Naruto: The Beast Within

The next morning, Raimu made his way to the academy, his blanket draped over his shoulders as usual. The air was crisp, the kind that made you want to stay wrapped up in warmth just a little longer. But as soon as he stepped foot onto campus, he realized today wasn't going to be peaceful.

A crowd formed around him almost instantly, voices overlapping with excitement.

"Are you really gonna fight after school?"

"I heard the whole school's watching!"

"You're not backing out, right?"

Raimu sighed. Right. The bet. He had completely forgotten.

Without a word, he pulled his blanket tighter and gave a slow, lazy nod before pushing past the group. The whispers followed him, but he ignored them. He didn't actually want to do this. He had been hoping someone—anyone—would have told a teacher by now. Maybe then, he'd have an excuse to get out of it.

But apparently, the entire school had collectively agreed to keep their mouths shut.

"No one told? Seriously?" Raimu thought, dragging a hand down his face.

He didn't care much about fighting. It wasn't a big deal.

He had agreed, and there was nothing that could be done now.

The school day dragged on, and everywhere he went, eyes followed. Conversations hushed when he walked by, students whispering behind hands. At this point, Raimu had half a mind to just leave early and avoid the whole thing altogether.

But he didn't want to seem like a coward, not that he had anything to prove to anyone.

By the time lunch came around, everyone scattered to their usual groups. Raimu, on the other hand, went straight to get something sweet. Finally. He smiled.

Yesterday, he had been robbed of his dessert. But today? Not happening.

He scanned the options, settling on something different than before. It wasn't the same, but it still looked just as good. Taking his prize, he walked out of the cafeteria, moving past the students who had been eyeing him all morning. Surprisingly, no one stopped him. Not even Takuma

For once.

As he walked through the halls, the stares still lingered—silent anticipation for what was going to happen after school.

Raimu ignored them.

Instead, he made his way up to the second floor, pushing open the door of an empty classroom. It was quiet, peaceful. He didn't hesitate to step inside and head straight for the window.

Sliding it open, he hopped onto the narrow ledge, balancing easily. A strong gust of wind hit him, rustling his golden-streaked hair, but he didn't sway. Even with his sleepy demeanor, he was perfectly still.

Without much effort, he bent his knees slightly and pushed off, leaping effortlessly onto the roof.

Once he landed, he stretched lazily and sat down, letting his legs dangle over the edge. The academy grounds stretched below him, students still moving about, completely unaware that he was watching from above.

He unwrapped his dessert and took a slow bite.

Perfect.

For the first time today, he actually felt at ease.

The sky above was a deep, endless blue, speckled with drifting clouds. A cool breeze passed by, ruffling his blanket, but Raimu just pulled it tighter around himself.

Once he finished eating, he shifted onto his back, arms crossing over his chest as he gazed up at the sky.

No noise. No whispers. No stares.

Just the wind.

Then.

RIINNNNGGG

The bell rings, indicating the end of lunchtime and that the last class of the day is about to start.

__

The last class of the day had finally arrived—ninja training. Normally, this was the best part of the day, the one class that everyone looked forward to. But today? There was an extra layer of excitement buzzing through the room.

Raimu, of course, paid zero attention to any of it. Instead, he sat at the back of the room, arms lazily crossed, his blanket draped over his shoulders

Their instructor, a tall and sharp-eyed shinobi, entered the room, silencing the whispers with just his presence.

"Alright, class," their instructor's voice cut through the noise, sharp and commanding. The man was a figure of discipline, eyes always scanning the room like he could see through the walls. He didn't seem like the type who would tolerate much nonsense, but even he had a slight edge in his demeanor today. Raimu figured it was because of all the excitement surrounding him. "Today we'll be doing the Phantom's Ascent Challenge."

That got everyone's attention.

Even Raimu perked up a little. Murmurs shifting from the fight rumors to excitement about what was coming next. Training could be brutal sometimes, but when it was turned into a game? It actually became fun.

It'a a game designed to test their agility, stealth, and problem-solving skills.

Raimu stood on the sidelines, his white blanket with star patterns draped over his shoulders as usual. He wasn't particularly excited. The whole concept of a challenge was a bit lost on him—he already knew that no matter what it entailed, he'd find a way to clear it without breaking a sweat. That was just how things worked for him.

But still, something about watching others struggle and adapt had its own kind of entertainment value.

The instructor explained the rules. The goal was simple: reach the flag at the top of the course. The large multi-level structure loomed ahead of them, they were in the woods near the academy where many activities similar to this were all around the place.

The course is made up of wooden beams, narrow ledges, swinging ropes, and vertical walls that required precision to climb. There were also hidden traps—loose boards, unstable platforms, and spots where watchers stationed on the course could penalize them by throwing chalk balls to force a detour.

"You can go fast and risky or slow and careful, either way, only the best climbers and stealthiest ninja will succeed."

Students murmured amongst themselves, some whispering strategies while others eyed the structure with nervous anticipation.

Raimu, on the other hand, wasn't strategizing at all. He adjusted the blanket on his shoulders, yawned, and glanced up at the flag lazily. Mmm.

The first few students were called up in groups. The second their feet hit the structure, chaos erupted.

Some students immediately sprinted for the obvious routes, trying to jump and climb as fast as possible. Others hesitated, trying to find quieter, sneakier paths. A boy named Hiroto took a bold approach, scaling the tallest wall right away. He was fast—but too loud. A watcher noticed him and launched a chalk ball straight at his chest. Thud! He cursed under his breath, stumbling as he had to take a forced detour.

Another student, Aika, took a different approach. She stayed low, weaving through beams and timing her movements carefully. She was nearly silent, making steady progress toward the top.

Meanwhile, one unfortunate student, Daichi, miscalculated a jump early on and landed on a weak board. Crack! The sound was loud, drawing the attention of multiple watchers who all hurled chalk balls at him simultaneously. Whap! Whap! He groaned, forced to restart from the base.

Laughter and cheers erupted from the sidelines. It was entertaining watching people get hit, even if it was a little painful for the unlucky ones.

Takuma, who had been chatting with some of the other students, finally turned his attention toward Raimu, his voice cutting through the buzz.

"Don't screw this up," Takuma said, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. "You're gonna make a fool out of everyone if you don't at least try, you know?"

Raimu raised an eyebrow, smiling.

"This is actually kind of intense. Aika's got the right idea—she might actually make it all the way up."

Raimu simply blinked, unimpressed. "Mm."

"Hey, how are you gonna play this?" Takuma asked.

Raimu didn't answer right away. He pulled the blanket tighter around himself and let his golden eyes drift lazily up to the flag again. "…I'll figure it out when I get there." he shrugs.

Takuma scoffed. "Of course you will."

Raimu "Well, i'm not the one who'll be needing help," 

Takuma glances at him, "Hey! What are you trying to say?!"

Raimu just laughs as he turns his focus back to the game. 

Finally, Raimu's name was called. The moment he stepped onto the course, the energy shifted. Every student watching fell into a tense silence.

It wasn't because they thought he would struggle. It was because nobody expected him to struggle at all.

Raimu was a genius—everyone knew that. His movements, his awareness, his control over his body—it was all on another level.

And the powers he controls, are just too much for a young boy. 

He didn't just succeed in challenges like this. He floated through them like he was built for it.

The instructor gave the signal.

Raimu took a single step forward—and then he was gone.

No sprinting. No struggling. Just pure, effortless movement.

He stepped lightly onto a narrow ledge, barely making a sound. With a casual push, he was already scaling a vertical wall, his fingers finding the smallest grips as if he had mapped out every inch of the course beforehand.

A chalk ball was thrown at him from a watcher above—but he didn't dodge it. He didn't need to. The moment it was released, Raimu simply shifted his weight mid-air, his body tilting just enough for the ball to brush harmlessly past his shoulder. He landed without a single wasted motion.

The crowd watching from below was stunned into silence.

Someone muttered, "…That was insane."

Meanwhile, the other competitors still on the course were watching in disbelief. Hiroto, who had struggled with his climbing route, clenched his jaw. "No way he's making this look that easy."

Aika, who had been making solid progress, hesitated. She had felt confident before, but now she realized—Raimu wasn't even trying.

The top of the course was in sight. Instead of climbing directly to the flag, Raimu did something unexpected—he slowed down. He tilted his head slightly, observing the remaining students below him.

Most of them were stuck at different points. Some were still trying to figure out the best route. Others were struggling to recover from penalties.

Raimu blinked slowly, smirking... Maybe next time.

With that, he pulled the flag down, ending the game.

The instructor called it. "Winner—Raimu."

A collective sigh went through the crowd. Some groaned, some clapped, and others just shook their heads in resignation.

"Of course he won," someone muttered.

"What did we expect?"

"This is probably how it's gonna be for the fight." Another said.

"Shhh! Don't say it that loud, the teacher might hear!" A boy whispered, hitting the one who said it.

Raimu stretched his arms above his head, yawning as he draped the flag over his shoulder.

By the time all the students made it back on the ground, the instructors were wrapping up the lesson, giving feedback and pointers for improvement.

Raimu, meanwhile, had already started walking off, his blanket wrapped securely around him once again.

As he stepped away from the training field, he caught snippets of conversation—students muttering about how easy he made it look. Some in awe, some in frustration.