Naruto: In the future world

#Scene_Twenty-Five

Clash of the Leaders (Continues)

Both Naruto and Lily were thrown backward, but they managed to land on their feet with perfect balance, as if it were nothing.

"That's the least I'd expect from one of the demons."

Lily smiled with excitement, wiping the blood from her mouth with pride.

Meanwhile, Naruto readied himself for battle.

Suddenly, Jin rushed forward at incredible speed, charging toward Naruto and attacking with a taekwondo kick.

When Naruto opened his eyes, he noticed something different—Jin's eyes had changed, dyed in a crimson hue that resembled the fox's eyes.

Naruto dodged the kick and placed his palm on Jin's face. Jin was shocked by Naruto's speed, utterly unprepared for such a lightning-fast counter.

(Has his power increased since then? No, this isn't even comparable to the old Naruto...)

His thoughts were abruptly cut off as he found himself staring up at the sky through Naruto's fingers gripping his face—

Then came the slam.

Naruto had grabbed him by the head and drove it into the ground with overwhelming force.

(D-damn you... Naruto...)

Jin's vision blurred, his head spinning uncontrollably.

Naruto stood tall, his eyes seemingly normal—yet something about him made it feel like they were still those beast-like eyes.

"Hmph. That weakling went down that easily? Why would he drop his guard like that?"

Tiger spoke with mild irritation. He didn't seem surprised by Jin's defeat—in fact, he seemed to have expected it.

While Tiger kept his eyes on Jin, Lily suddenly appeared before him, aiming a punch straight to his gut.

But Tiger had already sensed her, and with a perfect sidestep, evaded her strike.

That frontal attack was a feint—she swung her leg from behind to sweep him off his feet.

But Tiger ducked swiftly, entering a classic boxing stance. That was the only moment Lily could barely keep up.

Before she could react, she felt a steel-like fist crash into her face.

Blood poured from Lily's nose as she staggered back, dizziness gripping her from the sudden, brutal punch.

Tiger was about to follow up with a finishing blow—another strike to her face—ending the match for good.

But a presence behind him made him halt and back away.

It was Naruto.

"Lily, are you okay?"

"Yeah, don't worry... he's insanely fast. I've never seen anyone move like that before."

"Leave him to me."

"...Got it."

Naruto left Lily to recover from the blow that nearly knocked her unconscious, then turned to face Tiger, who stood motionless with his usual stoic eyes.

"Your boxing skills are top-tier for a high schooler. Do you have a private coach?"

Naruto asked with calm composure.

"A coach? There's no one capable of teaching me anything."

Tiger answered coldly, as if searching his memory for any such person.

"In any case, stop asking useless questions, weakling. You're about to die."

Tiger shifted into a new boxing stance.

Naruto felt it again—everything slowing down around him.

And yet, Tiger's punch was still fast.

Naruto managed to keep up, dodging it and countering with his own.

Tiger's eyes widened slightly. He dodged Naruto's punch and retaliated.

But Naruto evaded that one too.

Tiger moved rapidly, launching a flurry of jabs—

None of them landed.

"You can see my attack trajectory?"

Tiger was surprised.

Naruto leapt backward without lowering his guard, muttering under his breath, "What? This isn't anything special..."

Tiger paused for a moment and looked down at his hands.

(He can see them... my flicker punches.)

He smirked slightly, raising his head to glare at Naruto—and in that split second, he vanished.

He reappeared in front of Naruto and attacked, but Naruto evaded effortlessly, stepping back once again.

"Hehe, you really can keep up with me!"

Tiger grinned, increasing his speed more and more.

Naruto found an opening in his defense and kicked him in the stomach, interrupting the barrage of attacks.

He seized the opportunity and pressed on, punching relentlessly.

Naruto had the upper hand—until Tiger suddenly landed a kick on him.

Naruto staggered back, and Tiger followed with a rapid set of punches—this time different from his earlier flickers.

(Wait... is he copying me? Mimicking my style?)

Naruto was shocked—Tiger was using the same exact combo he had just used moments ago.

"So, you copy fighting styles, huh?"

Naruto switched to a different style and attacked.

At first, Tiger took the hits, but soon he began to respond with those exact same techniques.

Now, Tiger could anticipate Naruto's moves and evade them more easily.

(This guy's a serious threat. If he keeps copying me, I can't beat him like this... I need a plan.)

Naruto wiped the blood off his face, lowering his guard slightly—a mistake.

A sudden attack struck the back of his head.

Tiger and Naruto were both surprised as Naruto collapsed to the ground, dazed.

(W-What just happened?)

Naruto struggled to focus and saw Jin grinning down at him—holding a metal rod identical to the one Naruto had used on him earlier.

"You bastard!"

Lily had been watching Naruto's fight with Tiger and was stunned that Jin would attack like that out of nowhere.

She rushed toward him, and the two began exchanging blows.

Naruto's head spun. Everything was hazy.

(How could I lower my guard like that...? Was I that absorbed in fighting Tiger?)

He tried to clench his fist, but his body wouldn't respond.

(Stand up. No one else can fight Tiger but you. Get up, dammit!)

He willed his body to move—but it was no use. His limbs wouldn't listen.

---

#Scene_Twenty-Five

Clash of the Leaders (End)

Meanwhile, in the chaos of battle, Shino fought like a storm, overwhelming everyone who crossed his path.

He looked like a grim reaper—every opponent who engaged with him lost consciousness in seconds.

"He really lives up to the title, Shino the Invincible."

Said a member of the Hasuno gang in awe.

"No doubt. Vice-Captain Shino is just as strong as our leader."

One of the Breakers watching the fight spoke with admiration.

"Cut the idle talk and fight! This isn't the time to be slacking off."

Shino snapped at the two.

"You're right—but shouldn't you practice what you preach?"

A large figure emerged, intending to crush Shino with a powerful fist.

But Shino ducked with inhuman speed and punched the man in the face, sending him stumbling backward.

He stood coldly, hands in his pockets, speaking from beneath his black shades:

"Of course I do. But isn't it embarrassing to be the first one hit after your little speech, weakling?"

The young man who got punched flushed red with rage and shame.

"You arrogant bastard! I'll crush you here and now, Shino the Invincible!"

He charged at Shino, who simply dodged.

"Wait—isn't that Tiger's former second-in-command? Tsuki... They say he rivals the Four Demons in strength."

"Seriously? This might be a tough fight for Shino then..."

Shino backpedaled as Tsuki tried to grab him to no avail.

Shino kicked him in the stomach—but that gave Tsuki the chance to grab his leg.

Shino, caught off guard, was thrown violently to the ground.

He spat blood. Tsuki refused to let go of his leg.

"Wait—is he using wrestling? That's dirty!"

"And who cares about dirty in a street fight??"

"Exactly! You could get killed out here!"

"Heh. Trust Vice-Captain Shino. He knows street fighting better than anyone."

Tsuki grinned, feeling victorious.

But then—

A brutal punch from Shino shattered his nose and jaw.

Tsuki let go and stumbled backward.

"Did you all forget? Shino the Invincible won't hesitate to kill if that's what it takes to win."

Shino picked up a large stone and hurled it at Tsuki, who dodged out of panic—only to miss the fact that Shino had closed the distance.

He grabbed Tsuki's head and slammed his knee into his face. Then, not giving him time to retreat, he gripped his arm and unleashed a series of punches to the face.

Tsuki was terrified, trying to escape.

But Shino wouldn't allow it—he grabbed Tsuki from behind, twisted, and smashed his head into the ground with devastating force.

Tsuki lost consciousness immediately, blood pooling beneath his head.

"Holy crap! Did he kill him? Somebody call a medic!!"

Shino stood silently, brushing dust off his green jacket. No one dared challenge him after that.

He turned toward the main battlefield—where he saw Jin smashing Naruto's head.

Shino was shocked and rushed toward him.

At the same time, Rock Lee headed there too.

"Did you see that, Shino? Damn it, let's go back up Lily!"

"Yeah. Looks like Naruto can't help anymore."

---

Lily continued attacking Jin with ferocity, her strikes fast and unrelenting. Jin dodged with equal speed.

"You're too emotional."

He countered with a swift kick, but Lily didn't budge.

That caught him off guard.

She suddenly took on a strange stance.

"Kyokushin Karate?"

Lily grabbed Jin, flipped him, and slammed him down—but he managed to land on his feet and leap away.

He jumped into the air, delivering a fast spinning kick, but Lily blocked it, lifted her leg, and sent him flying backward.

Jin steadied himself again, only to find Lily charging at him.

"Kyokushin Karate... the counter style to taekwondo. But do you really think that'll stop me?"

He raised his leg high and came at her with incredible speed.

But it was useless—Lily dodged easily, her eyes gleaming.

"And do you think that's my only style?"

Jin's eyes widened as Lily grabbed him, turned her back to him, seized his shirt, and flipped him hard onto his back.

Jin coughed blood, then tried to block her incoming punch—but she caught him off guard with a kick to the face.

He jumped back, panting from the intense exchange.

Lily was breathing heavily too.

"Heh... even if you didn't fight us all at once, I have to admit—you deserve to be ranked among the top four at the very least."

She spoke with excitement, moving toward him again. Jin dodged with expert precision.

"Deserve? If it weren't for that bastard Naruto, I'd still be the strongest. Now I'm a joke, everyone thinks I'm weak."

"And yet a weakling wouldn't last this long against me, would he?"

Lily's voice was arrogant—an arrogance that seemed indisputable, as though her place among the top three was fact.

"You're full of yourself. If I weren't already in love with someone else, you'd be a candidate for my future bride."

"Hehe, you'd have to wait in a long line for that, sweetheart."

They both pulled back briefly, then reengaged.

In a moment of vulnerability, Jin landed a heavy kick to Lily's stomach.

Then another, knocking her off balance. He prepared to deliver the finishing blow to her neck.

But she miraculously blocked it, punched him in the face, and made him stagger back, dizzy.

A sharp pain flared in the back of his head—Naruto's earlier attack returning to haunt him.

(Damn him... Even now, he's still getting in my way...)

He took a second punch—then a third. Lily didn't stop.

Jin's mind drifted.

He remembered growing up in poverty, relying only on his strength to get what he wanted. That belief had made him see himself as a king—chosen, superior.

That belief brought him here.

(Was I wrong all along...?)

That thought crossed his mind as he stared up at the blue sky.

He couldn't take any more.

He passed out, eyes fixed on the sky above.

Lily stood over him, fists dripping with his blood. She was barely standing, utterly exhausted.

"I can't fall yet... there's still someone left standing."

She turned her gaze toward Tiger, who remained still, unreadable.

"How dare he... he actually made me enjoy myself for once."

Tiger's voice was low and cold as he stared at Naruto, unconscious and bleeding.

"That... that... that bastard... that weakling!"

He clenched his teeth, spreading his arms as he yelled in rage:

"Hey! Naruto, you bastard! How dare you fall for such a cheap trick? How dare you collapse like that, so disgracefully? Don't you have any pride?! Are you really just another weakling? Someone who'll never reach the next stage?!"

His tone shifted—there was pain in it.

As he shouted, three figures stepped between him and the unconscious Naruto.

Shino. Rock Lee. Lily.

Tiger stared at them, killing intent radiating from his stillness.

"Are you the reason? The reason he's become so weak?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Rock Lee said, assuming a fighting stance, "but we'll bring you down—without relying on Naruto."

Shino and Lily did the same.

Then they all rushed at Tiger—but it was useless.

He was untouchable.

Tiger entered his boxing stance again and delivered a blinding punch to Rock Lee, sending him flying back.

"If beating you down is what it takes to bring him back—then I'll dig your graves with my own hands, you pathetic trash."

---

"Huff... Huff..."

Naruto felt his consciousness returning. He woke up in a rush, sensing danger all around him.

He heard cries—cries of pain and fear.

He turned toward the source and saw bodies flying through the air.

Shocked, he ran toward the scene.

He arrived just in time to witness the Hasuno gang battling a single opponent—it was a massacre.

No one could stop him.

Naruto's eyes darted beyond the Breakers and saw three people, their bodies soaked in blood from head to toe.

Shino. Lily. Rock Lee.

As soon as Naruto realized who they were, his expression darkened.

"TIIIIIIIIGER!!"

The crowd fell silent at Naruto's furious scream.

Tiger turned toward him.

To everyone watching, it looked like a hellish aura surrounded Naruto—something pulled from the very depths of the underworld.

Tiger smirked.

"So... you've awakened. Looks like it's time—"

He never finished that sentence.

Because Naruto's fist slammed into his face with such force it looked like it would tear the skin from his bones.

Naruto hurled Tiger into the ground with such power that every gang member nearby instinctively stepped back in terror.

"Hehehe... Hahaha... That look in your eyes—that's what I've been waiting for. The eyes of someone ready to kill without hesitation."

Naruto's gaze was exactly as Tiger had described: cold, flickering with a light that said this person—this monster—wouldn't care if he had to wipe out the entire world.

Naruto had no intention of sparing the one called Tiger.

---

#To_Be_Continued.