Chương 13: Chapter 13: Confronting Old Foes
The shadows deepened as twilight crept over the landscape. Zaky stood at the edge of the forest, his eyes fixed on the distant lights of the Hidden Leaf Village. Somewhere within that seemingly peaceful place walked individuals he once admired—heroes from his past life. But admiration had long since given way to a colder purpose. Those heroes were now obstacles. And as fate would have it, some of those very obstacles were tied to the looming threat he carried within himself—Urashiki's enemies.
Though the story's events were familiar to him, they had a sharper, more personal edge now. The faces of Naruto, Sasuke, and others who had defeated Urashiki resurfaced in his mind, triggering an odd mixture of nostalgia, resentment, and dread. They had once been protagonists in a show he loved. Now, they were potential threats, real in ways they hadn't been before.
To make things worse, Urashiki's memories—fragmented and distant—carried faint impressions of these encounters. Sasuke's Sharingan, Naruto's unrelenting resolve, Boruto's unexpected growth. Zaky had seen it all play out on-screen, but here, the consequences of those confrontations weighed heavily. He would have to face them again—not as a fan watching from afar but as an Otsutsuki with everything on the line.
Old enemies. Familiar faces. They don't know I'm back. But when they find out...
Zaky ran his fingers through his pale hair, a nervous habit he hadn't quite shaken from his old life. The Villain System pulsed gently in the back of his mind, as if sensing his growing unease.
"Objective: Neutralize Key Targets."
The system offered no specific instructions, no roadmap. It only demanded action. But Zaky knew what it meant. Sooner or later, he'd have to confront the individuals who had defeated Urashiki in the past. If he didn't act first, they would eventually hunt him down, just as they had done before.
Chibi, perched on Zaky's shoulder, gave a soft chirp, sensing the tension in the air.
"Yeah, I know," Zaky muttered. "It's not gonna be easy."
The urge to delay—to postpone the inevitable—tempted him. But he knew better. The shinobi of Konoha were many things, but complacent wasn't one of them. Waiting too long would only make things worse. If he wanted to survive, he needed to take the initiative.
The night deepened, and Zaky slipped deeper into thought, his mind swirling with strategies. Confrontation didn't have to mean direct combat. In fact, fighting head-on was the last thing he wanted. He knew better than anyone how that would end. Naruto and Sasuke were monsters in battle, their teamwork and overwhelming strength nearly unmatched. Even Boruto, with his developing powers, couldn't be taken lightly.
Think like a villain, Zaky told himself. Not like a fan.
What Urashiki had lacked—and what Zaky intended to perfect—was a plan that went beyond brute force. If he couldn't overpower them, he would have to outmaneuver them. Deception, manipulation, subtle moves that chipped away at their defenses without them even realizing it.
He needed to play the long game.
But something gnawed at him. A part of him—the part that still clung to his old life—felt the weight of confronting these characters. It wasn't just about fighting them. It was about coming face-to-face with the symbols of everything he had once admired: Naruto's unwavering hope, Sasuke's quest for redemption, and the bonds they forged along the way.
Zaky leaned against a tree, his arms crossed as he stared up at the night sky.
"How do I do this?" he whispered, more to himself than to Chibi. "How do I go from cheering for them to... fighting them?"
The Villain System chimed softly.
"Morality Drift Detected. Alignment Shift: -2."
Zaky chuckled bitterly. "Yeah, yeah, I know. No more cheering. Just surviving."
He closed his eyes, trying to steady himself. This wasn't about nostalgia. He couldn't afford those kinds of thoughts anymore. If he hesitated—if he let old emotions cloud his judgment—he'd lose.
And losing meant more than just death. It meant watching everything slip away: the power he was beginning to grasp, the second chance fate had given him, and the thrill of carving out a new identity in a world that wasn't his own.
His thoughts shifted to the encounters ahead. Naruto wouldn't be the same boy he had admired on-screen. The Naruto here was hardened by battles, a leader burdened by the responsibility of protecting his village. Sasuke was no different—a man haunted by his past, always two steps ahead of those around him. These were not people he could approach lightly.
But perhaps... that was his way in.
Zaky's mind began piecing together a strategy, small threads weaving into a larger picture. He wouldn't fight Naruto or Sasuke directly—at least not yet. Instead, he'd operate in the shadows, playing on the very bonds that made them strong.
He smirked to himself, a flicker of confidence returning. Even heroes have weak points. And the closer they are to others, the more exposed those points become.
If Zaky could sow discord, even subtly, he could weaken their unity. And in this world, cracks in a bond could mean the difference between victory and defeat.
Chibi chirped again, nuzzling against Zaky's neck as if offering silent support. He scratched the creature's head absentmindedly, his mind already spinning with possibilities.
"I won't go after them directly," Zaky whispered. "Not yet. But I'll be ready when the time comes."
The Villain System chimed once more, as if approving of his plan.
"Strategic Objective: Prepare for Confrontation – Ongoing."
Zaky pushed himself off the tree and straightened his cloak. The path ahead was still uncertain, but at least now he had a direction. He wouldn't rush into battle like Urashiki had. He'd play the long game—study their movements, exploit their weaknesses, and strike when they least expected it.
And when that moment came, it wouldn't just be about survival. It would be about winning on his terms.
He turned toward the distant lights of Konoha, his gaze sharp with determination.
"The next time we meet," he murmured under his breath, "it won't be like before."
The first confrontation was inevitable. But this time, Zaky wouldn't be an Otsutsuki blindly following orders. He would be something more. Something the shinobi wouldn't see coming.
After all, the greatest victories come not from strength alone, but from knowing when and how to strike.
As the forest around him settled into quiet, Zaky began walking, his steps steady and deliberate. Every step brought him closer to the village—and closer to the people who had once been his heroes.
This time, though, the story would be different.
And so, with Chibi at his side and strategy in his heart, Zaky set forth into the night. The old foes awaited. But he wouldn't be the one caught off-guard when their paths crossed again.
Because this time, the villain had a plan.
Tình trạng nguồn điện hàng tuần
-- Xếp hạng
Quyền lực 
-- Đá
Quyền lực