And The Beast Cometh
Chapter 7:
A Shadow Looms Overhead and a Demand
"What is your report professor Hamilton," Spoke a black woman wearing a blue suit from one side of the round conference table.
"Ms. Waller," Hamilton spoke up giving her his full attention, "department heads. Three days ago one of Cadmus' facilities was breached. Nuvo-Gen which developed a clone of Supergirl for us to be specific." Standing Hamilton grabbed a remote before turning the screens around the room to the security footage of his lab at S.T.A.R. "This man here," he said gesturing to Naruto, "is the one responsible for the breach. What we have been able to find out is limited at best."
One of the others at the table spoke up, "how do we know it was him? The security footage at Nuvo-Gen was destroyed by the clone prior to the fight. For all we know it could have been Supergirl herself!"
"General Eiling," Hamilton says facing the man, "Supergirl has an alibi. She was seen by our spy on the watchtower while the fight was taking place. Our spy confirmed this man returned to the watchtower looking quite the worse for ware." Pressing another button on the remote it flashed to the Justice League file on him. "Our spy has managed to procure information on who he is. As per all league files his civilian name is actually stored in a hash value so it is un-retrievable. However his hero name is Shinobi, his abilities include wind manipulation, rapid healing, super speed and strength augmented by a bioelectric energy field he can control."
"Bioelectric energy field," Waller asked with a raised eyebrow.
Nodding Hamilton continued, "yes. According to the files he was able to retrieve for us, this field he is able to control is similar to what some of the readings we get off of Tala." Gesturing of to the purple haired woman wearing a very revealing dress for the meeting.
"So this man is a sorcerer? That would explain how he was able to best a kryptiona," Tala asked and then hypothesized for the others.
"No he is not a sorcerer," Hamilton addressed her question before continuing. "As I said it is similar. However it is vastly different from application use according to league files. We believe its similarities allow this energy to harm kryptionas, but further study must be done. Also his list of experiences was actually saved via hash-value as well, which is not normal practice for league files."
"Thank you professor Hamilton," Waller said standing, while he sat down. "What we must figure out now is who this man is. What his intentions are. And if the league has finally turned." Walking to Hamilton's seat she took the remote from the man before pressing a button switching the screens. "All of our projects have failed miserably in the past."
Different weapons created by Cadmus showing on the screens. All failing to best the league, all showing what the people in the room feared most. The league had the potential to take them out and subjected the world. "So far the league has claimed to be benin. Working in the best interest of the world. However with an attack against one of our one, probably our best chance against Superman. My belief otherwise has been proven further. I have spoken with the president at great lengthens the past two days on the actions he wishes to take."
Moving to what could be considered the front of the room, she spoke to the other four in the room. "We will enlist the only successful Cadmus project," pressing a button the screens all switched to one man's face. More specially a man in a black and bronze mask with one single eye on the bronze side.
"Hello again Ms. Waller. General Eiling, it has been far too long," the man's cold voice rang out behind his mask.
"Deathstroke," Waller greeted the man, "I believe you have had ample opportunity to look over the information Hamilton sent you?"
The mercenary named Deathstroke chuckled at her question, "my, my. You insult me Waller," his condescending tone rang in the ears of the assembled heads of Cadmus, "yes I have managed to look over your pathetic excuse of a dossier."
"And," Waller asked her patience running thin with the man's antics, "if he wasn't the best we have I would have platoons of special forces looking for him around the clock. Arrogant prick."
"I find your lack of imagination when dealing with these metahumans who parade around in spandex, lacking. You fear people with obvious weaknesses that make them almost laughably easy to kill," he said mocking the gathered men and women.
"Then why haven't you killed any of them," Waller asked with a raised eyebrow and a smirk, "also why do you keep bothering Batman's old sidekick for that matter?"
Deathstroke's eye narrowed dangerously, "I choose not to kill them because never once have the hindered my missions. Never once have they hindered my goals. As far as Nightwing, well that is my personal agenda."
Walking around on his end of the video call he spoke again, "actually they tend to help more than they hurt. Like currently." He moved the video feed to show a man dangling from a rope around his neck, feet barely balanced on a chair. He swiftly kicked the chair out from under the man causing him to hang, "like this job for instance. It would have gone to Deadshot. He is far less expensive than I am; however due to his stint in prison for that bank robbery a while back. Well you get the picture."
Turning the feed back to himself, "part of me is because of you. And for that I will give you a discount."
General Eiling was outraged by the mercenary's audacity, "how dare you," He shouted slamming his fist on the table. Standing he pointed his hand at the mercenary, "you should be doing this for free! We made you! You are our soldier! Never forget that Slade Wilson!"
Glaring at the general with his one eye, "as I said general, you made a part of me. I did all the rest." Turning from the general to Waller Deathstroke spoke again, "two hundred thousand dollar and I will deliver his head to you."
"That isn't what we want," Waller said, "twenty five thousand. We want information. Who he is, what he is truly capable of. And any weaknesses he might possess."
Slade smirked under his mask letting a dark chuckle escaped his throat, "very well Ms. Waller. You shall have your information in time."
The video link cut and the gathered heads of Cadmus remained in the silence of the room.
"Welcome back master Wilson," a posh english voice speaks out to Salde as he enters a very large mansion, "you have returned quite early from you stay in Jump City. Might I inquire as to why?"
Slade chuckled at his butler and long time friend Wintergreen, "I have someone new that has peeked my interest," Slade remarked, "someone Cadmus want's me to look into. However he could prove more fruitful than Nightwing."
Wintergreen nodded and asked, "who might this person be?" Slade handed over the dossier that Cadmus had provided. "I do believe I find this as lacking as you did sir," Wintergreen commented dryly after reading the pathetic amount of information located in it. Both shared a slight smile before getting to work. Entering his office, which was more like a war room, the two sat down at terminals and began to hunt down any information on Shinobi.
It took hours and what they had managed to find was laughable. "This is quite interesting master Wilson," Wintergreen said drawing Slade's attention. "Unlike other members of the Justice League this Shinobi doesn't have a city he protects off his rotation. Also from what I have been able to see all the missions he's been on never once is he alone or without a senior member."
"Hm," Slade mumbled out rubbing his chin. "This is definitely more interesting than what Cadmus believes," Slade thought before asking his butler a question. "Wintergreen, do you believe the Justice League has created a weapon? Or are they are trying to curb someone's natural nature?"
Wintergreen looked at Slade with a questioning face, "I am not sure I understand the question sir."
Slade nodded before pacing around the room speaking to his friend, "the league has been run almost one hundred percent by Superman. There have been instances where Batman overrules him and the other league members, but Superman is in charge. A man who won't kill, who believes in second chances. A boy scout if I have ever seen one. So why would they suddenly unleash a weapon?"
Wintergreen finally got what his master meant, "they have found someone like you. They are merely trying to turn his nature then." Slade nodded, moving back to a terminal before hitting a few buttons.
Bringing up the pictures of the remains of Galatea Cadmus took before scrubbing the facility, "now the final piece to the puzzle, why did he kill the clone?"
"Sir," Wintergreen asked once more losing Slade's line of thought.
"He's been with the Justice League for over a month. Been on five missions from what our sources can tell us. But never once has he killed, instead he's maintained the league's stance on detaining. Then when not on rotation he shows up in S.T.A.R labs. Then at Nuvo-Gen, alone something that hadn't happened in a month and kills the clone. Quite beautifully and viciously if those remains are anything to go by but why," Slade finished and once more Wintergreen was caught up.
"More surveillance than, sir," Wintergreen asked Slade who nodded.
"Yes my old friend, we will find out everything we can about him," Slade said before standing. "I want you to update the dossier for Cadmus with more basic information keep them just barely in the loop. This man is now my target," Slade said as he walked out of the door.
Naruto so far had been having a decent day. He stopped a jewelry heist with Diana before she left the watchtower her rotation over. And now he was sitting down to the greatest lunch in the world. "Finally," he mentally shouted, "they have ramen! Oh yeah! Today is gonna be a great day!" Kurama sighed, he'd been hoping the league would not buy the noodles for the blonde. But figured after constantly begging the martian, he finally relented.
"Please shut up about the ramen," Kurama asked annoyed that the breaks from ramen induced instantly were now over.
"Screw you!"Naruto said back to the demon, "I had to go like a month without ramen! First because of that stupid Toyguy or whatever. And my rotation started like a week later!"
Sighing Kurama resigned his fate to listening to the constant chanting of ramen, "why couldn't he have picked up a different quirk? Being late all the time is not that bad, is it? But no, he had to get ramen." And Naruto devoured his ramen like he hadn't eaten in months. Thirty bowls, twenty four astounded cafeteria workers, and fifty surprised heros later, Naruto was finished.
"Dude," Flash said pointing at the empty bowls on Naruto's table, "where do you put all of that? I mean I thought I eat a lot because of my metabolism, but damn," Flash both asked and exclaimed surprised at the blonde's apatite that has never been shown for anything else but this.
Naruto shrugged his shoulders, "I like ramen." Flash and over half the cafeteria sweat dropped at Naruto's statement.
"You can say that again," a familiar female voice said next to Naruto. When he turned to greet Kara he was surprised to find her reading one of the Icha Icha books she took from his house.
"Ah Kara-chan," Naruto started, "you aren't really supposed to read those out in the open." Kara looked up from her book and regarded the blonde haired shinobi with a look.
"Didn't you say the other day your sensei use to read these in public all the time?" Kara asked and Naruto started to regret mentioning that.
It was the morning after Naruto's fight with Galatea. The doctors were running a few last minute checks before releasing him as promised that morning. Standing and stretching the kinks out of his muscles he made his way out the door and to his room. The walk was a slow one, but that didn't bother him. It wasn't like he was in a rush.
Reaching his room he was about to open the door until he remembered something. Turning around he knocked politely on the door across the hall from him. And it only took a second for a mop of platinum blonde hair to come into his vision, but the face was obscured by an orange book. One he was quite familiar with.
"Man Kara-chan if you keep this up you're gonna be as bad as Kakashi-sensei," Naruto said breaking her out of the book.
Raising her blushing face Kara smiled at Naruto before throwing her arms around the fellow hero, "you're out! I am so glad you're ok!"
Naruto laughed and returned the hug lightly, "you bet Kara-chan," Naruto said pulling her away from him," but seriously soon you're gonna be reading that in public just like my old sensei did."
Kara shrugged her shoulders, "is that a problem," she asked with a smirk before adding, "because I know a few of the woman up here would love to get a copy."
Naruto was about to retort to the problem of her reading it in public but stopped dead in his tracks at what she added on. "Come again," he asked believing his ears to have failed him in what he heard.
"There are quite a few heroines up here on the watchtower who want a complete set of your books," Kara said with a devious smirk.
Naruto slowly, very slowly processed what she said, "and how pray tell, do they know about them," He asked raising an eyebrow at the girl in front of him. Which of course caused her to blush.
"I um, sent the first one to Barb last night, who made a few copies of it before sending it back to the watchtower," Kara said nervously rubbing the back of her neck, "and well one thing lead to another. This woman leading the copy to that woman, and well half the heroines want a permanent set of your books."
Kara finished, and all Naruto could do was blink owlishly at her. Which only lasted a second, before he fell on the ground laughing and saying something in japanese. All she could make out was Ero-sennin not sure what it meant.
"Yes, I did say that," Naruto said after remembering their conversation from two days ago, "but that wasn't permission to read it out and about!" Kara just gave him a look before placing it on an empty spot at the table. "So whatcha up to today Kara-chan?" Naruto asked his friend.
She gave him a look before nodding to herself, "I have been looking for you."
Naruto pointed at himself with a questioning look and asked, "me?"
She nodded at him, "yes you."
Blinking at her he once more asked a question, "why have you been looking for me?"
Kara smiled brightly, "because," she said leaning in closer, "you are going to take me to dinner in Metropolis in three weeks when our rotation ends. As a date." Naruto was definitely confused, this being the first time ever a female has asked him out.
Meanwhile Kurama was laughing his ass off, "you poor, poor bastard. We all told you it was coming, but did you listen? Nope!"
Naruto tuned the demon's rant out and focused back on the blonde in front of him. Gulping down aduabley Naruto stuttered out, "b-b-but Kara-chan, I have never been on a da-date! I will just mess it up! We can't go out!"
Kara just smirked at him, "what do you call that lunch we went on after the ramen factory was attacked, followed by sightseeing? Or dinner at our farm before your first rotation? Or a few days ago when we were cuddled on your couch."
"I told you dumb ass! HAHAHA!"
Naruto sighed before looking back at her, "are you sure it is a good idea? I mean I did just...ya know. Also killed a lot of people before that, blood stained hands and the like!" Naruto said trying to talk her out of it. He cared for her, but he did just kill someone who looked like her without a second thought. And all the lives he's taken before coming here, he didn't feel right dating her.
However Kara was determined and not deterred by his recent killing of her double. Or his past life, she knew the kind of man he was, and that was all that mattered. Standing and pointing her finger at him Kara practically shouted at the blond, "Naruto Uzumaki! You will take me on a date the first night our rotation ends! And! You! Will! Like! It!" She finished off emphasizing every word in the last part of her statement by poking him in the chest each time she said one.
"Yes ma'am," Naruto responded to which Kara smiled before grabbing the orange book and leaving the cafeteria giggling to herself. While Naruto looked around the cafeteria at all the amused faces, "can anyone please explain to me what just happened?" He asked frantically looking around for help from anyone. That was until a voice spoke up from behind him.
"I believe the little lady just demanded that you take her out," Naruto turned around to see Green Lantern who had spoken with Vixen next to him each holding trays.
"Hey there John, and um," Naruto started but failed when he didn't know her name.
"Vixen, Naruto. You can call me Vixen."
Naruto thanked her before continuing, "so she asked me out then?" Naruto confirmed with the couple.
"Sugar," Vixen said with a knowing glance his way, "that wasn't a question, that was a demand. One you best live up to," she finished with a wink before heading to another table with Lantern.
"What the hell was with that wink," Naruto thought until he saw sticking out of her bag an orange colored book. Slamming his head on the table Naruto grumbled out, "kami damit!"
A loud banging could be heard. Hammer against metal as an overly large man worked his magic on the anvil below him. He was stout, with thick dark locks, shirtless and hairy. A fire hotter than hell itself burning brightly next to him. So absorbed in his work he failed to here a man enter his domain. "You said come back Tuesday and it is Tuesday. I want my suit!" An even taller man with blonde hair, wearing a full suit of greek armor said. His tone filled with aggravation.
"Patience brother," he spoke turning to face the blonde haired man, "you know how I care about the details."
Giving the working man a look the blonde haired man spoke up again, "it doesn't have to be pretty Hephaestus. Where it's going it won't be pretty."
Hephaestus gave a sly grin, "present company excluded of course." The blonde just rolled his eyes. Stopping his pounding and revealing a chest plate, Hephaestus moved to the burning fires. Grabbing a glowing iron rod with his bare hand from the fire, Hephaestus moved back to the plate. Placing it directly on the armor, "just adding my finishing touch." Pounding the rod once with great force before pulling it away. A volcano with fire brimming from the top scorched into the plate.
Grabbing the plate off the anvil he moved past it, the blonde following him. Arriving at a mostly completed suit of armor. Hephaestus place the chest plate into it completing the suit. "The Annihilator," He exclaimed excitedly, "heartless, indestructible, and ready to feed off mens rage and darkest desires."
Turning to face the other man he spoke once more, "go ahead Ares, give it life!" Ares smirked before turning to face the suit. Drawing his sword Ares sent his god powers into the blade before slashing it downward. A streak of red launched from the blade, giving the armor life.
Quickly rushing forward Ares tested the suit in a short duel. It quickly overpowered him with its incredible strength. "Enough," he shouted, stopping the Annihilator's onslaught. "Wrap it up, I'll take it," he spoke with glee and an evil smirk.
Sounds of gunfire could be heard as men ran to cover. Shooting at the lumbering suit behind the cover of downed cars, and building debris. One lobbed a grenade at it, hoping to stop it in its tracks. The small explosive detonated, barley causing the armor to budge from its path. Walking forward with purpose and destruction.
Another man grabbed a rocket launcher before taking aim and firing. The rocket flew true and right, but before it hit the Annihilator it grabbed the missile out of the air. Holding it for a moment before hurtling it back at the men behind a car. All of them scattered before it hit the explosion destroying the metal cover.
"Impressive," a dark haired man said with an eastern european accent. The Annihilator approaching both him and Ares.
"Isn't it," Ares asked, condescension clear in his tone. The suit stopped just in front of the two, the dark haired man stepping forward and around to get a better look at the machine.
"I had heard about advances in weaponry," he said feeling the suit up and down. Marveling at its powers, "where did it come from? Who built it," he asked turning once more to Ares.
"Ever heard the expression, don't look a gift horse in the mouth," Ares asked his companion.
Who in return smirked, "ah classified."
"I have already taken the liberty of imprinting it to your voice commands," Ares spoke approaching the man and suit, "now the only question Mr. Nardock, are you interested?"
The other man regarded the suit for a minute before turning to face Aries, "of course! Anything to protect us from those dogs in the south. But Mr. Srea, you know how little money we have."
Ares smiled before placing a hand on Nardock's shoulder, "we can worry about that later."
"Your joking," Nardock exclaimed shock filling his eyes. Never before had anyone offered something so powerful without wanting something in return.
Releasing a small chuckle Ares spoke up, "no I trust you. And it's not like you're going anywhere?"
Nardock smiled before nodding and turning to face the Annihilator once more, "no, not with this weapons help." Commanding it to follow Nardock walked away from Ares, who stood smirking.
Alarms were blaring in the background as two robbers ran from a bank, bags filled with money. "Come on!" One of the shouted to the other was further behind, firing to keep the police down. Both finally made it to their getaway car, throwing the money into the back they speed off at high speeds.
"Haha! Man the perfect getaway!" The drive shouted out, both smiling. That was until they saw a woman wearing white pants, a black shirt, and blue jacket standing in the path of their car. The driver smirked before stepping on the gas propelling the vehicle fast, "road kill bitch, coming up!"
However right before the car impacted her, the woman raised her arm and brought it down in a devastating punch. Denting the hood, and bringing the car to a complete stop. Both men unprepared for this went flying through the windshield due to a lack of seat belts being used.
One went crashing into a bus semi conscious, the other landing on top of him completely knocked out. "I try to take a day off," the woman spoke to the still conscious one, who realized the woman before him was Wonder Woman.
"But no you just had to rob a bank!" She spoke out threateningly. Moving toward the downed robber he tried to escape from bethen with partner. Unable to escape, he drew his partner's gun and began firing. The ever prepared amazon, used her braces to deflect the bullets. It didn't take long for the thug to run through the clip. By the time it was empty Diana was right on top of him. As a last ditch effort he attempted to throw the weapon at her until she spoke up, "Really? Like that's going to work."
Reaching down she grabbed him by his collar pulling him up and freeing him. "Wait!" the robber franticly said, "please! I have learned my lesson!"
Bringing him closer to her face, she glared at the man, "no you haven't!" Spinning around she grabbed the man with both arms before hurling him back to the vehicle.
Landing on top of it with a resounding crunch. Diana leapt the distance and landed above him on the car. "Your kind never learn," pulling her fist back Diana planned to finish the thug off, "and it's really starting to get on my nerves."
However before she could launch the finishing blow J'onn spoke up in the communicator, "Diana."
Diana responded angered by the interruption, "not now J'onn!"
However the martian was not deterred in anyway and spoke louder, "DIANA!"
"What," she yelled back into her communicator, "I am not finished here," she shouted back at the martian.
"I would say you are."
Looking down she saw the man drooling, completely passed out. Sighing Diana dropped the robber before taking flight.
Diana was flying through the air inside of her invisible jet, the one she kept from Owlman back during the quantum bomb fiasco. J'onn on the communications monitor, "Queen Adreena of Kasnia has asked the league for help."
Diana raised an eyebrow at J'onn, "I thought the league was to stay out of conflicts between countries. That is per our charter with the U.N. Why are we getting involved?" J'onn nodded in affirmation to her statement about the charter.
"True we can not involve ourselves with wars," J'onn spoke knowing the charter backward and forwards. "However the Queen has been given information of a powerful new weapon that could threaten to escalate the war further. In the preservation of her people, she has asked us to intervene."
"I see," Diana said eyes narrowing, "why is their first answer always violence J'onn?" Diana asked, aggravated with the affairs of man's world.
All J'onn could do was raise an eyebrow at that statement coming from the warrior princess, "before reaching Kasnia, you need to make a stop."
Nodding Diana saw the coordinates appear on the navigation system. "Hawk and Dove," she asked J'onn surprised he would chose them as backup for this mission.
"They are the best choice," J'onn informed her, "Dove might be able to assist in talking the two leaders down. However, in the event force is necessary Hawk can provide the assistance needed on the battlefield along with Dove."
Finding the martian's logic to be sound Diana nodded before ending transmission.
Naruto was bored out of his mind, and Kurama's rant about listening to him more outside of battle wasn't helping. "Man I wish there was something to do," he thought making his way to the monitor overlook. Hoping a mission was available, and if not, he could always spend more time with J'onn.
While many of the heroes on the tower respected J'onn, few had befriended him as well as the original seven members. It irked Naruto that so many of them listened to and respected the martian, but would barely even carry on a conversation with him outside of missions.
Reaching the monitor outlook Naruto leapt up to the perch above the teleporters, "what's up Marv," Naruto asked J'onn using his coined nickname attaching his feet to the railing with chakra.
"I believe the agreement was that if we brought ramen to the watchtower you would refrain from calling me that," J'onn said with a hint of amusement in his voice.
"Oh come on," Naruto whined, "it's not that bad of a nickname is it?" He asked, and all he received from J'onn was a deadpanned look. "Fine," Naruto relented pouting. Normally the blonde wouldn't give up so easily; however J'onn was the one to bring ramen to the watchtower and he felt indebted to the martian.
"As for your question," J'onn said, "no current missions need your support." Naruto nodded before hopping off the railing he was perched on and grabbed one of the chairs next to J'onn. Pulling a notebook from nowhere he began to write in it and giggle periodically. "Might I inquire as to what you are writing?"
Naruto looked up from his work before smirking, "you could inquire but that doesn't mean I will let you know." He said smiling at the alien who nodded in return.
"True, but," J'onn continued pulling a small orange book from behind his cap, "if I were you I'd worry about Superman finding out you let Kara start handing these out around the watchtower."
J'onn handed the book back over to Naruto who took it chuckling sheepishly, "how did you know about them?"
J'onn smirked slightly be answering, "Stargirl's stepdad found it in her room. Read a few pages and brought it to my attention."
Naruto ohed before rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly, "you're not going to tell Clark are you?"
"What you write is none of my business and what the female members of the league read is up to them," J'onn said with a shrug of his shoulders before turning back to the equipment. And just in time as Diana made an emergency call.
"J'onn." She shouted at her friend, "we need emergency backup now!" J'onn however needed to know what was going on before sending someone unprepared into whatever was happening in Kasnia.
"Diana what is the situation down there? Has the weapon been found," he asked, hoping to get answers fast.
"We found it J'onn," she said breathing heavily, the sound of flesh hitting metal was heard over the communicator. "Ares had a suit of armor created. Indestructible, and powered by human rage!" J'onn was shocked for a moment that one of Diana's gods would do something like this. Until his memory sorted out that Ares was the god of war.
But something was nagging on his mind about the request for backup, "if it is powered by rage, why are you still fighting it?"
Diana yelled a war cry on the other end, and once more the sound of flesh hitting metal was heard, "we did that, and it powered down. However Ares wouldn't leave the well enough alone and powered the suit somehow before disappearing."
Naruto stood before making the leap down to the teleporter. "I should be able to stop it J'onn," Naruto said reaching the teleporter pad. "Send me down," Naruto told him. And right as J'onn pressed the button the teleporters failed.
Blue light sparked over the console and lights above and below the pad dimmed before going out. J'onn quickly spoke over the communicator, "Diana, the teleporters just went down. We will get them up as fast as possible but I need you to hold out as long as you can."
Diana was breathing heavily through her link, "we will try J'onn hurry!"
"Wintergreen!" Slade said into an entercom in his training room. "Prep the osprey, we are leaving twenty minutes ago!" Slade ran from the room, phone dangling from its cord a discounted tone could be heard beeping. Grabbing gear as he went through the mansion, Slade made it to the staging sight below his house where his plane laid to rest. A V-22 Osprey, designed for standing take off, but his held a modification. Instead of propeller engines his version had two jet engines capable of reaching mach two.
Wintergreen was already in the cockpit starting the plane up as Slade entered. "Sir," He questioned as Slade took over the controls and the plane jumped up through the still opening doors above barely making it through without scratching anything.
"Cadmus' spy reported that Shinobi was being sent down on a mission to Kasnia. They tripped a set of breakers on the teleporter to buy us sometime."
The two of them took off at top speeds to reach the war torn nation in time.
It took J'onn longer than he would have like to fix the issue with the teleporter. "Diana we have it fixed," J'onn spoke out to his friend, "however it still needs time to build up the energy to transport. You need to hold out for another five minutes."
"I don't know if we can last another five minutes," Diana said completely out of breath. Exhaustion evident in her voice. But J'onn could still hear the sounds of her and the other two heroes fighting against the armor. Both J'onn and Naruto stared at the timer urging it to go faster. Finally after what seemed like an eternity the lights brightened up to full spectrum and the small hum was heard.
Hitting the button once more Naruto was whisked away in blue light.
Arriving at the battlefield just slightly behind the three heroes fighting the behemoth of an armor Naruto ran forward at almost full speed. Jumping over the three in front of him he delivered a devastating drop kick to the machine pushing it back. "You guys alright?" Naruto asked turning to them slightly keeping the Annihilator in his peripheral vision.
"Shinobi," Diana exclaimed relieved, "barely. We are all exhausted." The other two voiced that as well. "So far we have hit it with everything we have and hardly even made a dent. Originally the armor was powered by rage. However when we got the fighting to stop Ares was not pleased. He powered the suit and commanded it to kill all of us. Nothing has been working in our attempts to stop it." Naruto nodded before regarding the armor moving into a fighting stance he asked one final question to the princess.
"Ares is the god of war correct," Naruto inquired.
"Yes," Diana said nodding, "but what does that have to do with anything?" Naruto didn't bother responding opting instead for rushing the armor.
"Just in time master Wilson," Wintergreen spoke as they flew overhead. Their belly camera picking up Naruto's rush at the armor. Slade nodded before setting the osprey down on a hill overlooking the battlefield. Grabbing his long range spying equipment Slade headed for the door with Wintergreen following.
Naruto reached the armor in no time with his impressive speed and landed a double punch to the behemoth. However he was shocked to find out that even his chakra enhanced punches did little more than blow some dust that had built up off. The Annihilator seeing the new threat tried to backhand Naruto who ducked under the blow.
Bringing a Rasengan to bear right into its chest Naruto was able to lift it off the ground before it was propelled back by the force of the attack. As the Annihilator hit a building and crashed through Naruto was able to catch a small glance at the impact site from the Rasengan and noticed that it didn't even dent the metal.
"Well I guess when a god makes something indestructible they go all out huh? Any ideas," Naruto asked his longtime partner.
"Wonder Woman said that the suit was powered by rage," Kurama spoke, "I would high recommend not using any of my chakra." Naruto nodded sidestepping a spear run by the suit before throwing his leg out tripping it.
Grabbing a handful of shuriken from one of his pouches, Naruto primed them with wind chakra before hurling them at the downed armor. But once more to his surprise they all bounced off, having no effect. "Any other ideas I hadn't already figured out," Naruto asked ducking and jumping back from the now righted armors attacks.
"Ares is the god of war," Kurama said to Naruto who grumbled about already know that. "Shut up and listen! He is the god of war powering this suit with rage and the will to fight. It makes it stronger, however not fighting it now would be pointless as Wonder Woman said. You are going to have to grab on to it, and pull the rage from it, and channel it through one of your stores of natural chakra and then release it harmlessly once purified like you do with my chakra."
Naruto's eyes widened at the suggestion, "that could work. Any ideas on the seal I should apply to funnel it," Naruto asked hoping the demon had any.
"No, but I don't think a seal would work. Whatever is powering it, it is not chakra."
Naruto sighed before launch a rather large Futon: Renkuda at the armor keeping it at a distance. "Great that means meditation and physical contact," Naruto thought, before jumping back further from the suit.
Placing his hands in a cross fashion in front of himself six Narutos appeared in a poofs of smoke around the original. "You all know what to do," Naruto shouted before rushing off into the fray once more. Sticking with chakra enhanced taijutsu Naruto weaved in and around the blows from the Annihilator waiting on the first clone. While Naruto engaged the armor the six began to sit and pull in natural chakra.
"Holy cow," Hawk shouted recovering next to his brother and Diana, "this guy is holding his own while we were getting trampled over!"
Diana nodded, "Shinobi has been through a lot. But I just hope it is enough to battle Ares' vision of war."
Dove however was hoping it would end. Sure he was a hero, and fought when he needed to. But he applied violence. Much preferring to talk through problems. But something caught his eye, "what are those six copies doing just sitting there?"
Naruto felt the first one disappear and the flood of natural chakra hit his system. Entering sage-mode he grabbed the armor's helmet before ripping it open. Sticking his hand as far down as possible he began to pull the energy out of the suit. And that was when he felt it.
He felt the rage, the pain, the passion for bloodshed. It took all his will to stop from entering a biju cloak. However shortly after the emotions he received from trying to drain the energy, he felt unbridled pain enter his chakra pathways. Naruto bit back a scream, the only thing holding it back was interrogation and pain tolerance training.
"Why does it hurt like this Kurama," Naruto practically shouted at the demon.
Kurama was trying to help in directing the foreign energy, "whatever this power is, it is far more potent than I expected! It is wreaking havoc on your pathways. Quickly dispel another clone, it should help even out the load!"
Naruto nodded, quickly dispelling a second clone. Feeling more natural chakra run through him, the pain subsided marginally. However the Annihilator had enough and retailed. Grabbing the blonde by the back of his coat, it threw him off before closing it's helmet once more. Running forward but with less speed than before it delivered a devastating punch to Naruto's stomach.
However Naruto was more resilient than most, especially in sage mode, and quickly used the contact to pull more power from the suit. Feeling the drop in natural chakra from his reserves his first bout gone. Naruto quickly dispelled another one. Rushing forward Naruto slid under its legs, throwing ninja wire he grabbed from a pouch on his belt around them. Recovering from the other side; Naruto pulled the wire tight causing the suit to fall forward before sealing it together with chakra.
Placing his hands on the suit he once more started to gather the energy from it. And once more had to dispel another clone to handle the influx of the strange energy, as it had drained the chakra from the second one already.
"I only have three more clones left!" Naruto thought, hoping this would be enough to finish the armor off. However he wasn't so lucky, the armor was able to bend in ways not expected due to its lack of a human operator. Spinning its arms behind it self, the armor caught Naruto in the face with a right hook before throwing him off with its left hand. Moving its legs perfectly up towards its back, it ripped off the shinobi wire before righting itself.
It was slow and the blow barely even hurt, but the surprise caused Naruto to lose his concentration. Deciding to go all in Naruto dispelled two more clones and renewed his attempts to drain the armor. Every time Naruto came in close for a hit, he would open his palm and draw in as much energy as possible. Something he developed to fight against some of the reborn Hyuga. "Come on just a little more!" Naruto mentally commanded himself as the Annihilator became slower and slower. Almost to a crawl.
With one finally open palm strike to the chest, Naruto pulled the last of the energy out of it. The suit with no power sustaining it fell forward impacting the ground causing a little bit of dirt and dust to fly up.
"Alright he did it," Hawk shouted running over to the blonde.
Diana and Dove close behind, however Naruto held up a hand and shouted, "stay back!" All three stopped, worried over why the blonde didn't want them to get close. And then all of a sudden reddish orange energy exploded out from him. Scorching the ground below and causing a small crater to form.
Diana no longer heeding his words rushed forward to her down teammate. Finding him in the center of the two foot crater she approached him, "Shinobi, you ok," She asked helping him up slowly.
Naruto nodded, "yeah, just really sore," Naruto said his chakra pathways feeling like they were on fire.
"Give it just a minute Naruto," Kurama said, "I should have the damage healed in a short time."
"Remind me never to do that again," Naruto said standing with help from Diana.
"Thanks for the help Wonder Woman," Naruto said to the amazon once he was standing.
"Man what caused that backlash there at the end," Dove asked Naruto.
"The energy I absorbed was different than my own," Naruto said stretching a little bit. "I had to purge it before it did any more damage." All three were shocked by his bold move. Had it failed they figured it probably wouldn't have ended well. Naruto dispelled the final clone, however instead of using the natural chakra to enter sage mode, he added it to his store of natural chakra. Knowing his current supply was depleted due to the influx of rage he got from the Annihilator.
"Well I don't know about you three but I am ready to get some rest," Naruto said to them. All three agreeing. Paging J'onn Naruto and Diana grabbed the Annihilator, no one wanting the weapon to remain, and possibly falling into the wrong hands.
"Impressive," Slade said from his perch. He had watched the entire fight between Naruto and the Annihilator.
"Most impressive indeed sir," Wintergreen said next time him, "but will he do what you want? I doubt he would be a could candidate for apprenticeship, since he is already well trained. Unlike Nightwing or Terra."
Slade nodded, "true, I wanted an apprentice Wintergreen. But this man can do what I need without becoming one." Slade rose from his position and made his way back to their plane.
"And what is that sir," Wintergreen asked, "you never did fill me in on what you required an apprentice for."
"You shall find out," Slade remarked not bothering to explain further. "For now we shall maintain surveillance on the target. Under Cadmus' dime of course." Both men entered the osprey before taking off and returning to the Wilson mansion.
"Take about a crazy day," Naruto said to Hawk, Dove, and Wonder Woman as the three were beamed up to the watchtower with the Annihilator armor.
"Yes, but at least we prevented that civil war from escalating," Diana said agreeing with Naruto.
"I wish they would stop fighting altogether," Dove spoke up behind the two.
Leaving Hawk and Dove, Naruto and Diana began to move the Annihilator armor to the vault. "That was impressive work back there Shinobi," Diana said, thankful for his help.
"Anytime," Naruto said the two of the arriving at the vault door, "well this is where I have to leave you," Naruto told her and she nodded. She wished Clark hadn't made some of those ridiculous rules but she understood why.
"If it is any consolation Naruto," Diana spoke up catching the retreating hero's attention, "I voted for you with no qualms. You are a brave and strong warrior worthy of the title hero by the gods."
He smiled at the amazon, before continuing his path away from the vault. "I wonder where that came from," Naruto thought to himself while making his way to his room.
"She might be physically from this world. But mentally she is apart from it," Kurama spoke up to his host's musising.
"How so," Naruto asked intrigued by the demon's statement.
"From what we have learned she is from an isolated island of warrior women," Kurama started causing Naruto to nod. "So unlike the other heroes here she has no qualms about killing. Probably taught to kill instead of incapacitate. She respects you far more than the others."
"Makes sense," Naruto responded not really thinking about her past much until today. Most of the heroes gave Naruto a wide breath, he was too new and too much of a mystery to them. Which is turn was fine with Naruto, he was making friends it was slow but he was. Turning the last corner to the hallway that contained his door Naruto had to stop and stare at the gathered group of people in front of it.
"Um can I help you," Naruto asked and as one the body of people turned to face him. At that exact moment he realized just who all were standing in front of his door. Kara, Vixen, Black Canary, Stargirl, Huntress, and Zatanna.
"Either you are about to get luckier than the sin of lust itself," Kurama spoke to Naruto slowly, "or die a violent horrible death."
"Naruto," Kara spoke up for the group waving her arms around at the gather females, "these are the ladies who have found your book quite interesting. Plus there's Barb down in Gotham, as well as a few who haven't joined the league who've gotten a copy of it."
Naruto blinked owlishly trying to process what was going on. "Ok, and," Naruto asked still confused as to why there were all standing before his door.
"Sugar," Vixen said with a smile, "we want you to put that book series into production. It is amazing," the other gathered women nodding along.
"For the love of kami and self preservation do not under any circumstances explain how you or your godfather get material to write those books," Kurama shouted into his mind.
"Um, yeah sure, I will, ah, get right on that."
"No need to," Huntress said walking forward with a piece of paper in hand. "Saved a publisher a while back, he owes me a favor. Sign this paper and the first copy will be in production tomorrow. The rest just send him whenever you can."
Taking the paper Naruto looked between it and the gathered women and back to it. "Alright..." Naruto agreed finally before signing it and returning the paper back to her.
The gathered women all smiled before departing, expect for Kara. She smiled at him while walking closer and closer. Leaning in she whispered into his ear, "and you were worried about people seeing me with that book. Plus I believe you will do just fine on our first date." Kissing just below his ear, Kara walked away with a skip in her step and a sway to her hips.
"Is it just me or are women here more perverted than our world," Naruto asked Kurama, still trying to wrap his mind around what just happened.
"No it's not just you," Kurama confirmed for the blonde. With that done, Naruto walked the extra two feet to his door before walking in.
Slade stood once more in his war room. This time however he was standing in front of the largest screen debriefing Ms. Waller on the information he had attained on Cadmus' target. "What have you been able to find out Deathstroke," Waller asked, the other department heads behind her waiting to hear what he managed to figure out.
"Not much I am afraid to admit," Slade commented before uploading a few more basic things to their digital dossier. "I was able to find all the missions he went on with the league. As well as spy on the most recent. He is a troubling puzzle, and I will need more time." The department heads in the back could be seen whispering something while Waller simply raised an eyebrow.
"I am surprised you need more time," Waller chided with a smirk. "You are the best aren't you?"
Slade narrowed his one lone eye through his mask,"do not insult me, otherwise you will find yourselves on the end of my wraith." Moving around the room Slade spoke before terminating the video log, "this man is more than he seems. You will do well to remember that. One hundred thousand a month for surveillance. If you don't pay the dossier stops being updated, I wait for your first transfer."
With the link cut Slade turning to a picture of Shinobi standing before the fight began. "Yes," he regarded the image on the screen, "you will work perfectly. But If I am right, before it is time I will need an edge. Something to bring the curtain down with."
"Then you shall have it," Slade spun around drawing a gun from his hip leveling it at the voice that spoke to him. "Do you really think that mortal weapon will harm me," Ares asked in a mocking tone to the mercenary.
"Forgive me if I find myself trying anyway," Slade remarked, the gun still level with the god's head.
"I would expect nothing less from The Terminator," Ares said with an amused chuckle at the end.
"What is it you want God of War," Slade asked growing tired of the mad god already.
"What any blood thirsty god wants. WAR," the mad god shouted the last part before walking to Slade. He walked right up till the gun was pressed flush against his own forehead. "But what I want is easily accomplished," Ares said with a smirk, "simply by giving you what you want."
Slade lowered the gun, but kept it in his hand. Eye narrowing at the growing smirk on the god's face, "I'm listening."
Jutsu List:
Futon: Renkuda : Wind Release: Drilling Air Bullet
Rasengan: Spiralling Sphere
AN: Updated 1/22/15 - All authors notes are being deleted and replaced with this. I am back baby! I have an SAO and Halo story now as well and will be fully committed to this story soon. Also I know while it won out in the Poll I am changing the writing style and it should be easier for those that complained before.
So just know Chapter 13 is coming….and so is what I promised…..a superhero war the likes of which we hopefully have never seen.