Naruto: Road to Death

Chapter 3: Test of Blood

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

The air in Kirigakure was thick with tension. In the distance, the dense mists that covered the village gave a feeling of isolation, as if the outside world didn't exist. But inside the academy, the students' hearts were beating hard. They all knew what was coming: The Test of Blood.

It was the final exam, the moment when the young ninjas of the village had to prove their worth. Only the strongest would survive, only the most ruthless would be considered true ninjas. Yuta had known this from the first day he had set foot in the academy. He had seen how other students talked in whispers about the exam, how their eyes shone with fear and ambition. It was a brutal rite that defined the character of Kirigakure, the "Village Hidden in the Mist," famous for its ruthless policy of survival.

Yuta, like everyone else, had trained since childhood, not only for the tradition of his village, but to protect those he cared about. But something had changed in him. He no longer fought only for himself. Now, he also fought for Naruko and Akane, the people closest to his heart, his adoptive family in the cold and ruthless village. He felt a new responsibility, a duty beyond the simple instinct of survival.

When the day of the test arrived, the students were divided into groups. The fog, which seemed even thicker that day, covered the combat fields. The young men were led to different strategic points, where they had to face each other. At the end of the test, only the most fit would remain to be called Kirigakure ninjas.

Yuta was assigned to a different group than his sister, which lit a spark of concern in his mind. Although he was a skilled ninja, with an impressive mastery of water jutsus, he knew that Naruko did not have the same physical prowess. However, her indomitable spirit had always been her greatest strength. The separation weighed on his mind, but he had to stay focused.

The first few fights were quick. Yuta, with the cool calm that characterized him, used his abilities to control water into mist, immobilizing his opponents before striking them down. Droplets of moisture gathered in the air, forming the perfect raw material for his jutsus. But as he moved forward, eliminating each enemy that crossed his path, one constant thought plagued him: Naruko.

As he disposed of another rival, he heard a murmur among the wounded and defeated students. "Naruko is in trouble. They have decided to hunt her down." His heart skipped a beat. His younger sister's face appeared in his mind, and the cold control he had always maintained began to crack.

Without a second thought, he abandoned his combat group, running through the dense fog. The sound of his breathing mixed with the distant echoes of other battles. The academy was a miniature war field, and each student was fighting for their life.

Finally, he reached the place where the blonde was. What he saw made his blood boil. She was cornered, injured and breathing heavily, but she had not given up a single step. Four students surrounded her, ready to finish her off. Naruko was not the strongest physically, but her gaze reflected a will that could not be broken. Still, Yuta knew he could not resist much longer.

"I will not leave you alone again!" he shouted, launching into combat without hesitation.

His voice was firm, imposing, and for a moment, the attackers faltered. But not enough. The battle that followed was fierce. Yuta moved with a speed the others could barely keep up with, his water jutsus flowing with deadly precision through the mist. Naruko, despite her injuries, fought at his side, coordinating with a natural fluidity. Every blow, every technique, was as if their souls were intertwined, fighting as one.

"I knew you would come," the blue-eyed girl said between gasps, cracking a smile amidst the chaos.

Yuta didn't answer, but his gaze said it all. He was there to protect her, to make sure she survived as well. Despite the brutality of the fight, he maintained his focus. The mist around them swirled, and every drop of water became an extension of his will. Naruko, though exhausted, stood firm at his side, throwing kunais and using her cunning to destabilize the opponents.

Finally, the last of his attackers fell. The battle was over, but the cost was high. The foster siblings were covered in wounds, exhausted both physically and mentally. Yet they had survived. Together.

But Yuta knew his decision would have consequences. In Kirigakure, interfering in another student's fight was considered a sign of weakness. The authorities would punish him, he knew that. Still, he didn't care. He looked at Naruko, and inAt that moment he understood that there was something more important than surviving in a cruel world: protecting those he loved.

When the test was over, Akane was waiting for them. Her gaze reflected pride and concern. She had seen the suffering that the village imposed on the young ninjas, but she also understood that it was the only way Kirigakure shaped them for war.

"They survived," she said with a mix of relief and regret, hugging them both.

Yuta* knew that the physical wounds would heal with time, but the emotional scars of having gone through the Blood Test would be permanent. However, he now had something that strengthened him: he was not alone.

As the days passed the boy reflected on his future. He had learned to survive in a cruel environment, but he had also discovered a new purpose. Together with Naruko and Akane, he promised himself that one day he would change Kirigakure. He wanted a future where children did not have to face such a merciless test to prove their worth.

For now, though, he kept training. Stronger every day, more determined every day. Because Yuta knew that the fate of Kirigakure was in his hands, and even if the path was dark, he would keep fighting, not just for himself, but for those he loved.

The fog of Kirigakure continued to cover the village, but he could see beyond it. He knew that his true test was not over, it had only just begun.

.

.

.

.