The King Of Fighters

Naruto's mind was sharp, every muscle tense as he analyzed the girl before him. Her lack of response to the threat posed by him and the others only heightened his suspicion. There was something about her—something dark, something dangerous. Her aura radiated an intense energy that Naruto couldn't ignore. She was strong, likely much stronger than any of them. Her complete disregard for the others around her suggested she either didn't view them as threats—or, perhaps, she simply didn't care at all.

"An enemy or not?" Naruto thought to himself as he observed her movements, staying vigilant. His eyes flicked toward Poison, who was visibly unsettled, the fear evident on her face. She was a warrior, no stranger to danger, but even she couldn't mask the terror that gripped her at the sight of this woman. In a split second, Poison realized the vast disparity in power between her and this mysterious figure.

"I hate this feeling of weakness... the feeling of being inferior," Poison thought bitterly, her instincts screaming at her to retreat. But there was nowhere to go. The others, too, shifted nervously behind Naruto, recognizing that their only hope of survival lay with him now. They had been powerless against Naruto earlier, but at least he had kept them alive. In contrast, this woman... if she was indeed like Jin Kazama, they were no match for her. Poison had seen the records, the horrors that Jin had unleashed on those who dared to challenge him. A single hit had been enough to obliterate anyone who stood in his path.

The group instinctively moved behind Naruto, their hope now resting on him as their protector. Poison's thoughts were conflicted—her first instinct was to preserve her own life and that of her team, but deep down, she couldn't help but feel that if they were going to survive this, they would need more than just Naruto's strength. They needed a miracle.

"Please, let us at least escape," Poison silently prayed, her eyes darting nervously between Naruto and the girl with horns. Her team had been through so much together, and despite the tension and fear, they were family. Her sister, Roxy, Hugo—these were people she had spent years fighting alongside. Losing them now would be a devastation she couldn't bear.

Naruto didn't share their fear, though. He wasn't intimidated by the girl's demonic presence. In fact, as he watched her carefully, a small smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. There was something about the challenge, the rush of facing someone so powerful, that excited him. This was the kind of battle he had been craving.

The moment came—her move. She struck quickly, faster than expected, her hand reaching for his face in a flash. But Naruto was prepared. His reaction was swift, a movement born from years of battle experience. He dodged her hand effortlessly, his body twisting in the air as he kneeled down and struck her chin with a powerful knee.

The blow hit with a satisfying crack, sending her body flying backward, her head snapping upwards. But Naruto didn't stop there. He followed up with a swift kick to her side, launching her further into the air. She went sailing through the air, crashing to the side as Naruto's smile widened. There was no mistaking it now—this woman, whatever she was, was tough. Her body was resilient, and despite the solid blows, she barely seemed to falter.

'Very durable,' Naruto thought, noting her surprising resistance to damage. She wasn't going down easy. But that only made him more eager. He wanted a worthy opponent, someone who would challenge him.

As the girl began to descend, Naruto didn't hesitate. He locked onto her with a fierce determination, his chakra swirling around him as he propelled himself into the air. He moved quickly, far quicker than before, his body propelled by sheer will and raw energy. Before she could hit the ground, he was already on top of her, crashing down with incredible force. His legs planted into her abdomen, sending her plummeting into the concrete below with a deafening impact.

The ground trembled beneath the force of the collision, a crater forming where they landed. The air was thick with the aftermath of the explosion, the shockwaves spreading outward as the dust and debris swirled in the wake of the impact. Naruto stood tall, his body still emanating the intensity of the battle. His eyes locked on the girl beneath him as he took a moment to savor the rush of finally facing someone powerful—someone who wasn't just another opponent to be dealt with in seconds.

Naruto grinned, his adrenaline spiking. He had found a worthy adversary at last. "Finally, someone strong enough to make this interesting," he muttered under his breath.

Naruto had undergone a long and arduous journey, one that had not only sharpened his physical abilities but also helped him refine his spirit. Over time, he had learned to let go of the darkness that had once weighed heavily on him. The burdens of the past, the pain of loneliness, and the anger that had consumed him for so long began to fade. In their place, Naruto discovered a new purpose—a deeper understanding of the world and his role in it.

The journey had been transformative. He had come to learn the complexities of the world: its struggles, its beauty, and the harsh realities that its people faced. He understood now that being a ninja wasn't just about killing or fighting for survival. Ninja were not assassins, they were tacticians, masters of stealth, espionage, and manipulation. Their true strength lay not in brute force but in using their minds to outwit enemies and complete missions, whether those missions required violence or not.

Naruto had always been taught that a ninja's job was to protect the innocent, and though he had always been proud of his role, it was clear now that a ninja's path wasn't as simple as being a killer. Assassins, on the other hand, took lives without hesitation, and while ninja sometimes killed in defense or during certain missions, it was not a necessity. Naruto had killed, but only those who truly deserved it—people like Orochimaru, and eventually Kabuto, once his time came.

Jiraiya had been his guide throughout all of this, teaching him not only the strength to face the future but the wisdom to avoid the mistakes of the past. He had spoken of the cycle of hate, how it perpetuated suffering, and how Naruto could break that cycle. In time, Naruto began to understand that the greatest gift he could give the world was peace, and if he could achieve that, he would be remembered as the greatest Hokage to ever live.

The weight of that responsibility had taken time to fully sink in. The world was filled with suffering, and Naruto, having tasted pain and loss firsthand, knew that healing it wasn't a simple task. But through that pain, he found a new purpose—one that was not just about fighting but about healing, protecting, and ultimately, changing the world for the better.

By the final months of his journey, Naruto had found his true calling. He had learned to embrace the beauty of the world, to savor the little moments, and to let go of the negative emotions that had once ruled him. He was a warrior, yes, but not just a killer. He was someone who could look beyond the bloodshed and see the bigger picture.

When he returned, his friends were shocked by the transformation. He looked so much like his father now—his appearance, his demeanor, even his strength. He had changed so much in such a short time, and everyone could feel it. The boy who had once been unpredictable, childish, and wild had grown into a calm and focused man.

However, there was no time to dwell on the past. The battle with the mysterious woman—who, as it turned out, was far more than she appeared—had reignited something deep within him. She was strong. Far stronger than anyone he had fought in recent memory. And as he faced her now, he realized that she wasn't just any random opponent. She had a purpose, a power that transcended the ordinary.

As Naruto dodged her initial attack, he felt the thrill of the fight—a sensation that had become rare for him lately. His leg had been caught in her powerful grip, and though he managed to break free, the wound left behind from her claws was deep. The dark energy radiating from her nails was unnatural, reminding Naruto of a time long ago when he had faced something similar in the Land of Demons. That dark, malevolent energy had almost consumed him once before.

Her claws were covered in this dark, almost repulsive aura, and as Naruto covered the wound with chakra to prevent any demonic infection, he couldn't shake the eerie feeling that this woman wasn't just a mere fighter—she was something far more dangerous.

"Are you from the demon world?" Naruto asked, his voice steady despite the burning pain in his leg. He was careful not to show weakness, even though every instinct told him this fight wasn't going to be easy.

The woman, Eliza, blinked slowly, almost lazily, and then yawned. It was a strange and unsettling sight. She licked her claw, savoring the blood, and Naruto couldn't help but feel disgusted. She moaned in pleasure, the sound thick with sensuality, and it caught Naruto off guard. It reminded him of a perverted encounter from a past tournament—a moment he would rather forget.

But he quickly shook off the thought, focusing on the fight. There was a change in the air around her. Her power was rising, her aura shifting, and her red eyes now gleamed with a predatory hunger. Naruto's instincts screamed at him that she was preparing for something big. The desire to fight, to overpower him, was palpable.

Naruto stood his ground, feeling the dangerous shift in her presence. The moment of hesitation was gone. Now, this battle was personal. She was no longer just a formidable opponent; she was a creature from another world, and her power was only growing stronger. Her red eyes locked onto him, and in that instant, Naruto understood the nature of her predatory intentions.

This wasn't just a fight. This was a test of will, and Naruto was determined not to back down.