THE END WAR – NADIA AND SWEN

The Imperial Palace

Blasts of golden 'psychic' energy connect in the air. Swen has never experienced anything like this before. He has heard of other people using 'psychic' energy in rumours, but he has never encountered them. He has never fought against anyone who could do anything close to what he can, now he has found that person, it is his own son. As he switches from blasts of energy to throwing physical items at his son Ming Dai dodges the first few before using his golden 'strength' energy to shatter the others.

Ming Dai doesn't care how novel this fight is to his father, he has only one intention, to win. This will be payback for the way he was forced to live his life, it will be his symbol of gratitude to the people who helped him along the way. He fights for Headmaster Sora who was a father to him, for Shao Chin who helped him to become more powerful, for Naruto who made him understand what it means to fight for what you believe in.

There is only one thing that Swen can do to stand up to his son now. That is transforming parts of his body into pure energy. That is the power of his divine ability Energy Body, converting himself into hardened energy. While he is using the Energy Body he becomes harder to hurt and slightly faster, but not invincible. He activates the Energy Body not because he wants to fight a close-range battle with his son, but because he suspects that it is now inevitable.

As Ming Dai approaches Swen tries a different tactic to fight back. He uses telekinesis to throw a boulder away from his son at an angle before bouncing it back in his direction. As it approaches Dai the rebel leaps over it with an unusual style. This is something he learnt from Naruto's family during the time he was meditating on his element. When he lands in front of his father he strikes him with golden 'strength' energy. Swen winces from the pain of the strike but thanks to his Energy Body he can tolerate it. It will take more than that to defeat him.

Dai tries to attack a second time but Swen doesn't allow it, blocking the strike and pushing it past him. Swen then counterpunches Dai, driving him back one step. As the punches continue to fly between the two of them Ming Dai is surprised by the Lazy King's ability to fight like this. He had assumed that Swen's moniker of the Lazy King meant that he had never bothered training for a fight like this, but that is not true. Dai does land several attacks as their exchange continues, but every counterpunch landed with the Energy Body is just as painful. They are cancelling each other out.

Swen spots an opening and uses telekinesis to push Dai back.

"You're not as strong as you could be," Swen says.

"Shut up! I'm not joining the empire."

"I'm not saying you should join the empire; I'm saying you should listen to that divine ability of yours, right now it's not as strong as it could be," Swen explains. "Divine energy flows in a circuit, that is how some of us are able to combine divine energy to become stronger. If we can balance energies equally like your friend Uzumaki has done then we can use that to combine elements and make them stronger. However, some of us have abilities that put elements in different circuits such as Helion Ashen. That is why she cannot combine her elements to become stronger, even if they are balanced."

"I don't need you to teach me about divine energy!"

"Your power is the type that puts energy in different circuits. Even if you had five ancestors with double-transcendent elements, it could only make you a class 9 warrior. Yet some elements work differently. They may not help raise your battle class if they are on different circuits, but they can still make your other powers stronger. Your divine ability can do that, with one final element you could be stronger still. You may even be able to defeat me."

"I will defeat you!"

"Then show that divine ability your heart. Show it that your family is more than the people you share blood with. Show that divine ability what you believe family means. Then maybe your divine inheritance will be enough to defeat me. Otherwise, this is the end for you."

Swen rushes towards his son.

Dai doesn't understand what the Lazy King was talking about. Was he being serious or was he just trying to distract the prince? No, somehow Ming Dai knows the truth, that there is a way to become stronger. He ventures into his inner world, unsure how to achieve what Swen spoke of. He looks at his tablet before turning the other way and looking into the endless void that is his inner world. He then shouts his belief into that empty space, he shouts the name of who he considers to be his father.

"Muto Sora is my father!"

Ming Dai raises his hand. Swen stops and does the same. They both throw golden 'psychic' energy at each other. Swen is smiling, he realises that Ming Dai has worked out a way. As they continue the contest of telekinetic strength seconds pass. After ten seconds Dai starts to push Swen back along the ground. Ming Dai begins to run in the Lazy King's direction, pushing him back just as fast as he runs forward. After running for a considerable distance he lifts his father into the air with telekinesis and slams him back down into the ground.

Swen makes full use of his Energy Body as he sits up, declaring that with this power Ming Dai is incapable of defeating him.

Swen is lying, and Ming Dai knows it. He refocuses on his golden 'strength' energy, bringing the gold and green energy to his arm. He continues to look at his father for a couple of seconds before that gold and green energy is joined by another, an energy that is gold and dark blue. Swen smiles at what his son has achieved, Ming Dai has started to use the one element that can make others stronger in a different circuit.

Ming Dai is using golden 'enhancement' energy as well.

Ming places a foot on his father's shoulder and forces him back down onto the ground. He combines the powers of golden 'strength' and golden 'enhancement'. He is using the Divine Inheritance divine ability to use not only the power of his biological predecessors but also of the man he considers to be his true father. He raises his fist and strikes down towards Swen's centre of mass, striking against the Energy Body as hard as he can. The impact forces a cry of pain from Swen's mouth as the Energy Body is shattered and most of his divine energy leaves him.

Ming Dai has won.

Ming Dai has defeated King Hoffman Swen.

"You told me how to defeat you."

"I told you how to become stronger. I cannot take credit for anything else."

"Why would you do that, even if you knew it meant I could win?"

"If you want to know that, link your mind with mine."

Swen weakly lifts his hand. Pink 'psychic' energy dances from his fingertips. He offers that hand to Ming Dai, suggesting that they both use their powers to see into the other's mind. He is suggesting a total drop of their mental defences, that for a moment they allow their thoughts to meld. Ming Dai has spent most of his life hating Swen but has never truly understood him. For a moment he wants to see what his father thought he was doing, what his father has been doing all this time.

Ming Dai brings 'psychic' energy to his own hand and presses it against Swen's.

Ming Dai sees a vision of Swen looking older than he does now, he appears to be in his late forties. He hears thoughts in his head, kind and beautiful thoughts. A woman appears in the vision standing opposite his father. That woman is his mother, Ming Jingyi. He feels a great sense of joy fill his heart as the two of them stand happily together. The vision changes when a child is born, that child was him. He hears them speak about their fear of that child being taken to serve in the empire. He hears Swen, his father, speak of how he hates the emperor and will do his best to prevent that. He hears his mother express concerns that even Swen cannot stop Furst from taking Dai.

Dai feels a sadness start to overpower the vision. He sees a vision of Queen Nadia sighing, then one of the emperor demanding that Swen's child be raised to fight for the empire. The next time Swen returns to see Jingyi, he finds her dead, and there is no sign of Dai anywhere. Dai knows why this happened, because Jingyi sent him to be raised by Muto Sora. Dai feels Swen's great fear of Jonas through the vision, but also another emotion. He feels hatred. If Jonas had not made constant unreasonable demands of Swen and the other royals, Jingyi would not have worried about Dai fighting for the empire. If not for Jonas, Jingyi's death could have been prevented. Dai feels this rage being overpowered by fear. The fear is born from thousands of times Jonas showed his strength in front of Swen. It is a strength Swen had no chance of fighting back against.

Ming Dai feels hopeless as he watches the vision. For the first time he asks what his father was supposed to do. Fighting Jonas would not have saved Jingyi or Ming Dai. Swen could only try to keep them all alive by obeying the emperor. He had seen for many years how strong Jonas was, how defeating him was impossible. Even when the vision changes to Swen meeting Dai again the only thoughts going through the King of Gavaria's head were about how to protect his son. Dai is the last piece of Jingyi in this world, and ever since he appeared Swen has done his best to protect him.

Swen also learns of Dai's story. He sees a young man being raised by Muto Sora, doing his best each day to understand divine energy. He sees the joy on Ming Dai's face when he understands 'strength' energy for the first time in his early twenties. He sees the subsequent years of hard work to continue mastering that element. He sees Ming Dai first receiving a training manual from Sora, he sees him receiving a divine ability and being disgusted with that ability's power and how it reminded him of Swen. Swen sees the life of his son who grew up hating him but grew up in an environment where he was mostly happy.

Then the Lazy King sees a vision of himself attacking the Military Academy. He feels great shame, experiencing the terror that Dai and the others must have felt when he arrived. He sees Dai becoming friends with Naruto and Shao Chin. He experiences the awe that his son feels in the presence of Uzumaki Naruto, the trust that has built between the two of them. He sees their many adventures together, the moments where Ming Dai came to believe in the Leader of the Rebellion so much. He sees the journey of Muto Sora's student who went from being an optimist to being a believer. He sees him following and working with Uzumaki Naruto, he sees all the moments that made Dai and Sora think that Naruto could defeat Jonas. He sees all those moments of Dai's journey and begins to feel the same way his son does.

The two of them separate, unlinking their minds from one another.

"You have done well my son," Swen says.

"I always blamed you for my mother's death…"

"I should have realised what she planned to do. I should have met with Sora myself and fought back before it was too late."

"You had no way of fighting back against him, not even with Sora's help."

"The truth is that I was too weak, or too afraid," Swen admits. "Either way I didn't do what I was supposed to do. Jingyi put her trust in me to look after you, to protect you from the empire. I should have done better; I should have made certain that they would never learn about you. It doesn't matter how she died, the fact that it happened means I failed as your father."

"I always hated you," Ming Dai says. "But I was wrong. You were not to blame, there was nothing you could do."

"You are right to trust Uzumaki Naruto. If you can believe in him…"

"I am sorry. You are my—"

Gold and crimson 'destruction' energy hits Swen!

Swen drops to the ground, gasping for air as he is overcome by pain. He tries using divine energy to redirect the flow of his blood, but even that cannot do much after the energy he was just hit with. He tilts his head slightly and sees that he was struck from afar by the man who he has been working for all these years. He was struck by the energy of Furst Jonas!

Nadia screams dramatically and runs away from Boruto towards her fallen friend.

'What is happening?' Boruto asks himself. 'Swen was on his side. Why would anyone do something like this, punishment for failure? How could he, doesn't he care about anything or anyone? What is the point of ruling the world without any allies? What is the point of any of this? If he keeps this up he won't just destroy the rebellion, he will destroy everyone! What will be left for him to rule?'

Nadia kneels beside Swen.

"Hey, why did you lose you idiot? You were supposed to win here."

"I'm sorry… Nadia… sorry…"

Tears form in Nadia's eyes as she takes Swen's hand and holds it tightly. She can feel him growing weaker by the second. This was never part of her plan. All the other losses were accounted for in her plans, but never the loss of Swen. How could anyone have known this would happen? Even a genius like her could not have predicted that Ming Dai's divine ability would turn him into a class 9 warrior. No, this wasn't foreseeable, not even for her. That is why everything is falling apart in front of her eyes. Her plans are being shattered like they never have before. It is a disaster.

Nadia stands.

"Jonas you idiot! What are you doing!? He was supposed to be on your side! We were on your side! Why have you done this?"

Jonas simply glances at Nadia. The royals have been losing to the rebels all over the battlefield, but that has not bothered him. Swen was clearly thinking of defecting to the rebellion. That is something that he will not allow.

Naruto takes advantage of this momentary distraction to attack Jonas. He approaches from the side, jumping and kicking towards Jonas as hard as he can. As usual he holds nothing back, combining 'wind' energy, 'might' energy and Detonation Martial Arts to power his movements to the utmost. In spite of that Jonas simply raises a hand to stop the attack. He doesn't even bother catching the attack himself, he creates a small vibrating platform using Nano-Control and uses that to stop Naruto. He flicks his finger using golden 'destruction' energy to send Naruto away again. Even now that he is looking the other way he is too strong.

Boruto, Nadia, and Ming Dai all look at Jonas in terror. How can anyone be this strong? How can someone not even move when a class 9 warrior with all those power-enhancing techniques attacks? How can someone fight a warrior like Naruto without even looking at him? Even now with the remainder of the battle won by the rebellion they feel hopeless. Fighting someone like that is beyond what anyone could be expected to do. They each see the realisation of the prophecy in front of them. Surely that famous prediction is coming true, Jonas is becoming the foretold god.

Nearby Didier's plan worked, he has convinced the generals to do their jobs once again and to work with the rebellion. In turn they have persuaded the rest of the Imperial Guard that now is the time to stand up against Furst Jonas. Erik was killed by Sarada's golden 'destruction' breakthrough. Nadia has no intention of fighting for Jonas anymore. Swen is dying in his son's arms. Petra is immobile thanks to the efforts of Ashen and the Little Diamond. Max was killed by the experiment that he created. Sabine was killed by the members of the family that have fought against her for years. Now only Furst Jonas himself remains in the rebellion's way.

The rebels and the Imperial Guard move towards Jonas and Naruto but know that they must keep some distance. If any of them get too close without waiting for an opportunity to intervene they will become a burden to Naruto who is already focused on the most difficult battle of his life. They are all now praying for the miracle to happen, for that one final victory over the world's most terrifying opponent.

'I had never seen a pocket-worlder defeat a colonel like you did,' Clyde says in his mind. 'I never thought you would be able to defeat me, but you did, you did it using 'life' energy. That is when I started to hope that one day you could free this world, and now you're almost there. Just a little more Naruto, just one last win.'

Muto Enri's thoughts are similar. 'Many people call you Akashi's successor, but you're so much more than an imitation Naruto. You have created a legend in your own right. You have won battles that nobody else could have won, forged alliances that people thought unimaginable, inspired people to break years of silence. You are my brother's student, my student, the rebellion's champion, you were born for this. Just win!"

'I was right,' says Hannah. 'You were crazy, completely insane. Your philosophy, the way you fought, your decisions, they were all absurd. But you made me want to win for the first time in my life. You made me want something. All this time I have fought with you I have learned so much, now I only ask you for one last thing. Defeat him Naruto-sensei. I don't know how. Even my instincts think it is impossible, but I believe in you. I believe in you!'

Marti Nina thinks of him too. 'Uzumaki Naruto, my 9th student, my 5th son. Back when we met Juan and I called you moral support, but you are so much more than that. You are a hero, a beacon of hope to all these people. To anyone who doubts you show them why I believe in you, show them why you are Homeworld's chosen one.'

Yuuki Terukatsu is also willing Naruto forward. 'We were never going to stand up to him because we were afraid. Back then I never thought that you could win, until you took Ewoa I still didn't believe it. But you have done more than anyone I have ever met, you have inspired so many people, given hope to countless more. Show the War Council that we were right to side with you that day. Save the world Naruto!'

'It wasn't dumb luck that brought you here,' Mana thinks. 'Mother said that even if she used all her 'fate' energy her influence couldn't have made a pocket-worlder who can do what you can do. You are here because it is your destiny, I truly believe that. The gods brought you and Hinata-sis together to free us all.'

Shao Chin remembers meeting Naruto. 'Agreeing to pursue you was a terrible thing to do, but I would do it again. You defeated me, and I am glad that you did. Joining your rebellion and meeting all these amazing people changed my life. I realised how much this world that I had left behind had suffered and wanted to do something about it. I saw how strong the empire was, I knew that you were weaker, but I sided with you anyway. Prove that I was right Naruto, defeat Furst!'

Chang Ziyi recalls meeting Naruto. 'I would have gone insane soon, trapped in that pit. You fell from the sky and spoke to me, the first conversation I had in years. You tried to escape and I thought you were mad, but as you continued something became clear to me. You are different. It is that determination of yours, that spirit. You were always going to escape that pit, because you were always going to be here, fighting this man, saving us all.'

Didier reminisces about Naruto. 'You dared to do what nobody else would do. You ran into Fauna City and fought right in front of me. As a class 8 warrior you walked into the most dangerous place in Seblix and confronted me. I thought you were a crazy optimist like Akashi who couldn't change our fate. I was wrong, you are even more amazing than he was. You changed the fate of my people, now it is time to do that for all of Homeworld. Go Pocket Emperor!'

'I wanted you to betray the humans,' Emilie admits. 'I didn't realise what would happen back then. I thought you were an innocent pocket-worlder who would be strong enough one day to fight with us beasts. I thought I was recruiting a strong warrior and his allies. I was blind. Now I see that you are so much more than you could have ever been if you joined me. Win Naruto, win!'

'Almost there now Naruto,' thinks Hatake Kakashi. 'That young man who dreamed of being Hokage would never have believed where he would end up. You wanted to be acknowledged, all of us are doing that now. We acknowledge you as the only one who can win here.'

'Everyone is here with you Naruto,' says Minato. 'This story is coming to an end just as I always imagined it would. I imagined the day you would stand victorious in front of countless allies having defeated Jonas. Now that day has finally arrived. Make my imagination reality, defeat him!'

Himawari smiles. 'When you fell from the sky you brought hope with you, hope for all the people of the Hidden Leaf. They knew that when they saw their 7th Hokage everything would be OK. The military thought they were stupid, optimistic because of a false idol from their past. Now you have nearly done it, you have nearly saved them. One last fight! One last fight father!'

Sasuke looks on. 'I once told you that Sakura died not because she believed you, but because she believed in you. I shouldn't have said that to you, but I was right, she did believe in you. So many people have fought so hard to get you here because they believed in you. You are a hopeless and naïve fool who endlessly shouts about being the Hokage and saving everyone. But, seeing you say all those things, seeing you do all those things is the reason I believe in you. This is it Naruto, this is your destiny.'

'I thought that my father wanted me to find strength in the pocket-world. I thought he wanted me to return and defeat Jonas,' Hinata says. 'But maybe that wasn't what he wanted. I think he wanted me to find something else in that pocket-world. I think he wanted me to find friends, friends who would fight so that I didn't need to be strong. I don't often let myself be weak, but when I do it is because I know that I can be weak in front of you. You are a man who can do anything Uzumaki Naruto. Become the Pocket Emperor, win this final time. Winning this fight is the reason you were born.'

Of course Jonas notices the rebellion and the Imperial Guard approaching. He knows that they have betrayed him. He suspected that this outcome was possible, that when the royals were defeated the Imperial Guard would be given hope. Despite their new allegiance he can see that they are all exhausted. He knows that nobody here is strong enough or has enough energy to intervene in his fight with Naruto. He isn't bothered, even if he fought everyone here he believes that he could win. He is the foretold god. He agrees that destiny brought Naruto here but not for the Hokage to win. He believes destiny brought Naruto here so that he could be defeated in front of his followers, so that Jonas could prove himself a god.

"Are you listening."

…

"Ming Dai, are you listening?"

Ming Dai looks up slightly. He was using 'psychic' energy to hear the thoughts of others. These are the thoughts of Queen Hirsch Nadia. She knew that he would be listening to her thoughts and she is using that as a covert means of speaking with him.

"Try not to react. Can you speak to me telepathically? That way he won't think we are using communication stones."

"Can you hear me?" Dai asks.

"Yes. That's telepathy, good."

"Why are you speaking to me Nadia?"

"Who is he to you now? Is he King Hoffman Swen of the Empire, or is he Hoffman Swen your father?"

"He is my father."

"OK, then listen to me closely. Do you think that you have enough range on that telepathy to speak to Naruto?"

Ming Dai turns his head marginally to judge how far away Naruto is. It is quite a long way but Dai believes that it is just within his range.

"I think I can speak with him," Dai says.

"Good. In that case you can speak with anyone closer to you as well, right? Particularly I need you to speak with his son Uzumaki Boruto, and his friend Uchiha Sasuke."

"Why would I do that?"

"The rebellion wants a plan to fight back against Jonas. You want a plan to save Swen. They call me the Thinking Queen for a reason. I need you to trust me Ming Dai. Until now you have considered me an enemy, but now I need you to look at me not as Queen Hirsch Nadia of the Empire. I want you to look at me as Hirsch Nadia, your father's friend."

Ming Dai has seen Swen's interactions with Nadia, he trusts her.

"I trust you Nadia."

Nadia hides a smile.

"Good, because I have a plan."

In Response to the Darkest Wizard
Who asks how loyal the generals are to their royals

Safura never liked Jonas.

Alaa respected Sabine but only worked with her because he had no choice.

Rana disliked Max but worked with him because defying him would mean death.

Odion likes Swen.

Yasmine didn't like or dislike Erik but she found it amusing to make jokes at his expense.

Dodi neither likes or dislikes Nadia, but he does respect her.

Nero liked Petra.

Thanks for reading.

In Response to Hyokage
Who asks if Hannah's instincts are a divine ability or not

Hannah's instincts are the result of the artificial Supreme Instinct divine ability that she was created with.

Thanks for reading.

In Response to Engineer
Who asks several questions

Question: What does Max's element do?
Answer: If he has advanced notice of a fight he can disperse his 'particles' energy into the surrounding area while using Regulation. He can then recall that energy mid-fight for a big energy increase. The energy also helped him with his experiments. It didn't help him much with fighting Hannah who was far stronger than him.

Question: Who asks if Mitsuki's actions will be revealed?
Answer: I couldn't possibly say without giving away spoilers.

Thanks for reading.

In Response to Guest/rasengan1245
Who has an idea about energy from other universes.

I love that idea, and those battle class summaries are great.

Thanks for reading.