So here is the next chapter everyone. Hopefully you will all like it, even when the chapters are looking relatively short. Or shorter than usual.

Right now I am still suffering from the Flu and I am really just writing to forget about it for even a short while. I still believe its the Flu and not Covid.

I got nothing else to say at the moment, so let my rambling over my illness not depress you and enjoy this chapter that I have written alongside the help of Kurogane7.

Enjoy!

Traverse Town

Walking through the town, Master Sid was seen making his way through the market as he was met with a lot of eyes fixated on the robed mage who they bowed their heads to with respect.

The bearded master briefly greeted them back as he was making his way towards the town's infirmary, where he just heard the news that the young man had just woken up. This was good news to hear, so he wasted no time.

As he exited the market district, he saw the Infirmary up ahead. With the lights still on in the room that was reserved for the young man alone.

"I hope I'm not too late to explain this new reality to him."

However, time was not on Master' Sid's side as he walked into the Infirmary. Silence pervaded the room between the shamaness and her patient, who was staring out the window.

"..."

"Are you alright, young man?" she asked

Naruto's focus shifted back to the old lady as he heard the concern in her voice bowing with his head. "Sorry for zoning out…" He said sincerely, "I think…the situation overwhelmed me for the moment."

Tanana smiled and could see the young man was sincere in his words as it was understandable for such a new change.

"So you wish to know more?" Nana asked. "About why you have come to Traverse Town?"

"Traverse Town?" Naruto asked as he sat back down on the bed. "What is that?"

"That's the town we're in now. Young man." Nana said as she explained it calmly with her still warm smile, "It is where all those who manage to escape the creatures of the darkness settle."

"The Darkness?" Naruto's eyes raised up and asked. "What's that?"

At this, the Shamaness looked to the young man, unsurprised.

"The Darkness is an ancient force parallel with the light, and like it, exists in all things, in what is known as a heart. The animals, trees, even the world had a heart. But when this darkness becomes too great, it becomes rampant, corrupting and subsuming all in its path, as it has occurred to countless beings and countless worlds…worlds much like yours."

"Worlds like mine…" Naruto asked, making a sudden realization. "Wait, are they these black creatures with yellow eyes?"

Nana nodded. "Yes, they look like that. Why? Did you see them?"

"See them? My team and I were ambushed by those things! Impossible to kill!" Naruto said, groaned at thinking of that as he then realized but then asked. "Did you…find anyone else besides me?"

"No, I'm sorry." Nana shook her head. "One of the townspeople found you by yourself. Where you with somebody?"

It was at this point that standing at the entrance of the room, Master Sid was seen observing the discussion on what he could presume was the Shaman woman explaining the situation to the newcomer.

He could see the blond young man was then suddenly feeling very disturbed at the thought of what he was about to ask.

"I was with my team. We were with the 8 of us…on a mission." Naruto asked the question, semi prepared for what he expected. "Do you know what happened to them? I was with them when we confronted those creatures."

"You're from the Shinobi World."

Naruto and Tanana turned to the door and acknowledge Master Sid's presence.

"Yeah, I'm a Shinobi from Konohagakure, like I just told her," Naruto said, indicating Nana. "The eight of us were..."

Master Sid did not relish the times when he had to say this. While the words were few and somewhat harsh, they needed to be said.

"I'm afraid that you are the only person from that world who arrived, young man. Along with those who do so because they alone have survived the destruction of theirs."

"Survived..." Naruto tried to keep a brave face, but the blood drained out of him. He knew that the old man wasn't lying, somehow. "Then, that means..."

"Your world is gone, my boy."

Meanwhile, in the corners of Traverse Town itself, not that far away from the Infirmary building the town people were seen going out in the night.

Seen walking through the streets, Yuffie and Tifa were making their way back to their homes after they had finished paying the bill of their meal, while discussing on what they were going to do tomorrow.

"So you got any plans?" Yuffie asked while having her arms crossed behind her head.

"What I usually do, work in the bar and fill in my hours." Tifa explained her job as a bartender that she did to pay the bills. "After that, I just wonder of or hang out with you."

"Really? Just like that?" Yuffie asked, wondering. "Are we really just going to do what we always do? Kinda makes it boring."

Tifa giggled in response as the two just kept walking until she noticed something up front, when two bears happened to enter from a corner and looking like they were in distress.

"Kenai? Nita?"

"Oh, thank the spirits!" Nita said spotting her friends and asking. "Have you guys seen Koda? We're looking for him."

"Koda?" Yuffie looked concerned. "Why? What happened?"

"He's gone."

"Huh? How?" Tifa asked, being disturbed as her friend. "We just saw you guys over an hour ago."

"We think some poachers got him." Kenai said trying to look around. "We've followed one of them back to town but we lost them!"

Unknown to them, a figure was seen staring at them from the dark alley that they stood next to, with a pair of glowing yellow eyes fixated.

"We'll split up." Tifa said as she took charge. "Kenai and I will go up north of the town. Nita and Yuffie will go south."

"Agreed!" Yuffie said as she tapped Nita's head. "Let's go!" Going with the female bear running up right behind the kunoichi girl. Leaving the male bear and the bartender by themselves.

"No point wasting time here." Tifa said to her friend. "Come on."

"Right behind you." Kenai said following right behind Tifa as they were in a hurry to find his little brother.

When the four had left, a creature that was lurking in the dark alley remained, blinking its eyes slowly as more yellow pairs sprouted…

Infirmary

After having heard that, Naruto figured that both Master Sid and the Shaman woman Nana were expecting a reaction; denial, sadness, maybe even anger. Neither were aware of the discussion going on in his head.

'So, I'm really not home anymore?'

'... You're not even on the planet anymore, Naruto. This is way, and I mean way different from the time we went to the moon.'

'... What should I do now?'

'Talk with that old lady and the old guy, you may find some answers.'

But instead it was what they didn't expect from the young man. And that was calm, like really calm. Something they haven't seen from somebody who would be sent here.

Master Sid in particular was paying attention to the behavior pattern of this young Shinobi. He had once in a very long time, and he knew that there were worlds that were more isolated than others. Worlds that had been spared or even unnoticed by the Heartless, but this is for him the first time to actually meet somebody from one of those 'isolated realms'.

"I can only offer you my sincerest apologies, young man." Master Sid spoke. "I know this new revelation in your life must be hard to realize."

Naruto did the unexpected: he snorted.

"Something funny?"

"No, no. It's just… I'm kinda used to this now." Naruto said as he ruffled through his hair for a bit. "Believe it or not, but this is not the first time I've dealt with unnatural situations."

Seeing the smirk was only brief, Nana noticed that the boy was hiding his feelings. Coping perhaps with the news at the very moment he heard it.

Master Sid continued. "Just so that you're informed, we are willing to help acclimate you to the town and help you settle in. It might take a while, but everyone in Traverse Town has their abilities they can use to help those in need."

*Scream!*

The loud scream alarmed everyone in the vicinity, prompting them to go to the window to see what was happening - chaos awaited them. The townspeople were scrambling away in fear as dark creatures were terrorizing the square and the market, with panic growing rampantly right in front of their eyes.

"The Heartless are here…"

Seeing them, Naruto's eyes fixated on those creatures.

'Kurama.'

'Yes, it's the same damn things that we saw on that mountain.'

In a swift movement, Naruto turned around and grabbed his equipment, both of his kunai belts, his boots and his black shirt.

'You're up for revenge, are you?'

'Yeah, so what? You against it?'

'Hell no, let's give some payback to those little bastards.'

"Young man, what are you doing?" Master Sid asked. "You've barely awakened!"

*Click!*

Naruto attached the kunai belt to his leg as they were still there.

"I'm going in there to fight." Naruto stood up and took his jacket on as he proceeded to walk for the door. "I've got some steam to blow off at the moment."

Walking past the two elders, Naruto's legs automatically were going for the danger that was happening outside as he could hear their concerns being voiced behind him.

"Stop! You're still healing."

"Young man, listen to her!"

Those pleas were reaching deaf ears as Naruto walked past a few covering towns' people who were hiding underneath the tables or behind the doors as he took no notice of them. Some of them even saw Naruto walking past them with a determined look on his face.

A desire for vengeance.

…

*KICK!*

Having kicked open the front door of the Infirmary, Naruto walked out of the building with a kunai blade in his hand as he checked his surroundings. Seeing perhaps a dozen of these creatures haunting around and chasing some civilians.

A pair of these with helmets were even seen trying to follow some children inside a café that was closing its doors in front of them.

Speeding in his feet, Naruto ran up towards the two creatures with both his hands now holding knives, and he made sure to finish them in off with one-

*SLASH!*

*SLASH!*

-Singe slash each, Naruto took both creatures out of them, dispersing them into two, with no time given for them to react. Unlike last time, Naruto had no intention of holding back.

"Miho! Come in, it's not safe out there!"

Hearing that concerned voice, Naruto briefly turned his head around to the café where he watched how the lone girl in a white/green school uniform was being hauled inside by her friends before the door was slammed shut.

Focused back on the fight, three more of these creatures with yellow eyes were sprinting for him as Naruto was going for them. Kicking the first one right into the chest before attacking the other two.

*SLAM!*

The second creature's head got slammed to the right by Naruto's fist, simply sending it into the building before it disintegrated as he proceeded to dodge the last creature's attempt to hit him with his claws, only to be slashed across the chest and also being defeated.

"LOOK OUT! ABOVE YOU!"

Hearing that warning, Naruto turned upwards. Not expecting this, but not caught off guard either. He seemed to have attracted more attention from these things.

Circling above him were more of these things, but they were flying with small-looking wings with armored clothing, descending towards him like a horde.

'They're flying?'

'They were flying.'

Naruto jumped backwards as he allowed the flying creatures to be on the ground level.

*SLASH!*

The first creature shrieked in pain as Naruto did not go for the quick takeout, but instead went on to cut the wings off of it in a single moment, right before its body disintegrated.

Naruto swirled around with his kunai as he went on the assault again, picking out the Heartless one by one that dared coming near him, he took them all out without even a hesitation.

…

From a distance, those who were already running, some of the town folks were watching in sheer shock at how somebody they haven't seen before, taking on the Heartless creatures left and right without any problem fighting them on his own.

The small crows that were watching happened to be big enough, that it made it quite difficult for the help against the Heartless to reach there.

"Out of the way!" The person saying this in buccal speech was yelling. "Let us through!"

Making a small gap, both the familiar duck named Donald Duck with his friend and comrade, the dog-face looking Goofy were both seen in their traditional clothing with their weapons ready, as they both then happened to see what was going on.

"Who's that guy?" Goofy asked, holding his shield and wondering. "And why is he fighting the Heartless by himself?"

"Wait…WAIT I KNOW HIM!" Donald said, pointing his index finger. "That's the boy that was in the Infirmary!"

…

Even from the closed buildings, people stared through the windows at the one man who was beating the Heartless away, often with shock at the brutal methods he used.

Those who were witnessing it closely were the girls in school uniforms in the café, unable to turn away as they watched.

…

The last remaining Heartless, trying to crawl away, the weight of a foot pressed against its chest - so hard that it was the final blow that its body couldn't take anymore and disappeared.

That was Naruto's doing as he now stood there alone, he had just finished off the last remaining Heartless in a short time. With the square now mainly void of them, only the blond Shinobi remained with the blades in his hands.

He wasn't exhausted by what he did, but Naruto also knew he wasn't in top condition as he spent energy finishing off about fifty of these things.

"That's quite the show, Uzumaki."

The voice set Naruto off, and he turned right around to face the person who called him out, or for the lack of better terms, what called him out.

"Zetsu!"

Standing right there in front of him and in the middle of the square stood the white half of Zetsu, seen grinning and standing there with no care seen on his face that he was showing to the blond.

The standoff was there, and the two men were in the center of attention by the many eyes that were focused on them.

"Been a while, hasn't it?" Zetsu spoke so carefree, nearly taunting. "I see that you're all by yourself. Where is that team of yours?"

Naruto gripped his kunai knife, sheathing the other as he responded. "You know what happened to them…"

"Oh yeah, hehehe." White Zetsu said, laughing nearly maniacally. "We're both the only ones who made it, didn't we? Everyone else is gone…"

*GRIP!*

"So tell me. How does it feel like losing them all?" Zetsu said smiling. "Come on tell-"

*STAB!*

In a blink of an eye Naruto had not given the white bastard any chance to finish his sentence as he got hit. The blond Shinobi had launched himself at the pale white man with the kunai he held, plunging it inside the chest.

No blood was seen dripping.

"You know that I am void of any blood, right?" The white Zetsu told him in reminder, smiling. "It is futile this way."

"... I know."

*TCHK!*

A small ignition was heard, and the yellow eyed monster looked down to see the kunai had a small piece of paper burning from the side of it.

It was an explosive tag.

*BOOM!*

Both were caught in the explosion as the blast released a powerful blast that shattered the windows and glass of all the buildings that were in the square.

It was a powerful explosion and it even caught the most experienced elders off guard, as Nana and Master Sid were watching with concerned looks.

"It's like he doesn't care if he dies."

Master Sid had an equally concerning look and gave a response to that remark.

"I believe so…"

On the other side of town, Tifa was seen running out of an alleyway as she happened to cross paths with Kenai, who just came from the opposite side, seen exhausted like her from the searching.

"Found anything?" He asked.

"No, I'm sorry."

"Damn it!" Kenai cursed, frustrated as he looked around. "They couldn't be that far away!"

*BOOM!*

The loud explosion got both the bartender girl and the male bear to turn their heads in shock, both seeing that it came from the town square direction.

"What was that?" Tifa asked. "Another Heartless attack?"

"I don't know, and frankly I am not interested. I have a brother to find." Kenai said, still focused as he went into the alley past Tifa. "Keep searching."

"R-Right." Tifa nodded, she then proceeded to continue on, entering another alley as she took one glance towards the sky, where a small amount of smoke was rising up.

What just happened there?

That was even the question for those who were near the town square, as slowly those who were in the buildings were starting to get out through the front doors, with some covered in dirt and dust as they all looked unscathed from the explosion.

Amongst those coming out, were two girls. Both seen in school uniforms but yet both wore different sets. With the girl having the lighter brunette hair seen wearing a green and white uniform while the slightly older looking of the pair, with a darker shade of brown hair. Wore a gray uniform with a black skirt.

The younger girl's name was Miho Nishizumi, and the other girl was her older sibling named Maho Nishizumi, who in fact was trying to help her sister who was seen coughing.

*Cough!* *Cough!*

"Are you alright, Miho?" the normally motionless Maho asked, seen with a concerned look on her face that was restrained, trying to help her sister. "You were too close to the window."

"I'm fine, sister. I am." Miho said holding her hand over her chest as she was done coughing.

Maho gave a small smile and was glad to see her sister was fine, before she then turned her gaze to the source of the explosion that caused this. And watching alongside her were the entirety of the square, as they were witnessing something that they weren't prepared for.

…

A battle with the two figures still standing inside the smoke, with the smoke clearing and showing that the blond man around her age was still standing. With the remaining clothes he still wore, shredded.

Naruto stood there as he was bleeding from the neck and head. With the explosion most likely having caused this, he was unnerved by his own wounds as the Shinobi was staring with void eyes at the White Zetsu.

Whose head by the way was slung backwards, with the lack of a spine this monster had, his head just moved back to its original state with the jeering sound of his body parts moving.

"Ha, ha, ha, I see you really want me dead, don't you?" White Zetsu said with delight. "You look a little hurt."

The open wounds that Naruto received from the explosive tag were already seen healing, but his blood was still visible that barely seem to come as a reality check to the Shinobi who was way too fixated on the thing right in front of him.

'Kid, are you trying to get yourself killed!?' Kurama basically screamed in his mind. 'If you keep this up with that attitude you will be playing into his hands.'

…

'Naruto, this is no time to play around.'

"I am not…"

Naruto's hand started to then glow, his bandaged one to be precise. He was preparing his well known powerful technique that he had used over the years, and it wa turning into a blue round figure that he charged with as he went on the attack.

"Rasengan!"

Zetsu smiled, he sprinted forwards as he readied his blade-like arms that sprung out. Going for Naruto, taking him head on!

Master Sid could see where this was going and yelled out loud.

"Everyone, get down!"

And once those two collided-

*BOOM!*

If the first explosion was thought to be powerful, this one was going to change everybody's minds as the strong power had basically shattered or destroyed anything that remained untouched in a range from the square.

A large dust cloud erupted into the faces of all the bystanders who quickly ran away, with only a few standing their ground, amongst them were the Shaman woman Nana, the Wizard Master Sid and the two weird looking animals who just joined in.

Sid raised his hand upward before his fist turned into a flat palm and stopped the dispersed the dust cloud, ending it and allowing him now to see properly what was happening. And what he saw was discouraging:

Standing alone in a crater that was surprisingly big for the square stood the White Zetsu, deformed by that attack, its bloggy looking body mass was reassembling itself right there with its arms and legs growing back - with on the opposite side standing the boy…

…

Naruto, who was seen exhausted on his knees, like he had given everything that he had.

"... Took you long enough…"

"It's hard finding you in this damned place…"

Looking upwards Naruto was watching something appearing from the ground itself, a black figure that was believed to have died in the 4th Shinobi War…

Black Zetsu himself was there and it was merging alongside White Zetsu. Like Yin and Yan, they had reunited and both halves of these creatures were happy to be complete.

"Ahh…So good…" White Zetsu said. "It's good to feel you back."

"Shut up." Black Zetsu told him off. "You should've laid low until I found you. All you had to do was to rip the seal apart and I'd come looking for you. Instead, I find you fighting the Nine-Tailed Jinchuuriki and getting yourself surrounded."

"Don't move!"

The full Zetsu turned around and found itself surrounded by a few individuals who were brave enough to oppose them. It being two exactly, just two. One was a talking duck who was holding his staff against him and a weird-looking dog holding a shield.

"You have caused enough chaos in our town!" Donald Duck held his staff out. "Surrender now!"

"There is nowhere for you to go." Goofy said too holding his shield. "So it's better for you to give up now you can."

The Zetus looked at its adversaries and could only chuckle at what confronted them.

"Is this it? A dog and a duck? Please…"

"Get him!"

"Right!"

Both Goofy and Donald went on the attack, jumping straight for the creature with their weapons ready to attack him, but even this was unimpressive to the Zetsu who just merged back into the ground.

"Look out-"

*BOINK!*

Both Donald and Goofy crashed into one another alongside their heads, causing them to knock each other out of consciousness and falling to the ground with stars flying over their heads.

Zetsu then rose up from the ground and was seen going right towards where Naruto was who was still on his knees.

"Fuck… Why didn't-"

'Naruto, look out!'

His eyes quickly shot upwards, and saw that Zetsu had come back for him, and ready to strike at him with only one thought coming through the boy's mind.

'BLOCK!'

Naruto crossed his arms and-

*SMASH!*

The green tentacle-like veins of Zetsu hit the blond with all its might and send Naruto across the square, as he hit a building and went right through it. Knocking Naruto out of the fight. Leaving a smile on the monster.

"Ahh, that's him taken care off-"

Then a sudden flash appeared around him, so bright that it nearly blinded the monster for a moment as Zetsu realized he was surrounded by it, a circle of it.

"You will not harm this town anymore."

He turned to the source of who spoke, and saw it was the Wizard Yen Sid, who had finally intervened and had his one hand out that was covered in light sparkles.

Master Sid made a clear warning. "I don't know who you are or why you are here - but I have an responsibility to see the good people of this town to be protected from the evil likes of you. So if you want to fight, here I am."

The Zetsu looked at the wizard, and he made his quick presumption…

"Not worth it…" Black Zetsu advised to his white half. "I say we leave…we've got other plans."

Then the plant shield of that creature merged back into the ground as the former Akatsuki member disappeared right before the master could even finish his spell. Once dispelling his magic, the wizard walked towards the middle and could feel the monster was really gone.

"That monster is not an ordinary one." Yen Sid commented before he turned around towards the Shaman woman. "Tanana, wake up both Donald and Goofy, we need to search the town for this scoundrel."

"I will do." Nana nodded to her colleague, but asked out of concern. "But what about young Naruto? We need to find him."

The master looked upwards towards where the rooftop was halfway ripped off, the same one that the blond got sent into with the direction to where he might've landed is one of where a frown appeared on his wrinkled face.

"He's in that part of town, meaning you might need an acquaintance to go there." Master Sid said as he turned back towards the aging woman. "I know someone who can help you, if he is willing to help now."

Tanana raised her eyebrow. "Willing how?"

*Tap!* *Tap!* *Tap!*

Strange footfalls could be heard, nearing the two experienced elders enough to regard the newcomer. Entering the room was a cleanshaven man getting in on his years with a mechanical peg leg with multiple parts of his body including, living nearly the life of a cyborg but also that of a chef.

The bearded man wore a crooked smile as his cyborg eye turned yellow.

"That depends, wha' will be me reward?"

Meanwhile

On the other side of Traverse Town, there was a section of the mostly lightened up, safe and welcoming settlement that was the opposite of the whole town. Where many of the normal citizenry would not dare to come there for any kind of reason. Where dark neon-light, creepy alleyways and shady people were residing in.

This big-sized neighborhood was the Red-Light District, the home of many of the more sinister, criminal, and unruly arrivals of those worlds that were overwhelmed by the Heartless. Where they had settled in with the business practices, illicit trade, and horrendous acts they would bring upon only to those who live there.

And it happened to be that Naruto indeed in an alleyway in that district, on top of a few garbage cans that were filled up with trash covering his clothing with a stench that was unbearable to smell.

Yet Naruto himself was not bothered by it. Having not moved upwards from the fight he had just lost. He was staring upwards to the dark sky night as he was bleeding slightly out of his mouth and head.

'Damn it, Naruto. You need to stand up now and get your act together. I've patched your wounds up but you need to clean yourself up if you want to get blood off of yourself.'

Holding his head up still, Naruto winced as he could only do one thing to put out the frustrations of what just happened in one word that he could verbalize.

"Shit!"

'Something's up with your chakra, if you're wondering. I am just as confused as you now, but sitting around in someone's trash and thinking about your defeat is not going to help you. So get your ass out and try to figure out where the hell we are.'

"... Yeah, yeah, you're right." Naruto agreed as he started. "I'll get up."

By doing so a few trash cans fell down and the noise was made, even a few cats that were resting nearby some of them scattered away.

"Stupid human! You nearly crushed me." One black-furred cat cussed him out, wearing funnily a red bow tie around its neck that fits the black-red top hat as it was running away with a trumpet into his mouth.

Hearing that caused Naruto to raise his eyebrow at what the animal just said…and what it held on to.

"Did you just see what I-"

'A talking cat with a trumpet? Yes, I saw it. But all honestly, its the least surprising to what I have seen to this point.'

"Yeah, true…" Naruto said as he continued to get out off the trash. Standing back on his feet, he peeled the trash off his shoulders and clothing, leaving only the more stubborn stains. He walked out of the alleyway and found himself into a street that had neon lights with the townsfolk walking through and going about their day.

'They don't seem to take notice to you. Even when you fell from the sky.'

"We'll use it to our advantage then, less attention paid to me," Naruto replied as he began to walk up the main street. "Let's go."

Once Naruto had just entered the main street, he should've noticed that a neon light above him in pink letters would've given him the heads-up to where he was.

'The Red-Light District. Where lost ambitions are Revived.'

Here it is, another chapter on world building. Hope you all liked it.

Hope to see reviews and you all liked it.

Peace.