Chapter 5

The next day, Naruto woke up to the warmth of sunlight streaming through his window, casting golden rays across the room. He stretched, feeling a newfound sense of energy coursing through his body. Today was different. For the first time in a long while, he didn't wake up with a heavy heart or the lingering ghost of loneliness.

He had a partner now—Kurama. Someone from his world. Someone who understood him. The idea filled Naruto with an unfamiliar warmth, a sense of belonging that soothed the deepest wounds in his heart. Loneliness was a feeling he had battled for most of his life, one he never wanted to experience again. But now, even in this new world, he was never truly alone.

With that thought, he got up, dressed in his usual orange and black outfit, and stepped out of his room. The moment he entered the common area, he saw the rest of the team gathered, talking amongst themselves while Nightwing stood at the center, seemingly going over some kind of plan. At Naruto's arrival, the entire team turned toward him, their expressions shifting from casual conversation to focus.

"Hello, Naruto. I hope you had a good night's sleep," Nightwing greeted, stepping forward with his usual easygoing smile.

Naruto grinned back. "It was wonderful! I'm looking forward to our match today, and—if you wouldn't mind—some ramen would be nice too," he added, eyes practically sparkling with anticipation.

Nightwing chuckled. "Ramen can be arranged."

"Thank god!" Naruto cried out in joy before lunging forward, wrapping his arms around Nightwing in an enthusiastic hug. Unfortunately, he underestimated his own strength.

"Ack—Naruto! Too tight! Let go!" Nightwing gasped, struggling against Naruto's vice-like grip.

Realizing his mistake, Naruto quickly released him, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. "Oops. Sorry about that! I kinda forgot my own strength for a second there."

Nightwing coughed and straightened his posture, rubbing his ribs. "I can see that. No problem, just… try to be careful next time," he said with a small laugh before getting back on track. "So, I wanted to ask—are you sure about this spar? You don't have to fight me. You could just go up against Conner instead; he's the strongest on the team. Or, if speed's what you want to test, I could ask Kid Flash to take you on."

Naruto waved off the concern, his expression serious but excited. "Nah, no need to worry! I'm absolutely sure about this. Fighting each other in different situations is a great way to prepare for real battles. Back in my world, it was common practice to spar with friends and teammates—it helps us all get stronger."

M'gann tilted her head curiously. "So, you and your teammates used to fight regularly?"

"Yeah!" Naruto nodded enthusiastically. "All the time! We trained against each other to sharpen our skills and be ready for anything. Besides, I can learn a lot by fighting different people. You guys have completely different abilities from what I'm used to. This is gonna be fun!"

Robin smirked. "You sound pretty confident. You sure you're ready for what Nightwing can do?"

Naruto grinned, his eyes flashing with determination. "Oh, I can handle myself just fine."

Nightwing chuckled. "I like the attitude. Alright then—let's set the match for noon, 12:30 sharp. That should give us enough time to prepare. In the meantime, let's get you that ramen." He motioned for Naruto to follow him toward the kitchen.

As they walked, Naruto glanced at him curiously. "So, how do you usually fight? I mean, no offense, but you don't have super strength or crazy powers like Conner or M'gann."

Nightwing smirked. "That's true. But I don't need superpowers to win a fight. Strategy, experience, and technique can make up for a lot."

Naruto's grin widened. "Ohh, now I'm excited. Let's see if your strategy can keep up with my unpredictability!"

Nightwing shook his head with amusement. "We'll see about that. But first—ramen."

Naruto gave a thumbs-up. "Now you're speaking my language!"

With that, the two made their way to the kitchen, the air between them charged with the anticipation of the battle to come.

After finishing up breakfast, Naruto stood in front of the team, his arms crossed and a confident grin playing on his lips. He had spent the last few minutes going over possible strategies, and now he was ready to propose something different—a game, one that would test their abilities in an unpredictable way.

"How about we decide this battle through a game?" Naruto suggested, holding up a broken kunai between his fingers. "See this? If one of you can steal it from me, then you win. But if I can steal whatever you designate as the target, then I win." His grin widened, his cerulean blue eyes glinting with excitement.

The team exchanged looks, some intrigued, others skeptical. Nightwing, ever the tactician, nodded as he considered the idea.

"Let's set some ground rules," he said, arms folded. "We don't want this turning into an endless chase across the island. The target has to be kept on your person at all times. We'll choose this fork," he said, picking up a simple silver utensil from the table. "You, on the other hand, have to keep the kunai on you. That way, it's fair, but we have the advantage—you'll have to check every single one of us to find your target."

Naruto laughed, rubbing the back of his head. "Heh, I like it! Alright, I'll head to the far end of the island, and you guys take the opposite end. We'll start once you give the signal."

"I'll release an explosion," Nightwing responded, smirking. "That should be loud enough for you to hear."

With that, Naruto gave a quick thumbs-up and vanished from sight in a blur, leaping off toward the distant trees. Nightwing watched him go before turning back to his team.

"Are we really doing this?" Superboy asked, crossing his arms. His tone was laced with skepticism as he glanced at the spot Naruto had just occupied. "I mean, come on. You seriously think he stands a chance against us? We've been doing this for years." His voice carried the weight of experience—he had been part of Young Justice since the beginning and had even worked with the Teen Titans. His strength, combined with years of combat experience, made him doubt Naruto's ability to compete.

Nightwing shrugged. "Relax, Conner. He's the new guy, and he just wants to test himself. That's his real goal here—to see if he has what it takes to survive in this world. Plus, this gives us a chance to learn about his abilities. He volunteered for this, after all."

"Yeah, and that's why using your brain is important, muscle-brain," Lagoon Boy teased with a chuckle, earning himself a sharp glare from Superboy.

"Not like you saw through his words either, so don't act like you're any better," Wonder Girl shot back, defending Superboy. She didn't appreciate anyone taking shots at him, especially in front of a new member.

"Guys, chill," Batgirl intervened, stepping forward with a sigh. "We can't embarrass ourselves like this in front of our guest. Let's stay focused."

Tim Drake, the current Robin, adjusted his gloves. "So, who's keeping the fork?" he asked, bringing them back to the game.

Nightwing turned to Miss Martian. "M'gann, you keep it. Stay invisible the whole time while the rest of us split into teams."

M'gann nodded, accepting the fork and phasing it into her grasp with her telekinesis before fading from view.

"Alright, team breakdown—Robin, Lagoon Boy, Beast Boy, Blue Beetle, and Bumblebee, you're Team Two. The rest of you are with me. We'll spread out and make sure Naruto has a hell of a time finding his target."

A smirk spread across Nightwing's face as the team nodded in agreement, each member already beginning to strategize.

Somewhere, deep in the forest, Naruto stood still, eyes closed, listening to the wind rustling through the trees. He could already feel the anticipation in his veins.

"Alright… let's see what you guys got."

Naruto remained beneath the ocean's surface, his body glowing with the golden energy of Bijuusage Mode, a perfect fusion of Kurama Chakra Mode and Sage Mode. The raw power crackled around him, mixing with the pure nature energy of the island, forming a powerful field of influence. His eyes, now slit like a fox's, glowed as he focused his senses.

Inside his seal space, Kurama sat comfortably, his massive tails swaying lazily. "This is the first time we get to truly test our powers against opponents like these. Let's play with them," the great fox mused, his voice laced with amusement.

Naruto smirked, his mind calm yet brimming with excitement. 'I'm eager to see how strong these young heroes really are… and to gauge my own power. This is a crucial step for our future. I just hope they don't disappoint—or worse, take me out in a single hit.'

His five clones, formed with precise chakra control, had already taken position across the battlefield. Unlike standard clones, these were created with massive durability and an abundant chakra reserve, making them nearly as formidable as the original.

Each clone stood radiating the same Bijuusage Mode aura, their golden glow illuminating the dense jungle where the game would take place. To any unsuspecting observer, they looked identical to the original Naruto, each exuding overwhelming strength.

"So, Clone Two, how do we want to do this?" Clone One asked, rolling his shoulders, eager for a fight.

"I say we hit them all at once. Let's give them no room to react." Clone Two suggested, already cracking his knuckles.

"That sounds boring," Clone Three interjected with a grin. "Let's take them on one by one. I want to test my power solo."

The last two clones nodded in agreement.

"Alright, majority vote wins. We split up and take on the teams individually." Clone One concluded before vanishing into the trees.

Three clones sped toward Superboy's team, while the remaining two targeted Robin's squad.

The salty breeze carried the sound of crashing waves as Young Justice lingered near the edge of the island, keeping their guard up. Their game of stealth and strategy had quickly turned into a test of survival against an opponent they barely understood.

Lagoon Boy, submerged beneath the water, grinned as his enhanced vision finally locked onto their elusive target. His webbed fingers curled into a fist as he sent out a triumphant signal to the team.

"I found him! He's inside the ocean!" he announced with satisfaction.

For a brief second, there was silence—then, an unfamiliar voice echoed inside their heads.

"Sorry, but I also found you."

The voice was calm, yet carried an unmistakable amusement, and before Lagoon Boy could react, the ocean around him flashed golden.

A dome of pure energy materialized in an instant, expanding outward like a barrier of light, engulfing not just him but the entire team stationed at the shore.

BOOM!

The shimmering construct sealed them inside, its walls humming with overwhelming power. Lagoon Boy, Bumblebee, Beast Boy, Blue Beetle, and Robin all turned in shock, trying to comprehend what had just happened.

Inside the dome, the air felt dense, heavy with raw energy that tingled against their skin. They had been caught, without even sensing their captor's approach.

Outside, a golden figure stood watching, arms crossed with an expression of sheer disappointment.

Clone Four clicked his tongue. "Seriously? That was it? I expected more."

His sharp eyes scanned his prisoners, who were frozen in disbelief. They hadn't even put up a fight.

Clone Five, standing beside him, gave him a light smack to the back of his head. "Quit whining. At least you got some action. I didn't even get to lift a finger."

Clone Four sighed. "Fine. You take them back. I'll go fetch the last one."

With that, he turned on his heel and vanished into the trees.

Somewhere deep within the jungle, Naruto moved with eerie calmness.

His real body, still submerged beneath the ocean, continued to gather nature energy, amplifying his already terrifying power. His clones were enough to handle the Young Justice members without him lifting a single finger.

The forest around him buzzed with life, but to him, it was silent—empty.

A game? That's what Nightwing had called it. But it wasn't a game. This was an execution.

Naruto walked casually, hands in his pockets, his golden energy crackling faintly around his form. His keen senses picked up everything—every breath, every heartbeat, every movement of his so-called opponents.

Inside the dome, the trapped heroes continued to struggle against their prison.

Bumblebee clenched her fists, her tiny form zipping around as she slammed against the golden walls with everything she had. Beast Boy roared in frustration, morphing into a rhino and charging full force into the barrier, but the energy absorbed the impact like a bottomless void.

Robin gritted his teeth, pulling out a smoke pellet, only for it to fizzle out uselessly against the dome's absolute power.

Nothing worked.

No matter what they did, Naruto's prison held firm—unbreakable, inescapable.

Bumblebee's hands trembled as she touched the golden energy, feeling the sheer force behind it.

Her mind drifted to Supergirl's warning before this game had even begun.

"If Naruto is here to test himself, only Wonder Girl and Superboy stand a chance."

And now, trapped like insects in a cage, she realized that Supergirl had underestimated him.

No one stood a chance.

From beyond the trees, Naruto's voice drifted lazily back to his prisoners.

"It's useless to struggle. Just sit tight and enjoy the show."

His voice was calm, even friendly, but it only made their situation worse.

This wasn't a battle.

It was humiliation.

A few feet away, Clone Four moved silently through the jungle, eyes locked onto his next target.

Miss Martian.

Invisible or not, she wasn't hidden from Naruto's senses.

And she was about to realize the truth—

There was no escaping the predator.