Chapter 8:
The battlefield was a graveyard of ash and ruin. Smoke hung thick in the air, the bitter scent of charred earth and burnt flesh mingling with the groans of the dying. Bodies, both shinobi and Akatsuki alike, lay strewn across the ground—lifeless reminders of a battle against an unrelenting nightmare.
Naruto stood at the center of the massacre, a demonic aura swirling around him. Crimson eyes gleamed with malice, and blood dripped from his fingertips, staining the broken earth. The corpses of Kakuzu, Deidara, and Konan lay scattered, twisted and broken. Orochimaru's severed head stared upward, eyes wide with shock, lips curled in an unfinished curse.
Jiraiya and Tsunade were battered and bloodied. Jiraiya, clutching a deep gash across his chest, gritted his teeth. Beside him, Tsunade struggled to her feet, one arm hanging limply, blood dripping from her lips. The once-proud Sannin were shadows of their former selves—crushed beneath the heel of a tyrant.
"You thought you could stop me?" Naruto mocked, voice dripping venom. "Pathetic."
Jiraiya's resolve hardened. "Naruto, whatever this is—you can still fight it! The boy I trained is still in there!"
Naruto's cruel laughter echoed. "You're delusional. I am no longer that weak child. I am the Crimson Demon!"
A figure emerged from the shadows—Kabuto, eyes gleaming with a sinister smile. "Impressive, Naruto-kun. Even Orochimaru-sama would be—"
Naruto's hand lashed out, crushing Kabuto's throat before he could finish. The medic-nin's body crumpled, lifeless eyes wide in disbelief.
"Annoying pest," Naruto spat, casting the corpse aside.
Tsunade's fists clenched, chakra flaring as she forced herself forward. "I won't let you destroy Konoha!"
Naruto's eyes narrowed as she charged, her fist blazing. He sidestepped with ease, grabbing her by the throat and slamming her into the ground. The earth cracked beneath the impact. Jiraiya hurled a Rasengan, desperation etched across his face. Naruto caught his arm mid-swing, bones snapping under his grip.
Jiraiya howled in agony. Naruto's lips curled into a cruel smile. "You failed your student. Die knowing that."
A surge of malevolent chakra exploded from Naruto, blinding light engulfing the battlefield. When it cleared, he was gone—only echoes of sinister laughter remaining. Blood and ash hung in the air. The Sannin lay broken but breathing.
Elsewhere, dread swept through the shinobi world. Hidan and Kisame had been slain—no trace of their bodies left. Rumors of a new evil spread, a terror cloaked in the face of a boy who once inspired hope.
All knew—Naruto was no more. What stood in his place was something unfathomable—an entity birthed from hatred, a nightmare made flesh.
The Crimson Demon had risen, and all who opposed him would fall.
Naruto's rampage continued. He descended upon a defenseless village, the shadows of his chakra stretching like claws. A squad of elite ANBU tried to intervene, launching coordinated attacks. Blades of wind and torrents of flame converged, but Naruto weaved through the assault with terrifying ease.
One by one, the ANBU fell—limbs severed, throats torn. Their captain, a grizzled warrior with scars and a fierce gaze, fought valiantly. His sword glowed with chakra as he engaged the demon.
"What are you?" the captain demanded, eyes wide with horror.
Naruto's grin widened. "Your end."
The captain's head fell from his shoulders, blood spraying across the ground.
Naruto's laughter filled the air as screams echoed. Homes were reduced to rubble, families scattered and broken. He reveled in the destruction, savoring the fear in their eyes. The world would know despair—the kind he had suffered.
At the ruins of the village, whispers spread. The name "Naruto Uzumaki" was no longer one of hope but terror. The Crimson Demon, a being of rage and hatred, was unstoppable.
No sanctuary remained. Not for shinobi, not for innocents. The nightmare had only just begun.