Chapter | IV |

As the ethereal strings pulled me closer to the grey string in distance, multiplied right in front of my eyes. Unease rose in my heart, I tried to step back. However, I was unable to, the soft embrace of the golden strings suddenly became more firm and physical rather than the ghastly shape before. I panicked, the strings were getting too tight, I was being pulled more forcefully by the second.

'What's happening!?'

I tried to break the threads, that... proved almost impossible. The strings felt like steel wires rather than made of silk or any other.

'Naruto... Naruto!... Naruto!!'

The once enchanting voice slowly faded away, replaced by a horrific and piercing screech. My heart pounded, but not out of delight like before, but with fear.

"Argh!"

I screamed in agony as the strings slowly crept inside my flesh, it slowly sunk in. I could feel my muscles tear apart and blood flowing out like a fountain. I grit my teeth in regret. I should have chosen the other entrance!

Lifting my head tiredly, I gazed ahead. The grey strings were becoming more and more clear, as I got closer. A swirl of darkness creeped out toward me. I tried to move, but a jolting pain made me petrified, my muscles were going to tear apart fully if I moved!

Instead of the strings now, the darkness embraced me, enveloping me in a cloud that took my sight away. I gave in... I could not do anything to prevent what was happening.

The strings faded away fully, I was restrained no more by it. Regardless, I felt like I was chained to a wall now, I could not move a muscle, the pain still assaulted me, but I had to endure it... Hopefully, there was no more.

As If my words triggered a switch, the swirl of darkness drifted closer to my body. To my horror, entering through my lips, nostrils, ears, and so on. It caused a hot sensation to run through my body. I felt warmth at first... Then... Then it started to get hotter, and hotter until I felt like my blood was boiling.

"Argh!!"

I cried as it intensified more, it felt as if hundreds of thousands of beetles were crawling inside me! Eating me from the inside! I felt like my organs were burning, my skin was tearing apart, my eyes were falling, my teeth were detached! I was in such pain that I couldn't even squeal. Then... It was time for my heart.

As if a gigantic needle had pierced my gut, I screamed in agony. My chest burning from the molten heat corroding inside. Then, my throat ran dry, I could scream no more as the burning sensation spread to my windpipe then to every cell in my body.

P-Please! S-Someone... Save me...

As darkness enveloped my vision, I fell unconscious.

***

As the blonde fell unconscious from the pain, his body began to repair. First, his organs, which were burned to crisp by the heat, regenerated from nothingness. However, instead of blood-red, his organs were pitch-black, except for the organs in his mouth. Then his blood, which was boiled to nothing, slowly came back in the form of a black liquid. Then his skin, slowly expanded from his bald head to his toes, pale white. Then his hair. It slowly grew in its former glory of blonde, however, this time more highlighted than ever.

As his body regenerated, the darkness slowly faded away, replaced by grey ethereal strings swirling around him. The ancient strings slowly faded into his body, blending in with his skin. Then, the golden strings came back, pulling him back to the entrance of the chamber. Slowly, with care like that of a mother's, it placed him in the hall lit by white torches.

Looking closely at Naruto, one could now notice that the stripes embedded into his cheeks slowly faded away, leaving his face without any marks. The scars on his body were nowhere to be seen, as if it was never there, to begin with. He grew an inch taller, and his body now seemed more nurtured compared to his previous skinny and unnutritious self. His veins were no more green, but grey.

But the most charming were his eyes, which slowly opened... Lightning Golden.