The Butterfly Effect

A Dangerous Woman

Mom?!

For a split second, his heart stopped, but then he realized... it wasn't her. The resemblance was uncanny, but there were differences. This woman had an air of danger about her, a coldness that his mother never possessed.

"You've got questions," the woman said, her lips curving into a mysterious smile. "And I've got answers. But first... you'll have to survive."

In an instant, she moved, faster than Naruto had anticipated. Her hand shot toward him, a blade gleaming in her grasp.

Naruto barely dodged, his body reacting on instinct as he leaped back. His heart raced, but his mind was clear. This woman—whoever she was—was dangerous. And she knew something about him.

He landed in a crouch, his eyes narrowing as he assessed the situation. "Who are you?" he demanded again, his voice low and firm.

The woman smirked, twirling the blade in her hand. "You can call me Scarlet. I'm here to test you... Naruto Uzumaki."

The sound of his name sent a chill down Naruto's spine. How does she know who I am? He couldn't shake the feeling that this encounter was just the beginning of something much bigger.

Before Naruto could make his next move, the woman lunged at him again, her blade flashing toward his throat.

Naruto dodged with ease, channeling chakra into his legs to increase his speed. He countered with a swift strike to her side, but she evaded it, flipping gracefully through the air and landing a few feet away, completely unfazed.

"You're fast," she noted, her tone almost teasing. "But is that all you've got?"

Naruto's expression darkened, his fists clenching. "You haven't seen anything yet."

In the blink of an eye, Naruto's chakra flared, and he charged forward, his movements a blur. He aimed a powerful punch at Scarlet, but she met him head-on, her blade flashing as she deflected his strike with a precision that shocked him.

She was toying with him.

Naruto leaped back, his eyes narrowing as he focused on her movements. There was something about the way she fought—calculated, methodical, and almost... playful.

"Who sent you?" Naruto asked, his voice sharp. "How do you know about me?"

Scarlet simply smirked, her eyes gleaming with amusement. "Let's just say... we've been watching you for a while. But don't worry," she added, twirling the blade in her hand, "this is just the beginning."

Naruto's eyes flickered with determination. He didn't know who this woman was, or why she was here, but one thing was certain—he wasn't going to let her win.

Naruto's hands formed into fists, his body tense but ready. He could feel the adrenaline coursing through him, the familiar sensation of battle sparking a flame within. Whoever Scarlet was, she wasn't just some random opponent. She had an air of mystery, and the fact that she knew about him—knew his name, knew he didn't belong in this world—made her dangerous.

But Naruto was used to danger. He was used to enemies far stronger than himself, and he wasn't about to back down now.

"Alright," he muttered to himself, his chakra building as he focused. "If you want a fight, then I'll give you one."

With a swift burst of chakra, Naruto charged at Scarlet, his body a blur of motion as he closed the distance between them in an instant. His fist flew toward her, aimed at her midsection with enough force to shatter stone.

Scarlet dodged at the last second, her movements fluid and precise. She sidestepped his punch, her blade gleaming as she spun around, slashing toward Naruto's side.