A new mark

Chapter 1: A New Mark

The night sky stretched endlessly over Konoha, the moon casting pale light over the dense forest. Beneath its glow, a young boy stood—Naruto Uzumaki, trembling, clutching a large scroll to his chest. His breath came in short, ragged gasps. His world had just been shattered.

"The village has always hated you, Naruto! Do you even know why?"

Mizuki's voice rang in his ears, sharp and cruel.

"It's because you're the demon fox that destroyed Konoha! You're not a hero—you're a monster!"

Naruto felt his chest tighten. His hands trembled. It made sense, didn't it? The glares, the whispers, the loneliness—was this really why everyone treated him that way?

"He's lying!"

A voice broke through his thoughts.

Iruka-sensei.

Naruto blinked, looking up to see Iruka standing in front of him, his body battered and bruised. A kunai was lodged in his shoulder, but despite the pain, his eyes were unwavering.

"I don't see you as the Nine-Tails!" Iruka shouted, his voice filled with something Naruto had rarely heard before—conviction.

"I see you as Naruto Uzumaki! A student of mine! And that's all that matters!"

Naruto's breath hitched.

Something inside him stirred.

It was faint at first—a flicker of warmth deep within his chest. But in the next instant—

BOOM!

A shockwave erupted from Naruto's body, sending leaves and debris flying in all directions. Iruka stumbled back, eyes widening in shock. Mizuki froze, his face twisting in confusion.

"W-What the hell is this?!"

Naruto felt it—a presence inside him. No, not just one… many. A deep, overwhelming power unlike anything he had ever known. This wasn't the Kyuubi's chakra.

This was something else.

And then—

Darkness.

---

Inside Naruto's Mindscape

Naruto opened his eyes.

He wasn't in the forest anymore. Instead, he found himself standing in an endless void—silent and vast. The air was heavy, thick with an oppressive force that made his body feel like it was sinking.

Then, they appeared.

Two colossal figures emerged from the darkness, towering over him like gods. Their very existence made the air ripple and twist.

One had flowing silver hair, his golden eyes glowing like twin suns. Strange black markings covered his body, radiating an unfathomable energy. Around him coiled several massive beasts, their forms unlike any tailed beast Naruto had ever heard of.

The other was equally terrifying—his raven-black and white-streaked hair framed a face marked with crimson sigils. His presence was suffocating, like a void consuming everything around him. More beasts loomed behind him, but one stood out—a creature with thirteen massive tails, each one crackling with a power that seemed too great for this world to contain.

Naruto's breath hitched. His body refused to move. He wasn't just looking at strong people—these beings felt like something beyond shinobi. Beyond bijuu. Beyond anything.

The silver-haired one finally spoke, his voice calm but absolute.

"So… this is the boy."

The dark-haired one scoffed. "Hmph. He's just a kid. And yet… the cycle still chooses him."

Naruto had no idea what they were talking about. His mind screamed at him to run, but his body wouldn't obey.

He clenched his fists. "W-Who… Who the hell are you guys?!"

The thirteen-tailed beast growled, its voice deep and ancient.

"You do not need to know that yet, child. You only need to understand one thing—"

Suddenly, Naruto felt a searing pain spread across his body. He screamed, falling to his knees as black markings began to etch themselves onto his skin. They slithered like living ink, wrapping around his arms, his chest—burning into his very soul.

"We have chosen you."

Naruto gasped, his vision blurring. "W-What…?"

The silver-haired man stepped forward, his gaze piercing into Naruto's very being.

"Your world's fate is shifting. And whether you are ready or not…"

The dark-haired one smirked. "You will be the one to change it."

The pain intensified—his body felt like it was being rewritten. Naruto's eyes fluttered, his consciousness fading.

The last thing he heard was their voices, overlapping like a prophecy being etched into reality itself.

"Survive, Naruto Uzumaki."

"And prove that you are worthy of our power."

Then—

Everything went white.

---

Back in the Real World

Naruto's eyes snapped open.

But they weren't the same.

Crimson-red rings flickered in his irises for a brief moment before fading. His breath was ragged, his body trembling as the last remnants of the black markings sank into his skin, vanishing from sight.

Mizuki staggered back, his face pale. "W-What… was that?!"

Naruto slowly pushed himself up. His body felt strange—as if something inside him had shifted. His fingers twitched, his chakra felt different.

Stronger.

Iruka watched in stunned silence. He had seen Naruto use chakra before, but this… this was something else entirely.

Naruto clenched his fists. He didn't understand what just happened. He didn't know who those people were. But one thing was clear—

Something inside him had awakened.

And for the first time in his life…

His fate had truly changed.

Mizuki took an uneasy step back, his hands gripping the giant shuriken on his back. Something had changed.

Naruto was still standing there, but his entire presence felt different—like a beast had just been unleashed. The boy's usual loud, frantic energy had been replaced with something unsettlingly calm.

Then—

Whoosh!

The wind around him twisted unnaturally, kicking up dust and leaves. Chakra flooded out of Naruto's body, but it wasn't normal. The air crackled, thick with an overwhelming force that sent a deep shiver down Mizuki's spine.

"Tch! Stop trying to act tough, you brat!" Mizuki growled, shaking off the unease. He rushed forward, his shuriken gleaming under the moonlight.

But Naruto didn't flinch.

He didn't even move—until the last second.

His body reacted on instinct.

BOOM!

The ground cracked as Naruto suddenly vanished from Mizuki's sight.

"W-What—?" Mizuki barely had time to react before a fist slammed into his gut, sending him flying backward into a tree with a sickening crunch.

Iruka's eyes widened in shock. That wasn't normal strength. That was raw power—far beyond what a fresh academy student should be capable of.

Naruto blinked, staring at his own hand. His heart pounded. He didn't know what just happened, but… his body felt different.

Faster. Stronger. Like something inside him had been unlocked.

"This chakra…" He muttered under his breath. It wasn't just his usual chakra. It was overflowing, swirling inside him like a roaring storm.

It felt unstable, but at the same time, he knew—he could control it.

A memory flashed through his mind.

"Survive, Naruto Uzumaki… and prove that you are worthy of our power."

His fists clenched. Tch… I don't know what's going on, but…

His instincts screamed at him—use it.

---

A Thousand Shadows

Mizuki coughed, struggling to push himself up. "Y-You little…!" His anger flared, but deep down, he was terrified.

This wasn't the same stupid brat he mocked just minutes ago.

Naruto took a slow breath, then clapped his hands together in a seal.

Something within him clicked.

A familiar technique surfaced in his mind, but this time, it felt… different. The chakra rushed forward like a flood, more than he had ever felt in his life.

"If one isn't enough—"

BOOM!

The ground exploded with smoke as a wave of chakra surged outward.

"—then a thousand will do!"

The dust cleared—and Mizuki's face twisted in sheer horror.

Hundreds. No—THOUSANDS of Narutos filled the clearing, each one radiating an aura that sent shivers through the air.

The real Naruto stood at the center of them all, his eyes gleaming. The markings on his skin flickered for the briefest moment before fading again.

Something deep inside him rumbled. This wasn't just the Shadow Clone Jutsu. This was something more.

Mizuki stumbled back, his legs shaking. "I-Impossible! There's no way a brat like you could—!"

The clones moved.

Fast.

Before Mizuki could react, a storm of fists rained down on him from all sides. His screams were swallowed by the sound of impact after impact as the clones unleashed hell upon him.

Iruka watched, stunned.

This wasn't just Naruto learning a jutsu—this was Naruto awakening something much greater.

And as the final blow sent Mizuki crashing unconscious into the dirt, the last thing Naruto felt was the deep hum of power within him.