Naruto: The Medical God

Naruto's face was set in determination as he launched himself at Shin once more. His pace was faster this time, his movements seemingly more precise. To Shin, however, it was all too predictable.

"Same thing again, huh?" Shin muttered under his breath, a small sigh escaping his lips. He remained still, his body relaxed but ready to counter, just as he had before. He waited for Naruto to close the gap, fully prepared to redirect the attack and retaliate.

But this time, Naruto didn't throw a punch.

At the last possible second, Naruto dropped low and rolled to Shin's side, his orange jumpsuit a blur against the dusty training ground. Shin's eyes narrowed in confusion, his body already beginning to pivot to follow Naruto's sudden movement.

What's he—

Before the thought could finish, Naruto sprang up from the roll, his hand clenched tightly around a handful of sand. In one fluid motion, he flung the sand directly at Shin's face.

Caught off guard because of the strange move, Shin's reaction was delayed by just a fraction of a second—enough time for the sand to hit its mark. A sharp sting spread across his eyes as the grains scattered, and he stumbled back, instinctively raising a hand to shield his face.

"Argh!" Shin growled, his voice a mix of surprise and irritation. His vision blurred, and his footing faltered slightly.

Naruto's face lit up with excitement as he saw Shin stumble back, clutching at his stinging eyes. A triumphant grin spread across his face as he pumped a fist in the air. "See! This time I didn't charge without a plan!"

"Naruto..." Shin began, chuckling softly, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Did you come up with this on your own, or did you just copy what I did to Sasuke in the taijutsu tournament simulation?" His voice carried a teasing tone, but underneath it, there was an edge of admiration for Naruto's resourcefulness.

As he spoke, Shin began forming a series of quick hand signs.

Bird, Dog!

His fingers moved deftly through the familiar motions, his concentration sharp. The wind around him stirred, and a light breeze started to form. It wasn't much at first, barely more than the rustling of leaves or the subtle fluttering of papers, but the gust quickly grew, gently blowing across his face.

With a subtle exhale, the gentle wind cleared the dust and sand from Shin's eyes. The discomfort he had felt moments earlier melted away as his vision slowly returned to normal, the lingering irritation of the sand still present but no longer clouding his sight. He had used one of the many jutsus he had learned from the Tree Leaf Library's Genin section: Gentle Breeze, an E-rank Wind Release technique.

This technique created a soft gust of wind—just strong enough to blow dust or papers around or offer a slight cooling effect on a hot day. It wasn't meant for combat. It was just meant to be a perfect training tool for chakra control, as its utility was subtle and required precision in its use.

But Shin didn't know the meaning of 'not meant to'. And so, despite its innocuous nature, it allowed him to recover from Naruto's surprise attack almost instantly, leaving him with an enhanced clarity of vision as he prepared for the next move in their fight. "Naruto... you're forcing me to go all out now. Prepare yourself!"

Naruto, fired up by the challenge, responded with his usual bravado. "It's you that needs to—" But his words trailed off as he saw Shin's fingers moving in a blur, performing hand signs far too quickly for Naruto to follow.

Before Naruto could protest or comment about how rude it was to prepare a jutsu while his opponent was talking, he suddenly felt a shift. His senses warped, his surroundings began to distort, and his footing became unsteady. His world—no, his very reality—began to unravel.

The next moment, the world around him twisted. The sunlight faded, and the once warm air turned cold. It felt as if the ground had vanished beneath his feet. Naruto's vision blurred, his heart thumping harder as he looked around, trying to make sense of the sudden change. The faces of his friends and teammates began to appear, but they were not smiling. Instead, their expressions were twisted with disdain.

"Monster!" shouted Shikamaru, his usually calm face contorted in anger.

"Get away from us, you freak!" Choji added, his voice harsh and cold, like nothing Naruto had ever heard before.

Sasuke, standing a few feet away, glared at him with venom. "I should've known you were nothing but a monster."

Sakura, her face tear-streaked, screamed, "Why did you have to be like this? Why couldn't you be normal?!"

Naruto staggered back, the voices ringing in his ears, but his heart twisted in disbelief. He wanted to shout back, to tell them that they were wrong, that he wasn't what they said he was. But before he could form the words, even Hinata—the kindest person he had probably ever known—stepped forward.

"Please, Naruto," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "You've always been a monster…"

Each word felt like a dagger, cutting deeper than the last. But then, the sharpest blow came.

"I tried to protect you, Naruto. But you're a monster. Just like everyone else said." Iruka-sensei, his warm, comforting smile replaced by a look of sorrow and betrayal, his voice trembling with a weight of resignation.

Naruto's knees buckled beneath him, the pain in his chest unbearable. His entire life—his hopes, his dreams—had been shattered in an instant. His breath came in ragged gasps, and for the first time, the weight of loneliness, the isolation that had always followed him, consumed him completely.

This wasn't just an illusion. This was his greatest fear, brought to life.

As Naruto's world spirals deeper into the illusion, his mind is overwhelmed by the voices of everyone he cares about, all condemning him, calling him a monster. His vision distorts even more, and in the center of it all stands Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, a figure that should be a source of comfort and protection. But in this twisted reality, Hiruzen's expression is cold, his voice heavy with sorrow and judgment.

"Naruto," Hiruzen's voice booms, sending a shock of pain through Naruto's heart. "You are a danger to this village. You have been nothing but a monster, a creature we cannot allow to walk freely among us any longer. You must be banished. You are no longer welcome here, nor in any of the other villages. You are a threat to everyone."

Naruto's knees buckle under the weight of his accusations. His heart shatters, the pain of rejection unlike anything he has ever felt. He tries to cry out, to deny the words, but his voice is lost in the chaos. The faces of his friends and mentors blur, replaced by those who only see him as a monster, not a human being, not someone worthy of living.

But just as Hiruzen begins to speak again, the world around Naruto collapses. His surroundings fracture, the illusion beginning to unravel. The voices of condemnation fade, and the oppressive weight on his chest begins to lift. Everything distorts, crumbling into nothingness.

The illusion shatters, and Naruto is thrust back into the reality of the training ground. The faces of his friends and enemies blur together, the pain of the illusion still lingering, but the crushing weight of judgment has lifted. He gasps for breath, his heart racing in his chest as he tries to shake the lingering fear and sadness that had gripped him so tightly. He can still hear the echo of Hiruzen's voice in his mind, and for a moment, he wonders if the truth he had seen was more than just a genjutsu.

To be continued...

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How was this chapter guys? Liked it? I hope so.

Also, like always, be sure to check out my original novel, Hyperborea!