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Last Time on TSOTSH...

The Nine Tails' laughter filled Naruto's mind. "You want revenge, don't you? Do you want to protect the people you care about? Well, I can help you with that. Take my power, boy. Take it, and you will have your revenge."

Naruto hesitated for a moment. Then he looked straight into the Nine Tails' eyes and said, "Okay. I'll do it." The next moment, he felt a searing pain throughout his body as if he were being consumed by fire. And then, everything went black.

...

Everyone watched in horror as Zoro fell into the water. The battlefield was deathly quiet; the only sound anyone could hear was Zoro's body hitting the water.

The deafening silence was only broken by Luffy's anguished cry of "Zoro!" Tears welled up in his eyes as he stretched his arm and launched himself towards Mihawk. "You bastard!" He yelled.

Mihawk raised his head to look at Luffy and easily dodged the punch. "Are you a comrade of the swordsman?" he asked calmly.

Luffy flew past him and landed on the ground, frustrated at his failed attempt. "Damn it," Luffy muttered under his breath. "He's fast."

"Don't worry, child, that man is still alive," Mihawk reassured Luffy as he turned to face him.

Then, to Luffy's relief, he saw Yosaku and Johnny emerge from the sea, pulling Zoro out of the water. Luffy sighed in relief, grateful that his friend was still alive.

...

Usopp stood frozen and stunned as he watched Zoro fall to the ground. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. Then, he shifted his gaze toward Naruto and noticed the boy shaking uncontrollably. Usopp couldn't see Naruto's eyes but felt he was crying.

"Hey, Naruto," Usopp said, trying to sound reassuring. "Are you okay, buddy?" he asked as he touched Naruto's shoulder.

Suddenly, as soon as Usopp's hand touched Naruto's skin, he felt a searing pain, as if his hand had been burned. "Ouch!" he yelped, quickly pulling his hand away from Naruto's shoulder. "What the hell?" he asks.

Naruto's head snapped towards Usopp.

Usopp gasped. "What happened to your eyes?" he asked. Naruto's eyes weren't the standard blue; they were blood red.

The next thing Usopp knew, Naruto was letting out an ear-piercing scream. "I'm going to kill you, bastard!" Naruto yelled angrily as he launched himself at Mihawk.

...

Kakashi's gaze was fixed on the open book in his hands. His expression was tense as he felt a familiar presence. "This isn't good," he mumbled to himself. Then he snapped the book shut with a loud thud. Without further hesitation, he leaped down from the and ran towards the action. Restaurant's rooftop

...

Luffy's eyes widened in horror as he watched Naruto walk towards Mihawk. "Naruto, what the hell are you doing?" he shouted "You need to go back to Usopp! You can't beat him!"

Naruto's anger grew with each step he took. "I'm going to make you pay for what you've done!" he yelled, his voice trembling with rage.

Mihawk remained indifferent as Naruto approached him. "You're bold for a mere child," he taunted, his voice dripping with amusement.

Naruto launched forward with all his might, his fists clenched in anger. "He was my friend!" he roared.

...

Luffy stood frozen, his eyes wide with disbelief and concern as he watched Naruto try to land a hit on Mihawk. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. "Why isn't he backing down?" Luffy muttered to himself.

As Luffy was about to run toward Naruto, a figure appeared before him, blocking his way. It was Kakashi.

Luffy was taken aback by Kakashi's sudden appearance, and his frustration was evident in his voice as he exclaimed, "Hey! What the hell? I need to stop him before he gets killed!" He gestured towards where Naruto and Mihawk were clashing with deadly intent.

Kakashi calmly looked at Luffy and said, "That's not the Naruto from before," referring to the nine-tailed Naruto fighting against Mihawk.

Luffy's eyes widened in disbelief. "What do you mean that's not Naruto?" he demanded.

Kakashi explained, "The Naruto you know is not the Naruto fighting Mihawk. The one fighting right now is a transformed version of him, with power that he cannot control. No one can stop him except Naruto himself."

...

Naruto and Mihawk locked eyes. Without warning, Naruto pivoted on his heel, infusing wind chakra into his fingers and creating a slashing strike through his claws. Mihawk grabbed his sword and parried Naruto's attack with his sword, the steel ringing as it clashed against the chakra-infused claws.

Naruto's anger grew as he let out a defining roar. Forming a series of hand signs with blinding speed, he channeled his fury into a devastating technique. "Gal Palm!" Naruto yelled as he clapped his hands together with explosive force. A wind shockwave erupted from his palms, tearing through the air with unstoppable power. The gale swept towards Mihawk with high speed.

Mihawk's eyes narrowed in determination as he braced himself against the attack. With a fluid motion, he raised his blade, the steel singing as it sliced through the howling wind. "Is that all you got, demon?" he asks.

Naruto began shaking as the nine-tail chakra began to surround his body. He let out a painful scream as the burning chakra surrounded him. The chakra gave Naruto the appearance of a mini nine-tails with only one tail.

...

With Zoro's life hanging by a thread, Johnny and Yosaku quickly got him to where Usopp was. As soon as they arrived, the two men wasted no time tending to Zoro's wounds. Their hands moved with precision, deftly wrapping bandages around his wounds, hoping to staunch the flow of blood and save his life.

Johnny's voice was filled with urgency as he tried to rouse Zoro from his unconscious state. His hands trembled as he addressed Zoro, trying to bring him back to consciousness. "Wake up, bro!" he exclaimed. "Naruto's fighting Mihawk! You need to see this!" His desperation was palpable in every word.

Zoro's eyes snapped open at the mention of Naruto's name. "What?" he rasped, a cough wracking his body as he struggled to sit up. "W-what the hell is that brat doing?" he demanded.

Usopp's eyes were drawn to Naruto, and he couldn't believe what he saw. Almost in disbelief, he muttered, "T-that's not Naruto." His voice was barely audible as if he was afraid to speak too loudly. "There's no way that's him," he continued, shaking his head in confusion. "How can his smile be so bright but his eyes red as blood?"

Zoro tried to stand up, but his muscles protested with every movement. The pain coursing through his body was almost unbearable. "Damn it!" he yelled as he punched the ground in anger.

"Hey! You can't get up!" Yosaku protested, gently pushing Zoro back down with his hands. "You're seriously injured!"

"I need to s-stop that blonde i-idiot before he kills himself!" Despite the agony throughout his body, Zoro made another attempt to get up, only to collapse back onto the ground with a groan of defeat. "Damn it!" he cursed.

...

Mihawk's smirk widened into a predatory grin as he watched Naruto's transformation, his eyes assessing the situation with a calculating gaze. "Oh? So he's a Jinchuriki?" he mused aloud, his tone tinged with amusement and intrigue.

With a primal roar, Naruto launched a chakra-infused arm towards Mihawk. The attack was so sudden and powerful that Mihawk was caught off guard. However, he quickly regained his composure and dodged the attack with a swift sidestep.

Mihawk followed up with a series of attacks, each with his blade infused with a foreign purple energy. Naruto tried to defend himself, but Mihawk was too fast. With a swift flick of his wrist, Mihawk deflected Naruto's chakra and sent him backward. Naruto flipped backwards and threw his other arm towards Mihawk's leg as he tried to catch him off balance.

Mihawk saw the attack and calmly stepped aside, easily avoiding the attack. Then he closed the distance between them, his blade gleaming in the sunlight as he aimed the razor-sharp edge toward Naruto's gut. "Now, this could take all day, so let's end this, shall we?" he remarked casually.

Before Naruto could react, Mihawk's sword plunged into his gut with a sickening squelch. The air filled with the sound of agony as Naruto's body recoiled from the impact, his features contorted in anguish as the searing pain tore through him like a tidal wave.

...

"Summoning Jutsu!" a voice boomed, the command echoing across the battlefield like a thunderclap. But before Mihawk could react, the ground beneath him trembled, and from the earth emerged eight dogs. Their jaws snapped hungrily as they lunged towards him, sinking their teeth into his flesh with relentless determination, immobilizing him with their relentless assault.

Mihawk grunted in surprise and discomfort as the dogs restrained him, their jaws clamping down on various parts of his body with a vice-like grip that forced him to remain immobilized.

A figure materialized before Mihawk with a flicker of movement. "Ahh, the Copy Ninja," Mihawk acknowledged, his sharp gaze fixing upon Kakashi with a mixture of recognition and wariness. "What does the Leaf Village want with me this time?" he asks, his tone tinged with a hint of resignation.

"Harming a hidden village's Jinchuriki is considered treason," Kakashi stated. "regardless of your warlord status ." His words were direct and unwavering.

Mihawk's face contorted with contemplation as he considered Kakashi's words. "This kid belongs to the Leaf?" he asks. "But I thought your Jinchuriki died when the Fourth Hokage perished," he added with a hint of skepticism.

"Naruto is our best-kept secret," Kakashi stated. "That's why I cannot allow you to harm him anymore. Release him now before I have no choice but to use force," he warned.Mihawk hesitated for a moment. With a calculating gaze fixed on Naruto's wounded body, he muttered, "Jinchuriki makes huge money in the black market."

Kakashi stepped forward and interjected sharply, "Don't even think about it." His hand drifted to the headband adorning his forehead, silently warning Mihawk.

Mihawk sighed as he loosened his grip on the sword and withdrew it from Naruto's gut. "Fine, Hatake, you are no fun," he conceded, his voice tinged with a hint of disappointment.

...

Naruto found himself submerged in water, the cold liquid enveloping him completely. He couldn't see anything. The darkness around him was familiar and foreboding. Suddenly, he gasped for air, feeling a searing pain on his side. "What's happened?" he rasped, his voice echoing in the void.

A menacing chuckle reverberated from the shadows, and he knew that the Nine-Tails had made its presence known. "Looks like you're dying, brat," it taunted, its voice dripping with malice.

Naruto's eyes widened in horror at the revelation. "Dying? I can't die!" he exclaimed in a panic, his heart pounding in his chest. "Can't you heal me?" he asks.

"Ran out of chakra," the Nine Tails replied coldly. "The seal that the damn Fourth made gives me limited access to your chakra. You're on your own until I regain my chakra back."

Naruto's heart sank as he faced the harsh reality of his situation. His shoulders felt heavy, and he felt a weight of hopelessness. "Is this really it?" he muttered, his voice barely audible.

"I'm afraid so," The nine tails said. "There's no way around it."

But Naruto was not about to give up that easily. "I'm not going to die before I become Hokage!" he declared. He turned to face the demon fox within him. "Tell me," he demanded. "How can I give you more chakra?"

The nine tails looked at Naruto for a few seconds, explaining. "If you tear the seal, you can give me more chakra. But if you tear it all the way, you'll be consumed by my power. Only tear the corner, and no more."

Naruto's eyes flickered with suspicion as he looked up at the beast. "How do I know you aren't tricking me into setting you free?" he asked.

A deep, rumbling laugh echoed through his mind, causing Naruto to shiver with fear. "You don't," the fox admitted. "But if you die, then I die. And I would rather not die before I am free."

Naruto gazed at the fox with a mixture of confusion and curiosity. "Do you fear death too?" he asked.

The fox was taken aback by Naruto's question and unsure how to respond. "What do you mean?" he asked, trying to buy some time. "Are you asking if I'm afraid of dying?"

Naruto nodded, waiting for an answer.

A fierce look came over the fox's face. "Hell no!" he roared. "I am the great nine-tailed demon fox! I fear nothing and no one!" He bellowed with pride, but Naruto could sense a hint of uncertainty in the fox's voice.

"Okay, I get it. Oh, a great one." Naruto mumbled as he closed his eyes and focused his chakra, feeling the water beneath him lift him towards the seal. His hand trembled with uncertainty as he reached out to touch the seal. With a hesitant motion, he slightly tore the corner of the seal, the faintest crack appearing on its surface.

The last thing Naruto heard before he was forced out of his mind was the booming voice of the nine-tailed fox. "Now we live..." he said.

...

Luffy's voice cut through the air, brimming with urgency and concern, as he cried out Naruto's name. The Nine-Tails chakra was slowly dissipating into the air like wisps of smoke, and Luffy's heart pounded in his chest. "Naruto, wake up!" he yelled once more.

Naruto's eyes flickered open with a jolt, his pupils dilating as awareness flooded back into his senses. Pain shot through his body as he struggled to rise, and a pained groan escaped his lips. "Damn, that hurts," he muttered through gritted teeth.

Mihawk was momentarily taken aback by Naruto's survival. His sharp gaze bore into the young ninja, silently questioning how he had managed to survive. "You're alive, child?" he asked.

Naruto met Mihawk's gaze with steely determination, his eyes filled with a fierce resolve. "Yeah, I'm alive," he affirmed.

Naruto's body was a blur of orange and white as he launched himself towards Mihawk, closing the distance between them. Then he leaped in the air and delivered a powerful kick square in the middle of Mihawk's chin.

The impact was deafening, sending shockwaves rippling through Mihawk's entire frame. The kick made his head snap back as he took a step backward.

"That's for killing Zoro!" Naruto's voice was filled with anger and resentment as he glared at Mihawk.

Luffy rushed towards Naruto. His heart pounding in his chest, he tackled Naruto into a tight hug, tears streaming down his face. "What were you thinking?" he asked, his voice shaking with emotion. "You could have been killed!"

Luffy's hands trembled with fear and concern as he held Naruto tightly. He couldn't bear to lose his brother after everything they had been through together.

Naruto winced in pain as Luffy's embrace pressed against his wounded body. Despite the pain, he managed a weak smile as he met his brother's tearful gaze. "I just got stabbed, remember?" he teased, trying to lighten the mood.

Luffy released Naruto. "Sorry," he apologized, his eyes softening with relief as he saw Naruto's familiar blue eyes staring back at him.

Mihawk's intense gaze was fixed on Naruto. "What's your name, child?"

Naruto struggled to stay awake but answered, "Uzumaki Naruto."

Mihawk's eyes narrowed slightly as he studied the boy. "Well, Uzumaki Naruto, no one has ever had the guts to face me like you, and that swordsman did today," he remarked.

Naruto was fighting to stay conscious. "You killed my friend," he stated bluntly. "I had to try."

Mihawk's lips curved into a faint grin. "It is much too early for him to die," he declared.

Naruto's eyes widened in disbelief. "Zoro's alive?" he asked, "But how? I saw him..." Naruto trailed off.

"I am Dracule Mihawk!" His words echoed across the battlefield as his voice boomed like thunder. "Know yourself and know the world, and become strong, Roronoa!" Mihawk's voice rose in a powerful declaration. "No matter how many years or months pass by, I will stand here at the top of the world and wait for you! Surpass me, Roronoa Zoro!" His words were a challenge. Then his gaze shifted to the two brothers. "What is it you aim for?" he asks.

"Pirate King," Luffy declared without hesitation.

"Kaizoku Hokage," Naruto stated firmly.

"A tough path indeed," Mihawk acknowledged. Then, his gaze shifted to Naruto. "An even tougher path for you, child," he added.

"We don't care!" Luffy declared boldly, his voice filled with unwavering determination. "We're going to do it anyway!" he proclaimed.

Naruto nodded in silent agreement.

"Usopp!" Luffy's voice rang out as he turned towards where Zoro and the others were gathered. "How's Zoro? Is he alright?"

"Like hell he is!" Usopp's voice came back. "But he's still alive! He's only lost consciousness," he said.

Then, out of nowhere, Zoro lifted his sword. "Hey, Naruto... Luffy... can you hear me?" he asks.

"Yeah, we're here!" Luffy said.

Taking a deep breath, Zoro gathered his strength. "Sorry for worrying you both," he began, "I know that if I don't become the world's greatest swordsman, it will only embarrass you, Luffy!"

"Zoro, it's okay," Naruto reassured him, his voice filled with warmth and understanding. "You are-"

But Zoro's voice cut through Naruto's words like a blade slicing through the air. "I swear!" he declared, his voice ringing with conviction. "That I'm never going to lose again!" Tears welled in his eyes. "Until the day I fight him and win, I swear to never lose again! Any problems? Pirate King, Kaizoku Hokage!"

The two brothers exchanged glances. Their smiles reflected each other's unwavering resolve. "Nope!" they chimed in unison.

________________________________________________________________________________

To Be Continued...

Ahhh! How do we feel about that one? Crazy right? I think this has to be my favorite chapter! I cried a few times writing it, it's so good! I had a little trouble writing nine tails Naruto without being too repetitive of the same action over and over again but I hope I did it justice!

This is the last chapter of The Baratie arc! Anyway, please if you have any ideas for Naruto in the Arlong arc let me know!

I'll see you soon with the next chapter!

BYE BYE!