In Naruto as the Shadow Monarch

Chapter 3

Ahou Ahou Ahou

The sound of crows rang out as a girl with dark brown hair, crimson-colored eyes and light-colored skin made her way toward the Nara Clan compound.

Upon reaching the compound gate, the girl bowed and greeted the guards station in front of the gate.

"Hello, my name is Kurenai Yuhi and I have been sent by the academy supervisor to inquire as to why Kuro Nara did not go to the academy opening." 

The guards at the Nara Clan compound gate exchanged a brief look before one of them stepped forward to respond. The man, tall with a calm and lazy demeanor, gave Kurenai a nod.

"No one's seen Kuro today, and no one's asked about him—it's not something the Nara usually bother with since it's a drag. He's probably either sleeping or lounging in his room. If you're looking for him, head inside. Turn right at the third house, then continue down the path for eight more houses. He should be in the house on the left."

Kurenai nodded in acknowledgment and thanked the guard before making her way into the compound.

The path ahead was lined with the usual Nara Clan tranquility, the soft rustling of trees and the distant chirping of birds. She turned right at the third house, then proceeded as directed, her footsteps steady and deliberate as she counted off the houses.

At the eighth one, she paused, glancing up at the house on her left. It was a simple structure, with windows partially open to let in the afternoon breeze. She approached the door and, with a soft knock, waited for a response.

"Hello? Is anyone inside?" Kurenai called out, her voice carrying just enough to reach the interior.

She stood by the door for a moment, listening for any sounds of movement or response. When nothing came, she raised her hand to knock again.

She waited for a few moments but still nothing.

Instead of walking away like a normal person would, she tried opening the door to see if it was locked.

The door creaked softly as Kurenai turned the handle. To her surprise, it opened with little resistance, revealing a dimly lit interior.

Kurenai hesitated, her hand still on the doorframe. After a few moments of deliberating, she stepped inside, her footsteps careful but resolute.

Reaching the first door, she opened it to see if anyone was in the room.

(A/N: Remember kids, never do what Kurenai did. It is a crime and can get you in serious trouble with the po-po and your parents.)

The room was sparsely furnished—a futon laid out on one side, some books stacked in a corner, and a few scattered items that indicated the occupant's personal space. But there was no sign of Kuro.

Closing the door, she continued forward to the next door. She reaches out to the handle and opens the door.

As she was about to call out for Kuro, she saw a boy laying on the floor. Her face start to heat up and turn red as she saw the boy.

"Kyaaahhh!"

…

'Paradise' Kuro muttered in his sleep. 'Just a little more. A little closer. Yes, yes. What beautiful twin peaks and what a beautiful valley.'

Kuro's dream was abruptly shattered as a scream drilled into his head.

Kuro's eyes immediately crack open and jump into combat position.

He felt as if something was wrong, especially since it felt too windy inside the house.

Looking around the room, he suddenly saw a giant fist filling up his vision. He saw two crimson-colored eyes with a crimson face. Before he could reach, he saw a blinding flash as pain shot through his brain.

The room started to spin for Kuro, as his body flew across the room spinning.

Kuro's head hit the floor with a sickening thud, his vision blurry and his mind foggy from the sudden attack.

The pain in his skull was unbearable, and for a moment, he could hardly process what had just happened. He barely managed to roll onto his side, trying to push himself up, but his limbs felt weak, as if the very force of the blow had drained the strength from his body.

Looking up, Kuro saw the silhouette of the figure responsible for the attack—a towering, menacing figure with glowing crimson eyes, seemingly radiating an ominous aura. His heart raced as he instinctively reached for his weapon, only to realize there was no weapon.

In fact, he couldn't feel his clothes either, as if he wasn't wearing any.

Looking down, he saw his 'little brother' and immediately knew he was in deep shit.

Before he could figure out what was happening, he felt the figure with crimson eyes towering in front of him. A fist came flying as if to end his miserable life.

"WAIT! WHA.." Kuro tried to talk with the attacker with crimson eyes but her fist gave him a nice kiss on the face.

Kuro's vision turned dark and he lost consciousness.

…

Kuro opened his eyes.

He saw a white ceiling, and his face stung from the pain of being punched till kingdom come.

He also felt the sensation of a hard mattress against his back.

Kuro immediately recognized where he was.

'The hospital?'

Kuro raised his upper torso and placed his hand on his stinging face.

'What the hell am I doing in the hospital? What happened?"

Kuro's mind swirled as he tried to piece together the fragments of memory. The sharp pain in his face reminded him of the last thing he remembered: that towering figure with the glowing crimson eyes, the overwhelming force of the punch, and the total blackout that followed. His body ached, as if he'd been tossed around like a ragdoll.

His hand trembled slightly as it pressed against his bruised cheek, feeling the painful sting of what could only be described as the kind of punch that could shatter bone if given the chance.

"What the hell happened?" Kuro muttered to himself, his voice hoarse.

His gaze drifted to the small nightstand beside the bed, where a glass of water sat. He reached for it, his muscles sore and stiff, and took a long, slow sip, trying to calm his racing thoughts.

A nurse came in as he was drinking. After the nurse, a girl with crimson-colored eyes came in. Seeing those eyes, my body trembles as if experiencing some sort of PTSD.

"Well, well , well. It looked like Mister Stripper finally woke up." The girl with the crimson eyes stated as the nurse looked away with a beet face.

'Mister Stripper? What the hell is this maniac talking about?' Kuro muttered under his breath.

No one can blame him as he went unconscious after his close shave with death and only to wake up to a fist flying toward his face before going unconscious again.

Thinking about it again, he realized that he was in his room when this maniac attacked him. Since he did not know who she was, it meant she broke into his house.

Instead of speculating, Kuro thought he just asked her.

"You Miss Maniac, why were you inside my house without permission?"

"Mi-mi-miss MANIAC!? WHO ARE YOU CALLING A MANIAC!" The girl suddenly lost her cool as she closed her fingers into a fist and raised it as if to strike the pervert in front of her.

Kuro's body shivered and instinctively raised his hand to cover his face.

Waiting for a few moments without feeling the expected pain, Kuro opened his eyes and saw the nurse holding back the girl.

After a while, it seems the girl calmed down and the nurse let her go.

"Alright, I admit I went into your house without permission. However, why the hell were you lying naked on the floor?" She asks as her face turns a little red remembering seeing his 'third leg'.

"What are you talking about?" Kuro asked with confusion. He tried remembering what happened last night as memories started coming in.

Also, he could see a screen at the corner of his vision. He has an idea what the screen was but doesn't have the time to check it out until he is alone.

He don't want others to think that he lost his mind, playing with air, after taking a few punches to the face.