Chapter 10
The Eagles Eye
The H.I.V.E. base was far bigger than Naruto could have fathomed.
The area was split into five sections.
The centre section, the Hall, was the largest. The surrounding four sections were the housing for dormitories or training grounds.
The entire complex was apparently a giant dome.
The days there were spent in solitude, Naruto chose it that way. He would enter the Hall, sit in the very centre, and meditate.
Well, he would pretend to meditate. What he was really doing was allowing the Teen Titan's to gather intel.
The Hall served many purposes; usually it would be the general social room where the other members of H.I.V.E. would go to generally hang out. Other times it was a gathering place for large discussions and speeches. It also served as the largest of the training areas.
When in training mode it had many defences to defeat and could be quite the challenge.
Currently it was being used to socialize.
Naruto didn't know much about the people there, he general kept to himself. He didn't want to make friends; after all, these people were criminals.
Often however they would try and talk to him. They would taunt him, try to get a rise. But he would merely continue his meditation and ignore them.
His suit and headband were full of circuitry and all sorts of other things. As long as the systems were active, the Titan's had complete visual, auditory, and apparently thermal information. What any of those meant…Naruto had no clue. But he figured they were important.
Naruto had been there the space of three days already. And nothing had really happened.
He was constantly watched by Jinx. Though Naruto got the feeling this was for other reasons than to merely keep an eye on him. He came to this conclusion when he caught Jinx's eye when she had been staring at him. She would look away and blush.
Naruto was currently meditating.
After about five minutes he sensed someone approaching.
He didn't open his eyes to look at her, for he knew it was Blackfire.
"What do you want?" Naruto asked.
Blackfire looked at him sheepishly. She had a large bruise on her face and her back ached tremendously from their battle.
"Well…" She began.
"Spit it out!" Naruto growled taking a sharp and angry look at her.
Blackfire took a light step backwards.
"I want to know you." She said quickly.
Naruto's face softened for a moment before turning g back to it's original glare.
"What do you mean?" Naruto asked in a hoarse growl.
Blackfire sat down next to him and hugged her knees to her chest.
"Don't you know?" She asked him quizzically.
Naruto huffed.
"So you like me." He said with a scorn. "Apparently so does everyone I beat."
Blackfire looked curious.
"What…" She began.
"Jinx. She can't stop staring at me and I don't like it. I beat you and now you like me. When will you get it through your head that I hold no interest in either of you? I would have thought that that would have been obvious when I showed no hesitation to hurt you."
"Hey, we all hurt each other." She said with a shrug and a smirk. "But it doesn't mean we can't be friends…or more. Come on, we're having a little get together a little bit later on, and I bet you just love to party."
Naruto got up and turned his back.
"Not interested." He said solemnly.
Suddenly Gizmo popped up next to Blackfire and looked up at her.
"Could I come?" He asked.
She grabbed him by the head and angrily threw him into a wall with a load thud.
"No! Leave me alone you little freak!"
Ever since Naruto had arrived he had witnessed many of the same incident. Gizmo, it seemed, had a big thing for Blackfire. And no matter how many times she threw him away, hurt him, or did any other such thing to put him off; he still came back.
Naruto thought it was pathetic. But then again, if he asked himself whether he would be the same if he was that much into another person…he had to admit that he probably would be.
A voice sounded out over everyone's.
"Of course not." It was Slade's voice. "Of course Shadow cannot make the party, he has an errand to run for me."
Naruto stopped and turned around.
He stood sideways and looked at the masked man with glaring eyes.
"I suggest that you get ready, young Shadow. You and a few other new comers are going to undertake a little test. It's time we saw what you are made off." His voice was sinister, but truthful. Naruto heard no deceit in there, only snide arrogance.
Naruto was stood in the middle of the Hall with some other newbie's.
He knew little about who they were personally, but he did know their names and powers.
There was Ivy: Ivy was a white skinned teenage girl that had short dark purple hair that was spiked. She wore a dark purple dress that spread to her thighs and her eyes were pink. Her power was the ability to send purple vine like tendrils out of her wrists and bind them around people and objects at her will.
Another was Cannon: He was an android. He was mainly human with Cybernetic implants. He had a giant cannon attached to his back that weighed him down so that he was permanently bowed.
The final other one was a little girl named Rose: She was so small and sweet it was hard to remember that she was actually incredibly smart and strong in power. She was about three feet tall, wore a small pink dress and always held a teddy bear. Her power was being psychic. She had the most power out of all of them, with a snap of her finger she could send any of them hurtling into a wall with all their bones breaking.
And of course, there was Naruto himself, currently going by the name of Shadow.
Slade stood before them. He was pacing backwards and forwards in front of them.
"There is something I need." Slade said to them. "And, fortunately, you need a test. As so I will be combining the two. Your test is to retrieve what I need. The one to bring me it will stay. The one's that don't…well…" Slade narrowed his eye at them. "I shall leave their fate to your imagination."
Naruto could feel a little lump rise in throat. He fought desperately not to gulp and show his fear.
"The object I need is a Ruby. It is the largest one in the world and is currently being held at the east side bank. Your task is to achieve it…by any…means…necessary." He emphasised these words while leaning dangerously close to Naruto's face.
Naruto forced himself to not back off and merely to hold the stare.
"Go." Slade said turning his back.
They all ran out.
Once top side, Naruto was worried. He had absolutely no idea where to. Heck…he barely knew what a bank was.
Thankfully, the Titan's seemed to read his mind somehow or at least knew the extent of his knowledge of this world, because their voices soon echoed in his ears from somewhere he didn't know.
"Don't worry, we'll guide you." It was Robin. "You need to go in the opposite direction your facing."
Naruto didn't speak. He wanted to thank them for their help, but if he spoke, then the other newbie's would notice.
He jumped up onto the roof of the building next to him. He then began to run in the direction of the Bank.
Ivy appeared at his side.
Cannon on the other.
Rose next to him, floating in the air.
Ivy attacked him.
Naruto was shocked at first, but then he remembered Slade's words. 'Any means necessary.' Plus he said that the one's that didn't bring him the ruby, well…he hadn't actually stated what would happen to them. But Naruto felt it wasn't going to be good.
Ivy's purple vines rushed past him and he dodged over them. She attacked and attacked as they ran, and soon Naruto was dodging attacks from Cannon too.
The brute tried to ram into him several times. When he tried it again, Naruto jumped up and Cannon collided with Ivy.
Suddenly they all stopped moving; they were lifted up into the air by an unseen force and thrown across the long parking building lot they had landed on.
Rose, it seemed, didn't want them to get the ruby.
Naruto struggled to his feet and looked up at the little girl floating above him.
She was chuckling.
It wasn't some innocent little girls laugh, no. It was a sinister amusement of other people's pain. Rose enjoyed to torture.
And torture she did.
Naruto suddenly felt like he was being torn apart. He collapsed to the ground again as agony was wrenched throughout his entire body. He would have screamed, if he was able to. The pain was so great that Naruto couldn't find the voice to even moan.
Cannon and Ivy began to run in the direction of the bank.
Rose noticed them and tried to stop them, she let her hold on Naruto go and turned to throw the others into a set of cars.
Rose turned back to deal with Naruto…but he wasn't there.
She tried to sense for him, but for some reason she couldn't find him.
Suddenly she felt a spike of power behind her.
Rose turned around quickly and was met with a blinding light; it hit her chest and tore agony through her body. She screamed and fell to the ground.
Naruto landed with a scorching hand.
It worked. He thought.
Naruto's mind went back a few paces.
He had managed to dodge into the shadows once she had stopped her hold on him. He was forced to ignore the pain in his body and focus on lowering his chakra. He didn't want her sensing him.
He had climbed a lamppost and was waiting patiently until the time was right.
Back at home, Naruto had begun some training with Kakashi. And Naruto, being the person he was, witnessed the Lightning Blade.
And as predicted, Naruto was astonished at the attack's power. He had asked Kakashi to teach him the Lightning Blade, but Kakashi had first refused saying that Naruto would be unable to wield it.
The blonde haired youth had protested and soon managed to convince his sensei to teach him.
Night and day Naruto had worked but he had been unable to use the attack up till now.
Kakashi had even made a bet that Naruto wouldn't be able to do it for at least another month…boy, if Kakashi could see him now.
Naruto had managed to focus all his energy into the move; he had managed to overcome his pain, his worry of attacking a child, his fear it wouldn't work and his need to conserve strength.
Strangely, he had found it easier with all these hindrances than without.
Thankfully, he hadn't killed the little girl. She was more than strong enough to be durable against the attack and Naruto's power over the move had not been absolute. It had been far weaker than Kakashi's.
Naruto's body felt like it had been just struck by a lightning bolt. His hair was full of static, as was his clothes.
What Naruto didn't know, was that the attack had shorted out the suit. The Titan's were now blind.
Naruto looked up and saw the bank across the way.
He charged.
"NARUTO!" Robin screamed at the screen.
The Titan's had no idea what had happened, but whatever it was it had shorted out the suit's systems.
There was no audio, visual or thermal systems still operational.
Raven was watching the screen as well and as she watched the static that filled the screen she spoke a single word: "Naruto." Her voice was soft and full of concern.
But Naruto was on his own.
The inside of the bank was not something Naruto had expected.
It was like a prison.
Barred cages and high white walls surrounded him.
He had no idea what a bank was used for, but he had a guess on where that ruby was being kept. After all, wasn't it usually behind the giant sealed door right in front of you?
Naruto had no idea how strong the door was, but he doubted it could take the force of a Rasengan.
Naruto was drained of most his energy. He was still in pain from what Rose had done to him, and he didn't know whether he would be able to form such a powerful Rasengan, but he had to try.
Naruto concentrated and began to gather his chakra into his palm. Quickly he compacted the energy and began to gather it into a ball of power.
He braced his body and felt it's energy drain as he created the Rasengan sphere.
Naruto quickly thrust the ball against the door and almost screamed as the energy was met with great resistance causing the sphere to press against his hand.
The Rasengan exploded and Naruto flew back several paces.
He looked up at the door with a groan and saw a huge dent, lots of scorch marks and a single break in the armour not big enough to poke a finger through.
Suddenly Naruto was hit on the back and was sent flying forwards into the large door.
Cannon stood behind him with a large grin on his face.
Naruto stood up and watched as Cannon began to charge up his weapon on his back.
Naruto thought he could use this.
Cannon fired.
Naruto jumped.
The blast hit the door and exploded with incredible force.
Smoke enshrouded Naruto and he used this for cover whilst in the air.
Naruto sent three shurikens forward. The all struck the weapon on Cannon's back causing it to explode.
Cannon was sent flying into the wall unconscious.
Naruto looked at the door.
It had a giant hole in it.
That could've hurt. Naruto thought.
Naruto looked inside and saw a pedestal at the back of the room.
Inside was the largest ruby Naruto had ever seen, although it was technically the first ruby Naruto had ever seen.
Below it, on the pedestal, there was an inscription.
'The Eagles Eye. A time honoured jem that holds incredible properties of amplifying energy.'
Naruto hadn't the faintest idea what it meant. But he didn't really care at this moment.
He cut through the glass with a sharp shuriken and retrieved the giant red jewel.
Suddenly it was yanked out of his hands by a purple vine.
He went to grab it but was instantly whipped in the face causing him to tumble to the ground.
"You don't stay down do you?" She said. Her voice was high pitched and laced with malice.
Naruto made to get up but the vine's suddenly wrapped around his body holding him down.
The vines began to slowly squeeze harder and harder.
"Now I'll crush you." Ivy said with a smile.
Naruto had to find a way out.
He managed to hook the spike on the armour of his right elbow and hook it into the vine. From there, Naruto twisted and the vine broke.
Ivy screamed in pain.
The vines were a part of her. A strange white and creamy liquid leaked out of the wounded vine, probably a form of blood.
Ivy's eyes narrowed in anger.
Her vines seemed sharper now, as though they were able to actually cut him. He'd need a blade of his own.
Naruto had never been one to use any swords, but when he brought the Tishmarr out from its sheath on his back…it felt right.
Ivy slashed at him with her good vine and he sliced at it to knock it away. His sword cut cleanly through the appendage is if it really were nothing but a plant.
Ivy growled in pain and tried her best to ignore it.
Naruto dived at her.
Ivy wrapped her vines around his feet and threw him into a wall.
Dust was flown everywhere and Ivy's view was obscured.
Once the cloud of dust disappeared, Ivy was shocked to see what she saw.
Naruto was gone. And so was the ruby.
Chapter 10 finished