The King Of Fighters

Naruto couldn't help but notice the way Poison carried herself—every movement she made was deliberate and calculated, as if she were dancing rather than fighting. There was an undeniable sensuality in her posture, the way her body swayed with each step, and her eyes were calculating, looking for any opportunity to exploit a weakness. To the untrained eye, she might have appeared as nothing more than a seductress playing games with her enemies, but Naruto saw beyond that.

'She's definitely using her beauty to distract, but there's more to her than just that. She's very ninja-like in her approach. Her focus is sharp,' Naruto thought, his eyes narrowing slightly as he observed her. Poison was no mere street thug. Her body language screamed that she was well aware of her surroundings, ready to strike at any moment with deadly precision.

"You must be Poison, I apologize but I need to take you down," Naruto said evenly, his voice confident but not taunting. There was no malice in his words, just a cold, determined clarity. He wasn't here to make enemies; he was here to do what he had to do. The Mad Gear gang had risen to prominence through violence and fear, and Naruto wasn't going to let them grow any stronger.

Poison tilted her head slightly, her lips curling into a sly smile. There was no anger in her expression—just amusement. "I don't think we have any hatred between us," she purred, her voice sweet and almost musical. She took a step closer to him, her presence overwhelming. "Why don't you join us? I'll make you a core member. You'd fit right in with the power we have here."

Her voice had a kind of allure, the way it slipped through the air like silk. It was the kind of voice that could melt a weaker man's heart, turning his resolve into mush. But Naruto was no such man. His will was strong, forged through years of hardship and battle. There was no temptation for him in her words. Poison had thrown her bait, but it had no effect on him.

'I didn't even flinch. She must be frustrated,' Naruto thought, slightly amused by the situation. This wasn't the first time a woman had tried to use her charm to sway him, and it certainly wouldn't be the last. What was different here, though, was the skill in her movements. Poison wasn't just a pretty face—she was dangerous.

Poison's expression shifted slightly, her eyes narrowing in surprise. "Weird," she muttered under her breath. "He didn't even show a reaction." If Poison had met Ryu or Akuma before, she would have realized that Naruto shared a similar kind of calm—unshakable and unwavering. But even so, she was intrigued. There was something about him that didn't fit the usual mold of people who crossed her path.

"I don't work for villains," Naruto said with unwavering confidence, his eyes meeting hers. He wasn't here to be swayed or cajoled; he had a job to do, and he intended to finish it. But even as he said that, his mind was already working, analyzing her. Poison wasn't a true threat—not yet, anyway—but she could serve as inspiration for something more.

Before Poison could respond, her sister, Roxy, spoke up. "Hey sis, did your voice become weaker or is the guy a machine?" Roxy said, standing beside Poison, twirling a metal bat in her hands. The weapon was almost an extension of her, as familiar to her as Poison's whip was to her. The playful mockery in her voice was enough to suggest that she didn't take Naruto seriously.

Naruto smirked, but he didn't take his eyes off Poison. He didn't flinch when Roxy spoke, his mind still focused on the task at hand. He needed to test Poison's reactions, see how she would move in a fight. If she was really as agile and skilled as the rumors suggested, then he'd be able to gauge the kind of opponent she was.

Without warning, Naruto reached down and picked up a small pebble from the ground. He flicked it into the air, sending it hurtling toward Poison at near Mach 1 speeds. The small projectile zipped through the air faster than the eye could track, but Poison was already moving.

In a swift and fluid motion, Poison whipped her chain from around her waist and flicked it toward the pebble. Her whip snapped through the air with lightning speed, and the pebble ricocheted off the metal with a resounding clang. Even as she attacked, her movements remained strangely sensual, almost hypnotic. The way her body flowed as she executed the attack was so fluid that it could almost be mistaken for a dance.

Naruto's gaze hardened for a moment, impressed by her reaction time and the elegance of her movements. 'Impressive, but predictable. She's using her body's natural grace as a weapon, distracting me with her sensuality. But it's still just a distraction.'

Poison smiled again, clearly satisfied with her counter. "Won't you consider it?" she asked, her voice turning sweet again. "We're not so bad. You'd fit in well here. You could be one of us."

She could already sense that the fight was going in a direction that wasn't in her favor. This was no ordinary opponent. The way Naruto had dispatched her underlings earlier, how relaxed he remained, screamed to her that she was facing someone with a depth of experience she had never encountered before.

Naruto's posture remained unchanged. He wasn't distracted by her charm, and he wasn't in a hurry. He was calm, focused, and ready to face whatever she threw at him. In fact, he welcomed the challenge. There was no anger in him, no eagerness to defeat her. It was just a test, a chance to see how much she had grown and what techniques she might possess.

And for the first time in a long while, Poison felt the unmistakable thrill of facing a true challenge.

The tension in the air was palpable as the two sides faced off. On one end stood Naruto, relaxed and confident, while across from him stood the Mad Gear gang, ready to unleash their coordinated assault. Rolento was the first to make his move, a flash of motion as he drew a gun from his side and aimed it at Naruto. Without hesitation, he pulled the trigger, unleashing a barrage of bullets.

The sound of gunfire rang out, but to everyone's surprise, Naruto didn't flinch. The bullets struck his body with a dull thud, but they did no damage. They simply bounced off and fell to the ground, as if his body was made of stone. His muscular frame, honed through years of rigorous training, absorbed the impact with ease.

As Rolento discarded the now-empty gun, he tossed a handful of grenades toward Naruto. The explosive devices detonated around him, filling the air with violent blasts of fire and debris. But again, Naruto stood firm, taking the full brunt of the explosions without a scratch. His posture remained unchanged, showing no signs of distress.

'This is a test,' Naruto thought, his mind focused. 'I need to understand the power of their attacks. How dangerous are they really?'

The explosion's force had no effect on his body, and while some of the debris hit him, it barely caused a ripple. As the smoke cleared, Naruto calmly surveyed his surroundings.

Before Poison could respond, her whip lashed out from her waist, targeting Naruto's right arm. She used the full force of her enhanced strength to pull him toward her, leveraging the momentum to slam him into the air.

Naruto didn't resist the pull, instead choosing to let himself be dragged toward the giants, Abigail and Hugo, who were waiting for him. As the two massive figures closed in, their bodies rippling with strength, they unleashed a twin lariat, their enhanced muscle mass sending a shockwave through the ground. The impact of their massive arms collided with Naruto's chest with the force of a tank.

Naruto's body jerked violently from the force, and for a moment, it felt as if even his sturdy frame might buckle under the attack. But he quickly steadied himself, feeling the impact resonate in his chest but finding that it wasn't enough to break him. It wasn't enough to defeat him.

The next attack came swiftly as Roxy, Poison's twin sister, appeared behind Naruto, swinging a metal bat reinforced with her Ki-enhanced body. The bat made a sharp crack as it collided with Naruto's head, sending him flying through the air. But Naruto was already ready for the follow-up. He tucked his chin and braced himself, spinning in mid-air and landing deftly on his feet.

Before he could even react, Sodom was on him, spinning in a rapid motion with his jitte raised high. The sharp weapons gleamed as they cut through the air toward Naruto, aimed at his chest. But Naruto's instincts kicked in, and he twisted his body just enough to evade the first strike, though Sodom's jitte grazed his arm, leaving a light cut in its wake.

Naruto didn't flinch. He was too focused on the overwhelming power of their team-based strategy. It was clear that these fighters knew how to work together seamlessly. Each of them was a highly trained fighter in their own right, and their combination of brute force, speed, and precision made them formidable opponents. The Mad Gear gang wasn't just a street gang—they were a team of elite fighters who had faced and survived battles against some of the world's most dangerous warriors, like Cody, Guy, Terry Bogard, and even Ryu.

But despite their strength and teamwork, Naruto's durability was his greatest asset. The physical force they unleashed wasn't enough to harm him—not yet, anyway. It reminded him of his time preparing for the Chunin Exams, when he trained tirelessly to improve his endurance and strength. But now, in a real fight, his experience had outpaced his former self. His body was a shield, and the attacks that would have shattered him in the past barely even registered.

Yet Naruto couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness. He realized something as he fought: These criminals, these outlaws, had better teamwork than my own team. His thoughts drifted for a moment to his own comrades—Sasuke, Sakura, Kakashi—but it was undeniable that his team's coordination lacked the smoothness of the Mad Gear gang's.

His strength was unmatched, but it wasn't just raw power that won battles. Teamwork, strategy, and cooperation were equally important. Even as his mind raced, he acknowledged that if he had a team as cohesive as theirs, the battles he fought would be even easier.

'It's something I need to work on,' Naruto thought. His thoughts were clear, focused, but there was a hint of longing in them. He'd trained for years to hone his individual abilities, but seeing the Mad Gear gang in action, working together as one fluid unit, made him realize that there was still much to learn.

And with that realization, the fight was far from over. Poison, Roxy, Abigail, Hugo, Sodom, and Rolento were still ready to test him, but Naruto was equally prepared. This wasn't just a battle of strength—it was a test of his growth, of his own potential. And no matter how much they threw at him, he was determined to keep rising to the challenge.

The battle continued as the air crackled with tension, yet Naruto remained unfazed by the escalating attacks from the Mad Gear gang. As Sodom's jitte slammed into him, Naruto's body barely flinched. The weapon, although strong, couldn't pierce his hardened skin, and the impact itself only felt like a mild tap. Naruto's chakra surged outward instinctively, creating a shockwave that sent Sodom flying away.

As Sodom tried to recover, Naruto moved with fluid precision, pushing off the ground and slamming into his opponent mid-air. With his arms crossed in an 'X' shape, Naruto's fist connected squarely with Sodom's abdomen before he had a chance to react. The force of the blow was enough to send Sodom hurtling across the battlefield and into the water nearby, skimming across its surface like a stone. The attack wasn't fatal, and Sodom hadn't fought back with full force, but the damage was enough to show that Naruto wasn't holding back entirely. He was allowing his opponents the opportunity to strike, trying to learn more about their tactics and improve his own skills in the process.

"This isn't even a real battle," Naruto thought, glancing at the gang as they regrouped. It was clear to him that his combat abilities outstripped their own. With his superior stats, he could end the fight with a Rasengan, but Naruto had no intention of making it that easy. He wasn't interested in a quick, one-sided victory. For him, this was a chance to test his techniques and grow stronger, not to dominate with raw power.

Naruto knew that if he were to fight six opponents of equal strength, it would be much more challenging, and even then, he wouldn't rely on his overwhelming chakra reserves alone. While his taijutsu might not be the best in Konoha, his fighting experience and physical conditioning made him a formidable opponent, one who could withstand almost any attack. His persistence, stamina, and endurance had been forged in countless battles, each one making him more resilient.

Roxy, her eyes widening in disbelief, turned to Poison and muttered, "Sis, look at this guy. He took everything we threw at him without even a scratch." Her voice held a hint of unease, the realization settling in that they were facing someone far beyond their level.

Poison, typically calm and collected, was also taken aback. She had seen strong opponents before, but Naruto was different. He didn't even flinch, not even when their best efforts were directed at him. His relaxed stance suggested a level of control and strength that they couldn't begin to fathom.

"Ki enhancement, or maybe high-level ki control...?" Poison muttered under her breath. She was unsure, but she knew something was off. The way Naruto was hiding his chakra made it almost impossible to track. To an ordinary sensor, his energy would have been undetectable, but someone with a keen sense could tell he was holding back a significant amount of power.

Naruto's understanding of chakra and ki was far more refined than most. His control over both was a constant struggle, especially early on. He had struggled with chakra control for years, but through rigorous training and sheer determination, he had gradually overcome his limitations. It was this precise control that allowed him to wield vast amounts of chakra without draining himself too quickly or overwhelming his body. This was why he focused not just on his reserves, but on his ability to mold and manipulate energy with finesse.

"Fight without worry," Naruto called out, his voice casual yet filled with determination. He smiled warmly, his friendly demeanor contrasting with the chaos of the battle. "I just want to spar a little. I won't go too far or endanger your lives."

As he spoke, he shrugged off his orange jacket, revealing the black shirt underneath with the signature orange spiral emblem. His orange pants and ninja sandals completed the outfit, his necklace resting casually around his neck. His relaxed posture belied the power he was capable of unleashing, and yet there was something inviting in his tone.

Roxy, standing alongside Poison, shot a glance at her sister. The two were clearly trying to read the situation. They knew that Naruto wasn't about to go easy on them, but his words seemed genuine. Yet, there was an edge to them—one that hinted at the seriousness beneath the easygoing exterior.

"Are you really going to hurt us, though?" Roxy asked, her voice dripping with mock innocence as she embraced Poison in a seductive pose. Her body language oozed confidence, a tactic they often used to destabilize opponents. "We're just fragile maidens, after all."

Naruto's eyes didn't waver. He had seen it all before—the temptations, the distractions—but his resolve was unwavering. He had learned from his past mistakes, and he wasn't going to fall for the same tricks again.

"Apologies, ladies," Naruto said with a chuckle, his grin widening. "But I'm no gentleman." His voice carried an easy confidence, and as he stretched his arm, his focus sharpened once more. The playful tone hid the deadly force that he was capable of unleashing at any moment.

The gang understood that they were facing an opponent unlike any they had ever encountered. Naruto wasn't just strong—he was strategic, calculating, and capable of turning the tide of the battle with a single move. Despite their collective strength and teamwork, they knew this wasn't a fight they could win easily. It would take everything they had to even challenge him.

Naruto's response to Roxy's seductive taunt was calm and unflinching, his tone playful yet carrying a clear warning. "Well no, I don't really have any proof of your actions, so I'm just here to show you the consequences of those actions." His words, though lighthearted, held an ominous edge. To an outsider, his smile might have seemed like a gesture of goodwill, but to those who knew the stakes, it was a subtle reminder of the violence he could unleash.

Roxy, in her usual confident manner, responded with a provocative question. "You're going to harm us? Don't you feel sorry for hurting such fragile maidens?" she asked, her words dripping with seduction as she embraced Poison, her body language dangerously enticing. The aura of confidence they projected was enough to destabilize anyone with less willpower, but Naruto remained stoic, unaffected by their attempts to manipulate him. His past experiences had taught him to remain vigilant.

He wasn't about to make the same mistake again—after all, he had learned the hard way how dangerous it was to let his guard down, particularly when dealing with such tricks. His thoughts briefly flashed to the time when he had almost died from chakra being drained by a woman's seductive charm—his first kiss, of all things. It was a painful memory, one that kept him grounded.

"Apologies, ladies, but I'm no gentleman," Naruto chuckled, his voice filled with a playful defiance as he began to move forward, his hand outstretched.

Before he could make his next move, however, the gang's counterattack was swift. Hugo and Abigail charged at him, forcing him to dodge their strikes. Rolento, not one to be outdone, used his staff in an attempt to sweep Naruto's legs. With agility honed from years of combat, Naruto effortlessly leapt into the air, his body moving fluidly as he landed a powerful kick to both Hugo and Abigail, sending them crashing to the ground.

But Poison wasn't about to let him off that easily. Her whip lashed out, grabbing hold of his left leg. However, Naruto had anticipated this and spun, using his enhanced body to prevent her from pulling him away. With a quick shift, Poison used the force of his movement to slide on the ground, aiming for his head with a well-placed heel strike.

Her aim was precise, targeting the area just above his eye, but Naruto's instincts kicked in at the last moment, causing him to dodge slightly. Despite his best efforts, Poison's heel connected with his forehead, breaking the skin and causing blood to trickle down. The force was enough to momentarily throw him off balance, but Naruto quickly righted himself, pushing against the bat that came swinging at him.

Before he could fully recover, Roxy moved in, her senses linked with Poison's in a near telepathic connection. Rolento followed suit, launched by Hugo into the fray. Seeing the incoming attack, Naruto jumped to the side, narrowly avoiding Roxy's strike. He blocked Rolento's staff with his forearms, but the force of the blow still rang through him. Reacting swiftly, Naruto seized Rolento by the arm and yanked, popping the man's shoulder out of its socket. Rolento, refusing to scream, was sent hurtling to the ground, where Naruto's foot connected with his face, sending him flying in a spectacularly brutal fashion.

"Boom," the sound of Rolento's body crashing to the ground echoed, signaling his removal from the fight. Sodom had returned, but it didn't seem to matter. Naruto was learning quickly, adapting to the movements of his opponents and fine-tuning his chakra control. His body was different now, stronger but slower than he was used to, a condition he had to adjust to before facing a truly dangerous battle.

On the other side, the gang was starting to realize the gravity of the situation. Poison, now eyeing Naruto with renewed caution, recognized that they were in over their heads. Despite their combined efforts, Naruto remained undamaged, and even though Abigail and Hugo might be able to land a powerful hit if they coordinated their attacks, it wasn't a guarantee. He had been playing with them so far, but now they were seeing the real challenge in front of them.

"Who are you?" Poison asked, her voice laced with genuine concern. "Why did you target us specifically?"

Naruto wiped the blood from his forehead, revealing his unscathed skin. "Naruto Uzumaki, The Sixth Hokage," he answered, his voice light but filled with intent. "I targeted you because someone asked me to do so, and I need some live practice. Is that good enough, or do you have more questions?"

His playful attitude masked the seriousness of the situation, as his chakra began to adjust instinctively. Despite his seemingly laid-back demeanor, Naruto was fully aware of the stakes. His healing factor, while not as powerful as it once was with Kurama's chakra, still allowed him to recover quickly from minor injuries like broken skin or bruises. It wasn't enough to regenerate whole limbs, but it was more than sufficient to keep him in the fight.

The gang had underestimated him, and now they were beginning to understand just how dangerous this confrontation had become.

The title "Sixth Fire Shadow" was unfamiliar to Poison. She had traveled extensively and met many powerful figures, but she had never encountered this specific title before. She couldn't place it, but that didn't concern her too much. The situation at hand was what mattered now. Their team had been bested, and it seemed the only viable option was to yield.

"We give up. We will obey the laws and take you as our boss. You are stronger than us and still very young. You wouldn't mind having us for subordinates for minor tasks?" Poison proposed, her voice calm, almost resigned. She and her group had been thoroughly outclassed by Naruto's sheer power, and she could sense that there was little hope left for them to turn the tide. The others, including Roxy, remained silent, their faces reflecting a mix of respect and understanding—this was no longer a battle they could win.

Naruto paused, surprised by the sudden shift in Poison's demeanor. He had expected an apology or a vow of obedience, but the suggestion to become his subordinates was entirely unexpected. It was a bold move, one that seemed both pragmatic and strategic. They weren't begging for mercy or making excuses. They were simply acknowledging their defeat and proposing a new path forward.

Looking at the two women kneeling before him, Naruto studied them carefully. There was no malice in their posture, no hidden tricks in their actions. They had genuinely given up, at least for now. It was an interesting situation—one that he hadn't expected. The gang of powerful individuals, who had initially seemed intent on fighting to the bitter end, were now offering to serve under him, likely with hopes of gaining strength and favor in the process.

"I will still use you as sparring partners, though," Naruto said, his voice light and casual, though his words carried an unspoken authority. He wasn't the type to allow anyone to simply submit to him without understanding the terms of that submission.

"We don't mind. Battles help us grow, and fighting you, Boss, will definitely give us a boost," Roxy answered, her voice confident and eager. The word "Boss" seemed to roll off her tongue easily, and Naruto noticed how the two women's body language shifted, no longer presenting themselves as enemies but as subordinates seeking a chance to grow.

Naruto tilted his head slightly, considering her words. He wasn't completely sold on the idea yet, but it wasn't a terrible offer either. Having skilled individuals to spar with could only help him refine his own abilities. Moreover, the idea of leadership wasn't new to him. After all, he was already the Hokage, and this could be good practice for managing others on a more personal level.

"Fine, I accept," he said, though he was careful to set clear boundaries. "But this will be different from what you expected. I will carve a seal on your bodies that will allow me to track your exact location."

Poison's eyes widened as the implications of his words sank in. The thought of a seal that could track their movements was chilling. It meant they could never escape Naruto, not if he chose to pursue them. There would be no running from his reach, no matter how far they traveled.

However, Poison wasn't deterred. She saw this as an opportunity—a chance to grow stronger under the tutelage of someone as powerful as Naruto. With his strength and youth, they could push past their limits, grow beyond their peak, and achieve power without fearing for their lives. He might not allow them to engage in illegal activities, but they could still guide him in subtle ways to help him gather the strength they all desired.

"We accept, Boss. I will never betray your trust and will serve you morning and night," Poison responded, her words dripping with a sensual undertone. Naruto, ever aware of the implications of such phrases, couldn't help but take a deep breath to steady himself. He wasn't blind to the subtle suggestiveness in her tone, and while he wasn't naïve, he didn't have time to indulge in such distractions.

"There won't be a need for that," he said, shaking his head, trying to focus on the task at hand. He gestured toward the two giants—Hugo and Abigail. "For now, let's continue. You two, come at me with full power."

Poison nodded to her comrades, and the two giants immediately rushed forward, their massive bodies charging with intensity. They moved in tandem, their Ki cladding their fists and amplifying the power behind their strikes. Naruto could feel the pressure of their approach—the power building between them as they closed the gap.

Naruto didn't move, waiting for the right moment. As the first giant's fist came within range, he pushed his chakra outward in a burst, clashing his smaller fists against their much larger ones. The impact was enormous, and Naruto's bones groaned under the strain. His hand bled as the veins in his arm burst from the sheer force of the collision. His muscles screamed, but he gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stay grounded. He had tried a technique similar to what Tsunade and Sakura used—the power-enhancing technique that allowed a smaller frame to hit far harder than it naturally could.

It was a dangerous technique. If he wasn't careful, his body could tear itself apart. But he had control over it, and though the pain from the shattered bones was sharp, it wasn't enough to disable him.

"Damn," Naruto muttered through clenched teeth, his hand bleeding from the exertion, but he held his position, eyes narrowing as he maintained his focus. Despite the damage to his hand, he was still standing.

As the two giants were sent flying, crashing into crates in the nearby warehouse, Naruto looked down at his injured hand. The blood was already beginning to clot, his Uzumaki healing factor working swiftly to restore him. The technique was still a work in progress, and even though he had trained with it, he was far from mastering it.

Looking up, Naruto took stock of his surroundings. His sparring partners were down, but there was still much to learn from the encounter. For now, the lesson was clear: power was one thing, but control and technique were just as important.

Naruto's smile lingered for a moment, a sense of satisfaction from the workout he had just completed, when he suddenly stopped mid-turn. His gaze shifted, narrowing slightly as something—or rather, someone—caught his attention. Poison and Roxy, who had been watching him closely, turned around as well, their expressions flickering with confusion and curiosity.

Through the wreckage, a figure emerged, walking with a languid, almost disinterested pace. The girl wore a black and red dress, the Gothic design making her presence immediately striking. Her red eyes glinted with a hint of something otherworldly, a sharp contrast against the starkness of her black hair. As she stepped forward, her outfit and features grew more defined—the flowing black dress, adorned with red accents, billowed lightly as she moved. But what truly captured their attention were the horns protruding from the sides of her head, a striking red that stood out against her dark hair.

The most remarkable thing about her appearance was the black tattoo that spiraled down her back, stopping just between her shoulder blades. It was intricate, almost like a living mark, seeming to pulse slightly with dark energy. The tattoos were the first clue that she was no ordinary person. She muttered under her breath, a tone of sleepiness hanging in her voice.

"So sleepy, how long has it been?" The girl mumbled, her voice soft but carrying a strange weight to it, as though the words themselves were somehow imbued with power. Poison and Roxy, still processing the situation, couldn't tear their gaze away from the girl's horns.

'She is not human, what is she?' Poison thought, her heart picking up pace as she noted the resemblance to something more dangerous. The horns weren't a simple accessory. The feeling of dread in the air grew palpable.

Roxy's voice was barely above a whisper, but it was filled with fear. "It's the devil." Her words were almost an instinctive response to the overwhelming aura the girl radiated. Poison couldn't help but agree. The presence of the red horns triggered memories of legends—of Jin Kazama, the Devil of the battlefield, a figure shrouded in darkness and chaos, known for his black horns and destructive power.

Naruto, however, didn't seem to react as strongly as the others. His posture remained neutral, although his eyes tracked the girl with interest. He had seen plenty of strange individuals, and his experiences had taught him not to jump to conclusions. But even so, he couldn't ignore the unsettling energy emanating from her. Something about her felt dangerous, like she was more than just a mere human. The idea of her being some form of demon crossed his mind, but he didn't give it voice just yet.

The girl seemed oblivious to the tension in the air, her movements languid as though she hadn't noticed the destruction around her. As she approached, her red eyes scanned the group, eventually landing on Naruto. There was a flicker of recognition in her gaze, but it quickly faded.

Naruto's expression shifted slightly. He had learned not to trust appearances, especially when it came to creatures that were more than they seemed. But this wasn't a fight he was prepared to start, not yet. Instead, he tilted his head slightly, his voice calm, yet carrying the weight of authority.

"So, who are you?" Naruto asked, his tone both curious and cautious.