AN: When reading Python, think of the English Dub's "Bug" Cell. Much more fun that way.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Percy Jackson and the Olympians.

Sun's Heir, Death's Guardian II: A Hero's Peril

XXIX

Thalia Grace was pissed.

She sent a bolt of lightning at a dracaenae, the snake-like woman hissing as it avoided the blast. The daughter of Zeus was persistent, though, and a bit crafty. That wasn't the case prior to the Quest for Artemis, Thalia was a for sure daughter of Zeus: Point weapon at enemy, fire lightning, boom, problem solved. Ever since she and Naruto became a couple though, her fighting style changed. Thalia was more efficient than ever with her spear, nearly an ace shot with a bow – those last few centimeters to dead center would be conquered – and she could recreate an attack that was created by the (arguably) goofiest of her immortal half-brothers.

The Rasengan.

The wind gathered in her palm as the dracaenae came in close to impale her with the spear in its hand. Thalia let a grin quirk up and she brought the condensed ball of rotating air to the snake-woman's face. It was like using a grinder on metal, only after a half second, the metal went flying, taking down at least eight trees as it did. Thalia smirked even wider, the ball still going in her hand and impulsively charged it with her static. The ball started to grow and alarmed, Thalia tossed it at the nearest enemy.

That Laistrygonian Giant didn't need its head anyway, right?

"...I just made a sticky bomb." Thalia said, looking at her hand and then out to the forces that were charging at the camp's defenses. She bounced into action, a gleeful smile on her face.

This battle was so over.

Percy Jackson was determined to win.

He scowled as he pulled his sword out of the dracaenae's stomach with a jerk. The campers were barely holding out. He'd just helped Juniper and Grover douse Juniper's burning tree and was cutting through the waves of enemies, mostly monsters so far. That was to change, as a enemy demigod ran at him. His name was Todd, unclaimed (or a minor god's kid) and took residence a few years back at Cabin Eleven. He'd been there when Percy went on his Lightning Bolt quest.

He was gone the year after.

"Percy Jackson! I'll be a hero to the cause if I kill you!" Todd said. He raised a nasty looking sword that looked like something out of Blackbeard's arsenal. It was curved and jagged at the top, looking like the definition of 'evil' sword.

Riptide clanged against the new sword and Percy's green glared into Todd's piercing blues. They were hardened and ready for battle, determined to kill. Todd pulled back and slashed at Percy, the son of Poseidon stepping back and avoiding it. Todd continued this, using different methods to attack with each slash and swing of his sword while Percy either deflected or dodged, trying to keep from actively engaging in battle with enemy half-bloods.

"Stop running from me!" Todd said, looking very upset at the thought. He pulled back and his sword separated into two. Percy had to gape at that for a moment. Duel wielding swords wasn't unheard of in spars, but it was for a moment. This kid was swinging like crazy, practically dancing with his swords as he attacked Percy.

Finally Todd swept Percy's feet out from under him after he failed to get a cut across Percy's neck. Percy landed on his back with a grunt. His hand holding Riptide was stepped on, Todd holding the two swords like scissors at Percy's neck.

"The night is mine! I will kill you and my father will realize that he should've claimed me long ago! Not ignored me just because I wasn't bulky like the others!" Todd said, and Percy saw who the teen's father was from the look in his eyes. Ares. Todd had his cruel and sadistic smile and oily black hair. That was it though. Everything else was pretty average. "Now die and bring us victory!"

"Pass!" Percy said, pulling his free hand out from under Todd's foot and punching up, right between the legs. Todd's eyes crossed and he stumbled back. Percy brought Riptide up only to graze Todd's face, but his aim was lower than he expected.

Riptide sliced Todd's throat.

The son of the war god was clutching at it, his swords fallen to the ground next to his legs. The blood covered Todd's hands and Percy felt it sink in. The death of another, one of them, was on his hands. He watched the life leave Todd's eyes, staring at the body before scooting away.

"Get up!" Mark, another son of Ares, said as he hoisted Percy to his feet. "Good kill! Now let's find another giant!"

"But...he was..."

"It doesn't matter who he was!" Mark said coldly. "He's the enemy. You killed him. End of story."

Percy didn't like that. Todd was a demigod who just wanted to be accepted for who he was. To be acknowledged by his father. It was understandable why he was rebelling, especially given Ares' violent tendencies, but he didn't have to die.

Percy let Todd's name etch itself into his mind as he numbly ran off to fight another monster.

Annabeth Chase was planning.

"Aim for the legs!" Malcolm said next to Annabeth, his sword slicing through one of the dracaenae's snake-like trunk of a leg. The monster fell to her side and her head was swiftly sliced off. She collapsed into golden dust, along with several others of her kind felled by Cabin Six's members.

Annabeth drove her dagger into the side of the dracaenae she faced, quickly pulling it out and slashing it deep across the left leg. The dracaenae cried out in rage as it fell to the ground, allowing Annabeth to stab it in the head. She pulled her dagger out and sheathed it, reaching into her pouch for throwing knives. She tossed them at the archer aiming a fire arrow at the trees where the dryads and Apollo's cabin were perched. It hit his hand, making him drop his bow to the ground. An arrow came from the trees and hit him square between the eyes, Annabeth watching as the body slumped to the ground.

Annabeth looked to the shooter, spotting Lee Fletcher draw another arrow and take another enemy demigod out with an arrow to the back, most likely piercing a lung. She threw a knife at the demigod's head, mercifully killing the poor girl so she wouldn't die slowly or in pain. The weight fell in her pouch once more and she pulled two more knives out, flipping them around in her hand as she turned to the other direction throwing them at the two dracaenae, nailing both in the eyes.

Annabeth Chase was planning, but she was also thinking. The ways this battle was changing herself and her friends was massive. There were enemy demigods, fellow humans, fighting against them this time. Not a mechanical bull or a monster. She died a little inside when she threw that knife. She shouldn't have had to end that girl's life.

Grey eyes turned to steel as Annabeth decided that she would never have to make that choice again.

Nico di Angelo was tired.

He summoned a horde of dead warriors. Some were deceased US soldiers, others were Spartans. You name it and he probably called them from the grave to fight. His sword was halfway deep into a dracaenae's gut when a bullet grazed his shoulder. Nico turned and froze at the sight of several skeletons, larger than the ones he made, aiming their weapons at him.

"W-What are you doing!?" Nico asked.

The skeletons hissed at him, taking aim with several weapons. One stepped forward, holding a large bowie knife and a M16. The skeleton chattered at him.

"You're going to kill me." Nico said, his eyes narrowing at the declaration. "No...No you're not! You're going back."

The skeletons just took aim, ignoring him.

"Stop ignoring me! I am a son of Hades!" Nico said. He spun his sword around and stabbed it down into the dirt. The earth rose up, crushing around the skeletons with guns. Only the skulls were visible and they were all packed together like sardines. Nico pulled his sword out of the ground and brought it up over his shoulders. "And I. Said. Go. Back!"

He swung his sword and the skeletons turned to gold dust, being absorbed into his sword. Nico stumbled, using his sword to steady himself. He huffed and puffed before smirking.

"Hope Dad rips you all a new one."

Leo Valdez was having a blast.

"Down goes the ugly monster!" Leo said with a cackle. He was using a crossbow with a design that he stole from that Hugh Jackman movie. The one with Dracula and the Werewolf in it. He loaded a new 'clip' and primed the crossbow.

"Get some!" He said, firing rounds every second at the giants. He took two down so far, but it cost him two clips for each. He wanted to find a weak spot that would take less arrows to bring it down. One of the giants came around with his club, bringing it up over his head. Leo jumped and rolled out of the way, running into his friend Michael.

"Ready to do this?" Michael asked, preparing a VY staple arrow.

"You know it, dude!" Leo said with a grin.

The giant roared at them and brought his club up. Michael fired the arrow at the giant's hand, successfully hitting the thirty-foot monster in the ring finger. The club flew up as Leo fired at the giant's chin. The giant shrunk slightly to twenty feet and Leo nailed it under the jaw with the second half of his clip. It dissolved into golden dust and Leo cheered.

"Leo! MOVE!" Michael said, pushing himself and his friend out of the way as the club came down. Leo landed with a grunt, his crossbow landing next to him with the empty clip popping out. He gave Michael a glare, but the words died on his tongue. Michael was pinned from the midsection down under the massive club, blood was being coughed out of his mouth. The son of Apollo looked up at his fellow black sheep and grinned, his teeth chipped and caked in blood. "Idiot...should've...rolled."

"M-Mike..." Leo said.

"Leo...d-don't...don't let them...take the camp..." Michael said with his last breath. His head fell and his eyes shut for the last time.

Leo stared at the corpse of his friend, who was there one minute and gone the next. It wasn't like TV or movies or books where there's this whole dramatic moment between two friends. Michael was there and then he wasn't. Like flipping a switch.

"...I'll...I'll stop them." Leo said, his hands clenching into fists as tears filled his eyes. He got to his feet, his fingers tickled with flames. He was breathing heavily, eyes landing on the nearest monster. "I'll stop all of them."

Leo Valdez then became a blast of fire.

Piper McLean was feeling so many things at once it was hard to describe exactly what she felt.

She deflected the blade of the older demigod she faced against with her dagger from Zephyr, using Katropis to slice along the side of the sword using demigod. He crumpled to the ground on his knees, quickly fighting back to his feet and trying to stab Piper while one hand put pressure on the wound. Piper didn't know this boy, but she knew he was going to cause trouble later on. She prepared herself to deliver another blow when a cry of pain got her attention.

Piper looked to the right where one of the sons of Dionysus, Pollux she thinks, was fighting another demigod. Piper's ADHD caught movement and she jumped back to avoid being slashed by her current foe. She turned to Pollux. "Pollux! Switch!"

"I'm Castor!" the twin groaned, breaking away from his fight and sliding back, turning and bringing his sword down to slice Piper's former foe just as he rose to strike her. Piper in turn used her daggers to impale Castor's enemy in the sides as he went for the swinging decapitation. In another life, that would've marked the end of the son of Dionysus. As it were, the would be victor was stabbed through the chest by Castor as Piper pulled her daggers back.

The two panted, Castor favoring his arm with a wince, before Piper spoke. "You should get that arm looked at."

"Yeah...that sound's like a good idea." Castor said. "Want to give me a hand with that?"

"Sure thing." Piper said, running with him back to the medical tent. Piper might not know what she's feeling at the moment, but she knew that she wouldn't let a fellow demigod die.

Kakashi was distraught.

He pulled his hand from another snake woman and sighed. This was way too easy. He deflected a demigod's blade that was swung at him from the left with his sword and stabbed the poor girl through the throat with a kunai, pulling out and murmuring a soft prayer for her soul as her body crumpled to the ground. It was like fighting enemy genin in the third war all over again. Only this time, he was the older one.

Damn that Luke kid. Why couldn't anything just be clean for his soul? Like...like zombie ninjas! He would rather be fighting undead hordes of old shinobi than kids with little to no (to him anyway) actual combat training.

Kakashi sighed and tossed another kunai at a distant snake woman. Well, at least he could easily focus on something else that deserved his ire.

Kushina was infuriated.

These monsters thought they could take her step-children's home? Kill her idiot of a husband's kids? Kill her baby? And get away with it?!

"Rot in the Underworld." Kushina said, chains of pure chakra exploding around her and impaling three giants. The chains coiled up and around, acting like a sadistic form of torture, before crushing the giants.

An arrow was shot at her and Kushina drew her sword, slicing the arrow down the middle and causing it to take out two demigods running at her from the other direction. The archer, a young boy with pale blond hair looked at her with blue eyes and had her pausing for a moment. She saw sunny blond and vibrant blue, whisker marks adorning his cheeks.

"Why are you doing this?" Kushina asked him. The boy said nothing, quickly drawing another arrow. Kushina closed her eyes and formed a few seals with her free hand. "Doton: Doryūso (Earth Release: Earth Flow Spears)"

The archer gasped, his bow and arrow dropping to the ground as a large spike protruded from the ground, impaling him through the chest. Kushina released the technique and let the boy's body fall to the ground without another word. She shuddered and then walked away, trying to banish that image from her mind.

Naruto was in pain.

Sasu-er, Python was kicking him around the clearing. He kept letting Naruto heal and go for the first attack, but would avoid or block and beat Naruto back into the dirt. This monster was ancient and strong. Stronger because Naruto's arrows weren't as effective against it, the tips being bronze barely scratching him and his bow was knocked out of the clearing in the midst of one hand to hand scuffle. As hideous as he looked, Python was definitely smart in having a human shell to protect him from celestial bronze.

"Come on!" Python said with a roaring laugh. "Where's all that bravado you had when you were fighting this boy? That power? I thought you were the Heir of Helios!"

"Get up! Let's get synced already!" Helios said, trying to coach Naruto.

Don't you think I haven't tried? Sasuke must've memorized how my chakra flow looks when we do that. Naruto thought back, pulling Eclipse out and holding it defensively.

"Then use the flash bang! Spam clones! Do something!" Helios said.

"I'm working on it!" Naruto said in return, getting an amused laugh from Python.

"Is that the voices in your head talking or are you just psyching yourself up?" The dragon asked with his crocodilian smirk still in place. "I've learned much in my time observing the world, boy. The one thing I mastered is how to best the Sauroctonos at his specialty. Beat him down before he can get the first strike in, and you boy share the same style. Of course you're more of a predator. You play with your food. Now tell me..."

Naruto doubled over Python's knee as it imbedded itself in his gut. Python then smacked his interlocked hands into Naruto's spine, making the blond drop to the ground. Python rolled Naruto onto his back, bringing his foot up and slamming it down hard onto the dented chest plate. The blond cried out and Python gave him a sadistic grin.

"How do you like being the prey!?"

"Get...off!" Naruto ground out. He raised Eclipse up to stab Python in the thigh, but the draconian human grabbed his hand, crushing it in his grip.

"Now, now." Python said, smirking. He pried the sword from Naruto's hand, increasing the pressure going into the blond's chest as he did. He held the stygian sword above him, examining it in the moonlight. "Fascinating...much like his own project, only designed for defense rather than slaughter...I think you might have even given him the idea."

"W-What...are you talking about?" Naruto asked. He screamed as the sword was shoved into his other arm slowly.

"That's a surprise for another day, my boy." Python said with a smirk. He crushed Naruto's hand in his own. "Besides...you have more important things to worry about right now."

"Do it now!"

I can barely focus on healing my broken bones...

"Naruto, you have to do something!"

Right...okay...Oh gods it hurts already. Naruto thought. He grit his teeth and peered through one eye to glare at Python.

"Are you prepared to die?" Python asked. "This will be my only offer for a quick death."

"I have a question..." Naruto asked. Python blinked and his smile seemed to widened. He nodded and Naruto hacked before he spoke again. "Ha-Have you ever..."

"Yes? C'mon boy, speak. Tell me your final words." Python said, his smile more sadistic than even Hades' on a good day.

"Have you ever...danced with the...Danced with the devil in the pale moonlight?" Naruto asked. Python blinked, his mouth opening to form the question, but Naruto didn't give him the chance. "Solar Flare!"

"Argh, you little shit!" Python said, stumbling back as he rubbed at his eyes. "Little shitstain! I'll devour your entrails! Gah, dammit that hurts!"

Naruto looked at his hand, it wasn't broken, but the fingers were dislocated. He groaned. This was going to suck so much. He grit his teeth and formed a fist, his fingers snapping back into place and making him groan. He reached over, grabbing Eclipse and pulling it out of his arm. Naruto dropped his sword and as best he could with one arm, pulled his flak jacket off so he could get his chest plate off. Right now it was more of a hindrance than help. The golden armor fell to the ground with a clang and Naruto coughed, able to fully breathe once again. He got to his feet just in time to take a punch to the face, sending him back to the ground.

"You little fucker, I was going to kill you quickly just to get a point across but now I guess I'll have to settle for putting you in your place first!" Python said, snarling at him. His hand was pulled back once again before delivering another punch into Naruto's face, knocking a tooth out.

There goes that molar. Naruto said with a groan. Python reached down and grabbed Naruto by the neck, lifting him up into the air as he squeezed. Naruto's hands gripped his arms, trying to pry him off his throat. The blond spat blood onto the Python's human face.

"Die! Die! Die!" Python said, the reptilian infuriated with being humiliated in such a manner.

"Been there..." Naruto choked out. He clapped his hands on either side of the draconian human's head, his thumbs pressing into Python's eyes. "Done that!"

Python cried out, his pain sounding like a combination of a dragon's roar and a human's yell. Naruto continued to press until there was a crack and Python let him go, stumbling back to claw at his eyes. They would heal, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt like a bitch.

Naruto fell to his hands and knees once again, his impaled arm slowly healing thanks to Apollo's genes. He winced but got to his feet. It was now or never.

"Helios...Let's Light Him Up!" Naruto said, his eyes flashing pure gold as the energy exploded from him. Golden fire encased him and Naruto felt rejuvenated, eyes narrowing on Python as he stumbled around, holding his face. He vanished in a flash of light, snatching Eclipse up, and delivered a spinning kick to Python's head, knocking the dragon-man to the ground.

"Bastard!" Python said, pushing himself to his hands and knees. Naruto stabbed the monster through the back, nailing him into the dirt. "Argh! Fucking little prick!"

"My girlfriend begs to differ." Naruto said. He jumped up and stomped onto the pommel, the sword going deeper. Golden orbs with blue suns glared down at Python. "You won't die easily will you?"

"Not...with...this...power..." Python said, melting into earth and making Naruto's eyes widen.

"Tsuchi Bunshin!" Naruto said to himself as he grabbed Eclipse and ducked under a swoop attack. Python landed with a skid and quickly turned to glare at Naruto.

"I'll admit, boy. I wasn't planning on you tapping into your ...inner Titan. But then again, this body's previous owner never thought he'd be the one riding, how do the mortals say it now? Shotgun?" Python asked. Naruto just glared at him and Python smirks. "He's crying for my head, you know."

"Shut up." Naruto said with his dual voice.

"Oh the language he has...His mother never raised him well." Python said with a chortle. "Then again, I guess she wouldn't be able to, what with being killed by his brother on the words of the village elders."

"You're going to monologue aren't you?" Naruto asked under his breath. He glared. He preferred banter to monologues.

"You know what?" Python asked as they started to circle each other. He chuckled again. "This fellow is very interesting. Some man by the name of Danzo ordered Itachi to kill the whole clan...sparing only his brother."

"I already know this." Naruto said tiredly.

"Yes, his ambition to destroy Konoha, to kill you, is all based on the wrongdoing done to his dear older brother." Python said with a snort. "How pathetic. Reminds me of your father. Always so eager to jump to his dear mommy's defense."

"Don't talk about Leto." Naruto said with a glare. Despite the fact that they hadn't met yet, his grandmother was off-limits.

Python's grin widened.

"I'll say this though..." Python said with a grin, his wings spreading and his tail swishing eagerly. "I can understand why he would go such a length. Even today, Leto is a very gorgeous being...Perhaps when this is all said and done, I will be rewarded with a prize..."

Naruto vanished in a flash of light, his sword brought up and down as he came out of the teleport. The Stygian iron was caught between Python's hands and began to slowly drain him. Python grinned widely, his resistance was proving to be a well sought investment.

"Did I upset you?" Python asked. "I thought you wouldn't mind that sort of conversation. Shall we steer away to more personal matters? The subject of Kushina Uzumaki, perhaps?"

If anything Naruto increased the pressure on his sword.

"A whole lot of interesting facts up here in this head." Python said. "An image...a name...and an age...Married!? Look at you...The sole non-bastard of Sauroctonos...Miracles do happen."

"Fuck. You."

"No, little sunspot." Python twisted the sword out of Naruto's hands and tossed it to the side, his hands clamping to Naruto's head and pressing his thumbs into Naruto's eyes. Naruto grabbed Python's wrists, trying to crush them in his grasp, to no avail. Python just chortled again. "Fuck. You."

Naruto yelled in pain as Python's thumbs started to drive his eyes back into his skull. He struggled, trying to pull Python's hands away from his face, before ultimately giving up on that tactic and going for a counter. Kneeing Python in the groin.

Python's eyes crossed and he stumbled back with a groan. Naruto gained space between them, rubbing his eyes in pain and trying to get his sight back as fast as possible. He jumped back again, barely avoiding Python's tail slamming down and shattering the ground where he stood. Naruto's eyes opened, seeing a blurry figure spin and extend towards him. Golden arms shot up to block the appendage, only for it to be feint and a snap kick landing directly in his gut.

Naruto was sent back, landing on his stomach with a grunt. He shook his head and quickly got back to his feet. A crackling sound had him sliding to the side, avoiding the Chidori sent in his direction. Naruto blinked the rest of the tears out of his eyes, glaring at Python as the monstrous draconian flexed his hands, static electricity dancing across them.

Python laughed. "I love this energy you call chakra! With it, I am unstoppable! I feel like I could topple Olympus with my bare hands!"

"First you have to get through me." Naruto said, his palm gaining a familiar glowing orb. He rushed forward with the attack drawn back. "Taiyoton: Rasengan!"

Python's smile widened again and he brought his scaled hand back as well. Loud chirping had filled the clearing as he ran forward with another Chidori at the ready. Both flung their respective attacks forward, colliding and causing a massive dome of energy to explode outward from it.

The explosion covered the hill where Zeus' Fist was covered, the monsters fleeing towards it from the bellow of a sole satyr eradicated in the explosion. It continued to spread towards the campers, being stopped by Kushina and Kakashi, Kushina throwing five tri-pronged kunai into the dirt and causing a purplish barrier to fly up.

"Jikūkan Kekkei!" Kushina said, her hands in a seal while she fed chakra through the technique. The barrier swallowed most of the blast and spat it out a good distance away over the ocean.

Kakashi, his Sharingan eye shifting into a new shape, covered the small gap with his own form of barrier.

"Kamui!" Kakashi said, the blast being sucked into a small parallel dimension until it died down. Kakashi fell to his knees, panting while Kushina dropped her arms, feeling like noodles. He covered his eye quickly and panted in relief. "Well...that was fun."

"You're telling me, Kakashi." Kushina said with a huff. "Honestly, what kind of camp is this without a secure barrier jutsu?"

"I just got here so you can't blame me."

"Sochi must've gotten lazy."

"I have no idea where he might have gotten that from."

Kushina huffed. "Must be his father's doing."

"Must be." Kakashi said with a nod. No way in hell was he going to take the fall for that. Sorry Apollo.

Naruto pushed the fallen tree on him off, coughing up his mix of blood and ichor. He groaned as he got out of his rut. Golden orbs searched for the snake-like opponent, landing on the rut formed by Python. It was absent of a body.

"Oh...that doesn't bode well..."

"SURPRISE!"

Python flew at the blond from behind, wings spread wide and tackling him. Python took Naruto through several trees, over a farmland and into a small suburb, busting through a house of mortals eating dinner. Naruto was finally released, being thrown into the side of a SUV and making quite the dent in it. He fell from it with a groan, picking himself up.

"What the shit was that!?" Helios asked. "He just plowed us into a friggin mortal house!"

I noticed! Naruto thought back, groaning as he used the dented and alarm blaring SUV to get back to his feet.

"I do not fear exposing our world, boy!" Python said with a laugh. "When this war ends, the world will know who its rightful rulers are...Kronos will be sure of that."

The draconian being turned to the house they shot through, the small family among with others on the porch watching in fear. Fire started to grow in his mouth, breaking through the gaps in his teeth. Python reared his head back and an enormous fireball shot from his mouth.

"Hiraishin!" Naruto appeared in front of the family, his hands outstretched and absorbing the dragon's fire. He glared at the sadistic Python. "They're innocent in this!"

"No one is innocent!" Python said with a laugh, his voice sounding not as raspy for a moment. The yellow in his eyes receded for a moment before they returned. His raspy voice was more pronoun when he spoke again. "Besides...You have to hold back now, don't you mister hero?"

Naruto grit his teeth, his fists clenching. He's got a point. What do I do?

"Well...physical arrows won't do much...but perhaps some photokinetic arrows will." Helios said.

And how would I do that? Sure, I've got Photokinesis, but it's not all that great. Naruto said.

"I'll handle the material, you hit the mark."

...So basically...

Helios chuckled. "In the words of Megan Fox: 'I'll drive, you shoot.'"

Let's scrap him! Naruto thought with a grin. Behind Python, there was a glow before a familiar golden bow appeared laying on the ground. The golden demigod smirked. Thanks Dad.

Naruto rushed at Python, the snake-like monster bracing himself to be attacked. Naruto smirked and teleported past Python, picking up his bow and drawing the string. A blindingly bright arrow burst to life, knocked and ready to fly. Naruto fired, hitting Python's wing and getting a roar for his troubles.

"Little shit!" Python said with a snarl while some mothers covered their children's ears. He avoided another arrow, the red eyes' pinwheels spinning as Naruto continued to take shots at him. Python gave another jeer as he charged forward. "So much for your father's accuracy, boy."

"Who says I'm aiming for you?" Naruto asked under his breath. Python ignored it, letting another roar out before tackling the golden demigod. Naruto went with it this time, His arm wrapping around Python's neck and other his hand, still holding his bow, grabbing the back of Python's ruined hakama. Naruto grinned. "Hiraishin!"

They reappeared in the arena of Camp Half-Blood, Naruto using Python's momentum to drive the monster headfirst into the stone wall. Python fell to the ground, dazed, as did Naruto, whose back took quite a bit of damage at that decision. There was a shake in the ground and Naruto wondered what it could've been, but put those thoughts aside as Python wrapped his hands around Naruto's neck.

"You insignificant little shitstain!" Python hissed. "Do you know who I am? I am Python! The Dragon of Gaea! Protector of Pytho! The Tormentor of Leto!"

"The One That Needs Tic-Tacs!" Naruto grunted out, jamming a light arrow into Python's arm. The serpentine human roared, turning and tossing Naruto at a large cage, consequently destroying it. Naruto groaned as he lay on the ruins of the cage, rolling to the side and out of the way as a chirping arm thrust down to impale him through the chest.

"Little maggot! Die already!" Python hissed.

"Not today!" Naruto said, using his bow to sweep the monster's feet out from under him. He climbed to his feet and drew an arrow, shooting it at Python's head. He successfully hit the target, only for it to go up in smoke, replacing itself with a training dummy.

Naruto swore and went on the defensive, rolling out of the way as a section of the arena's seats were ripped out and thrown at him. The glowing son of Apollo came out of his roll, turning and taking aim with his bow at the section Python stood in, holding another row of seats above his head. Naruto released his light arrow, missing as Python jumped up, tossing the row of seats at the demigod.

Naruto jumped back, landing in a crouch with his bow at the ready again, firing light arrow after light arrow in Python's direction. The draconian being flew down at him, avoiding the arrows until he was too close to bother with it. At that point, though, Python was blinded by rage. His Sharingan had turned to their next form, the atomic shape making Naruto scowl.

"If Python can make Susanoo..." Helios began.

I really hope he can't. Naruto thought as he rolled forward, dodging Python's crackling fists as they hit the dirt. He turned and fired arrows at Python's back, not taking true aim, but having a feel for where to shoot. Please Dad, Auntie Arte...Let me get a good shot in.

The nearly set moonlight pierced through the clouds and Naruto's eyes narrowed as Python turned around. His wings were punctured to the point it was hard to determine where the light arrows began and the wing began. Naruto took aim and let his arrow fly, grinning as the arrow pierced Python's left knee.

Python roared, dropping to his other knee and glaring at Naruto with so much effort that if possible, would've melted Naruto on the spot. "No...There is already one I must kill! I will not let there be another Sauroctonos!"

He started to rise, only for Naruto to take the other knee out. Python roared and fell to his back to keep the pressure off the joints. Naruto approached cautiously, drawing another light arrow and pinning Python's right hand to the dirt.

"You can't kill me!" Python hissed. His scales peeled away, revealing Sasuke's face and hair like the scales were only armor. "Kill me and your friend dies! Gaea will deem you a murderer forever! This is an enemy you don't want to make, boy!"

"You threatened me." Naruto said, shooting another arrow into Python's right arm, pinning it to the dirt. He then took the tail out of the equation. "You threatened my dad." Python hissed at him, only to roar as his left hand and arm met the same fate as his right. "You threatened my Kaachan and my grandmother." Naruto drew a final arrow and aimed. "As far as I'm concerned, I'm just protecting my family."

"I curse you, boy!" Python swore. "Your soul will be mine to torture in Tartarus when Kronos rises! You will be my bi-urk..."

"Yeah. I'll try to keep that in mind." Naruto said, his light flickering away as he stared at the arrow piercing Sasuke/Python's neck, causing the man and the monster to choke on blood. Naruto backed away and let his bow fall to the ground before flipping his hands through seals. His head reared back and his chest expanded before he expelled a giant ball of fire, roasting the dying hybrid to ashes.

Naruto watched the fire burn until the sun rose and nothing remained but a charred patch of dirt, smoke wafting off of it into the sky. The sun shone brightly down upon him as it rose. Naruto just closed his eyes and let his head dip as he said goodbye to his first friend.

"May you finally be able to find peace with your family in death, Sasuke."

AN: And so the final line of Naruto's prophecy is fulfilled. The outcome of the battle in the next chapter...possibly the last.

Then I focus on my other project and the final entry in the SHDG chronicles.

You know what to do!

REVIEW!