The King Of Fighters

The air over Konoha was thick with ash and despair, its once-proud structures reduced to smoldering ruins. The village that had withstood countless invasions and calamities now lay broken, a stark reminder of the destructive power of one man—Pain. Standing amidst the carnage, Pain's Rinnegan eyes surveyed the devastation, his expression cold and unyielding.

At his feet lay the unconscious body of Naruto Uzumaki, the village's last hope and the one destined to bring peace to the ninja world. The battle had been fierce, but even the hero of Konoha had been unable to match the overwhelming power of the Six Paths of Pain. Blood seeped from numerous wounds on Naruto's battered body, his orange Sage Mode cloak faded, and the once-brilliant determination in his eyes extinguished.

Without a word, the Deva Path extended its hand and lifted Naruto's limp form into the air with telekinetic precision. Pain's gaze lingered on the young shinobi for a moment, his thoughts veiled in shadow.

"This is the fate of those who defy me," Pain murmured, his voice carrying a chilling finality. "There is only one more target left, and soon the world will know pain."

Konan, Pain's ever-loyal companion, approached silently, her expression unreadable as she took her place beside him. Her paper wings unfurled, shimmering faintly in the dim light as she prepared for their departure. Together, the two ascended into the sky, leaving behind the wreckage of Konoha and its shattered dreams.

Naruto remained unconscious, his mind adrift in the abyss of defeat. He didn't even have the chance to awaken or fight back as his fate was sealed. Pain's plans demanded the Nine-Tails, and for that, Naruto's life was an expendable price. In a dark ritual, the Kyuubi was forcefully extracted from Naruto's body. The process was excruciating, tearing at the bond between jinchūriki and beast until it was irreparably severed. Naruto's body convulsed as the life drained from him, the immense chakra of the Kyuubi vanishing into the void.

His heart gave its final beat, and then there was silence. Naruto Uzumaki, the boy who had carried the hopes and dreams of his village, was gone.

Far away from the ruins of Konoha, in the shadows of a world unknown to the shinobi realm, a new chapter was beginning to unfold. Unbeknownst to Pain, the ripples of his actions would cross dimensions, setting the stage for a collision of powers far beyond his comprehension. Fighters from realms governed not by ninja clans but by raw, unrelenting combat were already preparing for battles of their own.

Among them were warriors who bore their own burdens of loss and vengeance, champions like Ryu of the Street Fighter world and Kyo Kusanagi of the King of Fighters universe. Their paths had not yet crossed with the shinobi, but destiny had a way of weaving its threads in the most unexpected ways.

As Naruto's lifeless body was discarded, his spirit—his indomitable will—refused to fade. A force beyond mortal understanding intervened, pulling him from the brink of true oblivion. The world of ninjas was not the end for him. Somewhere in the multiverse, Naruto's journey was far from over. His next trial awaited in the brutal arenas of fighters who knew neither chakra nor jutsu but wielded power and skill that could rival the strongest of shinobi.

Pain had won the battle, but the war was far from over.

Naruto stirred, blinking against the sunlight filtering through the canopy above. The soft rustling of leaves accompanied the gentle breeze, but his head was clouded, and something felt off—like pieces of his memory were missing, lost in the haze.

"Where am I?" he muttered, his voice hoarse. He pushed himself upright, feeling a dull ache in his body but noticing a peculiar lightness as well. His surroundings were unfamiliar—a dense forest, but the trees were much smaller than he was used to.

'These trees are too small. Definitely not near Konoha or anywhere I've been,' Naruto thought, scanning the area. He reached out to the nearest tree and gave it a slight push, intending to steady himself. The bark cracked under the minuscule pressure, sending a web of fractures spreading along its surface.

"Definitely not close," Naruto confirmed, his brow furrowing. The trees back home, blessed by the rich natural energy of the Land of Fire, were far sturdier. This place felt alien, weaker in comparison.

His thoughts drifted as he recalled the last clear memory he had—chasing Mukade, the rogue ninja who had opened a strange portal. "I really shouldn't have jumped after him," Naruto muttered, annoyance creeping into his tone. The portal had sucked him in, and everything after that was a blur.

Taking a deep breath, Naruto decided to climb down the mountain and search for clues. As he walked, he noticed the terrain was odd. The mountain was much smaller than those near Konoha, more like a large hill in comparison. Yet the air here felt different—lighter, thinner. Even his own movements felt strange, as though his strength had inexplicably multiplied.

'Maybe I've just gotten stronger,' Naruto mused, flexing his fingers experimentally. His training with Jiraiya had honed him significantly, but this felt... different.

Descending the mountain, he eventually reached a clearing and spotted movement in the distance. A couple was climbing from the other side, their conversation faint but discernible. Naruto focused on them instinctively, and to his surprise, his senses expanded far beyond their usual range. He could feel the faint pulse of their life force and even detect their emotions—a mix of calm and curiosity.

'Weird... their life force feels so weak,' he thought, confused. He couldn't sense chakra within them, but not everyone in the world possessed or used it. Still, something about their presence felt off. The clothing they wore was unlike anything he'd seen before—brightly colored, casual, and modern, far from the practical attire of shinobi or civilians back home.

Stepping closer, Naruto called out, "Hello! Can I have a moment of your time?"

The couple stopped, turning to him with polite smiles. Their demeanor was friendly enough, and Naruto felt a flicker of hope.

"Yes, how may we help you?" the man asked.

Naruto relaxed a little. "Can you tell me where the Land of Fire is? Or maybe point me in the direction of the nearest village?" He kept his tone casual, deciding not to reveal too much just yet.

The couple exchanged a glance, their polite smiles faltering slightly. "The... Land of Fire? I'm afraid I've never heard of it," the woman replied. "But maybe someone else might know."

Their response caught Naruto off guard. He tried to gauge their reaction, but their emotions seemed more perplexed than suspicious. However, there was something else in their body language—a subtle unease, as though they'd decided not to get involved.

The couple excused themselves quickly, murmuring polite goodbyes before walking away. Naruto stood there, bewildered. Their behavior had been courteous, yet distant, as if they thought he was a foreigner rambling nonsense.

'What just happened?' Naruto wondered. He hadn't even gotten the chance to ask more questions. Letting out a sigh, he decided not to press the issue. One step at a time, he thought. If this place was entirely unfamiliar, he'd need to tread carefully and gather information without drawing attention to himself.

Adjusting his headband and brushing the dust off his jacket, Naruto turned and continued down the path, ready to face whatever awaited him in this strange, new world.

Naruto continued his trek through the unfamiliar forest, his steps steady yet cautious as he processed the strange encounter with the couple earlier. Several minutes passed in silence, but the sensation of being watched lingered in the back of his mind. His heightened senses were picking up on something—or someone.

Naruto stopped abruptly, turning his head slightly as he spoke in a confident tone, "Come out. I know you're there."

From behind the cover of trees, a figure emerged, stepping into view with measured steps. The man was tall and lean, his posture upright and composed. He wore a sleeveless red gi, his black hair neatly styled, and his expression calm, almost emotionless.

"Apologies for my rude actions," the man began in an even tone, his sharp eyes fixed on Naruto. "But your appearance caught my interest."

Naruto's brow furrowed. "What caught your interest?"

The man's gaze never wavered as he replied, "You're not from here. Your mannerisms, your presence... I can tell you're a ninja. So, are you one of those foreign ninjas? From the USA or another country?"

Naruto blinked, unfamiliar with the term. "USA?" he repeated awkwardly, his pronunciation clumsy. The unfamiliarity seemed to surprise the man, though his expression remained impassive.

"You mentioned the 'Land of Fire,'" the man continued, his tone still calm but with a hint of curiosity. "But no such place exists. Is it a code word, or are you serious?"

Naruto's mind raced. The man's words only confirmed his growing suspicion—this world was different, its geography and knowledge entirely foreign to him. Deciding it was best to tread carefully, he answered, "It's a code name. I'll explain later, but for now, can you tell me where I am?"

The man nodded slightly. "Japan, near Mount Fuji."

The answer didn't clear up Naruto's confusion. Japan? He'd never heard of such a place, but he kept his composure. "Thank you. My name is Naruto," he offered, forcing a friendly tone to hide his unease. "What's yours?"

The man studied him for a moment before responding. "It was nothing. My name is Guy. If you need anything, you'll find me around here."

With that, Guy turned and sped off, his movement swift yet rigid to Naruto's eyes. Naruto watched him disappear into the distance, noting the strength in the man's build but unimpressed by his speed.

'He's strong, but his speed is nowhere near what I've seen from true shinobi,' Naruto thought. Still, the encounter left him with more questions than answers. Guy's casual mention of other countries and his dismissive reaction to the Land of Fire made one thing clear—this wasn't the world Naruto knew.

'If this is truly a different world, I need to confirm it for myself,' Naruto decided. A map would be the quickest way to gain clarity.

He glanced at his attire, realizing that his bright orange jumpsuit stood out far too much. Channeling chakra, he transformed his appearance to resemble one of the people he'd seen earlier, adopting their simpler, more subdued clothing. With his disguise in place, Naruto set out of the forest, determined to find a village or town and begin piecing together the mystery of his situation.

As Guy moved swiftly through the forest back to his training area, his thoughts lingered on the encounter with Naruto. Though the boy had presented himself as friendly, something about him was unsettling.

He looked really strong and dangerous, Guy mused, his mind replaying the brief conversation. The moment I even considered attacking him, it felt like death was staring me in the face. The casual way Naruto had spoken, combined with his odd questions and apparent unfamiliarity with the world, only deepened Guy's suspicions.

Is he even aware of his own strength? Guy wondered, his brows furrowing. Or is he hiding it intentionally? Those questions about the Land of Fire and his awkward reaction to basic terms like the USA... he might have memory issues. Guy wasn't one to jump to conclusions, but his years of experience told him there was more to this boy than met the eye.

Reaching his secluded training area—a flat clearing surrounded by tall trees—Guy paused to collect his thoughts. The area was lined with wooden posts and small markers for his movement drills, where he practiced the art of movement, a martial discipline he'd honed to perfection over years. But for now, his focus was on the potential threat Naruto posed.

I wasn't tricked by his attempt to deflect my questions, Guy thought grimly. He's skilled, no doubt about that, but I've been dealing with deception and information-gathering for years. He's hiding something.

Guy pulled out his phone, its sleek surface gleaming in the afternoon sunlight. He quickly unlocked it and began typing out a message to his master, detailing his encounter with Naruto.

"Encountered a young man claiming to be a ninja. Highly skilled, with overwhelming potential. Likely foreign, possibly has memory issues. Could be dangerous if left unchecked. Recommend preparing for contingencies if he shows signs of hostility."

He hesitated for a moment before adding: "Will continue observing for now. Awaiting instructions."

After hitting send, Guy pocketed the phone and began his drills, though his movements were distracted. The image of Naruto's sharp blue eyes and the unshakable aura of power he exuded refused to leave his mind.

If he's a threat to this country, we'll need to act quickly. But if there's a chance he's just lost or confused... perhaps I can help him. Guy clenched his fists. He would remain vigilant, prepared for any possibility.