The dark forest seemed to vibrate with a strange energy as Naruto, Hinata, Kiba, and Akamaru approached the cave marked by the Byakugan. Kaguya, in her spirit form, silently watched from Naruto's mind, analyzing every move.
"It's here," Hinata murmured, pointing to the entrance of the cave, from which a bluish glow emanated.
Naruto frowned, feeling something heavy in the air.
—There's a guy in there… and his chakra isn't normal.
Kiba nodded, excited at the thought of a fight.
— Perfect. Let's go kick some ass.
— Stay on your guard, Hinata warned.
Upon entering the cave, they were immediately confronted by a tall, imposing man with spiky hair and eyes blazing with electric energy. He wore light armor, decorated with burn marks. His aura gave off a raw, almost feral power.
"You're finally here," he sneered, standing up from a rock where he had been sitting. "I've waited a long time for a ninja from the great nations to show up."
Naruto stared at him, his gaze serious.
— Are you the one who runs this gang?
The man burst out laughing, a thunderous laugh that echoed through the cave.
—Lead? No, I am not a leader. I am simply… their weapon. Raiken, that is my name. Remember it well, Konoha ninja, because I will engrave this name in your memory.
Kiba growled.
—That's a lot of talk for a guy who's going to get beat in less than two minutes.
Raiken narrowed his eyes, a predatory smile on his face.
—You think so? You ninjas from the great nations are all the same. Arrogant, ignorant, and so convinced that you are better than us.
He raised a hand, and electricity began to crackle around him, lighting up the cave a bright blue.
— You forgot us. My village suffered, abandoned by people like you. So now I'm going to make you pay.
Without waiting, Raiken punched the ground with his fist, sending a shockwave of electricity in the team's direction. Naruto reacted quickly, grabbing Hinata and jumping back to avoid the impact.
—This guy isn't joking! Naruto shouted.
Kiba and Akamaru, already moving, used their combined technique to attack Raiken from the flank. But Raiken, fast as lightning, dodged their assault and countered with an electrically charged punch, sending them flying against a wall.
— Kiba! Hinata cried, immediately activating her Byakugan to analyze Raiken's movements.
Naruto formed a Rasengan and charged in turn, but Raiken blocked the attack with an electric barrier around his arm, violently pushing him back.
— Do you think your little ball of energy will be enough? Raiken roared.
He leapt forward, hitting Naruto head on with an electrically charged strike. Naruto was thrown against a rock, but quickly got back up, a smile on his face.
— Not bad, but you're not the only one with a little power, Naruto said.
The fight continued, with Raiken using his mastery of lightning to keep the team at bay, casting lightning bolts and creating devastating explosions throughout the cave.
Hinata and Kiba tried to catch him off guard, but his speed and raw power made every attack difficult to land.
In Naruto's mind, Kaguya was watching with interest.
—That Raiken… he's reckless, but his raw power is impressive.
—Then help me beat him, Naruto thought, frustrated.
Kaguya was silent for a moment before answering.
—I'll watch you a little longer. This fight might teach me something about you...and him.
Kurama growled in Naruto's mind.
— This woman is unbearable.
Finally, Hinata noticed a crucial detail thanks to her Byakugan.
— Naruto-kun! His chakra is concentrated in his arms and legs. That's where he channels all of his energy. If he's forced to disperse his chakra, he'll be vulnerable!
Naruto nodded.
- Understood !
He created several shadow clones, sending them to attack Raiken from all sides. Caught off guard by the numbers, Raiken began to tire, his movements becoming less precise.
"Is that all you've got?" he roared, launching one last massive attack.
But Naruto, taking advantage of an opening, used a Rasenshuriken to directly hit Raiken's electric barrier, breaking it and throwing him to the ground.
Kiba and Hinata quickly pinned Raiken down, while Naruto approached him, panting.
— It's over, Raiken.
Raiken, lying on the ground, burst out laughing despite his injuries.
— Finished? Do you think your victory changes anything? My village is still destroyed, because of the 4th great war by zetsu. My people are still forgotten. And the great nations continue to strut around like they rule the world.
Naruto remained silent, touched by Raiken's words.
"I understand your anger," he finally said. "But that's not how you're going to change things."
Raiken stared at him in disbelief.
— You talk about changing things, but you too are part of this system. You don't know what it's like to lose everything you love.
Naruto clenched his fists.
— You're wrong. I've lost people, too. But instead of letting my anger control me, I decided to protect those who remain.
Raiken looked away, bitter. "You're just a kid."
Naruto says "I'm 19 now, I'm not a kid anymore"
In Naruto's mind, Kaguya was watching the scene with a glimmer of interest.
This Raiken is weak and pathetic… but his resentment towards this world could be useful.
She kept her thoughts to herself, waiting to see how Naruto would handle the rest.
Chapter 8.2: The Roar of Shadows
As Raiken lay on the ground, injured and pinned down by Kiba and Hinata, a strange smirk appeared on his face.
— You think you've defeated me… but I never fight alone.
He slid a trembling hand towards a small canteen attached to his belt. Before Hinata could react, he shattered the container, releasing a dark, viscous liquid that immediately evaporated into dense smoke.
—What is it?! Kiba shouted as he backed away with Akamaru.
Naruto watched the scene with wide eyes.
— This chakra… it's that of a Bijû!
Smoke enveloped Raiken, merging with his body. He screamed in pain as his appearance began to change. Horns similar to Hachibi's emerged from his head, and two chakra tails took shape behind him. His muscles bulged, and his eyes turned a blood red.
—Finally… true power, Raiken roared, his voice distorted by the power of the Hachibi.
Before Naruto could even intervene, the now transformed Raiken unleashed a wave of raw energy. The blast sent Kiba, Hinata, and Akamaru flying against the walls of the cave.
— Hinata! Kiba! Naruto shouted, rushing towards them.
Hinata tried to get up, but the shock had left her severely weakened.
— Naruto-kun… be careful…
Kiba groaned as he struggled to his feet, his hand on his side.
— This guy… he's become a monster.
Raiken roared, his aura of corrupted chakra filling the cave.
— Come! Show me if your famous great nations can surpass me now!
Naruto clenched his fists, sensing the urgency of the situation.
— Kurama, we have no choice. We have to use the Kyûbi's Chakra Mode.
Kurama, in Naruto's mind, growled in approval.
—Be careful, Naruto. This corrupted chakra is unstable. It could explode at any moment.
Naruto activated the KCM 2, his body lighting up with a golden aura. Black marks appeared on his golden skin and a chakra cloak appeared.
—I'll calm you down, Raiken, Naruto said, rushing towards him.
The fight that followed was of exceptional intensity. Raiken, with the power of the Hachibi's two tails, struck with colossal force. His punches created shockwaves, and each chakra attack resembled a raging storm.
Naruto dodged nimbly, using his KCM to counterattack. He created several shadow clones to distract Raiken, but Raiken easily destroyed them with chakra blasts.
"You can't do anything against me!" Raiken yelled, launching a massive attack towards Naruto.
Naruto formed a Rasengan amplified by Kurama's chakra and threw it to counter Raiken's attack. The two energies collided, creating an explosion that shook the entire cave.
Naruto stepped back, quickly analyzing the situation.
—His body is unstable… he can't handle this power for long.
Kaguya, observing from Naruto's mind, mentally interjected.
— You're right. This power is too great for him. But if you don't stop him soon, he could destroy himself… and everything around him.
Naruto nodded.
— So we have to end this now.
He created a Rasenshuriken, charging it with Kurama's chakra. The attack glowed with an intense golden light.
— Raiken! This is your last chance! Let go of this power before it destroys you!
Raiken, blinded by rage, roared:
— Never! I will crush this corrupt system with my own strength!
Naruto leapt into the air, throwing the Rasenshuriken directly at Raiken. The whirling attack hit Raiken full on, enveloping his body in a massive explosion of chakra.
When the dust settled, Raiken was on the ground, his body back to normal. He was breathing heavily, exhausted from the energy he had tried to control. Naruto approached, deactivating his KCM.
—Why… why did you leave me alive? Raiken whispered.
Naruto stared at him with a serious but compassionate look.
— Because I know what it's like to suffer and feel forgotten. But that's no excuse to hurt others.
Raiken looked away, defeated not only physically, but mentally as well.
As the team carried the unconscious Raiken back to the village, Kaguya thought.
This boy… he has power far greater than brute force. His ability to change hearts is… disturbing.
Kurama growled in Naruto's mind.
—You did it, kid. But don't let your guard down. Guys like Raiken are never alone.
Naruto nodded, looking out at the horizon.
—I know, Kurama. This is just the beginning.
Conclusion
The team returned to the border village, bringing Raiken. Hinata and Kiba remained vigilant, while Naruto thought thoughtfully about Raiken's words.
"Everyone has their reasons," he murmured. "But I'm going to keep moving forward, no matter what."
Kaguya silently sketched an imperceptible smile in her mind.
This boy… he might be more interesting than I thought.
End of chapter.