A/N: Here we go…more peace, with a slice of action.

…

[Unknown location]

Fū felt no shortage of childish wonder as she explored the sprawling city, walking down the bustling streets. It was hard to contain her excitement so that she could act like a normal person going about their day, and not like a bubbly, wide-eyed tourist…unfortunately for her, the bounce of excitement and amazement was evident in every step as she took in all the sights. It was all she could do to not squeal like a fangirl before a fashion idol…or in the case of many a good Genin kunoichi, the strongest, most handsome boy to come out of the Ninja Academy.

The city of Towashi - a name she'd heard several times from the residents.

Everything looked so very different from Takigakure. For one thing, she saw that so many of the buildings were so tall that they'd dwarf even the tallest Kage tower by sheer height alone - she had a feeling that even the Raikage tower would've looked small compared to these giants. There were so many veins of neon lights running through the city that she was excited as to the possible nocturnal spectacle they'd create. It was as though the city were built on neon lights.

The way media was transmitted was advanced as well: sometimes on flat, rectangular planes of light hovering in front of the buildings; sometimes on slim ribbons of light containing only text. And then there were the walls of certain buildings with walls that looked as if they were made specifically to be titanic television screens, blaring advertisements for ramen, saké, and other things. Snippets of conversation unveiled the way life unfolded in the city.

"What?! A bowl of ramen is how much?!" shrieked an outraged patron at a ramen stand.

"Lunch is over boys! Time to get back to work!" barked a foreman, earning a round of disgruntled groans from his crew.

"If only we had some of Lorehold's students and alumni here, then the repairs would be faster." lamented a passerby.

As she explored, she found herself exposed to the diversity of the residents living in this city. There were, of course, humans, and they lived along a cosmopolitan mish-mash of different peoples. White-furred fox-people patrolled the streets in futuristic samurai armor; diminutive, red-skinned people with long noses, spindly limbs, and a rounded shell on their backs salvaging for scraps; even rat-people chatting with each other around machines that looked like metal horses on two wheels. It made her wonder if she was dreaming given the variety of people walking the streets.

The more that Fū saw, the more she was captivated by the wonders she'd encountered. The city of Towashi clearly valued innovation and looked towards the future, made all the more evident by the advanced technology that was present, which included impossibly large suits of armor being controlled by the wearer within. She watched as the metal horses she'd been admiring not even a few minutes ago sped by, a loud, thundering noise as their rat-people riders controlled them with deft skill. Even a few flying machines dotted the sky - some of the smaller ones were carrying parcels, while the larger ones made their rounds patrolling the streets.

And yet, for all of Towashi's forward-thinking nature, she was quick to note the green zones scattered throughout the city. It was as though the place, despite its progressive mind, also venerated nature, given the number of parks she'd spotted dotted with grass and trees, even a few creeks - the city's architects clearly knew how to collaborate with Mother Nature instead of fighting her. Such was the city's evident veneration of tradition and nature, that she'd spotted a deer or two grazing in the parks - though unlike normal deer, these beautiful creatures had cherry tree branches for antlers, with flowers in full bloom like a walking hanami display. There was something spiritual about those creatures, and indeed, some of the residents of the city were more…ethereal, as if they were spirits that had come from the pages of those old storybooks she'd found and enjoyed as a child.

However, her enchantment with the city of Towashi was subdued by the hints of damage throughout the city she'd found during her exploration. Cracks spider-webbing from arrows, kunai, and shuriken pockmarked some walls; deep claw marks and gouges from sword blades marred the pavement; and she thought she'd spotted a humanoid outline or two scorched into surfaces. The battle damage she'd encountered throughout her tour of the city pointed to a most terrible war having been fought here, and the ongoing state of repair that the city was in, that this war was recent. She could only lament the suffering of the people of this metropolis.

The most heartbreaking casualty she'd noticed was the shattered tree that dominated the skyline - the one whose roots she nearly tripped over, forcing her to look up. She was already aware of how tall the tree was from a distance, as it was among the first things she saw upon setting foot in Towashi - but to actually have a firsthand look at its actual height was humbling, to say the least. The sweet and spicy scent of cedar wood was unmistakable from the wounds cut into the roots. By her estimation, even in its ruined state, this titanic cedar was much bigger than the sentinel that stood vigil over Takigakure, and far more ancient. Strong, thick shimenawa ropes were wreathed around what remained of the trunk with shide streamers dangling from them, marking it as a sacred tree. Fū surmised that had the tree been whole, it would very likely have been festooned with more bands of shimenawa with shide, possibly more and larger ones would adorn the branches. To see such a titan with its upper reaches obliterated so violently brought tears to her eyes as she wondered, with a mix of indignation and sadness, as to who would do such a cruel thing to a tree. It was as if high explosives were detonated inside its trunk, leaving behind a jagged stump atop the skyscraper it sat upon like an arm that had been torn off. There was no doubt in her mind that the titanic cedar was a casualty of the recent conflict that ravaged the city.

"You seem lost," said a voice from above, snapping Fū out of her reverie.

She looked up and found the speaker to be an older man looking down on her from the corner of a roof. He leaped down from the high ground and gracefully landed a few paces in front of Fū, giving her ample room for a better look.

From how smooth his skin was, Fū placed him in his thirties. His hair had been shaved very closely to his scalp, leaving behind a bare minimum of hair. A devious grin was on his face, giving him the appearance of some long-forgotten trickster god, though he was more curious than malicious. He wore a blue quilted gambeson under black synthetic materials and metal armor that conformed to his well-muscled form, over which he wore a pair of hakama that was secured to his waist by a blue rope and that ballooned around his knees, his shins protected by a pair of futuristic suneate with integrated knee pads. He also wore some sort of device along his jawline that resembled a goatee on his otherwise clean-shaven chin. All in all, very easy on the eyes.

Everything about this man screamed 'ninja,' which was more than enough to put Fū on alert. Judging by the confidence with which he carried himself, Fū surmised that he was possibly high-Chūnin, or even low-Jōnin at the very least. The way he subtly tensed his muscles in preparation for a fight was enough to tell her that he had more than earned this confidence.

The veteran ninja was accompanied by a gray tanuki that was perched on his shoulder - the little thing looked as if it were made up of metallic triangles, looking down at her with glowing blue eyes. While she was confident that she and Chōmei could handle the veteran, she really didn't like the look of that katana sheathed at his hip. This place was far more technologically advanced than Takigakure, and she had no idea what sort of tricks the veteran had up his sleeves…just that he was not to be underestimated.

"I see you've encountered Boseiju," said the veteran ninja, "The oldest, most famous resident here in our fair city. Well, what's left of it, at least."

"What happened to it?" asked Fū, turning her attention back up the damaged tree, her stance more relaxed. From the shrewd, intelligent look she saw in the veteran's eyes, she had a feeling he'd been following her from the moment she set foot in Towashi…that had he wanted to kill her, she would not have seen him coming, and she wouldn't have been allowed to explore the city.

"War," he replied simply, "And a brutal one at that."

"That much, I saw," she admitted, "But to think someone would do such a thing to a sacred tree - it's heartbreaking."

The veteran nodded in agreement. "The Okina monks feel the same - though I imagine they would've held a vigil for it if they weren't so busy helping to heal the wounds of war."

After a moment of reverent silence to pray for the desecrated Boseiju, Fū regarded the veteran more seriously. "So I'm assuming you're the security guard, here to send me away?"

"I'd like to think of myself more like a tour guide escorting a guest home," answered the veteran, "It's probably best you go back now."

Fū sighed, her mood taking on a melancholic note. "Might as well. I guess my people are probably worried about me by now."

"If you want, I could tell you a bit about this place on our way back." offered the veteran.

The light returned in Fū's eyes upon hearing the offer. "That'd be nice. I'm Fū, by the way."

"Shizuki Kaitō," answered the veteran ninja, "Your temporary guide to the city of Towashi, the crown jewel of Kamigawa."

…

[Somewhere in Hi no Kuni]

Team Yamato relaxed to the crackle and woodsmoke of the campfire as they rested up for the night, preparing for the upcoming mission. Naruto was poring through a tome of runic magic, studying new runes and glyphs for his work as a smith, and now a shinobi. Haku ran through her inventory of medicinal herbs on hand, ensuring that they were kept stocked up to speed up healing. The rhythmic, metallic rasp of a whetstone mingled with embers as Hyōhime sharpened her nata, while Yamato vigilantly kept the fire stoked.

Surprisingly enough, Yamato had displayed the ability to conjure forth wooden beams from the ground, which then formed the cabin they were all resting up in. The interior included a recess in the middle of the room from which a fire circle was constructed, allowing them to keep warm while the wooden walls kept them safe. The man's precision was uncanny, as he'd formed the cabin to basic standards with the skill of a professional architect.

Having been to Toril himself in his odyssey through the multiverse, it was not lost on Naruto that had the team been in that world, it would have been a quintessential adventuring party. The newcomer Hyōhime would be the Ranger of the party, though he'd yet to see what she was capable of beyond her archery and bladework. Yamato, due to his Mokuton Jutsu, would not have been out-of-place as a Circle of Land Druid. Haku, thanks to her Hyōton Kekkei Genkai, would have qualified as a hybrid between an Arcane Trickster Rogue and an Elemental Bloodline Sorcerer specializing in ice magic. And of course, Naruto was a mix of warrior and spellcaster due to his Lorehold education, and experience as a planeswalker - an Eldritch Knight and perhaps even a Rune Knight taken to an absurd degree.

"Tsunade-sama says you know about the thing we're hunting for," said Yamato, snapping Naruto out of his thoughts, "Care to tell us what this 'angel' business is?"

Ah yes, the mission: investigate the recent discovery of gold-dusted feathers, and bring back the creature responsible to Konoha-preferably alive. This was evidently a priority mission from the daimyō that was passed down to Tsunade. Though to be frank, it sounded like the sort of mission Jiraiya would've posted in hopes of debunking the existence of angels, and that the thing leaving behind these feathers was just an exotic golden bird. The only problem was that Naruto knew better. He'd seen too much of the multiverse to dismiss the existence of angels, and he had a feeling that this mission was the start of a chain reaction resulting in a massive wake-up call for the world he called home to the reality of the multiverse.

"It's not as simple as that," Naruto cautioned, closing his tome to regard his commander, "If I start telling you about angels, I'm going to have to share concepts with you are gonna challenge your understanding of the spiritual arts, and I don't know if we have the time for a full explanation."

"We still need to know what we're getting ourselves into," replied Hyōhime, taking a break from sharpening her nata to inspect its cleaver-like blade, "Better-informed is better-prepared."

Yamato nodded in agreement before regarding Naruto, "Tell us everything you can, as simply as you can."

Naruto surveyed the gathered shinobi before him. Expectant eyes, along with the silence that reigned was more than enough preamble for him to set his book aside to regard his team. "Before I dive into exactly what an angel is, let's start at the beginning with a little spiritual arts lesson: mana is spiritual energy straight-up, omnipresent and powering the spiritual arts in its many forms. I'm still working out the more stand-out differences between mana and chakra, but here's what I've got so far: just like how there are five basic chakra elements here in this world, there's five basic colors of mana - White, Blue, Black, Red, and Green. Each of these colors represents a particular mindset and philosophy, and each has elements and creatures attributed to them with considerable overlap between them…toads and frogs, for example, would fall under Green and Blue mana, as does wind and water magic.

"This principle also applies to people, where everyone is born with a central mana color - this color is the core of who you are, and won't change no matter what colors you pick up or lose. For example, I started off with Red mana as my central color, but I also have a natural affinity for White and Green that lets me pick up spells associated with both colors very easily. This also means that trying to learn Blue and Black Magic is a lot more challenging for me."

He then honed his mana detection ability, sensing the mana auras of everyone around the campfire starting with Haku as he regarded her with a discerning eye. "Haku, You're giving off Blue, Black, and White mana in your aura, though White seems to be slightly more dominant." His gaze then fell on Yamato. "I see Green and Blue in your aura, though you lean slightly closer to Blue." He then concluded his assessment with Hyōhime. "Now you're interesting - I see Green, White, and Black in your aura."

"Anyway, within each mana color, you have what many magic scholars call 'big creatures'," Naruto continued, "Very powerful, and often rare, creatures that embody the philosophies of their colors - you could say that they're the apex predators of their respective colors. Angels are one such creature, the apex of White mana, embodying the color in all its virtues and vices. Of course, you'll sometimes find angels in other colors, and more often a mix of other colors, but many of them are at least partly associated with White."

"What do they look like?" Haku asked, genuinely curious.

"Superficially, they look human," he continued, hands waving in emphasis, "Though if I'm being honest, angels look more like prime specimens of the human form - a perfect blend of strength and beauty rolled into one. Much like humans, their appearances vary between individuals - some have dark skin and hair, others have a fair complexion with fiery red hair. However, the consistent thing about all angels is that they have a pair of majestic, functional wings covered in iridescent feathers on their backs. The feathers are white, but they sometimes have a metallic sheen like they're lightly dusted with metals like gold or silver, which gives off a warm glow in the right light - quite beautiful, really."

"And how do you know so much about these 'angels'?" Hyōhime asked.

"I encountered a number of them while I was trying to find my way home," Naruto explained, "Trust me, fighting a determined angel is not something you'll soon forget."

"What capabilities can we expect?" Yamato asked.

"Aside from flight, angels are typically creatures of White mana, which gives them their power over light magic," Naruto continued, "Weaponizing light to create searing javelins and protective barriers are par the course when doing battle with angels. Their longevity means they've got plenty of time to get good at whatever skill they want to master, so don't be surprised if an angel literally has decades, if not centuries of combat experience over you. Add to the fact that they are very fast flyers, and you've got a formidable aerial threat to deal with."

"Are they aggressive?" Haku asked, with genuine concern in her tone.

"That depends on the individual," Naruto explained, "Being creatures of White, they represent the color in both its virtues and vices. The good ones are paragons of the color's better aspects like justice, altruism, and mercy, while the bad ones tend to embody its darker side like xenophobia, stubbornness, and dogmatism. But judging from how nobody was hurt so far, I can only guess that this one isn't hostile at the moment…not that I'd want to test that. Regardless of her disposition, it's never a good idea to commit a heinous crime in front of an angel - there's a reason they're the apex of White mana."

Hyōhime looked at Naruto with a befuddled expression on her face. "'Regardless of her disposition?' How do you know that this angel is a 'she' in the first place?"

"A calculated guess," Naruto explained without missing a beat, "In my experience, the vast majority of angels are women - I've heard that angel men exist, but they tend to be very rare outside of places like Amonkhet."

"Great, so we're looking for a powerful, winged woman with looks that'd launch a thousand ships, all crewed by very thirsty men," Hyōhime grumbled, her focus back on sharpening her nata, "As if that wasn't a blow to my self-esteem."

"I think we've got enough of a briefing for now," said Yamato, reaching for a nearby shovel, "We've got a long day coming up. The last sighting of those feathers was in a field not too far from here…which means that if we're fast enough, we might be able to catch up. In that case, turning in now would be a very good idea."

After the last embers burned out, the entirety of Team Yamato drifted off into slumber for the mission to come. Naruto remained awake for a little longer, memories playing in his mind from his time as a resistance fighter during the New Phyrexian Invasion…a memory sparked from telling his team of angels. He remembered his unit, a mish-mash of resistance fighters desiring revenge for the Phyrexian encroachment upon their worlds.

The missions they often undertook were nothing short of audacious: infiltrating deep into enemy territory, attacking and demolishing key enemy infrastructure, crippling the Phyrexians' ability to wage war, then extracting before they could properly retaliate. They also did double-duty as skirmishers from time to time, attacking small Phyrexian patrols, as well as intercepting reinforcements in very key battles. They were even present for that final push that spelled the end of the Phyrexian menace…his unit was there to help the dryad planeswalker Wrenn after she lost her bonded treefolk partner Seven. They helped to transport Wrenn's dismembered body towards the Realmbreaker, allowing her to bond with the defiled progeny of Kaldheim's world tree and turn the tide of the war.

For that reason, his raiding unit was a cosmopolitan mix of combatants from all over the multiverse. They had Soratami and Nezumi-bito ninjas from Kamigawa serving as scouts and skirmishers, their agility and speed enhanced by the technology they brought to the fight. Viashino sharpshooters of Capenna's Riveteers family took potshots at enemy combatants with repurposed rivet guns and Halo grenades. Goblin sappers from Ravnica's Gruul Clans wielding demo charges, planting high explosives to reduce walls and factories to rubble. Knights from Eldraine and Alara's Bant shard who were versed in raid tactics served as his unit's cavalry unit, a combination of both speed and hard-hitting power. They even had a handful of Demon and Giant berserkers from Kaldheim to serve as their heavy infantry, in conjunction with Nacatl ambushers from Alara's Naya shard. All of them with an axe to grind with New Phyrexia, and all possessed much-needed skills to aid the war effort.

One of the most interesting members of his unit was Eliana, an angel from Ravnica. The very idea of a Ravnican angel unaffiliated with either the Boros Legion or the Orzhov Syndicate was already a head-turner for Naruto. Add to this, most he knew of preferred more serious occupations - soldiers, warriors, wizards, even clerics. Never once did he think he'd see the day that he'd encounter an angel bard, let alone one affiliated with the Selesnya Conclave.

She was quite the force of nature on the battlefield, her movements a whirlwind even in aerial combat, pulling her own weight among Naruto's raiders with a dancer's grace. But what really made Eliana an essential member of the unit was her singing, her mana-tinged songs filling the air to perform any number of tasks. From soothing melodies that his clerics' medical operations, to war songs that weakened Phyrexians and empowered her allies. There was no doubt in Naruto's mind that despite her talent for music, Eliana was a warrior to her core.

Eliana's affiliation with the Conclave was interesting. Formerly affiliated with the Boros Legion, her faith in the Legion was shattered after witnessing some of her fellows taking things too far with a perp, leading her to question some of her actions. Her retirement from the Boros Legion was announced after Aurelia took up the position as the Boros leader - her sister in the Legion was surprisingly tolerant of her departure. After a long time spent as a Guildless Ravnican, Eliana eventually found her place among the Selesnya Conclave - she wasn't completely onboard with the Conclave's views, but she did find her calling among them as a healing musician.

While the years have taught her restraint and wisdom, Eliana hadn't lost that Boros Legion bravery and conviction to step up if push came to shove; she simply learned to pick her fights better. She was among the combatants fighting off the Phyrexians during the Battle of Ravnica, aiding the Guilds in retaking their world. Such was her courage that she volunteered to join the vanguard of the counteroffensive, being among the first of the attackers that set foot on Phyrexian soil, paving the way for the coalition to take the fight back to the Phyrexians.

The last time Naruto saw Eliana was during the frantic evacuation of New Phyrexia as it was banished from the multiverse, to be replaced by Teferi Akosa's homeland of Zhalfir. Only a handful of Capennan angels remained on the dying world once known as Mirrodin - sacrificing themselves to undertake a suicide mission to eliminate Phyrexian stragglers and secure the Omenpaths for the exodus. There wasn't even a chance to say goodbye as everyone was desperate to leave, to go home before they too were trapped with those Capennan angels, forever lost to oblivion. After the war, he'd been preoccupied, continuing his odyssey to find his way back to his home plane, and didn't even have a chance to revisit Ravnica since.

After sleep finally caught up to him, Naruto resolved to find Eliana if given the opportunity - to hear her music at least one more time before he died. But for now, he had to rest up in preparation for the mission to come.

…

[Towashi, Kamigawa]

The trip back to the portal she'd come out from was a very interesting stroll through the city of Towashi that retained the wonder she'd felt when she first set foot in the metropolis. Even when she was being escorted back to the portal that led her to Takigakure, Fū took the opportunity to appreciate the onset of the spectacle that began as soon as sunset bathed the city in dark blues and fiery oranges. The neon lights roared to life as the nightlife crept into existence…a variety of colors creating the very spectacle she was looking forward to, the shapes and lines standing out against the darkened shadows of dusk.

Shizuki Kaitō had proven to be quite a good tour guide, though she'd had a feeling there was more that he wasn't telling her about this place. He was quite civil with her throughout their time together, taking her fangirling in stride, when he clearly had better things to do. From what Fū understood, Shizuki Kaitō would've normally patrolled the city for any threats from within and without, and most certainly to protect the emperor.

Quite a surprise for Fū to learn that the Emperor of Kamigawa was a woman - most leaders she knew of were men, the Godaime Hokage she'd heard about recently, however, being the most obvious exception. To think there was such a person who was even more powerful than the Daimyō was mind-boggling as it were…that such a person was a woman was another matter entirely. To make things even more impressive, she even had her own imperial palace to the north of the city…which evidently had its own training and educational facilities and churned out highly-trained samurai by the hundreds.

Still, for all his civility, Fū kept her guard up - one wrong move, and things could turn sour in an instant. Shizuki Kaitō was a veteran ninja, and she was in his stomping grounds - he clearly knew the labyrinthine streets of Towashi like the back of his hand, which already gave him a home court advantage. And on top of this, aside from his katana, and his tanuki-friend Himoto, she didn't know what other gadgets he had on hand. All in all, while she and Chōmei had all the raw power in the world, she had a feeling that Kaitō would fight much like the trickster god he resembled, leveling the playing field through a combination of advanced technology and sheer cunning.

Aside from that, and quite frankly, she didn't want to make a bad impression on her guide…especially not after knowing that Kaitō directly served the Emperor. The diplomatic implications of her visit were clear; the second she set foot in Towashi, she became the de facto representative of her people to a woman far more powerful than any Daimyō. Any misconduct now would've reflected badly on Takigakure, which would have led to severe repercussions in future relations between her village and Kamigawa. Add to this, the way he occasionally spoke of her implied a close relationship between the two of them - childhood friends, she observed, at the very least. The loyalty in his words meant that if the Emperor had so decided that Fū was a threat, Kaitō would have been compelled to side with his sovereign on the matter.

"You've been surprisingly very patient with me," she said, breaking the silence.

"Well, you're not the first visitor we've had," Kaito admitted without missing a beat, "And with the way things are now, I highly doubt you'll be the last. One of them was even like you…a boy that came from a world of ninjas, but not from Kamigawa - you can relax your ninja reflexes for now, by the way, you haven't done anything wrong."

"How did you know I'm a ninja?" Fū asked, shocked at the conclusion he'd reached.

Kaitō snorted in amusement. "Your movements gave you away; you're more low-tech than we are, but your skills are still pure ninja."

Before she could form a proper response, all thoughts had come to a screeching halt when Fū saw something that did not belong to the city. It was large, like an arm that had extended from the heavens, covered in a solid, white substance that looked a lot like polished porcelain. Each plate covered what appeared to be red flesh, and bristled with keen metal barbs. From the way it branched out, Fū had assumed it to be a root, though she noted the extremely clean cut at the top of the appendage. All around, she noted construction crews working in the vicinity without a care in the world, seemingly oblivious to how wrong that thing looked - like it belonged to some vile-looking tree grown by a particularly evil gardener. A part of her wanted to set the thing alight out of sheer disgust.

"A root of the Realmbreaker," Kaitō stated knowingly, nodding to continue their trip, "A scar I doubt is gonna leave anytime soon. I've heard a rumor that it's going to be used as a monument to commemorate the lives lost during the Battle of Kamigawa - a single battle in a much bigger war against an enemy known as the Phyrexians."

"Tell me about the war." Fū requested, her voice barely a whisper.

A sad smile played on Kaitō's face. "It's a long, and complicated story…but suffice to say, that every life that was lost in the New Phyrexian Invasion was on the account of a very wicked, very ambitious Phyrexian known as Elesh Norn. From what I've been told, it all started in Kaldheim…when the Phyrexian monstrosity known as Vorinclex stole something from that realm. It wouldn't end there, as Norn's schemes came to a climax here in Kamigawa, hastening her plans for dominion. The Phyrexians came at us like a tsunami; had it not been for discoveries made in the city of New Capenna, and had we not prepared for the coming storm, they would've won without incident."

Nobody spoke of such devastation so casually unless they were there personally. Fū looked back at Kaitō, her unspoken question hanging in the air - You fought?

"We all fought," Kaitō confirmed, matter-of-factly, "I tell you, you've not seen true war when you're no longer fighting for land, ideals, or even politics, but for survival. Truly, even the worst of enemies can find the unlikeliest of allies in the face of total annihilation - and it was a war that nobody could afford to lose. Again, the Battle of Kamigawa was just one front in a much bigger war against the undead war machines of New Phyrexia - other realms were ravaged by the fires of war."

"How many nations?" Fū asked, hesitant to hear the answer.

Kaitō huffed, his chuckle tinged with bitterness. "Nations implies that we were fighting a war in a single region that unfolds over the course of years, maybe even generations. The New Phyrexian Invasion was an existential crisis where no less than thirty-six different worlds burned, where billions died within months."

The sheer scale of the devastation was enough to elicit shock from Fū - now that was a bad war…one that would've dwarfed every single conflict she was aware of. If Kaitō was telling the truth, this "New Phyrexian Invasion" was so terrible that it would've made the generations of intermittent conflict between the Shinobi Nations look like squabbles between Genin-hopefuls in the Ninja Academy.

"But you guys won, right?" Fū asked hopefully, "I mean, this city wouldn't still be standing if the Phyrexians were still a problem."

"Yeah, we won," Kaitō confirmed, undertones of triumph in his voice, "The second we were able to organize and mount an effective counterattack, we took it - and let me tell you, they weren't kidding when they said payback's a bitch. Simply put, we seized the initiative, and we held it until Elesh Norn and her cursed hordes paid for every drop of blood they spilled. The Omenpaths, these portals that Realmbreaker created for the Phyrexians to invade our homes became our doorway for revenge and salvation - and now that the war's over, they act as a roadway allowing travelers like you to enter totally different realms."

Fū had no idea what to make of the very notion that the portal she used to get to Kamigawa was once used by a most terrible enemy to invade multiple worlds. Still, she was at least satisfied with the fact that the war was over…she would have to ask Kaitō some more about this Phyrexian War another time. It was at this moment that Fū decided to change the subject. "What can you tell me about that boy who comes from a world of ninjas like I do?"

Kaitō shrugged. "Honestly, the Emperor could tell you more about him than I can…she's the one who met him first. What I do know about him is that he's been lost for a very long time - going on seven years. And the last I heard from him, he was still trying to find his way home."

"Did he fight in the war too?" Fū asked, curious about this lost soul who'd been to this city before she had.

"Of course!" Kaitō replied, his eyes speaking of good memories, "In fact he and his raid unit was one of the biggest contributors to the coalition's war effort. His name's memorable."

"What's his name?"

"Uzumaki Naruto."

Fū was taken aback by the name she was given. "Uzumaki" was not such a bad name…it was an infamous one, but still a rather good name if she recalled. However, the other half of his name…not so much, and she nearly snorted. "What parents in their right name would name their kid after a fish cake?"

Kaitō laughed. "That's what I said! But he insisted that it's 'maelstrom.' And honestly, it kinda fits now that I think about it…he really was a storm on the battlefield, pullin' off some of the most dangerous raids for the war effort. And he wasn't a slouch himself in single combat - I guess if he hadn't dedicated himself to the path of the battlemage, he would've made for one hell of a ninja. We're here by the way."

So deep was she in her thoughts that Fū hadn't noticed that they were standing in front of the portal that brought her to this city of wonders. Heaving a sigh, she looked towards Kaitō, nodding gratefully. "Thanks for the escort. I hope I get to see more of the city at a later date."

"You take care of yourself." Kaitō replied.

As soon as she stepped through the Omenpath, Fū felt that same sensation of speed as when she'd first stepped into it - the feeling of being pulled by an invisible hand into a white light through a darkened corridor. Before she knew it, she found herself back in the Takigakure wilderness…though the sun's position made it clear that she'd been gone for some time, as the sky had barely started to turn orange.

"What do you think, Chōmei?" she mused to herself, "Should we tell someone?"

"You're gonna have to tell someone eventually," advised her Bijū, "You're already distrusted because of me…you don't need an extra heaping of it, so if you're gonna do it, you're gonna have to do it soon. But if you want my advice? Share your findings with that boy Shibuki first…he seems trustworthy enough."

Fū silently agreed, resolving to tell the one person she could trust with this intel. Shibuki had been her best friend in the village…add to this, he was the village head, and so she was obligated to tell him. Whether he'd believe her or not was another matter entirely, but at least she got it off her chest.

As she strode through the forest, she began to ruminate on the name she'd been given: the boy who was lost for seven years, even fighting in such a horrible war as the Phyrexian Invasion.

Uzumaki Naruto.

Letting the name roll off her tongue, Fū resolved to speak to him eventually about his experiences. She wanted to hear his stories - what he saw, what he did, what he learned, as well as more about the Phyrexian War that consumed so many worlds.

But more importantly, what it meant for their world now that these roads to other realms were open.

…

[Somewhere in Hi no Kuni]

Strings against a wooden resounding board, bridge, and frets. Each strand plucked rhythmically with the luthier's deft fingers gripping a large, triangular pick.

Sheets of leather pulled taut and nailed to a hollow wooden frame. Beats thrummed with discipline as the drummer followed the luthier's rhythm.

The stranger had always found comfort in music. A respite from the traveling she'd done since she'd come to this plane…she often found solace near musicians for a reason, and being a bard herself, she knew the healing power of music. For her, she was in need of such healing after having fought in the New Phyrexian Invasion.

There was no telling how people would take it if she revealed herself, but she was not about to risk it. For all she knew, the people of this world were xenophobic, and she was quick to note the feudalistic nature of the world she'd stumbled into.

All in all, not a terrible place - quite interesting, in fact. A human-dominated plane, and not even a Goblin lived here, which was an oddity in itself. The mana was clearly flowing strongly in this world, and yet nobody seemed to have the ability to use it…the stranger did, however, note that the warriors of this world made use of a magical art that relied solely on somatic commands. Much like how it was a simple matter of stopping mages from casting by restricting their ability to speak, all it would take for her to cripple the spellcasters of this world from casting was to restrict their ability to use their hands.

This world was also not unlike her own, with factions vying for power, a tense power-struggle without erupting into full-blown war. The stranger would have to be very careful if she wanted to explore this world without interruptions.

"You've got some nerve showing up here!"

The stranger's thoughts had come to a halt as soon as she heard the shout, prompting her to investigate.

Upon finding the source of the shout, she came across the scene of a young boy, barely a man, confronting an older man alone and in an alleyway. The boy wore a dark blue vest over a bright blue long-sleeve shirt, along with a pair of shorts that revealed a pair of sprinter's legs covered in leg-warmers up to his calves. His hand subtly drifted towards the handle of the knife holstered at the small of his back, his stance and his glare radiating righteous fury at the older man.

The older man had a wiry, but muscular frame under an off-white shirt with a pair of bold, dark stripes going down the middle. He also wore a strange headband with a metal plate that flew some sort of crest that consisted of four parallel lines crossing the length of steel like rainfall. He carried an umbrella over his shoulder, but she couldn't help but notice the odd-looking metal handle at his side. The man oozed empty bravado as he stood before the boy, cleaning his ear with a pinkie - it took all the self-control the stranger had to stop herself from intervening and slapping the arrogance off his face.

Umbrella's voice was tinged with mockery and condescension. "I'm sorry, who are you again? I have a problem recognizing insignificant little ants like you."

"Bullshit!" barked the boy, his hand reaching ever closer towards the grip of his blade, "You know full well who I am, Rokushō Aoi! I trusted you, and you repaid me by turning me into a Konoha fugitive!"

The veil of feigned ignorance was lifted, and a malicious smile played on Aoi's face. "Ah yes, now I remember you! You're that sadist's pathetic little brother Idate! Tell me, how did it go with your brother Ibiki? Did he bemoan how you were a disgrace to the Morino family name?"

The boy now known as Idate flinched at the barb, but was able to hold himself back from doing something very foolish. There was history between the two of them, and she saw and heard it very clearly…from what she'd gathered, Aoi was a traitor both to his village, and to the boy he'd betrayed. Whatever happened between them, it was clear to her that Idate hadn't let go of what Aoi had done, and he wanted justice.

After taking a moment to compose himself, Idate thought carefully of his next words. "You think my situation with Konoha's bad? Yours is worse! Doubly so considering you had me steal that blade hanging on your side - and let me tell you: what Konoha's gonna do to me is light compared to what they're gonna do to you. And the real kicker? I'll bet that the higher-ups at Amegakure don't realize they've got a lemon - they may have been happy with whatever intel you've given them, but they have no idea that you're trash without the Nidaime Hokage's blade!"

Within seconds, Aoi lunged at Idate, his hand snapping to the handle hanging at his side. As she lunged in step with him, experienced eyes watched as he channeled the strange energy utilized by the natives through the handle to create a blade. The stranger was quick to get beside Aoi, her gloved fingers curling around his wrist like a steel vise.

"Isn't it a bit much?" she asked, her grip on Aoi's wrist tightening, eliciting a hiss of pain, "To be using such a weapon on a child? Must you stoop so low?"

"Let go of me, you crazy bitch!" bit out Aoi, not at all happy with the way things were turning out.

After Aoi successfully wrenched his sword hand free from the stranger's grasp, the stranger ducked under a clumsy swipe of her opponent's energy sword, before countering with a sharp backhand, leaving him reeling as she slapped him across the cheek. Recovering from the sudden strike, Aoi took a moment to reorient himself while nursing the throbbing red handprint on his cheek; his shock melted away into sheer indignation.

It didn't take long for Aoi to re-engage, and the stranger found she wasn't impressed in the slightest with her opponent. Throughout the fight, Idate's assessment had proven accurate - Aoi was more talk and unearned hubris than substance. Yes, his bark had bite, but his teeth were sinfully dull, sharpened only by the energy blade in his hand. But even that was not guaranteed to land him the win, as the man's grasp of swordsmanship was rudimentary at best, and so the stranger saw no need to summon her weapon of choice, let alone strike him with a closed fist. There wasn't even a need to call upon her full mastery over White mana, as she'd found the quality of the energy blade was weak enough that she was able to parry his strikes, pushing the blade aside with a hand sheathed in White mana.

As the fight continued on, the thunderous raucous of slaps echoed through the alleyway with a resounding *smack!* for every time she struck Aoi's cheeks with impunity. The fool's face was a red canvas of rage and welts - he was lucky he hadn't lost any teeth. While she felt a grim satisfaction in humiliating the man, she lamented that this "Nidaime Hokage" was very likely rolling in their grave. Their energy sword had found itself in the hands of a most unworthy wielder, who was relying both on its legacy and its inherent power to carry him through most of his battles, and with such shoddy foundations to boot.

His frustration and rage having reached a crescendo, Aoi finally took his umbrella off his shoulder, opened it, then spun it, allowing it to drift into the air. A warrior's eyes, and a bard's ears allowed her to notice that something deadly belied the simplistic nature of the umbrella…and it was soon proven correct when she saw needles extending from the ribs. The fact that there were so many of them suggested that it was a weapon meant to kill multiple targets in the same area as it saturated the area with needles.

Had she been younger, more headstrong, the stranger would have taken this opportunity to end Aoi in a single strike, nevermind that it'd be at the expense of her own life. In her later years, she would have simply protected herself with a White mana barrier before attacking. Now, she wasn't alone: Idate was in the area, and he hadn't moved from his spot, likely mesmerized by the way she'd been dominating Aoi with impunity, very literally slapping him silly.

Before a single needle was fired, the stranger wasted no time in backpedaling, stopping before Idate to create a shimmering wall of White mana before the needles reached him. As she created the barrier, the stranger felt the wings on her back moving, the flutter of torn fabric and the whisper of feathers rang through the air as her wings violently liberated themselves from the back of her hooded cloak. She'd kept her wings folded throughout her time in order to make herself appear as a harmless hunchback wandering the lands.

Nevertheless, her wings were free; she may as well use them. She channeled White Mana through her spread wings, increasing the size of the barrier, the Halo coursing through her veins amplifying the power output. The needles crashed against the barrier, creating ripples upon its surface like a sudden burst of rain, disintegrating upon contact with the mana wall.

Her defense of Idate complete, the stranger stood up straight - with her disguise as a hunchback ruined, she carried herself with pride. She folded her wings behind her in anticipation of battle while staring at Aoi with no shortage of anger from behind her hood. The fool looked back at her, a mix of fear, confusion, and disgust on his features as he recreated the energy blade.

"What are you?!" he stammered.

"Your end, if you persist in your assault," replied the stranger, her sharp and cold and dripping with menace as she summoned her spear into one hand, its familiar weight a comfort to her, "Leave now, or I shall cut you down where you stand."

…

A/N: And we're done.

More Expo, with a slice of battle.

Don't worry, we'll have more to do in the next chapter.

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Vocabulary/Translations/Notes:

None today…

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Cards used:

None today…