Unlimited Courage

by Nasha Rei-Kun

He stood out and Satellizer realized that she was fine with that. Kazuya always found motivation in his words, not a replacement for his sister but Kazuya was fine with that. Chiffon found this boy weird, he did way too many odd things to say otherwise... but she was fine with that. And Rana Linchen grinned, laughed, talked, and enjoyed every moment together with Naruto Uzumaki.

12. Intense Changes

Kamui Candy took an unexpected hiatus, it will be continuing next week.

Inspirational Songs:

Naruto OST - Naruto's Daily Life

Naruto OST - Kakashi's Theme

Naruto OST - Konoha Peace

Naruto OST - Morning

Naruto OST - Heavy Violence

Naruto OST - Need to be Strong

~NRK~

The evening of the next day following the departure of East Genetics, Naruto found out that there was a dance for the betterment of the morale of the students.

So, here he was, in his room, finishing off his outfit.

Wearing an orange yukata with black borders and cuffs, he had on some black shorts underneath with a black obi around his waist.

Over his shoulders, though, was a familiar piece of clothing that he'd missed.

It was a long red haori with black flames along the bottom.

His old sage cloak, he'd destroyed his former one when he'd fought Nagato, sadly.

"Hmm," he looked himself over in a body-length mirror, wearing some rather nostalgic geta sandals. "If Ero-sennin could see me now," who knows, maybe Jiraiya was here and just couldn't reach them yet?

He looked at his hair before hearing a knock on his door.

He knew those signatures. "Heh~" Walking over, Naruto grinned as he opened it to reveal his two fellow Freshmen.

Kazuya looked at him for all of a moment groaning. "I wish I had my yukata," he grumbled in his black tuxedo, white dress shirt, black dress shoes, and dark blue bowtie. "Ah, man."

"Hehe," Arthur chuckled in a white tuxedo, his shirt dark blue, brown loafers, and his bowtie red. "It's a nice look… Actually, let's mess with your hair a bit."

~NRK~

Rana hummed as she considered her outfit.

It was a slight mix of the formal wear in the middle-east.

First was her keffiyeh, a headdress with a cloth band for the crowd of her head.

Second, a long-sleeved, colorful, dashiki that had loose sleeves.

Third, a white cloth band around her waist.

Last, some breezy white trousers and black flats.

The outfit was most blue in color with black and yellow accents. Around her neck, she'd donned some jewelry she'd brought from her village.

Finally, she'd had some help from Genessa and Satella in her hair, her blue tresses now straightened out and falling down to the middle of her back.

"Hmm, I'm ready-de arimasu!" She declared with a grin as she fistpumped.

There was a knock on her door and she blinked before blushing.

"R-Right, the men will find you and bring you to the party!" Rana reminded herself as she rushed to the door and pulled it open with a wide grin. "Naruto…?!" Her eyes blinked before red shaded her face.

The young man she'd come to know over the past month chuckled embarrassingly, cheeks kind of red as Arthur and Kazuya chuckled at his sides, 'presenting' him.

His hair had been mussed up a bit, his usual spiky style softer-looking, more feathery, while also parting a bit at the right side of his temple.

"I spruced him up a bit," Arthur said with a grin as Rana's reaction told him everything. "And I can tell, someone likes."

"Eep!" She slammed the door shut, getting a facepalming Naruto and chuckling boys as the result.

"D-Damn you, Arthur!"

"Hmm?" Genessa peeked her head out of her room, took one look at what was going on, and scrambled to finish up.

When she did, she breezed into the hallway with a hungry gaze. "She's embarrassed, isn't she?" She said with intent as Arthur smirked.

"Yes, she is."

The redhead had on a pink, pleated, maxi dress that led down to white high heels. Her hair, meanwhile, was left to fall down her back, the red, slightly wavy, tresses flapping as she sidled up to Naruto, a grin on her lips.

"And you look so handsome!" She said with a widening grin as Kazuya chuckled behind a fist while Arthur wore a pleased smile. "Arty always does good work, I sometimes wonder if he was trying to be a fashion designer outside of a Limiter."

"Y-Yeah, sure," Naruto said with a grunt as Rana opened her door once more, a red face greeting those outside. "S-Sup, Rana-chan," he said with a redder face, arms in his crossed sleeves. "You ready?"

Stepping out, she blushed more as she looked at him before nodding rapidly.

Then the door to the other side of her room opened and out of it came Satella who looked curious about what was happening.

Wearing a dark red bodycon dress that was frilled by the shins, she wore black tights and heels. Her hair had been done up in a ponytail at the back of her head… but there was one part of her that seriously needed to be addressed.

"T-They're huge-de arimasu."

"Y-Yeah, I… H-How do those things exist?" Genessa realized in horror as Satellizer frowned with a tilt of the head. "I-I thought you didn't like being looked at?!"

"H-Huh?!" Satella felt her cheeks redden in confusion before she pouted. "W-What?"

"... I think they're floatation devices-de arimasu."

"?"

"... Satella-senpai, there's a day in a young woman's life-"

"Naruto, no."

~NRK~

Getting to the courtyard area by the third-year dorms, the group looked at the extravagance on display.

"I'm seriously wondering where the school's budget goes," Naruto wondered with a choke at what looked like a bunch of swans in a nearby lake. "S-Swans?!"

"Yup, yup, those are swans," Arthur realized before clearing his throat. "I guess… This is the difference between us and some families… Is that a set of vintage wine bottles from MABLY?!"

"Wine?" Satella looked intrigued while Rana hummed as she held onto Naruto's arm. "Mably wine?"

"... Do you like wine, Satella-senpai?" Kazuya asked with a sweatdrop as she blushed before looking down. "... Well, that's a good place to start, guys," he said as he took her hand daringly, getting a shocked blush out of the young blonde woman. "Hmph."

"Sounds good," Genessa said with a grin as she hooked elbows with Arthur, the six moving on. "Hmm, wine glasses, straws, and I can smell the food over on that table," she said as they each took a glass before Naruto blinked, a pair of steps coming from their side.

Turning, he saw a familiar redhead and blonde.

Abebe seemed to be wearing a light purple tuxedo with a black dress shirt and a purple tie with brown loafers. Arnette, on the other hand, went completely out of left field for him.

She'd worn a yellow cheongsam with bicep-length white gloves and black flats.

"How's it going, you guys?" She asked with a chuckle as the group greeted her back. "Hmm, I was gonna try some of this, too!" Arnette said with a grin as Abebe chuckled.

"Ever since coming to West Genetics, Arnette's gained a taste for wine," he explained as Arthur chuckled.

"Genessa's the same."

"Wine's always been kind of bad with me," Kazuya said as they were each served some by Arnette. "T-Thank you. Well, my grandfather says I have heavyweight drinking in my veins," he said with a nervous chuckle.

"Sounds great!"

"A-Arnette-senpai, n-no it doesn't."

"Debatable."

"Right," Naruto snorted as he and Rana looked at the bright red drink. "Damn, this smells expensive."

"It's one from twenty years ago," came an elegant voice from behind Arnette, the Mably heir coming up to them with Andre in tow. "I hope you all are enjoying yourselves."

Wearing a similar bodycon dress to Satellizer, only in a dark blue, Elizabeth Mably smiled at the group in her black heels, her hair done up in a messy, controlled, bun.

Behind her, Andre chuckled as he and the other Limiters shook hands. Wearing a dark blue suit with two long coattails, he had on a pair of white gloves, dark slacks, and a pair of black dress shoes.

"How's everything going for you all?" He asked and Naruto chuckled. "Hmm, you and Rana are certainly wearing your cultures," Andre noted with an interested hum.

"I forgot to find a kimono," Kazuya complained and the brunette Frenchman chuckled.

"I understand your pain, I barely managed to get this from the cleaners before tonight."

"Thank you, senpai."

"Hmm, middle-eastern wear, yes?" Elizabeth asked Rana who grinned.

"Yup! I wanted to play with some of the different formal wear-de arimasu!" She said with a little twirl and Elizabeth hummed, looking at the headdress.

Interesting.

"Come, try some of the wine. I don't know if some of you have ever had any but know that Mably wines are some of the best in the world."

"Oh? I like a challenge," Naruto said with a grin as she shot one right back at him. "Oh, someone's feeling some pride, well, don't mind if I do," he said as he clinked his glass with Rana's.

The group did the same before sipping on the alcohol.

"... Dammit," Naruto grunted as Elizabeth chuckled. "Kaugh, mm, mm, whoa, okay. Yeah, I've never had wine before."

"Hmm? Really?" Rana wondered, perfectly fine along with Satella, Genessa, Arthur, and Arnette. "Hmm, well, we ferment some for special ceremonies in my village, I'm used to it."

"Really? Even if you're underage? Or is that not a thing in Tibet?"

"It matters, for the most part, ceremonies are special-de arimasu."

"I-It's kind of… Ahem! Tough," Kazuya said with a grunting hum as Andre chuckled. "... Oh, it's aftertaste is to die for!"

"Strawberries, apples, and lemons are the main ingredients," he explained as he sipped some of his own, a pleasant smile on his face. "Aged twenty so years and it reaches an amazing vintage," Andre explained as Satellizer nodded, humming at her drink as the group began to sport rosy cheeks.

"It rocks," Genessa said as Arthur smiled. "Talk about a perfect balance."

"The apples are from France, aren't they?" Arthur asked and Elizabeth chuckled.

"Yes, they are. You might be surprised to know but Andre's father has worked alongside my own for a long time," she explained.

"He and Mr. Mably met in Spain one day and the two had been a welcomed guest ever since," Andre explained with a grin.

"Sound cools," Naruto said, any redness on his cheeks nearly nonexistent. "Okay, okay, I'm getting used to this," he said with a chuckle as he drank the rest. "Phew, talk about flavor."

Elizabeth's eyes gained a gleam at his smallest intoxication. "... Mr. Uzumaki or, as a matter of fact, all of you who'd wish to participate. I'd like to have a little contest."

---

Attia Simmons sweatdropped along with Mark at the table at the party having the most spectators.

The group sat at a table with Mably wine all around and many empty shot glasses.

Arthur looked positively sloshed along with Arnette, Abebe, a newly arrived Kaho, Kazuya, and Andre.

Still standing were Naruto, Elizabeth, Satellizer, Rana, and Genessa.

A fool's game if you will.

Naruto coughed into his fist as his cheeks were bright red, sixteen shot glasses by his side, the most at the table. "Duroh!" He declared, barely capable of speech.

Elizabeth hiccuped under her palm, ten glasses by her side, before taking another. "Y-Yes, a-another for the others… hm, hm, hm," she giggled ridiculously at her own rhyme.

Satellizer sat at ten glasses herself before taking another. "N-No issue," she seemed the most capable of speech outside of Rana who was barely there. "R-Rana-chwan?"

"H-Hmm?" Rana sat there, completely red-faced, as fifteen glasses sat by her. "Heheheheheh," she giggled at something only she knew before throwing back another one. "Another one for the throne, I'm coming home~" She sang nonsensically.

"I've reached my home, I've reached my home, I look around all alone~" Naruto continued.

"A feast, a feast, a feast in my home~" Elizabeth continued.

"A feast for me and me alone!~" Satella continued.

Genessa had stopped long ago, wanting to be sober enough to just watch the chaos ensue.

And it was amazing, she didn't think her mouth could grin that much.

"A feast!"

"A feast!"

"For me, you, and me!"

"I taste the rum and now it's done!"

"It's time for a feast!" They sang in unison, much to the amusement of the crowd which allowed Chiffon to come through.

She took one look at the singing quartet and nearly died of laughter as Ticy and Abel broke through the crowd.

"Hahahahahah!" Abel hit his knees as the laughter overtook him. "Oh my God, they're faded!"

"I-It's not so!" Ticy covered her mouth as her body trembled, the fact that the four were still singing had left her incapable of speech.

"HAHAHAHAHAH!" Chiffon simply couldn't do much else.

~NRK~

The following morning, the group found themselves all laid down to rest in Chiffon's dorm room.

Several on some blankets and futons while six people took up her bed.

The hybrid in question had simply crashed in Ticy's room with Kaho's limp body, which was next door, for comfort. That said, she'd entered her room at just the right moment.

"Uggghhhh, who told Chiffon-nee to punch me in the head a million times?"

"Why do I feel like bad decisions were made?"

"Mouuuu, Naru-Naru, come back to bed-de arimasu."

"Hmm… Genessa, this isn't our preferred cuddle position."

"Snrt."

"I'm in my suit… I forgot to change again."

"Mm, mm… whose chest is this… Oh, God-!"

"K-Kazuya?!"

"Ugh, did I drink and drive? What was my best speed?"

"I believe coffee is in order."

Watching them try and move had to be the most hilarious thing she'd seen since last night.

~NRK~

Sunday afternoon, saw the collective group nibbling on some breakfast food.

"My cranium is… killing me," Elizabeth said as Creo snorted alongside Garou. "That much drinking of 40-year-old wine might not have been my… best moment."

"... Hmm, heal me skill, go," Naruto muttered with his face on the table, Rana snoring against his shoulder. "Ahh… I guess I can help hangovers, talk about luck."

"Thank you," Satellizer said, head in her hands. "Mmmmm."

"Same," Kazuya, Arthur, Kaho, and Abebe said in unison.

"I don't know, I feel fine," Arnette said as Andre nodded.

"I'm not suffering myself, either," he said as Arthur chuckled in jealousy.

"Lucky you."

"Hm, hm, hm, how is everyone today," Chiffon asked as the student council came to the table, all four of them looking way too happy with the group's current states. "Hm? Not feeling well?"

"Uggghhhh."

"Sounds about right," Eugene said with a chuckle as they sat down, Abel patting Naruto on the back.

"I take it your healing works on hangovers," the carrot top asked.

"Thank God, it does."

"Hehehe~" Genessa snickered. "Watching you guys was so satisfying."

"... What… Did we do?" Elizabeth asked slowly, swallowing as a chuckling Attia sat down. "... Oh no."

"Why you all just sang in front of all the students," the silver-haired girl said with a wide grin as the group balked. "Oh, correction, Elizabeth, Naruto, Rana, and Satellizer sang in front of all the students."

The singled-out individuals balked, blushed, and then held their heads in their hands, Rana the only one to not do so as she blinked awake.

"Mmmm, what happened?" She asked and Attia showed her the video of them. "... O-Oh," Rana blushed bright red before burying her head into Naruto's shoulder.

"Hm, hm, hm, it's fine, it's fine," Abel said before the group heard his laughter from the video. "I-It's fine," he said before snorting at his own laughter.

Ticy shook her head. "We'll drop it but the student body never forgets," she said with a shake of the head as the group groaned. "Anyway, what is everyone going to be doing over the upcoming Golden Week?"

"... Oh crap, it is," Naruto said before rubbing the back of his head. "Well… My parents are going to be coming over with the company to finally have our debut!" He said with a growing grin. "So, I'll be here."

"... A-Actually," Satella blushed a bit as she looked down. "M-My sister said me and some f-friends could come over to our newest resort in Bali… I-If you all wanted," she said in embarrassment.

"... Wait, Bali Bali?" Arnette wondered in disbelief, mouth dropping. "D-Dude, no freaking way!"

"A-As in the Indonesia Bali?" Creo asked in disbelief as Garou rubbed the back of his head. "A-And your family made a new resort?!"

Satella nodded.

"U-Um, I'd love to go but I can't," Rana said with a hand rubbing the back of her head.

"The tests, right?" Chiffon said and the Tibetan nodded. "For transfer students like Rana, they have to not just get their limits checked but also their stigmata compatibility, though I question if that's even necessary."

"So we'll be hanging for Golden Week," Naruto said with a chuckle as Rana grinned. "What about you guys?"

"Well, I'd love to come," Arnette said. "But I'm actually going to go and visit my dad and s-show him Abebe, in person!" She said with red cheeks as Abebe blushed as well.

"I-I bought overalls and everything!" He said. "I will make a good impression on your father!" The blonde said with fire in his eyes as his Pandora nervously chuckled.

"Well… If you don't mind," Creo said with a blush and a finger scratching her cheek, Garou chuckling next to her. "I-I don't really have places to go to like that, it seems kind of cool."

"S-Sure!" Satella said immediately, rapidly nodding. "I-It's all paid for already, you just need to bring your clothes."

"Is that so?" Elizabeth hummed. "I think I'd like that," she said with a smile as Satella reciprocated. "Andre?"

"I'm interested in the beaches," he said with a smile. "Sounds grand."

"I wish I could," Genessa said with a wince as Satella looked a little downtrodden. "I-I know! Really I do! But, well… S-Since this is my first time with time off with Arthur, we're going to see my parents in Munich. Sorry."

"... no, I get it, spending time with our Limiters is a good idea… S-So," Satellizer turned to the now very aware Kazuya. "K-Kazuya?"

"Yes!" He said immediately, the others snickering or outright laughing at him. "I'd be honored!"

"I-I'm glad!" She said with a smile and the boy choked.

"There it is, the Puppy," Genessa teased as Satella blushed and pouted.

"I-I'm not a puppy!"

"It's hard to say otherwise," Ingrid said. "That aside, Leo and I already have a vacation plan set, apologies."

"Sorry," Leo said.

"I-It's fine… but I'm not a puppy."

"Right," Attia said with a smirk. "And I'm the same as Ingrid with Mark. We're actually going to go and see his parents, it's gonna be fun seeing what a room of gloomy people is like!"

"I-I…" Mark blushed as she snickered.

"Chiffon-nee, Eugene, Abel, Ticy-senpai?" Naruto wondered.

"Well, you do know they're coming, remember?" Chiffon said, confusing the blonde for a moment before he balked. "So, I'm going to be staying here."

"Same," Eugene said. "Besides, I want to do some more training, anyway."

"We're gonna go and see Ticy's parents!" Abel announced as Ticy blushed but nodded. "Dude, they love me! It's great!"

"S-Shush!" Ticy stuttered as he grinned wider. "Hmph! Y-Yes, we're going to see my p-parents, their affections not relevant to the conversation," she said intently but Abel simply chuckled.

"So, we all have our plans set," Naruto said with a chuckle. "I hope things go well on my end. If things go great, we're talking big changes for some of the stuff around here!"

"Uzumaki Arts Production, you all handle weapon manufacturing and Volt Weapon specialization," Elizabeth said. "I wonder what's going to be shown."

"It'll be some good stuff for Pandora and Limiters alike," the blonde boy said.

"I'll look forward to it."

"We're gonna do our best!"

~NRK~

Monday came quickly and, soon enough, the quartet of Rana, Naruto, Chiffon, and Eugene was sitting in front of the school's main building.

Rana in black tights, Naruto's blue ninja sandals, a white tank top, and a dark blue hoodie tied around her waist.

Naruto in a long-sleeved black top, orange cargos, his pendants, black ninja sandals, and an orange-and-black jacket around his shoulders.

Eugene was in a gray dress shirt, black slacks, and white sneakers.

And, finally, Chiffon in a pair of black spats under a light blue mini-dress with some white sneakers.

"So, is living with Gengo a known thing?" Naruto asked Chiffon. "Like, I thought that was a secret."

"It's not known and I'm more going to act like his guide for the tour of the campus," Chiffon said with a raised finger. "It's the perfect alibi and Eugene has enough connection but distance to do the same with no issues."

"It's true, thankfully, I don't think people would be too surprised but would be very accepting of it," Eugene said as a set of helicopter carriers came into view from above. "T-They're here!" He said as Naruto spread out his senses and chuckled.

His mom, dad, little brother, and he felt Obito as well… He blinked.

"Hey, Chiffon-nee… On that one with Gengo in it, there's another person that feels like you," Naruto said in confusion as the four blinked.

"... W-Wait, they brought one of my sis-?!"

The carriers' noises interrupted her voice as she now looked… oddly nervously, hand rubbing the back of her head.

When the two landed on the grass ahead of them, the group of teens got up and walked towards the vehicles as their side hatches opened to reveal their important people.

Naruto wore a widening grin as a red-haired woman rushed out of the carrier with a grin.

"NARU-KUN!" She squealed as she torpedoed off his feet, getting a nervous chuckle from Eugene as Rana and Chiffon grinned. "It's been too long!" She said as she rubbed their cheeks together.

She had long, red, hair that came down to her rear and fair skin that held a pair of gleaming violet eyes.

She had a slender build that was covered by a white qipao with gold accents and short sleeves that had tight black pants underneath that led down into light purple ninja sandals.

"It feels like years!" Kushina Uzumaki cheered as Naruto officially hit maximum embarrassment.

"M-Mom! P-Please, you're embarrassing me!"

"Nope~!" Kushina grinned as she lifted him off the floor before placing him on his feet. "Or not! It really has been way too long-dattebane," she said with a grin as she stood close to an inch or two shorter than he was.

"Hm, hm, hm," Chiffon snickered beneath her hand as Rana outright laughed. "She's so full of energy!"

"Hmm?" Kushina's head turned on a swivel before she was before the two Pandora with a wide grin, the two thoroughly impressed.

"You've got good speed-de arimasu," Rana noted before violet eyes locked onto her. "I-I'm Rana Linchen-de arimasu!" She introduced herself before being engulfed by a warm embrace. "Y-Your mom is very huggy, Naruto-kun!"

She reciprocated as she said this, Naruto's eyebrow twitching as his father walked over with a chuckle, his little brother in his arms.

Minato Namikaze was a tall man with blonde hair like Naruto that held smaller, more numerous, spikes that didn't spike back as Naruto's did with two long bangs down the sides of his face.

His skin was fair and his eyes an intelligent blue that made you consider that he might be calculating everything he looked at.

Wearing a pair of dark blue pants that were tied at his ankles, dark blue ninja sandals, and a similarly-colored top with a wide collar. Around his neck was a necklace with windchime-like accessories on it and the man chuckled as he came forth, holding the hand of a small boy.

The boy had a familiar spiky-haired set of black locks, fair skin, and blue eyes.

Dressed similarly to his father but in black, he grinned as he ran out of his father's grip before lunging at Naruto who chuckled.

The boy's palm strike was blocked by a forearm before his twisting elbow strike was blocked by a palm. He used it as a fulcrum to pull his body over and sent a kick at the blonde's head only for it to be blocked by his forearm once more.

Naruto snorted as he gripped the young boy's leg before twisting him around and holding him by his arms which were locked behind his back.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, that's kind of cold, Naruto-nii-chan," the boy, Menma Uzumaki, said with a pout as Naruto chuckled and flipped him around as the Gengo group approached.

"Get better and it might not end the same way," Naruto said cheekily as Minato chuckled behind a fist.

Gengo Aoi raised a brow. "Even the youngest is rather impressive," he said with a hum as Su-Na nodded.

Wearing his typical labware, Su-Na had done the same, while Obito had worn his as well which only saved his face from being seen.

'There's another one!?' He thought in horror before Kushina's eyes snapped to him and he took several steps back as her eyes widened. "M-Ma'am, while I'm sure this is our first meeting-"

"OBITO!" Kushina's hair seemed to raise as fire appeared behind her. "IGNORING MY CALLS AND NOW THIS IS WHERE I FIND YOU!?"

Minato snorted as the masked man raised his hands shakily.

"I-I was busy a-and it wasn't life or death, right?"

"That's the excuse?!"

"I-It's a decent one?"

Su-Na blinked. "This is… new," she considered before the woman beside her tilted her head in confusion. "... Lucy, just know, humans can be rather… odd."

The pale long-lavender-haired woman next to her hummed as her pale skin and dark blue eyes shined in the sunlight. Her body was slender and covered by a white dress shirt and black skirt with black thigh-high socks beneath that led into brown loafers.

Lucy Renault tilted her head at Obito Uchiha as that redhead stomped over with her fists on her hips and fire behind her… Did humans have elemental manipulation?

"You've got a lot of nerve to not even say 'hi'!"

"... Hi?"

"..." Kushina's eyes went flat at him as Gengo coughed in amusement, the groups centering in on them. "Mina-kun! You've gotta make sure he behaves-dattebane."

Gengo's eyebrows shot into his hairline at that. 'A verbal tic? She hadn't done that last time.'

"O-Obito, while I'm sure it was important," Minato stressed carefully, Kushina looking at him with a flat expression as Naruto snorted beside him, Menma in his arms. "You could have, at the very least, sent a little text here or there."

"... I'll work on it," Obito said with a slight lift of the mask and a nervous smile on his face.

"You better," Kushina said ominously. "Now, introduce us!" She said with a grin as Minato, Naruto, and Obito began to sweat at her sudden change in temperament.

"I'll never understand women," Naruto uttered as Rana balked.

"Trust me, it doesn't get easier with age," Gengo agreed with a sagely nod as Su-Na's eyebrow ticked.

"Ahem, while you've met him," Obito cleared his throat before presenting Gengo who wore a very amused smile. "Gengo Aoi, the head authority on all things related to stigmata and our resident drunk."

"I don't get drunk."

"But you drink like you do," Obito shot back as the man shrugged. "The genius, everybody," Chiffon giggled a bit as Eugene chuckled. "And this, I'm glad to introduce, is my partner and Pandora, Su-Na Lee," Obito said with a chuckle as Su-Na blushed a bit.

"Greetings," she said solidly as Naruto grinned. "?"

"I can feel the love from here."

"?!" She choked and burned bright red as Obito smirked. "T-That's not something people need to say!"

"But it is nice to hear," Kushina said with a grin as Su-Na blubbered in crimson. "And who is this young woman?" She wondered as she looked at Lucy who bowed.

"That is Lucy Renault, she's a charge of mine who many don't know about," Gengo said. "She's a little unused to speaking with too many people so don't mind if she seems a little gruff."

"Good afternoon," Lucy said. "I am Lucy Renault."

"Minato, nice to meet you," Minato said as she nodded.

"Minato Namikaze, good afternoon."

"Sup, the name's-" Naruto began to say but Lucy's eyes locked onto him before she tilted her head and cut him off.

"Naruto Uzumaki, age 15, you've been asserting your ideologies as of late," she listed off as Chiffon cleared her throat while Obito facepalmed his mask and Naruto blinked along with Menma. "I've become acquainted with your files and your methods are confusing."

"L-Lucy!" Chiffon spoke up and placed herself between the two. "H-How's life?!"

"Mm? Life is acceptable. Mr. Uchiha has been kind to us and cooks for us every now and then. It's been interesting trying to learn how he does so with ingredients."

"Yes, I've missed his cooking!" Chiffon said immediately. "Ahem, the point is, you're being kind of… off-putting, Lucy."

"Apologies," Lucy bowed to him and the blonde and his sibling looked at one another.

"No, it's fine, I probably should have expected this since I told her to send that file," Naruto said as his parents raised their eyebrows.

"What report?" Minato asked.

"Well… So, I told you how I kept on winning, right?"

"Snrt, that's one way of putting it," Obito snorted. "Chiffon helps out on occasion along with Eugene in learning the ways of our studies. Hearing about your efforts has been… interesting," he said with a chuckle. "I'm more surprised someone else can do Isolated Frost."

"Huh?" Naruto blinked as Minato cupped his chin while Kushina hummed.

"You can also do it?" She asked and Obito turned his mask so his mouth showed in its grinning position. "How?"

"Because you're not the only special ones," was all Obito said with a clap of his hands. "That said, we've been standing out here for quite some time."

"Ah, right, let me show you all to your rooms!" Chiffon said with a grin as the group moved towards the main building. "We've got a dormitory set up right behind the main school building, Naruto-kun. Its main purpose is for moments like these."

"Why does it feel like this school just doesn't like people living outside of it?"

"Mm," she shrugged.

"You seem to have built a rather interesting rapport with Chiffon," Gengo noted as Lucy nodded. "Her report spoke well of you and your ideals when it comes to Freezing, I'm curious how you gained such insight."

"Well, because of the way me and dad are," Naruto said with a chuckle as Menma rode on his shoulders.

"It's going to be released this week," Minato spoke up, gaining an interested raise of the brow of the others. "Naruto is going to reveal our secrets to Chevalier."

"Is that wise?" Gengo asked with crossed arms. "I can assume it's because you believe in people, young man."

"I do," Naruto said with finality that Gengo hummed at. "We can't get anywhere without believing in people, that's how life is. I mean, the only reason people are even born, usually, is because of trust beyond even the normal kind."

"And there it is, the nuggets of wisdom," Eugene said with a chuckle.

"Naruto-kun is wiser than we think is possible-de arimasu," Rana said with a hum. "It can be worrying sometimes but then he's also kind of naive and that's a different kind of worrying."

"Hm, hm, hm, the good with the bad," Chiffon said as Naruto's eyebrow ticked.

"I'll have you all know, I'm not naive," he grunted.

"Naruto, you've literally been caught, on record, that you'd marry one of your friends if it helped," she said innocently with a wide grin as the group's newcomers choked while Naruto burned bright red.

"Chiffon, we're supposed to take those kinds of things to the grave!"

"That's not true, Naruto-kun, we have to expose you, or else you'll get too big of a head!"

"That's not true! Ignore her, please!"

"A-Ahh, hahaha, as much as I want to say otherwise," Kushina began with some nervous laughter as her eldest slumped. "You really are the type to jump into those kinds of situations with no remorse."

"I… Naruto, please, your decisions have consequences," Minato pleaded.

"We try to teach him that," the three teens besides Naruto said with grins or chuckles. "It's a work in progress."

"Everybody's against me today-dattebayo," the boy grumbled as Menma pat his head while Rana did so to his shoulders. "It's getting old!"

"You never learn," Chiffon considered as Kushina snickered.

"He might have inherited that hardheadedness from me," she said with some embarrassment. "Dattebane~"

Reaching the designated area for their upcoming guests, the group could already hear, and see, the helicopter carriers coming towards the school.

Entering the building, they found themselves at one of the four, large, lounge areas for the floor. Each dormitory had a set for each floor while the students brought their own things to hook up to the TVs with these ones being barren.

There were several large couches, recliners, and coffee tables decorating the area with the group going down one of the two hallways at the back wall, passing several doors as they did.

"You all are being given the top floors which hold the most notable rooms," Chiffon explained as they entered one of three elevators at the end of the hall, next to the stairs. "With Gengo-san and the Uzumakis taking up four, that will leave Seiga Heavy Industries to take up two more and the last eight will be taken by Commander Radox, Commander Kouichirou-san, some of Chevalier's Pandora teams, and some of the Uzumaki staff."

"Thanks," Minato said with a nod as Gengo frowned.

"Radox?" He said curiously.

"Yes," Chiffon nodded with a neutral expression before turning to Naruto. "You don't know this yet but footage of the previous Nova Clash has been reviewed and your little skill was shown to those who were there, at the time, in the oversight positions."

"Skill?" Obito asked as Naruto chuckled a bit.

"It's my half-completed Maelstrom Circuit," he explained as he handed Menma to his mom who raised a brow.

"Maelstrom Circuit?" She looked confused as Minato cupped his chin.

"... Rotation, you condensed the energy within your fields by rotating it, somehow, right?" He considered and Naruto choked along with all the other teens while Obito hummed.

"That makes sense, on principle, energy from Freezing condenses. So I'm assuming that you also can increase the capability of your techniques and sensory abilities by engulfing yourself in this energy," he considered.

"... Why are you two so smart?" Naruto asked with a dropped mouth as Gengo chuckled while Lucy looked intrigued. "What?"

"I'm starting to see where the 'genius' title comes from," Chiffon said with sweat falling down her cheek. "That was scarily accurate."

"Well, I can't say it's just pure conjecture," Minato said as Obito hummed a bit.

"I have to admit the same thing," he said, confusing the teens.

"What do you mean-de arimasu?" Rana asked. "I-It took Naruto-kun so long to figure that out!"

"..." Obito and Minato locked 'gazes'. "... Well, I administer that kind of effect to my own way of using Freezing," he said as he raised his hand.

In the air, the space began to distort as a faint amount of dark blue, almost black, hexagons swirled slowly.

"Wait, you can also do stuff like me?" Naruto asked as he brought his hands together and focused.

Soon enough, he was encircled by a familiar rotating ring of energy, confusing Lucy as she walked towards him.

"It's gonna have some shape-" Naruto made to say only for Chiffon's 'sibling' to grasp the ring. "?"

Gold lines ran up her arm before touching her shoulder, the hybrid's eyes widening as her eyes rimmed gold.

She let go before looking down at her hands while Naruto became alarmed.

Chiffon grimaced mentally, bumping his shoulder unknowingly to everyone else.

"She… took some of my energy," he whispered and Chiffon sighed.

"There's a good reason for that."

"This is your technique, you said?" Su-Na wondered with a frown as she looked back from Lucy's shocked expression to Naruto's ring. "You rotated Freezing energy, was it?"

"Well, kind of? I mean, you guys know, don't you?" Naruto asked and Gengo nodded as the doors to the elevator opened. "Using Natural Energy, I can bring Freezing back to its origin, I guess. It's energy, at the end of the day."

"... Hmm, I'd like to talk more with you all, after these three days of demonstrations are over with. Is that acceptable?" Gengo asked Kushina and Minato who frowned in unison.

"I take it you're going to tell us about how this has been interacting with the world?" Kushina wondered as Su-Na crossed her arms in thought.

"I should actually bring you guys up to speed," Naruto said with a hand rubbing the back of his head, deactivating his technique.

Lucy shivered as the energy faded away from her, leaving her to look at her hand in confusion.

'My body…' It'd been so warm and different before. 'Simple rotation?'

No, this was a mix of that and this Natural Energy, he'd said.

What was it?

As the group moved to their rooms, Obito hummed.

"And you said that you had some kind of idea like this?" The masked man asked his former mentor who chuckled.

"Well, yes, I can't do the things Naruto can do, I can only take what I could glean from him and apply it in my own ways," he said as a Freezing hexagon appeared a bit away, several rotating hexagons spiraling around its space. "That said, what I came up with, I'd call-"

His form vanished from within the group's midst, shocking the blonde and Obito dumb while Gengo, Chiffon, Eugene, Su-Na, and Lucy balked.

'No, that shouldn't be possible!' Gengo couldn't believe what he'd just been witnessed to!

"My own special kind of Freezing, my Hishimoshin (Flying Frost God)," he explained with a grin as Kushina chuckled.

"... I-It's different," Chiffon stuttered out, confusing the others. "I… I have a skill similar to that," she said as she vanished in a blur of hexagons, appearing next to Minato who balked before observing her. "My skill is called Illusion Turn. It's my personal form of Accel Turn."

"Hmm but it's different, fundamentally, right?" Minato considered as the group came over. "The way normal Accel is done is by storing up kinetic energy in the form of Volt Textures. This allows for Pandora to reach speeds that dominate the speed of sound… but yours is different, there's no sound, no vibrations in the floor, no movement, is there?"

Chiffon's mouth fell as Gengo stared at the father of two in total shock.

"I also have a degree in a few fields of science, Gengo-san," Minato said with a smile and a chuckle. "Well, I also have the extra advantage of sensing where she is and she didn't move, she simply went from there to here… Almost like teleportation?" He tried her and Chiffon coughed.

"... Your perception, understanding of physics, Pandora, and just general energy is too amazing to ignore," Gengo realized with a whistle. "Even if I don't end up on the side of the project, I wouldn't be against supporting you so we can talk at lengths about subjects not meant for normal ears."

"Hmm, I have to assume that Naruto is involved somehow?"

"Him, you, I, and most things connected to stigmata," Obito explained. "It's an odd situation, you wouldn't believe it if someone just told you."

"Hmm," Kushina tilted her head with her eyes closed, humming. "If Naruto's involved, I would like to know what's going on."

"Sounds like we're in," Minato said as Naruto chuckled, Chiffon humming as she looked at him. "I hope we can truly help one another."

"Your son already has in ways that I can't be more thankful for," Gengo said as they clasped hands. "For now, though, I'm sure that we should actually get settled in. I do have to tell Alfred when to bring the bags."

"A-Ah, right, well, here are your rooms," Chiffon said with a nervous chuckle as Naruto smirked.

"Yes, the legendary 'I've been caught off-guard' Chiffon-nee! A rare sighting."

"With you, I'm surprised that's not normal."

"... Oh right," Naruto cupped his chin as his younger sibling grinned.

"Naruto-onii-chan's clueless a lot of the time," he declared as Kushina laughed outright and Minato chuckled.

"I'm not, I just take some extra time to figure stuff out," the blonde countered as Eugene smirked.

"Is that what you call being slow?"

"Eugene, I can slow you out a window, want to try it?"

"The ground loves me though, seems kind of cruel."

"Oh, I'm sure I can correct that."

---

After they all got their things situated, Alfred wearing an exasperated expression as the group sat atop the roof of the repurposed dormitory on a large set of lawn equipment.

"So, you all are just too curious," Gengo began, a hum on his lips as Obito poured them all some tea. "Ah, thank you," he sipped it and hummed as warmth filled his veins. "What is with your family? Not just you but Obito as well. Where are such individuals coming from?"

"Well, I wish I could tell you but it's really just a case of things being odd," Minato said, telling the truth in such a way that it could mean many things. "I grew up in America."

"Italy," Kushina said.

"I grew up in China for a bit," Obito said with a shrug as Su-Na hummed. "I was born there but didn't stay when I learned of the Chevalier organization. I moved throughout the countryside before meeting a man who'd been visiting. That was over ten years ago."

"You grew up in China-de arimasu?" Rana tilted her head at him as he nodded. "I'm from Tibet, Nakartse! D-Did you grow up near there?!"

"Hmm? No, it was closer to the cities than the actual countryside, sorry," Obito said with a chuckle, mask on the side of his head just in case. "That said, it's interesting to think that I'd meet you like this."

"It is!"

"Hmm, that's another thing, Rana-kun," Gengo said. "You don't happen to know anything about a man by the name of-"

"Ono Yuuta," she completed for him and his eyes widened before he sighed. "Yes, he was a kind person who came and helped my sister but… things didn't workout-de arimasu," Rana said with a hand rubbing the back of her head.

Naruto laid a hand on her shoulder before blinking at Obito.

"That's ridiculous," he said, causing Gengo and Rana to raise their eyebrows. "Well, it's very coincidental. The fact of the matter is, Ono-san is the one who helped me get into the field of stigmata."

"He did?!" Rana said as Naruto chuckled. "Y-You know him?! W-What happened?"

"Well, I told you, I was traveling the countryside. We met one day while I was working at a diner for money," Obito explained. "We chatted and I told him about wanting to join Chevalier. He gave me a few tests and sent me a recommendation."

"So you're that youth he spoke of?" Gengo realized in shock. "Ono had told me about someone he sponsored some five odd years ago, a young man from China. I didn't think it'd be you, though. This was around the time we learned of the Type-Maria."

"I was born into a dysfunctional family that broke apart so I not only had a Chinese name but also no actual education. I not only got my name changed but also had to go through the schooling system. Thankfully, I was able to skip most of the middle school items. It was after I started going to a trading school for Chevalier that you sponsored me."

"That's unfortunate," Gengo said with a sigh. "I question if you had been there if things couldn't have changed for the better."

"Sadly, some things don't work out," Obito said. "So, yes, that's my origin. I met Su-Na under Gengo's employment and we have been partners ever since," he added as Su-Na wore a neutral expression but blushed still.

"Hm, hm, I'm glad things worked out for you," Kushina said. "So, how did you two meet?" She asked with a gleam in her eye as the two in question chuckled or coughed embarrassingly.

"I'd rather tell you another time after this whole thing is over."

"Yeah, you're aware of my existence, now, you better."

"... Right."

Naruto laughed as Rana giggled, Chiffon chuckling while Eugene smiled.

"Hmm, onto other topics then?" Su-Na asked with a slight pout. "How is the demonstration going to be displayed?"

"Well, we're going to set several forms of exercises," Minato explained. "The way these suits are made is kind of… well, let me explain something else about Naruto's method of Freezing," he said, gaining the group's attention. "For those who've been going to school with him, have any of you ever noticed any form of hexagon-patterned equipment?"

"Yes, his gauntlets," Eugene said with a thinking frown.

"Well, there's a technique that Naruto can use, that he calls Isolated Freezing," Kushina explained.

"... Oh, yes, like Obito-kun," Su-Na noted as Obito nodded. "And it leaves his pattern on it?"

"Yes, and more," Minato explained, getting a raised brow out of Obito. "Think about it, whenever Naruto, and I, by proxy, do it, we leave this pattern, surely it's doing more than that."

"It's compression?" Obito wondered as Gengo's eyes narrowed in thought.

"...Not just that, is it?" Minato smiled at the authority on stigmata's words. "You enhance the bodysuit with your energies, not just that but you can make the material as thick as possible and still make it as thin as a piece of leather, can't you?"

"Hm, hm, you're a smart man," Minato said. "Yes but it's also enhanced by the way the material is compressed more than you said. Those hexagons create a mini-anti-Freezing field."

"Grk!" Obito, Gengo, Su-Na, Chiffon, and Eugene choked. "It what!?"

"It's a case of it literally being full of our energy," Naruto explained as Chiffon shot him a look. "When the suits are fully patterned, it can't have Freezing used on it because it's like a complete field, in itself. Add on that my mom added in several forms of pressure point techniques-"

"And we can increase even a Limiter's parameters while giving Pandora a better chance against a Nova's field," Kushina said with a grin.

"T-This is!" Gengo didn't know what to say.

With everything that had been revealed to him, t-this changed everything!

"... How?" Lucy finally spoke, getting a chuckle out of Naruto whom her gaze stayed on the entire conversation. "Surely this energy would fade away… yes?"

"Well, the way we use Natural Energy," Naruto began. "The way we make our suits is by enhancing a field of them for a week, every day, seven days, eight hours… It's kind of weird but it sort of has the effect of pulling in the energy, itself, on its own, even if it's only enough for the 'field' to stay."

"..." Gengo considered this information. "... Does this work on machinery?"

"Well, you'd have to do it piecemeal," Minato explained. "So, say if you were building a machine, you'd have to do it piece-by-piece, it's not really viable if you're trying to mass-produce anything."

"Haa," Gengo looked saddened by this before his face reformed with determination. "But your clothing, it's viable for mass production… Minato-san."

"It is," he said as Naruto perked up, Rana shooting him a look.

"Something amiss-de arimasu?" She asked and Naruto hummed.

"No, the investor guys are heading this way, a pair of them are already in the building with Kim-sensei," he explained, Gengo and Lucy observing him.

"... Naruto-kun," Naruto tilted his head. "If your parents are fine with it, I'd like to see if you can't do something for Lucy and Chiffon."

"... I mean, I'm fine with it," Naruto said as Kushina chuckled. "What's up?"

"... With your agreement, Minato, there are things that will need to be explained, in the future," Gengo said, getting a curious frown out of the blonde father. "But, Naruto, I want to see if you can't fill your Soul Energy into Chiffon and Lucy."

"... So that is what it is," Naruto considered as Rana blinked and Chiffon nodded.

"... Oh, right, you weren't sure before-de arimasu."

"It's true, Naruto-kun," Chiffon explained. "You were correct when you originally thought about it as life force but the correct term is Soul Energy."

"... I see," Kushina said with a frown. "Mina-kun and Naruto always explained it to me and I felt like it was correct. Whenever they use their Freezing fields around me, it's like I can tell where they are no matter what, their very beings are on display."

"... Even the mother, huh?" Gengo said with interest. "... Type-Marias are more in-tuned to the fields, that makes sense."

"Oh, right, you're a Type-Maria like me, right?" Rana asked and Kushina chuckled.

"Yup, it's something that kind of caused me a little trouble growing up," Kushina said with a nervous chuckle. "Whenever it was brought up, I was always confused about why people considered it so important."

"Your situation is an almost impossible phenomenon," Su-Na explained. "You are born with stigmata and that just doesn't make logical sense… but it does in other ways."

"More of this information you'll be telling us after all this?" Minato asked.

"It is," Obito said. "Naruto, how much longer?"

"They're already on the floor beneath us," the blonde said and Gengo hummed before getting up.

"Alright then, we should postpone this for a later time. It's only, what, 2 pm?"

~NRK~

In the cafeteria, Naruto nodded to the approaching Yu-Mi, Elize, and Sister Margaret.

"I hope things are going well for you all," the headmistress said with a hum before smiling as she looked at the now-standing Kushina whose arms were out. "You never change, do you?"

The redhead embraced her and the nun hugged back.

"It's been so long, Margaret! Why I think the last time we saw each other was that one after-battle party."

"It's truly been too long," the brunette said with a chuckle before looking at Minato and the boy next to him. "Ah, you've another child. I'm sure Naruto mentioned it but it truly slipped my mind."

"Nice to meet you, ma'am!" Menma said, black locks falling as he bowed too much.

"Easy there," Minato's hand pulled the boy back. "And, before you ask-"

"Why does he have black hair?" Margaret asked with a smirk as Minato snorted.

"He's in his rebellious phase, he doesn't like not having a unique hair color like his mom."

"I'm a clone! I have to stand out," the boy said confidently as Rana chuckled.

"I know what you mean. Naruto-kun looks like his dad a lot," she said and Minato sulked, much to Kushina's amusement.

"Hmm, it's been some time, Su-Na, Obito-kun," Elize said with a whisper and grin as the masked man chuckled. "Hmm, you really took to this mask thing, didn't you?" She asked with a chuckle as Obito reciprocated.

"It's served me well," he said as he nodded to Kim as the three sat down. "What of you two? Is teaching everything you two thought it'd be?"

"Ugh… it varies," Kim said as Su-Na raised a brow. "Satellizer used to be a problem child but ever since our Blonde Wonder over there came," she began, pointing at a grinning Naruto. "And Kazuya-kun, she's probably one of our most normal students, crazily enough. It's kind of concerning."

"Well, it's good that she found a friend group who could do good for her," Margaret said as Minato chuckled.

"Satella-senpai only really needed friends she could be around, honestly," Naruto said as Rana giggled. "You'd be surprised how weird she can be, actually. Literally before the Nova Clash, recently, she, Kazu, and the others entered an eating contest for a gold Weiner dog trophy! And Kazuya said she was all about that."

Yu-Mi sweatdropped. "She was?"

"She sounds like she has good tastes!" Kushina said with shining eyes. "Why, I'd have loved a little trophy dog!"

"And so, she also has 'refined' tastes like Ms. Bridgette?" Gengo asked with a smile. "Why, what a discovery."

"Hmm," Lucy's eyes looked at chuckling Naruto, head tilting slightly. 'What kind of human is he?' She didn't know.

In the short time, she'd even spent around this young man, she'd been witness to odd things that may very well prove useful in helping their cause.

She'd seen how his father may have some form of movement similar to Chiffon, her sibling. She'd learned that his family's understanding of the world around them was greater than they ever could have imagined.

Lucy Renault had learned more about humans in such a short amount of time that it was fascinating to think she'd not even spent a day with someone like Naruto Uzumaki.

"So, Naruto-kun, how do you want this information to be dispersed?" Elize asked curiously as the group was served by some of the temporary hired staff. "Have you even considered how you'd want this to happen?"

"... Do you have any ideas?" The blonde asked after a moment of thought that didn't give him any answers, rubbing the back of his head as his friends laughed. "Yeah, didn't think this needed to be more complicated than just releasing this onto the web, no?"

"It'd probably be better to actually have those who'd be most affected by this new information," Gengo said as he was graciously given some wine. "Hmm," he sipped and smiled as Obito and Su-Na rolled their eyes while Chiffon giggled. "Yes, this information doesn't really have much use outside of Chevalier, anyway."

"That's not wrong," Kim said with crossed arms. "If anything, perhaps sending this report to all the Genetics academies across the globe would be a good idea?"

"Ya know, we probably should have put these on the school website," Rana said with a finger on her chin. "Ever since learning about it, I've been trying to use it a lot! It's so much information."

"... Yeah, actually, that sounds like a good idea," Elize realized with a smile. "I think that, for now, we should simply send this information to as many Chevalier officials as possible and let them stew on it for a week before putting it on the global website."

"Sounds fair," Obito said as Su-Na crossed her arms.

'All of Chevalier knowing…' Would this impede on their plans?

Su-Na wasn't sure if that was even possible, especially since Gengo's ideas had been pushing up the timetable, so to speak.

With Obito's newest addition to the Pandora regimen, Gengo had already begun messing with the Plasma Allocator to see if he couldn't find a strength beyond even plasma with the increase in attacks.

"Are you going to demonstrate those techniques as well?" She asked as a pair of people came over and sat down with them. "... Ah, Nobuhiro-san," Su-Na said as the man nodded, sitting next to her.

Atsuko smiled at Obito as she sat next to Rana.

The seating arrangement had been odd in this case with, from Naruto's side to Obito's, it was Atsuko, Rana, Naruto, Chiffon, Eugene, and the blonde's parents with their other son while Obito's side began with Nobuhiro, Su-Na, Obito, Gengo, Kim, Elize, and ended with Margaret.

A table full of odd ones.

"Long time no see, Kamui-kun," Atsuko said as Obito wore a now shaky smile, Su-Na's pupil-less eyes narrowing slowly. "Oh, Suna-san, I'd say the same."

"Yes, though it hasn't been that, long, Ko-san," Su-Na said with a grunt as Atsuko's smile tightened.

Obito cleared his throat. "How is everything, Nobuhiro-san?" He asked the leader of Seiga with a nervous grin as the others raised some very amused eyebrows at what had taken place. "Things going well with that project?"

"Hmm… hmm, yes, with some of your insight, we've been capable of actually increasing the number of the results," Nobuhiro said with a nod. "If anything, we're approaching that rather out-of-reach quota I had at first but now it seems possible. With this, I'd actually like to ask for a license for one of your Plasma Allocators. Especially with some of the interesting things Namikaze-san has requested of us."

"Whoa, talk about hitting it big," Kim said with a hand rubbing the back of her head as Obito chuckled. "Geez, it's like everyone around me has gone on to become world-famous lawyers and I'm a school teacher."

"Don't think so little of teachers," Naruto said with a grin. "You help people like me actually shape up, you might want to think of it like that instead of comparing yourself to other people. No one gets anywhere that way."

"Hmm, so the wisdom flows once more," Yu-Mi said with a raised brow before shrugging. "That said, you're not wrong. I sometimes forget that I really have a hand in just how crazy some of the kids here can get… but I wish they were more cooperative in the past. At least they're better now. Thanks by the way," she said with a smirk as Naruto chuckled along with his parents.

"Hmm, Minato Namikaze, yes?" Atsuko asked Minato who nodded.

"And you're Atsuko Seigi," he said before looking at her grandfather, their blue eyes locking. "Nobuhiro Seigi. I'm glad you could make it," Minato said as Nobuhiro hummed.

"I'm still curious as to why you'd want that dummy, it's still being tested for the new capabilities."

"Its new ones are nice but I just need a physical demonstration," Minato said as Kushina shook her head as Menma tilted his own. "It's going to be put through several tests and I need something that can move, attack, block, and is heavy."

"You seem prepared," Su-Na said.

"Yes. Kushina and I have already come up with the tests we want. If anything, Rana-kun, Chiffon-kun, I'd like you both to be a part of this," he explained, surprising the two girls while Gengo hummed.

"... Ah, a baseline and the highest level, right?"

"Got it in one, Gengo-san," Kushina said. "With them as the examples of decent Pandora, we can truly show how our product works."

"I still can't believe it, Minato," Nobuhiro said as Minato chuckled. "I know what your product's main purpose is but are you sure this is the direction you want to go?"

"Yes," the man said with no doubt in his voice. "The fact remains that things are going to get dangerous. Literally, only a few days ago a Nova Clash hit and it's been, at best, a year and some months. If we're to protect humanity, giving ourselves as many advantages is the best bet," Minato said as he nodded to Naruto.

"Hmm… So, are you going to reveal what Naruto has done at the school since he's been here?" Obito asked and Kushina nervously chuckled as Menma smirked.

"Onii-chan's beat them all, wouldn't that make us look good?" He asked his parents as Naruto chuckled nervously, Chiffon grinning next to him.

"M-Menma, bro, let's not get someone too excited," Naruto said as Eugene and Rana snickered.

"Hmm, well, you and I are going to be sparring soon," Chiffon said with a grin as the Gengo and Seigi groups looked surprised.

"Um… Is that wise?" Atsuko asked with confusion. "I mean, he's a Limiter."

"... Right, you probably don't know this but…" Kim began as Naruto chuckled. "It's likely going to come up but Naruto here has already fought several of the Pandora here at West Genetics," Nobuhiro looked alarmed. "... And he's won every fight with them, having beaten up to Arnette Mcmillan, the Rank 4th of the third years."

"W-What?!" Atsuko looked alarmed while Su-Na crossed her arms in thought.

"Chiffon's informed us of what you've accomplished up to this point," she said to Naruto who nodded. "It's impressive, make no mistake, I didn't think a Limiter could actually fend off a Pandora in the high ranks of the colleges."

"Thanks, Suna-nee-chan," Naruto said as Obito chuckled at Su-Na's blinking expression. "I've gotta get stronger to protect my precious people. Besides, fighting things out is, usually, the best way to talk things through," he said with a grin as Su-Na's expression shifted into one of deep confusion.

"... You're not a sociopath, are you?"

"What?"

"He's not, Sunali," Obito said with a shake of the head at her confusion. "Even I enjoy fighting well enough, you don't think I'm a sociopath, do you?"

"..."

"... Su-Na you didn't answer my question," Obito asked nervously as his partner scratched her cheek.

"... Kamui-kun, you and I are far different from normal people."

"That's not encouraging," he said with a flat tone as Margaret laughed. "Honestly."

"Su-Na seems to have gained a lot since she left," the headmistress said as the Pandora in question blinked, confused before Obito chuckled.

"Well, I wanted her to," he said with a grin. "It just took some time."

"Hmm, hmm, so it seems."

"... Hmph," Su-Na pouted the slightest bit and the two chuckled. "So, he's a powerful fighter."

"The Maelstrom Circuit is something I recently came up with," Naruto explained, confusing the Seigi duo. "Oh, uh, well. It's a technique I made to increase my abilities," he explained, raising his arm and a ring appeared around his wrist.

"... And this is?" Nobuhiro asked.

"... It seems like an energy ring," Atsuko noted from beside Rana. "If that's the case, how does this affect your abilities?"

Explaining his technique, the two looked rather intrigued.

"Pushing it back to its original state?" Atsuko hummed. "If that's the case and you're manipulating it, you're controlling several levels of condensed energy in a ridiculous manner… Hmm."

"Atsuko, this information is going to be revealed sooner than later," Obito explained. "There'd be no time, especially since they have their own business to work on."

"And that I've been working out a contract between us," Gengo said and Obito's eyebrow twitched as Nobuhiro's eyes slowly narrowed. "Perhaps if you'd been earlier, you might have secured some kind of part in this."

"Is that so?"

"H-Hey now, let's not fight amongst ourselves," Kushina said with a smile. "Besides, being sponsored by the Seiga Heavy Industries is bound to be good for our products. It wouldn't be such a bad idea to try and package test suits with some dummy Nova, ya know?"

"... Hmm," Nobuhiro raised a brow at that as Gengo pouted, much to Naruto's amusement.

"We're all in this together," he said.

"Hmm, tell me, Naruto-kun, these demonstrations are going to be rather short, aren't they? You're testing out your wares but what's the end goal?"

"Well, I think you're underestimating what we've got," he said, surprising her a bit, gaining a curious gleam from Gengo.

"Wait, did you not tell me everything?"

"Hm, hm, you know what it is, old man," Naruto said as Obito, Chiffon, Eugene, Margaret, Elize, Atsuko, and Kim snorted. "But you're not in on every part of it."

Gengo cupped his chin in confusion, postulating everything that had been told to him by this point.

"... What could it be… Hmm."

"It's going to be a rather unorthodox idea but I know many will come to like it," Minato said. "It's probably more in-line with what Kamui has done recently but a bit more to do with our special skills."

"... Ah, I see," Gengo considered that. "Well then, it'll be interesting to see what kind of demonstrations you'll be capable of giving."

"Ones I hope most see the intent of."

~NRK~

When 4 o'clock hit, the Uzumaki family stood off to the side as the event took place in one of the Simulation rooms.

Naruto hummed as he put on his auburn gauntlets before donning some orange pants and his black ninja sandals.

That was it, for now, as they were supposed to be showing the Limiter Suit's capability outright in the open.

Next to him, Rana blinked at the band-like brace on her right bicep, wearing a black tank top, black shorts, and blue ninja sandals.

… "You've already started taking his shoes, huh?" Kushina asked with a grin as Rana blushed before laughing.

"They're so comfortable-de arimasu!" She answered as Chiffon pouted off to the side.

"Naruto-kun, give me a pair!" Chiffon whined in a similar outfit to Rana, a brace also on her right bicep but in black boots instead of sandals. "Come on, be a pal!"

"What, no!" The blonde said as he attached a white mask with a blue hexagon tint on it. "I only have three pairs, dammit!"

"Stingy!"

"Hmm, alright, the way things are going, we're good to go," Minato said with a smile as his youngest observed his sibling.

"Looking cool, Naruto-onii-chan," the faux brunette said as Naruto chuckled. "Does it feel weird, anywhere?"

"Nah, I can feel all the points that used mom's techniques," the blonde said as he clenched his hand. "I feel so loose, light, I can tell this is going to help tons of people."

"Hmm, I wonder how these will play out," Chiffon wondered as Kushina and Minato nodded.

The two wore some more formal wear for the demonstration, being dress shirts, slacks, and dress shoes.

"Alright," Minato nodded before pulling a remote out of his coat as Nobubiro came up to them, nodding. "I guess this is going to be a bigger event for both of us."

"Yes, it will," the man said with a smile as Minato pressed a button and a dummy Nova at the opposite side of the group sprung to life. "We're approaching a point where we might be capable of using the dummies against the Nova. With all our efforts put together… w-we might actually be capable of putting them on the backfoot forever."

"I hope so," Kushina said softly as she looked at the teens who chatted amongst themselves. "With this equipment, we all want to make it so the clashes can be fended off with more ease."

"If I may have your attention," came Margaret's voice came over the speakers around the area, several flashes of cameras from some of the paparazzi by the bleachers against one of the walls of the room. "Thank you, today or this week alone is going to be a big change in how we're going to look into the development of Pandora and Limiters with the help of the companies Seiga Heavy Industries and Uzumaki Arts Production. In a few seconds, there will be several files sent to all our potential benefactors within the Chevalier organization. This is information that has been provided by the heir to Uzumaki Arts Production, Naruto Uzumaki, with the help of our resident doctor, Elize Schmitz."

All in the audience pulled out their phones at that exact moment.

---

"Hmm?!" Kouichirou's eyes widened at the videos, notes, and wording used for Naruto Uzumaki's Freezing techniques?! "T-This is-!" He stuttered in shock.

The blonde's fights with the student body were on display on all devices.

Each technique the boy had shown, his fights, his teachings, training for the students, and so on before they arrived at his 'fabled' video that Chevalier was still confused about.

"..." Radox's eyes narrowed as he looked at it all, the Pandora bodyguards at his sides blinking or talking amongst themselves.

"So he's capable of beating the third years?"

"It's not that impressive, is it? They're still students."

"But so is he. And it says that he was valuable in defeating the latest invasion of the Nova Clash!"

"... Does this mean that he could teach the Limiters to be as strong?"

Radox frowned at the questions.

'He's changing the status quo,' he considered as he looked at the notes before blinking at one specific part.

"Ms. Lindman!" Came one of the others. "W-What is this piece of information? Natural Energy, I'm confused! Is it really being said that this boy can manipulate an element of everyday life?!"

Many were waiting as the question was asked while others looked at what the man had been talking about.

---

Margaret looked to the side as Naruto and Minato came forward. "These two in question will inform you," she said as Minato nodded, pressing down on a mic on his collar

"The answer to your question is a bit more complicated than one might believe," he said as Eugene came over, him and Naruto nodding to one another. "When it's said that we manipulate this energy, it's not energy that, well, anyone in the world truly understands… What we're about to tell you is going to sound rather esoteric, ridiculous, but it's the truth."

"What we're using is the energy that surrounds all living things," Naruto continued, flashes of cameras ignored. "It's not a simple thing and only me and dad can really do it, so far. Through intense meditation, we can use energy that comes from the world itself," he said as he raised his hand.

The ring of energy that sprung around surprised some but then the intense flash of golden energy getting several yells from the crowd.

The blonde boy's burning gold hand clenched as he nodded.

"This is Natural Energy mixed with Freezing that returns it to its pure energy form," Minato said. "Of course, the current form of it you see is part of a technique, the final stage of the Bijuu Cloak Version 2 that should be in the files you all have."

"What can this power do?!" Came the question of Kouichirou Sasagami, the commander of the East looking excited and curious about this new energy.

"Well, before I show it, we'd like to explain stuff about Freezing," Naruto said.

They explained what they knew of it outside of the Soul Energy bit that Gengo was appreciative of being left out.

"It condenses on principle," Minato continued. "What my son and I have done is return it to an energy form and added rotation. It doesn't get more complicated from that starting point. Now for demonstrations, while you have it in your files, this is a more powerful state than what was accomplished. Naruto, go on."

Naruto nodded before raising his hand at the wall behind them.

The gold flashed and a crater the size of a two-story house appeared within the wall's depths.

---

Radox choked, eyes wide in shock. "What?!"

Kouichirou's mouth simply dropped as the Pandora around them choked.

"T-This power?!" He stuttered in confusion before balking. "And this power… Is it teachable?!"

Gengo, meanwhile, blinked at the statement that had been made.

"It's more powerful than the normal version by at least fivefold," Su-Na noted in some shock, looking from the video playing on her phone and the live demonstration. "The completed form of this power?"

"... Perhaps," Gengo said as he looked at the files he'd personally requested of Elize and Margaret, Naruto's body diagnostics. "... And I think it can still go further than this," he whispered to the two.

"His files, you mean," Obito said as he looked at the diagnosis files on his phone. "It's over 80% of his body… What will occur once it's 100% is the question, isn't it?"

The two nodded.

---

"As for teaching it, it's possible but kind of weird," Naruto said with a nervous chuckle as he rubbed the back of his head before turning to Eugene. "You're up Eugene-senpai."

The crowd blinked at that before Eugene's arm and eyes glowed gold.

The uproar got a wince out of those in front.

"What does this mean?!"

"Are you saying that you've taught this to Eugene Alastor?! Are there others?!"

"Um, yeah, I did," Naruto said. "If I'm counting them all, I've done this ritual with like nine other Limiters."

"Can he do the same as you?" Came a question that Naruto chuckled at.

"Well, Eugene doesn't have the Power-Type abilities," he began, confusing the group. "Okay, to explain this, what's going on with Eugene isn't just me training him. I kind of, sort of, passed on power to him that I can use. With everyone I've done this with, specifically, there were two types of people."

Eugene's fields shot out to the other side of the walls, forming over the entire group of their audience.

---

"There are Power-Types and Linker-Types. One can use long-range abilities while others have more power-focused ones."

---

Gengo was alarmed.

"He just… connected with all of us?!" He realized in shock.

Sure, the file had explained something to that effect but the sheer range on that instant connection was outrageous!

"I-I see," Su-Na swallowed as Atsuko choked behind her. "... The magnitude of such skills could easily change the field of battle!"

Radox, a bit away, clenched his hands as his eyes locked onto Naruto Uzumaki's grinning face.

'He's dangerous,' the fact that he could 'gift' these skills was problematic. 'Nine others with Eugene Alabastor's inclusion. That can't just be given out all willy-nilly! We have to ensure that only Limiters of Chevalier can get this first and foremost!'

Did this foolish blonde not understand what he was doing!? This should have been given to the Chevalier the very moment it'd been established!

Kouichirou's eyes shined with possibilities. "So, these two types, what have you gleaned that they can do? And you say you can give Limiters these abilities with little issues?"

---

"I mean, I don't think it's really a compatibility thing," Naruto said with a hum as Eugene chuckled.

"The ritual used simply matters on Naruto-kun, himself, from what I've seen. There's no real limit we've seen yet. It's just him passing on the power that he's gained over the years," the dark teal-haired boy explained over his microphone.

"Yeah, it's not really a thing about compatibility as far as I know. I just need to know who you are as a person before doing it," the blonde teen said as Minato hummed. "As for the difference between the two types. Well, we wrote it down," Naruto said as Eugene nodded, working his phone.

The audience received the group's notes as Naruto kept going.

"The difference is pretty night-and-day. While Linker-Types, the name for the long-range type, can spread out their fields and connect with others more easily, Power-Types have more control over the strength of their fields. One of my senpais could use his field to slow down the attacks of one of the dummy Novas while my other friend was capable of using the thing I did to the wall and turn it into a compressed slicing attack. Another one, a Linker-Type, told me about how he worked as his Pandora's second eyes for a fight during the fight with the Novafied Pandora. There's so much we're still trying out and skills we want to perfect. It's just beginning."

Many clapped at that as Naruto embarrassingly rubbed the back of his head while Minato and Eugene chuckled.

---

'He's a menace,' Radox held his head in his hands before looking back at the files again. '... All these skills… but only ten of these boys know of them outright?' The idea of such a small test group was disgusting. 'He needs to be reminded that the world at large is at stake.'

If he could convince the boy somehow, he'd need some form of incentive, something that he sought.

Everyone was weak to a vice, this kid looked like he could be convinced. He was just a kid, after all.

Kouichirou cupped his chin in thought before turning to him. "What do you think of him, Radox? This young man seems capable beyond normal understanding. He's powerful and has passed on his teachings as well! This could be the real edge we needed to deal with those Nova!"

Radox threw the man a flat expression. "You seem to forget this boy is just throwing around information that should have been submitted to Chevalier the first moment he got them, he's ignorant."

"Hmm, aren't you being a little too cynical about it?" Sasagami asked with a frown. "The fact remains that he likely had no idea how this all worked. Even with Maria Lancelot, we literally had no idea how anything about her worked until someone, with experience, could explain it to us."

Radox's hands clenched as his gaze moved to a bit away where a white-haired man clapped with a chuckle.

Gengo Aoi, that son of a bitch… Did he have something to do with this?!

Radox's black eyes darkened before his head fell, clean-cut black hair in view.

'The boy has to be looked into,' he concluded. 'Chevalier will not be on the backfoot because of that man again!'

---

"Hmm, I'm glad this went over so well," Minato said with a nod and chuckle. "I'm glad that this will also work in tandem with our new wares."

"That correct, isn't it?" Kouichirou asked once more. "This seems to have gotten away from us."

"Little issue with that, that's also what this week was for, to explain all the new options we have," Minato said, confusing the audience. "The fact remains that there's more to see, talk about, and explain. Today, we're also here to show off the Uzumaki's new product for the battle with Nova," Naruto nodded as Kushina, Chiffon, and Rana walked over. "I've always felt that, with how things have gone, the equipment our Limiters and Pandora needed to be updated," he explained.

"So we entered the field of creating new equipment meant to improve the capabilities of them. So, we want to introduce the new line of not just Pandora Suits," the crowd began to grow in volume. "But also the newest battlefield clothing for Limiters, our Limiter Suits," Kushina said as she gestured to Naruto who activated his Freezing field, lines on his attire glowing.

Rana and Chiffon activated their Volt Textures before sending that power towards the bracers on their biceps.

Their forms were covered by a glow before it pulsed away, leaving them in new attire.

It was a thin-looking white top that seemed to be a cross between a cowl, hoodie, and qipao. The long sash on the front came down to their knees and, the back sash fell to the back of their calves.

Over their legs were skin-tight black pants, with their shins covered by white shin guards, while their feet were covered by metallic-looking, high-heel, ninja sandals that were white in color.

Over their faces were ANBU-esque metal masks that were a bird, Rana's, and a dog, Chiffon's while both sported fingerless gloves.

Over their chests, biceps, thighs, and the back of their gloves were metal plates that secured to their bodies and bore the Uzumaki crests on them.

When it was done, the crowd looked confused.

"I can tell that you believe that it looks light, yes?" Minato asked and Radox frowned before standing up, arms crossed.

"It does but the Chevalier uniform wasn't of unfamiliar confusion in the beginning… That said, the field of Pandora Suits is welcomed… yet your Limiter Suits don't seem as impressive," he said honestly.

"Thank you, Commander Radox," Kushina said. "And, yes, it can seem rather unassuming but the effects of the suits are their specialty," the man looked interested.

"How so?" Kouichirou asked as he, too, stood. "The basic knowledge of Pandora Suits is that they improve a Pandora's physical capabilities. Do these do the same?"

"Yes, as well as adding on extra defenses. If you'll notice, the suits have a sort of hexagon pattern on them."

The crowd looked and, yes, there were faint patterns of such a thing on them.

"What do they do?" Radox asked.

"Well, they act as powerful defenses. Rana-chan, Chiffon-chan, please hold out your arms," Kushina asked.

The two did as asked.

"Now, use your Volt Textures."

Rana and Chiffon looked at one another before nodding.

When they focused their Volt Textures towards their hands, the crowd, and they, balked at the sight of a growing hexagon.

It grew until it reached the size of each Pandora in height, rotating slowly in front of them.

"I-It's a shield?!" Radox stared in disbelief, hands falling limp at his sides. "How!?"

"That's a trade secret," Minato said with a chuckle. "Can't very well just release that kind of information so openly."

That bastard, Radox found his distaste, and yet respect, for Minato Namikaze growing with that line. He seemed far more seasoned than his son.

"These shields are for the sake of giving all Pandora some form of protection against attacks from Nova," the redhead continued. "With how Nova are, especially with the tendrils of the Type-S being so fast, if they can't raise their weapons, their Volt Texture can be used to save them. Especially when it comes to the recent changes that the Nova have made."

"Yes, they have parasite-like abilities now," Kouichirou admitted with a grimace as the paparazzi flashed him with their cameras. "Haaa, sadly, we don't have a big defense against that yet."

"Neither do we but this can be a start," Minato said.

"It's appreciated. Now," the Asian man's eyes gleamed excitedly. "Surely, you have demonstrations to show us, yes?"

"Hm, hm, of course," Minato said with a grin as the group of three turned to the dummy Nova. "While this would be a good test to see Naruto's skills in action, it's better to have the suits do their thing. Naruto will take up the Decoy position with Rana-kun as the Striker and Chiffon-kun as the Finisher, is that okay?"

"I'm good," Naruto said as he slammed his fist into his palm while Rana slammed her fists together, her Volt Weapons springing to life, as Chiffon grinned.

"I'm fine with my position-de arimasu!"

"I'm fine as well," Chiffon said with her arms crossed.

Minato nodded as he, Kushina, and Eugene moved back. "Sister Margaret?"

"One moment," she said as she pressed a button and the room shifted.

Where metallic walls were before, now the area was in the form of an industrial sector, large buildings stringing about the place with the audience atop a building that was ten stories tall while Minato's group were on atop a bakery-like building's roof, Naruto, Rana, and Chiffon in a large clearing below with dusty ground beneath their feet as the dummy floated a third of a football field away.

"Naruto-kun!" Minato called out, throwing something at the blonde who caught it. "Have to look the part, yes?"

The blonde teen looked at the fox mask in his hands before chuckling and donning it, the item glowing as he did.

"Alright, time to take down a Nova," he said, voice clear. "Ready, Rana-chan? Chiffon-nee?"

"Yes," the bird-masked girl said.

"Indeed," the dog-masked hybrid agreed.

"The Nova is set towards fifty percent," Kushina declared to everyone. "So it's going to be a good show to try and defeat it."

---

"This is bound to be fascinating," Gengo said as his group, plus Atsuko, peered over the edge of the building they were on. "If these three can handle the dummy like this… It'd prove that these wares are beyond necessary."

Lucy's mind was still back on the shields the two had been capable of making.

"I believe we should just ready that contract," Obito said with a chuckle as Atsuko grinned.

"Especially if they can do it with this dummy type," she said.

---

"And… GO!" Minato announced as he pressed a button-

The three vanished from their spot as the Nova's tendrils crashed into their starting point.

"It's faster!" Naruto declared as the three of them skidded back against the floor, completely fine. "Follow my lead!"

He blurred forward with the Pandora behind him as the Nova's tendrils recovered before shooting out at them.

A moving orange field sprung up around them and the group jumped atop the tendrils before running up them.

"Chiffon-nee!"

Chiffon grunted as she raised her hand and brought it down on the tendrils, her clawed gauntlet gripping the bladed whips and keeping them under a rather tight grip.

"Rana-chan!"

The Tibetan girl's arms raised as she and Naruto jumped, the blonde's own arm raised.

They brought them down, crushing the offending limbs as the dummy receded what had been left.

"To the right!" The fox-masked blonde said as the dummy's appendages swung around at speeds faster than Double Accel.

They dodged with a stumble at first before they began to do so with ease.

---

"He's a good on-field commander," Kouichirou noted. "If I'm right about his skills, he can sense the enemy's move before it even makes it. Add on that he's using his field as a sort of instant messenger and he can, in real-time, give commands that they can follow!" He said excitedly.

Radox understood that much, his eyes on the dodging three. "They're dodging with ease, as well," he noted with a grunt as the three tore through the tendrils once more. "And they're handicapping it the moment a chance presents itself."

It was a good strategy that relied on their cooperation to be at the highest level and they did it with ease.

'That boy… I may need to revoke some of my distaste,' he was good on the battlefield, it seemed. 'More on-field commanders wouldn't be the worst thing.'

The more people who could react like him would be a boon.

---

They were approaching the base of the Nova as they tore through its 'arms'.

A flash of thought hit him and he nodded at Chiffon who reciprocated before breaking off, disappearing behind a building before he felt her signature climbing it.

"Rana-chan," Naruto said and she nodded before the two of them danced around a set of tendrils before he caught a pair slipping towards Chiffon. "Nope!"

His arm raised mid-jump and the burst of Freezing slammed the two tendrils off target before the blonde's wrists and ankles became encircled by his Maelstrom Circuit Version 1.

Newly named!

He kicked out at a tendril before using it as a spring to jump high and finding himself at the Nova's chest level.

Rana followed suit, climbing the Nova's body in bounds, before reaching his height.

The blonde threw his arms out and large blasts of Freezing fended off the tendrils around them before he rotated and slammed a kick into Rana's feet, the Pandora aiming them at him.

"Hit it hard!" He shouted.

The short burst of speed sent her at the Nova's chest, her arm reared back before a spiral pattern of Volt Textures appeared on it.

"Enga!"

Her fist made contact and the heat exploding around the Nova's chest tore it apart, cracking it open as the girl landed on the broken hole before kicking out.

"Chiffon!" They shouted in unison.

"Honestly, those two," Chiffon said to herself from her rooftop before her body glowed with power. "Really are the best!"

She exploded off the building's roof, body lighter and filled with power that she giggled at.

Her arm became covered by one of her Volt Weapons before she slammed her fist into the exposed core, destroying it in one move.

The force exploded out the back of its chest as she kicked off to fall towards the ground.

She chuckled as she landed by her friends, the three hi5ing as the dummy fell back onto the floor with rumble.

"Mission success!"

---

Gengo let out a breath as Su-Na blinked. "Not bad… really not bad," he said with a smirk.

Atsuko grinned as Obito chuckled.

"A resounding success, yes, Atsuko-san?" The masked man asked and she grinned.

"Amazingly so!"

"..." Lucy's eyes looked to the defeated dummy before going back to the group, Naruto her main focus. 'A commander?' The idea hadn't been rare in her mind. 'A commander-like existence that enhances his allies.'

She considered him in terms that they could Maria, the messenger. If that could be done then Naruto was a 'commander'.

Radox crossed his arms as the dummy's colors faded away and their high-rise 'bleachers' began to lower to the floor.

'Coordination, power, speed, reaction time, and the right person for each job,' Radox considered as Kouichirou whistled next to him. 'Are they not third-year students, at best, in level?' He had a worrying feeling that someone was holding shade over his eyes.

They were too coordinated, were they not? Where had this power come from? This blonde's abilities changed the battlefield for those three, alone, and made it so they circumvented 30% of a Nova's true power?!

"So this is the power of this so-called Natural Energy?" Kouichirou considered, resulting in a grunting sigh from Radox.

'That's right, they had said that this little power that they could use was a part of all this,' still, how convenient that they could handle such a power right then and there. '...' His eyes narrowed before going to Gengo and they widened at the man's smirk.

That son of a bitch had to have something to do with this!

---

"Outstanding work, you three," Kushina said with a grin as the three came back to them, removing their masks to reveal their own grins. "Hm, hm, I can tell you all are pleased with yourselves-dattebane~"

"I feel so light-de arimasu," Rana said with shining eyes as Naruto grinned, arms folded around the back of his head. "I could reach speeds that I could only do with our Ereinbar Set, Naruto-kun."

"It is pretty interesting," Chiffon said as she looked at her clawed gauntlet. "Especially since I've finally gotten to use that little idea you gave us," she said before humming at the pain she felt beneath it. "Ooh, that smarts," she said.

"... You hurt yourself, didn't you?" Eugene asked with a hum as she removed her Volt Weapon for them to see that one of her fingers had twisted oddly. "... Damn."

"Hold on," Naruto said as he hovered his hands over hers, Maelstrom Circuit Version 1 on his wrist.

The gold light flowed over her hand as Gengo's group came forward with Radox right behind them.

"Hmm, right, this healing skill of yours, yes?" Gengo asked as they saw him healing Chiffon's hand, the man looking at her slowly moving back into normal place digit. "What did you do?"

Radox's eyes locked onto the healing skill. "What is this?"

"That's my healing skill that I can do with Natural Energy," Naruto explained as he removed his hands, Chiffon flexing her digits before smiling in satisfaction.

"Thank you, Naruto-kun."

"No problem," he said before blinking at Kouichirou's adjusting of his tie, Margaret's chuckling motions getting a raised brow out of the blonde. "... Sup."

"Nice to meet you, young man, I was curious if you wouldn't like an abroad program in your second year?" Sasagami asked excitedly as the blonde rubbed the back of his head. "Understand, it'd just be a year of seeing what it's like at East Genetics."

"... Hmm," Naruto cupped his chin in thought. "It does sound interesting…"

"It's an idea-de arimasu," Rana said before placing a fist against her chest. "Wherever he goes, I go!"

"Of course!"

Radox's eyes narrowed at the healed Pandora's hand. "This is also a skill from your energy manipulation?"

"Um? Yeah," Naruto said. "Like I said, Natural Energy is the energy of the world we live in and it helps improve natural abilities. So healing is totally doable, I'm glad I got it-dattebayo."

Raising a brow at the boy's verbal tic, Radox shook his head. "Hmm, is this capable of being passed on?"

"That, we don't know yet," Margaret said as she came over. "As has been noted, this is only a recent discovery… well, a lot of the other things he can do, anyway."

"Yeah. And, honestly, I feel like if anyone's gonna get that skill, it'll be the Linker-Types," the blonde boy said as Minato nodded.

"That'd not only make sense but be ridiculously useful. Having such a healing squad would be an amazing, on-field, advantage," the father of two said as Eugene chuckled.

"I hope I can get such a skill, someday," he said as Naruto grinned, throwing him a thumbs-up.

"We'll still be learning, after all!"

Lucy looked at them all, eying Naruto's grinning face with consideration.

'... I want to talk to him,' she realized after some deliberation. 'He's so odd, I believe I need to have him explain himself.'

It wasn't polite, she knew, but she was feeling kind of overwhelmed.

"Hehe~" Atsuko grinned as her father nodded. "That was amazing combat data for the new Type-S dummy," she noted as she wrote down something on her clipboard.

"New?" Gengo and Radox asked. "What do you mean?"

"Hm, I told you, Gengo, with Kamui's insight, we've been capable of pushing our projects further," Nobuhiro said with a grin as the two looked confused. "That dummy Nova has the ability to go to 70% of a Nova's power. As we speak, we're seeing the possibility of 75%."

Gengo and Radox's eyes widened in disbelief.

The former's shock couldn't be measured. '... No, this makes sense,' he realized.

With Obito's eyesight, the man can see energy in ways that no one could, what if he was also capable of seeing how the Will performed energy construction?!

He and Obito locked eyes and the masked man shook his head.

Not here.

Radox, meanwhile, found a form of impatience building in him at the assembled groups.

Kamui, name unknown, the newest breakthrough in Volt Texture technology.

Su-Na Lee, former first lieutenant, former most powerful Pandora in Chevalier.

Nobuhiro and Atsuko Seiga, the second-highest leading in the field of dummy Nova and generators. They were supposed to show some new projects in the coming month. Not just that, the head had just implied Seiga Heavy Industries could make dummies that could almost copy a Nova's true power!

The Uzumaki Arts Production, the creators of these new Pandora Suits and Limiter Suits who had a son that was making a large wave by creating what was already murmuring in the crowd.

Absolute Frost Skills, High-End Skills for Limiters captained by none other than Naruto Uzumaki.

All this was too coincidental to fall in one school, was it not? Surely, strokes of luck happened… but this went beyond strokes of luck.

'Last I checked, Nobuhiro had a distaste for Gengo,' and the man, while not speaking amicably, wasn't also hissing at the man's presence. '... What does this mean?'

This entire situation was so fortuitous that he was actually hesitant to do anything only for him to note Gengo's laughter and something within Radox tightened and grew cold-hot.

'You've done something and I won't let it stand,' he thought to Gengo as Naruto explained some of his techniques to Obito and Minato. 'There's a way through to everything, all I need to do is find it… and the boy might be my key.'

~NRK~

That's done.

So, we've covered the vacationers and I'm hesitant to really touch on Satella's whole situation, especially those of you who know what I mean.

Like… Damn, I am WAY too uncomfortable trying to navigate the craziness/madness that is Louis's 'Arc' and 'forgiveness'... If I had to, though, I'd have to lower the abuse she gets from sexual to actual physical abuse because there's no fucking way, even then, to make him come out of that without being in jail.

That said, I'm probably going to just summarize it once the current arc is over with. The changes will be there but I'm not going in-depth with that fucking arc, God no.

So, let's talk about Radox here because I also have no love for him like damn near everyone else in this fandom.

So, in this situation, where he knows that Gengo wanted first seats to this event, he learns that not only does Naruto come out of the ether to change how they view things but these Limiter, and Pandora, Suits come out at this time alongside the Seigi's new product when these are the same company who hates Gengo as much as Radox does.

Add on that Naruto is the son of the producer of these suits who's amicable with Gengo.

This whole situation, in another story, would have been sketch as FUCK and he has every right to be paranoid. This is so perfectly aligned, after a NOVA CLASH, that it'd be crazy, even if it is, to think this wasn't set up in advance.

Like, I don't like the guy but, even in the manga, he's right about Gengo most of the time and here we see that. It's just that he doesn't have the whole picture and is too hardheaded to think whatever this is would be benign.

Now, he wants to try and get information out of Naruto which is going to be an… interesting conversation… for him, not our friendly blonde.

Naruto's about to, unknowingly, possibly, stomp all over what Radox believes in and it's going to be GLORIOUS.

Ciao, see y'all, later.

Words: 17k

~NRK Out~