The city's burning horizon faded behind him, a scarred reminder of battles fought and lives lost. Naruto adjusted the strap of his sword, the demonic energy humming faintly as though sensing its master's resolve. He had parted ways with Dante, Trish, and the others weeks ago, choosing a path of solitude. The group had their own destinies, but he… he had to forge his own legend.
The streets outside the ruined city were eerily quiet, dust curling in the wind like smoke from dying embers. Buildings leaned precariously, some completely collapsed, leaving narrow alleys that smelled of ash and mildew. It was the perfect kind of silence—one that made him hyper-aware of every footstep, every shift in the shadows.
He pulled his hood up and walked steadily eastward. The sword's demonic aura pulsed gently along his spine. The crossguard spiraled with small skulls and writhing hands; the fox-like demonic skull on its flat sides seemed to study the world, almost alive. Naruto had learned to feel its mood, to trust its presence. The jagged edges of the blade caught the sunlight as he moved, faintly glittering like the teeth of some ancient predator.
Somewhere deep within him, the Kyubi stirred. Its chakra coiled like a restless storm, whispering, urging, and laughing in unison with his heartbeat. Naruto's body tingled as he allowed himself a moment to synchronize. The golden flames that would erupt in his Chakra Link Form shimmered beneath his skin, restrained but ready.
Not yet, he thought. I can't waste it here. I have to pick the right fight.
Despite the scarcity of chakra in this world, the Kyubi remained an ally, a symbiotic presence. He could enter Chakra Link Mode for up to an hour—a dangerous but necessary risk. He'd practiced controlling the power even in short bursts, testing his limits with the sword. The faint golden aura traced along his blade, whispering promises of destruction.
Naruto's steps carried him toward a mountain range on the horizon, a jagged silhouette rising like the teeth of a beast. Rumors had reached him of demonic stirrings—creatures that had survived the chaos, lurking where human settlements dared not tread. This was not merely a hunt; it was preparation. The DMC world was unforgiving, and survival required more than skill—it demanded strategy, cunning, and restraint.
A shadow darted across the cliffside. Naruto halted instantly, instincts flaring. He crouched, drawing the sword with a slow, fluid motion. The demonic aura intensified, though restrained. His eyes scanned the rock face, pupils narrowing into their golden-orange slits.
A small pack of corrupted imps leapt from the shadows, their jagged forms glinting like broken glass. They snarled, their claws scraping against the stone.
Naruto's hand tingled as he channeled a controlled flow of chakra from the Kyubi. His nails elongated into claws, the magatama around his collarbone faintly glowing. The swirl on his stomach pulsed like a heartbeat. His body radiated power, though he kept the full Chakra Link Form dormant—he could only hold it for so long in this world.
With a roar, he swung the sword. The jagged edges carved arcs through the air, and the imps were shredded in a spray of black ichor. Even restrained, the weapon's aura carved fear into their minds. He exhaled sharply, sensing the limit of the small chakra surge. One hour in full mode, he reminded himself. He could not waste it here.
The imps gone, the mountain wind carried a low, guttural growl. Naruto's pupils contracted further. Larger things were awake. He crouched low, fingertips brushing the stone, feeling the faint tremors in the earth. Demons of a higher order were active—ones that could not be handled casually.
He closed his eyes, letting the Kyubi whisper its calm, guiding presence. Together, they were a force, but he needed patience. Patience would turn their partnership into a legend.
As he ascended the cliffs, the wind tugged at his cloak. Memories of the city flickered through him: Dante's smirk, Patty's innocent determination, the quiet grief of her mother. Those he left behind were safe for now. He had chosen this path, and the Kyubi, unlike others, did not question him. Its flames burned softly beneath his skin, coiling with anticipation.
The peaks of the mountains were shrouded in mist, eerie and still. Naruto's blade caught faint light again, a glint that seemed to pierce the fog itself. Every shadow could be a threat, every sound a predator. His senses were heightened, every nerve attuned. He could feel the faint pulse of demonic energy, like the heartbeat of a sleeping giant.
He paused at the edge of a cliff, gazing down into a valley choked with mist and shadow. His claws flexed, and his eyes narrowed. Here, perhaps, his legend would truly begin.
"Time to see what I'm made of," he murmured. The Kyubi's laughter rolled softly in his mind, a sound of approval and raw, untamed joy.
He activated a small surge of the Chakra Link, golden flames flickering around him. The white horns pushed slightly from his forehead, and the black squares on his cheeks darkened. The magatama along his collarbone glimmered faintly, and the swirl on his stomach pulsed as if alive. The power was restrained, measured, but the aura alone made the valley tremble.
Naruto stepped forward into the mist, every stride deliberate, every motion controlled. He was alone, but not weak. The sword hummed in resonance with the Kyubi, a promise of destruction for any who dared challenge him.
Somewhere in the valley, something stirred. Larger than the imps, older than the ruins. Naruto's golden eyes tracked it, his claws flexing, his breath steady. This world had no mercy, but neither did he.
This is only the beginning, he thought. I will carve my own legend.
And with that, he vanished into the fog, the golden flames of his Chakra Link aura fading into the shadows, leaving only the faint echo of a heartbeat… and the promise of power yet to be unleashed.