Disclaimer: This is your standard... I don't own anything.

The Last Shinto Kami

Chapter Seven: Trojan War III

For the hundredth time since the Trojan war started, two opposing waves of buckling bronze clashed against each other. Locked shoulder to shoulder with foe and friend alike, this was more a battle will than skill. Swords flashed, and metal shrieked as the fighting reached its fourth grueling hour. Fatigue had long since settled in. At this point, intimidation tactics subsided, and combat happened in total silence, with only the groans of the dying fracturing the tense quiet.

Naruto found himself at the center of it all. Sweaty and convinced that he tasted bronze in the air, the godly one tried to look out for his men, but this environment was pure chaos. His potential worry was dashed by the cruel reality of a sword coming his way. Naruto avoided the stab at his armpit and retaliated by hilting his one-handed blade in his attacker's stomach. 'I'm sorry...' Naruto didn't even have the chance to hear his sword come free because it was time for his line to change with the row waiting in reserve.

"Switch!" With impeccable maneuvering built over the last decade, the forces from the Aegean performed a coordinated line shift that put their freshest fighters at the front. Now that Naruto had a moment to himself, he wiped the sweat from his brow and sighed tiredly. His wasn't a physical exhaustion but rather an emotional and mental fatigue. He was tired of worthless deaths, both Trojan and Greek. Helen was secure. This was nothing more than pride-driven slaughter.

"Naruto..." The familiar sound of his right hand's voice calmed Naruto's growing frustration. What Atalanta planned on sharing with him was stonewalled when Naruto grabbed her weapon arm and scrutinized the limb intently. "What are you doing?" Her half-hearted attempts at wrenching herself free were fruitless. If anyone else dared to touch her like this, Atalanta would've hacked off their arm. But not Naruto. He had earned her trust.

While Atalanta quelled her distrustful nature, Naruto fought off his gut reaction, which wanted to use his divinity to heal her faster. Instead, Naruto settled for pulling out a roll of bandaging from the pack attached to his hip. "You really should take better care of yourself." He grumbled before biting off some wrapping and carefully fastening it to Atalanta's injured arm.

Atalanta had a grunt forced out when Naruto yanked the bandaging tight. But the eternal maiden of Arcadia wouldn't give up easily. Her stubborn streak reared its head despite knowing Naruto was right. To her, it was easier to ignore the pain when focusing on repaying the trust Naruto placed in her as a leader of men. "I have responsibilities to take care of. The rest can come after that."

Her response was so Atalanta that it left her battlefield superior rolling his eyes. Naruto pulled the binding extra tight to reinforce the idea that she wasn't invincible. Pain didn't care about good intentions. Yes... a capable woman like her didn't need someone looking after her, but a little help never hurts. "Good! With that taken care of, why don't you share what you wanted to say?"

Naruto would make a good husband.

Where a traitorous thought like that came from, Atalanta couldn't say. However, she wasted no time in squashing the notion. Perhaps many years ago, the idea of having a loving husband was something she wanted. But that was the past. Now she was a proud warrior. A deadly huntress. Clearing her throat and putting everything else behind her, Atalanta delivered her report. "Our losses have been minimal, and we're making steady progress toward Troy's walls. The surrounding villages have provided what we require... by force."

For morale, Naruto chose against mentioning how often they failed to overcome those same walls. And since he doubted this would suddenly change, Naruto kept his thoughts to himself. "How about the other thing we talked about? Is there anything new on that front?"

Memories of her recent failure pushed an annoyed frown to the forefront. Shaking her head, the uncrowned huntress shared what little she knew about the situation. "There hasn't been anything out of the ordinary. I've also tasked a few men to look for anything suspicious. They believe they're searching for Trojan infiltrators, not the schemes of an envious king. Speaking of Menelaus, I'm certain his brother is helping him in this endeavor."

"Agamemnon and Menelaus, huh?" Naruto's deep sigh forced his purple eyes closed for a moment. He stayed that way for a handful of moments while contemplating things before he looked out at the mass of men... who, like him, were enjoying their respite from the fight. "This is difficult enough without having to worry about an enemy hidden in our ranks."

Unlike almost everyone on both sides, Naruto defined his worries differently. He wasn't afraid of dying, not one bit. He worried that if his true nature was revealed, it'd bring down a paranoid Zeus and result in a death toll that made this war look like a bad joke. The potential for destruction sent a chilling shudder down the relatively young Kami's spine. That was the nightmare scenario.

It was best not to think about it too much. "Let's get some water and get off our feet." Finding the idea agreeable, Atalanta nodded as a shout froze the entire Greek half of the battlefield.

"The Trojans are retreating! Push! Advance! FOOORWAARD!"

The mortals let the ground shake with the ferocity of their victorious roar. Naruto didn't share their boundless enthusiasm. His sixth sense told him something was coming their way. Atalanta was perceptive enough to see the subtle change in Naruto's demeanor. "Naruto? Is something wrong?"

That's when all hell broke loose.

Like vengeance from a wronged god, a sea of arrows rained down on the Greek force with terrifying accuracy. Men died in droves before they could blink. Naruto's lightning-fast reflexes saved him and Atalanta, who Naruto pulled to his chest and under his shield. Both of them could do nothing but watch in muted horror as men were mowed down by the hundreds.

The Greek warriors were far more prepared when the second and third waves of arrow fire dropped upon them. A readied defense prevented more deaths but couldn't stop wounds from being inflicted on the army. That's when a mortifying hidden aspect of the arrows revealed itself. Because those golden-tipped projectiles carried something far worse than death.

It started with their mortal bodies shaking uncontrollably and dry heaving galore. Then their skin withered to an unsettling shade of black. Pain, unlike any other, clutched their very souls. Grown men hardened on the battlefield were brought to their hands and knees. "Hel... help me. I don't want to d-die..."

"I've got you. Take my hand!" Hauling up his friend, he quickly realized the sickly one was little more than dead weight walking. Once he finally got his friend onto his feet, the helpful man was rewarded with a cough going off in his face. Flinching slightly, he freed a hand to wipe his face, but when his hand came into his line of sight, he saw the same black splotches. "What in the world?" The panic made him drop his ally. Now all he could do was stare at his decaying limb in horror.

"They have plague arrows! Everyone back to the siege camp! And whatever you do, don't touch the infected!" Under Naruto's instruction, the retreat began in earnest. In one merciless attack, the Greek war march was turned back.

The atmosphere around the Grecian lords was understandably tense. The unprecedented reversal of fortunes left the collective group stunned. Even among the leadership, it was some time before one of these illustrious men found the inner resolve necessary to ask what everyone was thinking. "What happened back there?"

His despondence awakened something in his fellows. Some showed their despair outwardly, while other lords lashed out in anger, like the bald man who answered the rhetorical blanket question. "We know what happened! The better question is, how did this happen? We were winning!"

"Gather your spirits, countrymen! This mishap was nothing more than pure chance! An unprecedented stroke of luck and nothing more! The Trojans won't pull it off again. We mustn't waver in the face of adversity. It's time to fight!" Sensing the potential for a total collapse on the horizon, Menelaus tried rousing resistance in his peers. It didn't have the kind of effect he hoped for. Instead of coming together, further dissension and doubt spread.

Voices piled together, never louder than a whisper but somehow deafening. Though the words differed to a man, the general idea was the same. "Perhaps this is a sign from the gods? Perhaps our war is no longer just. Should we not take our men and return to our farms and families? The years have been long and hard on us all."

From his place in the back, Naruto watched as some of the most steadfast warriors in the known world faltered when faced with the opportunity of returning home to their loved ones. And he didn't blame them for reacting the way they did. Apparently, Agamemnon didn't share Naruto's empathy, seeing how he tried picking up from where Menelaus' attempt at a speech ended. "My brother is correct. This was an unforeseen and tragic setback... however, we have not lost! We are not lost! It has taken many years, but we are finally on the precipice of a great victory. Turning away now would shame our families for generations! It would be the same as admitting our inferiority to those disgusting Trojans! Is that what you want for you and your families?"

The overall war leader counted on eliciting more of a reaction with his appeal. What he got was an open challenge of his authority. "Bah! You've promised it all, Agamemnon, but deliver failure and defeat. Is this truly about our legacy or your own wounded pride?"

Everyone in the assembly area saw Agamemnon's face flushed a furious red. In his rage, a pair of veins also popped out on the sides of his head. "How dare you... you'd willingly go back on your sworn oath to be here?"

"Oath? Helen is free. The oath has been settled! What keeps us here is trust, and I don't trust you to get the job done, not anymore. If you don't give me a good reason, I'll take my men and go home." Enough was enough. This Grecian lord reached his boiling point and wasn't willing to back down. It didn't matter if he was right or wrong... this needed to be said for all to hear.

Until now, Naruto had gone under the radar in the meeting, but that changed when Agamemnon singled him out with his gaze. Naruto realized Agamemnon planned on trying to use him for his reputation. How he'd do it was the real question. Fortunately, a timely arrival rendered the point moot as they stole the spotlight. "My lords! I have discovered the source of the plague! If I might have a moment of your time..."

With short and wavy sand blonde hair sitting atop a warrior's body, Naruto didn't take long to identify the newcomer. This was the man they called Achilles. "Finally, someone with some good news! Go on, speak your mind." Naruto spared Agamemnon only a glance before turning to hear what Achilles had to say.

"You dare smile in our faces when you are the source of our woes! Despicable!" There wasn't one person present prepared for such a violent piece of vitriol. It almost caused those gathered around Agamemnon to forget about the accusation. Almost but not quite.

The pressure exerted on him by many judgment-filled eyes spurred Agamemnon into a hasty response. However, emotion quickly proved that haste didn't equate with well-thought-out answers, especially for one held to the standards of kingship. "Watch your tongue! You forget who you are speaking to, Achilles!"

Achilles was a man who solved his problems with action. But he wasn't a stupid man. He understood that this was a battle he could only win if his words were as sharp as his trusty spear. "I have forgotten nothing! In fact, thanks to someone quite wise, I have found something! Thanks to Lady Thetis, your crimes have been illuminated! Listen and listen well; Agamemnon has abducted a child of Apollo and unleashed the sun god's fury! We must return her before this man's pride dooms us!"

It took everything Agamemnon had and then some to not pull his hair out. Everything he sought to build for himself was coming undone. He felt the whispers and silent accusations being directed at him from the onlooking crowd of his peers. "This... this preposterous! Slander meant to usurp me! Do not pay this fool any mind! I implore..."

"Apollo isn't just the sun god. He has domain over medicine as well. If anyone could unleash the plague on our men, it's him." Naruto's reminder of what Apollo represented earned him a savage glare from Agamemnon, something Naruto shrugged off. In the meantime, the doubt-laced whispers grew louder.

"Very well; I shall return what I've taken, but not without compensation. If memory serves, you have taken a maiden for yourself, Achilles. Her name was Briseis, correct? She will be mine, and Apollo's wraith will be abated. I assume there aren't any objections?" The king flexed the cunning that got him this far to back Achilles into a corner. If the famous hero refused, he discredited himself. But if Achilles accepted, then Agamemnon got what he wanted. It was the perfect revenge play.

"Bastard! Do what you wish, but from today forth, the Myrmidons won't raise a sword in the name of your cursed cause!" Exploding from the tent in a fury, he left a crowd of kings speechless.

Naruto wasn't nearly as slow. He silently followed behind the storm that was Achilles. He waited until Achilles' march took them a fair distance before calling out to the fighter. "Wait! Hold on!"

Achilles mistakenly thought a conniving king was on his heels. That's why he whirled around with a face set in fury. However, upon spotting Naruto's unmistakable red hair, he took a calming breath and welcomed Naruto with a smile. "Forgive my earlier outburst. That man is infuriating."

So candid was his response that Naruto couldn't help but throw his head back and laugh. Even an enraged Achilles had a mind to choose his words. Naruto doubted he'd be so kind when describing their shared antagonist. "Don't worry, I won't hold it against you. I'm Naruto."

"Achilles... it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance properly." The two exchanged their greetings over a firm handshake. Upon releasing Achilles' hand, Naruto had to ask the man one burning question.

"So you're done fighting?"

After a moment, which felt more like a thousand, Achilles made his choice. He nodded his head with some difficulty. "...yes. I won't battle under the banner of someone like Agamemnon. I will pray every night for a chance to regain my lost honor, but this is my path." His warrior nature wanted a fight. However, Achilles refused to fight for the wrong cause. That'd make him no better than a sellsword.

Naruto understood where Achilles was coming from. Hell, he actually approved of what Achilles was trying to do here. "You're willing to stand by your convictions... I can respect that."

"Thank you. I have heard good things about you as well. We'd be honored to have you in the Myrmidons. Your addition would leave us better." Achilles made his offer with a dash of genuine praise for someone who had more than earned it in his eyes.

"I appreciate the offer, but I have men who still want to fight and look to me for leadership. I won't leave them behind. The fight will start anew in the coming days, and I need to be there for my men."

"A true leader. Then I'll wish you luck and victory in your future battles, Naruto. May we meet again." He was disappointed, but Achilles fully understood the burden of leadership and Naruto's desire to uphold the trust bestowed upon him.

At a glance, Paris didn't come across as capable of starting a war. He was an average man with a somewhat handsome face but nothing extraordinary. From being some no-name shepherd to a prince, Paris' rise was nothing short of meteoric. However, none of his past experiences readied him for war. Paris of Troy was no warrior. And as it were, the tension of sitting around and doing nothing was getting to him. "How long do we wait like this?"

"We wait for as long as it takes. That's what a truce means." Unlike his supposed brother, Hector had the demeanor of a warrior. He was the definition of calm, even with an opposing army facing him down. Hector did this by thinking about his family and empowering himself with memories of them.

The quiet lasted for thirty seconds flat before an anxious Paris couldn't stand the pressure. He looked pointedly at Hector, who stood on his right side. When he gazed upon his brother's confidence, Paris' irritation swelled. But this time, it also came with self-directed shame. "I can't take this anymore! Do something, Hector! Crush them already!"

Hector wasn't the only person laughing, but he laughed the loudest. "Snort! You're no fresh-faced brat. You've spent ten years among us. I think you know how we do things; if you want to make something happen, do it yourself, Prophet Prince."

Every muffled snicker aimed at him tore a new hole in Paris' flimsy confidence. Swallowing a petulant growl, he gnashed his teeth and clenched a fist. He would show these Trojans that he belonged. He would prove that he was everything Lady Aphrodite claimed when whispering in his ear. "Fine; I don't need your help! Get out of my way! Move!"

Their somewhat good-natured ribbing became a suffocating worry when Paris marched toward the enemy alone. What would happen to them if they allowed Paris to be harmed doing something stupid? "Are you sure this is wise, Hector? The king won't be happy if he learns what happened here."

Hector's scrutinizing gaze stayed steady on Paris' back, but he did spare a moment to reply to the question. "I am unsure why Paris is perpetually spoiled. However, I won't be part of it. If Paris wants a place among us, he will earn it. He'll earn the right of command through combat with the enemy." Hector didn't think Paris was worth it, but he couldn't openly defy his father's wishes.

The lonesome Trojan stood alone in the gap between both sides, placing Paris firmly in the no man's land between either force. Clearing his throat, the unexpected prince tried projecting his voice to friend and foe alike. He'd be damned if he let himself go unheard. "I am Paris of Troy! I demand the fool stupid enough to take what's mine to step forth and face me!"

Paris planned on striking fear, but the battle-tested warriors took one look at Paris and saw through his bluster for the smokescreen that it was. Instead of cowering, they openly laughed off the prince's attempt at intimidation. "Who do you think you are to mock me? I said..."

"We heard you the first time. I'm the one who freed Helen from your abduction plot. What do you want?" The entirety of the Greek army cleared a path to let Naruto through out of respect. His measured movements took Naruto toward Paris until they stood five feet apart.

This was Paris' first time seeing the fire-haired Greek demon. As such, the unusualness of Naruto's appearance caught the former sheep herder off guard until he snapped out of his momentary funk. "You! Return Helen of Troy to me! She belongs to me by right, and I won't stop until I have her."

Where Paris was anxious, Naruto stood confidently. When Paris breathed threats, Naruto spoke calmly. Where Paris battled for his personal greed, Naruto fought for others. This difference couldn't be more pronounced. That's why Naruto cared little for Paris. When he looked at this mortal, Naruto saw a snake. And he loathed snakes. "And what right is that? Who gave away another's freedom to choose for themselves to someone like you?"

"It was the fairest of all, Lady Aphrodite!" Invoking the goddess' name seemed to be a source of strength for Paris. The mere mention of Aphrodite's name straightened his spine and squared off his shoulders, but Naruto remained unimpressed with what he saw as showmanship. Pointless theatrics.

"Yeah... that's not gonna fly with me. Try again, shepherd."

Naruto saw every panicked thought through Paris' eyes. The mortal hadn't counted on being denied, and now he clutched at straws before he was humiliated in front of the entire war. "I... uhm... a duel! The winner keeps Helen!"

The incognito deity cocked an eyebrow. This was some of the worst negotiating Naruto had ever partaken in. And this coming from a man who worked amongst uneducated peasants daily. "Your public speaking needs some work. Helen is where she belongs. More importantly, Helen is where she wants to be, so you offer nothing. I refuse."

Piece spoken, Naruto was about to return to his men when Paris shouted an offer Naruto couldn't refuse. "Then take me if you win! That's what you Greeks came for. You want revenge! Claim victory and claim your revenge in the same moment."

If he were honest, Naruto didn't crave revenge. Justice? Yes, but not their blind revenge. However, if he turned down this duel, it'd result in open mutiny and scorn. Saying yes was simply the lesser of two evils, so with his hand forced, the divine child of Amaterasu complied. "Have it your way. Your path of uncontrolled harm ends here, Paris of Troy."

A general chatter from both sides encroached on the ears of both contestants. Naruto remained focused on the task at hand, but the less experienced Paris found himself listening to the Greek commentary more than he should.

"Crush him, Lord Naruto!"

"The Trojan has no chance against Lord Naruto!"

"Paris of Troy is a bigger fool than I thought."

"Everyone get ready to assist Lord Naruto. The Trojans might attack him after he kills the baby-faced fool."

The flurry of disparaging comments played on repeat in Paris' mind. Each remark put more fuel on the flames of his rage. Eventually, the narcissistic prince finally lost control and flourished his spear with a shout. "Enough waiting! Fight me and die, Achaean!" Loading up on his back foot, Paris chucked his weapon at Naruto with all his might. [1]

Naruto quickly deduced the spear wasn't going to reach him. But the fire-haired general had other plans. The solarborn walked into the projectile's range and snatched the weapon out of the air without breaking stride. Naruto broke the spear over his thigh, leaving the timbers behind him. And throughout it all, Naruto's deep, purple eyes stayed solely on Paris.

The sight of Naruto breaking his weapon so effortlessly caused Paris to stumble a few steps back. He tried opening his mouth, but nothing came out. Instead, Paris shook his head and freed his sword with a growl. "HYAH!"

Nimbly avoiding the blind hacking of Paris' untested blade, Naruto evaded the sloppy string of attacks. He did all this with his eyes closed and arms tucked behind his back. The humiliation of being handled in such a way wasn't lost on a seething Paris.

The prince glared at Naruto, who still hadn't deemed his threat enough to draw a weapon. "You fucker..." Paris charged ahead like a bull. Naruto took his wrist as Paris went for a slash and disarmed him with a twirling throw. Paris skipped chest first across the ground while his weapon landed in the worn soil behind the red-haired god.

Watching a groaning Paris attempt to pick himself up, Naruto could only shake his head. This wasn't a fight Naruto wanted. Paris wasn't someone who should be on the front line of a war, and it showed. "I don't enjoy beating someone so painfully overmatched. Surrender and end this charade with some semblance of pride."

Moving with the kind of intensity that battle inspired in armor could be draining for those unfamiliar with the art. Right now, Paris felt that fatigue gradually settling in. And the pain definitely wasn't helping things. Wheezing for breath, Paris haphazardly shed his chest plate and clawed out of the dirt.

Throwing Naruto's offer for clemency aside, Paris rushed in for another chance at knocking Naruto down. But to Naruto and his hyper-developed senses this attack played out in super slow motion. With a suffering sigh fresh from his mouth, Naruto mumbled a few words to himself. "Fine. I'll put a stop to this myself."

Letting Paris in close, the scarlet-haired man caught the closed fist without trouble. Naruto felt nothing of the impact. However, the same couldn't be said for Paris. A howl of pain burst from the prince's mouth as Naruto's crushing grip popped his knuckles audibly.

Stopped in his tracks, a swift kick to the inside of his knee left Paris in a subjugated position on his knees. Peering up through a glassy glaze of pain, he saw a cold indifference in Naruto's eyes and felt dread burrow deep in the depths of his soul.

Naruto methodically pulled his kopis loose, forcing Paris to watch every lethal inch be hauled out into the open. Curling his fingers tightly around the wrapped hilt, Naruto had some last words for his hapless foe. "This won't kill you, but it will hurt. Very badly."

Because of how he was being held, Paris was blinded by the sun's reflection beaming off Naruto's sword. The darkness only made the expectation of pain worse. But instead of getting what he expected, Paris felt... nothing? Almost hesitantly, the Trojan transplant opened his eyes to see what was happening.

What stayed Naruto's hand wasn't something but someone.

Upon sensing someone appear on his right side, Naruto was understandably surprised. His stupor continued when he laid eyes on a beautiful woman. Dare he say the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen? Her silky blonde hair dazzled, and swirling blue eyes entranced him. Then she smiled, causing his brain to short-circuit. "I'm sorry to interrupt your show, but I still need this one. Would you do me a favor and let him go, handsome? Please~?"

The bold beauty continued by running the back of her hand down Naruto's cheek, caressing it with her supple skin's tantalizing softness. It took more than Naruto wanted to admit for him to respond with a single word. "Who?"

Delight twinkled through the woman's blue eyes, flashing like a falling star. "I do love leaving a handsome man tongue-tied! By the way, I love what you have going on here. I think I'll take some of it for myself." With a simple snap of her fingers, the woman's golden hair ran red, and her blue eyes turned into a perfect imitation of Naruto's purple ones.

"Lady Aphrodite!" In a strange twist of fate, Paris ended up helping Naruto with his big mouth. The name connected with her pretty face, and in a moment, Naruto realized he'd unwittingly walked headfirst into her charm. But now he was free, he'd be better prepared for the love goddess' natural wiles.

'This is an Olympian? Dangerous but not unbeatable. Good to know.' The change in Naruto's eyes from dazed to determined was blatant. That's when Aphrodite backed up with a remorseful sigh. Her game was over for now. So she'd settle for her toy.

Stepping lightly to Paris, a beaming Aphrodite placed her hand on the mortal's shoulder. "Come along, Paris. My plans for you won't happen if you lose your head." And just like that, Aphrodite and Paris left the field in a flash of light.

Naruto must've taken more time than he thought since the combative silence was dashed by the growing pain called Menelaus. "The Trojans broke the terms of the cease-fire! All forces attack! Show these damned oathbreakers no mercy!"

The entirety of the Greek invasion force rushed forth like a plague of locusts while Naruto was rooted in place. A few colorful descriptions of the petty king danced off his tongue. He couldn't hold it in any longer. 'Not only is there growing godly intervention, but now these pain in the asses are pushing their luck. For fuck's sake!'

"It was you all along. I should've guessed." The purple-eyed god pivoted and found his expression scrunched in confusion. There Naruto found a bald man with a shaggy beard and a scar down his right eye. Despite cutting a distinct appearance, Naruto had no freaking idea who the bald man was meant to be. "You were too perfect to be one of us."

"And who are you?" The slow grating of his patience left Naruto with an atypically short fuse. What started with Paris became this clown. Soon, whatever restraint the peeved Shinto Kami would leave him. Scratch that... it already had. This wouldn't end well for the brash mortal.

"My name is Diomed. Lady Athena granted me the gift of clear sight. No god in disguise can escape my gaze. I've forced Ares and Aphrodite to retreat. I even crossed weapons with Apollo himself." His emphatic introduction paused long enough for Diomed's gaze to narrow dangerously on Naruto. "When Lord Agamemnon told me to examine you, I was doubtful. However, it appears he was correct." [2]

"I'm not dealing with this shit. Not today..." Vanishing from under Diomed's watchful eye, Naruto appeared behind the stunned man. And before Diomed had any idea of what was happening to him, a heartbeat passed, and the clear sighted mortal's head fell from his shoulders in a shower of hot blood. "You picked the wrong guy at the worst time."

Naruto stared coldly at the crimson glaze leaking from his weapon. He only looked away when something moved in his peripheral. There he saw Atalanta looking at him with her mouth open in shock. Though hesitant to hear the answer, Naruto asked the obvious question. "How much of that did you hear?"

"What was that? What's going on here?" That pretty much answered the question. She did indeed hear everything Diomed blabbed in his extremely short monologue.

Scratching behind his ear with his pointer finger, Naruto withheld a sigh. He planned on sharing his story with Atalanta eventually. This inconvenience just sped up the process. Annoying but not really a big deal. "I'll tell you everything tonight at camp. First, we make sure our men don't get themselves killed in this stupid charge."

To her credit, Atalanta didn't let herself get hung up despite the nature of the revelation. "You're right. But I want those answers. Let's go."

Another bloody battle in a long line of bloody battles was left in the past as night fell. The camp was quiet as the warriors recovered and mourned today's events. But off in Naruto's command tent, things were far from settled.

With only a candle on the ground between them, Atalanta and Naruto sat in a tenuous silence. While the crimson-headed man gathered his thoughts, Atalanta waited for the story to begin. A crucial aspect of being a hunter was knowing when to observe and knowing when to strike. This pertained to aspects both on and off the battlefield. Being impatient wouldn't do any good.

"My full name is Naruto-Omikami. It originates from a people ever further east than Troy." Memories from the time spent with Nyx and Chaos always came to the forefront when thinking about his family history. They were always good for a smile. That is until Naruto recalled stories about Amaterasu; those pushed longing into his soul.

As someone privileged enough to see a fraction of the world's wonders, Atalanta wasn't shocked to hear about another civilization of people far removed. She wasn't ignorant enough to believe they were the center of the world. "What's your home called?"

Naruto couldn't stop himself from smiling at the surprised look he garnered when he opened his eyes. The reveal of two golden pools as bright as the noon sun was a glimpse at Naruto's true nature. "The mortals call our island nation Yamato. Man, myth, and god live side by side in harmony. It's a wonderful place." [3]

Shaking off her astonishment and dragging herself away from the warm serenity of her friend's new eyes, Atalanta pushed herself back toward their discussion. "You called them mortals. So you really are a god?"

"Yes, that's right. I am the Kami of heavenly light, harmony, and life." A silent form of strength swelled up in Naruto's heart. Perhaps it was pride? Or maybe the unbreakable bond he shared with his birth mother through these domains? Either way, it was a priceless feeling to the last Kami. "They were bestowed upon me at birth, and I do my best to uphold them with the highest integrity."

An abundance of questions emerged, but out of respect for the man who led her and many others through the horrors of war, Atalanta held her tongue. Her patience paid off when an opportunity arose. "I have a few questions. First, what is a Kami? You've said that word a few times like a title..."

Naruto nodded with a smile in play; he was pleased to know despite having many questions, she was still paying close attention to what he said. "Kami is our word for god. Meanwhile, when I say Omikami, that's comparable to an Olympian."

Atalanta knew Naruto was capable. She saw his skills on the battlefield firsthand. Add his domains onto that, and her beliefs were all but solidified. This brought the battle-ready maiden to her next question. "I understand harmony and life. What about the other one? What is heavenly light exactly?"

"Heavenly light allows control over any light that enters the heavens. This typically pertains to the sun, but I can also utilize the light emanated by other stars and the moon. However, I say Kami of the sun for the sake of simplicity." Talking about these lesser abilities reminded Naruto he needed to spend more time training these facets of his domain once this grueling war was over.

"That... that sounds incredibly powerful, Naruto." Despite never meeting him, the former princess knew many of Apollo's stories. To think Naruto could perform similar feats with another bag of tricks up his sleeve was awe-inspiring. "You must be one powerful Kami. So why are you here? So far from your home?"

The assumption there was more Kami, while unintentional on Atalanta's part, stung at Naruto's heart. He didn't let the dull ache show on his face. Naruto didn't want to cause her undue stress and guilt. "I'm the most powerful Kami because I'm the only Kami you'll find. Sadly..."

A wince slammed into Atalanta immediately. Realizing what Naruto implied, she backtracked to offer her sincerest apologies. "Gods, I didn't know. I'm so sorry! How does something like that happen?" Morbid curiosity though ugly, was a thing for a reason.

The friendly smile on Naruto's face finally fell into a frown that showed a fraction of his unresolved pain. Once he calmed down a little, Naruto answered her question. However, it wasn't the reply she was hoping to hear. "It's a long story and one I frankly don't have the energy to tell." At that moment, Naruto looked utterly spent.

Reaching across the divide between them, Atalanta took Naruto's hand between both of her hands. She understood that exhaustion came in forms other than physical fatigue. The former Argonaut wanted to help Naruto through it. She figured being there for him would do the trick. "Don't force yourself, Naruto. Not on my account."

Her consideration helped put a smile that injected life back into Naruto's inherently expressive eyes. Turning away from the sore subject, Atalanta aimed for something more amicable. "We've never talked about this before. What are your plans after everything's over? What does a god do next when the slaughtering is done?"

The absent look in his eyes came about from seeing something only Naruto himself could see. It wasn't a vision as exact as a prophecy. No, what he glimpsed were his hopes for humanity's future and the world at large. "I want to help the world grow."

"Grow?"

Naruto broke free from whatever trance took him and sent his friend a more peaceful smile than any he'd shown before. Atalanta found it inspiring to behold. "Yes, growth. I want humanity and the world to move forward. Innovation is the way of life, and I want life to flourish. That is my wish."

Atalanta leaned back with an understated grin. The stern woman's eyes swam with an uncharacteristic showing of warmth. "That fits you to a tee, Naruto. Do you... do you believe such grand change is even possible?"

In the gentle glimmer shed by the candle, the determined Shinto's eyes glowed with the strength of his conviction. These weren't baseless lip service. Naruto believed in this goal with every fiber of his being. "I genuinely do, Atalanta. There will be dark times and mishaps. But what I learned from living with mortals is that failure makes them stronger. They won't give up, and I won't give up on them!"

"If anyone can do it, you can. You have already inspired a change in me. Made me grow as a person..."

"Wait... I have?"

Believe it or not, Atalanta needed to gather her courage. Telling Naruto what he did for her was something on Atalanta's list of things to do, but now she found herself oddly nervous. "Mhm. Before we met, I was a quiet shut-in who fought only for herself. No one trusted me, and I trusted no one in return. In the short time under your guidance, I became a leader who has won the respect of thousands. You gave me a goal... for that, I'll be forever in your debt. And if you asked any of our me, I'd bet they'd say the same."

It was a unique experience for Naruto. The feeling of being so overwhelmed by praise that he found himself blushing. He went to laugh it off and downplay his personal contributions to Atalanta's development.

The sudden rush of howling wind caught Naruto and Atalanta off guard. Tent flaps were blown wide open, and the candle was snuffed out. Naruto's tent remained upright thanks to the minor Fade enchantment placed on it. "What's with this sudden weather?" With an arm up to her face to block her eyes from the blustering winds, Atalanta moved to the big tent's entrance. She just peeked out when a flash of light tore open the sky.

BOOOOOOOOOM!

A shatter of brutish thunder resulted in a ground-shuddering reverberation that knocked Atalanta off her feet. Hurrying over to Atalanta, Naruto helped her to her feet, something the dazed woman accepted readily. "Wha... what happened?"

Winces came and went among the pairing as more thunder polluted the air. Dispersed within the chaotic booming drums were the screams of the warriors helpless to defend themselves against the heavenly strikes. Their anguished wailing left them in a horrified stupor. "This isn't an ordinary storm." Her first instinct was to run out and help anyone she could. But really, how could she save anyone from lightning?

'This reeks of Zeus. I don't know if this will work, but it's better than doing nothing.' Positioning himself at the center of his tent, Naruto lowered into a meditative position with his legs crossed under him and his hands facing upward. Naruto pulled a deep breath, shut his eyes, and tapped into his godly domain.

Atalanta looked back to see her friend grimacing. She took a step away from the tent's whipping canvas flaps. The whisper that came next was unintentional on her part. "What's happening out there?"

"The king on Olympus is raining destruction upon us. I'm not good enough with lightning to protect the entire camp, but I'll do what I can to lessen the casualties..." Hidden behind his eyelids were the jittery jolts of his pupils. They snapped back and forth, locking onto the lightning that Naruto painstakingly guided away from their intended targets. Turns out, it was more difficult than he imagined to catch and redirect.

When Atalanta saw the look of focus etched on Naruto's grimacing face, she ate the question in mind. Instead, she sat across from Naruto and watched his body tremble and his hands clench tightly.

Two hours later, Naruto shot forward with a choked gasp. His upper body stood covered in sweat, and his formerly golden complexion looked pale like snow. It was only by Atalanta's steady hand that he didn't end up on his face. "Are you alright?"

Still coughing up dry heaves, a shaking Shinto answered the calling of his name with a sluggish reply. "I think... it's done. Just thunder..." Low on energy, Naruto slouched further into her stabilizing embrace. "Should have done more. I can't extend my range further. I'd be too slow to catch the lightning."

"You did everything you could. Come on, you need to rest." Carrying what was essentially dead weight on her shoulder, Atalanta dragged Naruto toward his bedroll. They made it approximately a few steps before Naruto's eyes shot upward as he sensed something building in the upper atmosphere.

Flinging himself from Atalanta's grip, much to her dismay, Naruto landed on his knees and put his hands out toward the sky. Grunting, the tired deity latched onto something only he could see. "This isn't good! What is that thunder-touting asshole thinking?"

"I don't understand..."

"Zeus left a lightning bolt in the sky. It's big enough to wipe out half the camp. I'm trying to siphon some energy from it. Make it smaller!" And Naruto began doing just that. Immediately, the strain of absorbing Zeus' primary power caused divine ichor to leak from the redhead's nostrils.

Atalanta, not Naruto, wiped the blood from his face before it could reach his lips. After that, she asked a very fair question tinted with considerable concern. "Won't he know you're up to something if you do that?"

"I checked. The king's not connected to the bolt anymore. Someone must be distracting him." Naruto didn't know how right he was. Hera had taken her husband with her womanly wiles, inadvertently giving the young Kami this chance. "Speaking of distractions, could you- GAH!"

"Naruto!" Calling out his name in worry is all Atalanta could do as tendrils of shocking jolts raced across the redhead's skin, tightening his muscles painfully and making the electrocuted Kami shake violently. "Naruto, are you okay?"

"Whatever... don't touch... me!"

Turns out, Zeus hid a secondary valve of power in the bolt. And when Naruto triggered the failsafe, the oversized lightning strike tried exploding with a cataclysmic impact. Unwilling to risk so many lives, Naruto took the consequences on himself. He became a lightning rod, grounding the excess energies in his body with agonizing results.

The long hours of the night were spent with Naruto fighting a two-front war with the sky and his own body. Both were going well, but the effort it took to drain Zeus' fitful attack and repair his own body was taxing, to say the least. But finally, as the sun started rising and Naruto's vision darkened, the petty god's storm of destruction was mitigated.

"It... it's do... done..."

And so was Naruto, who passed out in Atalanta's arms, unresponsive to her calls.

Achilles was dead.

Hector of Troy was dead.

During Naruto's time in a self-maintained sleep, the belligerent forces of Greece and Troy battled it out in the shadow of the city's walls. Many more men lost their lives but none more consequential than Achilles and Hector. What made this battle different from the hundred preceding it was the cost. To their respective armies, both Achilles and Hector were invincible icons.

Losing one was devastating. Losing both in the same battle was inconceivable. What was left behind were two armies with no desire to fight despite the wishes of their leaders.

This shock created a suffocating gloom in the war camp. Naruto wanted nothing more than to rally the troops. But he was absent during the fight. What right did he have to speak about something he missed?

Naruto hadn't brought it up, but since waking up, he noticed an air of resentment from some of the men. None of his subordinates treated him like a suspect, but those in other contingents didn't see him through the same rose-tinted glasses.

This kind of suspicion created a suffocating gloom around the camp. Naruto wanted to rally the troops. But he was absent during the fight. What right did he have to speak on something he missed, even if it was for a good reason? So instead of sitting and stewing in the collective misery, Naruto went for a walk to clear his mind.

Finding a quiet place wasn't difficult. Naruto ended up standing alone on an ocean-facing cliffside. The gentle grazing of salty wind on his skin worked an easygoing sigh from his slightly pursed lips. "This perpetual bloodbath isn't getting us anywhere. We're wasting time and lives, but everyone is too damn stubborn to admit it."

The idiocy of it all made Naruto's fire-warmed blood boil with frustration. A calm reply from an unexpected guest stopped the sun Kami from lashing out at nothing to burn away his simmering anger. "What of those who sacrificed everything? Do we not owe it to them to fight this war until the very end?"

Naruto held his tongue until the woman walked up beside him. A peek revealed a tan woman in elaborate armor over a fine wardress. With a spear running the length of her back, the gray-eyed woman stared expectantly, waiting for his answer. "I don't discredit anyone who wants to fight for a fallen brother. However, I believe it's fair we ask how much we owe the dead. Should we sabotage life in the name of the lost? What about those waiting for these men to come back home? Fathers, husbands, sons, and brothers... we are more than sacrificial pieces. We are living beings with hopes and dreams."

"In times of war, men turn into beasts, and generals become gods." The stoic woman's comparisons drummed up a scoff from Naruto. His derisive response caused one of her finely-kept eyebrows up. "Do you hate them?"

"You'll need to be more specific."

"The gods, do you hate them for allowing this to happen?" Her curiosity, while blunt, wasn't entirely unfounded. Taking the question seriously, Naruto gave the idea a respectable amount of thought before he answered.

"Things aren't so simple. I can't say it's hatred. I'm disappointed the gods let this happen. I'm disappointed humanity allowed themselves to become weapons. I'm disappointed the world encourages pain through conflict. To pin the blame on any one thing is a gross oversimplification of what I feel." Naruto's thoughtful reply came as the man himself watched foam rise to the ocean's churning surface. Humanity's problems were always cut and dry in Naruto's mind, but the solutions were so complicated they might as well be impossible.

An impressed glint wormed its way into the noble woman's steely stare. Her retort was the definition of pragmatic, turning her gray gaze to the ocean in front of them. "One of these problems is easier solved than the others. How would you end this war if the supreme command was yours?"

What Naruto had to say wasn't revolutionary. However, it was needed information to set the scene. "Our side won't stop until Troy falls. Yet, we won't get into the city through conventional means. These last years have proven that ten times over. What would you say a warrior's greatest enemy is?"

"Pride will do more harm than any weapon. It's destructive and poisonous, same for a mortal as a god." Naruto couldn't hold back his smirk. Talking with someone who understood people and war on a deeper level was refreshing for the hidden god.

Naruto would be lying if he said he hadn't given the idea some thought in his downtime. That line of thinking popped up whenever Agamemnon or Menelaus managed to piss him off with their treacherous antics. "If I had it my way, I'd exploit the enemy's pride. We'd make them think they'd won by leaving a prize on their doorstep."

"A meager offering won't..."

The redhead didn't feel too bad about cutting her doubts short since he wasn't done saying his piece. "What if we present something not even the gods can ignore? Say something as magnificent as a wooden horse the size of Troy's fabled walls."

A trickster's mischief pulled against Naruto's lips. He didn't have to look her way to see the thoughtful expression on his companion's face. "Go on, imagine it... the sun banishes the night, and Troy looks to the horizon. Our army is gone, and in its place is a towering creature so awe-inspiring that only the gods could've created it."

The calming sound of Naruto's voice continued painting a vivid picture, one word at a time. There were details left out, but only to keep the gist of his vision focused on his goals... like total victory over the enemy. "They think we have abandoned our aggression, but it's a ruse. A feigned retreat of the highest order. We'll position most of our army in the wooden beast's belly. Then once we are inside and their guard is down, we rush the city and end this war once and for all."

"That is... brilliant." Her short pause allowed Naruto enough time to preen at the praise. "The horse would need a secure place for construction to avoid tipping our hand. And the correct type of wood should support the weight of hundreds without compromising the structure's integrity. Setting the whole thing on wheels will trick the Trojans into thinking it was destined for them. Yes... yes... it'll take a week to get the Trojan Horse here... a brilliant plan indeed."

It took a few minutes before the tactically superior warrior maiden worked free from her trance of thoughts and plans. Gray eyes dropped an intense stare on Naruto as her lips shifted into the first smile Naruto saw from the woman. "If this plan works, I'll see you are rewarded for your service."

"The end of this war will be reward enough for me. With your mind perfecting my plan, I believe this will be the Trojan War's final act, Lady Athena." Naruto finally named dropped Athena, letting her know he wasn't nearly as ignorant about her true nature as he previously indicated. This little trick almost made the stoic goddess laugh but instead won him a smirk.

"You knew who I was from the very start." Phrasing it as a statement instead of asking suggested Athena always knew that Naruto knew her identity.

His response was a smooth shrug of his shoulders. There were just times when Naruto liked having fun by messing with others. He didn't see why gods should be exempt from his antics. "Know your enemies and allies alike, right?"

"Wisely spoken. Farewell..." The curt dismissal was the best Naruto got from Athena, who vanished to take care of the logistics behind creating the Trojan Horse.

"Heh. She wasn't too bad. A little tightly strung but nothing I can't deal with."

END

[1]: In this case, the adjective narcissistic means constantly looking for acknowledgment.

[2]: Remember that the Olympians are forced to limit themselves in duels with heroes. I'm not saying some mortal soldier is out here beating gods at their full power.

[3]: Yamato is another name for ancient Japan.

Writer's Note I: Hello, everyone! Sorry for the delay, but I got sick after my nephew's birthday party. Once more, I am asking for any review you're willing to share.

Next Chapter: Fall of Troy. ? Naruto and Artemis finally meet!