AN/ I'm back, thanks for your patience.


chapter 37: cataclysm

Mito brushed a smudge of ink off her face with a sigh. They had been at this for what felt like hours. If she were just a little pedantic about things, then Naruto most certainly got the short end of the stick on this one. He and six of his clones had remained motionless since they started. Wholly focused on gathering the nature chakra needed for the seal. It was more than enough to turn anyone else into a statue. Of that she had no doubt, even her dear Hashirama would struggle under just half the load this young man had taken on.

As for the Seal, it was ready if one could call ready being a formation strung together by desperate dreams, hope, and a literal metric ton of metaphorical chicken wire. Mito could attest that it would work. But if anything went wrong. If they were off by just the slightest variable, then the seal would fail. And all of their efforts would be for nought. That was the best-case scenario. She did not even want to think about a worst-case scenario. That was too much to put on anyone's shoulders…

She turned to the blonde sage. "Naruto we're ready." She said.

The blonde opened his eyes, revealing the bar like pupils of a Toad Sage, his form radiating with power. The blonde walked up to Mito. Looking over her work. "It's good," he surmised.

Mito snorted, "ha, of course it is. Who do you think made it? Danzo?! As brilliant as that boy was, he was not an Uzumaki, nor was he trained by one."

Naruto couldn't agree more. And the less said about the long deceased war hawk, the better. "Right then, we need a sample to start this then."

Mito nodded. "I have been keeping abreast of the situation, thanks to your clones. Thankfully, they managed to get your little kiddies out of the way. Even if your fashionista took a nasty tumble." Mito saw the quickly forming scowl and elaborated. "Coco sprained her ankle, but she is fine though, nothing a night's rest won't heal."

"On another note," Mito's grin was absolutely vicious. "When I added this part here to the seal, I determined that a live subject would be best." She explained.

Just as she said that there was an explosion, a dragon of wood roared, and a forest grew to consume more of the courtyard.

"Alright, Hashirama!" Madara cheered, "this is so much fun."

Obito sighed internally, rather grateful that the ancient shinobi's livid anger had looped around from seething disappointment to glib amusement. Once it became clear that he could not simply put down these creatures. Like he had assumed. Because Madara was Madara and assumed that these creatures could prove to be a worthy challenge.

"Alright Again!"

Obito reflexively rolled his eyes, ignoring the cheer, Children, the lot of them. How did Mito-Sama ever put up with them? He sighed again. That was becoming a habit. He supposed that glib amusement was better than the alternative.

The alternative was scary. No one wanted an angry Madara, even if he was less powerful than Naruto. His wroth was legendary. No sane person alive would like to see Madara devastating the continent while throwing a right tanty.

Obito liked to think that these days he was very much a sane person. He sighed once more, ducking under the rebounding fist from his monster. This was getting annoying. The things were at their core, one trick ponies, not really worth their time, nor their full effort, had they not been blessed with immortality of a sort. What made them so deadly was their rapid evolution. Every time they were bested, they adapted, evolved into better killing machines than before, and even that was negligible for those raised as a shinobi like them. And they were the best of the best. Every one of them was an S-class shinobi brought back at the peak of their primes.

Still, Obito did his duty. Instantly Slipping through debris and spikes of earth meant to maim him. He closed the distance between himself and the monster in a blur of speed. He had already killed it several times. And its form was drastically different from before. Gone was its ghastly white skin, now dyed a burnished bronze. Gone was its bulky frame, with the stature of a bodybuilder, now reduced to a slender silhouette. It shed bulky muscles for a more slender frame designed for speed. It also bore a patchwork of zipper-like openings all over its body. The largest of them left a gaping black void in the center of its face where a black corrosive mist and black ichor leaked out. Peeking out from that void were two crimson slitted eyes.

His hands blurred through seals. His form seemed to flicker in and out of existence. Fire Release: Dance of the Sun Halo. With a quickly generated chakra rod the length of a tanto, he ignited the facsimile of a blade and made several slashes from which waves of flames burst forth from.

The creature took the attack head on. Allowing its flesh to blacken and burn. Obito was not done yet, not by a long shot. Severing its arms and legs in one smooth motion. He jammed the receiver into its chest, pinning it to the wall.

"Oi, Obito, get over here and bring that monster with you." he heard Mito call out.

Obito let out another sigh, when he heard perverse giggling behind him. Glancing back, he scowled at his long-time partner. Who was idly perched on what remained of a collapsed wall. "Kakashi, what are you doing?"

"Ma, ma, nothing really. Just watching you, ever since Madara stole my kill." the shinobi in question replied blithely, His nose buried in a book.

"And… Just How Long ago was that!" Obito growled, rubbing the bridge of his nose in a mix of frustration and anger.

"Eh, about two hours ago…"

A growl of frustration escaped Obito, his nostrils flaring. He counted to three and swore he wouldn't murder the lazy pervert. He swore he wouldn't. His hand doing that twitch thing again, straying dangerously close to his weapon pouch, when he heard Kakashi giggle again. He had to remind himself that he had a task to do. He had to tell himself that. Giving the perverted Kage level shinobi a dirty look before he hoisted the now crippled creature up and made the quick leap onto the rooftop. Where both Mito and Naruto were.

"Ah, good you can set it right there in the center of the seal." Mito said. The moment he did, blood red chakra chains burst forth from the ground. Latching onto what remained of its limbs and anchored it to the spot, before it could even so much as move an inch.

Despite being bound in Mito's crimson chakra chains. It writhed and raged in its bindings. For all that it struggled, those chains held strong, crackling with ominous crimson lightning.

Mito swayed on her feet, wincing from the strain. "Are you ok, Mito-Sama?" Obito asked, gently supporting her.

She smiled softly, "yes, I'm quite fine, I just did not expect this naughty child to put up such a struggle. I will, however, take more care in the future." Her smile turned into a wide, vicious grin full of teeth. More chains snaked out, binding the beast more securely. "Honestly, I could keep this up all day if I wanted." she huffed.

Naruto nodded, "of course, but are you still good to go? This is going to be an arduous sealing ritual."

Mito snorted, "Honestly grandson, I can't leave it all up to you, now can I?" she asked, standing strong. "You can count on me for support." She reassured the blonde, holding out a fist.

Naruto smiled, reciprocating the gesture and bumping fists. "Ok then, let's begin."

Naruto walked to the center of the seal and placed a hand on the creature's chest. Channeling chakra into the seal beneath his feet. The seal crawled up the creature's hide, etching into its flesh. Scenting the air with the acrid smell of burning flesh, then it expanded swiftly to encompass the roof spreading to all of its ilk. There was no hiding, no running from this. Everyone of its kind was marked. Burning kanji with the characters for stillness and unity seared into their flesh. Forcing the marked into a dormant temporary stillness. An eerie silence pervaded the once vibrant city, now turned into a grimm battlefield, with that stillness Naruto's sage mode ended.

Five of his six clones stood and took their designated places on the seal, each one taking a spot marked with each of the five elements, Water, fire, wind, earth, and lightning. Their combined chakra flowed into the seal before dispelling. Five pillars of golden light shot into the sky from where they stood. Bathing the black night sky in moats of golden light. From that light rained down dragon headed chains the color of the resplendent starry sky. Each and every marked creature touched by those chains glowed to match.

When Naruto's last clone dispelled, restoring the full might of his sage mode. Mito took up her place right behind Naruto. Placing her hand on his shoulder. One of her chakra chains snaked out, gently wrapping around his wrist.

"So, are you ready, grandson?" Mito teasingly asked.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" Naruto jested in return.

"Naruto…" Mito said, caressing his shoulders affectionately. "I'll do my part, so just stay safe, ok?"

"Ok." Naruto said, as bar shaped pupils shifted to ringed crimson.

This time when he reached out with the power of his sun marked palm. All was silent on the canvas of souls. Gone was the chaotic discord upon the starry universe of souls. Each of these souls bound and connected to each other by bands of light that made them appear like constellations in the night sky. And there it was, just like a black hole at the center of the cosmos, the rot, the corrupting influence that murdered so many and turned them into this, these abominations, perversions of nature.

It had spread since he was last able to force a connection. Hundreds, possibly thousands of souls forever corrupted by darkness. It made him wish he could have helped sooner. There was no saving them already, their bodies destroyed, their souls parted from the flesh. But the fate of those souls afflicted, completely corrupted by the darkness, was so much worse than death. Those he could not save. There was nothing left holding their souls together. Oblivion, that was what awaited them once this was all over. Nothing awaited them after this, but silent destruction.

As Naruto reached out and touched a once brightly glimmering soul, now only glowing with a dull light. The rot quivered in fear, attempting to lash out and sever, to destroy him utterly. But it could not, rather the bands of light that tethered all these souls also bound the dark rot, holding it at bay.

His power, the power of one who holds the title of the Sage of Six Paths. Flowed into the little soul he cradled in his hands. Its soft glow brightened ever so slightly, glowing with the restorative power of the sage, fighting off the corruption that ensnared it so.

Slowly, ever so slowly, the other souls around him took on his light. Glowing a soft golden glow, as pure as spun gold itself.

Through it all, Naruto was there for them all in their last moments, bringing them what little comfort he could in at their end. Some he held as they mourned for loved ones lost. Others railed against him, lamenting the unfairness of human life. Others begged, pleaded, and bargained for just a little more time. Most asked of the fates of their loved ones, begging for him to take them instead, for him to save them, for anything if only they could live on. It was a feat of power beyond time and space. A feat only possible through the guidance of Ninshu, the ability to connect with others. Through it he understood them, as they did him.

"I'm sorry..." that was all he could say when he connected to so many. Sorry for not being there, sorry for not being able to save them, for not getting here sooner.

]|[

In her long career of training to be a Huntress, Coco had thought she had seen everything. She had trained for this. She had felt that she was born for this line of work. Even if you took away her designer clothes, her dust, and even her prized possession, Gianduja. And still Coco felt that yes, this was her calling in life. Once she signed up, she never looked back.

That was why, even when being carried piggyback by a clone, she took things in stride. Not that she had a choice with her leg in a splint.

That was why she leaned closer, wrapping her arms around the clone's neck, pressing her rather sizable bust into his back, "sooo, Whiskers, you gonna explain what that is to the group?" she asked, pointing to the illuminated night sky. As they steadily made their way to the meeting point.

"Coco!" Velvet groaned.

Fox let out a silent, amused huff.

While Yatsuhashi simply maintained his stoic facade, preferring to silently observe things.

For a while, the clone was silent. Debating on how he would answer that. In the end, he resolved not to hide anything, to tell the truth, just like the boss did.

With a sigh, the Naruto clone started his explanation. "That is the beginning of a long, long conversation on a unique and incredibly difficult branch of Ninjustu known as Fūinjutsu."

"So this is part of his semblance?" Coco asked.

"No, Fūinjutsu is not a semblance, it's something the boss learned." the clone denied, "He we don't even have aura, our power comes from chakra."

"What is chakra?" Yatsuhashi Asked, speaking up for the first time.

The Naruto clone was about to answer when a familiar redhead called out, catching his attention.

"Naruto!"

It was Pyrrha who was followed by Nora and Ren, along with another clone trailing not far behind. "Pyrrha, is everything ok?" the clone asked.

"Yes, we're fine mostly."

The Naruto clone looked to his fellow clone for confirmation, who nodded his approval.

"What about Coco? What happened?" Ren asked, who seemed to favor his right shoulder gingerly. The limb in question bound in bandages.

Coco snorted, clearly amused. "ha, I'm fine. Well, I would be better if one of those fucking creatures hadn't dropped a building on me. Still, I showed him." She nodded from atop her trusty steed.

"What Coco means to say is. She overreacted when they wouldn't die, so she brought an entire building down on them and herself, only surviving through dumb luck." Fox corrected, "she's lucky she only got off with a broken leg."

"Right, so I'll dispel so we can keep the boss in the loop," the clone, not carrying Coco, said.

"Alright, I'll make a clone to send a report to the boss too." the clone holding Coco said in response. Gingerly, he set Coco down on her good leg, helping her hobble over to a bit of collapsed rubble to lean against. Once he set her down, his fellow clone dispelled. The remaining clone let out a shuddering breath as he rapidly processed memories of hours past.

]|[

As a freshly summoned clone, he had one task to find Nora, Ren, and Pyrrha. It was a task made all the easier by the obvious sounds of many explosions. That made it even odds that it was Nora or Ren.

He had just landed on a dilapidated building just on the edge of a small clearing made up of collapsed buildings. When he heard Nora's Scream.

"REN!"

This Naruto clone knew it was too slow, he'd never make it. He did not have the boss's control needed to manipulate the sands through magnet release, but maybe. He only had one chance. Azure bled into rippled purple. His hand extended outward. His vision darkened to a gray scale tone as the world around him slowed to a crawl.

Iron sand stirred under foot. The silver glow around Pyrrha grew. She held a hand outstretched, like a claw.

With an effort of will, he forced the jutsu to work, Shinra Tensei! Ren would be caught up in the technique, but that was better than dying.

Pyrrha clenched those clawed fingers into a fist. The ground around the pair cratered as the world trembled and flexed under the weight of a Shinra Tensei. Kicking up dust and debris that clouded his vision. Sand surged upwards in an instant, wrapping around his limb. The cracking rapport of gunfire sounded like an explosion in his ears.

Within that cloud, someone screamed.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhggg, Fuck, M-my hand."

Andy stumbled from the smoke once the technique ended, clutching the ruin of what was once his right hand, now just a ragged stump.

Ren hadn't escaped unscathed either; he let out a pained groan. Clutching his dislocated shoulder, still it was better than a face full of buckshot.

"Are you guys ok?" the clone asked as he landed in their midst.

"Could be better," Ren admitted. "still it's better than being dead. So thanks for the assistance."

"Where the hell do you think you're going!" Nora hissed at the quickly retreating Andy.

Andy stiffened, quivering in fear, now just a former shell of the sadist he was mere moments earlier. He quickened his limping pace, wanting to be anywhere else, anywhere but here. All he managed to do was piss her off more.

The audible -thump- was the only warning he got as a grenade exploded right next to him. Blowing him off his feet. Shattering what paltry remains of his aura he had left.

Resting a hand on stiff shoulders, "Nora, don't" Naruto said, talking the redhead down. "We're fine, Ren is ok."

"But but… he," Nora growled helplessly, her anger and desire for retribution faltering in the face of her team leader. Her whole body trembled with rage.

"Nora, you don't need to stain your hands with his blood. It's not worth it." Ren said, gently lowering her weapon with his good arm. Even as he said it, he dared not give that man more than a casual glance if he had to. His aura was stained with black even now, that note of a dark yellow, signifying fear, and a muted gray, for submission.

Tears pricked at her eyes, she hiccuped as her whole body trembled. She grabbed hold of Naruto and Ren, hugging the pair tightly, snuggling deeply into the embrace. "Ok…" she agreed, her words slightly muffled.

Naruto locked cold sapphire eyes., with Ren's would-be killer as he announced his intentions, "Let's check your wounds over then we can meet up with the others." Throughout it all, he never broke eye contact with the killer. There was a warning there in his gaze. Naruto was letting him go, but if he did anything other than run. He would most assuredly die.

Silently Andy picked himself up, wary of the blonde, he backed away slowly, never breaking contact until he was around the corner of the next building.

He only made it a block before sand consumed him. While Naruto had mercy for those that opposed him, Gaara knew better. He knew an unrepentant killer when he saw them, and while Naruto had saved his heart, he knew that deep down there was no saving this man. It was better for him to die quickly and painlessly by his hand.

That was how Andy Gacy would meet his end, his brothers would soon follow.

]|[

Arrow shivered, not in fear but excitement. It was time; she climbed from her sniper's nest to the very top of the tower. With inhuman grace, each step she took was calculated with inhuman precision, utterly perfect. From the roof of the highest building, she swayed in the gentle breeze.

Fingering the button on her radio, she gave her men an order, "tell everyone to head out in three minutes."

"Yes, Ma'am," a soldier answered back promptly.

"Have my Transport pick me up for my current position." She added as an afterthought.

"Ma'am!"

Standing on that rooftop, she drew the arrow Laruam, and Intrygant had gifted to her. Her soft blue eyes seemed to glow with an otherworldly light and power. Her pupils had already turned into a sharp, slitted gaze.

She nocked the arrow on her bow, drawing it back to its maxim. Her heart slowed, the trembling in her arms ceased.

'Not yet,' she thought. As a minute passed by.

Her vision faded to gray, and still yet another minute passed. Black clouded her vision.

'Now!' her aura surged, sparking along the arrow. Combining with the stored energy of Laruam and Intrygant. The tiled rooftop beneath her feet cracked and shattered. Guided by her gift, she loosed the arrow from her bow. She watched it soar off for a moment, then leaped from the roof and off the castle. Just as planned, her Bullhead flew by just in time for her to latch onto it with a grappling hook arrow.

Guided by her power, it soared across the night sky on swift wings. It flew unerringly towards its target as if fired from the bow of the sun god Apollo himself. Soaring through the air, that cursed bolt of darkness flew past an ocean of sand without notice, through a forest made by a sage. Just as it seemed to fall short of its goal, it slipped into a shadow unseen.

It emerged from the shadow cast by the blonde sage from the moonlit sky, piercing a hole through its prone target on the other side. For a moment, all was silent. The prone beast twitched once, twice, thrice, flesh swelled and deformed. Then it exploded in a violent wave of black light.

]|[

The first one to know something was wrong was Ren, even before the clone carrying Coco stumbled, abruptly dispelling, dropping her to the unforgiving ground to land on her bad leg. He sensed it, the sudden overwhelming wrongness that pervaded the air. The overwhelming negativity from thousands of souls being annihilated all at once.

It was right around that point that the clone dispelled, just moments before a wave hit them. It felt almost familiar. As violent as it was for the others, it felt almost gentle, like a coarse caress. It filled him, embraced him. He caught glimpses of a girl with familiar ebony tresses, a locked building, a soft smile. Memories not his own filled his mind of a time long repressed. It was all too much, and he blacked out…

But what he understood was this. It was a tale as old as time, a tale of a clan, with twins, an heir and the spare. This was the tale of the spare...

When they were born, they were denied everything, their freedom, status, love, and even their right to choose their gender. It was as if they were just a ghost. They were never to exist. Why may you ask?

It was all because they were born second, the second born of twins. To the head of the Ren clan. And thus born the spare. It was a mere three minutes that decided their fate. A flip of the coin, roll of the dice if you may. All the same, this was their fate.

To be relegated to be not even second best. To be denied their right to exist as anything more than a collection of parts for their brother. All because within the Ren clan, if twins are born, something so rare as to almost never happen. It is likely that only one will inherit their vaunted hereditary semblance. The ability to shape-shift, to choose one's form as they please. It truly is a blessing. One their older brother lacked.

And so the clan considered them to be a thief, all because they were born second. What they did to set things to 'rights' was such a cruel act. For you see among the varied semblances within the clan, they had one who could transfer a semblance from one person to another. A distant relative to the black family. Feared for the ability to steal, seal, or even transfer a semblance. A rare ability that popped up from time to time within the family.

It was with that ability that their right to choose was taken. They had taken her very soul, the spark of life that makes a person who they are, and tore a part of it away from her, mutilated her, violated her, irrevocably scarred her for life. Forced her into a form they would, by all rights, never truly be comfortable with. Trapped within one gender, forced to be a girl. It would just be one of many injustices forced upon 'her'.

They stole her freedom when she was relegated to be the branch family's burden. A prisoner in all but name never allowed to leave. All she knew was what existed within the compound walls. The compound was her entire world.

The only kindness that her parents showed her before abandoning her was giving her a name. Bai-Ren was the name they gave her. Both names together meant white lotus. Something she would later find to be appropriate.

And so time would pass and she would grow, never knowing of her parents or her elder sibling. Relegated to a life no better than that of a servant or slave.

It was a meager existence that she eked out for herself. Her days for as long as she could remember comprised chores and attending to her uncle, the honored elder Huī Ren. Serving him in his duties as the head of the branch family. It was not a terrible life. All things considered. She did not go hungry, nor lack knowledge. Yet all the same, it was a hard life to live.

The one thing that brought joy to her monotonous existence was the sword. As far back as she could remember, the art of the sword mesmerized her. Her desire to perfect her art was so great that 'she' drew the attention of her uncle and the young Lord. During one of his visits.

Her art was like a dance, mesmerizing, beautiful. An absolutely captivating display.

She turned and swayed, lept, ducked, and dodged. It was as if she was fighting an unseen enemy. As if it was just the prelude. Bai paused, sword raised. Unaware of her watchers.

Despite the aches and pains, the soreness of her muscles, the building fatigue, chest heaving from hours of exertion. Still, she smiled. This was her stage where nothing mattered.

Not her status, not her gender, her aura sealed forever beyond her reach, not the gilded cage she knew she lived in. On this stage, nothing else mattered. All her worries and doubts went away.

As if on some unseen queue, she started once more. Twisting and turning, faster and faster, she went on. Her blade, just a blur of motion, only noted by the perceivable glints of steel. Her style was fluid, free form.

A resplendent glamor, her dance, her blade, her each motion. It was as if the land shook in its finesse. It was doubtless fit to fill one's countenance with awestruck pallor. For in that one moment it seemed as if all the heaven's brilliance, earth's embrace, seem'd devoted to her grace in that moment. In that moment, she seemed to glow, her beauty resplendent.

From start to the finish, the young Lord was enraptured, captivated, stunned, awestruck, he was these things and more. So much so he could not help himself when he spoke. "That was amazing."

"A-ah uhh, thank you," she squeaked. Flushed with embarrassment, caught out in front of 'her' young Lord.

"Who taught you how to use the sword?" he asked, eager to know.

"I- I taught myself." Bai relayed, gripping the hem of her rather well-worn dress in one hand. In her other was a blade sorely in need of repair.

It stunned the two men at the admission. One in amazement, the other in disbelief.

"Can I get your name then?"

"Bai-Ren," 'she' said, ever so softly, the slight dusting of pink on her cheeks

"Would you care if I spared with you sometime?" he asked.

Clearly nervous, 'she' looked past her handsome young Lord to her uncle. Who was turning a rather vibrant shade of puce. She bit her lip, worrying the toes of 'her' bare feet in the soft sand for a moment. But before she could give an answer, her uncle spoke up.

"Ah, but Young Master, we must go. Your father would be quite cross with me if you were late for the meeting."

"Aww, but uncle do I have too, it's just another boring meeting with the village elders." Li whined, acting every bit the eleven-year-old child he was.

Like flipping a switch, Hui went from angered to smiling in a blink of an eye, "heh, well perhaps if you do well and pay attention this time. I'll give you some of those archery lessons you wanted so badly." he said.

Li perked up at that, smiling widely, "well what are we waiting for, let's go!" eagerly he grabbed his uncle's hand, dashing off to the meeting in question.

That was just the first of many meetings. Many winters would pass, and the two would grow from children into young adults. In time, the mystery about the girl, now a young woman, would draw Li ever closer. From acquaintances to fast friends, inevitably, a romance was born.

Li, now a young man, lies flat on his back, the unforgiving ground of the tatami dojo. A wooden practice blade at his throat was an all too common occurrence for him. "Damit, I yield," he cursed sullenly, even with the benefit of his aura, years of training in the art of the sword, and still he had yet to best the slip of a girl before him.

She grinned, "well, it looks like that is… what ninety-nine wins and zero losses now. I honestly don't even know why you challenge me at this point." She sighed in a mock teasing tone. Now resting on her blade as if it were a cane.

Li flushed red at the remark. He took the time he was lying on the floor to observe her; she had grown since they met all those years ago. Her ebony hair, with that distinctive shock of white, had grown long, and she styled it into a neat bun that exposed the nape of her neck. She was lithe and slender, more feminine, just a bit shorter than he was now. He reveled in how her chest heaved. The slight swell of her bust was ever so noticeable. Most of all, when she had a blade in hand, any blade, it was like the very gods of battle themselves blessed her. With a sword in hand, Bai was unstoppable. Not even his father had been able to best her in martial combat. That was why his father had approved of his studying under her tutelage. That was what he loved most of all.

"Hay, you're staring," she stated idly. Rather than answer, he swept her feet out from under her.

She went down with a shriek, "you jerk!" rather than truly being angry, she laughed.

In truth, he had a reason for his constant, almost biweekly challenges. If he was strong enough, then… then he would confess his feelings. It was a promise he made to himself all those years ago.

"So… since you lost… again, you have to do what I say for the day like you promised." Bai teased, resting comfortably beside him.

He sighed in defeat knowing this was coming, "yes whatever you command my empress," he drawled out sarcastically.

She giggled prettily, and it was music to his ears. "Well, then I suppose you can clean the Dojo tonight, after my next class." She gave him a smile that was all teeth.

That was another thing that changed. She had come far from the lowly maid she once was and now ran the clan's martial dojo as its instructor. As the master of any weapon with a blade. Clansmen and travelers alike tested their metal. And still she defeated all challengers Handley, even without the use of aura. From it Kuroyuri prospered, people coming from all over to see the venerable sword saint of clan Ren.

It was something that had him wonder from time to time, just what would she be like with access to her aura? What kind of monster would she be?

Li got to his feet, a grin on his face, "as my lady commands," he teased. He just wished these peaceful days would last forever.

]|[

Deep within the current White Fang base, Menma was going over old news reports to see how things were being truly handled in Vale, in lieu of any credible reports. He did not like what he saw. He knew about the robberies; knew about the SDC train heists. In all honesty, he approved of the last one had it not been so public and messy.

What he did not know about was the gangland style violence. Anyone who so much as spoke out against the fang was brutalized, or worse.

Worst of all, from the little he had actually scrounged together in the way of actual documented reports, painted a darker picture. Illegal bribes, sex trafficking, murder for hire, and drug running.

He felt a sudden and sharp pain; doubling over, shocking the pair in the room with him, his ever loyal Senka, and Trifa.

"Captain!"

"Boss!" the pair exclaimed in unison, rushing to his side.

In time the paralyzing agony subsided, after the influx of memories faded. Had he not been a special shadow clone reinforced with an extra helping of Bijuu chakra, he knew he would have dispelled.

He was not the only one adversely affected.

Flying high above the Vale city streets in a Bullhead with Winter schnee and her team, both Kitsune and Ryu sat waiting for the Covert flight to Beacon to end when without warning, Kitsune abruptly Dispelled revealing himself to be a clone.

Winter tensed for an attack, Yaz trained her gun on Ryu, Kazu took it in stride with a shrug.

Sarada sighed in frustration, pinching the brow of her mask. "There is a reasonable explanation for this." raising the other up in a show of peace.

The one to break the tension was Cammie, "so you gunna turn in ta fucken smoke too?"

Sarada quirked an eyebrow, tilting her head like that of an inquisitive Cat. "and your not scared?"

Cammie shrugged, "eh, I figured we'd all be crispy critters by now if you wanted."

Val shrugged adding, "same here."

Chase fervently agreed with a nod, "not much we could do to stop you if you really wanted."

Sarada let out another sigh. It seemed she would be doing that often from now on. "Well, when we make it back to beacon, there is a lot we have to discuss"

]|[

Ren awoke to the sounds of a crackling fire. He sat up swiftly. Locking eyes with soft purple orbs. And crimson hair. "whe-" he tried to speak. But Something felt off…

"Easy their dear, you have been through a rough spot," the crimson-haired beauty explained. "Here, drink this."

She offered him a canteen of water, and he drank greedily. Never had he thought water tasted so great. "Th-thank you." that was odd, he noted, his voice sounded weird, softer…

"What happened, where are the others?" he asked, despite the pervading feeling of wrongness.

"You've been through a lot, dear. Had it not been for Gaara, you most likely would have died…" she explained.

"Who are you and where are Naruto and the others?" he asked, ignoring just how long his hair was currently.

"I am Mito, Naruto's grandmother… and as for the others, they are resting. It took a lot out of Naruto to heal the lot of you, so he is resting." She replied.

Ren nodded, resting at the campfire and conserving his energy as best he could. Trying to ignore that sense of something being off. He felt a bone deep ache all over, and his chest seemed tender and his clothes did not fit right…

When he finally could not take it any longer, he unbuttoned his shirt to see just how bad off he was if he still hurt this badly. Only to come face to face with the modest swell of a woman's bust.

This had to be a bad fever dream, most definitely, he thought as another swift hand jammed down his pants, revealing that it was gone, missing, absent…

He shrieked. "What the hell!?"

"And that was why they left me with you," Mito spoke up. "Here, take this," she said, handing him a small mirror.

Still in shock, he took it and gazed upon a feminine face that looked back at him in shock. He pictured how he used to look in that mirror. And for just a moment, he was back to being himself. Then he lost focus and was back to being a woman again.

It was right around then that he promptly fainted.

Mito let out a huff of amusement, "this is going to be a thing with you, isn't it?"


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