Chapter Eighteen: Light The Flame.
"The purpose of education is not to fill a vessel but to kindle a flame."
-Alfred North Whitehead
{Kuo Kuana Library.}
[The Next Day, 8:00pm]
Naruto was leaning forward as he was reading into a large book about medicine. He, and the numerous clones occupying the corner of the rather large library, were scouring for anything. He took a deep breath as the bandage on his cheek from when a jackal had gotten a little too close, slowly peeled off. He grumbles in frustration before tossing it into the bin at his feet.
Just the other day he had accidentally fallen into a den of Grimm, and it was a hectic battle. They caught him with his metaphorical pants down. He grew more frustrated when all he could find in the large herb book was herbs that weren't located on Menagerie. He growled slightly, and sighed before taking a deep breath as he kept scanning through the medical journal.
It would be a few days before he would hear from Grandma Tsuande. His mind was hyper focused, his every waking hour spent worried over the fact he could lose his friend. He felt powerless, because he was, and he gave one last frustrated groan before laying his forehead on the table.
"Another dud."
He closes the book before walking back over toward the shelf. He grabbed the book about preeclampsia, and other severe medical conditions for pregnant women. Naruto sat down, and set it down in front of him. Quickly opening the book, and scanning through it.
"Medications to treat severe preeclampsia usually include Antihypertensive drugs to lower blood pressure. Anticonvulsant medication, such as magnesium sulfate, to prevent seizures. Corticosteroids to promote development of your baby's lungs before delivery. Increase risks to organs, and chances of seizures are the common reasons for fatality. Organs, specifically, the lungs and heart, are the most susceptible. Though normally the chances of fatality are between 10% to 15% in cases, anyone suffering from pre-conditions that affect the heart have a significant higher risk." Naruto read whilst sweat rolled down his head, and he took a deep breath before leaning back. He continued reading whilst turning the page as he felt several clones burst, feeding the knowledge back to him. "Pulmonary edema can occur is sever cases, along with greater risks of cardiac arrest in women above the age of thirty. Faunus women have noted higher chances of developing these issues."
The young teen felt something run down from his nose as more clones burst. Slowly, he heard some dripping noises. He looks down, seeing blood drops on the table just under his nose. His eyes widened before he leaned his head, trying to keep blood from dripping onto the book. He felt a rising in his stomach before his eyes started to roll back a little bit.
He found himself though, and tried to stand up before falling over to the side as all of his clones burst. He shook on the ground for a minute, quickly shoving something into his mouth as he knew what was going on. It had been happening for awhile now, whenever got super stressed out, when he already lived everyday full of stress.
Breathing rapidly, trying to keep it from going full blown. Naruto grips the carpet under him, covering his face to keep blood from getting on it. He shook more, and more, before finally it came under control. His face, lips, and features were very pale as he got up. His head was heavy, his mind sore, all because he was using shadow clones in their best way possible, but also their most detrimental as he found out.
He got up from the floor, making his way to lavatory. There, grabbing a paper cloth and dabbing it with hot water he cleans himself off. He never told anyone about these, because Ghira would freak out, and he had Kali to deal with. Kali herself didn't need the stress, so what was a little bit more painful on him? He grew up with it, and whilst this was a fairytale to him to have people who loved him truly, he knew that they needed him to be a shinobi not a child right now. No different than when he fought Girtablilu.
No different.
Naruto had lately began to dehumanize himself in some degree, just so he could focus. Every fight with local Grimm was a brawl, meant for stress release. Every doctor's visit to Vista for medication to control what has been called Chronic PNES. He needed to take a few days away from everything, and that meant going somewhere isolated for a while.
He finishes cleaning himself off. Noting that the smile of the child was gone in some way, he took his two fingers to stretch his lips into a small smile. He watched it flounder when they were removed. He took a deep breath, and felt stress gather into him again.
"So pathetic."
He growls under his breath when he hears The Nine Tails.
"You humans always seek to prevent things that cannot be changed. Death is always the common destiny to you, the one great equalizer."
"Shut up." Naruto commanded mentally before hearing a dark chuckle in his head. "I said shut up!"
"Oh please, don't worry, I'll be here when you're ready to give up." The Nine Tails' sickly offered when he felt the mental link suddenly get cut. However, it left with a few more parting words. "After all, no matter how much you try to ignore me…I am always going to be right here in you."
Naruto took a look at the mirror, seeing his azure eyes turning crimson on and off. He growled before taking a moment to calm himself down before he felt the need to hurl. He stumbled near the toilet, and let it all come out. He breathed hard whilst he gripped the edges of the freshly cleaned, thankfully, porcelain throne.
Knock!
Knock!
Knock!
"Mr. Uzumaki, this is Libra, I'm going to be closing the library in ten minutes. If you're done, I'll put the books back for you."
"N-no, Mrs. Libra, I'll get it!" Naruto yelled back before taking a moment to gather his breath. "Thank you though, but I made the mess, and I'll clean it up."
"Mr. Uzumaki, I noted some blood on the table, are you having a nosebleed?"
"Yeah, but I'm fine. I'll be out in a minute to clean it up." Naruto replied to the closed door before cleaning himself over by the sink, and then slowly plastering the smile on his face. To make sure that no one would ever know something was wrong with. "Okay let's do this, we got a little more than a month, so you can do this…but still, I need Big Sis Shizune here…please let Grandma see reason."
Naruto took a moment, and closed his eyes.
"I'm so tired."
{Mistral City: Factory District.}
[The Next Morning, 2:20pm]
"What do we want?!"
"Equality!"
"When do we want it?!"
"Now!"
The chanting increased in volume as around four hundred faunus citizens of Mistral marched in unison. Arms interlocked as they thumped their feet in a march. They continued marching, chanting, with Stag leading the front as he screamed through his loudspeaker.
"We demand that Mistral gives us equal pay, and benefits to human workers! We are citizens of Mistral, we pay taxes to Mistral, we bleed for Mistral!" Stag screamed as he saw the LEOs riot squads moving forward. "We will not quit, we will not buckle, we shall forever stand!"
"This is your final warning, return to your homes!"
"We are home, Mistral is our home! You may beat us, you may bloody us, but you'll never break our spirits!" Stag shouted at the LEOs announcers as he readied himself as the crowd behind him got closer, huddling themselves closer to each other as firetrucks came in. "Stand your ground, brothers and sisters!"
White Fang operatives wearing masks ran forward, wielding homemade shields as they formed as shield wall in front of them. Blake, who was wearing a mask similar to a Beowolf, huddled close to Adam. Her ravenlike hair on edge as they felt the water pressure hit them. They nearly slid down, but the pressure of hands placed on their back held them steady.
"Hold!"
Stag was behind her, and Adam, holding them in place as they all scream at once. The White Fang operatives moved forward, one step at a time against the tide of the pressured water cannons. Like legionaries of old, they screamed in unison.
"Push!"
They took a step.
"Push!"
Another step was taken!
"Forward!"
Adam was screaming to the top of his lungs as he got his hand behind him in time to grab a baton he was carrying with him. As much as he wanted to carry Wilt and Blush, he knew that any fatal bloodshed here would be disastrous. Blake screams out as she grabbed her baton as well, and broke rank with Adam as they both charged at incoming LEO Riot Officers. Using their aura enhanced movements, they tripped them up, and made them fall to the ground.
Other citizens scream out as the water cannons died down, charging forward. An all out brawl broke out as they began to throw wooden picket signs, and fists at any officer they could get near too. Stag himself was in the thick of it, with Blake and Adam, the trio moving fast as they tackled, punched, and kicked against LEO that got too close a civilian.
Blake was focused on countering a baton strike from a LEO in front of her. One got behind her, trying to grab her. She growled before jerking forward, and grabbing the man's hand before slamming him down. She got on top of him, punching him in the visor repeatedly before getting tackled off by another officer. Adam in return tackled that officer off her! Stag himself was handling two with relative ease.
Slowly, but surely, they saw the firetrucks in the distance as they got closer. Blake growled as she saw them getting ready to unleash another torrent of water. She grabbed the sphere of paper she had kept tucked in cargo pockets on her uniform. She growled whilst applying aura to it before throwing it hard like a fastball at the firetruck.
She expected smoke, just like Naruto had said, instead something exploded into an orange ball!
SPLAT!
Almost everything stopped as LEOs near the firetrucks were covered in bright, neon, orange paint. Adam grabs his own paper ball that Blake had given him, and threw hard at the officers near the firetrucks again as well. Another large, liquidity explosion occurred as LEOs were forced back as their gear and visors were covered.
"Go!" Stag screamed as the civilians started to push back the bulk of the officers. Slowly, but surely they began to give a taste of LEOs own medicine as they moved forward. Striking, wailing, and moving with purpose. "Go!"
Blake was helped up by Adam as she had some bruises on her. Her aura blocking a considerable amount of what could've been severe injuries. She saw the bright neon orange paint covered officers retreating, with tears in her eyes she held her hand up and screamed out a victory cry.
Nearly two whole weeks, and now, they were the victors!
Adam, and the others joined her, all of them celebrating as they saw the officers leave the area. No doubt as the human news crew in the areas kept rolling, and the very unusual faunus ones as well, their story would be broadcasted across Remnant.
"We did it! We did it!" Blake screamed repeatedly as she jumped up and down. Watching all of them move away from the rioting faunus. "Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!"
Stag was watching as his people moved, quickly securing the fences on the factories. Several fork trucks came up from behind them. Stacking anything they could carry as some human operators were piloting them, sympathizers.
Blake watches as the large gates to the steel plant were blocked off. She looked at Adam, smiling brightly as she noted some orange paint in his hair. Chuckling lightly, he too saw some in her hair as well, and it couldn't be help as he let out a chuckle from his own lips.
In this gray, dilapidated factory distract, a bright neon orange spot indicated a victory for the workers and faunuskind alike in Menagerie. Blake saw that she had a few more of those balls of paper, and just chuckled a little bit.
"I thought it was smoke bombs?" Adam questioned.
"I did too, but hey, I'm not complaining." Blake replied before applying aura to another one. "This one is just for the statement."
She threw it right at a large factory wall, and watched as it exploded. It covered the wall in the bright neon orange pain. With people running up to it, placing their hand into the still wet paint. They all held up orange fists, with chanting, and song going into the air.
Blake took a deep breath, smiling as she thought about her friend back home. She then thought about her mother, and took a deep breath. "So, does this mean we're going home soon, Adam?" She inquired.
"I don't know, let's give it a few more days." Adam answered her question before sitting down on the ground. "These last few days have been stressful, to say the least."
She sat next to him, smiling, and nodding her head. "Yeah, but we won."
Adam took his mask off, looking at her before smiling. He leans over, giving a small chaste kiss. Still, however, for some reason Blake never truly returned it. He never paid attention to it, but she did, and for some reason something was telling her on the inside not to.
It was bitter moment in a sweet victory. Still, she leaned onto him, watching as people celebrated around them. However, her thoughts drifted back home, to her friend. The reports that were overheard was a nearly a daily report of another group of Grimm destroyed, another list of injuries that were minor.
She frowns a little, though Adam didn't notice, and she slightly wished that it wasn't her throwing those paint bombs. She almost laughed, imagining a grinning Naruto throwing paint bombs at the LEOs, but also knowing him, he'd been going a little too off the wall.
{Lake Uzumaki: Unsettled Area.}
[Four Days Later, 1:24pm.]
"Okay, so this is it."
Naruto took a deep breath before slamming his hand on the small patch of growing grass. A seal formation formed, and with a pop of smoke, Kosuke emerged. The messenger toad looked at Naruto, and watched as the teenager took a seat on the ground. Bracing himself for news, news that meant either he'd be running the higher risk of losing someone close to him, or the hope that perhaps they'd live a full healthy life.
Kosuke looks sternly into Naruto's eyes, but a smile graces his swollen lips. "The Hokage has authorized that a test be conducted. A shinobi, a Genin, by name of Kosuke Maruboshi has volunteered. He will be ready within the next five hours." Kosuke stated whilst looking Naruto directly in the eye. "He will remain with you for five of those days, and we will attempt to send him back. Success results in Shizune coming, failure leaves you with an ally at the very least."
"Huh, no, wait! I'm not letting some kid come here!" Naruto argued whilst crossing his arms. "Listen, I'm not saying I'm not grateful, but a Genin has their whole life ahead them though."
"Kosuke Maruboshi is far from your normal Genin, Naruto. He's an older man, he's known as The Eternal Genin." The messenger told him before sighing and handing him the letter. "He's coming here as both an explorer for Kuo Kuana, and as someone who wishes to try to do the right things."
"Wait a minute, I've heard of him, didn't he like serve under The Second Hokage?" Naruto questioned before crossing his arms before slightly turning his head in confusion. "That makes him, what, sixty?"
"Sixty-three, and he's more than capable of handling himself. Still, obviously, you'll have to house him. He's been given a crash course on Kuo Kuana culture from what you've sent us." Kosuke then takes out a small tack of papers from his mouths, making Naruto recoil a little bit. "This is his dossier. He's not one to be taken lightly, but he's defaulting to you…and congratulations."
"Huh, what do you mean, congratulations?" The young shinobi questioned before watching Kosuke reach for a scroll he had on him. "Hey, wait a minute, what's that?"
"Lady Tsuande, has decreed as Fifth Hokage, that you be made a Chunin due to your ever continuing contribution to Konoha despite extreme circumstances." Kosuke told him before handing him the scroll. "You may not be an official part of active forces, but you're given the title of Chunin because of you ever continuing loyalty."
"W-what, no way, this-this is amazing!" Naruto whooped before unfurling the scroll and summoning forth the vest inside of it. "Oh, this is so cool, wait a minute…what's with the green jumpsuit?"
"Oh, that's from Rock Lee, he included it in there. He figured you'd be training hard, and he says the suit is perfect for it." Kosuke pointed out before mimicking the thumbs up pose that Guy and Lee usually give. "In their own words, it channels the power of youth all around you!"
"Yeah…impressive, totally…" Naruto drawled before slowly folding the suit up and placing it to the side. He looked at the vest before smiling slightly. "Kosuke, tell Grandma that I appreciate the offer, but I'll pass." He held out the vest to the toad. "I know I'm still a shinobi, but I'm a shinobi for Kuo Kuana until I can get home…and I can't be one for Konoha alone."
Kosuke's eyes widen before he takes the scroll, and vest. He reseals the vest before seeing the calm smile grace the boy's lips. He felt a large breeze blow in from the lake nearby, it's cool winds making the blonde's long bangs slowly flutter into the wind. He saw this look on someone long ago, the same face, and the same resolute realization. Naruto Uzumaki took the briefest forms of Minato Namikaze in Kosuke's eyes.
The toad nods his head, smiling. "That is your choice to make. I doubt Lady Tsunade could really do anything, or would." He pockets the scroll before looking off toward the lake. "I noticed that you seem at peace here, away from the city itself."
"It kind of gets overwhelming a little bit." Naruto admitted before facing the lake. He rubbed the grass on his hands. "Out here, by my lonesome, I can have peace and quiet to think. I don't really even use my apartment because people are always knocking on my door for something. Kali's condition has got me stressed out, likewise with Ghira. My deal with Ozpin was kind of overshooting…I mean, we need a school here to teach people how to become Hunters themselves."
"At least you have a goal." Kosuke pointed out, slightly snickering. "Most people just tend to wing these things in your age group."
"Meh," Naruto shrugged before taking a moment to lean back on the grass. "I think Shikamaru has a point about cloud gazing, gives someone time to just slow down, and to just take stock of everything around them, ya know?"
"Just don't start saying 'what a drag.' Please, if I hear that complaint one more time, I'm gonna smack someone." Kosuke complained before taking a moment to note the blonde looking at some clouds, smiling slightly. "What's got you smiling so much?"
Naruto reaches into his pocket, producing an E-scroll. He pulls it open, and it displays a picture of Blake in the news. She's helping take people off the street that were injured during the riot. A streak of orange paint was splattered across the street, with a very large bunch of it covering LEOs in full riot gear. Naruto snickered before closing the device, and getting comfortable.
"Those weren't smoke bombs I sent her, it was my new paint bomb. They wouldn't have used it unless it was mislabeled. Call it my way of saying give them hell!" The shinobi declared with a raised fist into the sky before frowning though. "Still, with her overseas like this, I wonder if she'll be back in time to see her sisters."
Kosuke watches as the smile comes back though. "You're trying to get yourself ready, aren't you?" The toad inquired before taking a moment. "I keep forgetting you didn't grow up with a mother figure, so it's…difficult for you to take stock of the situation."
"Naruto!"
Naruto shot up before looking off toward the distance as blonde haired, orange eyed, girl came jogging up towards them both. She took a moment to look confusedly at Kosuke before shrugging and stopping just in front of them. She took deep breaths to get her air back, she'd been running for a good five miles now, and it was journey over the hills of the once barren land.
"Tangerine, what's up, everything okay?" Naruto inquired before looking at Tangerine's face of worry. "What's going on, Grimm attack?"
"Lady Kali collapsed in her house, she's current in Kuo Kuana Hospit-ah?!" The slightly older girl was blown back when he suddenly leapt up, and dashed at full speed, causing a large snapping sound to resound through the air. "Holy crap, did he just break the sound barrier?!"
"It's Naruto for you, but this is most concerning." The toad said before looking over at Tangerine. He raised his right webbed hand up. "Yo, I'm Kosuke."
"Uh, I'm Tangerine Smith, I'm the daughter of Naruto's friend Aurum." She introduced herself whilst slowly grabbing the toad's hand. Slightly humming in surprise when she found that his hand wasn't all slimy, or icky. "Any chance you can grow bigger, because I pretty much ran here, and I'm exhausted."
"Heh, forward eh? No, sorry, but you can sit here and rest. I promise nothing will get after you. Besides, Naruto entrusts me with his friends too." Kosuke pointed out before sitting down, and then sighing. "Is she still alive?"
"Yes, I was going to say that she was fine, but she's on bed rest." Tangerine answered before sighing. She saw the dust trail in the distance. "Poor guy, he's so stressed lately. Between everyone asking him favors, him coming out here to fight Grimm every so often, and now the whole referendum thing with Ghira…add in Kali…"
"You think he's on the edge?"
"Yeah, I really do, and it sucks because I can't do anything for my friend." Tangerine sighed before taking a moment. She noted an ink brush on his hip. "What's that for?"
"Classified." The toad merely replied before smiling. He held a fist up. "No offense, Tangerine."
"Wait, how do you know my name?" The smith's daughter inquired.
"Naruto talks about you, and everyone else, a lot." Kosuke admitted before watching her blush a little bit. He held a hand up teasingly. "I bet Naruto gets a lot offers for potential marriage partners nowadays, eh?"
"Wait, what?! Marriage, what do you mean marriage?!" Tangerine screamed out in surprise, blushing madly. She shook her head, waving her hands around frantically. "It's nothing like that, seriously!"
"So, you guys over here don't get married once attraction is established?" The toad inquired, slightly surprised at the information. "Huh, that's weird."
"Wait, how is it weird to get to know someone before you marry them?!" Tangerine questioned whilst feeling slightly judged. She just looked down at the ground before sighing. "I just hope he doesn't go off on the deep end is all…"
"I hope so too."
{Kuo Kuana Hospital.}
[Ten Minutes Later.]
Kali Belladonna was frustrated beyond belief as she laid in the hospital. Her swollen stomach was covered in the cold gel as Dr. Vista took a look over her. Ghira was sitting in the chair across from her as well, hands tucked under his chin whilst leaning forward. Cold sweat ran over his face, she had fell down the stairs, and he was fearing the worst!
Ba-dum.
Ba-dum.
Ba-dum.
A sigh of relief fills the room with the sounds of two sets of heartbeats. Dr. Vista pulled back before smiling. "The twins are still healthy, luckily you only fell from a small height compared to the top. Still, as your acting doctor, Lady Kali, you're officially on bedrest." He told her before jotting down a few notes. "Your due date is still June Twenty-First. However, I'm concerned about your heart, it's under a considerably greater deal of stress from twins. Plus, you're thirteen years older from when you had Blake."
Kali took a deep breath, sighing. "Dr. Vista I knew the moment I found out I had a choice to make. I chose to bring two more kids into this world, and I damn well will." She stated with pride before leaning up from the bed. Only to get pushed into the bed by Ghira lightly. "Honey, I'm fine, I'm just needing to stretch my legs."
"Absolutely not, you're in that bed for a month, you hear me. No more stressing, no cooking, or cleaning!" Ghira ordered her before smiling lightly when his eyes met hers. "I'll do everything, my love."
"Ghira…you've already got so much to do." She sighed before leaning back willingly before looking off toward the window. She rubs her swollen stomach before turning toward Dr. Vista. "So, which one of our girls is bigger than the other?"
'Honestly, it seems both are roughly the same." Vista told her before taking a minute to write down some more notes. "Still, as of right now, you're going to be inpatient before those girls are born. It'll be much safer if we can get to you immediately if something else occurs. Chief Ghira, it would be wise to send for some of her favorite things to get her more comfortable here."
"Is she going to remain in this room?" Ghira asked, noting the bay window in the room. "It's a little exposed for my liking."
"We have a room with a smaller window near the top floor. She'll get a good view of Kuo Kuana whilst also being safe. I've already planned around my nurses being involved with your guards whilst they're here. However, obviously, by now someone else should be here." Dr. Vista turned toward the door just as it flew open, revealing a huffing and puffing Naruto. "Hello there, Mr. Uzumaki, I expected you five minutes ago."
"I was on the other side of the lake!" Naruto yelled out in response before looking over at Kali and breathing a huge sigh of relief. "Oh, thank Gods, I thought when Tangerine said you fell, that…that…gah!" The teenage shinobi took hold of his head before smiling. "I'm just really glad your okay, ya know!"
"Naruto…" Kali called over to him, motioning him to come closer. He did so before felt a hand grab his. "I'm going to be fine, after all I did promise right?"
"Y-yeah, I know, sorry Lady Kali." Naruto apologized before taking a deep breath and looked over to Ghira. "So, is she going home soon, or…"
"She's not going home, this will be where she'll remain until the girls are safely delivered." Ghira told him before getting up. Patting his shoulder, and smiling. "She's going to be fine, Naruto, and I've already let Blake know that her mother is fine too."
"That's good, you see the news report?" Naruto inquired before smiling like a small lune. "I may have had something to do with a certain paint bomb."
"Oh Gods, why?" Kali pinched her nose whilst sighing.
"Why not is more like it, besides. It had the effect I wanted, everyone on video seemed too stunned to realize what had happened." The shinobi pointed out before taking a moment to look around the room. "So, I have a small confession to make to you guys, and I'm sorry…I've been planning something."
"You, planning something?" Ghira joked to lightened the mood.
"Yeah-yeah, put a sock in it, Ghira. Sheesh, give me some credit on this one. Anyway, Konoha is going to try to send a volunteer over. His name is Kosuke Maruboshi. Apparently he's the Eternal Genin from my village I heard about." Naruto took a moment to pull out the paperwork. He handed it to Ghira before rubbing his arm nervously. "Kosuke is getting sent over for five days, and sent back…hopefully. If he does, then it might just be safe to try and bring someone I know that'll definitely help the situation you both are in better."
"Is this the medical shinobi I've heard about?" Dr. Vista inquired before watching Naruto shake his head. "Oh, yes, that's right a Genin is a beginning Shinobi."
"Yeah, but from what I read he's a good guy. If this works out then Big Sis Shizune will be here to help with your delivery Lady Kali." Naruto said with a beaming smile, and then frowned slightly. "If it doesn't though, I don't know if the guy will freak out, or not."
"Could you handle him?" Ghira inquired, and then watched as Naruto smirked. That was all the answer he needed. "Well, that's all I need to see then, I trust you enough. Besides, if he's an older man like I'm reading, he can't be that much of a threat."
"Well, to be fair, Old Man Hokage was pushing seventy when he took on a Sanin, and won." Naruto stated matter-of-factly before rubbing the back of his head. Some sweat rolled down the right side of his head from facing the window. "I mean, I don't expect to have that much trouble. Besides, from what I read in the file for him, he seems rather nice…he could just be willing to make a newer life here."
"That's fair, oh, I see…" Ghira read the next part of the document, which was the psychological profile. "It says here that he lost his entire team due to an error in judgement. It's why he's remained a Genin for his entire career." The man took a deep breath, letting out a heavy sigh. "It seems he has the atoner type personality, according to um…oh, Shizune herself."
"Wait a minute, Big Sis wrote that report?" Naruto took the page from Ghira's hand, and then frowned whilst looking at the man's saddened face from yonder years ago. "He looks to be so full of pain." He thought to himself before nodding his head. "Yeah, I see it, her signature is right there at the bottom."
"So, why would you pick Shizune to come here for Kali?" Ghira asked before Naruto looked sheepishly at him. "Naruto?"
The young shinobi took a moment, rubbing his chin whilst he thought of a good answer. "Honestly, I picked her because it was either her, or Sakura, but this situation calls for someone who I know is good with medical ninjutsu that isn't named Grandma Tsunade." The young teen answered before taking a moment to stretch. "Shizune is about as skilled, honestly, plus she's super nice. Granny Tsuande can't do it because she has to run the village."
"Such a shame, I really wanted to thank her for the cherry blossoms she sent." Kali said before wincing a little bit. Her stomach moving as little bit as one of the girls jostled for a new position. "Ghira, dear, can you sit here with me. Your daughter is being cranky in there."
Naruto watches as Ghira gets up. He took a seat next to his wife, gently placing a hand on her stomach. The young shinobi smiled softly before walking toward the door. "Hey, I'm gonna give you guys some privacy, love you both." He told them before opening the door.
"We love you too, Naruto." Ghira said, which made Naruto's lips curl upward into a beaming smile. He turned around, with them not commenting on the fact that something was sparkling in his eye. "You take care of yourself, besides, even Kuo Kuana's hero needs a day of rest."
"I'll try, I promise. You two just stay out of trouble, and Lady Kali please don't fall down anymore stairs!" He replied with a beaming smile. He gave them a two finger wave before exiting the room. He stopped just short the door as he closed it. "So, why are you two here?"
Ozpin, and Qrow, stood at the foot of the door. The Headmaster of Beacon Academy looked down at Naruto. Though he had a smile grace his lips. Qrow meanwhile was holding a folding chair. Several guards from The Belladonna house were slightly on edge as they observed the two men.
Qrow smiles before unfolding the chair, taking a seat with one leg crossed over the other. "Ozpin has ordered me to stand guard, he's taking extra time. In a show of good faith, we're going to support The Belladonna Family during this time." He explained before taking out a container, and sipping on it a little bit. "I'm aware of the entire situation being delicate. However, Ozpin has a gut instinct that is never wrong, and something is telling him that something is coming."
Naruto glances over at the headmaster. "So, what's coming then?" He questioned.
"I don't have any idea, but something is telling me that if I'm to leave today the chances of us meeting again are absolutely zero." Ozpin answered before smiling as he placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Mr. Uzumaki, you should take the advice of Chief Ghira, go, and relax. You're tired, weary, and you can state otherwise but I see the bags on your eyes."
"How did you even hear that?" The young shinobi inquired.
"I have my ways, young man. I wouldn't be a Headmaster of an academy unless I was able to ascertain knowledge from mere glances. Your calm demeanor spoke volumes despite you being stressed over the last few weeks. Speaking of that, I request that we take a chance to grab a bite, my treat of course." Ozpin offered before holding out his hand. "Deal, or no deal?"
"Deal, but I'm gonna warn you, I eat a lot when stressed." Naruto warned him before turning toward Qrow. "Hey, Mr. Branwen, please look after them. This is new to me, but I think my scroll contact is saved into yours. If something happens, don't hesitate…I'm not a child."
"Sure kid, you aren't a child." Qrow said softly before swigging some more of the drink he had in the flask. "Ozpin, I got it from here. Besides, knowing the situation with The HFIL rumored to be on the move, they'll be moving her somewhere more secured in the hospital."
"Right, understood Qrow, be safe." Ozpin bids him before walking away with Naruto. "So, I figured you're wanting some ramen?"
{Kuo Kuana Hospital.}
[Five Hours Later, 7:00pm.]
"Ahh that was some good ramen!" Naruto breathed out as he rubbed his comically swollen stomach a little bit before letting out a burp. "That's a sign that the tank is full!"
"I bet it is." Ozpin commented whilst noting that a certain someone back in Beacon was going to question the unusually high budget for this trip. A budget, that Naruto Uzumaki, had singlehandedly just doubled. "Still, Mr. Uzumaki, I'm rather impressed that you have dedicated yourself toward bettering others."
"Everyone deserves a chance at a better life, ya know? So, if I gotta dedicate my time to something other than being depressed about never seeing Konoha again, I better just dedicate that to other people." Explained Naruto whilst he took a moment to stretch. "Lady Kali, and Ghira are like family to me. So, it all works out in the end I suppose. Menagerie is somewhere I'm comfortable to remain until I bite the kunai."
"Isn't it bite the bullet?"
"Where I'm from it's bite the kunai, my world doesn't really use firearms. Sure, I saw the occasional rifle here, or there. Though, to be fair, it's nothing like what you guys have. By miles, your stuff is better. Still, I hate the fact faunus are treated horribly in a lot of places." Naruto frowned when he thought of Blake, and sighed. "I have a friend who is overseas right now, and she's helping workers do something called a strike."
"Ahh, yes, The Faunus Riots in Mistral." Ozpin realized before he himself frowned. "Nasty bit of business, all of that. I for one cannot stand that all of these years have gone by since the great war, and still places discriminate."
"I thought there was anti-discrimination laws?" Naruto asked.
"Not particularly." Ozpin corrected the teenage shinobi. "We have anti-slavery laws, but as for places of business and the likes, they're still free to just ignore service based on human or faunus."
"That's such bullshit." Naruto cursed before crossing his arms, pouting slightly. "I'm sorry, it's just, I hate it. All these people here, well minus a few, have been nothing but the kindest people I've ever met. They'd give shirt off their back if it meant that you weren't cold. Yet, I constantly hear about it, all the bad things overseas. It makes me wonder about our deal, Ozpin, and part of me is starting to consider the fact that perhaps for the sake of peace I might not wanna go."
"Why's that?"
"Cause I might punch that guy, Jacqy, Jacma, Jacqies, how the heck do you say his name?!" Naruto yelled out whilst trying to figure it out. "It's so stupidly complicated, gah, who names their kid that!"
"Jacques, and that is also a point of contention for me as well. I don't like him either. Still, it's not my place, and unfortunately he sits on The Council Of Atlas." The Headmaster Of Beacon told Naruto whilst they entered the lobby of the hospital. "Have you ever considered that perhaps Chief Ghira, and such after the referendum, might consider a possible school set up for Huntsmen here? With the growing territory, and of course you the blazing the trail, Menagerie could use more heroes."
"Yeah, truth be told about that, I'm honestly at my limit on some things. It's not that I don't want to help, never will I never wanna help, I'd grind myself into dust. Still, sometimes, it feels like I'm just the hammer that's used on the wall instead of other…tools…" Naruto bitterly swallowed that word down, and he sighed. "I'm just overworked, stressed, and part of me is scared."
"You're scared?"
"Of course, I am." Naruto turns to face Ozpin directly. "I see someone that I value as a precious person, who is at risk of not surviving, and there's nothing I can do about it. I'm helpless, I guess that's why I've been throwing myself at the wall."
"You remind of a young woman I knew once." Ozpin took a moment to remember her. It was a painful memory, it hurt, but the more he looked at the boy and his idealism the more prominent it became. "She was the love of my life, but sadly, she lost herself in the passion of it all."
"Lost herself?"
"Love, Mr. Uzumaki, is a just as much as a curse as it's a blessing." Ozpin lamented before looking down toward his cane. "Time is supposed to heal wounds they say, but I fear, we just grow accustomed to the pain more so than actually heal from it."
"I get what you mean, I do." Naruto agreed whilst stopping, and then facing Ozpin fully. "Where I came from my whole village hated me because I was born 'cursed' according to them. All I ever wanted was acknowledgement. Heck, it's the whole reason why I wanted to become a Hokage."
"Hokage?"
"It's the leader of my village." Naruto clarified whilst thinking of Grandma Tsunade, Old Man Hokage, and Minato Namikaze. "They are expected to defend the village at all costs, no matter what. On the day of my birth, in fact near the exact time, The Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze died fighting a massive demon."
"Demon, do you have Grimm in your world?" Ozpin asked whilst looking into the boy's eyes. He noted just like that old flame of his, he held something back. "You're not holding anything back are you?"
"It's scary how you can just figure me out." Naruto admitted before stopping suddenly. He felt it, and it wasn't far away, so strong despite his senses not being attuned to it. "Hey, Ozpin, are you good at sensing things as well?"
"Yes."
That's all they needed to confirm their suspicions before both took off into the nearest room. They peered out of the window. Noting inside of the small crowd in the streets, they saw an oppressive darkness filling it. A type of personality devoid of care, or emotion. It was the same feeling Naruto had with that cyborg guy nearly a year back, and it made him stand on edge.
"There's no way that a cyborg snuck into Kuo Kuana. All humans are being vetted before entry." Ozpin figured before taking a moment to focus, and watched as Naruto did the same. "Does he have the same ability that I do, to pick up on negative emotions? Interesting, worlds apart, yet similar abilities."
Brown and blue eyes suddenly snap toward the back of a street. Near a building, whilst Ozpin was prepared to subtly move toward it. He heard the creaking of the window open up. He watched as Naruto leapt out into the street, landing and maneuvering through the crowd with ease.
"He's on them, I have to move!" Ozpin thought before quickly exiting the room.
{Kuo Kuana City: Street Near The Hospital.}
[Forty seconds later.]
Naruto quickly made his way toward the dark feeling. He felt it's oppressive nature as he got closer. His azure eyes threatening to turn crimson at the mere feeling of it all. The young teen made it to where he felt the negative emotions and energy coming from. Instead of finding anyone alive, he found a faunus guard slumped against the wall!
"What the- "The shinobi took a moment to look at the wall. It was smeared with blood as the guard's body was slumped over. It was fresh because the blood was still running from it. His azure eyes shrank back with the message written in literal blood. "They're already here, aren't they?"
"Death Comes To Menagerie."
Naruto growls before taking a moment to suddenly jerk his head to the side. On top of a nearby roof was a cloaked figure. He was wearing a white robe, ironically, but the oppressive feeling was there. He quickly ran and leapt up toward the figure. He landed in full view of them, whoever they were, and watched as the figure turned to him.
"I expected you to find me, but not so soon, Naruto Uzumaki." The figure flatly stated before looking up, a smile forming just under the mask. "Do you not like my little heads up? I figured that we could dance a little early, get a feel for each other for the main event."
"Shut the hell up!" Naruto screamed out at the figure before pointing toward the guard's location. "That guy probably has a family, kids, and all of that! Why did you do it, who the hell are you?!" He demanded before watching the figure snicker, obviously a young man. "Answer me!"
"Had."
"Huh?" Naruto recoiled slightly before seeing the gold eyes glowing under the mask near it's eyeholes. The blonde shinobi took a deep moment to reflect on the one word the figure had answered with. Anger flooded his system, his eyes turned crimson. "You bastard…"
Naruto ran forward, attempting to punch the assassin. He was stunned to say the least when the assailant merely backed, and sidestepped each punch. Naruto jumped up, intending to deliver a flying kick, only to have his leg grabbed and he himself tossed across the rooftop with ease. He corrected himself midflight, and landed on all fours with claws digging into the concrete of the rooftop.
The figure raised his hands into a clam fighting stance. The people below them unaware of what was going on. Naruto growls as he grows claws before taking a moment to breathe before suddenly rushing forwards in a blinding feat of speed. The figure merely scoffed as his eyes scanned over the speeding before suddenly sidestepping him.
Naruto's eyes widened before he flipped forward to avoid a sword slash from cloaked person. Both turned on their heels, with Naruto bringing out the wakizashi he always carried. A resounding clang filled the area, followed by a lot of sparks. Still, no one was the wiser below them as Naruto found himself getting pushed into the center of the building.
Naruto and the figure ran right at each other. Flying sparks littered the air as blades met, and a dance of swordplay began. The assassin evenly keeping pace with the shinobi, unwaveringly holding his ground whilst Naruto maneuvered around him. He scoffed as the blonde shinobi appeared above him in a burst of speed.
He sidestepped, watching Naruto crash down into the roof with a mighty stab. Quickly yanking the wakizashi out, and flipping backwards to avoid several slashes by the assassin's straight sword. Naruto blocked a stab meant for his chest, and twirled on his feet to bring a crash left backhand onto the assassin's head, which sent him sprawling across the roof.
His glowing red, Naruto glared right into the figure's golden eyeholes. Growling, he focused hard, trying to push out his own killing intent. Naruto took a deep breath, calming himself despite the assassin merely nodding his head and proceeding to sprint right at him. Their swords met again, with the assassin's straight blade having a much longer reach, whilst Naruto was forced to try and get in closer.
Suddenly, the feeling of darkness and oppressiveness stopped all at once as the figure smirked. Using a free hand, Naruto was then struck point blank in the chest before being sent careening back into an access door on the roof. It folded under the force, conforming to his body. The blonde's mouth opened up to release spittle and blood as he gasped for air. He shook for a moment, feeling something weird as he fell onto his knees. Something was wrong, very wrong, and it was radiating through him. He did a very brief glance at where he got hit, noting no puncture wound of any kind.
Poison was out, luckily, and so he stood up. Breathing hard, he assumed a stance with the wakizashi, ready to continue the fight. Naruto and the assassin moved at the same time. Lights sparkled as they danced around each other, sparks slapping against the rooftop of the apartment building as Naruto leaned back to avoid a slash meant for his neck.
Smirking, Naruto suddenly flipped backward, delivering the top of his foot into the sternum of the leaning assassin. He then suddenly felt another large hit, this time a palm thrust by the assassin as he went into the air on his back. Naruto's eyes widened before he suddenly fell to his knees, coughing up a wad of blood as the assassin landed with grace in the distance.
He slung his straight sword to the side, smirking as he got something attached to it.
Naruto recovered quickly, however, his eyes began to flicker between crimson and azure. He formed a hand seal, and growled. "Shadow Clone Jutsu." He casts with vitriol but then the most horrifying reality hits him. It was the fact that it should've happened, but it didn't.
No clone was created!
BANG! BANG!
He didn't even get the time to process what happened when two loud bangs rang out. It was only the reflexes hammered into him from training that saved him. Two bullets impacted the wall next to where his head had been. He heard the screaming from below the street, knowing that some faunus with animal ears were reacting to the gunshots and warning the others!
Twisting himself, coiling, he ran forward with his wakizashi readied to spear the sword-gun wielder. Instead, however, the assassin easily sidestepped him before grabbing the wakizashi and snapping it. The blonde's eyes widened as he felt the broken blade slash into his side, and forcing him to tumble as he rolled forward to avoid another two rounds of gunshot from the high caliber weapon attached to the sword.
Feeling himself healing rapidly, but strangely, still slower than usual. Naruto turned around whilst withdrawing a kunai from a pouch before using the staff scabbard for his weapon to block two more rounds sent his way. They smacked into the ground next to his feet where he deflected it. He twirled on his feet to gather momentum to his throw before launching the kunai knife at the figure.
He expected it to hit, given that an extra umph was given with the throw. Only, Naruto was stunned when the figure's eyeholes suddenly glowed before he snatched the kunai midair. He twirled the blade around before looking toward the staircase. He launched it hard just as Ozpin came up, The Headmaster of Beacon Academy barely brought his cane up in time to block the flying blade.
That moment of distraction let Naruto get in close. Close enough to throw an uppercut right into the assassin's chin! The figure flew upward, his white cloak fluttering whilst he seemed too stunned to correct himself. Ozpin couldn't stop Naruto in time as he leapt up after the enemy.
"Naruto wait something is wrong with you!" He yelled out.
Naruto ignored the warning, trying to create a clone for an Uzumaki Barrage. Nothing happened, and his eyes widened when suddenly the figure smirked under his mask! He didn't react fast enough this time, and the only thing he could do was bring his arms up.
BANG! BANG!
One of the bullet easily ripped through his shoulder, whilst the other slammed in and out of his side. Naruto's eyes widened and his azure eyes shrank back from the searing pain. He fell from sky, onto the rooftop of a nearby apartment. Blood slowly leaking from the wounds as he himself coughed up some. He was breathing hard, struggling to bring forth any amount of chakra.
The young shinobi struggles to his feet just as the cloaked figure landed across from him. Sitting down on the roof of the access point. His leg crossed over, unapologetically silently mocking The Hero Of Kuo Kuana. Naruto growls as he continues to try to focus his chakra, but couldn't create anything, something was wrong!
"Don't bother trying to bring forth the magics you use." The figure stated before pointing his sword-gun at Naruto. "It's pointless, my ability is a perfect answer to you after all, you won't be able to do anything for five more minutes at least. That old man on the other roof is trying to get over here, but I think we both know he won't make it in time."
"Bastard…" Naruto growls before slumping to a knee, and that said bastard was right. His chakra system was disrupted, it wasn't like the nodes were blocked, no. His spiritual energy was disrupted, and with it, he couldn't mix it with the physical energy in his soul to create his most powerful asset. "Damn it…"
"Water Style: Water Bullet Jutsu!"
The figure's sight suddenly changed upwards towards a rather moderate sized toad. He moved back just as a splash of water hit the access point to the roof. It crushed it just as he barely got out of the way in time. Kosuke landed next to Naruto, who was breathing hard. The blonde shinobi smiles before seeing someone else land on the rooftop next to them.
He was a very old man, frail, and thin. His eyes were an almost faded brown from cataracts. His gray hair was barely on top of his head. He stood short for a man, probably arthritis had taken some height away over the years. Still, he carried a large pan on his back, and with it his wooden prosthetic foot clattered against the ground as he walked in front of Naruto.
"Naruto Uzumaki, I've heard good things about you. Can't believe this one is giving you trouble." The Old Shinobi stated before tying a headband to his forehead. He looked around the area, spotting several water tanks. "Mr. Toad please help the young man."
Kosuke hopped over to Naruto, placing his palms on the wound on Naruto's side. A green glow emanated from the toad's hands, though Kosuke seemed rather concerned at the fact Naruto wasn't healing rapidly like he usually would. Naruto took a deep breath before standing up.
"Hey, you're Mr. Maruboshi, right? Listen that guy over there has a weird ability, don't let him touch you!" Naruto warned him before hearing two loud bangs again. He saw that the figure was aiming at Kosuke, and threw himself right at the toad to protect him. "Kosuke!"
Kosuke Maruboshi, The Eternal Genin smiled before whipping out the large pan. He used the unique metal inducing chakra to suddenly bat the high caliber rounds away, right back at the shooter. The assassin's glowing gold eyes widened before leaning back to avoid the bullets.
"Young man, you're certainly worthy of respect. To throw yourself at your ally to take an attack for them." The Old Shinobi, Mr. Maruboshi, stated before swatting away several more bullets fired at them. "You, up there, however are a disgusting piece of garbage!"
"Garbage, old man, you're the one on the backfoot. If your hero from your city couldn't stand to me…how can you?" The assassin inquired before watching as the old man put the pan in a holster on his back. "What are you going to do, are you some sort of faunus with a distance related trait?"
"No," the man suddenly began to rapidly weave hand seals whilst making his chakra interact with the nearby water tanks. "I'm a shinobi of Konoha, Kosuke Maruboshi, The Eternal Genin."
The assassin's eyes widened when suddenly all of the water tanks on top of the five surrounding apartments busted open. With the weaving of the last hand seal, the water flowed right into each other, forming a giant ball over the heads of Kosuke Maruboshi, Kosuke The Messenger Toad, and Naruto Uzumaki. The azure eyes of the blonde when the water began to contort again with another, one final, hand seal.
"That's Kakashi sensei's-!"
"Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!" Kosuke Maruboshi yelled out as the ball of water formed into a dragon's head before lengthening out into a snakelike form. "Begone from this place, cretin!"
The water dragon flew toward the assassin, who merely jumped to avoid it. Figuring out the attack was a onetime launch, only for it to suddenly bounce from the rooftop, and right up at him! The cloaked figure yelled out as the mouth of the water dragon grabbed onto him, and Kosuke The Eternal Genin smirked whilst seeing a clearing the street.
"Ahh!" The old shinobi screamed out as he slammed his palm downward, making the water dragon flow right onto the ground as citizens watched from balconies on the apartment complexes. "Water Dragon Jutsu: Heavenly Falls!"
Naruto's eyes were filled with amazement as the assassin, cloak now besmirched by muddy sand, got up. His red hair revealed from the cloak's hood getting torn off, whilst the sword he held was broke along with the gun mechanism. Kosuke, and Kosuke The Toad, landed onto the ground. Naruto followed them just as Ozpin made it up onto the roof.
The Headmaster only groans before running back down the stairs. Though, luckily he watched from his vantage point as he ran around the stairs as Naruto stood tall. Despite his shoulder still bleeding, the orange fabric of his haori stained a deep shade with it. Kosuke The Eternal Genin smiled pridefully before opening his small faded brown eyes.
"So long as I remain breathing, young man. You'll not lay a finger on my partner." He pointed toward the assassin who merely growled the little bit of hood he had left was standing over his head. "This is my promise to you, and my promise is my word, my shinobi way!"
"Damn right!" Kosuke The Messenger Toad shouted as he began to weave hand seals. "Mr. Maruboshi, let's send this one to the trash heap!"
"Heh, as much as I would love to see you both try. It seems that I have all that I need for now." The assassin suddenly changed demeanor. He seemed rather playful in in the way he mocking waved his hand about whilst speaking. "Still, let it be known to all you filthy animals that The Belladonna's days are numbered! I'll relish the taking of Ghira's head, personally, whilst you scream Naruto Uzumaki."
"Where the hell do you think you're going, huh?!" Naruto yelled as he formed a hand seal, growling as he finally felt his spiritual energy reconnect with his physical energy. "Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu!" The blonde shinobi screamed whilst as a torrent of smoke plumes erupted around them.
"Hmm, that's a little quicker than I though. Interesting, no matter." The assassin merely said before he scoffs before taking a moment to look at them all. He smirked under his mask as the clones all began to move toward him. "Now that's certainly an issue, but I've already got contingencies for this." He suddenly slammed his fist into the ground. A brown crystal emerged from a tube inside of his hand, crushing itself into the ground before suddenly the ground itself began to swell up. "Sorry, but Earth Dust is very volatile, this entire block is about to go under a sinkhole. Deal with you later, hero."
"Did he just perform a jutsu?" Kosuke Maruboshi asked whilst seeing the ground start to swell up. "Naruto, let's move, we need to save these people!"
"Right!" Naruto yelled before not even thinking as he moved forward, he quickly flipping forwards into the air. He held his right hand up as he saw the dust crystal begin to break. "Oh no you don't!" The shinobi screamed as he brought both of his near each other. A blue ball began to form as he focused hard, taking a deep breath before a semi-stage three rasengan was formed. "Rasengan!"
The blue ball slammed right into the dirt as it began to rise up, it tore right into the dust crystal as the charka mixed with it. It turned the blue color brown, and the energy into dirt that began to form into a large dusty whirlwind. The wind not strong enough to affect the apartments nearby, but the dust devil formed began to grow large as dust filled the area.
Naruto growls in frustration as he saw the assassin jump onto a roof. Shooting him one last glance before smirking under his mask as the dust obscured his vision.
"He knows about how my rasengan reacts around dust?" The young teen realized before taking a moment to focus on shredding the crystal shards still active before taking a deep breath as it finally ran dry of energy. He sank down to one knee, breathing hard before growling as he punched the ground. "Damn it!"
Kosuke The Messenger Toad was quickly using his tongue to place down people as a crack went up an apartment building. Kosuke The Eternal Genin was quickly running through, forming shadow clones himself as Naruto's helped get people out before a small sinkhole, instead of the large one promised, opened up.
Dozens of people were now sprawled on the ground, each confused, or a mixture of surprises as they had suddenly been taken to the street. Naruto stood up, and jumped back as the sinkhole grew to open under him, and then stopped.
His eyes widened before he realized something, he had been lured away!
"Kali!"
He went to move until he saw Ozpin standing in the distance. "Mr. Uzumaki, Lady Kali is alright, it seems that your unwanted guests in this country have merely sent a shot across the bow." The Headmaster stated before taking a minute to see Naruto's eyes flicker red. "You should get yourself checked out, for some reason, I felt something was off with you."
"Yeah, I know, but is Kali really okay, do they know?!" Naruto yelled.
"Yes, and she's being moved along with Ghira." Ozpin stated whilst walking toward Naruto, noting the old man with a wooden prothesis. "Hello, I assume that you're the man who created that watery dragon?"
"Yes sir." The old Genin replied simply before looking at the gathered crowd as they conversed amongst each other. "I'm assuming those are The HFIL you've reported on, Naruto."
"They are." Naruto concurred before taking a moment to grip his side as the wound began to hiss, and bubble. "Finally, I'm starting to heal."
"We have much to discuss." Ozpin stated before looking at the two. "No doubt that Menagerie, especially Kuo Kuana will be on high alert. Perhaps this is a means to stop the referendum."
"Referendum?" Questioned Kosuke whilst he crossed his arm. "That's a fancy word only nobles use from where we're from."
"Yeah, there's a lot of things I got to fill you in on for your stay. Still, I'm not sure what that was about…why attack me and separate me if they weren't going for direct attack." The younger shinobi crosses his arms, whilst squinching his face in thought. "Then again, what happened to me, I couldn't use my chakra."
"That's the weird thing, whatever that man did to you, I sensed that it afflicted your soul in some way." Ozpin revealed before gaining a serious look on his face. "So, this chakra kind of functions in a similar vein to aura I assume?"
"What's aura?" Kosuke asked before watching the messenger toad disperse.
"I really need to fill you in, but first I need to go check on Lady Kali, and Ghira." Naruto stated before crouching down. "Kosuke, a lot of these people know where my apartment is, I usually keep my door unlocked. Help yourself, I'll be there in a few hours."
"Yes sir." Kosuke saluted before watching Naruto leap up, and run along the building. "How does he know where they're at?"
"Because Naruto is basically The Belladonna's family's adopted son. It's complicated from what I've seen, but he's their guardian angel so to be speak. He's always informed of everything." Ozpin took a deep breath, and sighed. "Well, I guess I can with you if you wouldn't mind it, I'm quite curious to hear about Mr. Uzumaki's past a little bit if you knew him as a boy."
"Everyone knew him as a boy…" Kosuke groaned before pinching the bridge of his nose. "That's a long story.
"It's going to be a long night." Ozpin pointed out matter-of-factly.
"That is true."
{?}
[Thirty Minutes Later.]
"What the hell was that?!" Screamed One as he watched as Seven entered the little encampment they made inside the lower sectors of Kuo Kuana. "You had explicit orders to not engage!"
"Oh please, then how would we know if my semblance worked?" Seven questioned before taking a seat at the small table. Smirking as he looked over toward Five, and Four. "So, I trust that you got the information you needed?"
Four smirks before twirling a bloodied dagger in his hand. Just behind him was a White Fang guard. He turned toward him, a bucket of ice with a pale of salt lay next to the bloodied White Fang guard. The faunus raised his head up, grunting.
"Chief Ghira will not cancel The Referendum, no matter what you do. We will not let fear rule u-aah!" The guard screamed in agony as Four got some salt, and a large ice cube before placing it on the forehead of the faunus man. He screamed bloody murder, thrashing in the chair. "S-stop! Please! Please!"
"Heh, bark all you like it, critter." Four slurred before smacking the guard hard with a backhand. He crossed his arms as the guard shook, his dog ears laid off to the side. One laid half taken, whilst the other was fully gone. "Say, so that's kind of what we want…you people are so easy to read and play."
"G-go to hell." The guard grunted out before coughing up a wad of blood. "We will come out of this better."
"No." Seven got up before walking over to the guard. He slowly lifts the man's chin to get eye level. Slowly, he placed his palm on the man's chest. "You seem to not realize why we're here. Assassinating The Belladonna Family is a nice bonus, of course. However, all your chieftains dying at once? The negativity generated will draw every single Grimm to this area on the continent. The Girtablilu Incursion will just be a faint breeze in the wind compared to the massive horde of thousands."
"Naruto Uzumaki will kill you, our hero will win." The Guard growled whilst glowering at Seven. The cyborg took his mask off, revealing a fox faunus underneath. "W-what?"
"Oh, don't get sentimental, this chassis isn't what I call pure, but it works. Whatever I was before doesn't matter. Your kind is a blight, a disease, an abomination on this world." Seven licked his lips before his red hair waved from a small breeze as the AC in the room started up. "Bout time was needing to cool off. By the way, about your hero."
Seven thrusts his hand forward, making a loud crunching noise inside of the man's chest. The dog faunus's eyes widened as they lost their light. Slowly, but surely, Seven withdrew his hand back. A faint yellow glow emerged as he used his semblance to not only disrupt the person's soul, but slowly he pulled it out.
All of the other cyborgs were standing, watching as Seven absorbed the soul of the man with the technology. Smiling, he felt the rush of energy enter him. Slowly, his system began to incorporate throughout. He felt his joints loosen, and he popped his neck.
"Absorbing this freak's aura was much needed." Seven stated before kicking the body over and out of the chair. "Hmph, too bad though, not my main prize. Still, I need more, and I need it because Naruto Uzumaki is stronger than we think. I felt it throughout our bout."
"You're one seriously creepy bastard." Two stated before getting up, dragging the body toward the back of the building.
"No," Seven flex his hand as his aura glows around it. A solid red slowly mixed with the dead faunus's golden one. He smiled before it double layered around him. "I'm just better."
"When do we move on Naruto Uzumaki?" Five inquired.
"I want him to be at his wits end. I saw him get sloppy, he's emotionally driven. Wait until the birthing starts." Seven suggested before sitting down. "Also, there's a new player involved, Kosuke Maruboshi. Another one of these so-called shinobi, it seems that Naruto Uzumaki brought a friend over."
"Heh, well, that's interesting." One commented before shrugging his shoulders. "No matter though, we'll kill him too."
"The old man is strong, but he's feeble." Seven pointed out before crossing his legs, interlocking his hands together whilst giving a small smile. "I have a feeling that it won't take much to kill him, a cannon yes, but a glass cannon. One good hit, and it shatters."
"When is the little freaks due?" Five asked with a smirk as he saw Seven smile. Watching as a spider drone slowly crawled onto his arm, and inserted itself, feeding data. "Late June, until then, let's keep Naruto Uzumaki on his toes."
"After all, I want to break him."
Chapter End.
Trivia.
Naruto's little two handed rasengan is actually first shown in Will Of Fire, an anime only scene where he sleep attacking Yamato. It's listed as a Stage 3 Rasengan, which is the "perfected" Rasengan, but not as strong as a true rasengan.
Dust reacts to chakra by changing it's nature type, it's basically a cheat code for chakra users to change chakra neutral attacks into an elemental version.
Naruto's current hairstyle is similar to Minato's a young a teenager, basically the same as his manga's cover.
Seven's ability disrupts the soul of the afflicted, similar to The Hyuuga's gentle fist, save it directly affects the soul. For those with aura, it's basically Tyrion's semblance, but when those with chakra are hit, it disrupts the spiritual energy needed to mix with physical energy. Basically, though shinobi are still physically superhuman, they're locked down into just melee.
This marks the first time Naruto's been shot.
Kosuke Maruboshi was an anime filler character. He's basically an old shinobi who forever positioned himself as a Genin out of shame. He's a master of Water Style Jutsu.
Blake's use of the smoke bomb offensively is ironically what Naruto intended with the "paint bombs" to begin with.
Ozpin and Naruto share the ability to sense emotions. This due to the fact that both are uniquely attuned to feeling the souls of other people.
Naruto's chakra type being Wind Release, and Yang Release, makes a lot of sense in the guise that he is meant to be "The Sun" whilst Sasuke's affinity is the polar opposite as "The Moon." This chapter marks Naruto's elemental affinity reveal.
Tsuande offering Naruto a Chunin position is meant as a way to show that he's still a Konoha Shinobi, him turning it down speaks volumes to his changes.
Ironically, the theme song for this arc is Legend Of Zelda's Tears Of The Kingdom Trailer Them (epic version) by Aether & Chaos. A great evil, a giant world to explore, what else does it sound like?
Seven's use of psychological warfare is on full display. At any point he could've just went after Kali, but he's letter Naruto know that he can't do anything if he decides to. However, it should be common knowledge that you don't just go poking the bear and not expect to get smacked across the clearing.