Published at 18th of September 2024 10:53 am

Chapter 110 Destiny's Vow: 3 Shadows in the Distance

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The night had deepened by the time Naruto finally made his way back home, his thoughts still swirling with uncertainty. Shikamaru’s words had helped, but they hadn’t brought him any closer to a decision. How could he commit to something so monumental when he barely understood what it meant? Being Hokage was something he had trained his whole life for, something he could grasp. But being a father? Raising a child to fight against forces like Mōryō? That was something else entirely.

As he entered his small apartment, Naruto collapsed onto his bed, staring up at the ceiling. He closed his eyes, hoping sleep would bring some clarity. But just as he was drifting off, a strange feeling began to settle in the pit of his stomach—a prickling sensation, like someone was watching him.

His eyes snapped open.

He shot up, his senses immediately on high alert. The room was quiet, too quiet. Naruto glanced around, but nothing seemed out of place. Still, the feeling persisted, growing stronger. Something was wrong.

Leaping from his bed, Naruto dashed to the window, throwing it open to peer out into the dark streets of Konoha. His sharp eyes scanned the area, but there was nothing—no sign of any threat. Yet the unsettling feeling didn’t go away.

“Could just be my nerves,” he muttered, trying to shake off the unease. But a part of him knew better. His instincts had been honed through years of combat, and they rarely failed him.

Without wasting any more time, Naruto threw on his jacket and headed out into the night, deciding to check on Shion. If something was lurking in the shadows, she might be the target. After all, she had been the focus of Mōryō’s malevolent forces before. Maybe there were still remnants of that darkness, lingering, waiting to strike when they least expected it.

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Meanwhile, Shion sat quietly in her guest quarters at the Hokage’s tower, meditating. The room was dimly lit by the soft glow of candles, their flickering light casting long shadows on the walls. She focused on her breathing, trying to calm her mind after the heavy conversation with Naruto. But something was off.

A cold shiver ran down her spine, pulling her out of her trance. She opened her eyes, her heart skipping a beat as she sensed an unfamiliar presence nearby. It was faint, but unmistakable—something dark, lurking just out of reach.

She stood up, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the room. Her training as a priestess had given her the ability to sense evil forces, and whatever she was feeling now carried the same oppressive aura that Mōryō once had. But how? Mōryō had been defeated. His soul was sealed away, his body destroyed.

Yet, the shadows in the room seemed to lengthen, twisting unnaturally.

A sudden gust of wind blew through the window, snuffing out the candles, plunging the room into darkness. Shion’s heart raced as she backed toward the wall, her senses heightened. Something was coming. She could feel it.

Before she could react, the door to her room burst open, and in a blur of motion, Naruto appeared, his hand glowing with chakra, ready for a fight.

“Shion!” he called out, scanning the room quickly. “Are you okay?”

She nodded, though her voice was shaky. “Naruto… I think something’s here. I can feel it.”

Naruto’s face hardened. “I knew it. I felt something weird earlier, too.” He turned, stepping further into the room, his eyes narrowing as he tried to pinpoint the source of the disturbance. “Stay close to me.”

The room was eerily silent, the air heavy with tension. Naruto extended his senses, searching for any sign of the threat. That’s when he saw it—just for a moment—a flicker of movement in the corner of his eye. A shadow, slipping through the cracks in the walls, shifting unnaturally.

“There!” Naruto shouted, launching a kunai infused with chakra toward the shadow. The weapon struck the wall, but the shadow melted away, reforming in another part of the room. It was elusive, almost like smoke, but there was something sinister about it.

“Damn it!” Naruto cursed, his frustration mounting. “What is that thing?”

Shion’s eyes widened as she recognized the energy emanating from the shadow. “Naruto… that’s no ordinary shadow. It feels like… like a fragment of Mōryō.”

Naruto’s blood ran cold. “But we defeated him. How can there still be a part of him left?”

Shion shook her head, her voice filled with uncertainty. “I don’t know, but if even a fragment of his power remains, it could still be dangerous.”

The shadow began to move more aggressively now, swirling around the room as if testing their defenses. Naruto braced himself, ready to protect Shion at all costs.

“We have to figure out how to stop it before it gets stronger,” he said, his tone serious. “If it’s connected to Mōryō, it could be a lot more dangerous than it looks.”

Shion nodded, stepping forward with a newfound determination. “Let me try something.”

She closed her eyes, drawing on her priestess abilities, her hands forming a series of seals. A soft glow emanated from her, filling the room with a warm, golden light. The shadow hissed in response, retreating slightly as if repelled by her power.

But it wasn’t enough. The shadow began to grow, its darkness thickening as it absorbed more of the ambient energy around it. Naruto gritted his teeth, realizing they were running out of time.

“Shion, it’s getting stronger!” he shouted.

“I know,” she replied, her voice strained as she pushed herself harder. “But I need more time!”

Naruto clenched his fists. He couldn’t just stand by and watch. He had to do something. His mind raced as he tried to think of a way to fight something that was practically formless.

Then, an idea struck him.

“I’ll buy you some time,” he said, stepping forward with determination.

Before Shion could protest, Naruto formed a series of hand seals, summoning a massive amount of chakra. With a loud battle cry, he released a barrage of shadow clones, each one charging at the dark entity with a Rasengan in hand.

The clones attacked in waves, their Rasengans slamming into the shadow. The sheer force of the assault caused the room to shake, and for a moment, it seemed like Naruto was overwhelming the dark presence.

But the shadow was resilient. It absorbed the chakra attacks, growing larger with each hit. The clones were dispelled one by one, until only the original Naruto remained.

Panting heavily, Naruto realized the shadow wasn’t just growing—it was feeding off their energy. He needed to change tactics, and fast.

“Shion, I’m running out of ideas here!” he called out, trying to think of a way to disrupt the entity without giving it more power.

Shion’s eyes snapped open, her face pale from the strain of holding back the dark force. “Naruto, I think I know how to stop it. But I’ll need your help. We have to seal it, just like we did with Mōryō.”

Naruto nodded. “Okay, tell me what to do.”

Shion began to chant, her voice growing louder as she drew more power from within herself. A glowing circle of light formed beneath them, the ancient symbols of her priestess lineage shining brightly. The shadow recoiled, sensing the imminent threat.

“I’ll create the barrier,” Shion said, her voice steady despite the chaos around them. “You have to channel your chakra into it to strengthen the seal.”

Naruto didn’t hesitate. He placed his hands on the ground, focusing all his remaining chakra into the glowing circle. His energy intertwined with Shion’s, and together, their combined power surged through the room.

The shadow let out a piercing screech as the light surrounded it, binding it within the barrier. It thrashed violently, trying to escape, but the seal held strong.

For a moment, everything was still. Then, with one final burst of light, the shadow was gone, sealed away.

Naruto collapsed onto his knees, breathing heavily. “Is it… over?”

Shion nodded, though she looked just as exhausted. “For now. But that was only a fragment of Mōryō’s power. There could be more out there.”

Naruto frowned, wiping the sweat from his brow. “So, we’re not done yet?”

Shion shook her head, her expression grim. “No. We’ll need to find the other fragments and seal them before they regain their full strength.”

Naruto clenched his fists. Just when he thought the battle was over, a new threat had emerged. But this time, it wasn’t just a fight for the future—it was a fight for something even more personal.

And Naruto wasn’t going to back down.

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