Okay! We are back in business!
First off, sorry for the extremely long wait until this story was updated again. I know it's been months at this point, but life has been extremely busy for me. The same thing goes for my other stories in case anybody is following those as well. I will try my best to pump out more updates for them. As for this story, it is not dead because I still plan to update it and take it in a certain direction. However, it may take longer for me to update as consistently.
I didn't want to come out with something small after updating for so long, so I made sure this chapter was at least 12k words. I hope it was somewhat worth the long wait!
Some reviews are also addressed at the bottom of this chapter!
Feel free to review if you'd like, I encourage it!
Disclaimer: I don't own "Naruto" or "Percy Jackson & the Olympians," they belong to their respective owners.
A Catalyst to the End
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"…where am I?…"
Naruto felt his eyelids flutter as he opened them, revealing nothing but a space full of black. It was similar to his mindscape, but he could tell it wasn't quite right.
Sitting up, Naruto realized he was in an open room, full of nothing. There were no distinguishing features other than the pitch-black darkness around him. Squinting his eyes did nothing as the darkness filled his vision like a cloud.
Standing to his feet, the blonde wandered around confused. He was trapped in a room of emptiness yet he didn't feel threatened at all. It was almost like he was at peace with himself.
"Am I…dead?" Naruto spoke aloud to himself, remembering the previous events. "If Mel-….Melinoe killed me, then I should either be on my way to meet the Shinigami or the Underworld…but I don't think this is either…"
"That's because it's not, young Uzumaki. We are in the deepest parts of your soul, where not even my son can reside."
Turning his head rapidly at the source of the voice, Naruto was amazed to see a man floating in the air. He was sitting with his legs crossed and a black staff in his left hand.
He had faded brown hair, purple-ringed eyes, a red eye located in the center of his forehead, and a white cloak surrounding his body. He seemed at peace, gazing at Naruto with mirth in his eyes.
"I-I didn't even sense him! There was no noise, no movement, he just appeared!" Naruto thought in shock. He could see a faint glow surrounding the man, illuminating the space around them. The man's presence nearly made him yelp in surprise.
"You had quite the scare," the man chuckled lowly, "You were almost gone if it wasn't for my son's chakra."
"Your son?" Naruto wondered with a raised brow, "Who's your son? And who are you?"
He didn't recognize the man at all. His appearance was too foreign for the blonde.
"Apologies, allow me to introduce myself," the man smiled, "My name is Hagoromo Otsutsuki, father of all the Tailed Beasts."
If a pin dropped at the moment, it would echo due to the complete silence after that statement.
Feeling his brain reboot for a second, the blonde-haired ninja shouted, "No way!" Naruto's eyes widened, "You're the Sage of Six Paths! Amaterasu-sama talked about you before!" His history lessons with the goddess had paid off, given he recognized the man before him. He may not have known everything about his homeland, but he knew enough.
"It seems my reputation precedes me," Hagoromo chuckled while straightening his back. The mirth never left his eyes.
"Why are you here?" Naruto blinked with a raised eyebrow, "And how are you the Kyuubi's dad?"
It just didn't make sense to the young adult. How could a man (or at least something close enough to a man given his freaky eyes) foster a being made completely of chakra? Naruto couldn't wrap his head around the logic behind it.
"For all the Tailed Beasts, I am their creator so I consider myself their Father," Hagoromo explained with a smile that held fatherly pride, "…just like Indra and Ashura."
"Indra…Ashura…" Naruto said the names in wonder. For some reason, the names rolled off his tongue perfectly.
"Yes, they were my biological sons," Hagoromo smiled while remembering his long-deceased children. "You are actually a reincarnation of Ashura, Naruto."
Naruto's eyes widened, "A….reincarnation? Does that mean that I'm just a copy of some other guy?"
Hagoromo let out a laugh, "No, of course not! You are just as unique as any other person, but you do have a connection to my son's soul. It has been through his and Indra's descendants that the cycle of hatred has lived on."
"Cycle of hatred? Indra and Ashura?" Naruto said while shaking his head, "You're dropping way too much information at once. Besides, I'm still reeling in from the fact I'm speaking to the Sage of Six Paths! I still don't even know why you're here!"
"Come here," Hagoromo waved over, "Allow me to explain my background, my son's story, and my clan's origins. We have all the time in the world here."
"I…I guess," Naruto conceded, realizing he had nothing better to do. "At least it'll give me some answers."
For Naruto, it felt like they had talked for hours upon hours. By the time everything had wrapped up and he had time to digest the information, Naruto would be a changed person.
Only time would tell how it affected him.
The Outside World
"Oh…my head…" Naruto groaned while feeling his eyes slowly open. Stabilizing his vision, he could see that it was nearing nightfall, the sun setting in the distance. It felt nice to feel the wind brush up against his skin. It felt as if the air itself was trying to comfort his distress.
He was still lying on the soft grass Melinoe had laid him in earlier. His body felt like one big bruise with aches all over. His arms, eyelids, and legs felt as heavy as stone while a headache was beginning to form.
However, despite all these problems, Naruto was lucky to keep his life. He had come extremely close to losing it. All because he was caught off guard.
"…NARUTO! YOU BASTARD!" The fox roared from within, "YOU HAD ME WORRIED BRAT!"
Wincing from the headache, Naruto gave a soft smile in return, "Sorry Kyuubi, I didn't mean to worry you back there…" The grass prickled his face while the wind softly brushed through his hair.
The fox huffed, clearly annoyed yet relieved his friend had survived, "You're just lucky my chakra healed you in time. The damn woman was good at what she did, it took me a while to get you back up."
"How long was I out?" Naruto spoke back in his head while slowly getting up. His feet wobbled for a second before he regained his balance. It was clear his body wasn't at 100% just yet despite his quick healing factor. "Damn…I can tell I'm running low on chakra…."
The fox sighed, "You've been out for two days…" He then looked around the mindscape he was in, seeing how close it got to crumbling these past two days. Now that Naruto was awake and alert, it was slowly restoring itself.
He would never reveal to the blonde just how close he was to losing his mind.
"Two days?!" Naruto nearly jerked from the information, almost stumbling forward. It was a punch to the gut knowing that he had laid there for about 48 hours.
"You're lucky it didn't take a week or month!" The fox shouted back, "The blessing from that Earth goddess helped accelerate your healing, but that could only do so much…even from here…."
"Yeah….yeah, you're right," Naruto chuckled after thinking over the fox's words. "My body feels like shit though…I don't even know how much chakra I have left…"
"You've just come back from a near-death experience, of course you're low on chakra!" The fox said in a stern tone, "It's the same reason you feel terrible! Your body is recovering from the shock and trauma of nearly dying."
Naruto smiled, realizing the fox did have his best intentions in mind. It warmed his heart to know they went from strangers to friends. Now, he could honestly say the fox was a friend of his.
"Do you think I have enough chakra to help out Percy?" Naruto said while clearing his thoughts, feeling his head throb. "I know I'm only a few Jutsu away from hitting some bad chakra exhaustion, but I want to help…"
"You can't!" the Kyuubi shouted once more, "You are exhausted Naruto, lucky to be alive! The last thing you need is to charge into combat!"
"I know you're right…" Naruto conceded while stabilizing his balance. He had to take everything one step at a time, feeling his body slowly recover. "…but I have to help out Percy. All of Camp Half-Blood is fighting out there for Olympus, for their lives. I can't stand behind if I can help it…"
"Damn brat…" the fox mashed his teeth, feeling annoyed. "Don't you have any sense of self-preservation? You deserve a break, a breather! Going in while you're still weak will only make you a liability!"
"That's true, I should take a break…" Naruto looked forward with determination shining in his eyes, "But you know what kind of person I am…if I can help, then I will…every second that passes, is another second a demigod or ally is dying…"
"Tsk, your big heart is incredibly annoying…" The fox mumbled before turning serious, "…What are you going to do about that goddess who nearly killed you?"
Naruto closed his eyes briefly before answering, "I…I don't know…."
"Naruto…" the fox lowly growled. He wouldn't allow Naruto's bleeding heart to overlook this tragedy, even he had a limit to the ninja's compassion. At some point, it could bleed over into foolishness.
"…but I do know I won't forget, Kyuubi. I could understand her motives and even her perspective, but she tried to kill me in the end. She willingly threw away everything we had…I can't forget that. I may forgive her, but I won't forget…"
The fox didn't answer but did place his head onto his paws. It seemed he was satisfied with the answer for now. Or at least he didn't see a reason to push the subject any further at the moment.
Just as Naruto prepared to take off once more, he smiled, "By the way, thank you for what you did back there Kyuubi…I know I would have probably died without your help…it means a lot."
"Probably? You would have definitely died without my help!" The fox said before he gained a smile on his face. He sunk his face into his paws, ready to take a brief nap due to constantly working on Naruto the past two days.
Just before the fox snoozed himself into another nap, it began to consider what they had gone through as partners up to this point. He had hated, absolutely despised, Naruto at first…yet he had grown soft on the teen. His positive attitude was slowly becoming infectious.
It also helped that he promised to help his siblings. And if there was one thing the fox knew, was that Naruto kept his promises.
It was then that the fox dropped a bombshell. Hiding his small smirk beneath his paws, a low rumbling could barely be heard. It was faint and quick, but Naruto had caught it in time.
"…and call me Kurama, that's my name. Kyuubi is just a title."
Naruto's face lit up with a smile. The Kyuubi had finally opened up enough to him to share his name. He had finally solidified his friendship with the fox.
"Alright then…Kurama!"
Just like that, the word rolled off the blonde's tongue like it was meant to be. Neither realized it, but this was the beginning to a long road of friendship for the two. A duo that couldn't be separated even by choice.
He knew he had a lot to tell his furry friend once this war was over. He had just learned so much about his homeland from the legendary Sage of Six Paths after all. However, at the moment, it would have to take a backseat so he could help finish this fight. Of all people, Naruto believed Kurama had a right to know how their conversation went.
Stretching his neck, the blonde could hear a few bones pop loudly. Feeling his stiffness slightly subside, Naruto disappeared under the shade of the night into the forests.
Naruto arrived in New York not long after he departed. The first sight he came across was the Brooklyn Tunnel.
Up ahead, he could see many campers from the Demeter cabin fighting off the many monsters of Kronos's army. They were fighting back, but he could tell they were moments away from being overwhelmed.
He even saw a few Ares campers helping out, something he didn't expect. The Ares cabin wasn't known for its generous attitude, but he assumed Percy had some influence in their positioning.
"HEADS UP DEMETER CABIN!" Naruto shouted while jumping into the air, passing many startled campers underneath. Landing on the concrete ground, Naruto flashed through a few hand signs before many thick roots rose from the ground.
Many of the minions in Kronos's army flew into the air, wrapped around thick roots. They were then squeezed until many of them couldn't move.
By the time it was over, the Brooklyn Tunnel was filled with thick roots and trapped enemies.
It felt right to the blonde, helping the cabin that had a connection to nature. Demeter was known for her relationship with the Earth after all.
"Oh shit, it's Naruto!" one of the Ares campers said in surprise.
Looking over his shoulder, Naruto saw many look at him in appreciation. While they still didn't know the full extent of his abilities or how they worked, they knew he was trustworthy. He had attended Camp Half-Blood just like them for a long time.
A small crowd began to form, curious as to why the blonde showed up now of all times.
"Thanks for the save!" Katie Gardner said, emerging from the crowd. She had a few scuffs on her body as well as small cuts, indicative of the fighting she endured, "But you should help out our other divisions. Kronos has been ramping up his attacks."
"Really? What's the situation?" Naruto asked with a raised brow.
"It's bad…." Katie warned with a sigh, "We were able to hold off Kronos for the last two days, but he's been extremely persistent today. This is the largest wave of his soldiers we've had to fight off. Many nymphs, satyrs, and other spirits have died more today than the previous two combined."
"He's getting desperate…but the question is why…" Naruto mumbled to himself. It was clear the Titan was trying his hardest to overtake Olympus. It seemed the enemy had finally realized he couldn't play the waiting game any longer.
"We'll stay behind here and slash up all the monsters trapped," Katie said with a grin, "Thanks for your help!"
"No worries," Naruto nodded despite feeling weak. However, he didn't show it so his friends didn't worry. "Where is everyone else? This was the first cabin I saw from where I was."
"Travis has half the Hermes cabin at the Brooklyn Bridge while Connor has the other half at the Manhattan Bridge. Charles Beckendorf has the Hephaestus and Dionysus cabins at the Holland Tunnel," Katie explained, "Lee Fletcher has the Apollo cabin at the Williamsburg Bridge while Malcolm Pace took the Athena cabin to 59th Street."
Naruto nodded, committing the locations to memory. He had visited the area enough to know the landmarks Katie was talking about.
"Finally, Drew Tanaka and Silena Beauregard are leading the Aphrodite cabin to the Queens-Midtown Tunnel."
"What about Percy, Annabeth, and the Ares cabin?" Naruto questioned while preparing to take off.
"Some of them are leading a charge against Kronos, while others are supporting struggling cabins," Katie gestured around them. "Percy and Annabeth are doing the same, providing support where they can but they can only do so much themselves. Even Chiron and his brothers are helping, with the Four Winds providing air support occasionally. The river spirits here are also on our side. We're still expecting reinforcements from the Hunters of Artemis."
Naruto absorbed the information, thinking of his next move. He took in everything Katie was telling him, realizing it was crucial. This was information that could help plan out what he had in mind.
That's when a morbid thought struck the blonde. He looked over with thinned lips, "What are the casualties?" Naruto asked lowly, holding his breath.
It took Katie a second to respond, but when she did, a certain sorrow shined in her eyes.
"We've lost many, I won't lie," Katie said with a grim tone in her voice, "But we're not giving up! I don't know the total count, but I know we've lost some good campers…" Her voice trailed off while many lowered their heads.
"I see…" Naruto breathed in before looking around, "I'll do my part to try and help. Keep doing what you're doing!"
"You heard him!" Katie said aloud to the nearby campers, "We have our duty to finish! Pull out your swords and slash up any monsters Naruto trapped for us!"
"YES MA'AM!"
Katie then smiled, feeling adrenaline flood her veins. "What do we do?"
"WE DO NOT FALTER!"
"WE DO NOT FAIL!"
"WE DO NOT FEAR!"
Naruto looked on in amazement, seeing the campers shout their lungs out. They charged head-first into the tunnel with their weapons prepared.
"What's that about?" Naruto looked over with a smile, almost chuckling at the excitement displayed on the battlefield.
"It's a chant Percy came up with," Katie smiled while shrugging, "It's kinda catchy and it builds morale. We say it anytime we need a boost."
"Huh…would you look at that," Naruto grinned, "It seems fish-face isn't so bad at being a leader after all…"
Deciding he would help the other cabins, Naruto bid Katie farewell while running off. He summoned multiple clones, eager to help the others.
He would have to give the chant a try sometime. It did sound catchy the more he heard it.
Percy panted as he slammed into a nearby concrete building. Looking up, the son of Poseidon could see it was once a local bank with only a few letters remaining on the front entrance. Feeling blood trail down the side of his head, Percy wiped it away only for it to continue to leak slowly.
"Fuck...everything went to shit so fast…"
Percy could admit that he had never really seen what war was before this point, but he could confidently say he hated it. He felt exhausted, dirty, tired, and drained. However, he didn't stop moving forward just like everyone else.
Refocusing his vision, Percy shook his head to see his opponent slowly walking toward him with a chuckle.
"I was under the assumption that the son of Poseidon was the strongest demigod we had seen in nearly a millennium?" the figure laughed aloud, "Or was that an over-exaggeration?"
The titan, Hyperion, couldn't resist taunting his opponent. Despite his claims, it was clear to see that Percy had managed to land a few good blows based on the holes and wounds around his body. Fire licked off his body while he walked forward.
It seemed the Titan had not yet fully recovered his entire power, yet despite this, he still eagerly waged war for Kronos.
Hearing a roar from behind, Hyperion glanced over to see a sight that made him smile. Far into the distance, he could see two monsters working in tandem. They were both slaughtering anything in sight while tearing down nearby buildings.
Both the Minotaur and the Clazmonian Sow were wreaking havoc together. It was almost a poetic display of dual destruction. It was clear both monsters had received an upgrade since their recovery in Tarturus given they were much more violent.
However, in that split second Hyperion looked over his shoulder, he had just lost his battle. Normally a split second wouldn't mean much in a battle. Yet it seemed Hyperion forgot who he was battling.
Using this slight lapse in concentration, Percy roared with a primal shout. Dipping deep into his reserves, Percy outstretched his arms and clapped them.
Water pipes located underground suddenly burst and shot forward from the earth. Nearby fountains and river water also conjoined together to surround the enemy in a vortex of death. The water violently lashed out against Hyperion while surrounding him.
"AH...!" Whether Hyperion shouted in anger, surprise, or fear, Percy couldn't tell. He was barely standing as it was, concentrating on keeping the water flowing. He didn't risk dropping his attack unless he knew Hyperion was finished given he was already exhausted.
Unfortunately, Hyperion also displayed why he was a Titan.
Breaking out of the water vortex, Hyperion appeared with a scowl on his face. It was clear the attack caught him off-guard. He was sporting new injuries with a small trickle of golden blood running down his head.
"Damn…I was hoping that would finish it…" Percy cracked a half-smile, feeling his body twitch. He didn't know how much longer he could keep fighting. It was a miracle he was even standing at this point.
After arriving in Manhattan, Percy was constantly on the move. He was directing other cabins, consulting with Annabeth on what to do next, and trying to keep morale high. He was even doing a pretty good job at it so far.
That was until this morning when Kronos decided to launch his biggest attack yet.
Since the sun rose, Percy had been busy slicing monsters left and right. He had killed more monsters on this day than he had for the last few months. They just kept appearing over and over.
He received reports that Hyperion was causing chaos for the campers downtown so he decided to check it out. Annabeth would've joined him, however, she had been deployed to fight Ethan Nakamura who had been causing chaos for the Ares cabin.
When Percy arrived on the scene, he was greeted by his slaughtered allies and a laughing Hyperion. He held back his rage and grief in order to fight the titan and end him for good.
Sadly, the fight had dragged on to the point that Percy was running on fumes. He was already tired before fighting Hyperion, but his condition had only worsened in the hour they had been battling.
"Savor your last breath, demigod…." Hyperion spat out the last word like it was poison, "Because you won't get another!"
"Crap…my body…." Percy bit the inside of his cheek while trying to move. However, his body was just past the point of exhaustion by this point. The last attack he inflicted on Hyperion used whatever was left in his reserves. Now, he couldn't dodge.
Thankfully, he didn't have to.
"Archers, NOW!"
A rain of arrows came from the sky, with many of them lodging their ends into Hyperion's body.
"What is this?!" Hyperion shouted in fright while trying to move. Before he could continue to shout, he dropped his sword in shock. Looking closer, Hyperion realized his body was slowly turning to stone.
Bringing his eyes up, the titan saw his attackers before everything went dark around him. He had been infused with a spell that turned him to magic from a simple set of arrows. Almost like they were infused with the power of a goddess.
Turning around, Percy smiled at what he saw. Standing upon the roof of a nearby ruined building were the Hunters of Artemis. However, squinting his eyes, he also noticed another group of warriors standing by.
Jumping down swiftly, both groups landed with grace. Both leaders of each group spoke with one another in a low tone. Percy couldn't quite make out what was being said but he could see a mutual nod of respect end their conversation.
Without another word being spoken, the other group of hunters left with their leaders. Following their movement, Percy could see they were setting themselves up at vantage points to provide support for the campers.
Thalia then emerged from the Hunters of Artemis wearing her typical leather outfit and gave Percy a quick hug which Percy returned.
"About time you showed up with the backup….But it's good to see you again," Percy mumbled with a chuckle while separating from the hug with Thalia.
"I guess I can say the same," Thalia smiled in response before eyeing over the son of Poseidon, "Though it looks like you've been through it, huh?"
Percy simply nodded and opened his mouth to speak before they heard a loud screech. Turning their heads, they saw the tribe of female warriors shoot their arrows into the Clazmonian Sow. The creature squealed one final time before it turned into fine dust.
The Minotaur roared in opposition before he was mowed down with a set of arrows. They were quick, precise, and deadly. Percy was amazed as not even the best campers in the Apollo cabin could coordinate such an attack on short notice.
"Mind telling me who your friends are?" Percy chuckled, happy they were on their side. It felt like a massive win for once, which is something they desperately needed. The war was still raging on both sides so it felt good to get one over.
"They're the Amazons, warriors similar to our group." Thalia explained while eyeing their effectiveness, "It's a long story, but you can think of them as us except they can form relationships with men if they desire. One of Lady Artemis's last orders before she went dark was to meet with them and gain an alliance, even if it was only temporary."
"Artemis was the one who told you to reach out?" Percy said aloud with wide eyes, "She like never does something like that! What made her say that?"
Thalia shrugged, "I don't know, but this is war Percy. I'm sure Lady Artemis of all people knows the destruction of war. In times like this, you need every ally you can get and minimize all enemies."
Their conversation was cut short as fellow Hunters of Artemis arrived with their bows slung over their shoulders. It was one of the hunters who Percy didn't know who spoke up first, "Thalia, we should be providing support as planned. We can't spend long here."
"You're right," Thalia nodded while turning to Percy, "You should know that the reason we took so long to get here was because we were being slowed down by hordes of monsters. Even with the Amazon's help, it took us days to get back here in time."
"What are you implying, Thalia?" Percy asked in a careful tone. His body pains were momentarily forgotten.
Hearing thunder high above, Thalia glanced upward with a critical look in her eyes. Lighting shimmered overhead while dark clouds covered the sky. It seemed as if the entire state was covered with a sheet of darkness.
She could feel something sinister approaching.
Looking back at Percy, Thalia spoke in a serious tone. "I'm telling you that Kronos is attacking with a big force today for some reason. There has to be a reason that he chose today of all days to launch his biggest frontal assault yet."
"You mean…" Percy's eyes widened for a second, understanding what Thalia was saying. It was a simple explanation, but one he had overlooked simply for the fact that he didn't think it would happen. It couldn't happen. It shouldn't happen.
"Yes…I think Typhon will be arriving soon."
Before Percy could retort they heard the Amazons shout in alarm.
"Hellhounds, 12 o'clock! Archers, ready your aim!"
The Amazons then prepared to shoot down the pack of hellhounds that were rushing around the corner of a building. It was once a restaurant but it was now reduced to rubble with glass littered around.
"We'll talk later Percy, for now, let's do our part in the war!" Thalia said with steel in her eyes. She then took off, commanding all the Hunters under her.
"Right," Percy nodded, agreeing with his friend. Deciding he could ignore the pains around his body for now, Percy rushed over to where he had last seen Annabeth. He only hoped she had taken care of her opponent.
"And another one bites the dust!" Naruto tried to joke while slashing another Colchis Bull in half with his sword. The bronze structure collapsed within itself and fell into two parts. They crashed onto the concrete below while Naruto kept his pace.
The blonde had been summoning clones to scatter and help any cabins nearby who needed it. While doing this, Naruto had been running to try and find Percy to offer his assistance.
In the meantime, he had been approached by numerous monsters at each block. Every street corner seemed to house more and more of them. They came at him nonstop so he decided to make it easier on himself by using his sword gifted by Hades.
Wincing in pain, Naruto fought through it. It felt as if it was getting greater and greater lately.
"You need to stop pushing yourself! Your body is still recovering from NEARLY DYING!" Kurama shouted in his mind. "You haven't taken a break since waking up! It's been fight after fight! You're dangerously low on chakra!"
"I know Kurama… trust me, I know…." Naruto muttered back in his mind while jumping over another Colchis Bull. He was able to slash its head off while dashing across downtown Manhattan. "But I need to keep fighting while I can. Everyone's making a sacrifice in this war, it's only fair I do my part."
"You've already done your part!" Kurama exclaimed, referencing his battle in New Jersey. "You can't keep up at this pace!"
Before Naruto could respond, he heard a shout from several street corners down. Looking over, he decided to halt his thoughts and dash over to the source of the yell. Sealing his sword with a small puff of smoke, Naruto took off.
Jumping atop an overturned car, Naruto channeled chakra in his legs and launched upward. Letting gravity bring him back down, the blonde carefully landed atop the roof of what used to be a bank. Peeking down below, he could see Annabeth fighting off another demigod to the death.
Annabeth was clutching her left shoulder, which Naruto assumed was out of its socket. She also clutched her knife with so much strength her knuckles were white. Scratches littered her armor while blood trickled down her right left.
As for her opponent, Naruto saw he had an eye patch over his left eye. He seemed to be breathing hard while covering a large gash on the left side of his body. Blood was pooling between his fingers while he applied pressure to it.
He assumed this wound caused the shout he heard earlier.
However, despite the fact the male had the more serious injuries, Naruto could tell he was winding up for another attack. He could see the sudden tension in his legs and the determination in his eyes. It was clear he was about to make a move.
Before he could attack, Naruto jumped from his position and landed between the fighters. Dust and glass kicked up but Naruto ignored it in favor of protecting Annabeth.
Not taking his eyes off the male, Naruto spoke, "How are you holding up, Annabeth?"
Smiling through the pain, Annabeth responded with a chuckle, "Just fine. My arm's dislocated and blood is seeping into my shoes, but I'm alive."
While Annabeth had her pride in a fight, she couldn't help but feel relieved at the sight of her friend. She could hold her own in a fight, a majority of Camp Half-Blood knew that. But it never hurt to have a friend on the battlefield, especially in a scenario like this.
To add to their luck, the trio heard footsteps charging behind them. Glancing over, they saw the newcomer in the fight.
It was Percy.
"About time you arrived Fish-Face," Naruto joked while keeping his gaze ahead, "I was starting to worry about you."
"About me? You've been MIA for the past few days!" Percy exclaimed with a smile while reading the situation at hand, "….but enough of that, I see we have company."
"I feel honored," Ethan Nakamura chuckled while holding his side tightly, "I didn't think it would take some of the best warriors from Camp Half-Blood to take me down."
"Don't kid yourself," Annabeth spoke in a sharp tone, "Even if we don't attack you, you'll bleed out soon enough from that wound on your side."
"She's right," Naruto nodded, seeing the injury up close. "…This doesn't have to end with your death. If you put down your weapons, we can get you help."
"Help?! From my enemies?! In the middle of a war?!" Ethan almost laughed at the idea, "I'm not that stupid to fall for it."
"It's not some trap or trick," Naruto shook his head, "We know you're fighting for Kronos because he offered some new reign. But we can fix the one we have now, we just need the war to end."
"It's all bullshit!" Ethan nearly shouted out.
"It's not," Percy interjected while slowly stepping forward. Standing beside Annabeth, Percy spoke with his chest, "I know the Olympians have probably slighted you in some way… because I've been through something similar…" The son of Poseidon thought back to the times he never even knew his father. Back to the times he was unclaimed and roomed with the other demigods in the Hermes cabin.
"But we can change it, together." Percy nodded. "But you have to trust us…trust us to get you help and trust us to make a better Olympus."
It seemed Ethan pondered the idea but he didn't get to think of it for long. After all, it seemed all life in the nearby area paused.
Most would in the presence of the Titan King.
"N-No way!" Percy thought in shock, not expecting such a reveal at a time like this. One second they were talking to Ethan, the next, Kronos appeared around the corner. It's almost like he was waiting for a time to lure out Camp Half-Blood's greatest warriors.
It also helped that they were bruised, damaged, and tired while Kronos was still fresh.
"I couldn't help but notice the three of you were teaming up…." Luke Castellan announced with a sharp grin. However, all of them knew it wasn't Luke saying those words. It was Kronos, who was controlling the boy from within.
"I thought we would make it an even 3 vs. 3…." Kronos chuckled as if it was a joke only he understood. Percy and Annabeth both stood in anticipation.
Annabeth was slowly resetting her shoulder in place while biting down on her teeth, preventing any noise from escaping her lips. She couldn't allow any weakness to show in such a moment.
In the meantime, Percy commanded any nearby water to wrap around his body. Not only would it slowly heal him, but it would also act as armor. He could also draw from it to attack his opponents with it.
After all, Naruto wasn't the only one who trained with his abilities to come up with new attacks.
"Three on three?" Naruto wondered what he meant, considering it was only two on the opposing side at the moment. Throughout this entire time, Ethan hadn't made a single move. Even after Kronos appeared, Ethan seemed to be lost in thought.
At that exact moment, Naruto felt it before he saw it. A massive amount of negative feelings that had been hiding before were suddenly revealed to his senses. His Negative Emotion Sensing went wild feeling nothing but a swirl of emotions.
Rage.
Malice.
Hatred.
It nearly had him toppled over from the amount of each emotion he felt. It was much greater than anything he had felt before this point. Even Kronos didn't give off such an enormous amount of pure hatred.
In the next moment, everyone in Manhattan saw what Naruto had been feeling. Dark clouds separated and a vortex of mass destruction came toppling through. It flattened trees, destroyed buildings, and caused huge waves that swirled in the Hudson River.
The creature was composed of dark clouds and seemed like a shadowy figure. It was colossal with its hands being the length of buildings. Its feet were large enough to fill up two entire football fields, ranging around 600 feet.
It was still many miles away but they could see the monster. Its size was unlike anything they had seen before. It would even make Olympians look tiny by comparison.
"WHAT IS THAT?!" Annabeth shouted over the loud, swirling wind filling the atmosphere. It was crazy to hear how the environment changed so quickly.
Kronos shook his head in amusement. Despite the harsh winds around him, he seemed unbothered by it all. "Why that is one of my greatest assets, Child of Athena. The Husband of Echidna….The Storm Giant if you will…Typhon"
A loud stomping shook the ground, causing more destruction to fill their eyes. Buildings were toppled and debris was scattered. A thin glass shard scratched the cheek of Kronos but it only caused his eyes to fill up with mirth. Even as the trickle of blood dropped, he never lost his smile.
"To think he's still on the outskirts of New York but we can feel the effects as if he's standing right in front of us…" Percy grit his teeth, planting his feet into the ground to avoid being whisked away. "…what a monster…"
"WE NEED TO RETREAT, NOW!" Naruto shouted over the harsh winds, "REGROUP AND GO FROM THERE!"
"And what makes you think I'll allow that?" Kronos asked condescendingly. His smile was beginning to infuriate Annabeth who wanted nothing more than wipe it off his face.
"Because you don't have a choice!" Naruto responded with steel in his voice, glaring bloody daggers at his opponent.
Raising an eyebrow in confusion, Kronos realized what the blonde meant a moment later as his body froze up.
"W-what?" Kronos thought in confusion. Turning his head slightly, he saw a single Kunai implanted into the ground behind him with seals reaching up his legs. Looking upward, he saw a clone of the blonde with a cheeky smile before it dispelled into smoke. Ethan was also confused, realizing he couldn't move his body.
It only took Kronos a moment to understand what had happened.
"I see…he kept a clone hidden upon a roof before engaging Ethan and threw that blade when the winds kicked up to hide the noise it would make impacting the concrete…" Kronos closed his eyes with an amused hum. "The blade acted as a source of the seals, likely only having a small range so he kept it as close as he could to us…A clever tactician in the heat of battle."
Opening his eyes once more, Kronos saw the three campers gone from view. It was clear Naruto had used the distraction as an opening to leave. Naruto knew the seals wouldn't keep him for long so he decided to play it safe and use it as a moment to retreat.
It was commendable to fight, but it was smart to know when to retreat.
"Everyone talks about Percy Jackson's brilliance…" Kronos thought with narrowed eyes, "…but I can see this Naruto Uzumaki can pose a bigger threat if allowed…. Truly a nuisance…"
It only took a few minutes before the seals wore off and Kronos was able to move again. He could have used his power to break the seals earlier, but he didn't see the point. He would rather save his power than expend it when it wasn't needed. Looking at Ethan, he could tell the demigod hadn't quite figured out what happened. Instead of explaining it to his subordinate, Kronos only barked orders.
"Let us go and take Olympus once and for all," Kronos commanded while turning to walk off. "Typhon will create an opening for us… let's not waste it…"
"Uhh…Lord Kronos…" Ethan said aloud while wincing, clutching his side, "I think I need medical help first before I can do much more…"
Kronos sighed, holding the bridge of his nose tightly. "Then go find it Ethan, I cannot stop my plans for the wounds of one person. If you cannot find yourself aid, then you weren't worthy to be by my side to begin with."
Kronos then walked off, ready to commence his plan. He was starting to get easily irritated due to the fact Luke would fight back at certain times. Whether because the demigod was having a sudden change of heart or he regretted giving up his body, Kronos didn't care. He wouldn't allow such a trivial thing to ruin what he had been planning for ages by this point.
As he turned a corner, Ethan was left standing with mixed emotions. The winds howled around him as the storm clouds reached closer… yet Ethan could only think of one thing.
Had he chosen the wrong side of the war to fight on?
"EVERYONE, LISTEN UP!" Percy shouted while seeing his troops all around him. They had managed to gather all of their allies around their base of operations. They all stood around a large table that was once used to plan and coordinate their attacks. Now, it was overturned due to the harsh winds.
All of the campers from Camp Half-Blood were there with many of the campers looking worse for wear. It was clear the day had taken its toll on all of them.
"TYPHON IS APPROACHING FAST! WE NEED TO ACT IF WE PLAN TO SURVIVE!" shouted out a kid from the Ares cabin.
"HOW ARE WE GOING TO FIGHT THIS THING IF EVEN THE OLYMPIANS COULDN'T TAKE IT DOWN!" Shouted out Charles Beckendorf in retort. He had a slight limp, chapped lips, and a black eye. He too had taken his fair share of beatings in this war. "IF A OLYMPIAN CAN'T KILL IT, HOW CAN WE?"
It was true, the Olympians had been fighting Typhon for days by this point yet the monster had still made his way to Olympus nonetheless. The Storm Giant was still miles out, but he might as well be next to them given his size and effect on the surrounding area.
Each step he took shook the ground below them. Glancing over, Percy could see some of the campers from the Apollo cabin were shaking with fear. It was clear they were scared of the approaching threat.
The worst part was that no Olympian could be seen in the sky fighting the giant. That meant that Typhon had either disposed of them, or they had been knocked unconscious….or killed.
"FUCK! WHAT DO WE DO!?" Thalia shouted out, breaking the cold silence between the group. She was annoyed and frustrated. Lady Artemis had entrusted all leadership to her but she felt like it was just one obstacle after another at this point.
Chiron stood with his brothers, all looking tired and weary. Yet, despite their condition, they knew how serious the situation was. It was at this moment that the centaur decided to speak, "WE CANNOT LET FEAR RULE OUR DECISION! WE MUST ACT WITH THOUGHT!"
"WHAT THOUGHT?" One of the women from the Amazons shouted back with a snarl, "WE'RE SCREWED! ONLY A GOD CAN FIGHT SOMETHING LIKE TYPHON! AND WE DON'T HAVE ONE WITH US RIGHT NOW!"
A large piece of rebar slammed down near the group, startling many. It was clear the area around them was being destroyed piece by piece. If Typhon laid foot in Manhattan, then it would be gone in an instant.
"Damn Kronos!" Annabeth slammed her fist on a nearby metal pole. "He purposely tired us out today so we'd be left even more defenseless against Typhon…" Ever since early in the morning, the campers and their allies had been battling monster after monster. However, it was merely a diversion to tire them out for Typhon's arrival.
It didn't matter how many lives Kronos lost today because the ends justified the means in his eyes. If his army was slaughtered, he could grow a new one. If his generals died, he'd reform them eventually. All of it was done to sit on the throne of Olympus.
And Typhon was about to help him accomplish that goal.
Percy almost felt like sliding to the ground on his knees. "Did we…did we just lose the war?…" His whisper went unanswered in the howl of the harsh winds around them. He couldn't think of what to do. His father was still battling under the sea while Hades was locked in the Underworld for whatever reason.
Another step by Typhon shook the ground around them. It had become almost routine by this point.
Naruto, sensing that morale was rapidly dropping due to his Negative Emotion Sensing ability, decided to speak out. Using chakra to enhance his voice, he looked on around him. Everyone had varying expressions on their faces, but he could tell hope was depleting fast.
"CAMP HALF-BLOOD, WHAT'S OUR CHANT?"
Some campers eyed Naruto in confusion, wondering what he was getting at.
Looking around again, Naruto repeated his question with ferocity in his voice. The winds were harsh around them but his voice prevailed, "I REPEAT: WHAT. IS. OUR. CHANT?!" Giving a small pause after each word, Naruto could see the light return to many campers around them.
Funny enough, it was a girl from the Aphrodite cabin who spoke out first, "WE DO NOT FALTER!"
"That's right!" Naruto nodded, excited that someone caught on. He glanced at Percy and slapped him on the back, jolting him up. Answering his friend's questioning gaze, Naruto simply nodded. It was a simple message. All hope wasn't lost just yet.
Grinning, Percy decided to add in his own two cents. Cupping his hands around his mouth, the young demigod shouted, "WHAT'S OUR CHANT?!"
This time, Annabeth started it off with a huge smile on her face. She shook her head in amusement at the scene, her rage momentarily forgotten. Despite this, she showed her support with words.
"WE DO NOT FALTER!"
Charles Beckendorf then looked on with a grin plastered on his face. He too had felt despair only a moment earlier, yet now he felt like he could go twelve rounds with the Minotaur. It was crazy what adrenaline and morale could do. Through his chapped lips, the young warrior decided to continue the chant.
"WE DO NOT FAIL!"
Clarisse then chose this moment to clap her hands together with a resounding slap. The daughter of Ares had been busy leading her cabin through this war and was covered in dried blood, most of it not being hers. A grin spread across her face as she continued the war chant.
"WE DO NOT FEAR!"
Percy nodded, proud of his team and allies around them. He could even see some approving stares from the Amazons, which he considered to be a win since they had been so cold since their arrival. Even the Hunters of Artemis could be seen with smiles on their faces.
However, the small moment between the young warriors was cut short as they heard a roar. Turning their heads, they could see Typhon standing still with dark clouds filling his form.
"What is he doing?" Naruto thought with narrowed eyes, not liking the situation at all. This entire time Typhon had slowly been making his way. Now, he suddenly stopped while eyeing up the demigods with hatred in his eyes.
The giant stood still, letting the winds surround his form. A low, rumbling noise was produced from what they could assume was his mouth. His hulking status was intimidating for all. Legends had been told throughout history that those who laid eyes upon Typhon went insane with fear…they could see how the myth held some truth.
Thunder growled around the behemoth, almost like it was Zeus's wrath. Lighting scattered around his arms, bolts crawling up his arms like snakes. The energy flowed around what could be considered as the monster's 'palms,' swirling around in a deadly vortex.
Chiron was the first to notice, feeling his eyes widen with shock. "No….!"
Slowly, the blast grew bigger and bigger. It started small, around the size of a car. It then grew larger and larger…and larger…and larger
Harsh winds and sharp lighting clashed with one another to create a large ball of energy. Typhon roared as he prepared his attack, malice shining deep within its yellow eyes.
"AMAZONS, FORWARD FORMATION!"
Naruto turned his head to see a lady with brown hair tied into a ponytail, shout the command. It was clear she was in some sort of leadership role within their group, given all of the other Amazons followed her command without hesitation.
The Amazons leaped forward, running down the street in a hurry. They dashed with speed that surprised Naruto. Each lady took a stance, drawing their bows with extreme precision. A moment later, the tips of their arrows glowed brightly which surprised the blonde.
"What are they doing…!?" Screamed out Katie Gardner from the Demeter cabin. She covered her eyes as the winds picked up and threw her hair all around. She would have shouted louder but her voice had been lost from the constant yelling throughout the day.
Nobody immediately answered her question as they looked on in confusion. It was clear that most shared Katie's sentiment, wondering what the Amazons were doing. That was until Chiron spoke up, loud enough for everyone to hear over the winds.
"They're trying to stop Typhon's attack…." Chiron explained with a stern look on his face. He examined their arrows and realized it was enchanted to disrupt Typhon's concentration.
"If that attack lands…we're doomed…" Gulped Lee Fletcher, the son of Apollo feeling nervous. He was examining Typhon's concentration of energy and could tell it would probably wipe Manhattan off the face of the Earth if it landed.
The ball of energy grew even larger in Typhon's hands, growing to the point it was beginning to overshadow even the giant's large stature. The energy glowed a dark red with lighting enhancing the attack. Winds up to 160 miles per hour were surrounding the attack, creating a miniature tornado in Typhon's hands.
It only worsened when the group saw something that nearly made their jaws drop.
Typhon began spewing fire from its mouth onto the glowing orb. Its red hue only added to the ominous look of the attack. The destructive properties only kept getting higher. Not only did Typhon plan to wipe out Manhattan, but he wanted to destroy the entire city of New York at this point.
The giant's attack contained swirls of fire along its edges. It carved fear into the hearts of many watching, feeling powerless. They could do nothing but watch and hope the Amazons could stop it.
"AMAZONS, LAUNCH YOUR ARROWS NOW!" The same woman from before gave another command. Just like last time, it was also followed without delay.
Typhon remained unmoving, focusing on unleashing its attack of death. It disregarded the Amazons, finding such beings much lesser than itself. If an Olympian didn't scare it, no mortal would achieve the same.
Everyone watched with baited breaths as the arrows soared miles through the sky. What would normally be considered as an impossible task by a regular human was second nature for the Amazons. Their skills with a bow were only matched by the Hunters of Artemis.
BOOM!
Each arrow landed with precision, setting off massive explosions around Typhon's body. The blasts were numerous, with many of them chaining off each other. A smirk appeared on the faces of each Amazon, excited to see their attack land. Their aim had been true and their explosions were aimed at disrupting Typhon altogether.
It didn't succeed.
The smoke from each arrow's explosion slowly morphed, swirling high above the monster. Moments later, it was all directed into the orb of death. Their attack had only strengthened their enemy.
"W-what! No way!…" The lead Amazon muttered with wide eyes. She couldn't believe what she was seeing, but it was clear as day. Their coordinated attack had done nothing to the giant. It only added to its strength.
"HUNTERS…!" Everyone looked over to see Thalia shouting out with conviction in her eyes, "LET'S ASSISTS OUR ALLIES! ON ME!"
Thalia led her charge, dashing to assist the Amazons. It was clear that despite their failed attempts, they would no longer wait on the sidelines. If they could help in any capacity, then they would.
"WE NEED TO PREVENT THAT ATTACK FROM LAUNCHING..!"
Looking up, the group of warriors noticed Aeolus appear from thin air. His hair was disheveled and he wore a firm frown, but he was alive. The Master of Winds had been fighting nonstop by providing air support to the campers, keeping Kronos's army at bay. He had just dealt with a group of monsters that just tried to flank the group, explaining his recent absence.
"IF THAT LANDS, WE'LL ALL BE SCREWED!" Aeolus clarified with a scowl, feeling exhausted. The Master of Winds hadn't fought with such ferocity in a long time. The constant battle against Kronos was beginning to wane on his sanity.
Typhon was also using the winds in his domain, causing him to grow an even bigger distaste for the giant.
Without warning, Percy raised his arm high into the air. "APOLLO CABIN, PREPARE YOUR ARROWS AND ASSIST!"
"Right…!" Lee Fletcher nodded while organizing his subordinates. They soon gathered their weapons and ran to follow the Hunters of Artemis. They dashed down the road, aiming to follow the lead in stopping Typhon.
Turning his head, Percy looked directly into Naruto's eyes with a tired look on his face. "I know I'm asking a lot out of you, but do you think you can create a barrier strong enough to protect us should Typhon launch his attack?"
"For sure," Naruto nodded without hesitation. Closing his eyes, the blonde shifted his hands into the 'Ram" sign while tapping into his chakra reserves. Just as he prepared to create a wooden barrier large enough to protect Manhattan, he felt a massive headache.
"Ugh…!" Falling onto one knee, Naruto clutched his head with a wince. It caught him off guard, not feeling anything like that before. Opening his right eye, Naruto gave an apologetic look to his friend. "Sorry man, just give me a second."
"You idiot!" Kurama shouted from within with a snarl. "Your body is still recovering from nearly dying, not to mention you keep using Jutsu after Jutsu without letting yourself rest! Most Kage Shinobi at this point would be DEAD from chakra exhaustion!"
"I know Kurama…" Naruto said in response while trying his best to stand back up, accepting Annabeth's outstretched hand. "I just thought I had more cha-"
"YOU'RE ON FUMES NARUTO! WHEN WILL YOU LEARN YOU HAVE LIMITS!" Kurama shouted, finally sick of Naruto disregarding his own health. The damn brat never took a break, especially if it was to protect his friends.
Before Naruto could respond, he saw a flurry of arrows launch into Typhon once more. Instead of causing explosions, these arrows exploded into an ice storm. He assumed the Amazons and Hunters of Artemis helped enchant the projectiles.
At first, this seemed to harm the giant given it groaned in annoyance, but it soon dispelled with no noticeable effect on the ancient being.
Another round of arrows was launched once more.
"Listen Kurama, you're right…" Naruto conceded while standing back up on his feet. "…I do have limits, so help me go past them….lend me your chakra, and let's take down this bastard for good."
Naruto didn't hear anything at first, causing him slight worry. He hoped his comment didn't offend his friend. However, even he knew his limit had been reached long ago. He was lucky he had made it this far, to begin with. Now, he needed his friend's support if he wanted to continue.
"…I thought I told you before brat…" Kurama smirked behind his paw, "…You don't need to ask to use my chakra. Just don't overwhelm yourself or you'll control…idiot."
"Thank you, Kurama."
ROAR!
Snapping out of his conversation, Naruto looked over to see something that he would never forget. After launching their latest flurry of arrows, Typhon seemed to have enough. His deadly orb had grown to such a massive size that Naruto thought would carve out the land they stood on if it connected.
Everyone looked on in despair. The worst possible outcome had just occurred.
Typhon had released his attack. Raising its right 'hand' high, Typhon let out a guttural roar as it launched its orb of destruction straight to the last defense of Olympus.
It was death incarnate.
"This is it…we failed…" Drew Tanaka of the Aphrodite cabin thought with wide eyes. She could see the death ball launching at them from miles away but it would eventually reach their position.
Katie Gardner chuckled, watching with unshed tears in her eyes. "So this is how I die…" Smiling in acceptance, the girl couldn't help but laugh a little. She always assumed she'd have a boyfriend before she bit the dust.
"N-No…!" Thalia's heart sank the moment Typhon released his ball of death. She wasn't scared of death, she had come to terms with it long ago. However, she felt like the biggest waste of space at the moment. Lady Artemis had entrusted the archers under her care, and she felt like she failed them. Looking over, she could also see their wide eyes, trying to come to terms with what was about to happen.
Annabeth looked over at Percy, watching as he racked his brain for any solution available. In times of crisis, Percy usually could come up with something. He had grown leaps and bounds in terms of strategy in the last few months.
But as the orb flew in the sky, Annabeth watched as Percy's expression grew desperate. It was clear that he didn't know what to do, or how to lead his people to victory in this moment. The winds around them didn't matter at this point to the duo.
Feeling a soft hand grasp his sweaty palm, Percy looked down to see the hand connected to Annabeth of all people. "Annabeth, I-"
The words choked in his throat at Annabeth's expression. No longer did she seem like the fierce warrior he had seen moments earlier. Instead, the daughter of Athena almost seemed to accept their current predicament.
He felt her hand tighten around his palm, causing him to wonder what he could do. In his mind, there was no way to protect from such a deadly attack at this point.
There was no Olympian to save them.
There was no miracle about to happen.
There was no ace they could play at this point.
….Until there was.
Acting quickly, Naruto decided he needed to put a plan into action. Thankfully, he was beginning to feel Kurama's chakra enter his system. It wasn't enough to be visible just yet, but it was just the boost he needed.
Grabbing both of his trench blades from his belt, Naruto threw both of them simultaneously. With a grunt of effort, everyone watched as both blades soared through the air with precious and speed.
One trench blade was aiming straight for the orb while the other flew past the attack, heading straight for Typhon. Some people turned to face the source of these blades, only to see Naruto with his outstretched arm.
"NO TIME TO EXPLAIN, GIVE ME YOUR HAND PERCY!" Naruto shouted while looking over at his friend. Without hesitation, Percy gave his hand out while the blonde gave it a quick clasp. When his hand was removed, Percy saw a strange seal appear on his palm before it disappeared.
The son of Poseidon trusted his friend to the point he didn't question what was going on, even in a life-or-death moment. They had been through a lot together by this point.
Just as Tyson's attack was entering New York City, Naruto's trench blade was only feet from impact. Everyone watched what felt like slow motion as they could tell something was about to happen. This was their last chance, even if they didn't understand what the blonde had in mind.
"I hope this works…" Naruto breathed out as everything seemed to slow down for him. Kurama's chakra had healed him enough at this point that he could perform several more Jutsu without issue. Soon enough, he knew Kurama's chakra tails would be emerging. They always did when he tapped too deep.
With a deep breath, the blonde launched his plan into action.
"Hiraishin: Dorai…!" (Flying Thunder God: Guiding Thunder)
Naruto flashed away in an instant. With Kurama's chakra flowing through his veins, Naruto felt confident he could perform the technique. The only problem was that this was his first attempt at using this technique against an enemy's attack.
Now he was hoping the Hiraishin could hold up once again.
Flashing to his first trench knife, Naruto held his breath while quickly outstretching his arm. This was the riskiest thing he had ever done, but he had no choice. He couldn't risk his friends dying if he could help it.
It happened within a moment and most campers missed it. At that moment, Naruto didn't care about the harsh winds around him, he didn't care about the orb of death only inches from his face. Nor did he care about the surprised gasps from his friends below.
All that mattered to him was taking care of the problem. And he was going to do that, nobody would be able to tell him otherwise. Especially this giant who held no regard for the life around him.
With an outstretched palm, Naruto felt Typhon's orb make contact with his skin. Even though it was only for a brief moment, he could feel it eating away at his skin. If it wasn't for Kurama's chakra regenerative abilities, he would've had injuries similar to third-degree burns.
At the exact moment, Naruto firmly placed his hand on the orb, he flashed away to his second trench knife.
The collective reaction from everyone present was that of awe, shock, and surprise. One second they were watching death race after them, and now it had completely vanished from the sky. They could barely process Naruto flashing away given it was instantaneous.
Flashing high above Typhon's head, Naruto reappeared with the orb in hand. It completely dwarfed him in size, but he was able to teleport the attack away from his friends. Bringing his arm back, Naruto threw Typhon's attack right back at him.
"Have your attack back, you bastard…!" Naruto snarled out while his whisker marks darkened. His canines were also gaining a sharp edge. These were all clear indicators of Kurama's influence. Signs that only appeared when he was using too much of the Kyuubi's chakra.
To Typhon's credit, he was able to direct his eyes upward just in time to see what was coming right at him. However, he was far too slow to react in time. In his eons of existence, he had never seen anybody throw his attack back at him.
Naruto didn't stay behind to watch the massive collision occur. Instead, he flashed to both trench knives he had thrown earlier, collected them, and flashed back to Percy.
Feeling a sudden presence beside him, Percy looked over to see his friend appear from thin air. Not noticing that he accidentally removed his hand from Annabeth's grasp. Closely examining him, Percy couldn't help but think his friend looked almost…animalistic.
Before his thoughts could ponder anymore, the entire state of New York was shaken by what happened next.
BOOM!
Everyone in attendance from the Amazons to Chiron covered their eyes and braced for impact. A bright light briefly overtook their senses, almost like the light from a nuclear bomb. Shock waves that tore down the buildings around them shook the area, causing unforeseen destruction.
Clenching his teeth, Malcolm Pace watched with disbelief shining in his eyes. The son of Athena couldn't believe what he was seeing with his own eyes. "And to think, that ball of death was heading straight for us! It would have wiped out all of New York…!"
The explosion grew brighter and bigger, seemingly never-ending. They could only see a swirling mass of fire and wind condensed is such a fixed point. It was like watching the wrath of Gaia in person.
"I see why Typhon could even give the Olympians trouble with this kind of power…" Annabeth thought to herself, watching with calculating eyes. She could feel the shock waves given off by such an attack miles away, she could only assume it was devastating feeling it head-on.
Looking down at his palm, Naruto watched as the remaining skin regenerated. Steam slowly leaked out of his body while Kurama's chakra worked overtime to heal him instantly. Clenching his hand into a fist, Naruto gave a mental thanks to his partner for the help. If it wasn't for the Kyuubi's chakra currently powering his body, he would have dropped from exhaustion by this point.
"I'm glad the plan worked out in the end…" Naruto chuckled to himself, watching the blast of the attack die down in the distance. The Hiraishin: Dorai (Flying Thunder God: Guiding Thunder) was something he had only completed in theory. His Fuinjutsu notes and scrolls were amazing for theory, but putting it into practice was something completely different.
Even though teleporting the attack had been successful, Naruto was already assuming several ways he could improve the technique.
Hearing a sudden final explosion, everyone watched as the dome of light grew weaker in the distance. The shock waves lessened before they stopped altogether. The harsh winds around them also began to slow down before they came to a stop. It seemed Typhon's overwhelming presence had been weakened after eating its attack.
"That's not the end of him…!" Everyone looked over at Chiron who spoke out suddenly. With no harsh winds forcing them to yell, everybody could now speak in their normal tone of voice. "…I can still sense he is far from finished."
Taking a closer look, everyone in attendance watched as Typhon slowly got back up. It had been forced on its back during the explosion but was now rising. However, it was clear to see that the giant had taken some damage from its attack given it was now being sluggish.
Naruto chose this moment to throw one of his trench knives at Typhon's location. He planned to try and finish off the giant or at least incapacitate him. He was too much of a major player for Kronos and needed to be stopped.
Just as many were about to celebrate their small win, everyone could hear hundreds of footsteps coming from the outskirts of town. Turning their heads, they could see Kronos marching forward with his remaining troops. They were charging with blood lust and determination in their eyes. At their pace, they would make contact in minutes.
"They positioned themselves on the outskirts of Manhattan to avoid Typhon's blast…" Annabeth deduced with critical eyes. "…those bastards didn't want to be caught in the blast radius in case Typhon succeeded…"
Just as Naruto prepped himself like the others, Percy looked over at him. "Don't worry about Kronos, we'll take care of him. You finish off Typhon."
"You can't-!" Naruto tried to speak back but his friend cut him off mid-sentence.
"Out of everyone here, you have the best chance against Typhon…" Percy said with firm eyes. "Let's not kid ourselves, you have the abilities and strength that none of us here do. If anyone stood a chance against the Father of Monsters, it'll be you. Let us deal with Kronos and his goons, you handle the giant…" Glancing over at the charging monsters, Percy prepared to draw Riptide.
"Percy's right…!" Looking over, Naruto saw it was Annabeth speaking as she drew her knife. "Take down Typhon while we worry about Kronos. We're the last line of defense until the Olympians return."
Given none of the Olympians had appeared in a while, Annabeth was starting to worry. However, she couldn't worry about that at the moment given they were still in a war. They would have to be Olympus's protector in the meantime.
"I…I understand." Naruto nodded with conviction in his voice. While he wanted to keep arguing with his friends, wanting to help, they made valid points. His talents would be better spent taking out Typhon before he recovered or tried to launch another attack.
"Get ready for the light show! Shit is about to go down…!" One of the Party Ponies yelled out while prepping their weapons. The centaurs had arrived on the battlefield earlier in the day. Their group had been strangely silent earlier but it seemed they had recovered their nerve.
Naruto took a deep breath before he flashed away to his trench knife heading for Typhon. Percy glanced over to see his friend gone. A small smile spread across his face, happy that his friend finally took his advice. Extending his sword, the son of Poseidon decided to raise morale before the showdown happened.
"CAMPERS, WE ARE NEAR THE END OF THE WAR!" Percy shouted while raising Riptide in the air. "LET'S STOP KRONOS HERE AND FINISH THIS FOR OLYMPUS!"
"HOO-RAH!"
"HOO-RAH!"
"HOO-RAH!"
Clarisse had started to chant in response, with other campers following her lead. Let it be known that the daughter of Ares loved firing up the troops. She was always appreciative of boosting morale.
The leaders within the group collected momentarily so they could organize a game plan. They knew their respective troops only listened to their commands, so they would have to be on the same page if they wanted a chance at defeating Kronos.
Percy would take leadership of the people from Camp Half-Blood. This wasn't a problem as most had already seen him as the one in charge. Annabeth acted as an advisor for him on the battlefield.
Thalia would command the Hunters of Artemis since she was the reigning Lieutenant. She had almost failed her subordinates once, she wouldn't risk it again.
The Party Ponies decided to follow whatever Chiron ordered. He was seen as the smartest of their kind and held much respect while in a war zone. The mentor of legends would lead this group in the ensuing fight.
As for the Amazons, it seemed their second-in-command was leading their group. To Percy's surprise, it seemed their actual leader had decided to stay back at their base of operations to defend their home. He didn't know much about the group but they claimed to provide cover and support when necessary.
They had their orders, and Naruto had his. Percy just prayed he didn't send his friend to his death.
AND BOOM! Just like that, we have officially entered the showdown I've been working up to. Next chapter, we'll be getting Naruto vs Typhon while Kronos marches onto the last defense of Olympus. It's getting fired up in here!
Quick note - I understand the Amazons are introduced later down the series and have a pretty bad reputation for what they do. However, I want to slightly shift this in my story and plan to do so later on.
It's been a long time since I've touched this story, but man, it feels good to be back. Glad to see so many new people appreciated this after I took my break, you all contributed to me coming back! It really does mean a lot!
If you enjoy or like this story at all, please share your thoughts! Any support at all is appreciated!
If you are following this story or any of my other ones, I will try my best to keep them updated! It's a little difficult since I try to keep any new update/chapter 10k words or more, but we push on!
Time for Reviews!:
Kitsune Onogiri: I appreciate the kind words! Recently saw your review and it actually gave me the little boost I needed to see this update through!
Mogeett4: You got it! More is here!
Bibink729: Update is here!
Rubi Huaman Calderon: I'm glad you like the story, here's more!
~ Until next time!
Cheers!