Foolish Ambitions

"I can't believe we made these!" Naruto exclaimed, savouring the sweetness.

Mrs. Yukiko gave him a warm smile and said, "We owe a lot to you for bringing my shop back in business."

Naruto was happy at her words. "It was nothing! Honestly, when I found out you called specifically for me, I was more than willing to help."

Then Mrs. Yukiko's expression changed. "Called for you? That's strange… We didn't personally request your help. …"

"Huh?" Naruto wondered, now confused.

"Yeah," Aya added. "We thought someone tipped off the Leaf about our trouble since the authorities here weren't doing anything."

Come to think of it, Naruto thought, Aya never showed that she was expecting Naruto. She was even apprehensive despite seeing the Leaf headband on his forehead.

Naruto's head spun with the revelation. "If you didn't call and no one informed the Leaf…" his voice trailed off, staring at nothing in amazement. "Then who sent me?"

Mrs. Yukiko shrugged, bewildered but content. "I have no idea. But we're glad you showed up when you did, and we really wouldn't have known what to do without you!"

"It's funny how things work out," Aya added, laughing lightly.

Naruto stood up and said, "I'll make sure to include this in my report! Granny Tsunade—I mean the Hokage—said that someone asked for me."

The other two weren't sure whether to be worried or still grateful now. He calmed their nerves, stating that even though they hadn't personally called, he was happy to help and even knows a thing or two about baking.

The three spent the last few moments chatting and enjoying the pastries they'd made. Once evening came, Naruto finally waved goodbye, promising to stay in touch.

He stepped outside, still pondering the mystery of why he had been sent to the bakery. Nonetheless, he was content, having brought back the joy to a place in need.

At night, he was seen strolling along a trail. When suddenly, he heard an unusually loud wind. It howled through the trees, filling the boy's ears.

Just when he thought it couldn't get any stranger, he heard a chilling voice: "Foolish little boy…" Naruto froze, then glanced around, scanning the darkness for the source of that eerie taunt. "What hope do you have thinking the world revolves around you…?"

Before he could respond, he heard a sudden rustle, followed by the unmistakable sound of shoes jumping from a branch. Instinctively, he crouched low, preparing for whatever threat this was.

A figure then crashed down just a few feet in front of him, sending dust and debris spiraling into the air. As the particles settled, Naruto uncovered his face and was surprised to see a man with tan skin and a sharp suit.

"Who the heck are you?" Naruto demanded, furrowing his brow.

The man straightened, loosened his tie, and said, "Don't worry about my name if you don't recognize the face, boy…"

Before Naruto could react, Arthur dashed forward with alarming speed, closing the distance between them in the blink of an eye. Rational thought abandoned Naruto as he watched Arthur's palm rise, grabbing him effortlessly and lifting him off the ground as though he were a feather.

Then, Arthur swung like a pendulum and launched the boy high into the air. The world spun upside down for Naruto, and he felt weightless for a moment.

Arthur followed him into the sky and delivered two double kicks that struck Naruto like cannonballs, sending him tumbling through the air. The combo continued as Arthur leaped once more, catching Naruto by the ankles midair. Then he spun Naruto around and around before slamming him back down to the earth.

Naruto felt the breath whoosh from his lungs before he started to get dizzy.

Groaning, he struggled to regain his footing just as Arthur release him. "Multi-shadow clone jutsu!" A swarm of clones erupted around him, filling the battleground. One of the clones pointed an accusatory finger. "I don't know who you are or why you just attacked me, but there's no way I'm gonna lose to some guy in a suit!"

"Hmph," Arthur scoffed, eyeing the army of Narutos with contempt. "Put that foolish ambition to rest."

With calmness, he advanced toward the horde. The clones sprang into action, each of them lunging to attack him in unison.

In an astonishing display of prowess, Arthur sidestepped the first few attacks easily, dispatching each clone with single, fluid motions. One by one, the clones fell, vanishing in bursts of smoke while Naruto watched in helpless disbelief.

As the remaining clones swarmed to initiate further assaults, they found themselves unable to land a single hit. It didn't take long for Naruto to understand the horrid truth: Arthur knew all his moves before he even made them.

"What the heck's going on here?" he asked himself in frustration.

He recoiled for a moment as he struggled to process his surroundings and the overwhelming truth of the situation. Yes, he's been overpowered before, and yes, he's faced many tough opponents. But he'd been training since then and never seen this level of movement before.

There was no denying it—the man before him was a formidable opponent, one who had effortlessly toyed with him and dismissed the power that had once brought him triumph.

All the clones eventually dispersed without having landed a single hit. Arthur stood there and began, "You're nothing like your other self… boy."

Naruto clenched his fist tightly, unwilling to be confused. This was an enemy, and that's all he needed to know for now. He would not succumb to this man's arrogance; he would not let him tarnish his identity and his legacy.

At that, the chakra of the Nine-Tails sprung around him, casting a flaming glow in the darkened landscape.

"You don't know who you're messing with, pal!" Naruto shouted as the power of the Nine-Tails transformed him.

The Nine-Tails Chakra Mode, as it was called, was a distinct transformation that enhances the abilities of its wielder. And when activated, this mode envelops the user in yellow chakra resembling flickering flames.

While in this state, Naruto experiences a significant boost in physical strength and speed, enabling actions such as swift dodges and devastating attacks. This transformation not only provides enhanced offensive and defensive capabilities but also allows him to generate chakra arms for better interaction and maneuverability.

Additionally, the mode grants him heightened sensory perception, enabling the detection of negative emotions from afar, while also exhibiting effects on the environment, such as promoting rapid growth in plants nearby.

Arthur knew everything about it!

With a burst of speed that defied expectation, Naruto charged forward. "Tailed Beast flash bullet!"

In the blink of an eye, he then zipped past Arthur, connecting a swift strike to his side.

Bang!

But he didn't stop there. Pivoting on his heel like a whirlwind, he dashed past Arthur once again, this time delivering a kick, only to pivot again at an almost impossible angle and strike with a punch. Bang! Bang! Then a series of rapid strikes was launched, each faster than the last. For a full five consecutive actions, he unleashed this barrage, delivering hit after hit meant to incapacitate his opponent.

Yet as the dust began to settle, Naruto took a step back, awaiting the results of his assault. To his shocked disbelief, he found Arthur standing perfectly still with several bruises on his face.

Arthur just cracked his neck with one hand, and with an eerie coolness, he began healing himself. Naruto stood there perplexed as the wounds he had inflicted mended before his eyes.

"All that power," Arthur calmly remarked, "and yet you still don't know what to do with it…"

It's only now that Naruto understands Arthur had let him hit him.

The man was far more resilient than any adversary he had faced before; striking him felt akin to pummeling adamantine. No ordinary man should even possess a body that withstood such brute force without so much as flinching.

Determined to figure out the truth behind Arthur's strength, Naruto leaped into action again, launching himself high into the air. He aimed to land another attack, but Arthur increased the distance while performing a hand sign.

"Water style: water dragon jutsu…'

An abnormally large dragon made of swirling water surged toward Naruto, roaring with ferocity. Naruto, after landing, reacted on reflex and propelled himself upward with two chakra arms.

Though he narrowly evaded the technique, he sensed Arthur closing in, and with the momentum gained, he turned to confront him. The two collided with a crash that echoed through the air.

Naruto kept up his two extra chakra arms, straining with every ounce of effort to withstand Arthur's might.

Screaming with exertion, he pushed back against Arthur's force. "Argh!" He managed to create enough space to hurl Arthur behind him, hoping for a moment of reprieve. But as he collected his breath and steadied himself, he turned back just in time to see Arthur recovering mid-air.

"How 'bout another?" Arthur murmured nonchalantly. PWater style: water dragon jutsu…'

Another water dragon was conjured, smaller yet faster. The abbreviated version of the technique slammed into Naruto and engendered a wave that swallowed him whole, sending him hurtling down into the ground.

The impact left him a tad stunned by the sheer power of the attack. To think a shinobi like this existed, he thought.

The instant Arthur touched down, he began to slowly walk toward while sneering, "Do you think those wretched things in the Leaf Village care about you, boy…? Kakashi, Sakura, William, Jada? They don't even know who you are; they're all just pretending."

The words struck Naruto in the heart. Those were his friends and family—those he created bonds with through adversity. How could Arthur even dare to toy with that?

"And let's not forget that Uchiha you lost…"

"Shut up already!" Naruto finally shouted in anger. "You don't know anything about me or my friends!"

Arthur merely scoffed. It was ironic because he knew everything about the boy. But because he had brought up Sasuke with an icy disdain in his voice, that made Naruto's blood boil.

"Let's see how you handle this!" With a hand sign, Naruto performed his technique. "Multi-shadow clone jutsu!"

Before the puff clouds could fully disperse, three Narutos charged. They rushed toward Arthur in a coordinated formation, a synchronized assault that showcased Naruto's growth as a ninja. But Arthur wasn't the least bit caught off guard.

Calmly, he retrieved the Long Blade. As the first Naruto lunged forward, Arthur swiftly blocked the attack. The second Naruto flanked from the side, but Arthur anticipated the move, swinging his blade toward that Naruto just as he barely managed to evade the strike.

With the third Naruto barreling toward him, Arthur pivoted, bringing the hilt of his sword behind him just in time to block a strong kick. It caused Naruto to flip back and reposition himself.

The first Naruto seized the opportunity, jumping over the second before delivering a kick aimed straight at Arthur's weapon. The clash created a bright flash as Arthur swung his sword once more, missing that Naruto by a fraction.

Suddenly, Arthur found himself encircled by all three Narutos. With a unified cry, they synchronized their movements and lunged at him simultaneously. Arthur quickly executed one magnificent spin, extending his Long Blade outward and slicing through all three Narutos.

The three clones burst into clouds of smoke. But as the remnants of his attack settled, he felt something familiar from above: a single Naruto was descending rapidly, Rasengan glowing brightly in his grip.

Without looking, Arthur instinctively brought his sword behind him—ready to deflect the incoming attack.

However, the impact he anticipated never came. Instead, as he glanced back, he saw Naruto had planted his feet at the last second on the blade, having already summoned more than a hundred more clones into the fray!

All one hundred Narutos surged into view, and each had their own large Rasengans at the ready. In unison, they roared, "Massive Rasengan mega barrage!"