Chapter 85 - New King of the Ring?

The sky above Konoha was tinged with the fading light of dusk, casting long shadows across the village. Naruto sat perched high atop one of the tallest buildings, his legs dangling over the edge. The wind tugged at his jacket, but the cool air did little to calm the storm of thoughts in his mind. He stared out over the city, feeling strangely distant from it all.

The infection had been slow, creeping up on him in small, barely noticeable ways. At first, it had just been a strange feeling—a slight discomfort in his chest, a persistent itch in his skin that wouldn't go away. But as the days went by, it got worse. Now, every time he looked at his reflection, he saw the faint signs of the mutation beginning to show. His veins pulsed in unnatural ways, his skin occasionally burning with an odd sensation that felt foreign. It was subtle, but Naruto knew it was only a matter of time before it got worse.

He didn't want anyone to know. Not yet. He didn't want to burden his friends with something like this. Besides, he didn't even know what it was—just that it wasn't normal. It wasn't him.

As Naruto sat in silence, lost in his thoughts, a voice broke through the quiet.

"Glad you came."

Naruto tensed slightly, his eyes narrowing. He didn't need to turn around to know who it was. He recognized that raspy voice from before. The one who had approached him with an offer.

Footsteps approached, and soon enough, the figure sat down next to him, legs dangling over the edge of the roof just like Naruto's. Out of the corner of his eye, Naruto caught a glimpse of the person—wrapped in linen from head to toe, their face completely concealed. They wore a worn leather coat, heavy boots, and had an air of someone who had been through more than their share of battles.

Naruto kept his gaze fixed on the horizon, not bothering to face the stranger. "What do you want?" His voice was flat, exhausted.

The figure let the question hang in the air for a moment before speaking. "The boss wanted me to check up on you. See what you've been up to. Word is, you've been moving around, getting into things. We've noticed."

Naruto didn't respond, his mind too scattered.

But the figure wasn't deterred by Naruto's silence. He leaned forward slightly, staring out over the city. "How far has it spread?"

Naruto's body stiffened for a split second, but he forced himself to stay calm. He wasn't about to let this guy know how desperate his situation had become. "So, what?" he said, trying to keep his voice steady.

The figure shifted slightly, his linen-wrapped head turning to look at Naruto. "Then you need the cure, don't you?"

Naruto didn't say anything, but the truth was written all over him. He could feel the infection growing, twisting inside him, and he knew that without some kind of solution, it was only going to get worse. He gritted his teeth, his hands clenching into fists. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. He had bigger goals—becoming Hokage, protecting the village—not dealing with some freak mutation that was slowly taking over his body.

The figure's voice softened, almost as if he could sense Naruto's frustration. "There's a serum. It's still in development, but it's real. Hidden away in a bio lab somewhere in Konoha. The people there are working on something that could cure this... mutation."

Naruto's eyes flicked toward the figure for a moment. "And what does that have to do with me?"

"The boss wants to know if you're interested in helping us find it. We're planning to investigate the bio lab. You come with us, and maybe you get your hands on the cure." The figure paused, letting the words sink in. "You know you don't have much time, right? Whatever that infection is, it's not going to stop on its own."

Naruto swallowed hard, his throat tightening. He hated how right the guy was. He could feel the infection spreading. It wasn't obvious to anyone else yet, but it wouldn't be long before his friends noticed something was wrong. And what then? Would he even be able to stay in the village? Or would he become something... else?

The figure's linen-wrapped face turned fully toward Naruto now, his voice low but clear. "You've got a choice, Naruto. Keep going as you are and hope the infection doesn't take you over. Or come with us. Get your hands on the serum and put an end to this. Once and for all."

Naruto stared out at the village, the wind blowing softly against his face. The offer was tempting. If this serum was real, if it could cure him... he might not have to face the future alone. He could still be Naruto Uzumaki—the ninja who aimed to be Hokage, not some mutant cast away into the shadows.

But he also knew there had to be more to this than what the figure was saying. If these mutants were so desperate for a cure, they weren't going to stop at just investigating a lab. They had their own goals, their own plans. And Naruto wasn't sure he wanted to be a part of them.

He let out a slow breath, shaking his head. "I'm not interested in your boss's plans. I'll find my own way to deal with this."

The figure didn't move, didn't react immediately. But after a long pause, he finally stood up, his leather coat rustling softly in the wind. "Suit yourself," he said quietly. "But don't wait too long, Naruto. Time's not on your side."

With that, the figure turned and walked away, disappearing into the shadows as quickly as he had appeared.

Naruto sat there for a long time, staring out into the night, the weight of the infection heavy on his mind. He had turned down the offer, but the fear still lingered. What if he couldn't find another way? What if the mutation took him over before he could find the cure on his own?

But even as the doubts crept in, Naruto clenched his fists, determination flaring in his chest. He wasn't going to give up. Not now. Not ever. He would find a way to fix this—on his own terms.

...

Kiba stood in the center of the ring, his eyes gleaming with confidence. Akamaru sat by his side, barking energetically as another underclassman was sent tumbling out of the ring with a swift, powerful kick from Kiba. The crowd erupted into wild cheers, students shouting Kiba's name and clapping in awe at his sheer strength and speed.

"Who's next?!" Kiba shouted, grinning as he scanned the crowd, his fists raised. Sweat dripped down his forehead, but he didn't seem tired in the slightest. If anything, he looked even more fired up after each victory.

The underclassmen around him were going wild, chanting his name. "Kiba! Kiba! Kiba!" Some of them clambered onto the benches, eager to get a better view of the action.

He had already taken down three challengers in a row, and the next one stepped in—a nervous-looking kid with short brown hair. The boy tried to put up a fight, but Kiba's relentless barrage of punches and kicks overwhelmed him almost instantly. The poor kid barely lasted a minute before being knocked out of the ring, landing in a heap at the edge.

The crowd roared in approval, their excitement reaching a fever pitch. Akamaru barked happily, running in circles around the ring, matching the energy of the crowd. Kiba turned in a circle, arms raised in victory, soaking in the cheers.

"You guys really thought you could take me on?!" Kiba called out, his voice brimming with confidence. "Come on, is that all you've got?"

The underclassmen were hyped up, chanting even louder. Kiba had proven himself to be one of the strongest in the club, and no one seemed able to touch him.

As the cheering grew louder, Kiba looked around for his next opponent. "Who's next? Who else wants to try their luck?"

For a moment, no one stepped forward. The crowd fell into a brief, tense silence, and Kiba smirked, thinking he had already beaten everyone worth fighting. But then, from the edge of the crowd, a figure stepped out.

The noise of the crowd died down as people began to notice the newcomer. He was short, with an air of quiet confidence that immediately caught everyone's attention. His face was partially hidden under a hood, and he wore simple shinobi gear. His movements were calm and composed, as though he didn't feel the need to boast or show off like the others.

The crowd parted as the new student walked toward the ring. Kiba's smirk faltered slightly as he eyed the newcomer. The energy in the room shifted, the playful atmosphere giving way to something more serious.

The newcomer stopped just outside the ring, pulling back his hood to reveal sharp, determined eyes. He said nothing, his expression unreadable as he looked at Kiba.

Kiba raised an eyebrow, his grin returning, though there was a hint of uncertainty now. "You wanna fight me?" he asked, his voice still brimming with bravado.

The newcomer stepped into the ring, his movements smooth and deliberate. He didn't respond to Kiba's taunt, didn't offer any words of challenge. He simply stood there, waiting, his eyes locked on Kiba.

The tension in the air thickened. The underclassmen, sensing something different about this challenger, began to murmur amongst themselves.

"Who is that guy?" one of them whispered.

"That's Kenjiro, he's from the Ryuga clan."

Kiba rolled his shoulders, trying to shake off the growing unease. "Alright then," he said, his grin widening. "Let's see what you've got!"

The crowd held its breath as Kiba squared up with the new student, the fight club suddenly charged with an intense anticipation.

And then, without warning, the match began.

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