The forest was eerily quiet now. The sounds of crashing trees and broken branches had finally died down, leaving nothing but the heavy breaths of Naruto and Sakura echoing in the distance. Both of them were barely conscious, lying scattered amongst the rubble from their brutal fight. Their bodies ached, bruises forming across their skin, but there was no denying the fire in their hearts—the will to keep pushing forward, to keep fighting no matter the cost.

Naruto's chest heaved as he slowly stirred, wincing in pain. He felt like every inch of his body was broken, but somehow, he was alive. His eyes flickered open, and the first thing he saw was the mask—a cold, black mask that seemed to stare down at him, emotionless. It was the same mask that had dominated the entire fight. For a moment, he was disoriented, but the memories came flooding back. He and Sakura had been crushed, defeated. But now, there was something different about the presence before him.

Sakura was still groaning, pushing herself weakly off the ground. She opened her eyes slowly, taking in the scene around her, her body sore and battered. Her gaze fell upon Naruto, and she quickly crawled toward him, checking to make sure he was still breathing.

"Are you alright, Naruto?" she asked, her voice shaky, but filled with concern.

Naruto grunted as he gave a thumbs-up, trying to smile despite the pain. "I'm fine… just… ow."

Before either of them could say anything else, a shift in the air caught their attention. Both of them tensed, their senses alert. From the shadows, a figure emerged—one they recognized instantly. The mask was gone. Standing in front of them was the man who had been their opponent: Yami.

His cloak flowed with the wind, his silver hair now loose and untied, falling in strands around his shoulders. His eyes, those intense amber eyes, stared down at them with the same calm, calculating look as before. He looked… different without the mask. But the warmth of recognition was unmistakable.

Naruto blinked a few times, his face scrunching in confusion. "Wait… you're… Yami?"

Sakura's eyes widened as the realization hit her. "No way… That was you? This whole time?"

Yami gave a small, almost imperceptible nod. His tone was calm, but there was a slight edge of satisfaction in it. "You were both impressive. Stronger than I anticipated." He reached down, grabbing both of them by the arms and lifting them with ease, despite their beaten states. "You've passed the test."

"The test?" Sakura repeated, still catching her breath. "What do you mean? You were fighting us like we were enemies!"

Yami's expression softened, but only just. He stepped back, allowing them both to sit on the ground, trying to recover from the brutal battle. The weight of their defeat was still fresh, but there was a sense of understanding in the air now.

"I wanted to see if you were worthy of the training I've given you," Yami explained, sitting down across from them. "It wasn't about killing you. It was about seeing if you could push yourselves beyond your limits, test how far you've come. You see, you've both improved significantly. But that fight, that real test, was meant to push you harder than you've ever been pushed before."

Naruto stared at Yami, still struggling to process what had just happened. His hand went to the back of his neck, where he could still feel the lingering mark Yami had placed there, the one that had cleared his chakra and allowed him to pull in natural energy. He rubbed it absently, still stunned by how effective it had been.

"I don't get it," Naruto said slowly, his voice still hoarse. "That Rasengan I hit you with… you barely reacted. You're… way stronger than we are, aren't you?"

Yami let out a small chuckle, shaking his head. "It's not about strength alone. It's about control. You have power, Naruto, but it's still raw. You need to learn to harness it, use it to its full potential. And as for you, Sakura… your strength is incredible, but you need to trust your instincts more. Your strikes have the potential to level mountains, but if you hesitate, it's all for nothing."

Sakura, still rubbing her sore shoulder, nodded in understanding. "We have a long way to go, huh?"

Yami's gaze softened slightly, though his voice remained firm. "You both have more potential than you realize. This training, these tests—they were meant to show you that. But now, you have to work even harder. The world doesn't wait for anyone to catch up."

Naruto's lips curved into a grin, despite the pain in his chest. "Guess we better get back to training then, huh?"

Yami didn't respond at first. He stared at Naruto for a long moment, as if reading him, weighing something unspoken between them. Finally, he spoke, his voice quieter now.

"You're not just training to fight… You're training to survive," Yami said, his amber eyes gleaming. "Orochimaru is still out there, and so is Sasuke. They won't stop, and neither can you."

Sakura's face grew serious as she glanced at Naruto, a mix of concern and determination in her gaze. "Then we'll do whatever it takes."

Naruto nodded in agreement, a fire lighting in his eyes once again. "We're not backing down. Not now, not ever."

Yami gave a small, approving nod, standing up and brushing the dirt from his cloak. "Good. Then I'll continue your training, but it will be unlike anything you've experienced before. You'll need to adapt, learn quickly, and above all… survive."

Sakura took a deep breath, adjusting her stance as she looked up at Yami. "How do we survive someone like Orochimaru?"

Yami's eyes narrowed, a distant, almost cold look in them. "You don't fight him head-on, not directly. You outsmart him. You find his weakness, and you exploit it. And when the time comes, you strike fast and decisively."

Naruto clenched his fists. "Then we'll be ready."

As Yami disappeared into the shadows once again, Naruto and Sakura remained where they were, exhausted but resolute. The weight of their mission—of the fight that lay ahead—was heavy on their minds. But they had survived this test, and they were stronger for it.

Naruto looked over at Sakura, his smile returning. "I think we're ready for anything now."

Sakura gave him a small, weary smile in return. "We'll see about that, Naruto."

The forest grew quiet again, the tension in the air lingering as the two of them took a moment to gather their strength. Their paths ahead were uncertain, but one thing was clear: they were no longer the same warriors who had first set foot on Enraoi. They were something more. And whatever lay ahead, they would face it together.