Authors Note:
Hello Everyone, so I was just able to free up some time to go ahead and finish this chapter. I hope you all enjoy. Below I will take the time to answer a few of the reviewers that I couldn't answer privately. This includes guests and others that the site won't let me respond to.
Guest: Yes, there are two moons and a ring. Realistically, RWBY's moon can't exist. Gravity would see to it that it reforms in one matter or another. I chose another. As to the holographic Fuinjutsu. I wanted to create a Naruto that excelled at and used Fuinjutsu as his primary skill. But, I felt that he needed to not only excel at it, but make it his own. Thus, to expand and improve upon his ancestors work. What's the next step but to develop a form of fuinjutsu that didn't need ink or parchment. Fuinjutsu that only needs chakra to form. As to chakra and magic, you'll learn of their relationship in future chapters.
A Reader: I'm glad you enjoyed it and I'm glad that my answers were able to help you out.
LoloManolo1: So, in most fics. I've seen some people retain Japanese for jutsu names and etcetera. So that was my intention as well. I'll list out the translation for them below.
Japanese to English translations Below:
Purazuma Chakra - Plasma based chakra. It is the fusion of lightning and wind. But can be further amplified by the addition of fire.
Rasendisuku - Spiraling disk. It is essentially a Rasenshuriken with a disk instead of four shuriken blades. The Rasenshuriken still exists as a wind based Rasengan. The Rasendisuku is merely the plasma variant in this fic.
Sat around a small campfire, two blondes softly converse with one another.
Another doppelganger sits off to the side. A few books and maps lay strewn about it. The spines of the texts held a small white sticker. The labels have letters and numbers printed on its surface.
Alongside his clone, the real Naruto fervently scribbles away at a new mathematical formula. The light of the bonfire, lights up the clearing and their books.
"You can retry it all you want, chief. But the math's sound." The Nin shook his head, and with a growl tosses the notepad off to the side.
He rakes a shaky hand through his hair. His body gives and collapses against a tree at his back. "That. That can't be right."
The teen's duplicate scoots a little closer and places a comforting hand upon the original's shoulder.
"This is a different world. Is it hard to believe that it plays by different rules?"
"No. B-But this is just ridiculous." Naruto hisses out.
He draws up his knees and props his elbows on top of them. His hands cover his face as he shakes. When he lets them fall, a few droplets glisten at the edges of his eyes.
One falls and drips from his shuddering chin. "I. I've gotta go back. I don't belong here." Naruto shakily mutters. "I'm all she has." He whispers out the final few words.
A flash of pale blue eyes appears before him. With a shuddering breath, he wipes away the few remaining tears. The vision suddenly vanishes as he removes the moisture dampening his cheeks.
A grimace manifests onto the duplicate's face. "I know. But, if you're going to fix this. Then you need to figure this out."
"Figure what out? You did the math yourself! It'll be what, years, till I generate enough Chakra. And that's only to ping off of a marker. Who knows how long it'll take for an actual jump."
"What if. Hm. What if that's not entirely true." The clone muses quietly. He pulls out his own notepad and points to a finger to a couple of figures crude sketch within its pages.
"Okay. So in our world, Chakra is comparable to a dense and potent fluid. As for Aura, from what we can tell, doesn't possess a fluid state." The original of the two nods to himself and scratches the back of his neck with a pensive look.
"Right. It's not as dense. More of a vapor, really." His double nods alongside him and reveals a picture of a crystal within a cycle.
"Yes. But, I think that this Dust is just another form of Aura. A more potent and solid-state." Naruto narrows his eyes and ponders on the ramifications of the suggestion.
"Does. Does that mean that Aura sublimates?" He inquires his clone. The chakra projection merely shrugs.
"It would answer a few questions. If hunters are similar to Nin, then it stands to reason that they would also generate their Aura from their environment just like a Nin would for their Chakra."
The clone readjusts himself and begins to write a few new notes within the booklets page. "The trick is finding a way to either exploit it, improve conversion efficiency, or both. If you're smart about this, you could shorten the time considerably."
"Hm. So, I should target Dust then?" Naruto prods his duplicate. Which, after some thought, nods in agreement.
"It seems like the best bet, at least, until we can develop a seal to help convert it. Until then, we'll just keep losing most of it. But that begs the question. What'll you be willing to do for it?" The clone presses with narrowed eyes.
Naruto shakes his head and dispels the replicas with a wave of his hand. "I'll figure that out when I cross I get to it. First, I need a sample."
As the final of dusk's amber rays gave way to shades of grey, a cove glistens under the collective light of the world's moons and rings.
The night sky solely allows for the brightest of stars to compete with the planet's heavenly satellites.
Out by the bay, a port-side city lies within the valley of its northwestern rolling hills. At the onset of nightfall, the city streets came alive with lights and activity.
Many groups, couples, and individuals meander about the paved roads and walkways as a few here, and there would enter the numerous side shops and eateries.
Among them, a youthful blonde man escorts two lively teens around the bustling streets. A strained smile adorns his lips. "Ruby! Please slow down. You tug any harder, and you'll pop Yang's arm off."
At his word's, a budding teen halts in a burst of rose petals: her red-trimmed dress and hooded scarlet cape flutters in her artificial breeze. A light blush paints the young girl's cheeks while she nibbles on her bottom lip.
She takes a daring glance back at her pale and panting companion. "Y-Yang?"
"Let go of me!" The lilac eyed girl cries out as she rips her arm from Ruby's grip. The blonde teen then bends over and groans. A slight tint of green appears on her cheeks while she dry-heaves.
The elder of the trio walks over and stabilizes the Yang. Using his free hand, the man carefully holds her golden locks away from her face.
"Th-Thanks," Yang groans as she attempts to hold down her dinner. Her bout of vertigo gradually peters out with every passing second.
"Heh. Ruby. What'd I. Heh. What'd I tell you about dragging me?" The girl only turns away from them with a pout.
"Not to," Ruby mumbles out just above a whisper. Yang glances up to the man standing beside her.
A grateful smile on her lips. "Thanks, dad." Their father merely nods as he gently rubs her back. "Sure thing, honey." She then stiffly rights herself back up to her full stature. Yang draws a hand back and fixes her mess of Tuscan curls.
Her other arm props itself against her hip and directs a mild glare towards Ruby.
"Wh-What? I'm sorry, okay!" Ruby exclaims as she crosses her arms around her midriff. "Hmph. I'm. Uh. I was just-. "
"Excited?" Their father questions with a widening grin. "Yea." The brunette trails off. One of her fingers tediously twirls at one of her hair's scarlet tips.
"Kyah!?" Ruby exclaims as a large and calloused hand, tousles her locks. A snicker escapes Yang as she watches her father ruffle Ruby's hair.
Ruby quickly devolves into a sputtering mess and swats away her father's hand. "Why?" She wines while her hands try and fix her unkempt hair.
"Seemed only fair." He remarks while he points a thumb back at Yang. The grinning teen just snorts at her sibling's stupified expression.
Their father merely sighs and gently wraps his little rose within a muscled arm. Not one to be left out, Yang quickly snatches his unoccupied left arm.
"Hm. So, where are we going?" The man inquires as he looks to either girl. After a moment, Ruby sticks her hand into a pouch strapped to her thigh.
She retrieves a crumpled piece of paper. Once unfolded, sentences of nearly indiscernible words and letters met their eyes.
"Uh. We got that. Hm. That to. We got the suitcases yesterday. Um." Ruby traces her finger down to the bottom of the list. "Oh. I still haven't found all of the books I have to get."
She narrows her eyes and peers a little closer at the chicken scratch. "You know. Maybe you should take a writing class. At least then, you and everyone else can read your writing." Yang remarks with a smirk dimpling her cheeks as Ruby tries to swat at her.
"Now. Now. Enough of that." Their father chastises the pair. His arms force some distance between the two. "Now, what were those books again?"
After one final scowl, Ruby returns her eyes to the crumpled piece of parchment. "Um. I think they're Grimm Studies. Uh. Wil-Wilderness Survival and a First Aid book."
With a nod, he turns to Yang. "Alright. What about you, honey?" She merely shrugs and gestures further down the street with her nose.
"A book or two. But I gotta get some more rounds for Celica." She states with a light tap against her bracelets.
"Hm. Alright. What say we get those books then?" He intones as he motions them forward.
From atop of a roof, a silhouette of a man stares down at the lively streets. The crowds of people mingling to and fro in a cohesive mess.
The walkways are lit by iron lamp posts and hanging lights. When the figure adjusts for a better look, Naruto's face becomes partly illuminated by a nearby sign.
He scans the myriad of stores and restaurants lining either side of the road. Naruto closes his eyes for a second.
Following a short moment, he snaps them back open to peer out to a shop off the beaten path. "There you are." He whispers to himself.
The teen walks over to the side of the building. A clear alleyway lays just below him. Not wasting any time, he drops down from his perch and lands in a silent crouch a few stories below.
With little difficulty, he slips in among a few individuals walk groups. His eyes affix themselves on to a shop in the distance.
Weaving himself through the bustling crowd, he arrives before a relatively large armament and ammunition distributer. Its glowing sign displays 'Citron's Arms and Dust' just above its double door entry.
Naruto pushes one door aside and steps into the large establishment. A small bell rings at his entry. He raises a brow to the assortment of blades, shields, and other unusual weaponry lining the walls and glass cabinets.
Though, off to the right, he focusses on the vast variety of colorful crystals and cylinders of powder. As Naruto approaches a glass cabinet, the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.
The invisible ambient energy minutely radiates off of every single trace of Dust. He squints down and hovers a hand above the thick glass. The faint outline of a seal activates at the bottom of his palm.
Off to the side, a woman approaches from behind the counter. "Good evening, Sir. My name's Cerise. Is there anything that I can help you with?" Naruto retracts his arm and looks up to the relatively young woman.
She offers him a small smile as her hand tucks a rouge burgundy lock behind her ear. "Yes. Uh. I was hoping to buy some Dust?"
Her smile grows in magnitude. "Of course, are you looking for crystal, powder, or solution?" He scratches at his chin in thought.
"I'm. Hm. I'm not sure. Um. I suppose crystals would do." Cerise nods and slides the back of the case's door out of the way. Before she retrieves the selected gems, Cerise pokes her head out from behind the counter.
"Oh! Did you have a particular element in mind?" He focuses back down onto the assortment of crystals. His body actively senses the broad selection of elemental natures.
Naruto shakes his head in the negative. "No. I'm kinda new to this. Could you give me a rundown on them?"
The young woman blinks and tentatively nods. "Of course. Sorry, I presumed you were a student."
Naruto scratches the back of his head with a small smile. "Uh. No. Do I need to be?" Cerise gives off a slight chuckle and shakes her head. "No. No. You just look the part is all."
Her hands retrieve a tray of crystals from within the cabinet and place the assortment between them.
"Alright. So, we provide the widest array of Dust Elements in all of Patch. But, when it comes to different kinds, there are essentially five primary elements. They consist of fire, water, earth, lightning, and wind." Cerise clarifies. Her finger points to each specific crystal when she says its name.
"They're relatively self-explanatory. But, I can go into further detail on their particular traits and subgroups if you'd like?" After a few moments, Naruto frowns as he inspects the various elements.
His eyes momentarily shift away from the core elements to examine the others. "Hm. Is there not a neutral Dust type?"
The saleswoman blinks and looks down at her gathering of Gems. "Uh. No. Well. Yes, there is. But it's really rare to come by. Not only that, but without an elemental property, it's not necessarily considered valuable."
Naruto taps his finger atop of the glass in thought. Just as Cerise makes to speak, the boy reaches into his pants pocket and unseals a wallet from his palm. Pulling it out, he fishes through Ryo bills.
A slight sigh escapes Naruto as he pushes them aside for the wallet's leather back. After a second of thought, he lights up a seal inscribed into the leather pocket and releases a single gold coin.
"Let's see what this'll get me." Naruto murmurs as he holds it within the palm of his hand for just a moment before he places it on the counter.
Cerise blinks owlishly at him before picking up the brilliant coin. "Is. Is this gold?"
He dips his head and releases a dry chuckle. "Uh. Yea. Will that be a problem."
She scratches her cheek in thought but ultimately shakes her head. "No, it's just a first for me." She hesitates before she glances towards a man in the back, helping another customer.
"But, uh. I think I'll have to get the Citron. He might have to see the order through." She places the coin back atop of the glass with a clack and makes to walk away.
"Is it alright if I go fetch him real quick? I'll only be gone a second." He waves away her concern with a gentle smile. "Of course."
With that, she then heads off toward the burly man in the back. As the moments ticked him by, Naruto's ears twitch at the ring of the front door's bell.
He peers back over his shoulder and discovers a group of men and women wearing black suits, red glasses, and red ties. No sooner had they entered did Cerise return with her supervisor.
"Oh, you weren't kidding." The old shopkeep states as he readjusts a pair of spectacles atop if his nose. Naruto leans in partially and points to a few crystals. So how much could I get for it?"
The man pulls out a scale and calculator from behind the counter and places the coin atop of the mechanism's sensitive plate. "Well, it's an ounce. So-."
The man trails off while he types in digits into the device. Following a few more taps and hums, the man perks up. "Ah, there it is. Well, it'd get you about eleven of the prisms or about 19 of the half prisms with some change to spare."
Naruto pensively stares down at the crystals before he sighs and nods. "Alright, how about prisms. two of every base element."
Citron smiles and gestures for Cerise to help him with the order. "Of course. That's quite the variety. Now let's see. Hm. Looks like you have enough for one more if you'd like."
Naruto brings a hand up to scratch at the back of his head. "Uh. Hm. Surprise me."
"Ha!" Citron laughs aloud. "I like you. Hm. Let's see. What say we make the last one, Ice?" At Naruto's nod, the shopkeep's smile brightens.
"Alright, then. I'll get you ringed up in a jiff." The burly man announces and proceeds to the register. Before he could make it two steps, he raises a finger in the air and turns around. "Oh, Cerise. You think you can you prep his order while I get him ringed up?"
"Already on it." She calls back to him with a cardboard carton and wrapping paper in hand. He gives her a thumbs up while he enters the order into the register.
When she is about to wrap the third crystal and place it within a cardboard container, a hand reaches over and tries to grab ahold of her wrist.
"Kyah! What the hell?" She recoils at the attempt and looks up to find a well-suited man struggling against Naruto's own grip.
"Wh-What are you-?" The man blinks behind the red glasses and winces at the force applied. He quickly looks up to find an unamused teen firmly holding him in place.
"I wouldn't do that." Naruto asserts flatly. At this moment, Cerise takes a second to look around. Her eyes widen when she catches sight of two more similarly dressed men pillaging other cabinets.
Another stood in front of Citron as he emptied the till and handed over Lien to a suited woman. One of her arms held up a pistol to his temple.
"Kid. Let go if you kno-." The man begins as he makes to pull a sidearm from its holster. "G-Gyah!" The man cries out as a crunch resonates from Naruto's flexing grip. The rest of the assailants swiftly turn at the scream and narrow their eyes on the scene before them.
Naruto allows for the man to drop to his quaking knees and whimpers. His eyes suddenly roll into the back of his skull as he falls limply to the floor.
The remaining two men pull out blades imbued with Dust while the woman aims her pistol at him. Naruto releases the crushed limb and looks over to the Cerise's still form.
With a meager wave, he garners her attention. "Go. I'll handle this." The teen remarks as he motions for her to leave. After a quick glance at either of them, she hesitantly nods and rushes off.
The woman rolls her eyes. She frees Citron and allows for him and the Cerise to leave out the back. With them gone, she focuses back on the blonde before her.
"You've got a lot of nerve, kid." The thief remarks as she motions for the other criminals forward.
But, he pays her comment little mind as he picks up and seals away his bounty of crystals. She tsks in annoyance before pulling her pistols the trigger.
Naruto subsequently tilts out of the bullet's path. The thieves merely narrow their eyes at the teen's evasion.
"Now. That was a mistake." Naruto muses under his breath while the nearest criminal rushes him with a scarlet machete.
He sidesteps the man's initial swipe and summons a kunai into his palm. With a quick swipe, he cleaves a gash through the man's exposed neck.
Before his partner could backpedal, Naruto flicks the blade through the air and into his left eye. The woman's eyes widen as the dagger sinks up to its hilt. She takes a step back from her collapsing comrade and levels her gun on Naruto.
Just as she makes to pull the trigger, Naruto flickers over to her position in a burst of speed. "Gyuh!" She sputters out as the teen contorts her abdomen around his fist.
An artificial breeze, from his movements, ruffles their clothes. With a quick tug, he rips his arm out. Another kunai slides out of the bloody void within her flesh.
She coughs up blood and stares at Naruto with widening eyes. Her hand reaches down to cover the gushing wound. A soft whimper escapes her lips amidst her knees buckling beneath her.
Naruto pays her little mind and looks back to the bodies and mess littered around him. A small sigh escapes his lips. But, he notes the signatures emanating from their weapons.
As a pool of blood seeps from the woman's body, he picks up and examines her revolver. "Hm."
Up the street from the Citron's shop, Ruby rounds a corner and waves the for others to hurry along. "Come on! It's almost ten." She calls out as she readjusts a bag of books against her chest.
Soon, Yang and their father meet up with their little red riding hood. "Relax, Rube. We're almost there."
Ruby pouts in response to Yang's nonchalant dismissal. "B-But!"
"It's alright, Ruby. We'll make it on time." Their father affirms. He brings an arm around his daughter and attempts to draw her forward.
Yet, she remains rooted in place and stares out to the dust shop a block away. She cocks her head before her eyes widen.
"W-Wait! It's the thief!" Ruby yell's out as she points a finger the man's way. Her shout startles both of her family and others within their vicinity.
Off in the distance, a man with a black bowler hat and white suit turns to glance down the street. His orange locks sway with the motion as a cigar drops from his lips.
"Fuck, if it isn't Red." His eyes drift and take a moment to scrutinize her companions. The thief tsks as Yang's gauntlets form from her bracelets and then snap into place around her fists.
Yet, his eyes ultimately stop at the man standing at attention just behind them. "Shit. Tai. Is that you? I see that you've been busy since last I saw you." The orange-haired man remarks with a flamboyant gesture towards his daughters.
"Yang," Tai whispers from the corner of his mouth. The blond peeks at her father from the corner of her vision. "Yea?"
"Take Ruby, and leave." The two girls blink and turn to their father. "But." They stammer out as he steps in front of them.
"No. Buts." His eyes never leave the thief's smirking expression. A few more well-suited men and women line up with him. "Roman's not the kind of man you two should be dealing with. Now. Go."
Yang bites her lip at the command. Her violet eyes observe as a hidden blade manifests from underneath Tai's right bracer. His left-hand draws out a pistol from a holster strapped to his lower back.
Eventually, she places a hand onto Ruby's shoulder and stops her from retrieving her own rifle slung onto her hip. "Y-Yang. What are you-?"
"You heard him. Come on." Ruby shoves her arm off and steps away from them.
"What? But I've beaten him before! I can help!" She assures amidst drawing out her own scarlet rifle. With a quick twirl, the rifle shifts and unfolds into a rifle-scythe.
The blade punctures the sidewalk while its barrel levels on their adversaries. "Oh. Well, isn't this grand," Roman notes and waves his men forward.
"Get them." He mutters while he pulls out another cigar from his breast pocket.
Yet, a bell chimes in the background, followed by a choked gasp. "Gyuh!" The cry brings everyone's attention to the dust shops entrance.
At the front door of the dust shop, a young blond stands beside one of Roman's henchmen. His hand securely fastened around the struggling man's neck.
"I take it he's yours?" Naruto inquires while he flexes the muscles in his forearms. A sickly snap sounds from within the man's throat. With little shame, Naruto drops the thief at his side.
The act promptly brings everyone's weapons to bear on him.
End Note:
Well, I hope that you all enjoyed this chapter. I'll begin work on the next one shortly.
I've also placed a few hints as to how the story might progress within this chapter. Let's see if you all can find them.