14. A Sense of Pain and Death

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Naruto spent a long time as an extra activity in his already small amount of free time analyzing all styles of Taijutsu.

He may not have had as much time to observe individuals from each Clan, but he used to often watch his Tou-san train or Menme at his first training sessions of learning the Namikaze Clan fighting style. It was based mainly on the speed of attacks and eliminating as many opponents as possible. Naruto managed to catch on to the basics and when no one was watching him, he read some scrolls about their Clan Taijutsu style in his home library, there was also a variation of the fighting style based on the use of kunai and shuriken. Unfortunately, due to his condition, this style of fighting completely did not suit him. His mother's style, of the now almost extinct Uzumaki Clan, appealed to him more quickly. However, it too required the tremendous stamina and strength its members were famous for.

Getting the rest of the Taijutsu styles from other Clans wasn't as difficult as it seemed either, Naruto had to go to the black market, where, with a mask on his face and a disguise hiding his true identity, he bought all the Taijutsu styles of the great Clans from a certain old man with a sharp eye.

They were practically perfectly reproduced, he confirmed later, while observing several fights by people from the Shinobi Clans. So he didn't have to waste time observing people in secret and writing down all the details, and he bought them for quite a low price on the black market. To him personally, it may have seemed low because of his background and the pocket money he gets, but to many other people, those more from civilian families, it could cost a fortune.

Later he would analyze these styles and see which one fit perfectly under him, but unfortunately none suited him for various reasons and causes. So he had to create his own style based on them, which took a while. But it wasn't difficult, it's like a scientific paper, you have to analyze every detail and discard what is unnecessary. It took him so long, just because he didn't have the time to do it.

But let's stop here for a moment and go back to when Naruto bought back information about Taijutsu fighting styles from the old man. He left the black market at night in disguise, but he was not alone, he was followed by two suspicious people.

Naruto had been crippled all his life, unable to use Chakra, but he had developed a sensory sense over that time, probably through a fair amount of strong Spiritual Energy. For a long time he didn't understand it, until he read about it in a book, and only then did he become more interested in it. At first it wasn't strong, he could only sense how someone was watching him or approaching in his direction. Only later, as he became more aware of the world around him, did he develop it to a greater degree. At the present moment, he could sense all the people around him at fifteen meters, and those suspending their gaze on him up to fifty meters!

These two were within his range, and despite his attempt to conceal and hide his Chakra, Naruto spotted them. They took him as a target probably because he was an easy person to beat. After all, he was a nine-year-old brat with a pile of cash on him and scrolls about the Taijutsu styles of all the great Clans! Who wouldn't try? More likely only a smarter person who might have suspected his identity and feared trouble.

Naruto also wouldn't be surprised if these two guys were sent to him by the old man from whom he bought information on Taijutsu styles. He had really sharp eyes that hid great intelligence, and he preferred not to take any risks himself, so he sent his subordinates.

However, it could also have been anyone else! There were many dark and suspicious people on the black market who could do anything!

When he confirmed that these two people were following him and slowly approaching towards him, Naruto felt strange butterflies in his stomach. It was definitely not unpleasant, nor was it stress or fear of death or kidnapping...!

He felt a gentle tickle in his palms, and his eyes involuntarily searched for a threat he might face. He wanted to grab some kind of weapon in his hands like all those powerful Shinobi and eliminate the enemy. He wanted to feel what a real fight and a clash to the death was.

It was crazy, he wanted to fight his first duel not as a form of safe sparring, but in a fight against strangers where he could die! After all, he couldn't even fight!

However, the greater the risk, the more emotions arise in a person. Fear of death can motivate one to keep fighting and save one's life, but he felt no fear. He felt a lot of strange, complicated emotions, I think it was.... excitement and anticipation...?

He didn't even realize when he licked his dry lips with his tongue.

It was something similar to when he was training with Shizune, but much bigger and riskier. No matter how tired and exhausted he was, how much his body hurt sometimes.... He wanted to feel it fully and not let go...! Every single workout, it's another excitement he never felt in his crippled body, which he missed so much! That's why he insists on them so much and refuses to let them go. He never missed any of her training sessions, even when she wanted to give him time off to rest, that's when he asked her to keep training him.

He was so stubborn that sometimes, he was stupid.... Just to feel something, other than the constant emptiness that appeared in his heart after finding out about his reality...!

Naruto stopped at a perfect spot where no one should rather pass.

The two people following him stopped confused a few meters away, hidden in the shadows. They didn't even make a single sound, they moved completely silently! They were definitely trained Shinobi at the Chunin level!

- Do you realize what my identity is? It would be better for you to move away for your own safety...- stated Naruto quietly. His childish voice was really cold and frighteningly hollow, making the opponents twitch slightly. They didn't expect this kid to detect them, this alone showed what a talented monster he was...!

However, he was still just a kid, and they experienced shinobi, they couldn't back down, they got a firm order from their leader - No, and frankly, you better not reveal it, he doesn't want to have doubts in his heart when I kill you...! - said one man coldly.

- Ohh... So you want to kill me, even if we have nothing in common? Why? - Naruto was curious, he assumed that they would just kidnap him and hold him in some cell for ransom, like ordinary bandits do. However, it made him anticipate even more that they would lash out at him!!!! His eyes bloodshot slightly and he was already looking forward to his first real fight.

Although his only weapon was a lone kunai tucked next to his body, he calmly stood in the dark alley, waiting for his opponents' first move. His pupils contracted in his eyes and became incredibly hard when he sensed the movement of one of the two men.

All that could be heard in the dark alley was the slight rustling of the wind and the meowing of a stray cat; the enemy moved silently, launched himself from his seat, intent on inflicting a single, life-ending attack on Naruto.

Naruto was not physically prepared for a direct confrontation with the Chunin, he only saw his movement thanks to his sensory sense and anticipated the trajectory of his tanto's cut. It was supposed to be a short cut, cutting his throat, Naruto, however, simply made a move, deflecting slightly at the last moment.

This was completely unexpected for his opponent, as Naruto performed a dodge when millimeters separated him from the blade.

However, it wasn't something he bothered with for more than a brief moment. Half a second later, the tanto found itself directly impaled on the child's body.

Naruto felt blood in his mouth, and his eyes opened incredibly wide.

- Ahh...!! - he unconsciously let out a breath of delight.

This was completely different from his icy baths or training with Shizune....

The pain caused by fighting.... That scarlet blood that flowed from inside his body....

He really... He felt that at that moment he LIVED...!

- Sorry kid, that's the job," the guy replied coldly, and then pulled the blade from Naruto's body.

- Hm...? What is...! - he pulled the handle again, but the tanto did not move an inch. Naruto's muscles were squeezed to the maximum, imprisoning the enemy's blade between them. Naruto felt amused and giggled quietly, sending shivers through his enemy.

Then, in an instant, Naruto slashed the enemy's face with his kunai, without much precision. He simply inflicted several random cuts across his face, destroying his mask in the process and blinding him. This was completely unexpected, he took advantage of the brief moment of daze and inflicted an attack that was not at all, as strong as it may have seemed. He took advantage of a weak point by having some luck on him!

With a scream of pain, the man let go of the blade and fell backwards in agony. Losing one's eyes was very painful and traumatic, especially when it happens in one unexpected moment.

- You...!? - the second opponent, who had been hidden in the shadows the whole time, jumped out of his hiding place and charged at Naruto.

Naruto was unable to react for two reasons. Although his sensory sense was able to feel it, his body was not fast enough to react. And besides, he was strangely focused on the screaming shinobi beneath his feet. He was begging for help and cursing Naruto at the same time.... It was strangely fascinating...!

He didn't even realize that the other opponent had inflicted a deep cut on his back. The pain did not make his will waver, causing him to detach from his thoughts. For him, the pain was the best testimony that his hard work was not in vain and he was still alive...!

Only instinct in Naruto caused him to pull the tanto blade from his abdomen and deflect another enemy strike. He reflexively strengthened his body with Chakra and accelerated his blood circulation almost three times!

He wasn't sure if it was some kind of fighting spirit driving him or his body instinctively trying to defend itself, but he liked it!

He then looked out of the corner of his eye at his opponent, and he hesitated...

This kid... clearly there is something wrong with him....

Thought the stunned man. He had yet to meet anyone who didn't squirm from such pain, and on top of that, those eyes.... there were such deep emotions in them that he could not describe them. Looking into them, he felt his heart beat faster, and the most important parts of his life flew before his eyes...!

It was a second of slipping away that caused him to wake up with his workmate's tanto stuck straight in his chest.

- W-what...? A-as you... - he whispered in disbelief, spitting out a gulp of blood in the process.

He didn't want to give up and just die at the hands of some brat, he swung his tanto with all his might, trying to save himself somehow.

However, despite the fact that his blade was thrust at an angle into his body, it stuck after a few centimeters. Blood gushed from Naruto's neck, but the tanto stagnated in place.

Terrified, he let out all the air and looked at the small monster in front of him. These were his last moments, the blade had pierced his heart, and it was only the last surge of strength, which was still not enough to cut off Naruto's head.

- He died... - stated Naruto blankly.

This was crazy. He couldn't react at such close range to his last, spontaneous attack. He could only strengthen the cells in his neck with his Chakra and squeeze his muscles to the maximum to try to block the blade. This was the only way; he knew it would pierce his skin and go deep into his body, so he could only block it inside.

Fortunately, the man had no more strength and died if not for this....

Naruto smiled to himself....

- This fight was pathetic, lacking any major style or anything.... - he muttered amused. Despite being at the level of an experienced Chunin, they were pathetically defeated by a crippled child with a destroyed Chakra System!

The next moment, Naruto took a step back, pulling the tanto from his opponent's body, letting it fall to the ground, and blood stained all his clothes. Fortunately, it's just a disguise, and they'll go in the garbage anyway. He grabbed with the fingers of his other hand another blade stuck in his neck and slowly pulled it out.

He didn't even squirm in the process...!

It really was refreshing.

He had spent his entire life as a cripple, and despite the good fortune he had been blessed with by his parents and everyone around him, this life was empty. The bubble of illusion burst and he woke up to a brutal and darker reality...! However, this reality was not a curse as it may have seemed...!

The pain, all these new emotions and experiences allowed his world to acquire new colors! And the future seems to be acquiring even more of them...!