Naruto: The Chosen Undead

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Chapter 108 The Hollowed and the Hunted

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Any normal person in an impossible situation would freeze up, hesitate, and make mistakes, choking on their own fear as death tightened its noose around their neck. But Naruto's mind worked just fine—because he had died before.

Too many times to count.

He had felt his body shatter on impact after jumping off cliffs just to go back home. Death wasn't an ending anymore; it was an annoying inconvenience. A setback. Something to avoid if possible, but never something to fear. So, despite being the frog in boiling water, Naruto did not panic.

He calculated and planned.

His hand slipped into his inventory, fingers brushing against the weird skull that was perfect for this situation. "This will work, dattebayo," he muttered under his breath, pulling the alluring skull free. The hollow screams grew louder as he held the glowing skull aloft. Every hollow in the room turned toward it, their movements jerky and frantic. Naruto threw the skull directly at the black knight, watching as it shattered against the knight's chest. The glowing blue mark spread across the knight's armor, and the effect was immediate. The hollows turned toward the black knight, their screams now directed at it as they swarmed forward in a frenzy. Six, maybe seven hollows lunged at the knight, their broken weapons and skeletal fists striking against its armor with little effect.

Naruto didn't wait to see the result. He sprinted toward a metal ladder on the far side of the room but stopped when he spotted something shiny on a corpse below.

His eyes darted back toward the black knight. The towering figure didn't even flinch as it swatted one hollow away with its shield, sending the unfortunate creature flying into a wall with a wet crunch. Another hollow climbed onto its back, clawing at the gaps in its armor. The knight reached back and grabbed the hollow by the head, its gauntlet crushing the skull in a single motion.

The sight sent a wave of nausea through Naruto, but he forced himself to focus. He slid over the railing, landing softly on the lower level beside the corpse. He grabbed the item quickly, his hands shaking as he read the description.

[ Item Acquired: Mystery Key ]

[ Description: The purpose of this key is unknown. It appears to be a basic prison cell key. ]

Naruto's breath hitched as he heard the heavy footsteps of the black knight. He pressed his back against the wall, trying to steady his breathing. The sound of his heartbeat roared in his ears, drowning out everything else.

The room fell deathly silent.

Then he heard it—a low, guttural growl.

Naruto's eyes darted to the staircase beside him. A hollow was slowly ascending, its head tilted unnaturally to the side as it locked eyes with him. Naruto silently shook his head, pleading with the creature not to make a sound.

The hollow let out a deafening roar.

Before Naruto could react, the black knight was there. It moved with terrifying speed, its gauntlet striking the hollow's skull and slamming it against the wall. Blood sprayed across the stone as the hollow's head exploded like a melon, painting the wall in a grotesque red splatter.

Naruto didn't wait. He jumped, using a wooden beam as a foothold to climb higher. His fingers gripped the support beams above him as he scrambled onto a narrow platform, finding another soul orb resting there.

[ Large Soul of a Lost Undead ]

The black knight turned its head upward, its burning gaze locking onto Naruto.

Desperate, Naruto pulled a firebomb from his pouch and hurled it at the knight. The explosion sent sparks and flames flying, but when the smoke cleared, the knight stood unharmed. The fire had barely scorched its armor. "Not even a scratch," Naruto muttered, his voice trembling. "If only I had explosive tags…"

Spotting a small, tight corner, he jumped, landing in a crouch beside a pair of hollows shuffling aimlessly near the shadows. "Yeah, you guys can take the big guy."

The glowing blue mark from the alluring skull still clung to the black knight, drawing their attention. With low, guttural growls, the hollows lurched away from Naruto and staggered toward the knight, their broken weapons raised.

"Have fun."

The black knight landed with a deafening crash, its spiked shield smashing into the floor as it stepped forward to meet the hollows. The two hollows snarled and charged, swinging their rusted weapons wildly at the towering figure. Naruto didn't stick around to watch. He darted toward the red ladder at the far side of the room, his hand gripping the rungs as he began to climb. His muscles ached with the effort, every movement fueled by sheer adrenaline. Below him, the sound of metal on flesh filled the air. Naruto glanced back just in time to see the knight's shield cleave through one of the hollows with brutal efficiency, splitting it in half at the waist. The second hollow jumped onto the knight's back, clawing at its armor in a mindless frenzy.

The knight's armored hand shot forward, clamping around the hollow's skull with an iron grip. With a sharp twist and a brutal yank, it tore the head clean from its shoulders.

Naruto gritted his teeth, forcing himself to climb faster.

As he reached the top floor, he spotted a doorway leading outside. Light spilled into the room from the opening, and he didn't hesitate.

"Time to go back," he muttered under his breath. "I am going to force Sakura to make me a box of explosive tags."

With that, he ran into the light, leaving the horrors of the underground restaurant behind him. The arena Naruto stumbled into was a narrow bridge leading to two distinct paths. The bridge itself was open, the edges crumbling and barely reinforced. Far below, Naruto could see the courtyard. It wasn't too far down; he could jump, land safely, and make a break for it.

The boy leaped off the edge—but something caught his ankle mid-air.

Before he could even process what had happened, he was ragdolled into the wall. The impact sent a shockwave of pain through his entire body. His spine screamed in protest, his head rang like a struck bell, and his breath was knocked clean out of his lungs. Stars danced in his vision, and for a moment, the world blurred into a haze. The only reason he was still breathing was because of his armor, its reinforced plating absorbing much of the blow.

Naruto groaned, his vision swimming as he looked up—only to see the Black Knight towering over him, its jagged shield raised high, ready to crush him.

Instinct took over.

He thrust up his right arm, the blackened, charcoal limb sparking to life. Flickers of flame danced along its edges. The Black Knight froze. For a fleeting moment, Naruto thought the fire had scared it. Then, without hesitation, the knight released him—only to seize his cursed arm instead. Naruto barely had time to gasp before pain exploded through his body.

The knight ripped his arm clean off.

Flesh tore like brittle bark, embers spilling from the wound instead of blood. The severed limb burned brighter, its eerie fire crackling as if feeding on the pain itself. Naruto was thrown aside, his body skidding across the stone bridge. His vision blurred as he gasped for air, clutching his now-missing limb. Where his arm had been, there was no flesh or bone—only a stump, jagged and charred, like the burned remains of a tree. The edges still smoldered, faint embers glowing within the cracked surface.

"What the hell…?" he breathed, staring at the place where his arm had been.

Why had the Black Knight reacted like that? He didn't have time to wonder. The knight was tearing into his severed arm, its shield crushing the burning limb into the stone.

Naruto forced himself to his feet, stumbling left toward a narrow staircase. His boots slammed against stone as he bolted up the steps and eagerly tipped the Estus Flask back, the golden liquid sliding down his throat, warmth spreading through his battered body. Relief flooded him—his wounds sealed, his strength returned. Any second now, his arm would regenerate, good as new.

Then he'd go back down there and blast that Black Knight to hell.

But as the glow faded, Naruto looked down—his breath catching. His arm was back. Still blackened. Still cursed. Naruto groaned. Of course it's still cursed. Because why the hell would anything ever be easy in lordran?

The path ahead led to a small clearing, where a hollow knight paced, a long spear gripped tightly in its decayed hands.

Naruto lifted his remaining arm, flame flickering to life. If the fire had stopped the Black Knight, maybe...

Nothing.

The hollow let out a low snarl before lunging, its spear aimed straight for his chest. Naruto barely twisted away, sprinting past it with a frustrated groan. "Why did the Black Knight respond to my cursed hand?"

Behind them, the heavy, thunderous footsteps of the Black Knight echoed louder and louder. Naruto's heart pounded as he pushed forward, entering a closed hall that led to an open path outside. The moment he stepped into the open, Way of Focality screamed at him—attacks came from both sides. Naruto ducked instinctively, his body moving just in time to avoid a spear thrust from one side and a stabbing motion from the other. The second attacker was different—a hollow clad in full plated armor. It wore a red, tattered cape that trailed behind it, and in its gauntleted hands was a thin, elegant sword. Both hollows reared their weapons back for another strike.

Naruto thrust his talisman forward and used the Force miracle. The shockwave exploded outward, sending both hollows staggering back.

But the relief was short-lived.

A loud, bone-chilling thud echoed behind him. Naruto turned, his stomach sinking as he saw the Black Knight stepping into the area.

The knight barely spared him a glance. Its attention was on the two hollows, their weapons drawn and their minds still gripped by the Alluring Skull's influence. The spear-wielding hollow lunged, its decayed fingers tightening around the haft of its weapon, aiming straight for the Black Knight's chest. With a single backhanded swipe, the knight batted the spear aside like a child swiping away a twig. The hollow staggered back, unbalanced, panic blooming in its dead eyes. It tried to flee.

It never got the chance.

The Black Knight lunged forward, seizing the hollow by the throat with an iron grip. Bones cracked like brittle twigs beneath the gauntlet's crushing force. The hollow thrashed, kicking wildly, letting out a gurgling, broken cry. Its jaw hung open in a silent scream—until the Black Knight grabbed it and tore it clean off. The lower mandible snapped away with a wet, stomach-churning pop, leaving a ragged, gaping hole where a mouth had once been. Tattered sinew and shattered teeth dripped from the knight's fingers, slick with blood and rot. The hollow convulsed, choking on nothing, its head jerking in grotesque spasms—but the Black Knight wasn't done. It wrenched the spear from the hollow's feeble grip, spinning it once in its gauntleted hands. Then, with pitiless strength, the knight drove the weapon up from below, spearing the wretched undead like a pig for roasting.

The Balder Knight advanced with precision, its rapier held at a perfect angle, the tip hovering in the air like a coiled viper. Its stance was impeccable—one foot forward, weight balanced, shoulders relaxed—the textbook form of a fencer. A lunge—lightning-fast.

The rapier streaked forward toward the Black Knight's visor, aiming for the eye slit.

The Black Knight turned its shield inward, catching the thrust against its reinforced edge. The rapier's blade bent slightly before the Balder Knight snapped it back, repositioning in an instant. The hollow didn't hesitate. It twisted on its heel, feinting left before whipping the rapier back around in a circular motion, aiming for the inside of the elbow joint. A perfect counter to an advancing opponent.

But the Black Knight was done playing defense.

The shield swung sideways in a forceful bash, slamming into the Balder Knight's chest like a battering ram. The impact dented armor and knocked the hollow off-balance, sending it sprawling onto the ground. The Black Knight pressed its boot down on the hollow's chest, forcing it to the ground before delivering the final blow. The shield came down like a guillotine, crushing the knight's skull with an earsplitting crunch.

All of this happened in the span of five seconds.

And even then, Naruto was already running—he didn't wait to see the brutal death the Black Knight would give him. Naruto felt his butt clench in fear as he sprinted down a narrow pathway lined with crumbling pillars. The broken roof above let in faint beams of light, illuminating the moss-covered stone.

Finally, he emerged into a breathtaking sight.

Before him stood a massive church, its stone walls weathered but towering. The structure loomed over the surrounding ruins, its spire stretching high into the dark, cloud-filled sky. Naruto paused for a moment, marveling at the sheer size and grandeur of the building.

But the sound of creaking wood brought him back to reality.

He found himself standing on a poorly constructed wooden bridge. The planks were loose and rotting, the structure swaying slightly with every step. Below, the courtyard stretched out like a yawning void.

The Black Knight stepped onto the bridge.

Naruto turned to face it, his charcoal hand crackling with embers, the fire licking hungrily at his skin. The knight paused, its heavy armor groaning as it shifted its weight. The old wooden planks beneath it creaked ominously.

Naruto didn't give it a chance to react. With a sharp sweep of his Zweihander, he severed his own cursed arm, the limb igniting into a roaring inferno as it tumbled forward. The Black Knight's visor gleamed, reflecting the flames. Then, with an eerie calm, it raised its massive shield. The arm struck metal with a burst of embers, the fire splashing out like liquid light.

The knight, undeterred, slammed its shield downward, smashing the burning limb into the bridge.

CRACK.

The weakened planks shattered beneath its force. Naruto staggered back as the entire structure gave way.

The knight dropped, vanishing into the abyss below.

His breath came in sharp, uneven gasps. He had made it or so he thought. A gust of air rushed past him, sending a splinter of wood slicing across his cheek.

Naruto froze and turned.

The Black Knight was rising behind him. It had used the bridge as a ramp—launching itself back up with monstrous force.

Naruto wanted to scream. He felt the urge to give up, to let the knight crush him under its might. But before he could act, the sharp whistle of an arrow snapped him out of his despair.

Ping!

The arrow ricocheted off the Black Knight's back, harmless against its thick armor. Another arrow followed, this time hitting its shoulder. The knight slowly turned, its menacing helm shifting toward the source of the attack. Three hollows stood at the edge of the church steps. Two wielded swords, while the third held a crossbow, already loading another bolt.

The knight turned fully, focusing on the hollows. Naruto wasn't about to waste this miraculous distraction. He threw a smoke bomb and dashed down the stone steps, his boots slamming against the uneven surface.

At the bottom, the path split in two. One route led directly into the looming, ominous church. The other was a narrow pillared walkway, much like the one he had just come from.

Naruto didn't have time to think.

An arrow zipped past his head, embedding itself into the wall behind him. He bolted into the pillared path, his mind racing. He had a plan. It wasn't a good plan, but it was better than nothing.

Quickly, he rifled through his inventory.

[ Item: Black Firebomb ]

[ Description: Black bisque urn filled with black powder. Explodes, inflicting fire damage. A very precious item at low levels. Black Firebombs are especially destructive. ]

"Alright," Naruto muttered to himself. "This better work."

A few seconds later, the battle above took a brutal turn.

The Black Knight had impaled the crossbow hollow with the spiked edge of its shield, tossing the lifeless body aside like garbage. Its gaze locked onto Naruto, who stood at the edge of a staircase leading further down.

Naruto stepped backward, slow and measured. His breath was steady, his eyes locked onto the looming Black Knight. "Come on," he muttered, voice barely above a whisper.

The knight advanced, its heavy boots clanking against the stone.

As it reached the top of the staircase, Naruto made his move—he hurled his severed, flaming arm forward. The Black Knight reacted instantly. It swung, intent on obliterating the unnatural limb—but in doing so, it stepped into the trap.

Naruto smirked, raising his hand slightly. The intricate web of wire strung around the pillars gleamed in the firelight—thin, nearly invisible, but deadly. Five Black Firebombs. Eight regular Firebombs. All primed.

The knight, oblivious, continued its assault on the burning arm.

Wind chakra raced through the wires, a sharp, focused burst. The metal groaned, then ruptured. The firebombs ignited simultaneously, triggering a chain reaction of deafening explosions.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The knight was engulfed in a violent inferno, the fire roaring louder as Naruto's wind chakra intensified the flames. The pillars groaned under the force of the blasts, and the roof above cracked and gave way. The stone structure collapsed onto the knight with a thunderous crash, dust and debris filling the air. Naruto squinted through the haze, his heart pounding. The once-pristine pillars were now shattered, the roof reduced to rubble.

For a moment, there was silence.

Then the stone beneath the rubble shifted.

"Oh, come on, DIE already," Naruto muttered, exasperated but not surprised.

The Black Knight's helmet burst free from the debris, clawing at the air. It was pinned, but it wouldn't stay that way for long. Naruto knew he had to act fast. He climbed onto the pile of rubble and grabbed the knight's helmet with his left hand.

"Alright," he muttered, remembering his wind chakra training. Just like he had cleaved through the waterfall with pure wind chakra, Naruto channeled that same energy into his arm. With a sharp motion, he released a concentrated blast of air directly into the knight's helmet.

The force was precise and devastating, severing the knight's head cleanly at eye level.

The body fell limp, collapsing under its own weight.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, just like before, the Black Knight's body began to glow. The light intensified, pouring out of every crack and seam in its armor. The heat and brightness were almost blinding as the knight's body crumbled, turning to ash.

The ashes scattered in the faint, cold breeze. From the remains, a spectral image of the Black Knight emerged—a white, ghostly figure. The apparition gave a bow to Naruto before vanishing.

[ You have defeated the Black Knight ]

[ You have obtained: ]

[ Souls: 800 ]

[ Titanite Chunk ]

[ Broken Black Knight Armor ]

[ Broken Black Knight Gauntlets ]

[ Broken Black Knight Leggings ]

[ Broken Black Knight Great Shield ]

Naruto let out a shaky breath, dropping onto the stone path. His muscles screamed in protest, and his heart felt like it might burst out of his chest.

He glanced at his HUD, and his relief turned into confusion.

[ Souls: 4200 ]

"Wait… what?" he muttered.

Where had those extra souls come from? Had the Black Knight somehow transferred the souls of all the enemies it had killed? That didn't make sense—enemies usually claimed souls for themselves. "Guess they don't," Naruto said aloud, shaking his head. "Or maybe… Black Knights are different."

Whatever the reason, Naruto wasn't going to question it too much. He had survived, and he had his souls. That was all that mattered. As he stood, he noticed three glowing orange lines etched into the ground nearby.

"A message?" Naruto said, stumbling over to read it.

[ ?: Blacksmith ahead ]

Relief flooded him as he read the words. "Finally," he muttered, staggering down the broken pillar path. The trees surrounded him as the path wound its way to a tall, crumbling building. A faint metallic ringing echoed from within, the sound of a hammer striking steel.

Naruto grinned, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten. "Blacksmith, here I come. Dattebayo."

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Author Note:

A few things I want to clarify:

1. Why is the Black Knight using a shield?

Answer: Honestly, if you've played the games, you'll know that the Black Knight of the Undead Parish just uses a greatsword. However, we've already had Naruto fight two Black Knights who used greatswords.

To make this fight more memorable—and because Naruto doesn't learn much from this one in terms of narrative—I decided to make this Black Knight unique by having him use a shield as a weapon.

The first Black Knight fight had Naruto "cheese" his way through it. The point was to show that Naruto's Shinobi side can be really helpful in Lordran. That, and I wanted to highlight more of Naruto's prankster skills.

The second Black Knight fight focused on Naruto improving his swordsmanship.

Since Naruto doesn't gain much narratively from the third Black Knight, I made it more brutal and memorable by changing its weapon to a shield.

I'm curious—who do you think would've won if Naruto wasn't nerfed? I mean, the Naruto who fought Zabuza at full strength versus the Greatshield Black Knight. Who comes out on top?

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2. Why does Naruto absorb the souls of Black Knight kills?

Answer: Simple—Naruto's system allows him to absorb any souls in his vicinity.

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3. What's the deal with Naruto's charcoal hand firing up?

Answer: Remember how Naruto's Pyromancy Flame needed a specific number of spell uses to activate (like eight Fireballs) and that the count would reset afterward?

Similarly, Naruto's spell count has reset—but unfortunately, his hand is cursed. That's why it lights up like a fire rather than forming a proper fireball.

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4. Why was the Black Knight so focused on Naruto's cursed arm?

Answer: The answer lies in the lore.

The Black Knights were originally the Silver Knights of Gwyn, who went to war with the Izalith Kingdom. (For context, the Izalith Kingdom is the kingdom of demons.) This war burned the Silver Knights into the Black Knights. So, essentially, Naruto's cursed hand's demonic aura reminded the Black Knight of Izalith.

For the record, the Black Knights that Naruto has fought so far are actually just puppet corpses animated by sheer will for their king, Gwyn. If Naruto had fought an actual living Silver or Black Knight, he would've been killed immediately.

So thankfully, he's been fighting puppets rather than flesh-and-blood warriors capable of thinking. Lol.

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Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. The next one is going to feature Naruto meeting the blacksmith Andre of Astora.

Let me know what you think, and I hope you have a blessed rest of your day!

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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 54, 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!