SWNOVELXO Chapter 16: Chapter 16
The siblings had spent three eventful hours together, indulging in a series of lighthearted activities. They had caught a movie, gone shopping for clothes and accessories, grabbed some snacks, and ended their day at a secluded beach. The evening was supposed to conclude on a peaceful note, but their luck took a sudden turn for the worse.
The two thugs Jazz had beaten earlier had returned, now reinforced by a group of their companions. The men took advantage of the deserted stretch of the beach, ensuring there would be no witnesses to their actions.
Jazz's sharp instincts kicked in as they realized they were surrounded. She stepped protectively in front of Naruto. "Danny, you run. I'll hold them off and make a way for you." Her voice was firm, her decision resolute. Even in the face of danger, Jazz prioritized her brother's safety.
But Naruto wasn't Danny. He understood the situation better than she realized. Leaving her to fight alone wasn't an option, and he knew that running would only lead to both of them being caught. Gently, he placed a hand on her waist, pulling her behind him.
"Relax. I'll handle this," he said calmly, stepping forward.
The thugs barely had time to react as Naruto acted. With a sharp kick to the sand, he created a brief distraction and surged forward. His movements were calculated and efficient, striking with precision. Each palm strike landed directly on their chests, targeting their hearts. One by one, the men dropped to the ground, their bodies convulsing as they went into cardiac shock.
The group lay sprawled on the sand, their eyes wide with fear and pain. Though Naruto had incapacitated them, he ensured the strikes wouldn't cause lasting harm. He channeled chakra into his hands, stabilizing their conditions enough to avoid long-term consequences. Healing them took effort, but Naruto wanted to send a clear message without resorting to lethal force.
He crouched near the leader, slipping a card into the man's shirt pocket. "This is your warning. There won't be a next time," he whispered, his tone low and final.
Jazz stood frozen, her jaw slack as she processed the scene. Her little brother—no, the person in front of her didn't seem like the Danny she remembered. He had just taken down ten men with surgical precision, without breaking a sweat or taking a single hit.
Naruto turned to her, his expression softening. Pulling her into a tight embrace, he murmured, "Everything's all right now."
The gesture and his words reassured her, but Jazz couldn't shake the image of his strength and composure. In that moment, a new impression of her brother was carved into her memory—a figure of quiet heroism, someone capable of protecting her when needed.
As they walked back to where the bike was parked, Jazz gave him a small smile. "Today was... a wonderful day," she said, her tone tinged with both surprise and admiration.
She had learned more than she expected—not just about him, but about how men thought, how they carried themselves, and how to read their intentions through body language. Jazz couldn't help but feel proud. Danny wasn't wasting away as she had feared; he was growing into someone remarkable.
Naruto grinned, breaking the serious mood. "Shouldn't a perfect date end with a kiss from the princess?" His teasing tone made Jazz roll her eyes.
"Hmph. In your dreams," she muttered, stepping closer and planting a light kiss on his forehead.
Naruto chuckled. "It'll do."
Jazz shook her head, still trying to reconcile this new side of him. She made her way home, leaving Naruto to ride off toward his base. There was still work to be done, and Danny remained occupied with absorbing the memories and knowledge Naruto had left for him.
On the way back, Naruto's sharp eyes caught sight of a familiar face. Star, a girl from Danny's school, was being led away by an unfamiliar man. Something about the situation felt off—her body language was tense, her movements reluctant.
Naruto tightened his grip on the handlebars. Danny, it's time for some heroism.
Danny sat in silence, his body trembling uncontrollably. The echoes of pain and fear still coursed through him, leaving him hollow and exhausted. His sobs broke the stillness of the room, each one a reminder of the lesson he had learned the hard way.
Naruto's unforgiving wrath in the face of failure was a revelation, a force beyond anything Danny had experienced. The cruelty of the punishment had imprinted itself deep into his soul. Even as the thought of hating Naruto crossed his mind, his heart clenched, the mere notion filling him with panic.
"I can't fail again. I can't fail again," Danny muttered under his breath, his voice trembling. The mantra became his anchor, a desperate attempt to stave off the crushing fear. His teeth chattered uncontrollably, and no amount of effort could steady them.
His misery didn't matter now. The only thing that occupied Danny's mind was the next task. The fear of failure consumed him, pushing away every other thought. The memory of the overwhelming pain was so vivid that the idea of dying didn't seem as terrifying in comparison.
After what felt like an eternity, Danny pushed himself up, his legs wobbling beneath him. He blinked, and the world shifted abruptly.
Suddenly, he was no longer himself. Instead, he found himself inhabiting Naruto's body, walking the streets of a younger Konoha. The sights, sounds, and feelings were alien yet painfully real. Danny's mind reeled as he adjusted to the frail, undernourished body he now inhabited. A wave of unfamiliar sensations hit him all at once—weakness, hunger, and a bone-deep fear that seemed inescapable.
The streets of Konoha were alive with activity, but the people around him didn't seem welcoming. On the contrary, their gazes were filled with disdain, fear, or outright hatred. Danny flinched instinctively under their scrutiny, each glance like a dagger piercing through him. His small hands trembled as he clung to the shadows, avoiding attention.
The gnawing hunger in his stomach became unbearable. Naruto's body moved on its own, guided by years of survival instinct. Danny found himself digging through a dumpster, searching desperately for scraps of food. The smell was revolting, the contents unrecognizable, but hunger left no room for dignity or hesitation.
Danny's heart ached as he witnessed this. He had never imagined the fearless, seemingly invincible Naruto could have lived like this. The weight of the cruelty that Naruto endured pressed down on him. The adults who passed by either ignored the scene or watched with thinly veiled disdain. Not a single hand reached out to help.
Then, a glimmer of hope. Out of the sea of indifference came a man, plump and kind-faced, who stopped in front of Naruto. The man crouched down and extended a hand, inviting the boy to follow. Danny felt a spark of warmth as Naruto, hesitant at first, was led to a small ramen stand.
The first taste of the warm, freshly prepared ramen was transformative. The hunger, the fear, the pain—they all seemed to melt away, replaced by a flood of relief and gratitude. Danny felt tears welling up as he watched Naruto devour the food like a starving animal, tears streaming down the boy's face as he ate.
Danny couldn't hold back his own emotions. Tears poured freely as he experienced the overwhelming gratitude and happiness radiating from Naruto. The contrast between the despair of moments earlier and this fleeting act of kindness was stark, yet it was enough to light a fire of hope in the young boy.
As Danny watched, he felt a deep sense of shame for the life he had taken for granted. Compared to this, his struggles seemed trivial. The hardships Naruto had endured, and the strength it must have taken to rise above them, left him humbled. It wasn't just a memory—it was a lesson.
The scene shifted once more, and Danny found himself witnessing another pivotal moment in Naruto's life. It was Naruto's graduation day, a day that should have been filled with pride and celebration. But for Naruto, it was another crushing failure. He sat alone on the swing outside the academy, a stark contrast to the joyful children and proud parents around him.
Danny felt the whispers like daggers piercing his heart.
"It's good that monster didn't pass."
"Yeah, I can never understand why Hokage-sama allows this scum to interact with our children."
Each word was laced with malice and disdain, and Danny could feel the weight of their hatred pressing down on Naruto's young heart. The pain was suffocating, an unbearable blend of rejection, despair, and loneliness. Danny's chest ached as he experienced the depth of Naruto's sorrow, his dreams crumbling before him.
Just when it seemed like Naruto might give in to the pain, a new scene unfolded. A suspicious figure approached Naruto with a friendly demeanor, offering him a glimmer of hope in the form of praise and an opportunity. Danny, watching from the perspective of hindsight, immediately recognized the danger. It wasn't hope—it was manipulation. But for Naruto, starved for acknowledgment and desperate for a chance to prove himself, it was enough to follow.
Danny watched as the events played out. Naruto was deceived into stealing the forbidden scroll, a trap orchestrated by Mizuki. What followed was a life-or-death confrontation. Danny saw the fear, the struggle, and ultimately the courage as Naruto fought to protect Iruka-sensei, the one person who had truly acknowledged him.
The moment was transformative for Danny. He saw Naruto, battered and bruised, stand tall against Mizuki. The determination in his young master's eyes, the resolve to protect those he cared about despite the odds, left a lasting impression. Iruka's unwavering faith in Naruto, even as he shielded him from Mizuki's attack, deepened Danny's respect for the bond they shared.
'Getting hated for something you had no control over. How ridiculous,' Danny thought, anger bubbling within him. 'How did Master stay good through all this? These people are alive because of him, yet they curse his existence. If he had given in, they would all be dead.'
Danny's heart connected deeply with the younger Naruto's pain. He saw now what his master had never shown—how much hatred and bitterness Naruto had buried deep within. Despite everything, Naruto clung to the ideals taught to him by the Third Hokage, fighting against the darkness within himself.
As Danny reflected, words began to echo in his mind. They came in various tones, hammering into his consciousness:
"Failing doesn't give you a reason to give up, as long as you believe."
"While you're alive, you need a reason for your existence. Being unable to find one is the same as being dead."
"Listen to yourself whining and complaining like some sorry little victim. You can whimper all day long for all I care, but that makes you a coward."
The words were sharp and unyielding, forcing Danny to think. Then, the voice of the current Naruto broke through, carrying both authority and a surprising gentleness.
"Words are not enough to teach. Only time will tell where you end up. I want you to understand that I don't hate you, and I am not infallible. I can make mistakes, and I am hasty at the moment because your future is just that dark.
You have to understand—there are things worse than death, and they will happen to you if you don't end up where I want you. Your family will die, everyone you know will die, and you will live in total despair before dying like nothing.
I see hope for a bright future in you. You have the potential, or I wouldn't have chosen you. There was no mistake; it is fate."
Danny remained silent, the weight of Naruto's words settling over him. The fear he once felt towards his master receded, replaced by a growing sense of respect and understanding. The memories had changed him. He could feel his heart and mind becoming stronger. His outlook on life began to shift. For the first time, he thought about his own dreams and goals, the things he had taken for granted, and the people around him he had ignored in his complacency.
Naruto's past had opened his eyes to a world of struggle, resilience, and hope. And in that, Danny found a new determination to change.
The intense exchange between Danny and Naruto reverberated in his mind. The raw emotions clashed, swirling in a storm of anger, pain, and begrudging respect.
"I hate you," Danny spat, his voice trembling, not with fear anymore, but with a growing resolve.
Naruto, unbothered, gave a sly smirk. "Heh, hate me as much as you want, but remember to care for your world and your own life."
The venom in Danny's voice thickened. "I will make you suffer for all the pain I will endure."
Naruto chuckled, a deep, almost sinister sound that carried both amusement and provocation. "I will wait for that day with great anticipation."
"You piss me off so much, you demon."
Naruto's grin widened, his eyes gleaming with mischief and something deeper, a challenge. "I derive pleasure from your suffering."
"You sicko!" Danny growled, his fists clenched tightly.
Naruto leaned closer, his voice dropping to a near whisper, the tone both mocking and commanding. "Danny, it's time for some heroism."
The words snapped Danny out of his anger. His head lifted, eyes narrowing as Naruto's challenge settled into his heart. Despite the fiery exchange, a fire of determination began to burn within Danny.
He didn't know what lay ahead or what pain and trials Naruto had planned, but one thing was certain: he would face them head-on. If Naruto wanted heroism, Danny would prove that he was capable of it—even if it meant enduring hell to get there.
As the scene faded into the next challenge, Danny's thoughts churned. He hated Naruto with every fiber of his being, but beneath the hate was a flicker of something new—a purpose.