BLOOD AND LEAVES: NARUTO'S TRIAL IN MORTAL KOMBAT

The wind howled across Konoha's ruined landscape, debris still settling from Pain's devastating attack. Naruto Uzumaki stood atop the Hokage monument, his orange-and-black jacket flapping wildly as he gazed over the massive crater that had once been his home. Reconstruction had begun, but the wound in the earth mirrored the one in his heart. Jiraiya was gone. So many had suffered. And despite his victory over Pain, despite finally earning the village's respect, an uneasiness clung to him like a shadow.

A flicker of movement caught his eye—a wavering in the air, like heat rising from summer pavement. But this was different. The distortion expanded, crackling with otherworldly energy that made the hairs on Naruto's arms stand on end.

"What the hell?" he muttered, instinctively reaching for a kunai.

The distortion ripped open like torn fabric, revealing a swirling vortex of electric blue energy. A figure emerged—tall, imposing, clad in white robes with a wide-brimmed hat that obscured his face. Blue lightning crackled at his fingertips.

"Naruto Uzumaki," the figure spoke, voice resonating with thunder. "I am Raiden, God of Thunder and protector of Earthrealm."

Naruto tensed, his body automatically shifting into a fighting stance. "Pretty bold to just show up like this. What do you want with me?"

Raiden lifted his head, revealing glowing white eyes that held the power of storms. "Your realm and mine are in grave danger. The barriers between worlds are weakening, and ancient enemies seek to exploit this vulnerability."

"And why should that concern me?" Naruto asked, though he already knew the answer. It was always his concern—the safety of others always became his burden.

"Because, Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, you possess power that may tip the scales in an ancient tournament—one that decides the fate of entire realms." Raiden extended his hand. "Come with me to Outworld. Participate in Mortal Kombat. Help prevent catastrophe across all dimensions."

Naruto's eyes narrowed. "And if I refuse?"

"Then both our worlds will fall. The ninja realms will be conquered, harvested, and destroyed—starting with what remains of your village below."

The young shinobi looked back at the recovering Konoha, at the tiny figures of his precious people working to rebuild their lives. He thought of Sakura, of Kakashi, of all the bonds he'd formed and fought to protect.

A familiar voice rumbled from within him. "This god speaks truth, kit. I sense the dimensional fracturing. This is beyond even the Sage of Six Paths' predictions."

Naruto closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and reopened them with renewed determination. "Fine. But I'm coming back. That's a promise—and I never go back on my word. That's my ninja way."

Raiden nodded solemnly. "The tournament begins soon. We must make haste."

As Naruto stepped toward the crackling portal, thunder boomed across the sky. The God of Thunder placed a hand on the young ninja's shoulder.

"Prepare yourself, Naruto Uzumaki. In Mortal Kombat, mercy is weakness, and death is often... permanent."

The portal collapsed around them with a sound like a thousand birds chirping—not unlike Sasuke's Chidori—and Konoha's hero vanished, leaving only swirling leaves where he once stood.

The portal spat them out onto cracked, barren earth. Naruto stumbled, momentarily disoriented as alien sensations bombarded him—air thicker than Konoha's, heavy with unfamiliar scents, and a sky stained blood-red above twisted, impossible landscapes. Two moons hung overhead, one cracked like a broken egg.

"What is this place?" Naruto asked, fighting the urge to gag at the metallic taste in the air.

"Outworld," Raiden replied, his white eyes scanning the horizon. "Once a collection of conquered realms, now the battleground for Mortal Kombat. This tournament has been held for millennia, determining whether realms survive or are consumed."

A roar echoed in the distance—primal, hungry, sending shivers down Naruto's spine despite himself. The sound belonged to no creature he'd ever encountered.

"Nice welcoming committee," he muttered.

"The least of your concerns," Raiden warned. "Come. We must reach the tournament grounds before—"

A whistling sound cut through the air. Naruto reacted instinctively, catching the thrown spear inches from his face.

"Nice reflexes, kid," came a gruff voice from behind a boulder. A man stepped into view, muscular and confident, wearing dark military pants and nothing else. His chest bore a strange metal implant, and his right eye gleamed red. "Not many can catch one of Kano's throws."

Naruto tossed the spear back, deliberately missing the man's head by inches. It embedded in the rock behind him with a metallic thunk. "Not interested in fighting. Yet."

Kano chuckled, the sound like gravel in a blender. "Oh, you will be. Tournament's mandatory, sunshine. And the boss wants to see what the new meat can do."

"Kano," Raiden's voice crackled with barely contained electricity. "Slinking about as usual."

"Just following orders, thunder boy." Kano tapped his metal eye, which whirred and clicked as it focused on Naruto. "Scanner says this one's got something special inside him. Something powerful. Shang Tsung will be interested."

Naruto felt Kurama stir uneasily within him. The fox didn't like being analyzed like a specimen.

"The sorcerer can wait," Raiden replied. "Naruto is under my protection."

"For now," Kano smirked, then whistled sharply. Figures emerged from the shadows—black-clad warriors with masks covering their lower faces, eyes glowing an unnatural yellow. "These Black Dragon boys will escort you to the tournament grounds. Try not to die before the fun starts."

Naruto counted eight warriors, each carrying curved swords. Nothing he couldn't handle, but something told him causing trouble now wouldn't help matters.

"It's fine, Raiden," he said. "I don't need protection."

Kano barked a laugh. "Cocky little bastard, ain't ya? I like that." He approached, circling Naruto with predatory interest. "What realm you from, anyway? Never seen clothes like that before."

"He is from a realm newly discovered in the dimensional fracturing," Raiden interjected before Naruto could answer. "The Shinobi Realm."

"Shinobi, eh?" Kano's mechanical eye whirred again. "Fancy word for assassin where I come from. Maybe we'll get along after all."

"I doubt it," Naruto replied coldly.

Their escort led them along a winding path through a landscape that defied logic—floating islands of rock overhead, forests where trees grew horizontally, and pits that glowed with sickly green energy. The journey took hours, yet the blood-red sky never changed, as if time itself had stagnated in this cursed place.

Finally, they crested a ridge overlooking an enormous arena. Built like a colosseum but constructed from materials that seemed alive—bones and sinew fused with stone—it pulsed with malevolent energy. Thousands of strange creatures filled the stands, creating a cacophony of cheers, roars, and chittering sounds that made Naruto's skin crawl.

"Welcome to Mortal Kombat, sunshine," Kano grinned, gesturing grandly. "Where gods, demons, and everything in between fight for keeps."

At the center of the arena, a battle was already underway. A woman with impossibly long hair wielded it like a weapon, lashing out at a four-armed monster who caught her strikes with two hands while the other two prepared to crush her skull.

"Sindel versus Goro," Raiden explained. "A queen against a Shokan prince."

Naruto watched in horror as the four-armed giant caught the woman and ripped her in two, spine and all. The crowd erupted in bloodthirsty cheers as her remains fell to the arena floor.

"Did he just—?" Naruto could barely form the words.

"Finish her? Yeah," Kano chuckled. "That's how we do things here. Victory isn't enough—you gotta claim your opponent's life to truly win."

Naruto's eyes hardened. "I don't kill."

Both Kano and Raiden turned to look at him—one with amusement, one with concern.

"Then you're already dead," Kano said, slapping him on the back hard enough to sting. "Come on. Time to meet the boss."

As they descended toward the arena, Naruto whispered to Raiden. "I didn't agree to kill anyone."

"I know," the thunder god replied quietly. "But there are... complications. Rules as old as time itself. For now, we must play along until we understand the greater threat behind the tournament's corruption."

They were led through dark corridors beneath the arena, past cells containing creatures Naruto couldn't even name. Some reached for them with too many limbs, others whispered in languages that hurt his ears. The walls themselves seemed to pulse like a giant heart.

Finally, they entered a grand chamber where a man sat upon a throne made of fused skulls. Elderly but radiating power, he wore ornate robes and had a long white beard. His eyes, however, were what caught Naruto's attention—ancient, calculating, and hungry in a way that reminded him of Orochimaru at his worst.

"Shang Tsung," Raiden announced, bowing slightly. "I have brought a champion from the newly discovered Shinobi Realm."

The sorcerer's eyes gleamed as they fixed on Naruto. "A child? This is your champion, Raiden?"

"I'm seventeen," Naruto shot back. "And I've saved my world more times than you've probably bathed, old man."

The chamber went deathly silent. Kano sucked in a breath between his teeth. "Kid's got a death wish," he muttered appreciatively.

To everyone's surprise, Shang Tsung laughed—a dry, rattling sound like bones in a box. "Spirit. Good. It makes the soul more... flavorful... when consumed."

He rose from his throne, descending the steps with unnatural grace for one so ancient. With each step, his appearance seemed to shimmer and shift—younger, then older, then younger again, as if time couldn't decide what to do with him.

"I sense great power within you, boy," the sorcerer said, circling Naruto much as Kano had done earlier. "Something ancient. Primal."

Naruto felt Kurama bristle inside him. "Be wary, kit. This one consumes souls. He would covet what I am."

"You'll find out just how primal when we fight," Naruto replied coolly.

Shang Tsung's smile widened. "Indeed we shall. The tournament formally begins tomorrow. Tonight, there will be a feast—a chance for competitors to... size each other up." He turned to Raiden. "Your champion will be staying in the eastern tower with the other... guests."

"Competitors," Raiden corrected.

"For now," the sorcerer agreed with a thin smile. "Until they become... casualties."

As they were escorted out, Naruto couldn't shake the feeling that he'd just been evaluated like cattle at auction. The corridor seemed to close in around them, the very walls watching with malicious intent.

"That guy makes Orochimaru seem cuddly," Naruto muttered.

"Shang Tsung has lived for centuries by consuming the souls of warriors he defeats," Raiden explained. "He is Outworld's champion and the tournament's corrupted overseer."

"Great. So I'm basically in a murder tournament run by a soul-eating mummy."

Kano chuckled from behind them. "Now you're getting it, sunshine. Try not to wet yourself at the feast when you meet the rest of the competition."

The eastern tower rose like a twisted spire, windows glowing with eerie green light. Inside, they climbed endless spiral stairs until reaching a chamber with multiple doors.

"These are your quarters," Kano explained, gesturing to one of the doors. "Don't wander at night. Things in this place get... hungry."

With that cheerful warning, he departed, leaving Naruto alone with Raiden.

"I should return to consult with the Elder Gods," the thunder god said gravely. "There is more happening here than a simple tournament. The dimensional barriers should not be fracturing this way."

"So you're just leaving me here?" Naruto asked incredulously.

"Only temporarily. Remember why you came—to protect your realm. Trust your instincts, but be cautious with whom you trust." Raiden placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "And Naruto... do not reveal everything you can do too soon. Keep your greatest powers hidden until absolutely necessary."

With a crack of thunder and a flash of lightning, Raiden disappeared, leaving Naruto alone in the strange corridor.

"Great pep talk," he muttered, pushing open the door to his assigned quarters.

The room beyond was sparse but serviceable—a bed that looked uncomfortable, a basin of water, and a window overlooking the nightmarish landscape of Outworld. As Naruto approached the window, movement caught his eye in the room across the courtyard. A woman with striking white-streaked black hair was practicing fluid combat forms, her movements precise and deadly.

As if sensing his gaze, she stopped and looked directly at him. Even across the distance, her eyes seemed to pierce through him—not with hostility, but with curiosity. She nodded once in acknowledgment, then pulled a curtain across her window.

Naruto sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed. "What have I gotten myself into, Kurama?"

The Nine-Tails stirred within him. "A game of death orchestrated by powers beyond even my understanding. But we have faced worse odds before, kit. Rest now. Tomorrow, we show these beings what a shinobi of the Hidden Leaf can do."

As Naruto tried to settle into the unfamiliar bed, the distant sounds of roars and screams filtered through the window. Sleep would not come easily in Outworld.

The feast, as it turned out, was less a diplomatic gathering and more a psychological battlefield. Naruto entered the vast dining hall to find dozens of competitors already seated at long tables—some humanoid, others decidedly not. The air crackled with tension and bloodlust, seasoned with the aroma of strange meats and spiced wines.

"You look lost, kid," came a female voice.

Naruto turned to find the woman he'd seen through the window. Up close, her presence was even more commanding—tall, athletic, with the white streak in her dark hair framing sharp features and intelligent eyes. She wore a form-fitting blue outfit that seemed designed for both combat and stealth.

"That obvious, huh?" Naruto managed a half-smile.

"You're staring at everything like it might eat you." She extended a hand. "Frost."

"Naruto." He shook her hand, noting her grip was firm but not challenging. "And yeah, considering what I've seen so far, being eaten seems like a genuine concern."

Frost's lips quirked in what might have been amusement. "Smart. Come on, you can sit with our group. Better the devils you meet than the ones you don't."

She led him to a table where several human-looking competitors had gathered. Among them was a man with a metal plate covering half his face, another wearing a red blindfold, and a woman whose arms appeared to be mechanical from the elbow down.

"Fresh meat?" asked the man with the metal plate, his single eye assessing Naruto cooly.

"Play nice, Kano already tried to intimidate him," Frost replied, taking a seat. "Naruto, meet the earthly disasters—Kenshi, Jax, and the charming one-eyed wonder is Deathstroke."

"Deathstroke?" Naruto raised an eyebrow as he sat. "That's... subtle."

The mercenary shrugged. "Says the kid named after a ramen topping."

Naruto nearly choked. "You know what naruto is?"

"I've killed people in every corner of my world," Deathstroke replied casually, sipping from a goblet. "Japan included. Knowledge is as valuable as strength."

"Deathstroke is from another Earth," Frost explained. "Like many of us, he was brought here specifically for the tournament."

"Against my will," the mercenary added. "Though the potential payoff has... piqued my interest."

The blindfolded man, Kenshi, turned toward Naruto. Despite his covered eyes, Naruto had the distinct impression of being thoroughly examined. "You carry a great power within you," he said quietly. "And great pain."

Naruto tensed. "You can see that even blind?"

"I see with more than eyes," Kenshi replied. "My sword, Sento, contains the souls of my ancestors. They whisper truths to me... and they whisper that you are not alone in your body."

The table fell silent, all eyes turning to Naruto.

"That's... complicated," Naruto said finally. "Where I come from, I'm what's called a Jinchūriki—a human container for a tailed beast. Mine is the Nine-Tailed Fox, Kurama."

"A demon?" Jax asked, his mechanical arms whirring slightly as he leaned forward.

"Not exactly," Naruto said. "More like... a force of nature. We used to hate each other, but now we're partners."

"Partners is stretching it," Kurama grumbled inside him, though Naruto could sense the fox's amusement.

Before the conversation could continue, a hush fell over the hall. Shang Tsung had entered, flanked by imposing guards and a woman whose beauty was as deadly as a venomous snake—pale green eyes, dark hair, and lips curved in perpetual disdain.

"Jade," Frost whispered to Naruto. "The Edenian assassin. Shao Kahn's enforcer."

"Who's Shao Kahn?" Naruto whispered back.

"The Emperor of Outworld," Deathstroke answered, expression darkening. "The one who wants all our realms consumed. He doesn't attend these... preliminary events."

Shang Tsung raised his hands, commanding silence. "Warriors of all realms," his voice echoed unnaturally through the hall. "Welcome to Mortal Kombat. For millennia, this tournament has determined the fate of worlds. Win, and your realm remains free. Lose, and it becomes part of Outworld—its resources harvested, its people enslaved."

Murmurs rippled through the crowd. Naruto noticed how some competitors seemed resigned, others determined, and some—like a man with a metal mask covering his lower face—seemed almost eager.

"The rules are simple," the sorcerer continued. "You will fight when called. Victory can be achieved by death or surrender—though few have the dishonor to choose the latter." His eyes swept the room, lingering momentarily on Naruto. "Some of you are champions selected by your realms. Others were chosen by me for your... unique qualities."

He gestured, and servants began bringing in more food and drink. "Tonight, feast and rest. Tomorrow, you fight for your lives and the fate of your worlds."

As the sorcerer took his seat at the head table, conversation gradually resumed, though more subdued than before.

"Charming host," Naruto muttered.

"This is my third tournament," Jax said grimly, flexing his mechanical fingers. "Lost my arms in the first. Came back stronger."

"Why return?" Naruto asked, genuinely curious.

"Because surrender means death for everyone I care about," Jax replied simply. "Sometimes, the only way out is through."

"Speaking of through," Frost interjected, nodding toward the entrance, "look who decided to grace us with his sparkling personality."

A man entered, electricity crackling around his body like a living aura. Black armor covered him from neck to toe, and his eyes glowed with the same electric blue energy.

"Sub-Zero's favorite pupil," Kenshi explained, somehow sensing Naruto's questioning look despite his blindfold. "The Lin Kuei assassin, Elektriq."

The newcomer surveyed the room with obvious disdain before his gaze locked onto their table—specifically, onto Frost. He altered his path, moving directly toward them with predatory intent.

"This should be good," Frost muttered, straightening in her seat.

"Still playing with the rejects, Frost?" Elektriq's voice carried an electronic undertone, as if his very vocal cords conducted current. "Sub-Zero would be so disappointed."

"Good thing I stopped caring about his opinion when he tried to turn us into cybernetic slaves," she replied coolly. "Enjoying your augmentations, Elektriq? Or should I call you Unit LK-52O now?"

The assassin's eyes flashed dangerously. "The enhancements were voluntary. The future of the Lin Kuei."

"The death of the Lin Kuei," Frost countered. Her hands had dropped below the table, and Naruto sensed the temperature around them dropping rapidly. "What do you want?"

Elektriq's gaze shifted to Naruto. "Just checking out the fresh meat. Raiden's new pet, I hear."

"I'm nobody's pet," Naruto replied calmly, though he felt Kurama stirring angrily within him.

"We'll see tomorrow when you're bleeding out on the arena floor," Elektriq sneered. "Your realm's fate was sealed the moment you were chosen as its champion."

Naruto smiled—the kind of smile that had unnerved opponents from Zabuza to Pain. "Big talk from a walking battery. Where I come from, we have a saying: the loudest ninja is usually the first to die."

For a moment, the tension was thick enough to cut with a kunai. Then, unexpectedly, Deathstroke chuckled.

"Kid's got you there, sparky."

Elektriq's hands crackled with power. "Perhaps a demonstration before the tournament—"

"Enough!" The command came from across the hall. The green-eyed woman, Jade, had risen from her seat. "Save it for the arena, Lin Kuei, or answer to Shao Kahn for disrupting the feast."

With a final crackle of electricity, Elektriq backed away. "Tomorrow," he promised Naruto. "Pray we don't meet in the first round."

As he stalked off, Naruto released a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "Thanks for the support," he said to the table.

"Don't thank us yet," Frost replied grimly. "He's right about one thing—tomorrow, we could all be facing each other. These alliances are temporary at best."

Naruto looked around the table—at Deathstroke's calculating gaze, Kenshi's inscrutable blindfolded face, Jax's grim determination, and Frost's icy composure. In another world, another time, they might have been friends. Here, they were potential obstacles to his survival and his return home.

"Then I'll enjoy the company while it lasts," he said, raising his goblet. "To surviving tomorrow."

They clinked glasses, but the toast felt hollow. In a tournament where death was the expected outcome, how many of them would actually survive?

As the feast progressed, Naruto observed the other competitors with growing concern. A reptilian humanoid flicked a forked tongue at nearby servants. A man with a mechanical eye similar to Kano's juggled knives with disturbing precision. In the corner, a figure completely wrapped in yellow ninja garb sat perfectly still, observing everything.

"Who's the yellow ninja?" Naruto asked Frost quietly.

Her expression darkened. "Scorpion. Spectre from the Netherrealm. Has a grudge against the original Sub-Zero... and by extension, anyone connected to the Lin Kuei."

"So, you."

"So me," she confirmed with a grim smile. "Stay away from him, Naruto. He's not just dangerous—he's literally from hell."

The warning sent a chill down Naruto's spine that had nothing to do with Frost's cryomancy. He'd faced many enemies in his young life, but never one who was already dead.

As the night wore on, servants began distributing scrolls to each competitor. When Naruto received his, he unrolled it to find a tournament bracket inked in what disturbingly resembled blood. His first opponent was listed simply as "Reptile."

"Not the best first draw," Jax commented, looking over Naruto's shoulder. "Reptile's acid can melt flesh from bone."

"Great," Naruto muttered. "Any advice?"

"Don't get hit," Deathstroke offered unhelpfully. "And whatever you do, don't let him spit on you."

As the feast concluded, competitors began filing out, the temporary camaraderie evaporating as quickly as it had formed. Tomorrow, they would be trying to kill each other.

Naruto rose to leave, but Frost caught his arm. "One more thing," she said quietly. "Whatever power you have—that fox thing inside you—don't reveal it unless you have no other choice. Shang Tsung collects souls, but he covets power even more. The longer he doesn't know what you're truly capable of, the better your chances."

Naruto nodded his thanks. "What about you? Who are you fighting?"

Frost's expression turned grim. "Elektriq. Seems fate has a sense of humor."

"Good luck," Naruto offered genuinely.

"We make our own luck here," she replied. "But... thanks. Try not to die, loudmouth. You make things interesting."

As Naruto made his way back to his quarters, the blood-red sky of Outworld had darkened to a bruised purple, the twin moons casting eerie shadows across the landscape. In his room, he found a simple set of fighting clothes had been laid out—practical black pants and a sleeveless tunic that would allow freedom of movement.

He ignored them, preferring his own orange and black attire, tattered as it was becoming. The colors of home were a reminder of why he was fighting.

Sitting cross-legged on the bed, he closed his eyes and entered his mindscape, seeking the familiar presence of his tailed beast partner.

Within the shared mental space, Kurama lounged as always, nine tails swishing lazily. The fox's massive red eyes fixed on Naruto as he approached.

"Tomorrow will be the true test," Kurama rumbled. "These warriors are unlike those we've faced before. They fight not just to win, but to kill."

"I know," Naruto replied. "But I won't kill, Kurama. That's not my ninja way."

The fox's massive fangs gleamed in what might have been a smile. "Your compassion has always been your strength, kit. But here, it may be your weakness. These beings do not share your moral code."

"Then I'll just have to be stronger and smarter," Naruto insisted. "Strong enough to win without killing."

"And if that proves impossible?"

Naruto had no answer. The question hung between them, heavy with implications neither wanted to face.

"Rest," Kurama finally said. "I will keep watch. Something tells me sleep will be a luxury in the coming days."

As Naruto drifted into uneasy sleep, the last thing he saw was the twin moons of Outworld through his window—watching, waiting, like the eyes of some cosmic predator.

Tomorrow, the games would begin.

Dawn in Outworld came not with gentle sunlight but with a sickly green illumination that filtered through bloodred clouds. Naruto woke to the sound of a gong reverberating through the tower, its deep vibrations seeming to penetrate bone and sinew. He'd slept fitfully, dreams filled with four-armed monsters and soul-stealing sorcerers.

A knock at his door revealed a servant—humanoid but with skin the pallid gray of a corpse. "The tournament begins in one hour," it intoned in a voice like grinding stones. "Your presence is required in the preparation chamber."

Naruto nodded his thanks, then realized with a start that the servant's eyes were sewn shut, yet it moved with perfect confidence. As it shuffled away, he suppressed a shudder.

"Charming place," Kurama commented dryly. "Makes Orochimaru's hideouts seem positively homey."

"No arguments there," Naruto muttered, cinching his headband tight and checking his weapons pouch. The familiar weight of his kunai and shuriken was reassuring, though he suspected they'd be little more than distractions against some of the fighters he'd seen.

The preparation chamber proved to be a large cavern beneath the arena, lit by torches that burned with unnatural blue flame. Many of the competitors were already there, some meditating, others warming up with practice strikes that shattered stone and bent metal.

Naruto spotted Frost in a corner, her breath visible as she systematically froze and shattered target dummies. Her movements were precise, economical, and lethal—like Sasuke at his most focused, but with an elemental fury that reminded him of Haku's ice mirrors.

"Sleep well?" asked a gravelly voice behind him.

Naruto turned to find Deathstroke leaning against a wall, methodically checking an array of weapons that would have impressed even Tenten.

"Well enough," Naruto replied cautiously. "You don't seem concerned about your match."

The mercenary shrugged. "I've been killing professionally since before you were born, kid. Tournament or battlefield, the objective remains the same."

"And what's that?"

"Survive. Adapt. Overcome." Deathstroke's single eye fixed on Naruto. "You should be stretching. Reptile's faster than he looks."

As if summoned by the mention of his name, a figure detached itself from the shadows nearby—green-scaled and reptilian, with vertical-slitted yellow eyes that regarded Naruto with predatory interest. A forked tongue flicked out, tasting the air.

"Thissss one ssssmellssss... different," Reptile hissed, circling Naruto slowly. "Power... but not like the othersssss."

"Didn't your mother teach you it's rude to sniff people?" Naruto quipped, though his body had automatically shifted into a defensive stance.

Reptile's lipless mouth stretched in what might have been a smile or a threat display. "Reptile hasssss no mother. Reptile isssss last of his kind. Zaterran."

"Well, that explains the charming personality," Naruto replied, noticing how the creature's claws flexed with anticipation.

"Ssssoon, ninja boy," Reptile promised, backing away. "Ssssoon, Reptile will taste your flesh."

As the creature slithered back into the shadows, Deathstroke chuckled. "Making friends already? You have a real talent."

"It's a gift," Naruto deadpanned.

A new disturbance drew their attention to the chamber's entrance. Shang Tsung had arrived, flanked by guards and the inevitable Jade. The sorcerer surveyed the gathered fighters with unconcealed hunger in his ancient eyes.

"Champions," he announced, voice carrying unnatural power. "The time has come. You will ascend to the arena when your name is called. Victory by death or surrender only. Any interference from outside parties will result in immediate... disqualification."

The way he said "disqualification" made it clear that losing one's life would be the least of their concerns.

"The first match," Shang Tsung continued, unrolling a scroll that smoldered at the edges, "will be Naruto Uzumaki of the Shinobi Realm versus Reptile of Outworld."

Naruto felt his heart rate spike, adrenaline flooding his system. Of course he'd be first—the unknown quantity, the fresh meat to be tested.

As he made his way toward the indicated stairwell, a hand grabbed his shoulder. It was Frost, her touch cool but not uncomfortable.

"Remember," she said quietly, "no mercy. He'll show you none."

Naruto nodded grimly, then began the long climb toward sunlight and violence.

The roar hit him before he even emerged into the arena—thousands of voices, inhuman and otherwise, creating a wall of sound that was almost physical in its intensity. The arena itself was a circle of packed earth surrounded by rising stone seats, not unlike the Chūnin Exam stadium back home, though on a much grander scale. Above, on an elevated platform, sat Shang Tsung on an ornate throne, observing the proceedings like an emperor at the Colosseum.

Reptile emerged from the opposite entrance, his scaled skin glistening in the alien light. The crowd's roar intensified—clearly, the Outworld native was a favorite.

Between them stood a figure Naruto hadn't seen before—tall, muscular, with arms that seemed unnaturally long for his body. His face was a rigid mask, emotionless and severe.

"I am Geras, Timekeeper of Mortal Kombat," the figure announced, voice resonating like ancient stone. "You will fight until one surrenders or dies. Begin when the gong sounds."

Naruto locked eyes with Reptile across the arena. The creature's tongue flicked out eagerly, tasting Naruto's scent on the air. The silence stretched, broken only by the restless murmuring of the crowd.

Then the gong sounded—a deep, reverberating note that seemed to shake the very foundations of the arena.

Reptile moved with shocking speed, covering half the distance between them before Naruto could blink. The shinobi barely dodged the first swipe of those lethal claws, feeling the wind of their passage against his cheek.

"Too slow, mammal," Reptile hissed, pivoting for another strike.

Naruto created distance with a backflip, landing in a crouch. "I'm just warming up, lizard-breath!"

He formed the familiar hand sign. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Smoke erupted around him, and where one Naruto had stood, there were now five. The crowd's response was immediate—gasps and excited chatter at this unexpected development.

"Interesssting," Reptile hissed, yellow eyes darting between the identical Narutos. "But Reptile can smell the real one."

"Then come and get me!" the clones shouted in unison, charging forward in perfect coordination.

Up in his observation platform, Shang Tsung leaned forward with sudden interest. "Duplication magic?" he murmured to Jade. "Or something more?"

Reptile met the clone assault with savage ferocity. His claws ripped through the first clone, which disappeared in a puff of smoke. The second and third flanked him, landing solid kicks to his ribs and head, but the creature seemed barely fazed.

Suddenly, Reptile's chest expanded, and he spat a glob of green liquid at one of the Narutos. The clone barely dodged, and the spot where the acid hit the ground sizzled and melted into a smoking crater.

"Acid spit. Great," muttered the real Naruto, concealed within the group of clones.

Two more clones rushed Reptile from different angles. The creature moved with fluid grace, catching one clone by the throat and using its body as a shield against the other's kunai throw. Both clones poofed out of existence.

"Thessse illusionsss cannot fool Reptile for long," the creature taunted, stalking forward.

Naruto created more clones, surrounding Reptile in a ring of orange and black. "They're not illusions," he called back. "Each one is solid—and each one can kick your scaly behind!"

The clones attacked in waves, a coordinated assault that would have overwhelmed most opponents. But Reptile was unnervingly fast, his reptilian reflexes allowing him to twist and counter in ways that seemed to defy anatomy. Each time a clone landed a hit, Reptile would destroy two in return.

From the sidelines, Frost watched with growing concern. "He's not taking this seriously enough," she muttered to Jax, who had joined her. "Reptile's playing with him."

Jax nodded grimly. "Kid's holding back. In this place, that's a death sentence."

In the arena, Naruto was beginning to realize the same thing. Despite landing dozens of blows through his clones, Reptile showed minimal damage—small cuts and bruises that seemed to be healing before his eyes.

"Zaterran regeneration," Reptile gloated, noticing Naruto's surprise. "You cannot win by a thousand small cutsss, mammal."

The creature suddenly disappeared from view, its skin shifting to match the arena floor perfectly. Naruto's remaining clones looked around in confusion.

"He's invisible!" one shouted, just before Reptile's claws erupted from its chest, dispelling it.

The invisible predator moved through the clones like a hot knife through butter, each one vanishing in puffs of smoke until only the real Naruto remained.

"Kit, this isn't working," Kurama growled inside him. "Stop holding back. He means to kill you."

"I know," Naruto muttered, closing his eyes to concentrate. "But I need to try something first."

He stilled his breathing, extending his senses as he'd learned during his Sage training. Though not in full Sage Mode, he could still detect the subtle disturbances in natural energy around him—and there, moving to his left, was a Reptile-shaped void.

Just as the invisible creature leapt, Naruto pivoted, driving a Rasengan directly into Reptile's midsection. The swirling sphere of chakra sent the creature flying backward, its invisibility dispelled by the impact. Reptile crashed into the arena wall, creating a crater in the stone.

The crowd roared with appreciation at the devastating counter. Even Shang Tsung raised an eyebrow in surprise.

But Naruto's triumph was short-lived. Reptile peeled himself from the wall, green blood dripping from his mouth, but otherwise intact. The hole in his abdomen was already beginning to close.

"Now Reptile is angry," the creature snarled, eyes blazing with reptilian hatred.

What followed was a brutal escalation. Reptile moved with newfound speed and savagery, no longer toying with his opponent. Acid spit flew through the air in deadly arcs, forcing Naruto into constant evasion. When the shinobi created more clones, Reptile countered by exhaling a noxious green cloud that dispelled them all and left Naruto coughing and disoriented.

A savage kick caught Naruto in the ribs, launching him across the arena. He rolled to his feet, but Reptile was already there, claws slicing across his chest. Only a last-second substitution jutsu saved him, leaving a log to be shredded in his place.

"Clever mammal," Reptile hissed, scanning for his opponent. "But Reptile grows tired of thessse tricksss."

Naruto reappeared at the far end of the arena, breathing heavily. Blood soaked through his orange jacket where one of Reptile's claws had connected.

"ENOUGH!" Kurama roared in his mind. "This creature means to wear you down then feast on your corpse. Show him what a true predator is!"

For once, Naruto agreed with the fox's assessment. This wasn't a sparring match or even a ninja battle with honor at stake. This was survival.

"Alright," he murmured. "Let's show them what we can really do."

Naruto closed his eyes, centering himself. When he opened them again, they had changed from blue to golden, with horizontal bar-like pupils. The whisker marks on his cheeks deepened, and an orange pigmentation appeared around his eyes.

"Sage Mode," he announced, his voice carrying a new weight of authority.

The transformation was subtle compared to many of the flashy powers he'd seen in this tournament, but the effect on his capabilities was profound. Naruto could now sense everything in the arena with crystal clarity—every movement, every breath, even the flow of Reptile's alien chakra equivalent.

Reptile charged again, but this time it was like attacking a ghost. Naruto sidestepped with fluid grace, then counterattacked with a palm strike that sent the creature skidding backward. Before Reptile could recover, Naruto was beside him, a Rasengan in each hand.

"Sage Art: Twin Rasengan!"

The dual impact lifted Reptile off his feet and slammed him into the arena wall with enough force to crack the stone from floor to ceiling. This time, when the creature peeled himself away, he was moving noticeably slower, green blood flowing freely from multiple wounds.

"What... are you?" Reptile gasped, regeneration struggling to keep pace with his injuries.

Naruto didn't answer. He was already forming his next attack, chakra swirling visibly around him. The crowd had fallen into an awed hush, sensing the shift in momentum.

"Sage Art: Massive Rasengan!"

The oversized sphere of chakra collided with Reptile before he could dodge, driving him not just into but through the arena wall. The explosion of dust and debris temporarily obscured the view, but when it cleared, Reptile lay unmoving in a crater of his own making, limbs splayed at unnatural angles.

Geras approached the fallen combatant, checking for signs of life. After a moment, he turned to Naruto.

"Reptile lives, but cannot continue," he announced. "Victory goes to Naruto Uzumaki of the Shinobi Realm."

The crowd's reaction was mixed—some cheered the spectacular display, while others, clearly Outworld natives, howled in disapproval. Naruto deactivated his Sage Mode, the golden eyes fading back to blue, the orange pigmentation receding.

Shang Tsung rose from his throne, silencing the crowd with a raised hand. His ancient eyes bored into Naruto with newfound interest.

"Most... impressive," the sorcerer declared. "The Shinobi Realm has sent us a worthy champion indeed." He gestured to attendants nearby. "See to Reptile's recovery. He may yet serve Outworld in future matches."

As Naruto turned to leave the arena, he caught sight of Frost among the competitors watching from a special viewing area. She nodded slightly—acknowledgment of his victory, but also a warning in her ice-blue eyes. He had revealed one of his powers, and now all eyes would be watching more closely.

The walk back to the preparation chamber seemed longer than before, each step reminding Naruto of the blows he'd taken. Kurama's chakra was already healing the worst of the damage, but the mental fatigue remained. He had won without killing, but only just—and what would happen when he faced an opponent he couldn't simply incapacitate?

"Not bad for a first timer," came Kano's gruff voice as Naruto reached the chamber. The mercenary was leaning against the wall, metal eye whirring as it scanned Naruto's injuries. "Though you might want to work on your killer instinct. Not finishing Reptile might come back to bite you."

"I don't kill if I don't have to," Naruto replied flatly.

Kano barked a laugh. "In Mortal Kombat, kid, it's always 'have to.' But suit yourself." He pushed off from the wall. "Shang Tsung wants to see you. Private audience. Lucky you."

Naruto tensed. "Now?"

"After the day's matches. Don't keep him waiting." With that ominous advice, Kano sauntered off toward the arena stairs. His match was next.

Naruto found a quiet corner to meditate and recover. He could feel Kurama's chakra working through his system, knitting flesh and replenishing energy. The Sage Mode had taken more out of him than expected—something about Outworld made gathering natural energy more difficult, as if the realm itself was somehow unnatural.

"This place is wrong," Kurama commented, sensing Naruto's thoughts. "It feels... consumed. Like a body being digested."

"Cheerful analogy," Naruto muttered.

"Accurate though. Be wary of the sorcerer, kit. He hungers for what is inside you."

"Join the club," Naruto sighed, thinking of Akatsuki and their obsession with the tailed beasts. Some things, it seemed, were universal constants across all realms.

The day's matches continued, a parade of violence and bloodshed that made even Naruto's hardened shinobi sensibilities recoil. Kano defeated his opponent—a four-armed woman named Sheeva—by plunging his knife into her eye after a brutal, extended battle. Unlike Naruto, he showed no hesitation in delivering the killing blow, even seeming to relish it.

Frost's match against Elektriq was a study in elemental opposites. Her ice techniques clashed spectacularly with his lightning, creating blinding displays of energy that had the crowd roaring with approval. Despite sustaining severe electrical burns, Frost ultimately prevailed by freezing Elektriq solid, then shattering his legs with a precisely aimed kick. Like Naruto, she spared her opponent's life—though whether from mercy or some deeper strategy, Naruto couldn't be sure.

By day's end, half the competitors had fought, with casualties mounting. Jax and Kenshi had both won their matches, though Deathstroke had yet to fight. As the final match concluded, Naruto felt a tap on his shoulder.

"The sorcerer awaits," said one of the sewn-eyed servants. "Follow."

Heart heavy with apprehension, Naruto followed the servant through winding corridors deeper into the complex. Whatever Shang Tsung wanted, Naruto doubted it boded well for his chances of returning home.

The journey ended at an ornate door guarded by two masked warriors. They opened it without a word, revealing a chamber that was part laboratory, part museum, and part arcane study. Shelves lined the walls, filled with books, scrolls, and jars containing specimens Naruto preferred not to examine too closely. In the center, a large table held maps of various realms, including one that Naruto recognized with a jolt as the Elemental Nations.

"Ah, our young champion arrives," came Shang Tsung's dry voice.

The sorcerer emerged from behind a bookshelf, looking somehow both ancient and ageless. In one hand, he held a glowing green crystal; in the other, a scroll that seemed to be written in blood.

"You fought... admirably today," he continued, setting down his items and approaching Naruto. "Though your reluctance to finish your opponent raises questions."

"Where I come from, we don't kill for sport," Naruto replied, maintaining a respectful but wary distance.

"Sport?" Shang Tsung's thin lips curved into something like amusement. "No, young ninja. Mortal Kombat is far more than sport. It is destiny. Cosmic balance. The mechanism by which the Elder Gods prevent realms from being conquered without... due process."

He gestured for Naruto to approach the map table. "Your realm—the Shinobi Realm, as Raiden calls it—is of particular interest to me. Tell me, how many like you exist there? How many carry... beasts... within them?"

Naruto froze. How could the sorcerer know about Kurama? Had he somehow sensed the Nine-Tails during the match?

"I don't know what you're talking about," he replied carefully.

Shang Tsung chuckled dryly. "Come now. I have consumed thousands of souls over my long existence. I know the signs of a vessel when I see one." His ancient eyes gleamed with hunger. "The power within you... it is old. Primal. Divine, even. Nothing like the artificial constructs of Earthrealm."

Inside Naruto, Kurama stirred uneasily. "Be very careful, kit. This one sees too much."

"The Nine-Tails is my partner, not some power source for you to consume," Naruto said firmly, dropping the pretense. "And neither of us is interested in being part of your collection."

Rather than being angered by the defiance, Shang Tsung seemed pleased. "Good. Spirit. Defiance. It makes the eventual... acquisition... all the sweeter." He turned back to the table, tracing a finger along the map of the Elemental Nations. "Your realm teeters on the edge of great change. The barriers between dimensions grow thin. What do you think would happen if Outworld's armies poured through? If beings like Goro or Kintaro rampaged through your... Hidden Villages, was it?"

The threat was clear, and it made Naruto's blood run cold. Even with all their power, could the shinobi alliance withstand creatures like he'd seen here? Beings that could shatter stone with a punch or regenerate from wounds that would kill any human?

"What do you want from me?" Naruto asked, cutting to the chase.

"For now? Continue fighting. Continue winning." Shang Tsung's smile was that of a predator. "But when the time comes for you to face defeat—as it inevitably will—surrender your soul willingly, and I shall ensure your realm remains... untouched."

"And if I refuse?"

"Then your realm will be the first conquest of the new expansion." The sorcerer turned away dismissively. "Consider my offer carefully, young ninja. Many would sacrifice one life to save billions."

As Naruto was escorted out, his mind raced with implications. The sorcerer had revealed more than he perhaps intended—that the tournament was part of some cosmic rule system, that the barriers between realms were weakening unnaturally, and most importantly, that Shang Tsung feared Naruto enough to try manipulation before combat.

"He will never honor such a bargain," Kurama growled. "Creatures like him do not know mercy or honor."

"I know," Naruto replied mentally. "But now we know his game. And knowledge is power."

As he made his way back to his quarters, Naruto spotted a familiar figure waiting in the shadows of the corridor—Frost, her arms crossed, expression unreadable.

"Private audience with the soul-eater," she commented as he approached. "Should I be congratulating you or offering condolences?"

"Neither," Naruto replied grimly. "He made me an offer I have no intention of accepting."

Frost's eyebrow raised slightly. "Dangerous, refusing Shang Tsung."

"Staying alive seems dangerous enough in this place," Naruto countered. "Nice match, by the way. You really froze that guy solid."

A ghost of a smile touched Frost's lips. "Lin Kuei specialty. Though your... what did you call it? Sage Mode? That was impressive."

They walked in companionable silence for a moment before Frost spoke again, her voice lower.

"The brackets have been updated. Thought you should know—you're facing Scorpion tomorrow."

Naruto's step faltered. "The hell ninja?"

"Technically, a spectre from the Netherrealm," Frost corrected. "But yes. The hell ninja."

"Any advice?"

Frost considered this. "Don't get grabbed. Don't get burned. And whatever you do, don't let him take you to the Netherrealm. No one comes back from that."

With those cheerful thoughts, they reached the junction where their paths diverged.

"Why tell me this?" Naruto asked suddenly. "We're competitors. Eventually, we might have to fight each other."

Frost studied him for a long moment. "Let's just say I've seen enough death in these tournaments to last several lifetimes. And you... you're different. You fight without hatred." She turned to go, then added over her shoulder, "It's refreshing. Try not to die tomorrow."

As Naruto watched her disappear down the corridor, he couldn't help but smile slightly. Even in this place of death and darkness, there were still allies to be found—if not friends, then at least those with compatible goals.

Tomorrow would bring new challenges, new battles. But for the first time since arriving in Outworld, Naruto felt something like hope. Not just for his own survival, but for finding a way to protect all the realms from whatever forces were conspiring to break down the cosmic barriers.

With renewed determination, he returned to his room to meditate and prepare. Scorpion awaited, and if the whispered rumors were true, the spectre would be unlike any opponent Naruto had ever faced.

The dawn of Naruto's second day in Outworld arrived with the now-familiar gong reverberating through the tower. This time, however, it was accompanied by a distant sound that took him a moment to identify—thunder. Through his window, he could see storm clouds gathering on the horizon, flashes of lightning illuminating their towering forms. The air felt charged, electric.

"The thunder god returns," Kurama noted. "Perhaps with news."

Naruto hoped the fox was right. Raiden's abrupt departure had left him with far more questions than answers, particularly after Shang Tsung's revelations about the weakening barriers between realms.

The preparation chamber had a different atmosphere today. Fewer competitors milled about—some eliminated, others dead. Those who remained carried fresh wounds or moved with the careful precision of those nursing hidden injuries. The casual conversations of yesterday had given way to tense silence, each fighter now fully aware of the stakes.

Naruto spotted Jax in a corner, Frost applying some kind of salve to burns on his mechanical arms. The big man nodded in acknowledgment as Naruto approached.

"Heard you drew Scorpion," Jax said without preamble. "Tough break."

"So everyone keeps telling me," Naruto replied, trying to maintain his usual confidence. "What's his deal, exactly? Frost mentioned he's some kind of... ghost?"

"Spectre," Frost corrected, not looking up from her work on Jax's injuries. "Murdered along with his entire clan, the Shirai Ryu. Returned from the Netherrealm seeking vengeance."

"Against who?"

"The Lin Kuei, originally," Jax explained. "He believed Sub-Zero's brother was responsible for the massacre. Later learned it was Quan Chi's deception, but by then, hatred had consumed him." He winced as Frost touched a particularly sensitive spot. "Hatred's all that's left now."

"Great," Naruto muttered. "So I'm fighting a vengeful ghost ninja who literally came back from hell."

"And can teleport," Frost added helpfully. "And control hellfire. And has a spear that can impale you from across the arena."

"Don't forget the whole 'dragging opponents to hell' thing," Jax chimed in.

Naruto glared at them both. "You guys are really boosting my confidence here."

A hint of a smile touched Frost's lips. "Just making sure you're prepared. Scorpion's dangerous, but not unbeatable. He's driven by rage, which makes him predictable."

"Speaking from experience?" Naruto asked.

Frost's expression darkened slightly. "Lin Kuei have a long history with the Shirai Ryu. Let's leave it at that."

Before the conversation could continue, a commotion at the chamber entrance drew their attention. Lightning crackled in the air as Raiden strode in, white eyes scanning the room until they found Naruto.

"Raiden," Jax greeted the thunder god with a respectful nod. "Back from consulting the Elder Gods?"

"Yes," Raiden replied grimly. "And the news is... troubling." He gestured for Naruto to follow him to a more private corner of the chamber.

Once out of earshot from the others, Raiden's expression grew even more severe. "The dimensional barriers are not merely weakening—they are being deliberately sabotaged."

"By who?" Naruto asked.

"That remains unclear. The Elder Gods sense an ancient power at work—one that predates even their existence." Lightning flickered in Raiden's eyes. "But the immediate threat is clear: if the tournament proceeds to its conclusion with Outworld victorious, the dimensional collapse will accelerate exponentially."

"And that's bad because...?"

"Because it would allow Shao Kahn to bypass the tournament entirely in the future," Raiden explained. "To invade and conquer realms without the Elder Gods' intervention. Your realm would be among the first targets."

Naruto absorbed this information grimly. "So I need to win."

"Not just win," Raiden corrected. "You must help ensure Outworld's defeat in the overall tournament. That means Earthrealm's champions must survive as well."

"Like Jax and the others," Naruto concluded. "But we're all pitted against each other eventually. How am I supposed to help them survive if I have to fight them?"

Raiden's expression was inscrutable. "Sometimes, victory lies not in defeating one's opponent, but in showing mercy when none is expected. Remember that, Naruto Uzumaki."

With that cryptic advice, the thunder god straightened. "You face Scorpion today. Be warned—he is not fully alive, nor truly dead. Conventional tactics may prove... ineffective."

"So I've heard," Naruto replied dryly.

"There is one more thing." Raiden's voice lowered further. "Shang Tsung has taken special interest in you—or rather, in what you contain. The Nine-Tails' power would be a significant prize for him."

"Yeah, we had a chat about that yesterday," Naruto said. "He offered to spare my realm if I surrender willingly when the time comes."

Raiden's eyes widened slightly. "Do not trust such offers. Shang Tsung's promises are as substantial as smoke."

"I figured as much."

The chamber doors swung open, and the same emotionless servant from yesterday entered. "The second day of kombat begins. First match: Naruto Uzumaki versus Scorpion. Combatants, prepare."

Raiden placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder, a gesture oddly reminiscent of how Kakashi or Jiraiya might have reassured him before a difficult mission. "Remember who you are, Naruto. Your strength comes not just from the beast within, but from your own indomitable spirit."

With those words of encouragement, the thunder god stepped back, allowing Naruto to make his way toward the arena once more.

The crowd seemed larger today, the stands packed with beings from across the realms. Naruto could pick out distinct sections—the refined, aristocratic figures of what must be Edenians; the uniformed military personnel of Earthrealm; and the grotesque, diverse monstrosities of Outworld itself.

As before, Shang Tsung presided from his elevated throne, though today he was flanked not just by Jade but by an imposing figure in spiked armor whose very presence seemed to darken the air around him—Shao Kahn himself, Emperor of Outworld, come to witness the day's proceedings.

Naruto took his position in the arena, scanning the opposite entrance for his opponent. Unlike yesterday's immediate appearance of Reptile, the entrance remained empty, stretching the tension like a wire about to snap.

Then—flames erupted in the center of the arena itself. They spiraled upward, forming a pillar of fire that scorched the very air. From within this inferno stepped a figure clad in yellow and black, eyes glowing like hot coals beneath his mask.

"Scorpion," the crowd chanted, the name becoming a rhythmic pulse that matched the beating of Naruto's heart.

The spectre stood perfectly still, regarding Naruto with those burning eyes. Up close, there was something profoundly wrong about him—a subtle wrongness that transcended his intimidating appearance. He didn't breathe. His stance wasn't that of a living man balancing on the earth, but of something anchored to reality by will alone.

Geras appeared between them, the same impassive timekeeper as before. "Naruto Uzumaki of the Shinobi Realm versus Scorpion of the Netherrealm. Begin when the gong sounds."

The silence stretched, broken only by the crackling of embers that still smoldered around Scorpion's feet. Naruto settled into a fighting stance, muscles coiled and ready.

The gong sounded.

Scorpion moved with uncanny speed—not rushing forward as Reptile had done, but vanishing in a burst of flame, only to reappear directly behind Naruto.

"GET OVER HERE!" The spectre's first words were a hellish roar as a spear—attached to a chain that seemed to materialize from his palm—shot toward Naruto's back.

Only Naruto's shinobi reflexes saved him. He substituted with a clone just as the spear would have impaled him, the weapon tearing through the copy in a puff of smoke.

"What manner of sorcery is this?" Scorpion demanded, voice like gravel being crushed.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu," Naruto replied, creating a dozen duplicates that surrounded the spectre. "Want to see it again?"

The clones charged, but Scorpion was ready. Fire erupted from the ground in a circular pattern, incinerating half the duplicates instantly. The remaining clones attacked from above, only to be met with a whirlwind of chain and blade as Scorpion wielded his spear with lethal precision.

One clone managed to land a solid kick to Scorpion's head, snapping it back with an impact that would have killed a normal man. The spectre merely turned his head back into place with a sickening crack and impaled the offending clone through the chest.

"Your tricks will not save you," Scorpion growled, flames now visibly licking along his arms and shoulders. "I sense the fear in your soul."

"I've faced scarier," Naruto shot back, though privately he was reconsidering that assessment. None of his normal tactics seemed effective against this undead opponent.

"Fire with fire, kit," Kurama suggested. "Let me help."

Naruto nodded imperceptibly, drawing on the Nine-Tails' chakra. The familiar sensation of power washed through him—his whisker marks darkening, his eyes shifting to crimson with slitted pupils, his fingernails lengthening into claws. A bubbling red aura began to form around him, taking the vague shape of a fox.

The crowd reacted with a collective gasp. Even Scorpion paused momentarily, flame-filled eyes narrowing.

"So," the spectre intoned, "you too harbor demons."

"Not a demon," Naruto corrected, voice now carrying an echo of Kurama's rumbling growl. "A partner."

With enhanced speed, Naruto rushed forward, moving faster than most eyes could track. His clawed hand slashed across Scorpion's chest, tearing through fabric and the flesh beneath—only for the wound to immediately seal itself with fire.

Scorpion countered with a flaming uppercut that caught Naruto squarely in the jaw, launching him skyward. Before he could recover, the spectre teleported above him, driving both fists down in a hammer blow that sent Naruto crashing into the arena floor hard enough to crater it.

The impact would have broken bones in a normal human, but the Nine-Tails' chakra cushioned the worst of it. Still, Naruto felt ribs crack and his vision swam as he struggled to his feet.

"Your demon gives you strength," Scorpion acknowledged, landing before him. "But I am fueled by vengeance itself. Nothing burns hotter."

The spectre reached up and, to Naruto's shock, pulled away his mask to reveal not a face but a flaming skull. Fire poured from his mouth as he inhaled deeply.

"MOVE!" Kurama roared inside Naruto's mind.

Naruto dove sideways just as Scorpion exhaled a massive stream of hellfire that turned the spot where he'd been standing into molten slag. The heat was so intense that even several feet away, Naruto felt his skin blister.

"This is bad," he muttered, creating more shadow clones to buy time as he formulated a new strategy.

The clones engaged Scorpion while Naruto retreated to the arena's edge, assessing the situation. Physical attacks seemed largely ineffective against the spectre's supernatural constitution. Fire techniques would be useless against a being literally composed of hellfire. What options remained?

Then it hit him—an idea so obvious he nearly laughed. Scorpion was from the Netherrealm, a place of fire and brimstone. What countered fire?

"Worth a shot," Naruto decided, beginning to gather natural energy. The process was still more difficult in Outworld, but with Kurama amplifying his efforts, he managed to enter Sage Mode while maintaining the fox's chakra cloak—a combination that made his entire body glow with golden-red energy.

In the stands, Raiden leaned forward with visible interest, while Shang Tsung's ancient eyes narrowed calculatingly. Few had ever seen such a display of combined powers.

Naruto formed the familiar cross-shaped hand sign. "Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

This time, not dozens but hundreds of clones filled the arena, each glowing with the same golden-red aura. The crowd's roar reached a new crescendo at the spectacular display.

"Impressive," Scorpion acknowledged, flames intensifying around him. "But numbers alone will not defeat me."

"I'm counting on something else," Naruto replied.

The clones attacked in waves, not just from the ground but from every angle—some launching themselves from the arena walls, others falling from above. Scorpion fought with hellish fury, his chain spear lashing out to impale clone after clone, his hellfire incinerating dozens more.

But the sheer number was overwhelming, and for every clone destroyed, two more took its place. Gradually, the spectre found himself forced to use more and more hellfire to keep the horde at bay.

Which was exactly what Naruto wanted.

As Scorpion unleashed another massive wave of flame, destroying a full quarter of the clones, Naruto and his remaining duplicates moved into position. Each began forming the same jutsu—a swirling sphere of wind-nature chakra.

"Rasenshuriken!" they called in unison, hurling the spinning discs of chakra from all directions.

Scorpion teleported to avoid the first, only to materialize directly in the path of another. The Rasenshuriken collided with the spectre's chest, expanding into a vortex of wind blades that shredded everything they touched. Scorpion roared in pain and fury as the wind-natured chakra not only tore at his physical form but seemed to extinguish the hellfire that sustained him.

"Impossible!" the spectre growled, flames sputtering around him like candles in a gale.

"Wind beats fire," Naruto replied simply. "Basic ninja strategy."

As the vortex dissipated, Scorpion dropped to one knee, his flaming skull dimming to embers. Parts of his physical form appeared to be disintegrating, flaking away like ash in the wind. The crowd had fallen silent, stunned by the sudden reversal.

Naruto approached cautiously, maintaining his Sage Mode but allowing Kurama's chakra cloak to recede. "Surrender," he offered. "This fight is over."

For a moment, it seemed Scorpion might actually concede. Then, with a roar that seemed to come from the depths of hell itself, the spectre slammed his fist into the ground. A circle of arcane symbols erupted around them both, burning with unholy fire.

"If I cannot defeat you here," Scorpion snarled, "then we shall continue our battle ON MY TERMS!"

The ground beneath them cracked open, revealing not earth but a swirling vortex of fire and darkness. Before Naruto could react, they were both falling, plummeting into the abyss as the arena and its stunned spectators vanished above them.

The sensation of falling lasted both an instant and an eternity—a disorienting rush through layers of reality that left Naruto gasping for breath he couldn't find. When he finally crashed onto solid ground, it was not the packed earth of the arena but a surface of cracked, blackened stone that radiated heat like a furnace.

Naruto staggered to his feet, immediately assaulted by the oppressive environment. The air burned his lungs with each breath, heavy with sulfur and ash. The sky—if it could be called that—was a churning mass of dark clouds illuminated from within by crimson lightning. Jagged mountains of obsidian rose in the distance, while rivers of magma criss-crossed the blasted landscape.

"Welcome to the Netherrealm," Scorpion's voice came from behind him, stronger now, resonating with power. "My domain."

Naruto turned to find the spectre fully restored, the hellfire that composed him burning brighter than ever. Here, in his native realm, Scorpion was no longer merely a combatant—he was an aspect of the very environment, a manifestation of its malevolence.

"That's cheating," Naruto managed, trying to maintain his Sage Mode despite the unnatural energy of this realm interfering with his ability to gather nature chakra.

Scorpion's flaming skull tilted in what might have been amusement. "There are no rules in the Netherrealm, boy. Only suffering and damnation."

With renewed vigor, the spectre attacked. His speed and strength had doubled, perhaps tripled, and flames trailed from his every movement like comet tails. Naruto found himself completely on the defensive, barely evading blows that left molten craters wherever they landed.

"This is bad, kit," Kurama warned, the fox's own energy fluctuating strangely in response to the Netherrealm's influence. "This place drains life force and feeds on suffering. We need to get back to the arena."

"Working on it," Naruto grunted, ducking under a chain whip that would have decapitated him. "Any suggestions?"

"We need to find whatever portal brought us here. There must be a way back."

Easier said than done, Naruto thought grimly. The landscape offered no obvious exit, and Scorpion seemed determined to ensure he never found one.

A flaming fist caught Naruto in the ribs, sending him skidding across the burning ground. Before he could recover, Scorpion's chain spear impaled his shoulder, the barbed tip tearing through muscle and embedding itself in bone.

"GET OVER HERE!" Scorpion roared, yanking Naruto toward him with inhuman strength.

Pain blazed through Naruto's body as the chain pulled against his impaled flesh. Instinctively, he formed a Rasengan in his free hand, driving it into Scorpion's chest as he was pulled within range.

The impact separated them, the chain ripping free from Naruto's shoulder in a spray of blood. He staggered back, clutching the wound as Kurama's chakra began knitting the damaged tissue.

"Your persistence is admirable," Scorpion acknowledged, his own damage already regenerating in a wash of flame. "Few last this long in the Netherrealm."

"I'm not planning to stay," Naruto replied through gritted teeth. Despite his bravado, he could feel his strength ebbing—not just from his injuries, but from the realm itself sapping his vitality with every passing moment.

Desperate for a solution, Naruto created a ring of shadow clones to keep Scorpion at bay while he assessed his options. His eyes darted around the hellish landscape, searching for anything that might serve as an escape route.

Then he saw it—a subtle ripple in the air about fifty yards away, like heat distortion but more structured, more deliberate. The same kind of dimensional tear that Raiden had first emerged from back in Konoha.

"There!" Kurama confirmed, sensing Naruto's discovery. "That's our way out. But it's unstable—it won't last long."

"Then we'd better hurry," Naruto muttered, formulating a plan. To his clones, he called, "Keep him busy! I need thirty seconds!"

The clones redoubled their efforts, swarming Scorpion from all sides. The spectre roared in frustration, unleashing waves of hellfire that incinerated dozens at a time, but more kept coming, sacrificing themselves to buy their creator precious time.

Naruto sprinted toward the dimensional ripple, pushing his body to its limits despite the Netherrealm's draining effect. Just as he neared it, however, the ground before him erupted in flames, and Scorpion materialized in his path.

"You will not escape," the spectre declared, hellfire swirling around his clenched fists. "Your soul belongs to the Netherrealm now."

"Sorry to disappoint," Naruto replied, "but I've got promises to keep."

With a final surge of determination, he drew deeply on Kurama's chakra, manifesting the fox's complete chakra avatar around himself—a glowing, translucent fox with nine tails that dwarfed Scorpion in size. The manifestation was brief, flickering like a candle in the wind as the Netherrealm fought to suppress it, but it was enough.

One massive chakra paw swatted Scorpion aside like an insect, sending the spectre crashing into a distant obsidian formation. Before he could recover, Naruto dove through the dimensional ripple, feeling reality itself stretch and distort around him.

The transition back was as disorienting as the departure. One moment he was surrounded by brimstone and flame, the next he was crashing onto the solid stone of the Mortal Kombat arena, gasping for air that didn't scorch his lungs.

A stunned silence greeted his return. From the perspective of the audience, less than a minute had passed since Scorpion had dragged Naruto into the Netherrealm—though for Naruto, it had felt like hours of combat.

He struggled to his feet, body battered and bleeding but spirit unbroken. The dimensional tear behind him fluctuated wildly, then stabilized as a flaming figure emerged—Scorpion, his rage palpable even across the arena.

"IMPOSSIBLE!" the spectre roared. "No mortal has ever escaped the Netherrealm!"

"I'm full of surprises," Naruto replied, settling back into a fighting stance despite his exhaustion.

The crowd erupted in cheers, the unexpected drama of Naruto's escape captivating even the bloodthirsty Outworld natives. In his elevated seat, Shang Tsung leaned forward with undisguised interest, while beside him, Shao Kahn's imposing figure had tensed slightly—the first sign of emotion from the Emperor.

Scorpion's flames burned hotter than ever, his skull-face contorted in a rictus of fury. "You have only delayed the inevitable," he snarled, preparing for another attack.

But before the spectre could charge, Raiden's voice boomed across the arena, amplified by thunder: "ENOUGH!"

Lightning struck the ground between the combatants, and from within the blinding flash, the thunder god materialized. He faced Scorpion, white eyes glowing with power.

"The rules of Mortal Kombat forbid interference from realm transport during matches," Raiden declared. "By taking your opponent to the Netherrealm, you have violated tournament law, Scorpion."

"I recognize no law but vengeance," Scorpion retorted, though he made no move to attack Raiden directly.

"Nevertheless," came Shang Tsung's voice from his throne, "the thunder god speaks truth." The ancient sorcerer rose, addressing the crowd. "The match is... forfeit. Victory goes to Naruto Uzumaki of the Shinobi Realm."

Boos and cheers mingled from the stands—clearly, many had been anticipating a more definitive conclusion to the spectacular battle. Scorpion stood rigid with rage, flames pulsing around him like a heartbeat.

"This is not over, fox-boy," the spectre promised, his burning gaze fixed on Naruto. "We will meet again."

With those ominous words, Scorpion disappeared in a pillar of fire, leaving only scorched stone where he had stood.

Raiden approached Naruto, concern evident in his expression. "The Netherrealm leaves its mark on all who visit," he said quietly. "How do you feel?"

"Like I went ten rounds with Madara Uchiha," Naruto admitted, wincing as he probed his various injuries. "But I'll live."

"Indeed you will," Raiden agreed with something like pride in his voice. "Few could have done what you did today, Naruto Uzumaki. You continue to surprise even the gods."

As medics approached to tend to his wounds, Naruto caught sight of Frost watching from the competitors' area. She gave him a small nod—acknowledgement, respect, perhaps even a hint of relief. Despite everything, Naruto found himself smiling. In this brutal tournament, survival itself was victory enough.

Back in his quarters, after the medics had bandaged his wounds and left him to rest, Naruto sat in meditation, communing with Kurama in their shared mindscape.

"That was too close," he admitted to the massive fox. "If we hadn't found that dimensional tear..."

"We got lucky," Kurama agreed grimly. "But luck has its limits. Our next opponent may not make such mistakes."

"Speaking of which, any idea who that might be?"

Before Kurama could answer, a knock at the door interrupted their conversation. Naruto opened his eyes, returning to full consciousness as he called, "Enter."

The door swung open to reveal Raiden, his expression grave. "We must talk," the thunder god said without preamble. "Events are unfolding faster than anticipated."

Naruto gestured for him to continue, ignoring the protest of his healing wounds as he shifted to face Raiden directly.

"The Elder Gods have confirmed my suspicions," Raiden explained. "The dimensional barriers are being systematically weakened by an entity known as Onaga, the Dragon King—an ancient ruler of Outworld who predates even Shao Kahn."

"Let me guess," Naruto sighed. "He's trying to come back?"

"Worse. He never truly left." Raiden's white eyes flickered with lightning. "His essence has been trapped between realms for millennia, but the weakening barriers are allowing him to exert influence once more. If the tournament concludes with Outworld's victory, the resulting dimensional instability will free him completely."

"And that would be bad."

"Catastrophic," Raiden corrected. "Onaga's power dwarfs even Shao Kahn's. Under his rule, Outworld consumed thousands of realms. Not even the Elder Gods could stop him directly."

Naruto absorbed this grim news with a frown. "So what's the plan? Keep winning matches until we figure something out?"

"For now, yes. But there is more." Raiden hesitated, clearly weighing his next words carefully. "Your match against Scorpion revealed something... unexpected. The power you displayed—"

"Kurama's chakra, combined with my Sage Mode," Naruto supplied.

"—it resonated with the dimensional barriers in a way I have never witnessed," Raiden continued. "For a brief moment, when you manifested that fox avatar, the barriers throughout the multiverse... stabilized."

Naruto blinked in surprise. "You're saying I somehow fixed the cosmic barriers? Just by using Kurama's power?"

"Not fixed," Raiden clarified. "Temporarily reinforced. The effect was fleeting but unmistakable. The tailed beast within you seems to possess an energy signature that naturally counters whatever force Onaga is using to weaken the dimensions."

Inside Naruto's mindscape, Kurama stirred with interest. "Ask him if this Onaga creature is related to the Ten-Tails. The energy patterns sound similar."

Naruto relayed the question, watching Raiden's expression shift from surprise to deep contemplation.

"The Ten-Tails..." the thunder god murmured, lightning flickering in his eyes as he accessed some divine knowledge. "Ah, I see. The primordial chakra entity from your realm. Yes, there may indeed be a connection. The Elder Gods speak of an ancient war that shattered a primeval entity into fragments across multiple dimensions. Perhaps your Ten-Tails and Onaga are different manifestations of the same cosmic force."

"Great," Naruto muttered. "So I've got another godlike monster to deal with. Just when I thought I was done with all that."

Raiden placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "You are not alone in this fight, Naruto Uzumaki. Even now, other champions work to uncover Onaga's plan and thwart it. But you—you may be the key to reinforcing the barriers permanently."

"How?"

"That," Raiden admitted, "remains unclear. But the tournament continues tomorrow, and with it, our opportunity to disrupt whatever Shang Tsung and his master are planning." He moved toward the door. "Rest now. Heal. Your next match will test you in ways even Scorpion did not."

"Who am I fighting?" Naruto asked.

Raiden paused at the threshold, his expression unreadable. "Jade. The Emperor's assassin and adopted daughter."

With that sobering news, the thunder god departed, leaving Naruto alone with his thoughts and a growing sense that the tournament was merely the visible face of a much deeper cosmic struggle.

Outside his window, the blood-red sky of Outworld had deepened to crimson-black, the twin moons casting their eerie light across the twisted landscape. Somewhere in that alien darkness, forces beyond his understanding were moving, plotting, preparing.

But for now, all Naruto could do was rest, heal, and prepare for tomorrow's battle—a battle that might determine not just his fate, but the fate of all realms, including the home he had sworn to protect.

The night brought strange dreams to Naruto—visions of giant snakes devouring worlds, of fox spirits dancing between dimensions, of ninja legends he'd grown up with intertwined with the cosmic mythology of Mortal Kombat. He woke several times, disoriented and sweating, only to fall back into the same kaleidoscopic dreamscape.

"The Netherrealm has left its mark," Kurama observed as dawn approached. "Its energy lingers in your system like poison."

"Can you flush it out?" Naruto asked mentally, feeling the unnatural heat still burning beneath his skin.

"Already working on it. But some scars transcend the physical, kit. You've glimpsed realms most mortals never survive witnessing."

With that comforting thought, Naruto rose to prepare for the day ahead. His wounds from the battle with Scorpion had mostly healed overnight—one benefit of having the Nine-Tails as a tenant—but a bone-deep weariness remained, along with the phantom sensation of hellfire on his skin.

The preparation chamber held even fewer competitors today. Naruto spotted Jax and Kenshi in conversation with a woman he hadn't seen before—tall, blonde, with military bearing and a stern expression. Frost was notably absent, as was Deathstroke.

"There he is," Jax called as Naruto approached. "The man who escaped hell."

"Word travels fast," Naruto observed, accepting Jax's offered handshake.

"Are you kidding? The whole tournament's talking about it. Nobody's ever escaped the Netherrealm after Scorpion's dragged them in." Jax gestured to the blonde woman. "This is Sonya Blade, Special Forces. She arrived late to the tournament."

Sonya's handshake was firm, professional. "Impressive fight yesterday," she said. "Though from what I hear, you've got an even tougher opponent today."

"Jade," Naruto nodded. "What can you tell me about her?"

The three Earthrealm champions exchanged glances.

"She's Edenian by birth," Kenshi explained, his blindfolded face turning toward Naruto with uncanny precision. "One of the last. Her realm was conquered by Outworld thousands of years ago."

"Raised from childhood by Shao Kahn himself," Jax continued. "Trained in every form of combat and assassination known to Outworld. She's his enforcer, his spy, and some say, the closest thing he has to family."

"Which makes her dangerous on a whole other level," Sonya added grimly. "She's not just fighting for victory—she's fighting for daddy's approval."

"Great," Naruto muttered. "Any actual fighting advice?"

"She favors a staff tipped with blades," Kenshi said. "Moves like water—fluid, adaptable, relentless. But her true advantage is her knowledge of pressure points. One touch in the right spot can paralyze limbs or stop hearts."

"And she can turn semi-transparent," Jax added. "Some kind of Edenian shadow technique. Makes her damn near impossible to track sometimes."

Naruto absorbed this information with growing concern. His previous opponents had been formidable but straightforward—Reptile with his acid and claws, Scorpion with his hellfire and vengeance. Jade sounded like a more technical fighter, perhaps more akin to the precise, calculated combatants he'd faced in the Chunin Exams.

"Where's Frost?" he asked, changing the subject. "And Deathstroke?"

A shadow passed over Jax's features. "Deathstroke's match was this morning, before you arrived. He fought Sub-Zero."

"And?"

"It was... brutal," Sonya said quietly. "Sub-Zero froze him solid, then... well, let's just say Deathstroke won't be competing anymore."

The implication was clear, and it sent a chill down Naruto's spine. Even a hardened mercenary like Deathstroke hadn't survived.

"And Frost?" he pressed, oddly concerned for the ice-wielding ninja who'd offered him warnings and something like friendship.

"Missing," Kenshi replied. "She disappeared after Deathstroke's defeat. Given her history with Sub-Zero and the Lin Kuei, it's possible she's gone into hiding."

Or worse, Naruto thought but didn't say. The tournament was thinning their ranks rapidly, through death or disappearance.

Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of servants announcing the day's matches. Naruto's fight against Jade was scheduled third—giving him time to watch and learn, but also to anticipate and worry.

The first match pitted Sonya against a grotesque creature called Baraka—a Tarkatan warrior with blade-like protrusions extending from his forearms and a mouth full of fangs that would make Kisame Hoshigaki look friendly by comparison. Despite his ferocity, Sonya's military training and technological enhancements proved superior. She defeated him with a series of precisely targeted strikes and a final move she called a "Ring Toss"—an acrobatic flip that caught Baraka's neck between her thighs before slamming him headfirst into the ground with a sickening crack.

Unlike many victors, Sonya spared her opponent's life, though she left him unconscious and broken in the arena dust.

The second match featured Kenshi against a warrior named Ermac—a construct composed of thousands of souls fused together by sorcery. The battle was a spectacular display of telekinetic power, with objects and energies flying across the arena as both fighters manipulated the very fabric of reality. In the end, Kenshi prevailed through superior focus and his ancestral sword, Sento, which seemed capable of disrupting Ermac's soul-based constitution.

Then it was Naruto's turn.

As he stepped into the arena for the third time, he was struck by how quickly this alien environment had become familiar—the packed earth beneath his feet, the roaring crowd surrounding him, the oppressive blood-red sky overhead. Even Shang Tsung's hungry gaze from his elevated throne no longer unnerved him as it once had.

Beside the sorcerer sat Shao Kahn himself—a mountain of a being in spiked armor, his face concealed behind a skull-like mask. The Emperor of Outworld radiated such palpable malevolence that Naruto could feel it even from across the arena, a pressure like killing intent but infinitely more potent.

From the opposite entrance emerged Jade. She moved with liquid grace, each step precisely measured, her emerald-green outfit contrasting sharply with her bronze skin and black hair. In one hand she carried a steel staff tipped with curved blades; the other flexed at her side, ready to strike or defend.

As they approached the center of the arena, Naruto was struck by her eyes—not just their unusual green color, but the complexity behind them. Unlike Scorpion's burning hatred or Reptile's predatory hunger, Jade's gaze held calculation, intelligence, and something unexpectedly human: doubt.

Geras materialized between them, his emotionless face as impassive as ever. "Naruto Uzumaki of the Shinobi Realm versus Jade of Outworld. Begin when the gong sounds."

Jade twirled her staff once, settling into a fighting stance that reminded Naruto of the Hyuga clan's Gentle Fist—balanced, centered, deceptively relaxed. Her eyes never left his, studying, assessing.

The gong sounded.

Unlike his previous opponents, Jade didn't immediately attack. Instead, she began circling slowly, staff held at a precise angle, every movement controlled and deliberate. Naruto matched her pace, maintaining distance while planning his approach.

"The fox-boy who escaped the Netherrealm," Jade spoke, her voice cultured and measured. "Impressive. Few survive Scorpion's hospitality."

"I'm hard to kill," Naruto replied simply.

"So I've observed." She continued her measured circling. "Two matches, two victories, both against opponents who should have destroyed you. One might suspect... intervention."

"Just skill and determination," Naruto countered, though he remained wary of her strategy. Was she trying to distract him with conversation?

"Perhaps." Jade's expression remained unreadable. "Or perhaps the thunder god has plans for you. Raiden has always been... selective... with his champions."

Without warning, she attacked, her staff extending in a thrust that would have impaled Naruto's throat had he not dodged at the last instant. The move flowed seamlessly into a spinning sweep that caught his ankle, sending him tumbling across the arena floor.

Before he could recover, Jade was upon him, staff a blur of motion as she pressed her advantage. Each strike came within millimeters of connecting, forcing Naruto into desperate evasions that left him no opportunity to counter.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" he managed between defensive maneuvers, creating a dozen duplicates to surround Jade and break her momentum.

The Edenian assassin didn't even blink at the multiplication of her opponents. With fluid grace, she extended her staff into a spinning defense that kept the clones at bay, then counterattacked with precision strikes that dispelled them one by one.

"Interesting technique," she commented, driving the bladed end of her staff through another clone. "But ultimately predictable."

Naruto frowned. Unlike Reptile or Scorpion, who had been thrown off balance by his shadow clones, Jade seemed to have instantly analyzed and adapted to them. Her fighting style reminded him uncomfortably of Neji Hyuga—technical, precise, and seemingly able to counter his every move.

Time for a different approach.

Naruto created more clones, but this time they didn't attack directly. Instead, they surrounded Jade in a loose circle, each beginning to form a Rasengan.

Jade's eyes narrowed at the swirling spheres of chakra. Without hesitation, she planted her staff in the ground and executed a move Naruto hadn't anticipated—her body became semi-transparent, taking on a ghostly emerald hue.

The Rasengans passed harmlessly through her intangible form, dispelling the clones that carried them as she phased through their attacks like smoke. Before Naruto could adjust his strategy, she solidified directly before him, her palm striking with snake-like speed at a pressure point in his shoulder.

Instant numbness spread down his right arm, the limb hanging uselessly at his side. Jade followed with a kick to his solar plexus that drove the air from his lungs and sent him sprawling.

"The Emperor grows impatient with this match," she said, glancing briefly toward Shao Kahn's imposing figure. "I had hoped for more of a challenge after your previous performances."

The taunt stung, but Naruto recognized it for what it was—an attempt to provoke an emotional response, to make him attack recklessly. Instead, he focused inward, drawing on Kurama's chakra to restore circulation to his paralyzed arm.

"Be careful, kit," the fox cautioned. "This one is different from the others. She's fighting with her mind, not just her body."

"I noticed," Naruto muttered, climbing back to his feet. "Time to show her what we can really do."

He drew deeper on Kurama's power, entering his initial chakra mode—the golden glow enveloping his body, his whisker marks darkening, his eyes shifting to crimson. The transformation radiated power, causing even the experienced Jade to take an involuntary step back.

"So," she said, recovering her composure quickly, "the rumors are true. You harbor a power beyond ordinary chakra."

Instead of answering, Naruto moved—faster than human eyes could track, appearing beside Jade with a Rasengan already forming in his palm. She barely managed to phase into her shadow form before the attack connected, the swirling sphere of chakra passing through her intangible body.

But Naruto had anticipated this. The moment she began to solidify, he was already moving again, a second Rasengan aimed at where she would materialize. This time, the attack connected, catching Jade in mid-transition and sending her tumbling across the arena.

The crowd roared its approval at the successful hit. Even Shao Kahn leaned forward slightly, his interest piqued by this turn in the battle.

Jade recovered with acrobatic grace, flipping to her feet despite the damage she'd sustained. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth, and her immaculate outfit now bore a spiraling burn mark where the Rasengan had connected.

"First blood to you," she acknowledged, wiping her lips. "But the match is far from over."

Something in her voice had changed—a new edge of determination, perhaps even desperation. Her eyes flicked briefly to Shao Kahn's watching figure, and Naruto suddenly understood. She wasn't just fighting for victory; she was fighting for her life. Failure was not an option when serving the Emperor of Outworld.

Jade launched a new offensive, her staff seeming to extend and retract as she attacked from constantly changing angles. She incorporated her shadow technique strategically now, phasing through Naruto's counters only to solidify for her own strikes, making her nearly impossible to hit consistently.

Despite Kurama's enhanced speed and reflexes, Naruto found himself hard-pressed to keep pace. Jade's centuries of training were evident in every move—no wasted motion, no telegraphed attacks, just fluid, lethal precision.

A particularly vicious staff sweep caught Naruto across the ribs, the bladed edge slicing through his jacket and into flesh beneath. He countered with a chakra-enhanced kick that Jade barely blocked, the impact still sending her skidding backward.

Both combatants paused momentarily, reassessing. Blood now stained the arena floor beneath them both—Naruto's bright red, Jade's darker, almost purple.

"You fight well," she acknowledged, adjusting her grip on her staff. "But you still hesitate to kill. In Mortal Kombat, such mercy is weakness."

"Where I come from, restraint is strength," Naruto countered. "I don't need to kill you to win."

Something flickered in Jade's eyes—surprise, perhaps even a touch of respect. "Admirable sentiment. Foolish, but admirable."

The next exchange was a blur of movement too fast for most spectators to follow. Jade's staff became a whirlwind of steel and blade, while Naruto's chakra-enhanced limbs struck with the force of battering rams. Each landed blows that would have felled lesser combatants, yet both refused to yield.

Naruto's jacket hung in tatters, multiple cuts leaking blood despite Kurama's accelerated healing. Jade wasn't faring much better—her perfect composure cracked, her breathing labored, one arm hanging slightly lower than the other where a particularly powerful strike had likely fractured bone.

The crowd was going wild, sensing that the battle was reaching its climax. Even Shang Tsung had abandoned his usual bored expression, watching with undisguised interest as the combatants pushed each other to their limits.

It was time, Naruto decided, to end this. Drawing deeper on Kurama's chakra, he prepared to enter a more complete Tailed Beast Mode—not the full fox avatar, which might destroy the arena itself, but enough to overwhelm even Jade's formidable defenses.

But as the golden chakra began to intensify around him, something unexpected happened. Jade lowered her staff, her posture shifting from combat-ready to something more measured, more contemplative.

"Enough," she said, her voice carrying clearly across the now-hushed arena.

The crowd's cheering faltered into confused murmurs. Naruto held his transformation in check, wary of a trick.

"What are you doing?" he asked cautiously.

Jade's green eyes met his, and in them Naruto saw something he hadn't expected—resolution, not surrender. "Choosing my own fate, for once."

She turned to face Shang Tsung and Shao Kahn directly. "I forfeit the match," she declared, her voice ringing with defiance. "Naruto Uzumaki is the victor."

A collective gasp rose from the spectators. Forfeit was technically allowed but virtually unheard of in Mortal Kombat—especially from one of Shao Kahn's own champions. The Emperor himself rose from his throne, his massive frame radiating fury even from a distance.

"JADE!" Shao Kahn's voice boomed across the arena like a physical force. "YOU DISGRACE OUTWORLD WITH YOUR WEAKNESS!"

The Edenian assassin stood her ground, though Naruto could see tension in every line of her body. "The Shinobi Realm warrior has proven his worth," she replied. "To continue would risk my ability to serve in future matches. A strategic withdrawal is not weakness, my Emperor."

For a moment that seemed to stretch into eternity, Shao Kahn stood motionless, his rage a palpable presence in the arena. Then, with deliberate slowness, he resumed his seat, one armored hand gripping his throne with enough force to crack the stone.

"So be it," Shang Tsung announced, breaking the tense silence. "Victory by forfeit goes to Naruto Uzumaki of the Shinobi Realm."

As Jade turned to leave the arena, she paused beside Naruto. "Meet me at the Krypt gardens when the moon is highest," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Come alone. There is much you need to know."

Before Naruto could respond, she was walking away, her posture perfect despite her injuries, her head held high as she exited the arena to a mixture of boos and uncertain applause.

Geras approached, his impassive face revealing nothing of his thoughts on this unusual conclusion. "The match is decided," he intoned. "Naruto Uzumaki advances to the next round."

As Naruto made his way back to the preparation chamber, he could feel the weight of countless eyes upon him—some curious, others hostile, all speculating about what had just occurred. A victory by forfeit from one of Shao Kahn's most trusted warriors was unprecedented in tournament history, according to the whispers that followed him.

Jax and Sonya were waiting in the chamber, both bearing the marks of their own successful matches.

"That was... unexpected," Sonya said as Naruto approached. "Jade doesn't forfeit. Ever."

"What did she say to you at the end?" Jax asked, his mechanical arms folded across his massive chest.

Naruto hesitated, unsure whether to share Jade's secretive invitation. Something told him discretion was wiser. "Just acknowledging the match," he lied. "Said I fought well."

Neither Earthrealm warrior looked entirely convinced, but they didn't press the issue.

"You've made an impression," Sonya observed, nodding toward a group of fighters from various realms who were openly staring at Naruto. "Three matches, three wins—two against Outworld champions and one against a Netherrealm spectre. People are starting to place bets on you making the finals."

"Not that I gamble," Jax added with a wink.

Despite his fatigue and lingering injuries, Naruto couldn't help but smile. "And how much have you put on me?"

Jax's laugh was a deep rumble. "Enough to retire on if you go all the way, kid."

The lighthearted moment was interrupted by a commotion at the chamber entrance. Servants and lesser fighters scattered as Shao Kahn himself strode in, his massive frame seeming to fill the entire doorway. The Emperor of Outworld rarely descended from his throne to mingle with mere competitors, and his unexpected appearance sent a ripple of tension through the room.

Behind him followed Shang Tsung and several black-clad guards. Jade was conspicuously absent.

"The Shinobi Realm warrior," Shao Kahn's voice was like stone grinding against stone. "Step forward."

Naruto exchanged a quick glance with Jax and Sonya, then did as commanded, maintaining a respectful distance from the imposing Emperor.

Up close, Shao Kahn was even more intimidating—over seven feet tall, with muscles like coiled steel beneath his ornate armor. The skull-like mask revealed only his eyes, which burned with ancient malice and inhuman intelligence.

"Three victories," the Emperor rumbled, studying Naruto as one might examine an unusual insect. "Impressive for one so... small."

"Thank you," Naruto replied carefully, sensing that anything more verbose might be taken as insolence.

"The tournament progresses more rapidly than anticipated," Shao Kahn continued. "Tomorrow, we begin the quarter-finals. Your next opponent will be..." He turned slightly to Shang Tsung, who unrolled a scroll.

"Sub-Zero of the Lin Kuei," the sorcerer announced, his ancient eyes fixing on Naruto with predatory interest.

Naruto felt a chill that had nothing to do with the cryomancer's name. Sub-Zero, who had brutally killed Deathstroke. Sub-Zero, whose very name had caused the normally composed Frost to tense with emotion.

"A worthy challenge," Shao Kahn declared, clearly relishing Naruto's reaction. "Perhaps this one will finally end your... remarkable streak of fortune."

Without waiting for a response, the Emperor turned and strode from the chamber, his entourage following in his wake. Only Shang Tsung lingered momentarily, his calculating gaze moving between Naruto and the Earthrealm champions.

"Fortuitous pairings," the sorcerer commented cryptically before he too departed.

The moment they were gone, Sonya grabbed Naruto's arm. "Sub-Zero? That's not right. The brackets shouldn't have matched you yet."

"They're manipulating the tournament," Jax agreed grimly. "Putting you against Sub-Zero at this stage... they want you eliminated before the finals."

"Or tested," came a new voice.

They turned to find Raiden approaching, lightning crackling faintly around his form as always. The thunder god's expression was grave.

"Sub-Zero is more than merely a Lin Kuei assassin," Raiden explained. "He is Kuai Liang, younger brother of the original Sub-Zero, and one of the few warriors to have faced both Shang Tsung and Shao Kahn in combat and survived."

"Great," Naruto muttered. "So they're sending their A-team after me now."

"It is both a threat and an honor," Raiden replied. "They fear what you represent—a power they do not understand and cannot control."

"Because of Kurama?" Naruto asked.

"Not merely the beast within you, but your spirit—your unwillingness to kill, your defiance of their bloodthirsty traditions. Such qualities are... disruptive... to Outworld's plans." Raiden's white eyes fixed on Naruto intently. "Now, you should rest. The quarter-finals will test you as never before."

As the thunder god turned to leave, Naruto made a quick decision. "Raiden, wait. There's something else." He lowered his voice, ensuring only Raiden could hear. "Jade asked me to meet her tonight, at the Krypt gardens. She said there's something I need to know."

Raiden's expression remained impassive, but a flicker of lightning crossed his eyes. "Interesting. Jade has served Shao Kahn for millennia, yet her forfeit today suggests... complexity."

"You think it could be a trap?"

"Possible," Raiden acknowledged. "But Jade is Edenian—her realm was one of the first consumed by Outworld. Her loyalties have always been... layered." He considered for a moment longer. "Go, but be vigilant. And take this."

The thunder god pressed something into Naruto's palm—a small medallion bearing an intricate lightning pattern. "If you face true danger, break this. I will come."

With that assurance, Raiden departed, leaving Naruto to contemplate the increasingly complex web of alliances and enmities that defined Mortal Kombat.

The twin moons of Outworld climbed slowly into the blood-red sky, casting their eerie light across the twisted landscape. Naruto moved silently through the shadows of the tournament grounds, avoiding the patrols of guards and the occasional drunken spectator celebrating their champion's victories.

The Krypt gardens, as they were called, proved to be less a garden and more a graveyard—a massive sprawling necropolis where warriors who had fallen in previous tournaments were interred. Stone monuments and elaborate mausoleums dotted the landscape, interspersed with gnarled trees that bore fruit like glowing human hearts. The entire area was shrouded in mist that clung to the ground, obscuring pathways and creating phantasmal shapes in the moonlight.

"Charming place for a rendezvous," Kurama commented dryly. "I'm starting to think these Outworld types have some issues with interior decorating."

"Stay alert," Naruto replied mentally. "If this is a trap..."

"I know. But I don't sense any immediate threats. Just the usual background malevolence of this realm."

Naruto made his way deeper into the Krypt, following a winding path between ornate tombs and statues of fallen warriors frozen in their final moments. Some depicted victory poses; others, far more numerous, captured expressions of agony and defeat. The craftsmanship was disturbingly lifelike.

A flicker of movement caught his eye—a shadow detaching itself from behind a massive sarcophagus. Naruto tensed, preparing for combat, but relaxed slightly as Jade's familiar form emerged into the moonlight.

She had changed from her tournament attire into more practical, darker clothing that blended with the shadows. Her injuries from their match seemed largely treated, though she favored her right side slightly as she approached.

"You came," she observed, her voice barely above a whisper. "Alone, as requested."

"I'm curious," Naruto replied simply. "It's not every day your opponent forfeits then invites you to a midnight meeting in a graveyard."

A hint of a smile touched Jade's lips. "The Krypt is one of the few places in the tournament grounds not under constant surveillance. Shang Tsung respects the dead enough to grant them privacy, at least."

"What's this about, Jade? Why forfeit our match?"

The Edenian assassin's expression grew serious. "Because I've served Shao Kahn for over ten thousand years, and in all that time, I've never seen him and Shang Tsung so... disturbed... by a competitor."

She gestured for Naruto to follow her deeper into the necropolis. As they walked, she continued in that same hushed tone. "Something is happening beyond the tournament. The usual balance of power is shifting. Realms that have been separate for millennia are suddenly bleeding into one another—not just Outworld and Earthrealm, but dozens of others."

"Raiden mentioned something about that," Naruto acknowledged. "He called it a dimensional fracturing."

"It's worse than that," Jade replied grimly. "It's deliberate sabotage of cosmic law. And while Shao Kahn publicly celebrates the opportunity for conquest, privately... he fears what's coming."

They reached a secluded clearing dominated by an ancient tree. Its twisted branches bore no leaves, but glowing blue fungi grew along its trunk, providing just enough illumination to see by.

"The Dragon King returns," Jade said, her green eyes reflecting the ghostly blue light. "Onaga—the being who ruled Outworld before Shao Kahn, whose power dwarfed even the Emperor's."

"Yeah, I got that briefing too," Naruto replied. "What I don't understand is why you're telling me this. Why risk Shao Kahn's wrath by forfeiting, by meeting me in secret?"

Jade studied him for a long moment. "Because in ten thousand years of serving Outworld, I have seen countless realms conquered, countless champions fall. But I have never seen anyone fight the way you do—with power that could destroy your opponents, yet choosing restraint. With every reason to hate this tournament and its traditions, yet showing mercy."

She turned away, gazing up at the twin moons. "I was born in Edenia, though I remember little of it now. My realm was peaceful, governed by principles not unlike those you seem to follow. When Shao Kahn conquered us, I was a child. He raised me to be his perfect weapon, and I have served that purpose faithfully."

"Until now," Naruto observed.

"Until now," she agreed softly. "Because Onaga's return would mean the end of all realms, not just their conquest. He would consume everything, leaving nothing but himself. Even Shao Kahn understands this, though his pride would never allow him to admit it."

"So what's the plan? How do we stop this Dragon King?"

Jade's expression grew troubled. "That's why I needed to speak with you. You possess something unique—power that resonates with the dimensional barriers themselves. When you fought Scorpion, when you manifested that fox avatar in the Netherrealm, the barriers throughout the multiverse momentarily stabilized. Shang Tsung felt it. So did others with sensitivity to such things."

Naruto absorbed this information with growing concern. "So I'm what—cosmic duct tape? I'm supposed to patch up the dimensions somehow?"

"Not alone," Jade replied. "But you may be a crucial piece of the solution. The tailed beast within you—its energy signature is similar to the Elder Gods themselves. Primal. Foundational."

"Huh," Kurama commented inside Naruto's mind. "Thousands of years of being called a demon, and now apparently I'm divine. Tell her I accept worshippers on the third Thursday of each month."

Ignoring the fox's sarcasm, Naruto pressed for more information. "What exactly am I supposed to do? And why are you helping me? This is still a tournament, and eventually we'd have to face each other again."

"Because some things transcend tournaments," Jade replied simply. "If Onaga returns, there will be no more Mortal Kombat, no more Elder Gods to enforce the rules that prevent direct invasion. Just endless consumption until nothing remains."

She reached into a pouch at her waist and withdrew a small object that gleamed in the moonlight—an amulet of some kind, bearing an intricate dragon motif.

"This belonged to my mother, one of Edenia's high priestesses," she explained, offering it to Naruto. "It's said to protect against scrying and magical surveillance. Wear it, and neither Shang Tsung nor his minions will be able to track your movements or listen to your conversations."

Naruto accepted the amulet hesitantly. "Why give me this? You're risking everything."

"Because someone must," Jade replied with quiet conviction. "Tomorrow you face Sub-Zero. He is formidable—perhaps the most technically perfect fighter in the tournament. But he is also honorable, in his way. Show him the same mercy you've shown your other opponents, and you may find an unexpected ally."

Before Naruto could question her further, Jade stiffened, her head turning sharply toward the path they had followed. "Someone comes," she whispered. "Guards, by the sound of it."

Indeed, Naruto could now hear the clanking of armor and the guttural voices of Outworld soldiers approaching the Krypt. Whether they were conducting a routine patrol or specifically searching for them was unclear, but neither could risk being discovered together.

"We must separate," Jade said urgently. "Wear the amulet. Trust no one completely—not even those who seem allied with your cause. And Naruto..." She hesitated, then added, "When the time comes, remember that true victory sometimes requires sacrifice."

With those cryptic words, she melted into the shadows, her form becoming transparent through some application of her shadow technique until she vanished completely from sight. Naruto quickly slipped the amulet around his neck, tucking it beneath his torn jacket, then used his own shinobi skills to conceal himself as the patrol passed nearby.

The guards were indeed searching for someone—their lanterns swept methodically across the necropolis paths, their conversation revealing that Shao Kahn had ordered increased security following "the Edenian's disgrace." Whether this meant Jade specifically or some other development, Naruto couldn't tell, but it confirmed the risky nature of their meeting.

When the patrol had passed, Naruto made his way back toward the tournament grounds, his mind racing with the implications of Jade's revelations. The amulet felt warm against his skin, pulsing with a subtle energy that seemed to resonate with his own chakra.

"Interesting development," Kurama observed. "The assassin has a conscience after all."

"She's scared," Naruto replied mentally. "Not for herself, but for everything. This Onaga must be serious business if it's got Shao Kahn's top enforcer secretly working against him."

"Or it's an elaborate trap," the fox cautioned. "Don't forget where we are, kit. In Outworld, deception is as natural as breathing."

Naruto couldn't argue with that assessment. As he slipped back into his quarters, avoiding the guards patrolling the corridors, he found himself wondering who, if anyone, he could truly trust in this place of death and manipulation.

Tomorrow would bring a new challenge—Sub-Zero, the Lin Kuei assassin whose reputation had even hardened warriors speaking in hushed tones. But beyond that loomed an even greater threat, one that apparently transcended the tournament itself.

As he prepared for what little sleep he might find, Naruto's thoughts turned to Konoha, to the friends and comrades who seemed a lifetime away. He had come to this tournament to protect them, to prevent Outworld's conquest of the Shinobi Realm. But now it seemed the stakes were even higher—not just the fate of his world, but of all worlds hung in the balance.

With that sobering thought, he drifted into an uneasy sleep, dreaming of ice and dragons and barriers between worlds crumbling like sand castles before an incoming tide.

The quarter-finals of Mortal Kombat dawned with an ominous change in Outworld's already unsettling atmosphere. The blood-red sky had darkened to a bruised purple, while the twin moons remained visible despite the daylight—pale, watching eyes that never blinked. Thunder rumbled continuously on the horizon, though no rain fell on the parched landscape.

"The dimensions continue to destabilize," Raiden explained to the gathered Earthrealm champions in the preparation chamber. "What you perceive as weather is actually the fabric of reality straining against unnatural forces."

The thunder god looked more haggard than usual, lightning flickering around him in erratic patterns rather than the controlled energy he typically manifested. Whatever efforts he was making to counteract the dimensional fracturing were clearly taking their toll.

"How much time do we have?" Sonya asked, adjusting the gauntlets on her wrists.

"Days, perhaps," Raiden replied grimly. "The tournament's accelerated pace is no coincidence. Shao Kahn seeks to complete the conquest of Earthrealm before Onaga's return disrupts his plans."

"And the other realms?" Naruto asked, thinking of his home.

"All endangered," Raiden confirmed. "Though some more immediately than others. The Shinobi Realm's unique chakra-based structure actually provides some natural resistance to the fracturing—another reason Shao Kahn views it as a particularly valuable conquest."

Their strategy session was interrupted by the arrival of tournament officials announcing the day's matches. With fewer competitors remaining, only two battles were scheduled—Sonya Blade versus Kano, followed by Naruto versus Sub-Zero.

Jax clasped Naruto's shoulder with a mechanical hand. "Watch yourself out there," he advised. "Sub-Zero's not just dangerous because of his ice powers. He's a tactical genius. Every move has a purpose."

"And unlike Scorpion, he won't lose control through rage," Sonya added. "He'll stay cool—literally and figuratively—no matter what you throw at him."

"Any idea where Frost is?" Naruto asked, still concerned about the female cryomancer's mysterious disappearance.

Jax and Sonya exchanged uneasy glances. "Nothing concrete," Jax admitted. "But there are rumors... the Lin Kuei don't tolerate deserters. And with Sub-Zero advancing in the tournament..."

The implication was clear and troubling. If Frost had indeed been a defector from the Lin Kuei clan, Sub-Zero might have had orders concerning her that went beyond tournament competition.

As Sonya departed to prepare for her match against Kano, Naruto found himself alone with his thoughts and Kurama's ever-present counsel.

"You're worried about the ice woman," the Nine-Tails observed.

"She helped me," Naruto replied mentally. "Gave advice, warnings. That's more than most in this place."

"Sentimentality will get you killed here, kit. Focus on your own survival. The cryomancer made her choices long before we arrived."

Naruto knew the fox was right, but it didn't sit well with him. In Konoha, comrades looked out for each other—it was the foundation of the Will of Fire that had been instilled in him since childhood. To simply abandon someone who had shown him kindness, however limited, felt wrong.

Sonya's match against Kano was brutal but brief. The Special Forces commander had clearly faced the mercenary before and came prepared for his tactics. Despite Kano's cybernetic enhancements and dirty fighting style, Sonya's military precision and focused rage gave her the edge. She defeated him with a series of devastating combination attacks that left the Black Dragon leader unconscious but alive—a mercy that earned mixed reactions from the bloodthirsty crowd.

All too soon, it was Naruto's turn.

The arena had been modified for the quarter-finals, expanded and reinforced with strange, glowing runes embedded in the stone walls. The spectator stands were packed beyond capacity, with beings from across the realms jostling for position to witness the most anticipated match of the day.

Shao Kahn presided from his elevated throne, flanked by Shang Tsung and several hooded figures Naruto hadn't seen before. Jade was present but stood apart from the Emperor's inner circle, her posture rigid, her expression carefully neutral. She gave no sign of recognizing Naruto beyond the formal acknowledgment due any competitor.

From the opposite entrance emerged Sub-Zero.

Naruto had glimpsed the Lin Kuei grandmaster before but never up close. The cryomancer cut an imposing figure—tall and powerfully built, clad in blue and black armor that bore his clan's dragon emblem. A mask covered the lower half of his face, while his eyes glowed with an unearthly blue light. The air around him crystallized with each breath, tiny ice particles forming and dissipating in a constant cycle.

As they approached the center of the arena, Naruto studied his opponent carefully. Unlike Scorpion's burning hatred or Jade's calculating assessment, Sub-Zero's gaze was entirely clinically—analytical, examining Naruto's stance and movements with the detached interest of a scientist observing a specimen.

Geras materialized between them as before. "Naruto Uzumaki of the Shinobi Realm versus Sub-Zero of the Lin Kuei. Quarter-final match. Begin when the gong sounds."

The timekeeper stepped back, leaving the two warriors facing each other across a few yards of packed earth. The crowd's roaring faded to a tense hush as everyone anticipated the coming clash between the tournament's most surprising upstart and one of its most legendary veterans.

The gong sounded, its deep reverberation seeming to shake the very air.

Neither combatant moved immediately—a stark contrast to Naruto's previous matches. Sub-Zero remained perfectly still, only his glowing eyes tracking Naruto's subtle weight shifts. The stillness stretched for several heartbeats, a psychological battle before the physical one began.

"Your reputation grows with each victory," Sub-Zero finally spoke, his voice deep and resonant, carrying a literal chill that frosted the air between them. "First Reptile, then Scorpion. Even Jade deemed you worthy of... special consideration."

There was something pointed about his phrasing that made Naruto wonder if the Lin Kuei master somehow knew about their secret meeting. He kept his expression neutral, refusing to take the bait.

"The question remains," Sub-Zero continued, frost forming around his clenched fists, "whether you are truly exceptional... or merely fortunate."

Without warning, he attacked—not with a dramatic charge or flashy technique, but with a simple, focused ice blast aimed directly at Naruto's feet. The young shinobi leapt aside, only to discover this was exactly what Sub-Zero had anticipated. A second ice attack caught his legs in mid-air, encasing them in a thick layer of ice that sent him crashing to the ground with painful impact.

Before Naruto could break free, Sub-Zero was upon him, a sword of solid ice materializing in his hand as he prepared a downward strike that would impale his immobilized opponent.

Only Naruto's swift creation of a shadow clone—which took the lethal blow in his place while he substituted away—saved him from an early defeat. The ice shackles shattered as he rolled to his feet, already forming hand signs for his next technique.

"Earth Style: Mud Wall!"

A barrier of solid earth erupted between Naruto and Sub-Zero, momentarily blocking the cryomancer's line of sight. It proved only a brief respite, as the wall immediately began to crystallize, ice spreading across its surface like a living thing before the entire structure shattered under Sub-Zero's palm strike.

"Elemental jutsu," Sub-Zero observed, brushing ice particles from his armor. "Impressive, but fundamentally no different from my own cryomancy."

He demonstrated by creating a complex ice sculpture in the air before him—a perfect replica of the Konoha leaf symbol that Naruto wore on his headband. The detail was exquisite, down to the smallest groove and curve. Then, with a casual gesture, Sub-Zero shattered it, sending razor-sharp shards flying toward Naruto like a thousand frozen senbon.

Naruto countered with a wind-style jutsu that scattered the projectiles, but several still found their mark, embedding themselves in his arms and legs. Though minor wounds, they burned with unnatural cold, the ice seemingly resistant to Kurama's healing chakra.

"His ice is infused with something beyond mere freezing energy," Kurama noted with concern. "Be careful, kit. This one's techniques carry the chill of death itself."

Naruto created a dozen shadow clones to launch a coordinated attack from multiple angles. Sub-Zero responded with methodical precision, each movement economical and devastating. Where Scorpion had fought with passionate fury and Jade with calculated grace, Sub-Zero's combat style was mathematical—each counter precisely calibrated to the attack, no energy wasted, no opening unexploited.

Three clones he froze with a sweeping arc of ice energy. Two more he impaled with ice daggers formed instantaneously from the moisture in the air. Another, approaching from behind, he caught without even looking, freezing its arm before shattering it with a sharp blow.

"Your multiplication technique is indeed impressive," Sub-Zero acknowledged as he dispatched the remaining clones. "But quantity is no substitute for quality."

Naruto frowned, reassessing his strategy. Direct attacks weren't working, and Sub-Zero seemed to have an answer for every standard jutsu in his arsenal. It was time to escalate.

Drawing on Kurama's chakra, Naruto entered his initial jinchūriki form—the golden glow enveloping his body, his whisker marks darkening, his eyes shifting to crimson with slitted pupils. The influx of power melted the ice shards embedded in his flesh, steam rising from the wounds as they closed.

Sub-Zero's glowing eyes narrowed slightly—the first sign of genuine interest he'd shown. "So. The rumors were true. You harbor something... ancient."

The cryomancer's own power intensified in response, the temperature around him dropping so rapidly that the arena floor cracked and frosted beneath his feet. The air between them filled with dancing ice crystals, reflecting the golden light of Naruto's chakra cloak in a thousand tiny mirrors.

What followed was a clash of elemental opposites—Naruto's fiery, living chakra against Sub-Zero's deathly, perfect ice. Each exchange left parts of the arena either scorched or frozen, the contrast stark and dramatic. The crowd roared its approval as the battle reached new heights of spectacle, even Shao Kahn leaning forward in his throne with undisguised interest.

Yet despite the raw power Naruto now wielded, Sub-Zero maintained his methodical approach, never overcommitting, always finding the most efficient counter to each attack. It was like fighting a living computer, one that calculated trajectories and weaknesses faster than most humans could think.

A particularly powerful ice blast caught Naruto in the chest, sending him tumbling across the arena. Instead of pressing his advantage, Sub-Zero paused, watching as his opponent struggled back to his feet.

"Your power is impressive," the cryomancer admitted. "Few could withstand my Dragon's Ice at such close range. But you lack focus, discipline. You rely too heavily on raw energy rather than technique."

"Is this a fight or a lesson?" Naruto shot back, wiping blood from his mouth.

Something like amusement flickered in Sub-Zero's glowing eyes. "In the Lin Kuei, they are one and the same."

The battle resumed with increased intensity. Naruto's enhanced speed allowed him to land several solid hits—a Rasengan to Sub-Zero's shoulder that cracked his armor, a sweeping kick that momentarily disrupted the cryomancer's perfect balance. But each successful strike came at a cost, as Sub-Zero's counters grew increasingly dangerous, ice forming inside Naruto's body on contact, threatening to freeze him from within.

"This isn't working," Kurama growled. "His control over ice is too perfect, too precise. We need something unexpected, something beyond mere power."

Naruto agreed. He needed to break Sub-Zero's rhythm, to force him out of his calculated combat style and into something more reactive. But how?

The answer came from an unexpected source—not from Kurama or his own tactical thinking, but from a memory of Frost. During their brief interactions, she had mentioned something about Lin Kuei techniques, about how the most advanced cryomancers could not only create ice but transform themselves into it, becoming living embodiments of winter.

It was a desperate gamble, but Naruto had built a career on those.

Feigning greater injury than he'd actually sustained, Naruto staggered back, allowing his chakra cloak to flicker as if his energy was fading. Sub-Zero, seeing an opening, moved in for what he clearly intended as a decisive blow—a spear of ice aimed at Naruto's heart, designed to end the match cleanly and efficiently.

At the last possible moment, Naruto changed tactics entirely. Instead of dodging or countering, he did something no opponent had likely ever done—he grabbed Sub-Zero's arms, pulling the cryomancer closer rather than trying to escape, willingly impaling himself on the ice spear.

The crowd gasped collectively. Even Sub-Zero's disciplined composure cracked momentarily in surprise.

"What—" the Lin Kuei master began, but was cut short as Naruto, grimacing through the pain of the ice piercing his shoulder—he had managed to shift just enough to avoid a fatal heart wound—placed his palm directly on Sub-Zero's chest armor.

"Sealing Technique: Ice Reflection!"

It wasn't a real jutsu, at least not one he'd ever learned or practiced. But Naruto had absorbed enough about sealing techniques from Jiraiya, and about chakra flow from his Rasengan training, to improvise something new. He channeled Kurama's chakra not as an attack but as a conduit, creating a feedback loop with Sub-Zero's own cryomancy.

The effect was immediate and spectacular. Ice began to spread across Sub-Zero's body, not formed by his own power but reflected back from it, amplified and twisted by the nature of Kurama's chakra. The cryomancer's eyes widened in genuine shock as his own techniques rebounded upon him, freezing him in layers of increasingly thick ice.

"Impossible," Sub-Zero gasped as the ice reached his neck. "This is... Lin Kuei secret technique..."

"No," Naruto corrected through gritted teeth, maintaining the connection despite the ice spear still impaling his shoulder. "This is something new."

Within seconds, Sub-Zero was completely encased in ice—immobilized but, crucially, still conscious and unharmed within his frozen prison. Only his eyes remained mobile, watching Naruto with what might have been newfound respect beneath the shock.

The arena fell silent as Naruto staggered back, pulling himself free of the ice spear with a grunt of pain. Blood stained the front of his tattered jacket, but Kurama's chakra was already working to close the wound.

Geras approached the frozen Sub-Zero, examining the ice encasement carefully before turning to address the crowd. "Sub-Zero is immobilized and cannot continue. Victory goes to Naruto Uzumaki of the Shinobi Realm, who advances to the semi-finals."

The crowd's reaction was mixed—stunned silence from many, wild cheering from others. From his throne, Shao Kahn's expression was unreadable behind his skull mask, but his clenched fist on the armrest spoke volumes about his displeasure at seeing another Outworld champion defeated.

Naruto approached the frozen Sub-Zero, placing his hand on the ice. "I can release you," he offered. "The match is over."

Sub-Zero's eyes shifted to look directly at him, and a subtle nod was just barely perceptible within the ice. Naruto channeled Kurama's chakra once more, but this time as heat rather than reflection, carefully melting the ice without harming the warrior within.

As the ice receded, Sub-Zero flexed his limbs experimentally, cold vapor rising from his armor. The arena tensed, many expecting the Lin Kuei master to attack despite his defeat—such violations of tournament etiquette were not uncommon in Mortal Kombat's bloody history.

Instead, Sub-Zero did something that surprised everyone present. He bowed—a formal, respectful gesture of acknowledgment.

"Few have ever turned my own element against me," he said, his voice slightly hoarse from the extreme cold. "And fewer still would show mercy when victory was assured." He straightened, meeting Naruto's gaze directly. "You have earned the respect of the Lin Kuei, Naruto Uzumaki."

With that unexpected concession, Sub-Zero turned and walked from the arena, his dignified exit as precisely controlled as his fighting had been. The crowd's murmuring reached new heights—first Jade's forfeit, now Sub-Zero's honorable acknowledgment of defeat. The tournament was defying all expectations.

As Naruto made his own way back to the preparation chamber, he caught sight of Jade among Shao Kahn's entourage.