Chapter 28

Kurama chuckled lowly, his voice rumbling in the back of Naruto's mind. "You've become even more of a monster, kid. Don't let it go to your head."

Naruto smirked faintly, his eyes glowing with an inner light that flickered in the dim firelight. "I don't intend to," he said, his tone steady. "There's still work to be done."

His gaze shifted to the sleeping forms of his squadmates, the weight of responsibility pressing heavier on his shoulders. He was no longer just a kid who dreamed of becoming Hokage. Now, he felt something deeper, something more resolute. This power was no longer just for him—it was for his comrades, for the mission, and for the future he would shape.

Naruto's thoughts swirled in his mind, the realization dawning on him as he quietly watched Sakura, Sasuke, and the bridge builder, Tazuna, resting nearby. His body, once so weak, had changed. His heart was full of a sense of purpose, but also conflict. The desire for power had morphed; no longer was it the blind yearning to be strong for the sake of being strong.

He sighed softly, his gaze lifting to the sky. A human, huh? Naruto's thoughts echoed in his mind. What did it mean to be human, when all his desires—his motivations—seemed to blur into something more? Was it his ideology that was shifting? Was he yearning for power out of necessity, or was it something deeper, an unknown desire to be something more? To be a protector? Or perhaps something darker?

Naruto shook his head as he rubbed his temples, trying to clear the fog in his mind. The uncertainty felt like a weight on his chest. Was this truly his own desire, or was it the influence of the immense power inside him? Maybe it's all just a dream, he thought. Maybe I'm still just lying in that hospital bed, and none of this is real.

Morning arrived, the sun rising slowly over the horizon. The squad groggily awoke from their rest, stretching and yawning as they rose from their sleeping bags. But there was one person who had not slept—Naruto.

"998... 999... 1000," Naruto muttered to himself, finishing his set of push-ups with ease. His muscles rippled as he pushed himself to the limit, sweat gleaming on his toned body. His squadmates, still half-asleep, couldn't help but glance at him—though some of them quickly averted their eyes.

Sakura covered her face, trying to hide her blush but peeking through her fingers, while Hinata turned away, her face red as a tomato. Sasuke, though trying to maintain her composure, couldn't resist glancing at Naruto's form.

"His body... is... desirable," Sasuke muttered under her breath, barely above a whisper. It was a thought that slipped out before she could stop it, but Naruto didn't hear.

Naruto wiped the sweat off his brow with a towel from his bag, pulling on his shirt before turning his gaze back to his squad. "Great, you guys are up. Let's go," he said, his voice calm, but with a commanding tone that showed his focus. He took a swig from his canteen and wiped his mouth, then added, "We should reach our destination tomorrow."

"Yes, Sensei!" Sakura and Hinata said in unison, hurriedly packing their things. They didn't question Naruto's strange, quiet demeanor—his drive and intensity always kept them on edge in a way they hadn't experienced before.

A few minutes later, the team was on a small boat, cutting through the waters as they made their way toward their destination. As they sailed, a dense mist began to roll in, thick enough to obscure their vision.

Naruto's gaze hardened. "It must be him," he muttered under his breath.

The girls, confused, turned to him. "Who?" Sakura asked, her voice laced with curiosity and concern.

"Stay here," Naruto ordered sharply, cutting off their questions. He ignored their protests as he stepped onto the water, his chakra expanding as he entered his sensory mode.

His chakra sensing usually extended over long distances, but here, in the mist, it was almost like trying to reach through thick fog. The mist clashed with his own chakra, dulling his ability to sense what lay ahead. He narrowed his eyes, concentrating harder.

A sudden flash of motion. A blade. Without a moment's hesitation, Naruto reacted, sidestepping the thrown sword with ease, his reflexes honed to perfection. As the blade sailed past him, Naruto reached out and grabbed it mid-flight, his fingers closing around the hilt with a firm grip.

He held the blade in the air, inspecting it for a moment, before looking forward, his senses still on high alert. "What? I didn't expect him to grab my sword," came a voice, laced with surprise.

Naruto's eyes narrowed as he glanced toward the source of the voice.

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