Naruto Multiverse

A month passed, and Naruto's group had grown much stronger, each of them having honed their abilities through intense training and experience. Despite their progress, Naruto's caution prevented him from taking on any missions, having been reminded of his own limits after their previous encounter with a powerful enemy. The realization that he could have easily been killed was a constant reminder of his need to grow stronger.

However, the time had come for a practical mission, and the group was allowed to choose from several tasks. As Naruto browsed through the options, he quickly narrowed down his choices to two: Krieg or Arlong. Krieg, the notorious East Blue pirate, had a reputation for terrorizing the seas with his ruthless crew and excessive use of force. Naruto felt that Krieg's presence was a blight on the world, one that needed to be dealt with swiftly. On the other hand, he could deal with the Fishman, Arlong, later.

With a decisive hand, Naruto selected the mission to eliminate Krieg. As he made his choice, Hina, standing beside him, smiled. "Then I'll take Arlong," she said, her confidence evident.

Shiro, having already taken a mission a few days ago, was unlikely to join them. She had her own path, though the relationship between her and Naruto had improved over time. Since Naruto had built a good relationship with Z, Z's ambitions had expanded, focusing on protecting more of the people in the area and aiding them in their time of need.

Naruto, feeling ready to embark on the mission, boarded a ship and set off for the island where Don Krieg was rumored to be causing havoc. "Be careful, Naruto," Hina called out to him, her voice soft with concern.

"I will," he replied, giving her a final glance and a kiss before he departed.

It took two days for him to reach Krieg's island. The journey was uneventful, and Naruto didn't feel much of a challenge from these pirates—he considered them weaker than even Ken, so there was little danger in his mind. With the island in sight, he refrained from using his ship to approach, knowing that it would be pointless to cause damage. Instead, he leapt into the air, running across the sky, the wind whistling past him, until he reached the island's shore.

Upon landing, he was greeted by the sight of Krieg's crew. The pirates were drunkenly enjoying their spoils—food, drinks, and the company of innocent men and women. The atmosphere was one of arrogance, as they were the largest group in the area and felt untouchable.

One of the pirates, clearly inebriated, noticed Naruto's landing. "Hey, who are you?" he slurred, his voice thick with alcohol.

Naruto, donning his armored form, stood tall and silent for a moment before responding with cold disdain, "Death."

In the blink of an eye, Naruto moved like lightning, his sword flashing through the air as he cut down the pirates in his path. His blade, coated with Haki, left nothing but mangled body parts behind as he swept through the crowd. The sound of screams and chaos filled the air, and it didn't take long for Krieg and his inner circle to take notice.

"What the hell is going on?" Krieg shouted, his voice filled with rage.

"Seems like a strong enemy has infiltrated," said Kuro of the Black Pirates, appearing beside Krieg, his face grim.

"I don't feel any real danger, though," Kuro added, his tone turning serious. "We should retreat while he's occupied with our men."

Gin, one of Krieg's subordinates, disagreed, his voice full of concern. "Captain, we can't just leave our men."

Krieg, ever the arrogant leader, sneered. "Don't worry, Gin. There's no way I'm letting some brat get away with attacking me."

Kuro, who had seen enough, muttered angrily, "You're a fool, Krieg," before he turned and sprinted toward his ship, preparing to abandon Krieg's sinking crew.

Krieg, his pride wounded, ignored Kuro's warning and made his way toward the scene of the chaos. But as he moved, he was met with a shocking sight—the armored figure of Naruto, standing amidst the carnage, blood and gore dripping from his blade.

"You damning bastard!" Krieg screamed in fury. "I'll murder you!" He launched a barrage of weapons at Naruto, but they had no effect. His attacks were absorbed by Naruto's armor without so much as a dent.

Naruto's voice, dull and emotionless, echoed through the silence. "Is that it?"

Pearl, another member of Krieg's crew, shook off his stupor and hurled flaming bottles at Naruto. But these too had no effect, shattering harmlessly against his armor. In desperation, Krieg resorted to his trump card—a poison bomb, desperate to eliminate Naruto, even if it meant sacrificing his men.

The bomb exploded with a sickening roar, enveloping everyone in its range. But before the poison could reach Naruto, he effortlessly split the bomb in half with a swift slash, the force of his strike scattering the smoke and leaving Krieg and his men in a pile of corpses.

Naruto surveyed the aftermath, his bloodlust rising. "Not good enough. Need more," he muttered under his breath, his eyes gleaming with madness as he breathed heavily, his desire for more destruction growing.

With a twisted laugh, Naruto spotted Kuro and his crew on their ship, attempting to flee. "What a lucky day," he said, his voice dripping with anticipation.

Kuro, sensing his impending doom, prepared to jump into the water to escape, but it was too late. Before he could react, Naruto unleashed a flurry of death, cutting down everyone on the ship. Kuro's last thought was one of regret as he realized his dreams had ended in bloodshed.

Standing amidst the ruins of the ship, Naruto looked down at the bloody scene and let out a deep, satisfied breath. "Hah, that was so much fun. Filth has been cleansed once again at the hands of justice."

Just as he was about to leave, danger suddenly flared in his senses. He quickly leapt into the air just as the ship exploded beneath him. A massive spear had pierced through the air and struck the spot where he had been standing. Looking up, Naruto saw a large man with paper wings on his back, staring down at him with malice.

"Finally, you brat!" the man shouted, his voice filled with anger and contempt. "How long did I have to wait for you to show up? Do you have any idea how much trouble I'm in because of you? But I'm a nice guy, so kill yourself now, or I'll make it painful."

Naruto looked up, unimpressed, his expression unreadable. "No, thank you," he muttered, preparing for the inevitable confrontation.

Simon's anger exploded as the paper around him transformed into sharp, deadly spears, launching toward Naruto with blinding speed. The sound of tearing paper filled the air as the projectiles streaked toward their target, their deadly edges gleaming under the sunlight.

Naruto's senses flared, and with a quick adjustment of his stance, he expertly dodged each spear, his movements a blur of calculated grace. The ground exploded beneath him as the spears impacted, leaving massive craters where they had struck. But Naruto didn't just evade the attacks; he retaliated by throwing several daggers at the airborne Simon, each one aimed with precision.

Simon flew effortlessly through the daggers, dodging them with ease, only to continue his relentless bombardment from above. His paper weapons surged through the air, creating a deadly storm of flying projectiles. The distance between them offered Naruto little room to maneuver.

"Damn, Logia really is cheating," Naruto muttered under his breath, frustration creeping into his voice. He kept running, trying to stay one step ahead of Simon's barrage, but he knew that a direct assault wouldn't work. He'd never reach the flying enemy before being overwhelmed.

A decision struck him like a bolt of lightning. Without hesitation, he changed direction and dove into the water below, knowing that while it was a temporary solution, it would buy him precious moments to rethink his strategy.

"Cowardly brat," Simon taunted, his voice carrying through the air. "Do you think this will save you?"

Naruto wasn't under any illusions. He couldn't hold his breath forever, and the longer the battle continued, the more it would affect him. His physical exertion would drain his strength, making him a sitting duck for Simon's next attack.

But Simon, thinking the battle had shifted in his favor, ceased his barrage for the moment, waiting for Naruto to surface. He wasn't worried about the water—it was just a game of patience, to Simon. "Come out, come out, wherever you are."

Naruto, feeling the pressure mounting, had already begun formulating a risky plan. I think taking risks is the only way, he mused, his mind sharpening as he mentally prepared himself.

Using the Air Walk technique, he propelled himself upward, running along the surface of the water, darting toward Simon. However, Simon had turned the sky into a deadly trap, covering it with layers of razor-sharp paper that left Naruto with no room to dodge. Realizing that evasion was futile, Naruto coated his armor with Armament Haki and, with a grimace, charged forward, powering through the explosions that erupted from Simon's paper bombardment.

Simon noticed Naruto's approach and quickly pulled back, using his paper to form an even greater barrier, but it was too late. Naruto unleashed Arachne, his cursed weapon, allowing the steel-like wires coated with Haki to stretch out and ensnare Simon in their deadly grip.

"GAHH!" Simon screamed as the wires dug into his flesh, tearing through his skin with brutal force. The wires wrapped around him, tightening as they dug deeper. He had become careless after his long stint of underestimating his enemies.

Naruto, seeing his chance, moved in swiftly, his armored hand raised to pierce Simon's body. But just as he was about to strike, Simon retaliated. With a desperate movement, he used the remaining paper to create a massive explosion around himself, catching Naruto off-guard.

BOOM!

The blast was deafening, sending Naruto hurtling into the water with the force of a tsunami. His massive weight caused him to sink quickly, and the water rushed around him as he descended deeper. His body, battered and injured, struggled to find stability, but Simon was left with minor cuts and some scorch marks from the earlier struggle.

"Damn," Simon grumbled, clutching his neck where the wires had left a jagged wound. "That kid's way stronger than before. He almost killed me with that little trick."

Naruto was barely conscious after the explosion. Dizziness and pain overwhelmed him, his vision blurred, but the voice of Arachne echoed through his mind, snapping him back to attention.

"Master, get up. It will be too dangerous if you stay down."

"Thanks, Arachne," Naruto communicated telepathically, though he felt the weight of his injuries bearing down on him. Without Arachne's support, he might have suffered even worse.

He was frustrated. Now, this guy will be even harder to handle, he thought, his mind racing as he sank deeper into the water. A plan slowly formed as he retrieved the Obelisk that had come loose from his back. It was an important tool, but he couldn't waste time trying to strategize now. He needed to act quickly.

It's time to fight like a ninja again, Naruto thought, a wicked grin curling beneath his helmet.

In an instant, he removed his armor, allowing Arachne to control it for the time being, and threw it toward the land with all his strength. The sound of armor crashing through the water echoed as it splashed onto the shore, creating an illusion that he was fleeing in that direction.

Simon, ever the impatient fighter, began blasting the armor with fury, believing he had cornered his prey. But Naruto used the opportunity to appear behind him, his blade coated in Haki, ready to slice through Simon's neck.

But Naruto's bloodlust surged, clouding his focus, and he struck too hastily. Simon, a veteran of many battles, instinctively dodged the deadly strike, narrowly avoiding the fatal blow. The blade grazed his neck, leaving a deep gash that began to bleed freely.

"damn!" Simon cursed as he scrambled to disperse his form, but Naruto was relentless. He hacked at Simon with both hands, each carrying a sword, forcing Simon into a defensive retreat.

Naruto's relentless assault began to take its toll on Simon. His paper defenses had been disrupted by Naruto's Haki-infused blades, and the veteran fighter was now bleeding from his neck. Panic began to set in, his body reacting to the sudden onslaught.

"You can die now!" Naruto screamed as he thrust both blades into Simon's abdomen with terrifying force. The impact was so powerful that both combatants were sent crashing into the island, creating a massive crater on impact.

The dust and debris swirled around the scene, but Naruto emerged from the smoke, dragging his broken body forward. He looked down at Simon's corpse, nearly cut in half from the force of his attack. His victory was hard-earned, but the toll on his body was undeniable.

Naruto's breathing was labored, his chest rising and falling with the effort. His body was broken from the explosion, internal bleeding causing sharp pain to shoot through him with every movement. Fractured bones and contusions weighed heavily on him.

Arachne, though damaged herself, slowly returned to Naruto's side, dragging the armor behind her. "Master, are you okay?" her worried voice rang in his mind, but Naruto didn't reply. Speaking hurt too much.

He pointed weakly at Simon's body, and Arachne understood. The cursed weapon was powered by blood and negative emotions, growing stronger with each battle. Simon's corpse, full of grudges and resentment, was perfect for aiding Arachne's evolution.

The cursed wires dug into Simon's body, and a dark, sinister aura enveloped the strings as they absorbed the blood and negative energy. Naruto could feel the weapon grow stronger, but the toll it took on him was immense. He was exhausted, drained beyond measure.

'Now what to do?' Naruto wondered, the weight of the situation sinking in. 'The warship is probably gone, and I can't move. I can't even rely on Arachne to help me here... Damn it, am I going to die again?'

He chuckled bitterly, but the laugh quickly turned into a painful cough as blood spilled from his mouth. "Haha... agh..." he wheezed, his body collapsing further.

Arachne's voice rang with urgency. "Master, please don't move. You need to rest."

Naruto's vision blurred, and he lost consciousness, allowing his body to relax and preserve what little strength he had left. He had fought hard, but now he was relying on nothing but luck. Maybe, just maybe, Hina would come for him in time.

But even that was uncertain. The world around him grew darker, and he knew that his fate was no longer in his own hands.