Welcome.

Happy 4th to all U.S. readers, and to everyone else, have a great day!

To all reviewers that I have not gotten to yet!

I will get to you today, devoting the time!

When I returned to writing, Fox of Remnant was meant to be my last story. A final farewell, so to say. Suffice to say, it has not been that as I've continued to write more stories since. But in the first few months, it truly was meant to be that and felt that. But something happened close to Christmas time. I started to get this urge to continue to start writing more and started to act upon it a little bit, writing two concept ideas in Torn to Oblivion and From the Shadows of My Heart, A Naruto/Genshin and a RWBY/Persona crossovers. But still, I wasn't sure that I wanted to really continue writing after Fox of Remnant. so they were just that.

So funny thing was it was this time the person that stories I found the most inspiring in what I was looking for, randomly and for some reason unbeknownst to me, reached out and made contact with me. The author of Primrose, Blazeraptor54. Honestly, humbled me as we talked and got to know each other, I felt my drive burn brighter than ever before. It kept pushing me to want to do more. To improve.

And as his stories got better and he came out with a new updated version of Primrose, which I think you should check out called Primroses and Nightshade around the same time I released my Neo story and have been friendly rival stories since. With him not having the best this last month, when he does get to his next update (for those do follow, give him a nice welcomed return) and those that haven't, go check it out.

You are missing a great story. I honestly started reading it, and well, partially through it I had to stop and start WildFlowers as I just have my own drive and can't ever stop.

So before we get to the next chapter...

Got a response for the Guest that had the post about guns.

And I'm going to paraphrase what I said to Blaze about it.

Basically, yeah, I now saw that one panel in the entire manga, and then they never showed back up again. So my thought on it was it was most likely something added in as it was early, and he wasn't sure what the tech was supposed to be in his own universe at the time.

It's why you never see one show up in another panel ever again, unlike other forms of tech. Mangaka often don't know their entire lore early in their series, (and oh we know that is true in this case if you look at it) and they aren't set, so it wouldn't be surprising if it was put in there, and later, Kishimoto realized it was a mistake and why you never see another one.

It also breaks the illusion of the world as it would be a weird weapon to see amongst everyone fighting with kunai and shuriken.

Now with that response out of the way.

Enjoy.

"So satisfying…" Naruto sighed contently, three bowls perched on top of one another, a massive grin stretching from ear to ear, patting his stomach. "Could use another, but…"

Blake mewled on the other side of the table, wiping a few pieces of rice from her lips. "Much as I would like to, I think it would be in bad taste. He paid for our dinner and did help us, so he wasn't as bad as I thought. I only question his motives when we were faced with danger…"

"Huh?" Naruto raised an eyebrow and puckered his lips, tilting his head at Blake. "Nah, what he did was pretty normal. My senseis did that all the time. He was only making sure we could handle ourselves and would have intervened if he didn't think…"

"That's not good enough!" Blake snapped, her eyes glistening before she let out a small click of disgust. "Whatever you think and say, I didn't feel safe, and that does not excuse that kind of behavior! That was an Alpha Grimm, one that has lived for a long time and has gotten stronger because of it. And that was the first time I actively hunted Grimm like that, and wasn't sure of myself. I didn't know what to expect and…"

"I apologize." Naruto could see Blake was resentful with what happened and could feel something was troubling her. "Guess there is a lot I still have to learn, and I didn't take that into consideration. From now on, I'll give you my word that I'll do my best not to leave you in situations where you are vulnerable. If you feel uncomfortable with something, let me know. Might not always get it, but that's just the way it is sometimes! Got to listen to one another if we're gonna figure things out and work together."

Blake's face fell, taken back by how quickly Naruto put the blame onto himself even when he wasn't entirely at fault. Yes, they needed lien, and they could have done something more reasonable, but…

To hear him say those words. After hearing a little about him and some of what he would do…

What that meant…

"You would… Give your word? Just so I feel more secure?" Blake tilted her head, a peculiar expression overtook her features as her ears sagged. "I didn't ask for that… That's too much. I don't want to be a bother…"

"What bother?" Naruto beamed before shaking his head. "Mah, if you weren't ready for something, you aren't ready! Simple as that! Sometimes things get too much, even when you are skilled enough, and you get too in your head, and everything weighs you down. I get that! Happens to me more than I care to admit! I fight through it all the time, but I know others aren't me and get bogged down and have a harder time, so I understand!"

Eyes shot wide, and her body went rigid. It was so odd hearing those words. After so long of being put into intense situations, one after another, as it was demanded of her… For the betterment of the White Fang…

Of Faunus rights…

To hear someone say they struggled with similar issues, whether they were or not…

Was comforting.

Her cheeks flushed as Blake looked down and away, shaking her head. She couldn't find the right words. Didn't know how even to respond. What could she even say to that? He was still a stranger to her, even if she started to get to know him a little better.

Well, an acquaintance was a better term, she supposed. He might call her a friend with his terminology, but she couldn't…

So how could she respond to this? She really shouldn't be trusting him at all! Blake barely met him a few days ago on death's door, and now they were partnering together mostly out of necessity. She knew she could get by on her own…

"It's getting pretty late. We should probably head out. Got a decent amount of lien. Maybe we can stay somewhere instead of an abandoned warehouse tonight. Could go for a shower right about now." Naruto mentioned, interrupting her thoughts and stretching his arms out, grimacing at the stump of his right arm before muttering to himself. "Still feel it too. Like it's not even gone at times…"

Blake's face sank, and her ears depressed, hearing his murmur after agreeing with his earlier statement. She was about ready to take up an argument after his perverted actions didn't make her feel all too supportive of such an idea, but they were dashed as she glanced at his arm. After seeing what little she had seen of him in action…

What could have caused him to lose his arm? To be left in the state he was in when she found him? What he had shown today wasn't just skill…

It was an extraordinary power that didn't make sense…

"Naruto," Blake solemnly spoke, unable to look away from the table as she did before gaining the courage and finally looking up into his eyes as she asked the question. "It's okay if you don't want to answer this one. I'll understand, but… How were you in the condition you were in when I found you? After what I've seen, and it's clear you aren't at your best and have been holding back, what could have left you like that? Taking out an Alpha Grimm the way you did is unimaginable, as I've never seen or heard anyone move like that before with a simple jump. Maybe a Semblance, but then you used another ability in the process, and then you have those orbs and…"

"Okay, I'm really beginning to think we have a fundamentally different understanding of what chakra is." Naruto chuckled softly under his breath.

"What is chakra? Is that another word for aura?" Blake tilted her head, her ears perking in confusion, gazing at Naruto, who, for the first time, had the same stupified feeling Blake had been experiencing the entire time with flipped onto him. "Is that what you meant by bloodline limit earlier? Does your home have different words for Semblance? But you clearly do, as I've seen so many different things that don't add up!"

Naruto choked on his spit. He then looked upon Blake with wide eyes, unsure how to process any of this like she had been unable to process how he had been throwing things at her. And as his brain cell fried from overload, he saw a button in his head.

A big red shiny button labeled EJECT.

He pressed the button.

And got up and started walking for the exit without a word.

"Don't you leave me here! Hey, what's with the silent treatment? Cat got your tongue?"

Nighttime made this city feel like a different place.

It wasn't a bustling place during the day, at least to what he believed it should have been, as he thought it would be more populated than it looked, but it was a ghost town at night. Konoha was more active, and it was a smaller place than this city. He had to wonder what was wrong and why he felt there were fewer people in this place than he thought there should have been.

Not to mention, he could feel the shades moving at night…

And that wasn't a good thing.

Naruto heard the crime boss was giving Huntsman fits here, but to think it might be this bad. He was thinking of returning to that board and looking up a few more names of criminals…

Do a spree of hitting the town and nabbing a few big-name crooks. Rewards would be nice and all, sure, but…

If not many people weren't coming out of their homes at night, something was off. Or, again, was there more to this than he realized? Did this place have different cultures or something?

It was all too confusing…

Just like this gadget in his hand that he had no clue how it functioned!

"Stupid thing… Map! Where is the map?" Naruto grumbled as he could barely interface with the touchscreen feature, having to be shown several times how that worked. "If we don't find this place…"

"Which is why I've been leading us." Blake humorously grinned, hiding her scroll behind her as her eyes glinted at the scene before pointing over at a building that looked like a budget hotel. "I believe that is what we are looking for… Seen better, but it will do. Just no… Nothing like this morning."

"I cannot promise that." Naruto held up his hands defensively, wincing, seeing the dagger-like gaze being sent his way. "Look, let's just say it has been a part of my upbringing, and I've had a more than healthy interest in female anatomy. Found a certain orange book when I was little, which now I own the entire set thanks to my master being the writer of the series and a world-renowned super-pervert. Not to mention my sensei is an avid reader of the said smut, and I've just been around perverts all my life!"

Hissing deep within her throat, repressing the urge to play into his game, for she knew that was what he was aiming for, Blake restrained herself. Instead, she calmed herself, crossing her arms over her chest, and turned her head from him. "Being a writer or a reader of smut does not make you a pervert. Doing what you did this morning does! Don't get it twisted. That won't fly in the room, and I will kick you out if that happens, understand?"

"Good on that front. Can't operate this thing to do that even if I wanted to!" Naruto grinned and made Blake stare at him flatly, not sure if she wanted him in the room with her or not. "Besides, who said reading or writing made them perverts? No, master was a self-proclaimed super-perverted that peeped on women and taught me how to do it better, I suppose, and sensei openly read those books in public and even mocked us while in training. Kind of funny now that I think about that…"

"You were taught to peep on women!" Blake bristled, her ears spiking upward and her hair pointing on end. "Wait, better! You were doing it before! You vile cretin! How dare you think that was acceptable? That's something a twelve-year-old would do!"

"I was twelve!" Naruto shrank from the shrieking cat girl, petrified of her and wishing she would just hit him as it would make him feel better about the moment. "I was younger when I started! I think ten, maybe? I don't know! I think that was that old when I found the book and wanted to learn more about women, and the book had a scene like that in it, so I thought it was okay! Found out it wasn't, but that never stopped me, but that was my pig-headedness for ya… Don't know when to quit."

Blake's demeanor dramatically softened. Her eyes were wide, her mouth agape, before bringing her hand up and holding it to her chest. "You were that young? And you were exposed to that kind of material without it being explained? Why didn't anyone tell you?"

"Mah, I was an orphan, and no one really cared about me but the leader of my village at the time. And he didn't want to explain what it was to me after I stole it from him. Probably was really embarrassing to admit to others that I learned about it because he left it on his desk, and I took it…" Naruto slowly stood back to his full height, recognizing he was standing at the same size as her even if she did have some decent-sized heels on her boots…

And with her ears, she was technically taller than him, even with the spikes in his hair with her heels!

"Oh, I didn't know that you were…" Blake looked even further, dismayed and astonished, before looking away. "Sorry, I shouldn't have assumed."

"Don't apologize. It's not something I told ya! How could you have known? So no worries!" Naruto flashed a grin. "But I guess I probably shouldn't be doing either, so I will do my best not to indulge on my old ways! Even if they did almost save the world…"

"What?"

"I'll tell you about that another time," Naruto's grin increased as Blake fumed after hearing that statement, wanting to know more as Naruto turned to the hotel, his goal set on getting a room for a night.

That was a story she needed to know!

Remnant was in peril!

Was that why she found him in that state?

Was that why he was so freakishly strong? Had such weird abilities that didn't seem to make sense when combined together? She needed to know the answer to the question! Something inside of her was screaming at her to get the answer, wanting it!

Desiring it! As if it was key to explaining everything!

"Wait, get back here and explain…"

"So, you read smut?"

"What?" Blake stopped in her tracks, her eyes wide in peril as her face went scarlet as Naruto turned and faced her before balking at him. "W-What gave you that impression? No!"

"Mah, that sounds suspicious." Naruto kept a toothy grin before shrugging his shoulders and turning away. "Was just curious after how you defended those that read and write smut earlier. Saying they weren't perverts earlier. It sounds pretty defensive if you ask me. Well, whatever."

"Got some books if you're interested." Naruto waved as he headed back toward the hotel, ignoring the fuming and flushed Blake as she twitched behind him.

Was he her playing again? Trying to break her and stoop her to his level! It was so frustrating!

Or was this a genuine offer? Him just being friendly and offering her a book to read… A naughty one but a book nonetheless!

Ugh! She couldn't understand him! One minute they could have a heart-to-heart, and the next, he was cracking wise and taunting her! Or doing something impossible? Or didn't know anything or…

What was this enigma known as Uzumaki Naruto?

And why was she so damn curious?

What was this feeling that kept pulling her toward him?

And why did his scent seem so familiar, yet she couldn't recognize it?

"Mah, told you I wouldn't peep." Naruto held up his hands as Blake exited the bathroom, then scowled and muttered under his breath as he dropped his right arm and glared at it.

Her ears twitched as she could hear his murmuring. She could only sigh at the scene. Putting on a smile, she closed her eyes and nodded, placing her hand on her hip. "You earn a point this time around. Still got some work to go."

"Woop-woop! I'm at one, so that's a start." Naruto chuckled as he scratched his head. "Now, how much for a passing grade, as I'm pretty bad at tests? Like, notoriously bad. Don't think I've ever passed one that wasn't a physical grade…"

Snickering and rolling her eyes, Blake settled her vest and leggings down onto her bed. While she felt somewhat exposed, she could tell he wasn't leering at her and joking around as he had been. So while uncomfortable, it was tolerable. She would be certain it would be worse for him if men, at least most men, had the same issues as women. Well, some did get leered at quite often, and with the body Naruto had, he might have those lookers too…

If he wasn't so short. She knew he was roughly around her age, maybe a little younger by a year, but he was much shorter than the average male height in Remnant by a few inches for his size. Most guys her age were almost six foot, if not taller. So it was just odd, and maybe more normal around where he was from?

Sighing and shaking her head, she hopped on her bed and took a seat. "Sorry for taking so long. Water might take a little bit to warm back up, but it felt so good…"

Hearing the purr in her voice, Naruto held back a chortle by biting his lip. "I can see that. Must have been purrfect."

Instead, it came through his voice and earned him a death stare, and then he let it out, causing Blake to only scoff at the blonde and look up through the ceiling. "Oum, help me with this one. I'm going to kill him."

"Well," Naruto stood up slowly, stretching his back. "I would say I get some fresh air and do a short exercise in the meantime, but the air here isn't really fresh…"

"Why don't you watch the holo-vision?" Blake blinked as she pointed over at the dresser and a small box placed on top of it. "Who knows, there might even be something on the news about one of the criminals you took notes on?"

"The what-a-vision?" Naruto stared blankly at Blake, and her horror had only just begun. "It sounds like you just mixed television with something from those sci-fi shows I used to watch all the time when I was a kid. What was it again? Um, yeah! That's it! A hologram!"

"Oum, help me! This is basic technology!"

"How?" Blake rubbed her temples, having stepped outside as she left Naruto to take a shower, slipping on her vest and legging, and sitting on the rooftop of the hotel, staring longingly at the moon. "How does he not know anything about the basics of modern technology?"

As she watched the moon, noticing the full moon cycle had ended and tonight was the first night as it was shifting into its broken cycle, a few fragments becoming visible on the right-hand side, Blake exhaled deeply. Even with the normally calm sight of the moon usually gave her, she was disturbed.

How was he so clueless? Didn't know anything about what should have been basic knowledge?

She would have had them test for amnesia if they were at the hospital, but he seemed capable of recalling everything, so that wasn't it. Something else was the issue, and it bothered her. The moment she picked him up and began carrying him, and he didn't recognize what her scroll was or how to use it, something should have tipped her off.

Even the older generation knew how to operate a scroll. That was old tech, even if new, more modern ones were constantly being updated. With the Cross Continental Transmit System made following the Great War, the first models of scrolls were made even if they were primitive by today's standards and were only updated throughout the years. So for someone not to at least know how to know of one…

"I don't get it." Blake bit her lip, ears lowering as her eyes shimmered in the limited light, glinting and shining as she could see every aspect around her perfectly. "You don't even know what I'm talking about when I bring up concepts like Aura and Semblances. Don't fall under the same rules when fighting, as your abilities seem too varied for it to be a Semblance…"

"Who are you, and where are you from, Naruto?" Blake asked no one in particular as she looked out onto the moon, praying for an answer but knowing she would not get a response.

She didn't expect one. He didn't want to talk about it.

And she understood. He was lost and didn't know where he was. What reason would he have to tell his secrets to a stranger?

She wasn't telling hers to him. So it didn't feel fair to press him only when the subject arose, and they often did. Eventually, something would have to give, and an answer would be given, but that would take time.

And she supposed that was why he wasn't pushing her either. If he could feel people, what did that mean exactly? He seemed to know when she was distressed or upset, finding a way to uplift him in some manner. So did that mean…

"Ah, here you are!" Naruto's voice chirped, most likely seeking her out and having found her using his said ability to feel people's presence. "You doing o… What in the world?"

"Naruto?" Blake's head bolted upright, hearing his tone shift, and she instantly knew something was wrong as she could see his eyes flickering.

Something had terrified him! She could see that! But what could bring the usually so jovial, so uplifting personality of Uzumaki Naruto to such terror at a single glance?

What was behind her?

Feeling her spine-tingling, she leapt to her feet, turning and looking toward what he was gazing at to see what he was freaking him…

"That is the moon?" Blake glanced back at Naruto, her eyes glistening in confusion as she faced Naruto, worry strewn as her lips furrowed. "Naruto, you are frightening me. What is wrong…"

"That is not the moon…" Naruto shook his head, not believing what he saw, seeing the shards of the shattered moon, his body quivering. "That can't be! What happened? That's not what the moon looked like! Not at all! It was never shattered or broken like this!"

Blake went rigid. Her ears stood on high alert, her hair standing on end. Her teeth clashed uncontrollably as her eyes vividly focused on the enigma that was known as Naruto, as a cold shiver went down her spine.

It finally dawned on her why nothing made sense about him.

Why he didn't know anything about things any person would know.

Anything basic about Remnant.

It was because he wasn't from here. No, not from Vale. He wasn't from Mistral, Atlas, or Vacuo. Definitely not Menagerie. Any bandit tribe or people trying to live outside of the system.

He, by all purposes…

Was an alien. From another world.

And he was standing before her, confused and unsure how he arrived here.

She didn't have an answer either, as she simply smelled him and found him near death. Like something was pulling her toward him and had been pulling her to stay by his side to help him adjust…

"This can't be!" Naruto suddenly, and to Blake's surprise, burst into a golden glow with a light black tint to his chest area, and…

Her eyes could believe what she saw as the wind whipped around her, barely able to stay on her feet.

This wasn't like when he jumped earlier to take out the Alpha Nevermore! No, he didn't even move a muscle in his legs!

This was flight!

He had the power of flight!

Why was he flying straight to the moon?

"Naruto!"

This couldn't be real. This had to be fake…

An illusion!

Yes, that is what this was! It had to be!

Was all of this just some elaborate illusion? Did Sasuke's Susanoo fail, and was everyone caught in Madara's infinite Tsukuyomi after all?

Was all of this just some ploy by the Uchiha to keep Naruto trapped within the illusion? Make him believe that he was under his thumb?

Naruto didn't understand, but he knew he had to get to the moon! If he did, he could see the reflection! He still had these powers. He might not have the Rinnegan that allowed Sasuke, along with the Tailed Beast powers, to reflect from them, Kakashi, Sakura, and Obito…

But he still had the chakras of the Bijuu. Maybe he could do something…

Find a way to break out of the illusion!

It was getting tight on his lungs. He had long since left the atmosphere, and he could see the shattered remains of the moon getting closer and closer. He didn't think about it, but could he survive here? He wasn't struggling as hard as he thought, but the weight around him was a little uncomfortable…

That glow. Was it…

Just the sun's shine? He couldn't feel anything radiating from this shattered moon. There was definitely a presence…

Something powerful had been here at one time, but it was long gone. Its trail had gone cold. But there was no other trace of anything. No remnants of chakra, natural energy…

Nothing.

No…

There was no reflection? No illusion?

That couldn't be! No! This had to be an illusion! There was no way this was real! He couldn't be somewhere else…

Where was he?

Why was he here?

What happened to Sasuke?

What happened to him?

Tears dripped from his eyes as he gripped his temples…

This was reality, not an illusion.

He was here now, wherever here was.