Chapter no.1 Prologue

Giggles echoed through the dark forest, swallowed and returned by the trees. Naruto's knew how ridiculous he must have looked, standing alone beneath the moonlit canopy and laughing.

He didn't care.

After countless failures, bruised pride, and more frustration than he cared to remember, he had finally done it.

Naruto stared at the figure in front of him, barely able to keep still. It was him. The three whisker-like marks carved into each cheek. The spiky blond hair catching the pale moonlight. The bright blue eyes staring back at him in disbelief. Even the clothes were perfect. The orange jacket with blue shoulders and a white fur collar. The blue, open-toed sandals planted firmly on the forest floor.

"Great, with this I'll," he began, but the clone cut him off. "I'll take my first step into becoming Hokage."

Clones weren't supposed to talk. That was new.

Naruto reached out and poked it. He expected his hand to pass through, like all the failed illusions in the academy. But this time, his finger touched solid flesh.

"My clone is solid... and it can talk. You know what that means, right?"

The clone nodded, just as excited as he was.

"My clone jutsu is better than everyone else's."

The thought filled him with pride. He watched as the clone turned toward the forbidden scroll of seals nearby.

"What are you doing?"

"We have some time before Mizuki-sensei shows up. Let's learn another jutsu," the clone replied, voice eerily identical to his.

"Let's do it."

Naruto's excitement died the moment he opened the scroll. He had been expecting some powerful new jutsu. Instead, it was packed with dense, complicated seals designed to keep him away from anything actually useful.

When his shadow clone spread the scroll out across the forest floor, Naruto almost said it was pointless. He had never been good with sealing techniques, and he knew better than to mess with them. One wrong move, one mistake he didn't understand, and the whole thing could blow up in his face.

"It looks like a storage seal," the clone muttered.

The storage seal was a spatial fuinjutsu construct that generated a compressed subspace anchored to the seal formula. Access required a specific chakra input, which the seal verified before activation. Once unlocked, the supplied chakra temporarily stabilized and unfolded the subspace, allowing items to be stored or retrieved. When chakra flow ceased, the seal automatically collapsed back into an inert state, preserving its contents and preventing unauthorized access.

Judging by the size of it, the seal would probably need a ton of chakra. That wasn't a problem. If there was one thing Naruto never seemed to run out of, it was stamina. He remembered how even Sasuke, the academy's favorite show-off, ended up panting after the morning runs. Naruto never did.

"Let's open this up and see what cool item is inside."

They placed their hands on the center of the seal. The seal didn't just accept their chakra. It pulled on it. But something was off. The seal wasn't just absorbing chakra... it was draining it, faster and harder than anything he had ever encountered. The clone vanished in a puff of smoke.

Then it stopped.

The seal had taken what it needed. With a final, greedy gulp, it unlocked. A thick puff of smoke burst out.

For the first time in his life, Naruto felt true chakra exhaustion. His limbs trembled uncontrollably, his chest tightened, and every breath scorched his lungs. His body hit the dirt with a dull thud. The forest spun around him, swirling like ink in water.

The cold earth beneath him was the only thing keeping him grounded. He shut his eyes and tried to focus on his breathing.

The worst part?

The seal had opened to absolutely nothing.

"Bastard seal, you took my chakra, now give me your secrets!"

Naruto could feel the steady pulse of recovery, stronger than what most of his classmates could manage. He remembered how they always complained about chakra exhaustion, whining about how long it took to recharge. He smirked.

Guess their recovery speed isn't as great as the great Naruto Uzumaki!

That thought gave him a brief flash of smug satisfaction before his focus snapped back to the scroll. He wasn't finished with it, but he hadn't expected what happened next.

A glow stirred within the thinning smoke.

At first it was faint, barely there. The energy twisted upward in a slow spiral, moving with purpose, as if guided by an unseen hand. As it rose, the flames bent inward and took shape, forming a ring suspended just above the seal.

It pulsed steadily, expanding and contracting like a living thing drawing breath.

Gold shimmered along its edges while the center burned deeper and hotter, almost molten. The light washed over the trees, setting their shadows dancing across the forest floor. For a moment, it looked as though a fragment of the sun was being forged in front of him.

Naruto reached out on instinct.

The instant his finger touched the ring, the world vanished in a blinding flash.

Naruto opened his eyes and found nothing waiting for him. No light, no forest, no familiar shapes. Only an abyss stretching in every direction.

Where am I? Is this a dream? Did I pass out? What was that ring of fire?

No answers came.

"I'm pretty sure Ayame would be terrified of this place," Naruto muttered, trying to laugh. "Jiji, are you there?"

His voice echoed through the void.

"Is this because I knocked you out with the Sexy Jutsu? I said I was sorry."

He pinched his ears when apologizing. It felt silly. It was silly. But the silence that followed felt heavier than before.

"Is anyone there?"

His voice cracked. He didn't like the way it sounded. Small. Afraid. It reminded him of nights in his apartment, when silence was all he had. Then light exploded across the void.

Naruto staggered back, throwing his arms up to block the glare. He squinted through his fingers and saw ten rings of fire. They floated in the air before him, flickering with the same orange glow as before. One ring pulsed brighter than the rest. As he got closer, the ring expanded. Inside it, an image appeared.

It was him.

Or... an illusion of him.

He wore armor. A chest plate, shoulder guards and metal gauntlets. In one hand, a sword. In the other, a round metal shield.

"This is so cool," Naruto whispered, eyes wide.

Is this showing me my future? Or is it just an illusion?

"Do I get the sword if I touch it?"

Pausing, Naruto turned to survey the nine remaining rings. A spark of curiosity lit in his chest. Just then, a scroll unfurled in front of him, as words shimmered across the surface.

[Warrior Class: Weapon expert. High strength, dexterity.]

He glanced back at his armored self, mentally piecing it together.

"I think I get it now, Dattebayo!" he exclaimed. "If I touch you, I get to be a weapon expert and be super strong and... dex-something."

The boy had no idea what dexterity meant, but high strength was more than enough to sell him on the idea. Still, something tugged at his attention.

The next ring revealed the Knight Class.

[Low-ranking knight. High HP. Solid armor. Not easily toppled.]

The illusion wore far more metal than the warrior, practically encased in steel from head to toe.

"What the heck is a knight?"

No answer came, just the flickering of quiet flames. He shrugged and moved on.

[Wanderer Class: Wields scimitar. High dexterity.]

This version of him wore a dark leather outfit with a hood. A curved sword which he guessed was the scimitar. A small shield hung from his arm, shaped suspiciously like a ramen bowl. Dressed in all black with that moody look, he resembled someone far too familiar.

"At least if I pick this class, I can use the shield as a ramen bowl."

The next class was Thief.

[High critical hits. Has master key.]

Thief Naruto held a dagger not much bigger than a kunai and a shield so small it looked like it belonged to a toddler. He wasn't impressed, though the part about the key caught his attention.

"What's a master key do anyway?"

No one answered.

Next up was the Bandit Class.

[High strength. Wields heavy battle axe.]

Bandit Naruto was huge. Towering muscles. Biceps thicker than both of Naruto's arms. His armor included a chainmail hauberk, padded trousers tucked into heavy boots, and broad leather straps crossing his chest. A thick belt wrapped around his waist. One shoulder was armored with metal plates, and he carried a massive, intimidating axe along with a spider-emblazoned shield.

"Do I get that body if I choose this class?"

Naruto wasn't scrawny, but Bandit Naruto was on another level. He imagined Sakura taking one look at him and completely forgetting about Sasuke. That thought alone made him giggle. Still, he forced himself to move on.

The next illusion was the Hunter Class.

[Bow-wielding hunter. Decent at close range. Weak with magic.]

Hunter Naruto wore rugged leather armor, with a bow slung across his back and a quiver of green-feathered arrows.

"Weak to magic?"

That part puzzled him. What did magic even mean? Was it like another word for chakra? The thought left him with more questions than answers. The scroll for the next class unfurled without warning.

[Sorcerer of Vinheim Dragon School. Casts soul sorceries.]

Sorcerer Naruto looked... weird. Big, floppy hat and robes that screamed "nerd." It was disappointing. The name had sounded so cool... Dragon school? Soul sorcery? It sounded like he was getting a new ninjutsu.

"Let's just move to the next."

Still, part of him couldn't stop thinking about it. Dragon school? Do flying lizards teach there or something?

[Pyromancer Class: Swamp pyromancer. Casts fire spells. Wields a hand axe.]

Pyromancer Naruto stood tall, holding a worn axe and a wooden shield. His armor however...

"You look homeless," Naruto muttered.

But the fire spell detail made his heart race. He still remembered Sasuke practicing those fireballs during training. Naruto had always wanted to do something just as flashy. Maybe this was his chance.

Then came Cleric.

[Cleric on pilgrimage. Wields a mace. Casts healing miracles.]

The illusion was bald.

"Nope. Not going bald."

And finally, the last class: Deprived.

[Unclothed enigma. Armed with a club and old plank shield.]

"Gaaa!" Naruto clapped a hand over his eyes.

Deprived Naruto was practically naked. Just a loincloth, holding what looked like a piece of broken fence for a shield and a wooden club. He stumbled back, shaking his head hard.

"There is no way I'm choosing that. Nope. Never."

He looked over the ten rings once more, arms crossed, weighing his options.

It came down to two.

The Bandit was awesome. Muscles, armor, and big axe. And the Pyromancer? He could throw fire and look cool doing it. One had strength. The other had flash.

"My fireball is going to be better," he mumbled, already picturing Sasuke's face when he showed up with flames of his own.

The thought alone made the decision harder.

He closed his eyes, held out a hand, and began to hum an old rhyme he barely remembered. His hand floated between the two rings, back and forth, until it stopped. When he opened his eyes, his palm hovered above the Pyromancer ring.

A grin split his face.

"I can't wait to see the look on everyone's faces when they see my awesome fire jutsu."

The ring of fire shimmered as he grabbed it. Then, without warning, light erupted around him, swallowing the world in brilliance.

[ Class Selected: Pyromancer ][ Base Attributes Assigned According to Class Parameters ][ Starting Gift Added to Inventory ]

Naruto shielded his eyes, expecting the forest to return once the glow faded. But when the brightness dimmed and his vision cleared, he realized something was very wrong.

The boy gagged, instinctively pinching his nose shut as the stench overwhelmed him. The source wasn't hard to find. A dead rat, bloated and half-decayed, lay beside an old, wodden bucket that looked like it had been used as a makeshift toilet.

The smell made his eyes sting.

He'd seen plenty of unpleasant things in his short life, but this… this was on another level entirely.

The rest of the room wasn't much better. Moss blanketed the walls in slick, green patches that crept up from the floor to vanish into the arches above. The stones were damp and crumbling. A few slivers of light pierced through cracks in the ceiling. They barely reached the floor, casting long shadows that danced with the dust swirling in the gloom. Across from him stood a rusted iron door, bolted shut. From underneath it, a faint line of torchlight spilled into the room, glowing gold against the stone.

"I don't think I'm in Konoha anymore."

Naruto shifted to stand up, but a harsh clinking echoed in the room.

Thick metal cuffs were locked around his ankles, their ends bolted into the floor. Not only was he trapped, he was a prisoner. And he was no longer in his usual clothes. He wore the pyromancer outfit he'd seen in the ring of fire.

How? His thoughts spiraled. Why am I chained up?

Was this some punishment for stealing the scroll? The idea crossed his mind, but he dismissed it. The Hokage wouldn't do something like this. Not Jiji. He wasn't that cruel… right? Still sitting, Naruto forced himself to look away from the rat and the filth, focusing instead on the cold stone and the slivers of light trickling from above. He needed to think.

In the corner of his eye, a line of woodlice began crawling toward the rat's corpse, their tiny bodies inching along the floor like a living shadow.

"Where's a fire jutsu when you need it?"

The childish urge to solve everything with a fireball pulled his thoughts away from full-on panic. Naruto looked down at the pyromancer clothes again. Wait. I should have gotten a fire jutsu, right? I got the clothes... His brow furrowed. But where were the axe and shield that came with this?

Weird.

Deciding not to worry about it just yet, Naruto extended his hand toward the advancing bugs and shouted, "Fireball!"

Nothing.

He stared at his hand like it had betrayed him. "Where's my fireball? How am I supposed to one-up that emo bastard now? How do I change my status?"

The moment the word status left his mouth. A glowing screen appeared before him, floating just above eye level.

"Did saying 'status' summon this? What even is this thing?"

Maybe it could tell him what happened to his fire jutsu. Or better yet, maybe it held a clue on how to break out of these chains and escape the dungeon. Slowly, hesitantly, he reached out toward the screen, half-expecting it to vanish the moment his fingers got close.

But it didn't vanish.

"Okay," he breathed. "Let's see what you can do."

[ Name: Naruto Uzumaki ]- [ Covenant: None ]- [ Level: 1 ]- [ Souls: 0 ]

[ Attributes: ]- [ Vitality: 10 ]- [ Attunement: 12 ]- [ Endurance: 11 ]- [ Strength: 12 ]- [ Dexterity: 9 ]- [ Resistance: 12 ]- [ Intelligence: 10 ]- [ Faith: 8 ]- [ Humanity: 0 ]

[ Stats: ]- [ HP: 573 / 573 ]- [ Stamina: 93 ]- [ Equip Load: 8.0 / 51.0 ]

[ Weapon Stats: ]- [ R Weapon 1: 20 ]- [ R Weapon 2: 20 ]- [ L Weapon 1: 20 ]- [ L Weapon 2: 20 ]

[ Defense: ]- [ Physical Defense: 73 (20) ]- [ VS Strike: 78 ]- [ VS Slash: 73 ]- [ VS Thrust: 73 ]- [ Magic Defense: 73 (13) ]- [ Flame Defense: 99 (21) ]- [ Lightning Defense: 59 (16) ]

[ Resistances: ]- [ Poise: 0 ]- [ Bleed Resist: 104 ]- [ Poison Resist: 194 ]- [ Curse Resist: 35 ]

[ Miscellaneous: ]- [ Item Discovery: 100 ]- [ Attunement Slots: 2 ]

[ Attunement Slot 1: Fireball × 8 ][ Attunement Slot 2: Empty ]

Naruto blinked in confusion as he stared at the numbers and terms on the screen, not understanding what any of it meant. But his eyes locked onto fireball listed under something called an "attunement slot."

"Okay, so I have a fireball, but how do I use it?"

He tapped on the screen, hoping for some additional info to pop up, but nothing happened. Just as he was about to try something else, the entire room filled with a blinding light. He squinted upwards, shielding his eyes, and as his vision adjusted to the figure.

Naruto had seen armor before. Basic shinobi chainmail, the occasional flak vest, and even samurai armor displayed in the Hokage Tower.

But this was different.

Steel plates guarded vital points, layered over chainmail and thick padding, all bound together with worn leather straps. A blue surcoat hung over layers of chainmail and padding, its edges brushing against a mail skirt. A rounded bascinet helm concealed his face entirely, leaving only narrow slits for his eyes.

Scuffed greaves protected his legs. A Straight sword rested at his side while the shield in his other hand bore a golden lion, its surface scratched and faded as if it had survived more battles than Naruto could count.

"Hey, who are you?!"

"Oh, you haven't gone full hollow?"

"What does that mean?" Naruto shot back, but before the knight could explain, he threw down what looked like a corpse at Naruto's feet. The corpse's skin was pallid and sagging, its eyes hollow and lifeless, and it wore tattered clothes that hung off its frame like rags.

"Hey, weirdo! What's the big idea, huh?" Naruto yelled, his anger flaring up as much as his fear. The knight, unfazed, pointed toward a key hanging from the belt of the corpse.

A key? Yatta, I can finally go free. Oh, Jiji owes me a lot of ramen for making me go through this shit.

Just as this thought crossed his mind, the entire room began to shake violently, dust and small pebbles raining down from the ceiling. It felt like something massive was moving above them. The knight quickly moved away from the hole in the ceiling through which a sliver of sunlight had been shining. Glancing up, Naruto saw something huge nearly blocking out the light, its massive silhouette ominous and foreboding.

"He needs my help!"

Should he use a clone to build a ladder? Would that even work? If only I had my grappling rope...

Right then, the grappling hook appeared in his hand. It was his. His name was scratched into the side.

"Where did you come from?" he wondered, but the thought was cut short when the entire roof trembled overhead.

Naruto clenched the old chain while drawing chakra into his palms and flooding it through his arms. The metal groaned under the sudden pressure.

With a sharp exhale, he twisted and yanked.

The chains snapped apart with a loud crack, fragments clattering to the floor.

Shaking off the last bits of metal, he flexed his fingers.

Naruto crouched down and grabbed the key from the corpse. He stuffed the key into his pocket but the second it was in, it vanished. Confused, he slapped the pocket, then turned it inside out. Empty.

"Where did it go?" he muttered, glancing around in case he had dropped it.

A deep, thunderous roar ripped through the dungeon, silencing his thoughts.

"I'll figure this out later. Dattebayo."

Naruto tightened his grip on the rope and hauled himself through the opening. When he emerged, there was no time to take in his surrounding mountains. His attention snapped instantly to the figure waiting for him.

The creature loomed over the platform, a grotesque mass of swollen flesh stitched together in uneven folds. Its skin was stretched tight and slick, as if it might split open at any moment, and every labored movement sent ripples through its bloated frame. Its face was a nightmare carved into meat. Red eyes burned beneath a crown of jagged horns that twisted upward like the dead limbs of a rotting tree. There was no confusion or hunger in that gaze, only malice.

In one enormous hand, it gripped a club so large it looked less like a weapon and more like a torn-up tree trunk, its sheer size promising that a single blow would be enough.

This thing was bigger than his entire room back in Konoha.

Every ounce of bravado drained out of Naruto. He had fought bullies, sparred in the academy, and faced classmates in training. But this was different. This was life or death. And all the loud words he usually threw around meant nothing here. He was terrified. The thought of that club smashing down and splintering him into pieces shut everything else out.

It can kill me.

Suddenly, like lightning, the knight moved. He slid between the demon's legs. The blade bit deep into the demon's calf. A fountain of dark blood sprayed out with a sickening sound. The creature howled, stumbling back as it swung its club in wide, panicked arcs.

Naruto's heart still pounded against his ribs. But he wasn't frozen anymore. This thing wasn't untouchable. And if it could bleed, it could be beaten.

[Name: Asylum Demon][HP: 2,000 / 2,195]

A glowing window appeared in front of him. Naruto blinked, barely able to register it before the world seemed to slow down. The Asylum Demon raised its massive arm. The weapon came up for a brutal backswing towards the knight.

Naruto formed the cross sign as fast as his fingers would allow.

Ninja Art: Shadow Clone Jutsu!

A dozen copies burst into existence across the rooftop.

"Get that ugly bastard!"

The clones swarmed the demon, punching and kicking from every side. But their attacks did nothing. One by one, they were smashed away, vanishing into puffs of smoke.

The knight looked around in disbelief, stunned by what he was seeing.

"Come on! Let's get out of here!" Naruto yelled while grabbing the knight by the arm, and swung them both toward the hole in the roof. The two of them dropped fast. The knight gripped the rope with all his strength, wrapping it around one arm to slow their descent, feet bracing against the wall.

They hit the ground hard, but not broken.

Naruto dropped to his knees and began scrambling across the floor, eyes darting.

"What are you doing?"

"Trying to find the key! We need to get out of here before that thing..."

Naruto cried out, grabbing his head. Memories crashed into him all at once, like a wave slamming against a cliff. He saw every clone were destroyed. None of them had made it past a single strike.

He didn't even know that was possible. But he had felt all of it.

"Don't worry," the knight said, calm despite the chaos. "The demon won't come into the asylum."

"What?"

Naruto followed the knight's gaze.

The Asylum Demon loomed above the hole, staring down at them. Its massive eye locked on Naruto, burning with hate. It was measuring him. And it wanted him dead. But the demon didn't move. It stared a moment longer, then slowly turned and flew away.

"Are you alright?"

Naruto wiped his forehead and forced a grin. "Of course I'm alright. You think a fat ugly demon like that can scare the great Naruto Uzumaki?"

"Naruto Uzumaki," the knight repeated, rolling the name around like he was testing the sound of it.

"Yep. And I'm gonna be the greatest Hokage in Konoha!"

"You are a strange one, aren't you?"

"Well, this strange one just saved your life, Dattebayo!"

The knight chuckled and extended his hand. "That you did. I am Oscar, Knight of Astora. Pleased to meet you."

Naruto grabbed his hand and gave it a quick shake. "You're not from Konoha?"

"I know no such place. I am a knight of Astora, on pilgrimage to Lordran."

Naruto blinked. Lordran? Astora? The words spun around in his head, knocking loose every question at once. How did I get here? Where even is here? What happened to Konoha?

His pulse climbed, but he kept his face still. That alone surprised him. Usually his emotions poured out like an open faucet. But now, despite the storm building inside, he kept it contained.

"Is something wrong?"

"No," Naruto said quickly, though it rang hollow even to his own ears.

"Then, why are you still shaking my hand?"

"Oh... uh, right!" Naruto pulled back fast and rubbed the back of his neck, his face turning red. "Sorry, I just... I mean, with everything going on, it's a lot."

He stumbled over the words, then caught himself and pivoted. "Where's the key?"

The questions in his head could wait. Getting out of here came first. As Naruto turned, his eyes drifted toward the glowing system window still hovering in the air. And suddenly a thought hit him.

The grappling hook. It just appeared in my hand like it had been summoned. But I didn't carry it with me. I didn't see it on the ground.

His brow furrowed.

Could it be a storage seal? Some jutsu, I don't understand yet...

Curiosity burned through the panic.

"I wonder..." he whispered under his breath and focused on the thought. Item.

A new line of glowing text flickered to life.

"Okay... now we're getting somewhere."

[ Inventory ][ Upgrade Materials ][ Key Items ][ Spells ][ Weapons ][ Ammunition ][ Armour ][ Rings ]

Naruto opened the glowing window and navigated to Key Items. He focused on the Dungeon Cell Key and selected it.

A faint shimmer pulsed as the key had just appeared. Naruto held it up, still amazed by how the system responded not just to his actions but to his thoughts.

Oscar didn't comment.

Is this normal around here or something? Naruto wondered. He'd never seen any jutsu like this. Storage seals were one thing, but this was on a whole different level.

"Come on, let's get out of here," he said, shaking off the weirdness as he turned to the rusted metal gate. He slid the key into the lock, turned it, and pushed the door open with a long, low creak.

The hall stretched far ahead, the ceiling arching high above. Rows of prison cells lined the walls, their bars bent and broken like something had ripped them apart by brute force. Torches flickered in rusty sconces, casting long shadows across the stone floor.

But what made Naruto's skin crawl were the things standing in the distance.

Figures with their skin peeling away in patches, some revealing raw muscle and bone. Hollow sockets stared out from half-decomposed faces. Their bodies were hunched and malformed, and the only thing they wore were tattered loincloths. Each one dragged a broken sword hilt, moving with a strange, twitchy stillness.

"...What are these things?"

Oscar stepped up beside him, sword already drawn. "Hollows," he said. "The undead that have lost their purpose."

An undead that has lost its purpose...

Naruto didn't know why, but it hit something deep in his chest. He shook it off, and dragged his focus back to Oscar's sword.

He could use the kunai in his inventory, sure. But a sword?

"Man… maybe I should've picked a class that actually comes with one of those," Naruto said. "Could've saved me a lot of trouble. You might've even taught me how to use it, y'know."

"Very well," Oscar said, offering the weapon.

"Huh? Wait, really? I mean… I was joking. Mostly."

"You saved my life," Oscar said simply. "Teaching you is the least I can do. Besides, you should know the basics if you plan on surviving here."

Naruto grinned, practically glowing. He took the sword in both hands, feeling the cold weight of it settle into his grip.

Oscar nodded toward the hollows.

"They're empty and docile. Perfect for training."

No one had ever taken the time to teach him anything before. At the academy, Naruto was just the loud troublemaker. The kid everyone ignored or avoided. But here was this total stranger was offering to teach him something with no judgment and hesitation.

"This is the Astora Straight Sword."

The Astora Straight Sword was a straight, double-edged arming sword. The blade is moderately narrow with a shallow fuller running along its length. Its steel has weathered to a dull, matte finish, yet the edge remained clean and evenly honed. The crossguard curved slightly forward, forming hooked quillons. Fine engravings remain visible along the guard. A small green gem is set at the guard's center.

"So, what kinda special move are you gonna teach me?"

Oscar let out a quiet breath, almost a chuckle. "I remember thinking the same way when I was a squire. Always hunting for some secret strike that would win a fight outright."

Naruto stiffened, half-expecting a lecture. Instead, Oscar's tone stayed calm, almost thoughtful.

"But real fighting teaches you that there are no tricks that'll save you when steel is inches from your throat. What keeps you alive is discipline, structure and fundamentals."

Naruto straightened. I'm not wasting this. I'll take it seriously. Dattebayo!

"Forget spectacle," Oscar said. "Master the simple things, and they will carry you farther than any clever flourish."

He raised two fingers.

"I will show you two cuts. If you can perform these correctly, they will serve you in almost every fight you face."

Oscar drew his sword in one smooth motion, settling into a stance. His feet were shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and weight centered.

Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

"First," he said, "the light cut."

He stepped forward and delivered a quick horizontal strike, driven by a turn of the hips and shoulders, the blade snapping back into guard almost immediately.

"That's looks kinda basic."

"Because it is. And because it works."

Oscar repeated the motion, slower this time. "This strike is about efficiency. One hand. Minimal commitment. You strike with the edge properly aligned, recover immediately, and remain mobile. Speed and control matter more than strength here. If your edge is wrong, or your balance is off, you are not cutting. You are waving steel."

Naruto nodded, eyes tracking the blade.

"Now," Oscar said, shifting his stance, "the heavy cut."

He placed both hands on the grip, raised the sword above his head, and stepped forward as he brought it down in a powerful vertical strike.

"This one commits," Oscar said. "You put your body behind it. Hips, shoulders and legs. It is slower, but if it lands cleanly, it can end a fight outright."

"And if I miss?"

"Then you pay for it," Oscar replied evenly. "A heavy cut leaves you open. If you overreach, if your footing is poor, your enemy will answer before you can recover. Power always comes with risk."

He stepped back and demonstrated again. A short thrust from guard. A rising cut. Then another controlled downward strike.

Naruto watched closely, absorbing every detail, but a question finally slipped out.

"Hold on," he said. "Why only two attacks?"

"That's enough."

"What about something cool like a spin slash or reverse grip?"

Oscar gave a short breath, almost a sigh. "You want to look cool, or stay alive?"

"Stay alive."

"Exactly. You can learn more when you're not surrounded by danger. Right now, I'm giving you what matters. Solid footing. Clean cuts. Read the distance. Keep your guard up. That's swordsmanship."

Naruto's grip tightened on the hilt. "Got it."

Oscar stepped closer, adjusting his hands. "Keep your elbows loose. Let the blade move. Don't fight it."

Naruto inhaled, then faced the nearest hollow. It just stood there, barely moving.

"Okay, light cut," Naruto muttered while swinging at the first hollow but he misjudged the distance. The sword barely grazed the hollow's side as he nearly tripped over his own feet. His heart pounding as he jumped backward, expecting the hollow to lunge at him.

But it didn't move, just stood there, swaying slightly.

"Failure is part of learning, young man. Don't let it define you. Learn from it and do better."

"Yeah," Naruto whispered to himself, raising the sword and focusing on the hollow in front of him. This time, he swung with more control, keeping his movements compact. The blade connected solidly, cutting into the hollow's chest with a clean motion.

"Excellent," Oscar praised. "Now, the strong cut."

Naruto turned toward the hollow at the end of the hall. He raised the sword high, gripping it with both hands. "Here goes nothing," he muttered, and then he swung down hard, using all his strength. The sword cut through the air and struck the hollow with a force that reverberated up his arms. It wasn't perfect, but it was a huge improvement from his earlier attempts.

The boy let out a breathless shout, his heart racing with exhilaration. "Swinging a sword is awesome!" He turned, ready to ascend the stairs, when Oscar's voice stopped him. "Wait, young Naruto."

"Oh, yeah. This is your sword. I should give it back."

But Oscar shook his head. "No, you forgot to claim your prize."

Naruto followed Oscar's finger and saw a strange white vapour swirling above the fallen enemies, forming into small orbs.

"What's that?"

"This is a soul," Oscar explained. "It can be used to strengthen your aspects of your body, like strength, dexterity, and more."

Naruto glanced at the status screen that had appeared earlier, at the numbers that represented different attributes of his body. Maybe, if he collected these souls, he could make those numbers go up and get stronger.

"How do I claim this soul?"

"Just grab it."

Naruto reached out and touched one of the white orb. It seemed to dissolve, the light sinking into his skin and spreading through his body. It felt warm, a strange, almost tingly sensation that surged through him like a jolt of chakra.

"Do you still want your sword back?"

But Oscar just pointed down the hall. Naruto turned to see another hollow, this one moving toward them, its steps uneven and jerky.

"Looks like I've got a moving target now, Dattebayo!"

A minute later, Naruto grumbled as he climbed up the cold wet metal ladder. He could hear Oscar trying and failing, not to laugh above him.

The fight with that moving hollow had been a disaster. He'd missed his first swing completely, and the hollow went berserk, flailing its sword around like a madman. It nearly ended with Naruto getting skewered in the butt, all because he panicked and tried to run away.

Thankfully, the substitution jutsu saved his ass, literally. Naruto sighed, shaking his head at the memory. Suddenly a strange feeling washed over him like being wrapped up in a blanket on a cold night.

"Looks like there's a bonfire near us."

"Bonfire?" Naruto echoed, confused. What did a fire have to do with this weird sensation? He pushed on, finally reaching the surface, and found himself in a vast courtyard. The stones beneath his feet were worn smooth. Crumbling walls surrounded the space as weed and ivy crawled up the weathered stone, clinging desperately to the remains of archways and columns that spoke of a grandeur long faded.

It was huge, imposing, yet... so broken.

"Let's take a rest," Oscar said, breaking Naruto's reverie. He pointed towards a strange sword embedded in the ground.

"Is this place safe?"

"Of course. There's a bonfire here."

"The sword?"

Oscar walked up to it, removing his glove. Naruto blinked in surprise when he saw Oscar's hand as it looked like those hollows they'd fought earlier. He wanted to say something, but kept quiet, not wanting to disrespect the man after all he'd done for him.

Oscar sliced his palm and let the blood fall onto the sword's base. The moment it touched the ashes below, spark erupted rising into a sudden bloom of fire that bathed the courtyard in a warm, flickering glow.

And the sensation of safety overwhelmed Naruto.

The tension drained from his body as the stress and fear that had been gnawing at him since he arrived in this strange place melted away. Naruto let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding and sank to the ground. He laid back, staring up at the sky. His mind was blank, for the first time in what felt like forever, and he just let himself feel the warmth and peace wash over him.

I am safe.

Hearing a strange, low whooshing hum, Naruto's eyes snapped open.

Across from him, Oscar sat calmly, guiding the bonfire's flame into glass bottles like it was liquid.

Naruto rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn't hallucinating when suddenly only for a massive shadow to sweep over them. He looked up, and his pupils shrank."Sensei…"

"I know, I saw it as well."

They both looked up in time to catch the last glimpse of the Asylum Demon, its massive silhouette blotting out the pale sky as it soared away, disappearing toward the far end of the fortress where an enormous sealed door loomed. Stone groaned beneath its landing somewhere beyond, the sound reverberating through the walls like a warning bell.

Oscar rose to his feet, drawing his sword with calm, practiced ease.

"…You're not seriously thinking of fighting that, right?"

Oscar did not answer immediately. He simply adjusted his grip, rolling his wrist once as if testing the weight of the sidesword.

"Sensei, I can help make clones, distract it, give you openings—"

Oscar lifted a hand, stopping him without urgency. He studied Naruto for a moment, head tilting slightly. "…I have been meaning to ask, why do you call me sensei?"

"Uh… because you are?"

"That tells me what you believe I am. Not what the word means."

"It's just… someone you learn from. Someone who knows more than you and shows you how not to screw things up."

Oscar gave a quiet laugh. "In that case, I accept the title."

Naruto wasn't sure why that made his chest feel tight.

"If I am your teacher, then by astora's customs, that would make you my squire."

"Your what?"

"A squire," Oscar said. "One who follows a knight, learns from him, and aids him when he can."

Naruto's first instinct was to shake his head. "But… I didn't do anything yet."

"Do anything?"

"To earn it," Naruto clarified. "I mean… shouldn't I have to prove something first?"

Oscar was quiet for a moment. "A squire is not named at the end of the road. He is named at the beginning."

Naruto's thoughts drifted back to the academy. To being the loud one in the room while everyone else got praised for doing things right. To practicing jutsu over and over after class, telling himself he just needed to try harder, shout louder, and prove himself. Praise always felt like something you had to force out of the world, like it wouldn't notice you unless you made it.

Even with Iruka-sensei, it took time, screw-ups and getting back up after being told no.

Naruto only then noticed his chest felt tight, like he'd been bracing for something.

"…So I don't have to earn it first?"

"You earn it by continuing."

Naruto looked down at his hands. The idea sat strangely in his chest. Like a piece that didn't quite fit yet, but might if he gave it time. "…Okay," he said at last.

Oscar nodded, satisfied. "Then tell me. What is the most important thing in battle?"

"Uh… not getting hurt?"

Oscar smiled faintly. "A common answer."

Before Naruto could react, Oscar stepped in and thrust.

Naruto yelped and barely had time to bring up the Astora Straight Sword to block. Steel rang against steel. But the instant Naruto adjusted, Oscar twisted his wrist mid motion, turning the stab into a sharp, lateral slash that scraped sparks from Naruto's guard.

"Hey!" Naruto barked, hopping back. "If you wanted to spar, you could've just said so!"

"Aware," Oscar said calmly, blade already returning to guard. "Be aware."

"…Of what?"

"Everything."

Oscar stepped back, sword held loosely, as if the weapon were merely an extension of his arm. "Awareness is knowing where you stand, where your enemy stands, and where danger will be before it arrives. Strength matters little if you cannot see the strike that ends you."

Naruto frowned, thinking back to the way a hollow had nearly taken his head while he had been focused on the wrong target. "…Okay, I get that. But why the pop quiz with a stab?"

Oscar regarded him for a moment. Then he nodded.

"I wished to see if you had the will to walk the path," he said. "That is why I offer you the Knight's Crest, as my squire."

"The what now?"

"The Knight's Crest is a sigil carved by the gods themselves in the Age of Ancients. A miracle made flesh, granted only to those who walk the knight's path. You have passed."

"…I did?"

"You did."

"YATTA!" Naruto pumped his fist. "Man, if I had ramen right now, we could celebrate!"

Oscar huffed softly, something like a laugh. "Come," he said. "I will explain."

The Knight's Crest changed how a knight saw the world.

When it was active, the knight no longer viewed the battlefield only through their own eyes. Their awareness pulled back, settling into a fixed point above their body. From the third person, they could see themselves moving through the fight, along with the terrain and nearby enemies. This made distance and positioning clearer. The knight could tell where they stood, how they were facing, and how exposed they were without guessing. Enemy movement was easier to track because it stayed visible, even when the knight turned or stepped away.

With focus, the Crest allowed one enemy to be locked into attention. That target stayed centered in the knight's awareness, preventing surprise attacks from the sides or behind.

"Uh, so where does it go?" Naruto said, already tugging his shirt off. The boy paused when he took in his reddish-gray skin, shriveled and stretched tight over bone. The fingers were too thin, the chest sunken, the whole body reduced to a withered mockery of a person.

He looked like a hollow.

"…WHY AM I UGLY?!" Naruto yelled, as his thoughts spiraled. What happened to me?! Did my real body stay back in Konoha? Am I dead? Am I undead dead? Is this a side effect?!

Oscar calmly reached into his pouch and withdrew an orange soapstone. "Is everything alright?"

Naruto inhaled, exhaled, and forced a grin. "Y...Yeah! Totally! Just… got scared by my face."

Oscar studied him for a moment, then nodded.

"This will be painful," he said. "The crest marks the soul."

"Don't worry. I can take it, dattebayo!"

The soapstone pressed against his upper back, settling between his shoulder blades.

For a moment, nothing happened then the sensation turned inward. Not heat, but pressure as if something unseen were carving lines beneath his skin.

Naruto sucked in a sharp breath as the feeling spread through muscle and bone, reaching deeper than pain ever should. His vision blurred, the world paling at the edges, and his body tensed as if bracing against an unseen weight.

It didn't feel like a burn.

It felt like his body was being marked for a purpose it could no longer refuse.

Naruto's jaw locked until his teeth ached. His breath shook, but he didn't cry out. Whatever this was, it wasn't something meant to be screamed through.

Time stretched thin.

An hour passed, or perhaps only minutes.

When it finally ended, Naruto staggered and dropped to one knee, palms striking the stone floor as he dragged in air like he'd been submerged too long.

The crest itself was a perfect circle formed its outer boundary, enclosing the mark like a seal. Within it lay a diamond, rotated so its points faced the cardinal directions. Nested inside the diamond was a single upright triangle. Within that triangle rested a hexagram, two interlocking triangles overlapping in quiet balance. At the very center sat a small circle, and within it, an eye.

Naruto touched it gingerly. "…Okay," he wheezed. "That sucked."

"You bore it well."

"So, how am I supposed to activate this thing?"

Oscar drew his sidesword, and Naruto instinctively gripped his tighter. His heart pounded in his chest as he realized that Oscar was going to teach him through battle.

The boy swung horizontally, aiming to catch Oscar off guard. But the knight moved with such ease, sidestepping the strike and countering with a light tap of his blade against Naruto's wrist.

"Stay focused."

Gritting his teeth, Naruto adjusted his grip and went in again. He raised the sword high and brought it down with all the force he could muster. Even with chakra reinforcement, Oscar blocked the blow effortlessly.

"Remember this. Strength is secondary. What matters is structure. If your edge is aligned and your joints are stacked, the force travels through the blade. If your angle is wrong, all the muscle in the world bleeds out through the wrists."

It was like the knight could predict everything Naruto was going to do before he even did it.

Frustrated, Naruto launched another attack, this time trying to follow up quickly with a second strike. But the next moment, Naruto felt the flat of Oscar's blade press against his side.

"You're too powerful, sensei," Naruto grumbled, wiping sweat from his brow.

"Don't be discouraged."

"Discouraged?!" the blonde cut him off, his voice rising. "I don't even know the meaning of that word!"

"Discouraged means—"

"Are you stupid or something?"

"You're the one who said you didn't know the meaning."

"Well, let's see if you can explain the meaning of this ass whooping! Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

In an instant, the courtyard was filled with twenty Narutos, all grinning confidently. He spread his clones out, trying to surround Oscar. This time, he thought, I'm going to overwhelm him. No more losing!

"Spells in a spar. A little unfair, don't you think?"

"All is fair in war and ass kicking, dattebayo!" all the clones shouted in unison before charging forward.

But that confidence quickly faded.

As soon as Naruto's clones started swinging their swords, things got… messy. They bumped into each other, some slashing too close, causing clones to pop in quick bursts of smoke. Inexperience was written all over the battlefield. Half of the army wiped itself out before even getting close to Oscar. By the time Naruto realized how bad things were, only a few of them were left standing.

Oscar did not even seem fazed as his sword flashed, stabbing one of the clones, which burst into smoke. "You need to learn battle formations for these… doppelgangers," he said as he casually struck down another clone with a precise thrust.

"I think I'll get the hang of it!" one of the remaining clones shouted as it rushed forward with a horizontal attack.

With a slight twist of his wrist, Oscar parried the sword, knocking it aside with a sharp clang. In the same motion, his sword shot forward in a clean thrust, catching the clone in the chest. Suddenly, the clones launched a barrage of shurikens. Naruto grinned, feeling like he finally had the upper hand. But just as he thought he had Oscar, the knight whipped out his shield, effortlessly blocking the kunai.

Naruto's smile faltered as Oscar charged with the shield in front.

Three of Naruto's clones rushed him, each using a heavy attack. For a moment, Naruto thought this would be it. Three against one. But Oscar blocked all three with ease, his shield taking the brunt of the attacks. Before Naruto could react, Oscar kicked the middle clone hard enough to make it pop into smoke.

The remaining two clones swung horizontally, hoping to catch him off guard. Oscar parried one of them with his shield, and to Naruto's shock, he turned his back to the other clone. Naruto expected the clone's sword to land a solid hit, but the blade clanged uselessly against Oscar's armour.

The armour was not just for show.

Oscar moved swiftly, popping the second clone with a stab and gut punching the last one so hard it dissolved into smoke. The courtyard was empty, nothing but the faint trails of dissipating chakra left behind.

Oscar stood in the center of the courtyard, looking around.

"Squire," Oscar said, "miracles do not answer doubt. Believe, and the Crest will let you see as the gods intended from beyond your own eyes."

What does that even mean? Naruto thought. How can you believe an effect into existence?

Hidden slightly to the side, Naruto was using the Transformation Jutsu, coating himself in a thin layer of chakra to reflect and refract the light around him, effectively camouflaging himself. He had always used this jutsu as a gag by turning into a sexy woman for laughs. But now, he realized why they had been taught this technique. It was actually useful.

Naruto watched as Oscar scanned the area. He was getting closer… closer…

Now!

Naruto sprang from his hiding spot, going for a stab with all the force he could muster. But Oscar was not surprised. Instead, he stepped back just as Naruto's sword missed. And without hesitation, Oscar returned with another stab. It happened so fast that Naruto barely had time to react. His hands moved on instinct, reaching for the sealing scroll in his pocket. He activated it, releasing a puff of smoke and summoning a log in his place, the Substitution Jutsu saving him at the last second.

The log clattered to the ground as Naruto kicked off in a sharp, panicked surge.

The edges of the world collapsed inward, sound dulling, color smearing.

He didn't see it happen.

He just knew Oscar's sword was coming.

The certainty slammed into him fully formed, sharp and immediate, like instinct without explanation.

Now, something in him said.

Subconsciously, desperately, Naruto believed that the Crest would work. Believed that miracles answered conviction.

The orange sigil burned against his upper arm.

And the world pulled back.

Naruto no longer saw through his own eyes.

His awareness lifted, snapping into place behind and above his body, as if an invisible eye had seized his perspective and dragged it outward. He saw himself from a bird's view.

Oscar was there too.

The strike was obvious now.

Naruto adjusted without thinking.

From this distance, his movements made sense. He raised his blade not where the sword was, but where it would be. Steel met steel with a sharp crack, sparks bursting outward as the blow was turned aside rather than stopped. The impact still traveled through him, but it didn't break him.

He stayed standing.

The world snapped back into his mind all at once.

Naruto staggered, gasping, heart hammering so hard it drowned out everything else. His limbs shook violently, adrenaline still flooding his system, breath coming in sharp, uneven pulls.

"Congratulations," Oscar said. "You've just experienced the knight's sight."

Naruto gave a shaky nod, still catching his breath, mind racing as the moment replayed over and over.

"It is natural to feel unsteady. Seeing the world from above is overwhelming the first time. It is a way of sight few ever know. But with practice, your mind will learn how to trust it."

Naruto nodded, awareness split between his own eyes and the view hovering above him. It was disorienting and kind of awesome.

"Are you ready?"

Naruto opened his mouth to answer, then stopped. An idea hit him. He made thirty clones. "Sensei, I've got an idea that could help me train both the knight's sight and swordsmanship."

"Go on."

"When I saved you from the Asylum Demon, a bunch of clones popped. Same when we sparred. But when they did, I got all their memories."

"So your spell shares experience...?"

"Exactly. So; if I have my clones train with knight's sight while you work with me on swordplay, I can learn both ten times faster."

"By Gwyn's great beard, what sort of absurd magic is this?"

Naruto just grinned.

"Well, if it works, who am I to argue? Come, my squire. Let us train."

For the next few hours, Oscar stripped swordplay down to its bones. Again and again, he corrected Naruto's feet, his wrists, the angle of the edge. Each mistake was met with the same patience. Eventually, Oscar lowered his blade.

"Focus," he said.

Naruto straightened, panting slightly.

"You are trapped in the second stage," Oscar continued.

"The… second what?"

Oscar adjusted his stance, even at rest perfectly aligned. "When one first takes up the sword, there is unconscious incompetence. You do not know what you are doing wrong, because you do not yet understand what right looks like."

That sounded like Academy Naruto.

"Then comes conscious incompetence," Oscar said. "You now see every error. Your guard feels wrong. Your timing feels late. Every movement must be thought through. You hesitate, because you are aware of how much you do not yet know."

"That's exactly where I am."

"As most are, if they persist long enough." Oscar raised a finger. "The third stage is unconscious competence. Your body begins to move correctly on its own. Your edge aligns without effort. Your feet place themselves. You no longer name the action. You simply perform it."

He tapped his temple lightly.

"And the final stage is conscious competence. When instinct and thought are both available to you. When you may act without thinking. And still choose to think when the moment demands it."

Oscar lifted his sword again. "You are thinking like someone who has learned enough to doubt themselves. That is not failure. That is progress."

He met Naruto's eyes.

"But if you cling too tightly to the mechanics, you will remain stuck where you are. Do not abandon structure. But stop arguing with your own body."

Oscar settled into guard.

"Trust what you have already learned," he said. "And let it move."

After what felt like an entire day of training, they stood before a massive iron door, its surface eaten away by rust and age. Naruto couldn't help but feel small in its shadow. The door itself was intimidating, but not nearly as much as whatever was waiting for them on the other side.

"Sensei, I still haven't mastered the knight's sight. I've barely maintain it for 2 minutes before the migraine hits."

"The Knight's sight is mastered on the battlefield, my squire," Oscar replied. "With your strange spell, I'm sure you'll survive. If anything, it's I who should be afraid of dying."

"Don't say that!"

"Are you afraid?" Oscar asked, his voice gentle, but Naruto could feel the weight of his question. He wanted to lie, to seem braver than he was, but he couldn't bring himself to do it.

"I am… I'm scared."

To his surprise, Oscar didn't admonish him or call him a coward. "Good. Only the fool and the arrogant aren't afraid of the enemy. And remember, both don't live long."

Fear wasn't a weakness. It was a sign he understood the danger. He could work with that.

Together, they pushed the heavy iron doors open, the groan of metal echoing in the empty space.

On the other side was a massive, open-ceiling courtyard. The tiled floor beneath them was cracked and weathered, with a layer of dust and debris covering most of it. Tall stone pillars lined the edges, and to the left, a massive metal door stood closed, like a prison gate. Old, broken pots littered the space.

Then came the roar.

The asylum demon landed with a thundering crash, its hulking form blocking the massive black door at the far end of the courtyard.

Shadow Clone Jutsu!

His clones sprang to life, each one taking up position with shields interlocked, forming a makeshift wall between them and the demon.

The demon roared and leaped into the air. His heart dropped as Naruto watched its massive form come crashing down toward them. The ground shook, and a deafening crack rang out as the hammer slammed into the formation. Most of the clones popped on impact, their forms vanishing into smoke, but the shield wall had done its job. The shockwave was dulled, and through the smoke, Oscar and Naruto saw their chance.

They moved as one. From the sides, they flanked the demon. Naruto slashed with quick horizontal attacks, while Oscar raised his sword high with two hands and brought it down with a heavy, downward strike on its leg.

[Name: Asylum Demon][HP: 1980 / 2,195]

The demon's HP dropped, and for a brief moment, Naruto felt a surge of hope. They were doing it! But that hope was short-lived. The demon flapped its small wings, lifting its grotesque body a few feet into the air.

"Ha, scaredy cat!" Naruto thought, the adrenaline making him bold. But that thought immediately turned into regret as the wings suddenly stopped and gravity took over. The demon came crashing down with the force of a house falling from the sky.

Run!

Naruto barely had time to think, as his body acted on its own. He sprinted, but the shockwave that followed its landing was devastating. The ground rippled like an earthquake, and he felt himself lifted off his feet, slammed face-first into the tiles.

Naruto tried to push himself up, groaning from the pain that shot through his body. His arms and legs felt heavy, like lead. His head pounded, and he could feel blood dripping from his lip. He forced his eyes open just in time to see the demon raising its hammer, ready to swing it down on him.

Move!

Naruto's hand instinctively raised Oscar's shield.

The next thing the boy knew, he was thrown backward, the force of the impact sending him flying through the air. His body hurtled toward one of the stone pillars, and he barely had time to reinforce his arms and back with chakra before he slammed into it. The pain was intense, like a shockwave of agony radiating from his spine. But the chakra reinforcement saved him.

Naruto slid down the pillar, gasping for breath, his hands shaking from the adrenaline.

The asylum demon leaped from one side of the courtyard to the other. The blonde barely had time to react as he dodged and sprinted up a nearby pillar, the stone trembling beneath his feet as the demon's massive hammer crashed down with a thunderous slam.

"Why are you after me?!" he shouted, panic lacing his voice as he jumped off the pillar just before the demon's hammer shattered it to pieces. He landed behind the demon, panting heavily.

In that brief moment, the knight's sight kicked in, and Naruto saw the demon's next move.

A backspin attack.

But even though he could see it coming, he wasn't ready. He could barely move, let alone dodge the attack.

Just when Naruto thought he was done for, he felt Oscar's hand grab him, yanking him forward. The demon's backspin slammed into the metal door with a deafening crash, the impact so powerful it created a massive hole, revealing a potential way out.

Naruto summoned a group of shadow clones, sending them to distract the demon as he and Oscar sprinted toward the opening.

As they ran, the asylum demon rammed its hammer into the wall, creating an even bigger hole in the process. The ground shook as the wall collapsed, blocking the demon's path but leaving them to feel the staircase beneath them trembled.

"Are you okay?"

"I'll live," Naruto managed, his voice shaky. But the second he stopped, all the pain came rushing back. His back throbbed, his legs ached, and his head felt like it was going to split in two. Basic chakra control and body reinforcement weren't enough to protect him from all the injuries. He healed fast, sure, but he still hated the pain.

Something warm touched his lips. Naruto opened his eyes to see Oscar offering him one of those strange bottles he'd filled with bonfire earlier. He hesitated but took a sip, immediately feeling a rush of warmth flood through him.

It was like the bottle had lit a fire inside him, burning away the pain and healing his injuries in an instant.

"Better?"

"Yeah," Naruto said in amazement at the light that had engulfed his body, "I would be if I had some Ichiraku ramen."

Oscar hummed in response.

They descended down the staircase, which led into a room filled with old, stagnant water.

"How likely am I to die if I drink that water?"

"You'll live," Oscar said, knowing undead don't exactly get diseases.

Naruto paused, unable to see his reflection clearly in the water, and hesitated about drinking. Suddenly, a sharp sound snapped his attention away. He looked up to see an arrow flying straight toward his eye. His heart skipped a beat as Oscar reached out and caught the arrow just in time.

"Can't this world just give me a break?" Naruto groaned as he saw the hollow archer responsible for the shot. It had the nerve to turn and run as soon as it saw him notice.

"All yours."

"You don't have to tell me twice," Naruto grumbled, bolting after the hollow. His footsteps echoed as he sprinted along the broken pathway, the hollow always just a few steps ahead. He was about to throw a kunai, ready to impale the hollow's butt out of pure pettiness. But then something caught his eye.

An axe, lying in the hands of a hollow that had long since died.

Isn't that my class item? Naruto thought but didn't care how or why it was here. But as he hefted the axe, another arrow came whistling through the air. His instincts kicked in. He swung the axe, cutting through the arrow with a satisfying thunk. Another arrow came as Naruto dodged to the left. In one fluid motion, he charged forward and swung the axe, decapitating the hollow in a single, clean strike.

"Maybe I am getting the hang of this, dattebyo!" Naruto glanced to the side, his curiosity piqued as he noticed a path leading to an upper floor. "Isn't that…" he mumbled to himself, before calling out, "Sensei, come here!"

A minute later, they were standing on the upper floor, looking directly at the bonfire below.

"Should we go down? We could use the grappling hook."

The asylum demon was still down there, thankfully oblivious to their presence for the time being.

"So, what now?" Naruto asked, feeling the weight of the situation press down on him. Oscar looked up. Above them, there was another floor.

"We should do a plunge attack."

"From the top floor?" Naruto felt a spark of excitement at the idea. He could already picture it in his head, dropping down on that giant demon from above like some kind of super ninja.

They quickly scanned the area, their eyes darting left and right. Both paths seemed to lead upward, to the top of the building. Without waiting for Oscar to say anything, Naruto took off toward the right as he reached the stairs, only to find them destroyed into rubble. But there was a weird ring, sitting right in the middle of one of the upper stairs. His fist lightly tapped his palm as he remembered the ring section in his inventory.

"This had to be important, right?"

Naruto summoned some shadow clones and had them form a ladder, their bodies interlocking to help him reach the ring. Climbing up, he grabbed the old rusted iron ring.

"Sensei, what is this thing?"

"That's a magic ring."

"You're kidding!"

"No, I'm surprised you found one."

"Why?"

"Well, Magic rings are incredibly rare treasures that are created by beings who can imbue pieces of their soul into the item, creating a magical phenomenon," Oscar explained, his tone calm, though Naruto could tell even he hadn't expected this.

The boy cheered, excited by the prospect of owning something so rare and powerful.

Without hesitation, he slipped the ring onto his finger, feeling the rusted metal press against his skin. He waited, expecting something to happen, maybe a rush of power or a flash of magic. But… nothing.

"How could a magic ring do absolutely nothing?" Naruto glared at it in frustration, about to yank it off when, suddenly, a system window popped up in front of him.

[ Item: Rusted Iron Ring ][ Description: This iron ring was used to shackle the guilty. It is terribly rusted, and faintly stained with blood. Those who find this strange ring to their liking will be pleased to find it easier to gain footing on poor ground such as swamps. ]

"Do you want this useless piece of junk?"

"You are its finder, my squire. Let's wait and see what its magic effect is."

Naruto sighed, glancing at the system window. "It helps me gain footing on poor ground…" he muttered, clearly unimpressed. "Useless."

Without warning, Oscar shoved him, catching Naruto off guard. His body reacted instinctively, and he immediately caught his balance.

"Hey! What's the big deal?" Naruto snapped, annoyed, as he looked at Oscar. But Oscar just pointed at his feet.

"What?"

"You regained your footing immediately when I pushed you."

"Yeah?"

"The ring helped you regain your footing. If you're ever in a situation where you're about to trip or fall, you can regain your balance. That's the magic of the ring," Oscar explained.

"So, you are telling me that I need to see the usefulness even in things that seem useless, right?"

"No," Oscar said flatly, surprising Naruto.

"Hey! Then what was the lesson?"

Oscar glanced at the ring. "It is a stupid ring."

Naruto could tell Oscar was joking, so he played along, clutching the ring dramatically. "But it's my precious, you can't have it!"

They both chuckled as they walked ahead, but their lighthearted moment was cut short by a deep rumbling sound. They turned just in time to see a giant iron ball thundering down the stairs. Naruto quickly channeled chakra into his legs and leapt upward, dodging the trap. Oscar rolled forward, narrowly avoiding the ball as it crashed through the wall behind them, leaving shattered stone in its wake. The sheer force of the impact showed just how deadly it would have been if it hit.

Without hesitation, the knight surged forward and cut down the hollow that had sent the iron ball rolling. As the body collapsed, Naruto jogged after him, sounding far more upbeat than the situation deserved.

"Hey, sensei! So, uh, I kinda put that giant iron ball in my inventory."

Oscar paused, turning just enough to glance at him.

"We should totally use it to crack the Asylum Demon's skull," Naruto added, grinning.

After what felt like forever, Oscar finally spoke. "Naruto, you're not from this world."

Naruto blinked in disbelief. "What? What do you mean I'm… not from here?" he stammered, completely caught off guard. This whole time, he'd just assumed this place was some hidden part of konoha, a weird prison maybe. But another world?

"That explains a great deal," Oscar said at last as he eased himself down beside Naruto. "There were things that never quite added up. You accessing an inventory without a bottomless box… and your rather unusual way of looking at the world."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Naruto, you're… brighter than anyone I've met in Lordran," Oscar said, like he was choosing his words carefully. "You joke, you laugh… even when you're in danger. No one here acts like that. Even the children of Astora don't fool around the way you do. They're cautious. Untrusting. Afraid."

"What kind of stupid world is this?"

He hadn't meant it to come out so harshly, but he couldn't help it. The thought of kids not being able to mess around, not getting to laugh, to be kids… it was wrong. Sure, he hadn't exactly had the best childhood in Konoha, but he'd found ways to make it fun. He'd been a prankster, a fool, just to get a reaction. Just to get noticed. Even if it was for the wrong reasons, it was better than sinking into loneliness.

But here? Where even kids had to be afraid and serious just to survive? That wasn't a life.

"Life here… is harsh. Fear can become a shield, but it's a heavy one to carry, especially for children."

"But… why's it gotta be like that?"

Oscar sighed. "That… is a long story." He hesitated, then slowly reached up, removing his helmet. Beneath the metal was a hollowed face, an eerie reflection of Naruto's own form here. But despite the wear and darkness, there was something familiar.

Blonde hair.

"Guess we've got more in common than I thought, huh?"

"Naruto," Oscar asked quietly, "have you ever wondered what the world was like at the very beginning?"

"Uh… I dunno? Pretty shitty, since they didn't have ramen?"

Oscar let out a soft chuckle. "In the Age of Ancients, the world was unformed. Shrouded in fog. There were no kingdoms, no people as we know them. Only gray crags, towering archtrees, and everlasting dragons that ruled over everything."

"Okay, yeah, that already sounds bad. Dragons as in huge, fire-breathing lizard?"

"Ancient dragons," Oscar said. "Timeless. Their scales were like stone. They did not rot, did not age. The world did not change."

"…That sounds boring," Naruto muttered.

Oscar nodded slightly. "And then, one day, fire appeared."

Naruto perked up. "Fire fixes everything."

"With fire came disparity. Heat and cold. Life and death. Light and dark. For the first time, the world could change." Oscar paused before continuing. "And from the dark, beings emerged. Drawn to the flame. Within it, they found great power. Souls. The Souls of Lords."

"So… super important souls," Naruto said.

"Yes. The first of the dead, Nito. The Witch of Izalith and her daughters of Chaos. Gwyn, the Lord of Sunlight, and his knights." Oscar's voice lowered. "And one more. The Furtive Pygmy. So easily forgotten."

"If he's that important, why does nobody remember him?"

Oscar's mouth curved faintly. "Because he was small. Quiet. And because his soul was different."

"What kind of different?"

"The Dark Soul," Oscar said. "While the others wielded their power openly, the Pygmy divided his. Shared it. From that act, humanity was born."

Naruto's eyes widened. "Wait—so humans came from the Dark Soul?"

"Yes," Oscar said. "That darkness you carry inside you? It is older than the Age of Fire itself."

"…EH?!"

Oscar continued, "With the power of the Lords, war was waged against the dragons. Gwyn's lightning tore through their stone scales. The Witch unleashed firestorms. Nito spread death and disease. And Seath the Scaleless betrayed his own kind."

Naruto swallowed.

"And thus began the Age of Fire."

Oscar fell silent for a moment.

"But fire does not last forever," he said at last. "It fades. And when it does, only dark remains. Even now, the flame is little more than embers. Night stretches longer. And among humans appears the Darksign.

Naruto's mind wandered to the ring of flame sealed inside the forbidden scroll.

"The mark of the accursed. In this land, the Undead are gathered, sent north, and locked away. To wait for the end of the world." Oscar looked at Naruto then, meeting his eyes. "And now, that fate has reached you as well."

Naruto let out a long breath, trying to make sense of everything. "But… I wasn't gathered," he said slowly. "I just touched this Darksign thing and suddenly I was here."

Oscar's expression softened, an apologetic look crossing his face. "I wish I had a clear answer for you, my squire. All I know are rumors. As the Age of Fire weakens, the boundaries between worlds grow thin. Barriers between places, between even different timelines, begin to fray. When that happens, Lordran draws in those it should never have touched."

He paused, then added quietly, "Maybe, you were caught in that pull."

"So… how do I go back?"

Naruto tried to sound casual, but even to him, the question sounded desperate. Konoha was still his home. He didn't belong here in this place of endless decay.

"You miss it, don't you? Your home?"

"I mean… it's not like there's anyone waiting for me."

"You're an orphan?"

Naruto nodded, the word hanging heavily between them.

"That explains why you're so… full of life."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"When you've known loneliness… true loneliness… sometimes all you can do is laugh. It's the only way to keep the darkness from swallowing you whole."

Naruto looked at him, really looked at him, and saw the same loneliness he'd seen in his own reflection so many times before.

"Yeah… Beats the alternative, right?"

They sat in silence that spoke louder than words. In that moment, they both understood what it was to be alone and, somehow, to keep going. For the first time since he'd arrived, Naruto didn't feel quite so far from home.

"Do you still want to go back?" Oscar asked after a while.

"Yeah. My home might be crap, but it's better than this. Plus, the ramen is great there."

Naruto tried to laugh, but it came out weaker than he wanted.

"I'm sorry, but… I don't know how you can go back to your home."

Naruto wasn't sure how to feel. Part of him wanted to freak out, but another part… "Well, a break from Konoha does sound nice," he said, half-joking but half-meaning it.

Oscar watched him closely, probably trying to figure out if Naruto was putting on a brave face or if he really meant it. Honestly? Naruto wasn't sure either. He'd always looked on the bright side of things, and maybe this was just another thing to deal with. Or maybe… his life back home wasn't all that great, and he didn't mind the idea of a break from it.

Oscar stood up, his armor clinking softly. "Well, it doesn't matter. As long as you're here, I'll stand beside you as a teacher and as a friend."

The knight held out his hand. For a second, Naruto just stared at it. No one had ever offered him something like that before. A genuine smile spread across Naruto's face. As he clasped Oscar's hand, and Oscar helped him to his feet.

"Let's go kick this demon's ass."

The third floor of the asylum was a broken hall under a sky that seemed forever gray. The roof had long since crumbled, leaving debris scattered across the floor. But what caught Naruto's attention wasn't the destruction.

It was the land outside.

Instead of the lush green forests of Konoha, all Naruto could see were jagged mountains, rising like prison bars around the asylum. The air was cold, with a biting wind that whipped around him, tugging at his clothes and cutting through his skin like a kunai. Suddenly, Naruto felt warmth in the icy air. He turned, his eyes locking onto a corpse slumped against the wall. Unlike the hollows they'd fought before, this one looked more… human. But that wasn't what caught his eye. It was the embers glowing faintly on the fingers, as though they were still clinging to life even after death.

"Pyromancy Flame," Oscar whispered, breaking the silence beside him.

"What's that?"

"It's an item that can help pyromancers use flame arts."

That's what I need to use fireballs!

Without thinking, Naruto rushed forward, excitement bubbling in his chest. But a gut feeling, a sense that something wasn't right. His eyes narrowed as he scanned the corners of the hall.

Something felt off.

Naruto hurled a kunai toward the shadows. The sound echoed through the area, and sure enough, a few hollows began limping toward them.

"Good call," Naruto muttered to himself as he grabbed a few more shuriken. It was as good a time as any to practice. One of them dropped after the third kunai, while the other kept coming until Oscar stepped in and cut it down with a clean swing of his sword. The last hollow at the end of the hall was different. It was armored while holding a spear and shield.

"Remember, Naruto," Oscar said calmly, "There are two ways to deal with a spear, or any weapon with long reach."

Naruto hummed.

"One is to keep your distance. The other is to get so close that the weapon's range becomes its weakness."

Naruto nodded, fully understanding the strategy. Neither he nor the hollow moved. It stood there, waiting, its spear tip gleaming in the light.

"Your turn," Oscar said, stepping aside.

"Oh yeah!" Naruto shouted as he suddenly remembered the pyromancy flame. Without wasting a second, he sprinted toward it.

The pyromancy flame still glowed faintly on the corpse's hand. Naruto reached out and touched it, and as soon as his fingers made contact, the embers seemed to come alive. They slithered like vines, crawling up his arm, their heat warming his skin. The ashes of the corpse blew away in the wind, swirling in the air before magically attaching themselves to his hand.

"Naruto!" Oscar called from behind him, pulling his attention back to the battlefield.

The boy turned to see the undead spearman marching toward them. "I'm going to do a fireball, sensei! Back up, I don't want you to get hurt."

Naruto instinctively knew how to use this new power. It wasn't like chakra. This energy was different; more violent and chaotic. A beautiful orb of fire formed in his palm. The heat radiated from it, making the air shimmer.

The undead soldier paused in fear, raising its shield.

As it left his hand, Naruto felt a little disappointed as it wasn't as big as Sasuke's fireballs. But that disappointment vanished the moment it hit the soldier.

BOOM!

Flames erupted in a massive explosion. The blast was so intense that the walls themselves were charred black, and the undead soldier was engulfed in the inferno.

"Holy shit! My flames are definitely stronger than Sasuke's, right, sensei?"

"It's not dead," Oscar said calmly, and sure enough, the soldier walked out of the fire, its armor and spear melting. But it didn't stop. It started running toward him, faster than Naruto expected. His heart leapt into his throat as it charged. Acting on instinct, he swung his sword, slicing its neck clean through.

The soldier crumbled into a lifeless heap at his feet.

"Always make sure the enemy is down. Don't turn your back on them until you're certain."

Naruto nodded, taking Oscar's advice to heart. That had been way too close for comfort.

Suddenly, the entire place shook, the ground rumbling beneath their feet. The knight and the boy turned to the side, and there down below, pacing back and forth, was the asylum demon.

"Looks like our friend is getting anxious."

Oscar glanced at him, his calm demeanor never faltering. "This battle will be different, Naruto. Are you ready?"

"You bet! Let's take this thing down for good."

Oscar launched himself into the air and driving his sword down in a vicious plunge attack onto the demon's head. His blade cut deep, slicing off part of the demon's tree-like horns. The impact was so powerful it sent a spray of blood and ichor splattering across the ground, the demon roaring in pain. The knight landed in a roll, quickly making his way toward the gate as Naruto summoned dozens of shadow clones. They leaped toward the asylum demon, but none of them attacked. Instead, they popped, creating a massive cloud of smoke that engulfed the monster.

From the high ground, Naruto released a fireball, using the smoke as cover. The fireball soared through the air and exploded on the demon's face, flames licking up its grotesque features.

But the demon was tougher than expected.

It roared in fury, and its hammer shot up, smashing into the platform where Naruto stood. But the Knight's sight had kicked in helping him jump just in time, narrowly avoiding being crushed as the upper floor was obliterated beneath him.

Naruto summoned more clones and used them as a launchpad to propel himself back into the fight.

Meanwhile, Oscar charged in with a two-handed grip on his sword, delivering a devastating horizontal slice across the demon's midsection. The blade cut deep, blood spraying from the wound as the demon let out a guttural roar of agony.

"Sensei, dodge!" Naruto shouted as he landed, seeing the demon wind up for another attack. Oscar rolled to the side just in time, and Naruto took the opportunity to hurl another fireball. This time, he aimed for the Achilles tendon, the fireball exploding on impact. A chunk of the demon's leg was blown off in a fiery blast. Blood and chunks of flesh flying everywhere as the massive creature collapsed to one knee, roaring in pain.

The demon's wings flared open suddenly, and Naruto knew what was coming next. The demon began to rise, preparing for its butt-shockwave attack. Oscar and Naruto were near the gate, just outside the immediate area of effect.

"Now!" Naruto shouted, and his clones responded instantly, hurling fireballs at the demon. Each fireball exploded on contact, covering the creature in flames but it wasn't done.

With a savage roar, it lunged toward them.

Naruto barely had time to react when he felt Oscar's boot hit his back, shoving him forward. He stumbled, his jaw dropping as he saw his teacher do the impossible. Oscar parried the demon's giant swing, his sword cutting cleanly through the head of the demon's massive hammer. In one fluid motion, Oscar moved in for the kill, his blade plunging deep into the demon's stomach.

The demon screamed in a horrendous, bloodcurdling sound as its stomach split open.

Thick and dark blood pooled on the ground beneath it. Its intestines spilling out in long, grotesque ropes, steam rising from the exposed organs. The creature's body convulsed, twitching as the flames continued to burn through its skin.

[ Name: Asylum Demon ][ HP: 980 / 2,195 ]

For a moment, Naruto almost felt sorry for the thing.

But then, the hairs on his arms stood on end as the asylum demon lifted the broken handle of its hammer. He watched in disbelief as the handle began to twist and warp, almost like it was alive. The demon's hammer morphed into a staff, pulling the broken pots around them into its grip, fusing them together to form a jagged obsidian edge.

For some reason, its name change.

[ Name: Stray Demon ][ HP: 980 / 2,195 ]

Without wasting a second, Naruto threw his hands together and shouted, "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Dozens of clones appeared in a puff of smoke, charging toward the demon in unison.

The demon swung wide with its new staff, and most of Naruto's clones dodged it with ease.

But then... Bang!

A deafening explosion ripped through the air. His ears rang, his head spun, and he barely registered the red flash of light before he hit the ground. His body screamed in pain, and he gasped for breath, trying to figure out what had just happened. His clones... most of them were gone. They had popped almost instantly, wiped out by whatever that blast was.

This demon can use ninjutsu?

The thought clawed its way through the haze in his mind. Before he could fully gather himself, he saw the demon again, gripping its staff like a baseball bat. He could barely react as it swung towards him, the jagged edge of the staff gleaming as it cut through the air with terrifying speed.

Naruto tried to move, but his body felt like it was moving through mud. His muscles refused to listen, still reeling from whatever weird spell had knocked him down. His chest tightened, and the cold realization hit him hard: I can't dodge this.

Is this the end?

The thought barely had time to form before the staff was already swinging toward him, the world stretching into a slow, horrible crawl. Suddenly, Oscar lunged into the path of the blow, shield raised just in time. The demon's staff struck with a thunderous crack, the impact violent enough to hurl Oscar off his feet. He was thrown through the air like a broken doll, crashing into the second-floor wall with a bone-rattling bang.

The blow sent the knight flying but it was deflected away from the boy.

"SENSEI?!" Naruto screamed, his eyes darted back to the demon, and it smiled at him.

A grotesque, mocking grin that made his blood boil.

Something inside Naruto snapped. His chakra surged violently, flooding his body as blue energy flared outward in a sudden, blazing rush, rippling through the air around him like living flame.

Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!

A hundred... no, a thousand clones burst into existence, filling the courtyard. The sound of battle cries echoed around him as his clones charged, hand axes raised, each one filled with the same rage that burned in his chest. This demon wasn't going to get away with this.

The asylum demon slammed its staff into the ground.

The staff began to glow with a deep, pulsing red light emanating from it. Before Naruto could even process what was happening, the demon raised the staff high, and an orb of red energy formed at the tip. It hovered there for a brief second, crackling with power.

No…

Then it exploded.

The shockwave hit Naruto like a tidal wave, and in an instant, he felt everything. Thousands of thoughts, memories and fear, it all flooded into him like a crashing wave. His mind felt like it was being torn apart, the sheer overload too much to handle.

I… can't… breathe…

The orb's energy reached him. The sensation was like nothing he'd ever felt before like his body was being unraveled thread by thread.

There was no heat, no sensation, just a growing void where his body should've been. His mind screamed for something to hold onto, but there was nothing. He couldn't even tell where his body ended and the nothingness began.

His vision blurred, and all the sounds of battle faded into silence.

There was no more pain, but it wasn't relief.

It was terrifying.

[ YOU DIED.]