Hey everyone, I've been thinking about getting back into writing, and I'd like to start by publishing this old fic in English.
Sorry for any mistakes—I've gotten pretty rusty with the language.
As you'll notice, this is a One Shot, and my intention in posting it is to receive feedback on what I can improve. So, I'd really appreciate any comments aimed at helping me get better—whether it's about my dialogues, narrative, character introductions, character descriptions, spelling, punctuation, or anything else. My goal is to improve.
I hope you enjoy this little story, the Naruto characters are OoC (Out of Character) to fit the intention of the story.
# # #
Karin sighed wearily; today was not a good day. Being the person who kept things under control within a yakuza family was an exhausting task. Finances, personnel, legal issues every administrative aspect passed through her hands, and that included the informants.
For the past couple of weeks, all the reports have been the same. A small criminal gang of teenagers called Ragnarok was gaining more members and power within the Uzumaki family's territory. Normally, this wouldn't be a problem. Karin would assign a small group to intimidate them, either dissolving the gang or absorbing them.
But Ragnarok turned out to be different. No matter how many people she sent, most came back badly beaten, and a few even ended up dead. Even firearms were enough. This strange situation led her to investigate the group herself. On the surface, they seemed like kids who had read too many street-fighting manga. But people like that shouldn't be causing so much trouble for a family like the Uzumaki. A deeper investigation revealed that Ragnarok had important connections. Their leaders, known as the Eight Fists, were legitimate martial artists, and for some reason, their ties could be traced back to the dark world of martial arts, Yami.
Karin knew this problem was no longer hers to handle. It now fell under the jurisdiction of the true head of the Uzumaki family, her beloved aunt, Uzumaki Kushina.
Karin entered the small changing room and stripped off her clothes, wrapping herself in a single towel,appropriate attire for entering the Uzumaki family's onsen. Before stepping into the hot springs, the administrator took one last look in the mirror. Her slim figure was covered in smooth, pale skin, her red hair as wild as ever on the right side and straight on the left, her crimson eyes always framed by her glasses. "Perfectly presentable for Aunt Kushina," she thought.
Pushing aside the curtain separating the changing room from the hot springs, Karin entered one of the most important places for her family. This onsen was the first business founded by her great-grandfather and, unlike their other activities, was completely legal. Since then, the leaders of the Uzumaki family had used it as a place for personal meditation.
At the far end, in a private area, her aunt Kushina was relaxing in the hot water with several glasses of the finest sake. "Karin? What brings you here, dear?" Uzumaki Kushina, one of the most dangerous women in all of Japan and Asia, asked her niece affectionately, though a hint of concern lingered in her tone. Karin never bothered her; the girl was so perfect in her role as administrator that the only times she brought situations to Kushina were when requested or when they were too serious.
Karin adjusted her glasses and gave her aunt a long look. "Always so beautiful," she thought, and she wasn't wrong. Kushina was the epitome of beauty: milky, smooth skin, a sculptural body, and a gorgeous face adorned with large purple eyes. But what stood out most, and what Karin envied most about her aunt, was her hair: a long, red cascade that reached her ankles, unlike Karin's messy hair, which barely reached her shoulders.
"The problems with Ragnarok are escalating," Karin said, dropping her towel before submerging herself up to her neck in the warm water. "Those little delinquents?" Kushina asked. The administrator nodded. "I understand there are martial artists involved with them. Are they so strong that you can't handle it?"
"Not at all. Their strongest member is their leader, Odin, and at best, he's a disciple-level martial artist. Extraordinary, yes, but nothing beyond a disciple."
"Then, dear…?"
Karin sighed. She couldn't beat around the bush any longer. "Odin is a disciple of Ogata Isshinsai, a recognized member of Yami." The uncomfortable silence that followed confirmed Karin's concerns. Yami was always a sensitive topic for her aunt.
"Those bastards who killed Minato," Kushina muttered, biting her thumb in frustration. "Those damned people haven't stopped causing us trouble. Thanks for letting me know, dear."
"No problem," Karin said, looking expectantly at her aunt. "It wouldn't be much of an issue to hire martial artists to deal with that little pest, but I think getting involved with Yami shouldn't be taken lightly."
"You're right about that," Kushina said, her expression turning icy and imposing, enough to scare the worst mobsters in all of Asia. "But we can't let that little gang gain more territory. Besides, it's time Ragnarok paid its debts."
Karin's mind began to evaluate the situation and all the measures they could take. Fighting Ragnarok would soon cease to be a problem; crushing a few disciples shouldn't be a big issue for the Uzumaki family's resources.
The real problem was Yami. Among its main members were the highest-level Satsujinken (Killing Fist) martial artists, and therefore, no one who followed that philosophy would be able to compete against them. And of course, no self-respecting Katsujinken (Saving Fist) martial artist would work for a yakuza family.
Kushina herself was a master-level fighter. She could handle some members of Yami, but in the long run, she would meet the same fate as her late husband: getting involved in a fight with multiple Yami masters at once, a situation where there was no chance of success.
"I want Naruto to handle Ragnarok," Kushina said. Lost in her thoughts, Karin didn't pay much attention to her aunt and thought she had misheard. "Excuse me?" Kushina took a sip from her cup and cleared her throat. "Have Naruto handle Ragnarok."
Karin wasn't entirely sure about that decision, and her face showed it. So Kushina decided to put an end to that doubt. "It's time Naruto started taking on more responsibilities within the family. After all, he'll inherit all of this," the matriarch of the Uzumaki clan said, pointing to the onsen but implicitly referring to their criminal empire. "Besides, believe me, he'll enjoy annoying the killers of his father, even if just a little."
Karin sighed in resignation. Her cousin Naruto would never be her first choice to handle such delicate matters, but in the end, her aunt Kushina was right. Naruto was the next head of the family, and no matter what, she would be the administrator during his "reign."
Kushina drank the last of her bottle and stepped out of the water, showing her nakedness to Karin as she left the onsen. "I'll be preparing for when Naruto finishes off Ragnarok and Yami decides to retaliate," she said, wrapping a towel around her body and stepping out. "By the way, Naruto is with the Hyuga heiress. Contact him as soon as possible."
# # #
Kisara kicked the pads held by her terrified subordinate in frustration. "This is impossible, Shiratori. How could this happen?" Shiratori watched silently as her leader vented her anger. Everything about Kisara's figure reflected deep rage. Covered by a green beret, her short brown hair was messier than usual, as was her clothing, her red blouse and curious one-legged jeans already showed signs of disarray.
A final kick tore the pad from her subordinate's hand, and by the sound of it, probably broke a few of the man's bones. "Koga and thirty other members are in the hospital," Shiratori said, stepping forward and handing her leader a towel. "It seems all the attacks happened this morning."
Kisara looked at Shiratori, always so monotone in her long blue coat, white shirt, and black pants, which, along with her long blonde hair and lack of notable feminine attributes, gave her the appearance of a bishounen protagonist from a shoujo manga. And her serious, unresponsive attitude. "I can't believe no one noticed before it was too late." The whole situation was too frustrating for Kisara. Not long ago, she had been promoted as one of the Eight Fists, and first, the boy Shirahama caused problems, and now members of her gang are constantly getting beaten up.
"And you two, didn't you see anything?" Kisara asked, turning to Takeda Ikki and Ukita Kozo, who, along with Koga, were part of the Trio of Techniques. Ukita Kozo, or Ukita the Thrower, was a notably muscular boy with spiky brown hair and a small scar on his lower cheek. He always wore a white dress shirt and black pants, along with his inseparable sunglasses.
Takeda the Hitter, on the other hand, was thin, tanned, and notably handsome, with platinum, straight hair tied in a ponytail. He wore a blue shirt and black pants, his hands bandaged, though his left arm was always in his pocket.
Seeing that neither of them answered, Kisara intensified her gaze, making them even more uncomfortable. "We're not really that close," Ukita finally said. Kisara just turned her face in disgust. She had to resolve this situation as quickly as possible before Odin found out. There were too many people after her position as the Eighth Fist.
"Shiratori, Takeda, Ukita disperse all the members under my authority. Find out what's been happening. I don't care what you must do to get the information, so don't dare come back without clues."
"There's no need to take such drastic measures," a voice interrupted. Everyone turned to the entrance of the warehouse, where a red-haired teenager in a tight green dress and black heels stood, her glasses matching the frame of her outfit.
Kisara wasn't in the mood to deal with this girl, so anticipating a confrontation, Takeda stepped forward. "And who are you, beauty?" The girl gave him a look of disgust at his attempt at gallantry. "Uzumaki Karin, and I can answer your questions, girl."
"Girl? Who are you calling a girl, stupid?" Karin's expression turned mocking, but she didn't respond to the insult. "As I said, I'm here to answer your questions." Karin took the tablet in her hands and skimmed through it before speaking again. "You kids from Ragnarok have been interfering with and disrupting various businesses beyond your limits, all for your little gang game."
"And who do you think you are to say what's our business and what's not?" This time, it was Ukita who spoke. "I'm not surprised you're so stupid. Didn't you pay attention to my name? Uzumaki Karin." With more emphasis on the name, everyone caught the implication. "Uzumaki, the yakuza. Odin mentioned they wouldn't take long to contact us after rejecting their first attempts to suppress us, but sending just a girl? Are they stupid?" Kisara thought.
"Shiratori, take care of her," Kisara ordered. The blonde nodded. "Yes, Kisara-sama." The androgynous-looking girl ran toward Karin at full speed, launching a kick aimed at the redhead's face. Karin didn't move, but unlike what Takeda and Kisara expected, the girl didn't look scared or paralyzed by fear. On the contrary, she was completely relaxed.
Before Shiratori's kick could land, it was stopped by the hand of a boy who appeared in an instant. The boy was as tall as Ukita, with short blonde hair, vibrant blue eyes, and curious marks on his cheeks. He wore a black suit with a black shirt and an orange tie. "Sorry, Karin," the boy said, giving an embarrassed look to the redhead. "Hinata called, and I couldn't help but answer," he said, pointing to his phone.
"Whatever, Naruto. Let's finish this as quickly as possible," Karin said. Naruto nodded in agreement. He threw Shiratori's leg to the ground, causing her to spin on her pivot leg and end up with her back to Naruto, who wasted no time in placing his left forearm on her throat. With his left hand, he grabbed his right bicep and placed his right hand behind the girl's head in a perfect chokehold. The pressure from the technique was so intense that in less than two seconds, Shiratori was unconscious. "Sorry, boy, but the fewer, the better."
"I think 'he' is a she, Naruto," Karin said. The blonde looked at his cousin in confusion. "Really?" He crouched to inspect the unconscious Shiratori more closely, touching her face, ruffling her hair, and almost groping her chest but was forced to dodge a kick from Kisara and immediately move Karin out of the way of the second kick.
With a safe distance between them and Kisara, Karin spoke again. "She's Nanjo Kisara, also known as Valkyrie, the Eighth Fist." Karin checked her tablet once more. "She specializes in Taekwondo. Apparently, she's exceptionally fast and agile, and despite appearances, her legs are very strong, very strong, in fact. Combined with the rumors about the precision of her kicks, I'd recommend not letting her land any on you."
Naruto absorbed his cousin's words while scanning the warehouse, noticing the guy with a broken hand who was looking at him in terror after his display with Shiratori. "He's no threat," Naruto thought. Then his eyes caught Ukita and Takeda, who were watching him cautiously. "What about them?" he asked, pointing at the teenagers.
Karin quickly glanced at the information. "Ukita Kozo and Takeda Ikki. Honestly, they don't matter much." The two couldn't help but feel offended by the redhead's words. "Ukita is a decent judoka with anger management issues, and Takeda is a boxer with an atrophied left arm. Like I said, they don't matter much. Your only concern is Nanjo Kisara."
Ukita had had enough of the girl underestimating him and Takeda. "How dare she?" Without thinking, he charged toward the yakuza. "I'll show you who's not worth it." Before Ukita could reach Karin, Naruto intercepted him. "Too slow." He placed both hands on the back of the judoka's neck and proceeded to deliver powerful knee strikes to his stomach.
With each knee, Ukita felt the air leave his lungs and guts being crushed. Enduring the pain, he placed his hands on the lapels of Naruto's suit, pivoted on his left leg, released the grip on his head, and tried to throw Naruto over his shoulder. The execution might have been perfect if Naruto hadn't anticipated it and stopped it by lowering his hips and holding Ukita by his belt.
Striking the back of Ukita's neck with his shoulder, Naruto made the judoka release his suit. "Good try. Maybe in another life it would've worked, but not today." With that, Naruto lifted Ukita off the ground, falling backward and slamming the judoka's head and back into the concrete in a perfect suplex. But the move didn't end there. On the ground, Naruto rolled to the right, standing up with Ukita still in his hands, and then delivered a second suplex. After the series of blows, Naruto let Ukita's body fall unconscious.
Seeing his companion fall so easily, Takeda didn't think twice and launched an attack with quick, deadly punches aimed at Naruto's head, which he dodged and blocked without pause. Every punch was perfectly aimed, either to knock Naruto out by hitting his temple or jaw or to cause deep cuts.
"You're pretty good. I can't believe Karin said you weren't worth it," Naruto said before using his left hand to grab Takeda's right wrist. The boxer tried to break free, but Naruto's strength was too much for him.
"But Karin also said your left arm doesn't work," Naruto said, elbowing Takeda's head. The direction of the blows varied with each strike—from above, below, the front. "That means you can't defend yourself." Naruto changed his grip on Takeda's arm from his right hand to his left and pivoted on his left leg, turning to strike Takeda with his left elbow, leaving another one unconscious.
Kisara looked at Naruto cautiously. The blonde hadn't taken much effort to take down Shiratori, Ukita, and Takeda. In fact, he hadn't even broken a sweat or taken a single hit. Sure, she was stronger than all three of them, maybe even stronger than all three combined, but someone who had demonstrated that level of skill couldn't be taken lightly.
Seeing that Kisara had no intention of making the first move, Naruto approached her, launching a roundhouse kick at her head. But the Eighth Fist dodged by leaning back and, showcasing her incredible agility, launched her own kick with her right leg, which was bare.
Naruto blocked the blow with his forearms without breaking eye contact with Kisara. Annoyed by her surprise move being stopped, Kisara took advantage of the new point of contact on Naruto's arms and launched her other leg in an attack aimed at her rival's head.
This time, Naruto ducked, letting Kisara's leg pass over him, and as she landed, her back was exposed. Remembering what had happened to Ukita when Naruto grabbed him from behind, Kisara rolled forward on the ground but not without trying to strike Naruto with her heel.
The move helped Kisara create distance from Naruto, especially when he stepped back to avoid being hit. "I'm going to rip your head off, and then I'll make sure that bitch suffers," she said, pointing vehemently at Karin.
"Naruto, I'm getting tired of this girl's nonsense. Hurry up; we still have things to do." Naruto's mood dropped at his cousin's harsh words. "Karin, I know you handle all the family's affairs and all that, and I really appreciate it, but could you let me enjoy this fight?" A single, intense look from Karin was enough for Naruto to understand the message: "No." "Alright, I'll have to make it quick."
"Who the hell do you think you're dealing with?" With an inhuman burst of speed, Kisara closed the distance to Naruto, throwing a straight blow aimed at crushing the young yakuza's nose. Once again, Naruto ducked, but this time he rose quickly enough to place the back of Kisara's knee over his shoulder. In a swift motion, he grabbed her other leg in the same position, ending up with Kisara draped over his shoulders.
Finding herself in an elevated position with her legs immobilized, Kisara did her best to defend herself by punching Naruto's head. But her fists simply didn't have the power to make him budge. Naruto gave Kisara's thighs a few squeezes and, smiling, said, "You'd get along great with Ero-sensei." After his words, Naruto slammed Kisara into the ground. Each slam was more brutal than the last, and the damage was so severe that it created a crater in the concrete itself. After a few seconds, Naruto released an unconscious Kisara, who looked completely battered, covered in bruises, her clothes utterly destroyed, and her beret gone.
"You," Karin said, pointing at Kisara's subordinate, who was watching everything in absolute terror. "I want you to tell everyone in Ragnarok what happened here. And when Odin hears about it, make sure to tell him to go to this address, accompanied only by the remaining Fists." The girl tossed a piece of paper at the frightened man's feet.
Despite being consumed by fear, Kisara's subordinate managed to ask one last question. "The remaining Fists?" Karin adjusted her glasses and gave the boy a sardonic laugh. "Yes! The remaining Fists." The redhead snapped her fingers and shouted, "Jugo, bring them in!" At her shout, a massive man with orange hair, dressed in a suit, entered the warehouse. On his shoulders, he carried two teenagers.
One of them had short platinum-blue hair and wore only pants, revealing a body covered in bruises and cuts. The other wore a long shirt and brown pants, his long white hair completely disheveled. Jugo dropped them unceremoniously onto Kisara. "These are Takame Kyoichi and Kugenin Hibiki, though you might know them as Loki and Siegfried, the Fourth and Fifth Fists of Ragnarok."
# # #
In the middle of a dock stood the remaining Fists of Ragnarok, except for Hermit. Odin could swear he had never seen such serious expressions on the faces of his subordinates, and it was all because of the man standing in front of them, calmly smoking a cigarette.
Odin adjusted his glasses and assessed the boy before him, blue eyes ,whisker marks on his face, and short spiky blonde hair. The only difference in his appearance compared to the story he had heard was his attire, rather than a fine suit, he was now simply wearing orange athletic shorts and black sneakers. His hands were bandaged, but what caught Odin's attention the most was his body. Standing shirtless, Odin couldn't help but notice three things: defined but not bulky musculature, a huge Kyuubi tattoo on his back, and multiple cuts along his arms and torso.
After thoroughly inspecting Naruto, Odin focused on his three companions. The first was a huge man with orange hair and a completely stoic expression. The second was an extremely pale boy with black hair and a dead-fish expression. Finally, there was a girl wearing black glasses that matched her short dress and high heels.
The redhead was the first to speak. "Chiaki Yuma, or Thor, Berserker, or rather, Kitsukawa Shogo, the woman is Freya, or Kugatachi Kaname, and last but not least, Odin, or would you prefer we call you Asamiya Ryuto?" Karin pointed at them as she mentioned their names. Thor was the second biggest person in the place, only surpassed by Jugo, but he was definitely the largest in terms of muscle mass, and his sleeveless green gi did little to hide this fact. His short brown hair was as thick as his eyebrows.
Berserker had the same dead expression as the Yakuza subordinates while chewing gum. His athletic clothing, consisting of tight pants, a form-fitting shirt, and a sleeveless vest, displayed a highly athletic body. His hair was spiky and blonde.
The only woman in the group, known as Freya, had short brown hair. Her dark skin gave her an exotic appearance alongside her striking body, which seemed tailor-made for fighting, except for her large breasts, which Karin couldn't help but think couldn't possibly be real. Freya wore a simple blue jumpsuit, a tight shirt, and an orange jacket. A small necklace with an eye hung from her neck, and she held a staff in her gloved hands.
Odin was the most difficult to decipher. He wore an entirely white, loose suit to give no hint of his body, but his gaze was deadly behind his glasses, and the purple color of his eyes made him even more unsettling. His hair shared the color of his pupils.
"And you must be Uzumaki Karin," he said, not needing the redhead to respond to confirm his words. "Then he must be Uzumaki Naruto, the heir to his family at just nineteen years old. I had heard you were good at fighting, but I didn't imagine you were good enough to destroy three of my Fists so easily." Naruto laughed at Odin's words. "Actually, there are four Fists," the Yakuza snapped his fingers, and Jugo approached the black car behind him. From the trunk, he pulled out a bloodied and bruised blonde teenager. "His name is Tanimoto Natsu, or Hermit, I don't know what you prefer. The point, this kid thought it would be wise to attack me in my own home."
Naruto threw the last of his cigarette on the ground before stomping on it. "I think that's enough!" Thor shouted, running toward Naruto in blind rage, but he never got to face the Yakuza, as Jugo stepped in his way.
The two giants exchanged heavy and brutal blows that could easily have knocked down a smaller human. Thor struck Jugo's shoulders with his palms before landing a headbutt that drew blood from Jugo's forehead. But the immovable man didn't stay still. He grabbed Thor by his gi and lifted him over his head in an impressive show of strength. Jugo threw Thor toward a barrel and didn't take long to follow him to continue the fight more personally.
Naruto was about to speak, but he was forced to move out of the way of a quick strike from Freya's Jo staff, which aimed to crush his head. "Wow, girl, don't rush. I'm not wasting my time with lesser Fists anymore," Naruto turned toward the pale boy and pointed at Freya. "Take care of her, Sai." The boy nodded to his boss's words and drew a weapon from the back of his suit. "Right away, Naruto-sama."
Sai didn't waste time with words and, with the first swing of his weapon, tried to cut the Third Fist's throat. Luckily for her, she was able to block it with her Jo staff. "Are you really going to kill me for this?" Sai's expression remained as lifeless as ever. "Of course, it was a direct order from Naruto-sama. Besides, it's not like we care about your lives. The fact that none of the other Fists are dead is because Naruto-sama showed mercy."
As a martial artist, Katsujinken was both baffled and enraged by hearing someone casually speaking about taking lives. "I'll stop you, and then I'll take care of your dear boss," Freya said, and after speaking, she noticed a small flicker of emotion on Sai's face. It was a mocking smile. "I've only seen two of your moves, and I can assure you, you won't stand a chance against me, let alone against Naruto-sama." Without further words, the two clashed once more, their weapons locked.
Watching his two subordinates confront the Fists, Naruto turned his attention to the remaining two members of Ragnarok. "I'm only interested in Odin, but I suppose you won't let me take care of him peacefully." The only response from Berserker was a bubble of chewing gum that popped before he ran toward Naruto.
The Yakuza made the first move with a circular kick that hit Berserker squarely in the ribs, causing a terrifying crack. However, the Second Fist managed to catch Naruto's leg. Unfortunately, his opponent had already anticipated this move and, taking Berserker's head in his hands, struck him with a knee attack that broke his nose and jaw. Taking the momentum from his strike, Naruto stepped back from Berserker.
Taking advantage of the distance, Berserker tried to repay Naruto with his own medicine by launching a kick of his own, but Naruto intercepted it, using his elbow in a downward strike that bent Berserker's knee into an unnatural position. Without wasting any time, Naruto swept the Second Fist's leg and then jumped onto his head, slamming it into the wood of the dock.
"Naruto!" Karin's warning shout came too late. As soon as Naruto paid attention, Odin's right fist sank into his cheek, sending him flying several meters. But beyond that, the only other sign of damage to Naruto was a small scratch.
Contrary to what Odin expected, Naruto wasn't angry or disgusted. Instead, he was happy. "You know," he said, rubbing his cheek, "you're the first one in your whole little gang to actually land a hit on me." Naruto took his battle stance, inviting Odin to take his with a gesture of his hand. "Please, don't disappoint me."