The next morning...
Shion got up and made her way to the cliff, finding Naruto and Taruho already there.
"Morning!" Naruto greeted with a laid-back smile, but Shion just nodded in response, her focus on Taruho.
"Taruho!" she called out.
Taruho immediately turned, "Yes?"
"It's time you head back to the village," Shion told him firmly.
"But I can't just leave you, Lady Shion," Taruho protested.
"You're only going to slow us down," Shion snapped back.
Naruto watched the exchange, a thoughtful look in his eyes. "It's tough, caring about someone and not being able to show it," he mused silently.
"You've seen another future, haven't you?" Taruho pressed, undeterred by Shion's dismissal. "Please, I need to know the truth."
Shion sighed, "Whenever my pulse races and I hear the sound of a bell, I get visions of the future. Last night, the bell rang, and I saw your future, Taruho. If you stay with me, you're going to die."
After the discussion, Taruho left and went back to village... As Naruto and the team set off again, heading towards the sealed shrine. Sakura was, as before, carrying Shion on her back.
Soon, they came across a river. They could have skirted around it, but Neji suggested crossing directly would be quicker and safer from potential enemy attacks.
"This is insane! I'm going to fall! Put me down this instant!" Shion protested loudly as they navigated from rock to rock across the river.
The team halted, and Sakura gently set Shion down, who was visibly upset. "Enough of this! Jumping over these dangerous places! Is this really for my protection? There are other paths we can take," Shion argued.
Lee looked at Naruto and Neji, questioning, "Should we find another way?"
"No, let's stick to this path. It's surrounded by water, which is a strategic advantage against the enemy's fire-based attacks," Neji pointed out.
"Alright, if they decide to hit us with their fire moves, we'll use the water to our advantage and hit them back twice as hard," Lee explained.
"Naruto, you're leading us, right? What do you think about this strategy?" Shion inquired, looking towards Naruto for approval.
"Just hang tight, we're almost there and..." Naruto began, his voice trailing off as he moved to the front, "Wait, is that what I think it is?"
"That's a Water Dragon!" Neji exclaimed, spotting a dragon made entirely of water charging towards them.
"No worries, it wasn't the greatest plan, huh?" Shion remarked, feeling uneasy.
"Chill, it's all under control. I've got this," Naruto reassured her, exuding a calm and confident vibe.
"Everyone, get ready to protect Shion!" Naruto commanded, as they positioned themselves defensively around Shion. Naruto quickly formed hand seals, "Wind Style: Wind Dragon!" he announced, unleashing a dragon made of wind towards the water dragon.
Naruto's Wind Dragon clashed with the Water Dragon, tearing through it with immense force. The Wind Dragon gained the upper hand rapidly, causing the Water Dragon to break apart and lose its shape.
"Nicely done, Naruto!" Lee cheered.
"Everyone, to higher ground, now!" Naruto directed, leading them away from the water towards an elevated area.
Upon reaching higher ground, Neji activated his Byakugan. "Byakugan! There are two enemies up on that rock," he reported, pointing out their location.
"Here's what we're gonna do, Neji. You take Sakura and Lee, and make sure Shion gets to the sealed shrine safely," Naruto laid out the plan with a confident.
"What's your plan?" Sakura asked.
"I've got those two. I'll wrap things up with them and catch up with you in no time," Naruto replied.
"I'm coming with you!" Lee chimed in.
"Relax, Lee. I've got this. Taking on two isn't a big deal for me. Plus, we don't know what else is out there. It's better if you guys stick together," Naruto explained, his tone easy but firm. "Let's not waste any more time chatting. Move out!" he instructed, as Neji, Lee, Sakura, and Shion took off.
"Now, let's see what we're dealing with here. That water dragon jutsu wasn't exactly top-tier, but it wasn't child's play either. This means our friends here must be at least Jounin level," Naruto thought to himself, his stride confident as he approached the enemy.
Meanwhile, standing a distance away were Shizuku and Gitai of the Gang of Four, the culprits behind the attack.
"Looks like only one of them is showing up. Did the others bail?" Shizuku inquired.
"Is this guy for real? Does he seriously think he can take us both on by himself?" Gitai scoffed.
"So, you're the ones behind the attack, huh?" Naruto announced, casually seating himself on a rock near Shizuku and Gitai, an amused smirk on his face.
"You're here by yourself?" Shizuku asked.
"Coming here alone, you're either incredibly gutsy or incredibly dumb," Gitai declared, sizing Naruto up.
"Just be glad you're not our main target, or you'd be in for a world of hurt," Shizuku added, with a smirk that didn't quite reach her eyes.
"Yeah, gotta speed things up!" Gitai barked, lunging towards Naruto with full force. But in the blink of an eye, Naruto was gone.
"Good to hear, 'cause I'm not exactly here to dawdle either," Naruto quipped, suddenly appearing beside Shizuku. "Rasenshuriken," he announced with a relaxed yet focused demeanor, launching the attack before Shizuku could even react.
The Rasenshuriken hit with devastating force, catapulting her through the air and setting off a massive explosion upon impact. The attack mercilessly carved through her with precision, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.
"What the hell?!" Gitai exclaimed, witnessing the aftermath in shock as Shizuku's lifeless form hit the ground. "Who are you?" he demanded, disbelief and anger mixing in his gaze.
Naruto, with a smirk still playing on his lips, turned to face Gitai. "Saw that, did you? Still think you're up for a challenge?" he asked, his confidence unwavering.
Driven by revenge and a fading sense of survival, Gitai charged up his energy. "You'll pay for what you did to Shizuku!" he screamed, rushing at Naruto with a desperate ferocity.
Naruto let out a sigh, almost pitying Gitai's resolve. "Haven't you figured it out yet? Guess it's time for a little demonstration. This one's a showstopper," Naruto said, a red orb of chakra forming in his palm, crackling with potent energy.
"This beauty's called Reversal Red," Naruto casually explained as the orb pulsed with power. "Brace yourself, it's gonna get intense."
As Gitai neared, Naruto released the Reversal Red, the chakra exploding in a spectacular display of might and power. The sheer force of the blast was an embodiment of destruction itself, leaving no room for Gitai to dodge or defend.
The red energy enveloped him entirely, lifting him off the ground and hurling him back with such force, as his body landed at the ground lifeless.
Naruto, standing amidst the settling dust, brushed off his clothes as if he had just performed a minor chore. "Well, that was something, wasn't it?" he said.
He glanced around, ensuring there were no more immediate threats, before turning back towards the direction his friends had gone. "Guess it's time to catch up with the others. They better not have started without me," he joked to himself, as he started going towards the direction his friends had gone.
[A. N: Thanks for reading, drop Powerstones that will help a lot and drop reviews if you like the story and add to your library]