Chapter 6: Shadows in the Rain

The following days at the Academy passed without much fanfare, but Rayne couldn't shake the feeling that things were changing—shifting beneath the surface. He continued attending classes, keeping a low profile, but there was always that underlying buzz. His growing reputation after the team exercise with Sasuke and Naruto hadn't gone unnoticed by the other students, but the curiosity of others wasn't what had him on edge.

It was his Copy Talent. It had been growing stronger, reaching out further, and every time he pushed it, the strain it put on his mind increased.

He sat on the roof of the Academy during lunch break, staring out at the village as dark clouds gathered in the sky. A storm was coming, in more ways than one. The Copy Talent had become more intrusive. It wasn't just copying anymore—his senses had sharpened to a point where it felt like he was absorbing everything around him. Sometimes he could almost feel the emotions of those nearby—raw, unfiltered emotions that bombarded his mind without warning.

"I need to learn control..." he thought to himself, clenching his fists.

Before he could delve deeper into his thoughts, a familiar voice called up to him. "Hey, Rayne! You hiding up there?" Naruto was at the base of the building, grinning up at him with his usual enthusiasm. "Come on down! We're doing some target practice!"

Rayne smiled lightly. Naruto's presence, as chaotic as it was, had a grounding effect on him. Without thinking, Rayne leaped down, landing beside his energetic friend. "Alright, lead the way."

Naruto jabbered on as they made their way to the training grounds. Rayne half-listened, his mind drifting between the conversation and the subtle stirrings of his talent. He caught fragments of Naruto's words—something about ramen and Iruka-sensei. But his attention was split. His senses were sharper than ever today, and something… something was wrong.

When they reached the training grounds, it wasn't what Rayne had expected. Instead of the usual Academy students practicing their jutsu, the field was empty. The sky overhead had grown darker, and the wind had picked up, carrying with it the faint scent of rain. Something prickled at the edge of Rayne's awareness.

Naruto frowned. "Weird… No one's here."

Rayne scanned the area, his senses heightened. The hair on the back of his neck stood up. There was something off—he couldn't put his finger on it, but something was lurking just beyond his perception.

"Let's head back," Rayne said suddenly, his tone more serious than usual.

Naruto blinked. "What? Why? We just got here!"

"I don't like this. Something's wrong." Rayne's voice was firm.

Before Naruto could protest, a kunai zipped through the air, embedding itself in the ground between them. Rayne's body moved before he even processed the attack, pushing Naruto to the side and pulling out his own kunai in one swift motion. His eyes darted to where the weapon had come from.

A figure emerged from the shadows of the nearby trees—cloaked, face hidden beneath a hood. But Rayne didn't need to see their face to know they weren't from the Academy.

"Who's that?!" Naruto shouted, scrambling to his feet.

Rayne's heart pounded in his chest. His Copy Talent kicked into overdrive, analyzing the figure's stance, their movements. Whoever this was, they were skilled—far more skilled than any Academy student.

The figure didn't speak. Instead, they raised a hand, forming seals in a blur of motion.

"Get ready!" Rayne barked, already moving to counter whatever was coming. Naruto, to his credit, immediately shifted into a defensive stance, his expression more serious than Rayne had ever seen.

The enemy ninja completed the seals, and Rayne's eyes widened as he recognized the jutsu—a wind-based attack. The air around them suddenly shifted, and a powerful gust of wind whipped through the training grounds, tearing up the dirt and sending debris flying. Rayne barely had time to react as the wind shot toward them like a blade.

Without hesitation, Rayne copied the jutsu, his hands moving in a blur as he mimicked the exact same seals. Wind Style: Gale Palm!

Two blasts of wind collided in the center of the field, sending shockwaves through the air. Rayne gritted his teeth as he fought to hold his ground, but the force of the attack was immense. Naruto, caught in the crossfire, struggled to keep his balance.

"Rayne! What do we do?!" Naruto shouted over the roar of the wind.

Rayne's mind raced. He had copied the enemy's jutsu perfectly, but the power behind it was overwhelming. This wasn't an ordinary ninja—they were stronger, more experienced. They weren't here to play games.

"We need to retreat," Rayne called back, his voice strained as he maintained the jutsu. "We're outmatched!"

Naruto clenched his fists. "No way! We can take him!"

Rayne shot Naruto a look, but before he could argue, the enemy ninja's jutsu faltered for a split second—just enough time for Rayne to act. He canceled his own jutsu and darted forward, closing the gap between them in an instant.

His kunai was out, aimed for the figure's side, but the ninja was fast—faster than he had anticipated. The cloaked figure dodged effortlessly, their movements fluid and precise. Rayne felt a sharp pain in his arm as the enemy countered, landing a glancing blow with a kunai of their own.

Rayne hissed, stepping back as blood trickled down his arm. "Damn… they're good."

Naruto, refusing to back down, formed a familiar hand seal. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" In an instant, a dozen Naruto clones appeared, surrounding the enemy ninja.

Rayne cursed under his breath. Naruto's recklessness was going to get them both killed. But there was no time to berate him. The enemy ninja moved again, faster than Rayne could track, cutting through the clones with ease.

Rayne's Copy Talent kicked in once more, analyzing the ninja's movements—memorizing every step, every swing. He could see it now—the pattern in their attacks, the subtle rhythm in their strikes.

With a deep breath, Rayne rushed in again, this time anticipating the ninja's moves. His kunai met theirs in a flurry of strikes, each one faster than the last. He could feel the strain on his body, but he pushed through it, determined to keep up.

For a moment, the enemy seemed surprised—caught off guard by Rayne's sudden increase in skill. But they quickly adapted, and the fight resumed its deadly pace.

Rayne's mind was racing, his body aching from the effort. He could sense the enemy's strength—they were toying with him. If they had wanted to, they could have killed him by now. This was a test.

And he was failing.

Just as Rayne thought he might collapse from the strain, a voice rang out across the field.

"That's enough!"

The enemy ninja stopped immediately, retreating into the shadows as quickly as they had appeared. Rayne staggered back, panting heavily, his vision blurring from the exhaustion.

Iruka-sensei appeared at the edge of the training grounds, his eyes wide with shock as he took in the scene. "What happened here?!"

Rayne collapsed to one knee, clutching his injured arm. "We were attacked… by a ninja. I don't know who they were."

Naruto, surprisingly quiet, nodded in agreement. "They were strong, Iruka-sensei. Way stronger than anyone here."

Iruka's expression darkened. "You're both coming with me. We need to report this immediately."

As they made their way back to the village, Rayne couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning. The enemy ninja had let them live—for now. But why? And more importantly, who had sent them?

That night, as Rayne lay in his bed, staring up at the ceiling, his mind raced with questions. His Copy Talent had saved him today, but it had also shown him something else—something terrifying.

The enemy ninja had been skilled, but more than that, they had been… familiar. Their fighting style, their movements—it was almost as if Rayne had seen it before. But that couldn't be possible.

Could it?

Rayne's heart pounded in his chest as the realization hit him.

He hadn't just copied their jutsu or their movements.

He had copied something deeper—something hidden within the core of who they were.

And now, it was a part of him.