Chapter 5: The Demon's Classroom
So, there I was—dragged into the white zone. No windows, no doors, no furniture except this crazy-soft white sofa that looked like it belonged in a luxury ad. And me? I was dumped on it like yesterday's garbage. All around me was just... nothing. Blank. Featureless. Like my brain had gone on vacation and left me behind.
Of course, Naruto—my personal nightmare-slash-mentor—was standing there like he owned the place. Because, spoiler alert, he does.
"Relax on the sofa and watch carefully," he said with this mix of bossiness and that annoying smirk that somehow made me want to punch him and ask him for advice at the same time. "We're going to discuss our futures."
Great. Futures. Because mine clearly needed a rewrite.
I clenched my fists so tight I thought I might crush my own fingers. "Damn you, demon," I muttered, voice barely above a whisper because, well, I'm not stupid.
Naruto's ears twitched like he had radar. "I heard that," he said, eyes gleaming with what I can only call "pure evil amusement." "But next time, try screaming. Who knows what might happen?"
Before I could even blink, a jolt of electricity zapped through me—sharp and biting. Not enough to fry me, but enough to remind me that this guy could—and would—do way worse if I pushed my luck.
"Consider that a warning," Naruto said, eyes glowing gold like he was some kind of cat about to pounce. "You're here to learn, not to waste my time with petty resistance."
My throat dried up. I nodded because arguing was definitely not on the menu today. Inside, my brain was screaming every curse word it knew, but I locked them down tight.
I sat back on the couch, every muscle tense like I was ready to bolt. Relaxing was a joke. Naruto's stare was like a spotlight, burning into me, making me feel smaller than ever.
This is so far from being a hero, I thought bitterly. I'm just a puppet—his puppet. How am I supposed to gain confidence or anything like this?
Naruto started pacing, like a predator circling his prey. Then he stopped and looked at me, all serious now.
"Listen, Danny," he said, voice low and heavy. "I could force you to act like a hero. I could make you take every step, throw every punch, make every decision for you. But that wouldn't be your choice, would it?"
I squinted at him, confused but curious. "Then why are you doing this? If you want me to change, why not just take over all the time?"
He fixed me with that golden-eyed stare, and I swear it could melt steel. "Because change has to come from within. It's easy to manipulate someone, but real growth—lasting growth—happens only when you decide to take control. I'm here to push you, guide you, and yeah, maybe scare the crap out of you. But in the end, it's your life. Your choices. Your future."
His words hit me harder than any punch I'd taken today. I didn't fully trust him, not yet. But maybe... maybe there was some truth buried in the madness.
"Now," Naruto said, his smirk creeping back. "Are you going to sit there sulking, or are you ready to start taking control of your life? Because trust me, this world isn't going to wait for you to get your act together."
My hands curled into fists, heart pounding like a drum. I wasn't sure if I had what it took.
But something inside me said I had to try.
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Okay, picture this: my room—warm, kinda messy, snacks and drinks scattered across the carpet like we'd been preparing for a tiny apocalypse. Tucker's chilling against the bedframe, looking like he's either about to nap or judge me (probably both). Sam's lounging on this ridiculous beanbag that looks like it belongs in a circus, and me? I'm awkwardly stuck in a chair near the computer, trying to act like this isn't the most tense hangout we've had since forever.
Tucker shoots me a raised eyebrow, arms crossed like he's sizing up a criminal. "So, I'm happy for you guys, but why invite me as the third wheel? Did you want to rub it in?"
Classic Tucker. I grin, trying to keep it light because honestly, I don't want to make this weirder than it already is. "Dude, you know me," I say, voice all casual with just the tiniest hint of mischief. "I'm hurt, man. Hurting my friends? That'd kill me. But, yeah... I definitely brought you here to suffer the pain of being the eternal single dog."
He snorts, grabbing a handful of chips and casually chucks them at me. Chips land all over my lap, which just adds to the vibe of 'this is not my day.'
Before things turn into a full-on food fight, Sam cuts in, voice steady like a referee: "Okay, enough messing around. Let's keep the peace."
Naruto, who—let's be real—is currently controlling my body like some puppet master, hides his smirk behind a serious expression. He knows if he gets too formal, Sam and Tucker will catch on that something's off, so he's enjoying the banter while he can.
Then he clears his throat, voice dropping into full-on serious mode: "This is going to be a serious topic—our future."
Suddenly, the room goes quiet, like the announcer just declared the main event.
"I've decided to change," Naruto continues, eyes locking with both of them, "and become a model person. A hero, with fighting skills and life skills."
Tucker, never missing a beat, smirks, "Like Batman?"
I'm halfway impressed by Tucker's joke, because yeah, Batman is basically my spirit animal: no superpowers, just mad skills and a brooding attitude.
"Yes. Like Batman," Naruto confirms. "I've been training hard and working on my personality. Courage is needed to fight dangerous enemies. I want to create a team, because no one man can do this alone. I'm not invincible."
That hit me harder than I expected. Me? A hero? It sounded like one of those cheesy comics I used to read—but the words felt oddly real coming from Naruto's mouth.
"This path will require sacrifice," Naruto adds, "time, fun, even risking our lives. I've chosen you two because of your qualities. But if you want out, I won't hold it against you. We only get one life."
I sat there, digesting that. This wasn't some dumb high school drama. This was the big leagues—real danger, real stakes.
Tucker broke the silence, voice calm but serious: "We've been through a lot, bro. I'm in. What's the plan?"
Sam stood behind me, hands on my shoulders, voice steady and warm: "I trust you."
Her words hit me in the gut—serious and sincere.
I looked at them both and said, "Thanks, guys. I won't let you down."
My voice was quiet, but the weight behind it was anything but small.
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Alright, so Naruto—who's basically been running my body like some super-serious coach—keeps laying down the big talk.
"This is something long-term," he says, eyes flicking between Sam and Tucker like he's about to drop a life-changing syllabus on us. "We're not jumping in right away. We gotta build our strengths and cover our weaknesses. None of us have really been in a proper fight yet. And trust me, pressure will mess with your head. So we gotta get ready—fast."
Sam and Tucker exchange that look—the one where you realize you're signing up for something way bigger than you thought.
Tucker, always quick to cut through the drama, pipes up: "What exactly are we training for? We're not superheroes, Danny. No Batcave, no gadgets, no superpowers."
Naruto nods like he expected that. "Exactly why we're gonna specialize. Tucker, you're on tech. Hacking, gadgets, building stuff. I'll help you get started, but eventually, you gotta run with it."
Sam leans forward, already mentally mapping out a chemistry lab in her head. "And me?"
Naruto locks eyes with her. "Bio-chemistry is your playground. Think Poison Ivy but with brains—chemical warfare, antidotes, bio-tech. You'll be our secret weapon."
And honestly? Hearing that made me feel like we were assembling some kind of superhero heist team. Not just muscle and punches, but brains and strategy.
Naruto keeps going, voice dropping to serious mode: "Physical training, mental prep—our minds will be the sharpest weapon we've got."
Sam nods, determination shining in her eyes. "Let's do it."
Tucker throws his hands up like he's surrendering to fate. "Fine, fine. I'm in. But if I come out of this with more bruises than chips in my belly, I'm blaming you, Danny."
Then comes the moment that really hit me—the silence breaks with Tucker asking, all casual but serious underneath, "So… what's our team name gonna be?"
Simple question, but it felt huge. Like naming your band before you've even learned your instruments.
I shifted in my chair, the weight of everything settling in. "We'll figure that out once we actually start," I said, voice steady but packed with a new kind of purpose. "Right now, it's all about getting ready."
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Sam's eyebrows scrunched up like she was solving a puzzle that didn't quite add up. "Wait—how exactly did you get info on poisons?" she asked, half-skeptical, half-curious. Her brain was racing with all the "what ifs," and honestly, the whole thing felt like it was getting darker by the second.
Naruto—still running my body but with way more serious vibes—didn't blink. "My parents have tested many things," he said carefully, like he was choosing words for a diplomatic summit. "I picked up what could work on humans and wrote it down."
Okay, not a total lie. My parents were the kind who dabbled in chemical projects here and there—nothing too crazy, but definitely some stuff that could backfire spectacularly if mishandled. Naruto had quietly mined those notes like a pro librarian on a classified mission.
Sam nodded, though her mind was spinning. "Alright, I have to admit—that actually sounds pretty cool," she said, her voice softening. "I never thought about mixing my plant knowledge with, well… this kind of stuff. Kinda makes it feel like a real-life superhero power."
Then she reached over and ruffled my hair like I was some kind of underdog hero who just got a pep talk. I gotta say, it helped. Made the whole thing feel less like a life-or-death crisis and more like the start of something legit.
But then there was Tucker.
He looked more unsure than usual—maybe even a little suspicious. "Yeah, that's all fine and cool," he said slowly, "but when did you learn how to make this stuff? This isn't like our usual tech projects."
His eyes narrowed, like he was trying to piece together a mystery: Did I hide this from them? Was I playing a secret solo game before? The thought hit me like a dodgeball to the face.
Sam caught the change in Tucker's vibe and shot him a reassuring smile, though I could tell her mind was spinning too. We didn't have all the answers, but that didn't mean we couldn't trust each other.
"Look," Sam said, her voice steady and warm, "we're in this together. I trust you, Danny. Whatever you're hiding, we'll figure it out."
Tucker hesitated but finally nodded. "Yeah… you're right. Just feels like there's more I don't know. And I don't want surprises popping up later."
I caught his eye and smiled the best I could. "Don't worry. We're all in this together. No secrets."
Sam leaned in, hand still on my head. "We'll make it work."
Tucker finally sighed and slouched back. "Alright, I'm in. But seriously—no more surprises, okay?"
We sat there for a moment, the quiet settling around us like the calm before the storm. None of us knew what the future held or how this crazy plan would actually play out.
But one thing was crystal clear:
We were a team now. And whatever came next, we'd face it together.