Naruto: The Chosen Undead
Chapter no.185 Naruto

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Chapter 185 A Dragon’s Hoard Is Never Shared

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The camp was just waking up, bathed in soft morning light. Birds chirped in the distance as steam from a boiling kettle drifted over the clearing.

Kakashi sat cross-legged by the fire, already nose-deep in his infamous orange book. Kurenai shot him a look over her water cup. A silent reprimand for his choice of morning literature. He didn't even glance up.

Kiba was brushing Akamaru, cooing softly to the puppy as tufts of white fur floated away in the breeze. Sasuke, bleary-eyed, was brushing his teeth by the water bucket, while Sakura helped Tsunami set up breakfast plates on a wooden slab they'd repurposed into a table.

Inari sat beside his grandfather, swinging his legs and staring up at the sky, lost in thought.

That peace didn't last.

A sharp whistle cut through the morning air, turning every head. Kiba was grinning ear to ear.

"Oi! Look who's back from their date!" he said, dragging out the last word like it was scandalous.

Naruto walked into camp with a casual wave, but beside him, Hinata froze mid-step, cheeks exploding in red. She tried to shrink into herself as Kurenai gave her a proud smirk and Shino gave her a single approving nod and a rare thumbs-up.

"Out of all the surprises this week..." Kakashi chuckled without looking up from his book, "...this one might be my favorite."

"Playboy," Sakura muttered, shaking her head. "First Ino, now Hinata? What's next, Tenten over tea?"

"I'm just glad someone's willing to look at your face for more than five seconds," Sasuke added, toothbrush still in his mouth.

Naruto didn't even blink. With a twitch of his telekinetic power, Sasuke's toothbrush jerked forward, dragging the Uchiha half a step toward him before snapping back. Sasuke staggered, foam around his lips.

Naruto's glare was flat. "Say that again, brush boy."

Hinata blinked, confused. "Naruto, what's going on?"

One of the shadow clones scratched the back of his head and called out, "Sorry! 'Date' was the only excuse we could come up with so nobody got suspicious!"

Naruto sighed as he stepped into the middle of the camp, rubbing the back of his neck. He had left the clones in charge of guarding the area while he and Hinata carried out their mission. Apparently, when the guard duty rotated, the clones had to come up with something fast and 'date' was the first thing that popped into their idiot heads.

The mood in the camp shifted instantly. Confused glances were exchanged. Some of the shinobi frowned. Whatever they had been expecting, it wasn't what came next.

"I killed Gato."

The silence that followed wasn't just quiet. It was deafening.

It was Inari who broke it. The little boy ran up and clung to Naruto's leg, trembling, eyes full of tears.

"Big bro! Big bro, is it true?! He's really gone?"

Naruto gave him a tired smile, resting a hand on the boy's head.

Behind them, Tsunami collapsed to her knees, her hands covering her mouth as sobs shook her frame. It was hard to tell what she was feeling. The man who had ordered her husband's murder… who had ruined their country and terrorized their lives… was gone. Killed. Just like that.

Tazuna rushed to his daughter's side, kneeling and hugging her tight.

"I can't believe it," he muttered, voice cracked with disbelief. "Is this… one of my drunk hallucinations?"

Naruto shook his head. "It's real, old man."

He gently nudged Inari toward his mother and grandfather. "Go. Be with your family. You earned it."

As Inari ran off, Naruto felt it. A subtle shift. A pulse. The faintest ripple of chakra settling over the villagers. Kurenai had cast a genjutsu, sheltering the civilians in a trance so they could process this moment in peace, away from the politics and explanations.

"Now that they're… occupied," Kurenai said, arms crossed, "let's hear it. The full story."

Naruto explained how, in the dead of night, Zabuza had stumbled into camp, badly injured and bleeding. He told Naruto that Gato had hired a dangerous kunoichi named Guren with a team of other shinobi. Realizing he couldn't take her down alone, Zabuza asked for help. Naruto agreed. They teamed up, tracked Guren, fought her, rescued Haku from her control, and ultimately brought down Gato for good.

A second wave of stunned silence followed.

This time, it was Sakura who broke it. "You know what? I think we should stop letting Naruto out of our sight. Ten times out of ten, he comes back having done something insane."

"Hn." Sasuke couldn't agree more.

Kiba looked like he was about to explode. "Why the hell didn't you wake us up?! You really think we couldn't help?! You and Hinata could've been killed, Naruto!"

"I wanted to finish what I started."

Shino adjusted his glasses. "Meaning?"

"Meaning," Naruto said, "this mission was simple at first. Just Zabuza. But I escalated it. I wiped out Gato's thugs, forced him to panic, and bring in more shinobi. I created the mess. I cleaned it up. That's justice."

A long, collective sigh moved through the campsite. Of course it was Naruto. Of course his idea of responsibility involved solo infiltration and politically volatile assassinations.

Naruto clearly followed a strong moral code, it was just that none of them could quite figure out what it was.

Kurenai's voice was low but tight with disappointment. "Hinata. I expected better."

Hinata flinched slightly but didn't look away.

"You left camp without permission. You entered an active combat zone with a known missing-nin. Do you realize how reckless that was?" Kurenai's tone was anxious. "If something had happened to you, I wouldn't have even known where to begin looking."

"She wasn't alone," Naruto interjected sharply.

"I know that," Kurenai said, rounding on him. "But you're not her Jonin. I am. Her safety is my responsibility."

"And Hinata's the reason the mission ended days ahead of schedule," Naruto shot back. "She didn't fight. She didn't even draw a weapon. She tracked, she observed, and she kept me alive."

"That doesn't make it right!" Kurenai snapped. "It doesn't make her invincible! You think because she wore the gear you gave her and stayed in the shadows, she was safe? That's not how this works. She could've died, Naruto. And for what? Following you into a fight against enemy combatants and a war criminal?!"

Hinata took a step forward. "Sensei… I'm willing to accept whatever punishment you decide. I broke protocol. I endangered myself. I won't deny that."

She looked down briefly, then back up. Her voice didn't waver.

"But I don't regret it."

The camp stilled.

Kiba's brows shot up. Shino tilted his head. Even Sasuke gave her a second glance.

Kurenai's eyes narrowed, hurt and uncertainty flickering behind her stern expression. "Hinata—"

"I know what I did," Hinata continued. "And I'm not proud of disobeying orders. But I made a choice. I didn't fight. I didn't interfere. I used what I had and I followed Naruto because I believed he was right. And because I believe in the kind of person he's trying to be."

"You shouldn't have to be punished," Naruto said suddenly. "You didn't do anything wrong."

Hinata glanced at him, but she didn't answer. She didn't need to.

Kurenai folded her arms again, visibly wrestling with her next words. "You know without the jonin, this whole thing could be written off as… a folly of youth at worst. Or an independent intel-gathering operation at best. A Hyūga observing potential threats on the fringe. There are no living witnesses saying you attacked anyone."

She exhaled. "But that doesn't mean I'm okay with it. Hinata… I'm proud of your growth. But I don't want that growth to cost you your life."

Naruto stepped forward and gestured at Hinata's new gear.

"I outfitted her myself. I knew what I was walking into. She didn't set foot near the battlefield without my guarantee that she'd stay out of direct danger."

Kurenai's expression softened, but only a little. "Even so. She's not your soldier, Naruto."

"No," Naruto agreed, his voice calm now. "She's something more important. She's the strongest Hyūga of our generation. The one who'll change everything the clan stands for."

That stopped everyone.

Everyone looked to Hinata. And she stood there, straight-backed, gaze unflinching, not apologizing for who she was or what she'd done.

Kurenai stared into her student's eyes and saw not fear or shame, but resolve. A fire she hadn't expected. The same fire she once saw in herself, years ago, when she chose to be a shinobi in a man's war.

"Regardless of how fast the mission was completed... we're not done talking about this."

"Yes, sensei."

Naruto's fists clenched at his sides. He opened his mouth to protest but a hand landed gently on his shoulder.

Kakashi stood beside him, his usual lazy expression unchanged. "Naruto," he said, voice calm. "Walk with me. We could use some more wood for Tsunami's fire."

Naruto looked between Hinata and Kurenai, his jaw tight. Then he gave a short nod and followed Kakashi into the trees.

The path was quiet, aside from the distant murmur of waves and the crunch of boots on frost-hardened soil. When they were far enough that no one would overhear, Naruto spoke up.

"It's not fair," he muttered, dragging a dry branch behind him. "Hinata's getting scolded like she broke a rule. But we all broke it. She didn't even fight anyone."

Kakashi didn't answer at first. He reached down and picked up a fallen log, tossing it onto his shoulder.

"Maybe," Kakashi said finally, "that's because Hinata isn't playing ninja like it's a hobby."

Naruto flinched at that. He hated how the words landed because he'd said something similar before.

"So what?" Naruto said, frowning. "I'm taking this seriously too. We did what needed to be done."

"You're also in a... special position," Kakashi replied. "Whether you like it or not."

"You mean the fox?"

Kakashi gave a small shrug. "That's part of it. But also... I'm kind of a rebel myself. And maybe too chill for my own good. I let you get away with things because I trust you'll make it work. And because, deep down, I think the system needs to be challenged sometimes."

"So that's it? Favoritism?"

Kakashi chuckled. "Maybe. Or maybe I just know you're not built for our rules. Doesn't mean I think Hinata should've followed you into that mess."

They paused at a dead tree. Kakashi handed Naruto a small hatchet and took one for himself. Together, they started chopping in rhythm.

"She shouldn't be punished," Naruto said, swinging. "Even if it was against orders. It was the right thing to do."

"And who decides what's right?" Kakashi asked, pausing mid-swing.

Naruto didn't hesitate. "You do. I do. The person in the moment."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "And what if the person in the moment is wrong?"

"Then they learn. But at least it's their mistake."

"Spoken like someone raised in chaos," Kakashi said softly. "That's not how things work here."

Naruto gritted his teeth. "Lordran didn't work like this either. There were no rules, only survival. And I still chose to help people. I didn't need a village's approval to do that."

Kakashi exhaled, resting his axe against the stump. "That's what makes this hard, Naruto. Here, right and wrong... it's shaped by the people. The village. The collective. Not just the individual."

Naruto leaned on his axe, his eyes narrowing. "So we're just cogs in the machine?"

"No," Kakashi said. "We're flames in a bigger fire. That's the Will of Fire."

Naruto scoffed. "So what? Burn together even if the village is wrong?"

Kakashi didn't respond right away. Then he said, "You remember what I told you? Those who abandon the rules are trash, but those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash."

Naruto looked up at him. "Yeah. You really believe that still?"

Kakashi's eyes turned distant for a moment. "I believed it because I saw what happened when people did both. But as I got older… I realized we all live by our own codes. I have mine. You have yours. The village has one too. And sometimes... they don't line up."

Naruto turned back to the stump and started chopping again, harder this time.

"So Hinata gets punished," he said, "because her code didn't match the village's."

"She'll be fine," Kakashi said. "Kurenai's just doing her job. And honestly? She respects Hinata more now than before."

"Could've fooled me," Naruto muttered.

"You know what hurts a teacher the most?" Kakashi asked. "When someone they care about does something brave... and they weren't there to protect them."

Naruto stopped chopping.

"She's scared for Hinata. That's all."

There was silence between them for a long moment. Then Naruto said, "Still doesn't feel right."

"It rarely does," Kakashi replied. "But that's the world we live in."

Naruto dropped the axe, picked up a bundle of wood, and slung it over his shoulder.

"Well," he said, walking ahead, "maybe I'll just change the world then."

Kakashi smiled behind his mask.

"You wouldn't be the first."

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With the danger behind them, Tazuna and his workers were finally able to finish the bridge. It would still take a few more days, but without the looming threat of bandits or warships, everyone was more than happy to keep working. Team 7 stayed on guard duty, mostly as a formality.

Naruto sat near the edge of the bridge, legs dangling over the water. His right hand was outstretched, palm-eye glowing a soft red. He was using telekinesis to save Oscar, who was repeatedly jumping off the side in what could only be described as lizard bungee jumping.

"I can't believe it ended just like that," Sakura said, leaning against the guardrails beside him.

"That's because you weren't involved," Naruto replied, not looking up.

A second later, Sakura kicked him lightly in the side. "Hey!"

Naruto grinned. "Just saying."

"Next time, at least try to get us involved," she huffed. "We're Team 7, remember?"

He gave her a short nod. "Fair."

"On the bright side," Sakura said, stretching on the guardrail, "this mission's almost over. We'll be back in Konoha soon. Excited to see a certain someone?"

"Obviously. I've been dreaming of it."

Sakura perked up. "Really?"

"Ichiraku Ramen."

Sakura nearly slipped off the bridge. "Anyone else you're excited to see?" she asked, praying he'd say Ino.

Naruto tilted his head. "Uhhh… maybe Iruka-sensei? He might treat me to ramen too."

Sakura facepalmed so hard even Oscar winced. She made a mental note to beg Ino to make the first move. If she didn't, the universe would collapse into heat death before Naruto ever realized someone liked him.

Sasuke walked up then, his expression intense. "Naruto. It's time."

"You sure?"

Sasuke nodded.

"What's happening?" Sakura asked, glancing between them.

"I'm trying the Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu… for the first time," Naruto said.

Oscar and Sakura both gasped.

"Wait, so the dramatic buildup was necessary?" Sakura asked, picking Oscar like a football.

"Yes," Naruto and Sasuke said in unison.

Sakura and Oscar exchanged a slow, synchronized sweatdrop.

Sasuke crossed his arms. "So. How's your fire manipulation training been going?"

Naruto snapped his fingers. A small flicker of flame ignited above his thumb but as it formed, a strange heaviness pulsed from his chest. He clenched his teeth and snuffed the flame.

"Something wrong?"

Naruto shook his head. "No. Just… weird."

Sasuke nodded once, stepping into lecture mode. "Alright. You knead chakra in your body, convert it into fire, and expel it from your mouth. The more chakra, the bigger the flame. It usually forms a stream, but if you control it well enough, it takes the shape of an orb. A fireball."

"Got it," Naruto said.

Sasuke stepped forward and gave a quick demonstration as his hands moved through practiced seals, and then a sphere of orange flame exploded from his mouth over the water, casting warm light across the bridge.

Sakura clapped politely. Oscar clapped with his tail. Naruto gave a firm nod.

"Your turn," Sasuke said, stepping back. "And don't worry if you fail. Took me a week to get it right."

"When did you start?" Sakura asked.

"When I was seven," Sasuke replied. "In the Uchiha clan, it's a rite of passage. We weren't considered adults until we could perform it."

Naruto stepped forward. "Alright. Let's see."

He took a deep breath and went through the same hand seals Sasuke had shown him… Chakra flowed into his lungs, but again, he felt that pulse. A reaction inside him.

The stone heart…?

He zeroed in on it. Let it guide him.

Dragons breathe fire… right?

He let the energy surge upward from his core. The warmth flooded his lungs and when he opened his mouth, he let it all go.

A deep roar echoed from within his chest as a colossal sphere of fire erupted from his mouth. It hovered over the river, a perfect orb of flame whixh black-speckled with gold veins, encased in a glowing corona of sulfur-yellow light.

Everyone froze.

Wind blasted outward in every direction. Dust whipped across the bridge. Tazuna's workers dropped their tools and shielded their eyes. The air felt thick, hot, charged like a lightning strike frozen in time.

Sakura's hair flew wildly behind her as she gripped the railing. Oscar clung to her like a scarf. Sasuke squinted, mouth slightly open, watching the way the fire warped the very air around it.

No one spoke.

Even the seagulls were gone.

Then, the fireball gently dimmed and shrank until it vanished into a spiral of smoke.

Silence.

"…Okay, what the hell was that?" Sakura finally asked, voice barely above a whisper.

"I think… that was his first try," Sasuke muttered.

Oscar stared up at Naruto with round, unblinking eyes. "Grrrrk."

Naruto placed his hand over his chest, feeling the heat slowly dissipate from his lungs. The embers from the fireball still shimmered in the air, casting gold-tinted shadows across the stone bridge.

So that's what my dragon breath feels like.

"That wasn't a normal Fireball Jutsu, Naruto."

"No," Naruto said. He looked down at his open palm. "My stone heart... it reacted to it. Like it knew what to do. Like it wanted that jutsu."

Sasuke hummed in thought. The fireball Naruto had created was unlike anything he'd seen. It hadn't just been massive; it had presence, as if it had gravity of its own.

Naruto turned to him, a lopsided grin creeping across his face. He slung an arm around Sasuke's shoulder. "Thanks for teaching me, Sasuke. I couldn't have done it without you."

Sasuke grunted. "Hn."

He was happy. He was proud. And yes, he was jealous. Jealous in the way only someone who had once watched their older brother do the same thing, perfectly, could be. But the jealousy didn't cut him down. It pushed him forward. It reminded him what he was chasing.

Then came the unmistakable grumble of Tazuna's voice. "Brat! I'm grateful you torched that bastard Gato, but do us a favor and try not to vaporize the entire coastline next time."

Naruto scratched his head sheepishly. "Heh. Sorry, old man. Didn't think the flames would be that strong."

Tazuna grunted, waving them off. "Just don't blow up the bridge I worked my back out building, alright?"

Naruto gave a casual thumbs-up. As the old man walked away, Naruto's gaze lingered on the horizon.

"Okay, guys," he said suddenly, his tone shifting. "I think it's time I go."

"Go where?" Sakura asked, puzzled.

"Back to Lordran," Naruto replied. He pulled Oscar into his arms. "It's time I ring the First Bell of Awakening."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "Now? Just like that?"

Naruto nodded.

But before he could activate the homeward miracle, Sakura stepped forward. "Wait. Naruto... is it alright if we come with you to Lordran?"

The question hung in the air.

He froze mid-step.

The talisman pulsed faintly in his hand, like a heartbeat out of sync with his own. He didn't turn around immediately.

Behind him, he heard Sasuke's footsteps shift, subtle but alert. He was listening and waiting.

Naruto took a deep breath, forcing his voice to stay level.

"Yeah, uh… sorry, guys. That's, like... against the rules. Lord Gwyn and all. He's got laws about this sort of thing. Can't bring outsiders in. Some ancient promise, or... I dunno. Just how it is."

There was a long pause.

"Oh. Okay. Just… be safe ringing that bell thing, alright?"

Naruto gave a short nod and nothing more.

And then, without another word, he slammed his visor shut; quickly, forcefully, like he couldn't stand to let them see his face for even one second longer.

Because deep down, he knew: there was nothing stopping him.

If he really wanted to bring them, he could.

And that truth... hurt.

Once, the idea of Team 7 exploring Lordran together would've thrilled him. He'd imagined it more than once: Sakura marveling at the crumbling cathedrals, Sasuke clashing blades with Black Knights, the three of them fighting back-to-back under a dying sun. They'd joke around the bonfire and grow.

But now, standing on the edge of that possibility, something in him recoiled.

The excuses came easily, too easily.

Lordran is too dangerous. They only have one life. No respawns. They wouldn't understand the rules. They'd break them. They'd die.

But if Naruto was honest with himself, brutally honest, the real reason was much uglier.

He didn't want them to come.

He didn't want to share Lordran. Not with Sakura. Not with Sasuke. Not with anyone.

Because Lordran had given him something no one else ever had.

It made him strong.

It made him loved.

It made him special.

In that world, he wasn't the class clown or the orphan screw-up or the village pariah. He was the Chosen Undead. The one who will rang the bells of awakening. Who walked through death and came back stronger every time. Who faced monsters and gods and still stood tall.

And if they came… If they also walked through the fire… If they also changed…

Then what did that make him?

Just another shinobi with a cool story.

He hated that thought. And hated himself more for hating it.

He could imagine Sakura glowing with new strength, Sasuke mastering magic and something deep inside him snarled.

A dragon doesn't share its hoard.

That voice scared him.

He hadn't known it lived in him until now.

He'd always wanted to protect his friends. To keep them safe. But this wasn't protection. This wasn't selflessness. It was selfishness in armor.

And maybe the worst part was, he wasn't sure if he'd change his mind.

Naruto took one last look at them as light warped around him.

The miracle shimmered as reality peeled away, and Naruto vanished in a flash of light.

They didn't follow.

And that was exactly how he wanted it.

Wasn't it?

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Author's Note: 

Alright, this chapter was pretty straightforward in terms of action, some big moments, some emotional weight, but there's one thing I know everyone is going to focus on:

Naruto not letting Team 7 come with him to Lordran.

So let's break that down properly. I'll divide this into two parts:

A) Out-of-universe (writing-based) reasons, and

B) In-universe (character-based) reasons.

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A) Why I Made This Choice as the Writer

Let me be totally honest here: I love the idea of Team 7 in Lordran.

On paper, it sounds amazing. Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura fighting through the decaying ruins, clashing with iconic bosses, interacting with the likes of Siegmeyer, Solaire, and Alvina. I've seen the comments. You guys are excited about the concept. So am I.

But as a writer, it's a nightmare to execute well.

Because it's not just a matter of copy-pasting their characters into the world. Once Team 7 enters Lordran, every single scene becomes ten times more complicated.

I would have to balance three character arcs in a setting already dense with lore and thematic weight.

I would need to flesh out realistic interactions between each member of Team 7 and Lordran's NPCs, many of whom are emotionally subtle, cryptic, or tragic in their own way.

I would have to address power scaling and fight choreography across universes, which is already a constant tightrope walk.

And on top of that, I would need to track Naruto's personal journey without losing it in the noise.

That's not just difficult. That's burnout fuel.

And let's be real. If adding cool ideas kills the momentum of the story, then it's not a good tradeoff. I want this fic to last. I want it to be something I enjoy writing and something you enjoy reading, not something I force myself to finish because I backed myself into a corner.

So while I absolutely respect the potential of the Team 7 in Lordran concept, I had to make a call.

Cool concept. Terrible execution burden. Not worth sacrificing the heart of the story. And I don't think you guys want me to drop this story just to see a cool idea done halfway.

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B) Why Naruto Would Say "No" In-Universe

Let's switch gears and look at this through the lens of Naruto as a character.

I know some of you are probably thinking: "Naruto would never keep something this important from his friends." "Canon Naruto would share Lordran in a heartbeat."

And you're not wrong. Canon Naruto probably would.

But this isn't canon Naruto anymore.

This Naruto has been changed by Lordran. He has walked through fog gates and buried monsters. He has died. He has killed. He has seen the void blink back. He is no longer just the boy who wants to be Hokage. He has become someone who has earned power, pain, and purpose in a world that chewed him up and reforged him.

Lordran didn't just make Naruto stronger. It made him feel chosen. Like his suffering meant something.

And that's where the uncomfortable truth kicks in.

Deep down, Naruto doesn't want to share that with anyone.

Not because he hates his friends.

Not because he's selfish in the usual sense.

But because Lordran is his.

It gave him power when he had none.

It gave him answers when Konoha gave him lies.

It made him feel loved, respected, and special not because of some fox in his stomach, but because of his actions and his power.

So when Sakura asked if they could come…

Naruto said no.

Not because he had to. Not because Lordran had a rulebook. But because part of him couldn't bear the thought of someone else being chosen too.

Call it selfish.

Call it trauma.

Call it a dragon hoarding its gold.

It's up to you.

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Now Some Questions for You Guys

Do you agree with Naruto's decision? Do you think his selfishness adds depth or makes him feel out of character? Would you have preferred Team 7 in Lordran? Do you think Lordran would have even allowed them to come? The place chose Naruto for a reason. Would it open its doors to others so easily?

Let me know in the comments.

And if you're wondering what Naruto's flames look like, check out Black Dragon Kalameet's fire breath.

As always, I appreciate you all taking the time to read, comment, and come along on this journey. Every bit of feedback helps keep this story alive and evolving.

You all make it worth writing.

—Adam

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[ Personal Note: First off, thanks a ton to all of you for sticking with this story. Seriously, you guys are awesome. Now, if you're interested in supporting me on P@treon, let me just say that over there, I post these massive 5k-word chapters. But heads up, if you're jumping to P@treon, you'll need to start from Chapter 87, since that's where this chapter lines up with the content there.

To everyone here just reading along, please don't forget to leave a comment! Honestly, your comments make my day, and they let me know you're as invested in this story as I am. So yeah, thanks again, and I hope you have an amazing rest of your day!