Chapter 11
„Turtle"
[Aretuza. The next day.]
Groaning, Geralt open his eyes. He look to his left to see that Yennefer was nowhere to be seen. Rubbing his eyes, he got up and glance at the window. Morning, Geralt though. After letting out a sigh, he got up and walk to the chair. On his clothes there was a letter. Smelling the lilac and gooseberry, Geralt smiles.
''Dear Witcher...
We are awaiting your arrival in the dining room. I understand last night was...delightful. But! If you want to join us for the 'expedition', then please let's meet up at the entrance by 10 a.m. Don't be late, otherwise You'll have go back on foot...
Your Yennefer.''
He puts the letter down and looks at the clock. He still has some time. Calmly dressing and arming up, Geralt notice a small toad on the window. What was more surprising, the toad had the eyes as Naruto's left one. Knowing that Naruto send him a message, he walks to the toad who open it's mouth. Another letter, Geralt mused in his thoughs.
''Morning, Geralt!
Listen, Yennefer is slowly losing her patiance. Along with Triss, We are trying to calm her down. Still, you should get your ass in here if you want to go with us.
Your best friend,Naruto''
"Fuck..." -He said and rush to grab his swords. He storms out of the room and calmly, but quickly heads toward the exit.
Like always, Yennefer couldn't wait. He didn't even had time to eat anything. Which is why he grabs few fruits on his way. It wasn't enough to satisfy his hunger. After few minutes, he finally sees Yennefer, Triss and Naruto waiting for him. While Naruto was waving at him, Yennefer gave him an annoyed look. Triss simply smiled at him.
"My, oh my, look who finally woke up." -Yennfer said, smiling at him sweetly."You are lucky, because normally I would go without you."
"Apologizes..." -Geralt said with smile."I had a good dream, you know."
"Sure you did." -Naruto said letting out a sigh."So...Will you finally tell me where and what We'll be doing?"
"You have no patience, don't you Naruto?" -Yennefer asks and Naruto rolls his eye.
"I'm curious as well, Yen." -Triss agrees with Naruto.
"Giant Turtle..." -Yennefer finally said and everyone blinks.
"Excuse me, what?" -Naruto asks, while shaking his head.
"A giant Turtle." -Triss said, trying to figure out why it sounds so strange.
"That's new. Never heard of giant Turtles." -Geralt said and cross his arms."How much big are We talking?"
"Around 165 feets tall." -Yennefer explains."It's near the borders of Aedirn and Lyria. There is a massive lake there where this turtle resides. The turtle already killed almost 20 people who live in near by village... Those who survived were the ones to tell the tale."
"Sounds terrible." -Triss comments."If this creature leaves it's nest, it might kill thousand of people."
"That's right." -Naruto agrees."But there is one thing that bothers me."
"What is it?" -Yennefer asks.
"I understand why you asked me for help, but why not ask the Brotherhood?" -Naruto asks and Yennefer lets out a sigh.
"Believe me, if they cared about things like that I'd ask them first." -Yennefer said and Triss rolls her eyes. She never gave the Brotherhood the credit."Besides, they would say it's just a rumour."
"And how do you know it's not a rumour." -Geralt asks and Yennefer gives him the look.
"Because I saw it myself." -Yennefer said surprising them."Or at least part of it."
"That's a dedication." -Naruto jokes and Triss smiles."But, you're right. We have to see how dangerous it is."
"Then how about We stop yapping and get on with it?" -Yennefer said and everyone nods."Sure you want to tag along, Geralt? Don't get me wrong, I'd love to have you there. But this might be a little beyond your skills."
"With a crew like that...I have nothing to fear." -Geralt said with smug smile. Yennefer walks to Geralt and put her hand on his cheek. She smiles at him.
"Let's go then." -Yennefer said and in a flash she and Geralt were gone.
"Shall We go?" -Triss asks, while giving Naruto her hand. With a small blush, Naruto grabs her hand adn they both vanish in a flash.
[Forest.]
With the swirl of leafs the group appears. Triss, Geralt and Yennefer look around before noticing that Naruto didn't move. He was standing there, frozen in his spot. His eye widens.
"Naruto?" -Geralt calls out to his friend. He didn't react.
"Is everything alright?" -Triss asks with worried tone.
"Did he ever do that before?" -Yennefer asks, raising her eyebrow.
"You have to leave..." -Naruto said seriously. They all look at each other and then back at Naruto."I'm serious! You have to leave! NOW!"
"What's the matter?" -Triss asks calmly. Naruto just glances at her before looking ahead."Naruto, talk to us..."
"This isn't a time!" -He almost snap at her. Triss takes a step back."I can make you leave, but you're my friends. So please, leave..."
Without saying another word, Naruto start walking forward. Soon he vanish in the bushes. Geralt and Yennefer look at each other and then at Triss. She was really worrying about Naruto.
"Hate to admit it, but...I think We should go." -Geralt said, surprising two sorceresses.
"That's not like you at all." -Yennefer said in slight disbelief.
"What are talking about? That's your friend!" -Triss hisses at Geralt.
"I know that." -He replies after a second."But I also know what he's capable of. This is the first time in a while that I see him dead serious. This isn't a joke or anything like that. It's best if We leave."
"If you think We're going to leave him, then you don't know me." -Yennefer said and Triss nods. Then they turn their backs to him and follow in Naruto's footsteps.
"Fuck..." -Geralt said and start following them.
[...This isn't possible, isn't?...]
"I'm finding it hard to believe myself." -Naruto, still looking ahead.
[...But that's his chakra. There is no mistaking it...]
"But how?" -Naruto asks, confusion filling his voice.
[...Perhaps the dimensional travel somehow affected Kaguya? Remember, you lost your memories when We got here almost 13 years ago...]
"But to this point?" -Naruto wonders."But wouldn't that mean that she's gone? After all, Madara was a vessel for her. That also means that he's gone. After all he was jinchuuriki."
[...Indeed. But, for now let's focus on the situation at hand...]
Without realizing it, Naruto finds himself in the middle of a giant lake. He kneels and touch the surface of the water with his fingers.
"He's right beneath us." -Naruto said and focuses his Sharigan. He sees a small movements deep down."Weird...What is he waiting for? He should recognize your chakra..."
[...Something is off. I sense something else. Do you think it's...]
"Magic?" -Naruto finish and Kurama nods."Did someone put a spell on him? Is that even possible?"
[...I don't know. Sharingan and Rinnegan are capable of doing that, but magic?...]
As Naruto lifted his headband, his eye widen. He quickly jumpes away as a long grey tail sprouts from the lake. With a backflip, he lands on surface of the lake. Soon enough two other tails sprouts out. Then the rest of the body comes out to the surface.
"That's Isobu, alright." -Naruto states, while looking at Three Tails.
Isobu primarily resembles a large turtle, but with a crab-like shell, spikes all over its body, and three shrimp-like tails. Under its shell, it has red, muscle-like tissue. It has a pair of human-like arms and hands, but no hind-legs. His face is concealed between a large forehead and lower jaw — both of which have spikes. Its eyes are red and have crimson pupils.
[...It's hard to believe that I see one of my siblings after so long. And in here out of all places...]
"I know..." -Naruto whispers and stares at roaring Isobu."OI! Isobu! It's us! Naruto and Kurama!"
[...What are doing? It's clear he's not there right now!...]
"It was worth trying!" -Naruto snaps before jumping away from incoming tail.
Naruto landed right in front of Isobu, who was about stomp him. Taking out his kunai, Naruto throws at side of Biju's wrist. Upon making a contact with his skin, Naruto uses his Rinnegan to teleport in the last second. Landing on Isobu wrist, Naruto runs up his arm toward Biju face. Naruto forms a rasengan in his right palm. Jumping, Naruto's rasengan enlarges to the size of Isobu face. Slamming his rasengan on Isobu face, the explosion causes Biju to roar in anger. Throwing another kunai, Naruto teleports back to the lake surface.
With another roar, Isobu send a powerful shockwave towards Naruto who uses his Rinnegan to absorbt the blast. Smirking, Naruto switch his normal sharingan to mangekyou. He lock his mangekyou with Isobu eye to try and break whatever was controlling him. To his shock it didn't work. It just anger the beast even more. Lifting his head, Isobu starts to collect positive and negative chakra.
"He's making Biju dama!" -Naruto exclaims. Biju dama was easly able to destroy a moutain. That being a case, if his friends still didn't teleport away then there was a chance of them dying. He couldn't let that happen."Ready, Kurama?!"
[...Anytime!...]
Biju dama was almost ready. But to Isobu surprise and shock the bomb explodes in front of his face.
Shaking his head and then roaring, Isobu saw Kurama avatar standing right in front of him. Kurama roars and charges at Isobu. Isobu blast another shockwave at Kurama, who easly avoids it by jumping over him. In mid air, Kurama send his own shock wave at Isobu back. Isobu roars again as his body falls down. Isobu quickly rolls into a spicky balls and charges at Kurama who just landed. As Kurama turns around and is hit by Isobu. But, Kurama grabs Isobu before he can fall back. With all his might, Kurama throw Isobu high in the air and charges his biju dama and fires it. The explosion causes a massive shock wave. Then Isobu falls down and lands in the lake.
Geralt, Yennefer and Triss stared at what was happening in front of them. They had to brace them self before shock hit them. While Triss and Yennefer formed magical shield, while Geralt put all his energy into sign quen. It barely made any difference. They were push back and fell to the ground. Groaning, they got up and saw how the beast fell from the sky.
"This is way beyond our league..." -Yennefer pants and brush off hair covering her face.
"I told you...He doesn't need us in here." -Geralt said. He could stop his eyes from watching the battle before him.
"Still!" -Triss was trying to protest."There's gonna be something We can do."
"Triss! Look what's going on!" -Yennefer snaps at her friend."This is like a battle of Gods. The best thing We can do right now is to evacuate the village near by."
"That might be a problem." -Geralt said and both sorceresses look at him with confusion."I hear something coming. It's a group..."
"How many?" -Yennefer asks and Geralt tilts his head.
"Just few. Maybe 7 or 9." -Geralt said squinting his eyes."They move so silently."
"So now what?" -Triss and turns slightly hearing another roars from the lake.
"Here's the plan." -Yennefer said."Triss, you head to the village and help in evacuation. Head north from here. We will greet the guests."
Glancing one more time at Kurama and Isobu, Triss quickly rush through the bushes. Geralt and Yennefer turns and both hear something moving. Taking out his sword, Geralt takes the defensive position, while Yennefer hands glow with blue light. Noticing incoming arrow, Geralts move to shield Yennefer. He cuts the arrow in half. As soon as the broken arrow hits the ground, the group of 12 walks out of the bushes. Elves, Geralt muses. Or Scoia'tael to be more precise. They were wearing squirrels tails.
"You do know what's happening behind us?" -Yennefer asks sarcastically.
"Do us a favor and leave. Unless you want to die by accident." -Geralt said, while firmly holding his sword.
"Shut up, Dh'ione!" -One of the elves yelled. Appearently the leader, Geralt muses."Your friend angered the Three tails! For that you two will pay the price!"
"They are out of their minds." -Yennefer said in disbelief. Geralt and Yennefer almost stumble from another shockwave."Let's just leave one alive, Witcher."
"I know that." -Geralt said with smirk."Shall We dance?"
Triss never had to run so fast. For most of her life, she was a royal advisor. She was used to political meetings, ceremonies, preventing wars and maintaining peace. But she couldn't remember running to save innocent lifes. Triss soon finds out that she's out of breath. Luckily for her, she was already by the village. Taking quick breathes, Triss notice that the village seem empty. But she could definately hear voices coming from the huts.
"I know that you are there!" -Triss calls out and suddenly everything goes quiet. But upon another shock wave, everyone starts to scream in horror."Please! You have to evacuate! You might die if you stay here!" -Out of nowhere an object passes next to her head.
"Leave us! We're not leaving!" -An eldery voice comes out one of the huts.
"Nothing will damage these huts!" -Someone else, younger, yells."We're safer here then outside!"
Triss bits her lower lip. She had to force them out of the huts. Two fireballs forms inside her palms. With her mastery over fire element, she throws them at the huts. Because of her mastery, she was able to control to the point where they would not cause a fire hazard. She heard screams getting louder as the villagers came out of the huts.
"What are you doing?! Are ya mad!" -Other elder shouted. Then another shockwave came and it broke the foundations of one of the huts. Within seconds, it fell apart."MY HUT!"
"I'm proofing the point!" -Triss snaps out."Those huts won't last! You have get away from here!"
"How can We leave our homes?!" -A young woman shouts.
"I understand, believe me." -Triss said calmly."But tell me, what's better. Losing your lifes or your huts? You can always rebuild. But you don't get another life." -They look at each ohter and then at their huts."Please...I want to help you."
Kurama slam Isobu to the side with the whip of his tails. Isobu was quick to get back on his feet though. He rolls himself back into a spicky ball and charges at Kurama. Jumping in the last second, Kurama blasts a beam just in the right moment. Isobu was driven into the earth beneath the lake. After landing, Kurama look how Isobu was trying to get out.
[...We can waste time. We need to subdue him and try to release the spell...]
"I already tried! Besides it's magic!" -Naruto exclaim and Kurama avatar prepare himself. Isobu was getting out quickly."That's not our forte! We might want to try and knock him out cold. But that would cause a lot of damage. On top of it, they are still here. There's also the case of villagers."
[...I know that. Let's tackle him and hold him. Maybe he'll respond to his own chakra inside of you...]
"Worth a try..." -Naruto agrees and charges at Isobu.
Before Isobu could attack, Kurama jumps and lands on top of the Three-tail beast. He wraps his tails to immobilize Isobu. Naruto jumps out of the Kurama avatar and lands on one of spikes by his eye. To be honest, Naruto didn't have that much chakra of all Tail Beasts left. It was even smaller then when he took Kurama chakra for the first time. But to his surprise, Isobu seem to calm down. He look at Naruto, who look back at him. In his eye, Naruto could see him asking for help.
Suddenly, glowing marks spread across Isobu body. Something was moving beneath his skin. He roars and start shaking. Naruto jumps back to Kurama avatar and notices the marks spreading on Isobu body. A realization hit him. He saw that before. Back in Cintra. But like then, Isobu wasn't changing. It seem to cause pain rather then mutation. Kurama takes few steps back and something unexpected happens. A giant ice globe, that appears to be a portal, open ups behind Isobu.
"Wha...What the fuck?!" -Naruto said and as he did, Isobu is being pulled by the portal.
Kurama send his tail and wraps it around Isobu arm. He's trying to pull Isobu away from the portal but to no effect. Instead, Kurama is being pulled as well. Despite that, he's still trying. But to his shock, Isobu send a powerful shockwave at his legs, knocking him down. With a final roar, Isobu disappears along with the portal.
"NO!" -Naruto yells as Kurama roars in anger.
Geralt's sword pierces through another Scoia'tael heart, killing them. He was drench in blood, from head to toe. Yennefer was panting. She underestimated the Squirrels. They're tougher than she was led to believe. Luckily, there was just one more. But that one would be interrogated. Right as they were about to subdue him, some invisible force pull to the side. Then out of the bushes Geralt and Yennefer saw Naruto now holding the last Scoia'tael by the throat.
"Now..." -Naruto said coldly."We are going to have a nice little chat..."
Scoia'tael didn't say a thing and instead he spits at Naruto face. Bad move. He slams the elve into the tree hard that you could hear jis shoulder blade inside of him cracking. Elve wants to scream, but Naruto punchs him in the face. After that he punched few more times. Putting away his bloody fist, Naruto stares at Scoia'tael who, with broken nose, has a difficult time breathing.
"Let's start again, shall We?" -Naruto asks and Elf look at him with one eye as the other was swollen."You will tell me everything you know. Do you understand?"
"Va vort a me, Dh'oine. N'aen te a dice'n." -Elf basically told him he won't say anything. For that, Naruto kicks in the stomach."A d'yaebl aép arse..."
"Listen, you little shit." -Naruto hisses at him."I don't need you to know what I want. I can just rip your soul out of your body and learn what I need to know." -He pauses to look at slightly scared expression of the Elf. Even Geralt and Yennefer felt like taking a step back."Afterwards, you will die. So be nice and maybe I'll spare you."
"Fuck you..." -Elf snarls at Naruto, who in return flares his Sharingan. His eye becomes glassy as jis mouth hangs."We work with...a powerful sorcerer...Wild...Hunt...Time of Contempt...White Frost..."
"Is that all?" -Naruto asks somewhat disappointed. What was that suppose to mean? White Frost? Wild Hunt?"Then, you're useless." -With swift movement, Naruto snaps the Elf's neck. There would be no witnesses."What the fuck is happening...?"
"Doesn't sound good..." -Geralt said after a while. Naruto glances at him, while Yennefer seems to be thinking about something.
"Indeed." -Yennefer agrees with Geralt."But, I am curious. Wild Hunt? Sounds ridiculous." -Yennefer glances at Naruto."But compare to what I saw...Well..."
"What the hell is Wild Hunt?" -Naruto asks while Geralt was wiping blood from his sword.
"They are widely believed to be a group of specters galloping in the sky. Common folk thinks of them as an omen of war." -Yennfer explains, crossing her arms below her chest."Tell me, what was that thing? On the lake."
"One of the nine tail beasts." -Naruto replies."That was Isobu, the three tails. I have the nine tails, Kurama."
"Then, We have eight tail beasts on our hands." -Yennefer concludes with snort."things are getting better..."
"Nine, if you count other half of Kurama." -Naruto said and Yennefer eyes widen."So...does it mean that war is coming?" -Naruto wonders out loud, referring to Wild Hunt."I heard some rumours about Nilfgaard taking steps towards the North."
"You too? Hmm..." -Geralt muses and wipes the blood from his face. Suddenly, Triss walks out of bushes."Ah, Triss. How did go?"
"Well. But it seems to be over." -Triss said while looking at Naruto."What happend? Where's the turtle?"
"Gone...Something or someone teleported him." -Naruto replies with tired sigh.
"Teleported? To create such a big portal...It'd take enormous amount of energy." -Triss comments with widen eye."Only a group of powerful group of sorcerers would have been able to pull something like that."
"So what, it's Akatsuki all over again?" -Naruto said, mostly to himself. He sits down, feeling tired.
"This isn't good..." -Yennefer said after few moments."Possible war with Nilfgaard and now those tail beasts."
"Tell me about it." -Naruto said with dry chuckle."I need to go back to Cintra. I need to inform Calanthe that I might be gone for a while. What about you?"
"Should We inform the Brotherhood?" -Triss asks and Naruto stares at her.
"Sorry, but that's a stupid question." -Naruto said with sigh. Luckily, Triss didn't seem to be hurt by his comment."Like you said, a powerful group of sorcerers could make such portal. I don't trust them with this information. Let's keep them in the dark for now."
"Naruto's right." -Geralt said with nod."Let's keep it between ourselfs for now. If possible, let's look around for any informations about strange creatures. Yen, did you overheard anything else?"
"I'm afraid no..." -Yennefer replies with the shake of her head.
"Alright. I'll keep an eye on any rumours in Temeria." -Triss said with nod."So, now what?"
"I guess We'll split up." -Naruto replied, while getting up."I'm going to head back to Cintra."
"We'll go back to Vengerberg." -Yennefer said and Geralt agrees with nod.
"If you get anything, send me a message." -Naruto said and Yennefer and Triss nods."Alright. Let's not waste time. I hope We can meet up soon." -He adds, while glancing at Triss for a brief moment. In another second, he was gone with swirl of leafs.
"He's really something..." -Triss said with gentle smile.
"That he is." -Geralt agrees.