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...

Naruto might have only about 40% of his initial strength left. He nourished his brain and body with chakra to give them more energy and tried to extract more strength from his muscle fibers. Meanwhile, he healed his wounds with chakra. He could multitask without feeling any pressure, thanks to his powerful brain.

— You're at the limit of your strength, kid, give up — proposed the "Elder," but it meant his definitive death.

— You think so...? — Naruto replied amused — These are just minor wounds; I try not to fight people I can't defeat, unless it's exciting.

His voice was cold and hoarse. He had lost a lot of water in his body and felt an overwhelming dryness, as if he were in the desert and sand had gotten into every possible place under his clothes, even into his pants.

The "Elder" squinted, wondering if he was bluffing.

The "Dragon" stood on the opposite side of Naruto, surrounding him from two sides. His clothes were mostly intact, and he was only slightly singed compared to Naruto. While Naruto ignited his own skin cells to produce fire, the "Dragon" was only gently brushed by those flames.

At this moment, Naruto would have liked to use metal wire for Shurikenjutsu, but all his weapons were scattered after his clothes burned, so he had to fight bare-handed.

The "Dragon" lunged at Naruto and easily began to dominate him in Taijutsu. However, despite Naruto's body being charred, his movements retained their sharpness.

It was terrifying; despite such terrible injuries, the "Stranger" still retained his strength. The longer the "Dragon" fought him, the more he realized that the "Stranger's" Taijutsu was not normal. It lacked strength, but its quality was top-notch!

Naruto exploited gaps in the opponent's defense and at one point, hitting the back of his calf, forced the "Dragon" to kneel and drove his knee into his chin.

Meanwhile, the "Elder" attacked Naruto. He waited and seized a convenient moment for himself, trying not to accidentally injure the "Dragon."

With no other choice, Naruto tore out a handful of his hair, which was quite long and could resemble typical tanto in length. One of his techniques, which he had never used before, was strengthening his hair with chakra, attempting to mimic Uncle Jiraiya's "Hair Needles" technique. Naruto didn't think he would ever need it in battle; chakra-reinforced hair wasn't too tough and durable in that form, once separated from his body.

Naruto deflected the makeshift blade, the "Elder's" sword, with his hair, momentarily surprising him with the "Stranger's" strange technique.

On one hand, Naruto had to hold off the "Dragon," and on the other, fend off the "Elder's" attacks. It's a pity he couldn't create clones; they would be a good ally in such situations.

By heating up the cells in his hand, Naruto held the "Dragon's" face and froze his hand along with him.

— AGHHH!!

The "Dragon" howled, simultaneously losing feeling in his entire face, while feeling immense, indescribable pain elsewhere.

— Don't move, or I'll crush your face; the ice will crumble along with your brain — Naruto warned. Well, it wasn't entirely true, but he would still die.

Naruto released the "Dragon," who grabbed his frozen face with his hands and fell to the ground. He probably didn't have the motivation to continue fighting. Naruto didn't like the way he eliminated him; it could have been more epic. However, he didn't plan to kill the "Dragon," so he would spare him anyway. He just eliminated him a little earlier from their confrontation, to avoid injuring him too much like he did with the "Nameless."

Naruto threw his strengthened hair at the "Elder," but they lost their reinforcement and only dispersed him for a second. Maybe even less, but in that time, Naruto managed to grab his lost tanto in his hand.

— Now, I'll propose something to you: you're at the limit of your strength, old man...! — Naruto repeated the "Elder's" words, looking at his injury. Earlier, Naruto's katana had pierced his torso, and despite trying to quickly seal the wound, blood continued to flow from it.

That's why he didn't participate so much in the fight. The more he moved, the more blood flowed. The "Elder" relied on the "Dragon" and attacked only at a convenient moment, but now that the "Dragon" was eliminated, he had no chance of winning against the "Stranger."

Nevertheless, the "Elder" smiled and chuckled — Then I'll die, so I'll choose your answer...!

The "Elder" reinforced his curved blade with chakra and prepared to use the technique of "Body Slashing," which involved physical cloning of the sword blade.

— This time, don't run away...! — the "Elder" informed him gently but with wolf-like hardness in his eyes.

Behind Naruto, a certain person appeared, "Nameless," who, using a movement technique, one could say, teleported behind his back and immobilized him.

— Do it quickly; I can escape in time, but you owe me a favor for this! — "Nameless" pressed tightly against Naruto's body, and even though he suddenly released fire from his body, he didn't let go and held him firmly.

The "Elder" smiled triumphantly without a word and swung his blade. Nevertheless, it was his victory...!

Naruto started to panic. He increased his body temperature to ignite fire, but this guy clung to him and wouldn't let him go for the life of him.

Involuntarily, he licked his lips and reinforced his hair, then pierced "Nameless's" body with it, killing him on the spot.

He really didn't want to do it, but this guy was stubborn.

He quickly jumped back, leaving "Nameless's" body behind, and it was ground into pieces of meat by the brutal technique of the "Elder." Naruto escaped at the last moment, and the "Elder" didn't have time to cancel the technique.

The "Elder's" eyes widened unnaturally, realizing what had happened. However, it was too late, and he couldn't regret it; "Nameless" died by Naruto's hand anyway. One could expect him to know such a technique, after strengthening his hair with chakra and using them as weapons.

At the last moment, the "Elder" also managed to block the "Stranger's" attack from behind. He wanted to take advantage of his momentary disorientation, but he had experienced such tricks many times in war.

With two more slashes, the "Elder" managed to push Naruto back a few meters. His curved blade made it impossible for opponents to fight at close range, and he could easily kill them or force them to retreat.

Naruto collided with the "Elder" again and tried to break his stance, searching for a gap in his posture. Their blades clashed time and time again, and their strengths slowly waned with each successive attack.

The body of the "Elder" twitched at one point; the loss of blood made itself known. Naruto took advantage of it, but then quickly stepped back. It was a trap!

The curved blade of the "Elder" sliced through the air half a second later, right where Naruto had been. If he had stayed there even a moment longer, it would have cut his body in half!

After this attack, which turned out to be his last, the "Elder" fell lifelessly, putting all the remnants of his strength into that attack. The stab wound in his body and old age prevented him from fighting any longer. It was still amazing how long he had held on.

Naruto observed the "Elder" with his sensory sense and confirmed his defeat. He approached him and crouched beside his face.

— Any last words, old man?

The "Elder" burst into a quiet laughter, boldly staring death deep in the eyes.

— I have none, just finish me, I can't fight anymore... — he replied.

— As you wish... — Naruto said and without hesitation, severed his head.

For a moment, he looked at the dead body of the "Elder" and felt some strange emotions in his heart. He wondered for a moment if he was too ruthless...? Somehow, he even liked that old man. His body reeked of the blood of those he had killed, which must have been hundreds. A man like him had outlived all his enemies and died from an even worse monster than he was. It was probably a deserved fate.

Naruto walked away from him and turned to the unconscious "Dragon"; the ice he had created had caused frostbite across his entire face. Naruto himself hadn't expected it to be so effective on other people; he was pleasantly surprised by it.

He placed his hand on the "Dragon's" face again and, changing the temperature of the ice, melted it and restored the proper warmth in the "Dragon's" body.

He was the only person to survive the massacre by the "Stranger." The "Dragon" was supposed to be one of the two survivors of this confrontation, but "Nameless" behaved too foolishly and died. Naruto couldn't help but snort contemptuously at this action and felt irritation building up within him. "Nameless's" death would bring him many consequences; he was under the Fourth Hokage, who observed the internal workings of the black market. Now the Hokage himself would be interested in what was happening here and would probably intervene in some way.

The "Dragon" and "Nameless" were supposed to survive, and after this event, Naruto wanted to make them his direct subordinates to control the black market. All the other slain leaders were supposed to be an easy way to wipe out and incorporate their subordinates into the newly merged "Dragon" and "Nameless" group.

Well, plans have changed a bit. They will join the Black Dragon gang, and whoever is not loyal will simply die. Aggression and showing one's strength are the easiest ways to control people.

Naruto sighed and began to meditate. The next few weeks would be quite exhausting; he would have to deal with stupid matters, but it would all eventually bring him great benefits. He started to heal his wounds before the "Dragon" woke up; it would still take a while. Then Naruto would have to manipulate him and intimidate him a bit to swear his loyalty. Well, it wouldn't be difficult; the "Dragon" would be willing to cooperate with Naruto. After all, he was that kind of person.

Half an hour later, the charred skin peeled off Naruto's body, revealing new, shiny, creamy skin like that of a newborn baby. He wasted most of his remaining chakra on it. He put on some makeshift clothes from a nearby corpse of the "Elder Brother," and after a few minutes, finally opened his eyes, "Dragon."

— I'm alive...? — he looked dazed.

— Yes, well, you are needed for my purposes. From the very beginning, you were supposed to survive — Naruto admitted.

...

It was already morning; the conversation with the "Dragon" was long, and then they still had to deal with the matter of the dead leaders of the black market. Naruto couldn't sleep yet until he restored balance in this place. Additionally, he still had to heal his wound inflicted by "Nameless." Definitely, healing it would shorten his life by a few months.

At some point, Naruto stopped and jumped onto a high building to observe the street of the Red Lanterns from above.

His first visit to the black market came to mind. It was not long ago, in his mind, it happened just a few days ago. Naruto found it hard to believe that from that place, he ended up here. He used to enter that place as an unknown, and now he was the leader of the entire black market.

He felt... pride and rising arrogance, but he allowed it to bud. He wanted to savor the present situation for a moment before facing the serious consequences of "Nameless's" death.

After this confrontation, everything was supposed to go his way, but he never foresaw that someone like "Nameless" would die such a stupid death. If only he had survived, everything would have gone smoothly, and now he would have to deal with his own father...!

Suddenly, Naruto noticed something with his sensory sense and involuntarily chuckled. A group of sneaking people, using techniques to hide their presence, slowly surrounded him from all sides. It was a criminal group of thieves led by the "Elder Brother." Naruto checked the dead bodies of each of the black market leaders, and on the body of the "Elder Brother," he saw a strange seal, possibly a seal sending a message about death or something like that. Naruto didn't know about Fuinjutsu, so he wasn't sure.

— I guess I'm a hypocrite; I said something epic like "I destroyed the butterfly effect in my own fist," and here we go... — Naruto felt amused; he shouldn't throw random words.

Although it wasn't a lie; "Fish's" death didn't bring any major consequences, there were almost none. He just didn't foresee "Nameless's" death.

He slowly drew the tanto hidden in his clothes and then silently moved towards the nearest enemy, who was closest to him.

He was excited about the possibility of killing these people hiding their presence, just like the opportunity to kill the "Elder Brother." These fools won't even realize when Naruto's blade cuts their heads off!