Insomnia

It had been four days since he saw the news on television, and since then, his life had unraveled.

Naruto had spent years battling his own mind: sessions with psychologists, therapy, medication… It all felt useless now. The anxiety, that monster he thought he had under control, had come back stronger than ever. And the worst part was that he knew exactly why.

The news had unearthed all his fears. The possibility of being caught by the police ate away at him day and night. It felt like an invisible noose tightening around his neck. He couldn't stop imagining different scenarios: what would he do if they interrogated him? What if they accused him? Maybe he could claim he found the body in his room when he woke up, but it was absurd to think they would believe him. The police would look for a culprit, and all fingers would point at him.

Even if it wasn't his fault, even if he hadn't done it, the odds were stacked against him. The body that had appeared in his room bore the same marks as the serial killer terrorizing the city. If they found him, they would use him as a scapegoat to appease the masses. People wanted answers, and no one seemed interested in finding them in the right place.

This constant fear was tearing him apart. Insomnia had taken control of his body and mind, and with it came the nightmares.

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Naruto could no longer sleep. The nights, which had once been an escape from the worries of the day, had become his worst enemy.

When he closed his eyes, he found himself back in that dark place: a space without walls or boundaries, where his worst memories stalked him. At first, the nightmares were the same as always—flashes of what had been done to his parents, fragments of a scene he had never wanted to remember. But lately, everything had changed.

Now, he dreamed of a figure. A tall, amorphous shadow that wasn't entirely human. Every time it appeared, it seemed to want to speak to him, but Naruto wouldn't give it the chance. As soon as he saw that menacing silhouette, he ran in any direction, aimless, until he woke up, gasping for air, his heart pounding as if it would burst.

Sweat drenched his body, his mind teetering on the edge of collapse. The nightmares felt so real that, upon waking, it was hard to convince himself that it had all been a dream.

And every night, it got worse. Naruto began to wonder if he was losing his mind. Maybe his imagination was playing tricks on him, but no matter how hard he tried to convince himself otherwise, he couldn't shake the feeling. That figure was watching him.

Until one night, something different happened.

It was close to three in the morning, and Naruto, unable to sleep, was sitting on his bed, staring at the ceiling. The silence was almost unbearable, as if the whole world were holding its breath.

Then he heard it.

A whisper. Low and deep. A voice that seemed to emerge from the shadows:

—I am more real than you think.

Naruto shot upright, his body completely rigid. His eyes darted around the room, scanning every corner. The desk lamp barely lit the edges of the room, leaving the corners shrouded in darkness.

There was nothing.

But the voice… That voice still echoed in his head.

His throat was dry. He tried to calm himself, telling himself it was all in his mind, that the stress was pushing him to his limit. But no matter how hard he tried to rationalize it, he knew this wasn't normal. That voice had weight, a presence. It was impossible to ignore.

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Anxiety didn't just steal his nights—it ruined his days as well. It was as if a shadow constantly loomed over him, crushing him with its weight.

Naruto stopped leaving his house. He avoided anything that required stepping outside. Paranoia consumed him, making him believe everyone who looked at him knew something. He couldn't go to school, couldn't buy food during the day. Every sound on the street, every passerby, felt like a threat.

He only dared to go out at night when the streets were emptier and the chances of being recognized seemed smaller. But even in Gotham's shadows, Naruto couldn't feel safe.

At first, it was just a feeling—a constant discomfort, like someone was watching him. But soon, that discomfort evolved.

First came the "invisible stares." Naruto could feel eyes boring into his back as he walked through the alleys. Then came the "appearances."

Barely visible within the shadows, he thought he saw a tall, thin figure. He couldn't make out its face, but he felt its presence, stalking him. The figure seemed to move between alleys, peeking out from corners and vanishing just as Naruto turned to confirm if it was really there.

Sometimes he wanted to scream, but fear kept him frozen. He couldn't tell anyone about this. No one would believe him.

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The exhaustion was taking its toll. Naruto didn't know how much more he could endure. The insomnia, the nightmares, the apparitions... it was all breaking him.

Part of his mind begged him to give up, to let madness consume him entirely. But there was something inside him—a small spark of hope, or maybe just stubbornness—that kept him clinging to sanity. He didn't know if he was fighting to survive or simply out of habit.

That night, as he lay staring at the ceiling in complete darkness, Naruto made a decision.

He had to put an end to it.

He remembered something his psychologist had once told him: "The only way to conquer your fears is to face them."

He'd done it before. He had faced things that terrified him in the past, and though he had come out scarred, he had always managed to move forward. Maybe this time wouldn't be any different.

With that thought in mind, he closed his eyes and let sleep take him.

This time, he wouldn't run.

This time, he would face it.

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Naruto was back in that dark place.

The sensation was disturbingly familiar, like returning to a corner of his mind he had sworn never to enter. But this time, he didn't intend to run. His legs trembled, but every step he took forced him to stand firm. He took a deep breath, letting the cold air fill his lungs. The absolute silence around him was deafening. Even so, he pressed forward.

Ahead, a path of pale light stretched into the void. He followed it as though it were the only connection to something tangible in this surreal world, until finally, he saw it.

The shadow emerged from nothingness. Its form was unnatural, as if the mere act of existing defied the laws of the world around it. It didn't walk; it floated, moving with fluid, inhuman motions. From the center of that distorted figure, a deep, resonant voice arose, seeming to come from everywhere at once.

—So, you've finally decided to face me, Invoker.

Naruto felt a chill run down his spine at the sound of that word: Invoker. He didn't know what it meant, but somehow, it felt like it had always been tied to him.

— I don't know who or what you are, — Naruto said, forcing his voice to remain steady, — but I'm ending this. You won't keep tormenting me.

The creature let out a low, mocking laugh, a rumbling chuckle that reverberated like thunder in the vast emptiness around them.

—End me? — it replied with derision. — Many have tried before you… and all have failed.

Naruto clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging into his palms. This was his dream, his mind. He had to be in control—or at least that's what he tried to believe.

—This is my dream, — he shot back, trying to convince both the creature and himself. — If I want you gone, then you'll disappear.

The shadow stopped laughing abruptly. Its stillness was more terrifying than any movement. After a brief silence, it spoke again, its tone darker, almost threatening:

—Oh, but I am far more real than you think.

Naruto faltered for a moment, but he tried not to show weakness.

—No, you're not. You're just a nightmare. Another shadow in my mind.

But his voice wavered.

The creature slid out of view, dissolving into the air. Before Naruto could react, he felt a chill on the back of his neck, like something was standing right behind him.

—I don't live in your head, human, — the voice whispered. — I only come here… to feed.

Naruto spun around quickly, but there was nothing there. His heartbeat thundered in his ears, his breaths coming fast and shallow as he turned in circles, searching for the creature. Then, it appeared—suddenly and without warning—right in front of him.

It was so close that he could make out the details of its face.

Dark, sunken eyes glowed like embers in the middle of its shadowy form, two voids that seemed to swallow the faint light around them.

—My name is Nocturne, — the creature said, its voice now a whisper that embedded itself in Naruto's mind like a thorn. — And I've come to save you.

Naruto blinked, startled. He couldn't hide his confusion.

—Save me? — he repeated, his brow furrowing.

Nocturne tilted its head slightly, as if the question amused it.

—I can give you what you desire most, Invoker: justice. I can end those who took everything from you. The ones who killed your parents.

Naruto felt the world grind to a halt around him. The ground beneath his feet seemed to crumble away. How did it know? How could it possibly know something so personal, so painful?

His heart stopped for a second as those words sank in. The figure before him wasn't just a nightmare. He knew it—understood it—but he didn't want to accept it. Yet, there was something even more dangerous than fear: temptation.

—No... — he murmured, barely audible. He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. — I won't fall for your games.

The creature didn't flinch. In fact, its smile—if the unnatural curve that formed on its face could even be called a smile—seemed to widen.

—Oh, this isn't a game, Invoker. It's a deal. All you need to do is say the word, and I'll take care of the rest.

Naruto felt a knot form in his stomach. The offer was so simple, so straightforward… and yet, so dangerous. The justice he had longed for was within reach, but the cost was hidden in the shadows.

—I... — he muttered, his words dragging under the weight of indecision.

Before he could finish, everything around him went dark. Nocturne's figure vanished, along with every trace of light in the void. The world plunged into absolute darkness.

Naruto looked around, but there were no paths, no shadows, no signs to guide him.

—Where am I? — he asked softly, his voice tinged with fear and confusion.

There was no answer.

Silence enveloped him completely. No sound, no echoes, no indication that he was in any real place. He was alone—with only his thoughts… and Nocturne's offer echoing in his mind.

"All you need to do is say the word..."

The creature's voice lingered, etched into his ears.

For the first time, Naruto began to fear that he might not have a way out. The darkness wasn't just a setting—it was a trap.

And perhaps, just perhaps, it was a trap from which he would never escape.