Disclaimer: We don't own Teen Titans, Naruto, or anything else that might make an appearance in this fic...

Naruto Ultimate 3: Red-X Rising...

Chapter 52: The End Pt. 1

Normal Talking

Normal Thinking

Radio in use

Demon Talking

Demon Thinking

Jutsu in use

Inner Self-Talking

(Jump-City…)

"The Time has come. The Prophecy shall be fulfilled. Tonight at dusk, when the planets align, the portal will be open!" The deep demonic voice of Trgion echoed out in the depths of his subterranean lair, Slade kneeling down as his master spoke. "Finally I shall be free of this prison, and the earth shall be mine!" Trigon then declared and Kyuubi opened its eyes in the depths of the earth, narrowing them onto Trigon dangerously.

"You mean we will be free, and the earth will be ours!" Kyuubi growled out at the four-eyed demon, causing him to wince.

"Yes… of course, do forgive me but I have been waiting for this day patiently for over eighteen years." Trigon reminded and Kyuubi snorted while narrowing his eyes onto the other demon, a cruel grin crossing his face as he did. 'Oh, don't worry Trigon, you'll have your freedom… for a time… muhahahaha…' Kyuubi thought to himself as he watched Slade lift his head to look at Trigon.

"I will make sure that Raven realizes her destiny." Slade declared while looking to the familiar stone with the S shaped rune emblazoned on its surface. "And in exchange for bringing you your precious gem, I expect you to keep your end of the bargain and return what is precious to me." Slade replied while looking above the stone to the four crimson red eyes that seemed to float in mid air.

"You will bring us the gem, and you will get what you deserve…" Trigon replied while causing dozens of S shaped runes to encircle the massive room he lay within.

"Deal." Slade agreed while standing up, Kyuubi grinning darkly behind the man as he narrowed his crimson red eyes onto his back. 'Foolish Ningen, don't you know the first rule of working with a demon of any kind… they always stab you in the back…' Kyuubi thought to himself, a dark chuckle echoing from his throat as he watched on silently. "It's a beautiful day for the end of the world!" Slade declared before suddenly vanishing in a burst of fire… the day was finally upon them, the time for freedom had finally come…

(Titans Tower…)

The sun slowly rose upon the horizon, its warming rays filtering into the room of the dark "Titana" herself Raven. The sun soon raised up high enough to completely blanket the girl in a warming aura, her face scrunching up as it did. 'Why does the sun have to be so…' She started to think until her eyes bolted open as a strange feeling welled up within her, one she was becoming increasingly familiar with. Throwing her covers back, Raven sat up and looked down at her body in shock upon seeing dozens of familiar crimson red runes were covering her body.

"No!" She half whispered in horror upon realizing what the markings meant. Closing her eyes as she did, the girl then bowed her head in defeat, already well aware of what would happen today… on October 10th of all days… Shaking her head, Raven then looked around before getting out of bed and quickly pulling on her things. Finishing with her usual blue cloak Raven then flew up and phased through the ceiling, soon coming out onto the roof. Letting out a sigh as she saw the still rising sun, the violet haired teen made her way over to the edge of the tower and looked to the rising sun silently.

'I wonder, would a fall from this height be enough to kill me?' Raven briefly wondered while looking at the runes on her arms, considering it only for the fact it would be preferable to the utter destruction of all life on the entire planet…

"What are you doing up so early?" Nightwing questioned as he walked up from behind the girl with a slight smile on his face.

"I could ask you the same thing." Raven replied demurely, eyes closed and her body covered by her long cloak.

"I love sunrise. The promise of a new day, anything's possible." Nightwing replied simply and Raven gazed over towards her leader for a brief moment.

"You always so cheery this early?" The violet haired Titana asked and Nightwing smirked slightly to himself.

"Pretty much." He replied honestly while crossing her arms over his chest, causing Raven to look to the side. "Looks like its going to be a beautiful day." He noted mostly to himself and Raven lowered her eyes and sighed softly.

"Yeah." She whispered quietly and then had a thought cross her mind. 'If… if this is going to be the last day for everyone… I should at least make it special for my friends… and those closest to me…' She thought to herself before breathing lightly and turning to Nightwing with a small smile across her face. "Hungry?" She asked, the slightest uplift to her usual tone drawing the dark-squires immediate attention away from the slowly rising sun…

(Tartarus HQ…)

Naruto grunted as he walked out of his room with a deep scowl across his face, muttering something under his breath as he crossed his arms over his chest. Oddly, he was wearing the Omega X-Suit today, the helmet having broken apart and slid to cover the back of his head. Not only did this leave his face completely viewable, but it also allowed the scowl on Naruto's face to be seen by all. Oddly he was wearing a pair of dark-sunglasses over his eyes, and a long tattered black trench coat with the sleeves rolled up passed his elbows, his usual twin Ninjatou stationed on his back.

"Hey Temp." Mammoth greeted with a slight raise of his hand only to get an angered grunt in response as the blond walked passed him. Blinking for a moment, Mammoth opened his eyes and looked back to where the blond was making his way towards Ops. Blinking at the inexplicable rage he was sensing from his normally carefree leader, Mammoth raised a brow before walking towards Gizmo's shop to see if he'd know why Naruto was so pissed.

In Ops, Duela was happily bobbing her head from side to side while sitting at the table where some syrup soaked pancakes rested, only to blink when she "Felt" some seriously bad vibes heading towards her. Looking to the door, Duela raised a brow as the pissed off looking Naruto walked into the room. "Hey Boss-man, why you looking so pissed?" Duela asked with a tilt of her head, Naruto snapping his eyes over to the red haired girl and growling lightly.

"October Tenth…" He replied in a low growl while walking passed the red head and sat on the sofa, the scowl never leaving his features as he turned on the TV and started to look for something to watch. Blinking for a moment, Duela scratched her head as she tried to remember why that day sounded significant. Snapping her fingers a moment later when she remembered it was the blond haired youth's birthday, Duela then stopped and a wide grin crossed her features.

"COOL!" She exclaimed while running out of the room, right passed Jinx who shivered slightly as the clown girl passed. Running down the hall, Duela then slid to a halt when the doorbell was rang and looked around. "I'll get it!" She exclaimed loudly before running to the door and opening it up, only to blink upon seeing no one there. Looking down and half expecting a baby, she was pleasantly surprised to see a small satchel with a note attached to it. Picking up the sack, Duela then opened up the note and read it to herself.

"Here's something to help in the coming storm, one for all but the strongest of you so that you may remain safe…" Duela read aloud and ooed while looking at the back then opened it up with a grin, only to tilt her head when she saw several familiar gold rings with red lettering on the band… "Weird, oh well, might as well give these to the guys!" Duela mused to herself while turning around and made her way further into the HQ, looking for the other members of Tartarus…

Meanwhile, just shook her head when Duela was gone, Jinx then walked into Ops and over to the sofa. Flipping over the back of the sofa the pink haired girl sat down with a light sigh. Closing her eyes for a moment, she only then noticed a slight weight to the side and looked over at Naruto in surprise for a moment. Seeing the angry scowl that was stretched across his features, the girl mentally shifted a bit away from him. "Uh, Temp, why do you look so pissed?" Jinx questioned and Naruto merely muttered something under his breath while glaring at the TV as if it'd done something to him recently.

"It's October Tenth and I want to leave it at that…" Naruto replied while glaring at the TV, causing Jinx to briefly remember that it was not only Naruto's birthday, but also the anniversary of his mother's death. Shifting uncomfortably at the blond haired teen's side for a moment, Jinx tried to think of something that wouldn't rile the blond's clearly shortened fuse…

"Jinx…" Naruto said, breaking the terse silence and causing his pink-haired friend to yelp slightly before looking to him with a raised brow. "I just… wanted you to have this for putting up with me and the shit I seem to make you and the guys deal with…" Naruto said while reaching into his coat and pulled out a long "string of beads", all of the beads being an off brown save only for the largest of them which was ivory in color with a red swirl on it. Taking the beads, Jinx raised a brow at the length of the string, as she was easily able to encircle her entire arm with them.

"Prayer beads?" She questioned of the blond with a raised brow and Naruto cleared his throat while rubbing the underside of his nose.

"Uh yeah… my… my mom gave them to me when I was really little. Said that no mater what, so long as I kept them with me no one would be able to harm me. Unfortunately I kind of sealed them after that and put them under one of the floorboards of our place so I didn't have it with me for the longest time…" Naruto admitted uncomfortably while Jinx's eyes bolted open and she stared at the blond for a moment.

"Wait, then why don't you give them to, Raven?" She asked the blond in surprise and an uncomfortable look crossed Naruto's face.

"The thing about that, they kind of burn her…" Naruto admitted uncomfortably while rubbing his biceps and Jinx raised a brow, wondering when he figure that out. "I… might have taken one of the beads off of it and touched Kara-Chan with it… clearly, she didn't like the results. My mom always said the String of Beads is a "Kamikazari" or in English…" Naruto started to say but Jinx grimaced, as she was easily able to translate that word for him.

"Meaning that it's a Holy Artifact, and Raven is about as far from holy as they come…" Jinx realized before looking to the ancient relic in her hand and Naruto nodded his head reluctantly. "But where did your mom get something like this? If it really is a Kamikazari and if I didn't know better I'd almost say it was the Yasakani no Magatama." Jinx questioned of the blond while looking to the prayer beads, wrapping them around her arm enough times to make three X's along the underside of her forearm.

"I think mom once said she found the beads individually over the years and then made the string herself…" Naruto admitted with a shrug of his shoulders and Jinx raised a brow, finding it odd for someone to look for a bunch of Stray Beads that were just lying around…

"Well in any case, thanks Temp." Jinx then offered with a smile and Naruto waved it off while looking back to the TV silently. Looking down to the ivory bead upon the string for a moment, Jinx then bit her lip before sighing. Turning to her blond haired friend she smile slightly and leaned over to him. "Still, I don't see why you'd give something like this to me, I thought you liked to collect things. Besides, aren't I supposed to be the one giving you something today?" Jinx reminded with a slight smirk on her lips and Naruto blushed lightly before rubbing his nose.

"Yeah well… you've put up with me and my quirks for so long… I mean, just look a the hell I've put you through, I'm dating a Titan whose supposed to be your enemy, I've pretty much taken control of this entire group and turned us into mercs without really talking to you or the guys about it, admittedly you guys don't seem to mind, but I've also repeatedly caused more than a little hell in the form of the Shinobi, Harley and Ivy, that freaky transformation of mine, now Slade, and who knows what else!" Naruto replied and Jinx shrugged her shoulders while fingering the String of Beads on her right forearm lightly.

"C'mon Temp, you've been there to help all of us. You've given Gizmo someone who always uses his weapons and tech. You've given Mammoth a friend he can rely on when he can't turn to others. Given Private HIVE, Seemore, Kid, and even Duela a home. You've saved Billy from The Joker himself. Taken in Dani as your apprentice to help her grow. And even fought off the Titans on your own to help Blackfire. And sure you boss us around, but that's what a Leader does, and you do it well." Jinx stated while poking the blond haired boy in his chest, Naruto merely smiling slightly in response.

"Sure… and I bet putting up with Raven, since she is essentially our enemy, has been a piece of cake for you guys as well." Naruto retorted and Jinx nodded her head lightly, admitting that was a bit of a problem as the other's were becoming more than a little used to Raven as a result of her near-constant presence around the HQ.

"Okay, you got me there…" Jinx admitted before crossing her arms over her chest. "However, thanks to that Job we pulled in the Mall with Harley and Ivy, we really haven't been strapped for cash as of late so that's not much of a problem. Besides that, Giz has been sending the guys out on small missions for the last couple of months, easy little things we figured no one could screw up. But its still making us all more than enough to keep us going for a long time." Jinx explained and Naruto blinked for a moment while leaning back on the sofa, a thoughtful expression crossing his features.

'So that's how we keep going without doing any big jobs, should've known Giz would want a steady income… he's anal about that kind of thing.' Naruto mused to himself before sighing as he leaned back in his seat once more. "Okay, that makes sense… but do you really want me to take that back?" Naruto asked with a sly look on his face and Jinx chuckled nervously before whistling innocently.

"Who me? No… I like it." Jinx replied and Naruto rolled his eyes while leaning back and closing his eyes. Watching the blond for a moment, Jinx fingered the String of Beads once more before mentally sighing as she tried to come up with another conversation starter… "So Temp, how's your training been going lately?" Jinx questioned of her blond friend and Naruto mumbled something under his breath while crossing his arms behind his neck…

"So… have you really been making a big rain-cloud to water your garden for you like Giz has been saying, Temp?" Jinx asked and Naruto's eyes shot open, a nervous grin crossing his face as he turned to the girl.

"W-Wha…? Why would I do a thing like that? How can you even think I'd do something like that, let alone say I'd abuse my powers in such a silly way!" Naruto exclaimed, Jinx frowning when she noticed how defensive he was being about it.

"Tempest…" She stated flatly and Naruto groaned while hanging his head.

"Alright, yes I've been doing that… but in my own defense, I don't get to water my plants all that often lately…" Naruto said in his own defense before whistling for a moment as the slightest of smiles crossed his features. "It was also a good way for me to learn how to use the rain Jutsu in the first place." Naruto added and Jinx shook her head with an amused look across her face.

"Temp you're like a kid with all your powers." Jinx stated and nodded her head while Naruto reached up to lower his sunglasses to the bridge of his nose and glare at the rosette with a frown.

"Oh really, and just how am I like a kid?" Naruto demanded of his pink-haired friend and she grinned towards him.

"Because you use your powers to do your work for you…" She replied and Naruto gaped at her for a moment before thinking about it, frowning when she kind of had a point as he still used Kagebunshin to do maintenance on his weapons while he would train…

"Yeah well fine then, I'm a kid with god-like abilities…" Naruto stated and nodded his head as if that was that, Jinx snorting before snickering into her hand as Naruto smirked towards her.

(JLU Watchtower…)

Batman, Dr. Fate, and Shayera Hol sat before a computer, Batman frowning as Dr. Fate typed on the consol. "It is as we feared Batman, the time is finally upon us… the planets will align tonight at Dusk… and then…" Dr. Fate left off even while showing a projection of the planets on the screen, Batman's frown turning to a scowl as he saw that they would align within a matter of hours… "The End will finally be upon us." Dr. Fate whispered and Batman leaned forward and stared at a countdown on the screen for a few terse moments.

"Any luck finding more Rings of Azar?" Batman questioned and Dr. Fate shook his head while Shayera crossed her arms over her chest.

"Then how are we going to fight this menace if we'll be susceptible to his powers? I thought he was planning to turn all mortals to stone once he escape his prison." Shayera questioned of the man and Dr. Fate silently lowered his head while lacing his fingers together in a thoughtful expression.

"Only you, Batman, myself, and Etrigan will be able to fight Trigon should he actually manage to succeed with his plans, I'm afraid… I don't have the power to protect any more people or I risk us all… Batman's Ring of Azar shall keep him safe from the stone spell. Etrigan is not affect by Demonic-Magic. And I shall cast a spell to protect the two of us from its affects." Dr. Fate explained to the winged woman before Batman frowned deeply while looking to the man.

"That plan is tenuous at beast, even your powers have limits. Chances are you'll stop the spell from turning either of you to stone, but drain yourself and be too weak to be of any help to us in the main battle with Trigon himself." Batman reminded the helmeted man flatly and Dr. Fate silently nodded his head in agreement.

"True, but hopefully Shayera's Nth-Metal Mace will be an adequate weapon to combat Trigon. He may be a demon, but as we all know from passed experience, her mace can do tremendous damage to otherworldly creatures and the like." Dr. Fate reminds, and Batman nodded his head, being well aware of just how damaging her mace would be to such a being…

"But what about the other Demonic Members of the league, certainly we can call to them for aid." Shayera reminded and Batman shook his head with a deep frown across his face.

"Unfortunately no. The League is spread thin at the moment and each of them is on a mission. Besides that, only Blue Devil is a demonic being, and he's not powerful enough to help us against Trigon. His ability to send souls to hell might help, however Trigon would instantly see him as a threat and most likely crush him before we had a chance to weaken him sufficiently." Batman replied casually as always, Shayera frowning to herself while Dr. Fate continued his work on the consol for only a moment longer before sitting up.

"It's almost time… we best be off. The Titans along with Jason created a containment room in their tower for, Raven. It should keep anything Demonic from getting to her and allowing us some small chance of protecting her and keeping Trigon from entering our world altogether." Dr. Fate explained and Batman nodded his head while turning and walking out of the room, Shayera and Dr. Fate following behind the Dark-Knight as he made his way to the transport room…

(Tartarus HQ…)

"What do you mean it's Temp's Birthday?" Gizmo demanded loudly while Duela snickered slightly at the face he was making. After remembering it was her leaders birthday, and somehow hearing Jinx's little speech from the Author, Jinx decided she need to get everyone together to give the blond a party. Thus, she'd literally dragged everyone to the Holo-Room and then explained the situation to them.

"Well Tarnation, why didn't he tell us bout his birthday!" Billy wondered aloud, his clones nodding in agreement with him.

"Yeah, we could've gotten ol' Grim to stop by with one of his presents!" One of the clones suggested only for two of the clones to jump on it and start trying to shut it up, visibly pale and with wide eyes.

"While totally ignoring the random statement from Billy. I still have to agree with him, how come Temp didn't tell us?" Mammoth wondered aloud while frowning, and then remembered the sour mood the blond had been in earlier. "And for that matter why is he so angry today?" Mammoth wondered aloud while crossing his arms over his chest and Duela popped up over his shoulder.

"Maybe he's pissed someone forgot his big day!" The red head suggested and caused Seemore to blink before snapping his fingers.

"Well when you think about it, he's closest to Dani, Jinx, and Raven." Seemore reminded and they all nodded before looking over to the ghostling girl as she hovered in the air. Blinking for a moment, the dark haired girl looked around before frowning deeply as they stared at her.

"What? He didn't tell me it was his birthday… and Duela somehow knew about it…" Dani reminded and the others looked to the clown girl as she blinked for a moment and then grinned widely.

"Yeah he told me and Jinx about it… then mentioned something about being nineteen today…" Duela mused aloud and the others frowned, as that really didn't make any sense…

"Okay, so Temp is Nineteen today, it's his birthday, and he's pissed about something." Gizmo mused aloud while sitting on one of Mammoth's shoulders and rubbing his chin with a frown.

"What does that tell us?" Dani wondered and Gizmo held up his finger for a moment, before frowning deeply, as he couldn't think of anything.

"Nothing really, Jinx would kill herself before forgetting something important about Temp." Gizmo said aloud, getting nods of agreement from the others as they all knew how Jinx felt about the, as Dani often called him, "Clueless" Blond. "And Raven can't always escape her team to visit or I'm sure she'd be here as well." Gizmo then added and Private HIVE snorted while crossing his arms over his chest.

"Don't know about you maggots, but I think she'd be better off changing camps to our side. She fits in better, we don't ask questions, and its not like we really do much thievery lately, though personally the mercenary work we do is really more my speed." PH stated with a nod of his head, getting some agreements from around the room while Duela shook her head with a smirk.

"She doesn't want to be evil because she's half demon already…" Duela stated simply and got the attention of those in the room. "What, wasn't it obvious?" Duela asked and got shakes of the head as her response from all but Kid Wykkyd, the grey skinned teen rubbing his face with a frown.

"Oi, in any case we still have the problem of it being Sensei's birthday, he's unhappy, and we're just sitting around doing nothing!" Dani stated while glaring at the others around the room, Gizmo nodding his head.

"For once I'm with the bitch! Temp's been our leader and friend since day one! When we needed someone to help he was there! So let's put together the biggest bash in history!" Gizmo cried with a grin, the guys whooping in agreement save a silent Kid-Wykkyd who merely nodded his head. "Now then we need to spread out and get everything ready quick!" Gizmo stated only for Duela to snap her fingers and fish around in her backpack, pulling out a sack after she did.

"Oh yeah, and I found these on our doorstep!" Duela added while fishing out a familiar gold ring with glowing crimson marks around the band…

"What do you mean you found them? People don't just leave jewelry lying around for no good reason… or do they on this place?" Blackfire questioned while snatching one of the rings and looking it over with a frown.

"I mean I found them with a note at our doorstep, there's one for each of us but the note said not to included X." Duela replied with a grin and the guys looked to one another before taking hold of the strange rings. Gizmo frowned as he pulled out a scanner and held it up over the ring for a moment, and then narrowed his eyes.

"I don't know what these are but these things are putting of a small amount of magical energy…" Gizmo noted to himself while flipping the ring in hand and then stowed it away in his pocket.

"Who did you say left these?" Blackfire questioned even as she slipped the ring on and smirked while looking at it. Frowning in thought for a moment, Duela tried to keep her train of thought, memories, and everything else straight however failed and thus shrugged her shoulders.

"Like I said, I found them with a note… And the note said that they would help with the "Coming Storm" or something like that." Duela replied and Gizmo looked over to the other members of Tartarus for a moment before they took them as well and looked at the strange rings.

"What do ya'll reckon these things are for? I mean, how could they help us with a storm? They just a bunch a rings… and for that matter, who in tarnation left a bunch a silly little rings for us?" Billy wondered while looking at the ring with a little too much scrutiny to be normal.

"Who cares, they're free remember!" Seemore stated while pocketing the ring and got nods of agreement from several of the other members of Tartarus before Gizmo growled lowly.

"Alright enough distractions! Lets get to work already!" The Tiny-Terror cried out and the rest of Tartarus huddled up and listened to him as he described what they were going to be doing…

(Jump-City…)

Naruto walked through Jump-city, still wearing his Omega X-Suit though it is set to Stealth mode, his swords sealed away, and his coat worn over top it and buttoned up in order to give the illusion that he was dressed in an all black outfit. Sighing softly, the blond haired boy adjusted his sunglasses as he walked down the street, a black / red bucket hat over his head as per-usual. 'What to do, what to do…' Naruto considered silently even as he made his way through the city, stopping only when he felt the ground shake beneath his feet.

Blinking for a moment, Naruto turned to the side and shook his head when he saw a spot of red hair, a spot of green, and a spot of violet all sitting on the upper floor at Domino Pizza. 'Looks like either Starfire or Donna wanted the last slice…' The blond mused to himself since whenever either girl wanted the last slice of pizza, they either got it or there was going to be pain for someone in the very near future. Clicking his tongue for a moment, Naruto then grinned as he jumped onto a street light before jumping over to Domino-Pizza and landing on the outer rail of the balcony.

As such, he couldn't help a slight smile upon seeing the titans sitting down, Starfire squirting mustard onto a slice of pizza while BB and Cy sat crying to the side, both having obviously wanted it for their own. Grinning inwardly, Naruto then raised a hand when Donna and Kid-Flash noticed him behind, Raven. "Yo Titans, what brings you out and about today of all days?" Naruto questioned with a wave, drawing the teens attention to him and Raven blinking in surprise.

"Naruto? What are you doing out, I thought you had… issues with today?" Raven questioned and Naruto briefly twitched, a slight scowl marring his features.

"Yeah well I decided not to mope around about it. So I'm trying to find something to let out my misplaced aggression on… any baddies out of prison I should know about?" Naruto asked with a wicked grin across his face cracking his knuckles ominously as he did, causing Nightwing to roll his eyes and shake his head.

"You just missed, Plasmus." He replied and Naruto snapped his fingers in mock-disappointment while BB slipped over to the blond.

"Dude, what's with all the black? You finally acting like a real Ninja or what?" BB questioned and Naruto knocked him on the head lightly, the green Jester yelping and rubbing his head when the older teen did.

"Nah, I'm in a bad mood and feel like hitting something…" Naruto replied with a slight smirk and BB chuckled nervously before sliding over to the side. Soon enough Starfire finished her slice of pizza and smiled happily before grabbing Naruto into a hug and grinning at the blond brightly.

"Please! You must come with us Friend Naruto, friend Raven has even suggested that we go and do the "Hanging out" at the park!" Starfire exclaimed, causing Naruto to raise a brow since that was really out of character for Raven. 'When did I become "Friend Naruto"…?' The blond also had to wonder since he wasn't exactly around the bubbly red haired alien too often.

"Uh…no offence meant to Kara-Chan, but isn't that kind of odd?" Naruto asked and Starfire considered it for a moment before nodding her head.

"Yes, I do believe you are correct, but perhaps friend Raven is merely used to us all at long last!" Starfire suggested Raven rolling her eyes at that while Naruto crossed his arms over his chest and considered his options. 'Option one, lock myself in my room like I do every year, option two, say no and walk aimlessly around and look for a fight, option three, follow them and at least have Kara-Chan's company… while waiting for the inevitable fight to find them.' Naruto thought to himself before sighing slightly as he mentally decided that Option Three was really the only choice he had.

"Fine I'll come with, besides, knowing you kids I'll end up in a fight soon enough." Naruto said with a nod of his head, Raven mentally groaning, as she knew he was right, they seemed prone to danger after all…

Thus the now eight teens found themselves walking through the park, Naruto half asleep as he followed the titans, and was unfortunately bored out of his mind. 'Why couldn't they do something that would give me something to hit? Seriously, I need to let out my aggression soon or I'm going to go X and attack them for the hell of it!' The blond haired teen thought to himself, Raven hearing the thought and mentally groaning as she tried to ignore his issues with today.

"Dude!" BB suddenly exclaimed and Naruto looked to the green teen, only to lightly growl when he saw him hold up a penny. "Find a penny pick it up… something something something… good luck! It's my lucky day!" BB cried out with a grin and started to do a silly dance. Watching the green teen for a moment Naruto then pinched the bridge of his nose with a frown.

"Yeah its your lucky day and the worst day of my life…" Naruto muttered bitterly, Kid-Flash blinking when he heard the blond.

"What's that mean?" Kid-Flash questioned while drawing the attention of the other Titans onto the blond. Feeling them looking to him Naruto grunted before crossing his arms over his chest with a frown.

"None of your damn business red…" He grumbled out and then marched off, Raven sighing as he marched off from the group. Following behind the teen there was a noticeably terse silence before Cyborg cleared his throat.

"Anyone up for a game of extreme Stank-Ball after lunch?" The metal man questioned while taking a ball made of old sweaty / stinky socks out of the drawer on his chest plate.

"Yeah sure." Raven allowed with a slight upward lilt to her tone, Naruto stopping in place when he processed what the girl said. As a result Raven passed him, leaving him with the others staring after the violet haired girl.

"But you hate anything extreme…" Kid-Flash noted with a raised brow and BB popped up at his side.

"Or Stanky…" The green jester added as more an afterthought than anything else and Raven stopped, mentally cursing even as she turned arond to look at her friends.

"Maybe I never gave it a chance…" She offered and Starfire flew up to her from the side with her hands clasped together.

"Raven, would you still have time to join me in the painting of the toenails later today?" Starfire questioned with a smile and Naruto narrowed his eyes on his girlfriend, already knowing something was seriously wrong with her.

"Sounds like fun." Raven replied with a slight smile and Naruto was in front of her faster than the flash. Poking her on the forehead with a flat look the blond haired teen leaned forward with a frown.

"Alright, did one of your other personalities take over or what?" Naruto asked flatly, BB snickering as Raven gave the blond a look. "No seriously, even I have to admit your acting weird Kara-Chan." Naruto stated and Nightwing nodded his head in agreement with the blond haired Ex-Shinobi.

"Yeah what's up Raven, Pancakes, Pizza, Stank-Ball, Toenails…" Night started to list and Kid-Flash decided to drop in his own two cents as well.

"Yeah, and she hasn't called BB stupid all day." Kid-Flash noticed, the green Jester nodding his head in agreement with his red haired friend.

"I know! Did someone like replace Raven with a robot or what?" BB asked while looking to the grey skinned girl suspiciously. In response to the unwanted attention, Raven flew to the side, her back to the looks she was getting from her friends and of course her boyfriend.

"I just want everyone to have a nice day today." Raven offered while not allowing any of them to see the downcast look in her violet orbs. "C'mon we have a lot to do before sunset." Raven then stated causing Naruto to raise his brow and wonder when they ever had anything they had to do… However his attention was then drawn to the sun as it slowly started to turn black, a frown crossing Naruto's features. 'I've got a bad feeling about this…' Naruto thought to himself as the sun was soon completely blocked out, the sky turning dark as day suddenly became as night.

"Dude what's going on?" BB asked with wide eyes while Naruto lunged forward and caught the girl before she could hit the ground, numerous familiar red runes having formed over her body.

"Is she okay?" Nightwing questioned while walking up behind Naruto, however someone else chose to answer him instead.

"No…" Batman stated as he and Shayera walked over to the group from behind, a grim frown upon the Dark-Knight's face. "Because today is the day…" He started only for Raven to finish for him, tears welling up in her eyes.

"The end of the world…" She whispered while allowing her tears to fall at last, a scowl crossing Naruto's features as he held her close.

"Batman, what are you…?" Nightwing started to question while the Dark-Knight walked over to Raven as Naruto stood up, holding the girl bridal style.

"Dr. Fate uncovered a date for Trigon's coming, at dusk today when the planets align, the portal shall be opened." Batman explained simply and Starfire flew over to the Dark-Knight with a worried look on her face.

"P-Please mister man of bat, is there no way to save Friend Raven?" The red haired alien questioned of the older hero and batman was silent, Shayera eventually answering for him.

"We don't know yet." She replied and the alien girl looked to her friend with visible worry, Naruto looking to Batman with a deep frown on his face.

"I've only got one question. What do we do next?" The blond asked Batman and the Dark-Knight narrowed his eyes before replying.

"We return to Titans Tower, Dr. Fate and Jason have finished something that should at keep, Raven safe… for the time being." Batman replied while turning on his heel and marching towards Titans Tower, followed closely by the Titans and Naruto… Unseen by any of them however, and watching on silently from the sky, was four eyes belonging to Trigon…

(Titans Tower…)

The Titans, Naruto, and the JLU members with them walked through the halls of Titans Tower, a frown on Nightwing's face. "Okay everyone just as we planned." The Dark-Squire ordered as they wondered deeper into the tower, Raven looking around from Naruto's arms with a confused expression.

"Where are you taking me?" She asked and

"You said there was nothing we could do." Nightwing reminded while turning his head to look to his friend then turned around as they approached a door. "We didn't agree, so we've been preparing for this day." Nightwing finished while placing his hand onto a pad at the side of the room, opening up a doorway to a strange room that was predominantly blue, inside of which, Jason and Dr. Fate were putting some finishing touches on the numerous seals lining the strange room.

"You did all this for me?" Raven asked of her friend, clearly touched by the gesture and Kid-Flash smirked.

"Your our friend Raven, of course we'd do all this and probably even more." The speedster replied with a smile, Nightwing nodding his head in agreement.

"We're ready to defeat, Trigon." Nightwing added and Jason Blood scoffed while walking over to the group with Dr. Fate.

"We're nowhere near ready for such a thing Nightwing. To battle an A-Class demon such as Trigon requires power which we do not currently have available to us." Jason stated, Dr. Fate nodding his head in agreement with the scarlet haired man.

"Perhaps you are right but hopefully it won't come to that. Our plan is simple. Raven is the portal, she is the key to Trigon's escape." Donna reminded and Cyborg took over for the Amazonian warrior.

"So if Trigon can't get to the portal, he can't take over." Cyborg continued and Starfire took over the explanation from there.

"So all we must do is keep the Trigon from getting to Raven." Starfire finished with a smile and Batman thought of roughly a dozens holes in that plan while Dr. Fate nodded his head slowly.

"You can't…" Raven said with an exasperated sigh and Nightwing narrowed his eyes while looking to the girl.

"We will, and that is what this room is for." Night replied while walking inside, Naruto watching as Dr. Fate shook his head.

"Yeah, I've equipped only the most state of the art equipment in here. Nothing alive is getting in." Cy explained while walking inside and Starfire smiled while floating over to Raven and Naruto.

"And the symbols mister Blood found in your books shall hopefully keep out everything else." Starfire finished and Raven looked skeptical for a moment, Dr. Fate deciding to speak up at that moment.

"This room shall protect Raven so long as she is inside of it yes…" Dr. Fate admitted but then looked to the violet haired girl stoically. "However, should she leave it of her own accord it will do her little good, and we shall find ourselves with little choice but to battle the beast himself." Dr. Fate reminded the teens and Naruto rolled his eyes while putting Raven back to her feet and letting her walk into the room. Looking around, the violet haired sorceress looked at the many symbols and seals on the walls before turning to her friends.

"This is all… great. But it's not going to make a difference." Raven stated while turning and walking towards the back of the room. "Today the prophecy will be fulfilled, Trigon is coming there's no stopping him." Raven stated softly, eyes closed and Naruto frowned deeply. However before he could speak, Nightwing walked forward, a determined look across his face.

"There's never been a villain we couldn't stop before." Night stated and Raven shook her head solemnly while turning to her eyes towards her leader.

"Trigon isn't a villain, he is the incarnation of evil, the source of all darkness, the…" Raven tried to say only for Naruto to stop her with a frown across his face.

"I don't care if he's an even bigger pain in the ass than Madara was, if this fucker thinks he's touching you with me around, he's got another thing coming!" The blond declared with a scowl across his face, Raven shaking her head as she heard her boyfriend.

"You don't know Trigon, Naruto, he's more powerful than you could possibly imagine." Raven told the blond and he scoffed, a sly smirk crossing his features as he looked to the violet haired girl.

"Somehow I really doubt that." The blond replied and Batman walked forward with a frown across his face.

"In any case we should head out. Stay in here, you'll be fine so long as you don't leave the room. We'll be close by on the off chance you need us." Batman stated while turning around, walking out of the room, soon followed by the others. BB stopping for a moment and then quickly turned around and ran up to Raven.

"Here…" BB stated while placing something into the girls open palm. "For luck." He explained while rushing out of the room, followed by Naruto whose arms were crossed over his chest as the door to the room slid shut. Opening her hand and looking to what BB left her, Raven found the penny that the green changeling had found only a short while ago in the park.

"All the luck in the world won't help us now…" Ravne said to herself solemnly, then sighed while looking around the room for a moment and leaned back into a wall…

(?)

Deep beneath the earth's crust, within the tomb Slade found himself more and more often, the masked madman awaited. 'Good, Rose has given the rings to Tartarus, no doubt Raven will protect the Titans, and the JLU most likely have ways to protect themselves… all according to plan.' The masked man mused to himself while Trigon's eyes suddenly appeared on the wall. "The hour is approaching." Slade declared while looking up to Trigon's eyes. "The Army is ready." He states simply, even as Kyuubi's own eyes open up and peer down at him.

"You had best perform." Trigon ordered darkly and Slade rose to his feet while gazing towards both demons.

"I'll do my job, you better have my payment ready when I get back." The masked madman stated, Trigon's eyes narrowing on him while Kyuubi twitched. 'Stupid mortal, to dare make orders of his masters…' Kyuubi couldn't help but think to himself, his twin red eyes narrowing as Slade raised his hands upwards. "Rise!" Slade ordered darkly, the earth bursting open to reveal dozens upon dozens of flaming wraiths, all of the creatures bearing demonic red eyes as they flowed forward.

"Bring me the portal!" Trigon ordered with finality to his words, Slade walking to the front of the army with a dark glare.

"Warriors, march!" Slade cried out to the army and then made his way forward, followed by the army of fire-wraiths. Row after row of the beings moving forward until a portal opened before Slade, then stretched out, allowing all of them to march through it…

(Jump-City…)

Naruto stands atop Titans-Tower with a deep frown on his face, looking to the sky for a moment with narrowed eyes. "You seem troubled." Shayera noted as she walked onto the roof and looked at him strangely. Turning slightly, the blond scoffed for a moment before reaching up for his hat. Throwing the object from his head and off of the tower completely, he then turned away from the winged woman with a deep frown stretched across his face.

"Not at all Tenshi-San… I'm just evening the playing field with ol' fire-puss… by making a little Deluge." He replied before forming several Handseals and holding up his hands towards the sky. "Ukojizai no Jutsu!" The blond cried out as he spread his Chakra into the air, the clouds darkening and gathering above, causing Shayera to look up only to widen her eyes as it began to rain upon the entire city much as it had the week before…

"You… you can control the rain?" She questioned and Naruto silently turned around, removing his Sunglasses at the same time, and unintentionally causing the woman's heart to briefly stop. The Rinnegan eyes were not something she had expected, in pictures she'd seen a clear azure blue as the color of his eyes, but she was also aware of the "Sharingan" that the ones known as Sasuke and Kakashi were supposed to have from reading a report on them, but the eyes of the blond were completely different from those eyes… something about them just put her on edge…

"Yes… and so much more…" Naruto replied coldly while forming a familiar t shaped hand seal with a frown. "Kage-Bunshin no Jutsu!" Naruto cried, causing three more of him to appear before he looked to them seriously. "Spread out across the city, you know what to do…" Naruto ordered and the three clones nodded before they each vanished in a plume of smoke.

"What was that?" Shayera demanded while looking to the blond haired teen and Naruto silently turned and sat down, legs crossed under himself and took a deep breath.

"What that was doesn't matter, what does is that soon our enemy will show himself, and I wish to be prepared for that event." Naruto stated simply and then held one hand forward; concentrating on the Omega X-Suit he had the plates at his palm shift away and then threw his arm to the side. "Kusanagi no Tsurugi!" The blond exclaimed, the familiar blade tearing its way through the flesh of his hand where he quickly gripped it's hilt as the plates on his hands reformed over his palms. Leaning the blade along his shoulders, Naruto ignored Shayera's presence as he felt the Kusanagi speak to him.

"Master, tis good to be outside once more. I prefer the battlefield to being hidden away like an old relic." The Kusanagi hissed into the blond haired teen's mind and Naruto merely hmmed for a moment while opening his eyes. "He's here…" Naruto whispered while looking to the ground below, Slade crawling out of the water around the tower, steam rising off of his form. Naruto slowly stood up as Slade approached; the Titans rushing passed him and jumping from the Tower to the ground below. Looking down at the scene for a moment, Naruto then turned to see Batman, Dr. Fate, and even Jason Blood walking out of the Tower.

"Slade, we're ready for you!" Nightwing declared while pulling two of his Bridarangs from his belt and gripping them tightly. Instantly a pair of blades shot out from them, making two swords each of which he in one hand.

"Give me the girl." Slade ordered in a no-nonsense tone and Nightwing narrowed his eyes onto the man.

"No way!" Kid-Flash declared boldly, the rest of the team getting ready to combat the masked madman.

"You don't really have a choice in the matter. I'm taking her." Slade stated darkly while glaring at the teens, BB scoffing as he did.

"Oh yeah, you and what army!" The Green Jester demanded and Slade reached up with one hand to obscure his face. The S shaped rune on his forehead began to blaze even as the rain hitting his body steamed. Instantly the dozens upon dozens of Fire-Wraiths appeared and formed all around the Titans, BB gaping as they did so.

"You just had to ask, didn't you?" Cyborg muttered to himself while looking at the vast number of enemies around them.

"Attack!" Slade ordered while pointing to the Titans, the teens lunging into action while Naruto cracked his neck.

"So it was you who made the rain…" Batman guessed and Naruto was silent as he then stepped off of the tower and towards the ground below. Frowning for a moment, Batman looked to the Justice League members with him with a frown. "Ready?" Batman questioned and Shayera didn't answer, instead she lunged into battle, followed by Dr. Fate as Jason took a deep breath.

"Change! Change, o' form of man! Release thy might from fleshy mire! Boil the blood in the heart for fire! Gone! Gone! The form of man! Rise, the demon Etrigan!" Jason exclaimed before his body was consumed by fire, grasping his head as he was changed as well, a pair of hellfire red eyes soon glowing from the flames before Etrigan roared loudly. The new being had ruddy orange skin, two small horns forming off his head, a pair of fin shaped ears, sharp claws and fangs, and a gaunt face, he wears a red outfit that covers his torso and the upper portion of his legs, leaving them bare from the mid thigh down, with a black belt around his waist, black bands with studs around his forearms, a blue cape with a silver clasp, and a pair of old faded red boots over his feet.

"Nice to see you again, Etrigan though I wish the situation weren't so dire." Batman noted simply and Etrigan merely grunted before lunging into the fray, slashing at the fire wraiths with his claws while Batman jumped down behind him, then reached into his belt and pulled out a pair of electrical brass knuckles… As soon as they landed, the JLU lunged into action, attacking the Fire-Wraiths while Naruto passed them all, moving to the side to avoid Nightwing as Slade sent him flying. Walking towards Slade while the Titans and JLU dealt with the Fire-Wraiths, Naruto felt lightning surge down his right arm before quickly dispersing it.

"Ah Mister-Uzumaki, how nice to see you again." Slade noted upon seeing the blond haired teen, only to stop when he saw the almost deranged looking eyes that the blond haired youth now possessed. "Although, perhaps I should wonder about those new eyes of yours…" Slade stated aloud and Naruto silently stopped before the man and closed his eyes, one of his Clones in the distance having finished gathering Nature-Chakra quickly dispelled itself…

"Senjutsu: Sennin Modo!" Naruto stated flatly, only for a burst of power to flow off of him as two spikes of hair raised up form his head like horns, red-orange markings then appeared beside of his eyes and over his whisker marks. Slade narrowed his eyes as white bone-like armor began to form over the blond. First it formed into a pair of wind shaped greaves and forearm guards, then six magatama beads formed around his neck, a series of spinal plates formed down the back of his coat before branching out into ten lengths that ran the length of his coat, giving the illusion of ten tails, finally, a white bone like mask formed over his face, this one only covering the left side of his face…

"I see your pulling out all the stop this time." Slade noted, only for Naruto to vanish in a flash and land a powerful left hook to the man's jaw. The force of the punch sent Slade flying across the bay, skipping over the water for a time before he threw his hand back and created two jets of flame from them. Propelling himself back to the island, Slade rammed into Naruto, however the blond dug the Kusanagi into the ground and rammed his arm into Slade's back, plowing him into the ground. Growling lightly, Naruto then grabbed Slade by his bandoleer and lifted him out of the ground, holding him in the air with one arm and a deep scowl on his face.

"I am DONE playing around with you!" Naruto exclaimed furiously while twisting on his heel and throwing Slade into the air. Growling lightly, Naruto twisted into a Makyou Kaiten first before adding a "One-Thousand Blades Jutsu" together, forming a swirling torrent of spinning wind-blades… "Tatsumaki no Jutsu! (Tornado Technique!)" The blond exclaimed loudly as the dozens of blades began to rip and shred Slade into pieces while he was still in midair. Soon enough Naruto landed on the ground and threw his arms out, dispersing the wind and sending the dozens of individual pieces of Slade flying apart.

However not long afterwards, beams of heat flowed into the air from the pieces of Slade and connected together. The beams of heat then drew the man's body back together, Slade grunting as he reared back his completed arm and formed a sphere of flames into his open hand. "Come now, you didn't really think it'd be that easy did you?" Slade mocked coldly while throwing the ball of fire down towards Naruto, the blond haired teen slamming his forearms together and freezing the rain falling towards him, causing a shield of ice to form over his forearm guards. Growling lightly as he blocked the fireball, Naruto dug his feet into the ground and threw his arms to the side.

Throwing the Kusanagi into the air, Naruto then smirked as he remembered one of Orochimaru's Jutsu with the weapon. "Kusanagi no Tsurugi: Ku no Tachi!" He exclaimed causing the blade to obey his command and fly towards Slade before spinning around like a buzz saw as it approached him. 'This is just not my day…' Slade thought to himself even as the flying sword ripped through his body before turning around and slicing through him a second time as Naruto caught it in his outstretched hand with a deep frown on his face. Falling to the ground in several piles, the one-eyed man then reformed once more and slowly got up and glared towards Naruto.

"Keep this up boy and your little secret will be out in the open for all to see…" Slade noted aloud and Naruto merely looked back and smirked when he saw Cyborg powering up several weapons on his body.

"Looks like I won't have too…" The blond noted while vanishing in a plume of smoke, reappearing with the Titans and the JLU. "Fire!" Naruto shouted and Cyborg roared while firing two massive cannons from his arms towards the man, while also tearing through the remaining Fire-Wraiths near him… Falling to the ground with a groan, Cyborg looked up with the others, the Titans gaping as Slade appeared unharmed, snapping his neck back into place while Shayera gripped her mace as more and more Fire-Wraiths started to pop up around Slade.

"As if we didn't have enough problems…" Shayera noted while Etrigan growled and lunged forward, soon followed by Naruto and the others, lunging into the fray and wildly attacking both the Fire-Wraiths and Slade. Naruto mentally twitched even as he ran towards Slade, forming a Rasengan into his free hand and ramming it into the man's head when he got close enough, shredding it to pieces before landing in a low crouch behind him. Twisting on his heels Naruto then sliced Slade's legs out from under him as the Titans and JLU tried to deal with the never-ending amount of Fire-Wraiths.

"Haven't we gone through this before?" Slade questioned as he reformed his body and turned to face a deeply scowling Naruto. "You can tear my body apart, but you can never destroy me." Slade reminded only for Naruto to grab the man by his neck and glare at him furiously.

"Me destroying you is going to be the least of your problems, Slade! Do you honestly believe that Trigon is going to help you? He's a demon! They betray anyone they make a deal with and turn it back on them!" Naruto shouts at the man and Slade narrowed his eyes before slamming a sphere of Fire into Naruto's gut, sending the blond flying back before skidding along the ground. Grunting, Naruto twisted the Kusanagi in hand and dug it into the ground, sliding back to a halt before he would've fallen into the oceans depths. Growling angrily, Naruto got up and lunged at Slade with a roar, only to slide to a halt as Slade threw his arm to the side, revealing the Titans held by the Fire-Wraiths.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you…" Slade Noted darkly and Naruto growled lightly, then saw Etrigan, Batman, Shayera, and Dr. Fate back down as well. "Now then. Drop your weapons." Slade ordered flatly and Naruto frowned before dropping the Kusanagi to the ground, Shayera doing the same with her mace, Batman dropping his electric knuckles to the ground as well while the masked-madman chuckled lightly.

"Stop!" A voice cried and Naruto turned to see Raven walking out of the tower.

"Kara-Chan?" Naruto wondered before shaking his head and giving the girl a look. "What the hell do you think your doing?" Naruto demanded as the girl neared him and she stopped briefly to look at him sadly.

"What I need to do in order to protect my friends…" Raven replied and Naruto gaped at the girl as she flew over to Slade and stood before him. "I will go with you." She told the man and Naruto clenched his fists while walking towards her.

"Are you out of your pretty little mind?" The blond haired youth demanded while walking towards her, unaware of the gravity sporadically increasing and decreasing around him.

"Please you must return to the safety room!" Starfire tried to coerce and Raven shook her head, only for Naruto to stand before her and glare at her.

"For once I'm with her, even if you go with this guy, chances are we're all still going to die when Trigon comes! It's better for all of us if you stay safe, at least that way the big-red fucker won't rain Armageddon down on our collective assess!" Naruto reminds and Raven sighs while turning to the blond haired boy and giving him a look.

"Maybe, but I don't want their last moments to be spent fighting… I can't hide from my destiny any longer." Raven stated before quickly throwing her hand forward, black lightning bolts stretching from her hand and into her friends, Naruto and the JLU. The lightning crackled and arched around all of them, knocking all but Naruto out completely and laying them on the ground. Groaning as he looked to Raven for one moment longer, Naruto then passed out as well, Raven looking to them all silently.

"Goodbye… be safe." She whispered before walking over to stand at Slade's side silently. "Let's go." She stated simply and the two walked off, passed a sea of fire-wraiths and leaving all of them behind…

(Jump-City…)

Orochimaru stood with a frown while looking to the eclipsed sun, his snake like eyes narrowed dangerously. 'Now I wonder what new apocalyptic event is about to occur?' The man suddenly wondered to himself, arms crossed and an amused smirk crossing his features. He'd done a little research on the history of this world, and wasn't surprised when he found dozens of apocalyptic events had occurred, only to be thwarted at the last second. 'Hmm… I really must speed up my research… if only I had my original notes…' Orochimaru thought to himself while turning and walking into a building with a deep frown across his face.

Among other things, he'd also broke into a place called "Cadmus" recently and stolen every file from them that he could. Doing so had been almost painfully simple given his years of experience with infiltration and stealth. 'Yet again, something I share with, Naruto-kun.' Orochimaru mused to himself with a sinister grin crossing his features as he entered into his lab. Unlike his lab in Oto, or any of his previous labs, this one was completely sterile and clean. He'd taken a note to do so when he saw that bacteria and germs could have an overall adverse affect on certain serums and the like.

It also made it a might sight easier for him to keep track of his notes, something he found useful. He actually couldn't fathom what had made him use such grungy, dark, and dirty labs in the first place. Well, the only thing being that he was going to be using whatever he created on the field, which would thus cause a similar reaction. However, at the moment he wasn't trying to create a chemical weapon. Instead, he was going back, back to the basics of Shinobi and Chakra. He needed new hosts, and while bringing his Chakra from body to body was part of the Jutsu, he need to make sure that the body could also survive the transfer.

He'd been lucky when he'd possessed the man he currently resided in, he was a bit of a health nut from what Orochimaru could tell. This ad helped the man's body resist falling apart as Orochimaru was forced to force Chakra-Coils to develop just to inhabit the body. The process was as painful for the host as it was for Orochimaru, which was another reason he wanted to go around it, as he disliked pain immensely. However, Orochimaru wanted to be careful in this world, thus he needed a body that was in peak condition and could develop Chakra-Coils fairly easily. Thus the man had started his research to do just that.

However, besides himself and Naruto, and possibly Tsunade's apprentice Sakura, there was no one who had Chakra coils. And he didn't possess true DNA from there world so couldn't study it without attempting to find one of the two. Naruto would be easiest as he did have some capabilities as a Sensor-Ninja, just not to the great extent that that Karin girl had been too. Orochimaru also made a note to find some worthy candidates to train as soldiers / bodyguards like he had with Oto. None of those worthless henchmen he saw working for the villains of this world, but true warriors hand trained and able to fight off more than a couple of police.

Unfortunately, before he could do that he'd need to be able to make normal humans capable of using Chakra. And while he had an intimate knowledge of the DNA of his people, due to his research and study, Orochimaru knew he couldn't simply recreate the effect. Instead, he was going to have to find a supply of DNA from a Chakra user who was still in his original body. And as he knew before, there were only two candidates in that regard, neither of which would be very interested in giving him their blood so he could create an army. Frowning to himself, Orochimaru sat in a seat and drummed his finger on his table.

"In the words of the Nara men, how troublesome…" Orochimaru grumbled out before swiveling in his chair and closing his eyes silently. He was aware that something big was coming; yet he was also aware of many other things. After all, one doesn't come to be nearly un-killable like he was without learning many things… 'What will happen next I wonder… I sense something, possibly more powerful than little Naruto-kun on the horizon… this should prove most interesting.' Orchimaru mused to himself with a twisted smirk as he sat back, relaxing silently and awaiting what should be the "End of Days" he was sure, but would also be stopped… this world was just predictable like that…

(Titans-Tower…)

Naruto pushed himself up with a groan, and then shook his head as he got back to his feet. Looking around, the blond narrowed his eyes upon the eclipsed sun in the sky with a deep scowl across his face. 'If you think I'm letting that red fucker take you away from me, you have another thing coming Kara-Chan.' Naruto thought darkly before noticing that Batman was up as well, rubbing his head while Shayera looked like she had a migraine from hell.

"Why haven't you guys gone after Kara-Chan!" Naruto demanded of the Dark-Knight and Batman stood up and then walked over to the side where Etrigan appeared in a burst of flame.

"Know where she's going?" Batman questioned, making Naruto blink as the orange Demon nodded his head.

"Yes it is, the place is known. For she goes, to the Demon's Throne." The demon replied in a rhyme, causing Naruto to have flashbacks of Kira-bi… 'Oi, why are their so many things similar to my world, yet so radically different as well?' The blond haired teen had to wonder before walking over to the two with a frown.

"By Demon's Throne I'm guessing you guys mean that one giant hand we found the other day, right?" Naruto questioned of the Dark-Knight and the Demon-Etrigan with a frown, only the demon looking to him.

"Yep." Batman replied simply and Naruto nodded his head while turning around.

"That's all I needed to hear." The blond then stated while lunging forward, running across the bay and towards the city proper. Frowning for a moment, Etrigan narrowed his eyes on the retreating blond before looking over to Batman.

"Knight of Darkness, what have you unfurled? The boy holds power, that will end this world." Etrigan stated in another rhyme, Batman raising a brow for a moment before ignoring him as Nightwing and the others began to come too…

(?)

Slade stands within a ring of fire with his arms folded behind his back, Raven having started on the path to her destiny on her own. 'Something tells me that will be the least of my worries soon enough…' Slade couldn't help but think to himself while looking up to the four crimson eyes of Trigon hovering within the chamber of rock. "The portal approaches. The hour is near. It's time for my payment." Slade states simply and Trigon appears to gaze at Slade in confusion, Kyuubi snickering to itself at the sheer and utter stupidity of some mortals.

"Payment? For what?" Trigon questioned while narrowing his eyes onto the one-eyed human dangerously. "The Gem returns of her own free will. You did not deliver her. I did." Trigon declares while looking down at the one-eyed man, Slade growling lightly even as he feels the ring of azar on his ring finger lightly…

"We had a deal. I held up my part of the bargain." Slade reminded while glaring up at Trigon coldly, his slate grey eye glaring into Trigon's four hellfire eyes. In response to the one-eyed man's declaration, Trigon laughed darkly while looking down at the one eyed man. Roaring out in fury as Trigon laughed at him, Slade formed a fireball into his hands before hurling at the demon's eyes. He then quickly conjured more and more of the fireballs and began to throw them at the wall where Trigon's four hellfire red eyes glow ominously, glaring at the man coldly.

"I granted you these powers, and I can take them away!" Trigon declared as a pair of arms made of fire reached down and formed at Slade's sides. The one-eyed man was then lifted into the air, a beam of red energy crackling between the two hands and ripping something out of Slade. The one-eyed man cried out as the S on his forehead faded away, the Ring of Azar on his finger glowing brightly even as Slade vanished completely from sight…

"Finally, I thought you'd never get rid of that little pest." Kyuubi commented while Trigon chuckled lightly while the hands of fire rose back up into the ceiling.

"He was a useful servant, but now his usefulness has ended. The time for our freedom is finally upon us!" Trigon declared while fire rose up all around the cavern, Kyuubi grinning darkly as it looked to the other demon.

"Indeed Trigon, and I am certain of one thing… Freedom will taste sweet!" Kyuubi noted aloud with an almost insane laugh, Trigon unconsciously shivering as the ancient demon, even more so than he, grinned with a more sinister light than any mortal could possibly achieve…

(Library…)

Naruto swung the Kusanagi sending a blast of wind that ripped through several fire-wraiths, his shoulders were hunched, his hands clenched, teeth gnashed together, and a dark glare in his eyes. "You stupid freaks think you can keep me from Kara-Chan?" Naruto questioned before opening his coat, and then changing the Omega-X-Suit to its basic-setting. The armor of his suit quickly unfolding from the suit and over his spine, then both his forearms and shins, along with the bright crimson red X over his chest,

"Well you've got another thing coming!" The blond then declared while his mask literally unfolded from the suit and formed over his head, the bright red X on his mask glowing as it snapped shut. Growling darkly and throwing his arms back, Naruto activated his Thermal-Blasters and swung his arms forward, beams of heat tearing through the walls and Fire-Wraiths around him. Narrowing his eyes, the masked blond then crouched down before lunging forward, running down a flight of stairs and forming several explosive X-shuriken as he tossed them down the hall.

The Shurikens exploded upon impacting with the next few Fire-Wraiths, Naruto lunging through the flames and sliding to a halt in the room with three doorways. "Right, now which one was it again?" The masked blond wondered to himself and then narrowed his eyes on the Dragon seal over the door to his right. "That one!" He declared while running into it, his eyes narrowed as he formed his Thermal-Blasters once more and aimed forward at a horde of incoming Wraiths, firing the weapons and destroying them for the moment as he then lunged forward, twisting on his heel into a jump out of the passage into the "Demon's Throne" as Etrigan had called it.

Landing on the ground in a low-crouch, Naruto narrowed his eyes as dozens of Fire-Wraiths rose between him and Raven. "Believe me when I tell you, you really don't want to get in my way!" Naruto growled out darkly even as he twisted around on his heel, extending the blade of the Kusanagi to slice the majority of the Fire-Wraiths in half. Twirling the Kusanagi in hand once the Wraiths were out of his way, Naruto then put the Kusanagi on his back, using his Chakra to adhere it to his back without a sheath. Marching forward, Naruto stalked passed more and more Fire-Wraiths as he approached Raven silently.

"Somehow, I knew you'd come after me…" Raven noted while turning to look at the blond with a sad smile on his face, Naruto's mask slipping back as he approached.

"Yeah well, even I couldn't imagine you actually coming here to die." The blond noted while the Titans and JLU came into the room behind him. "Took you guys long enough to get here…" The blond noted to himself while looking over to the Titans, only to turn back to Raven with a frown. Behind the blond, Night and the other titans moved towards Raven, but Batman held out his arms to stop them.

"Wait, give him a chance to talk some sense into her." Batman ordered and got a glare from Nightwing as his response, only for Naruto to walk up to Raven.

"Listen Kara-Chan, trust me when I say I know what you're going through here. The whole Destiny thing is a major mind-fuck, but you don't have to do what some damn prophecy tells you too!" Naruto tells the girl seriously while walking towards her, the violet haired girl shaking her head. Looking up afterwards Raven drew her hood down and gazed at the still eclipsed sun threw a high circular skylight.

"It's already begun Naruto… and there's no stopping what's meant to be." The girl told the blond and Naruto scoffed while grabbing her shoulders and glaring into her eye angrily.

"Kara-Chan you can't give up everything like this! You still have the chance for a life, you just have to make the choice not to give in!" Naruto told the girl and Raven looked down and sighed once more.

"I'm not like your friend Neji, nor am I like that Shion girl, Naruto… this is my destiny, I've known since I was a child." Raven replied before turning around and looking to the Demon's throne silently. "I've tried to control the dark side of me, I tried to do good things, to fight evil, and hoped that would make up for the horrible thing I'm destined to do." Raven replied while looking to the eclipsed sun once more and then turned around and gazed at Naruto evenly.

"You had a destiny as well though, so you should know that better than anyone." Raven reminded and behind the two, Batman raised a brow in interest as he saw Naruto flinch visibly. "A prophecy foretold the coming of a child who would bring a great revolution to his world, either to save it or lead it into ruin… that child was and still is you, Naruto." Raven reminded pointedly and Naruto frowned deeply while crossing his arms over his chest.

"That certainly explains his comment from earlier…" Batman mused to himself while watching the exchange from a distance. The Dark-Knight was also painfully aware that Naruto and "Red-X" were actually one and the same. However, it wasn't because Naruto was bad at hiding who he was. Anyone else would buy the act as Nightwing proved. The odd social twitches, the movements of his body, vocal patterns, and many other minor things were too obvious for the Dark-Knight to miss. The fact he had seen "Naruto" in Gotham on the same day Red-X appeared in town merely cemented his reasoning on the matter.

However, judging by what had been revealed by Slade, Batman could also see Naruto was essentially an inversion of him or Nightwing. An "Anti-Batman" of sorts, right down to his past, which was too similar to his or Nightwing's for his tastes. One key-difference however, besides Naruto's berserker rage, was that he had no one to turn too afterwards. He had had his butler Alfred to help him, and he had helped Nightwing, Naruto had no one to help him with the pain… he'd been alone. And while he'd normally take Naruto in, One, he had no way of doing so as no charges were put up, and two, the Titans actually needed Naruto.

He showed them the grey that lay between right and wrong, good and evil, life and death. The grey that few heroes chose to acknowledge because they were so caught up in their own glory. He also reminded them that they were only human, they had flaws, and they were fallible, something many heroes never learned. Superman still had problems learning it and he'd been doing this almost as long as Batman himself had. It often led to a hero breaking down when they failed to save someone, many heroes had "hung up their cape" after such an event, even he had done as such once… but hoprfully X could remind them they still had limits, and could still grow stronger.

Shaking those stray thoughts from his head, Batman narrowed his eyes as Naruto looked at Raven with a frown. "That doesn't matter and you know it." Naruto stated simply while inhaling deeply and gazing at Raven softly. "Destiny and Fate are the same thing, we make our destiny with every choice… no one knows what the future may hold, and no one knows what will happen next. But I do know one thing Kara-Chan, the only reason you'd cause the end of the world, is if you choose to do so…" Naruto declared defiantly and a small sad smile crept onto Raven's features as she gazed to the blond haired teen.

"You're right, there were things I didn't know… like how I'd make such wonderful friends…" Raven said while looking over to the titans, and then blushed slightly while looking to Naruto. "Or that I'd fall in love…" Raven whispered while backing away and Naruto gave the girl a look.

"Then make your choice Kara-Chan, it's still your destiny… but don't think that'll be the end of it." Naruto replied and Raven smiled sadly as she created a black force field between herself and the others. Cursing, Nightwing and the Titans ran forward, just as Raven brought up her hood with a sad smile directed towards Naruto.

"I know." She replied in kind while turning around as several stones started rising up like mock steps, the Titans ramming into the force field. The JLU ran over to it as well, Shayera roaring out as she slammed her mace into the shield, narrowing her eyes as it wavered for a moment yet still held firm.

"Etrigan, Dr. Fate, can you bring this down?" Batman demanded and Etrigan looked over to Dr. Fate the man mumbling something under his breath before firing a beam towards the field while Raven drew closer to the hand. The Titans continued wildly attacking the field as well, Etrigan breathing out a burst of hellfire towards it as Shayera slammed her mace into it as well. While they didn't break it down, Naruto saw it waver and closed his eyes. Feeling his last clone dispel, the blond opened his eyes and silently activated Sage mode before lunging forward.

Growling lightly, Naruto forced some Nature Chakra into his claws and dug them into the field. The attempt seemed to work as his claws managed to pierce the barrier, allowing the blond to slowly pull on it. Gritting his teeth as he did so, Naruto soon managed to pull open a tear in the field. As he did, Raven came to the palm of the massive clawed hand, then sat cross-legged and took a quick breath of air. The Titans looked to the blond in slight surprise as Naruto did so, only to turn back to trying to break open the field. Batman on the other hand looked around and narrowed his eyes as he noticed the wavering field.

"The Gem was born of evils fire!" Raven started while BB's eyes bolted open, only to look to the side as Naruto managed to fit his head through the tear he made in the obsidian black field.

"Dude he's actually doing it!" BB exclaimed in shock while Naruto managed to get one arm through the barrier before then pushing on the tear with all his might.

"The Gem shall be his portal!" Raven continued while making a hand sign with her right hand.

"Keep hitting it, the integrity of the field is weakening enough for him to pass through!" Batman ordered and Cyborg formed his Sonic-Cannon, blasting into the field with Etrigan and Dr. Fate, Starfire following suit with her eyebeams as Shayera started to lash out at the field with her mace once more. Growling as they did, Naruto felt the field give way once more and roared as he rolled through it, exiting the field only for it to slip shut behind him. As the field did, red runes ran the length of Raven's body, forming a familiar pattern over her body.

"He comes to claim, he comes to sire, the end of all things mortal!" Raven finished before throwing her arms to her sides, teeth gritted as the runes flowed off of her body and spiraled around her into three rings of runes, one above her, one below her and a final ring around her center.

"No! Naruto, you have to help us get through as well!" Night ordered only for Naruto to turn with a frown, the Red-X on his chest plainly visible and Nightwing's eyes widening in shock.

"Sorry kid… that isn't my style, and there's no more time left…" Naruto told the dark haired teen before shimmering for a moment, only to reappear and grab Raven in a hug, an amused smirk on his lips while the violet-haired girl stared at him in shock.

"Now did you really think you could get rid of me that easily?" Naruto quipped as he smirked at the violet-haired girl's wide-eyed look. However his own eyes then widened as numerous red markings started to appear over his own form. A spiral on his navel was where they started, but a marking under it made the spiral resemble a tomoe, a spiral on either shoulder, six tomoe marks circling his neck, a long trail leading down from either of the spirals to a spiral on his hands, three red stripes on either cheek over his whisker like marks, and a spiral on his forehead finished them.

"Uh dudes… like is that supposed to happen to Nar as well?" BB asked loudly, even as the other Titans could only gape at the spectacle in shock as the spiral on Naruto's stomach started to swirl inwards, deepening into a black circle…

"Hm hm hm ha ha ha ha ha! Finally! The time for my freedom has finally come at long last! And your own foolish emotions have finally lead to your ultimate defeat!" The Kyuubi's voice echoed somewhere in Naruto's subconscious as the seal holding it began to fade, allowing it to ram through the gateway that had held him back for nineteen long years.

'K-kyuubi… what is this? What the hell did you do to me!' Naruto inwardly demanded while gritting his teeth as his Rinnegan eyes turned blood red, a slitted pupil appearing in them.

"Your such a fool to have not figured it out yourself, Gaki. But I'll explain it to you since you're still so slow. It is I who has aided Trigon with his resurrection! Did you forget that I am a demon as well as a fox? And as you told Slade yourself Gaki, never trust a demon!" The Kyuubi declared loudly before a deep evil laugh echoed in the dark recesses of the blond haired youth's mind…

"H-How! Y-Your t-trapped in the s-seal!' Naruto demanded of the beast and it laughed once more even as Raven and he both grit their teeth, the red runes on her body glowing brightly as a red ring of energy formed around them.

"Foolish Gaki, everything you have done up to this point has been part of our plan. And to think, it was on the day you first met with your precious little "Kara-Chan" that your end truly began!" The Kyuubi stated darkly even as the energy ring around Naruto and Raven shrank and both teens started to vanish… "Yes, it was all so simple. You really are too predictable Ningen. All we had to do was ensure you and your precious "Kara-Chan" grew close to one another, and we knew you'd sacrifice life and limb to save her, ending with this happening." Kyuubi continued explained while Naruto grit his teeth both he and Raven reduced to their shoulders / head and feet…

"To achieve this goal we merely needed to help your little romance go along. Trigon was the one who implanted the urge Raven had to get to know you, and I did the same to you for her. Afterwards, whenever the chance to push you two together presented itself, we helped. Trigon allowed Rage or Passion to show her feelings for you while I kept you alive, you dying would've ruined all our hard work afterall. We were also the ones who have so graciously caused the Mental-Bond between you two when I took some of Raven's power that day!" The Beast said laughingly as Naruto and Raven were torn apart at their midriff before flowing over their bodies…

"And to think that in the end you never suspected I could be so treacherous, and that it actually worked is what makes this all the sweeter, Gaki. Killing another Rikudo Senning is merely a bonus, but one I will cherish always I assure you. Your foolish emotions have always been your greatest flaw. Only its different now because now you'd literally walk through hell before watching another precious person die, thanks to that worthless wench, Kushina!" Kyuubi continued and Naruto inwardly growled while a tear formed at the side of his eye.

'So… you used my emotions for Kara-Chan… to get yourself out of the seal… you fucking… fox!' Naruto growled at the demon inwardly as he grit his teeth as nearly all of his body had already faded away.

"Come now Gaki… you remember the story of the fox and the wolves. How the cunning fox tricked his way to freedom to hunt for himself…" The Kyuubi stated ominously, causing Naruto's eyes to bolt open as he truly understood its meaning for the first time. "Yes Gaki, you are not the fox, I 'm the Fox, and you are the wolf! Over the years I have suffered indignity after indignity at the hands of the wolves, the Uzumaki Clan who've contained me for so long! And now finally after waiting for so long, now when you've grown complacent to my presence within you… Or rather, you became lazy and content with it. Only now do I claw my way to freedom, to "hunt" for myself once more!" The Kyuubi analyzed before laughing loudly as Naruto and Raven completely faded away, a circle of energy forming where they had been…

"DUDE!" BB exclaimed, as the trio of runes swirling in the air were all that was left of either Naruto or Raven. However those runes did not stay idle as they suddenly came together to form into a ring. However the ring then exploded forth, flames at its rim, while appearing to be a disk of some kind. The disk continued to grow; causing those watching to shield their eyes from the bright light it created. The strange disk destroyed the alter it had been formed over and caused flames to trail up to the walls to the ceiling. Within the strange disk a swirl of red and orange energy starts to spiral inwards, only Dr. Fate moving to look on…

"He has come at last…" Dr. Fate whispered before quickly chanting and casting an energy field around himself and Shayera, Etrigan snarling as he watched, a frown on Batman's features as he clenched his fists. The Shield Raven had erected earlier finally gave way completely as true horror entered into their world.

A hand was the first sight, then another, and strangely, two more clawed their way out of the portal, Dr. Fate's eyes widening as he saw a pair of beasts rather than one. The first was a fifty foot tall, four glowing red eyes, a red gem on its forehead in the same position and shape as Raven's own, long white hair, antlers forming off its head like a crown, bright red skinned being with black stripes at its shoulders and ribs, a pair of black armored wrist bands covered its forearms much like the kind Raven took to wearing, its legs ended in cloven hooves, it also wears black briefs, a white loincloth worn over top it and a black armored piece over his midriff.

"Uh, is there supposed to be two of them?" Kid-Flash demanded with wide eyes as the second beast crawled out of the portal and let out a loud roar into the night.

"No, there is not! This is something else, perhaps something even more sinister than Trigon!" Dr. Fate replied with wide eyes behind his helm as he actually recognized this beast's basic shape and form, though it still differed greatly to the ancient demonic incarnation of pure evil he'd seen in one of his books.

The being climbed out of the portal silently, tails thrashing about as it did so and causing wind to twist and turn. It was just as if not taller than Trigon himself, with the body of a fox, though its upper torso more closely resembled a human's, having hands and arms replacing its frontal paws / legs, two crimson red eyes with black slits at their center, bright orange fur with black stripes leading from around its bloodshot eyes into its long almost rabbit like ears, black claws adorned its hands and hind paws, and nine long thin tails lashed out at the room around it, tearing the walls of the roof down while it roared out loudly.

The Titans and JLU looked on silently as both Trigon and the Kyuubi then glared down at them ominously. Fire roared and twisted all around the demons as Trigon raised his arms in triumph and breathed the air, as if savoring the smell of freedom for the briefest of moments. Meanwhile Kyuubi shook its body as if it were wet, and given its previous home, this wasn't so strange. "The Earth is OURS!" Trigon suddenly declared loudly, the Kyuubi roaring at his side as they both glared down at the humans before them silently…

TBC…

AN: The story Kyuubi is referring too is the story Naruto "Thought of" back during his original escape from Konoha and went like this…

"Once upon a time, a long time ago in a forest far away, a pack of wolves captured a small fox. The wolves forced the fox to hunt for them, bringing them food while it was given less than scraps. But the fox was a cunning creature, as it hunted over time it grew bigger and stronger. Soon, the fox was strong enough and captured more and more for the wolves, allowing them to grow fat with the food it brought. Then, once the wolves were fat, lazy, and content, the cunning fox made his escape. The slow wolves were unable to catch the fox for it was no longer small nor weak… the fox had grown strong while they had become weak. Thus, the fox returned to freedom, hunting only for himself…"