Naruto stood before the Real Waterfall, his sharp gaze fixed on the powerful energy radiating from it. The aura it emitted was almost suffocating, making it clear that this place was not ordinary.
Beside him, Setsu hesitated, her fingers trembling slightly as she clenched her fists.
Suddenly, from the waterfall's cascading waters, a figure emerged—a woman who looked exactly like Setsu, with the same fiery red hair and distinctive glasses. However, her eyes held a sharper, more intense glare, filled with a simmering rage that contrasted with Setsu's usual timid demeanor.
"Hey!" The reflection—Setsu's manifested inner self—spoke first, her voice dripping with impatience. "When are you planning to return to the Land of Grass?"
Naruto, observing from the sidelines, chose not to interfere yet. He wanted to see how Setsu would handle this confrontation with her own subconscious.
Setsu, taken aback by the question, stumbled backward slightly. "What? Why would I go back there?" she asked, confusion evident in her tone.
Her inner self scoffed. "Have you really forgotten?" she demanded, stepping closer, her presence overwhelming. "The Land of Grass used you and your mother as nothing more than tools! They drained your chakra, exploited your healing abilities, and then discarded your mother like she was nothing!"
Setsu bit her lip, her breath becoming uneven as memories resurfaced—memories she had buried deep.
"You remember, don't you?" the inner self pressed, voice like a venomous whisper. "They lied to you. They promised to train you as a ninja, but instead, they turned you into a disposable resource. They were ready to strip you of your ninja status just because you 'underperformed' in the Chūnin Exams. Do you seriously believe that place deserves your mercy?"
The words stung, each one carving deeper into the wounds she had tried to ignore for so long.
"Think about it!" her inner self continued, sneering. "That pathetic excuse for a ninja village—you were the only one who returned from that exam without losing a limb! And yet, they still looked down on you!"
A cold silence settled between them as Setsu's inner turmoil played out on her face.
"Go back," the reflection commanded. "Kill them all. Only then will you gain the strength you crave."
Setsu shook her head violently. "No! It's pointless," she insisted. "Even if I go back, what would it change? Revenge won't undo what's been done."
Her reflection's eyes darkened. "Coward."
Setsu's voice grew softer, but her words carried weight. "I've never had a real home. No one ever treated me as a person—just as a tool. Even Orochimaru only saw me as an experiment. But Naruto…" Her voice wavered for a moment before she continued. "Naruto likes me for who I am. He cares for me. For the first time, I feel safe."
A look of pure disgust crossed her reflection's face. "You weak, pathetic fool," she spat. "Clinging to some naive idea of love? You'll regret it. You're nothing more than a liability. I'll take matters into my own hands!"
With that, the reflection turned and suddenly locked eyes with Naruto.
For the first time, her anger melted away, replaced by something else entirely.
A disturbingly affectionate smile curled onto her lips. "Naruto-kun~" she purred, her voice sickly sweet as she practically floated toward him.
Setsu's expression snapped from self-doubt to outright rage. She watched in horror as her own reflection reached out toward Naruto, her hands positioned as if to embrace him.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Setsu shrieked, storming forward. Without hesitation, she threw a solid punch straight into her reflection's face.
The impact was immediate. The reflection was sent flying backward, landing ungracefully on the rocky ground.
"You absolute lunatic!" Setsu fumed, fists clenched. "You're supposed to be my true self, and this is what you do?! Attacking Naruto-kun out of nowhere?! You're nothing but a disgusting pervert!"
Her reflection groaned, rubbing her now bruised cheek, before snarling, "You idiot! You're too weak to deserve him! You don't have the strength to protect him. You're just a burden!"
The air between them crackled with tension as both versions of Setsu glared at each other, their anger manifesting in barely restrained chakra. It was clear a fight was about to break out.
But before things could escalate further, Naruto swiftly acted.
He flicked his wrist, sending a kunai embedded with an explosive tag flying toward the waterfall.
BOOM!
The detonation rocked the area, sending a shockwave rippling through the air. The energy of the waterfall wavered, distorting as chakra patterns flickered like static.
A moment later, the reflection of Setsu began to flicker as well, her form losing stability. She turned to Naruto in disbelief. "You…!"
And then, she vanished.
The battle that could have ensued was over before it had begun.
Setsu collapsed to her knees, her shoulders trembling. "She's gone…?" she whispered.
Naruto walked up to her and pulled her into a warm embrace. "I told you," he murmured, voice steady and reassuring. "I won't ever hate you, Setsu. No matter what."
Tears spilled down Setsu's cheeks as she clutched onto his cloak. "Naruto-kun…"
For a long while, they stayed like that, the sound of the waterfall filling the silence between them.
After composing herself, Setsu finally looked up at Naruto, her brows furrowing slightly. "How did my reflection disappear? What exactly happened?"
Naruto took a deep breath before explaining. "This waterfall is infused with a special type of chakra. When it flows over a person, it interacts with their own chakra and projects an illusion—a manifestation of their inner self."
Setsu's eyes widened slightly. "So, that wasn't really me… just a reflection created by the waterfall's chakra?"
"Exactly," Naruto confirmed. "I disrupted the chakra with the explosion, and that's why she vanished."
Understanding dawned on her face, but curiosity followed. "Could this technique be replicated?"
Naruto crossed his arms, thinking deeply. "It's possible. But the chakra flow here seems to be tied to natural energy. I think it's similar to Sage Mode."
"Sage Mode?" Setsu tilted her head.
Naruto nodded. "Yeah. Natural chakra is different from regular chakra. This place seems to tap into it, which is why it could create such a powerful illusion. If I can learn to use natural chakra properly, I might be able to recreate this ability myself."
Setsu hummed in thought, then gave Naruto a playful nudge. "So, you're saying you might be able to summon an army of perverted reflections?"
Naruto groaned, rubbing his temple. "Please don't put it like that."
A small giggle escaped Setsu's lips, the weight on her shoulders feeling just a bit lighter.
Naruto stretched, shaking off the tension in his muscles. "Alright. Now that we're done here, let's get moving."
Setsu blinked. "Huh? Where to? Weren't we heading to the Land of Snow?"
Naruto smirked. "Change of plans. We're going to the Land of Grass."
Setsu stiffened at the mention of that cursed place. "Why?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Naruto's gaze darkened slightly. "Because it's time to settle some old debts."
Setsu swallowed hard, her heart pounding. The very thought of returning to the Land of Grass made her stomach churn.
But as she looked at Naruto—at his unwavering confidence and determination—she realized she wasn't alone anymore.
No matter what lay ahead, she would face it.
This time, she wouldn't run away.
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