Naruto.
"I know," Naruto whispered to himself, his eyes opening from his meditative state.
He could feel the Bullhead descending and preparing to land. But his attention shifted as he gazed beyond the cockpit to see Haven Academy looming...
Along with the fog of darkness, he could sense something enshrouded within it.
Blake's ears twitched as she glanced over at Naruto. She heard him and frowned. "Something wrong?"
"Yeah. Stay on alert." Naruto gave a measured response as he kept his gaze forward as the Bullhead landed. "We're not alone here... Qrow..."
"Could I ask a favor of you? I have a few calls I would like to make."
[ X ]
Walking through the Haven campus, Naruto felt a certain sense of nostalgia.
The building designs here, and through a lot of Mistral, reminded him of home. They weren't the same, but had enough similar structure and build to them, Naruto couldn't help but think of Konoha.
Of all of his friends.
Focus. We can reminisce later. Kurama's growl drew Naruto out of his thoughts.
His gaze shifted, scanning the buildings before focusing on the path ahead. He was relying heavily on Kurama to stay low-key. To not give off any hints that he was aware that something was amiss.
How many? Naruto asked as he stayed in stride with Qrow and Raven as they stopped before the central tower, the tower doors opening as the headmaster greeted them.
"Qrow, it's good to see you." Leonardo greeted warmly. However, his expression shifted to one of worry as he glanced at Blake, Weiss, Neo, Ilia, and Penny. "I have many questions on what is going on, but I suppose I should ask, are you sure the kids should be here? And what happened to... One of them inherited it, didn't they?"
We're surrounded. Ten to the left and right... Two in the rear, trailing behind us in the distance. Kurama responded with a gruff growl.
"They're here on his behalf as his companions. Otherwise, they are not involved in this, unlike me. Let's get this done with." Raven responded, eyes narrowed as she stepped forward and glowered.
"You are... I see." A sorrowful expression flashed on Leonardo's face before a stern, intent glare focused on Raven.
Anyone a threat? Naruto internally responded, keeping his composure on the outside, following Raven's suit and crossing his arms, tapping on each elbow ten times. "The students will be arriving any time, and a lot of the upperclassmen are already here. Best to get this done quickly."
"I understand..." Leonardo responded with a frown, gingerly handling his pocketwatch with a sense of apprehension. "I'm sorry, the rest of you will need to wait out here while we handle this business..."
"I'll remain out here with them." Qrow caught Naruto's strange tapping, glancing toward Blake, and forced a scowl. "Gotta make sure the brats don't follow."
"Hey, don't lump me in with them." Neo snapped back as she glared at him, while Blake turned her attention to him.
With a simple nod, her eyes gleamed slightly, nudging Ilia with an elbow. "Isn't that right, partner?"
"What are you... Ah, yeah." Ilia squinted before she scowled and nodded.
The two in the rear. I wouldn't be surprised if they were the leaders. Kurama snorted. They'll be more than enough to take 'em. They've got this. We should keep our focus.
Right. Naruto met Blake's gaze before it, for a brief second, trailed off into the distance behind them. And with a bright, closed-eyed smile, he chuckled. "It won't take more than a minute. Nothing to worry about."
"Fine," Blake scowled but nodded, keeping her focus as Naruto stepped inside with Raven.
"Lead the way," Naruto motioned to Leonardo as the doors closed behind them.
And as soon as they did, Blake reached for the hilt of Gambol Shroud and closed her eyes. "Everyone ready?"
"Ten on the right. Ten on the left, right?" Weiss took a deep breath, her hand sliding onto Myrentaster's handle.
"And the two that have been trailing us since we've stepped onto campus, I imagine," Ilia replied, turning to face two tall men stalking toward them.
One, much built like a tank and much larger than the other, was a dark-skinned man in bright red and black clothing wearing a pig's head for a mask.
"Great, I know these guys. Stay on your guard." Qrow rolled his eyes and muttered, staring at them. "Vermillion Raddock, head of the Hana Guild... And the big guy there is Hazel Rainart, Salem's personal enforcer."
"We certainly have our work cut out for us today."
[ X ]
"So this is it?" Naruto raised his brow as they barely entered the tower, and Leonardo had already pulled out his pocketwatch, inserting it into the statue of a beautiful lady that was prominently displayed in the center of the room.
Naruto had heard that sometimes the best-kept secrets were kept in plain sight, but this was ridiculous!
"The vault is beneath the tower. This only accesses the elevator to reach the door." Leonardo shook his head as the statue began to move and unfold, revealing a hidden elevator door behind it.
"Huh, neat." Naruto mused as he watched the transformation with fascination.
"Let's go," Raven advanced without hesitation as the elevator door opened, joined by Naruto and Leonardo shortly after.
As the elevator clicked shut and began descending, a tense silence fell upon the three. Raven stood with a permanent scowl etched into her expression while Naruto casually leaned against the wall. Leo fidgeted several times while occasionally throwing shade glances toward Raven.
Something she did not take lightly.
"Spit it out." A vexed Raven snarled.
"What happened to her?" Leonardo stared daggers at Raven.
"She wasn't fit to be a Maiden. I gave her an out and she accepted." Raven scoffed, her typical stoic-to-angry behavior dropping for a brief moment.
A very brief one that Naruto barely caught the slight quiver in her tone.
"You killed her?!" Leonardo's voice rose as he visibly snarled.
"Believe what you will." Raven scoffed, uninterested in continuing the conversation.
Leonardo's lips curled, but he kept his composure and smoldered, throwing Raven one last nasty glare before his attention shifted to Naruto. "It's amazing you can work with someone like her. Or found out how she became the Maiden."
"I've managed with worse." Naruto shrugged, answering honestly. It wasn't a lie...
He and Sasuke worked together before they had a death match.
"Don't let him deceive you with his attitude. He's more than he seems." Raven snorted, looking back at Leonardo before shifting her gaze to Naruto.
"I have to admit, I am a little shocked Ozpin would be so willing to allow a child into the order, let alone allow someone to retrieve the relic. It's safer kept in the vault." Leonardo frowned as the elevator's descent began to slow to a halt.
"You're about to find out why." Naruto cryptically responded as the door to the elevator opened to a cavernous opening.
A straight yet elaborate path of cement that a central strip illuminated as they stepped outside the elevator. Illuminating the room to reveal a rocky outcrop a short distance away and, before it, a massive, unconnected gate.
"So this is it?" Raven led the way down the path, stopping before the gate, taking the sight in with a thorough inspection. "All I have to do is channel my power into it, and it will open?"
"Yes, I believe so. Those were the instructions Ozpin gave me when I took my position." Leonardo nodded as he took in the sight with a heavy sigh. "I will have to admit. I have never seen this door open before."
"Then let's get this over with." Raven snarled, placing a palm on the door.
Naruto frowned, but said nothing. Her unease was evident, but thankfully, she kept her composure.
Didn't want to alert their guests that they were aware of their presence.
A soft light shimmered and traveled through the gate from Raven's palm. It eerily reminded him of how sealing functions as the aura traveled through the gate. But to his shock, the gate didn't open.
And became translucent momentarily before the visage of the gate turned into a vibrant, blinding light. And when the light settled, the gate had become a portal to another place—a desert.
With a pedestal visible from where they stood.
Naruto couldn't refrain from scowling at what he had witnessed. Could the magic of this gate function as a portal to a different dimension? That reminded him a little too much of Kaguya's power.
He didn't like that.
And despite that disdain, Naruto walked through the portal without hesitation and toward the pedestal. And on that pedestal sat a symmetrical blue lamp with golden lining and handles.
Under normal circumstances, a pedestal in the middle of a desert with an extravagant lamp would be suspicious. These were far from typical circumstances as Naruto stopped before the pedestal and stared at the lamp.
What felt like a gentle breeze caused his spiky locks to flutter. Yet Naruto couldn't help but hear whispers instead.
The whispers of a woman?
Naruto shook his head at that thought. Had to be his mind playing tricks on him.
"Let's get this rolling," Naruto muttered as he grasped the lamp by the handle, easily lifting it from its pedestal.
Without hesitation, he turned and left the desert hastily. The last thing Naruto wanted was to be trapped in an alternate dimension... Again.
"You can stop hiding and come out now," Naruto stated as he stepped out of the portal, his eyes focusing on the abyss. "I know you are there."
From that abyss, two red eyes shone and a ghastly pale body of a witch descended from the darkness. And as Raven tensed, Naruto confidently held his gaze, a thin smirk quivering on his lips as he held up the lamp. "If you want this..."
"Come and get it!"
[ X ]
"Well, well, well. Look at who we have here delivered to me. If it isn't the man who hired that annoying group of Huntsmen to make my life a living hell? Ain't this a wonderful day?" Vermillion grunted, standing across the courtyard, his attention intent on Qrow.
"Can't say the same. Thought you were in hiding to save your sorry ass." Qrow gave a stern scowl back.
"For two damn years, I had to evade those damn troublemakers. But then Lady Salem, in her benevolent graciousness, had them... Taken care of." Vermillion smugly responded.
Qrow's eyes shimmered in alarm before he snarled. His eyes slitted. He balled his fists before he took a breath; his attention shifted to the young ladies with him. "Careful with these guys. If at any time you feel overwhelmed and in danger, I want you to run."
"Oh, there isn't gonna be any running. We have you surrounded." Vermillion snapped his fingers, and members of the Hana guild flanked their sides from behind the tower and the rooftops, wielding a variety of weapons.
"Any allies of Ozpin's are our enemies and will be shown no leniency... Even if they are children." Hazel growled, a hint of remorse in his tone as he looked over the group before he snarled, cracking his knuckles by balling his fists.
"Are we?" Neo smirked as her visage, along with Ilia's, began to dissolve into shards.
And several cries echoed from the left flank of Hana Guild members as they fell unconscious, as an electric whip crackled from behind and stunned the guild members. And between all of them, Neo confidently strolled through the remaining members, parasol on her shoulder as shards of her constructed illusion faded.
The first reacted, only for their sword to harmlessly bounce and be deflected by Neo's parasol, and immediately countered a swift, flip kick to their chin. Neo gracefully landed, as if she were on a balance beam, while the grunt hit the ground unconscious.
She simply gleamed with sadistic glee, stepping on a very particular part of his anatomy and applying enough force for a crunch to be heard. That was more than enough to wake the unconscious man to scream in agony, only to be kicked unconscious once more as Neo stepped on his chest, twirling her parasol as she turned her attention to the others. "So, boys, ready to play?"
Each recoiled and stumbled away from Neo as Ilia joined her, a scowl on her face.
"Penny, now!" Weiss announced, taking advantage of the recoil from all the men at Neo's action, dashing forward to the right flank as she clicked the trigger on her rapier.
"Rodger!" Penny responded, her back hatch opened, her Floating Array lunged forward and around the flanking guild members, keeping them squarely centered for Weiss as she trusted Myrenaster ahead.
And trapped all of them in massive shards of ice.
"That should contain them." Weiss tapped her work and, with a confident smirk, turned her attention to Hazel and Vermillion. "Please tell me that's not your best. That was too easy."
"Uh... Well, shit." Vermillion grimaced, shrinking and taking a few steps back.
"And who says we're who is surrounded?" Blake's voice resonated from behind Vermillion.
"What the fuck?" Vermillion leapt forward, swiveling around to see Blake standing. His eyes sharpened at her as he pulled out a spiked club and pointed it at her. "How in the hell did you do that?"
"She left behind a clone," Hazel responded, seeing the smoke of Blake's Shadow Clone dissolve beside Qrow. He simply shook his head as he reached into his pockets. "It does not matter if you have us surrounded. I have no intentions of fleeing."
Blake tensed as Hazel reached into the pockets of his green overcoat, expecting him to draw a weapon... Only to draw large Dust Crystals.
"Lightning Dust?" Weiss, who had reacted in a similar tense manner at first, raised her brow curiously, watching as he brought the two crystals up. "What are you..."
With a guttural scream, Hazel stabbed the two crystals of Dust into his biceps.
"Yo, what the fuck?" Vermillion recoiled, alarmed at his partner's action.
"Sir! That's not how you are supposed to use Dust!" Weiss shouted in alarm, recoiling in alarm at the violent action.
Only to witness his already rugged exterior expand as electricity crackled around him.
"Oh my! My readings are indicating that he is using his body to filtrate..." Penny tried to relay her analysis, but Qrow held up his hand to silence her before reaching for Harbinger.
"Yeah, we see that. If you see any way to exploit that, relay that information." Qrow drew his sword; his gaze held an intensity that none of them had seen before.
"The human body isn't meant to absorb Dust directly. Too much, and it becomes toxic." Penny responded.
"That is what I like to hear." Qrow nodded. "We've got a plan now. Let's put it to good use to put him out of commission. And whatever any of you do... Don't hold back. They're willing to kill to survive..."
"And so should you."
[ X ]
"Aren't we confident?" Salem slid out of the dark abyss of the cavern, floating and landing on the concrete with two, floating jellyfish-esque Grimm descending alongside her.
Her deep crimson gaze took in Naruto. Examining every detail of the boy. She couldn't help but marvel at how she didn't flinch despite having an awareness of who and what she was.
And then there was her.
Oh, Salem felt emboldened upon seeing Raven again. Seeing the cold, powerful woman reduced to a terrified mess from her sight. She had thought she had learned her lesson last time since she left quite an impression.
Which led her back to the boy. The confidence he must have had to make Raven face her fear intrigued her.
"But not very wise. You know of me and wish to stand against me?" Salem posed, standing confidently as her Grimm floated forward. "Very well. Show me what you are capable of. And soon, you will learn the same lesson everyone else has learned. I am inevitable."
"Hardly," Naruto responded, withdrawing a scroll from his hip pouch, and much to Salem's intrigue, sealed away the relic and slid the scroll back into his pouch.
Before he descended toward Salem with a steady stride.
"You may see my confidence as bravado, and it might be to most. But I have faced all kinds of adversity throughout my entire life. I've faced the darkness, the evil of the world before. From being seen as a demon as a child by most in my village to fighting maniacs who wanted to ruin the world to restart in their image, I've seen it all before." Naruto spoke, walking into the range of the Seers.
And they struck, their tentacles lashing out faster than most eyes could see.
Yet for Naruto, it was as if they barely had moved at all.
With a flick of his wrist, he had slipped a kunai out of his pouch as he stepped through their tentacles without being touched. In the same fluid motion of his draw, Naruto severed the tentacles into ribbons without breaking his stride.
Or, much to Salem's annoyance, his speech, although she found an interesting tidbits of information within.
Seen as a demon? Warmongers who wanted to rule the world? That was interesting.
"And I never wavered. I believed in my dreams... My ideals. And I'm not sure how or why, but soon I had people following me. Believing in my ideals and willing to stand at my side. And with their help, I was able to overcome everything before me." Naruto continued, his stride unbroken by the flailing tentacles around him.
And with a flick of his lone arm, the two Seers were sliced into several pieces as he walked past them effortlessly to stand before Salem, face-to-face.
Meeting her eye-level with an undaunted expression, his cerulean eyes stared into the crimson darkness, only for them to shift to an orangish-gold tint and his pupil to dilate in an unusual cross manner.
"And I don't tend to let any of them down now, regardless of what has happened. I can't let down that belief in me, no matter where I am or they are. So, consider this a warning, leave this alone... Or I will be forced to put you down." Naruto unflinchingly stared into Salem's gaze.
And despite his passionate speech, Salem stood unmoved. Instead, her lips curled, seemingly amused by everything Naruto said. "Oh, my sweet, summer child. How naive you are. Allow me to educate and show you the truth of this world."
"No need... I've heard it all before." Naruto interrupted, his voice exasperated, but his gaze fierce. Kurama, let's go.
My pleasure. Kurama grinned from within, willingly allowing Naruto access to his chakra.
And in a flash of golden light, a horrified Salem was rooted to the spot as she witnessed the transformation.
It couldn't be... That wasn't possible.
"Allow me to show you just what I'm about and teach you the lesson everyone else who has faced me has learned." Naruto scowled with a furious determination.
"I am Naruto Uzumaki, and I live by my own code!"
[ X ]
Much to his disdain, their fights had separated, and he had to leave the kids to fight that beast. As soon as Hazel made a move and charged, breaking through, Vermillion took his chance to escape.
And that was something Qrow couldn't allow as he flew before and cut off Vermillion as he jumped from roof to roof.
"Are you serious? Why are you focusing on me instead of that beast down there?" Vermillion snarled, skipping on the roof's shingles as he coldly stared at Qrow.
"As you saw, they are more than capable of handling themselves... Besides, I have a score to settle with you." Qrow seethed, drawing Harbinger from his back.
"I didn't kill them! That was that murderous Faunus she has at her beck and call!" Vermillion's knuckles turned white under his fingerless gloves as he desperately clenched his club.
"Don't play innocent. You were trying to gloat about their deaths. I imagine you led that bastard to them." Qrow snarled and, without another word, went for the throat with Harbinger.
Vermillion's club was barely able to withstand Qrow's swing, even with his Aura enhancing his weapon. And the flurry of blows caused him to lose his balance; the shingles on the roof beneath his feet cracked and slid out from under him. He skidded off the angled roof and down to the dirt below.
He had no moment of reprieve as Qrow descended upon him, Harbinger slicing into the ground that Vermillion had just scampered from, several black firebombs with their pins pulled falling to the ground behind him.
And yet there was no fiery explosion to his dismay.
Were they... Duds?
"Seems like someone else's luck is worse than mine." Qrow stared at the man coldly, kicking the firebomb away from him and toward Vermillion.
And as they flew toward them, they finally exploded and sent the Hana Guild leader flying, skipping across the dirt. His Aura crackled as it absorbed each collision, but Vermillion's body ached as he came to a stop, struggling to lift his own body weight.
Only for a cold shiver traveled down his spine as Qrow stepped directly before him.
"Wait, wait, wait! We can talk about this!" Vermillion desperately scrambled to his knees.
"Was any member of SAFR given any quarter? Did they ever have a chance to escape?" Qrow snarled, his grip tightening around Harbinger, stalking Vermillion.
"Fuck, dude, why do you care so much?! They were just other Huntsmen! It's not like they were your friends or something! You hardly knew them!" Vermillion trembled, his hand slowly sliding into the inside of her red jacket and grasping a pistol.
"It's because I hired them. That I sent them after you to investigate the strange change in the Hana Guild's operation two years ago. Because I was unaware of your connections and simply thought there was a typical change of power. I never thought I was involving them in this war. And you just so happened to throw them to the wolves the first chance you got? Yeah, I'm not feeling merciful." Qrow venomously hissed as he seethed; the gears in Harbinger triggered.
"So that's it, huh?" Vermillion scowled beneath his mask, drawing his pistol as he screamed. "Well, screw you...!"
In an instant, Qrow stepped behind him, his greatsword having shifted into a scythe. Vermillion's gun split in half in his grasp...
Before his head fell to the dirt below.
"Good riddance," Qrow spat remorselessly as he glanced back coldly to watch Vermillion's body slump.
"The world doesn't need trash like you infesting it."
[ X ]
The ground cratered, and electricity sparked from the impact. And as the dust and rubble settled, only shadows remained beneath Hazel's fist.
His frustration, evident.
Hazel snarled as he shielded his arm with Aura to absorb the blade from Blake's swing, only to eat a thunderous kick to his gut. But he remained rooted to the spot. With a heavy underhook, he swung to hit the lithe target.
And once more, he was unable to strike his target as the razor-sharp wires from Penny's Floating Array impeded his movement and forced Hazel to deviate and step back.
Directly into a seal array that dramatically slowed his movements. His eyes narrowed as Ilia and Neo flanked both his sides, taking advantage of his mistake of falling into this trap, their blades piercing an inch deep into his abdomen, his Aura unable to absorb the full force of their strikes.
But it didn't faze Hazel. With a furious roar, he powered through the seal array's effect on him as he reached out and grabbed Ilia's wrist, dragged her forward, and landed his heavy jab.
He winced as Neo's blade swiftly pulled out as she stepped in front of Ilia, using her parasol as a shield to absorb his punch. It didn't matter as his Dust empowered punch shot both back, away from.
Hazel didn't hesitate upon seeing Blake rapidly approach with her dual blades. He roared as he stabbed two more Dust crystals into his biceps, one in each, the seal shattering as electricity wildly coarsed out of his body, causing Blake to leap back to avoid the shock.
"That's seriously not how you are supposed to use it!" Weiss cried, dismayed by the display for a multitude of reasons.
It was evident that Hazel did not care or listen as he surged forward faster than before. Lightning crackled around his thick arms as he swung wildly at Blake.
Hazel was unable to connect as Blake swayed in and out of his furious flurry, the pathway to the central tower shattering with each overextension. He was punished for each with a cut into his arms or across his torso, but his raging aura absorbed the impact and kept Gambol Shroud from cutting any deeper.
"Catch!" Weiss called out, tossing a Dust crystal toward Blake, who snapped it out of the air and loaded it into the handle of the Gambol Shroud.
However, as Blake felt the school's buildings close in around her, she realized that, despite his blind fury, Hazel had a strategy to corral her. Her eyes sharpened as Blake's back pressed against the wall.
But his fist cratered the wall as it fazed through her Shadow Clone...
That ignited and enveloped Hazel with a fiery explosion.
"Got him!" Weiss gave an ecstatic cry before her eyes widened in horror.
The fire was smothered from another electrical outburst as Hazel let out a vicious scream. Two more Dust crystals jabbed into his thighs.
"Are you kidding me? Are you trying to kill yourself?! That's way too much!" Weiss elicited a shrill warning.
Hazel's retort was to charge Weiss with blinding speed, and a supercharged punch connected with her guarded wrists. Even still, she was flung back, skidding across the dusty path past Neo and Ilia.
"Allow me!" Penny stepped forward, aiming her Floating Array blades to strike as Hazel continued his descent toward them.
But after he evaded the first several, Penny struck directly into his left bicep, and it didn't faze Hazel in the slightest. Instead, he grabbed hold of it as his body was enveloped with a tremendous surge of electricity.
"AAAHHH!!!" Penny let out an echoed, almost robotic, screech as the lightning coursed back through and into her system.
Penny slumped forward, her typical vibrant eyes dulled.
"Did she just get short-circuited?" Neo blinked before her eyes shifted back to a roaring Hazel, charging once more.
"Will this guy just fall already!" Ilia let out an annoyed hiss, her eyes flickering with a slight terror as Hazel rushed toward Penny, knocking her and Neo aside with ease.
"One down!" Hazel roared as his body radiated with lightning as he went to deliver a furious axe handle onto the shut-down Penny.
But before he could connect, two lithe hands, still holding the handles of her blades, caught and stopped his descent.
Two golden eyes stared up defiantly into Hazel's.
Hazel stared, almost swept away by the moment. This small Faunus girl stopped his momentum? As he charged with electricity?
"That was... Unwise." Hazel snarled as the Dust crystals embedded in him began to shine violently, a visible electric current radiating from them and into Blake.
"I... Don't care!" Blake hissed, every hair on her body standing on end as her body was charged with the electricity that was coursing throughout Hazel.
A current that should have incapacitated any human. Yet she withstood, even as her body trembled and began to buckle from it and from Hazel's overwhelming strength.
"You won't... Blake snarled, feeling the electricity coursing through her body, churning naturally within as a blue crackle of lightning coated her swords.
A crackle that sounded like the chirps of a thousand birds.
And for a brief moment, it felt like someone else took control as she released her grip on Hazel and firmly held onto her swords.
"Hurt my friends!" Blake roared as she swung her blade through.
Hazel let out a hollow roar of agony as he stumbled back and fell to his knees. His eyes flickered with horror as he stared at the bleeding stumps where, from the bicep down, his arms used to reside.
And despite feeling a hint of regret upon looking at the man, Blake staunchly stood before Penny. With her breath heavy, she stared defiantly at Hazel and spoke without regret. "One down."
"Make that two." Qrow, swooping out of his crow state, landed beside Blake as everyone recovered and joined them.
"No, no, no!" A desperate scream followed, and through a portal, Leonardo was thrown before them.
"Make that three." Raven stepped out, a sneer adorned her features. "The coward froze, unable to move a muscle upon seeing the witch effortlessly be trumped over and over again."
"And you left him with..." Qrow snarled, turning to his sister before being interrupted.
"Ah... What happened?" Penny groaned, her light in her emerald gaze restored as she rebooted.
"In human terms, you got knocked the fuck out." Neo eloquently stated, then frowned, feeling her legs tremble. "Does anyone else feel that?"
Everyone's gaze sharpened, feeling the same rumble from beneath. They all glanced down as the rumble grew louder and they could barely stand their ground.
"Okay, what is that?" Ilia regained her balance, glancing around nervously.
"It's who you think it is! This feeling... This is what he did to level our camp!" Raven snapped, causing all to focus on her.
"There's no way..." Weiss muttered, feeling the earth rumble, seeing the very tower itself shake. "What is going... Whoa?!"
A golden flash irradiated the tower before it was split in two by another flash that traveled into the clouds—and exploded into a sphere of raw energy that knocked everyone off their feet and shattered every window.
And as the winds whipped and died down, the damage could be calculated.
It would take some time for Haven to recover from this.
[ X ]
Salem struck first. Good.
He wanted to give her a taste of her own medicine.
A hand that reminded him of Shikamaru's techniques reached out from the shadows and clasped around Naruto's body. He remained unimpressed as he nonchalantly stared into Salem's eyes.
"Is that all?"
Salem squinted daggers at the passive Naruto before she froze. Despite her shadowed hand restraining him, Naruto began to raise his left arm through the shadows effortlessly. Raising his hand to her forehead, he placed his pointer finger on it.
Salem's eyes shone with violent magic as lightning pulsed around her. And yet again, even as the current charged and struck Naruto, it did not faze him. He simply coiled his middle finger and, with a flick, a pain ripped through Salem as her head evaporated from the blow.
And typically, she was able to control her movements despite her condition. The recoil from the flick to her forehead sent her entire body colliding with the cavern walls off in the distance.
Naruto watched Salem intently, observing her rapid regeneration. As expected, she immediately recovered from the damage inflicted, as she gathered a fiery orb and sent it toward him.
He didn't move an inch as the fireball engulfed Naruto and ruptured all around him. He simply stood in the flames and stared back at Salem, unwavering in his position.
This is more than enough. We should back down and use just our power. She's not worthy enough to stand before this form. Kurama snorted, finding the witch before him less than impressive.
No. Naruto responded with a cold edge to his tone. She weaponizes hopelessness against all those she faces. I want her to look into that void and feel what she made the others experience. To understand it and come to terms with it.
Now, that is something I can get behind. Kurama grinned as the wind picked up around them, while Salem approached, a cyclone violently swirled around her. Yet Naruto stood unmoving as Kurama's lips curled. I'll focus on keeping a steady flow. I doubt someone this weak could ever pierce through MY chakra, but just in case.
Naruto nodded as he calmly withstood the storm, as Salem settled down before him. "I'm waiting... When's the terror supposed to start?"
Salem's lips snarled as she gnashed her teeth. Without a word, she raised her hand toward Naruto. He felt immense pressure building around him, but he remained rooted to his spot.
The gathered pressure wasn't nearly enough.
Snapping her hand closed, an intense wave blew back the two whelps witnessing this struggle; only the cowardly one was knocked off his feet. Stalactites snapped from the cave roof and buried the golden child in their rubble.
Yet Salem felt a disconcerted sensation as the rubble shifted. Nine golden lashes flickered around Naruto and knocked the wreckage away from him. And yet he stood there, unmoving, staring at her with a bland dissatisfaction. "Mah, is that it? I barely felt that one at all!"
"What... Are you?" Salem's eyes sharpened, staring coldly at the unyielding golden child.
"I thought that was obvious." Naruto gave a satisfied smirk as Salem smoldered. "I'm what you and anyone in the dark fears. I am the light of the sun embodied... And I'm here to cut through the darkness and let that light shine for everyone!"
Finally, Naruto went on the offensive.
In a flash of light faster than Salem could track, he reached her and with a light elbow strike with his left, caved in Salem's chest. She didn't react or care, but Naruto was far from finished. Using Kurama's cloak, Naruto wrapped a clawed right hand around Salem's body like she had ensnared him before and stretched that arm until she slammed into the cavern wall.
The cave shook as Naruto growled, flicking that arm and dragging Salem against the cavern walls. Shearing her body into dust as he revolved and spun her around the cave until nothing of Salem remained.
That didn't last long. As expected, as a lightning bolt struck Naruto several times, Salem reformed from the scraps Naruto had left as if nothing had happened at all.
"Give it up. Nothing you can do can hurt me." Salem stretched her hand toward Naruto, blasts of raw magical energy rapidly crashing into Naruto.
"I can say the same to you," Naruto responded as the magic missiles harmlessly crashed into his chakra cloak before his lips curled. "But unlike you, I have an answer for your regeneration. Do you have one for piercing my defense?"
Salem's gaze sharpened, and her lips gnarled. But her confidence quickly replaced her agitation as Salem laughed. "A way to defeat me? Oh, I would love to see that. How do you propose how to put an end to my regeneration?"
"It's simple. Your regeneration is derived from the soul. If I were to destroy or remove your body's connection to your soul, you can't regenerate." Naruto responded as nine blobs of raw, black energy began to take shape and settle into orbs.
Salem's attention snapped to the strange spheres that floated behind Naruto in a peculiar array. It almost made him look like a deity...
It couldn't be...
Her eyes sharpened as Naruto began to walk toward her once more. Every step caused Salem to shiver as he met her gaze. His eyes held the same undaunted confidence they had when he first approached her.
Fine. She would show him just how afraid he should be.
Holding out her palm toward Naruto once more, Salem intently focused her magic. Drew forth every drop from her reservoir. This child was not to be taken lightly, so that she would show him the extent of her power.
And as the pressure rapidly intensified from Naruto, he stayed on course. Unimpeded by her gravity field, which she was encompassing him with. But even as she collapsed it around him and caused the very foundation of the cave to reverberate from the energy exerted, Naruto did not flinch.
Salem's eyes flickered wide as the dust cleared and Naruto's golden remained, still approaching, her arm still held out.
"Now it's my turn," Naruto held out his left hand, and from his command, a single Truth Seeking Orb vanished from sight.
And it tore through Salem's outstretched arm, exploding it and her shoulder as it zoomed past her, impacting the cavern wall with enough force that the roof began to collapse.
"You two might want to escape," Naruto commanded Raven and Leonardo without breaking his gaze from Salem.
Watching as she looked at her arm, it did not return, unlike any time before.
"Right," Raven muttered, blinking at the scene before her and the look of abject horror that spread on Salem's features. She momentarily smirked upon seeing that before she reached out and grabbed Leonardo by the collar of his jacket as she ripped open a portal. "Let's go, you cowardly sack of shit. I'm not letting this be your end. You're gonna pay for your crimes."
And as Raven tossed Leonardo through the portal, Naruto stopped before Salem as the cave continued to collapse all around him. "What's wrong? It's not coming back, is it?"
"What have you done?!" Salem cursed, her eyes staring into Naruto's.
And for the first time, Naruto could see the fear in them. The same fear she generated from all those who knew of her.
"I already told you," Naruto responded in a measured tone despite the destruction around them. Salem's eyes wavered as she stumbled away. "Now, you finally under that sense of despair you have caused others to feel. You are not invulnerable, and you can be defeated."
Salem screamed as two golden arms wrapped around her body, and Naruto's form began to increase in size rapidly. Changing into that of a tremendous, golden fox clutching her in his palms.
Her eyes shimmered fearfully as motes of dark light gathered at the muzzle of the towering fox held before the gathering energy. "This is your warning as I let you live here today!"
And as a golden light of incredible energy erupted from the gathering orb, and as her body melted under the pressure, she still heard Naruto's words. "Run. Flee as far as you can... Maybe you can figure things out. Turn your life around and be a better person. One that this world might accept one day."
"Cause if not, the next time we meet, I will end you. That's a promise."
[ X ]
The devastation was immense.
Every building had sustained damage from the intense shockwave that swept across the campus. Every window shattered. Doors smashed open. The roofs closest to the epicenter cracked and collapsed.
They were so lucky that most of the student body hadn't arrived yet.
But those who had started to arrive, witnessing the aftermath and Naruto flying out of the wrecked tower and landing next to them, his form shifting from his golden transformation to his typical appearance.
Blake's heart raced as she visibly sweated. This was what the power inside of her was capable of?
She shivered. She wasn't sure that power of this magnitude was a good thing...
And there were still beings stronger than this? That Naruto felt uncomfortable about?!
"Waits... What's that?" Ilia squinted, looking up into the sky beyond the academy. "Are those... Airships?"
"Yes! Those are Atlasean models!" Penny quickly identified the airships as they arrived, dotting the skies with their large numbers.
"Uh... I don't feel very good about this. Why is the Atlas army here?" Neo fidgeted at the scene, the memory of Atlas still fresh in her mind.
"I don't know..." Weiss frowned, feeling the same anxiousness that the rest of her peers did before her eyes fell upon a weeping Leonardo.
"My school..." Leonardo whimpered, gazing upon the damage with grief, ignoring the airship descending and landing by the ruins of the tower.
"I'm afraid it is no longer your school." James' voice resonated as he emerged from the airship, flanked by Clover and Winter, belining straight toward them.
His haunting gaze was intently focused on Leonardo.
"Wait, my friend, hear me out..." Leonardo gasped, begging James to listen to him.
"I am more than aware you were coerced, my friend. However, actions have consequences, and you betrayed the order. You betrayed Remnant." James gazed down upon the cowardly lion without pity before he scoffed and turned away. "Get him out of my sight. I'll deal with him later."
"Rodger that," Clover nodded, taking a crestfallen Leonardo without issue toward the ship.
"Is it finished?" James' attention shifted toward Naruto, his stern demeanor wavered with a sense of hope.
"No, she is still alive," Naruto responded, his gaze shifting into the sky, feeling her scattered presence fade as she fled. "But, for now, there will be peace for some time without having to worry about her. For the first time, I imagine, in millennia, she knows she isn't invincible. And I'm going to let her dwell on that fact. Maybe we'll get lucky and she'll change from this..."
"If not, I've got no problem finishing the job."