Naruto: Kakashi of the spider sage

Kakashi's muscles tensed as the creature's voice echoed in the cavern. "Who dares intrude upon my sanctuary?" Its tone carried both curiosity and authority, reverberating off the damp walls.

'What is this thing?' Kakashi wondered, his instincts screaming at him to be on guard. He dropped into a combat stance, kunai in hand, the dim light of the cave barely illuminating his silver hair. His Sharingan, concealed beneath his headband, itched to be unveiled, but he waited, analyzing the situation.

The creature's silhouette remained in the shadows, but Kakashi could feel its gaze on him, sharp and probing. The air was heavy, suffused with an oppressive energy that made every nerve in his body stand on edge. "I'll ask again," the creature said, stepping forward. "Who are you, and how did you enter this place?"

'It's testing me,' Kakashi thought, tightening his grip on his kunai. 'No sudden moves. Not yet.' He didn't respond, his silence a calculated choice. If this creature was dangerous—and all signs pointed to that being the case—he needed every advantage.

The creature chuckled, a low, guttural sound that sent chills down Kakashi's spine. "Silent, are we? How amusing. Perhaps you need some encouragement." Without warning, it lunged.

Kakashi's eyes widened as the shadowy form surged toward him with blinding speed. He barely managed to leap back, the air displaced by the creature's strike whipping past his face. 'Fast!' he thought, adrenaline flooding his system. He activated his Sharingan in a flash, the red glow casting eerie patterns on the cavern walls.

"Ah, the infamous Sharingan," the creature said, its voice tinged with amusement. "How quaint. Let's see how far it gets you."

Kakashi didn't waste words. He darted forward, kunai aimed at the creature's midsection. His Sharingan tracked its movements, predicting its dodges, but the creature moved with an uncanny fluidity, evading every strike as if it were dancing.

'It's like it knows what I'm going to do before I do it,' Kakashi thought, his frustration mounting. He pivoted, feinting left before slashing right, but the creature easily sidestepped, its laughter echoing in the cavern.

"Predictable," it said mockingly. "Left, right, now from above."

Kakashi's eyes narrowed. As the creature called out his next move before he even executed it, he shifted tactics. Dropping low, he aimed for its legs, but the creature leaped gracefully, landing a few paces away.

"Your Sharingan is impressive," it admitted, "but against me, it's little more than a parlor trick."

'Damn it,' Kakashi thought, his breathing heavy. He wiped sweat from his brow, his mind racing. 'It's toying with me. If this keeps up, I'll wear myself out before I land a single hit.'

The creature tilted its head, its glowing eyes narrowing. "Is that all? I expected more from a shinobi of your caliber. Perhaps I overestimated you."

Kakashi's jaw tightened. He didn't need the creature's taunts to remind him of his shortcomings. Memories of past failures flashed in his mind—Obito, Rin, Minato—each loss a weight he carried into every battle. 'No. Not this time.'

Summoning his resolve, he formed a series of hand signs, the familiar crackle of Chidori filling the air. The cavern lit up with the electric-blue glow, the energy casting jagged shadows on the walls.

The creature's laughter ceased, replaced by a curious hum. "Interesting. Let's see how far your lightning will take you."

Kakashi surged forward, his Sharingan locked onto the creature. Every muscle in his body screamed for him to strike true. The creature stood its ground, seemingly unperturbed by the incoming attack. 'This is it,' Kakashi thought, his confidence surging. 'I'll end this now.'

Just as Chidori was about to connect with the creature's chest, its voice came from behind him. "Behind you."

Kakashi's heart sank. Pain flared in his neck, sharp and sudden, but it faded almost instantly. His vision blurred, darkness creeping in at the edges as his body went limp. The last thing he saw was the creature's amused expression before everything went black.

....

When he came to, he was hanging upside down, his arms and legs bound by a sticky, silken substance. The dim glow of the cavern returned, and he realized he was suspended from the ceiling, ensnared in what appeared to be a massive spider web.

'What the…' Kakashi's thoughts were sluggish, his body still weak from whatever the creature had done to him. He struggled against the bindings, but they held firm, the threads unyielding despite his efforts.

"You're awake," the creature's voice called from below. It stepped into view, its grotesque form fully illuminated now. The four glowing eyes stared up at him, and the fangs protruding from its mouth glinted in the faint light.

"You… How is this possible? No one is meant to enter my domain," it muttered, its tone a mix of puzzlement and disbelief. Then, its gaze sharpened, and a sly smile spread across its face.

Kakashi glared down at it, his mind already working on an escape plan. "Your domain? What do you mean?" he asked, his voice tinged with both defiance and curiosity. "What do you want?" he demanded, his voice hoarse.

"You don't know? Ah, of course you wouldn't," the creature replied, regaining its composure and adopting a playful tone.

"This is the holy land of the spiders, the Spider Web. Here, infinite strings weave a web that controls the very threads of destiny. In this sacred place, natural energy flows like water, abundant and eternal. This is a forgotten sanctuary, forsaken for a thousand years. Yet it is the strongest of all the holy lands, rivaling even the Frogs of Mount Myōboku, the Slugs of Shikkotsu Forest, and the Snakes of Ryūchi Cave."

The creature straightened proudly, its fangs glinting as it continued, "And I am the greatest sage of the spiders. I have lived for more than a thousand years, and I will live another thousand more."

Its dramatic introduction paused as it turned its gaze back to Kakashi. A cruel smile played on its lips. "Kid, you should consider yourself lucky. Not only are you standing in my domain, but you're also speaking to me. Such an honor is beyond the reach of most mortals."