Chapter 11: The Shadow That Looms

Sasuke stood alone, watching the night sky.

The war was over, but his mind remained restless. Naruto, the villages, even Kaguya—they were all preparing for the future, yet something in his gut told him the true danger had yet to come.

He was right.

A ripple in space.

A presence unlike anything he had felt before.

Then— BOOM.

The ground shattered beneath him as a dark figure appeared. A man dressed in a monk's robe, adorned with strange markings, stepped forward. His piercing gaze bore into Sasuke, filled with something far worse than anger—disdain.

Sasuke barely had a second to react before the man was upon him.

CRACK!

A knee to the stomach.

Sasuke's ribs fractured instantly. His Sharingan spun, but before he could even process the pain, a fist crashed into his jaw, sending him flying through a mountain.

Dust and debris filled the air as Sasuke struggled to stand. His Rinnegan flared—Amenotejikara!

He teleported behind the man, blade in hand—

But he was gone.

No, not gone.

Behind him.

A voice, cold and absolute, whispered in his ear.

"Pathetic."

CRUNCH.

Sasuke barely processed the pain before he felt himself slam into the ground, the earth cracking under the force. His mind raced. Who is this guy?

The man loomed over him, his expression unreadable. "I expected more."

Sasuke gritted his teeth. He couldn't win this. Not now.

Summoning the last of his strength, his Rinnegan flared once more—

A portal ripped open.

And just as the man reached for him—

Sasuke vanished.

Far away, in another dimension, he collapsed to the ground, panting.

He had escaped.

But only barely.

The enemy had finally revealed itself.

And they were beyond anything he had ever faced.