Chapter 6: The air was thick with the scent of blood and ozone. Charred earth and splintered stone littered the once-sacred grounds of the Hidden Rain Village. The Akatsuki's iron rule had crumbled, and the echoes of their defiance faded into the cold drizzle. Amidst the wreckage, a lone figure stood, unmoved by the rain that slithered down his face—Naruto Uzumaki, reborn as the Crimson Demon.
His eyes, swirling pools of black and red malice, reflected the flickering flames devouring the remnants of the Akatsuki stronghold. The bodies of fallen warriors, clad in dark cloaks adorned with crimson clouds, lay scattered around him—lifeless, twisted, and broken. Pain's Rinnegan stared blankly into the void, a testament to the fallen god's defeat.
Naruto's breathing was slow, controlled—a predator surveying his kill. He could still taste the thrill of the hunt, the rush of power as Pain fell before his wrath. This new self was not bound by the ideals of friendship or mercy; he was a force unshackled, a demon in flesh.
"Did you believe yourself a god, Nagato?" Naruto's voice cut through the silence, mocking. He crouched, running a finger over the rain-soaked earth, tracing a spiral as if marking a grave. "You were nothing but a fool."
A chuckle echoed behind him. The sound was dry and cruel—an acknowledgment of the inevitable.
"So, this is your true face, Naruto?" came the voice. The man stepped from the shadows, long hair framing a face etched with smirks and scars. Uchiha Itachi stood calm, Sharingan glowing. "A demon masquerading as a savior."
Naruto rose, turning with a grin that dripped malice. "A savior? I am the end, Itachi."
The two stared each other down, the tension snapping like taut wires. Itachi's eyes narrowed, hands forming quick seals. "Amaterasu!"
Black flames surged forth, engulfing Naruto. But instead of cries of agony, a pulse of dark chakra erupted. The flames bent and twisted before extinguishing, leaving Naruto unscathed. His eyes burned with dark amusement.
"Is that all?" Naruto taunted. He flicked his wrist, and shadows wove into tendrils, darting for Itachi.
Itachi weaved through them, but Naruto was relentless, pressing the attack. Dark energy surged from his hands, corrupting the ground. Itachi grunted as a tendril caught his leg, pulling him off-balance. The Uchiha severed it with a kunai but knew he was outmatched. The dark power Naruto wielded was unlike anything he had encountered.
"You've fallen so far," Itachi remarked, eyes blazing. "This isn't power—it's madness."
Naruto laughed. "Madness is just power unrestrained, Itachi. Let me show you true strength."
The earth trembled as Naruto molded his chakra, shadows coalescing around him. Dark mist poured forth, and monstrous figures emerged—warped beasts with glowing eyes. They lunged at Itachi, feral and ravenous.
Itachi's Sharingan spun, casting a Genjutsu. The creatures paused, distorted, but Naruto's grin widened. The beasts tore through the illusion, unbound by logic.
Blood stained the ground as Itachi fought—elegant, precise, but the tide was inevitable. A tendril lashed out, ensnaring his arm. Another wrapped around his leg. The beasts closed in.
"Any last words?" Naruto mocked.
Itachi's gaze was resolute. "I've seen darkness, Naruto. Yours is but a pale shadow."
The shadows constricted, and Itachi's body crumpled, fading. A clone.
Naruto frowned as a kunai sailed past his cheek, grazing him. Itachi stood nearby, eyes dull. Blood dripped from his mouth. "Even in death, I'll haunt you."
Naruto scoffed. "Then die knowing I'll burn it all."
Dark chakra surged, engulfing Itachi. When the smoke cleared, only ashes remained.
Naruto's grin faded. The thrill of victory felt...empty. But the hunger stirred. More awaited.
He turned toward the horizon, eyes fixed on the next target. The hunt was far from over.