Naruto: Raging whirlpool

Naruto sat in his cell, the weight of his depression pressed on him like a heavy stone. The iron bars loomed before him, their cold, metallic surfaces spread a chill through the air that carried a scent of neglect.

His eyes drifted to a corner of the cell where a stack of bowls had been haphazardly piled up. They were licked clean, devoid of any remnants of food. The sight of the empty plates only intensified his gnawing sense of hunger. His stomach growled, a painful reminder of how long he had been without a meal.

Naruto's thoughts turned to his friends. He wondered how they were faring in his absence. He missed their laughter, their smiles, and the bonds they had forged through countless battles and adventures. Memories of his friends stirred a deep longing within him, a yearning that cut through the darkness.

Set on clearing his mind, Naruto closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He focused on his breathing, letting the rhythm calm his racing thoughts. In the stillness, he began to meditate, seeking inner peace and clarity. But instead of peace, he found something else.

Naruto felt a sudden shift in his surroundings and snapped his eyes open. To his astonishment, he was no longer in the cell. "Where the hell am I?" he muttered, as he got up, his movement causing a disturbance in the shallow layer of water beneath him, sending ripples across its surface.

"Don't tell me..." Naruto's voice trailed off as he heard a deep, guttural growl behind him. The growl echoed with a sinister undertone, a chilling sound that seemed to embody pure malice.

The voice rumbled from deep within the beast's chest. "You should know better than to seek peace in a place like this, boy."

Naruto spun around, his eyes narrowing as he faced the source of the sinister growl. Standing before him was a monstrous figure, its eyes radiating an unspeakably dark intent.

Naruto and the monstrous figure glared at each other in a tense silence that seemed to stretch for eternity. The air between them crackled with unspoken animosity, a palpable tension that sent shivers down Naruto's spine.

The nine-tails stirred within its cage, its tails swaying rhythmically, generating a gust of wind that swept through the space. "Feeling a bit of what it's like, aren't you?" the beast rumbled, its voice filled with twisted amusement. "A taste of the injustice that's been shoved down my throat."

Naruto lowered his gaze, a wave of guilt washing over him. The nine-tails' words struck him deeply, a poignant reminder of the burden he carries and the pain it inflicted on the creature before him.

"As you and the two before you basked in your freedom, I've been shackled in this wretched prison!" The nine-tails lunged forward, its massive form slamming against the bars of its cage with a thunderous crash. Naruto fell to the ground, his heart pounding in his chest as he met the beast's burning gaze. "All you got was a taste of my pain!" The nine-tails bared its fangs, its teeth glinting menacingly in the dim light. Its expression twisted into a feral snarl that unnaturally stretched, like the cruel visage of a demon.

Naruto sat there, guilt weighing heavily on his heart. He clenched his fists, the weight of the nine-tails' suffering crashing down on him like a tidal wave. The oppressive air was thick with sorrow. "You're right," he muttered, his voice tinged with remorse. "One day, I'll make this right... You have my word."

The nine-tails growled, its eyes blazing with pure disdain. "Your word means nothing," it snarled. "If you truly are as remorseful as you claim, then free me now."

Naruto shook his head, the pain of his decision evident in his eyes. "I... I can't do that," he said softly, regret lacing his words.

The nine-tails' fury erupted like a volcano. It roared as it thrust its massive claws through the bars, shaking the very foundations of the prison. The razor-sharp tips stopped mere inches from piercing through Naruto's chest. The chamber trembled with the force of the beast's rage, its voice reverberating through the walls. "I should have known better than to reason with a human!" it bellowed, its eyes blazing with unfiltered wrath.

With a snarl, the nine-tails withdrew its claw, its massive form casting a shadow like an eclipse in the dark. "Leave," it commanded, its voice cold as it echoed through the chamber like the toll of a death knell.

Naruto let out a dry chuckle. "You don't trust me. Then... how about we make a deal?"...

That day, the Nine-Tails and Naruto reached an understanding, despite their differences, they both wanted to live. Naruto asked for strength but, everything comes at a price.

The nine-tailed demon fox made Naruto vow to one day set him free. Naruto agreed and vowed to search for a method to safely free the Nine-Tails, but even then, the demon was not satisfied. He made Naruto vow once again, if there ever came a day where he came face to face with certain death, he would free the Nine-Tails right there and then without hesitation.

Orochimaru sat upon his throne, his cold eyes fixed on Naruto. A sinister smile played on his lips as he regarded the young shinobi.

In the quiet recesses of his mind, he reflected, 'If he can harness the power of the Nine-Tails, that changes things. If I can control the boy, he would become a valuable asset... he might even one day become worth the losses I've sustained because of his interference.'

A deep, rumbling voice slithered into Naruto's mind. 'This is it,... the death you spoke of.' The weight of the words settled in his chest as his gaze locked onto Orochimaru. 'You said it yourself… if survival is impossible, you would set me free. Tell me... do you see a way out of this?'

Flashes of memories burned through his mind... The Forest of Death, where he first came face to face with Orochimaru, the suffocating terror of his presence pressed down on him like a mountain of dread. He felt it in his bones, an instinctual fear that screamed at him, telling him to run.

Then came the moment that had shaken him to his core. Orochimaru shed his disguise, revealing those eerie, yellow eyes. His power had been overwhelming, effortless. Naruto had fought desperately with all his might, but in the end it meant nothing. The Sannin had toyed with him, striking him down with ease. Even when Naruto relied on the Nine-Tails' power, Orochimaru silenced it with a single touch, branding him with the five elements seal.

But the worst part... the thing that had made his blood run cold... was when he witnessed the impossible. Orochimaru had summoned the dead. Hashiarama and Tobirama stood beside him, their lifeless eyes staring through the veil of time, bound to his will.

What chance did he have against someone who could command... the Hokage?

Unease crawled up his spine. If he had no way to turn this around… then there was only one option left.

The demon chuckled. 'You cannot win against him...'

Suddenly, a familiar voice cut through the underlying tension in the air.

"Naruto..."

Sasuke stepped forward, his expression darkened with rage. He couldn't comprehend why Naruto would lower himself in front of Orochimaru, and he resented him for it.

Naruto couldn't afford to turn away from Orochimaru, not even for a second. "Stay out of it, Sasuke!... This has nothing to do with you," he said, his red eyes glowing with animosity.

Sasuke stopped in his tracks, Naruto's words cut him like a blade to his neck. His anger simmered just beneath the surface. The battlefield seemed to grow quieter, the world narrowing down to just the three of them.

Orochimaru smirked, entertained by the exchange. "Your shame knows no bounds... You killed my former student and now you want to replace him."

Naruto flinched at the words, his eyes revealing a deep sense of regret.

"I, am inclined to say no..."

Orochimaru's expression darkened, and a wave of killing intent spread through the air. Naruto tensed up, ready to move in an instant. His hands pressed firmly into the shattered stone floor and his knees rose above the ground.

"But, my thoughts can be swayed... Though this is something you could only achieve by proving your worth. Defeat Sasuke Uchiha without relying on the power sealed within you, only then will I consider guiding you as my student."

Naruto hesitated for a moment, but he rose to his feet in the end. As he stood there, he caught a glimpse of the twisted smile on Orochimaru's face before he turned back towards Sasuke. As he turned, his transformation came undone. His eyes, once red with madness, gradually shifted back to a clear blue. His mind was unclouded by the lofty notions of hesitation. His claws and fangs receded, and the red Chakra that had been radiating off him vanished like the wind.

As he came to face Sasuke, he raised his arm and formed the sign of confrontation above his heart.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed at the gesture. His fingers clenched into fists as a wave of frustration surged through him. "This isn't a game, Naruto."

"I'm not playing, Sasuke," Naruto replied, his voice unwavering.

Silence fell over them like a shroud. The world around them faded, the presence of the Sound Ninja and even Orochimaru himself melted into irrelevance. In this moment, there was only Naruto and Sasuke.

To be continued...

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