All along, Naruto had harbored a trace of doubt and resistance deep in his heart toward the Sky Curtain's claim that there was "something inside him" influencing him.
But now, the bloody "evidence" was right before his eyes—an actual living "existence" had been forced out of his own body!
"Is it really… inside me?" Naruto murmured under his breath, his voice tinged with confusion and a hint of fear. "Why… why is it inside me? Who… are you?"
The looks his classmates gave him grew even stranger—complicated, tinged with instinctive distance and awe.
Only Sasuke Uchiha looked colder than Naruto, his gaze darker and deeper still.
He stared fixedly at the golden figure within the Sky Curtain, yet what churned inside him was nothing like Naruto's confusion. His unease was sharper, more piercing.
"The thing inside Naruto has been forced out… What about mine?"
The Sky Curtain had also hinted that within him lay a power opposite to Naruto's—cold, sinister.
If what dwelled within Naruto was such a warm, sacred being… then what was hidden inside him?
A cold, malevolent ancient specter filled with hatred? Or some even more indescribable dark will?
Sasuke could neither imagine nor accept that his body and thoughts might also be subtly influenced by such a "thing."
He sought power. He yearned for revenge. But that had to be by his own will.
He would never allow any external existence to manipulate his emotions or distort his goals.
Inside the cave shown by the Sky Curtain—
The floating golden figure's long eyelashes trembled faintly.
The warm light surrounding him pulsed rhythmically, like breathing.
A clearer, vaster will began to emanate from him.
Karin held her breath, eyes wide, afraid to miss a single detail.
Kabuto Yakushi subtly stepped back half a pace.
Sasuke's Sharingan spun rapidly.
At last, under everyone's watchful eyes—
Those eyes that had remained closed, as though containing endless time and wisdom, slowly opened.
What kind of eyes were they…?
Not sharp. Not domineering.
Instead, they held a boundless tolerance, as though seeing through all joy and sorrow, yet carrying a faint trace of compassion.
His calm gaze swept across everyone in the cave before settling briefly on the unconscious Naruto. Something exceedingly complex flickered within his eyes.
Then his gaze shifted to Karin—the closest, and the most "excited."
A peaceful, ancient voice echoed, as if drifting across the dust of countless years:
"To use foul evil to forcibly stimulate and attempt to 'manifest' my existence… Your methods are rather… crude and dangerous, little girl."
His first words after awakening carried an unmistakable tone of judgment from above.
"You—who the hell are you?" Karin widened her eyes. There was not a trace of fear on her face—only boundless curiosity and eagerness.
The golden figure looked at her calmly. His ancient, gentle voice rang out again, carrying the weight of declaration:
"My name—Asura."
"Asura?" Karin tilted her head, confusion written all over her face. She scratched her red hair, clearly having no idea who that was. "What's that supposed to be? Never heard of it. Are you strong or something?"
Asura ignored her.
His golden eyes shifted past her, landing on Sasuke Uchiha, who stood fully on guard, Sharingan locked onto him.
The instant Asura looked at Sasuke, the depths of his otherwise tranquil gaze rippled ever so slightly—complex beyond measure.
It was as if he wasn't merely looking at Sasuke himself, but through him—at a shadow intertwined with him across countless generations. Opposed, yet born of the same origin. Familiar, yet foreign.
The meaning in that glance was so profound that even that fleeting moment sent a strange tremor of agitation through Sasuke's heart.
Asura did not linger long. His gaze soon returned to Karin.
"Child of evil," Asura's voice suddenly turned cold. Within his vast, warm presence, a sharp edge emerged that made one's heart shudder. "To toy with hearts, to defile pure souls… You who worship a false god and commit such wicked deeds—I shall send you to meet that god."
Before his words had even faded, Asura struck.
No hand seals. No surge of visible chakra.
Just a simple lift of his hand.
The decisiveness of the attack, the overwhelming force, the righteous grandeur—formed a stark contrast to the benevolent warmth he had shown moments before.
It was a thunderous strike. Swift. Merciless.
"What?!" Karin's pupils shrank. Though she had been excited, she had remained wary.
But the attack came far too suddenly—without warning—and far beyond her expectations.
BOOM!!!
A massive golden palm crashed squarely into Karin.
"Gah—!!!"
She let out a short cry of pain as her body flew like a ragdoll, slamming deep into the cave wall!
Rubble exploded. Dust filled the air. A clear, human-shaped crater was left embedded in the rock.
Even Sasuke and Kabuto couldn't help but twitch at the sheer power of that blow.
"Ptui!" Karin struggled out of the crater, fury blazing across her face.
"You damned old fossil—!!!" she shrieked, her voice sharp with rage. "You attack without warning?! And you hit that hard?!"
"I'll tear you apart—!!!"
Karin snapped.
Dark crimson chakra erupted from her like a volcanic explosion, forming burning red flames around her body. She looked like a demon clawing its way up from hell.
Evil. Chaotic. Violent.
The aura instantly filled the cave, forming a stark, clashing polarity against Asura's warm, sacred golden chakra.
"ROAR—!"
With a bestial howl, Karin transformed into a streak of crimson and charged at the floating Asura with destructive force.
"This is bad…" Kabuto's heart pounded in alarm.
A battle between these two inhuman beings was not something he—or even Sasuke—could casually interfere in.
Especially with an unconscious Naruto still lying nearby.
◇ BONUS & SUPPORT ◇
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 10 reviews — drop a comment!
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ Read 70 chapters ahead on P@treon → patreon.com/Sagamaster789