Onward with another chapter!
Disclaimer: I don't own "Naruto" or "Percy Jackson The Olympians," they belong to their respective owners.
Going to the Stars
Naruto hummed to himself softly as he finished creating another seal. He had just finished the last chapter of the book.
Turning the final page, Naruto smiled as he finally accomplished being a so-called 'seal master' according to the book. It was difficult, but he felt his knowledge of seals was light years apart than when he first began.
The train they were on continued on the tracks, hitting the occasional bump along the way. Everyone else was asleep beside him, so he decided to finish up his Fuinjutsu book.
"Hm?" Naruto thought in confusion while looking at the book. The back of the final page had a seal spread along the page,"What's this?"
Channeling chakra and hearing a poof, Naruto was surprised to see a scroll plop on his lap. He sealed up his book and opened up the scroll.
"It's from Amaterasu-sama!"Naruto thought in surprise while reading through it.
It read:
"Dear Naru-chan! If you're reading this, then you've most likely completed the book to the end! As a reward and respect to your skill in seals, I have provided a special technique within…"
Reading through the introduction, Naruto widened his eyes in shock.
"…the following contains theories on the Hiraishin as well as implementations you could use. I have attached your father's notes on the Jutsu. However, they are sadly incomplete. I provided you with as much knowledge on the technique that I could find…."
"My…my father used this," Naruto thought with a small smile. He didn't have anything connecting him to his father besides his looks, so this felt nice. He felt as if he could relate on some level with his father by using his techniques.
This made the blonde want to learn the Hiraishin even more.
Hearing a groan, Naruto looked over to see that Bianca was waking up. He sealed the scroll for now in his arm while paying attention to the hunter.
"Morning Bianca," Naruto smiled.
The girl groaned a few times before popping the knots in her neck. She turned with a tired smile, "Good morning."
Seeing as everyone else was asleep at the moment, Naruto decided to take advantage of this moment. He wanted to get to know the girl better.
"Hey, Bianca," Naruto said hesitatingly, "I know it's not my place to know…but why did you leave Nico behind to join the Hunt?"
Bianca's eyes narrowed into daggers before she sighed. "You're right, it's not your place to know."
Naruto stayed silent.
The hunter then stretched her arms out before looking at the blonde, "But if you have to know…I've been looking after my brother for years…I just want the opportunity to live my own life now…"
Naruto offered his friend a tired smile. "I see…so you know then? That the Lotus Casino slows down time inside?"
"I figured it out after we ran to this run-down train station," Bianca gestured to the structure around them, "It was brand new when I last saw it. That's why I took so long in the bathroom, I was catching up on history and dates."
Naruto raised his eyebrows in surprise. "So how long did time pass inside for you and Nico then?"
"If I'm right…" Bianca sighed with tired eyes, "…about seventy years."
"Seventy years?!" Naruto straightened up in shock, "That long? That's before World War II!"
"Yes…" Bianca nodded, "That's why everything seems so futuristic to me. Smartphones, plasma television sets, and other electronics weren't around before I entered the casino."
Naruto scrunched his eyebrows in thought. He never thought about the fact that Nico and Bianca emerged in a world full of technology that was foreign to them.
"I'm sorry I didn't get you and Nico out when I left," Naruto apologized, "We were on a quest at the time, and I didn't think about-"
Bianca waved him off, "Don't worry about it, I understand. Besides, we had only met so I didn't expect you to go out of your way for us."
The two settled into a comfortable silence as the train hummed on the track, with the sun beginning to rise. Everyone else was still asleep and resting from the previous day's adventure.
"Bianca," Naruto said seriously, garnering the attention of the huntress, "I made a promise to Nico to try and protect you. I just want you to know that he still cares about you…he loves you."
Bianca bit her lip while looking away, "I know and I still love him too. I just…I just wanted to live my own life for once."
She smiled before turning back to the blonde, "Besides, you don't have to protect me. I learned quite a few things under the Hunt and I'm pretty capable of handling my own."
Naruto chuckled, "Trust me, I know the power of women. I've been raised by them my whole life, so I know they can get scary. They especially hate it when you bring up their age." He shuddered at the thought.
Bianca giggled into her palm, "We are, just don't mention our age and you'll be fine."
Naruto then sported a small grin, thinking it would be funny to mess with the girl.
"Will do, Grandma!" Naruto said with a smile.
Bianca's giggles turned into a firm frown right away.
"GRANDMA?!" Bianca shouted with fury in her eyes, nearly waking up the other campers nearby.
"Yeah, grandma," Naruto shrugged with a mischievous look in his eyes, "Since you're technically seventy years old, you're old enough to be a grandma." He was joking and playing a small prank on the girl, trying to befriend the young huntress.
It didn't work.
Naruto laughed to himself, missing the glare in Bianca's eyes.
When the rest of the group awoke, they wondered why Bianca's knuckles were red and Naruto had a bump on his head. It also didn't help that he was slumped unconscious by the train's window.
The fury of women was a scary concept.
Later in the Day –Cloudcroft, NM
The group sneaked off the train while the conductors were speaking to the train station managers.
Prying open the doors from the inside was not a difficult task for Zoe as the led the group out. They walked around the area and realized they were in a remote location.
"So what now?" Percy asked while cracking his fingers.
"We continue West," Zoe answered sharply, "I cannot fail Lady Artemis in her time of need."
"Wait, guys!" Grover shouted suddenly while dropping the branch he was chewing on, "I sense something heading our way!"
Naruto focused on his Negative Emotion Sensing ability and also caught what Grover was referring to.
The group saw Grover suddenly take off out of town, so they decided to follow the satyr. He ran and ran until he was overlooking a mountainside. The camper sported a grin that reached his eyes.
Suddenly, a massive boar shot out of the cliff's side and sprang into the air. With a resounding thud, it landed on the dirt in front of them with a snort.
"I sense Pan's presence," Zoe claimed, shocking the group.
"Pan? As in the missing god, Pan?" Bianca asked for clarification.
"Yes," Zoe nodded.
Grover ran up to the boar and began to speak to it. He also spoke excitedly about Pan, which the board shook his head to.
"It's the Erymanthian Boar…" Naruto said aloud in wonder, "But why is it here?"
Grover looked behind him and smiled, "The boar says it was sent by Pan to help on our journey! He can help take us West!"
"And why would Pan care?" Percy wondered while looking over at his friend.
Naruto shrugged, "Not sure, but I'm assuming that Pan knows something about this that we don't. It's probably very important that we save Artemis and Annabeth for some reason that Pan knows."
Thalia then spoke up, "I don't like this… I feel like we're walking into something big…"
Naruto and Percy shared the same sentiment.
Meanwhile, Grover was just speaking with the boar excitedly while also trying to get any details about Pan's whereabouts. Unfortunately, the boar was contacted mentally by the deity so even he didn't know where Pan was. His mission was the only thing it was concerned about for the moment.
Seeing as they were waiting for Grover to finish his conversation before continuing, Naruto decided to walk up to the boar and scratch it behind its ears. He did have a soft spot in his heart for animals.
The boar squealed in delight while getting his scratches.
Zoe then walked up to the satyr with a stern look on her face. "Can the boar take us to Lady Artemis?"
"I'm not sure," Grover said nervously. "He said he could take us as far as possible. That means we would be riding him until his legs give out."
"Then let us not delay," Zoe answered.
Grover spoke with the boar for a few more moments before it responded in kind. One by one, each camper boarded the boar with care. Naruto even applied chakra to his legs so he wouldn't accidentally fall off the boar.
With a quick dash, the landscape around them turned into a blur as the boar shot off.
Grover rode at the front with a smile, happy to be surrounded by Pan's presence.
The group, minus Naruto and Grover, groaned as they slowly got off the boar. The journey was rather tiresome for a majority of them. It was a six-hour ride, which had been exhausting for the group.
"Where…where are we?" Percy said while shaking his head.
They had stopped at a rest stop in the middle of nowhere. Only desert, rocks, and cactus could be seen for miles around.
"Look," Bianca pointed out. There was a wooden sign hanging above the rest stop. "We're in Arizona."
"So we traveled about 500 miles?" Thalia said while being grateful she was on solid ground again.
"About," Percy shrugged.
Grover then walked over to the group as the boar vanished.
"He said that was as far as he could take us," Grover explained, "The rest is up to us."
"I believe we should make camp nearby," Thalia pointed to a nearby junkyard, "There are no hotels nearby, we're already tired, and the sun is going to set soon. We could sleep there and leave first thing in the morning."
Nobody seemed to fight against the idea.
"That's fine," Naruto said to the group, "Let's get going."
Before the group could move, a white limo appeared before their eyes. It went from empty land one moment to housing an expensive vehicle the next.
The driver-side door opened at a familiar figure walked out.
"Ares…" Naruto grumbled, reaching for his trench knives. The experience between them was not lost on the young warrior.
Percy also reached for his pen in his pocket, ready to draw Riptide at a moment's notice.
"Ready yourselves…" Zoe said lowly, also arming herself in case a fight broke out.
"What?" Ares shouted out with a crooked grin, "Nobody's happy to see me? I even went easy on both of you last time!" He pointed out while looking at Percy and Naruto.
Nobody responded.
Ares lost the smirk instantly, "Whatever, I'm not here to fight believe it or not. I have someone in the limo that wants to speak to the two brats here."
Almost as if on cue, the back window rolled down slowly. "Oh, Percy, Naruto, please speak with me separately!"
The smell of strong perfume rang out in the air. The voice on the other side was dainty, sweet, and soft.
"Uhhh…" Naruto blinked a few times in confusion. "That's all you man, you can go first." He patted Percy on the back in encouragement.
"Thanks…" Percy said blandly. He kept his fingers around Riptide while walking up to the window.
Ares stayed by the front of the limo with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face. It was clear he didn't want to be around at the moment.
Naruto directed chakra into his ears to hear the conversation. He didn't trust Aphrodite with her intentions.
The conversation revolved around Percy's dreams, which he found out Aphrodite was influencing. She changed his dreams to only focus on Annabeth instead of Lady Artemis.
Furthermore, Aphrodite warned not to take anything from the junkyard nearby as it was enchanted by her 'husband.' Anything taken would cause harm to befall the group.
Finally, once done, Percy walked away with a serious expression on his face. Knowing it was his turn, Naruto walked up to the limo's window. It cracked a few inches lower, making him see Aphrodite's face.
"Woah…"Naruto said mentally. He knew the goddess was beautiful, but her appearance momentarily took his breath away.
Aphrodite's appearance changed depending on what the person looking at them found the most desirable. However, she was currently taking the form she usually took around Olympus.
She had long, silky brown hair that shined brightly. Her eyes were a rich blue and her lips were a rosy red. Her facial features were symmetrical and her skin tone was of a lighter complexion.
"Hi cutie pie," Aphrodite leered at the blonde. "It's been too long since we last spoke!"
Naruto remembered what the goddess was referencing. "You mean back at the diner?"
"Yes!" Aprhotidte jumped in her seat while clapping her hands. "You remember!"
Naruto nodded, "Not to be rude Lady Aphrodite, but why do you need me?" He didn't understand her intentions.
The goddess's eyes gleamed with excitement and winked. "To be honest…I think I fancy you. You've grown up to be such a handsome young man and you continue to grow! I wouldn't mind you in my bed when you're of age of course."
Naruto's eyes widened greatly. "Oh…I'm flattered…but I don't think I-"
Aprhotidte waved him off with her dainty hand, "Yes yes, I know you have feelings for the goddess in the Underworld…"
Naruto smiled while also sweating internally. He was worried the goddess might make his love life a mess.
"Don't worry," Aprohidte continued, "I made a promise long ago to Rhea that I wouldn't interfere in your love life with my powers. She even made me swear on the ancient oaths… but she never said I couldn't seduce you outright."
Naruto almost took a step back, not used to a goddess being so direct. It was clear that if Aphrodite liked something, she went out and got it.
"If you ever need some…physical comfort," Aprhotidte pushed up her breasts with her arms, "Don't be afraid to reach out. I don't even mind sharing if you wish to take other females into your bed, just don't exclude me."
An atomic blush spread across Naruto's face as he strained a smile, "Of course, Lady Aphortidte. Thank you for that."
The goddess giggled before blowing a soft kiss his way. Her fingers landed on the limo's controls and her window slowly rolled up.
Ares didn't hear anything, but he was happy to be gone. Climbing back into the driver's seat, he took off in a flash of bright light.
"Man… that was something…"Naruto groaned in his mind.
"…that lady is troublesome…"the fox responded lowly. He could sense the goddess's charms even from inside the blonde.
The group collected themselves before camping out at the junkyard for the night.
The next morning was a quiet affair for the group. Zoe was getting more restless as time went on.
They had rested by some worn-out beds and rusted junk. It wasn't the most comfortable night, but it was enough.
As for Naruto, he was still reeling from the conversation he had in the morning. After waking up before everyone else, he had a short conversation with Melinoe who fumed at Aphrodite's advances. It was rather funny in his mind, as he found her angry face to be cute.
Once their conversation through Iris's messaging was over, Naruto awoke the rest of his friends. The sun was rising and he was sure they didn't want to waste the day.
However, none of them noticed Bianca eyeing something within the junkyard. Her quick hands were unnoticed while the group walked.
"So what's our next plan of action?" Percy asked while keeping his eyes forward. They were slowly walking to the exit of the junkyard.
"I believe we need to find a mode of transportation," Zoe said confidently. "Our destination is getting closer within our grasp each day."
Grover had a melancholy look on his face. "I'm still happy I was able to feel Pan's presence the other day…it means he's out there. Hope is not lost for us."
Naruto walked with his hands behind his head, "Do you think you can find him soon?"
Grover looked over with a confident look in his eyes. "I do. It's not long before we discover his existence."
Bianca stuffed the object in her pockets while she walked with the group. The exit was slowly getting closer to the group. She smiled in relief, thinking they would be fine after all.
"Look at all this junk around us," Percy said while kicking a broken sword out of his way, "It's crazy how much Hesphateasu has collected over the years."
"The collected goods of the smith god should not concern us at the moment," Zoe stated while leading the group. "We must be off soon, let us depart."
Naruto yawned as his hands stayed behind his head. "I can't believe we-"
SMASH!
SLAM!
In the next moment, Naruto was launched through multiple piles of scrap metal, junk, and other debris. He flew to the side before smashing into the side of a broken-down car.
He had been kicked violently and rapidly.
"What!" Percy thought in surprise before turning his head to the side. There, standing above the group, was a bronze structure. It was clear it attacked Naruto as he was the closest person with its foot.
"It made no noise while rising!"Zoe thought in concern before drawing her bow, "How could that be?!"
It was true, there was junk all around them. Anything sliding off the structure would have been heard by the group…unless the machine was intended as a guard. A deterrent for those who dared steal from the junkyard, hiding in plain sight. Its activation was only triggered when it needed to fight.
It was 200 feet tall and had the words, "Talos Prototype" drawn across its torso.
"MOVE!" Thalia shouted out while also retrieving her spear. The group scattered in different directions, taking cover.
"DID ANYONE STEAL ANYTHING?!" Percy shouted while deflecting a bronze fist from crushing him. His sword clashed with the bronze structure's hand.
"I'm sorry!" shouted Bianca while tossing the figurine back into the junkyard, "It was a Hades sculpture! It was the one Nico was missing from his set!"
"I hope it was worth it!" Thalia shouted through gritted teeth while absorbing a hit to her spear, "Because now we have to fight this fucking robot!"
Zoe fired arrows into the automation's eyes, but it bounced off harmlessly. Clicking her teeth in annoyance, she fired off even more arrows that were enchanted by Artemis. This time, the arrows dug through the bronze structure's outer layer.
Seeing Zoe as the immediate threat, the bronze structure brought its arm up to swing at the woman. He aimed to take her life.
"Mokuton: Jubaku Eiso! (Wood Style: Binding Nest)"
A sudden shout from the back aroused the attention of everyone. Suddenly, two miniature trees sprouted out of the ground and wrapped their roots around the legs of Talos. Their roots slowly multiplied and grew tighter, causing the bronze to strain under the wood.
Many flowers sprouted along the wood, representing Naruto's special association with the technique.
Talos looked confused, stopping his swing in mid-air to assess the new threat. It was its biggest mistake.
The group saw a blonde blur slam into the chest of Talos. The bronze creation fell backward into piles of trash as the roots held firm. It fell onto its back with a loud thud.
"Naruto!" Percy said in relief, "Kick its ass!"
The blonde didn't audibly respond, but they saw a thumbs-up rise from the pile.
"How did you get caught off guard by that?" the fox taunted from within, "Look at its size! How do you let that sneak up on you?"
"Yeah, whatever! It had no emotions, so I couldn't sense it! It's a non-living being and also had a silent activation. But I'm paying it back tenfold right now!"
After being swatted away and slamming into a car, Naruto was momentarily dazed. After recollecting his thoughts, he slammed both feet in a flying dropkick onto Talo's chest. This was after wrapping its feet so it wouldn't be able to move around.
Unexpectedly, Talo's chest opened up and shot forward a blast of air. It was clear the mechanisms in the prototype still functioned after decades of non-use.
Being shot up into the air surprised the blonde but he didn't let it distract him completely. Flashing through the proper hand signs, he spat out a large circle of black fire.
"Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu!" (Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique).
Feeling the flames leave his lips, Naruto watched as it collided with the exposed chest of Talos. The flames exploded, spreading embers of black fire around the machine.
Once gravity kicked back in, Naruto landed on the junkyard floor with a graceful stance. He watched as Talos struggled in his bindings, finding that the flames were eating away at his limbs. Slowly but surely, the flames were eating through the bronze.
Turning his head, Naruto saw that Zoe, Thalia, and Bianca looked to be impressed. However, Zoe and Bianca looked like they wanted some answers.
Before he could speak, the group saw Talos stop struggling and begin to glow. It took a few seconds before their eyes widened in realization.
"It's self-destructing as a last resort!" Percy shouted, "Get behind me!"
The ground rumbled and the junkyard shook as Talos exploded in a flash of light.
The next second was destructive for the entire group. A bright flash blinded their view as Talos exploded in chunks of bronze. The black flames of Naruto eating away at whatever remaining bits there were.
Piles of junk also exploded in random directions, flying at high speeds through the air. It was a dangerous sea of debris and ricochets.
Tapping his wristwatch, Percy fully extended his shield that Tyson personally crafted for him. It wasn't the largest, but it would have to do for now. It was a split-second decision he had to make.
It already had dents from when he battled the manticore before Annabeth was kidnapped. The flying debris only added to the damage the shield endured.
"Mokuton: Shouheki no Jutsu!" (Wood Style: Wood Barrier Technique)''
Slamming both palms into the ground, Naruto erected a wooden barrier that protected him from any of the flying debris. Small pieces of shrapnel, junk, bronze projectiles, and other ricochets bounced harmlessly off of his barrier.
A few seconds later, the debris stopped flying as the dust settled from the explosion.
Retracting his wall, Naruto saw that numerous scraps of junk were scattered across the area. Cars were upturned, debris was lodged into the ground, and other pieces of junk were jammed into each other.
Looking over, Naruto's eyes widened in horror.
Percy retracted his shield while wincing in pain. His legs had numerous small cuts from the flying debris as his shield wasn't big enough to cover his entire body.
Turning around, he also saw that Grover, Thalia, and Zoe sported cuts of their own. Some of them were even drawing blood due to the sharp pieces of shrapnel that went flying through the air.
He blinked in shock at one particular person.
Both Percy and Naruto saw Bianca clutching at the side of her neck in surprise.
There was a long steel rod protruding from the side of her neck. It had managed to pierce her neck and exit through the back, causing a stream of blood to run down.
Percy's shield was not wide enough to cover the entire group, and Bianca had fallen victim to this. A random piece of scrap metal, in this case a steel rod, managed to pierce her body at high speeds. It was a nasty wound that leaked blood along the steel.
"BIANCA!" Percy shouted with worry in his eyes.
The huntress didn't say anything, but she began to fall backward. It was clear her legs lost strength as the blood loss increased.
Naruto didn't say anything but he rushed over and gently grabbed Bianca before she fell over. Placing her on the ground gently, he began to worry.
"Fuck…" Naruto whispered in his head as he assessed her wound, "This can be fatal…what do I do…"
Bianca gurgled on her blood, not being able to speak at the moment. The sides of her lips were also forming pools of blood, showing that she was bleeding internally.
"Can't you heal her?" Thalia said in desperation as she stood over Bianca's body as well. "I mean, you can do all this magical stuff! Surely you can heal her!?"
"I…I can't." Naruto bit his lip in gaiety while overlooking his friend. Bianca's eyes were fluttering but he could tell the light was slowly leaving her body. "I don't have any healing techniques…"
"Kyuubi, could you heal her?" Naruto pleaded in his mind. "…please?"
"…I cannot. My chakra would be corrosive to her at this current stage. I would only cause more harm." The fox responded in a somber tone.
Bianca had a raspy voice, while also choking on her blood. Naruto noticed this and raised her slightly in his arms. He mentally berated himself for the novice mistake, not being proficient in healing at all.
"P-please…" Bianca spoke through bloody lips. Her complexion was getting paler each second as she lost more blood. "P-protect…Nico…"
Naruto nearly quivered, watching as Bianca was dying in his arms. He had never felt someone die so close to him before. In that moment, Naruto's mind shifted into leader mode. He thought of the best way to get Bianca medical help.
Naruto placed his hands on Bianca's neck while using his knees to keep her upright. He applied pressure to stop the bleeding. It was the best he could do for the time being.
"Percy, can you call Blackjack?" Naruto watched as his friend hardened his expression and nodded.
"I've already called out to him mentally. He'll be here soon." The tone was even in nature as everyone understood the gravity of the situation.
Grover disappeared in the background, searching through the junk scattered across the area.
"…please protect my sister…."
"…I promise to do my best to protect your sister…"
Nico's words and his response echoed in his mind. He had to collect himself as time was not on their side for the moment.
He wondered in the deepest part of his soul…did he do his best in protecting Bianca? He wondered if Nico would understand. He also wondered if the blood on his hands meant something more.
Moments later, the group heard a horse's neigh run out in the sky. Looking up, the group watched as a black Pegasus landed with its wings kicking up dirt around them.
"He'll take Bianca to camp," Percy assured the group. He had conducted a quick mental conversation with his partner.
Nodding, Naruto crossed his bloody fingers and summoned a shadow clone. The blood from Bianca's wound had spread across his hands and leaked through his fingers. It slowly dripped onto the ground below.
Ignoring the surprised looks from Zoe and Thalia at seeing an exact copy of himself, Naruto commanded the clone to take Bianca with him. The shadow clone nodded, scooped up Bianca in a bridal-style carry, and hopped onto Blackjack.
Before they could leave, Grover came back running with a certain toy in his hands. "This is what Bianca took for Nico, at least let her bring it back to him!"
Not in the mood to argue as time was precious, Naruto snatched the toy and sealed it onto the clone's arm.
"I'll also go with," Grover said while hopping on Blackjack. "I know some nymphs back at camp that could help heal Bianca."
Adjusting itself, the shadow clone channeled the chakra into its legs. This ensured it wouldn't fall off of Blackjack even while holding onto Bianca.
Without another word being said, the Pegasus launched itself a high speeds back to camp. Naruto hoped they would make it in time.
The group watched as Bianca was carried away into the sky. She had lost a lot of blood already and could very well die. Grover held on for dear life while being whisked away.
"I'm sorry…" Naruto said in worry as he watched Bianca fly off with Blackjack. "I-I didn't think everything would happen so fast. I would have protected you all as well, I just-"
Surprisingly, it was Zoe who placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "That is enough…you helped as best you could. I am also to blame for bringing a new hunter on this dangerous journey…"
Naruto didn't notice until now, but he could see the tears forming in Zoe's eyes. It was clear she also felt some form of responsibility for Bianca's condition.
"Tsk," Naruto said through clenched teeth, "I'm done taking risks on this journey. I should have done this from the beginning…I just didn't think of it."
Pushing aside his worry for Bianca, Naruto flashed through a quick hand sign.
"Mokuton: Bunshin no Jutsu." (Wood Clone Technique)
Three wood clones erected from the ground with calm expressions on their face. Despite this, Naruto was the furthest thing from calm at the moment.
"I know you probably have a lot of questions at the moment," Naruto's voice spoke out through the silence, "But please, for now, just allow the clones to carry you. It's time we find Lady Artemis and finish this journey."
He didn't think that Percy would care so much as they knew about his abilities, but Thalia and Zoe were still new to his power. It would make sense they had questioning glances at everything he could do.
"I cannot transfer responsibility for this quest to you." Zoe spoke out, "I am in charge of finding Lady Artemis and I-"
"Please Zoe," Naruto said in an exasperated tone. "Don't fight with me on this, just work with me." It was clear that Bianca's bloodied form still occupied his mind.
Zoe looked on before sighing, admitting defeat for the moment. If Naruto could get them to Lady Artemis promptly, then she wouldn't complain.
"Where is Mount Tamalpais from here?" Naruto asked while cleaning his hands. He used a quick Suiton Jutsu to scrub them clean of blood.
Zoe brought out a compass and map while pointing Naruto in the right direction. She spent the next few minutes pointing out where to go, how to get there, and for certain landmarks to look out for.
Naruto memorized every detail, not allowing anything else to go wrong on this trip.
Once ready, each member of their group wrapped their body around each Naruto clone. Their hands wrapped around their necks while their legs locked around the torso.
Seeing that each of his friends was properly secured, he sped off with his clones following him.
"P-please…p-protect Nico…"
Those words and Bianca's expression were plastered around in his mind. He couldn't shake the image no matter how hard he tried.
It was quite a coincidence that Nico also expressed for Bianca to be protected. The siblings, despite their time apart, still cared for one another.
He clutched his eyes momentarily to stop any tears from flowing. He mentally prayed to Aunt Hestia and Granny Rhea for her full recovery while sprinting across America.
It only took Naruto five hours to reach Mount Tamalpais from Arizona, causing him to run around 190 miles an hour to get there. He had to keep the constant pace but his increased training didn't make this as difficult as it would have been before.
To ensure his friends wouldn't get whiplash or sick, he commanded his wood clones to properly protect them on the travel. He wouldn't risk them getting hurt another time.
The clones were in the process of running up the mountain until Naruto's eyes widened in shock.
"DODGE!" He mentally commanded, with each clone following his directions.
Jumping away from one another, the group realized that a group of skeletons had appeared. They wore various sets of armor and seemed to be enchanted.
"Let us help!" Zoe yelled out while trying to remove herself from the clone.
"No!" Naruto shouted while ducking under a swing. He answered by thrusting his palm into its rib cage, causing it to fall off the side of the mountain. "I'll take care of this, you all just head up the mountain with my clones! I'll be there soon!"
"Naruto! We can't leave you behind!" Percy shouted out in worry.
"I CAN'T RISK ANOTHER ONE OF YOU BEING HURT LIKE BIANCA!" Naruto's eyes seemed to shine a dark crimson for a second before it disappeared. He cleared his head and sighed deeply, "Listen…I'll meet you all up there. I don't want to risk any of these skeletons to catch you off guard."
"He has a point, let's go!" Thalia shouted out, "We're losing time here! Besides, Lady Artemis and Annabeth are at the top of this mountain! We're so close!"
Mentally commanding his clones to fly off, the group was gone in a blur.
Turning back to the skeletons, Naruto smiled. "I have some steam to blow off…and you'll all make the perfect practice."
He launched himself with both trench blades in each hand. He didn't show mercy to a single skeleton.
The group arrived over the cliffside and saw a rather surprising sight.
They were at the highest point of the mountain and saw Artemis crouched on one knee in distress. She was currently holding up the sky.
Atlas, the Titan of Strength, was standing on the edge and speaking with Luke. The titan took the appearance of a middle-aged man with chiseled features. He did not have any hair, displaying his bald head to the world. He was of a tanner skin complexion and wore a high-end suit. He stood ten feet tall with a firm structure.
"ANNABETH!" Percy shouted in a craze. Jumping off of Naruto's clone, he rushed over to his crush.
The daughter of Athena was tied up against a nearby boulder. She had an exhausted look on her face and her clothes seemed to be filthy.
Thalia and Zoe also planted their feet on the ground, ready for a fight.
Annabeth looked over and watched in surprise as her friends were before her eyes once more. She smiled but didn't have the energy to reach out.
Just like on the cruise ship, the group was momentarily stunned as Luke held out his hand. However, this time, he had a confident smirk on his face. It seemed he could hold this ability for much longer now.
Even Naruto's three clones stood still, a testament to Kronos's blessing. However, they seemed to be lost in thought as if they were communicating with one another.
"Looks like you keep coming back to me, Percy," Luke said with a devilish grin while Atlas stood beside him. The Titan had his arms behind his back with a smug grin on his face.
"You even brought my daughter back to me," Atlas said in a calm tone. He seemed to enjoy the power dynamic in the moment.
"I am NOT your daughter! Not anymore!" Zoe spat out in anger. She looked over at Lady Artemis and grimaced in worry. Her leader hadn't even raised her head once throughout their entrance. It seemed she was drained of her power.
"So you did become…this," Thalia spat out in disgust. She knew that Luke turned against their group, but to see it rattled her previous faith in the man. It made her feel nasty that she even had a crush on him, to begin with.
"Thalia…" Luke smiled while walking over to the girl and caressing her face. Avoiding a ball of spit sent his way, he spoke once more. "I knew you would come here…and I want you to join me. Me and you could be on the winning side of this war and rule together."
"Cut the bullshit, Luke," Thalia said in a growl, "We both know you're lying through your teeth! Besides, I hold nothing but hate for you now!"
Luke's smile turned into a scowl rather quickly. He was annoyed that Thalia didn't accept his offer, but he expected as much.
"What a shame…" He rambled off before swiping his thumb over her cheek. Stepping back, he looked at the rest of the group.
"My daughter, to think I would see you again." Atlas chuckled while eyeing his own flesh and blood.
"Thou. Are. A. Pig." Zoe said in a low tone while wishing nothing but death on the Titan. She held no love or affection for the man who sired her.
Atlas hummed something resembling a chuckle. He held nothing but mirth in his eyes while eyeing the group as if they were nothing but rodents to him.
Darting his eyes over to the silent clones, Atlas raised a single brow, "And what's this? Multiple copies of the same boy? I didn't know Hestia's child had twin brothers."
"He doesn't." Luke clarified while shaking his head. "He can clone himself. He can also manipulate the elements, including wood."
"He does?" Atlas said with a rumble in his voice. "Are you certain?"
"I am." Luke nodded, "My spy is too deep to be detected. I'm sure the kid doesn't even know who it is."
"A spy?" Percy wondered while scrunching his eyebrows. He didn't consider the possibility.
"Speaking of such confidential information in front of them is rather risky, is it not?" Atlas looked over at Luke who shrugged.
"They won't live past today, it won't matter."
Atlas chuckled before walking over to Artemis's form. He stood tall while watching the goddess remain silent.
"Did you know I was cursed by Zeus to hold up the sky for eternity?" Atlas spoke aloud with no specific audience in mind. "I passed it off to this goddess who believed she had the power to 'hunt' me as she put it. What a joke."
"DON'T YOU DARE SPEAK ABOUT LADY ARTEMIS THAT WAY!" Zoe shouted out with fury and anger in her eyes.
"Oh?" Atlas smiled cruelly, "Rather fond of her, are you?"
Crouching down, Atlas back-slapped the goddess and it jerked her head to the side. A small trickle of golden Ichor could be seen flowing down her face.
"See? She's gone completely mute after only holding the sky for a few days. Imagine my suffering." Atlas pointed out while watching as Artemis didn't respond.
Zoe nearly had tears in her eyes at this point. Luke's power still restrained her, but she was close to snapping. "DON'T TOUCH HER ANYMORE!"
"Why not?" Atlas smiled before punching Artemis in the face. This continued until he had his fill, hitting the goddess a total of five times in the face. The only change to her face was another trickle of golden Ichor, showing how resilient and durable the goddess was.
"Bah." Atlas spat out in annoyance, "It's no fun when they don't respond."
"I WILL KILL YOU, OR DIE TRYING!" Zoe shouted with the intent to murder her father. She meant her words completely.
In the next moment, the three clones melted into the ground and disappeared.
"What?!" Atlas said in shock, not expecting such an outcome.
One of the clones reappeared beside Luke and delivered a vicious haymaker to his jaw. The blow was strong enough to cause the teenager to stumble and momentarily release his hold on the group.
The other two went to support Artemis and speak with her.
Feeling themselves fall free, each person faces their respective opponent.
Zoe rushed against her father, drawing her bow. Atlas smiled and spread his arms wide in response, ready for a fight.
Thalia retrieved her spear and shot after Luke. The two engaged in fierce combat while Percy decided to free Annabeth.
Running over to the daughter of Athena, Percy used Riptide to slice through her bindings. Catching her in his arms, Percy realized just how exhausted Annabeth was.
"Hey, Annie, it's me!" Percy said as he tried to cheer the girl up.
"P…Percy…" Annabeth smiled softly before coughing violently. It was clear her throat was dry and she had been kept captive this entire time.
Dragging Annabeth away from the fighting, Percy mentally commanded Blackjack to appear once more, but he was surprised at the response.
Blackjack was still recovering from his journey back to camp at high speeds. He didn't have the energy to fly back across America to retrieve Annabeth. In the meantime, Percy spoke comforting words and placed Annabeth against a rotting tree.
It was the only thing he could place her against in the flat landscape of the battlefield. She was also a good distance from the fight.
"We'll get you home safe," Percy promised as he talked to Annabeth. Ensuring she understood his words, he ran off to help his comrades.
He looked over to see that both of Naruto's clones were trying to speak to Artemis, but only got faint gasps in return. They tried to hold up the sky for the goddess, but it was too much for two simple wood clones to hold.
The third wood clone had tried to fight against Atlas, but it was ripped apart rather quickly by the Titan's hands.
Thalia was squaring off with Luke and both fighters were already injured. However, it seemed that Thalia was slowly gaining ground on the former camper.
"Fuck!"Percy said before choosing to help Zoe. In his opinion, she could use the most help at the moment.
"I'm going in!" Percy shouted while running past the huntress. "Cover me!"
Not needing to be told twice, Zoe fired off another round of arrows. She watched as Atlas took multiple arrows into his forearm only to rip them out a second later.
Scoffing at such a poor reaction, Zoe decided to draw the arrows specifically enchanted by her goddess. With precise accuracy, she fired them off.
Percy went to slash at Atlas's right leg, only for the Titan to swing at him. Blocking the blow with his wristwatch shield, he was surprised to see it shatter into a million pieces.
Just like that, his shield had been completely smashed apart. In one blow.
Thankfully, one of Zoe's arrows had managed to lodge itself in Atlas's neck which allowed Percy to swing his sword at full might.
To his surprise, it bounced off the Titan's leg. As if swinging a metal bat on a steel pole, it bounced back while he held onto the handle of his sword.
Despite this, it was clear that the slash had done some damage as a trickle of the Titan's blood was running down his pant leg. However, Atlas only smiled at the feeble attempt.
Delivering a backhand slap, Atlas watched as Percy flew backward and stumbled into a small pile of dust.
Looking down, he saw Percy's sword on the ground. It was clear the demigod had dropped it unexpectedly after being swatted away.
"I see…" Atlas chuckled in his mind. "This is the same sword Zoe gifted Heracles all those years ago…"
Reaching down to grab it, Atlas laughed at the weight of the blade. It felt as if he was holding paper. He assumed it would be like a toothpick if he grew to his true form.
Feeling a tingle in his stomach, Atlas looked down to see three arrows deep in his torso. They even managed to draw blood, staining his suit.
"Congratulations, daughter," Atlas smiled, "Allow me to return the favor."
He flung Percy's sword back at Zoe with precision. It flew through the air like a bullet from a gun.
Zoe didn't feel any pain at first as her adrenaline was running high. However, she certainly felt a warm liquid dribble down her leg.
Aiming her sight downward, she saw that Percy's sword had managed to pierce through her left lung and part of her heart. She was lucky the blade didn't kill her right away.
Feeling dizzy, she fell backward with a soft thud. The thoughts of Lady Artemis rang out in her head. She hoped that Percy and Naruto could complete where she had failed.
The blood soon rose from her throat, escaping through her lips. Just like Bianca, Zoe had a hard time not choking on her blood.
Hearing this, Thalia turned to see Zoe's form. She widened her eyes in shock, which Luke took advantage of by slashing at her face.
Thankfully, she had managed to lean back enough to avoid any serious damage. However, there was a rather deep slash on her left cheekbone.
"ZOE!" Percy said in shock after shaking the cobwebs from his head. He realized just how far apart he was in terms of combat ability from the Titan.
Running over, Percy tried his best to comfort the girl while thinking of what to do.
Atlas walked over and smiled at the two. "If only she didn't turn against me…we could have been a happy family."
Artemis's head rose for once, showing two daggers that were ready to kill.
"You're a sick monster," Percy spat out while holding onto Zoe, trying to apply pressure to her wound. He felt disgusted with himself, as it was his weapon that killed Zoe. "What kind of family kills one another?"
Atlas chuckled as he was uncaring of the situation, "She decided to create the sword, so she can die by it too."
SMACK!
CRUNCH!
At that moment, Atlas received a vicious left hook that jolted his head to the side. For the first time in the fight, it seemed that he had taken some serious damage. His nose had broken, and a thick flow of blood ran down his face.
Back-flipping in the air, Naruto landed on his feet. He had finally arrived at the fight.
"Sorry for being late," Naruto spoke in a solemn tone, "The skeletons were enchanted to keep rising even after killing them. I had to come up with a seal to permanently kill them off."
Seeing Naruto was finally here, Luke clicked his teeth in annoyance. This battle was becoming more troublesome for him as time went on. He knew that Naruto was the biggest threat at the moment.
"This is becoming a losing battle…" Luke thought in annoyance before ducking under Thalia's spear. Smashing it to the side, he delivered a hard jab that crashed into her face. Stumbling backward, Thalia caught a faint glimpse of Luke's shirt as he ran over the hill. He had retreated once more, like a coward.
"I should have felt the emotions of Atlas and Luke up here before we arrived…" Naruto thought with clenched fists. His wood clones had been feeding him information while he fought the skeletons earlier.
"It's clear that they knew about your emotion-sensing ability. They most likely enchanted the area to prevent this from happening." The fox answered with critical eyes."Just as Luke mentioned, there is a spy among our ranks. We must tread carefully as to who knows about your skills. You've already been compromised enough as it is."
Naruto's thoughts flashed back to the girl from the Aphrodite cabin, who had conflicted emotions. He didn't know if it was her, but he would have to do some investigating.
Turning over, he saw Zoe being held by Percy who tried to comfort her. The light in her eyes was slowly leaving as time went on.
"I let them go ahead…because I wanted to avoid this exact situation from happening again…but I failed…" Naruto felt his eyes water. "I FUCKING FAILED! I FAILED BIANCA, NOW I FAILED ZOE!"
"NARUTO, ENOUGH!" The fox screamed back, "WE ARE IN A BATTLE! GREIVE LATER, FIGHT FOR YOUR LIFE NOW!"
"So your Hestia's child…" Atlas hummed while popping his nose back into place. He seemed to be analyzing the blonde at the moment. "I expected more to be honest."
"You killed Zoe…" Naruto trailed off as his hair overshadowed his eyes.
"This again?" Atlas laughed, "Yes, I killed-"
"YOU KILLED ZOE!" Naruto screamed out with vengeance. However, this time, his eyes glowed a deep crimson red. He was letting the Kyuubi's chakra slowly enhance his strength.
With a mental command, Naruto delivered his attack on the Titan.
His two spare wood clones left Artemis's side and shot forward at Atlas. They both appeared under the Titan's chin and delivered two vicious uppercuts. With a grunt, the Titan was sent flying into the air.
However, this didn't stop as the first wood clone jumped high into the air until he reached the Titan. After wrapping his arms around the Titan's neck, he exploded on a mental command.
BOOM!
A loud explosion raddled the top of the mountain as Atlas was hit point-blank with a bomb. The second wooden clone then watched as Atlas started flying down once more, only to shoot upward as well. Just like the first, he exploded on command.
This second explosion was even louder than the first, with the demigods covering their ears. Once it was over, Thalia ran over to Percy to help Zoe. With her help, they were able to drag her over to Annabeth.
The Titan began to fall back to Earth while spinning rapidly in mid-air. It was clear that both explosions had managed to make him cartwheel uncontrollably.
Naruto knew the Titan of Strength had the upper hand in close combat, so he would rely on long-range attack and speed. He couldn't risk being grabbed by the larger man.
"Taju Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" (Multiple Shadow Clone Technique)
Summoning five shadow clones at once, they awaited the Titan's landing.
They only had to wait three seconds before Atlas smashed into the top of the mountain. He was slightly disoriented and his clothing had been ripped up in the two explosions.
With their weapons drawn, each one of the shadow clones disappeared in a blur of speed. Meanwhile, the main Naruto ran over to help Artemis.
A yellow hurricane surrounded Atlas as each clone slashed with their dual-wield trench knives. They were small, shallow cuts. However, they were being placed at such a rapid frequency that Atlas was getting slashed everywhere.
Without saying another word, Naruto took over the sky for Artemis. The drained goddess nearly fell forward before her face expressed shock.
"Why did you do such a thing?" Artemis said in a soft tone, "Surely you know it can kill you."
"D-Don't worry about me…" Naruto said with gritted teeth, "I'm holding it because my clones will bring him here, and I can move out of the way in time. Besides, you are exhausted and better spent on attending to Zoe's wounds."
Artemis gave a final glance before nodding and rushing over to Zoe. She allowed Naruto to take care of Atlas for now but was ready to intervene at a moment's notice.
As for Atlas, he was feeling extremely annoyed and frustrated. These clones were good at covering one another and slashing at his tendons. They targeted vital points in his body with each swing of their blades.
With a loud shout, Atlas pushed away all five clones while extruding his power. He wasn't given time for a quick breather however as all five clones delivered a blow to his right side at the same time.
The blow was vicious enough to catch Atlas off guard and send him flying into the main Naruto.
"Have to time this right…" Naruto waited until Atlas was only inches away before dropping from the sky and rolling away. He watched as the sky fell onto the Titan's back, causing his forehead to kiss the ground.
It took a few more moments before Atlas regained his bearings and ground his teeth together. Raising his head and holding his arms upward, he was once more forced to hold the sky.
"You…YOU!" Atlas glared bloody murder right at Naruto, "I will find you and KILL you! Do you understand me, child of Hestia!"
Naruto spat back. "I doubt that, Atlas. Spend the rest of your worthless life rotting away at this peak, with no one to care for you."
Walking over, Naruto slapped two seals onto the Titan's body.
Atlas attempted to speak only to blink in surprise. He couldn't speak at all.
"Those two seals are staying on you unless I dissipate them, or someone with enough power breaks them. However, given you have almost nobody who cares for you, I don't see that happening."
Atlas growled at this further humiliation.
"One of the seals makes you mute, and the other locks your legs in place. You won't ever be able to move from this spot." Naruto said with a serious tone.
He looked into Atlas's eyes and only saw hate. He knew that deep down inside, the Titan only cared for himself.
"Zoe deserved a better father than you."
With his piece said, Naruto turned his back on the fallen Titan and attended to Zoe. She had been propped on the rotting tree that Annabeth was at earlier. However, the daughter of Athena was feeling better and chose to stand, allowing Zoe to take the spot.
He rushed over to her bleeding form and widened his eyes.
"Can't you heal her?" Naruto asked Artemis who stood over her lieutenant, "She's dying! You have to heal her!"
"I wish I could…but I cannot." Artemis grimaced. "I am too weakened at the moment and Zoe has lost too much blood. I can sense she will pass very soon…"
"This is your daughter!" Naruto shouted out, "YOUR DAUGHTER! You have to help her! If you need energy, then take mine! I don't care, just save her!"
Artemis looked back with a fierce frown. "I cannot accept your energy as it is foreign to my own. It would only cause more issues."
"Then…then…" Naruto racked his brain with any ideas, only to fall short.
"..ru…ruto…Naruto…"
Hearing his name through faint gasps, Naruto walked over to Zoe's fallen form. Riptide was still lodged deeply through her chest. He assumed it wasn't taken out just yet as it clogged the wound from losing more blood, but it didn't matter at this point.
"Thank…you…" Zoe said in short whispers. "You…were better…than Heracles…"
Naruto smiled despite the tears welling in his eyes. He knelt and clenched her hand.
"Zoe is praising…a male…" Artemis thought in surprise. "It seemed she made friends after all…"
Zoe's eyes then darted over to her mother figure. She smiled softly and felt her heart slowing down. "M'lady…please place….place me among…the stars…"
Artemis felt a smile form across her face as she nodded. She would happily grant her huntress's final wish.
"I…can feel…the stars…" Zoe tried to reach out only to feel her hand fall short. "I can…see the…stars…"
Naruto chuckled and let the tears run down his face, "Go to the stars, Zoe. Find all the constellations and fly among them. You deserve it." Their conversation about Phaethon and Cygnus came to mind.
It took a few moments before Naruto realized she had died. Her eyes were still open and her smile remained, but her chest wasn't moving anymore.
With a flash of her hands, Artemis granted Zoe's final request and placed her among the stars. High above, a new constellation was formed to represent the Hunt's longest-reigning lieutenant.
Her form disappeared into stardust, which made Naruto clench his fist as her hand no longer occupied the space. Riptide rattled on the ground, it cooled steel making contact with fresh earth.
It was a somber moment for the entire group, as Thalia and Percy stood in the back with Annabeth.
Naruto gripped the loose dirt on the ground while they mourned.
The group of heroes returned to Camp Half-Blood with serious expressions on their faces. After they rescued Artemis and Annabeth, the goddess of the Hunt had taken them to Mount Olympus on her sleigh.
The worst part for Percy was retrieving his weapon before they left for Mount Olympus. He would always see Zoe's blood staining the bronze.
The Olympian council had to decide on whether to let Percy and Thalia live or not. This was because they were close to turning sixteen, which would activate the prophecy they feared.
After many hours of deliberation and voting. Thalia and Percy were allowed to live. However, Thalia had also accepted the role of lieutenant in Artemis's hunt. Being a part of Artemis's hunt allowed her to never age, so she would remain fifteen forever.
Percy was allowed to live after a close vote, but his father ultimately changed the vote in his favor. It brought relief for the young demigod as he didn't have to worry about it any longer.
Naruto even spoke with Artemis in private after the voting concluded. She thanked him for providing comfort in Zoe's final moments and he praised her work in guiding such a passionate soul.
The blonde also revealed he knew that he was technically an apology gift to Artemis, which the goddess didn't deny. After an hour of discussion, Artemis could confidently say that Naruto was the first male demigod that struck her interest. He didn't seem to be perverted, nasty, or rude despite his hormonal age. His compassion for Zoe also revealed he had a rather welcoming nature.
Anybody who earned Zoe's trust, especially if they were a male, could earn her trust as well.
Thalia had left with Artemis, so only Annabeth, Percy, and Naruto went back into camp.
Dashing off, Naruto ran straight for the medical tents within the camp. His clone had dissipated soon after arriving. It only managed to unseal Nico's toy onto his dresser in the Hestia cabin and dropped Bianca off.
For now, he knew nothing about her condition.
After gently pushing past many campers, he entered the medical tent only to see Chiron inside and speaking with the medics.
"Chiron! How's Bianca?" Naruto asked in a hurry.
Chiron looked over and grimaced. He placed both hands on the shoulders of the teenager. "Bianca came to us in critical condition…"
"How. Is. She?" Naruto pointed out with sharp eyes. He didn't want to beat around the bush.
"It was touch and go for many hours, Naruto…" Chiron explained in a comforting tone. "She had been leaking blood for a while and went into shock soon after arriving…"
"Chiron…don't make me ask again…" Naruto spoke out in a low tone. He nearly pleaded.
Chiron smiled sadly and looked directly into the camper's eyes. "She didn't make it, Naruto. Bianca's dead."
A sharp thud hit his heart as Naruto stared into the centaur's eyes. Neither spoke before Naruto slowly nodded and gently removed Chiron's hands.
"Thank you…Chiron…" Naruto turned around and slowly walked away. "Thank you for letting me know."
Chiron smiled sadly at his retreating form. He would talk to him in private about not feeling responsible for her death, but for now, he would allow the blonde to express his sorrow.
"…It is not your fault, Naruto…" The fox spoke out, "We could not predict what would happen…"
"I know…" Naruto bit the inside of his cheek as he walked aimlessly. "But…is it bad that I wanted to save her? That I failed to protect her?"
"You cannot save everyone, Naruto."
They were simple words, but it meant a lot to the blonde.
Naruto saw Nico looking into the sunset over the camp. The warm air and soft winds only worsened the knot in Naruto's stomach.
Looking down at his hands, he clenched the figurine that Bianca died over. A toy that she wanted to give her brother.
Softly walking up to the saddened boy, Naruto sat down next to him.
Neither spoke for the first few minutes.
Surprisingly, it was Nico who spoke first.
"I wanted to hate you…" Nico clenched his small fists, "I wanted to hate you so much…"
Naruto looked over and saw that the boy was crying openly.
"But…Grover explained everything that happened. He explained how you tried to help her and how you fought to save the group…" Nico knew he had a problem holding grudges, but he didn't think that Naruto deserved his wrath. The blonde tried his best, he knew that much.
"If you want to hate me, then hate me," Naruto said with a small smile. "But at least take Bianca's last gift. She wanted to give this to you before she passed, so I'm just ensuring it gets passed along…"
Nico saw Naruto's outstretched hand and looked at it for a few minutes. He eventually grabbed the toy and thumbed the title on the box.
"It was the only missing piece in my collection…" Nico said softly. "I didn't even know she cared enough to realize that."
"She cared for you, Nico," Naruto reassured the young boy. "She loved you to the very end. The only thoughts she had, were of you being protected while she was gone."
"…I know she loved me…" Nico sobbed softly, "Which is why it makes her passing so much harder."
Deciding to help let the boy release his anger, Naruto pulled Nico into a tight hug. The young boy didn't react at first, but eventually, he dropped the toy and clenched onto Naruto's shirt.
With a loud wail and cry, Naruto held the boy with unwavering strength. He let Nico take out his frustrations and vent his anger.
Soothing the kid, Naruto didn't move until Nico was done crying.
He wouldn't be done for another hour.
Done with the latest chapter so far! We are getting closer to that Titan war, excited about that!
I'm having issues uploading chapters through the laptop/PC version of the site. Had to upload this chapter through the mobile version of the app, which is not what I prefer due to the complications.
I've tried converting files, resetting my program, logging in and out, and so many other things. If anyone has a solution or is willing to help me out, please privately message me! Don't want to leave the site simply because of technical complications.
Also, I know Naruto's hair is a mix of red and blonde, but I'll be referring to him as 'blonde' for time-saving purposes. Besides, his hair is mainly blonde at the current moment.
As you can see, Bianca and Zoe died in the end. Their deaths will have a purpose and spark a domino effect.
I try to make these chapters around 10k words minimum, so sorry for any delay!
Let me know what you think. Please review!
Thank you all for your continued support!
Until next time!
Cheers!