Naruto: Forbidden Pleasures

The mist seemed to thicken with every passing second, wrapping the forest in an oppressive, almost supernatural cocoon. Naruto, out of breath, sought refuge inside a hollow tree trunk, his heart pounding wildly. He brought a trembling hand to his injured arm, blood still trickling slowly. Clenching his teeth, he tore a piece of his jacket to improvise a tourniquet, trying to stop the bleeding. His breathing was heavy, his head spinning slightly, but he refused to succumb to panic.

In the oppressive silence, a voice rang out, sharp and cutting like a knife: "Where's your bravado now, Naruto Uzumaki? Playing the hero a few minutes ago, and now you're hiding like a rat. Is this the strength of the so-called most powerful Jinchūriki?"

Naruto clenched his fists, his jaw tightening under the provocation. "She's trying to bait me out," he thought. "But I need to stay calm."

The voice resumed, even more cutting: "And with that pitiful strength, you dream of becoming Hokage? Of protecting the people you love? What a joke... You disgrace your family and your clan."

Rage bubbled inside Naruto. He wanted to respond, but he knew she was trying to make him lose his composure. However, when she mentioned his family, something inside him snapped.

"You talk big for someone who cowardly attacked me from behind!" he shouted, finally stepping out of his hiding place, his eyes burning with fierce determination.

The masked figure reappeared in the mist, her movements fluid and almost unreal, like a specter. "Naive as always," she replied coldly. "You think war has rules or honor? If that's what you want, I'll show you just how weak you are."

A black cape floated around her, and her face remained hidden behind a mask. Naruto squinted to get a better look. Then, without hesitation, he hurled a kunai straight at her head. The woman dodged with an elegant motion, the projectile embedding itself into a tree behind her.

Naruto wasted no time. Leaping forward, he attempted a spinning kick, but she blocked his attack with her forearm, absorbing the impact without flinching. Before he could react, she countered with a quick strike to his abdomen, sending him sprawling backward.

Naruto rolled on the ground, coughed, and then got back to his feet, his gaze blazing with defiance. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" he shouted. Two clones appeared instantly at his side, charging at the masked figure.

The fight intensified. The clones attacked in perfect synchronization, their strikes fast and precise. Naruto threw kunai after kunai from behind, maintaining constant pressure. But the woman was unnaturally agile. She dodged, countered, and destroyed the clones one by one with surgical precision. Every move seemed calculated, every dodge perfectly timed.

One kunai, however, managed to strike her. The weapon sliced her mask, breaking it in two. As the pieces fell to the ground, Naruto caught a glimpse of her face. It was the same girl from the small house, but something seemed different—her eyes gleamed with a cold and relentless intensity. She ran a finger over the light cut the kunai had left on her cheek, her expression darkening slightly.

"You think you're the only one who can use techniques?" she said, her voice tinged with restrained annoyance. "Let me show you what a real strategy looks like."

She quickly formed a hand seal. Two identical clones of her appeared suddenly in the mist. Naruto watched them warily, then let out a dry laugh.

"That's it? Two clones? Seriously?"

The woman gave a frosty smile. "That's all you deserve."

Without warning, the clones charged at Naruto. He sent two of his own clones to intercept them, but his were destroyed in an instant. One of her clones unleashed a barrage of devastating attacks, forcing Naruto to retreat. The other threw a flurry of shuriken, which Naruto barely managed to deflect with a kunai.

"She's on a whole different level," he realized, his breath growing short.

Naruto decided to use his last resort. He created two more clones, sending them to distract the opponents while he concentrated on forming a Rasengan. Chakra gathered in his palm, the glowing sphere spinning with increasing intensity.

The clones held on desperately to the woman and her replicas, creating an opening. Naruto leaped forward, his Rasengan ready to strike. A brief flicker of surprise crossed his enemy's face, but she quickly regained her composure.

He struck with all his might. The impact destroyed one of her clones, dispersing the mist around them. But his triumph was short-lived. A sudden pain shot through his side, and he realized too late that he had only hit a clone.

Before he could react, a powerful blow sent him crashing to the ground. His vision blurred, and his strength was slipping away. Lying on the cold earth, he could hear the woman's footsteps approaching.

"I warned you," she murmured, her voice sounding distant. "You're not ready."

Naruto tried to get up, but his body refused to obey. Darkness finally enveloped him, and he slipped into unconsciousness.