," she continued to reflect as she resumed her walk. "Since then, destiny has been turbulent, full of challenges and trials. But every problem, every obstacle, has served to shape him, to prepare him for what is to come. And now, he is so close to discovering the truth."
The woman remembered the most critical moments, those in which Naruto's life had been in real danger. "Every time someone tried to harm him, I nibbled the threat in the bud," she said with a tone of voice that reflected her determination and coldness. "I couldn't let anything stand in his way. Not now, when he's so close to awakening to his true nature."
"But it's not time to reveal everything yet," she thought as a soft, dark laugh escaped her lips. "He has to see the world for what he really is, he has to face his own darkness and that of others. Only then will he be ready to accept his true self."
Finally, the woman stopped in a clearing in the forest, a place where sunlight barely penetrated, creating a gloomy and mysterious atmosphere. "Mahito," she whispered, saying her name with an almost palpable reverence. "That is the name you must remember. That is the essence you must awaken."
With one last glance back towards where she had left Naruto, a mix of satisfaction and anticipation shone in her eyes. "We will meet again, Naruto," she said quietly. "And when we do, you will be much stronger, much more aware. Until then, I will continue to watch you, intervening only when absolutely necessary."
With those words, the woman vanished into the shadows of the forest, her figure disappearing into the trees as if she had never been there. Her mission was not over, and she knew that the days ahead would be crucial for Naruto. But for now, all she could do was wait and watch, trusting that the young ninja would find his way to the truth.
Meanwhile, Naruto continued on his own path, still oblivious to the presence that had been watching over and protecting him since his birth. But something inside him was beginning to change, a spark of recognition that would slowly turn into a flame of understanding. The black and purple energy he had felt was just the beginning, a sign that his true power was awakening.
The woman knew that the path would be difficult, full of challenges and tests. But she also knew that Naruto had the strength and determination to overcome it all. 'You're strong, Naruto,' she thought as she walked away from her. "Stronger than even you can imagine. And when the time is right, you will remember everything. Until then, keep going. Keep fighting. I am here, in the shadows, waiting for the day you finally wake up."
With those thoughts, the woman continued her walk, completely merging with the dark and mysterious surroundings of the forest. Her mission continued, and she was willing to do whatever it took to make sure Naruto reached her true potential. Because deep down, she knew that her destiny was intertwined with that of the young ninja, and that her very existence depended on him remembering who he really was.
And end of the chapter