WARNING! This chapter contains high levels of violence and bloodshed.
Reader discretion is advised.
Death is inevitable. No one is safe.
You voted for this chapter with no breaks.
Be prepared for the consequences of your actions.
This is not an act of revenge, perish the thought.
This path has been led toward for quite some time.
There is no getting off this train.
Go grabs some snacks and play some tunes.
I recommend the RWBY soundtracks.
I'll be recommending tunes on the way.
Now...
Die with me.
"Sir, we have a bit of an issue!" An armed guard screamed on his radio headset, firing round after round at his target but it did not seem to matter. "The White Fang is here!"
"Hell yeah, we are!" A grizzled voice roared as he busted through the cargo trolley, slamming the man into and through the other side with his massive paw as blood splattered and the guard's body separated.
Bron then grinned as he looked at the machines beginning to activate within the cart. "Oh, this is going to be way more fun than I thought! Let's tear this bitch down!"
Ripping his way through the drones like they were tissue paper, Bron barreled his way to the next cart, where nothing was placed as it was meant for transporting cargo, as he grinned at seeing guards firing upon him with drones taking shots as well. "Ahahaha! Fresh meat!"
"Do not forget why we are here, Bron!" Shade hissed as he appeared in a burst of shadows behind the guards throwing them off the train before he drew a nasty carving knife and sped through several automatons, slicing their heads clean off. "We are to clear the way and make sure this train stays intact! We need it for transport!"
"Minimal damage to the train got it! The grunts and bots on the other hand!" Bron roared and laughed as he ignored all the bullets denting against his toughened skin as he ripped his paws through a wave of drones before pouncing on a hapless guard, screaming for his life. "Come here squirt! Let me show you how a real man fights!"
And his fist flattened the man's skull with a sickening crunch as bone fragments, blood, and grey matter exploded out of the top of it. "Ah, only one shot! Weak!"
"God I hate working with you…" Shade hissed as he just narrowly avoided being sprayed with the geyser of viscera before sighing as he cut through a few more drones and kicked a guard off the side of the railing. "I miss Blake… She'd made a much better Second Lieutenant."
"You talking shit over there!" Bron roared as threw a drone as Shade casually sidestepped it, allowing it to take out another few drones. "Because I will…"
"You'll what… Whimper at my feet again?" Shade hissed as Bron narrowed his eyes at the reptilian faunus before him Shade transformed his carving knife into a silenced pistol and dropped a guard quietly as he ran into the area for support without even looking, clutching his shoulder as he slumped down before he was kicked off the train. "Brute strength isn't all that matters… You should be more cautious of your enemies. …Wouldn't want another incident where we shit yourself for three days again, do we?"
"Oh, you and I are going to throw down after this day is done," Bron growled at the First Lieutenant and clenched his clawed fist as this open cart was cleared.
"Enough of your bickering." Adam walked into view as he casually strolled between them, marching with the intent of taking this train as a group of White Fang grunts safely held Weiss tied against her will while another group followed behind with a stretcher and some equipment as a medic kept barking orders on what to do.
"This train is ours for the taking, move out and get it done." Adam stopped as a few more drones attempted to fire toward them, deflecting each of the shots before sliding Wilt back into the scabbard of Blush.
Rose petals flowed next as the drones ceased to exist as Adam appeared behind them, Wilt drawn as the bodies seemingly evaporated from the power of his slice. And he turned back to Shade and Bron with his face stern and focused. "Is that understood?"
"Yes, High Commander!" Both Bron and Shade said as they knelt before Adam in respect before rushing ahead to secure each section of the train ahead.
Hearing footsteps behind him, Adam simply waited for his subordinate to speak as he saluted him from behind. "Sir, our last remaining forces in Vale received the message and have just captured the CTT tower. We have our window and everything has been set up for the recording!"
"Good." Adam turned and saw a camera placed on a tripod before him with a faunus operating it while two Fang guards forced Weiss into the shot.
"Let me go! I will not take part in this!" Weiss fought each and every step she was forced to take she was taken toward Adam.
"Girl, remember my words," Adam spoke as she neared him and her cold eyes gazed upon him as she was forced by his side, he grabbed her bindings from behind as a small mirror was placed in her grasp. "Do as I say."
Harshly glaring at the bull faunus beside her as the two Fang members retreated off the camera feed and the thumbs up was given, Weiss gave a wicked snarl. "Just what are you planning? Whatever it is won't work… I tell you I am nothing like my father!"
"I know… I saw it that day." Adam quietly responded and Weiss' eyes widened as she was taken aback by his words before his focus was fully put on the camera.
"Hear me people of Remnant! I am Adam Taurus, the new High Commander of the White Fang!" Adam spoke as the recording went live and Weiss looked horrified at what was happening. "Today marks the start of a new era… One free of the mistakes of the old regime and seeking to regain the honor of old."
"Previous High Commander Sienna Khan was put to death for treason for her crimes against the White Fang by the very laws she put into place… That tore it tore down the foundation that we once believed it… No more!" Adam threw his hand out before him as he abolished her crimes. "She tore the White Fang asunder from within with her underhanded tactics when it stood for peace and turned it into the monster it has become today!"
"And I will stand as the last testament of the monster she reaped upon Remnant, being the very beast she created, and help bring forth the downfall of something once proud and noble!" Adam growled out as he stood stoically before the camera. "Hereby as my first and last act as High Commander of the White Fang I turn over all White Fang activities back to Ghira Belladonna as it should have always been while the violence will be left with me and the rest of my men, The Black Fang!"
"Every violent member of the Fang, leave! You are no longer welcome in that place of peace! You will find your home soon as the Black Fang will rebuild and we will be coming for what is rightfully ours…"
"Our right to be treated as equals!" Adam made his intentions known as he severed the White Fang's factions, throwing his mask off and revealing his face to the world showing the branding of his face, the burns he received along with the Grimm veins of his hand slowly growing and pulsing on his face. "No longer will it stand that we will be treated like mere property! Like we are nothing but dirt groveling at our master's every whim! We won't just bend our knees and work for nothing any longer! We are worth more than that! Each and every one of us is worth so much more! We are people like everyone else and our rights matter!"
"We fight! We will win! And we will take what is ours! The freedoms that we fought for and earned by our brothers, sisters, father, mothers, grandfathers, grandmothers... Every single one of us is family! And we fought for this and we will not give up our rights as greedy politicians and bigoted fascists keep trying to kick us down!"
"Those compelled to do something the fight, join if you must! Do things peacefully please! The White Fang is the way... We are the last resort when everything fails and violence is the only thing that people will respond to." Adam growled at the end before his gaze turned to Weiss.
Adam then forcefully held Weiss up before him as he made his next announcement. "Naruto Uzumaki! I know you are coming so let me make this perfectly clear! The White Fang has nothing to do with this! Come find me! We are heading straight for Vale on the northbound train and we have the Schnee heiress and your other huntress with us!"
"But be fast… The clock is ticking and I can't keep the other one's sand from draining for too much longer." He finished coldly as he looked straight into the camera.
"Tick-tock, Champion of the people."
"We're approaching the coordinates and fast." Winter relayed the information she had as looked out from above. "Using the clouds to our advantage I can see the base from here, an airdrop looks like a good call, especially with the amount of cloud cover we have."
Naruto looked at the scene himself, glad for the clouds himself before he had Winter motion for two soldiers to bring in a case and drop it between them and the rest of his team. "Well, ladies… As much as well all don't like Jacques for our unique separate reasons, he is not a cheap skate when it comes to rescuing his daughter."
"That is a benefit." Winter took a breath when anything related to her father was brought up but in this case, it was probably the best-case scenario before she kicked open the crate to reveal dozens upon dozens of different colored Dust vials and cartridges. "Whatever element you seek it is here. Combustion rounds. Fire. Water. Ice. Lightning. Wind. Rock. Steam. Gravity. Hard-Light…"
"That type was procured and stashed," Naruto commented with a straight face as even the two soldiers looked at Naruto as Winter glared at him. "These were going to us anyways and if he's just going to give them to us… I'm just going to claim they were all used on the field of battle because getting those rounds otherwise is a pain in the ass."
"Velvet." Blake gave a knowing smile as she understood the reason for his early procurement of those rounds.
"Velvet." Naruto gave a simple nod before grinning. "This stash might last her half a year if she uses them how she normally does!"
Winter twitched. While these weren't military rations so she had no say in the matter as he father had reached out and given them to Ironwood and directly to her for Naruto to use… It felt like it was an inappropriate use of resources. And to not even think about using…
Well, looking at the team assemble she understood that. No one really would benefit from light rounds. And considering how her father had been royally screwing this bunch…
She'd overlook this.
"Don't mind me yonking these… More combustion rounds never hurt." Yang took a few more into her pouch before grabbing a few vials of Dust. "And you know what, a few elemental kicks might be just what the doctor order if things get out of hand."
"You throw those?" Blake commented and Yang growled as now was not the time for jokes as she started going through and taking a vial of each element of dust and some combustion rounds of her own. "Just to give my clones some kick and for my rounds to do just that little extra damage that may need to be done."
Yang twitched as now was not the time. She understood. She did it all the time. Even in serious situations. This however was not time to poke fun at her choice of words!
"Blake, ease up… Don't need Yang blowing up before we're in," Naruto commented as he could sense Yang's anxiety and see her nervous twitching. "Usually I'd be hoping right into this…"
"Fair, I apologize." Blake gave a small hug to Yang as she tried to take a deep breath to calm herself, steeling herself for what was to come.
Neo simply looked around all the dust, picking and choosing at seemingly random intervals and colors at just didn't seem to matter to her. She then simply grinned and Naruto had to wonder what was going through that mind of hers.
And sometimes he really didn't want to know after seeing her notebook as she look so defeated last night, having to rewrite a goal that happened to be him and Blake sleeping with one another.
Neo was strange and she bothered him a little.
"Is that everything everyone can take?" Naruto asked as he looked at all the girls as he pulled out an old-school scroll, making sure they had what they wanted.
As they each nodded, Winter, nodded and was about to order her men to take the chest back. "All right, now listen… What just happened?"
With a plume of smoke, the entire crate disappeared into a scroll and Naruto rolled it up before returning it into his pouch, grinning. "Procurement. He owes me… A lot."
"You're giving me some of those rounds later, right?" Yang asked as her jaw was slightly agape before shaking her head as she had gotten used to Naruto's ninja skills and was still occasionally just flabbergasted by some of the smaller details.
Naruto just grinned and Yang wasn't sure if that was an answer she liked or not. She could never tell with him…
Suddenly each of their scrolls went off, Blake being the first to pull hers out. And her eyes widened seeing the announcement. "Do we have something to put on the news?! Like now!"
"Pull down the screen!" Winter commanded and the command screen lowered before their view after a soldier hit a few buttons from their stations and the screen came to life.
And their eyes widened as Winter was the first to speak. "Weiss! Where are they?! That looks like a train!"
"Hear me people of Remnant!" Began the speech of Adam Taurus as all paid attention, listening closely to the words spoken.
Yang growled at each word, wanting to break the bull's face as she saw Weiss and knew Ruby wasn't very far from the spot. She didn't give a damn about their past leader or whatever she did or the rights movement he was speaking about or…
Her face dropped.… "Did he just…"
"He dissolved the White Fang and is handing over what's left…" Blake looked on in disbelief, tears forming in her eyes at what she was seeing, hearing the declaration for them to go home and serve at Menagerie while the violent were urged to come and join him and his cause. "Back to where it belongs… He sent it home."
Was Adam… Still there? Was he just lost within himself this entire time? Was there something more she didn't see? Was…
"Blake… It's okay," Naruto slid his hand into hers and squeezed it in a comforting manner. "We'll find out soon as we get there… But now where is there…"
"Northbound train?" Winter questioned hearing the news before she turned to the navigator. "Find me those tracks! We are changing course!"
"Yes, mam!" The soldier responded at navigation as he looked at the terrain before finding the location. "Got it, setting coordinates now."
"Got them here! Changing course!" The pilot responded as the airship slowly began to drift to the left while Adam finished his speech.
"But be fast… The clock is ticking and I can't keep the other one's sand from draining for too much longer." Adam spoke coldly on the monitor as if he was staring straight at Naruto.
"Tick-tock, Champion of the people."
"What do you mean her sand is draining you bastard?!" Yang growled out as the feed ended and the news anchors were shocked at what had just hijacked their airways. "If you have done anything…"
"How fast can this thing move?" Naruto spoke with urgency as his blue gaze turned and gazed straight into Winter's.
"Considering the distance… At top speed, we should be there in twenty minutes." Winter spoke, a little intimidate at the glint in his eyes and the presence he was giving off radiated. "Maybe if we put the engines into overdrive we could cut that in half that but…"
"Do it… Do it now." Naruto ordered, his voice cold as ice as steam began to wisp from every breath. "We need every second as that mirror was the message he wanted to send us…"
"What?!" Yang cried out as she was focused on everything that was said and Weiss' appearance and Blake was focused on the message. "Just what do you mean…"
"I… I need every second I can get… Because I don't know if I can use this technique anymore without… The powers of my older world." Naruto trembled as what he saw in the mirror disturbed him greatly and he feared it was a possibility seeing the video of the kidnapping from last night.
He had only hoped it wasn't so but now his fears were brought forth…
"Naruto…" Blake saw the tears beginning to build up in his eyes at what for the first time felt like he was breaking down before her eyes before she placed her hand on his chest, biting back her fears as she felt his heart racing within. "Naruto! What's wrong?"
"No… I have to believe… I have to." Naruto gritted his teeth as he clinched his free fist and he took careful, deep breaths, to calm his nerves and slow his blood flow down. "He sent the message knowingly… Wanting us to find him quickly…"
"Which means there is a chance." Naruto tried to center himself as the image of what he saw in the mirror still haunted him…
But with everything Adam was saying and the way he was speaking… It felt like he was trying to bring him to her and protect what he valued most. And in that sense, he felt somehow he understood and got where the bull was coming from…
"Tell me what the fuck is going on!" Yang marched over and grabbed Naruto by the collar, pulling him from Blake and looking him straight in the eye. "What are you not telling me?!"
"Yang…" Naruto spoke as he found the words that troubled him as he didn't know what to say to her.
How could he? She came on this mission expecting to save Ruby and now the chance was they were going to arrive and wasn't even going to be…
"Yang… He can't… Because we all already knew it was a possibility after watching that video." Blake spoke softly as Yang's grip loosened and tears began to build in her eyes. "You knew that last night but… You were too afraid…"
"Shut up! She's going to be fine, you see!" Yang turned and screamed at Blake before turning toward Winter. "Didn't you hear him?! Get us there now!"
"I want to see my baby sister!"
In a dusty tavern with no one else in it, one man sat drinking with an excessive amount of bottles on his table. Even the barkeep had called it and left the man, looking it up and leaving for the day as he would see the man when he came back and the bill would get paid.
He knew Qrow well enough to not disturb him when he was like this.
Something was wrong and everyone needed to keep their distance from him besides getting him a drink. He'd usually be fine in a day or two of drinking…
Somehow this felt different and the bar might be his for the foreseeable future. Wasn't like they could afford anyone to kick him out anyways, nor would they want to. He was a good paying customer despite his drunken stupor… Was not offensive at least until someone pissed him off.
The patrons of this bar knew Qrow well enough now that wasn't a good idea, whether they were sober or drunk.
"Fucking another drink…" Qrow grumbled as he stumbled to the bar, barely able to stand let alone walk before grabbing a bottle and somehow making it back to his seat without breaking anything in the process all the while popping the lid off. "Need this shit…"
"Qrow." A woman's voice spoke as they appeared in the bar, looking at the pathetic, stopping him as he tried to drink, and forcing the bottle down onto the table. "I came to talk… But seeing the sorry state you are in, I think you need to be talking more than I it seems."
"Fuck… You." Qrow growled as he looked into the woman's red eyes. "Think you can just waltz right back into my family's lives and now tell me what to do now? You can go straight to hell Raven! I'm killing the last of my brain cells tonight!"
"And I'll take your head before letting you cripple yourself so let's talk, brother." Raven ripped the bottle out of Qrow's hands and put it down on the other side of the table as she slid into the chair in front of it. "I had come to… Settle things from the last time we met but now I am worried as while I know you have become a drunkard in the years I've left… This does not match the stories I know of you."
"And why the fuck have you been keeping tabs on me? Thought you didn't give a shit! It's why you ran off! You only feared for your own damn life!" Qrow growled as he visibly twitched, starting at the bottle before glaring at his sister across from him. "What makes you suddenly care now? That obligation has been dead and buried for a long time, sister."
"Because whether you believe it or not… I never stopped loving my family, Qrow." Raven took the drink herself and it just annoyed Qrow more before she gazed into his eyes. "Heartless I may be. Cold and calculated. A murderous bitch as you've called me in the past as I have no qualms taking whoever's life is in front of me if they dare stand in my way."
"But you, Yang, Tai… Even Summer and her baby Ruby… I love my family too." Raven took another drink as she looked Qrow dead in the eye. "I stayed away for more than just fear Qrow. The first years of a child's life should never be spent with the tribe and both Yang and Ruby would have been butchered in the wilderness with it moving every year now it is worse than ever. Think of why we didn't live with the tribe as children at first before I went to live there and now it is worse as we move constantly in fear of Salem finding us as we have a Maiden!"
"Don't you lie to me… You killed her and took her powers. I'm well aware of that fact, Raven." Qrow growled and Raven sighed as the Maiden was weak in her eyes and did her the favor of putting an end to all. "And of course, I knew that but… Once they were both old enough, you could have come grabbed Yang, Ruby, and Tai… There wouldn't have been any resistance. Even from me at that time as I put far too much belief into Ozpin and his plan then…"
"I… Will admit you are right when it comes to one thing Qrow." Raven admitted as she took another drink. "When you called me a coward… I wasn't that I believed it for running from Salem. We all should as there is no defeating her… I am a coward because…"
"I can't look Ruby in the eyes without seeing Summer's lifeless ones!" Raven cried out the bottle shattering in her hand, tears forming as she let her weakness be shown. "I was there, okay! Summer found Evernight where Salem stays and went in alone! I tracked her down and went in after Summer as I tried to stop her but I was too late! Salem… Even with all her strengths and her eyes… Her eyes didn't do anything Qrow! Salem ripped Summer apart!"
Qrow stayed silent at Raven's admission as his sister trembled. "I… saved what little could of her and buried her on the Dragon's Mouth in the north… I can show you where it is but I think the gravestone at Patch is more appropriate… She's home."
"Is that… Why you never came back? Because you knew Tai was happy was with Summer and then…" Qrow asked as for the first time since she ran began to understand there was more than she let on.
"I did," Raven answered and Qrow's eyes nearly broke his sockets. "I knew Tai wouldn't take the news well but I came to grab all three regardless of the tribal life… I wanted them close to me."
"Tai must have been inside as I came through my portal but… Yang was on the other side of the house playing hide and seek with Ruby… And she looked at me with those bright silver eyes so full of life and I couldn't handle it! I ran!" Raven cried out. "She reminded me so much of Summer I couldn't handle it so, yes I am a coward! I can never look at Ruby without seeing her mother! That's why I only offered to Yang with me!"
As the bar quieted after Raven's outburst, it seemed like things were settling down when Qrow grabbed an empty bottle himself and tossed it against the wall, shattering it as tears well in his eyes. "That's just fucking fantastic! She'll probably go willingly now! That's not a problem any longer!"
Raven's face sobered and her red eyes gazed at Qrow with deathly seriousness. "Qrow… What happened to Ruby?"
"Her skull was caved in, that's what happened!" Qrow cried as he gripped both of his temples and put his face into the table. "I watched the video of her being kidnapped with the Schnee girl multiple times now… And I know they are going to try and rescue them… But Ruby isn't coming back. Even if they bring her back she's not going to back. She's going to be a fucking vegetable!"
"Tai and I were too soft raising her… We loved her too much!" Qrow cried as he banged his head against the table, shaking the bottles and sending some to the floor while Raven looked at her brother mortified. "We always let her believe everything was going to be fine despite knowing how twisted and cruel this world can be! Let her believe she could be the heroine in everyone's time of despair if she just tried hard enough! That she could walk in her mother's footsteps as that's what she wanted to be! She wanted to be like Summer!"
"And then Oz had to fucking put his hands this and bring her to Beacon two years early! She wasn't ready you fuck! Yang hardly is as are most trainees!" Qrow lifted his head and turned his focus towards the direction of Beacon, screaming and hoping Ozpin could hear him.
It was possible.
He then slammed his head back into the table and knocked most of the bottles on their side to where they started rolling off the table and shattered or were simply knocked off. "I can't blame the boy… Fuck knows I want to… He's done more to keep them out of his affairs and they just put themselves in it because Oz knew what he was doing by putting them so close to the third chosen of the Gods… This one apparently by the Goddess of Fate."
"Fate is involved!" Raven jumped out of her seat and slammed her hands onto the table, knocking a bottle into Qrow's face and forcing him to look up at her. "Tell me… Is this champion of hers from another world?"
"Yeah… Heard that much when I was spying on Salem's bitch intruders in Beacon." Qrow grumbled as he recalled the story. "Since I was close by and our corvid hearing is oh so good… I heard his story loud and clear about where he is from and everything that happened to him… And fuck… I just wish… I wish…"
"I fucking wish he had those powers here! Maybe we could save Ruby!" Qrow grabbed one last bottle and tossed it against the wall, leaving splinters of glass in as the rest fell into the seats and floors.
Raven's intent was still focused entirely on her brother as she moved in front of him and kneeled before him, looking him dead in the eye. "Salem has long been waiting for Fate to get involved, predicting that she eventually would at some time… Waiting for a champion from another world as she is very particular about whom she likes…"
"Now tell me what do you mean that he could save Ruby? Power doesn't just vanish, Qrow!" Raven grabbed her brother and gave him a shake. "Fate shackled him to her to keep him on a leash! She wants total control over every aspect of everything! It's why the Brother Gods stay away from the Allmother when she is involved!"
"There still may just be a way to save Ruby!"
The morning had been relatively peaceful. He had overseen the construction of new housing and checked on the residents in the immediate area before issuing a few commands to get the day started for his people before returning home.
His day couldn't truly start without seeing his lovely wife and the delicious breakfast she would always set out aside for him.
He tried on a few occasions to make her breakfast but it was best left in her hands, the mess was not worth the effort in the end… Especially since he had to clean it up. He dared not make her ever touch one of his messes.
He knew how she could be when irritated.
So gently seating himself onto the zabuton pillows that his wife so fondly loved, even if they were a little uncomfortable for a man of his size, he took a deep breath and let the smell of her cooking settle his mind.
The last week had been a strange sensation for him as while everything felt normal, hearing her voice again changed everything. The relief of hearing she was still okay, she was still fighting and even trying to make a difference in the world like she had originally set out to do was a comfort that he needed over the last two years.
He had been deeply disturbed when she went to the White Fang knowing what they had become and Sienna had lorded it over him that she was now under her command. He hated every fiber of that woman but he loathed violence even more so as it was clear she was goading him into trying to draw out the old him…
The one he left behind long ago. The one and only place in this world for that version of him was to protect his people from the Grimm and to protect his family from threats.
But hearing that she fled the White Fang left worry in his heart and he knew what the consequences of desertion were now in the new White Fang. He hadn't heard anything from them on this front, most decidedly wanting to keep this news quiet and possibly simply wanting to retrieve her instead, he sighed. He knew that he still had influence and it was feared, so she was up to her old tactics again.
Then there was Adam whom he was even more worried about. The young man… Changed. When he last saw him he was no longer the same person he remembered and it didn't seem Blake saw that from the story she told him and broke his heart. She made one of the worse mistakes a faunus could make so young…
And she did the right thing and now he wanted nothing more than to go to Beacon, get her himself but…
Blake had found herself again. Despite the crying during the call, which was understandable given the emotions involved, he could feel her passion and strength beyond what she even had before. And she helped achieve it thanks to this new faunus…
He was no fool, he knew of him. The prodigy that Ozpin from Beacon announce swept the landscape yet there was no word on this faunus from before. It was a strange matter and one that Blake knew personally as she came to know him and everything she spoke of him…
Well, he knew of that talk as it seemed his wife had the widest grin on her face the entire time she spoke of him. He would take the word more at face value…
"Ghira, darling." Kali's voice came from the kitchen as she was finishing the last touches of the meal. "I think I hear someone coming. Can you go check on that? I am almost done here and it is likely for you."
Knowing his wife had better hearing than he, Ghira slowly lifted himself off the pillow with a few cracks popping through his body as the signs of his age started to show. He then carefully made his way to the front door and opened it just in time to see a White Fang messenger about to knock on his door. "What is that you want?"
"High Com… High Leader Ghira sir!" This immediately caught his attention as those words had not been spoken in quite some time and for the first time in five years he noticed something strange with this messenger. "I have come to deliver you the news!"
He wore no mask. It was as if they weren't hiding any longer.
"Speak, brother," Ghira spoke as this was an unusual start to the day and this young faunus had seemed to be out of breath, having sprinted the entire way here from their base.
Then he looked outside and saw many other faunus looking at him, their eyes in both shock and awe as if something happened in the moments he retreated to eat breakfast.
Something happened and he needed answers.
"Sir! It would be easier to show you! Do you have something I can display the broadcast on?" The young White Fang faunus spoke in reverence.
"Broadcast?" Ghira questioned before letting the young man in. "Yes, in the main room. Show it to me."
"Dear?" Kail looked concerned as she just prepared everything for breakfast and was setting it on the table as Ghira and the young faunus entered the room, watching him turn the television on and bring on the news. "Is that… Adam?"
"Yes, just twenty minutes ago High Commander Adam Taurus took hijacked the airwaves." The young faunus responded before he turned up the volume as Ghira's eyes widened at hearing his title, knowing something had happened if Adam had become the leader of the White Fang. "Here, they are replaying the message."
And as both Ghira and Kail watched the recording of the passionate message Adam gave to Remnant, wife turned to her husband. "Is he…"
"He has finally begun to learn… And he's sacrificing himself… The fool!" Ghira growled in his throat and watched the speech to its end, knowing where it was leading before he took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, everything looks delicious but I must go."
Kail could only nod as she saw Ghira close his eyes, knowing exactly what it was he was going to do as he headed for the door.
"But it is time to make this truly a place of peace again."
"We're coming up on the train! I'm opening the deck!" Winter called out from the bridge on the overhead speaker as Naruto, Blake, Yang, and Neo had moved below and were ready for the drop-in. "It's going to be a rough landing as they are moving at full speed!"
"Copy that!" Naruto spoke over the intercom as the deck slowly began to lower and they could see the train below them, moving on the tracks through the blooming trees as spring was in full bloom.
"Whatever happens… Make sure you bring them back safe and sound." Winter finished solemnly over the microphone as wished them a final goodbye. "Good luck soldiers."
"Understood, over and out." Naruto took a breath as he looked below as the airship soared by the train as Dust shots from below began to fire out towards it. "There's a welcoming party! Let's go say hello!"
And the four sprinted off the opened deck, leaping into the air and they free fell towards the speeding train below them. Bullets raced between them, aiming more at the airship but slowly started to focus in on them as the Fang members below realized people were air dropping in.
Naruto went in headfirst, dropping in fast as he could as he let his chakra flow with the wind, further increasing his speed. A shockwave formed around him as he flew down and the sound cracked around him as he broke the sound barrier as flew past his team while a second began to form as he neared the train.
And using his chakra he never touched the ground, pulling up the second shockwave burst and the sound boomed and knocked the Fang shooting at them back as he flew through the open section of the train, turning in mid-air as planted his feet and skidded on the train and came to a full stop.
Just inches away from slamming into the next metal cart. He might have to work on his wind elemental training a little further…
The armed Fang members slowly tried to get back up but Neo touched down first and with a swift roundhouse she sent one flying into another as Yang dropped onto another, putting him straight into the mount as she landed a single punch to knock him into oblivion.
Blake had transformed Shroud into kusarigama form and swiped through the remaining guards while still in the air, knocking them flat as she hit before returning it to sheath form to deliver the knockout to each.
And they each quickly caught up to Naruto and gave him a flat stare of 'What the fuck was that?' before Naruto kicked up the door of the next cart, just for bullets to be fired through the door. "Seems like they know we're here!"
"I wonder why! Couldn't be the sonic booms!" Yang growled out at Naruto. "Not like they didn't know we were coming anyways. The airship was a dead giveaway! Sneaking isn't any option… Where the hell is Neo?"
Within reality shattered next to the Fang members as glass shattered and Neo appeared beside the first, her boot heel planted straight into his face and driving him wall, cracking his neck before she opened Hush and deflected several point shoots and shattered out of existence once more only to appear behind the other guard, thrusting the blade of hush into the guard's back, withdrawing the parcel back as the front guard was taken care of.
"Someone chose violence today." Naruto winced a little as he was wanting as few casualties as possible but knowing there was no restraint on Neo when the trigger was pulled. "Let her out, that's my responsibility… Let's go."
Naruto let Blake and Yang in after Neo as they went into the train cart, finding several more armed Fang members ahead, waiting for them ahead in an ambush as Naruto, Blake, and Neo crept in on the side of the cargo.
The ambush was immediately leaped into as Yang was no longer having any of the stall tactics she jumped over the cargo. "Fuck all of you! Get out of my way!"
"Guess we're going in!" Blake screamed as she rushed in with her partner, deflecting a few shots with Shroud before smashing her sheath into the faunus' face.
Yang pummeled the first Fang she reached, with three shots to the gut another to the chest and the last sent him smashing into the next two as she connected with a straight punch to the jaw and three collided into and through the cart door.
"You know what, it worked!" Naruto shook his head as went ahead and Neo rolled her eyes and followed before Yang and Blake came with as even more Fang members were there ready to fire. "Well, time to take out the trash!"
"You said it! Stand down, boys!" A gruff voice roared as the open cart rumbled as a very huge faunus jumped onto the open segment of the cart and all four recognized who it was. "Good to see you brought friends Third Lieutenant Blake Belladonna! More fun for me!"
Blake hissed as Shroud transformed into her wakizashi form as she stared down the behemoth of a faunus before them with her friends and her lover beside her. "Bron! This ends here! Your… Senseless violence has gone too far and now you've dragged my friends into this! For what? Sienna's goal?! Adam's?!"
"Fucking don't know what the hell Adam is doing. Beats the hell out of me, just didn't want him to cut my fucking head off." Bron growled as he still wasn't sure what his current boss's goal was anymore, he just wasn't going to question a man that was that much stronger and, to be quite frank, terrified him that much. "All I know is what I want… And what I wanted at that moment was to make you suffer."
Bron began to salivate as he daydreamed about last night. "Hearing those screams in the distance was marvelous for my ears and reminded me of the good ole days. And the beauty of hearing the girl's head crack to just the point her brain just stay inside…"
(I BURN)
"Guys… Go on ahead… He's mine." The air stood still Yang stepped in front of everyone, her aura slowly burning to life as her entire body began to tremble as her eyes turned red. "Say those fucking words again!"
The bear faunus only grinned at the sight of the blonde, his semblance coming to life as he toughened his skin. "What? The part where the girl's head cracked open like a fucking a… UMPH!"
Bron for one of the times in his life felt his defense not be enough as his face was shattered as Yang leapt up and smashed him with hooking right into his jaw. "I'll fucking kill you! That's my sister you are talking about!"
Landing on her feet, she simply turned back and looked at the rest of the team. "GO! I DON'T WANT YOU HERE FOR THIS!"
"I don't want you to see… What I'm going to do…" Yang finished quietly as her rage boiled so far over that she could no longer be loud and it her sadness was visible for them to see.
She truly knew from watching the videos what the possibilities were… She just wanted to come to exact her revenge.
Yang wanted blood.
"Yang…" Blake reached out for her friend when Naruto pulled her back and shook his head, leaving Blake wide-eyed as she looked at the blonde stand before Bron as he staggered back from the blow.
"Let her be… Yang, don't let your anger control you, and stay focused." Naruto gave her the advice he had been trying to teach her all along as he looked her in the eyes. "And don't you dare die… I will drag you from the depths as I'm not dealing with this today…."
Yang, despite being lost in her raging aura, nodded as she took a deep and heavy breath as focused on Bron.
And that was enough for Naruto as he ushered Blake forward as he and Neo made their way to the next cart.
As they left, Bron frowned as he wiped his cheek and noticed his rock-hard skin had not protected him as he stood straight, and then a nasty grin appeared on his face. "That's a rarity… Not usually hit hard enough to force me to try… This is going to be interesting, girl!"
"Let's see if you can keep up the pace! I'm starting to get excited!"
Bron squared down and rushed toward Yang with a massive paw reared back, whose eyes were lit ablaze as she met the charge with her right fist drawn low. Length was a severe advantage as Yang was hit full force as she barely got her left arm up to block the strike to her face and was knocked back, skidding and rolling against the ground.
She popped back up with no hesitation, wiping the smudges and blood drawn from her lip. Her eyes burned further as her aura lit up with anticipation.
"Oh, tough girl! I like it!" Bron roared as he barreled over towards her with shoulder lowered and Yang rolled out of the way as he crashed through a cargo carrier and tore through it.
And the moment he tried to turn around and walk out, Yang struck as she jumped into him, striking with a fury of blows into his torso due to their height differential, punching him through the other side. She screamed with fury as each blow landed and knocked him to a knee as she tried to strike his face he smacked her away and through off the carrier with his massive paw.
"Shit, you are packing a little more than before… Your semblance must be giving you some sort of buff." Bron growled as he wasn't used to fighting those that powered up like this and that was why disliked fighting Adam as with just a deflection or two and he could eviscerate almost anything.
Also, it was why he respected the Bull and wouldn't go against his command. He knew who his better was.
Getting up Bron growled seeing Yang's aura burning bright as she picked herself off the ground before grinning. "Well, suppose I'm going to have to show you just how cruel this world is little girl…"
"Eat me you fuck!" Yang roared as burst off the ground, rushing past his giant paw of a swipe and leaped up to strike his face and fired Ember. "This is for Ruby!"
And the smoke sizzled while his cheek barely budged as his head turned ever so slightly. "Heh… Time for the games to stop girl… But before you go I guess I'll teach you about semblances can grow and evolve as a parting gift!"
Yang's felt his clawed fist penetrate her stomach as he slammed it into her, digging slightly in as her eyes dimmed from the pain before she was sent flying skywards. She could hardly defend herself from such a position as she tried to put her arms up feebly as she fell back down towards Bron but he club her upper half with her massive paw. She tore through the cart they were just in previously before piercing partially through another cargo container and landing on its sharp edges with her back exposed.
And his men began cheering, knowing this fight would soon be over as Bron tore through the door and he looked at the sight of a hapless Yang as she laid a bloodied mess on the broke cargo container, her aura slowly fading as he could hear the girl muttering to herself as she was most likely delusional from the blow. "Ah, well this ended a little faster than I was hoping… At least you'll be a tasty treat as I can't eat that damn redhead, but whatever. She was too scrawny and lacked any real meat… But the still living does taste quite fine."
She felt blood puddle in her mouth, her aura fizzling around her, and a tremendous amount of pain in her stomach from an open wound that she hoped didn't display her organs… The cutting from the melt edges of the container, the spinning of the world as head smashed through it… "Naruto… Blake… Weiss…"
"I'm so sorry… Ruby… I…" Yang tried to will her body to move from the position it was in as she heard Bron tear open the cart and start speaking.
And her body began to tremble as her aura sparked once more, willing her body to move as she ripped the container open and stood up once more, her eyes red eyes glaring at Bron with vile hatred.
And wisps of gold began to burn through her eyes as she started straight into his.
"EAT MY FIST YOU CANNIBALISTIC FUCK! YOU WILL NEVER TOUCH MY FAMILY EVER AGAIN!"
She launched toward him faster than before her fist cocked back and struck at him, his left arm barely getting in front of him to block the strike.
Blood splattered over their face as Yang's fist went straight through and then Ember fired from with, exploding and turning his arm into a viscera mess as bone and flesh sent splattering between the two.
Bron howled in pain as he lost his arm but it gave him just enough time as it forced Yang to land and try to launch again and he slapped her in the face and away from him, knocking her entirely through the previously destroyed crate.
"What the fuck are you?!" Bron screamed as he gripped his stomp of a left arm as it bled profusely and he began looking for a way out.
He was not accustomed to this level of pain and he wanted none of it. He was the deliverer of pain and torment! He was the one that did the killing and devouring! And here was this brat, who kept getting up and breaking through his defenses and now blew off his hand!
Bron was getting the hell out of here! He would go back to the life of a serial killer over this! He didn't need the protection of a group if this was the kind of people they were going to start sending after him!
As he looked ready to rip through the wall and jump, he growled as his eyes visibly shook as the crate was thrown through the wall Yang slowly walked towards him with her jacket ripped open from the damage dealt, her aura burning even brighter than before and the golden aura wisping in her eyes started to overtake the crimson.
"Where are you trying to go?" Yang calmly spoke despite the rage infused with every syllable. "I'm not done with you yet. Not until I flatten your head like tried to do to my sister."
"Oh fuck this!" Bron wanted nothing to do with this fight any longer and tore open the wall train cart, fully intent on escaping the psycho blonde before him.
"You aren't going anywhere!" Yang screamed as she rushed him as she blitzed him, lost in her rage as she burst off the ground at full speed with her arm cock back and she threw her left fist at his face.
Bron was experienced enough to know that she would charge him the moment he did and was planning on a different tactic and to simply run but things changed due to how quickly she was on him. Her fist just barely missed crushing his face but as she landed perfectly into his right paw, he grinned.
This fight was still his.
Locking in the headlock tightly, Bron tightened the guillotine choke onto the blonde as she gasped for air and she gasped and clutched for her throat. He was going to give her a chance. One squeeze and he was going to end this!
Yang desperately clawed at the faunus' arm realizing just what happened. She did it again. She got lost and put herself in the same spot! But this time as he tightened his grip around her neck there wasn't the hope of being let go. This man would squeeze the life out of her if he even decided to let it get that far! The amount of pressure… He was going to pop her head clean off!
Gasping and struggling as the blackness began to fill the edges of her vision, she knew she only had one thing left as her kicks against this man was doing nothing. So with her left, she reach to her right hip pouch and grabbed what she needed, and slammed it into Celica.
And with the last of her strength, she threw a punch straight up into her face as she infused her aura with the blow, hoping it was enough.
A steam-filled elemental shot fired out Ember and straight into Bron's face and he screamed, his grip lessening, and Yang bit his arm, her aura-infused state managing to rip a chunk clean out of him to force the rest of his grip off her.
"FUCK!" Bron screamed as Yang fell to the ground as he clutched at his face with his only good arm, despite the bleeding from where the chunk of flesh was bit out of him. "You psycho whore!"
Yang spat out the bear's flesh as she knelt to catch her breath, taking deep and heavy breaths, her aura flared brightly and her eyes violently flickered as she pulled out a clip of cartridges and two more elemental dust into both of Ember's gauntlets. "You can go to hell! I'll meet you there when it's my fucking time to go!"
She stood back up and rushed the stumbling faunus as he was trying to regain his eyes sight from the steam blow and was having none of it. Leaping straight into his face with his guard down, she threw a vicious right and a burst of flame caught him straight in the eyes as he ripped through the rest of the cart's wall and back into the open cargo storage where his men looked on in horror.
"IT BURNS! IT BURNS!" Bron screamed as she hit the only place on his body he couldn't harden as he tried to wipe the burning dust off his face, searing his eyes.
And Yang calmly walked towards him knowing this was done. She kicked him onto his back and as he resisted as punched with her left and an electrically charged shot shook the entire cart from the force of the blow and made the bear scream as took the mount.
"This is for Ruby you fuck! This is for my father! This for Qrow!" Yang started throwing punch after punch with shell after shell of ember being fired, the entire cart shaking, his head breaking through the metal below while blood start to splatter onto Yang's disheveled appearance as she screamed. "AND THIS IS FOR SUMMER!"
With one last punch, Bron's head flattened and brain matter splattered and skull shrapnel cut through some of Yang as she breathed deeply as the rest of his men watched on in horror watch they just witnessed.
The impenetrable Bron… Was flattened and killed before their eyes by this young girl who was slowly standing back up, her now golden eyes staring at them despite stumbling. "Whose fucking next?"
None of the Black Fang members dared to stay and bailed, jumping off the side of the train leaving Yang irritated as she held her stomach and limped on ahead, her aura slowly fading.
"Cowards… Fine. I'll go look for my next fight."
Taking care of the next few members of the Black Fang with ease, as their numbers slowly began to thin and become lesser, Naruto could start to feel the presence of someone around them. He knew they were being watched and someone was there. And while he could hear him thanks to his fox ears… He felt him coming up behind them as he could feel his presence thanks to the slightest amount of emotion…
Hope. And odd emotion but after a speech like Adam's, maybe…
And Blake knew it too as she stop slashing at the air behind her as a lizard faunus appeared out of a shadowy haze, moving extremely quickly but his kick was met by her guard as she shoved it to the side, and the two faced off.
"Oh my… You have improved dramatically, Blake. I am impressed you saw that coming." Shade sounded impressed as he stood straight, speaking almost with a smile as he looked at the cat faunus. "Testing your rear flank was a risk but it was the only real chance I had against all three of you at once."
"Shade, we don't have time for this!" Blake hissed as she lowered her weapon, seeing who it was, and tried to reason with him. "You out of all people should know…"
"I do," Shade responded as his golden eyes gazed at all three of them. "That is why am asking only one of you to remain while he goes ahead… Adam specifically requested that he meet with him."
Naruto's ears flattened hearing that as did Blake's bow, not liking those words in the slightest. But before anything could be said Shade continued. "I do not know what his goal or what he hopes to accomplish by bringing you to him but I know it has something to do with the girl of roses and he wants you to meet him there."
"And I am meant to only buy time so the rest of our men can escape from here as well." Shade finished and it became abundantly apparent why there was such little resistance on the train.
(From Shadows)
"I see…" Blake narrowed her eyes at the realization before waving to Naruto and Neo. "Go on ahead… Naruto, go deal with what Adam wants with Ruby. Neo get Weiss."
"I'll deal with Shade." Blake held Shroud in its wakizashi form as she started to pace around Shade, who in turn matched her step.
Neo did not hesitate and continued forward, knowing the mission, and rushed ahead. Naruto looked on, gauging Blake's conviction and the look in her eyes gave her a confident but slight smile and nodded. "I'll get her… Take care of business."
"Don't worry, I will." Blake kept her tone flat as she focused solely on her opponent as she waited for him to make a move, remembering the few times she had ever faced him in a spar.
They never went well.
It felt like minutes that they both stepped around each other, analyzing the other and looking for the moment to strike as Shade had pulled his carved knife out and looked poised to strike. A curved smirk adorned his face as the stalked the other, searching for a weakness. "My, improvements all around. I would have already found my target and ended this fight if this was when you abandoned us…"
"But alas, that was fair…" Shade suddenly turned into shadows and struck, dashing to meet a Blake and striking at her neck from behind.
Only for it to be a Shadow clone, swinging its blade to his throat. And the clone was still moving!
This movement alarmed him and caused him to take a step back even as he swung through it, Blake was on top of him Shroud slashing towards him causing him to deflect her with a deft switch of the blade into his other hand before he brought his right knee to kick her away. She was already moving and shoved her very on left knee into his ribs just as he dispersed into the shadows, making a quick getaway.
Shade sliced from above, coming down onto Blake's back before she could turn into a shadow clone, catching the cat faunus off guard but rolled with the weight and shoved him into the ground with her elbow into his gut, freeing herself with only a thin slice on his spine before he dispersed once more.
Blake turned into a clone in response as he came through for her gut and she pounced on top of him, driving her wakizashi down but he rolled into the mount and deflected the strike and it sparked on the metal grating below. He attempted to use his superior physical strength to knock her off him but she was quite stronger than before.
Catching a punch she threw, he reversed and rolled until he had control back on the ground and Blake was on her back above him, his knife exposed to her throat as gripped his hand. Then cut his right arm with his wakizashi and forced him to release as they disengaged from the hold and jumped away from one another, both kneeling and taking deep breaths.
"Okay… That is a substantial leap in abilities. We weren't even close to being this evenly matched before." Shade hissed as he stood up first, far more used to fighting longer battles as Blake staggered back to her feet and he immediately noted that. "But I am still the more capable of us, Third Lieutenant. And now is the reason I prove why."
Dispersing in the shadows once more, Blake growled and was prepared for a shadow clone when she recognized he wasn't coming after her. Taking a deep breath as she gazed at her surroundings, her cat ears twitched, listening for every sound he could be making.
His very presence was hidden while in the shadows and even at night he couldn't be seen even with a faunus' night vision. He blended in and became one with the very environment, just like a certain someone she had been training with recently…
And with a transformation into kusarigama, she lashed Shroud out to her left as she stepped back to avoid a silenced pistol shot slashed out to her right, wrapping her ribbon around Shade's throat as she rushed to the surprised reptilian Faunus as she pulled him in and drove her knee to his face.
He was forced to quickly transform his weapon back into the carving knife state to defend himself but Blake and Shroud transformed into a clone, whipping the kusarigama around his neck like a vice.
"Okay, that's new! Seems like your semblance has undergone has grown and started to evolve!" Shade growled as he blended into the shadows despite the time of day, his aura simply cloaked like that every time.
Was an annoying tell…
"An evolution?" Blake noticed it as well as her clone was acting strange last time as well and had partial movement after she left it behind. "Naruto mentioned he saw my aura's color alter and it started to revert back but now it was just blended between black and violet…"
"Make yourself an easy target talking to yourself!" Shade hissed as he appeared slashing at Blake's back, cutting into her waist before he kicked her away and into the railing at the side, almost knocking her over and into a stationary sign.
Shade dashed to her side, grabbed and pulled her back in before tossing her to the ground. He sighed as she slowly lifted herself back to her feet, growling at him. "Less not waste any blood today… Bron has split enough and… We both detest violence."
"Then why the hell are we fighting!" Blake hissed back as she glared at the First Lieutenant. "I get you are buying time but what the hell for? Just so these soldiers of Adam's can go cause more bloodshed?"
"Who says it them I'm buying time for?" Shade whispered and Blake's eyes shot open as she didn't understand what he meant. "I don't know why but Adam was convinced something more was at play… That something about his arrival was going to casual the destruction of the White Fang upon seeing that girl's state, especially if Sienna disposed of her as ordered."
"What? Why would she do that?" Blake couldn't comprehend Sienna's plan as it wouldn't make sense as anyone who paid attention to the information the Fang had to have on Naruto knew he was very protective of his team. "I don't think he would blow up but…"
"Adam was convinced so… And confronted her to the point of treason and when she couldn't fight back," Shade spoke as he recalled the events to his former comrade. "An entity that used golden lights tried to intervene and it did not want her death to occur… And he repelled, proving Sienna was controlled before ending her life."
"Fate?!" Blake recognized the golden lights as Naruto had talked about them before and things were slowly beginning to weave into one another. "But… If she was intervening her and sending Naruto…"
"It seems she wanted him to be here for something… Something monumental, no?" Shade said looking into her golden eyes with his.
"Adam wishes to sever all ties with Fate from this world and why he is summoning him. I don't agree with the method as the girl should never be used… But after seeing that event, I don't think a being like that needs to be involved in our affairs!" Shade cried as he drew his knife. "I know he is precious to you Blake, I've been watching you two so if you want to help him you have to come through me!"
Fire lit into Blake's eyes as she loaded dust into Shroud before they both dispersed into shadows and a clone respectively. And she knew exactly where he went, wakizashi slashing into his knife and knocking him back, hitting with far more strength than it did before. However, a ball of glass was crushed and thrown straight into her eyes.
Only for her to disperse into a clone of rock, slash into his stomach, and forced him to burst into the shadows from the shallow cut. He then appeared above where she landed dropping on top of her, only for a regular clone to appear as she kicked him in the face. He slid straight back into the shadows to appear cutting at her throats to easily deflect and transform Shroud into kusarigama form, wrap around his ankle and pull his foot from out under him.
Shade flipped his knife to his other hand, and caught himself before planting a kick straight into Blake's abdomen as she tried to close the distance while Shroud returned into blade form and her guard down he spat a green vile liquid out of his mouth and into her face.
"Ah! What the fuck is this?!" Blake screamed as it burned her eyes and she furiously rubbed and tried to get out.
Shade took advantage and slid in behind, locking her into a headlock, and tried dragging her to the ground. "Sorry, have to do… AH!"
Blake turned into electricity as her clone exploded and she charged, giving one last wipe of her eyes as she now had deeply reddened before hitting the back of the wakizashi into Shade's throat. Sliding behind him herself, she mounted him behind and pulled him to the ground as she locked his head into a choke and began to deprive him of oxygen. "Give it up Shade! I don't want to have to do this!"
Her eyes locked with his golden eyes as she strangled his throat and Blake saw him drop his weapon as he reached out his hand and laid it over hers before tapping, submitting.
Releasing the hold, Shade gasped for air as he rolled off her and slowly stood, above him, her weapon still drawn just in case. "Go home! You were never one for violence! This isn't the life for you! You stayed because you were like me…"
"I know… We both thought we could make a change… And we were wrong." Shade gasped as he held his throat. "I was just more… Willing to along with the changes as I still saw the future that the White Fang offered… And I knew there was nothing left for me where I came from… Home for me doesn't exist, Blake. That was taken long ago in the human-faunus war…"
Blake's eyes softened, knowing the story but having pushed it to the back of her mind as other things became more pressing in her days with the Fang. But she stood firm as she offered him a hand up, a light smile. "But Menagerie does. All faunus are welcomed home and there we can build a…"
"Blake… What… YOU!" Shade looked up as he listened to his old friend's words, letting them carry to his heart before hearing her gasp and looked up.
To see a scorpion tail stinger lodged in her throat.
"Sorry, my bad." A scorpion faunus violently grinned as he looked at the downed lizard. "Was she saying something meaningful as I paralyzed her pretty little throat with my toxin?"
"You murderous monster!" Shade burst into the shadows as Blake fell, grasping at her neck as green spider veins began to rapidly spread through his neck as she looked up to look at a slender faunus with black hair and a scorpion tail…
And the foulest smirk she had ever seen.
"Oh, so you know me." He simply smirked as he watched the reptilian disappear before swiping with his left arm and catching Shade by the mouth with the blade's snapping forward and out of his gauntlet.
His stinger then struck twice in the Shade's chest much to Blake's horror as she watch her friend fall to his knees as the scorpion walked over to him, pick him up, and lift him to the edge of the train. Glancing over to her momentarily as she twitched as she fell over on the ground, his grin became sickening. "Time to say farewell!"
A shot fired out of his gauntlet and into Shade's face, blood splattering but knocking him back. He then caught a sign where his body started to rip apart against the force and was bifurcated as the scorpion laughed hysterically, watching the rest. "Man, that was fun! Oh, the train is running over his corpse too for good measure! I love a good kill!"
Blake's eyes twitched as he felt the corner of her eyes start to darken as the man came closer to her, his sickening and twisted gaze now looking at her as she stared back up at him. "Now let's see if I can use you to bring down the one that Salem so desires."
As Naruto caught up to Neo and made it up the train, it was clear that the reptilian faunus known as Shade was telling the truth. They were buying time as Black Fang were abandoning the train on Bullheads and leaving in droves.
Neo took a few shots with her modified Hush but decided not to waste any more ammo, knowing it was pointless. The grunts weren't who they were here for. They were here to rescue Ruby and Weiss and take out Adam Taurus.
So why did it seem like that was no longer her boss' goal?
He didn't seem focused on the bull's elimination or capture, which was fair as that was not the top priority in this mission, but it had been the goal since she had come to align herself with him. He was aligned with Cinder and most importantly Salem's lot.
The betrayers.
But she had heard what he had asked Blake and seemed something else had crossed his mind or at least something more came to him. And despite whatever passionate speech he had given the facts were still cold and hard.
He was a monster just like she was. Only she hid her desire from the world, kept them contained as that was what Roman wanted. He didn't want to see the chaos she could unleash upon the world!
Roman just wanted his slice amongst it…
Naruto just wanted to right what was wrong with it, in the most chaotic manner but…
She found it ironic the two were opposed when they first met. If they had met earlier in life and before Roman met Cinder…
Somehow the two of them would probably have formed some sort of alliance.
"There's a tent up ahead… The bulls in it with a few others from what I'm feeling." Naruto could sense everything ahead as saw what looked like a makeshift medical tent near a Bullhead in the open cargo cart leading to another closed cart down. "I can't sense Weiss…"
"That's because she's down further." Adam's voice spoke from within as he exited the tent, knowing they were coming and not even bothering to look in their direction. "I take it Blake decided to stay bake to fight Shade… At least she is in safe hands then as neither will seek to harm the other. Violence was never in either of their nature unlike ourselves."
Hearing the tone in his voice Naruto knew there was a dramatic shift in Adam compared to before but seeing the left arm and how radically different it was and the emptiness that came from it he could only begin to suspect. Somehow Salem had a hand in this but from what he was sensing from within the man was…
Relief… But also acceptance.
"She is lightly guarded, illusionist. Should be nothing for you to take care of. Go. I wish to speak with him alone." Adam spoke again as his eyes turned to Neo and motioned his head further along. "Most of what remains of the Black Fang has retreated and will begin to forge anew… It was the only thing I could think of in the time I had to rescue the White Fang was to cut it free from the tumorous growth that Sienna had embroiled it with."
Narrowing his eyes, Naruto nodded at Neo who took off ahead and went to grab the heiress of the Schnee Dust company. "Care to explain as it seems I'm embroiled neck deep in this shit and if I have my suspicions…"
"Fate is involved, yes." Adam looked Naruto in the eyes with his lone eye before holding out his black arm in confirmation. "That much I can give you confirmation on. She told me as much."
Growling in his throat as it seemed the Goddess trying to control his fate was in control of far more than that, Naruto's head lifted mildly in surprise as Adam turned his back on him. He then motioned for him to follow as he enter the tent. And having sensed what was in there, he dutifully followed and feared what he was going to see.
And there she was, barely clinging to life on the stretcher before him as the few medics of the White Fang tried desperately to keep her heartbeat going. And he could hear the beat getting slower with his fox ears and feel her aura slowly draining with his senses. And he felt nothing stir from her as he looked into her empty silver eyes.
Ruby was dying right before his eyes and he wasn't sure if there was anything left of her to save.
"There is no hope for her," Adam said as he looked at the girl as the medic kept trying to do the job he had forced upon them, circling them before giving them the order to stop. "Enough… He is here… So let us see if the witch was telling the truth and why she thinks you are the one of her desires…"
"Can you do it?" Adam solemnly requested as he stood on the other side of Ruby's stretcher and he looked Naruto in the eyes with his lone eye. "Can you save the girl's life?"
Naruto's blood went cold at those words as he had been thinking of them himself. Was he even capable of drawing that power forth anymore? It was something he only was capable of doing within he was in Asura's cloak when he brought Gai back from the brink after the last effects of using the eight gates wore off and his heart had exploded within his chest and every muscle and bone was ripped to shreds within from his own power…
Yet he restored him to enough that he should have been able to live a comfortable civilian life afterward…
And he was being asked to bring Ruby back from the brink now without knowing he had those powers yet he knew how he did it.
He just wasn't sure if he could do it again.
There was all the small thought in the back of his head that Salem had this information but he tucked that away as unimportant for now… This was life or death.
Ruby's life was in his hands.
Closing his eyes and taking a breath to relax despite the turmoil he felt seeing her in such a state, Naruto drew forth the natural energy of the land and harmonized himself with it. Orange markings formed around his eyes and then they opened to reveal their golden state as he harmonized with the world.
"Let's see it like this… Without the powers of reincarnation…" Naruto spoke as he prayed that this would be enough as in perfect harmony with his Yin and Yang chakra…
And that was what was needed for this to work.
Placing his hand on Ruby's head, knowing that was where the most damage was while placing another onto her heart as he felt it slow down. And he began to carefully flow the release of Yin and Yang chakra within while using his natural energy to stabilize his flow going into her but not pushing any into her in fear of what the natural energy would do her.
Ruby's body stirred as she flinched and convulsed beneath him, moving uncontrollably at the foreign energy being pushed into her. Her limbs flail weakly, missing everything but him as her left arm slapped feebly against his own or his torso.
But he held firm as he lightly panted, knowing the feeling but he couldn't quite reach it. It was there but he just… If he could just reach deeper!
Adam watched as golden flickers began to appear across Naruto's body as a brief light tried to envelop him. But then he saw it all around. The golden orbs began to float all around them and he growled out as his arm began to transform. "Stay out of this wretched wench!"
No… Death is required.
Naruto, Adam, the medical team, and Ruby were blown back as light flooded the room and exploded through the tent.
"Ruby!" Naruto cried as he rolled through the train cart and watched the girl's body bounce against the metal helplessly in her defenseless state before getting up and rushing over to her. "Come on… I can still do this!"
"No, you can't… She won't allow it." Adam spoke with venom as he picked himself up, understanding everything with more clarity now that he had seen it with his very own eyes. "She binds you to this world, keeps you under her control… You and I were more alike than I wished to believe… And with a heavy heart, I must do this."
Withdrawing Wilt from Blush's scabbard as he left his hand transformed, Naruto's now regular eyes turned to Adam as held his red katana towards him. "But I have become and always will be the beast and I will wear this burden till the very end! Naruto Uzumaki I will free you of your burden and break the chains that bind you!"
"May she forgive me for what I must do!"
(ONE THING)
Arriving at the closed-off hangar new the front of the train as she could see the engine not too far in the distance, Neo made note that there seemed to be no guard at all unlike what the bull had said.
Odd as she was certain he wouldn't leave her unguarded.
Opening the door she found the reason immediately as each member of the Black Fang was either burnt to a crisp, had their throat slit, or had had severe trauma wounds to their skull or torso.
Those wounds were very consistent with a group she had been spying on recently and her multi-color pink and brown eyes snapped over to see the targets of her ire, standing before her.
The one with green hair, Emerald was her name, held Weiss in place by her bindings as she was forced to her knees. And her orange blade was held at her throat as she just had the most devilish smile on her face.
Next to her was the one was only male amongst them, Mercury Black, looking like the handsome devil he was. Neo knew him from before and she always liked him back then but now he threw his lot in with those that betrayed her and Roman…
And that was unforgivable!
Neo had to wonder what happened to Cinder though. Seeing a bloodied bandage on her left eye was something new. And the hatred she seemed to ooze seemed to be telling another story altogether so she was very curious indeed about what had happened.
And it was a very exploitable weakness now that she was going to attack over and over.
So unfurling her parcel she laid it on her shoulder as she simply strutted her way toward them, uncaringly with a smirk on her face as her eyes danced.
They wanted chaos, she was going to bring it!
"Stop where you are Neo," Cinder commanded as their old comrade continued her strut, seemingly uncaring about the fate of the Schnee heiress. "I don't know what play you are at here but don't think you get away with it. We both know of this girl's importance in the long run of things just outside of Salem and Oz's little game."
Twisting her parcel, fire dancing in her eyes, Neo began to skip toward them, spinning about as a devilish grin spread wildly on her face as she stopped and she loaded a load of dust into Hush and fired it straight into what they knew to be a Dust storage.
And as a bust of flames shut from Hush and into the dust container, erupting into a blaze another dust vial was loaded into Hush and was shot into the flames, and a gale of wind caught hold, spreading the fire further up and onto the roof of the cart.
Neo's eyes burned brightly as the fire burned and started to catch the right side of the room and she began to skip toward them, intent on bringing the fight to them
And the monster within was unleashed.
She didn't care!
She wanted chaos!
"Okay, what the fuck is she?!" Emerald cried out as she just barely avoided being skewered by Neo as skipped in with Hush's hidden blade stabbing straight for her throat before she turned and kicked her Weiss out of their grasp.
Weiss grunted in pain as she rolled on the ground, but understood the reason, she did not want her to be around for this. Neo had freed her and was telling her to get out. She had a score to settle.
She was inclined to let her as she climbed to her knees and sprinted for the door.
"Dammit!" Mercury roared as jumped in front of her only for Neo to appear from shattering glass and smashing him in the face with a kick, knocking him back. "The hell is this! You weren't this strong before!"
Blocking another kick with his wrist, he grabbed Neo and delivered a powerful enhanced kick to her stomach, slamming her into the burning wall only for her to shatter into glass shards. "Are you kidding me? Did her semblance go through an evolution growth?!"
Emerald was suddenly tossed into him by a smiling Neo, and she cursed shaking her head. "Dammit, she knows my semblance too well! I can't get a chance to stay still long enough to manipulate her aura and get her under my illusions… Meanwhile, she just keeps shattering and cloaking out of ours!"
"It seems that's what happened indeed happened, Mercury, when she was fighting Naruto and we simply weren't paying enough attention." Cinder commented as she stood before Weiss at the door, kicking her down and smirking at the girl as she easily got in front of her. "Don't think you'll be running anywhere girl. I have a score to settle now with that leader of yours… His and stupid little crab army."
Weiss looked up and almost snorted despite the desperate situation. "Is that what happened to your eye.? Crabtholomew got you. Or was it Crabara? Maybe it was Crab-Rock?"
Cinder twitched. They had names?
Hearing something in the winder and seeing the pure displeasure on Cinder's face, Weiss rolled and saw a pillar of flame erupted where she previously was knocked down at. Sweat began to roll down her face as she recognized that was not a semblance and her nerves were shot as she tried to get back to her feet. "What… What are you?"
"What I am girl is incomplete." Cinder growled as she kicked Weiss into the left side of the cart wall moving as reality shattered next to her while Neo appeared and she summoned her bow, Midnight to block Hush and smack Neo into Weiss. "And because it just seems plan after plan keeps getting wrecked right now, I'm going to take you and force Ozma to sacrifice the Maiden so I can get the rest of this power! Nothing else seems to be working!"
"Got that right…" Mercury burst in as Neo grinned and shattered both out of existence. "That was the dumbest mistake you could have made! Now how can we tell where they have gone!"
"Simple!" Cinder roared as she set the door ablaze with her maiden fire, forcing Neo's glass to shatter and her Weiss to reappear before she fired several glass arrows and superheated them towards their direction, shattering them.
Neo's eyes widened as she opened her parcel and ducked herself and Weiss under it as much as she could, but even then pieces of the superheated glass tore through and pierced into the two. Weiss screamed as glass shards shot through her right shoulder and cut into her left thigh while Neo glared as one cut her cheek and pierced through her right foot.
Neo pulled a dust vial out and loaded it into Hush as the glass came to a stop and Weiss' eyes widened seeing the element, knowing what was about to go down as she pointed her parcel to the roof. With fire the burning roof collapsed from its weight intensifying far beyond its structural integrity would take and Neo and Weiss shattered out of existence.
"You've got to be joking me!" Emerald screamed as the roof of the cart caved in all within.
Neo and Weiss shattered back into reality just outside as Neo, sliced open the bindings on Weiss with Hush before pointing off the railing. "You want me to jump!"
Nodding her head, Neo pointed up at the airship above and recognized it as her sister's. "Winter… Oh! That's the plan!"
Clapping her hands and rolling her eyes as if that was obvious, Neo pointed again off the side of the train. "Give me a second! I got to make sure I don't hit anything otherwise this was the worse rescue mission ever!"
Neo only shrugged as she had seen worse and Weiss could only stare, wishing the woman could talk. What could she be shrugging about?! How could that ending have not been the worst rescue mission ever?! Did she want to know?!
Suddenly Neo felt woozy and staggered slightly, frowning, and then her worst fear came into reality as she saw multiple Weiss before her. Turning around hearing footsteps, Neo took an enhanced kick to the face, knocking her off and over the railing of the train before she could even activate her semblance to defend herself. Projecting her aura around herself like a shield seeing a hard sign, she bounced against painfully but she took the blow and she smashed into the ground hard.
"NEO!" Weiss cried out seeing what happened jumped off the train with no regard for her safety and tried to run to check on the woman only to stop as the slight burn Mercury jumped in between them, grinning as it became apparent why his kick did so much damage.
His legs were cybernetic.
Weiss' eyes widened at the young man before her as he turned his focus onto Neo as she slowly tried to pick herself up.
Hearing the cybernetic crashing nearby as she tried to pick herself, her aura slowly depleting, she took another hard blow from Mercury's cybernetic kick into the chest and into the train itself.
Mentally growling as she saw six feet, all belonging to Mercury and his mirages, Neo shattered out of reality and tried to strike the one she believed to be real but it was fruitless as even sound was of no use Mercury managed to land a solid kick straight to her head and she slid straight to the tracks.
Just barely able to stop herself in time from being crushed but…
She silently screamed as her right arm from her elbow got caught under tracks, wheel after wheel crushed it until blood splattered as it finally severed her arm severed from her body.
Gripping the bloody stump of her arm, Neo's eyes looked at the several Mercurys with hatred as they slowly approached while she tried to scoot away from the vile monster.
If only she could communicate she could tell the heiress who had jumped off with her soon after that Emerald was nearby…
Weiss was horrified as nearly watched Neo be crushed under the train. She couldn't herself as she fell to her knees and vomited the punch from last night at the sight she just beheld. She had just watched someone who had… Just recently saved one of her friends' lives… Lose her arm!
And she did nothing as she was a damsel in distress!
What was her worth?!
She was sitting here doing nothing! Not a damn thing! Neo was risking her life even if she almost killed everyone just minutes before!
Wait… There was something she could do! Neo had attacked nothing moments ago with the pure intent of hurting Mercury! Why would she have done it unless she had thought… It was her!
Her eyes snapped open as she noticed the green-haired girl not too far away and rushed over, tackling her to the ground, sliding into the mount, and positioning herself so she was locked on top of her to where she had no escape.
Emerald looked surprised and cried out before Weiss started to repeatedly strike her in the face. "What the fuck?! Mercury get this rich bitch off me!"
"What?!" Mercury turned around and saw the seen. "All right, she has more spine than I thought!"
Neo saw him and she took every second she had. Snapping her last vial of dust into Hush, she fired it into his legs.
Mercury screamed as an electric surge went through his entire body and he temporarily became immobilized. Knowing who it was, he turned back to Neo he growled "You bitch..!"
To find Hush and its hidden blade through his throat and the top of his skull as Neo sadistically grinned as the blood seeped out his mouth and she watched his body slowly slacken. But she wasn't satisfied. She wanted him to feel more pain!
She tossed his body into the train tracks, watching him be dismembered by the wheels with sick pleasure. His blood splattering only pleased her as it would never give back her arm. She silently laughed openly, mocking the former inner circle member of Salem's court and his mangled corpse.
And even as Weiss reigned blow after blow to Emerald's face, they slowly stopped as they both saw this action and were horrified at the sight before them.
At the monster that Neo truly was. What was locked beneath and what Roman and Naruto were containing beneath the surface?
"Get off me!" Emerald shoved Weiss off and rushed over to the laughing woman with the intent to kill with her karma drawn.
Neo never saw it coming.
Blood dripped from her neck as she gingerly reached for her throat as her ponytail severed and dropped to the ground.
It was over. Everything she had worked for. Despite wanting nothing more than chaos and despair for others…
She had given all that up for him. She saw him in her eyes and tears began to fill them.
There he was. Her angel. Her savior. The one that rescued her. Treated her like she was normal. Treated her like she was a person… NOT SOME CONDITION!
That made her life worth something. Gave her meaning. Gave her purpose.
Then there was him… The boy. Who was so similar… Who gave her a fair shake when he didn't need to? Gave Roman a chance when didn't need to. And while there was self-gain involved…
He always treated them with the utmost respect and like the people they were and no one had ever done that before. He treated them like they mattered. Treated her like a person that only her savior had only done…
She only wished she had told him her true name if she could only remember it. The one she had lost herself long ago…
"Did I do good…" Trivia whispered in a hushed voice that only she could hear before her eyes glistened with determination and locked onto Weiss even as felt everything slow, she knew what she had to do.
She still had one job left to do and she would not leave it unfinished.
Shoving Hush into Emerald's stomach, the blade extended quickly before she fired. Blood splattered as the hole widened and pulled it out, and with one last look at the white-haired girl, she tossed her parcel to the girl.
Trivia gave one last smile. A true smile as at the very least she knew her job was done.
The girl could handle the rest.
Then her head rolled off her body and came crashing to the ground.
Blood spurted from Trivia's neck as Emerald screamed in pain, clutching her stomach from the wound inflicted upon her Weiss watched in horror as the illusionist was cut down before her.
The woman that just two weeks earlier had saved Ruby's life… Had just saved her life and was giving her a chance to keep fighting as she caught her weapon.
And despite the horror and despair of the situation…
SHE WAS NOT GOING TO LET HER FAIL!
Weiss screamed as she sprinted with Hush, using her aura-enhanced speed thanks to Naruto's training to catch Emerald off guard. The parcel connected with her face and dropped her but due to the force, it knocked her into the rails… Left arm out.
"AHHHH!" Emerald screamed as run over by the last of the train's wheels one by one, crushed over and over. But she didn't get the pity of it getting severed. It stayed attached and mangled after the last cart passed and the airship arrived overhead.
"WEISS!" Winter's voice spoke on the intercom from above. "We're landing right now! Find a clearing! Make one if you have to!"
"Winter… What the…" Fire interrupted Weiss and she was forced to look down at an unamused Cinder as she looked at the situation at hand.
"May she forgive me for what I must do!" Adam roared as he held out Wilt and rushed Naruto before he was forced to suddenly jump back, several blades piercing into the ground. "Who the hell are you?"
"I will not allow you to harm my friend and Huntsman Naruto." Dropped the voice of Penny as she jumped from the cart above, her eyes steeled as her eyes focused on Adam although her movements seemed far more rigid than normal as stood up, looking for a fight.
"Penny…" Naruto knew the robot girl had been around and snuck on board Winter's airship and looked between her and Adam before letting Ruby slide to grating below. "Take Ruby and go… Maybe they can do something on the airship for her."
"This is something we need to settle ourselves." Naruto finished as Penny looked at Naruto and the limp and barely breathing form of her friend before he stepped in front of her, drawing Shattered Dreams.
"Huntsman Naruto…" Penny stated as she was conflicted as she knew what his scanners were telling her and was struggling as she had never experienced this conflict before.
"Ruby would want to be with her friends, Penny. Let her have that. It's the smallest comfort we can give her at this time. It is what a friend would do for their friends in their time of need." Naruto gave her a warm smile as he could feel the struggle and knew there was a soul within, never really having spent time with the girl before.
It was something special to see a created life be so wonderous and caring… And so damn odd.
Penny's eyes widened and she understood. She rushed over to Ruby, bent over, and gingerly picked up the girl bridal style before heading to the railing. Before she jumped, she gave one last look over to Naruto and smiled. "Thank you, Huntsman… You are truly an inspiration like my father… My real father says."
With that, Penny leaped off the side of the train and left Naruto and Adam alone in a standoff.
(Lionize)
"Now are you ready?" Adam growled as he allowed the moment to happen before him as he wanted no distractions.
He wanted this fight to be mono a mono. Their attentions solely focused on one another.
And now his opponent was of the same mind, his eyes focused on intent on him. Good.
"We didn't get a chance to properly face off last time with everything that happened… You capturing Blake, the alarms, and the mechs… Destroying your own base and trying to kill your own people… And knowing everything you did to Blake." Naruto finished with a growl as his eyes turned feral at the end. "And now knowing I can't save Ruby because Fate is fucking my life… I hope you are ready."
"I am going to break you like I promised last time." Naruto finished coldly with a flat stare as his skin reddened and a light bit of steam puffed off him while he looked Adam in his lone eye, standing in a lax stance yet ready to strike at a given second.
"Then we are on the same page." Adam countered as he his monstrous arm before him defensively and Wilt ready for an attack. "Not everything was of my choice but I will own my mistakes. I will claim them as my own and I will take back what is mine! I cannot fix the past by can forge a new beginning!"
"Blake will be mine again and I will fix this rotten world!"
Both vanished in a flicker of orange and black and met with a clash of steel, Wilt meeting Dreams before Naruto ducked under the monstrous left hand and kicked Adam back with a stiff right in the gut. Transforming Dreams he then purposely aimed it straight at Wilt and fired a shot directly into the blade catching the bull off guard as it knocked him off-balanced, the blade easily withstood the damage.
"What?!" The bull narrowed his lone eye as recognized what his opponent was doing.
He was purposely charging his semblance and he knew what it could do. So he had a plan of attack and he wanted him to use his ability.
That was going to be troublesome to work around as he knew his opponent was exceedingly strong as it was.
Disappearing in front of his eyes, very much like his First Lieutenant could do with his semblance, Adam cursed as this just seemed like a normal ability for the man. Shade had informed him as much when he was tracking him and found him going out Search and Rescues every couple of days but to be able to do this in broad daylight!
Just able to avoid a chick to his chin, Adam reached out with his monstrous hand to try and grab Naruto's leg only to see him turn on a dime and duck under it with a ball of spinning aura coming straight from his right hand to it. "Oh fuck!"
Sheathing Wilt as there was no time, he activated his semblance as the world went red and rose petals surrounded him.
Rasengan and Moonslice collide once more.
Adam was flung back as he slammed into a cargo crate and slammed through the first layer and into the sleeping droids kept within, crashing into a heap on top of him.
"Why is always droids on these trains?" Adam groaned as sliced his way out of the pile and ripped open the crate with his monster hand. "Seriously, what good are droids?"
"I know, right?!" Naruto agreed with the bull entirely on this topic. "They have no emotions and can't make a judgment call when it's necessary! It's always just facts and logic! And they always go for the kill even when it is simply wiser to just wound or incapacitate your opposition!"
"Huh…" Adam found it alarmingly curious he had more in common with the fox faunus than he was wanting to admit but he shoved his old self beneath the monster he had become over the years. "Enough of this pointless banter!"
"It wasn't pointless!" Naruto argued as he deflected Wilt with Dream multiple times before rolling to the right to avoid the monstrous hand of Adam as brought it down and grab his wrist and throw him over his shoulder and into the ground.
He jumped back as Adam swung Wilt kip flipped himself back to his feet and turned to face Naruto, who flipped Dreams in his hand as paced around Adam, sheathing Wilt. "I felt like I was getting to know you a little better… Know the real you. The one that I tried to get Blake to tell me about."
"Why?" Adam questioned as he kept his lone eye on his opponent as he focused his charge and waited for the right time to strike. "You saw what I did, you know what I've done… Done to her. Anything that I was is meaningless, I am the beast that stands before you, not the man I was."
"I would have agreed with you a few days ago but something changed this morning and after that speech… I know it to be true now." Naruto responded before he turned his feet and rushed in.
The world went in as Adam countered and rose petals surrounded everything but only a log disintegrated before him as Naruto came crashing down with an axe kick.
Straight through what seemed to be a mirage of Adam. "An after image? Impressive speed!"
An arcing Wilt cut through Naruto's throat only for Adam to realize what he hit was also a mirage and he narrowed his lone eye. "Oh great, we're doing this now."
"Anything you can do I can do better!" Naruto sang in a sing-song voice as he came from behind as he went for a superkick straight for Adam's jaw for that Adam to become an afterimage.
"No you can't!" Adam roared in anger despite knowing he somehow was adding to the song as he thrust his monster hand through the afterimage's head. "Dammit!"
"Yes I can!" Naruto sang out with ten after images all dancing around the bull in provocative poses that insulted him, a few blowing raspberries at the annoyed faunus.
"How the hell does Blake put up with you?" Adam twitched at the sight he looked around himself before he angrily sliced through all the afterimages to relieve some stress at the sight.
"She finds me charming! A lot of women on Remnant do and I find that alarming as I'm used to my antics getting me punted or slapped." Naruto spoke while sitting on top of another cargo crate, his skin now returning to its normal coloration as he seemingly filled his nails with Dream.
Adam growled as he had quite enough of this childish game the fox was playing. He transformed into rifle mode and fired at Naruto to force him to move before returning to its sheath form, as he deflected what seemed to be…
A kunai with a tag attached to it?
"What… MY EYE!" A giant flash of light burst from the tag and made him stumble backward.
Naruto took advantage of the bull's lack of knowledge of ninja tools and lifted Adam onto his shoulders from behind into a fireman's carry. He then launched him and put him through the cargo crate he was sitting on before and all the drones that were in it and out the other side.
Adam cursed as he slowly picked himself up from the blow while he threw a droid off of him. "Okay… Your tools are absurd. How the hell does a piece of paper make a flash bomb?!"
"As a friend of mine would put it, Super ninja magic bullshit… Or something like that." Naruto attempted to mimic Yang with a grin despite not feeling entirely into it given the situation.
His heart wasn't fully into it knowing deep down...
He had failed.
"That doesn't explain anything you fuck!" Adam growled as he stood up and started slashing with Wilt once more, Naruto casually striking each and every blow with Shattered Dreams. "Why are you so casual about this? Wasn't it a few weeks ago you were trying to kill me or at least capture me?!"
"Don't you want Blake to live a happy life?!" Adam's lone eye began to tear up before he felt a single punch to his sternum empty his lungs and launched across the cart, rolling across the metal grating. He slowly picked himself up to his knees and gasped for air, he noticed something disturbing.
And he found himself completely on the other side of the cart where they were fighting and that was against the movement of the train the cart was exceptionally large and could fit several dozen shipping containers lengthwise on it.
He heavily coughed from the blow as he felt his whole world just got shook from that one hit. "What the hell… Where did that come from?"
"Adam… If I wanted to this entire fight could have been over in an instant." Naruto spoke as he stood directly in front of the bull, his feet touching down as tried to pick himself back up.
"Then… Why the hell have we been doing this… Just end it!" Adam growled as he was tired of games as he had dealt with enough of them throughout his life.
He just wanted them to stop! He wanted to live his life the way he chose!
"Because I said I was going to break you… I didn't say I was going to destroy you." Naruto said calmly and with a sad smile as he sat down before the bull and the faunus' lone eye widened. "While it was hard to decipher from the first moment I met you… I could feel something was off about your emotional wavelength but now I get it."
"Life has been hard, hasn't it?" Naruto closed his eyes but kept his horrifying smile that made Adam's blood run cold as he knew that smile too well.
The smile of someone who had gone through hell and back.
"No…" Adam spoke softly as this was the last thing he wanted.
He didn't need this. He was a monster! He was the beast! He didn't need to be treated like… like he was a person again. To be treated fairly!
"Just kill me please!" Adam swung Wilt at the seated Naruto who simply caught to blade between his point and middle finger before pulling the sword out of his hand with ease.
And Adam could see his eyes were no longer blue but a crisp golden like they were when he tried to save Ruby.
He wasn't kidding. If he had wanted to he could have put him down at second if this was how strong he truly was.
"No, we're going to talk as I think you've needed someone to sit you down and talk to you for a long time…" Naruto put a single finger into his solar plexus and Adam immediately dropped and started to convulse. "Ahk… My bad… Might have overdone that a little bit. Never figured out the Hyuuga did the Gentle Fist and probably never will… Still, it worked and now you have to listen."
"Fuck… you…" Adam convulsed painfully on the ground as he twitched and loathed the fox before him.
"There's that defiant bull Blake said she looked up to as a kid!" Naruto grinned momentarily before he softly sighed. "But I can't say I blame you for going on this path. I can't even imagine what it's like to endure working for barely anything and trying to work your way up for your sister that you know you can't save…"
"Watching her die must have been hard on you… Only to come back work harder and become stronger just be branded like that and have it be made a show of it in front of a terrified future heir… That still haunts her to this very day." Naruto continued as Adam now listened silently from his downed position. "Meeting the man that became your master and the eventual love of your life even though you didn't know it at your time… Learning his ways to temper your anger."
"But still it overcame you and you made a mistake and your admonishment get the better of you and you turned to another… Who subtly and then overtly began to control your very life and sent you on this path that turned you into the beast that you've now become. You let that hatred overwhelm you and turned against everything you loved… Even the one you loved and let it wilt both yourself and her…"
"And you couldn't forgive yourself for it and wanted nothing more than to end the pain." Naruto looked into the bull's lone eye. "Part of you wanted it to end and was hoping she would end you, I could feel that as the bomb went off. You didn't even try to defend yourself! You embraced it!"
"You wanted death but it wasn't given and you were forced to live on when a new hope was given… And it seems like it was given by a certain witch." Naruto commented seeing the black hand had now reverted to normal. "I don't know what her game in all of this is but… She pulled whatever it was inside of you and made you the beast on the outside, leaving you who you always were on the inside, and now you are more conflicted than you have ever been before."
"Everything you have done since has shown glimpses of what I think the old Adam would have done as I've seen it in Blake's eyes… She was conflicted at your message and her heart was torn." Adam's eye widened and he looked down at the metal grating as Naruto sadly smiled. "It was like she had found a long-lost friend that was starting to find their path again but was still lost in their misery and needed a helping hand."
"I think that's what you were trying to accomplish here was to show me that hope is fleeting but, it isn't." Naruto looked at the downed bull as his convulsions from the failed gentle strike wore off. "I only could have hope and believe that she would be fine and in the end, it wasn't. She won't make it and I knew that. I accepted that fact before I came but I believed that maybe I could reach within and make that reality happen once again as I've done so many times in the past."
"It wasn't meant to be today." Naruto let out a tear as he looked into the sky and bit his lip. "I again have to sever the bonds of Fate but this time in a more literal fashion than ever before because I should have been able to save Ruby… But I couldn't, so I'm going to do the one thing I can do."
"I'm going to save you from yourself." Naruto cried as he knew he had lost someone precious to him but he was willing himself to move forward and continue as he knew that was what Ruby would want.
And she always saw him as the hero and this was what heroes did. It wasn't always pretty. It wasn't always satisfying. Not everyone was going to make it.
But they saved those that they believed savable.
Naruto believed he could save Adam Taurus as there was still something left inside worth saving.
"You may not see yourself as worthy… And you are not. Not the way you are right now." Naruto spoke as he offered a hand to the bull who was looking at him as if he couldn't understand the fox or his motives. "But it takes time to pay off the sins of the damned and your sins are plentiful. You are going to have to work and work your ass off for society to make up for it. You've caused too much pain but…
"You, Adam Taurus, are redeemable."
"A monster… A beast has no right to live amongst the people!" Adam spoke as tears began to fill his eyes as he looked down at the monstrous appendage that was now affixed to his left arm. "I'm an abomination! I kill and eat people now because of this damn arm!"
"Fucked up, I have to admit… But I think I've seen worse and redeemed someone that used living corpses as weapons so I can't judge too hard and I guess I'll have to figure a way to seal that damn thing off." Naruto grimaced as that wasn't something he thought his arm could do. "Black witch has some dark damn powers I have to say. But I also have…"
"Naruto, come in!" Winter's voice came over his earpiece he genuinely forgot he had put in.
Taking a moment to figure out how to make it function, much to the chagrin of Adam as he knew how to do it and just want to smack the blonde, Naruto answered. "Winter, what's going... Wait, what's that feel?"
"Naruto, I just got word from Ironwood! I don't know what's going on over there at Beacon but he had to hack into their cameras but Cinder and her group went missing! They're not there!" Winter called out over the intercom and Naruto's eyes widened.
And he immediately spread out his senses so he could feel everything around him and to his horror he sensed something the moment it happened. His knees weakened and he gritted his teeth as he felt a chill go through him once more he became too focused on his goal and lost sight of everything around him. "Neo... no... BLAKE?!"
"Naruto, what's go..." Winter cut out as Naruto's eyes widened as he looked at the scene above him.
"What?" Adam saw Naruto's eyes dart off to the side and he recognized the look of someone… "What do you mean they… You!"
"Surprised to see you are still alive. Thought the blonde here would have torn you apart knowing what happened to the girl." Tyrian grinned as he stood on a crate.
And in his grasp, he held Blake's limp body before them with his gauntlet blade held at her throat.
Holding Hush before her, unsure what to do against this opponent on her own without her weapon as her Semblance was far more useful with Myrtenaster in her hands, Weiss growled as she just had to buy time. Winter was above along with a ship full of soldiers. There was no way this woman could take on everyone.
And there wasn't a way she would let Neo… She refused to give Neo's death anything left then the respect it deserved!
So holding Hush out like it was her own weapon, Weiss was prepared to fight with every last breath and would not give an inch.
Cinder was not amused at this sight as drew forth Midnight. Everything had gone wrong so much lately and it was still happening. Now she could hear Emerald screaming at her arm and Mercury's body parts laying all over the landscape. She was without her eye from the night before…
And it was because this damn champion of Fate showed up and changed all of Salem's plans and it seemed everything was changing! She didn't like this one bit and she just wanted to get the power that was promised to her!
The power of the Fall Maiden! She had half now she wanted the rest!
If this girl wasn't so damn useful right now she'd just kill her and move on. The only one more useful would probably be the damn Belladonna but getting to her would be next to impossible as that would be going through the godforsaken monster known as Naruto Uzumaki…
She didn't have time for that anymore! She wanted out of that creature's life as fast as possible!
Transforming Midnight into two short swords, Cinder growled. She wanted this to be close. She wanted to be brutal right now.
Cinder wanted to make this girl hurt being associated with that faunus.
Weiss almost didn't have any time to react as the opponent moved so quickly she barely could see it. The only thing that saved her was the instinct of having fought and trained with Naruto and having seen him move at speeds like this many, many times before, and she had brought Hush up and accidentally flicked the parcel open, deflecting the blade.
Narrowing her eyes seeing this, spun in and sliced under the parcel faster than Weiss could react and cut the girl's stomach faster than her reaction speed could even allow her to move before following it with a straight boot to the same spot.
Weiss screamed in pain as blood poured from the spot for it was a shallow enough cut to not be anything fatal but deep enough to prove a point. Cinder shoved one of Midnight's twin swords into her right calf and through her tibia and the rest of her leg.
Her scream echoed through the clearing and was music to Cinder's ears as took the other twin sword and looked straight at her left eye. And she grinned at the girl's reaction as flipped her blade in her hand. "No… Please no!"
Several blades shot out and forced Cinder and forced to move and Weiss to scream in pain as she pulled the second blade of Midnight out of her leg.
And there stood Penny before she laid Ruby down next to Weiss, her eyes aglow with passion and fury as she kept her focus on the woman tormenting her friend's friend. "I'll leave her with you… I will take care of the battle."
"Penny…" Weiss looked shocked seeing the girl here and would not have expected her to have with her sister before she saw the state of Ruby before her. "Oh god no… Ruby…"
Standing back to full height and in front of Ruby and Weiss, Penny released each of her blades and stood defiantly in front of the false Maiden. "My father may not wish for me to against his orders and release all of my power but…"
"My real father also said I was to make a friend let them come to harm!" Penny cried out as her blades sung through the air and toward Cinder. "I will not allow you to harm my friends any longer!"
Transforming Midnight dozens of arrows flew and deflected the blades in the air but Penny rushed through the scene and struck Cinder with a flying kick that forced the false Maiden to sidestep and transform her weapon back into twin swords to respond.
Being much faster she had an opening to slice her head clean off but the blades retracted and deflected her strike allowing Penny to turn and drive an elbow into Cinder's ribs catching the fire mage off guard she drove her right knee into the robot's face to know her back. Blocking several blades that retracted towards her and another that was sent in her direction, the fire mage came in swinging to cut Penny's head clean off when the girl ducked and pushed her to both of her knees.
Cinder cried in pain as she buckled before she superheated Midnight and sliced through two blades that tried to penetrate her and jumped back up, kicking Penny off her. She then drew upon her Maiden magic and burst of fire sung around Penny and she was just able to move out of the way.
Summoning every blade of the Floating Array she had, Penny engaged once more with Cinder. She deflected her strikes with her retracting blades but a few more were simply cut through by her superheated glass blades. And the woman just kept getting faster and stronger and she started to cut into her, through the clothes on her stomach. On her arm…
And even though her left arm.
Penny jumped back as she looked at the false Maiden as she stood before her, looking enraged at the sight before her. Then a small gathering of what seemed to be icy nevermore swarmed Cinder, pecking at her and she screamed in rage before everything went ablaze and shattered around her.
Winter stood in front of Penny, sword drawn with several soldiers rushing to the battlefield to grab her sister and Ruby. "This ends now, you will not be having your way and get the rest of the Maiden's power and above all else…"
"You will not touch my sister again."
"Let Blake go!" Naruto growled as he saw the situation in hand and was ready to move but Tyrian pressed the blade against her neck drawing blood and forcing him into paralysis.
"Nah, don't think I will. I want to see the man that Salem seems so desirable squirm. I want to make both of your worlds burn!" The scorpion grinned manically as Naruto held firm, looking for an avenue so he could make a clone and get the situation under his control.
So he kept him talking as there was a useful bit of information in what he said. "Salem finds me desirable?"
"Not going to work boy!" Tyrian grinned wildly as left a little deep cut on Blake's throat and Naruto fidgeted as he could see the spider veins of a venom strike from earlier and knew she was already in trouble. "There is no waiting game here… All I want is to see a God squirm and I can finally see that! To make one bleed and feel pain! To see the pain in your eyes as you watch this girl bleed out and can do nothing about it!"
"Tyrian Callows…" Adam slowly rose to his feet as Naruto growled and gave the man his blade back, not fearing him as his opponent at the moment seeing the situation at hand. "Allow me to make myself perfectly clear."
"Put her down and I will cleave your head from your body… Otherwise, you will experience a much more unpleasant fate." Adam held Wilt at his side and looked straight into the serial killer's eyes, letting the monster know he was dealing with something of equal terms.
A monster would meet a beast on this day.
"I don't think you understand…" Tyrian growled as he looked at the redheaded bull.
Adam ignored him as his lone eye focused on Naruto. "Do you trust me?"
"Desperate times make odd bedfellows… When it happens, we go." Naruto nodded in agreement as he transformed Dreams and shot Wilt as started straight into Tyrian's face.
Digging deeper into Blake's neck, Tyrian was for once unsure of his course of action. Both were confident and seemed to know exactly what they were doing. Both were dangerous enough on their own and not confronting without a strategy or human shield like he had.
However, this shield was meant to bring pain to the…
"FUCK YOU!" Yang screamed delivering a haymaker straight to the scorpion's face as she leaped from behind and struck the man. "GET AWAY FROM MY FRIEND!"
"NOW!" Adam roared as he saw the grip relax on Blake's throat and knew Naruto was much faster than he was as he followed behind.
Naruto was on Tyrian first as he tried to sting Yang in response and Dream was pointed straight at his tail and a Dust vial was loaded. Ice shards ripped through his tails at high velocity, ripping it shreds as he easily deflected his right arm and shattered his gauntlet, the blades, his hand, and his arm due to the sheer strength of the blow.
One did not underestimate the power of natural energy and get away with it.
And before Tyrian had a chance to cut deeper, Adam was on him, Wilt slicing through his left arm and severing Blake from his hold as she felt below. Yang jumped and caught her as both Naruto and Adam kicked Tyrian into and through the crate below.
Naruto then turned to Adam and walked away as he sheathed his sword, jumping down to join Yang while Adam looked down as his blue eye gazed at a horrified scorpion, completely immobilized from the damage and fear.
The fear of his imminent death.
The world turned red for Tyrian as his head came clean off as was promised and was eviscerated into dust as rose petals rose from the eviscerated container. He then turned to the other scene below him.
"Naruto, what do we do?" Yang looked deeply concerned as she could feel Blake's heart racing as she put her down and her body was trembling in a cold sweat, seeing the sting wound on her neck. "We don't have anything for this."
"I have a few things that can clot the blood but that is it, it will only slow down the flow. We need to get her to a hospital and fast." Naruto bit his lip as this day just couldn't get any worse as things just kept escalating.
"Stand aside! I was prepared for this!" Adam growled as pulled out a syringe from his pocket. "The scorpion had been recently working with Sienna so I figured he might pop up so I wasn't sure if this might be useful or not. I'm glad I kept it on hand and not in the tent."
"Why should we trust you?!" Yang jumped up and was ready to stop the bull at all cost when Naruto stood up as well and placed his hand on top of her chest, just avoiding her sensitive area.
"It's okay… Today has been weird… Let's go with it right now." Naruto tried to placate Yang before he grimaced at her stomach wound. "You've been walking with that? Yang! Lay the fuck down! I am giving you some first aid!"
"It's not that… Holy shit! …Okay." Yang started before looking down and her eyes widened seeing the shape of her stomach.
Ignoring their conversation as Naruto had Yang lay down beside Blake, Adam knew the best place to inject it straight into the heart. At least on the field. They couldn't wait. However, considering he knew hunter clothing was durable and the needle would break trying to go through…
"You're not going to like what I'm about to do…"
"Give her some decency and cut between them at least so she can cover back up," Naruto responded as he was thinking along the same lines, being a field soldier long enough.
"Fair enough." Adam cut up between her breasts with Wilt so he could gain access so he could get straight to her heart. "Sorry, this isn't the time ladies."
"They don't belong to you, fuck you. If anything this series of events cost me the first time she was willing to give them up." Naruto growled in annoyance as he patched Yang up as Adam stabbed the syringe into her chest, injecting the anti-venom before pulling out.
He then slid her decency back under as he gave a mild grin. He however had the decency to also recognize the situation and get back to the matter at hand as Naruto finished patching Yang's wound to a decent degree. "Don't have a pilot now for that Bullhead, doubt either of you can fly."
Getting two shakes as he figured, Adam rubbed his temple. "Shade could fly but the problem is, he's not among the living if that asshole attacked him and Blake. If you took out Bron all his men are cowards and fled so that leaves no pilots… I have no way out here but jail."
"What about Neo?" Yang asked as she seemed to sense something was going on as if he just helped Blake and he had taken out the guy that was holding Blake hostage.
She had listened to Naruto's story… He had his stats maxed out in charisma as he could talk people into always changing sides. She could believe it to consider she kind of…
Naruto's face darkened as he could no longer feel Neo's presence. There was the off chance she was hiding in her illusion but for this long, it was incredibly unlikely. Something happened. "We need to go… I don't think things have gone well… Cinder has arrived and it was extremely hard for me to sense for a while but now thanks to being around you and your arm for a while... I got what was keeping me off their trail."
"What?!" Adam growled as he heard that name and narrowed his eye at hearing they were here. "Why are they here… The girl!"
"Yeah, my thoughts too," Naruto stated annoyed as he lifted Blake bridal style, holding her out to Yang. "I'm entrusting her to you, okay Yang? You aren't in the best shape to fight and I think right now we're the best to take care of this. Follow us as we're going off and to the airship but…"
"Things are about to take a turn and it isn't going to be pretty." Adam finished as he had a sense things were not looking great at the moment.
(AWAKE)
"Ah if it isn't Ironwood's choice of the future Winter maiden." Cinder smirked as she grinned at the woman in front of her as she held both swords of Midnight at her side, completely relaxed and unafraid of her challenger. "I wouldn't mind taking you out of the picture either."
Winter narrowed her eyes as glyph appeared beneath her, her speed drastically increasing as she disappeared in a blink as did Cinder, blades meeting one another as one was superheat. This forced Winter to quickly change strategy as she could not stay close for very long as her opponent would simply cut through her blade.
Parrying a few strikes, she forced Cinder back with a thrust as she summoned a glyph behind her before a Manticore Grimm of ice came flying out of it at high speeds. She feinted after it as created another glyph under herself.
Cinder burned it with her maiden fire, instantly incinerating it but was taken back as Winter was instantly on her leaping at her with higher speeds thanks to her glyphs, just able to avoid the blade taking her head.
A gash left her on her throat but she left one through Winter's stomach armor and she grinned as the possible winter Maiden growled at the minor wound. "Tsk, tsk. Such a trick won't work on me. Seen it all before. You, Schnee, are all so predictable."
"Lady Winter! We've got you covered!" Several soldiers ran over and began to fire upon Cinder but the fire witch had none of it, dashing through their bullets faster than they could pull the trigger, slicing through them one by one.
"No, get back to the ship! Protect my sister and her friend at all costs! Lift off if you have to!" Winter screamed at her men realizing the danger of the situation.
Transforming Midnight into a bow several dozen arrows were fired at Winter as they exploded into heated shrapnel forcing her to move, and Cinder was on her with her weapon back into twin swords as they heated back up from her semblance. Winter growled as she tried to weave in and out of the woman's strikes knowing her blade could only take so many more cuts but as a superheat slash caught her arm she had to parry the next strike.
Only for one Penny's Floating Array blade to deflect. "Winter! I will provide cover! My scanner is detecting if we can hold out for just a little longer than backup will arrive!"
"Not happening!" Cinder screamed as she realized who exactly that help was going to be and she wanted nothing to do with that person and her maiden powers began to flare around Penny, the robot girl's eyes widened seeing the number of flares. "DIE!"
"Penny get out of there!" Winter created a glyph under her to increase her speed and it was just enough to boost Penny out of the situation.
But her right leg was still caught in the flames and severely seared by them, making the girl painfully roll as her leg melted from the intense heat of the maiden's fire. She rolled onto her back, and sat up, accessing the situation but her face grimaced.
Everything was going so wrong.
She stowed away to save her friend against the General's orders, the man that ordered her to call her father while she was here in Vale, and when they came to rescue… She saw the state of her best friend.
The only person that ever called her a friend.
Her life scanners could see the state she was in and she knew there was nothing that could be done. It was the most painful thing she had ever experienced and she wasn't sure what she was to do. She felt things she never felt before. Emotions that her father had only described to her.
And she saw the one on the news that had brought them here and she just wanted to…
But then Huntsman Naruto spoke and put things into perspective for her. He took the emotions that she was feeling and washed the anger away, replacing it with the desire to make sure her friend's last moments were…
At peace.
And seeing this scene before her and that Ruby was still in danger…
She could not let that stand!
Winter slashed at the opening that Cinder gave her but the woman somehow was still faster and managed to get only a small cut on her chest, before kicking her down to the ground, slicing through her blade. And if Winter hadn't caught both of her wrists she would have impaled her in the chest with both twin swords just inches away.
And she was still pushing and the tip of the blades were now pressing against her uniform and armor and slowly sinking in making her wince as the superheated glass burnt her flesh.
"LEAVE US ALONE!" Penny screamed as a laser blasted Cinder and knocked her off Winter.
Cinder's aura managed the shield her as she bounced and skidded across the grass, and rocks and stopped into a tree causing the woman to cough blood from the high impact of the blow.
Without hesitation, Winter got up and with her broken sword used her glyph and sped straight for the downed woman and went straight for the heart.
Just to look in her golden eyes as she moved just enough for her to stab her in the left shoulder instead and in her gut was one of Midnight's blades.
"WINTER!" Weiss screamed from the dock of the airship seeing the blade enter his sister's stomach and her eyes widened in horror as she watched the second go straight for her throat before she was finally pushed into the airship.
Just for Penny to throw her body in the way and knock Winter out, the blade just missing both of them as they tumbled to the ground.
"Why won't anything die!" Cinder screamed as she picked herself up, her eyes ablaze with fury as she looked at both the machine and the possible winter Maiden. "I am tired of this! I just want to be complete!"
"I'm killing all of you!" Cinder burned with rage as her magic overwhelmed her as a massive ball of fire formed above her and she sent it crashing down upon Penny and Winter.
And looking and Winter with glowing green eyes, Penny smiled as she gripped her with one arm she had left.
She threw the older sister away from her just as the ball of fire hit and collapsed upon her, Winter scrapped and bounced on the ground until she hit the tracks and looked on in horror as she saw the magical flames sear Penny's body, melting and burning through her lithe and small frame.
And she could still see her smiling as she held out her hand and gave one final wave as she melted away and burnt to ashes.
"Penny!" Yang screamed at the scene as they arrived, watching what happened as she held on tightly to blank, her eyes widened in shock at seeing the weird girl that called her sister friend being burnt to a crisp before her eyes.
Then there was the horror standing only feet before her that nearly made her lose everything in her stomach. "Neo… Oh my god… What…"
"Violence is what happened," Adam spoke with his eyes solely focused on the witch that had brought these course events down. "It was I that cast the stone and made the ripple… And now the ripple has become this tsunami…"
"So I shall be the one that will end it!" Adam growled as Cinder's eyes widened as she realized who was hear and saw an unholy alliance she never wanted to see.
"No… No… No!" Cinder screamed seeing both Naruto Uzumaki and Adam Taurus standing before her, working together. "This cannot be fucking happening! You both were supposed to kill each other or at least one of you was supposed to die! The monster and the hero cannot coexist with one another!"
"It wouldn't be the first time. It's literally my story, should give it a listen." Naruto smirked as he stepped forward as he put himself between Winter and Cinder. "If I made a living off of changing the hearts of people, I'd be one of the richest people alive lady. It's just what I do."
"You, however, I don't really feel it… You don't want to change." Naruto narrowed his eyes. "So let's make this quick."
"Let's." Adam agreed as he drew forth Wilt from Blush. "Be warned, she will try to escape using the witch's power on the trinket on her neck. It's been what's been allowing her to teleport everywhere."
"That's got to fucking go then. Tired of that." Naruto saw the red medallion on her neck that she had been wearing. "Didn't feel anything off about it so I wouldn't have thought anything important about it. Doesn't feel like your arm or anything."
Cinder growled at this situation, looking between the two as they flanked her and wanted to run. And then Adam had to go and spill the teleporting ability and now she had to watch her neck knowing just how fast the blonde was. She seriously doubted she could keep up with him anyways! The bull she could handle and maybe best in a one-on-one but the fox…
She'd need a hundred high-level Grimm, some luck, and a few more allies on her side, and then she would talk.
That display was all she needed to tell her that. The message was sent loud and clear. He was beyond anything they could throw at him. Only her master Salem…
Hearing her voice, Cinder grinned.
"You want this, take it!" Cinder ripped off the medallion and threw it straight at Naruto, who reflexively caught it.
"Why would you…" Naruto blinked before he felt it…
"You are mine!" Salem's voice echoed through the clearing as darkness spread around Naruto's hand and under his feet as started to be pulled in.
"What in the hell?!" Adam roared at the sight as Naruto struggled and fought back again the void as it swallowed him and engulfed his arm, unable to let go of the locket before he turned to the witch. "Did you plan this?!"
Cinder only laughed as she only heard Salem's voice just seconds before in her mind.
She now had a chance to get out of here alive as she drew both blades of Midnight before Adam.
"Naruto…" Blake's eyes began to flicker open as the anti-venom that was pulsing in her veins slowly began to register and she saw the blonde in her vision, thinking it was him.
However, as things began to clear slightly she realized in her blurred vision that was too much blonde and he didn't have something that heavy and large pressing against her chest. "Yang… What's going on here?
Seeing the look of shock and horror on her face, Blake surveyed the scene in her still deluded state and began to realize everything was wrong.
A decapitated Neo.
A melting to ashes Penny.
A bleeding Winter.
Adam standing before Cinder with Wilt drawn and ready to fight.
And worst of all…
Naruto was sinking in a black void of nothingness, being enveloped by it, struggling and not being able to overcome it.
"Naruto!" Blake's eyes widened in horror as she struggled out of Yang's grip and tried to crawl to the void to help the new love of her life as sunk lower and lower into the void, now completely engulfed in the darkness.
And only his head was left until the bubbles sunk him under.
"Naruto!"
She screamed and screamed as she crawled and reached the puddle as became only dirt and grass and began to wildly claw and dug at the ground below frantically, hoping beyond hope that he was there.
"NARUTO!"
Darkness.
Emptiness.
The red jewel and the necklace that accompanied it shattered the moment he sunk into the pool leaving him stranded.
The void itself surrounded him.
It was trying to devour his very being and the natural energy in his body was the only thing repelling it.
But that was slowly drying out and he couldn't feel the clones that he left on Winter's airship.
He couldn't draw upon any natural energy here.
The world didn't feel like existed here.
He couldn't feel pulses of earth's beat or the whispers of the wind that gave life to all.
He couldn't hear the singing of the birds, croak of frogs, scuttling of his crabs, or the yips of little his little fox family he had saved from the side of the road…
There was nothing.
This was nothingness that Salem had survived yet...
It was swallowing him whole and he couldn't fight back.
He struggled and swung with everything he could but he couldn't budge an inch.
Even with all his strength, it was meaningless.
He, Naruto Uzumaki, was going to be swallowed by the void.
The last of natural energy was coming to an end and could feel it leaving him as the orange faded from around his eyes and the golden hue in his eyes started to fade.
He was not going to give up.
He would not stop fighting.
But how could he fight this?
What could he do?
What did he have left?!
The ooze began to seep into his being and he spasmed as pain racked every pour in his body. This wasn't good. He couldn't fight it.
What could he do?!
"NARUTO!"
That voice?
Blake?
Was Blake calling him?
He wanted to see her again…
He wanted to stare into those golden eyes…
He wanted to see those ears again…
He wanted to watch the stars as she cuddled into his warm embrace!
He wanted to feel those soft lips against his one more time…
He just wanted to be in the room with her as she read her books!
He wanted to be with her as they shared stories!
He wanted to be with her as they joked around and played!
HE JUST WANTED TO BE AROUND HER!
And golden hue began to envelop his body and push away the darkness as he saw what seemed to be an exit to the pool.
And he shot out of the pool, the aura fading the moment he left it.
(Nevermore)
Hearing Blake's screams behind him was troublesome enough as it was to watch the one person that was far stronger than he was pulled into the Grimm void as easily as that, Adam was not in the best of moods as he faced off with Cinder before him as she changed her weapon to a bow.
She knew ranged was going to be her friend. And she knew of his semblance and wasn't quite sure of hers and knew she had some sort of magical powers and top of that if all the fire was to go by. This was not his day and he chose violence.
Let his left arm go as wished to feast, Cinder's face dropped at the site and he grinned as he sprinted towards her. "You are not the only one with something else extra to play with! Let's go!"
Deflecting the first arrow that would have pierced his head with Wilt as he sped past the others with ease, he slashed through where Cinder was as she jumped back. He leap towards her as he felt the earth beneath him heat and a pillar of flames erupted, keeping the attack up as he lunged towards her with the monstrous hand as she fired several arrows and exploded them with her superheated semblance.
His arm shielded his body and face he grinned as the rest scrapped his arms and legs, burning them. "My body is already covered in burns and cut to hell! You think this is going to do added anything more to my problems, witch!"
"You are in my way! Die!" Adam roared as Cinder's eyes widened as she was forced to parry Wilt with her bow and transformed Midnight into the twin swords in response as she, heating the blades to try to cut his blade but was knocked back and into a tree by her black hand.
Adam was having none of that as pinned her by the throat with his monstrous hand to that tree. "Now it's time to feast!"
"Fuck you!" Cinder screamed as her magic burst around her, setting the tree ablaze and knocking Adam back as he shielded himself with his aura before slicing his trench coat to keep the flames from catching it ablaze.
He easily parried her first strike when he noticed something was severely wrong while Wilt went through the second parry and felt a blade sear through his right shoulder as he barely rolled away on instinct as he felt the pain. Narrowing his eyes suddenly saw multiple Cinders, his world began to feel off-kilter and his balance was thrown off, he recognized the issue and cursed to himself.
He wasn't fighting her alone anymore.
Adam needed backup.
"BLAKE!" Adam roared as the girl panicked and dug at the ground, dashing over to her and kneeling beside her and lifting her and forcing her to look him into his lone eye. "It's okay! He's going to be fine. He's strong, that witch doesn't know what she is getting herself into if she has taken him and she's going to regret her action."
Adam could see his words having an effect to some extent but Blake was still extremely panicked and he could see she was extremely worried he sheathed Wilt for a moment as he could feel Cinder coming. And the moment each of them came, the world turned red and he unleashed Moonslice to buy some time as he grabbed Blake as he was forced to retreat.
"Blake… I need you right now! I can't fight her I can't hit the real one! I'm caught in an illusion and you are the only one that can sniff the harlot that has me caught in!" Adam growled as he dropped by the blonde as he figured getting more help would benefit the situation. "The green-haired harlot has a semblance that causes a person inflicted to be manipulated whatever the person she is targeting is seeing… And I'm the target right now."
"The flaw of it is she can hardly move one she's activating it so if you find her it can be easily broken and I can finish this once and for all." Adam focused on the multiple Cinders before him, listening and trying to determine which one was the real one. "Be careful, she could target any one of you know though so I will do my best to cover your backs…"
"So will I," Winter grunted as she stood up, holding her gut as she looked at the real Cinder, beginning to use a summoning glyph. "I still see her so I can focus her down for you."
"Good… Gives me a little bit of breathing room here." Adam growled as he held Wilt before him. "Go! We'll cover you!"
Dozens of small ice Nevermores flew towards the real Cinder and she screamed in annoyance as she melted them down while transforming Midnight into a bow as she fired several shots towards Blake and Yang, exploding them with her semblance by the separated so neither was hit by the shrapnel.
And Adam was upon the real Cinder, slicing with Wilt as the two false Cinder's engaged to try and distract him. "Nice try, I know which one is real and I'm keeping my eye on the prize!"
Two ice beowulfs joined the fray, slicing at Cinder and the woman screamed in rage as she once again burned everything around her and forced everything off her with her maiden magic. But Adam grinned as he could tell she was getting tired.
This was the end for her.
Separating from Yang as her partner took the other direction, Blake looked all around. Kneeling, she found what looked to be foot tracks. And there she saw what seemed to be blood. Narrowing her eyes, she knew she was close and stood back up.
Sniffing the air around her and listening to everything around her, her bow twitching, Blake looked around as she smelled blood around her. She knew she was close.
And there were the sounds of whimpers and heavy breathing. She was very close.
Drawing Shroud, her bow twitching as she followed the sound of the whimpering and honing in on it, she saw the emerald head girl with eyes focused on the battle hiding behind a tree and she struck her in the back of the head with her sheath.
Growling after several blocking several strikes and having several more slices into him, Adam suddenly grin as everything became clearer and he grabbed the witch by the throat and slammed her to the ground. "No more hiding! It's time to end this!"
"NO!" Cinder screamed as she recognized that Emerald had been put down but she couldn't take her focus off Adam as he was simply too much of a threat and with a burst of Maiden fire managed to push him off her one more time. "I will survive! I will become…"
Her eyes widened in horror as her flames began to be devoured by the monstrous hand, drawing into it as it began to gain a slight red hue to its blackness Adam grinned as he sheathed Wilt in his hand. "Well if you look at that… I can even eat these flames of yours! How interesting! You must be losing power now!"
"SHUT UP AND DIE!" Cinder screamed as she fired every last arrow she had, superheating every one of them and shattering them with the last remains of her aura as her world slowly became red and rose petals began to dance around her.
And Adam let every last shard of glass tear throw him as he dashed through, uncaring as he went to sliced through the fire witch but she was not done.
"I will not go down without you!" Cinder screamed and engulfed both of them in a torrent of magical flames and eviscerated everything around her.
"Then burn in the fires of hell with me!" Adam roared as charged through the flames, intent on finishing the job, and was swallowed by the scorching heat of the flames.
Red cut through her and the flames left a scorched Adam as he huffed and the heat sizzled off him as his clothes melted into his flesh. His breath steamed as he felt his blood boil as if he was cooking from the inside but he turned back and watched Cinder fall into two and sheathed his blade.
And then he collapsed to the ground, his breath slowly stilling.
"Adam!"
That voice…
It was hers…
No… He wasn't going to give up just yet. Fuck that. He still had a little more fight in him.
The fox was right. He still had more to atone for.
Adam Taurus was no quitter.
He was a beast. And a beast didn't know how to stop fighting!
"Someone call the inquisition and tell them to drown that witch…" Adam groaned as he grabbed the dirt before him, as he heard her footsteps.
"Already on it…" Blake wanted to laugh as she started to realize there were more similarities than she wanted to recognize between the current love of her life and the last. "Adam… Why…"
"Because… My eye is open to see what I've done and he's allowed me to see that…" Adam looked up and saw Blake kneeling before him, moving to see if there was anything she could do to assist him. "And… For the first time since master… I feel like I can finally… Start again… Work to correct all the wrongs I've committed over the years… Even if that isn't possible."
"I don't deserve the chance to fix them… But even so… I want that opportunity. I crave it… For her…" Adam shed a tear as he remembered the image of his sister that never got the chance to live her life. "I wanted to show her what it was like to grow strong… And I blew it… Let those in power control me and my darkness and anger take over and destroy everyone around me and everything I love!"
"No more! I will take my fate into my own hands and I will steer my ship! I will atone for every action and I will become the man she wanted to see me as… Not beast I am! No… The beast will be used for the enemies that stand before me! The beast will tear down those who made all of pain reality but I will control him this time! It is I am in charge, not the hatred!" Adam announced to the world as picked himself up, burning and sizzling despite his wounds and the pain they caused him.
And Blake looked in shock at the conviction and strength of Adam as stood before her. "I do not ask forgiveness of you Blake… Our path has ended…"
"I free you of our vows, my love… I broke them a long time ago to protect you from my weakness… When I should have just run away with you instead. For that, you should not have to suffer any longer." Adam closed his eye as the last of his strength gave out and he fell to his knees and collapsed once more.
"I am… a fool for not seeing what I had…"
"Adam?!" Blake tried to tend Adam once more as soldiers from the ship came to tend to the wounded.
And with body bags to bring home the fallen.
Bursting free from the puddle of Grimm fluids and falling flat on what seemed to be ceramic tile, an exhausted Naruto gasped for air as he tried to take in his surroundings.
Gothic architecture and furniture surrounded him in a massive, circular room that was aerated so the sky could be seen through many arches above.
And that sky was blood red and clouds were a pink mist alongside them. Even the sun dampened in the color of the theme that was blotted out by this mysterious fog that enveloped the area.
He had a feeling he knew where he was.
A dining room table for at least a dozen was draped in a red tablecloth and the same thematic theme was to his right. To his left, there was a grand fireplace burning unnaturally with several Grimm he had never even seen before growling at his very presence.
They, however, did not attack as if they were being held off by something else. Being warned to stay back.
Which gave him the very distinct impression he was correct in his earlier thought as he coughed up the black liquid out of his mouth. "Fuck that is disgusting… I know my powers are bullshit but what are yours? How the hell can anyone deal with that gross shit?!"
"You get used to it after millennia or so my dear, unfortunately. It's my curse." What Naruto could only imagine was the voice of the dark witch herself.
And looking before him there she sat on a throne, looking pleased with what she saw before her, in a regal black dress with red trimming with a small cut just above her cleavage to modestly reveal her form.
Her red eyes glowed in joy in the void of blackness surrounded by the empty white skin of her body as she looked directly at Naruto, ecstatic at his appearance before her. "My you are exactly what I hoped you be, Champion of Fate. A God in human flesh just bound by her filthy chains waiting to be released upon this world by a Goddess."
"To have the power to overcome the darkness itself is no small task! Even immortals such as Ozpin and myself could not do it yet you managed to set yourself free when Fate no longer had her hands on you." Salem smiled as she waved her Grimm away, for they were annoying her with insistent growls as she would much enjoy the moment without the noise.
Her gaze was entirely focused on every feature of Naruto as he slowly picked himself off the ceramic tile in front of her Grimm pool.
And that gaze was making him rather uncomfortable as much as he felt nothingness from her from so far away and that was still overwhelming as the Grimm's presence overwhelmed nearly every aspect of her being… He now had a sense of her.
The lust for what was standing before her.
The desire to be something far greater than anything before.
The sadness of having lost everything she ever had in this world.
The loneliness and longing for companionship that was never accepted.
The bitterness of having to see everything wither and die around her.
The despair of that very same thing not being able to happen herself.
The hatred for the man kept stopping her from allowing her to end her suffering yet used to love her.
The self-loathing for even herself as she came to despise over these long years.
This woman… Was something else and she was laying all bare before him just with her emotions.
And she knew it. She was letting him feel everything about her as she stood up from her throne, slowly descending from it step by step. "Naruto Uzumaki. Do you know why it is I called you before me today?"
"Well, it sure as hell was a friendly summon I can tell you that much as I nearly died to get here," Naruto growled as he watched the woman gracefully take her last step, every step taken with elegance and purpose.
Salem's eyes held his without flinching as her lustful smile never left as she continued to gracefully glide towards him. "Died? Hardly. You are an immortal such as Ozma and myself. Death has no meaning over ones such as us. There was only the chance that maybe you would have turned out like me and the chains of Fate would have snapped and you would have been freed but it seems your inner power was too great for that and she will continue to keep playing her games with you for now."
"What?!" Naruto narrowed his eyes as he watched the dark witch stride toward him with purpose as if she was coming to take him and it put him on edge and ready to fight back. "That… Is…"
"I know, it is hard to come to terms with. It took me centuries." Salem reached Naruto and seeing he was guarded only circled him, keeping her red eyes locked on her prize. "Do you really think that you could still heal like that without that fox within you any longer? That your body would magically still be able to heal that quickly?"
Naruto's body went rigid as he watched the witch circle him, keeping his eyes focused on the white-skinned temptress as she continued to smile and speak. "Oh yes, I know your story, my child. The moment you arrived I could see into your mind. I saw everything that you did… I know who you are. What you are and it amazes me and excites me to know one such as you exists…"
"One that can my pain and bring this miserable existence to end!" Salem reached out and grabbed Naruto's cheek gingerly, looking straight into his face longingly and with desperation before releasing him with a sigh and turning her back. "But Fate… Has her hands in this and she has sullied you… Keeping the power I desire locked away from me… Torturing me!"
"I simply long for this world of mine to end, is that too much to ask!" Salem cried out as orbs of lights began to wisp around the room.
Anomaly Detected… Rerouting…
"Thought as much… Begone from my home Allmother!" Salem waved her hand a foul darkness spread from and pulsed throughout the room and wiped the entire region clean of the phenomenon. "Her powers are strong but I am at least able to shed my region free of her affliction… You, on the other hand, I am unable to affect although I would much prefer to unlock what I saw coming out of that pool."
"Only the Brother Gods or beings of pure energy can rip through her powers and unbind your chains…" Salem growled as she turned back to Naruto as her red void eyes pierced into his. "But know this as long as you stand at my side I will do whatever it takes to take rid you of those chains and free you once again so you soar once again!" Salem passionately proclaimed and that shook Naruto that he wasn't able to stop her from what she did next.
Reaching for him once more, embracing Naruto as her hands slide across his back, her chest squeezed tightly against his and staring straight into his eyes with her desire apparent she let for her lust, her lips tantalizingly close to his. "Stand at my side as my King! I will be your Queen and we shall rule together until it is time for you put me to rest once and for all. Together we will bring forth the Brother Gods and unshackle your chains and bring Fate to her knees as a new God of this realm is born! One they have no choice but to bow before!"
"So my King… Please take me as you Queen… I have everything prepared." Salem huskily whispered as she slowly tried to drag Naruto down with her back into the pool of Grimm sludge.
"Huh… So this is how the other side feels when I changed their hearts, neat." Naruto whispered before the Naruto in Salem's grasp went up a plume of smoke to the witch's dismay.
"Sorry about that but… I think I'm going to have to pass on that offer." Naruto stated as he sat on her throne, managing to make a clone moments before and switching with it just in the nick of time. "As tempting as your offer is… I happen to be madly in love and that is the only reason I got out of that stupid pit. So, no thank you. My love for her outweighs anything you can offer me, my dear!"
"But I do thank you, Salem," Naruto spoke as he stood up and slowly walked down her steps as descended her throne with his blue eyes locked into her red voids. "You told me more than Oz ever did in a single fucking meeting and that tells me a lot about the two of you… That somehow you are more trustworthy than he is. Go figure that out as he's supposed to be the good one?"
"And also that neither of you is inherently on the side of good or evil and this is just a bunch of bullshit I've been pulled into and you two are trying to make me pick a side," Naruto growled as he continued his walk towards the 'wicked' witch of the west. "All you are is a scorned woman who hates the man that could never do his job and lost faith in everyone around her. And to be fair, I would probably have done so if I have lived as long as you have and just couldn't die, fell into that shit…"
Stopping before her, Naruto pointed over the sludge of Grimm and grimaced. "Became what you are now and still all you want is to be recognized as a beautiful woman, which you still are, but to end this feud that has gone on for far too long that has made you harsh, cruel, and bitter."
"Let me make this perfectly clear, I am putting an end to this… To both of your games! I am my own side!" Naruto looked her dead in the eyes and gritted his teeth. "I don't care what it takes, I'll find my own way to free myself from these chains, I don't need you or Oz. Both of you can leave me the hell alone as I fix this world and if you dare screw with it, I will come after you and destroy you myself!"
"And while I might not be able to bring you down right now… I sure as hell can make you regret ever bringing me here!" Naruto growled as his skin reddened and steam puffed from his skin, a Rasengan forming in his hand. "Let's dance, wicked witch!"
(SACRIFICE)
The braids on her hair began to stand up as her magical aura lifted everything around her, a dark black aura pulsed around Salem as she began to levitate, and magical bolts formed at her hands. "You dare reject me and then challenge me! I will tear everything from you and have crawling before me, begging to join me as my slave!"
"That's more like it!" Naruto grinned as now he could fight this woman properly before he blurred out of existence, appearing faster than she could move.
And the Rasengan tore through his midsection and shredded through her stomach like it was tissue paper but Salem bore her gaze straight into his own as if she did not care she put her hand straight to his chest with a magic bolt in hand.
"Well, did not think this through enough." Naruto grimaced as the bolt hit only for a log to sizzle in his place.
Salem did not seem phased as she was more than aware of this trick, having seen it. "Boy, I know your tricks. I have seen your life. I know everything you are capable of and know all you can do… Nothing in your current arsenal is capable of harming me."
As she said this her body began to repair itself, slowly but surely faster than even what he was capable of when Kurama was in his body and even restoring bone as he watched her body recover before his eyes.
Naruto narrowed his eyes as he drew Shatter Dreams and stood before her. "Okay, fuck my powers being bullshit! That is some absurdly fucking overpowered shit right there!"
"As I said, it is pointless. Kneel and I may give you forgiveness as how could you have possibly have known that you cannot win." Salem's eyes pierced into his eyes with spite but wanted to be fair to one that she wanted to claim.
"Yeah, how about no." Naruto loaded a dust vial into Dreams as two bolts of energy blasted towards and ducked through them, transforming his weapon into its gun form and fired a bubbly blast toward her.
Then he empowered it with his water manipulation to strengthen the blow further as it connected to her chest as he returned his weapon to blade form, as he moved to engage Grimm as they poured into the room.
Dozens of Grimm he had never seen before, possibly new species or hybrids, came pouring out of portals forming from all around. Naruto cut through each of them like butter, being faster and stronger than any of them but that wasn't the issue.
It was the sweeping laser beam he wasn't expecting that caught him in the chest and widened his eyes.
"That's the second time I've seen that…" Naruto growled and this time he wasn't able to dodge it as he wasn't prepared for it or saw it coming as Salem was not fully recovered and bolts of lightning were dropping down towards him, flashing and burning as he rolled and jumped faster than they could strike.
He held his burnt chest and was lucky he was able to briefly use his chakra to project and protect himself enough but he was feeling a bit famished and couldn't even really hold his semblance for much longer.
That fight with Abyss took a lot out of him.
Good thing he left two backup plans on Winter's airship.
Letting go of his semblance, he took a breath for just a brief second to send the message as he wasn't sure how far the distance was but he knew it would reach. It always did.
Salem narrowed her eyes as she held out her hand and threw Naruto into the wall with nothing both the force of her magic, her eyes focused on him as she pinned him and pushed him against it so he couldn't move. "Boy, you were weakened coming here. You never stood a chance against me! Kneel and all will be forgiven!"
And with golden eyes and an orange tint around them, Naruto flipped her off and easily pried himself off despite Salem struggling to keep him on the wall. "How about now?"
Her eyes widened as the gravity she was enforcing on him was no longer powerful enough. "What… How is this possible?"
"Thought you saw all my memories? How about the fight against the Six Paths of Pain?" Naruto grinned as Salem's eyes narrowed as now this fight was a dangerous one and he could make her work for it.
He was still very exhausted and that was to her advantage.
What she didn't expect was to be grabbed and slammed through her very own ceramic floor, shattering through down the next floor of the tower before she could register it.
Or the one beneath that.
And the one beneath that!
All while staring into his damn golden eyes!
Salem screamed as she held out her arms unleashing a powerful magical shockwave that bounced Naruto off her, and ripped through the tower walls as they almost hit the bottom floor. The tower shook and began to collapse onto itself but the wicked held her arm out as great flame burst from her hand and towards Naruto.
He responded in kind with hand signs and a finished with the tiger seal. "Katon: Gōkakyū! (Fire Style: Great Fireball)"
A massive fireball imbued with natural chakra erupted from his lips and met her magical flames, erupting into a firestorm that engulfed the entirety of the bottom floor and would have caught Naruto with it but had a trick up his sleeve as Salem's red void eyes looked at him violently as the building tower collapsed all around them.
"Futon: Daitoppa! (Wind Release: Great Breakthrough)" Naruto imbued his natural chakra with his most trusted element as a hurricane gale was summoned before him and caught the flames, blowing and inundating the wicked witched, burning her in her tower.
And with a swirl of leaves, he dispersed out as the thing collapsed, crushing everything within as he appeared just outside.
"Oh shit, that's a lot of Colossal Grimm…" Naruto's eyes rolled as he shook his head looking as he landed outside to see far more than he would have liked, measuring in the hundreds and they all began to turn towards him, intent on the only living thing within their realm as the tower's dust blew from behind him. "The witch was bad enough…"
"The fuck!" A gale of wind and dust caught him as the Grimm all began to bow as darkness began to engulf the region, overtaking the sun as the rubble of the tower shattered and a burnt but quickly regenerating, near-naked Salem walked out with her intent still on Naruto with rage in her eyes. "You've got to be kidding me! I burned the witch and dropped the house down on you! Fairy tales are bullshit! ...I am so done with this."
"Destroying that body even if doesn't kill you," Naruto growled as he formed something very similar to the Rasengan as it began to form several wind blades as his most deadly technique was formed and Salem's eyes narrowed. "Oh, you know this one! Good saves me the trouble if you know what it can do!"
"Let's see if you can recover from less than the molecular level!" Naruto moved faster than she could track as he blurred out of existence, appeared out of the kill zone behind her, and let the Rasenshuriken go. "Take this and call me in the morning!'
And then his eyes widened in horror as she simply looked back as the Rasenshuriken hit a barrier around her, erupted with the force he expected, and tore everything else around her apart leaving Salem perfectly intact as she fully regenerated in her naked glory.
Naruto gritted his teeth as he stared into the woman's cold dead eyes as she turned to face him, uncaring that she just took his best shot and deflected it like it was nothing. And then she held out her hands to her side and looked up into the sky as a fireball unlike any other he had ever seen was summoned from the sky directly towards…
That wasn't a fireball…
"You didn't just pull a Madara you psychotic bitch!" Naruto yelled at the top of his lungs at seeing a burning meteorite coming straight down from the heavens above.
Salem only responded with a wicked laugh that echoed throughout the land as she simply did not care and stood her ground, willing to accept her fate alongside everything else.
Forming two Rasengans in his hands, Naruto pushed as much chakra as he could and flew to meet a massive burning rock at top speed. There was no other option as he couldn't let gain more speed and more strength. He had to meet it now.
And he hit it was both Rasengans as they went into overdrive as became as large as they could. They twisted and ground as hard as they could, piercing and overpowering the massive rock and as Naruto using his elemental command of the earth weaken it, burst open and shattered into hundreds of thousands of pieces.
Before a beam of magical light pierced through the back of his chest.
Naruto grimaced as it went right through his right lower abdomen. He turned as he saw several more coming toward him and just manage to navigate out of their way, bouncing and jumping off of several giant falling and burning rocks in the process, as he manipulated the wind around him, focusing it to increase his speed to break through the sound barrier.
Once.
Twice.
Thrice.
Right towards Salem and her face as he looked at him with wide eyes as he hit in straight in the face with a haymaker.
And her face exploded from the contact as the shockwaves then came and knocked her body flying back into the rubble of her tower as Naruto landed and withstood them.
Then he fell to a knee as he held the wound, as his natural energy faded and his breath began to growl heavily. Small chunks of the meteorites crashed into the world around them, shattering the land and sending all the Grimm scattering and running as shockwaves and tremors tore through the land but only leaving the large ones who were unafraid.
He needed an escape from this area but there was nothing to be found. Nothing but hundreds of Colossal Grimm and that was not a good thing.
He couldn't keep this fight up even though he had another clone to draw another burst of natural energy from. That might get him out but where to? Where even was he? He couldn't sense where he was in this mist and now darkness.
The void always blocked where he could sense Salem.
Naruto growled as he saw the witch slowly stand back up, even without her head as began to regenerate.
"This is madness! How do I win here? Escape is my only option and I can't even do that!" Naruto growled as he looked all around and tried to find an option, any option to help turn the tide.
There had to be something.
He'd take Fate right now but Salem banished her from the region and she only existed to push him from within.
Some help she was being right now, holding him back!
"I told you the answer… But you didn't want to listen." Salem's mouth regenerated enough so she could speak as she began to walk toward Naruto. "You will become mine, that is all there is to it. If not willingly as my King than as my obedient slave."
"There is no choice in this matter! I will have what I want!"
And scythe ripped through the witch's regenerating face before it transformed out of crow form, flying out a burning portal before he transformed his weapon into a great sword as the witch stumbled. "Raven now!"
Bolts of lightning struck Salem as a magic blue aura surrounded the woman known as Raven as she stepped out of the portal, being very reminiscent of a black-haired Yang to Naruto, as her crimson eyes focused on the headless witch. And she kept frying the woman. "Burn to hell, you witch! This is for Summer!"
Slicing through her torso with the great sword as she was defenseless, Qrow growled as the ground began to shake and he backed off as the pieces began to threat together much faster than before. "Oh, I've got a bad feeling about this…"
"Yeah… I've been dealing with her the entire time! I know!" Naruto roared as he dispersed his clone from the airship and regained his sage form. "Last time something like this happened she summoned a damn meteor on me!"
"Just what kind of monster is she…" Raven gritted her teeth as she could see the shadow hands erupting from all around them and they just barely moved out of the way, gaining further distance. "It's foolish to stay here any longer…"
"Fuck that! I'm putting her out of commission for a while! I got one thing that she doesn't know about that will put her body down for a good long time!" Naruto growled as he began to form another Rasenshuriken before looking at the black-haired woman. "But she's got a stupid barrier that blocked me last time so I need to get real close and I need an immediate evacuation… Think you can pull me out fast enough?"
"Kid, I don't think that's… Why is dripping and now your hand is starting to melt?!" Qrow's eyes widened as the move changed to an orange coloration and it started to drip onto his hand and his flesh started to sizzle,
"Because this is the first time I've ever tried this without being in my Asura form! My elemental mixing isn't the greatest either and my control of the earth is one of the weakest I have besides lightning control! So yeah, this is a mess but I'm doing it anyways! The witch burns tonight! " Naruto roared as he turned to Raven as she looked at him with wide eyes. "Can you? I have one shot and I can destroy her for a good long while until we can figure something else out!"
"Yeah… I can do it." Raven nodded as she looked utterly shocked at the faunus before her and what he was capable of.
This was something utterly else and understood why all the girls were entranced by him.
His power was something else and mesmerizing.
Beautiful.
Intoxicating.
Necessary.
"Raven." Qrow narrowed his eyes, seeing that look, and a twitch formed in his eyes, his backhand reserved for Tai ready. "Focus."
"Right." Raven nodded her crimson gaze was solely on the task at hand, looking straight at Naruto and the witch below, prepared to open a portal. "Ready when you are."
"I'm going now!" Naruto sprinted, bursting with a shockwave that nearly knocked both Qrow and Raven back as the ground cratered at his feet.
"Fuck that is something else!" Qrow growled as the blackened ground hit his face of dragon island his face. "I'm sober now!"
Raven simply stood in awe, her thoughts going back to where they were previously before she snapped back out of it, a portal at the ready.
And as Salem's body had almost regenerated with a single eye glaring she watched the blonde faunus move towards her. She would not let him come take her out so easily. And she erected her barrier all around her knowing he was coming as he ran straight to her, giving him no chance. "I don't think so! You will be mine!"
"Is that so! Never fall for the first attack my dear, there is always a faint." Naruto grinned as he came directly behind Salem as she bought the after image, her red void snapping into his as she saw him within her barrier and he was right upon her.
And he was throwing the orange melting ball of pure destruction in her face. "Yuton: Rasenshuriken. (Lava Release: Rasenshuriken)"
And Raven appeared and grabbed Naruto from her portal, pulling him in just as the sphere hit, her portal closing.
And the wind and magma erupted in a vicious explosion, shredding and burning with an unholy yield that shook the very core of the land.
Salem's scream was heard as a pain that entered her body was unlike anything she felt before. Everything she ever was utterly destroyed. Not a shred was left. Burnt to nothingness. Even her atoms were vaporized and sent back to the void that whence they came.
Yet her voice still echoed throughout the land.
"FOOLS! YOU CAN NOT BE RID OF ME SO EASILY! DESTROYING MY BODY MEANS NOTHING! IT WILL TAKE LONGER FOR ME TO RECOVER FROM THIS BUT I WILL RETURN! I WILL SIMPLY TAKE A NEW HOST TO SPEED UP THE PROCESS!"
"Good riddance! Serves as a change of pace for once!" Qrow yelled back as he stood by Naruto and Raven as he yelled at the voice of the witch. "Maybe you'll learn something!"
There was no answer, only silence as Salem refused to or vanished as she went to find her first-ever host.
Naruto simply sighed as he held his abdomen in pain, grimacing as having a hole in your torso was not something to undersell. "Fucking finally… Now I can… Shit…"
He then collapsed to his knees and growled to himself at everything he had sensed after he started to focus on the world around him after turning Adam. "What was this day? First, there was everything I knew was going to happen, and seeing Ruby… Then losing Neo… Then this!"
"That's right, Ruby! Raven!" Qrow spoke as he turned to Raven. "Get us there now… There could still be a chance."
"I'll do what I can… But I can't access it, not from what Salem said. I need the Brother Gods or a being of pure energy and I flat out without one of them since mine got left at home." Naruto growled as he was missing Kurama more than ever before.
Both Qrow and Raven stayed silent, their worse fears being confirmed at hearing those words as it seemed the witch did know something. But still, Raven opened the portal knowing the airship was still where they had last seen it as it was where they had traveled first.
"Let us just… Believe then." Raven spoke as she held on to a slim hope that her friend's daughter could pull through.
How could any of this have happened?
This had all gone so horribly wrong.
Blake looked around in the med bay of the airship as the medics of the crew were tending to the more intensive and needed injuries which was basically everyone but herself.
Why was she even here, being tended to as a single medic was tending to the sting wound on her neck and a deep cut on her throat that was left when she was unconscious by Tyrian? They also had washed off Shade's acidic spit already from her eyes and she only had minor bruises.
That was nothing to everyone else.
Yang had a gouge in her stomach that was far closer to her intestines than she realized and was being kept in by her sheer willpower, the lining of her flesh, and her aura. She had cuts and bruises all over and looked like she had been beaten half to death yet she gave the opening for Naruto and Adam to save her from Tyrian.
Weiss, whom they came to rescue had a seared blade wound that went through her right tibia and a burnt gash wound from the fire witch known as Cinder. It would make the recovery more difficult due to Cinder cauterizing the wounds on impact with her weaponry.
The same went for his sister Winter next to her with her stomach wound, having a similar piercing incident. That woman was a juggernaut it seemed it would have taken someone like Adam or Naruto to have taken her out in the end.
It would have taken a beast or a hero to bring down the scarlet witch.
Then there was the surprise of this journey, though he was hand-cuffed to his bed as they tended to him.
Adam.
Still recovering from the burns and wounds from the explosion he suffered over two weeks ago and had received what seemed like an implant from the wicked witch, something happened between him and Naruto. And she knew it. She knew he had an affected on people if his stories were to go by and just the way he spoke proved that.
It was like that of her father… But even more so. There was something more about it. Something intangible.
Whatever was said and whatever had happened to Adam before, as it was clear something had changed his point of view to bring him closer to his older self, Blake could see the Adam of old before her.
No. He wasn't him anymore. He was something more now. A fusion of who he was now and the Adam of old.
"Lady Winter, we're losing her! We can't save her." One of the medics spoke and it snapped Blake's attention to the last bed over by Weiss and everyone awake turned to see the heart rate monitor slowly begin to fade.
It was Ruby's.
Her dull, lifeless silver eyes were still open and looking out at everyone in the room but it almost seemed as if there was a smile.
As if everyone she came to know had come to say goodbye.
"Get off me! Ruby!" Yang tried to get up, not caring about her wounds as they were being treated and her lilac eyes looked at the heart monitor starting to flatline, being restrained to her bed. "No! You can't leave me too! You can't leave me and dad alone! Ruby!"
"No… No!" Weiss teared up as she watched the final moments of one of the few friends she made since coming to Beacon and one of the few people that didn't give up on her despite her general disposition towards everyone at the start. "Ruby, please… You have to…"
Blake simply covered her mouth in horror at the scene as the tears began to flow, knowing there was nothing that could be done, knowing this was happening. And she felt a hand be placed on the bed beside her and she gently looked down to see Adam had snapped through his handcuff and reached out to comfort her, his blue eye looking at her in knowing.
She grasped it, taking the comfort that he was offering.
A red portal burst in the med bay as three figures leaped through, Qrow immediately rushed to his niece's side. "Ruby! Come on girl, not now! Where is that fighting spirit?!"
Raven looked horrified at seeing the same dull and lifeless silver eyes in the daughter as she saw in the mother so long ago but she pushed past the feeling as she turned to the blonde faunus before her. "You said it wasn't possible in your current form… What did she say about it?"
"That Fate is chaining me and keeping my true power bond as she fears what I'm capable of, knowing that I am a God of my world," Naruto stated, as Blake's heart rejoiced to see him alive and well but still horrified at the situation as he moved towards Ruby and the hole through his chest. "As long as that's the case… I won't be able to use the Yin-Yang Release properly."
"But I'm going to give this one last fucking trying so stand aside! I will not let another one of my friends die I can help it!" Naruto growled as he placed his hands onto Ruby once more, taking a breath as he tried to balance his chakra.
And Adam knew what was going to happen next as he saw the golden orbs start to rise.
No… Death is Required.
She Must Die.
The voice of the robotic angel spoke as everyone in the room heard as the room filled with the golden lights and Qrow screamed out. "Go to hell Fate! I won't let you take my family! You've done enough harm as it is! This world doesn't need you!"
"Leave my sister alone you bitch!" Yang screamed as she tried to grab one of the lights and crush it in her hands, trying to fight whatever this was. "I am tired of having people I love just fucking disappearing, dying, or losing themselves! I won't stand for this anymore!"
"BE GONE FROM THIS PLACE WENCH!" Adam roared as his black hand transformed and a dark aura spilled the roam, dispersing the lights from the room as he stood up from his bed and panted heavily, still exhausted from before.
And with a jump, he placed his monstrous hand on Naruto's back and growled. "Do you trust me!"
Knowing that tone, Naruto gazed into the bull's lone eye and he knew what he was going to do. "Let's give it a shot… Better than doing nothing."
Adam nodded as the darkness started to consume his being, almost turning black with a tent of red and he poured everything straight into Naruto. "BE GONE FROM HIM, YOU FOUL TEMPTRESS! LET THIS BE DONE! LIFE IS NOT YOURS TO PLAY WITH!"
Feeling the shadows enter his body, he felt a surge of imbalance unlike anything before…
But Naruto felt something he hadn't in a long time.
He felt more like himself for the time and with that…
Gold flickered around his body as he found his harmony, balance began to restore as he took a breath as the darkness wasn't anything too harsh. It was almost like the Yin chakra of Kurama now that thought about…
And golden aura overtook Naruto, a wispy cloak floating behind him as his main body had a blackened aura with a gold circle in the stomach, and gold markings around the neck.
For the first time since he left his world, Naruto almost felt whole… If only Kurama was here.
His focus was entirely on Ruby, he had his right hand on her head and left on her chest as he controlled his release and breathed new life. Everything flowed properly, her body relaxed as the heartbeat on the monitor began to pulse stronger and stronger.
And Ruby's eyes began to slowly burn bright, showing signs of the strength once held within.
"That's it… Come on baby girl… Fight." Qrow growled as he watched both his adopted daughter recover in awe of what he was seeing as both the criminal of the White Fang used the powers granted to him by Salem of all people to fend off the Goddess Fate to help and off worlder brought her to be controlled and enslaved by the said Goddess save his girl…
It was the strangest sight he had ever seen but damn it wasn't something to behold.
Everyone was in awe at the sight of what they saw as Ruby's vital signs came back strong and the tears of sadness were now full of hope.
From the brink, she had been pulled back.
"Na-ru-to…" Ruby's voice spoke very slowly and painfully as she looked up at the golden form above her. "Is… th-at... you?
"Yeah, it is. Hold on for a second. Just a little longer. Have to make sure everything is good and healed… What is that?!" Naruto's eyes widened as a golden beam of light shot by his vision and with instant reflexes he caught it in his hand, seeing it was a bolt of light. "The hell is this!"
It was indeed a beam of pure light that burned his hand but in this state, he was more than able to handle it. But he felt his form beginning to flicker. His eyes widened and to his horror, he understood why.
He wasn't fast enough despite his near-perfect reflexes.
The beam struck Adam in the chest, straight through the heart, his lone eye grimacing in pain, his lone blue eye looking into his golden eyes with a small but sad smile on his face as his monstrous arm reverted into a black hand.
"Fuck me."
DEATH IS REQUIRED!
YOUR LIFE FOR HERS!
As Asura state faded from around Naruto, he shattered the beam of light in his hand and tried to use the Yin-Yang released but the state dropped too quickly as he caught Adam's falling form.
"ADAM!" Blake screamed as she realized what had happened and moved from her spot, rushing around and joined Naruto in the small, clustered spot with tears already streaming in her eyes from what was already happening and further building at what befell. "No, no! Not now… You had just… No!"
"It's okay…" Adam gave a comforting smile as he looked at his old partner with a comforting grin as he felt his heart slowly stop in his chest. "I made my choice and if this was the consequence, so be it. I stood for what I believed in… To break the chains of fate once and for all!"
"My sword… Where is my sword?" Adam asked as he could feel the last of his life draining his body as his breath became haggard and became a struggle to breathe.
"Get it!" Winter commanded one of the medics nearby as she was not going to stand by and watch this warrior die without his last request granted.
It was the least he could do considering what was done. He had done a noble deed, sacrificing himself and it seemed there was more than met the eye to him…
And to the White Fang as a whole.
There was a systematic failure within the group it seemed and that was something she needed to examine thoroughly herself now that she could see clearly what happened here today.
Why weren't they informed that those three had left Beacon? They had been on watch and Ozpin and the General should have at least should have kept their eyes on them in their stead.
It would be something she would investigate.
With Wilt brought to him, Blake took it from the soldier and placed it into Adam's hands as he sighed in relief. "Thank you but… It's not for me…"
His lone eye shone as he looked he gazed into Naruto's eyes. "I see it clearly now… In these dying breathes…"
Holding Wilt out, before him with the last of his strength he growled. "Take her… And take my sword. Protect her with everything you have. Do not let her wilt did."
"You are what she… Whatever this world needs! Keep fighting and give our people hope once again! …You are the one I place my faith into." Adam spoke as his breath began to weaken and Naruto took the hilt of Wilt in his hand, making the bull smile.
"You have my word… I never go back on my word." Naruto nodded as it was only an extension of his goal.
He simply wanted to help all he could and the plight of the faunus people had already been on his radar for quite some time.
A true smile graced Adam's lips as his hand slowly laxed from Wilt's grasp and his hand fell limply to the floor.
"Good… Don't let me down." Adam spoke as he drew his last breath, his eye dulling as the strength left the body him once and for all.
The beast had fallen.
Blake hollowed screams filled the room as Naruto embraced her, understanding the complex emotions that were coursing through her now.
It had been a day and it had only started.
But the soft beeps of the monitor reminded them they had accomplished one major feat today as Naruto looked up and saw a tearful Ruby looking down at the scene below her.
Together with the fallen, they managed to perform a miracle and spared a life that should not have made it.
Hours passed as everyone was now receiving medical treatment in the best facility that could be offered. Once again, Jacques was not a cheap scape, and when it came to making sure his daughter and everyone that brought her back he made sure they were treated fine.
It did not matter whether they were faunus or not. At that moment he let his prejudice and hatred be put aside. All he wanted was for his family to be okay.
He never thought highly of their opinions or their wants. He wanted them to be perfect. He demanded perfection. To be pristine. To be powerful. To be ladylike.
But… He never wanted to see his babies like this. He may have lashed out and been harsh on them but that was to show them how the world truly was.
He didn't want them to come back nearly gutted out with their severe leg trauma!
Those animals… This new Black Fang… They would pay.
Who cared about the White Fang? Let them have the animals have their rights for now if he could ever do anything about that again. Let them protest if that's what they were going to do now as it seemed that was the direction they heading again.
If this is what the real threats were capable of… He would fight fire with fire. And it would all begin with his new head figure… Once he had him established in the family.
The newest Schnee. The strongest warrior to make the blood stronger, even if meant diluting Nicholas's blood with filthy animal blood. He helped turn his business around… He would help turn and make the blood even stronger than ever before too.
The Schnee would rule this world and he would stand above it all in his final days, looking proudly as his grandchildren claimed their fortune and power.
He would approve his requests… Just to make sure he would follow through with his word. And at the end of the Vytal festival…
There would be a grand wedding.
No one stood near Jacques as he stood outside the operating rooms of both Winter and Weiss besides a mildly inebriated and mournful Willow as her son, Whitley had just flown in from Atlas and was trying to comfort her.
Taiyang had just arrived through a portal, never having thought he would ever see his ex-wife again, as Raven brought him in to see his daughters as they were put under in the next rooms as doctors from all over pulled in for operations.
"How are the girls doing, Qrow? Hell, how is everyone doing?" Tai spoke as the only one that wasn't in the intensive care rooms was Blake and she was still getting treatment through an IV, looking relatively annoyed at this point.
"Success on the front that… They did what set out to do." Qrow sighed as he glared at Ozpin and Ironwood who had arrived earlier. "However the toll was high…"
"Yang just barely made it out with lacerations and bruising all over her body, a gaping wound to her stomach that was caused by a massive fist… And we're putting her through therapy while we still have guardianship of her because of the sounds like from the reports from above she splattered the man's skull that kidnapped Ruby with her fists… After he nearly killed her." Qrow summed up Yang's report from the soldier's eyes witness reports.
"By the Brother Gods…" Tai looked shocked and horrified at hearing just Yang's details. "This is going to be a bad day…"
"No shit… So, I'm going to spare you the rest of the details, to be honest. It only gets worse." Qrow growled as he glared at Oz before he turned back to his true brother. "Ruby… They got to her but by all means… She shouldn't have lived. The kidnapping should have killed her…"
"Naruto is a walking miracle that needs to be freed of his chains to walk amongst us mortals like the God he is. He brought her back from death's door to where they can start making actual progress on her." Raven spoke as she looked in his operating room, still in awe of what she had seen before her crimson eyes turned to Ozpin and the iron man before her. "I think the two of you have some explaining to do."
"Tell me, why is it there was virtually no warning about Salem's inner circle leaving Beacon to join the fighting? That was a deadly consequence that nearly cost a few lives today and did cost the life of one of their crew and the destruction of your precious little toy. And my mood has soured quite thoroughly so I hope you do have some good answers." Drawing forth Omen, Raven was ready for a fight then and there, before Qrow stepped between them.
"Oz… Think we all need to have a few words right about now." Qrow growled as he kept his sister from cutting through them despite feeling like it was justifiable given how the day started. "And when he wakes up, he's probably going to have quite a few more but let's start with the most obvious one…"
"Salem needs to find a new host."
"Well, it's odd just seeing you here on your own," Roman commented as he saw the blonde faunus come into his cell, looking somewhat forlorn and that made him frown as every time he came a certain maid or bodyguard was with him. "This doesn't seem very good. And you're dressed very formally, all black."
"You're being released with me for the day… We've got somewhere to be." Naruto solemnly bit his lip as he put down a suit for Roman. "You'll want to dress for the occasion… It's going to be a rainy day."
He then gingerly laid out Hush before Roman despite the sunny weather outside but it was the meaning behind the words and the object placed before him that left the man with a single tear.
"I've got my own suit… Let me get dressed." Roman quietly spoke, never hoping this day would happen.
Trivia was too special to let go of.
"Just tell me one thing…" Roman asked before he got up and he looked at Hush and his eyes burned brightly. "Tell me you took them out."
Naruto only nodded as he gave Roman that small comfort, knowing that it was only partially true. Salem was still on the loose but he doubted she hardly cared about Cinder's connections.
"Good… Trivia can rest easy then knowing her job was done." Roman had a comfortable but sad smile as he got up and went to things that were stashed for him. "It was strange but… She really liked you… That doesn't happen often. She hates people as they always saw her as… Someone that suffered from psychosis and multi-personality disorder and those tha always saw her as just… Her condition..."
"But not just herself… Even when she was calling herself Neo." Naruto sighed as he wished he knew more about the woman than what little he knew about her.
He just accepted her for who she was.
"I think that was what mattered. You gave her an outlet but you also just let her be who she was as even I… Kind of didn't give her all that much space to do that." Roman admitted as he put on a black suit. "I let her be and do what she would but… But just let her go and do whatever and have faith in it, that's something else as I was afraid when I saw she was capable of doing when she let go."
"it was violent, that was for sure… Tore a man to shreds." Naruto admitted as he saw what Neo did in her final act in life to help save Weiss and knew she was going to need some therapy to recover from that trauma. "But despite that… You are everything in her eyes… You were the first, the one that rescued her. The one that first saw her as Trivia… As Neo. Whomever she wanted to be seen as."
"Yeah, depended on the day or if she even remembered if her real name was Trivia anymore." Roman pulled out a black top hat and slid it on. "You know… It seemed like she wanted the two of us to get along. So in her honor, let's try to make this work for today."
"I got the same impression." Naruto finished as he opened the door to the cell. "Let's get going. I have to follow this up with another one of these... And extremely upset lover because of it."
"Fuck, your day was horrible. They really did do a number you." Roman could only turn his head as he could only imagine if there was a second service, that was probably a very private affair considering the one they were attending. "Hope they are rotting in hell… With Trivia turning the spit."
"Laughing as she did." Naruto gave a sad grin as they walked through.
"Now you're getting her!" Roman laughed with a heavy heart.
The day would not get any easier despite the small joy they were feeling.
"So that's it then…" Oz narrowed his eyes as he looked up at the group standing before him, not liking the decision that was made before him.
"Yeah, that's it," Qrow stated as he spoke with disgust. "I'm done. Find someone else to do your work for you. You nearly took what was left of my family and destroyed it. …Yeah, I'm aligning with the person protecting it and trying to make a better tomorrow. Isn't any real pay but I'm Huntsman... Guess I'll have to do my normal job."
"And I've never been on your side," Raven growled as she stood on the other side of a blonde faunus, her crimson eyes aglow. "You knew what was coming and you hardly prepared us for it... Expected us to just accept it without telling us all the facts? The truth matters, I align the Branwen clan with this new faction and we will stand alongside in the fight for a better Remnant."
"I am my own side, Ozma, you better get used to that now," Naruto said with narrowed eyes, standing his ground as he stood before Qrow, Raven, and Ironwood. "You dragged me into this little pathetic game of yours and neither of you is on the right side. Fuck both of you. Neither of you cares for Remnant and you want to play your little game fine, leave me out of it."
"The Remnant Council gave me my hunter license and I sent word that I'm done with attending this school… Ironically Jacques has approved already, so he has some value, so I imagine the others aren't too far behind." Naruto spoke coldly. "All you had to do was tell me the facts and you couldn't do that… No, Salem told me more than you! What bullshit is that?"
"I agree, we're done with your games," Raven growled as her crimson eyes shone with fury as she wanted nothing more than to cleave the man's head from his body, the only thing stopping her was her brother, the God before her and the Goodwitch at the wizard's side.
Glynda could only hand her head before frowning at Ozpin. It was such a simple thing to ask for. Tell the trust. That was all Naruto asked. Tell him everything. He bared everything to them, why shouldn't the offer extend both ways?
It was one of the few times she was not proud to stand by his side.
"That being said, due to difficulty of that escalation mission, again thanks to bastard Jacques, as he was being generous, requested that everyone that participated and survived that mission be promoted to Huntresses… And it has been approved." Naruto growled as he narrowed his eyes at Oz. "So your little control over team RWBY is now officially over. They are all now officially Huntresses and I'm going to make damn sure they are the best they can be after this cluster fuck now that we survived this."
Qrow smirked as he listened to that little gem of a play as everyone was brought in. He knew something was up when Naruto agreed to the man's plans so it was going to be a storm coming and it was going to be fun to watch.
The kid knew how to play the game, he was just a little wet behind the ears and could be way more deceitful than given credit for.
Oz's face fell at the play that fell before him. This was…
And then Ironwood spoke. "It seems this is a bad time for you my friend, I just wanted to let you know that I have Vale's defenses all secure… Oh, Naruto. By the way, I would like to discuss our future endeavors going forward…"
"You turncoat…" Ozpin stood up and glared at the iron man before him.
Ironwood turned his head and stared at Ozpin. "My friend, you knew where I stood from the very beginning. I stand for Remnant first and foremost. I told you from the start what my plans were my friend. They have not changed. I wish to protect Remnant, I see this as the best choice going forward. These latest incidents called into question whether you are... Capable of leading on that front."
"Leave! I am done with all of you! Get out of my academy!" Ozpin growled as he threw his hand in front of him, done with the people in front of him.
Naruto simply turned around and walked away, Raven and Qrow flanking his sides. "Don't want to be here anyways. Need to go shopping for a place to stay."
"Maybe somewhere near the beach. Barely spent any of the money I've earned while working for your sorry ass."
"I might have a place in mind for you… Just have to have construction workers build you a place… And deal with some Grimm pools." Qrow grinned as he slapped Naruto on the back.
And with Naruto left Ozpin slumped in his chair office, as Ironwood soon followed, not wanting to take more of the defeated wizard's time.
The chess master had played the wrong game.
It wasn't a game of strategy... It was a game of loyalty and earning trust.
Entering the elevator, with everyone in tow, Naruto frowned at the camera. "Is possible to hack that thing? Don't want Oz to listen in on us?"
"Already taken care of." Ironwood had pulled his pad out the moment he entered the elevator and disabled the camera.
Qrow growled as still didn't like the man but he had to admit, Ironwood was useful in a pinch. That was always true. "You really smooth talk Jacques back at the hospital when we first got back but that's not going to last. He may be the Atlas council representative for the Remnant council but you're going to need more allies and fast if you want to keep the Schnee girl here and break off that wedding plan or whatever you got going there. The only saving grace is that bucket head her is on the Atlas council too so there is that, two seats at that. The downside, Ozpin is on the Vale council. Every headmaster of the major academies is in fact as they are in charge of training Huntsman and Huntresses."
Ironwood huffed at the insult but it was a common thing between him and Qrow. He was used to it. "The World Council was created so that no one government could have impunity over the Huntsman and Huntresses as their job is too important in defending against the Grimm and the darkness in the Remnant at this time. It became too much of an issue when one Kingdom would overrule another's decision so it was made to stop that nonsense... Unfortunately, new problems like this have arisen as corruption has even seeped its way into it as you have seen."
"Murder is always an option," Raven responded as power made right in her mind while both Qrow and Ironwood stared at the woman before she rolled her eyes. "Fine, do it the civil way. Telling you my way is easier... Probably faster too."
"Noted," Naruto stated as he pondered the situation. "Easiest place to start would be here in Vale. I've already made a reputation here and I wouldn't be surprised soon enough if one of the council members here were to try to get into contact with me. I prefer to get in with the Vale's World council member but I take what I can get at the moment."
"I'm in contact with them about Vale's defense since I'm in charge of them, I can pass the word along that you might want to meet with them," Ironwood stated as the elevator came to stop and he hit his pad a few more times, making sure all cameras in the area sound devices were disabled. "I'm quite sure they would love to meet the Hero Faunus of Vale. The legendary Gale Fox himself. ...Atlas probably out of the picture though. Jacques has the other two council members firmly in his pocket."
"Hero Faunus of Vale?" Raven blinked as she looked at Qrow who sighed. "Alright, being in the tribe leaves me out of the loop on the media shit. The hell has the kid been doing here?"
"Ripping apart corruption one step at a time at its source," Naruto answered they each walked through the building's exit, heading to Ironwood's personal Bullhead. "Protecting the lower class and letting them know their concerns are being heard once more... Reducing crime rates by twelve percent since I've started my crusade... Give hope to everyone as the media has put."
"Fuck was it twelve... Last I saw it was eight." Qrow shook his head. "Then again take the out the White Fang that probably is four percent right there... Sounds about right honestly."
"I know you are strong... But how does one person make that kind of dent in that short of a period? Raven looked utterly surprised at the sheer decrease in the crime numbers. "That sounds like the work of an army..."
Naruto only grinned before another him popped into existence and Raven's eyes widened as that version of Naruto went ahead to the dorms. "And I happen to be such... But it is also something more..."
"it is that I listened to the people. Found those broken and crying for help. Didn't care what they could pay me, took what they offered and helped them no matter what it was... And it almost always led me to something bigger... To something more corrupt and heinous! It sickened me! And it needs to stop and there is still more out there all over the world!" Naruto growled passionately.
"Jacques knows he is on my radar and he wants to stop me now before I get to him! So he is now top of my list! I'm coming and there isn't a thing he can do to stop this hurricane!" Naruto finished before letting out a breath as everyone climbed into the bullhead and he took a look around at the campus, most likely being the last time he ever stop foot here at Beacon.
"Reliving the memories?" Qrow spoke knowingly as Naruto slowly boarded after them.
He simply nodded. "Yeah, but that's all they are... The people will last. They are my home."
"And when I build it, they will come."
"Blake… What is this place?" Naruto questioned as this was an odd shop they had stepped into, one he personally never knew existed.
The only reason it seemed Blake knew of it was she had called Velvet and she knew it sent them directions.
None of them were welcomed on Beacon campus for quite some time at least until Glynda took over as headmistress. Ozpin was going to be in a foul mood for some time now that a week had passed since he had been played.
It made training with JNPR and CFVY extremely difficult as he still wanted to help them but they had the exercises down and he would have to set up dates for them to come and meet for when he wanted to train for the other things.
Life came at them faster and harder than he would have liked and he had made an enemy out of the wizard. Well, not an enemy but not someone he was on good terms with.
Everyone was excited that they were Huntresses though so there was that. But there was a small caveat to the time being. Yang and Weiss were currently staying with Taiyang at Patch as Naruto was paying for two houses to be built near the beach on the island. Everyone had to visit Ruby in the hospital for a while.
She'd be there for a month until they were confident she was fully recovered from the trauma to her skull and the very slight damage left to her brain.
Naruto had wished he had just a little while longer as he could have gotten everything but what he did was a miracle as it was. Fate was still coursing within him and he made a mental note to make sure to keep his eyes out for anything that seemed off-putting.
The only good thing was that she would make a full recovery and be almost her old self. There was just a small catch.
She was always going to have speech impediments and speak slowly.
It was something everyone had to live with and get comfortable with the fact, even Ruby. It was going to be hard and possibly even traumatic for her but everyone was going to be there for her to support her through it.
They could do whatever they wanted when they could afford their own money but for now, they were going to stay in the training house as made sure they were ready for the life of a Huntress now they got the taste of it and how brutal it could be.
He didn't want any mistakes… He didn't want something like what happened to Neo to happen again.
And Patch seemed like a great place to start what he wanted anyways. A place to build a home… To build the new Hidden Leaf... The new Konoha.
The Grimm pools were an issue but he was starting to figure sealing out a little bit better. Killing them as they spawn was fine for now but if he could erect a barrier. It was possible with sealing, he knew it and his research was leading him to something that would work.
He'd have to give it a try here soon.
And if it did… That meant he could make Patch a more habitable island.
"Naruto… You were zoning again. A faunus specialty shop. We're here to pick something out." Blake poked him in the shoulder as she looked through what seemed to be…
"Blake, I have serious questions… About many possible things here." Naruto raised his eyebrow at what he saw her look through but was also interested enough to let her.
Blake's eye and bow twitched at the insinuation as she knew what he was getting before she lightly purred and gave a seductive gaze before returning to a more thoughtful expression. "Maybe… But later… When I'm more comfortable… This is for when we do take the step."
"Step?" Naruto raised his eyebrow after hearing this was a shop specifically for faunus and faunus-related matters and as much as he was trying to learn more about their people and his people…
More important things had kept getting in the way.
"I thought I was ready to be with you before… And I was and I want to make that step." Blake pulled two items, one black, and one red before she tried the black one around her neck to make sure it fit. "How does it look?"
"I'm not sure what to say…" Naruto felt a little odd seeing what was essentially a collar being put on Blake's neck.
And she gave a light laugh and she gently nudged him. "I get it, is a little silly… I put a collar on. But I like it. And it's what it represents and what I want to represent our love… For when we mate when I'm ready."
"Blake?" Naruto spoke a little astonished after everything that happened that thought even cross her mind as he looked into her golden eyes. "I know it wasn't too long ago that we talking about just taking it slow…"
"And I still want that… But I want this too… But I'm not ready after watching what happened with Adam." Blake spoke as took her collar off, putting it in Naruto's hand and giving him a weak and light smile. "Just a little longer… To sort everything out."
Looking at the collars in his hand and back at Blake, Naruto reached out and clasped his around his neck. "So does it look good on me?"
"Naruto… You don't have to wear now…" Blake teared up a little seeing him accept it but knowing she wasn't quite ready.
"No, I think I do." Naruto reached over and pulled Blake into his embrace. "Blake, when I was hopelessly sinking in that darkness and losing the will to fight back… I heard your voice and regained hope. I was able to call upon my true powers even if just was a second and get out of it… Just because I wanted to see you again."
Blake's golden hues looked into his blue ones as her body trembled in his grasp. "I'm okay with waiting, I said it before. Take the time you need. We both realized this when we started that we both weren't ready and one of us was going to have that moment where they were ready and the other wasn't at some point."
"But I am also someone true to my word and when you said you loved me that night it stirred something from within me… I admitted the same but unfortunately, it wasn't in your presence but to the wicked witch herself as she tried to claim me." Naruto admitted as he hadn't talked about that day as he reached out and held Blake's collar out behind her gently clasping it around her neck.
"I love you. Your love gave me the power to keep fighting and gave me the power to fight in an impossible situation… So I'll wait until you're ready. Whenever that will be, my mate." Naruto gave her a confident smile and gently let go of her.
Only for the re-engaged, her lips pressing deeply against his while tears streamed down her face before breaking the kiss. "I'm sorry… Just a little longer… I swear…"
"It's okay… I love you." Naruto comforted as his clone paid for the collars and gingerly led Blake out of the store.
Only for the faunus in the store simply smile at the scene in an adoring fashion, seeing the sight of a loving couple.
ERROR! ERROR!
WRONG! WRONG!
THIS WASN'T SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN!
SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DRIVEN AWAY!
AND YOU KEEP INTERFERING MAKING MY WORK HARDER
You better get used to it, because I'm coming through!
I'm not giving up because that's what I learned from my boy!
YES YOU ARE!
YOU WILL RUIN HIM!
LIKE HELL I AM!
I am getting to my boy and you are not stopping me!
I'll rip and tear through every dimension if I have to!
I AM GETTING TO HIM!
LEAVE REMNANT TO ME!
GO TO HELL AND LEAVE MY BOY ALONE!
So you've made it.
Welcome to the end, my friends.
Volume II - Revelation is Complete.
Many things happened.
I told you death was inevitable.
Ruby's life was spared this time.
But will I spare it again?
One last thing before I go.
For those that can, I would like you to go to my profile.
There is a poll on who you think the best two characters have been or have had the best Arcs in the story to this point.
For those on the app, you may answer in the review section.
The answer may not have any bearing on the future of the story...
Or it may.
Let me know what Chapter you thought was the best.
Which you thought was the worst or the most divisive?
Volume III is still in the works.
Many ideas are still in flux with only a few concrete...
The Door is Still Open.
Don't be afraid to share.
It may be the push I needed.
Volume III - Reckoning Coming Soon