Chapter 13:
The moon hung heavy in the sky, casting a crimson glow over the ruined landscape. Blood stained the earth, soaking into the dirt and feeding the roots of twisted trees. The once-verdant forests of the Land of Fire had become a graveyard, haunted by whispers of the dead and the scent of death itself.
Naruto stood at the center of this desolation, his body hunched and trembling. The transformation was nearly complete. A swirling mass of malevolent chakra enveloped him, flickering with the blood-red hue of the Crimson Demon. His skin had taken on a darker, almost shadowed tone, and his eyes gleamed with a sinister hunger—pupils slit like a serpent's. Markings crawled across his body, eldritch symbols pulsing with forbidden power. The entity within him purred with satisfaction, savoring its rebirth.
The pain was excruciating. The demon's essence tore through Naruto's flesh and soul, a fusion of cursed energy and twisted intent. Memories of the old Naruto—bright, determined, and hopeful—were burned away, leaving only fragmented echoes. Laughter and camaraderie faded into screams of terror and hatred.
Within the depths of his own mind, a fading remnant of the original Naruto was locked in an endless void. Shadows swirled around him, whispering his failures. He saw flashes of friends—Sakura's desperate face, Kakashi's solemn gaze, and Iruka's proud smile—all distorted into masks of anguish. The memories taunted him before shattering into darkness.
"Your existence is meaningless," a voice growled.
Naruto turned, defiance flaring in his eyes, but the figure before him was a twisted mockery of himself—crimson eyes, fanged grin, and blood dripping from his fingers. The demon's form towered over him, a twisted reflection of everything he feared.
"You couldn't save them," the entity mocked. "The boy who dreamed of being Hokage? A pathetic lie. You are nothing—nothing but hatred and power now."
Naruto clutched his head, screaming. The darkness pressed in, binding him. The demon's laughter echoed, and Naruto's last fragment of will crumbled. The beast's crimson eyes became his own.
Beyond the Void—The Land of Fire
The ground trembled as an ominous wave of chakra erupted from Naruto's body, shaking the forest. A crimson flare shot into the sky, painting the clouds blood-red. The earth cracked beneath him, and a monstrous roar filled the air. A dark, towering figure emerged—no longer the blond shinobi of Konoha, but a being of malice incarnate. The Crimson Demon.
His body was a fusion of man and beast—hulking, limbs corded with muscle, and eyes blazing with bloodlust. Fiery markings etched into his skin pulsed with malevolent energy. Claws replaced his fingernails, and his fangs gleamed under the moonlight. The air was thick with bloodlust.
The surrounding wildlife fled in terror, birds abandoning their nests and animals scattering. The demonic presence radiated fear—an instinctual dread that gnawed at even the most hardened shinobi. The beast's lips curled into a feral grin.
"Finally…" the demon growled, savoring its new vessel. Its gaze turned toward Konoha, and a sadistic hunger flashed in its eyes. "My reign begins."
The Hokage's Office—Konoha
Tsunade stood frozen, hands gripping the edge of her desk. The oppressive wave of chakra had washed over the village, setting alarms blaring. Shinobi scrambled into formation, panic etched into their faces. Tsunade's fists tightened.
"This…this can't be Naruto," she whispered. But the truth was undeniable—an energy far darker than the Kyuubi's radiated from the forest.
Shizune entered, pale and shaking. "The scouts confirm it. He's transformed into something…monstrous."
Tsunade's eyes hardened. "Gather every available shinobi. Prepare the village defenses. No one faces him alone—understood?"
Shizune nodded, but fear flickered in her gaze. "Can we even stop him?"
Tsunade's silence was her answer.
The Battlefield—Outskirts of Konoha
A contingent of elite shinobi, led by Sai, Lee, and Kiba, moved swiftly through the forest. The oppressive chakra weighed on them, sapping their courage. Akamaru whimpered, fur bristling.
Kiba gritted his teeth. "Akamaru's never been this scared. What the hell is he?"
Sai's expression was grim. "Not the Naruto we knew. Prepare yourselves."
Lee's determination was unshakeable, but doubt lurked beneath the surface. "Naruto-kun, if you're still in there, I'll save you."
The trees suddenly parted, revealing a smoldering clearing littered with twisted corpses—wildlife caught in the blast of demonic chakra. And there stood the Crimson Demon.
He towered over them, an abomination wreathed in red energy. The beast's mouth curled into a predatory smile. "Ah, volunteers."
Kiba growled, kunai ready. "Naruto! Snap out of it!"
The demon chuckled—a guttural, mocking sound. "Naruto is gone. I am wrath incarnate."
Without warning, the demon's arm shot forward, claws ripping through the air. Kiba dodged, but the shockwave sent him crashing into a tree. Akamaru yelped as the beast's tail slammed down, scattering debris.
Lee shot forward, the air humming with the force of his strikes. "Konoha Senpū!"
His kick connected, but the demon barely flinched. Lee's eyes widened in shock. The Crimson Demon seized his leg, slamming him into the ground. The earth cracked, and Lee coughed blood.
Sai's ink beasts surged forward, jaws snapping. The demon's chakra flared, and the creatures disintegrated in midair.
"Pitiful," the beast sneered.
Kiba snarled. "Don't underestimate us!" He and Akamaru attacked in unison, fangs glowing with chakra. "Fang Over Fang!"
The attack struck true, carving deep into the demon's side. But the wounds closed instantly. The demon's gaze narrowed. "Annoying."
A backhanded strike sent Kiba flying, bones cracking. Akamaru yelped in terror.
Lee struggled to stand, blood trickling from his mouth. "We…won't give up…"
The Crimson Demon's laugh was cold. "Good. Struggle. It amuses me."
The beast lunged forward, claws poised to strike. In that moment, a blinding flash of green exploded, and Lee vanished from the beast's reach. A powerful presence appeared beside him—Gai, eyes blazing.
"I won't let you harm my students!" Gai declared, veins bulging as the Eighth Gate opened. Red energy blazed around him.
The Crimson Demon grinned wickedly. "Show me, human."
With a roar, Gai charged forward. The ground shattered beneath his feet as he unleashed a flurry of blows. The Crimson Demon met his strikes head-on, crimson energy clashing with the red aura of the Eighth Gate. The forest trembled as shockwaves tore through the battlefield.
Blow after blow, Gai pressed on, but the demon's resilience was monstrous. Blood splattered the ground, yet the beast seemed unstoppable. The light in Gai's eyes began to waver.
The Crimson Demon laughed, a low, menacing sound. "Stronger than the others, but still weak."
With a brutal swipe, Gai was hurled back, body broken. The Eighth Gate faded, and he collapsed, blood pooling beneath him.
The demon loomed over him. "Die."
Before the final blow fell, a blinding light erupted. The Raikage, Gaara, and Mei Terumī arrived—faces etched with resolve.
The demon grinned. "More prey."
The war against the Crimson Demon had begun. The shinobi world would burn before its wrath.
The true nightmare had just begun.
Please give more power stone ❤️