THE FOUNDRY – THE KINGS' ATTACK
The Foundry
Naruto and Himawari walk to the edge of the level they are on. The 7th Hokage creates a series of clones which link arms and hang over the edge, functioning as a series of ropes for the original to hang from. The two Uzumakis hang from the platoon of Naruto's, observing the structure of the Foundry below. One using the Byakugan, one using the One True Sense, each enhanced by Sage Mode powers.
They observe that the structure is mostly the same, circular platforms, such as the one they are hanging from at the moment, attached to a central spire. There is only one major exception to this, right at the bottom of the Foundry. Down below, the central spire splits into a triple helix leading down to three observation platforms. Each of those observation platforms is pointing to a central mass of energy, a mixture of all colours burning brightly like the sun.
"That is divine energy burning down there," Himawari says.
Naruto sighs. "I don't want to imagine how they gathered so much divine energy in one place."
It is this mass of divine energy that is used in the manufacturing process Furst Jonas created many years ago. Its energy is funnelled up through the central spire, its nature being manipulated slightly at each level until finally it comes out as a divine ability at the top. This process is built upon something barbaric though, something they intend to end before much longer.
While his father and sister are looking down Boruto is looking up. Between him, his father, and Council Leader Yuuki, the three of them were able to push back Yasmine. Above is a far greater challenge, a royal. It won't take long for King Hertz Erik to realise that they have made it to the Foundry. When Erik realises that they are here they will be in for the fight of their lives against an opponent the likes of which none of them have ever defeated.
Fighting King Erik is not a winning fight. Even if he is the weakest of the royals, he is a class 9 warrior who continuously aims to build on his power to keep up with his rivals. Becoming strong has never been Enri's goal, just a consequence of the path she has needed to take, yet Enri is stronger than any of them and she was unable to defeat Erik. If they are going to fight Erik their goal must be to delay him, and to survive while doing that will be difficult itself.
"King Erik will come for us soon," Boruto says.
Naruto's clones disappear as he and Himawari reunite with the others and share what they found out. They explain about the giant ball of divine energy they saw and the triple helix leading to the core below.
"We need to destroy that energy core," Hashirama says.
"How do you suppose we do that?" Sasuke asks.
"You mentioned three observation platforms Himawari. If those platforms are within striking distance of the core, I propose we split into three groups. We need to stand on each of the three platforms and strike the core at the same time. If the core detonates then the spire will be damaged, and the Foundry will start to fall apart."
All eyes turn to Naruto. He once dreamed of being a Hokage that everyone could depend upon. Back then he never could have imagined the people who would be looking to him to make a decision, people who were legends of his own world, even the 1st Hokage who helped to create the village he grew up in. Now the decision rests with him on how they will proceed.
"Three teams, they will need to strike at the same time. That means at least two of them need to be able to sense the others to sync up."
"Good point."
"Also, the people in these teams need to know they can trust each other," Naruto says.
"I should take Tsunade with me then," Hashirama says to Naruto.
The 7th Hokage nods to his predecessor, it seems that Hashirama was telling the truth. Naruto can trust him with his task.
"I have the strength needed, but I don't have the senses required to time my attack with the others," Sakura admits.
"I'll go with you Aunt Sakura," Himawari says. "My strength alone might be enough, but with yours it definitely would be. I can use the Byakugan to keep us in time with Lord 1st and Lord 5th."
Not many people left. One last team to organise.
"I can take the final position alone," Hannah tells Naruto. "My senses themselves aren't great, but my instinct was enough to fly us through the void, it is definitely adequate to time this attack correctly."
Only three left among them.
"Sasuke, you need to stay here," Naruto says.
"We are at our best when we're fighting together Naruto. This isn't the time to take this kind of risk."
"It's not a risk at all. I need you to stay here with the vehicle so that we can leave at a moment's notice. We don't know how long there will be between destroying the core and the Foundry collapsing. If we're going to have any chance of escaping this place with our lives, you are going to be the most important person. That OK?"
"Yes Lord 7th."
Sasuke can't help smiling. He never thought that being the 7th Hokage would change Naruto, and at heart it hasn't. There is something different about him right now though, like he's reached the pinnacle of a hill he has been climbing. He's not just a powerful warrior capable of protecting his friends and making them work together, he is the leader the resistance has needed from the start. It may not last but the man before him right now is the Uzumaki Naruto who has been entrusted with the war against Furst Jonas.
Naruto smiles. "If there is anyone else who I can work with in battle, it's your student."
Boruto nods. "That leaves you and I with the impossible task, right?"
Naruto and Boruto are the perfect people for the job. They mastered opposite elements which are at their best when fighting together. They have the same blood and recently studied under the same teacher. And, vitally, they are two of the only three living people to have mastered a divine oddity.
Naruto and Boruto must hold back King Hertz Erik.
Outside the Hertz Compound
The 3rd Party Sight is not a powerful divine ability by itself. It has a 24-hour time limit and for most people it would be luck dependent. It allows the user to select one person and see anything they see for the next day. Not a battle skill but a scouting skill, in the hands of most royals it wouldn't be that useful. Queen Hirsch Nadia is the exception to that, information is more powerful to the Queen of Seblix than any army.
"What do you think Erik is doing?" Nadia asks.
"Probably sitting alone in the Foundry," Swen answers.
"Come on Swen, can't you a bit more creative than that. Who knows, perhaps the pocket-worlders found their way to it. He may even be battling for his life now."
"I don't need to be creative about it. I read Erik's mind. He thought he would be sitting alone in the Foundry."
"You're no fun when you do that."
Swen is usually too lazy to play guessing games with Nadia, but today he is distracted for an entirely different reason. He and Nadia were never interested in helping King Erik to retake the Hertz Compound, it is not in their nature to help him. What they are interested in is a single person who currently resides in the Hertz Compound. Swen's son, Ming Dai.
"Is he there?" Swen asks.
"Some of the rebels are overlooking a clearing, presumably that's where Uzumaki and the others are going to return. Most of the rebels are defending the village. Right now your son is on patrol in front of it."
"I have no intention of taking the compound if it's going to endanger his life, nope! I'm just going to play catch with him."
Nadia chuckles, "have fun!"
Nearby
Ming Dai glances down at his feet, each second that passes is agony to him. He wishes that he had gone with Naruto and helped to destroy the Foundry. However, he is the only other student of Muto Sora, one of them must always survive to carry on the war effort. He also received an order from the true empress that the people of Homeworld must remain here. The mission is so dangerous, it is both the reason he couldn't go and the reason he so wishes he did. Now every second seems so long but it's only one moment closer to knowing if Naruto survived.
"Hello Dai."
He jumps on the spot and looks around quickly, scanning for the source of the voice. It takes him a couple of moments before he realises that it came from a communication stone, it is a voice without a body. Not long after this realisation he makes another that causes his blood to boil, this is the voice of his father.
"It's been a while since we last met. It's time we caught up.
"Last I heard you were standing in front of the compound. Right now you have a choice, you either stay there and play a game of catch with me, or I will eliminate every single person inside.
"I am here with Nadia right now. The two of us alone could defeat the entire rebellion so don't try anything funny, she will definitely see it coming."
Ming Dai doesn't know what his father is talking about. Certainly his claims about being able to defeat the rebellion single-handed are not an exaggeration. Enri doesn't claim to be on par with any one of the royals and definitely can't stand up to two of them. Right now he is the only hope for the rebellion's survival; he must indulge his father and accept his request for a game of catch. However, Swen must be miles away, he can't see him, so how are they going to play catch?
A short while later, Ming Dai spots something in the distance. It is a bright pink light, the same colour as the 'psychic' divine energy that Swen is famous for using. It now clicks that his father has no intention of approaching him for this game of catch, he is going to play at a distance.
Dai feels something shift slightly beneath his feet, then it happens! An enormous chunk of earth covered in pink 'psychic' comes flying towards him!
He puts his hands out to catch it, but the second he does he understands what his father meant by playing catch. His element is 'strength', blocking something like this thrown with brute force should be his forte, but he can't. The force of the earth pressing towards him is overwhelming, and there is only so much that his muscles can bear in any one go.
Dai shifts himself out of the way, letting the chunk of earth continue past him. As it sails past him, he watches it continue on its previous path and straight into the Hertz Compound. The enormous thud as it shatters several buildings speaks to the power with which Swen threw it.
Counting the buildings and the average number of people they contain, Swen may have just hit a dozen people with that last chunk of earth. There is no indication that he is going to stop. Dai knows what this means. Every time he fails to catch what his father is throwing to him people are going to suffer. He must stop his father here otherwise there will be no rebellion left for Naruto to return to.
The Foundry, First Helical Path
Hashirama and Tsunade head downwards, keeping a constant pace they watched the others move at. If everyone's timing is perfect, they won't even need to rely on the others observation powers to time their attacks correctly.
While moving downwards, the original Hokage can't help but wonder how things might have gone differently if it were not for the Hive Mind. Without it perhaps Boruto and he would never have understood their elements. They might not have gotten this far to begin with. However, if they were all united from the start things may have gone much more smoothly. They might have understood different elements, they might have helped Naruto to get stronger instead of hindering him, perhaps they would have had more success in the war.
Mito's death happened before he lost himself to the Hive Mind, but the horrible things that happened to Tsunade happened afterwards. He wishes that things could have been different. More than anything else, he wishes that she could be free and happy once again.
"When this is over, I hope I can take away your pain, Tsunade. Then maybe this anger, and hatred will vanish, and we can help Naruto again, from this day until the day the war is over."
Tsunade doesn't answer, instead continuing to follow her grandfather downwards, maintaining her only current loyalty, her loyalty to the Hive Mind.
The Foundry, Second Helical Path
"Himawari."
"What is it Aunt Sakura?"
"I know this isn't the time to raise my voice about this but—"
"Your advice is always welcome. Please say what's on your mind."
"You shouldn't let Boruto kill you."
"But the prophecy—"
"Ignore the prophecy," Sakura says. "I don't really understand how their future sight works, but everyone is wrong from time to time. The situation is different to any we have encountered before and everyone is under so much stress, even the twins. Don't let that dictate our actions, let's just try and do this without anyone dying."
Himawari falls silent while she considers her response. Normally Sakura would be right, and she would follow her advice. What is making Himawari act differently here is the wisdom of her mother and her knowledge of Homeworld. The Seer Twins are not wrong, that doesn't happen, their sight is incomplete at worst. Of course this plan is dangerous, if anyone else were beside her she would never consider it, but this plan hinges on her father's abilities, and she is willing to bet on them all day long.
"You see the core now, right?" Himawari asks.
"Of course."
"That thing is used to make divine abilities constantly. Those abilities are monopolised by an evil militia and have been used to oppress the people of this world for longer than we can imagine. I think destroying this place is a cause worth dying for, don't you?"
Sakura sighs, "Yes, I do."
The Foundry, Third Helical Path
For Hannah this is just another step on the path she has chosen for herself. From the moment Naruto freed her she wanted to learn from him, but that isn't her only ambition. She wants to defeat the people who wronged her in the first place. Her creation and her ability was because of two people, King Weiss Max, and Emperor Furst Jonas.
Max created her with the intention of stealing her free will immediately. It is thanks to the friends that she made afterwards, particularly Claude, that she was saved. He made her to increase his power and influence, perhaps even become the most powerful royal someday. She aims to one day tear down that dream of his, to defeat him and remove him from the throne of Aturia. Once Aturia is free of King Max, then she will feel like she had a purpose, she will feel happy.
The Foundry, Above
From the moment they reach the upper levels and spot their foe, Naruto and Boruto adopt a slow and methodical walk. This isn't a man they can hope to defeat, but one that only they can hope to delay. Postponing the start of their inevitable fight is their goal, so they stroll forward as slowly as they can.
They walk towards King Hertz Erik!
They both shiver as they approach, especially when he turns to face them. They notice the frown on his face, this time he wasn't expecting them to arrive, at least not in the way they did. This time they have the element of surprise on their side, but it can hardly be called an advantage for it seems to have made the king even more angry than before.
The Uzumakis stop 10 meters from Erik and pause, waiting for as long as they can to try and slow things down. Naruto extends his fist towards his son and Boruto taps his own fist against it in what might be a final gesture of cooperation between the two of them.
"How did you get here?" Erik asks impatiently.
"Can't you work it out, not very regal of you," Boruto smirks.
"I asked you a question!"
"We came through the void," Naruto answers.
"Ridiculous. Travelling through the void is impossible even for us, there is no way that foolish pocket-worlders like you achieved it."
"We're full of surprises."
Erik nods. "Yes, the student of Muto Sora and the Crown Prince in exile. One doesn't need a clan full of Seers to know that you two would defy expectations. All of that will end here."
Boruto looks to his father for words. The 7th Hokage always seems to know the right thing to say, and they could use something like that now, just to draw out another few seconds.
"Clans full of Seers, mastering the element of 'fate', it all sounds like the future is destined," Naruto admits. "I don't believe in destiny. I believe in forging your own path. I don't care what fancy titles you give us; I am Uzumaki Naruto and I always will be. I've been forging my path for a very long time and I'm not going to let it end here today. We will fight you. We will destroy the Foundry. Then we'll defeat the empire itself! I can't afford to let you get in my way, Erik!
"Today, the rebellion is going to take its greatest victory yet!"
Boruto readies himself to forge his own path, right next to his father.
Uzumaki Naruto. Uzumaki Boruto. King Hertz Erik. What will happen in the battle for the Foundry?
In Response to tarunfiction1's Question
About a potential divine energy Rasengan
Sorry, I think I misled you about the possibility of that Rasengan.
The reason that Furst might be able to create a Rasengan is because his divine oddity gives him very precise control.
Naruto, unless he works out the same divine oddity, couldn't use a pure divine oddity Rasengan.
It's an interesting idea though, I may work something similar into the story.
Thanks for reading.
In Response to Engineer's Question
About how Hinata got kidnapped
I never specifically stated how she got kidnapped.
But in Chapter 246 she did say she was going to Cheqitori to try and recruit others to the rebellion.
She was caught on this recruitment drive.
Thanks for reading.
In Response to Nomadxdamianx3
About the Otsutsuki
First, it's worth bearing in mind that less was known about the clan when I started this story.
There is a chakra fruit in each pocket-world.
Therefore whoever eats the fruit first in that world would become the equivalent of the Otsutsuki clan I suppose.
Thanks for reading.